Haven’t read any manga before? Here’s a list of 150 manga series for newbies just like you!
You may recognize some titles from their anime counterparts like Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z. This manga list is divided up by its target audience (shonen, shojo, etc.) and genre.
The differences between each manga demographic:
- Josei: women ages 18 – 40
- Seinen: men ages 18 – 40
- Shojo: girls ages 10 – 18
- Shonen: boys ages 10 – 18
The list includes manga I’ve either read, heard of, or placed in my to-read list.
Enjoy!
JOSEI
Drama
- With the Light by Keiko Tobe
Historical
- Ooku, the Inner Chambers by Fumi Yoshinaga
Romance
- Loveless by Yun Kouga
- Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa
- Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higashimura
Supernatural
- Midnight Secretary by Ohmi Tomu
SEINEN
Action
- Afro Samurai by Takashi Okazaki
- Ajin: Demi-Human by Gamon Sakurai
- Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
- Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike
Adventure
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures by Hirohiko Araki
Comedy
- Chii’s Sweet Home by Kanata Konami
- Crayon Shin-Chan by Yoshito Usui
- Excel Saga by Rikdo Koshi
- Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto by Nami Sano
- Mahoromatic by Bunjuro Nakayama & Bow Ditama
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid by Coolkyoushinja
- Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture by Masayuki Ishikawa
- One Punch Man by ONE
- Prison School by Akira Hiramoto
- Saint Young Men by Hikaru Nakamura
Dark Fantasy
- Berserk by Kentaro Miura
- Ubel Blatt by Etorouji Shiono
Fantasy
- Is It Wrong To Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? By Fujino Omori
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica by the Magica Quartet
- R.O.D. by Hideyuki Kurata
- Wolf’s Rain by Keiko Nobumoto
Historical/Historical Fiction
- Barefoot Gen by Keiji Nakazawa
- Buddha by Osamu Tezuka
- Emma by Kaoru Mori
- Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura
Horror
- Another by Yukito Ayatsuji
- Elfen Lied by Lynn Okamoto
- Gyo by Junji Ito
- I Am a Hero by Kengo Hanazawa
- Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki
- Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida
- Uzumaki by Junji Ito
Romance
- Chobits by CLAMP
Romantic Comedy
- Ai Yori Aoshi by Kou Fumizuki
- Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi
- Oh My Goddess by Kosuke Fujishima
Sci-Fi
- Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo
- Battle Angel Alita by Yukito Kishiro
- Ghost in the Shell by Masamune Shirow
- Inuyashiki by Hiroya Oku
- Neon Genesis Evangelion by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Slice of Life
- A Centaur’s Life by Kei Murayama
Supernatural
- Dance in the Vampire Bund by Nozomu Tamaki
- Hellsing by Kouta Hirano
SHOJO
Comedy
- Merman in My Tub by Itokichi
- The Wallflower by Tomoko Hayakawa
Comedy-Drama
- Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
Drama
- Limit by Keiko Suenobu
Fantasy
- Angel Sanctuary by Kaori Yuki
- Basara by Yumi Tamura
- Cardcaptor Sakura by CLAMP
- Ceres, Celestial Legend by Yuu Watase
- The Demon Prince of Momochi House by Aya Shouoto
- From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa
- Kyo Kara MAOH! by Tomo Takabayashi
- Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi
- Revolutionary Girl Utena by Chiho Saito
- Wish by CLAMP
Historical
- Cantarella by You Higuri
Mystery
- Petshop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino
Romance
- Absolute Boyfriend by Yuu Watase
- Backstage Prince by Kanoko Sakurakoji
- Black Bird by Kanoko Sakurakoji
- Crimson Prince by Souta Kuwuhara
- Demon Love Spell by Mayu Shinjo
- Fushigi Yugi by Yuu Watase
- Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden by Yuu Watase
- The Heiress and the Chauffer by Keiko Ishihara
- Honey Blood by Miko Mitsuki
- Kamisama Kiss by Julietta Suzuki
- Mars by Fuyumi Soryo
- Nana by Ai Yazawa
- Please Save My Earth by Saki Hiwatari
Romantic Comedy
- Marmalade Boy by Wataru Yoshizumi
- My Love Story by Kazune Kawahara
- Ouran Host Club by Bisco Hatori
- Otomen by Aya Kanno
Romantic Dramedy
- Peach Girl by Miwa Ueda
Sci-Fi
- Cowboy Bebop by Hajime Yadate & Yutaka Nanten
- Library Wars by Hiro Arikawa
Supernatural
- Hell Girl by Miyuki Eto
- Vampire Knight by Matsuri Hino
- Vampire Princess Miyu by Toshiki Hirano
Time Travel
SHONEN
Action
- Future Diary by Sakae Esuno
- Gunslinger Girl by Yu Aida
Action Comedy
- Assassination Classroom by Yusei Matsui
Adventure
- Bleach by Tite Kubo
- Boruto by Ukyo Kodachi & Masashi Kishimoto
- Slump by Akira Toriyama
- Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
- Dragon Ball Z by Akira Toriyama
- Hunter X Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi
- Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic by Shinobu Ohtaka
- My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi
- Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto
- One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
- Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki
- Zatch Bell by Makoto Raiku
Comedy
- Azumanga Daioh by Kiyohiko Azuma
- Food Wars by Yuto Tsukada
- Hetalia: Axis Powers by Hidekaz Himaruya
- Lum Invader by Rumiko Takahashi
- Nichijou by Keiichi Arawi
Comedy-Drama
- GTO by Tooru Fujisawa
Dark Fantasy
- Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama
- Black Butler by Yana Toboso
Fantasy
- Animal Land by Makoto Raiku
- Black Clover by Yuki Tabata
- Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato
- A Certain Magical Index by Kazuma Kamachi
- Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
- Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
- Inu-Yasha by Rumiko Takahashi
- The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa
- Mermaid Saga by Rumiko Takahashi
- Negima! Master Negi Magi by Ken Akamatsu
- The Promised Neverland by Kaiu Shirai
- The Seven Deadly Sins by Nakaba Suzuki
Horror
- Corpse Party: Blood Covered by Makoto Kedouin
- Scary Book by Kazuo Umezu
Mystery
- Case Closed by Gosho Aoyama
- The Kindaichi Case Files by Yozaburo Kanari & Seimaru Amagi
Romantic Comedy
- Horimiya by HERO
- Love Hina by Ken Akamatsu
- Ranma ½ by Rumiko Takahashi
- School Rumble by Jin Kobayashi
- Video Girl Ai by Masakazu Katsura
Sci-Fi
- Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka
- Cells at Work by Akane Shimizu
Slice of Life
- Handa-Kun by Satsuki Yoshino
- A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima
Sports
- Haikyuu!! By Haruichi Furudate
- Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue
- Yowamushi Pedal by Wataru Watanabe
Supernatural
- The Ancient Magus Bride by Kore Yamazaki
- Death Note by Tsugumi Ohba
- Mai: The Psychic Girl by Kazuya Kudo
- Natsume’s Book of Friends by Yuki Midorikawa
- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan by Hiroshi Shiibashi
- Twin Star Exorcists by Yoshiaki Sukeno
- Yu Yu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi
Which manga series will be your first? Comment down below!
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- 1,000 Manga Volumes Goal
- Manga Monday #26: “Blood Lad” by Yuuki Kodama
- Thoughts After Reading 1,000 Manga Volumes
(Gif source: Giphy)
(Book pic sources: Amazon)