“Which Mangaka is the Best Artist?”

2ch is violently debating a putative ranking of mangaka by drawing ability, with the top spot proving particularly incendiary…

The ranking, judged by “design ability, perspective correctness, consistency, anatomical correctness, shading, etc”:

S rank:

Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto)
Sadamoto Yoshiyuki (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Yasuhiko Yoshikazu (Mobile Suit Gundam)
Hanaharu Naruko (Kamichu!)
Igarashi Daisuke (Children of the Sea)
Inoue Takehiko (Vagabond)

A rank:

Obata Takeshi (Bakuman)
Ogure Ito (Tenjho Tenge)
Murata Yusuke (Eyeshield 21)
Katsura Masakazu (Zetman)
Hagiwara Kazushi (Bastard!!)
Miura Kentaro (Berserk)
Fujiwara Kamui (Dragon Quest Retsuden)
Shinichi Sakamoto (Kokou no Hito)

B rank:

Eiichiro Oda (One Piece)
Aoyama Gosho (Detective Conan)
Tome Kei (Sing Yesterday For Me)
Araki Hirohiko (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Azuma Kiyohiko (Yotsuba&!)

C rank:

Yabuki Kentaro (To Love-Ru)
Usuta Kyosuke (Pyu to Fuku! Jaguar)
Hoshino Katsura (D.Gray-man)
Fujisaki Ryu (Hoshin Engi)
Takei Hiroyuki (Jumbor)
Iwahara Yuji (Darker Than Black)
Amano Kozue (Amanchu!)
Park Sung-Woo (Kurokami)

D rank:

Kubo Noriaki (Bleach)
Togashi Yoshihiro (YuYu Hakusho)
Kawashita Mizuki (Ane Doki)
Okubo Atsushi (Soul Eater)

E rank:

Amano Akira (Katekyo Hitman Reborn!)
Tanabe Ierou (Kekkaishi)
Asada Hiroyuki (Tegami Bachi)
Arakawa Hiromu (Fullmetal Alchemist)
Mitsuda Takuya (Major)
Otaka Shinobu (Magi – Labyrinth of Magic)

F rank:

Aimoto Shou (Hokenshitsu no Shinigami)
Shiibashi Hiroshi (Nurarihyon no Mago)
Akatsuki Akira (Medaka Box)
Akamatsu Ken (Negima!)
Kumeta Koji (Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei)
Masahiro Anbe (Shinryaku! Ika Musume)

G rank:

Konomi Takeshi (Prince Of Tennis)
Terajima Yuji (Daiya no A)
Mashima Hiro (Fairy Tail)

H rank:

Shimabukuro Mitsutoshi (Toriko)
Tsukiyama Kaya (Area no Kishi)
Wakaki Tamiki (Kami Nomi Zo Shiru Sekai)
Sato Fumiya (Kindaichi Case Files)

I rank:

Iwashiro Toshiaki (Psyren)
Shinohara Kenta (Sket Dance)
Sorachi Hideaki (Gintama)

J rank:

Oishi Kōji (Inumarudashi)
Fujimaki Tadatoshi (Kuroko no Basuke)
Hata Kenjiro (Hayate no Gotoku!)
Norio Sakurai (Mitsudomoe)
Totsuka Masahiro (Material Puzzle)

K rank:

Ryuhei Tamura (Beelzebub)
Tsuchida Kenta (Lock On!)
Crystal na Yousuke (Onidere)
Wajima Satoshi (Wasshoi! Waji Mania)

2ch is incensed that anyone would esteem Kishimoto so highly:

“If Kishimoto isn’t E rank it’s just some fanboy ranking! He can’t even do proper perspective!”

“He is likely rated so highly because of his interesting composition. People were saying it was because it is so cinematic…”

“He has talked about that sort of thing himself…”

“I just laugh at seeing Kishimoto on top there.”

“It is seriously messed up to have Kishimoto on top…”

“Kishimoto is about the only mangaka with this level of awareness of things like simulating wide angle camera shots, zooming, perspective and so on. Amongst mangaka he is the most accomplished in this area.”

“Who is deciding this stuff anyway?”

“Fanboys and haters on 2ch.”

“Right…”

“One Piece is only B? Fairy Tail is G?”

“No Samura or Shinofusa but Toume is in there? What is this?”

“Kubo belongs in B.”

“Some of these people really can’t handle colour illustration either.”

“If Toriyama is below Kishimoto there is nothing to discuss here.”