Admit it or not, there are tons of readers that based-off art-style no matter how good the story is. The manga’s art is unique as it had generated varying styles for characters and sceneries drawn in every panel. Below are—not in chronological order—the [Top 15] mangas with the best artwork that wouldn’t easily be taken out of your mind.
1. Tokyo Ghoul
Ken Kaneki’s story started out with a meet-cute but ended up bloody when the girl he went on a date bit him, and had eventually made him a Ghoul himself: creatures with insane abilities and an intense hunger for human flesh.
Ishida Sui had combined modern and classic through his dystopian themes and incredible fight scenes.
2. Berserk
Pursued by demons and stripped of his beloved’s humanity, Guts goes wild and searched all ends to take the head of the person he once considered as his friend: Griffith.
Need I say more that this has got to be the most meticulous art ever made on planet Earth? All crown and glory to the author who had just passed away last year, Kentaro Miura.
3. Vinland Saga
Thorfinn seeks to avenge his father by following Askeladd—the mercenary who ended his father’s life. He later-on regrets his actions of brute and ruthlessness after feeling empty of Askeladd’s death and pursues a life that resolves conflict without bloodshed.
Vinland Saga is filled with beautiful and breathtaking sceneries that had taken inspiration from different parts of medieval Europe that are worthy of praise to its artist, mangaka Makoto Yukimura.
4. Otoyomegatari
Set in the 19th century Turkic Central Asia, Amir Halgal weds Karluk Eihon—only that Amir is eight years older than his groom. The story goes through how Amir adapted with the differences of the culture she had grown up to, as well as warming up to both her husband and his family. The manga doesn’t only feature Amir, but other young brides along with their struggles in family and life in general.
Author Kaoru Mori is the same person who made the heartfelt story of Emma, a manga about forbidden love between a maid and an aristocrat. Mori had beautifully drawn the lives of the brides struggling of fitting-in and adjusting to their new family. But what’s incredible is the fact that even the fabric of the clothes are intricate, every detail noted in the traditional garments seen in Turkic Central Asia.
5. Mahou Tsukai no Yome
Chise’s life had a 360-degree turn when she was bought by Magus, Elias Einsworth, during an auction somewhere in a hidden part of Europe. Not only did she had found a home to go to, but she also became his bride and apprentice.
The magical creatures and objects drawn in each page is one of the strongest aspects of this series. Complimented by its solid, magic-driven plot and heartfelt journey of Elias and Chise’s developing relationship, Kore Yamazaki has portrayed us a spectacular image of some of the creatures describe in European folklores and it’s most definitely one we should look forward to.
6. One Punch Man
After training for three years, Saitama has gained the strength he wanted to achieve, defeating several strong enemies with a single punch. Eventually, he felt bored with his effortless victories. But despite his strength, Saitama is still not recognized by Hero Association, and through this, he has accepted to apprentice Genos, a powerful cyborg that admired him. Saitama and Genos journey toward becoming powerful and recognized heroes.
If it had to only be one mangaka out there that had refined skills in illustrating a godly fight scene of aliens and a bald, badass superhero, ONE is definitely the one!
7. Vagabond
Accused and in hiding as the alleged person who killed his bestfriend, Vagabond centers around how Musashi grew out of his reckless and violent 17-year-old self that thought strength was the center of living, to an enlightened adult who is nowhere near perfect, but chooses to grow every single day of his journey in knowing himself better than anyone else.
Vagabond and Slam Dunk creator, Takehiko Inoue’s art style has evolved through the years. Nevertheless, it had started out strong, and has continued to improve up to this date. His drawings are not far from what we see in our everyday lives, the character’s features already comparable to what you see in pictures captured by cameras.
8. Ran to Haiiro no Sekai
Ran is the youngest and only daughter of a family of sorcerers. She most definitely has a lot of power and is mischievous in her own way. Shizuka, the most powerful sorceress, and also happens to be her mother, lives far away to fulfill a major duty of protecting the city. Head of Sorcerers, Zen, is also the head of their family, and leaves all familial duties of watching a close eye on Ran to his responsible son, Jin. Without too much supervision, we’d wonder where Ran’s misadventures would lead her.
There’s nothing more pleasing to the eye than a good ‘ol fantasy of a family of strong sorcerers. With the huge addition of Akie Iri, the story all boils into a worthy masterpiece that will caught one’s eyes in its lineart and depiction of magic.
9. Kokou no Hito
Lonesome and transfer student, Mori, is coaxed by a classmate into climbing the school building on their first day of school. Without hesitating, Mori begins his climb despite the risks that could lead him to his eventual death. When he finally reached the top, a sense of fulfillment coursed through his veins. Through this, Mori’s passion for rock climbing is born.
Passion is everything that drives us to success. Perhaps illustrator Shin-ichi Sakamoto has indeed found it while he drew every scene and panel that completes co-author Yoshiro Nabeda’s wholesome story.
10. Oyasumi punpun
Punpun, a young boy that can summon God by chanting “Dear God, Dear God, tinkle tinkle boy!” had an appearance of a bird doodle. He went through various struggles in life, especially in coping with his family and friends as he gets through depression.
Perhaps this is one of God’s favorites, and just like Punpun’s ability, the art had called God himself to do the deed—or not. But we have author Inio Asano to thank for blessing us a good depiction of the themes of story that are relevant up to date and are common struggles among teenagers and adults alike.
11. Tsubasa Chronicles Reservoir (Chronicle of the Wings)
After the shattering of Sakura’s memories in different dimensions, Syaoran sought the advice of a witch from another world. There, he was told that the only way to regain the princess’ memories is through finding it—in the form of a feather, that is. Each feather contains a chronicle of her memories, and it’s a step closer for them in knowing what had happened the day she has lost it. Without an ounce of hesitation, Syaoran and their comrades travel to different lands to find the missing feathers of Sakura.
This might be one of CLAMP’s pride and joy. Despite the anime not unraveling the rest of the bigger plottwists in the manga, it’s no doubt that every panel was a work of art. The details placed were gorgeous, and of course, the trademark of any CLAMP produced mangas and animations.
12. Uzumaki
Kurozu-cho is a small town in Japan that is allegedly plagued by a curse that came from spirals. This had resulted into the obsession of the people of the town into anything spiral around them.
Author Itou Junji is praise-worthy of such a masterpiece as he did everything by pen, ink, and paper! The art depicted in the manga strayed away from digitalized edits, and had proceeded with the classics, which makes it to be one of the best arts drawn in mangas to this day.
13. Inuyashiki
Father and hardworking Inuyashiki didn’t look his actual age due to overwork. Upon buying a house of his own, his family being ungrateful for it, Inuyashiki bought a dog and learned he had cancer the day after. Hopeless and feeling alone despite having a family by his side, Inuyashiki breaks down in the park and meets an extraterrestrial object that rid of his cancer, but also bestowed to him a mechanical body that changed the course of his life.
The art is superb in all of its aspects. As another work of Mangaka Hiroya Oku, it was in no doubt that the art is detailed, and this was shown when he had combined an unusual pair of the elderly and machines. Besides the attention-grabbing and action-packed plots, Inuyashiki’s art style isn’t comparable to anything.
14. Gantz
Lonesome and highschooler Kei Kurono dies together with his classmate, Masaru Katou. Both of them wakes-up in one of the rooms of an apartment where allegedly, the dead are transferred, and a black sphere called Grantz, awaits and sends them out on a bounty hunt to kill aliens residing here on Earth.
The artwork in this manga is a blessing to one’s eyes as well as the intricate details put between pen and ink to create impactful and suspense-filled panels engraved in a reader’s mind. Author and mangaka, Hiroya Oku, has proven that the story’s plot is thrilling, but his art makes you stay even if all else fails.
15. Blame
Blame presents the story of Killy, the bravest among men that traversed the labyrinth and fought off deadly cyborgs while in search for a human with the Net Terminal Gene; the gene that has the potential to help recover the world from corruption.
Cyborgs and a goal to piece together what’s left of humanity and god-like art-style that you won’t get enough from admiring? Scan the pages of Blame’s first volume, and you’d see the good that’s talked about in this article.
