Like Japanese James Bond, Golgo 13 is an unstoppable murder machine that occasionally takes breaks for booze, smokes, and women.
While not always the most cerebral plot, it does offer some gritty violence and the series earns its respect for being the longest running manga ever, even continuing past its author’s death.
Alternative Titles:
- ゴルゴ１３
Year Anime Premiered: 1983 (Movie); 2008 (TV)
Animation Studio: Tokoy Movie Shinsha, The Answer Studio
Number of Seasons: 1 + 1 Movie + 1 OVA
Source Material Country of Origin: Japan
Source Material Available: Manga
Is It Officially Licensed Past Where The Anime Ends?: Yes
Is It Fan Translated Past Where The Anime Ends?: Yes
Entry Last Updated: October 15th, 2024
Where To Start The Golgo 13 Manga After The Anime?
Golgo 13 is a series where you go in knowing about as much about Duke Togo as you come out knowing. It is episodic and can always be summed up by “Duke goes to X and kills Y”. Both the manga and its anime adaptations have kept this storytelling approach.
The 1983 movie and the 2008 TV anime both cherry-picked various chapters from throughout 200+ volume manga to adapt, and did so in no particular order.
As each 80+ page chapter is a self-contained story similar to each episode of the anime, the only real answer as to where to start the Golgo 13 manga is from Chapter 1.
Usually, if you do find a chapter that was adapted to the anime, you will find that the anime usually shaved off a lot of details from it for a better paced experience. So it really is worth it to read what was adapted anyway.
Is The Golgo 13 Manga Over?
The Golgo 13 manga is still ongoing. Since launching in 1973, it has settled into releasing four volumes per year.
Takao Saito, the original author, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2021, now his studio, Saito Productions, continues the manga story.
Golgo 13 Spin-Offs
It may be long-running, but it has less spin-offs than you might expect.
- Doll: The Hotel Detective (Manga, Complete, 3 Volumes) – Side story following Doll, a detective for a major hotel chain.
- Golgo Camp (Manga, Complete, 2 Volumes) – Gag manga about Golgo 13 using survival techniques
- Gunsmith Dave (Manga, Complete, 1 Volumes) – Side-story about the gunsmith
Will There Be A Golgo 13 Season 2?
Golgo 13 has always had a bad reputation as an anime since it is episodic and the main character is not so much a “character” as he is a power fantasy. As such, the 2008 anime had mixed reception and I doubt they will make more.
