Birth Name: NAGAI (永井) Kiyoshi (潔)

Nagai is one of the most important innovators in the history of manga. After working as assistant to ISHINOMORI Shotaro for two years he made his debut in 1967.
He introduced ‘ecchi’ in shonen manga with Harenchi Gakuen, running from 1968 to 1972 in Weekly Shonen Jump, school life manga which broke various taboos, using subjects as voyeurism and sex. He developed the concept of giant robots being able to transform in Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger and Grendizer, an idea that would been coined as ‘super robot’ afterwards. He also created the dark hero series Devilman which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine.

He is one of manga artists who had been serialized works in all four major weekly shonen magazines.

He industrialized his production by creating the studio Dynamic Productions with his brothers, employing more than 30 assistants.

In 2019, French government’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres knighted Nagai & TORIYAMA Akira for their contributions to the arts.