This year, teams at K-Comics Beat and The Beat are putting together more Best Of lists than ever before, celebrating comics, manga, manhwa, webtoons, and more. Today, we’re debuting the Best Manga and Manhwa of 2025 list, an inaugural collection of our staff’s favorite titles released during the last 12 months.

As is our tradition, these selections are based on individual love rather than an editorial consensus. The manga and manhwa titles represented here come from a variety of genres, creators, and storytelling styles. Hopefully, you find something (or multiple somethings) to suit your own reading list.

Without further ado, here are the Best Manga and Manhwa of 2025.

Best Manga of 2025

AKIRA Hardcover Collection, Vol. 1

Writer/Artist: Katsuhiro Otomo
Translators/Adaptation: Yoko Umezawa, Linda M York, Jo Duffy, and Stephen Paul
Letterer: Evan Hayden
Publisher: Kodansha

Over four decades after its first publication and still making year-end lists. The un-flipped art with original sound effects previously only available in the box set has begun releasing individual volumes on a monthly basis. Look, I know I should be using this space to talk up Legend of Kamui. But when was the last time you read the first volume of AKIRA? It remains a singular experience.

This edition celebrates the importance of the original work to American culture in a way that reflects how respected graphic novels like Batman: Year One are present in book and comic shops. — Arpad Okay

The Art of Rumiko Takahashi Colors 1978-2024

Writer/Artist: Rumiko Takahashi
Publisher: Viz Media

It might be somewhat cheating to put an art book in the best manga list, but by George, Rumiko Takahashi’s color work for nearly 50 years has been grossly underseen outside her native country. And it’s a goddamn treat to see it. Her images simply pop with every page turn and reveal. The commentary provided by Takahashi engaging with her favorite works is worth the purchase alone. — Sean Dillon

Hirayasumi

Writer/Artist: Keigo Shinzo
Translator: Jan Mitsuko Cash
Lettering: Elena Diaz
Publisher: VIZ Media

Hirayasumi is a slice-of-life manga following the life of cousins Hiroto and Natsumi, who live in a quiet bungalow outside of Tokyo that Hiroto inherited from an older woman with whom he struck up an unexpected friendship. As the series has gone on, Keigo Shinzo has extended his focus more on the supporting cast and those in and around Hiroto and Natsumi’s lives.

This year saw the release of the best volume of this quietly profound series so far, Volume 5, which sees Hiroto being forced to reckon with his positive outlook as the world moves on around him. I was particularly moved by the story of Hiroto’s friend Hideki and his emotional struggles as a new father, which ends on a powerful and unassuming page. In just three panels, Shinzo captures the profound power of small gestures.

Hirayasumi is a beautiful series, profound in its silence. Its “coziness” belies a somber empathy for how to cope with dreams lost and loved ones moving on without you. — Tim Rooney

I Wanna Be Your Girl

Writer/Artist: Umi Takase
Translator: Erin Procter
Publisher: Ink Pop by RH Graphic

Umi Takase’s slice-of-life/teen romance series, I Wanna Be Your Girl, launched RH Graphic’s new manga imprint, Ink Pop, over the summer. The story follows childhood besties, Akira and Hime, each on their own journey of self-discovery as they learn to navigate their queer identities and how those identities impact their relationships with others and themselves.

As the two start high school, Akira, who had previously disclosed her identity as a trans woman only to BFF Hime, decides to come out to others so she can have a high school experience as her authentic self, choosing to wear the feminine version of the school uniform. Meanwhile, Hime, who has liked Akira for a while, is trying to figure out what her feelings toward her BFF are telling her about her own queer identity.

One of the best first volumes of manga I’ve read in a while, I Wanna Be Your Girl humanizes the trans and queer community through Takase’s thoughtfully crafted, nuanced exploration of gender identity and sexuality, acknowledging the bigotry many queer folks face on their journey of self-discovery and actualization. (Read my full review here.) — Ollie Kaplan

Land

Writer/Artist: Kazumi Yamashita
Publisher: Yen Press

I read this book in a mad rush to make my year-end graphic novels list and it is one of two graphic novels I read all year that made me go “ooooh” out loud. Land appears to be a folk horror story about a young girl in a mysterious, deeply insular community ruled by four gods, where no adults live past the age of 50 and twins are a sign of misfortune.

When An discovers her older twin sister survived her exile and has sworn vengeance on the father that abandoned her, the sheltered younger sister must decide whether she wants to stick with what she knows or go beyond the borders of the valley. There is so, so much more going on in this book than a simple summary can possibly cover. Just read it — it’s nuts. — Masha Zhdanova

Legend of Kamui, Vol. 1

Writer/Artist: Shirato Sanpei
Translators: Richard Rubinger and Noriko Rubinger
Additional Translation: Alexa Frank
Lettering: Michael DeForge
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly

Weasel eats mouse. Bird of prey eats weasel. A flap of its wings spread seeds eaten by the dear chased by the bear that frightens the rabbit that is killed by the wild man of the woods. He lifts the corpse and says: “Kamui!” Meanwhile, in a nearby fortress, samurai shoot a loyal dog to death with arrows for fun.

That’s what Legend of Kamui is all about: in a world that follows the cycle of nature, humans perpetuate cycles of oppression for their own benefit. What does it mean to live in that world as a peasant or an outcast, struggling to build solidarity despite a social order determined to destroy it? Shirato Sanpei’s historical epic is a dense work that will give you back as much as you put in. — Adam Wescott

Love Bullet, Vol. 1

Writer/Artist: Inee
Translator: Masaaki Fukushima
Letterer: Aila Nagamine
Publisher: Yen Press

Hey, you got your militarized fight manga in my sapphic romance! No, you got your sapphic romance in my militarized fight manga. This one’s for the reader who appreciates when the meet-cute bullet pierces two girls’ hearts in one shot, as all the other cupids brawl in the background over the wrong target.

The modern matchmaker has traded in their quivers for clips, arrows for assault weapons, little bare Sonny Angel buns for a flak jacket, fingerless gloves, and a beret. Love the art style and character design, the obvious ardor for combat scenes. To cash out of the cupid game, you’ve got to clear as many targets as possible. So what happens when someone who actually cares about the mission gets enlisted? — Arpad Okay

Miss Ruki

Writer/Artist: Fumiko Takano
Translator: Alexa Frank
Cover Design: Ella Gold
Typesetting: Anika Banister
Publisher: New York Review Comics

Miss Ruki is a comic strip about two women living in 1980s Japan. Ruki is childish and absent-minded; her friend Ecchan is stylish and ambitious. Yet it is Ruki—who does what she pleases no matter what anybody says or thinks about her—who is the hero of the story.

Really, though, this is a book you read because Fumiko Takano can build a whole strip around the visual gag of somebody not being able to reach the telephone, and make it really funny. I don’t know why it took so long for Takano to be translated into English, but I’m glad she’s here now. — Adam Wescott

Tamaki and Amane

Writer/Artist: Fumi Yoshinaga
Translator: Taylor Engel
Lettering: Adnazeer Macalangcom
Publisher: Yen Press

In this collection of stories by fan-favorite artist Fumi Yoshinaga, there is always a Tamaki and an Amane. Sometimes they are women and best friends. Sometimes they are men fighting over the same woman. No matter what happens, the two are separated, as if by fate.

Yet there are no dramatic shortcuts in these comics. Every character has an inner life you can read in their face and in what they say on the page. Their choices follow naturally from their decisions. So when they do what they can or miss a chance or offer each other comfort or love or hate, you say, “Here we are again.” — Adam Wescott

Touch Within the Abyss

Writer/Artist: Mayori Mori
Translator: Jacqueline Fung
Lettering: Vibrant Publishing Studio
Publisher: TokyoPop

When I say I absolutely adore Touch Within The Abyss, you should know that means I own both the original Japanese and English versions of this book. Being a BL fan means you have to kiss a lot of frogs to get to the good stuff. And the great stuff? Well, keep puckering up.

The premise for Mayori Mori’s self-contained debut is elegantly simple: hitman Chinatsu, plagued with regret over his brother’s death, crosses paths with the only other person who was there that fateful day — a young blind man called Kasumi. A classic pairing of two lost souls searching for light in the void of their own loneliness, this is nothing short of a breathtaking piece of work, both in writing and art. Look out for the author’s current ongoing series, Bride of Ignat, the first volume of which will be published in English next March. — Hannah Collins

A Witch’s Life in Mongol 

Writer/Artist: Tomato Soup
Translator: Amanda Haley
Letterer: Aila Nagamine
Publisher: Yen Press

Following the excellent recommendation of Abrams ComicArts assistant editor Kotaline Jones, I picked up the first volume of this historical fiction manga this fall and became immediately enamored with it.

The story follows Sitara, a young girl sold into slavery in the Khwarazmian city of Tus during the end of the Islamic golden age. She’s educated in order to raise her price, but when Genghis Khan’s army destroys her city and all she has come to hold dear, she’s captured and must quickly adapt to both honor her slain mistress and keep herself alive. Working within the imperial court as the lady-in-waiting to a princess, she swears revenge on the empire for what they’ve done—and wields her knowledge as her weapon. It’s a gripping, fast-paced tale with fascinating characters, layers of well-applied research, and absolutely gorgeous art. There are currently two volumes available in English, and I am eagerly awaiting the third. — Samantha Puc

Best Manhwa of 2025

Antidote

Writers: Harusari, Totiko
Artist/Colors: Totiko
Publisher: Manta

No one likes an amnesia conceit, right? Well, Antidote has somehow gotten me on board with one! I think it helps that this gimmick is baked into the premise: Set in a medieval-style world, protagonist Slan is an indentured servant to a noble family he once lorded over, until a trauma-induced manic episode resulted in him losing his title and memories. Then a handsome, ‘barbarian’ knight who claims to be his true love comes out of the woodwork, and Slan, who was resigned to his sorry fate, dares to dream of freedom.

If you’re into romantasy manhwa with good worldbuilding, slowburn spice, and ‘soft but strong’ meets ‘strong but soft’ pairings like Under the Oak Tree, Antidote will be your goblet of wine. — Hannah Collins

Deadpoint

Writer/Artist: MAYORAC
Publisher: Webtoon

Previously recommended in Monthly Manhwa Recs 6 and still good! Hoji Park is okay at rock climbing, but her real special ability is being able to see everyone’s “talent ceiling,” or how high they can go in their field before they fall. Aseong Chae was the star of the Korean climbing scene until she fell dramatically at the Summer Olympics. Together, the two of them will discover if it’s really possible to overcome your limits!

Deadpoint is beautifully drawn and well-paced, with interesting and creative characters. Fans of weird girls and sports stories need to check this one out. — Masha Zhdanova

A First of Summers

Writer/Artist/Colors: Pppanghouse
Publisher: Lezhin

I’m always a bit skeptical of both the teacher/student and age gap tropes in romance, particularly given certain gender and power dynamics. But I couldn’t resist clicking on A First of Summers for Pppanghouse’s artwork, which has such a distinctive mixture of manga and western comic style and beautifully restrained use of colour.

I was pleasantly surprised to be introduced to a similarly unique kind of BL protagonist: a recently divorced man in his 40s, who, on a midlife crisis whim, signs up for guitar lessons from an attractive gay musician in his 20s. Despite the tropes I mentioned feeding into its premise, A First of Summers never feels lurid. Instead, what unfolds is a sweet, seasonal love story navigating grounded societal stigmas around sexuality and age. — Hannah Collins

Melting Point

Writer/Artist/Colors: Pibi
Publisher: Lezhin

If you’re gripped by Heated Rivalry mania, let me introduce you to your next gay ice hockey obsession. Melting Point reunites childhood friends and former teammates, Eunsan and Ian, over a decade since they parted on bad terms. Eunsan stayed in South Korea and went into sports marketing, while Ian became an ice hockey star in Canada.

Now, Ian’s back on home turf, and he’s desperate to get back into Eunsan’s—his first love—good graces. If you’re a bit sick and tired of the toxicness of Jaekyung in Lezhin’s biggest sports BL, Jinx, Melting Point’s Ian, while not unproblematic, is a world-class yearner. Every panel is worthy of a screenshot folder, preferably a password-protected one. — Hannah Collins

The Students of Illip Arts High

Writer/Artist: Backbone
Assistants: KIM.CAN.DO, Anun, Seyoung
Publisher: Webtoon

Also previously recommended in Monthly Manhwa Recs 2 and still good—dare I say, even better than it was when I last recommended it? The story follows the daily lives of a group of first year students at the titular arts high school. Sol was known as the human copy machine at her rural middle school, but she struggles with drawing from her imagination. She ends up getting into an expensive arts high school in Seoul… but her family doesn’t support her ambitions and cannot afford to support her financially, while the new friends she makes at school have more money than she’s ever seen.

The tensions between art and money, hard work and connections, friendship dramas and first loves, all make this ordinary school story an absolutely heart-pounding read. Most importantly, Backbone really has the technical skill to support a story about fine artists. Each episode is impeccably drawn, and the character designs are distinct yet appealing. This slice-of-life story is perfect for fans of Blue Period and Blank Canvas. — Masha Zhdanova

Don’t miss all of our Best of 2025 lists:
Anime | Comics & Graphic Novels | Kids Comics | Manga & Manhwa | Movies | TV Series | Video Games | Webtoons & Webcomics