Naruto is a magical manga adored by the world, as one of the most prized best-sellers in the medium. Even despite criticism of some of Naruto’s weaker points, fans can’t help but appreciate Masashi Kishimoto’s strategic depth in fight depictions and sprawling two-page spreads. But there’s joy also to be found in exploring series that scratch that same itch.
Whether it’s for chasing a plucky protagonist’s exploits, or seeing incredible fights, or just enjoying what Shueisha’s other creators have to offer, there’s plenty of excellent manga for Naruto fans. Some may be dismissed as derivative, or even outright disowned for attempting to replace Naruto. While the series is irreplaceable, these manga can fill the void in Naruto fans’ hearts.
Black Clover
Created by Yuki Tabata for Weekly Shonen Jump, this series inevitably draws aggressive criticism for its similarities with Naruto. Asta, the boy born without magic with aims to become the Wizard King, is frequently compared to Naruto, while Yuno Grinberryall’s prodigious magic abilities make him a dead ringer for Sasuke. Each also being orphans is a hat on a hat.
But past the parallels, one can appreciate Tabata’s unique strengths and wonderful style, especially after loosening his schedule at Jump GIGA. The manga has breathtaking battles, charming relationships, and a fascinating world of magic that truly soars when it allows its creator to truly cook. Black Clover’s anime return being so highly anticipated, after all, is no coincidence.
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Stepping away from ninjas and into the world of One Thousand and One Nights, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic replaces chakra and Tailed Beasts with Rukh and djinns. The Weekly Shonen Sunday series was enough of a hit to sell alongside Naruto’s run, albeit certainly further down the sales charts.
Magi follows a manga rendition of Aladdin as joined by the merchant Alibaba as Aladdin is named a Magi, a guide to kings, and they conquer dungeons together. The journey follows similar underdog beats Naruto fans will appreciate, but it’s truly its own story as the heroes navigate a world steeped in adventure, tyrannical threats, and of course, magic.
Radiant
Radiant is immediately comparable to Naruto but has one caveat: it’s not technically a manga for purists, but rather, a manfra, a term for French bandes dessinées in traditional manga presentation. It demonstrates Naruto’s enormous worldwide influence, with the series smacking of shonen manga stylings beyond Naruto, including Fairy Tail’s aesthetics and One Piece elements.
Tony Valente’s Radiant takes palce in El Pharenos, a world plagued by monstrous threats known as Nemeses. The story centers on Seth, a teenager with aspirations to become a powerful sorcerer, while embarking on a quest to find and destroy the Radiant, the source of the Nemesis blight. Radiant even got a lovely anime adaptation, solidifying its honorary manga status.
Shinobi Undercover
A more contemporary manga, Shinobi Undercover scratches a more fundamental Naruto itch by itself being a new ninja manga without being a carbon copy. The series is one of Shonen Jump’s bright newcomers from the team behind Candy Flurry, joining other new-wave hits like Ichi the Witch and Kagurabachi.
Shinobi Undercover is a modern ninja tale where Yodaka thrives as a prodigious and lethal ninja. However, he is also saddled with crippling social anxiety, made worse by his latest assignment to protect the adorable high school student, Aoi Mukai, from assailants. Doubling high school elements with addictive and dynamic action paneling, this comedy series is a must-read.
Hell’s Paradise
Commonly recommended for fans seeking a contemporary ninja tale with far more mature themes, Hell’s Paradise is a welcome addition to the reading rotation. As the shortest of the Shonen Dark Trio, while also dominating the Shonen Jump+ app in its inaugural year, Yuji Kaku’s manga is a gorgeous, concise dark fantasy thriller.
Hell’s Paradise follows Gabimaru the Hollow, a condemned ninja who survives countless execution attempts as his will to live stoked by the desire to return to his wife. Gabimaru is sent by the Shogunate, alongside his executioner, to find the Elixir of Life, and will be pardoned upon finding it. Its location, Shinsenkyo, is another death sentence unto itself, however.
Fairy Tail
Naruto and Fairy Tail are part of a long tradition of endearing stories of lovable ensembles who endure hardship to gether, and persevere through the power of friendship. Fairy Tail arguably takes this trope to its natural extremes, but its legendary Kodansha run from Hiro Mashima was no fluke.
Fairy Tail is set in Earth-land, where magic is commonplace and guilds like the eponymous Fairy Tail gather to carry out various jobs. However, as the story deepens, entire other worlds collide with Earth-land, with Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel, Erza Scarlet, and countless other adorable allies as they fight back against encroaching threats like other guilds or even demonic nemeses.
D.Gray-man
Easily among Naruto’s most underappreciated fellow Shonen Jump alumni, D.Gray-man has had a troubled life cycle, but its elite potential has truly shined after its move to Jump SQ. The manga has sold 27 million copies, remains ongoing, and Katsura Hoshino’s artwork on the series over the years is nothing short of breathtaking.
The manga follows Allen Walker and the exorcists of the Black Order as they combat the Noah Family and the Millennium Earl. D.Gray-man’s unique concepts blending battle shonen elements with risky violence and gothic aethetics, make for a truly unique, underappreciated series. While it has frustrating delays, this series’ exceptional art, writing, and combat are perfect for Naruto fans.
Hunter x Hunter
As is the case for Hunter x Hunter’s anime, the manga is not only perfect for Naruto fans, but essential for any reader with discerning taste. Hunter x Hunter is the chronically-unfinished masterpiece by Yoshihiro Togashi of Yu Yu Hakusho fame, and it has been an obsession among readers for over 27 years.
Hunter x Hunter introduces readers to Gon Freecss, a young boy who follows in his father’s footsteps to become a Hunter. For Naruto fans, there is plenty of overlap in terms of intricate power systems, but its world-class fights and their prevailing reliance on strategy shine through. Unsurprisingly, every new chapter update is a celebrated occasion.
Kingdom
The only certifiably seinen-marketed series compared to the rest, Kingdom is for Naruto fans seeking something similarly engrossing, even more prolific, and profoundly grounded. Kingdom is the masterstroke by Yasuhisa Hara for Weekly Young Jump’s excellent library, with over 850 chapters and counting. What’s incredible is that, after two decades, the series only continues to visually improve.
Instead of fantastical ambitions like becoming the next Hokage, Kingdom follows Xin, a young orphan whose desires to become the greatest general under the heavens. Depicting an exaggerated rendition of the Warring States period, this manga is only now being released in North America in November 2025. This hasn’t stalled its success, though, with 120 million copies sold so far.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations was a mess, with its manga really only getting truly compelling by the Omnipotence Arc, and its anime was plagued with filler just like its predecessor. It’s easy to decry the sequel’s failings, especially as it underwent intense creative restructuring.
But Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is seemingly capitalizing on its titular hero’s promise to make this his own story. Mikio Ikemoto’s blend of Dragon Ball and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure aesthetics in paneling and character design are fascinating, and the series truly feels like it’s going somewhere wonderful. For Naruto fans, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is growing more enticing by the month.
