The 2020 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Manga

As we bid the hellish year of 2020 farewell, it only seems right to look back at some of its […]

January 11, 2021, 6:00pm

As we bid the hellish year of 2020 farewell, it only seems right to look back at some of its bright spots no matter how few and far between. The manga industry did its best to stay afloat amidst the pandemic, and no amount of production delays could keep it from wowing fans this year. That is why our annual Golden Issue Awards are paying tribute to the best of the best manga in 2020.

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And the winner of the 2020 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Manga is…

My Hero Academia!

The competition was fierce this year as series like Chainsaw Man and One Piece gave My Hero Academia a run for its money. Black Clover and Jujutsu Kaisen also to the forefront as runner-ups, but no one could take down Izuku Midoriya this year. After all, the manga spent much of 2020 with a new arc, and the Paranormal Liberation War arc was one to behold.

For those who are caught up with the manga, you will understand why My Hero Academia took the top spot in 2020. The series kickstarted the year with a foolishly hopeful plan to bring Shigaraki to his knees once and for all. Fans expected the raid to go poorly, but no one could have imagined how badly the mission would go. Despite bringing in the top heroes of Japan, the League and Liberation Army brought decimation to our heroes, and fans learned how deadly its villains could be.

Thanks to creator Kohei Horikoshi, this gut-wrenching arc was filled with action, and its art is singularly impressive. The superhero fanatic drew the sort of art for this arc which will live in legacy. Readers agree Horikoshi has reached new heights with his art through this arc, and the same goes for his writing. A number of high-stakes revelations were made in My Hero Academia this year that shocked the fandom. At one point, one of these big reveals managed to out-trend the U.S. presidential election in November, so you can see how big of a deal the manga has become.

With a new year in sight, fans are eager to see how My Hero Academia follows up on one of its most impressive arcs to date. The fallout from the Paranormal Liberation War will be intense, and Izuku’s journey is still far from over. So if you thought 2020 was a good year for the manga, then 2021 could be even better.

Nominees: