My Hero Academia
- Author: Kohei Horikoshi
- Publisher: Viz Media
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2015-present
- Volumes: 39
Heralded as the second coming of one of the Big Three in shonen manga, My Hero Academia has been popular for a while now. My Hero Academia is the story of Deku who desperately wants to be a hero, but was born without quirks. When he becomes the successor to a very powerful quirk, Deku enrolls in the Hero Academy to fulfill his dream. At 39 volumes, My Hero Academia the manga is very close to being finished, though it’s anime adaptation will last a few more years yet.
Demon Slayer
- Author: Koyoharu Gotouge
- Publisher: Viz Media
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2018-2021
- Volumes: 23
Completed at 23 volumes, the main story of Demon Slayer is a great buy as a box set, especially since the anime adaptation is expected to finish up in a series of anime movies in 2025. Demon Slayer is an action, historical fantasy that follows resident earnest big brother Tanjiro in his quest to save his sister and turn her back into a human. To do so he must get stronger and potentially face the progenitor of all demon kind.
While the main series of Demon Slayer is complete, there are some spin off manga for younger audiences currently in production.
Spy X Family
- Author: Tatsuya Endo
- Publisher: Viz Media
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2020-present
- Volumes: 12
Currently at twelve volumes Spy X Family still remains one of the easiest manga to give a book talk on. Imagine a found family story except the dad is a spy, the mom is an assassin, the dog can see the future, and the daughter can read minds. Oh yeah, and somehow nobody knows about anyone else’s abilities except the daughter!
Spy X Family is suggested Teen 16+ for violent themes, suggestive language, and substance use, but the content can easily read younger. In addition to its twelve volumes, two informational books have recently been published on this series.
Apothecary Diaries
- Author: Natsu Hyuuga
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2020-present
- Volumes: 12
Apothecary Diaries the manga adaptation is based on the light novel of the same name. Currently at twelve volumes, this series is incredibly popular on several levels including the light novel, manga, and anime. Maomao, the main character, finds herself sold to the emperor’s harem as a servant after she was kidnapped on the street, but after she saves the emperor’s concubines from using poisonous face powder, she is taken in as a poison tester and tasked with solving many mysteries around the palace.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
- Author: Fujita
- Publisher: Kodansha
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2018-2022
- Volumes: 6
Complete with six volumes and an art book, Wotako: Love is Hard for Otaku is a slice of life office romantic comedy that centers around three couples, with the main focus on Narumi, an otaku, and Hirotaka, an elite gamer. Wotakoi began as a webcomic before being made into manga and got an anime adaptation in 2018. This series is a refreshingly adult romance, but still an appropriate read for teens.
Our Dreams at Dusk
- Author: Shimanami Tasogare
- Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2019
- Volumes: 4
Complete at four volumes, Our Dreams at Dusk is a truly powerful series about being honest, finding family in strange places, and learning to love yourself for who you are, even if the world is against it. This story is told from the point of view of high schooler Tasuka Kaname. When he thinks he’s been outed as gay, Tasuka resolves to take his own life, but before he can do so, Tasuka is stopped by a mysterious woman.
Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey
- Author: Akiko Higashimura
- Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2019-2020
- Volumes: 5
From the mangaka who created Princess Jellyfish, Blank Canvas is the autobiographical manga series from Akiko Higashimura telling the story of her journey to become an artist and manga author. Blank Canvas spans from Higashimura’s high school years all the way to more recent day with the focus on the author’s continuous struggle to not only define what art means to her, but reconcile that her path may lead further and further from her art teacher’s aspirations for her. Blank Canvas is complete at five volumes.
A Sign of Affection
- Author: suu Morishita
- Publisher: Kodansha
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2020-present
- Volumes: 10
A Sign of Affection currently has ten volumes and recently began releasing in additional omnibus editions. Yuki, the main character, has just started college. Navigating is harder for her, because she is deaf. One day she meets a handsome stranger named Itsuomi and the two feel drawn to each other. A Sign of Affection is a sweet contemporary romance that features college age characters.
Delicious in Dungeon
- Author: Ryoko Kui
- Publisher: Yen Press
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2017-2023
- Volumes: 14
Complete at fourteen volumes, Delicious in Dungeon is currently the ‘hot new manga in town’. The story begins when Laios’ adventuring party gets beaten by a dragon and Laios’ sister gets eaten in the process. Kicked out of the dungeon with no money to buy food for a rescue attempt, the adventuring party despairs until a strange dwarf approaches them. If they can’t buy food, then why not just make food from the monsters roaming the many levels of the world dungeon on the way down? What follows is a food focused comedic adventure where Laios may start questioning his motivation. Are they fighting to save his sister or just to try new cuisine? Individual volumes of this manga can be pricey, but a box set is set to release sometime by the end of 2024.
My Girlfriend’s Child
- Author: Mamorui Aoi
- Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
- Age: Teen 16+
- Publication Date: 2023-present
- Volumes: 5
Currently five volumes, My Girlfriend’s Child is the story of a young teen couple Sachi and Takara. When Sachi learns she is pregnant she knows that life will never be the same again. The two must now navigate their relationship, impending parenthood, and society’s expectations. My Girlfriend’s Child doesn’t really pull any punches. There are some frank discussions about what raising a child means, potential abortion, and the changes a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy. While this series does not have an anime adaptation, a live action drama was released in June 2024 in Japan.
