Mitsuru Adachi

Mitsuru Adachi, born February 9, 1951, in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, is a manga artist celebrated for his seamless blend of romantic comedy and sports storytelling, particularly baseball. After graduating from Maebashi Commercial High School in 1969, he worked as an assistant to Isami Ishii before making his debut in 1970 with *Kieta Bakuon*, published in *Deluxe Shōnen Sunday*. Adachi’s signature works include *Touch*, *H2*, *Slow Step*, *Miyuki*, and *Cross Game*, all of which showcase his gift for natural dialogue and everyday life. He is one of the few creators to write successfully for shōnen, shōjo, and seinen magazines, with his stories appearing in *Weekly Shōnen Sunday*, *Ciao*, *Shōjo Comic*, *Big Comic*, and *Petit Comic*. His accurate portrayal of sibling rivalry in *Touch* is thought to reflect his own upbringing with his older brother, fellow manga artist Tsutomu Adachi, whose name inspired Adachi’s use of the hiragana spelling for his family name. In North America, his short story collections *Short Program* and *Short Program 2* were released by Viz Media, which also began publishing *Cross Game* in 2010. Adachi also handled character designs for the OVA *Nozomi Witches*, though he is sometimes mistakenly credited as its creator. His work remains influential, and he was a flagship author for *Monthly Shōnen Sunday* when it launched in 2009.