The debate over whether Superman is the strongest fictional hero has always been a fun one, and it has naturally extended into the anime world as well. The medium’s most iconic powerhouse, Goku from Dragon Ball, has long been pitted against the Man of Steel in endless strength comparisons. Of course, there has never been a definitive answer, and there likely never will be. As long as fans remain passionate about these characters, the argument will continue. However, while Superman may never be decisively beaten in a battle of strength, another legendary anime hero has surpassed him in a completely different way.
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That hero is Monkey D. Luffy, currently the biggest face of Shonen Jump and arguably the second most recognizable anime character after Goku. Luffy hails from One Piece, the long-running manga created by Eiichiro Oda, which has been serialized for nearly three decades. Over that time, the series has released 113 volumes and more than 1,100 chapters. With its decades-long run, One Piece has continued to grow in sales, and with its latest milestone, the manga has surpassed Superman in total copies in circulation, officially becoming the best-selling comic series in the world.
One Piece Manga Dethrones Superman in Total Sales
An official One Piece account on X, @Eiichiro_Staff, recently announced that the One Piece manga has surpassed 600 million copies in total sales. This milestone will also be commemorated in the new volume set to release later this week. In comparison, Superman’s total sales have long been estimated at around 600 million copies, but not beyond that figure. Superman reached this number across more than 18,000 issues since his debut in 1938. By contrast, One Piece managed to dethrone Superman’s decades-long reign as the best-selling comic in only about a third of the time.
This achievement further solidifies One Piece as the most popular comic or manga of this generation, and the excitement is only expected to grow as the series continues its final saga. Of the 600 million copies in circulation, approximately 450 million come from Japan, while the remaining 150 million are from international markets. With global interest in manga rising steadily in recent years and the trend continuing upward, it is possible that One Piece could become the first comic series to reach the one-billion mark within the next decade or two. For now, while the debate over whether any anime character is stronger than Superman continues, Luffy has surpassed the Man of Steel in a far more measurable and significant way.
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