The year 2022 was a standout one for manga as well, with many of the best manga of the year tying into new and returning anime series. This year, manga readers had a wide variety of fiction to choose from in all genres, which either started or continued many must-read books, especially for shonen.
Some of the top manga from 2022 are available to curious readers, either as stand-alone tales or as the continuation of a well-liked anime. Devoted fans can enjoy the story in both forms because other fantastic manga series from this year also serves as an introduction to some wonderful new anime coming out in 2023's Winter lineup.
The long-awaited end of My Hero Academia's Manga is Finally Here
Even though Season 6 of the My Hero Academia anime, with its thrilling war arc against the Paranormal Liberation Front, is still going strong, some devoted viewers still yearned for more, and 2022 met their needs. The overall story finally reaches its true endgame in the source manga, which is among the best to read in 2022 regardless of the anime.
All throughout the year, manga readers watched breathlessly as Izuku Midoriya and his few surviving allies took the fight to Tomura Shigaraki to finally decide the world's fate, and both sides are using new Quirks and strategies like never before. With My Hero Academia on the verge of completion, now is a great time to dive into the manga and join other readers in watching this series finish with a bang.
The Manga of Chainsaw Man Has So Much More to Give
Chainsaw Man was the anime breakout of the year in 2022, and both new and veteran fans were eager to see the antihero Devil Hunter Denji tear it up on the small screen. Part of the hype stemmed not only from the anime's trailers but also from manga readers' knowledge of what they were in for. They were proven correct when the Chainsaw Man anime became a smash hit, but the season will only be 12 episodes long, far from the entire story.
After Season 1, anime fans can turn to author Tatsuki Fujimoto's ongoing manga for the complete story, as well as revel in his unique art style and bizarre storytelling. The best is yet to come, including the appearances of Reze and Santa Claus in the "International Assassins" arc, which anime-only fans will not want to miss. The most recent chapters have even introduced a new heroine, complete with a terrifying new devil perched on her shoulder.
The Manga My Dress-Up Darling Is Still Producing
My Dress-Up Darling was a beloved standout of the Winter 2022 anime season, a wholesome but also steamy rom-com featuring the charming genki girl Marin Kitagawa and her new dandere friend, the doll maker Gojo Wakana. Together, they explored the wonderful world of cosplay and forged an unlikely but strong bond as friends, and there might even be true love mixed in. The anime's sole season ended conclusively, so romance fans eager for more can check out the ongoing manga which has more cosplay magic to share.
Mashle: The Most Enchanting Anime of Winter 2023 Will Be Previewed in Manga Magic & Muscles' Manga
Mashle: Magic & Muscles is slowly but surely picking up traction as the "One-Punch Harry Potter," a comedy fantasy manga about a boy named Mash Burndead who makes up for his lack of magic with superhuman physical feats. Mashle published many more volumes across 2022, further developing the story and expanding its cast of students and villains alike.
Anyone who's in the mood for off-beat comedy is bound to enjoy Mashle's ongoing manga, and it releases new volumes frequently, too. The manga may serve as an excellent preview of what the 2023 Mashle anime will have to offer.
For Komi fans, Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible is Perfect
Fans of Komi Can't Communicate and Horimiya are encouraged to try Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible, which, like Mashle, inspired a 2023 anime of the same name. This easygoing, innocent rom-com shows what happens when the popular girl Kubo reaches out and befriends the total wallflower Shiraishi, and together, they will grow much closer as a little more than friends.
Kubo is still shy, so her budding romance with Shiraishi will progress in small, adorable steps as they figure out their young love together. The Kubo manga was only recently released in print in the West, but it's rapidly updating and may soon catch up to the digital Kubo release on the Manga Plus app.
