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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 January 22, 2022, by Suzail Ahmad:With the anime/manga industry progressing at a rapid pace, there is no shortage of material to read and watch. The surge in the number of manga has its positives, but it also has cons. The biggest flaw is that it has caused an increase in the quantity, but not necessarily quality. This can make it extremely difficult to find a good quality manga that would provide an outstanding experience. With that in mind, this list has been updated to add more manga that every beginner should read, as well as expanded to include stories aimed at different demographics.
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 the 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.
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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 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.
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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 of an incredibly 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.
3 Death Note
There are very few series in the world that could compare to Death Note in terms of popularity. The manga series is written by Tsumugi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obito.
The story focuses on Yagami Light, a high school student, who finds an otherworldly notebook known as the Death Note. After testing out the power of the notebook, Light’s megalomania reached new heights as he begins to consider himself a God. Light faces resistance in the form of L, whose intelligence allows him to curb the former’s power. The rivalry between the two is nothing short of magnificent, which makes it one of the best manga for beginners.
2 Demon Slayer
Demon Slayer burst onto the scene after its splendid first season. With its incredible animation, Demon Slayer’s fanbase increased by several folds and brought the manga into the spotlight.
After losing almost his entire family in a horrendous incident, Kamadou Tanjiro was relieved to find that his sister was alive. However, his happiness was cut short by the fact that she had been turned into a demon. So, he set out on a journey to find a cure that would turn his sister back into a human.
1 Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is among the major hits from the last decade. The manga by Hajime Isayama is known for its plot twists and gut-wrenching moments. Attack on Titan manga finished serializing in 2021, but the anime is still ongoing.
The story is set in an era, where humans live inside the walls to stay from the threat of titans. On an unfortunate day, the titans manage to break one of the walls, which leads to the death of many people including Carla Jaeger. The death of his mother forces the young Eren Jaegar into joining the Survey Corps. and fight against the titans.
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