Tetsuya Chiba, ‘Ashita No Joe’ Creator Death Cause: Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Rare Type of Cancer

Tetsuya Chiba, the manga artist behind Ashita no Joe, has died at 87. Many fans are asking, “Is Tetsuya Chiba still alive?” Sadly, the answer is no. He died on 22 October in a Tokyo hospital. He began his career as a teenager and kept working for almost 70 years. 

Anime News Network says the cause was myelodysplastic syndrome. This is a type of cancer that affects the blood cells in the bone marrow. The news has saddened readers across Japan and beyond. Chiba had worked for almost 70 years and shaped sports manga for generations.

Tetsuya Chiba Cause of Death

🚨 ‘Ashita no Joe’ Creator Tetsuya Chiba has Passed Away at the age of 87. He was the first Manga artist to ever receive Japan's Order of Culture. https://t.co/7566claBuB

— Anime Tokki (@AnimeTokki) October 27, 2026

Tetsuya Chiba died of myelodysplastic syndrome, often called MDS. Reports say he was in hospital at the time of his death. No further medical details have been shared, so we should not guess.

What is myelodysplastic syndrome?

According to Blood Cancer UK, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of conditions. In these conditions, the bone marrow does not work properly and “makes faulty blood cells.” It is a type of blood cancer.

Tetsuya Chiba death cause cancer

Here is what it means:

• Symptoms: They come from low levels of healthy blood cells. They vary from person to person, depending on which blood cells are affected. 
• Course of the illness: MDS develops differently in each person. Prognosis can vary widely. 
• Tests: Doctors do tests to find out more if they suspect MDS. Further tests then check whether treatment is working. 
• Treatment: Not everyone needs treatment straight away. Some people go on active monitoring, also called “watch and wait.” This means regular check-ups without treatment at first.

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How serious can it be?

The course of MDS differs from person to person. A 2023 review in Deutsches Ärzteblatt International explains this clearly. The authors say one in four patients goes on to develop acute leukaemia, a fast-growing blood cancer. They also write that “myelodysplastic syndromes take a variable course.” So some people live for years with the condition, while others become seriously ill sooner.

Both studies describe MDS in general. They do not tell us about Chiba’s own illness or treatment.

Tetsuya Chiba’s Earlier Health Problems Linked To His Death? 

Tetsuya Chiba spoke openly about his health in his later years. In November 2021, he said he had gone into a Tokyo hospital after feeling unwell once the summer ended. He described problems that appeared one after another in his heart valve, his coronary artery and his throat. He then began treatment for a tumour in his throat, Anime News Network reports.

In January 2022, he had heart surgery to place a stent in his coronary artery. He then carried on with his work. In a blog post in 2024, he also shared that he had eye surgery. He kept drawing despite these health scares. On 25 September 2026, he put his manga Hinemosu Notari Nikki on hiatus because of poor health. Less than a month later, he died.

Reports do not link his earlier heart, throat or eye problems to myelodysplastic syndrome. So we should not assume a link.