A mangaka (漫画家) is the Japanese term for a manga artist or author. Most mangaka both write and illustrate their own series, often working with a small team of assistants to meet tight serialization deadlines.

Mangaka Biographies — Page 2

Q: Who is the most famous mangaka of all time?

Osamu Tezuka is widely regarded as the "God of Manga" for his pioneering work in shaping modern manga and anime. For living creators, Eiichiro Oda (One Piece) holds the record for the best-selling manga series of all time.

Q: How do mangaka create manga so quickly?

Professional mangaka work with a team of assistants who help with backgrounds, inking, toning, and other tasks. The lead artist focuses on character design and storytelling while assistants handle production. Many also use digital tools to speed up the workflow.

Q: Can non-Japanese artists become mangaka?

Absolutely. While the term traditionally refers to Japanese creators, the global manga community has grown enormously. International creators publish through digital platforms like Webtoon and Tapas, and some have been picked up by Japanese publishers.

Q: How much does a professional mangaka earn?

Earnings vary widely. Serialized mangaka earn per-page fees plus royalties from volume sales. Top creators like Eiichiro Oda earn hundreds of millions per year, while debut artists may earn modest salaries. Most supplement income through merchandise, licensing, and teaching.

Showing 13–24 of 45 mangaka

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Hiromu Arakawa

Discover Hiromu Arakawa's remarkable career from her farm background to creating Fullmetal Alchemist. Explore her unique artistic vision and lasting industry impact.

Notable Works:

• Fullmetal Alchemist
• Silver Spoon
+ 2 more

View Hiromu Arakawa's Biography

Junji Ito

Junji Ito is Japan's premier horror manga artist, born in 1963, renowned for creating psychologically disturbing and visually innovative series like Uzumaki and Tomie.

Notable Works:

• Uzumaki
• Tomie
+ 2 more

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Kanehito Yamada

Kanehito Yamada is a Japanese manga writer and story creator best known for Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, a philosophical fantasy series illustrated by Tsukasa Abe. Serialized since 2020, Frieren has won multiple prestigious awards including the Manga Taisho in 2021 and the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2022. Yamada is celebrated for melancholic storytelling, philosophical meditations on time and mortality, and innovative subversion of traditional fantasy narrative structures.

Notable Works:

• Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

View Kanehito Yamada's Biography

Ken Wakui

Explore the unconventional career of Ken Wakui, the mangaka who drew on real street experiences to create Tokyo Revengers, one of the biggest manga hits of the 2020s.

Notable Works:

• Tokyo Revengers
• Shinjuku Swan

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Kentaro Miura

Explore Kentaro Miura's legendary career and his masterpiece Berserk. Discover his artistic evolution, influences, and profound impact on manga's dark fantasy genre.

Notable Works:

• Berserk
• Gigantomakhia
+ 1 more

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Kōhei Horikoshi

Discover Kohei Horikoshi's rise to prominence through My Hero Academia. Explore his creative vision, artistic evolution, and lasting impact on contemporary shōnen manga.

Notable Works:

• My Hero Academia
• Oumagadoki Zoo
+ 1 more

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Kouji Miura

Kouji Miura is a contemporary Japanese manga artist celebrated for his successful blend of romance and sports genres in Blue Box, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since 2021. Known for clean linework, natural character expressions, and realistic depiction of high school athletics, Miura has demonstrated exceptional skill in balancing multiple genre elements while maintaining narrative coherence and emotional authenticity.

Notable Works:

• Blue Box

View Kouji Miura's Biography

Koyoharu Gotouge

Explore Koyoharu Gotouge's remarkable ascent with Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Learn about their artistic vision and the creation of one of manga's biggest recent successes.

Notable Works:

• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
• Kagarigari
+ 1 more

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Masashi Kishimoto

Explore Masashi Kishimoto's extraordinary career as creator of Naruto, one of the most influential shōnen manga series. Learn about his artistic evolution and lasting legacy.

Notable Works:

• Naruto
• Naruto Shippuden
+ 2 more

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Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro

Discover Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro's journey from aspiring artist to creator of Toriko, one of Weekly Shonen Jump's most beloved gourmet adventure manga.

Notable Works:

• Toriko
• Seikimatsu Leader den Takeshi!
+ 1 more

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Muneyuki Kaneshiro

Explore the career of Muneyuki Kaneshiro, writer of Blue Lock and visionary storyteller who revolutionized sports manga with psychological depth, competitive intensity, and innovative narrative structure.

Notable Works:

• Blue Lock

View Muneyuki Kaneshiro's Biography

Naoki Urasawa

Discover Naoki Urasawa's remarkable 30+ year career. From Monster to Pluto and 20th Century Boys, explore his innovative storytelling and profound industry influence.

Notable Works:

• Monster
• 20th Century Boys
+ 3 more

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FAQ: Mangaka Biographies

What is a mangaka?

Who is the most famous mangaka of all time?

How do mangaka create manga so quickly?

Can non-Japanese artists become mangaka?

How much does a professional mangaka earn?

Mangaka Biographies — Page 2

Browse Mangaka

Hiromu Arakawa

Junji Ito

Kanehito Yamada

Ken Wakui

Kentaro Miura

Kōhei Horikoshi

Kouji Miura

Koyoharu Gotouge

Masashi Kishimoto

Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro

Muneyuki Kaneshiro

Naoki Urasawa

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FAQ: Mangaka Biographies