(Tokyo Prefecture, Japan)
Tsugumi Ohba (Japanese: 大場 つぐみ, Hepburn: Ōba Tsugumi) is the pen name of a Japanese gensakusha or writer of manga, best known for authoring the Death Note manga series with illustrator Takeshi Obata from 2003 to 2006, which has 30 million collected volumes in circulation. The duo's second series Bakuman. (2008–2012), was also successful with 15 million in circulation. In 2014, Ohba collaborated with My Little Monster creator Robico for the one-shot "Skip! Yamada-kun". Another series with Obata called Platinum End began in the December 2015 issue of Jump SQ on November 4, 2015.Ohba's real identity is a closely guarded secret. They have cited Shotaro Ishinomori, Fujiko Fujio, and Fujio Akatsuka as manga creators by whom they are heavily inspired. As stated by the profile placed at the beginning of each Death Note manga, Ohba collects teacups and develops manga plots while holding their knees on a chair, similar to a habit of L, one of the main characters of the series. There is speculation that Tsugumi Ohba is a pen name of Hiroshi Gamo, pointing out that in Bakuman the main character's uncle was a one-hit wonder manga artist who worked on a gag super-hero manga, very similar to Gamo and Tottemo! Luckyman in all aspects, and also that the storyboards drawn by Ohba greatly resemble Tottemo! Luckyman in style.