Hiroya Oku announces retirement from manga industry

Hiroya Oku, the renowned manga artist behind acclaimed series such as ‘Gantz’ and ‘Inuyashiki’, has announced his intention to retire from the manga industry. In an interview with Courrier Japon, Oku stated that his current work, ‘Kanrekihime’ (also known as ‘The Sweet Sixty Princess’), will serve as his final series.

Oku explained that while his desire to create remains, he no longer possesses the physical and mental energy required to manage the demanding process of ideating, drawing, and sustaining a serialized manga. He described the project as part of his ‘shūkatsu’, a Japanese term referring to preparations for the end of one's life.

‘Kanrekihime’ began serialization in December 2025 in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Superior. Unlike his previous science fiction works, this series focuses on a group of sixty-year-olds living together, a theme Oku noted reflects both himself and his production team.