Manga has changed and evolved greatly over the years. With stories of all kinds throughout its lifespan, many different subgenres have spawned, such as shonen, shojo, and seinen. However, one of the most popular subgenres in manga continues to be martial arts.
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Some of the finest manga made has been in the martial art genre and has been incredibly influential in showing the different styles of martial arts from around the world. However, some are considered better than others, depending on the source. As such, here are the 10 best martial arts manga, according to Myanimelist. No novels like the Itachi Shinden will be considered on this list.
Updated On August 11th, 2021 By Anthony Mazzuca:Martial arts are synonymous with manga by this point and continue to be an extremely popular genre. Unlike theoriginal version of this list, manwha won't be excluded, allowing a popular series to claim the top spot. However, novels will still be exempt as a single book can't be compared to a full-length series.
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15 Naruto Became Less About Martial Arts As It Went On But Tackled The Effects Of Endless Fighting Better Than Most (8.06)
When most people think of Naruto, they think of ninja and the dreaded Naruto Talk no Jutsu. While both things are prevalent, it undercuts how good the martial arts were in the first half of the series.
The Chunin Exams, in particular, were a great showcase of how well the series respected strategy and hand-to-hand combat. It went a little off the rails towards the end, but it's a series that knew how to capture the essence of a warrior and the effects of endless fighting.
14 Baki Doesn't Have A Complex Plotline But Makes Up For That With Great Action (8.07)
Baki is a long-running series that spans over four different books and follows the journeys of Baki Hanma as he tries to grow into a fighter that will one day be strong enough to defeat his father.
While the action in it is great, what makes Baki so good is the willingness to have him fail. Everything in Baki the Grappler is leading up to his conflict with his dad, only to have the dad outclasses him easily, showing he needs more training. Far too often, heroes are able to overcome insurmountable odds.
13 Fist Of The North Star Is A Classic That Has More Testosterone in One Chapter Than Most Have In An Entire Run (8.1)
Fist of the North Star is one of the original big-name anime and manga. Before Dragon Ball became the alpha of all shonen franchises, there was Fist of the North Star.
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Kenshiro takes center stage in a post-apocalyptic world where only the strongest can survive as food and water are scarce. It's a setting rarely used in manga and one that helped give reasoning behind all of Kenshiro's fights. Said fights were brutal as the series has as much testosterone as an '80s action movie.
12 Shigurui Is A Brutal Manga That Embraces The Violence Of A Samurai Tournament (8.12)
Shigurui is a manga that takes place during the mid 17th century. The Daimyo of the Tadanaga rule decides to create a deadly tournament in which participants use steel katanas rather than wooden bokken swords.
The one-armed Fujiki Gennosuke and the blind Irako Seigen have to survive the tournament in a manga that is incredibly gruesome and violent. It's all depicted with beautiful art throughout the whole series, truly capturing the brutality of the tournament.
11 Gunnm: Last Order Is A Sequel That Takes the Story To Space & Further Builds On The Lore (8.13)
In the sequel to Gunnm, also known as Battle Angel Alita in America, Gally has been resurrected after being killed by the doll-bomb. Now alive with pieces of her memory missing and a new body, she meets her old friends, both good and bad, in an adventure that takes place in outer space.
The illustrations in Gunnm: Last Order are absolutely gorgeous, and the story is engrossing, as it continues the narrative that was left off previously.
10 History's Strongest Disciple: Kenichi Is Simple Story Of A Boy Who Wants To Grow Into The Strongest Martial Artist (8.13)
A fun slice of life manga that depicts the awesomeness of martial arts, History's Strongest Disciple: Kenichi or Shijou Saikyou no Deshi Kenichi is a story about getting stronger and seeking enlightenment.
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The story follows Kenichi Shirahama as he decides to join a karate club after being fed up with being bullied. However, after being bullied by his seniors, he meets the beautiful Miu Fuurinji, who allows him to meet with six martial arts masters, who help him become better over time and, eventually, their strongest disciple.
9 K: Memory Of Red Is A Prequel That Focuses On The Special Powers Those In The Homra Group Receive (8.13)
This supernatural shojo manga is incredibly fascinating. K: Memory Of Red is actually a prequel to the anime simply called K. Focusing on the exploits of Mikoto Suoh, it details the everyday outings of the Homra group. Those that join the group gain special powers specific to the group.
Although this manga is pretty short, it is well-illustrated with a story that is a great accompaniment to the anime. It helps further flesh out the stories and development there.
8 Feng Shen Ji Follows An Emperor Refusing To Bow To The Gods Any Longer (8.24)
What happens when the emperor of the Shang Dynasty decides to defy the gods? That's the question Feng Shen Ji aims to answer as emperor Zi Zhou refuses to bow his head down to the gods any longer.
As a response, the gods send a rival kingdom after him, aiming to teach him a lesson. It works until Zi Zhou begins to plow through enemies, forcing the gods to take a more direct hand in the conflict. It's aGod of War-style storyline of a human standing up to the gods in a very entertaining way.
7 Takemitsu Zamurai Is The Perfect Blend Of Surrealist Art & Realistic Writing (8.3)
One of the most unique mangas on the market, Takemitsu Zamurai, tells the historical story of Seno Soichiro. Readers are introduced to a visceral tale of his exploits in the span of eight volumes.
Each volume is drawn by one of the most unique artists around, Taiyo Matsumoto, who has an abstract and surrealist approach to his art that seemingly complements the realistic writing of his partner in crime, Issei Eif*cku. The series went on to win several awards, including the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
6 Kengan Ashura Is A Visceral Experience Both Narratively & Visually (8.32)
Kengan Ashura is a brutal manga that has a heavy focus on martial arts and is a tale about Ouma Tokita, who attempts to become the strongest martial artist in all of Japan.
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Becoming a fighter for the Nogi Group Company, he is paired with Kazou Yamash*ta, who was originally working a stale job before becoming Tokita's manager. Now thrown into the brutal world of martial arts, readers are treated to a story that's visceral, both narratively and visually.
5 Angel Densetsu Focuses On Seiichiro As He Tries To Get Others To See Past His Appearance (8.33)
Angel Densetsu is a story about Seiichiro Kitano, a young kindhearted high schooler who tries to help anyone he can. However, due to his demonic features and becoming the new guardian of Heikuu High, his attempts are often miscommunicated, and he is feared as a result.
A perfect example of the trope "looks can be deceiving," Kitano tries his best to go beyond his looks and have friends that see him as something more than just his outward appearance.
4 Dragon Ball Is The Manga That Helped Launch One Of The Most PopularFranchises Of All Time (8.40)
The story that brought Toriyama to legendary status, the original Dragon Ball, is the story of Son Goku, a young monkey boy who goes on a journey to find Dragon Balls, along with Bulma Briefs.
Meeting new characters along the way, Goku eventually tries to become the strongest he can possibly be and fights opponents stronger than the last as time goes on. This series went on to go all the way to his adulthood and is still ongoing, with Dragon Ball Super.
3 Blade Of The Immortal Delves Into The Complexities Of Redemption & Revenge (8.43)
Blade Of The Immortal is one of the best samurai manga ever made, if not the very best. It's about Manji, a feared samurai in feudal Japan who is also known as the "Hundred Man Killer."
Not many know that he is, in fact, immortal and has been attempting to slay 1,000 men to atone for his sins. After he meets a young girl named Rin Asano, who journeys with him, it becomes a deep story about vengeance and redemption.
2 Holyland Follows Yuu As He Tries To Find Peace In The Brutality Of The World (8.47)
The second highest scored martial arts manga on Myanimelist, Holyland is a brutal manga about street-fighting. Yuu Kamishiro is an isolated soul who gets constantly bullied by his peers. Looking for a way out, he ventures out at night, where he eventually finds acceptance fighting in the brutal streets of Japan.
Training to get stronger and stronger while also refining his techniques, he ventures onward as he pursues a holy land within himself in the bleak world of violence. Filled with incredibly detailed and brutal artwork, this manga is paired with a beautiful story from start to finish.
1 The Breaker Perfects The Typical Zero-To-Hero Storyline (8.48)
The Breaker has some of the most realistic depictions of martial arts in any manga or manwha and delves into much more than just fighting. The story follows Shioon, a student at the Nine Dragons High School, who is relentlessly beaten up and picked on by a local gang of students.
All of that changes once he blackmails his new English teacher into helping train him in martial arts. It's the typical zero to hero storyline, but with a hero that tries everything he can to avoid hurting others.
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