'Copra' manga author Takeichi Terasawa dies of heart attack at 68

Japanese cartoonist Takeichi Terasawa, famous for the classic science fiction comic "Cobra", died of myocardial infarction on September 8 at the age of 68.

Born in Asahikawa, Hokkaido in 1955, Terasawa moved to Tokyo in 1976 to study under Tezuka Osamu. After gaining experience under Tezuka Osamu's guidance, he published his debut work "Cobra" in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1977, which began serialization in November 1978. He began to create on computers in the 1980s, and began serializing the computer-colored "Black Knight Bat" in 1985. In 1992, he began serializing "TAKERU", which is known as the world's first full CG manga.

In 1998, Takeichi Terasawa was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but the disease recurred. After the second operation, the left side of his body was paralyzed. Due to the sequelae, he could only move around in a wheelchair. Even so, he still insisted on creating and released his latest "Cobra" work "COBRA OVER THE RAINBOW" in 2019.

The official Twitter account of Terasawa's works has announced the news of the teacher's death. The tweet said that even after three brain tumor operations, Takeichi Terasawa survived like a cobra, but this time he was caught off guard by a myocardial infarction. The funeral will only be attended by relatives.