5 Manga Recommendations for Beginners
Whether you’re new to manga or new to reading as a whole, these manga recommendations will reel you in. Some are popular and some are less-known, but regardless, these manga series will keep you wanting more!
1. Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto
Synopsis:
Following a betrayal, a young man left for dead is reborn as a powerful devil-human hybrid after merging with his pet devil and is soon enlisted into an organization dedicated to hunting devils.
Why should you read?
- Fast-paced but easy to follow
- Likeable and diverse characters
- Funny dialogue and intense action scenes
- Very popular right now, so it would be easy to engage with others about it
2. Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami
Synopsis:
Although Yuji Itadori looks like your average teenager, his immense physical strength is something to behold! Every sports club wants him to join, but Itadori would rather hang out with the school outcasts in the Occult Research Club. One day, the club manages to get their hands on a sealed cursed object. Little do they know the terror they’ll unleash when they break the seal…
Why should you read?
- Original and entertaining plot
- Character development is done extremely well
- Heartwarming subplots
- Art style is unique and distinct
- (Fanservice for the girls…)
3. Blood on the Tracks by Shuzo Oshimi
Synopsis:
Ordinary middle school student Seiichi Osabe receives love and care from his mother Seiko. Until one summer an incident changes the family dynamic forever. This is a story of a mother’s love that has gone too far….
Trigger Warnings: depression, suicide, trauma, emotional incest, murder/death, mental illness.
Why should you read?
- Perfect for psychological horror lovers
- Thought-proving and multi-dimensional
- Very original (but disturbing…) plot
- Thrilling moments keep you on your toes
4. Kaiju No. 8 Naoya Matsumoto
Synopsis:
With the highest kaiju-emergence rates in the world, Japan is no stranger to attack by deadly monsters. Enter the Japan Defense Force, a military organization tasked with the neutralization of kaiju. Kafka Hibino, a kaiju-corpse cleanup man, has always dreamed of joining the force. But when he gets another shot at achieving his childhood dream, he undergoes an unexpected transformation. How can he fight kaiju now that he’s become one himself?!
Why should you read?
- A story about the underdog
- Likeable characters
- Romance sub-plot
- Comedic dialogue
5. The Promised Neverland
Synopsis:
Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as “Mom,” all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes and the perfect environment to learn—what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.
Why should you read?
- Gripping, original plot
- Unique and distinctive artstyle
- A story about family, redemption, and justice
- Great pacing
- The manga is unanimously better than the anime
book balms! 