Hiroya Oku, the creator of Gantz, has revealed that he is the author behind the Thunder 3 manga, which he has been writing under the pen name Yuki Ikeda. Oku confirmed the connection on X, explaining that he deliberately used a different name.
“Yes. As everyone knows, Yuki Ikeda is my alternate pen name. The reason I used a pen name was because revealing my name would have weakened the twist in Episode 1, so I wanted first-time readers to be as surprised as possible.“
Oku also thanked the staff working on the Thunder 3 anime adaptation, saying that he watches each episode with excitement.
“I’m grateful to the staff who worked on the anime. I watch every episode with excitement and anticipation. The characters of Thunder 3 are also my children. I hope you’ll continue to support them.”
The revelation confirms long-running speculation among readers about the manga’s creator. Thunder 3 has frequently drawn comparisons to Gantz due to its distinctive artwork, character designs and visual style, leading some readers to suspect that Oku was involved with the series.
Several fans admitted that they initially assumed the manga’s creator was a former assistant of Oku or simply a major Gantz fan because of the similarities.
This is not the first time the author has worked under a pen name. He used the name Kuon Yahiro when Hen, his debut manga and a runner-up in the 1988 Young Jump Youth Manga Awards, was serialized.
The reveal also comes as Oku approaches the planned end of his manga career. In an August 2026 interview, he stated that he intends to retire after completing his latest manga series, The Sweet Sixty Princess.
Thunder 3 began serialization in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine in 2022 and follows Pyontaro and his friends Tsubame and Hiroshi as they attempt to rescue Pyontaro’s younger sister Futaba after she disappears into another world.
The manga’s premise involves two worlds depicted using contrasting art styles, with the characters from the series’ simpler-looking world entering a more detailed, realistic world.
The manga concluded in June 2026.
Its anime adaptation is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.
![[Exclusive] The Great Indian Anime Show: The Journey Behind India’s First Ever Anime Talk Show](https://animehunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Analyst6-150x150.webp)
