Ryoichi Ikegami
Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for Crying Freeman (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and Heat (1999–2004), written by Buronson (AKA Sho Fumimura). The latter won the 2001 Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.
Also recorded as kegami
Ryoichi Ikegami

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- Born
- 29 May 1944
- Birthplace
- Takefu, Fukui, Japan
- Awards
- * Inkpot Award (1995)
- Nationality
- Japan
- Occupation
- mangaka · university teacher · comics artist · manga
- Fields
- mangaka
- Teachers
- Shigeru Mizuki
- Known for
- Otokogumi · Crying Freeman · Sanctuary · Heat
- Honours
- Inkpot Award
- Languages
- Japanese
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Ryoichi Ikegami is a Japanese manga artist that usually works as the illustrator in collaboration with a writer. He is best known for Crying Freeman (1986–1988), written by Kazuo Koike, and Heat (1999–2004), written by Buronson (AKA Sho Fumimura). The latter won the 2001 Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.
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Authority files
wikidata · Q1332841 · wikipedia · Ryoichi Ikegami
In this article
Biography
Biography
Ikegami received the Fauves d'Honneur at the 2023 Angoulême International Comics Festival. Yoshihide Fujiwara is a former assistant of Ikegami's.
Training under Shigeru Mizuki is recorded. Yoshihide Fujiwara is recorded as having studied under Ryoichi Ikegami. The recorded working language is Japanese. The field of work recorded is mangaka. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are gekiga. Works named in the authority record are Otokogumi, Crying Freeman, Sanctuary and Heat. Distinctions recorded are Inkpot Award.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name Nonen — 池上 遼一 • Nonus — ja • Born — 29 May 1944 • Birthplace — Takefu, Fukui, Japan • Area — Manga artist • Notable Works — * Wounded Man • Mai, the Psychic Girl • Crying Freeman • Sanctuary • Heat • Awards — * Inkpot Award (1995) • Shogakukan Manga Award (2001) • Manga — Yes
Career
Career
After graduating from junior high school, Ikegami moved to Osaka and drew manga while working as a billboard sign painter, debuting at the age of 17 writing rental comics. In 1966, he published a story called Tsumi no Ishiki in the gekiga magazine Garo that caught the eye of fellow Garo contributor, Shigeru Mizuki, who offered him a job as his assistant. Ikegami accepted and moved to Tokyo where he worked as Mizuki's assistant for two and a half years. From a young age Ikegami had admired Takao Saito and Yoshiharu Tsuge, so he was delighted to work with Tsuge as Mizuki's assistant. Ikegami is also a fan of American comics, particularly Neal Adams. Ikegami has worked on several popular series, such as Mai, the Psychic Girl with writer Kazuya Kudo, Crying Freeman, with writer Kazuo Koike, as well as Sanctuary and Heat with writer Sho Fumimura. He also wrote and drew Spider-Man: The Manga, a manga version of Spider-Man and collaborated with Garon Tsuchiya for the manga Box. In 2001, he won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga as the artist of Heat. He became a professor at Osaka University of Arts in 2005. From 2016 to 2020, he and Sho Fumimura created Begin in Big Comic Superior. Ikegami teamed up with writer Richard Woo for M no Shirushi -MacArthur Ansatsu Keikaku- (2020) for Big Comic Superior. It tells the story of a plot to assassinate Douglas MacArthur. A character called Kēichi Kurata (played by Masataka Kubota) in the TV-drama GeGeGe no Nyōbō is modeled after him. He did a collaboration manga for the anime Girls und Panzer.
Selected works
Selected works
• Spider-Man: The Manga (1970–1971): Written by Kōsei Ono and Kazumasa Hirai • I Ueo Boy (1973–1977): Written by Kazuo Koike, serialized in general-interest magazine Shūkan Gendai • Otoko Gumi (1974–1979): Written by Tetsu Kariya, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday • Otoko Oozora (1980–1982): Written by Tetsu Kariya, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday • Wounded Man (1981–1986): Written by Kazuo Koike • Mai, the Psychic Girl (1985–1986): Written by Kazuya Kudō, serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday • Nobunaga (1986–1987): Written by Kazuya Kudō • Crying Freeman (1986–1988): Written by Kazuo Koike • Offered (1990–1991): Written by Kazuo Koike • Sanctuary (1990–1995): Written by Sho Fumimura • Samurai Crusader (1991–1992): Written by Oji Hiroi • Strain (1996–1998): Written by Buronson • Heat (1998–2004): Written by Buronson • Bestia - ryūgetsushō (2000–2004) • Lord (2004–2011): Written by Buronson • Rokumonsen Rock (2013–2015): Written by Buronson • Adam and Eve (2015–2016): Written by Hideo Yamamoto • Begin (2016–2020): Written by Sho Fumimura • Trillion Game (2020–2025): Written by Riichiro Inagaki
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References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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