Masahito Soda

Masahito Soda was born on June 18, 1968, in Bunkyō, Japan. He is best known for creating the manga *Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M* and *Subaru*. After leaving Nihon University without graduating, he worked as an assistant to Taku Kitazaki before making his debut in 1990 with *GET ROCK* in *Magazine Special*. His signature work, *Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M*, earned him the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1997. He later won the Kodansha Manga Award in 2005 for *Capeta*. Soda’s style blends intense action with emotional depth, often focusing on characters striving for excellence under pressure. In North America, he is credited as artist, inker, and writer on twenty issues, primarily for *Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M*, which was published from 2003 to 2007. His work has influenced the action-manga genre, particularly in its detailed depiction of high-stakes professions. Soda’s legacy includes a devoted readership and recognition from two of Japan’s major manga awards.