Manga

I don't claim to have a good enough memory to remember all of the series I read last year, but here are the ones that stuck in my memory as I was thinking over it:

Best Action

• I Got a New Skill Every Time I was Exiled, and After 100 Different Worlds, I was Unmatched

I really, really like this series. You might see the long, descriptive title and lump it together with a bunch of other series that blend into a generic mess, but this one is different. The art in the fight scenes is excellent and dynamic and, most importantly, the story has been super engaging. I love the two leads in this series and if anything happens to them, I will be inconsolable. Highly recommended!

Best Comedy

• I Became the World's Strongest Witch

Every chapter of this series is a riot. I fully expect this to get an anime adaptation someday and I can only hope it is given the comedy treatment it deserves. 60 chapters in now and each one still manages to surprise me. It is a madcap mix of meta references to internet culture, buggy game mechanics, and OP protagonist tropes. It really makes you question whether you can call yourself OP as a protagonist until you can turn the power of pop-up advertising against your foes.

• IseGure: After Constantly Being Used as a Foil for OP Isekai Protagonists, the Elite Knight has Finally Had It

This series ended up as a short and sweet love letter of a parody to isekai slop. It knew exactly what it was and made fun of itself relentlessly. It is basically an isekai series all about preventing any more isekai series. The isekai tropes themselves became weapons to be wielded against the isekai powers that be. It's a quick, but hilarious read that ends just when it needs to, and doesn't overstay its welcome.

Best Romance

• Journey Home After School

I have loved this series right from the beginning and it has only gotten better as it has gone. It has been a slow burn, but a satisfying one. These two goobers are so gosh-darned cute and I can't get enough of it. The relationship they have feels so natural and effortless.

• The Ice Princess Wants to be Melted by a Small Patch of Sunlight

This is one of those series where the true matchmakers are the younger brothers/sisters that bring together their older siblings through shared babysitting. Nothing about this series is reinventing the wheel, but it is just really well executed. If you are looking for a dose of the "good stuff," this is it.

Best Drama

• The Moon on a Rainy Night

This series has been excellent from the jump and it shows no sign of slowing down. I debated including this in the romance category, but I think drama fits it better. It is pretty melodramatic, but manages to stay grounded and heartfelt enough to keep me engaged. If you are looking for a serious yuri story, this is an excellent choice.

Best Art

• Slime Saint

Look, some might think this is a crazy pick for best art, but it is one of the few series where I consistently notice the artwork specifically. I love how playful the artist is with facial expressions. Each individual chapter is a veritable scrapbook of expressions on Lady Jelly's face and each is wilder than the last.

Best Slice of Life

• Renge to Naruto

I had no idea this series would turn out as great as it has back when I read chapter 1. It might look like an ecchi series about a gyaru infecting people with her genki-ness, and it is that, but it has managed to add so much more depth to these characters as well. This series is comfortable at this point, like a warm bowl of ramen at a table with rowdy friends.

Best Conclusion

• Sometimes Even Reality Is a Lie!

It's not every day that a series that has been running for 5 years comes to a close. This series managed to keep me engaged the whole way through and ended on a high note as well. I can't speak too much about the plot without spoiling stuff, but just know that this is a great romcom and one of those rare examples of a romance that continues long after the dating starts (and stays great).

• Kirio Fanclub

I might be the only person in this community that read this series, but that won't stop me from singing its praises. It was exceptionally weird at times, but I had a lot of fun. The ending that it built up to was pitch-perfect, no notes. If you give this one a shot, know that you won't be let down by the end.

Just End it Already

• Yankee JK Kuzuhana-chan

This series basically spent a whole year spinning its wheels. I think it is time to take this one out to the pasture. Recent chapters have finally pushed the story a bit, but at this point, I fully expect things to reset back soon enough. I am somehow trapped in this endless loop though, so look forward to this being on my list next year as well!