5 Manga Series to Get Into Before Watching Them on Netflix
The Queen’s Gambit, Firefly Lane, Lupin… from historical dramas to mystery thrillers, you can readily find novels that have been adapted into TV series on Netflix.
If you’re more into anime, though, you might have heard about Netflix’s announcement at AnimeJapan 2021 — that it is releasing 40 anime titles by the end of the year — almost twice as many as last year. Perhaps you’ve already binged on existing titles and are in-between seasons, or perhaps you haven’t had the time to get started yet. Whatever it is, if you’re curious about the source material, you’ve come to the right place.
While we can’t guarantee that the original manga is better than the anime series, here are five thrilling series to get into before you begin your next Netflix binge.
1. The Promised Neverland
11-year-old Emma lives in an orphanage with her friends, where they are provided with everything that they can possibly ask for. Life is idyllic, and the children are free to roam the orphanage grounds, as long as they don’t venture beyond its boundaries. After discovering the sinister truth about orphans who are “adopted”, Emma and her friends decide to make their escape. The question is, are they prepared for what awaits them in the outside world?
First published in 2016, this manga completed its run in 2020. Other than the anime, the manga has also inspired a live-action film and a game.
Get the first volume here: Physical Copy, eBook
2. My Hero Academia
Set in a world where most humans have superpowers (called Quirks), Izuku Midoriya, a boy born without any superpowers, dreams of becoming a superhero. After a chance encounter with a popular hero by the name of All Might, Izuku gains a Quirk and begins his journey to becoming a hero at U.A. High School.
Launched in 2014, this series is still ongoing today. With three films and five seasons of anime available, My Hero Academia continues to grow in popularity. The spin-off series, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, is also available at our libraries.
Get the first volume here: Physical Copy, eBook
3. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Tanjiro Kamado lives in the mountains and is his family’s sole breadwinner, often making trips to the village to sell charcoal. One fateful day, Tanjiro returns home to find his family killed by a demon, and his sister, Nezuko, transformed into a demon. Deciding to seek vengeance for his family and a cure for his sister, Tanjiro and Nezuko embark on a difficult journey across Japan.
This series probably needs no introduction, with the manga having sold over 150 million copies and the film breaking records across Japan. The manga ended its run in 2020 and if you’ve yet to jump aboard the Demon Slayer hype train, why not start with Volume 1 and see why it has swept numerous awards and topped bestseller lists?
Get the first volume here: Physical Copy, eBook
4. Haikyuu!!
After watching Karasuno High School’s volleyball team on television, Shoyo Hinata dreams of being part of a volleyball team and winning the national championship. But when Shoyo finally qualifies for entry to Karasuno High School’s volleyball club years later, Karasuno is no longer a volleyball powerhouse. Shoyo and his teammates must now learn how to work together to restore Karasuno’s reputation.
The volleyball manga started publication in 2012 and ended last year. With stage plays, multiple films and four seasons of anime, Haikyu!! is one of the most popular manga series to emerge in the past decade.
Get the first volume here: Physical Copy, eBook
5. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Many years have gone by since the end of the Naruto series. Naruto is now the leader of the Konohagakure Village and father to Boruto and Himawari. His son, Boruto, is unhappy with his father for placing the needs of the village above his own family. Upset and angry, Boruto decides to train and become a better warrior than his father, while fighting deadly enemies and protecting his village along the way.
The popularity of the Naruto series spawned this sequel, which started publication in 2016 and is still ongoing. While Netflix only has the Naruto anime, why not get started on this sequel while waiting for Boruto?
Get the first volume here: Physical Copy, eBook
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Text by
Adela Lim
National Library Board
