Best Action Manga of 2023

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.

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.

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!

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.

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?

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.

An evil sorcerer slays the king and takes over his body, kidnapping the princess and spiriting her away to the legendary Dragon Tower. The Royal Guard is rebuffed in their attempt to rescue her, and to replace the wounded, a young farmhand named Yuva is called up into service. With only a pot lid for a shield and a strong back to carry supplies, Yuva joins the soldiers on the perilous quest to climb the tower and rescue the princess. But the Dragon Tower houses untold horrors...!

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!!

After playing the game "Dungeon and Stone" for nine years, Hansoo Lee finally reached the boss stage which had never been cleared by anyone before. However, upon entering the boss room, he received a notification that he had completed the tutorial and was now inhabiting the body of a playable character named Bjorn Jandel, who was a barbarian. In the world of "Dungeon and Stone," only one city remained standing following the world's destruction. Every month, a labyrinth would appear, offering explorers a chance to clear it and earn rewards. Barbarians were viewed as useless in all but combat, and those who didn't fight were unable to survive. If someone couldn't pay the exorbitant taxes imposed by the city, they faced the death penalty for tax evasion. If it's discovered that a player possesses the character they're playing, they're labelled an "evil spirit" and killed. The only way for Hansoo to survive is to venture into the labyrinth and risk his life in battle. Armed with his accumulated skills from nine years of gameplay and a stupidly strong barbarian physique, he strives to survive in this game.

The world was embroiled in a death game involving individuals from ages 15 to 29. Thrown into a game devoid of empathy and compassion, Min Ryu had no choice but to fight for his survival. For the 99th time, he finally made it to the end of the game. Standing alone in front of the final boss's chamber, Min Ryu was greeted with betrayal as the system killed him for not having four more players with him. On his 100th and final attempt, can Min Ryu find the help he needs to end this ruthless game?

After retiring from public fighting and getting fired from underground fighting, 27 year old Nozomi Tenma's zest for life is gradually dwindling away. It's hard to be at the bottom with nowhere to go, and that's exactly where she and her two friends are. However, Nozomi hits upon an idea that may just solve all of their problems: they could make their own underground fighting circuit for women, and tap into an underexplored market. As good as that sounds, her insistence on including the unknown quantity Hina Hongou may prove to be more than she bargained for...

After devoting his life to the crime organization, Glory Club, Peter retires his status as a legendary killer and spends his remaining days running a quiet used bookstore. But after being ambushed and nearly killed one day by the very organization he dedicated his life to, Peter finds his body magically reverted back to its teenage years. Now that Peter was back to his peak physique, he sets out to settle the score with Glory Club.

Long before Naruto Uzumaki mastered the formidable Rasengan, Minato Namikaze trains to develop the ninjutsu under the tutelage of his mentor Jiraiya. Minato strives to create his own powerful technique to protect Kushina Uzumaki, the strong-willed woman he loves. Honoring Uzumaki clan tradition, Kushina's body hosts the nine-tailed fox spirit, Kurama. The demon seeks to break free from his confines and wreak havoc on the world. As Kushina struggles against Kurama's power and her own inner turmoil, Minato hurries to complete the Rasengan and save her from herself.

As the final years of the Sengoku period dwindle away, Ginko, the strongest swordsman of the era, has yet to find a worthy opponent to slake her thirst for a fight to the death. Just when she's finally lost hope that anyone stronger than her exists, she gets transported to another world! And the first thing Ginko sees there is—a dragon?!

I'm... back! After a comet collides on Earth, a gaming world filled with monsters and dungeons becomes a reality. Amidst the chaos, Ethan wakes up as Hardcore Leveling Warrior, an almighty game character with exceptional luck and power. Once again, he will embark on a journey to become the strongest... but this time, on Earth!

J is a lone assassin feared as "untouchable" in the underworld. Megumi is a lonely girl who has no place at home or school. When the two meet, an unexpected story begins.

Orchestrated by genius scientist Akihiko Kayaba, the SAO Incident created a game you couldn't leave until you beat it. One where death in the game meant death in the real world... Kirito is a survivor of SAO who now spends his time playing the new VRMMORPG Alfheim Online with his old SAO friends, Asuna and Alice. But Kirito soon finds himself caught up in a mysterious game he never expected...

Shin Kim is a special killer who gathered men from all over the country and made the organization "Baek-Yi" to destroy the absolute power "'Castle" of the underworld. Through a negotiation he got inside Castle and started working with the enemy... Will Shin be able to take down Castle and complete his revenge as he hoped?

The Academy City, where "psychic power" is recognized as a "general science." Behind its peaceful facade lies a "shadow" organization undertaking missions too sensitive to be made public. (Source: Dengeki Bunko, translated)

As someone “blessed” with the rare potential for recovery magic, Tory Noelle is drafted as a combat medic at the tender age of fifteen. Fighting as a teen soldier won’t shake her confidence, though—not when she can recall carefree days of playing first-person-shooter games in a previous life. But a world full of magic isn’t as fun as it once seemed. Now living the nightmare that was once her playground, Tory faces a serious question: can she build her skills fast enough to buffer against the brutality of war, or is she doomed to become another bloody stain on the battlefield? (Source: J-Novel Club)

A new spin-off about the Kuroba twins.

Become a disciple of the beautiful genius sword-master, and aim to become the strongest holy sword wielder!