15 Best Anime Adaptations Of Popular Manga

June 19, 2022, 6:30 p.m.

Movies

15 Best Anime Adaptations Of Popular Manga

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Summary Some of the best anime are adaptations of popular manga.

Some adaptations thrive on how much they enhance the original source material with stellar animation.

Others excel simply through the competency with which they adapt their stories.

While there are plenty of great original anime out there, adaptations are typically the ones that get the most attention. Since they're typically adapted from works with pre-established fanbases, people already know what to expect from them, and anime studios, in turn, will put a lot of extra effort into them to further sell them to old and new fans alike.

Upon being picked up, a manga adaptation can either go very poorly or it could hopefully end up enhancing the source material, earning a favorable reception from readers and viewers alike.

The best manga adaptations are usually the ones where the studios can confidently translate what was on the page and onto the screen, not just through how much flair they add to the series, but through their basic competency, as well. Some adaptations have done a better job of this than others, and a few, in particular, are especially worth highlighting.

15 Dragon Ball Z is a Timeless Classic That Has Aged Gracefully

Anime series by Toei Animation; Based on the manga by Akira Toriyama

Few anime share the iconic legacy of Dragon Ball Z. While the original Dragon Ball manga by Akira Toriyama is undeniably one of the single most influential pieces of modern literature, the anime adapting that series' latter half is no slouch either. The series picks up a little while after the original Dragon Ball anime ended, with Goku having settled down with Chi-Chi to start a family. Unfortunately, a series of increasingly powerful world-ending threats require the attention of Goku and his friends.

What makes Dragon Ball Z such a great adaptation of Toriyama's manga is how much the anime adds to the original. The animation, sound, and acting are all iconic for good reason, as they're all handled with a deft hand despite a misstep here or there. Toriyama's destructive action in Dragon Ball is dynamic enough on its own, but with animation, the fights come to life in a way that's burned into every fans' mind.

Watch on Crunchyroll

14 My Hero Academia Proves Shonen Action & Superheroes Are the Perfect Combo

Anime series by Studio Bones; Based on the manga by Kohei Horikoshi

My Hero Academia Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Aoi Yuki , Ayane Sakura , Christopher R. Sabat , Yûki Kaji , Nobuhiko Okamoto , Luci Christian , David Matranga , Justin Briner , Kenta Miyake , Clifford Chapin , Daiki Yamashita Release Date April 3, 2016 Seasons 5 Website https://www.funimation.com/shows/my-hero-academia/ Franchise My Hero Academia Production Company Bones Number of Episodes 113

Starting in an era when superheroes were bigger than ever, it's no wonder that My Hero Academia's manga was a huge hit. Even with the series' meteoric rise though, Studio Bones' adaptation of the series is still impressive. Bones has taken on a wide variety of high-profile anime adaptations before My Hero Academia, but none are quite on the scale of global phenomenon as the most famous superhero shonen anime.

Related The Key to Saving Deku - An Unexpected My Hero Academia Hero is Now Deku's Only Hope in the Last Battle Eri's power could be the only hope of defeating All For One. With Deku gravely injured, it will be up to the little girl to heal him.

The result of this notoriety is a series that looks like the maximum amount of effort was put into it. Bones clearly put a great deal of thought into making My Hero Academia vibrant and full of life. The result is that My Hero Academia is consistently one of the best-looking anime every season that it airs. Few anime series are as consistently exploding with action and personality as My Hero Academia.

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13 Chainsaw Man Takes Shonen in a Horrific New Direction

Anime series by MAPPA; Based on the manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Chainsaw Man Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Ryan Colt Levy , Fairouz Ai , Sarah Wiedenheft , Suzie Yeung , Reagan Murdock Release Date October 11, 2022 Seasons 1 Writers Tatsuki Fujimoto

It's no understatement to say that few anime adaptations understand their source material quite like Chainsaw Man's. As made clear by Chainsaw Man's movie homage-filled opening, MAPPA's adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's smash hit horror shonen is a love letter to the original manga and its enigmatic creator.

Related 10 Best Chainsaw Man Manga Covers, Ranked Chainsaw Man has an incredibly distinct art style, and that's led to more than a few incredibly iconic covers for the collected editions of its manga.

What makes Chainsaw Man truly stand out from the pack is its direction. Shots are framed to give the maximum emotional impact, and the soundtrack adds a great deal of character to the already robust series. More than anything else though, there is a grasp on the characters, themes, and setting that truly sets Chainsaw Man apart as an adaptation. Fujimoto's manga is one of the freshest manga series in recent memory, so it's reassuring to see the anime series so effortlessly replicate that unique energy.

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12 Berserk is Still One of the Best Dark Fantasy Anime of All Time

Anime series by OLM; Based on the Manga By Kentaro Miura

Berserk (1997) Cast Marc Diraison , Kevin T. Collins , Carrie Keranen , Michelle Newman , Christopher Kromer , Jeff Ward , Mark Sebastian , J , David Brimmer , Sean Schemmel Release Date October 7, 1997 Seasons 1 Franchise(s) Berserk Writers Yasuhiro Imagawa Directors Naohito Takahashi

Berserk has exploded in popularity recently, naturally leading many potential fans to seek out the series' first anime adaptation. Any who did are in for a true treat, as 1997's Berserk anime is truly an unparalleled masterpiece. The series follows a mercenary named Guts as he joins the Band of the Hawk, led by the mysterious Griffith. Unfortunately, though Guts' time with the Band of the Hawk and Griffith are some of his best years, it is doomed to end in tragedy during the cataclysmic eclipse.

More than just a faithful adaptation, Berserk adds to the source material with incredible direction and moving animation. Susumu Hirasawa's soundtrack for Berserk is also an undeniable standout, managing to go from haunting to epic to tragic in a matter of seconds. If there's one mark against Berserk's 1997 anime it's the series' infamous lack of an ending. Still, any fan wanting more Berserk simply needs to pick up Kentaro Miura's original masterpiece to know how the story continues after the Golden Age.

11 Spy X Family Is A Modern Anime Classic

Anime series by Wit Studio & Studio CloverWorks; Based on the manga by Tatsuya Endo

Spy x Family Cast Takuya Eguchi , Atsumi Tanezaki , Saori Hayami , Alex Organ , Megan Shipman , Natalie Van Sistine Release Date April 9, 2022 Seasons 2 Streaming Service(s) Crunchyroll Franchise(s) Spy X Family Writers Kazuhiro Furuhashi , Ichirō Ōkouchi Directors Kazuhiro Furuhashi , Takahiro Harada Creator(s) Tatsuya Endo

Wit Studio and Studio CloverWorks' Spy X Family is set in a Cold War-esque setting and stars Twilight, an elite agent of the spy organization WISE tasked with investigating Donovan Desmond, a man who could potentially destroy the fragile peace between the East and West. To do so, Twilight must take on the guise of Loid Forger and take on a fake family to get close to Donovan, but unbeknownst to him, the people he chose as a wife and daughter are secretly an assassin and a telepath, respectively.

Spy X Family has more than proven that it has become a classic in the anime community with its 60s Cold War spy aesthetic and showcasing the duplicitous natures of each main character as they individually strive for world peace. Hammering home to make the world look as real as a fictional '60s East Berlin would while never holding back when the action demands it and slowing down for the drama to catch up when needed. It's a competent adaptation of a popular manga series and its success is hardly showing any signs of slowing down.

Watch On Crunchyroll

10 Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War Revolutionizes Romance Anime

Anime series by A-1 Pictures; Based on the manga by Aka Akasaka

A-1 Pictures' Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War is centered around Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, the heads of the student council who have not only developed feelings for one another, but they are all but certain that their feelings are reciprocal. Both are too prideful to be the ones to ask the other out, however, so they constantly engage in mind games to try and force the other person to confess their feelings, with the people around them continuously oblivious to what they're doing.

Kaguya-sama has received tremendous praise since its premiere, and it's easy to see why that is. The constant mind games Kaguya and Miyuki engage in, combined with the anime's creative and fluid animation and a persistent self-awareness in its writing make it a great adaptation in terms of both visuals and story from start to finish. Romance and psychological drama are two genres that would seem incompatible, but Kaguya-sama does a great job of making them work together.

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9 Attack On Titan Is The Face Of Modern Anime

Anime series by Studio MAPPA; Based on the manga by Hajime Isayama

Attack On Titan Cast Matthew Mercer , Josh Grelle , Hiroshi Kamiya , Shiori Mikami , Jerry Jewell , Kishô Taniyama , Jessica Calvello , Masahiko Tanaka , Yui Ishikawa , Romi Park , Robert McCollum , Tomohisa Hashizume , Hiro Shimono , Trina Nishimura Release Date April 7, 2013 Seasons 4 Main Genre Action Franchise Attack on Titan Production Company Wit Studio, MAPPA

Studio MAPPA's Attack On Titan is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity has lived in fear of man-eating Titans for 100 years. A sudden assault by the Titans makes the young Eren Yeager realize just how terrible the world they live in is, and he vows to be the one to rid the world of Titans, all the while being unaware of just what his quest would reveal and how it would change him.

Attack on Titan has quickly become not just one of the most popular anime of all time, but one of the most popular shows, in general. Attack on Titan's world-building, writing, and animation have been some of the best in anime from start to finish, and even as it switches between genres, themes, and studios, there's a level of competency to it that other anime tend to lack. Attack on Titan has essentially been the face of modern anime, and it's easy to see why that is.

Attack on Titan's first three seasons were animated by Wit Studio before production was shifted to Studio MAPPA.

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8 Gintama Is Still A Timeless Anime Comedy

Anime series by Studio Sunrise; Based on the manga by Hideaki Sorachi

Studio Sunrise’s Gintama takes place in an alternate history to our own where aliens invaded Japan during the late Edo period and transformed it into a land where samurai are outlawed and aliens reign supreme. Gintoki, a former samurai who fought in the war with the aliens, is now living as an eccentric freelancer, and after unwittingly taking on an apprentice in Shinpachi, his freelancing becomes a full-fledged business known as the Yorozuya.

What makes Gintama such a great series is how it balances its extremely different tones. From start to finish, Gintama always knows how to effortlessly balance serious action and absurdist comedy, so no matter what type of writing a person prefers, they're always bound to find something to enjoy. There are few anime that are better for comedy and action lovers, and that’s a big part of why Gintama has maintained such an enduring legacy.

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7 One Piece Is The Undisputed King Of Anime

Anime series by Toei Animation; Based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda

One Piece Cast Kazuya Nakai , Akemi Okamura , Kappei Yamaguchi , Hiroaki Hirata , Ikue Ôtani , Yuriko Yamaguchi Created by Eiichiro Oda First Film One Piece: The Movie First TV Show One Piece Character(s) Monkey D. Luffy , Roronora Zoro , Nami (One Piece) , Nico Robin , Usopp (One Piece) , Vinsmoke Sanji , Tony Tony Chopper , Franky (One Piece) , Jimbei (One Piece) Video Game(s) One Piece Odyssey One Piece: Unlimited World RED , One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3 , One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 , One Piece: World Seeker

Toei Animation's One Piece tells the story of a world in the midst of a Great Age of Piracy as pirates search the world for the One Piece, the legendary treasure that will make anyone who obtains it the King of the Pirates. Among the people looking for it is Monkey D. Luffy, a boy with a straw hat and a body made of rubber, and despite how new he and his crew are to everything, Luffy will show everyone that he can't be ignored in the race to become king.

One Piece is the biggest anime franchise in the world, and it's easy to see why that is. The goofy nature of One Piece's world and characters, combined with the great writing and fight scenes, has made for consistently great entertainment for 25 years, and the most recent seasons are top contenders for having the best visuals in all of animation. One Piece and anime have essentially become synonymous with one another, and the overwhelming quality of the series perfectly justifies that.

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6 Jujutsu Kaisen Has Redefined Action Anime

Anime series by Studio MAPPA; Based on the manga by Gege Akutami

Jujutsu Kaisen Where to Watch *Availability in US stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available Cast Junya Enoki , Yuma Uchida , Yuichi Nakamura , Adam McArthur , Asami Seto Release Date October 2, 2020 Seasons 3 Franchise(s) Jujutsu Kaisen Writers Hiroshi Seko Directors Sunghoo Park , Shōta Goshozono Main Genre Animation

In Studio Mappa’s Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuji Itadori is a boy with abnormal physical abilities who one day learns of the existence of evil supernatural beings called curses. An incident with a curse forces Yuji to become a vessel to Ryomen Sukuna, the most powerful and evil curse user in history, and thanks to his unexpected ability to suppress Sukuna’s power, Yuji is tasked with becoming a sorcerer and fighting curses until his superiors can execute him along with Sukuna’s soul.

Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the biggest anime to come out in recent years, and it’s easy to see why that is. Not only does the story feature a great cast of entertaining characters for both the heroes and the villains, but Jujutsu Kaisen always features incredibly fluid art, animation, and overall direction that leads to some of the best fight scenes to ever be in an anime. There are few manga to have as meteoric a rise to fame as Jujutsu Kaisen, and the anime does an incredible job of conveying how and why that came to be.

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5 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Brings The Classic Manga To Life

Anime series by David Production; Based on the manga by Hirohiko Araki

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Created by Hirohiko Araki TV Show(s) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Character(s) Will A. Zeppeli , Jonathan Joestar , Giorno Giovanna , Jotaro Kujo , Joseph Joestar , Jolyne Cujoh , Johnny Joestar , Josuke Higashikata , Gyro Zeppeli Video Game(s) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure , JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: All Star Battle R

David Production’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure chronicles the adventures of the Joestar family, all of whom have names that can create the nickname “JoJo”, and their constant battles against the forces of evil. The adventures of the Joestar family are spread out over 100 years and involve a wide assortment of bizarre powers and characters, most of which involve supernatural entities and abilities people can summon forth called Stands.

Despite the popularity of the manga, it took 25 years for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to get a proper adaptation, but it was well worth the wait. Having decades’ worth of material meant that the series could be adapted without any filler, but more importantly, every installment of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure perfectly plays to the aesthetic of the manga with its shifting color palettes and overall creative animation and direction. It’s hard to say why it took so long for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to get an anime, but thanks to David Production, it was well worth the wait.

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4 Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood More Than Does the Manga Justice

Anime series by Bones; Based on the manga by Hiromu Arakawa

Fullmetal Alchemist Created by Hiromu Arakawa TV Show(s) Fullmetal Alchemist , Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Character(s) Edward Elric , Alphonse Elric , Roy Mustang , Winry Rockbell , Maes Hughes , Riza Hawkeye , Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist) , Ling Yao , Lan Fan , May Chang , King Bradley , Lust (Fullmetal Alchemist) , Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist) , Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist) Video Game(s) Fullmetal Alchemist: Stray Rondo , Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir , Fullmetal Alchemist: Dual Sympathy , Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel

Though many fans fell in love with the franchise through the original 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime, that series' divergence from the original manga left some wondering how the series would have turned out if it was able to be a completely faithful adaptation. Luckily for those fans, that question would be answered with 2009's Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. With the primary difference between Brotherhood and the original Fullmetal Alchemist being the former's commitment to being a faithful adaptation, it's no wonder that series would rank high among the best manga adaptations.

Related Every Fullmetal Alchemist Opening, Ranked Fullmetal Alchemist has a lot of incredible openings across its two series, but some stand above the rest as being some of the best anime OPs ever.

Brotherhood is a sweeping and grand adaptation. After a string of successes, Fullmetal Alchemist anime studio Bones was finally able to devote a greater budget to their straight adaptation of the manga. The result is impressive as the animation on Brotherhood is makes the manga's already strong fight scenes look truly incredible.

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3 Devilman Crybaby Is The Greatest Interpretation Of The Go Nagai Classic

Anime series by Science Saru; Based on the manga by Go Nagai

In Science Saru's Devilman Crybaby, when habitual crybaby Akira Fudo is dragged by his best friend Ryo Asuka onto a mission to expose the existence of demons, he's possessed by the demon Amon and gains the power to transform into the bloodthirsty Devilman. What follows is Akira's transformation into a more assertive and aggressive person as he struggles to protect his loved ones from demons under the growing threat of the apocalypse.

Devilman Crybaby is a modern interpretation of the classic Go Nagai anime, and it's easily the best version of the story. Not only does it have far more refined writing and character work, but Devilman Crybaby's art and animation is always as gorgeous as it is grotesque, all of which do wonders to sell the dark and tragic nature of its story from start to finish. Despite its short length, Devilman Crybaby does a perfect job of cutting to the core of what made the original manga so great, and it's a fantastic anime for doing so.

Watch On Netflix

2 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba More Than Earns Its Worldwide Acclaim

Anime series by Studio Ufotable; Based on the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge

Demon Slayer Cast Zach Aguilar , Abby Trott , Aleks Le , Bryce Papenbrook , Brianna Knickerbocker , Zeno Robinson , Johnny Yong Bosch , Erika Harlacher , Ray Chase , Kira Buckland Release Date April 6, 2019 Seasons 3 Streaming Service(s) Crunchyroll Franchise(s) Demon Slayer Writers Ufotable Directors Haruo Sotozaki Creator(s) Ufotable

Studio Ufotable's Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba stars Tanjiro Kamado, a young boy who returns from the market one day to discover his family had been slaughtered by demons. Tanjiro's sister Nezuko was the only survivor, but she ended up being turned into a demon, herself, so now Tanjiro must become a Demon Slayer to help rid the world of demons and find a way to turn Nezuko back to normal.

No anime franchise has had as much success in recent years as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and it's easy to see why that is. The sincerity of its story and cast are one thing, but Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has some of the best animation and overall direction of any anime of the past decade, and that leads to every episode being a visual masterpiece from start to finish. There are few anime that have transformed their original manga to the same extent as Demon Slayer, and that's bound to only get better as it nears its ending.

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1 Mob Psycho 100 Pushes The Boundaries Of Animation

Anime series by Studio Bones; Based on the manga by ONE

Mob Psycho 100 Cast Kyle McCarley , Jason Liebrecht , Chris Niosi , Michael Sorich , Max Mittelman , Erik Scott , Kimerer , Casey Mongillo , Cherami Leigh Release Date July 12, 2016 Seasons 3 Streaming Service(s) Crunchyroll Franchise(s) Mob Psycho 100 Writers Hiroshi Seko Directors Yuzuru Tachikawa , Takahiro Hasui Main Genre Action Creator(s) ONE

Studio Bones' Mob Psycho 100 stars Mob, a boy with incredibly powerful telekinetic abilities that are controlled by his emotional state. Because of that, Mob rarely shows emotion to prevent his powers from going out of control, but he wants to learn how to better get along with people so he can become popular and get his crush to like him, all of which happens simultaneously with fights against evil spirits and espers, alike.

While ONE is best known as the creator of One-Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100 deserves just as much praise, if not more. Not only does Mob Psycho 100 have some of the greatest and most inventive animation in modern anime, but the story of Mob's growth as a person is always handled with incredible care and makes for a satisfying arc from start to finish. Mob Psycho 100 is just as much about spectacle as it's about the characters, and that makes it stand out as one of the best anime adaptations of a popular manga, if not the best.

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