The world of Japanese manga and anime is bigger and better than ever, and fans have endless options for finding new series to read or watch. Some fans will start with the classics such as Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon, or recently-completed titles such as Demon Slayer's manga or perhaps Tokyo Ghoul. That way, the reader gets the satisfaction of being able to finish the entire story at their own pace.
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Meanwhile, manga enthusiasts new and experienced alike can also dive into the many ongoing shonen manga series to keep pace with current manga trends. At some point, the reader will get all caught up, then eagerly await new chapters every week with the rest of the crowd, which is fun in its own way. A handful of shonen manga series stands out as the best for new fans to lose themselves in.
Update on October 21st, 2024 by Sage Ashford: Shonen manga continues to expand in popularity, with new series releasing every month. At the same time though, many long-time favorites like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen have come to an end. While that leaves fans without some classic fan-favorites, it just means there's more time to check out new series. This list has been updated to reflect the current, ever-changing landscape of shonen manga.
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20 Kill Blue Features An Assassin Learning How Much Fun School Is
6 Volumes
Tadatoshi Fujimaki is well on his way to creating another hit with Kill Blue, an action-comedy that feels like a combination between Case Closed and Assassination Classroom. The lead protagonist is Juzo Ogami, a middle-aged hitman working for the Z.O.O. syndicate. However, Juzo gets stung by a wasp that changes his DNA, reducing him to being 12 years old again. Until his organization can fix him, they put him on a mission that involves him attending middle school.
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What makes Kill Blue so funny is while other old men would be annoyed, Juzo is excited to go to school. Having missed the experience the first time, he’s excited to make friends and actually learn things not related to his job. This series is one of Weekly Shonen Jump’s most successful new series, thanks largely to just how much fun it is to watch Juzo adjust to school life.
19 Galaxias Sends A Strange Pair On A Grand Adventure
9 Chapters
With Galaxias, creator Ao Hatezaka has successfully created a shonen series with a vast, intriguing world that fantasy fans will love. The series follows a young girl named Jio, who lives on an island away from the rest of society. Though Jio wants nothing more than to leave, her father refuses her the chance. Yet everything changes when she meets an amnesiac man she names Neraid, who helps her finally experience the grand adventure she always wanted.
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While it's still early on, Galaxias manages to avoid many of battle manga’s most common tropes. Each chapter still feels more like a fun journey than an excuse to fight. Still, the world building is top-notch, as they’ve managed to introduce several huge mysteries with each new chapter.
18 Ichi the Witch Shows Being A Witch Isn’t Just A Woman’s Game
7 Chapters
Shiro Usazaki and Osamu Nishi’s latest manga might be new, but it has the most potential to be a massive hit. A fantasy series unlike anything else on the market right now, Ichi the Witch takes place in a world where women wield the power of magic by defeating beings known as Magiks. There’s never been a man capable of defeating Magiks...at least, not until a young boy named Ichi comes along.
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A master hunter, Ichi manages to defeat his first Magik through his superior hunting skills, and gets rewarded by being the first man ever to become a Witch. Ichi the Witch is new, but it’s already shown off some creative worldbuilding, and a surprising amount of comedy for an otherwise serious series. With the gorgeous art provided by Usazaki, Ichi the Witch is an easy, delightful read new readers can get into without much investment.
17 Komi Can't Communicate Shows The Challenges In Making Friends In High School
34 Volumes
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Komi Can't Communicate, by Tomohito Oda, is a lovely slice-of-life romantic comedy shonen series featuring the silent protagonist Shoko Komi. She is a beautiful dandere who is determined to break out of her shell and make some friends for the first time. In fact, she wants 100 of them. Of course, making friends is a bit difficult when one doesn't speak, so fortunately, her first new friend, Hitohito is willing to help her out.
Shoko Komi's life will be forever changed when she expands her social circle at school, and she has all kinds of fun going to the pool, having snowball fights, and taking part in school festival activities. Thanks to its slice-of-life elements, Komi Can't Communicate feels like a blend between shonen and shoujo, meaning anyone can approach it. It's also largely episodic in nature, making it feel easy even for new readers to jump in.
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16 Chainsaw Man Offers A Gritty Deconstruction Of Battle Shonen
18 Volumes
Since getting an anime, author Tatsuki Fujimoto's hit series Chainsaw Man has been all over the place, and it's easy to see why. This bloody, brutal, and funny shonen series both adheres to and viciously deconstructs everything that makes shonen what it is. It has to be read to be believed.
The hero is Denji, a punkish boy who can turn into Chainsaw Man to destroy devils. Meanwhile, his own allies Power and Makima are nearly as monstrous as the creatures they're supposed to destroy. New fans have fallen for Chainsaw Man because of its gritty nature and willingness to be so different from the average shonen series.
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15 Kaiju No. 8 Reminds Readers How Hard It Is To Follow One's Dreams
13 Volumes
Author Naoya Matsumoto delighted the shonen manga community with the hit series Kaiju No. 8 . For one, it provides more awesome kaiju battles, which are usually reserved for live-action. But there's more to it than that, as the protagonist Kafka Hibino is a 30-something trying his best to follow a life-long dream, even if he has to risk everything to do it.
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While Kafka manages to join the Anti-Kaiju Defense Force, he doesn't quite have the talent for it. Instead, he tends to rely on his strange new ability to transform into a kaiju himself. At risk of being caught, he continues fighting to protect his city and his friends. Kaiju No. 8 manages to balance between being hilarious and serious, giving shonen fans one of the most complete experiences on the market.
14 Undead Unluck Features The Perfect Fighting Pair
23 Volumes
Undead Unluck feels a tad obscure compared to household names like Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia, but Yoshifumi Tozuka's charming shonen manga series is still worth a read. It's certainly more weird than any other battle shonen most people will read, though it is quickly gaining popularity thanks to the recent anime. This is the tale of Fuuko Izumo, a Japanese girl who drains away everyone's good luck with her Negator ability.
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This often has fatal results, so Fuuko tends to stay away from people. But then she meets Andy, an immortal man who is determined to end his life somehow. The two of them make for an odd but fun pair, and their clashing Negator abilities play off each other well.
13 Spy X Family Has One Of The Most Wholesome Families In Anime
14 Volumes
Author Tatsuya Endo's shonen series Spy x Family has quickly become one of the biggest names in the manga world, and the adventure is still going strong. Watching the series it's almost impossible not to fall in love with the characters, which is doubtless why the anime and manga both have become such hits. The series takes place in a Cold War setting where the nations of Westalis and Ostania are on the brink of war, and spies are everywhere.
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The hero is the Westalis spy Twilight, now going by Loid Forger, who is determined to discover Ostania's deepest secrets. But first, he must pose as a family man, and his telepath foster daughter Anya is now a part of the mission, too. Meanwhile, Loid's new wife, Yor, is secretly Ostania's #1 assassin. It's a simple enough concept that Endo keeps fresh by adding more layers to all the characters, delving into their backstories and the story of the world itself.
12 Gokurakugai's Problem Solvers Are Easy To Become Fans Of
4 Volumes
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Originally a one-shot, Yuto Sano’s supernatual battle manga Gokurakugai was enough of a hit to become a monthly part of Jump Square. The series feels like a modern twist on the classic shonen series Get Backers, centering on two characters who are problem-solvers in a dangerous world. Gokurakugai’s protagonists are Tao and Alma, who normally do odd jobs unless their work takes them into conflict with strange, human-eating monsters known as maga.
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The early part of Gokurakugai is episodic, taking on a case of the week nature. Still, this is fitting for new readers as it gives them time to get used to the universe. Plus, it isn’t long before they start developing some long-running plot threads that will leave readers hooked. Both Tao and Alma have their own goals, and they’ll have to work together if they mean to achieve them.
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11 Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! Will Leave Fans Convinced Of Hokkaido's Awesomeness
13 Volumes
The delightful rom-com Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!, written by Kai Ikada, has only a limited release in the West, currently only available for free on the Manga Plus website and app. That makes it a hidden gem of a shonen manga, and anyone who finds it is in for a treat. It's not a complex series, but provides some adorable, wholesome light reading.
Hokkaido Gals is a high school romance set in the chilly Hokkaido prefecture, where the everyman protagonist Tsubasa Shiki just moved. He meets a gorgeous and friendly gyaru named Minami Fuyuki, who welcomes him to her hometown, her school, and most of all, her everyday life. While the series does spend a lot of time hyping up the Hokkaido area, it's still too delightful to pass on.
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10 Dandadan Combines The Weirdness Of Sci-Fi And The Supernatural
16 Volumes
Dandadan is a supernatural thriller from the mind of Yukinobu Tatsu. One of the Weekly Shonen Jump series from this decade, Dandadan quickly found a massive audience just before getting an anime. After only two years, it was already one of the most popular series on Shonen Jump+, so shonen fans looking for something fresh are encouraged to try Dandadan.
Dandadan stars a boy named Ken and a girl named Momo, who have clashing views on whether aliens or ghosts exist. To their shock, they realize firsthand that both aliens and ghosts are indeed real, and their adventures will only get weirder from there. With ridiculous characters like Mr. Mantis Shrimp and Turbo Granny, Dandadan will appeal most to new readers who enjoy the completely absurd.
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9 Astro Royale Combines Faction Warfare With Battle Shonen Action
2 Volumes
Just months finishing Tokyo Revengers, author Ken Wakui transitioned to Astro Royale, a series that’s also about gang faction warfare...only this time with superpowers. The series follows Hibaru Yotsurugi, the son of the leader of the Yotsurugi yakuza clan. Though Hibaru is meant to lead the clan, he chooses his best friend to take over the job instead. However, everything changes when a meteor shower suddenly grants special powers to members of the clan.
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Astro Royale feels a lot like Tokyo Revengers, only with a protagonist that can actually fight. While Hibaru is a more traditional shonen lead, his mission is anything but traditional. Watching Hibaru fight his clan while trying his hardest to keep them together is compelling, and this series has potential to be the next big battle shonen manga.
8 Sakamoto Days Features A Hitman Who Wants To Live A Peaceful Life
18 Volumes
Sakamoto Days is a comedy action series that may appeal to fans of Spy x Family and The Way of the Househusband. Written by Yuto Suzuki, Sakamoto Days stars Taro Sakamoto, an elite hitman who gave up his violent career to work at a convenience store instead.
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Sakamoto hoped to get away from the underworld of criminals and violence, but to his dismay, hitmen are still following him and making attempts on his life. So, it's up to Sakamoto to use wacky methods to fight these people off, preferably without shedding too much blood along the way. This series has managed to become popular enough to get greenlit for an anime, so now's the time for readers to get into it if they want to get into it before it becomes too popular.
7 Witch Watch Sees A Witch And An Ogre Forced To Live With One Another
18 Volumes
Witch Watch is a charming fantasy shonen anime that may appeal to fans of Flying Witch and Little Witch Academia. This ongoing shonen manga, written by Kenta Shinohara, stars the teenage witch Nico Wakatsuki, who just finished magical training and moved into a house with her ogre friend Moihito.
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Mirohito is destined to become Nico's familiar, and Nico can't wait, since Morihito is her longtime crush. That adds some rom-com elements to this charming shonen title, and then there's all the magic and monsters that keep popping up in their daily lives to keep them on their toes. Given this is from the creator of SKET Dance, it shouldn't come as a surprise this series is able to easily navigate between hilarious slice of life and more dramatic scenes, as all of Nico's friends work to protect her against a mysterious prophecy.
6 Blue Box Combines The Best Elements Of Sports And Romance Manga
17 Volumes
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The ongoing shonen manga series Blue Box, written by Kouji Miura, has a fairly large fanbase since it blends elements of sports manga and romantic comedy into a single, cohesive package. The protagonist is the teenage Taiki Inomata, who practices his chosen sport every morning: badminton.
Taiki isn't alone; he's got his slightly older classmate and crush Chinatsu Kano, who practices basketball in the morning as well. Then Chinatsu moves into Taiki's household, and while they keep practicing their respective sports, Taiki hopes to build a real relationship with Chinatsu and find true happiness. Sports fans will find themselves drawn to the competitive element of Blue Box, while romance fans will love the effort they put into developing the manga's relationships.
5 Call Of The Night Tells A Romantic Story About A Boy And His Vampire
20 Volumes
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Call of the Night is a fantasy shonen manga by author Kotoyama that stars the dandere male lead Ko Yamori, an 8th grader who feels lost in mainstream society. He wandered the night alone to figure himself out, until he met an outgoing vampire girl named Nazuna Nanakusa. WNazuna begins a wacky but fun friendship with Ko, encouraging him to enjoy his nightly life.
Over time, Ko decides he enjoys the night life, but also wants to be a vampire like Nazuna. There's just one issue: the only way for him to become a vampire is by falling in love with Nazuna. Call of the Night is a sweet romance series that will appeal to both romcom lovers and nite-owls alike.
4 Akane-Banashi Places A Spotlight On The World Of Rakugo
13 Volumes
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Akane-Banashi is an ongoing shonen manga that's all about traditional Japanese comedy, or rakugo. Written by Yuki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue, Akane-Banashi stars the female lead, Akane Osaki, always admired her rakugo performer father. Then her father failed an exam to become a higher-ranked performer.
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Akane felt terrible for her father, then decided to secretly learn the ways of rakugo for herself and succeed against all odds. She will also prove to the world that rakugo is a respectable form of entertainment, and she'll work her hardest to keep her audiences laughing with her rakugo tales. Another series that breaks from the norm, Akane-Banashi starts out breaking traditional shonen conventions and just continues finding ways to innovate, making it one of the best Weekly Shonen Jump manga.
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3 The Elusive Samurai Features The Most Unlikely Shonen Protagonist
17 Volumes
The Elusive Samurai, written by Yusei Matsui, is currently being published in Japan's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since 2021. This is a historical shonen manga taking place in Japan's colorful past, starring the real-life historical figure Hojo Tokiyuki as a fleet-footed samurai. Given the series comes from the creator of Assassination Classroom, Elusive Samurai still maintains that same sense of seriousness mixed with a light-hearted sense of humor that creates a compelling read.
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Hojo's family was overthrown, so it's up to him to avenge them and regain his glory somehow. It won't be easy, though, since he has few allies. Even worse, since he's so young his main strategy is not to fight, but to flee his enemies and cleverly hide from them like a wily rogue. It makes him unlike any other protagonist, as his primary tactic isn't to fight head on, but to exhaust and trick his opponent.
2 RuriDragon Details How Hard Puberty Can Be For Half-Dragons
2 Volume
RuriDragon is one of Weekly Shonen Jump's most recent manga series, launching in 2022 and having one manga volume to its name so far. Written by author Masaoki Shindo, RuriDragon stars a schoolgirl named Ruri Aoki who wakes up one day with horns on her forehead.
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Ruri's mother wasn't shocked – in fact, she expected this to happen, because Ruri is half-dragon. Now Ruri must go to school like usual, and there, she'll get more than a little attention as a horned girl with a draconic bloodline in her veins.
1 Me & Roboco Proves Robots Can Be An Amazing Source Of Humor
19 Volumes
Me & Roboco is a fantasy comedy manga series written by author Shuhei Miyazaki. It's a colorful, goofy slice-of-life manga that follows the young protagonist Bondo Taira, an elementary school student who longs to have a robot maid of his own because everyone else has one. When he finally convinces his mom to get a maid, though, he finds he's getting more than what he asked for.
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While Bondo's friends have beautiful robot maids, Roboco is a clumsy but powerful OrderMaid who causes a lot of trouble. Still, Bondo quickly finds himself liking her as a friend, even feeling lonely when she's not around. With such a wacky robot maid under his roof, Bondo's life gets seriously strange, with sheer hilarity ensuing.