The best shonen manga with a non-Japanese protagonist

Key Takeaways

• Japanese manga artists are diversifying their settings with non-Japanese protagonists to appeal to audiences around the world.
• Series like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Spy
• Dragon Ball and One Piece feature characters with international influence, adding depth to their origins.

It is perhaps not surprising that Japanese companies producing in Japan for Japanese people tend to be set in Japan and feature Japanese protagonists. Even if it takes place in a fantasy setting, there will be at least some familiar elements that domestic audiences can accept (hurricane polymer It is centered around “Amehon”, where the United States and Japan merged into one country, and “Washinkyo” is the capital).

Nonetheless, these days mangaka have access to more sources of inspiration, which allows them to exert more influence to enhance their settings and world-building. It worked out well for them, as some of the biggest names in shonen manga had non-Japanese protagonists. It may even have helped them catch up with the rest of the world, but it shows that going abroad can still attract a domestic audience if it's still a great read.

1 jojo's bizarre adventure

MyAnimeList Score: 7.29 (Part 1), 8.14 (Part 2), 8.18 (Part 5), 8.24 (Part 6)

• Creator: Hirohiko Araki.
• Part 1: Volume 5, Chapter 44.
• Part 2: Volume 7, Chapter 69.
• Part 5: Volume 17, Chapter 155.
• Part 6: Volume 17, Chapter 158.
• Available through Viz Media.

jojo's bizarre adventure This is one of the most famous examples. boy jumping Jonathan Joestar from the series officially has a non-Asian main character. Part 1: Phantom Blood. His gentlemanly demeanor may not have thrilled readers as much as when his cheeky grandson Joseph got behind the wheel. Part 2: Combat Tendencies. Then again, Jotaro, the stoic half-Japanese protagonist, never reached the heights of popularity. Part 3: Stardust Crusaders.

By then jojo We're back with a completely non-Japanese lead. Part 7: Steel Ball RunThe Johnny Joestar series became a seinen strip. But those international contacts never left. Part 5: Vento AureoHalf Japanese, but all Italian growing up. On the other hand, Jolyne Part 6: Stone Ocean She has an ambiguous heritage as she may be either American with only ¼ Japanese or in fact fully Japanese. It's up in the air because her mother never gets any development beyond being Jolyne's mother.

2 Trigun and Trigun Max

MyAnimeList Score: 7.72 (Trigun), 8.27 (Max)

• Creator: Yasuhiro Naito
• Volume 3, Chapter 22 (trigun), Volume 14, Chapter 102 (best)
• Available through Dark Horse Comics.

Space Westerns were a popular genre among animation fans at the time. cowboy bebop, outlaw starand trigun When viewers discovered Toonami, they continued to engage with it. But after bebop It was for animation only. star Starting with the Seinen belt trigun It is the only work that began as a shonen manga. 'Humanoid Typhoon', who tries to live a pacifistic life but is capable of destroying cities on his own, seems like another white male protagonist. But looks can be deceiving.

He's actually a sentient plant creature, so that's the “humanoid” part. Thanks to his retrograde amnesia, he took the time to remember parts of his past, with the goal of stopping his twin brother's more malicious intentions. It took some time for the series to gain popularity. trigunceased operations and had to change publishers to continue. trigun maxBut it has since become a cult classic in both print and screen.

3 The Promised Neverland

MyAnimeList Score: 8.15

• Creators: Kaiu Shirai (story), Posuka Demizu (art)
• Volume 20, Chapter 181.
• Available through Viz Media and MANGA Plus.

The Promised Neverland It maintained its momentum better in its original manga form than in the animation. The story of a group of brave orphans who discover they are being raised as devil meat, making for suspenseful reading. Especially when they have to leave everything they know, including their so-called mother, to survive in the wild on their own while rescuing other orphans.

The cast extends beyond Japanese shores, as they're a rather multicultural bunch with Western names like the cheerful and optimistic Emma, ​​the genius Norman and the cynical Ray. However, this does not mean that only whites and Asians are mixed. many Neverland's heroes and villains have diverse backgrounds, including the violent but lovable Don and the cunning Krone.

4 black butler

MyAnimeList Score: 8.41

• Creator: Yana Toboso.
• 34+ volumes, 213+ chapters.
• Available through Enpress.

One of the reasons why European settings often appear in comics and animation is because many early animated series and films were inspired directly or indirectly (usually through Disney films) by European fairy tales and novels. Hayao Miyazaki was one of many animators who entered the industry by adapting stories such as: Heidi, Girl of the AlpsTo the TV screen. Studio Ghibli continued this trend: Arrietty and Earthsea's story. but, black butler There are many different influences.

Cursed genius Ciel and his demonic butler Sebastian are touched by Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, especially against the backdrop of Victorian London. But Ciel's deal with Sebastian will eat away at his soul as he exacts revenge on those who murdered his family. They are even more Faustian as they investigate the trail of occult criminals ranging from gothic horror abominations to Lovecraftian ones.

5 dragon ball

MyAnimeList Score: 8.43

• Creator: Akira Toriyama
• Volume 42, Chapter 520.
• Available through Viz Media.

Surely everyone knows Goku. dragon ball I'm not Japanese. He's a Saiyan! Although we were raised on Earth from birth. He considers himself more of an Earthling than anyone else on Planet Vegeta. But is that person the Japanese version? not quite. Goku has more Chinese links than Japanese, despite having a Japanese voice with a thick Tohoku accent. Just as ‘Son Goku’ is the Japanese pronunciation of ‘Son Goku’, journey to the west.

And his childhood home on Mount Paozu is based on the home on Mount Guahua in Oukong, which is most likely Mount Huaguo in Lianyungang. Many of his friends are based on Chinese folk characters, such as Tien (Erlang Shen), Chiaotzu (Nezha), and Oolong (Zhu Bajie). DBThe world of is a mixture of various cultures and characters, but if Goku were to come from anywhere, it would probably be China.

6 Spy

MyAnimeList Score: 8.50

• Creator: Tatsuya Endo
• 14+ volumes, 107+ chapters.
• Available through Viz Media and MANGA Plus.

Spy By basing the rival states of Westalis and Ostania directly in West and East Germany, they jumped right into Teutonic territory. Like its previously divided halves, the country is at the center of a cold war with Westalis agent “Twilight” spying on Ostanian politician Desmond Donovan. To keep an eye on him, he sets up the identity of Loid Forger, the head of the family, along with his wife Yor and adopted daughter Anya.

Unbeknownst to him, Yor is a notorious assassin called “Princess Thorn” and is using fake marriages to get closer to her target. She doesn't know that Lloyd is a spy, nor does she know that Anya is not his blood daughter. Anya is the only person who knows the whole story. Her telepathic abilities allow her to read the minds of her “parents”. Put them together and you have what may be the strangest West German family in fictional East Germany.

7 attack on titan

MyAnimeList Score: 8.55

• Creator: Hajime Isayama.
• Volume 34, Chapter 141.
• Available for purchase through Kodansha Comics USA.

good night black butler and Spy, attack on titan There is a vaguely European theme to the setting, with Germanic Eldians and somewhat Greek Marleyans. However, since Mikasa has Japanese features, including her name, their background gains considerable appeal through their name. But she is also an Ackerman, retaining the German connections that the other characters have.

Based on her, one might think that the protagonist Eren Yeager has Turkish roots. Because his name is based on the Turkish word for “saint.” However, the name was chosen in reference to the Eldian spy Eren Kruger, so that's sadly unlikely. if AoTHis world is still connected to the real world, and his name “Grisha” is Russian for “Gregory”, so he most likely has German roots with a bit of Russian through his father.

MyAnimeList Score: 9.04

• Creator: Hiromu Arakawa
• Volume 27, Chapter 116.
• Available through Viz Media.

good night attack on titanFans found the tone somewhat Teutonic. fullmetal alchemist series, But this is truer of the 2003 animation than the manga. Studio Bones had the license to create an original ending during the manga's run, so writer Sho Aikawa ( Urotsuki Doji and Angel Cop Notorious) I saw Edward Elric go to pre-war Germany, and I saw a guy with a mustache in a tie-in movie to that movie. Conqueror of Shambhala.

The comic is based on the fantasy world of Amestris, which is more generally based in late 19th century Europe, with British and French touches interspersed with German touches. There are more diverse examples (see the Middle Eastern Ishvalans and the Chinese Xinges), but many of the main characters are primarily white, including the Elric brothers.

9 one piece

MyAnimeList Score: 9.22

• Creator: Eiichiro Oda
• Over 110 volumes, over 1,131 chapters.
• Available through Viz Media.

Among the well-received works, it received the strongest evaluation among the live-action adaptations. one piece The series was created by creator Eiichiro Oda himself, who was particularly impressed by Iñaki Godoy's performance as Luffy. He even gave her his own straw hat and said, “I’m glad you were born Luffy.” Considering how little the live-action adaptation adapts to the material, that's probably the highest praise you can get.

while one piece Although it takes place in a fantasy world, Oda has always portrayed Luffy as a Latino character, citing Brazil as the closest comparison to his country of origin. These were answers to questions received through the SBS bulletin board that appears in each chapter. Oda added that in addition to Luffy, Nami is Swedish, Nico Robin Russian, Sanji French, Brook Austrian, Franky American, Chopper Canadian, Usopp African (he does not specify where in Africa), and Zoro is the only Japanese member. Of the Straw Hat Pirates.