In recent years, manga has seen an explosive rise in popularity across the United States, grasping readers with its unique stories, diverse genres, and stunning art. From fantasy to slice-of-life, the manga genres are really vast, offering something for every kind of reader. The growing interest in Japanese culture is what fuels the demand for these titles as well.
In this article, we explore the ten most trending manga in the U.S. right now. Whether you’re a veteran manga fan or a newcomer looking to explore, these top titles are hot and trending in America and they reflect the evolving tastes and interests of a rapidly growing fanbase.
10All You Need Is Kill
All You Need is Kill is a manga adapted from the Light Novel written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and illustrated by Abe Yoshitoshi. The story follows a soldier, Kiriya Keiji, who fights extraterrestrials for a living… until he dies in battle.
What would you do if u were caught in a 24-hour time loop? Revisit your best moments? Correct all your mistakes? Well, to Kiriya, this time loop is a huge opportunity for him to improve his fighting skills. This is followed by Kiriya’s desperate attempts to break this time loop, when he discovers the existence of another person stuck in a similar loop, Rita, and they together solve the mystery behind the time loop.
9JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (JoJo’s) is an age-old manga written and illustrated by Araki Hirohiko in 1986. Interestingly enough, the sequel to his story is still ongoing to this date. Jojo’s is also one of the very few manga to have a full color serialisation.
Jojo’s is a series that tells the story of a unique family, the Joestar family, whose members possess unique powers and are destined to fight all sorts of supernatural foes. This story is split into several parts, each following a different member of the Joestar family, who typically have names that can be abbreviated to “Jojo”.
8Fire Punch
Fire Punch is a popular manga series written by Tatsuki Fujimoto (also popular for his work in Chainsaw Man and Look Back).
On an earth that has been frozen over by the hands of an ice witch, there are also special individuals with abilities called “blessings.” The main character, Agni, shares the blessing of regeneration with his sister, Luna. They assist the remaining elders in their village by providing sustenance from Agni’s severed arms.
One day, a blessed named Doma arrives in their village and offers to take Agni to his city, Behemdorg. Disgusted by the villagers’ practice of cannibalism, Doma unleashes his unquenchable flames upon them. Although Luna’s regeneration is slower, she ultimately falls victim as well, urging Agni to “live” before she dies.
7Oyasumi Punpun
“Oyasumi Punpun” is a manga written and illustrated by Asano Inio. This is a coming-of-age story that follows Onodera from his elementary school days to adulthood. This manga is surely not for the light-hearted as it has many themes such as depression, trauma, death, isolation etc.
The manga highlights four stages of his life: elementary school, middle school, high school, and his early twenties. We get to see him maneuver through the several problems in his life through these periods.
Punpun comes from a dysfunctional family marked by a suicidal mother and an abusive, alcoholic father. These troubling family dynamics significantly impact his behavior throughout the story, leading to a downward spiral of self-loathing and a lack of empathy. It is a truly emotional story and definitely one of the best manga of all time with praiseworthy art.
6Bleach
Bleach is a manga written and illustrated by Kubo Tite. The story follows Ichigo Kurosaki, a boy who can see ghosts who learned about the existence of man-eating monsters called Hollows and Soul Reapers, the only people who hunt them. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ichigo, too, must become a soul reaper in order to protect his loved ones from hollows.
Bleach manga has sold about 130 million copies, making it one of the best-selling manga of all time. The manga also has a very popular anime adaptation, causing it to be even more popular due to its latest season, Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War.
5Vagabond
There is not a single manga fanatic who isn’t familiar with this title. “Vagabond” is a manga written and illustrated by “Inoue Takehiko” (who also wrote Slam Dunk and Real).
The story is about Miyamoto Musashi, originally named Shinmen Takezo, who began his quest to become the strongest samurai at a young age after being exiled from his village. Born into a samurai family with a renowned father, Musashi was driven to excel in sword fighting as a way to overcome the harsh treatment he received during his childhood and his inability to rebel.
Though the story is a little slow-paced, it has deep philosophical meaning and may hit close to home for some people. Besides this, it also boasts one of the best art styles among all manga.
4Berserk
Berserk is a dark fantasy manga written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura, which started in 1990. The story, with a medieval European setting, revolves around Guts, an orphaned warrior, and Griffith, the leader of a band named the “Band of the Hawk”.
The story is immensely twisted and dark, so it is advised that the light-hearted do not read this manga, as it contains a lot of detailed gore as well. However, due to the art style and contorted plot, this manga has captured the minds of several fans and also climbed the ranks, making it a classic and one-of-a-kind manga.
3Kaiju No.8
Kaiju No. 8 is a manga written and illustrated by Naoya Matsumoto. After it’s release in 2020, it has accumulated 13 volumes as well as a huge fanbase. This manga is really popular as it has a crazy plot as well as a really captivating artstyle that keeps the readers hooked.
The story revolves around Kafka Hibino, a thirty-year-old man who gains the power to transform into a kaiju after swallowing a mysterious parasitic creature. Now, he has to figure out how to use this power while trying to join an organization that hunts kaiju, all to keep a promise he made to a childhood friend, Mina, with whom he wanted to stand proudly.
2Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen, written and illustrated by Gege Akutami, puts a fresh spin on the shonen genre. With an abundance of likable characters, intense world-building, and exciting plot twists, it will surely get the reader hooked. It mixes classic shonen elements with darker, more intense fantasy to create a unique story that feels different from typical plots.
The story follows Itadori Yuuji, a high schooler who accidentally swallows a cursed finger while trying to protect his friends in the school occult club. This finger belongs to Ryomen Sukuna, the most dangerous cursed spirit ever. To control Sukuna and delay his execution, Yuji joins Jujutsu High, where he trains to become a sorcerer and hunts for the remaining cursed fingers.
1One Piece
Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is a popular shounen manga that started in 1997 and is still going strong. It’s one of Shounen Jump’s “Big Three,” along with Bleach and Naruto, and follows Monkey D. Luffy as he explores the Grand Line to find the famous treasure, the One Piece.
The world of One Piece is very detailed and well-planned. It uses the typical shounen themes to give us a rich fantasy world of emotional and relatable characters. Oda carefully builds the story so that everything flows smoothly as the Straw Hat crew moves from place to place. Even though the manga has some wild and crazy moments, it never feels random or silly.
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