xkcd

by **SilentKiller** » Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:57 pm UTC

INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FULL METAL ALCHEMIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by **4=5** » Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:33 pm UTC

there is no manga I have ever read that matches "20th century boys" every one of the more that 50 faces are distinct all the characters are well rounded, and it has a relevant message.

by **Nomic** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 11:56 am UTC

The local rpg/tabletop/etc. store also has a extansive selection of manag, three large shelves in comparison to 1 shelf for scifi/fantasy books and 1 small one for western comics. The thing is, I haven't read much manga and with so many I have no idea where to start. Anybody want to suggest some?

by **Naurgul** » Mon Jun 30, 2008 12:07 pm UTC

4=5 wrote:there is no manga I have ever read that matches "20th century boys" every one of the more that 50 faces are distinct all the characters are well rounded, and it has a relevant message.

'Twas a really good one, I'll give you that much, but by no means completely above everything else I've read. You should also read "Monster", it's from the same mangaka. Speaking of which, his works really seem a lot less alienating to my Western non-Japanese eyes than the works of his fellows; the way the plot moves feels kinda culturally familiar, unlike other manga. Not sure why exactly, though.

Now, for a random list of manga I've liked:

Naruto
Rurouni Kenshin
20th Century Boys
21st Century Boys
Monster
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Sidooh
Uzumaki
Piano no Mori
Death Note
Adventure Boys
White Clouds
Skyhigh
Kurozakuro
Alive!

by **Belial** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:33 pm UTC

Jorpho wrote:And also this horror manga called "Drifting Classroom", simply because I started flipping through it when I was in Japan a few years ago.

It's good. One of the better-done horror manga I've read in a while. Read it with your face.

by **Jorpho** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:41 pm UTC

So if you want to read these lengthy series, is it really necessary to shell out for 12 volumes at $10 each and then keep them forever after reading them only once or twice?

I hear manga is becoming more common at libraries, and I suppose one could sell them back after one finishes reading them (though not for full purchase price). And of course there's always the illegal torrents. Is there another alternative I'm not aware of?

I really wish there was a North American equivalent of those Japanese manga-reading-rooms where you pay a set fee per hour and then read all you want.

by **Naurgul** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:09 pm UTC

Jorpho wrote:So if you want to read these lengthy series, is it really necessary to shell out for 12 volumes at $10 each and then keep them forever after reading them only once or twice?

I hear manga is becoming more common at libraries, and I suppose one could sell them back after one finishes reading them (though not for full purchase price). And of course there's always the illegal torrents. Is there another alternative I'm not aware of?

I really wish there was a North American equivalent of those Japanese manga-reading-rooms where you pay a set fee per hour and then read all you want.

You can also use those websites, that have scanlations of hundreds of series. I think it would be a good way to test them out and see which ones you really want to give money for. Perhaps there's an actual legal version of this thing? Something like pay-per-view? Not really sure.

by **kanavazk** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:14 am UTC

The only manga I've completed reading is Dragonball, Rurouni Kenshin, and Fullmetal Alchemist (of course, the series isn't over yet, but hell, one chapter a month is a long time to wait).

I dislike reading online, instead I download them from scanlators' sites and buy the actual manga.

Random manga I've read (that I haven't completed) or am currently reading include Inuyasha (read everything except for a few volumes in between, god, 50+volumes), Death Note, Naruto (really dislike it sort of[I hate it when I contradict myself]), Muhyo and Roji, Negumi, Ranma, Claymore, Bleach, and some other stuff.

I usually don't judge (shonen) manga really, it's all good (usually).

EDIT: I get into manga usually from a friend of mine, who is sort of a japanese culture addict, and reads a lot of obscure manga. He gets me into a lot of random stuff.

by **JayDee** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:38 am UTC

kanavazk wrote:Fullmetal Alchemist (of course, the series isn't over yet, but hell, one chapter a month is a long time to wait).

No it isn't. One book collection 4 or 5 chapters ever [random interval of time that seems to be increasing] is a long time to wait.

by **flummerina** » Fri Jul 11, 2008 3:01 am UTC

I read one manga series: Cantarella. Which is set in Renaissance Italy: it's the story of Cesare Borgia, plus gay, plus demons.

My history-geek self does jigs whenever I get a new installment. It's so ridiculous and so awesome.

(Unsurprisingly, it sells better in Europe.)

by **katwingz18** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:35 pm UTC

I LOVE MANGA! And anime, too, but seeing as I am more of a reader than a TV watcher, manga came first. If I like a manga series enough, I will eventually break down and buy the anime for it (if it exists), although in some cases I actually got into the anime first and then had to wait for the manga to make it over to the US. And yes, I am one of the few people who shells out an ungodly amount of monies on manga and anime DVDs (I try to buy boxed sets whenever possible). This is because I only have (limited) internet access at work, so cannot DL anything.

I'm pretty picky about what I like to read, and for the most part, I tend to gravitate towards shonen series, because they have less frilly clothes, less annoying female characters, and more of an interesting plot. Below are some of the series that I have thoroughly enjoyed; for those of you looking for recommendations, I've included a brief description and the publication status.

= Trigun - totally awesome series, set on a desert planet. Like a sci-fi western, only with bigger (and weirder, lol) guns. This was one where the anime made it over well in advance of the manga, which consists of the two-volume series Trigun and the 13-volume continuation (12 so far, #13 won't be out until Dec.) Trigun Maximum. It has a nice mix of goofiness amongst the more serious themes, but it gets a bit angsty towards the end. All in all, though, this is one of my most favorite series and definitely one I would recommend.

= Saiyuki/Saiyuki Reload - this one is right up there with Trigun as one of my top favorites. It is impossible for me to adequately describe it, but trust me, it is DEFINITELY worth checking out. Great art style, and the story is not only interesting, but also the interplay between the main characters is HILARIOUS. However, I feel compelled to warn those who are under 18 that there is a great deal of swearing and violence so if you (or your parents) object to that sort of thing, then perhaps this isn't your cup of tea. Saiyuki is complete at 9 volumes, and Saiyuki Reload is currently at vol. 8 with more to come.

= One Piece - weird art style, but it grows on you. Plus, it is about PIRATES! Awesomeness and hilarity abounds. Vol. 18 just recently came out - however, this is one of those series that looks like it will continue for a LOOOOONNNG time, so there will be many more manga to come.

= Trinity Blood - another one with adult (notice I didn't say 'grown-up' lol) main characters, and also where the anime came out first - GORGEOUS animation, btw, I highly recommend it. It has vampires and the Vatican, and vampires working FOR the Vatican - fun times! The only downside is that the author of the book series upon which both the manga and the anime were based died a year or so ago. However, the anime series is complete (as far as I know), and the manga is currently at vol. 6 with more to come.

= Tsubasa - this is a crossover with another series, xxxHOLIC; both done by CLAMP, a fairly well-known group of manga artists. If you have read other series by CLAMP, you'll recognize some of the characters, but other than their names, there is no real connection plot-wise to their previous works. Both series can be read on their own, as the storylines don't so much overlap as briefly reconnect at various intervals, but reading them together gives a little more depth to each one. Each manga also has a helpful section at the end that explains some of the terminology used, as well as explanations of cultural references that us non-Japanese might not understand otherwise. There were quite a few that I didn't know, which cleared up things I'd read/seen in other series, so don't just skip the back section, it is worth reading! I'm not current on how far each one is atm (at one point, I ran out of money, and haven't been able to afford to go back and purchase all the ones that were published in the meantime yet), but I think Tsubasa is somewhere around the mid-20s and xxxHOLIC around #19 or so.

= D. Grayman - an odd series, but very well-drawn and funny. These aren't your average, garden-variety exorcists. But then, akuma aren't exactly your average, garden-variety ghost, either. And how can "innocence" be a weapon? <wry grin> The manga is currently on vol. 9, and I believe there is going to be an animated version coming to the US at some point, if it isn't here already.

Several people have already mentioned these, but they are also ones I like:

= Bleach
= Death Note
= Rurouni Kenshin
= Naruto
= Inu Yasha
= Ranma 1/2 (done by the same artist who does Inu Yasha - less plot, more crack)
= Fullmetal Alchemist

by **Jorpho** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:51 pm UTC

I only just learned that the second half of the Full Metal Alchemist anime diverges significantly from the manga (as per the author's wishes), so now I'm very curious.

Is the Inuyasha manga better than the anime as well? I got thoroughly bored with the anime after a while. (Is there any kind of plan for the story to finish one way or another some day?)

by **ArchangelShrike** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:32 pm UTC

I'm pretty sure Inuyasha has finished up on the manga side, although alternate universes or other fun may still occur.

Wikipedia wrote:...premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008.

[Citation Found]

by **Melannen** » Tue Aug 05, 2008 4:49 am UTC

HUGE fan of reading mangas! I also like starting them, but I almost never finish them lol

by **toshiro** » Tue Aug 19, 2008 9:30 am UTC

Manga and anime are my daily fare, so I'm just going to list my all-time favourites (list apt to change and not actually exclusive):

Other than this, I'm usually looking for seinen/josei manga, not shoujo/shounen, usually with robots (but not mecha) or cyborgs, and if possible sci-fi (or historical), but to all these rules there are tons of exceptions.

If the art is good, the story is good and I'm not entirely turned off by the plot, chances are 90% I'll try to read it somehow.

by **leigao84** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:43 pm UTC

Jorpho wrote:I only just learned that the second half of the Full Metal Alchemist anime diverges significantly from the manga (as per the author's wishes), so now I'm very curious.

Yes! The basic stories was the same until the introduction of Greed.
Reading the Manga basically made me losing interest in the anime. The story is much tighter in the manga.

by **Jorpho** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:07 pm UTC

leigao84 wrote:Yes! The basic stories was the same until the introduction of Greed.

Y'know, I thought it was quite the little mindf*ck that Greed would get such a flashy introduction and prominent placement in the OP and then promptly get completely killed off a few episodes later. So genre-defying! But I guess that explains it a little.

by **Mo0man** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 3:45 am UTC

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō
Who loves it, and who hasn't read it?
cause there's only those two that I've met

by **Insomnist** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 1:58 am UTC

I'm in a state of awe. Someone else in the universe has actually read Sidooh and Alive! :shock:

Tsutomu Takahashi and Tsutomu Nihei are at the top of my favorites list (Blame! is the only series I actually own, and Digimortal was an awesome short by Nihei). Something I haven't seen mentioned here yet is Deadman Wonderland. It hasn't been officially translated/released in English yet, but I'm looking forward to buying it when it is. It's absolutely psychotic; just within the first ten pages (not counting the introduction) you're like "oh my God, did they actually just DO THAT?!!"

by **Mo0man** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:48 pm UTC

You mean kill everyone? Yes, they did. On the other hand, it feels like it's starting to become a normal shonen series. I mean there aren't any real bad guys, the characters we've seen so far are those "I'm evil but not really cause of my tragic past so yeah I'm good now" type of people. If you read TV tropes, it's got classic examples of Sacrifical Lamb and Defeat Means Friendship. Not that that's bad or anything, just don't pretend that it's completely genre bending for killing off those people

by **Insomnist** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 6:46 am UTC

I've noticed that too, I'm just hoping that it gets a bit more upbeat the next few chapters.

by **Tatsubei Yagyu** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:40 am UTC

I have a bunch of favorites and have read a lot, but I believe this list speaks volumes about that (get it? volumes of manga? haha..ha..)

http://myanimelist.net/mangalist/TatsubeiYagyu

I am a biiiiiiiiiiiig time lover of manga/anime. If anyone else has a MyAnimeList (or decides to make one), feel free to friend me. ;D

ALSO, I'M HEAVILY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THE LACK OF ONE PIECE MENTIONS IN THIS HERE THREAD.

by **charliepanayi** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:54 pm UTC

Nice site, I've just set one up:

http://myanimelist.net/mangalist/charliepanayi

by **Bright Shadows** » Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:37 am UTC

I feel dwarfed. I read 4 manga regularly, but it's Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Air Gear.

Brushed up on some historic stuff before (Yu Yu Hakusho / FMA) but that's about it.

Oh, and Gash Bell.
It's not being updated, but it was good previously. I think the anime made an ending up after the writer broke his hand or some such thing.

by **Rinsaikeru** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 5:26 am UTC

Currently reading:

Love.Com (Lovely Complex)--I really enjoy this one: Premise is a 5'7" girl falls for a guy who is 5'1" and general hilarity ensues.

Beauty Pop--really silly haircutting manga brain candy.

Fruits Basket--nearly done!

Just finished Hana Kimi...ah I love me a sappy shojo.

You may now carry on with your recommendations for shashy fighty big robots and bleeding samurai and guys with weird scars.

by **River** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:25 am UTC

Nice picks [thumbs up]. I've read all of those and loved them all, and Hana Kimi is probably one of my all-time faves. Hana Yori Dango is also really good (in English, it's Boys Over Flowers)

by **Okita** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:05 am UTC

Man, Air Gear just jumped the shark/ hid in the refrigerator.

Spoiler:

by **Asmodieus** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 2:21 pm UTC

Any of you guys heard of Rosario+Vampire?

The anime is crap, but the manga is worth checking out, if only for the fight scenes.

by **Endless Mike** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 1:40 pm UTC

I just got A Drifting Life from Amazon. I only read a couple pages so far, but it's supposed to be really good.

by **Rinsaikeru** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:39 am UTC

Volume 10 of Beauty Pop came with stickers.

I'm so excited, I'm reverting back to age 8.

*Edit: forgot plural due to glee.

by **Thenzon** » Fri May 29, 2009 10:53 pm UTC

Okita wrote:Man, Air Gear just jumped the shark/ hid in the refrigerator.

Spoiler:
I can deal with Obama showing up in my manga about kids skate fighting. But that's ridiculous when you imply that Obama has switched bodies with one of the other characters who is a young girl. Sorry, I better find out this was a mistake or something because otherwise, it's the most ridiculous thing ever.

Nobody reads Air Gear for the story anymore. Just the art :wink:

But anyway, I read/have read heaps of different mangas, such as:

Negima (Greatest manga ever. Thanks Ken for another brilliant chapter this week.)
One Piece
Bleach
Naruto (Oh god its so bad right now...)
Dragon Ball
To LOVE-ru
Air Gear
Histories Strongest Disciple Kenichi
FullMetal Alchemist
Elfen Lied
Death Note (Act 1, there is no Act 2)
Love Hina
Love Celeb (For giggles)
etc...

by **Naurgul** » Sat May 30, 2009 10:15 am UTC

Thenzon wrote:Naruto (Oh god its so bad right now...)

You really think so? I like the way the story progresses. The battles have become worse, true, but the story is reaching its finale nicely. I was a bit turned off by the latest chapter

Spoiler:

but all in all it's good, in my opinion.

Spoiler:

by **Thenzon** » Sun May 31, 2009 10:53 am UTC

Finale? What finale? The last arc accomplished two tenths of nothing at all!

Spoiler:

by **Naurgul** » Sun May 31, 2009 11:07 am UTC

Spoiler:

by **Thenzon** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 1:59 pm UTC

Spoiler:

by **teamcorndog** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:56 pm UTC

So, I've started using the sites onemanga.com and mangafox.com for looking at manga scans. Is this bad? It seems too good to be true... I mean, there's a ton of manga, it's easy to read, and they don't make you subscribe or pay or anything. Has anyone else used these sites?

by **charliepanayi** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 7:45 pm UTC

I've used them sometimes, mainly for stuff that hasn't been licensed for release in the USA/UK (and thus this is the only way I can read them) - they're both pretty good sites, I'd definitely recommend them.

by **Bright Shadows** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:00 pm UTC

Spoiler:

by **Naurgul** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:14 pm UTC

Spoiler:

by **Bright Shadows** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:35 pm UTC

Naurgul wrote:
Spoiler:
I think it would be awesome if Naruto teamed up with Sasuke and they both stayed in exile to plan a coup d'etat on Danzo. Wouldn't it be interesting if Konoha and the Fire Country were portrayed as some sort of oppressing super-power for the rest of the story?

Spoiler:

Gogo spoiler quote pyramid!

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