The manga is a work that differs from other genres of literature. Sometimes funny and mixed with adventures, it can be characterized by violence and a deep reflection on our world. Here is the TOP 10 of the best manga!
The « manga » format is now part of the popular culture. The biggest names have allowed some works to explode in the West and reach thousands of people. Here is what these fans had to say when asked about the 10 best mangas of all time.
Whether the work is funny, violent or thoughtful, everyone can appreciate this Japanese art because the themes evoked are all different and are all brought to life with maturity. This fictional literature allows for original expression and shows a rare creativity. It is no coincidence that the animated version of these mangas has become so popular in Europe, which is simply referred to as animes.
Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece… but which one is the best? Tastes, colors, everyone will obviously not agree with this classification. On the other hand, each of the presented works has, at its own scale, favored the popularization of manga and has brought something new in this art. Here is the TOP 10 of the best Japanese works!
10. Gunnm
10th of our ranking, but last of this top, is Gunnm. Released in 1990, this manganous seinen plunges into the universe of Gally, a young cyborg who is in reality a terrible fighter.
This dystopia puts in scene humans who have mutated thanks to cybernetics. The dark and violent atmosphere of the manga makes it unique. The work has benefited from a film adaptation with Alita: Battle Angel in 2019!
9. Hunter x Hunter
Released in 1998, Hunter x Hunter tells the story of Gon Freecss, a young child who dreams of becoming a Hunter.
A real commercial success with 65 million copies sold, Hunter X Hunter remains a reference in shonenmanga!
8. Death Note
Released in 2003, Death Note is the work of Tsugumi Oba. It plunges us into the world of Light Yagami, a gifted high school student.
His pejorative vision of the world leads him to find by chance the famous Death Note book which can decide the cause of death of an individual. The mythical and charismatic god of death, Ryuk, helped popularize this manga.
The dark and unique universe was an immediate success. 26.5 million copies of the work were sold! The narration and the scenario made this manga one of the most appreciated in the world.
7. Attack on Titans
Attack on Titans, created by Hajime Isayama, was released in 2009. The success of such a work lies mainly in its mixture of gore, horror, fantasy and thriller.
Recently, it is mostly the anime that has been exported and not the manga, which is why SnK is only at this 7th place.
In 2018, the manga had sold 86 million copies: a monster success.
6. GTO
GTO, for Great Teacher Onisuka, dates from 1997. Written by Toru Fujisawa, this shonen tells us the story of Eikichi Onizuka, a 22 years old teacher not quite common.
Dark past, cool and relaxed aspect, this teacher and this manga have marked by their vision of the Japanese education particularly dark.
The success is also explained by a non-conformism of teaching, which is something sacred in Japan. More than 37 million volumes have been sold internationally!
5. Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist is a manga first released in 2001. Created by Hiromu Arakawa, the work takes place in the country of Amestris where we follow the brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric.
The two protagonists will travel the world in search of the famous philosopher’s stone but will leave many feathers… The maturity of the themes present in the manga are its main strength: disability, science, genocide, quality of life…
4. Berserk
Berserk was created in 1989 by Kentaro Miura. If, after 30 years, it is still so popular, it is largely thanks to its trashy universe.
Its magnificent visual effects will immerse you in the universe of Guts and Griffith, two mercenaries. The success of the manga is due to its lack of taboo: all the dark sides of the human society are evoked (pedophilia, rape, massacre).
In total the manga has sold 35 million copies.
3. One Piece
One Piece is simply the best-selling manga in history. With 470 million copies sold!
The work of Eiichiro Oda has marked a whole generation since 1997 and when the announcement of the serious illness of the man was made, the fans were terrified. First of all, the manga had to take a long break and was almost cancelled with only a few chapters to go.
Then, at the same time, an official One Piece x Gucci collaboration appeared on the Internet and left the regular readers perplexed.
Finally, One Piece was planned as a series on Netflix, and this was later confirmed with the recovery of Eiichiro Oda.
2. Naruto
This is THE manga of the 2000s. It’s the story of a young teenage orphan who wants to become the leader of his ninja village. With its retro-futuristic universe, its neat fights and incredible plots, Masashi Kishimoto’s manga has sold more than 250 million copies in the world.
It is a social phenomenon as it has marked the children of the 2000s. Some fictional aspects of the work have been transferred to the real world, such as the famous Naruto-Run.
Such a success makes this manga one of the names, if not THE name, of manga the most known in the world.
And the many video games and Naruto Merchandise are not for nothing!
1. Dragon Ball
There was no real surprise for the first position. It is the most famous manga in the world, the work that has crossed all borders and eras.
Dragon Ball, released in 1984 and created by Akira Toriyama, tells the story of Son Goku, a super-powered little boy who goes in search of the seven crystal balls. Everything in this manga has become cult, including the few scenes that were censored during the anime adaptation!
Special mention for Slam Dunk, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, City Hunter or Fairy Tail which also deserved to be in this ranking.