As an active reader and watcher of all things manga, I would like to present to you the best manga you should read 2020.
In assembling this list of best shonen manga 2020, I cast a wide net. It looks across many genres and age categories as well as what many consider to be the best manga this year. I firmly believe that there’s a manga for every reader. Hopefully, one of the following titles in our top 10 manga you should read piques your interest.
My Hero Academia
First up in best manga you should read 2020 is a big hit which called the next generation of Shonen Jump. This is a remarkable manga series published in 2014 and been recognized popularly in 2016 when it was adapted into anime. This manga is an absolute joy to read that truly captures the shonen spirit. Some shows are solid but dull; some shows are enjoyable but unsubstantial. This series is solid enough but manages to be one of the most energetic, enjoyable viewing experiences. The story is solid, the character designs quirky and memorable, but there’s just a special soul to this one that elevates it above its peers.
In the peak time of it, manga readers call it the next generation of shonen genres or the future of shonen. Maybe it’s fallen off a bit, but this manga is still manga you must read 2020.
Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga is the work of Makoto Yukimura and is certainly something that we feel you all should be reading right now. The first season of its anime adaptation was recently wrapped up, forcing lots of fans to pick up the manga and read the adventures of Thorfinn from there onwards.
The manga follows the story of Thorfinn, the son of one of Jomsvikings legendary war hero, Thors the Troll. Unfortunately for Thorfinn, his father is caught in an act of betrayal and killed right before his eyes, scarring his mind. Thorfinn swears vengeance on Askeladd, the man he feels is responsible for the death of his mighty father.
Haikyuu
There’s a phrase that goes “dynamite come in little packages”. The meaning implies that someone who is small can achieve big accomplishments. Shoyo Hinata, the protagonist of the series is a perfect example of this. Standing no more than 6 feet tall but yet has a big heart, Hinata is someone filled with integrity. Witness the extraordinary journey that Hinata undertakes to prove to the whole world his worth as a volleyball player. And believe me, it’s worth it especially when it’s someone named the “Ultimate Decoy”.
What’s also impressive about this manga isn’t just the players or story but rather its style. Unlike certain shows where superhuman moves are adapted as a gimmick, Haikyuu!! retains its realism. What you expect is what you will see and that’s a solid foundation of what volleyball really is. It even focuses on the very roles the players are part of such as wing spiker, setter, libero, and outside/weakside/middle hitter. In retrospect, the manga will make you feel like you are also part of the game or even a player yourself. Haikyuu!!’s performance is also more just realism in this way as it fuses together teamwork and realism for a show you won’t forget.
Fire Force
Atsushi Ohkubo’s Fire Force (Enen no Shouboutai) is also quite popular among the fans right now, the reason being the first season of the anime that wrapped up recently. The manga is quite exquisite and is set in a world where people randomly burst into flames and proceed to die.
For the purpose of preventing harm, an agency, known as the Fire Force works relentlessly. What’s more, their newest recruit, Shinra, is quite strange himself, possessing the ability to produce flames from his feet and set off at rocket-like speeds. With Shinra in their ranks, the long process of getting to the center of this mystery ensues.
Kingdom
Kingdom is quite possibly one of the best war mangas out, all down to the incredible work of the illustrator Yasuhisa Hara. The manga is one of the best works of Seinen right now, being set in the Warring States time period.
The story is mainly focused on Shin, a poor boy born with nothing to inherit, yet having the lofty ambition of becoming the dream of the Great General of Heavens, one of the greatest titles there has ever existed. On the way, Shin faces quite an incredible amount of hardship yet he keeps on pressing forward with unwavering determination. Don’t let Kingdom’s anime fool you. The story is quite possibly one of the greatest ever written and something you should definitely read this year.
Demon Slayer
Next up is a big storm last year in 2019 and still make it effective to this year, 2020. For a manga to be good, it’s not always necessary for it to have a complex plot and a deep cast of characters. This is exactly what Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer) proves. A lot of people said that this manga became popular by the popular anime version and the great production of Ufotable studio. That’s partly true, but this manga itself deserves to be one of the best mangas of 2019 and even in 2020.
The premise of the manga isn’t original. It starts with the family of a hardworking boy who lives in a small village being devoured by a demon while he’s away. The only survivor, his sister, is turned into a demon herself and so the boy begins his journey to not only get revenge on the demon that took his family away from him but also cure his sister and turn her into a human once again.
I think we’d be kidding ourselves if we said that we haven’t come across similar plotlines in manga over the years. Kimetsu no Yaiba is a pleasant surprise. Though it appears to merely be another overly grim and dark series lauded for its gore. Hypocrisy, mortality, hope, and despair run as prevalent themes in Tanjiro’s tragic journey.
The myriad ways in which this journey could reach its demise run tense in the heart and the mind of the viewer, as mercy is seldom a consideration to the demons he must annihilate.
Berserk
Kentarou Miura’s Berserk is an incredible story of Guts who struggles to change his destiny and save himself and his partner, Casca, from the curse of their brand. What’s more, Guts looks for the trail of the man who branded them with the mark, Griffith, and seeks vengeance on him.
With monstrous strength, a majestic dragon-slayer sword, and grit, Guts sets out on an adventure against his fate to save everything that’s precious to him. Although not new, Miura’s Berserk is quite easily one of the best works of fiction out there, and if you haven’t read it already, you should go ahead and do so right now.
Attack On Titan
If you’ve talked with your friends about manga, then the mangas that everyone talks about are Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and… Shingeki no Kyojin. Well, that’s simply because it’s stunningly amazing. It’s high rank in the majority of manga charts since it was published is the definitive proof.
The story is one of the most captivating stories. 100 years prior to the start of the anime, humanity has been on the bridge of extinction due to the monstrous humanoid Titans that devour humans.
Now, in present-day in the manga, the remaining small population of mankind lives confined within 3 “heavenly” walls that are so tall and sturdy that even the titans can’t break-in. The most outward wall was named, Wall Maria, the middle wall was named Wall Rose, and the most outward wall named Wall Sina. Unfortunately for humankind, a colossal titan, one that is even bigger than the 50 meter heavenly walls, breaks Wall Maria, allowing the other titans to rampage the city, thus leading to another massacre of humankind.
During this massacre, our main characters, Eren Yeager and Mikasa Ackerman watch in horror as a horrifying titan rips their mother’s head off, then gobbles her up whole. Vowing that he’d one day avenge humankind and exterminate all the titans, Eren Yeager trains to become a survey corp, brave, heroic soldiers who go outside the walls, into the plains in order to fight the titans. But we soon find out, that Eren is much more special than he seems.
One Piece
Illustrated by Eiichiro Oda, One Piece is Shonen Jump’s biggest manga right now and possibly ever, and rightfully so. The manga follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy who aims to become the King of the Pirates.
To achieve this goal, Luffy must find the treasure of Gold Roger, the One Piece, that he hid somewhere in a belt of sea known as Grand Line. Moments prior to his death, Roger, the greatest pirate who had acquired wealth, fame, and power, drove countless pirates to sea by announcing the existence of One Piece, triggering the Great Pirate Era. Luffy’s goal, although hard, is marked by an incredible sense of adventure, humor, and of course, massive pirate-fights.
Jujutsu Kaisen
One of Shueisha’s Weekly Shounen Jump’s best new works, Jujutsu Kaisen is the work of Gege Akutami. If we were to recommend the next face of Shonen to you guys, Jujutsu Kaisen would certainly be it. It follows the story of Yuuji, a master of track and field who simply sits around and wastes his ability initially.
His time at the Occult Research Club is mostly spent doing nothing. However, Yuuji suddenly decides that the time to slack off has come to an end when Megumi Fugishiro arrives at the club, explaining the presence of cursed objects to him. Surprisingly, even the apparently master Megumi Fugishiro isn’t able to handle things, so Yuuji has to step up and take responsibility for himself. You better believe he doesn’t slack off anymore.
So, what manga should you read in 2020? Hopefully, with these picks, you will update more manga to your favorite list.
