is a Japanese manga artist born in Tokyo in 1967 and raised in Chiba. As a teenager he was influenced by the mecha anime Armored Trooper Votoms and Mobile Suit Gundam, in particular the designs of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, as well as the works of manga artist Rumiko Takahashi. He began his career at age 17, with his debut manga, Space Oddity, in the Weekly Shonen Sunday. He is best known for the cyberpunk series Battle Angel Alita.
Works
- Battle Angel Alita (December 15, 1990–April 1, 1995)
- Ashen Victor (1995–1996)
- Battle Angel Alita: Holy Night & Other Stories (January 24, 1997–December 19, 2006)
- Aqua Knight (March 20, 1998–on hiatus))
- Battle Angel Alita: Last Order (November 18, 2000–January 28, 2014)
- Battle Angel Alita: Mars Chronicle (October 28, 2014–March 11, 2025)
- Gunnm: Panzer Kunst Chronicle (May 5, 2026–present)
Adaptations
- Battle Angel (1993), original video animation directed by Hiroshi Fukutomi, based on the manga Battle Angel Alita
- Alita: Battle Angel (2019), film directed by Robert Rodriguez, based on the manga Battle Angel Alita