ANN Manga and Novel Summer Reading List 2026

Young Adult

So what exactly does it mean to be a young adult? I only have my own experiences to speak from, but I'd say it's about repeatedly tripping over yourself until you discover a thread in the ground. Once you pull it, you'll be a step closer to figuring out who you are. In fact, you might make a few lifelong friends in the process. The following titles explore the lives of young people who are just starting to pull on those threads as they navigate heart-pounding romance, big dreams, and lingering trauma.

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The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All

By Sumiko Arai
Yen Press
A rock-lovin' high schooler starts frequenting a local record store so she can get closer to the cute guy behind the counter, but she hasn't realized that he's one of her classmates… and that he's not a guy. Known to readers as “green yuri” thanks to its striking palette, this title strikes at the heart of being young, in love, and unsure of the future.

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Shiba Inu Rooms

By Esu Omori
VIZ Media
While moving into her new apartment, an aloof high schooler quickly learns why her rent is so darn low—it's haunted by a talking Shiba Inu! They don't start off on the right paw, but it's not long before this quirky duo forms close bonds with their neighbors, other sheebs, and each other! A heartwarming tale about how much we love our furry friends and how hard it is to see them go.

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Beat & Motion

By Naoki Fujita
VIZ Media
After a drunken chance encounter with a boisterous songwriter, a college kid finds himself sucked back into his first passion—animation. It doesn't take long for the pair to reconnect, and what starts as a creative partnership becomes something much more. A short but sweet romance that drills down into the realities of being a working creative!

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Spacewalking With You

By Inuhiko Doronoda
Kodansha Comics
Kobayashi is having a really hard time staying awake during the day or holding down a part-time job, but things start to change when an overly enthusiastic transfer student joins his class. An unflinchingly honest look into the lives of two neurodivergent high schoolers, the hurdles they face, and the strength of building solidarity within a larger community.

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Boys Run the Riot & Boys Run the Riot -In Transition-

By Keito Gaku
Kodansha Comics
Amid a struggle with intense dysphoria and anxiety, a trans teen who's got a passion for street fashion is talked into spinning up his own clothing brand. And while establishing his own brand isn't always smooth sailing, every day brings him one step closer to living as his authentic self. A raw exploration into the day-to-day of a trans masculine teen, lightly seasoned with the occasional f-bomb heard every day in high schools around the world.

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The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Anime News Network, its employees, owners, or sponsors.

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Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. Yen Press, BookWalker Global, and J-Novel Club are subsidiaries of KWE.