Best Manga Adaptations Of Anime

Summary

Darling in the FranXX manga is a marked improvement over the messy anime & focuses on fixing its issues effectively.
FLCL Omnibus manga offers a unique take on the anime storyline, deviating from the original series in a refreshing way.
Psycho-Pass: Inspector Shinya Kogami manga expands on the anime by providing a prequel and delving deeper into character development.

In many instances, you’ll find that well-known anime originated as comic books, or mangas, to begin with. While not every series follows this pattern, there are numerous famous titles such as Dragon Ball, Naruto, Sailor Moon, Nana, and others, which were initially conceived as manga strips. Some of these stories work particularly well in print form, like Berserk or works by Junji Ito. Conversely, others, such as the remade One-Punch Man series, are improved through animation.

When the scenario is flipped, and an original anime is turned into a manga by different authors, artists, or artist-writers, they could simply transfer the scenes directly to paper. However, some parts go beyond this and elaborate on what was depicted in the anime. These are referred to as “the exceptional mangas derived from anime”.

8. Darling in the FranXX

Fixing What Was Broken

Creators: Code: 000 (story), Kentaro Yabuki (art)
8 Volumes, 60 Chapters
Available in English via Seven Seas Entertainment’s Ghost Ship imprint

Given how well the Darling in the FranXX anime turned out, it’s challenging to conceive that the manga could be any more disappointing. It started off intriguingly, with artificially produced children (“Parasites”) being reared to pilot mechanized suits called FranXX to safeguard what remains of humanity. However, the introduction of their alien adversaries, the VIRM, felt abrupt, the fanservice elements seemed misplaced, and the conclusion was chaotic. The manga doesn’t miraculously rectify every flaw in the anime, but it certainly surpasses the show in many aspects.

The revised version primarily aims to rectify the show’s mistakes by improving consistency, particularly for its main characters Zero and Hiro. It seamlessly integrates the awkward plot twists into the narrative, and some of the most outlandish scenes, such as Strelizia True Apus, are omitted. While the end result isn’t a masterwork, it does earn praise for attempting to reverse the anime’s decline in quality, though it may be inappropriate for public reading due to its fanservice content.

7. FLCL Omnibus

Fooling With The Plot, But Keeping It Cool

Creator: Hajime Ueda
2 Volumes, 15 Chapters
Available in English via Dark Horse Comics

In just six episodes, the anime series FLCL dramatically changed Naota’s world with the appearance of the unpredictable alien girl Haruko. It quickly gained a devoted fanbase and was hailed as one of the top cult anime, leaving viewers yearning for more or spin-offs. Regrettably, subsequent series such as FLCL Progressive, Alternative, Grunge,and Shoegaze were released years later, with each one receiving less and less praise. It seems that capturing the magic of a moment is quite difficult to repeat consistently.

Instead of just rehashing the animated series, the “FLCL Omnibus” manga offers a fresh perspective by presenting an alternate version of its story. It omits certain characters and events while enhancing others, such as Naota’s grandfather becoming more significant and Haruko showing more affection towards Naota. Although the original anime remains the best way to experience “FLCL,” the manga provides an interesting deviation from the norm.

6. Psycho-Pass: Inspector Shinya Kogami

How The Cop Became A Criminal

Creators: Midori Goto (story), Natsuo Sai (art)
6 Volumes, 35 Chapters
Available in English via Dark Horse Manga

Production I.G. achieved great success with their take on “Ghost in the Shell” and aspired to emulate film director Mamoru Oshii’s style by creating an original sci-fi cyberpunk crime drama. This led to the creation of “Psycho-Pass,” a series where individuals are assessed based on their likelihood to commit crimes, and once their Crime Coefficient Index reaches its limit, law enforcement sends out Investigators along with their Enforcer guards to prevent potential conflicts. However, as Akane and her partner Shinya discover, the system is not infallible.

The series, known as Inspector Akane Tsunemori, underwent a transformation into a printed manga format, preserving the original storyline and plot twists. Additionally, it spawned a prequel titled Psycho-Pass: Inspector Shinya Kogami, offering insights into how Akane’s Enforcer character evolved from a green recruit to the morally ambiguous cop portrayed in the anime. The prequel reveals that Kogami’s hardened demeanor is not immediately present, a detail overlooked by some critics. However, they praised Natsuo Sai’s artwork for its skillful use of facial expressions and understated humor, adding depth to the storyline compared to the Akane manga.

5. Angel Beats! Heaven’s Door

What Happened Before Otonashi Reached The Afterlife

Creators: Jun Maeda (story), Key (story), Yuriko Asami (art)
11 Volumes, 77 Chapters
First volume was available in English via Seven Seas Entertainment. Subsequent volumes are only available via fan translations

Inspector Shinya Kogami demonstrates that manga serves as an effective method for authors to create prequels for their animated series. This strategy proved successful with “Angel Beats,” a story centered around Yuzuru Otonashi and other souls trapped in a school-like limbo. The characters could either follow the instructions of the student council president Angel, or choose to defy the unseen deity believed responsible for their demise and confinement within purgatory by joining the Afterlife Battlefront, a group of rebellious souls. However, this is just one interpretation among many.

In a different yet clear narrative, creator Jun Maeda developed a series offshoot titled “Tracks Zero“, focusing on side character Hinata prior to his involvement with the Afterlife Battlefront. This served as the foundation for “Angel Beats: Heaven’s Door“, expanding the storyline by delving into the future members of the Battlefront. Here, characters like Yuri’s conflict with God, Noda’s gaming fixation, and Cha’s gun usage, among others, are given depth, leading to the formation of the anime’s first episode plot.

4. Voices Of A Distant Star

Adding More Adversity On The Path To Hope

Creators: Makoto Shinkai (story), Sumomo Yumeka (art)
1 Volume, 10 Chapters
Available in English via Vertical Inc

Prior to “Your Name”, “Weathering with You”, and “5 Centimeters Per Second”, Makoto Shinkai authored, produced, animated, and voiced in “Voices of a Distant Star”. This narrative revolves around two childhood friends, Mikako and Noboru, who face challenges in maintaining contact after Mikako is dispatched into space to battle alien beings known as Tarsians. Despite the passage of years without communication, they continue to cherish their hope for reuniting one day.

Shinkai’s second OVA after the brief “She and Her Cat” was titled thus, running for approximately 25 minutes and boasting art that was somewhat inconsistent compared to his future projects. Two years following its debut, Shinkai transformed it into a manga format. This adaptation enriched the narrative by granting more depth to its principal characters, providing them with opportunities for self-expression, as well as introducing new figures that contributed to the expansion of the “VDS” universe. For instance, Mikako acquires a space pilot companion named Hina, who serves to illustrate the perils of space exploration when her own mission takes an unexpected turn.

3. 5 Centimeters Per Second

Making A Bittersweet Movie More Bittersweet

Creators: Makoto Shinkai (story), Yukiko Seike (art)
2 Volumes, 11 Chapters
Available in English via Vertical Inc

Makoto Shinkai continued to explore the theme of friendship fading with time in his second full-length animation, titled “5 Centimeters Per Second“. Unlike his previous work, this story is not about fighting to stay together against all obstacles. Instead, it’s a tale of accepting change, as Takaki continues to pine for his childhood sweetheart, Akari, which has limited his chances and growth throughout the years. Later on, Shinkai transformed the movie into his debut novel in 2007, serving as inspiration for the 2010 manga adaptation.

Similar to VDS, it doesn’t stray too far from the original anime’s narrative, yet it enriches the tale with additional details that give it a deeper, more emotional impact. For instance, it provides Risa, Takaki’s ill-fated girlfriend, with more scenes that reveal their deteriorating relationship, such as confrontations at his workplace and a botched vacation, among other additions. While the film conveys the message of leaving the past behind, the manga resonates more profoundly by showing how Takaki’s persistent nostalgia affects others even into his adulthood.

2. Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story

The Dark Side Of Magical Girls Condensed Into A Short Story

Creators: Magica Quartet (story), Hanokage (art)
3 Volumes, 12 Chapters
Available in English via Yen Press

I’m thrilled to share that the captivating anime series, Puella Magica Madoka Magica, didn’t merely get a manga adaptation. It was enriched with twelve manga chapters, four video games, four movies (with a fifth in production), and even a novel! Just because it offers a unique twist on the magical girl genre, where Madoka’s powers are entwined in a darker narrative that subtly exploits her and the “Witches” she battles, doesn’t make it any less popular than fan favorites like Sailor Moon or Cardcaptor Sakura. In fact, its unique storytelling and compelling characters have earned it a strong following.

Which of the twelve mangas is most highly regarded? Typically, it’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Different Story that takes

1. Neon Genesis Evangelion

A Reimagination Of NGE’s Plot

Creator: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
14 Volumes, 97 Chapters
Available in English via Viz Media’s Action imprint

The iconic 90s mecha series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, has several manga adaptations as well, some of which veer off in entirely distinct directions, such as The Shinji Ikari Detective Story. Interestingly, the official manga adaptation of the TV show occasionally diverged from its animated counterpart, offering unique perspectives. For instance, the backstories of characters like Shinji and Asuka are significantly different in the manga compared to the anime, with Shinji showing less resistance towards entering battle.

In the manga adaptation of Neon Genesis Evangelion, the characters are portrayed differently compared to the original show. Rei’s character is developed further and becomes less of a gentle, passive figure, while Kaworu is initially depicted as more intimidating and doesn’t form a friendship with Shinji until later in the story. Gendo Ikari, often seen as one of the worst anime fathers, shows signs of trying to support Shinji towards the end. This difference arises because the manga isn’t Hideaki Anno’s exact vision for Neon Genesis Evangelion; instead, it’s Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s unique interpretation of the plot. Although it may lack some introspective depth, it offers a compelling read as its own distinct take on the story.

2025-08-04 03:09