An Era in the Manga World: All Works of Hiroshi Motomiya to be Reprinted in Honor of Shueisha's 100th Anniversary
Shueisha, one of Japan's most established publishers, has not forgotten Hiroshi Motomiya, one of the most influential figures in manga history, as it celebrates its 100th anniversary. With the "Hiroshi Motomiya Manga Complete Works" (本宮ひろ志漫画大全集) project, which will begin publication on November 19, the master artist's entire body of work is being gathered under one roof. This announcement has gained historical significance as it coincides with Motomiya's works under Shueisha surpassing the 100 million copies sales milestone.
This massive collection is not just a reprint project; it represents a giant art archive of approximately 65,000 pages. Expected to exceed 152 volumes in total, the series will be prepared in A5 format using special digital restoration technology. This ensures that Motomiya's famous dynamic brushstrokes will be preserved with the clarity of the original manuscripts. Additionally, each volume will include commentary by manga critic Nobunaga Minami and articles by prominent figures in the industry, conveying the historical context of the works to the reader.
Hiroshi Motomiya is known as one of the figures who laid the foundations for the massive success of Weekly Shonen Jump, having published Otoko Ippiki Gaki-Daisho in the magazine's early years in 1968. Throughout his career, he created cult works such as Salaryman Kintaro, Ore no Sora, and Tenchi wo Kurau; he also served as a source of inspiration for many legendary names such as Tetsuo Hara (Fist of the North Star) and Masami Kurumada (Saint Seiya). Motomiya's "manly" and determined storytelling is considered one of the most important elements that form the DNA of modern shonen manga.
The first phase of the project will run from November 2026 to December 2027 and will consist of 33 volumes. During this process, in addition to classics like Otoko Ippiki Gaki-Daisho and Koha Ginjiro, the artist's latest work, Bunnaguri Sensei, also stands out as part of the collection. For manga enthusiasts, this series offers not just a collector's item, but also a unique opportunity to witness the evolution of Japanese comic book history. This move by Shueisha sends a strong message that the value of physical print is being preserved and that the legacy of legendary names will continue to be passed on to future generations.
