So, the boy is already 16 and I can’t decide what to get him for Christmas. Lately he’s gotten into anime and manga; sad to say work keeps me from staying on top of what’s new. So, I tought I’d ask for some suggestions. I’d like to get him some manga:
Can be old or new; it needs to be published in English (or Spanish, tough I can’t fathom what would be out in Spanish that isn’t already in English)
He absolutely adores Jojo’s Bizarre Aventure and My Hero Academia, and is binging Hunter x Hunter (the new one).
Please, recommend some awesome manga he’s never heard of. I’ll be forever in your debt.
I read tons of manga but I am doubly handicapped on this because 1.) I haven’t read any of those three titles and 2.) I read fan-translated a month at a time and have only a vague notion of what is available in official dead-tree English editions, but I’ll attempt to help as I mull it over. For instance, one of my favorite manga that I know is published in the US is The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, which doesn’t seem to be especially similar to any of your mentions but your son might like (parental guidance note: lots of violence/gore and clinical nudity–you can sample it here.) Those 5 omnibus editions seem to include 3 volumes each, so cheaper than the single volumes (but still expensive.)
Some manga-related sites have recommendations based titles that you like. For instance, this is probably the biggest English-language database’s page for My Hero Academia.
(Maybe something useful in this earlier thread.)
Usagi Yojimbo, literally “Rabbit Bodyguard”. All the characters are anthropomorphic animals, but it’s a serious take on the life of a lordless samurai, with a lot of combat (ranging from one-on-one duels, to skirmishes, to battles between armies), a good measure of conflicting loyalties, political intrigues, criminal investigations, and weird mysteries, plus some well-done supernatural events and creatures that aren’t over-the-top crazy. The whole thing (story, drawing, inking, lettering) is done by one extremely talented Japanese-American man, Stan Sakai, so the direction is consistent throughout the series (more than three decades now). The story progresses through the series, but you can really start anywhere.
If he loves My Hero, he might also like Demon Slayer: Kimestu no Yaiba and One Piece. Demon Slayer is huge right now and the art is gorgeous. One Piece is a classic about Pirates Trying Their Best which is very silly and has incredible world-building.
JoJo’s is kind of it’s own crazy perfect thing and hard to compare anything too. There is a book called Rohan at the Lourve, which is a JoJo’s manga put out by the Louvre museum that might be a fun thing to have if he likes JoJo.
If you want to get him a subscription to Shonen Jump, he’ll have access to ALL the Jump manga (The includes Jojo’s and My Hero) on the app. It is relatively affordable for what you get, and a great way to get through series.
I love Witch Hat Atelier, the art is incredible.
Taiyo Mastumoto is a great manga author also - probably his most approachable one is Tekkonkinkreet, but Sunny and Ping Pong are also good. I think he is one of the best manga artists working.
Haikyuu!! and Yomamushi Pedal are both popular, too.
I will try to think of more, this is just off the top of my head. I have…a lot of manga.
Just because I’m too late to edit my own post, on second thought Sunny is probably not good for a teenager - it’s more a quieter manga that’s probably best for older readers. Witch Hat Atelier is gorgeous but the cast is mostly girls (and not the sexy anime kind), so if that something he is not into, it might not be the best idea.
Dr. Stone is another Shonen Jump manga that might be good for a teen - it’s got a unique illustration style and is about two boys using their imaginations and science to rebuild society as quickly as they can after an apocalypse event.
Land of the Lustrous is also an incredible looking manga that is hard to describe, but about gem people trying to figure themselves out. I really loved it, and I think a teen might like the themes in it even if it’s not as action oriented as the others.
If he’s into fantasy settings that are DnD-ish, Delicious in Dungeon is a lot of fun. It’s about an adventurer group battling their way through a dungeon and collecting food and making dishes along the way. Ridiculous but charming.