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Coolest Manga Panels (Revealed)

Mangas are Japanese comics or visual novels. Most comics adhere to a style developed in Japan in the late nineteenth century, but the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art.

In Japan, the term Manga refers to both comic books and cartoons. Outside of Japan, the term primarily refers to Japanese-published comics.

Manga stories are often printed in black-and-white due to time constraints, creative reasons (since coloring may decrease the effectiveness of the artwork), and to keep printing costs low, while few full-color Mangas exist (e.g., colorful).

In Japan, Manga is typically serialized in massive Manga magazines, with numerous storylines presented in a single episode to be continued in the following issue.

Even though the Mangas have a black and white color palette, there’s no doubt some of the fantastic and enchanting artwork done by Manga artists are a visual treat.

Whether that be due to the sheer details, unique art style, or even simplicity, some Manga panels leave our jaws hanging wide.

Find out more about Manga in this article.

What is anime?

Anime is a Japanese animation subculture that generates or is influenced by animation. It is the Japanese word for cartoon or animation, and it refers to all cartoons from across the world.

Dramatic closeups and zooms, lavish lighting, and brilliant colors all contribute to the anime’s emotional atmosphere. Apart from its distinct visual style, anime has attracted audiences with its complex characters and compelling plotlines.

The Evolution of Anime

Anime has been around for nearly a century. The first confirmed specimen, Namakura Gatana, was released in 1917 and lasted only four minutes. It went through highs and lows as it overcame several challenges both nationally and globally.

Anime has been used by a variety of artists to push the boundaries and tell tales. This umbrella’s genres are as diverse as the art form itself. Many individuals in the West have preconceived opinions regarding anime’s appearance.

Artistry and styles appear to be unlimited, and artists decide their own creative expression. Whatever the type, one thing is consistent throughout these productions: the process is time-consuming.

What are the coolest Manga panels out there?

Follow along as I cover some of the greatest aesthetically pleasing Manga panels to date:

Panel from Jagaaaaaan

Jagaaaaaan by Kaneshiro Muneyuki

A monster bursts into the school in this panel. He rips apart hallways in the process, as you can see on the left side of the page. It’s as though the walls are growing to make room for him.

The transitions between black and grey are flawless, and the monster’s anatomy is realistic. It’s worth noting that the monster has human hands, but Jagasaki has monster hands, which adds to the panel’s complexity and absurdness.

Panel from Hideout

Masasumi Kakizaki’s Hideout Manga panel

Hideout is a horror Manga that more than justifies its place in the genre it belongs.

Masasumi Kazuki’s use of darkness and color contrast, or more appropriately a lack thereof in this sequence is exquisite and essential to the progression of the story. The panel gives you the creeps, exactly as good horror art should.

This panel, by itself, is quite disturbing. Even though Kirishima is about to be devoured by this beast that feeds on flesh, he is looking at you. That reveals something about how the level of risk increases.

Panel from Chainsaw Man

Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man Manga panel

There’s one area where Chainsaw Man shines, and that’s in its visual narrative. The Manga contains almost zero narration, but the panels speak for themselves. It’s gory but ingenious.

Denji is fully turned into Chainsaw Man for the first time in this scenario. He then eliminates the Hell Devil with a single shot. This is Denji, splattered in Hell Devil’s blood.

The strokes are forceful, but he remains calm. It is one of the series’ most memorable moments.

Panel from Otoyomegatari

Kaoru Mori’s Otoyomegatari Manga panel

The sheer amount of detail packed into every panel makes every scene breathtaking. This is depicted most accurately in the illustration that is featured above. It is a fan favorite that has won awards, thanks to its elaborate designs, clean lines, and intricate details.

Otoyomegatari is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of the historical romance Manga genre. However, the storyline is not the only thing that sets it apart from other works in its genre. The artwork that Kaoru Mori has contributed to this comic is of the highest caliber.

Panel from Berserk

Kentaro Miura’s Berserk panel

You probably aren’t surprised to see Berserk on this list, after all, it’s hailed as the best dark fantasy Manga out there. One of the biggest reasons for its success is its eye-pleasing art style which could be attributed to the talented artist, Kentaro Miura.

The shade and detail in this scene are superb. So much so that if the horses and farmers are removed, you could almost mistake it for a Van Gogh painting.

Kentaro Miura is a renowned artist, and his work in Berserk shows why. Fans would even protest that every chapter includes a panel worthy of inclusion on this list.

The panel above depicts Ganishka as World Tree was taking root.

Miura’s point of view is that of the farmers. They are currently oblivious of what is to come. As a result, all they can do is halt and look in astonishment.

Panel from One Punch Man

One Punch Man by Yusuke Murata

Yusuke Murata, an extremely talented Manga artist, created this comic panel.

This magnificent yet unsettling Manga page depicts an uncanny creature known as a god that emerges above the moon in all its radiance and instantly takes the life of the homeless.

The god is theorized to be the final villain of One Punch Man and his introduction is as eerie as his size, god in the next few panels stands on top of the moon which further accentuated this enigma’s sheer size. Just going through these Manga panels sent a cold shiver down my spine.

Panel from Made In Abyss

Made in Abyss by Akihito Tsukushi

Akihito Tsukushi combines light and shadow to make Reg and Faputa the focal point of this panel. He employs contrast to direct the reader’s gaze, and his compositions are superb.

In this panel, we see all of the aspects that distinguish Made in Abyss art. The characters are built in spherical shapes.

The background keeps a moderate tone to give the environment a significant tonal value. This contrasts with the dense content and plot.

Panel from Vagabond

Takehiko Inoue’s Vagabond Manga panel

Every Manga reader who has met Vagabond’s artwork will automatically place it at the top of their best list. It is also created by Takehiko Inoue.

The level of detail in the woodland is also thoughtful as it emphasizes the character’s marvel.

In Vagabond, we see him take his legendary Slam Dunk artwork and push it to the next level. Take note of how he uses shadow and grading in this shot. Various colors of black and grey are carefully stacked on top of one other.

The characters, however, aren’t drowned out because they stand out against the surroundings.

Vagabond Manga panel by Takehiko Inoue

Miyamoto Musashi visualizes himself in a wilderness as he strives to let go in these panels. In this shot, Takehiko Inoue utilizes his art to speak as Musashi’s eyes move from surprise to tranquility.

Panel from Hunter x Hunter

Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter X Hunter

Any Hunter x Hunter fan would be able to identify this scene. It truly is remarkable. However, even a non-reader can recognize the poignancy of this comic.

Spoiler alert: Komugi and Meruem were by each other’s sides when they died. It’s particularly moving because they chose to die in this manner.

In an unexpected turn of events, the most powerful villain surrendered to love. The solemness of the moment was driven by the simplicity of the art.

Which Manga has the coolest art style?

I’ll have to give this award to Berserk Manga.

Even though every Manga featured on this list has unique and eye-pleasing art styles, these styles are usually reserved for a few key panels that are important to the plot, i.e not every panel in the Manga is as visually pleasing as the featured panels, however, this is not true for berserk.

Berserk as a dark fantasy Manga is renowned for its unique, solemn, and serious art style, each Manga panel is eye candy, and it’s not hard to see why.

Written byKentaro Miura (1989–2021)
Kouji Mori (2022–present)
Published byYoung Animal Comics
MagazineMonthly Animal House
(1989–1992)

Young Animal
(1992–present)
DemographicSeinen
Original runAugust 1989 – present
Details related to Berserk Manga

Berserk’s artwork is rich with a bewildering amount of detail that portrays the beauty concealed within Miura’s grim universe. There will be pages depicting hell in its truest sense or gruesome brutality that will make the reader pause and admire Kentaro Miura’s almost limitless artistic talent.

Miura’s artwork is extremely detailed, yet he still has some faults with perspective and some facial expressions. Artists such as Samura and Murata may be equally detailed while also being far more dynamic in action.

Miura, on the other hand, is more constant in terms of release quality than many others. He never sends out poor-quality work or sketches. As a result, I and many others consider Berserk’s art style to be superior to all others. It’s dependable.

Berserk Manga panel by Kentaro Miura
Berserk Manga panel by Kentaro Miura
Berserk Manga panel by Kentaro Miura

It’s simply a visual masterpiece.

Everything you need to know about Berserk

What makes a Panel great?

As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the same could be said for art.

Art comes in various forms and shapes, acting, painting, sculpting, martial arts, and Manga illustration are all but forms of art. Which makes the answer to a question such as a thing a bit complex and convoluted.

Many things play a role in making a panel eye-catching and astounding, these factors range from being something major such as color contrast, detailing, and outlining or being something as minor as the geometrical symmetry of an object or a person.

There are a million and one factors that make or break a Mangas art style.

When all of these factors come together in a melting pot to cohesively accentuate one another, that is when art becomes a masterpiece.

Here’s a study I found which explains why humans find art or artistic implications beautiful and appealing, Have a look at it.

Conclusion

  • Berserk, Vagabond, and One Punch Man are some of my top picks for aesthetically appeasing Manga art style
  • The common between all of these is how the Manga artists use sheer detailing and color contrasting to make the panels look great
  • Berserk has the most consistent Manga art style, which is why I crown it as having the best Manga panels out there.

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