Yet, the best manga panels are frequently not simple matters of well-drawn characters in static poses. They often involve powerful visual storytelling, deploying anything ranging from masterful backdrops, minimalist character-driven illustrations, or cinematic two-page spreads. Nailing any of these is any manga artist’s goal, but the truly iconic panels often need few words to convey their messages forever.
15
The City That Never Sleeps and Never Dies
Blame! Chapter #5
Realistically, any large-scale panel of Tsutomu Nihei’s eternally apocalyptic cyberpunk classic Blame! is a perfect choice among the medium’s greatest. Glimpsing any of his work from this first and most iconic manga of his, all the way to the present with Tower Dungeon, Nihei’s origins as a student studying architecture are readily apparent.
Not only does Nihei masterfully convey impossible architecture in the form of a dying city, he creates this sense of dread as the protagonist, Killy, as he searches the incomprehensibly huge megastructure, “The City”, for the means to restore humanity’s control over it. Not weighed down with idle exposition, Blame! is all about visual storytelling and bespoke scenery.
The City, the size of a solar system, is just about the neatest picture of cyberpunk liminal spaces there is. While much of its scenery is a yawning chasm of emptiness, there are often glimpses of its automatons, like the Builders pictured above, who have gone rogue, indefinitely expanding The City while other automatons systematically exterminate humans on sight.
14
The Supreme Devil Makes A Flashy Entrance
Chainsaw Man Chapter #64
Chainsaw Man is full of strange and captivating panels, but this one was extremely bizarre and made the appearance of the Darkness Devil that much more memorable. While the decimated praying space suits might look like they’re there for shock factor, they are a great symbol of human fear and are one of Chainsaw Man’s many elements likely inspired by a real-life tragedy.
Chainsaw Man pushes shonen to its absolute limits, and forced me to reconsider the kinds of stories the genre is actually capable of telling.
This amazing double spread, while more recent, is very popular and iconic, and perfectly represents the brilliance of Tatsuki Fujimoto. Part of what makes the panel work so well is the overwhelming sense of mystery that accompanies it.
Fans of the manga will undoubtedly recognize the Darkness Devil at the center of the image, but even longtime fans still have no idea who those astronauts are or why they’re basically acting as heralds for the darkness devil. Fujimoto is a master of tone, and the Darkness Devil’s appearance is a perfect example of that.
13
Gojo And Sukuna Prepare To Take Each Other On
Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter #223
While Jujutsu Kaisen was a very unpredictable series, one thing that was certain to happen from the first episode was the showdown between Gojo Satoru and Ryomen Sukuna.
The stage was set, and the Shinjuku Showdown arc took the manga community by storm when the two strongest sorcerers finally took each other. The panel that declared them the most powerful before jumping into the fight was truly unforgettable, and it spawned many memes across many communities and fandoms.
Few conflicts in manga history had been built up quite the same way as the one between Gojo and Sukuna. Fans had been waiting to see Jujutsu Kaisen’s strongest sorcerer face the series’ strongest curse for some time, and with one panel, mangaka Gege Akutami sold just how epic their brawl would be.
12
Chrollo vs Hisoka
Hunter X Hunter Chapter #352
After the series laid the groundwork for the Dark Continent expedition, the long-awaited fight between Chrollo and Hisoka started in Heaven’s Arena. The buildup was there in both the Yorknew Arc and Greed Island arcs, and with Chrollo not only removing the seal on his Nen but becoming even more powerful after acquiring the Bookmark ability.
After explaining how incredibly powerful his abilities are, Chrollo was perplexed at Hisoka still wanting to fight despite his huge advantage, which led him to drop the iconic quote.
The battle was a bloodbath that involved the manipulation of many spectators, and in the end, Chrollo defeated and killed Hisoka. Fortunately, Hisoka prepared a contingency to revive himself in the worst possible scenario.
Furthermore, he kills Shalnark and Kortopi later and says he plans on finishing the rest of the Phantom Troupe. The conflict between Hisoka and the Spiders is one of the important plot points in the Succession War arc.
11
Thorfinn Finally Became A Warrior
Vinland Saga Chapter #96
After going on a quest for vengeance, killing many, losing his purpose, and finally discovering a new one, Thorfinn finally understood what his father meant when he said he had no enemies.
This moment solidified Thorfinn’s conviction, and the iconic line came after he took 100 punches from a hulk of a man. Not only did he meet Canute without restoring to violence but he also managed to talk him out of leaving the farm peacefully.
Vinland Saga is largely a series about the mental cost of living a life filled with violence, and here is finally the moment where Thorfinn rejects his past violent ways.
In a way, everything in Vinland Saga up until that point was leading up to this exact moment where Thorfinn declares that he has no enemies. The image of a ragged and tired Thorfinn declaring he has no enemies is still one of the most powerful images in manga, making it instantly iconic.
10
Nothing Happened
One Piece Chapter #485
Roronoa Zoro is a man of multiple personalities across the One Piece manga, juggling silly moments that made it into the live-action series, while ultimately becoming famous for being unflinchingly badass. A man who welcomes pain and sees wounds on the back as a swordsman’s shame, Zoro fatefully volunteers to shoulder Luffy’s suffering at Thriller Bark.
Zoro’s resolve as a Straw Hat was put through its most famous visceral test when Bartholomew Kuma uses his Paw-Paw Fruit to repel and extract Luffy’s pain and exhaustion and thrust it upon Zoro. The rest of the crew awakens soon after, unaware of the pain Zoro went through, but can see the visible anguish.
But Zoro, honor-bound to protect his captain, and fully experiencing firsthand what Luffy endures to protect the crew, doesn’t waver when asked by Sanji what happened in that moment. The incident opened Zoro’s eyes to true excruciating pain, just one instance of the burden Luffy regularly tackles. Thus, in Zoro’s eyes, nothing happened, compared to what Luffy endures.
9
Ichigo Enters The Millenium-Old Conflict
Bleach Chapter #512
Ichigo makes a dramatic entrance after being absent from much of the early chaos of the Quincy invasion led by Yhwach. The Soul Society is in complete disarray, with numerous Shinigami injured or dead, and morale at an all-time low. With Byakuya bloody and defeated, he pleads with his former enemy to help his home.
What really makes this panel amazing is the harsh shading on Ichigo’s body and face, and the rain helps highlight the severity of the situation and the anger of Ichigo. An intense beginning to Ichigo’s entry into the war, this panel kicked off the conflict between Ichigo and Yhwach, which was a highlight of the arc.
8
Guts And Griffith’s Emotional Farewell
Berserk Chapter #35
After going through life and death together, Guts decided his time with the Hawks was up, and he set out on a journey to find his own dreams and goals after watching Griffith fight so hard for his.
While everyone else said goodbye to him and wished him the best, Griffith refused to let him go and challenged him to a fight to decide whether he gets to stay with him, just like the first time Guts joined the band.
The two unsheathed their swords and prepared to take each other on in a stunning panel that showed the landscape and sunrise in the background. In the end, Guts defeated Griffith, and he went on his way, leading to a heartbreaking farewell.
This moment is truly the turning point of Berserk, the moment that solidified the fates of Guts, Griffith, and the world, and Miura absolutely sells the moment’s weight.
7
Dr. Tenma’s Confrontation with Johan
Monster Chapter #159
It’s never enough to simply say Naoki Urasawa is a master of storytelling, as his visual component is impossible to overlook. Crafting a sprawling mystery with a trail of blood and intrigue, Monster is Urasawa’s most iconic story, with this scene a culmination of his protagonist, Dr. Kenzo Tenma’s conflicted morality facing Johan Liebert, the monster he unleashed.
Everything about the visual storytelling of this scene is excellent. Its desolate surrounding reflects Johan’s rhetoric of doomsday. Tenma is positioned in a vulnerable stance, on his knee looking up at Johan; despite Tenma holding the gun, Johan’s still in control. But even as this moment takes a turn, Tenma’s sense of mercy never fades, even after this fateful moment.
6
Father And Son Kamehameha
Dragon Ball Z Chapter #221
The arc where Gohan took over and became the main character, the young Saiyan exceeded his limits and became the first Super Saiyan 2. Finally, on par with Perfect Cell, he takes this amalgamation of everyone powerful on, but his strength alone isn’t enough.
While Goku was not there and had already been killed, the panel showed him and his son performing a final attack to take down Cell, the perfect symbolism to show how Gohan found strength within his dad and how important he was to him.
Dragon Ball Daima Is Already Fixing GT’s Weirdest Story Arc
Dragon Ball Daima episode #3 strikes a parallel with Dragon Ball GT’s first story arc, but it’s already doing a lot to make it a better watch.
The Cell Saga is often considered the pinnacle of Dragon Ball, as it felt like the culmination of everything that came before it. Gohan’s character arc from a timid child to the savior of Earth is finally complete, making the image of him channeling his father’s spirit to finally eradicate Cell all the more satisfying.