Does Manga Belong Here?

[Guest CreepingKate]

I've been concentrating on reading FMA (just got volume 10, what a wild ride!) and I'm wondering what other manga you recommend I spend my hard earned money on.

For example: I just checked out the Dec 06 Shonen Jump from the library and it contained a profile of the manga Gin Tama (or Gintama) which sounded intriguing.

The concept: In a Gibsonesque 19th century Japan lives a wooden sword carryin', scooter ridin', cake bakin', speed limit obeyin' hypoglycemic samurai-for-hire who gets cranky when he can't have sweets.

I value the opinion of my fellow members, is Gintama worth the coin?

[Guest Big Samurai]

I think you might have better luck putting this one in the anime forum, CK, but don't post it there just yet; send a PM to your local Moderator to ask for it to be moved.

[Iggy_lovechild]

Paradise Kiss. Such a lovely manga.

[Emi]

jhdghkdjlfhgsiu MANGA. *___________*

D.Gray-Man.

Skip Beat!

Those two are the ones I'm stalking right now. And FMA, but that's already mentioned. ;P

[Guest Gaara]

Well the first step in the right direction was buying Shonen Jump. It's a great magazine especially if your just starting to get into manga. Manga is definately great. In some cases its even better than anime, at least I think so. Some mangas I would recommend is

Naruto, Bleach, Cardcaptor Sakura or Angelic Layer (only pick one of these two if your into the cutesy stuff) D.N.Angel (much better than the anime) Immortal Rain, Negima, and there's a lot more but I can't think of them off the top of my head right now.

[StoryJunkie]

I fell in love with Hikaru No Go. I glanced at the Manga and downloaded the entire volume. SAI!!!!! I think I'm going to check out Gintama next....

[Guest Yhitzak]

Holy crap! People that actually *read* Shonen Jump! Ya'll get cookies, because I thought I was the only one. I work in a comic store and there's like five kids who come in every month and whenever there's not a YuGiOh card in the magazine, they whine and cry and piss and moan. "But I got a Naruto card!" they bitch.

Now. On to my list.

Dark Horse:

Hellsing - The anime (both versions of it) are complete crap in comparison to the manga. This series is visually outstanding, emotionally engaging, and you find yourself pining for the next volume. (Word up, volume 8 is scheduled for release in May, but this is according to Diamond, so we'll see when it *actually* ships.) Two words in support of my love of Hellsing: Nazi vampires. And Seras Victoria.

Reiko the Zombie Shop - Now... I *hate* female heroes in manga/anime because they all have this tendency of being Sailor Scouts in varying uniforms, but this one stands alone. All of the characters kick total ass, the villains are genuinely frightening, and the perpetual references to visual Kei and Gothic/Lolita are brilliant. Makes me want to write a letter to Rei Mikamoto.

Eden/Tanpenshu - Both by the same author (Hiroki Endo). Much in the same visual style as Akira. Eden deals with a post-Apocalypse world (shock, huh? a manga dealing with post-Apocalypse. how original!), but it is shockingly original. Tanpenshu is two volumes (the second has yet to be released) and each one contains three one-shot stories of humanity's issues and shortcomings. One of the most beautiful artists and writers presently working in the manga medium.

Tokyopop:

Saiyuki - Includes Reload and Reload Gunlock (which is not yet released). Brilliant take on the traditional Chinese myth of the "Journey to the West." The anime is complete crap by comparison.

Wild Adapter - also by Kazuya Minekura. This is where her talent as both a writer and artist come to light. The story focuses on a young man with yakuza ties who breaks away from it only to be dragged back in by a drug known as Wild Adapter. This is one of the only mainstream manga series in which I read the first volume, put it down, and cried about my existential anguish. This is a brilliant series; go pick it up.

Viz/Other:

Angel Sanctuary - Artistically outstanding, the story is gripping, and the characters are all unique and ingenious. One of the only shojo series I've ever read that I continue to buy regularly.

One Thousand and One Nights - Arguably a shonen-ai series, but that's not even the main selling point. Korean manwah in a rather indescribable style. The story is a take on the traditional 1001 Arabian Nights, but the main character has been changed from a young woman to a young man. In each volume, the Sheherazad character tells a story; the first volume is a Chinese myth, the second is a traditional Korean myth, and the third is the story of Cleopatra. I can't say enough good things about this series.

I'm going away to do something real with my life. After reading this list, I look like a real dork.

[Guest Serenanna]

My manga collection:

Mars - Yup, it's a romance classic, and I got into it before Taiwan made a live-action drama version of it.

Sailor Moon - all in Japanese too ::hugs:: so glad I bought them.

Fruits Basket - Another shojo classic.

Magic Knight Rayearth - You cannot go wrong with Clamp, and this just happens to be their first hit.

Clover - Ditto, Clamp too, plus short and sweet.

Paradise Kiss - I got the first volumn for kicks, and stayed because it appealed to the fashion designer side of me.

Tsubasa Cronicles - More Clamp, this time crossover Clamp.

Fushigi Yuugi - Shojo classic. Yuu Watase

Ayashi no Ceres - Yuu Watase's follow up to Fushigi Yuugi, and it's my favorite of her works.

Naruto - Ok, duh.

Full Metal Alchemist - Another duh.

Various Gundam Wing manga - back when I was a GW fangirl with the rest of the world at the time.

There's also incomplete collections of Flame of Recca, Inu Yasha, Suikoden 3, Ouran High School Host Club, and RG Veda, which I don't know if I'll be collecting any more of.

What I stole from my brother:

Saikano - ::sniffles:: so sad, yet beautiful. About the most humanistic of the end of the world I've seen, with romance. Slightly ecchi, but worth it!

Kare Kano - So much better than the anime. Another romance classic.

Evangelion - Compared to the anime series, this actually makes sense.

Things I need to steal from him:

Berserk

Battle Angel Alita

Ghost in the Shell

Blade of the Immortal

Ah! My Goddess reprints

Love Hina

Negima

Eureka Seven

Evangelion: Angelic Days

[Guest MayNeuma]

If you're into spiritual things, then xxxHOLiC might interest you. But if you're sort of masochist then Naruto's the right one for you to buy all more than two dozens manga volume.

Some of the good manga have been recommended previously. Check them out as well 'kay

-mn