The manga world mourns the loss of an icon.

Legendary manga artist Motoo Abiko, better known as his pen name Fujiko A. Fujio, passed away in his home on April 7. Akibo was part of the manga duo Fujiko Fujio, and was responsible for iconic children’s manga such as Doraemon, Ninja Hattori-kun, Kaibutsu-kun and others. Abiko, who was 88 years old, also created manga for adults, such as psychological thriller The Laughing Salesman, and has long been one of Japan’s best loved manga artists.

▼ “I’ve seen all the episodes of “The Laughing Salesman”, and I know that Doraemon is loved by so many people. Fujiko Fujio A, thank you for making everyone smile.”

As part of manga writing duo Fujiko Fujio, Abiko helped create legendary long-running manga series Doraemon with co-writer Hiroshi Fujimoto, who later went by the pen name Fujiko F. Fujio. Fujimoto passed away in 1996.

Japanese netizens were shocked at the news of Abiko’s passing, and shared their memories of him, with many acknowledging his impact on the world of manga.

“We lost another master of manga. May he rest in peace.”
“He really was a genius.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“I hope he can meet up with Fujimoto-sensei in Heaven.”

According to police reports, emergency services were called from Abiko’s home in Kawasaki City, saying that a man had collapsed on the premises. When help arrived Abiko was already unresponsive, and was confirmed dead at the scene. While there were no significant injuries to his body, police are investigating the cause of death.

Source: TBS News via Jin
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