Beginner manga guide
Best manga to start with for anime fans
New to manga? Start with a series that matches the anime you already enjoy. This guide covers beginner-friendly manga, Korean manhwa and easy series routes for UK anime fans and collectors.
Quick picks for anime fans
The easiest way to choose your first manga is to match it to the kind of anime you already like.
- Supernatural battle anime: start with Jujutsu Kaisen.
- Psychological anime and thrillers: start with Death Note.
- Darker action anime: start with Chainsaw Man.
- Fast supernatural comedy and action: start with Dandadan.
- Power fantasy and dungeon anime: start with Solo Leveling.
- Football or sports anime: start with Blue Lock.
- Gentle fantasy anime: start with Frieren.
Start with one of these series
These are strong starting points for anime fans because they have clear hooks, popular anime appeal and easy entry points.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Supernatural battlesCurses, fast fights, dark shonen energy and a strong anime-to-manga route.
View series →
Death Note
Classic thrillerA shorter, darker classic with mind games, tension and collector-friendly editions.
View series →
Chainsaw Man
Dark actionFast, violent, strange and memorable. A strong pick if you want something modern.
View series →
Dandadan
Newer favouriteSupernatural action, comedy, aliens, spirits and an easy early-volume entry point.
View series →
Blue Lock
Sports mangaFootball, rivalry, intense training and competitive sports manga energy.
View series →
One Piece
Huge adventureA massive adventure series with comedy, found family and long-term storytelling.
View series →How to choose your first manga
Do not start with the series people shout about the loudest. Start with the type of story you already enjoy watching. If you are not sure whether you want visual manga or prose books, read our Manga vs Light Novel guide before choosing.
Want a shorter classic?
Start with Death Note. It has a strong hook, a complete story and works well for anime fans who like tension and mind games.
Want modern action?
Start with Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man or Dandadan. These are easier modern picks with clear early-volume entry points.
Want power progression?
Start with Solo Leveling. It is Korean manhwa rather than Japanese manga, with dungeons, ranking systems and fast growth. For the terminology difference, read Manga vs Manhwa vs Manhua.
Want a bigger collection?
Start with One Piece, Naruto, Bleach or Demon Slayer if you want a series you can collect over time.
Detailed starter picks
1. Jujutsu Kaisen
Best for: anime fans who like supernatural battles, cursed powers, stylish fights and darker shonen stories.
Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the easiest manga recommendations for anime fans because it already feels close to the modern anime experience. It has fast-paced battles, supernatural powers, strong character designs and enough emotional weight to keep things interesting.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is also a useful starting point because it works as a prequel story. You can start there if you want the prequel route, or start with Vol. 1 if you want the main story from the beginning.
- Start here if you like: supernatural battle anime, curses, darker shonen and fast fights.
- Good beginner reason: familiar anime-style energy with a strong hook.
- Browse Jujutsu Kaisen Manga
2. Death Note
Best for: anime fans who like psychological tension, clever mind games, darker stories and cat-and-mouse plots.
Death Note is one of the best manga series to start with because it has a strong hook and a more contained story than many long-running shonen series.
The story follows Light Yagami, a student who finds a notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it. What follows is a tense battle of intelligence, morality, ego and consequences.
The Black Edition is especially good for collectors and new readers because it presents the series in larger combined volumes with a clean shelf look.
- Start here if you like: psychological anime, thrillers, mystery and darker storytelling.
- Good beginner reason: strong premise, gripping pace and a more contained commitment.
- Browse Death Note Manga
3. Chainsaw Man
Best for: anime fans who like darker humour, violent action, strange characters and stories that feel bold from the start.
Chainsaw Man is not the calm, gentle introduction to manga. It is fast, violent, weird, funny, emotional and surprisingly sharp underneath the horror-action surface.
It is a great pick for anime fans who want something modern, memorable and different from standard hero stories.
- Start here if you like: darker humour, horror-action and intense characters.
- Good beginner reason: fast, memorable and difficult to ignore.
- Browse Chainsaw Man Manga
4. Dandadan
Best for: anime fans who like supernatural action, comedy, aliens, spirits and fast-paced modern manga.
Dandadan is a good starter if you want something newer, energetic and easy to jump into from the first volume. It mixes supernatural battles, comedy, romance energy and strange threats without needing a huge reading commitment before it gets going.
It is especially useful for anime fans who want a current series that feels lively from the start.
- Start here if you like: supernatural action, comedy, aliens, spirits and modern anime energy.
- Good beginner reason: fast start, strong personality and easy early-volume entry point.
- Browse Dandadan Manga
5. Solo Leveling
Best for: anime fans who like power fantasy, dungeon raids, ranking systems, RPG-style progression and main characters getting stronger fast.
Solo Leveling is a great first Korean manhwa because the appeal is immediate. Weak hunter gets stronger. Dungeons get bigger. Enemies get worse. The progression hook is easy to understand.
It is especially good for anime fans who enjoy video game-style progression, fantasy action, ranking systems and stories where the main character keeps levelling up.
- Start here if you like: power fantasy anime, dungeon systems, rankings and RPG-style progression.
- Good beginner reason: clear hook, strong action and easy readability.
- Browse Solo Leveling Manhwa & Light Novels
More beginner-friendly picks
These are also worth considering, depending on the kind of anime you enjoy.
Demon Slayer
Emotional action, sword fights, demons and a clear story hook.
Browse series →Blue Lock
Football, sports anime energy, rivalries and competitive characters.
Browse series →My Hero Academia
Superhero powers, training arcs, school settings and underdog stories.
Browse series →One-Punch Man
Overpowered heroes, action comedy and superhero parody.
Browse series →Frieren
Fantasy, emotional storytelling and a slower character-driven journey.
Browse series →Spy x Family
Comedy, found family, spy stories and lighter character moments.
Browse series →Buyer summary
- Choose Death Note if you like psychological anime, dark thrillers and complete stories.
- Choose Jujutsu Kaisen if you like supernatural battle anime, stylish fights and modern shonen energy.
- Choose Chainsaw Man if you like darker anime with violent action and strange humour.
- Choose Dandadan if you want newer supernatural action with comedy and fast pacing.
- Choose Solo Leveling if you like power fantasy anime, dungeon systems, RPG-style progression and Korean manhwa.
- Choose Blue Lock if you like sports anime, football and intense competition.
- Choose Frieren if you like fantasy anime with emotional storytelling and a slower, more thoughtful pace.
Browse next
These Ripperholics pages can help you narrow things down by series, format or reading style.
Browse Manga by Series
Find manga, manhwa, manhua, comics and graphic novels by series.
Browse series →Manga & Manhwa
Browse the full manga and manhwa range at Ripperholics.
View all →Where to Buy Manga Online in the UK
Ready to buy? Use this guide to browse manga, manhwa, box sets and special editions from a UK manga shop.
Read buying guide →Manga vs Anime: What’s the Difference?
New to manga from anime? Use this guide to understand the difference and decide whether to start reading manga.
Read manga vs anime →Manga vs Manhwa vs Manhua
Not sure what the terms mean? Use this guide to understand manga, Korean manhwa and Chinese manhua.
Read terminology guide →Manga vs Light Novel
Not sure whether to start with visual manga or prose light novels? Use this guide to choose the right format.
Read format guide →Manga Box Sets
Box sets, complete sets and larger collected manga editions.
View box sets →Best Manga Box Sets to Start Collecting
Looking for a bigger gift or collector option? Use this guide to decide when a manga box set makes sense.
Read box set guide →Deluxe & Special Editions
Hardcovers, black editions, omnibus editions and collector formats.
View editions →Light Novels
Browse prose novels connected to anime, manga and related series.
Browse light novels →Ready to browse or buy manga?
Start with the manga or manhwa that matches your anime taste, browse by series, use our UK buying guide, compare box sets, or use the format guides if you are choosing between manga, manhwa, anime and light novels.
FAQs
What manga should anime fans start with?
Anime fans often start well with Jujutsu Kaisen, Death Note, Chainsaw Man, Dandadan, Demon Slayer, Blue Lock, My Hero Academia or Solo Leveling. The best choice depends on whether you prefer action, psychological stories, fantasy, comedy, sport or power progression.
What is the best manga to start with for beginners?
Death Note, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Dandadan, Demon Slayer and Solo Leveling are all strong beginner-friendly choices. They have clear hooks, popular anime appeal and are easy to understand without needing deep manga knowledge first.
Is Death Note good for anime fans starting manga?
Yes. Death Note is one of the best starter manga for anime fans because it has a strong premise, gripping pacing and a complete story. Black Edition formats can also be a good option for collectors.
Is One Piece good for new manga readers?
One Piece is easy to enjoy from the start, but it is a very long series. It is a good beginner pick if you want a huge adventure and do not mind taking your time.
What manga should I read after watching anime?
If you already enjoy anime, start with a manga that matches your taste. Try Jujutsu Kaisen for supernatural battles, Death Note for psychological tension, Chainsaw Man for darker action, Dandadan for supernatural comedy and action, or Solo Leveling for manhwa-style power progression.
What is the best manhwa to start with for anime fans?
Solo Leveling is one of the easiest Korean manhwa recommendations for anime fans because it has a simple progression hook, strong action, dungeon systems and a very readable structure.
Should beginners start with manga or light novels?
Most anime fans should start with manga first because it is visual and easier to move into from anime. Light novels are better if you want more prose, detail and worldbuilding. Read our Manga vs Light Novel guide if you are comparing both formats.