Best Shonen Manga With Protagonists Who Are Not Japanese

Key Takeaways

• Japanese mangaka are diversifying their settings with non-Japanese protagonists to appeal to global audiences.
• Series like Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure and Spy X Family showcase multicultural characters and settings.
• Dragon Ball and One Piece feature characters with international influences, adding depth to their origins.

It’s probably not surprising that Japanese companies produced in Japan for Japanese people tend to be set in Japan and feature Japanese protagonists. Even when it takes place in a fantasy setting, there are going to be at least a few familiar elements for their domestic audience to take in (Hurricane Polymer takes place in “Amehon” – a combination of America and Japan in one country, with “Washinkyo” as its capital).

Even so, mangaka have access to more sources of inspiration nowadays, and it’s led them to spice up their settings and worldbuilding with more influences. It’s worked out well for them, as some of the biggest names in shōnen manga have had non-Japanese protagonists. They may have even helped them catch on around the world too, though they show going foreign can still attract home audiences if it’s still a great read.

1 Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure

MyAnimeList Score: 7.29 (Part 1), 8.14 (Part 2), 8.18 (Part 5), 8.24 (Part 6)

• Creator: Hirohiko Araki.
• Part 1: 5 Volumes, 44 Chapters.
• Part 2: 7 Volumes, 69 Chapters.
• Part 5: 17 Volumes, 155 Chapters.
• Part 6: 17 Volumes, 158 Chapters.
• Available via Viz Media.

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is one of the more famous examples as it was the first Shōnen Jump series to officially have a non-Asian protagonist in Jonathan Joestar from Part 1: Phantom Blood. Though his gentlemanly conduct didn’t excite readers the way his cockier grandson, Joseph, did when he took the helm in Part 2: Battle Tendency. Then neither reached the heights of popularity the stoic, half-Japanese protagonist Jotaro got in Part 3: Stardust Crusaders.

By the time Jojo returned to a completely non-Japanese lead, via Part 7: Steel Ball Run‘s Johnny Joestar, the series had become a seinen strip. But that international touch never left, as Giorno, hero of Part 5: Vento Aureo, is half-Japanese, but all-Italian in his upbringing. While Jolyne from Part 6: Stone Ocean has a vague heritage since she could be an American with only ¼ Japanese in her, or practically fully Japanese. It’s up in the air because her mother hasn’t received any development beyond being Jolyne’s Mother.

2 Trigun & Trigun Maximum

MyAnimeList Score: 7.72 (Trigun), 8.27 (Maximum)

• Creator: Yasuhiro Nightow.
• 3 Volumes, 22 Chapters (Trigun), 14 Volumes, 102 Chapters (Maximum)
• Available via Dark Horse Comics.

Space Westerns were a popular genre with anime fans back in the day. Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, and Trigun kept viewers engaged when they turned up on Toonami. But since Bebop was anime-only, and Star started as a seinen strip, that leaves Trigun as the only one that started as a shōnen manga. The “Humanoid Typhoon,” capable of destroying cities on his own while trying to live a pacifist life, seems like another white guy protagonist. But looks can be deceiving.

He’s actually a sentient plant creature, hence the “humanoid” part. Thanks to a bout of retrograde amnesia, it took him a while to recall that part of his past, along with his aim to stop his twin brother’s own, more malicious intentions. The series took a while to catch on, as Trigun‘s run was cut short, and it had to switch publishers to continue as Trigun Maximum, but has since become a cult classic in print as well as on screens.

3 The Promised Neverland

MyAnimeList Score: 8.15

• Creators: Kaiu Shirai (story), Posuka Demizu (art).
• 20 Volumes, 181 Chapters.
• Available via Viz Media and MANGA Plus.

The Promised Neverland kept up its momentum better in its original manga form than as an anime. The story of a plucky group of orphans discovering they were being raised as meat for demons made for tense reading. Especially when they had to leave all they knew, including their so-called Mama, to try and survive in the wild on their own while saving other orphans.

It also went beyond Japan’s shores, as the cast is a rather multicultural bunch with Western names, like the cheerfully optimistic Emma, the genius Norman, and the cynical Ray. Still, it’s not just a mix of white people and Asians. Many of Neverland’s heroes and villains come from different backgrounds, like the rowdy but lovable Don, and the scheming Krone.

4 Black Butler

MyAnimeList Score: 8.41

• Creator: Yana Toboso.
• 34+ Volumes, 213+ Chapters.
• Available via Yen Press.

One of the reasons European settings turn up often in manga and anime is because many early anime series and movies were inspired by European fairy tales and novels, be it directly or indirectly (usually via Disney movies). Hayao Miyazaki was one of many animators who got their start in the industry by adapting stories like Heidi, Girl of the Alps, to TV screens. Studio Ghibli continued that trend with the likes of Arriety and Tales from Earthsea. However, Black Butler took up different influences.

The cursed child genius Ciel and his demon butler Sebastian have a touch of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to them, particularly with the Victorian London setting. But Sebastian’s deal with Ciel, where he’ll eat his soul the moment he gets his revenge on his family’s killer, is more Faustian, as they investigate the trail of varying occult criminals, ranging from gothic horror abominations to something more Lovecraftian.

5 Dragon Ball

MyAnimeList Score: 8.43

• Creator: Akira Toriyama.
• 42 Volumes, 520 Chapters.
• Available via Viz Media.

Surely everyone knows Goku from Dragon Ball isn’t Japanese. He’s a Saiyan! Albeit one that was brought up on Earth from birth. He considers himself more of an Earthling than anyone from Planet Vegeta. But is he from its version of Japan? Not quite. Despite his Japanese voice having a thick Tohoku country accent, Son Goku has more Chinese links than Japanese. Like “Son Goku” being the Japanese pronunciation of “Sun Wukong,” the almighty monkey from Journey to the West.

Then, his childhood home in Mt Paozu is based on Wukong’s home on the Mountain of Fruit and Flowers, which is likely Mt Huaguo in Lianyungang. Many of his friends are also based on figures from Chinese folklore, like Tien (Erlang Shen), Chiaotzu (Nezha), and Oolong (Zhu Bajie). DB’s world is a mishmash of different cultures and characters, but if Goku came from anywhere, it’d likely be China.

6 Spy X Family

MyAnimeList Score: 8.50

• Creator: Tatsuya Endo.
• 14+ Volumes, 107+ Chapters.
• Available via Viz Media and MANGA Plus.

Spy X Family dives right into Teutonic territory by basing its rival nations of Westalis and Ostania directly on West Germany and East Germany. Like the formerly split halves, the nations are at the center of a Cold War, where Westalis agent “Twilight” spies on Ostanian political figure Desmond Donovan. To keep tabs on him, he sets up a cover identity as family man Loid Forger, with his wife Yor and adopted daughter Anya.

Unbeknownst to him, Yor is a notorious assassin called the “Thorn Princess,” who’s also using the fake marriage to get closer to her target. Except she doesn’t know Loid is a spy nor that Anya isn’t his daughter by blood. Anya’s the only one who knows the full story, as her telepathic abilities let her read her “parents'” minds. Put together, they make what’s possibly the oddest West German-ish family in fictional East Germany.

7 Attack On Titan

MyAnimeList Score: 8.55

• Creator: Hajime Isayama.
• 34 Volumes, 141 Chapters.
• Available via Kodansha Comics USA.

Like Black Butler and Spy X Family, Attack on Titan has a vaguely European theme to its setting, with the Germanic Eldians and the somewhat Greek Marleyans. But their backgrounds get some significant spice through their first names, as Mikasa has Japanese features, including her name. But she’s also an Ackerman, retaining that German connection the other characters have.

With her as a basis, one would think protagonist Eren Yeager had some Turkish roots, as his first name is based on the Turkish word for “saint.” But, since this name was chosen as a reference to the Eldian spy, Eren Kruger, it’s sadly unlikely. If AoT’s world still has connections to the real one, he’s likely of German roots, with perhaps a little Russian via his father, as his name “Grisha” is Russian for “Gregory.”

MyAnimeList Score: 9.04

• Creator: Hiromu Arakawa.
• 27 Volumes, 116 Chapters.
• Available via Viz Media.

Like Attack on Titan, fans have noticed a rather Teutonic tone in the Fullmetal Alchemist series, albeit more so in the 2003 anime than in the manga. Since Studio Bones had the license to create an original ending while the manga was still running, writer Sho Aikawa (of Urotsukidoji and Angel Cop infamy) saw Edward Elric end up in pre-war Germany and saw a certain man with a mustache in its tie-in movie, Conqueror of Shamballa.

The manga based its fantasy world of Amestris more generally on late 19th century Europe, with British and French touches here and there to go with the German ones. The same goes for its characters as, while there are more diverse examples (see the Middle Eastern-ish Ishvalans and Chinese-based Xingeses), many of the key characters are basically white people, including the Elric brothers themselves.

9 One Piece

MyAnimeList Score: 9.22

• Creator: Eiichiro Oda.
• 110+ Volumes, 1,131+ Chapters.
• Available via Viz Media.

Out of all the critical acclaim it received, the strongest review of the live-action One Piece series came from creator Eiichiro Oda himself, who was especially impressed with Iñaki Godoy’s performance as Luffy. He went as far as giving him his own straw hat and saying, “I am glad you were born to be Luffy.” Considering how few live-action adaptations live up to their material, that’s perhaps the highest praise one can get.

While One Piece does take place in a fantasy world, Oda had always pictured Luffy as a Latino character, citing Brazil as the closest comparison to his land of origin. It was in response to a question asked via his SBS bulletins, which came out with each chapter or so. In addition to Luffy, Oda added that Nami would be Swedish, Nico Robin Russian, Sanji French, Brook Austrian, Franky American, Chopper Canadian, Usopp African (he doesn’t specify where in Africa though), and Zoro as the lone Japanese member of the Straw Hats.