Is it common for mangaka to maintain the same characters design between different titles?


After reading [rave-master](/questions/tagged/rave-master "show questions
tagged 'rave-master'") and [fairy-tail](/questions/tagged/fairy-tail "show
questions tagged 'fairy-tail'") I noticed the high similarity in their
characters. Some even being identical copies of the characters out of the
other series.

So how common is it for a mangaka to maintain the same character design
through out several of their manga's? Or is this just something Hiro Mashima
does ?




In Japanese it's called [Star
system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_system_\(filmmaking\))

Earliest manga author who uses star system is [Osamu
Tezuka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka). See
[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka%27s_Star_System) for
details of his star system.

Japanese version of wikipedia has a page for [Star system of
manga/anime](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0_\(%E5%B0%8F%E8%AA%AC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A1%E3%83%BB%E6%BC%AB%E7%94%BB\)#.E6.BC.AB.E7.94.BB.E3.83.BB.E3.82.A2.E3.83.8B.E3.83.A1.E3.83.BC.E3.82.B7.E3.83.A7.E3.83.B3_.28.E6.97.A5.E6.9C.AC.29)

Manga/anime section describe 3 categories.

  1. Clearly defined same name character. Osamu Tezuka, [Fujiko Fujio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujiko_Fujio), [Shotaro Ishinomori](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotaro_Ishinomori), etc.

  2. Different character, Different world. [rave-master](/questions/tagged/rave-master "show questions tagged 'rave-master'") and [fairy-tail](/questions/tagged/fairy-tail "show questions tagged 'fairy-tail'") are categorized to this. Other example is heal team in [Time Bokan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Bokan). This contains [Team rocket](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_the_Pok%C3%A9mon_anime_series#Team_Rocket) in pokemon.

  3. Same character, Same world. Negima, UQ Holder and CLAMP's manga are categorized to this. Each story is happen in same world, but focus to different time or character.

Outside of this, there are spin off story. [Magical Project
S](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Project_S) from [Tenchi
Muyo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchi_Muyo!), [Magical Girl Lyrical
Nanoha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Girl_Lyrical_Nanoha) from
[Triangle Heart](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Heart) and [Fate/kaleid
liner Prisma
Illya](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate/kaleid_liner_Prisma_Illya) from
[Fate/stay night](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate/stay_night).

That Wikipedia page also mentioned about game. For example, In addition to 2d
action, Mario is protagonist of cart game, tennis game and other.




In Japanese it's called [Star
system](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_system_\(filmmaking\))

Earliest manga author who uses star system is [Osamu
Tezuka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka). See
[Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka%27s_Star_System) for
details of his star system.

Japanese version of wikipedia has a page for [Star system of
manga/anime](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B9%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0_\(%E5%B0%8F%E8%AA%AC%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A1%E3%83%BB%E6%BC%AB%E7%94%BB\)#.E6.BC.AB.E7.94.BB.E3.83.BB.E3.82.A2.E3.83.8B.E3.83.A1.E3.83.BC.E3.82.B7.E3.83.A7.E3.83.B3_.28.E6.97.A5.E6.9C.AC.29)

Manga/anime section describe 3 categories.

  1. Clearly defined same name character. Osamu Tezuka, [Fujiko Fujio](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujiko_Fujio), [Shotaro Ishinomori](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotaro_Ishinomori), etc.

  2. Different character, Different world. [rave-master](/questions/tagged/rave-master "show questions tagged 'rave-master'") and [fairy-tail](/questions/tagged/fairy-tail "show questions tagged 'fairy-tail'") are categorized to this. Other example is heal team in [Time Bokan](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_Bokan). This contains [Team rocket](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_the_Pok%C3%A9mon_anime_series#Team_Rocket) in pokemon.

  3. Same character, Same world. Negima, UQ Holder and CLAMP's manga are categorized to this. Each story is happen in same world, but focus to different time or character.

Outside of this, there are spin off story. [Magical Project
S](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Project_S) from [Tenchi
Muyo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenchi_Muyo!), [Magical Girl Lyrical
Nanoha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Girl_Lyrical_Nanoha) from
[Triangle Heart](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Heart) and [Fate/kaleid
liner Prisma
Illya](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate/kaleid_liner_Prisma_Illya) from
[Fate/stay night](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fate/stay_night).

That Wikipedia page also mentioned about game. For example, In addition to 2d
action, Mario is protagonist of cart game, tennis game and other.

