The Best Manga for Beginners
It’s crazy to think about these days, but twenty-five years ago, saying that you liked reading manga was enough to get some people bullied in school. Today, though, Japanese comics and cartoons, or manga and anime, are more popular than ever! And with the mediums having reached mainstream status, more people are starting to enjoy them. But on the off chance you haven’t tried manga out yet but want to try, you might be wondering where to start. It may seem a bit daunting, but thankfully, there are plenty of manga out there are perfect for beginners. And since the medium covers almost every genre in existence, there’s bound to something for everyone.
I’m RJ Writing Ink, and here’s some examples of manga to read if you’re a beginner.
Dragon Ball
Of the four main demographics, shonen manga, or comics aimed at tween and teen boys, is the most popular and influential. And no manga was more influential on shonen than that of Dragon Ball. These days, Dragon Ball is world-renowned for its insane transformations and jaw-dropping action, but go back to the early days, and you’d be surprised at how comedic it was. Owing to his previous work being a gag manga, the late Akira Toriyama basically started Dragon Ball as a sillier version of Journey to the West. And I do mean silly. As a kid, Goku didn’t know what electricity was, a bath…or basic human anatomy. It’s a miracle that Bulma didn’t get gray hairs!
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
If the reason why you don’t want to start reading manga is because the biggest titles are so long, then JoJo might be perfect for you. Because while it has been ongoing since 1987, JoJo is unique among shonen series for three reasons. Firstly, it doesn’t follow one single protagonist. Instead, it follows the bloodline of an entire family as they face off against supernatural threats and have names that can be shortened to JoJo. Secondly, the manga is divided into Parts, with each covering a different JoJo. Each part is part of a greater story, but also largely self-contained in nature, allowing the mangaka to focus on a different genre to keep things fresh. Lastly, the artwork. You’ve probably seen the memes from the anime, but the art of the manga is otherworldly. It’s so good that it’s even been put on exhibition at the Louvre! That’s right; this bizarre manga has been displayed in the same museum as the Mona Lisa.
Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead
Which would you rather deal with: a soul-sucking job with a toxic work culture ther doesn’t care about your well-being, or a zombie apocalypse? In this case, Zom 100 is firmly in the zombie camp. When 26-year-old Akira Tendo wakes up one morning to find zombies overrunning the world, he thinks it’s the best day ever, since he doesn’t need to work his horrible job anymore! The series follows him and the group of friends he makes as they eventually try to find a cure for the plague. But before that, they want to live their lives to the fullest. It’s a powerful critique of how modern society has deprived many of us of the ability to truly be happy, as well as what should matter the most to us in life, and I love it!
Naruto
While Dragon Ball helped codify the modern shonen battle manga, it was its successors, known as the big three, that helped solidify it, and Naruto was one of them. The story of a boy ninja ostracized by his village, Naruto has been the subject of plenty of memes over the years, but that doesn’t change the fact that it tackles some pretty heavy issues. From the consequences of hate and prejudice being passed down through generations to the importance of overcoming it through empathy, Naruto has a surprising amount of real-world lessons to impart. One of the most important, though, is learning to persevere in the face of hardship to create a better future. That’s something the world sorely needs to remember right now, and it’s what makes Naruto one of the greatest manga of all time.
One Piece
We have yet to see Monkey D. Luffy become king of the pirates, but when it comes to manga, One Piece is already the undisputed king. At over 500 million copies sold worldwide, it’s the best-selling manga of all time, and it makes mangaka Eichiro Oda one of the best-selling authors in history. Admittedly, it is an absolute behemoth to read through at around 1170+ chapters by the time this goes up, but once you get started, you’ll understand why it’s so popular. From its incredible cast of characters to world-building that would make J.R.R. Tolkien proud, One Piece is a modern-day epic with mysteries that have yet to be solved. The series has become so prevalent that it’s even inspired younger generations to start speaking out against real-life authority figures they perceive to be abusing their power, with the flag of the Straw Hats becoming a recurring site in protests around the world. And when the day comes for the manga to finally end, I’m willing to bet that fans will bring the entire world to a halt just so we can collectively celebrate.
Where to read Manga
There are plenty of other manga that would be great for beginners, but covering them all would take more time than needed. However, there is a big question that needs to be addressed, and that is where to start reading it. Thankfully, you’ve got several options on the table.
The first option is the traditional route, and that is through a book. People in Japan have the luxury of getting new chapters of ongoing manga in magazines that publish new issues on a regular schedule. For most Westerners, though, we have to wait for chapters to compile into volumes and be released to the public. You can either buy copies yourself or check your libraries and hope for the best.
Secondly, there is the Internet route. There are companies that release new chapters of manga as they come out. Some chief standouts include VIZ Media and Shonen Jump, Manga Plus, Kodansha, and others. However, these are merely the official distributors, with their being another route: scanlations.
Scanlations. Try at your Risk
Scanlations, or fan translations, are exactly what they sound like: fans of manga take the raw pages from new chapters and translate them into whatever language the reader is used to. They then release them onto third-party websites for fans to enjoy. This can be quite risky, as Japanese publishers have been known to aggressively pursue those they deem guilty of piracy and copyright infringement. Due to varying copyright laws and the sheer number of them, though, it’s currently impossible for Japan to shut everyone down. In addition, it should be noted how professional the largest scanlation groups are, with proponents arguing they give fans access to manga otherwise unavailable where they live. We’re not judging them, but we should warn you to be careful where you look.
With all of that being said, I hope that you enjoy getting started reading manga! There are so many out there for you to enjoy, and I’m sure you’ll find something that you like.
