After 4 Years, Gantz’s Author Reveals His Biggest Secret

On September 25, 2026, it has been confirmed that Thunder 3 creator Yuki Ikeda is none other than Gantz creator Hiroya Oku.

Oku stated on his Twitter account that he concealed his identity via a pseudonym because he felt that authoring with his real name would have weakened the plot twist in the first chapter.

Some fans have noted this observation since Thunder 3’s inception due to the similar artstyles, as shown with multiple reviews of the series pointing out the fan theories and both series’ heavy usage of 3D modeling in the crafting of spacecraft and alien designs.

This is not Oku’s first pseudonym as a mangaka as for his first serialized work, Hen (1989-1995), he went by Kuon Yahiro and this manga from Weekly Young Jump was a runner-up in the 1988 Young Jump Youth Manga Awards.

Oku is set to retire with the end of his latest work, “The Sweet Sixty Princess” (2025) and possibly his role as writer for Gantz:E (illustrated by Jin Kagetsu).

About Thunder 3

Thunder 3 was written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku, who we now know used the penname Yuki Ikeda, for Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine from May 6, 2022 to June 5, 2026, reaching 10 volumes and 39 chapters.

The first anime season was adapted by Studio Unend, releasing 12 episodes from July 9, 2026 to October 1, 2026, adapting the first 22 chapters.

The second season is confirmed for 2027 and will be the final season, adapting the remaining 18 chapters.

The story follows the “Small Three”, middle school students Pyontaro Tezuka, Hiroshi Ochanomizu, and Tsubame Azum, discovering a parallel world and fighting against aliens that kidnapped Pyontaro’s younger sister, Futaba.

About Gantz

Gantz was written and illustrated for Shueisha’s seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump from June 29, 2000 to June 20, 2013, nearly 13 years straight.

Gantz follows a teenager named Kei Kurono and his friend Masaru Kato who die in a train accident and join a semi-posthumous game originally designed by aliens, now used by humanity, where they and those who died recently are revived through a mysterious ball called Gantz and are sent to hunt down aliens sent in the game world.

If players die in the game, they die in real life and if they run away, they are blown up.

Reaching 37 volumes and 383 chapters total, Gantz’s original manga was divided into three phases or arcs.

Phase 1: “Missions” covered the first 237 chapters and 20 volumes, ending on July 20, 2006.

This arc focused on protagonist Kei Kurono and his episodic hunts within Tokyo, such as the Onion, Tanaka, and Buddhist Temple aliens.

The manga went on hiatus after its completion.

Returning on November 22, 2006, Phase 2: “Katastrophe” covered Chapters 238 to 303, a total of 66 chapters and 7 volumes, ending on July 2, 2009.

This features more extended missions outside Tokyo like the brutal Osaka mission led by Masaru Kato, and go beyond the confines of Japan, as shown with the encounter with Italian statues or aliens.

After another hiatus, the manga returns for one final phase.

Returning on October 1, 2009, Phase 3: “Invasion” covers Chapter 304 to 383, the last 80 chapters and 10 volumes, this time covering a full-scale, global alien invasion on Earth, with Gantz hunters worldwide joining forces.

As Oku’s most acclaimed work, Gantz sold over 24 million copies as of April 2021.

After the original manga, two spinoffs were made.

First was Gantz: G, written in the first volume by Oku and the rest by Tomohito Ohsaki, all the way illustrated by Kieta Itzuka for the semi-monthly Miracle Jump from November 17, 2015 to June 17, 2017 and the last chapter on Shonen Jump Plus with a total of 18 chapters and 3 volumes

In each volumes’ first weeks, the first volume of Gantz: G sold 22,273 copies, the second volume sold 28,602 copies and the third and final volume sold 20,760 copies for a total of 71, 635, potentially totalling around 100,000 copies.

This sequel follows Kei Kurona leading a group of highschool girls in a zoo and an aquarium to fight against aliens, hnece the “G” in the title.

Meanwhile, Gantz: E was written by Hiroya Oku and illustrated by Jin Kagetsu, first for Weekly Young Jump from January 9, 2020 to December 7, 2023 and presently in YanJan! starting on January 9, 2024 onwards, reaching 1o volumes as of October 19, 2026.

Set in the Edo Period, hence the “E” in the title, two rivals for love, Hanbei and Masakichi, forced by the Gantz sphere to work together to face various figures, including the legendary swordsman Musashi Miyamoto

Source: Twitter

“GANTZ” creator Hiroya Oku officially confirmed that he is Yuki Ikeda, the creator behind Sci-Fi Mystery Manga “Thunder 3” which got an Anime Adaptation recently.

(No way!!) pic.twitter.com/1jqmNVvJT5

— Manga Mogura RE (Anime & Manga News) (@MangaMoguraRE) September 24, 2026

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