Not sure where to start when it comes to manga? You’re not alone! With so many great options out there, it can be tough to decide which one is right for you. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.
Do you want to laugh, get pumped up, or feel all the feels? With manga, you can have it all! From heart-wrenching drama to edge-of-your-seat action, there’s something for everyone.
Still not sure where to start? Here are a few of our top recommendations to get you started on your journey into the endlessly inventive and always exciting world of manga.
1. Inside Mari
Inside Mari is a manga series that explores the dark side of everyday life. It’s famous for its author, Shuzo Oshimi, who is known for showing readers a more mature perspective of the world. The story follows an unlikeable and frankly gross man who makes sense of his new life in the body of a popular high school girl, Mari. It’s definitely cringe-worthy at times, but its purpose is to put its body swappers through the ringer of emotional self-discovery and lead to an ending that is both satisfying and eye-opening.
2. Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer is a cult classic for a reason – it’s a touching story with lovable characters, fun action, and a perfect balance of world-building and destruction.
It might take a bit to get into the series, but once you’re invested, you won’t be able to put it down. The emotional journey is full of twists and turns, and it perfectly showcases what makes manga so special.
3. The Promised Neverland
Featuring super-smart orphans who are trapped in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with their caretaker, this massively popular mystery-thriller is the definition of bingeable.
Each chapter crams in thrilling plot developments, breadcrumbs pointing to an intricately considered world, and somehow always manages to end on a cliff-hanger.
But the best part is that it’s over! All its loose threads have been tied up and its burning questions have more or less been answered.
4. The Hunter’s Guild: Red Hood
Red Hood is a newer series with stunning artwork that features fresh takes on monsters and the folk heroes who hunt them.
Its monstrous werewolves are as cunning as they are ugly, and boy, are they ugly. But that’s part of what makes them so captivating!
This is a great starting point to get into the rhythm of keeping up with manga since there’s only a handful of chapters out so far.
Like a lot of other manga, Red Hood releases a new chapter once a week, so you can get in on the chapter release-hype right away as you catch up on the longer in-progress series.
5. Genkaku Picasso
At a first glance, the manga’s drawings by Hikari Hamura might catch you off guard because they look nothing like the rest of the series. His sketches are instead nightmare fuel. This bothers Hamura too. Genkaku Picasso searches for meaning in those freaky drawings over three volumes that bridges the gap between a run-of-the-mill series and the horrific sights of Junji Ito.
6. Hunter x Hunter
One of the all-time greats deserves to be read, but first, a word of warning.
This unfinished masterpiece walks you through a fantastical world of crazed people hunting down rarities. The first few arcs are a great introduction into the world of shonen manga, with a band of scrappy heroes scraping through a series of grueling tests and barely coming out on top.
But once the tests end, Gon and company are thrown into the real world without a safety net. The story becomes more about how they learn to survive in a world that’s out to get them, and less about how they can become the best hunters around.
If you’re looking for a light-hearted series with a lot of action, then this isn’t the one for you. But if you’re looking for something with a little more depth, then this is definitely worth reading.
