Top Medieval Manga Recommendations

Shingeki no Kyojin

Also known as Attack on Titan.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery

In this post-apocalyptic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. Little is known about where they came from or why they are bent on consuming mankind. Seemingly unintelligent, they have roamed the world for years, killing everyone they see. For the past century, what's left of man has hidden in a giant, three-walled city. People believe their 50-meter-high walls will protect them from the Titans, but the sudden appearance of an immense Titan is about to change everything.



Note: Includes 2 extra chapters.

Tags: Dystopian , Anti-Hero , War , Tragedy , Military , Conspiracy , Survival , Philosophy , Kaiju , Shapeshifting , Memory Manipulation , Politics , Revenge , Henshin , Male Protagonist , Monster Boy , Terrorism , Medieval , Post-Apocalyptic , Super Power , Gore , Time Manipulation , Body Horror , Ensemble Cast , Cosmic Horror , Time Skip , Cannibalism , Coming of Age , Slavery , Swordplay , Torture , Alternate Universe , Shounen , Espionage , Mythology , Amnesia , Tsundere , Kuudere , Class Struggle , Disability , Historical , Yuri , Dissociative Identities , Drugs , Achronological Order , Religion , Heterosexual , LGBTQ+ Themes , Reincarnation , Baseball , Transgender , Suicide , Primarily Adult Cast , Acrobatics , Cult

Berserk

Also known as Berserk.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Horror , Psychological

His name is Guts, the Black Swordsman, a feared warrior spoken of only in whispers. Bearer of a gigantic sword, an iron hand, and the scars of countless battles and tortures, his flesh is also indelibly marked with The Brand, an unholy symbol that draws the forces of darkness to him and dooms him as their sacrifice. But Guts won't take his fate lying down; he'll cut a crimson swath of carnage through the ranks of the damned—and anyone else foolish enough to oppose him! Accompanied by Puck the Elf, more an annoyance than a companion, Guts relentlessly follows a dark, bloodstained path that leads only to death...or vengeance.



Notes:
- Volumes 1-5 contain the 16 prequel chapters 0A - 0P.
- Chapter 83 was omitted from Volume 13 due to the author’s request.
- Volume 14 includes “Berserk: The Prototype”.
- Due to the author's passing, starting from Chapter 365, the manga is illustrated by Studio Gaga (Miura's assistants) and supervised by Kouji Mori (a close friend of Miura's).

Tags: Tragedy , Seinen , Revenge , Male Protagonist , Demons , Cosmic Horror , Gore , Philosophy , Found Family , Anti-Hero , Travel , Swordplay , Rehabilitation , Magic , War , Mythology , Survival , Foreign , Body Horror , Gods , Religion , Primarily Adult Cast , Nudity , Politics , Fairy , Military , Disability , Dystopian , Witch , Coming of Age , Sadism , Torture , Amnesia , Time Skip , Ensemble Cast , Elf , Heterosexual , Kaiju , Achronological Order , Tomboy , Age Regression , Skeleton , Cult , Adoption , Dungeon , Slavery , Dragons , Super Power , Kingdom Management , Group Sex , Prostitution , Cannibalism , Pregnancy , Incest , Curses , Medieval , Ships , Monster Girl , Vore , Monster Boy , LGBTQ+ Themes , Mermaid , Masturbation , Fellatio

Vinland Saga

Also known as Vinland Saga.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama

As a child, Thorfinn sat at the feet of the great Leif Ericson and thrilled to wild tales of a land far to the west. But his youthful fantasies were shattered by a mercenary raid. Raised by the Vikings who murdered his father, Thorfinn became a terrifying warrior, forever seeking to kill the band's leader, Askeladd, and avenge his father. Sustaining Thorfinn through his ordeal are his pride in his family and his dreams of a fertile westward land, a land without war or slavery … the land Leif called Vinland.



Notes:
- Won the Grand Prize at the Japan Media Arts Festival in 2009.
- Winner of the 36th Kodansha Manga Award in the General category in 2012.

Tags: Historical , Coming of Age , Vikings , Rehabilitation , Foreign , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , Seinen , War , Revenge , Tragedy , Travel , Found Family , Primarily Adult Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Slavery , Time Skip , Gore , Politics , Swordplay , Ships , Parenthood , Anti-Hero , Rural , Pirates , Agriculture , Environmental , Achronological Order , Religion , Language Barrier , Heterosexual , Adoption , Nudity , Tomboy , Medieval , Archery , Transgender , LGBTQ+ Themes , Wilderness , Indigenous Cultures

Black Clover

Also known as Black Clover.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Comedy , Fantasy

Young Asta was born with no magic ability in a world where magic is everything. In order to prove his strength and keep a promise with his friend, Asta dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the land, the Wizard King!



Tags: Magic , Shounen , Super Power , Demons , Male Protagonist , Dissociative Identities , Lost Civilization , Elf , Cultivation , Time Skip , Time Manipulation , Heterosexual , Triads , Tragedy , Tsundere , Age Regression , Royal Affairs , Female Harem , Dungeon , Class Struggle , Medieval

Sousou no Frieren

Also known as Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.

Status: Hiatus
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

The adventure is over but life goes on for an elf mage just beginning to learn what living is all about.

Elf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. With the great struggle over, they all go their separate ways to live a quiet life. But as an elf, Frieren, nearly immortal, will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to terms with the mortality of her friends? How can she find fulfillment in her own life, and can she learn to understand what life means to the humans around her? Frieren begins a new journey to find the answer.



Notes:
- Winner of the Grand Prize at the 14th Manga Taisho Awards.
- Nominated for the 25th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
- Placed 3rd at the 7th Annual Next Manga Award.

Tags: Magic , Elf , Travel , Philosophy , Female Protagonist , Time Skip , Episodic , Demons , Iyashikei , Kuudere , Tragedy , Shounen , Fairy Tale , Medieval , Dungeon , Time Manipulation , Food

Tongari Boushi no Atelier

Also known as Witch Hat Atelier.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: she wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch … until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem...



Notes:
- Nominated for the 11th Manga Taishou Award in 2018.
- Won the Daruma d'Or at Japan Expo in 2019.
- Won Best U.S. Edition of International Material - Asia at the Eisner Awards in 2020.
- Won the Best Manga Award at the Harvey Awards in 2020.

Tags: Witch , Magic , Found Family , Memory Manipulation , Female Protagonist , Teacher , Drawing , Coming of Age , Revenge , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Female Cast , School , Medieval , Conspiracy , Primarily Child Cast , Tragedy , Politics , Dragons , Disability , Seinen , Philosophy , Spearplay , Rehabilitation , Foreign , Travel , LGBTQ+ Themes , Amnesia , Iyashikei , Twins , Body Horror

CLAYMORE

Also known as Claymore.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Horror

A village is gripped by fear and paranoia when a Yoma claims six lives. The Claymore who is sent to slay the creature isn't what the villagers expect at all. In fact, she seems more monster than human.



Note: Includes 4 extra chapters.

Tags: Demons , Super Power , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Monster Girl , Gore , Swordplay , Dystopian , Youkai , Revenge , Tragedy , Body Horror , Ensemble Cast , Shapeshifting , Orphan , Conspiracy , Time Skip , Adoption , Nudity , Anti-Hero , Shounen , Tomboy , Cannibalism , Espionage , Amnesia , Nun , Gods , Fugitive , Medieval , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things

FAIRY TAIL

Also known as Fairy Tail.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy

Cute girl wizard Lucy wants to join the Fairy Tail, a club for the most powerful wizards. But instead her ambitions land her in the clutches of a gang of unsavory pirates led by a devious magician. Her only hope is Natsu, a strange boy she happens to meet on her travels. Natsu’s not your typical hero—he gets motion sickness, eats like a pig, and his best friend is a talking cat. With friends like this, is Lucy better off with her enemies?



Note: Includes 4 extra chapters.

Tags: Ensemble Cast , Magic , Large Breasts , Shounen , Dragons , Animals , Super Power , Time Skip , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Found Family , Nekomimi , Gods , Cult , Demons , Travel , Fairy Tale , Time Manipulation , Lost Civilization , War , Medieval

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken

Also known as That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy

As players of Monster Hunter and Dungeons & Dragons know, the slime is not exactly the king of the fantasy monsters. So when a 37-year-old Tokyo salaryman dies and wakes up in a world of dragons and magic, he's a little disappointed to find he's become a blind, boneless slime monster.



Note: Chapter count includes 2 bonus chapters.

Tags: Reincarnation , Isekai , Kingdom Management , Politics , Medieval , War , Magic , Shounen , Economics , Monster Girl , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Demons , Dragons , Goblin , Agender , Rural , Yuri

Nanatsu no Taizai

Also known as The Seven Deadly Sins.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy

When they were accused of trying to overthrow the monarchy, the feared warriors the Seven Deadly Sins were sent into exile. Princess Elizabeth discovers the truth the Sins were framed by the king's guard, the Holy Knights too late to prevent them from assassinating her father and seizing the throne! Now the princess is on the run, seeking the Sins to help her reclaim the kingdom. But the first Sin she meets, Meliodas, is a little innkeeper with a talking pig. He doesn't even have a real sword! Have the legends of the Sins' strength been exaggerated...?



Note: Chapter count includes 346 regular chapters, 18 extra chapters, and 3 gaiden chapters.

Tags: Shounen , Ensemble Cast , Demons , Super Power , Magic , Reincarnation , Tragedy , Gods , Memory Manipulation , Fairy , Spearplay , Medieval , Fairy Tale , War , Male Protagonist , Amnesia , Primarily Adult Cast , Swordplay , Dissociative Identities , Martial Arts , Anti-Hero , Revenge , Bar , Heterosexual , Animals , Nudity , Time Manipulation , Lost Civilization , Found Family

Dungeon Meshi

Also known as Delicious in Dungeon.

Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Fantasy

When young adventurer Laios and his company are attacked and soundly thrashed by a dragon deep in a dungeon, the party loses all its money and provisions...and a member! They're eager to go back and save her, but there is just one problem: If they set out with no food or coin to speak of, they're sure to starve on the way! But Laios comes up with a brilliant idea: "Let's eat the monsters!" Slimes, basilisks, and even dragons...none are safe from the appetites of these dungeon-crawling gourmands!



Notes:
- Nominated in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Manga Taishou Award in 2016-2019.
- Ranked first in the 2016 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (Male Readers Division).
- Includes 14 extra chapters.

Tags: Dungeon , Food , Environmental , Magic , Ensemble Cast , Medieval , Seinen , Primarily Adult Cast , Lost Civilization , Anti-Hero , Philosophy , Elf , Cosmic Horror , Demons , Necromancy , Dragons , Body Horror , Kemonomimi , Episodic , Chimera , Male Protagonist , Monster Girl , LGBTQ+ Themes , Iyashikei , Alternate Universe , Succubus , Witch , Mermaid , Curses , Tanned Skin

Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu

Also known as Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Ecchi , Fantasy

An unemployed otaku has just reached the lowest point in his life. He wants nothing more than the ability to start over, but just as he thinks it may be possible…he gets hit by a truck and dies! Shockingly, he finds himself reborn into an infant’s body in a strange new world of swords and magic. His identity now is Rudeus Greyrat, yet he still retains the memories of his previous life. Reborn into a new family, Rudeus makes use of his past experiences to forge ahead in this fantasy world as a true prodigy, gifted with maturity beyond his years and a natural born talent for magic. With swords instead of chopsticks, and spell books instead of the internet, can Rudeus redeem himself in this wondrous yet dangerous land?



Tags: Isekai , Reincarnation , Magic , Family Life , Age Gap , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Seinen , Rehabilitation , Time Skip , Female Harem , Survival , Tragedy , Demons , Gore , Tomboy , Alternate Universe , Swordplay , Polyamorous , Marriage , Medieval

Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute!

Also known as The Eminence in Shadow.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Comedy , Fantasy

One big fat lie and a few twisted truths.

Even in his past life, Cid's dream wasn't to become a protagonist or a final boss. He'd rather lie low as a minor character until it's prime time to reveal he's a mastermind...or at least, do the next best thing-pretend to be one! And now that he's been reborn into another world, he's ready to set the perfect conditions to live out his dreams to the fullest. Armed with his overactive imagination, Cid jokingly recruits members to his organization and makes up a whole backstory about an evil cult that they need to take down. Well, as luck would have it, these imaginary adversaries turn out to be the real deal-and everyone knows the truth but him!



Tags: Chuunibyou , Male Protagonist , Magic , Cult , Isekai , Parody , Reincarnation , Anti-Hero , Shounen , Swordplay , Female Harem , Elf , Fugitive , Kemonomimi , Vampire , Zombie , Satire , Medieval

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari

Also known as The Rising of the Shield Hero.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy

Naofumi Iwatani, an uncharismatic Otaku who spends his days on games and manga, suddenly finds himself summoned to a parallel universe! He discovers he is one of four heroes equipped with legendary weapons and tasked with saving the world from its prophesied destruction. As the Shield Hero, the weakest of the heroes, all is not as it seems. Naofumi is soon alone, penniless, and betrayed. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to run, he is left with only his shield. Now, Naofumi must rise to become the legendary Shield Hero and save the world!



Tags: Isekai , Bullying , Anti-Hero , Kemonomimi , Demons , Male Protagonist , Fugitive , Seinen , Slavery , Matriarchy , Medieval

Goblin Slayer

Also known as Goblin Slayer.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

A young priestess joins her first adventuring party but almost immediately encounters the most unspeakable horrors. Rescued by an enigmatic warrior called Goblin Slayer, she partners with her savior on his mission to exterminate all goblins-by any means necessary. When rumors of Goblin Slayer's feats begin circulating, there's no telling who might come calling next...

Tags: Seinen , Revenge , Goblin , Gore , Male Protagonist , Anti-Hero , Love Triangle , Female Harem , Swordplay , Magic , Nudity , Nun , Witch , Medieval

Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

Also known as Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Psychological , Romance , Thriller

Subaru Natsuki was just trying to get to the convenience store but wound up summoned to another world. He encounters the usual things--life-threatening situations, silver haired beauties, cat fairies--you know, normal stuff. All that would be bad enough, but he's also gained the most inconvenient magical ability of all--time travel, but he's got to die to use it. How do you repay someone who saved your life when all you can do is die?



Tags: Time Manipulation , Time Loop , Tragedy , Witch , Isekai , Male Protagonist , Gore , Cosmic Horror , Heterosexual , Astronomy , Ensemble Cast , Memory Manipulation , Magic , Cult , Body Horror , Suicide , Politics , Elf , Amnesia , Alternate Universe , Reincarnation , Twins , Dissociative Identities , Unrequited Love , Time Skip , Maids , Hikikomori , Female Protagonist , Assassins , Femboy , Love Triangle , Yandere , Dragons , Kemonomimi , Crossdressing , Medieval , Age Regression , Necromancy , Werewolf , Disability , Zombie , Shapeshifting , Curses

Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu

Also known as Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Supernatural

Misumi Makoto was just a normal high-school student... until the day he was summoned to another world because of an agreement his parents had made with a goddess. Except when he meets the only goddess in the world he's sent to, she insults him by calling him "extremely unattractive" and makes an arbitrary decision to banish him to a deserted wilderness. Makoto searches the desolate land to find other humans, but for some reason only finds creatures that are all nonhuman. Even the two pretty women who decide to follow him on his journey used to be a dragon and a giant spider. Along with two extremely eccentric characters (but really reliable in battles), so begins Makoto's unlucky adventure in the new world! A fantasy about a teenage boy who keeps getting hit by one problem after another!



Tags: Isekai , Shounen , Magic , Kingdom Management , Female Harem , Dragons , Economics , Yandere , Tragedy , Gods , Reincarnation , Medieval

FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST

Also known as Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Ecchi , Fantasy

Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Erza, and the whole Fairy Tail Guild are back in action! And they’ve decided to tackle the “100 Years Quest”—a job no one’s dared take on since the founding of the guild more than a century ago. A mysterious town, a baffling spirit, a ghastly new enemy … and a brand new continent to explore. When you’re with real friends, the adventures never stop!



Tags: Shounen , Ensemble Cast , Dragons , Magic , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Travel , Henshin , Large Breasts , Animals , Firefighters , Nudity , Medieval

Ookami to Koushinryou

Also known as Spice & Wolf.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Romance , Supernatural

The life of a traveling merchant is a lonely one, a fact with which Kraft Lawrence is well acquainted. Wandering from town to town with just his horse, cart, and whatever wares have come his way, the peddler has pretty well settled into his routine—that is, until the night Lawrence finds a wolf goddess asleep in his cart. Taking the form of a fetching girl with wolf ears and a tail, Holo has wearied of tending to harvests in the countryside and strikes up a bargain with the merchant to lend him the cunning of “Holo the Wisewolf” to increase his profits in exchange for taking her along on his travels. What kind of businessman could turn down such an offer? Lawrence soon learns, though, that having an ancient goddess as a traveling companion can be a bit of a mixed blessing. Will this wolf girl turn out to be too wild to tame?



Tags: Economics , Kemonomimi , Heterosexual , Travel , Rural , Seinen , Medieval , Foreign , Gods , Politics , Primarily Adult Cast , Age Gap , Slavery , War

Overlord

Also known as Overlord.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Horror , Supernatural

For twelve years, the virtual world of Yggdrasil has served as the playground and battlefield for the skeletal lord Momonga and his guild of fellow monsters, Ainz Ooal Gown. But the guild's glory days are over, and the game is shutting down permanently. When Momonga logs in one last time just to be there when the servers go dark, something happens--and suddenly, fantasy is reality. A rogues' gallery of fanatically devoted NPCs is ready to obey his every order, but the world Momonga now inhabits is not the one he remembers. The game may be over, but the epic tale of Ainz Ooal Gown is only beginning...



Tags: Anti-Hero , Skeleton , Magic , Isekai , Demons , Medieval , Video Games , Politics , Cosmic Horror , Male Protagonist , War , Virtual World , Conspiracy , Necromancy , Female Harem , Succubus , Maids , Monster Girl , Elf , Ensemble Cast , Butler , Gore , Vampire , Kuudere , Alchemy , Femboy , Zombie , Memory Manipulation , Aromantic , Dungeon , Twins , Crossdressing , Artificial Intelligence , Dragons , Torture , Archery , Goblin , Werewolf