A Flock of Ambitions | Ambition's Herd | pg.39

Ryō Kurashina a.k.a. Keiji Ohba is a major artist in Japanese manga, particularly known for his nightlife stories, which he refers to as "neon street stories."

He is credited as the founder of the "neon gekiga" style, a subgenre blending the gritty, cinematic gekiga tradition with urban nightlife settings.
Kurashina made his debut as a manga artist in 1971 under the pen name Tsukasa Kei, creating numerous hits primarily for seinen magazines.

Some of his representative works from this early period include A Flock of Ambitions (Ambition's Herd), Aizu Man’s Tale, Elegy of Love and Revenge and Dancing Fighter.

Over time, he felt creatively stuck as a mangaka and decided to stop drawing. Reinventing himself, he changed his name back to Ryō Kurashina and shifted his focus entirely to being a manga storywriter.

His comeback was marked by the success of the Warujo no Kagami series, created in collaboration with artist Wake Issaku, which launched his career as a dedicated original manga writer.

Kurashina’s work is known for its deep dive into the dark, complex worlds of yakuza, politics, and nightlife, often navigating a corrupt society.

His signature series A Flock of Ambitions remains a classic in the hard-boiled seinen genre, blending themes of ambition, power, and betrayal with a strong, cinematic art style that complements his intense narratives.

Kurashina’s career reflects a unique evolution from manga artist to influential original story writer, securing his role as a foundational creator in the neon gekiga tradition.

Note: Ryō Kurashina is sometimes wrongfully translated as Ryō Kurashima