10 Anime Originals So Good They Got Manga Adaptations Straight After

Anime originals, as implied by the name, are original projects conceived without an established source material. Usually, anime are adapted from pre-existing manga or other media such as light novels, visual novels, or video games. Originals, however, are completely fresh, and depending on their success, can give rise to manga adaptations of their own.

These adaptations allow creators to flesh out the lore, explore certain characters more deeply, or add new scenes. They could also be straightforward adaptations done solely to bring the story to life in manga form. In both cases, they offer a different format to experience the narrative and serve as proof of the vast influence of the original project.

10

Lycoris Recoil

Lycoris Recoil premiered in the summer of 2022 and was produced by Studio A-1 Pictures. It is set in a deceptively peaceful Tokyo where order is secretly maintained by an organization known as the DA through young female operatives known as Lycoris. The story follows two talented agents, Chisato Nishikigi and Takina Inoue, with contrasting personalities, serving at Cafe LycoReco.

The pair share valuable experiences that show there is more to life than being a tool of the government, while also dealing with a malicious plot that threatens the very existence of the DA. The manga began serialization in the fall of 2022 and serves as a faithful panel-for-panel adaptation handled by Yasunori Bizen.

9

Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song

Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song debuted in the spring of 2021 and was produced by WIT Studio. It is set far into the future, where highly advanced AI turned on mankind and resorted to slaughtering all of humanity. In a desperate attempt to avert this cursed future, a scientist transmits an advanced AI program named Matsumoto 100 years into the past.

It is sent in search of Vivy, the first fully autonomous humanoid AI, and together they work through different significant events throughout history, making the necessary changes to ensure the survival of mankind. The manga was illustrated by Morito Yamataka and serves as a faithful adaptation of the anime, while complementing a few scenes with minor touch-ups.

8

Madoka Magica

Madoka Magica is a twelve-episode anime produced by Studio Shaft that aired in the winter of 2011. It is set in a world where young girls are offered the chance to have any wish granted in exchange for living out the rest of their lives as magical girls. Most importantly, they are tasked with fighting evil beings known as witches.

While it presents itself initially as a cute show, the story takes a dark turn after the truth behind the magical girl contract is revealed. It is arguably the most popular series that subverts the genre, spawning several spinoffs and side stories. The main manga is primarily handled by Hanokage, who has worked on other Madoka Magica projects as well.

7

Kill la Kill

Kill la Kill serves as one of the first projects by Studio Trigger, spanning twenty-four episodes and premiering in the fall of 2013. It follows the hot-blooded Ryuko Matoi, who enrolls in Honnouji Academy aiming to uncover the secrets behind her father’s death. She arrives armed with his massive scissor blade and equips the sentient battle suit Senketsu early on.

Over the course of the anime, she overcomes multiple trials, usually involving confrontations with other members of the academy, reaching ever closer to her goal in the process. The manga was significantly shorter than the anime, serialized in a seinen magazine between 2013 and 2015 for seventeen chapters, concluding with a vastly different ending.

6

ID Invaded

ID: Invaded is a unique sci-fi mystery anime produced by Studio Naz that premiered in the winter of 2020 and ran for thirteen episodes. It follows Akihito Narihisago, a deeply traumatized detective enabled by a futuristic system to dive into the psyches of various serial killers in order to track them down.

Within the well, he loses his memories and assumes the identity of the Brilliant Detective Sakaido. In this form, his goal is to piece together clues within the space, solve a girl’s murder, and lead his real-world counterparts to the culprit. The manga, titled Id: Invaded #Brake-Broken, is a direct sequel to the anime, with brand-new threats and mysteries.

5

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann is widely regarded as one of the greatest mecha anime ever, produced by Gainax and premiering in the spring of 2007. It centers on the duo of Simon and Kamina, starting out in the underground Jiha Village and eventually making their way to the surface after discovering a buried mech.

They are joined by the elite sniper Yoko, as well as other notable humans, forming a tight-knit group and going up against the Beastmen of the surface. The manga spanned ten volumes, illustrated by Kotaro Mori, following the main story with a few minor changes and additions. The anime also spawned several spin-offs, placing the characters in various different settings.

4

Psycho-Pass

Psycho-Pass is a fascinating psychological thriller spanning twenty-two episodes produced by Production I.G in 2012. The story takes place in a world where the mental state of every citizen is monitored by a single system. They are assigned figures based on how likely they are to commit a crime, making up their Crime Coefficient.

An individual’s Crime Coefficient strictly determines how they are handled by the Criminal Investigation Department. The protagonist, Akane Tsunemori, starts out as a new member of the force, gradually exposed to the system’s shortcomings and forced to confront brutal realities. The most notable manga adaptations of the anime focus on Akane and her partner Shinya individually.

3

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion is a twenty-five-episode anime which premiered in the fall of 2006 and was produced by Studio Sunrise. It is set in an alternate reality where the Holy Britannian Empire conquers Japan using mechas called Knightmares. The protagonist, Lelouch, is an exiled Britannian prince residing in Japan who holds his homeland in utter contempt.

After getting caught in a terrorist crossfire, Lelouch encounters a mysterious woman named C.C., who grants him the titular Geass. This power allows him to make irrefutable commands to those who look into his eyes, a feature he exploits to carry out a full-scale revolution. The manga was illustrated by Majiko! and is famous for completely excluding the Knightmares.

2

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of anime’s most esteemed classics, premiering in the fall of 1995 and co-produced by Studio Gainax and Tatsunoko Production. It follows the timid Shinji Ikari as he is made to pilot one of the titular Evangelions in order to defend humanity from the immensely powerful Angels.

He is joined by fellow pilots Rei Ayanami and Asuka Langley, with all three bearing profound trauma, which makes them qualified to helm the Evas. The series shifts from a high-octane monster-of-the-week format to a deep, philosophical exploration of the characters’ internal struggles. The manga, by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, dove into more detail and was very positively received.

1

Cowboy Bebop

Cowboy Bebop is a mainstream masterpiece that premiered in the spring of 1998 and was animated by Studio Sunrise. It is set in a distant future where mankind was forced to flee Earth and colonize other planets. What followed was a rapid increase in crime, necessitating a reward system that brought about the rise of interplanetary bounty hunters.

The series is centered on the Bebop Crew, an eccentric group of bounty hunters who track down criminals while also dealing with the demons of their past. It is told in a largely episodic format but still features relevant overarching developments. The manga was serialized from 1998 to 2000, featuring side stories that are quick and fun reads.

Release Date

1998 – 1999

Network

TV Tokyo, WOWOW Prime

Directors

Yoshiyuki Takei, Ikuro Sato, Hirokazu Yamada

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  Koichi Yamadera

  Spike Spiegel / Ein (voice)

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  Unsho Ishizuka

  Jet Black (voice)