10 Popular Manga Series That Deserve an Anime Adaptation

With the upcoming Summer 2024 anime season, numerous manga series will finally be adapted into anime. Nonetheless, true manga enthusiasts would argue that there are various other manga series that should receive an anime adaptation before the ones that are set to premiere.

Despite the fact that some of these manga series have been recently released, others have been ongoing for a considerable amount of time. Regrettably, for undisclosed reasons, these manga have not yet been adapted into anime. As a result, we will now explore 10 well-known manga series that are worthy of receiving an anime adaptation.

Please note: This article may include spoilers from various manga.

Popular Manga Series That Deserve an Anime Adaptation

20th Century Boys

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys is a manga series that blends mystery and science fiction and was serialized from 1999 to 2006. With a circulation of 36 million copies, the series has also garnered numerous prestigious awards over the years.

The manga 20th Century Boys depicts the journey of Kenji Endo and his friends, who discover that a cult leader is determined to bring about the end of the world. The leader’s actions mirror those written about and buried in a time capsule by Kenji and his friends during their youth.

Fire Punch

Despite not receiving any major awards, Fire Punch, a dark-fantasy manga series created by Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, has garnered praise from fans since its serialization from April 2016 to January 2018. Many consider it to be one of Fujimoto’s greatest works, alongside Chainsaw Man.

Agni, the main character in Fire Punch, possesses the gift of regeneration which becomes crucial after his village is engulfed in unquenchable flames by Commander Doma. As the sole survivor, Agni sets out on a quest to seek revenge for his sister, who perished in the fire.

3) Vagabond

Musashi as seen in Vagabond (Image via Kodansha)

“Vagabond, a Japanese epic martial arts manga series, was created and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue, the same creator of Slam Dunk. It first started being serialized in 1998 and has been on a hiatus since May 2015. Despite this, the manga has been compiled into 37 volumes and has sold over 82 million copies worldwide.”

The Vagabond series is a fictionalized retelling of the life of Musashi Miyamoto, a renowned Japanese swordsman. It is based on the Musashi novel by Eiji Yoshikawa and follows Musashi’s journey from the aftermath of the Battle of Sekigahara, where he was known as Takezō Shinmen.

4) Farewell, Eri

Eri as seen in Goodbye, Eri (Image via Shueisha)

Despite not receiving any awards, Goodbye Eri, a Japanese one-shot manga, written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto, creator of Chainsaw Man, was nominated for various accolades, such as the Harvey Award and the Eisner Award.

The story of Eri’s Farewell revolves around Yuta Ito, a young boy whose mother was suffering from a terminal illness. Before her passing, she requested Yuta to capture their final moments together and create a film. After her death, Yuta bravely showcased the movie at his school, but unfortunately, it received harsh criticism. This caused Yuta to contemplate suicide, but he was saved by a girl named Eri who praised his work and encouraged him to continue making films.

Kagurabachi

Despite a lukewarm reception in its local market, Kagurabachi, a manga series created by Takeru Hokazono, gained widespread popularity when it began serialization in September 2023, due to its high praise from international readers online.

Chihiro Rokuhira, the son of the late renowned blacksmith Kunishige Rokuhira, is the protagonist of Kagurabachi. His father was responsible for creating the six enchanted swords and after his murder at the hands of a group of sorcerers who coveted the swords, Chihiro took up the seventh enchanted sword and set out on a quest for vengeance.

Real

“Real, a manga series created by the same author of Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue, is a Japanese manga that revolves around wheelchair basketball. It was first published in October 1999 and has since been collected into 15 volumes, with a total circulation of over 16 million copies. The series has also been recognized with an Excellence Award at the fifth Japan Media Arts Festival.”

The narrative of Real centers around three individuals: Takahashi, Togawa, and Nomiya. Takahashi, who was previously the captain of the basketball team, became paralyzed after an accident. Togawa, who had a promising career as a sprinter, had to undergo a leg amputation. Lastly, Nomiya felt responsible for a disabled woman’s injury and devoted himself to caring for her. However, they all discovered a new sense of purpose through their involvement in wheelchair basketball.

7) All You Need is Kill

Keiji as seen in All You Need is Kill (Image via Shueisha)

Initially released as a light novel in 2004, the story was later adapted into a manga in 2014. Interestingly, the manga has already been loosely adapted into a live-action film titled Edge of Tomorrow.

The plot of All You Need Is Kill centers around Keiji Kiriya, a soldier who is killed in battle against extraterrestrial beings and finds himself stuck in a never-ending time loop. This loop forces him to relive the same day over and over again, giving him the opportunity to hone his combat abilities.

Akane-banashi (Japanese folktale)

Akane Osaki seen in Akane-banashi (Image via Shueisha)

The manga was first published in February 2022 and has since been collected into 11 volumes. It has also garnered numerous nominations for manga awards.

Akane-banashi is about Akane Osaki, a girl who is determined to seek revenge for her father. When her father and the other students were kicked out of Arakawa school, preventing them from achieving the highest rank in rakugo, Akane studied under her father’s teacher and embarked on a quest to become a shin’uchi like him.

Gokurakugai

Yuto Sano is both the writer and illustrator of Gokurakugai, a Japanese manga series that combines adventure and supernatural elements. Serialization of the series began in July 2022 and it has since been compiled into three volumes. Despite only having 18 chapters released, each one is substantial enough to be adapted into a complete anime episode.

Gokurakugai revolves around the adventures of Tao and Alma, partners in a “problem-solving”business in the city of Gokurakugai. This bustling metropolis is home to both humans and beastmen, and as the two colleagues tackle challenging cases, they uncover the city’s mysterious and ominous underbelly.

Choujin X

Choujin X is an action-supernatural manga series, written and illustrated by Sui Ishida, the creator of Tokyo Ghoul manga. It started its serialization in May 2021 and has been releasing chapters at an inconsistent rate. Despite being labeled as “52.3,”the manga has actually published over 70 individual chapters.

“The plot of Choujin X centers on the unlikely duo of Azuma Higashi and Tokio Kurohara, two polar opposite friends. While walking home one day, they are suddenly confronted by a Choujin who threatens to end their lives. Left with no other choice, the two friends make the decision to transform into Choujin themselves in order to protect themselves.”