URASAWA Naoki (mature)

[Akiyama]

Naoki Urasawa is one of the most popular mangaka that we have. This is not surprising since he writes the most intellectually thrilling stories. The best part I find fascinating is the way he draws noses. I've discovered you can tell many details about a character just by the shape of their nose. Urasawa is consistently busy, he always is working on a project and after one is done he creates another detailed series to delight his fans.

20th/21st Century Boys

Author/Artist: URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 1999 - Big Comic Spirits
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Psychological, Sci-fi, Seinen, Supernatural
Japanese Status: 24 volumes complete (Shogakukan)
International Release: 9 volumes ongoing (Viz)
Online Status: 24 volumes
Age Ranking: older teen

Growing older is pretty rough and Kenji is finding out just how hard it can be as life starts wearing down on him. On top of trying to make ends meet running a convenience store, he has to care for the niece that his missing sister left in his care. Memories of youth make it easier, until those memories come back to haunt you. Kenji and his old friends are slowly being drawn into a mysterious conspiracy that could threaten the world. Who is the mysterious "friend", and how does he tie into Kenji's youth? Why are there disappearances and deaths tied into Ochanomizu University? The friend's memories hold the keys to the puzzle, but years between cloud the clues. The strange occurances and the reach of the "friend" conspiracy grow by the day. It will all culminate on New Year's Eve 2000. Will Kenji and the rest of the group be able to put together the puzzle and save the world?

Billy Bat

Author: NAGASAKI Takashi, URASAWA Naoki Artist: URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 2009 - Morning
Genre: Drama, Historical, Mature, Mystery, Psychological, Seinen
Japanese Status: 4 volumes (ongoing)
International Release: Unlicensed
Online Status: 34 chapters (ongoing)
Age Ranking: older teen

Billy Bat is a comic-in-a-comic and the real protagonist is a Japanese-American artist named Kevin Yamagata who draws Billy Bat for "Marble Comics".

Shortly after they transition to the artist in his studio with his assistant, two actual detectives, who look like Laurel and Hardy in Dick Tracy era suits and trench coats, knock on the door and appropriate Kevin's room for the purpose of conducting surveillance on a room in an adjacent building. One of the detectives, the skinny “Laurel”, sees Kevin's work and it turns out he's a Billy Bat fan. The other chubby "Hardy" detective picks up a page and says that the characters look familiar and accuses Kevin of translating an old "Jap" comic.

As Hardy remembers the comic he thinks Kevin is ripping off, we make another Urasawaesque time jump to 1949 Tokyo and the chapter ends. [The Eastern Edge blog by gottsu-iiyan]

Mangari Michi

Author/Artist: Ujiko Ujio, URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 2009 - Big Comic Spirits
Genre: Comedy, Ecchi, Mystery, Seinen
Japanese Status: 1 volume (complete) (Shogakukan)
International Release: Unlicensed
Online Status: 1 chapter
Age Ranking: older teen

Two manga artists are trying their best to have their work accepted by someone who appears to be their superior. However their latest work has been denied and their superior requests that they should write a manga about a drama where a man protects the peace of the world. The two get together and begin to write a manga about a boy who promises a girl protection! [Mamo]

Master Keaton

Author: KATSUSHIKA Hokusei Artist: URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 1988 - Big Comic Original
Genre: Drama, Historical, Mystery, Psychological, Seinen, Slice of Life
Japanese Status: 18 Volumes (Complete) (Shogakukan)
International Release: Unlicensed
Online Status: 4 chapters
Age Ranking: older teen

The main character is this guy who's half Japanese, half English. Son of an English woman of noble birth and a Japanese zoologist. Keaton went to England at the age of five with his mother after his parents' divorce. There he learned archeology at Oxford University, where he met his wife with whom he has a daughter (Yuriko). They divorced after five years. He works as an operative/detective for Lloyds of London where he's known for his abilities he acquired as a master sergeant in the SAS and as a veteran of the Falklands War, and was one of the members of the Iran Embassy incident. This helps him carry out his dangerous work of insurance investigator. His works at Lloyds, but his dream is excavating the ancient civilization in a Danube basin. He's called "master" because the SAS training camp' teacher told him that he wouldn't be able to be a "professor" in his fighting style, but a "master" at best. The manga does portray many facets of Keaton. Not only his role as a detective, but also his humanistic views on nature, family and culture.

Monster

Author/Artist: URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 1994 - Big Comic Original
Genre: Action, Drama, Historical, Mature, Mystery, Psychological, Seinen
Japanese Status: 18 volumes Shogakukan (complete)
International Release: 18 volumes (Viz)
Online Status: 18 volumes
Age Ranking: Older Teen

Monster weaves the riveting story of brilliant Dr. Kenzo Tenma, a famous surgeon with a promising career at a leading hospital. Tenma risks his reputation and promising career to save the life of a critically wounded young boy. Unbeknownst to him, this child is destined for a terrible fate. A string of strange and mysterious murders begin to occur soon afterward, ones that professionally benefit Dr. Tenma, and he emerges as the primary suspect. Conspiracies, serial murders, and a scathing depiction of the underbelly of hospital politics are all masterfully woven together in this compelling manga thriller.

The series won an Excellence Prize at the 1997 Japan Media Arts Festival and the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2001.

Pluto

Author: TEZUKA Osamu, URASAWA Naoki Artist: URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 2004 - Big Comic Original
Genre: Action, Drama, Mecha, Mystery, Psychological, Sci-fi, Seinen
Japanese Status: 8 volumes (Shogakukan)
International Release: 8 volumes VIZ
Online Status: 8 volumes
Age Ranking: older teen

A murder occurs without any trace of human beings, and with only a mysterious message remaining. What will follow!? Two great Japanese manga artists come together to make this near-future science-fiction suspense manga!!

Yawara!

Author/Artsit: URASAWA Naoki
Serialized In: 1986 - Big Comic Spirits
Genre: Comedy, Martial Arts, Romance, Seinen, Slice of Life, Sports
Japanese Status: 29 volumes (comlplete) (Shogakukan)
International Release: Unlicensed
Online Status: 5 volumes
Age Ranking: older teen

Yawara Inokuma is a talented judoka raised and trained by her grandfather Jigoro. Her grandfather says she's supposed to become the hope of Japan's judo team in Seoul in 1988, but she has different plans: to finish high school and find a boyfriend...like all her friends. But being a normal girl and an olympic champion are two different things. Which path will she choose to follow?

In 1990 Yawara! received the 35th Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga.

[Josef K.]

This man is a genius the fact that he does not need stupid things that regular manga's and anime's have like: fan-service, big eyes, suggestive romances who sometimes never happen, weird dialog in the panels, makes all of his manga look like top notch novels, for me Monster and Billy Bat are the best of his works, I know many like 20th century boys the best, to me it was never quite as good as these two, maybe because of the time and places that they happen.

I love how he never does typical manga stuff, brilliant works Urasawa, I hope after he finishes Billy Bat another thriller will come.

[Teeba]

I really love his style of writing. Its brilliant. It doesn't matter what the subject is, Urasawa will always tweak it into being full of suspense and importance.

I have read Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Billy Bat, I know I should be reading Pluto but I'm trying not to get sucked into it because of university. xD

But looking at this post, I'm happy to see he's done so many different series! Yawara! looks the most interesting to me because its so different than his other works. In fact, by the summary alone it looks like something you'd read in a josei magazine than in a seinen. Its a shame its not being scanlated anymore.

[silver_soul]

I really love his style of writing. Its brilliant. It doesn't matter what the subject is, Urasawa will always tweak it into being full of suspense and importance.

I have read Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Billy Bat, I know I should be reading Pluto but I'm trying not to get sucked into it because of university. xD

But looking at this post, I'm happy to see he's done so many different series! Yawara! looks the most interesting to me because its so different than his other works. In fact, by the summary alone it looks like something you'd read in a josei magazine than in a seinen. Its a shame its not being scanlated anymore.

haha. Same here. 20th Century boys is probably the best completed manga I've ever read. And Monster was very well done too. Another thing about him is I like his work rate, I'm pretty sure he was writing both 20th Century boys and Monster at the same time for a while. Now, considering those are 2 of the greatest mystery thriller manga ever,that's saying something about this mans genius.

Although, I must say, I've only read the seires he's completed so I was able to read it all quickly, I dunno what kinda suspense a reader must feel waiting for each of his chapters to come out week-by-week or even monthly.

[R4n]

Urasawa Naoki is one of my all time favourite mangaka.
My older sister is a fan of Master Keaton, i got to know him from that. Since i was just an elementary school kid then i didn't understand all parts of the manga, but i enjoyed it a lot.
So far my favourite is Pluto. I read the manga it based from, and i loved Urasawa-sensei's intrepretation.
Billy Bat has a lot of potential to be his next masterpiece. It contains plenty of references to historical figures and events which make it really exciting to read. I love the 'ah-ha!' moments whenever i realize the references.

[Asarii]

In the past week I've finished 20th/21st Century Boys, PLUTO and caught up with Billy Bat. One day I decided to read what I can of Urasawa-sensei's works after being hooked with MONSTER a year ago, which I reread. No life.

What I perhaps love the most about his writing style is that a lot of the characters are distinct and rounded. They all have reasons for doing what they do regardless of what their actions might be. The various narratives surrounding these characters also tie nicely together to the main plot: character A may have no relation to B, but nevertheless they are still connected.

I also like the straight-to-the-point artwork. It's not abundant in tone but still manages to convey an atmosphere whether happy, sad or frightening. I'm terrified of gore so I'm glad the violence in his work isn't too intense as well.

I enjoy all his work though my favourite is Monster.

[saladesu]

The only work of his I've read so far is Pluto, and I really enjoyed it. Although I didn't read the part of Astro Boy it's based off, it was very intriguing and exciting. I love how everything came together, there was nothing wasted, no random plot meandering... He clearly had the end in mind as he wrote.

I intend to read 20th CB/Monster next. It seems people are kinda split on which is better or which they prefer, but oh wells, I'll read both eventually I think I already have 20th CB downloaded, so I'll probably go with that first.

[Asarii]

The only work of his I've read so far is Pluto, and I really enjoyed it. Although I didn't read the part of Astro Boy it's based off, it was very intriguing and exciting. I love how everything came together, there was nothing wasted, no random plot meandering... He clearly had the end in mind as he wrote.

Pluto can be read as its own manga, and I think it will still work.

I also like how he doesn't drag on a series by adding superfluous things to it; the stories end organically so to speak.

I intend to read 20th CB/Monster next. It seems people are kinda split on which is better or which they prefer, but oh wells, I'll read both eventually I think I already have 20th CB downloaded, so I'll probably go with that first.

Strongly recommended!

[hisoga]

i wonder can Urasawa write a long running manga..

[saladesu]

Pluto can be read as its own manga, and I think it will still work.

I also like how he doesn't drag on a series by adding superfluous things to it; the stories end organically so to speak.


Strongly recommended!

I realized I had Monster downloaded and not 20thCB, so I guess Monster's up first :3

i wonder can Urasawa write a long running manga..

In my opinion, Urasawa doesn't need to write long-running manga. He tells his story succinctly and without adding anything superfluous like Asarii said.

Now I'm not saying stories like One Piece are bad, and I do think Oda is also a master story teller, but there are arguably still parts that could be called superfluous (Davy Back Fight, for one). One thing about OP is that by nature it is about adventure - the story can literally last forever and not feel like it's being dragged on. On the other hand, some other long-running series like Bleach tend to feel like they are being artificially extended. This is unlike Urasawa's stories (well I am assuming based on the one series I've read and the rave reviews I've seen but still), which, like Asarii said, end "organically".

[hisoga]

In my opinion, Urasawa doesn't need to write long-running manga. He tells his story succinctly and without adding anything superfluous like Asarii said.

Now I'm not saying stories like One Piece are bad, and I do think Oda is also a master story teller, but there are arguably still parts that could be called superfluous (Davy Back Fight, for one). One thing about OP is that by nature it is about adventure - the story can literally last forever and not feel like it's being dragged on. On the other hand, some other long-running series like Bleach tend to feel like they are being artificially extended. This is unlike Urasawa's stories (well I am assuming based on the one series I've read and the rave reviews I've seen but still), which, like Asarii said, end "organically".

yeah, agree with you but first i don't mean or trying to compare his work with other mangaka's work. but it just i'm trying to think what if Urasawa write a long story. can he keep up with his previous quality of work? i mean, sometimes people don't know or not trying to understand that there are some different and hardness when writing a short story than a long story. but it is also take a very high level of knowledge and experience to understand the limit of oneself.

and i'm glad he don't try to write a long story.

[Kaiten]

i wonder can Urasawa write a long running manga..

By seinen standards Urasawa already writes epic length manga. Ten volumes or less is more typical, especially for the age group Urasawa is typically writing for (25 years old and up). If I had any complaint about his manga, I find that he stretches a bit. Both 20th Century Boys and Monster could have been shorter, IMO. Pluto was a more reasonable length.

[hisoga]

By seinen standards Urasawa already writes epic length manga. Ten volumes or less is more typical, especially for the age group Urasawa is typically writing for (25 years old and up). If I had any complaint about his manga, I find that he stretches a bit. Both 20th Century Boys and Monster could have been shorter, IMO. Pluto was a more reasonable length.

sorry, for me less than 15 vol is short.
and i don't really care about demographic. to me a good writing is the matter. and Urasawa is a genius. it just I wonder if he can do more than what is he doing now.

[Asarii]

@Kaiten: I thought Monster had an appropriate length, but I do agree that 20th Century Boys could have ended earlier. I'm not complaining; it was still an enjoyable reading experience.

sorry, for me less than 15 vol is short.
and i don't really care about demographic. to me a good writing is the matter. and Urasawa is a genius. it just I wonder if he can do more than what is he doing now.

Just curious- what do you mean by "more than what he is doing now"?

[hisoga]

Just curious- what do you mean by "more than what he is doing now"?

just long running series. but enough with this.

Moderator message by: Asarii

Ah, okay. You never know, Billy Bat might be "long running". Also be careful with your word choices next time.