Departures of note

Tetsuya Chiba was a celebrated Japanese manga artist whose warm storytelling and dynamic paneling made him one of the most popular creators of his generation. He is best known for Ashita no Joe (Tomorrow's Joe), the landmark boxing manga he created with writer Asao Takamori, which became a cultural phenomenon in Japan and inspired anime adaptations and a lasting legacy in sports manga.

Beyond Ashita no Joe, Chiba created beloved works including Ore wa Teppei, about a boy from the mountains, and Notari Matsutaro, a sumo-themed comedy-drama. His series were serialized in major magazines and reached wide audiences across Japan.

Chiba received numerous honors over his career, including the Order of the Rising Sun and the Grand Prix of the Japan Cartoonists Association, and he served as a leading figure in the Japanese manga industry. He died on 22 October 2026 at the age of 87.