Shonen manga are incredibly thrilling to read, with their action-packed detailed panels to painful cliffhangers that leave you hanging for more. With so many new shonen manga being released, deciding if the one you pick next will be worth your time is tiring.
Shonen manga require patience as we need to get past the worldbuilding and let the plot unfold. To help with the process, here is a list of ten shonen manga that are a must-read if you are looking to pick up a new one.
10Sakamoto Days
Taro Sakamoto, a legendary hitman, has settled into a mundane, quiet family life after retirement. However, his peaceful days are intercepted by all the enemies he made on the job when they come looking for revenge.
The strongest point of Sakamoto Days is the insanely well-choreographed action and fight scenes. With creative paneling and a great art style contributing to the already exciting plot and story premise, Sakamoto Days becomes a must-read. The worldbuilding and well-paced storytelling also make you want to keep on reading.
9Spy x Family
Loid is on an undercover mission, which requires a pretend family, so he seems like a functioning member of society. He finds a wife and a kid, but little does he know about the secrets they are hiding. With the father a spy, the wife an assassin, and their daughter a telepath, the family tries its best to maintain normalcy while doing its jobs.
Different than your usual gung-ho shonen, Spy x Family is a breath of fresh air. With equal amounts of action and humor and incredibly endearing characters with fun dynamics, you don’t ever get bored.
8Dandadan
Dandadan revolves around two high school students, Momo Ayase, and Okarun, who have opinions on opposite ends of the spectrum. While Ayase is a hard-core believer in the supernatural and ghosts but scoffs at the idea of aliens, Okarun is a devoted believer in the existence of extraterrestrial life and doesn’t believe in ghosts.
With a supernatural touch to your usual shonen, Dandadan is another manga with a unique plotline that gets you hooked. Its incredible art style also contributes to capturing the interest of the readers. With completely contrasting protagonists, their back-and-forth is amusing to read about.
7Kaiju No.8
After their town is destroyed by kaijus, Kafka and Mina vow to become part of the Defense Force. However, while Mina climbs up the ranks, Kafka ends up as a cleaning crew member. After accidentally ingesting a kaiju, Kafka gains the ability to turn into one, becoming the Kaiju No. 8.
Kafka’s sudden transformation from a 32-year-old deadbeat cleaner to a monster who is classified as one of the strongest sets an interesting premise for the story. It is really interesting to read how Kafka fights against the same thing he has become while keeping a secret.
6Kagurabachi
Chihiro, the son of a legendary blacksmith who forged six enchanted swords, is out for revenge against sorcerers while wielding a new enchanted sword forged by her father before his assassination by said sorcerers.
With your quiet and brooding protagonist who has no qualms about killing those who deserve it, Kagurabachi’s fresh take on the revenge plot is nice to read. However, what gets you hooked are the incredibly compelling characters and their well-written personalities and dynamics. There is a reason why Kagurabachi blew up as much as it did.
5My Hero Academia
In a world of superpowers called quirks, Izuku was born quirkless but dreams of being a hero. His idol unexpectedly grants his wish, the number one hero. Is Izuku ready to shoulder the responsibility of being the wielder of such extraordinary powers? Enrolling in the best hero school in the world, Izuku sets out on a journey to become the hero he always wanted.
My Hero Academia’s strengths lie in its characters and the portrayal of their flaws. Exploring more of the gray area than the black and white makes the manga a page-turner. With jaw-dropping panels and plot twists that keep you coming back for more, My Hero Academia matures as it goes, making it hard to put it down.
4Chainsaw Man
Denji, poor and neck-deep in debt, makes a contract with a devil that turns parts of his body into chainsaws. Saying anything more would be too much too soon, as the plot takes off immediately and only gets better.
Fujimoto is already known for his distinct art style and for being incredibly heartless when handling his protagonists. Positively lacking deaths for shock value, over-the-top gore, and fanservice, Chainsaw Man focuses on Denji and how everything around him has made him what he is. With nicely paced storytelling and awesome worldbuilding, Chainsaw Man is one of the best manga to start with.
3One Piece
A long-ongoing quest in search of the, you know it, one piece, One Piece revolves around Luffy, a young boy who has always longed to live as a free adventurer. Starting on a journey from a small village, he sets out to find the fabled treasure that has never been found, the One Piece, to become the King of Pirates.
With its compelling storyline and fully fleshed-out charming characters, One Piece is as shonen as it gets. The worldbuilding also makes it a good read, with immersive storytelling and excellent pacing. If you want to have something that will be worthwhile for a long time, One Piece is the way to go.
2One Punch Man
With great powers comes great boredom. Saitama is an overpowered superhero who can defeat opponents with just a punch. Sitting at the top has gotten tiring, and Saitama is desperate for a challenge before he starts questioning if losing his hair due to his intense training was even worth it.
One Punch Man is known for its legendary panels, with incredibly detailed and expressive art that captures your attention immediately. The story, being a parody of every popular shonen, is also funny to read. With fun characters and equal amounts of action and humor, One Punch Man never gets boring.
1Jujutsu Kaisen
The story revolves around Itadori Yuji, an average high-school student who gets entangled with the world of curses and Jujutsu sorcerers after becoming the host of the King of Curses. One of the best modern-day shonen, Jujutsu Kaisen, gives you everything from intriguing characters to incredible worldbuilding and a compelling storyline that has you hooked from chapter one.
With a great art style and well-paced story, the plot builds up and takes an exciting turn during crucial moments, with the characters and their dynamics driving the plot ahead. Jujutsu Kaisen becomes progressively more interesting as the story unfolds, completely keeping your attention on it.
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