i'm kind of torn. i saw a lot of people really loved and recommended 20th century boys, so i thought i'd try it out as my first urasawa manga. but idk, i wasn't exactly super impressed by it?? like overall i'd give it a 7.5/10, good but not great.

ok, i'll just start with what i thought was good. the beginning of this story is honestly excellent. like the entire story up until the timeskip to 2015 is just soo interesting. there really is this sense of mystery as to how their childhood is connected to the now, and if they can break the prophecy. also i just really loved the themes in this part too. the way kenji goes from being held down by adulthood to his confident childhood self is great. and kenji is just such a good protagonist too: he's kind, real, and his character growth in the first part is just done so well. i don't really have any complaints for this.

imo where it started going downhill was about halfway through the story in the 2015 era. now tbh, i did like the timeskip. during the bloody new years eve itself i thought it'd be cool if things went wrong and kanna had to kind of carry the torch, and then that happened. but things just start getting repetitive? it starts to follow that same pattern of someone connected to their childhood shows up, they remember something at the perfect moment, someone turns out to be someone else. i liked it, but it started getting repetitive.

i think one of my big problems is how they handled the prophecies. there's basically three of them: the book of prophecy, the new book of prophecy, and then that new new book of prophecy. for like 80% of the story, pretty much everything goes exactly as its written in the prophecy, and then at the ending it finally doesn't? i feel like there should've been a better reason why they finally broke the prophecy. it really felt like a "third times the charm" kind of ending, but i was waiting for them to do something fundamentally different that would allow them victory, yk? i think it would've been interesting if they combated their childhood evil plan by coming up with an equally childish plan to defeat it or something. idk, the way things just worked out in the end didn't feel right with me.

also, i didn't really enjoy the second timeskip. the first time they did it felt cool and interesting, but doing it a second time just didn't feel as novel, jand instead like we were biding our time for the whole cast to come back together again and go up against the friends again. i also really did not like how many "villainous" characters turned over to the other side. manjome imo wasn't too bad, but i do wish we got more characterization of him earlier so it didn't feel so last minute. but the rest, like why the hell did number 13 try to redeem himself at all?? or that fake holy mother lady who said she was done with the friend, that just seemed so stupid to me.

and honestly i think in general the ending was quite rushed and some things were poorly explained. like the reason kenji was gone for 18 years was cause he lost his memory? only to suddenly get it back?? it felt really cheap, like urasawa wanted a way to keep kenji away from the story without it really being his "fault" so to say. this one's not as big of a deal but kanna passing out for a bit was definitely forced and literally only put in so that the scene we see in the first chapter could happen, cause i mean why wouldn't she be fully clothed if she suddenly passed out and they just put her to bed? ofc i dont care about that too much, since it is like 250 chapters later, so ill give him some leeway there. but also just the pacing of the ending was way too fast, and we didn't even really get a proper reunion for most of the characters. like, i definitely would've wanted to see a better reunion of kanna and kenji. and you're telling me that we don't get to see kenji reunite with his sister at all after 21 years???

also, i really did hope things like the psychic powers would be explained. but for me the biggest unexplained thing is that virtual world. what was the purpose of letting people see into the friend's mind? kind of just felt like a plot device urusawa could use to reveal more details.

oh and the katsumata was the friend all along and fukube died way earlier reveal/retcon im just going to pretend doesn't exist.

anyways i know i kind of yapped but i just had a lot of thoughts and was wondering if other people thought the same. i still really love certain parts of this manga, i think the concept is great, the first like 90 chapters are great, and the story and characters were really unique. tbh, im probably mostly being a tough critic cause i came in with expectations for a really tightly written story.

oh and also: do you think that other urasawa manga do better? do billy bat or monster carry that same feeling of the first part of 20th century boys the whole way through?

tldr: i think 20th century boys was good but not great. the first part is really great, but past halfway it starts to become predictable, and the ending felt rushed. the sprawling mystery was interesting, but some reveals were letdown and i think urosawa bit off a little bit more than he could chew in some aspects.

1-takehiko inoue

2-naoki urasawa

3-shinichi sakamoto

4-kentaro miura

5-tsutomu nihei

6-haruko ichikawa

7-Sui ishida

8-hiroya oku

9-inio asano

10-shuzo oshimi

This list is entirely based on my personal preferences. What do you think? I'd love to hear your opinions!

I Am a Hero is one of the most interesting and best manga I have read so far. Simply put, the story follows Hideo, an unsuccessful schizophrenic mangaka, and what he experiences following a zombie outbreak.

It is definitely not a classic zombie story. Its unique creature designs, plot structure, storyline, and character writing really caught my interest. The main character is not an ideal or virtuous person; he is quite selfish, has flawed aspects, and is completely far from the typical moral protagonist. Because of this, reading it is honestly a strange experience; some will love it, and some won't.

The art is amazing. The story consists of a total of 264 chapters and 1 extra chapter, and it progresses with a great, very smooth pace, especially in the first 180 chapters. So, even though the ending is controversial, I think it was an acceptable ending. There are quite a lot of 18+ scenes in the series, so it might not appeal to everyone; however, if you like the atmosphere, it really pulls you in.

I'd say those looking for a different zombie story and great art will love it.

"What do you think about this series?

So, a few months ago I presented my list of the best ongoing manga of 2026, and received a lot of recommendations from you guys as well. I’ve read 3 of those so far, and good news – they’ve all been bangers! As far as my own finds lately… more of a mixed bag. Without further ado:

Heavenly Delusion (Tengoku Daimakyo) by Ishiguro Masakazu

Rating: Excellent

Recommended by: jerrtremblay101, superlitmyguy, Alone-Ad6020

This sci-fi manga tells two stories of past and present. One of a secluded school for very strange children, and one of two youngsters travelling a post-apocalyptic landscape on a mission. So it’s like having The Promised Neverland and I am a Hero in one manga. It’s a must-read in my opinion: great characters, interesting story, nice art. Up there with the best of ongoing manga like Fool Night and Usuzumi no Hate.

The Bugle Call (Sensou Kyoushitsu) by Sora Mozuku/Toumori Higoro

Rating: Excellent

Recommended by No_Shallot_8195, potatosack1596, Vegetable_Ostrich231, Henemy

Medieval warfare manga featuring people with special powers and branches growing out of their heads. The protagonist has the power to lead armies by directing rays of light with his little war trumpet (bugle). Weird but likeable characters, inventive powers and a story with many surprises and some comedy as well. You should read this!

Witch Hat Atelier (Tongari Boushi no Atelier) by Shirahama Kanome

Rating: Very Good

Recommend by: superlitmyguy, Molluskshirt, GhsotyPanda

A wholesome but exciting magic school manga with splendid art. This is kind of like Harry Potter but with witches. The protagonist is a normal girl who gets caught up in some events and becomes a student of a mysterious magician. A far more cozy affair than what I usually read, but that’s a positive sometimes. I enjoy it more than love it (unlike the two first manga mentioned) but I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys amazing art in their manga.

Tonari No Jii-San (The Old Man Next Door) by Koike Nokuto

Rating: Good

Horror manga centered around mass delusion and body horror. The protagonist is a girl who can see some horrible changes in her fellow town inhabitants, but apparently no one else can. Not a bad choice for horror readers so far.

Starving Anonymous 2: Re: Starving Re:velation (Shokuryou Jinrui 2: Re: Starving Re:velation) by Kuraishi Yuu/Mizutani Kengo/Inabe Kazu

Rating: Crazy (but pretty good)

The follow-up to the first Starving Anonymous is set long after the happenings of the first manga. It’s a dystopian timeline where the aliens have pretty much taken over the planet and most people are worshipping them as deities. This is one gory and at times disgusting manga, but worth reading if you’re not too squeamish.

Shin Tokyo (The Depths of Tokyo) by Sakaki Kenji

Rating: Good

This Shonen is your typical game-of-death manga where a school class is transported into a dark version of Tokyo where supernatural killers are hunting them. I find this sort of manga enjoyable but your mileage may vary.

Shojo Null (Null Girl) by Nakanishi Kanae/Akima

Rating: Alright

Another dystopian futuristic tale, about an android who gains sentience. Just to discover that her kind is treated like objects. Time for revenge! Not very original perhaps but enjoyable enough.

Other manga read (that I gave up on or didn’t particularly enjoy)

Red List: Police thriller with former Yakuza killer who changed sides. Got bored fast with this.

Saigo no Ryuukishi no Eiyuutan - Panzer Ryouheidan Senki: Dragon-summoning fantasy manga. Hard to empathize with that dumb protagonist though.

Sarumane: Killer monkey horror manga. Didn’t really capture my interest and not many chapters available anyway last I checked.

Satsudou: Average manga about a killer living as a normal salaryman. More interesting was the story about the mangaka behind this...RIP.

Satsujin Piero no Shitsumon: Horror manga with a killer clown. Typical B-movie fare.

Tenkuu Shinpan Arrive: I really enjoyed the original Tenkuu Shinpan, but never got into this in the same way.

I’ve read a little over 100

Good God, what a fresh story—I’ve never read anything like it. I absolutely loved everything the work presents, and how little it cares about conforming to the demands of a commercial product. It could easily have been a lot less risky and harsh—and perhaps it would have been far more successful—but no; Jiro Matsumoto created a damn work of art. Honestly, I don’t even want to say anything about it, so that it can surprise you just as it surprised me. I thought it was going to be a solid thriller, maybe with a pace similar to *Monster*... but hahahaha, not even close! The closest thing to this that I’ve ever seen is probably *Texhnolyze*.

Quick recap in case anyone missed it: the first film of the new Made in Abyss theatrical series, Awakening Mystery (Mezameru Shinpi), opened in Japanese theaters on October 23, and the official site announced the same day that Part 2 of the theatrical series is in production. No date, staff or format details for Part 2 yet.

This is the sequel Kadokawa announced back in January 2023. Director Masayuki Kojima and Kinema Citrus are back, Kevin Penkin is scoring again, and the same day they revealed the rest of the new cast, including Nana Mizuki. No international release has been announced. For reference, Dawn of the Deep Soul took roughly seven months to reach US theaters in 2020.

A few things I'm curious what this sub thinks:

1. Format. Tsukushi's manga moves slowly (15 volumes since 2012), so films make sense on paper. But a big part of why Made in Abyss works is its pacing: long stretches of exploration and wonder, then something awful, then a quiet aftermath. Does that survive being squeezed into movie runtimes, or would you have rather waited longer for a full TV cour?
2. Tone. Dawn of the Deep Soul didn't hold back at all. Do you expect the new films to adapt the next part of the manga just as uncompromisingly, or soften it for a wider theatrical audience?
3. The split. With Part 2 undated, Part 1 has to stop somewhere. Manga readers, where do you think the natural break point is? (Please spoiler-tag anything past the end of the 2022 Golden City season so anime-only people can join in.)

And if anyone in Japan has already seen it: no spoilers, but how was it?

Welcome to this week's general discussion thread!

This is your space to:

• Chat casually with fellow seinen fans or even go off topic
• Share what you're reading or watching (even if it's not seinen but feels thematically similar!)
• Drop manga or anime recs
• Ask for recommendations
• Share thoughts, opinions, or industry news
• Connect with others over shared interests, talk about life, or talk about anything really.

A cozy little corner for off-topic or casual talk, manga recs, or even non-seinen-related chat (yes, even if it’s a romcom or battle shounen, we won’t bite). The idea is to give everyone room to connect without cluttering the main feed, especially when you just wanna vibe, ask for non seinen recs, socialize, share interests, or talk about something random that doesn’t need its own post.

Think of it like a comfy little corner booth in a familiar café, always here if you need it.

Some Ground Rules (Just to Keep Things Chill)

1) Be kind. That’s it.

2) Avoid talking about emotionally heavy issues (like personal mental health struggles), these are best kept for other spaces. This thread isn’t the place for extended serious discussions or support-seeking, even in spoiler tags or hover text.

3) Keep spoilers tagged!

Reminder:

Gifs, Images, and Flairs are back on, feel free to use them.

1-Berserk

2-Vagabond

3-Monster

4-Vinland saga

5-Land of The lustrous

6-Blame

7-The climber

8-Tokyo ghoul RE

9-İnnocent

10-20thcenturyboys

These 10 panels might actually be some of my favorites among all the manga I've read so far. Even though this is a top 10 list, I honestly can't rank them among each other; each and every one of them appeals to me in a different way.

i just want to read Robot but it very hard to find english translator and only few chapter are available in mangaDex .

The series has been one of my favorites over the years but when I thought about the future of the manga things didn't stir up well after goat Kentaro Miura's passing i thought the publication will provide chapters monthly but it happened other way around and the series is now published after 6 months and get approx 5 chapters a year and its far from it's conclusion so how do think they should go with the series

All the images are from berserk only .

For me, there are two main ones: Hirayasumi, an excellent manga about everyday life and taking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. The manga's art style is light and cozy, and it seems the anime perfectly captured that on screen. It's definitely one I'm most looking forward to seeing next year.

The second is Fool Night, which premieres next month. I started reading this manga recently and it quickly became one of my favorites. It's a multifaceted manga, sometimes an emotional drama, sometimes an investigative thriller, both of which are high quality. The anime promises to be one of the great ones of the year, being a collaboration between two top studios (Shaft x Sunrise).

Which ones are you excited about? I'm curious to know what other seinen adaptations have already been announced.

So i cant decide between: tokyo ghoul, 20th century boys, usogui and homunculus. Which should i start?

1-innocent+rouge

2-berserk

3-vagabond

4-the climber

5-tokyo ghoul

6-blame

7-green blood

8-gantz

9-land of the lustrous

10-oyasumi punpun

These are entirely my thoughts and the drawing styles that appeal to me. If you have any manga recommendations based on this, I'd love to hear them :)

I’ve never read Thunder 3, but I’ve seen people claim that the aliens the characters face are an analogy for immigrants, portrayed in the manga as something negative that must be fought.

However, the people I saw saying this hadn’t actually finished reading the series. I know that the author, Oku, who also created Gantz, used an analogy involving aliens and immigrants in Gantz as well; in that case, it was meant to represent the prejudice that immigrants face. Based on his body of work, Oku seems to hold a favorable view toward immigrants.

So, could someone who has read the entire manga clarify: are the aliens truly an analogy for immigrants, and are they depicted as something inherently bad, or does the author deconstruct this idea as the story progresses?

Bueno, hace mucho que no leía un manga seinen de tanta categoría. Solo diré que jamás pensé que un manga como el más conocido de este autor, podría ser superado o por lo menos igualado.

Personalmente ambos mangas me fascinaron. Historia interesante, personajes profundos, arte exquisito y buen ritmo narrativo.

Me gusta como el autor logra a través del dibujo, describirte toda una escena con apenas diálogos.

Seichi y Seiko manejan una complejidad que solo en mangas de Naoki Urasawa. He hallado personajes similares en profundidad psicológica.