This World of Manga is very vast. There will always be an option for anything. Whatever age you are, there will always be something to read and enjoy. Today, let’s talk about Seinen Manga.
In Japanese, seinen means ‘youth.’ This genre mainly attracts young adult men between the ages of 18 and 40.
This genre mainly deals with mature themes such as violence, politics, fantasy, relationships, or comedy, as we can see by the tags that it is mostly aimed at the adult audience. Why is this type of manga needed if it’s similar to shōnen?
Some of you might think that shōnen and seinen are the same. Well, it’s not actually true; both the genres play different roles for the audience.
Shōnen manga mainly focuses on young people who may like adventure or fantasy storylines, as you can see Seinen manga mainly focuses on people who are into gore, blood, and brutal stuff.
That’s why seinen manga is most popular among people who are above 18.
37 Best Seinen Manga You Should Read In 2023
Seinen mangas also contain some sort of nudity. That’s why one should be above 18 to read this genre. These seinen mangas are more focused on realistic themes. Now let’s take a look at these Seinen Mangas, which might make you forget your sleep.
My Dress Up Darling
My Dress Up Darling その着せ替え人形は恋をする is probably one of the seinen manga that you should read. I believe this manga is popular among youngsters for its characters and storyline.
My Dress Up Darling is about a doll artisan named Gojou Wakana who has been fond of making traditional dolls since his childhood, but he is scared to tell anyone about it after the traumatizing incident with his childhood friend until he met his classmate Kitagawa Marin.
She is popular in school and always surrounded by friends. But when one day, cheerful Kitagawa comes across the shy Goujou while sewing, she barges him about her secret hobby of cosplaying and asks him for help to make her a cosplay. Will this cheerful trendy girl help Gojou from his past?
Boy’s Abyss
Boy’s Abyss or Shounen no abyss is a story about high schooler Reiji Kurose who lives in a town with nothing. There’s no life in that town, no signs of change. Reiji was just living his life. Family, dreams, friends, everything was letting him down in that city.
He thought that he could be “fine” living like this Until he met Nagi Aoe. She is an idol who just moved into this town as she stopped working as an idol.
Will she be able to stop Reiji from self-harming? Is there any purpose or hope to live? It’s just a story about a boy and a girl with many twists.
Kubo Won’t Let Me Invisible
Kubo Won’t Let Me Invisible is a story about an introverted guy Junta Shiraishi. He lacks almost any presence, so people often forget about him, and he is okay with not being noticed by anyone. Still, his classmate Nagisa Kubo, a social butterfly, finds talking easy with Junta.
However, Junta thinks that he is invisible in this world. Kubo is like a lens to Junta. She is the only one who can make Junta feel visible, will there be any other spark between these two classmates who are just trying to understand each other?
Please Go Home, Miss Akutsu
Kouta Ooyama always tries to make himself busy at school and tries his best not to get in trouble with Akutsu Riko.
She is a school delinquent and a notorious GAL, but one day, she was somehow in Kouta’s apartment.
He was confused about what he should do at this moment. Should he just kick her out?
She is pretty but scary at the same time! Though things got complicated when she had to stay there for a night, she started to explore his room, where she found mangas which were smut.
Since that night, she has been teasing Kouta for reading smuts, but she still hangs out with him. She makes it clear that she will never fall in love with him, but the teasing turns into a sexy yet cute rom-com.
Mieruko Chan
Mieruko Chan is a story about a girl named Mieruko who suddenly could see monsters but couldn’t tell anyone about them because she might think that her friends and her family wouldn’t believe them.
She instead tries to avoid these and gain all of her courage and ignores them.
The art style and unique storyline will be really fun to read in this manga. The horror comedy in this manga has a fantastic sense of humor.
Bungo Stray Dogs
Bungo Stray Dogs is a manga about supernatural characters. Atsushi Nakajima was kicked out of his orphanage, and after that, he rescued a strange man from attempting suicide – Osamu Dazai. He was the one who tried to attempt suicide.
Despite not knowing that Dazai works in an armed detective agency where the staff have their own individual supernatural powers. Atsushi somehow joined the agency and discovered his true form.
Blue Period
If you are an artist or someone who loves art, this manga is for you. Blue Period is a manga about Yatora Yaguchi, who is a high school student trying to figure out what will be good for his future.
He is confused and scared for his future. This manga mainly focuses on Yatora’s life. Will he be able to choose art as one of his passions? Even if he chooses art, will he be able to have a better future? Lastly, he talked about his dream to be at Tokyo University.
The Way Of The Househusband
If you like comedy and gore, this manga is for you. Though this manga doesn’t cover a lot of gore, there are still a few parts. The Way Of The Househusband is actually a pretty good manga with a slice-of-life storyline.
The story focuses on the character Tatsu, one of the most sacred Yakuza, and how this person who scared everyone turned into a perfect Househusband.
They called him the “Immortal Dragon,” and how can this dragon be turned into a caring Househusband?
Sweat And Soap
If you are looking for an Ecchi but Rom-Com manga, this one is for you. Asako Yaeshima suffers from a condition where she sweats excessively.
She works in a company name Lilia Drop which mainly manufactures cosmetic products, perfume, and bath products, where she is in the accounting department. As a child, she was called “Aseko.” (Ase means sweat.)
She is very ashamed of her body odor, but one day she meets Koutarou Natori, who works as a member of a product developer in the same company as Asako.
When he realizes how the soap does the trick with Asako’s sweat and turns it into a pleasant smell, she is terrified when he suddenly approaches her in the lobby and starts to sniff her but could be that he likes it? And will she fall in love with him?
I Belong To The Baddest Girl At School
Fuyuhiko Unoki has always been bullied throughout his life, and high school is no different, too, until he meets the school’s boss girl, Kanade Toramaru, the top delinquent in the school.
This duo of a troublemaker girl who is in love with Unoki and the scaredy-cat Unoki who still can’t figure out his feelings for her because of her behavior?
The manga about a misunderstanding Rom-Com with a lot of fun is better to read.
Goodbye, Eri
If you like drama and tragedy, this manga is for you. Goodbye, Eri is a 200-page one-shot. On his 12th birthday, Yuta was gifted a phone where his mom requested to record everything till she died, and Yuta agreed to that.
He started to record his daily life with his mom and dad. When his mother was on the deathbed, he even recorded that because of the promise, he headed to the roof of the hospital to commit suicide, but there he met a strange girl named Eri, and that changed his life.
Boku Girl
Suzushiro Mizuki is a 1st Year High School student who is always mistaken for a girl because of his petite figure.
He was living a normal life until he met the trickster Loki Asgard, who was bored playing his tricks with other gods. As he is bored, he targets Mizuki and turns him into a girl.
As he woke up, he saw that he had breasts, and finally, he realized that he had turned into a girl and how he accepted his new form.
Prison School
Prison School is one of the most popular manga. The story is based on a Hachimitsu Private Academy, an all-girls boarding school for elite young women, but boys are being allowed for the first time in the school’s history.
The group of 5 guys made it through the school as a young man. They all were excited to see these women because they thought they were surrounded by these young girls.
They would get attention, but there was a drastic change in their lives. They were dreaming that heaven suddenly turned into hell for them because of their shocking fate.
The Coppersmith Bride
Shiina is a freshman in college who is enjoying her cozy life, dating her Coppersmith boyfriend, Shuu.
She had mostly been spending her time listening to the rhythmic sound of his hammer, but she was barely out of high school and looking forward to the new life she would experience.
But is she ready to experience this new life, and, more importantly, can she really marry him and be the bride of a prestigious smiting family?
One-Punch Man
One Punch Man is one of the popular manga. The story focuses on the MC Saitama, who can destroy his enemy with one punch.
This action comedy manga is really great to read the chemistry between the characters is fascinating.
The problem is every time Saitama comes across any villain, he can destroy it within seconds, but can Saitama will be able to destroy all these villains? Will there be any villain who he won’t be able to kill?
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Kaguya Sama Love Is War is one of the best manga-satisfying endings. The story starts off with two protagonists, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, and their quest to confess to each other.
The manga just not focuses on the MC but also on the side characters, where we get to know a lot about these classmates. Because of their pride, Kaguya and Miyuki are not ready to confess their love, so who will confess their love first?
Record of Ragnarok
A fight for humanity where there are two choices either humankind will have to die or live. The god has to decide whether to destroy humanity or let it settle.
But a lone Valkyrie puts forward a suggestion to let the gods and humanity fight one last battle, a last hope for humanity to survive.
It is a fight between 13 gods and 13 humans, a one-on-one battle, and who will win? Will god be able to destroy humanity, or the human can help humanity to survive?
Pupa
A life-death situation between siblings, Pupa is one of the great manga if you like to read gore or blood-related manga. Utsutsu Hasegawa, Yume Hasegawa’s older brother, was alone, but they were happy that at least they had each other.
One day, Yume discovers a butterfly, and she somehow goes into a strange metamorphosis and she suddenly turns into a creature where she has to eat a human. Utsutsu was really shocked after the change, but will he be able to help his sister.?
Monster
Monster is a psychological and thriller manga written and illustrated by Naoki Urasawa. The story start’s with Dr.Kenzo Tenma, a skilled and successful neurosurgeon. Years later, he saves a mysterious young boy name, Johann Liebert.
Later at the Eisler Memorial Hospital in Düsseldorf, middle-aged childless couples are being killed one after another.
The serial killer’s identity is known. Dr. Tenma sets on an investigation to find this killer. The series is known for its suspenseful plot as well as for its themes like guilt and crime.
Ajin: Demi-Human
Ajin Demi-Human is a manga series written and illustrated by Gamon Sakurai. The story follows a high academy pupil named Kei Nagai, who was struck dead in a business accident, and after that, he realizes that he’s not the same as any other mortal.
rather, he discovers that he’s an Ajin, a demi-human who’s immortal. This series explores themes similar to horror, gore, and the value of life. The government and other Ajin are hanging Kei. Will he be suitable to escape them will be suitable to escape from society?
Inuyashiki
It is a story of a hero who turns into a villain. If you are looking for Drama and Evil power manga, this one is for you.
The story follows Ichiro Inuyashiki, who is a 58-year-old man diagnosed with terminal cancer. Knowing that he was going to die soon, a miracle struck in his life.
A mysterious alien, an object he discovered, made him transformed into a powerful cyborg with the ability to heal others.
But he wasn’t the only one who had been transformed. A teenager named Hiro Shishigami was also transformed but used his power in evil form instead of helping others.
The chemistry between the two characters who are using their power for different purposes, the action, and the drama in this manga are really interesting with an interesting storyline.
Another
If you are living for Horror and Psychological manga, this one is for you. The story is set in a high school in the year 1998 and is about a student named Sakakibara Kouichi, who transfers to a third classroom of a middle school.
There was another student named Mei Misaki. She is who is a charming girl, and she very popular among her classmates.
After her death, her classmates decided to carry on living with her even though she was dead, but Kouichi didn’t know that he was growing suspicious of the fearful atmosphere in that classroom. As he gets closer to the truth, he must also confront his demons and secrets.
Grand Blue Dreaming
Grand Blue Dreaming is one of the best comedy manga to read. The story follows a guy named Iori Kitahara. He left his coastal hometown but came back and made his college debut.
A new chapter in his life is formed in his everyday life when he gets involved with the diving club members there wild and partying lifestyle.
The comedy and slice-of-life follow Lori and his friends as they live as college students and their love interests. This manga also contains some ecchi too.
Koko wa Ima kara Rinri desu
“Ethics” deals with moral principles and values. It is concerned about what is good and what is bad, right or wrong, and so on.
Takayanagi is a cool ethics teacher who deals with or confronts his student’s problems in an ethical way. This manga focuses on philosophy and Takayanagi life. It is a story of a teacher with some interesting plots.
Made In Abyss
If you like a manga about survival, this one is for you. Made In Abyss follows the story of a girl named Riko and a robot named Reg which she met during her adventure in Abyss.
She is following her mother’s steps to become a Cave Raider.
Along the way, she encounters many strange creatures, as well as another explorer. The series has been popular for its interesting imagination and for its unique imaginative world though it contains an emotional and better storyline.
Gantz
Gantz follows the story of the Tokyo teens Kei Kurono and Masaru Katou, who were killed by a subway train, but when they were awake after the incident, they saw themself in a dark room that gave them weapons and suits and orders to follow.
The people who were brought back to life had to complete dangerous missions that also included the fight against aliens. Kei must fight to survive and try to find the truth about Gantz.
Inside Mari
Inside Mari follows the story of a high school student named Kazushi Nagayama, who struggles with mental health issues such as anxiety. One day he finds out that he could enter his classmate’s body, Mari Na.
She is in an angelic high school because of her looks, but there’s a secret she has been hiding from everyone. This series focuses on themes such as mental health.
All You Need Is Kill
All You Need Is Kill is a Japanese manga series written by Ryosuke Takeuchi. It’s an adaption of the light novel. The story follows a novitiate in the United Defense Force named Keiji Kiriya, who got killed in a battle against an alien race known as Mimics.
Keiji got killed on the battleground but only to realize that he was revived and living the same life again and again.
He uses his knowledge and skill to get better every day and do better than in the former battle, but there’s someone who has the key to Keiji’s escape or his death.
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You
Aijo Rentaro is a student, and he tries to ask his classmates on a date, but after asking out a hundred girls, he is as unsuccessful as ever. He gets rejected every time.
One day he prayed for guidance only to realize that his rejection was because of some cosmic error.
Now after knowing the issues, the god decides that Aijo will get a chance to date the 100 girls, but if he returns their confession, the girls will have to die in a horrible accident.
How will Ajio save these 100 girls? Will he be able to save all of these girls? This manga is a romantic comedy with an interesting plot.
20th Century Boys
This manga may seem like a fun one because of its name, but its dark and mysterious concept will surely keep you interested. The manga revolves around the time when humanity faced extinction at the end of the 20th century.
Kenji Endo is living a simple life working as a convenience store manager, but his dream is to be a rock ‘n’ roll musician. The past memories of his childhood friends mysteriously committing suicide came rushing back.
He thought that this death could be related to the new cult which was growing. All the childhood friends decided to reunite, and they somehow had to stop this cult that could end the 20th century.
Freesia
One of the best works by Jiro Matsumoto, the action, thriller, and psychological in this manga is set in an alternative Japan. The manga was published from Sep 29, 2001, to Aug 25, 2009.
Freesia takes place in an alternate Japan where regular wars and economic crises were present. A lot of the budget was spent on the military due to the war, and because of that, many prisons have been shut down.
The shortage of prisoners was now a problem, so a new was introduced, and it was named as Vengeance Act.
This act allowed: If somebody kills your close one, you are legally allowed to kill or hire someone to kill. The manga follows the storyline such as killers, blood, and psychological effects.
Liar Game
The Liar Game was written by Shinobu Kaitani. The manga was published from Feb 17, 2005, to Jan 22, 2015. The plot of this manga is based on a psychological thriller.
Kanzaki Nao’s father named her thusly for “honesty,” wishing she would live a normal life.
She receives a package containing 100 million yen with a message informing her that she has been selected for the Lair Game Tournament.
All the participants are urged to lie and cheat to win the money, while the losers have to pay back their debt based on their loss.
Hearing the news that Shinichi Akiyama has been released from jail, she enlists his help so she will be able to win the Liar Game.
Homunculus
Susumu Nakoshi is a middle-aged man who has spent his life living in his auto. One day a youthful man approached Nakoshi and asked him if he was interested in his subject of a scientific trial.
Nagoshi agreed to the trial in exchange for a plutocrat. But once he was back, he started to see a Homunculus( a veritably small mortal).
As this incident started to increase, his world turned upside down; what would be coming? Will he be able to get relief from this?
#DRCL Midnight Children
If you like to read gothic horror stories, this one is for you. #DRCL Midnight Children is based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula; the manga was written by Shinichi Sakamoto.
The manga was released on Jan 20, 2021, and it’s still ongoing. The manga tells the story of Dracula, a vampire who moves from Transylvania to England in search of new blood but somehow ends up with a small group of people.
25-ji no Ghost Writer
25- ji no Ghost Writer, also known as “The Ghost Writer of the 25th Hour,” is a Japanese series written by Akari Kajimoto.
The story follows Tsugumi Higurashi, who lost his parents and his maid at a very young age, and the cause of his death was a fire. Now he is 15 and a new writer, but he’s been stuck with the past, so he decided to go back to his old house, and there he saw someone from his childhood.
Also Read: 50 Ninja Anime You Need To Watch: Best Recommendations
Honorable Mentions
Bakemonogatari
The Girl That Got Stuck in the Wall
Jieun is known for her sharp mind and quick wit, but her chronic tardiness often puts her in a bind. Fortunately, she’s resourceful and knows a few shortcuts to help her beat the clock to work.
Meanwhile, Jisoo is on the hunt for his inaugural role in the corporate world, all while grappling with personal challenges. His life is monotonous, with daily trips to the library and returning to his solitary home.
However, his routine is unexpectedly disrupted when he accidentally wanders down an unfamiliar alley and encounters Jieun in an unusual predicament: she’s trapped in a wall.
Titled “The Comical Romance of a Wall-Entangled Girl,” this webtoon was released in 2017.
Authored by Gaehoju with illustrations by Gunnermul, it weaves a tale of humor and love, capturing the quirky adventures of its protagonists.
My beloved Mister & My beloved Runaway Girl
Stepmother Friends
