Shinji Hiramatsu (Japanese: å¹³æ¾ 伸äºÂ, Hepburn: Hiramatsu Shinji, born August 22, 1955) is a Japanese manga artist. He hails from Takahashi City, Okayama Prefecture, and currently resides in Shibamata, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo. He is best known for works such as Doberman Deka, Black Angels, and Murder License Kiba. His wife is manga scriptwriter Uni Yasue. He serves as a councilor of the Japan Cartoonists Association.
Hiramatsu began drawing manga during his junior high school years. He made his debut while in his first year at Okayama Prefectural Takahashi High School with the short story Shà Âbu ("The Match"), published in Weekly Shà Ânen Jump (Issue No. 50, 1971). While still in school, he had five to six one-shots published. He was scouted by editor Hiroki Gotà  and moved to Tokyo, where he worked as an assistant to manga artist Norihiro Nakajima. In 1974, he made his serialized debut with Doberman Deka.
Hiramatsu is known for stories featuring protagonists who crush villains and lawbreakers beyond the reach of justice. Alongside such tales of vengeance and justice, he also produced a number of combat sports manga, including Ricky Typhoon (pro wrestling) and Dosukoi Gigolo (sumo), both featuring numerous risqué scenes. His protagonists are often portrayed as both powerful and androgynously beautiful. Notably, Murder License Kiba features an intersex heroâÂÂan audacious creative direction for its time.
In 2015, to mark the 40th anniversary of Doberman Deka and the 30th anniversary of the conclusion of Black Angels, Hiramatsu appeared on the TV program Mandà  Kobayashi (aired July 21, 2015, Fuji TV ONE), hosted by comedian Kendà  Kobayashi, where he shared behind-the-scenes anecdotes.
Since around spring 2015, Hiramatsu has produced art pieces that blend illustrations of his most iconic characters with traditional Japanese calligraphy, which he terms âÂÂmanga calligraphyâ (man-sho). These pieces are available for purchase at exhibitions and online.
He has also collaborated with Katsushika Ward, where he currently resides, contributing artwork for the cover of the local governmentâÂÂs âÂÂMy Handy BookâÂÂ, anti-fraud awareness posters and leaflets, and even wrapping for public buses used in scam prevention campaigns.
A fan of martial arts, Hiramatsu continues to train daily even after turning 60, and is known for his disciplined lifestyle and active involvement in volunteer work.
For a time after his debut, he claimed to be accompanied by an imaginary figure dressed as the Grim Reaper, whom he referred to as âÂÂGedà Â-manâ (literally, âÂÂOutlaw ManâÂÂ). However, this figure was unhelpful and would mostly speak ill of his assistants and girlfriend (later his wife).