Interest Stacks

Kenichi (the protagonist) has no talent in martial arts. He starts off as weak and bullied, but with time gains the power to protect himself and his adversaries.

There are several training arcs in this one, with plenty of battling. The techniques imparted to the protagonist have thought put behind them and play a role in future fights. Battles tend not to be one sided either, particularly toward the beginning of the series.

Growth in this manga is made through repetition; the knowledge the protagonist gains is not free and must be paid for in blood. The lead shows grit despite his plight and gains respect as a consequence of the work he puts in.

My Hero Academia has a lead that is perkless (superpowers) in a world where perks are essential. Eventually, he finds a way to become a hero.

Weak protagonist who is desperate for power chances upon it but must take steps to feed it. Doing so places a strain on him, particularly at the beginning of the story. His mindset changes as he grows stronger.

The world of this story depicts a unique system of spiritual warfare. One of the main protagonists of the story, Keitarou Gentouga, finds himself pulled into this world, despite his fear of the supernatural. With time he becomes braver.

The protagonist starts off as weak and timid but also isn't afraid to act when pushed to his limits. He learns to utilize his powers to fight against the system that contains him.

A bit similar to "All You Need is Kill" in terms of learning through repetition. Features several Yanderes that challenge the protagonist's sanity.

The MC in this one experiences psychological growth over his involvement in several death games. He earns the respect of his peers over the course of the narrative, but is no stranger to faltering.

The series' focus on psychology can drag on. If you're more into the death game aspect over the psychology, then you might find yourself put off by this manga - particularly in its latter stages.

Sora is sent into a world where his strength appears low. However, his skill proves to be more useful than it seems.

This one is a slow burn. You have to make your way through the slow beginning to get to the meat of the story and what the central conflict is. Several arcs work to build the lead and his group up in strength.

Our lead in the story is weak and scared but has conviction when the people he cares about are in danger.

Lead starts off as weak/average but through exposure to certain events gains strength and fortitude. Some of this strength is granted to him, however.

Features a death game where participants become God if they win. Gasai Yuno, the quintessential Yandere, plays a significant role assisting Yukiteru (the lead). Yukiteru is really weak at the start of the story, but with time pushes through those hang ups. His growth is not physical, but mental - though some found it a cringey and poorly paced.

A "weak" middle-aged man does what he needs to do to protect his family at all costs.

The protagonist does have an advantage early on, but with time has to train and grow to move forward. This series is primarily based around a tournament arc.

This series dragged on for me personally, so keep that in mind if you decide to give it a read.

This is a romance story that centers around a rather peculiar curse that the lead, Tousuke Rokudou, has. He starts off as weak and nerdy, but with time takes steps to strengthen himself through martial arts. He learns to lean into his problems, rather than to run away from them.

I personally found the romance in this one underwhelming.

In the first season the protagonist is weak and needs to be protected by the women around him. He gains strength and learns how to utilize it to protect himself and those he cares about.

A typical example of the zero to hero formula, though the strength the protagonist Jin-Woo gains isn't exactly earned, but granted by something larger and more powerful than himself.

A group of college students are sent back to prehistoric times. One of the students, Taiga, develops in this environment.

Cha Hyun starts off as weak both mentally and physically, but proves himself capable when given the right circumstances. He deals with a mental struggle that could end him at any moment.

Main character starts off as weak and timid. Certain events lead him to gain strength, though this strength comes at a price both physically and psychologically.