Kumeta, Kouji is a gag mangaka, born on September 5, 1967 in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. His most famous works are Go!! Southern Ice Hockey Club, Katte ni Kaizou and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. His other major works include √P Root Paradise, Sodatte Darling!! and The Sun’s Soldier Pokapoka. The bulk of his work was published in Shounen Sunday, until the abrupt cancellation of Katte ni Kaizou, which resulted in him transferring from Shogakukan to Kodansha. As of 2014, he has gone freelance. His latest serialization called Sekkachi Hakushaku to Jikan Dorobou, published in Weekly Shounen Magazine was finished on January 7th, 2015. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei was his first work to be made into an anime and was awarded the 31st Kodansha Manga Award in the shounen category.