For over 30 years, manga artist Man☆Gatarou has carved out a legendary niche in the industry with his uniquely bizarre, grotesque, and hilariously chaotic art style. So when he decides to draw a handsome bishonen character, it's enough to break the internet.
That's exactly what happened when shojo manga artist Mayu Shinjo recently shared a wild story on X. She was contacted by Shueisha and Man☆Gatarou's team, who requested permission to parody a scene from one of her works in a new picture book. Shinjo agreed, and in return, she received an absolutely legendary thank-you gift: a stunningly handsome illustration drawn by Man☆Gatarou himself. The piece immediately went viral, with Shinjo declaring, "This is officially a family heirloom!"
In her post, Shinjo explained that she had just received a copy of Man☆Gatarou's new picture book from Shueisha. She noted that the anime and manga industries have become increasingly sensitive about homages and parodies. So when she was formally asked for permission to use one of her scenes for a gag, she wasn't bothered at all—in fact, she felt "beyond honored." She even said that if the book got published, she was already planning to treasure it as a collectible she'd "take to the grave."
Shinjo then revealed that sometime after granting permission, she received "something absolutely mind-blowing." She urged her followers to look specifically at the third image in her post, exclaiming: "Have you EVER seen Man☆Gatarou-sensei draw like this?!"
The character in the illustration was a far cry from the shocking, absurd, and over-the-top style Man☆Gatarou is famous for. Instead, it depicted an incredibly good-looking young man. Shinjo perfectly captured the moment with a classic line: "It's so beautiful, I can't believe it. To think Man☆Gatarou-sensei drew this... he can actually draw handsome guys!! (And I mean that as a compliment!)"
She joyfully concluded, "I'm treating this as a family heirloom! Thank you so much!!"
▼ The "mind-blowing" third image in question, featuring a character straight out of a shojo manga.
The post immediately exploded online, with the third image becoming the main topic of discussion. Many fans initially assumed the handsome illustration was drawn by Shinjo herself, only to be shocked when they realized it was the work of Man☆Gatarou.
One user commented, "Wait, the third picture wasn't drawn by Shinjo-sensei, but by Man☆Gatarou-sensei?! That's insane!" Another said they "burst out laughing" upon seeing the third image, while others claimed just looking at it improved their mood.
Another fan pointed out that Man☆Gatarou's true talent lies in his versatility, noting that he can even flawlessly imitate the signature style of Akira Toriyama, calling his skill "watertight."
The incident reignited discussions about Man☆Gatarou's actual artistic prowess. While he's best known for the intentionally exaggerated and unique style seen in works like Chinyūki, fans pointed out that he has always been an incredibly skilled artist.
"Anyone who only knows his serialized work would doubt their own eyes seeing this," one fan remarked.
Others brought up his cover art for titles like Crime and Punishment, which showcases a completely different, more realistic style that could make you "question reality."
Some users joked that Man☆Gatarou is perfectly capable of drawing handsome men and cute girls, but when he does it "too well," he becomes unrecognizable. In a way, he seems to carry the strange burden of being "too good to be Man☆Gatarou."
Adding to the fun, Dr. STONE writer Riichiro Inagaki commented on the post, "I'm... so jealous...! This is incredible!!" Shinjo humorously replied, "I've discovered that I can flex on other manga artists with this single drawing."
The exchange had fans in stitches, with many agreeing that the artwork is truly a "family treasure" or even a "national treasure."
This whole affair served as another reminder of Man☆Gatarou's hidden depths. While he usually messes around with his art, he can produce stunningly handsome characters that are completely unrecognizable as his work whenever he feels like it.
In fact, he showed off his ability to draw beautiful girls back in 1991 with Manyuuki: Babaa to Awarena Geboku-tachi, which led some to speculate that an assistant drew those characters. He did it again in 2013 under the name Man○Gatarou with Mitokon Perestroika, proving once and for all that he's got the skills to draw cute girls, too. XD.
For Mayu Shinjo, what started as a simple licensing request turned into receiving a god-tier, hand-drawn masterpiece from a living legend. It's no wonder she's ready to frame it as a family heirloom.