Who is the richest mangaka in Japan, the author of One Piece or Conan?

This is a question that has been asked by many manga fans for many years. It was thought that 'giants' like Conan or Dragon Ball would help the author take the top spot, but the result really surprised fans.

This data also shows that the "commission" earned from a manga volume by the world's top mangaka or by newbies is almost the same - Photo: Shonen Jump

At this year's New York Comic Con, Japan's leading publisher Kadokawa released a detailed report on the average earnings of manga artists like Eiichiro Oda (the creator of One Piece ) or Gosho Aoyama (author of Detective Conan ), giving fans the opportunity to calculate the estimated net worth of the most famous authors.

Accordingly, data on royalties helps determine who is the real "king" of the Japanese manga industry.

One Piece is on top, Conan is only in fourth place

According to Kadokawa, the typical royalty rate manga authors receive is around 10% of sales. The average volume costs 500 yen (about $4), meaning that for each copy sold, the author only receives about 50 yen – or $0.40.

In fact, if a manga sells 1 million copies, the artist will receive about 50 million yen (nearly 326,000 USD).

Although only active for more than a decade, Isayama has made his name on the list of most successful mangaka of the 21st century thanks to Attack on Titan - Photo: Mappa

From this number, social network users X quickly created a ranking of the estimated assets of the richest mangaka in history. Although it is only a relative number, this list quickly spread strongly in the fan community.

Topping the list is none other than Eiichiro Oda, the "father" of One Piece , with an estimated net worth of 200 - 230 million USD.

Since its debut in 1997, One Piece has sold over 520 million copies in print worldwide – about 100 million more than Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama.

Besides manga, the One Piece brand also expanded into a long-running anime series with 14 movies, a series of games and related products, helping Oda become the richest mangaka of all time.

The next spot belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, the legendary female author behind Urusei Yatsura, Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha , with an estimated fortune of around 60-70 million USD.

In this list, fans were most surprised by the appearance of Takahashi. Although she is not famous with many Gen Z readers, her golden age in the 1980s - 1990s helped her win third place - Photo: Netflix

Takahashi is considered one of the pioneers who brought shoujo manga to global status, and is also the owner of many prestigious awards, including the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême - the lifetime achievement award of the Angoulême International Comics Festival.

Coming in third is Akira Toriyama, the "father" of Dragon Ball , with a net worth of around $55 million.

His works shaped the entire modern shonen genre, deeply influencing many generations of authors to come.

Although Toriyama has passed away, the Dragon Ball brand continues to grow strongly with the Dragon Ball Super series by Toyotarou and a series of popular game projects - Photo: CBR

In fourth place is Gosho Aoyama, author of Detective Conan , with assets of about 50 million USD. This manga series, which was launched in 1994, has sold more than 270 million copies, becoming a pop culture icon in Japan and many Asian countries, including Vietnam and China.

Fifth is Hajime Isayama, author of Attack on Titan , with a fortune of about 45-46 million USD. Although only active for a little over a decade, Isayama has made his name on the list of the most successful mangaka of the 21st century.

Without needing to cause a global fever like Demon Slayer, Conan is still the most profitable brand in the world of manga - Photo: Shōnen Sunday

Attack on Titan has sold over 140 million copies, becoming a global cultural phenomenon and an icon of the post-2000s manga generation.

These numbers, while for reference only, clearly reflect the enormous economic influence of the manga industry - one of Japan's most important cultural pillars.

From the legendary Osamu Tezuka - "the father of modern manga", to the golden generation like Oda, Toriyama, Kishimoto, and female writers like Takahashi, all contributed to turning manga into a multi-billion dollar industry.

With over 1.6 billion copies sold worldwide each year, manga is not only entertainment but also a "gold mine" of Japanese pop culture.

The stories of the richest authors also reflect the arduous journey of manga artists - who often start in small rooms, working 12 - 16 hours a day.

But through passion and extraordinary creativity, they created icons that transcend time and cultural barriers.

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To Cuong

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ai-la-mangaka-giau-nhat-nhat-ban-tac-gia-one-piece-hay-conan-20251007161854263.htm