Completely New to Manga

[Sailor Moon]

This may be an odd to recommend, but if you're into superheroes and have an open mind, Sailor Moon might be something you want to try. I mean, okay, it's no secret who it's made and marketed for or anything. But it's not quite as sappy as most envision it to be (though the theme of love is heavy). It's pretty fascinating to me, though, because it does share a lot of tropes and ideas that American comic superheroes have, but made from a feminine perspective. Might not be your cup of tea, but it might interest you.

Another manga worth trying would be FLCL, too. It's hard to gauge exactly how much it fits into genres, but it's wild as all hell. You might want to look up the show it's based on, too. Good thing about it is that it's short. It was originally released as two volumes, but Dark Horse re-released it in one single edition for like $20. So, it's not the long investment that manga sometimes entails. The art is pretty out there, though. I didn't have much trouble, but I know others found it difficult to follow.

[Mr. Holmes]

If you like detective stories, I recommend you to read detective conan.

I tried a few episodes of the anime, not my cup of tea.

...but not for too long, because it's been going on forever with no end in sight.

That too.

This may be an odd to recommend, but if you're into superheroes and have an open mind, Sailor Moon might be something you want to try. I mean, okay, it's no secret who it's made and marketed for or anything. But it's not quite as sappy as most envision it to be (though the theme of love is heavy). It's pretty fascinating to me, though, because it does share a lot of tropes and ideas that American comic superheroes have, but made from a feminine perspective. Might not be your cup of tea, but it might interest you.

Haha yes I used to watch Sailor Moon on Toonami, but only have vague memories now.

Another manga worth trying would be FLCL, too. It's hard to gauge exactly how much it fits into genres, but it's wild as all hell. You might want to look up the show it's based on, too. Good thing about it is that it's short. It was originally released as two volumes, but Dark Horse re-released it in one single edition for like $20. So, it's not the long investment that manga sometimes entails. The art is pretty out there, though. I didn't have much trouble, but I know others found it difficult to follow.

Sounds interesting, thanks!

[wolvie616]

I would second the recommendation for Rurouni Kenshin. It has well developed characters, three fantastic arcs with some powerfully written villains, an overall character arc for the protagonist that works, beautifully coreographed battles, a great balance between levity and drama, and is nearly universally loved.

[Sailor Moon]

Haha yes I used to watch Sailor Moon on Toonami, but only have vague memories now.

Been along time since I've watched, but the anime does follow the manga closely for some, but hit the DBZ problem, though, where there was also tons of filler. I think the last storyline didn't go through or something, too. They actually started reprinting the manga in the US, still in process.

Sounds interesting, thanks!

Yeah, interesting is good word for it. And definitely check out the anime, too, which is also short: 6 episodes and recently re-released in the States. It's pretty wacked out, but few people I've introduced it too have not loved it. The ones who usually don't are the ones who usually just don't like craziness.

[Tristan_MC]

I wouldn't mind reading Rurouni Kenshin. The anime was too awesome for words. Did the anime follow the manga? Did it leave out some things?

I've never read or seen Fist of the North Star. The sad part is I've been aware of it for years, just never rented it at Blockbuster. I saw a review online and the villain sounds like a real powerhouse. Don't remember his name, tho

[Tristan_MC]

the villian is raoh in the first season. its a sad sad story, cried a few times reading it. dont ever see the animation, read the manga first. the art is nicer. Like dbz, the animation is super draggy. not as draggy as dbz though, LOL!!!!

LOL! That's cool then.

Is it really that sad? Wow! I may have to check it out soon.

[InformationGeek]

I read tons of manga and there's a lot of gold to be found. However, considering you and what you like, I can recommend without a single doubt in my mind anything written by Naoki Urasawa, who is the writer behind Pluto, 20 Century Boys, and Monster. The man knows how to write tons of great and complex characters and tons upon tons of plot threads and bring them all together in a very satisfying way without leaving anything loose threads. Monster is hard to come by sadly, but 20th Century Boys is easy and is a must read.

[Mr. Holmes]

Thanks a lot, guys. I'm reading Ghost in the Shell now, which I'm enjoying a lot. I do wish there was more colour.

[Bakasama]

Well, I too but four color printing for manga would add to the cost and time to a weekly title.

[Mr. Holmes]

Yeah I know, and I suppose the output of manga works much better than what western comics do.

Also, earlier today I went to the mall, and in the B&N, the manga section is at least three times as large as the Comics/GN section, and it was crowded with a lot of pre-teen girls. I know Japan's market is much larger, but it seems like manga is more popular even in the US?

[Bakasama]

Agrggh! I had a longer post planned but that got destroyed. Here's what I managed to remember on short notice.

Yeah I know, and I suppose the output of manga works much better than what western comics do.

Well, manga is designed to be made as cheaply and quickly as possible. Weekly manga magazines are printed on really cheap paper with ink smudges to the touch. They look like and feel like phone books. Given that, the Japanese readers don't collect those but they do collect tankōbon (think trade paperbacks).

Also, earlier today I went to the mall, and in the B&N, the manga section is at least three times as large as the Comics/GN section, and it was crowded with a lot of pre-teen girls. I know Japan's market is much larger, but it seems like manga is more popular even in the US?

One should remember the manga that appears in B&N is the most popular and well known manga Japan has to offer at the moment. The stuff that doesn't get exported, well, a lot that is crap, Sturgeon's law and all. Still, manga does a certain appeal that western comics books don't have, like romance titles.

[Sailor Moon]

Yeah I know, and I suppose the output of manga works much better than what western comics do.

Also, earlier today I went to the mall, and in the B&N, the manga section is at least three times as large as the Comics/GN section, and it was crowded with a lot of pre-teen girls. I know Japan's market is much larger, but it seems like manga is more popular even in the US?

Oh, yeah, I would say it's probably been the case for the better part of the decade really. A lot of people thought it was a fad at first, I recall, but manga has developed into much more of a mainstream thing than American comics have. The only thing they really lack in being fully so is American adaptations, but I'm sure it'll probably happen at some point. I would probably go as far as to say that, as far as reading is concerned, American comics have almost completely been replaced by manga for younger demographics.

One should remember the manga that appears in B&N is the most popular and well known manga Japan has to offer at the moment. The stuff that doesn't get exported, well, a lot that is crap, Sturgeon's law and all. Still, manga does a certain appeal that western comics books don't have, like romance titles.

That is true, but I've also heard the reverse, too: That a lot of great, alternative manga doesn't make it because it was popular enough in Japan. That seems to be changing, though, with companies like Fantagraphics reaching out for more "indie" manga like Wandering Son.

[Mr. Holmes]

I wonder why that is though. I mean sure DC and Marvel seem to only be catering to their existing, adult fanbase, but surely Image, Vertigo, and Dark Horse have broader appeal like manga.

[Hazard]

The thing about manga you have to remember and that makes its publishing process fundamentally different from comics is that, well..

Manga works in magazines.

You don't have a weekly issue of Naruto every week. You have a weekly issues of Shounen Jump Magazine. You don't have a monthly issue of Claymore. You have a monthly issue of Jump Square.

Sure, Naruto and Claymore are then collected in volumes, but their first exposure to the public happens through Weekly/Monthly magazines.

It means that editors can take a degree of risk as long as the material can appeal to the demographic they target. Weekly Jump has action packed battle manga like Naruto, Bleach and OP, but every so often some odd ducks appears, stuff that manages to become popular with the readers of the magazine.

If it is popular it is popular. If it is not it gets cancelled and replaced. If it is really popular you start a trend, like say Sailor Moon or Love Hina.

Sport Manga. Cooking Manga. Romance. Comedies. They are all things that found customers.

[Mr. Holmes]

I like that model quite a bit. Really easy to know what to buy without completely knowing what to expect.