10 Books/Manga Like Crayon Shin-Chan
Crayon Shin-chan is a childhood classic in some anime fans’ households. This story was written and drawn by Yoshito Isui and made its first appearance in the Japanese weekly magazine called Weekly Manga Action in 1990. The story follows Shinosuke, a young boy who likes to explore his town and get into all types of trouble. Despite Isui’s tragic death in 2010, members of Usui’s team continued to pus out new content for Crayon Shin-chan in his stead in the form of a work called New Crayon Shin-chan.
If you’re in the mood for more slice-of-life or comedic-themed books/manga that offer a similar vibe, fear not! We’ve gathered together 10 books/manga to check out when you’ve caught up with Crayon Shin-chan. Of course, if you feel we’ve missed any of your favorites, do comment below and let us know!
Doraemon – Fujiko F. Fujio
Similarities – Slice of Life & Comedy
Doraemon is a fantastic series and one that many anime fans grew up with alongside Crayon Shin-chan. Although Doraemon delves into the sci-fi spectrum of matters more than Crayon Shim-chan, there are many similarities between the two manga. For instance, both series rely on humorous situations and interactions to keep viewers invested.
Where Doraemon presents the misadventures of the Nobita and his robot cat companion Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan showcases the daily adventures of Shinnosuke, his friends, and his loved ones. Both groups get into all types of mischief involving school life, relationships, and other activities fans will find relatable to a degree too.
If you happen to love Crayon Shin-chan’s style of comedy but want something that isn’t too raunchy, Doraemon should suffice.
Yotsuba to! – Kiyohiko Azuma
Similarities – Comedy, Slice-of-Life, Child Protagonists
Yotsuba to! is a fabulous slice-of-life series that’s guaranteed to make you smile. It follows the everyday lives of Yotsuba and her father as they move to a new home. Yotsuba, like Shinnosuke, is an energetic child protagonist with a wild imagination and a sense of curiosity. Her creativity, enthusiasm, and innocent demeanor make her a protagonist worth admiring.
Moreover, both manga feature wonderful depictions of everyday life. In Yotsuba to!, fans can expect to see Yotsuba visiting parks, and festivals, and meeting new people. People who’ve moved into a new environment will relate to Yotsuba’s curiosity and desire to greet people and make new friends. Like Isui, Azuma focuses on relatable scenarios to create a connection with readers and offer them a humorous take on ordinary events.
If you’re after a wholesome tale about life, Yotsuba to’ is worth reading.
Chibi Maruko-chan – Momoko Sakura
Similarities – Slice-of-Life, Comedy, Child Protagonists
Chibi Maruko-chan is another slice-of-life series featuring a child protagonist. Like Crayon Shin-chan, this story contains likable humor, characters, and depictions of everyday life. In it, we examine the daily life of Maruko, a mischievous girl who gets into all types of mischief with her friends and family, much like Shinnosuke in Crayon Shin-chan.
Maruko’s relatable personality, innocence, and creative thinking make her an enjoyable protagonist. However, she isn’t without her struggles. She’ll endure issues concerning school work, family, and friendship. Momoko Sakura tackles these situations exceptionally, leaving viewers feeling satisfied by the characters’ growth and ways of handling each problematic situation that comes their way.
Therefore, if you’re a fan of Crayon Shin-chan’s way of tackling everyday situations through a humorous lens, you’ll end up enjoying Chibi Maruko-chan’s storytelling.
Azumanga Daioh – Kiyohiko Azuma
Similarities – Slice-of-Life & Comedy
Azumanga Daioh is another work from Kiyohiko Azuma that’ll appeal to Crayon Shin-chan fanatics. While it mainly focuses on the lives of high school girls instead of toddlers like in Crayon Shin-chan, both stories carry strong similarities in the comedy department. For instance, Azumanga Daioh and Crayon Shin-chan utilize humor to entertain readers.
Azuma employs fabulous comedic timing, witty banter, and exaggerated situations to keep readers engaged and mused throughout the story. Similarly, Isui uses Shinnosuke’s outrageous behavior and fun-filled adventures to keep folks glued to his journey through life.
Moreover, both tales feature a plethora of humorous and strange characters. From the clueless Tomo in Azumanga Daioh to Shinnosuke’s intelligent and oddly mature little sister Himawari, you’re bound to find characters in both works who’ll appeal to your interests.
If you’re after a tale with a bit more depth and one that’s less lengthy, I recommend giving Azumanga Daioh a shot.
The Wonderful World of Sazae-san – Machiko Hasegawa
Similarities – Slice-of-life & Comedy
The Wonderful World of Sazae-san follows the trend with others on this list for being another slice-of-life series centered around family, friendship, and the exploration of life. In it, readers follow the day-to-day lives of Sazae and her family. Machiko Hasegawa excels at showcasing the ups and downs of their ordinary experiences, resulting in many heartfelt and comedic moments. This mirrors Isui’s examination of Shinnosuke’s endeavors throughout Crayon Shin-chan’s run.
Furthermore, both stories add a bit of relatable scenarios that will appeal to readers too. For instance, Hasegawa inserts Sazae and her family in many charming scenes where they’re having dinner or attending neighborhood gatherings. It’s these scenarios that readers will connect with most since it’s commonplace for folks to have experiences like these characters.
Therefore, if you happen to be a fan of the family and heartwarming moments sprinkled in Crayon Shin-chan’s manga, you’ll love The Wonderful World of Sazae-san.
The Genius Bakabon – Fujio Akatsuka
Similarities – Slice-of-Life, Comedy, Themes
If you love dimwitted protagonists who like to cause trouble like Shinnosuke, then The Genius Bakabon might be worth your time. Like Crayon Shin-chan, this manga examines another bizarre yet comical protagonist and his family’s daily lives. They’ll get into all types of absurd and humorous situations as they attempt to reshape the world in their image.
Both manga feature an array of abnormal characters who enhance their respective series’s comedic dynamics. From the bumbling Bakabon to his overly serious Papa, you’ll love seeing how Akatsuka uses these characters’ distinct quirks to enhance his story’s comedy.
If you’re after another tale that’ll provide you with endless laughs and joy, check this out.
Kobo, the Li’l Rascal – Masashi Ueda
Similarities – Slice-of-Life & Comedy
Kobo, the Li’l Rascal is a fun slice-of-life manga with an emphasis on comedy and family. Like Crayon Shin-chan, readers will observe the day-to-day lives of Kobata and his family. His family is just as interesting to watch as Shinnosuke’s as they all hold different positions in the family from Kobata’s father being a salaryman to his mother being your standard housewife.
Like Shinnosuke, Kobata’s often the cause of his family’s problems since he’s undergoing your typical path to maturity. Kobata, much like Shinnosuke, will learn valuable life lessons during his expeditions through life that’ll help him grow and become more likable. As for the comedy, both series features great visual gags and comical interactions and reactions to keep fans glued to each panel.
If you happen another story that follows a quirky family, Kobo, the Li’l Rascal is worth checking out.
Ryuushika Ryuushika – Yoshitoshi Abe
Similarities – Comedy & Slice-of-Life
For those who want to see what life is like from a young female toddler’s perspective, Ryuushika Ryuushika should entertain you. This manga contains a series of vignettes that delve into the lovely life of a girl named Kimika. She’s an innocent and energetic girl with a wild imagination that’s on par with Shinnosuke’s. Much like Crayon Shin-chan, this story contains varied humor and a splendid cast.
The humor varies from exaggerated facial expressions to witty banter amongst the cast. The stories shared throughout Ryuushika Ryuushika are easy to understand and lack intricacy. Like Crayon Shin-chan, you’ll read this work just to see what Kimika and her companion are up to and how they resolve issues that stand in their way.
If you love Shinnosuke’s wild antics and thinking process, you’ll get a kick out of what Kimika conjures up and gets into in Ryuushika Ryuushika.
Dr. Slump – Akira Toriyama
Similarities – Comedy
Akira Toriyama is a household name in the anime and manga industry. Although he’s mostly known for Dragon Ball, Dr. Slump is another work of his that’s just as fabulous. For the sake of this list, it’s also the closest to Crayon Shin-chan, as far as similarities are concerned.
Dr. Slump follows the silly adventures of Dr. Norimaki and the mischievous robot girl, Arale. Much like Crayon Shin-chan, Dr. Slump is known for its absurd and funny scenarios, which are reminiscent of the humorous situations found in Crayon Shin-chan. Like Isui, Toriyama relies on Dr. Slump’s absurdities to keep readers invested in the story.
As alluded to earlier, Arale is the series’s main star and can be just as playful as Shinnosuke. She’ll find herself in many chaotic scenarios and often solves solutions by utilizing her strength or fourth-wall-breaking abilities.
Overall, if you’re after a tale with a smidge of sci-fi elements, check out Dr. Slump.
Osomatsu-kun – Fujio Akatsuka
Similarities – Comedy
Osomatsu-kun is an important work by Fujio Akatsuka and one that helped cement him as an incredible gag comic artist in folks’ eyes. The story follows the six Matsumoto brothers as they navigate through humorous and absurd situations. While they all look the same due to their sextuplet nature, Akatsuka gives them all distinct personalities and features to help them stand out.
Readers who find Shinnosuke’s interactions with his friends and strangers in Crayon Shin-chan laughable will get a kick out of what the Matsumoto brothers do in Osomatsu-kun. From engaging in playful arguments to parodying aspects of film culture, you’ll be bewildered by everything present within this quirky story.
If you’re a fan of Crayon Shin-chan’s style of comedy but want something that takes its humor to extreme and varied manners. check out Osomatsu-kun.
So there we have it, our 10 books/manga to read after you’re caught up with Crayon Shin-chan.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!