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20th Century Boys book cover 1
20th Century Boys book cover 2
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20th Century Boys
Series · 31
books · 2000-2016

Books in series

20th Century Boys 1 book cover
#1

20th Century Boys 1

2000

Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts steht die Menschheit vor dem Abgrund… doch die 20th Century Boys lassen sich davon nicht unterkriegen! Als Jugendliche erschufen die Freunde im Jahr 1969 ein Symbol. 1997, als die Ausmaße des drohenden Desasters zu Tage treten, erwacht dieses Symbol erneut zum Leben! Dies ist eine Geschichte über eine Gruppe Jungs, die die Welt rettet!
20th Century Boys, Volume 2 book cover
#2

20th Century Boys, Volume 2

The Prophet

2000

The Friend, an enigmatic cult leader who plans to destroy the world, declares, "The cosmos has begun choosing those who are true friends." Meanwhile, horrifying incidents are taking place: the emergence of a mysterious virus, the revelations of a man on the run... Kenji tries to find out who this Friend is, but the answer is still far ahead. The footsteps of doom slowly creep closer and a shadow falls over the city... Yukiji remembers who came up with their group's enigmatic symbol: Otcho. She also discovers that, nine years earlier, Otcho had been working in Thailand but mysteriously vanished. Could Otcho be the mysterious Friend? Also, a legendary detective is hot on the trail of the Shikishima kidnappers, but the clues he uncovers lead him dangerously close to the Friends cult. Is his life now in danger as well?
20th Century Boys, Volume 3 book cover
#3

20th Century Boys, Volume 3

Hero with a Guitar

2000

It turns out that the Friend's plan to destroy the world was dreamed up long ago by a gang of boys playing "good guys against bad guys"...And now, the only one who can stop this diabolical plot from succeeding is the one who came up with it—Kenji! Kenji races home and picks up the newspaper: sure enough, the mystery microbe has hit London. He thinks back over everything that has happened and what he and his childhood friends dug up, and is forced to face the unbelievable truth—someone really is putting into motion the story Kenji made up as a child, and people are dying because of it!
20th Century Boys, Volume 4 book cover
#4

20th Century Boys, Volume 4

Love and Peace

2001

Kenji wrote "The Book of Prophecy" in his boyhood. Now this childish fantasy has become the scenario for the Friend's fiendish plot to destroy mankind. Kenji goes underground and waits for a chance to fight back. Meanwhile, the evil organization is closing in on a man called Shogun in the ganglands of Bangkok. The mystery grows deeper, the fear more intense, as we near the final battle at the turn of the century... Is there really any way to save the world from annihilation?
20th Century Boys 5 book cover
#5

20th Century Boys 5

2001

Der Mega-Roboter ist einsatzbereit!!! Aus Fantasie ist Realität geworden. Der 31. Dezember 2000 und somit auch das Ende der Menschheit rücken immer näher und näher, doch die Identität des "Freundes" ist nach wie vor nicht enthüllt… Die einzigen, die unsere Welt jetzt noch retten können, sind neun Freunde!
20th Century Boys 6 book cover
#6

20th Century Boys 6

2001

14 Jahre nach dem "Silvester, an dem die Welt blutete" - die Menschheit konnte damals knapp ihrer Auslöschung entgehen - scheint Frieden eingekehrt zu sein. Ein Frieden, ganz im Sinne und unter der Kontrolle des "Freundes"… Kanna ist inzwischen 17 Jahre alt und schlägt sich wacker durch das Chaos des neuen Tokyos. Doch dann kommt sie hinter eine Wahrheit, die ihr Schicksal und ihre Zukunft für immer verändern soll!
20th Century Boys 7 book cover
#7

20th Century Boys 7

2001

Wird dem "Shôgun" diesmal der Ausbruch aus dem Umihotaru Gefängnis gelingen? Außerdem lernen wir das Schulmädchen Koizumi kennen, die in ihrer Schule aneckt, als sie sich zu sehr für das Thema "31.12.2000 - Der Silvester, an dem die Welt blutete" intereßiert und in einer Rückblende sehen wir, wie Fukube hinter die Maske des "Freundes" blickt…!
20th Century Boys 8 book cover
#8

20th Century Boys 8

2002

Am "Silvester, an dem die Welt blutete" stellt sich Kenji dem Mega-Roboter, der Tôkyô dem Erdboden gleichzumachen droht. Das wahre Gesicht der Maschine hält jedoch unglaubliche Überraschungen für ihn bereit...! Im Jahre 2014 derweil hat Koizumi ihre ganz eigenen Probleme mit dem "Silvester, an dem die Welt blutete": Ihr Geschichtsreferat bleibt nicht unbemerkt und bringt ihr die zweifelhafte Ehre ein, einen Ausflug ins "Freundschaftsland" unternehmen zu dürfen, das nur auf den ersten Blick ein Vergnügungspark ist...
20th Century Boys, Volume 9 book cover
#9

20th Century Boys, Volume 9

Rabbit Nabokov

2002

This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world! As boys, Kenji and his friends came up with a bunch of stories about an evil organization bent on world destruction. As adults, someone is now turning their fantasies into reality! This is the story of a gang of boys who try to save the world! As boys, Kenji and his friends came up with a bunch of stories about an evil organization bent on world destruction. As adults, someone is now turning their fantasies into reality! The year is 2014, and Neo Tokyo is completely under the control of the Friend. Kanna has decided to stand up and avenge Kenji—will she be able to muster up enough support for her cause? Kanna makes her way to a mafia-operated casino and quickly finds herself at a high stakes table. Is she lucky (and smart) enough to turn the odds in her favor at the bizarre and fast-paced game of Rabbit Nabokov? While Kanna marshals her forces, Koizumi Kyoko experiences true horror at the reeducation camp known as Friend Land. Going back in time in their "Virtual World," she meets Kenji and his pals as boys in 1971 and sees something that is strictly taboo: the Friend's childhood face! Will she live to report back on the Friend's identity?
20th Century Boys, Band 10 book cover
#10

20th Century Boys, Band 10

2002

Vor dem Hintergrund des Papstbesuches in Japan kämpft Kanna ihren Kampf gegen den übermächtigen "Freund", der Mann, der Japan hinter den Kulissen beherrscht. Ihre Entschlossenheit bringt ihr die Sympathien der aufgebrachten Mafia-Menge in Shinjuku ein. Sie ist drauf und dran, die Geschichte umzuschreiben und schwört Rache für ihren Onkel Kenji. Doch was will der geheimnisvolle Mann, der plötzlich in der Schule auftaucht? Dieser Frage auf der Spur, findet sich Kyoko bald im "Freund-Museum" wieder, der wahrscheinlich letzte Ort, an dem man sein will: denn dabei handelt es sich um eine Nachbildung des Hauses, in dem der "Freund" seine Kindheit verbracht hat!
20th Century Boys 11 book cover
#11

20th Century Boys 11

2002

Am Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts steht die Menschheit vor dem Abgrund, doch nur eine Handvoll Erwachsener sieht die Vorzeichen der nahenden Katastrophe rechtzeitig. Diese Erwachsenen verbindet ihre gemeinsame Kindheit, in der sie zusammenhielten wie Pech und Schwefel und zum Zeichen ihrer Freundschaft sogar ein Symbol kreierten.
20th Century Boys 12 book cover
#12

20th Century Boys 12

2003

Otcho hat von der Existenz eines Dr. Yamane erfahren, der ebenfalls damals zusammen mit Kannas Mutter Kiriko an der Herstellung des teuflischen Virus beteiligt war, das am "Silvester, an dem die Welt blutete" so verheerenden Schaden anrichtete, und seine Suche nach ihm führt ihn... in den Biologie-Raum seiner alten Schule! Doch dort trifft er nicht nur auf Dr. Yamane, sondern auch auf... den "Freund"!! Und endlich ist es soweit! Die Maske des "Freundes" wird tatsächlich heruntergerissen und das Rätsel um seine Identität ein für alle Mal gelöst...!!!
20th Century Boys 13 book cover
#13

20th Century Boys 13

2003

Der "Freund" wurde erschossen!! Der Tod des absoluten Herrschers reißt die Welt in einer Woge der Trauer mit und sät Konfusion in den Reihen von Kenjis Streitern. Doch zeitgleich wird die Welt heimgesucht von einem neuen Killer-Virus! Ist es also zu früh, sich der Illusion hinzugeben, der ganze Schrecken hätte mit dem Tod des "Freundes" endlich ein Ende? Ist es vielmehr so, dass sein Plan weiterhin aktiv ist?! Kanna ist die letzte, die Kenjis Erbe angetreten hat und muss sich einer neuen Mission stellen.
20th Century Boys 14 book cover
#14

20th Century Boys 14

2003

Der Tag des Untergangs der Menschheit rückt immer näher. Um herauszufinden, was der tote "Freund" im Schilde führte, geht Kanna ein großes Risiko ein... Ihr Einsatz ist streng geheim und könnte sie leicht das Leben kosten. Doch sie muss Licht ins Dunkel vieler ungelöster Fragen bringen und erfahren, was der Menschheit in naher Zukunft droht, um die größte Katastrophe aller Zeiten abzuwenden. Denn eines ist klar: Der Schlüssel zur Zukunft liegt in der Vergangenheit! Der Countdown zum Weltuntergang hat begonnen...
20th Century Boys 15 book cover
#15

20th Century Boys 15

2003

Die EXPO 2015 steht vor der Tür und mit ihr der Papstbesuch. Der "Freund" ist zwar tot, doch am Lauf der Dinge scheint sich nichts geändert zu haben: Das tödliche Virus breitet sich weiterhin aus und das Leben des Papstes ist nach wie vor in Gefahr. Bei der Eröffnungsfeier der EXPO überschlagen sich dann auch die Ereignisse und es kommt zum Unfassbaren...
20th Century Boys 16 book cover
#16

20th Century Boys 16

2004

Im Jahre 2015 rettet der "Freund" den Papst vor einem Attentat, indem er auf wundersame Weise bei der Eröffnungsfeier der EXPO wiederaufersteht. Vor seinem Tod war er ein Messias jetzt ist er ein Gott. Und niemand kann ihn aufhalten; sein schrecklicher Plan ist nach wie vor in vollem Gange. Er gab den Befehl, das Killer-Virus freizusetzen und die Welt ging zugrunde. Warum musste es zu dieser unfassbaren Tragödie kommen? Wir blicken zurück auf die Vergangenheit, in der das Böse geboren wurde. Doch behalten wir auch die Gegenwart im Auge, in der der "Freund" zum Präsidenten der Welt wird und wir richten unseren Blick auf eine unheilvolle Zukunft!
20th Century Boys 17 book cover
#17

20th Century Boys 17

2004

Dunkelheit umfängt die Welt. Die Geschicke der Menschheit liegen jetzt in den Händen des Bösen der "Freund" wird zum Präsidenten der Welt. Und was innerhalb der Mauern des neuen Tokio geschieht, bestimmt allein er. Die meisten Bürger vertrauen dem "Freund" blind wie eh und je, doch es gibt Widerstandbewegungen, die im Untergrund operieren. Die "Eiskönigin", Anführerin der radikalsten Bewegung, hat den 20. August zum Tag erklärt, an dem die Waffen erhoben werden sollen. Niemand scheint in der Lage zu sein, dem ganzen Wahnsinn ein Ende zu bereiten. Doch plötzlich gibt es Hoffnung...
20th Century Boys 18 book cover
#18

20th Century Boys 18

2005

Am nördlichen Grenzposten weit weg von Tokio taucht plötzlich ein Mann auf! Alle Menschen im Norden sind tot, doch er kommt mit seiner Gitarre auf dem Rücken auf einem Motorrad angefahren, aus dem Land der Toten und stellt sich als Joe Yabuki vor. Wer ist er?! Wie konnte er überleben? Ist er ein Messias oder ein Spinner? Die Antworten darauf kennt nur... Gott.
20th Century Boys, 19 book cover
#19

20th Century Boys, 19

2005

Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences T+. 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. The man with the guitar heads for Tokyo and arrives at a rough-and-tumble border town with an ominous-looking checkpoint. Only those who have a pass may go through, and those who try to get by without one are summarily shot. Many have tried, and many are buried nearby. Who can change this horrific situation and get through the checkpoint? And who or what could be waiting on the other side?
20th Century Boys, Tome 20 book cover
#20

20th Century Boys, Tome 20

2005

Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences T+. 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.
20th Century Boys, Tome 21 book cover
#21

20th Century Boys, Tome 21

2006

À Rome, le père Nitani cherche à joindre le Pape désormais prisonnier du Vatican. Pendant ce temps, Ami est sur le point de mettre sa dernière "prédiction" à exécution. Kenji, quant à lui, poursuit sa marche sur Tokyo alors que Kanna et les autres se préparent à passer à la contre-offensive.
20th Century Boys, Tome 22 book cover
#22

20th Century Boys, Tome 22

2006

Les compagnons de Kenji sont désormais réunis. Kanna est sur le pied de guerre alors qu'Ami met à exécution sa dernière «prédiction». Une nouvelle fois les sinistres soucoupes volantes apparaissent dans le ciel de Tokyo.
20th Century Boys, volumen 1 book cover
#1-2

20th Century Boys, volumen 1

2016

Kenji Endo era un joven con deseos de convertirse en estrella de rock, pero que se ve forzado a dedicarse al negocio familiar -ex licorería- y a criar a su sobrinita, ya que su hermana se marchó cuando ella todavía era bebé. Un día descubre que un amigo de la infancia, Donkey, se suicidó sin explicación alguna. Kenji comienza a sospechar que hubo algo raro en eso cuando recibe una carta póstuma suya, en la que le dice de reencontrarse algún día, y que encima incluye un dibujo muy extraño y a la vez familiar con la pregunta “¿te acordás de este símbolo?”. Kenji comienza a pensar que el supuesto suicido es en realidad un asesinato encubierto, y va en busca de la verdad, y para ello decide reunir a sus viejos amigos. Así descubre que ese símbolo, usado por el líder de una secta conocido sólo como “Amigo”, es exactamente el mismo que ellos habían diseñado de chicos para la organización con la que planeaban salvar el mundo cuando jugaban al mundo en apocalipsis. Ahora, las amenazas y villanos que combatían de chicos en su imaginación (y que dejaron escrito en un cuaderno que luego enterraron) se volvieron reales y aparentemente siguen al pie de la letra la historia que concibieron en su momento. Todo esto llevará a la sangrienta noche del 31 de diciembre de 2000, víspera del nuevo milenio, donde el paradigma mundial cambiará para siempre y las intrigas seguirán en aumento hasta que la sobrina de Kenji (ahora adolescente), junto a nuevos personajes y varios miembros del grupo original, logre desentrañar el misterio… si es que sobrevive para contarlo.
20th Century Boys book cover
#3-4

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 2

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. With killer bacteria attacks on San Francisco and London underway, the plot to destroy the world that Kenji imagined as a boy is playing out in real life through the actions of the Friend. What will happen next? Only one person knows. Only one person can save the world, and that person is Kenji. Firing up his guitar and making up his mind to stand up, Kenji heads to the concert hall where the Friend awaits…
20th Century Boys book cover
#5-6

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 3

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. The giant robot has been built, awaiting its great awakening, but the Friend’s identity has yet to be revealed. Time passes day by day, counting down to December 31, 2000…the day that Earth is destined to see its end. The only ones who can save the world are the nine friends who wrote The Book of Prophecy in their childhood days. Will humanity enter the new world, the new century, safe and sound?
20th Century Boys book cover
#9-10

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 5

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. In 2014, Tokyo is under the complete control of the mysterious ruler known as the Friend. Kanna has chosen to step forward and confront the Friend in order to carry out the last wishes of her uncle Kenji, who has been missing since Bloody New Year’s Eve. As Kanna gathers a group of outcasts and misfits to face the Friend, her high school classmate Koizumi faces true horror in the brainwashing camp known as Friend Land. It is there that she sees something that no one was ever meant to see: the true identity of the Friend. Who will survive in this world where it is nearly impossible to distinguish friend from foe?
20th Century Boys book cover
#13-14

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 7

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. Kanna, burdened by the fact that her mother Kiriko developed the bacteriological weapons used by the Friends on Bloody New Year’s Eve, ruminates over the ominous messages that she left behind. When the weapons come back to haunt humanity, Kanna isn’t the only one searching for traces of Kiriko. Otcho gets closer to finding out Kiriko’s current whereabouts after a search leads him to her former colleague, Dr. Yamane. With New Year’s Eve 2014 on the horizon, the events prophesized by the Friend are ready to come to pass—events that will dramatically change the history of the world once again. Will 2015 be the last year of mankind?
20th Century Boys book cover
#15-16

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 8

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. Evil has come. Justice has yet to arrive… While an unknown virus spreads and cripples the world with fear, the 2015 World Expo prepares to start, serving as a beacon of hope in a dark world. But how can our heroes remain hopeful as strange rumors start to spread? Between sightings of the recently deceased Friend walking the streets of Japan and rumors of an assassination attempt on the pope, all signs point towards an eventful opening ceremony for the 2015 World Expo.
20th Century Boys book cover
#17-18

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 9

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. Darkness covers the world as the forces of evil take control. The Friend has become the President of the World and rules with absolute power from behind the giant wall of the city of Tokyo. Most of the world believes that the Friend is their savior, but below the surface, a resistance group led by "The Ice Queen" begins to make its move. The only one capable of ending this nightmare, she plans an armed revolt—but then a ray of hope shines from an unexpected corner...
20th Century Boys book cover
#19-20

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 10

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. A man with a guitar arrives at a barrier town outside of Tokyo. Anyone who attempts to travel through the town without a pass is arrested and murdered. As the days go by, the body count grows and grows... Who can change this horrible situation and break through the barrier town? And who awaits at their final destination?
20th Century Boys book cover
#21-22

20th Century Boys

The Perfect Edition, Vol. 11

2016

A deluxe bind-up edition of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning epic of doomsday cults, giant robots and a group of friends trying to save the world from destruction! 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. There once was a kid who imagined the end of the world. It was all a child's game—but not anymore! The Friend is carrying out his plan to exterminate humanity—just as predicted. And the man who survived Bloody New Year's Eve is on his way back to Tokyo. The boys are coming back together one by one as they race toward the final battle.

Author

Naoki Urasawa
Naoki Urasawa
Author · 113 books

Urasawa Naoki (浦沢直樹) is a Japanese mangaka. He is perhaps best known for Monster (which drew praise from Junot Díaz, the 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner) and 20th Century Boys. Urasawa's work often concentrates on intricate plotting, interweaving narratives, a deep focus on character development and psychological complexity. Urasawa has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Japan Media Arts Festival excellence award, the Kodansha Manga Award and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. In 2008 Urasawa accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University. Series list (not including short stories collections): - Pineapple ARMY (パイナップルARMY) 1985-1988, written by Kazuya Kudo; - YAWARA! 1986-1993; - Master Keaton (MASTERキートン) 1988-1994, written by Hokusei Katsushika; - Happy! 1993-1999 - MONSTER 1994-2001 - 20th Century Boys (20世紀少年) 1999-2006 - 21st Century Boys (21世紀少年) 2007 - PLUTO 2003-2009, based on Tezuka Osamu's Tetsuwan Atom - BILLY BAT 2008-2016 - Master Keaton Remaster (MASTERキートン Reマスター) 2012-2014 - Mujirushi (夢印-MUJIRUSHI-) 2017-2018, collaboration with Musée du Louvre - Asadora! (連続漫画小説 あさドラ!) 2018-ongoing

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