IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING METHOD

An image forming apparatus including a developing device and a fixing device is provided. The fixing device includes a fixing rotator having a fixing surface, an opposing rotator opposing the fixing rotator to form a nip portion therebetween, and a fixing surface reformer having an abutting layer to abut the fixing surface. The abutting layer contains abrasive grains having an average grain size of 2.0-6.5 μm on a surface which abuts the fixing surface. The toner comprises a crystalline polyester resin and exhibits G′ (storage elastic modulus) of 1.0×107 Pa or lower at 70° C. in a temperature rising in a viscoelasticity measurement, G′ of 1.0×107 Pa or higher at 70° C. in a temperature falling in the viscoelasticity measurement, and an endothermic peak indicating an amount of heat absorption of from 2.0 to 8.0 J/g, derived from the crystalline polyester resin, in a first temperature rising in DSC.