Our Top Manga Recommendations

Kelsey F, Bookseller, Glendale, CO 
Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol. 1 
Natsuki Takaya 
Fruits Basket was the first manga I actively collected as it was published, and I still remember the endearing heartache I felt after each volume was finished. While it is a story of fantasy involving the mythos of the Chinese Zodiac, most of the story is grounded in realism as we see the main character, Tohru, go to school and try to help her friends. As a young girl, I felt like I could see life through Tohru’s eyes. Her sadness and excitement mirrored my own as if we were lifelong friends who grew up alongside each other.

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku 1 
Fujita 
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is hilarious! I couldn’t put it down once I started. Starring a group of cosplayers, manga lovers, and gamers as they go into their late 20’s, the characters will make you laugh and sigh and sometimes cry, but ultimately, you’ll find yourself relating to them. As I’ve grown up and faced the worlds of working and dating, it’s nice to have a manga series that understands what it’s like for those of us who are, at the end of the day, still passionate fans of the series and hobbies we love.

Kollin P, Bookseller, Lone Tree, CO 
Hunter x Hunter, Vol. 1: The Day of Departure  
Yoshihiro Togashi 
This epic story of adventure was the first series I ever collected and my love for it remains strong. This classic of the Shounen genre thrills at every turn. The world of Hunter x Hunter is as rich and textured as the unique art style of its creator. I would spend forever on just one page appreciating every one of Togashi’s expressive panels. I often come back to this series during times of change in my life and always find comfort in Gon, his friends, and even his interesting adversaries. I always recommend this series to people at the start of their manga journey.

Nichijou, 1 
Keiichi Arawi  
No series has made me laugh out loud as much as Nichijou. Reading this series between classes is one of my favorite school memories. Balancing mundanity with absurdity, the stories of Yuuko and her classmates are strange, ridiculous, and always entertaining. Arawi plays with the conventions and tropes of manga to maximum comedic effect. Its memorable nonsequiturs and tangential jokes never cease to make me laugh anytime my life reminds me of a Nichijou moment. A modern classic I love recommending.

Maison Ikkoku Collector’s Edition, Vol. 1 
Rumiko Takahashi 
I am so happy that VIZ is republishing what I consider to be the best romantic comedy ever made. Maison Ikkoku is my favorite anime of all time, and the manga delivers even more of the colorful characters I’ve come to adore. Takahashi delights with her humor and artistic prowess in this tale of love and misadventure. I urge anyone who enjoys romance or comedy to dive into this uniquely mature and entertaining series. You’ll fall for it even harder than Godai falls for Kyoko. I can’t wait for the next volume to release!

Magdalena O, Bookseller, Gilbert, AZ 
Naruto, Volume 1 
Masashi Kishimoto 
I feel that everyone who starts this genre always has that one Shounen series they will always love no matter how bad it is or starts to get. For me, it was Naruto. As a lonely, shy teenager looking for their place in the world, it instilled the morals and ideals that I carry around to this day. Masashi loads the story with sumptuous themes of what world peace exactly is, nurturing the generations that will surpass you, and going against the odds that are against you. Its overall themes will be embedded into your heart.

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Volume 1 
Yuki Midorikawa 
Following the life of a secluded teenager who can see ghosts, this series is rich in heart and Japanese folklore. Each spirit he meets brings about a certain empathy for all things living. It left a profound feeling of a swollen heart uplifted by hope and wholesomeness. I was so smitten by it that I aspired to pull an all-nighter to finish the series, only to find out that it was fairly long. Not many series have left me wanting to jump into life with such compassion and gusto as this one has.

BL Metamorphosis Vol. 1 
Kaori Tsurutani 
This one is quite charming! It left me with bubbly feelings of wholesomeness. I really love how it explores and highlights the difficulty of any sort of friendship, but particularly between a high school girl and an elderly lady. Making bonds with other people is always a little difficult and this manga does a splendid job of capturing all those emotions.

Alex G, Bookseller, New York, NY 
Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 1 
Sui Ishida 
While disturbing at times, I couldn’t help but want to delve deeper into this world and discover the origins of each character I came across. This manga tells the story of Ken Kaneki, a student who barely survives a deadly encounter with Rize Kamishiro, his date who unbeknownst to Ken is a ghoul and tries to eat him. Without spoiling too much, Ken survives but is turned into a half-ghoul in the process. Page by page you watch as Kaneki discovers all that comes with being a ghoul, such as the like powers and responsibility, as well as all the unfortunate effects of being ghoul (the nonstop urge to eat humans). However, you can’t help but fall in love with Kaneki and his fellow ghouls, smiling as he peels back layer after layer of who he is and why he’s so different.

The Promised Neverland, Volume 1 
Kaiu Shirai 
Imagine growing up in a lush expanse with all the comforts of life afforded to you without any burdens of responsibility. Wouldn’t that be almost dream-like? Would you ever want to leave? Of course not, unless all of that were maybe too good to be true. That’s exactly why The Promised Neverland hooked me. Every volume of this manga left me in suspense as Emma and her fellow orphans discover the dark truths of Grace Field House and wrestle with what to do with that knowledge. This one is full of heart and menace which made it instantly addicting. I love recommending it!