Yen Press stands out as a major English manga publisher. Unlike Viz Media and Kodansha USA, which focus on manga from big Japanese magazines like Weekly Shonen Jump, Magazine, and Sunday, Yen Press often brings manga from smaller Japanese publishers.
This gives them a wider range of manga options compared to other publishers. While Yen Press may not always snag the rights to the most popular manga, their manga collection is definitely worth exploring.
With a diverse range of manga, Yen Press offers stories with different styles, writing, and art. Don’t overlook their titles just because they’re not from big publishers. Some of their manga, in particular, shouldn’t be missed.
1) Oshi No Ko
Originally serialized in Weekly Young Jump and created by Aka Akasaka & Mengo Yokoyari, Oshi no Ko takes readers into the life of Goro Amamiya, a gynecologist who unexpectedly passes away.
Upon his demise, he finds himself reincarnated as the son of his most recent patient, the renowned pop idol Ai Hoshino.
Initially content with his new identity as Aqua Hoshino, Goro’s life takes a tragic turn when Ai is murdered. Determined to seek justice, Aqua resolves to dedicate his life to finding her killer and avenging her death.
Aka Akasaka, best known for writing the psychological romance manga Kaguya-sama: Love is War, brings a similar level of skill to Oshi no Ko.
Just like Kaguya-sama, Oshi no Ko shines with its intense character drama and its honest portrayal of the darker aspects of human nature, particularly within the entertainment industry.
Mengo Yokoyari’s artwork further enhances this portrayal, capturing both the dark moments and heartwarming scenes with finesse. It’s clear why the series has gained such popularity in recent years.
2) Delicious In Dungeon
Originally serialized in Harta and created by Ryoko Kui, Delicious in Dungeon follows the story of the adventurer party led by the protagonist Laios.
In a tragic battle against a dragon, Laios’ party is wiped out, and even his sister, Falin, is devoured by the dragon. To save Falin, Laios and the surviving members of the party must quickly find their way back through the dungeon.
With limited funds and supplies, Laios devises a plan for survival eating the monsters they encounter along the way.
It becomes evident that Laios had been eagerly awaiting an opportunity to justify this unconventional approach to survival.
Amidst the wave of isekai tales in fantasy anime and manga, Delicious in Dungeon stands out as a refreshing change.
It’s not just a fantastic fantasy manga with stunning artwork, but also a clever satire of Dungeons & Dragons-style fantasy.
Its blend of humor and darker story elements creates a unique balance that keeps readers hooked.
3) Shy
Shy is a manga created by Bukimi Miki, first serialized in Weekly Shonen Champion. It explores a world where superheroes prevent World War III, ensuring peace.
However, a group called Amarariruku threatens this peace by turning people into monsters. The story revolves around Teru Momijiyama, a socially awkward girl who also happens to be the Japanese superhero Shy.
Despite being relatively new to English publication, Shy is an outstanding manga from Yen Press. It features great artwork and exciting fight scenes.
What makes Shy stand out is its blend of superhero and magical girl themes, which makes it a unique and amazing read. While the Shy anime of 2023 was underrated, the manga possesses the same exceptional qualities.
4) Yotsuba&!
Originally published in Dengeki Daioh and created by Kiyohiko Azuma, Yotsuba&! follows the success of Azumanga Daioh.
This slice-of-life manga centers on the lively child Yotsuba Koiwai and her everyday interactions with her father, neighbors, and the people they encounter.
Similar to Azumanga Daioh, Yotsuba&! lacks a central plot or gimmick, with each chapter presenting an episodic story with minimal continuity.
Just like Azumanga Daioh, Yotsuba&! shines with its excellent comedy and character writing. Each chapter of Yotsuba&! beautifully captures Yotsuba’s innocence and purity.
With Kiyohiko Azuma’s talent for character development, even the simplest events become enjoyable to read.
Yotsuba&! remains unmatched in its portrayal of slice-of-life elements, and even after 20 years, it’s unlikely to lose its charm.
5) Bocchi The Rock!
Aki Hamazi’s Bocchi the Rock! features Hitori Gotoh, a girl with severe social anxiety. She learns to play the guitar in hopes of having a conversation starter to make friends.
Despite improving her guitar skills over the years, Hitori still struggles to make friends. However, her life changes when she meets a girl who asks her to be the guitarist for her band, Kessoku Band.
With a proper outlet for her music, Hitori, now known as Bocchi, aims to make friends and gradually overcome her social anxiety through her time in Kessoku Band.
Bocchi the Rock! became a sensation with its anime in 2022, and the manga maintains similar quality. Like the anime, the manga explores social anxiety through character development and surreal imagery.
The comedic writing enhances the storytelling without overshadowing the main themes. While the anime is the preferred way to experience the series, the manga still offers plenty and is definitely worth reading.
6) No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!
First serialized on Gangan Online and created by Nico Tanigawa, “No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular” features Tomoko Kuroki and her friends.
Tomoko, an antisocial otaku, enters high school with hopes of using her knowledge of otome games to become popular.
However, she quickly finds herself isolated due to her inability to communicate effectively. This leads to Tomoko becoming a misanthrope and facing comedic misadventures.
What makes No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular such a standout manga is its skillful blend of different slice-of-life storytelling styles.
Starting as cringe comedy, the series evolved into a more straightforward slice-of-life manga while retaining its crude humor, all done seamlessly.
Despite its initial premise, it excels in character development, making it one of the best manga even after over a decade.
7) Azumanga Daioh
Originally serialized in Dengeki Daioh and created by Kiyohiko Azuma, Azumanga Daioh is a slice-of-life manga that follows six girls and their two teachers throughout their three years of high school.
Unlike many other slice-of-life manga, which often include romance or rely on gimmicks to explain why the characters are together, Azumanga Daioh is solely focused on depicting the everyday lives of its cast.
Azumanga Daioh may not rely on gimmicks like many modern slice-of-life manga, but it still offers plenty of entertainment.
Without a central gimmick, the manga can concentrate on the characters and their interactions, resulting in consistently strong character-driven comedy and writing that remains enjoyable even 25 years later.
Regarded as one of the pioneers of the cute girls doing cute things genre of anime, Azumanga Daioh effectively demonstrates why it holds such a special place in the genre.
8) Soul Eater
First serialized in Monthly Shōnen Gangan and created by Atsushi Ohkubo, Soul Eater presents a world where monsters and supernatural creatures are a constant threat, especially witches.
In response, children from across the globe converge at the DWMA, a unique school overseen by Lord Death.
The students are trained to either transform into weapons or wield them as meisters in battle.
Through the harmony of Soul Resonance, meisters and weapons bring out each other’s strengths, forming powerful teams to combat evil.
Despite being two decades old, Soul Eater remains one of the top action manga choices. Atsushi Ohkubo’s distinctive artwork features chaotic and imaginative character designs, resulting in fight scenes with unparalleled choreography and paneling.
Although Ohkubo retired from manga after completing Fire Force, his legacy as one of the most creative manga artists endures. Soul Eater serves as a tribute to his remarkable talent and creativity.
9) Pandora Hearts
Pandora Hearts, created by Jun Mochizuki and originally serialized in Monthly Shonen Gangan, tells the story of Oz Vessalius, heir to the Vessalius Dukedom.
Suddenly attacked by the villainous Baskervilles, Oz is thrown into the Abyss, a perilous empire inhabited by deadly monsters known as Chains.
To escape, he forms a contract with a powerful Chain named Alice. However, upon returning, he discovers that a decade has passed. Oz has to figure out his new world and why he was sent to the Abyss.
Pandora Hearts stands out for its perfect blend of storytelling and artwork. The character designs and screentones create stunning visuals, whether in color or black and white.
The manga’s intricate writing ensures that attentive readers are always rewarded, even if it takes years for a plot point to unfold.
10) Umineko When They Cry
Umineko When They Cry, Battler Ushiromiya reunites with his family on Rokkenjima Island after six years. However, their gathering takes a sinister turn when they are killed off one by one by a person claiming to be Beatrice the Golden Witch.
Battler challenges her to prove that magic wasn’t behind the murders, leading to a battle of wits. As the battle unfolds, dark family secrets are gradually revealed.
The Umineko manga adapts the story from the visual novel, but many consider it the definitive version. It retains the intricate mystery writing while also expanding on and clarifying unresolved plot points from the visual novel.
This makes for a tighter and more conclusive story overall. The manga boasts some of the best artwork seen in manga in the past decade. Umineko When They Cry is widely regarded as the best manga from Yen Press.
11) Sasaki and Miyano
Yoshikazu Miyano’s ordinary life takes an unexpected turn when Shuumei Sasaki enters the picture. After Sasaki rescues Miyano’s classmate from bullies, Miyano finds himself unable to shake off his peculiar upperclassman.
What begins as admiration for Sasaki gradually turns into annoyance as Sasaki persists in befriending Miyano despite his reluctance.
Miyano has a secret he enjoys reading boys’ love (BL) manga, a fact he’s desperate to keep hidden from his classmates.
However, a slip of the tongue reveals his secret to Sasaki. Surprisingly, Sasaki expresses interest in BL manga and asks to borrow some from Miyano.
Though hesitant, Miyano reluctantly agrees and is shocked when Sasaki enjoys the manga and requests more.
As their bond deepens over their shared interest, Sasaki’s true intentions remain unclear. However, their growing friendship sparks complex feelings in both Miyano and Sasaki, setting the stage for further changes and developments in their relationship.
12) Chained Soldier
After high school, Yuuki Wakura realizes it’s been five years since his sister disappeared in the Mato disaster. Mysterious entrances to a demonic dimension called Mato opened across Japan, unleashing monstrous creatures known as Shuuki that threaten humans’ safety.
A newfound hope emerged when a Mato fruit was discovered, granting supernatural abilities exclusively to women.
This led to the formation of a female-led government and the Demon Defense Force, where men became marginalized.
When Yuuki finds himself trapped in Mato, he’s saved by Kyouka Uzen, chief of the Seventh Unit of the Demon Defense Force.
Despite her unusual power, Kyouka is undervalued by her peers. In a life-threatening situation, Kyouka decides to harness Yuuki’s potential by making him her slave to defeat the Shuuki.
13) Fullmetal Alchemist
Alchemists are skilled individuals who can manipulate matter, but there are limits to their power. Human transmutation, in particular, is strictly forbidden due to its risks.
However, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric attempt it to bring their mother back to life. Their attempt fails, costing Edward his left leg and Alphonse his entire body.
To save Alphonse, Edward sacrifices his right arm to bind his soul to a suit of armor. Years later, they search for the Philosopher’s Stone to restore their bodies. Their journey explores dark secrets beyond their imagination.
14) After-School Hanako-kun
Rumors spread about Hanako-kun, one of Kamome Academy’s Seven Mysteries, getting a new assistant Nene Yashiro, a first-year student.
They explore into the school’s mysteries, maintaining harmony between humans and the supernatural.
During breaks, they enjoy goofing off, pulling pranks with Yashiro’s classmates and interacting with unseen spectral entities.
15) Akame ga Kill!
Night Raid is the secret assassination group of the Revolutionary Army. They aim to overthrow Prime Minister Honest, who has exploited the child emperor’s naivety for his own gain, plunging the nation into poverty and chaos.
Despite being skilled killers, Night Raid members know that taking lives is not something to be proud of. They understand that their actions may have consequences as they eliminate anyone obstructing the revolution’s path.
Tatsumi, a young man from a remote village, joins Night Raid to help his struggling hometown. He admires their ideals and determination.
Akame ga Kill! follows Tatsumi as he battles the Empire, facing powerful foes, and moral dilemmas, and discovering the true meaning of fighting for a cause.
Honorable Mention
S*xtudy Group
Haitoku no Kyoukai 2
