# Manga Recommendation Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 14, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656 "2005-01-14T03:31:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/1 "2005-01-14T03:31:40Z")
I’m a huge comic book fan (geek) who doesn’t really have any experience or knowledge whatsoever of manga. I read Sailor Moon back in the day, but that’s about it. Don’t watch much anime, either. For Christmas, someone got me a _Trigun_ hardcover and I found myself liking it a lot. So, basically, I’m looking for more manga to read. The American comics I read are, naturally, pretty much superhero titles, but I’d like to check out a variety of stuff. As one might gather from many of my posts, I’m a huge Wonder Woman fan, so I’d like to check out some female heroes (note: also gay, btw, so not particularly interested in T&A titles). Any recommendations? I picked up an _Astro Boy_ book (from Dark Horse) that I’ll look at soon. **nevermore** started [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=198353&highlight=manga) quite a while ago, which has given me some ideas. I figure other manga-interested Dopers can use this thread, too. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/2 "2005-01-14T05:16:10Z")
One vote for Ruroni Kenshin. Great stories, great artwork, and its’ also an anime (Cartoon Network, Saturday 10:30PM); however, as someone in the previous thread said, Cartoon Network heavily edits the blood, so that makes for the occassional awkward jump (think Daffy Duck’s beak inexplicitably moving from one side of his neck to the other). There are currently ten volumes of six, occasionally more, stories out right now and it looks like Shonen Jump is trying to get a new one out every month. As a self-described comic book geek I’m sure you are used to that. Don’t forget: the books read right to left. Its’ an odd adjustment as one not only has to read the pages right to left, but the quote bubbles. I found myself re-reading the same pages a few times the first time I picked one up. Now when I read American comic books (which I got into after Kenshin) I occasionally find myself reading them right to left. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/3 "2005-01-14T12:36:33Z")
The last mangas I bought were _Cinderalla_ and _Hansel & Gretel_, both by Junko Mizuno. They’re basically really warped retellings of the classic fairy tales. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/4 "2005-01-14T13:31:13Z")
_Sorcerer Hunters_ has humor, plot & cheesecake. _Oh My Goddess_ is fun. _Lum/Urusei Yatsura_ is funnier. _Lupin The 3rd_ is the very best of all! ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/5 "2005-01-14T14:51:19Z")
Give One Piece a shot–it’s pretty cool and not that hard to find. The anime’s pretty cool as well, but only if you can get the fansub and avoid the craptacular version that’s currently airing on Fox kids. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/6 "2005-01-14T19:08:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t forget: the books read right to left. Its’ an odd adjustment as one not only has to read the pages right to left, but the quote bubbles. I found myself re-reading the same pages a few times the first time I picked one up. Yeah, I’ve found myself doing the exact same thing. It’s difficult to get used to, but the more I read I find it becoming more and more natural. Also, the fact that it took me longer the read let me spend more time focused on the art. Thanks for the suggestions so far, guys. I’ll probably be buying a few titles to get started with this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/7 "2005-01-14T19:27:02Z")
barefoot gen. all four volumes. its a bit on the old side but usually easy to find and a VERY good read. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/8 "2005-01-14T20:28:12Z")
If the six volume Viz reprint of Akira is still available buy it now! The quality of Astro Boy varies but when it’s good, it’s really good. I highly recommend the Phoenix series also by Osamu Tezuka, they’re up to volume six I think. If you like fan service you’ll like Sgt. Frog. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/9 "2005-01-15T00:10:34Z")
If you’re into Shonen-Ai, I’d suggest _Eerie Queerie_ and _Gravitation_. I’ve always been partial to _X 1999_. _Ranma 1/2_ is pretty good too, but I **highly** suggest you read it from the beginning. This manga is printed and read left to right. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/10 "2005-01-15T01:38:21Z")
If you are a mystery fan, especially of locked room and impossible murders, then run, do not walk, and pick up _Kindaichi Case Files_. Read it from volume 1 in order. You won’t regret it. ---
**Author:** ![RobuSensei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@RobuSensei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobuSensei)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/11 "2005-01-15T09:44:00Z")
If you’d like a Japanese take on life in Chicago (!) pick up _Gunsmith Cats_ from Dark Horse. The artwork has been flipped to read from left to right, though, so you’ll see these high powered bounty hunters driving a Shelby GT Cobra (?) with the driver’s seat on the right… One of the more interesting manga I’ve seen lately is called “Ore to Akuma no BURUUZU,” which translates roughly as “Me and the Devil’s Blues.” It’s a fictionalized manga telling of the story of one “RJ,” who sold his soul to the devil for some blues guitar talent… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/12 "2005-01-15T18:17:51Z")
Thanks, everyone! Looks like I have a lot to check out… I’ll be stopping by Borders today and seeing what there is to be had. > [@](#): > > The artwork has been flipped to read from left to right, though, so you’ll see these high powered bounty hunters driving a Shelby GT Cobra (?) with the driver’s seat on the right… Is that how they do it? Just flip the images? I was wondering how much work when into changing a manga from right-to-left to left-to-right. ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/13 "2005-01-15T22:05:45Z")
> [@DarkSideoftheFloyd](#): > > _Ranma 1/2_ is pretty good too, but I **highly** suggest you read it from the beginning. This manga is printed and read left to right. Second the Ranma recommendation. The animated series took the ball and dropped it, but the manga is delightfully funny. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/14 "2005-01-15T22:12:25Z")
> [@shy guy](#): > > Is that how they do it? Just flip the images? I was wondering how much work when into changing a manga from right-to-left to left-to-right. Most of the time. The author/artist of Blade of the Immortal insisted Studio Proteus/Dark Horse not do that, so what they did was cut out and rearrange the panels. But mostly it’s just reversed in the copying stage. ---
**Author:** ![audreyayn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@audreyayn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audreyayn)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/15 "2005-01-15T23:32:45Z")
GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka) is a series that always makes me happy. It’s about a guy who becomes a teacher in order to perv on high school students, then decides he will become a Great Teacher (AND perv on high school students.) Another vote for One Piece, it’s silly and weird but manages to get you to take it seriously anyway. It’s currently my favorite. Pirate comedy-drama-fighting-adventure shounen manga. They aren’t up to the best arcs yet, but they’ll get there. I should warn you about the “shounen-ai” recommendations further upthread. Shounen ai means “boy love”, so it’s m/m stuff, although those titles are pretty mild. (I liked the anime of Gravitation so much more than the manga anyway. Much funnier.) ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manga-recommendation-thread/284656/16 "2005-01-16T10:13:57Z")
I don’t read manga, but all my friends have been loving Naruto right now, and I’m a big fan of the Inuyasha anime series – I’ve heard good things about the manga, and the cartoon show follows it pretty closely.