Kia Asamiya

Michitaka Kikuchi[1] (菊池 通隆, Kikuchi Michitaka, born March 9, 1963), best known by the pen name Kia Asamiya (麻宮 騎亜, Asamiya Kia), is a Japanese manga artist whose work spans multiple genres and appeals to diverse audiences.

Several of the anime series that he worked on were very popular inside and outside Japan, most notably Sonic Soldier Borgman and Project A-ko.

Even after focusing primarily on his manga career, Asamiya continued to do character designs and creative consultation on anime series based on his stories, occasionally under the Kikuchi name.

He is well known for using influences from American comics, television, and films in his work, and describes himself as a big fan of Batman and Star Wars.

It has become a trademark feature of his books that instead of a picture of the artist, there is an elaborately decorated rectangle sporting the words "Now Printing" (a message used in Japan for placeholder images).