Best Drama Manga of 2014

There is nowhere that Seon Jin can find solace. At school, he is ruthlessly bullied due to his unsettlingly quiet nature and weak appearance. However, this is not the source of Jin's insurmountable terror: the thing that he fears more than anything else is his own father. To most, Jin's father is a successful businessman, good samaritan, and doting parent. But that is merely a facade; in truth, he is a deranged serial killer—and Jin is his unwilling accomplice. For years, they have been carrying out this ruse with the police being none the wiser. When his father takes an interest in the pretty transfer student Yoon Kyun, Jin must make a decision—be the coward who sends her to the gallows like all the rest, or be the bastard of a son who defies his wicked parent.

When you look up at the sky, what do you see? A blue sky? Freedom? A hopeful future? The people of Tokyo see none of these. Instead, an ominous alien mothership looms overhead, engulfing the city skyscape. Three years ago, they came. The arrival of the "Invaders" sparked the greatest war humanity had ever faced—one that threatened to end the world. The Japanese government scrambled to fight the Invaders. Weapons were mass-produced, sparking controversy and pacifist movements. That day, everything changed. And yet, nothing has changed. Kadode Koyama and Ouran Nakagawa live their final days like they always have: going to school, playing with friends, and doing what any carefree high school girl would do. As they grow up, they come to learn what it truly means to be an adult in a world where adults seem to be demons who only deceive and destroy. They come to learn the real threat to humanity is not the Invaders, but humanity itself.

Exiting the convenience store, Subaru Natsuki emerges to a busy town inhabited by humans and demi-humans. Using dragons and carriages as transportation, the town is clearly not the modern-day Japan that he is familiar with. However, as someone who spends his days engrossed in comics and games, Subaru assumes that he is a protagonist in this new fantasy world, harnessing supreme magical powers. Much to his dismay, that is not the case and things quickly go awry as he bumps into a group of thugs. Fortunately, a silver-haired beauty named Satella comes to his rescue, while looking for her stolen insignia. In return for her kindness, Subaru offers to help with the search, which eventually leads them to a loot shop. Assuming that the insignia was traded for money, Subaru enters the shop hoping to negotiate with the owner regarding the stolen item. However, much to his surprise, what awaits them is not the insignia but a brutal assassin that leads the two to their demise. But instead of waking up in the afterlife, Subaru is shocked to find himself standing alone in the midst of daytime, as if he never left the town in the first place. Thus, his life in another world mysteriously begins a second time.

Park Hyung Suk has spent all 17 years of his life at the bottom of the food chain. Short, overweight, and unattractive, he is used to being bullied by his classmates and constantly discriminated against for his looks. In an attempt to escape his biggest bully, Lee Tae Sung, he decides to transfer to Seoul's Jae Won High School, a vocational preparatory school notorious for its liberal education system and carefree students. Days before his transfer, Hyung Suk wakes to find that he is no longer in his usual chubby body, but is instead in a perfect body! Tall, handsome, and beautifully toned, Hyung Suk has become the ideal version of himself. The only problem is that his original body still lays beside him—and when one body falls asleep, he awakens in the other. Now possessing two extremely different bodies, Hyung Suk must learn to navigate his new and much more popular life at J High whilst also solving the mystery of where his second, almost superhuman, body came from.

Ichirou Inuyashiki is an old father worn down by the hardships of life, rendering him helpless and weak. Although he is friendless, unloved by his family, and diagnosed with cancer, he decides to try living his best life and adopts a dog. However, while walking his dog one night, the reality of his hopeless situation settles in and he breaks into sobs in a park. But that sadness is short-lived, as an encounter with an extraterrestrial object leaves him with a healthy yet mechanical body. Unsettled by the foreign body and his inability to cry anymore, Inuyashiki starts to believe he has lost his humanity. However, one night, he saves a homeless man from death, and the sight of the happy and grateful man moves him to tears—proving to him that he is still a human. From that moment onward, Inuyashiki resolves to put his new power to use for the purpose of saving those in need. Unfortunately, his joy does not last for long, for he finds that there is a new threat determined to revel in its own newfound power through horrifying means. Thus, Inuyashiki's mission turns from being a small-time neighborhood hero to a guardian against a thriving monster.

Hyakkaou Private Academy is a school for the privileged and influential, playing host to the children of businessmen and politicians. However, unlike other schools, students at Hyakkaou do not pride themselves on academic achievement. Instead, they value strategic prowess and the ability to read people. Come nightfall, many places on campus transform into gambling dens overseen by the student council, where players compete for rank, money, and more. Ryouta Suzui spends his days as a "house pet"—a student ranked in the bottom one hundred, forced to serve his peers. His circumstances soon change when a mysterious new transfer student, Yumeko Jabami, arrives at the academy. Despite Suzui's warnings, Yumeko quickly becomes immersed in the school's gambling scene, facing off against several high-profile opponents. Her exploits draw the attention of the student council members, who start meddling in her affairs. Suzui tries his best to keep Yumeko out of trouble, but to his chagrin, she turns out to be the type of person best suited to attend Hyakkaou: a compulsive gambler.

Despite being kind and considerate, Keitarou Itsuki has a menacing look in his eyes that scares away others. When Keitarou attempts to confess to Aoi Tokujira, she flatly rejects him, leading him to believe that his intimidating eyes are to blame. Confiding his worries to his older sister, she gives him a hand by offering a complete makeover. But much to Keitarou's surprise, she turns him into a girl! Forced to head home in his new appearance, he unexpectedly comes across Aoi being harassed by a group of boys from their school and rushes to her rescue. Surprisingly, she does not recognize him and reveals a secret that she has held for a long time: she has an intense fear of men. Believing him to be a tomboyish girl, she asks Keitarou in his female guise to assist her in overcoming her fear.

One day, in the library where Sakuta Azusagawa studies, he runs into an unexpected sight: a beautiful high school girl in a bunny outfit. She turns out to be Mai Sakurajima, a famous former actress and fellow student at Minegahara High. His surprise at seeing Mai wear such risqué attire in the library, however, is nothing compared to the shocking realization that he is the only one who can see her! Reminded of an event from his past, Sakuta offers to help Mai discover the reason behind her invisibility. Despite their initially contentious relationship, the two quickly become close: Mai and Sakuta learn to appreciate each other, and their friendship turns into a budding romance. This further fuels their determination to solve Mai's dilemma. While the investigation progresses, Sakuta attributes Mai's situation to an urban legend known as Adolescence Syndrome: strange phenomena occurring in youth, unexplained by science and often dismissed as delusion. With few promising results, Mai's predicament worsens to the point where being unseen is the least of her worries. Can Sakuta and Mai solve the mystery of her Adolescence Syndrome before she disappears completely?

Willem Kmetsch wakes up from his icy slumber as the last surviving Emnetwiht, a race of humans that populated the planet’s surface until they met their untimely demise five centuries ago at the hands of "Beasts." Currently, he lives among the hundred odd floating islands that make up civilization—otherwise inhabited by various other species, all of whom possess distinct animal-like features such as horns, fangs, wings, and scales. Because he lacks any such feature, Willem is referred to as a "markless." One day, Willem encounters another markless named Ctholly Nota Seniorious. He thinks nothing of the meeting, and continues to spend his days working odd jobs until he runs into her again, this time after accepting a military posting. Willem soon learns that the group of bubbly young Leprechauns he is tasked to look after are pivotal in the ongoing battle against the Beasts. These girls, who have had little exposure outside a world where they are treated as weapons, are willing to die if it means defeating the Beasts. Determined to nurture a life of normalcy for them, Willem soon becomes a father figure to the girls. Just like how he once went off to battle, he must now come to terms with watching these children go off to war.

After the suicide of his abusive father, young Riku Azami is taken in by his mother, who lives with a violent yakuza member. When Riku angers his mother's intoxicated boyfriend, a life or death struggle ensues and Riku kills the man in self-defense. After this incident, Kyousuke Tokorozawa, a former boxer and yakuza member, notices Riku's fighting potential and introduces him to the world of boxing. Etched with trauma from being beaten and nearly murdered, Riku hardens his resolve to fight. Despite his aloof demeanor, Riku discovers many things to fight for—including his caring childhood friend, Yuki Naeshiro. Years later, after training at the famous Baba Boxing Gym, Riku discovers an innate desire to rise to the top. Now, as a professional boxer, 18-year-old Riku is determined to earn the prestigious Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation belt and become a boxing champion.

In the East is a land ruled by an emperor, whose consorts and serving women live in a sprawling complex known as the hougong, the rear palace. Maomao, an unassuming girl raised in an unassuming town by her apothecary father, never imagined the rear palace would have anything to do with her—until she was kidnapped and sold into service there. Though she looks ordinary, Maomao has a quick wit, a sharp mind, and an extensive knowledge of medicine. That's her secret, until she encounters a resident of the palace at least as perceptive as she is: the head eunuch, Jinshi. He sees through Maomao's façade and makes her a lady-in-waiting to none other than the Emperor's favorite consort... so she can taste the lady's food for poison! At her lady's side, Maomao starts to learn about everything that goes on in the rear palace—not all of it seemly. Can she ever lead a quiet life, or will her powers of deduction and insatiable curiosity bring her ever more adventures, and ever more dangers?

At a business meeting, 26-year-old Tsugumi Kawana faces the biggest surprise in her life: she is reunited with Itsuki Ayukawa, a former high school friend and her first love. She is elated that Ayukawa has been able to achieve his dream of becoming an architect, while she herself has secured a stable job at an interior design company. As they reminisce about the past, Tsugumi is shocked to find out Ayukawa has been disabled following an accident. Unable to walk on his own, he now has to rely on the use of a wheelchair. Tsugumi knows that dating a disabled person is a complex matter; moreso, she does not want to ruin her friendship with Ayukawa, who refuses to be romantically involved with anyone. However, as she begins to interact with him more and learns about his condition, Tsugumi realizes her feelings for him may not have disappeared entirely.

While returning home from the convenience store, Subaru Natsuki suddenly finds himself standing in an unfamiliar city, surrounded by unfamiliar people speaking unfamiliar words. Subaru quickly connects the dots and realizes that he's been transported to another world. After being chased off by a shop owner for being penniless, Subaru finds himself surrounded by a group of thugs. Just when Subaru thinks all hope is lost, a mysterious girl named Satella comes to his rescue. She's after a thief who Subaru had previously seen in town. After Satella scares off the thugs, Subaru decides to repay her by helping her look for the thief. Through a series of events, the pair finds themselves at a cellar known for housing stolen goods. Shortly after entering the house, Subaru and Satella are ambushed by a dark figure and neither survives the encounter. Subaru opens his eyes to find that he has gone back in time to earlier that day, beginning a confusing series of loops in which he relives past occurrences.

The unaware Subaru Natsuki wakes to see two figures standing in a completely unfamiliar room. The two girls, who turn out to be the sisters Rem and Ram, are immediately teased by Subaru for their synchronistic way of speaking. Before he can go too far, he is interrupted by Emilia—the charming girl he saved at the cost of losing his life thrice using "Return By Death," an ability that allows him to return to a certain "savepoint" each time he dies. Emilia informs him that due to the injury he received while protecting her from Elsa Granhiert, she brought him to the mansion she lives in. There, Subaru meets Roswaal L. Mathers, the clownlike count who owns the residence. While everyone is having breakfast, Subaru requests a reward: to let him be hired as a butler alongside Rem and Ram, which Roswaal quickly grants. Everything seems to be going well for Subaru. However, after a few days inside the mansion, he mysteriously wakes up at the beginning again, reminding him an awful lot of his ability. Can Subaru unravel the mystery behind his death, or will his spirit break first?

There is an inn that you can visit where you'll find old things you thought were lost forever.

Gangnam in complete darkness... "Am I the only one alive? What's going on?..." A boy wakes up to find himself in a building full of dead people. No cars, no electricity and no stars in the sky... Not only Gangnam, but the entire city seems deserted.

You awaken in a decrepit old mansion. A woman with eyes of jade stands before You, informing You that You are the Master of the house, and she Your Maid. However, You have no memories, no concept of self—or, indeed, any certainty that You are even alive. The Maid invites You to join her on a journey through the mansion's lifeless halls, to behold the numerous tragedies that have befallen its residents. She suggests that among them, perhaps You will find some trace of Yourself.

Syaoran and his friends were successful in collecting Sakura's memories and defeating Fei Wang. However, in order to release Fei Wang's last spell, Syaoran had to pay the price of "continuing his journey." He parted with Sakura and once more, accompanied by Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona, travelled to a parallel universe!

On rainy days, Hina Katagiri always dreams about her younger self playing with a mysterious boy, but she assumes these thoughts are nothing more than a childhood fantasy. Now a high school student, she focuses on her club activities and protecting her great-grandmother's necklace. While at school, Hina is inexplicably transported to the backyard of a mansion, where she is greeted by one of its inhabitants, Takaaki Hongou. He mistakes the girl for his fiancée, Hinako Kitamine, but Hina, believing she is in a dream, plays along with the misunderstanding. It is when Hina comes face-to-face with the real Hinako that she realizes the severity of her situation: somehow, she has been sent to the year 1907. In addition, she has lost her heirloom necklace at Takaaki's house. With Hinako's assistance, Hina continues to masquerade as her in order to access the Hongou household. However, Hina's plan begins to fall apart when she starts to develop feelings for Takaaki, all while the path to her former life becomes increasingly uncertain.

Spin-off novel consisting of 3 stories about Mikasa and Annie. 1. Lost in the Cruel World 2. Wall Sina, Goodbye 3. Lost Girls

In the online Let's Play community, the video game "The Ones Within - Genome" is infamous. No one has ever successfully completed it, and those who come close vanish without a trace. Akatsuki Iride is a popular streamer, well known for his amiable nature and the ability to befriend anyone. While playing The Ones Within - Genome, he discovers a hidden stage and is transported to a strange forest. There he meets others like himself: Karin Sarayashiki, a horror game enthusiast; Kaikoku Onigasaki, a Sengoku-themed uploader; nurturing-simulation lover Himiko Inaba; Anya Kuduo, a fighting game expert; puzzle specialist Yuzu Roromori; a master of stealth games, Zakuro Oshigiri; and romance game streamer Makino Aikawa. In order to escape, they must reach one hundred million concurrent views. Each must put their specialty to the test and entertain the global audience together in a never-ending livestream for their lives.

Killing is all Spas has ever known, and he does it without doubt or remorse. Taught to believe he's ridding the world of monsters, he sees the extermination of the Twilights as a necessary step toward making Ergastulum a safer place. Until the day when he's forced to confront the horrifying truth that the real monster might be...him.

The second part of the Steins;Gate Epigraph Trilogy, a continuation of Heiji Kyokusen no Epigraph.

In the 16th century, in the Holy Roman Empire, the inquisition condemned many innocent people to the stake. Deprived of her family, Ella finds herself sent to a convent which re-educates "the daughters of witches." Will torture and miracles overcome the flame of vengeance that burns within her?

After Kang Hu's death from bullying, the family was torn into pieces. His younger brother suppresses his resentment and heads back to school. The story begins exactly one year after Kang Hu's death when his brother seeks to destroy the delinquent circle... "Dokgo Rewind" follows Kang-Hyuk and the events leading to his brother's death one year prior to the events that transpire in "Dokgo".

Minami Asako has a "unique constitution." He senses the lingering thoughts of the deceased and experiences the circumstances under which they died with his own body in a reaction similar to stigmata. This proves useful in solving difficult cases with the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Investigations Unit Six. Asako's partner is the reserved Superintendent Hiroto Kuroiwa, rising through the MPD ranks despite doubting his own abilities.

This story tells you the value and importance of family; it will also remind you of the happiness and sadness, joys and sorrows of childhood.

To die by their own hand is the fate of the children inflicted with Morte. This rare disease does not discriminate based on class or country; it draws the best and the worst out of those afflicted, ultimately compelling them to commit suicide in their youth. In a sinister orphanage known as Doceo, newcomer Sasha meets the beautiful Manon, a girl who frequently shows up covered in bruises. Convinced that the person responsible for these injuries is Manon's terrifying advisor, Doudou Claverie, Sasha devises a reckless plan to stop Doudou from ever coming near Manon again. Elsewhere, young and disillusioned writer Dante Caggiano finds himself working at Hotel Gratia, a cheerful foster home for children diagnosed with Morte. But when death finally comes to Gratia's halls, Dante cannot shake off the feeling that this may have nothing to do with the disease at all.