Top Pirates Manga Recommendations

ONE PIECE

Also known as One Piece.

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

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But his life changed when Luffy accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world...



Tags: Pirates , Travel , Found Family , Shounen , Ensemble Cast , Super Power , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Ships , Fugitive , Conspiracy , Crime , Military , Politics , War , Terrorism , Slapstick , Post-Apocalyptic , Time Skip , Primarily Adult Cast , Cultivation , Prison , Lost Civilization , Anachronism , Dystopian , Gods , Slavery , Swordplay , Environmental , Large Breasts , Gangs , Mythology , Animals , Espionage , Religion , Anti-Hero , Cyborg , Adoption , Assassins , Skeleton , Samurai , Drugs , Meta , Kemonomimi , Anthropomorphism , Medicine , Henshin , Battle Royale , Robots , Food , Guns , Revenge , Desert , Dragons , Mermaid , Amnesia , Oiran , Monster Girl , Time Manipulation , Angels , Memory Manipulation , Trains , Centaur , Ninja , Zombie , Female Protagonist , LGBTQ+ Themes , Dinosaurs , Gender Bending , Aliens , Transgender , Clone , Body Swapping

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 , Primarily Adult Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Parenthood , Adoption , Travel , Slavery , Found Family , Time Skip , Politics , Gore , Swordplay , Ships , Anti-Hero , Rural , Pirates , Agriculture , Environmental , Language Barrier , Heterosexual , Nudity , Achronological Order , Archery , Tomboy , LGBTQ+ Themes , Transgender

Akatsuki no Yona

Also known as Yona of the Dawn.

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

Yona reels from the shock of witnessing a loved one’s murder and having to fight for her life. With Hak’s help, she flees the palace and struggles to survive while evading her enemy’s forces. But where will this displaced princess go when all the paths before her are uncertain?



Tags: Travel , Female Protagonist , Shoujo , Historical , Found Family , Dragons , Politics , Fugitive , Gods , Mythology , Reincarnation , War , Tragedy , Royal Affairs , Foreign , Primarily Male Cast , Coming of Age , Heterosexual , Archery , Super Power , Male Harem , Kuudere , Drugs , Orphan , Pirates , Survival

Magi

Also known as Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.

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

Deep within the deserts lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their riches, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks. Together with the djinn Ugo and his friend Alibaba, Aladdin sets out to find his fortune in the depths of the endless dunes…



Tags: Magic , Conspiracy , War , Politics , Foreign , Royal Affairs , Male Protagonist , Time Manipulation , Memory Manipulation , Shounen , Time Skip , Dungeon , Slavery , Gods , Economics , Revenge , Philosophy , Pirates , Swordplay , Dystopian , Ensemble Cast , Desert , Cultivation , Reincarnation , Spearplay , Dragons

BLACK LAGOON

Also known as Black Lagoon.

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

Rokurō Okajima is just an average Japanese salaryman, living an average life. But when he's taken hostage by the crew of the Black Lagoon, Rokurō finds himself thrown headfirst into a deadly world of outlawed heroes, brutal villains, and blazing gunfights. Where he ends up is anyone's guess, but one thing is for certain—he's in for a wild ride!



Tags: Seinen , Gangs , Military , Guns , Ships , Crime , Triads , Mafia , Primarily Adult Cast , Yakuza , Foreign , Male Protagonist , Pirates , Female Protagonist , Assassins , Ensemble Cast , Gore , Heterosexual , Tragedy

BASARA

Also known as Basara.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Romance

Basara is a post-apocalyptic fantasy adventure series and one of the most popular shoujo manga of the 90s in Japan. It is the story of how a young girl becomes "the child of destiny" and finds the strength to free her people and seek revenge for the death of her brother.



Note: Won the Shogakukan Manga Award for the shoujo category in 1992.

Tags: War , Twins , Shoujo , Politics , Post-Apocalyptic , Dystopian , Female Protagonist , Crossdressing , Coming of Age , Revenge , Fugitive , Slavery , Conspiracy , Heterosexual , Travel , Class Struggle , Disability , Pirates , Desert , Lost Civilization , Archery , Royal Affairs , LGBTQ+ Themes , Astronomy , Animals , Bisexual , Prison , Tomboy , Boys' Love ,

Arslan Senki

Also known as The Heroic Legend of Arslan.

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

In the prosperous kingdom of Pars lies the Royal Capital of Ecbatana, a city of splendor and wonder, ruled by the undefeated and fearsome King Andragoras. Arslan is the young and curious prince of Pars who, despite his best efforts, doesn’t seem to have what it takes to be a proper king like his father. At the age of 14, Arslan goes to his first battle and loses everything as the blood-soaked mist of war gives way to scorching flames, bringing him to face the demise of his once glorious kingdom. However, it is Arslan’s destiny to be a ruler, and despite the trials that face him, he must now embark on a journey to reclaim his fallen kingdom.



Tags: Historical , War , Military , Foreign , Politics , Male Protagonist , Found Family , Royal Affairs , Religion , Swordplay , Gore , Slavery , Revenge , Primarily Male Cast , Archery , Shounen , Pirates

ONE PIECE episode A

Also known as One Piece: Ace’s Story—The Manga.

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

A manga adaptation of the novel 'One Piece: Ace's Story', drawn by Boichi.

Note: Chapter count includes two special one-shots: "ONE PIECE: Roronoa Zoro, Umi ni Chiru" and "Nami vs Kalifa".

Tags: Shounen , Pirates , Male Protagonist

Shokugeki no Sanji

Also known as One Piece: Shokugeki no Sanji.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

Several one-shots created by the team behind Shokugeki no Souma for various celebrations and anniversaries of One Piece.

Follow Sanji's tales of cooking up meals and adventuring through the Grand Line with the Straw Hat Pirates!

Tags: Food , Episodic , Male Protagonist , Pirates , Shounen , Nudity

WANTED! Oda Eiichiro Tanpenshuu

Also known as Wanted! Eiichiro Oda Before One Piece .

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy

A collection of short stories drawn by Oda Eiichiro before One Piece became a major hit. Includes:

Wanted! (1992)
God's Gift for the Future (1993)
Ikki Yakou (1993)
Monsters (1994)
Romance Dawn (Version 2, 1996)

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the One Piece TV anime, Romance Dawn version 2 was adapted into a TV special. (Episode 907)

Tags: Pirates , Shounen , Dragons , Ghost , Swordplay , Guns , Anthology , Gods , Cowboys

Hinowa ga Yuku!

Also known as Hinowa ga CRUSH!.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy

On the island of Wakoku, the civil war offers anyone the chance of becoming a hero -- from fishing women to bastard children, any can make a name for themselves by working through the rigorous ranks of the army. Hinowa, a young woman with extraordinary skills, is determined to do just that, but soon learns things may not always go to plan...More than ten years after a disastrous battle, the war is still ongoing, and a girl with black hair and black markings washes up on shore...



Tags: War , Seinen , Swordplay , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Samurai , Assassins , Super Power , Ninja , Nudity , Pirates

Trinity Blood

Also known as Trinity Blood.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy , Horror , Sci-Fi

In a dark and distant future, Armageddon has given rise to the fabled Second Moon - and a perpetual war between the vampires and the humans!

Esther is a nun in the city of Istavan. When she crosses paths with Abel Nightroad, a priest sent from the Vatican to combat the local order of vampires, the two form a holy alliance to battle the most evil of threats. In this gorgeous, gothic-action series - part of the super-popular Trinity Blood franchise - the very survival of the human race is at stake!



Tags: Nun , Post-Apocalyptic , Shoujo , Vampire , Foreign , Guns , Religion , Trains , Mermaid , Pirates , Nudity , Cyborg , Politics , Conspiracy

Dungeon Tou de Yadoya wo Yarou! Souzou Mahou wo Moratta Ore no Hosoude Hanjouki

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

One day, Sanada Shirou, who worked for an exploitative company, was transported to another world. He gained the power of "creation magic" during the transmigration, and he planned to lead a slow life by opening an inn, but this other world turned out to be a little different?! It is a world where women are overwhelmingly dominant, where the women fought and did the dangerous work, while the men are powerless and meek! Every day he'll be treated (in many ways) to the hospitality of the women of this strange world—!

Tags: Primarily Female Cast , Male Protagonist , Isekai , Magic , Shounen , Nudity , Female Harem , Dungeon , Food , Survival , Age Gap , Defloration , Demons , Fishing , Pirates , Tragedy , Revenge , Vampire

ONE PIECE: STRONG WORLD

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

One Piece Strong World 0 is a one-shot story published in Weekly Shounen Jump as a special prologue chapter to the 10th One Piece movie, Strong World. This one-shot depicts events 20 years before the current timeline of the manga, One Piece. The main focus is the relationship between Shiki, the Golden Lion and Roger, the Pirate King. In addition, it shows what other characters were doing 20 years ago.



Tags: Shounen , Pirates , Super Power , Skeleton , Magic

ONE PIECE: Roronoa Zoro, Umi ni Chiru

Also known as One Piece: Boichi Covers Zolo vs. Mihawk.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action

The one-shot celebrates the 22nd anniversary of the One Piece manga and focuses on a fight between Zoro and Mihawk.

This chapter is the first in a new project for One Piece titled "Cover Comic Project." Through the project, various manga creators will "cover" a chapter of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece manga.



Tags: Swordplay , Pirates , Shounen , Male Protagonist

ONE PIECE: Vivi no Bouken

Also known as One Piece: Naoshi Komi Covers Vivi's Adventure.

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

The "Vivi no Bouken" (Vivi's Adventure) chapter is part of the "Cover Comic Project" for One Piece. It's from the Alabasta arc, and covers "that famous scene" after the long fight is over.

Tags: Shounen , Pirates

CROSS EPOCH

Also known as Cross Epoch.

Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy

Cross Epoch is a one-shot Japanese manga collaboration by Akira Toriyama and Eiichiro Oda. It is a crossover between their respective manga: Dragon Ball and One Piece.

Tags: Crossover , Shounen , Super Power , Male Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Pirates , Aliens , Dragons

Ningyo no Mori

Also known as Mermaid Saga.

Status: Finished
Genres: Horror , Romance , Supernatural

This is Rumiko Takahashi at her darkest, but her trademark humor and romance also pop up in this three-volume series. Legend has it that if a human eats a mermaid's flesh, they will be granted eternal life. But is that a blessing or a curse? Immortal lovers Yuta and Mana travel through Japan and the centuries longing for a normal life. On their journey, they meet others who have consumed the flesh of a mermaid in hope of becoming immortal. But the powerful substance affects each person differently. Yuta and Mana are two of the lucky ones. Others are fated to die or transform into a savage monster, a "lost soul."



This is the first volume of the Mermaid Saga series from the original tankoubon release, which includes the two-chapter stories "A Mermaid Never Smiles" (人魚は笑わない, Ningyo wa Warawanai), "The Village of Fighting Fish" (闘魚の里, Tōgyo no Sato), and "Mermaid Forest" (人魚の森, Ningyo no Mori Zenpen).

Tags: Mythology , Mermaid , Episodic , Body Horror , Nudity , Shounen , Gore , Achronological Order , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Pirates , Male Protagonist , Time Skip , Heterosexual

Romance Dawn

Status: Finished
Genres: Action

This is the first version of "Romance Dawn", which one might call a One Piece prototype.

Notes:
- It's 50 pages in length and was first published as a one-shot in the Shōnen Jump 1996 Summer Special (an issue dedicated to the work of up-and-coming artists) on August 4th.
- An animated version of this story was made as part of a special OVA commemorating the 40th anniversary of Shonen Jump, in which One Piece is serialized.

Tags: Pirates , Ships , Shounen , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist

ONE PIECE novel A

Also known as One Piece: Ace's Story.

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

Washed up on the shores of a deserted island at the edge of the East Blue Sea, two men from different backgrounds unite in their shared thirst for adventure. One of them, Portgaz D. Ace, will follow in his infamous father’s footsteps as the fearless captain of a pirate crew. The other, Masked Deuce, becomes the reluctant first member of Ace’s Spade Pirates. Survival is not enough for these seafaring buccaneers, as together they seek treasure, excitement, and a route to the New World.



Note: Both volumes contain a prologue.

Tags: Pirates , Male Protagonist