A leading Japanese newspaper reported over the weekend that manga artist Ichirō Tominaga passed away of old age on May 5. He was 96. Tominaga was born in 1925, and he moved to Tokyo in 1951 in order to start working as a manga artist. He was most well known for his Chinkoro Ane-chan and Sekkachi Neeya manga. He was also a recurring guest on popular Japanese television programs, where he would often face off in competitions against famous manga creator Yoshiji Suzuki. Tominaga was awarded a Japan Cartoonists Association Award in 1986. He received the Medal with Purple Ribbon honor from the Japanese government in 1992. In 1998, he received the with the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette honor.
