Manga Mavericks

Last week we sadly lost two influential mangaka whose works have become cultural institutions. Kazuhiko Kato, more popularly known by his pen name Monkey Punch, and Kazuo Koike have both passed away due to pneumonia. It’s bittersweet that Koike’s final tweets were reminiscing on his friend and rival, as both of their iconic series competed for popularity in Weekly Manga Action over nearly 50 years ago. His very last internet words were “I’m really going to miss him,” and we at Manga Mavericks feel the same about both creators. Lupin the Third is a franchise we both adore and one that has endured and entertained generations. Many of Koike’s works, including Lone Wolf and Cub, are absolute classics, and his legacy and influence on the medium can be seen through the numerous talents he helped nurture like Rumiko Takahashi and Tetsuo Hara, among many others. Both creators’ influence extend beyond manga, having even influence film directors abroad like Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino through film adaptation