Highlights
- One Piece is a legendary manga and anime franchise, but it is not the longest manga series of all time.
- Detective Conan, Abu-san, and Shizukanaru Don are some examples of manga series longer than One Piece.
- Other long-running manga series include Oishinbo, Kinnikuman, and Golgo 13, with hundreds of volumes published.
One Piece is well known for being one of the greatest manga and anime franchises of all time. It is also known as one of the longest manga series of all time, with over a thousand chapters in the manga and over one hundred collected volumes. For many, One Piece will be the longest story they will ever read.
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However, One Piece is not even close to being one of the longest manga series of all time. Manga as a medium has existed for decades, and many series have managed to stay published for just as long. Here are some manga that are longer than One Piece.
Updated December 16, 2023 by Danny Guan: One Piece is a mammoth in the manga industry both figuratively and literally, and it continues to grow every year. While there is an ending in sight, there is no sign of it coming any time in the next few years, meaning it has ample room to become even bigger than it already is.
Even so, One Piece has a long way to go before it can be crowned the longest manga of all time, especially when so many other series have been running since before its debut. Here are some more manga series that have run for longer than One Piece, whether it be in one series or parts.
17 Detective Conan/Case Closed
104+ Volumes (1994 – Present)
Detective Conan, known as Case Closed in the West, is an episodic detective mystery series featuring the iconic Conan Edogawa, a teen detective stuck in a child’s body. Detective Conan is a massive franchise, with an anime series that is just as long as the manga and a movie franchise that releases a new entry annually.
Detective Conan is an interesting entry here as it has fewer volumes than One Piece does (104 to 107). However, it has run for longer due to having been serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday since 1994 (One Piece started in 1997) and has more chapters than One Piece does, having broken the 1100 barrier months before One Piece did.
16 Abu-san
107 Volumes (1973 – 2014)
Abu-san is a baseball manga centered around the dramatic life of fictional baseball player Yasutake Kageura. The manga ran in Big Comic Original from 1973 to 2014, collecting 107 volumes of material during its run.
Compared to other long-running series, Abu-san is not very popular and has never received an anime or live-action adaptation. Due to its run having ended, it will also likely soon be superseded by One Piece in terms of length, though it still holds the lead for now.
15 Shizukanaru Don – Yakuza Side Story
108 Volumes (1988 – 2013)
Shizukanaru Don follows the life of Shizuya Kondou, an unassuming underwear designer by day and a gangster boss by night. The series ran in the Weekly Manga Sunday magazine from 1988 to 2013, ending when the magazine itself was declared defunct.
All in all, Shizukanaru Don accounted for a total of 108 volumes during its entire run. Once again, this is another series that could be eventually passed by One Piece‘s volume count sometime in the future.
14 Oishinbo
111 Volumes (1983 – 2014)
Oishinbo follows the journalist Shiro Yamaoka and his partner Yuko Kurita as they search for recipes to add to the “ultimate menu”. The series debuted in Big Comic Spirits in 1983 and ran until 2014 when it went on hiatus due to some controversy.
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With 111 volumes under its belt, Oishinbo easily surpasses One Piece in length. While One Piece could easily catch up in the next few years, Oishinbo could easily increase the gap if its hiatus ended and the series came back to regular publication.
13 Haguregumo
112 Volumes (1973 – 2017)
Haguregumo is a historical comedy that follows the life of Kumo, his wife Kame, and their two children. The family is known for being slackers, and Kumo in particular is an incorrigible womanizer. The manga chronicles their many misadventures and hijinks against the backdrop of historical Edo.
The series ran in Big Comic Original from 1973 to 2017, with a total volume count of 112. The series received an anime adaptation and even a film during the early days of its publication, but nowadays the manga is largely unknown.
12 Kobo, The Li’l Rascal
112+ Volumes (1982 – Present)
Kobo, The Li’l Rascal is a 4-koma manga that ran in a newspaper much like comic strips like Garfield and Calvin and Hobbes. It follows the adventures of the young Kobo Tabata and his various family members and friends. Since it’s a rather simple premise, it’s easy to understand how a series like this could last for over forty years.
Kobo initially ran the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun from 1982 to 2003, publishing 60 volumes of manga during its run there. It later transferred to the publisher Houbunsha, which began publishing the manga in volumes. So far, the manga has officially published 112 volumes, with more to come in the future.
11 Onihei Hankacho
116+ Volumes (1993 – Present)
Onihei Hankacho is an adaptation of a series of novels originally written by Shotaro Ikenami about the character of Heizo Hasegawa, a former hoodlum who became the head of an agency investigating arson and theft. The novels were adapted into various mediums, including a manga adaptation by Sentaro Kubota and Takao Saito, the creator of Golgo 13.
Onihei Hankacho‘s manga debuted in 1993, and it continues to be published to this day. The manga adapts the novels faithfully, but it also includes original stories incorporating other Ikenami works. Though Takao Saito died in 2021, the manga plans to continue just like his other long-running series.
10 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
132+ Volumes (1987 – Present)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is easily the most well-known multi-part manga series out there, with the many adventures of the Joestar family exciting fans of the strange and supernatural. The series began in 1987 in Weekly Shonen Jump with the very first part of the series, Phantom Blood. It was followed by several successful sequels, with Stardust Crusaders launching the series into stardom with the introduction of Stands.
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The series ran in Weekly Shonen Jump until partway through Steel Ball Run, after which it switched to a monthly magazine called Ultra Jump. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has published a total of 132 volumes of manga, with more to come thanks to the recent debut of the series’ newest part, The JoJoLands.
9 Hajime No Ippo
138+ Volumes (1989 – Present)
Hajime no Ippo is one of the most legendary boxing manga series of all time, featuring the story of Ippo Makunouchi as he transforms from a frail young boy to a powerful boxer. The series is known for its impactful action scenes and intense boxing matches.
Hajime no Ippo started its run in Weekly Shonen Magazine in 1989 and has continued to run uninterrupted ever since. It has accumulated 138 volumes of manga, with more to come on the way. The series shows no signs of stopping, and Ippo’s boxing adventures are sure to continue for the time being.
8 Kinnikuman
138+ Voumes (1979 – Present)
The comedic cosmic wrestling series known as Kinnikuman has quite a bizarre publication history. The original series ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1979 to 1987, accumulating 36 volumes of manga. The author then created Kinnikuman II (known in the West as Ultimate Muscle), which was published in Weekly Playboy from 1998 to 2004 along with a sequel arc that ran until 2011. Both series totaled 57 volumes.
After that, the author returned to the original Kinnikuman and began publishing it in Shu Play News, with 46 additional volumes having been published since then. In all, the Kinnikuman series has accumulated 138 volumes of manga, making it a titan even among long-running manga.
7 Silver Fang/Weed
147 Volumes (1983 – 2022)
Silver Fang tells the story of Gin, an Akita Inu who leaves his master to join a pack of wild dogs and their fight against the mighty bear Akakabuto. The manga ran from 1983 to 1987 in Weekly Shonen Jump and totaled 18 volumes.
The series went dormant until 1999 when a sequel series called Weed started in Weekly Manga Goraku. Telling the story of Gin’s son Weed, the manga ran for 60 volumes. The series was followed by several sequels, giving the entire series a total volume count of 147 after the conclusion of the most recent series last year.
6 Baki The Grappler
149+ Volumes (1991 – Present)
Yet another extremely popular combat sports manga, Baki the Grappler has made its name due to not only its incredibly violent fights but also the absurd feats the characters are capable of. The series was somewhat cult before its Netflix anime launched it into popularity, but it nevertheless managed to maintain a strong following since its debut in 1991.
The original Baki the Grappler ran from 1991 to 1999, with its sequel following immediately afterward. All in all, five sequels to the original series (with the newest entry starting earlier this year) have been published in Weekly Shonen Champion, giving the series a gargantuan total of 149 volumes, with more still to come.
5 Cooking Papa
167+ Volumes (1985 – Present)
Cooking Papa is about the life of Kazumi Araiwa, who is both a working husband and an excellent cook, though he doesn’t want his co-workers to learn about it. The series focuses on the dishes he cooks for his family and himself.
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Cooking Papa has been running in the magazine Morning since 1985, having released over 160 volumes of content since. The series is fairly popular in Japan, having spawned a 151-episode anime series and a live-action drama as well.
4 Minami No Teio
173+ Volumes (1992 – Present)
Minami no Teio follows Ginjirou Manda, a loan shark with a cutthroat interest rate of 10% more interest every 10 days. His persistence in getting his money back has earned him the nickname of Demon of Minami, the business district that he operates in.
Minami no Teio has been serialized in Weekly Manga Goraku since 1992 and has amassed over 170 volumes of manga. The manga has managed to spawn a spin-off series, as well as a couple of live-action films.
3 KochiKame
201 Volumes (1976 – 2016)
KochiKame is a gag manga that follows Kankichi Ryotsu (also known as “Ryo-san”), a middle-aged cop who is always trying to find some way to make money fast. Despite its rather simple structure, KochiKame is a cultural touchstone in Japan and is one of the best-selling manga of all time.
KochiKame ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1976 to 2016, making it the longest series featured in that magazine. While its conclusion means that One Piece could theoretically overtake it, it would have to double its current volume count to beat KochiKame‘s impressive total of 201 volumes.
2 Dokaben
205 Volumes (1972 – 2018)
Dokaben is a sports manga that follows the adventures of Taro Yamada and his teammates on his high school baseball team. The original series ran in Weekly Shonen Champion from 1972 to 1981 and totaled 48 volumes.
The series was followed up with Dai Koshien, which continued the story of Yamada Taro and his teammates. Dai Koshien ran for 26 volumes and was followed by the 52-volume Dokaben Professional Baseball, the 45-volume Dokaben Superstars, and the 34-volume Dokaben Dream Tournament. In total, the series adds up to a total of 205 volumes.
1 Golgo 13
210+ Volumes (1968 – Present)
Golgo 13 is a series centered around the titular assassin and the many jobs he undergoes. The character of Golgo 13 is an enigma, as neither his real name, his background, nor his true character is known even to the readers.
Golgo 13 has been running in Big Comic since 1968 and has accumulated 210 total volumes, with more to come. After the original author Takao Saito’s death in 2021, his team Saito Production took over the manga’s production, per his wishes.
