This page presents some of the mangakas who were most prominent in an online survey about the hobby of Japanese pop culture in Finland in the 2000s, conducted by Leikki – the Museum of Play in late spring 2023.
Osamu Tezuka (1928–1989)
Best known for creating “Astro Boy” (1952-1968), Tezuka is often called the “father of manga” for his significant influence on the medium. He pioneered the familiar large-eyed manga style, drawing inspiration from Walt Disney’s works. Tezuka also developed many animation techniques that sped up the production of anime episodes, thus lowering production costs.
Yoshihiro Takahashi (b. 1953)
Takahashi is best known in Finland as the creator of the dog fighting anime Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin (1983-1987). He has several other dog-themed manga series that belong to the Ginga universe. Although Takahashi’s most successful series revolve around dogs, he has also created manga about baseball and fishing.
Akira Toriyama (1955–2024)
Toriyama is best known as the creator of the battle manga Dragon Ball (1984–1995). Over 11 years, 42 volumes of Dragon Ball were produced, and the series has spawned multiple anime series and movies, as well as numerous video games. Toriyama was also responsible for character designs in the Dragon Quest (1986–) video game series.
Rumiko Takahashi (b. 1957)
Takahashi’s works include Ranma ½ (1987–1996), Inuyasha (1996–2008), and Rin-ne (2009–2017). Takahashi is one of Japan’s most successful manga artists and has gathered a sizable fan base in Finland as well. Ranma ½ was introduced to Finnish readers through Egmont in 2003, coinciding with many people’s first exposure to manga in stores.
Junji Ito (b. 1963)
Often hailed as the master of horror manga, Ito’s stories are intense and disturbing, and his art style is highly distinctive. His most famous works include Tomie (1987-2000) and Uzumaki (1998-1999).
Kentaro Miura (1966–2021)
Best known as the creator of Berserk (1989–), Miura’s art style is dramatic and detailed. His works have influenced many other manga artists and served as inspiration for numerous video games. Miura did not complete the Berserk series during his lifetime, but his team of assistants have continued the series’ production and publication.
CLAMP (established in 1987)
CLAMP is a collective of four female manga artists: Nanase Ohkawa (1967), Mokona Apapa (1968), Tsubaki Nekoi (1969), and Satsuki Igarashi (1969). The members collaborate on CLAMP’s series, switching their roles (storytelling, drawing, etc.) depending on the series. CLAMP is known for series such as Magic Knight Rayearth (1993-1996), Cardcaptor Sakura (1996-2000), and Chobits (2000-2002).
