2017 is here and with it comes many new manga releases for the year. With so many new manga released, we’re pretty sure it’s gonna be a bit of a pain to figure out which ones you wanna read. Not to worry though as we have got you covered.
For 2017, we’ve picked a good mix of totally brand new manga being released in 2017 as well as a few that were released just not too long ago in 2016. And while the newer ones in 2017 have yet to reach a good amount of chapters to really reach the “safe” zone of not being cancelled, we’re pretty sure our picks would at least stand the test of the ever-changing taste of manga readers in Japan and would last a pretty good while.
So without further adieu, let’s check out the top 10 manga of 2017 that you have to read (in no particular order)!
1.Vigilante: Boku No Hero Academia
We, of course, have to start off with Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia. If you haven’t figured it out already, this is a spin-off manga of the highly successful Boku no Hero Academia. The idea of kids going to hero school isn’t a new one, but the combination of a likeable main hero with a big bunch of even more likeable supporting characters have made this manga a big hit with readers. So what can the spin-off offer?
How about a look at another set of heroes, the ones that don’t make the cut to mainstream hero-dom. Ones that operate outside the laws and rules that mainstream heroes have to follow. Basically, Vigilantes. And while you may be asking why would there be vigilantes in a world where heroes are a dime a dozen, Vigilante: Boku no Hero Academia does a pretty good job of explaining the appearances of such characters.
If you thought that the powers of the characters were already weird (or lame) in the main manga, just wait till you see these bunch of misfits.
2.Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (From Common Job Class to the Strongest in the World)
Another World-genre manga have been coming out a dime a dozen and many have settled into their own tropes. Most of the time, the main character gets some sort of boosted stats and is rather heroic in nature, but what happens when the main character starts of just average or actually, even worst than average?
That’s what Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou explores, and as you’ll see from the translation, the main character won’t just remain plain average for long. Based of the light-novel of the same name, the premise sees main character Nagumo Hajime and his classmates being transported to an “Another World” where fantasy tropes are a reality.
While his classmates in one way or another are blessed with astounding stats and skills, Hajime himself, like his life in the real world, is average with what seems to be the pathetic skills of a “Synergist”.
However, that skill set might just be what he needs to survive after he gets trapped in a dungeon after an unexpected incident. How will he survive dungeon and is his “Synergist” skill really just mediocre?
If you love reading about how the main characters suppress all odds and make do with what seems to be a low-level skill, you’ll love reading this. After all, everyone loves and an underdog.
3.Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland)
Emma and her friends have a pretty good life at the orphanage they grew up in. Though the rules may be strict, the caretaker is kind, but why are the children forbidden from ever leaving?
That’s the basis of Yakusoku no Neverland or The Promised Neverland. This intriguing mystery/supernatural manga explores the lives of a group of orphans who by all intents and purposes, are living in a pretty good and well-run orphanage. However, some things are a bit off from what seems to be a perfect setting.
With plot twists aplenty, this mystery manga is sure to keep many readers in suspense and considering that it’s managed to run for over 30+ chapters, we’re pretty sure it’ll run for a lot longer. A definite good read if you’re really into the whole mystery and suspense genre.
4.Fumetusu no Anaya (To You immortal)
“An immortal being was sent to the surface of the earth and met a boy living alone in the middle of tundra. The being can take the shape of dying things, but only if the “impetus” is stronger than the previous one. What sort of experiences and meetings will the being encounter while living forever?”
Imagine a main character that has no personality, well not yet anyway. The only way it can develop itself is by interactions with the people it meets, and that’s what Fumetusu no Anaya seems to explore. The unnamed being which is the main character has to explore the world and the people that he meets to learn everything from how to eat, how to live and how to communicate.
And while the power to change into anything may seem cool, the being can only take the form of something or someone that is dying, usually the person or character it has been interacting with throughout the story. So that means, be prepared to get your heart strings pulled as the mangaka has done a pretty good job of getting us emotionaly invested in some of the side characters only to spin a tragic tale.
5.Goblin Slayer
In the fantasy world, there are MANY types of monsters and goblins are usually classified as the lowest tier of monsters. In typical fantasy tropes, they’re relegated as the cannon fodder, the monsters that are the easiest to kill and generally forgettable, not exactly the kind of monsters a hero would deign to put his effort into.
However, what if the main character of a story devotes his entire life and being to killing the lowest of the low, the most basic of monsters. That’s what the manga Goblin Slayer explores. Based on the light novel of the same name, it follows a rather silent main character which goes by the name (yep no guessing there) Goblin Slayer who has dedicated his life to, yes, slaying goblins exclusively.
However, his life is about to change when he meets up with a rather newbie priestess and the once silent and brooding Goblin Slayer will now see a new adventure open up to him, where he might do something other than just slaying goblins.
6.Jaryu Tensei
Typically when it comes to reincarnation-genre manga/stories, the main character is usually reincarnated as a human child retaining all his/her memories from before, giving them a leg-up in the new world. But what if instead of reincarnating as a human, the main character instead becomes a dragon?
That’s the premise of Jaryu Tensei where the main characters reincarnates as a dragon in another world after being dying in a car crash because a couple was making out. And while he has become an all powerful dragon, he’s just too lazy to do anything.
Read as he finally gets a human form and starts adventuring and exploring this new world he has been reincarnated in while picking some interesting characters in his party along the way.
7.Harapeko no Marie (Marie the Hungry)
It’s been almost two years since mangaka Ryuuhei Tamura’s Beelzebub manga ended its run in Shounen Jump. So it’s about time that we should see something new come out from him and in this case, his new work is called Harapeko no Marie or roughly translated Marie the Hungry.
The basis of the story is main character Taiga has always had a crush with his next door neighbour. What he doesn’t know is that his sweet looking neighbour and her family holds a dark secret. One day he stumbles upon their secret and in the process ends up being sharing a body with the resurrected French Princess Marie. Just how is his life going to be like now?
While the manga has JUST started its run on Shounen Jump, we’re expecting some funny hijinks from this new Ryuuhei Tamura work. As per his modus operandi, expect more weird behaving characters, a good dose of demon/supernatural related references and plenty of fighting action. Hopefully, Harapeko no Marie lasts as long as Beelzebub did and maybe we might also see a new anime coming out from it.
8. Ayanashi
Humanity now lives underground. The surface of the world is pitch black, and taken over by deadly monsters. The only people brave enough to venture to the surface to fight these monsters are the Ayanashi.
In this story we meet Horo, an Ayanashi out for vengeance against the person who killed his brother. Horo has always hated being around other people, but how will he cope now that he is all alone?
Brooding protagonist? Check. Action and fighting? Check. Compelling story? So far. Add to that some decent art work and visuals, Ayanashi is one manga that you’d want to read if you’re looking for a dark action packed manga with some similarities to Kabaneri of Iron.
9. Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai
Yuiga Nariyuki works hard every day to obtain a full-college scholarship by his High School to support his poor family. His headmaster promises that he’ll get it if he full-fills a small condition. He has to tutor two resident female geniuses Furuhashi Fumino (Literature-genius) and her friend Ogata Rizu (Science-genius), so that they can get into their dream-college.
Now you’d think that since both are geniuses, it’ll be easy right? Wrong. The catch is that Fumino wants to major in Science while Rizu wants to major in Literature despite both of them failing constantly in their weak subjects.
This comedic, school life romance manga has started off pretty well, hitting some pretty good humour notes that all romance comedy aficionados will love. The manga has yet to hit some ridiculous plots yet but from what we’ve read so far, its going to slowly transform slightly into a harem manga as well. For many who love the drama and comedy that ensues when different personalities clash, this might just be the manga you’d want to follow this year.
10.Origin
Korean mangaka Boichi has had quite a large number of works since debuting in Japan, and he’s still at it with his new manga Origin.