Good Manga for Middle School Libraries

First published: 10/15/22
​
Here's a quick list of all the manga I've reviewed that is appropriate for this middle school libraries and to which I gave a rating of 8/10 or more. As there are so many middle school titles to include, I also have a list of links to titles that received a rating of 7/10 at the end. I'll keep adding as I review more, so feel free to bookmark this page and check back to see what else I've found. 

I've also created a list of Good Manga for Elementary School Libraries. A lot of these titles would also be great for Middle School Libraries.

Additionally, you should definitely check out this list of manga and light novels, compiled by Ashley Hawkins, the Manga Librarian, which might have some overlap.

Note: These titles are listed in alphabetical order by title of series​.

---

The Ancient Magus' Bride by Kore Yamazaki

A powerful Magus named Ainsworth buys Chise in an auction and discovers she has incredibly latent magical ability. Ainsworth decides to train Chise and tries to protect her from her magic burning her up. Other magical creatures are drawn to Chise, and she learns of faeries, dragons, and other mythical creatures.

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

---

---

Apple Black by odunze oguguo

Growing up, Sano received private instruction from powerful sorcerers and was trained to become the world's savior, the Trinity. Against their better judgment, Sano's guardians have decided to let him complete his training with other magic users, all who knows of the Trinity and want to test Sano's skills.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full review here: vol 1

---

---

Beauty and the beast of paradise lost

Belle is a young girl with purple hair who is convinced a red rose from deep in the forest will help her strange purple locks be more appealing. Her mother follows and begs her not to go into the forest because of the terrible beast who lives there. As if she summons him, Belle's mother is abducted, and the Beast steals her beautiful face. One day, Belle escapes and is determined to find her mother, who she believes is still alive in the Beast's castle. 

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

​Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4

---

---

Beyond the Clouds by Nicke

Theo is a mechanic who loves to read and dreams of going on adventures. He’s loved by all and lives in a town full of pollution. One day, while visiting a junk heap he affectionately calls “Island of Dreams”, Theo finds Mia, a small girl with one wing torn off. Theo brings her home and cares for her, and he sets to work building a new wing to replace hers. Mia also has latent magical abilities, so the two begin an adventure to find someone who can help her control her magic and find out more about her origins.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability level: Grades 7-12
​
Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

---

---

Blue Box

Taiki is entering his first year of high school and has aspirations to join the badminton team and go to Nationals. But someone else also has similar goals; Chinatsu Senpai, a second-year on the girl’s basketball team. Taiki knows she’s way out of his league, and he’s content to crush on her from afar, but when her parents move overseas for work, she ends up staying with Taiki’s family to finish high school and hopefully take her team to Nationals!

​Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full review here: vol 1

---

---

Cells at Work by Akane Shimizu

Cells at Work is fundamentally about the inner workings of the human body. The main characters are Red Blood Cell and White Blood Cell. Red Blood Cell is fairly new, and gets lost often, when she comes across some pretty nasty bacterial guys. Enter White Blood Cell, who isn’t afraid to just blast right through these baddies with his bare fists.

Sara’s Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12

​Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

---

---

Delicious in Dungeon by ryoko kui

Laios' entire party is wiped out by a dragon, but his little sister manages to cast a teleportation spell on everyone except herself. The three remaining members are transported outside of the dungeon, but without any of their provisions or other supplies, including their money. Laios is determined to go back in and revive his sister before she's fully digested by the dragon.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2

---

---

Demon Slayer

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

---

---

Dr. Stone

Thousands of years after every living thing is mysteriously turned to stone, Senku and his friends use science to free themselves and others and survive in a world that has returned to the Stone Age. This story is full of adventure and a dash of education.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

---

---

The Faraway Paladin

In an almost abandoned temple, Will is being raised by three interesting guardians: Gus, a powerful magic user who teaches Will how to use the Words of Creation to cast magic; Blood, a super strong warrior who teaches Will to fight and hone his own physical strength; and Mary, who teaches Will about growing his own food and preparing nourishing meals. All three provide Will with valuable lessons that will keep him alive in this strange world, and all three are undead.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability level: Grades 8-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4

---

---

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

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, 

---

---

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition

A 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 Girl from the Other Side

In this kingdom there are two sides: Inside and Outside. Those on the Outside are cursed and can infect those from the inside. Those living on the Inside live behind tall walls and search for anyone who may be “infected” in order to banish them to the Outside. Shiva is a young girl who was suspected of being infected, and now lives Outside, eagerly waiting for the day her aunt will come retrieve her.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

​Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vols 4-6, vols 7-9

---

---

Goodbye My rose garden

Hanako's love for her favorite author moves her to travel from Japan to England in the early 1900s, in search of more information and potentially studying under him. To her disappointment, the author is extremely secretive, and the publisher won't release any details. Alice Douglas, a noblewoman, takes pity on Hanako's plight and offers her a job as her personal maid. 

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12

​Read the full reviews here: vol 1

---

---

Haikyu!!

Shōyō Hinata loves playing volleyball, but he hasn't have enough people in his middle school club to make a full team.  His slap-shot team lose miserably to Tobio Kageyama's team in a tournament. When Hinata and Kageyama both end up at the same high school, they must learn to share the spotlight before they can officially start playing with the official High School Club Volleyball team. 

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Levels: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here:vol 1

---

---

My Happy Marriage

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

---

---

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

---

---

Horimiya

Hori is a popular girl in school who does well and always has her hair and makeup done prettily. Miyamura is solitary type, sometimes assumed to be a hardcore anime fan, who gets great grades but doesn't really have many friends. When the two see each other outside of school, they strike up a friendship that allows them to be their authentic selves without the pretenses they put up at school.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

​Read the full reviews here:vol 1

---

---

Insomniacs after school

Two loners find acceptance and friendship when they discover they're both insomniacs, and they create a perfect napping spot in the supposedly haunted astronomy tower at their school. In order to be able to use the tower, they resurrect the Astronomy Club at their school and pretend to hold functions. They also find that they relax and can sleep in each other's company.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1+, vol 2

---

---

Naruto

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

---

---

One-Punch Man

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

---

---

Orange

Naho is a typical girl in Grade 11, with a solid friend group and all the worries of a high-school student: passing tests, what the future holds, boys, etc.  One day, she receives a letter, from what claims to be her future self, warning her about what's happening in her life and trying to steer her away from bad choices.

Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12
​
Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2

---

---

ouran high school host club

Haruhi attends the prestigious Ouran High School on a scholarship. Most students at this school are from well-to-do families. One day, while trying to find a quiet place to study, Haruhi enters a music room and finds a Host Club, a group of male students who provide companionship, conversation, and flirtation to bored female students. Haruhi accidentally knocks over an $80,000 vase and is forced to work for the Host Club to pay off the debt.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12

​​Read the full review here: vol 1

---

---

saigami

Ayumi has a troubled home life - her dad left long ago and she jumps at the chance to find out why he left. Instead, she finds herself transported to a magical fantasy world with dragons and astral sorcerers known as Saigami. There, she meets Sean and Reyji. The three travel to Zaosz, the capital and seat of The Saigami Order, hoping to find some answers about how she came into this world.

​Sara's Rating: 10/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12
​
Read the full reviews here: vol 1

---

---

Sailor moon

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 is reprinting 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

---

---

silver spoon

Hachiken is a high school freshman who enrolled at Ezo Agricultural high school simply because he wanted to live away from his family. Hachiken is convinced with all his academic skill that he will be number one at this new school, but quickly finds out that he is no match for his classmates, all of whom were born and raised in agricultural areas.

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

---

---

Snow white with the red hair by Sorata akiduki

Shirayuki has hair the color of a red apple, and that garners her a lot of unwanted attention.  The prince of her home kingdom of Tanbarun insists she become his concubine, but she slips off to the neighboring kingdom of Clarines instead.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12
​
​Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

---

---

The Strongest sage with the Weakest Crest

Mathias is “cursed” with the lowest crest, fourth of four, and he’s learned as much as he can within his limitations. He’s decided that if he reincarnates himself, he might get the strongest crest, or he’ll keep reincarnating until he gets it.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2

---

---

My Status as an assassin obviously exceeds the hero's by Matsuri akai

Akira’s entire class gets suddenly transported to another world where they are tasked with fighting the Demon King and saving the kingdom. Each pupil, upon entering the world, was given skills and a job class that best suited them.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 8-12
​
Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

---

---

takane & hana

Takane & Hana is a fairly cute and humorous romance story. Hana is 16 and was talked into going to an arranged marriage meeting for her sister so that her family could save face with her father’s employee. Takane is 26 and heir to one of the largest conglomerates in Japan. Takane knows right away that Hana isn’t who she’s supposed to be, and makes it his mission to “get back” at Hana. His evil plan? Take her on adventures and have witty repartee. 

Sara’s rating: 8/10
Suitability level: Grades 8-12
​
Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5, vol 6, vol 7

---

---

I Think our Son is gay

This story is told from the perspective of the mother of two young sons, narrated as if she is writing a letter or a diary entry, possibly to their father. The older of the two sons, who is in high school, constantly "slips up" and mentions things that makes the mom think he's gay.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2

---

---

toilet-bound hanako-kun by aidairo

Despite its ridiculous title, this was a really fun book. Hanako-kun is one of the seven mysteries of Yashiro’s school. She summons Hanako-kun one day because she’s heard she can be granted one wish, but Hanako is nothing like she expected. To begin with, he’s a boy bound to a toilet in the girls' bathroom!

Sara's Rating: 8/10
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

---

---

waiting for spring

Mitsuki started at a new high school far away from her middle school in the hopes of starting fresh. She has some social anxieties and desperately wants to make friends, but doesn’t know how. Four best friends on the boy’s basketball team invade the quiet sanctuary of her job at a café, but without their screaming entourage of adoring girl fans, the boys are decent.
​
Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2

---

---

the white cat's revenge as plotted from the dragon king's lap

Ruri has had a pretty hard life. Her blonde hair and blue eyes have brought her lots of attention, especially from an annoying girl named Asahi. Everyone LOVES Asahi, and Ruri always gets in trouble for Asahi’s whims. One day, the two ladies and a few other “friends” are walking to school, and they get pulled into another world

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4

---

---

Witch hat atelier

Coco is a young seamstress who always wanted to be a witch, but she wasn't born with the power.  When she accidentally discovers her magical abilities, she freezes her mother and gets swept away by a witch who vows to train her so that she can undo the damage she's done to her mom. In the process, Coco gets mixed into the darker side of the witch's society.

Sara's Rating: 20/10
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

---

---

world trigger

Several years ago, strange portals formed over the city and let in alien monsters referred to as "Neighbors".  An organization called "Border" sprung up to combat the neighbors, and the city returned to relative peace.  In present day, we follow Osamu, seemingly an average high school student who meets and befriends a transfer student, Yuma, a foreigner becoming accustomed to Japan. 

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

---

---

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

---

---

your lie in april

Kōsei Arima was a child prodigy on the piano until one competition where he froze entirely. Now, he can’t bring himself to play the piano. He’s still drawn to music and often transcribes sheet music of popular songs for karaoke or other things. His friend makes him tag along on a pseudo-double date and it turns out, the girl they’re introduced to plays the violin!

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 7-12

Read the full reviews here: vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

---

---

7/10 titles

Anonymous Noise,  vol 1, vol 2

The Beginning After the End, ​vol 1

Ao Haru Ride, vol 1, vol 2, vol 3

A Galaxy Next Door, vol 1

Heaven’s Design Team, vol 1

Keep Your Hands off Eizouken!, vol 1

Komi Can't Communicate, vol 1, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, vol 5

Little Witch Academia, vol 1
​
Nichijou, vol 1

Play it Cool, Guys, vol 1

A Witch's Love at the End of the World, vol 1, vol 2, vol 3