Article by: Nhlakanipho Kubheka
Naoki Urasawa is one of Japan’s most revered manga artists and storytellers, renowned for his masterful craftsmanship in graphic novels. Born in Tokyo in 1960, Urasawa’s artistic journey began with a passion for drawing and storytelling from an early age. Intricate plots, deep character development, and a compelling blend of mystery, suspense, and human drama characterize his works.
Urasawa’s talent has garnered international acclaim, with his creations transcending cultural boundaries to captivate audiences worldwide. From the bustling streets of Tokyo to the far reaches of imagination, Urasawa’s narratives transport readers on unforgettable journeys that explore the complexities of the human condition. Despite the mangaka’s overwhelming success, some of his projects have fallen by the wayside.
Let’s delve deeper into some of his lesser-known bodies of work; needless to say, works like Monster, 20th Century Boys, and Pluto will not be fixtures in this discussion.
Happy! (1993–1999)
A rarity for Urasawa, Happy! is a sports manga that follows a young Miyuki Umino, who drops out of school to become a pro tennis player in order to pay off her brother’s debt, if she is unable to, young Umino will be forced to get into a life of prostitution. Though imperfect, it served as a precursor to refining his future works. A must-read for diehard Urasawa fans.
yawara!(1986–1993)
Inspired by the debut of women’s judo in the 1992 Olympics, Yawara Inokuma is trained by her grandfather to compete in the contest. This comedy manga series is Urasawa’s most light-hearted works and in true Urasawa fashion, the actual theme of the story is dwarfed by magnificent character writing as we’ve come to expect from the veteran mangaka.
Pineapple Army (1985–1988)
Urasawa’s first serialized work and the least refined of his manga, but is a treasure trove of influences that shaped Uraswa’s writing style, it can be likened to a cluster of ideas that give us an early look at Urasawa’s unrefined style which lacked identity during that time. This is a craft book that would shape one of the manga’s most skilled storytellers.
Master Keaton (1988-1994)
The amazing Taichi Keaton works on cases around the globe that always lead to adventure! He combines his arsenal of multidisciplinary expertise in investigation, archeology, and survival with his experience as a professor, a Falklands Conflict veteran, and a SAS agent to unravel the often dangerous challenges, this is a thrilling episodic story that starts to build. An excellent read and the first real story that gave readers an idea of the mangaka’s writing style.
Honorable Mention: Asadora! (2018-)
Currently being serialized, Asadora is only an honorable mention because of its incomplete status, but it has already attracted a fair bit of attention in the manga community, not to the level of his most famous works. Asadora! tells the story of Asa Asada’s life, starting in post-war Japan, and spanning into the then-present year 2020, when a large monster rampages through Tokyo.
The story begins in 1959 when Asa looks for a doctor for her mother in labor, only for her to run into a burglar and be held for ransom. When Typhoon Vera hits Japan, Asa and her kidnapper must work together to survive. The story has since won a Lucca Comics Award. It promises to be among his best works, but only time will tell.
Billybat (2008–2016)
Japanese-American Kevin Yamagata now authors the renowned detective comic book “Billy Bat” after serving in the Allied Forces in World War II. But as his series becomes a massive hit, Kevin discovers that his famed character, Billy Bat, already existed before within a Japanese comic. Worried that he may have unconsciously copied something he saw during his time there, Kevin returns to Japan to find Billy Bat’s original creator and seek permission for him to use their character. However, as he traces back Billy Bat’s roots, he finds himself unraveling a dark and twisted history of murders that somehow involve the character he thought he created.
These are among the most underrated titles in Naoki Urasawa’s rich bibliography. Which story are you reading first?
