With the release of so many manga and anime every year, it has become easier to pick a series that appeals to one's taste. However, this also means that there are multiple manga/anime that don't provide enough quality to keep the viewer engrossed.
This makes it immensely difficult to recommend new series to people who are trying to get into the manga/anime culture. So, the recommendations must be spot on. With that in mind, here are some of the best manga that every beginner should try.
Updated July 8th, 2023, by Suzail Ahmad: The manga industry has truly blossomed in the last decade, which has led to the release of an astounding number of new manga series. The release of so many titles in such a short period of time has ensured that every possible genre is covered. While it is not necessarily a bad thing to have so many choices, the sheer number of manga titles can sometimes overwhelm people. This holds true, especially for people trying to get into the medium. To ease people into the world of manga, there are certain titles that are better suited for such a task. These manga are of the highest quality, which ensures that the readers' attention is strictly on the story. For this reason, these are considered the best manga to read for beginners.
23 JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is the work of Hirohiko Araki. He started writing the first part of his long-running series in 1987, and since then he has released eight more parts. The most recent ninth part started serializing in 2023.
Each part has a different story, characters, and setting. The parts are interlinked, so they shouldn't be skipped at any cost. Araki's artwork and interesting way of presenting the story make it an absolute joy to read the manga. Furthermore, it is the perfect fit for people who can't read hundreds of chapters of the same story.
22 Kingdom
Kingdom is an absolute gem of a manga. It is a fictional retelling of the Warring States Period in ancient China. Yasuhisa Hara has consistently released top-notch chapters, which have helped the series stay relevant even after nearly two decades. It is a seinen manga, so it is more appealing to mature audiences.
The manga follows the story of Xin, an orphan boy who has his mind set on becoming the greatest general in the world. Xin's friend Piao also shares the same ambition. The two continue to train hard every single day, but disaster strikes when Piao is taken away to the palace. Despite being separated from his friend, Xin promises to keep working toward his goal.
21 Grand Blue
Kenji Inoue's Grand Blue is among the best slice-of-life manga that a person can read. Grand Blue is published in Kodansha's good! Morning magazine, and the targeted demographic is seinen. The manga started serializing in 2014 and currently has over 20 volumes in print.
Grand Blue follows the life of Iori Kitahara, who moves to a different place to start things anew. Iori lives above a diving shop that belongs to his uncle. A few days in, Iori is shocked to learn that the divers in the club don't actually participate in diving, instead, they spend most of their time doing antics.
20 Mushishi
People who crave adventure and a supernatural setting should read Mushishi at all costs. Yuki Urushibara's manga may not have the same level of recognition as mainstream titles, but it is nothing short of exemplary.
Mushishi focuses on Ginko's adventure across Japan as he helps those affected by supernatural beings called Mushi. These spirits are both helpful and harmful, and they cannot be seen by most people. So, Ginko helps them deal with Mushi. Both the art and story in Mushishi are fabulous, and readers will definitely enjoy the series.
19 Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man is a new-generation manga written by Tatsuki Fujimoto. The title recently received an anime adaptation, which garnered a lot of praise from fans. Chainsaw Man is different from most shonen manga in the sense that it has a lot more gore and explicit themes, making it perfect for horror fans.
The manga covers the life of Denji, who lives in poverty along with his pet devil, Pochita. The two live on scraps, but they are happy together. Things take a turn for the worse when Denji is set up by his employer. Denji is lured into a devil's lair, where the entity attacks him and leaves the hero at death's door. However, Pochita sacrifices himself and gives Denji another shot at life.
18 REAL
REAL is a sports manga that has been written by Takehiko Inoue. It also covers basketball, but it is different from Slam Dunk. It is very highly rated by readers and critics alike, making it an easy choice.
REAL follows three different people, each of whom suffers from a problem. All three characters are victims of societal marginalization, which affects their mental health. The manga shows their struggle as they try to overcome their psychological and physical problems. Despite the hardships, the three protagonists do not give up; instead, they focus on their love for basketball.
17 20th Century Boys
Naoki Urasawa is nothing short of a genius. He has written multiple manga, and each one has a separate fanbase. While Monster may be the most well-known project of Naoki Urasawa, 20th Century Boys is just as good, if not better.
The manga covers the adventures of Kenji Endo and his friends. They come across a person who calls themselves "Friend," and seeks to demolish the entire world. As the story progresses, they find out that the actions of Friend are related to their childhood. So, they get together to find out about this person and save the world from being destroyed. Sadly, the manga has not received an anime adaptation yet, but it may get one in the future.
16 Tokyo Ghoul
The anime adaptation of Tokyo Ghoul was easily among the worst of all time. Studio Pierrot did an extremely poor job of adapting the manga, and it caused massive outrage within the community. It wouldn't be an overstatement to say that the best part of the adaptation was the opening song.
Tokyo Ghoul's manga is vastly superior to the anime. It is an epic dark fantasy manga series that focuses on a young boy, Kaneki Ken, who lives by himself. After he manages to find a date with a fellow bookworm, Kaneki's happiness goes straight through the roof. As Kaneki and his date head back, the latter reveals herself as a ghoul. Kaneki is saved after an extraordinary stroke of luck causes some heavy construction equipment to fall on her. Kaneki is rushed to the hospital and undergoes an operation that changes his life forever.
15 The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland's first season was incredible, so when the second season was announced, fans were extremely excited. However, they were let down massively by the subsequent season, which skipped many chapters. This turned out to be a bad decision, and it caused the ratings to go down. For this reason, fans of the series strongly believe that the manga is much better than the anime.
The series follows the adventures of Emma and her siblings, who were under the impression that they were living in a normal orphanage, but little did they know that they were nothing more than food for monsters. Emma learns the truth about the orphanage accidentally. Once she realizes what horrors await them, she decides to run away with her siblings.
14 Berserk
Berserk is a seinen series written by the late Kentaro Miura, a legend in the manga world. It is the highest-rated manga on MyAnimeList, with thousands of votes. The manga follows the journey of a former mercenary named Guts, who is betrayed by his best friend.
The betrayal leads to a lot of tragedies, and Guts finds himself in a potentially unsalvageable situation, but he finds the will to continue. The development of Guts throughout the series is absolutely remarkable, and it is enough for any person to enjoy it.
13 Vagabond
The manga is the work of Takehiko Inoue, who has written other popular manga such as Slam Dunk, Real. Vagabond follows the story of a legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, who travels through Japan in order to hone his skills as a swordsman.
On his journey, Musashi meets many strong opponents who teach him various important lessons. Vagabond offers a fictionalized version of Musashi's life and takes the readers through ancient Japan, making it perfect for both action lovers and history buffs.
12 Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is a shojo manga written by Natsuki Takaya and is the basis for one of the most popular romance anime to date. The manga follows the story of Tohru Honda, an orphan girl whose life changes after she meets Kyo, Yuki, and Shigure Sohma.
After she meets with the three individuals, Tohru finds out that the members of the Sohma family are cursed, and they turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac. With her caring personality, Tohru helps the members of the Sohma family to heal from their past wounds, and in the process, she also learns more about what others think about her.
11 Monster
Written by Naoki Urasawa, Monster is an all-time classic. The story follows a surgeon, Tenma, who saves the life of a boy; however, this leads to several murders taking place around him. Soon Tenma finds out that the boy he saved from death is responsible for all the killings, so he decides to stop him.
This eventually leads Tenma on a journey where he unravels many mysteries. Each chapter of Monster is outstanding and exciting enough to keep the readers glued to their screens.
10 One Piece
One Piece is an epic shonen series, created and written by Eiichiro Oda. It began serializing in 1997, making it one of the longest-running manga to date. One Piece has already shattered numerous records, and it has shown no signs of slowing down.
The series follows Monkey D. Luffy, who dreams of finding the One Piece and becoming the Pirate King. Luffy recruits several crewmates, and together they explore multiple islands. The series offers a thrill of adventure and a variety of characters, which sets it apart from other manga series.
9 Naruto
Written by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto was a part of the "Big 3" of the Shonen Jump. The manga reached its conclusion in 2014, bringing an end to one of the most epic series of all time. With its conclusion, Naruto can be enjoyed without waiting for another chapter.
At the center of the story is a boy named Naruto Uzumaki, who is determined to become the Hokage one day. Naruto goes through several ordeals to accomplish his goal. The manga is filled with ninjas, and extraordinarily powerful aliens, which is more than enough to grab the attention of the readers.
8 Dragon Ball
Considered by many to be the series that laid the foundation for the shonen genre, Dragon Ball is responsible for giving a lot of people an incredible childhood. Akira Toriyama poured his heart and soul into the series, which ensured that the series would prove to be a major hit.
It follows Son Goku, a Saiyan who is sent to Earth by his parents. Despite being just a kid, Goku possesses incredulous strength which separated him from the earthlings. The manga takes a gander into the life of the young Saiyan as he tries to find his feet in a whole new world.
7 One-Punch Man
One Punch Man gained a lot of traction with its first season. The quality of the animation was astonishing and it drew the attention of many people. The manga for One Punch Man has been written ONE and illustrated by Yusuke Murata.
Not many manga can provide the perfect balance of serious action and side-splitting comedy. To top it all up, the main character of the series is extremely entertaining.
6 My Hero Academia
My Hero Academia has been written by Kohei Horikoshi. It first started serializing in 2014, and it has slowly turned into one of the faces of the Weekly Shonen Jump.
In an era, where almost everyone is born with quirks, a teenager, Midoriya Izuku is a victim of cruel fate. Midoriya is unable to awaken any quirk, which leaves him despondent, however, a meeting with the Number 1 hero, All Might changes his entire life.
5 Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist is among the best shonen series of all time. The anime has no unnecessary fillers or drawn-out content, which makes it very enjoyable to watch. The manga has sold over 40 million copies, making it one of the highest-selling manga series.
The manga follows the Elric brothers who break the forbidden rule of transmuting their dead mother, however, the experiment goes amiss and the brothers end up losing parts of their bodies. To correct their wrongdoings, the brothers set out on a quest to find the Philosopher's Stone.
4 Bleach
Bleach by Tite Kubo was a part of the "Big 3," which included Naruto and One Piece. Much like the other two series, Bleach boasts an immensely vast fanbase that remains active years after its conclusion.
The world of Bleach is filled with notoriously powerful characters, who are capable of giving any anime character a run for their money. The main character of the series is Kurosaki Ichigo, who has a life-changing experience after meeting Rukia, a Soul Reaper. Exhausted from her fight against a hollow, Rukia transfers her powers to Ichigo as he steps into the world of Soul Reapers.