Forum - View topicWhat are ESSENTIAL manga reads?
|
Goto page 1, 2 Next |
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
greenleaflink
Posts: 3 Location: Toronto |
|
||
|
Hey, I am new to whole world of Manga, made a few purchases, mostly Vol 1's of Deathnote [the obvious fan favorite] Claymore, Nana, Saiyuki, DN Angel, Tsubasa, Godchild...
so far I am enjoying those, I enjoy any genre, as long as it is good and there is an end in sight. recommendations? |
|||
|
|||
|
babbo
Posts: 274 |
|
||
Anything o,o? You might as well just go glance through a book store and see what catches your fancy then. And I dunno, nana claymore, and Tsubasa (chronicles I assume) are still in serialization I suppose that you could say that the fact that they're not uber endless uber flagship titles such as naruto or the like might suggest that they have a foreseeable end, but it'll prolly be quite a while before their english release is done >.> A couple off the top of my head (check them out if you haven't already): Beck, Nodame Cantabile, Genshiken, Yotsuba&!, Monster, Hellsing, Great teacher onizuka, full metal alchemist, Flame of recca, Welcome to the NHK....ummm*sratches head* Obviously in some cases there I'm assuming that you're rather new to manga as you said (not sure who hasn't heard of FMA, flame of recca,Hellsing or GTO within anime/manga fandom  ) but they're all fully enjoyable titles.
Last edited by babbo on Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:05 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|||
|
|||
Ryu19
 Posts: 23 Location: Boise,Idaho |
|
||
|
Rurouni Kenshin is great shonen. If you can find it, Fist of the North Star is great for action. One Piece has the exploration and adventure aspect down perfectly. Jojo's Bizzare Adventure is amazing. Black Cat's not bad either.
|
|||
|
|||
Tamaria
 Posts: 1512 Location: De Achterhoek |
|
||
|
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, everyone needs this series in his or her collection. And you can't go wrong with Yotsuba&!, Fullmetal Alchemist and 20th Century Boys (or Monster). As for shoujo manga, I recommend Marmalade Boy.
|
|||
|
|||
|
babbo
Posts: 274 |
|
||
I never could really get into 20th century boys, but the real reason I left it out is that it has a sequel (21st century boys; which I doubt will be any shorter) and to best of my knowledge has yet to be released in English though viz has licensed it. Marmalade boy is out of print so it might be harder to track it down (though I've never really bothered , I'm just guessing there). |
|||
|
|||
|
Tamaria
Posts: 1512 Location: De Achterhoek |
|
||
|
Oh yeah, that's right, 20th Century Boys won't be released in the US until they finish Monster...
As for Marmalade Boy, it shouldn't be too hard to find, even if it's OOP. I bought the whole series (Tokyopop version) a few months ago for less than €15. |
|||
|
|||
|
Raven Shinobi
|
|
||
|
I'm currently enjoying Beauty Pop. It's a comedic shoujo series in the same vein as Nodame Cantabile and Ouran High School Host Club -both recommended- it's about a girl who competes with a group of boys who aim to become beauticians -none of them are gay BTW.
My other recommendations are: Paradise Kiss -if you're currently enjoying Nana, then there's a good chance that you'll enjoy this as well, it's about a girl on her senior year who contemplates not aiming for college and choosing modeling as a career instead. this is one of my favorite short series. Great Teacher Onizuka - I got to warn you beforehand that this one contains some language -in terms of the f-word and such- and lots of mature themes. It's about a teacher who's got piercing in his ears and dyes his hair blond and despite of that is aiming to become the greatest teacher in all Japan. This is the only series that I rated Masterpiece. Monster -some people say this is better than Death Note. Very well-written and addicting though I'm not a big fan of the art. Ceres, Celestial Legend -other than Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden, this is the only work by Watase Yuu hat I actually enjoyed and bothered sticking with and I think it's her best. |
|||
|
Tamaria
Posts: 1512 Location: De Achterhoek |
|
||
|
Paradise Kiss... Good one. It has the same qualities as Nana but it doesn't go on and on and on and on...
Battle Angel Alita hasn't been mentioned yet, right? If you want a science fiction series, get that one. As for shounen series, I think you'll like D. Gray-man. |
|||
|
|||
Truered
 Posts: 515 Location: Uni |
|
||
I don't have much experience with the latter stories, but Nausicaa was a great manga, much better and more developed then the film. Oh and Yotsuba in internet terms is "made of win". Seriously, it is one of the only manga series to turn me into a fanboy  It is the most adorable thing you are likely to read.
While I wouldn't say it's "essential" you can't really go wrong with Azumanga Daioh. It is funny, has some great characters and is completed with only four volumes. |
|||
|
|||
|
Sarasa*Tatara
Posts: 31 Location: Michigan |
|
||
|
Some manga I'd recommend are (and I'm really terrible at summaries, but I'll try
)
- Alice 19th (by Yuu Watase. It's a really nice short series, only 7 volumes, about Alice Seno who, after meeting a magical rabbit who teaches her how to use the Lotis Words, learns to stand up for herself and not take so much crap from other people, she also learns how words can affect people (both positively and negatively). Shoujo. -Angel Sanctuary by Kaori Yuki. Since you like Godchild and if you aren't a very religious person, you'll probably like AS. It's 20 volumes and IMO one of the best series. It's about (in a very small nutshell) Setsuna Mudo, the reincarnation of the angel Alexiel, who continues Alexiel's war on God. Also shoujo. -Basara by Yumi Tamura. Similar to AS, as it is kind of epic shoujo. Sarasa's twin Tatara is the "Boy of Destiny" and when he is killed she takes his place to lead her people against the Red King and his father, King Ukon XV (the main King). 27 volumes. -Blade of the Immortal by Hiroaki Samura. I've only read the first two volumes, but I really love it. It is (in another nutshell) about a man who becomes immortal and must kill 1000 evil men to become mortal again. Seinen. -Full Moon o Sagashite by Arina Tanemura. This series is also 7 volumes. It's about Mitsuki Koyama, a girl with a throat tumor who wants to become a singer. She meets to Shinigami who help her achieve her goal. Shoujo. -Fushigi Yuugi and Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden by Yuu Watase. Fushigi Yuugi is the first series, but FYGK is the prequel series. FY is about Miaka who becomes the Priestess of Suzaku. She must then find all seven of her celestial warriors and summon the god Suzaku, before the Priestess of Seiryu can find her seven warriors and summon the god Seiryu. FYGK is about Takiko, the very first Priestess (Priestess of Genbu) and her quest to find all seven of her warriors. FY is 18 volumes and FYGK currently has 7 volumes. Shoujo. -Here is Greenwood by Yukie Nasu. This doesn't seem like it is a very popular series, but is really great. It's a comedy series and is absolutely hilarious. It's about Kazuya Hasukawa as he enters highschool. Hasukawa chooses Ryokuto Academy, the same school his older brother went to. The series follows Hasukawa, as he enters Ryokuto's dorm "Greenwood", and perhaps the weirdest people in the world, his three friends Shun, Shinobu, and Mitsuru. All the other boys who live in the dorm are oddballs too. I can't stress enough how awesome and hilarious this series is! IMO one of the best. 9 volumes. Shoujo. -Kodocha by Miho Obana. This is another zany comedy series. It spans 10 volumes. It follows child actress Sana Kurata from 6th grade to (I think) her second year of middle school. It's really fun to read. Shoujo. -Mars by Fuyumi Soryo. Mars is a really great shoujo series that is 15 volumes long. It is about Kira and Rei and the ups and downs in their relationship. At times it can get a little bit soap operaish, but not as bad as some other series. -W Juliet by Emura. WJ is a really sweet series about Ito and Makoto. It isn't very complicated or anything. I suppose you'd call it a feel good series; the kind of series where you know everything is going to turn out alright for the main characters. It follows Ito and Makoto in their school's drama club. I'd also like to second Rurouni Kenshin, Ouran High School Host Club (super hilarious) and Monster. I hope I didn't overload you with all this!  Sorry for the awful attempts at summaries, but I hope I interested you in at least a couple series!
|
|||
|
|||
Moomintroll
 Posts: 1600 Location: Nottingham (UK) |
|
||
|
If you looking for something a little different, Sexy Voice And Robo and Tekkon Kinkreet are both excellent and they're both available in single volume omnibus editions so they won't break the bank either.
Also, they're re-releasing Gon in pleasingly cheap new editions - it has zero dialogue and it was originally produced for small children but it's an absolute classic nonetheless. Or maybe I'm the only one who enjoys seeing a one foot tall dinosaur beating up bears and lions...? Other than that, I second the recommendations for Yotsuba (my personal favourite) and GTO. Genshiken and Welcome To The NHK are both excellent but might leave you a bit confused if you're new to the world of anime and manga. |
|||
|
|||
|
babbo
Posts: 274 |
|
||
Genshiken might do that due to the fact that it is a look in otaku subculture. Welcome to the NHK, despite some parts of the story where that kind of stuff is included is infinitely more of a commentary Japanese society as a whole with the obvious focus on hikiomoris, I see no reason to preclude people from reading it if their new to manga aside from the fact that it is a slightly darker manga than most might be used to. Still that has nothing to do with be new and more to do with personal preference. |
|||
|
|||
blind_assassin
 Posts: 755 |
|
||
|
I've heard nothing but rave reviews for Tekkon Kinkreet and after picking it up and reading the first bit of it it seems really good.
Eden: It's an Endless World! Great manga by Hiroki Endo. It's a very serious look at a semi-post apocalyptic world with heavy sci-fi elements. It mirrors gnostic mythology but there aren't any religious under or overtones. The first volume is kinda removed from the series and just gives a bit of background for the characters and story, so wait till Vol. 2 to judge if you pick it up. Tanpenshu Another by Hiroki Endo. This is a two volume set of short stories by him and it's really great. Like Eden, it's pretty graphic at times (there's some heavy sex and violence in both) but it's very interesting. Vagabond This is THE samurai epic of manga. It's a manga version of the novel "Musashi" and it's absolutely amazing. Takehiko Inoue is probably the best manga artist I've ever encountered. His water colours are fantastic and his general art is tremendous with a great use of cross hatching. It's 27 volumes long at present so it's a long haul but way worth it. I'll contribute more later. |
|||
|
|||
Crisco Disco
 Posts: 45 Location: Brooklyn |
|
||
|
If you enjoy quirky stuff, check out the FLCL manga. There're only two volumes, so for $20 you really can't complain.
The NGE manga is also great; almost as good as the anime. Finally, I'd also like to suggest Comic Party, even though I don't find it to be as good as the aforementioned two. The story is short (only 5 volumes), but it's very funny and enjoyable. |
|||
|
|||
|
babbo
Posts: 274 |
|
||
Second that. Inoue is a freaking beast O,O The only other thing of his that I'd read before was slam dunk, and while I never had problems with his art there (slam dunk is one of my faves); vagabond just blows me away @.@ Another one just game to mind: Houshin Engi Awesome comedy action manga. I'd almost forgotten about it until Viz licensed it a year ago and I had given up on seeing it licensed ages quite a while before that, seems like they've released a couple volumes in the mean time. Definitely gonna be on my pickup list once I get done paying bills ;D |
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group