George Morikawa, born Jōji Morikawa on January 17, 1966, in Tokyo, Japan, is a celebrated Japanese manga artist, best known as the creator of the long-running and critically acclaimed boxing manga series, "Hajime no Ippo." The success of the manga led to multiple anime adaptations, including a 76-episode television series, several original video animations (OVAs), and a movie. These adaptations have further solidified the popularity of "Hajime no Ippo" both in Japan and internationally.