The majority of anime is adapted from either light novels or manga. For those already familiar with a series, there’s a certain amount of pride in knowing what will happen next. These manga readers will dangle plot threads and twists in front of anime-only viewers, threatening to spoil character deaths, big climaxes, and more. The only way to remedy this would be to read the manga first. It’s not always easy to catch the newest manga right out the gate. Here is a handy list of manga recommendations that have all come out within the past year. They’re not too far into their stories, so it will be easy to catch up.
Here, in no particular order, are 10 new manga worth reading.
Astro Royale by Ken Wakui
Hibaru is the only son of the Yotsurugi family, a yakuza group that operates in Asakusa. When his father passes away, Hibaru is appointed the next head of the family, which doesn’t sit well with his twelve adopted siblings. Just then, a meteor shower collides with earth, awakening strange powers in people called Astro. With a fist as strong as a bullet and a blood feud brewing in the family, Hibaru seeks to unite his siblings before they decide he’s better off dead.
From the creator of Tokyo Revengers, comes a superpowered battle royale where family bonds are tested and yakuza drama abounds. Astro Royale has a fun power system similar to My Hero Academia, and with twelve siblings to meet and probably fight, the action will make or break this series.
Kyokuto Necromance by Fusai Nabe
In this manga recommendation, invisible death spirits freely roam the streets, devouring souls and bringing death to people. They’re called shiryo, and Kaoru Ino is flung headfirst into this paranormal world. With the help of Yoji Amane, a laissez-faire necromancer and investigator, and a ring left to him by his late father, Kaoru will be forced to confront these spirits with his own shiryo in order to protect those he holds dear. The creature designs are on point and feel right at home with series like Shaman King and Jujustu Kaisen. It’ll be interesting to see how the story develops and what other obstacles Kaoru will face.
Green, Green, Greens by Kento Terasaka
Haku Yaesaki coasted through life without much ambition or desire to pursue anything. Feeling unfulfilled and frustrated, he follows a classmate, Nadeshiko Oga, to a golfing range. There he discovers she’s aiming to be a pro golfer. Partially on a whim and partially to show off, he tries hitting a few balls. From there, he gets sucked in more and more, enjoying the thrill of watching the ball fly, the drive to improve, and the satisfaction of perfecting his swing. But he’ll soon learn there’s more to golf than just hitting the ball the farthest.
Green, Green, Greens focuses a lot on self-improvement, with panels dedicated to the movement of golf. The minute details and expressions heighten the intensity and really sell the character’s mental state. If a sports manga makes you want to take up that sport, then it’s done its job.
Status Royale by Ru Xu
The next manga recommendation welcomes readers to the distant future where VR gaming has entered the Esports scene. The most popular game is Status Royale, a team-based character brawler. Vel is learning the ropes from her friend Jun, but one day he blows up in her face and blocks her. Fed up with his selfish attitude, she puts together a competitive team to take him down. The only problem is that Jun happens to be a pro-gamer, and plays on a national level. Will Vel and her team make it to the big leagues, and can her friendship with Jun still be saved? Or will she be forced to dethrone the king once and for all? Inspired by Yu-Gi-Oh and the sports anime she grew up with, author Ru Xu paints a very fun and relatable story about the connections we make through gaming.
Viz Media’s Marvel Collection
Though not strictly a single series, Viz Media has made available several of their manga made in collaboration with Marvel Comics. This includes Deadpool: Samurai by Hikaru Uesugi, Secret Reverse by Kazuki Takahashi, Wolverine: Snikt by Tsutomu Nihei, and Spider-Man: Fake Red by Yusuke Osawa. Fans of superheroes and anime can’t go wrong with any of these titles.
Marriage Toxin: Story by Joumyaku, Art by Mizuki Yoda
Hikaru Gero is the pinnacle of the Poison Clan, a group of assassins who specialize in illicit substances. He never considered a life outside of the Clan, but then the higher ups say he has to get married and produce an heir or they’ll force his sister to do so. Wanting to spare her from that fate, Gero goes out on a limb and asks his next target to marry him, a marriage swindler named Mei Kinosaki. Mei declines, but in return promises to coach Gero in the ways of finding the perfect match. Hilarity and action abound as Gero and Mei navigate the criminal underworld in search of his soul mate.
Centaurs by Ryo Sumiyoshi
This manga recommendation takes place in alternate Japan, where humans and centaurs once coexisted. But the fires of war spread and soon, centaurs were hunted and bridled for their strength and endurance. It was not uncommon for centaurs’ arms to be removed as part of the breaking process. Now what few wild centaurs remain live in secrecy.
Matsukaze, a mountain dwelling centaur, was unfortunate enough to be captured and traded to a feudal lord. There he meets Kohibari, a tamed centaur. Together they manage to escape the compound, but survival is not so easy when you’re hunted game. This epic fantasy manga depicts a brutal reality that doesn’t sugarcoat the cruelty of mankind. The premise is unique and it’s clear a lot of detail went into creating this world.
Gachiakuta by Kei Urana
Rudo lives in the slums of society, forever shadowed by the upper class and living off the waste they dump. That said, Rudo finds value in trash, going out of his way to repair and reuse what’s still good. He believes that objects have souls and if you take care of them, they will become your power. That life is suddenly taken away when he’s convicted of killing his adoptive father and sentenced to ‘the Pit,’ a huge hole where trash, undesirables, and even criminals are dumped. Miraculously, Rudo survives the fall, but is now surrounded by mountains of garbage, hulking trash monsters, and toxic fumes. Vowing to find the person who killed his father, Rudo awakens to a power seldom seen. If you’re looking for a manga recommendation with a good shonen battle formula, check out Gachiakuta.
Ruri Dragon by Masakoi Shindou
One morning, Ruri grew horns, which was a weird way to start the day. It gets weirder when her mother tells her it’s because she’s part dragon. As if school wasn’t already hard enough for the introverted Ruri, now she has to deal with dragon puberty. Follow Ruri in this wholesome manga as she discovers how to breathe fire, how to make friends, and how to live life as a dragon-human hybrid. Ruri Dragon was on hiatus for a while and it just recently started back up. The art style and the premise are both excellent. It feels simple, but the relationships are explored in a very down-to-earth way and the dragon aspects put a nice wrinkle into the day to day.
Shojo Null: Story by Kanae Nakanishi, Art by Akima
In the 23rd century, a new kind of human emerges; the Gijin, created with artificial bodies, but with intelligence and function equal to humans. Little by little, cases of Gijin gaining sentience have been growing. Riaha has his hands full just trying to make ends meet after his father died. That is until he meets Marie, a military-grade Gijin that acts and emotes just like a human. Little does Riaha know that by sheltering and helping this Gijin, he’ll unleash decades of pain, oppression, and malice. Now the human race will answer for their crimes against the Gijin. If you’re looking for a manga recommendations with a grim futuristic setting, a lot of violence, and borderline body horror similar to Parasyte, give Shojo Null a try.
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