Japan has the third-largest economy in the world, and a sizable percentage of that economy is derived from the anime and manga industries.
The manga industry has expanded significantly over the last few years, and in Japan, several new mangas are published each month.
According to reports, more than 500 categories of manga, including well-known ones like shonen, seinen, and rom-com, are released each month.
The anime market is expected to be worth $25 billion in the United States by 2022, which is not a secret.
One of the most awesome jobs one could have is being a mangaka. A reward in and of itself is having the power to create worlds and characters that fans adore.
But the picture combines that with the astronomical revenue from the sales of the big-hit titles. It makes sense that so many manga readers who dabble in drawing and creating hold these well-known and successful authors in high regard.
But how much do they get for creating such great work, and who are the richest manga writers in the world?
Well, here’s a list of the 25 richest mangakas to date, in no particular order!
25. Buronson and Tetsuo Hara (Hokuto no Ken)
For a native of Tokyo, Hara, the boxing short story Super Challenger, took up the 33rd Fresh Jump award’s top honor as an amateur.
His first piece to be published, Mad Fighter, launched Hara’s professional career in 1982. After the publication of Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star) in 1983, which he co-created with Buronson he quite a became a well-known artist in the manga industry.
First of the North Star was written by Buronson and Tetsuo Hara. It was first published in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump on September 13, 1983, and ran as a serial for 245 issues, until August 8, 1988.
It is one of the best-selling manga series in history, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide (over 60 million copies in circulation in Japan).
One of the wealthiest and most recognized artists is Tetsuo Hara. Tetsuo Hara’s net worth is roughly $1.5 million, as per the analysis of data from sources like Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider.
24. Yōzaburō Kanari (Kindaichi Case Files)
Yōzaburō Kanari is a Japanese manga story writer, best known for co-creating, with Seimaru Amagi and Fumiya Sato, the Kindaichi Case Files series.
Between 1992 and 2000, the first two series (the File and Case series) were serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine.
Between 2004 and 2011, The New series was serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine and released at random intervals.
2012 saw the return of regular serialization in honor of the 20th anniversary. The Kindaichi Case Files R (Returns) became the series’ new title in 2013, while the regular weekly serialization has continued as before.
The manga has sold more than 100 million copies now and has won various awards including the 19th Kodansha Manga Award in 1995.
It is estimated that Yōzaburō Kanari’s net worth is around 1-5 Million dollars.
23. Hideaki Sorachi (Gintama)
Hideaki Sorachi is the pen name of a Japanese manga artist, popularly known for his manga Gin Tama, which began serialization in 2003 and ended in 2019.
It was serialized in Shueisha‘s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to September 2018, later in Jump Giga from December 2018 to February 2019, and finished on the Gin Tama app in May and June 2019.
The manga has also been serialized. Besides the anime series, there have been various light novels and video games based on Gin Tama. A live-action film adaptation of the same name was released in July 2017 in Japan by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The manga has presently sold 55.5 million copies worldwide as of 8th December 2020.
Keeping all the above things in mind, Sorachi’s current net worth is around $1.5 Million.
22. Haruichi Furudate( Haikyu!!)
Haruichi Furudate is a Japanese manga artist best known for creating Haikyu!!
Positive reviews have been given to both the manga and anime, and the manga won the shonen category of the 61st Shogakukan Manga Award in 2016.
The Haikyu!! manga was one of the best-selling manga series as of August 2022, with over 55 million copies in print.
Haruichi‘s net worth is expected to be approximately $1.5 million as of 2022.
21. Shuichi Shigeno (Initial D)
Shuichi Shigeno is a Japanese manga artist famous for creating the street racing series Initial D.
It was serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Magazine from 1995 to 2013 and has been adapted by OB Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, A.C.G.T, and SynergySP into several anime television and original video animation programs.
In 2005, Media Asia and Avex released a live-action movie. Tokyopop originally granted licenses to both the manga and anime series for English-language release in North America (2002–2009).
However, Funimation (now Crunchyroll) has since acquired the anime license, while Kodansha USA renewed the manga license in 2019.
Initial D had over 55 million copies in circulation presently, making it one of the best-selling manga series in history.
Shigeno‘s net worth has been estimated to be around $1 Million to $5 Million approximately.
20. Yoshihiro Togashi (HunterXHunter)
Yoshihiro Togashi is best known for not just one but two popular manga series: Hunter X Hunter and Yu Yu Hakusho. Both of this manga are very popular and have also been made into successful anime.
Hunter X Hunter is in print in 80 million copies, but Yu Yu Hakusho has sold more than 50 million copies just in Japan.
In his early years, Togashi also worked onseveralf other mangas, but it was these two that made him the richest manga author ever in terms of money. Togashi’s net worth is anticipated to be approximately $30 million as of 2022.
19. Hirohiko Araki (JJBA)
Japanese manga artist Hirohiko Araki is well-known for creating the immensely successful JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure series.
One of the best manga ever created, Hirohiko’s manga has more than 100 million copies in print as of this writing.
Nine manga sequels, one-shots, light novels, and video games make up JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure franchise, bringing the total value of Hirohiko’s wealth to between $13 and $15 million.
Since 2005, several live-action movies and anime adaptations have been made, and this trend is still going strong.
18. Keisuke Itagaki (Baki The Grappler)
The martial arts-based manga Baki The Grappler is renowned for its breathtaking scenes and graphic fight scenes. One of the first Netflix original anime shows, it has been renewed intoseveralf distinct story arcs. And, the man behind this amazing manga is, Keisuke Itagaki.
Itagaki’s net worth is reported to be between $5 and $6 million, and Baki The Grappler manga sales contributed significantly to his income. By the year 2022, Baki had sold more than 85 million copies of the manga, including all of its sequels.
The series’ popularity was marginally improved by Netflix’s inclusion, and this resulted in higher manga sales. Different video game adaptations are also offered on the market in addition to manga and anime adaptations.
17. Yoichi Takahashi (Captain Tsubasa)
Captain Tsubasa is a manga created by Yoichi Takahashi. Captain Tsubasa, a very well-known football-themed sports manga from the early 1980s, is credited with making a significant contribution to the history of football in Japan.
One of the most popular manga series is Captain Tsubasa, which has sold more than 80 million copies worldwide. Takahashi is well-known for writing the soccer manga series “Hungry Heart: Wild Striker” in addition to Captain Tsubasa.
He was invited as a guest by the football team FC Barcelona in 2016, and he has won numerous honors for his outstanding work in the anime business. Their net worth of Takahashi is thought to be $6 million.
16. Jyoji Morikawa (Hajime No Ippo)
George Morikawa has been putting out the boxing manga Hajime no Ippo for more than 20 years now. The 1989 premiere of the series signaled its ongoing nature. Anyone looking for a decent sports manga is always recommended to read Hajime no Ippo by manga enthusiasts.
The series is currently getting close to selling 100 million copies. Morikawa’s net worth is thought to be at least $500,000, if not more.
But for such a stunning series, this feels outrageously low. Outside of the small community of sports manga lovers, it merits far greater acclaim.
15. Ken Wakui (Tokyo Revengers)
One of the most well-known writers of the decade is Ken Wakui, the mangaka of Tokyo Revengers.
Wakui debuted his first manga series, Shinjuku Swan, in 2005. The series did well and was adapted numerous times. He followed up on its popularity by releasing Tokyo Revengers in 2017, which enabled him to win the 44th Kodansha Manga Award for the shonen category in 2020.
Tokyo Revengers has also been adapted into a number of media, most notably a live-action movie and an anime television show. Additionally, the series has sold 65 million units to date.
At least $5 million is thought to be Ken Wakui’s net worth.
14. Kōhei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia)
Manga creator Khei Horikoshi is most known for his work on the shonen manga titles Magadoki Dbutsuen, Barrage, and My Hero Academia. His favorite and most motivational manga series are Akira, One Piece, and Naruto.
Since its release, Mr. Hoikosi’s My Hero Academia has sold 65 million copies, earning him the 31st Harvey Award (Best Mangaka Award). In addition, MHA has movies, anime, and games.
Kōhei Horikoshi’s net worth is estimated to be around $7-10 million.
13. Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma ½)
Rumiko Takahashi is one of Japan’s most famous and wealthiest manga artists, with a career that began with the manga Urusei Yatsura in 1978.
Her books have sold over 200 million copies and have been translated into other languages. She received the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Japanese government in 2020 in recognition of her contributions to the arts.
Rumiko Takahashi’s net worth should be around 60-65 Million dollars.
12. Koyoharu Gotouge (Demon Slayer)
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a manga series by Koyoharu Gotouge. The author stays anonymous in public.
Kagarigari and Gotouge made their debut together at the 2013 70th Jump Treasure Newcomer Manga Awards. Based on Gotouge’s first novel Kagarigari, his best work, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, is a masterpiece.
Weekly Shonen Jump published the series from February 15, 2016, until May 18, 2020. Over 150 million copies of the manga series were in circulation as of February 2021. (including digital copies).
Outside of Japan, the anime series featuring Demon Slayer is very popular. The Demon Slayer brand, one of the highest-grossing media franchises ever, brought in $8.75 billion in revenue in 2020.
Koyoharu Gotouge’s net worth is around 45- 60 million dollars.
11. Tite Kubo (Bleach)
Japan’s Bleach has made Noriaki Kubo, also known as Tite Kubo, a well-known manga artist,t and character designer.
He released his first manga, Zombiepowder, in the weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, and he started penning Bleach for the same publication in 2001.
Kubo said that the first plan for the serialization of the series was for it to run for five years. Nevertheless, over 698 chapters of Bleach were released during the course of its 15-year serialisation.
In addition, from 2004 to 2012, TV Tokyo aired an anime adaptation of the series.
The series has made 130 million sales as of July 2022 and has reached tremendous success with the release of the last part of the Bleach Thousand War Blood arc.
One of the richest mangakas, Tite Kubo sensei has an estimated net worth of $35–40 million.
10. Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk)
One of the finest manga creators in history is Takehiko Inoue. He is well recognized for creating two of the all-time most popular manga series, Slam Dunk (1990–1996) and Vagabond (Jidaigeki).
Inoue is an avid basketball fan who focuses solely on the game. Inoue was presented with the Cultural Prize at the 2012 Asia Cosmopolitan Awards for the first time.
With Purple Kaede, Inoue made his Weekly Shonen Jump debut in 1988. He first became well-known with the manga Slam Dunk, which is about a high school basketball team.
Since it was published in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1990 to 1996, 170 million copies have been sold.
While still working on Vagabond, Takehiko Inoue started Real in 1999, his third basketball comic that focuses on wheelchair basketball.
While 16 million copies of Real have been sold, 85 million copies of Vagabond have. After selling 270 million managed volumes, he made about $30 million in profit.
9. Hiromu Arakawa (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Hiromu Arakawa is known for her manga series Fullmetal Alchemist, which made her one of the most well-known female manga artists. Her other works include the novels The Heroic Legend of Arslan and Silver Spoon (2011–2019).
The most popular series from 2010 among fans, based on her work, are Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood.
Two television series, two motion pictures, and light novels have all been made from Fullmetal Alchemist, all of which were animated by Bones.
Original video animations, video games, companion books, a collectible card game, and a range of action figures and other merchandise are all available for the series.
The manga is one of the best-selling manga series, with over 80 million volumes sold globally.
This leads us to believe that Hiromu Arakawa’s net worth must be in the range of 15-20 million dollars.
8. Osamu Akimoto (KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops)
Osamu Akimoto is a manga artist from Katsushika, Tokyo, and is another mangaka you might not be familiar with. His humour manga series KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops is quite popular in Japan.
From 1976 through 2016, this series was constantly published in the weekly Shonen Jump.
This manga series is now the eighth most popular manga series in history after selling a record-breaking 155 million copies.
KochiKame’s Tokyo Beat Cops has 344 regular episodes, 27 special episodes, and 3 films.
Akimoto and Kochikame hold the Guinness World Record for “Most volumes published for a single manga series” with 200 tankbon volumes.
The valuation of Akimoto Sensei is thought to be between $12 and $15 million.
7. Yasuhisa Hara (Kingdom)
The kingdom is based on the Warring States phase of Chinese history, which came to an end in 221 BC with the conquering of China by Qin king Ying Zheng.
It is a classic Seinen manga that is highly well-liked among Japanese adults between the ages of 24 and 30.
The manga had over 90 million copies in circulation as of June 2022 and the estimated value of Yasuhisa Hara’s net worth is $10 million.
6. Gege Akutami (Jujutsu Kaisen)
The manga series Jujutsu Kaisen is the creation of Gege Akutami, a Japanese artist. Gege Akutami is a pen name, therefore neither the author’s real name nor gender are known.
After reading Bleach in the fourth grade, Akutami identified Tite Kubo as an influence on their writing.
Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School was published by the Japanese publisher Akutami in Jump GIGA in 2017 from April 28 to July 28.
Later, this series would operate as a prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen, which was given the name Jujutsu Kaisen retroactively.
Jujutsu Kaisen was first released by Akutami in Weekly Sh*nen Jump’s 14th issue on March 5, 2018. In just three years, it sold 65 million volumes, and its anime series rose to the top spot in 2020.
It is estimated that Gege Akutami’s net worth must be between $8 and $12 million dollars.
5. Gosho Aoyama (Detective Conan)
Detective Conan, a manga series about solving mysteries and crimes, was created by Gosho Aoyama. Detective Conan, often known as Case Closed, is a manga about a boy who manages challenging cases and school life simultaneously.
Case Closed is one of the most popular manga series, with over 1000+ anime episodes and 240 million copies sold. Aoyama has a net worth of close to $50 million, with manga sales accounting for a sizable portion of it.
4. Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto)
Masashi Kishimoto, one of Japan’s most well-known mangaka and influential figures, is a familiar name to anime enthusiasts. He’s behind the creation of the most loved anime series Naruto.
With 250+ million copies sold across nearly 47 nations, Naruto is the fourth most popular manga series worldwide. It has received numerous honours and frequently appears on bestseller lists from The New York Times and US Today.
Although Kishimoto’s exact net worth is unknown to the general public, estimates place his personal fortune around $25–27 million.
3. Hajime Isayama (Attack on Titan)
Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama never dreamed that he would become the richest manga author in 2021 when he began work on the project in 2005.
Isayama continued to work on his storyboard even after Weekly Shonen Jump rejected it, and he submitted Attack On Titan to Kodansha. And now it’s one of the most popular anime series!
Isayama won numerous honours for his outstanding work, including the Harvey Award and the Kodansha Manga Award. More than 100 million copies of Attack on Titan have been sold to date, and the numbers are still growing.
The royalties from the selling of his manga and the creation of his animation are considered part of Isayama’s estimated net worth of $45–46 million.
2. Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball)
It is absolutely accurate to call Akira Toriyama the “Godfather” of the manga industry. His extra work has helped anime and manga gain immense popularity in the West.
All thanks to the legendary manga Dragon Ball through which people get to know about anime.
Because of Dragon Ball, people learned about anime for the first time. In the 1990s, it was the most-watched series.
Estimates put his manga sales from the many Dragon Ball sequels at around $300 million, with most of those sales happening in the West.
Akira Toriyama is thought to have a net worth of $55–57 million, and this isn’t solely because of the success of the Dragon Ball series.
He is also in charge of the character design in the Dragon Ball Quest video game series. And, he has created several other mangas as well including his first hit comedy series Dr. Slump.
1. Eiichiro Oda (One Piece)
No other author ever rose to the top of the list of the most wealthy manga creators in history the way Eiichiro Oda did.
With an estimated net worth of nearly $230 million, he is the richest mangaka in the world.
At the age of only 17, he became a manga artist and developed a fabulous story like One Piece that changed the history of the manga industry.
The feat Oda achieved in the last 20 years is almost impossible for someone else to get even close to it.
