Dragon Ball is one manga that has proven to be unforgettable. But how many other manga from its era were around to witness the success of Akira Toriyama's series? For every manga listed among the classics, there are dozens upon dozens that are soon forgotten in the annals of time. Publication in shonen magazines has always been tough competition. Many series are canceled well before any semblance of a complete story can be told.
More than a hundred other manga ran alongside Dragon Ball during the decade it dominated Weekly Shonen Jump. Fans looking for a nostalgic trip through time should take a gander at the variety of manga that populated the same pages as Goku and company during the start of Dragon Ball's long reign.
50 Kochikame (1976-2016)
Kochikame is a legend in itself. The classic comedy series about the shenanigans of police officer Kankichi Ryotsu celebrated 40 straight years of publication and then gracefully retired in December 2016.
Kochikame holds the record for most manga volumes ever published, and it seems unlikely to be dethroned any time soon.
49 Kinnikuman (1979-1987)
The mangaka duo known as Yudetamago was extremely prolific throughout their career, but Kinnikuman is perhaps their most famous series. When Suguru Kinniku discovers he is in fact an alien prince, he must prove his worth in order to claim his throne. To earn his place, Kinniku competes against other contenders in wrestling competitions.
An undeniable classic, Kinnikuman has yet to be forgotten and inspired dozens of modern mangaka, including Hiromu Arakawa of Fullmetal Alchemist and Hiro Mashima of Fairy Tail.
48 Black Angels (1981-1985)
A hitman seeks justice in a world rife with crime in this manga by Hiramatsu Shinji. Considered extremely violent for its time, these days most American fans might not be familiar with Black Angels, but the series was hugely popular in Japan and was eventually compiled into 20 volumes.
47 Captain Tsubasa (1981-1988)
Captain Tsubasa is a legendary series in no small part because it popularized soccer in Japan. The series inspired several professional players worldwide, and the manga and its many spin-offs have sold more than 80 million copies over the years. Thanks in part to Captain Tsubasa's undeniable success, sports series have been soaring ever since.
46 Yoroshiku Mechadoc (1982-1985)
One of a plethora of racing anime that were published in the 1980s, Yoroshiku Mechadoc fared rather well and received a 30-episode anime adaptation in 1984.
The Mechadoc may be an economy car, but it's capable of traversing any kind of terrain. While the series is virtually forgotten today, it maintained a steady readership for a few years.
45 High School! Kimengumi (1982-1987)
A long-running comedy manga about a group of high school misfits, High School! Kimengumi was immensely popular in its heyday and certainly wasn't afraid of using puns to encourage laughter.
The story focused on a school club full of oddballs and the inevitable antics of its members.
44 Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin (1983-1987)
Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin tells the story of a dog named Gin, who leaves his master to join a pack of wild dogs hoping to defeat a fearsome bear named Akakabuto.
The series was both a commercial and critical success but was considered too violent for the youngest members of its target audience. Because of this, the anime release was censored before its VHS release abroad, and pivotal scenes were lost in translation.
43 Fist Of The North Star (1983-1988)
A series that needs little introduction, Fist of the North Star has captivated audiences for years with its post-apocalyptic themes and violent action setpieces. Kenshiro, a martial artist, defends victims of crime and violence in a world burdened with both.
It's fair to say that without the precedent set by Fist of the North Star, countless other manga wouldn't exist, and it remains one of the highest-grossing media franchises ever.
42 Baoh Raihosha (1984-1985)
Before he wrote the legend that is JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, mangaka Hirohiko Araki created this violent series about a teen who's turned into a walking bioweapon. The series boasted Araki's signature art style and planted the seeds for what would become a devoted fanbase.
41 Otoko Zaka (1984-1985)
This manga about a delinquent training with a demon was an early entry of the yankee subgenre. Written by Masami Kurumada, most famous for writing Saint Seiya, the series began in the 1980s but went on a thirty-year hiatus. It began serialization anew in 2014 before finally reaching a conclusion within the past year.
40 Kimagure Orange Road (1984-1987)
A love story with a slice-of-life atmosphere and a dose of ESPer abilities thrown in, Kimagure Orange Road was immensely successful and received numerous anime adaptations in the 1980s. Now widely considered a classic worldwide, the show was a gateway series for many European fans and laid the foundation for generations of global otaku to come.
39 Shape Up Ran (1984-1987)
Shape Up Ran was a successful manga about a female bodybuilder. Subversive at times but a product of its era, the story combined gags about social expectations with the protagonist's genuine attempts to succeed in an unusual sport.
38 Tsuide Ni Tonchinkan (1984, 1985-1989)
Tsuide ni Tonchinkan was a popular gag manga about a group of students that took turns masquerading as burglars.
In 1987 it received an anime adaptation, but today the series is rarely mentioned.
37 The Flying Classroom (1985)
The Flying Classroom was a manga adaptation of a 1930s German children's book, Das Fliegende Klassenzimmer. While not especially memorable, series like this make it evident that Jump had a rather wide reading demographic, ranging from very young children to adults.
36 Choukidouin Vander (1985-1986)
A sci-fi manga by Zetman author Masakazu Katsura, Choukidouin Vander is another alien invasion story that was canceled relatively early on, due in part to the story being over-ambitious and the world-building feeling a bit off.
35 RoadRunner (1985-1986)
RoadRunner was a motorcycle manga that ran long enough to reach three volumes, though there are few who remember it today. At the time, racing manga were extremely common, due in no small part to the success of early series like Speed Racer.
34 City Hunter (1985 - 1991)
The hugely popular City Hunter received multiple anime adaptations and was successful abroad as well as in Japan. The detective series was even adapted into a feature film starring none other than Jackie Chan, and another live-action film in France.
33 Otokojuku (1985-1991)
Another manga centered on young delinquents, Otokojuku's story is set in a boys' school where students are trained in martial arts and expected to become "true men." The manga was serialized for long enough to reach 34 volumes in Japan, but only the first three have been released in the US as of 2018.
32 Metal K (1986)
A controversial but memorable sci-fi revenge story by author Koji Maki, Metal K features a female protagonist who dies in a fire and then finds new life as a cyborg. The series's ultra-violence earned Maki the beginnings of a cult fandom, but also resulted in a fair amount of criticism and the manga's swift cancellation.
Maki would later be better known for his work on God Sider, though he never quite achieved the widespread acclaim of many of his peers.
31 Sekiryuo (1986-1987)
A successful series inspired by the Chinese classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Sekiryuo was eventually collected into 14 manga volumes. Unknown in the US, the series did receive an NES game adaptation in 1989.