Sekigahara | Tetsuya Hagesawa | Leed Publishing | pg15

Size : 25.5 x 36.5 cm | ink on paper | Leed Publishing (2013)

Tetsuya Hasegawa (1963-) is a Japanese manga artist best known for turning historical events into wildly entertaining, over-the-top action epics. He’s clearly fascinated by the past — but historical accuracy? Not so much. He happily tosses that out the window in favor of a good fight or a ridiculous twist.

He studied at Kazuo Koike’s Gekiga Sonjuku, but the real game-changer was working as an assistant to Tetsuo Hara on Fist of the Blue Sky (Weekly Comic Bunch, Shinchosha).
< Not to be confused with Fist of the North Star, also by Hara! >
That experience shaped both his dynamic drawing style and his flair for punchy, dramatic dialogue.

Hasegawa’s storytelling mixes classic structure with bizarre characters, absurd humor, and explosive action. He’s not big on deep historical research — just enough to get the vibe, then lets his imagination take over.

His best-known work is Napoleon: Age of the Lion (Napoleon – Shishi no Jidai, Shōnen Gahōsha, 2003–2024), a manga reimagining of Napoleon’s life with a healthy dose of manga madness.

He’s also known for the wild and hilarious Sekigahara, his take on Japan’s most famous battle. In Hasegawa’s world, it’s not about troop movements — it’s one-on-one warlord brawls, complete with superpowers. Think samurai street fights with Dragon Ball energy. It’s part parody, part action-fest, and 100% outrageous.

His style is bold, bizarre, and unforgettable — just like his tools. Fun fact: he draws with sharpened chopsticks. Seriously. He says it’s more comfortable, cheaper, and just kind of works. It’s manga with punk spirit.