Summary
It can’t be denied thattheshonencategory has made an enormous impact on Japan’s ever-growing manga industry. Over the last few decades, many original stories (which were written specifically for young Japanese boys) have managed to reach people all around the world, regardless of their age, gender, or nationality.
As a result, shonen manga has become extremely successful worldwide, and many talented authors have created their own exciting and unique series, not to mention that some of them have left such a huge mark on the industry that they managed to influence others that came after them. Needless to say, there’s an absurd number of excellent shonen manga series, but only the following can be considered the absolute best ones.
8Chainsaw Man
A Surreal And Dark Story With A Unique Power System
While the late 2010s spawned multiple solid shonen manga (likeMy Hero Academia,Demon Slayer, andJujutsu Kaisen), it takes a lot for one of them to be placed alongside some of the category’s most legendary and influential series. One of the few series that has easily earned that place is Tatsuki Fujimoto’sChainsaw Man,a surprisingly dark and innovative storythat turned the entire industry on its head.
Chainsaw Manis a lot more mature than most shonen manga, as it explores themes of loneliness, violence, fear, sexuality, and more, but it never feels like it’s overtly edgy or like its violent scenes are gratuitous. On top of that, the characters are complex and have impeccable development, and it has one of the most creative power systems in the industry, with a focus on devils that are powered by humanity’s greatest fears. Lastly, Fujimoto’s amazing paneling, original character designs, and dynamic action scenes are the cherry on top that have helped cementChainsaw Manas a modern classic that, in just six years, has already made an even bigger impact than most of its contemporaries.
7Attack On Titan
A Violent Series That Satisfied Readers During A Drought Period
It may be easy to forget nowadays, but the shonen manga industry was going through a major drought between the mid-2000s and the mid-2010s, and Hajime Isayama’sAttack on Titanwas pretty much the only major series that successfully bridged that gap. The best part is that this wasn’t another generic action series with a lighthearted tone; it was a dark fantasy thriller with surprisingly mature themes and some ofthe most violent action sequences in the entire genre.
Attack on Titanintroduced readers to a unique and dangerous world where it felt like every character could die at any point, and Isayama’s incredible art helped raise those stakes, especially with the detailed designs of the titular titans, who always looked both epic and threatening. But the most memorable thing aboutAttack on Titanis its final arc, which completely turned the story on its own head by turning the protagonist, Eren Yeager, into a ruthless antagonist hell-bent on destroying the world for his own personal reasons. A lot of people may not have enjoyed its ending, but there’s no denying that this is a series that took a lot of risks. As a result, it had a huge impact on the entire industry.
6Naruto
This Epic Story About Ninjas Quickly Became One Of The Big Three
It’s literally impossible to discuss the shonen manga industry without mentioning Shueisha’s “Big Three,” three different series that became extremely popular during the late 90s and early 2000s. The most popular and influential one is, without a doubt, Masashi Kishimoto’sNaruto, which is still read by people all around the world on almost a yearly basis. It follows the story of Naruto Uzumaki,a young boy who wants to become Hokage(the greatest ninja in his village), but he has one problem: an evil fox demon resides inside his body.
With this simple but effective premise, Kishimoto has managed to turnNarutointo an incredible action story, with endearing character dynamics, intimidating villains, and some of the best fights ever drawn in a manga, which are elevated by the series’ unique power system that revolves around chakra and ninjutsu. While many people despise its final arc and its sequel series,Boruto, that’s not enough to ruin the everlasting legacy thatNarutohas left on the entire world, especially considering that it heavily influenced numerous shonen manga that came after it.
5Bleach
An Endlessly Entertaining And Influential Supernatural Action Series
Tite Kubo’sBleachis another member of the “Big Three,” and this is for very good reasons, seeing as it’s so different fromNarutothat both series perfectly complement each other. This story works especially well because it starts off with a dynamic that is reminiscent of a western superhero comic, but with an Eastern touch: Ichigo Kurosaki is a Japanese delinquent who can see ghosts, until one day he meets Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper whofights dangerous undead creatures called Hollows. This simple interaction opened the door to an incredible supernatural world that is always engaging and interesting.
The first few chapters ofBleachfeel like a run-of-the-mill superhero story, but it quickly turns into an epic fantasy tale with some of the most epic battles in the genre. This is because Tite Kubo has showcased his impeccable character writing and design (which are perfectly seen in specific groups of characters like the Gotei 13 or the Espadas). He also created one of the most creative and interesting power systems, the Zanpakutos and the Bankai, always making every battle even more exciting for the readers. At its core,Bleachis extremely entertaining, and its influence can still be seen and felt today in multiple modern series likeBlack Clover, Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen,Chainsaw Man, and more.
4Dragon Ball / Dragon Ball Z
The Most Important Manga In The Entire World
Back in 1984, a young Akira Toriyama concluded his work on a goofy comedy series calledDr. Slump, so he immediately began working on his next story:Dragon Ball, a lighthearted retelling ofJourney to the Westwith a big focus on both comedy and martial arts. Little did he know that it would eventually become the biggest and most successful manga, not only within the action shonen genre but also in the global comic book industry.
Of course, the originalDragon Ballwas a delightful little story that was mostly centered on its adventure aspect, but what cemented it as the most recognizable manga in the entire world was its sequel series,Dragon Ball Z.This is a martial arts extravaganza, with cool-looking characters, flashy special attacks, exciting transformations, and over-the-top battles that engaged readers all around the world, not to mention that Toriyama seamlessly adapted his unique art style into a more serious setting that still featured some occasional comedic moments. Despite all its glaring issues,Dragon Ball Zmanaged to become a cultural milestone that changed the world for good, and it helped the late Akira Toriyama leave behind an eternal legacy.
3Fullmetal Alchemist
A Deep Political Thriller That Has A Lot To Say About The World
It’s important to point out that, despite being such a male-centric field,the shonen manga industry has featured the works of many talented female writers, with one of the biggest standouts being the great Hiromu Arakawa, the creator ofFullmetal Alchemist. The story of Edward and Alphonse Elric is as heartbreaking as it is fascinating, and it slowly but cleverly leads both the main characters and the readers into a dark but complex plot about life, death, war, genocide, and political conspiracies.
The plot ofFullmetal Alchemistis, without a doubt, one of the absolute best ones in the medium, and that’s not even the only reason it is considered one of the best shonen manga in the industry. Arakawa’s art style is incredibly appealing, the characters can be both fun and serious depending on the situation, it’s filled to the brim with many emotional moments, and its alchemy-based power system is endlessly creative and is constantly being used in brilliant ways. While most shonen fans don’t usually pay attention to series that are published outside of Shueisha’sWeekly Shonen Jump,Fullmetal Alchemistis the perfect example of how other magazines can also be the home of numerous excellent stories.
2Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure
An Extremely Creative Series That Is Constantly Reinventing Itself
For many years, Hirohiko Araki’sJoJo’s Bizarre Adventurewas almost never mentioned whenever fans discussed the most important and influential shonen manga, mainly because it didn’t receive a proper animated adaptation until 2012. However, the fact that its reputation has finally changed so much in the last decade is very satisfying, because it is one of the most distinctive and creative series in the entire medium.
Hirohiko Araki is a brilliant author and artist who has utilized his love of film and fashion to create some of the most bizarre but appealing fictional characters ever made, not to mention that he also came up with Stands, a truly inventive power system in which all the character’s abilities have a physical form with an excellent design. ButJoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s biggest strength is that it’sa generational story that is split into nine different parts, which has allowed Araki to repeatedly switch up his own formula with new protagonists, villains, locations, and supernatural abilities. This series has reinvented itself so many times that it even surpassed the shonen demographic and was eventually turned into a seinen manga that was serialized in Shueisha’sUltra Jumpmagazine. Nevertheless, the first six parts ofJoJo’s Bizarre Adventureare part of the shonen editorial category and are among some of the most fun and exciting stories ever told in it.
1One Piece
This Fun Manga About Pirates Is One Of The Greatest Fictional Story Ever Told
Eiichiro Oda’sOne Pieceis the third and final member of the “Big Three” and definitely its most important one, seeing as it’s the only one that is still being serialized inWeekly Shonen Jump, almost 28 years since its original debut. A lot of people are rightfully intimidated by its extensive length, but those who have read it are aware of the fact that this may just be the greatest fictional story ever told, not only in the manga industry but in the entirety of human history.
One Piecestarts off pretty tame, with Monkey D. Luffy wanting to become Pirate King, so he starts recruiting a slew of fun and interesting characters for his own crew. What at first seemed like a lighthearted adventure, however, quickly becomes an ambitious story about revolutionary pirates going against a corrupt government, featuring glaring themes of greed, violence, war, discrimination, and social injustice that are brilliantly executed in a digestible and appealing way. Interestingly enough, this is a series that combines many elements (like comedy, action, science fiction, fantasy, and more) and perfectly juggles them all at the same time, so readers can never feel bored. Of course, Oda’s unique art style and over-the-top character design help this incredible shonen manga stand out even more. Needless to say, the day thatOne Piecereaches its long-awaited conclusion, both its fictional setting and the real world are going to change forever.
