King of the Underworld | Miyako Oji | pgs 23&24 | Rare Museum Piece Akahon Manga Art John Wayne

Media : pencil & ink on paper
Published by Enomoto (December 1953)
Condition : Very good
Small size : 25,5 x 18.2 cm (x2) 

Miyako Ōji was a Japanese mangaka active during the late 1940s and early 1950s, at the height of the akahon boom. He worked primarily for Enomoto Hōreikan, a publisher specializing in inexpensive adventure manga for young readers.

Among his best known works are Skyscraper Acrobatics, an urban action story, Deadly Iron Fist, and Boss from Hell, a crime-themed tale reflecting the growing popularity of gangster fiction in postwar Japan.

Another notable title is this "King of the Underworld" which was directly inspired by the American movie "Lady from Louisiana" (1941), starring John Wayne.
The film was released in Japan under the title "King of the Underworld" (暗黒街の王者), and its akahon adaptation illustrates how publishers of the period frequently drew inspiration from imported cinema (without even seeing the movie)

Ōji's work exemplifies the fast-paced, action-oriented entertainment that dominated the akahon market. Produced for a rapidly expanding readership, these compact stories emphasized adventure, crime, martial arts, and heroic exploits. While less celebrated today than contemporaries such as Yanosuke Nakai or Haruo Nakano, Miyako Ōji remains a representative figure of the vibrant postwar akahon industry that helped shape the early development of manga.