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. [2025 List]
- 19. Berserk
- 18. Eden: It's an Endless World!
- 17. Fire Punch
- 16. Claymore
- 15. Wild Strawberry
- 14. Navigatoria
- 13. Mujina in to The Deep
- 12. Kowloon Generic Romance
- 11. Tonggang Seoljeong Kkeonwatdanikkayo?
- 10. Innocent
- 9. Battle Royale
- 8. Gunnm
- 7. Hataraku Saibou Black
- 6. Chijou 100-kai ~Dasshutsu Kakuritsu 0.0001%~
- 5. Gunnm: Last Order
- 4. Coppelion
- 3. Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Manmaru-hen
- 2. Supsogui Dam
- 1. Scavengers Another Sky
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. Eden: It's an Endless World!
In the panic surrounding a worldwide pandemic which kills 15 percent of the population and cripples many more, a secret organization, the Propater, topples the UN and seizes control of much of the world. A boy and a girl, raised in an abandoned virology research center, immune to the virus, are attacked by the Propater and escape. 20 years later the boy is the most powerful drug lord in South America. He aids his son from behind the scenes as he evades and eventually with the help of mercenaries from Nomad (some of them former Propater operatives) fights the Propater. As the plot develops focus shifts away from the main character and develops many sub-plots dedicated to terrorism, Human-improvement, the struggle of the developing countries and the power battles between the drug cartels and Propater.
Based strongly on Gnostic mythology, all major characters are named after gnostic deities, and have analogous roles.
Warnings: Eden contains a lot of very graphic violence and some sex scenes.
Eden: It's an Endless World! has finished publishing and it has 127 Chapters. It is also Known as: EDEN ～It's an Endless World!～, Eden: It's an Endless World!
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. 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
15. 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 is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: ワイルドストロベリー, Wild Strawberry
14. Navigatoria
Enter a world where the First Space War has ended, and Earth has claimed its first extraterrestrial colony. Manabu Houo, a boy born into a totalitarian state, finds his only joy in watching forbidden movies with his childhood friend, Hina-chan. However, one day upon returning home, he finds a group of government officials waiting for him...?! Watch as this thrilling sci-fi school drama unfolds on a distant planet!
Navigatoria is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: ナヴィガトリア, Navigatoria
13. Mujina in to The Deep
A young assassin girl armed with a katana is hunting down her targets in a busy metropolitan city named Tsukumo.
Mujina in to The Deep is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: MUJINA IN TO THE DEEP, Mujina in to The Deep
12. 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
11. Tonggang Seoljeong Kkeonwatdanikkayo?
Lee Lina, resident of the dystopian world Tolka, plays the VR dating sim Raison D’Etre with the pain setting at zero. After her 99th playthrough, she is gifted a new patch for completing all the endings. However, as she begins her 100th game, and her favorite characters start acting oddly affectionate to her in an unfamiliar storyline, Lina wonders if the reward is more of a glitch. Will Lina be able to unlock a new ending before shocking news back in Tolka makes it impossible to ignore reality?
The Painless Player is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 100回目プレイヤーなので高好感度はエンリョします！, Tonggak Seoljeong Kkeonwatdanikkayo?, I Turned Off the Pain Perception Setting!, You Turned Off the Pain Setting?, ปิดโหมดความเจ็บปวดไว้แล้วนี่คะ
10. 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
9. 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
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. Chijou 100-kai ~Dasshutsu Kakuritsu 0.0001%~
21st Century, Japan. In Tokyo, there's a state-owned gambling tower. 20 men and women gather in the 100 story tower with 1 goal: escape. You get 10 billion yen if you do. If you don’t...
100 Floor Tower ~0.0001% Escape Probability~ is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 地上100階〜脱出確率0.0001%〜, Chijou Hyakkai, Chijou 100-kai, One Hundred Storey Tower, 地上100階, 지상 100층
5. Gunnm: Last Order
The sequel to the Battle Angel Alita/Gunnm manga, ignoring the original ending.
When Doc Ido, a talented cyber-physician, finds Gally's head in a junk heap, she has lost all memory of her past life. But when he reconstructs her, she discovers her body still instinctively remembers the Panzer Kunst, the most powerful cyborg fighting technique ever known. In the postapocalyptic world of the Scrapyard, as the secrets of Gally's past unfold, each day is a struggle for survival.
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order has finished publishing and it has 124 Chapters. It is also Known as: 銃夢 Last Order, Gunnm: Last Order
4. Coppelion
In 2016 a meltdown of a nuclear power plant creates a big catastrophe in Tokyo. 20 years later, the city has become a ghost town due to the high levels of radiation. From that area a distress signal is received. The Self Defence forces dispatch 3 girls from the special unit Coppelion to search for survivors. But why aren't they wearing any protection against radiation?
Coppelion has finished publishing and it has 226 Chapters. It is also Known as: COPPELION, Coppelion
3. Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Manmaru-hen
16 years after the "Law for Public Order and Morals in Healthy Child-Raising" banned coarse language in the country, Tanukichi Okuma enrolls in the country's leading elite public morals school and is soon invited into the Anti-Societal Organization (SOX) by its founder, Ayame Kajou. As a member blackmailed into joining by Ayame, Tanukichi ends up taking part in obscene acts of terrorism against the talented student council president Anna (for whom Tanukichi has a crush on).
Shimoneta to Iu Gainen ga Sonzai shinai Taikutsu na Sekai: Manmaru-hen has finished publishing and it has 23 Chapters. It is also Known as: 下ネタという概念が存在しない退屈な世界 マン●篇, A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Does Not Exist, ShimoSeka, A Boring World Where the Concept of "Dirty Jokes" Does Not Exist
2. Supsogui Dam
Dam, who at some point stopped growing, avoids people and leaves to the forest.
Supsogui Dam has finished publishing and it has 131 Chapters. It is also Known as: Dam of the Forest
1. Scavengers Another Sky
The "Scavengers" are armed girls living at a secret research facility called "Bus Stop"... They are sent to a different world where treasures lie in wait. What is lurking in the Black Parade? Search! Fight! Collect! The girls risk their lives picking up trash in order to earn one million dollars and be free!
Note: The one-shot got published on July 20th, 2022 on the magazine Young Champion Retsu, and due to the popularity of this work, it was decided to serialize it. The one-shot was numbered as the first chapter of the manga, and the first chapter of the serialization got numbered as the second chapter of the series.
Scavengers Another Sky is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: スカベンジャーズアナザースカイ, Scavengers Another Sky
