New to manga? Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry! We’re here to help!

If you’ve already read our Beginner’s Guide to Manga, then you should be familiar with some of the basic categories that Japanese manga fall under. If not, here is a brief summary. 

Japanese manga is primarily categorized first by gender and age, then by genre. There is manga specifically geared towards young boys (shonen), young girls (shojo), adult men (seinen), and adult women (josei). Of course, there are manga that cross boundaries of gender, age, and genre, however, these are the four most prominent categories. Manga is then categorized by genre. A mystery manga aimed at young boys would be categorized as a shonen mystery whereas one aimed at young girls would be a shojo mystery. 

Traditionally, manga is released on a monthly or weekly chapter-by-chapter basis through a manga magazine service. Should a series prove to be popular, then the chapters will be collected into small volumes called tankōbon volumes, which usually feature a few chapters of the overall story. 

Some series might even be collected into an omnibus; a collection of two or three volumes published together into one jumbo form. Older series are often reprinted in omnibus form, which might alter the listed number of volumes. For example, Junji Ito’s horror manga, Gyo: The Death-stench Creeps was originally released as two volumes, however, both volumes were reprinted into one omnibus, which is the copy the library currently owns. Omnibuses are convenient because they hold multiple volumes in one edition, however, they can sometimes be a bit cumbersome to carry due to their size. 

Some series can be relatively short at fewer than ten volumes while others can balloon up to more than 100 volumes. Osamu Akimoto's Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen Mae Hashutsujo, otherwise known as KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops, currently holds the record for most volumes in a manga series at 200 volumes.

Popularity is a big factor in determining how long a series will go on for. For that reason, some of the most well-known manga series might produce dozens and dozens of volumes over the course of decades. Getting a hold of every volume might prove challenging if the series is out of print or unavailable overseas. 

If you’re new to manga, then you might be intimidated out of reading some series because of the volume number. Oftentimes, well-meaning friends might recommend one of their favorite titles or a popular series without taking into consideration the length of the series or the original target demographic. For example, an adult new to manga might be recommended Akira Toriyama’s Dragonball due to the series’ long-lasting influence on popular culture. The original run of Dragonball was aimed at the shonen, or young/teen boy, audience, and the entire series clocks in at 42 volumes. You might not consider that beginner friendly. 

We’ve gathered here a list of manga that are either stand-alone, self-contained omnibuses, or feature a relatively small number of volumes. Some of the manga listed here are presented in omnibus form as these are the editions that the library currently owns.

These titles are primarily intended for teens 16+ and adults, however, if you are looking for manga for younger audiences, check out our Manga for Middle-Graders post. 

Single Volume

 

Ayako by Osamu Tezuka; translation, Mari Morimoto.

Genre: Historical Drama

Volumes: 1

Initially set in the aftermath of World War II, Ayako focuses its attention on the Tenge clan, a once powerful family of landowners living in a rural community in northern Japan. From the moment readers are introduced to the extended family, it is apparent that the war and American occupation have begun to erode the fabric that binds them all together. The increasing influence of political, economic and social change begins to tear into the many Tenge siblings, while a strange marriage agreement creates resentment between the eldest son and his sire. And when the family seems to have completely fallen apart, they decide to turn their collective rage on what they believe to be the source of their troubles, the newest member of the Tenge family, the youngest sister Ayako.
 

The Bride was a Boy (true) story and art by Chii; translation, Beni Axia Conrad; adaptation, Shanti Whitesides; lettering and retouch, Karis Page.

Genre: Non-Fiction

Volumes: 1

A diary comic with an upbeat, adorable flair that tells the charming tale of Chii, a woman assigned male at birth. Her story starts with her childhood and follows the ups and downs of exploring her sexuality, gender, and transition-as well as falling in love with a man who is head over heels for her. Now, Chii is about to embark on a new adventure: becoming a bride!

 

Cigarette Girl by Masahiko Matsumoto; foreword by Yoshihiro Tatsumi; translated by Spencer Fancutt, with assistance of Atsuko Saisho.

Genre: Fiction

Volumes: 1

Originally published in 1972-74, these eleven stories now form the first English-language collection of Matsumoto's mature work. His shy, uncertain heroes face broken hearts, changing families, money troubles, sexual anxiety, and the pressures of tradition, but with a whimsy and lightness of touch that is Matsumoto's trademark.

 

Downfall story and art by Inio Asano ; translation, Jocelyne Allen ; touch-up art + lettering, Joanna Estep.

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 1

Selling copies is the only thing that matters. So what if your first series just ended and you have no idea how to start the next one, your marriage is breaking up, your pure love of manga has been destroyed by the cruel reality of the industry and nothing seems to fill the sucking void inside you... Find the secret combo for a new hit manga series and everything will be okay. Right?

 

A Drifting Life by Yoshihiro Tatsumi; [edited, designed, and lettered by Adrian Tomine; translated by Taro Nettleton].

Genre: Memoir

Volumes: 1

Spanning fifteen years from August of 1945 to June of 1960, Tatsumi's stand-in protagonist, Hiroshi, faces his father's financial burdens and his parents' failing marriage, his jealous brother's deteriorating health, and the innumerable pitfalls that await him in the competitive manga market of mid-twentieth-century Japan. He dreams of following in the considerable footsteps of his idol, manga artist Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Apollo's Song, Ode to Kirihito, Buddha)—with whom Tatsumi eventually became peers and, at times, stylistic rivals.

The Garden of Words story by Makoto Shinkai; art by Midori Motohashi; translation Maya Rosewood.

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 1

Can a poem save your life?

Words are powerful. Insults and rumors can derail a career; a bit of encouragement can give someone the strength to pursue their dreams. When a high school boy skipping class to sketch shoe designs and a taciturn woman drinking a morning beer meet in a Tokyo park, they say little, but the woman bids farewell with an ancient tanka poem. Will the boy figure out the poem’s meaning—and its corresponding response—before it’s too late?

Giganto Maxia story and art, Kentaro Miura ; translation, Matthew Johnson ; lettering, Studio Cutie.

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction 

Volumes: 1

One hundred million years after the Great Destruction, life hangs on in the wastelands with human, demi-humans, and massive creatures fighting for survival. With the Empire of Olympus using colossal beasts to crush their adversaries, only gladiator Delos, mystic Prome, and the titan Gohra they become can hope to stem genocide and heal the shattered Earth.

 

The Gods Lie by Kaori Ozaki; translation, Melissa Tanaka.

Genre: Coming of Age

Volumes: 1 

Natsuru Nanao, a 6th grader who lives alone with his mother, strikes up an unlikely friendship with the reserved and driven Rio Suzumura. Natsuru plays hookey from soccer camp that summer, and instead of telling the truth to his mother, he spends all his time with Rio and her kid brother at their rickety house, where a dark secret threatens to upend their fragile happiness.

My Father is a Unicorn story & art by Monaka Suzuki ; translation, Nova Skipper ; adaptation, Jay Trust.

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Supernatural

Volumes: 1

Uno Issei is still in high school when his mother remarries. His mom’s new husband, Masaru, is a nice enough guy, he just happens to be a unicorn. Sometimes in the form of a talking horse, sometimes in the form of a beautiful man, Masaru is determined to run the household while his wife is away and win Issei over. For better or worse, now Issei is stuck teaching this unicorn man how to be a good dad in this idiosyncratic comedy about the magic of family.

Our Dining Table story and art by Mita Ori ; translation, Amber Tamosaitis ; adaptation, Marykate Jasper ; lettering, Laura Heo.

Eating around other people is a struggle for salaryman Yutaka, despite his talent for cooking. All that changes when he meets Minoru and Tane -- two brothers, many years apart in age -- who ask him to teach them how to make his delicious food! It's not long before Yutaka finds himself falling hard for the meals they share together -- and falling in love!

 

 

 

The Push Man, and Other stories by Yoshihiro Tatsumi; [translated by Yuji Oniki].

Genre: Short Story 

Volumes: 1

Thirty years before the advent of the literary graphic novel movement in the United States, Yoshihiro Tatsumi created a library of comics that draw parallels to modern prose fiction and today's alternative comics. The stories collected in The Push Man are simultaneously haunting, disturbing, and darkly humorous. A lone man travels the country, projecting pornographic films for private individuals while attempting to maintain a normal home life. The lives of two men become intertwined when one hires the other to observe his sexual escapades through a telescope. An auto mechanic's obsession with a female TV personality turns fatal after a chance meeting between the two.

Ristorante Paradiso story and art by Natsume Ono ; [translation, Joe Yamazaki]

Genre: Cooking, Drama

Volumes: 1

At the age of 21, Nicoletta travels to Rome to find her mother, Olga, who abandoned her long ago. Nicoletta finds her at Casetta dell'Orso, a charming little restaurant owned by Olga's husband. The staff of bespectacled gentlemen welcomes Nicoletta warmly, but Olga's reception is not so pleasant. Olga has never told her husband that she ever had children--and he must never know. In exchange for Nicoletta's playing "the daughter of an old friend," Olga offers Nicoletta a place to live and an apprenticeship at the restaurant. Nicoletta fits in well among the unique personalities at Casetta dell'Orso. She gets along particularly well with the kindly headwaiter, Claudio, a divorced man who, after years, has still never taken off his wedding ring. As Nicoletta's feelings for Claudio become complicated, she finds a sympathetic ear in Olga, leading the estranged pair to form a friendship neither expected. But as they grow closer, the pressure exerted by the secret they share becomes too much to bear.

Seven Little Sons of the Dragon: A Collection of Seven Stories by Ryoko Kui; translation, Taylor Engel; lettering, Abigail Blackman.

Genre: Fantasy

Volumes: 1 

Ryoko Kui, the master storyteller behind the beloved manga series Delicious in Dungeon, pens seven brand-new tales that will delight fantasy fans and manga devotees equally. Covering a broad range of themes and time periods, no two stories in this collection are alike!

Series Gathered in One Volume

Gyo: The Death-stench Creeps story & art by Junji Ito; translation & English adaptation, Yuji Oniki; touch-up art & lettering, Stephen Dutro.

Genre: Horror
Volumes: 2 in 1 omnibus

The floating smell of death hangs over the island. What is it? A strange, legged fish appears on the scene…So begins Tadashi and Kaori's spiral into the horror and stench of the sea. Here is the creepiest masterpiece of horror manga ever from the creator of Uzumaki, Junji Ito. Hold your breath until all is revealed. Something's rotten in Okinawa.

 

 

Sazan & Comet Girl story & art by Yuriko Akase ; translation, Adrienne Beck ; adaptation, Ysabet MacFarlane ; layout and lettering, Karis Page, Gwen Silver.

Genre: Action, Science Fiction
Volumes: 1 (omnibus)

Note: Full Color

Sazan, a young man from Earth, works on other planets and has seen his share of galactic oddities. But when he meets Mina, a red-headed girl who zooms into his life on a space scooter, he knows he’s run into someone special. Mina contains shocking power within her body–a power coveted by space pirates who hope to steal it from her. Mina zooms out of Sazan’s life almost as quickly as she arrived, but Sazan is determined to find her again…no matter how far he has to chase her across the galaxy. This spectacular full-color manga–an homage to energetic space operas of years past–is entirely contained in this 500-page omnibus. 

Solanin story & art by Inio Asano ; [translation, JN Productions].

Genre: Slice of life

Volumes: 2 in 1 omnibus

Meiko Inoue is a recent college grad working as an office lady in a job she hates. Her boyfriend Shigeo is permanently crashing at her apartment because his job as a freelance illustrator doesn't pay enough for rent. And her parents in the country keep sending her boxes of veggies that just rot in her fridge. Straddling the line between her years as a student and the rest of her life, Meiko struggles with the feeling that she's just not cut out to be a part of the real world.

 

All You Need is Kill original story by Hiroshi Sakurazaka; storyboards by Ryosuke Takeuchi; original illustrations by Yoshitoshi ABe; art by Takeshi Obata.

Genre: Science Fiction

Volumes: 2 in 1 omnibus

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 fifth 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?

Azumanga Daioh Omnibus by Kiyohiko Azuma; translation, Stephen Paul; lettering, Hope Donovan.

Genre: Comedy

Volumes: 3 in 1 omnibus

The best high school stories are simultaneously funny, warm, and endearing - but most importantly, the characters come alive on the page. Get to know the girls who set a new standard for the high school experience! The original phenomenon from Kiyohiko Azuma, beloved creator of YOTSUBA&!, is collected in this deluxe edition and is an absolute necessity for any manga enthusiast's library!

 

Tekkon Kinkreet = Black & White by Taiyo Matsumoto

Genre: Fiction

Volumes: 3 in 1 omnibus 

Street urchins Black and White have skyscraper-sized chips on their shoulders, but are fiercely loyal to each other. Black is especially quick to avenge any slight against his dim-witted pal. The result? The citizens of Treasure Town are afraid of them, the police are afraid of them--even the local yakuza gangsters are afraid of them! But when the crime boss known as the "Rat" returns to Treasure Town, it looks like there's gonna be a rumble…

 

Another original story: Yukito Ayatsuji ; art: Hiro Kiyohara ; translation, Karen McGillicuddy

Genre: Horror

Volumes: 4 in 1 omnibus

When he takes his seat in class for the first day of school, Koichi is unsettled by his fearful classmates. Despite this atmosphere and warnings from fellow students, Koichi is drawn to the beautiful, distant Mei Misaki, another classmate. But the closer he tries to get to her, the more mysterious she and their class become. And when a fellow student dies a disturbing death—the first of a long chain of deaths - Koichi seeks to learn the truth behind the curse of Class 3-3. But can he get answers before the curse kills him?

 

Series that are Fewer than Five Volumes

 

Blood-C: Demonic Moonlight by Ryo Haduki; translated by Camellia Nieh; english adaptation by Philip R. Simon; lettered by Steve Dutro.

Genre: Supernatural, Horror
Volumes: 2  
The prequel to the Blood-C saga from CLAMP, Production I.G, and artist Ryo Haduki! In occupied Japan in 1946, an American military investigator is sent to the Yokohama base to research a number of bizarre deaths. He soon discovers that the murderer isn’t human! Blood-C: Demonic Moonlight is the prequel fans have been waiting for!
 

 

The Ghost and the Lady by Kazuhiro Fujita; translation: Zack Davisson; lettering: Evan Hayden.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror

Volumes: 2

Deep in London's Scotland Yard sits an evidence room dedicated to the greatest mysteries of British history. In this "Black Museum" sits a misshapen hunk of lead--two bullets fused together--the key to the untold story of a wartime encounter between Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing, and a supernatural Man in Grey. The record books show Florence fought for compassion as empires' petty rivalries threatened to destroy the hopes and lives of common people. But a gues in the Black Museum knows the truth is not so simple, and the famed Lady with Lamp had a ghastly secret...

Mermaid Saga story and art by Rumiko Takahashi.

Genre: Horror, Romance, Supernatural

Volumes: 2 

Yuta became immortal when he unwittingly ate mermaid flesh, and now he seeks a way to become human again. Hundreds of years later, he encounters a volatile and determined young lady named Mana while searching for a mermaid. Could this mysterious woman hold the key to saving Yuta’s humanity?

 

 

 

Moteki by Mitsurou Kubo; translation, Ko Ransom.

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Volumes: 2 
Yukiyo Fujimoto's life has been in a rut. He is about to turn 30 and has never held a steady job or had a girlfriend. When the prospects for hope seem to be at their lowest, suddenly his phone blows up! Out of the blue, he is contacted by several women from his past! His moteki-- his season of popularity-- has finally come!! Cupid's arrows have struck him repeatedly and, coincidentally, all at the same time! Yukiyo may seem to have more romantic options than he can handle, but is he ready for love? And are any of the women? The stage for love might be set, but the time might only be ripe for him to finally grow up!
 

My Brother's Husband by Gengoroh Tagame; translated from the Japanese by Anne Ishii.

Genre: Slice of Life

Volumes: 2

Yaichi is a work-at-home suburban dad in contemporary Tokyo; formerly married to Natsuki, father to their young daughter, Kana. Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, affable Canadian named Mike Flanagan, who declares himself the widower of Yaichi's estranged gay twin, Ryoji. Mike is on a quest to explore Ryoji's past, and the family reluctantly but dutifully takes him in. What follows is an unprecedented and heartbreaking look at the state of a largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture: how it's been affected by the West, and how the next generation can change the preconceptions about it and prejudices against it.

 

Mythical Beast Investigator story, Keishi Ayasato; art, Koichiro Hoshino; character designs, Lack; translation, Angela Liu; adaptation, Ysabet MacFarlane ; lettering and retouch, Simone Harrison.

Genre: Fantasy, Monster Boys, Mystery, Supernatural

Volumes: 2

In a dangerous land where fantastical creatures exist, humans must live beside dragons and other supernatural monsters. That’s where Mythical Beast Investigators like Ferry come in. Ferry might look like a young girl, but she has extensive knowledge of magical creatures and dreams of creating peace between humankind and monsters. With her otherworldly bodyguard Kushuna by her side, Ferry will work to calm any conflict, no matter where that takes her!

Planetes story and art Makoto Yukimura

Genre: Science Fiction

Volumes: Originally produced as 4 volumes that were collected into 2 2-in-1 omnibuses.

It's the 2070s, and mankind has conquered space, making interplanetary travel possible and igniting the imaginations of the world. It's also vastly increased the amount of dangerous space debris, and someone has to clean it up. Hachimaki, Yuri, and Fee are a crew on that beat, each with their own goals, tendencies, and personal problems: Hachimaki dreams of deep-space exploration in his own ship, Yuri is still recovering from the death of his wife in an accident caused by orbiting debris, and Fee is secretive, but there's a lot going on under the surface!

 

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (true) story & art by Nagata Kabi; translation, Jocelyne Allen; adaptation, Lianne Sentar.

Genre: Autobiographical

Volumes: 2*

The heart-rending autobiographical manga that's taken the internet by storm! My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman's exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this moving and highly entertaining single volume depicts not only the artist's burgeoning sexuality, but many other personal aspects of her life that will resonate with readers.

*My Solo Exchange Diary is the sequel. 

 

Shuriken and Pleats story & art by Matsuri Hino ; translation, Katherine Schilling ; touch-up art & lettering, Inori Kukuda Trant.

Genre: Action

Volumes: 2 

When the master she has sworn to protect is killed, Mikage Kirlo, a skilled ninja, travels to Japan to start a new, peaceful life for herself. But as soon as she arrives, she finds herself fighting to protect the life of Mahito Wakashimatsu, a man who is under attack by a band of ninja. From that time on, Mikage is drawn deeper in the machinations of his powerful family.
 

 

Angels of Death, Episode 0 original story by Makoto Sanada ; art by Kudan Naduka ; translation: Ko Ransom ; lettering: Anthony Quintessenza.

Genre: Horror

Volumes: 3  

As a prison counselor, Daniel Dickens is no stranger to odd encounters with inmates. But when a particularly aggressive prisoner enters his office claiming that his session with a priest left him 'fulfilled,' Danny, who has led an unsatisfying life, has to know more. During their meeting, Danny finds there's little he can hide from this mysterious clergyman, and when an offer comes his way, he'll have to make a decision that will change his life forever…

 

Emanon manga byShinji Kajio & Kenji Tsuruta; translation by Dana Lewis; lettering and touchup by Susie Lee and Betty Dong with Tom2K.

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 3

The year is 1967, and a young Japanese man is thinking about the future. On one side of the water, the war is raging in Vietnam; far away on the other side, the Apollo Project has just met with disaster as three astronauts die in a capsule fire. And here and now, on a long nighttime ferry ride back home, he will meet and fall in love with a mysterious young woman who carries a past deeper and more profound than his dreams and fears of tomorrow. Her name, she jokes, is no name--Emanon... and she can never be forgotten, any more than she can forget…

The Ghost in the Shell by Shirow Masamune; translation and English language adaptation Frederik L. Schodt and Toren Smith, additional translation Stephen Paul.

Genre: Science Fiction

Volumes: 3

In a near future, technology has firmly taken root into society at large. Cybernetic implants are nothing uncommon and robots roam as plentiful as humans, all connected through their "ghosts" to the electronic datastreams of the net. Major Motoko Kusanagi and the Public Security Section 9 find themselves in a constant battle with the newly created wave of technological terrorists and cyber-hackers. But things take a turn once Motoko gets involved in a certain case involving an extremely dangerous "ghost" hacker nicknamed the Puppeteer, as she dives deeper and deeper into the limitless reality of the net, to reach her own startling conclusions.

 

Giant Spider & Me: A Post-Apocalyptic Tale story & art by Kikori Morino; translation, Adrienne Beck; adaptation, Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane; lettering and retouch, Jennifer Sharupa.

Genre: Post-apocalyptic, slice of life

Volumes: 3

A young girl named Nagi and a giant spider make an unusual pair in this post-apocalyptic story, but living in the mountains is lonely, and they've managed to find each other. Join them in their strangely sweet domestic bliss as they spend their days sharing tea and throwing picnics, proving that love (and delicious food) can bring together even the most unlikely of friends.

Your Name original story: Makoto Shinkai; art: Ranmaru Kotone; translation by Taylor Engel; lettering by Abigail Blackman.

Genre: Fiction

Volumes: 3

Mitsuha, a high school girl living in a rural town deep in the mountains, has a dream that she is a boy living an unfamiliar life in Tokyo. Taki, a high school boy living in Tokyo, dreams that he is a girl living in the mountains. As they realize they are changing places, their encounter sets the cogs of fate into motion.

 

Uzumaki by Junji Ito; translation and English adaptation by Yuji Oniki; touch-up art and lettering by Susan Daigle-Leach.

Genre: Horror

Volumes: 3-in-1

Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but a pattern: UZUMAKI, the spiral—the hypnotic secret shape of the world. The bizarre masterpiece horror manga is now available all in a single volume. Fall into a whirlpool of terror!

 

Orange story and art by Ichigo Takano; translation, Amber Tamosaitis; adaptation, Shannon Fay; lettering and layout, Lys Blakeslee.

Genre: Fiction

Volumes: Originally published as 6 volumes that have been collected into 3 omnibuses

Everyone has regrets in life. So who wouldn't take the chance to change the past if given the opportunity? When sixteen-year-old Takamiya Naho receives a mysterious letter, claiming to be from her twenty-seven-year-old self, her life is suddenly thrown into flux. The letter informs her that a new transfer student by the name of Naruse Kakeru will be joining her class, and to keep her eye on him. What is Naho to make of the letter's contents and its cryptic warning?

Black Bullet by Morinohon, artist; Shiden Kanzaki, original story; Saki Ukai, character design; Nita Lieu, translation; Abigail Blackman, lettering.

Genre: Action, Post-apocalyptic

Volumes: 4 

The near future. A terrible battle against a parasitic virus called Gastrea has been fought--and lost. Humanity is cornered, and lives in despair. Rentaro and Enju face constant danger in their work as a team of specialists working for Civil Security, an agency dedicated to fighting Gastrea. Enju is one of the cursed children, who survived the virus and gained superhuman powers as a result. When a crazed former Civil Security agent threatens to destroy the final barrier that stands between Tokyo and the virus-ridden wastelands, can Rentaro and Enju protect a city that sees her as part of the problem?

The Drifting Classroom by Kazuo Umezz

Genre: Horror

Volumes: 9 collected into 3 omnibuses

In the aftermath of a massive earthquake, a Japanese elementary school is transported into a hostile world where the students and teachers are besieged by terrifying creatures and beset by madness. Out of nowhere, an entire school vanishes, leaving nothing but a hole in the ground. While parents mourn and authorities investigate, the students and teachers find themselves not dead but stranded in a terrifying wasteland where they must fight to survive.

Servant x Service presented by Karino Takatsu; translation: Amanda Haley; lettering: D. Kim.

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Volumes: 4 

On any given day in a certain city, in a certain public services office building down in the Health and Welfare Department, you just might run into a clerk with a tongue twister of a name, a huge flirt, a bundle of insecurity, and a cosplay maniac?!

 

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san by Honda; translation: Amanda Haley; lettering: Bianca Pistillo.

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

Volumes: 4

Ever wonder what it's like to sell comics at a Japanese bookstore? Honda provides a hilarious firsthand account from the front lines! Whether it's handling the store, out-ot-print books, or enthusiastic manga fans, Honda takes on every challenge!

 

Yukarism story and art by Chika Shiomi

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 4

Yukari Kobayakawa, an accomplished author at the age of 17, writes with amazingly accurate details about historical Japan. It turns out he has the ability to travel back in time…to his past life as a renowned courtesan in the Edo period! As he goes back and forth between the past and present, he unravels the karmic relationship he has with his beautiful classmate Mahoro Tachibana…

 

 

Blank Canvas: My So-called Artist's Journey story & art by Akiko Higashimura; translation : Jenny McKeon; adaptation, Ysabet MacFarlane; lettering and layout, Lys Blakeslee.

Genre: Autobiography, Slice of Life

Volumes: 5

High schooler Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka before she even graduates, but she needs to get much better at drawing if she ever wants to reach her goal. Looking for an easy fix, she signs up for an art class, thinking all her problems will soon be solved. She's in for a surprise: her new instructor is a sword-wielding taskmaster who doesn't care about manga one bit. But maybe this unconventional art teacher is just what she needs to realize her dreams!

Dragon Quest Monsters + story and art by Mine Yoshizaki; translation, Beni Axia Conrad; adaptation, Danielle King.

Genre: Fantasy

Volumes: 5 

Kleo dreams of becoming a gallant, monster-slaying hero, and when a twist of fate sees him whisked off to a strange and distant land, it seems he's finally got his chance. But the king doesn't want Kleo slaying monsters--he wants him training them, preparing mighty creatures to fight against the forces of darkness. Unfortunately, the kingdom's a little short on monsters at the moment...and Kleo's journey begins with only one sassy slime to back him up. It's a quirky quest with one majorly reluctant hero!

 

Frau Faust by Kore Yamazaki; translation: Stephen Paul; lettering: Lys Blakeslee.

Genre: Supernatural

Volumes: 5

More than a century after an eccentric scholar made an infamous deal with a devil, the story of Faust has passed into legend. However, the true Faust is not the stuffy, professorial man known in fairy tales, but a charismatic, bespectacled woman named Johanna Faust, who happens to still be alive. Searching for pieces of her long-lost demon, Johanna passes through a provincial town, where she saves a young boy named Marion from a criminal's fate. In exchange, she asks a simple favor of Marion, but Marion soon finds himself intrigued by the peculiar Doctor Faust and joins her on her journey. Thus begins the strange and wonderful adventures of Frau Faust!

 

Generation Witch story and art by Uta Isaki ; translation Jill Morita ; adaptation Janet Houck.

Genre: Fantasy, Slice of Life

Volumes: 5

In the world of Generation Witch, 1% of the population are witches. Most non-magical people look up to these witches and envy their power, but as witches already know, sometimes these abilities can be more of a curse than a blessing. When growing up already requires all the luck and effort a teenager can muster, what happens when you throw spirits, spell circles, and broomsticks into the mix?

 

Inside Mari by Shuzo Oshimi ; translator: Sheldon Drzka.

Genre: Mystery, Horror

Volumes: 5

College dropout Isao Komori wakes up one morning to find himself in the body of a high school girl, Mari Yoshizaki. How did this happen? Where is his body? And who exactly is this girl and what of the soul who previously inhabited the body he is possessing?

Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru by Masashi Kishimoto; illustrated by Akira Okubo.

Genre: Adventure, Samurai, Science fiction

Volumes: 5 

Only the most powerful warriors are able to transcend their human bodies and become something even greater--samurai. Samurai carry special souls within themselves and can travel through space as easily as walking the earth. Hachimaru has always dreamed of becoming a samurai, but he's as weak as they come. He's so sickly that he can't even eat solid foods. Being too weak to leave the house may have turned Hachimaru into an expert at video games, but with enough heart, could he become a true samurai?

Spell of Desire story & art by Tomu Ohmi ; English adaptation, Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane ; English translation, JN Productions.

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 5

Kaoruko Mochizuki runs an herb shop in a small seaside town. One day, a mysterious man dressed in black named Kaname Hibiki enters her shop and reveals that Kaoruko is actually a witch. And what's more, Kaoruko needs Kaname to help control her awakening power! Among the shocking news that Kaname imparts is that Kaoruko's mother is still alive and has entrusted Kaoruko with the immense power of the Witch Queen. As long as Kaoruko has that power, she will be the target of humans and demonic spirits alike. Kaname claims to be a "knight" that protects witches, but then he steals a kiss from Kaoruko!

The Summit of the Gods script by Yumemakura Baku; art, Jiro Taniguchi; [translation, Kumar Sivasubramanian].

Genre: Historical

Volumes: 5

'Because it's there.' George Herbert Leigh Mallory is said to have given this in reply to the question 'Why do you want to climb Mt. Everest?' On his third expedition in June 1924, Mallory and his climbing partner, Andrew Irvine, disappeared on the North-East ridge during their ascent, having been sighted only a few hundred metres from the summit. In 1993, in a small Nepalese store, Makoto Fukamachi, photographer for a Japanese expedition to conquer Mt Everest, stumbles across an old camera -- a Vest Pocket Autographic Kodak Special. Could it be Mallory's camera? Did it hold the secret of whether Mallory and Irvine made it to the summit?

 

 

Series that are Fewer than Ten Volumes

Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

Genre: Science Fiction

Volumes: 6

In Neo-Tokyo, built on the former site of Tokyo after World War III, two teenagers are targeted by agencies after they develop paranormal abilities.

Complex Age by Yui Sakuma ; translation, Alethea Nibley & Athena Nibley ; lettering, Evan Hayden ; editing, Ajani Oloye.

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 6

Twenty-six year old Nagisa Kataura has a secret. By all appearances, she's an average temp-worker, but beneath her business-casual exterior she's a dovoted cosplayer. Transforming into her favorite anime and manga characters is her passion in life, and her hard work and creativity has earned Nagisa respect amongst her cosplay cohorts. But to the rest of society, her hobby is a silly fantasy, so she has to keep her two worlds separate. However, as demands from both sides of her life begin to increase, she may one day have to make a tough choice...what's more importaant to her, cosplay or being "normal"?

 

Immortal Hounds by Ryo Yasohachi ; translation, Yota Okutani.

Genre: Action

Volumes: 6

In another reality, humans never die. If they get sick or injured, they simply 'kill' themselves--and immediately come back to life. But then a mysterious new disease, Resurrection Deficiency Syndrome, starts spreading through the populace via Vectors. The Anti-Vector Police Task Force is determined to solve the mystery of how RDS spreads, but the Escape Artists who use violent means to rescue Vectors seriously hamper the police's efforts. And just how do the Escape Artists always beat the cops to the scene of the crime...?

Wake up Sleeping Beauty story & art by Megumi Morino; translation Alethea and Athena Nibley; lettering, Lys Blakeslee ; editing, Haruko Hashimoto.

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 6

High schooler Tetsu Misato is hardworking, frugal, and easily scared, but he commits to a part-time job at the mansion on the hill—the one that's rumored to be haunted. As he toils away, he notices a building separate from the estate, and the mysterious girl who lives within it: Shizu Karasawa. Tetsu slowly becomes enchanted by Shizu's lonely smile, but by their second encounter, he quickly finds himself in over his head. There's an unsettling feeling he can't quite shake, but there's love there, too.           

Wonderland story & art by Yugo Ishikawa.

Genre: Horror, Supernatural

Volumes: 6  

Teenage girl Yukko awakens to find that she has shrunken in size-but this is no rabbit hole or fairy tale-this is real life! In a desperate and bloody struggle to stay alive, while fleeing giant predators and other twisted dangers, Yukko learns that she is not the only person who has turned tiny. Can she survive long enough to learn the truth behind her curious transformation?

 

Blame! (Master Edition) by Tsutomu Nihei

Genre: Science Fiction

Volumes: The Master Edition condenses the original 10 volumes into 6 volumes.            

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 Genea 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.

 

Sunny story and art by Taiyo Matsumoto; translation by Michael Arias; lettering by Deron Bennett; book design by Fawn Lau.

Genre: Drama, Slice of Life

Volumes: 6

The story of an orphanage, the children who live in it, and the beat-up old Nissan Sunny 1200 which provides a trio of boys with a means of escape from their bleak everyday lives.

 

 

 

Forbidden Scrollery story, Zun; art, Moe Harukawa; translation, ZephyrRZ; letttering, Alexis Eckerman.

Genre: Fantasy

Volumes: 7

Where else would a girl with the power to translate any tome she sets in her lap reside except a library? Sure, some books may be more dangerous than others, but that's far from discouragement for a true bibliophile like Kosuzu Motoori!

Forget Me Not original story: Mag Hsu ; art: Nao Emoto.

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 7

After an accident on his scooter, Yusuke Serizawa awakes to find himself in a hospital bed. The cause of the accident--the sight of a familiar face that distracted him. However, it turns out that the person who distracted him was also the person who called the ambulance for him, and whoever it was won't reveal their identity. All Yusuke knows is that this person is a woman from his past--someone that he loved and possibly wronged. Now Yusuke must search his memories of the women in his life to discover the identity of his guardian angel.

 

If I Could Reach You by tMnR; translation: Diana Taylor; lettering: Jennifer Skarupa.

Genre: Slice of Life, Yuri

Volumes: 7 

High schooler Uta must navigate living in close quarters with Kaoru: her first crush, her childhood friend...and now, her sister-in-law. After spending a year under the same roof with her brother and Kaoru, Uta witnesses the cracks in their marriage beginning to show. And when Uta becomes Kaoru's sole comfort and ally in their home, she is torn between her duty and her feelings. She just can't get over her...not yet.

 

An Incurable Case of Love story & art by Maki Enjoji; translation, JN Productions; touch-up art & lettering, Inori Fukuda Trant.

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 7 

After witnessing a handsome and charming young doctor save a stranger's life five years ago, Nanase Sakura trained to become a nurse. But when she meets the doctor again and they start working together, she finds Kairi Tendo to be nothing like the man she imagined him to be!
 

 

Phantom Thief Jeanne story and art by Arina Tanemura ; translation, Tetsuichiro Miyaki.

Genre: Magical Girl 

Volumes: 7 

High school student Maron Kusakabe has a secret: she's Phantom Thief Jeanne, the reincarnation of Joan of Arc. She sneaks into private art collections to steal paintings in which demons reside. Jeanne's task is to seal the demons before they can devour human hearts. So far she's been able to evade the police on her midnight outings, but now another thief has come onto the scene--Phantom Thief Sinbad--and he's trying to take the paintings before she does!
 

Record of Grancrest War original story by Ryo Mizuno ; story & art by Makoto Yotsuba ; character design by Miyuu ; translation, Satsuki Yamashita ; touch-up art & lettering, James Gaubatz.

Genre: Fantasy, Action

Volumes: 7  

When tragedy strikes during a wedding that would bring together the Fantasia Union and the Factory Alliance, Siluca finds herself with no choice but to forge a new future for the world. With the aid of Theo, a knight errant with great potential, she will go against the world’s order to achieve peace through the magical power of crests. And as Theo soon finds out, her methods are more than a little unorthodox!
 

A Silent Voice by Yoshitoki Oima ; [translation, lettering, Steven LeCroy].

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 7

Shoya is a bully. When Shoko, a girl who can't hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favorite target, and Shoya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children's cruelty goes too far. Shoko is forced to leave the school, and Shoya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shoya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?

 

 

Devil Survivor story by Atlus; manga, Satoru Matsuba; character design, Yasuda Suzuhito; translator, Alethea Nibley & Athena Nibley; letterer, Paige Pumphrey.

Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Video Game Tie In

Volumes: 8 

After demons break through into the human world, Tokyo must be quarantined. Without power and stuck in a supernatural warzone, 17-year-old Kazuya has only one hope: he must use the COMP, a device created by his cousin Naoya capable of summoning and subduing demons, to defeat the invaders and take back the city.

 

Fire Punch story and art by Tatsuki Fujimoto ; translation: Christine Dashiell ; touch-up art & lettering: Snir Aharon.

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Dystopia

Volumes: 8 

In the not-too-distant past, the Ice Witch blankets the world in snow, starvation, and madness, leading the inhabitants to seek their salvation in fire. With that, an unusual destiny unfolds for two young orphans, Agni and Luna, blessed with the ability to regenerate. But will this ability prove to be more of a curse than a blessing?

Bloom into You story & art, Nakatani Nio ; translation, Jenny McKeon; adaptation, Jenn Grunigen ; lettering and retouch, CK Russell.

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 8

Yuu has always loved shoujo manga and yearns for the day when someone might give her a love confession that would send her heart aflutter. Yet when a junior high school classmate confesses his feelings to her--she feels nothing. Disappointed and confused, Yuu enters high school, where she sees the confident and beautiful student council member Nanami. When the next person to confess to Yuu is Nanami herself, has her romantic dream finally come true?

Mixed Vegetables story & art by Ayumi Komura ; English translation, JN Productions ; English adaptation, Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic.

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 8

Hanayu Ashitaba is the daughter of the celebrated Patisserie Ashitaba, but all she wants to do is be a sushi chef. Hayato Hyuga is the son of the prestigious Sushi Hyuga, and all he wants to do is be a pastry chef. It's love and leftovers in the Oikawa High School Cooking Department.

 

 

O Maidens in Your Savage Season story by Mari Okada ; art by Nao Emoto.

Genre: Comedy, Made into Anime, Romance, School Life

Volumes: 8 

As a teen, how do you start thinking about sex? This debut manga from anime legend Mari Okada (Maquia) follows five girls and their five moving, funny, and mortifying answers. Join their bittersweet (and a little spicy) journey from girlhood to … whatever comes next!

Kazusa’s first high school literature club meeting starts with five girls being asked, “What’s one thing you want to do before you die?” When one of them blurts out, “Sex,” it launches these new friends down a raucous, embarrassing, all-too-relatable path.

Pluto. 001 Urasawa X Tezuka by Naoki Urasawa and Osamu Tezuka ; co-authored with Takashi Nagasaki ; [translation, Jared Cook & Frederick L. Schodt.]

Genre: Science Fiction

Volumes: 8

In a world where man and robots coexist, the powerful Swiss robot Mont Blanc has been destroyed. Elsewhere a key figure in a robot rights group is murdered. The two incidents appear to be unrelated…except for one very conspicuous clue —the bodies of both victims have been fashioned into some sort of bizarre collage complete with makeshift horns placed by the victims' heads. Interpol assigns robot detective Gesicht to this most strange and complex case - and he eventually discovers that he too, as one of the seven great robots of the world, is one of the targets. 

 

Sweet Blue Flowers story and art by Takako Shimura; translation & adaptation, John Werry; touch-up art & lettering, Monalisa De Asis.

Genre: Romance, Yuri 

Volumes: 8

Akira Okudaira is starting high school and is ready for exciting new experiences. And on the first day of school, she runs into her best friend from kindergarten at the train station. Now Akira and Fumi have the chance to rekindle their friendship, but life has gotten a lot more complicated since they were kids. Fumi is glad Akira is back in her life. Even in kindergarten, Akira knew how to stand up for herself, and she was always willing to stand up for Fumi too. But Fumi's first love recently got married, and Fumi is grappling with a broken heart and the fact that her sweetheart was another woman. Can Akira's open heart help dispel the gloom Fumi has been caught up in?

 

Tomo-chan is a Girl! story and art by Fumita Yanagida ; translation, Jennifer O'Donnell ; adaptation, T. Campbell ; lettering and retouch, Carolina Hernández Mendoza.

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life, Romance

Volumes: 8 

Boyish high school girl Aizawa Tomo finally manages to tell her childhood friend Jun that she's got a crush on him. Unfortunately, her confession goes right over his head-- he didn't even realize she was a girl until middle school, and even now, Jun still thinks of her as a bro! How can Tomo-chan possibly convince him otherwise and win Jun's heart?

Erased by Kei Sanbe ; translation, Sheldon Drzka ; lettering, Abigail Blackman.

Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction

Volumes: 9

Twenty-nine-year-old Satoru Fujinuma is floundering through life. Amid his daily drudgery, he finds himself in the grip of an incredible, inexplicable, and uncontrollable phenomenon that rewinds time, a condition that seems to only make his drab life worse. But then, one day, everything changes. A terrible incident forever changes Satoru's life as he knows it...and with it, comes a "Revival" that sends Satoru eighteen years into the past!

 

Everyone's Getting Married story and art by Izumi Miyazono; translation, Katherine Schilling; touch-up art and lettering, Inori Fukuda Trant.

Genre: Romance

Volumes: 9

Successful career woman Asuka Takanashi has an old-fashioned dream of getting married and becoming a housewife. After her long-term boyfriend breaks up with her to pursue his own career goals, she encounters popular newscaster Ryu Nanami. Asuka and Ryu get along well, but the last thing he wants is to ever get married. This levelheaded pair who want the opposite things in life should never get involved, except…

 

Hour of the Zombie story and art by Tsukasa Saimura ; translation, Elina Ishikawa ; adaptation, Janet Houck ; lettering and cover, Nicky Lim.

Genre: Horror

Volumes: 9

Life is good for Nikaidou Akira as he spends his days at school alongside his friends and long-time crush, Kurumi. That is, until the day everything changes. Students suddenly turn into frenzied zombies, attacking and gorging themselves on one another. Then just as abruptly, they stop! Or…do they? What caused this to happen? And how can Akira and his friends possibly survive when they don’t know who will be the next to turn?

Kiss of the Rose Princess story & art by Aya Shouoto ; Translation, Tetsuiehiro Miyaki.

Genre: Romance, Harem

Volumes: 9 

Anise Yamamoto has been told that if she ever removes the rose choker given to her by her father, a terrible punishment will befall her. Unfortunately she loses that choker when a bat-like being named Ninufa falls from the sky and hits her. Ninufa gives Anise four cards representing four knights whom she can summon with a kiss. But now that she has these gorgeous men at her beck and call, what exactly is her quest?!

Series that are 10 Volumes

 

Barefoot Gen: A Cartoon Story of Hiroshima by Keiji Nakazawa; translated by Project Gen.

Genre: Historical

Volumes: 10

This harrowing story of Hiroshima was one of the original Japanese manga series. New and unabridged, this is an all-new translation of the author's first-person experiences of Hiroshima and its aftermath, is a reminder of the suffering war brings to innocent people.

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju by Haruko Kumota ; translator, Matt Alt ; lettering, Hiroko Mizuno.

Genre: Drama

Volumes: 10

A hapless young man is released from prison with nothing to his name, but he knows exactly what he wants: to train in the art of rakugo comedic storytelling. After seeing an unforgettable performance from one of Japan's greatest masters, Yakumo Yurakutei VIII, during his time in jail, he will settle for nothing less than to become apprentice to the best. Yakumo, notorious for taking no students, is persuaded to take him on, and nicknames him Yotaro—the fool. Yotaro has no formal training or elegance, but something about his charisma reminds Yakumo of someone from his past.

 

Dreamin' Sun story and art by Ichigo Takano; translation, Amber Tamosaitis; adaptation, Shannon Fay ; lettering and retouch, Lys Blakeslee.

Genre: Slice of Life, Romance

Volumes: 10

Shimana Kameko feels out of place in her own home. Her mother is dead and her father and step-mom only seem to care about Kameko's six-month-old baby brother. When Kameko decides to skip school and runs away to a nearby park, she stumbles upon a mysterious man in a kimono. The stranger, Fujiwara Taiga, offers Kameko a place to stay...on three conditions. The first condition is that Kameko must tell him why she ran away from home. The second is that she must retrieve his missing house key. The third condition is to have a dream and fall in love. Kameko's never been in love or had a dream of her own before, but to secure her own apartment, she's willing to try!

The Girl from the Other Side: Vol. 1, Siúil, a Rún story and art by Nagabe; translation, Adrienne Beck ; adaptation, Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane.

Genre: Dark fantasy, mystery 

Volumes: 10

In a land far away, there were two kingdoms: the Outside, where twisted beasts roamed that could curse with a touch, and the Inside, where humans lived in safety and peace. The girl and the beast should never have met, but when they do, a quiet fairytale begins.

 

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Book summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.