Manga

Top 10 Manga Currently…

Like most, my top manga certainly changes. The top 5 are complete, so they are my favorites so far, while the remaining 5 are still ongoing, so they could definitely change, maybe even into the top 5.

  1. All You Need Is Kill: This was read on a complete whim, and what an experience it turned out to be. It’s complete, with a pretty satisfying ending. There is a Tom Cruise movie based on the plot, but of course, it’s very different. This is also based on the light novel.

2. Astra Lost In Space: Another one read on a whim, and the emotions that came with this story were so unexpected. So many questions appear, with satisfying answers. The anime is just as amazing and actually improves on the manga with minimal changes. Really wish this had more love.

3. Demon Slayer: I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. I loved that there were risks, as hard and as sad as it was, I loved that characters died. So many popular stories do not put actual risks, so it was shocking and refreshing. The ending wasn’t great, but after reading an additional chapter online, it gave me what I wanted and felt like a perfect ending.

4. Soloist in a Cage: Beautiful artwork, captivating story, open ending, and a unique setting. There were honestly times reading this that I kept thinking of the movie/comic (Judge) Dredd. What’s more, it does feel like another story could come from this setting and not connect to this manga at all.

5. Mashle Magic and Muscles: This one I do expect to change in my ranking. It is complete, but I haven’t read it all yet, just 100 chapters so far. It’s so fun, it’s exactly my humor, so I don’t believe that it would drop out of my top 10.

6. Mr. Villain’s Day Off: The only reason this one is not in the top 5 is because it’s still ongoing. Just like Mashle: Magic and Muscle, I don’t believe there’s a world that exists for me where this won’t end up in my top 5. I love the humor, I love the characters, and I love how silly and unserious it is.

7. Sign of Affection: I can't say enough good things about this series. This is just a sweet, adorable comfort manga. I had actually bought the first two volumes a while back but didn't read them for a while, loved them so much that I just bought the remaining volumes and read them all.

8. Frieren Beyond Journey’s End: I love this manga, but I kind of feel the same about it as Astra Lost in Space. The anime really enhanced it and I would recommend that to new viewers over the manga. The story is beautiful, you really feel and care for these characters.

9. Marriage Toxin: This involves an assassin who deals with poison and a marriage scammer who agrees to help him find a wife to carry on his family’s line to save his sister from being forced to. It’s so fun, I love these characters, and I just can’t wait to read more.

10. Insomniacs After School: If you want a relaxing, sweet romance, this is a good pick. I loved these characters, and even through their struggles, they begin to form their own dreams and goals, while wanting to remain close together.

Manga Reviews

In all honesty, it’s really hard for me to not like something. It’s super rare for me to rate a manga less than 3 stars, but it’s certainly happened. Below are very quick reviews with as much information on each manga that I can find. If I have a full review done, the link will be at the top of the information.

Links are available at the bottom if there is an option to either purchase the manga or read it legally online, but if there’s not, I am not linking to whatever site I read it on. I will not list any links as that risks the website. Usually what I do anyway is google the name of the series with read or manga after it, so [manga name] read.

  • Number of Chapters: 17

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Action, Sci-Fi

    Theme: Military, Time Travel

    Summary: When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally—the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

    Quick Review: 5 out of 5 stars. This was a complete surprise to me. I read this pretty much on a whim, and the story was just so good. It currently sits as my favorite manga for the moment. It’s fully story-focused, with no unnecessary drama/romance, and finished with a satisfying conclusion.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 68+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Drama, Mystery

    Theme: Historical, Medical

    Summary: Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn't long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a "curse" afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the handsome eunuch Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao is back to brewing potions and...solving mysteries?!

    Quick Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars. The anime is just as enjoyable as the manga. This story is full of mystery, and comedy, with just enough drama. The light novel is still ongoing, so I am worried it’s going to be longer than it needs to be.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 49

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Shounen

    Genre: Action, Award Winning, Sci-Fi

    Theme: Space, Survival

    Summary: Can eight teenagers find their way home from 5,000 light-years away?

    It’s the year 2063, and interstellar space travel has become the norm. Eight students from Caird High School and one child set out on a routine planet camp excursion. While there, the students are mysteriously transported 5,000 light-years away to the middle of nowhere! Will they ever make it back home?!

    Itʼs the first day of Planet Camp, and Aries Spring couldnʼt be more excited! She, along with eight other strangers, leave for Planet McPa for a weeklong excursion. Soon after they arrive, however, a mysterious orb appears and transports them into the depths of space, where they find an empty floating spaceship…

    Quick Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars. Same as All You Need Is Kill, this was read on a complete whim. I have never read something with so many twists and reveals, raising so many questions, while answering them so perfectly. What’s more, the anime, to me, was a perfect adaptation, and any changes they made enhanced the story, which is rare. It’s not a 5 out of 5 because there were times when characters really annoyed me that it distracted me from the story.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 66

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Action, Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi

    Theme: Psychological

    Summary: In a future version of Earth, there is a city grown so chaotically massive that its inhabitants no longer recall what "land" is. Within this megastructure, the silent, stoic Kyrii is on a mission to find the Net Terminal Gene—a genetic mutation that once allowed humans to access the cybernetic NetSphere. Armed with a powerful Graviton Beam Emitter, Kyrii fends off waves of attacks from fellow humans, cyborgs, and silicon-based lifeforms. Along the way, he encounters a highly skilled scientist whose body has deteriorated from a lengthy imprisonment who promises to help Kyrii find the Net Terminal Gene, once she settles a score for herself...

    Quick Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars. First volume read so far. Reading this was an experience. There’s so little dialog, and the main character had no inner thoughts, so much of the manga is taking in the visuals. I loved it, it was an adjustment to get used to the lack of dialog, but when I picked up another manga after reading the first volume, it was weird to me people were talking so much.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 8+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Shounen

    Theme: Modeling, Make-Up

    Summary: They said Aia was destined to be a model, and Jun was bullied for her freckles. Together, they will take back the power to define themselves in an inspirational fashion manga that asks cutting questions about what it really means to be beautiful--and what it takes to overcome an arbitrary system that seems to respect talent over hard work.

    Quick Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars. While I wouldn’t say the story is the best, there are certainly issues with the pacing, I really enjoyed the characters and the personal struggles each one had. Seeing their journey is the reason I kept reading.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 32

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Shoujo

    Genre: Romance

    Summary: Haruka is a "plain jane" who left the countryside to start her college life at Tokyo. She's secretly in love with Kurotaki, a coworker at her part-time job, but she lacks the self-confidence to confess her feelings to him. Then she meets Hikaru, a glamorous but sharp-tongued fashionista who begrudgingly agrees to play "fairy godmother" for Haruka. However, there's more to Hikaru than meets the eye!

    Quick Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’ve only read the first few volumes of this so far, but it’s been a very enjoyable read. The characters are great, and the story touches on important topics.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 31+

    Complete: Ongoing

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Mystery, Slice of Life, Supernatural

    Summary: Pieta, a normal girl, leads a normal, uneventful life in a world of constant black rain. As the rain pours down, like it always does, she takes her usual route to school and has a pleasant conversation with her friend Danae. This is what every day is like for Pieta, and she takes a sort of everyday satisfaction from her totally normal life. But then her typical, pleasant conversation with Danae...doesn’t happen. “Why...?! Why can I remember...yesterday’s today?!!”

    Quick Review: 3 out of 5 stars. I really liked the concept of this manga, I liked the beginning, but then in later chapters, it felt like it became a whole other story. I read as much of it as I could, maybe 20+ chapters, but I did give up.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 16

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Action, Comedy, Gourmet, Ecchi

    Summary: The owner of a food truck in a postapocalyptic world nearly runs over a naked girl sleeping in the middle of the desert. When he gives her a lift, he inadvertently takes on her baggage too—an armed militia hot on her trail…and her even more problematic appetite. If one doesn’t take him out, the other surely will!

    Quick Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars. This manga had a lot of potential. The story and world are interesting, but it’s more in the background. Instead, it mostly focuses on finding food as the female character is always hungry. When it does focus on the story, it’s great.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 12

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Shoujo

    Genre: Comedy, Romance

    Summary: Most of her friends like pretty boys, but Momoka only has eyes for Kuga: a huge pro wrestler who plays a villainous heel on TV. But in real life, this tough guy has a softer side. Momoka's fan mail touches him in ways neither of them expected! In this lighthearted romantic comedy, a fangirl crush just might grow into something more.

    Quick Review: 2 out of 5 stars. I really wanted to like this one, but it just made unnecessary decisions. The main character did not need to be a high school student, it would have worked if she was in college. She’s still in school, while the love interest is 30. It also moved so fast, with him trying to marry her at the end of the first volume. I don’t care about real-world morals when reading fiction, but this just didn’t make sense. It’s just not a story for me.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 207

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Shounen

    Genre: Action, Fantasy

    Theme: Historical

    Summary: In Taisho-era Japan, kindhearted Tanjiro Kamado makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life.

    Quick Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars. I was truly surprised by how much I enjoyed this series. I like that there was actual risk, lives were lost, and the fights were not easy. Unfortunately, the end isn’t the best, but there are chapters out there that haven’t been officially translated that made the ending so much better to me. It gave me what I wanted, so the story felt more complete.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 46+

    Complete: No

    Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Slice of Life

    Summary: A single teenage girl journeys through the crumbling ruins of civilization―the last human on Earth, exploring the concrete jungle that has outlived mankind. Keeping her company is woman’s best friend―the ever-adorable and quick-witted Shiba Inu Haru, who is ready to stick with her through thick and thin! With such a pleasant conversation partner to keep the postapocalyptic doldrums at bay, the end of the world might not be so bad after all!

    Quick Review: 3 out of 5 stars. I wouldn’t saw I loved this, and I wouldn’t say I hated it. It’s just ok. I did expect something a little more serious, but it’s more wacky, with talking animals and aliens.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 122+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Shounen

    Genre: Adventure, Award Winning, Drama, Fantasy

    Summary: Decades after their victory, the funeral of one of her friends confronts Frieren with her own near immortality. Frieren sets out to fulfill the last wishes of her comrades and finds herself beginning a new adventure…

    Quick Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars. While this wasn’t at all what I expected, I was greatly surprised by the actual story, and honestly, the anime is doing a fantastic job. I almost prefer it to the manga.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 14+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Shounen

    Genre: Action, Supernatural

    Summary: The troubleshooters of Gokurakugai are open for business! In a run-down town without law and order, Alma and Tao accept work from clientele of all creeds and cultures, and they’re always ready to dole out justice against human-devouring monsters that lurk in the shadows. They’ll take on any case—as long as the price is right!

    Quick Review: 4 out of 5 stars. Interesting concept for a story. It is a little silly in the the main character happens to run into all the relevant and important characters, but outside of that it’s pretty good.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 50+

    Complete: No

    Genre: Comedy

    Theme: Slice of Life, Assassins

    Summary: Nishino Kanako sure hates her job, and is only too happy to snag the first new gig that comes her way. She never expected that her interview would be at an agency for contract killers…or that she’d be really, really good at bumping people off! Kanako doesn’t have a ton of self-confidence, and adjusting to her new life as an assassin isn’t the easiest. Will she ever earn the respect of Sakurai, her prickly but kinda hot new coworker?

    Quick Review: 4 out of 5 stars. This is a wacky story. A woman loses her job and stumbles upon an assassin job, which she turns out to be really good at. It’s so unserious, so silly, just a fun read.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 7

    Complete: Yes

    Genre: Comedy

    Theme: Slice of Life

    Summary: ​When hardened men with a soft spot for felines look for a haven, they come to Kitty and Me, a bar with a select clientele and one ironclad rule: When inside, do not dare harm the cats that call it home. Here, the hitman known as Undertaker finds himself in the unenviable situation of mourning the recent loss of his beloved pet, Cheriko...and discovering that his next target is a fellow cat lover. But the concrete jungle isn’t always so courteous as to wait outside, and the bloody truth about Undertaker’s latest job is knocking at the door.

    Quick Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars. I’m glad this was just one volume. There is some corruption mystery here, but to me, it wasn’t interesting. The best parts were when it focused on the men and cats.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 60+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Adventure, Sci-Fi

    Summary: ​Within the safety of the walls, youths are raised in a nursery-style setting by robots. While life there may appear stale on the surface, the children are full of potential and curiosity. In many ways, it is like a slice of heaven.

    The outside world is a hell-scape. It is almost entirely void of anything mechanical and is now inhabited by bizarre, yet powerful super-natural beings.

    Quick Review: 4 out of 5 stars. This is a wild story. There’s plenty here that could be triggering, so proceed with caution. There is a very interesting story here with lots of mystery, and the more you learn, the crazier it feels.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 125

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Romance

    Themes: School

    Summary: ​Unable to sleep at night, Ganta Nakami is cranky in class and unpopular with his classmates. He discovers that the school observatory, once used by the now-defunct astronomy club, may be the perfect place for a nap—but he’s not alone. Fellow insomniac Isaki Magari is willing to share the observatory with Nakami, and a friendship between the two begins as they bond over the most unlikely of things.

    Quick Review: 4 out of 5 stars. While I haven’t finished it just yet, it’s such a relaxing story about two students unable to sleep finding comfort in the presence of the other. It’s a very sweet read.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 21

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Comedy, Supernatural

    Themes: Magical Sex Shift, Mahou Shoujo

    Summary: ​Every child has a dream job, and for Hiromi Sakura, it was being a hero like his favorite color-coded defenders of justice. Unfortunately, not all wishes come true, and now he’s forever stuck with a miserable desk job―until one evening, when he steps up to save a little girl’s life. With his newfound courage and strength to fight evil, Hiromi transforms…into a magical girl?!

    Quick Review: 4 out of 5 stars. Don’t expect anything but a fun, silly time. I love the main character, he just accepts what happens, and it’s just a good time.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 74+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Shounen

    Genre: Action, Comedy

    Summary: ​Poison Master Hikaru Gero is taking on his toughest assignment yet—getting married! Gero couldn’t be more clueless when it comes to the art of dating, but thankfully, marriage swindler Mei Kinosaki knows everything there is to know about love. Together, this unlikely pair will do whatever it takes to get Gero hitched—even if they have to take on the entire criminal underworld in the process!

    Quick Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars. Assassins, superpowers, marriage scams, and very awkward dates. The characters are great, and it’s even hard to pick who you want the main character to end with!

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 162

    Complete: Yes

    Demographic: Shounen

    Genre: Action, Comedy, Fantasy

    Themes: Gag Humor, Parody, School

    Summary: ​In the magic realm, magic is everything—everyone can use it, and one’s skill determines their social status. Deep in the forest, oblivious to the ways of the world, lives Mash. Thanks to his daily training, he’s become a fitness god. When Mash is discovered, he has no choice but to enroll in magic school, where he must beat the competition without revealing his secret—he can’t use magic!

    Mash just wants to live in peace with his father in the forest. But the only way he’ll ever be accepted in the magic realm is by attending magic school and becoming a Divine Visionary—an exceptional student revered as one the chosen. But without an ounce of magic to his name, Mash will have to punch his way to the top spot.

    Quick Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars. The only reason it’s not 5 out of 5 is because I haven’t finished it. I love this series so far, I don’t want to put my hopes too high. I’m not a Harry Potter fan, and One Punch Man I enjoyed well enough, so it’s surprising how much I love this when those are the comparisons everyone makes for this.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Number of Chapters: 78+

    Complete: No

    Genre: Comedy

    Summary: ​One evil supervillain spends most of his time hatching nefarious plots to take over the world—but on his days off, nothing gets between him and the cute pandas he adores! This fresh, charming comedy series answers the age-old question of what a villain does off the clock!

    Quick Review: 5 out of 5 stars. This is just a silly story, there’s not really much going on here past the comedy, and I love it for what it is.

    Available for Purchase Here

  • Review

    Number of Chapters: 47+

    Complete: No

    Demographic: Seinen

    Genre: Isekai, Action, Fantasy

    Theme: Military, Reincarnation

    Summary: 72 Demon Lords fighting for power. The weakest among them has just been sent to the world as the newest Demon King picked by a goddess, so he plans to use any underhanded tricks and lies to defeat all the other Demon Kings.

    Available for Purchase Here