Western comic book references in manga/anime

[Relish in Chaos]

The title says it all: which manga/anime have you read/watched that contain Western comic book references?

It's well-known that the author of Trigun, Yasuhiro Nightow, is a big fan of Western comic books and, as such, included a lot of its aesthetic within the pages of Trigun (e.g. Monev the Gale's name & design being based on Marvel Comics' Venom). But something I haven't heard anyone make the comparison between before are one of the Gung-Ho Guns, Rai-Dei the Blade, and Miho from Sin City: both the only Japanese characters in their respective work, both wear roller skates, and both bring katanas to battles where their opponents usually carry guns.

 

[Queen Michael]

A villain from Rurouni Kenshin has a look that's heavily based on Carnage. I can't tell you who, because it's an extremely minor spoiler.

 

[Sean Hollyman]

JoJo probably has a few but I haven't come across them yet

 

[balladbird]

A villain from Rurouni Kenshin has a look that's heavily based on Carnage. I can't tell you who, because it's an extremely minor spoiler.

^-- Nobuhiro Watanuki is a vocal fan of american comics. Kenshin alone, despite having its reputation as one of the penultimately japanese anime series out there, is basically CRAMMED with references to western comics. To name just a few:

Villains based on Venom and Carnage
Kenshin's master is based on Superman
The first major villain's cape was inspired by Gambit from the X-men. He also had Gambit's eyes.

I have to re-read the volumes again. X D Between each chapter he had notes that detailed these things.

 

[Queen Michael]

A villain from Rurouni Kenshin has a look that's heavily based on Carnage. I can't tell you who, because it's an extremely minor spoiler.

^-- Nobuhiro Watanuki is a vocal fan of american comics. Kenshin alone, despite having its reputation as one of the penultimately japanese anime series out there, is basically CRAMMED with references to western comics. To name just a few:

Villains based on Venom and Carnage
Kenshin's master is based on Superman
The first major villain's cape was inspired by Gambit from the X-men. He also had Gambit's eyes.

I have to re-read the volumes again. X D Between each chapter he had notes that detailed these things.

Oh, right; I haven't read Kenshin in about eight years and completely forgot about that villain who looked pretty much just like Gambit.

Also, in the commentary, Watanuki talks about how he digs Silver Surfer.

 

[Eliwood10]

Kill la Kill has a few. In a couple scenes a student is playing with a Hulk action figure, and a lot of the uniforms reference Marvel characters in their design including Wolverine, Galactus, Iron Man, Doctor Octopus, and Juggernaut.

 

[FPLOON]

Air Gear had the next presidential candidate of the United States looks like Obama...

Other than that... There were a few western comic references in the Sayonara, Zetsubou Sensei manga that were either located in a list-based format and/or usually overshadowed by the general "obscure" Japanese references...

 

[Xpwn3ntial]

An episode of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders had a reference to The View. I can't even remember the other stuff since that one was so out-there for an anime. Yeah, it's not a comic book or cartoon or whatever but still. That warrants mention.

 

[Hard-Target]

As mention before Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is chucked full of references to western music and culture in general. Almost every character is a reference to either fashion or a musician. Weird Al Yankovic is directly mention by the protagonists in part 3. A more on topic example would be the protagonist of part 2, Joseph Joestar, reading Action comics #1( Superman's first appearance) in the first few chapters.

 

[syaoran728]

Its not comics but Carnival Phantasm makes references to South Park when they kill Lancer and spent an entire episode doing a parody of the Final Destination movies of all things with him actually avoiding death up until the end. FLCL also had a few parts in an episode animated like South Park too.

 

[Syntax Error]

A villain from Rurouni Kenshin has a look that's heavily based on Carnage. I can't tell you who, because it's an extremely minor spoiler.

^-- Nobuhiro Watanuki is a vocal fan of american comics. Kenshin alone, despite having its reputation as one of the penultimately japanese anime series out there, is basically CRAMMED with references to western comics. To name just a few:

Villains based on Venom and Carnage
Kenshin's master is based on Superman
The first major villain's cape was inspired by Gambit from the X-men. He also had Gambit's eyes.

I have to re-read the volumes again. X D Between each chapter he had notes that detailed these things.

Watsuki. That's Nobuhiro Watsuki. Ruruoni is quite the influential work as well. It's a shonen with a lead that's 29 years old! That's practically ancient by shonen standards! Also his assistants were the authors of One Piece and Soul Eater (you can see the logos of the respective mangas somewhere in Ruruoni Kenshin).

Also, not really referencees to western comics, but Jojo is filled to the brim with western music references. Heck, the antagonists of the second part are Cars and ACDC!

 

[Queen Michael]

Air Gear had the next presidential candidate of the United States looks like Obama...

Yeah, but Obama's a real person, not a comics character.

Let's not forget Suppaman from Dr. Slump. A superhero who's a parody of... Nah, forget it. I'm not gonna insult your intelligence by implying that you need that one spelled out.