10 Richest Manga Authors From Japan

Manga, known for their dramatic artwork and cliffhanger plots, have become a worldwide sensation. Yet despite manga’s immense popularity, surprisingly little is known about the acclaimed authors behind these imaginative series. The Japanese manga industry is worth billions of dollars, and the most popular manga artists earn incomes that reflect their prominence and cultural influence.

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In Japan, top manga artists have achieved celebrity status and commercial success on par with the biggest movie stars and music icons. Their works generate huge profits from sales, licensing deals, and subsidiary rights. But being a hit manga artist isn’t easy. Most spend years perfecting their craft before debuting a popular series. Drawing weekly manga chapters on tight deadlines is hugely demanding. Still, the payoff of creating an iconic manga can be immense.

10 Naoko Takeuchi

Estimated Net Worth: $10 Million

• Sailor Moon Copies Sold:
  46 Million+

Naoko Takeuchi is best known as the author of Sailor Moon, one of the most popular and influential manga series worldwide. Her work on Sailor Moon not only gained a massive following but also helped to redefine the magical girl genre, with its combination of fantasy, romance, and action, as well as its ensemble cast of strong female characters. Takeuchi’s business acumen and the negotiations she made concerning the rights to Sailor Moon have been savvy.

It is believed that she retained a significant amount of control over her work, which allowed her to have a larger share of the profits compared to mangaka who gave away more rights to publishers and producers. Manga sales are typically the primary source of income for mangaka, and with Sailor Moon’s success, Takeuchi has earned a significant amount from this alone. Sailor Moon spawned a massive range of merchandise, including toys, clothing, stationery, and much more.

9 Gege Akutami

Estimated Net Worth: $8-10 Million

• Jujutsu Kaisen Copies Sold:
  80 Million

Gege Akutami is a pseudonymous Japanese manga artist, known for creating the popular manga series Jujutsu Kaisen. The artist tends to keep personal views and life private, preferring that the focus remains on the work itself rather than on the creator. Jujutsu Kaisen quickly became a bestseller after its launch in 2018. The manga has sold millions of copies, with the series continuing to be a top performer in manga sales charts.

Similar to other successful franchises, Jujutsu Kaisen has garnered a substantial international fan base. Although Akutami’s net worth is likely not as high as the mangaka legends who have had more time to accumulate wealth from long-running series, the explosive success of Jujutsu Kaisen in a relatively short period suggests that Akutami has quickly become one of the more financially successful mangaka of his generation.

8 Masashi Kishimoto

Estimated Net Worth: $20-30 Million

• Naruto Manga Copies Sold:
  250 Million

Masashi Kishimoto is a renowned manga artist from Japan, primarily known for creating Naruto, a series that took the manga and anime world by storm. Kishimoto was drawn to manga from an early age, with Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama lighting the spark of inspiration for his future career. His early attempts in the industry were a mixed bag, with several projects not quite hitting the mark.

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However, perseverance paid off when Naruto began serialization in 1999. The story of the plucky ninja with dreams of greatness and acknowledgment resonated with fans worldwide, making Naruto a household name. Merchandise sales for Naruto include action figures, clothing, video games, and almost every type of anime-related merchandise imaginable. These products generate additional revenue, a portion of which would typically go to the creator.

7 Yoshihiro Togashi

Estimated Net Worth: $30- 35 Million

• Yu Yu Hakusho Copies Sold:
  78 Million

• Hunter X Hunter Copies Sold:
  84 Million

Yoshihiro Togashi is a veteran manga artist known for his dedication to storytelling and the creation of complex fictional worlds. Togashi’s career in manga began in the mid-1980s after he graduated from college. He quickly made a name for himself with Yu Yu Hakusho, which he started in 1990. The series won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award in 1993 and was adapted into an anime that also became very popular.

After Yu Yu Hakusho, Togashi went on to create Level E and eventually Hunter x Hunter in 1998, which further cemented his reputation. Both Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter are best-selling mangas. An interesting fact about Togashi is that he’s married to Naoko Takeuchi, the manga artist behind Sailor Moon. Thus, It’s not hard to see why he’s on the list of the richest mangakas.

6 Hajime Isayama

Estimated Net Worth: $45 Million

• Attack On Titan Copies Sold:
  140 Million

Hajime Isayama is the mastermind behind the dark fantasy manga series Attack on Titan. His early attempts at getting published included submitting works to various manga awards, such as the prestigious Magazine Grand Prix (MGP). His breakthrough came when “Attack on Titan” was serialized, but not before facing rejections and being advised to adjust his distinctive, sometimes unorthodox drawing style.

Isayama is known for being quite private and shies away from the celebrity status that his success could bring. Despite the fame that Attack on Titan has afforded him, he has maintained a down-to-earth persona in public appearances and interviews. He has shared that he enjoys simple hobbies like reading and playing video games, and he’s known for having a good sense of humor.

5 Gosho Aoyama

Estimated Net Worth: $46-50 Million

• Detective Conan/Case Closed Copies Sold:
  270 Million

Before hitting the jackpot with Detective Conan, Aoyama was already a respected name in the manga world. He found his first success with the series Magic Kaito, which he began while still in college. It was serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine and gained a dedicated following. Detective Conan has been an enduring success, spawning an anime series, numerous anime films, video games, and even live-action adaptations.

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With over 250 million copies sold, it is a consistent bestseller. It has been serialized for decades and has a fan base that spans generations, making it one of the longest-running manga series in history. Beyond the pages, Aoyama’s influence extends to his hometown, now known as Hokuei – Conan Town, where there are statues, museums, and other attractions dedicated to Detective Conan. This reflects not just the popularity of his work but also its impact on local culture and tourism.

4 Tite Kubo

Estimated Net Worth: $50 Million

• Bleach Copies Sold:
  130 Million

Tite Kubo is the creative mind behind the internationally acclaimed manga series Bleach. Kubo made his debut with Zombiepowder in 1999, a four-volume series that laid the groundwork for his future success, showcasing his flair for action-packed sequences and supernatural elements. Kubo is known for his distinctive art style, characterized by bold lines, dynamic compositions, and fashion-forward character designs, which reflect his interest in clothing and architecture.

Kubo’s stylish artwork and the overall contribution to the shōnen genre are widely regarded as significant. Apart from Bleach’s record revenue, Kubo’s later works and his involvement in providing character designs for other media also contributed to his financial success.

3 Akira Toriyama

Estimated Net Worth: $55- 60 Million

• Dragon Ball Copies Sold:
  300 Million

Akira Toriyama is best known for creating Dragon Ball. It has had a profound impact on pop culture, influencing a multitude of artists and works across various media. Its anime adaptations, “Dragon Ball” and “Dragon Ball Z,” have been broadcast in more than 80 countries, and the franchise includes movies, video games, merchandise, and more.

The series is credited with popularizing anime and manga outside Japan and has been a gateway for many fans into the broader anime and manga cultures. Toriyama has also worked on video game character design, most notably for the Dragon Quest series, which is one of the most popular RPG franchises in Japan. Given these factors, it is clear that Akira Toriyama has been highly successful financially.

2 Rumiko Takahashi

Estimated Net Worth: $80 Million

• Urusei Yatsura Copies Sold:
  35 Million

• Inuyasha Copies Sold:
  50 Million

• Ranma ½ Copies Sold:
  55 Million

Rumiko Takahashi is one of the most prominent and influential manga artists in the world, known for her incredible versatility and longevity in the industry. Her debut work, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in 1978 and became an instant hit. The series, which combines science fiction, comedy, and romance, follows the misadventures of a high school boy and a beautiful alien princess. Following the success of Urusei Yatsura, Takahashi created several other acclaimed series.

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“Maison Ikkoku,” a romantic comedy, came out in the early 1980s; “Ranma ½,” a gender-bending martial arts comedy, began in 1987; and “Inuyasha,” a fantasy-adventure series set in the Sengoku period, started in 1996. Each of these works has been praised for its storytelling, humor, and character development. They have been adapted into successful anime series, feature films, and various other media. Her extensive and influential body of work has not only earned her a place in the annals of manga history but also a significant amount of wealth.

1 Eiichiro Oda

Estimated Net Worth: $280 Million

• One Piece Copies Sold:
  500 Million

Oda is the guy behind One Piece, the highest-selling manga of all time. Given the massive success of One Piece across various media and merchandise, Eiichiro Oda is undoubtedly one of the most financially successful manga artists in the industry. The series is celebrated for its humor, emotional depth, and the way it handles themes like friendship, adventure, and the fight against oppression.

The characters are known for their distinct personalities and development over time, making One Piece not just a tale of adventure but also a story about growth and the bonds formed along the way. The success of One Piece is unparalleled: it has spawned a multimedia franchise that includes an anime series, movies, video games, and a vast array of merchandise. The manga has broken numerous publishing records. Thus, Oda’s work continues to be a testament to the power of manga as a storytelling medium.

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