Yoichi Takahashi (63), the manga artist known for 'Captain Tsubasa,' and former Japan national soccer team member Junichi Inamoto (44) appeared at the opening ceremony of the 'Captain Tsubasa Original Art Exhibition FINAL and Beyond!' held in Tokyo on the 23rd.

This exhibition looks back on the 43-year history of 'Captain Tsubasa,' which concluded its serialization in April, showcasing over 150 pieces of color illustrations and manga manuscripts from the start to the end of the series. It also features unpublished name manuscripts and a collection of Takahashi's personal items.

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Starting today, the 'Captain Tsubasa' series continues with the name serialization 'Captain Tsubasa Rising Sun FINALS' on the website 'Captain Tsubasa WORLD.' The manga serialization ended in April due to Takahashi's declining physical strength and changes in his drawing environment, making it difficult to continue creating the manga. Going forward, the series will be serialized weekly in a pencil-drawn "name format."

Regarding the reaction to the end of the manga serialization, Takahashi reported, "Everyone around me accepted it, so I believe this decision was the right one."

Describing his current routine, he said, "Now, I'm drawing in the same way with pencil sketches in the name format. Since I no longer do inking, sometimes I feel like picking up a pen and drawing. I feel a bit lonely without my assistants."

Explaining the reasons for ending the manga serialization, Takahashi cited his declining physical strength and the difficulties in continuing to draw, stating, "For the past few years, I have been thinking about how far I can take the story. Rather than pushing my limits to continue the serialization, I decided to end it and leave behind the story up to the final chapter of 'Captain Tsubasa' in the name format."

He continued, "I have a general idea of the final chapter in my head. However, when I calculate, it might take over 40 years to turn all these ideas into manga. Realizing that it was not realistic, I thought focusing solely on leaving behind the story in formats like names might be possible."

Given that it would take over 40 years to turn the remaining ideas into manga, Takahashi decided to continue the work in the name format without inking or tones. "I am retiring as a manga artist, but I still love drawing and creating stories, so I plan to continue these activities. It might feel like semi-retirement, but I intend to keep creating," he conveyed.

Source : ORICON NEWS