Forum - View topicRecommendation!!
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.Metal.
 Posts: 64 |
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I'll try to make this as detailed as I can. First of all, I'm looking for a short series. By short I mean it would be nice if it was less than ten. Or at least less than 12 if it's really great.
I'm not really looking for something of any particular genre, although I do tend to like seinen and shonen. Mostly I'm just looking for a good story with interesting characters, but detailed and well drawn artwork is extremely important to me. Currently I'm leaning towards Planetes, but I have a limited amount of cash and I want to find something that will be really worth it. As far as the type of manga, I like dark action or comedy. Not particularly interested in purely romance titles, but if that is part of the story that is fine with me. Sometimes I even like that, as long as it isn't the basis of the entire manga. As far as gore and nudity, that kind of stuff doesn't bother me at all, but I'm looking for something with a very good storyline. That is pretty much all, but I thought I would add that it would be good if the manga is something that wouldn't be extremely difficult to find, like something that could be found fairly easily at a bookstore or the like. I'm not interested in buying online. Oh yeah, stories that are only one volume are fine with me as well. Thanks in advance 
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Moomintroll
 Posts: 1600 Location: Nottingham (UK) |
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Planetes is certainly well worth buying (though it's not primarily concerned with either action or comedy). It deserves its reputation as a classic.
Other than that, a few suggestions: Battle Angel Alita (9 volumes) is a great, visually impressive, dystopian sci-fi series. Tanpenshu (2 volumes) is a really impressive set of short stories by the author of Eden that I can wholeheartedly recommend. Parasyte (currently up to volume 5 with another three volumes to go) is a wonderfully twisted and engaging thriller. |
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Highway Star
 Posts: 227 Location: Ireland |
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Dead End, its a 4-volume series released by Tokyopop. Its a psychological thriller with a few horror elements, and naturally a Seinen. Shohei Manabe's art is really sketchy and sharp, with a lot of little lines and dirty backgrounds, but if you like that kinda stuff (like me), you'll dig it.
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.Metal.
Posts: 64 |
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Oh, Parasyte is only 8 volumes? That's really good to know, I just might buy that one. Is it more of a horror series or sci fi? |
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Lunarose
 Posts: 128 |
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I can beat that! FOUR volumes, best (creepiest) horror ever in my opinion.
Uzumaki (Spiral) - (And no, I'm not talking about Uzumaki Naruto here.) Uzumaki starts with a small, normal town called Kurôzu-cho. Slowly and oddly though, the townspeople strangely become obsessed with the natural and artificial spirals around them, twisting them all insane, one by one. People start dying gruesome, horribly depicted deaths involving a spiral one way or another. Realistic and macabre, if you love horrors, you'd be horrible yourself if you skipped this one (I'm joking). With unique stories throughout each chapter, it truly is worth getting. There is actually a live action movie that was created based on this manga series. Seinen. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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It has elements of both, though it leans towards sci-fi, I guess. It's not strictly either; more like a drama with elements of action, horror and sci-fi. I heartily second everything Moomintroll has recommended, too, with some misgivings about Battle Angel Alita (though you will probably enjoy it). Also, it feels like I've been talking about Solanin every other post in this sub-forum recently. I've talked about it before, so you could search for a more detailed post on my love for it. Suffice to say it fills every criteria you're looking for; it's not an action or comedic title, but the romance isn't filled from any type of eye-rolling melodrama. (The main relationship actually feels like one of the most natural I've read in comics, really.) Edit: Fixed a typo. Last edited by HellKorn on Sun Nov 02, 2008 6:32 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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.Metal.
Posts: 64 |
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Thanks for all of the replies! I think for now I will check out Parasyte, Uzumaki and Solanin.
Actually I had one more question about another series, Gyo. I know its by the same manga-ka as Uzumaki, and I was curious to hear someones opinion on it. The plot sounds fairly ridiculous... I mean, the whole legged fish idea screams of stupidity. Has anyone read it that would like to share their opinion? |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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Don't care for it. The second short in the back of the last volume is great, but otherwise it's a threadbare story that doesn't have the visual creativity that made Ito's Uzumaki at least worth reading. |
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Moomintroll
Posts: 1600 Location: Nottingham (UK) |
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Uzumaki is actually three volumes. And, yes, it is very good.
It is a (deliberately) ridiculous plot and, as Hellkorn says, it's not got the creativity or depth of Uzumaki. Having said that, I really quite like it - it's daft, over the top and relies on its grotesque imagery to get by but it's quite fun and at only two volumes it doesn't outstay its welcome. If you're intersted in Junji Ito's horror manga, you might also want to try Museum Of Terror (three volumes from Dark Horse). The first two volumes contain shorts about the Tomie character (who just refuses to stay dead...) while the third (and best) volume contains unconnected short stories. |
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stuckinfresno
 Posts: 223 Location: Fresno, CA |
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Hello just to add to the notes on GYO - yeah I can't say that I'd recommend it. It is rather ridiculous and in the end I wondered why I even cared to read the second vol. It really is forgetable. But Uzumaki (3 vol) is fantastic and I second the recommendation for Musuem of Terror (I believe also 3 vol). Both are wonderfully creepy and great reads.
Another second would go to Tanpanshu. Technically the series is two volumes in length but the work is more like an anthology series. Still despite being short stories, the plot is deeply involving and interesting. New works I wanted to throw out: Real Lies - one shot work from Ice Kunion. Collection of three works. Admittedly, one of the them isn't all that great, but the other two make up for that. Especially the final work which involves an incredible plot twist. I've reread this short story so many times! Minor mecha in this work. Old Boy - 8 vols in length and the best revenge manga I've read. The is a really good series. Very Noir. (Note: I'd mention Hellsing but I saw you in the Vampire post - so I don't need to preach to the choir.) I don't know if anyone has mentioned this one but there is also Battle Royale. The story plot is somewhat classic. Students are gathered onto an island and told to kill each other off until one it left - the winner of a sick killing game. As I said the plot is a lot like your 80's Rollerball or that freaking Arnold movie that I cannot think of the name for at this moment. (Argh). That said I do like the work - twisted and violent as it is. It is 15 vols in length unless you get the hardbound omnibus version which is 5 vols in length. Also if you like Battle Royale you might want to consider Berserk. The series is going on for a long time (I believe vol 24 was just released), but fans adore it. I haven't looked into it myself yet but it is on my wants list. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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I would beg a person not to read the manga and go for the novel instead. Not only will they save a lot of money, but the novel is simply far better. The manga uses a lot of ugly art that's hell-bent on a massive excess gore and sex, and the re-written adaption for Tokyopop makes the adaption even worse.
Berserk is nothing like Battle Royale, though it gets a very high recommendation from me. (And volume 25 was just released in North America last month; volume 33 was just released last week in Japan.) |
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.Metal.
Posts: 64 |
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Yeah, the book was fantastic. I glanced at the manga, and all of the characters looked all... wrong. But that was just the artwork, so I have no idea what they did to the story. |
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stuckinfresno
Posts: 223 Location: Fresno, CA |
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Oh well to each his own.
I just recently ordered the novel from Amazon - I'll have to check it out once it arrives. |
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Tamaria
 Posts: 1512 Location: De Achterhoek |
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Telepathic Wanderers (four volumes)
It has a pretty interesting, more down to earth, take on the psychic powers idea. Here is ANN's review of the first volume. Dragon head (ten volumes) Great horror series with plenty of twists and turns. The first two volumes are especially impressive. A good choice if you want horror that doesn't rely on supernatural events. King of Thorn (seven volumes) A kind of survival/horror story with plenty of action. The ideas used aren't very original, but Yuji Iwahara knows how to tell a story. |
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.Metal.
Posts: 64 |
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Wow, I read the first 2 volumes of Uzumaki thinking I couldn't be creeped out by a comic book. This thing is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. Its really good though, and now I understand Moomintroll's icon.
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