The manga industry has only gotten bigger over the years. While western comic books, admittedly, have started to struggle in modern times, the eastern block continues to chug along. The stories being told in the medium of manga are incredibly memorable.
Not to mention, the sheer amount of adaptations means manga have a much better chance of being picked up by the average casual fan. Along with being mostly self-contained stories, it makes manga a very accessible medium. The impressive sales numbers pretty much speak for themselves.
One Punch Man - 30 Million
Saitama was formerly an apathetic salaryman with no direction in life. One day, he comes across a giant crab monster attacking a child. Much to his surprise, he faces up against the giant crab monster and wins. With the win came something that Saitama had never had before: a purpose. He decides to don a cape and become a hero (for fun!), but he had no idea just how strong he'd end up becoming.
One-Punch Man is a fantastic superhero anime that took the anime world by storm. The premise is simple, but the action on the page is absolutely insane. Murata manages to turn ONE's simplistic webcomic style into an insanely detailed manga action masterpiece. It's amazing how much mileage ONE got out of such a simple premise.
The Promised Neverland - 32 Million
The Promised Neverland is one of those stories that is best enjoyed absolutely knowing nothing. That said, here's a vague summary, but do note the premise is much more than it seems. Emma, Norman, and Ray are three orphans who live in the Grace Field House. Although they are all ranked based on behavior and knowledge, life is somewhat peaceful.
However, dark secrets lie underneath the surface of this idyllic orphanage. It's up to these three to find out what these secrets are, and how it all connects to their orphaned state. The Promised Neverland is an incredibly thrilling experience. Since the anime's second season was very poorly received, it's a much more rewarding experience to read the manga.
The Seven Deadly Sins - 37 Million
The tyrannical Holy Knights have a stranglehold on the entire land, and it seems like there are no heroes to fight them. Elizabeth, a princess exiled from her own land by the Holy Knights, is looking for a group of heroes who can save her kingdom. Specifically, the Seven Deadly Sins. She meets the surprisingly diminutive Wrath, and together, they traverse the land in search of the other sins and free the land from the grip of the Holy Knights.
The Seven Deadly Sins was a classic fantasy shounen through and through. From a ragtag group of misfits to a domineeringly evil force, The Seven Deadly Sins might not be rocking the boat, but they're sailing it pretty well. With both the manga and anime officially concluded, now's a good time to catch up to this shounen classic.
Tokyo Ghoul - 47 Million
Your average bookworm and ordinary college student, Ken Kaneki, has fallen in love with a beautiful woman named Rize Kamishiro. On their first date, this woman turns out to be a monster known as a "ghoul," a creature that feeds on human flesh. As she attacks him, however, a construction accident crushes the both of them, with Kaneki barely surviving.
Kaneki was saved by the organs of the very same ghoul who tried to kill him. Soon, he realizes that his appetite (and physical abilities) are now that of a ghoul. Tokyo Ghoul is one of the most iconic "edgy" manga of the 2010s, and the vibe is there in every panel. Tokyo Ghoul is a gritty horror-action manga that revels in its dark tone, and fans loved it.
Tokyo Revengers - 50 Million
Takemichi Hanagaki is at the worst point of his adult life. A part-timer, constantly berated by his boss, and with no aspirations, existence is barely worth living. One day he finds out on the news that the only girlfriend he ever had, Hinata Tachibana from high school, was murdered by the Manji Gang.
To rub salt in the wound, Takemichi dies soon after, being pushed onto the tracks. Instead of the afterlife (or another world), he finds himself 12 years in the past, when he was in middle school. In the same vein as classic stories like Erased and 17 Again, Tokyo Revengers tackles the age-old question: what would a person do if given a second chance?
Haikyuu - 50 Million
Hinata starts his own volleyball club, with a grand total of one member: himself. Despite that, he trains every day inspired by the athletes he saw on TV. Eventually, he convinces enough people to form a ragtag team of a few members who haven't even played volleyball just to compete in a King of the Court. Tobio Kageyama and his team of champions quickly crush his team.
Instead of losing hope, Hinata's fire for the sport only burns brighter, and he soon enrolls in a school with a strong volleyball team. Haikyuu could very easily be considered the Slam Dunk of the 2010s, being an absolutely massive sports anime that converted many young people to the sport that it passionately brings to life on the page.
My Hero Academia - 65 Million
Izuku Midoriya is an idealistic little boy who dreamed of becoming his favorite All Might hero, despite being one of the unlucky ones without a quirk. However, a chance encounter with All Might himself changed everything. After the hero saw him go straight into danger without a thought other than saving lives, All-Might decided to give him his own powers.
My Hero Academia is the ideal modern shounen. It blends western comic book tropes with the more unorthodox elements brought by manga. My Hero Academia is a fantastic entry point for MCU fans to explore the world of manga. A rich world with a diverse cast of pro heroes, villains, and some awesome action. What's not to love?
Jujutsu Kaisen - 65 Million
Yuji Itadori is an athletic but carefree high school student unsure of his life path when his grandfather suddenly dies during a routine visit before Yuji has to make him a promise: that he will do him good, so he does not die alone, unlike his grandfather. Not long after this though, Yuji's life is turned upside down, as he's forced to eat the demon's fingers (long story).
Now, he is a sorcerer working to keep the peace for humanity by making sure the Curses do not get out of hand. Along with Demon Slayer, it seems like demon-slaying is the secret sauce of the biggest shounen in the past 5 years. What makes it stick for so many manga fans is how consequences actually matter in the story, in a way that many other stories do not.
Attack On Titan - 100 Million
When the Colossal Titan smashed down the wall in Shiganshina, humanity received a grim reminder. Humanity lived in fear of the titans and was disgraced to live in these cages they called walls. This was the reality that young Eren Jeager lived in after his mother was eaten by Titans right in front of him. Now, he wants nothing more than vengeance.
It cannot be understated how absolutely massive Attack on Titan was. It was one of the most popular manga of not just the decade, but in general. The world was in AoT fever, and even a four-year gap between seasons never stopped the hype train from chugging on. After the manga's shockingly polarizing ending, more and more fans still recommend the series for its rollercoaster of emotions.
Demon Slayer - 150 Million
Tanjiro Kamado leaves his family for a day to sell coal. When Tanjiro returns, he finds his entire family murdered and his younger sister, Nezuko, turned into a demon. Giyu hunts down the demon that massacred Tanjiro's family. Seeing the determination in Tanjiro's eyes, he shows him to a man who can teach him the ways of the demon slayer.
Demon Slayer may be the fastest hit out of any manga of the 2010s. In a single year, it managed to reach 82 million copies in the literal last year of the decade, selling twice as many copies as other big manga that took years to generate the same numbers. Add to that an amazing anime adaptation, and Demon Slayer is the undisputed winner of the 2010s.