Hello everyone,
Welcome to Manga Influence, similar to Gaming Influence, but mainly giving my thoughts on certain manga and manga series with some fun mix of manga-related content here.
For this edition of Manga Influence, I'll be ranking my favorite manga of all time.
Before I start, my rankings will only be based on manga and it will not include light novels, manhwa, and manhua so keep that in mind.
Anyway, let's get started!
Before I start the actual rankings, here are some honorable mentions that are my favorites, but they didn't make it on the list:
Honorable Mentions: Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, Fairy Tail, Shaman King, Pluto, Billy Bat, Slam Dunk, Kuroko no Basket (Kuroko's Basketball), Haikyuu!!, Kingdom, GTO, Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn), Nana, Made in Abyss, One Punch-Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary Diaries), Akira, Chainsaw Man, Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer), Ranma 1/2, Sailor Moon, Inuyasha, Astro Boy, Shokugeki no Souma (Food Wars), Detective Conan (Case Closed), Spy x Family, Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia)
Now, let's start with my #20 favorite manga of all time:
Bakuman is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from August 2008 to April 2012.
Bakuman is written by one of my favorite manga writers in Tsugumi Ohba and it's also drawn by one of my favorite manga artists in Takeshi Obata, as they also created Death Note. Even though this manga isn't your typical shōnen manga, it doesn't have to be as it's still enjoyable and fun to read in its own way. This manga is mainly about two high-school students who eventually became two college students who wanted to create own their manga and they managed to do so as they tried to make it in the manga industry. This manga really shows how manga is made and the peer pressure and stress that these manga artists have to go through to achieve their dream and stay on top which makes me respect the manga artists even more because of this.
Their art is very reminiscent of their art from Death Note as certain characters in the manga looked like they came from Death Note with a fresh coat of paint. The story involving the protagonists who were trying to achieve their dreams is great to see and the character development among the characters has been done well where I can relate to the characters on their successes and failures which makes me want to root for them.
If you're looking for an intense action manga in this, you will be disappointed as you won't get that in here. However, if you're looking for a manga that is sort of slice of life, but also filled with suspense and anticipation with well-written characters, this is the manga for you. If you want to see or get a general idea of what the manga industry is like, would recommend reading Bakuman, you won't be disappointed.
Here's my #19 favorite manga of all time:
Yakusoku no Neverland or Promised Neverland in the West is a Japanese manga series written by Kaiu Shirai and illustrated by Posuka Demizu. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from August 2016 to June 2020.
This is a manga that had so much potential to be amazing and even though it started off really strong and had some really good arcs in between, towards the end, especially the ending is where I feel like the series could've done better as the idea of the manga series was great in my opinion. This manga is about a group of orphans who live in an orphanage where a caretaker takes care of them, but one day, they discover the dark secrets of the orphanage and what they're being raised for as they try to find a way to escape the caretaker and orphanage to survive. Even though we've seen manga and anime having children as protagonists, the setting that they're in is quite interesting and the suspense is really great as it keeps you on your feet and wants you to see what's going to happen next.
Even though the ending could've been a lot better, the manga is still a great experience to read. With its generally great art, intriguing story, and well-written characters, this is definitely a manga to read if you're into the mystery and psychological thriller type of genre.
Here's my #18 favorite manga of all time:
Usogui is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Toshio Sako. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump from May 2006 to December 2017.
You probably never heard of this manga and I don't blame you if you don't, but there's a reason why this manga is on my list of my favorite manga of all time. Usogui I feel is an underrated manga series as it's about a man named Bak Madarame, who has been depicted as The Lie Eater due to gambling against people who want to kill him in the ultimate gamble which ends up being a series of games. Bak's goal is to live and survive the games and gambles he put himself in as well as take over Kagerou, a third party who is responsible for these games and gambles to begin with. Despite having an interesting concept in terms of story, it's a series that's not been talked about a lot which is a shame as I find it to be really good.
The manga has a really unique art style that you normally don't see in other manga. As I mentioned before, the story is really intriguing in terms of its concept and the setting in which it takes place. In addition, Bak Madarame is a character that you can get behind and support throughout the whole series to make sure he survives and lives in the end. If you're looking for a psychological thriller action manga filled with intense action and an intriguing story with a protagonist that you can get behind, would recommend checking out Usogui.
Here's my #17 favorite manga of all time:
Grand Blue or Grand Blue Dreaming in the West is a Japanese manga series written by Kenji Inoue and illustrated by Kimitake Yoshioka. It has been serialized in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon from April 2014 and it's still ongoing.
This is a manga that is full of comedy and if you want to have a great laugh, this is a manga that you should definitely read. It's about a teenage boy named Iori Kitahara who recently moved to a town called Izu in his freshman year of university. Iori had high hopes and dreams in his freshman year of university, but the moment he stepped into his uncle's scuba diving shop, it wasn't something that he expected as he joined his classmates to have a crazy and bizarre adventure. This is just a fun and comedic story with some great characters as you'll probably get a laugh out of this manga in some capacity.
Yeah, you can tell just by judging on the picture above as this is actually in the manga itself that this manga goes places, but in a fun and hilarious way. Granted, if you're not into comedy at all or want a serious type of series to read, Grand Blue is not the manga for you. However, if you want a laugh and a great time reading while having great characters to boot, this is the manga for you to read.
Here's my #16 favorite manga of all time:
Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-taichi no Renai Zunousen or Kaguya-sama: Love Is War in the West is a Japanese romantic comedy manga series written and illustrated by Aka Akasaka. It was first serialized in Shueisha's Miracle Jump from May 2015 to January 2016 before being transferred to Weekly Young Jump from March 2016 to November 2022.
This is a pretty good romance comedy manga that has very lovable characters with a lot of great interactions among them. This series is about two top students in an elite school where each of them makes it their mission to be the first one to confess their love for each other. The dynamic between the two protagonists of the manga is amazing as well as all of the characters as they all have their moments to showcase their personalities.
As you see the picture above, the art style is very nice. As I also mentioned, the character development among the characters within this series are great and the interactions among the cast is just fun to see. If you're looking for a romantic comedy manga that have amazing characters where you want to ship a lot of characters together, this is the manga for you.
Here's my #15 favorite manga of all time:
Oshi no Ko is a Japanese manga series written by Aka Akasaka and illustrated by Mengo Yokoyari. It has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump since April 2020 and is still ongoing.
This manga is very deep in terms of its themes and this is a manga that will get you very emotional in its story and its characters on what's going on and what the characters have gone through. This series is about a doctor and their recently deceased patient who were reborn as twins to a famous Japanese pop idol as they experience the highs and lows of the entertainment industry as they grew up together with their lives. The story in this manga is very deep and emotional as it goes through a lot of themes that a lot of people can relate to and the characters within this manga are characters that people can also relate to where they can support them and get behind them.
This manga has made a big impact on me as I'm really into the story and characters in it I feel it hits everything in terms of pure emotion for readers to feel for these characters for what they've gone through. This is a manga that I feel could connect to a lot of people due to the themes of the story as well as the characters being relatable. If you want a manga that is full of drama and emotion, this is a manga for you. However, be warned, if you don't feel emotional at all with the series not even a tiny bit, I questioned your humanity.
Here's my #14 favorite manga of all time:
YuYu Hakusho is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 1990 to July 1994.
Ah yes, one of the more popular shōnen manga is from the early and mid-90s, written by one of the best manga artists out there in my opinion, Yoshihiro Togashi, with YuYu Hakusho. The manga is about a junior high schooler named Yusuke Urameshi who died after saving a child from a car accident. He was resurrected in The Underworld as he became "The Underworld Detective" as he was ordered by the ruler of The Underworld to investigate demons in the human world. This manga is a great combination of action, suspense, and thrills as you get to experience what Yusuke has to go through within his adventure.
Even though the manga was created in the early to mid-90s, I feel like the manga still holds up to this day with its story, characters, and art style. It was also one of the popular manga that was released in Weekly Shōnen Jump at the time where people within the manga/anime community still talk about it to this day even if it's very minimal. If you want to experience one of the best manga in the early to mid-90s from Weekly Shōnen Jump in the shōnen category, then read YuYu Hakusho, you won't be disappointed.
Here's my #13 favorite manga of all time:
Vinland Saga is a Japanese historical manga series written and illustrated by Makoto Yukimura, it was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April 2005 to October 2005 before switching to Monthly Afternoon in December 2005 and it is still ongoing.
One of the most underrated manga out there right now in terms of popularity as I feel like this series should be talked about more than it is compared to other series currently going. This manga is based on Norse mythology where a man named Thorniff, the son of one of the Vikings' greatest warriors caused his family great tragedy as he planned to kill Askeladd, a leader of Viking mercenaries. Thorfinn then began training to defeat Askeladd to get his vengeance on him. Even though it may seem like your typical shōnen manga, its story is quite interesting and this manga really shines with its characters and art, especially with its action and fights.
I really love the way they used Norse mythology in terms of their characters and backgrounds as it gives a different feel to the manga itself. The action and fights within in this manga are really well-drawn which makes them feel very intense. If you're looking for a manga that has an interesting story great characters along with great art in terms of action and fights, this is the manga for you and you won't regret it.
Here's my #12 favorite manga of all time:
Hunter x Hunter is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. It has been serialized by Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump since March 1998 and it's still ongoing.
A very popular manga in the late 90s and early 2000s on Weekly Shōnen Jump is still going on despite the many hiatuses. Like YuYu Hakusho, this manga is also written by Yoshihiro Togashi as personally, this is the best manga he has written and drawn yet. This manga is about a young boy named Gon, trying to become a Hunter like his father, Ging. Gong then set out on an adventure to become a Hunter and tried to find his father. Even though the story doesn't seem interesting at all, it's all about the adventure and the action and the fights within this manga are intense too.
It may not be anything special in terms of the synopsis of the manga, but when reading it, you're in for a ride as it's all about the adventure, the characters, and the action and fights within the manga that are very well drawn. If you want a shōnen manga that is all about the adventure with the characters you see and meet along with some great drawn-out fights, would recommend checking out reading this manga as it'll be worth it.
Here's my #11 favorite manga of all time:
JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 7: Steel Ball Run or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run in the West is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki as it was serialized in Shueisha's Ultra Jump from January 2004 to April 2011.
Oh yes, a lot of the memes you see online when it comes to manga/anime these days come from this series, JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure in the West. Granted, every part of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure is special in its own way, but my favorite among all of them as of currently would be JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 7: Steel Ball Run or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Run in the West. Now, why this part out of the rest of them? To me, I feel like Part 7 with Steel Ball Run has the best story, characters, art style, and fights among in my opinion compared to the other parts within JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
To me as of right now, this is probably Hirohiko Araki's best work as a manga artist throughout his entire career as I feel like he has done something different and unique from the other parts he did with JoJo's Bizzare Adventure and made something special with Part 7: Steel Ball Run. If you love a combination of comedy and seriousness in one, look no further than JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series. Granted, I personally, would recommend the series in order from at least Part 1 to Part 6, but if you want to jump to Part 7: Steel Ball Run, then go for it since it's its own separate timeline and universe. However, will just leave it at that.
Now, we're in the top ten. Here's my #10 favorite manga of all time:
One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in July 1997 and it is still ongoing.
I mean, of course, I have to put one of the big three somewhere in my favorite manga of all time list and here it is. Out of the big three for me personally, One Piece is in my top ten of my favorite manga of all time. Now, despite loving each of the big three, there's something with One Piece that manages to stick out well compared to Naruto and Bleach in my opinion. Similar to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, it has a great combination of both comedy and seriousness in one where the other two are definitely more serious on their side which isn't bad at all. However, in a way, it keeps One Piece fresh and the fact that this manga is still going to this day from the late 90s is absurd.
Sure, I feel there are times when it could have ended at certain points and could be very long for what it is as it's definitely a long journey for sure. However, if you just want to read a lighthearted adventure with some very epic moments and if you have to choose to read one of the big three of Shōnen manga, would recommend One Piece despite being long as there's something for everyone to enjoy with this wild adventure.
Here's my #9 favorite manga of all time:
Banana Fish is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akimi Yoshida. It was serialized in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōjo Comic from May 1985 to April 1994.
Oh yes, I have a manga series from the mid-80s to early '90s on this list and it's Banana Fish. This manga hasn't been talked about as much as it's niche/obscure for the manga community. Despite that, it's still a great manga series to read, and I recommend reading it. The manga is about a teenager named Ash Lynx, a gang leader who cares about his older brother, Griffin, a Vietnam War veteran, as Ash Lynx goes up against mafia boss, Dino, on the criminal conspiracy that is banana fish. At first, this manga may be a bit silly in terms of its title as well as the synopsis you read. Despite that, it's a great manga that has a very interesting story and lovable characters.
Despite the manga being made in the mid 80s to early '90s, it still holds up to this day in terms of art style, story, and well written characters. With the anime adapatation of this manga that came out with this back in 2018, more people are interested in the series, but I feel like more people should get into than it has. If you're looking for a manga with a great story and lovable characters, would recommend this manga and you won't regret it.
Here's my #8 favorite manga of all time:
Shingeki no Kyojin or Attack on Titan in the West is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama. It was serialized in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine from September 2009 to April 2021.
Oh yes, another popular shōnen manga within the past decade is in my list of favorite manga of all time, Shingeki no Kyojin or Attack on Titan in the West. Even though I feel like the ending of the manga could've been better than what it was, everything about this manga is what I love in terms of story, characters, and art. This is a manga that can resonate with anyone as it has very deep themes on life, humanity, and existence. This is also a manga that makes you want to see what happens next because on what's going on.
As I mentioned before, even though the ending of the manga could've been better than what it is, this manga is still amazing for what it is. With its intriguing story, compelling characters, and well-drawn art, this manga series to me has every right to be one of the best manga series out there currently. If you want to read a manga that is filled with suspense, action, and thrills, this is the manga for you, and you won't be disappointed.
Here's my #7 favorite manga of all time:
Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan from July 2001 to June 2010.
That's right, a popular manga within the 2000s is within my favorite manga of all time, Fullmetal Alchemist. There's a reason why a lot of people tend to think that Fullmetal Alchemist is considered to be one of the best manga series out there and it's due to its intriguing story, amazing characters, and its beautiful art. Similar to Attack on Titan, this manga also has some very deep themes that can resonate with people and learn a lot about alchemy as well.
Whether you think the manga may be overrated with it being in almost everyone's favorite manga of all time, you can't deny this manga series' impact. With its intriguing story, amazing characters, and beautiful art style, there's a reason why a lot of people consider Fullmetal Alchemist to be one of the best manga of all time. If you want to read a manga that I feel it has a great mix of story and action into one, would definitely recommend reading Fullmetal Alchemist.
Here's my #6 favorite manga of all time:
Vagabond is a Japanese epic martial arts manga series written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue. It was serialized in Kodansha's Morning Magazine from September 1998 to May 2015.
I'm pretty sure this is one of these manga that people probably never heard before, and I can understand as I feel it's not as well-known as it should be. This manga is about a young man named Musashi, who is a swordsman that sets out on a journey to become the best swordsman in all of Japan. On paper, it may seem like an ordinary manga, but when actually reading the manga itself, it's incredible with as the story is a lot deeper than you expect, amazing well-written characters, and an incredible art style that is very detailed.
To me, this is the type of manga that I feel like more people should read as it's definitely amazing in its own way and if given more exposure, I'm sure it'll be in a lot of people's favorite manga of all time. With a story that has great themes that we can relate to, characters that we can also relate to, and a very realistic-looking art style, this is a manga that can connect to a lot of people who can relate to Musashi on his adventure. If you're looking for a manga that has a very deep story with very likable characters, would recommend reading Vagabond, you won't be disappointed.
Now, we're in the top five. Here's my #5 favorite manga of all time:
Berserk is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura. It was serialized in Hakusensha's Monthly Animal House which ran from 1989 to 1992 before it switched to Hakusensha's Young Animal from 1992 and it's still ongoing.
Ah yes, it's one of the best manga of all time that feels like it should be more popular as it should, Berserk. A manga that started in 1989 is still ongoing to this day despite the author's sad passing a few years ago. This manga has been very influential and a lot of other media besides the manga industry have adopted ideas from this manga series which shows the impact that this series has on not only the manga industry but the entertainment industry as a whole.
Despite so many hiatuses of this manga over these past decades, it's still an incredible manga that will stand the test of time, and it is a classic that is still ongoing to this day. With its intense story, characters that you can relate to and sympathize with, and an art style that can never be replicated by anyone else, Berserk is a classic that will connect with people globally through the adventure that the protagonist, Guts, has to go through. If you want a very deep story with intense action and emotion, Berserk is the manga for you.
Here's my #4 favorite manga of all time:
Monster is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic Original from December 1994 to December 2001.
To me, Naoki Urasawa is one of my favorite manga authors/artists currently due to his very deep storytelling and beautiful artwork where he makes you question how everything comes together and what would happen if the series continued and hadn't ended when it did end. Monster is the first manga that Naoki Urasawa created that connected with many manga readers across the globe and this would be the manga series that would put his name on the map.
Naoki Urasawa's works may not be for everyone as it's definitely different compared to other manga you read out there, but there's a reason why I and many others consider him one of the best manga authors/artists ever. Due to his very deep storytelling, well-written characters, and beautiful artwork, Monster is a great example of that which will keep you on your toes to see what happens next. If you're looking for a psychological thriller to read, Monster is the manga for you.
Here's my #3 favorite manga of all time:
Death Note is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2003 to May 2006.
Yep, this manga right here to me is the best well-known shōnen manga that is in my top three of my favorite manga of all time list. I love mystery and psychological thrillers and this manga is a perfect example of it as this is probably Tsugumi Ohba's and Takeshi Obata's best work in my opinion. Not only that, this is a manga that doesn't feel like your typical Shōnen manga at all as well especially within Weekly Shōnen Jump so this manga stood out more than anything when it was first released in the mid-2000s.
Despite this manga having a questionable second half compared to the first half, this manga series still has a special place in my heart as I still consider this series a masterpiece. This manga defines what I like about mysteries and psychological thrillers, full suspense and intrigue. With a very interesting story, amazing characters, and a very well-written art style, there's a reason why Death Note was popular and stood out during its time in the mid-2000s on Weekly Shōnen Jump. If you want a mystery and psychological thriller manga that gets you hooked, Death Note is the manga for you and you won't be disappointed.
Here's my #2 favorite manga of all time:
Liar Game is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinobu Kaitani. It was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump from February 2005 to January 2015.
This is probably one of those manga series you probably never heard of, but it's incredible. As I said, I'm all about mysteries and psychological thrillers and this manga series did that for me. This manga is all about psychology and the human mind on how humans interact with one another where people can be friends with you one moment and stab you in the back later all for the sake of money and survival due to people's greed and selfishness.
This is a manga series that I wished has more attention as it's really amazing for what it is and really shows what psychology is all about in manga form. This manga also really shows how human nature is and how people will react in certain situations that they normally won't do. If you're looking for a manga that has an intriguing story, compelling characters, and a unique art style, Liar Game is the manga for you as it's filled with suspense where it makes you want to see on what happens next with the characters in the story.
Now, here's my #1 favorite manga of all time:
20th Century Boys is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. It was serialized by Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits from 1999 to 2006.
Yep, my #1 favorite manga of all time is probably a manga you never even heard of and that's okay which is why I'm introducing this mange series to you guys for those who never read it. This manga series is written by the same manga author/artist who did Monster, Naoki Urasawa. To me, this is Naoki Urasawa's masterpiece where I love this series a lot more compared to Monster. This manga is about a convenience store owner named Kenji who discovered a cult led by a man named "Friend" in the late 90s. Kenji and his friends then worked together to go against the cult to prevent them from taking over the world. Not only that, this manga is a mystery and psychological thriller for me so instantaneous, I love it.
For those who have never read this manga series before, please do as it's incredible and deserves to be read by more people. This is Naoki Urasawa's masterpiece to me and deserves to have more love. If you want a manga that has very intriguing plot filled with suspense and hype, characters that you can relate and support, and a very nice looking art style, definitely read 20th Century Boys as this manga is totally worth it for what it is. Do it!
Those are my favorite manga of all time as of 2024.
What are your favorite manga of all time?
Let me know in the comments below.
Thank you for reading.
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