Makoto Kobayashi (born May 13, 1958) is a manga artist that is best known for his unusual drawing style. His earliest work is Grapple Three Brothers, which won the Shounen magazine New manga artist award. He has twice won the Kodansha Manga Award, for Sanshiro of 1, 2 in 1981 and What's Michael? in 1986.
One of his most well known manga is What's Michael?, a manga about a curious orange cat and his many adventures.
Makoto Kobayashi has often parodied himself as well as his works in many of his manga, one of the most visible of which is in Club 9, where he is actually a character.
Many have drawn similarities between What's Michael? and Garfield, both being orange tabbies with a penchant for mischief.