Best Manga of the 2020s

Sixteen-year-old Ai Hoshino is a talented and beautiful idol who is adored by her fans. She is the personification of a pure, young maiden. But all that glitters is not gold. Gorou Amemiya is a countryside gynecologist and a big fan of Ai. So when the pregnant idol shows up at his hospital, he is beyond bewildered. Gorou promises her a safe delivery. Little does he know, an encounter with a mysterious figure would result in his untimely death—or so he thought. Opening his eyes in the lap of his beloved idol, Gorou finds that he has been reborn as Aquamarine Hoshino—Ai's newborn son! With his world turned upside down, Gorou soon learns that the world of showbiz is paved with thorns, where talent does not always beget success. Will he manage to protect Ai's smile that he loves so much with the help of an eccentric and unexpected ally?

After being aggressively rejected, Momo Ayase finds herself sulking when she stumbles across a boy being bullied. Saved by her rash kindness, the occult-obsessed boy attempts to speak to her about supernatural interests he believes they share. Rejecting his claims, Ayase proclaimed that she instead is a believer in ghosts, starting an argument between the two over which is real. In a bet to determine who is correct, the two decide to separately visit locations associated with both the occult and the supernatural—Ayase visiting the former and the boy visiting the latter. When the two reach their respective places, it turns out that neither was wrong and that both the occult and ghosts do exist. This marks the beginning of Ayase and the boy's adventure, as they attempt to fix the surreal, supernatural, and occult elements around them to return to a normal life.

Grotesque, Godzilla-like monsters called "kaijuu" have been appearing around Japan for many years. To combat these beasts, an elite military unit known as the Defense Corps risks their lives daily to protect civilians. Once a creature is killed, "sweepers"—working under the Professional Kaijuu Cleaner Corporation—are left to dispose of its remains. Kafka Hibino, a 32-year-old man, is unsatisfied with his job as a sweeper. From a young age, he has aspired to join the Defense Corps and kill kaijuus for a living. After a few failed attempts, however, he gave up on his dreams and resigned himself to the mediocrity that provided a decent paycheck. Nevertheless, when an ambitious, 18-year-old recruit named Reno Ichikawa joins his cleaning team, Kafka is once again reminded of his desire to join the military. Following a chain of unfortunate events and an interaction with the junior sweeper, Kafka encounters a parasite-type kaijuu that forces its way in through his mouth—turning him into a humanoid monster. With his newfound powers, Kafka aims to give his lifelong dream a final try.

The Demon King has been defeated, and the victorious hero party returns home before disbanding. The four—mage Frieren, hero Himmel, priest Heiter, and warrior Eisen—reminisce about their decade-long journey as the moment to bid each other farewell arrives. But the passing of time is different for elves, thus Frieren witnesses her companions slowly pass away one by one. Before his death, Heiter manages to foist a young human apprentice called Fern onto Frieren. Driven by the elf's passion for collecting a myriad of magic spells, the pair embarks on a seemingly aimless journey, revisiting the places that the heroes of yore had visited. Along their travels, Frieren slowly confronts her regrets of missed opportunities to form deeper bonds with her now-deceased comrades.

Back then, Dok-Ja had no idea. He had no idea his favorite web novel 'Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse' was going to come to life, and that he would become the only person to know how the world was going to end. He also had no idea he would end up becoming the protagonist of this novel-turned-reality. Now, Dok-Ja will go on a journey to change the course of the story and save humankind once and for all. (Source: WEBTOON, edited)

Suffering from a terminal illness, Yuuta Itou's mother asks him to film her last moments, which he does. From her radiant smile when she is with her family to the times when sickness ravages her body in the hospital, he records hours upon hours of footage. After her passing, Yuuta compiles her life into a movie to screen at his school, deciding to add a bit of fantasy to the ending of his film, Dead Explosion Mother, with a literal explosion! Following the backlash caused by his supposedly tone-deaf portrayal of his mother's death, Yuuta trudges to the hospital roof to take his own life—but there, he meets a girl named Eri. Captivated by his film, Eri requests Yuuta to make a new one that will blow the previous out of the water and prove his critics wrong. The movie they set out to make will stand apart by blurring the line between fact and fiction. And of course, it would not be a Yuuta film if it did not have his personal flavor—just a dash of fantasy.

Tarou Sakamoto was considered the greatest hitman of all time. Feared by many, he stood at the top of the underground world until he met and fell in love with a woman. As a result, Sakamoto abandoned his life of crime and now works as a convenience store clerk. Leaving his shady past behind proves more difficult than Sakamoto initially imagined. Many of his former rivals and partners do not believe that he has truly left the business and show up in hopes of taking him out. Barred from killing, Sakamoto must find creative ways to subdue his enemies and prevent them from bringing harm to his family, his store, and the small town he resides in.

Despite being adjacent to one another, Chidori Public High School and the all-girls Kikyo Private Academy seem to exist in two different worlds. While the latter boasts an immaculate reputation and favors students from wealthy backgrounds, the former is a nest for dim-witted delinquents. Everyone at Kikyo harbors a deep hatred for their Chidori neighbors. Sixteen-year-old Rintarou Tsumugi is a student at Chidori whose intimidating face leads people to avoid him. Rintarou pays no mind to this, as he is content with his group of friends. However, there is something he has not told them yet: sometimes, he helps out at his family's cake shop. One day at work, Rintarou sees a customer at a table, but she runs off before he can talk to her. The next day, he receives an apology from the girl, Kaoruko Waguri, who explains that she did not run away because of his appearance and that she believes Rintarou is a kind-hearted person. Although he is not used to Kaoruko's bright personality, Rintarou looks forward to forming a friendship with her. There is just one obstacle that stands in his way: Kaoruko is a Kikyo student!

Fourth grader Ayumu Fujino regularly draws four-panel manga for her school newspaper and is lauded as having the best artwork in her class. One day, she is asked by her teacher to turn over one of her manga slots in the school newspaper to a truant student named Kyoumoto. When Kyoumoto's manga pops up alongside Fujino's, it receives high praise for its detailed artwork, making Fujino furiously jealous. Refusing to be beaten by someone who barely attends school, Fujino devotes herself to learning to create manga. As time goes on though, her goal of outshining Kyoumoto seems to only get further and further away; and Fujino, now in sixth grade, eventually gives up and quits making manga. Graduation day arrives, and Fujino is asked to deliver Kyoumoto's graduation certificate to her. Through chance, the two end up coming face to face, and their unexpected meeting will end up having consequences far beyond what either of them could ever predict.

To everyone else in his magic-dominated world, the young and powerless Mash Burnedead is a threat to the gene pool and must be purged. Living secretly in the forest, he spends every day training his body, building muscles strong enough to compete with magic itself! However, upon having his identity exposed and his peaceful life threatened, Mash begins his journey to becoming a Divine Visionary, a role so powerful that society would have no choice but to accept his existence. And so, in order to maintain his peaceful life, the magicless Mash enrolls in the prestigious Easton Magic Academy, competing against the children of some of the most powerful and elite in the realm. Lacking the very skill needed to survive at Easton, magic, Mash appears to already be at a disadvantage to his fellow classmates. In order to achieve his goals, Mash will have to fight his way through every trial using his fists alone, overcoming magic with muscles, all for the illustrious title of Divine Visionary!

Eighteen years ago, during the Seitei War, Kunishige Rokuhira was the most renowned man in Japan. As a master swordsmith, he forged six enchanted blades, each imbued with a special power that secured the nation's victory. After the war, Kunishige retired to the mountains with his son, Chihiro, who began diligently learning the craft. Nearing his 15th birthday, the level-headed Chihiro resolved to one day succeed his father. However, his plans were derailed when he witnessed a group of powerful sorcerers kill his father and steal the sacred blades. Three years after the incident, Chihiro lives on with hatred in his heart and an intense desire for revenge. Wielding the Enten, the seventh and final enchanted blade Kunishige created in secret, Chihiro cuts down evildoers associated with the Hishaku—the organization he believes to be responsible for his father's death. Chihiro has yet to unlock the Enten's full potential or perfect his swordsmanship, but he will stop at nothing to retrieve the stolen katanas, avenge his father, and honor the legacy he left behind.

Living in the slums of a wealthy town, Rudo and his foster father Regto try to coexist with the rest of the town's residents, but Rudo despises the wastefulness of the upper class. Ignoring the warnings from those around him, Rudo regularly rummages through the town's garbage in search of anything useful or valuable to save from the "Abyss"—a massive hole where anything considered trash is dumped, including people. Rudo's biological father was one such person, having been thrown into the Abyss after he was accused of murder. One day, after running into a mysterious figure on the way home, Rudo returns to find Regto's dying body on the floor. He is immediately found at the scene by the authorities and is charged with murder. No one believes his claims of innocence, and he is thrown into the Abyss. Instead of dying, however, he finds himself in a strange, foul-smelling place surrounded by monsters made out of trash. When Rudo is attacked by said monsters, he is saved by a man named Enjin, who reveals himself to be a "Cleaner"—someone who uses special weapons called Vital Instruments to combat these creatures. In order to get his revenge on the one who killed Regto, Rudo reluctantly becomes a Cleaner to fight his way back up and out of the Abyss.

Taiki Inomata, a third-year student in junior high, attends Eimei Academy, an integrated school with a major sports program. Having joined the high school badminton team, Taiki tries to attend open practice as early as possible. But no matter how early he goes, he always arrives second in the gymnasium. The person one step ahead of him is Chinatsu Kano, a first-year student in senior high and Taiki's crush. Chinatsu is the rising star of the basketball team, and the gap between her and Taiki could not be greater. Although Taiki is a decent badminton player, his popularity is nowhere near Chinatsu's, making it even less likely for his feelings to be reciprocated. However, in a strange twist of fate, she ends up living in Taiki's house! Wanting to become a worthy match for Chinatsu, Taiki pursues the same dream as his crush: to partake in the Nationals. Taiki starts training harder than ever before, all for the sake of building a strong relationship with his new housemate.

There is no bigger scum of the earth than Lloyd Frontera. He is the eldest son, yet all he does is drink and intimidate others, depleting what little is left of his family's wealth. The Fronteras' knight, Javier Asrahan, is destined to become a renowned swordmaster, and Lloyd's family will face pitiful deaths as their entire land falls to ruin under insurmountable debt. Though at some point Kim Suho was an average civil engineering student in Korea, he suddenly wakes up on a dirt road as none other than Lloyd, an ungrateful hooligan from the beginning of a book following Javier, the protagonist. While a sassy status window offers some clarity about his new identity, Suho is rather worried about his imminent downfall. To avoid becoming a beggar—and ultimately lead a sweet and comfortable life—Suho decides to fix Lloyd's scumbag image. With his engineering expertise and magical construction skills boost, Suho introduces modern innovations and city developments to this medieval-like world, drastically improving the people's quality of life—all for a nice sum of money.

Second-year high school student Tokio Kurohara likes to slack off in class. However, despite his attitude at school, he works alongside his childhood friend Azuma Higashi to combat the brewing injustice in their town. In contrast to Tokio, Azuma is physically capable and rarely struggles against the common thugs the pair regularly encounter. Yet, there are fights that even Azuma will not pick. Choujins—supernatural beings with powers beyond mere mortals—are entities that Tokio and Azuma avoid at all costs. One day, when a previously defeated thug returns to exact revenge, the two are forced into a scuffle. Unable to flee from their foe, the duo injects themselves with a drug that can turn someone into a Choujin. While the dose seemingly has no physical effect on Azuma, Tokio grows a beak. In fear of being seen, Tokio must now figure out how to hide his new identity as a Choujin. But it seems that there are people out there who are angry at Tokio and Azuma's use of the Choujin drug, and they do not seem to want to stay quiet about it.

Maga—dangerous and powerful creatures resurrected from the corpses of people and animals—are behind mysterious disappearances every day. Humans and the lower-class beastmen who possess both human and animal characteristics reside in the bustling Gokuraku district, where the situation is no different; in fact, it is strangely becoming worse. In the district lies a peculiar office, used by the Gokurakugai Troubleshooter Agency. Cool-headed leader Tao and intuitive young Alma, its only two members, take on any job that requires them to look into private incidents or even track down missing people—if their clients can afford it, that is. But the two hide a secret: their main objective is to investigate the disturbing cases caused by maga and eradicate every single one of them.Included one-shot: Volume 2: Gokurakugai Sanban-doori no Ken

Best friends Yoshiki and Hikaru have been stuck together like glue for most of their lives. Living in a small village and being the only children their age, the two boys find solace in each other's company. Their friendship seems picturesque at first glance, but Yoshiki has noticed a shift in Hikaru's demeanor ever since one fateful summer. The "Hikaru" that sits beside him now is nothing like his friend. Despite his physical appearance and memories remaining exactly the same, Yoshiki knows something is amiss and that the Hikaru he once knew is gone. When he brings this up, Hikaru partially transforms into an otherworldly being, threatening to kill Yoshiki if he cannot accept it—while also professing its love for him. Wracked with grief and unable to let go of his best friend, Yoshiki struggles to move on with his life as he finds himself getting closer to the new Hikaru. At the same time, strange occurrences begin to plague their village, bringing unsettling chaos.

The sole thing that gets the middle-aged Sasaki through his soul-sucking job is a cheerful smile from Yamada—the young woman who works at a nearby 24-hour supermarket he frequents. After every tiring day of getting berated by his boss, Sasaki stops by the store to have his spirit healed by his favorite cashier. After a particularly grueling day, Sasaki shows up at the supermarket, only to find that Yamada's shift has already ended. Disappointed, he searches for a place to smoke when a woman from behind the store calls him over to join her. The bold and dangerously playful Tayama is quick to call out Sasaki's peculiar habit of always seeking out her coworker—even going as far as telling Yamada about Sasaki's vested interest in her. Now, in addition to seeing his adored cashier Yamada, Sasaki also visits the store to see if his new smoking partner Tayama is around. But there is more to Tayama's mischievousness than she initially lets on. With every cigarette, an unlikely friendship begins to blossom.

After the Tower suddenly appeared, individuals who wished to pursue their personal values began to inhabit it, coming to be called "hunters." Everyone had their own goals, but only a chosen few were acknowledged and given powerful skills by the mysterious structure. Kim Gong-Ja, a weak F-Class hunter without any skills, is envious of those who were blessed by the Tower. Letting his jealousy overcome him one day, Gong-Ja abruptly receives a S-Class skill that allows him to copy a skill from someone else—after they kill him. Sooner than he likes, Gong-Ja gets to test his newly acquired ability on the legendary hunter known as the Flame Emperor. As he is dying, Gong-Ja learns the evil truth about the man he once admired the most. Receiving another potent skill that allows him to revive and go back in time by 24 hours, Gong-Ja devises a plan to travel 11 years into the past to eliminate the Flame Emperor and cement himself as the world's best hunter.

A squid-like creature, known as a Happian, leaves his home planet with the desire to spread happiness across the universe. He lands on Earth, but quickly finds himself in danger of captivity by its inhabitants. Fortunately, he is found by an unsmiling little girl named Shizuka Kuze, who feeds him and names him Takopii. Feeling indebted, Takopii decides to do everything in his power to bring a smile to her face. The task is easier said than done, however. Shizuka is bullied by her classmates, she does not have a father, and her mother is never home—though the gravity of these issues flies over the naive Takopii's head. Even so, Shizuka does have one source of happiness: her dog Chappy. The connection Shizuka and Chappy share only increases Takopii's desire to make the girl smile. While Takopii's attempts to lift Shizuka's spirits lead to unintended consequences, he is determined to take things into his own tentacles, test his understanding of human beings, and achieve his goal of spreading happiness.

The black-clad boy that Aya Oosawa likes is perfect: he is effortlessly nonchalant, has a sharp sense of style, and listens to the best music. Ever since the trendy Aya stumbled upon a small CD store to enjoy the rock classics her friends are not familiar with, the mysterious employee behind the counter has been on her mind. Meanwhile, the quiet and aloof Mitsuki Koga listens to her popular classmate Aya rave about her crush, tormented by a nagging thought: how to tell Aya that the guy she is interested in is not a guy at all! In reality, when Mitsuki sheds her plain high school uniform, she is the one manning the counter at her uncle Joe's CD shop. She wrestles with how to reveal her identity, but flirting with the stunning and clueless Aya is just too tempting. As music becomes their shared passion, it seems that Aya's feelings will remain unchanged—even when Mitsuki's secret comes to light.

On the Hawaiian Islands, siblings Dragona and Jodio Joestar commit petty crimes to provide aid for their ailing mother Barbara Ann. Under the orders of Meryl May Qi, both a crime lord and their high school principal, the siblings work alongside fellow teenagers Usagi Alohaoe and Paco Laburantes. Together, the gang engages in outright robbery, fraudulent activity, and other schemes to rip off unsuspecting tourists and civilians. Fifteen-year-old Jodio admires his older brother's strong sense of identity and his mother's incredible work ethic, but there is a darkness within him, one characterized by violent outbursts that he carries out with a cold stoicism. Diagnosed as a sociopath, Jodio is quick to brutalize those who threaten his loved ones. His one objective is to make money by any means necessary, both to support his family and to become filthy rich in his own right. On one particular heist, the gang robs manga artist Rohan Kishibe of a seemingly ordinary lava rock. However, they soon find that the rock draws any object of high value that it touches to its wielder, no matter the distance or bizarre chain of circumstances it takes to get there. With this new power in hand, Jodio and his allies set out to become wealthier than they ever dreamed possible.

After reading the conclusion of her favorite manga series, Fuuko Izumo finally feels ready to end her existence. For the past 10 years, Fuuko has been afflicted by a condition that brings extreme misfortune to anyone who touches her. This has had a drastic effect on her surroundings, even inadvertently resulting in the deaths of those around her—including her parents. As she stands on a bridge above train tracks, Fuuko is touched by a strange man, causing the footing underneath him to break and dropping him in front of an oncoming train. However, when Fuuko finds the man's corpse, she discovers that his body is regenerating and that he is coming back to life. The man, whom Fuuko names Andy, is immortal—and like her, he also wishes for death. Initially dismissive, Fuuko eventually decides to team up with Andy to give him the best death possible; but a mysterious organization lurks in the shadows, hoping to take advantage of the duo's bizarre abilities.

Ruri Aoki is just another average high school student—until she wakes one morning to discover horns growing out of her head. Confused and unimpressed by the change, she shows them to her mother. However, her mother remains unfazed and reveals a shocking truth: Ruri is half-dragon! Although Ruri has no idea what to make of this sudden development, she decides to go to school like normal, hoping that another ordinary day awaits her. But it does not take long before her best friend, classmates, and homeroom teacher all notice something amiss. Swarmed by people requesting to look at, feel, and take selfies with her horns, Ruri realizes being a half-dragon is going to be much more chaotic than she expected.

The latest otome game is all the rage recently, so a regular university student decides to see for herself if its fame is well-deserved. She clears the normal mode in no time and finds herself pitying the villainess, Penelope Eckhart. Penelope is a fake―a replacement for the duke's missing daughter, the protagonist of the game. Initially confident about clearing the hard mode as well, the woman is shocked by the sheer leap in the level of difficulty, eventually passing out from exhaustion. However, when she wakes up, she no longer recognizes her surroundings, for she has been reincarnated into the body of the villainess! In a world where everyone seems to be out for her blood, Penelope must make wise decisions that keep her away from the death route. A tyrant prince, a suspicious magician, a nobleman from a fallen nation, or one of her nasty adoptive brothers―whose affections will she win?

When he was eight years old, Yu Ijin was the sole survivor of a fiery plane crash in a foreign land. To survive, he became a notorious mercenary—honing his arm-to-arm capabilities, marksmanship, and combat prowess into those of a skilled predator. However, 10 years later, after encountering soldiers deployed from South Korea, he rediscovers his remaining family: an adorable little sister named Dayun and a warm-hearted grandfather. Upon returning to his home country, a brand new trial is presented to Ijin—to assume the mundane life of a typical high school student. From scheming bullies to newfound friendships, every experience is new for Ijin. However, when his past begins to catch up to him, Ijin will have to use his years of experience on the battlefield to protect his loved ones.

As Kiyotaka Ayanokouji and his classmates begin their second-year life, changes are seen everywhere throughout Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. With the third-years having graduated and incoming first-years entering the school, alliances are well underway. Additionally, now that Miyabi Nagumo is the student council president, the promise of turning the school into a meritocracy may become a reality. Meanwhile, conflicts between classes continue to build as the class point totals draw close. With another special exam looming ahead, will Ayanokouji remain in the shadows, or will he finally enter the spotlight and help his class rise to the illustrious Class A?

When the virtual reality game Tower of Trials was released, it gained the attention of dedicated players due to its extreme difficulty. However, its reputation quickly fell after people realized they could not complete the game. Nonetheless, following 11 years of trial and error, content creator Kang Jinhyeok becomes the first to finally beat Tower of Trials. As Jinhyeok plans to quit his passion for a more stable income, he is in for a surprise—Tower of Trials has appeared in the real world! Moreover, a notification announces that players must clear all the Tower's floors within 90 days or the whole of humanity will perish. To Jinhyeok's advantage, the manifested building replicates its game version that he has just defeated. With his vast knowledge of the Tower, Jinhyeok decides to conquer it once more to save mankind from certain doom.

Nanotechnology meets martial arts at the Mashin Academy. Yeo-un's mother may not be one of the High Priest's six official wives, but his father's blood still qualifies him for a chance at the position of Minor Priest. Will a mysterious nanomachine injection from a future descendent help Yeo-un in this fierce competition against his powerful half-siblings?

In a cruel twist of fate, Boruto's and Kawaki's lives have been switched due to a powerful jutsu. Now branded a traitor, Boruto is on the run from his village and training with Sasuke. But when Konoha comes under attack, it's time for a grown-up Boruto to return home and show how powerful he's become!

Miroku is a slit-mouthed woman whose ear-to-ear smile strikes fear into the superstitious, but who would have thought she had a fiancé? Once an infamous urban legend, the self-proclaimed "Queen of Folklore" has found her existence threatened by the public's declining belief in her. She is also roped into a contractual marriage with 17-year-old Kouichi Sano, a member of a family responsible for the continued existence of the supernatural. Miroku is unenthused by the arrangement and wishes to regain her notoriety through her own means. For this reason, Sano makes his fiancée a deal: if she can scare him once before he turns 18, he will end the engagement. Miroku concedes to these terms but is unsettled by Sano's proposed condition—where he must make her fall in love with him.

1-Star heroes are just fodder for learning a boss' attack patterns. That was Seojin Han's philosophy when playing the notoriously difficult game Pick Me Up. But after being transported into the game as one of those 1-star heroes, he's got no choice but to rise in rank and defeat the player controlling him and his party. Can a gacha game character hope to defeat a player akin to being his god?

When Cheongmyeong of the Mount Hua Sect awakens a hundred years in the future, his last memories are of a bloody battle against the Leader of the Demonic Cult, the evil Cheonma. The battle almost saw the end of the Ten Great Sects of ancient China, when Cheongmyeong ended the hard-fought struggle by striking down Cheonma. Soon after, he succumbed to his wounds, filled with regret at their pyrrhic victory. All is not lost, however, as he awakens to his second chance at life. Shocked to find his beloved Mount Hua Sect reduced to a mere shadow of itself in the present day, Cheongmyeong embarks on a journey to restore Mount Hua to its former glory.

Raised to kill like a pack of loyal hounds, the Baskerville children took countless lives as a band of fearsome assassins. Despite being the shunned illegitimate son of the brood, Bikir served his family faithfully, only to meet his untimely demise at his father's hands. But when he is inexplicably reborn with a second chance at life, Bikir, armed with the memories and knowledge of his past, swears to rise above the pack and take his revenge. This time, he's ready to bite the hand that feeds.

Jin Runcandel was destined to become the head of his swordmaster clan. But despite his best efforts, he's banished for his shoddy swordsmanship. Though Jin eventually makes a contract with the god Solderet and is freed from the curse that hindered his abilities, he meets a rather unfortunate end. In the next moment, however, he awakens as a baby, long before his tragedy began. Armed with a second chance and some new powers, Jin swears to fulfill his destiny and become the ultimate swordmaster.

Abandoned at birth in a stable, Shirone was raised by commoners. As a child, he had gifted insight and had learned how to read. After visiting the city, he finally saw the workings of magic, which he was immensely curious about. This inspired Shirone's dream of becoming a mage. However, the city was a place with a cruel and rigid social hierarchy. Here, Shirone discovered the hidden side of the world before he even reached adulthood... Will Shirone be able to achieve his dream of becoming a mage in this twisted world?

After witnessing the death of one of their own, the Absolute Ones—creators of the many universes outside of our own—frantically seek to fill the power void left by their fallen brother. With earth's existence in danger once more as gates spill monsters into our dimension, Sung Suho must answer the call and conquer the shadow dungeon while learning of his father's legendary legacy.

Rakugo, a traditional form of storytelling, takes years for any apprentice to master and ascend to the top rank of shinuchi. Ever since she could remember, Akane Ousaki has been mesmerized by her father Tooru's rakugo performances. Peeking in behind a sliding door, she would spend hours watching and mimicking his work. For Tooru, the only thing separating him from that coveted rank is a promotion test in front of an audience and a senior rakugo master, Isshou Arakawa. Despite his passionate performance, Tooru finds himself expelled from the rakugo school following the exam. This makes him give up on rakugo entirely and settle for a regular job, breaking his daughter's heart. Filled with grief and anger, Akane now seeks vengeance on the man who refuses to see the genius behind her father's rakugo style. She begs Tooru's former rakugo master, Shiguma Arakawa, to take her under his wing. But Shiguma feels unworthy of taking on another pupil after what happened to her father six years prior. In order to see if she has what it takes to enter the rakugo world, Shiguma urges Akane to test her resolve by performing in front of an audience.

A long time ago, humanity stumbled upon magical creatures called Majik. To acquire the powers of a Majik, one has to pass a trial set by the being itself. While men are unable to use magic, a woman who has the ability to capture and tame Majiks is granted the title of a witch. Abandoned as a child in the middle of a mountain, Ichi learned to fend for himself by hunting. While he is a pacifist at heart, he would not hesitate to defend himself if he senses danger. Believing a sleeping creature in the woods poses an extreme threat to humanity, Ichi has prepared to kill it. Unbeknownst to Ichi, the creature is King Uroro, the King Majik who hates humankind. No witch—including the Abyssal Witch Desscaras—has been able to pass Uroro's test. However, Ichi miraculously acquires Uroro, thus becoming the first and only male witch. Armed with his newfound power and thirst to hunt down danger, Ichi is about to turn the lives of witches and Majiks alike upside down!

Every time Yoi Takiguchi so much as lets out a sigh, her female classmates squeal in admiration and awe. She has been dubbed the school's "prince" by virtue of her boyishly attractive appearance and casual disposition. However, she chooses to be indifferent toward the attention she receives and spends her days normally—that is, until the school's other prince, Kohaku Ichimura, waltzes into her life and calls her beautiful. Kohaku is nothing like a prince—he acts thoughtlessly and does as he pleases. But when he compliments her, Yoi feels flustered, and the way he looks at her gets her all nervous. He is the first boy to acknowledge her as a girl, and her attempts to distance herself prove futile as he seems to have set his sights on her. While Yoi keeps telling herself that it is nothing serious, even she cannot completely ignore the stir Kohaku causes in her heart.

Zephyr is the last human fighting evil in a world abandoned by the gods. When he is killed in battle by Tartarus, the god of destruction, all hope for humanity seems lost. But Zephyr's fate is not sealed—the gods who find his battles entertaining have gifted him a second chance at life, as he is sent ten years into the past, back to when he was a slave instead of the most powerful human alive. Can Zephyr get his revenge against Tartarus and save the woman he loves, or is he doomed to repeat the past?

In the web novel Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse, people are forced to fight monsters and each other for coins, food, and—ultimately—survival. While mysterious "Constellations" watch the unwilling participants for their own entertainment, one man emerges as the protagonist: Yoo Joonghyuk, who repeatedly lives and dies in an endless struggle to close the book on this indiscriminate torture. Kim Dokja has lived a challenging and action-packed life through Joonghyuk for over a decade. While other readers abandoned the story early on, Dokja has remained its sole reader until the very last chapter. At that time, he receives a puzzling message from the author, and the novel's inhumane world suddenly becomes reality. As the only person aware of what lies ahead, Dokja realizes that he must utilize his omniscience to navigate the deadly scenarios and stay alive. Dokja was never meant to play a main part, but in defiance of those who wish to spell his fate, he might just have to take the lead in writing his own conclusion.

In sixth grade, childhood friends Yukiya Asagi and Miku Sakura created a game with the objective to embarrass the other person by taking turns saying "I love you." Four years later, even as they are entering high school, the two are still trying to one-up the other and claim victory. However, as tender feelings begin to bloom in their hearts, the simple phrase has taken on new meaning beyond the rules of their game. With the passing of each day, the urge to become more than childhood friends grows—but both Yukiya and Miku resist making the first move, hesitant about what is in store once the game finally ends.

The self-conscious Shizuku Hoshikawa is on her way to dispose of her first and last novel. But before she can do so, the charismatic Kaori Asaka bumps into her and ends up taking the novel home. This turn of events greatly distresses Shizuku, as she does not want anyone to read the depressing story she wrote for her own satisfaction. Initially expecting the worst, Shizuku finds herself in tears of joy when Kaori tells her the novel deeply moved her. Kaori wishes to read more of her stories, but as Shizuku did not plan on writing anything else, she has no idea what to write. As a result, Kaori comes up with a bizarre suggestion—their love. Shizuku is skeptical of Kaori's intention and somewhat uneasy about what secrets she may be hiding behind her smile. Nevertheless, the two begin their odd summer vacation in pursuit of their own love story.

Second year high school student Rakurou Hizutome is interested in one thing only: finding "shitty games" and beating the crap out of them. His gaming skills are second to none, and no game is too bad for him to enjoy. So when he's introduced to the new VR game Shangri-La Frontier, he does what he does best—min-maxes and skips the prologue to jump straight into the action. But can even an expert gamer like Rakurou discover all the secrets that Shangri-La Frontier hides...?

The warrior Hamel went on an adventure with his companions to defeat the Demon Kings, but after dying just before the final battle with the Demon Kings... "Waaah." "What the fuck!" He was reincarnated as the descendant of his fellow warrior, Vermouth. Hamel—no, Eugene Lionheart was reborn with the blood of the Great Vermouth. "My previous body held enough talent to be mistaken for a genius, but this one... there's just no comparison." With a body that had higher specs right from the start, he showed explosive growth that far surpassed what he had achieved in his previous life. Along with the unknown reasons for his reincarnation came the uneasy reality of having to coexist with demons. He was faced with a world that made him question everything he had believed in. Gifted with this extraordinary body since birth, as Eugene, he begins walking down the unfinished path from his previous life.

Hailing from a notable family, Arisu Yamabuki only accepts perfection. He constantly strives to maintain his flawless image, but there is more to him: Yamabuki used to tune in to the radio shows of a girl named Apollo and even confessed his love to her years ago. Ever since, he has been frantically searching for Apollo and her voice, but with little success. However, when Yamabuki's school merges with an all-girls school, things begin to change. As the Broadcasting Club makes an announcement during the very first day, he is shocked to hear Apollo's voice, but there is a problem—all four members of the club sound like her! While each of the girls, Rikka Inohana, Shinobu Uzuki, Nene Himekawa, and Iko Kirino want to pursue their own careers with their voices, Yamabuki joins the club in the hope of identifying Apollo. Alongside his close observation, Yamabuki vows to guide the girls to greater heights.

Stowing himself away on a slave ship, Julian sets sail for the great continent with a hundred slaves, all yearning for freedom, until...?! Embark on a groundbreaking journey through this action-packed dark fantasy saga!!

Next to Miyu Suzuki, a trendy and bubbly high school girl, sits Yuusuke Tani, a quiet and frank boy. Their interactions are brief, limited to Suzuki's unprompted random questions and Tani's succinct answers. Yet, beneath these simple exchanges, feelings of love are quietly blossoming. Suzuki sees Tani for who he is: a straightforward boy who respects everyone equally, completely unconcerned about fitting in. Unlike Tani, she is too hung up on what everyone else thinks, desperate to keep her crush a secret. However, a slight misunderstanding leads to Suzuki confessing her feelings—and to her delight, Tani feels the same. Jittery with excitement, the young couple starts dating, embarking on a wonderful journey of friendship and love.

Cunning and ruthless, Lady Medea Solon has only had one goal in her life: to become the princess of the Vasilios Empire by marrying Crown Prince Eros Orna Vasilios. However, Medea's ambitious scheme collapses when the crown prince chooses naive Psyche Callista as his fiancée instead of her. As a result, she resolves to remove Psyche by any means necessary and secure her place on the throne. However, not all goes according to her plan. At the Yearly Prayer held in the Temple, Medea confronts Psyche and her ignorance toward possessing unfathomable authority. In an instant, Medea falls into a seemingly bottomless fountain, unable to reach the surface. Believing that God is responsible, she prays to be the one who rules the empire. The deity grants Medea's wish at the cost of exchanging bodies with Psyche, a twist of fate that may reveal more than what meets the eye.

Satoko, the eldest daughter of the honorable Kirigaya family, has received many marriage proposals from men captivated by her beauty and grace. However, she has turned them all down due to her secret heart defect. Despite her condition, Satoko is still willing to find a husband to ease her beloved father's concerns. While on a stroll, Satoko is kidnapped by a group of mercenaries, one of them being Shinpei Gotou—a legendary assassin tasked with executing her. Satoko tries to bribe Gotou into freeing her, but it proves unsuccessful. Out of options, Satoko makes a desperate gamble: under the pretense of love at first sight, she asks him to marry her. Unexpectedly, Gotou takes the bait and vows to protect her. As the couple escapes to freedom, Satoko struggles to keep up the ruse and make sense of the mysterious man she has eloped with.

Han Jia, a 32-year-old freelancer currently without a job, is fed up with her current situation, being constantly harassed by her parents over getting married and moving out. One day, an agitated Jia stumbles upon her childhood friend Jin Mincheol, who is in a similar predicament. While catching up with each other, Jia abruptly blurts out that she and Mincheol should get married! To her surprise, he accepts her proposal, and the two start living as a married couple. However, since Jia and Mincheol are both eccentric in their own ways, the newlyweds often disagree, learning new things about each other in the process. As their relationship deepens, the awkwardness begins to fade away, and the couple starts to see that they are maybe meant to be for each other.

Ed Rothstaylor is a third-rate villain in a game, disowned by his family and kicked out of the dormitory for his misdeeds. One day, our main character wakes up as this very Ed, and realizes he must earn a scholarship so he can graduate and be set for life. Now living in the woods, he resolves to keep away from the protagonists, but four of the female leads just won't leave him alone. Not only that, his presence starts to change the timeline and events of the game! Can Ed help the story progress while staying out of the limelight?

Ten years ago, the world changed after the appearance of vampires—beings of immeasurable strength and endless bloodlust. With no way to distinguish them apart from humans, these entities recklessly slaughter people to fulfill their selfish desires. Orphan Park Hayan has always wanted a normal life: to keep her siblings safe from any potential danger and be able to find friends as a college student. But with the rise in vampire attacks, she fears that her life may crumble as traumatic memories return to haunt her. After a tragic accident makes her a target for the "Angels of Death," an underground organization ruled by the most powerful vampires, Hayan decides to confront her past and partners up with Euntae Hwang, a member of the police force who is more than meets the eye. Her plan to eradicate every vampire begins here.

Shin Youngwoo (a.k.a. Grid), an unlucky man in life and a low-level player in the popular VR game "Satisfy," finds a powerful item that earns him a rare legendary class title: "Pagma's Successor." He's now a skilled blacksmith who can forge unique weapons and equip the game's most powerful gear. Grid resolves to use his new abilities to achieve fame and fortune, but as his very existence begins to stir up trouble in Satisfy, he realizes that life as a legend may be more than he bargained for...

After witnessing the shocking death of his mother, young Airen Farreira uses sleep to escape his painful reality, earning him the nickname, "the lazy lord." Yet, in spite of others' jeers and whispers, Airen has no intention of changing his ways. But when he awakens one day from a dream about a mysterious swordsman, his life's trajectory takes a complete turn...

University student Umi Asagi generously receives both presents and confessions from Kamibukuro-kun—a stranger who always wears a paper bag over his head. Despite his overly timid demeanor, he endlessly pursues the woman he loves most, following her anywhere she goes. However, her best friend views Kamibukuro-kun as a nuisance and his love as a stalking obsession. Ultimately, her companion strikes terror into Kamibukuro-kun, threatening him never to go near Umi again. Like Umi's friend had hoped, Kamibukuro-kun vanishes into thin air. But all this time, Umi never believed that his acts caused her trouble; in truth, she looks forward to seeing his presence every day. When Umi backs herself into a corner, will Kamibukuro-kun come to her rescue?

The so-called "Lighthouse of the North," the prosperous trading town of Schoarra, hides a dark underbelly: seedy slums ruled by five ruthless crime bosses. When streetwise orphan Vlad finds the brothel he works for decimated by a disgraced knight, he turns to the path of the blade, pledging himself to the pursuit of power by sword. Blessed with the ability to seek wisdom from his sentient sword, Vlad embarks upon a journey of growth and peril as swordsman in service to the powerful House Vayezid.

The J.T.C. travel agency is looking for someone to manage its brand-new branch in Irkutsk. But for employees Takuya Oohara and Rika Honjouji, they'd rather just stay home in Tokyo! Thankfully, they've discovered a way out—their manager has narrowed down the recruits to bachelors, so what if they just...got married? The problem is they barely know each other at all! Can they convince their office they're engaged just long enough for the transfer to finish up?

Wouldn't it be a dream to wake up in a world of your own creation? For Hajin Kim, it's nothing short of a nightmare. With no clue how or why he's been transported into his web novel—as a mere extra, no less!—Hajin has little choice but to see his story through until the end. Lucky for him, as the author, he knows this perilous world like the back of his hand. But when discrepancies in the plot begin popping up left and right, Hajin soon realizes that things aren't quite so simple, after all...