Studio Trigger might throw out the occasional original anime, but most shows tend to be based on pre-existing material. Light novels and, to a lesser extent, games frequently serve as inspiration for anime, leading to some great adaptations such as Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World and The Garden of Sinners.

While those mediums have proven fruitful resources for shows, manga is undoubtedly the primary source for anime adaptations. Each season includes at least a dozen anime based on manga, although very few of the former manage to eclipse the latter in terms of quality. However, rare as it might be, occasionally an anime better than its manga comes out.

Updated December 8, 2021 by Mark Sammut: The anime is never better than the manga. That is the rule, and like any rule, it is made to be broken. Admittedly, exceptions are not particularly common, in the sense that most shows are just decent alternatives to the source material. Nevertheless, every year tends to produce a handful of adaptations that eclipse their comic counterpart. This article has been expanded to include a few more anime better than their manga, including a Fall 2022 show.

14 A Certain Scientific Railgun & Accelerator

A Certain Magical Index is an adaptation of Kazuma Kamachi’s light novel series, and it is quite an underwhelming one at that. The anime suffers from pacing issues and turns Touma into a disappointingly bland protagonist, a criticism that can't be leveled at the light novel.

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Conversely, A Certain Scientific Railgun and A Certain Scientific Accelerator both managed to eclipse their manga. Except for a few inconsistent filler arcs and some humor that doesn’t quite land, Railgun’s anime does a splendid job of expanding upon the friendships between the four main girls. The show also handles the Sisters arc flawlessly.

Accelerator’s anime is even more impressive considering the manga is one of the weaker projects associated with this franchise. The source material has inconsistent art and a narrative that loses steam halfway through; although the same holds true for the anime, the story’s weaknesses are easier to swallow due to the show’s strong animation and performances.

13 March Comes In Like A Lion

Whether someone reads Chica Umino’s seinen manga or watches Shaft’s anime adaptation, they can't go wrong when it comes to March Comes In Like a Lion. A psychological character study centering around Rei Kiriyama, a young shogi player, this story chronicles the isolated protagonist’s budding relationship with three sisters, along with the complex dynamic he shares with the family that raised him following his parents’ death.

March Comes In Like a Lion deals with bullying, depression, fear, guilt, and a plethora of other mature themes, and it tackles them with grace and intelligence. Shaft’s anime is very faithful to the source material, and the studio brought its A-game for both seasons. Boasting experimental and effective visuals and a great soundtrack, the anime is about as perfect of an adaptation as they come.

12 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

It is impossible to bestow too much praise on Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Debuting in 1987 and still going strong, the manga is a staple of the shonen scene and has influenced plenty of other shows.

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Starting from 2012, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has been slowly adapted into an anime, with Stone Ocean debuting on Netflix in December 2021. As great as the source material is, the anime has the edge due to a few factors. Firstly, while the anime’s first two parts are generally considered to be the weakest in the series, they are overall more enjoyable than the equivalent arcs from the manga. More importantly, the anime features stellar voice acting and music that bring to life and even elevates the larger-than-life characters that exist within Araki’s universe.

That said, Araki's manga is still nothing short of exceptional.

11 Nichijou - My Ordinary Life

Keiichi Arawi's Nichijou is a delightful manga that lasted for approximately a decade, producing 10 volumes in the process. The 2011 anime adapts roughly the first seven volumes, although not every sketch makes the cut.

The source material is well worth seeking out as it provides a satisfying ending and is generally a fun read; however, the anime is the ideal place to start with Nichijou. The surreal humor benefits greatly from Kyoto's animation, while the voice work is also excellent.

10 Bunny Drop

Occasionally, leaving something out is the only step required to improve a story. Bunny Drop, aka Usagi Drop, tells the wholesome tale of Daikichi adopting his grandfather's illegitimate child, Rin, following her parent's death. Grounded, sweet, and heartfelt, Bunny Drop explores the relationship between Daikichi and Rin as they help each other find their places in the world.

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The anime stops short of covering the manga's polarizing conclusion, one that turns Daikichi and Rin's dynamic on its head. The manga's finale is unnecessarily controversial and adversely affects the story's comforting tone.

9 Land Of The Lustrous

Haruko Ichikawa's Land of the Lustrous is a fantastic manga that is still going strong more than a decade following its debut. In terms of story, the source material is at least as good as its anime adaptation, and anyone who watched the latter and wants to spend more time in this universe should definitely check out the manga.

That said, Orange's show has the best CG animation of all time, bar none. Land of the Lustrous is gorgeous from beginning to end, even putting to shame some movies. Ultimately, anime is a visual experience, and this adaptation makes brilliant use of the medium's strengths.

8 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba

What is Demon Slayer primarily known for? Its animation. Naturally, that all comes down to the anime. Koyoharu Gotouge's manga is a solid shonen series with good art, an engaging but unspectacular storyline, and a mixed bag of characters.

Ufotable takes all of that and adds in animation so good that the show turned Demon Slayer into a cultural phenomenon. 2020's Demon Slayer The Movie: Mugen Train was a huge hit at the box office, experiencing unprecedented success for an anime based on an ongoing series.

7 Gintama

Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama manga is a masterpiece and comfortably among the best comedies in the medium. The anime just happens to be slightly better, and that almost entirely comes down to the hilarious voice acting. This long-running shonen series might just have the strongest cast in anime history, with nearly every performer elevating the character they are assigned to.

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Some standouts are Daisuke Sakaguchi as Shinpachi, Akira Ishida as Katsura, and Tomokazu Sugita as Gintoki. Gintama also has a decent amount of anime-only episodes and sketches, most of which work pretty well.

6 Mob Psycho 100

One-Punch Man's season 1 is superior to the equivalent chapters from ONE's manga, but the anime's disappointing sequel levels out the playing field. However, the same cannot be said for Mob Psycho 100.

Adapted by Bones, Mob Psycho 100's animation is top-notch, not only on a technical level but also in the way it reflects and enhances the emotional beats of the story. This element is also present in the manga, but the adaptation delivers a more cathartic experience during these moments.

5 Parasyte -The Maxim-

Hitoshi Iwaaki's Parasyte is a classic psychological horror manga that launched in the late '80s and ended in the mid-'90s. An anime took a long time to materialize, but it was worth the wait. Parasyte is a complete adaptation of the source material and largely follows the same beats with very few alterations. So, the story is preserved and respectfully presented.

Parasyte's anime combines the source material with splendid animation and a killer soundtrack. There is basically no reason to read the manga if someone prefers anime as a medium.

4 Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Yu Yu Hakusho, Level E, and Hunter x Hunter – Yoshihiro Togashi's pedigree is beyond question. The mangaka has written some of the greatest shonen series of all time, and they have gone on to receive incredible adaptations.

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Hunter x Hunter's 2011 anime was handled by Madhouse, a studio that could do little wrong at that point in time. The result is a work of art with brilliant music and slightly better pacing than the manga. While the volumes are generally fine, Hunter x Hunter's individual chapters can have inconsistent art, a criticism that cannot be made of the anime.

3 K-On!

4-koma manga tend to undergo significant changes when adapted into anime. Lucky Star and Working!! both produced anime that are arguably superior to their (still good) source material, but K-On! took things a step further.

The K-On! anime adds a lot of content to the pretty short manga, and most of the series is original. And, while the manga is by no means bad, the anime exists on a whole other level; the characters are more fleshed out, the humor is funnier, and the voice cast is amazing. Also, the music.

2 Bocchi The Rock!

Aki Hamaji's Bocchi the Rock! manga is perfectly enjoyable, but few people would have predicted that an adaptation would be among the best anime of 2022. Similar to K-On!, Bocchi the Rock! is a band-themed comedy that benefits significantly from anime's ability to incorporate music.

However, the show's brilliance goes beyond just the addition of sound. CloverWorks materializes Bocchi's social anxiety through creative dream-like detours that are often visually stunning and hilarious. Although the rest of the characters are also handled well, the anime elevates Bocchi to new heights.

1 Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files

Perhaps the definitive "anime is better than the manga" example, Yu Yu Hakusho takes the source material and perfects it. Gone are the somewhat dispensable early chapters revolving around Yusuke's one-off detective work, permitting the anime to get to the meat of the story quicker than the manga.

Along with a stronger start, the anime also concludes on a more satisfying note, even if the final arc is still rushed. The advantages don't end there either; Jorge Saotome is a memorable anime-only character, the animation is consistently great unlike the manga's uneven art, and the English dub is one of the best ever.

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