Urasawa, Naoki

As the 20th century approaches its end, people all over the world are anxious that the world is changing. And probably not for the better.

Kenji Endou is a normal convenience store manager who is just trying to get by. But when he learns that one of his old friends going by the name "Donkey" has suddenly committed suicide and that a new cult led by a figure known as "Friend" is becoming more notorious, Kenji starts to feel that something is not right. With a few key clues left behind by his deceased friend, Kenji realizes that this cult is much more than he ever thought it would be—not only is this mysterious organization directly targeting him and his childhood friends, but the whole world also faces a grave danger that only the friends have the key to stop.

Kenji's simple life of barely making ends meet is flipped upside down when he reunites with his childhood friends, and together they must figure out the truth of how their past is connected to the cult, as the turn of the century could mean the possible end of the world.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

20th Century Boys

20世紀少年

Nagasaki, Takashi

Japanese-American Kevin Yamagata now authors the renowned detective comic book "Billy Bat" after serving in the Allied Forces in World War II. But as his series becomes a massive hit, Kevin discovers that his famed character, Billy Bat, already existed before within a Japanese comic. Worried that he may have unconsciously copied something he saw during his time there, Kevin returns to Japan to find Billy Bat's original creator and seek permission for him to use their character. However, as he traces back Billy Bat's roots, he finds himself unraveling a dark and twisted history of murders that somehow involve the character he thought he created.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Billy Bat

BILLY BAT

Tezuka, Osamu

From time immemorial to the age of space colonization, there is one legend that has stayed unchanged in every history book—the tale of the immortal bird Phoenix. A being whose blood is said to grant eternal life or wisdom, the radiant figure ensures the continuation of sentient life in the universe as it oversees human civilizations and their development.

Yet, mankind remains a slave to its habits; from happiness and sorrow, to wrath and love, a myriad of emotions continue to play an integral part of human life. Simultaneously, time and time again, certain beliefs and agendas persist over the centuries to disturb the fragile equilibrium of the world's preordained nature and principles. It appears that fate, with its dynamic variables, can manifest itself in many ways—and oftentimes exhibits a bizarre sense of humor.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Note: This is an incomplete series due to Tezuka's death.

Hi no Tori

Phoenix

火の鳥

Abe, George

Kakizaki, Masasumi

Six minors (16 or 17 years) answering to the nicknames of Joe, Mario, Suppon, Baremoto, Heitai and Kyabetsu are put into a reformatory for offences such as aggravated assault, swindle, flight, etc. Their stay in hell begins immediately. Accommodated by a doctor paedophile, they are placed under the monitoring of a despotic and brutal crew. Companions of cell of certain Sakuragi (called Anchan), the tension flares up between the band of buddies and their new "friend."

A brawl breaks out and our six prisoners are done rossés by mysterious young man thanks to his boxing talent.

The story will not only follow the lives of these seven characters surviving in their hellish environment, but also their disillusions due to the rejection by the outside world and by their close relations. This is about the extraodinary and invincible friendships between these young men.

Rainbow: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin

RAINBOW 二舎六房の七人

Hiramoto, Akira

Legend has it that if you take your guitar and stand at a crossroads at the witching hour, the devil will appear. He'll grab your instrument, play a song, and hand it back to you. You'll walk away an expert bluesman, but you'll have to pay the price: your immortal soul.

The year is 1929. Deep in the Mississippi Delta, a young man named R J dreams of becoming a bluesman. R J is a simple farmer who can barely play guitar, but when he takes a midnight stroll, his life is forever changed.

A phantasmagoric reimagining of the life of legendary blues great Robert Johnson, Ore to Akuma no Blues follows the journey of a man who really did sell his soul to the devil. Why not come along for the ride?

(Source: Del Rey, edited)

Ore to Akuma no Blues

Me and the Devil Blues: The Unreal Life of Robert Johnson

俺と悪魔のブルーズ

Tatsumi, Yoshihiro

Over four decades ago, Yoshihiro Tatsumi expanded the horizons of comics storytelling by using the visual language of manga to tell gritty, literary stories about the private lives of everyday people. He has been called "the grandfather of Japanese alternative comics" and has influenced generations of cartoonists around the world. Now the visionary creator of "The Push Man and Other Stories" and "Good-bye" has turned his incisive, unflinching gaze upon himself. Over ten years in the making, "A Drifting Life" is Tatsumis' most ambitious, personal, and heart felt work: an autobiographical bildungsroman in comics form. Using his life long obsession with comics as a frame work, Tatsumi weaves a complex story that encompasses family dynamics, Japanese culture and history, first love, the intricacies of the manga industry, and most importantly, what it means to be an artist. Alternately humorous, enlightening, and haunting, this is the masterful summartion of a fascinating life and a historic career.

(Source: Drawn &amp; Quarterly)

Gekiga Hyouryuu

A Drifting Life

劇画漂流

Hagio, Moto

As winter draws to a close, German boarding school student Thomas Werner dies one morning. He leaves behind a single letter addressed to his fellow student Juli that reads "Here is my love. Here is the sound of my heart."

With his faith shaken to the core by the words, the scholarly Juli sinks to the depths of despair. His cynical roommate Oscar finds himself watching over Juli's fragile mental state while keeping his own feelings for Juli under wraps. Then new student Eric enters the school - and he has an uncanny resemblance to the deceased Thomas...

Thomas no Shinzou

The Heart of Thomas

トーマの心臓

Miura, Kentarou

Studio Gaga

Guts, a former mercenary now known as the Black Swordsman, is out for revenge. After a tumultuous childhood, he finally finds someone he respects and believes he can trust, only to have everything fall apart when this person takes away everything important to Guts for the purpose of fulfilling his own desires. Now marked for death, Guts becomes condemned to a fate in which he is relentlessly pursued by demonic beings.

Setting out on a dreadful quest riddled with misfortune, Guts, armed with a massive sword and monstrous strength, will let nothing stop him, not even death itself, until he is finally able to take the head of the one who stripped him—and his loved one—of their humanity.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Included one-shot:
Volume 14: Berserk: The Prototype

Berserk

ベルセルク

Kenzou Tenma, a renowned Japanese neurosurgeon working in post-war Germany, faces a difficult choice: to operate on Johan Liebert, an orphan boy on the verge of death, or on the mayor of Düsseldorf. In the end, Tenma decides to gamble his reputation by saving Johan, effectively leaving the mayor for dead.

As a consequence of his actions, hospital director Heinemann strips Tenma of his position, and Heinemann's daughter Eva breaks off their engagement. Disgraced and shunned by his colleagues, Tenma loses all hope of a successful career—that is, until the mysterious killing of Heinemann gives him another chance.

Nine years later, Tenma is the head of the surgical department and close to becoming the director himself. Although all seems well for him at first, he soon becomes entangled in a chain of gruesome murders that have taken place throughout Germany. The culprit is a monster—the same one that Tenma saved on that fateful day nine years ago.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Monster

MONSTER

Inoue, Takehiko

Tomomi Nomiya, former captain of his high school's basketball team turned delinquent, decides to drop out of school after he is crushed by the guilt of ruining a young girl's life in a traffic accident. As he dedicates his free time to helping her, he stumbles upon Kiyoharu Togawa, a former sprinter who has lost the use of his right leg and now plays wheelchair basketball as an alternate outlet.

After challenging Kiyoharu to a one-on-one game, Tomomi is completely defeated. Inspired by this encounter, he realizes that he can't let his love for basketball die so easily and decides that he will do what he can to help others while striving to become a professional player. Meanwhile, Hisanobu Takahashi, Tomomi's replacement as the high school's team captain, gets into an accident and finds himself permanently paralyzed below the waist. Real tells the touching tale of these three young men as they struggle to overcome their disabilities and inner conflicts in order to achieve their dreams while igniting a passion that will bring them together.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Real

リアル

Nagatsuki, Tappei

Ootsuka, Shinichirou

Exiting the convenience store, Subaru Natsuki emerges to a busy town inhabited by humans and demi-humans. Using dragons and carriages as transportation, the town is clearly not the modern-day Japan that he is familiar with. However, as someone who spends his days engrossed in comics and games, Subaru assumes that he is a protagonist in this new fantasy world, harnessing supreme magical powers.

Much to his dismay, that is not the case and things quickly go awry as he bumps into a group of thugs. Fortunately, a silver-haired beauty named Satella comes to his rescue, while looking for her stolen insignia. In return for her kindness, Subaru offers to help with the search, which eventually leads them to a loot shop. Assuming that the insignia was traded for money, Subaru enters the shop hoping to negotiate with the owner regarding the stolen item. However, much to his surprise, what awaits them is not the insignia but a brutal assassin that leads the two to their demise.

But instead of waking up in the afterlife, Subaru is shocked to find himself standing alone in the midst of daytime, as if he never left the town in the first place. Thus, his life in another world mysteriously begins a second time.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-

Re：ゼロから始める異世界生活

Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

STARember

800 years ago, Xie Lian was a pure-blooded and noble Crown Prince, a well-regarded child of Heaven with unlimited potential. But who knew that, after he ascended and became a god with tens of thousands of worshippers, his fate would take such a sharp downhill turn? He was demoted again and again, and fell to rock bottom.

800 years later, Xie Lian ascended again, but this time, without worshippers and without incense. One day, after returning from collecting scraps, he took a mysterious young man home. And this young man was the Ghost King that made others pale in fear whenever discussed—Hua Cheng.

(Source: Bilibili Comics)

12 Manga Like Ningen Shikkaku