Satoru Ozawa is a Japanese manga artist recognized for pioneering submarine-themed adventure manga. Born on February 3, 1936, in Saitama Prefecture, he began his career in 1957, initially drawing shoujo manga under the pen name Ozawa Akira. He also worked as an assistant to Osamu Tezuka, the legendary creator of Astro Boy. Over time, he used several pen names, including Kitazawa Riki and variations of his own name such as Ozawa Akira.

Ozawa achieved his major breakthrough in 1963 with the serialization of Submarine 707 in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday. The series, which ran until 1965, became an instant success and established him as one of the most popular manga artists of the decade. This work is central to his legacy and is the original manga behind the anime you referenced. The story follows Captain Youhei Hayami and the crew of the aging diesel submarine 707 as they battle a mysterious undersea organization led by Admiral Red. The manga was later adapted into two original video animations: Submarine 707: Deep Sea Fleet (Shinkai no Kantai: Submarine 707) in 1997, and the two-episode Submarine 707R in 2003 and 2004.

Following the success of Submarine 707, Ozawa continued to focus on naval and science fiction adventure. In 1967, he created another of his most famous works, Ao no 6-gou (Blue Submarine No. 6), also serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This series featured similar themes of underwater combat against a powerful enemy organization. Decades later, it was adapted into a highly acclaimed four-episode original video animation by Studio Gonzo between 1998 and 2000, which brought his work to a new generation of fans.

Ozawa’s artistic identity is strongly tied to military and mechanical action, particularly detailed depictions of submarines and naval warfare. His work on Submarine 707 is noted for creating a template for submarine battle manga that preceded later hits like The Silent Service. Beyond submarines, his interests were diverse. In the early 1970s, his popularity shifted, and he found success not with a manga but with the designs for a plastic toy robot called Robodacchi. He also worked in genres such as ninja fiction, historical drama, and comedy. His career was interrupted by a serious traffic accident in 1983, but he eventually recovered and returned to drawing manga, producing works such as The Third Wave and Yellow Zero.

Satoru Ozawa holds a significant place in manga history as a specialist in submarine and mechanical adventure stories. His work on Submarine 707 and Blue Submarine No. 6 not only defined a subgenre but also provided source material for major anime productions decades after their original publication, demonstrating the lasting appeal of his creations.