Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Why it works: What happens after the hero kills the demon lord? Frieren, an elf mage, outlives her adventuring party. She spends her new journey learning to understand human emotion and the fleeting beauty of time. It is melancholic, action-packed, and incredibly gentle. Manga status: Ongoing. Widely considered the best new manga of the decade.
Monster (The Masterpiece) Why it works: A brilliant Japanese surgeon saves a young boy’s life instead of a politician. Years later, that boy becomes a serial killer. Set in post-Cold War Germany, this is a slow-burn psychological thriller about evil being born versus being made. Where to find it: Netflix (anime is complete, 74 eps). The manga is a dense, rewarding read. The Emotional Gut-Punches You want to cry, laugh, and feel alive. hentaiser
Dandadan The pitch: A believer in ghosts and a believer in aliens bet each other to prove their existence. They discover both are real, and the girl gets her powers stolen by a yokai, while the boy gets his penis stolen by a turbo-granny. It is insane, horny, hilarious, and has some of the best fight choreography in modern manga. Anime status: Coming October 2024 (trailers look incredible). Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Why it works: What
