Plenty of fans will agree that 2025 was an important year for both anime and manga. A decent amount of manga reached the end of their runs this year, including popular series such as Kaiju No. 8 and Vinland Saga; additionally, anime that reached their conclusion include huge hit series like My Hero Academia. Numerous other franchises are entering their final arcs or gearing up to wrap up any loose ends, meaning there will be a chunk of spots to fill on anime fans’ watchlists. With the ever-growing amount of anime released a year, that shouldn’t be too difficult to manage, though discussions on which shows will become the next big thing are often talked about within the community.
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Most anime are adapted from manga series that were featured in successful weekly or monthly publications. There’s never any true shortage of interesting new manga, which can only mean that there’s no small amount of plots that would absolutely thrive if brought over to the screen. Fans have their own preferences, but a few series stand out among others as strong contenders for receiving anime adaptations that could bring in new audiences. This list will explore a few manga that positively need to be announced on the upcoming anime roster so long-time fans can finally see their favorite characters brought to life.
3) Centuria
Centuria is an amazing dark fantasy manga series that has been published in Shonen Jump. The series was released in 2024 and is expected to have its first English volume released sometime in 2026. Centuria is often compared to similar titles like Berserk, noted for its gritty, realistic take on a fantasy setting. Its plot centers around a young boy, Julian, who is given immense power by an ancient sea entity after witnessing a tragic massacre. With this new life, Julian decides to raise the orphaned baby left behind on the ship, protecting her from outside threats that threaten her existence. Centuria explores themes of overcoming trauma, forged bonds, survival, and sacrifice in a broken world.
2) Ichi the Witch
Ichi the Witch has climbed in popularity ever since its original debut in Shonen Jump. The series started back in 2024 and remains ongoing, with its first English volume set to release in 2026. The manga is known for its vibrant, stunning art and unique power system that defines many character dynamics. It follows the story of Ichi, an orphaned boy who lives alone in the mountains until a string of events leads him to become the first male witch in a society where only women are allowed to practice magic. Ichi must complete numerous trials to complete his education and obtain his status as a true witch, all while exploring the ins and outs of his new world. Ichi the Witch navigates interesting themes like gender, survival, the power of knowledge, and destiny.
1) Kagurabachi
Kagurabachi remains one of the best modern manga of the last five years, and can be found in Shonen Jump’s weekly publication. The manga was released in 2023 and currently has around 100 chapters available to read. This series incorporates themes of revenge, family, tradition, and destiny into its intense plot, centering around a standard vengeance quest. Kagurabachi tells the story of Chihiro, a young man who takes possession of his father’s last legendary sword to avenge his death at the hands of a rival sorcerer group. Chihiro must hunt down all the members of the group and reclaim the other blades they stole from his father, while navigating the shadowy world of sorcery.
Have you read any of these manga series? Tell us which manga you’d love to see adapted into anime in the comments below.
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