Takao Saito, the Creator of Golgo 13, Has Died

Today, the anime fandom is taking the time to mourn the loss of Takao Saito. The beloved artist behind Golgo 13 died on September 24 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Saito was 84 years old.

According to Shogakukan, Golgo 13 will not end with Saito’s passing. The publisher is respecting the artist’s last wishes as Saito left instructions to continue the hit series. As such, a group of artists under Saito Productions will continue Golgo 13 with the raid of Shogakukan’s editorial staff.

For those who aren’t familiar with Saito, the artist was born in November 1936 and marked his manga debut in 1955. Saito became known in the industry for his work on Sagashiya hage Taka Tojo but his most famous work is Golgo 13. The series began in 1968, and it is still publishing today. Back in 2018, the series celebrated its 50th anniversary, and it seems Golgo 13 has no plans to stop anytime soon.

If you have never read Golgo 13, you should know the series focuses on a titular hero who works as an assassin. Golgo 13 is an enigmatic figure who takes on high-risk, high-reward assassinations from across the board. Over the years, the killer has gone by many names and welcomes all sorts of assistants to his team. Still, Golgo 13 remains mistrusting of everyone around him, and he’s never without his customized M16 rifle.

With decades of content under its belt, Golgo 13 has a long legacy, and Saito is the one who brought the thriller to life. To date, the manga has 300 million copies in circulation and ranks as the second highest-selling manga in history. It is hard to think of other manga series that have the influence of Golgo 13, and Saito’s passing comes as a huge blow to those who’ve followed the manga for years.

Our thoughts are with Saito’s loved ones during this difficult time. May he rest in peace.

HT – ANN