The autobiographical short essay manga, Hinemosu Notari Nikki, by the late manga creator Tetsuya Chiba, is set to conclude with its eighth compiled book volume. Chiba, widely recognized for his work on Ashita no Joe (Tomorrow's Joe), passed away on October 22 after a period of poor health.

Hinemosu Notari Nikki began serialization in Big Comic magazine in December 2015. Shogakukan published the first compiled volume in 2018, with the seventh volume released in November 2025. The manga went on hiatus on September 25, when Chiba cited health issues. His passing was attributed to myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of cancer affecting blood cells in the bone marrow.

Tetsuya Chiba's Legacy

Tetsuya Chiba's career as a manga creator began in 1956 when he was 17 years old. His most famous work, Ashita no Joe, ran from 1968 to 1973 and has maintained its cultural significance in Japan. The boxing manga inspired two television anime adaptations in 1970 and 1980, along with two anime films in 1980 and 1981. A new science-fiction interpretation of the story, Megalobox, premiered in 2018, crediting the original manga as its inspiration, followed by a sequel series, Megalobox 2: Nomad, in April 2021.

Ashita no Joe received its first official English release as Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow in December 2024. Chiba was also recognized for his contributions to Japanese culture, being nominated to the Japan Art Academy in 2022 as one of its first two manga creators. He was also honored with the Order of Culture award in 2024, becoming the first manga creator to receive this distinction for outstanding contributions to Japanese culture. Chiba also served as the chair of the Japan Cartoonists Association.

Key points

  • Tetsuya Chiba's Hinemosu Notari Nikki manga will conclude with its eighth volume.
  • The autobiographical manga began serialization in Big Comic in December 2015.
  • Chiba passed away on October 22 after the manga went on hiatus on September 25.
  • He was known for Ashita no Joe (Tomorrow's Joe), which ran from 1968 to 1973.
  • Chiba was the first manga creator to receive the Order of Culture award in 2024.

Source: Anime News Network · News · Nov 9, 2026