The power of hype and friendship is strong with this one—it’s Hiro Mashima! This prolific mangaka is best known for the shounen classic RAVE (which is called Rave Master in the West) and the bombastic magical quest known as Fairy Tail. If you’re looking for a fantastical story with a mixture of (slightly ecchi) comedy and hype-tastic fight scenes that run on raw emotion instead of cold logic, then Mashima is the author for you.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at Mashima’s career—his debut, his highs and lows, and what he’s up to now that Fairy Tail has ended. What is it that makes his work special, and has he kept up that same quality over his 20 years of publishing? Power up your magic with the help of your friends and join us!

This article was written for Honey’s Anime, so please read it on their site.