A new fact about me for blog readers: I’m the anime club sponsor at my school. This week, I’ve invited club members over to talk about their favorite manga. This is the unveiling of the secret files straight from the minds of the Round Table of Otaku Knights.
Some of them are club favorites (like One Punch Man). Others are hotly debated (and shall not be named here).
In fact, some have been so hotly debated, that club members have asked YOU to vote for your favorite manga in the comments below.
Our Question of the Day is two-fold:
- What is your favorite manga from the list presented below?
- What is a manga (or anime) that is not on the list and you would like to recommend to us?
{Fantasy}
Genres: Action, Superhero
Thoughts: What do you do if you dream of being a hero but don’t have the innate talent? What do you do when you’re given a chance to fulfill your dreams? Boku no Hero Academia explores a world in which children are born with gifts and differing levels of talents. The characters are complex (with great power comes great responsibility . . . and a whole ‘nother set of problems to complicate adolescence), and their powers are interesting. Seriously! Where does Horikoshi-sensei come up with these ideas!
SynopsisMiddle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…
Genres: Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Thoughts: Cuticle Detective is really funny because of Inaba’s hair fetish and Don Valentino’s reason for wanting money. I also like this manga because it has crime (we have detectives and mafia). Inaba’s special ability adds more laughs on top of all the humor.
SynopsisThe redhead detective with a hair fetish, Inaba Hiroshi, together with his powerful sidekicks fights against the Italian Mafia and their boss, Don Valentino (who’s actually a goat) in this detective gag story!
Genres: Action, Fantasy
Thoughts: D. Gray-man is my favorite new-to-me manga because it has adventure, action, and suspense. It hooked me from the beginning because it introduces the classic theme of good and evil in a fascinating world of exorcists and demons. The plot is interesting and teaches many feel-good life lessons like teamwork and friendship.
SynopsisSet in a fictional end of the 19th century England, it’s the story of Allen Walker, a 15-year-old boy who roams the Earth in search of Innocence. Washed away to unknown parts of the world after The Great Flood, Innocence is the mysterious substance used to create weapons that obliterate demons known as akuma.
A born exorcist, Walker’s primary anti-akuma weapon is the cross that’s embossed on his red and disfigured left hand, which contains Innocence. But not only does Walker destroy akuma, he sees the akuma hiding inside a person’s soul! Together with his fellow exorcists fighting under the command of the Black Order, Walker leads the battle against the Millennium Earl, the evil being out to destroy mankind.
Genres: Action, Fantasy
Thoughts: I love Naruto because Naruto is funny. He does all these things that get him in trouble with Kakashi and Sakura. Still, he cares for everyone and works to protect them even if they don’t like him. Naruto is a true hero.
SynopsisIn another world, ninja are the ultimate power—and in the village of Konohagakure live the stealthiest ninja in the world. But twelve years ago Konohagakure was attacked by a fearsome threat—a nine-tailed fox demon which claimed the life of the Hokage, the village champion. Today, peace has returned, and a troublemaking orphan named Uzumaki Naruto is struggling to graduate from the Ninja Academy. His goal: to become the next Hokage. But unknown to Naruto and his classmates, within him is a terrifying force…
Genres: Action, Superhero
Thoughts: I love this manga because of how the story is set up. The main character Saitama is an overpowered hero that can one punch any threat in his way for comic relief.
SynopsisNothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem—he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of superpowered boredom?
Genres: Action, Fantasy
Thoughts: Pokemon Adventures is the darker version of the games/anime. The reality of death tends to appeal to me since it is written for an older audience. The manga has yet to end since the games are still ongoing. So, as long as we expect a new game, we can also expect a new manga for Pokémon.
SynopsisRed doesn’t just want to train Pokémon, he wants to be their friend too. Bulbasaur and Poliwhirl seem game. But independent Pikachu won’t be so easy to win over! Adventures based on the best-selling video games.
{Historical}
Genres: Action, Historical
Thoughts: Kingdom is my favorite ongoing manga. The mangaka has clearly done his research on Chinese history, for the major events are grounded in facts. Nevertheless, he doesn’t depend on historical records to tell the tale. In fact, he wrote one of the most epic arcs with only one sentence to guide him. Kingdom is filled with epic battles and a crazy-awesome cast of characters, including villains you love to hate (and hate to love—but still do).
SynopsisChina’s Warring States Period. As kings and generals fought for supremacy, many kingdoms rose and fall until seven powerful states emerged from the endless cycle of warfare. In the kingdom of Qin, a war orphans Xin and Piao dream of becoming Great Generals of the Heavens.
And so the story begins….
{School Life}
Genres: Drama, Romance
Thoughts: I love High School Debut because Haruna used to be focused on softball, but now tries to find a way to get a boys attention. She fails and ends up having a hard time finding her own fashion sense. This leads to a lot of comedy and awkward moments. I can relate to the scenes where Haruna sees her love interest in a public area.
SynopsisWhen Haruna Nagashima was in junior high her life consisted of playing softball and reading comics. But now that she’s going to high school, Haruna decides to put all of her energy towards getting a boyfriend and having the high school romance of a lifetime. To help in her quest, she enlists cute upperclassman Yoh Komiyama to coach her as she eschews her jock tendencies and turns herself into the kind of girl who can catch a guy. Yoh agrees, with one catch: Haruna had better not fall for him!
Genres: Drama, Slice of Life
Thoughts: Silent Voice goes in deep with the emotions and stress of school life, through issues such as bullying and acceptance. The characters are well-developed and easy to connect with. The amazing visuals and story telling create a realistic school environment. The art style is smooth; I like how it incorporates sign language into the illustrations.
SynopsisShoya is a bully. When Shoko, a girl who can’t hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favorite target, and Shoya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children’s cruelty goes too far. Shoko is forced to leave the school, and Shoya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shoya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?
CHAT WITH US
1. What is your favorite manga from the list above?
2. Recommend a manga that was not named in the list above.
Author: Crystal
A story girl at heart, Crystal is a bibliophile who can easily spend the day immersed in a good read. She writes under the name Kristy Wang. You can follow her writing adventures on X and Instagram @_kristywang.
Captivated Reader says
I haven't read any of the books on your list! I don't have a favorite manga book or series.
Several of your book titles are on my ever growing reading wishlist!!
Here's a link to my TTT post for this week:
http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-ten-tuesday-top-eleven-coffee-table.html
Mariela Silva says
I never read a comic book.So The only ones I read were the VA and Percy Jackson graphic novels. But we did something a little different. Allyson added some comics she read on her list.
Also check out our easy to enter Valentine's giveaway!
My TTT.
Lauren Stoolfire says
I haven't read a lot of manga lately, but I've enjoyed what I've read of Tokyo Ghoul lately! 🙂
I've watched some of the Ouran High School Host Club anime and it's pretty fun.
Lauren @ Always Me