These covers are the runner ups!
I’m so excited to finally finish this list! I’ve been writing it so long. . . I get easily distracted though so it took up a good chunk of my life. I hope you enjoy my favorite manga covers as much as I do! My greatest wish is you are able to find something new to read.
Let’s get started!
52. Sakisaka, Io‘s Strobe Edge, Volume 6
What I like about this particular cover is the lighting. There is a nice balance of pastel colors and movement in the character’s clothing. Miss Sakisaka also has a talent for drawing and coloring eyes.
51. Murata, Yusuke (Art), ONE (Story)- One Punch-Man, Volume 11
Murata Yusuke is an extraordinary artist. I actually talked about his profound attention to detail in my post Best Artwork From Manga I’ve Read. As fans know, he isn’t the original artist for One Punch Man but he tries his best to really enhance the original author ONE’s artwork.
I love, love, love, the coloring in this cover. Its RED and awesome. I also like Metal Bat from the series. Therefore, its a win win situation for me. What REALLY sold me on this cover though was Saitama in the background with his ugly wig on. 🙂
50. Morishita, Suu‘s Yubisaki to Renren, Volume 1
A Sign of Affection is one of my favorite recent finds. The manga is great, but I’m not going to talk about that right now. I’m a sucker for beautiful covers outlined with flowers and with watercoloring. What I also appreciate about this cover is the hand gesture the girl is making. In Japanese sign language it means “That’s okay”. Very fitting for a title like A Sign of Affection.
49. One Punch Man, Volume 23
Word of warning, because I like the artist Murata for One Punch Man, his covers are going to come up A LOT. This cover encompasses my feelings concerning this series. I just want Saitama to come and punch the villain already. I like the lighting and spotlight effect Murata did over Saitama. It’s almost like he’s saying, “Thank the Lord! Saitama is here to punch them!”
48. Kubo, Tite‘s Bleach, Volume 22
Tite Kubo’s covers for Bleach are going to be all over the place! Though I am not happy with how drawn out the story became, I am definitely a fan of Kubo’s artwork. He’s a great artist! One of the highlights for this series is the large variety of manga covers he finished. He has a way of posing his characters uniquely.
Case point 1 is his first cover featuring Ulquiorra. Its like a still shot someone made right when he moved to stand in the frame. I really like Ulquiorra as a character too, which also adds to my admiration for this cover.
47. Mikanagi, Touya‘s Karneval, Volume 25
I featured this cover in one of my earliest manga posts Beautiful covers for aspiring art collectors. The artist, Mikanagi, makes his covers feel like a circus with their wide variety of colors, shapes and unique lighting. For this particular cover, I love how he incorporated BLUE. It’s been too long since I read this series so I couldn’t say if this has some significance. For me, it just pops aesthetically!
46. Karneval, Volume 4
Another fun fact about all of these manga covers for Karneval is Mikanagi always includes a butterfly somewhere in the background. What I especially like about this cover is the posing. I feel like I mentally need to look up to the character’s eyes.
45. Kouchi, Kaede‘s Love So Life, Volume 17
I love this manga series, especially for its heartwarming variety of manga covers. This particular cover is for the series’ finale, bringing together the four characters I came to love so much. It feels like a family picture and it makes me smile. 🙂
44. Bleach, Volume 60
I said Kubo’s art would persist on this list. I keep my promises. I appreciated Kubo including a homage to Ichigo’s mother, who he lost at a very young age. This cover feels like a precious, captured memory right before she died.
43. CLAMP‘s Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 10
You have no idea how hard it was to narrow down my favorite covers for Tsubasa. I truly admire CLAMP’s artists and how well they stage their inter chapter artwork and manga covers. The theme for this particular cover is GREEN tropics and I eat it up. There are so many details to look over and it evokes a needed sense of mystery and apprehension.
42. Takamatsu, Misaki‘s Skip to Loafer, Volume 1
I found Skip to Loafer while browsing online blogs and was surprised how much I liked it. What especially impressed me was how the artist Takamatsu staged her characters on the cover. It fits the more upbeat flow for the series and alludes to the hope filled future ahead of them.
41. Azuma, Kiyohiko‘s Yotsuba to!, Volume 7
Good gravy (Don’t know where that came from) I love almost all the covers Kiyohiko does for Yotsuba&!. Much like the series, they have such a warm energy to them. What I especially like in this cover is Yotsuba’s enthusiasm as she runs from/with sheep. I’m pretty sure this is the volume where she goes to a farm for the first time. All in all, it just makes me smile.
40. Mochizuki, Jun‘s Pandora Hearts, Volume 3
Seeing this cover for Pandora Hearts makes me want to read it again. Mochizuki balances her covers by having a blank white canvas and crisply inserting well posed characters. By doing this, the facial expressions and color stick out more.
Though I love the first two covers for the series, I’ve always had a soft spot for this third volume. There is something about Break’s pose that draws me in.
39. Yotsuba to!, Volume 9
Volume 7 from Yotsuba&! isn’t so much about posing as it is about creating a beautiful atmosphere. Though the place Yotsuba lives seems ordinary, Kiyohino makes it feel so warm. This cover is very inviting, like its gently pushing a reader to opening its pages.
38. Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 19
I’m super surprised I liked this cover so much. I’m not really into science fiction. However, what intrigues me about this volume is the atmosphere. For those who have read the series, its darker coloring and more oppressive atmosphere match the tone present in the story. I appreciate the attention to details CLAMP had in their character presentation and how they set the reader for the crazy plot changes coming up.
37. Strobe Edge, Volume 8
Andou, from Strobe Edge, is not my favorite character. But I like this cover featuring him. I didn’t think that would happen. What I liked most was his hair and eyes. I also like the angle Sakisaka used for the character.
36. Arakawa, Hiromu‘s Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 10/ 3 in 1
Being the nerdy fan I am of Arakawa’s artwork, I’m not surprised this volume popped up. As I’ve said before, I am always on the lookout for great lighting and posing in manga covers. Luckily, this volume has both. I’m also a HUGE fan of Edward’s character design so I’m always for seeing him on covers.
35. Pandora Hearts, Volume 10
Wow. The theme for this volume cover is PURPLE. Since the series is a a much darker place in this volume, this color is very fitting. If I’m not mistaken, it features Jack, who originally they thought was a hero. Anyway, I won’t spoil anything. Needless to say this cover is fantastic!
34. Watsuki, Nobuhiro‘s Rurouni Kenshin, Volume 28
Ah, Rurouni Kenshin. How I love you. Here is the simple reason I love this cover. Kenshin looks at peace. I love his expression and how the cover eludes to his happy future.
33. Hikawa, Kyouko‘s Kanata kara, Volume 13
I. LOVE. THIS. SERIES. I wish I owned all the volumes but I don’t have the money to spend $800 for certain volumes. So, so sad. All the volumes feature the two main characters. Volume 13 is one of my favorites. Hikawa has such good taste in coloring and clothing design.
32. Hoshino, Katsura‘s D.Gray-man, Volume 18
Hoshino is one of the best artists I’ve come across in manga. No joke. She is great at drawing hands and clothing. What I like about his cover in particular is the coloring and posing. It feels ALIVE. It also has a more Halloweeny feel to it, which I am always down for.
31. Bleach, Volume 49
I think this is the best cover featuring Ichigo. It has more defined shading, almost like Film Noir or Romantic paintings.
30. Kanata Kara, Volume 11
Be prepared because this isn’t the last cover from this series. Much like volume 13, I mostly like the colors and clothing design. In particular, I like Noriko’s hair color and dress.
29. Mosco‘s Kuzumi-kun, Kuuki Yometemasu ka?, Volume 8
If you haven’t read this series yet, I would recommend it simply for its humor. And Kuzumi. His dead pan expressions make me laugh. Anyway, this cover is just super sweet. I’m always a fan of these type of stories where “loser” characters get with those they love. In this case I’d say Erika, the girl, is in the loser category.
28. Bleach, Volume 54
I don’t remember who this character is but I love how Kubo portrays him on this cover! I especially admire the gray shading on the dark uniform as well as the watercolored platform they’re standing on.
27. Love so Life, Volume 14
Compared to volume 17, I think 14 has a little more life breathed into it! I also like how it portrays Shiharu’s relationship with the twins with such positive, bright colors.
26. Yotsuba to!, Volume 15
What I love most about this cover is how it portrays Yotsuba’s relationship with her dad. It’s just sweet to see it shown in such a positive, cute setting like the beach.
25. Touma, Rei‘s Reimei no Arcana, Volume 1
I don’t like the other covers for Dawn of Arcana as much as I do this one. The Turquoise and red silhouetted against each other is simply beautiful. What really catches me is her GREEN eyes.
24. D. Grayman, Volume 4
Levi is one of my favorite characters in D.Gray Man, besides Allen. The black surrounding him in this cover feels like a curtain parting.
23. Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Volume 24
Dang. I just. . . man I just love Syaoran. This is one of the few covers with just him. He looks cool on this cover. This is one of the few times where I like the brown tones used.
22. Bleach, 18
I forgot this character’s name too (Sorry!) but I have always like this cover’s energy! It feels like a still frame for an animated scene. I say that because of the smear effect Kubo used for her foot. In animation, action scenes often are smeared to give an illusion of fast motion.
21. Fullmetal Alchemist, 25
This cover has depth. I also like where Arakawa put the focal point. Because Alphonse in the suit is so big, your eyes naturally go from him back to his body and the gateway of truth.
20. Yubisaki to Renren, Volume 4
Sigh, this cover is so pretty. It reminds me of Art Nouveu paintings done by Alphonse Mucha, with its brighter colors and floral/ nature themed outlines. I especially like how Morishita used baby blue on her characters.
19. Togashi, Yoshihiro‘s Hunter x Hunter, Volume 3
I feel bad for saying this, but I don’t like Yoshihiro’s artwork. The anime is great, but the manga’s art lacks. . . things. That said, I still love this cover! It’s just fun and encompasses Gon’s lighthearted nature.
18. Love So Life, Volume 15
Love so Life is one of my favorite love stories. Matsunaga handled his relationship with Shiharu very well. I like how happy and content they look together. Matsunaga especially looks at peace with the future they had awaiting them.
17. Sugisaki, Yukiru‘s D.N.Angel, Volume 1
If there is one good thing about D.N.Angel its the manga covers. Even here in volume 1 Sugisaki was able to catch readers’ attention with captivating colors and designs. The reason why I even wanted to read this series was because I was drawn to this cover.
16. Bleach, Volume 3
Orihime is one of my favorite characters, and not because she is pretty. I like her modesty and how her feelings and motivations develop. What I like about this cover is how it plays on her personality. This is also a really clever pose. I’ve never seen anything else like it.
15. Bleach, Volume 13
Details, details, details. I like the coloring, Kenpachi’s facial expression, and how he is angled toward the where the reader will open the volume.
14. One Punch Man, Volume 2
This cover is freaking cool, like Genos, who tries so hard to succeed but hardly ever does. I think this cover portrays the roles Genos and Saitama play in the series. Genos gives readers something cool and pretty to look and Saitama looks like a dork in the background, until he starts fighting. (Note, I love how Murata makes it seem like Genos’ arms are shining.)
13. D.N.Angel, Volume 13
Looking back at this cover, I marvel at this character’s angle. It’s like he’s twisting towards the reader mid flight. All in all, it’s a captivating shot of Dark from D.N.Angel.
12. Midorikawa, Yuki‘s Natsume Yuujinchou, Volume 5
All my friends know I love Natsume’s Book of Friends. I perused all the manga covers and decided volume 5 is my favorite of the bunch. It’s like a wind is passing through the scene, lifting the papers up around the characters. I also like how this volume has a brush of calligraphy to its style.
11. D. Grayman, Volume 7
I’ve said before Hoshino draws spectacular covers. This one feels as though its falling apart or unable to fully come together, which is fitting since the featured character isn’t exactly human. I love how this artwork feels, and the sense of mystery behind it.
10. Shiwasu, Yuki‘s Takane to Hana, Volume 13
Ah, the infamous volume for Takane and Hana where things finally click for both characters. It doesn’t show it right here, but the full artwork has their full figures falling together. It’s quite beautiful. Most of the covers for this series are funny but at the right times they have a more serious undertone.
9. Rurouni Kenshin, 3-in-1 4
Kenshin how I love you! On a whim I decided to go through all the 3-in-1 volume covers for Rurouni Kenshin. In-so-doing, I found this hidden gem. I’ve never seen him in blue before, but its suits him wonderfully. Kenshin is a very lighthearted character so this cover fits him very well. (If you couldn’t tell, I basically love this cover because of how it portrays Kenshin.)
8. Yubisaki to Renren, Volume 2
Such a pretty cover! Morishika has such a talent for blending colors! I especially like how the characters are looking at each other.
7. Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 27
Yes, yes, yes! This cover encompasses everything I love about this series’ finale. It’s almost like Edward says with his eyes, “I’ve found the right answer. I’m here for my brother now.” Ah! so good.
6. Kanata Kara, Volume 3
This is my favorite cover for From Far Away because of how gentle it feels. It almost feels airbrushed, with soft hues of blue and pink. It’s almost like Hikawa blended two different people through color and imagery.
5. Urushibara, Yuki‘s Mushishi, Volume 7
Yes, I love Mushishi. Sorry there is only one cover! Thinking back on it though, I realized this is the cover I admire the most because of Urushibara’s choice of colors and posing. It reminds me of one of the more haunting stories from the series about a young woman hundreds of years old, connected to an old Cherry Tree. I’m a huge fan of watercolors in general so it’s no wonder I feel so drawn to this cover.
4. One Punch Man, Volume 17
Hot dang! This cover has such presence and energy! Besides Saitama and Genos, Zombie man is probably my favorite. (I wonder why that is? Maybe I like strong silent types) Looking closely at this cover, the focal point is his EYES at the end of his gun. I understand this character without even having to read about him just by looking at this image.
3. Takane to Hana, Volume 7
Such. Beautiful. Colors! I didn’t realize how much I love soft coloring in artwork until I did this post. This volume from Takane and Hana takes place right at a serious moment in the story. Character development comes like a storm! Shiwasu chose just the right colors for Takane and Hana for this volume. I also like how she posed the characters. Like most volume covers, they don’t feel at war with each other. It’s like they are finally connecting.
2. Takaya, Natsuki‘s Fruits Basket, Ultimate Edition 2
I’m surprised myself how far this cover has come! Fruits Basket is my favorite manga of all time. I have quite a bit of emotional attachment to it. When I searched through all the volumes, this 2nd ultimate edition popped out at me! This was at a time where Takaya’s artwork flourished. I love how I feel when I look at it and that is what really matters when picking artworks for ourselves.
1.Yamamori, Mika‘s Hirunaka no Ryuusei, Volume 6
Hmmm hmm hmmm. I’m sorry more volumes for this series didn’t make it. However, in light of all the volumes this has always been the cover I’ve been most drawn to. Its partially because I love Mamura as a character. It’s also how Yamamori chose to use to use pastels on black. I’ve also always been a fan with how the artist draws her characters.
Thank you for brushing through my long list! Maybe you found something new to read. I hope so.
So Many Thoughts 