The 3 Greatest Manga to Read After a Stressful Day (According to a New Official Ranking)

August is nearly over, inevitably driving up demand for manga and light novels that help readers cut stress and anxiety as they transition back to their pre-holiday schedules. A recent Japanese survey has definitively revealed which three series are the nation’s go-to reads for “recharging tired minds” in 2026.

Per PR Times, Comic C’moa — one of Japan’s largest e-book retailers — recently used customer responses to compile a short list of “Menpa-Boosting” literary works. In Japan, the term “menpa” refers to “mental performance,” which in this context relates to stories that help readers “minimize mental burdens” brought on during school or work.

Comic C’moa’s survey, which collected answers from 5,856 individuals, ultimately ruled Natsume’s Book of Friends to be the no. 1 choice. Notably, the series overwhelmingly outperformed all competitors, earning 2,048 votes.

Natsume’s Book of Friends Wins Landslide Victory in New Top-Ranked Relaxing Manga Survey

Natsume with Nyanko-sensei on his shoulder in Natsume’s Book of Friends.

Written and illustrated by Yuki Midorikawa, Natsume’s Book of Friends has been serialized in Hakusensha’s LaLa magazine line since June 2003. The series also has a lengthy anime adaptation produced by Brain’s Base (Golden Kamuy, My Little Monster).

The series follows Takashi Natsume, a boy born with the rare ability to see and communicate with Japanese yokai spirits. After the death of his grandmother, Reiko — a relative who shared his unique power — Natsume inherits a lengthy catalog of spirits that she bullied and tormented during her lifetime, becoming a new target of Reiko’s many previous victims. After enlisting the feline-like Madara as his spiritual bodyguard, Natsume begins the process of dissolving Reiko’s yokai contracts and forming tentative friendships with many colorful spirits who arrive on his doorstep.

The story focuses extensively on these bonds, which many readers found to be a highlight of the experience. “It’s a work that calms you down and makes you feel more positive,” one voter commented. A second voter reported that they’ve “been healed many times by its gentle world and beautiful words.”

Lizel and Gil in A Gentle Noble's Vacation Recommendation — Lizel and Gil in A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation

The ranking’s second-place winner, with 1,393 votes, was the manga version of Misaki and Sando’s light novel series, A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation. Illustrated by Momochi, the comic adaptation retells the journey of Lizel, a former prime minister who is reincarnated as a commoner in an unfamiliar world. Accompanied by his bodyguard, Gil, Lizel adopts the lifestyle of an adventurer who carelessly approaches everyday life ‘as if it were a vacation.’

For many readers, this series’ most “refreshing” quality is the eloquent dignity and enduring optimism of its central characters. Unlike many isekai heroes, Lizel takes his strange situation in stride, modeling a positive mindset for everyday life. “The protagonists, who don’t try too hard and live each day sincerely in their current circumstances, bring a sense of calm,” one voter commented. Another voter praised the narrative as “uplifting and purifying” for the soul.

In third place, with 1,008 votes, is Aiko Koyama’s manga series, Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House. The work was serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine from December 2016 to January 2025. PR Times describes the plot: “This [work is set] in a geisha district in the heart of Kyoto. After finishing their work together late at night, the maiko [apprentice geisha] returns to a house called a ‘yakata’…in one particular yakata, the person who cooks the maiko’s meals every day is Kiyo, only 16 years old … the story depicts heartwarming relationships through ordinary meals.”

Like Liesel, the titular Kiyo also approaches daily life with joy and positivity, despite her modest station. “I love how the protagonist works hard with a straightforward attitude in the midst of a relaxing daily life,” one participant commented. Others also found the culinary scenes highly appealing. “Seeing the delicious-looking meal scenes makes me want to look forward to my own meal and get through the day,” another participant said.

Natsume’s Book of Friends is available in English from VIZ Media. A Gentle Noble’s Vacation Recommendation is available from TokyoPop.