Top 10 Fascinating Comics That Shaped the Childhood of Generations 7X and 8X

This comic is set during the Later Lê Dynasty but doesn't directly follow historical events. Instead, it draws from numerous legends and historical references across Vietnam's long history. The main character is a young genius named Lê Tí, joined by his friends Sửu, Dần, Mẹo, and others. The story begins with Tí’s birth, which is far from ordinary. His mother, exhausted from working in the fields, stops for a rest on a rock, and that's where he is born.

In his past life, Tí was a divine scholar from the Heavenly Court, reincarnated to help the Đại Việt kingdom. Using his intelligence, wit, and resourcefulness, Tí aids the king and his country, helping them overcome multiple crises and avoid foreign invasions. The story also highlights beautiful values such as motherly love, friendship, neighborly bonds, and many other cherished ideals. This is truly a meaningful and profound Vietnamese comic.

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With simple illustrations and humorous storylines centered around the trio of Rantaro “chaotic ninja,” Kirimaru “sickly,” and Shinbe “silly,” Ninja Loạn Thị captivated multiple generations of Vietnamese readers.

An interesting detail about this comic is that after the first 10 volumes, when the Berne Convention on copyright officially took effect in Vietnam, the publisher had to print the series in a reversed format to match the original Japanese edition.

As a result, from volume 11 onward, Kim Đồng Publishing began printing Ninja Loạn Thị in reverse, much like it was done in Japan. It was humorously dubbed the “guinea pig” for reverse reading comics in Vietnam. Kim Đồng still holds the rights and prints the comic as per Japanese requirements. The original series is still ongoing to this day.

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Dragonball - The Seven Dragon Balls is an action-packed, sci-fi series with a powerful message about friendship, perseverance, and pushing beyond one's limits.

The central character of the series is Son Goku, who evolves from a kind-hearted boy into an invincible Super Saiyan. Alongside his friends, Goku continuously defends Earth and the universe from various evil forces. With each transformation, Goku grows stronger and more impressive, mastering iconic techniques such as the ‘Kamehameha,’ ‘Solar Flare,’ and ‘Wolf Fang Fist,’ making it a favorite among young fans.

It’s no surprise that The Seven Dragon Balls is one of the most frequently reprinted comics in Vietnam, with Kim Đồng Publishing having released five different editions. Like Doraemon, later editions of The Seven Dragon Balls had to adhere to the Berne Convention, restoring the original names of the characters. However, older readers still fondly remember the names like Cadic, Calich, Thên Xin Hăng, and Pocollo, rather than the original versions.

First released decades ago, The Seven Dragon Balls (Dragon Balls – Akira Toriyama) remains one of the most influential comics ever, captivating multiple generations of readers in Vietnam and worldwide. Beyond the comics, fans eagerly collect all Dragon Ball-related products, including the manga sequels, anime adaptations, films, and merchandise.

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A character that left a strong impression on the 8X and 9X generations is Teppi, known for his rebellious nature. Mischievous Teppi starts with the young boy Teppi, who lives with his eccentric father deep in the forest. Unlike the well-behaved heroes in many comics, Teppi is far from polite. Having grown up in the wild, he is unaware of basic communication and social norms.

Teppi lives like a wild child, showing disrespect to everyone around him, even though he comes from a prestigious family. However, through the practice of swordsmanship, Teppi gradually adapts to normal society and becomes a better person. Mischievous Teppi is full of humorous situations, but it also offers deep, humanistic moments. Through this story, author Tetsuya Chiba delivers a message of perseverance and effort in life.

Currently, Mischievous Teppi does not have an official publication license in Vietnam, so readers can only find older printed editions to satisfy their nostalgia.

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The story is set in modern-day Tokyo, Japan. Usagi Tsukino is known as a clumsy, underperforming girl who can't seem to get anything right, often late for school and prone to tears. After a fateful encounter with a talking cat named Luna, Usagi transforms into Sailor Moon, a beautiful warrior who protects love and justice. Alongside her newfound allies—Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Venus, and Tuxedo Mask—she battles to defend Earth from evil forces.

Since its debut, the series has become an iconic representation of the magical girl genre. The latest reprint of Sailormoon, the Shinsoban edition, is beautifully presented, with the complete series spanning 12 volumes.

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It's rare for a shōjo manga (targeted at girls) to capture as much attention as The Queen of Egypt did for the 8X and 9X generations. Created by Chieko Hosokawa, it even intrigued male readers in Vietnam, who couldn't understand what made it so appealing to women.

The series, first released in 1976, follows the story of Carol Rido, a blonde American girl from a wealthy family who is passionate about Egyptian archaeology. She is studying at Cairo University when her family gets involved in an archaeological project to excavate the tomb of a young Pharaoh. However, a curse from the tomb takes Carol back to ancient Egypt, where she becomes entangled in the politics of Egypt and neighboring ancient nations like Assyria and Babylon. There, she meets Memphis, a young and fierce Pharaoh, whom her family had uncovered in the modern world. Despite his initial stubbornness and aggression, they fall deeply in love and face numerous challenges together. This angers Memphis’s half-sister, Queen Isis, who had been waiting to marry him. Carol’s scientific knowledge plays a crucial role in changing the course of ancient history.

However, The Queen of Egypt often frustrates readers due to Carol’s naïve nature, as she is frequently kidnapped, forcing Pharaoh Memphis to come to her rescue.

Set in ancient Egypt, the story also provides readers a unique opportunity to learn more about Mesopotamian civilization.

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Kagome, a high school student, accidentally travels back in time to Japan's Sengoku period and encounters the half-demon Inuyasha. Due to an unexpected incident, the Shikon Jewel, a powerful artifact that can grant infinite strength to demons, shatters into countless pieces scattered across the land. With no other option, Kagome and Inuyasha must team up to retrieve the fragments.

Unlike earlier editions, this special edition is printed in a larger format, with each volume containing an average of 350 pages. The covers are matte with embossed titles, and each volume includes two color pages. Additionally, after every volume, there are exclusive interviews with the author Rumiko Takahashi, discussing the creative process behind the series. The final volume even includes an extra short story that reveals what happens to the characters after the series concludes.

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Detective Conan is a famous Japanese detective manga by Gosho Aoyama, serialized in Shonen Sunday since 1994. This thrilling and captivating series has gained a large fanbase, especially among younger readers. The series was licensed and published in Vietnam by Kim Dong Publishing.

The story follows Shinichi Kudo, a teenage detective genius, who, while investigating the Black Organization, is poisoned and shrunk to the size of a 6-7 year-old child. Forced to adopt the alias Edogawa Conan, he continues his detective work while seeking the antidote and trying to track down the criminals responsible. Despite his childlike appearance, Conan's sharp intellect remains unchanged, and he helps solve many complex cases, often through his association with the bumbling detective Kogoro Mori.

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First published in 1992, this manga quickly became popular among readers in Japan and around the world. A few years later, an animated series based on Shin's adventures was produced and has been airing continuously ever since.

The manga's art style is simple, even somewhat naïve compared to other manga series. The storyline revolves around the life of 5-year-old Shin, exploring his relationships with family, neighbors, teachers, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers.

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When talking about 90s manga, it's impossible not to mention Doraemon, the first Japanese manga officially published in Vietnam.

Doraemon truly sparked a new wave, primarily targeting younger readers. Initially, Kim Dong publishers printed just four volumes to test the market, with a limited run. However, due to the overwhelming positive response, they eventually published a total of 78 short story volumes, 8 long stories, 8 color volumes, and 6 letter volumes. Some editions even reached a print run of up to 180,000 copies, showing just how popular the robotic cat from Japan had become.

The series revolves around the adventures of Doraemon, the robotic cat, his best friend Nobita, and their companions Shuka, Seko, and Chaien. The storyline usually features Nobita's unrequited love for Shuka, his bullying by Seko and Chaien, and his need to borrow one of Doraemon's gadgets to change his fate.

The secret to Doraemon's success lies in the boundless imagination of its creator, Fujiko F. Fujio, as seen in the many futuristic gadgets that Doraemon pulls out of his magical pocket. Readers from Vietnam and around the world have been captivated by the stories that highlight friendship and family bonds.

To this day, Doraemon remains one of the most frequently reprinted manga series in Vietnam's history. It has seen more than 20 reprints, totaling several million copies sold.

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