Photo: 旺文社 撮影者不明 / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
George Akiyama is one of those manga artists I keep coming back to because he just refused to be polite about human nature. Zeni Geba, Ashura, Haguregumo — even the titles feel like a dare. He'd dig straight into greed, cruelty, and the ugly stuff most people look away from, and somehow he'd make you sit with it instead of flinching. What I love is the range: the same guy who could gut-punch you with Ashura's bleakness could also drift into the loose, wandering, almost zen calm of Haguregumo. Born in Tokyo in 1943, he came up through postwar chaos, and you can feel that weight in his work — nothing sanitized, nothing safe. He passed in 2020, but those stories still land hard. A genuinely fearless cartoonist, and a real loss.
Overview
George Akiyama (1943–2020) was a Japanese manga artist born in Tokyo on April 27, 1943. He is best known for his unflinching, socially provocative works including Zenigeba, Ashura, and Furyo-gumo. His stories ranged from dark explorations of human greed and desperation to lighthearted, free-spirited narratives, demonstrating an unusually wide creative range. He passed away on May 12, 2020.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- George Akiyama
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョージ秋山
- Reading
- じょーじ・あきやま
- Born
- April 27, 1943 – May 12, 2020
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / 未 (Sheep / Ram)
- Origin
- Tokyo, Japan
- Occupation
- Manga Artist
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable Work | Zenigeba | — | Unknown |
| Notable Work | Ashura | — | Unknown |
| Notable Work | Furyo-gumo | — | Unknown |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.george-akiyama.com/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A7%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B8%E7%A7%8B%E5%B1%B1
Frequently asked questions
When was George Akiyama born?
April 27, 1943 – May 12, 2020.
Where is George Akiyama from?
George Akiyama is from Tokyo, Japan.
What does George Akiyama do?
George Akiyama works as Manga Artist.
What is George Akiyama known for?
Notable works include Zenigeba, Ashura, Furyo-gumo.
Manga Artist — see all → · More people from Japan →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.