Top 10 Manga, Manhua, Manhwa in 2023

Hello everyone! In this article, I will share with you my top 10 manga/manhua/manhwa recommendations in random order. These are some of the titles that I have enjoyed reading and that I think you will like too. They cover various genres such as action, comedy, romance, fantasy, horror, etc. and they have unique stories and characters that will keep you hooked. Let’s get started!

Second Life Ranker

Second Life Ranker is a Korean manhwa series written by Sadoyeon and illustrated by Nongnong. It is about a man named Yeon-woo who finds his twin brother’s diary after he died mysteriously. He decides to follow in his brother’s footsteps and enter a mysterious tower where he has to compete with other rankers for a second chance at life.

Second Life Ranker is an interesting and fun webtoon for fans of action, fantasy and gaming genres. It has a captivating plot that keeps readers hooked with its twists and turns. It also has impressive artwork that depicts the various scenes and characters vividly. The webtoon explores themes such as revenge, loyalty, friendship, betrayal and destiny.

➕ The character development of Yeon-woo as he grows from a vengeful loner to a respected leader.

➕ The world-building of Obelisk as it introduces different floors, stages, monsters, items and rules that make the game more complex and challenging.

➕ The action scenes are thrilling, intense and well-drawn.

➕ The mystery element adds suspense and intrigue to the story.

➖ The slow pace of updates as it takes time for new chapters to be released.

➖ The lack of romance or humor as it focuses more on drama and violence.

Martial Peak

Martial Peak is a Chinese manhua and web novel series written and illustrated by Momo (II). It is about a young man named Yang Kai who strives to reach the peak of martial arts in a world where cultivators compete for resources and power. It is one of the most popular manhua series online with over 314K monthly views.

Martial Peak appeals to readers who enjoy action-packed stories with elements of fantasy, adventure, romance and comedy. The story features many exciting battles between cultivators with different skills and abilities as well as various mystical creatures such as dragons, phoenixes and demons.

The story also showcases the growth and development of Yang Kai as he overcomes various challenges and improves his cultivation level.

The story also has some humorous moments where Yang Kai interacts with his friends or rivals in funny ways.

The story also has some romantic scenes where Yang Kai expresses his feelings for his love interests or faces their jealousy or admiration.

➕ The plot is well-paced and engaging with many twists and turns that keep readers hooked.

➕ The characters are well-developed and likable with distinct personalities and backgrounds.

➕ The world-building is rich and detailed with many different realms and cultures that create a vivid setting for the story.

➕ The action scenes are thrilling and descriptive with clear explanations of how different techniques work and what effects they have.

➕ The humor scenes are amusing and entertaining with witty dialogues and funny situations that lighten up the mood.

➕ The romance scenes are sweet and touching with genuine emotions and expressions that make readers root for Yang Kai’s relationships.

➖ The story can be repetitive at times with similar scenarios or conflicts happening over again.

➖ The story can be predictable at times with obvious outcomes or clichés being used frequently.

➖ The story can be unrealistic at times with some events or actions being too convenient or coincidental for Yang Kai’s favor.

➖ The story can be sexist at times with some female characters being portrayed as weak or dependent on male characters for protection or validation.

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime) is a Japanese manga, light novel and anime series written by Fuse and illustrated by Mitz Vah. It is about a man named Satoru Mikami who dies and reincarnates as a slime monster in a fantasy world where he befriends other creatures and builds his kingdom. It is one of the most popular isekai series with over 25 million copies in circulation.

The series is appealing for its humor, action, world-building, character development, and fan service. It has a balance of comedy and drama that keeps the story engaging. It also has a diverse cast of characters with different personalities and backgrounds that make them interesting.

➕ Its unique premise of having a slime as the protagonist

➕ Its creative use of skills and magic systems

➕ Its positive message of coexistence and harmony among different races

➕ Its satisfying progression of power levels

➕ Its colorful art style

➖ Its lack of tension or stakes at times due to Rimuru’s overpowered ness

➖ Its tendency to gloss over some details or events

➖ Its occasional use of clichés or tropes

Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball Super is a Japanese manga and anime series written by Akira Toriyama and illustrated by Toyotarou. It is a sequel to Dragon Ball Z and follows Goku and his friends as they face new threats and challenges in a multiverse of gods and warriors. It is one of the most popular anime series with over 250 million viewers worldwide.

Dragon Ball Super appeals to fans of action, comedy, adventure and fantasy genres. It has epic battles, humorous moments, emotional scenes, colorful characters and creative designs.

➕ It continues the legacy of one of the most popular manga and anime franchises in history

➕ It introduces new elements that expand the scope and depth of the story and world

➕ It showcases impressive animation, soundtrack, voice acting and art style

➖ It has inconsistent quality, pacing, logic and power scaling at times

➖ It relies too much on nostalgia, fan service, deus ex machina and plot armor for some fans’ taste

➖ It contradicts or retcons some aspects of the previous series

Peerless Dad

Peerless Dad is a Korean novel and webtoon written by Noh Kyungchan and illustrated by Hyun You. It is about a martial artist named Gajang Noh who becomes a widower and has to raise his three children while facing various challenges and enemies. It is a spin-off of Red Storm, another novel and webtoon by the same author.

The appeal of this title is its mix of action, comedy, drama, and family themes. It shows how Gajang Noh grows as a person and a parent through his experiences. It also has impressive fight scenes that showcase different styles of martial arts.

➕ Well-developed characters

➕ Humorous moments

➕ Emotional depth

➕ world-building.

➖ Its slow pace at times

➖ Inconsistent updates due to hiatuses

➖ Lack of romance for Gajang Noh (so far)

➖ Reliance on clichés (such as hidden identities).

One Piece

One Piece is a Japanese manga and anime series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda. It follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his pirate crew as they search for the legendary treasure called One Piece left by the Pirate King Gol D. Roger. It is the best-selling manga series in history with over 516 million copies in circulation worldwide.

It is one of the most popular and longest-running manga and anime series in history. It has over 1,100 chapters and 1,000 episodes as of 2023. It is known for its epic storylines, diverse characters, creative world-building, humor, action-packed battles, emotional moments and themes of friendship, freedom and adventure. It appeals to fans of all ages and genres with its unique blend of comedy, drama, fantasy and adventure. It also has many references to real-life cultures, myths and legends that enrich its universe. It is widely regarded as one of the best manga and anime series ever created.

➕ It has a rich and expansive world with diverse characters and cultures.

➕ It has a captivating plot with many twists, mysteries and surprises.

➕ It has a balance of humor, action, drama and emotion.

➕ It has a loyal fanbase and a long-running history since 1997.

➖ It has slow pacing and a lot of filler episodes in the anime adaptation.

➖ It has a complex and sometimes confusing storyline with many subplots and flashbacks.

➖ It tends to repeat some tropes and formulas in each arc.

➖ It has a large number of characters that can be hard to keep track of or develop fully.

Legend of the Northern Blade

Legend of the Northern Blade is a Korean novel series by Woo-Gak that has been adapted into a webtoon by Hae-Min. It is a martial arts fantasy story set in a world that was plunged into darkness by the ‘Silent Night’. The protagonist is Jin Mu-Won, the sole survivor of the Northern Heavenly Sect that was destroyed by other martial artists.

A captivating plot that keeps readers hooked with twists, turns, and cliffhangers. A rich lore that creates an immersive world with diverse cultures, histories, and mysteries. A dynamic art style that showcases stunning action scenes, expressive characters, and vivid landscapes. A balanced mix of humor, drama, romance, and tragedy appeals to different emotions and preferences.

➕ Its originality and creativity set it apart from other martial arts stories.

➕ Its character development and growth makes readers care about their fates and motivations.

➕ Its themes and messages explore topics such as justice, loyalty, revenge, forgiveness, identity, and destiny.

➖ Its slow pace and long chapters may bore some readers who prefer faster action or shorter episodes.

➖ Its complex plot and lore may confuse some readers who have trouble following all the details or remembering all the names.

➖ Its violence and gore may disturb some readers who are sensitive to graphic scenes or bloodshed.

Black Clover

Black Clover is a Japanese manga series by Yūki Tabata that follows the adventures of Asta and Yuno, two orphan boys who aspire to become the Wizard King in a world where magic is everything. It has been adapted into an anime series that ran from 2017 to 2021 and has a fifth season planned for 2023.

It is a shōnen manga series that follows the adventures of Asta, a boy who was born without any magic in a world where magic is everything. He dreams of becoming the Wizard King, the strongest mage in the kingdom, and joins a squad of misfits called the Black Bulls. Along with his rival and friend Yuno, who possesses a rare four-leaf clover grimoire, Asta faces various threats and challenges that test his determination and courage.

➕ The fast-paced and thrilling plot keeps readers hooked with twists and turns.

➕ The diverse and likable cast of characters that have their personalities, backgrounds and motivations.

➕ The creative and unique magic system that involves grimoires, spells and attributes.

➕ The impressive and detailed art style that showcases the dynamic battles and expressions.

➕ The themes of friendship, teamwork and overcoming adversity that inspire readers.

➖ The clichéd and predictable tropes that are common in shōnen manga such as rivalries, power-ups and tournaments.

➖ The lack of originality or innovation that makes it similar to other popular series such as Naruto or Fairy Tail.

➖ The excessive fan service or sexualization of female characters that may be offensive or distracting for some readers.

➖ The inconsistent pacing or writing quality that may result in plot holes or rushed arcs.

➖ The frequent hiatuses or breaks that interrupt the flow or continuity of the story.

The Breaker 3: Eternal Force

The Breaker 3: Eternal Force is the third season of The Breaker series, a Korean manhwa by Jeon Geuk-Jin and Park Jin-Hwan. It is an action story about Ha-Jae, a bullied student who is pushed off a rooftop by a mysterious senior. He survives and discovers that he has inherited martial arts skills from his father.

It is an interesting title for readers who enjoy action-packed stories with martial arts themes, dramatic twists, romance, humor, and mystery. It has stunning artwork, dynamic fight scenes, engaging characters, and intriguing plot developments.

➕ The art style and quality: The webtoon format allows for more detailed and colorful illustrations that enhance the visual appeal of the story. The characters are well-designed and expressive, and the action scenes are dynamic and fluid.

➕ The character development and growth: The webtoon shows how Ha-Jae transforms from a timid and bullied teenager to a confident and courageous martial artist under Chun-Woo’s guidance. It also explores Chun-Woo’s past and motivations, as well as his relationship with Sera.

➕ The world-building and lore: The webtoon creates a rich and immersive world of martial arts clans with their history, culture, politics, and secrets. It also introduces new concepts and techniques that add depth and complexity to the story.

➖ The change of format and name: Some readers may be confused or disappointed by the change of format from a manga to a webtoon, and the change of name from The Breaker to Eternal Force. They may feel that it is not a true continuation of the original series, or that it loses some of its charm and identity.

➖ The pacing and plot: Some readers may find the pacing too slow or too fast, depending on their preferences.

➖ They may also feel that some plot points are too predictable, clichéd, or unresolved. They may want more focus on Shi-Woon (the main character of the previous seasons) rather than Ha-Jae (the new disciple).

➖ The art style and quality: Some readers may not like the art style or quality of the webtoon, especially compared to the previous seasons. They may think that it is too simple, bland, or inconsistent. They may also prefer black-and-white illustrations over color ones.

Apotheosis - Elevation to the status of a god

Apotheosis - Elevation to the status of a god is a Chinese manga. It is an adventure story about Luo Zheng, who was betrayed by his family and sold as a slave. He escapes and obtains an ancient book that grants him divine power. The title refers to the concept of apotheosis, which means elevation to the status of a god.

Apotheosis Elevation to the status of a god is an exciting and captivating fantasy adventure that follows Luo Zheng’s journey to becoming a god. It combines elements of martial arts, magic, mythology and romance in a rich and immersive world. The story is full of twists and turns, battles and challenges, and mysteries and secrets that keep the readers hooked and engaged.

The title is also fun to read because of its humorous dialogues, colorful and diverse characters and creative and original plot. The author has a great sense of humor and imagination that makes the story enjoyable and entertaining. The title also has some emotional and touching moments that make the readers care about the characters and their fates.

➕ The amazing and impressive plot keeps the readers on the edge of their seats. The author has a brilliant and creative mind that creates a complex and intriguing story that is full of surprises and twists. The plot is well-paced and well-structured, with a clear beginning, middle and end. The author also knows how to balance action and suspense with humor and romance, making the story appealing to different tastes and preferences.

➕ The outstanding and memorable characters make the story come alive. The author has a great skill in developing and portraying realistic and relatable characters that have personalities, backgrounds and goals. The characters are not flat or stereotypical but have depth and growth throughout the story. The author also creates a strong and dynamic relationship between Luo Zheng and his allies and enemies that adds drama and tension to the story.

➖ It is a disappointing and confusing ending that leaves the readers unsatisfied and frustrated. The author seems to rush the conclusion and wrap up everything hastily and vaguely. The ending does not answer all the questions and loose ends that were raised throughout the story. The ending also contradicts some of the established rules and logic of the story world and creates more confusion and doubt for the readers.

➖ The boring and repetitive scenes make the story drag and lose its momentum. The author sometimes uses too much filler and fluff to extend the chapters and volumes without adding much value or substance to the story. The author also recycles some of the same scenarios and conflicts over and over again without introducing any new or interesting elements or challenges for Luo Zheng and his companions.

Conclusion

These are my top 10 manga/manhua/manhwa recommendations in random order. I hope you found something that caught your eye and that you will give them a try. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list and there are many other great titles out there that deserve your attention. Feel free to share your recommendations in the comments below and let me know what you think of mine. Happy reading!