Summary
- Urban fantasy manga mix fantasy tropes with modern settings, offering engaging narratives and colorful characters.
- The best urban fantasy manga includes titles like Nue's Exorcist and Blue Exorcist, offering unique stories and compelling characters.
- The Devil is a Part Timer! And Bakemonogatari present reverse isekai and supernatural detective tales in a modern setting.
Urban fantasy manga mixes a lot of tropes from the fantasy genre with a modern Japanese setting, often depicting otherworldly situations and colorful characters that contrast with the concrete jungle in cool and unusual ways.
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Those looking to uncover the best urban fantasy manga have plenty of options to choose from, many of which feature incredible characters, new proposals, and an engaging modern world setting. From the natural heir of the Bleach series to a controversial, quirky, and incredibly deep satire that narrates the adventures of a demi-human in a world filled with yokai, there is certain to be something for everyone to enjoy.
6 Nue's Exorcist
A Story About A Spirit Who Is Too Fond Of Mankind And Her Contractor
- First published: May 15, 2023
- Author: Kōta Kawae
- Genres: Supernatural, Shonen, Action, Horror, Urban Fantasy
Nue's Exorcist is a relatively new urban fantasy manga, heavily inspired by series like Bleach and Death Note. It revolves around Onmyoji (exorcist agents) protecting the world (Japan) from the resurgence of evil spirits. These evil spirits come in various shapes and sizes, and the bigger they are, the stronger they are. The biggest conglomerate of spirits eventually gains sentience and a human-like shape, becoming a walking disaster: the Hyo. Prior to the events of the story, the seven Hyo were sealed by the power of the Exorcist organization. That is until Nue, one of the most powerful Hyo, aligns herself with mankind and decides to approach a seemingly ordinary student named Gakuro.
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Gakuro quickly discovers that Nue is not a normal girl, and since he has been having serious issues since he was a child dealing with spirits only he can see, the human-shaped Hyo decides to help him control his powers. Ultimately, this develops into a partnership that draws Gakuro into the fight between the supernatural forces and the human agents trying to control them. Gakuro becomes Nue's contractor, and together, they start fighting a mysterious force led by evil spirits that want to destroy the balance and unleash the seal that holds the Hyo down.
5 The Isekai Returnee Is Too OP For The Modern World
The Hero Wants A Normal School Life, But The Weirdos Around Him Have Other Plans
- First published: January 2017
- Authors: Shiraishi Arata - Sameda Koban
- Genres: Supernatural, Reverse Isekai, Action, Comedy, Urban Fantasy
When Daiki returns from saving another world, he only wants one thing: to have a normal and relaxed school life. But the world as he knows it has deeply changed since his departure, and a lot of espers, spiritual knights, and other weirdos are roaming around causing a ruckus. Of course, it doesn't take long until his plans are thwarted, and he ends up in the middle of a conflict between yokai and spiritual warriors. So the protagonist ends up becoming a sort of mentor for Kaguya, the elder daughter of the exorcist family, and Lela, a rogue assassin angelical agent sent to Earth to deal with him.
Will Daiki be able to survive the conflict between factions, or will his plans for a peaceful retirement be ruined forever? This urban fantasy story is all about the "rejection of the call" and has a stubbornly dull and reluctant hero who needs to go around solving the problems of the world, much to his disgust. It's worth taking a look for fans who love the genre and are okay with dealing with occasional fan service.
4 Blue Exorcist
The Story Of Two Brothers Fighting Side By Side Against Fate
- First published: April 4, 2009
- Author: Kazue Katō
- Genres: Supernatural, Shonen, Action, Horror, Urban Fantasy, Drama
Blue Exorcist follows the story of two siblings raised by a priest in a church who suddenly discover that they're the offspring of the Devil himself. To make matters worse, Satan wants to drag them down with him to hell. With impeccable art and a polished background design, Kazue Kato shapes a beautiful urban fantasy setting for the story, featuring lots of incredible characters, drama, heartwarming moments, and great action scenes, too.
Blue Exorcist is definitely worth the time of hardcore fantasy fans and school drama enthusiasts as well. It offers a little bit of everything and carefully walks the line between a Shonen series and an action/adventure superhero comic. The series deals with the "origin rejection" trope masterfully, depicting a hero who is desperately trying to hold to his human side while also slowly becoming that which he hates most. It has some interesting twists and cool character developments to discover, but to avoid getting into spoiler terrain, the synopsis is better left at that.
3 The Devil Is A Part Timer!
A Fantasy World Demon Lord Rages Against The Harsh Reality
- First published: April 4, 2013
- Author: Satoshi Wagahara
- Genres: Comedy, Slice Of Life, Satire, Urban Fantasy
The Devil is a Part Timer! Is a reverse isekai urban fantasy slice-of-life comedy (hard to say it out loud in one breath) that narrates the shenanigans of the Demon Lord surviving the harsh work environment of modern Japan. It's a must-read for fans of wicked comedy and satire, featuring incredible and heartwarming moments and some wholesome character developments. Even romance has a place in this story, which is mild, well constructed, and not a lousy pseudo-harem situation like most isekai stories present.
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The story narrates the adventures of Satan, who lost the battle against the hero and tried to flee. He ends up being isekaid to Japan, but how will he survive the demands of a "responsible adult" life? He ends up getting a job as a part-timer in a McRonalds, which is a hilarious rip-off, and together with a bunch of colorful characters (including some old allies and enemies), he will learn to adapt to this new and wonderful world.
2 Petshop Of Horrors
What If The Devil Worked At A Pet Store?
- First published: May 2005
- Author: Matsuri Akino
- Genres: Supernatural, Gore, Thriller, Horror, Urban Fantasy
In the Dark Corners of Los Angeles Chinatown, a secret shop sells wonderful and dangerous beings to those unlucky (and crazy) enough to delve into the darkest corners of madness. Count D is a mysterious and creepy character, a combination of Dracula, the Keeper from Tales from the Crypt, and a serial killer from those wacky neon-riddled Korean urban thrillers. It's visually impactful, gory, and walks the line between repulsion and awe. The manga itself is a series of stories about owners looking for a particular pet, and the results of the encounters between the mythical creatures and their new "masters."
It's a truly wonderful example of what happens when one picks a dragon's teeth. With a masterful narrative and compelling character voices, Matsuri Akino explores the darkest side of human nature. Who is the beast, and who is the person? Nobody knows for sure. This series is more about psychological drama, fantasy, sheer terror, and stylish art. The sharply dressed main character of dubious nature deals with the supernatural as if it were candy, and that is simply delightful. Because of all this and more, Petshop of Horrors is must-read for every fan of the urban fantasy genre.
1 Bakemonogatari
An Aloof And Weird School Boy Meets Ancient Vampire And Becomes A Supernatural Detective (Sort Of)
- First published: May 14, 2018
- Author: Nishio Ishin - Oh! Great
- Genres: Supernatural, Satire, Action, Comedy, Horror, Surreal, Urban Fantasy
The Monogatari series is a weird mixture of drama, satire, and surrealism at its finest. With an urban fantasy setting, a series of supernatural events push the protagonist, Koyomi Araragi, to cross the borderline that separates the supernatural world from everyday modern life in Japan. With many yokai rampaging around, Araragi's sixth sense for the weird things happening around him will naturally draw him towards many fateful encounters - a crab yokai possessing school girls and making them as light as a feather, a bakeneko that has possessed his best friend, a monkey spirit playing the ultimate prank on a run track teenage star. On top of this, Araragi himself deals with his own (possessive) resident yokai, the remnants of an ancient vampire inhabiting his shadow.
Araragi's encounter with the supernatural, from his fateful meeting with the vampire Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, has changed the main character for better or for worse, so he will need to learn to adapt to his new supernatural condition. Slowly drifting away from humanity, the narrative surrounding Araragi becomes more than myth and enters the terrain of the absurd. The story for the moment deals with body horror, as Araragi desperately holds on to his last remains of humanity while also introducing some sleuthing and mystery solving when both Araragi and Kiss-Shot work together to solve the many yokai-induced events happening around them. While it is undeniable that the series has some controversial points, and some attitudes of the MC are outright deplorable, it is also true that this is one of the best urban fantasy stories of modern fiction. Bakemonogatari is definitely worth reading.
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