5 Seinen Manga Successful Transitions to the Screen

Seinen manga is a type of Japanese comic that is targeted at adult male readers. These manga often feature complex characters and deeper storytelling compared to manga for younger audiences. Over the years, the adaptation of successful seinen manga to the screen has created impressive results. Let’s check out and explore the top 5 seinen manga that made successful transitions to the screen!

From Page to Screen: 5 Seinen Manga Adapted into Anime and Live-Action

Seinen manga can cover a wide range of genres, including action, drama, romance, science fiction, and others. If you need some recommendations on what to read, worry not because we have already compiled 5 seinen manga with different genres you can enjoy!

#1 Bungou Stray Dogs

Bungou Stray Dogs (Image: MAL)

Author: Kafka Asagiri, Sango Harukawa
Chapters: 104
Status: Ongoing
Genre: Seinen, Action, Supernatural

Bungou Stray Dogs is a seinen manga that follows Atsushi Nakajima, an orphan who is almost dying after being kicked out of his orphanage. However, Atsushi ends up unintentionally stopping the suicide incident of a detective named Osamu Dazai. Dazai’s partner, Doppo Kunikida, isn’t happy about it, but Dazai still gives Atsushi food and reveals to him that they work for the Armed Detective Agency. This group solves crimes the police can’t, thanks to their special powers.

For the first task, they ask Atsushi to help them catch a supernatural tiger causing problems in the city, and even though he’s unsure, he agrees. After they solve the problem, Dazai invites Atsushi to join their agency. However, things get really dangerous when the Port Mafia comes after them. Atsushi gets caught in the middle, and he begins his new life where he does missions and learns how to use his special power to protect himself, his new friends, and the whole city.

Following the manga’s success, Bungou Stray Dogs got an anime adaptation. Studio BONES produces the series and currently, it already has 5 epic seasons.

#2 Mushisi

Mushishi (Image: Crunchyroll)

Author: Yuki Urushibara
Chapters: 50
Status: Completed
Genre: Seinen, Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural

Mushishi is a calming yet engaging manga that focuses on the Mushi. These Mushi are the simplest forms of life in the world. They exist without any specific goals or purposes and aren’t bound by the concepts of good or evil. Generally, Mushi can take on various forms, imitating things like plants, diseases, and even natural phenomena such as rainbows. But these entities found in the fascinating world of Mushishi are much more complex than this basic explanation. Not many details about them are known because most people are unaware of their existence.

So, what exactly are mushi and why do they exist? This is the constant question inside the mind of a ‘Mushishi’ named Ginko. These Mushishi are individuals who study mushi in the hope of understanding what they are and where they fit in the world. Ginko tirelessly follows rumors and events that might be connected to mushi, all with the aim of discovering the truth. Eventually, this quest leads Ginko to discover the very meaning of life itself. This masterpiece is adapted into a 26-episode anime series.

Mushishi won various awards such as:

• The 7th Japan Media Arts Festival for the Excellence Prize in 2004
• The Kodansha Manga Award for General Manga in 2006
• Tokyo Anime Award in the Television Category in 2006

#3 Skip to Loafer

Skip to Loafer (Image: Mangadex)

Author: Misaki Takamatsu
Chapters: 9 Volumes
Status: Ongoing
Genre: Seinen, Drama, School Life

Skip to Loafer is a story that highlights the journey of Iwakura Mitsumi. She is a top student and has always dreamed of leaving her small town, attending a prestigious university, and making a difference. However, she’s unprepared for the bustling city life when she gets the chance to enter a Tokyo high school. Fortunately, she quickly befriends Shima Sousuke, a relaxed and handsome classmate. Can Mitsumi succeed in Tokyo with Sousuke’s support despite her lack of city experience?

Just recently, Skip to Loafer was adapted into a 12-episode anime series. While the manga was nominated for the Manga Taisho Award in 2020, the series won the 47th Kodansha Manga Award in the general category in 2023. If you like an easy, slice-of-life genre, you should definitely give the series and anime a chance.

#4 Solanin

Solanin (Image: MAL)

Author: Inio Asano
Chapters: 28
Status: Completed
Genre: Seinen, Drama, Slice of Life

Another seinen manga that made successful transitions to the screen is Solanin. The story is about Meiko Inoue. She is a 23-year-old woman who is sure that there are lurking demons in Tokyo. This makes her feel aimless and makes her contemplate what she truly seeks from life. 

When she talks to her boyfriend, Naruo Taneda, about quitting her job, he agrees. That is the only push she needs. Eventually, they both decide to pursue their college dreams, reviving Taneda’s old band, Rotti. However, life takes an unexpected twist as they face challenges and heartbreak.

This manga is a story of love, loss, and grief, focusing on the struggles of people in their twenties who often feel overlooked by society. Solanin was nominated for the 2009 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material Japan. Solanin might not get an anime adaptation, but the manga received a live-action adaptation in April 2010.

#5 Blue Period

Blue Period (Image: Wiki Fandom)

Author: Tsubasa Yamaguchi
Chapters: 56
Status: Ongoing
Genre: Seinen, School Life, Visual Arts

The last one on the list of top 5 seinen manga that made successful transitions to the screen is Blue Period. It follows the story of Yatora Yaguchi, a high school sophomore who feels bored with his ordinary life. He excels in his studies and he also hangs out with friends, but these activities he secretly dislikes. However, his perspective changes when he discovers the delight of drawing.

After admiring a painting from the Art Club, Yatora becomes captivated by its colors. This newfound interest leads him to express himself through art, and he becomes so passionate that he decides to pursue it professionally. Unfortunately, just like how life always is, he faces challenges like unsupportive parents, more skilled students, and the complexity of the art subject itself.

Blue Period is adapted to an anime series with 12 episodes. The manga won and was nominated for some awards, such as:

• Nominated in the 12th Manga Taishou in 2019
• Won the 13th Manga Taishou in 2020
• Nominated in the 43rd Kodansha Manga Award for Best General Manga
• Won the 44th Kodansha Manga Award for Best General Manga

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