Akihito Tsukushi is the pseudonym of Shigeya Suzuki, a Japanese illustrator, manga artist, and designer born on May 5, 1979, in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. He also uses the pen name Ichimi Tokusa for certain projects. His professional background began in the video game industry; after graduating from Tokyo Design Academy with a focus in illustration, he worked at Konami from 2000 to 2010. During his decade at the company, he contributed to titles such as Elebits, The Sword of Etheria, and Suikoden III, often credited under his real name. Following his departure from Konami, he became a freelance illustrator before transitioning to a career as a manga creator.

Tsukushi’s debut in manga came with the publication of the doujinshi From Star Strings in 2011. His breakout work and most notable creation, Made in Abyss, began serialization in 2012 on Takeshobo’s Web Comic Gamma website. The series remains ongoing, with over a dozen collected volumes released as of 2026. The story of Made in Abyss, a dark fantasy following the orphans Riko and Reg as they descend into a treacherous and mysterious chasm, became the foundation for a multimedia franchise. It was adapted into a television anime series that premiered in 2017. Subsequent anime projects include the compilation film Made in Abyss: Mezameru Shinpi, the sequel film Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul, the second television series Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun, and a series of shorts titled Marulk's Everyday. Tsukushi also served as the original story supervisor for the video game Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness.

His artistic identity is characterized by a distinct contrast between deceptively cute and warm character designs and the extremely detailed, often grotesque, and cruel world they inhabit. His work is noted for its intricate world-building and meticulous narrative illustrations. He has cited a range of influences, including painter Norman Rockwell, filmmakers such as Phil Tippett, and manga artists like Jiro Taniguchi, Hayao Miyazaki, and Masakazu Ishiguro. His creative process involves using reference materials, including a mannequin of a young girl, to accurately depict characters and their domestic environments.

Before achieving fame with Made in Abyss, Tsukushi contributed to other media. He provided original character designs for the anime Otogi-Jushi Akazukin under the name Ichimi Tokusa and designed the Nanaki village for the anime series The Lost Village. His career transition from a major game company to an independent manga artist and his subsequent international success with a dark fantasy series mark his significance in the industry, establishing him as a creator known for his distinctive aesthetic and elaborate fictional universes.