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20 Seiki Shounen
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Description
Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world.
Note: Won the Kodansha Manga Award in the category "Best General Manga" in 2001. Won the Seiun Award for Best Comic in 2008. Won Best U.S. Edition of International Material at the Eisner Awards in 2011 and 2013.
Note: Won the Kodansha Manga Award in the category "Best General Manga" in 2001. Won the Seiun Award for Best Comic in 2008. Won Best U.S. Edition of International Material at the Eisner Awards in 2011 and 2013.
Type
Manga
Related Series
20 Seiki Shounen no Wakiyaku (Side Story)
20 Seiki Shounen Tanteidan (Spin-Off)
21 Seiki Shounen (Sequel)
20 Seiki Shounen Tanteidan (Spin-Off)
21 Seiki Shounen (Sequel)
Associated Names
20 Seiki Shōnen
20. Yüzyıl Çocukları
20th Century Boys
20th Século Meninos
20thCB
20世紀少年
20세기 소년
Abad ke-20 Anak Laki-laki
amigo símbolo chicos del siglo XX
Chłopaki z dwudziestego wieku
Garçons du 20ème siècle
I ragazzi del XX secolo
Jungen des 20. Jahrhunderts
Những Chàng Trai Thế Kỉ 20
Nijuu Seiki Shounen
Twentieth Century Boys
Мальчишки двадцатого века
فتيان القرن العشرين
20. Yüzyıl Çocukları
20th Century Boys
20th Século Meninos
20thCB
20世紀少年
20세기 소년
Abad ke-20 Anak Laki-laki
amigo símbolo chicos del siglo XX
Chłopaki z dwudziestego wieku
Garçons du 20ème siècle
I ragazzi del XX secolo
Jungen des 20. Jahrhunderts
Những Chàng Trai Thế Kỉ 20
Nijuu Seiki Shounen
Twentieth Century Boys
Мальчишки двадцатого века
فتيان القرن العشرين
Groups Scanlating
Latest Release(s)
v.22 c.9-13 (end) by Manga-Heaven over 13 years ago
v.22 c.8 by Manga-Heaven over 13 years ago
v.22 c.7 by Manga-Heaven over 13 years ago
Search for all releases of this series
v.22 c.8 by Manga-Heaven over 13 years ago
v.22 c.7 by Manga-Heaven over 13 years ago
Search for all releases of this series
Status
in Country of Origin
22 Vols (2000 - Complete)
11 Kanzenban (2016 - Complete)
11 Kanzenban (2016 - Complete)
Completely Scanlated?
Yes
Anime Start/End Chapter
N/A
User Reviews
Forum
2 topics, 6 posts
Click here to view the forum
Click here to view the forum
User Rating
Average: 8.8 / 10.0 (1576 votes)
Bayesian Average: 8.75 / 10.0
Bayesian Average: 8.75 / 10.0
10
38%
9+
31%
8+
18%
7+
6%
6+
3%
5+
1%
4+
1%
3+
0%
2+
0%
1+
2%
Last Updated
August 11th 2020, 2:58am PST
Image [Report Inappropriate Content]

Genre
Categories
Category Recommendations
Zhi Mo (Novel)
The King of Hell is Unhappy
This Man: Sono Kao o Mita Mono ni wa Shi o
Gui Di Kuang Qi: Wan Ku Daixiaojie (Novel)
Chang Ge Xing
The King of Hell is Unhappy
This Man: Sono Kao o Mita Mono ni wa Shi o
Gui Di Kuang Qi: Wan Ku Daixiaojie (Novel)
Chang Ge Xing
Recommendations
Author(s)
Artist(s)
Year
1999
Original Publisher
Serialized In (magazine)
Big Comic Spirits (Shogakukan)
Licensed (in English)
Yes
English Publisher
Viz (22 Vols - Complete; print | 8 Perfect Eds - Ongoing; print)
Activity Stats (vs. other series)
Weekly Pos #401
(+162)
Monthly Pos #955
(+68)
3 Month Pos #1339
(+7)
6 Month Pos #1491
(+30)
Year Pos #1527
(+36)

Monthly Pos #955

3 Month Pos #1339

6 Month Pos #1491

Year Pos #1527

List Stats
On 918 reading lists
On 1513 wish lists
On 3232 completed lists
On 116 unfinished lists
On 484 custom lists
On 1513 wish lists
On 3232 completed lists
On 116 unfinished lists
On 484 custom lists



User Comments
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So-so
by jomellyfish
February 10th, 2021, 11:41pm
February 10th, 2021, 11:41pm
Rating: 5.0 / 10.0
I don't know, but I completely agree with wait 321. I picked this up hoping that the manga lived up to its reputation and could stand on the same level with Urusawa's Monster, which was more to my taste. But boy did it give me disillusion and the impression that Monster is sacrosanct. Everything felt contrived just to prolong the story. There was too much flashback, plot twists, and characters that has actually little to no significance to the story, or better yet characters with flat background and identity. It's a masterpice maybe, but probably not for everyone and especially not for me because 20th Century Boys' non-linear plot stressed the fuck out of me. I especially hate how Urusawa incorporated pop in this manga which got me confused as to what he actually wants to show us. Overall, this manga was a decent read and I'd recommend it to conspiracy and mystery buffs just for the first part of the story which managed to grip my attention.
... Last updated on February 10th, 2021, 11:55pm
... Last updated on February 10th, 2021, 11:55pm

naoki's besto manga
by Q C4r4j0
October 9th, 2020, 3:17pm
October 9th, 2020, 3:17pm
Rating: N/A
In ma opinion WOWowow WHAT A WELL use of resources in the narrative.
... Last updated on October 9th, 2020, 3:20pm
... Last updated on October 9th, 2020, 3:20pm

Mind bending goodness
by Cryvern
July 5th, 2020, 4:44pm
July 5th, 2020, 4:44pm
Rating: 9.5 / 10.0
Love Urasawa's style, constant page-turn-inducing barrage of confusion and revelations.

Not bad
by Sburator
July 30th, 2019, 8:26am
July 30th, 2019, 8:26am
Rating: 5.0 / 10.0
Not good either.

is it a classic? i think so. (nothing much else to add)
by the_Cloudborne
April 26th, 2019, 8:55pm
April 26th, 2019, 8:55pm
Rating: 9.0 / 10.0
i wouldn't tier it among my favorite manga and maybe it's not quite old enough but it just ~f e e l s~ like a classic, like it's something that will endure.
other reviewers have felt that it dragged on too long but i respectfully disagree. my personal gripe would be that a lot of the characters felt a bit...flat. maybe it was due to the nature of the story/plot (timeskips) but it felt like much of the character growth/development was offscreen (unseen),
... Last updated on April 26th, 2019, 8:58pm
other reviewers have felt that it dragged on too long but i respectfully disagree. my personal gripe would be that a lot of the characters felt a bit...flat. maybe it was due to the nature of the story/plot (timeskips) but it felt like much of the character growth/development was offscreen (unseen),
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
yoshitsune
being a great exception.... Last updated on April 26th, 2019, 8:58pm

Great start, drags on later
by NazarethSTG
April 20th, 2016, 4:34am
April 20th, 2016, 4:34am
Rating: 6.0 / 10.0
This series starts brilliantly, with a great premise, great characters and an engaging story. Sadly, what the author starts unveiling is not as interesting as the mistery that precedes it. It starts to drag on and to keep the reader's interest Urasawa starts to machinegun his trademark forced, ridiculous plot twists, a cheap way to tell a story. Maybe the story was too ambitious for Urasawa to handle, or maybe it's just that he's better at building mistery than explaining those mysteries, something that seems to be common in his work.
... Last updated on April 20th, 2016, 4:37am
... Last updated on April 20th, 2016, 4:37am

Good
by kiriee
November 11th, 2015, 10:34am
November 11th, 2015, 10:34am
Rating: 9.0 / 10.0
For the first half, Everything laid out perfectly but the last half not so great with so many new character being introduced and how the author trying to make it like they are supposed to be there or maybe a twist to me it was just after thought to make the series last longer than it should.
A lot of manga suffer a from this kind of thing, I guess this is kind of thing that you have to deal with popular manga, kinda a shame to see perfectly great manga turn into an good manga near the end. Well still worth reading.
... Last updated on November 11th, 2015, 10:35am
A lot of manga suffer a from this kind of thing, I guess this is kind of thing that you have to deal with popular manga, kinda a shame to see perfectly great manga turn into an good manga near the end. Well still worth reading.
... Last updated on November 11th, 2015, 10:35am

Must-read
by Dr. Love
May 21st, 2014, 6:46pm
May 21st, 2014, 6:46pm
Rating: N/A
A classic. Anyone who reads manga knows this manga. And even people who don't read manga know what 20th Century boys is! As usual Urakawa develops a world with loads of interesting and diverse characters yet manages to tie all their plot lines up neatly.
Personally I thought 21st Century Boys was unnecessary (or should've been added to 20th Century Boys).
Personally I thought 21st Century Boys was unnecessary (or should've been added to 20th Century Boys).

A good read, but it drags on and loses momentum.
by Neofit
April 25th, 2014, 5:25am
April 25th, 2014, 5:25am
Rating: 7.0 / 10.0
A great series, to be sure, but it wastes a lot of time on trivial things that do not add anything relevant to the main story. The second half is thus not as good as the first - too many characters are being introduced almost regularly and then quickly set aside, old characters fade into the background, plot elements that looked as if they would play a major part in the story later on are mostly forgotten or set aside as if the author just decided to drop it, and the whole story gets quite silly and loses the original detective thriller/mystery feel; a lot of implausible things get hand-waved just to set up a particular setting for the last part, which ultimately drags on the most without being particularly satisfying and does not even wrap up in the main series.
Ultimately, it is a very good read, it manages to entice and deliver on its suspense (most of the time), and I would gladly recommend it to anyone interested in conspiracy thrillers, but the second half is not quite as satisfying and interesting as the first.
Ultimately, it is a very good read, it manages to entice and deliver on its suspense (most of the time), and I would gladly recommend it to anyone interested in conspiracy thrillers, but the second half is not quite as satisfying and interesting as the first.

Loved it.
by Serendipity_
November 5th, 2013, 3:13pm
November 5th, 2013, 3:13pm
Rating: 10.0 / 10.0
I'm officially in love with Urasawa Naokis work. His characters, stories, art, everything. This manga didn't disappoint, none of his Manga does really.
The thing with Urasawas manga is that it takes a certain type of audience to get his work. A rather mature audience. I'm not saying that some people here are immature, but if you haven't read many seinen manga or don't like this kinda theme at all, then you would have a hard time getting what Urasawa's trying to do. Personally I'm glad I waited this long before reading any of his work, because I know if I had read them earlier I wouldn't share the same opinion I have now.
Strongly recommended.
... Last updated on November 5th, 2013, 3:17pm
The thing with Urasawas manga is that it takes a certain type of audience to get his work. A rather mature audience. I'm not saying that some people here are immature, but if you haven't read many seinen manga or don't like this kinda theme at all, then you would have a hard time getting what Urasawa's trying to do. Personally I'm glad I waited this long before reading any of his work, because I know if I had read them earlier I wouldn't share the same opinion I have now.
Strongly recommended.
... Last updated on November 5th, 2013, 3:17pm
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