In the 1990s, New York saw the serialization of the manga “TokyoNewyork” in free press distributed on street corners. Takeshi Tadatsu’s illustrations, featuring UFOs hovering above distorted skyscrapers, Godzilla, and Haeotoko, caught the attention of Brooklyn artists like Gary Panter. Upon returning to Japan, Tadatsu continued creating art in a former U.S. Army house in Tachikawa, working in a studio filled with debris similar to scenes from manga.
Tadatsu’s paintings maintain a dedicated fan base across the U.S., showcased in popular online galleries and at Pulp Holyoke.
Tadatsu’s reputation extends to Europe, where Tadatsu was featured in a 12-page spread in Radbrækning #8.5, a Danish comic magazine. Surprisingly, Tadatsu’s work remained relatively unknown in Japan until now.