Takeshi Obata

Takeshi Obata is a Japanese manga artist who usually works as the illustrator alongside a writer. He first won notice in 1985, when his one-shot 500 Kōnen no Shinwa took a Tezuka Award prize. He then joined the Weekly Shōnen Jump staff and started his first major series, Cyborg Jii-chan G, in 1989.

Hikaru no Go (1999–2003), written by Yumi Hotta, won the 1999 Shogakukan Manga Award and the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and was his first work released in North America. With writer Tsugumi Ohba he drew Death Note (2003–2006), Bakuman (2008–2012) and Platinum End.

Obata has mentored artists including Nobuhiro Watsuki, Kentaro Yabuki and Yusuke Murata.