The most iconic manga covers

Summary

• The Vagabond cover showcases incredible detail and sets the tone for the seinen genre

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

• Attack on Titan demands attention with its iconic cover, teasing mystery and action

There has been no shortage of incredible manga covers that have been revealed over the past few decades. The front cover of the chapter volume is an opportunity for the author to showcase their own unique style and personal flair by giving a glimpse of some of the characters involved in the story. Of course, a good manga cover also needs to entice people to actually read the content inside, and there are several ways to do this.

Whether it's a minimal and stylized cover, or one that's just full of detail and energy, there are some eye-catching covers that have become iconic for their own unique reasons. Therefore, it is time to reflect on some of the most famous and famous covers to understand why they have become so popular in the eyes of many manga fans.

9

Vagabond – Volume 1

Incredibly detailed illustrations by the legendary Musashi Miyamoto

Vagabond was the gateway to the seinen genre for many people. In addition to incorporating more serious themes into their works, seinen artists also usually try to use a more grounded and realistic art style, which Takehino Inoue makes very clear on the first cover of his now legendary series.

The cover features a young Musashi, whose entire face, from hair to eyes and mouth, has been sculpted with an incredible level of detail. The use of color on this page almost makes it look like a painting, a testament to what a great artist Inoue is to kick off the series with such a mesmerizing piece of art.

8

Tokyo Ghoul – Volume 7

Sui Ishida shows off his artistic talent with this terrifying and iconic Kaneki cover

This haunting and disturbing full face portrait of Kaneki Tokyo Ghoul volume 7, has become an iconic image among the fanbase 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 terrifying new form that was revealed within this set of chapters.

This is one of the reasons why the cover became so admired, as it allowed a small glimpse of Kaneki's new form, while also giving author Sui Ishida a chance to highlight his hypnotic art style, which he has gradually perfected since it was first published Tokyo Ghoul.

7

Bleach – Volume 24

One of the most stylish covers in Bleach was referenced by another popular manga artist

A peculiar pose that makes Grimmjow stand out Bleach the cover, with a hand reaching out to the reader as if to draw them into the page, was actually from Tite Kubo's earlier work, Zombie powder. This cover does such an incredible job of portraying Grimmjow's sassy and fiery character in such a unique way, and in classic Tite Kubo style, there's no background to be seen, putting more emphasis on the character himself.

This cover would become so iconic that Gege Akutami, the author Jujutsu Kaisenhe even referenced it on the cover of the 14th volume of his respective series. While Bleach has a lot of stunning covers that include a more minimalist style, this one will instantly pop into many people's minds because it's 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 become so grand and grand in its world and characters. However, that's probably why this illustration is so recognizable, because in retrospect, it's quite emotional to see Luffy, Zoro, and Nami full of excitement as they begin their epic adventure to the Grand Line.

The way the camera focuses on the first trio as they share a few laughs as they set sail almost makes the reader feel like they are with them as a crew member. This cover was later reworked for Volume 41 and the future members of the Straw Hats were added to celebrate the end of the timeskip.

5

My Hero Academia – Volume 1

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

When My Hero Academia the anime appeared on the screens for the first time, the manga has already reached its tenth volume. With the explosive success of the adaptation, however My hero would become an overnight household name, and with a whole new audience jumping on board with the manga, the first cover would quickly become synonymous with the series as a whole.

Here, author Kohei Horikoshi shows off his captivating character designs, making sure the cover looks as fun and lovable as possible to set the right tone for the series. When you see the giant grin on All Might's face and Deku's sense of wonder, it's hard not to jump in to learn more about these quirky characters.

4

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood Volume 1

So much about JoJo's style and tone can be inferred from this single cover page

To this day, Hirohiko Araki has an artistic style that really cannot be compared. Extremely realistic yet flamboyant designs of his characters JoJo's quirky and fun story, it helped launch the series to stardom. Although originally released in 1987 with Part 1, often considered the least exciting part of the series, this cover has stood the test of time as an iconic piece of imagery.

In fact, there have been several back-to-back iterations of Dio and Jonathan, including an anime that used their reworked models as stand-ins. Despite being an incredibly early example of Araki's art, this cover still does an excellent job of showcasing the absurd nature of JoJo'sand lovable characters that populate his world.

3

Attack On Titan – Volume 1

A volume cover that demands the reader's attention from the moment they look at it

Attack on Titan starts with a bang, to put it mildly. Set in the very first episode and first few chapters, Invasion of the Titans is a sequence that caught many people's attention upon first viewing, but even before that, manga readers were given a dazzling glimpse of the crazy action that awaited them with this iconic cover.

Seeing Eren plunging headfirst into what looked like a giant human with its skin ripped off is a haunting visual that just screams creativity. It's an illustration that also immediately creates an aura of mystery, begging the reader to continue the story to understand what these creatures are and who this brave young soldier is.

2

Naruto – Volume 72

A fond farewell to the story of Naruto

Naruto may have faced a fair amount of trials and tribulations along the way, but he never lost sight of his primary goal; to become the Hokage of the Leaf Village. While 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 learning the true responsibility that rests on the shoulders of the Hokage.

By the end of the story, everyone could agree that Naruto had earned the right to be awarded the prestigious title, with this final volume cover acting as a heartfelt send-off to Masashi Kishimoto's legendary story. Being able to look at a peaceful Konoha must be an emotional moment for Naruto, and it's certainly a tear-jerker for the readers as well.

1

Berserk – Volume 1

A piece of iconography that has become iconic within the anime and manga fanbase

Berserk's very first cover has become so famous that even those who are not interested in anime or manga will recognize it. While very minimalistic, the incredibly detailed depiction of Guts, still looking his usual self 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, along with Guts' cloak that radiates darkness at the top of this page, lends this cover a unique quality that fits seamlessly into the story's dark and grimy aesthetic. Crazy it will have a lot of amazing covers, including 28 and 12, which are particularly special to many people, but the former still remains by far the most famous.