10 Popular Manga Artists Who Prefer to Remain Anonymous

Despite their widespread popularity, many manga series are authored by mysterious individuals who have opted to remain anonymous. Uncovering the identities of these talented manga artists remains one of the publishing world’s greatest enigmas, captivating readers across the globe.

Some people prefer to keep their privacy, while others want the focus to be on the story and characters rather than their personal details. This element of secrecy only enhances their allure and captivation for readers.

Despite creating some of the most beloved manga series that have gained millions of fans, these 10 manga artists have chosen to keep their true identities hidden from the public.

ONE and 8 Popular Manga Artists Who Choose to Remain Anonymous

ONE

One Punch Man quickly rose to fame in the world of manga with its original concept of a superhero and stunning artwork. Written under the name ONE, this talented manga artist gained widespread recognition for the immensely popular series, which has been adapted into both an anime and manga. While his real name is known, it is not widely publicized.

In 2009, ONE initially self-published One Punch Man as a manga. The humorous and unique superhero character, Saitama, who has the ability to defeat any enemy with just one punch, along with ONE’s crude drawing style, quickly gained popularity among readers.

The manga revamp, which was illustrated by Yusuke Murata, resulted in even greater acclaim and eventually led to an anime version. Despite receiving offers, ONE has deliberately chosen to avoid the spotlight in order to maintain their creative integrity and not allow fame to influence their storytelling.

Author of Death Note

Tsugumi Ohba, under the pen name, made a huge impact in 2003 with their supernatural detective series, Death Note, which has consistently ranked as one of the most popular manga series of all time. The series follows the character Light and his deadly notebook.

Ohba deliberately selected a name that was not associated with any particular gender in order to continue concealing their real identity and ensure that the focus remained on the story. Following the conclusion of Death Note in 2006, Ohba worked once more with artist Takeshi Obata on the manga series Bakuman, which follows the journey of aspiring manga creators.

In a deliberate decision, the creators modeled the main characters after their own experiences and journey to success with Death Note. During a rare interview, they disclosed minimal details about their personal lives, only mentioning their love for reading and their desire for Death Note to incorporate various genres, including detective fiction and psychological thrillers.

Koyoharu Gotouge

The manga and anime adaptation of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba captivated audiences worldwide, becoming a global sensation. First serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2016, the shonen manga quickly became a top seller, with over 150 million copies in circulation.

The manga artist chose to go by the pen name Koyoharu Gotouge in order to maintain their anonymity. This decision has allowed them to live a private life, shielded from the spotlight of fame.

Gotouge revealed in email interviews that they had previously worked as an assistant for another manga artist for a number of years in order to gain experience before creating Demon Slayer. They have respectfully declined any invitations to public events or reveals in order to maintain the intrigue for their fans.

Haruichi Furudate

The thrilling storylines of the popular volleyball manga and anime Haikyuu!! revitalized interest in the niche sports genre. Manga artist Haruichi Furudate drew inspiration from their personal experiences playing volleyball competitively during their school years.

It is believed that Haruichi is their genuine given name, and Furudate is most likely a pen name used to safeguard their identity. This also grants them the freedom to secretly interact with players and attend tournaments in order to gather material for the manga’s authentic representation of volleyball.

Haruichi has stated in various interviews that Haikyuu!! is a tribute to their lifelong love for volleyball. The series came to an end in July 2020 after a successful eight-year run, selling over 50 million copies worldwide.

Eiichiro Oda

Nowadays, almost every manga fan is familiar with One Piece! In 1997, manga artist Eiichiro Oda introduced the wildly successful pirate adventure fantasy series, which continues to set records. Despite using his real name in public, Oda is very protective of his personal information.

Despite achieving staggering success, the creator of One Piece, Oda, remains elusive in the face of fame and riches. One Piece volumes, currently the highest-selling manga worldwide, have surpassed 500 million copies globally. The popularity and wealth of the franchise have been further amplified by its anime and spinoff adaptations.

Despite being interviewed by the One Piece live-action cast recently, Oda still maintains strict secrecy in his work, rarely granting interviews or making public appearances. He even kept his face hidden behind an emoji during the interview.

Suzuki Nakaba

Nakaba Suzuki draw The Seven Deadly Sins (Image via Kodansha USA)

The Seven Deadly Sins combined the beloved elements of fantasy magic and swashbuckling adventure. Manga creator Nakaba Suzuki captivated readers with the thrilling journey of Princess Elizabeth, who searched for the disbanded knights to aid her cause.

From the beginning, Nakaba Suzuki chose to use a pen name in order to stay out of the public eye. In infrequent written interviews, they acknowledged that the creation of the distinctive story realm was influenced by western fantasy books and traditional folktales.

Suzuki has expressed a love for reading fantasy epics during their childhood and a desire to adapt them into manga form. Currently, The Seven Deadly Sins manga has sold over 40 million copies and continues to sell.

Sui Ishida

Despite its gruesome protagonist Ken Kaneki, the dystopian horror series Tokyo Ghoul quickly gained a devoted following worldwide. Author Sui Ishida shocked readers with the disturbing concept of ghouls who feed on human flesh, secretly living among humans.

Ishida’s brooding and meticulously crafted illustrations are a perfect match for the unsettling concept of Kaneki, a part-ghoul, and his inner turmoil. He has acknowledged that drawing these gory scenes is both disturbing and captivating, almost like an addiction. In exclusive email interviews, Ishida has revealed that he draws inspiration from psychological horror writers ranging from Franz Kafka to Stephen King.

Ishida chooses to keep a tight grip on their private information, avoiding the spotlight. Instead, they use their acclaimed seinen horror manga creations, featuring flawed characters grappling with existential dilemmas, as a way to subtly comment on societal issues.

Yuki Tabata – Manga Artist and Creator

Despite using a pseudonym, manga artist Yuki Tabata has gradually divulged personal information about themselves through various interviews. Their work “Black Clover”is a thrilling shonen adventure manga that delivers intense magical battles in a fantastical realm.

Tabata revealed that their pen name was chosen randomly and without any specific reason. Before starting their work on Black Clover, they spent two years as an apprentice under the renowned mangaka Eiichiro Oda, known for his work on One Piece. The rigorous training proved to be instrumental in their success with their first serialized work.

In interviews, Tabata has openly discussed their struggles with anxiety during the early stages of their career. However, they were able to overcome these challenges, thanks to the unwavering support and encouragement from their editor. The incredible success of Black Clover, with over 17 million copies sold, continues to amaze the humble artist.

Rei Hiroe – Manga Artist

Black Lagoon (Image via Studio Madhouse)

The renowned crime noir series Black Lagoon by Rei Hiroe combines the gritty aesthetics of Sin City with elements of manga. Filled with exhilarating action, Hiroe’s story follows the Lagoon Company, a gang involved in maritime smuggling and their adventures on the high seas.

Despite receiving praise for their dynamic art that brings stories of s*x, violence, and crime to life, Hiroe has chosen to reveal very little about their personal life. Even using a gender-neutral pseudonym like Rei can lead to speculation. However, Hiroe values their privacy over public recognition.

Despite rarely giving written interviews, Hiroe has attributed Quentin Tarantino’s films as a major influence on the premise of Black Lagoon. They continue to fiercely protect their personal identity and creative freedom, rejecting any external criticism or censorship.

10) Gege Akutami

Gege Akutami dressed as Mechamaru in an interview (Image via Mando Kobayashi program)

Jujutsu Kaisen, a story about a shaman fighting against dark spirits, captured the interest of people of all ages. In just 4 years since mangaka Gege Akutami’s first publication, the series quickly became popular among both younger and older readers.

Despite being known as Gege and cosplaying as Mechamaru, a character from their manga Jujutsu Kaisen, Akutami has maintained their anonymity and avoided sharing personal information in a recent public interview. Instead, they focused on discussing their creative process.

The panels depicting shamanism students fighting malevolent spirits have received acclaim from reviewers. However, Akutami continues to stay out of the spotlight, allowing the eerie battles to unfold on the page rather than promoting them in person.

Conclusion

Overall, manga artists have a significant impact on global pop culture through their creation of both print and digital comics. However, there are some manga artists who choose to avoid the spotlight and wealth. Instead, they choose to maintain a mysterious persona by using enigmatic pseudonyms, allowing for intrigue and imagination to take center stage.

These renowned figures in the world of manga choose to keep their true identities hidden for a range of reasons, including artistic integrity and the desire for unimpeded creative expression without the constraints of public scrutiny or commercial influence. By guarding their true selves, they are able to maintain control over their personal lives.

Despite their unmasked alter egos, their iconic creations continue to captivate countless dedicated readers. In fact, the authors’ preference for anonymity only adds to the intrigue for fans. Furthermore, their comics continue to sell at record-breaking numbers, perhaps even fueled by the mystery surrounding their identities.