GANTZ Author Hiroya Oku Reveals Yuki Ikeda Pen Name Was His Own
The pen name was itself the marketing device, and Oku's admission lands one episode before the anime finale, after the manga had already completed without the credit being corrected.
Key Facts
- Hiroya Oku confirmed on September 24, 2026 that Yuki Ikeda, the credited author of Thunder 3, is his pen name.
- Thunder 3 began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in May 2022 and ended in the July 2026 issue released on June 5, 2026.
- The Thunder 3 manga spans 10 collected volumes, with the final volume released on August 17, 2026.
- The Thunder 3 TV anime premiered on July 8, 2026, and its final episode is scheduled to air on September 30, 2026.
- Oku said he used the pen name because having his real name on chapter 1 would have weakened its twist.
Reporting from 3 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Anime Anime, Otakuma Economic News (Anime/Manga).
Hiroya Oku, the manga artist behind GANTZ, stated on September 24, 2026 that Yuki Ikeda, the credited author of Thunder 3, is his own pen name. Oku posted the confirmation on his X account. He said the pen name existed because a chapter 1 twist would have been weakened if his real name had been attached, and he wanted first-time readers to be surprised. Thunder 3 began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in May 2022 and reached its final chapter in the July 2026 issue, released on June 5, 2026. The collected volumes total 10, with the last volume released on August 17. The TV anime adaptation premiered on July 8, 2026 and its final episode, Episode 12, is set to air on September 30. Online speculation about the art style resembling GANTZ had circulated for some time before Oku's post.
Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine billed Yuki Ikeda as a "super rookie who appeared in Monthly Shonen Magazine like a comet" and called Thunder 3 their serialization debut work. The May 6, 2022 new serialization announcement used the word "supernova" and described the manga as an "astonishing work that overturns common sense." The first volume's introduction noted the manga became a topic on social media and manga distribution services right after serialization started, and that it was nominated for the Next Manga Award 2022 soon after chapter 1 ran.
Oku's own post added, "The characters of Thunder 3 are my children too. Please treat them well."
George Morikawa, the manga artist behind Hajime no Ippo, replied on the post: "It was interesting. I was surprised by an inventive level of expression." Morikawa said he had asked people at Monthly Magazine during serialization, "I'll keep it secret, but that's Mr. Oku, right?" and they would not confirm, answering only "Well..."
Chief director Hiroyuki Seshita called it "the most shocking coming-out of the past five years, number one." Otowa-otoha-, who sings the ending theme "Shurulerira," reacted with "What a huge twist!!" The anime's official account reintroduced the work as a "'quasi'-new work by Yuki Ikeda-sensei, a.k.a. Hiroya Oku-sensei." The anime's official website still lists the original author as Yuki Ikeda. Animation production is by UNEND, with Keisuke Ide directing.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Denfaminicogamer 『GANTZ』作者・奥浩哉氏、マンガ『サンダー3』作者・池田祐輝が自身の別名義であることをカミングアウトし話題に。「画風が似てるとは思ってたけど本人だったとは……」と反応集まる
- Anime Anime やっぱり「GANTZ」奥浩哉が作者だった!?「サンダー３」“著・池田祐輝”は別名義☆ 森川ジョージも感心の声「発明レベルの表現方法」
- Otakuma Economic News (Anime/Manga) おたくま経済新聞