It’s easy to look forward to an anime adaptation of a popular manga. “Chainsaw Man” was one of the most highly anticipated shows of 2022 after Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga exploded in international acclaim. The same could be said for the 2025 series “The Summer Hikaru Died” or even ongoing arcs in “One Piece.” Manga fans are currently looking forward to other adaptations like “The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy At All,” which will be an interesting practice in music licensing, if nothing else!
But with all of the adaptations we’ve had over the years, there are plenty of amazing manga that have yet to receive the anime treatment. This isn’t to say that all manga need to be adapted, but it’s certainly exciting to think about how certain stories could be brought to life. Anime adaptations can even elevate the source material, if “Attack on Titan” is any indication. There are plenty of reasons to get excited for anime adaptations, so here are our top picks for manga series that should be adapted.
“20th Century Boys”
Naoki Urasawa has been known for penning multiple critically acclaimed manga throughout his decades-long career, yet only four of them were ever adapted into anime. In each case, the adaptations received plenty of praise, with “Monster” in 2024 and “Pluto” in 2023 both garnering critical acclaim. It’s no stretch to say that his most prominent work, “20th Century Boys,” could be adapted with the same kind of gravitas.
The manga follows Kenji Endo, a laid-back convenience store owner who loves rock and leads an uneventful life. His world is turned upside-down after a mysterious cult leader called “Friend” begins spreading his influence throughout Japan. What’s more, “Friend” does this by using a symbol that Kenji and his friends came up with in their youth. They work to try and unravel the mystery behind “Friend’s” identity as their sinister agenda threatens to change the world.
Though the manga was adapted into a live-action film trilogy in the late 2000s, an anime adaptation still eludes this beloved series. Making “20th Century Boys” into an anime would be an immense undertaking, but it could most certainly work in the right hands.
“Ichi the Witch”
Who doesn’t love a good shonen series? They’re exciting, approachable, and full of the hype moments for which anime is known. With shows like “My Hero Academia” ending and adaptations like “Kagurabachi” in the pipeline, there’s no reason why “Ichi the Witch” shouldn’t join the fun.
Written by Osamu Nishi, the series takes place in a world of sorcery and dominance. When mystical creatures called “Majiks” threaten humanity, it’s up to special hunters known as Witches to tame them and bring peace to the land. Though only women are able to undergo Witch training, a young male hunter named Ichi inexplicably tames a powerful Majik and becomes a Witch himself. Being the first male Witch in recorded history, he is recruited by the Witches Association to assist them in capturing other powerful Majiks.
“Goodbye, Eri”
Tatsuki Fujimoto’s work continues to make a splash with anime adaptations. “Chainsaw Man” is one of the most popular anime of the 2020s, and “Look Back” was released in theaters all over the world to positive reception. It’s safe to say that adapting any of his work will produce fantastic results, and “Goodbye, Eri” would most assuredly be no different.
This short story is about Yuta Ito, a young man with a penchant for filmmaking. As part of a student film project, he presents a bizarre short about his dying mother that is met with complete disgust. Just as his life takes a turn for the worse, he meets Eri, the only person in his class who enjoyed his film. Not only does she encourage him to make more, but she asks that his next one be about her.
As a one-shot manga, “Goodbye, Eri” would make for another excellent movie about the process of filmmaking and its stark contrast behind the scenes.
“Billy Bat”
We return once again to Naoki Urasawa’s collection of fantastic manga so that we can shine a light on a series that always deserves more praise. Though “Billy Bat” ran from 2008 to 2016, the series was only ever licensed for an official English-language release in August of 2025. While the rest of the world will finally be able to get their hands on physical copies in 2026, this thoughtful and political series would make an amazing anime.
In 1949, Kevin Yamagata works as a comic artist in America writing the popular “Billy Bat” detective series. When he discovers that he may have accidentally copied Billy’s design from an image in war-occupied Japan, he returns to his home country to ask permission from the creator to keep using it. However, his search leads him toward a mysterious millennia-old prophecy that could change the world.
“Billy Bat” is deeply complex, thought-provoking, and even presents a stark and necessary critique on American history. The fact that the manga is being officially translated is a treat on its own. An anime adaptation would just be the cherry on top.
The Succession War Arc of “Hunter x Hunter”
As one of the most beloved shonen manga of all time, “Hunter x Hunter” has already been adapted into an anime several times. The most well-known anime premiered in 2011 and adapted several arcs before its finale in 2014. Unfortunately, the manga is infamously incomplete. Mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi suffers chronic health issues, which have led to several yearslong hiatuses. In fact, we’re in the midst of one right now. Despite this, fans are still eager for the “Hunter x Hunter” anime to continue with the Succession War arc.
After Gon fulfills his Hunter dream of reuniting with his father, the story shifts focus to the Dark Continent. An expedition kicks off to explore this dangerous and unknown territory, with important figures boarding a vast cruise ship to travel there. Aboard the vessel are several Hunters, including favorites like Kurapika and Leorio, as well as the Kakin royal family. Yet before the ship can even reach the Dark Continent, a violent war of attrition breaks out between the Kakin royal family members. With Hunters and even the Phantom Troupe caught in the crossfire, there’s no telling who will survive the trip.
An adaptation of this ongoing arc may be a bit far-fetched, but fans on Reddit believe that an anime could serve to elevate the original story. The source material has gotten polarizing reception. Many criticize the current arc for dedicating several pages almost entirely to word balloons and convoluted exposition as opposed to art. Some believe that an anime adaptation could help to clear up the narrative and make the arc more engaging than it is on paper.
What manga do you want to see get an anime adaptation? Let us know in the comments!
