We live in a grand time to be nerds. Comic book characters who have been gracing pages and inspiring readers for nerds for ages. And now, for the last two decades, Marvel and DC heroes have graced our screens, connecting to a wide range of people now, them becoming beloved cinema norms. Manga to anime work similarly often, where the manga comes first, and then an anime is made. And anime has steadily been growing in access and audience. So, this is the chance that some amazing mangas to shine and be seen by more people in the form of animes. This list could EASILY be endless, BUT, I limited myself to 30! HA!
So, here are my TOP 30 Mangas I Want to Become Anime:
#1. Sort of a biased note: I think EVERY CLAMP work should be turned into an anime AND am surprised for those they haven’t with their decades of influence, masterful storytelling, stunning art, and compelling characters. Here are the ones that have NOT been made into animes or OVAs yet, so this cluster would be my SHARED NUMBER ONE:
- RG Veda (has 2 OVAs from the early 90’s,)
- Tokyo Babylon (has 2 OVAs from the early 90’s,)
- Gate 7,
- Legal Drug,
- Clover,
- My Only Love.
- Fruits Basket: Another- The sequel/spin-off to my beloved ‘Fruits Basket,’ featuring their children and how they help another special young woman, the Somas also being influenced by her. It is refreshing and nostalgic all at once!
- Millennium Snow- From the creator of ‘Ouran High School Host Club.’ A beautiful teenage girl with a heart condition meets a lonely vampire on a snowy evening. A fun and lovely story.
- Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross- A former tough girl who was given up by her rich family and joins the student council to be near her first love from youth. Charming, beautiful art, full of twists and turns.
- Stepping on Roses- A period piece about a dirt poor girl who gives herself up to marriage to a rich young man in order to get medicine for her sick sister. Another story that is gripping, breathtaking, and shocking at times.
- Happy Marriage?!- To appease her grandfather on his deathbed, a young woman swears to him she will marry the man he selected for her: her jerky boss! Oh, how crazy this romantic drama is!
- Absolute Boyfriend- This one has a live-action show, but it strays a lot from the manga. An anime about a lonely high school girl who orders a robotic boyfriend who comes to life to sweetly love her is grand!
- Idol Dream- A 30-year-old woman’s life is going nowhere. She longs for her stunning high school days. Bumping into her former high school friend, he makes a miracle drug she takes that will transform her into a 16-year-old, this new version of her getting discovered to be an idol! A heartwarming story from the creator of “Full Moon.”
- Otomen- Captain of his kendo team and idolized for being manly, our main protagonist has had to hide his love for manga, sewing, cooking, and all things ‘girly’ from everyone due to his mother not wanting him to become a wimp like his father. Add our tender guy falling for a pretty, but tough karate girl and it’s a love story to watch!
- Yurana/Yukarism- Ghosts! Psychics! YES PLEASE!
- Amazing Agent Luna/Amazing Agent Jennifer- An American-made manga about a created-in-a-lab secret agent teenage girl that is about to go on a new adventure for her next mission: become a high school student!
- Codename- Sailor V – The ORIGINAL Sailor Scout, my girl ‘Sailor V!’ This is Minako’s origin story and needs to be shared in animation for the Sailor Moon universe! It would be a great shorter anime series (12 episodes.)
- Mermaid Boys- A HILARIOUS take on ‘The Little Mermaid,’ but the roles reversed: a merman falls in love with a human girl, set in modern times?! It’s a riot!
- Those Not So-Sweet Boys- A high school girl is asked to convince three ‘bad, rich boys’ to come back to school by her school chairmen. A surprisingly sweet and fun story that would be a pleasure to watch.
- Perfect World- This one is DEEP! Two high school classmates reconnect at work after a decade But now, one of them is forever in a wheelchair. This story does not sugarcoat disabilities and the struggles all involved encounter, but it is breathtaking and still fills me with hope.
- Hatsu Haru- Lady’s man suddenly falls for the short, tough girl. A simple story, but the main eight characters is what makes this one scream and shine!
- Twinkle Stars- By the same manga-ka of “Fruits Basket,” a lovely, bittersweet tale about two broken people who find comfort in the stars and slowly, each other.
- Liselotte and the Witch’s Forest- Another by our cherished ‘Fruits Basket’ manga-ka. A banished, framed princess is sent to a forest where dark witches live. Rich in lore, characters, and heart.
- L <3 DK- Girl likes the popular guy. The popular guy doesn’t know it. They find out they are neighbors. When his apartment floods, they have to live together! What could possibly go wrong? HA!
- Cutie and the Beast- An adorable girl is madly in love with wrestling and tells her favorite wrestler online how amazing he is. This teddy bear of a guy is touched by her kindness. What happens when the cuties meet?
- Wake Up, Sleeping Beauty- A dark, psychological romance about a caretaker who discovers the mysterious mistress he is assigned to take care of is cursed to attract spirits to possess her body.
- Mint Chocolate- Step-siblings who fall in love that is intense and sweet like mint chocolate.
- Vampire Dormitory- A nerdy vampire! A cafe of cute guys! Mistaken gender! Made for TV!
- I Cannot Reach You- A loving story of two guys who have been friends for a long time…but can’t admit they are in love with each other.
- Witch Hat Atelier- A captivating tale about a little girl who discovers she has magic and is taken in by the powerful and kind magical teacher, welcoming her a spot into a witch’s academy. The artwork is stunning and would make an anime a dazzling feast for the eyes!
- DramaCon- A FUNNY and entertaining short series about an aspiring manga author who goes to con to sell her work, and what happens to her on the three years that it take place, including a steamy romance.
- Cherry Juice- Another wonderful series of step-siblings falling in love.
- A.I. Love You- A young man makes an A.I. computer girlfriend that has her own feelings and thoughts. During a lightning storm, she pops to life from his computer into our world, real! What’s a guy to do?!
- Pixie Pop- This one is a short, sweet, and colorfully fun! A girl meets a drink fairy who places magic on her. Depending on what she drinks, different effects happen! It’s a ride!
- V.B. Rose- A talented at making homemade crafts and accessories gets a job at a custom wedding dress shop ran by two handsome and creative men.
Honorable Mentions:
- Tsubasa- Those with Wings- A desert thief and rogue, an enemies-to-lovers story created by the manga-ka of ‘Fruits Basket.’
- The White Cat’s Revenge as Plotted from the Dragon King’s Lap- A girl and her selfish childhood friend are transported into a world of magic where our maiden discovers she has enchanting magic. She also accidentally turns to a cat and melts the heart of the dragon king.
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Dream your nerdy dreams! Stay geeky!
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Educator of young minds by day, super nerdy savior of justice, and cute things by night, Morgan Straughan Comnick has a love for turning the normal into something special without losing its essence. Morgan draws from real-life experiences and her ongoing imagination to spark her writing. In her spare time, she enjoys doing goofy voices, traveling to new worlds by turning pages, humming child-like songs, and forcing people to smile with her “bubbliness.” It is Morgan’s mission in life to spread the amazement of otaku/Japanese culture to the world and to stop bullying; she knows everyone shines brightly.
For more information about Morgan and her works, check out her website, which also has links to all her social medias: http://morganscomnick.com
