BLEACH by Tite Kubo

my favorite animanga of all time. i've reread this about 8 times throughout my life, and each and every time i find new ways to appreciate it. i first found bleach around mid-2019 when i was burnt out of animanga and i absolutely adored it. the themes of death and rebirth along with the cool ass character designs and dope ass fights. i have an entire shrine dedicated to how cool this series is and i want anyone who is even minorly interested in bleach to give it a good read.

"even without a form, we will never stop walking."

Demon Slayer by Koyoharu Gotouge

i reread this one fairly recently after initially reading it in about 2021-2022 when it was finishing up, and while i don't fuck with it as hard as i used to, this manga is GREAT at doing character designs and making you emotional. the story is really good at making you very very emotional even towards characters you feel like should've died and i think it's the strongest value that this manga offers. the emotional value of this story and the raw fights mix to be a great expierence. if you want to read an action manga that will make you cry, i fear that this is the one.

One Piece by Eiichiro Oda (ongoing)

one piece holds a very special place in my heart. it's not as action-y as everything else, but it makes up for it with insane worldbuilding and a really interesting sense of adventure that keeps you hooked on the series. the character designs are unique and fluid, the interesting pace of worldbuilding makes for a world that feels often alive and the characters are always a fresh breath of air that make everything feel right. it's also another manga that might tug at your heartstrings in unexpected ways, and while one piece is still ongoing (1161 chapters strong as of typing this), i think it's one of the most interesting reads you could ever give.

Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami (ongoing)

this one is DEFINITELY a current favorite of mine. jujutsu kaisen has some really deep themes about what it means to be a jujutsu sorcerer and how it's a lifestyle that should never be glorified, and instead is a lifestyle that is awful and a deteriment to the youth. the story reminds me of bleach in a lot of ways, especially with the more subtle acknowledging themes that back the story. the power system is really really cool and most characters are written well. there's a bunch of hype moments for meatheads like me but there's a bunch of themes backing the story for people interested in that!

Sakamoto Days by Yuto Suzuki (ongoing)

raw assassins doing raw shit is probably the easiest way to explain this manga. it's been rising in popularity in lately for very good reason, the characters are cool as fuck and the story has some real intrigue to it. characters just do cool stuff in this manga and you're just supposed to go with it and i think that's one of the best compliments i can give. the story is also relatively really cool for what it is, and while it doesn't have as much underlying themes as other mangas of the same ilk, the fights are top notch and put me on the edge. easily a best meathead read and a must-read if you love action!

Gachiakuta by Kei Urana (ongoing)

this one focuses way less on action and focuses on an interesting theme of how everyone has kindness within their soul and that everything has worth, no matter how dirty. it's a very dark fantasy manga that deals with mentions of sexual assault and genocide. the author was an assistant for soul eater, so gachiakuta feels very much like a cousin to that series. the dark theming (both setting-wise and story-wise) end up making the series feel very intriguing and the character designs are yet again top notch. compared to a lot of the mangas i've read, this story ends up being one on the more darker side yet still ends up being one of the most interesting.

Ranger Reject by Negi Haruba (ongoing)

ranger reject LOVES to tell a story. upon the first 30-or-so chapters, i wasn't really liking it too much. but the more i read the more i got invested. it's an interesting subversion of the superhero genre, not unlike The Boys which offers the theme that "not every hero is actually a hero". the main character is actually the villians side which makes for another interesting subversion and ends up offering themes of betrayal. the art is beautiful and the fights are drawn incredibly well, along with the characters having a lot of mystique and intrigue to their stories. this series also has insane worldbuilding and constantly changes, making for an interesting time.

Kaiju No. 8 by Naoya Matsumoto (ongoing)

kaiju no. 8 is a series that's all about living up to your full potential, even if you believe you're too old to make it. the main character subverts expectations by being older than usual but has a promise to fufill that requires him to always keep it moving. the art is beautiful within this manga and the power system is awesome to follow. i think kaiju no 8. is an awesome manga that you should read especially if you're in the mindset that you're too old to do great things. i think that key theme is an important one to follow and makes it interesting to follow.

Record of Ragnarok by Shinya Umemura and Takumi Fukui (ongoing)

will be honest this is a guilty pleasure of mine. this entire manga is basically the strongest humans throughout history fighting the strongest gods throughout history in a tournament. it's pure meathead action but i unfortunately fuck with that way too much for my own good. can i say that there's a main character? not really, and there's not huge themes either. it's the authors interpretation of gods and humans and how they interact with each other in battle. and i love that a whole lot! this also doesn't fall into shonen and falls more-so under seinen.

Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama

this is one of the most brainfuckingly good mangas i have ever read. i genuinely think this is one of the best written series ever made. the themes of reversal and a circular plot ends up making this one of the most interesting mangas i have ever read. the characters are awesome and feel depraved, the setting is grim and harsh and the series depicts a nightmarish reality that feels often dreadful and harmful. but even then there's a glimmer of hope no matter what and that ends up being one of the most interesting themes of this story. the plot twists are insane too! awesome story