Masao Ohtake
Description
Masao Ohtake is a Japanese manga artist recognized as the original creator of several manga series that have been adapted into anime television productions. He is best known for his distinct blend of supernatural elements, absurdist comedy, and character-driven narratives.
Ohtake's most prominent work is the manga series Hinamatsuri, which he wrote and illustrated. The series began serialization in 2010 in the magazine Fellows!, which later became Harta, published by Enterbrain. The story follows a young yakuza member named Yoshifumi Nitta whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious, expressionless girl with powerful telekinetic abilities named Hina suddenly appears in his apartment. The manga ran for a decade, concluding in 2020, and was compiled into multiple collected volumes. The series is noted for its blend of yakuza comedy, science fiction, and slice-of-life drama, as well as its focus on a cast of characters including Hina, another psychic girl named Anzu, and the remarkably talented middle schooler Hitomi. In 2018, Hinamatsuri was adapted into a twelve-episode anime television series by the studio Feel, directed by Kei Oikawa. For this adaptation, Ohtake received credit as the original manga creator and for the original character designs.
Following the success of Hinamatsuri, Ohtake launched another manga series titled J⇔M, often abbreviated as JM. This action-comedy manga began serialization in May 2023 on KADOKAWA's Haruta Alter website. The story centers on J, a professional hitman who was raised by a syndicate and became an untouchable figure after eliminating multiple organizations that tried to eliminate him. The plot is set in motion when J bumps his head with Megumi, a third-grade girl who is bullied for being half-Japanese and half-American. The collision causes the pair to swap bodies, forcing the feared hitman to navigate life as a young girl while Megumi enjoys her new existence in a tough adult body. In March 2026, it was announced that JM would be adapted into a television anime series, with Ohtake providing a celebratory illustration for the announcement.
Ohtake's body of work also includes other manga titles such as Tokyo Hatsu Isekai Yuki, U12 Kodomo Fellows, and the one-shot Saigo no Bansan. Throughout his career, his artistic identity has been characterized by a comedic sensibility that often juxtaposes extraordinary circumstances with mundane daily life. His stories frequently feature characters with immense power, whether psychic abilities or professional assassin skills, who are placed in domestic or socially constrained situations, leading to humor derived from their lack of ordinary life skills. This approach was evident in the dynamic between the overpowered Hina and her exasperated yakuza caretaker in Hinamatsuri, and continues in the body-swapping premise of JM. Ohtake has thus established himself as a creator of original manga properties that successfully translate into anime adaptations, contributing original comedic and science fiction concepts to the industry.
Ohtake's most prominent work is the manga series Hinamatsuri, which he wrote and illustrated. The series began serialization in 2010 in the magazine Fellows!, which later became Harta, published by Enterbrain. The story follows a young yakuza member named Yoshifumi Nitta whose life is turned upside down when a mysterious, expressionless girl with powerful telekinetic abilities named Hina suddenly appears in his apartment. The manga ran for a decade, concluding in 2020, and was compiled into multiple collected volumes. The series is noted for its blend of yakuza comedy, science fiction, and slice-of-life drama, as well as its focus on a cast of characters including Hina, another psychic girl named Anzu, and the remarkably talented middle schooler Hitomi. In 2018, Hinamatsuri was adapted into a twelve-episode anime television series by the studio Feel, directed by Kei Oikawa. For this adaptation, Ohtake received credit as the original manga creator and for the original character designs.
Following the success of Hinamatsuri, Ohtake launched another manga series titled J⇔M, often abbreviated as JM. This action-comedy manga began serialization in May 2023 on KADOKAWA's Haruta Alter website. The story centers on J, a professional hitman who was raised by a syndicate and became an untouchable figure after eliminating multiple organizations that tried to eliminate him. The plot is set in motion when J bumps his head with Megumi, a third-grade girl who is bullied for being half-Japanese and half-American. The collision causes the pair to swap bodies, forcing the feared hitman to navigate life as a young girl while Megumi enjoys her new existence in a tough adult body. In March 2026, it was announced that JM would be adapted into a television anime series, with Ohtake providing a celebratory illustration for the announcement.
Ohtake's body of work also includes other manga titles such as Tokyo Hatsu Isekai Yuki, U12 Kodomo Fellows, and the one-shot Saigo no Bansan. Throughout his career, his artistic identity has been characterized by a comedic sensibility that often juxtaposes extraordinary circumstances with mundane daily life. His stories frequently feature characters with immense power, whether psychic abilities or professional assassin skills, who are placed in domestic or socially constrained situations, leading to humor derived from their lack of ordinary life skills. This approach was evident in the dynamic between the overpowered Hina and her exasperated yakuza caretaker in Hinamatsuri, and continues in the body-swapping premise of JM. Ohtake has thus established himself as a creator of original manga properties that successfully translate into anime adaptations, contributing original comedic and science fiction concepts to the industry.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview
- Topics: Anime overview