In history, there have been cases in which manga or anime have been left unfinished for various reasons, for example, the mangaka’s health prevents them from continuing with their stories and giving them an ending. Sometimes, unfortunately, the creators die, so it is not possible to continue with the manga or anime, as we tell you in this article. But sometimes the love for these stories is so strong that it is decided to continue them to give them the conclusion they deserve. Today, we tell you about some of these curious cases where the stories continued even after the death of their creators.
Mangakas who left a legacy with their stories, even after their departure
1. Zero no Tsukaima
This is a series of short novels written by Noboru Yamaguchi and illustrated by Eiji Usatsuka that also has an anime adaptation. Unfortunately, in 2013, Noboru Yamaguchi passed away due to the terminal cancer he was suffering from, as well as the surgeries he underwent in an attempt to extend his life, as he was determined to finish his novels. Despite this, the mangaka lost his life having published only 20 of the 22 volumes he had planned; however, at the request of the fans and due to the desire expressed by the author himself to finish his work, the publisher Media Factory decided to continue with the missing volumes and thus finish this series.
© 2006 ヤマグチノボル・メディアファクトリー／ゼロの使い魔製作委員会
2. MM!
This is also a series of light novels written by Matsuno Akinari and illustrated by QP:flapper, which as of March 2010 had published nine volumes. It has a manga adaptation illustrated by Hyoju Issei and an anime adaptation produced by Xebec, which began airing in October 2010. Unfortunately, the creator of this series, Matsuno Akinari departed this world in April 2011, at the age of 32. However, in February 2012 the manga was concluded with a total of 7 volumes.
3. Itazura na Kiss
It is a manga written and illustrated by Kaoru Tada that also has an anime adaptation. It was edited and published by Shueisha publishing house, through Margaret Magazine. This manga became so popular that although at the beginning it was only intended as three short stories, it was decided to make it a long-running series with a total of 23 volumes. However, in 1999 the creator left us, so the manga was never completed by her. Nevertheless, the story continued until it was finished in two volumes created by Osamu Harada in Cobalt magazine; this was possible thanks to the authorization of Kaoru Tada’s husband.
4. Berserk
In 2021, the early departure of Kentaro Miura was a great shock for the anime and manga community, especially for the followers of this series that began to be published in 1989 and has 42 volumes to date. However, the sad loss of the creator did not mean the end of this story, since it continues to be published by Kouji Mori, Kentarou Miura’s long-time friend, and Studio Gaga, the team of assistants who worked closely with the mangaka for years. Still in December 2023, this team stated that the manga still has no end date and that there will be Bersek for a long time.
5. Dragon Ball Super
Recently, the world of anime and manga was shocked by the news of Akira Toriyama’s departure due to the great legacy that this mangaka left in this community. With his death, some projects were left unfinished, among them the end of the Dragon Ball Super arc, which although it was not known with certainty when it would come to an end, the mangaka gave indications that it would arrive soon. However, it is speculated that it could be finished by Toyotaro, who has been illustrating since 2015 and had the approval and supervision of Akira Toriyama,
