One of the most reliable indicators of a manga series’ popularity is the success of its associated anime, especially now that anime has become more mainstream, running on major platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ in addition to the anime-focused service Crunchyroll. This opens up a whole new audience for both the anime and the source material, be it manga or light novels.

Many of the more popular anime such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Solo Leveling, and Dandadanare based on 16+ and 18+ rated manga, but there are plenty of options for younger teens as well, including long-running series such as One Piece, My Hero Academia, Sailor Moon, and Fruits Basket . Here’s a look at seven manga and their recently adapted anime series that will appeal to a variety of tastes.

KOYOKA, Yoshino. “Mecha-Ude: Mechanical Arms.” illus. by author. Scholastic/Graphix. 2025–.
Gr 3-7–This 10-volume shonen manga actually started out as an original web anime that was adapted into manga, and then the manga was adapted into another anime, which is currently available on Crunchyroll. It’s middle grade cyberpunk, sort of: space aliens fuse with randomly chosen humans, becoming super-powered arms and other appendages. When a mechanical arm with no memory of its origins attaches itself to ordinary middle school student Hikaru Amatsuga, he finds himself caught in a struggle between a giant corporation and a resistance group. Cue the spectacular mech battles! This series was originally published digitally on the Azuki platform and licensed for print by Graphix, who are publishing it in full-color and available as hardcover and paperback. The first volume came out in April 2025 and the second is slated for November.

SHIRAHAMA, Kamome. “Witch Hat Atelier.” illus. by author. Kodansha. 2019–.
Gr 5 Up–A wholesome magical-school story about a girl training to be a witch, this series is drawn in a beautiful, classic style reminiscent of fairy tales and filled with clever sorcery and interpersonal drama. Coco has always dreamed of wielding magical powers but thought that was a privilege reserved for people who were born witches, which she was not. When she tries to copy a stranger’s spell-casting, she accidentally turns her mother to stone. The stranger, a traveling magician named Qifrey, brings her to his school for witches so she can master the magical arts and bring her mother back. The story does go into some dark territory in later volumes, as the story involves the politics of the world of witches and the misuse of magic. In Vol. 9, Chapter 49 carries a content warning for discussion of sexual assault and victim-blaming, as it includes a non-explicit scene of an apprentice witch and her partner being sexually abused by a wealthy patron. The witch fights back and frees herself and her partner, only to be blamed by their teacher; his superior then rebukes him and firmly makes the point that the girls were in no way at fault. The content warning notes that readers can skip this chapter without missing any of the story. Kodansha published Vol. 13 of the series in January 2025, and the anime is expected to premiere on Crunchyroll later this year.

AGITOGI, Akumi. “My Happy Marriage.” illus. by Rito Kohsaka. Square Enix. 2022–.
Gr 8 Up–This series starts out as a slow-burn Cinderella story and then shifts to high drama. In a world where certain families have special powers, Miyo Saimori seems to have been born without a gift. After her mother dies, her stepmother and half-sister brutally mistreat her. When they ship her off to be engaged to Kiyoka Kudo, a man so difficult that none of his engagements has lasted more than three days, her fate seems bleak. In true shoujo manga fashion, however, Miyo’s humility and honesty win Kiyoka over, and his servant Yurie, who knows Kiyoka better than anyone, helps sand down the rough edges. At the outset of the story, Miyo’s self-deprecation is almost too much, serving as an obstacle in her relationship with Kiyoka; but when he finds out how she was treated by her family, he exacts a swift and satisfying revenge. Furthermore, it turns out that not only was Miyo born with a gift, it’s a very special one, inherited from her mother: She can control other people’s dreams and thoughts. As she begins to gain control over her power, her mother’s family attempts to imprison her—but Kiyoka comes to her rescue. The story is set in the Taishoˉ era, a time of modernization in Japan when traditional customs bumped up against new technology and ways of life. This makes for interesting visuals, and the crisp art dwells lovingly on details of costumes and settings. The characters are also well drawn, with distinct personalities and easily readable expressions. This series started as light novels and was then adapted into both manga and anime. Yen Press publishes the light novels, Square Enix publishes the manga, and the anime runs on Netflix.

AOYAMA, Gosho. “Yaiba: Samurai Legend.” illus. by author. Viz. 2025–.
Gr 8 Up–Aoyama is the creator of “Case Closed,” the popular, long-running manga that was adapted into the anime Detective Conan. “Yaiba” is an earlier work, and it follows a very typical manga storyline: Yaiba is a young samurai who is abruptly transported from his home in the jungle, where he had only his father and wild animals for company, to 1990s Tokyo. There he meets the sinister Onimaru and the two quickly become enemies. The stakes get higher when Onimaru masters the sword of the wind god and tries to take over the world; the only one who can counter him is the legendary samurai who wields the sword of the thunder god, and that, of course, turns out to be the scrappy Yaiba. The story is basically a series of fights punctuated with some slapstick humor, a formula that’s a reliable crowd-pleaser for shonen fans. The anime, available on Netflix and Hulu, is candy-colored and kinetic (with a strobe effect warning at the beginning of each episode), and the black-and-white books have a similar vibe. The style is a bit dated, and the story is repetitive, but it’s drawn pretty well. With nonstop action and a mischievous protagonist, it will appeal to fans of “Naruto” and “Dragon Ball.” Viz will release the first volume of the manga in July 2025.

IKEDA, Riyoko. “The Rose of Versailles.” illus. by author. Udon Entertainment. 2020–2021.
Gr 8 Up–Initially published in Japan in the mid-1970s, “The Rose of Versailles” is the story of Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen of France, and her fictional bodyguard, Oscar François de Jarjayes, a woman who was raised as a male since childhood. Loosely based on historical people and events, it’s a richly illustrated soap opera that starts out with court intrigue, segues into romance, and eventually becomes a story of the French Revolution itself, with Oscar leaving her post to fight with the revolutionaries. The art is a bit dated but the story is absorbing. This will likely appeal to fans of romantasy webtoons such as “The Remarried Empress” as well as lovers of classic manga. In fact, it’s a great read for anyone who enjoys a good yarn, with gorgeous period details as the frosting on the cake. Udon published the complete series, plus some short stories, in five hardcover volumes with glossy paper, color pages, and stamped gold foil covers. A feature-length anime film based on the series premiered on Netflix in April 2025.

KUI, Ryoko. “Delicious in Dungeon.” illus. by author. Yen Pr. 2017–2024.
Gr 8 Up–This series, which puts a culinary spin on the dungeon fantasy genre, went from cult favorite to bestseller after the anime premiered on Netflix in January 2024. Known to fans by its Japanese name, “Danjon Meshi,” the story is set in the world of role-playing games, with a group of adventurers traveling through a vast, monster-filled dungeon. The setting is a familiar one in fantasy manga, but these adventurers are not typical heroes: They are perpetually broke, so instead of buying rations they dine on the flora and fauna of the dungeon world. Laios, the leader, is a dungeon food nerd, both oddly enthusiastic and earnestly knowledgeable; he’s been studying for this moment for years. Theory meets practice when the group teams up with the grizzled but kind Senshi, an experienced dungeon cook who introduces them to the secrets of underground cuisine. Their companions Marcille, an elf mage, and Chilchuck, a halfling safecracker and escape artist, are less enthusiastic and usually need some persuading. The ingredients are odd—walking mushrooms, living armor—but the dishes are familiar soups, stews, and stir-frys. Kui serves up the story with a generous spoonful of humor and a sprinkling of delightful details that make it a really fun read.

TSURUMAIKADA. “Medalist.” illus. by author. Kodansha. 2024–.
Gr 8 Up–Tsukasa, a washed-up former figure skater, agrees to coach Inori, an 11-year-old who dreams of winning an Olympic medal in the sport but has two formidable obstacles in her way: she’s getting off to a late start in a sport where most people begin skating at the age of five, and her mother is strongly opposed, feeling that Inori’s older sister sacrificed her childhood to skating and ended up with nothing. Nonetheless, Inori is determined to succeed and Tsukasa is determined to help her, despite his own misgivings. The manga goes into a lot of detail about skating, particularly as practiced in Japan, and Inori’s manic energy can be a bit much, but at its heart, this is a classic sports manga with a great story. The manga series is 12 volumes long and still running; the anime streams on Disney+ and Hulu.

Brigid Alverson founded and edits the “Good Comics for Kids” blog.