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One of the most well-known tropes of shonen anime and manga series is their capability to run incredibly long due to overarching plots. Many of the famous anime and manga shonen series in the world fall into this category, such as One Piece and Hajime no Ippo.
While no shonen anime and manga series has eclipsed 2,000 chapters so far, there is one which has come incredibly close and more which may potentially come even closer. The longevity that the shonen anime and manga demographic allow its series to reach is truly mind-boggling.
Here are the ten longest-running shonen anime and manga series, ranked by the chapter count of their source material.
One Piece and other big shonen anime and manga names among the ten longest-running
1) KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops (1,960 chapters)
Written by Osamu Akimoto, KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops is a concluded shonen anime and manga series which finished its run at 1,960 chapters. As of this writing, it is the single longest-running shonen with more than a 600-chapter gap to the next closest.
The series follows Kankichi Ryo-san Ryotsu, a middle-aged cop whose misadventures revolve around get-rich-quick schemes gone wrong. Ironically, despite following a police officer as a protagonist, very little police work is shown or followed throughout the series, if any at all.
2) Hajime no Ippo (1,353 chapters)
Written by the world-famous George Morikawa, Hajime no Ippo is a currently-releasing shonen anime and manga series which has released 1,353 chapters. North American anime fans may recognize the series by its import name, Fighting Spirit.
The series follows high school student Ippo Makunouchi and his transition from a shy high school student to a confident world-champion boxer. The transition is not as easy as it seems, with the story largely focusing on the troubles Ippo and his friends face, as well as the character development they experience throughout their lives.
3) Doraemon (1,345 chapters)
Doraemon is a concluded shonen anime and manga series written by the late authors Fujiko F. Fujio and Fujiko A. Fujio. The series ran for more than 25 years, ending publication with 1,345 chapters published.
The story focuses on its eponymous character, an earless robotic cat who travels back in time from the 22nd century. Upon the conclusion of his time-faring journey, he meets Nobita Nobi, whom he was sent to help by Nobi’s future grandson. The goal of this act is to give his descendants a better life, through Doraemon’s teachings of various morals and ethics.
4) Super Radical Gag Family (1,331 chapters)
Super Radical Gag Family is a shonen anime and manga series written by Hamaoka Kenji. The series is currently ongoing, having recently reached 1,331 chapters in length.
The series follows the Osawagai family, living in Urayasu City, near Tokyo, Japan. The family is known for causing an assortment of troubles and pulling a variety of pranks on one another. The series follows the misadventures that these pranks and quirks land the family in, usually ending on a resolved, light-hearted note.
5) Baki the Grappler (1,227 chapters)
Baki the Grappler is a currently releasing shonen anime and manga series, with the manga having recently released its 1,227th chapter. The series is by Keisuke Itagaki, who is the only author to pen the series thus far.
The story focuses on Baki Hanma, a Japanese boy raised by his wealthy mother Emi Akezawa. Emi funds Baki’s training in martial arts, in the hopes that he can become as strong as his father Yujiro.
However, the beginning of the series sees him outgrow traditional training, with the boy heading out to get real-world fighting experience and eventually fight his own father.
6) Case Closed (1,090 chapters)
Also known as Detective Conan also known as Case Closed is an ongoing shonen anime and manga series approaching 1,100 chapters in length. The series is written by Gosho Aoyama and published in a weekly format.
Case Closed follows Shinichi (or Jimmy) Kudo, a high school detective who will occasionally works with police to solve cases. One investigation sees him captured by a member of the Black Organization, who then force-feed him a lethal drug.
Instead of killing him, the drug turned Kudo into a kid, beginning his investigation into the Black Organization as a way to return back to his normal self.
7) One Piece (1,047 chapters)
Written by the world-famous Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is one of Shueisha’s flagship shonen anime and manga series. The manga is still being released today, with Oda estimating roughly another five years of publication in addition to the 1,086 published chapters.
The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young man who aspires to become King of the Pirates and sets off to do so with his Gum-Gum Fruit powers, turning him into a rubber man unable to swim. The series is a fantastic mix of adventure, emotion, comedy, and fantasy, resulting in it being hailed as one of the greatest series of all time.
8) Silver Fang -The Shooting Star Gin- (1,001 chapters)
Having just passed the coveted 1,000-chapter mark, Silver Fang -The Shooting Star Gin- is currently publishing shonen anime and manga series. The series is authored by Yoshihiro Takahashi and debuted in November 1983.
The series follows an Akita Inu pup called Gin, who leaves his master Daisuke to join a pack of wild dogs. The pack is gathering strong dogs from all over Japan to fight the deranged bear Akakabuto, who has also gathered his own minions for the fight.
The story begins from a human point of view but eventually switches to the dogs, and follows their quest to bring the bear down.
9) JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (957 chapters)
The first entry on this list to be below 1,000 chapters, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the most popular and well-known shonen anime and manga series. Written by Hirohiko Araki, the series debuted in December 1986 and has consistently been released since its conception.
The series follows the centennial misadventures of the Joestar family in their fight against the evil Dio Brando and, eventually, his followers. A later reboot of the series universe sees different antagonists appear, with many of the same characters being represented in different designs with the same name.
No matter which parts we select, every section of the series is celebrated for its story, artwork, and battle scenes.
10) Major (939 chapters)
Finally, Major is an ongoing manga series written by Takuya Mitsuda. The series first debuted in August 1994, with regular serialization beginning in January 1995. The series follows protagonist Goro Honda, from his humble beginnings as a kindergartener who loves baseball to his career as a professional player.
Expertly blending sports and slice-of-life genres, the story focuses on how Honda overcomes tremendous challenges in both personal life and sports. The series is renowned for its incredibly touching moments, as well as its realistic portrayal of real-life hardships.
In summation
The above-mentioned animes are the cornerstones of the contemporary anime world because, despite their length, they have consistently provided us with high-quality entertainment throughout the years. Although they may be discontinued in the future, these anime have made their imprint on the development of the genre.
Be sure to follow for more anime updates and manga news as 2023 progresses.
This article was modified on Saturday, June 24 at 11:39 PM.
