Manga was around as early as the 12th century, but back then it had yet to take on the name “manga”. Manga as we know it now has gone through quite a furtherance since its conception. We have compiled a list of best manga of all time for our readers.
It started as scrolls and later on took on the form of picture books during the 18th century. At this point, these may as well have been the world’s first ever comic books!
Furthermore, manga was always a tool of some sort throughout its metamorphosis. The history of Japan intertwines with that of manga.
During its early stages, in the rise of Japanese Imperialism, the empire used it as a medium to spread its propaganda. Later on, during the allies’ occupation, a restriction on propaganda or Japanese militarism was in full effect, shaping manga as we know it. The artists were free to explore their styles.
Manga Categories
Today, manga is the biggest medium of exposure to Japanese culture. It has about seven major categories
- Shoujo: this type of manga targets young women. This type of manga usually revolves around a candid love story that idealizes romantic relationships.
- Shounen: the opposite of shoujo. It is aimed at male teenagers, and usually features adventure stories with moral values which a young audience could relate to, such as friendship or courage.
- Seinen: this manga focuses on a more mature audience. The story tends to be deeper and more psychological than Shounen manga.
- Josei: aimed toward adult females, these stories are usually inspired by daily life. It features work troubles as well as romantic relationships much more realistic than in shoujo manga.
- Shonen-ai and shoujo-ai: mainly focuses on a platonic homosexual relationship.
- Yaoi and Yuri: Less platonic than the above, Yaoi stories focus on a male homosexual relationship and are generally very popular among women. Yuri stories would feature a female homosexual relationship.
- Hentai: pornographic manga.
So here are the Best Manga of All Time I think everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.
Best Shounen Manga of All Time
1. One Piece
Written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, this manga has been in serialization since 1997 and boasts the title of being one of the most selling manga around the world.
The story follows a young pirate, Monkey D. Luffy, who ate a Devil Fruit that gave his body the properties of rubber. Correspondingly, his dream is to stand atop all the hierarchies in the sea and become the next Pirate King by finding the ultimate treasure left by his predecessor.
He then assembles a crew of quirky characters and sets sail towards the unknown, rough seas of his world.
A story that will have you laughing, fighting, and crying with the straw-hat pirates. One Piece has captured the first spot in a list of best manga of all time.
2. Dragonball
Second on our Best Manga of All Time list. Inspired by the 16th-century Chinese novel, Journey to the West, and elements of Hong Kong martial arts films, Akira Toriyama wrote and illustrated a story that shaped generations to come.
This coming-of-age story follows Son Goku as he trains in martial arts with an unquenchable thirst for fighting stronger rivals.
Seven wish-granting crystal balls are scattered around their world and cause a constant scramble that appears throughout the series. Under those circumstances, Bulma was in search of the dragon balls. This is how she came into contact with Son Goku, who was living in a secluded region of the world.
What follows is an action-packed adventure with Son Goku and friends fighting off villains for control of the balls and exciting tournament arcs that have lasted for over 40 years and still counting.
3. Hunter X Hunter
With a total of 37 tankobon volumes as of November 2022, Hunter x Hunter is arguably one of the premier shounen stories there is out there.
Gon Freecss discovers that his father, who left him at a young age, is a world-renowned Hunter (a licensed professional who specializes in fantastical pursuits such as locating rare or unidentified animal species, treasure hunting, surveying unexplored enclaves, or hunting down lawless individuals).
Gon sets out on a journey to become a Hunter and eventually find his father. Along the way, Gon makes friends with a variety of Hunters and encounters the paranormal.
Yoshihiro Togashi has written and illustrated this story since its first appearance in Shueisha’s shonen manga magazine Weekly Shounen Jump in March 1998. List of best anime of all time will be unfinished without the inclusion of Hunter x Hunter.
4. Full Metal Alchemist
Fourth on our Best Manga of All Time list. A steampunk manga that takes place in a fictional world where alchemy is a widespread practice. Two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, lose parts of their bodies as they try to resurrect their mother through a forbidden alchemy of transmutation.
The story follows their search for the philosopher’s stone, an object with enough power to help them regain their losses. To that end, they find themselves in the eye of a sinister storm brewing.
Hiromu Arakawa brings us this tale through Square Enix’s shonen manga anthology magazine, Monthly Shonen Gangan. It serialized between July 2001 and June 2010. The chapters then later collected into 27 tankobon volumes.
5. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures
With a whopping 130 tankobon volumes, JoJo’s Bizarre adventures changed the art scene of shounen manga with its art style and character posing. Furthermore, it’s really popular for its western pop culture reference.
The series divides further into nine arcs, each following a new protagonist with the nickname JoJo. Additionally, the protagonists are all more or less part of the same family tree.
The world in which the series takes place is an alternate universe similar to our own with the added exception that some individuals have the power to transform their inner spiritual power into a Stand (physical manifestation).
The story also depicts with supernatural beings and unique martial arts techniques that help the Joestar family (JoJos) have a fighting chance. Basically, all the stories in each arc stem from the rivalry between Jonathan Joestar and Dio Brando. Could arguably place better on our Best Manga of All Time list.
6. Kingdom
Sixth on our Best Manga of All Time. War orphans Xin and Piao dream of greater heights of becoming the greatest generals under the heavens. The story takes place during the Warring States period of ancient China.
A minister takes Piao away from the village and returns him mortally wounded. We later learn that Piao was to serve as a body double of the King of Qin, Ying Zheng.
Xin, later on, meets the King, Ying Zhen, and connects the dots but doesn’t lose his cool and decides to stick close to him. And so his journey towards being the greatest general under the heavens begins.
The manga was written and illustrated by Yasuhisa Hara and serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump magazine since January 2006. It collected a total of 66 tankobon volumes as of September 2022.
7. Detective Conan
Gosho Aoyama wrote and illustrated this series. It is also known as Case Closed in English language releases.
Shinichi Kudo or Jimmy Kudo is a high school detective who transformed into a child due to an unfortunate run-in with a crime syndicate known as the Black Organisation. In an attempt to murder him, they shoved an experimental drug down his throat.
He joined an Elementary School where he formed a Junior Detective club with some classmates. As a result, he solved a multitude of cases by impersonating his childhood best friend’s father and various other characters.
8. One Punch Man
This is a digital manga remake that Yusuke Murata illustrates. It began its publication on Shueisha’s Tonari no Young Jump website in 2012.
In an alternate universe with a version of earth that has four moons, a bored superhuman goes about his daily chores in a lackluster fashion. After an intensive 3 years of training, our protagonist lost all hair and gained the ability to defeat any enemy with a single punch.
In a world that riddled with villains and powerful monsters, our hero makes his way around trying to recover the vigor of battle. One Punch Man has itself found in a list of best anime of all time.
9. Jujutsu Kaisen
Kind of a newbie compared to the other entries on this list so far but nonetheless deserves to be on our Best Manga of All Time list.
This manga was written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. It began its serialization in Shueisha’s shonen magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump in March 2018. In similar fashion, it has collected 20 tankobon volumes as of August 2022.
The story revolves around a cursed Yuji Itadori and his journey to become a Jujutsu sorcerer. Subsequently, Yuji joins a secret high school that promises to get rid of his curse.
10. Vinland Saga
A manga about Vikings! The series was first serialized in the Weekly Shounen Magazine before moving to the monthly manga magazine, Monthly Afternoon. It currently has a total of 26 tankoban volumes.
A young Thorfinn sticks close to Askeladd, the man who murdered his father, in the hopes of getting revenge. To point out, Askeladd and his men work as mercenaries under the Danish King Sweyn in the Danish invasion of London.
The story is a dramatization of the historical explorer Thorfinn and the rise to power of King Cnut the Great stories. Great entry to our Best Manga of All Time list, give it a shot!
11. Dandadan
An action-packed occult sci-fi coming-of-age story written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu.
Momo Ayase has a type, Ken Takakura. The actor that is, not his nerdy classmate who is into alien spotting. Momo and Okarun become close after a bet they made with each other which made them encounter the twisted parts of life.
This story keeps you entertained and invested in the budding lives of these two high school kids.
Completed Classics
12. Naruto Manga
A story drawn and written by Masashi Kishimoto about the iconic life of Naruto Uzumaki from the hidden leaf village.
One of the most influential stories of its time, with a following all around the world and trends like the Naruto run that cut across cultures. It unfolds in two parts: Naruto’s pre-teen and teen years.
Living his life ostracized from the rest of the village without ever really knowing why, Naruto grew up a lonely kid. In any case, he had a dream to one day become the leader of his village, the Hokage, and achieve the peace that was lacking in the ninja world.
The story follows his growth as a person and a ninja. It focuses on his chase to achieve his dreams while simultaneously holding on to friendships that meant the world to him. No one can stop Naruto from featuring in Best Manga of All Time, it’s a must.
13. Bleach Manga
In recent years Bleach gained a reputation for being part of the big 3 anime- these are globally recognized anime that rank the highest hence why it made it to our Best Manga of All Time list.
Ichigo Kurosaki, a teen in high school, gains the powers of a soul reaper which is akin to a god of death. His newfound powers allow him to protect what he loves and explore a whole other world that was previously invisible to him. Simultaneously, a deeper conspiracy untangles at the heart of the next world, with Ichigo at the center of it all.
Tite Kubo wrote and illustrated this story and has collected a total of 74 tankobon volumes. Bleach also serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from August 2001 to August 2016.
14. Sailor Moon Manga
Fourteenth on our Best Manga of All Time list is the story that follows Usagi Tsukino, a schoolgirl with the ability to transform into Sailor Moon, a guardian of justice. After gaining her abilities, her task is to protect the Earth from all that is evil.
In addition, she needs to find a missing princess and a sacred jewel known as the Legendary Silver Crystal. As a result, this marked her debut as a justice fighter and meeting new comrades where she learnt to take responsibility.
This acclaimed magical girl classic was written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi. It originally serialized in Kodansha’s shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from 1991 to 1997. Additionally, the 52 individual chapters came out in 18 volumes.
15. Deathnote Manga
A bored god of death drops his notebook down on Earth just to see what happens. The notebook in question has the power to kill anyone by having their names written in its pages.
Light Yagami, a university student, discovers the notebook and becomes aware of its powers and the possibilities it provides. He started acting like a god, deciding who should live and who should die until the Japanese police caught on. They didn’t know who or what was causing the deaths, but they knew something was amiss which is why they employed the enigmatic detective L to apprehend him.
The manga was written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006.
16. Monster Manga
“And I saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and his heads, the names of blasphemy. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like unto the beast? Who can make war with him?”
The series follows Dr. Kenzo Tenma as he tries to repair a mistake he made that haunts him. On a certain night, the choice of which life to save two lives laid before him. Due to personal convictions, he decided to save a young boy in critical condition who had been in an accident and left the other person to die.
The boy turned out to be an unhinged serial killer and Tenma couldn’t live with himself knowing what he had unleashed on the world.
The manga was written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It came out under Shogakukan in their Big Comic Original magazine between 1994 and 2001. Since then, the chapters collected in eighteen tankōbon volumes. In addition, the manga got several awards, and its anime adaptation has been called one of the best of its decade hence its entry on our Best Manga of All Time list.
17. Fist of the North Star Manga
Written by Buronson and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara, the manga serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump for 245 issues published from 1983 to 1988 and initially collected in 27 tankōbon volumes under the Jump Comics imprint.
In a post-apocalyptic world, Ken aka “the Fist of the North Star” roams around fighting against various gangs, bandits, and warlords who threaten the lives of the defenseless and innocent. He also fights rival martial artists, including his comrades from the same school.
18. Yuyu Hakusho Manga
Yusuke Urameshi, previously a teenage delinquent, gets hit by a car as he tried to save a child’s life. Surprisingly, his time in the afterlife comes to an abrupt stop after he passes several tests presented to him by the son of the ruler of the underworld.
He acquires the title of Underworld Detective and undertakes the investigation of cases concerning demons and apparitions. As the story progresses, the series strays away from detective work to a more fighting-oriented story.
Yoshihiro Togashi wrote and illustrated the story which originally serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 1990 to July 1994. The series consists of 175 chapters also collected in 19 tankōbon volumes.
19. Inuyasha Manga
19th on our Best Manga of All Time list. The manga begins with Kagome Higurashi, a fifteen-year-old middle school girl from modern-day Tokyo, whisped away to the Sengoku period after falling into a well in her family shrine. Following, she meets the half-dog demon, half-human Inuyasha.
He was bound to a sacred tree by a magical arrow from the priestess Kikyō’s bow while attempting to claim the Shikon Jewel. Inuyasha sought the Jewel, thinking it could transform him into a full-fledged demon.
After the sacred Shikon Jewel re-emerges from deep inside Kagome’s body, she accidentally shatters it into dozens of fragments that scatter across Japan. Afterwards, Inuyasha and Kagome set to recover Jewel’s fragments.
It was written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It serialized in Shogakukan’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday from November 1996 to June 2008. Later on, its chapters collected in fifty-six tankōbon volumes.
20. Dororo Manga
Written and illustrated by the revolutionary Osamu Tezuka, the title Dororo was based on the way his childhood friends pronounced the word thief in Japanese (Dorobo).
Dororo first serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday between August 1967 and July 1968, before being canceled. Later on, the manga concluded in Akita Shoten’s Bōken’ō magazine in 1969.
The story follows a young, orphaned thief named Dororo and a ronin named Hyakkimaru during the Sengoku period.
Hyakkimaru was born malformed, limbless, and without facial features or internal organs. This was the result of his birth father forging a pact with 48 sealed demons so that he might rule the land and increase its wealth and prosperity. At any rate, Dororo joins him on his quest to recover his stolen parts.
Best Samurai Manga of All Time
21. Shigurui Manga
Set in 1629 Shizuoka during Tokugawa Tadanaga’s rule, the daimyō staged a tournament where the participants fought with real steel Japanese swords rather than wooden swords. Thereupon, a one-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and blind Irako Seigen take the stage, to the surprise of everyone.
The spectators don’t know the gory history that the two swordsmen share. They were both disciples of Iwamoto Kogan, who, all things considered, was the most renowned swordsman of their time.
The story unfolds by returning to their past to build up to that final fight.
This fantastic tale was written and illustrated by Takayuki Yamaguchi. Shigurui has made it compulsory to be added in Best Manga of All Time.
22. Vagabond Manga
Only knowledgeable of what his body is capable of, Miyamoto Musashi explores a bloody path to enlightenment. Furthermore, this manga is loosely based on Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel Musashi.
The story is written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue. It serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Morning since September 1998, with its chapters collected into thirty-seven tankōbon volumes as of July 2014.
23. Rurouni Kenshin Manga
Hitokiri Battosai retired from working as an assassin after the Boshin War that happened during the early Meiji era. He wanders the countryside of Japan under a different name, Himura Kenshin.
Kenshin aims to lend a helping sword to those in need. He also vowed to never take another life. However, his past continues to haunt him, challenging his newfound ideals and principles.
The manga was written and illustrated by Nobuhiro Watsuki. The manga serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from April 1994 to September 1999. The complete work consists of 28 tankōbon volumes, while years later it comprised of 22 kanzenban volumes.
24. Blade of the Immortal Manga
The story takes place in the mid-Tokugawa Shogunate period. It follows the story of a cursed samurai who has to kill 1000 evil men to regain his mortality.
Conversely, Asano, a 16-year-old girl, tags along with Manji’s journey to get his assistance in killing those who slaughtered her parents. Altogether, the story takes on themes of gore, violence, and vengeance.
It was written and illustrated by Hiroaki Samura. The manga also originally came out in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon from June 1993 to December 2012 and compiled into thirty tankōbon volumes.
25. House of Five Leaves Manga
A bodyguard can’t keep hold of a job for long due to his timid personality. Yaichi, a leader of a group of bandits named the five leaves, happened to be looking for a bodyguard to accompany him for a shady job he was doing. He then crossed paths with our timid protagonist.
Masanosuke Akitsu suddenly finds himself involved in illicit and dangerous activities. He finds himself unable to cut ties due to the charismatic nature of Yaichi.
Written and illustrated by Natsume Ono, the manga serialized in Shogakukan’s seinen manga magazine Monthly Ikki from November 2005 to July 2010. Shortly, its chapters published in eight tankōbon volumes under the Ikki Comix imprint.
Best Slice of Life and Seinen Manga of All Time
26. A Bride’s Story Manga
Critically acclaimed Kaoru Mori wrote and illustrated this story. It first serialized in Enterbrain’s Harta (formerly known as Fellows!) magazine from October 2008 to November 2020, after which it transferred to Kadokawa’s Aokishi magazine in June 2021. Its serial chapters collected into fourteen bound volumes as of October 2022.
The story starts with the marriage of a young woman, Amir Halgal, to a boy eight years younger than her. The series follows the growth of this relationship while also exploring the cultures that existed in the 19th century In Turkic Central Asia.
The story eventually comes to revolve around the explorer, Henry Smith, as he traces the Silk Road observing the people go about their life amidst the advance of the Russian Empire’s army. A Bride’s Story is one of the greats in our Best Manga of All Time list.
27. Planetes Manga
In the year 2075, a clean-up crew, DS-12 ‘Toy Box’ of the Space Debris Section, ensures that space debris doesn’t damage or collide with satellites, space stations, and spacecrafts in the moon’s orbits.
Additionally, in the professions available at that time, space debris collection is the lowest of them all and looked down upon. Consequently, those who hold that title should work harder and prove their worth to other astronauts.
Ai joins the Toy Box crew and discovers the reality of the Debris section of Technora. It was poorly funded, understaffed, and a laughingstock.
Planetes portrays the vastness of space as a backdrop for the personal lives of ordinary people—people who may have been born on Earth, but whose hopes and dreams lie amongst the stars.
This hard science fiction manga was written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura. It serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Morning between January 1999 to January 2004. Thereafter, its chapters collected into four tankōbon volumes.
28. Oyasumi Punpun Manga
The story revolves follows the growth of Punpun Onodera, who is stylized as a bird doodle. It spans from his time in elementary school till, he grows into an adult in his 20s. Punpun has always been a shy kid and struggles with aspects of emotional instability throughout the series.
This grim coming-of-age tale was written and illustrated by Inio Asano and spans over 147 chapters. It also serialized in Japan between March 2007 and November 2013.
29. Descending Stories Manga
Rakugo is the art of storytelling. An artist tells a story to the audience in a fashion where he/her illustrates the characters while conveying their emotions in the best way there is. The depth of the connection between the story and the audience depends on their imagination and the narrator’s execution.
A man finishes his prison term, and his first destination is at the feet of a rakugo artist. The man dreams of becoming one himself and supplicates the artist to take him under his wing as an apprentice.
Moreover, the story depicts how a dying art struggles to stay afloat in the modern world where entertainment has branched off into a multitude of forms that’s become the utmost reason of its inclusion in best anime of all time.
The story was written and illustrated by Haruko Kumota. It also serialized in Kodansha’s ITAN magazine from 2010 to 2016 and collected in ten volumes.
30. A Silent Voice Manga
A story of the redemption of a class bully, Shoya, who seeks to make amends with the deaf girl he bullied while they were still in the sixth grade. Navigating themes of suicide, disability, forgiveness, romance, depression, and friendship, this coming-of-age story will have you tearing up just a bit.
The manga was written and illustrated by Yoshitoki Oima. Additionally, the series came out as a one-shot in Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine and later serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from August 2013 to November 2014. Its chapters were also collected in seven tankōbon volumes.
31. My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness Manga
An autobiography manga that follows Kabi Nagata. It explores themes such as mental health, sexuality, and her experience growing up. The story revolves around how she lost her virginity to a sex worker at 28 years.
It was originally published by Nagata on the art website Pixiv. It later came out as a single print volume by East Press in June 2016 in Japanese, and also by Seven Seas Entertainment in June 2017 in English.
32. My Love Story Manga
Takeo Goda, a tall and muscular high school student, struggles to find love. Unfortunately, every girl he likes ends up falling for his best friend, Makoto Sunukawa, who is the better-looking of the two.
As the story progresses,Takeo saves Rinko Yamato, who ends up falling for him. This cute love story unfolds into one of the most unique of its kind.
It was written by Kazune Kawahara and illustrated by Aruko. Additionally, the manga serialized in Shueisha’s Bessatsu Margaret magazine from October 2011 to July 2016.
33. Emma Manga
Another gem that’s also written and illustrated by Kaoru Mori. It came out under Enterbrain in the magazine Comic Beam and also collected tankōbon volumes.
This historical romance takes place in the 19th century in England where social classes were emphasized upon.
It follows William Jones, a son of a rich merchant, who falls in love with Emma, a maid working for his former governess, Mrs. Stowmar. Moreover, aspects of the life that people at the time led such as arranged marriages, social classes, and the fragile egos of characters in the story stood in the way of William and Emma’s fight to love each other.
Best Thriller/ Horror Manga of All Time
34. Berserk Manga
In a dark fantasy world, a group of mercenaries plays a critical role in turning the tides of a war that lasted 100 years. Comparatively, the leader of the Band of the Hawk, Griffith, is a charismatic leader with the power to sway the hearts of men on a battlefield and with the skills to earn him a reputation.
The story follows a lone swordsman, Guts, who joins the Hawks and builds a close relationship with Griffith. Eventually, Guts gets pulled into a sinister plot that involves Griffith’s ambitious dreams and loses more than he can afford to in the process.
The story is written and illustrated by the late Kentaro Miura. Berserk is the must anime to feature in a list of best anime of all time.
35. Akira Manga
Katsuhiro Otomo wrote and illustrated this cyberpunk genre manga with the intent of portraying themes such as political turmoil, social isolation, corruption, and power.
Set in a post-apocalyptic and futuristic Tokyo, more than two decades after a mysterious explosion destroyed the city, the story centers on teenage biker gang leader Shotaro Kaneda, militant revolutionary Kei, a trio of espers, and Neo-Tokyo military leader Colonel Shikishima.
They attempt to prevent Tetsuo Shima, Kaneda’s mentally unstable childhood friend, from using his unstable and destructive telekinetic abilities to ravage the city and awaken a mysterious entity with powerful psychic abilities named Akira. It is a must one in a compilation of best anime of all time.
36. Tokyo Ghoul Manga
The story revolves around a student named Ken Kaneki who discovers the dangers of being too trusting on dates. His date revealed herself to be a ghoul, a human-like undead with an appetite for human flesh and tried to eat him.
In sum, Kaneki barely survived the ordeal and had an operation which led to his transformation into a half-ghoul. Learn from it and stay away from dates.
This dark fantasy manga series was written and illustrated by Sui Ishida. It also serialized in Shueisha’s seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Jump between September 2011 and September 2014. It then collected fourteen tankōbon volumes.
37. Uzumaki Manga
Arguably one the best thriller stories ever illustrated, this manga is the magnum opus of the acclaimed Junji Ito. It serialized in the weekly seinen manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1998 to 1999. Thereafter, the chapters compiled into three bound volumes by Shogakukan and published from August 1998 to September 1999.
The story follows Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend, Shuichi Saito. Particularly, they live in the small town of Kurouzu-cho which is cursed by supernatural events.
38. Claymore Manga
Yoma, creatures that feed on humans, inhabit a faraway medieval island. Moreover, a mysterious group creates yoma half-breeds to fight off the yoma for a fee. These half-breeds happen to always be female with silver eyes and bear the names witches and claymores.
Norihiro Yagi’s story follows a witch who goes around villages on the island killing these yoma. In addition, she carries a huge claymore on her back. She slowly discovers the origins and purpose of the organization that created them. Eventually, finds herself entangled in a much deeper conspiracy and a war that takes place in locations she had never imagined existed.
39. Attack on Titan Manga
In a world where humanity erects humongous walls around their cities to survive, Eren Yeager burns with hatred for the creatures that made it so.
Titans are gigantic man-eating humanoids that roam outside the walls and are killed by slashing the back of their necks. In effect, humans invented Vertical Maneuvering Equipment and Omni-Directional Maneuvering Gear that increase their mobility around forested or places with buildings.
This is a tale of anguish, deep-rooted conspiracies, and incredible plot twists written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama.
40. Made in Abyss Manga
A town forms around a mysterious giant hole that descended deep into the earth. Furthermore, the hole overflows with mysterious creatures and treasures that are otherworldly. This picks the curiosities of all sorts of explorers.
The story follows Riko, an orphan girl, who grew up in that city and has dreams of becoming an explorer herself. She wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
She finds and befriends a part-robot boy named Reg, and decides that with Reg’s help, she could make it in the hole. In any case, their descent into the hole proves to be difficult. The hole is riddled with all sorts of creatures that are looking to feed, unfathomable hierarchies that fight for the rights to special artifacts unearthed in the hole, and unhinged creeps roaming there.
The story is written and illustrated by Akihito Tsukushi. It serialized online in Takeshobo’s digital publication Web Comic Gamma since October 2012 and also collected eleven tankōbon volumes.
Best Sports Manga of All Time
41. Hajime no Ippo Manga
Makunouchi Ippo finds himself the target of some bullies due to his shy nature. A pro boxer happens to see the scene unfold and decided to step in and help. He then takes the injured Ippo back to his gym for treatment and told his gym mates of the occurrence.
After his treatment, the boxer who helped him, Takamura Mamoru, tried to cheer Ippo up by letting him vent his frustrations on a sandbag. It was then that they had their first glimpse into Ippo’s talent for boxing.
Written and illustrated by George Morikawa, this shounen manga serialized by Kodansha Weekly Shōnen Magazine in October 1989. It since collected 135 tankōbon volumes as of July 2022. Hajime no Ippo has captured the first spot in sports category of best manga of all time.
42. Kuroko no Basket Manga
Teikou Middle School is the home of the “Generation of Miracles”, five prodigies who dominated the national basketball scene in Japan. Eventually, they reached the peak of the sport which led to their separation as they joined different high schools.
The story follows two recruits of the Seirin high school basketball team, Taiga Kagami and Tetsuya Kuroko. Kagami has both a natural aptitude and relentless love for the sport while Kuroko lacks presence and exhibits no outstanding athletic talent. It is later revealed that Kuroko was the sixth Phantom Man in the generation of miracles.
The series was written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. It also serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2008 to September 2014. In addition, the individual chapters collected into 30 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha.
43. Haikyuu! Manga
Inspired by the achievements of his idol, the Little Giant, Shouyou Hinata decides to take up volleyball and joins his school’s volleyball club. The only issue is that he finds himself alone. He then spends the next two years trying to recruit other members.
Haruichi Furudate’s story serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from February 2012 to July 2020. Thereafter, its chapters collected in 45 tankōbon volumes.
44. Blue Lock Manga
The Blue Lock project’s goal is to create an ultimate striker for the Japanese football national team. Subsequently, three hundred U-18 strikers are selected to take part in the program. To find the best participant, each diamond in the rough must compete against others through a series of solo and team competitions to rise to the top.
The story follows Yoichi Isagi, a high schooler, who takes part in the project.
It was written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura.
45. Grand blue Manga
Iori Kitahara moves to the coastal town of Izu for his freshman year. He takes up residence above Grand Blue, his uncle’s scuba diving shop.
Iori has high hopes and dreams about having the ideal college experience, but when he enters the shop, he gets sucked into the alcoholic activities of the carefree members of the Diving Club who frequent the place. Persuaded by upperclassmen Shinji Tokita and Ryuujirou Kotobuki, Iori reluctantly joins their club.
The manga was written by Kenji Inoue and illustrated by Kimitake Yoshioka. It serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Good Afternoon since April 2014.
Best Supernatural and Fantasy Manga of All Time
46. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
The story opens with Gabimaru, a ninja from the Iwagakure village, who was set up by his comrades and now awaits his execution. His eyes in particular, are devoid of any emotions and the only thoughts registering in his mind are his acceptance of the oncoming death. What’s more, the shogunate extends a proposal to all inmates on death row. He wants them to explore a foreign island and come back with the fabled elixir of immortality.
Throughout the series we follow all these inmates as they roam about this unknown territory full of mysterious creatures.
The manga was illustrated and written by Yuji Kaku. It also serialized weekly for free on the Shōnen Jump+ application and website from January 22, 2018, to January 25, 2021. The chapters were soon after collected and published into 13 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha.
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47. Witch Hat Atelier
In a world where magic is real, a little girl dreams of becoming a witch herself. Unfortunately, this desire grips her heart so tightly that she tries her all to perform a little magic which leads to disaster!
The story follows Coco as she tries to undo her terrible mistake. She also tries to enjoy the wonderful new world of magic laid before her.
Kamome Shirahama’s manga serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Morning Two magazine in July 2016. afterwards, the chapters collected into eleven tankōbon volumes as of October 2022.
48. BLAME!
Written and illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei, Blame! takes place in a gigantic megastructure that occupies the whole of what used to be the solar system called The City. Additionally, humanity in this time hides from the megastructure’s security system that went out of control.
To summarize, the story follows Killy, a strange man who goes about fighting all sorts of beasts as he searches for a human possessing the Net Terminal Gene which could reset the world they live in and change it for the better.
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49. Mushishi
Sometime during the 19th century, Ginko walks a small path in the mountains pondering the complexities of life. Ginko is a mushishi, a person who makes a living off helping people plagued by mushi.
“Mushi”: the most basic form of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply being. They are beyond the shackles of the words good and evil. Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows.
The story follows Ginko as he makes his rounds chasing rumors of occurrences that could relate to mushi. On the whole, we get to experience a variety of stories and emotions concerning the world we live in.
It was also written by Yuki Urushibara. The manga serialized in Kodansha’s seinen manga magazine Afternoon Season Zōkan from 1999 to 2002, and in Monthly Afternoon from December 2002 to August 2008. Lastly, the individual chapters later collected and released into ten tankōbon volumes by Kodansha.
50. Demon Slayer
A secret society called the Demon Slayers has been waging an all-out war in the shadows against demons for centuries. In this case, the story takes place in Taishou-era Japan and follows a boy named Tanjiro who sets off on a journey to avenge his family that he lost to demons.
Koyohau Gotouge’s story serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020. Also, its chapters collected in 23 tankōbon volumes. At the present time, the manga has over 150 million copies in circulation, including digital versions, making it the ninth best-selling manga series of all time.
What do you think about this Best Manga of All Time list we compiled? Drop a comment below to let us know.
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