Fujiko Fujio, the co-creator of Doraemon, died today at the age of 88, according to reports in the manga industry.
The manga industry is larger and more profitable than ever in 2022, with millions of readers and millions of dollars exchanged each week.
However, the manga industry’s widespread achievements today can only be enjoyed because of the legacy and success of the previous series, i.e., the series that broke the mold and introduced manga to a global audience.
Today, that same global manga community is paying tribute to a legendary creator, Fujiko Fujio A, who died at the age of 88.
Fujiko Fujio Dies At The Age Of 88
Fujiko Fujio A, the co-creator of the iconic Doraemon manga series, died on Thursday morning, April 7th, at the age of 88, at his Tokyo home.
According to local news reports, police were called to his home around 8:40 a.m. after receiving a report of a man lying down on the property. When the authorities arrived, the manga creator had already died, and while the police are currently investigating, “there was no noticeable trauma to the body.”
In 1951, Fujiko Fujio A, whose real name was Motoo Abiko, formed a partnership with friend Hiroshi Fujimoto, under the alias ‘Fujiko Fujio.’ The pair would then use the alias ‘Fujiko Fujio’ for their work, with Hiroshi going by Fujiko Fujio F.
The writing duo split up in 1987, and Hiroshi Fujimoto died in 1996, at the age of 62, after a battle with liver cancer.
A Manga Legacy For Fit Of Ages
The Fujiko Fujio collaboration is best known for creating the iconic Doraemon manga series, which began serialization in 1969. Over the course of its run, 45 tankobon manga volumes were released, with over 1,345 chapters published.
By 2019, more than 250 million copies of the manga had been sold, making Doraemon one of the most successful series in the history of the industry.
According to Wikipedia’s ongoing rankings, Doraemon is one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time, earning over $6.04 billion worldwide!
The franchise has earned more money than Shrek, Friends, My Little Pony, Mamma Mia, Roblox, Mission: Impossible, and Madden NFL, among many others.
However, the legacies of both Fujiko Fujio A (Motoo Abiko) and Fujiko Fujio F (Hiroshi Fujimoto) go far beyond Doraemon, with both men penning a slew of popular manga series.
Ninja Hattori (1964-1971), Perman (1967-1986), The Laughing Salesman (1968-1971), Mojacko (1969-1997), Jungle Kurobe (1973), New Q-Taro (1971-1973), Rocky Racket (1975-1978), Mami the Psychic (1977-1982), and Ultra-B are among his other notable works (1984-1989).
Fans Remember The Doraemon Co-Creator
As word of Fujiko Fujio A’s death spreads across the internet, people all over the world are paying their respects to the late manga creator. When a manga creator dies, fans rush to pay heartfelt tributes to their work and legacy.
This is especially true for the Doraemon franchise, which has become an icon of modern Japanese culture, touching the lives of millions upon millions of people – not just in Japan, but worldwide.
