While 2024 was an outstanding year for anime,it was also an excellent year for manga, with many hits that will be adapted into anime, propelling them onto best anime lists where the cycle continues until the end of time.
Although some long-running series received stellar manga releases throughout 2024, we want this list to focus on entirely new series that may or may not be well-known. Yet. We all knowOne Pieceis still killing it, but many newcomers emerged on the scene last year who deserve the spotlight and demand your attention if you’re a fan of the hobby!
Volumes
2 Volumes (11 Chapters)
Set It and Forget It kicks things off with a lovely slice-of-life manga focusing on Fuuko, a 25-year-old who picks up cooking after winning a rice cooker, hurling her into her new favorite hobby and passion.
Despite being a short manga series, Set It and Forget It is filled to the brim with wholesome moments and excellent vibes, making it one of the best offerings in its genre of 2024 and is a must-read if you’re looking to relax with a short and sweet read!
Currently Ongoing
Looking for more action? Then Tower Dungeon may be more your speed, as it is an action fantasy manga focusing on Yuva, a local farmhand who gets called into service to save the princess, unveiling horrific sights and monstrosities along the way.
And, since everything takes place in a large tower, as Yuva ascends further and further to the top, the more messed up and unspeakable horrors he encounters, making each page turn thrilling as you never know what will happen next!
Moving from the horrors of the Tower Dungeon into the realm of cuteness overload, My Darling Devilish Daughter is a tremendous blend of slice-of-life and supernatural that effortlessly combines cute, funny, and serious to make for a compelling and heartwarming tale.
My Darling Devilish Daughter centers around Sami-chan, a half-demon child who lives alone with her dad. And, since she’s part demon, she sprouts horns whenever she feels lonely, leading to many tremendous moments that you will absolutely love if you’re a fan of the genre!
In another whiplash moment, we’re going from unbearable cuteness to unbearable despair with the best survival manga of 2024 in MAD. If you ever wanted to know what it would be like if Jujutsu Kaisen or Fire Force crossed over withAliens, well, this is for you.
MAD wears its inspirations on its sleeve, bringing in many Western cinema influences ranging from Mad Max to Alienswith that sweet shounen flairthat mixes to create a unique and compelling narrative with stunning art. If any of the influences mentioned above interest you, pick up and read MAD as soon as possible!
Ichi the Witch is our next entry, another fantasy manga with a strong focus on magic, except there’s one catch: magic users must hunt their magic, making for an interesting dynamic regarding power levels and how Ichi gains and learns new abilities.
The art and overarching narrative of Ichi the Witch is also top-tier, which makes its unique plot pop even more, making it an exhilarating read from volume to volume. We strongly recommend following Ichi’s journey if this genre and setting is up your alley!
Technically published in late 2023, Mujina into the Deep wasn’t translated and released worldwide until this year, so we just said, ‘Forget it!’ and decided to include it in this list because it is one of the best reads if you’re into pure action-focused manga.
Mujina into the Deep is one of the most mature entries on this list, as it is extremely gory and has many adult themes associated with its plot that can make it a tough recommendation for some readers. However, if you’re looking for stunning art, a story with assassins, over-the-top action, and a solid narrative, this is absolutely for you!
Ever wonder whatLethal Companywould be like if it were a manga? Well, look no further, as The Pool answers that question, delivering that suspenseful science fiction you might expect when you hear the words Lethal Company mentioned.
Furthermore, The Pool is written and illustrated by Ajin’s own Gamon Sakurai, so you just know it’s a certified banger. While it lacks the spontaneous humor that something like a Lethal Company brings when you’re playing with friends, everything else is there, from the creepy enemies to the horrifying moment-to-moment of exploring the unknown. Don’t sleep on The Pool!
Tired of the onslaught of action-oriented manga we just recommended? Here’s Hima-Ten! to save the day, providing the best rom-com manga of 2024 that is for fans of Horimiya and Kaguya-Sama: Love is War.
Hima-Ten!scratches the itch of comedic romance incredibly well,offering highly intimate moments that are paired with some of the funniest scenarios, making it a must-read if you’ve been yearning for another one of these stories. The characters, art, and writing are excellent, and we cannot recommend it enough!
Okay, happy time is over. Back into the pits of despair we go with Centuria, an epic dark fantasy tale that is filled to the brim with drama, action, and adventure that will leave you on the edge of your seat each time you go to turn to the next page.
Centuria is a very dark epic with many moments of lightheartedness and humanity, making its themes feel mature and poignant. There is a sense of mystery that will keep you hooked and locked in while you experience tragedy and sadness time and time again, with a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel!
Lastly, we have Kagurabachi, one of the best of the best offerings of 2024. While it technically saw its debut in 2023, it wasn’t released as a tankōban volume until 2024, so we feel it belongs on this list, especially with how well received it was last year.
Kagurabachi is the new kid on the block and is the current king of the action fantasy genre, offering superb art and storytelling with some of the best characters and action panels you could ask for. If you’ve been avoiding this manga, you should correct that mistake instantly!
