Death Note is a manga loved by many. In the Manga, a shinigami named Ryuk drops his Death Note just because he is ‘bored.’
The cunning Light Yagami gets his hand on the Death Note and starts using his powers to eradicate criminals and corrupt individuals to create his version of a perfect society. The genius detective, L, is hired to catch him! This battle of wits between Light and L is considered a masterpiece.
Just like Death Note, many other manga take their readers on a ride full of suspense, thrill, and emotions. We have listed down the best 50 of them here for you!
Code Geass
Coming up first is the story of Lelouch Lamperouge. In 2010, the powerful Holy Britannian Empire took over Japan and renamed it Area 11. Lelouch is just a Britannian student living in Area 11.
His life takes a completely new turn when he meets a mysterious girl named CC. CC grants Lelouch the power of Geass, with which he can demand absolute obedience from anyone!
With his new power, Lelouch leads the rebellion against Britannia under the mask of ZERO. Code Geass is an interesting and immersing story with an intelligent plot and amazing characters.
One Out
One Out is a simplified version of baseball that consists of only a batter and a pitcher. In this Manga, the star batter of the weakest team in the Japanese baseball league, Hiromichi Kojima, visits the hometown of a master of gambling and One Out, Toua Tokuchi.
Hiromichi desperately wants his team to win the championship, and only Toua can help him! One Out is a fun Manga where two very different things come together, gambling and baseball.
Liar Game
All hope is lost when a foolishly honest girl, Nao Kanzaki, accepts the invitation to the “Liar Game” Tournament. You will earn a massive amount of cash or a lifetime of debt. And the only way to win is by lying, cheating, and deceiving your opponents.
Things took a turn for the better when she was joined by the infamous con artist Shinichi Akiyama. Read Liar Game to find out how these two would survive the fraudulent world of this epic Manga.
20th Century Boy
20th Century Boy is the story of a normal convenience store manager, Kenji Endo. His life flips upside down when he learns of his childhood friend’s suicide and about the notorious cult led by a figure known as ‘Friend.’
The whole world is in grave danger because of this cult, and only Kenji and his childhood buddies know how to stop it. The Manga is a mysterious thriller where the entire world is at stake!
Akumetsu
The story starts when a party of powerful government people is interrupted by a masked intruder, Akumatsu. Akumatsu interrogates a former finance minister about all his wrongdoings and then brutally murders him.
Akumatsu is the story of this masked figure trying to fix the system in the most brutal and immoral ways. Is he good? Is he bad? Will someone stop him? Read Akumatsu to find out!
Bloody Monday
Bloody Monday follows a brilliant hacker who exposed crimes and corruption – Fujimaru Takagi. Fujimaru is recruited by Third-I to decode a memory chip that contains clues behind a KGB officer’s murder in Japan. The memory chip contained a video file of a homicide known as the “Christmas Massacre.”
Later, Fujimaru’s father gets to know about a mysterious code, “Bloody Monday,” but he is then framed for murder. Fujmaru must uncover the secret behind this terror and save his father in this suspense-thriller Manga.
Switch
The new crime investigators in the Bureau of Health and Welfare’s Narcotics Control Department, Kai Etou and Haru Kurabayashi, are paired to arrest a notorious drug lord. Kai is a compassionate and soft-hearted person, and Haru hates him for that.
But there is a “switch” that triggers Kai and makes him cold-blooded and merciless. What is this switch? Who is Kai? And will the two ever catch the drug lord? The answers lie in the Manga, Switch.
Lost + Brain
The impressively smart student, Hirama Ren, gets framed by a group of bullies for beating some weak guys. The event angered Hirama, and he wanted to get rid of all the pathetic guys like the bullies from this world.
But how will he do it? Hirama then discovers hypnosis. Our protagonist is on a mission to reshape the world with his newfound powers in the Lost + Brain Manga.
Platinum End
Mirai Kakehashi’s relatives are abusing her in every way and form after the Death of his parents. The depressed teenager attempts suicide but is saved by a guardian angel, Nesse. Nesse offers him supernatural powers and a chance to become the new god of the world.
Mirai must defeat 12 other candidates to earn the position with 999 days. Everyone is struggling to survive in this battle royal for absolute power in Platinum End.
Promised Neverland
The orphans at Grace Field House are living happily as one big family. A Kind “Mama” takes care of all the orphans, and no child is ever overlooked. The children are living life to its fullest. But there is one rule – DO NOT LEAVE THE ORPHANGE!
But rules are made to be broken as one day, Emma and Norman escape and find the horrifying truth behind their entire existence. The children are fighting against their fate in the Promised Neverland!
Code: Breaker
Rei Oogami ruthlessly burns a massive population with his blue flames. Sakura Sakurakouji witnesses this and reports it to the police. But everything vanishes the next day. She finds out that Rei is a “Code: Breaker,” someone who exists outside the law.
Rei justifies his actions as “evil for evil,” but Sakura’s sense of justice can’t let Rei hurt anyone else and stop him at all costs. Code: Breaker is a brilliant story about the philosophy of good and evil with an amazing main cast.
Mirai Nikki
In Mirai Nikki, The god of space and time recruits Yukiteru Amano in a battle royal of survival to win unlimited power, Deus Ex Machina. All the contestants are people who keep diaries.
Each person’s diary is turned into a Future Diary, which allows the owner to see into the Future. Amano pairs up with the very beautiful Yuno Gasai, and they want to survive this twisted game no matter how.
Also read: How To Read Alice In Borderland Manga?
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Kyon does not believe in supernatural stuff, and on the contrary, there is Haruhi Suzumiya, whose only wish is to see supernatural stuff.
A conversation between the two inspired Haruhi to form the SOS Brigade, a school club created to meet espers, aliens, time-travelers, and other fantasy beings.
But as the story continues, Kyon finds out that Haruhi is no ordinary girl and a supernatural being herself! Find out more about Haruhi Suzumiya in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Blood +
Blood+ follows the life of Saya, a girl who has lost all her memories. She was living a normal life until she met a familiar-looking guy in a park. Hagi tells her about her mysterious past and that she is more than just a girl.
Saya finds out that she is a Chiropteran Hunter and can use her blood as a weapon. Blood+ is an action-packed manga filled with mysteries that you will enjoy!
Elfen Lied
Lucy is a victim of inhumane scientific experimentation because of her breed, “Diclonius.” Lucy finally escapes from the torture by unleashing her powers on the captors and leaving them all dead.
Escaping from the government, she meets two college students who took her under their care, not knowing about her murderous powers. The two’s life completely changed as they are now on the government’s target list. Elfen Lied is a psychological manga full of gore and cruelty!
Ikigami
In Ikigami, Citizens from the age of 18 to 24 are chosen to die in a dystopian country. According to their government, the purpose is to spread the value of life around the nation. The chosen are given a death notice named “Ikigami” 24 hours before their deaths.
Ikigami is a unique manga that covers how one acts after knowing that they are living their final 24 hours. It also covers the story of Kengo Fujomito, an Ikigami deliverer who does not agree with the act.
Claymore
The Manga takes place in the middle ages, and Humanity is terrified of the monstrous beings, “Yoma.” Yomas devour humans and can shapeshift and steal the memories of their last prey. The only line of defense Humanity has the organization “Claymore.”
Claymore is a band of half-human, half-yoma female warriors whose only goal is to fight Yomas. Claymore is the adventurous story of this organization, and its vengeful member, Clare.
Onanie Master Kurosawa
The Manga revolves around Kakeru Kurosawa, an antisocial high school student with a superiority complex.
But behind his mask, he is hiding his hopeless self, who has a daily masturbation routine. His life changes for the better when he decides to avenge Aya Kitahara by stealing the uniforms of his bullies.
Kitahara then blackmails Kurosawa into persecuting the other girls in the class just like the bullies. Onanie Master Kurosawa is a psychological tale about bullying and people’s ability to change.
Pandora Hearts
According to a fairy tale, inside the mystical abyss lives monstrous creatures called Chains. The fairy tale turned out to be true when the mischievous heir of the noble Vessalius family, Oz Vessalius, was condemned into the abyss for a sin he never committed.
There, Oz teams up with a Chain, Alice, to escape the abyss. Pandora’s hearts is the mysterious story of the abyss and the past of Oz’s world.
Defense Devil
Defense Devil is the story of a Devil Lawyer, Mephisto Bart Kucabara, who has been exiled from the demon world.
To return, he will need dark matter, a lot of it. He does so by proving the innocence of souls that are taken to hell and taking their dark matter in return.
But there is one problem – Mephisto has a kind heart. He uses most of his dark matter to defend the souls. Will he ever be able to return to the demon world? Read the Manga to find out.
Inuyashiki
Old Man Inuyashiki’s life is full of hardships. He has no friends, his family hates him, he has cancer, and he is physically and mentally worn off.
But one day, he encounters a strange extraterrestrial creature that gives him a powerful mechanical body.
He decides to use his newfound powers to save those in need. Inuyashiki is the story of how a Grandpa became a superhero!
Pluto
Legendary War Veteran, The Infamous Swiss Robot, Montblanc, is brutally murdered. His fellow war mate, robotic Europol detective, Gesicht, is now investigating the crime. Gesicht founds out about a mysterious entity that goes by the name “Pluto.”
He also learned about the plot to murder all of the 8 specialized robots that participated in the war. In the Manga, Gesicht is on a mission to save the rest of the robots and uncover the truth about “Pluto.”
Also read: 35 Best Seinen Manga You Should Read In 2023
The Book of Human Insects
Meet Tomura Toshiko, a genius writer who is winning the Akutagawa Prize for the best novel of the year. It turns out that the novel was copied from her long-time roommate’s transcript.
Tomura is successful because of her parasite-like personality. She hunts talented people and steals their work.
Enigma
Enigma revolves around Haiba Sumio, a boy with a fascinating ability. He owns a “dream diary” with which he can see the Future. Every time he sleeps and wakes up, the intuitions of the Future are written in his “dream diary.”
Sumio helps out everyone with the help of his ability. But one day, his peaceful life gets upside down! This supernatural mystery manga is a must-read.
Maou: Juvenile Remix
The Manga covers the tale of two boys who are fated to encounter. First, Andou, a high-schooler with the ability to make people vocalize his thoughts. Second, Inukai, the commander of the vigilante group Grasshopper.
Both the boys’ lives will change forever when they confront each other. Maou: Juvenile Remix is a dark horror mystery that the readers will enjoy!
Banana Fish
A series of murders are happening in the undergrounds of New York, and two boys are trapped in this murder mystery.
First, the cunning 17-year-old murderer – Ash Lynx, runs a powerful gang in the city. Second, a young photographer from Japan – Eiji Okumura, is in the city to cover the story of kids living in the streets. These two people who are so different from each other are together to solve the mystery of “Banana Fish.”
King’s Game
A message from an unknown entity known as ‘King’ demands that Nobuaki Kanazawa and his entire class participate in the so-called “King’s Game.” The rules are simple -King’s order must be fulfilled within 24 hours, or there will be consequences.
The class considered it a prank, but they all panicked when students started dying in brutal ways after failing to fulfill the orders. Is there any end to the game? Or will no one survive? The answer lies in the Manga!
Real Account
Imagine a social media platform that links your account to reality. Anything that happens in the application will also happen in the real world, even Death.
That is Real account, a platform that Ataru Kashigawa uses as a means to escape reality until he discovers horrific death games on the app.
Ataru’s life is at stake, and his only hope is one anonymous follower. Read the Real account manga to witness these games of life and Death.
Doubt
The Manga revolves around six high schoolers who are playing the sensational survival game – Rabbit Doubt. In the game, all the players are grouped as rabbits. And there is a Wolf among them.
The rabbits must find out who the wolf is, or else the wolf will wipe out every one of them. The six’s lives are at stake, and their trust and integrity are on the line in the manga Doubt!
The Empty Box and Zeroth Maria
Kazuki Hoshino lives carefree every day. He has no troubles whatsoever. But one day, a cold beauty named Aya Otonash transfers into his class and declares war against him. The ordinary life of our protagonist gets full of turmoil and fear.
And the sudden appearance of Aya brought a lot of mysteries, especially “the boxes.” This is a supernatural suspense manga that many will love!
Noragami
Delivery God Yato doesn’t have any worshippers, and his goal is to build a shrine for himself. But his weapon partner has left him, and he now does odd jobs for five yens a day. One day, Hiyori Iki saves Yato from a car crash by sacrificing herself.
The accident knocked Hiyori’s soul out of his body, and it’s now up to Yato to get her back to normal. Noragami is the story of a god and a girl that you should definitely read!
Devil’s Line
In the world of Devil’s line, the only difference between a vampire and a human is the hunger for human blood in vampires. When the vampire Shouta Akimura falls in love with the human Tsukasa Taira, Shouta risks losing control over himself for Tsukasa’s blood.
To avoid it, he kills other humans for blood. Enters Yuuki Anzai, a vampire himself, and everything turns upside down. To know more, read this action romantic Manga!
I Can See Your Death
Eshana “Essie” Ash has the power to see Death in her crimson eyes. She can find the exact date and cause of anyone’s Death just by looking at them. She uses her powers to save people. One day, a man in bloody clothing named Pell arrives at her gates.
But when Ash looks at him, he finds out that he will die in 5 years, and the reason is – Eshana Ash. I Can See Your Death is a manga that fans of Deathnote will surely enjoy.
City of Dead Sorcerers
After a group of Russian Scientists discovered a new substance known as “Mana,” the world started the self-proclaimed age of magic. Anyone can now use magic from their phones. But all the high-level spells are beyond the reach of the common man.
Among them is a man wearing a red robe who can cast dangerous magic, which he uses to kill evil men. And Detective Kim will go to any means to catch him! The City of Dead Sorcerers is an awesome mystery manga!
Denjin N
Misaki Kanzaki is an idol loved by many. One of her fans, who is also her classmate, Tadahiro Nasu, watches her all day in VR! But his own life is nothing but failure, so he electrocutes himself.
That accident made him one with electricity. He can now manipulate electrical objects, and he will use his powers to support the idol Misaki. Denjin N is a psychological manga that one can read.
Talentless Nana
In a school that is full of future heroes, new transfer students, Kyouya Onodera and Nana Hiiragi. Their class is full of individuals with inhuman powers. Nana became famous in the class because of her ability to read minds.
But she is only interested in Nanao Nakajima, whom the class bullies for not having an actual ability. And she changes his life forever. Talentless Nana is a must-read supernatural manga!
CTRL + Z
Kyle got his hands over an incredible power – the power to erase people’s memories. Now it’s up to Kyle to use his powers for the betterment of others or to become the most powerful person.
His decision will shape his life for better or for worse. Ctrl + Z is a manga full of suspense that you must read.
Gekkou Chou
A boy, who hit a girl with his bicycle and ran away, wishes to the moon all night. His wish is nothing but curses for his perfect older sister, whom he gets compared to by everyone.
Na, from the moon, came down from Earth to grant his wish. But in return, the butterfly demands a sacrifice. Gekkou Chou is a very unique yet enjoyable mystery manga.
Memento Memori
In Ichi’s eyes lies a power that he never wanted. He can see the remaining days of anyone he looks at. This power makes him disconnected from the world, as he can see the time of Death of everyone around him.
But one day, when he finds out that a girl in his school is going to die under 78 hours, he decides enough is enough. Will Ichi be able to save someone, finally? Find out in Memento Memori.
Bakuman
Bakuman is a manga about two manga creators. When the aspiring writer Akito Takagi saw one of Moritaka Mashiro’s drawings, he insisted that Moritako join him in creating a manga together.
Moritaka refuses at first, but later when he gets to know that his crush is aiming to be a voice actor, he decides to create a manga that can be adapted into an anime. Read this Manga to find the hardships of aspiring manga artists.
MPD Psycho
MPD Psycho starts as a violent detective series with a lot of twists in between. But it slowly transitions into a complex psychological sci-fi mystery.
It revolves around a detective who suffers from multiple personality disorder, Kazuhiko Amamiya. The Manga is full of chaos as Kazuhiko takes on different personalities.
Moriarty The Patriot
In the 19th-century British Empire, not everyone could make it to the top. In comes a young mathematician professor, William James Moriarty. He lives a simple life by helping those in need.
But that’s just for show, and he is the head of a group with only one goal – to build a new world from the ashes. Read William’s rise is Moriarty the Patriot.
Hikaru No Go
Hikaru Shindou meets the ghost of an ancient Go-master, Fujiwara no Sai. And from there on, Fujiwara wants to transfer his skills to Hikaru. But Hikaru has no interest in Go at all.
Over time, after continuous persuasion by Sai, Hikaru decides to give the game a chance. Hikaru No Go tells the story of our main character mastering the ancient board game.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
The story revolves around the prestigious Shuchiin Academy’s student council. The president, Miyuki Shirogane, is the highest scorer in the country, and the vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya, belongs to the wealthiest family in the nation.
These two have feelings for each other, but their pride won’t let them confess. To win, they use all their wits to make the other confess. Love is truly a war in this romantic-comedy Manga!
Ajin
When some immortal mysterious beings, Ajin, appeared on the battlefields of Africa, they were declared one of Humanity’s greatest discoveries.
The government started offering bounties for capturing these beings to perform inhumane experiments on them. Enters the protagonist, Kei Nagai, who somehow survived a deadly traffic accident, and people label him as an Ajin.
Fighting for survival now, Kei is asked by a group of rebel Ajin to join their forces. Who will Kei choose in this war between Ajin and Humanity? Find the answer in this Manga.
Kakegurui
Hyakkaou Private Academy is a school where the ability to read others and strategic minds matter more than academic performance. The students indulge in gambling every night for money, rank, and more.
Among them is Ryouta Suzui, who is ranked in the bottom one hundred. But his fate changes when Yumeko Jabami arrives at the academy. She is a compulsive gambler who is going to shake things up. Kakegurui is a psychological manga based on gambling.
Tokyo Ghoul
In Tokyo, beings known as ghouls look identical to humans, and they feed on human flesh. To fight them, the Commission of Counter Ghoul was established. Ken Kaneki, an ordinary student, turned into a half-ghoul due to an accident.
And now, he sees himself amid this war between ghouls and humans. Tokyo Ghoul is a psychological action manga with a lot of gore!
Attack on Titan
Hundreds of years ago, Humanity barricaded itself within three large walls to save itself from horrifying giant creatures known as Titans. After living in peace for so many years, a massive 60-meter Titan appeared and broke down one of the walls.
Three young kids, Eren Yeager, Mikasa Ackerman, and Armin Arlert, witnessed the terror of the Titans. Eren then took a vow to eradicate every single Titan from the world. Attack on Titan is a manga full of plot twists that no one can see coming!
Bleach
The life of an ordinary student, Ichigo Kurasaki, changes completely when he meets a soul reaper, Rukia Kuchiki. Some incidents lead to Ichigo taking all of Rukia’s soul-reaper powers, and he now has the duty of exterminating hollows, evil spirits who eat souls.
But the consequences of being a soul reaper are much more than he could ever imagine. The story is filled with brilliant arcs and amazing characters. Explore the world of spirits in this hit shounen manga – Bleach!
Monster
Monster follows a genius Japanese neurosurgeon, Kenzou Tenma, who has to make a hard decision -operate on an orphan with a bullet in his head or the tumor of the mayor. Taking the first option, Tenma saves the orphan, Johan Liebert, and the mayor ends up dead.
This decision of Tenma comes haunting him when one day, he becomes part of a chain of murders. The monster behind the chain is Johann Liebert himself. Monster is one of the best psychological mangas you will ever read!
Honorable Mention
Modaete yo, Adam-kun
The plot unfolds around a young male protagonist who finds himself as the only fertile man in a global crisis where all other men have become infertile due to a pandemic. The character, Itsuki, is a high school student who conceals this unique trait by enrolling in a predominantly female high school.
Within the school’s walls, he meets a variety of characters: an energetic and amiable senior student, a female teacher grappling with her desires, a tomboy who is the school’s “prince,” and a young woman hailing from a wealthy lineage. As the only male capable of reproduction, Itsuki faces the dilemma of choice among his many potential partners.
