Kinniku Suguru, also known as Kinnikuman, is a cowardly, clumsy, and moronic superhero who happens to be the prince of an alien planet. Despite his appearance, he is very honorable and can become quite powerful when needed. Along with his sidekick Meat-kun and fellow Choujins Terryman and Ramenman, Suguru embarks on a quest to become the greatest Choujin on Earth. He uses his tremendous heart and stamina (The Burning Inner Strength) or the "Power of Friendship" to defeat powerful villains and often causes them to have a change of heart and join him. Although he seems destined to be an idiot forever, Suguru slowly becomes worthy of the title "Hero." The story takes a 22-year gap between volumes 36 and 37, with the restarted version starting in 2011.
Kinnikuman won the 30th Shogakukan Manga Award for best childrens manga in 1984. The manga was originally published in Weekly Shounen Jump from 1979 to 1987, and it restarted publication in 2011 in Shuu Play News.In Spain, it was published in Catalan as Musculman by Glénat from November 2006 to June 2008.