I need a manga suggestions.

[TransformersFan]

So it's been a while since I read manga, My first book was Akira (when it used to be published monthly and in colour), I went on to read Manabe's Outlanders and Masami Yuki's Patlabor.

Recently I started digging up my old manga books (Shirow's Ghost in the Shell and Appleseed). I went to my local shops and now see that manga is so readily available in come in so many types of genres. I feel a little overwhelmed.

Can someone suggest a good manga to read. I'd prefer more mature and adult books (not hentai though). Good plots with serious tones and themes. I'd prefer something sci-fi a la Akira or Ghost in the Shell), with political intrigue and maybe even giant mechas used in a realistic sense like in Patlabor.

I tried Neon Genesis but after volume 2 I got a little bored. Are there any manga books out there for me?

[arp2008]

Can someone suggest a good manga to read. I'd prefer more mature and adult books (not hentai though). Good plots with serious tones and themes. I'd prefer something sci-fi a la Akira or Ghost in the Shell), with political intrigue and maybe even giant mechas used in a realistic sense like in Patlabor.
Is that so? Then Death Note is precisely what yor looking for. Inarguably on of the greatest mangas ever published and featuring some very beautiful aethetics, its story centers on Light, and precocious high school student who one day stubles upon a book wherein when a name is written that person death becomes inevitable and immenent. In a wold much like our own where crime as rapant and justice system is currupt and heavily flawed, Light use this Death Note to puniish those he feels are are the scum of society, all in hopes of creating a utopia on Earth. Suspence, thrill, intrigue, mirth, and emotional resonance only barely skim the surface of what will have you hooked like a drug you can't live without. In addition to the laudbile manga, Death Notes popularity had spawned a praiseworthy epononymous anime, two live action movies, and a novel detailing events leading up to the beggining of the manga series. With so much to delve into, Death Note will keep you busy for some time to come. :smile:

[jabrams007]

It isn't as cerebral as Akira or Ghost In the Shell, but you might like Battle Angel Alita. Lots of dystopian, cyberpunk robots in a cool story.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Angel_Alita

"Battle Angel Alita tells the story of Alita, an amnesiac female cyborg. This cyborg's intact head and upper torso are found in a state of suspended animation by the cybermedic expert Daisuke Ido while he is out searching for useful scrap. Amazed by his discovery, Ido quickly returns home and works to revive her. Upon finding that the girl has lost her memory, Ido names her Alita, the name of his recently deceased cat."

In terms of Anime, I suggest you check out Gasaraki

[The Xenos]

Ha. I was thinking of Battle Angel Alita too. It's a bit more fighting than straight up cyberpunk, but quite enjoyable and action packed.

Another cyberpunk favorite is Blame!. It's much more far future. It's giant in scope, with huge dystopian future landscapes. Not too much on dialouge, but quite interesting in what it does reveal about the world. Also, the main character has a bad ass gun that shoots holes the size of buildings.

[jabrams007]

I've always been meaning to check out Blame! One of these days I'll have to get around to it...

[TransformersFan]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Im so wary of Death Note, because the premise sounds so silly and adolescent. I dunno.

Blame looks awesome. I flipped through it yesterday and looked great. Battleangel alita is a for sure buy, as soon as I can find volume 1.

I was considering the following books as well but wanted you opinions first.
Junk by Kia Asamiya , Eden: It's An Endless World by Hiroki Endo, and maybe even Planetes by Makoto Yukimura. Any thought?

[Dark Soul # 7]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Im so wary of Death Note, because the premise sounds so silly and adolescent. I dunno.Believe me, Death Note is anything but silly. It's actually a very serious tales about how power corrupts and has several interesting views on morality.

And it's the coolest cat-and-mouse game I've ever read.

[arp2008]

Believe me, Death Note is anything but silly. It's actually a very serious tales about how power corrupts and has several interesting views on morality.

And it's the coolest cat-and-mouse game I've ever read. Damn right!

[Avenging Eagle]

If you're looking for sci-fi, I'd suggest Drifting Classroom. No mecha, or anything like that, but it's about an elementary school that is transported to a strange and dangerous world, with many secrets. It's more old school though, since it was published in the 70's, so the artwork look pretty dated, and might be a turnoff to some people. But the themes and power of the story still hold up greatly.

Another good one that no one seems to be reading is Parasyte. One of my absolute favorite manga. It's about some guy who's hand gets invaded by an alien parasyte (who can talk), and has to do battle with other alien invaders. It has an Invasion of the Body Snatchers influence to it, but a lot better IMHO. Serious themes, and commentary about what it is to be human. I've been reading this since it was first published in MixxZine. Don't let the goofy looking covers in the Del Rey version fool you. The content inside is great with a serious tone.