Hiroyuki Takei - the soul of Shaman King

In the outskirts of Tokyo, we had the chance to spend a day in the studio of Hiroyuki Takei, the mangaka behind the world-renowned Shaman King series.

We dived into his evolution as a mangaka, the behind Shaman King and its sudden cancellation from the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine and the new turn the series is taking, more than 20 years after its first release.

#manga #shamanking #documentary

[irfanyang]

>Had a child at 20
>Needed job
>Turned to Manga
>Casually became a Legend on the way

[drawinglikeasir]

The only guy in this world who can appear like the most humble person while having a Ferrari and a Delorean in his garage.

[LotusAsakura]

He’ll probably never see this but I want Hiroyuki Takei to know that he made one of the coolest fucking manga of all time. Shaman King is a series that means the world to me and has become a huge part of my identity. I named myself Asakura because of Yoh. I collected every volume of the manga. I bought every video game I could get my hands on. I even started collecting the figures. Your style and characters are some of my favorite in all of manga and I can’t thank you enough for creating this series that I love so much.

Thank you so much, Takei-sensei, for creating one of my favorite manga. Keep making cool things.

[azheill]

When he said that Shaman King was a series that is being looked down on it breaks my heart to hear that. I never felt that Shaman King was a loss but cheers to Hiroyuki Takei-san keep up the good work and you will reach your dreams of putting your series on the top.

[NikoCat]

SHAMAN KING BROTHERHOOD WAS ANNOUNCED RIGHT NOW TAKEI THIS MOMENT IS OURS!!!

[papadon]

Shaman king is beyond underrated. Series literally got me through depression as a youth

[VolnuttPWNS]

This interview felt so somber for the most part, but his line at the end about proving that Shaman King deserves its place gave me the biggest grin, and seeing him laughing afterwards was especially uplifting. Shaman King was the first manga I started reading in the first issue of Shonen Jump I received, and it's always meant so much to me. It used to be up there with One Piece and Bleach in my eyes, even though its popularity eventually dropped. The series is basically on life support now and Hiroyuki Takei is clearly having a tough time, but hearing that he'll put his all in his next work fills me with hope that he'll really pull it off. Shaman King fans like me still exist, and we'll always be rooting for you!

[blackoni]

Shaman King was and will remain one of the most vivid memories for those who grew up in the early 2000s throughout the post-Soviet space. Ask any twenty-year-old guy or even a girl about what they did every day after school as a child, most will say that they ran home so as not to miss a new episode. The first anime for many of us. What we have never seen before. The story and the characters who attracted attention and limitless child imagination.

As I got older, I discovered the original manga and found out the true ending. I was shocked. I could not believe that the very heroes of my childhood actually lost and that the main villain won. I understood that it was more logical, even the characters themselves understood that there was no other way, and yet they managed to do everything possible to save the world.

I still dream of a possible remake of the anime series, but I know very well author’s thoughts about this idea and will just keep these hopes in my heart. Anyway, I will be happy because I will have a wonderful tradition of doing two things once a year: to rewatch the Lord of the Rings trilogy and re-read the Shaman King manga.

Thanks to Hiroyuki Takei-san for our happy childhood. Thank you for teaching us that it is always worth looking for good in people, even if others refuse. Thank you so much for the wonderful characters and the exciting story. But most of all I thank you for Anna.

P.S. And of course thanks to the Archipel channel for this video.

[betakiller]

In Russia and ex-Soviet countries Shaman King is often remembered with nostalgia even among those who doesn't really like anime or manga. In is a part of our childhood and youth. Yoh Asakura is different from Naruto, Luffy, Ichigo or Goku, because he isn't some hot-blooded guy with no brains. The setting is the real world, which is also doesn't often occurs in the shonen manga. It has some thoughts on the human nature. If Takei only knew how loved is Shaman King here, he would have a little better opinion on himself.
And new adaptation is coming! It is a chance to change everything.

[Hyakkishin]

I've watched this interview multiple times at this point. Every single time it has made me cry. Hiroyuki Takei-sensei has been an immense inspiration to me and I've been watching/reading his series ever since I was a kid. Popular or not, I want to say a wholehearted "Thank you" to him even if he never reads this comment.

[Danzin_Danzibar]

Who still remembers the Shaman King intro to this day? That was a banger back when I was still in school.

[krdo]

Shaman King is pretty popular in north africa (algeria, morroco, tunisia and egypt) it’s a shame it didn’t get the recognition it deserved. I hope one day you’ll make a portrait of kentaro miura.

[nerostile]

im 27 years old and still wait for a shaman king "brotherhood". we need a petition to donate!

[Wishy_Designs]

Shaman my life! No exaggeration in this statement. I truly believe that I would not be here right now (at 26 years old) if it wasn't for this amazing story that he wrote. I am beyond thrilled and excited for the new anime adaptation and cannot wait to see this masterpiece. For such an underrated story to get the Brotherhood treatment is the most amazing thing. I truly hope that Hiroyuki Takei is aware of how many lives he touched with his story as I'm sure I'm not the only one.

[podrelaranja]

When he says that Shaman King is a belittled series, it breaks my heart. It is one of the most important manga for me and even today I would love it to be released with the official ending in my country. I wish I could send a letter to Takei Sensei and say how much Shaman King is still loved by me and other people in Brazil.

[agnicore]

I just started crying while reading the comments too, Shaman King manga actually saved me from my lowest depression points so many times. This is the story that will always be the dearest to me.

[DanaeRuiz-noqy]

Es la segunda vez que veo esta entrevista y se me apachurra mucho el corazón… A lo largo de mi vida he visto cientos de animes, pero los que más me impactaron fueron los de mi infancia y por supuesto, el que ocupa el número uno es Shaman King, inclusive fue mi primer manga. Gracias a esta serie estoy en este punto de mi vida que involucra el chamanismo en todo su esplendor: desde inspiración en mi tesis de Historia, lecciones de vida y ahora mi trabajo actual. Ojalá que algún día Hiroyuki Takei pueda ver el gran impacto que tuvo su “serie menospreciada” en las personas. ¿Animes? Muchos. ¿Joyas? Solo los que tocan el alma y Shaman King es una de ellas.

[JamesMontblack]

The announcement of the new anime make me comeback to watch and recommend this video again, it makes me so happy for Hiroyuki Takei!! He will finally understand that this series has a special place in every one of us, and he can prove it to the new generations. It would be amazing to get a follow-up video once the anime is out to see his opinion and perspective about it.

[emraugnotavailable]

My all time favorite manga. Shaman King taught me a lot from shounen, but it also taught me that Shounen doesn't have to be senseless fighting or too juvenile. It introduced me to characters I loved, hated, appreciated and accepted, due to their different points of view and in a way... it introduced me to philosophy and ethics. I remember reading interviews of Hiroyuki Takei how he would talk about the characters as if they existed. It was funny to me because I thought that too... they felt real even though I knew they were not.

If you are willing to open up and look at the right places, you will see that Shaman King has a certain quality that no other manga has. It has heart, sincerity and a soul even though he doesn't realize it. It gets cynical at times, but in cyniscim there is always a ray of hope in a way that is believable.

I have nothing but respect for this man right here. If he was making things for having fun himself, I am thankful for that. If he was trying to do something different, he got it. If he felt like he was losing grip of what he wanted to do, I am also thankful for it because it gave us Kang Zen Bang.

Shaman King has had a special place in my heart and was, is and will always be the manga that introduced me to things I will never experience in any other manga. I also wished that he would release a Seinen manga to pursue all of those dark notes in Shaman King but if he wants to give it a try once again with Shounen manga, hey, I am sure he can do it. I am sure he is able to do it!

PS. Shaman King Flowers had a lot of potential, don't lose grip Takei-sensei!
PPS. I love this man.

[jordkinsmith]

Disgustingly underrated manga. Shaman King is fucking incredible