Manga designer Isami Ishii passed unexpectedly on September 17 from severe heart failure, according to a statement released on Thursday by publisher Akita Shoten. He was 80. A private funeral was attended by his close relatives and friends.

In 1957, Ishii made his professional debut with the Takeuma Brothers through Kodansha. The Stray Dog’s Hill and Kutabare!! Namida-kun, two popular manga series, were later published by him through Shogakukan in 1969 and Kodansha’s Manga magazine in 1968, respectively.

In Akita Shoten’s Weekly Shnen Champion magazine from 1975 to 1985, Ishii serialized 750 Rider, his 50-volume masterpiece about the teenage years of motorcycle enthusiast Mitsu Hayakawa and his companions. Tic-Toc was one of his latter publications in this magazine.