Top 5 Manga of the Decade

Since I had a "top ___ list of the decade" over at Level One - Start, I thought I might as well do one here. Seeing as most of the series I read began in the 90s (Naruto, One Piece), I will be limiting the list to 5. Still, these series are high quality in every way. I have poured countless hours into getting caught up with each ones. As some are still going, they will obviously be judged by what is currently out.

Now let's get the ball rolling.

5. Elfen Lied



Elfen Lied turned the world of anime and manga on its head. Before this unique series, extreme violence that wasn't used as over the top comedy was restricted to particularly dark art styles. Elfen Lied switched things up by utilizing cute characters including children drawn in typical manga style being dismembered by an invisible force. Several mature themes including extreme prejudice and genocide are present in the series. The tragedy of the Diclonius and the people they murdered really makes it difficult to pick sides. It also doesn't help that one of the main protagonist is also the main antagonist. Morally grey doesn't even begin to describe half the characters in this series. Yes, there are a few no brainers like the enigmatic man, but pretty much every character will give you conflicted feelings. Lucy in particular is a fantastic character. Decapitating children one second and comforting the protagonist the next; Lucy is definitely a strong character. If you want something dark and emotional, you really can't go wrong with Elfen Lied.

4. Battle Royale



Normally I wouldn't include an adaptation from another medium in any medium-specific list, but I'll make an exception for this. This point is only driven home more when I say the enjoyment I got out of the movie doesn't even come close to that of the manga. The cast is much more fleshed out than in either the movie or (I assume) the novel. Each character has a story and like Elfen Lied above, none of them are pure black or white. It's really amazing how cruel the villains were yet still be so pitiful. A sexually abused teenage girl and a teenage boy that lost all his emotions in a car accident are usually portrayed as victims, but they are incredibly effective antagonists here. You legitimately feel bad for many of the characters and I was incredibly sad to see one of them die (hint: hero of the week). Even though you know most of them will be dying, that doesn't make the gruesome death scenes any less emotional.

3. Death Note



With all the battle manga and perverted juvenile thrills that make up the majority of Shonen Jump's roster, Death Note was a breath of fresh air. It was actually a mature and suspenseful story that really makes you question your own morality. "Is killing a mass murderer okay? Should the world be void of criminals? Is it okay to restrict our actions to the rules set by an omnipotent force?" No matter which side you choose, you're in for quite the ride. The constant mind games between Light and L are more entertaining than a good majority of the "epic" battles out there. I was at the edge of my seat with every plot twist. It was impossible to predict what would happen next. There's a major split on the ending, but I honestly thought it was amazing. Even when it was all over, I continued to think about the series for weeks afterward and still do to this day from time to time. I would say that Death Note is the perfect series to get almost anyone into anime (and manga afterward if you're lucky).

2. Bleach



Being part of the "shonen trinity", Bleach is popular for a very good reason; mindless action. There are many ways to describe this series but there's one way that everyone can be understand; Dragonball Z with swords. There are plenty of memorable battles and unique designs. Despite severe inconsistencies and plot holes, Tite Kubo is one hell of an artist. Each fight feels like a rough draft for the anime version. Obviously that makes it flow much better in animated form but the source is still fantastic. While it has as many detractors as it does lovers, Bleach is a superb battle manga that helped fill the void left by Dragonball's serialization ending.

I thought about what series would take the number 1 spot and always came to the same conclusion. Not to downplay the previous placing series, but there is a clear winner. Had it been up against One Piece, I might've struggled with the decision, but since that isn't the case, here it is.



1. Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist covers a lot of genres. It's filled with action yet also has quite a bit of thought provoking philosophical insight. The brothers' struggle in their search for a way to restore their bodies all while staying firm in their belief of "equivalent exchange" is inspiring and even a little sad. The universal hunt for the philosopher's stone and the will of the homunculi have lead to some incredibly creative battles and enjoyable character interactions. Character development is great even if it does fall back on the standard cliches from time to time. Either way, FMA is a series that all fans of anime/manga need to watch/read.


Well, there's my list. Let's hope I actually have 10 entries for the top __ of the 2010s.