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Mc. Lovin'
2008-07-04, 07:05 AM
For my birthday this year I have the opportunity to get a whole series of mangas, so I was wondering what you guys recommend.

I have the whole bleach (english) set as far as it has been translated, and the D Gray Man ones as well. Other animes I enjoyed were Death Note (considering getting the mangas of that, as I have only watched the show), and the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumia.

Tengu
2008-07-04, 07:11 AM
Full Metal Alchemist. It's very different from the anime, but still as good.

If you haven't watched the FMA anime, watch it. It'a awesome.

Kato
2008-07-04, 07:35 AM
Hm... Naruto's not half bad... the fights aren't as spectacular as the anime, but the plot is way better.
Also, if you like more serious stuff... might consider something by Kaori Yuki, as Angel Sanctuary. Or Case Closed by... er... damn, forgot his name ^^' It's quite funny and also interesting, imo.

DomaDoma
2008-07-04, 07:43 AM
Oh yes, by all means get the manga of Death Note. The second arc's much more fleshed out (though without the stylistic awesome seen in Episode 30). Pity that the only other manga I've read are by CLAMP, and I'm really pretty ambivalent about their work. I'm looking at the FMA manga too, but before I do: is there any indication that it will end at some point? I hate an endless series.

Mc. Lovin'
2008-07-04, 07:48 AM
I have heard good things about the Claymore manga, has anyone read this? I dont want to jump in blindly to a series which it turns out I do not like

Guts
2008-07-04, 08:00 AM
Berserk by Kentarou Miura is pretty good. Beware of some of the scantallations though, a lot of the series' plot points and important dialogue have been distorted by bad translations.

Fri
2008-07-04, 08:31 AM
Claymore is good. Though I have some trouble differentiating the girls... Of course any artist would have some trouble drawing 40 girls in same uniform.

Seriously, for me all the claymores looks more or less same.

I guess you've already know what it's about. Your typical dark and gritty fantasy world with monsters wandering all around. The claymore are a mercenary organization-with-dark-secrets that use all female man-monster hybrid group of elite soldier to kill monsters (why it's all female actually important to the setting and the story).

Tengu
2008-07-04, 08:37 AM
Though I have some trouble differentiating the girls... Though, any artist would have some trouble drawing 40 girls in same uniform.


That's true. In some scenes, it's hard to say which one of them is the main heroine.

I've only seen the anime, but it's good - not brilliant, but good.

Oslecamo
2008-07-04, 08:46 AM
Buy something else.

Fulfill your manga reading needs here:

www.onemanga.com

And here:

www.rootmanga.com

(or at least use them to see if the manga is worth it or not)

sun_tzu
2008-07-04, 08:58 AM
Personally, my favorite manga is "Detective Conan" (I think it was translated in America as "Case Closed"). Lovely detective stories, with a main character who rivals L in terms of sheer brilliance (though the manga takes itself a lot less seriously than Death Note. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is a matter of opinion).

Fri
2008-07-04, 09:31 AM
I like detective conan.... 10 years ago.

It need to be stopped. It's been more than a decade. Oh, talking about webcomic time.

I always said, It'll end when half of japan's population murdered, and the other half in jail for murder.

They need to cut down the filler case.

Mc. Lovin'
2008-07-04, 10:10 AM
Buy something else.

Fulfill your manga reading needs here:

www.onemanga.com

And here:

www.rootmanga.com

(or at least use them to see if the manga is worth it or not)

Ooh thanks, I'll look at the first chapters of the suggested ones.

sun_tzu
2008-07-04, 10:22 AM
I like detective conan.... 10 years ago.

It need to be stopped. It's been more than a decade. Oh, talking about webcomic time.

I always said, It'll end when half of japan's population murdered, and the other half in jail for murder.

They need to cut down the filler case.

To be honest, you do have a point. The plot progression is criminally slow.
But the ride's enjoyable enough that I'm not really complaining.

Stormthorn
2008-07-04, 12:10 PM
Gunslinger Girl.

Your probably wondering if any girls in early adolescence shoot themselves in this series. The answer is: Yes.

Mc. Lovin'
2008-07-04, 12:51 PM
Erm, despite ... "girls in early adolescence shooting themselves" not being on my must have list for things needed to be in the mangas, I'll look into it :smalltongue:

Innis Cabal
2008-07-04, 12:55 PM
Soul Eater
Claymore
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Skyhigh and Skyhigh Karma
FMA(Her one shots are amazing as well)
The Island(Interesting oneshot)
Bleach the manga is ok
Fairy Tail
Airgear attempts to be good, its one to try for yourself, i couldnt get past the 4th chapter personally

Shadrin
2008-07-04, 01:09 PM
Heres (http://www.bleachexile.com/) another site with lots of manga.

I haven't read a whole lot manga, but some I've enjoyed are:
Monster
Gantz
Black Cat
FMA
Naruto

Haruki-kun
2008-07-04, 01:12 PM
My suggestions are:

xxxHOLiC, by CLAMP.
Tsubasa Chronicle, by CLAMP.
Azumanga Daioh, by Kiyohiko Azuma.

Reinforcements
2008-07-04, 01:53 PM
Yotsuba&! Made by the same person as Azumanga Daioh - it's really good.

rubakhin
2008-07-04, 02:57 PM
I don't read like, any manga at all but I think you would probably like Akira and Monster.

And as long as we're posting scanlations, go here (http://www.lililicious.net) and pick up Yamaji Ebine's stuff (Indigo Blue and Free Soul). It's yuri josei material, in other words, just about the polar opposite of what you like, but her stuff is so good it's worth a look from anyone. The mangaka is a lesbian, and she handles the LGBT material in her comics with a realism and grace not seen often in manga.

She's sort of similar to Hiroki Endo. I've never read his more popular, longer work Eden, but I like his short manga a lot. Some reviewer described it as something like "short tales of broken people trying to make sense of their worlds, trapped by birth or circumstance in situations they despise" and that about covers it.

ETA: ALSO! I forgot Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms by Fumiyo Kouno, which consists of two stories in three parts following the life of a Hiroshima survivor, the first ten years after the fact, the second twenty, and the third in the nineties. It sold a ton of copies in Japan and is kind of like that nation's answer to Art Spiegelman's Maus. (And if you haven't read Maus yet, do.)

Pocketa
2008-07-04, 03:33 PM
It's too expensive for me to read, but I read them at stores.

I liked:

Hollow Fields: steampunkesque setting, kids in a boarding school for evil geniuses

Yakitate! JaPAN: bread competitions in stores around Japan, very funny, very pretty, you learn a lot about bread types

Just Add Nuts!: girl eats special nuts, becomes a woman, life gets complex

Love Roma: boy loves girl, girl dates boy

Ichigo 100%: 3 girls, which has the strawberry pantiess?! Cute TV series. A little ecchi, but nothing graphic. Except for PANTIES! MUAHAHAHAHA.

One Piece: Nice TV show, the dubbed ones sucked.

Mr. Scaly
2008-07-04, 09:37 PM
Hellsing is very good if you like massive amounts of violence and a hero just as bad as the Nazi monsters he's fighting.

Azumanga Daioh. A classic you can never go wrong with.

Negima, if you like comedy/actions.

EvilElitest
2008-07-04, 09:50 PM
1) FMA. Most likely the best Manga out there at current. The Anime is also very good but totally different
2) Beserk. Rogue 7 recommended it to me, and i have to say, if your ok with some really R rated stuff, this is a damn good manga.
3) Death note, great series. If you want to stop reading after book 7 through, nobody will judge you, your most likely better off
4) Cased Closed is decent, the actual murders are cool
5) Claymore is decent i suppose, interesting if not perfectly written
6) Kenshin is quite worth reading, i have mis givings, but worth it i assure you to read it once through
7) Narato...... ok i'm just kidding, spare yourself the pain
8) Hell sing is actually pretty good, through the OVA i think is better
9) isn't a manga, but just watch Avatar
from
EE

Levyathyn
2008-07-04, 10:02 PM
If you feel like combing bck catalogues, look for Eat Man. an maing, but underrated series about a badass mercenary who eats things to reproduce them later.

Sounds weird, but trust me on this one.

Aside from that, Invader Girl Lum? (Lamu?)

Atomsized
2008-07-04, 10:43 PM
Hmmmm, I've got to get around to reading some of these suggestions.....

Well, you've got D.Gray Man down, which was what i was going to suggest. I haven't read alot, but two i would suggest are:

+Anima-Even though it stopped at some point in it's 10th (i think) book, it is still worth reading. Mainly about 4 certain humans with animal powers in which they and others like them are called +Anima. The 4 certain humans travel from place to place exploring for no apparent reason that i know of. (Or maybe that i forgot about).

Erementar Gerad (Or known translated as Elemental Gelade)-NOTE: For this one, it is a manga series, but i have only watched the anime. For genre, it would be fantasy, comedy, and romance rolled into one very amusing and funny story about a boy who is trying to lead an special girl into a place called The Garden of Eden. He is accompanied by 3 other people, whom are members of a corporation that protects beings called Eden Raid (anime, it is Edel (i think) Raid in the manga).

Xuincherguixe
2008-07-04, 11:29 PM
I'll second Berserk, but add that warning really, really isn't enough. Every so often it basically becomes a Hentai Manga, and it can be pretty misogynistic at times. It's not nearly as bad in the more recent volumes though.

EvilElitest
2008-07-04, 11:37 PM
I'll second Berserk, but add that warning really, really isn't enough. Every so often it basically becomes a Hentai Manga, and it can be pretty misogynistic at times. It's not nearly as bad in the more recent volumes though.

basically, Beserk is actually one of hte best mangas we have at current, but it is brutal. And i mean brutal, i mean makes song of fire and ice look happy in terms of content.
from
EE

Rogue 7
2008-07-05, 12:12 AM
2) Beserk. Rogue 7 recommended it to me, and i have to say, if your ok with some really R rated stuff, this is a damn good manga.
from
EE

EE, I doubt I recommended that to you. I've never read it or know anything about it.

My recommendations-

1. Mahou Sensei Negima. Trust me on this one. Ignore all the fanservice. It gets toned down and it doesn't mean much for the story. The early parts are quite slow and pretty ridiculous, and it'll take you forever to pick up the names of the various characters (I swear, right at the beginning the only ones I could pick out were Nodoka, Asuna, and Ku Fei), but the series is really really good. Action's great, characters are fantastic (Setsuna is awesome), plot's good, and setting's great. In short, it's got everything it needs. Probably my favorite manga right now.

2. Naruto. Yes, it's not perfect. But a lot of the characters are great (Shikamaru in particular, and we've seen a lot of him recently.) and the setting is really good. Plot drags on a bit, though.

3. Bleach- better than Naruto in everything but setting. Coherent plot, better characters (on the whole. Ichigo doesn't quite match up to Shikamaru), but the setting is a little meh. Still allows for some great fights.

3. Fullmetal Alchemist- like EE said, fantastic. Great plot, great characters. Only updates once a month if you're reading online ( and you WILL- once you start it's hard to stop).

4. Love Hina, by the same guy who did Mahou Sensei Negima- Ken Akamatsu. It's a lot different than Negima- a romantic comedy thing, but it's still really good. I see a lot of myself in the main character, so the idea of getting a large group of women to crush on me is fairly appealing, and a lot of the scenes are really great. I never quite got the concept of Moe Moe (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MoeMoe) until I saw Motoko's bit in volume 9. Dear God, that was adorable.

5. Rurouni Kenshin- another very good Shonen action series, with great fights, and the historical Japan setting is great.

turkishproverb
2008-07-05, 12:19 AM
4. Love Hina, by the same guy who did Mahou Sensei Negima- Ken Akamatsu. It's a lot different than Negima- a romantic comedy thing, but it's still really good. I see a lot of myself in the main character, so the idea of getting a large group of women to crush on me is fairly appealing, and a lot of the scenes are really great. I never quite got the concept of Moe Moe (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MoeMoe) until I saw Motoko's bit in volume 9. Dear God, that was adorable.

5. Rurouni Kenshin- another very good Shonen action series, with great fights, and the historical Japan setting is great.

THis thread is over. Get 5. ALL OF 5. ALL OF IT!!! NOW!!!

Fri
2008-07-05, 01:09 AM
Mahou Sensei Negima. Man, the turn from ecchi school comedy into an action series sure surprised me, as much as Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya's twist.

The first real magical fight, that is against evangeline, is freakin cool.

And evangeline is the perfect anime girl :smallbiggrin:. Lesse... gothic lolita fashion style, loli, technically legal, tsundere, and a vampire. Even she used glasses once. Something I missed :smallbiggrin:?

EponymousKid
2008-07-05, 01:48 AM
Real Bout High School: I really don't know what to say... you should look into it, though. It's really underappreciated. This is definitely the top of my list.

Train+Train: From the creator of Read or Die comes this cute little series. Again, i'm not really sure what else to say...

+Anima: Just look it up... sorry, i'm not that far, but it's a phenomenal series already.

Eyeshield 21: Do you like American football? No? Well, you totally will if you get into this series. I literally started reading it earlier this week, and I'm learning a lot about football, for one thing, but it's also a really engrossing story that you're guaranteed to have some strong feelings about after a while.

EvilElitest
2008-07-05, 08:10 AM
EE, I doubt I recommended that to you. I've never read it or know anything about it.

I thought that was you. I was being bored of anime, so you (or maybe it was tengu) recommended some mangas/animes, like the MoSH, Three kingdoms, Berserk, and one other thing i forgot sadly (whoops)
maybe that was Tengu
from
EE

SAMAS
2008-07-05, 09:37 AM
Seconding Negima, Azumanga Daioh, and Yotsuba&!.

black dragoon
2008-07-05, 09:53 AM
My Suggestions would be one that has been said alot: Fullmetal Alchemist..

I have another one I have not seen yet. This one is very good: Chrono Crusade.

That one is about a demon and a nun who team up and kill things...

3 words.... Nun with gun.

Nun with gun.

13_CBS
2008-07-05, 11:21 AM
If you ever check out Onemanga.com, I would HIGHLY recommend two series:

Vinland Saga: a tale of a young Danish lad and his quest for vengeance. This manga does its homework when it comes to accuracy on depicting Scandinavian arms and armor. It's deliciously gory too.

Double Arts: in a land where a disease called Troy exists, an order of healer nuns do their best to stop the plague by employing its Troy resistant members to "absorb" the disease from those stricken by it. A certain sister reaches her limit and is about to expire when she accidentaly touches the hand of a teenage boy, and discovers that not only is he immune to Troy, but maintaining physical contact with him staves off her demise from Troy as well. The akward duo have to travel across the land while constantly holding hands, etc. It's got some pretty good action, and it's an excellent series, though it's only 14 or so chapters in.

Mr. Scaly
2008-07-05, 05:18 PM
basically, Beserk is actually one of hte best mangas we have at current, but it is brutal. And i mean brutal, i mean makes song of fire and ice look happy in terms of content.
from
EE

I may have to reread that book, but isn't that the one where everybody (or close enough) gets betrayed and murdered? And Berserk is LESS pleasant?


3) Death note, great series. If you want to stop reading after book 7 through, nobody will judge you, your most likely better off

I would. :smalltongue: After the climax in volume 7 I was wondering how well it would hold up and was quite pleased with the result.

So yes, if you get Deathnote I suggest reading it all.

Hmm...its been a while but I remember xxx.Holic being pretty good. I need more issues...

Silence
2008-07-05, 05:38 PM
I read deathnote a bit back. Freaking amazing stuff. Great art. Great dialogue. Even better monologues. Fantastic plot, and a climax to die for.

Kato
2008-07-06, 05:05 AM
Fairy Tail

If you mean Fairy Tale, then seconded... It's too short for a Kaori, so she had too stuff all in the last chap, sadly... Still, good stuff too read!

Verruckt
2008-07-06, 05:19 AM
I'll second the mention of Hellsing for two reasons.

Firstly are Hirano's down right luscious illustrations. The scene in which an aircraft carrier is impaled by an Alucard piloted SR-71 comes to mind.

Second is Khota's sense of delightfully skewed humor. The spirit of Seras' gun being the Baron Harkonnen from Dune? Honestly, the whole series is worth the read if only for that singular moment of "Wait... what?"

Fri
2008-07-06, 05:40 AM
No, Fairy Tail is a fantasy series by the guy who made Rave Groove Adventure. About A guild of magicians and their wacky hijinks.

Death Note is good, but Monster is what Death Note want to be when he grows up.

Vinland saga is also good. The authenticity... well, what do you expect from the guy who made Planetes, the single most hard sci-fi manga ever written.

ArmorArmadillo
2008-07-06, 03:26 PM
One Piece: Unfortunately, many people have been poisoned against this series by a horribly unfaithful butchering by 4-Kids.
However, reading the manga is like a big dollop of fun sauce slathered in awesome.
It's a relatively upbeat, non-angsty manga, and I think it's really an exemplary shonen series that provides a lot of enjoyment over the hundreds of issues it offers.

EvilElitest
2008-07-06, 03:43 PM
One Piece: Unfortunately, many people have been poisoned against this series by a horribly unfaithful butchering by 4-Kids.
However, reading the manga is like a big dollop of fun sauce slathered in awesome.
It's a relatively upbeat, non-angsty manga, and I think it's really an exemplary shonen series that provides a lot of enjoyment over the hundreds of issues it offers.

here is the thing, i'm not sure if this is a parody or an actual manga. If the latter, it is absurd. If the formor, it is amazing. Absolutly amazing

Mr. Scaly
1) yes, god hates all of the characters in Beserk. All of them.
2) After

L's death

The manga lost its appeal. What made it great was the characters and the chess style of writing, but then it just went down hill
from
EE

ArmorArmadillo
2008-07-06, 04:11 PM
here is the thing, i'm not sure if this is a parody or an actual manga. If the latter, it is absurd. If the formor, it is amazing. Absolutly amazing
It's a parody in that it has the elements of a serialized shonen action series without the wangst (Naruto) and ludicrous overdone conspiratorial plots (Bleach) that typify most series. It's concerned with solid, upbeat action storytelling, and it's very enjoyable on that regard.

Eerie
2008-07-06, 04:36 PM
Franken Fran (http://www.onemanga.com/Franken_Fran/)

:smallamused:

EvilElitest
2008-07-06, 05:41 PM
It's a parody in that it has the elements of a serialized shonen action series without the wangst (Naruto) and ludicrous overdone conspiratorial plots (Bleach) that typify most series. It's concerned with solid, upbeat action storytelling, and it's very enjoyable on that regard.

it is a parody? I never knew that for sure.


Oh, who recommended Vinland. I've been reading it...............




It is amazing.....go read it....read it now. I don't care what you were doing, read it now.
from
EE

ArmorArmadillo
2008-07-06, 07:34 PM
it is a parody? I never knew that for sure.

Let me be clearer, it's not a parody...at least not in the way that Austin Powers or Excel Saga is a parody.

It's the kind of trope-heavy shonen series that reminds you why those tropes exist in the first place.

EvilElitest
2008-07-06, 07:35 PM
Let me be clearer, it's not a parody...at least not in the way that Austin Powers or Excel Saga is a parody.

It's the kind of trope-heavy shonen series that reminds you why those tropes exist in the first place.

1) Excel saga is a parody.......ahhhh
2) Actually, i noted that if they are being used straight, the tropes used by one piece are really really bad. But when used in a joke fashion, ie more subtle parody, it is amazing
from
EE

Tengu
2008-07-06, 07:44 PM
The word you're looking for is "pastiche", I think.

ArmorArmadillo
2008-07-06, 07:45 PM
2) Actually, i noted that if they are being used straight, the tropes used by one piece are really really bad. But when used in a joke fashion, ie more subtle parody, it is amazing
from
EE

Maybe were working on a different definition of parody here. One Piece isn't a self-aware criticism of the flaws and excesses of shonen manga.


However, recall that tropes are not bad. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TropesAreNotBad) One Piece gleefully uses tropes to great effect, making a cast of likable characters, thrilling fights, and good storylines.

It's not out to reinvent the wheel, but it is a amazingly enjoyable series; it's the Skies of Arcadia to Bleach's FFVII Ripoff.

Fri
2008-07-06, 07:48 PM
One Piece in my opinion is the best shonen manga out there. The author's drawing style is also really unique. But the drawing style also put off some people (Say, the lack of bishonen).

Eh... wait. I thought my favourite shonen manga is Hunter X Hunter?

Anyone here read that manga? Nen is the most well thought Phlebotinum, in my opinion. Of course some times the Hunter's authority is absurd, but hey, do you want to argue with an organization as strong as them?

sun_tzu
2008-07-07, 02:16 AM
Maybe were working on a different definition of parody here. One Piece isn't a self-aware criticism of the flaws and excesses of shonen manga.


However, recall that tropes are not bad. (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TropesAreNotBad) One Piece gleefully uses tropes to great effect, making a cast of likable characters, thrilling fights, and good storylines.

Sounds like Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagan...taking everything silly and over-the-top about a genre, then saying "to hell with seriousmess!" and intentionally cranking it all the way up to eleven.

Lizard
2008-07-07, 08:01 AM
I'll second the recommendation of Berserk, Claymore and Mahou Sensei Negima

Berserk is one of the best dark fantasy fictions I had my honour to read (that is id you are 18+ and have high tolerance for violence, gore and full frontal nudity). Also it is one of the few worlds where humanity is even more screwed than in Warhammer 40k

Mahou Sensei Negima is unholy fusion of a harem manga with classic fighting shonen like Bleach or Naruto, and somehow it manages to be good. light-hearted fun with incredible amount of fanservice. Also bonus point for regulary making fun of character angsting and wangst in general.

Claymore is shonen manga with half-demon female warriors fighting against full demons. Good fights with focus on teamwork which is quite rare in shonen, very good character development and interesting storyline. Claymore is very good manga at the moment, with potential to become excellent in near future

I would also recommend 20th Century Boys: From the same author as Monster, this is another psychological realistic thriller with a lot of Mind Screws. It is a must-read for everyone who liked Monster

@Fri: I read Hunter x Hunter and liked it quite a bit. The Nen system was excellent done and it had several excellent and likeable characters (Hisoka is awesome antagonist), but unfortunetly the not-really-that-good last arc and the 2-year hiatus right before a climax of it pretty much killed my interest in this series.

SuperMuldoon
2008-07-07, 08:14 AM
BLAME! is probably my favorite manga, and I strongly reccommend it to anyone looking for something different. It can be hard to follow as there isn't much dialogue, but the art is hands down the best ever in any manga series I have ever read. Its also fun re-reading it and finding stuff you missed the first time!

Lord Iames Osari
2008-07-07, 10:11 AM
My Suggestions would be one that has been said alot: Fullmetal Alchemist..

I have another one I have not seen yet. This one is very good: Chrono Crusade.

That one is about a demon and a nun who team up and kill things...

3 words.... Nun with gun.

Nun with gun.

Or, as one of my friends put it (describing the anime adaptation) - "A sexy nun with a gun who shakes her ass for quarters". :smallbiggrin:

black dragoon
2008-07-08, 01:17 PM
DISCLAIMER
that was my girlfriends suggestions...anyway I have to suggest helsing like her and also agree the recomendation of 20th century boys, Besek and BLAME!. otgher than that I've got nothing

Fri
2008-07-09, 08:05 AM
I noticed that someone recommended 20th century boys. It's from that guy who made monster, so of course you can expect quality.

But God, oh God. It's the manga equivalent of The Prisoner.
(http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThePrisoner)
Three word at the ending: What. The. Frak.

Evangelion's ending is way more sensible than that. It's like the author just read all of his twist and plot point, and say 'ah crap. I give up' and he ended it.

He said it's just as planned though.

Mind. Blown.

Oslecamo
2008-07-09, 02:01 PM
Gotta suport some of the sugestions here:

Hellsing: vampire nazis VS christian fanatic templars VS protestant soldiers with dracula on their side. Lots of action, gore and dark humor. Very dark humor.

Chrono Crusade: the anime sucked, but the manga is quite good. Nun has made a pact with a demon to fight the forces of evil. Punk demons, guns, fanservice, explosions and more guns ensue.

Sensei Negima: From the same author as Love Hina, starts like a romantic manga, but quickly evolves to an action manga. Young magical boy has to deal with the ultimate 15 year old female shounen class, wich includes ninja-girl, robot-girl, vampire girl, bookworm girl, rich girl, computer girl, gun girl, sword girl, ect, ect, ect. Lots of fan service, action, and very very light hearted.

Poison_Fish
2008-07-10, 02:12 PM
One Piece in my opinion is the best shonen manga out there. The author's drawing style is also really unique. But the drawing style also put off some people (Say, the lack of bishonen).

Eh... wait. I thought my favourite shonen manga is Hunter X Hunter?

Anyone here read that manga? Nen is the most well thought Phlebotinum, in my opinion. Of course some times the Hunter's authority is absurd, but hey, do you want to argue with an organization as strong as them?

I read it, but I disagree. I think the best Shonen manga out there is Soul Eater (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4713), with One Piece, Hunter X Hunter, and Fairy Tail all holding high places in my heart. If nothing else, Fairy Tail is One Piece replacing Pirates with Mages. So, for the typical shonen I'm looking for, it's just as entertaining.

But as for other suggested series. I'm surprised I haven't seen any mention of Blade of the Immortal (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=1612). I still happen to think it's one of the best written manga I've read.

Oslecamo
2008-07-10, 02:31 PM
I read it, but I disagree. I think the best Shonen manga out there is Soul Eater (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4713)

Oh, I've already took a look at that one. Basically, remove everything that is non-shounen from the story. Kids learn how to breack the laws of reality with oversized weapons from kindergarden and feast on the souls of monsters, hehe:smallbiggrin:

Dragonus45
2008-07-10, 04:42 PM
I don't know if anyone mentioned this one yet, but 20th century boys is a great read and has some really interesting mystery to it.

Haruki-kun
2008-07-10, 08:59 PM
+Anima: Just look it up... sorry, i'm not that far, but it's a phenomenal series already.

Does this story have an end? That is... a real closure ending? Or is it unfinished? I'd love to read all of it, but only if it does have an ending...

Fri
2008-07-11, 12:45 AM
It's been a while since I read that, but isn't +Anima got an ending/closure to the main plot? They're just keep wandering, that's all.
Maybe I just forgot though. It's been a while and I seems to forgot about the ending. Maybe that's because there's really no ending and the closure is just in my imagination?

Twin2
2008-07-11, 01:09 AM
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure


I've recently gotten to read some of this, and I must say I've really enjoyed it. It really (especially in the later arcs) shows that you don't need to have galaxy destroying power to have good/interesting fights.

EvilElitest
2008-07-21, 04:18 PM
dudes, the vinland saga is actually really really good, you people should read it
from
EE

edit
also can we put warning tags on all of these manga

Oslecamo
2008-07-21, 05:19 PM
I've recently gotten to read some of this, and I must say I've really enjoyed it. It really (especially in the later arcs) shows that you don't need to have galaxy destroying power to have good/interesting fights.

What are you reading? Very few manga/anime/whatever characters actually have galaxy destroying powers. Most of them still have trouble bursting trough nonpaper walls at least.

Twin2
2008-07-21, 05:30 PM
What are you reading? Very few manga/anime/whatever characters actually have galaxy destroying powers. Most of them still have trouble bursting trough nonpaper walls at least.

I guess I've been jaded by a lot of the mecha/things like dbz/bleach out there. I've enjoyed things like yu yu hakusho, but I guess I've not seen too many manga's out there (which I guess I just haven't found) with fights like I have in jojo's.

The Evil Thing
2008-07-23, 07:11 AM
Shounen
Mahou Sensei Negima
Yes, it has been recommended by half of the thread participants but I'm going to put everything I have on it anyway since I like it the best. Read the first two volumes and then compare with the rest of the series. It's clear Akamatsu was thinking "Ok, that ought to fool the publishers... now let's make a shounen fighting manga," after polishing off volume 2. One of the reasons why it's my favourite is that it's very, very densely packed. Read a Negima chapter then read a Naruto or Bleach chapter. You'll notice that Negima often crams two or three times the content into the same number of pages, yet never suffers for this compression.
It also boasts one of the most highly developed magic systems I've ever seen.
Hayate the Combat Butler
It's a light-hearted comedy that inexplicably works. My second favourite series after Negima.
Fairy Tale
The art looks a lot like One Piece yet is drawn by someone who - as far as I can tell - has no connection to the series. Go ahead and read through it, but make sure you look up the word "nakama" and know its meaning inside and out since the scanlators have this absolutely infuriating habit of not translating it. Ever.
Naruto, Bleach, One Piece
They're called the "Big Three" for a reason. Whether that reason is justified is for you to decide.
Love Hina
Both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing because it's a very good harem comedy series but a curse because the rather poor state of the first two Negima volumes can be attributed to the success of this manga.
Oh My Goddess
Some people insist that it is called "Ah My Goddess" but they're wrong and you should feel free to tell them so. Don't be put off by the dodgy art as it gets better quickly. It's also a very long runner (still going now) so the creator is doing something right, at least.
Death Note
It's fun seeing two masterminds working against each other. A well-executed thriller manga.
Inuyasha
It took years but it's finally finished. This series takes a large amount of stamina to get through, given its length.
Rurouni Kenshin
Offers an interesting interpretation of nineteenth century Japanese history. Blurs the line between fantasy and realism but does well in both cases.
Fullmetal Alchemist
The anime does OK in its own right but the story really gets good in its original manga form.
Psychometrer Eiji
Oh no! Why?! They stopped scanlating this series a year ago and it's only been licensed in French! It's a great story and the point where it left me hanging suggests that we should expect something akin to Monster or Death Note. Now where's my French dictionary?
Yu-Gi-Oh!
I have it on good authority that this is the only way we can get YGO that hasn't been macekred beyond redemption by 4Kids (fun fact: YGO is apparently getting a fan dub). However, 'Evil' Yami is better so we should read the manga instead anyway.
Claymore
Girls with swords that we are supposed to call Claymores (the swords, not the girls; the world's denizens appear to be confused on this point). If you're sharp, you should be able to infer (or at least predict) the plot twists which is either to the managaka's credit or fault, depending on your point of view.
Air Gear
No-one seems to have mentioned this one but it deserves love anyway. It has just as much fan service as Negima (per female cast member, anyway) but how many series do you know of feature roller skates that fly?

Seinen
Monster
A world without Monster would be a sad one indeed. This really is amazing and it is a sin to pass it by.
Excel Saga
The anime parodied the original manga (if you're feeling charitable) as much as it parodied everything else. Grab the first volume just to see how different it is.
Elfen Lied
Why oh why is this not licensed? :smallfrown: Sure, it has graphic nudity and dismemberment (sometimes at the same time) but Elfen Lied is brilliant and tragic; Nyu will melt your heart.
Highschool of the Dead
Be sure to buy legality COOL COMIC* when you read it. A zombie apocalypse manga that can't quite decide whether to take itself seriously or not. Oddly compelling.
Berserk
A grim, dark world featuring an anti-hero which leaves evil people dead and good people weeping on the ground. Just like every other edgy series, then...
Blade of the Immortal
Violent and bloody like Berserk featuring yet another protagonist that won't die. Unlike Berserk, however, the protagonist is most determinedly amoral yet somehow thoughtful at the same time. You might like to consider to be the polar opposite of Rurouni Kenshin.
3x3 Eyes
I liked this series for a while but then I stopped reading it and didn't pick it back up. Find scanlations first if you can since it's not for everyone.


Hmm, there seems to be more Shounen manga up there...

*Ah, Engrish, how I love thee.

Fri
2008-07-23, 01:07 PM
Hm, you guys recomended Fairy Tail. The Evil Thing and someone-which-I-forgot said that Fairy Tail resemble one piece.

But why nobody recommend Hiro Mashima's (fairy tail's author) debut series? Rave Groove Adventure. A groovy adventure series about friendship, destiny, love, and such things with BFS handling determinator protagonist and set in a really funky universe. I mean it, you can't describe the universe other than 'funky'

Most fairy tails character are expies (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Expy) of Rave Groove Adventure's Character.