Katsuhiro Otomo poses in front of Katsuhiro Otomo mural, nobody notices.

Shinjuku and Shibuya are two of the busiest train/subway stations in Tokyo, and the massive amount of foot traffic they get makes them coveted advertising spots. So when someone does splash out for a large-scale ad, they’re probably promoting something pretty big, and it’s hard to get much bigger than the Complete Works of Katsuhiro Otomo.

Otomo is best known as the creator of manga/anime Akira, but he’s got several other noteworthy titles on his resume, and the upcoming collection covers them all. The first two volumes, covering the manga Domu and the storyboards for the Akira anime movie, are scheduled to be released on Friday, and so publisher Kodansha has splurged on mural-style posters in the subterranean passageways of Shinjuku and Shibuya stations. The Shinjuku passageway is particularly famous as a venue for artistic entertainment industry advertising, and it’s not unusual for fans of whatever’s being promoted to pose and take videos of snapshots in front of the ads, like this guy is doing here.

At the end, you might notice that he looks especially satisfied with the experience, but that’s not because he’s an Otomo fan. Granted, he probably does have a fondness for the manga creator’s artwork, but that’s because he’s none other than Katsuiro Otomo himself!

Yep, while other passersby don’t seem to pay him any more attention than they would any other unassuming, comfortably dressed mature gentleman, they’re actually walking right past one of the most celebrated comic creators in the entire world.

Otomo’s stealthy stroll also took him to Shibuya, where there’s a gigantic sign for the Complete Works right above the ticket gates closest to the statue of the neighborhood’s canine folk hero Hachiko.

▼ And as eagle-eyed fans have pointed out, the dude in the orange letterman’s-style jacket, apparently there by sheer coincidence, is anime voice actor Subaru Kimura.

While in the neighborhood, Otomo checked out a few more billboards for the project…

…and also visited the mural ad in the walkway near the Hanzomon Line, where the Jujutsu Kaisen art displays took place last year.

▼ How many people just assumed he was a random commuter? If only the president of France had been there…

We’re now wondering if any famous creators were in the crowds at some of the other times we’ve visited these exact same spots ourselves, and with the Complete Works of Katsuhiro Otomo having a staggered release with additional volumes coming out throughout 2022, we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled for the man himself on our daily commute through Shinjuku Station.

Related: Katsuhiro Otomo Complete Works website
Source: Twitter/@otomo_zenshu via IT Media
Top image: Katsuhiro Otomo Complete Works website
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