We’re saying goodbye to one of the brightest and most unconventional minds in the manga industry. To the great sadness of the entire community, legendary mangaka Hiroya Oku, world-renowned as the creator of the violent and successful franchise Gantz, has just confirmed he will retire permanently from the drawing board. His farewell will be official once his current work, titled The SWEET Sixty Princess, concludes.

In a recent interview, the author was painfully honest about the reasons behind this difficult decision. Approaching sixty, Oku admitted he no longer has the energy or physical stamina required to handle the brutal work pace of developing, illustrating, and maintaining a long-term serialization. While he made it clear his mind is still full of ideas for new stories, he acknowledged his body no longer responds the same way, considering this final project his shukatsu, a Japanese term for the final preparation before closing his career.

Far from the bloody alien massacres he was known for since his 1990s debut, his farewell manga has a much more reflective tone. The SWEET Sixty Princess tells the story of a group of mature men living together, where one transforms physically into a young girl after taking a mysterious drug. Based loosely on his own production team members, this story marks the end of a brutal legacy spanning over three decades, leaving behind unforgettable gems like Inuyashiki and the controversial Gigant.

Given that his works always stood out for blending visceral action with harsh critiques of human society, which of Hiroya Oku’s brutal mangas do you consider his undeniable masterpiece?