2022 was an outstanding year not just for new and returning anime series, but also for manga, many of which tie into the best anime of 2022. Manga readers had plenty of fiction to enjoy across all genres this year, which either introduced or continued many must-read titles -- especially for shonen.
Interested readers can try out some of the best manga from 2022, either as standalone stories or the continuation of a popular anime. Other great manga series from this year also serve as an introduction to some wonderful new anime coming out in 2023's Winter lineup, so devoted fans can enjoy the story both ways.
My Hero Academia's Manga Is Reaching Its Long-Awaited Endgame
Even if the My Hero Academia anime is going strong with Season 6 and its exciting war arc against the Paranormal Liberation Front, some diehard fans still want more, and 2022 delivered. Regardless of the anime, the source manga ranks among the best to read in 2022, with the overall story reaching its true endgame at last.
All throughout the year, manga readers watched breathlessly as Izuku Midoriya and his few surviving allies took the fight to Tomura Shigaraki to finally decide the world's fate, and both sides are using new Quirks and strategies like never before. With My Hero Academia on the verge of completion, now is a great time to dive into the manga and join other readers in watching this series finish with a bang.
Chainsaw Man's Manga Has So Much More to Give
Chainsaw Man was the anime breakout of the year in 2022, and new and veteran fans alike were eager to watch the antihero Devil Hunter Denji tear it up on the small screen. Part of the hype came not just from the anime's trailers, but manga readers' knowledge of exactly what they were in for. They were proven right when the Chainsaw Man anime became a smash hit, but the season will only be a scant 12 episodes, far from the complete story.
Luckily, anime fans can turn to author Tatsuki Fujimoto's ongoing manga to get the whole story, and revel in his unique art style and bizarre storytelling after Season 1 ends. The best is yet to come -- including the arrival of Reze and Santa Claus in the "International Assassins" arc -- and anime-only fans won't want to miss it. The most recent chapters have even included a brand-new heroine with a terrifying new devil sitting on her shoulder, so to speak.
My Dress-Up Darling's Manga Is Still Ongoing
My Dress-Up Darling was a beloved standout of the Winter 2022 anime season, a wholesome but also steamy rom-com featuring the charming genki girl Marin Kitagawa and her new dandere friend, the doll maker Gojo Wakana. Together, they explored the wonderful world of cosplay and forged an unlikely but strong bond as friends, and there might even be true love mixed in. The anime's sole season ended conclusively, so romance fans eager for more can check out the ongoing manga which has more cosplay magic to share.
Mashle: Magic & Muscles' Manga Will Preview Winter 2023's Most Enchanting Anime
Mashle: Magic & Muscles is slowly but surely picking up traction as the "One-Punch Harry Potter," a comedy fantasy manga about a boy named Mash Burndead who makes up for his lack of magic with superhuman physical feats. Mashle published many more volumes across 2022, further developing the story and expanding its cast of students and villains alike.
Anyone who's in the mood for off-beat comedy is bound to enjoy Mashle's ongoing manga, and it releases new volumes frequently, too. The manga may serve as an excellent preview of what the 2023 Mashle anime will have to offer.
Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible Is Perfect for Komi Fans
Fans of Komi Can't Communicate and Horimiya are encouraged to try Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible, which, like Mashle, inspired a 2023 anime of the same name. This easygoing, innocent rom-com shows what happens when the popular girl Kubo reaches out and befriends the total wallflower Shiraishi, and together, they will grow much closer as a little more than friends.
Kubo still has her shy side, though, so her budding romance with Shiraishi will advance in modest, adorable steps as they figure out their young love together. The Kubo manga only recently got a print release in the West, but it's updating rapidly and may soon catch up to the digital Kubo release on the Manga Plus app.