"Golgo 13" creator Takao Saitou has passed away on September 24, 2021. He was 84 years old.

[BenJepheneT]

/a/ - "Golgo 13" creator Takao Saitou has passed away on September 24, 2021. He was 84 years old. - Anime & Manga - 4chan

"Golgo 13" creator Takao Saitou has passed away on September 24, 2021. He was 84 years old. - "/a/ - Anime & Manga" is 4chan's imageboard dedicated to the discussion of Japanese animation and manga.

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Golgo 13 is the oldest manga still in publication, and its tankōbon edition has the highest number of volumes (for a single-title series). Saito died of pancreatic cancer in September 2021. Saito said before his death that he wanted the manga to continue on without him. The Saito Production group of manga creators will continue its publication with the assistance of the Big Comic's editorial department.

With a cumulative total of 300 million copies in circulation in various formats, including compilation books, it is the second-best-selling manga series (behind One Piece) and the top-selling seinen manga series in history.

This man's work ethic was insane.

>84-year-old Takao Saito explained this when asked how it was able to consistently produce manga:

>“First of all, it's a matter of mentality. For me, basically, ever since I became a manga artist, I've always considered it my job. People often ask me 'Aren't you tired of doing the same job for decades?', But what would you think if a farmer said he was 'tired' of growing rice or wheat?"

>It is also important to keep your word. I always respect my deadlines. When I was starting out, I never knew when the show could be cancelled, so I never took a vacation or missed a deadline."

>Of course, only his personal work ethic would not have allowed Golgo 13 to go that far. As a series in which the protagonist constantly travels to new settings, getting involved in incidents inspired by complex real-world political situations, scientific developments and cultural traditions, Takao Saito regularly consults with experts in a variety of different fields. Thanks to these prolific exchanges he was able to write more than 600 chapters. So, in the author's own words, if he had had to do everything with his only knowledge of him, he probably would not have reached chapter 10.

>Despite his advanced age, Saito says he plans to continue drawing Golgo 13 until when he will be physically able to do it:

>"Golgo 13 is my manga, but at the same time it also belongs to the readers, and for them, I want to keep creating, one story at a time."

Golgo 13 only been put on hiatus last year after 50 years of continuously running and then returned after 2 months. The man was legitimately a tough workaholic.

I've used to chase this man's work like a hawk, reading every TL I could have my hands on but unfortunately, according to Mangadex, only chapters:

1-25
33
167
337

have been translated into English.

I've also read as many raws as I could. The art wasn't great but it was very consistent.

The story isn't discontinued, per see. It runs in an episodic series with a "bad guy of the week" type of deal. It works more like western comics, with Saito working as the director with a team of artists and writers, but he still draws the main character Duke, and most others too.

Man's been a big influence in the Japanese manga scene from the sixties, especially the noir, hard-boiled genre of gangster crime thrillers, about Bond-esque stoic antiheroes shooting bad guys and banging hot chicks ala Jack Reacher. If that wasn't enough dedication to his craft, he was also the one responsible for the Japanese manga adaptation of James Bond and The Man from UNCLE, so you KNOW he's been working in his element for years.

The streets lost a good one.

Pouring one out for him.