Renowned manga artist Hiroya Oku, best known for the sci-fi hit Gantz, has officially confirmed that he is the creator behind the series Thunder 3. Writing under the pseudonym Yuki Ikeda, Oku explained that the decision to use a pen name was a deliberate choice to protect a key plot surprise in the manga's first chapter, which he felt would be compromised if his well-known name were attached to the project from the start.
Thunder 3 follows three schoolboys who discover a DVD that serves as a portal to a parallel dimension. After the sister of one of the protagonists is abducted by aliens, the boys realize their cartoonish physical forms grant them superhuman abilities in this hyper-realistic world. The manga, which began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine in May 2022, navigated a brief hiatus due to health concerns before reaching its conclusion this past June. Kodansha has since released the 10th volume of the series.
This revelation comes as Oku prepares for a shift in his career. In a recent interview, the creator noted his intention to retire following the completion of his current project, Kanrekihime (The Sweet Sixty Princess), which began serialization in late 2025. While Oku’s legacy is firmly anchored by the long-running Gantz—which has spawned multiple spin-offs and adaptations over the last two decades—Thunder 3 represents a distinct stylistic departure that recently made the jump to the screen with a Netflix-exclusive anime adaptation.
