Japanese cartoonist Mizushima Shinji, known for his long-running baseball manga series "Dokaben," has died. He was 82 years old.

Mizushima's office says he died of pneumonia at a hospital in Tokyo on January 10.

Mizushima created a number of works featuring baseball after making his debut in 1958.

"Dokaben," a series about a high school baseball team, was first published in a weekly magazine in 1972 and attracted readers of different generations for more than 40 years.

"Dokaben" is the nickname of the protagonist Yamada Taro, a slugger and catcher for his high school baseball team.

The series follows the team as it competes for the national high school championships.

A total of 205 volumes, including sequels, were published before "Dokaben" ended in 2018.

Mizushima was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette in 2014 for his achievements.

In 2020, he announced his decision to retire, saying he had worked hard for 63 years since starting his career as a cartoonist at the age of 18.