Manga and anime are inseparable from each other when it comes to defining an anime geek’s main sources of entertainment. If you want to make their day, suggest a gripping anime series to watch or give them engrossing manga recommendations.
Being a hardcore anime nerd myself, I have come across some fantastic manga in my full-time geek career. And dare I say, that I am confident these manga suggestions will surely blow your mind too.
So without further adieu, I will be listing some of the best manga of all time along with a complete guide on the different types of manga, namely English manga, subbed and dubbed manga, manga with 1 volume, long manga, manga novels, etc. I will also be giving you an update on the latest manga chapters of the ongoing manga and other manga instructions.
If you are someone who is already acquainted with reading manga you must have a comprehensive idea of what manga panels are and how to read manga correctly. But if you are relatively new to this world, you can go ahead and check out our article on the same.
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Where can you read these manga?
Nowadays, there have come up hundreds of sites to download manga owing to the demand of reading manga among fans. There have also come up manga reader apps that you can download on your smartphones to get quick and easy access to all your favorite manga. These days you will even find various manga downloader software that lets you download your manga of choice and read them afterward when you are taking a break from daily activities. Technological advance has surely made reading manga possible for many, whereas previously you either had to buy physical copies which cost a fortune.
Let us not waste any more time and quickly take a glance at some of the best manga recommendations that I will be talking about in this article!
The best 9 manga recommendations for beginners
Monster by Naoki Urasawa
When it comes to engrossing manga recommendations, Monster by Naoki Urasawa tops the list. This is one of the first manga that I had ever read and I was instantly smitten by it. It tells the story of Dr. Tenma and how he comes to terms with his morality and sense of justice through a series of traumatic incidents.
Although a typical medical thriller, Monster is a package when it comes to action-fuelled sequences, character development, emotional backstories with a deep philosophical quotient of what is right or wrong forming the core of the story. Dr. Tenma through his struggle of unraveling the truth realizes that everything is not as black and white as they seem and the true ‘monster’ is often buried deep within the despairs of one’s psyche.
Monster is available on the internet in both subbed and dubbed versions. If you know how to read Japanese you can opt for the subbed version but if you are a noob in that department then the English dubbed version is the way to go.
Monster is a long manga with 18 volumes in total. If you are looking for a captivating thriller to read, Monster is your perfect option.
Banana Fish by Akimi Yoshida
Akimi Yoshida’s Banana Fish is a very special manga to me as I’ve never been as into something as I was while reading this one. If I have been put up to the duty of giving you manga recommendations, I will never not remember to include Banana Fish.
This manga tells the story of Ash Lynx, a 17-year-old gangster from New York trying to unravel the mystery of “Banana Fish” and seeking vengeance against those who have wronged him. During his journey, he meets Eiji Okumura, a 19-year-old aspiring photographer visiting the US from Japan who quickly forms an unbreakable bond with Ash.
With the help of Eiji and some other friends, Ash is successful in his mission to uproot the horrible secrets associated with “Banana Fish” and coming to terms with his traumatic past.
You can find Banana Fish on almost all manga reading sites throughout the internet. It is a 19-volume manga that comes in both subbed and dubbed versions. If you are someone who is a fan of crime thrillers, Banana Fish is just the manga for you.
Given by Natsuki Kizu
The third manga that features in my manga recommendations list is Given by Natsuki Kizu. This is a Boys’ Love anime that focuses on the love story of Ritsuka Uenoyama, a high school teenager, and Mafuyu Sato, a new student in Uenoyama’s school.
Ritsuka is a guitarist in a band (consisting of bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Kaji Akihiko) and he starts getting close to Mafuyu after the latter asked him to fix the strings of his guitar. Eventually, Uenoyama and the audience come to know the truth of Mafuyu’s tragic backstory and what made him get into music.
Will Uenoyama be successful in re-igniting Mafuyu’s passion for music and put his god-gifted voice to good use? Will their love truly emerge despite all the obstacles that face them? To find out more, read Given by Natsuki Kizu.
The manga also tells the love story between the two other adult characters, Akihiko and Haruki, and their complicated relationship. Given is still ongoing and Volume 6 is the latest one.
If you are a fan of shoujo manga and soft romantic fluff, then this is just the manga for you! I believe music fans and enthusiasts will also thoroughly enjoy Given.
The English translations of the manga come out a week or two after it is officially released in Japan.
Bungou Stray Dogs by Kafka Asagiri
If you are a hardcore anime and manga nerd, you have come across Bungou Stray Dogs, as it is one of the most popular anime and manga in recent times.
The manga tells the story of the “Armed Detective Agency” and its members who are human beings with special powers in charge of protecting Yokohama from other human beings possessing special powers.
The story follows the protagonist Atsushi Nakajima, one such human who joins the agency and explores his supernatural powers while working with them.
The manga has also been adapted into ten manga novels and published by Kadokawa Beans Bunko Press. This is a long manga that is ongoing and has a total of 8 volumes as of now. The manga also has two spin-off stories named Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple and Bungou Stray Dogs: BEAST with 3 and 2 volumes respectively.
Bungou Stray Dogs is one of the most engaging and riveting manga that I have read and I will include it in my manga recommendations list for anyone who is a fan of action, adventure, and fantasy and is looking for a fresh manga to read. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed.
Dororo by Osamu Tezuka
Penned by none other than the God of manga himself, Dororo by Osamu Tezuka is a 1 volume manga that HAS to feature in my manga recommendations list. However, don’t get tricked by the length of the manga because Dororo is a full package when it comes to the story.
Essentially a historical fantasy, Dororo narrates the story of a Japanese feudal lord who earns wealth and prosperity at a cost of sacrificing his only son, to 48 demons. However, the little boy was saved by a doctor who specializes in healing magic and alchemy.
Eventually, the boy sets out to slay the demons to reclaim his stolen body parts. In his quest, he comes across Dororo, a young orphan who becomes his sidekick throughout his adventures. But Dororo has a dark secret that Hyakkimaru (the boy) has to come to terms with.
Dororo is a single-volume manga that is engaging and will surely take you back to the times in feudal Japan when samurais and daimyos walked the earth. You can read this manga online in both subbed and dubbed versions.
Solanin by Inio Asano
This coming-of-age, slice-of-life manga needs to be mentioned in my manga recommendations list. The manga tells the story of a couple, Meiko and Takeda, who work dead-end jobs with no goals and ambitions for the future.
However, soon the duo finds solace in jamming together with Taneda’s University band. Soon the couple is faced with life-changing decisions that they have to make to turn their life around. But will fate be on their side?
If you are looking to read something light-hearted with a deep, more emotional undertone, Solanin is the perfect manga for you. This single-volume manga is your best bet if you are looking for a quick, yet enthralling read.
Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Junji Ito is a popular name among horror fanatics and enthusiasts and if you are trying to delve into that world, Uzumaki is the perfect manga suggestion for you. Ito-sensei has created the perfect world of surreal horror in Uzumaki that is sure to raise the nerves on your neck.
At the least, you will be creeped out as you try to wrap your head around the events of the story. The manga narrates the story of Kirie Goshima and Shuichi Saito, her boyfriend, and the residents of the cursed town of Kurouzu-Cho, a small, quaint place.
The manga consists of 3 volumes and if you are a horror enthusiast like me, you will surely enjoy reading this masterpiece by Junji Ito.
Fantasista
Fantasista is also a Japanese manga series that was written and illustrated by none other than Michiteru Kusaba.
Fantasista was originally serialised in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday, and it went on from July 1999 to all the way to March 2004.
The chapters of fantasista were collected and published in twenty-five volumes.
After the success of the first run of the volume, a sequel manga which was titled Fantasista Stella was serialised in Weekly Shōnen Sunday. This sequel series did not go for as long as its predecessor still; it had quite a decent run from October 2012 to August 2015, which was collected into fourteen volumes.
There was also a 3-episode anime OVA which was produced by Xebec, and that was broadcast on the Tokyo MX from December 8th to December 22nd, 2015.
The episodes of Fantasista that were released on DVD were with the volumes 8, 9, and 10 of the manga, and the episodes aired from September 2014 to February 2015.
Sayonara Football
Sayonara Football is also one of the best football animes of all time, and it also has one of the best names you could ask for an anime series based on Football.
Sayonara, Football is a Japanese manga series that is illustrated and written by Naoshi Arakawa.
The manga was serialised in the popular Kodansha’s Magazine E-no. It didn’t have a very long run as it was published from June 2009 to August 2010, and collected in two volumes.
The manga series was published in print and in digital, and it was available in North America in a partnership with Kodansha USA.
An anime film was adapted from the series, and it was produced by Liden Films. The anime adaptation had a different name compared to its manga. Its title was ‘Farewell, My Dear Cramer: First Touch’, and it premiered in June 2021.
A final word on the best manga suggestions
As I come to the end of my manga suggestions list, I would like to say that, apart from all the manga that I have mentioned above, there are innumerable others that are just as spellbinding that will be worth the read.
You will come across various manga while browsing through different manga reader sites and apps and depending on what you want to read at that moment, you can select your preferences.
You can get all of these and more in English and don’t even have to depend on physical copies to come out to read them.
If you are someone who is trying to get into reading manga, I hope this list will help. Let me know in the comments section below which is your favorite manga series of all time.
