Momoko Sakura, Author of Chibi Maruko-chan Manga, Dies at 53

August 28, 2018

Tokyo- Momoko Sakura, the author of the long-running Chibi Maruko-chan manga series, died of breast cancer on Aug. 15, it was learned Monday. She was 53.

After making her debut as a manga artist in 1984, she started releasing Chibi Maruko-chan on Ribon, a girls' monthly manga magazine by major publishing company Shueisha Inc., in 1986.

In the comedy manga series, Sakura, a native of the central Japan city of Shizuoka, depicted episodes from the everyday life of its main character, Maruko, an elementary school third-grader, and her interactions with her family and friends, based on her own childhood experiences.

Comic books of Chibi Maruko-chan were released in 16 volumes, with cumulative sales topping 32 million copies. Chibi Maruko-chan was made into a television anime in 1990, as well as animation movies later.

The TV anime is still aired by Fuji Television Network Inc. The broadcaster said that it will continue airing Chibi Maruko-chan after the death of the author.

Sakura was also known as a best-selling writer of essays. Jiji Press