Masahiko Matsumoto (1934-2005) was a significant pioneer in the development of Japanese comics. Born in Osaka, he began publishing in the early 1950s, deeply inspired by an early meeting with Osamu Tezuka. He met Yoshihiro Tatsumi in 1954, forming a friendly rivalry of two innovators who pushed manga in new directions, coining the terms komaga (panel pictures, by Matsumoto) and gekiga (dramatic pictures, by Tatsumi) to describe their interest in more realistic, adult-oriented stories. He worked in a great variety of styles and genres; in English, readers can explore his 1950s work in The Man Next Door (Breakdown Press), and his 1970s work in Cigarette Girl (Top Shelf Productions).