Best Manga About Family

Although many people cherish watching anime, they often forget that most anime serve as adaptations of the original source material. While there are some instances where the anime is better than the manga, those instances are few and far between.

With the amount of manga released on a daily basis, it could be hard to cut through all those books to find the “Best of” for any chosen topic.

Well, we’re here to help celebrate and shine a spotlight on some of the latest, greatest, and unforgettable manga through the years. For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best manga, our attention this time turns to those with a strong focus on family. From comforting supernatural outings to tales that explore the complexities of single-parenthood, there’s a good choice to whet your appetite.

Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!

Love So Life: Childrearing – Kaede Kouchi

Love So Life: Childrearing is a heartwarming manga that beautifully portrays the joys and challenges of family life. The story revolves around Shiharu Nakamura, a high school girl who looks after two twin siblings, Aoi and Akane, while their guardian is away. This is a tale of love, responsibility, and the bond that forms between individuals unconnected by blood.

This manga emphasizes the significance of creating a loving and supportive environment for children to grow and thrive. It explores the different roles within a family, showcasing the challenges of both parents and older siblings. Moreover, Kaede Kouchi wonderfully displays the joys that come with caregiving.

You’ll adore seeing Shiharu experience the ups and downs of parenting and learning valuable skills from her time spent with Aoi and Akane.

Barakamon – Satsuki Yoshino

Satsuki Yoshino’s Barakamon is another touching manga with a heartwarming narrative and endearing cast. Our story follows Seishuu, a talented calligrapher who gets sent to a remote island because of his terrible behavior. As he immerses himself in the island’s community, he’ll develop a deeper appreciation for familial bonds and friendship.

That said, Barakamon provides readers with an excellent stance on a found family. As Seishuu interacts with the island’s residents, he’ll develop deep connections that’ll warm readers’ souls. His interactions with these people will provide you with enough comfort and joy and may motivate you to meet and greet new people in your neighborhood.

If you seek a tale that highlights the joys of interacting and forming tight-knit connections with strangers, check out Barakamon.

March Comes In Like A Lion – Chica Umino

March Comes In Like A Lion is a masterful tale about mental health, family, and perseverance. In it, we follow a troubled yet gifted shogi player named Rei, who must grapple with feelings of isolation and loneliness. Through Rei’s interactions with the Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo, Chica Umino explores themes of healing, support, and the transformative power of chosen family.

This manga provides readers with warmth through its healing tone. As Rei becomes more involved in the Kawamoto sister’s lives, he’ll find solace and support amidst their cozy nature. On the flip side, Umino highlights Rei’s issues with his adoptive family, showing audiences that not all relationships carry similar coziness.

If you seek a tale with an excellent stance on family life, check this one out.

My Girl – Sumomo Yumeka

My Girl is a touching manga that beautifully explores the theme of family and the profound impact it has on its characters’ lives. The story revolves around Masamune, a 20-year-old man who becomes the guardian of his late ex-girlfriend’s daughter, Koharu. Through their relationship, My Girl delves into love, responsibility, and the complexities behind forming a tight-knit family.

My Girl showcases the power familial connections can have on an individual’s life. Masamune is reluctant about becoming a father at first. However, as he spends more time with Koharu, Masamune learns to navigate through the obstacles of parenthood and embraces his new role sincerely.

In addition to tackling compelling concepts regarding self-discovery and finding solace through shared experiences, My Girl is a fascinating family-themed manga you’ll end up loving.

Wolf Children – Mamoru Hosoda

Wolf Children’s manga is just as marvelous as the anime it’s based on. It follows Hana, a woman who ends up falling in love with a werewolf named Ookami. They have two children and live a compelling life for a while. Unfortunately, Ookami perishes, leaving Hana no choice but to flee with her children to the countryside.

Like the anime, the manga skillfully weaves together slice-of-life and drama elements to give readers an excellent portrayal of single parenthood and its challenges. With Ookami gone, Hana must contend with her children’s troublesome behaviors and help them navigate through life’s treacherous hurdles. Not only that but her kids will develop different aspirations of their own, too.

This is a tale of love and personal development and one that everyone needs to read to appreciate.

Chichikogusa – Mi Tagawa

Chichikogusa is a relaxing family tale of comfort and love. The story examines the lives of a medicine seller and his son as they navigate through their world’s difficult hurdles after losing a woman who was precious to them. While the story is littered with casual and joyous slice-of-life scenarios between our father and son duo, Mi Tagawa’s not afraid to crank up the drama to get readers hooked.

Both characters must learn to cope and triumph over the issues that plague their existence. The father will develop a better understanding of parenting while his son will learn to tackle his insecurities head-on.

With its relatable characters, decent illustrations, and fascinating take on single-parenthood, Chichikogusa is worth adding to your reading list.

Somali and the Guardian of the Forest – Yako Gureishi

Somali and the Forest Spirit is a wholesome supernatural series that examines the joys of parenting and family life. In Somali, we examine the daily outings of a human child and her golem caretaker. Their endeavors never grow old and are brimming with enough care, love, and passion that’s guaranteed to brighten any manga fan’s mood.

Readers will love Yako Gureishi’s ways of portraying parenthood. Our golem protagonist will go to great lengths to protect our female lead from harm, even if they have to put their life on the line. Moreover, our duo will interact with several other characters and creatures who will add a layer of depth to the story’s world.

With its touching themes and endearing cast, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Spy X Family – Tatsuya Endou

Spy X Family is a popular family-themed shonen manga that took the community by storm. In it, we follow Twilight, a spy who is on a mission to protect the peace between two nations. To do so, Twilight must monitor a shady individual named Donovan Desmond. However, to complete his goal, he takes on the alias Loid Forger, adopts a girl named Anya, and dates a woman named Yor.

Little does Loid know that his new family members hold secrets of their own. Tatsuya Endou combines themes of espionage and comedy to present readers with an action-packed family tale worth reading. The characters all have incredible personalities and receive adequate development as the story advances.

With its excellent blend of elements, captivating cast, and wholesome and thrilling endeavors, Spy X Family is a modern hit worthy of its praise.

Sweetness and Lightning – Gido Amagakure

Sweetness and Lightening is a heartwarming family tale. It follows Kouhei, a single father who wants to provide for his daughter Tsumugi after the passing of his wife. By receiving culinary advice and support from his student, Kotori, Kouhei hopes to give Tsumugi a fruitful life. One of this tale’s notable aspects lies in its realistic depiction of single parenthood and its countless trials.

The manga explores Kouhei’s struggles to balance his responsibilities as a father and his own personal growth. Sweetness and Lightning depict the strong connection between father and daughter. It highlights the love, comfort, and sacrifices Kouhei makes to ensure Tsumugi’s well-being.

Coupled with wholesome scenarios and a peaceful tone, Sweetness and Lightning is jam-packed with enough engaging content to keep fans’ hooked.

A Bride’s Story: Traditions and Everyday Life Along the Silk Road – Kaoru Mori

A Bride’s Story: Traditions and Everyday Life Along the Silk Road is a masterfully written story with incredible drama, romance, and historical elements. Set in 19th-century Central Asia, the manga follows the lives of various characters and their interconnected stories of love, marriage, and kindship along the ancient Silk Road.

Through its compelling narrative, A Bride’s Story delivers a profound analysis of the complexities and bonds of family, highlighting the strength of familial ties and the impact they have on individuals and their communities.

The manga presents a diverse range of families, from traditional nuclear families to extended families. It explores the unique challenges each family faces, allowing readers to learn of different ways people express love and ease. Moreover, the relationships within these families are multifaceted and explored fully. You’ll be intrigued by the amount of sacrifices, compromises, and unwavering support the people in these families have or share with each other.

If you’re after a family-themed manga with incredible depth, check out A Bride’s Story: Traditions and Everyday Life Along the Silk Road.

So, there we have it, our picks for the best manga about family through the years!

What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!

Best Manga About Family | TheReviewGeek Recommends