Before Fairy Tail became a global hit, its creator Hiro Mashima had already written a full shonen epic that most fans never talk about.

In this episode of Manga With Josh, we dive into Rave Master, Mashima’s first major series—and the shonen hit time forgot.

Originally serialized from 1999 to 2005, Rave Master ran for 35 volumes and 296 chapters, selling over 23.5 million copies worldwide. Yet its anime adaptation only lasted 51 episodes and stopped around volume 12, never reaching the story’s strongest arcs or true ending.

I break down:

Why the anime ended early
How running alongside the manga hurt its legacy
The Dark Bring vs. Rave Stone premise
Why characters like Haru Glory and Plue laid the foundation for Mashima’s later works
And why Rave Master is still worth reading today—even if the anime hasn’t aged perfectly

If you’re a fan of early 2000s shonen, forgotten manga gems, or want to see where Fairy Tail really started, this episode is for you.

Manga With Josh is all about spotlighting series you’ve probably never read—but should.