Manga Recommendations

[Yoshi]

Every time I go into Barnes & Noble, I stand in the manga isle for several minutes just gawking at the sheer number of series available now. However, I never buy anything and don't even pick up too many for a closer look. I have no idea what is good, and many of the Japanese titles are so fruity that you can't tell what they are about by only seeing that.

I'd like to give some a shot, but I need some advice. I'm looking for something with a sci-fi and/or horror theme. None of this fantasy shit and definitely no feminine dramas or comedies. Given that wealth of knowledge, what should I be reading?

[Josh]

Uzumaki. Its the hot shit.

Actually anything by Junji Ito is the hot shit. You'll like it.

[Yoshi]

Nice. Those do look like winners.

[Ashen Victor]

sci-fi: Battle Angel Alita, Ashen Victor, and Planetes.

horror: anything from Junji Ito (Uzumaki, Gyo, Flesh Colored Horror), Petshop of Horrors, and Orochi: Blood.

and i wouldn't take the girly-type stuff too lightly. some of it is actually pretty good, like Happy Mania, Confidential Confessions, and the Erica Sakurazawa series. but that's just me. unlike morphix, who'll buy damn near anything because taste isn't in his vocabulary, i'm particular about what i buy. i usually stick with the more mature themed stuff, though.

and everything i've listed is tops.

[Josh]

Nice. Those do look like winners.

Sweet. They shot a movie based on Uzumaki. You should check it out after you read the books.

[Zenigata]

Blade of the Immortal is very good, art, writing, all around. Perhaps not traditional sci-fi or horror, but it's certainly gritty and mature, if you're looking to avoid the lighter stuff.

Book Description
"To end his eternal suffering, he must slay one thousand enemies!" Manji, a ronin warrior of feudal Japan, has been cursed with immortality. To rid himself of this curse and end his life of misery, he must slay one thousand evil men! His quest begins when a young girl seeks his help in taking revenge on her parents' killers . . . and his quest won't end until the blood of a thousand has spilled!

[WTFer]

I second Battle Angel Alita, it's the best Sci-Fi comic I ever read period
be sure to pick Battle Angel Alita vol. 1 & not Battle Angel Alita Vol 1 of Last Order
Battle Angel, is about a cyborg who is found near dead & with amnesia
the setting is in the future, where there is a massive city, where all the poor ppl live & a big city, which controls the one below) above it being held up from space (orbital ring)

the story, action, depth, art is the best I ever seen



if you want Horror, get Parasyte, one of the most graphic & disturbing manga I ever read, i's VERY well written as well
Basically alien spores/worms fall from space & find human host which they drill themselevs into their brain & take over
& which ever part they take over they can shapeshift

the alien spores don't know who they are,where they came from or why they came here
all they know is that they crave to eat humans!!! (very VERY violent series)
one of the aliens doesn't make it into the head & is trapped in some boys left hand, he grows a mouth & it becomes sorta friends with the boy

[Rtificial]

One of my very favorite mangas came out this week, blame! Its a very stylish, weird, techno and violent. Theres not much talking and lots of pretty scenery and lots of blasting fights. I gotta track volume 1 down tomorrow. Now if they would just bring down the Gantz manga I'll be one happy camper.

[Bacon McShig]

As far as Sci-fi goes, I'd recommend Cannon God Exaxxion.

[George]

Third the recommendation on Battle Angel Alita. As for anything else, Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO) is great for somewhat lewd comedy and school-ish drama. One Piece is a great manga AND TV series, and after that, uh, there's always Hellsing.