Hometown: Tsukishima, Chuo, Tokyo, Japan

Blood type: A

Kurumada Masami grew up inspired by Motomiya Hiroshi's Otoko Ippiki Gaki Daishou—the kind of manga that made him decide he wanted to be a mangaka. In his third year of high school, he took a shot and submitted work to Weekly Shounen Jump. It got rejected, but instead of giving up, he showed up at the office to ask why. That's how he met editor Inoue Koo, who brought him on as an assistant.

By age 20, he'd officially debuted with Sukeban Arashi.