He was born in Rehe, Manchuria, the son of a Japanese military police officer.

He started his career as a shōjo artist, but in 1958, his Nama-chan (ナマちゃん) became a hit, so he became a specialist in comic manga.

In April 2002 he was hospitalized for intra-axial hematoma and was said to frequently be in a persistent vegetative state from 2004 until his death.

[6] Among Akatsuka's extensive body of work, his series of Osomatsu-kun, Himitsu no Akko-chan, Tensai Bakabon, and Mōretsu Atarō are often considered his top four major series[7] by Fujio Pro, due to their success in garnering animated adaptations and their lengthy runs and revivals.

(In order of publication)[8] 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s These series or one-shots are derivative works, created as adaptations of TV shows or novels by other authors.