Welcome to this mini-series where we take a trip back through the archives of Kodansha’s manga!
First stop on the timeline: the 2010s! We’re talking pure, unadulterated peak manga.
If these heavy-hitters aren’t on your plan-to-read list already, consider this your sign to pick them up!
Your Lie in April – 2011
Kosei Arima was a piano prodigy until his cruel taskmaster of a mother died suddenly, changing his life forever. Driven by his pain to abandon piano, Kosei now lives in a monotonous, colorless world. Having resigned himself to a bland life, he is surprised when he meets Kaori Miyazono, a violinist with an unorthodox style. Can she bring Kosei back to music, and back to life?
Land of the Lustrous – 2012
Land of the Lustrous is set in a far future Earth, where humanity’s distant descendants live on in a small group of sexless crystalline beings who must fight off an invasion from the Moon. par par In a world inhabited by crystalline lifeforms called The Lustrous, every unique gem must fight for their way of life against the threat of lunarians who would turn them into decorations. Phosphophyllite, the most fragile and brittle of gems, longs to join the battle. When Phos is instead assigned to complete a natural history of their world, it sounds like a dull and pointless task. But this new job brings Phos into contact with Cinnabar, a gem forced to live in isolation. Can Phos’s seemingly mundane assignment lead both Phos and Cinnabar to the fulfillment they desire?
A Silent Voice – 2013
Years ago, Shoya Ishida led his peers in tormenting a hearing-impaired classmate, Shoko Nishimiya. When she transfers schools, Shoya finds he has gone from bully to bullied, and is left completely alone. Now Shoya struggles to redeem himself in Shoko’s eyes and to face the classmates who turned on him. This emotional drama is one of the most critically-acclaimed manga of the decade, earning an Eisner nomination and accolades from teachers and the American Library Association.
The Fable – 2014
When you’re the infamous prodigy hitman known only as “Fable,” many things come easy. Being a normal person, however, isn’t one of them. In fact, being told that he can’t kill anyone for a while may just be the hardest job Fable’s ever taken…
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime – 2015
As players of Monster Hunter and Dungeons & Dragons know, the slime is not exactly the king of the fantasy monsters. So when a 37-year-old Tokyo salaryman dies and wakes up in a world of dragons and magic, he’s a little disappointed to find he’s become a blind, boneless slime monster.par par Mikami’s middle age hasn’t gone as he planned: He never found a girlfriend, he got stuck in a dead-end job, and he was abruptly stabbed to death in the street at 37. So when he wakes up in a new world straight out of a fantasy RPG, he’s disappointed but not exactly surprised to find that he’s not a knight or a wizard but a blind slime demon. But there are chances for even a slime to become a hero …
Cells at Work! – 2015
Strep throat! Hay fever! Influenza! The world is a dangerous place for a red blood cell just trying to get her deliveries finished. Fortunately, she’s not alone … She’s got a whole human body’s worth of cells ready to help out! The mysterious white blood cell, the buff and brash killer T cell, the nerdy neuron, even the cute little platelets—everyone’s got to come together if they want to keep you healthy!
Fire Force – 2015
A new action fantasy set in a steampunk Tokyo from the creator of the smash-hit Soul Eater!The city of Tokyo is plagued by a deadly phenomenon: spontaneous human combustion! Luckily, a special team is there to quench the inferno: The Fire Force! The fire soldiers at Special Fire Cathedral 8 are about to get a unique addition. Enter Shinra, a boy who possesses the power to run at the speed of a rocket, leaving behind the famous “devil’s footprints” (and destroying his shoes in the process). Can Shinra and his colleagues discover the source of this strange epidemic before the city burns to ashes?
Tokyo Revengers – 2017
Watching the news, Takemichi Hanagaki learns that his girlfriend from way back in middle school, Hinata Tachibana, has died. The only girlfriend he ever had was just killed by a villainous group known as the Tokyo Manji Gang. He lives in a crappy apartment with thin walls, and his six-years-younger boss treats him like an idiot. Plus, he’s a complete and total virgin … At the height of his rock-bottom life, he suddenly time-leaps twelve years back to his middle school days!! To save Hinata, and change the life he spent running away, hopeless part-timer Takemichi must aim for the top of Kanto’s most sinister delinquent gang!!
Skip and Loafer – 2018
Look out Tokyo, here comes Mitsumi Iwakura! A country gal from a low-population town, it’s Mitsumi’s first time in the big city—and while she’s got a good head on her shoulders, her social skills are a little lacking. But her straight-laced nature and cheerful attitude make everyone who meets her have a little more spring in their step! Check out this award-winning school life comedy drama that’s now a popular anime too!
Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me – 2019
It’s not every day that a guy tells you you’re his muse and to strip down while you’re just minding your own business! But that’s just what happened to Michi—she caught the eye of Chihiro-kun, a fellow student and aspiring fashion designer. He’s inspired by her, and wants to use her as his model…but can Michi stand the attentions of such a devoted artiste?!
What 2010s series live rent-free in your head?
