1. Taiyou Matsumoto (Sunny, Takemitsuzamurai, Ping Pong, Tokyo Higoro)
You can pretty much pick up everything he did and have a good time. Super versatile, and it's nice to see him getting so much attention from localizers. Has gotten much better and more deliberate as a writer. Also, he's art on Takemitsuzamurai is some of the best in all of manga.
2. Makoto Ojiro (Insomniacs After School, Neko no Otera no Chion-san, Fujiyama-san wa Shishunki)
She is everything Makoto Shinkai wants to be with his films but fails to be because of his subpar writing. She is the best romance writer, has been consistent for over a decade, and is getting even better. Her passion for photography really helps her manga stand out visually (her backgrounds can be a bit empty at times, but her artwork is very cinematic and she also has my favorite female character designs).
If I had to describe her work in one word, it would be "romantic", not just her stories but also the way she depicts everyday life and the environment.
3. Mitsuru Adachi (Cross Game, Touch, H2)
One of the most consistent and successful creators in manga. It is a shame that so little of his work has been translated into English. People joke that he reuses his character designs (a technique established by Tezuka) for all his works, but they all convey what the characters are about, so I don't mind. I think his artwork is actually quite underrated; there are no wasted lines, and the paneling is really good.
The first act of Touch (9–10 volumes) is the best stretch of manga volumes ever written (the last two-thirds drop in quality, though).
Also I'm happy that at least Cross Game got localized since it is his best work (it also has an excellent anime adaptation).
4. Kiyohiko Azuma (Yotsubato!, Azumanga Daioh)
I think he often gets forgotten when people make the top list, even though he is very beloved and influential. Azumanga Daioh popularized CGDCT and spawned endless imitators, and his work still stands among the best.
Yotsubato! is endorphine in manga form. The way it depicts childhood is magical, and it's by far the funniest manga I've read. It's also really mature in its writing and understanding of parenthood. It's just a shame that the creator barely releases chapters.
5. Kozue Amano (Aria)
Another case where there is only one manga I like (I haven't finished Amanchu yet). Aria, on its own, is good enough to push her into the top 10.
Maybe the most life-affirming piece of fiction ever written. endlessly rereadable and full of passion and great artwork.
6. Jiro Taniguchi (A Journal of My Father, A Distant Neighborhood, Inu wo Kau)
Arguably the single most underappreciated mangaka of all time. Was one of the first noteable creators to go against industry conventions to release manga on a fixed and quick schedule, which he was mocked for by his peers.
If you couldn't tell by my favorite mangaka, I'm a big fan of Iyashikei and would consider him to have created the first true Iyashikei work (The Walking Man).
His stories are very mature and heavily inspired by Franco-Belgian comics. Thankfully, he recieved some recognition overseas.
Honorable mentions:
Kazuo Koike/Kojima Goseki (Lone Wolf and Cub)
Chika Umino (3-gatsu no Lion)
Chuuya Koyama (Space Brothers)
Hiromu Arakawa (Fullmetal Alchemist)
That’s good to hear. I would like a happy ending to the story haha.
Thanks for checking out the videos. It means a lot to hear that you enjoyed them. Older anime have always been some of my favorite so that is kind of the focus of my channel, but I am trying to make videos on a wide range of topics. I don’t have a lot of time to work on videos so I am a bit slow on putting videos out, but I hope you will watch in the future as well. Thanks again.
I read the volumes that are out currently and really like the manga. It’s nice to see a series with a couple that is straight forward and has clear progression in their relationship, instead of spending the entire manga in a will they, won’t they situation. I am excited to see where the story goes from here , but a bit worried about the way they keep bringing up the main girl’s health issues. I am hoping this won’t become another “Your Lie in April”. It seems there is also an anime adaption on the way so this manga may start getting some more attention soon. Thanks for the recommendation.
Hello, glad to hear you're enjoying Macross. It's some of the most fun I've had with an anime.
Thanks for the manga recommendation. I was actually searching for an iyashikei series, as I was starting to feel nostalgic about YKK. This could very well fit the bill, so I'll bookmark it and give it a read very soon.
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Thanks for checking out the videos. It means a lot to hear that you enjoyed them. Older anime have always been some of my favorite so that is kind of the focus of my channel, but I am trying to make videos on a wide range of topics. I don’t have a lot of time to work on videos so I am a bit slow on putting videos out, but I hope you will watch in the future as well. Thanks again.
Thanks for the manga recommendation. I was actually searching for an iyashikei series, as I was starting to feel nostalgic about YKK. This could very well fit the bill, so I'll bookmark it and give it a read very soon.