Finding an anime without an ending is disappointing. Imagine if a famous manga writer, like Yoshihiro Togashi, took a break from Hunter x Hunter. Fans would hope he’d come back and wait for news.
But what if a writer couldn’t finish their story because they passed away? This has happened, and it’s sad for fans and the writer’s family. For many writers, finishing their story is a big dream.
Starting and finishing a manga can take many years. Manga writers work hard because they love what they do. But sometimes, a manga can’t be finished because the writer passes away.
When a writer passes away while still working, the manga is left unfinished. But fans still love and remember it.
Here’s a list of anime and manga that couldn’t be finished because their creators passed away. If you don’t want to feel sad about an unfinished story, maybe don’t read them. But if you’re curious, keep reading.
10. Umanosuke Iida
Iida, a significant figure in the anime world, left behind an unfinished project, Towa No Quon. The six-film series revolved around humans with special abilities resisting a secret organization.
| Umanosuke Iida | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 30, 1961 Hokkaido, Japan |
| Died | November 26, 2010 (aged 49) Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
9. Takeyuki Kanda
Takeyuki Kanda, known for Dragon Warrior and Ultraman Anime, had a tragic ending. He had completed only half of The 08th MS Team, a video animation, when he died in a car crash in 1996.
| Takeyuki Kanda (神田 武幸) | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 8, 1943 |
| Died | July 27, 1996 |
| Known for | Directing Vifam, The Ultraman anime, Kiko Senki Dragonar, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team (first six episodes) |
| Influences | Nicolas Roeg, Stanley Kubrick, Steven Spielberg |
8. Yoshito Usui
Yoshito Usui, creator of the widely loved Crayon Shin-Chan series, disappeared while hiking in 2009. His body was found a week later. Though he had never intended to conclude the manga, his team began a new Crayon Shin-Chan manga in 2010.
| 臼井 義人 (Usui Yoshihito) | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 21, 1958 Shizuoka, Japan |
| Died | September 11, 2009 (aged 51) Shimonita, Gunma, Japan |
| Cause of Death | Mountain climbing accident |
| Body Discovered | September 19, 2009 |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Known for | Crayon Shin-chan |
7. Shotaro Ishinomori
Ishinomori, a renowned manga artist, was behind big names like Cyborg 009 and Kamen Rider. He died of heart failure, leaving Cyborg 009 incomplete. However, in 2012, based on his original drafts and sketches, the story was resumed.
| Shotaro Onodera | |
|---|---|
| Born | 25 January 1938 Tome, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | 28 January 1998 (aged 60) Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Notable Works | Kamen Rider Super Sentai Cyborg 009 |
6. Ken Ishikawa
The mecha series Getter Robo was a combined effort of Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa. In 2007, after a golf event, Ishikawa passed away suddenly. His notes and drafts were used to continue the series.
| Ken Ishikawa | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 28, 1948 Karasuyama, Tochigi |
| Died | November 15, 2006 (aged 58) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Known For | Getter Robo |
5. Noburo Yamaguchi
Noburo Yamaguchi, a well-regarded Japanese novelist, had only completed 20 of the 22 chapters of The Familiar Of Zero before he succumbed to advanced cancer. His light novels, Kaze No Kishime and Zero No Tsukaima, gained him immense fame.
Before he passed away in 2013, Yamaguchi discussed the ending of The Familiar Of Zero with his editors. His family and fans wanted to see the series finished. As a result, Media Factory published the 21st volume in 2016 and the final chapter in 2017.
| Noboru Yamaguchi (ヤマグチ ノボル, Yamaguchi Noboru) | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 11, 1972 Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan |
| Died | April 4, 2013 (aged 41) Niigata, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Known for | The Familiar of Zero, Green Green, Strike Witches |
4. Tomohiro Matsu
Tomohiro Matsu, creator of light novels “Listen To Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!” and “Mayoi Neko Overrun!”, couldn’t finish his last series, Hatena Illusion, due to liver cancer. He passed away in 2016, but the 4-novel series was turned into an anime in 2017.
| Tomohiro Matsu (松智洋) | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 October 1972 Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Died | 2 May 2016 |
| Real Name | Takahiro Narimatsu (成松 孝洋) |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Known for | Mayoi Neko Overrun!, Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!, Hatena Illusion |
3. Kaoru Tada
Kaoru Tada, a young novelist, had a tragic end when she accidentally injured her head and fell into a coma, dying three weeks later.
Although her manga Itazura Na Kiss was incomplete, an anime adaptation was later made that provided an ending to the story.
| Kaoru Tada | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1960 Neyagawa, Osaka, Japan |
| Died | March 11, 1999 (aged 38) |
| Areas | Writer, Penciller, Inker |
| Notable Works | Itazura na Kiss, Love Me, My Knight |
2. Satoshi Kon
Satoshi Kon, known for his deep and psychologically intense animations, left behind an unfinished project, Dreaming Machine.
He silently battled pancreatic cancer and passed away, leaving the world in shock. The Dreaming Machine remains incomplete, awaiting a director who can match Kon’s brilliance.
| Yoshihiro Wanibuchi | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 12, 1963 Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan |
| Died | August 24, 2010 (aged 46) Tokyo, Japan |
| Alma Mater | Musashino Art University |
1. Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka, often dubbed “The Godfather of Manga,” had a profound impact on Japanese culture. Though he created classics like Astro Boy and Black Jack, Phoenix remained unfinished.
The series, which revolved around the quest for immortality, was left incomplete after his death in 1989.
| Tezuka Osamu | |
|---|---|
| Born | 3 November 1928 Toyonaka, Osaka Prefecture, Empire of Japan |
| Died | 9 February 1989 (aged 60) Tokyo, Japan |
| Education | Nara Medical University (M.D., 1961) |
| Organizations | Mushi Production, Tezuka Productions |
| Notable Work | Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion |
Honorable mention to the legend who passed away in 2021:
Kentaro Miura (Berserk)
