Manga creator Sanpei Satо̄ passed away from aspiration pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo last Saturday. He was 91 years old.
According to his family, Satо̄ had not written for about two years. He fell ill in June and went to the hospital for treatment.
Satо̄ was born in Nagoya in 1929, and he grew up in Osaka. He is known for his 4-panel manga series Fuji Santarо̄, which he launched in 1965 in the Asahi Shimbun. The satirical work revolves around a salaryman in the period of Japan’s economic growth and bubble economy. The manga has been serialized for over 26 years.
In 1982, Satо̄ also created the Dotanba no Manners manga, which inspired an anime series from 1984-1987. The series discusses etiquette through the stories of Dotanba, a man caught up in many social situations. The anime has 283 episodes that are 5 minutes long.
Satо̄ received the Order of the Purple Ribbon in 1997 for his contribution to development, innovation, and achievement in academia and the arts. He also won the Small Order of the Rising Sun in 2006 for his outstanding achievements.
