Most of the time, when fans exhaust all their anime options, they jump to reading mangas. But, it’s never easy to decide where to start. What if you end up choosing a neverending story? Or what if you hit the wrong chronology? Fortunately, we are here to help you kick-start your manga reading journey. Many texts around the world are more vivid and descriptive than their anime counterparts. Thus, reading the original is always helpful in getting that extra piece of the pie. Hence, here is a list of the Top 13 Manga For Beginners.
1. One Piece
The first name in the list of Manga for Beginners is one of the oldest and most popular ones that exist today. Eiichiro Oda’s original text One Piece came out back on July 22, 1997. And by now, the manga has released more than 98 total volumes. The story of the manga series follows a treasure hunt of the titular treasure. Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate friends voyage around the world fighting evil pirates to claim One Piece. Thus, this one is an easygoing read that will keep you engaged for a long time.
2. Dr. Stone
A very popular Japanese shōnen manga that came out in 2017 is Dr. Stone. The writer and illustrator of Dr. Stone are Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi. There are a total of 20+1 volumes in the two-part text. So, the story of Dr. Stone follows Senku Ishigami, who successfully brings back stone-dead humanity to life after 3700 years. But, he makes many enemies for himself after doing this. Hence, the fight for the survival of humans begins. Dr. Stone is a concise read that will stay with you forever.
3. Hunter X Hunter
Another classic and old tale that is still relevant is Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter X Hunter. The first chapter of Hunter X Hunter came out in March 1998. The story of this manga focuses on twelve-year-old Gon Freecss, who is hunting for his father. The name of the story is so because Gon’s father was also a hunter. Thus, he is a hunter hunter. The manga only has 36 volumes, so it won’t be long until you finish with the reading already.
4. Death Note
A very short yet impactful manga that you should definitely add to your read-list is 2003’s Death Note. The writer and illustrator of this classic are Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. The plot of the series revolves around a killing notebook, Death Note which shows up to a high school boy, Yagami Light. However, he fails to weigh the immense power and ends up understanding the false sense of justice. The lust for justice makes him kill thousands of criminals. There are many follow-up parts to the original DN manga. But reading the original would be enough.
5. Demon Slayer
The Demon Slayer series is a recent phenomenon that we cannot stop praising. How can you miss out on reading the original text? The Demon Slayer manga came out in 2016 and ran for twenty-three volumes. The writer and illustrator of DS are Koyoharu Gotouge. The plot follows Tanjiro Kamado, who is on a quest to become a demon slayer after finding his family murdered by one. However, his little sister Nezuko is also turning into a demon. So, he must also protect his sister from other demon slayers. Demon Slayer is a must-read if you want to be an otaku.
6. The Promised Neverland
The next Manga For Beginners is The Promised Neverland, which is a 2015 dark fantasy manga by Kaiu Shirai. The illustrator of the volumes is Posuka Demizu. This is a twenty-volume read that will make you fall in love with mangas. So, the story is set around an orphanage where the children are not allowed to leave the place. However, they decide to break the rules and look for what’s beyond the territory. It turns out, this was a grave mistake. Now, these children must survive against dangerous creatures who want to eat them alive.
7. Attack on Titan
Another path-breaking entry in the world of mangas was the 2009 tale of Attack on Titan. Hajime Isayama is the creator of this masterpiece. Moreover, the manga has 34 volumes that recently saw the last chapter in April 2021. Attack on Titan follows a grave war between humans and Titans. Here, Titans are monstrous beings who feed on humans. However, humans are firm not to give up so easily. Thus, a war for survival begins. Do not turn down reading Attack on Titan at any cost.
8. Naruto
In 1999, it was the Naruto manga that set the stage for many other stories to come. And this grand story ran for 15 years without a break. That’s certainly something to be praised. The story of Naruto revolves around the world of ninjas and martial arts. Naruto Uzumaki is also training relentlessly in martial arts to become the head of his tribe. Hence, Naturo is definitely not an impressive read. So, brace yourself for a 72-part saga and become a part of its huge fanbase.
9. Fullmetal Alchemist
Even if you are not aware of any anime or manga, Fullmetal Alchemist would sound familiar. The manga first came out in 2001 and ran till 2010 with 27 volumes. Hiromu Arakawa is the creator of this story. Edward and Alphonse Elric are Alchemists who are have helped many people with their skills. However, one of their tricks goes wrong, which leads to their mother’s death. Now, they must find the philosopher’s stone the set things right. This one should be your priority if you’re looking for Manga For Beginners.
10. My Hero Academia
The My Hero Academia manga series is a superhero story by Kōhei Horikoshi. The manga first came out in 2014, and the chapters are still up and running. About thirty volumes have come out so far. Set in a superhero world, everyone on earth now has a superpower (quirk). Deku is a quirkless but ambitious boy who wants to become the world’s number one hero. However, his journey is not easy. Read the epic manga yourself to find out how Deku follows his dream.
11. Vagabond
Another contender from the late 90s is the martial arts manga series Vagabond. The writer and illustrator of this tale is Takehiko Inoue. Shinmen is one of the best warriors of his time. However, his attitude gets him kicked out of his own village. Thus, he starts living a life of a vagabond roaming from town to town in search of killing contracts. Currently, Vagabond only has 37 volumes, so it won’t be difficult to finish it off quickly.
12. Cells at Work
The Cells at Work manga is a very brief read if you’re looking for the same. The manga has a total of 31 volumes divided into several parts. The series is written and illustrated by Akane Shimizu. The story of Cells at Work is pretty evident from the title itself. The work-life of the cells of a human body is shown in this creative piece. Moreover, the troubles that they encounter each day are also there.
13. Fruits Basket
The Fruits Basket manga is a 1998 classic comedy piece that will leave you laughing even after you keep down the book. Natsuki Takaya is the writer of the manga, who made this series one of the best ones to come from female creators. The story of Fruits Basket is about a dysfunctional family that adopts an orphan. As the new member steps in, she must learn everything about her new family. Thus, it’s all chaos and mess as the family drama rises. This one surely is one of the best Manga For Beginners.
So, this was our list of the Top 13 Manga For Beginners. Thus, we hope this article will help you in starting your journey to become an otaku. Do share your thoughts about this list in the comment section below. For more such listicles, keep visiting The Anime Daily.