Hospitalized since last summer, he continued to tweet, citing the importance of keeping his mind active and his spirits up. Sadly, Koike, who turned 82 last May, spent much of the past 12 months in poor health. A gripping tale of a wandering swordsman pushing a baby carriage with his infant son in it around feudal Japan on a quest for revenge, Lone Wolf and Cub’s gritty visuals and historical setting won it international fans and accolades even before overseas anime/manga fandom existed in any substantial form. Like Monkey Punch, Koike’s greatest hit came early in his career, with 1970’s Lone Wolf and Cub. With fans and family still grieving, though, it’s time to say goodbye to yet another of the manga world’s all-time greats, Kazuo Koike.
The anime/manga community is still wiping its eyes after the news that Monkey Punch (birth name Kazuhiko Kato), creator of crime comedy Lupin III, passed away this month. Unabashed lifelong otaku’s final online words express admiration for another recently departed anime/manga legend.