AnimeJapan has concluded and with its end, comes the reveal of the Top 10 manga series that Japanese Otaku want to see turned into anime.
If you jump back in time to 2020, you can read AnimeMojo's previous coverage of the annual poll and see some current heavy-hitters that were on the list, including Chainsaw Man, Komi Can't Communicate, and The Apothecary Diaries.
1. Shinanonchi no Ikuru by Hami Nakasora
SYNOPSIS: A slice-of-life manga series that follows kid siblings Ikuru and Shinano during the late Showa era.
2. Shōgakusei M-moto M-mi no Kattekimama Life by M-Fujin
SYNOPSIS: In a series of manga essays, M-Fujin recounts the eccentric misadventures of her family of five, particularly her youngest daughter “M-mi.”
3. Real Akiba Boyz by Maron
SYNOPSIS: The comedic manga follows the daily antics of otaku breakdance group Real Akiba Boyz- who also happen to exist in real life.
4. I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl by Azusa Banjo
SYNOPSIS: An LGBT+ romantic comedy in which nobody is quite what they seem, and everyone learns to be who they truly are. It’s a familiar story: a popular high school student gives their plain friend a makeover and transforms their life. But this time, both the popular student and the plain friend are boys! Mido Kenshiro has loved cosmetics all his life, keeping his obsession a secret. But when his childhood friend Hiura lets Kenshiro practice applying makeup on him, the results are earth-shattering—for both of them. [Licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment]
5. Ugly Duckling of the Entertainment District by Naru Kariya
SYNOPSIS: Abandoned by her latest family, Esora is left with nothing and nowhere to go. Starving, she steals food from a temple and sneaks inside to wait out a thunderstorm. When she wakes up, she's been transported to a different realm, and sold in chains to a mysterious man in a paper mask. Trapped in a strange new world, Esora must now begin training to become a Courtesan if she wants any hope of regaining her freedom and discovering the masked man's secret... [Licensed by Mangamo]
6. Kitanai Kimi ga Ichiban Kawaii (I Love Your Cruddy...) by Manio
SYNOPSIS: Airi Sezaki and Hinako Hanamura. In the class, they are in a different group and caste with no interaction, but they have a secret that cannot be said to the others. The girls' secret is that of love, selfishness and fetishes...
7. Kagurabachi by Takeru Hokazono
SYNOPSIS: Kunishige Rokuhira is the most famous swordsmith in the land. Thanks to his six enchanted blades, the war that had been gripping the nation ended and peaceful days followed. After the war, he retrieved all six blades and hid them in the cellar of his workshop. However, sorcerers raided his home, stole the legendary swords, and left Kunishige dead in front of his son, Chihiro. Now Chihiro wields Kunishige’s seventh and final enchanted blade on a mission to exact revenge and retrieve the swords his father forged. [Licensed by Viz Media]
8. The Summer You Were There by Yuama
SYNOPSIS: In this yuri love story by the creator of The Girl I Want is So Handsome!, two high school girls–one a shy writer, the other a social butterfly–try to live out a romance novel. Shizuku is a shy high schooler who hardly talks to other people. Instead, she loses herself in writing, crafting a novel that she never intends to show anyone. But when her cute, popular classmate Kaori gets her hands on Shizuku’s manuscript, everything changes. Kaori suggests that, in order to give Shizuku material for her next book, the two of them should start dating! Can this mismatched pair create their own happily ever after? [Licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment]
9. Kindergarten Wars by You Chiba
SYNOPSIS: Welcome to Kindergarten Noir, an exclusive school catering to children of the global elite. Rita, one of the teachers, has been on the hunt for a boyfriend but has had absolutely zero luck so far. One day, an assassin comes after one of the children...and he's totally dreamy?! Dive into this action-packed rom-com as it unfolds inside the world's "safest" kindergarten! [Licensed by Shuiesha's Manga Plus]
10. Psyren by Toshiaki Iwashiro
SYNOPSIS: Ageha Yoshina is a self-confident high school student who helps others for a fee. On his way back from a job, he finds a strange calling card with the word "Psyren" imprinted left behind in a phone booth and decides to keep it, unaware of its purpose. The very next day, Ageha discovers that his classmate Sakurako Amamiya has the exact same calling card in her possession. When he questions her, Sakurako asks him to save her, signaling the day his troubles begin.
Confused by the circumstances of this encounter, Ageha realizes something is wrong when Sakurako goes missing. In an attempt to figure out what is happening, he decides to call the number provided on the calling card and is asked a series of questions by a mysterious voice, ending with a final, cryptic question: "Would you like to go to Psyren?" Thus begins two teenagers' participation in a game of life or death within a strange world inhabited by monsters called "Taboo." Granted the ability to use psychic powers known as "PSI," the duo fight to return to the place they call home.
A few years from now, when we revisit this list, what titles do you think will have been converted into a popular anime? Let us know in the comment section below.