Top 11 Best Manga Series That Need An Anime Adaptation – Hey guys!. In this post, I’ll be discussing a list of Top 11 Best Manga Series That Need An Anime Adaptation. Anime is great, sometimes it’s not, but most of the time it’s pretty good. But the world of manga is full of stories that haven’t yet been adapted into anime form.
For some of them it might just be a question of time, while some might never receive one, and some may already have one, but I’ve just chosen to pretend that they don’t for the sake of my sanity. Lastly I’m gonna limit it to one entry per author for variety’s sake. Without further ado, let’s start with…
1. Vagabond
And yes, I will start off talking about Vagabond. I’ll keep it short, though. I mean it’s an obvious choice, yes, but Takehiko Inoue’s beautiful rendition of the life of Miyamoto Musashi is such a staple that it absolutely has to be mentioned here. Both serene beauty and terrifying violence are on display as the famous swordsman tries to carve out his own way in life through following the sword.
This is honestly one of those manga where I’m unsure if any animation studio could ever do it justice, as a big part of what makes the series so hauntingly gorgeous is its display of beauty in stillness. So as it is right now, the only thing I can say, is that you absolutely need to check out this manga if you haven’t already. It’s considered a classic for a reason.
2. 20th Century Boys
And speaking of modern day classics, you can’t possibly talk about this topic without mentioning a Naoki Urasawa manga, and there is a lot you can pick from here. I’ve already talked about my love for Pluto in the past, his new series Asadora is off to a really strong start in my opinion, and I’m sure you can make a strong argument for Billy Bat, though I haven’t read myself with its lack of an English translation.
But I want to use this opportunity to talk about the manga that first introduced me to his work several years ago: namely 20th Century Boys. What starts off as a seemingly grounded mystery involving a weird cult and their charismatic leader, quickly evolves into a great almost cartoonish conspiracy plot about world domination.
It is probably Urasawa’s most ambitious work with tons of different characters, storylines and mysteries being juggled in the air at the same time, but he manages to ground it expertly by tying it all into the lovely nostalgic depiction of the characters’ childhoods, making it a love letter to both the past and the future at the same time.
3. Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction
Okay, I know it’s a silly name, but hear me out. One day a massive space ship suddenly appears over Tokyo, causing great destruction to buildings and killing almost 100 000 people. It’s humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrial beings and it should have been an event to shake the world and change it forever. But at the start of this story, three years after the event, nothing has happened.
The UFO is simply sitting there above Tokyo sending out occasional scouting ships that are quickly shot down by the Japanese military, and everything seems to have almost gone back to normal. This has left some of our characters with a feeling close to disappointment, as it has left them thinking that maybe nothing will ever be able to “change the world”.
I love this manga series for being such a unique take on the alien invasion premise, and it is of course also backed by Asano’s signature style of experimental storytelling and art.
4. Witch Hat Atelier
My next recommendation is Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama. It almost feels rare to get such a pure fantasy manga as this one. The story is set in a world of magic and follows a young girl named Coco who after experimenting with magic she shouldn’t have touched has a terrible accident leaving her mother turned into a stone statue.
She then has to study magic under an eccentric young wizard in order to learn how to reverse the spell. I put this series on the list because it’s honestly just a delight to read. The childlike wonder with which this world is explored is wonderful, and the art is gorgeously detailed. I always leave this series with a great warm feeling every time I read it.
5. Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible
From one wholesome series to another, Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible is another entry in the popular genre of extroverted girl ruthlessly bullies socially awkward boy, but it’s okay cause she’s cute.
Some of you will probably think of Nagatoro when you hear this, but where Nagatoro was really walking the line of actual traumatizing bullying, this one is definitely more on the cute and wholesome side, where this girl just wants to help the boy she likes have more confidence. Yeah, this one is just pure fluffy romance without much more to it, but sometimes I like to read those as well.
Also this was just added to the Shonen Jump app where you can read at least the first and newest chapters to be released. As for how you can read the rest of them… well, I’m sure you can figure something out.
6. Soloist in a Cage
Speaking of Jump, Soloist in a Cage is a Jump+ series that just ended at its third volume, and it’s available to read for free on Shueisha’s manga plus app. Seriously I cannot understand why this series isn’t more popular than it is, especially when you see artwork like this.
This story takes place in a dystopian prison city where all laws have been abandoned, and follows a young girl who was born and left by her parents inside the walls named Chloe who manages to escape the hellish prison only to return ten years later to free her little brother.
Although I can’t say that the series does anything revolutionary with its storytelling within its short runtime, I do think that it does show some really heartfelt and tender moments in its display of what makes these people keep going in a seemingly hopeless world. It’s a well-told, contained story, and with this being Shiro Moriya’s first major publication, I really hope we’ll see more from him in the future.
7. A Bride’s Story
Historical settings are far from uncommon in the world of seinen manga, but I really think there is nothing quite like Kaoru Mori’s A Bride’s Story out there. The thing that really sets this one apart from others of its kind like Vinland Saga, Kingdom or Vagabond is its focus on the mundane everyday life of its era.
Set in Central Asia in the 1800s, A Bride’s Story revolves around life in different villages along the silk road. The author’s clear love for history and culture is on full display here, as she’s obviously done a lot of research to make this as accurate a depiction as possible.
The incredible amount of detail she puts into drawing the clothing, architecture and interior of the different village cultures is especially awe inspiring. The lack of action and overarching storylines kind of makes me want to call it a slice of life manga, but still I never find it boring, and I’m always drawn in by the passion and love it’s made with. This series definitely deserves your attention.
8. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
I know I said I was gonna avoid series with upcoming anime, but I feel like this list could use a break from all the seinen manga, and I want an excuse to talk about one of my favourite shounen series from recent years: Hell’s Paradise. Also even though this technically has an anime announced, we haven’t seen anything of it yet and don’t even know the studio, so I’ll bend the rules a little.
Hell’s paradise is a Jump+ title made by Yuuji Kaku, a former assistant to Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch.
And I mention that because it’s undeniable that Hell’s paradise shares some similarities with Fujimoto’s work, like the rough and gritty art style, it’s haunting monster designs and it’s over-the-top violence, which is juxtaposed to the very human character moments we see throughout the series. If you’re looking for an awesome battle shounen, and you haven’t read Hell’s Paradise, please give this one a go.
9. I Had That Same Dream Again
Next up, is I Had That Same Dream Again manga that I can’t believe isn’t more popular than it is, based on a novel by Yoru Sumino, the creator of “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas”. This is another short one, as in only three volumes it tells a really nice heartfelt story of a young girl who tries to figure out what it means for her to be happy, seeking the guidance from various people she finds around town.
It’s one of those stories where it’s probably best for you to just figure out what it’s about by reading it for yourself, but you should really give it a chance.
10. Ran and the Gray World
There is something very special about Aki Irie’s Ran and the Gray World that just draws me to it. It has this very magical eccentric feel to both its storytelling and incredible art, making it feel like a modern day fairytale in much the same way as say a studio Ghibli movie. In this manga we meet the titular character Ran, a young witch living out her everyday life.
Through her natural curiosity and excitement, the series becomes a celebration of childhood innocence and joy, as Ran is met with trials, both fantastical and mundane, that help her start appreciating the smaller joys to be found in life. It isn’t a series to push any boundaries in terms of storytelling or characters, but I do still find it a wonderful read that I hold very dear to my heart.
11. Sousou No Frieren
Sousou No Frieren really manages to capture the feeling of being out on an adventure with a group of friends in a similar way to a good fantasy RPG. Chapter one kicks off with a party of adventurers returning home from a decade long adventure after having defeated the demon king.
As they each say their goodbyes and go their separate ways, we follow the party’s elven mage, Frieren, as she continues her own journey in solitude. And just like that 50 years pass in the blink of an eye, and she, with her lifespan far surpassing that of a normal human, sees her old companions grow older and eventually die from her.
And she is now met with an unfamiliar feeling of regret, regret that she didn’t spend more time with them when she had the chance, regret that she didn’t know to treasure the moments she had with them when they were still together. And that also marks the beginning of a new adventure for Frieren, in which she starts to seek out new companions to better understand herself and the relationships between people.
That is it from today’s post on Top 11 Best Manga Series That Need An Anime Adaptation. If you do not agree with the points in the post and have some of your own opinions, share them with us in the comments section down below. Keep visiting Animesoulking for more information about Anime and Manga.
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