TOKYO - Tetsuya Chiba, best known as the creator of the classic Japanese boxing manga series "Ashita no Joe" (Tomorrow's Joe) whose depiction of postwar Japan resonated with readers, died last Thursday at a hospital in Tokyo, the Japan Cartoonists Association said. He was 87.
Chiba provided the art for the boxing manga, written by Asao Takamori and later translated into English as "Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow." The story follows an orphan's journey into professional boxing.
Born in Tokyo, Chiba moved as a child with his family to Manchuria, now part of northeastern China, during Japan's occupation of the region. They returned to Japan following its surrender in World War II.
Chiba, who debuted in 1956, began his career with comics for girls and later shifted to works aimed at boys, becoming popular for his sports-themed manga.
"Ashita no Joe" was serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine from the issue dated Jan. 1, 1968, and became so popular in Japan that fans attended a mock funeral for the protagonist's fictional rival.
From the 1970s, he produced many works with school and sports themes, including "Ore wa Teppei" (I'm Teppei).
In 1995, Chiba and several other manga artists published a compilation of their personal experiences of repatriation from Manchuria. He continued advocating for peace and opposing war.
Chiba led the Japan Cartoonists Association for six years from 2012.
In 2022, Chiba became one of the first manga artists selected for membership of the Japan Art Academy, which praised him for his contribution to sports-themed comics.
When he became the first manga artist to receive the prestigious Order of Culture in 2024, he said he was proud of the honor for shining a light on the work of manga creators and helping to elevate it to a respected genre.
Other prominent manga artists of his generation included Takao Saito, known for "Golgo 13," and Leiji Matsumoto, known for "Galaxy Express 999."
