through the looking glass

So here is a list of manga I’m currently following. I recommend these being as they are not shite, unless noted.

Vagabond
バガボンド

A must read. From the creator of Slam Dunk. This IS manga.

20th Century Boys
20世紀少年

Not yet available in the US. It was hard to place this as #2 on my list of recommendations. A character driven thriller that hooks your heart and soul with every page. I get emotional reading this series…it’s just crazed.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure
ジョジョの奇妙な冒険

Best action manga since Fist of the North Star. Araki’s art style is amazing and his characters just too cool for school. Domestic release starts at a later section in the story which is a minor disappointment.

Hunter X Hunter
ハンター×ハンター

From the creator of YuYu Hakusho. A typical Shonen Jump story about a young boy fighting his way to his goal, with emphasis on friendship. The villains in this story are the best, while some of the main characters themselves are borderline evil. Though the art quality dips from amazing to terrible and the story has a slow start, this title is still highly recommended.

Cromartie High School
魁!!クロマティ高校

A gag manga about a school full of no good punks. Depicted via the hardboiled Ikegami Ryuichi art style, this comedy series is ridiculous and amazing.

The Drifting Classroom
漂流教室

Kazuo Umezu. Elementary students being murdered by adult faculty. A horror manga for kids that traumatized many of Japan’s youth.

Eyeshield 21
アイシールド21

A football manga. American football. I thought this manga would suck being as most non-US folks don’t really care much for American football. I was so wrong. The characters and themes in story are enjoyable to manga readers and/or football fans. Dynamic art and detailed characters push this sports manga into my recommendation list.

Death Note
デスノート

A dialog driven thriller involving God’s of Death. A well told story about how one man’s ideal and the implications of his actions, told with an attractive art style. The relations between the protagonist and antagonist are amazing but the story declines later on in the series, lowering it’s rank on this list.

Hot Gimmick
ホットギミック

A stupid girl who loves a stupid boy. A bunch of crazy kids and their goddamned hormones. A manga that you can scream at.

Yakitate!! Japan
焼きたて!! ジャぱん

A manga about bread. It’s good!

Flame of Recca
烈火の炎

Tournament manga. Fight fight fight fight fight. Anzai Nobuyuki (MÄR) creates good villains and imbues his characters with a piss off attitude and general ‘bad-assery’. Eye candy.

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