Tetsuya Chiba, Creator of Ashita no Joe, Dies at 87

comicsOct 27, 202617628

Tetsuya Chiba, the manga artist best known for the boxing epic Ashita no Joe, has died at age 87. Chiba was born in Tokyo in 1939 and debuted as a professional manga creator in 1956 at age 17. Ashita no Joe ran from 1968 to 1973 and spawned two television anime adaptations in 1970 and 1980 and two anime films in 1980 and 1981; the series was cited as the origin for 2018’s Megalobox and its 2021 sequel Megalobox 2: Nomad. Chiba had been on hiatus from his autobiographical Big Comic manga Hinemosu Notari Nikki since September 25 due to poor health; his recent medical history included a coronary stent in January 2022, treatment for a throat tumor after hospital admission in November 2021, and eye surgery noted in 2024. He was nominated to the Japan Art Academy in 2022 alongside Yoshiharu Tsuge, served as chair of the Japan Cartoonists Association, and in 2024 became the first manga creator awarded Japan’s Order of Culture. Ashita no Joe received its first official English release, Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, in December 2024.

Strict Algorithm LLC

@wsstalkback.bsky.social

Ashita no Joe artist Tetsuya Chiba has passed away at 87 years old. At the time of his passing, he was illustrating "Hinemotsu notari nikki" in Shogakukan's Big Comic. We send our deepest condolences to his family and celebrate the legacy he's left on manga as an art form.

1984h ago

Quoting this

Nintakun23

Mais um mestre que se vai Eu vou ser eternamente grato por Ashita no Joe. É a opinião mais clichê do mundo sobre a essa altura mas é um daqueles mangás que mudou tudo pra mim Por mais que o Kajiwara fosse a alma do roteiro, o Chiba teve importância crucial pra esse mangá ser o que foi TAMBÉM

vera8

fuuuuck. can all the cool guys STOP DYING for ONE SECOND. goddammit. at least 87's a good run to go out on. rip to a legend

✨Pachi✨ (⁠ʘ⁠ᴗ⁠ʘ⁠✿⁠)7

um grande artista nos deixou.

Yog-shi4

*salutes* yours was a warm fire, not the raging inferno you wrote about. Thanks for keeping us inspired sir.

Anime News Network

@animenewsnetwork.com

Tetsuya Chiba, the legendary creator of the boxing manga Ashita no Joe, has died at 87:

1473h ago

Quoting this

Reuben Baron7

Just saw some of his drawings at the Brooklyn Museum's Art of Manga exhibit. That's gonna be a sad update to the artist bios...

They/Them Squall Leonhart6

One of the best to ever do it in terms of manga art. This is one of the main contenders for my favorite manga panel.

marnie🎀3

:(( rest in peace 💔

Mike Toole

@miketoole.com

Eric bauza, Walter Koenig, and now tetsuya Chiba. This weeks a heavy one, man 😔

694h ago

Rumic World

@furinkan.com

In terribly sad news, Tetsuya Chiba (1939-2026) has passed away. Best known for "Ashita no Joe" (あしたのジョー), "Notari Matsutaro" (のたり松太郎), "Akane-chan" (あかねちゃん) and many other shonen and shojo series. His death is an astronomical loss to the manga world.

483h ago

The Japan Times

@japantimes.co.jp

Manga artist Tetsuya Chiba, best known for the boxing drama "Ashita no Joe," has died at 87, according to media reports on Tuesday.

513h ago

Baxter

@cosmicspooks.bsky.social

Tetsuya Chiba was actually That Guy. One of the best to ever do it. RIP

314h ago

CheeseGX

@cheesegx.bsky.social

Rest in peace to the unmatched Tetsuya Chiba, to call his work in Japanese comics influential would be selling his long career short. 87 is a damn good life lived, thank you for everything you gave us, absolute legend.

274h ago

Dave@Not-Convention Recovery

@sasuraiger.bsky.social

lrt: legendary author of ashita no joe, tetsuya chiba has passed away at 87

154h ago

Secret Histories of Nerd Mysteries

@nerdmysteries.bsky.social

Tetsuya Chiba has passed away, we did an episode on his work on Ashita no Joe in June. Please listen to learn a little more about the person who was the first mangaka to receive Japan’s Order of Culture, we are forever grateful for his work and hope he rests in peace maximumfun.org/episodes/sec...

93h ago

Evan Hayden

@electronvolcano.bsky.social

😥 Rest in peace to an absolute MASTER of manga art. It's been such a special pleasure to work with Chiba's art on Ashita no Joe... to be able to examine his linework, tones, angles, & visual "mood" up close & in great detail. His art is truly beautiful & has a real depth. A real inspiration.

63h ago

E(mera)ld

@gothiccoppelia.bsky.social

rest in peace tetsuya chiba. too many good people dying this year oh my god

63h ago

Animinutes.

@magisternews.bsky.social

#BREAKING: Manga author of "Ashita no Joe", Tetsuya Chiba, passed away at the age of 87, according to a report from Kyodo News and Mainichi. More details will be announced. . #AshitanoJoe #TetsuyaChiba

44h ago

Comic Tropes

@comictropes.bsky.social

Farewell, Tetsuya Chiba. He innovated sports manga and added to Japan’s culture.

51h ago

happy family planning

@kevs2.bsky.social

a huge rip to chiba tetsuya, ashita no joe is certified classic for good reason

34h ago

Jean-Karlo

@ventcard.bsky.social

Ashita no Joe is one of those manga and anime that has earned every ounce of its historical reputation. The moment you sit down with it, you immediately understand why it's such a big deal. Joe gets humility literally beaten into him in his journey to adulthood.

32h ago

3 sources

animenewsnetwork.comAshita no Joe Creator Tetsuya Chiba Dies at 87 japantimes.co.jpManga artist Tetsuya Chiba, creator of ‘Ashita no Joe,’ dies at 87 asia.nikkei.comTetsuya Chiba, creator of Japan's boxing manga 'Ashita no Joe,' dies

Tetsuya Chiba, Creator of Ashita no Joe, Dies at 87comics

Tetsuya Chiba, Creator of Ashita no Joe, Dies at 87

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