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Top 10 Anime That Surpass Their Manga, Ranked
Most anime, if not all, first begin as a serialized manga series. Many fan favorites, such as Attack on Titan, One Piece, Bleach, and Sailor Moon, all began as manga, with their anime adaptations coming shortly after due to a steady rise in popularity. However, sometimes as a medium, mangas tend to be harder to get into. Sometimes this is because of the lack of accessibility to these titles, though due to the current popularity of manga and anime, more and more manga are being licensed in English.
Despite the increasing number of popular manga releases, sometimes viewers find it hard to get into certain manga due to their art styles. When it comes to older manga, some of the art can be a little too old-fashioned for the modern audience. What worked back then as an art style tends to be less appealing to today’s viewers. Simultaneously, some art styles look better animated. Even when manga art is great on the page, sometimes the story benefits from the added effects of music, voice acting, and color. Whatever the reason, here are some anime that are considered better than their manga counterparts.
Mob Psycho 100 (2016-2022)
Shigeo Kageyama, otherwise known as Mob, is a young student who—despite average appearances—is a powerhouse with a great amount of psychic power. Despite this great power, Mob lacks the ability to properly control it, which burdens him emotionally. As he tries to live a normal life as an assistant to con-man Arataka Reigen, Mob finds it increasingly difficult to control his powers.
The creator of Mob Psycho 100 is also the author of the popular anime and manga series One Punch Man. However, while One Punch Man has a more detailed art style, Mob Psycho 100 leans towards simplicity. This simplicity makes it hard for some readers to get into Mob Psycho 100, despite its overall excellence. The anime succeeds with its vibrant colors and animated effects, which bring One’s manga to life.
Land of the Lustrous (2017)
Phosphophyllite, or Pho, is a weak jewel who, unlike her high-hardness friends, is unable to battle due to her fragility. Pushed aside by peers, Phos is tasked with creating an encyclopedia. She meets the outcast Cinnabar, whose poisonous nature keeps her away from other gems, and the two form an unlikely friendship.
Land of the Lustrous is unique and compared to Steven Universe by American fans for their similar concepts. Although the manga’s black and white ink art has its own beauty, the anime enhances it with vibrant colors, making the characters truly appear “lustrous.”
Gintama (2006-2017)
During the Edo period, humanity is attacked by Amanto. Gintoki Sakata, a freelance samurai, takes on odd jobs and meets samurai-in-training Shinpachi Shimura and alien Kagura. Together, they form the Yorozuya and continue freelancing.
Gintama’s manga art style matches well with the anime. However, where the anime excels is in its voice acting, which solidifies the comedic trio loved by Gintama fans.
Naruto (2002-2017)
Naruto is an orphaned troublemaker with a singular dream: to become Hokage. To achieve this, he must become the greatest ninja in his village and save humanity from rising threats.
While the Naruto manga is visually appealing, the anime provides wonderful visuals that elevate the intensity of battles, like the legendary Pain arc, making the action come alive in a way the manga cannot.
Inuyasha (2002-2010)
High schooler Kagome Higurashi falls into the feudal era, hunted by demons for the Shikon Jewel within her. She frees the half-demon InuYasha and together, they journey to collect the shattered jewel shards before the evil demon Naraku.
InuYasha‘s old-school art style, though belovedly nostalgic, may deter some readers. The anime, with its vibrant colors and warm soundtrack, significantly enhances the story’s appeal.
One Piece (1999-2024)
Monkey D. Luffy, dreaming of becoming the king of the pirates, sails with his crew in search of the One Piece left by Gol D. Roger, facing dangerous obstacles and powerful foes.
One Piece spans an epic duration, with over 1,100 episodes and chapters. Its anime takes the powers of devil fruit users, already vividly depicted in the manga, to the next level, providing dynamic visuals that captivate audiences.
Death Note (2006-2007)
Light Yagami, an extremely intelligent high school student, finds a notebook called the Death Note, allowing him to kill criminals and evildoers. With Shinigami Ryuk at his side, Light becomes Kira, hunted by the detective L.
Death Note leverages its gripping storyline with excellent voice acting and an evocative soundtrack, turning tense manga moments into electrifying anime scenes.
Attack on Titan (2013-2023)
After a tragedy, Eren Jaeger joins the Survey Corps to fight titans and discovers his own titan transformation ability. He must learn to control his power to save humanity.
Attack on Titan‘s rough manga art contrasts with its stunning anime visuals. The anime’s action scenes, such as Kenny vs. Levi, are some of the best in modern anime.
Demon Slayer (2019-2024)
After his family is slaughtered and his sister turned into a demon, Tanjiro Kamado becomes a demon slayer aiming to defeat Muzan and revert his sister to humanity.
Demon Slayer is renowned for its incredible animation and use of color, which enhance dramatic scenes and convey emotional depth, making it a spectacular anime experience.
Dragon Ball (1986-2022)
Goku’s adventures begin when he meets Bulma and they search for the Dragon Balls, facing increasingly powerful foes and discovering greater universal threats.
Dragon Ball is known for its cultural impact and iconic moments, particularly the animated battles. The anime’s legendary fights, like Goku vs. Frieza, have become seminal aspects of its enduring popularity.
Source: Collider, Crunchyroll, Amazon
