Summary
Spin-offs are often seen as a weak side-story to their main-story counterparts because that’s often how they turn out. Even if they prove to be pretty good, they rarely outdo their parent series. But there are a few that have managed to stand out strong on their own merits, and arguably overshadow what they spun off from.
Viewers today might know Frasier Crane better fromFrasierthanCheers. WhileShin Megami Tenseihas been going on for decades, only to see most fans be keener on its spin-off seriesPersona. It happens to manga too, as for one reason or another, these spin-off strips managed to outshine their original series.
7Outlaw Star
Underrated Space Western Is a Distant Sequel to a Lesser-Known Space Manga
Outlaw Staris a bit of an oddity, as most people probably thought it began as an anime series like its eternal rivalCowboy Bebop. Not only did it begin life as a manga, but it was a sequel too. Kind of.Future-Retro Hero Storytells its own story, where Juji Thomas Godoh lives up to his famous grandfather’s legacy by stopping the evil Star King Brass.
It never got adapted into an anime, so it mostly stands asOutlaw Star’s unlikely prequel, set in a time before humanity figured outfaster-than-light travelinOS'“Towards Stars” era. The anime even hinted that Gene Starwind may be Juji’s descendant, as they have the same red hair and use a caster gun to defend themselves. Still, readers (and viewers) could check outOSwithout knowing it spun off from an older story.
6Brutal: Criminals The Law Can’t Judge Deserve The Finest Death
Sadistic Homicide Investigator Offered Bloodier Stories Than Forensic Specialist
Ever wondered whatDexterwould be like if it turned out to be connected to theCSIseries orQuincy? If so, that’s a very specific thought to have, but that’s essentially the path Kei Koga took when he followed upTrace: The Man from Forensics Solves the TruthwithBrutal: Criminals the Law Can’t Judge Deserve the Finest Death.
The titles sum up their stories well and perhaps reveal whyBrutalstood out overTrace. There are plenty of series about good guysusing forensics and scienceto solve crimes.Brutalhas a psychological edge, as its protagonist is clearly messed up, but he only subjects the worst kinds of criminals to his worst impulses. It has an additional touch of complexity compared to the more straightforwardTrace.
5Ghost In The Shell
Prequel to Cult Classic Mech Series Becomes Iconic Cyberpunk Manga
Appleseedisn’t exactly an obscure series, as it became famous in its own right. Its mech designs, particularly for lead cyborg Briareos, have become iconic, with movies likeChappiepaying homage to them. Famous enough for creator Masamune Shirow to offer his later strip,Ghost in the Shell, as a distant prequel to the series.
Its connecting threads are loose, givenGITStakes place in the 2020s, well over a century beforeAppleseed. YetGITSwas the one that got adapted into a groundbreaking animated movie, which inspired a whole generation of latter-day cyberpunks. That’s not to mention its host of popular follow-up series likeStand-Alone Complex. As great asAppleseedis, it’s a smaller franchise by comparison.
4Akagi
Prequel to Mahjong Manga Outlasts its Parent Story
Akagiis a tricky one as, chronologically, it’s a prequel to its root taleTen: The Blessed Way of the Nice Guy. YetTencame first, telling the story of how Ten Takashi became the first mahjong player to rival the legendary Shigeru Akagi. His skills get put to the test when he challenges the yakuza to a few games until they bring out the old legend as their superweapon.
Tenran from 1989 to 2002, withAkagidebuting two years later in 1991 to show how the master of mahjong built his reputation. But the prequel ended up being so popular thatit lasted years afterTen, only concluding its epic series of chapters in 2018. Today,Tenfeels more like the follow-up toAkagirather than the other way around.
3Sailor Moon
Sailor Venus' Backstory Predates Sailor Moon’s Debut
This list doesn’t count one-shot strips likeDragon BoyorThe Taro Kagami Story, since they’re not strictly connected toDragon BallorDeath Noteas readers know them today. They’re more likeprototype runs for the real deal. Likewise,Romance Dawnwas basically aOne Piecestory without the other Straw Hats.
ButCodename: Sailor Vwas another matter, as its tale lasted multiple chapters, and is considered canon to its sequel,Sailor Moon. It revealed how Makoto Aino became Sailor Venus and began her search for the other Sailor Guardians and the Moon Princess. Since its sequel followed said Moon Princess directly, and showed how all the Sailor Guardians got together, including Venus, it’s no wonder it made a bigger splash.
2Paradise Kiss
Fashion Manga Spin-Off Reaches International Audiences Before Its Parent Story
Readers might be more familiar with Ai Yazawa’s magnum opusNanathanParadise Kiss. Yet those with a passion for fashion will preferPK’s tale of a high school girl becoming the unlikely model for her school’s fashion club. If the lead’s burgeoning love for the glitz and glamor of the fashion world didn’t get them, Yazawa’s gorgeous artwork would.
In the West, it became the premier fashion manga. But in Japan, it’s on par with its predecessor,Neighborhood Story, where a fashion designer-in-training balances her complicated feelings for her childhood friend with her work. Both stories stand well on their own and are both engaging romance tales.PKjust happened to reach international readers first.
1Great Teacher Onizuka
Onizuka’s Biker Days Become a Side Story to His Teaching Career
Shonan Jun’ai Gumiis a fun if unremarkable strip about a pair of bikers who try to mend their hell-raising ways enough to be more approachable to girls. At first, it was just so they could lose their V-cards. But eventually, it became their way to learn more about the world and grow up along the way. Particularly for one half of the duo: Eikichi Onizuka.
If that name sounds familiar, that’s because he’d go on to beJapan’s best tutorinGreat Teacher Onizuka. The sequel strip became famous enough to be adapted into both a popular anime series and an equally well-received live-action drama. Eventually, its iconic status led toSJGgetting republished asGTO: The Early Years, where it now feels more like a prequel thanGTO’s parent story.
