50 Must-read Seinen Part1
Manga
Seinen manga is targeted to males, has action, philosophy, psychological elements, maybe some realistic romance.
That’s the common theme for this list. I will not include the popular shonen Naruto here, but will include Hunter x Hunter. That’s because HxH is dark and has deep philosophical themes. So that’s it!
That’s the common theme for this list. I will not include the popular shonen Naruto here, but will include Hunter x Hunter. That’s because HxH is dark and has deep philosophical themes. So that’s it!
Manga, 37 vol, 1998
Me:-
Author:10
Vagabond is the greatest seinen manga I’ve read so far. Arguably, the best manga overall. It starts with a young boy who is scared of his father, and tries to suppress fear with kindness. Later on, we se him grow into a person who is truly strong.
A quote I like from this manga— “All the truly strong people are kind.” Lots of philosophical gems here. And fights too.
A quote I like from this manga— “All the truly strong people are kind.” Lots of philosophical gems here. And fights too.
Manga, ? vol, 1999
Me:-
Author:10
Real is an epic. It follows the life of a kid who got cancer, a kid whose carelessness caused someone to lose their legs. Shit like that. Life sucks. It is HARD. And yet, it can be beautiful. That’s what I like about this manga, it gives me hope.
It is also written by Takehiko Inoue, is of epic proportions and also incomplete. Just like Vagabond.
Also, if both these manga ended today, they would still be masterpieces.
It is also written by Takehiko Inoue, is of epic proportions and also incomplete. Just like Vagabond.
Also, if both these manga ended today, they would still be masterpieces.
Manga, 5 vol, 1996
Me:-
Author:10
A favourite of mine. This manga is explores concepts of friendship, competitiveness, hardwork and talent. How much can you give to be the best? How much is required? And is it even worth it?
Sports, coming of age manga with philosophy. Only 55chapters long. Can read in one go. I’ve read it thrice, loved it every time.
Sports, coming of age manga with philosophy. Only 55chapters long. Can read in one go. I’ve read it thrice, loved it every time.
Manga, ? vol, 1989
Me:-
Author:9
This manga started before I was even born and is still going strong. I can remember the big moments in my life, like when I finished school, got tooth extracted, finished highschool, etc according to which chapter was going on here. It’s like a calendar. 1300+ chapters and the mangaka says it’s barely crossed the halfway mark. A true epic.
What does it mean to be strong? If you can beat up your bullies, then does that mean you are strong?
PS. this is the funniest manga you can find. You will cry laughing, count on that!! Amazing re-readability.
What does it mean to be strong? If you can beat up your bullies, then does that mean you are strong?
PS. this is the funniest manga you can find. You will cry laughing, count on that!! Amazing re-readability.
Manga, ? vol, 2005
Me:-
Author:9
I love historical fiction. This manga starts out as action/adventure. I thought Thorfinn with his skills is pretty cool. Thor kell is cool for being so strong. But as I’m getting older I’m seeing the appeal of Thors. Being strong in a constructive way rather than destructive. That is a good motto, if I’ve ever seen one.
Manga, 20 vol, 1968
Me:-
Author:9
A legendary boxing manga that has stayed relevant over the years. Just shows how timeless it is. Loved reading and re-reading it.
Manga, 15 vol, 2003
Me:-
Author:9
This was a mindfuck. At the end I had to ask myself what did I just read. And then it made sense, in an ambiguous manner. Good enough for me. Psychological seinen at its best.
It will get you thinking, and it is not nonsense. It makes some good points.
It will get you thinking, and it is not nonsense. It makes some good points.
Manga, ? vol, 2007
Me:-
Author:9
Ren is just a kid. He lost his family, lives alone. He also plays Shogi comepetively. He does all this alone, and that is really taxing. Then he makes some friends that cheer him up. He feels better and realises that he actually likes to be around friends. And then the manga becomes much more enjoyable, just like his life.
Manga, ? vol, 1998
Me:-
Author:9
This is not a shonen! Gon is not a normal kid! Kurapika is not a girl! Lots of deceptions in this masterpiece. It starts of with a bright vibe, a kid going off to become a Hunter like his dad. But pretty soon we see that this world created by Togashi is cruel. Just like reality. The Hunter examiners would rather pass a strong murderer than an average guy who wants to make the world a better place. It’s all about power. You work hard? You love your friends, and want to be strengthened by power of friendship? Wrong manga kid. Over here, power is justice.
Highly highly recommended.
Highly highly recommended.
Manga, 18 vol, 1994
Me:-
Author:9
A dark mysterious manga. Naoki Urasawa is a legend at creating a mystery thriller. This is one of his best works. As a doctor will you save the life of a killer? Or let him die and become a killer yourself? It asks deep questions.
Manga, 25 vol, 1973
Me:-
Author:9
Classic masterpiece by the God of manga, Osamu Tezuka. Episodic manga about an unlicensed genius doctor called Black Jack. Every chapter manages to give you a roller coaster ride. Old but thoroughly enjoyable!
Manga, ? vol, 2008
Me:-
Author:9
This manga has the most beautiful art you’ll ever see. On par with Vagabond. The story is set in the Middle East involving Turkey, Persia, etc. We see the lives, cultures, struggles of various tribes of the region. It is a really beautiful slice of life manga. Historical fiction. Must read.
Manga, 25 vol, 1996
Me:-
Author:9
If you were a teacher would you beat the kids? Blackmail them? Destroy the car of the principal?
Also, would you risk your life to reform a kid who doesn’t even respect you? Onizuka will do that and more.
GTO is one of the coolest, fun manga out there. It also gives some good life advice such as— don’t become a teacher just to see panties.
Also, would you risk your life to reform a kid who doesn’t even respect you? Onizuka will do that and more.
GTO is one of the coolest, fun manga out there. It also gives some good life advice such as— don’t become a teacher just to see panties.
Manga, 34 vol, 2000
Me:-
Author:9
Can you make a manga about music. With no music of course! And everyone has to love it. That is BECK or Mongolian Chop Squad. This is an amazing coming of manga about a group of teens who grow up and sincerely try their best to make a music band. It shows a lot of Japan’s music scene. You cannot stop reading this once you start.
And when koyuki sings, you’ll have goosebumps for sure.
And when koyuki sings, you’ll have goosebumps for sure.
Manga, ? vol, 2007
Me:-
Author:9
The most positive and inspirational manga ever! This is the story of two brothers who are crazy about going to space. Life maybe hard, luck may be low but hey keep on trying. It’s never too late to start.
Manga, ? vol, 2012
Me:-
Author:9
Action comedy at its best. Saitama is a bald superhero. He can defeat anyone with OnePunch. But is that all? What now? He is bored, so he keeps fighting monsters to meet someone strong. This manga is full of comedy and varied superheroes. There are many heroes who spend their lives trying to climb the hero rankings, but all that turns to shit when Saitama shows up.
Manga, ? vol, 1989
Me:-
Author:8
One of the most acclaimed manga ever. This is pure seinen. Guts is a human who fights monsters on a daily basis. How does he even get the motivation to live. Wouldn’t dying be easier? This manga has some amazing arcs. Highly recommended.
Manga, 8 vol, 2006
Me:-
Author:9
A light intriguing manga drawn by Taiyo Matsumoto. Hence the unique art. Sou is a simple samurai living in Edo. He is polite to neighbors and friendly with the kids. He can talk to cats too. And his sword.
Then a murder occurs in the neighbourhood,and the plot thickens. Highly recommended. Light read.
Then a murder occurs in the neighbourhood,and the plot thickens. Highly recommended. Light read.
Manga, ? vol, 2012
Me:-
Author:9
A manga about highschool kids playing the Koto(a Japanese music instrument). This synopsis doesn’t do it justice. This manga is about friendship. And how you can change your life, if you try hard. Sometimes it can be difficult to do everything on your own, and that’s okay. It is okay to rely on your friends.
Manga, 12 vol, 2003
Me:-
Author:9
What was the first manga you ever read? Many people, like me will answer Death Note. It is highly popular, and the deep psychological battle between Light and L made us all realise how amazing manga can be. Smart manga from start to finish. Must read.
Manga, 31 vol, 2014
Me:-
Author:9
Sugimoto is a super durable soldier. He just won’t die. This story takes place in Ezo, in post Meiji restoration period. Sugimoto hears about a hidden treasure of the Ainu tribe, so he teams up with Asirpa, a young Ainu girl.
They meet lots of comrades on the way, lots of killing and backstabbing. We see fighting, mystery, cooking, and naked male butts in equal amounts in this manga. Comedy, adventure.
They meet lots of comrades on the way, lots of killing and backstabbing. We see fighting, mystery, cooking, and naked male butts in equal amounts in this manga. Comedy, adventure.
Manga, ? vol, 2003
Me:-
Author:9
Historical fiction set in the time of Alexander the Great of Macedonia. It features Aristotle too. Based on the life of Eumenes, a scholar/tactician who worked under Alexander. Really informative and fun. Highly recommended for all history lovers.
Manga, ? vol, 2017
Me:-
Author:9
A manga about Art. A kid who has no goal in life tries to draw. And he does very well. This manga follows his growth as a kid taking entrance exams, and then his life through college. Very realistic and inspirational.
Manga, ? vol, 2016
Me:-
Author:9
What is the right thing to do? A quest to answer this question—- that is Ethics. This manga is about a teacher who takes a lecture about a certain topic of ethics and the chapter in the manga juxtaposes that lecture with the life of a student. It is very relatable as the kids don’t care much for the lecture, but when they face a problem in their life, ethics can make it simpler to make the right choice.
Manga, 20 vol, 2008
Me:-
Author:9
A slice of life feel good manga. A Tokyo based calligrapher lashes out at a senior examiner, and is sent to a small island as a punishment. His life with the easy going islanders and the energetic kids is very fun to watch. He realises he needs to open up and becomes more aware of the people around him.
Manga, 30 vol, 1993
Me:-
Author:9
Manji is an immortal swordsman. He sets out to defeat the Itto-ryu, an upcoming martial arts school to help out a girl called Rin. This manga has lots of fights and gore. The plot thickens later on too.
Manga, 22 vol, 1999
Me:-
Author:9
Another mystery by Naoki Urasawa. It is a manga of epic proportions. Highly ambitious. A group of kids playing with each other, having the usual fights. What incident happed over a summer break that made a kid go crazy. This kid is now trying to destroy the world. Also, who is this mysterious friend?
Manga, 23 vol, 1998
Me:-
Author:9
A true page turner. This manga is about Hikaru, a kid who happens to find an old Go game board at his grandfather’s place. Turns out the soul of a legendary player is trapped in the board, and this guy will teach him all the tips and tricks of the game! I love such concepts. I also liked the realist way that the manga acknowledged that the present theories of the game are much more advanced as compared to the past. High re-readability! I started playing Go after reading this manga. It’s addicting.
Manga, 31 vol, 1990
Me:-
Author:9
The best basketball manga ever! Shohoku is the team that I’ll never forget. Sakuragi Hanamichi, Akagi, Rukawa and the others, are such well drawn characters. The manga shows how important talent is, and also that talent means nothing without hardwork. Lots of comedy, inspiration and basketball! An amazing highschool manga.
Manga, 15 vol, 1992
Me:-
Author:9
The best comedy manga ever. Highly underrated. The art sucks, especially in the early chapters. But the characters in Hekikuu are so lovable that you’ll keep re reading this epic again and again. Must read.
Manga, 13 vol, 2002
Me:-
Author:9
This manga shows the life of a medical student who is doing his internship. He is on the cusp of completion, where theory meets practice. As a doctor he faces many dilemmas— with regards to time, money, ethics and power....and it is really interest to see how he responds. Most realistic medical manga I’ve read so far.
Manga, 4 vol, 1982
Me:-
Author:9
Tezuka has done it again! This is another manga that can be called an epic....it shows the life of a Japanese Adolf, a journalist. Adolf the soldier. And the most dangerous Adolf— Adolf Hitler. The story is tragic, has many ups and down. Feels like a movie. Dialog heavy. Not a light read.
Manga, 24 vol, 2004
Me:-
Author:9
Bizzare is the keyword here. In the JoJo universe anything can happen. I had heard a lot about the series, and had never read anything. Steel ball run is a good place to start. You don’t need to read any parts before this. This is one of the most interesting and entertaining manga that I’ve read. The stands are so so smart, the characters are flamboyant, unique. To use some slang.....jojo is based af.
Manga, 11 vol, 2003
Me:-
Author:9
As a middle aged Japanese salaryman with a dead end job, how does Kurosawa feel? Hopeless, tired, jealous and a lot more. But he recovers....in an inspirational way and shows the guys in this manga that no life is worthless. A poor man may have less than others, but that doesn’t mean he should die. You may have been a class topper, whom not works a minimum wage job, but that doesn’t mean you are a disappointment. You have worth. This manga gives hope.
Manga, 15 vol, 2003
Me:-
Author:9
After reading this you’ll probably thank your lucky starts that you aren’t a samurai. This manga opens with a bold statement- “Japananese samurai society was successful because it was made up of lots of masochists and a handful of sadists.”
This manga shows how authority can corrupt a man. When your master asks you to kill your friend for no reason, will you do it? Murder, torture, rape, everything is allowed for the deranged samurai lords. Humans are just flesh with feelings, take that away, and we are just flesh. That’s the theme of this manga. Dark, lots of gore.
This manga shows how authority can corrupt a man. When your master asks you to kill your friend for no reason, will you do it? Murder, torture, rape, everything is allowed for the deranged samurai lords. Humans are just flesh with feelings, take that away, and we are just flesh. That’s the theme of this manga. Dark, lots of gore.
Manga, 13 vol, 2007
Me:-
Author:9
Dark, twisted, in a beautiful way. Reads like a novel. I liked how experimental this manga was, it broke boundaries. The protagonist is literally a chicken. This is a really ambitious work, which managed to be entertaining too. One problem I have with this— a bit too pessimistic for me.
Manga, 1 vol, 1972
Me:-
Author:9
This one-shot will haunt you. It is special. Just read it. 15pages might change the way you think about life.
Manga, 20 vol, 2008
Me:-
Author:9
The most recognisable manga about making manga. Bakuman is like none other. This manga introduced us readers to the gruelling world of making manga. For the first time we thought about how manga is made. Super interesting, a real page Turner. Has lots of chapters, bingeable. Made by same guys who made Death Note. So yeah, story and art are top notch. Comedy, romance and lots of fun to be expected.
Manga, 2 vol, 2008
Me:-
Author:9
What is a manga? Just a novel with pictures? What if I draw lots of lines instead of intricately drawing grass? With these questions in mind some mangaka in the 1960s started the Gekiga movement.
This is an autobiographical manga about the life of Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Highly entertaining and informative. Got to learn a lot. Highly recommended.
This is an autobiographical manga about the life of Yoshihiro Tatsumi. Highly entertaining and informative. Got to learn a lot. Highly recommended.
Manga, 19 vol, 2005
Me:-
Author:8
The best psychological manga out there. It is full of mind games. You don’t have to be a bad person to be smart.
Manga, 19 vol, 1992
Me:-
Author:8
A mysterious detective solving murder mysteries. Dark, violent. No unnecessary gore. Jiraishin has style and substance.
Manga, 17 vol, 2000
Me:-
Author:8
Maybe the funniest manga of them all. You might die laughing! This manga has it all, a class where you find Freddie Mercury, a gorilla, and maybe even aliens.
Manga, 10 vol, 1999
Me:-
Author:8
A simple, slice of life type of manga. Peaceful, it exists in harmony with the microorganisms around it. Supernatural elements are there. Episodic. Recommended for a light read.
Manga, 46 vol, 2004
Me:-
Author:8
If you borrow money from these loan sharks, they will extract it. For that they might steal, make you beg, borrow, or kill. Whatever it takes. Kinda episodic, this manga has arcs. We see how deep people can fall, if they keep gambling, continuing their bad habits.
Manga, 22 vol, 2002
Me:-
Author:8
Kids in jail with no parents after the world war. Do they have a future? This manga shows how these kids grow up strong, together. And form an unbreakable bond, that keeps them fighting.
Manga, ? vol, 2019
Me:-
Author:8
This manga if super light, fun to read comedy. There are spies, murderers, a kid who can read minds and more. Still it works......really well.
Manga, 37 vol, 2011
Me:-
Author:8
What if a modern day cook gets sent back to the times of Oda Nobunaga? How will he influence the world with his culinary skills? Another highly underrated manga.
Manga, ? vol, 2009
Me:-
Author:8
Similar in plot to Nobunaga’s chef. Somebody gets sent back in time of Oda Nobunaga, BUT he looks just like Nobunaga!! How will this noob unify the country? Very interesting, and the manga sticks close to historical facts.
Manga, 25 vol, 2000
Me:-
Author:8
Dr.Koto is the kind of doctor anyone would want to be. He is kind, skilled, and trusted by the islandfolk. This manga is a slice of life where we see the various cases that present to him from time to time. Based on a true story.
Highly recommended. Episodic.
Highly recommended. Episodic.
Manga, 4 vol, 2007
Me:-
Author:8
Onanie means masturbation. This manga doesn’t shy away from talking about it. It doesn’t have any ecchi or panty shots. It is just a coming of age story about a guy adjusting to his life. Underrated.
