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Because manga has become a global phenomenon, you can find its influence in surprising places. When legendary mangaka Naoki Urasawa, who created iconic manga like Pluto and 20th Century Boys, heard that Grammy-winning duo Rodrigo y Gabriela had recorded a song inspired by one of his manga, he jumped at the chance to collaborate on the music video. The result is a haunting and beautiful track that shows how one of Japan’s most celebrated manga artists brings characters to life.

Inspired by Naoki Urasawa’s Monster, which follows a Japanese surgeon in Germany who inadvertently helps create a psychotic serial killer and sets off to stop him, the new single from Rodrigo y Gabriela seeks to capture the shifting emotions that come from the iconic manga series. Monster feels like a Spanish guitar instrumental track mixed with a touch of blues rock.

After recording the track, the duo approached Naoki Urasawa to collaborate on the music video. Urasawa, it turns out, was already aware of Rodrigo y Gabriela through videos of their live performances. “Originally, I watched videos of their live performances and thought they were amazing, so I started collecting their vinyl records and CDs,” Naoki Urasawa said in a press release accompanying the music video.

“When artists I admire that much bring you an offer like that, there’s no way you can say no!” Urasawa admitted. “The completed track, Monster, not only perfectly captures the mood of my work, Monster, but the duo’s guitar playing also transports us to an entirely different and elevated dimension. I knew I had to create visuals worthy of this music, and so, I took on the challenge of drawing the video you are watching now. I hope you enjoy it!”

The music video for Monster is deceptively simple; it shows the creation of two figures representing Rodrigo y Gabriela in the art style of Naoki Urasawa’s manga. What is remarkable is that it feels like a masterclass in drawing from one of Japan’s greatest living comic book artists. It starts with outlines of their shapes and shows how Urasawa turns them into fully-fledged characters. If you’re interested in seeing a master artist at work, this is your chance.

The music video for Monster, featuring artwork by Naoki Urasawa, is live now. It is the lead single for OurHome, the upcoming album by Rodrigo y Gabriela that goes on sale on September 10, 2026.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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