Best Drama Manga of 2023

One fateful day, Koharu is saved from an untimely end and reborn as a Cupid. Her mission: bring love to humans and earn a second chance at life. But modern problems call for modern solutions, and the Cupids of today have traded in their outdated bows and arrows for high-velocity firearms! Koharu's happy to dutifully help others find love, but her eccentric mentors don't play by the book and will happily turn an argument over a love triangle into a battlefield of tactical matchmaking action!!

The Nagare family had a happy home with three people. However, their son Kiritaka was secretly bullied at school. Then, an incident occurs, and the mother Mari's love for her son goes out of control.

Here's the sweet, bloody yakuza love story we've all been waiting for! Nezumi was raised by the mob to be an emotionless killing machine, but a chance encounter in an arcade leads to a romance at total odds with everything she's known. Equal parts ultraviolence and kawaii, Nezumi's First Love turns both the hitman and love comedy genres on their heads!

Kaede's search for a missing classmate leads to the shocking discovery that his friend is actually an alien in a human flesh suit. Grateful for Kaede’s help with her case, cute and ruthless insurance investigator Rin headhunts him. Kaede’s job interview leads to an epic battle on a commuter train, alien treachery, and a hidden spaceship. But before he can decide whether to accept the position or not, Kaede discovers another alien hidden in plain sight—one with a tragic story to share. *Note: Second place at the 10th Next Manga Award in the Print Manga Category in 2025.*

After fierce bullying, Yuuto Kiba wanted to die. On the verge of committing suicide, his fate changes rapidly when a strange and funky beautiful girl, Kubaru, tells him, “Give me your life”. Make your life happy with love?! A slightly strange and psycho love drama.

Eri is the childhood friend we always spent time with. Someday I won't love her as a friend, but I'll never tell her that. Because I want to always be there for her...

Namiji Ogawa is a high school student who teaches himself oil painting every day in order to draw the ultimate nude. After an encounter with a certain "witch", the goal is to take the entrance exam to Tokyo University of the Arts...!?

On days when Sunao is sick, or not feeling like going to school, she is called to take her place. She was born to this world when Sunao wished to have a substitute. No one knows that she exists, but she tries to do her best for Sunao whenever she is called. One day she talks with Sanada, one of her classmates. They become friends, but soon he notices that she is different from the original Sunao...he was the first one who did. She tells him to talk with her only when she has her hair half-up. Sanada does like she told him, and they enjoy their time together. As they become closer, she realizes that she has special feelings toward Sanada. But she doesn't know what will happen to her...if she, a replica, falls in love.

An ex-pro gamer of the FPS genre (♂) reincarnated in a fantasy world filled with magic... Only to learn that what greeted him was not a scene from one's dreams, but a muddy battlefield full of bullets flying to and fro! Moreover, he's now an orphan girl named Touri Noel?! After her aptitude for healing magic was discovered, she decided to volunteer in the army as a second-class medic, all to raise money for the orphanage where she was born and raised. However, without even getting magic training, she was attached to an assault squad, repeatedly fighting on the most cruel battlefields of the "Western Front." The mission given to her was to become the personal medic of the frontline's ace, Garback, and not let him die at any cost. But he turned out to be the worst commander, who will try to get results whatever the cost, even if it means the death of his subordinates! On the battlefield, mired in unreasonable orders and violence, Touri's fierce battle for survival continues...

Seven years ago, Kanna was thrown into the body of a Korean girl named Ju-Hwa. She had everything in her new life—a loving family, a great boyfriend, a hard-won medical license, even her own clinic! But that all changes when she's suddenly swapped back one day. Just as she's been in Ju-Hwa's body, Ju-Hwa has been in hers... and she's left Kanna's life a mess! First things first, she's going to divorce her cold husband, Duke Silvian Valentino. After that? Revenge on everyone who's wronged her.

After being reborn for the umpteenth time, 7-month-old Lee Seojun finally gets the chance to fulfill his original dream of becoming a superstar actor! Using magic abilities from his past lives, baby Seojun captivates his playmates and becomes an overnight sensation with a viral mukbang video that helps fussy kids eat. Soon, he's shooting a baby food commercial, and his uncle's entertainment company is knocking at his door... but will Seojun be able to keep up the magic to match the demand?

After losing her parents at the age of 12, Layla Llewellyn is passed from one uncaring relative to another until she’s sent away to another country altogether. Arriving in the Empire of Berg, she is placed in the care of Bill Remmer, a gruff distant relative who seems to care for little else other than his work as a groundskeeper for the renowned Herhardt family. After years of neglect, all Layla wants is a place to call home, but her encounters with the dashing Duke Matthias von Herhardt and the rest of high society pose trials and tribulations for the tender-hearted girl.

"I was given a building as an inheritance?" From a nobody who does all kinds of odd jobs and lived a hard life, I was given a chance to become a landlord right in the middle of Gangnam! But, the condition for this inheritance is to "operate a restaurant for 5 years." Moreover, I can sense a chill down my spine thanks to the weird customers that came in for today's store opening... Do I really just need to prepare food? "So then...all the guests who came in yesterday..." "They were ghosts." Every night starting from 11 o' clock until 1 o'clock, we will now be open!

A former entertainment producer, who has fallen on hard times, sees a girl pass by. Recognizing a gem in the rough, the former producer offers to manage her - "Ame-chan" himself. The two of them work together to make Ame-chan into a star, and for him to get back into the industry, But it turns out that Ame-chan has a very strong desire for approval and a very unique sense of style...!

Transported back to her first academy days, Nerys Truydd revisits a life marred by betrayal and torment. Exploited and poisoned by her own family and husband, her demise was met with a vow to curse those who wronged her. Now granted a second chance, Nerys vows to rewrite her fate. As she navigates her past, memories of those who hurt her flood back. Determined and fueled by retribution, she seeks to reclaim all she lost. Can she overturn her tragic past and emerge victorious from the shadows of her betrayal?

Kei Kitahara, a visionary screenwriter who has taken postwar Japan by storm, has made the difficult decision to lay down his pen for good after he realizes the people he's been basing his characters on have all met unfortunate ends. He spends his days in misery, waiting to die, until a reason to live finds him in the gutter, too drunk and beaten to move. Kei can't help but be attracted to his savior's bewitching innocence, and the urge to write about him grows stronger by the day. Knowing he can't take the risk, he vows to never use his pen against him, but will temptation prove too great?

Dakyung Lee, an elite member of a criminal organization, learns of the death of her beloved boss. Upon discovering that Chairman Lee was behind it, she vows to take revenge. Yet, since he’s protected by the Sa Yeong Group, all her attempts appear futile. Just as Dakyung is about to give up, she uncovers details about the chairman’s son. In a final bid for revenge, she infiltrates his son’s school, Chaebol High School.

**“Please help me, Master!”** One young man transported to another world. One young woman taken from home and put up for sale. One way forward: alchemy and a can-do attitude! Life’s tough in a dark fantasy world when you don’t have any combat powers. Life’s tougher when you’re a slave. But together—and with the right doses of analysis and patience—Paracelsus and Nora might just be able to make it work…! *Source: Yen Press, Vol. 1*

Once upon a time, there was a happy, cheerful village full of loving, joyous mushrooms deep in the forest. Everything was wonderful, and splendid, and bright—until the day he came. Bringing death and destruction wherever he went, the malignant miasmatic mushroom massacred the entire village for no apparent reason. And that, folks, is how the heroine of our story ended up on a journey to see to his demise...

A former Career Consultant, Takanashi, now works for a school as a Guidance Counselor. During Career Guidance meetings, he gives headstrong students data and tells them the realities of the world around them, hoping that they rethink their dreams. Because of that, students begin to call him "The Dream Crusher".

*Was this life a failure? On the contrary, I like it!* Kang Su-Hyeon, who has failed in everything he has done in life for four years. He finally found his calling as an actor and thought he was seeing the light, but he collided with a truck coming from the opposite side and despaired as death approached... “Wait a minute, didn’t I die?” When he regained consciousness, was his appearance reflected in the mirror the cutest version of himself from when he was 5 years old? *Yes, in this life I start as a child actor!* Kang Su-Hyeon's acting career begins.

Her favorite character's fate is in her hands. A woman's dream comes true when she transmigrates into the body of Rachel Agnes, sister of Liz Agnes — her favorite story villain. Her mission? Ensure that Liz goes down a better path. Yet, things become more complicated than expected, especially when a notorious archduke is thrown into the mix...

Once a commoner, Wellmy Ernest ascended to nobility when her mother married an earl. She tormented her same-age half-sister at home and school, stole her heirship and fiancé, and finally sold her off to the allegedly cruel Lord of Magic. It’s not like her plain, meek sister could oppose. Wellmy got everything she wanted. One day, Wellmy receives an invitation to a late-night soiree from the Lord of Magic, likely to announce her sister as his fiancée. Wellmy attends with her mother and father, but what awaits them isn’t the brilliant banquet they were expecting…it’s a tribunal condemning them for their abuse of Wellmy’s sister. Which means everything has gone just as Wellmy planned… This is the story of a lone villainess who plans to make her sister happy even if it means she’s hated in return. *Source: Manga UP! Global*

The maniac who was crazy about all kinds of fields, such as military and steampunk, had been reincarnated. However, his father was King Se-Jong the Great. The mania-wise king and his crazy maniac son. Along with the ministers and countless humans who were getting exploited. Even today, the night of Joseon was filled with the light of overtime.

After being disqualified from the famous boy group survival reality show Stardust Project, Seo-Han finds himself stuck in a mundane life of part-time work, unable to achieve his dreams of debuting. But then, an unexpected twist of fate catapults him eight years back in time, just before the inception of the show. Now equipped with years of experience, Seo-Han is determined to rewrite his story and fulfill his dreams with this second chance. With the many challenges and dark sides of the music industry, will he finally succeed in debuting as a member of a boy band this time?

See the world you've come to know and love through a different lens in this manga adaptation of the Rascal series through Shoko Makinohara's eyes! After a young Shoko meets Sakuta on the beach, it kicks off a thrilling adventure to save the one she loves from a fate she'd resigned herself to accept—if she can she find the solution before it's too late...

In Blalock City, every criminal fears the mysterious vigilante Witch Raven. When night falls, even the shadiest wrongdoers all fall victim to the witch's curse, which leaves them with physical alterations they cannot conceal nor cure. However, during the day, Witch Raven is just an ordinary pharmacist named Vanna Spalding. Vanna proudly runs her humble little herbs and potions shop, but beneath her innocent store actually lies a hidden basement full of illegal potions and evidence of her nighttime identity. Vanna is confident no one will ever discover her secret, until one day when she finds a police officer, Sion Crawford, standing in the middle of her hideout. The police are after Witch Raven, but Sion seems disinterested in arresting her. Instead, when one of Vanna's experimental potions causes a small accident, Sion enlists her help in investigating a case that may soon prove to be far more serious than either of them are prepared for.

Kim Tae-Seok, who worked on a construction site, receives a notice of passing the document screening for the major company El Sung. At the same time, a message pops up in front of him: 'You have entered the path to becoming a regular employee tutorial. Would you like to proceed?' Follow Kim Tae-Seok's struggle to become the legendary all-around employee in this corporate adventure!

On her seventeenth birthday, the apprentice witch Meg learns that she only has one year left to live. Her teacher, the long-lived witch Faust, explains that the only way to undo the death curse is to collect tears of joy and grow the seed of life. To find them, Meg will have to leave the sheltered life she's always known and head out into the world. There will be meetings, partings, and friendships aplenty, and of course many tears. Meg will learn that the most important lessons for a witch are bright, sweet, and somewhat heart-wrenching.

Kon, who worries about not being able to be "normal", and Ai, who searches for a certain person's whereabouts. The story begins when they meet.

Yun Ha-Jun, who struggled to pursue his musical career despite his iffy talents and ended up sacrificing his own family along the way. "If only I could turn back time...! " One day, after living with regrets and alcohol for a while, he woke up and found himself had returned to the past. Just then, it dawned on him. *The fact that my younger sister is a musical genius...! Now is the time to turn my life around, by producing my younger sister into becoming the best singer!*

Choi Jong-Hyeok, captain of the intellectual crime unit, loses his mother and his own life to a mysterious mastermind for digging too deeply into a case. In his last moments, Jong-Hyeok catches a glimpse of the man who kills him before waking up as his 17-year-old self. To prevent his mother's death, Jong-Hyeok swears to hunt down the one responsible. Luckily, he has knowledge about the future and his experience as an officer. But will these tools be enough to catch the criminal that eluded him once?

Koto, Aya, and Erika were secretly in love with each other. Koto revealed her feelings for Aya, but a short while later, Aya disappeared as if she had been spirited away. Seven years later, Aya reappears to Koto and Erika, just as she was then...

Physical therapist Lee Ki-jeok. The center is failing, and his girlfriend has dumped him! On a day when nothing is going well, he gets hit by a falling star and starts showing a status screen?! The story of Lee Ki-jeok growing into the best physical therapist! (Source KakaoPage, translated)

Ai Hoshino, the permanent center of B Komachi, suddenly tells President Saitou that she is quitting the idol business. Although the group appears to be thriving, there is serious discord between Ai and the other members. Saitou knows nothing he can say will change her mind, so he asks Ai to accompany him on one last job… Meanwhile, the fates of Gorou Amamiya and Sarina Tendouji intertwine as they meet, grow closer, and eventually part. Little do they know this bond will carry them from one life into another!

The night before Lee Jun is set to open his own animal hospital, his childhood pet Pebble visits him in a dream, giving him a mysterious gift. Jun successfully treats his first patient, but when the dog thanks him for saving his life, Jun realizes he can speak to animals! Word about the vet who can understand them spreads quickly among the four-legged residents of the neighborhood, and they come flocking to Jun’s hospital. With his new ability, will Jun be able to save all these furry friends?

Baek Hyeon sacrificed everything to become the best actor in the industry. So when he's about to die in a plane crash, he makes a desperate wish for another chance to live. Hyeon's plea is granted, but who said anything in life was free? Reborn as his younger self, Hyeon must first become a successful K-pop idol if he wants to be an actor again. Can Hyeon make it in the cutthroat world of fierce competition, demanding schedules, and fake smiles? Or will he fail and lose his second shot at fame?

Meet Sol Han, the human photocopier who can replicate anything she sees with precision! One day, she stumbles upon a mysterious genius's drawing in a VR game, igniting her passion for art. Curiosity leads her from a quiet countryside to Illip Arts High School, the epitome of artistic excellence. Amidst challenges and tangled friendships, Sol's journey, a captivating tale of youthful growth and camaraderie, unfolds in the picturesque halls of Illip.

After losing his parents in a tragic car crash, college student Lee Si-Hyuk is left alone to raise his baby brother, Si-Ha. In order to do so, Si-Hyuk decides to follow in his father's footsteps and become a translator. While working to apply for the job, he suddenly finds himself knowledgeable about things he's never learned and starts to gain recognition as a translation prodigy! But even with his mysterious new ability, can Si-Hyuk really balance work and school, all while raising a 3-year-old?

Timid orphan Violet discovers she's the empire's new saint destined to destroy the evil Malum. Unfortunately, she's surrounded by scornful nobles and the power-hungry emperor and pope. Alone, friendless, and overwhelmed, she finds solace in Ethelmund, heir of House Ermengart, who vows to protect her until the end. Can this fragile wildflower find her footing in the thorny and dangerous world of politics and betrayal? And will she be able to fulfill her destiny with only Ethelmund by her side?

Become a Chetamja! Turn your rage into a weapon that defends the kingdom! When young Gwiyeong loses his family in a brutal Jurchen raid, he swears to hunt down every last one of them. His skill in battle soon catches the attention of King Sejong, who offers him a chance to join Chetamja—an elite force of secret agents serving as the king’s eyes and ears in the north. Now, alongside his comrades, Gwiyeong must carry the flame of vengeance and forge it into a blade of duty that will defend the kingdom of Joseon from the shadows.

Ritsu Nagara is a new first-year member of the Mizusawa High School karuta club. For some reason, Ritsu is aiming to win the national championship, but after Chihaya and her friends graduate, the Mizusawa Karuta Club has only one A-class player, and he has a difficult time ahead of him... The story depicts Ritsu's growth along with his eccentric friend Akino and the other members of the club who are dedicated to playing karuta.

The abandoned girl is the strongest saint!? She shows no mercy to her enemies! The long-awaited comic adaptation of the popular work from "Let's Become a Novelist"! Sonia was abused by her aunt's family and abandoned in the forest. Sonia prepares herself for death, but is picked up by the kind-hearted priest Farne and begins to regain her physical and mental health...!? A refreshing story of the abandoned saint!

On the day he was abandoned by the company he devoted his entire life to, did he return to the moment of his first day at work? Kim Cheol-Su, a new employee with no qualifications who joined Hanyoung Trading, one of the largest conglomerates in Korea. Will he be able to rise to the position of 'CEO' that he had longed for in this life? A modern-day self-made story of success through hard work!

One day, the main character, Nagisa Hajime, is suddenly diagnosed with cancer. With the little time they have left, they decide to live as themself. To do so, they decide to renounce the gender they were assigned at birth, male, and go out into the city. Nagisa then goes through a series of incidents and events they never experienced before. The author lays bare their soul as they recount their personal experiences in this great LGBT work.

Due to a childhood illness, Hana's physical growth halted when she was in elementary school. Now an adult, she remains the exact same height she was back then. Faced with the stark disconnect between her true age and her outward appearance, she must confront the daily struggles brought on by the way she looks...

Han Maru, an ordinary husband and father, dies tragically in an accident but is granted a second chance at life. With only vague memories of the past, he relives his high school days and rediscovers his passion for theater, a dream he once sacrificed. However, longing to find his wife and daughter again in this life, he fears choosing theater might steer him away from them. Juggling dreams and family, he navigates life's intricate choices, seeking fulfillment in this extraordinary second chance.

Imagine you were a once-famous adult webcomic artist going through a career slump. Would you rather work with your stunningly sexy but jerk of a producer, Ju-Ho, or your first love and story writer, Min-Jun? Well, Ha-Yun has to work with both! With bills to pay and nothing but ramyun to eat after a string of failed series, Hayoon must successfully launch a new title with both of them on her team. Will she be able to navigate this professional nightmare and revive her career with a bang? And which man will end up taking the spot of her male lead?

Atsuko and Yuri were classmates from elementary school all the way through college, although they hardly ever spoke to each other during their school days. At their first reunion in 15 years, Atsuko discovers Yuri's secret, and she takes drastic action.... What will be the destiny of these two polar opposites, who have completely different interests and friends, and whose personalities often clash?

The year was 2006. A time when just being an "otaku" was looked down upon. One man who lived through the "Otaku Ice Age" travels back in time! Otaku, this is a second chance to relive your lost youth!

Amagoe Homura, a high school student you can find anywhere, finds himself in a devastated version of Shibuya. A mysterious figure calling himself "Unknown" tells everyone that they can commit any crime in this world, and forces them to participate in a death game where they compete on who can commit the most severe crime.

The Kingdom of Palcemith is a land blessed by an ancient dragon. Andrim, the evil prime minister of the country, remembers his previous life when his daughter's engagement is broken by the crown prince. At the same time, he realizes that this world is that of an otome game that was popular in his past life. In the game, his daughter is the evil fiancée of the crown prince and he is destined to be executed alongside her. Unable to accept this, Andrim devises a plan to trap the game's capture targets, who side with the crown prince. He will stop at nothing for revenge including seducing his own rival...

In this school there is a class where students with the lowest grades are sent, it is called the "isolated class". Akari, an ordinary female student, falls into a segregated class due to her friend's betrayal, where she is exposed to irrational violence! However, she stands up to the members who dominate the class with an unyielding heart. At the same time, Akari joins forces with the mysterious Yuto, who has fallen into the segregated class, and vows to climb out of this mess.

A humble medicine peddler comes across an elf slave, saddled with disabilities stemming from months of abuse. Can he save her?

The protagonist, Oji Yukito, is a 17-year old drug dealer. "I don't know if I can really rap." "I don't have anything to sing about. I don't have anything to… say…" He lost his meth-addicted mother and beloved sister when he was a child, and he was left all alone in the world, except for his best friend, the only one who still believed in him… He is beaten by his boss until he bled, even as he continues to hustle as a drug dealer. What feelings reside in his heart? Highly praised by fellow artists, this is an extreme human drama about people seeking salvation through music.

“This is for the chairman. Is there a problem with that? " These words came back like a dagger, and that day, I died and I came back to life. From Yoon Suk, who was the director of the best real estate investment company in South Korea, to Kim Dong-kyu, who was a loner and a loser, in momentary frustration, I rose again for revenge. Wait for me. I’ll make sure to make them pay for what they did to me. Today, I plan as Yoon Suk and execute it as Kim Dong-kyu. For the sake of revenge.

With the power bestowed upon them by the Gods, the Agents of the Four Seasons bring the seasons to the world. It is their duty to traverse mountains and valleys to bring the blessings to every corner of the world. Each Agent has a special guard for if anything happens to them the seasons stop to cycle. Sakura Himedaka is the guard of Hinagiku Kayo, Agent of Spring. Ayame Hazakura guards Ruri Hazakura, Agent of Summer. Rindo Azami guards Nadeshiko Iwaiduki, Agent of Autumn. Itecho Kangetsu is the guard of Rosei Kantsubaki, Agent of Winter. They have just gone through battles with those who aim to destroy the system. This is a vivid story of four Agents and four guards who wish to protect the world but are also individuals who fall in love.

Hae Jin has a father who devoted his whole life to finding the national artifacts that were smuggled out of the country. Then one day, after receiving an unknown “artifact” sent by his father, whom he had lost contact with for a long time, a strange light suddenly came from it, granting Hae Jin a mysterious power and a mission. *“The magic of the Heavenly Object has been bestowed upon you.”* Thus, an adventure involving the artifacts scattered all over the world, including the "Three Heavenly Objects," which contain the soul of the Korean people, begins!

The soulful nonfiction book written by Svetlana Alexievich, Nobel laureate in Literature and the author of *The Unwomanly Face of War*, has finally received a manga adaptation! A story that is a must-read for the Japanese people, it is a record of the grief-stricken prayers and serene wishes of the people who encountered the then unprecedented catastrophe of a nuclear power plant accident.

In the infernal depths of hell, Abel, a devil longing to return to Heaven with his brother Cain, forges sinister contracts with mortals. But his world is shattered when Abel is murdered by Yeonli, his own contractee. To make things worse, Yeonli then shoots Abel with a cursed "golden bullet of love," igniting an agonizing battle within him. Despite his seething hatred, he's entrapped by uncontrollable love and lust for her. Now, Abel must navigate a treacherous path, seeking revenge on his brother's murderer while suppressing his intense desire. Will Abel conquer the bullet's spell before Yeonli reaps his soul too?