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Within the anime and manga industry, there are some mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans in general, especially by those fans who enjoy the author and/or illustrator’s series. This worship can come about as a result of many different aspects relating to the mangaka, such as their personality outside of their work, the way in which they create their work, and more.
While some would equate the admiration for these mangaka who are worshiped with parasocial relationships, as is often seen in other fan-celebrity dynamics, there are some differences in the former, thanks to the context of this relationship. In any case, it seems the worship of these mangaka won’t stop anytime soon, even if the original run of their series or their contributions to said series have come to an end.
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One Piece, Kagurabachi, Berserk, and more, written by mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans
1) Eiichiro Oda, One Piece
One of the first authors and illustrators in the medium who comes to mind when discussing mangaka who are worshiped is none other than One Piece’s Eiichiro Oda. While this series is essentially the only long-form serialization of his career, the 25-year-plus long odyssey-esque story certainly justifies the obsession.
One Piece has often been praised for various aspects of its writing, specifically its character writing, overarching narrative, worldbuilding, and lore. These are all very common characteristics of a strong and respected manga series, and with the level of excellence Oda implements into each of series, fans’ worshiping him makes total sense.
2) Yoshihiro Togashi, Hunter x Hunter and Yu Yu Hakusho
Hunter x Hunter’s author and illustrator Yoshihiro Togashi is another mangaka who is worshiped by fans, and for reasons similar to why Oda is worshiped. Furthermore, fans often praise Togashi for his compelling artwork, as well as the way in which he writes and illustrates various fight scenes throughout the series.
Before Hunter x Hunter, Togashi was already heavily worshiped for his Yu Yu Hakusho manga series, which is incredibly influential and revolutionary within the medium. The series’ Dark Tournament arc became the blueprint for how future series approached similar concepts, including the aforementioned One Piece, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball franchise, and more.
3) Tite Kubo, Bleach
Speaking of fight scenes, many anime fans often crown Tite Kubo’s Bleach as having the best fights amongst the Big 3 manga series, which also include Naruto and One Piece. Kubo’s artwork and choreography for the fights are specifically praised, with his implementation of power creep and related transformations also of note in this context.
One more reason why Kubo is one of the mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans stems from his excellent character design and overall aesthetic for the series. This can also be seen in the spinoff series, Burn the Witch, which is set in the larger Bleach universe and, likewise, shares similar emphasis on character design and overall aesthetic.
4) Gege Akutami, Jujutsu Kaisen
Despite being one of the newer entries on this list, Gege Akutami’s work on the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series undoubtedly earns him a spot as one of the mangaka who are worshiped. Fans specifically praise Akutami’s inventive power system, as well as his unique and fresh take on the classic “main character possessed by evil entity” trope.
Akutami’s unrelenting brutality is also a reason why fans are so obsessed with them, praising their ability to create a narrative environment in which essentially no character is safe. While it may be surprising to hear that fans love this aspect of the series, it’s nevertheless a reason why Akutami is just one of the many mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans.
5) Takeru Hokazono, Kagurabachi
While Hokazono’s inclusion on this list of mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans may be confusing to some, the incessant popularity of Kagurabachi merits such an inclusion. What started out as an obsession with memes over the series has turned into continued and seemingly sustainable hype surrounding one of the most promising new manga today.
Fans specifically point to the brutality of Hokazono’s story as to why they’re obsessed with him as an artist, with the series elevating its gore above typical Weekly Shonen Jump standards. The overwhelming potential the series has is yet another reason fans are obsessed with it and Hokazono, praising the long-term viability of the series’ narrative structure.
6) Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball
Despite the current state of the Dragon Ball franchise, Akira Toriyama’s inclusion on this list is likely the least surprising. Toriyama’s story has spanned generations, with each new wave of anime and manga fans finding something for them in his work. Likewise, this has also led to anime and manga fans of all ages worshiping and praising Toriyama.
One of the main reasons why Toriyama is one of the mangaka who are worshiped by fans stems from how influential his works have been. Super Saiyan essentially became the blueprint for every anime power-up that followed, and the franchise’s fight style has proven equally influential.
7) Kohei Horikoshi, My Hero Academia
Kohei Horikoshi’s entry into this list is a bit of a unique one, as most of his worship comes from fans of his flagship My Hero Academia manga series. Whereas other mangaka who are worshiped can generally find praise from anime fans, notwithstanding their individual interests, Horikoshi seems unable to generate intrigue outside of his niche.
In any case, however, he’s still one of the mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans, and for good reason. Horikoshi’s character writing is some of the best in the new-gen, and arguably even some of the best in the 21st century. The manga’s simple yet effective foundational narrative of “Marvel meets Harry Potter” is also a key reason for the praise he receives.
8) Kentaro Miura, Berserk
In the years since his death, Kentaro Miura has only further become one of the mangaka who are worshiped by anime fans for his work on his flagship series, Berserk. The manga is a pioneer in dark fantasy, both narratively and artistically speaking, and has influenced all series in the genre which have followed it.
Miura’s narrative approach has also been heavily praised, using juxtaposing ideals of light and dark and implementing them in everything from character design to actual plot development. While the series has been called too brutal and unflinching by some in its writing, it has nevertheless earned Miura a legendary status and eternal worship by anime fans.
9) Naoki Urasawa, Monster and Pluto
Legendary mangaka Naoki Urasawa has recently come into the spotlight once again, with the anime adaptation of his Pluto manga series. However, this is far from his first time in the limelight, with his Monster series being regarded as one of the best of the medium. Likewise, both share similar qualities, which lead to Urasawa being one of the mangaka who are worshiped by fans.
Urasawa’s works are known for their incredible narrative structure and payoff, often implementing some sort of overarching mystery, which is intertwined with every aspect of the series. His character writing is also heavily praised, turning murderers like the eponymous Pluto and Monster’s Johan Liebert into almost likable or even lovable characters by the time they meet their demise.
10) Yusuke Murata, One Punch Man
Last but certainly not least, Yusuke Murata’s work on One Punch Man alone has established him as one of the mangaka who are worshiped by general fans. His manga adaptation of author and illustrator ONE’s original webtoon has established him as one of the best illustrators in the industry today.
While Murata is just an artist within the manga industry, his work is nevertheless of a high enough caliber to dub him one of the mangaka who are worshiped by fans in general.
Be sure to keep up with all anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
