Kara Dennison
March 31, 2023 
There are lots of upcoming anime being announced all the time. (The recent AnimeJapan probably helped a lot with that.) Titles are springing up everywhere, and we can’t wait to dig into all of them! In fact, we’re not going to… we’re going to get on top of these manga!
As is often the case with anime, lots of incoming titles are based on popular manga. We’ve rounded up a few for you to get a jump-start on, with plenty of time to get caught up while the shows are still in production. The best part? You can read new chapters of each of these as they come out in Japan and stay ahead of the curve!
Beat & Motion
This fresh new manga series came about as the result of the MILLION TAG reality show competition. Artists and their editors competed for five million yen in cash, syndication on Shonen Jump+, and at least one print volume. Oh, and an anime adaptation. Now, you can dig into Naoki Fujita’s winning manga and be well ahead of the upcoming anime!
The series is an intersection of animation and music, focusing on the aspirations of a struggling artist. At the time of publication, three big chapters are already out. It’s the perfect time to jump on!
The Elusive Samurai
Assassination Classroom fans should be all over this upcoming anime! Yusei Matsui brings fans The Elusive Samurai, a stunning historical fiction piece that’s won fans over in the two years since it debuted. It’s the story of Hojo Tokiyuki, a boy on the run after his family is overthrown. As he seeks revenge he has only two things he can rely on: his shady allies, and a superhuman ability to escape danger.
The Elusive Samurai comes highly praised and recommended. And considering this comes alongside two other smash hit Shonen Jump series, Matsui is doing pretty well for himself. Two years is actually a pretty short backlog to catch up on, so you’ll have plenty of time to catch up with this elusive hero!
Kaiju No. 8
We’re all excited about this upcoming anime. How can we not be? With great studios attached and tons of huge fights in store, Kaiju No. 8 is going to be an exciting ride… and one we can board right now, thanks to the manga!
Get reading now to meet Kafka Hibino, who brings unusual powers to the table in a world overrun with kaiju. One is is experience as kaiju clean-up, meaning he can read a monster for filth (literally) on sight. The other is a bit more difficult to explain to his friends…
Want to do more reading? Catch up to the manga inspiring these spring anime!
