Where Does The Kinnikuman Anime End In The Manga?

While many consider Dragonball the progenitor of shounen action genre, and that might be true, it was actually Kinnikuman who really helped shape the genre to be what it became. Unfortunately, like anything that is “first,” Kinnikuman got drowned out by the popularity of what came “next” to continue to refine the formula, which in this case, was Dragonball.

However, Kinnikuman is forever and will forever remain one of those anime series that older anime fans saw as children and thought, “what is this weird and wonderful thing!?”

Where To Start The Kinnikuman Manga After The Anime?

Kinnikuman is one of those mighty franchises, so picking up the Kinnikuman manga after the anime is all about how much of the anime you watched and knowing which manga series that translated to. So I’ll try to make this as easy to follow as humanly possible.

• The Kinnikuman (1983) anime drifted off into anime-only filler after Episode 119. You can start the original Kinnikuman manga at Chapter 274.
• Kinnikuman: Scramble From The Throne actually starts where Episode 119 of the original anime ended in the manga. So it starts by adapting Chapter 274, and you can pick up the manga after watching all of Scramble for the Throne at Chapter 387.
• The Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc (2024) anime is adapting, as the title says, the Perfect Origin Arc from the 2011 revival of the original Kinnikuman manga. In this run, the chapter numbers reset from Volume 37 onwards. This means you can start the Kinnikuman 2011 revival manga after the first season of the Perfect Origin Arc anime at Chapter 32. (This is Chapter 423 if you are reading it unofficially from a source that just combined them all together)

While Kinnikuman, the entire series, has a decent amount of filler, do note that Kinnikuman Movie 2: Great Riot! Justice Chojin and Kinnikuman Movie 4: Counter-Attack! The Underground Space Chojin! are both canon.

Where To Start The Kinnikuman II Sei Manga After The Anime?

Now for the Kinnikuman II Sei series, which is both a direct sequel to the original Kinnikuman, but establishing and working with its own alternative canon since the original Kinnikuman manga was still ongoing (and still is.)

• If you finished Kinnikuman II Sei, Kinnikuman II Sei: Ultimate Muscle (the second season), Kinnikuman II Sei: Ultimate Muscle 2 (the third season), then you would start the corresponding Kinnikuman II Sei manga, also known as Kinnikuman Nisei, at Chapter 210, as the anime drifts off into an anime-original ending at Episode 76.

What is the Difference Between The Kinnikuman Manga and the Kinnikuman (2011) Manga?

There is no difference between the original Kinnikuman manga and the 2011 Kinnikuman revival manga. The original Kinnikuman didn’t officially end.

The author released Volume 36 in 1988 and didn’t release Volume 37 until 2010. As it had been such a long time period in between, I imagine the publishers just wanted to do a little re-branding, and now the still-ongoing Kinnikuman manga is called “Kinnikuman (2011).”

Kinnikuman Spin-Offs

No franchise is without spin-offs.

• Tatakae!! Ramenman (Manga, Complete) – A spin-off about Ramenman. It also has an anime from 1988, but finding both the anime and the manga will be a task. Also continued in the Ramenman: The Heart of Stone one-shot sequel.
• Kinnikuman II Sei: All Choujin Daishingeki (Manga, Complete) What appears to be a more compact 4-volume retelling of Kinnikuman II Sei set in between Kinnikuman II Sei and the Part 2 manga series, Kinnikuman II Sei: Ultimate Choujin Tag Arc.
• Kinnikuman Lady (Manga, Complete) – Kinnikuman, but gender swapped!
• Kinnikuman Choujin Retsuden: Wolfman no Maki – Dohyojou no Mononofu (Oneshot, Complete) – One Shot about Wolfman
• Kinnikuman: Yomikiri Kessakusen 2011-2014 – Standalone Kinnikuman one-shot adventures.

Is The Kinnikuman Manga Over?

The Kinnikuman manga is still ongoing. It has been ongoing since 1979. It took a quick 20 year break in between 1988 and 2010, but now releases three or four volumes per year.

The Kinnikuman II Sei sequel/alternative canon manga is complete. It ended in 2004 with Chapter 300.

Will There Be More Kinnikuman Anime?

Kinnikuman was revived in anime form for its 40th anniversary with the Perfect Origin Arc anime. After the anime aired, a Season 2 for the Perfect Origin Arc was announced and is set to air in January 2025.

You can find out where Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc Season 2 ends in the manga here after the final episode airs.