Battle Manga! All-Out Fight to the Finish!

Greetings fighters! Are you ready to power up and battle down? Then drop your training weights, and let’s dive into some battle manga!

Primarily targeted at the shonen (young/teen boy) demographic, battle manga are the bread and butter of the manga world. The name says it all. They are action/adventure stories centered around characters gaining power and battling rivals, foes, and villains in knock-down, drag-out fights. 

Some of the most popular manga of the last thirty years have been battle manga, and they are some of the most easily recognizable manga currently on the market. The mega-hit Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ballhelped popularize anime in the west and is an example of a classic battle manga. It is an age-old setup that is not particularly new, but it is always thrilling to watch.  

Battle manga top the list of bestselling manga series in Japan year after year. For eighteen years Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece was Shonen Jump’s number one bestselling manga. Then, in 2019 it was knocked down to the number two spot by Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon Slayer = Kimetsu no Yaiba, which sold over 12 million copies. Demon Slayer maintained its number one position in 2020 with over 82 million copies sold while One Piece was knocked down to the number three spot. 

Battle manga are typically about young men who come into a unique power that either helps them fight for the forces of good or helps them obtain some goal that they have. Female protagonists are rare, and female characters are generally relegated to friends, villains, or love interests. If a manga does feature a female protagonist who engages in consistent battles against the forces of evil, that manga will usually be classified under the “Magical Girl” category rather than a battle manga. Naoko Takeuchi’s Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a notable example. 

The fun thing about battle manga is that literally anything can be turned into a battle manga. The series does not necessarily have to be based on traditional fighting and violence. Tournaments feature heavily in these stories as they allow characters to show off their skills against a constant influx of new opponents. So by the very nature of being in a competition, most sports manga tend to turn into battle manga. If it involves a competition or a tournament of any sort, whether it's a sports tournament or a cooking competition, it can very easily turn into a battle manga. Heck, even ballroom dancing can turn into a battle manga! Nothing is off limits!

So if you’re ready to root for Team Urameshi in the Black Tournament or All Might in his battle against All For One, then you’re ready for battle manga!

Traditional Battle Manga

Black Clover Yuki Tabata; translation, Satsuki Yamashita & Taylor Engel, HC Language Solutions, Inc.; touch-up art & lettering, Annaliese Christman

Volumes: 28 (ongoing)

Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem—he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure—Asta will never give up!

Bleach story and art by Tite Kubo; English adaptation by Lance Caselman; translation by Joe Yamazaki

Volumes: 74

Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a full-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits and, along with Rukia--who is slowly regaining her powers—it's Ichigo's job to protect the innocent from Hollows and help the spirits themselves find peace.

Demon Slayer = Kimetsu no Yaiba story and art by Koyoharu Gotouge; translation, John Werry; English adaptation, Stan!; touch-up art and lettering, John Hunt

Volumes: 23

In Taisho-era Japan, Tanjiro Kamado is a kindhearted boy who makes a living selling charcoal until his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his family and turns his sister into another demon, forcing Tanjiro on a dangerous journey to destroy the demon and save his sister.

Dragon Ball story & art by Akira Toriyama; translation by Mari Morimoto; English adaptation by Gerard Jones; touch-up & lettering by Wayne Truman; design bySean Lee, Shawn Carrico; edited by Jason Thompson, Annette Roman

Volumes: 42 volumes collected into 3-by-1 omnibuses

Legend has it that if all seven of the precious orbs called "Dragon Balls" are gathered together, an incredibly powerful dragon god will appear to grant one wish. Unfortunately, the orbs are scattered across the world, making them extremely difficult to collect. Enter 16-year-old Bulma, a scientific genius who has constructed a radar to detect the exact locations of the Dragon Balls. She's on a mission to find all seven orbs, but first she must convince young Son Goku to join her on her quest. With a monkey tail, superhuman strength and a magic staff for a weapon, Son Goku is ready to set out on the adventure of a lifetime…

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, story by Yuto Tsukuda, art by Shun Saeki, translation by Adrienne Beck

Volumes: 36

Soma Yukihira's old man runs a small family restaurant in the less savory end of town.  Aiming to one day surpass his father's culinary prowess, Soma hones his skills day in and day out until one day, out of the blue, his father decides to enroll Soma in a classy culinary school!  Can Soma really cut it in a school that prides itself on a 10 percent graduation rate? And can he convince the beautiful, domineering heiress of the school that he belongs there at all?!

Hunter x Hunter story and art by Yoshihiro Togashi; English adaptation, Gary Leach; translation, Lillian Olsen

Volumes: 36 (ongoing)

Gon might be a country boy, but he has high aspirations. Despite his Aunt Mito's protests, Gon decides to follow in his father's footsteps and become a legendary Hunter. The Hunter hopefuls begin their journey by storm-tossed ship, where Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika, the only other applicants who aren't devastated by bouts of seasickness.

Having survived the terrors of the high seas, Gon and his companions now have to prove their worth in a variety of tests in order to find the elusive Exam Hall. And once they get there, will they ever leave alive...?

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 1, Phantom Blood by Hirohiko Araki; translation, Evan Galloway; touch-up art & lettering, Mark McMurray; design, Fawn Lau; editor, Urian Brown

Volumes: 129, split into eight separate story arcs starting with Phantom Blood (ongoing)

Young Jonathan Joestar's life is forever changed when he meets his new adopted brother, Dio. For some reason, Dio has a smoldering grudge against him and derives pleasure from seeing him suffer. But every man has his limits, as Dio finds out. This is the beginning of a long and hateful relationship!

Jujutsu Kaisen story and art by Gege Akutami; translation, Stefan Koza

Volumes: 15 (ongoing)

Although Yuji Itadori looks like your average teenager, his immense physical strength is something to behold! Every sports club wants him to join, but Itadori would rather hang out with the school outcasts in the Occult Research Club. One day, the club manages to get their hands on a sealed cursed object. Little do they know the terror they’ll unleash when they break the seal…

Mob Psycho 100 by ONE; translated by Kumar Sivasubramanian; lettering and retouch by John Clark

Volumes: 16

What's his secret to busting ghosts while keeping prices low? Well, first, he's a fraud, and second, he pays the guy who's got the real psychic power—his student assistant Shigeo—less than minimum wage. Shigeo is an awkward but kind boy whose urge to help others and get along with them is bound up with the mental safety locks he's placed on his own emotions. Reigen knows he needs to exploit Shigeo to stay in business, yet for better or worse he's also his mentor and counselor. And he also knows whenever the normally repressed kid's emotions reach level 100, it may unleash more psychic energy than either of them can handle!

My Hero Academia  story & art Kohei Horikoshi ; translation & English adaptation Caleb Cook

Volumes: 29 (ongoing)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called "Quirks" at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless? Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn't got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny.

Naruto story and art by Masashi Kishimoto; English adaptation by Jo Duffy

Volumes: 72

Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. A nine-tailed fox spirit claimed the life of the village leader, the Hokage, and many others. Today, the village is at peace, and a troublemaking kid named Naruto is struggling to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan story and art by Hiroshi Shiibashi

Volumes: 25 

Rikuo grew up in a house full of yokai, so he always thought they were cool. But the kids in his class talk about yokai like they're bad! When his grandfather announces Rikuo as his chosen heir to run the Nura clan, Rikuo is torn between his human nature and his duties as a yokai. The rest of the clan's not so crazy about a wimpy part-human as their ruler, particularly Gagoze, a high-ranking yokai who would rather eat a human than be ruled by one.

One Piece story and art by Eiichiro Oda; English adaptation by  Lance Caselman; translation by Andy Nakatani

Volumes: 96 (ongoing)

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But his life changed when Luffy accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world.

One-Punch Man story by ONE; art by Yusuke Murata; translation, John Werry; touch-up art & lettering, James Gaubatz; design, Fawn Lau; graphic novel editor, Jennifer Leblanc

Volumes: 23 (ongoing)

Every time a promising villain appears, Saitama beats the snot out of 'em with one punch! Can he finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of superpowered boredom?

World Trigger story and art by Daisuke Ashihara; translation, Lillian Olsen

Volumes: 23 (ongoing)

Destroy thy Neighbor! A gate to another dimension has burst open, and invincible monsters called Neighbors invade Earth. Osamu Mikumo may not be the best among the elite warriors who co-opt other-dimensional technology to fight back, but along with his Neighbor friend Yuma, he'll do whatever it takes to defend life on Earth as we know it.

YuYu Hakusho story and art by Yoshihiro Togashi; English adaptation by Gary Leach; translation, Lillian Olsen

Volumes: 18

Yusuke Urameshi was a tough teen delinquent until one selfless act changed his life… by ending it. When Yusuke died saving a little kid from a speeding car, the afterlife didn't know what to do with him, so it gave him a second chance at life. Now, Yusuke is a ghost with a mission, performing good deeds at the behest of Botan, the spirit guide of the dead, and Koenma, her pacifier-sucking boss from the "other side." But what strange things await him on the borderline between life and death?

Sports

Haikyu!! story and art by Haruichi Furudate; translation, Adrienne Beck; touch-up art & lettering, Erika Terriquez

Volumes: 45

Ever since he saw the legendary player known as 'the Little Giant' compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! Who says you need to be tall to play volleyball when you can jump higher than anyone else? After losing his first and last volleyball match against Tobio Kageyama, 'the King of the Court,' Shoyo Hinata swears to become his rival after graduating middle school. But what happens when the guy he wants to defeat ends up being his teammate?!

The Prince of Tennis, story and art by Takeshi Konomi

Volumes: 42

There is a rumor going around that a twelve-year-old boy is going to enter the sixteen-year-old-and-under tennis group. How can someone so young ever hope to compete with kids much older and more experienced than him? This is no ordinary kid: he is none other than Ryoma Echizen, the Prince of Tennis!

Ryoma's father was destined for greatness until he injured himself during a match, ending his career forever. His talent was passed on to his son, who is determined to be the best tennis player in the world. Can the prince gain the respect of his fellow teammates despite his small size and young age?

For more titles, check out Get Your Head in the Game! Sports and Game-Based Manga Recommendations!

Discover more recommended manga titles with these related blog posts:

• Manga for Days: Manga 25 Volumes or Fewer for Adults
• Manga for Days: Manga 25 Volumes or Fewer for Teens
• A Beginner's Guide to Manga Classics
• Award-Winning Manga 1: General Category

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.