When it comes to discovering truly great, emerging manga titles, I highly recommend checking out the titles chosen by the annual Manga Taishou (Manga Grand Prize).

Why? Because the entire selection process is handled by a panel of bookstore employees—the people who dedicate their professional lives to curating shelves and paying close attention to the titles that readers love. They don’t just vote on whatever is most popular or what is selling best; they vote on the relatively new title (fewer than eight volumes published as of 2024) that they genuinely believe deserves to be discovered by the masses. Think of this list as the definitive, insider recommendation from the industry’s most passionate connoisseurs.

For 2025, the jury has delivered a stellar (pun intended), ranked list. Here is the final ranking of the year's best, led by the Grand Prize winner:

The Final Ranked List

1. Grand Prize Winner: Alice, Uchuu made mo (ありす、宇宙までも) by Kiko Urino

This is the story of Alice, a shy, beautiful high schooler who struggles with delayed language development due to an international upbringing. Despite this enormous communication hurdle, she holds a grand, singular dream: to become Japan's first female astronaut commander. Her life changes when a solitary genius decides to mentor her on one condition – she has to comply with the grueling regime that he prepares for her.

2. Robou no Fujii (路傍のフジイ) by Kurao Nabe

A quiet, reflective slice-of-life that centers on Fujii, a man who lives completely on his own terms. He simply pursues his passions, unburdened by outside expectations, and his peaceful, rich way of being begins to subtly influence the over-stressed people who cross his path.

3. Girl Meets Rock! (Futsuu no Keion-bu) (ふつうの軽音部) by Tetsuo Ideuchi & Kuwahari

Freshman Chihiro buys the electric guitar of her dreams and eagerly joins the Light Music Club. But the reality of finding bandmates, practicing, and performing is far messier and less glamorous than the sparkling teenage rock-and-roll fantasy she had in mind.

4. The Great Magus of the Library (Toshokan no Daimajutsushi) by Mitsu Izumi

An epic fantasy about Theo, a poor young boy with pointed ears who adores books but is constantly ostracized and forbidden from entering the village library. His life changes forever when a powerful Kafna (a kind of librarian) arrives to investigate a mystery.

5. Dokudami no Hana Saku Koro (どくだみの花咲くころ) by Shiho Kido

Known in English as When the Chameleon Flowers Bloom, this is a fascinating psychological drama focused on the intense, ambiguous, and rather unsettling relationship that develops between two fifth-grade elementary school students.

6. Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me (死に戻りの魔法学校生活を、元恋人とプロローグから（※ただし好感度はゼロ）) by Eiko Mutsuhana, Gin Shirakawa & Yugiri Aika

A protagonist is forced into a tragicomic time-loop, reliving their magic school life from the very beginning—alongside their ex-lover, who, to make matters worse, has absolutely zero recollection or affection for them this time around.

7. Onna no Sono no Hoshi (女の園の星) by Yama Wayama

A celebrated, dry slice-of-life comedy about Hoshi-sensei, a male Japanese language teacher, and the wonderfully bizarre, often deeply silly, daily life and hilarious antics of the students at an all-girls school.

8. COSMOS by Ryūhei Tamura**

From the creator of Beelzebub, this sci-fi comedy-drama is set in modern Japan where aliens live secretly among humans. High school student Kaede, who possesses an innate ability to detect lies, is recruited by an intergalactic insurance agency to solve their extraterrestrial cases.

9. Kono Yo wa Tatakau Kachi ga Aru (この世は戦う価値がある) by Hatsumi Kodama

The title means, "This World is Worth Fighting For." This psychological drama follows Kiri Ito, a 25-year-old worker facing a toxic job, persistent harassment, and an abusive boyfriend. After hitting her limit, she decides she must find a way to fight back in a journey toward revenge and survival.

10. Dokakui Daisuki! Mochizuki-san (ドカ食いダイスキ！ もちづきさん) by Kamome Maruyo

Literally "Big Eater Lover! Mochizuki-san." This is a charming, often hilarious series centered around a character named Mochizuki who simply has an enthusiastic, passionate, and very large appetite for delicious food.