Best Action Manga of 2013

For centuries, terrifying creatures—known as "Kegare"—from the parallel realm Magano have wreaked havoc throughout Japan. The brave men and women resisting their onslaught are secretive exorcists whose one and only goal is to eradicate all the Kegare. In the present day, 14-year-old Rokuro Enmadou is a talented and powerful exorcist. However, a tragic event in the past caused him to resent exorcists and give up his dream of becoming the strongest. In stark contrast to him, Benio Adashino is a beautiful and prodigious exorcist of the same age who carries the hopes and dreams of all people. These two teenagers, despite their differences, are the prophesied "Twin Star Exorcists": the two people destined to give birth to the Miko—the exorcist who will vanquish the Kegare and cleanse the world of all impurities. But as the adolescents are both far from maturity, let alone adulthood, only hardships and trials await the unlikely heroes.

A spin-off shoujo manga that centers around Levi's and Erwin's past. The young Erwin Smith is a rising star in the Survey Corps, humanity's only hope of defeating the man-eating monsters known as Titans. Ruthless and dispassionate, Erwin's mind is devoted to strategies and intrigue. But beneath Erwin's feet is another world, the "Underground," where humans are born and die surrounded by the garbage the Capital throws away. Here, the criminal Levi survives on his wits and agility. But when these two ambitious men cross paths, who will prove himself stronger?

Mikado City, an otherwise peaceful city, is suddenly invaded after a gate from another world opens seemingly from nowhere. Interdimensional monsters called Neighbors attack, man-made weapons prove to be ineffective against them, and the city is quickly destroyed. When all hope appears to be lost, a mysterious group known as the Border Defense Agency begins to retaliate using specialized technology called Triggers and manages to halt the invasion. Four years later, the organization continues to protect the populace of Mikado City and are now revered as heroes. Yuuma Kuga is a new student at First Mikado City High School—a school associated with Border—which comes as a surprise, as transfers to the dangerous areas are seen as suspicious. He is soon targeted by bullies, but Border's member-in-training Osamu Mikumo stands up for Yuuma, despite his doubts about him. The two's situation turns grim when a Neighbor arrives from a gate that abruptly opens in the forbidden zone; while Osamu struggles to fend it off with his Trigger, Yuuma defeats it with ease. As Osamu inquires about Yuuma's position in Border, it turns out that Yuuma is no agent—but a Neighbor himself.

Not so long ago, mysterious structures called Dungeons began appearing all over the world. No one knows what they are or how they came to be, but adventurers and armies around the world instantly took interest in them. Thousands set out to explore the Dungeons, but so far, not a single person has returned. In a Parthevian port, a young boy is about to make a name for himself. Sinbad is good-natured, strong, and craving adventure. A kind deed leads to his meeting with Yunan, an enigmatic traveler who is far more powerful than his frivolous personality lets on. Yunan instructs Sinbad to attain the "power of the king" and change the world—by conquering a Dungeon. The eager boy readily accepts, setting out on the grand adventure he so craved. Taking place 15 years before the events of the original series, Magi: Sinbad no Bouken chronicles Sinbad's youth as a Dungeon conqueror. Along the way, the budding adventurer and merchant will have to face many obstacles, but anything is possible with the power of a king.

In Orario, fearless adventurers band together in search of fame and fortune within the monstrous underground labyrinth known as Dungeon. But while riches and renown are incentive enough for most, Bell Cranel, would-be hero extraordinaire, has bigger plans. He wants to pick up girls. Is it wrong to face the perils of Dungeon alone, in a single-member guild blessed by a failed goddess? Maybe. Is it wrong to dream of playing hero to hapless maidens in Dungeon? Maybe not. After one misguided adventure, Bell quickly discovers that anything can happen in the labyrinth—even chance encounters with beautiful women. The only problem? He's the one who winds up the damsel in distress!

For those who've killed as much as Kuroko Koumori, there is no doubt that they've lost their sanity. In fact, by proving that she is still sane even after killing as many as 715 people, Kuroko avoids death row. Now given a second chance to remain in society as a State-Appointed Executioner, Kuroko and a girl named Hinako Tozakura are charged with hunting down other killers. While Hinako is a rather happy-go-lucky girl that drives ferraris without a care for the rules of the road (or gravity, for that matter), Kuroko—who Hinako affectionately addresses as "Kuu-chan"—is more of a lascivious lesbian with razor sharp instincts and an impressive aptitude for murder. The two seem like the most unlikely of duos. However, saddled with the gruesome job of ridding the country of vicious serial killers, it only makes sense for the executioners to be anything but normal!Included one-shot: Volume 1: Pilot film of Murciélago

Tanya Degurechaff is a soldier who has the appearance of an innocent young girl. But behind her cute facade lies the soul of a ruthless salaryman who challenged "Being X"—the self-proclaimed God who reincarnated the man into an industrial world of magic. By doing this, Being X hopes to prove that, if the situation were dire enough, even a non-believer like this man would pray for God's help. Opposing Being X's desires to make her suffer, Tanya enlists in the military with the hope of living a peaceful life. She manages to impress the higher-ups with her aptitude for war, swiftly rising through the ranks. However, her country soon participates in the ongoing world war, quickly crushing her dream. In an attempt to return to her calm she starts using any merciless means to obliterate her opponents. Thus begins the saga of Tanya the Evil and the Empire as they seek world domination.

Under the guidance of ruthless warrior King Andragoras III, the kingdom of Pars prospers, while the naive and gentle prince Arslan trains to continue his father's legacy. Arslan believes Pars to be a joyous and righteous land, until a captured slave his age from the hostile nation Lusitania escapes and takes him hostage, revealing to Arslan the horrors and cruelty slaves are subject to. Arslan is rescued, but the encounter leaves an impression on him. Three years pass, and Arslan's first battle against the Lusitanian army has come. Through the Lusitanian use of spies and traps, the battle ends in disaster, and the majority of Parsian troops are slain. With the aid of his loyal friend and bodyguard Daryun, the stricken prince barely manages to escape with his life. With his father nowhere to be found and his homeland now occupied by the enemy, Arslan loses everything in one fell swoop. Seeking shelter, Daryun takes the prince to his friend Narsus, an eccentric but brilliant strategist. With the help of Narsus and various other people he meets along the way, Arslan begins his campaign to reclaim his kingdom. The path is riddled with many challenges, from the greedy nobility to the mysterious warrior known as Silver Mask. Nonetheless, Arslan refuses to falter in his mission to save Pars from both its enemies and its own corruption.

Why are we doing this...? When Haruhiro came to, he was in the darkness. Not knowing why was he here, or where "here" even was. With him were others who also remembered little more than their own names. What they found when they came out of the underground was a world that was "just like a game." In order to survive, Haruhiro forms a party with others in the same situation as him, learns Skills, and takes his first steps forward into the world of Grimgar as a Trainee Volunteer Soldier. Not knowing what awaits him... This is a tale of adventure born from the ashes.

High school student Yasuto Akashi's day begins like any other, but a fight with his best friend—Senichi Aoyama—causes him to skip school. Akashi realizes that he is in the wrong, and so he immediately returns to school. However, instead of open gates, he finds the school completely sealed off from the outside world. Soon after, a giant cat's head blasts through the windows, and Akashi spots Aoyama dressed in a rat costume while drenched in blood. Only three students manage to leave school alive that day, and similar occurrences are reported throughout the world. Akashi is not free from harm, however, as he is invited to partake in a deadly game whose participants are composed of those who missed school on that fateful day.

In a world where vampires have a similar genetic makeup to humans, it is difficult to tell them apart. However, there is a distinct difference: when one of these vampires, called devils by the general public, sees the blood of a human, they completely lose control. Ordinary girl Tsukasa Taira finds herself the object of affection of vampire Shouta Akimura. To avoid hurting her, he has resorted to killing other humans to satiate his bloodlust. However, Shouta treads a thin wire, running the risk of losing control at any time. To neutralize the potential threat, detective Yuuki Anzai swoops in to save Tsukasa from becoming Shouta's next victim. As he takes her home, Tsukasa finds herself enthralled by Anzai, who is a vampire himself. Together, they begin a tenuous relationship that takes them into the depths of a vicious conspiracy, rampant with murder and intrigue.

The crown of England has been hotly contested throughout history, and in the Middle Ages, a series of great civil wars becomes known as the War of the Roses. Claiming a right to the throne, the Duke of York seeks to unseat King Henry VI and his heir in order to become king himself. On a dark day filled with many ill omens, the Duke gains a son: Richard Plantagenet, third of his name. Neither male nor female, but instead possessing characteristics of both sexes, Richard III is immediately reviled by his mother. Her hatred defines his childhood, leading to a deep disgust toward his own body and an adverse reaction to being called a demon. Richard grows up troubled by visions of England's former foe, Joan of Arc, who taunts that he will bring ruin to all who know him. He believes that he can attain salvation by helping his father achieve his destiny of becoming the king. However, cursed by the expectations of both his mother and Joan, will Richard's actions instead drag his family down into darkness?

Ikki Kurogane is a Blazer, a person who can materialize his soul as a weapon. Unlike most Blazers, however, his aptitude for magic is virtually nonexistent. Branded a talentless failure and nicknamed "Worst One," he has spent his life honing his swordplay in order to become a Mage-Knight nonetheless. Stella Vermillion is the second imperial princess of the Vermillion Empire and a powerful Rank A Blazer. Having spent her whole life undefeated in battle as a result of her incredible natural talent, she travels to Japan in search of powerful opponents, hoping to grow ever stronger and become an accomplished Mage-Knight herself. The two meet at Hagun Academy, one of seven Mage-Knight schools in Japan, and soon realize that they share the same goal: to become a powerful Mage-Knight renowned for their hard work and skill, regardless of their level of talent. In order to reach that goal, their first step is to meet in the finals of the Seven Stars Battle Festival, a no-holds-barred tournament that gathers the strongest student knights from all seven schools across Japan, and fight for the title of Seven Stars King. Can Ikki and Stella fight toe-to-toe with even the strongest of Blazers and achieve their dream of reaching the peak of knighthood?

A super exciting action comedy starring the inmates and guards of the world's most formidable prison.

"Hey, Guren? Do you think... when we grow up, we can still be together like always?" Just before the world fell to ruin because of mysterious virus that appeared on Earth which killed every infected human over the age of 13. Vampires conquered the surface—in that one last spring. Ichinose Guren had entered a Sorcery Training School in Shibuya. This school was full of elites from famous families in the world of sorcerers. As he himself was of modest origin, Guren held a great ambition in his heart, even despite being labelled as trash. But among his classmates, a girl appeared who introduced herself by the name of the fiancée he had traded vows with a really long time ago... In that world slated for ruin, the boy sought power; and the girl sought power as well. A magic academy fantasy story begins!

Manga adaptation of the 2nd arc of the Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei series. There are currently nine magic high schools affiliated with the National University of Magic throughout the country. In an effort to address the current limitations, magic high schools are trained to the highest degree, while they are trying to increase the limited pool of instructors. For that purpose, a measure was put in place so as to fuel the student's aspirations through competitions between the 9 magic schools. The largest of these is the summer Nine Schools Competition. It is a nationwide magic high school magic tournament. Every year a selection of magic high school students from across the country meet, putting their pride on the line, and unfold a story of frustration and glory. With a huge crowd including not only government officials and those interested in magic but also businesses, overseas companies, researchers and scouts, this is the greatest stage for magic high school students to shine. This year too, the curtains of that momentous event will be raised again.

In the deepest level of the dungeon known as the Gate of the Otherworld, Shin was locked in battle. His opponent: the final boss of The New Gate, a VRMMO that had transformed into a deadly death game. After a fierce and grueling fight, Shin emerged victorious, freeing the trapped players from their digital prison. But just as relief washed over him, a mysterious door at the heart of the dungeon suddenly opened-and in the next moment, Shin lost consciousness. When he came to, what lay before him was the world of The New Gate—not the game, but the real thing.

The novel, titled Danganronpa Kirigiri, will focus on the character Kyouko Kirigiri, and will reveal the mysterious girl's past.

In the Meiji Era of Japan, legend has it that the "Orochi"—an evil giant snake spirit—returns every 300 years to wreak havoc. "Yamainu," an elite fighting force, is assembled to subjugate the Orochi upon its reappearance. Presently, the squad has become involved with a secret government department conducting human experimentation using Orochi cells. This pits Yamainu leader Sousei Abeno against brothers Soramaru and Chuutarou Kumou, who stumble upon several dying escapees of the experiments. Soramaru encounters Ageha, a criminal doctor allied with Tora, a test subject who massacred cell project researchers using abilities granted by compatible Orochi cells. Despite acknowledging their crimes, Soramaru still decides to side with the two fugitives due to his strong opposition to the exploitation of Orochi cells. With Sousei and Soramaru divided over the ethics of creating novel drugs from the essence of their immortal enemy, the only way to settle this matter may be a fight—however, Soramaru has yet to win once against Yamainu's captain.

Set 300 years after Utakata ni Warau, and 300 years before Donten ni Warau, during the turbulent Sengoku period, it is the story of a young man named Ishida Sakichi, whose mission leads him to encounter a pair of mysterious twins at the Kumo Shrine.

As Izaya Orihara wildly enjoys holding all the information about Ikebukuro's main players, Mikado Ryuugamine and Masaomi Kida stay by Anri Sonohara's side while she recovers. However, Kida seems to be faking a smile. Enraged by the circumstances that led to Anri's harm and his own helplessness, Kida returns to the world he vowed to never come back to after Izaya interfered with them—the Yellow Scarves gang. Once the Yellow Scarves' leader, Kida knows that many of his old team members may now be a part of the Dollars, but they are losing their trust in the group's misdirected ideals. With the power of the Yellow Scarves' unwavering loyalty behind him, Kida swears to clean up Ikebukuro's streets of all wrongdoers, especially those in support of the recently faced criminal, the Slasher. But his aspirations and determination are put to the test, as Izaya is not the only one powerful enough to stand in his way.

Tokyo Regional Legal Affairs Bureau Census Division, Annex 4 also known as SCEPTER 4 is a police institution that aims to stop criminals with special skills. But for them, their real target are...?

Novelization of the anime.

Now, let's kill the girl and save the world! The world has been shattered. As a result of the most dreadful of diseases that afflicts only girls—the "Labyrinth Disease." That's why the students are taking lessons. Lessons for the purpose of killing the girl. Learning magic, obtaining the map of the labyrinth, forming teams, and studying the weakness of the girl... The time limit is 6 hours. If the girl isn't killed within that time, then the world gets destroyed. "I have no interest in the world at all so please spare me. Frankly, it's really suffocating." Together with the one who said these words, the most horrible protagonist in history, enter the world of whizzing magic and surging youth. A school fantasy in labyrinth raiding, begins here!

Novel of the second Gintama movie, written by Oosaki Tomohito, the same author of Ginpachi-sensei. What would have happened if the Shiroyasha never existed? Edo is thrown to chaos by a mysterious cause. Sakata Gintoki, now lives in a world where the future has changed, without him. What has happened to the Yorozuya? Gintoki, who is now a ghost of the past, must once again carry the burden in order to save his friends. He must finish the biggest job ever, which may be the final job of Yorozuya.