10 Most Important Manga That Changed the Industry

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Manga has always evolved. Over the years, groundbreaking series have changed the way these stories are created, experimenting with art and storytelling. The most popular manga have set new standards for how long a story can last and how emotionally engaging it can be, attracting both longtime fans and new readers.

The roots of manga may stretch back to illustrated scrolls from the 1100s and 1200s, but the form really began to take shape during Japan’s Edo period with a book called Toba Ehon. This book helped popularize illustrated stories and moved them from simple jokes to a more lasting art form. While very different from popular manga like Demon Slayer or Jujutsu Kaisen today, Toba Ehon’s influence can still be seen in manga, particularly in its earlier styles.

Before popular action series like Hunter x Hunter and My Hero Academia, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball was a groundbreaking work that set the stage for their success. Dragon Ball revolutionized the manga world with its distinctive art style, unforgettable characters, and a now-classic way of telling stories.

Dragon Ball established many of the common elements seen in modern action-packed anime, particularly the tournament arc. It’s remained incredibly popular over the years, which is rare in the constantly evolving anime industry. It’s almost impossible for new anime heroes not to be compared to Goku.

Bisco Hatori’s Ouran High School Host Club was even more popular than their previous work. Unlike many other romance comics of the time that were overly dramatic and used familiar storylines, Ouran High School Host Club offered a fresh and unexpected take on the genre.

Rather than simply following typical shojo romance formulas, Ouran High School Host Club cleverly subverts those expectations. It takes familiar tropes and exaggerates them for comedic effect, but still manages to deliver a heartfelt and genuine romantic story that keeps audiences engaged.

Gosho Aoyama’s Detective Conan demonstrated that a series could succeed with stories that aren’t heavily connected, even continuing for a long time. It actually became more popular than Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball, in part because new readers could easily start watching or reading at almost any point without getting lost or feeling left out.

Spanning more than 107 volumes, Detective Conan changed the landscape of its genre by focusing on detailed mystery-solving and case-cracking. It challenged typical expectations for shonen manga, moving away from clichés and constant action, and ultimately became a groundbreaking and highly influential series for the target audience.

Natsuki Takaya’s Fruits Basket, which debuted in 1998, was a groundbreaking series for shojo manga. From the very first chapter in Hana to Yume magazine, it was clear that Fruits Basket represented the best of the genre. While some elements might feel a little dated now, it definitely influenced many popular shojo romances that followed, like Kamisama Kiss and Kimi Ni Todoke.

With many magical girl stories and predictable romances already out there, Fruits Basket has stayed popular because it presents its characters with both their strengths and weaknesses. Readers were drawn in by how relatable the characters – like Machi Kurage and the Sohma brothers – felt, and many admired Tohru Honda’s kindness, hoping to be more like her.

I absolutely loved getting into Haikyuu!! by Haruichi Furudate! It totally showed me how unbelievably exciting volleyball could be – seriously, the matches felt as epic as any big fight in my favorite action manga. It became a total mainstay in Shonen Jump and built up this incredible, devoted fanbase. But what really made Haikyuu!! stand out, for me, was that it didn’t need villains. Most sports stories, and shonen in general, rely on that, but Haikyuu!! just focused on the drive and passion of the characters, and it worked brilliantly!

I absolutely loved watching Karasuno take on all their opponents in Haikyuu!!, and what really struck me was that even though they were rivals, nobody was ever truly a villain! They all became such fun, memorable characters. Seriously, Haikyuu!! has someone for everyone – you’ve got the energetic Hinata Shoyo, the hilariously sarcastic Tsukishima Kei, the wonderfully quirky Tendou Satori, and the incredibly passionate Hoshiumi Korai. Each one is just fantastic!

Kentaro Miura’s Berserk is a brutally difficult story for its main character, Guts. It’s a relentlessly dark fantasy that doesn’t shy away from tragedy. Rather than a typical tale of a warrior fighting monsters, Berserk dives deep into themes of hopelessness, overwhelming desire, and utter despair.

Berserk is a dark and intense manga, not for sensitive readers. It fearlessly explores the worst parts of human nature, which can be both shocking and compelling. Berserk redefined the possibilities of manga, going beyond typical genre expectations to become truly groundbreaking.

Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has become the best-selling manga series ever, with over 516 million copies sold worldwide. It’s known for revolutionizing long-running manga stories, and its memorable characters have allowed it to stay popular for decades with a consistent, well-structured plot.

One Piece proved how successful and artistically powerful manga could be, establishing itself as a hugely important work. It changed what readers expected from stories, delivering complex themes, detailed worlds, and unique power systems. Like Dragon Ball, One Piece has become a global phenomenon, reaching levels of popularity that most other series can only aspire to.

Ai Yazawa’s manga Nana was a turning point, bringing manga and high fashion together. The series often featured the character Nana Osaki wearing Vivienne Westwood, making a collaboration between the two a natural fit. The partnership included special artwork, fashion lines inspired by the manga, and even a unique Vivienne Westwood edition of the manga’s 25th anniversary release, demonstrating manga’s potential appeal to a broader audience.

Though Komatsu and Osaki come from very different backgrounds, they connect over shared challenges and form a close friendship when they become roommates in Tokyo. The story offers a realistic and thoughtful look at relationships and self-worth, and many fans appreciate how honestly it portrays the complexities of being a woman. Readers often find that they can relate to the difficulties faced by both Komatsu and Osaki.

Hirohiko Araki’s work is notable for its unique storytelling and art style. The early parts of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (parts one to three) featured characters and themes influenced by works like Fist of the North Star and Western comic books. Stardust Crusaders especially drew inspiration from Indiana Jones when designing the character Joseph Joestar.

The characters’ slimmer builds in episodes four through seven were influenced by fashion models and Renaissance art, and many of their poses were taken directly from photos in Vogue magazine. Similar to the manga Nana, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure also partnered with a luxury brand when Hirohiko Araki created exclusive artwork for Gucci. Interestingly, a painting of the character Rohan Kishibe is now displayed in the Louvre Museum, alongside famous works like the Mona Lisa.

Osamu Tezuka is widely known as the creator of modern manga, with iconic works like Astro Boy, Black Jack, Dororo, and Three-Eyed One to his name. But his early manga, New Treasure Island, was incredibly important. Published in 1947, it was Tezuka’s first published work and is often seen as the moment manga truly changed after World War II. The manga drew inspiration from older Japanese picture books called Toba Ehon, and its cover closely resembles a painting called “Moonlight Night” from the mid-1800s by Utagawa Kunifusa.

Osamu Tezuka’s legacy is celebrated at a museum in Takarazuka, Japan, where visitors can explore his work, including detailed exhibits on classics like New Treasure Island and Astro Boy. Heavily influenced by Western animation – particularly Disney, which he often aimed to emulate – Tezuka’s impact on manga is immense. New Treasure Island is considered a pivotal work, having inspired countless artists and fundamentally shaping the landscape of modern manga as we know it.

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2026-01-25 05:11