The most iconic manga covers

Summary

• Vagabond's cover art shows incredible detail and sets the tone for its genre

• Tokyo Ghoul's eerie cover gives a glimpse of Kaneki's new form and Ishida's talent

• “Attack on Titan” grabs attention with its iconic cover filled with mystery and action

There has been no shortage of incredible manga covers released over the past few decades. The title page of a chapter volume provides the author with an opportunity to demonstrate his or her own unique style and personal flair by providing insight into some of the characters involved in the story. Of course, a good manga cover also needs to entice people to actually read the content, and there are a few ways to achieve this.

Whether it's a more minimalist and stylized cover or one that's just full of detail and energy, there are several eye-catching covers that are considered iconic for their own reasons. Therefore, it's time to reflect on some of the most famous and well-known covers to understand what made them so popular in the eyes of many manga fans.

9

Vagabond – Volume 1

An incredibly detailed illustration of the legendary Musashi Miyamoto

For many people, Vagabond was the gateway to the Seinen genre. In addition to the tendency to incorporate more serious themes into their works, its artists also tend to try to use a more grounded and realistic art style, which Takehino Inoue makes very clear with the first cover of his now legendary series.

The cover features a young Musashi, whose entire face, from his hair to his eyes and mouth, has been sculpted with incredible detail. The use of colors on this page makes it look almost like a painting, which is a testament to how great the artist Inoue is for opening the series with such a fascinating piece of art.

8

Tokyo Ghoul – Volume 7

Sui Ishida puts his artistic talents on full display with this eerie and iconic cover featuring Kaneki

This creepy and disturbing portrait of Kaneki featured on the front Tokyo ghoul Volume 7 has become an iconic image among the fandom and many anime fans in general. While the image itself is full of detail, helping Kaneki look as menacing as possible, it also reflects his new horrific form revealed in this series of chapters.

This is one of the reasons why the cover caused so much admiration, as it gave a small taste of Kaneki's new form while also giving author Sui Ishida a chance to highlight his hypnotic artistic style, which he had gradually refined since he began using it of publication Tokyo ghoul.

7

Bleach – Volume 24

One of Bleach's most stylish covers was mentioned by another popular manga artist

The special pose that Grimmjow takes bleaching Cover, in which his hand extends towards the reader as if he were about to pull her into the page, actually comes from Tite Kubo's earlier work, Zombie powder. This cover so uniquely embodies Grimmjow's cheeky and hot-headed character in such an incredible way, and in classic Tite Kubo fashion, there is no background visible, instead there is more emphasis on the character himself.

This cover became so iconic that Gege Akutami, the author of Jujutsu Kaiseneven mentioned it on the cover of volume 14 of his respective series. While bleaching has many stunning covers that embody a more minimalist style. This one immediately comes to mind for many people because it's so effortlessly cool and stylish.

6

One Piece – Volume 1

A simple but sweet start to an epic adventure

It's hard to believe that a story with such a simple first cover would later become so big and grand in its world and characters. However, that's probably what made this illustration so popular, because in retrospect it's quite emotional to see Luffy, Zoro and Nami excitedly beginning their epic adventure to the Grand Line.

The way the camera focuses on the first trio as they laugh a few times as they set sail almost gives the impression that the reader is there with them as a member of the crew. This cover was later revised for Volume 41, with the future Straw Hat members added to celebrate the end of the time jump.

5

My Hero Academia – Volume 1

A cover so recognizable that even non-anime and manga fans can recognize it

If the My Hero Academia While the anime appeared on screens for the first time, the manga had already reached its tenth volume. Given the explosive success of the adaptation My hero would become a household name practically overnight, and with a whole new audience taking an interest in the manga, the first cover quickly became synonymous with the entire series.

Author Kohei Horikoshi shows off his captivating character designs here and ensures that the cover looks as fun and cheerful as possible to set the right tone for the series. Seeing the huge smile on All Might's face and Deku's amazement, it's hard not to jump into the volume to learn more about these quirky characters.

4

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Volume 1

So much about the style and tone of JoJo's can be gleaned from this single cover

To this day, Hirohiko Araki has an artistic style that cannot really be compared. In addition, the ultra-realistic yet extravagant designs of his characters JoJos The unusual and entertaining story helped make the series famous. Although this cover was originally released in 1987 with Part 1, often considered the least exciting part of the series, it has stood the test of time as an iconic piece of artwork.

In fact, there have been several iterations of Dio and Jonathan's back-to-back pose, including in the anime, where their reworked models were used as replacements. Although this cover is an incredibly early example of Araki's artistry, it still does an excellent job of showcasing Araki's absurd nature JoJosand the lovable characters that fill its world.

3

Attack On Titan – Volume 1

A volume cover that grabs the reader's attention from the first moment

Attack on Titan It starts with a bang, to say the least. The Invasion of the Titans, which takes place in the very first episode and first few chapters, is a sequence that captivated many people upon first viewing, but even before that, manga readers got a jaw-dropping first look at the crazy action throw awaited them with this iconic cover.

Seeing Eren plunge headfirst into what looked like a giant human with his skin torn off is a haunting image that just screams creativity. It is an illustration that immediately creates an aura of mystery and urges the reader to continue with the story to understand what these creatures are and who this brave young soldier is.

2

Naruto – Volume 72

A warm farewell to the story of Naruto

Naruto may have endured his fair share of trials and tribulations throughout his journey, but he never lost sight of his main goal; becomes the Hokage of the Leaf Village. Although he may have started out as a reckless and naive punk, fans were able to watch him grow and mature, especially after meeting his father and experiencing the true responsibility that rests on the shoulders of a Hokage.

At the end of the story, everyone agreed that Naruto had earned the right to the prestigious title, and this final volume cover was a heartfelt farewell to Masashi Kishimoto's legendary story. Being able to look into a peaceful Konoha must be an emotional moment for Naruto, and it will certainly bring tears to the readers as well.

1

Berserker – Volume 1

A piece of iconography that has become iconic in the anime and manga fan community

The very first cover of Berserk is now so well known that even those who aren't interested in anime or manga will recognize it. Although very minimalistic, the incredibly detailed depiction of Guts, looking badass as ever with his cape and crossbow, gives readers a glimpse of the outstanding artwork they can expect from the legendary Kentaro Miura.

The industrial style of the title and Guts' cape radiating darkness at the top of this page give this cover a unique quality that subtly ties into the dark and dirty aesthetic of the story. Berserk There have been many great covers, including 28 and 12, which stand out for many people, but the first is still by far the most famous.