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Manga readers always run the risk of encountering some less than stellar titles. MyAnimeList is a great way to save the readers a lot of trouble. The site has a ranking system that allows for an easy way to find the highest-rated manga. This is what stands as the very best manga according to the site.
Updated on December 13, 2022, by Suzail Ahmad: With 2022 coming to an end, it is fair to say that it was another successful year for the anime and manga industry. Many new titles were released, others wrapped up their stories and a handful returned from their breaks. As the popularity of the industry continues to soar, many people are trying to get into this medium of entertainment. With so many manga available to read, sometimes it can be confusing for people to find the right one to read. The easiest way to get into reading manga is by darting through the ones that have the highest rating. One of the best places to check out the most well-liked manga is MyAnimeList. Not only does it provide interested parties with ratings about manga, but it also covers other details. With that in mind, here are some of the best manga of all time.
20 Yotsuba to! (8.87)
Yotsuba to! follows the daily adventures of a young girl named Yotsuba, who tries to learn more about the world around her. As a five-year-old kid, Yotsuba is quirky and energetic. For her, the world is filled with mysteries, and every day, she sets out to unravel them.
Not only does the manga have an interesting story, but the characters and the artwork are also fabulous. Due to its incredible quality, Yotsuba to! has been nominated for multiple awards.
19 March Comes In Like a Lion (8.89)
March Comes In Like a Lion is a seinen manga series that is serialized in Hakusensha’s Young Animal magazine. The manga is famous for its handling of psychological issues faced by people in their day-to-day lives.
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March Comes In Like a Lion takes place in Shinkawa, which is the hometown of Rei Kiriyama, a prodigious shogi player. Rei tries his best to maintain a calm exterior, but he suffers from a lot of pressure. Luckily for Rei, things begin to change when he meets the Kawamoto sisters.
18 GTO (8.89)
Great Teacher Onizuka also known as GTO is one of the best manga of all time that has been written by Tooru Fujisawa. It is a riveting story that focuses on Eikichi Onizuka, a former gang member, who joins the Holy Forest Academy as a teacher.
Due to Onizuka’s past as a gangster, he has a different method of teaching than regular teachers. Over time, Onizuka’s methods prove to be extremely efficient, and all the students start respecting him. The series not only makes the readers laugh, but it also teaches them important life lessons.
17 Real (8.91)
Written by the incredible Takehiko Inoue, Real is a sports manga. It follows the story of three different people and their desire to play basketball. All three of them suffer from various problems, but they are united by their love of basketball.
Along with exploring the game of basketball, Real also highlights the harsh reality that people with disabilities have to go through. It also dives into the psychological issues that they have to deal with, making it a great read for people who are into sports.
16 Kaguya-sama: Love is War (8.93)
Kaguya-sama: Love is War follows the story of Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya. Both of them are part of the academy’s student council. The two start out as fierce competitors, but with time both of them slowly begin to develop feelings for each other.
However, the two do not confess their feelings for each other because of their reputation. So, Shirogane and Kaguya try to make the other person confess by using a variety of methods.
15 Ashita No Joe (8.93)
Ashita no Joe is one of the most well-known anime series of all time. It is responsible for changing the sporting genre altogether. The series has been written by Ikki Kajiwara and it has been illustrated by Tetsuya Chiba.
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The story follows a boy named Joe Yabuki, who learns to become a tough person after being bullied by many people. Joe’s talent with his fists attracts the eye of Danpei Tange, who formerly worked as a coach. Danpei decides to coach Joe and turns him into a proper fighter.
14 Monogatari Season 1 (8.94)
Monogatari Season 1 follows the story of Koyomi Araragi. Araragi’s life takes a drastic turn as he manages to survive a vampire attack. This encounter leads him down a path that is filled with supernatural occurrences.
Araragi desperately tries to get back to his normal life. However, things don’t go as planned as he struggles to find his feet in a world that is filled with tragedy. It is a light novel that is spread over six volumes. Monogatari has been written by Nisio Isin and is illustrated by Vofan.
13 20th Century Boys (8.95)
This is one of Naoki Urasawa’s masterpieces. 20th Century Boys has numerous awards including, the Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2001, and the Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category in 2003.
The story is set toward the end of the 20th century. Endo Kenji a normal store manager is shocked when he comes to know about the death of one of his closest friends. 20th Century Boys is a riveting story that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats.
12 Houseki no Kuni (8.96)
Houseki no Kuni is a manga series written by Haruko Ichikawa. It began serializing in 2012, making it one of the more recent entries on the list. The series has already received an anime adaptation, which came out in 2017.
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The story is set in a futuristic world where the Earth has been hit by six meteorites, damaging it badly. Due to the terrible condition of the planet, a new life form known as Lustrous begins to emerge. These are immortal jewels that are able to morph into humans.
11 Kingdom (8.99)
Written by Yasuhisa Hara, Kingdom has become one of the most popular manga in recent memory. Kingdom’s consistent quality is a key factor behind its popularity. The manga has also won several awards over the years.
The manga follows Xin, a war orphan, as he sets out to become the greatest general in the world. Xin’s journey is filled with numerous difficulties, which he must overcome to accomplish his goal. Kingdom offers a fictionalized account of the Warring States Period.
10 Vinland Saga (9.00)
Vinland Saga is an award-winning manga that has been written by Makoto Yukimura. The series follows Thorfinn, who is the son of a great Viking warrior. Thorfinn’s life changes when he sees his father being murdered in front of his eyes by mercenaries, who are led by Askeladd.
However, with time Thorfinn starts to admire Askeladd, which leads to inner turmoil. After Askeladd’s death, Thorfinn embarks on a journey that changes him forever.
9 Grand Blue (9.03)
Next up on the list is Grand Blue. The manga is written by Kenji Inoue. Grand Blue is a seinen title and it started serialization in 2014. The manga also received an anime adaptation in 2018, which boosted its popularity.
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Grand Blue focuses on the life of Iori Kitahara as he moves to the Izu Peninsula to start college. Iori lives in a room above his uncle’s diving shop, where he meets the local Diving Club members and starts to socialize with them.
8 Oyasumi Punpun (9.03)
Heralded as one of the best manga series, Oyasumi Punpun explores many difficult elements of human life and interactions. Because of this, the manga is very popular and considered nothing short of a masterpiece.
Onodera Punpun’s life is plagued with all sorts of troubles. The manga follows the different stages of Onodera’s life and shows how he deals with depression, love, family, and several other issues.
7 Fullmetal Alchemist (9.04)
Fullmetal Alchemist is easily among the best manga series of all time. Written by Hiromu Arakawa, the series has won a variety of awards. It has sold over 80 million copies worldwide. The manga follows the Elric brothers who attempt to revive their mother using alchemy, but end up doing more harm than good.
Edward ends up losing his leg and his arm, while Alphonse loses his entire body. The story follows their quest to regain what they lost, and the secrets they discover along the way.
6 Slam Dunk (9.07)
This is one of the two Takehiko Inoue manga on the list. Slam Dunk is considered by many to be the best sports manga of all time. It has sold over 120 million copies, which makes it the thirteenth best-selling manga of all time.
Slam Dunk also helped to popularize basketball in Japan. The manga follows the story of a young boy, Sakuragi, who studies at Shohoku High School. He ends up joining the school’s basketball team in order to impress a girl. It’s a fantastic choice for those who enjoy the sports genre in particular.
5 Monster (9.14)
Naoki Urasawa has been responsible for some of the great manga series of all time. He helmed 20th Century Boys, Pluto, and Monster. Among all his works, Monster is the most popular one, and it has even received an anime adaptation.
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Kenzou Tenma’s life takes a turn for the worse when he saves the life of a child named Johan Liebert. Unbeknownst to Tenma, Johan later turns into a serial killer. When the truth about Johan is revealed, Tenma decides to stop the monster himself.
4 Vagabond (9.20)
Vagabond is the second Takehiko Inoue manga on the list. It is one of the few unfinished manga masterpieces. Readers have patiently been waiting for the return of the series, but the chances of the manga resuming are slim.
Vagabond is based on Eiji Yoshikawa’s novel, Musashi. The manga follows the life of Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary swordsman, as he travels throughout Japan. The manga went on hiatus in 2015, and it seems likely to remain unfinished.
3 One Piece (9.21)
One Piece is easily the most popular manga series in the world. The first chapter was released back in 1997 and since then over 1000 chapters have been released. One Piece’s longevity is unmatched.
One Piece is an adventure manga that follows a young boy, named, Monkey D. Luffy, who dreams of becoming the Pirate King. Luffy’s path to his dream is filled with all sorts of obstacles, so he decides to gather a strong crew to help him through his journey.
2 Steel Ball Run (9.28)
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run is the seventh installment in the series. Steel Ball Run is considered by many as Araki’s magnum opus. Originally, it was not planned to be a part of the long running JoJo series, but Araki changed his mind later.
Johnny Joestar, the main protagonist of the series lost his ability to walk due to an accident. However, after touching one of Gyro’s steel balls, he momentarily regains the ability. This leaves Johnny shocked and confused and thus, he decided to participate in the Steel Ball Run race to learn more about the spin and Gyro Zeppeli.
1 Berserk (9.46)
The final entry on the list is Berserk. Berserk was created by the late Kentarou Miura, who sadly passed away earlier this year. The manga boasts a very high rating of 9.39 on MyAnimeList, which makes it the highest-rated manga on the site. Berserk has influenced many other series including Dark Souls and Bloodborne, among others.
Berserk is a seinen manga and it follows a young mercenary, Guts. The story sees Guts start out as a loner with no interest in friendship, but as the story drags on, he ends up finding a great group of friends in the Band of Hawk. When tragedy strikes, Guts sets out for revenge and answers.
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