10 Best Manga From Seven Seas Entertainment

Among the various manga publishers in the West, one of the most notable is undoubtedly Seven Seas Entertainment. While Viz Media and Kodansha typically get manga from the major manga magazines in Japan, Seven Seas Entertainment excels in licensing a lot of light novels and manga from more niche publications, especially LGBTQ+ titles, and they’ve ended up with a very diverse portfolio because of it.

Controversies about some of their editing and translations aside, Seven Seas Entertainment has still managed to provide a lot of great manga for English-speaking fans.

Thanks to the wide variation in their titles, Seven Seas Entertainment publishes a lot of manga with unique stories and art styles, and even if they don’t always get the most recognition, the manga they publish are still often among the best anyone can read. That’s especially true for a few of their manga, in particular, and they’re all plenty worth mentioning.

10
Marmalade Boy Is Still a Great Classic Shojo Manga

Originally serialized in Ribon; created by Wataru Yoshimizu

Wataru Yoshizumi’s Marmalade Boy opens with Miki Koishikawa receiving the sudden news that her parents are getting divorced to swap partners with a couple they met on vacation, with the new couple and their son, Yuu Matsura, even moving in with them. It’s an incredibly awkward and bizarre situation that Miki finds herself in, and it’s made even more complicated when Miki and Yuu find themselves developing feelings for one another.

Seven Seas Entertainment gained the rights to Marmalade Boy over a decade after Tokyopop lost the publishing license, and it was a great decision on their part. The story might be over 30 years old at this point, but Marmalade Boy still excels at romantic drama and character writing, all of which is complemented by Wataru Yoshizumi’s always-pleasing art style. Some aspects of the story haven’t aged as well as others over the years, but overall, Marmalade Boy is still a great read for any fans of shojo manga.

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9
Yakuza Reincarnation Is a Refreshing Take On the Isekai Genre

Published in Monthly Sunday Gene-X; created by Takeshi Natsuhara & Hiroki Miyashita

Takeshi Natsuhara and Hiroki Miyashita’s Yakuza Reincarnation stars Ryumatsu Nagamasa, an old-school yakuza who fights with more honor and chivalry than his peers and the younger generation. When Ryumatsu dies on the job, he suddenly finds himself not only in a fantasy world, but having reincarnated as Princess Ryuu, and her new world is soon going to discover just how different she is from the princess they thought they knew.

Yakuza Reincarnation is a relatively new manga, but it’s been quick to establish itself as a great read. Not only does the manga have great artwork and fight choreography, but Yakuza Reincarnation’s combination of yakuza themes with an intricate magic system and Lovecraftian imagery gives it a unique hook that always makes for great fantasy writing in every volume. The isekai genre has long been oversaturated with stories that offer too little variety, so Yakuza Reincarnation is nothing but a breath of fresh air.

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8
Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto Is An Absurdist Masterpiece

Originally serialized in Harta; created by Nami Sano

In Nami Sano’s Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, the titular Sakamoto is widely regarded as the coolest kid in school. Not only is he smart and handsome, but his eccentric quirks and skills always turn into a spectacular and flamboyant display that makes whatever problem he’s faced with go away, and the series chronicles the various interactions his peers have with him and his bizarre nature.

Out of all of Seven Seas Entertainment’s manga, Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto is the one that best excels at absurdist comedy. Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto always finds clever and hilarious ways to show off Sakamoto’s eccentric nature, and the great artwork and character writing never fail to complement that and take the absurdity of the story even further. Nami Sano tragically passed away in 2023, but her legacy will live on in her incredible manga, especially Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto.

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7
Superwomen In Love Is A Beautiful Love Letter To The Tokusatsu Genre

Originally published by Yuri Hime @ Pixiv; created by sometime

Superwomen in Love! Honey Trap and Rapid Rabbit is a tokusatsu series about the battles between Rapid Rabbit and the evil organization Antinoid. One of the generals, Honey Trap, defeats and unmasks Rapid Rabbit, and when she sees what she looks like, she spares her life due to falling in love with her at first sight. Cast out from Antinoid for her failure, Honey is taken in by Rapid Rabbit, real name Hayate Honjo, and the two now work together to fight Antinoid, all while a romance slowly develops between them.

Tokusatsu is one of the most famous genres in Japanese pop media, and Superwomen in Love is a near-flawless tribute to it. Not only does the series have many great references to Kamen Rider and other tokusatsu shows, but Superwomen in Love! Honey Trap and Rapid Rabbit playing its themes completely straight makes for some very sincere writing from start to finish. The story is also framed around a very touching same-sex relationship. Add in some great artwork and character designs, and it’s a great read even for those unfamiliar with the tokusatsu genre.

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6
Bloom Into You Shows How Deep Yuri Manga Can Be

Originally serialized in Dengeki Daioh; created by Nio Nakatani

Nio Nakatani’s Bloom Into You stars Yuu Koito, a high school freshman who’s lived her life without ever understanding what it means to be in love with someone. After starting high school, Yuu bonds with her upperclassman, Touko Nanami, and soon becomes convinced that Touko feels the same way about romance as Yuu. Much to Yuu’s surprise, however, Touko suddenly tells Yuu that she has feelings for her, and what follows is a deep exploration into the feelings the two have for each other and themselves.

Bloom Into You is credited for bringing yuri and LGBTQ+ anime, in general, into the mainstream, and the quality of the manga perfectly illustrates why it has such a reputation. Not only is Nio Nakatani’s artwork gorgeous to look at, but Bloom Into You has one of the most thoughtful explorations of sexuality and general romance of any manga, thus giving it a lot more appeal than other manga with similar themes, but lesser execution. Very few yuri stories have gained as much recognition as Bloom Into You, and the manga is one of the best ways to understand why.

5
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Is a Surprisingly Heartfelt Story

Originally serialized in Manga Action; created by Coolkyousinnjya

Coolkyousinnjya’s Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid stars Kobayashi, an overworked office worker who gets drunk one night and saves the life of a dragon who has been stabbed with a sword. The dragon, Tohru, is so thankful that she takes on a human form and becomes Kobayashi’s live-in maid, and their developing relationship leads to Kobayashi constantly learning more about Tohru’s world and the complexities of the people who inhabit it.

While Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is largely a raunchy comedy with varying degrees of appropriateness, there’s far more to it than just that. Not only does the series have surprisingly good fight scenes and worldbuilding, but Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid character writing always stands out for its stellar development and thoughtful execution, especially when it comes to Kobayashi and Tohru’s relationship. It’s a far more heartwarming story than it appears, and it’s plenty worth reading as a result.

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4
My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness Is as Great as It Is Depressing

Originally published on Pixiv; created by Kabi Nagata

Kabi Nagata’s autobiographical My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness opens with Nagata at a brothel, detailing her first-ever experience with another woman. From there, the story flashes back to the lonely and depressing life Nagata has lived and how she got into a position where she would feel so low and alone that she would do something like hire an escort.

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is not a story for anyone wanting a light read, but that’s a big part of why it’s such a great manga. Kabi Nagata always manages to convey her emotional struggles in a way that’s equal parts entertaining and empathetic, and that sort of high-quality, tragic writing perfectly illustrates why it won the first-ever Harvey Award for Best Manga. Nagata’s later stories show that her life hasn’t improved in any substantial way, but hopefully, there will come a day when she can illustrate positive change for herself in as gripping a manner.

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3
I’m In Love With The Villainess Adds a Welcome Twist To Reincarnation Stories

Originally published in Comic Yuri Hime; based on the light novel by Inori

Inori and Aonoshimo’s I’m in Love with the Villainess begins with the typical setup of a “reincarnated into an otome game” story with the protagonist, Rei Ohashi, overworking herself to death and reincarnating into Rae Taylor, the protagonist of her favorite otome game, Revolution. Unlike other stories like it, however, Rae is openly gay, and has no interest in the canonical male love interests of Revolution, instead seeking a relationship with the villainess of the story, Claire François.

I’m in Love with the Villainess was one of the biggest anime of the Fall 2023 season, and everything good about it is perfectly conveyed in the manga. Just like the anime and the original light novel, I’m in Love with the Villainess stands out for its open and thoughtful discussions of sexuality and gender, and when coupled with the great comedy and character writing, it makes for a story that adds a unique spin on the isekai genre. Add in artwork that perfectly captures the characters’ personalities, and the manga is a stellar adaptation of a stellar series.

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2
Tokyo Revengers Is a Time Travel Story Unlike Any Other

Originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine; created by Ken Wakui

In Ken Wakui’s Tokyo Revengers, when 26-year-old loser Takemichi Hanagaki is about to be run over by a train, he suddenly discovers that he has the power to send his mind back in time and goes back to when he was 14 and his life first started falling apart. Now with a chance to change things for the better, Takemichi vows to use his powers to become a stronger person and save his friends who always wind up dead in the future, all of which stems from the actions of the infamous biker gang, Tokyo Manji.

Tokyo Revengers is one of the biggest manga to come out in recent years, even being the ninth-best-selling manga of 2023, and it’s easy to see why. In addition to its unique take on a time travel narrative, Tokyo Revengers’ engaging character writing makes for some of the strongest writing of any shonen manga of the past few years, with Takemichi, specifically, being a standout protagonist because of what he accomplishes despite his weakness. Some parts of the final arc fall flat, but overall, it’s still a great series people would be remiss to pass up.

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1
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Is The Ultimate Romance Manga

Originally serialized in Weekly Young Jump; created by Rikito Nakamura & Yukiko Nozawa

Rikito Nakamura and Yukiko Nozawa’s The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You stars Rentaro Aijou, an eccentric young boy who’s fallen in love 100 times over 15 years and been rejected every single time. When Rentaro prays to find love at the local shrine, the God of Love appears to tell him that he will gain 100 soulmates during his time in high school, all of whom he must love equally or else risk killing them for depriving them of a soulmate.

Harem stories are very contentious among fans and critics alike, but 100 Girlfriends is nothing like its contemporaries. Not only does it actually follow through on its premise, but unlike other harem stories, The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You always takes the time to have Rentaro legitimately earn the girls’ affections and give the girls things to bond over beyond Rentaro, giving it some of the strongest writing of any harem story there is. Add in its absurdist comedy writing, and the series easily stands out as one of the best manga from Seven Seas Entertainment.

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