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| Afghanistan (manga) |
Good |
| Afghanistan isn't a manga that will blow anyone away but it's a very heart-warming series if you're looking for some warm fuzzies. The characters are all very charming personifications of the countries that they represent and, though they might seem like stereotypes at times, they also have traits similar to how the rest of the world views their country. Afghanistan, the main character, is adorable and works hard to make life better and make new friends. And once the series is over, it's hard not to feel the "best wishes" message the manga gives towards the actual country of Afghanistan as well. |
| Magic Knight Rayearth (manga) |
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| Meteor Strike (manga) |
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| Peace Maker (manga by N. Chrono) |
Good |
| Planet Guardian (manga) |
Not really good |
| Planet Guardian is a one-shot manga by the doujinshi artist Rito Kousaka. It is mainly a parody on the magical girl genre, but even as a parody, the characters and plot were generic and boring. The fact that it was a one-shot also doesn't allow the reader to expect much from it. I was sorely disappointed because I very much enjoyed Kousaka's work on her Harry Potter doujinshi and this manga is mostly something pretty to look at if you enjoy her art. |
| Rurouni Kenshin (manga) |
Masterpiece |
| If there's one thing I love the most about this series, it's Watsuki's devotion to his work, which is evident not only in his comments in the graphic novels but also within the manga itself. The theme draws itself away from the typical shonen ideals of strength and teamwork and presents the more serious idea of redemption. Each character has a purpose and pushes the story along in some way, even if what their purpose is is to reveal something about another character, and each character has a motive in addition to that purpose. And it's because of this that the characters in this manga seem very real and very human, no matter how bizarre their character design is, and allows readers to relate to and sympathize with them on a much deeper level. Watsuki's master storytelling (including his ability to intertwine fact and fiction), unique characters, and deep themes are sure to make Rurouni Kenshin a classic for years to come. |
| Saiyuki (manga, K. Minekura) |
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| Saiyuki is yet another series based on the famous Chinese tale of Journey to the West, and while it seems to retain the original concept of the story a little more than Dragon Ball, the series doesn't offer anything unique and memorable and it feels like it's trying too hard to be cool. There are a few interesting twists from time to time, such as the gun-toting priest Sanzo, and it's a good series for people who like a lot of action, but Saiyuki is the kind of series that's best left to kill some time with if you want to take a break from serious character and story development, because Saiyuki offers neither. |
| Yahiko no Sakabato (manga) |
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| Yokujō Climax (manga) |
Very good |
| Someone in a forum once described this manga as a Korean drama. I don't know about Korean dramas since I have only ever watched one Japanese drama, Nodame Cantabile, but it was true to an extent: Desire Climax is one giant soap opera. It's hard to believe that such a short series becomes as complicated as this one does, and while the characters aren't anything to write home about, what really made this series was the relationships between the characters. Ukyo likes to scramble things up just when you think you are finally beginning to understand everything. It's no masterpiece but, as someone who doesn't even like shoujo (and detests romance), I would definitely recommend Desire Climax to anyone who likes their romance with a lot of drama. |
| Yu-Gi-Oh! (manga) |
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| The most disappointing thing about the Duel Monsters series is that Takahashi Kazuki really had a unique premise with the very first debut of Yu-Gi-Oh!. The idea of the characters playing different games every episode would make the series seem very routine after a first season but it's certainly a lot more unique than the tried-and-true shonen monster genre that had been done a million times before. The high stakes at which the games are played and the wild and violent characters, in addition to the new rules that come with each game, make the matches far less predictable and more heart-pounding than Duel Monsters. Those who didn't like Duel Monsters or Duel Monsters GX might want to give the original a chance. |
