Favorite Manga

[Foggle]

That's so cool!

[LumRanmaYasha]

I actually posted pics of the Oizumi Anime Gate in the Shoutbox a couple of months ago. As a fan of all those series and characters, I definitely find it super cool, and I'd love to visit that place some day. It's especially neat how they have a series represented for a particular decade (AB for 50's, AnJ for 60's, GE999 for 70's, UY for 80's). I wonder who they'd choose if they ever decide to represent 90's, 00's, or a 10's series.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Goku, Luffy, and dunno on the last one. Those would be my guesses.

[gunswordfist]

Killua for 10s 

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Son Goku would be the obvious 90's rep (the adult version, specifically). His iconic status has achieved worldwide fame in a way that hasn't happened for any manga character since Astro Boy.

I'm honestly not sure who would be the pick for the 2000's. Luffy is probably a strong candidate, though.

[Avaitor]

Maybe a Titan for 10s? Or whoever the main SNK character is. I'm still blissfully ignorant of the series.

I'm sorry that I missed your post, though, CS. But this really seems cool. Also, is GE 999 worth checking out? I know that AnJ is, and that UY is supposed to be as well, and I have the first Astro Boy omnibus in my Christmas wishlist, but I haven't really seen too many people talk about it in my circle.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

It's supposed to be a classic on par with the quality of those other series.

Also, if you do end up getting AB, let me know what you think of the iconic Pluto story-line.

[LumRanmaYasha]

GE 999 is a classic definitely worth watching. The manga was never brought over in full and the print volumes of what was released are hard to find, and there are only scans of the first 2 volumes, but the movies cover the core story of series well enough. I really enjoy the tv anime as well, but I haven't watched it in full. I need to get back to it at some point.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Crunchyroll has a small feature on Tohru Fujisawa.

A lot of interesting information there.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

That was a good read. To me, Fujisawa is sort of like the Stephen King of manga, in that he's a super prolific creator, releasing multiple new works almost every year, but the quality of his stuff can be pretty hit or miss. However, when he's on his A-game, his talent really shows. There's a reason that Shounan Junai Gumi and Great Teacher Onizuka have such a legendary status and widespread appeal. They are both true classics of the delinquent manga genre, and of manga in general.

Stuff like 14 Days and Paradise Lost are, on the other hand, interesting experimental concepts, but ultimately a mediocre deviation from the main series' of the Shounan Universe, tending to miss the point of what made his earlier work so endearing in the first place. Even so, I still have to respect a guy who clearly loves his craft, and is a hard worker through and through....unlike a certain other mangaka that I have a love/hate relationship with.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Here's something CX would totally dig.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Found this list of the Best Sellers in Shonen Sunday history

15. "Rough" by Mitsuru Adachi [15 million] - Total of 12 volumes from 1987-1989
14. "Kekkaishi" by Yellow Tanabe [16 million] - Total of 35 volumes from 2003-2011
13. "Hayate the Combat Butler" by Kenjiro Hata [17 million] - 39+ volumes from 2004-present
12. "Mobile Police Patlabor" by Masami Yuki [19 million] - Total of 22 volumes from 1988-1994
11. "Zatch Bell!" by Makoto Raiku [22 million] - Total of 33 volumes from 2001-2007
10. "Flame of Recca" by Nobuyuki Anzai [25 million] - Total of 33 volumes from 1995-2002
9. "Ushio & Tora" by Kazuhiro Fujita [26 million] - Total of 33 volumes from 1990-1996
8. "Urusei Yatsura" by Rumiko Takahashi [26-35 million] - Total of 34 volumes from 1978-1987
7. "Kyo Kara Ore Wa!!" by Hiroyuki Nishimori [40 million] - Total of 38 volumes from 1988-1997
6. "InuYasha" by Rumiko Takahashi [45 million] - Total of 56 volumes from 1996-2008
5. "Major" by Takuya Mitsuda [50 million] - Total of 78 volumes from 1994-2010
4. "Ranma 1/2" by Rumiko Takahashi [53 million] - Total of 38 volumes from 1987-1996
3. "H2" by Mitsuru Adachi [55 million] - Total of 34 volumes from 1992-1999
2. "Touch" by Mitsuru Adachi [60-100 million] - Total of 26 volumes from 1981-1986
1. "Detective Conan" / "Case Closed" by Gosho Aoyama [140 million] - 80+ volumes from 1994-present

Those are some pretty high sellers. As expected, Takahashi and Adachi take up most of the list, but the others have some pretty good sellers, too.

Though, I gotta say, I was expecting Hayate to be a much bigger seller considering how long it has run for. Only three other series here have run longer and they have at least twice its sales.

On the other hand, it does show that they need some newer hits. The most recent thing on here that isn't still running ended five years ago.

[gunswordfist]

I had no clue Ushio sold so well.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Which is funny, since in the case of U&T, Kyo Kara Ore Wa!!, and Rough, there was no proper anime to boost their popularity which makes them doubly impressive.

[VLordGTZ]

I'm surprised that Zatch Bell and Kekkaishi did better than Rough, though I guess it certainly helped that they had anime adaptions.

Shonen Sunday hasn't had too many big hits in recent years.  Detective Conan, Magi, and Silver Spoon have continued to get fairly high sales, but Magi is on its final arc and Silver Spoon will most likely be ending this year.  Hopefully, Shogakukan will find a way to re-vitalize the magazine.