Cultivation isn’t simply limited to Chinese or Korean titles, Japanese Manga also uses the concept regularly. Since many Shonen and Seinen titles are focused on the MC gradually gaining more and more power as they face stronger enemies and have more adventures, manga also has this element.
That’s why we at MyAnimeGuru have prepared for you a list of the 17+ Best Cultivation Manga to Read (Ranked) to give you the best titles full of epic fighting and mind-blowing adventures which see our protag/s go from one strong point to another as they face newer and stronger obstacles.
List of Best Cultivation Manga
This list of best cultivation manga is based on the overall popularity of the manga, the likeability of the characters as well as the quality of storylines and plot depth.
18. Sengoku Youko
Chapters – 100(17 Volumes) | Year (2007-2016)
A story through feudal Japan is very appealing to those who want a historical story while with the protags a pair of demon siblings, fans of supernatural manga will also be delighted to read this story. It is like a mix between Samurai dramas and typical Shonen stories.
A pair of demon half-siblings roam the lands to curb evil deeds and caution people to prevent committing any sins. They travel along with a dimwit Samurai as their companion in their quest full of trials and tribulations. Read more in one of the best cultivation manga.
17. Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Chapters – 80+(19+ Volumes) | Year – 2016
The journey of Naruto is over having become the opening. But if you Naruto fans still wanted to see more of your fav orange ninja, feel good cause Boruto is here. A not so great sequel with much hate from the rabid fan base, it’s not bad in my opinion.
If you choose to watch Boruto from an independent viewpoint without any bias from Naruto, I’ll say it’s a pretty fun series with tons of action and many new jutsus and powerful villains to fight. The new protags are also cool and all in all, it’s one of the best cultivation manga.
16. Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer
Chapters – 65(10 Volumes) |Year – (2005-2010)
A unique and crazy tale that would appeal to fans of fantasy, it is set in real life and yet has superpowers and similar motifs in it which makes for a good combination and helps in keeping it fresh. The gloomy MC who is suddenly given the responsibility of being a divine knight is a unique contrast.
Meanwhile, the female lead Asahina keeps everyone on their toes. While for the most part, she seems amiable and caring, in reality, she has her wicked schemes running while Yuuhi is pondering hard on why he should help save the world. Know more in one of the best cultivation manga.
15. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 8: JoJoLion
Chapters – 110 (27 Volumes) | Year – (2011-2021)
You know a series will be full of action and suspense when there’s a JoJo mentioned in the title. Part 8 stays true to its predecessors and delivers subliminal storytelling with great art and awesome character development in the course of the story. It is easily one of the best cultivation manga.
Set in an alternate dimension, we see a mysterious man being rescued by a local family and named Josuke Higashitaka. Now I’m sure that name sounds familiar, and when mysterious events start plaguing the town, it’s up to Josuke to get to the core of it with the help of a unique ability called Stand.
14. Code Breaker
Chapters – 230 (26 Volumes) | Year – (2008-2013)
A classic bubbly girl meets cold guy trope, it is full of fantasy elements and a rather dark and adult-oriented story. It has the right combination of action with great fight scenes as well as suspense elements over the many mysterious events that take place.
The protag is an enigmatic personality who supposedly kills people without flinching which is certainly a problem for Sakura who firmly believes that murder is wrong. And thus starts the crescendo of the killer and the empath in one of the best cultivation manga of recent times.
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13. Magi: Labyrinth of Magic
Chapters – 369 (37 Volumes) | Year – (2009-2017)
One of the best cultivation manga, Magi tells the story of a mystic world where mysterious dungeons contain unimaginable wealth waiting for those strong enough to survive them. Full of action, suspense, and mindblowing adventures, it has some of the best world-building and great storytelling.
From Gold and riches to contracts with Genies, three unlikely people, Alibaba, a rogue who wants wealth, Alladin a boy with a magical flute, & Moriana, a slave girl who wants to escape her chains, each of whom is desperate to fulfill their wishes come together to assist each other in their great journey.
12. Record of Ragnarok
Chapters – 77+ (16 Volumes) | Year – 2017
A grand battle between Gods and mortals ensures that there’s plenty of power scaling and intense fights waiting for you. Full of breathtaking action matches with incredible storytelling that will make you root for both the Gods and the humans. But we all know you want humans to win, no?
All the Gods gather every 1000 years to decide the fate of humanity of whether they will be allowed to flourish or be destroyed. This time the decision has been for the destruction and thus it is up to 13 humans to fight the gods for their right of survival in one of the best cultivation manga.
11. Black Clover
Chapters – 358+ (34 Volumes) | Year – 2015
A story full of magic and adventures, many may claim that this anime is repetitive and without any real substance but I’ll disagree with this statement since Black Clover is full of twists and turns and a whole new motif than any other.
The rivalry between Yuno and Asta, Asta’s unbeatable spirit even in the face of adversities as well as the rest of the Black Bulls who fight hard and try to overcome their adversities to grow stronger as well as the mentor figure in Captain Yami, make it one of the best cultivation manga.
10. Baki The Grappler
1305+ Chapters (146 Volumes) | Year – 1991
One of the most epic martial arts manga, Baki has become synonymous with fighting and bloodsports for nearly 30 years now. It captures the underground fight scene wonderfully and even after so much time, it continues to show one great fight after another.
A cast of characters who are always trying to become stronger and stronger, the protag Baki is on a quest to become the strongest as he wishes to challenge his father Yujiro who is known as the strongest. Follow Baki’s quest riddled with blood in one of the best cultivation manga.
9. My Hero Academia
Chapters – 388+ (37 Volumes) | Year – 2014
Izuku Midoriya dreams to become the biggest superhero one day but he is born without a Quirk and is mocked and made fun of by his peers. His life takes a turn when All-Might, his idol, and the No.1 hero takes notice of his bravery & determination and names Izuku his heir.
Now Izuku enters Hero High where he has to rise and fight to prove his idol right. In this journey are many tough fights with both heroes and villains. Will Izuku give up or will the darkness of the world be too much for him? Or maybe he will succeed? Find one of the best cultivation manga.
8. JoJos’s Bizarre Adventure Part 2: Battle Tendency
Chapters – 69 (7 Volumes) | Year – (1987-1989)
The 2nd part of the smash-hit JoJo series continues the legacy of Jonathon Joestar and is just as crazy as its predecessor. A new protag and a new era marked the beginning of a new kind of action with much deadlier foes and an old rival resurfacing.
To many, it is the best JoJo series and personally, the 1930s NYC with the gangsta vibes is what makes it the best for me. Joseph Joestar introduces a new power to the fans while the charade of the stone mask seems to be still hiding on the sidelines. Read more, in one of the best cultivation manga.
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7. Rurouni Kenshin
Chapters – 255 (28 Volumes) | Year – (1995-1999)
Perhaps the best samurai manga of all time, it is simply a great combination of great storytelling, a vivid cast as well as compelling fights which will give you an insight into the psyches and thought processes of all the warriors involved. It is a historical drama.
Taking place at the time of the Meiji Restoration, it tells the tale of former samurai Kenshin Himura who is now after a bloody battle, on a quest for redemption and a path of peace. When he meets Kaoru, he thinks he will achieve that but his past is not yet ready to leave him alone.
Know more in one of the best cultivation manga.
6. Naruto
Chapters – 700 (72 Volumes) | Year – (1999-2014)
Naruto is a young boy who is ostracized and hated by his villagers. The reason is that he has a power sealed within him that makes others fear him. To be accepted by everyone, he wants to be the Hokage, the strongest ninja in the village.
But neither is he strong nor is he smart and thus he is an utter failure at ninja techniques. After somehow graduating from ninja academy he is put on the same team as the genius Sasuke. Can Naruto achieve his goals in the presence of such stalwarts? Find the best cultivation manga.
5. One Piece
Chapters – 1080+ (105 Volumes) | Year – 1997
The legendary Pirate king Gold Roger before his death at the hands of the World Government proclaimed that he buried all his treasure in a mysterious island. This treasure known as One Piece caught the greed of all ruffians, pirates, and bandits around the world and started the Grand Age of Pirates.
Monkey D Luffy a young man is determined to become the next pirate king and find One Piece. And thus he embarks on a journey to find crewmates and begin his legendary quest. On this journey, he will face many strong enemies and valuable friends.
Know more in one of the best cultivation manga.
4. Yu Yu Hakusho
Chapters – 175 (19 Volumes) | Year – (1990-1994)
One of the single best martial arts and demon anime out there, it is the earlier work of HxH author, Togashi Sensei. It features the young and unruly delinquent Yusuke fighting the powers of the demon world as a spirit detective, a liaison with Koen-ma, the ruler of the spirit world.
His journey started when he died in an accident but was given a chance to reclaim his life. From then on, he has been involved with demons some of whom he became friends with and assisted in his battles by Boten, the friendly grim reaper. Read for more awesome battles in the best cultivation manga.
3. Hunter X Hunter
Chapters – 400+ (37 Volumes) | Year – 1998
Hunters are special people. They are strong and they roam the world doing all kinds of dangerous tasks like capturing criminals or venturing into uncharted lands for hidden treasures. Gon’s father was a hunter and disappeared years ago. Now he wished to be a hunter in hopes of reuniting with him.
For that, at age 12 he enters the Hunter exam, which is famed for its extreme difficulty. During this exam, he meets with friends for a lifetime as well as enemies who crave his failure. Can Gon become a hunter, find in one of the best cultivation manga.
2. Dragon Ball
Chapters – 194 (16 Volumes) | Year – 1984-1989
Bulma is a young girl who is after the dragon balls. They are magic orbs that can summon a dragon to grant any wish. She wants to wish for a perfect boyfriend. But on her quest she meets with Goku. A young boy who lives alone in the mountains and has one of the balls.
But since Goku is reluctant to give up the ball, Bulma strikes a deal that he can tag along with her if he lets her use the ball. Now these two head on a dangerous journey to find the remaining balls. In a journey lined with friends and foes, watch their adventures in one of the best cultivation manga.
1. Vagabond
Chapters – 327 (37 Volumes) | Year – (1998-2015)
Considered one of the greatest manga ever, it tells the story of the legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musahi, and his exploits over the years from a weak young warrior to the only peerless one under the heavens. It is famous for its great storylines as well as phenomenal art, not to mention fantastic fights.
If we are talking about becoming the greatest warrior through fighting, then Vagabond does exactly that and much more. While the manga has been on a hiatus for several years now, the sheer quality of this work makes it worth it. Thus it is the undisputed best cultivation manga.
Conclusion
With this, we have concluded our list of the 17+ Best Cultivation Manga To Read (Ranked). We included many titles both famous as well as hidden gems so that you will have lots of options available to enjoy your time reading the best Cultivation Manga.
If you liked this list, please continue reading our content and be in touch for more such awesome lists in the future. Till then see ya.
Credits: Anilist
FAQ Section
How does cultivation work?
Cultivation or Xianxia is a technique or a Taoist concept that lets humans become immortal sages by extending their lifespans. Also, in the process, they gain different types of supernatural powers by practicing martial arts. It also includes some new elements such as Chi, Qi, Buddhism, Taoism, and a lot more.
What is the highest cultivation realm?
Heavenly Dao Realm is generally considered the highest realm though many Wuxia works have even higher realms such as the world-defying realm.
What is the best Cultivation Manga?
Vagabond is generally accepted as the best cultivation manga, according to MyAnimeList.
