What is this genre all about? Psychological media delve into mental or emotional states of a character in the midst of a difficult situation, letting you observe them change as tension increases. Internal monologues are a key feature, allowing narration to delve into a character's mind, revealing their innermost ideas and motivations - even as they may be driven to the brink of sanity.
We present you the list of Psychological manga you should read right now.
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Top 20 Psychological manga you should read right now. [2024 List]
- 20. Chainsaw Man
- 19. Gantz
- 18. Berserk
- 17. [Oshi no Ko]
- 16. Tokyo Ghoul
- 15. Juujika no Rokunin
- 14. Hunter x Hunter
- 13. Death Note
- 12. Case Closed
- 11. Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen
- 10. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu
- 9. 20th Century Boys
- 8. Tokyo Ghoul:re
- 7. Yakusoku no Neverland
- 6. Oyasumi Punpun
- 5. Monster
- 4. Chi no Wadachi
- 3. Jigoku Raku
- 2. Made in Abyss
- 1. Koisuru Kiseijuu
20. Chainsaw Man
The name says it all! Denji's life of poverty is changed forever when he merges with his pet chainsaw dog, Pochita! Now he's living in the big city and an official Devil Hunter. But he's got a lot to learn about his new job and chainsaw powers!
Notes:
- Nominated for the 2020 Manga Taisho Award.
- Winner of the 2021 Kono Manga ga Sugoi Award.
- Winner of the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award in the shounen category.
- Winner of the 2021 and 2022 Harvey Award for Best Manga.
Chainsaw Man has finished publishing and it has 97 Chapters. It is also Known as: チェンソーマン, Chainsawman, Chensoo Man, CSM, Людина-бензопила, Человек-бензопила, رجل المنشار, مرد اره ای, មនុស្សរណា, チェンソーマン, チェンソーマン 第二部, 电锯人, 鏈鋸人, 電鋸人, 체인쏘맨, Chainsaw Man: Public Safety Saga
19. Gantz
Thought your life was bad? Sometimes, death is worse. There is no salvation, peace, nor god waiting to receive you into their care. But wait, a god? Maybe you are talking about that big black ball stuck in the room with you. Now you are thrown into a game, fighting green aliens and robot monsters for the chance to survive.
When Kei Kurono is killed, he thus finds himself caught in such a game; a test of his skills, morals and will to survive. His life is not his own, his death spat and trampled upon over and over again. What happens if he does not listen? God knows.
A word of warning: Gantz is not for the faint-hearted, but neither is it as simple as it looks. Gore, rape and violence is rampant, as are portrayals of greed, violence, and all the ugliness that one sees in society today.
Gantz has finished publishing and it has 383 Chapters. It is also Known as: GANTZ, Gantz/Osaka
18. Berserk
His name is Guts, the Black Swordsman, a feared warrior spoken of only in whispers. Bearer of a gigantic sword, an iron hand, and the scars of countless battles and tortures, his flesh is also indelibly marked with The Brand, an unholy symbol that draws the forces of darkness to him and dooms him as their sacrifice. But Guts won't take his fate lying down; he'll cut a crimson swath of carnage through the ranks of the damned—and anyone else foolish enough to oppose him! Accompanied by Puck the Elf, more an annoyance than a companion, Guts relentlessly follows a dark, bloodstained path that leads only to death...or vengeance.
Notes:
- Volumes 1-5 contain the 16 prequel chapters 0A - 0P.
- Chapter 83 was omitted from Volume 13 due to the author’s request.
- Volume 14 includes “Berserk: The Prototype”.
- Due to the author's passing, starting from Chapter 365, the manga is illustrated by Studio Gaga (Miura's assistants) and supervised by Kouji Mori (a close friend of Miura's).
Berserk is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: ベルセルク, Berserk: The Prototype
17. [Oshi no Ko]
![[Oshi no Ko]](/image/manga/56391/cover_image/048d161cfcba4908901a07a09a1afadc.jpg)
"In the world of showbiz, lies are weapons." Goro works as an OB-GYN in the countryside, a life far removed from the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, his favorite idol, Ai Hoshino, has begun her climb to stardom. The two meet in the "worst possible way," setting the gears of fate in motion! The amazing Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari team up to depict the world of showbiz from a completely new perspective in this shocking series!
【OSHI NO KO】 is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 【推しの子】, My Favorite's Child, Favorite Girl, My Idol's Child, Oshi no Ko, [Mein*Star], เกิดใหม่เป็นลูกโอชิ
16. Tokyo Ghoul
Shy Ken Kaneki is thrilled to go on a date with the beautiful Rize. But it turns out that she’s only interested in his body—eating it, that is. When a morally questionable rescue transforms him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid, Ken is drawn into the dark and violent world of Ghouls, which exists alongside our own.
Note: Includes 1 extra chapter.
Tokyo Ghoul has finished publishing and it has 144 Chapters. It is also Known as: 東京喰種トーキョーグール, Toukyou Kushu
15. Juujika no Rokunin
”Is it okay to kill people?"A treacherous revenge suspense by Shiryu Nakatake, a newcomer to Bessatsu Shonen Magazine."Shun, if someone is converted, let him go and do nothing. He should be given a chance to be reborn.""Grandpa, I hope he doesn't reincarnate himself."In order to defeat several non-human monsters, the boy also became something non-human.Shin Uruma, a sixth-grade student, was named "Experimental body: A" by five of his classmates and was severely bullied and lived in hell. His only peace was with his brother, who loved him, and his parents, who protected him.... . until the five monsters killed his family.When he finally loses everything and faces true hell, a dark "wish" is born inside Shun. He was reborn under the training of his grandfather, who served in a secret unit during WWII. Now, four years later, he appears in front of his fated enemy."I won't let ANYONE get in the way of my revenge."
Juujika no Rokunin is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 十字架のろくにん, Juujika no Rokunin
14. Hunter x Hunter
Hunters are a special breed, dedicated to tracking down treasures, magical beasts, and even other men. But such pursuits require a license, and less than one in a hundred thousand can pass the grueling qualification exam. Those who do pass gain access to restricted areas, amazing stores of information, and the right to call themselves Hunters.
Hunter x Hunter is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: HUNTER×HUNTER, HxH
13. Death Note
Light Yagami is a brilliant 17-year-old student, one of the top scorers on his exams in all of Japan. One day as he leaves school, he finds a mysterious black notebook on the ground with "Death Note" written on it. The first thing written inside: "The human whose name is written in the notebook shall die." Light decides to use this to cleanse the world of evil by killing all the criminals. On the scene comes L, ace detective, who's determined to find Light—who the world now calls "Kira"—and track him down, thus bringing us an epic psychological thrill ride.
Death Note has finished publishing and it has 108 Chapters. It is also Known as: DEATH NOTE, Death Note
12. Case Closed
Kudo Shinichi is a seventeen year-old high school detective whom people call the "Modern Sherlock Holmes." However, one night after a date with his childhood sweetheart, Ran, Shinichi witnessed an illegal trade and, caught off his guard, was knocked unconscious and fed a drug that was supposed to kill him... but he woke up and found himself shrunken to a seven year-old. In order to track down the men who did this to him, Shinichi hid his identity and lived with Ran, whose father happened to be a hopeless detective, and with that came a series of murders and mysteries that he must solve.
Detective Conan is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Meitantei Conan, 名探偵コナン, Meitantei Conan, Detective Conan Kaito Kid Special Collection
11. Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen
As leaders of their prestigious academy’s student council, Kaguya and Miyuki are the elite of the elite! But it’s lonely at the top… Luckily for them, they’ve fallen in love! There’s just one problem—they both have too much pride to admit it. And so begins the daily scheming to get the object of their affection to confess their romantic feelings first… Love is a war you win by losing.
Notes:
- The first 10 chapters were published in Monthly Miracle Jump. It switched to Weekly Young Jump starting with Ch. 11, with the chapter count being reset. This entry still includes the first 10 chapters from Miracle Jump.
- Winner of the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award for "Best General Manga" category in 2019.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War has finished publishing and it has 281 Chapters. It is also Known as: かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～, Kaguya Wants to be Confessed To: The Geniuses' War of Love and Brains
10. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu
The students of class 3-E have a mission: kill their teacher before graduation. He has already destroyed the moon, and has promised to destroy the Earth if he can not be killed within a year. But how can this class of misfits kill a tentacled monster, capable of reaching Mach 20 speed, who may be the best teacher any of them have ever had?
Assassination Classroom has finished publishing and it has 187 Chapters. It is also Known as: 暗殺教室, Tokyo Department Sensou Taikenki, Tokyo Department Store War Chronicles
9. 20th Century Boys
Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren't for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns. This is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world.
For Kenji, a simple convenience store manager who once dreamed of becoming a rock 'n' roll musician, a host of memories from his past come rushing back when one of his childhood friends mysteriously commits suicide. Could this new death be related to the rise of a bizarre new cult that's been implicated in several other murders and disappearances? Determined to dig deeper, Kenji reunites with some of his old buddies in the hope of learning the truth behind it all.
20th Century Boys has finished publishing and it has 249 Chapters. It is also Known as: 20世紀少年, 20 Seiki Shounen, Nijuu Seiki Shounen, Nijuusseiki Shounen, 20thCB
8. Tokyo Ghoul:re
The Commission of Counter Ghoul is the only organization fighting the Ghoul menace, and they will use every tool at their disposal to protect humanity from its ultimate predator. Their newest weapon in this hidden war is an experimental procedure that implants human investigators with a Ghoul's Kagune, giving them Ghoul powers and abilities. But both the procedure and the newly formed Qs Squad are untested. Will they become heroes… or monsters?
Tokyo Ghoul:re has finished publishing and it has 179 Chapters. It is also Known as: 東京喰種-トーキョーグール-:re, トーキョーグール:re, Tokyo Ghoul: "Joker", Tokyo Kushu:re, Toukyou Kuushu:re
7. Yakusoku no Neverland
Emma and her friends have a pretty good life at the orphanage they grew up in. Though the rules may be strict, the caretaker is kind. But why are the children forbidden from ever leaving...?
The Promised Neverland has finished publishing and it has 181 Chapters. It is also Known as: 約束のネバーランド, Yakusoku no Neverland
6. Oyasumi Punpun
Punpun is an ordinary young boy growing up in Japan whose age of innocence has reached its end after his father is arrested for spousal abuse and putting his mother in the hospital. With his uncle looking after him, Punpun grows into adulthood facing a series of events which change him, for better or worse, forcing him to contemplate just what it means to be an adult.
Goodnight Punpun has finished publishing and it has 147 Chapters. It is also Known as: おやすみプンプン, Dobranoc, Punpunie, Bonne nuit Punpun!, Boa noite, Punpun, Bona nit, Punpun, Buenas noches, Punpun, Gute Nacht, Punpun, 잘자 뿡뿡, 晚安布布, לילה טוב, פונפון, Buonanotte, Punpun, İyi Geceler, Punpun, ฝันดีนะปุนปุน
5. Monster
Dr. Kenzo Tenma is a renowned young brain surgeon of Japanese descent working in Europe. Highly lauded by his peers as one of the great young minds that will revolutionize the field, he is blessed with a beautiful fiancé and is on the cusp of a high promotion in the hospital he works at. However, all of that is about to change with one critical decision that Dr. Tenma faces one night – whether to save the life of a young child or that of the town's mayor. Despite being pressured by his superiors to perform surgery on the mayor, his morals force him to perform the surgery on the young child, saving his life and forfeiting the mayor’s. All of a sudden, Dr. Tenma’s world is turned upside down by his decision leading to the loss of everything he previously had. A doctor is taught to believe that all life is equal; however, when a series of murders occur in the vicinity of Dr. Tenma, all of the evidence pointing to the young child who he saved, Tenma’s beliefs are shaken.
Naoki Urasawa’s Monster is a tale full of mystery, suspense and intrigue as Dr. Tenma journeys to find out the true identity of the young child. In turn, the fate of the world may depend on it.
Monster has finished publishing and it has 162 Chapters. It is also Known as: MONSTER, Monster
4. Chi no Wadachi
The illusion of that person leads me astray. Mother and son. This is the ultimate favoritism.
Blood on the Tracks is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 血の轍, A Trail of Blood
3. Jigoku Raku
Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the most vicious assassins ever to come out of the ninja village of Iwagakure. He’s ruthlessly efficient, but a betrayal results in him being handed a death sentence. He has only one hope—in order to earn his freedom, he must travel to a long-hidden island and recover an elixir that will make the shogun immortal. Failure is not an option. On this island, heaven and hell are just a hair’s breadth away.
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku has finished publishing and it has 127 Chapters. It is also Known as: 地獄楽, Jigokuraku, Paradition, Heavenhell, Jigoku Raku (KAKU Yuuji)
2. Made in Abyss
The enormous cave system, known as the Abyss, is the only unexplored place in the world. Nobody knows how deep down goes this titanic pit, inhabited by strange and wondrous creatures and full of mysterious ancient relics which purpose in unknown to modern man. Generations of bold adventurers have been drawn by the cryptic depths of the Abyss. In course of time those bold enough to explore the dangerous pit came to be known as "Cave Raiders."
In Oosu, the town at the edge of the Abyss, there lives a little orphan named Rico, who dreams of becoming as great a cave raider as her mother was and solving the great mystery of the pit. One day exploring the murky depths she stumbles upon a little boy, who turns out to be a robot...
Made in Abyss is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: メイドインアビス, Made in Abyss
1. Koisuru Kiseijuu
The story is about a man whose compulsive tendencies make it impossible for him to keep a job, and a young girl who skips school and loves insects. The two meet, come to support each other in reintegrating into society, and fall in love. There’s a problem, however: namely, the parasites in their heads.
Parasite in Love has finished publishing and it has 16 Chapters. It is also Known as: 恋する寄生虫, Koisuru Kiseichuu, Koi suru Kiseichuu
