One-Eyed Monkey

One-Eyed Monkey, or Hitome-zaru, is a representative work by the prolific manga artist Yokoyama Mitsuteru, widely recognized as one of the pioneers of the medium in post-war Japan. Emerging from the vibrant, experimental atmosphere of early shonen manga publishing, the series reflects Yokoyama's signature blend of historical adventure and character-driven narrative. The work was crafted during a period when the manga industry was rapidly evolving, moving away from simplistic children's stories toward more complex, serialized epic structures.

The series is noted for Yokoyama's clean, functional art style, which prioritized clarity of action and emotional expression, a hallmark that would later define his more famous works like Tetsujin 28-go and his extensive adaptations of historical Chinese epics. While it stands as a smaller entry in his massive bibliography, it serves as an essential example of the genre storytelling that established the aesthetic and structural foundations of the manga industry during the mid-twentieth century.