Manga I need help finding a good manga, too!

Discussion in 'Manga and Anime' started by Sarah of Borg, Sep 17, 2003.

  1. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    OK but it's a differant circumstance for me.
    First of all, I only got into anime a few months ago. I watch Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Inu-Yasha, Kikairer, and Lupin the most.
    Therefore I am also new to manga. In fact, the only comic books I ever read before were Spawn comic and that was a few years ago. When I started Manga I decided to start from the roots so that it would be easier to understand. My first manga was Metropolis, then Astro Boy both by Tezuka. Then I tried Inu-Yasha manga but I don't enjoy reading the exact same thing as what I allready saw on TV.
    Thing is, I don't buy them. I just read them at the bookstore in the nice comfy reading area and save myself hundreds of bucks! The manga selection ain't too shabby either. They have maybe 50 differant manga series, plus maybe 200 American comics. One day i just randomly picked up a manga that looked kinda good from it's cover and stuck with it. It was Ranma 1/2 and I've just finished volume 10. I certainly enjoy it, although it lacks anything I find inspirational or thought-provoking.
    I need a new one to start for a while. In the recent Anime Insider magazine, they had a preview of the new Trigun mangas and I can't wait till that comes out! But until then...
    I need a manga that's entertaining. Very entertaining. Kawaii's OK but I like stuff for adults (no not hentai.) While it can have many jokes I want something kinda serious now.
    Today I picked up Lone Wolf and Cub and read the first chapter. It's OK but it's just too complex for me and my lack of Japanese cultural knowledge. Also, the hero just dosn't do much for me I guess, even though I love Samurai.
    In fact, i was hoping to start reading a Samurai manga. Any suggestions for something that's kinda mainstream so I can find it at the bookstore?
    BTW, honestly I'm not really into girl-manga, although I never really read it. I don't know anything about Oh My Goddess except that rabid fans have been yelling at me to try it without giving me much of a clue what it is. Besides, they don't carry it at that bookstore unfortunetly.

    -Sarah of Borg
     
    #1
    Sarah of Borg, Sep 17, 2003
  2. ZakoSoldier

    ZakoSoldier Zeon Commander

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    If you are like me and like gundam get these are good Gundam:the Origin Gundam:Last Outpost or Gundam:Groung Zero but always good things (the next two are non-mecha)Shaman King, Nuruto, and Full Metal Panic(mech but funny)
     
    #2
    ZakoSoldier, Sep 17, 2003
  3. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    Nah I'm not really into mecha. I also value the artisticness of the manga.
    Basically, I just wanna know of a good samurai manga that dosn't have complex boring subplots, or characters that go on forever to explain things.
    I also prefere fantasy, maybe even scifi, to anything else. If the samurai has some sorta magic power, it's a definite plus.
    Common there's gotta be something just right for me!
    I mentioned that I'm very much looking forward to the Trigun manga. I don't know what that says about my taste in Manga though. I like how it's both fun and serious, with tons of meaningful action.
    I hope you guys can help!

    -Sarah of Borg
     
    #3
    Sarah of Borg, Sep 17, 2003
  4. Nephilim_X

    Nephilim_X New Member

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    Love Hina, Oh My Goddess, if you can find it, Kiddy Grade...

    also...

    Bakeratsu Hunters (Sorcerer Hunters).


    Sssssssshhhh. It wasnt me who told you.;)
     
    #4
    Nephilim_X, Sep 17, 2003
  5. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    Just cause you like it dosn't mean I will.
    So one of those, besides Oh My Godess, is what I was looking for?
    I'm just sick of getting the same suggestions over and over again. I'm being very picky. It would make things easier if you gave me a clue what these suggestions even are.
    Thanks.

    -Sarah of Borg
     
    #5
    Sarah of Borg, Sep 17, 2003
  6. Nephilim_X

    Nephilim_X New Member

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    Groove Adventure Rave.
     
    #6
    Nephilim_X, Sep 17, 2003
  7. Izzy

    Izzy moo. moo. moo!
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    This doesn't really make any sense as you're ASKING for suggestions and we're giving them to you. I've not heard much among the people here about actually recommending Kiddy Grade, other than Neph. It's a sci-fi show, and the manga will follow in its footsteps.

    Also, Samurai epics usually have a VERY complex subplot structure. Why? It's because alot of samurai tales have the samurai with a very disturbing past. This makes for a better read. Also, it makes it so that the story itself keeps your attention instead of relying purely on action-sequences. Atonement, revenge, sacrifice, honor vs. love, etc....they're all part of samurai stories, mostly found in manga. At least, the good ones are. Also, remember that SAMURAI usually means set in times where customs are MORE important than in more modern time-frames. That's where it pays to know even just a little about the culture you're reading it from. It doesn't hurt to do a little research, and most manga actually have side-notes as to what's actually going on now. Besides, doing that little research does nothing but improve on your wordly scope just a bit more.

    This fact is probably even worse in Sci-Fi manga. As they've got to create whole worlds, instead of using a set one, as in medeival japan. Stories become a bit more complicated, because characters are made in accordance to what the creator believes is in the universe he created. You know what that means? Subplots. Probably lots of them. Multitudes of them. Sure there are some nobrainers. But look at Tenchi, even a comedic sci-fi anime such as that...it has subplot upon subplot UPON subplot. Like...how Ayeka is actually engaged to her half-brother, who happens to be Tenchi's grandfather...but she falls in love with Tenchi, and is handed to him by said half-brother. Her sister also happens to be part tree (as all Jurains are) and is actually also partially the Goddess of all Jurai. And that's just the subplot angle of TWO people.

    There's also:
    1) Great Sword of Wah (which isn't too complicated, as it's just Samurai Demon Hunting) but it's not licensed by any stateside company yet.

    2) Saiyuki. Sword fighting. Haven't heard much about it, but I hear it's good.

    3) Samurai Deeper Kyo. Although, it might get a little deep for you. Pretty much, it's about this mild-mannered guy, who apparently turns into a demon when he's fighting. Not demon as in a real demon, but kinda like a raving lunatic.

    4) Cowboy Bebop: Shooting Star. More un-canon adventures with the Bebop crew. And Ed actually looks like a girl...instead of looking like...Ed. And sci-fi...right up your ally.

    5) Fushigi Yuugi. Few women, many men. Lots of BISHOUNEN. Fantasy, set in China in the medieval period. Lots of magic, lore, and stuff. Lots of bishounen. See two of them (or more) crossdress. See Miyaka get 7 men to fall in love with her. See Miyaka yell, "Tamahome!" See Tamahome yell, "Miyaka!" Repeat ad infinitum. See also, good story, if not for the many yellings.

    6) Angelic Layer. Bishoujo manga. Much like the anime. Cool because the fights are good. And still retains its shoujo charm. Kinda like Sailor Moon on steroids, with actual GOOD fights and opponents. As in, they fight back for MORE than just a few minutes before ultimately losing. And no princesses, henshin pens, talking cats. Just dolls that can fight.

    7) Groove Adventure Rave. Fun because it's fantasy. Cute because of that Rave rat-thing. Cool because the fights are good. Nice on the eyes because the character designs are sometimes well thought out.

    I hope this proves enough for you admittedly high criteria. You probably couldn't have asked for MORE. And I'm afraid of what'll happen if I actually do.


    Edit: You also mention that Ranma lacks intellectual material. Of coruse it does. Takahashi rarely does pure intellectual jargon. She's about the comedic situations that Ranma lands himself into because of his aqua-transexual curse. There's nothing real thought provoking about it at all. And weren't you the one who mentioned in the SAME post that you want things to be a little simpler?

    Also, about the customs in there. A LOT of the jokes in Ranma can also be chalked up to Japanese customs. Like, the impromptu omiai (the meeting for the wedding arrangement between the Saotome and the Tendo families) where it's usually one guy and one girl. Ranma, however, has to pick between THREE girls, and he's a girl himself during that time (well, the FIRST time). Then there's the continuous splashing of the ladle-lady. Why? Because it's a japanese custom to clean your sidewalk before the day of business. Kasumi herself is a joke of the "proper, traditional japanese housewife" because she takes so much in stride. But then, she holds most of the house under her hand because she's the only one that actually cooks. All jokes within the Japanese customs.
     
    #7
    Izzy, Sep 17, 2003
  8. Shadowbard

    Shadowbard Black-Winged Angel

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    Umm....that's not what Saiyuki is about. Trust me on this one, okay? Kazuya Minekura's Saiyuki follows the ancient Chinese legend....in that there are four guys, one of them is a priest, and they are all traveling West.

    That's about it for the similarities. Well, unless you go by the "okay, this is what the character is like in the legend, so we want the manga character to be his polar opposite" theory of similarity.

    Whole premise of the story is that you have the four main guys (Sanzo, Gojyo, Hakkai, and Goku) traveling to the West to stop the resurrection of the Demon Ox King (Gyumao). Setting is really a mix of time periods (houses are older, clothes are modern, and they have a dragon that turns into a Jeep).

    As this story is very much a fantasy story you don't need to worry too much about traditional Japanese customs (or Chinese customs as the case may be). There are a few cultural notes that might slip by, but nothing that will impede the enjoyment of the story.


    Sadly, I'm not very up to date on the translated manga scene, and most of what I read tends to fall in the category of girly (magical girl, romance, etc). Well, that and most fantasy stories. Anyway....

    For a samurai manga, I would suggest looking into Rurouni Kenshin if you haven't already. From what I've heard, the creator did little to no research on the historical background; he just wanted to draw katanas and kimonos. You are going to have to deal with the cultural references, however. It's just the nature of the beast, I'm afraid.

    ~Shadrach Anki
     
    #8
    Shadowbard, Sep 17, 2003
  9. Izzy

    Izzy moo. moo. moo!
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    Heh, yeah, sorry. Well, at least it falls more into her fantasy style of preference. I've not really heard nor seen much of Saiyuki enough to know about it. But, I do know that lots of people swear by it.

    Also, yeah, she said to try and NOT refer to well-known (read: much repeated) manga. Then again, I'd say I haven't heard much of Kenshin manga vs. the anime...
     
    #9
    Izzy, Sep 17, 2003
  10. White Dragoon

    White Dragoon New Member

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    to you my friend ,i say "king of bandits jing"
    iv read vol:2 and i lauphed my *** off,
     
    #10
    White Dragoon, Sep 21, 2003
  11. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    BTW before I read the 20-mile-long responses to my request (thanks!), I just wanna make this clear:
    When I say "just cause u like it dosn't mean I do" means I'm looking for something that would fit me, whether you like it or not.
    I supose it's gonna be harder then this to find something I really like.
    Not all Samurai stories are complex. I don't care if I'm ruling out 99% of them. Maybe one day I'll want a complex one but right now I don't. Maybe it dosn't even exist so I'll have to move on.
    All I know is that I'm just gonna have to figure this out myself.
    It's just that, if some one were to ask me about something I know a lot about, I would recomend something I know they would like, not just something I like. That's what I'm asking for.
    I don't want to get into examples because then we'd end up discussing how manga dosn't resemble my examples perfectly, which would be pointless.

    -Sarah of Borg
     
    #11
    Sarah of Borg, Sep 23, 2003
  12. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    <--Ignores intro because it's insulting and it has nothing to do with what she's looking for.

    If it's hard to get I won't probably get it.
    OK.
    Nothing's too deep for me. Sounds great actually.

    Love the show hate the manga. Sorry.

    Sounds entertaining. What's the basic plot though?

    Havn't seen the anime. Dosn't sound 2 great to me.
     
    #12
    Sarah of Borg, Sep 23, 2003
  13. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    Thanks again izzy. I picked up Samurai Deeper Kyo and I absolutely love it.

    -Sarah of Borg
     
    #13
    Sarah of Borg, Sep 25, 2003
  14. LiLIceKitten

    LiLIceKitten New Member

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    BAttle Angel Attila
    Mars
    Kodocha
    Battle Royale
    Saint Tail
    Ragnorak
    Vampire Games
    X Day
    X/1999
    Try those
     
    #14
    LiLIceKitten, Oct 5, 2003
  15. Sarah of Borg

    Sarah of Borg New Member

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    problem with Kyo is that there's only 2 mangas so far. The 3rd is suposed to be here this month but it isn't darnit.
    I don't have time to start a new one now though.

    -Sarah of Borg
     
    #15
    Sarah of Borg, Oct 9, 2003

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