The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen' tops the AnimeJapan 2026 'Most Wanted Manga to be Animated' ranking!
The voting results for AnimeJapan’s 9th annual “Manga You Want to See Animated” ranking are officially out!
A total of 48 works were nominated this time, with a total of 222,758 votes, an increase of nearly 70,000 votes compared to last year, demonstrating the continued enthusiasm of fans.
Created by mmk and serialized on Shogakukan's Sunday Webry, "The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen" (English license by Viz Media) won first place by an overwhelming margin! The author mmk's previous work "Hyperinflation" won the championship in 2023, once again proving their popularity and strength.
The 2nd place goes to Kyu Sumiyoshi's 《Strikeout Pitch》 (Strikeout Pitch), and the 3rd place is Naotaka Takade's 《Ketsu Battler》.
The full Top 10 rankings are as follows (in order):
1. "The Mortifying Ordeal of Being Seen" (Author: mmk / Shogakukan Sunday Webry)
2. "Strikeout Pitch" (Author: 住吉九 / Shueisha)
Introduction: A passionate high school baseball manga. It tells the legend of “Baseball Club Hunting” passed around among high school baseball players in Kanagawa Prefecture: a mysterious man challenges others to a three-pitch showdown, possessing an astonishing fastball yet carrying “a secret that makes him unable to play baseball.” A genius pitcher can only properly throw three pitches a day, yet he is recruited by a high school baseball team, unfolding a fiery sports drama of struggling against fate.
3. "Ketsu Battler" (Author: Naotaka Takade / Shueisha)
Introduction: A comedic battle manga whose core premise is the absurd idea of “fighting with a sword clamped between your buttocks.” The original work is a game-adaptation manga, serialized in Weekly CoroCoro Comic, and is full of nonsensical humor and kid-oriented exaggerated elements.
4. "Utsuranain desu" (Author: Ruka Kojima / Shogakukan)
Introduction: Transfer student Kuroto Makoto possesses a "super spiritual medium constitution" that attracts things that shouldn't be seen. Tachibana Michiru from the Supernatural Research Club has taken an interest in Kuroto Makoto. This is a Japanese manga created by Konoshima Ruka, serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday" starting from issue 18 of 2024.
5. "#Gal x Gal Yuri" (Author: 井上 / Shogakukan)
Introduction: A yuri-themed work focusing on romance and interactions between Gal-style (gyaru) girls, featuring fashionable, school-life, light and sweet yuri elements
6. "On and Off: Work-Life Imbalance" (Author: 金沢真之介)
Synopsis: A workplace × fashion × gender-contrast comedy. It tells the story of two company coworkers, Amada Sōtarō (looks like an overworked office drone, but privately is a Lolita fashion enthusiast) and Banku Akira (looks cold and aloof, but privately is a punk girl). The two don’t recognize each other at work, but after hours they become friends through their shared love of fashion—unaware that the other is actually their coworker—living a double life.
7."Usotsuki! Gokuo-kun" (Usotsuki! Gokuo-kun, Author: Makoto Yoshimoto / Shogakukan)
Introduction: A comedy-oriented work. The protagonist, Goku-kun, is a child/character who loves telling lies. It is a school/daily-life story centered on the funny incidents and growth brought about by lies.
8. "Dinosaur Sanctuary" (Dinosaur Sanctuary, Author: Kinoshita Ita / Kodansha)
Synopsis: A dinosaur-themed healing + educational comic. In the modern world, dinosaurs have survived and are kept in zoos. Rookie keeper Suma Suzume works at the Enoshima Dinosaur Park, learning to care for all kinds of dinosaurs (from small species to T. rex). It blends real paleontology knowledge with heartwarming daily life, and has received positive reviews.
9. "Gokurakugai" (Author: 佐野裕人 / Shueisha) — Ranked No. 7 last year, remains in the Top 10 this year
Introduction: A dark fantasy action manga. Gokurakugai is a bustling area that hides a dark side. The protagonists Tao and Alma, as “トラブルシューター” (troubleshooters/problem solvers), take on commissions to handle cases such as disappearances, bizarre corpses, and evil spirits, where combat and human nature intertwine.
10. "Centuria" (Author: 仓森彻 / Shueisha)
Introduction: A dark fantasy shonen manga. It tells of the cruel fate of a cursed boy, tied to the “Hundred Souls” or the Hundred Years’ War
Each author who made it into the Top 10 specially drew a commemorative illustration, which can be viewed on the AnimeJapan official website
This ranking has become an industry benchmark. In the past, works such as "SPY×FAMILY" and "The Apothecary Diaries" have topped the charts, and subsequently achieved successful anime adaptations with great acclaim.