Takarajimasha’s esteemed Kono Manga ga Sugoi! (This Manga Is Amazing!) guidebook has unveiled its highly anticipated 2026 rankings, naming Ao Kojima’s Hon Nara Uru Hodo (The More Books We Sell) as the top manga for male readers and Yoiko Fujimi’s Half Is More (original title: Hanbun Kyōdai) as the top pick for female readers. The annual list, influential in the Japanese manga industry, was officially announced on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, with the full guidebook set to release on December 15.
Hon Nara Uru Hodo Crowned Best for Male Readers
Ao Kojima’s Hon Nara Uru Hodo has secured the top spot in the male readers’ category for Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2026. The manga, which also topped Kadokawa Media Factory’s Da Vinci literary news magazine’s 25th annual “Book of the Year” list, is a collection of short stories centered around a secondhand bookstore called Jūgatsudō. It explores the daily encounters of the owner with diverse customers and illustrates how a single book can weave unexpected connections between lives.
The series originated as a one-shot titled “Hon o Sōsōru” in Kadokawa’s Harta magazine in 2022, before its serialization as Hon Nara Uru Hodo began in 2023. Its first compiled book volume was published on January 15, and the second on April 15.
Half Is More Leads the Female Readers’ Rankings
For female readers, Yoiko Fujimi’s Half Is More (Japanese title: Hanbun Kyōdai, meaning “Half Siblings”) has earned the coveted number one position. The series delves into the everyday experiences and often unspoken realities of individuals of mixed-race heritage in Japan, tackling themes of racism, microaggressions, and the sense of otherness.
The manga quickly gained social media traction upon the release of its first chapter, resonating with a wide audience. Author Fujimi Yoiko, who has a Spanish father, conducted extensive interviews with individuals from diverse backgrounds to authentically portray these perspectives. Half Is More launched on LEED Publishing’s Torch web platform in 2022, with its first volume shipped on March 28. Viz Media is slated to begin publishing the manga under the title Half Is More next summer.
About the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Rankings
Published annually by Takarajimasha since 2005, Kono Manga ga Sugoi! serves as a key reference mook series that features yearly rankings and reviews of manga. The rankings are meticulously compiled by surveying professionals within the manga and publishing industries. The eligible period for the 2026 edition included manga published in collected volume format between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025.
The upcoming Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2026 guidebook will celebrate its 20th anniversary, featuring exclusive commemorative illustrations and a special segment titled “We Ask Past No. 1 Creators: Kono Manga ga Sugoi!” This feature will include interviews where renowned creators discuss rare topics such as their first manga purchases, manga they could discuss all night, and titles they would like to create a spinoff or remake of. The complete top fifty titles for both male and female categories will be detailed in the full guidebook, available from December 15.
