Summary
Shonen is by far the most popular manga category, featuring charismatic protagonists, thrilling stories, and spectacular fight scenes. When it comes to manga, big titles such asOne Piece,Naruto,andBleachare well known for being some of the best shonen has to offer. Their stories captured the hearts of many readers who pushed them to their current popularity.
In recent years, manhwa has begun to take off similarly as readers are realizing the potential of this format. The most recognizable manhwa to shonen fans may beSolo Leveling,touted as one of the best in the category. However, many other great titles can be compared to manga’s Big Three.
Updated Jun 21, 2025 by Garrett Huon:Shonen is a large category that encompasses many genres, so when this list was first made, the focus was on the most popular manhwa that existed. For this update, the manhwa added to the list will be ones that have gained a lot of attention recently. They are stories that have been rated highly for the last few years.
1Pick Me Up
MyAnimeList Score: 8.17
Most gaming manhwa take place in MMOs or similar RPGs with tons of freedom.Pick Me Upis interesting because the protagonist is sent into a gacha game where everything is determined by a faceless master. The main character, Han, must not only survive but prove his worth to his master. Otherwise, he’ll die.
There are many great things to say about this manhwa, but what’s most important is how entertaining it is. Nearly every chapter is filled with excitement and anticipation, which makes it incredibly easy to binge. While the characters aren’t the most complex, the setting and action in the story more than make up for it.
2The Academy’s Genius Swordsman
MyAnimeList Score: 7.38
In this manhwa, humanity has been defeated by giants from a different world, and as all seems lost, Ronan is sent to the past to try to change fate. As a young boy once more, Ronan enrolls in Phileon Academy, the premier school for future knights and swordsmen, to learn what he never could in his past life. That’s how he starts preparing for the end of the world.
The Academy’s Genius Swordsmanis a classic time travel story with an incredibly strong protagonist, hitting all the boxes for great shonen stories. While it doesn’t necessarily do anything innovative, it’s a polished story with great action and characters.
3The Lazy Lord Masters The Sword
MyAnimeList Score: 7.67
When a character becomes powerful, it’s rare to see the whole process. In this story, Airen is inspired by some oddly realistic dreams to pick up a sword after secluding himself for months. He begins his journey to become a swordmaster, going to a school for swordsmanship and adventuring across the continent to find the truth in his dreams.
The Lazy Lord Masters The Swordis a heartwarming story about growth and overcoming the roadblocks that prevent it. Airen is a compassionate protagonist who many readers may relate to. His struggle to find a goal or something to aspire to is something many people experience.
4Doom Breaker
MyAnimeList Score: 7.94
Doom Breakeris a time travel story where the protagonist Zephyr is given a second chance to live his life after being defeated by the god of destruction. His task is to present the gods with an even more entertaining show, a different ending to his story. Zephyr is glad to take that opportunity to save the world and all of his companions, defying the gods in the process.
In comparison to other time travel fantasies,Doom Breakerstands out because of its great detail and world-building. Each character has a deep history and a realistic personality, which makes the story more immersive. It also has great action scenes and illustrations to match.
5Eleceed
MyAnimeList Score: 8.41
In the world of Eleceed, there is a small population of people with superhuman powers called Awakeners living among everyone else. This manhwa follows Seo Jiwoo as he’s thrust into the world of awakeners, meeting others like him, making friends, and learning to fight. All this is taught to him by a fat tabby cat.
Eleceedis a fun story that isn’t afraid tomix child-like humor with some mature themes. Though there are some dark moments, the story doesn’t lose its overall brightness, keeping a lighthearted tone and atmosphere. It’s very similar to the first few arcs ofMy Hero Academia.
6Unholy Blood
MyAnimeList Score: 7.92
Because shonen is mainly marketed toward a male audience, female protagonists are rare to see in manga. The great thing about manhwa being a web-based format is the sheer diversity of stories available.Unholy Bloodis about Park Hayan, a college student trying to take back what she lost from vampires hiding in society.
This story is emotional, action-packed, and full of twists. Each character has a rich history to delve into and a complicated motive for their actions, which makes their development so much more satisfying.
7God Of High School
Tournament arcs are some of the most beloved in manga and anime.God of High Schoolfeatures a tournament right off the bat, inviting the best fighters in Korea’s high schools to duke it out. What are they fighting for? The chance to have their biggest wish fulfilled.
Of course, that is just the beginning of what the anime covers, but there is so much more to see in the manhwa.God of High Schoolis known as one of the best manhwa in the shonen category for its art style andfantastic fight sequences.
8Tower Of God
MyAnimeList Score: 8.38
As another manwha with an anime adaptation,Tower of Godis pretty well known, but the anime only scratched the surface. The story follows a boy named Bam as he climbs the Tower to find his friend Rachel. However, this adventure becomes much more complex than it was meant to be.
Fans ofDragon BallandOne Piecemay find this manhwa fascinating since it contains plenty oflore and world-buildingto dive into. With a huge cast of characters and a vast setting with infinite possibilities,Tower of Godis a staple of shonen.
9SSS-Class Suicide Hunter
MyAnimeList Score: 8.04
There are plenty of tower-climbing and dungeon-raiding manhwa out there, butSSS-Class Suicide Hunterstands out among the rest because themain character is much more personableand relatable. Kim Gong-ja earns his strength over time, and his prolonged weakness is what keeps him from becoming a typical overpowered protagonist.
Each arc in the story is also incredibly different. Using the infinite possibilities of the setting, each season is able to have a unique atmosphere and theme, keeping the story entertaining and fresh.
10Omniscient Reader’s Point Of View
MyAnimeList Score: 8.44
The protagonist, Kim Dokja, is a normal office worker whose only hobby is reading web novels, specifically one called “Three Ways to Survive the Apocalypse.” It’s a novel he’s read for ten years, and on the day it ended, the apocalypse it was written about came true.
This is a familiar plot seen in other manga and manhwa, butOmniscient Readeris known to be one of themost well-written and illustratedout of all of them. The action is engaging, and the plot has many unique story beats that keep the reader immersed in the world it presents.
