5 Hidden Coming of Age manga series that will Change your Perspective on Life
To underestimate the power of fiction is to underestimate the power of imagination - the two are not only related, they are one in the same.
Think back to the last time you read or watched a great story.
Maybe a stupid grin took over your face.
Maybe it hit you in a way you weren’t expecting and now you’re just staring at the ceiling.
Or maybe the Ninjas showed up and started cutting Onions in your room.
Whatever the emotion maybe, it goes without saying that you took something away from that specific piece of fiction, and well, today, we’re going to talk about 5 Hidden Coming of Age manga series that’ll leave you better off having read them.
Well then, how about we dive right into it?
1 - Alice in Borderland
If a monster came from outside your boring, everyday life, would you follow it?
It’s an interesting question.
Think about it, would you rather be sitting in the class listening to that boring lecture or be out on a daring adventure, maybe in the middle of a battle, or sailing to unchartered territories?
Most people very often fantasize about living dangerously, and well, this manga “Alice in Borderland” has a somewhat bleak message on that.
Our protagonist named Arisu is yet another young man who seeks to escape the mundane. He has never been appreciated because of his extraordinary brother, and he doesn’t have much hope for the future either.
Lucky for him, one day, as he and a couple of his friends are waiting for the train to arrive after spending the night at a bar, something unusual happens.
The sky implodes with colorful fireworks and they are rendered unconscious. It doesn’t take them long to realize that they have been transported to a different land, a cruel reality, where a light mishap means death.
From that moment onward, they either survive or die.
And that my friends, is what helps our protagonist truly appreciate the beauty of the mundane which he had long forgotten. When you spend the entire day just trying to not die, the Sunset does indeed seem very beautiful.
“Haha. I wonder… Why won't my tears stop…
Was the Sunset Always this beautiful?”
We don’t quite realize what we have until it’s lost.
This is one of the key fundamentals of life.
Now, if the idea of a “Survival Manga” vibes with you, this is that one manga which you simply cannot overlook. The story is brutal, trust me on this.
2 - Gin no Saji (Silver Spoon)
In an attempt to be away from his parents, our protagonist “Hachiken Yuugo,” enrolls in a rural Agriculture High School. He came from the city and was more or less unfamiliar with what it’s like to live on the farms and how to take care of the livestock.
It’s tough in the beginning, daunting, in fact. He has to wake up super early in the morning, take care of the horses, and he basically never catches a break anytime during the day.
There is so much stuff that needs doing.
However, without even realizing it at first, this leads to Hachiken developing an almost surreal appreciation for agriculture, for animals, for rural farm life in general.
This is not just a slice of life story, it is an essay on agriculture, a tale of growth and dreams, and a beautiful “Coming of Age” manga that leaves you with a sense of wonder for your life from here on out.
If you’ve read or watched Fullmetal Alchemist, you should definitely consider checking this one out, the premise might be totally different but you’ll find the same brilliance when it comes to the writing.
Both series are by, “Hiromu Arakawa.”, the same Mangaka.
Gin no Saji is a perfect combination of entertainment and infotainment, and the crux of its message is about respecting what you eat.
3 - Blank Canvas: My So Called Artist’s Journey (Kakukaku Shikajika)
My friends, you’ll need a few boxes of tissues before you start reading this.
“My so-called Artist’s Journey,” isn’t your everyday story. No, it’s the memoir of the author’s life and told through her own pen. An eye-opening tale of the fragility of one’s youth.
The mangaka, “Akiko Hayashi,” goes deep into the world of her early days, the insecurities, the choices she made, both bad and good, and of course, the sad reality of regret.
Other than her, the primary focus of the manga is her “Sensei,” a harsh but genuine soul who helped her a lot on her “So called Artist’s journey.”
I think the brilliance of this manga is not the content itself, it’s her ability to take her on this ride to her past. I guarantee you, if you read this at night, you will cry.
I don’t think the word “Masterpiece” should be used as lightly as it is being used in the modern day, but I just can’t find another word to describe this manga.
You can’t help but for a real, emotional connection with her character and the story, because it is real.
4 - Barakamon
You see, the true beauty in life is found in the simple things. I know, it’s vague, but this manga, “Barakamon,” does an exceedingly good job of portraying this message.
A young and reckless calligraphy artist named Handa gets upset over some criticism, he punches the critic, who was actually a renowned figure in the field, and so, his father temporarily sends him off to a rural island.
The intention is for him to cool his head, grow and mature into a proper adult.
It works.
Although his life at the island is too chaotic, he is constantly getting jumped and dragged around by local kids who want his attention, and then there are the usual complications that come with rural life.
All in all, the premise quickly evolves into this refreshing and wholesome tale of understanding how to appreciate the good things in life. It is subtle, often barely noticeable, but the protagonist grows before our very eyes, and the same can be said about the little or big kids that become a part of his life on the island.
The old Handa would’ve never relaxed enough to appreciate the glory of the sunset, let alone watch it with a kid, but like all of us, he grows, and develops a newfound appreciation for nature, for people, and for life.
5 - Kokou no Hito (The Climber)
“Kokou no hito” is a work of pure glory, there is no other series quite like this one in the manga medium, none. Categorized under the “Sports” banner, it is the furthest thing from your typical sports manga.
The story is dark, aggregating, and ruthless.
We have a teenager named Mori Buntarou who was lost in life right from the get-go. On the day he transfers to his new school, another student talks him into climbing the School’s building.
Without thinking much, he obliges, and surprises not just them, but the entire school.
That day, something inside of his bleak existence awakened. He found comfort in this act of climbing, he felt alive. From that point onward, the story takes you on this wild adventure that is more about befriending solitude than bettering human relationships.
It doesn’t get easier, it never gets easier.
Keep it in mind that when you read this manga, you will feel discomfort.
There is nothing vanilla about it, it’s harsh.
Yes, it is still a coming of age manga, and the gravity of Mori’s struggles will leave you speechless, but you may also find yourself too attracted to the idea of befriending solitude.
Then there is the art.
We’ve all heard the saying that a Picture is worth a thousand words, well this, my friends, is a manga that truly exemplifies that statement.
A grim yet beautiful tale of solitude and suffering.
That’s Kokou no Hito.
That’s “The Climber.”
Alright, so that was it for the 5 Hidden Coming of Age manga series that will change your perspective on life.
Now, I have another title in mind that may not officially qualify as a coming of age manga, but it is one, the way I see it.
We’re talking about the sports manga “Ao Ashi.”
Guys, if you thought Blue Lock was interesting, you need to read this absolute juggernaut of a story. It is about as good as Haikyuu, and that’s saying a lot.
And, that was it for this post. I hope you found at least one manga on this post that you’ll want to read.
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