Top Prison 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

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken: Stone Ocean

Also known as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 6: Stone Ocean.

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

The story of Joutarou Kuujou's (Part 3) daughter, Jolyne Kuujou. She is framed for a murder and ends up in the Green Dolphin Street Prison. She is given an amulet inherited from her father, which cuts her hand and unlocks her Stand ability, Stone Free, which allows her to unravel her body into living string. The string can form a humanoid Stand within 2 meters of her body, and can extend further as string. In the prison, she soon becomes uneasy allies with fellow convicts and Stand users Hermes (Kiss) and Foo Fighters.

Tags: Super Power , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Memory Manipulation , Prison , Urban Fantasy , Foreign , Time Manipulation , Alternate Universe , Gore , Crime , Body Horror , Primarily Female Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , Shounen , Philosophy , Ensemble Cast , Transgender , Religion , Cosmic Horror , Amnesia , Disability

Deadman Wonderland

Also known as Deadman Wonderland.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

The inmates of this insane penitentiary fight for survival every day to provide entertainment for the masses, and terrifying secrets lurk in the shadows. Ganta is determined to survive Deadman Wonderland and clear his name, but the price may be his soul…



Note: Volume 12 contains 6 short side stories, which counts as 1 whole chapter.

Tags: Death Game , Body Horror , Prison , Super Power , Gore , Dissociative Identities , Tragedy , Torture , Male Protagonist , Dystopian , Shounen , Philosophy , Suicide

Golden Kamuy

Also known as Golden Kamuy.

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

In the early twentieth century, Russo-Japanese War veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto scratches out a meager existence during the postwar gold rush in the wilderness of Hokkaido. When he stumbles across a map to a fortune in hidden Ainu gold, he sets off on a treacherous quest to find it. But Sugimoto is not the only interested party, and everyone who knows about the gold will kill to possess it! Faced with the harsh conditions of the northern wilderness, ruthless criminals and rogue Japanese soldiers, Sugimoto will need all his skills and luck—and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa—to survive.



Note: Won the 9th Manga Taisho Award in 2016 and the 22nd Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2018. Nominated for the 20th and 21st Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and the 40th Kodansha Manga Awards in 2016.

Tags: Conspiracy , Historical , Military , Outdoor , Seinen , Educational , Politics , Ensemble Cast , Surreal Comedy , Food , Travel , Found Family , Primarily Adult Cast , Gore , Primarily Male Cast , Survival , Guns , LGBTQ+ Themes , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Language Barrier , Crime , Slapstick , Revenge , Anti-Hero , Trains , Male Harem , Snowscape , Male Protagonist , Nudity , Prison , Swordplay , Disability , Suicide , Archery , Tanned Skin , Boys' Love , Twins , Transgender , Cannibalism , Yakuza , Time Skip , Crossdressing , Zoophilia , Dissociative Identities , Heterosexual , Gender Bending

Prison School

Also known as Prison School.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Psychological , Romance

On the outskirts of Tokyo stands Hachimitsu Private Academy, an all-girls boarding school for elite young women. But as the new school year rolls around, one tradition is going out the window: For the first time in the school's long history, boys are being allowed to enroll. On the first day of school, though, it turns out only five boys have made the cut. Thrilled by this discovery, these young men's adolescent hearts leap with joy at the thought of being surrounded by all those girls, but little do the five boys suspect the shocking fate that awaits them...



Notes:
- Includes 1 extra chapter and the epilogue.
- Won the Kodansha Manga Award 2013 for best general manga.

Tags: Seinen , School , Surreal Comedy , Male Protagonist , Slavery , Nudity , Slapstick , Prison , Heterosexual , Bullying , Revenge , Love Triangle , Kuudere , Ensemble Cast , Watersports , LGBTQ+ Themes , Femdom

Mugen no Juunin

Also known as Blade of the Immortal.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Supernatural

Hiroaki Samura's Blade of the Immortal will keep you on edge! Manji, a ronin warrior of feudal Japan, has been cursed with immortality. To rid himself of this curse and end his life of misery, he must slay one thousand evil men! His quest begins when a young girl seeks his help in taking revenge on her parents' killers . . . and his quest won't end until the blood of a thousand has spilled!



Notes:
- The magazine release contains 219 chapters, which includes a prologue.
- The tankoubon release re-arranges the manga into 207 total chapters across 30 volumes.
- The Dark Horse release re-arranges the manga into 208 total chapters across 31 volumes.

Tags: Swordplay , Revenge , Tragedy , Samurai , Primarily Adult Cast , Historical , Seinen , Anti-Hero , Martial Arts , Gore , Philosophy , Prison , Urban Fantasy , Demons , Fugitive , Torture

Ashita no Joe

Also known as Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life , Sports

Joe Yabuki is a troubled young man who runs away from an orphanage. Wandering through the Tokyo slums, he meets former boxing trainer Danpei. Joe is later arrested and goes to a temporary jail where he fights Nishi, his future best friend, ​and leader of a group of hooligans. He and Nishi then go to a juvenile prison miles away from Tokyo. There Joe meets Rikiishi, a former boxing prodigy, and a rivalry develops between them. They face each other in a match in which Rikiishi dominates Joe until the latter hits him with a cross-counter, resulting in both being knocked out. This inspires the other prison inmates to take up boxing. Joe and Rikiishi vow to fight again.



Tags: Boxing , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Rehabilitation , Orphan , Urban , Athletics , Shounen , Primarily Male Cast , Delinquents , Class Struggle , Prison , Foreign , Yakuza , War

Munou na Nana

Also known as Talentless Nana.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Horror , Psychological , Supernatural , Thriller

An academy on an island in unnavigable waters. There, students trained tirelessly, to fight back against the enemies of humanity. The protagonist, a student newly transferred there, also sets out with the intention of eradicating all enemies of humankind. An unpredictable, intellectual suspense story of justice and evil.



Tags: Conspiracy , Dystopian , Tragedy , Assassins , Super Power , Anti-Hero , Female Protagonist , Detective , Time Skip , Found Family , Primarily Teen Cast , Crime , Espionage , Ensemble Cast , School , Military , Politics , Prison , Shounen , Urban , Rural , Terrorism , Amnesia , Kuudere , Shapeshifting , Adoption , Gore , Yuri , Time Manipulation , LGBTQ+ Themes , Bullying , Twins , Zombie , Necromancy , Photography , Suicide , Chibi , Time Loop

RAINBOW: Nisha Rokubou no Shichinin

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological

Six minors (16-17 years) answering to the nicknames of Joe, Mario, Suppon, Baremoto, Heitai, and Kyabetsu are put into a reformatory for offenses such as aggravated assault, swindling, flight, etc. Their stay in hell begins immediately. Accommodated by a doctor pedophile, they are placed under the watch of a despotic and brutal crew. Cellmates with a certain Sakuragi (called Anchan), the tension rises between the band of buddies and their new "friend." A brawl breaks out, and our six prisoners are done rossés by the mysterious young man, thanks to his boxing talent.

The story will not only follow the lives of these seven characters surviving in their hellish environment, but also their disillusions due to the rejection by the outside world and by their close relations. This is about the extraodinary and invincible friendships between these young men.

Note: Won the 2005 Shogakukan Manga Award for seinen/general category.

Tags: Historical , Boxing , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Philosophy , Rehabilitation , Seinen , Heterosexual , Disability , Revenge , Prison , Gore , Ensemble Cast , Autobiographical , Primarily Male Cast , Drugs , Suicide , Fugitive , Crime , Male Protagonist , Time Skip

Shamo

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Psychological , Sports

At the age of sixteen Ryo Narushima was a genius and looked to have no trouble of getting into Tokyo University and joining the elite of society. However, that summer something cracked inside Ryo's head. With a small knife he brutally murdered both of his parents only leaving his sister alive and cowering in a corner. It is at this grotesque incident that our story begins.

Note: At volume 20, the series changed publishers, which created a restart of the chapter numbers. Starting from chapter 61 in volume 26, the first chapter from when the series returned from a long hiatus, the series has been completely written & drawn by Tanaka Akio. While Hashimoto Izou did write the series in the beginning, he had been doing less and less work starting from volume 4. Tanaka and Hashimoto reached a settlement and Shamo continued.

Tags: Martial Arts , Anti-Hero , Rehabilitation , Seinen , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Gore , Survival , Boxing , Coming of Age , Prison , Gangs , Yakuza , Swordplay , Delinquents , Triads , Bullying , Drugs

Tsugumomo

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Supernatural

Kazuya Kagami never goes anywhere without the precious “Sakura Obi” his mother gave him. One day a beautiful, kimono-clad girl named Kiriha appeared before him. Kiriha naturally began to live with Kazuya in his room. Then there’s Chisato, Kazuya’s childhood friend with glasses and a ponytail, who meddles in his affairs. Soon there’s also an overprotective older sister who seems to want to take baths with him. Jumble in a huge-chested priestess, a good-looking sorceress named Kokuyoura, beautiful women, and hot girls, and Kazuya’s happy, embarrassing, confusing life begins…



Tags: Nudity , Seinen , Super Power , Gods , Henshin , Magic , Youkai , Female Protagonist , Age Gap , Age Regression , Amnesia , Body Horror , Polyamorous , Primarily Female Cast , Male Protagonist , Female Harem , Demons , Martial Arts , Found Family , Tragedy , Gore , School , School Club , Swordplay , Isekai , Prison

Ori no Naka no Soloist

Also known as Soloist in a Cage.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama

Chloe and her baby brother Locke were born in a prison the size of a city: a walled-off collection of ramshackle buildings full of dangerous criminals who live bleak and isolated lives. Their parents are gone, leaving Chloe to care for her brother. When a trio of soldiers manage to break out of the prison, Chloe goes with them but loses Locke during the escape. After years of training, Chloe returns to the prison city with one goal: to find her now 11-year-old brother and get him out of that hellhole, no matter what it takes.



Tags: Dystopian , Survival , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Robots , Time Skip , Gore , Prison , Shounen , Drugs , Guns

Adabana

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Thriller

A girl with rough life circumstances makes a life-altering decision for the worst. In this tainted world, I shall live with the Original Sin of Purity...

Tags: Crime , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Achronological Order , Suicide , Tragedy , Prostitution , Police , Prison , Torture , Sadism , Denpa , Nudity

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 ,

Bakuon Rettou

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Psychological

In the 80s, the parents of Kaze Takashi move to a quiet area of ​​Tokyo in order to save the young man from the bad influence of his friends. In class, Takashi does not take long to make new friends and they soon invite him to meet with their gang, the Zeros. Takashi comes to love motorcycles and gets involved with the gang. What has he got himself into and is he ready to face the consequences?

Tags: Gangs , Delinquents , Coming of Age , Motorcycles , Seinen , Autobiographical , Tragedy , Yakuza , School , Revenge , Class Struggle , Anti-Hero , Prison , Bullying , Criminal Organization , Drugs ,

Hime-sama, "Goumon" no Jikan desu

Also known as 'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Slice of Life

The princess who's been held captive by the Demon Lord's army is scheduled to be executed by the Demon Lord's relentless torture!
Second place of Tsugimanga 2020 Award in the Web Manga Category

Tags: Female Protagonist , Demons , Episodic , Food , Monster Girl , Satire , Slapstick , Iyashikei , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Shounen , Primarily Female Cast , Magic , Prison , Surreal Comedy , Anachronism , Vampire

Donten ni Warau

Also known as Laughing Under the Clouds.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Supernatural

In the eleventh year of the Meiji era carrying swords was forbidden by the government and those known as samurai were slowly fading away. However there were plenty that didn’t like those changes taking place in Japan and inevitably the crime rates increased. Japan’s only resolve was an inescapable lake prison. While the prison had no other way to access it but only through water, the 3 boys of the Kumo family were assigned to transport the criminals to their new "home". Although... is that the only thing they were doing...?

Included one-shot:
Volume 1: Utakata ni Warau (泡沫に笑う) - 2 chapters

Tags: Historical , Tragedy , Shoujo , Male Protagonist , Mythology , Heterosexual , Conspiracy , Religion , Swordplay , Ninja , Demons , Youkai , Military , Reincarnation , Family Life , Prison , Disability

Tobaku Hakairoku Kaiji

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Thriller

After Kaiji's showdown with Chairman Hyoudou at the Starside Hotel, he's forced into labour at an underground mine. With his meagre daily wage, he'll be working for decades to repay his debt unless he does something about his miserable situation. Kaiji decides to wager his earnings in an underground dice game for a ticket to get out of the mine for a limited period of time. But even if he surfaces, he only has one chance to win it big: by challenging the unbeatable pachinko machine nicknamed "The Bog."

Tags: Gambling , Seinen , Survival , Slavery , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Prison , Tragedy , Torture , Primarily Adult Cast

NARUTO: Sasuke Retsuden - Uchiha no Matsuei to Tenkyuu no Hoshikuzu

Also known as Naruto: Sasuke's Story—The Uchiha and the Heavenly Stardust: The Manga.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Supernatural

Sasuke and Sakura take on ancient secrets, deadly conspiracies, and even dragons in this manga adaptation of the novel.

Years after the great shinobi war, Naruto is struck with a mysterious illness. Desperate for a cure, Sasuke Uchiha heads for the isolationist land of Redaku, where he’ll need to infiltrate an astronomical observatory that’s being operated as a prison for deadly criminals. There he rendezvouses with none other than his wife, Sakura, and together they dive into an undercover investigation in search of traces of the Sage of Six Paths! With danger lurking around every corner, what fate will lie in store for the ninja couple?



Tags: Ninja , Dinosaurs , Swordplay , Shounen , Super Power , Prison

Sahyeong Jiphaenggwan

Also known as The Executioner.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Drama , Fantasy

A hero should never kill anyone, not even the worst of villains. Gangyu could never understand why his team of heroes lived by those words, but he tried his best to do the same… until the villain who wiped out his squad killed his brother in prison. Gangyu breaks his vow and enters Ruculus with permission to kill as the prison’s executioner. Now, he must fight his way through the villains to kill the worst of them all.



Tags: Revenge , Anti-Hero , Magic , Full Color , Male Protagonist , Prison