Beginning to work predominantly as an artist, Urasawa gradually began to work double duty, writing his own scripts and quickly impressing critics, readers, and his fellow creators.

His first major success came with the 1986 album Yawara!, a popular series that turned out to be a major departure from the darker, more fantastical stories for which he was best known.

A master of crisp dialogue and smooth panels, Urasawa is arguably unmatched in the world of manga as a colorful, large-scale storyteller, weaving together diverse plots, often spanning enormous amounts of time and events.

With such a rich bibliography to boast of, there are many outstanding masterpieces from the seinen master.

6. Yawara! is a humorous slice-of-life sports comedy

A humorous take on the coming-of-age sports genre, Yawara! follows high school student Yawara Inokuma's complicated judo journey.

Despite her desire to enjoy a more typical high school experience, her legendary judoka grandfather is determined to send her on to Olympic glory.

A naturally talented judo practitioner, Inokuma's grandfather is training her with success in the 1992 Olympic Games in mind. The story touches on several tropes of the sports genre, but does so in a lighthearted and thoughtful manner.

Urasawa takes great care in developing the psyches of his two main characters, ensuring that their dysfunctional bond remains engaging and often heartbreaking.

A curious subplot involving Inokuma's parents also provides the series with some missing person mystery, ensuring that the colorful series has something for everyone.

One of Urasawa's most comedic efforts, Yawara! is a delightful tale of competition and coming of age that readers can enjoy in its entirety.

5. Billy Bat manages to give an apocalyptic vision to the comic and manga industries

This unconventional murder mystery series is as much about the trials and tribulations of working in the comic book industry as it is about a very important ancient scroll that could lead to world domination.

Set in 1949, this gripping mystery thriller follows a comic book artist who discovers his beloved Billy Bat the series may have been copied from art he saw in Japan.

Needless to say, his decision to go to Japan to receive permission to continue using the original artist's image leads to all sorts of increasingly fantastical situations.

The series' lighter, more eccentric tone initially proved a bit jarring for longtime fans of Urasawa's typically darker, more sinister tone and narrative style.

Embracing an old-school comic book style for scenes featuring the titular character Billy Bat, the series combines high-concept conspiracy theories with thoughtful meditations on pop art and storytelling.

Throughout the series' eight-year run, it has never failed to leave readers reeling with its nearly endless number of twists and turns, earning much long-term praise for its thrilling and unpredictable storytelling and character arcs.

4. Asadora! Blends history with Kaiju horror for a thrilling epic

As is often the case with Urasawa's best efforts, Grill! delves headfirst into the realms of mystery. Along the way, the series also provides readers with a comprehensive biopic of the titular character Asa Adora, from her formative post-World War II years to the present day.

In 2020, Tokyo is besieged by a massive monster. In 1959, young Adora is kidnapped and later caught in the infamous Typhoon Vera, the worst tropical storm in Japanese history.

The sci-fi elements of the story take a back seat for the most part, with Urasawa focusing heavily on the historical drama while the mysterious monster looms in the background.

In Adora, the series features a fiery and likable protagonist whose life story unfolds effectively and thoughtfully.

Along the way, the growing mystery of the kaiju threat to Japan simmers below the radar, creating a sense of suspense and dread.

Overall, this large-scale sci-fi mystery is Urasawa at his genre-blending best.

3. Pluto provides a revolutionary reimagining of Astro Boy

Urasawa's penchant for twisted murder mysteries was applied to startling effect in the iconic Astroboy series with the exciting Pluto.

Named after one of the great evils of Astro Boy, the series follows a robotic Europol investigator on the case of a series of human and robot homicides.

In an increasingly perilous race to capture the killer, it becomes clear that the world's seven elite robots are the prime targets. The blend of compelling themes regarding robot rights and the dynamics between humans and machines, as well as a police investigation, creates a compelling piece of mystery fiction.

As a reinterpretation of an earlier classic work, Pluto is an incredibly original, somewhat under-the-radar effort, completely breaking with the style of the original while still managing to retain many of its core sci-fi concepts and tropes.

Unsurprisingly, the series has garnered widespread praise, with fans and critics alike still unraveling its numerous references, symbolism, and character traits two decades after its arrival on the seinen scene.

With an anime confirmed to be on the way, now is the perfect time to give this one a try.

2. 20th Century Boys is a wild, multigenerational thriller

Another multi-decade mystery thriller from the bestselling manga master here, as childhood memories of the 1960s defeat a deadly threat at the turn of the 21st century.

An animated seinen thriller with apocalyptic science fiction themes, 20th century boys quickly proved to be a success upon its debut in October 1999.

Giant robots, plots to assassinate the Pope, and the Triads all come into play in an increasingly chaotic story that sees four childhood friends try to stand up against a cult leader with a mysterious connection to them.

The antagonistic friend has since become an icon of manga villainy upon discovering his true identity, proving to be an obsession for both protagonists like Kenji Endo and the reader.

The series' popularity sparked the aptly titled 21st Century Boys sequel in 2006.

While not as large in scope and plot as the original, the sequel remains a must-read for fans of the series.

A classic of modern manga, 20th century boys is a thrillingly imaginative effort.

1. Monster offers readers one of the darkest and richest mystery thrillers in manga history.

Urasawa's psychological thriller hit shelves in December 1994. Centering on German neurosurgeon Kenzo Tenma, the story follows his increasingly horrific journey after he makes the decision to save an injured young man instead of the mayor following a brutal massacre.

Needless to say, the young man and his twin sister are no ordinary people, and their backstory makes for chilling fare focused on human experimentation.

The captivatingly dark series was a resounding success among readers almost immediately upon its release. The complex narrative, suspenseful atmosphere, and main character arc are among the best ever put into manga.

The anime series, first airing a decade after the manga's initial release, only continued the series' popularity and growing legacy, ensuring it gained more fans than ever before.

Featuring one of the most effective and moving endings in manga history, this iconic and endlessly quotable series is a must-read for all manga lovers.