Shōnen, shonen, or shounen manga are manga marketed toward young teen males. The age group varies with individual readers and different magazines, but it is primarily intended for boys between the ages of 12 and 18. I’ve been engaged in this demographic of anime and manga since before I even knew what it was, and while seinen manga often offers more intellectual and sophisticated storytelling, the youthful abandon of boy’s manga holds a special place in my heart. In this post I’ll be going over my top 10 shōnen of all time. This list isn’t necessarily based on any sort of objective measure of quality, but instead my personal enjoyment.
10. Naruto
This series is a complicated entry on this list. With a strong first half and an enjoyable but ultimately underwhelming second, Naruto is still an extremely touching, engaging story of a boy trying to prove that he is worthy. The setting of the shinobi world is an exceedingly interesting one, though I would have loved if there were stronger worldbuilding. The power system is top notch, with each character utilizing unique, awesome abilities to beat their foes. Naruto is a thematic wonder and I’m glad I went forward and read it, even with my qualms with how it ended up.
9. Yu Yu Hakusho
This iconic coming of age battle manga by Yoshihiro Togashi tells the story of Yusuke Urameshi as he…dies. Yes, you read that right. It’s complicated. This manga is full of action, suspense, romance, and heart. The Spirit World is full of chaos and destruction, but it’s always lightened up by our awesome protagonist. Though the ending was a bit lackluster, it doesn’t take away from the journey.
8. Dragon Ball
There was a time when Dragon Ball would have been #1 on this list, but as the times change, so do people. This series started off as a gag manga about a super strong boy with a tail, and evolved into an interstellar epic about the greatest martial artist in the multiverse. I have serious love for this series, with it’s awesome characters, amazing fights, memorable set pieces and iconic arcs. It was the first anime I got super involved with, at the age of 8, watching it on Nicktoons. Reading the manga made me appreciate it even more, but as time I went on I also saw more and more of the story’s flaws. Contrived and rushed writing decisions, reverting character arcs, and repetitiveness are a bit too common to ignore. These flaws don’t make the manga bad, but it certainly made me rethink what I enjoy in a story. I still absolutely adore this series and would recommend it to anyone starting their journey into the anime and manga world. I’m glad my journey into shonen was such an awesome one.
7. Fullmetal Alchemist
Fun fact: despite being targeted towards young males, Fullmetal Alchemist was created by a woman, and a very accomplished one at that. In this manga, a young alchemist named Edward Elric journeys with his brother Alphonse to get their bodies back to normal, while discovering the multiple mysteries in their strange world. This story touches on multiple intense subjects, and is the first series on this list that I can consider a masterpiece. The powers of alchemy are fleshed out to immerse the reader in the world, the characters are well written and have plenty of development, and care is put into the intricate writing. Many would question why it’s not higher on this list, and I certainly was debating that. However, at the end of the day this list is based on my personal tastes, and FMA despite its strengths was never my favorite manga.
6. Death Note
Is there anyone you really want dead? Do you know their name? Well buddy, do I have the book for you! In this story, high schooler Light Yagami discovers a peculiar notebook, one that kills anyone whose name is written it. Death Note is a very special shonen, in that it doesn’t sound like a shonen at all. A psychological thriller about a megalomaniac serial killer? It sounds like a seinen in pretty much every way, but nope. It’s shonen, and it’s one of the best around. Though it seems to stumble a bit after a certain event in the story, it still maintains its status as one of the greats.
5. Devilman
Written by prolific mangaka Go Nagai, Devilman is a grim, perilous journey that ends with one of the most shocking chapters in manga history. Akira Fudou is a high schooler who must embrace his inner devil to combat a demon uprising. Despite being shonen, Devilman is packed to the brim with gruesome violence, nudity, and dark themes. It isn’t all just shock value though; the story is extremely emotional and human at its core, evaluating morals and shining light on how far people are willing to go to protect what they care about. It had a strong reboot in Devilman Crybaby, which is one of my favorite Netflix Originals so far.
4. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
How do you describe something like Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo? Though Part 6 led the manga into seinen territory, the first 5 parts are in fact shonen manga. The art is weird, immediately off putting, but often profoundly beautiful and memorable. Despite how different every part of JoJo is, there’s a specific “heart” that connects all of them. No one can do aesthetic and excitement like Araki. JoJo truly created bty an artist, a medium for him to express himself and how he feels, while of course, telling a fun story. It almost feels like a series of paintings. Sometimes I wish Araki was immortal. It’s been going since the 80s, but this is a manga that never needs to end.
3. Hunter × Hunter
Another entry from Togashi on this list, Hunter × Hunter is absolutely legendary. This simple story of a boy trying to find his father soars to new heights every arc and culminates in one of the greatest story sections ever put to page. This is one of those manga stories that can contend with the greats of fiction. The power system of nen is highly sophisticated and fleshed out, with tons of unique applications. The characters are written with care and each moment has meaning and a place in an intricate narrative. The symbolism and themes are flawless, mimicking the highest of literature. HxH is a masterpiece and has secured its top 3 spot with ease.
2. Attack on Titan
If you told me back when Attack on Titan came out that it would become one of the most epic manga ever written, I wouldn’t have believed you. As awesome as AoT is today, I had no idea that it would reach these heights at its beginning. It had a promising start, with an interesting survival horror concept that was rarely seen in shonen manga, but what it has become is nothing less than a masterpiece. A story that was once concerned with simple man eating giants has now evolved into one of the greatest war stories I’ve had pleasure of reading. Every new chapter cements the place on this list, and depending on how it ends, it could reach number 1. The human spirit is on full display as Eren Jaeger continues to move forward. There is nothing like it, and as it reaches its conclusion I hope it goes out with the fanfare that it deserves.
1. One Piece
And here it is, the greatest shonen of all time and the highest selling volume comic of all time, beating out Asterix by 100 million copies…One Piece! Young Monkey D. Luffy is on a journey to become King of the Pirates, and he won’t let anything stop him. I remember hearing about One Piece when I was a lot younger and brushing it off as a Dragon Ball clone. How wrong I was. This story is easily one of the best and it effortlessly combines amazing worldbuilding, thousands of characters, and a brilliant story into a modern epic. It’s pretty girthy, but if you’re willing to take the journey you’ll see what everyone is raving about. It honestly changed my life.