Greatest Manga Artists

[Kokukirin]

A list of greatest manga artists. Now in alphabetical order:

In bracket are some of the important works of these artists.

A - G

Mitsuru Adachi (H2, KATSU!, Touch, etc)
- Many of his works are sport manga. However, he broke the tradition of sport manga containing mostly "hot-blood" and endurance. In his works, the characters could fight for a girl that he likes. This change influenced many sports manga to come after him.

Ken Akamatsu (A.I. I Love You, Love Hina, Negima: Magister Nag Magi)

Gosho Aoyama (Yaiba, Magic Kaito, Detective Conan, etc)
- Mostly known for the famous detective anime/manga Detective Conan. Yaiba, although overshadowed by Detective Conan, is a decent piece of manga.

Hiromu Arakawa (Full Metal Alchemist)

Hirohiko Araki (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure)

Kiyohiko Azuma (Azumanga Daioh)

CLAMP (RG Veda, Tokyo Babylon, X, Card Captor Sakura, Chobits, etc...)
- A group of female artists famous for their fancy artwork. Their first famous manga was RG Veda, and during making of RG Veda, they also began publishing Tokyo Babylon and X, as well as some shorter series of manga. CLAMP remained working on multiple manga at the same time to this day. Their art style began turning more simplistic in the mid 90's. They also influenced many mangaka after them and spawned several mangaka similar to them in style.

Fujiko Fujio (Doraemon, Hattori the Ninja, Pro Golfer Saru, etc)
- Doraemon affected a whole generation in the 80's and 90's. Doraemon's pocket contains not only numerous amazing items, but also everyone's dream.

Ryu Fujisaki (Houshin Engi, WaqWaq, etc)
- His most known work is Houshin Engi, which successfully shaped a few memorable characters. There are many jokes in the manga as well.

Tohru Fujisawa (Shonan Junai Gumi, Great Teacher Onizuka)

Kosuke Fujishima (You're Under Arrest, Oh My Goddess!)


H - L

Kazushi Hagiwara (BAST/-\RD!) <---yes, censor is stupid.

Daisuke Higuchi (Whistle)

Tsukasa Hojo (City Hunter, Cat's Eye, Angel Heart, etc)

Riyoko Ikeda (Rose of Versailles, Lady Oscar, Spring Snow)

Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk, Vagabond, Real)

Shotaro Ishinomori (Cyborg 009, Android Kikaider, Robot Detective, Secret Task Force Goranger)

Junji Ito (Tomie, Uzumaki, etc)

Masakazu Katsura (Shadow Lady, Video Girl Ai, Zetman, I's, DNA)

Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto)

Yukito Kishiro (Gunnm, Gunnm: Last Order, Haisha, etc)

Takeshi Konomi (Prince Of Tennis)

Tite Kubo (Zombie Powder, Bleach)

Nanae Kurono (Peace Maker Kurogane)

Masami Kurumada (Saint Seiya, etc)



M - R

Hiro Mashima (RAVE)

Leiji Matsumoto (Galaxy Express 999, Space Battleship Yamato, etc)

Kentaro Miura (Berserk)

Hayao Miyazaki (Nausicaa, and director of many animes...)

Shigeru Mizuki (Gegege no Kitaro, Akuma-kun, Kappa no sanpei youkai daisakusen)

Go Nagai (Getter Robo, Mazinger Z, Grendizer, Devilman, etc)

Yasuhiro Nightow (TRIGUN)

Takeshi Obata (Hikaru no Go, Death Note, etc)

Eiichiro Oda (Onepiece)

Hiroya Oku (Gantz, HEN)

Katsuhiro Otomo (Domu, Akira, Legend of Mother Sarah, SOS Dai Tokyo Tankentai, etc)


S - Z

Takao Saito (Golgo 13)

Hiroaki Samura (Blade of the Immortal)

Masamune Shirow (Ghost In The Shell)

Kenichi Sonoda (Gunsmith Cats, Cannon God Exaxxion)

Kazuki Takahashi (Yu-gi-oh)

Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, etc)

Yoichi Takahashi (Captain Tsubasa series, Hungry Heart, etc)

Natsuki Takaya (Fruit Basket)

Hiroyuki Takei (Butsu Zone, Shaman King, etc)

Naoko Takeuchi (Sailormoon, etc)

Arina Tanemura (Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, Full Moon, etc)

Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Black Jack, Phoenix, etc)

Yoshihiro Togashi (Yu Yu Hakusho, Level E, Hunter x Hunter)

Akira Toriyama (Dragonball, Dr Slump, etc)

Naoki Urasawa (Master Keaton, Monster, Happy!, 20th Century Boys, etc)

Yu Watase (Fushigi Yugi, Epotoransu! Mai, Alice 19th, etc)

Nobuhiro Watsuki (Rurouni Kenshin, Gun Blaze West, Buso Renkin)

Kentaro Yabuki (Black Cat, etc)

Mitsuteru Yokoyama (Tensuijin 28, Giant Robo, Red Shadow, Babel II, Romance of Three Kingdoms, etc)

Kaori Yuki (Angel Santuary, Boys Next Door, Earl Cain, etc)



A description for each artist is needed. Please supply your description for an artist that you know about in replies. I will copy and paste them under the names.

 

[razorclaw]

Akira Toriyama for sure!

 

[That Scary Clefairy]

I'm gonna add to that list and but in Kentaro Muira(Berserk) and Hiroaki Samura (Blade of the Immortal) If you haven't seen any of their artwork and stories, ou should cause they definetly deserve that title as well.

 

[Kokukirin]

Instead of asking people to name them, I am going to take opinions from everyone and edit my first post. However, this does not mean I will always listen to what the majority says. For example, Osamu Tezuka will stay at #1 no matter what. The rest are open to discussion though.

I am thinking about getting 30~50 artists up there, but I need more nominations. Even better if you suggest where to place them.

Everyone is welcomed to disagree with the list. If you can give good arguments I will make changes accordingly. Simply put "XXXXXX owns omg" doesn't help, however.

 

[Manga_in_a_Bottle]

Takeuchi Naoko, author of Sailor Moon. Pretty much started the "team-of-magical-girls-fighting-evil" thing

 

[Chris]

Not just Dragon Ball for Toriyama. But Dr. Slump and his one shot comic series'. Especially Neko Majin Z.

 

[That Scary Clefairy]

Takehiko Inoue never drew anything in Vagabond, he just wrote the story.

 

[Chris]

Hm..there's also Hiromu Arakawa who did Fullmetal Alchemist and Eiichiro Oda who did One Piece. Both are currently making top-selling manga and caused humongous fan bases to come about, both American and Japanese (well, maybe not American for One Piece).

 

[Super Wario 64]

The guy who does the Unedited Poke' Manga,i think that guy's name is Toshi-whatever.

 

[Kokukirin]

Takehiko Inoue never drew anything in Vagabond, he just wrote the story.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Vagabond (バガボンド) is a manga drawn by Takehiko Inoue. It features a legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi. The book is based on the story of Miyamoto Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa.

As for FMA and Onepiece's artists, I am not sure where to place them...Probably after Masashi Kishimoto of Naruto? And I think I should move down Takeshi Obata a little bit. Any suggestions?

 

[Manga_in_a_Bottle]

Mizuki Shigeru, creator of Gegege no Kitarou and numerous other manga concerning youkai. Not so famous in the English-speaking world, but he's very much renowned(sp?) in his native Japan

 

[HK]

Ya know, is the list really that important? I mean, I find it stupid that one person just has a single ranking. Really, you should just list them in alphabetical order or somethin' considering that I certainly disagree with the way the list goes, and I'm guessing a helluva lot of others will disagree as well.

Anyway, Amano Yoshitaka, the manga-ka of the Guin Saga, is one that I would like to point out. While I haven't read it yet, this guy is one of the inspirations behind Kentaro Miura's amazing work known as Berserk. And even though he is a manwha (Korean comics) artist, Min Woo Hyung is another great one with series such as Priest and Ragnarok.

Edit: Oh, and let us definitely not forget the creator of the unvelievable masterpiece, Akira, and its manga-ka, Katsuhiro Otomo. Anyone who considers themselves a true fan of manga/anime should definitely know who he is. I consider this guy to be much more influencial than Akira Toryiama in terms of how he affected what should be done in manga/anime series.

 

[That Scary Clefairy]

Ya know, is the list really that important? I mean, I find it stupid that one person just has a single ranking. Really, you should just list them in alphabetical order or somethin' considering that I certainly disagree with the way the list goes, and I'm guessing a helluva lot of others will disagree as well.

I agree on that and it redundant that only he thinks the lramk list he made is correct. I disagree with his list too.

Anyway, Amano Yoshitaka, the manga-ka of the Guin Saga, is one that I would like to point out. While I haven't read it yet, this guy is one of the inspirations behind Kentaro Miura's amazing work known as Berserk.

That is SO wrong. First off, its a reading novel, not a manga. Second, the author and orignal story creator is Kaoru Kurimoto, not Amano Yoshitaka. Amano did a couple of the cover works but that's it. He didn't do all of them if that what you are thinking. Third, Kaoru is a woman.

Amano Yoshitaka is a great artist, but he's not a manga artist so that out of the question. Guin Saga isn't a manga.

Edit: Oh, and let us definitely not forget the creator of the unvelievable masterpiece, Akira, and its manga-ka, Katsuhiro Otomo. Anyone who considers themselves a true fan of manga/anime should definitely know who he is. I consider this guy to be much more influencial than Akira Toryiama in terms of how he affected what should be done in manga/anime series.

Agree on that one. Since alot of people and manga-ka were inspired from him.

 

[HK]

I agree on that and it redundant that only he thinks the lramk list he made is correct. I disagree with his list too.

Ah, there ya go. We got ourselves another disagreement here.

That is SO wrong. First off, its a reading novel, not a manga. Second, the author and orignal story creator is Kaoru Kurimoto, not Amano Yoshitaka. Amano did a couple of the cover works but that's it. He didn't do all of them if that what you are thinking. Third, Kaoru is a woman.

Amano Yoshitaka is a great artist, but he's not a manga artist so that out of the question. Guin Saga isn't a manga.

See, that's why I wished that I could read German. >_>

Agree on that one. Since alot of people and manga-ka were inspired from him.

Hell, having six volumes compiled from about two thousand (or was it three thousand?) pages is certainly impressive, and having a movie which is still f*cking amazing by today's standards is great.

 

[That Scary Clefairy]

I don't know German yet I found this out Besides, I told you this on aim.

 

[Kokukirin]

Added Katsuhiro Otomo. I am not certain if he has greater influence than Akira Toriyama or even Hiyao Miyasaki, so I put him at #3 for now.

Also, if you disagree with my list, feel free to tell me where the problem is. My list is just a starting point and I can't do much on my own since I havent read every manga on this planet. I am sure there are many problems, and I am trying to keep this list as open to opinions as possible.

Making a list of artists in alphabetical order would be quite pointless.

 

[Genkai5000]

I think Kazuki Takahashi should go up there. The guy who created Yugioh and became famous for that. (This the guy's only manga...>.>) He has great art and the best work that I have EVER seen in any manga. I mean, the story never gets boring how Takahashi draws it.

And Takeshi Konomi, although he isn't a great drawer, Tennis no Oujisama (Prince of Tennis) is a super super super popular anime/manga in Japan. So I think he should go up there also. I mean, he has great characters and such. ^-^ Great manga and Ryoma Echizen, the main character, is the Japanese Tennis Association's Model since tennis was a dying sport in Japan until PoT came.

So those are my two people to go up there...Great manga artists and the best to me. (Well, Kazuki Takahashi...)

 

[Kokukirin]

Added:

Kazuki Takahashi
Takeshi Konomi
Fujio Fujiko
Gōshō Aoyama
Tsukasa Hojo
Tite Kubo

I think I am still missing a few important names but I can't recall them for now...More to add later.

 

[Luke Groundwalker]

Yasunari Toda is a great artist IMO, he's the person who made the art for Scryed. I've heard people say that they don't like his art but when you actually look at it you realize the detail he puts in each part of the manga. Even when he didn't revolutionized the manga industry, he was still a good artist. Meh, I guess that's just more of a personal opinion.

 

[MugenKeiji]

Adam Warren and Fred Perry hands down...

Joking, joking. I'd have to be on a NUMBER of substances to even consider that. Or indicted in some institution.

I love older manga artists such Mitsuteru Yokoyama (Tetsujin 28), Shotarou Ishinomori (Cyborg 009) and the jack of all trades, sex ed major known (a little known fact) as Osamu Tezuka (Adolf, Metropolis, Black Jack, Tetsuwan Atom, Jungle Emperor Leo,) because I've a soft spot for cartoony designs. This is also why I love Monkey Punch (Lupin III, Cinderella Boy).

If Matsushita Susumu (Hudson's Adventure Island, Maximo, Monkey Magic) made manga, he'd be my favorite but I'll have to settle for Akira Toriyama. Some reason one reminds me of the other, save for the fact that both have worked on a version of the Saiyuki story...

Rumiko Takahashi is the love-it-or-hate-it type. She's worked on a lot and Inuyasha has made her a buttload of cash. She has a tendacy to put male characters "in their place". If Shonen Manga have girls on the sidelines as love crazed or "weak" characters, Takahashi's Shonen works usually have the male lead characters as either dense womanizing arrogant a**es, or sweet talking, pedestal placing control freaks. To be fair I haven't read or watched any of the Mermaid series, One Pound Gospel, Rumic Theatre or Maison Ikkoku. Just judging based on Urusei Yatsura, Ranma and Inuyasha so forgive my narrowminded judgment.

Yoshiyuki Okamura and Tetsuo Hara made Fist of the North Star, I guess they deserve their dues. I myself have never watched the series a lot nor read the manga.

The rest is based on opinion to me, artists who have at least one hit or popular series mostly found in Jump comics, CLAMP titles, a flavor of the month in terms of Shoujo, Yaoi/Yuri artists and best sellers.

If you like Gosho Aoyama, go ahead. If you like Maki Youko, I don't mind. Reiko Shimizu, more power to you. Tsukasa Hojo, whatever. Best is a title that comes from who receives the most recognition or works that appear in pop culture references.