10 most popular manga that have run for longer than 10 years

Popular manga legends occur when creators pour decades of their lives into single storylines, recasting simple concepts into generational phenomena. These marathon narratives have survived countless trends, editorial changes, and redirected reader preferences while maintaining their unique identities.

These 10 popular manga series have prevailed through economic slumps, technological revolutions, and the digital modification of publishing.

---

10 long-running manga series

1. The Sweet Science Champion: Hajime no Ippo

Hajime no Ippo has been throwing punches for over 35 years, beginning in October 1989, and continues strong with more than 140 volumes published. Its crispy black‑and‑white panels and picturesque ring artwork define its intense visual style and make it a standout in aesthetics.

Jōji Morikawa's thorough attention to boxing and the sport's psychological aspects creates visually breathtaking panels that make every match feel cinematic. This popular manga's incredible longevity emanates from its perfect balance of character development and spectacular action.

---

2. The Popular Manga of Pirate King: One Piece

One Piece is the flagship popular manga that began in 1997 and continues with over 1000+ episodes of anime and hundreds of manga volumes as of 2025. The story shows Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates on their epic quest to find the fabled treasure, One Piece.

The series uncovers bizarre islands, powerful enemies, and memorable allies along the way. Its vibrant art, innovative island landscapes, and dynamic panel flow create a visual aesthetic that expresses modern excellence.

---

3. Tokyo’s Finest Comedy: Kochikame: Tokyo Beat Cops

Kochikame: Tokyo Beat Cops is one of the most iconic manga titles, and also widely popular. It has been serialized for 40 years from September 1976 to September 2016, with nearly 200 volumes. Its cartoonish, metropolitan visuals and comedic pacing spotlight a colorful, aesthetic allure that has kept fans reading for decades.

Osamu Akimoto's art style completely grabs the jumbled energy of Tokyo street life, with detailed backgrounds that showcase the city's evolution over four decades. The manga's visual comedy depends heavily on exaggerated facial expressions and sight gags that translate the frenetic pace of urban Japan into pure enjoyment gold.

---

4. The Generational Saga: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is an ongoing popular manga that began in 1987 and continues today, spanning nine parts across decades and over 136 volumes. Its bold quality, designs, surreal postures, and dazzling panels make it visually striking, and portray it as a top example in manga aesthetics.

It transitioned from Weekly Shōnen Jump to Ultra Jump, and has spanned numerous generations of the Joestar family. Araki's art style has undergone an evolution, changing from muscular '80s aesthetics to the elegant, fashion-inspired tactics seen in recent parts.

---

5. The Ultimate Fighter: Grappler Baki

Grappler Baki began in 1991 and ran through the ’90s, breeding multiple sequels and arcs in a franchise now counting roughly over 1,300 chapters across many years. Its muscular anatomy artwork, engaged fight sequences, and excessive power lines offer an intense aesthetic that cements it as lasting popular manga entertainment.

The story depicts Baki Hanma's pursuit to outdo his father, the world's strongest creature, through increasingly barbaric and unnatural combat encounters. The visual storytelling portrays an unbelievable miscellany of fighting styles and practices.

---

6. The Soccer Dream: Captain Tsubasa

Yoichi Takahashi's soccer epic has been inspiring young athletes since 1981. It traverses multiple series and epochs of characters pursuing their football dreams. Its lively pitch‑action panels, expressive character action lines, and goal‑celebration forms make its aesthetic vivid and long-lasting in popular manga history.

Character designs highlight the athletic build and persistence of players. Thorough stadium backgrounds and crowd responses create an immersive sporting aura.

---

7. The Professional Assassin: Golgo 13

Designed by Takao Saito, this series holds the record as the longest-running manga ever, surpassing 200 volumes and gaining the tag of Japanese James Bond. Its gritty realism, minimalistic formatting, and high‑contrast noir visuals give it a sleek aesthetic that marks it among popular manga classics.

Saito's lifelike art style centers on detailed weaponry, authentic global locations, and the stoic expressions that illustrate the mysterious protagonist. The manga's visual course stresses photorealistic backgrounds and technical accuracy in depicting firearms and military gear.

---

8. The Superhero Parody: Kinnikuman

This superhero-wrestling mashup originally ran from 1979 to 1987, and made a comeback in 2011. Its sporty art style, exaggerated humor, and chunky character designs create a bold, entertaining vibe.

Kinnikuman follows a goofy superhero as he transforms from a bungling underdog into Earth’s ultimate protector through over-the-top wrestling matches. The manga's visual humor banks on slapstick comedy and parody that playfully mock both superhero and wrestling tropes.

---

9. The Teen Detective: The Kindaichi Case Files

The Kindaichi Case Files is a long‑running detective manga, serialized from October 1992 to October 2017 across six series and more, spanning over 25 years. The series has retained popularity via multiple runs, combining classic detective story components with modern teenage drama and nail-biting psychological aspects.

The artwork underscores atmospheric crime scene illustrations and detailed character faces that share the psychological uncertainty of each mystery. Visual storytelling techniques contain creative panel layouts that guide readers through rational deductions and dramatic reveals.

---

10. The Dark Fantasy Masterpiece: Berserk

Berserk is a legendary popular manga, first serialized in 1989 and running posthumously with new chapters even after creator Kentaro Miura’s passing in 2021. Miura’s intricately detailed artwork and dark medieval aesthetic set the series apart visually.

Its raw emotional depth has earned it a place among the most iconic and critically acclaimed masterpieces in manga history. The visual storytelling reveals cinematic quality via masterful use of light and shadow.

These popular manga titles aren’t recognized just for how long they ran, but for how assertive they looked. There is something powerful about manga that outlasts eras. When creators do it right, the ink never fades away.