10 popular manga artists who choose to stay hidden

Manga artists have captured the imagination of readers all over the world. Many hugely popular manga series have mysterious authors who have chosen to remain anonymous. The identities of these talented manga artists are some of the biggest secrets in the publishing world.

Reasons vary from simple privacy considerations to allowing the story and characters to take center stage instead of their identities. This air of mystery adds to their mystique and intrigue for their readers.

We look at 10 such manga artists who have kept their true names hidden from the public despite creating some of the most popular manga series loved by millions.

ONE, Tsugumi Ohba, and 8 popular manga artists who have chosen to remain anonymous

1) ONE

One Punch Man took the manga world by storm with its unique superhero premise and high-quality illustrations. Under the pseudonym ONE, this manga artist gained instant fame for the hugely popular manga series turned anime and manga. His real name is known but not extensively publicized.

ONE first self-published One Punch Man as a manga in 2009. Their crude drawing style resonated with readers for its humor and original superhero character, Saitama, who can defeat any foe with a single punch.

The manga remake illustrated by Yusuke Murata led to even higher popularity and an anime adaptation. Despite offers, ONE has stayed away from the limelight out of personal choice and to retain creative integrity by not letting fame affect their stories.

2) Tsugumi Ohba

Death Note has regularly topped polls as one of the most popular manga series ever. Under the pen name Tsugumi Ohba, the mystery manga artist made a huge splash in 2003 with the supernatural detective series featuring the character Light and his deadly notebook.

Ohba specifically chose a gender-neutral name to further conceal their true identity and let the story take center stage. After Death Note ended in 2006, they collaborated with artist Takeshi Obata again on the Bakuman manga about aspiring manga artists.

They intentionally patterned the protagonists after themselves and their rise to fame with Death Note. In a rare interview, they revealed very little about their personal life, other than stating that they were an avid reader and wanted Death Note to encompass multiple genres, from detective fiction to psychological thrillers.

3) Koyoharu Gotouge

Cover of Koyoharu Gotouge's Short Stories (Image via Shueisha)

The global sensation Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba took the world by storm as both a manga and anime adaptation. The shonen manga began serialization in 2016 in Weekly Shonen Jump. It became one of the top sellers, with over 150 million manga copies in circulation.

The manga artist wrote under the pen name Koyoharu Gotouge, with no details leaked about their real identity. This allows them to live a private life away from the glare of fame.

In interviews given via email, Gotouge mentioned having been an assistant for another manga artist for some years to learn the ropes prior to Demon Slayer. They have politely declined to participate in any public events or reveals to keep the mystery alive for fans.

4) Haruichi Furudate

The popular volleyball manga and anime Haikyuu!! restored interest in this niche sports genre with its exciting storylines. Manga artist Haruichi Furudate took inspiration from their own experience playing volleyball competitively at school.

Haruichi is believed to be their real given name, while Furudate is likely a pseudonym to protect their identity. This also allows them to freely meet players and visit tournaments incognito to gather material for the manga's realistic portrayal of volleyball.

In interviews, Haruichi has described Haikyuu!! as a tribute to their passion for volleyball right from childhood. The series concluded in July 2020 after an eight-year successful run with over 50 million copies in circulation.

5) Eiichiro Oda

Eiichiro Oda In Interview (Image via Netflix)

Hardly any manga fan nowadays needs to be introduced to One Piece! Manga artist Eiichiro Oda created the smash-hit pirates adventure fantasy series in 1997, which continues to break records. Although Oda uses his real name publicly, he zealously guards personal information.

Currently the bestselling manga globally, One Piece volumes have topped over 500 million copies worldwide. Anime and spinoff adaptations have further boosted fame and riches for their creator. Yet Oda himself avoids publicity despite such staggering success.

He works in strict secrecy, rarely granting interviews or making public appearances. Even in his recent interview with the One Piece live-action cast, Oda ensured his face stayed hidden by an emoji.

6) Nakaba Suzuki

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

The Seven Deadly Sins mixed the popular genre of fantasy magic with swashbuckling adventure. Manga artist Nakaba Suzuki dazzled readers with the exciting quest of protagonist Princess Elizabeth, seeking the disbanded group of knights for help.

From the start, Nakaba Suzuki employed a pseudonym to avoid the spotlight. In rare interviews given in writing, they cited the influence of western fantasy novels and historical folktales in developing the unique story world.

Suzuki has shared enjoying reading fantasy epics growing up and wanting to create manga versions of that grand adventure genre. Over 40 million copies of The Seven Deadly Sins manga have sold so far and counting.

7) Sui Ishida

The dystopian horror series Tokyo Ghoul, with its macabre protagonist Ken Kaneki, rapidly earned cult status internationally. Mangaka Sui Ishida terrified readers with the idea of flesh-eating ghouls hiding in plain sight within human society.

Ishida's dark and intricately detailed art suits the disturbing premise of part-ghoul Kaneki's internal struggles. They have admitted that illustrating such gruesome scenes is disturbingly fascinating, almost like an obsession. In rare email interviews, Ishida has shared being inspired by psychological horror fiction authors from Franz Kafka to Stephen King.

Unwilling to step into the spotlight themselves, Ishida retains tight control over their private personal details. They prefer to instead comment obliquely on society's ills through the flawed characters wrestling with existential dilemmas in their acclaimed seinen horror manga creations.

8) Yuki Tabata

Shonen adventure manga Black Clover packs a punch with high-octane magic battles in a fantasy world. Though manga artist Yuki Tabata uses a pseudonym, they have slowly revealed tidbits about themselves over the course of various interviews.

Tabata mentioned having no particular reason for the pen name, which they picked randomly. Prior to Black Clover, they apprenticed under mangaka Eiichiro Oda of One Piece fame for two years. The intensive training helped them succeed in their first serialized work.

In interviews, Tabata has been candid about struggling with anxiety early in their career. They persevered thanks to steadfast encouragement from their editor. Black Clover's massive popularity, with over 17 million copies sold, continues to astonish the humble artist.

9) Rei Hiroe

Black Lagoon (Image via Studio Madhouse)

Sin City gritty aesthetics meet manga in Rei Hiroe’s acclaimed crime noir series Black Lagoon. Hiroe dishes up plenty of high-octane action with the Lagoon Company smuggling gang and their maritime smuggling adventures.

Despite critics praising Hiroe’s dynamic art for bringing stories of s*x, violence, and crime to life, Hiroe has disclosed very little about themselves. Even gender-neutral pseudonyms like Rei can sometimes invite speculation. But Hiroe prefers complete anonymity over publicity.

In rare written interviews, Hiroe has cited Quentin Tarantino's movies as an inspiration behind Black Lagoon's premise. They remain fiercely protective of their own identity and right to creative expression without external judgment or censorship.

10) Gege Akutami

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

Shaman battling dark spirits found appeal across generations in Jujutsu Kaisen. Within 4 years of mangaka Gege Akutami’s debut, the series rapidly gained success with both younger and adult audiences.

Akutami has avoided revealing their identity, even obscuring their gender by using the nickname Gege. In a rare public interview, Akutami appeared cosplaying as Mechamaru, a Jujutsu Kaisen character, and shared mostly about their creative process rather than any private details.

The atmospheric panels showing shamanism students battling sinister spirits have earned praise in reviews. But Akutami remains firmly in the shadows, letting the creepy battles play out on the page instead of publicity in person.

Conclusion

In conclusion, manga artists play a pivotal role in shaping pop culture worldwide through print and digital comics. Yet some manga artists eschew fame and fortune. Donning secret identities behind enigmatic pseudonyms, they let intrigue and imagination reign.

Their reasons vary from artistic integrity to creative freedom unburdened by public scrutiny or commercial pressures. These notable names in the manga industry guard their true identities to retain control over their personal lives.

Regardless of their unmasked alter egos, their iconic creations continue to influence millions of devoted readers. Indeed, their liking for anonymity in and of itself intrigues fans. And their comics sell wildly in ever greater numbers despite—or driven by—the mystery surrounding the authors themselves.