Joe Yabuki

Tetsuya Chiba, the artist of Ashita no Joe, died on 22 October 2026 in a Tokyo hospital, aged 87. The news broke on 27 October. That same day, Tetsuo Hara posted on X a sketch of Joe Yabuki in felt-tip pen, in quick, edgy strokes, with tousled hair, boxing gloves and a battered face, with just the words “哀しい､､､” (“Sad…”). Ten days later the post had passed 640,000 views, and readers saw in this Joe a blend of Joe and Raoh, or of Joe and Rikiishi.

An earlier tribute

Hara had already brought Joe and Kenshiro together in a colour illustration, captioned “ジョー” and “ケン”, inscribed “祝40th…”, signed and dated May 1997, probably for Chiba’s 40th career anniversary. Its original publication has yet to be identified.