Manga is a form of Japanese comic art that has captivated millions of readers around the world. Manga covers a wide range of genres, themes, and styles, from action and adventure to romance and comedy. But who are the creators behind these amazing stories? Who are the most influential and talented mangaka (manga artists) of all time?
Top 10 Mangaka of All Time
In this article, we will introduce you to 10 of the best mangaka ever, based on their popularity, impact, and legacy. We will also share some of their notable works that you can check out if you are interested in their art and storytelling.
1. Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka is widely regarded as the God of Manga, the Father of Manga, and the Godfather of Manga. He was a pioneer of the medium, creating some of the most iconic and influential manga and anime series in history. He was also a prolific and versatile artist, producing over 700 manga titles and 200 anime episodes in his lifetime.
Some of his most famous works include:
- Astro Boy: The adventures of a robot boy who fights evil and protects humanity.
- Black Jack: The stories of a brilliant but unlicensed surgeon who performs miraculous operations for various clients.
- Dororo: The journey of a young samurai who seeks to reclaim his body parts from 48 demons who stole them at birth.
- Phoenix: A sweeping saga that spans different eras and civilizations, centered on the mythical bird of immortality.
2. Akira Toriyama
Akira Toriyama is one of the most successful and influential mangaka of all time, especially in the shonen (boys’) genre. He is best known for creating Dragon Ball, one of the most popular and beloved manga and anime series ever. He has also worked on other projects, such as video games (Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger) and movies (Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods).
Some of his most famous works include:
- Dragon Ball: The epic saga of Goku, a martial artist who trains to become the strongest fighter in the universe and protect the Earth from various threats.
- Dr. Slump: The comedy adventures of Arale, a super-strong robot girl who lives in Penguin Village with her inventor father and other quirky characters.
- Sand Land: A short story set in a post-apocalyptic world where water is scarce and demons rule the land.
- Jaco the Galactic Patrolman: A spin-off prequel to Dragon Ball, featuring Jaco, an alien policeman who crash-lands on Earth and meets a young Bulma.
3. Eiichiro Oda
Eiichiro Oda is the creator of One Piece, the best-selling manga series of all time. He started drawing manga at a young age and was inspired by Akira Toriyama’s works. He debuted as a professional mangaka in 1992 and began serializing One Piece in 1997. He is still working on the series, which has over 1000 chapters and 100 volumes so far.
Some of his most famous works include:
- One Piece: The grand adventure of Monkey D. Luffy, a rubber-man who leads a crew of pirates in search of the legendary treasure One Piece and the title of King of the Pirates.
- Wanted!: A collection of short stories that Oda wrote before One Piece, featuring various genres and themes.
- Monsters: A one-shot story about Ryuma, a legendary swordsman who slays a dragon that terrorizes a town.
- Romance Dawn: The prototype versions of One Piece, featuring different characters and settings.
4. Naoko Takeuchi
Naoko Takeuchi is the creator of Sailor Moon, one of the most influential and popular manga and anime series in history. She is also considered one of the pioneers of the magical girl genre, which combines fantasy, romance, and action elements. She won several awards for her work, including the Kodansha Manga Award and the Japan Cartoonists Association Award.
Some of her most famous works include:
- Sailor Moon: The story of Usagi Tsukino, a clumsy schoolgirl who transforms into Sailor Moon, the leader of a team of magical warriors who fight evil forces that threaten the galaxy.
- Codename: Sailor V: The prequel to Sailor Moon, featuring Minako Aino, a teenage idol who becomes Sailor Venus, the first of the Sailor Guardians.
- The Cherry Project: A romance manga about Asuka Chieri, a figure skater who dreams of becoming a champion and winning the heart of her idol, Tsuzuki Masanori.
- Prism Time: A collection of short stories that focus on the love lives of various girls with different personalities and backgrounds.
5. Hirohiko Araki
Hirohiko Araki is the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, one of the longest-running and most unique manga series ever. He is known for his distinctive art style, which features muscular characters, dynamic poses, and colorful designs. He is also known for his creative use of supernatural powers, historical references, and musical influences.
Some of his most famous works include:
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: The saga of the Joestar family, a lineage of heroes who possess various abilities and face different enemies across different time periods and locations.
- Baoh: A sci-fi manga about Ikuro Hashizawa, a young man who is infected with a parasitic worm that grants him superhuman powers and a deadly weapon called Baoh.
- Gorgeous Irene: A collection of short stories that feature Irene, a beautiful and mysterious woman who works as a fashion model and a secret agent.
- Under Execution Under Jailbreak: A collection of short stories that explore various themes and genres, such as horror, comedy, and mystery.
6. Rumiko Takahashi
Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most famous and commercially successful mangaka of all time — both in Japan and worldwide. She has won many awards, including the Grand Prix de la ville d’Angoulême, and has been inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame. She is known for her versatile and prolific output, which ranges from comedy to romance to horror.
Some of her most famous works include:
- Inuyasha: The story of Kagome Higurashi, a modern-day schoolgirl who travels back in time to feudal Japan and meets Inuyasha, a half-demon who seeks the Shikon Jewel, a powerful artifact that can grant any wish.
- Ranma ½: The story of Ranma Saotome, a martial artist who turns into a girl when splashed with cold water due to a cursed spring he fell into during his training.
- Urusei Yatsura: The story of Ataru Moroboshi, a lecherous high school student who is forced to marry Lum, an alien princess who falls in love with him after he wins a game of tag against her.
- Maison Ikkoku: The story of Yusaku Godai, a college student who lives in a rundown boarding house called Maison Ikkoku and falls in love with Kyoko Otonashi, the young widow who becomes the new manager.
7. Kentaro Miura
Kentaro Miura was the creator of Berserk, one of the most acclaimed and influential dark fantasy manga series ever. He started drawing manga when he was 10 years old and published his first work when he was 18. He began serializing Berserk in 1989 and continued working on it until his untimely death in 2021. He was widely respected by his peers and fans for his stunning art and storytelling.
Some of his most famous works include:
- Berserk: The story of Guts, a lone mercenary who wields a massive sword and seeks revenge against Griffith, his former friend and leader who betrayed him and sacrificed him to demonic forces.
- Gigantomakhia: A sci-fi manga set in a distant future where humans are on the verge of extinction and giant creatures rule the world.
- Duranki: A fantasy manga set in ancient Mesopotamia, featuring Usumgallu, a young boy who possesses divine powers and fights against evil gods.
- King of Wolves: A historical manga about Iba Shohei, a modern-day historian who travels back in time to the Mongol invasion of China and joins forces with Genghis Khan.
8. Takehiko Inoue
Takehiko Inoue is one of the most renowned and respected mangaka in Japan. He is best known for his realistic and detailed depictions of sports, especially basketball and wheelchair basketball. He is also known for his historical manga based on the life of Miyamoto Musashi, one of the greatest swordsmen in Japanese history. He has won many awards for his work, including the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and the Japan Media Arts Festival Grand Prize.
Some of his most famous works include:
- Slam Dunk: The story of Hanamichi Sakuragi, a delinquent who joins his high school basketball team to impress a girl and discovers his passion for the sport.
- Vagabond: The story of Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary samurai who seeks to become the strongest swordsman in the world and attain enlightenment through his battles and struggles.
- Real: The story of three young men who are involved in wheelchair basketball: Nomiya Tomomi, a former delinquent who blames himself for a car accident that paralyzed his girlfriend; Togawa Kiyoharu, a former track star who lost his leg to bone cancer; and Takahashi Hisanobu, a popular basketball player who becomes wheelchair-bound after a motorcycle crash.
- Pepita: A travelogue manga that documents Inoue’s journey to Spain and his encounters with various artists and cultural figures.
9. Hiromu Arakawa
Hiromu Arakawa is the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist, one of the most popular and critically acclaimed manga and anime series of all time. She grew up on a dairy farm in Hokkaido and used her experiences as inspiration for some of her works. She is known for her action-packed and emotional stories that explore themes such as alchemy, war, morality, and family.
Some of her most famous works include:
- Fullmetal Alchemist: The story of Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers who practice alchemy and search for the Philosopher’s Stone, a mythical object that can restore their bodies after a failed attempt to resurrect their mother.
- Silver Spoon: The story of Yuugo Hachiken, a city boy who enrolls in an agricultural high school in Hokkaido and learns about farming, food, and friendship.
- The Heroic Legend of Arslan: The story of Arslan, the crown prince of Pars, who leads a resistance against the invading army of Lusitania and tries to reclaim his throne and kingdom.
- Noblesse Oblige: The story of Shirayuki Himeka, a high school girl who discovers that she is the reincarnation of Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France.
10. CLAMP
CLAMP is a collective of four female mangaka who have been working together since the late 1980s. They are known for their distinctive and elegant art style, their crossover and interconnected stories, and their diverse genres and themes. They have created some of the most iconic and influential manga and anime series in history, such as Cardcaptor Sakura, xxxHolic, and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.
Some of their most famous works include:
- Cardcaptor Sakura: The story of Sakura Kinomoto, a cheerful elementary school girl who becomes a magical girl after accidentally releasing a set of magical cards called the Clow Cards.
- xxxHolic: The story of Kimihiro Watanuki, a high school student who can see spirits and is hired by Yuuko Ichihara, a mysterious witch who grants wishes in exchange for a price.
- Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle: The story of Syaoran Li, a young archaeologist who travels across different worlds with his friends to restore the memories of his childhood friend Sakura Kinomoto, who lost them due to a mysterious incident.
- Chobits: The story of Hideki Motosuwa, a college student who finds a persocom (a humanoid computer) named Chi and tries to teach her about life and love.
These are just some of the best mangaka of all time, but there are many more that deserve recognition and appreciation. Manga is a rich and diverse medium that offers something for everyone. If you are interested in reading more manga or learning more about mangaka, you can check out these resources:
- Manga Plus: A free online platform that publishes the latest chapters of popular manga from Shueisha, such as One Piece, Naruto, Demon Slayer, and more.
- Crunchyroll Manga: A subscription-based service that offers access to various manga titles from Kodansha, such as Attack on Titan, Fairy Tail, The Seven Deadly Sins, and more.
- Manga Rock: A free online platform that aggregates manga from various sources and genres, such as romance, comedy, horror, fantasy, and more.
- Manga Updates: A website that provides information on manga releases, authors, genres, ratings, reviews, and more.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. Please feel free to share your thoughts and feedback in the comments section below. Have a great day!