The manga industry is growing at an astounding pace. Every year, hundreds of different manga series come out, and avid readers are able to enjoy the various genres that are put out. Despite the high number of manga though, not all of them manage to solidify themselves as being must-read.
Due to this reason, readers find themselves going back to some of the older series that have the numbers to back up their quality. While some might prefer reading lesser-known manga, most readers tend to go for the best-selling manga series. To many, their impressive sales demonstrate their quality, making the best-selling manga of all time an easy choice for manga fans.
Updated April 17, 2023, by Suzail Ahmad: Ever since big companies started translating and publishing manga, the popularity of the industry has increased significantly. With tons of different manga readily available, it is impossible not to find something that suits the taste of an individual. Like with any form of media, though, there is a discrepancy in the popularity of the different manga series. Some of them are more appealing than others for one reason or another. The popularity of a manga series is directly reflected in its sales. A manga with higher popularity will undoubtedly sell more copies. Given the fact that there are so many famous manga, fans often find themselves wondering which is the best-selling manga of all time.
14 Attack on Titan (110 million sold)
Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan has one of the largest fanbases in the world. The manga is very popular, especially in the West, because of its intriguing yet grim story. Attack on Titan's anime adaptation has also played a key role in its success.
Hajime Isyama started working on the manga in September 2009. The manga continued to be serialized until April 2021. The manga's ending may be controversial, but that hasn't stopped the series from selling over 100 million copies.
13 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (120 million sold)
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is an extremely unique manga series that is divided into different parts, with each one focusing on a different protagonist. Hirohiko Araki's idea might have been considered bizarre back then, but he has the numbers that prove he made the right decision.
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is an epic action and adventure manga series that covers the various generations of the Joestar Family and their feud with DIO. So far, the manga has nine different parts, which between them have sold over 120 million copies.
12 Bleach (130 million sold)
Bleach was among the "Big Three" of the Shonen Jump. For years, Tite Kubo's manga dominated Shonen Jump, along with One Piece and Naruto. At the time, all three manga series were involved in a struggle to become the biggest and most popular manga in the world.
Bleach started serializing in the Weekly Shonen Jump in August 2001 and ended in August 2016. The story has been collected into 76 volumes, and together they have sold an impressive 130 million copies. The series released its much-anticipated Thousand-Year Blood War arc in 2022, and it is among the highest-rated anime on MyAnimeList.
11 Oishinbo (135 million sold)
Oishinbo is a popular manga series written by Tetsu Kariya. The manga has been a part of Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits since 1983. Since its release, the manga has sold 135 million copies. It was placed on an indefinite hiatus in 2014, and currently, there is no return date for the series.
Oishinbo offers readers a chance to experience the culinary world as they sit in the comfort of their homes. The story is elevated by the addition of several comical scenes. Oishinbo received an anime adaptation in 1988, which continued until 1992. The anime has 136 episodes in total and was produced by Studio Deen.
10 Demon Slayer (150 million sold)
When the first season of Demon Slayer was released, it took the entire world by storm. Produced by Ufotable, the anime has very high-quality animation. So far, every season of Demon Slayer has had excellent pacing, which makes it very interesting to watch.
The success of the anime resulted in an increase in manga sales. After the first season, fans started buying all the volumes of the manga. Presently, the manga has sold 150 million copies, and with another season on the way, this number will only increase further.
9 KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops (156.5 million sold)
KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops is a comedy manga series that has been written by Osamu Akimoto. The manga started being serialized in 1976, and it came to an end in 2016. KochiKame has over 1,000 chapters, and they have been compiled into 201 volumes.
Considering the number of volumes, it is not surprising that the series has sold over 150 million units. The manga follows the adventures of a cop named Kankichi Ryotsu, who runs into new problems and uses the most outrageous methods to solve them.
8 Slam Dunk (170 million sold)
For many people, Slam Dunk is the quintessential sports manga. It has been written by Takehiko Inoue, who also created Vagabond and Real. When it came out, the manga inspired many readers to pick up basketball, resulting in an increase in the popularity of the sport in Japan.
The manga had just 31 volumes, but it has amassed 170 million in sales. With a Slam Dunk movie on the way, the manga will almost certainly see further growth in its sales.
7 Black Jack (176 million sold)
Black Jack might not be as well-known as some of the best-selling manga, but it is every bit as successful with over 170 million copies sold. The manga has been written by the legendary Osamu Tezuka.
The manga follows a kind doctor named Black Jack who tries to help needy people. Whenever he sees a person in trouble, he tries to make their lives better, but he rarely gets any recognition for his deeds.
6 Naruto (250 million sold)
Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto is one of Shonen Jump's "Big Three." The manga is extremely popular, especially in the West, and many readers believe it to be among the best manga of all time. It has over 250 million copies in circulation.
The story focuses on a young boy named Naruto who wants to become the Hokage, the position of the highest authority in the village. In order to achieve his goal, Naruto has to overcome many obstacles.
5 Doraemon (250 million sold)
Doraemon is a manga series made specifically for kids. Written by Fujiko F. Fujio, it has over 1,000 chapters, which have been compiled into 45 volumes. Despite being catered toward a very specific demographic, Doraemon has sold over 300 million copies, mainly due to its funny yet interesting story.
At the center of the manga's story is a robotic cat, named Doraemon, who travels into the past to help a lazy kid named Nobita. The manga has received countless anime and movie adaptations, which have helped boost its popularity even further.
4 Dragon Ball (260 million sold)
When Dragon Ball came out, it revolutionized the shonen genre. Akira Toriyama introduced many new concepts in Dragon Ball, which made it stand out from the other manga of its time. Even now, Toriyama's ideas continue to inspire other mangaka.
Given the uniqueness of the series, it is no surprise that Dragon Ball has sold over 250 million copies despite having only 42 volumes. The manga dives into the world of Son Goku, a kid who explores the world while making many allies and foes.
3 Detective Conan (270 million sold)
Detective Conan also known as Case Closed, is a mystery manga series. It is the work of Gosho Aoyama, and it has been a part of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine since 1994. So far, the manga has 102 volumes and has sold over 250 million copies.
Detective Conan covers the adventures of Shinichi Kudo, who is a high school detective. Over time, Shinichi's reputation begins to grow, which causes a criminal organization to make him their target. They try to murder Shinichi with a drug, but instead of killing him, it turns him into a kid.
2 Golgo 13 (300 million sold)
Golgo 13 is the oldest of the best-selling manga. It started serializing in 1968 in Shogakukan's Big Comic. Since then, the manga has been consistently releasing new chapters, and they have been compiled into over 200 volumes. Given the fact that it has managed to stay relevant for so long, it isn't surprising to see that it has 300 million copies in circulation.
The series follows the adventures of an elite assassin named Golgo 13, who is hired by various groups to complete some of the riskiest missions. Due to his immense skill, Golgo 13 always manages to come out on top.
1 One Piece (516.6 million sold)
Eiichiro Oda's One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time by some margin. The manga is still ongoing, yet has already accumulated sales of over 500 million. In the last decade, the popularity of One Piece in the West has increased a lot too.
Oda has stated that he wants to wrap up the series within the next two or three years, so the numbers will see a major growth between now and then. With this in mind, it wouldn't be at all surprising to see One Piece end up with over 700 million copies sold.