He was born in Isesaki City (Gunma prefecture) and debuted in manga in 1970 in the "Deluxe Shounen Sunday" after being finalist in a contest promoted by monthly magazine "Com" in september of 1967 (he was only 16 years old). In the 80s many of his comics become best-sellers and they are converted in animation or live-action TV series and films. After "Miyuki" (serialized in "Shounen Big Comic" in 1980), he did "Nain" ("Nine"), which was his first animation film adaptation; "Tacchi" ("Touch", serialized in the "Weekly Shounen Sunday" in 1981), made into three animation films between 1986 and 1987; and "Hyatari Ryoko" (made into an animation film 1988).