Berserk
Author Kentaro Miura's Berserk stars Guts, a mercenary who proves that, sometimes, life doesn't get better. Left to fend for himself since he was young and betrayed by his closest friend, Guts is a gritty protagonist who has become the face of the seinen demographic.
Berserk Scores:
MyAnimeList: 9.47
Anime Planet: 4.59/5
Berserk, published by Young Animal in 1989, is a brilliantly written dark fantasy primarily driven by the dynamics between its characters. At its core, Berserk revolves around revenge, creating a compelling narrative in which the lines between hero and villain are virtually nonexistent. This series' deep characters, astonishing artwork, brutal action, and horror elements have led many fans to consider Berserk the best manga of all time.
Berserk
Guts, a wandering mercenary, joins the Band of the Hawk after being defeated in a duel by Griffith, the group's leader and founder. Together, they dominate every battle, but something menacing lurks in the shadows.
August 25, 1989
Kentaro Miura (1989–2021), Kouji Mori (2022–present)
Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Tokyo Ghoul
Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul explores the divide between man and monster by making its protagonist a hybrid. In a world where man-eating ghouls roam the night, Ken Kaneki is the only one who can understand both sides of the equation after a freak accident and subsequent operation turns him into a half-ghoul, half-human hybrid.
Tokyo Ghoul Scores:
MyAnimeList: 8.52
Anime Planet: 4.37/5
Kaneki states at the beginning of the series that his life is a tragedy. It's not just melodrama, and Kaneki's life only gets more chaotic after becoming a ghoul. Kaneki's biggest struggle in Tokyo Ghoul is not losing himself amid his ghoulish half, which fights for power over his humanity. He will be challenged greatly as he tries to reconcile the feuding human and ghoul sides while also fending off dangerous villains and investigating the startling truth of why he was turned into a half-ghoul.
Tokyo Ghoul
"Tokyo Ghoul" follows Ken Kaneki, a student whose life changes dramatically when his date, Rize Kamishiro, reveals herself as a ghoul and nearly kills him. After surviving an accident that turns him into a half-ghoul, Kaneki grapples with his identity and the challenges of fitting into ghoul society while hiding his true nature from humans, including his best friend Hideyoshi Nagachika. The narrative expands with prequel "Tokyo Ghoul [Jack]," exploring the past of Kishō Arima and Taishi Fura, and the sequel "Tokyo Ghoul:re," featuring an amnesiac Kaneki, now Haise Sasaki, leading the Quinx Squad in the Commission of Counter Ghoul to combat ghouls with augmented abilities"
September 8, 2011
Sui Ishida
Fantasy, Thriller, Supernatural
Noragami
Noragami by Adachikota follows Yato, a god who doesn't even have his own shrine and wants to put himself out there as a "Delivery God" to get the recognition he desperately craves. Just as Yato was about to get into an accident, Hiyori arrived and saved him from getting run over.
Noragami Scores:
MyAnimeList: 8.39
Anime Planet: 4.30/5
Unfortunately, this incident disconnected Hiyori's soul from her body, so now she's relying on Yato to put her back together. Noragami is a shonen comedy with so many twists and turns that fans won't know what will happen next with each page turn.
Noragami
Hiyori Iki, a middle school student involved in a bus accident, discovers her soul slipping out of her body, revealing two parallel worlds: the Near Shore and the Far Shore. In the Far Shore, she encounters Yato, a nameless god without a shrine, who accepts wishes for 5 yen. With Yato's Shinki, Yukine, they embark on adventures, navigating challenges related to friendship, identity, and their pasts.
December 6, 2010
Adachitoka
Action, Supernatural, Fantasy
Hajime no Ippo
Hajime No Ippo is one of Kodansha's longest-running manga series. Written and illustrated by Joji Morikawa, Hajime No Ippo has been published in Shonen Weekly since 1989. Hajime No Ippo is a classic sports manga that follows the titular Ippo, a hardworking teenager who helps his mother's business.
Hajime No Ippo Scores:
MyAnimeList: 8.73
Anime Planet: 4.35/5
Ippo's shy, frail, and almost always sleep-deprived, so the bullies at his school have a field day with him. After two people from the local gym save him from a violent encounter, Ippo picks up boxing. Ippo gains more self-confidence through boxing and strives to become a legend.
Hajime No Ippo
Ippo Makunouchi, a shy high school student, discovers his talent for boxing after being saved from bullies by professional boxer Mamoru Takamura. Determined to pursue a career in boxing, Ippo undergoes rigorous training under coach Genji Kamogawa. The series follows Ippo's journey in the boxing world, exploring his character development, relationships, and pursuit of championships, with a focus on sportsmanship and the diverse cast of characters within the Kamogawa Gym.
October 11, 1989
George Morikawa
Action, Comedy, Sports
Chainsaw Man
Chainsaw Man wasn't Tatsuki Fujimoto's first published manga, but it's the one that took the world by storm after its 2018 debut in Shonen Jump. The manga's first part ended in 2020, but the second recently came out in September 2022. Chainsaw Man stars Denji, a boy who grew up in poverty and struggled to pay back his father's debt to the yakuza. The yakuza betrayed and nearly killed Denji one day, so his canine devil companion Pochita merged with his heart.
Chainsaw Man Scores:
Myanimelist: 8.73
Anime Planet: 4.39/5
Denji became a half-human, half-devil hybrid and went to work for the federal devil hunter commission. Denji is a unique protagonist who, unlike his counterparts, doesn't dream of saving the world. Instead, his only goal in life is to score with a girl. Chainsaw Man is a terrifying shonen manga, chock-full of blood-infused battle scenes that certainly aren't for the fainthearted.
Chainsaw Man
"Following a betrayal, a young man left for dead is reborn as a powerful devil-human hybrid after merging with his pet devil and is soon enlisted into an organization dedicated to hunting devils."
December 3, 2018
Tatsuki Fujimoto
Action, Horror, Fantasy, Weird