20th Century Boys is a seinen manga written by Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in the year 1999, and since then has published about 22 volumes till 2006. Though being very popular and loved among the manga community, it never received an anime adaptation despite being published more than 2 decades ago.
Although Pluto and Monster anime, written by the same author, have been adapted into anime and received huge acclaim as well. Thus, In this article, we will explore the potential of 20th Century Boy anime adaptation and see how it fares against Monster and Pluto anime.Â
Naoki Urasawa’s manga
Manga represents the world through its author’s spectacles. Whether it be a magical adventure utopia or a thrilling and frightening dystopia, we are exposed to an alternate reality or thought that never occurred to us. Among such authors, Naoki Urasawa stands out for his exceptional work in writing thrilling but realistic seinen manga.
Though his name may not be as renowned as Hayao Miyazaki among the new gen anime watchers, he has created certain artistic gems like Monster and Pluto. Some of his works including the latest Pluto anime, after being loved by the audiences in manga format have also been adapted into anime TV series.Â
20th Century Boys: What is it about?
In 1969, a group of young boys, including Kenji Endo, Otcho, Yoshitsune, and Maruo, establish a secret hideout in an abandoned field. As they share their dreams and aspirations, they create a symbol representing their friendship and a hypothetical scenario where they would unite to protect the world from evil. Little did they know that their childhood imagination would soon clash with a chilling reality.
Twenty-five years later, in 1997, a mysterious figure known only as “Friend” emerges, leading a cult that quickly gains popularity and influence. As the cult’s activities grow increasingly sinister, Kenji and his friends begin to notice uncanny parallels between Friend’s actions and the predictions they made in their childhood
Critical acclaim and global impact
20th CENTURY BOYS – Anime Tribute
As a huge fan of @urasawa_naoki work, 20th Century Boys is my favorite manga and I wanted to do an anime tribute of it
The music is also written and composed by Naoki Urasawa
Thanks to my brother @chicoamariyo for helping animating this#anime pic.twitter.com/8o4CwpW2R3— Jack-Amin IBRAHIM (@jack_anim) November 12, 2023
Considering the acclamation and reception by fans, 20th Century Boys has sold over 36 million copies until now, and it has also been adapted into 3 live-action films. Over the years it has been praised and loved for its psychological theme and seinen plot.
It has earned numerous awards, including the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Kodansha Manga Award, and the Seiun Award. This recognition suggests that the manga has the potential to translate well to an anime format and appeal to a wide audience.
Comparing the Trio
When it comes to the Manga sales, 20th Century Boys has been the most popular among the three. 20th Century Boys has a broader appeal than Pluto and Monster, as it is a mystery thriller with a more mainstream plot. This could potentially attract a wider audience to the anime adaptation.Â
- Though Monster anime is considered a cult classic by its fans, it was created in 2004 when anime’s popularity was not globalized.Â
- Pluto is produced by Netflix which allowed it to overcome this problem and attain a global audience.
- 20th Century Boys, being a commercial success in both manga and live-action form, would likely be produced by a reputable animation studio with a track record of producing high-quality anime.
This could help to ensure that the anime adaptation is faithful to the original manga and is of high technical quality.
Conclusion
While it’s impossible to guarantee the success of an anime adaptation of 20th Century Boys, the manga’s strong source material, and critical acclaim suggest that it has the potential to become a popular anime series and surpass both Monster and Pluto anime. However, the challenges of adapting a long-running manga mean that its ultimate success would depend on the quality of the production team and its ability to capture the essence of the original work.
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