Forum - View topic10 Top Favorite Manga
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Alchemist449
 Posts: 341 Location: LED ZEPPELIN! nuf said |
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Because I have time to write it now! Remember the one in the anime section? This is the manga counterpart.
Favorites: 10.Rurouni Kenshin- My first favorite was chosen for some nostalgic reasons. This was the first shonen manga that grabbed me and made me want more even after it ended. While a lot of cheesy villains come up in the 2nd and 3rd arcs (I mean come on, a guy who has to starve himself so he can fly!?) the main charecters were still people that you have to root for. The part that solidified it in my top ten was the flashback part in the Jinchuu arc. 9.Berserk- A great series with compelling characters that for some I didn't come to care about until just before spoiler[they died]. The characters of Gutts and Caska are people that I care for no matter what happens to them or what they do. The plot twists are exciting and imaginative and add some real depth to the story. The only thing that keeps it from getting a higher spot on the list is the author's constant depiction of rape. We get it already! These evil creatures rape people but do we really have to see it every freaken time a new monster comes along?! 8.Kare Kano- The one shoujo manga that I really enjoy because of the realistic plot and situations. This is the only shoujo that I have read that doesn't use an outlandish plot device that gets the heroine the guy everytime. (Since I haven't read that much shoujo could someone give me some recomendations...and not FB) 7.Tokyo Babylon- Clamp's finest work (in my opinion) is something that raises interesting social issues while adding just the right amount of magic to the mix. This is a story that really touched me as it went on and I hope to read X/1999 once I have the cash. 6.Fullmetal Alchemist- While I may be the only person in this line of thinking, I must say it is superior to the anime. While both are masterpieces the manga moves faster and has little to no filler. I love the way the story progresses and it is the second anga to make me cry (RK being the first). 5.One Piece- My favourite shonen manga by far because of the wacky characters that I fell in love with the first time I read the manga. A silly title that knows when to get serious at just the right moments an knows when to lose pretensions at the right times. I mean, how could you not love a manga with a charecters name being Monkey D. Luffy? 4.Akira- A classic sci-fi. A must read for any science fiction fan whether or not they are into comics. With unforgettable charecters that are extremely violent at times this manga is a must read for fans of action or sci-fi. 3.Blade of the Immortal- A punk samurai epic with the best depictions of fight scenes around. The art in this title is amazing but it only enhances this tale of revenge and repentance. This title is highly reccomended and it will stun you like it did me. 2.Monster- The biggest manga to come out this year is also one of my favorites. The potrayel of Tenma is gripping and throws a question of moral at every one of us: If we had to choose between two people which would we save? If that person you choose to sve commits atrcities will you try to make up for his actions? I can give this title my highest recomendation. 1.Planetes- Ah, the end has come at last. This title is by far a favorite that ended way too early. Which one of us can't say that when they were younger they didn't look up at the sky and dream about being the first to explore some distant planet. This character gets to live out this dream but along the way he meets people that change and shape him along the way. A must read for any fan of good stories. This is the end and I must say ado. Last edited by Alchemist449 on Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:10 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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outlawwolf
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Good idea. I just hope the mods think so as well.
10.Love Hina: This is guy so relatable to my life (except for the whole harem thing) that it's practicaly scary. I almost considered him the anime version of myself until I saw the anime (BASTARD CAN DRAW!!!  ) The situations he gets himself and the other girls in are just plain hilarious and I'm a sucker for love triangles. Plus, those girls are just plain hot.
9.Saiyuki: In my opinion, the story of the story of the Monkey King is just one of the best adventure stories to adapt from. This version is just so stylish and badass, I just don't see how anyone can not love it. The characters all have their own deep seeded issues and I can't wait till all of the mysteries of their past are fully explained. The action scenes are great and the art style is really amazing. 8. Cowboy Bebop: My jaw dropped when I saw that there was actually a Cowboy Bebop manga. After watching the final episode and crying for the remainder of the evening, I just had to ask what more can be told about the Bebop and it's crew. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were still some side stories left to tell. However, I was a bit dissapointed that it didn't add to the characters. It was just a bunch of stand alone episodes really. But still, a bunch of stand alone episodes is better than nothing when it comes to the Bebop Crew. 7. Cowboy Bebop:Shooting Star: And my jaw dropped once again after I thought I had finished buying all 3 of the Cowboy Bebop manga. The art style threw me for a loop(What happened to Spikes fro!!!) but after reading it, I was blown away by this. The reimagining of Cowboy Bebop! I couldn't beleive it! Same characters yet different. It was an enigma wrapped in a mystery buried under a pile of questions, but it still worked out. The characters were still loveable, the characters had depth (about the same depth as the original crew but still, its the crew!) and the action was great. 6. Confidential Confessions: Jesus Christ! When I first read this, I couldn't beleive that this could actually be in print. It was very frightening and very personal to see those stories put down into print. The stories were dark to the point of just being bleak and the characters were sometimes very depressing but I still found myself reading and reaching for the next volume. It got quite redicoulous as the volumes moved on but still, those early volumes can really make you look at the world in a new light. 5. Ragnarok: A manga about norse mythology. Sign me up. Norse mythology has always had a special place in my heart and to see it in manga form was just plain awesome. The dudes are awesome, the ladies are freakin hot, and Loki just rocks the house with the assassin action! And the action, jesus christ don't get me started! Granted, it can be a bit rediculous when spells are tossed out left and right but those spells are still really cool to look at. The characters are engaging (in the case of Lidia, hilarious) and their tales are definately something to get into. It just dissapoints me that Myung is working on the game too much to make anything beyond the 10th volume of what is supposed to be a 40 volume manga! 4. Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad: The trials and the tribulations of a band in the making definately makes for an engaging story. The way Koyuki gets introduced to another world of musical culture very much mirrored my own discovery of good music. There is a sort of loveable naivety of Koyuki that you just can't really get away from and Ryusuke is just plain cool. I love it how he's still trying to get reaquainted with Japan after being in America for so long. This is just a very interesting story with very interesting characters. I can't wait to see more. 3. Azumanga Daioh: When I first started reading through this, I thought it was going to be a silly romp into boy meets girl land. Thank god it did not turn into that! What I got was a book filled with nothing but hilarity from start to finish. I liked how it moved from the vertical 4 panel thing to a full on manga and how it followed them from the beginning all the way to the end. I was genuinly sad to see this one end. I really wanted it to continue since I had grown to really enjoy reading their stories but all good things must come to an end. The tie up in the end was perfect and I don't know if I'll ever find something as funny and endearing as this one was. 2. Megatokyo: I really don't care that this isn't in the Manga list on the encyclopedia or that it wasn't made in Japan. Megatokyo is one of my favorite stories. It started out sketchy but it still remains as one of those titles that practically defines webcomics just like Penny Arcade, and Ctrl Alt Del does. Video game mockery meets love sick drama never mixed so well. Fred definately comes into his own in the second volume and if you've been following the comic online, you can agree that he has definately matured since the early days. The art style (though somewhat reminiscent of Ken Akamatsu) is definately more original than most online comic artists out there and it definatley deserves notice. 1. GTO: The very first manga I ever bought and one of the funniest reads ever! I never burst out loud laughing reading something before I started reading this. This manga is just too damn good! The expressions Onizuka makes are just priceless and I love how he puts himself on the same level as the rest of the students. The students are definatley some of the greatest characters I have seen in a manga. The story of Onizuka is as much about them as it is about Onizuka. And plus, Onizuka is the best lead man I have ever seen. What else is there to say. This is definately one that everyone must have in their collection. It's about 1 am right now and I have school tomorrow morning so I'll write down my 5 least favorite manga another time. |
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Dranxis
 Posts: 591 Location: Ohtori Academy |
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10. Mermaid Saga: Yes, ANOTHER Rumiko Takahashi series, but one I would feel guilty for if I left out. Truly an imaginative and evocative series, with a strange combination of the grisly and the beautiful. Takahashi's take on immortality really has one thinking about just how long you can live before becoming sick of it all. Yuta and Mana are complex and sympathetic characters who have only one another, and the hope of death, to cling to. Truly an underappreciated series.
9. Azumanga Daioh: A truly charming and hilarious series with its own special brand of humor. I love how this really captures the essence of the girls' highschool years, and the characters' quirks are just too funny. (I love Sakaki and Osaka's bizarre dreams about Chiyo-chan). 8. Dragon Ball: While I really dislike the direction Toriyama went with DBZ, I just love Goku's silly adventures in Dragon Ball. A very classic shonen series that was influential for its time, Dragon ball has some hilarious characters and very expressive art. The light-hearted humor never fails to make me smile. 7. Fruits Basket: Like Aria, this series makes me feel calm, and allows me to wind down after a stressful day. It took me awhile to get used to the art style, but now I love it. The characters and the way they interact is very complex, and almost all of them have some sort of problem to work out. 6. Aria: I haven't read YKK, but now that I've seen it compared to this series, I would like to. Aria captures a sense of peace that most of shonen-dominated favorites lack, and it's as relaxing a ride as a real gondola trip. Very beautiful art, and fun characters. 5. Maison Ikkoku: I may not be a romance fan, but this series is just that good. Rumiko Takahashi is social observer with a sense of humor not unlike Charles Dickens, with her hilarious yet true portrayel of people from all stages of life. Godai is a wonderful underdog, going for the woman of his dreams. 4. Naruto: Another shonen favorite for me. The excellent cast of characters, all equally sympathetic and real, backs up a story that would normally be standard shonen fare. Kishimoto's sense of design is amazing and refreshing, with the greatest attention paid to background architecture, clothing and weaponry designs. The action sequences never fail to astound. 3. Excel Saga: A hilarious and bitingly sarcastic series with those of a smarter sense of humor. Combining day-to-day trials and tribulations with outrageous characters, this series has a odd dynamic quality that few other manga touch. Plenty of subtle humor in between the lines, as well as jokes compleetly thrown in your face. 2. Inu-Yasha: While most would call this another mindless and far-too-drawn out shonen series, I would have to say that this series cemented my love of manga forever. While the premise may be cliched, the story that unravels is amazing. A wide variety of characters you can't help but love, plus a gripping story that has many twists and turns. The characterization is top-notch, and shows far more subtleties than the anime. Kikyo, Naraku, Kagura, and Inu-Yasha especially are excellent character studies. 1. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: An amazing story that should be required reading for all lovers of epic literature, manga or otherwise. What starts out as an environmentalist fantasy soon becomes something much deeper, delving into such themes as man's place in nature, the purpose of life, the definition of true freedom, and more. Last edited by Dranxis on Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:46 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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apple pro
Posts: 190 |
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I like romance manga in a shonen style. I like it especially when it's original and well made. If an action manga made it to my list — I must really like it.
1. Love Hina — This is a funny harem/romance/slice of student life in Japan. I think it has great heart and the characters grow into real people by the end. The situations are often ridiculous, the fan service is blatant — but I think it has a certain quality to it that makes it amazing. 2. Love Roma — This book has nothing to do at all with Love Hina. This book is about a straight forward romance between a boy and a girl. Original looking art, funny, entertaining story... I think this book kicks ass. ONe volume out and it made #2 on my list! 3. Beck — Basically a sports manga hidden inside a music manga. The kid is going to grow emotionally, and physically in this manga as he is taken along into the music culture. Plenty of romance and comedy. I feel good when reading this manga. 4. Nodame Cantibile — Another music manga where a loser girl falls for an arrogant dude. They learn from each other and the story is pretty simple and pretty fun. NO sword battles but interesting human emotion type stuff. It's light and breezy to read through. 5. Genshiken — Otaku lifestyle in Japan. Very interesting, very different, very original. 6. Bleach — Action packed with great graphic design in the book, and good shonen type storyline. I find the characters to be very likeable too. 7. Ai Yori Aoshi — Love story that's real well done. It develops into a funny harem manga but it's very sweet. Lots of fan service and the story line is original. 8. Psychic Academy — Kid realizes he's "the one" type story. A cool twist to it is that his older brother was "the one" originally and destroyed a alpha-baddie when he was a tyke. However, it's original and the character development is good. A good love story develops and turns into a triangle. Sweet, action packed and interesting. 9. Aria — In the future, a girl immigrates to Mars (where it was teraa-formed). She becomes a boat rower thing like they have in Venice. This book has wonderful art and has very sweet storylines that is appealing to adults. 10. Negima, Ranma 1/2, Kare Kano — these are good too. Dislike: Hot Gimmick — seems very mean spirited. Over the top teen drama that left me feeling sad after reading it. Crescent Moon — just seemed too contrived with not enough originality. Battle Vixens — has no heart. I expected it to be cheesy and fan serviced out but it had little in drawing me into it. |
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Alchemist449
Posts: 341 Location: LED ZEPPELIN! nuf said |
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Thanks to everyone who posted so far!
 I would also like to ask that peoiple from now on don't post their least favorites. That can
get ugly really quickly. |
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GAMERMASTERMAN
Posts: 16 |
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Well, i just started REALLY getting into manga recently, before i liked some japanese manga. So I cant really put a whole 10, but here is my list,And sorry for my brief reasons why i like these, im not that great at describing things
8)Poke'mon Not the best manga, but Its neat 7)Medabots A great manga to go with a great show 6)Yu-Gi-Oh! I've been a huge fan every since the 1st Episode aired in america, this is a great manga, i personally like it better than the show, they actually do more things than just battle with cards 5)BoBoBo-Bo Bo-BoBo A very odd but strangely addictive manga 4)Zatch Bell! I only have Issue #1 But this is a great manga 3)Dragonball/Dragonball Z I have the first Graphic Novel of this, and i got a lot of the Comic Books.It has a great action/comedy mix, expecially the beginning parts when Goku dosent even know what a Girl is 
2)Inuyasha Again, i only have Issue #1, but it is great. It has a great story along with great Characters. 1).Hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet Mainly because this is the first actual manga that I read besides the Shonen Jump Magazines, It has a great story, and great characters. I hope they will continue to make more .Hack's, i still have yet to pick up the AI Buster novel |
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Nagisa
Moderator
 Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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Just so you know, "Gamermasterman," ANN has a certain rule regarding the mindless listing of titles—outlined here, here, and here—that your post currently violates.
So, we know you like them. That much could be assumed by them being on your favourites list. We still have absolutely no clue why, however.
These are...slightly more acceptable, but they still don't tell us much. "I like the characters" and "I like the action" are pretty stock answers that still tell us nothing of merit. What do you like about the characters/action/etc.? What about it made it stand out above other titles' characters/action/etc.? |
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GAMERMASTERMAN
Posts: 16 |
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o ok
Last edited by GAMERMASTERMAN on Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:55 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Grieving Chaos
Posts: 99 Location: Winterpark, FL |
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Which Pokemon series is being referred to up top? I know there's the (just plain) Pokemon series with art by Toshihiro Ono and that there's another one as well, but I can't remember it's name either. I prefer the one by Ono, but they're both quite good.
10. Excel Saga - A sci-fi/action title hiding behind a curtain of insanity, nonsensicalness, and comedy. From the first volume Excel Saga proves itself worth ones time. Any group that decides to take over the world one city at a time is BOUND to be entertaining (IMO) and this supports it. Excel's antics are fun enough to watch, but throw in Ha-chan's constant deaths and the miserable plights of the social workers and it's a recipe for comedy at the expense of others. Plus, watching the REAL plot slowly develop over time is fascinating, even if it doesn't ever really develop. 9. Neon Genesis Evangelion - I didn't see EVA until YEARS after I heard all the hype, and I did enjoy it. Alot. Shinji is, in my opinion, a very realistic character in his apathy towards his father, piloting Eva, and life in general. The manga doesn't deviate from the anime too much, but it does allow for slower drama moments and faster action moments, allowing for the reader to connect with the characters better. Plus, Sadamoto's art has just the right amount of sketchiness to it. The fights looks brillant as well. 8. Sgt. Frog - Frog-like aliens invading Earth sounds like a bad sci-fi movie plot that you'd see on Mystery Science Theatre 3000. And thankfully, Sgt. Frog would admit that. Filled with wonderfully original and entertaining characters, Sgt. Frog is sci-fi comedy at it's best. All of the characters are unique and weird, both in appearence and in terms of characterization. 7. Eyeshield 21 - The first contact sport manga that I liked. Like the main character, Sena, I had almost no interest in football coming in, but just from reading the manga I'm getting there. The enthusiasm that the characters have for the sport is palpable and catching. And like Sgt. Frog, the characters are all well-developed. Not only do the characters look intersting, but they all have something odd about them that catches you. 6. Firefighter! Daigo of Company M - I've only read the first four volumes, but I love it. A decidedly simple tale of Daigo; a teenage boy who wants to become a fireman. Although he knew his goal, Daigo didn't know alot about BEING a fireman, so learning along with him is a fantastic experience. The sketchy artwork looks good too. It fits the more mundane scenes and the action ones well. 5. Hunter X Hunter - Togashi's artwork continues to "cartoonize" itself in HxH, but still managest to look good. For the most part, Gon is your average shonen hero, so I can't comment too much on that. But where HxH prevails are the fights and powers. Togashi takes the concept of chi (or ki) and makes it seem like it was a real thing. There are so many rules and types that you would think power-creation would be a problem, but if anything they're made more interesting! Not only that, but Togashi makes every fight an important one - no conflict is exactly as it appears. 4. Bleach - Shonen manga at it's finest. Unlike Naruto, with it's large cast, or Dragonball Z with it's reptative story line, Bleach continues to remain a solid, original title that doesn't lose it's focus. Ichigo is a fantastic character, the epitome of of "manly" strength. He sticks by his friends, has his own strong moral code, and won't be deterred from his chosen path. His supporting cast members are also interesting - I especially like his father's antics. The powers that appear are well thought out and original in their presentation, and the ghost world is a concept that could be explored for years. 3. Hikaru no Go - Another title I didn't think I'd enjoy. I ended up reading volume one about twice a day for the next three days after I purchased it. Yumi Hotta's writing somehow captures a sense of importance and...seriousness of A GAME. I mean, I think of board games as something to do to pass the time, but it's like these games are life-and-death when I read it! Akira and Hikaru are also great characters; their rivalry is extremely well done. You can feel Hikaru's sense of regret when he has to use Sai to play Akira, and Akira's powerful defeat at the hands of said ghost. The fact that it looks gorgeous doesn't hurt. 2. Suikoden III - So much to love about this series. Now THIS is epic. Against the backdrop of a three-way war we're told a coming of age tale, a search for a missing father, and about a dozen other stories. It's up to seven volumes and I feel like the plot's surface has barely been scratched! Aki Shimizu does an excellant job on the pencils, they're a wonderful combination of detailed realism and her own less serious style. 1. GTO - GTO is one of my favorite titles simply because I didn't think I'd like it. I mean, a former street punk who becomes a teacher so he can get laid? How could that possibly be a good series? Well, through the use of good characterization, action, and a good balance between comedy and drama it manages it. Onizuka is probably one of the coolest people ever to exist (even fictionally). His carefree attitude mixed with his own set of morals made him a surprisingly well thought out character. |
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Nagisa
Moderator
Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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Um, what? Not being able to put ten is the least of your concerns, in case you didn't bother to actually read my reply. 
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GAMERMASTERMAN
Posts: 16 |
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Nagisa
Moderator
Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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So says the guy "just getting into manga." Irony. Also, if you hate this place so badly, why don't you do us all a favor and just get the hell out now? |
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GAMERMASTERMAN
Posts: 16 |
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i might be new to manga, but that dosent make make me a n00b, a n00b is one who isnt new, but acts it. a newb is one that is truely new. And it isnt really bad, except for the ones like you, that think you better than everyone else
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HitokiriShadow
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Seeing you call people n00bs/newbs so ironic, it almost isn't even funny. Um, see that little word below Nagisa's name? That says "moderator." Ignoring a mod (short for moderator) is a good way to get banned quick. Nagisa (or any other Mod), if this first part of my post is a problem, just tell me and I'll edit the post myself (and save you the trouble). Back on topic: I'll just give my top 5, because top 10 would require too much thinking and typing. 5. GANTZ This is the second goriest and most violent manga I've read (Battle Royale beats it in that department), but the story, though very slow moving, I find to be very interesting and original. It's pretty predictable for a while, but after the Buddha Temple arc, things get less predictable and much more interesting. The characters are killed off indiscriminately. Elaborate backstories and character development do not prevent characters from being killed of during the hunts. "Kill 'em All" Tomino would be proud. 4. Magi Master (Mahou Sensei) Negima Technically, it's a harem manga. It's from Ken Akamatsu, what do you expect? However, it adds some much needed variety to the tired harem genre. Instead of the typical four or five girls, you start off with about 30 girls. They range from the typical shy girl to vampires and robots. And you still get more characters later. The protagonist, rather than being some loser and/or college student, is a ten year old kid... who just graduated from wizard school... and is now starting his job as a teacher... at an all girls school. And this series' animal mascot is a talking, smoking, perverted ferret. Like Love Hina, the art is great. Ken Akamatsu has some great designs and puts a lot of detail and interesting little hidden 'easter eggs' of sorts. Like the drinks Yue drinks (one is labled 'Final Elixer,' a Final Fantasy reference). I also love the clothing designs he gives the characters and the detail he puts into them. The first volume or two are good but nothing great. It's basically Love Hina with magic. But around volume three, the series becomes great. The series starts interesting story arcs that take advantage of Negi's magical abiliites and the various girls' personalities and abilities. Yes, some of the characters' designs are copied straight from Love Hina, but Negima's characters are actually better than their Love Hina counterparts. Plus, the fanservice doesn't seem to be so blatant as the series goes on. 3. Rurouni Kenshin Rurouni Kenshin has (with the possible exceptions of Ken Akamatsu and Tite Kubo) the best artwork I've seen in a shonen manga series. The characters look wonderful and detailed. A big draw for this series, for me, is the historical setting and the focus on samurai. It's far from being realistic, but it's a great series anyway. 2. Bleach Bleach isn't particularly original, but originality isn't everything. I love Bleach because it is so entertaining to read and it's great story. Bleach is, for the most part, paced very well and there is rarely a boring moment (*cough*the cannon ball*cough*). Though Bleach isn't terrible original (when you first hear about the premise of the story, Yu Yu Hakusho comes to mind), it is still interesting and not terribly predictable. The biggest draw of the series for me, though, is the characters. All of the characters are interesting and most of them are pretty likeable unless you aren't supposed to like them. Generally, I don't care for Fighting/Adventure Shonen main protagonists. Ichigo (the main character of Bleach) is one of the few shonen protagonists I actually like. And I like him alot. He's awesome. The only other shonen Main Characters that come close are Yusuke (Yu Yu Hakusho) and Kenshin (Ruruoni Kenshin). 1. Ayashi no Ceres This series has the best artwork (in my opinion) of any manga series I've read. More importantly, I found the story to be very powerful and emotional. It is paced well and never feels forced. The characters, for the most part, are done very well. Everyone has motives for what they do, and very few (if any) characters are 'just evil.' Other than the 'doomed twins' thing, the story is very original as well. The only real problem this series has is the "Tamahome Syndrome" that all Yuu Watase's lead males seem to suffer from. It's a pity this series is always overshadowed by Fushigi Yuugi. Last edited by HitokiriShadow on Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:57 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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outlawwolf
Posts: 645 |
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Your going to get this thread locked for pointlessly arguing with a mod. Nagisa isn't complaining about the amount of manga you listed. She's saying that giving such short reasons as to why you like those series was on the verge of listing which is against the forum rules. If you want to list why you liked those series, then you have to give more reason, a more insightful look into the reasons why you liked those manga other than "I like the characters and art."
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