Tetsuya Chiba, legendary manga artist behind such seminal works as Ashita no Joe, passed away on October 22. He was 87.

Kodansha relayed the sad news in a press release from October 27. A funeral has already been held among friends and family, but a separate farewell event for fans is currently being prepared. The comic editorial team noted that Chiba had maintained a close relationship with the publishers over the years, including setting up the Tetsuya Chiba Prize in 1980 for new manga artists.

In 2024, Chiba became the first manga artist to receive the prestigious Order of Culture award from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.