Manga that you read that you're pretty sure no one else here reads

[Kaori]

[Tenkensai] series is being publish in English on the 25th of September. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for sharing how you feel.

That’s terrific news! One Peace Books, huh . . . I’m not familiar with them. Interestingly, although the Japanese edition has two wraparound cover images, one on the book itself and a different one on the dust jacket, the cover picture for the US release is a completely different image. Odd.

I looked through the 25-page preview on the publisher’s website, and I have to say that I really disagree with some of their translations—particularly the way that in the first 25 pages there are 3 places where they randomly insert profanity where there wasn’t any in the Japanese. On the other hand, they added in the story of Orochi and Susanoo, which wasn’t in the original but is necessary in order to understand the manga, and that was a very good decision.

Anyways, translation issues aside, everyone ought to go buy this as soon as it hits the shelves.

Basara: Its a shojo adventure series that deals about revolution lead by a young girl who is pretending to be a guy. The art might seem terrible but if you get past that you'll have an epic series to devour. Its published in English.

I read this a while ago and got up to maybe volume 18 or so before I stopped; it was one of my favorite manga at the time.

[Sapphy]

@Atria: Actually, I've read part of 1/2 Prince too. Woulda finished it but OneManga shut down... not sure what I think of it though :/

Other than that.. I've never heard of any of these. Haha. And I don't think I've read anything that most people haven't.

[GeneD]

And does anyone on here other than the reviewer of the manga read Petshop of Horrors? because I haven't heard it mentioned by anyone, and I'm almost finished with the series... two volumes left, and even though it gets to be somewhat frustrating, I'm looking forward to finally finishing it. (Can't make any promises about liking it overall, but I want to finish it.)

I read most of volume 1 a while back in a bookstore and today I bought and read vol. 1 and 2. Why do you say that it gets frustrating?

[Asuka Neko]

Okay, not sure if anyone else has already posted this on here, because I don't have the time right now to read this whole forum, but...

+Anima, one of the best mangas I've EVER read! It's about four kids who has animal-like powers (basically, they can transform partially into animals, i.e. getting bird wings, a mermaid tail, ect.) but people in their world discriminate against these +Anima. It's only 10 volumes long T.T I wish it was longer.... but it's really good! Read it! And it's also kind of obscure. But maybe not that obscure, because I can find it at all the libraries I go to (not that I need to...)

[AnimeGirl]

Okay, not sure if anyone else has already posted this on here, because I don't have the time right now to read this whole forum, but...

+Anima, one of the best mangas I've EVER read! It's about four kids who has animal-like powers (basically, they can transform partially into animals, i.e. getting bird wings, a mermaid tail, ect.) but people in their world discriminate against these +Anima. It's only 10 volumes long T.T I wish it was longer.... but it's really good! Read it! And it's also kind of obscure. But maybe not that obscure, because I can find it at all the libraries I go to (not that I need to...)

I've been meaning to try out this series, I always see it at my fave bookstore. And when Asuka-chan likes something, I can trust in reading/watching it, 'cause then I know there's no terribly inappropriate stuff like hentai or yaoi/yuri XD!!!

[Asuka Neko]

I've been meaning to try out this series, I always see it at my fave bookstore. And when Asuka-chan likes something, I can trust in reading/watching it, 'cause then I know there's no terribly inappropriate stuff like hentai or yaoi/yuri XD!!!

You should, it's really good! There are some short parts that can be a little violent, but if you've read Tsubasa, it probably won't bother you

[Atria35]

Well, this one is really a manwha but I've been reading 'Dear My Girls' lately,

+Anima

I admit it, Dear My Girls disappointed me. I expected something more.... Little Women. Instead, I got a typical- nay, stereotypical- shoujo storyline that just borrowed the names and a little of the personalities of the original wonderful characters. I wanted to cry.

And +Anima is great. A little too young for me (it's definitely for the preteens/ young teens) but very good regardless. I wish there had been more to it.

[AnimeGirl]

Ah! I got some titles! They're manga that aren't by Japanese artists, but still manga, right?

"Amaing Agent Luna" I had bought this with no knowledge at all of this title, it was a blind buy, but it was rated "All Ages" so I thought "hey, shouldn't be much bad content, right?", so I got it, and LOVED IT!!! Had more cussing than I'd expect (nothing harsh or anything, think of a slightly toned down FMA when it comes to dialogue XD!!!). The action scenes could of been rendered better, but the overall storyline is rather interesting. Just wish there were more! But they purposely left it open for that possibility, so let's hope so! *crosses fingers*

"The World Stops" The first volume was self-published, and Muffin-sama plans to have volume 2 hopefully out before AnimeExpoAX 2011. It's a really cute, clean manga, with an engaging storyline. It's about a girl named Liz who finds out she is a Time-Keeper, and her mission is to "stop worlds". The art is really good, and the characters are really loveable! It can be a bit confusing at times, but that's no big deal; Liz has no idea what's going on either! XD!!!

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Gogo Monster by Taiyo Matsumoto.

This amazing one-shot is by the mangaka who did Tekkon Kinkreet and No. 5, though I don't think he's too well-known on this forum. The story was published all at once, and, thankfully, Viz released the book in one hardbound 450ish page volume.

I would recommend staying away from reviews/summaries of this book b/c they tend to be spoilerific. Even if they are not, it really is much better if you go in knowing as little as possible. But, since you can't sell anything on that premise, I'll give you a lil sumpin sumpin:

[SIZE="3"]
Good Morning Super Star![/SIZE]

Gogo Monster follows (mostly the first grade year of) Yuki Tachibana, a boy who can see another world. He is acquainted with many creatures from "the other side" and enjoys their company (mocking ensues). Yuki's only friend is the groundskeeper, old man Ganz...until Makoto, a new transfer student, takes an interest in Yuki's strange yet matter-of-fact utterances about the other side and its inhabitants. Apparently there is a problem: in addition to the mischievous yet friendly creatures, there are bad ones simply called "others." And they are multiplying.

[SIZE="3"]
Don't expect The Door to stay open forever.[/SIZE]

So, you should ditch all your preconceived notions of what this is going to be like. Magical creatures from another world=super-fun adventure time? Nope. Here are a few words that describe this manga: surreal, chilling, hypnotic, unsettling.

The premise in the hands of another mangaka might have been executed more typically or designed for the shounen reading crowd. For instance, you never out-and-out observe the creatures that Yuki sees. Disappointed? Look harder. Stare into the raindrops, the eyes of the protagonist, the shadows... hidden things lurk within. Or do they? Is Yuki just insane?

Matsumoto crafts a story and an atmosphere that ever-so-gently sucks you into his dreamlike (at times nightmarish) world. Even the way you look at the panels changes by the end. Speaking of the end, Gogo Monster's is pretty satisfying, albeit slightly ambiguous. Reader-interpretation is required.

[SIZE="3"]
To be perfectly honest, the children frighten me these days. It's like their from another planet.[/SIZE]

The art itself is quite jarring when compared to most manga. Thin lines and stark black/white contrasts abound. Teeth are drawn realistically. A larger-than-usual percentage of panels have no dialogue. Here is a sample:

If unusual art, straightforward endings or surreal/chilling tales do not turn you off, you really should check out Gogo Monster. Sit down for a couple of hours, and read it in one sitting. Prepare to be affected. Gogo Monster truly deserves to be called a work of art.

...and I.Q. might be the creepiest character of all time.

*EDIT: blkmage will be interested to note that Gogo Monster has been compared to Nijigahara Holograph

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Tekkon Kinkreet by Taiyo Matsumoto

My last post about a Matumoto manga was probably a little bit tl;dr, so I'll try to keep it concise this time (EDIT* see what a good job I did? xp).

Orphaned on the mean streets of Treasure Town, lost boys Black and White must mug, steal and fight to survive. Around them moves a world of corruption and loneliness, small-time crooks and neurotic police officers, and a band of sadistic yakuza who have plans for their once-fair city. Can they rise above their environment?

Tekkon Kinkreet is a character-driven urban drama/adventure story, with heavy doses of brutality, modernity-fueled emphasis on isolation and humanity-induced nausea, along with a pinch of surrealism. At its heart, though, it really is all about its male leads. They are something akin to punk avatars]Gogo Monster[/B], Tekkon Kinkreet struck an emotional chord with me. It manages to be both disturbingly dark (really) and warmly charming simultaneously, probably due to what Matsumoto expresses through the two lead characters, Kuro (Black) and Shiro (White). The sadistic yakuza as well as Black's violent descent into madness repel the reader, but White's childlike nature ("singy songs!") and genuine, trusting personality make it so that the reader can't quite turn totally away. And the ending offers both a satisfying character resolution as well as a message of hope (despite the seemingly hopeless world).

The art remains the same as Matsumoto's other work, bearing a European influence. Though Gogo Monster was more detailed more of the time, Tekkon Kinkreet shows off what he can do. Unconventional by manga standards, but that lends to his narrative and also makes his work more interesting.

I give this manga a 9/10, only because (1) the only thing I have to compare it with is Gogo Monster and it is not quite a rich as that and (2) the initial chapters are a bit on the slow side. I understand that Matsumoto is establishing an aesthetic (which is interesting and entertaining), but I feel that it takes a bit longer than it ought to before things truly get rolling.

Someone who can handle the content (PM me) and digs psychologically-driven seinen works, read Matsumoto's stuff. He really is great.

[Atria35]

Tekkon Kinkreet has been on my to-read list since FOREVER. I've heard it's beyond fantastic. Ah, dear. So much manga, so little time.

[Atria35]

Soory for the double-post!

And I'm back with Cirque du Freak, a manga based off the Darren Shan novels. It's about a boy who's drawn into a freak show by his friend, and becomes a vampire to then protect him. His friend- who deperately wanted to become a vampire- swears revenge. A double-hit of neat because it's based off of some great books, and the storytelling in the manga is fantastic- it definitely keeps with the feel of the books. It also definitely got a dark feel to it, but I would be comfortable giving it to someone 14 or so.

Real/Fake Princess- During an uprising, one of the Emperor's concubines gives her daughter, one of the prinesses, to a commoner to raise in safety. She grows up happily, and has no desire to go back, but is in love with the warrior who is given the task of bringing her back to her family. The story is a bit rushed, but not too shabby for a historical romance

[wildpurplechild]

Soory for the double-post!

And I'm back with Cirque du Freak, a manga based off the Darren Shan novels. It's about a boy who's drawn into a freak show by his friend, and becomes a vampire to then protect him. His friend- who deperately wanted to become a vampire- swears revenge. A double-hit of neat because it's based off of some great books, and the storytelling in the manga is fantastic- it definitely keeps with the feel of the books. It also definitely got a dark feel to it, but I would be comfortable giving it to someone 14 or so.

I read this one up to book 3 I think after reading the first novel. It didn't really grab my attention. I can't exactly say way, but I guess I found it mediocre.

[Atria35]

I read this one up to book 3 I think after reading the first novel. It didn't really grab my attention. I can't exactly say way, but I guess I found it mediocre.

Really? Well, different strokes! I honestly don't know how it could be considered mediocre, but I'm not you- different tastes

[Blacklight]

@ GeneD and chichiriNoDa:

Hmm... It's just got an element or two that are used every so often that rub against me wrong. I liked it by the end, not enough to call it my favorite, but I think the good outweighed most of the bad. Sorry, It's hard for me to explain. It's pretty good, though. I think I would give it an 8/10.

[wildpurplechild]

I started reading Gogo Monster and I accidently started reading it from the back! That explains why I was so confused, however from the front I was confused too, and I didn't finish it.

One korean Mahnwa I read that I doubt many on CAA have read was called Ark angels. The main characters are three sisters named Shemu, Hamu and Japheth. They have an 'Ark' (which looks like a giant whale) that keeps animals that people on earth have hunted to endangerment. They go through the earth collecting the animals who appear to them in human form (but they still resemble the animal).
It was interesting but also quite strange. For example:
[SPOILER]Japheth is a girl but dresses and is disguised as a boy. Also there is an odd appearance by people who resemble the Addams family.[/SPOILER]

[Sapphire225]

I read Bio-Meat Basically, food eats you, and you'd most likely prefer a zombie-apocalyse.

[Maokun]

I just ordered on Amazon, this unknown (and unique) work from CLAMP and I don't if it was already mentioned here or not, but try out The Legend of Chun Hyang. If you have read/like tales set in Korea, then you might especially like this.

Its probably my fave mange from CLAMP and I can't wait ^,,,V,,,^

Read it some time ago when I decided to become a CLAMP completionist. Found it easily the most forgettable of their stuff (and I read Miyuki-chan in Wonderland! Which by the way, I'm not sure anyone else here has read, which is actually commendable.)

I just got Please Save my Earth and it seem good so far has anyone else read it?

I've been recommended this several times and I keep forgetting to start it. Let's see if this time it sticks.

Lone Wolf and Cub and Samurai Executioner by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima - 28 volumes, 10 volumes*

Something that's not a collection of short stories or a short-lived serial, though I'm aware UC at least has read Lone Wolf. Practically the grandfather of all current samurai Manga, or at least that which takes itself seriously, and Lone Wolf (and Samurai Executioner) is very serious. And very wordy - you'll need to set some time aside. Former vassal of the Shogun, Ogami Itto is framed by a rival samurai household, losing his position, wealth, authority, and family. Left only with his young son, Daigoro, the two walk the road to revenge and kill a bunch of joes with a freaking sweet baby carriage, including a dude named Yamada Asaemon who got his own story serialized in Samurai Executioner. Good reading for long nights.

I'd dare say that Lone Wolf and Cub is more known and loved by people interested in graphic novels than in manga/anime. I myself found it too wordy and the art both too sketchy and busy for my taste, so I regrettably walked away from what I know to be a good story.

Dororo by Osamu Tezuka - 4 volumes**

I should probably open by saying that Dororo is the only thing by Tezuka I've ever read, and it's very weird. An ambitious noble makes a pact with 48 demons in order to rule the world, offering in compensation the life of his expected son. When the child is born, he's malformed and hideous, the demons having each stolen one body part from him. So abandoned by the World's Best Dad, the boy is saved by a wandering medicine man who builds him fully-functioning prosthetic parts to replace everything he lost despite the fact that this is in the Sengoku Period I swear I am not making this up.

Anyway, shortly the kid grows up and decides to wander Japan looking for the 48 demons who stole his life, and possibly settle the score with his father somewhere in there. Unfortunately, Tezuka never finished this one, so your guess is as good as mine as to whether or not he meets his dad again.

[SIZE="1"]*Respectably.[/SIZE]
[SIZE="1"]**Condensed in the American print to 3 volumes.[/SIZE]

Man, as you described this I was gettig really hyped, but to learn it is unfinished crushed me. I'm one of those people that cannot enjoy the journey if I don't get closure at the end.

And does anyone on here other than the reviewer of the manga read Petshop of Horrors? because I haven't heard it mentioned by anyone, and I'm almost finished with the series... two volumes left, and even though it gets to be somewhat frustrating, I'm looking forward to finally finishing it. (Can't make any promises about liking it overall, but I want to finish it.)

Yep. And yeah, about your suspicions (if I'm guessing correctly) it gets even more shounen-ai-sh.

To add some of my own, ever since I've been here, I haven't heard a single mention of Masakazu Katsura or any of his jobs (Video Girl AI, I"s, DNA2, etc.) I guess that the luxury of detail the guy uses when portraying, er, female derrières and the seeming ubiquitousness of them is a deal breaker for some, but they are actually quite competent and realistic (read flawed) love stories with lots of interesting ideas thrown in.

3x3 Eyes is a great, old shounen manga that was recently finished. I'm aware it is kind of well known, but it remains mostly unreleased so not sure how many people have actually read it here.

Not sure how well known it is here, but if you like One Piece, do yourself a favor and pick Wanted, Oda's compilation of short stories.

Finally, there's a manga I read some years ago and which name I unfortunately can't remember and haven't heard of ever again, so hopefully someone here knows it. My memory is fuzzy but it's about an apathetic young man who inherits a temple and its adjacent plot of land, then turns out that the land starts being invaded and claimed by different factions that include underground earth-people, aliens and time travelers. Our hero has a short temper and so he becomes the straight man for the antics of the colorful invaders as he tries to reclaim his peace and tranquility. Really good art, laugh-out-loud humor and very quirky writing made it my favorite at the time. Unfortunately, it was unlicensed and the scanlation group went into hiatus and I only recently remembered about it again.

[rainbowchick_02]

School Days is one I read that was pretty good. The ending though was not what I expected at all. O_O lol but it's good if you guys wanna give it a try.

[Maledicte]

Cesare by Souryo Fuyumi. Her art is gorgeous and her attention to historic detail is incredibly lush, also helps that I'm a bit of a Cesare fangirl.

[Atria35]

Yep. And yeah, about your suspicions (if I'm guessing correctly) it gets even more shounen-ai-sh.

You know, I got to vol. 8, and while it had it's moments, I didn't find it that heavy- barely there. ....But then again, I've read all-out shounen ai, so the difference in the levels that PoH and the others had was rather big.

School Days is one I read that was pretty good. The ending though was not what I expected at all. O_O lol but it's good if you guys wanna give it a try.

Are you sure you read that? Are you talking about the VN? Or did they finally make a manga adaptation?

I suspect right now I'm the only one reading Someday's Dreamers -Spellbound-. It's in the same world as Someday's Dreamers, and is a fabulous, low-key drama about a girl discovering her own powers and finding love. I'm rather fond of it.

[Sapphire225]

School Days is one I read that was pretty good. The ending though was not what I expected at all. O_O lol but it's good if you guys wanna give it a try.

Actually, it has both a manga and a VN. The VN was first, then the anime, and then the manga.

I actually read School Days a little over a year ago, it quite a different ending from the anime, but hey, It was based on a multi-ending visual novel. Either way, I like the Makoto from the manga more than the anime.

If you hadn't seen the anime, I'd avise you to be even more prepared.

[rainbowchick_02]

Actually, it has both a manga and a VN. The VN was first, then the anime, and then the manga.

I actually read School Days a little over a year ago, it quite a different ending from the anime, but hey, It was based on a multi-ending visual novel. Either way, I like the Makoto from the manga more than the anime.

If you hadn't seen the anime, I'd avise you to be even more prepared.

Yup. O_O It was still good even if it was a different ending in the manga. Yeah the anime though was very shocking I suppose. XD