Golgo 13 - The Longest Running Manga Series Ever
While everyone is celebrating the success of One Piece around the globe, as the highest selling manga of all time, only a few in the west are aware of another series that holds the second spot of the most sold manga ever: Golgo 13. Right after the juggernaut that is One Piece and before Case Closed a.k.a. Detective Conan [3th place] and Dragon Ball [4th place]. This iconic character has been a staple in Japanese pop culture since 1968. Created by Takao Saito, Golgo 13 is often cited as the “Japanese James Bond'' and is the longest running manga series ever with over 200 volumes even surpassing other heavy hitters like “Hajime no Ippo”, “KochiKame” [there is even a crossover between the two series] and “Baki”.
The manga chronicles the adventures of Duke Togo, an elusive assassin for hire with the code name: Golgo 13. This of course is short for Golgotha, the place of Jesus' crucifixion, while the number 13 being a bad omen and an unlucky number. This is also referenced in his iconic logo, a skeleton wearing a crown of thorns.
While Togo's past and nearly anything else about him is a complete mystery his character represents the ultimate japanese alpha male power fantasy. He is a stoic professional who never fails, no matter which challenges he has to overcome. He never misses a shot [and if he does, it’s on purpose], he has a commanding presence, an intimidating physique, is highly intelligent, shows no emotions whatsoever and of course, every female character has to throw herself at him. During his adventures his methods sometimes go to extreme lengths just to prove the point that he is the best there is in his craft.
This display of dedication is one of the key reasons of Golo’s success and what makes this anti hero such a compelling character, despite looking extremely one dimensional at first glance. He is the personification of craftsmanship, willpower and skill. So it came to no surprise when the news broke, that the Iwate Prefecture's Self-Defense Force Provincial Cooperation Office launched a campaign featuring the stern-looking assassin to appeal to potential new recruits in 2013.
Togo's thick eyebrows which get memed a lot on Japanese social media, are one of his most defining features on a superficial level, but the stories told in the Manga have a fascinating quality due to the fact that Takao Saito did put extensive effort into researching every detail that is relevant to the plot. From weapons, vehicles, architecture, historical facts, current socio-political developments and scientific breakthroughs, he presented a masterfully crafted blend of real life events and fiction in each mission [that to be fair, might include some out-dated views, now]. This is probably also the reason why Golgo 13 is more popular with young adults as well as mature readers in Japan and is categorized as Gegika [dramatic picture: a Manga genre which focuses on serious or critical topics that was established during the 1960s]. But as invincible as Togo seems, he has one weak spot or should we say blind spot - his back, hence his catchphrase "Never stand behind me". This can be interpreted as paranoia he must suffer due to the nature of his job and the fear of his own mortality, giving Golgo at least some relatable human characteristics, because this is the ultimate fate all humans share, even him.
Unfortunately Takao Saito died in 2021, but before his pasing he urged his team to continue the series without him, claiming the manga has continued so long that it is no longer the property of the author; it belongs to the readers.
Although Golgo 13 is such a long running series it is also as bare bones as it gets in terms of lore. In any other franchise you would expect some kind of overarching plot point, a strong recurring supporting cast, an antagonist or an agenda with a final goal, but Golgo 13 is completely devoid of all of this. It’s only a man and his mission. Each self-contained “arc” consists only of a couple of chapters and is usually resolved within a single manga volume. The episodic approach makes it very easy to pick the series up, from whatever point you like, without bothering about missing some important plot points.
Unfortunately because of the extremely high volume count it is very unlikely that the series will ever get fully translated into english, legally or by pirated scans. VIZ Media released a best-of compilation of 13 volumes in the US and similar approaches can be observed in other markets, but besides that it's impossible to get into the full manga unless you are fluent in japanese. But luckily enough, there are multiple other adaptations to dive into.
Besides reading whatever chapters are available, the easiest way to get acquainted with the series is probably by watching the OVA “Golgo 13 - The Professional” from 1983, which is oozing 80s anime nostalgia and features an amazing intro sequence that uses stop motion and the first CGI effects in an anime ever. Other installments like the second OVA “Golgo 13 - Queen Bee” [1998] and the TV series [2008] with 50 episodes are also worth checking out. Noteworthy of course are also the two live action adaptations. Duke Togo of course is played by two of the most badass Japanese actors Ken Takakura and Sonny Chiba in “Golgo 13” [1973] and “Golgo 13 Assignment Kowloon” [1977] respectively.
[Golgo 13 OVA Intro Sequence]
[Golgo 13 TV Series Kill Compilation]
