A sad reality of the manga industry is that not all titles are meant to be finished. Sometimes, this is due to the creators' personal reasons while in other instances, it's because of editorial mandate. In most cases, though, the author or artist suddenly passed away and left their work incomplete.

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Unlike long-running manga such as Detective Conan or the sporadically updating Black Lagoon which simply have no end in sight, these manga have no hope of ever getting a finale, or at least being concluded the way their creators hoped to before their deaths. These manga will forever be a case of "what could've been" more than anything else.

Updated on March 25, 2023, by Angelo Delos Trinos: Because of how unforgiving the manga industry can be in Japan, it's unfortunately unsurprising that many mangaka couldn't finish their works because of health reasons. In the worst cases, the creators in question died before they finished their story. This list was expanded to pay respect to more talented creators whose masterpieces and lives ended before their time.

20 B.Ichi

20 chapters

Shotaro plays with a bone in his mouth in B.Ichi

Like many successful mangaka before and after him, Atsushi Ohkubo stumbled a bit before finding success. Before Soul Eater and Fire Force, Ookubo made B.Ichi. The manga also focused on a uniquely supernatural world with superpowers, but it was so unremarkable that it was abruptly canned just before its climactic fight.

B.Ichi ended at Chapter 20, just when Shotaro unleashed his full power and was ready to save the world. None of the overarching mysteries were answered, and many characters' fates were left up in the air. Nobody's sure why B.Ichi was canceled, but it's safe to assume that its unimpressive sales and reviews contributed to its fate.

19 Double Arts

24 chapters

Kili and Elraine stand behind each other in Double Arts

As derivative as it was, Double Arts could've become the next big romantic shonen hit if mangaka Naoshi Komi gave it more time. By Chapter 24, Double Arts laid out its central conflict, romance, and themes. Unfortunately, the chapter ended with a note from Komi, where he said that he was dropping the manga.

Komi left the door open to returning to Double Arts, but the manga hasn't been updated or mentioned since 2008. Given the fact that Komi dedicated most of his career to the massively successful and long-running Nisekoi and other projects, it's highly unlikely that Double Arts will ever get past its introductory arc.

18 High School Of The Dead

30 chapters

Rei and Saeko team up in High School of the Dead

High School of the Dead was one of the biggest breakout manga of the late 2000s, and it seemed like it would be the next big edgy hit. However, the raunchy zombie apocalypse manga couldn't maintain its momentum. After a slow release schedule, High School of the Dead stopped at 30 chapters following its author's death.

When Daisuke Sato died in 2017, High School of the Dead's co-creator and illustrator Shoji Sato and Monthly Dragon Ace dropped the manga out of respect. High School of the Dead's manga ended with an unresolved cliffhanger. Meanwhile, the anime created an anime-original epilogue in the OVA Drifters of the DEAD.

17 Zombiepowder

26 chapters

Gamma Akutabi defends his friends in Zombiepowder

Before striking gold with Bleach, Tite Kubo started out with Zombiepowder. The supernatural manga could arguably be considered to be Bleach's progenitor, since it also focused on an action-packed and fantastical version of the afterlife. But after only 26 chapters, Kubo left Zombiepowder hanging and never returned.

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In interviews, Kubo admitted that he worked on Zombiepowder during a bad time in his life. The manga's low sales and lukewarm reception didn't help matters. Kubo's life improved after Zombiepowder, but it's unlikely he'll ever revisit it. At the very least, some of Zombiepowder's ideas were carried over to the often open-ended Bleach.

16 Aqua Knight

33 chapters

Ruliya of Perla jumps into adventure in Aqua Knight

In between new chapters of Battle Angel Alita, Yukito Kishiro worked on Aqua Knight. Unlike his most famous work, Aqua Knight was a more lighthearted fantasy set in a world of high adventures across the seas. Aqua Knight wrapped up neatly after 33 chapters, and Kishiro promised to continue the story after finishing Last Order.

However, Kishiro never returned. After Last Order, Kishiro worked on more Alita spin-offs, the cult classic Battle Angel Alita anime, and other manga. Aqua Knight has been left hanging since the late '90s and its status is still listed as "ongoing." Given Kishiro's age and priorities, it's unlikely that Aqua Knight will ever be continued.

15 Barefoot Gen

54 chapters

Gen Nakaoka enjoys the peace in Barefoot Gen

Barefoot Gen's tenth volume closed with "End of Part 1." This meant that the horrors and tragedies of the Hiroshima atomic bombing weren't the end of Gen Nakaoka's story. Nakazawa planned to show Gen's new life as an art student in Tokyo, but he was forced to abandon this and prematurely retire in 2009 due to his failing eyesight.

Nakazawa passed away in 2012, leaving the bleak Barefoot Gen at 54 chapters. Since Barefoot Gen was based on Nakazawa's own life, it's safe to say that Gen's life was going to get better, such as becoming an influential mangaka. Unfortunately, this part of his life will never be seen in the manga.

14 Getter Robo

73 chapters

Takuma Nagare pushes forward in Getter Robo Arc

The classic mecha manga Getter Robo was going to end in epic fashion with Getter Robo Arc, the planned grand finale of the five-part saga. However, Ken Ishikawa's sudden death in 2006 ended Getter Robo Arc before it even hit its midpoint. In fact, Getter Robo Arc only managed to finish the first arc of a planned five.

On its own, Getter Robo Arc had 14 chapters. As part of the bigger series, Getter Robo Arc prematurely ended the overall story at 73 chapters. This didn't stop other creators from trying to give Ishikawa's legacy a fitting conclusion. Sequels and spin-offs were made from his notes, and a conclusive Getter Robo Arc OVA aired in 2021.

13 Phoenix

12 volumes

The phoenix flies in Phoenix

Astro Boy creator Osamu Tezuka is revered as the "Father of Manga," and his magnum opus is the historical epic Phoenix. However, Phoenix is an incomplete masterpiece. Tezuka started Phoenix in 1954 and worked on it almost every day of his life. Tezuka died in 1988, leaving Phoenix incomplete with 12 long volumes.

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Despite Phoenix's lack of an ending, it inspired anime and live-action adaptations. Phoenix's retellings usually tackled the epic's early chapters and created their own endings due to the nonexistent conclusion. All anyone knew of Phoenix's manga ending was that Tezuka planned to tie everything together in the present day.

12 Playful Kiss

77 chapters

Kotoko and Naoki kiss in Playful Kiss

Playful Kiss (or Itazura na Kiss) was one of the most popular shojo manga of the '90s, but it came to an abrupt end after Tada's sudden death. Tada died during an accident in 1999, and the magazine Bessatsu Margaret quickly put Playful Kiss on hiatus. Out of respect for Tada, Playful Kiss was halted at 77 chapters.

It's unlikely that Playful Kiss will ever be continued, but Tada's family allowed her manga to keep being reprinted and adapted. Despite Playful Kiss' lack of a conclusion, it was turned into a hit anime and into many popular TV shows in different countries. The anime and series gave Playful Kiss their own unique endings.

11 Nana

84 chapters

Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu go shopping in Nana

Ai Yazawa's definitive shojo manga Nana cemented her place in the industry's history. The growing love between the two Nanas – the soft-spoken Nana Komatsu and the punk-rocking Nana Oosaki – remains one of the most beloved shojo tales ever written, despite it stopping at Chapter 84 almost two decades ago.

In 2009, Nana went into indefinite hiatus after Yazawa contracted a serious disease. Yazawa recovered a year later, but she admitted that she wasn't sure if she could return to manga work. Nana's last update came in 2013 when Yazawa made a two-page special for the 100th issue celebration of the manga's magazine, Shojo Beat.

10 With The Light: Raising An Autistic Child

92 chapters

Sachiko Azuma and her family in With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child

With the Light was one of the most unique manga ever published. Keiko Tobe's work tackled the hardships and joys of Sachiko, a young mother whose son lived with autism. The manga was praised for its sensitive themes and its emotionally resonant story. In 2009, With the Light went on temporary hiatus, but this later turned permanent.

A year later, Tobe's family revealed that she passed away. With the Light was left unfinished, with 92 chapters collected in 15 tankobon, or 8 English-language omnibuses. The manga's 2004 TV adaptation got an original concrete ending, though it's hard to watch for anyone based outside of Japan.

9 Daily Lives Of High School Boys

107 chapters

Yoshitake, Hidenori, and Tadakuni in their classroom in Daily Lives of High School Boys

Yasunobu Yamauchi's Daily Lives of High School Boys was one of the best high school manga of the early 2000s. Unlike the anime adaptation, the original manga aged poorly due to its lukewarm finale. After 107 chapters, the beloved high school manga Daily Lives of High School Boys suddenly ended. Worse, the last chapter wasn't a proper finale.

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Daily Lives of High School Boys randomly ended with the boys attending the Cultural Festival before switching to the female students' perspective. No reason was given for this ending. Fans were disappointed with the empty finale. It's been theorized that Yamauchi just lost interest in his high school manga.

8 X/1999

100+ chapters

Kamui and Fuma protect each other in X/1999

With roughly 100 chapters and 18 tankobon, X/1999 remains one of the influential artist group CLAMP's longest-running titles even after its unresolved cliffhanger. Before its end in 2003, X/1999 was consistently published in Monthly Asuka since 1992. The problem was that X/1999 faced too many production problems to continue.

X/1999's depictions of disasters and youth violence stirred controversy, and it went on hiatus in 2003. Later, CLAMP shopped X/1999 to other shojo magazines after Monthly Asuka dropped the title. CLAMP began searching for a new magazine in 2005. Nothing has been heard from X/1999 since then.

7 Cyborg 009

114 chapters

The Nine Cyborgs in Cyborg 009

Cyborg 009 was notable for accomplishing many things, especially introducing manga's first super-powered team in Dr. Gilmore's Cyborgs. Shotaro Ishimori promised to end his magnum opus by 2000 after a break, but then he died in 1998. After 114 chapters, Cyborg 009 slipped into perpetual stasis for decades.

Cyborg 009 was finished in 2012 with Cyborg 009: Conclusion GOD'S WAR, made by Ishinomori's son Joe Onodera and his assistants. The finale polarized fans since the creative team took some liberties from Ishinomori's notes. The Cyborg's fight may have ended, but Ishinomori's true vision may never see the light of day.

6 Act-Age

123 chapters

Kei Yonagi and Chiyoko Momoshiro pose together in Act-Age

At its peak, Act-Age was praised for being a different kind of shonen title that defied the demographic's norms and stereotypes. However, it was abruptly halted at Chapter 123 after writer Tatsuya Matsuki was found guilty of sexual assault in 2020. Matsuki confessed to these accusations when questioned by the police.

Weekly Shonen Jump ended the manga without warning, while illustrator Shiro Usazaki removed all mention of Act-Age on her social media. Act-Age readers rallied support for Usazaki, and she moved on to other projects. Shonen Jump and Usazaki voiced their support for Matsuki's victims, and haven't mentioned him since.

5 Vagabond

375 chapters

Miyamoto Musashi looks at the sky in Vagabond.

Vagabond is one of the most critically acclaimed jidaigeki manga ever published. Written and illustrated by Slam Dunk creator Takehiko Inoue starting in 1989, Vagabond retold the life and legends of the ronin Miyamoto Musashi. However, Vagabond suddenly stopped after hitting Chapter 327 in 2015.

Since 2015, Inoue hasn't offered any updates on when Musashi's tale will continue, if at all. It's been theorized that Inoue couldn't find a way to fit Vagabond into his busy schedule. Recently, Inoue focused his energies on his other manga Real while also working behind the scenes for the revival of his beloved '90s hit, Slam Dunk.

4 Berserk

364 chapters

Guts enters Fantasia in Berserk

Kentaro Miura's Berserk is undeniably one of the most influential seinen manga and dark fantasies ever made. Miura has been writing and illustrating the dark odyssey since 1989, but his output noticeably slowed down during the 2000s. Due to his failing health, Miura took many hiatuses before he died in 2021.

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Berserk was seemingly canceled, but it was revived with a new team in 2022. Miura's best friend, Kouji Mori, took it upon himself to finish his friend's masterpiece by using his ideas and notes. Miura always knew how Berserk would end and promised to finish it in his lifetime. Unfortunately, he died before ending Berserk with his own hands.

3 Lupin III

250+ chapters

Inspector Zenigata crushing handcuffs and Lupin holding a gun in Lupin III

Ever since Monkey Punch (aka Kazuhiko Kato) started Lupin III in 1967, Lupin's exploits seemed endless. Even after Monkey Punch's death in 2019, there has been at least one Lupin III manga in print. Monkey Punch's original run ended with roughly 250 chapters, and he let other mangaka continue Lupin's escapades.

In a 2005 interview with Tokyo Foundation, Monkey Punch stated that Lupin's adventures were meant to go on forever. If Lupin III had to end, Monkey Punch specified that it should be with a tie between Lupin and Inspector Zenigata. Lupin III is still a massive success, and it's unlikely that this stalemate will happen any time soon.

2 Golgo 13

600+ chapters

Golgo 13 on the attack in Golgo 13

The ongoing Golgo 13 holds the record for being one of the longest-running manga in history. As of this writing, Golgo 13 has more than 600 chapters. The manga has been going on for so long that not only did it begin publication in 1968, but it's still far from finished even after Golgo 13's legendary creator, Takao Saito, died in 2021.

Saito knew that he wouldn't live to complete Golgo 13, and he planned for this inevitability. Saito formed the Saito Production group and gave them his blessing to continue Golgo 13 without him. Although Saito Productions knows how Saito wanted to end Golgo 13, the manga's ending is still a long way off.

1 Crayon Shin-Chan

1,126 chapters

Crayon Shin-Chan with his friends and family

With 1,126 chapters, Crayon Shin-Chan is one of the longest-running manga ever made. Unfortunately, mangaka Yoshito Usui died while hiking Mt. Arafune in 2009. After a hiatus, Usui's assistants continued the manga until its end in 2010, understandably dropping whatever long-term plans they originally had.

The adult-oriented kids' title Crayon Shin-Chan is still going strong with its revival New Crayon Shin-Chan and other spin-offs. In fact, Shin-chan is still a pop culture icon in Japan. That said, Usui's original vision for Shin-chan's irreverent hijinks and the rest of his friends can never be truly continued and replaced.

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