Overview
- The artist died of pneumonia in a Nara City hospital on April 17 at age 84.
- No funeral or public farewell will take place in line with his stated wishes.
- He first drew wide notice for stage design and posters with Situation Theatre, an avant‑garde troupe led by playwright Jūrō Kara.
- He became a familiar face on TV variety shows such as Waratte Iitomo! and programs hosted by Beat Takeshi, where viewers knew him as “Kuma‑san.”
- His writing earned major honors, including the Shogakukan Children's Publishing Culture Prize and the Izumi Kyoka Literary Prize.