2020 has begun, and there’s a lot of manga coming out this year. A lot. Some of which gets us over here possibly either pre-ordering it already or getting it exactly on release day.
Orrrrr…we just have it on a list!
Anyways, there’s more manga that we’re likely all interested in checking out this year, but Rai, Krystallina, and Justin have a few they’re looking forward to reading for a combination of reasons:
- Title checks all the boxes of things they like to read.
- Might’ve already read it and can finally get it physically.
- Watched the anime of said manga and can now get it in their hands.
So, here’s a couple of the titles they’re looking forward to reading this in 2020:
Cosmo Familia by Hanokage | Released by Seven Seas
I love things that are a mixture of creepy and cute, and seems like Cosmo Familia is going to fit this category perfectly. Well, it might fall more on the cute side, but it’s about an alien invasion and protecting the last few remaining humans, so…it seems like something I will enjoy. Not only that, the story and art are by Hanokage, the artist who did the art for the Puella Magi Madoka Magica manga, which is one of my favorite series. Their art style is bubbly, crisp, and cute. From the looks of it, Cosmo Familia is going to have magical girl vibes, plus aliens. I honestly couldn’t ask for anything better!
Not Your Idol by Aoi Makino | Released by Shojo Beat
Aoi Makino is a creator not many English-speaking fans have heard of, but several of her works have been translated into German courtesy of TOKYOPOP. She has written one of the best one-volume series I have ever read, and I’m glad VIZ Media is finally giving her a chance in English. She writes shoujo manga, but they usually heavily feature dark twists and psychological drama. I haven’t read it yet, but this series about an idol who ended up quitting the business because of a fan seems like no exception.
Yuzu the Pet Vet by Mingo Ito | Released by Kodansha Comics
I’m going to cheat and highlight a title I’ve read some of before in Japanese, although not from the beginning. Elementary student Yuzu lives with her uncle who runs an animal care clinic, and she helps him out despite her bad experiences with animals. The art makes it look like it’s just for little kids, but trust me on this: onion-cutting ninjas have a habit of appearing when you read this. It touches on a lot of hard topics, but it also shows how beautiful love and friendship can be — whether between people or across species.
Hi Score Girl by Rensuke Oshikiri | Released by Square Enix Manga
Hi Score Girl is a work that took me back to my roots as an avid gamer when the anime aired a few years ago. From countless hours attempting to get good at a fighting game to going to the arcades and playing a ton of different games, the anime definitely made me recall those days, while also pairing an anti-social boy and a rich, but pressured young girl together and showing how games impacted their youth. With Square Enix bringing over the manga this year, all this means is that the series about gaming can now be in my hands, and I can see how annoyed Akira gets at Harou all over again!
The Daily Lives of High School Boys by Yasunobu Yamauchi | Released by Vertical
It’s important to emphasize that the anime for this series ended in 2012. The live action for this aired in 2013. The manga itself has been long done…and yet, Vertical outta nowhere felt it best to bring it over in 2020. Thanks Vertical, I’m stunned! A couple of high school boys interact with each other or other people in either simple or moronic fashion. The anime for this was hilarious, and I was very much in love with its humor and pacing. I’m curious to find out how it reads in manga form, and I’m looking forward to knowing if it’ll be up there as one of the funniest works I’ve ever read.
Honorable mention: Perfect World by Rie Aruga | Released by Kodansha Comics
It’s being released digitally, but Kodansha Comics is putting it in print this year! It’s a very thoughtful look at relationships with disabled people and the joys (and struggles) that come with it.