ComicsThe top 10 manga of 2024When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ComicsThe top 10 manga of 2024When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Crunchyroll / Kodansha)
Our list of thebest manga of 2023featured several new series as well as a few others that had recently reached a new peak. Those manga are still running, series like Dandadan are burning brighter than ever on the back of hit anime adaptations, and all of them are worth reading. I’m still reading them! But I won’t mention them again here. This year, I’ve found it a bit easier to discover all-new manga that only just received an English release physically or digitally. Maybe there was a bumper crop of manga in 2024 or maybe I’m just one person with limited time and unavoidable favorites. It might be that.
Whatever the cause, I’m pleased to report that this list is a bit fresher, filled with exciting newcomers that grabbed me within a few dozen chapters, which is generally what I’ve focused on evaluating given their newer English localizations. I’m sorry if your favorite isn’t on here and I hope you find something you like. The top three, in particular, have an iron grip on my heart and stomach. All that being said, here are our picks for the top 10 manga of 2024.
10. Gachiakuta
(Image credit: Kodansha / BONES)
9. The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy At All
(Image credit: Arai Sumiko)
It is such a rare treat to hold a physical volume of a web comic in your hands. How nice it was to see this series make the transition to full-fat serialization. The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy At All started on the Twitter account of creator Sumiko Arai – a punk-rock, black-on-green romcom about a fashionable girl who doesn’t realize her music shop crush is the nerdy girl who sits near her at school. It’s snowballed into a sweet and stumbling series that, when not fervently dodging the yuri allegations, delivers some of the best expressions and illustrations drawn this year. Every chapter makes me smile.
8. Hirayasumi
(Image credit: VIZ Media)
7. Wild Strawberry
(Image credit: VIZ Media / Shonen Jump)
Comparisons can become a crutch as well as backhanded criticism, but I’ve found it impossible to read Wild Strawberry without thinking of several other series. Tokyo Ghoul rings in my mind like a fire alarm, but there are flashes of Chainsaw Man, Kaiju No. 8, and Parasyte too. A world overrun with infectious plant monsters called Jinka robs Kingo of his sister’s humanity and then his own life, only for her Jinka form to parasitize and revive him, their minds loosely intertwined. Kingo wants his sister, Kayano, to truly live again. The anti-Jinka Flower Funeral Force – I simply cannot get over this name – wants them both under careful watch. The backdrop is a mysterious, irresponsibly detailed post-apocalypse filled with stunning cityscapes that mother nature has violently reclaimed. The series treats the plant motif as a blank check to churn out some of the most disturbing and memorable monsters to grace a manga in ages. Even the most familiar ideas feel fresh when they look like this.
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6. A Brief Moment of Ichika
(Image credit: Kodansha)
I’ve spent decades watching chronic illness steal from my loved ones, so a story about a terminally ill college girl pursuing a terminally ill professor was almost guaranteed to hit a soft spot. But A Brief Moment of Ichika is only this high on the list because creator Natsu Tadano handles the subject with grace and empathy. It’s cleanly, cutely drawn slice of life stuff, so I was, predictably, immediately into it, but also a little on the fence for the first few chapters. It was chapter 10 that gave me the kick to the Adam’s apple I’d been waiting for. This series is not always fun or easy reading, but it is compelling.
5. Gokurakugai
(Image credit: VIZ Media / Shonen Jump)
4. Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You
(Image credit: Square Enix)
3. Kagurabachi
(Image credit: VIZ Media / Shonen Jump)
As I reflect on 2024’s shipment of fantasy action manga, Kagurabachi does feel like the strongest competitor. Is it my favorite? I think so, but only after reading a bit more. Am I just getting caught up in the hype? It is possibly overrated, but only slightly. It is very much Another One of These, an action series seemingly engineered in a lab to absorb hype like a sponge. I’ll inevitably prefer the anime, but there’s a reason these things pop off. Kagurabachi is just plain good, and it is consistently getting better after starting off about as stamped-out as you can get. Six magic swords in a world of sorcerers! A mysterious seventh! A son with a flashy scar out for vengeance! Numbers and ranks and secret societies. But also: side characters I give a shit about. A miracle! The fact that Kagurabachi got me on board despite the sort of predictable edginess I usually avoid earns it a gold star.
2. Ruri Dragon
(Image credit: Viz Media / Shonen Jump)
1. Medalist
(Image credit: Crunchyroll / Kodansha)
Sometimes it’s hard choosing the top spot for lists like these. This year it was not. Medalist is exceptional. It’s a whip-smart work of dreams and regrets and anxieties and triumphs. An 11-year-old girl, Inori, and her ex-competitor figure skating coach, Tsukasa, weather obstacles of all kinds as they hungrily chase global renown – a journey that starts with small local rinks and novice tournaments and getting mom on board.
This sports drama has greater artistic and emotional range than the thriller and slice of life stories we’ve talked about, the strengths of manga on full display and wrung out for all they’re worth. It is laugh-out-loud funny and stomach-churningly tense. It will grab your heart and pull. It has better kinetic vision and action sequences than the battle manga on this list. Panels and pages from Medalist are embedded in my brain like a pickaxe. It is arresting. When I think about everything I read this year, it was for these characters that I cheered the loudest.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5
Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”