Ryōichi Ikegami
Description
Ryōichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist born on May 29, 1944, in Takefu, Fukui Prefecture. He is known for his work as an illustrator, typically collaborating with a separate writer rather than creating solo works. After graduating from junior high school, he moved to Osaka and worked as a sign painter before making his professional debut at age seventeen in the rental manga market. In 1966, his story Tsumi no Ishiki was published in the avant-garde magazine Garo, which led to an offer from Shigeru Mizuki to work as his assistant. Ikegami accepted and moved to Tokyo, serving as Mizuki's assistant for two and a half years.
Ikegami has created numerous notable series across several decades. In the 1970s, he worked on Spider-Man: The Manga (1970–1971) and began a long collaboration with writer Kazuo Koike on works such as I Ueo Boy (1973–1977) and Otoko Gumi (1974–1979) with writer Tetsu Kariya. The 1980s saw the creation of several internationally recognized titles including Wounded Man (1981–1986) with Kazuo Koike, Mai, the Psychic Girl (1985–1986) with writer Kazuya Kudo, and Crying Freeman (1986–1988), also with Koike. In the 1990s, he began a long and productive partnership with writer Sho Fumimura, also known as Buronson, producing Sanctuary (1990–1995), Strain (1996–1998), and Heat (1999–2004). The latter won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 2001. His later works include Lord (2004–2011), Rokumonsen Rock (2013–2015), and Begin (2016–2020), the last of which was another collaboration with Buronson.
His current ongoing work is Trillion Game, which began serialization in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Superior magazine in December 2020. The manga is written by Riichiro Inagaki, known for Dr. Stone, with artwork by Ikegami. The story follows two young men who aim to earn a trillion dollars by founding their own company. Trillion Game has been adapted into multiple formats, including a television drama that aired from July to September 2023, a 26-episode anime television series produced by Madhouse that aired from October 2024 to March 2025, and a live-action film released in February 2025.
Several of Ikegami’s other works have also seen adaptation. Crying Freeman was adapted into a series of original video animations between 1988 and 1994, as well as a live-action film. Sanctuary received both an OVA and a live-action movie adaptation. His art style is characterized as realistic and detailed, and he has cited American comics artist Neal Adams as an influence. Ikegami typically does not write the stories for his manga, instead focusing entirely on the illustration while collaborating with dedicated writers.
Ikegami became a professor at Osaka University of Arts in 2005. In 2023, he received the Fauves d’Honneur at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in recognition of his contributions to the medium. His works have been published in English by Viz Media, Dark Horse Comics, and other publishers, helping to introduce his art to an international audience.
Ikegami has created numerous notable series across several decades. In the 1970s, he worked on Spider-Man: The Manga (1970–1971) and began a long collaboration with writer Kazuo Koike on works such as I Ueo Boy (1973–1977) and Otoko Gumi (1974–1979) with writer Tetsu Kariya. The 1980s saw the creation of several internationally recognized titles including Wounded Man (1981–1986) with Kazuo Koike, Mai, the Psychic Girl (1985–1986) with writer Kazuya Kudo, and Crying Freeman (1986–1988), also with Koike. In the 1990s, he began a long and productive partnership with writer Sho Fumimura, also known as Buronson, producing Sanctuary (1990–1995), Strain (1996–1998), and Heat (1999–2004). The latter won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga in 2001. His later works include Lord (2004–2011), Rokumonsen Rock (2013–2015), and Begin (2016–2020), the last of which was another collaboration with Buronson.
His current ongoing work is Trillion Game, which began serialization in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Superior magazine in December 2020. The manga is written by Riichiro Inagaki, known for Dr. Stone, with artwork by Ikegami. The story follows two young men who aim to earn a trillion dollars by founding their own company. Trillion Game has been adapted into multiple formats, including a television drama that aired from July to September 2023, a 26-episode anime television series produced by Madhouse that aired from October 2024 to March 2025, and a live-action film released in February 2025.
Several of Ikegami’s other works have also seen adaptation. Crying Freeman was adapted into a series of original video animations between 1988 and 1994, as well as a live-action film. Sanctuary received both an OVA and a live-action movie adaptation. His art style is characterized as realistic and detailed, and he has cited American comics artist Neal Adams as an influence. Ikegami typically does not write the stories for his manga, instead focusing entirely on the illustration while collaborating with dedicated writers.
Ikegami became a professor at Osaka University of Arts in 2005. In 2023, he received the Fauves d’Honneur at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in recognition of his contributions to the medium. His works have been published in English by Viz Media, Dark Horse Comics, and other publishers, helping to introduce his art to an international audience.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview