Who is Tatsuya Endo, the Author of 'Spy×Family'? Introducing His Past Works and Public Appearances

"Spy×Family" is a popular manga that began airing as a TV anime in April 2022. The author, Tatsuya Endo, is a veteran manga artist with over 20 years of experience. This article summarizes the profile of Endo, the creator of "Spy×Family," as well as his past works, gender, and public appearances.

Profile of "Spy×Family" Author Tatsuya Endo

"Spy×Family" is serialized on the manga distribution service "Shonen Jump+" which can be read on the web or an app. It is a popular work with over 600 million views in total.

Tatsuya Endo, the original creator of "Spy×Family," was born on July 23, 1980, in Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Influenced by his older brother and his friends, Endo began drawing manga and was submitting his work by the time he was in the 4th or 5th grade of elementary school.

In 2000, he won the runner-up prize in the manga division of the "Story King" manga award sponsored by "Weekly Shonen Jump." His winning work, "Seibu Yugi," was published as a one-shot in "Akamaru Jump," marking his debut as a manga artist.

Subsequently, he made his serialized debut with "TISTA" in the December 2007 issue of the comic magazine "Jump SQ." After "TISTA" ended, he began serializing "Gekka Bijin" in the same magazine, but the series ended in the February 2012 issue, and there were no new serialized works for a long time afterward.

Seven years after "Gekka Bijin," in March 2019, "Spy×Family" began serialization. "Spy×Family" quickly became popular, surpassing a cumulative total of 300,000 copies in the 22nd-day reprint after the first volume was released. It was ranked first in the male category of the manga introduction guide by Takarajimasha, "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2020."

The popularity of "Spy×Family" continued to rise, with a cumulative total of 12.5 million copies for both print and digital editions in November 2021, 21 million by the end of May 2022, 25 million in August, 27 million in October, 29 million in December, and surpassing 30 million copies by the end of May 2023. The first season of the TV anime began airing in April 2022, and the second season started in October 2023, making it Endo's biggest hit.

Who is "Spy×Family" Author Tatsuya Endo?

When Endo was in elementary school, he admired "Dragon Ball" and wanted to be like its author, Akira Toriyama. Since Toriyama also worked on game illustrations for "Dragon Quest," Endo revealed in a school essay that he wanted to join a game company in the future.

During his middle and high school days, he read manga by Hiroyuki Nishimori, who worked on titles like "Kyou kara Ore wa!!" When asked about the artists who influenced him, Endo responded, "I think Nishimori's influence on my style and energy is the biggest." He cited "Kyou kara Ore wa!!" as the manga he has reread the most in his life and held a dialogue with Nishimori in the official fanbook of "Spy×Family."

Tatsuya Endo Appears in a Report Manga

In episode 35 of the report manga "Susume! Jump Heppoko Tankentai!" serialized by Takeshi Sakurai on "Shonen Jump+," Endo's workplace is introduced. Endo himself appears in this manga and answers various questions.

When asked if he likes peanuts, given that Anya, a character in "Spy×Family," likes peanuts, Endo responded, "Not particularly." Regarding what he usually eats, he answered, "Whatever is available at the time." The editor in charge of "Spy×Family" mentioned that Endo is not very interested in food.

Additionally, Endo revealed he likes glasses-wearing girls and mentioned that his favorite glasses character might be Arale-chan.

What works has Tatsuya Endo created?

Tatsuya Endo has serialized three works so far: "TISTA," "Gekka Bijin," and "Spy×Family." "TISTA" consists of 2 volumes, "Gekka Bijin" is 5 volumes long, and the ongoing "Spy×Family," with 12 volumes published so far, is his longest serialized work.

Many of Tatsuya Endo's works have been released as one-shots. His early one-shots, including "Seibu Yugi," which was pivotal in his debut as a manga artist, are compiled in the collection titled "Shiho Yugi: Tatsuya Endo Short Stories." This collection is noteworthy for fans who discovered Endo through "Spy×Family" and are curious about his past one-shots.

In the March 2018 issue of "Jump SQ," the one-shot "I SPY," featuring a spy, was published. Endo has introduced "I SPY" as one of the inspirations behind "Spy×Family."

Can you read Tatsuya Endo's works for free?

On the smartphone app version of "Shonen Jump+," you can read "Spy×Family" from the first chapter to the latest for free on your first read-through.

In addition to "Spy×Family," several of Endo's past one-shot works are available on the "Spy×Family" work page. Updates on August 24, 2020, made "Rengoku no Ashe" available, while the June 14, 2021, update included "Ishi ni Usobeni, Tetsu ni Hoshi." On November 29, 2021, "I SPY," one of the inspirations for "Spy×Family," was made available. These one-shot works, like "Spy×Family," can also be read for free on your first read-through in the smartphone app version.

Tatsuya Endo on Twitter?

Tatsuya Endo has a public Twitter account. He started his Twitter account on January 30, 2019, and as of September 2023, it has over 700,000 followers, reflecting his popularity.

On Twitter, he shares glimpses of his private life, such as watching the TV Tokyo program "Moya Moya Summers 2" every week and cherishing a signed autograph he received from voice actress Maaya Sakamoto.
 

He also shares illustrations of 'Spy×Family' on Twitter.

From time to time, Endo posts illustrations on his Twitter. On January 3, 2022, he posted an illustration of Anya, a character from 'Spy×Family,' with the message "Happy New Year."

On July 27, 2021, when the Mizutani-Ito pair won the gold medal in mixed doubles table tennis, Endo posted a tweet on the same day. An illustration of Anya wearing the Japanese national team's uniform and holding a table tennis racket was shared. The tweet included the hashtag "#元卓球部" (formerly in the table tennis club), indicating that Endo was in the table tennis club during his school days.

On January 3, 2023, he also posted an illustration of Anya from 'Spy×Family' with the message "Happy New Year."

Is he a man? A woman? Does he show his face?

Regarding the gender of Endo, even after reviewing past interviews he has given, it remains unclear whether he is male or female, as his face has been obscured. However, Endo appeared on an internet radio show broadcast on June 2, 2022, where he spoke with a male voice.

As for showing his face, Endo has not revealed his face during interviews for fan books or other occasions. His editor for "Spy×Family," Shihei Lin, has posted photos on Twitter where Endo's face is hidden.

When a photo was published showing Endo distributing stickers to readers at Jump Festa 2019, fans who met him in person commented on Twitter that he left an impression as a "sleek handsome guy."
 

Is he married?

In a manga report titled "Susume! Jump Heppoko Tankentai!" by Takeshi Sakurai, updated on December 30, 2019, Endo himself stated that he was not married.

As of September 2023, a review of Endo's Twitter account does not reveal any tweets mentioning his marital status, so it remains unknown whether he is married or not.

Tatsuya Endo, the author of "Spy×Family," is said to be an "Ohisama."

The term "Ohisama" refers to fans of the idol group Hinatazaka46. Endo has shared several illustrations related to Hinatazaka46 on his Twitter.

He once posted an illustration that seemed to depict his participation in a Hinatazaka46 concert, accompanied by the hashtags "#全国おひさま化計画2021FINAL" and "#ひなくり2021."
 

In addition to illustrations of Hinatazaka46, Endo has also shared drawings related to the idol group Nogizaka46.

On November 21, 2021, he tweeted an illustration of Anya, a character from "Spy×Family," crying with the hashtag "#真夏の全国ツアー2021FINAL." On that day, Nogizaka46 held their "Manatsu no Zenkoku Tour 2021 FINAL!" concert, during which member Kazumi Takayama graduated.

When Mai Shinuchi, a personality on the radio program "Nogizaka46's All Night Nippon," graduated from the show, Endo posted an illustration of Anya wearing headphones with the words "オツカレサマデシタ" ("Thank you for your hard work"). Mai Shinuchi had once been called a "water thief" in her office because she filled her water bottle at the company water cooler. In the illustration, a water bottle labeled "thief" is depicted next to Anya.
 

From these instances, it appears that Endo supports both Hinatazaka46 and Nogizaka46.

Who is Tatsuya Endo's favorite member? "The Lady of Hinata" Explained

It is said that Tatsuya Endo's favorite member might be Kumi Sasaki from Hinatazaka46. In the manga "Spy×Family," there is a painting that resembles Kumi Sasaki, and its title is "The Lady of Hinata," which is reminiscent of Hinatazaka46. Moreover, on Kumi Sasaki's birthday, Endo posted a colored illustration of "The Lady of Hinata" on Twitter, leading fans of Hinatazaka46 to speculate that Endo is a fan of Kumi Sasaki.

Kumi Sasaki herself is aware of the painting that resembles her, titled "The Lady of Hinata," appearing in "Spy×Family." She talked about this on the variety show "Mieru."

On March 20, 2022, Kumi Sasaki updated her blog, posting a picture of herself in a spy outfit. In the blog, she wrote, "Can I join the Spy×Family?" Endo, who likely read this blog, later posted an illustration on Twitter of Anya wearing the same clothes and striking the same pose as Sasaki's photo.

Which idol does Tatsuya Endo publicly claim to be a big fan of?

Tatsuya Endo is a self-proclaimed big fan of the idol Kazumi Takayama, who is a former member of Nogizaka46. Endo has shared several illustrations related to Takayama on Twitter. On February 8, 2020, which is Takayama's birthday, he posted an illustration of Anya doing the "amazing" pose, a signature move of Takayama. When the music video for Takayama's solo song "Watashi no Iro" was released just before her graduation from Nogizaka46, Endo shared an illustration of Anya wearing the outfit from the music video, crying.

Furthermore, in the official fan book for "Spy×Family," there was a conversation between Endo and Takayama. In a project where manga artists draw illustrations of idols from the Sakamichi Series, Endo drew an illustration of Takayama. Takayama mentioned that this illustration was what prompted her to start reading "Spy×Family" and become a fan of the work.

Originally, Endo did not have an interest in idols, but he revealed that he gradually started watching Nogizaka46's shows after seeing Takayama on the TV program "Shikujiri Sensei." Endo also shared his thoughts on the charm of Nogizaka46, saying, "Laughter, tears, healing... I think the fact that all gentle elements are packed in there is one of the big reasons I was drawn to them."

It seems that Endo attended Nogizaka46's 10th anniversary debut concert held on May 15, 2022, and he shared an illustration of Anya cheering for Nogizaka46. During the encore of the concert, Takayama made a surprise appearance as a Nogizaka46 graduate. In the illustration, there's a note: "Anya, who thought 'Just in case,' brought a positive peace towel. Well done." This suggests that despite Takayama's appearance not being announced, Endo brought her towel to the concert.

Has the author of "Spy Family", Tatsuya Endo, made any media appearances?

『Spy Family』 author Tatsuya Endo appeared on Anya's voice actress Atsumi Tanezaki's online radio!

On the June 2, 2022 episode of the online radio show "Atsumi Tanezaki's I Want to Eat Sushi!!", which is hosted by the voice actress of Anya, Atsumi Tanezaki, Endo and his editor, Lin, were guest stars. Endo said that he had never appeared on a radio show before, and that this was his first radio appearance.

In the program, Endo revealed that he listens to "Atsumi Tanezaki's I Want to Eat Sushi!!" every week. In the 60th episode (MISSION:60) of the "Spy×Family" manga, there was a corner in the radio program that the disguise shop was listening to, which was called "Let me talk about my work". This is similar to the corner "Let me hear about your work" in "Atsumi Tanezaki's I Want to Eat Sushi!!", and when Tanezaki told Endo about it, he responded, "I'm sorry, but I used it without your permission."

It seems that Endo has been to the dubbing site of the anime "Spy×Family" many times, and when Tanezaki said, "There's no teacher (original author) who comes to the dubbing site as much as you do, as far as I know," Endo said, "The dubbing site is fun, and I'm laughing every time."

Endo and Lin also answered questions about the setting of "Spy×Family". They discussed how to set Anya's ability by listing superpowers and discussing what could be done with this ability. "Telekinesis is too invincible, and the ability that is just right for a child is probably mind reading, since the work is themed on spies, and the most critical ability for a spy is probably to have their mind read," they said.

When Tanezaki asked Lin about what makes Endo amazing as a manga artist, he responded, "His comprehensive skills are at an extraordinary level." Furthermore, Lin revealed that there are moments when he thinks about leaving things as they are without making corrections when deadlines approach. However, Endo will definitely fix it if the character is slightly off, and he does not allow even a slight discomfort in a single line of dialogue, so he believes that the character is filled with soul.

Endo mentioned on Twitter regarding his radio appearance, "I'm sorry for the low tension... that was my limit," while expressing regret. However, he also wrote his impression saying, "I thought it was good that my first radio show was about eating sushi."

Nogizaka46's Manatsu Akimoto Appears on "Graduation Album Radio"!​

On August 28, 2022, Endo and their editor, Lin, appeared as guests on the radio program "Graduation Album Radio Sunday with Manatsu Akimoto (Nogizaka46)" (hereafter referred to as "Grad Album Radio"), which was broadcast on Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. The show is hosted by Manatsu Akimoto, a member of the idol group Nogizaka46, whom Endo supports. It appears that Endo has been a listener of "Grad Album Radio," as evidenced by their previous posts on Twitter, where they shared illustrations of Anya related to the program.

Endo revealed on the show that he listens to 'Grad Album Radio' every week and engaged in a conversation with Akimoto about Nogizaka46. When asked by Akimoto about when he draws illustrations related to Nogizaka46 that he shares on Twitter, he responded, "When I'm excited." When asked about his favorite Nogizaka46 songs, he mentioned that he likes melancholy or cool types of songs and listed tracks such as "Sayonara no Imi," "Yasashisa to wa," "Tachinaorichu," and "Hito Natsu no Nagasa Yori...".

When questioned if there is a model for the "Anya speech" like "azazamasu," he answered, "There isn't a particular model, but I think children who make speech mistakes are cute. Like Mei-chan from Totoro." Regarding the increasing appearance of 'Spy×Family' billboards in the city and the show's growing presence, he mentioned, "I can't quite believe it."

In a scene where a listener's email asked whether there was a solid conception from the first episode to the last, or whether the conception of the final episode was refined as the story progressed, Endo answered, "I don't have a final goal in mind, I think about a few episodes ahead," and said about the conclusion of "Spy×Family" that "I don't know either" as the author. Endo said that he leaves the story up to the characters, and that he often doesn't know the characters' emotions or reactions unless he writes them, so he doesn't know what the story will be like unless he tries to make it a story.

There was also a scene where Endo revealed that he had featured Akimoto in the manga "Spy Family". In Episode 34, which is included in the 6th volume of the comics, there is a scene where bromides of young actresses are lined up. Among them, the person doing Akimoto's signature pose, the "Zukkun pose," is said to be Akimoto, and originally, it seems that the staff had drawn Akimoto, but Endo said, "Manatsu is not like this," and revised it.

There was also a scene where Endo gave Akimoto, whose birthday was approaching, a colored paper with an illustration. In the illustration, Anya is drawn wearing the costume of "Maa ii ka?", a unit song of Nogizaka46 in which Akimoto participates, and Akimoto was delighted to decorate it in the most prominent place in his house. After the end of the program, Endo updated his Twitter and expressed his gratitude to "Grad Album Radio".

Tatsuya Endo Oversees and Designs Characters for the Theatrical Version

On December 18, 2022, at the "Jump Festa 2023" Super Stage held at Makuhari Messe, it was announced alongside a visual of the Forger family drawn by the original author, Tatsuya Endo, and his comments that the TV anime Season 2 would air in 2023 and the production of the theatrical film 'SPY×FAMILY' (tentative) was set for 2023. In the theatrical version, the original author Tatsuya Endo will oversee and design the characters, and the story will depict the family consisting of a father [spy] × daughter [psychic] × mother [assassin] × dog [clairvoyant dog], embarking on the series' biggest mission in a completely new storyline adapted into a film.

Comment from Endo:

I'm grateful that my work has been greatly boosted by the animation this year. There were so many things happening that I couldn’t quite grasp, and the year flew by in the blink of an eye. I've started seeing the Forger family here and there in town and on TV, and although I observed it as if it were someone else’s affair, I'm beginning to feel a bit of reality, and I'm very happy about it. Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to all the production staff, voice actors, everyone involved with the anime, and all the readers and viewers who are supporting the work.

In 2023, there will be the TV anime Season 2 and the theatrical version, so I hope everyone can get even more excited. The original manga is also being updated gradually, so for those of you who got to know 'Spy×Family' from the anime, I would be delighted if you could also take a look at Shonen Jump+.

Summary of 'Spy×Family' Author Tatsuya Endo:

Tatsuya Endo, who debuted as a manga artist in 2000, is a creator with a career spanning over 20 years. His biggest hit, 'Spy×Family,' is expected to gain even more popularity with the airing of the anime's second season in October 2023.

There are no photos of him showing his face in interviews or discussions, so it is unlikely that he will show his face in the future.

On Twitter, he not only shares illustrations of 'Spy×Family' but also illustrations related to Nogizaka46 and Hinatazaka46.

(C)2023「劇場版 SPY×FAMILY」製作委員会
(C)遠藤達哉／集英社
(C)遠藤達哉／集英社・SPY×FAMILY製作委員会

List of images for this article