Manga is Japan’s popular answer to comic books and graphic novels. Readers of all ages love manga in Japan and its popularity has spread beyond the country to other areas of the world.
If you’re interested in starting to read manga, then you will need to find the right manga. Here is our list of the 25 most famous manga of all time.
Some of the below entries have popular anime adaptations you may recognize. Check them out, and find the right manga for you to try!
1. Naruto
Naruto found fame in the US as a popular anime but in Japan, its manga is one of the most popular. It first began publishing in 1999 and now has more than seven hundred chapters.
The story follows a young ninja Naruto Uzumaki who dreams to find recognition and lead his village. It’s fun and emotional at times, with great pacing that makes it one of the best manga of all time.
2. Dragon Ball
Another manga which found fame in the US as an anime is Dragon Ball. Also known as Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball is a manga which follows the adventures of Goku.
Goku is a young boy searching for the seven dragon balls which can grant him any single wish he desires.
Dragon Ball has a lot of action and has over 500 individual chapters for you to read.
3. Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon is best recognized as the anime which launched a thousand girl power team-up cartoons all around the world. However, it first started as a super popular manga published in the 1990s.
It’s a lot shorter than a lot of other manga but it still has a fun and emotive story to enjoy. The story follows Usagi Tsukino as she becomes a magical soldier to help defend Earth from all kinds of villains.
4. One Piece
With over 1000 chapters of story, One Piece is easily one of the longest manga series out there. It was first published in 1999 and is still ongoing today.
It’s a pirate adventure following Monkey D Luffy, a man literally made of rubber, as he travels the high seas in search of treasure. It’s a fun story filled with all kinds of crazy characters which makes it super entertaining to read.
5. Akira
This cyberpunk manga series became a trend setter back in the 1980s when it was first published. Akira serves as the inspiration for the Japanese cyberpunk subgenre.
This later spawned other great works like Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, and Battle Angel Alita.
The story follows a motorcycle gang in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo but the story goes much deeper than that. So why was Akira so popular? Why not read it and find out for yourself!
6. FullMetal Alchemist
FullMetal Alchemist follows a brilliant alchemist Edward Eric through his life and losses. He is searching for the philosopher’s stone to try and resurrect his dead.
It balances both comedy and drama through all of its 27 volumes. With a great storyline and likable characters, Full Metal Alchemist has found success as both a manga and as an anime.
7. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a beefy manga that has been ongoing since the late 1980s. Each part follows a different protagonist in each independent story.
So far, there are 9 parts and each part follows the adventures of a different member of the Joestar family.
With vampires, serial killers, and magic healing fruit, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is fun and exciting as you jump from one adventure to another.
8. Death Note
One of the most influential anime of all time is Death Note and adapted from the popular manga of the same name.
Death Note follows the story of Light Yagami, a teenager who discovers a mysterious notebook. The notebook grants him the ability to kill anyone by writing their name into the book.
The manga follows some challenging themes and raises questions around human nature, but it’s a thrilling read overall.
9. Bleach
Bleach is another manga which found fame as an anime (see also ‘Manga Vs Anime – What’s The Difference?‘). It has over 600 chapters of engaging story and challenging themes of culture and religion.
The story follows Ichigo Kurosaki, who inherits powers which allows him to defend humanity from evil spirits. With over 130 million volumes in circulation, it’s easily one of the most famous manga in history.
10. Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is a dark fantasy manga with similar themes to Bleach and Death Note. However, it leans more into the fantasy elements with a setting of an alternative reality where ghouls walk and feast on humans.
After the main character Ken Kaneki barely survives a ghoul attack, he becomes half-ghoul and must find his new place in society.
11. Haikyuu!
One of the most famous sports manga is easily Haikyuu! This manga is energetic and seriously emotional.
The story follows a high school volleyball team through their successes and failures. It’s super funny and one of the most enjoyable sports mangas out there.
12. Attack On Titan
Easily one of the most influential mangas of all time, Attack on Titan has left its mark on global manga readers since its beginning in 2009.
The story is set in a world where humanity is on the edge of extinction, living behind massive walls from man-eating giants – but the story is far more complex than that.
Each character is memorable and there’s so many twists and turns that you will struggle to put this manga down for a moment.
13. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba may have only had a short, four-year run but this manga definitely left a huge impression on manga readers everywhere.
The story is another dark fantasy which follows Tanjiro Kamado, a demon slayer struggling from grief. It’s emotional but thrilling with plenty of action and adventure in such a short manga.
14. Hunter X Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is a fun and adventurous manga which follows a young boy named Gon Freecss.
Gon is a Hunter – a treasure hunter who goes on adventures in order to explore new locations and find rare species of animals.
It’s a light read which is still ongoing today!
15. Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is a slice of life manga which mixes romantic comedy with elements of the fantastical. It follows young orphan Tohru Honda who befriends a cursed family.
The family transforms into animals from the Chinese zodiac in certain conditions. It’s the perfect manga for those who love character arcs and development over adventure-filled plots.
16. One-Punch Man
If you love adventure and superheroes, then One-Punch Man is the manga for you.
One-Punch Man started out as a webcomic manga in 2009 before being officially published in volumes.
The story follows a superhero Saitama who can defeat anyone with just a punch. His immense power causes Saitama to become bored – and antics ensue.
17. Berserk
Berserk first began as an epic dark fantasy manga way back in 1988 and is still ongoing today, making it one of the longest-running manga of all time.
Its story focuses heavily on magical elements and swordfights, making it a thrilling read.
18. My Hero Academia
Another superhero manga series, My Hero Academia has nearly 400 chapters of adventure and hijinks.
The story follows a young boy Isuku Midoriya who attends a high school for superhero training. It’s a ton of fun with a lot of spin offs you enjoy while waiting for the next chapter release.
19. Spy X Family
This manga became an instant smash hit upon its release in 2019, and was quickly given an anime adaption which has seen even more success.
Spy x Family is a comedy action manga which follows a spy who has to ‘build’ a family for a mission.
He adopts a telepathic daughter (not that he knows) and marries a skilled assassin (again, not to his knowledge). It’s a hilarious read that will definitely entertain you for hours.
20. Fairy Tail
Fairy Tail is an adventurous manga for those who love stories which explore magical kingdoms and creatures.
The manga ran for just over 10 years with a total of 63 volumes, each one taking your crazy cast of characters to a new place.
21. Chainsaw Man
Love horror? Love comedy? Then you need to try reading Chainsaw Man! This popular manga is completely crazy but also has a lot of fun and thrills.
It follows a young man named Denji who signs a contract with a devil and earns the ability to change parts of his body into chainsaws – yes, you heard that right. It’s crazy but so much fun to read!
22. Goodnight Punpun
Goodnight Punpun is a coming of age manga that really strikes you emotionally. It’s dramatic and follows the life of a young boy Onodera Punpun as he struggles through the hardships of life.
It explores some pretty serious themes including death, sex, isolation, and love – so it’s the perfect manga for a good cry.
23. Slam Dunk
Another popular sports manga is Slam Dunk.
Slam Dunk follows the stories of the members of a basketball team from the Shonan area of Japan. It mixes comedy and sports into a classic coming of age story.
This explains why even 20 years after its run ended, Slam Dunk is still super popular with modern readers.
24. Black Butler
Black Butler is a super spooky (yet hilarious) dark fantasy manga which follows a Victorian Earl in London and his demon butler.
The story is still currently ongoing more than 10 years after its first publication. It has over 30 million copies in circulation – not bad for such a recent manga!
25. The Promised Neverland
The final entry on this list is The Promised Neverland. This thrilling adventure has some serious high stakes as it follows a group of children trapped in an orphanage.
They discover they are about to become demon food. It’s dark and exciting as you follow the children as they try various ways to escape their fate.
Conclusion
So, those are the 25 most famous mangas of all time. Check them out and find out why each one is so popular worldwide! Enjoy!
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