10 Anime Better Than the Manga, Ranked

Most anime, if not all, first begin as a serialized manga series. Many fan favorites, such as Attack on Titan, One Piece, Bleach, and Sailor Moon, all began as manga, with their anime adaptions coming shortly after due to a steady rise in popularity. However, sometimes as a medium, mangas tend to be harder to get into. Sometimes this is because of the lack of accessibility to these titles, though due to the current popularity of manga and anime, more and more manga are being licensed in English.

Still, despite the increasing number of popular manga releases, sometimes viewers find it hard to get into certain manga due to their art styles. When it comes to older manga, some of the art can be a little too old-fashioned for the modern audience. What worked back then as an art style tend to no longer be appropriate or appealing to the modern audience. Simultaneously, some art styles look better animated. Even when manga art is great on the page, sometimes the story lacks in a certain area or does better with the added effects from music, voice acting, and color. Whatever the reason, here are the anime that are better than their manga counterpart.

10 ‘Mob Psycho 100’ (2016-2022)

Created by ONE

Shigeo Kageyama, otherwise known as Mob, is a young student who—despite average appearances—is a powerhouse with a great amount of psychic power. Despite having this great power, Mob lacks the ability to properly control it, and this has been an emotional burden for him. However, as he tries to live a normal life as an assistant to con-man Arataka Reigen, Mob finds it increasingly difficult to control his powers.

The creator of Mob Psycho 100 is the same author of the popular anime and manga series One Punch Man. However, while One Punch Man has a more detailed art style, Mob Psycho 100 leans more on the simplistic side. As a result, many readers find it hard to get into Mob Psycho 100, despite being an all-around great series like its predecessor. This is why Mob Psycho 100 works better as an anime; the bright, contrasting colors allow viewers to really visualize Mob’s immense power, and it brings One’s manga to life with its animated effects.

9 ‘Land of the Lustrous’ (2017)

Created by Haruko Ichikawa

Phosphophyllite, otherwise known as Pho, is a weak jewel who, unlike her friends with a high hardness, cannot battle due to her fragility. Commonly pushed aside by her peers, Phos is tasked with creating an encyclopedia of information. She meets outcast Cinnabar, who cannot be near other gems due to her poisonous nature, and the two form an unlikely friendship.

Land of the Lustrous is a unique anime, with American fans comparing it to Steven Universe due to their similar concepts. And to be clear, Land of the Lustrous‘ art is beautiful in black and white ink; Haruko Ichikawa, the artist and writer, shades in a way that makes the art pop out. However, as good as the art may be, the anime adds vibrant colors to the gems, making the characters stand out and really appear “lustrous.”

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8 ‘Gintama’ (2006-2017)

Created by Hideaki Sorachi

In the Edo period where humanity is attacked by Amanto, Gintoki Sakata is a freelance samurai who takes on odd jobs. During his odd jobs, Gintoki encounters samurai-in-training Shinpachi Shimura and alien Kagura. The newfound friends begin their business titled Yorozuya and continue freelancing gigs.

Gintama’s manga art style is far from unappealing; in fact, it matches up with the anime quite well. Not to mention, the character designs are detailed and appealing to the eye. However, where the Gintama anime gains the upper hand is in its voice acting. Gintama is a comedy, and the voice acting really solidifies the comedic trio that every Gintama fan has come to grow to love.

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7 ‘Naruto’ (2002-2017)

Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto is an orphaned outcast, often causing trouble for everyone he encounters. However, he has one dream, and one dream alone: to become Hokage. To reach this goal, Naruto must become the greatest ninja in his village, and while he’s at it, he must save humanity from the rising threats.

The Naruto manga is by no means hideous; in fact, at times, the art style in Shippuden happens to be much more attractive than the anime. However, the Naruto universe is massive, and because it is battle-centered, sometimes the manga does not do the battles justice. One good example is the Pain arc; while the art and hand-drawn scenes are beautiful, the intensity can only really be felt through the animation. So while the art may be beautiful, the anime provides wonderful visuals for the audience.

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6 ‘InuYasha’ (2002-2010)

Rumiko Takahashi

High school student Kagome Higurashi falls down the Bone-Eater’s well one day and finds herself transported to the feudal era, where she is hunted after by demons for the Shikon Jewel hiding within her body. In an attempt to save herself, she frees half-demon InuYasha from his sleep, removing the arrow from his body that kept him pinned against a tree. After the jewel is shattered, InuYasha and Kagome embark on a long journey to find all of the shattered shards before the evil demon Naraku does.

The art style of InuYasha is very old-school. Even now, Rumiko Takahashi caters to this same art style, as is seen with her ongoing manga Mao. Though it is a conscience decision—and a beautifully nostalgic one at that—many find it hard to delve into the InuYasha universe because of its classic look. However, the anime does the manga justice; it adds a sort of vibrancy that the manga cannot through its colorful setting, and the soundtrack adds a warmness to the love story that belongs to InuYasha and Kagome.

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5 One Piece (1999-2024)

Eiichiro Oda

Monkey D. Luffy is a young pirate sailing the seas with a group of found friends—Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Robin, Chopper, Franky, and Brook—with a dream in tow: to become king of the pirates. To do so, Luffy seeks out the infamous One Piece left behind by Gol D. Roger. In the process, Luffy and his pirate crew face dangerous obstacles and immensely powerful foes.

One Piece is one of the longest manga and anime to exist. Starting back in 1997 and spanning all the way to 2024 with 1,112 episodes and 1,100 chapters, it is barely nearing its final arc. Besides being critiqued for its lengthy story, it is also sometimes critiqued for its art style, which is cartoonish, mostly due to the powers exhibited in the series. Luffy’s ability to stretch and contort his body can really only be emphasized through Oda’s art style. Similarly, while the manga does this successfully, the anime takes it a step further, allowing viewers to view the full potential of every devil fruit user and their insanely wild powers.

4 ‘Death Note’ (2006-2007)

Created by Tsugumi Ohba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata

Light Yagami is an extremely intelligent high school student who has grown bored with his life. Then one day, he picks up a notebook called the Death Note. He then comes across Shinigami Ryuk who tags along as Light writes criminals off the face of the universe—quite literally. He kills off evildoers, criminals, and those who oppose his idealistic world. Then well-known detective L begins the hunt to capture Light, the killer known as Kira.

Death Note’s manga is well-written and well-drawn. However, there are plenty of tense moments in the series that aren’t highlighted well due to its medium. In this case, the anime accentuates these tense moments well through the excellent voice acting and soundtrack, which adds more to the scene and really solidifies it as the crime thriller that Death Note is.

3 ‘Attack on Titan’ (2013-2023)

Created by Hajime Isayama

After experiencing a heavy tragedy, Eren Jaeger trains to become an official member of the Survey Corps to take down the dangerous and mysterious titans. However, during another attack on a major wall that protects the remnants of humanity, Eren realizes he can transform into a human-eating titan, and he has to learn to control his powers so that he can help save humanity.

Attack on Titan’s manga art style is a little rough; though readers will grow used to this style, it is not the most appealing manga on the market currently. The anime, though, is visually stunning, especially in the later seasons. Not to mention, Attack on Titan has some of the best action-packed scenes in anime to date, capturing intense moments (e.g., Kenny vs. Levi) with ease.

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2 ‘Demon Slayer’ (2019-2024)

Created by Koyoharu Gotouge

Tanjiro Kamado is a normal boy, at least until he returns home to find his family slaughtered and his sister turned into a demon. This tragedy leads Tanjiro to become a demon slayer so that he can defeat Muzan and turn his sister back into a human. Along the way, he makes new demon slayer friends and eventually becomes a Hashira.

Many anime and manga fans alike will agree that Demon Slayer is one of the most beautifully animated anime to exist currently. It uses vibrant colors to bring out a particular scene, and it also uses dull colors to present a harrowing situation, such as the whites and grays used in the background when Tanjiro first discovers his slaughtered family. Meanwhile, in later seasons, such as the final face-off against Muzan, every character is glowing brightly in their own colors, with the backdrop flashing orange-red hues in tune with the soundtrack. While Demon Slayer is a fun as a manga, it’s truly a masterpiece as an anime and will likely become a cultural phenomenon in the anime market.

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1 ‘Dragon Ball’ (1986-2022)

Created by Akira Toriyama

Goku is a normal boy until he meets Bulma. The two go on an adventure, gathering the seven Dragon Balls. Along the way, they make new friends and meet stronger enemies, and their entangled lives begin to grow together as the duo focuses on their own goals. They also learn that there exists greater danger out in the universe.

Everyone into anime and manga definitely knows the culturally impactful Dragon Ball anime. With a simplistic art style, it’s no wonder Dragon Ball is a very easy series to get into. However, while the unique art style is good, both animated and hand-drawn, as an anime, Dragon Ball and its corresponding spin-offs (Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT) are superior to their manga counterparts in every shape and form. It is the animated battle between Frieza and Goku that has given birth to the iconic moment that is replayed everywhere.

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