What is this genre all about? A dystopia (from Ancient Greek: δυσ-, "bad, ill", and Ancient Greek: τόπος, "place, landscape"; alternatively cacotopia, or anti-utopia) is, in literature, an often futuristic society that has degraded into a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian. Dystopian literature has underlying cautionary tones, warning society that if we continue to live how we do, this will be the consequence. A dystopia, thus, is regarded as a sort of negative utopia and is often characterized by an authoritarian or totalitarian form of government. Dystopias usually feature different kinds of repressive social control systems, a lack or total absence of individual freedoms and expressions and constant states of warfare or violence. Dystopias often explore the concept of humans abusing technology and how humans individually and collectively cope with technology that has evolved too quickly such as the car, the flamethrower or the microwave. A dystopian society is also often characterized by widespread poverty and brutal political controls such as a large military-like police.
We present you the list of Dystopia manga you should read right now.
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Top 19 Dystopia manga you should read right now. [2026 List]
- 19. Berserk
- 18. WITCHRIV
- 17. Fire Punch
- 16. Gonron Egg
- 15. Claymore
- 14. Xiao Mogu
- 13. Innocent
- 12. Break New World
- 11. Punk Gun
- 10. NOiSE
- 9. Ribirudo Waarudo
- 8. Gunnm
- 7. Hataraku Saibou Black
- 6. Battle Royale
- 5. Futatabi
- 4. Wild Strawberry
- 3. Kowloon Generic Romance
- 2. Alma
- 1. Hokuto no Ken
19. 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
18. WITCHRIV
A girl named Nona lives in plain sight among humans, hiding her true identity as a mage as she spends her days in peace with her best friend Lovi. But one day, Nona uses magic to fix Lovi's glasses and subsequently catches the attention of the Bureau of Magic Surveillance. A simple good deed becomes the trigger that sets Nona's destiny in motion...
WITCHRIV is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: WITCHRIV
17. Fire Punch
In the not-too-distant past, the Ice Witch blanketed the world in snow, starvation and madness, leading the inhabitants to seek their salvation in fire. With that, an unusual destiny unfolds for two young orphans, Agni and Luna, blessed with the ability to regenerate. But will this ability prove to be more of a curse than a blessing?
Fire Punch has finished publishing and it has 83 Chapters. It is also Known as: ファイアパンチ, Fire Punch
16. Gonron Egg
Human society has collapsed. The survivors are now slaves to powerful creatures known as Drakarchs. But when a young slave named Gonron meets a Drakarch egg named Oma, these two who share a cruel fate will need to work together. Retrieve the lost peace and dignity. Young man, the time to rebel is now!
Gonron Egg is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: ゴンロン・エッグ, Gonron Egg
15. Claymore
In a world constantly haunted by demonic predators known as "Youma", the everyday life of humans is full of fear and suspicion, as these monsters easily blend into human society to hunt their hapless prey. However, in this world, there is also a mysterious organization, employing half-human, half-Youma warriors to effectively track down and kill the demons. Called "silver eyed witches" or "Claymores" after the huge Claymore swords they carry, these female warriors are eyed with suspicion and distrust by most because of their inhuman powers.
But there are many currents flowing in the shadows, from the mysterious machinations of the Claymore "Organization" and the twisted ambitions of the powerful "Abyssal Ones" to the hopes and desires of each Claymore warrior. This story follows the fate of Clare, one of the Claymore operatives as she sails deeper and deeper down the currents of conspiracies and revenge.
Note: 4 Extra chapters are included in the chapter count on this page.
Claymore has finished publishing and it has 159 Chapters. It is also Known as: CLAYMORE [クレイモア], Claymore
14. Xiao Mogu
“Until the day humanity falls.”
In the year 2020, Earth’s magnetic poles disappeared and humankind was nearly wiped out by cosmic radiation. Within the span of a hundred years, living creatures began to mutate and devour each other while the remaining humans, numbering in the tens of thousands, struggled bitterly in their man-made bases.
In the Abyss, home to the mutated xenogenics, there lived a sentient little mushroom. Because it had been nourished by the blood and flesh of the deceased human An Ze, not only did it take on a similar-looking human form, but a similar name as well: An Zhe.
An Zhe is determined to go to the human base to search for his spore, which had been harvested by humans. Once there, however, he faces the omnipresent risk of discovery and certain death as he tries to keep his non-human nature hidden from the Judges, whose responsibility is to inspect for and eliminate xenogenics like himself. And of all the Judges, Colonel Lu Feng is the most perceptive and merciless—as soon as he determines that someone is a xenogenic, he will execute that person on the spot.
But An Zhe’s mutation goes undetected by Lu Feng’s eyes, and so a tale of humans and xenogenics unfolds…
Note: Silver Award winner at the 12th Chinese Nebula Awards for Chinese Science Fiction
Xiao Mogu is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Little Mushroom, Small Mushroom, Wrong But Still Right, Xiao Mo Gu, Xiǎo Mó Gū
13. Innocent
In the 18th century, seeking "freedom and equality", the event that became the starting point of modern French society, the French Revolution, began. There was one more protagonist that lived within the darkness, Henry Charles Sanson. He was the fourth generation family head of the Sanson Family, and executioner of Paris.
This is the historie of him nobly facing the harsh fate...
has finished publishing and it has 99 Chapters. It is also Known as: イノサン, Innocent
12. Break New World
A world where human trustworthiness is ranked.
Kiriya, a boy who has had everything taken from him by the rulers, throws himself into a rebellion that will turn the world upside down—
A forbidden sci-fi suspense story begins here.
Break New World is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: ブレイクニューワールド, Break New World
11. Punk Gun
On the outskirts of the crime-infested Dead City, a young boy named Aiboba and his band of orphans become involved in a dangerous incident.
Punk Gun is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: パンクガン, Punk Gun
10. NOiSE
The Bible has its Genesis.
The Matrix has The Second Renaissance.
BLAME! has NOiSE.
Through the eyes of police force member Susono Musubi, this one-volume prequel gives readers a glimpse of the world before the Netsphere went haywire. Witness the events that threw the technologically advanced society into chaos: the cancerous growth of the Megastructure, the birth of the parasitic lifeforms called Silicon Creatures, and the development of the ruthless killing machines known as the Safeguards.
Also included in the compilation is Tsutomu Nihei's debut work BLAME which served as the prototype of the acclaimed 10-volume series, BLAME!.
NOiSE has finished publishing and it has 8 Chapters. It is also Known as: NOiSE
9. Ribirudo Waarudo
The pinnacle of human civilization has come and gone, leaving only ruins in its wake. Society and science now struggle to rebuild, rediscovering scraps of knowledge from powerful ancient artifacts that defy comprehension. These relics of the “Old World” can make the fortunes of those who find them—if ancient security systems and rogue bioweapons don’t kill the relic hunters first. Akira, a young street orphan, sets out to become one such hunter to escape his brutal life in the slums. Untrained, malnourished, and poorly armed, Akira would be lucky to make it back from the ruins alive—until an encounter with Alpha, a mysterious, ghostly woman, changes his fate forever. Alpha needs a hunter, and she’s willing to train Akira to get one. Will her support be enough to help a penniless kid from the slums climb to the top of a crushing and merciless world?
Rebuild World is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: リビルドワールド, Ribirudo Waarudo
8. Gunnm
In a dump in the lawless settlement of Scrapyard, far beneath the mysterious space city of Zalem, disgraced cyber-doctor Daisuke Ido makes a strange find: the detached head of a cyborg woman who has lost all her memories. He names her Gally and equips her with a powerful new body, the Berserker. While Gally remembers no details of her former life, a moment of desperation reawakens in her nerves the legendary school of martial arts known as Panzer Kunst. In a place where there is no justice but what people make for themselves, Gally decides to become a hunter-killer, tracking down and taking out those who prey on the weak. But can she hold onto her humanity as she begins to revel in her own bloodlust?
Battle Angel Alita has finished publishing and it has 53 Chapters. It is also Known as: 銃夢 GUNNM, Ganmu, Tsutsu Yume
7. Hataraku Saibou Black
In the manga's story, cells work in a "black" environment in the body of a human in poor health. The person drinks and eats too much, has insufficient physical activity, and has high stress.
Note: Chapter count includes 2 side stories.
Hataraku Saibou Black has finished publishing and it has 50 Chapters. It is also Known as: はたらく細胞ＢＬＡＣＫ, Hataraku Saibou Black
6. Battle Royale
Under the guise of a "study trip," a group of students from Shiroiwa Junior High School in the fictional town of Shiroiwa (Kagawa Prefecture) are gassed on a bus. They awaken in the Okishima Island School on Okishima, an isolated, evacuated island. They learn that they have been placed in an event called the Program.
According to the rules, every year since 1947, 42 third-year high school students are isolated, and each student is required to fight to the death until one student remains. Their movements are tracked by metal collars around their necks, which contain tracking and listening devices; if any student should attempt to escape the Program, or enter declared forbidden zones, a bomb will be detonated in the collar, killing the wearer. If no one dies in a 24 hour time period, there will be no winner and all collars will be detonated simultaneously.
Battle Royale has finished publishing and it has 119 Chapters. It is also Known as: バトル・ロワイアル, Battle Royale
5. Futatabi
Rick has lived a normal life as a mechanic's apprentice in a world underground. That, however, is about to change as he bumps into a strange intruder who is not quite like anyone Rick has ever seen before. Venus, the intruder, claims to be from another world just like Rick's, though slightly different. With the police after Venus, can they figure out what is going on?
Futatabi has finished publishing and it has 1 Chapters. It is also Known as: 再び, Rewind
4. Wild Strawberry
Plants have evolved. They can now feed on humans and become terrible monsters known as Jinka. Kingo and Kayano do their best to survive in a Tokyo overrun by plants, but when Kayano becomes a Jinka, Kingo will do anything he can to get her back!
Wild Strawberry has finished publishing and it has 50 Chapters. It is also Known as: ワイルドストロベリー, Wild Strawberry
3. Kowloon Generic Romance
Welcome to Kowloon Walled City: a dystopian townscape where the people are brimming with nostalgia, and where the past, present, and future converge. Amid the hidden emotions and extraordinary daily lives of the men and women working in its confines, a tale of romance begins to unfold for real estate agent Reiko Kujirai—one that feels as familiar as Kowloon itself…
Note:
- Nominated for the 14th Manga Taisho Award in 2021.
- Nominated for the 6th Tsugimanga Award in the Print Manga Category in 2020.
Kowloon Generic Romance is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 九龍ジェネリックロマンス, Kyuuryuu Generic Romance, Kūron Generic Romance
2. Alma
Ray and Trice grew up together in this post apocalyptic world. She was his only friend. But then one day... An unwelcome guest arrives and proclaims "Glory to Humans"...
Note: Chapter count includes chapter 0
Alma has finished publishing and it has 32 Chapters. It is also Known as: アルマ, Aruma, Alma (Shinji Mito)
1. Hokuto no Ken
The year is 199X. The Earth has been devastated by nuclear war. The seas have dried up and the land is cracked and desolate. Most living things on the planet have become extinct apart from the human race. In this new age violence rules as civilization is lost and the strong rule the weak in a world where food and water are the only thing wth value. At this time a mysterious man named Kenshiro appears with his deadly martial art, the 2000 year old Hokuto Shinken. With his deadly style eliminating the evil is he the saviour of the new era?
Fist of the North Star has finished publishing and it has 245 Chapters. It is also Known as: 北斗の拳, Fist of the North Star
