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As this year comes to an end, fans everywhere are wondering what the hottest animes and mangas of the new year will be. Following the Fall 2022 lineup's nearly top-to-bottom success, the biggest question heading into 2023 is what the next smash-hit series will be, both on television and in print.
While continuing mangas such as Sui Ishida’s Choujin X and Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 will maintain their stellar runs, there are several newcomers to watch out for. Akinaru Asakura and Takeshi Obata’s Show-ha Shoten! will have viewers keeling over with laughter, while Mieri Hiranishi’s autobiographical tales of love will have fans crying out of both joy and pain.
Show-ha Shoten!, Choujin X, The Girl That Can’t Get A Girlfriend, and more mangas promise an exciting selection for 2023
1) Show-ha Shoten!
Show-ha Shoten! is a slice-of-life comedy series from author Akinari Asakura and illustrator Takeshi Obata (the illustrator for the smash-hit series, Death Note). While Obata’s art is truly exceptionally detailed, it’s Asakura’s writing which steals the show for this manga. Even the first volume is a can’t-stop read which pulls viewers in and almost refuses to let them go. With relatable and funny characters and situations galore, it’s one of the most promising upcoming mangas of 2023.
The series follows shy high school student Azemichi Shijima and child actor Taiyo Higashikata. Shijima is secretly known as “Everyday Shijimi,” a frequent radio-show call-in who is regarded as the funniest high schooler in Japan. Higashikata, meanwhile, is known for his over-the-top skits and ideas, being first introduced with one of the most intriguing character designs in all of the manga.
The two team up at a school festival comedy show after Higashikata tricks Shijima, where the two’s hit sketch wins top prize. However, with Shijima needing to earn the blessing of his parents to pursue comedy, the two must win a bimonthly High School Comedy Battle. The series follows the two as they navigate the pitfalls of being a comedian while each shoots for the top for emotionally personal reasons.
2) Choujin X
Choujin X is the latest serialized work from Tokyo Ghoul author and illustrator Sui Ishida, set to continue its story as one of the current can’t-miss mangas. Despite the critical success of Tokyo Ghoul, Choujin X feels like the series where Ishida can be comfortable being himself and have those ideas be well-received. The unfettered darkness of the manga eclipses even the most harrowing moments of Tokyo Ghoul.
The series follows Azuma Higashi and Tokio Kurohara, two complete opposites. Whereas Azuma is a good student with great fighting skills and a strong sense of justice, Tokio is a poor student and a bystander in fights. Despite their differences, the two Yamato Prefecture residents are incredibly close with one another.
However, there are dangers lurking in Yamato Prefecture beyond their moral differences, with humans with supernatural abilities known as Choujins having essentially destroyed the area. On their way home one day, they become cornered by a Choujin who threatens to kill them and, left with no choice, the two decide to become Choujins themselves.
3) The Girl That Can’t Get A Girlfriend
The Girl That Can’t Get a Girlfriend is written and illustrated by Mieri Hiranishi, and is an autobiographical series about her experiences looking for love. It’s one of the mangas you should not miss in the coming year, being a must-read for people of any sexual preference or orientation. Despite being framed as a lesbian, coming-of-age love story, the themes and content are universally relatable.
The single-volume story essentially follows Mieri’s journey through coming to grips with her sexuality, as well as the pitfalls of love which she encounters along the way. While there are tons of lesbian-centric themes and information, the overall subject matter is universal.
Especially relatable is Mieri’s healing process following being dumped by her first girlfriend, as well as the slow-but-steady process of picking herself back up following this first love. While non-lesbian readers may find it somewhat hard to connect with at first, a switch flips roughly a third of the way into the story, turning it into a can’t-stop read which fans won’t be putting down until they’re finished.
4) Goodbye, Eri
Goodbye, Eri is the latest of many one-shot mangas from critically acclaimed Chainsaw Man's author and illustrator, Tatsuki Fujimoto. Having first been digitally released in July 2022 on Shonen Jump+, it’s set to be a part of 2023’s upcoming manga lineup by way of physical release. The story is an excellent read for both fans of Fujimoto’s previous works and those looking forward to explore his work or just want a great read.
Goodbye, Eri follows Yuta Ito, a student who receives a smartphone for his birthday. However, the gift comes with a caveat, as his dying mother asks her to film her death and compile a movie about her demise once she finally passes. Yuta premieres the film at school but is met with heavy criticism over how he ended the movie dealing with such a serious subject matter.
Feeling bullied and ostracized, Yuta resolves to kill himself by jumping off the roof of the hospital where his mother died. However, he’s stopped by a girl named Eri, who reveals that she loved his movie and encourages him to make another one. Yuta and Eri bond as the new movie is filmed. However, this latest story doesn’t quite have a happy ending either.
5) Sasuke Retsuden: The Uchiha Descendants and the Heavenly Stardust
Like Goodbye, Eri, the Sasuke Retsuden series will also be receiving a physical copy sometime in 2023, making it part of the upcoming manga lineup for the year. The series follows Sasuke Uchiha on a mission to infiltrate the Astronomy Research Institute in the Land of Redaku. However, with the facility having been turned into a prison, the protagonist gets himself arrested in order to gain entry.
It’s eventually revealed that Sasuke is in Redaku because Naruto Uzumaki is sick with the same disease that once afflicted the Sage of Six Paths. Now, with his best friend’s life on the line, Sasuke navigates the prison as best as he can without getting caught to discover how the Sage of Six Paths was cured and what he must do to help Naruto.
6) Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8 has been one of the biggest mangas one should not miss since its release, especially in light of its recent anime adaptation announcement. Written and illustrated by Naoya Matsumoto, the series follows the central protagonist Kafka Hibino, a once-hopeful child who wanted to join Japan’s Kaiju Defense Force alongside childhood friend Mina Ashiro.
However, as adults, Mina has become famous as the commander of the Force’s Third Unit, while Kafka has failed the entrance exam numerous times and now works in Kaiju cleanup. However, a small talking monster flies into his body via his mouth, transforming him into “Kaiju No. 8” and giving him immense power. Now, alongside coworker Leno Ichikawa, he aims to join the Defense Force and stand by Mina’s side.
7) Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21
Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21 is the first of a two-volume compilation series that collects his one-shot mangas completed before his work on Chainsaw Man began. The compilation includes the mangas There Were Two Chickens in the Garden, Sasaki Has Stopped the Bullet, Love is Blind, and Shikaku.
The four stories are some of Fujimoto’s most celebrated work as a mangaka. Ironically, some fans know him better for his one-shots than his work on his two serializations, Fire Punch and Chainsaw Man. While a collection of one-shots could be off-putting to some, this compilation volume is undoubtedly one of the upcoming mangas you should not miss.
8) Dandadan
Similarly, Dandadan is written by Fujimoto’s former assistant, Yukinobu Tatsu, in his serialized works. Having been recently announced to receive an anime adaptation, it’s one of the upcoming year’s mangas otakus should not miss. Like Fujimoto, Tatsu’s writing style lends itself to pure and utter insanity while also managing to tug heartstrings and steal laughs along the way.
The series follows Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura, aka Okarun, with each believing in ghosts but not aliens and vice versa. One night, the two visit separate locations associated with the occult and supernatural, with Ayase visiting the former and Okarun the latter.
Shockingly, both are revealed to be half-right upon arrival, with both aliens and ghosts being proven to exist. This sends the two on an odyssey, constantly bouncing back and forth between the supernatural and the occult, occasionally blending the two in expert fashion. For fans of Fujimoto’s mangas, Tatsu's series is an absolute must-read.
9) Fabricant 100
Fabricant 100 is a series written and illustrated by Daisuke Enoshima. Set in an alternate 20th century world, the series follows protagonist Ashibi Yao, who comes from a family famous for their longevity and youth after turning 18. Within the same world also exists entities known as Fabricants, the creations of a doctor who wanted to create the “ideal human being.”
Following his death on the day his 100th Fabricant was created, the Fabricants set out and attacked humans to attain this perfect body. Eventually, Ashibi’s family was targeted and murdered, with him being the only survivor, thanks to a deal with Fabricant 100. Now, he and 100 scour the globe looking to kill all the other Fabricants before Ashibi’s 18th birthday, where he will give his body to Fabricant 100.
10) Naruto: Konoha's Story—The Steam Ninja Scrolls: The Manga
Finally, Naruto: Konoha's Story—The Steam Ninja Scrolls: The Manga is centered around the fan-favorite characters of the franchise - Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, and Mirai Sarutobi. The former duo is finally preparing to go on vacation, following Kakashi’s responsibilities as both Hokage and successor advisor coming to an end with Naruto Uzumaki’s convening a Five Kage Summit.
Mirai is assigned to the pair’s vacation as an escort, with Naruto wanting to ensure that the two retired shinobi are protected. Unfortunately for Mirai, the mission initially seems to be nowhere near the S-Rank adventure she had hoped for. However, appearances can be deceiving, and this quiet vacation slowly but surely becomes more and more outrageous.
