20th Century Boys

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Monster and 20th Century Boys are both written by the same author (Urasawa Naoki) and are both heavily psychological works that primarily explore the nature of evil. 

The two pieces are emotive in two particular ways: a coming-of-age realisation, and the development of relationships between friends. Both also feature great artwork and storytelling. 

You will find yourself mesmerised by the amazing storytelling, dramatic character development, and the enveloping mystery of the plot in these two publications.  

Both are written and drawn by Urusawa Naoki, and has the unique Urusawa feeling. They are both about a "mystery" of sorts, as well as a conspiracy that threatens the world. Billy Bat has some supernatural elements and is more of a historical manga set during the 50s-60s. 

In a world where hopelessness has blended into everyday life, a dystopian tale about some teenagers and their struggles. Anyway, frankly speaking, there really is no hope; the earth is about to end. 

Both stories are thrillers that are a race against time as the protagonist has to remember events and people from his childhood to protect himself and those he cares about. They definitely have the same kind of series-long tension that keeps you reading late into the night. 

The characters in both are involved in a life or death game. The "game" in 20th century boys involves the entire world, while Liar Game is much smaller. Both focus mainly on psychological conflits and character development. You need to actually think to understand the story of either 

Both are seinen manga, with plot about the past, in school, and later, as adults. Nijigahara Holograph is a lot shorter though, only 1 volume. 

A bunch of kids saving the world, do note that Bloody Monday is shōnen unlike 20th CB. 

Both are about surviving almost extinction due to several reasons, and how society changes and adapts to it. Furthermore, both are also about groups of people unraveling the mysteries surrounding the events of their almost extinction. In both manga we witness the growth of the different characters over long periods of time. 

Try this other short story by Urasawa! 

- They both tackle a strong sense of friendship and carry out a strong bond between the characters; - The main characters want to save the future by unraveling issues related to the past (prophecy book for 20th Century Boys and Time-Leaping in Tokyo Revengers); - The main character in each series develops strongly (not necessarily physically) and in a very moving way; - They both deal with "underground-ish" themes (cults/gangs). 

Both are by the same mangaka (Naoki Urasawa) and as a result have very similar artstyles. Both focus on watching the characters grow up over a very long period of time and have plots revolving around saving the world from a great threat. They also both have a large focus on themes of nostalgia and coming of age. 

Naoki Urasawa created a mystery of epic proportions and even after reading through 100+ chapters the readers were still interested. Still curious about what will happen next. Ouroboros is something similar. A murder happened 15years ago, and still it is of great significance to a number of people. Nobody can be trusted. Why did the murder occur? Who was the killer? The best part is that in both these manga there were no easy guesses, AND no deus ex machina (stupid plots twist ending). 

Both of these mangas will make you question what’s real and what isn’t. Both are mysteries, which is to say that the goal of the characters is to learn things and every piece of the puzzle shows itself with time. Both place big importance in masks and face reveals. Learning the identity of someone is the whole point from start to end, but the stakes keep getting bigger and bigger until it culminates in a world-ending battle against evil. Social dynamics are an important theme as well, hierarchy being observed and critiqued, though neither works are pretentious pieces. You may very well enjoy both of these simply as a puzzle that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Mangas that make you go "what the hell?" in an intrigued and endeared manner, that hooks you in and doesn’t let go for 150+ chapters. read more 

21th Century Boys takes place immediately after 20CB left of and ties most of the loose ends together. 

Both 20th Century Boys and Steins;Gate are Japanese science fiction thrillers that deal with complex time travel concepts and their far-reaching consequences. While they differ in narrative style and tone, several intriguing similarities bind them: 1. Butterfly effect and consequences of altering the past: Both stories heavily explore the butterfly effect, where seemingly minor changes in the past can have drastic and unpredictable consequences in the future. 20th Century Boys focuses on how a group of childhood friends' actions unintentionally trigger a catastrophic future. Steins;Gate revolves around Okabe Rintarou accidentally sending a text message to the past, creating alternate timelines and causing unforeseen chaos. The stories delve into the ethical dilemmas and risks associated with time travel. Both protagonists grapple with the guilt and responsibility of manipulating the past and struggle to rectify the unintended consequences of their actions. 2. Conspiracy and cryptic messages: Both narratives involve mysterious conspiracies and cryptic messages that hint at hidden truths and future events. 20th Century Boys features a shadowy organization manipulating society based on a predicted apocalypse, leaving clues and symbols throughout the story. Steins;Gate features SERN, a shadowy organization researching time travel, which Okabe must uncover and oppose to prevent dystopian futures. Unraveling these conspiracies and deciphering cryptic messages is a central driving force in both stories. The protagonists face constant danger and deception as they piece together the puzzles and struggle to understand the forces at play. 3. Themes of friendship and sacrifice: Both stories emphasize the importance of friendship and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones. 20th Century Boys revolves around a group of childhood friends reuniting and sacrificing everything to stop the predicted apocalypse. Steins;Gate features Okabe's desperate attempts to save his friends and fix the timeline, even if it means making difficult choices and facing devastating consequences. 4. Genre blending and emotional depth: Both 20th Century Boys and Steins;Gate seamlessly blend genres, incorporating elements of science fiction, thriller, mystery, and drama. This creates a diverse and engaging narrative experience that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The stories resonate emotionally. Both protagonists experience loss, regret, and the burden of responsibility, making their journeys relatable and impactful. Despite their contrasting tones and stylistic choices, both 20th Century Boys and Steins;Gate offer captivating explorations of time travel, its profound consequences, and the complex human emotions intertwined with such a powerful concept.  read more 

Lots of big brain thinking and plot twists 

The whole mystery aspect is really similar in both of em. And both are really interesting and entertaining  

The main plot of both these series convey the meaning of friendship and trust. Both the main protagonists have their true friends as their supporting force.  

Harmless symbols and games from the main character's childhood suddenly reemerge and threaten the entire world. "Who did this?", "Why?" and "How?" are the main mysteries both manga want you to question, although each manga's way of developing the story is very different. 

Through an unraveling, the strange nature of the world reveals itself to the viewer in spectacular fashion. While a lot more contained than 20th Century Boys as well as perhaps a touch darker in content, SOIL is a great mystery all the same. 

well i didnt read 1984 the manga however the book 1984 is very similair to 20th century boys friend in 20cb and big brother in 1984 the cold war in 1984 and the y2k or wtvr in 20cb so... 

"What the hell is going on?" is usually the thought that comes to mind when first reading either. But each mystery and loose end is slowly unraveled as the story progresses. Both mangas heavily focus on psychological conflicts and character development but only Believers includes adult interactions and erotic behavior. In both stories, a bizzare cult is at fault for the several occurring deaths and disappearances. Standing at the top in 20th Century Boys is "Friend", while in Believers a man called "Master". Both protagonists are deeply connected with the cult, but approach it differently. Kenji seeks to find "Friend" and put an end to his cult, while the protagonist known as "Operator" is manipulated by "Master" and fully believes the ideals of his cult. Although Believers cannot compare to the magnitude of 20th Century Boys, both are compelling psychological/mystery manga that will leave you at the edge of your seat. read more 

It has a similar theme:"man relives his childhood" 

Although one is manga the other is a manhwa, both of them have great similarities. Throughout the stories lots of mysteries happen and some "friends" try to solve the mysteries.  

Both mangas are high-adrenaline thrillers with a touch of mystery. In a world where rebellion against societal norms can get you killed, the main characters are pitted against greedy and corrupt enemies with terrifying political and economic power. Colorful characters, masterful cliffhangers, and powerful stories make these two mangas a Japanese thriller must. 

Both are seinen manga with touches of sci-fi that focuses mainly on psychological conflits and character development. Also, their brilliant plots feature end-of-the-world and conspiracy ideas. Even the feel is the same. 

Each of these manga deals with an epic adventure with a protagonist, who against the odds, fights against an absolute evil. Shin Angyo Onshi is more of a historical story involving Korea and 20th Century Boys is more based on current times involving Japan. ^_^ 

Antagonists hold a lot of power and the main characters have to oppose this massive force while trying to find out the truth behind everything that's happening and will happen while trying to keep it a secret from others. Both give off the feeling of suspense and leave you impatient to know what will happen next. 

Different genres, but with a similar feeling. Mysteries that span decades, and huge twists in almost every chapter. Both masterpieces. 

Both series involve a cult. In both cases, Mc investigates this cult and it keeps finding problems to investigate. Both MC are young adult. same intriguing vibe.  

Yes I did it. While reading this manga I couldn't help but feel the subtle influence of Otomo's masterwork in what I would be tempted to call it's spiritual successor. The main similarities, aside from the obvious seinen and sci-fi that both of these prolific works share, is how the story progresses. The enormous cast of characters that grow and change as the story progresses in each work, much like the narratives propel the plot forward at a dizzying pace though in a good way. If you're a fan of psychological science fiction and manga than you are doing yourself a discredit if you don't read both of these magnificent series.  read more 

Friends...Comrades...Both manga are about a male who has to deal with something or someone trying to take over the world. In one story, it's about one of his childhood friends trying to brainwash everyone and in the other, it's about his friend who wants to make everyone disappear. Both are thrilling action/mysteries that are addictive and filled with serious topics and a moving plot. 

The people are forced to be a part of a 'game', the purpose of which they aren't told. Both protagonists seek to find the "bad guy" and aim to end the senseless game in which they were plunged into unknowingly. 

Story that involves a MC that is swept into a mistery against is will, but soon he takes on the role of the Hero to try and figure out eveyrthing that's going on with whats happening, with new twists and information constantly appearing. Set of characters that increases little by little, with the Hero's "Squad" increasing as the chapters go on, with previous villains becoming part of it as well. Main BBG that is a psychopathic evil guy with misterious intentions. Also has a female deuteragonist of sorts that has balls, fights against the system and is smart, although reckless. 

ERASED and 20th Century Boys both are great mystery-seinen manga that looking for someone who responsible for the tragedy on both series. The plot of these manga are really similiar, the main characters are adults and both of them must remember an event since they were child (ERASED's MC even uses time leap).