by Sara Campbell
First published 8/1/26 High school libraries have an arguably the easier time collecting manga for their shelves than middle or elementary school because of the maturity of their population and the breadth of manga available for teenage audiences, so it taken me some time to get around to making this list. Admittedly, I also have a large gap in my reading of some of the "classics" that I have been trying to correct while keeping up with the currently published manga, so this list is lacking in some representation that I will eventually correct.
This list is broken down into certain categories:
I have linked my reviews as well, but note, some of these were reviewed for Booklist* or School Library Journal+ and will require a subscription to read. Glaring omissions: I do not currently have reviews for some popular high school series, but I purchase all of these for my high school libraries in my district. *Eventually*, I'll get around to reading and reviewing them. These include but are not limited to: Attack on Titan, Bleach, and InuYasha, which I would categorize as "Evergreen Titles". Evergreen titles
These are manga that have been popular for a very long time and have connected with multiple generations of manga fans
at the Mountain of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft
Adapted by Gou Tanabe
Tanabe-sensei is the self-appointed adapter of all things Lovecraft, and he has created many great works of sci-fi horror. I've reviewed many of his works, and this is by far my favorite. This is a good introduction to ancient alien race that the researchers at Miskatonic University are chasing, and it showcases some of the best panels of illustrations in all of Tanabe's body of work. Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full review here* BAKI THE GRAPPLER BY KEISUKI ITAGAKI
As a prestigious karate tournament gets underway, a white belt nobody begins summarily taking out champions from a notorious karate dojo known for its karate masters. Four-time champion Suedo decides he is the only one left from the dojo who can take down this upstart amateur, and he challenges Baki to a match.
While this book is quite violent, this is a classic sports manga that has been extremely popular in Japan, and these new editions from Kodama make it possible to have a very successful manga in our libraries. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2 barefoot gen by Keiji nakazawa
Gen and his family of four siblings and parents live in Hiroshima, Japan during WWII. Times are very difficult — there is little to eat thanks to most of the food going to the war effort; neighbors report each other for speaking out against the war; and constraint air raids have everyone on edge.
This masterfully illustrated series on WWII is an important inclusion in a well-rounded manga collection for historical perspective. Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1 Black Clover by yuki tabata
Asta and Yuno have grown up in the same village and challenged each other constantly to become the best with the hopes of one day becoming the Wizard King. As they ready themselves for the trials to be selected as Magic Knights, Yuno has become incredibly skilled and has developed his magical talents to an exceptional level. For Asta’s part, he can’t even materialize a single simple spell.
This series has been a favorite and is part of a canon that includes Naruto and other classic shonen jump titles. However, check with your readers to see if this is a series they would be interested in before purchasing. Sara's Rating: 7/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1 black jack by osamu tezuka
Black Jack is a brilliant surgeon, but he’s often a cold, calculating man. He charges exorbitant fees for his life-saving, impossible surgeries, and he practices medicine largely outside the limits of licenses and hospitals. Occasionally, Black Jack will waive his fees when someone’s life is on the line, particularly if that life is an animal or if he can impact swaths of land or a habitat. In this deluxe edition, original magazine color pages have been restored, and original illustrations have been preserved. Edited pages have also been included for readers to compare and draw their own conclusions about intentions. This would be a worthy volume for large manga libraries, especially libraries and collections that enjoy the works of Osamu Tezuka and have been awaiting a reprint of this hard-to-find series.
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Reviewed for Booklist, full review forthcoming blue exorcist by kazuo kato
Meet Rin, the son of Satan, raised by an exorcist monk, Father Fujimoto. Rin has sworn revenge on his real father and vows to become the best exorcist in all the land! Father Fujimoto gives Rin a sword that contains his demonic powers, and tells Rin never to draw the sword, for his power will overtake his humanity. Rin and his twin brother Yukio attend True Cross Academy, a prestigious school with an exorcism training ground.
This series was likewise part of a canon of Shonen Jump titles that were popular in the 2010s-present, so gauge your readership for interest before investment. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10 deadman wonderland by jinsei Kataoka
Illustrated by Kazuma Kondou
On the worst day of Ganta’s life, a mysterious figure shrouded entirely in red cloth and diabolical power breaks into his junior high classroom and murders everyone but Ganta. As the sole survivor, Ganta is convicted and given a death sentence and sent to a prison called Deadman Wonderland where the prisoners perform in games and different shows for the entertainment of the population. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2 death note by Tsugumi Ohba
Illustrated by Takeshi Obata
Light, a high-achieving student with lots of future prospects, finds a strange notebook on his way home from school one day. Upon touching it, he can see Ryuk, a Shinigami, or god of death. Ryuk explains the basics of this notebook, which is a Death Note: if the person in possession of the Death Note writes a person’s name while picturing them in their head, they will die of a heart attack within minutes. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2 fruits basket by Natsuki Takaya
Tohru is a hardworking, charismatic high school who recently lost her mother and her home. She pitches a tent in a seeminly uninhabited plot of land only to find it's owners, the Sohma family, are members members of the Chinese zodiac, and they turn into their animal forms if embraced by a member of the opposite sex! What at first starts off carefree and silly quickly evolves into a much deeper story, however.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 8-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1 Given by Natsuki Kizu
While napping in his favorite spot, Uenoyama is interrupted by Mafuyu, a mopey guy with a broken guitar. As he comes to find out, Mafuyu has an angelic singing voice, but he recently lost someone dear to him. Uenomaya introduces Mafuyu to his bandmates, Akihito and Haruki, and thus begins a complex, beautiful boys love story full of music, emotion, drama, and handsome characters.
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2 hunter x hunter by Yoshihiro togashi
Gon is a pretty talented young man. He is sympathetic towards animals, doesn't get sea-sick through the worst of storms, and is naturally intuitive about situations he's in. Gon decides to attempt Hunter trials in order to gain a Hunter's License to follow in his father's footsteps.
This classic series has been ongoing for around the same length of time as One Piece, but at a much slower pace. It has a dedicated following and has inspired many other series. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vols 1-3*, vol 1, vol 2 Kingdom by Yasuhisa Hara
Piao and Xin have had their lives destroyed by war, yet dream and constantly practice to become soldiers in the ongoing conflict. One fateful day, the boys get their wish, but not with the fame and glory they wished. A general passes by and brings Piao with him into a Man in the Iron Mask ploy. Soon, Xin becomes entangled in an epic quest for revenge across the country, involve the royal family, and include plenty of violence.
Readers have been waiting several decades for this long-running series to be localized in English, and their patience has finally been rewarded. Buyer beware, there is going to be a substantial investment for this series, so consider a cut-off point or discussing when you'll move to purchasing digital volumes. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full review here: vol 1* solo leveling by Chugong
Adapted by Dubu
Jinwoo Sung is one of the weakest Hunters in the game, but he has to keep adventuring because the health benefits are paying for his ailing mother’s extended stay in the hospital. Jinwoo continues to put himself in harm's way and put tons of pressure on himself because his sister is about to go off to college, and someone needs to pay for her tuition. He tags along with a large party into a low rank dungeon, and his whole life changes. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12, vol 13, vol 14 the horizon by jh
A little boy comes to terms with his mother’s brutal murder in a sea of dead bodies in a dystopian landscape. He finally decides to trek on without her and start resource gathering. One night, he finds shelter in a school bus, but so does a little girl. From that point on, the two travel together and share spoils.
This is a gritty, terrifying horror story that will stay with readers long after the book has been consumed. The symbolism is rich in this story, and this one would be good to discuss with a literature class, especially one that specializes in dystopian literature. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full review here: vol 1 tokyo ghoul by sui ishida
College student Ken Kaneki's date with a fellow coffee enthusiast results in him being almost eaten to death by a ravenous ghoul. On death's door, well-meaning doctors save his life, but bring him into the ghoul world in a way none had done before -- as a half human, half ghoul hybrid. Now, Kaneki lives straddling both, craving human flesh, unsatisfied with all the foods that once brought him joy, and descending deeper into the world of ghouls that exists withing the recesses of humanity.
This series has beautifully rich characters and many moments that defy expectations that would allow for deep discussion. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5 uzumaki by junji ito
Kirie is a simple young girl from the town of Kurouzu-cho, a town that is slowly descending more and more into maddening problems all to do with spirals. Along with her brooding boyfriend Shuichi, Kirie narrowly escapes many horrific encounters with creatures and monsters inspired by spiral shapes. Kirie’s father, a local pottery artisan, even becomes infected as he dredges the pond by their house, Dragonfly Pond, for material, but it seems to be a magnet and a source for many spiral-shaped disasters.
This single-volume edition is one of Ito's seminal works of horror, and Sara's Rating: 7/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full review here vinland saga by Makoto Yukimura
The young warrior Thorfinn is shackled to the ship of a Viking Raider, Askelaad. Askelaad's fleet of three ships successfully raids a settlement as mercenaries and recovers all the treasure for themselves before headed back to their village for the winter. Thorfinn has become a powerful and fast warrior, but treasure and ransacking towns doesn't interest him. He wants revenge on Askelaad for killing his father and stealing their ship.
Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 10-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3 hot right now
These titles are popular thanks to currently airing anime, booming sales, or current readership swells.
the apothecary diaries by Natsu Hyuuga
Adapted by Nekokurage
Maomao is an apothecary who gets snatched up in a forest and sold into indentured servitude to the Imperial Palace. There, she’s tried to keep her head down so her kidnappers don’t earn much off her, but when she figures out the “curse” killing all the Emperor's children is really a poison, she is discovered as a learned person and an apothecary, and promoted to a lady-in-waiting for the Emperor's favorite concubine. She becomes an official taste tester for the concubine. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5 the ayakashi hunter's tainted bride by Midori Yuma
Adapted by Mamenosuke Fujimaru
Nanao has an abundance of spiritual energy which makes her a perfect candidate to become the bride to the powerful Byakurenji family. But an accident in her early pre-teen years taints her and makes her worthless. She spends the next several years as a servant in her own family’s house, emotionally abused and mostly forgotten. One day, her family entertains an ayakashi hunter who deciders her spiritual energy is a perfect compliment to his own, and he whisks her away from her terrible family to become his bride. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1+, vol 2, vol 3 blue lock by Muneyuki Kaneshiro
Illustrated by Yusuke Nomura
Yochi Isagi is a high school soccer player who is invited, along with 300 other high school soccer stars, to participate in Blue Lock, an enclosed facility with a Hunger Games/Squid Games style, cutthroat, elimination element designed to train and turn out Japan’s best striker. Isagi is placed on Team Z - the lowest team - where they train together, compete with each other, and somehow (not) work together to defeat 25 other teams to become the best striker in Japan. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1-2*, vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5 Episode Nagi: vol 1*, vol 2+ bride of ignat by Moyori Mori
Rita is the latest in sacrificial offerings chosen to be sent from his mountain village to become the dragon's bride to appease the beast after the village killed his mate many years ago. In truth, Rita is an outcast; he struggled to find his place within the village society. With this noble cause, Rita hopes to find his life's purpose as the dragon's bride, but instead, he meets a creature with a guarded heart and trauma of his own from being the last of his kind.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1 daemons of the shadow realm by hiromu arakawa
Yuru is a young hunter in a remote village town who is busy helping gather enough meat and supplies to help feed his people through winter. His twin sister, Asa, is also busy performing her duty, but she must do so from the safety of a cage locked away deep underground. On a seemingly ordinary day, “dragons” descend from the sky and mysterious hunters ambush them from the trees, and Yuru’s entire world is turned on its head.
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4 finding camellia by Jin Soya
Adapted by Manta Comics
In the slums of a city, Lady Bale has finally found the child she’s been looking for -- a young girl with beautiful golden locks and turquoise eyes, the spitting imagery of her father. Lady Bale snatches her up and whisks her away to the family home and transforms the young girl into a little boy, Camellius Bale. The calculating lady worries about her family's status with her eldest son’s questionable health, even if she is loathed to bring in a bastard child of her husband’s shameful misdeeds. Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3 gachiakuta by Kei Urana
Rudo is an outcast in a society that likes to ignore its trash. One day, he is framed for the murder of his adoptive father, and he is cast into the world below with the refuse of the elite. On the surface, Rudo finds another society of people scraping to get by and avoiding monsters that have evolved from trash. But, he also discovers that those who have cherished items for a long time can imbue them with power enough to fight back.
Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1*, vol 2, vol 3 jujutsu kaisen by Gege Akutami
Itadori isn’t your average high school student - he’s super fast and really strong. One day, his fellows in the Paranormal Research Club discover a cursed object and awaken a demon. Sorcerers from the Jujutsu Academy try to clean up the mess, but Itadori decides to ingests the object in a move to control the demon. This should have killed him, but instead, he is able to control the demon from within his own body. Instead of being killed on the spot, Itadori is recruited to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer and fight demons invading Japan.
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Rating: Grades 10-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 0, vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6 jungle juice by Hyeong Eun
Adapted by Juder
After a fateful near-death encounter, college student Suchan discovers a hidden society of human-insect hybrids who were affected by the use of a bug spray called Jungle Juice. In this separate society, Suchan and his fellow students of Nest vie for the spot of Top Student so they can earn a canister of Cinderella serum, which will reverse the effects of their insect hybridization and bring them closer to a normal life. kagurabachi by Takeru Hokazono
Chihiro and his father, Kunishige, lived a peaceful life until horrors from Kunishige’s past destroyed their tranquility and stole six enchanted katana from the sword-maker. Now, Chihiro is set on a revenge quest to reclaim all of the devastating blades that were created during Kunishige’s service in a terrible war. In his pursuit, Chihiro uses his skills and Kunishige’s final creation - a seventh, cataclysmic sword into which he poured his dying life force.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1*, vol 2 kaiju no 8 by Naoya Matsumoto
What happens to the giant monsters after the heroes go home? Enter the Monster Sweeper Inc, a cleanup crew tasked with breaking down the carcass and clearing away any debris. Kafka and Leno are part of this force until Kafka undergoes a transformation and the two are able to pass a rigorous physical test to become part of the Japanese Defense Force. Now, they do the killing and leave the cleaning to the other guys!
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1*, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8 Kaiju No. 8, B-side: vol 1+ kill blue by Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Masterful assassin Osami is unsatisfied and bored with his current life. But a misshap on one assignment ages him backwards to his junior high self! This plays perfectly into his boss’ next assignment for him: go undercover at a prestigious academy and scope it out for his daughter. Not everything is as great as it seems, and Osami’s skills come in handy!
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full review here: vol 1* love bullet by inee
Koharu’s young life is cut short with a tragic accident, but the Goddess Venus has a soft spot for girls like her. Koharu never got to experience love while she was alive, so now she’s become a cupid in death with the possibility of earning reincarnation. But, these cupids have upgraded and advanced weaponry befitting this century. Their mission is to plant the seed, or bullet, after careful observation, and hope they’ve chosen correctly for their targets. And every once in a while, battle other cupids.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full review here: vol 1* Monsters we make by coryxkenshin and Corey Mikell
Illustrated by Andrew Gong
Starting at a new school in a new town means proving yourself, especially for the egotistical young Jabari Booker, who gets a mid-year start. Fellow students warn him not to test well coming in, but Jabari is determined to impress everyone. His high scores quickly squash his musical endeavors and place him with a group of high performers charged with protecting Edyn Academy from monsters. Read the full reviews here: Omniscient reader's viewpoint by singNsong
Illustrated by Sleepy-C, adapted by Umi
Dokja Kim is an office worker who has minimal aspirations in life other than to finish an online apocalyptic survival novel on his way home from work every day. One fateful day on the subway, he finally gets to read the epilogue and receives a message from the author with a special “gift”. At that moment, Dokja and his fellow subway passengers find themselves in the world of the novel, and Dokja has the advantage, yet is conflicted between trying to survive and how much he should protect those around him. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2 phantom busters by Neoshoco
Four high school first years reluctantly come together to form a supernatural extra-curricular club called the Phantom Busters. The club’s sole purpose is to help ring leader Mogari root out evil spirits so he can “exorcise” them by eating them. ALong for the ride is Eugene, an English gentleman with no discernible supernatural talent, Tamon, who can hear spiritual voices, and Kaoru, who can see spirits.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1*, vol 2 purgatory funeral cakes by Sanho
Newly departed souls must make a perilous journey through purgatory, but if they have sustenance for their long, forty day journey, they won’t fade along the way in the harshness of purgatory. One way loved ones can help is by purchasing purgatory cakes from a specialized bakery. These cakes take special ingredients and infuse memories from the living, and they are delicately baked with the utmost care by a skilled and kind baker with some otherworldly powers. Each chapter is a visit into these memories as the client purchases their specialized cake for their departed one.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12, Adult Read the full review here: vol 1 the summer hikaru died by Mokumokuren
One summer, Hikaru went up into the mountain, but what returned might not be Hikaru. Yoshiki doesn’t want to believe his best friend is dead, but he has a suspicion that whatever this thing is, isn’t his friend Hikaru. This creature might have all of Hikaru’s mannerisms and memories, but it’s not his best friend. However, is being around this thing better than not having Hikaru at all?
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1 villains are destined to die by Gwon Gyeoeul
Adapted by SUOL
Our heroine is stuck in a terrible Cinderella-style nightmare, both in real life and as she’s sucked into a popular game! After defeating a popular dating sim on the normal mode, she decides to attempt on the hard mode, which is actually playing from the “villainess’s” perspective. She realizes she has much in common with Penelope, the villain. Frustrated, she falls asleep, and, upon waking, finds herself in the role of Penelope in the game! Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8 wind breaker by Satoru Nii
Sakura has come to the neighborhood of Makochi to attend Furin High School. It’s an all-boys school known as being full of delinquents where students constantly get in fights. Sakura intends on fighting his way to the top because he has no time for anyone weaker than him. But when he finally gets into the neighborhood, he discovers an entirely different environment. Students from Furin are called Bofurin - protectors of the neighborhood, and they don’t fight each other - they protect the citizenry and fight other gangs to deter other delinquency in their area.
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 9-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4 good for elem/ms/hs
These titles are already included in my other lists but would also work well at a high school. Note: if you have a comprehensive district, coordinate with your colleagues to ensure there isn't much overlap. Give serious consideration before purchasing these titles to have multiple copies per district.
Check out my full lists here to see the break down between Evergreen and Hot Right Now designations: Demon Slayer by koyoharu gotouge
Tanjiro is a hard working young man, forced into a surrogate father role for his younger siblings after their father passed away. After selling charcoal to villagers down the mountain, he arrives back at his home to find his entire family has been killed by demons, and his younger sister has been turned into one! Through the force of his will and the bond he has with his sister, Nezuko, she overpowers her primal urges to eat him. Tanjiro is determined to help heal Nezuko, and to that end he seeks out Master Urokadaki to become a great demon slayer.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12, vol 13, vol 14, vol 15, vol 16, vol 17, vol 18, vol 19, vol 20, vol 21, vol 22-23. dragon ball z by Akira toriyama
Five years after the events of Dragon Ball, the world is peaceful, and Goku has a son named Son Gohan after his grandfather. The two visit the Turtle Master and Bulma happens to be there. In another part of the world, a spacecraft crash lands and out steps a powerful being, Raditz, who immediately scans and finds Piccolo, Goku’s arch nemesis. The mysterious alien dispatches Piccolo pretty easily and continues to scan for powerful beings when he lands on Goku.
There is a bit of a time jump between Dragonball and Dragon Ball Z, but there's enough to fill in the blanks that readers can jump in at this point and be fine. The bawdy humor that gives Dragonball a bad wrap has mostly subsided by this point, so Dragon Ball Z is a better series to collect for those wanting to grab this perennial favorite. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 6-12 Read the full review here: vol 1 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End by kanehito yamada
Four adventurers return home after a ten-year journey to fight the Demon King. They take their rewards, enjoy a powerful meteor storm that happens once every fifty years, then go their separate ways. Frieren is an elven mage, and she plans on traveling the world to gather as much magic as she can.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12 Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition by hiromu Arakawa
The Fullmetal Editions are beautiful, hardocver re-release of the classic manga. Edward and his brother Alphonse travel across Amestris searching for alchemical answers. This story is full of wonderful characters, and is an engaging look into the depths of humanity.
Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12, vol 13, vol 14, vol 15, vol 16, vol 17, vol 18. the guy she was interested in wasn't a guy at all by sumiko arai
Aya has interesting musical taste and her friends don’t understand her fondness for 90s American grunge. But, the guy at the music store does, and they vibe hard. But, one day, Aya discovers that the guy she’s been crushing on is actually her female classmate, Mitsuki!
Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1*, vols 1-3+, ichi the witch by osamu nishi
Illustrated by Shiro Usazaki
Ichi the hunter lives by the motto "Death for Death" and only kills animals that attack others with bloodlust. This motto serves him well until his prey becomes the same as a group of witches, and Ichi becomes the first male witch! While this is definitely a fantasy, this has some magical girl vibes as Ichi transforms to use his new magical powers to take down powerful enemies, and he must use his skills from his hunting days to outsmart his opponents and win over his fellow witches who are skeptical that a man can wield magic. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1*, vol 2 My Happy Marriage by akumi Agitogi
Miyo may be the oldest daughter in the prestigious Saimori family, but her family constantly demeaned and abuses her. When her stepsister gets a marriage proposal, her father enters Miyo into a marriage arrangement with a ruthless nobleman. Miyo tries her best to be a nobleman's wife so as not to end up homeless, but she finds much more in her new life than she had anticipated, including acceptance, healing, and magic.
Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 8-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5 My Hero Academia by kohei horikoshi
In Izuku Midoriya's world, most everyone is born with some sort of superpower. Unfortunately for Izuku, he's one of the few without any such power. This doesn't stop him from hoping, and from dreaming of attending the U. A. High School, a school specifically for training superheroes. After showing bravery despite his lack of quirk, the hero All-Might noticed Izuku and starts training him.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8 Naruto by masashi kishimoto
Naruto is a troublesome young ninja-in-training who is trying desperately to pass the exam and graduate from the Ninja Academy in his Village of the Hidden Leaves. His major problem is that he can't seem to master any of the techniques. His goal is to become a Hokage, the leader of all the Ninja in his village, but he doesn't see that his current struggle may make this dream impossible.
Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability level: Grades 7-12 Read the full review here: vol 1 not-sew-wicked stepmom by iru
One day, a child fashion designer works herself to her literal death and awakens as the queen in the fairytale-inspired story she was reading. Now living as Abigail, she finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage with a husband who gives her the creeps, and the worst case of Resting-B**** Face that scares the daylights out of everyone, including her beautiful step-daughter Blanche, the Snow-White figure of the story.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8 one piece by eiichiro oda
On a remote island, young Luffy D. Monkey yearns to become a pirate and sail the known seas. His heroes are a band of pirates who come through his tiny village, but the mayor and other villagers think Luffy’s dream would only bring disgrace to their town. On one fateful visit from Luffy’s favorite pirate gang, Luffy accidentally eats the Devil’s Fruit, which makes him incredibly rubbery but will make him sink to the bottom of the ocean. In some skirmishes between mountain bandits and the pirates, Luffy learns that physical strength is not the only tool for a pirate. In reaching adulthood, Luffy sets off from his village to gather a crew and become the best pirate.
*Buyer beware* - This is an incredibly long series, and I don't recommend collecting the entire thing. Volumes 1-12 are the first "leg" of the journey, and would be a good stopping point for beginning collections. Also, later volumes (around 100+) reportedly have more mature content that may be more age relevant for high school audiences. Sara's Rating: 8/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12 One-Punch Man by one
Saitama lost his corporate job and wonders what he's going to do with his life. After seeing a crab monster try to beat up a little kid, Saitama decides to devote himself to training to be a hero. He trains every day for three years, and ends up being the strongest hero ever! This doesn't improve Saitama's mood though, because life just doesn't have any challenges.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7 sailor moon by naoki takeuchi
Usagi Tsukino is a 14-year-old 2nd-year middle school student who wants nothing more than to play games, sleep all the time, and eat delicious foods. One day, she meets a talking cat with a crescent moon spot on her forehead, and the cat, Luna, reveals that Usagi is a legendary guardian, Sailor Moon!
Kodansha reprinted this series into a beautiful new edition that would be great for libraries; The Naoko Takeuchi editions. Sara's Rating: 10/10 Suitability Level: Grades 7-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7 spy x family by tatsuya endo
Loid, codename Twilight, is a super-spy, master of disguise, and completely dedicated to his job. He has no attachments, can quickly jump into most assignments, and he’s ruthless. That is, until his latest job: to get close to a man who is only accessible through his son. Therefore, part of this assignment is to obtain a child, and a wife, neither of which Loid wants. Enter Anya, a charming telepath, and Yor, an assassin, along with a host of hilarious supporting characters.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability Level: Grades 8-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10, vol 11, vol 12 yona of the dawn by Mizuho Kusanagi
Sweet and innocent Princess Yona has a devastating crush on her cousin, Lord Su-Won. He comes to the palace for a visit and to celebrate her 16th Birthday. However, Yona is betrayed the night of her party when she witnesses Su-Won murder her father. This forces her to flee the castle with her bodyguard, Hak, and travel the kingdom in search of those who can help her regain her thrown.
Sara's Rating: 9/10 Suitability level: Grades 8-12 Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7, vol 8, vol 9, vol 10
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About MeI've been reading Manga and comicbooks for years. Now, it's time to share my knowledge with you.
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