Nue Studio co-founder Haruka Takachiho reported on Twitter on Sunday that manga creator Gosaku Ota passed away on December 12. He was 74.
The Sponichi news website reported on Monday that Ota had contracted COVID-19 at the end of November, and was taken via emergency transport to the hospital. His condition had stabilized, but as his strength decreased he contracted pneumonia, and passed away from pneumonia.
Ota was born in 1948, and he was the first assistant for Shotaro Ishinomori before debuting as a shojo manga creator.
He is perhaps best known for his manga adaptations of Go Nagai works such as Mazinger Z (pictured at right), Great Mazinger, UFO Robot Grandizer, Robot Getters, Getter Robo Gand Kotetsu Zieg.
He drew the latter half of the Go Nagai-created Machine Saurer manga (Ken Ishikawa drew the first part of the manga).
He also drew the fishing manga Tsuri Baka Taishō, which launched in 1981 and ran for 10 volumes. He was also the original creator of the Groizer X anime, and drew the Mach SOS manga.
Sources: Haruka Takachiho‘s Twitter accountsSponichi via Game Yoridori SubCul Midori Park