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Azumanga Daioh (manga) |
Very good |
Man, I wish my high school classmates were like this.... |
Cyborg 009 (manga) |
Masterpiece |
War is an ingrained part of the human spirit, and a way for economies to grow and prosper. It's been proven that the Great Depression was reversed when America entered the war, because war gave us the motivation (and profits) to recover and move on. Black Ghost plays upon these principles, keeping the war in perpetual war in order to make greedily fill his own bottomless pockets, producing weapons of mass destruction and selling them to one country, and then to that country's opponent. A real Black Ghost equivalent is eerily likely to exist in our own future. Cyborg 009 shows triumph over war and the manipulation of others, but at a price. With a staggering ending, this series is an essential in any manga collection |
Death Note (manga) |
Excellent |
A really excellent supernatural thriller. I love stories with good anti-heroes, and Light is a great one. The art of course is fantastic, and the story is full of fasinating irony and unexpected plot twists. |
Dragon Ball (manga) |
Very good |
A classic shonen series. Despite DBZ's poor reputation, the original Dragon Ball is a fun and lighthearted adventure. Hilarious (if crude) humor, great (if old) art, and exciting (if ridiculous) battles. Any comedy/action fan should at least give this series a chance, and set their misgivings about its continuation (DBZ) aside. |
El-Hazard (manga) |
Decent |
Okay adaption of the excellent OVA series. Combines elements from El-Hazard's many spin-offs to create an interesting mix. Enjoyable, but recommended only for those who are El Hazard fans already. |
FLCL (manga) |
Decent |
Many hate this manga adaption of the wild anime, but I found it rather decent, if not interesting. Sketchy, angular art might not appeal to everyone. If you liked the anime for its random humor, you will hate this. If you liked the anime for its weird symbolims and confusing situations, you may like this. |
.hack//Legend of the Twilight (manga) |
Good |
An enjoyable engtree into the .hack media. While the cuteness factor kind of startled me after the serious tone of .hack//SIGN, I quickly got used to it. Fun characters, cute (if somewhat cluttered) art, and interesting story. While during the first two volumes I was rather unimpressed, the ending made it worth it. |
Hoshin Engi (manga) |
Masterpiece |
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Imadoki! Nowadays (manga) |
Very good |
Not too big into high-school dramas, but this is particularly good. |
Level E (manga) |
Excellent |
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Marmalade Boy (manga) |
Very good |
I'm not too into shojo, but upon purchasing this on a whim I found Marmalade Boy very enjoyable. Good mix of sugary and angsty situations, it never goes overboard with either as shojo titles are apt to do. Appealing characters, good art, and fun story. Great shojo title, and this is coming from a strictly shonen fan. |
Mermaid Saga (manga) |
Excellent |
A story from one of Rumiko Takahashi's side works. Unlike Ranma 1/2 and Urusei Yatsura, the Mermaid Saga stories are very macabre. Lost of blood, creepy implications, and tragic stories. Mermaid Forest in itself is an interesting story, of betrayal, jealousy, and vengeance between two sisters, one of whom has been cursed with immortality. Bittersweet ending, though it leaves a few ends to be loosely tied up. |
Mermaid's Gaze (manga) |
Excellent |
Just as chilling as the other Mermaid Saga stories. A very complex story about the relationship between a forgiving sister and her sadistic brother. Becomes more and more creepy as it progresses, to leave with a shattering conclusion. |
Mermaid's Scar (manga) |
Excellent |
Another deliciously dark story from the Mermaid Saga series. This one features a very evil little boy, and when you discover the secret behind him, you will probably be astounded. This one does not have such a victorious ending. Very recommended to those who would like to see some of Takahasi's darker works. |
Monster (manga) |
Masterpiece |
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Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga) |
Masterpiece |
Hayao Miyazaki's first, last, and only manga. And perhaps his all-time greatest work. Epic adventure on a post-apolyptic world, one wrought with the menace of mankind's regrettable mistakes: The Sea of Decay, a forest of poisonous, mutated fungi. But even in the harsh struggles of survival humanity continues to fight its racial wars. A ray of hope blooms in the form of Nausicaa, a young girl with a passion for the mutated insects. Through her innocence, humanity might be saved from its own destruction. Ecological messages, symbolism on the purpose and value of life, and the true meaning of freedom abound in this masterpiece. |
Rumic Theater (manga) |
Very good |
These stories lean more on the side of domestic than wild fantasy, but despite that still carry Rumiko Takahashi's touch of magic. While not all of them are stellar, these stories are well worth a read. Some of my favorites include "The Diet Goddess," "The Tragedy of P," and "Excuse me for Being a Dog." Funny, heartwarming, and tragic, Rumic Theater is recommended to all who wish to read a good collection of short stories. |
Sand Land (manga) |
Good |
Although most people know Akira Toriyama for his Dragon Ball series, this one-volume story does not deserve to be passed up. A surprising story about a desert world, in which water has become a precious commodity hoarded by a selfish king. Whether you read Sandland in individual chapters through Shonen Jump issues, or all at once in a graphic novel may determine how you like this series. Chopped up into chapters it loses its impact and flow, but read though all at once as a graphic novel I found it very enjoyable. Good for those who want to see Toriyama's other works. |
Sexy Voice and Robo (manga) |
Excellent |
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Yu-Gi-Oh! (manga) |
Very good |
Much better than the anime dub gives it credit. Excluding the Duelist arc, this series has very little to do with the actual card game: there is much more focus on the characters. Very, very evil villains and twisted characters in general, plus weird but wonderful art. The story has a lot of grounding in ancient Egyptian culture. Definetly something different from usual shonen fair. |
Zoids (manga) |
Good |
I'm a long-time Zoids fan so I may be biased, but I loved the manga. An alternate telling of the Chaotic Century anime series, this manga is different but good in its own way. Has interesting differences in character, and the nature of the Zoids themselves is interesting. Great art and humor; I only wish Viz published this in its original 5-volume format, instead of splitting it into fourteen tiny volumes. |