30 Best Manga For Beginners

Key Takeaways

• Choosing the right manga/anime is crucial to avoid losing interest in the culture.
• Kaguya Sama, Jujutsu Kaisen, & JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are top picks for beginners.
• From romance to action, the manga world offers a wide range of genres to explore.

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 October 1st, 2024, by Suzail Ahmad: Reading manga has become a lot more accessible in the last decade. Numerous publishers have set up new websites to provide an easy way for fans to read both new and old manga. This move has also helped manga and anime reach a bigger audience.

With so many titles to pick from, it can often be challenging for first time readers to pick one. However, it is absolutely pivotal for them to make the right choice as picking up the wrong title could make them lose interest in the medium as a whole. With that in mind, here are the best manga for beginners.

Readers can enjoy any manga, but these titles in particular are considered to read.

30 Blue Lock

A Sports Manga That Highlights Intense Competition

Blue Lock is a sports manga written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro. The manga is one of the few soccer manga that is able to recreate the pressure that players feel whilst on the pitch. Blue Lock also highlights the challenges that athletes face whenever they step on the field.

The anime follows the journey of Isagi Yoichi, a talented young player who dreams of making it on the big stage. He joins a new facility, which promises to improve the players. Upon entering, Isagi learns that it is a very competitive place where the dreams of a person could be shattered within minutes. So, Isagi fully dedicates himself to his goal and undergoes a drastic mental change.

29 Vinland Saga

Is Based On Several Real Life Characters

Vinland Saga is one of the greatest seinen manga of all time. Unlike most seinen manga, Vinland Saga does not focus too much on violence. It focuses on self improvement and tackles various other issues prevalent in the world today.

Vinland Saga delves into the life Thorfinn, a young boy obsessed with avenging his father. His quest for revenge leads him to commit unspeakable acts of violence. Every act slowly began to weigh on his conscience. Ultimately, everything falls apart when his arch-nemesis is killed. As the story moves forward, Thorfinn learns how to deal with his jumbled state of mind.

28 Apothecary Diaries

An Excellent Blend Of Romance And Comedy

Apothecary Diaries gained a lot of traction when its anime adaptation began to air. The manga combined humor with wit, making it a great choice for most people. Apothecary Dairies also has romantic elements, so readers who are into the genre will appreciate it.

Apothecary Diaries is a story about Maomao, a young girl who is fascinated by herbs and conducts all kinds of experiments. Unfortunately, she gets kidnapped and ends up being sold to the royal palace. From there, she tries to find her feet. Ultimately, she becomes a well-known apothecary who is praised by everyone.

27 Spy x Family

A Humorous Story About A Family Trying To Make It Work

Tatsuya Endo’s Spy x Family has become a well-known anime series. It is a light-hearted comedy series that puts three different people in the spotlight. The manga also has romance and action, so readers will remain entertained no matter what.

Twilight, the greatest spy in the East, is given the mission to save the world from destruction. To achieve this mission, he takes the identity of Loid Forger and starts a fake family. His first recruit is Anya, an orphan with a supernatural power. The third recruit is Yor, a skilled assassin. The three of them don’t have too much in common, but they all care about each other in one way or another.

26 Kaguya Sama: Love Is War

Great For Romance Lovers

Kaguyasama is the quintessential manga for people who are interested in the romantic genre. Instead of following a super predictable plot, this manga keeps the audience on tenterhooks.

Kaguya-sama Love is War follows the lives of two characters, Nishimiya and Shirogane. The two are deeply interested in each other, but neither is ready to confess. This leads to a humourous adventure in which both of them try to make each other reveal their true feelings.

25 Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

A Great Title For People Who Want Something Deep

After its anime adaptation took the entire world by storm, the masterpiece was able to reach more people. Gradually, the manga also gained traction. This particular series differs from most shonen and seinen types.

The manga follows the life of an elf named Frieren who goes on a journey of self-reflection after she sees her close friends die due to natural reasons. Frieren realizes that she must do better to understand other people and their emotions in general. Frieren’s adventure is rather incredible, and it will help viewers broaden their perspective.

24 Jujutsu Kaisen

Packed With Action

Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most popular manga series of all time. The title has gained popularity in next to no time. Jujutsu Kaisen features an excellent story along with several eye-catching characters. From the get go, the series managed to capture the attention of the audience. Many people prefer the anime over the manga, which is absolutely fine. But the manga has its own advantages. As it is the source material, everything shown in the manga is accurate.

Jujutsu Kaisen follows the story of Itadori Yuji, a young boy who accidentally consumes a cursed object, which leads to the revival of a malevolent entity. After triggering the threat, Gojo Satoru takes Yuji under his wing. This leads to an adventure that changes Yuji’s life forever.

23 JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure

Each Part Tells A Different Story

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

Historical Anime That Teaches A Lot Of Lessons

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

Excellent Slice-of-life Manga

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

Focuses On Adventure

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

Has Action and Comedy

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

Highlights The Struggles Of Life

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

Dark Manga That Focuses On A Group Of Friends

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

Has Interesting Powers And A Great Story

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

Set In A World Where Humans Are Hunted By Monsters

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

Arguably The Best Seinen Manga Of All Time

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

Retelling Of The Life Of Miyamoto Musashi

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

Provides Many Valuable Life Lessons

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

Has Several Twists And Turns

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.