Summer anime Thunder 3 delivered a revelation on September 24, 2026 that went beyond its on-screen story: GANTZ creator Oku Hiroya confirmed that Ikeda Yuuki, the author credited with Thunder 3, is actually his pen name. The news arrived after long-running online speculation that the manga’s character designs looked like GANTZ, or that the art closely resembled Oku Hiroya’s style.
Ikeda Yuuki’s Thunder 3 began serialization in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Magazine in 2022. It drew attention for its story development, was nominated for the Next Manga Awards 2022, and reached its final chapter in June 2026. When the anime began airing, its surprising central trick helped the series win new fans. The anime’s final episode, ‘Episode #12 'FINAL ATTACK',’ is set for September 30.
The story follows Tezuka Pyontarou, a middle school student who plays a disc borrowed from his homeroom teacher and steps into another, ‘real’ world. In that ‘real world,’ Pyontarou displays incredible power — and aliens are present.
From the start of the serialization, one of the most talked-about elements was the detailed depiction of that ‘real world.’ Readers noticed that the art style of Thunder 3 looked familiar: it closely resembled Oku Hiroya’s GANTZ, which was serialized in Weekly Young Jump and later expanded into a TV anime, live-action films, stage productions, and more.
Once the anime aired, speculation surged. Some wondered whether author ‘Ikeda Yuuki’ might have been an assistant on GANTZ, while others raised accusations that the work was copying GANTZ. The mystery became a talking point separate from the story itself.
‘Ikeda Yuuki Is My Pen Name’
Then, at 5:29 p.m. on September 24, Oku Hiroya suddenly shared the answer on his social media.
Oku Hiroya’s post:
‘Yes. As everyone knows. Ikeda Yuuki is my pen name. As for why I used a pen name, the twist in chapter 1 would be weaker if it carried my name, and I wanted first-time readers to be surprised as much as possible. I am grateful to the anime staff. I watch with excitement every time.’ (original text)
Why the Pen Name Mattered
Oku explained that he chose a pen name because ‘the twist in chapter 1 would be weaker if it carried my name’ and because he ‘wanted first-time readers to be surprised as much as possible.’ The twist refers to the story’s major turn.
If readers had picked up Thunder 3 as a new Oku Hiroya work, many would likely have felt something was off about the cute, very different protagonist designs. When the ‘real world’ later appeared, the surprise would have been smaller. By presenting the manga as a work by ‘Ikeda Yuuki,’ that moment landed with greater impact.
Morikawa George: ‘Invention-Level Expression’
Morikawa George, the manga artist known for Hajime no Ippo, responded to Oku’s post. He wrote, ‘It was interesting. I was surprised by the invention-level expression method.’
Morikawa also shared an episode from when Thunder 3 was being serialized. He asked someone at Monthly Magazine, ‘I won’t tell anyone, so that’s Oku-sensei, right?’ but the person would only say, ‘Well…’ and did not reveal the answer.
Morikawa George’s comment:
‘This is about when it was being serialized, but I asked a Monthly Magazine person, ‘I won’t tell anyone, so that’s Oku-sensei, right?’ and they wouldn’t tell me, saying, ‘Well…’! It was interesting as manga, and as expression it was an invention and a wonderful work! The anime is interesting too.’
Morikawa George’s post
Morikawa George’s follow-up post
Anime Staff and Fans React
Online reactions to the confession included ‘Eeeee, I knew it!!’, ‘I thought it was a close assistant who had mastered sensei’s art style!’, ‘What a spoiler’, ‘No way’, ‘I thought so from the beginning,’ and ‘I bought it without knowing lol.’
The reveal also surprised those involved with the anime. General director Seshita Hiroyuki commented, ‘This is the most shocking confession in the last five years — number one.’ Otoha-otoha-, who performs the ending theme, said, ‘What a major twist!!’
Seshita Hiroyuki’s post
Otoha-otoha-‘s post
After revealing the pen name, Oku Hiroya added, like a creator speaking about his own work, ‘Thunder 3’s characters are also my children. Please support them.’
According to the official Thunder 3 account, the series is now effectively Oku Hiroya-sensei’s ‘quasi’ new work.
Thunder 3 official account post
Broadcast and Final Episode
Thunder 3 airs every Wednesday at 24:45 on Fuji TV’s ‘+Ultra’ and other channels, with Netflix handling worldwide exclusive streaming. The anime’s final episode, ‘Episode #12 'FINAL ATTACK',’ airs on September 30, making the revelation even harder to miss.
Staff and Cast
Staff
| Original Work | Ikeda Yuuki (Kodansha, Monthly Shonen Magazine) |
|---|---|
| General Director | Seshita Hiroyuki |
| Director | Ide Keisuke |
| Assistant Directors | Sugai Susumu, Ryunari |
| Series Composition / Screenplay | Seko Hiroshi |
| Character Design Draft | Onda Naoyuki |
| Animation Character Design | Yamanaka Junko, Moriyama Yuuki |
| Animation Director | Kouji |
| Production Design | Tanaka Naoya, Ferdinand Patuli |
| Modeling Director / Lighting Art Director | Katama Mitsunori |
| Mechanical Design | Hoashi Takehiko |
| Art Directors | Kamei Yuusuke, Nakamura Keigo |
| Sound Director | Yamaguchi Takayuki |
| Music | Frederic Chateau, Tateyama Akiyuki |
| Opening Theme | Yuri ‘Thunderbolt’ |
| Ending Theme | Otoha-otoha- ‘Shururerira’ |
| Planning / Produce | Slow Curve |
| Animation Production | UNEND |
Cast
| Tezuka Pyontarou | Suzushiro Sayumi |
|---|---|
| Agatsuma Tsubame | Kawaida Natsumi |
| Ochanomizu Hiroshi | Akiyama Eri |
| Tezuka Futaba | Mitsubachi Honoka |
| Doc | Sakata Shougo |
| Segami Teiichi | Saka Yasuto |
| Tashiro Suzuka | Hirose Yuuki |
| Kisaragi Mio | Maekawa Ryouko |
| Sumeragi Kyouji | Ishitani Haruki |
Manga volumes Thunder 3 (10) and Thunder 3 (1) are listed in the Monthly Shonen Magazine Comics line at ￥792 each. (Prices and availability are as of the article’s publication.)
(C) Ikeda Yuuki・Kodansha／’Thunder 3′ Production Committee
