There are three manga on the list of the most popular manga of all time that were also on our list of the most popular manga in 2021.
There are some manga on this list that are on the list because they were famous in the past and there sales volume is fairly low now, there are some new manga that have just been absolutely dominating the charts, and then there are a handful that have been popular since release and continue to explode with sales volume year after year.
SHJ EXCLUSIVE ANIME BONUSES
Workouts: Anime Inspired Workout Database
Quiz: Anime Workout Placement Quiz
Calisthenics Quiz: Anime Calisthenics Workout Placement Quiz
Unofficial Anime Workout Booklets: Anime Workout Booklets
SHJ EXCLUSIVE ANIME BONUSES
Workouts: Anime Inspired Workout Database
Quiz: Anime Workout Placement Quiz
Calisthenics Quiz: Anime Calisthenics Workout Placement Quiz
Unofficial Anime Workout Booklets: Anime Workout Booklets
THE TOP FIFTEEN MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA ALL TIME
NUMBER FIFTEEN: ASTRO BOY
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
100 Million
Start Reading Astro Boy:
Coming in at number fifteen among the most popular manga of all time is Astro boy with approximately 100 million sales to date.
When I was first introduced to manga a few years ago, the person pushing me to read manga knew I was already into anime (obviously) and also live about thirty minutes from Disney and have always been a fan.
The way they explained Astro Boy is that it's essentially the Disney or Mickey Mouse of manga. And, while it's not number one on this list, it carved a mark in manga similar to Mickey Mouse did for Disney - so I'm definitely a believer.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA ALL TIME
NUMBER FOURTEEN: ATTACK ON TITAN
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
110 Million
Start Reading Attack On Titan:
Up next, at number fourteen on our list of the most popular manga of all time is Attack On Titan.
Attack On Titan came it at number four on our list of the most popular manga in 2021 with over 7 million units sold; and while the top three of 2021 ranged from twenty to thirty million units sold each, AOT is still a force to be reckoned with.
AOT came in at number ten among the list of top selling manga in 2020, with over four million copies sold, which means as it gets deeper into the series the sales continue going up; and 2022 looks no different.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA ALL TIME
NUMBER THIRTEEN: JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
120 Million
Start Reading JoJo's Bizarre Adventure:
At thirteen among our most popular manga of all time is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
JoJo's hasn't quite made it into the top ten lists in terms of overall sales volume the last few years, but it has large enough spikes in a consistent basis to bring itself into the top fifteen all time.
While it will need to continue its popularity to keep its slot, over 120 million units sold to date shows you just how many fans will keep buying if the series continues to be as good as it has been.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure at SHJ:
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER TWELVE: BLEACH
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
130 Million
Start Reading Bleach:
At number twelve, not quite making it into the top ten (although I'm sure that will eventually change as some of these older manga get pushed out) among our most popular manga of all time is Bleach!
Bleach just released its new anime "Bleach: Thousand Years War" which will surely increase sales volume across the board for its manga as well.
It already has 130 million units sold as I type this, and I'm sure if we give it a few years it'll be able to surpass a couple on this list and move up a few slots.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER ELEVEN: OISHINBO
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
135 Million
Start Reading Oishinbo:
Coming in at number eleven, missing our top top most popular manga of all time by just one, is Oishinbo.
While I break down the stats and popularity of some of our other popular manga (that are generally also anime) on this list, assuming you already know the background of them; I'll share some details of the lesser known manga here in the US.
Oishinbo is a long running Japanese cooking manga series; and clearly an extremely popular one at that. It was published between 1983 and 2003 by Big Comic Spirits and resumed again between February of 2009 and May of 2014.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER TEN: CRAYON SHIN-CHAN
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
148 Million
Starting off our top ten manga of all time is Crayon Shin-Chan!
Crayon Shin-chan, internationally known as Shinchan, is a Japanese manga (comic) and anime written and illustrated by Yoshito Usui. The original story was published in the magazine Weekly Manga Action in April of 1990. The series follows the adventures of a five-year old boy named Shinnosuke Nohara known for his famous antics like the naked butt dance and the mister elephant dance.
With nearly 150 million units sold, clearly people are fans of the naked butt dance.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER NINE: DEMON SLAYER
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
150 Million
Start Reading Demon Slayer:
Next on our list of the most popular manga of all time is one that is surely to take the rest of this list by storm and continue to move up the list closer to the number one slot over time: Demon Slayer.
Demon Slayer topped our list at number two on our list of the most popular manga in 2021 with nearly 30 million units sold, and sold over 80 million (yes, you read that right) in 2020 and over 10 million in 2019 as it grew in popularity.
Just to put that into perspective: with over 80 million units sold in one year alone, that's only 20 million off of Astro Boy with 100 million in the lifetime sales....in one year!
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER EIGHT: KOCHIKAME: TOKYO BEAT COPS
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
156.5 Million
Coming in at number eight among our most popular manga of all time (until Demon Slayer decides to take this slot and some more) is Kochikame: Tokyo Beat Cops.
And being that I'm not too familiar with this one I won't pretend to know all about it and rather just let Wiki educate both of us on it here:
"often shortened to KochiKame (こち亀), and known in English as KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops, is a Japanese comedy manga series written and illustrated by Osamu Akimoto. It takes place in the present day, in and around a neighborhood police station in the downtown part of Tokyo, and revolves around the misadventures of middle-aged cop Kankichi Ryotsu.
It was continuously serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump for 40 years, from September 1976 to September 2016. Its 1,960 chapters were collected into 201 tankōbon volumes, making it the manga with the second-highest number of volumes for a single series."
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER SEVEN: SLAM DUNK
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
170 Million
Start Reading Slam Dunk:
Coming in at number seven for our most popular manga of all time and paving the way for other sports themed anime and manga series in the future is Slam Dunk.
We not have tons of popular sports themed anime and manga series requested everyday here at SHJ; like Haikyuu, Blue Lock, Kuroko's Basketball, and more - but members still request Slam Dunk as well.
With 170 million issues sold it clearly took the sub genre by storm and gave the rest permission to try the same.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER SIX: NARUTO
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
250 Million
Start Reading Naruto:
Coming in at number six, but realistically also part of the top five most popular manga of all time (just look at the sales volumes) is Naruto.
Naruto didn't quote make it into the top fifteen sold in terms of overall units sold in the last few years, but Baruto did come in within the top fifty in 2020 with nearly a million units sold, and Naruto is still clearly a massively popular anime and manga series that will continue to climb this list.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER FIVE: DORAEMON
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
250 Million
Start Reading Doraemon:
Starting off our top five manga of all time is Doraemon.
And because we're not that familiar with Doraemon in the US I'll let Wiki help us out with this one as well:
"Doraemon is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Fujiko F. Fujio. The manga was first serialized in December 1969, with its 1,345 individual chapters compiled into 45 tankōbon volumes and published by Shogakukan from 1970 to 1996. The story revolves around an earless robotic cat named Doraemon, who travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a boy named Nobita Nobi."
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER FOUR: DETECTIVE CONAN
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
250 Million
Start Reading Detective Conan:
At number four on our list of the most popular manga of all time; missing the top three b about 50 million units, is Detective Conan.
Detective Conan, also known as Case Closed, dates all the way back to 1994 and continues to crush it with over 100 volumes and fans wanting more.
The popularity of the manga still brings it into the top fifty for units sold nearly 20 years after it started. For example, Detective Conan sold nearly 1.5 million units in 2020, even beating out the second manga on our list by nearly half a million units.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER THREE: GOLGO 13
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
300 Million
Start Reading Golgo 13:
Starting off our top three manga of all time is Golgo 13.
Golgo 13 jumps us from the 250 million marker that the last three were hovering around and brings us all the way to 300 million units sold.
Golgo 13 is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Big Comic since October 1968. The series follows the title character, a professional assassin for hire. Golgo 13 is the oldest manga still in publication, and its tankōbon edition was certified by Guinness World Records as the highest number of volumes for a single manga series. Saito said before his death in 2021 that he wanted the manga to continue on without him and previously raised concerns the manga may be unfinished after he passes away. The Saito Production group of manga creators will continue its publication with the assistance of the Big Comic's editorial department.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER TWO: DRAGON BALL
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
300 Million
Start Reading Dragon Ball:
At number two among our most popular manga of all time is the manga (and anime) that got me started: Dragon Ball!
Dragon Ball Super came in with over a million copies sold in the last few years and the series continues to go strong and live on through Goku that was started all the way back in 1984.
Dragon Ball was adapted into two anime: Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, which obviously also went on to get follow up series and follow up manga volumes as well - keeping the Dragon Ball franchise alive and safe for years to come.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF ALL TIME
NUMBER ONE: ONE PIECE
Number of Approximate Sales to Date of Writing in 2022:
516.5 Million
Start Reading One Piece:
At number one, blowing the sales volume out of the water by over 200 million units sold and exploding our most popular manga of all time is One Piece!
One Piece has been in the top ten for yearly sales for years and years now, coming in at number 2 in 2019, number 3 in 2020, number six in 2021 and continuing to kill it in 2022.
None of our other manga series are even coming close to touching this spot at number one for a long time as One Piece continues to add the its number and grow in sales year after year.
THE MOST POPULAR MANGA OF 2021 & OTHER SHJ BONUSES 🙂
Do you have any favorites that didn’t make the list?
The Most Popular Manga of All Time (Runner Ups):
- Fist Of The North Star
- Hajime No Ippo
- The Kindaichi Case Files
- Touch
- Kingdom
- Sazae-san
- Baki The Grappler
- Hunter X Hunter
- Vagabond
- Captain Tsubasa
We also have over 1,000 Workouts inside our Workout Database and HUNDREDS of Anime Inspired Workouts.
If you want to check out some of our anime and manga specific stuff, here's some more links I shared before:
- Quiz: Anime Workout Placement Quiz
- Calisthenics Quiz: Anime Calisthenics Workout Placement Quiz
- Unofficial Anime Workout Booklets: Anime Workout Booklets
And, if this was helpful, don't forget to leave a comment below.
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