I Read 120 Manga in 2023 — Here Are My Top 10

5. Kaiju No.8, Volume 8

I’ve had a hot and cold relationship with Kaiju No.8‘s serialisation so far.

Sometimes, it’s felt like mangaka Naoya Matsumoto has been uncertain of the direction for the series, with the potential to spiral into mediocrity—but with the seventh, and particularly eighth, volume of the series, the plot has aligned, summoning side characters to the forefront and heightened the stakes. At its very best, Kaiju No.8 blends body-horror comedy with high-impact action sequences, highlighting everything to love about modern shonen.

Kaiju No.8 is set for an anime adaptation in 2024 at the hands of studio Production I.G.

4. Bungo Stray Dogs, Volume 1

I’m incredibly late to this hype train for Bungo Stray Dogs, but after curiously watching the first episode of the anime, I decided to grab the manga and was instantly hooked. The dysfunctional characters, black humor, and intense action sequences all combine to produce a series that has me addicted (and based on the difficulty I’ve had getting some of the early volumes, a lot of other readers too!). It’s a shame that I waited so long to read Bungo Stray Dogs, but it also means I have plenty of volumes to catch up on—so really it’s a win-win!

Clearly I’m not alone, since Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 was voted the Best Anime of the Summer 2023 Season by Anime Corner voters!

3. Tamon’s B-Side, Volume 1

With the roaring success of Oshi no Ko early in 2023, idol-based manga and anime have been a hot topic—and the shoujo comedy Tamon’s B-Side by Yuki Shiwasu is absolutely one of the best manga I’ve read this year, not just for shoujo, but for comedy and romance in general. Our main character, Utage, takes a part-time job cleaning—and ends up becoming the housekeeper for her favorite idol, the gorgeous and charismatic Tamon. There’s only one problem—Tamon is an insecure mess off-stage, and it’s up to Utage to help him see why his fans truly love him!

Tamon’s B-Side has something for everyone—an incredibly dark sense of humor, a softly bubbling romance, and all the idol goodness you could want!

2. Ayakashi Triangle

I couldn’t pick a single volume that best summarizes my love for Ayakashi Triangle, because Kentaro Yabuki’s sheer genius for producing ecchi action series makes every panel leap off the page with the skill of a seasoned master. From To-Love-Ru to Black Cat and Darling in the FranXX, there’s a little of each’s DNA in Ayakashi Triangle, a series that follows a gender-bent exorcist ninja as he protects his childhood friend (and crush) after she inherits an ancient mystical title that makes her the target of enemy ninjas and spirits alike.

Ignore the poorly-produced anime, and skip over the censored VIZ online releases—the Seven Seas Entertainment release via their Ghost Ship imprint is exactly how Yabuki intended the manga to be read, with plenty of hilarious nudity and ecchi comedy. The series keeps up the action, too, with plenty of exorcist magic and ninjutsu—but above all else, Ayakashi Triangle will have you coming back for the characters and the laughs!

1. Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku

After seeing some interest around the Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku anime series in the Spring 2023 season, I picked up the first volume of the manga sometime around October and binged the entire 13-volume series within the space of a few months. The setup of Hell’s Paradise is engaging enough: death row convicts and samurai executioners sent to a mysterious island to recover an elixir of life. But afterwards come shocking revelations regarding the island’s mutant monsters and the fate that has befallen previous expeditions to the island.

Hell’s Paradise has a large focus on combat, with incredible battle sequences that take place across vast portions of the island, and impressive set pieces such as a battle upon a burning ship. Although the series ostensibly follows Gabimaru, a death-row ninja with supernatural powers, Hell’s Paradise gives an equal amount of page-time to his female executioner, Sagiri, who really stands out among a sea of chiefly male-led shonen.

My favorite manga of 2023 was, without a doubt, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku—so if you haven’t gotten around to reading the series, there’s no better time to start!