[4][5] Golgo 13 holds the Guinness World Record for "Most volumes published for a single manga series" and, in accordance with Saito's wishes, it continues to be serialized following his death from pancreatic cancer in September 2021.

That same year, Saito quit the family business to focus on manga, an act that angered his mother so much, that she never picked up one of his works for the rest of her life.

Saito entered the mainstream manga industry in 1963 with 007, an adaptation of Ian Fleming's James Bond novels for Shogakukan's Boy's Life magazine.

Saito illustrated an adaptation of Shōtarō Ikenami's Onihei Hankachō novel series that has been continuously serialized in Leed Publishing's Comic Ran magazine since 1993, although a mistake by the editorial department resulted in the September 2019 issue becoming the first in 25 years to not include a chapter.

JManga released digital English versions of several of Saito's series, including Onihei Hankachō, Barom-1, Japan Sinks and Doll: The Hotel Detective.

The Saito Production group of manga creators continues its publication with the assistance of the Big Comic editorial department.

[22][23] In 2010, the Japanese government gave Saito the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette.

[24] In 2013, over 300 people attended an event at the Tokyo Imperial Hotel to celebrate 45 years of Golgo 13, including Deputy Prime Minister of Japan Tarō Asō.

[28] On October 6, 2021, the Japanese government decided to confer the Senior Sixth Rank to Saito posthumously.

[31] In addition to Takao Saito (until his death), Ryoichi Ikegami, Jūzō Yamasaki and writer Masaru Sato have served on every final selection committee.