It's Different than the Anime
Manga and novels that offer more extensive storylines, different interpretations, or completely different storylines than their anime counterparts, but both are still worth checking out.
If you're looking for manga that's better than its anime interpretation, check out my list 'Don't Watch the Anime!'
created by farron
last updated May, 2026
Comments
Not to be that person but the pokemon manga is basically its own thing enitrely and the anime is its own thing too, different set of characters and storylines. The manga is more faithful for the games with some changes (that I am not a big fan of which is why I stopped reading the manga) and again Ash/Satoshi's journey is it's own thing so I am not how much if counts as a "manga with a different anime adaptation"
Maybe I'm being nitpicky sorry 😅
farronOP
The prompt for this list is: Manga and novels that offer more extensive storylines, different interpretations, or completely different storylines than their anime counterparts, but both are still worth checking out.
Sounds like Pokemon fits the last part! Maybe it's not exactly a 'counterpart,' but I think that's close enough.
Oh I see, sorry for bothering you
Please leave suggestions here! NOTE: I personally think the Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop tie-in mangas are godawful, but they technically fit the brief, and I think they're interesting oddities. I also made this list because I couldn't think of that many manga series where the manga was flat-out worse than the anime, which in my opinion, both of them are, so I couldn't put them on a separate list.
Edit: Please check out my list Don't Watch the Anime for manga series that were butchered by their anime series!
I know you just made this. But.... The Promised Neverland. Stunning first season of anime. Completely trashed the second season. The story is so wild and different after the first arc that the anime didn't cover that it is worth looking into.
farronOP
Ohhh yeah, The Promised Neverland is notorious for that! I actually made a list called Don't Watch the Anime for cases like that, where there was some problem with the adaptation! This list is more for manga like the Evangelion manga, where it's still an interesting read but it's an alternative storyline from the anime, or Akira, where the movie came out and had a different ending because the manga was ongoing.
That's so real lol.
ok i have a suggestion its Gakuen Alice. the anime is so goofy. its not inaccurate or anything but... yeah it fits in this list i think
farronOP
Interesting, I've added it!
nichijou and city both fit this, i think
heavenly delusion and dead dead demon's dededede destruction both shift certain major reveals around to create drastically different experiences, which i think is interesting
bocchi the rock's anime is more of a continuous story, whereas the manga is a 4-panel gag comic (and there's the kikuri's heavy drinking diary spin-off)
yokohama kaidashi kikou for sure
i might think of others but those immediately come to mind! also i love seeing flowers of evil on here, oshimi is my favorite mangaka of all time!
farronOP
Thanks for the recs, I had no idea about some of these!
I thought about adding Bocchi and some other 4koma but forgot! Thanks for the reminder, I'd say Lucky Star and Monthly Girl's Nozaki-kun also fall under that format.
absolutely, those two deserve to be on this for sure. i was also thinking maybe ghost in the shell, skip & loafer, grappler baki, devilman, dorohedoro, and kaguya-sama
farronOP
Oh, I can definitely agree with Ghost in the Shell and Devil Man. In what ways are the other manga different from their anime counterparts? I'm not really thinking about adding things that simply haven't adapted the entire manga story, or things like that.
totally, i'm withdrawing those other ones. i'm pretty sure manga vs anime length was the main difference i was thinking of, like you said. tbh, i can't remember writing that comment, i think it was like 5am lol
farronOP
No worries! I am really, really hoping for more seasons of Skip & Loafer!
Regarding some of my own additions:
The anime film Howl's Moving Castle is known for taking huge creative liberties with the original novel. Kiki's Delivery Service isn't quite as egregious as far as I've heard but it's still been noted by fans as being pretty different.
The anime Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo is basically a wholesale retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo in a bizarre space opera setting. The manga by the same name was created as a tie-in by the series creator that is slightly more faithful to the novel in some respects (but not many, it's still the same wacky setting). This is one of my favorite anime of all-time but it's weird as hell!
ooooo this is so fun! love to have this info on hand
Berserk. Both adaptations cut things, whether it's Guts's past or removing story arcs and fights. 2017 adaptation has timeline shuffling as well.
Ouran High School Host Club. The characters are fleshed out much better and the manga has a more definitive conclusion.
And editing to say I don't think they fit in the other list you have. I have watched the animes for both and liked them, so I wouldn't tell people to not watch them, but adapting missed a lot.
farronOP
I've got Beserk on the companion list which is about manga that are overall better than their anime! I've added Ouran, however!
