Forum - View topicYour Favourite Manga of 2006
|
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4 Next |
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
marie-antoinette
 Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
|
||
|
Okay, I know it's a bit past New Years, but I think tha there is still time for many lists summarizing the year gone by. So, what was your favourite manga (or favourites, if you truly can't make up your mind) of the year? It can be anything, as long as you read it in 2006
For me, it was definitely NANA. I become completely drawn in by this series when I first picked up Shoujo Beat in the summer of 2005, but it was with the release of the live-action and especially the anime that really got me to fall for this series. I love Yazawa Ai's stories and style, they have a realistic edge that I find other series often lack. Granted it does get very soap opera-esque at times, but it never goes so far that it's unbeleivable, at least in my opinion. One of my favourite things with her is that she's not afraid to show relationships end and end BADLY (though also without really vilifying either side). She also has very interesting sex scenes, more so in Paradise Kiss, that really seem less idealized and more personal (which makes reading them feel quite awkward at times, because you feel more of a voyeur than usual). Runners up would be: Ouran Host Club, Paradise Kiss, Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden |
|||
|
|||
GoodLuckSaturday
 Posts: 567 Location: Indiana |
|
||
For new series, I really can't think of one that stood out to me the most, but I loved my experience with Hayate the Combat Butler. I can't really say it was my favorite, since I only read one volume, but I was surprised how much fun Hayate was. The comedy was strange and silly, the characters are just bursting with energy, and I think it's goofy enough to work. For carry-over series, I'm not sure I'm more into I"s or Negima!. While I've been a huge fan of Negima! since volume one, I'm loving this school festival arc and what the series has done in terms of being an action manga. The always out of place nudity has been toned down, the fanservice is actually within logical range, and the artwork and action scenes are some of my favorites. I"s is starting to really ramp up as well. It had its moments early on, but I didn't think it would ever fully hit its stride the way it has around volume 9. I'm impressed with the way this series actually progresses itself. There are a lot of "c'mon" moments, but it actually progresses enough to seem like it's doing something. Not to mention it actually jumps the ultimate shonen romance hurdle by volume ten, so it's at a great spot. When I buy new manga, I tend to finish whatever book I was reading, but these two I read as soon as I get them now. I do agree with you on NANA though. It's gotten excellent as well. Eyeshield 21 has been great too, but the series just hasn't been as gripping since the climax of the NASA Aliens game. And for a series I should've been reading all along, I have to say Hunter x Hunter. I admit I was a bit unsure with the tower arc and the whole shonen ultra power training stuff, but the Spiders arc has really done a lot for this series, and I can't wait to read volume 13. |
|||
|
|||
LydiaDianne
 Posts: 5634 Location: Southern California |
|
||
|
Hmmm. I would have to say that Hana-Kimi is my favorite of 2006, I love the characters and the situation that they are in. It just seems to keep getting better each volume.
My next one would be Tsubasa, RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE . Being a CLAMP and Cardcaptor Sakura fan, these alternate versions of Sakura and Shaoran have captured my heart. And I'm enjoying seeing other old CLAMP friends in new versions. Lastly would be Tenjho Tenge surprisingly enough. I'm just enjoying the heck out of this series. Each volume is getting better and better! I can't wait for volume 12 to come out because volume 11 was just so expolsive! Honorable mentions for 2006 would be: xxxholic, Angel Sanctuary and Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden. |
|||
|
|||
|
fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
|
||
|
One Piece could have easily taken the crown this year, but I read some really interesting shojo series in 2006, so my best manga for 2006 would probably be Lovely Complex. This series, though not finished yet, has had a very successful run with it's themes that can happen anytime in real life, and for it's comedic elements. Second place, and a very close one at that, is Fruits Basket. Definetly. With it's wonderful ending that it had, it definetly deserved the Masterpiece rating that I gave it. Wonderful love story and comedy.
|
|||
|
|||
Celes
 Posts: 223 Location: Madison, WI |
|
||
|
Mmm...well I have been following more manga than ever this year...but I think I can easily narrow it down to:
Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden by Yu Watase. I think this is my absolute favorite of 2006 because it is a prequel to one of my all-time favorites, Fushigi Yugi, but also because the story is really fascinating. Although you don't have to read Fushigi Yugi to "get" it, I think a great deal of the story's appeal is because spoiler[In Fushigi Yugi, you learn that the heroine of Genbu Kaiden, the Priestess of Genbu, gets killed by her father at the end of her "story" because she is partially devoured by Genbu.] But even if you don't know that, Taki is a great shojo heroine, strong and in my opinion, less annoying than Miaka...-_- The art is also gorgeous. Anyway, I can't wait to see how the series ends, even though...technically I do...I just want to see how Yu Watase pulls it off... A close second is Godchild by Kaori Yuki...handsome protagonist, set in London (which is a nice change from the usual Tokyo setting), and very interesting mystery stories within the overall arc that I actually have trouble figuring out until they reveal the culprits. Also, the art is very beautiful. I would say it's a lot better than Genbu Kaiden's, but the whole Fushigi Yugi storyline pretty much has me and my money sucked in til the end, so that is where my loyalties lie 
|
|||
|
|||
Otaku0013
 Posts: 19 Location: SC |
|
||
|
Death Note is my favorite manga of the year. Once I starting reading a volume can not put it down. It has an amazing story and a ton of surprising events. While Death Note is my favorite this year these other manga below deserve mentions.
Monster is another of my favorites. Monster is a classic manga filled with suspense. Sgt. Frog is hilarious and always entertaining. Blade of the Immortal is filled with tons of action and great art. Hunter x Hunter keeps getting better and better. Drifting Classroom is a classic horror manga Kazuo Umezu. The manga is unlike anything I have ever read. The manga will really mess with your head. |
|||
|
|||
|
marie-antoinette
Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
|
||
The spoilers definitely do make up a lot of the appeal for me spoiler[because I'm very interested in seeing how Watase Yuu deals with having a sad ending with her main character dead (and presumably Limdo as well, because he wasn't guarding the shinzaho in the Suzaku/Seiryuu arc) , though I think it's going to be somewhat bittersweet at least.] But I agree that it's not the only appeal and it is better than the original Fushigi Yuugi but a fair amount (though I personally really like Miaka), of course it only makes sense since it's been over a decade since the first series was written and Watase Yuu has improved a lot in storytelling and art. |
|||
|
|||
Callik
 Posts: 12 Location: North America/ Not Mexico |
|
||
|
My favorite manga of 2006 would have been claymore. The Tereasa story arc ended so we're back to Clare again, this time she's not facing normal yoma...
|
|||
|
|||
Monumension
 Posts: 268 Location: Norway |
|
||
|
If you mean series I started on this year then Bokurano takes the price. As someone else noted someplace, it’s Mohiro Kitoh’s grim twist on the giant mecha-genre just like Narutaru was his version of the “magical creature-genre”. I believe there’s something about a bunch of young characters in freaky life/death situations that gets to me every time such a story appears. Even though the plot is disturbing and occasionally depressing it’s not always a sad story though. There’s lots of happiness and funny moments to go around which saves it from being totally sterile, something I also noticed in Narutaru. I hear an anime is on its way so I’m excited to see how it’ll turn out.
As for ongoing series I already was into before 2006 Gunnm: Last Order is the clear winner. I’m pleasantly surprised to see more people like the new direction starting with vol.8; centring on a giant flashback that will most likely take up the next few volumes. It felt more like a chance to explore new territories with the same story, rather than a lost-the-plot situation I feared most people would criticize it for. Honourable mentions to: Ohikkoshi, Monster, Narutaru, King of Thorns, Eden, Uncivilized Planet, Biomega and Death Note (although it didn’t quite live up to the hype in my eyes). Kudos to Drifting Classroom and Dragon Head for managing to make creepy stories without turning a series into a splatterfest. Two weeks into the new year I’ll say 20th Century Boys will be my manga of the year 2007! |
|||
|
|||
|
cnile
Posts: 26 |
|
||
|
Hunter x Hunter is my favorite action manga from 2006, i'm in the middle of volume 11 right now, but i hope the series still stays this strong after the spiders arc. Cromartie High school is my favorite comedy, the gags are just so ridiculously stupid but awesome at the same time.
i have to give an honorable mention to Gloom Party. its really weird, but i had a lot of fun reading it, plus it explains alot of cultural references. |
|||
|
|||
aya_honda
 Posts: 920 Location: Around here |
|
||
|
I think that mine will have to be Fruits Basket though it wouldn't surprise anyone anymore...
  I think that it was one of the best mangas I have read in my life. It was a thrilling experience not to mention an emotional and interesting adventure to read those volumes. The last year brought the perfect ending to a story that captivated me so much; the intrigue was complex, the characters lived up to my expectations (the grow as the story grows, which I found terribly exhilarating)
Though still hooked up on Lovely Complex and the dizziness of Death Note has not disappeared yet, I would say that an honourable mention to my top would be Monster. I think that Urasawa Naoki does a great job with this manga which is quite unusual and it clearly offers a different experience to what I have read so far. But momentarily I'm discovering Black Lagoon by Hiroe Rei. So who knows what might happen next?! |
|||
|
|||
|
mistress_reebi
Posts: 735 Location: Canada |
|
||
I agree! It's one of my favourite manga of all times. spoiler[ Doesn't Suzuno, the daughter of the guy Takiko likes, become the pristess that gets eaten? Taikiko doesn't eat eaten because her heart was pure, right? I could be wrong, it's been awhile since I've seen FY.] |
|||
|
|||
|
LydiaDianne
Posts: 5634 Location: Southern California |
|
||
It's the other way around. Taikiko is spoiler[killed by her father. We'll have to see the truth of the matter when Watase-san ends the story. We only have Taikiko's father's word from Miaka's FY that Genbu was devouring Taikiko. But, Suzuno was the priestess that survived and met with Keisuke and Takaya just before she died.] |
|||
|
|||
Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
|
||
|
For books that were first published in the US in 2006, there are a ton of choices I could choose from. While it isn't technically, 100% "manga" per say, I think the best book I read within the past year was Japan as Viewed by 17 Creators. Collections of various short stories are usually good picks because your almost always going to get a few great stories in them, but the amount of talent featured in Japan is simply amazing. Even if you don't count the exellent stories by European authors (since they technically aren't manga) it has nothing but acclaimed manga-ka: Jiro Taniguchi, Taiyo Matsumoto, Moyocco Anno, Daisuke Igarashi etc. Each author brings their own unique interpritation to the assignment (write a story about your hometown, or in the European's cases a city you visited), which vary from simple stories about everyday life to a bittersweet romance to a supernatural tale to quasai-folktale/autobiographical piece (only Taiyo Matsumoto could come up with a genre like that). Its an amazing range of diffrent styles, and combined with the stories from the European artists I feel this is the best collection of shorts I've seen in a long time. Really just an imaginative, even inspired piece of work.
As for other more traditional releases, Abandon the Old in Tokyo was really a stunning collection that showed alot of growth from last year's Tatsumi collection. Definitally one of the most thought-provoking and historically important releases of the year. Ode to Kirihito was amazing as expected (its Tezuka), and to be perfectly honest put a certian medical thriller, one that got alot more attention than Kirihito from manga fans, to shame. Drifting Classroom is an awesome, maddening piece of manga. Emma is pretty much the definition of a sleeper hit, and an especially charming, wonderfully understated one at that. Ohikkoshi was probobly the title I had the most fun reading (again), and Yakitate!! Japan was one of the best shonen series I've read in a long time. As for series from years past that have continued this year, Vagabond was perhapse my favorite, if only because Inoue returns to form after a disapointing couple of volumes at the end of the Kojiro arc. Eden also was amazing, even if the fifth volume was a bit of a disapointment compared to the ones before it. Amazingly, Chikyu Misaki seems to get no respect despite being one of the most entertaining titles on the English market (its like the coolest 80's adventure flick that was never made). Finally, Nodame Cantable and Love Roma continued to suprise me and charm my hardened soul with every new volume. On the flipside of things, I had read this year's Berserk content years ago and certianly wouldn't call the manga "charming," but re-reading the end of the "Golden Age" only reminded me of the power the fantasy epic possesses at its peak. Last edited by Kagemusha on Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:03 am; edited 2 times in total |
|||
|
|||
|
Celes
Posts: 223 Location: Madison, WI |
|
||
Oh yeah, hee hee, I totally forgot about spoiler[Limdo], but now that you have re-ignited my thoughts about him, my running theory is spoiler[that he might commit suicide, although I'm not sure yet on how he would even find out Taki dies, since she dies in the real world...unless he heard her calling out to him like Keinsuke often does to Miaka in FY.] But don't get me wrong, I love Miaka. I mean, I have a giant life-sized cardboard cutout of her in my room. I think what I meant to say was, she is less annoying than anime Miaka. I love manga Miaka, but when it comes to the two priestesses I think I might Taki better...of course I'll have to read her whole story to know for sure. |
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group