Anyone who is a manga fan today can attest to how huge the art form has grown in the past few decades. More and more people are now finding interest and inspiration from Japanese comics, with surprising links to manga is music. Musicians from all genres and eras are gradually professing a love for our beloved manga and anime.

Kanye West

This man needs no introduction. Perhaps the most famous manga fan in the world right now, Mr Kanye has created an entire music video in tribute to Akira. His video to “Stronger” is a direct homage to the 1980s masterpiece, complete with floating experimentation chamber, unsettling hospital wards and the ever present glow of neon Kanji.

Going further still, the rapper teamed up with famous artist Takashi Murakami who created all of the Artwork for Kanye’s 2007 album Graduation. Kanye’s interest in Japan is shared by several other rappers, particularly Midwest rapper Lupe Fiasco.

Glenn Danzig

Zooming straight over to the opposite side of the music spectrum we come to the dark knight from New Jersey, Glenn Danzig. The former frontman of legendary punk band the Misfits has been a life long fan not just of manga but of adult comics in general. Danzig has been quoted as saying:

“When I was a kid, I really liked comic books and not just American. I like European and especially Japanese comics too.”

Danzig now owns his own erotic comic label Verotik, perhaps explaining his interest in the slightly more anarchic world of Japanese Manga. Glenn Danzig even has the logo of the Devilman manga tattooed onto his back.

Charlie Simpson

“The one with the eyebrows from Busted!?” I hear you ask. Well yes the very same, except within the context of his alternative rock band Fightstar. Fightstar went beyond both Danzig and Kanye by devoting an entire concept album to a manga – namely the seminal Neon Genesis Evangelion. The band’s first album “Grand Unification” is based around the the anime, as the band’s lead guitarist Alex Westaway irrefutably states:

“Grand Unification was a concept based upon a Japanese manga series called Neon Genesis Evangelion and a lot of the lyrics were based around social commentary rather than personal experience.”

The artwork for the album is notable for it’s combination of dystopian and oriental styles. If that wasn’t enough the band’s follow up album ‘One Day Son All This Will Be Yours’ contained the song ‘Unfamiliar Ceilings’ and the B-side ‘Shinji Ikari.’ You’ll never listen to Year 3000 the same way again.

Weezer

Less spectacular in their tributes then the former three, American Rock band Weezer are still definite fans of anime. Littering their studio with TVs to enable the band to watch episodes while they record and even enlisting Manga Artist Manabu Akisige to help promote the band’s Red Album.

Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk

Brace yourself for a bit of a strange one this time. Osaka Popstar are a Punk supergroup started by film producer John Cafiero and containing such jaw dropping alumni as Jerry Only of the Misfits*, Ex-Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and Marky Ramone** (former drummer of the band who invented Punk). The band are rooted in the world of classic anime and have covered the Sailor Moon and Astro Boy theme songs.

Check out the incredibly cute video for ‘Wicked World’ featuring all the members in adorable chibi form.

*I doubt it is a coincidence that the twice mentioned Misfits happen to be one of your humble author’s favorite bands.

** On a slightly irrelevant but interesting side note there is a bizarre story about Johnny Ramone (lead guitarist of the Ramones), Kirk Hammett (lead guitarist of Metallica) and Glenn Danzig all meeting at a comic convention. Comic fans in music are by no means a new occurrence.

Have you listened to any of these bands? Give us your thoughts below.