Have never tried Manga. Any suggestions?

purple_fishy · 05-07-2013, 03:44 PM

One of my students reads manga all the time. She suggested that I give it a try. I have never tried Manga before and would like to get some suggestions on where to start.

I need something with a decent storyline and nothing too graphic with violence or sex. I will be reading it on my Nook HD tablet if that makes any difference on what you suggest.

I like adventure stories, romance, or mysteries that are not TOO graphic.

Thanks so much in advance!

odiakkoh · 05-07-2013, 03:53 PM

What type of stories do you like to read? The question is too broad, the same as asking "what book should I read?" Manga isn't capitalized in case you didn't know.

purple_fishy · 05-07-2013, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

What type of stories do you like to read? The question is too broad, the same as asking "what book should I read?" Manga isn't capitalized in case you didn't know.

Thanks! I went back and fixed that. I am looking for adventure, romance, or mysteries that are not too graphic with violence/sex.

Does that help narrow it down?

Namekuseijin · 05-07-2013, 04:50 PM

it's usually a genre very fond of cliché, stereotypes and visual gags relying on stereotyped facial expressions to the extreme. some famous I really enjoyed: Dragon Ball, Naruto, Inuyasha etc. long arc stories involving some character growing up and becoming stronger. lol

then, there is more artful and mature things like Cowboy Bebop, Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Lone Wolf and Curb, Blade of the Immortal, Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind etc

purple_fishy · 05-07-2013, 06:50 PM

Hm. Maybe a graphic novel would be better.... I saw some James Patterson books were made into graphic novels.

Lemurion · 05-07-2013, 07:30 PM

One thing you might want to consider before digging into manga is that if you're used to western graphic novels, they can be difficult to read. My eleven-year-old reads both manga and comics with equal facility, but at 49, with over 40 years experience reading almost exclusively western comics, I have some difficulty with manga.

The problem I face has nothing to do with the stories or quality of art. It's just that I've spent four decades training my eyes to follow the pictures in the wrong direction. My daughter can flip back and forth with ease. So can my stepson, who's been reading both since he was young (he's now 22), but my habits are harder to break.

So if you do want to transition from western-style comics to manga I would recommend getting into the manga as early as possible so you don't build up the wrong habits.

Bani · 05-07-2013, 08:09 PM

Recommending some all-ages and female-oriented series. They don't have the most beautiful of art, they're mostly focused on the storytelling and some are older works.

Basara and Please Save My Earth are probably my two favorite manga with romance, adventure, and some mystery. Sadly, both have long been out of print in English despite success in several countries. If you can get a hold of the first few volumes of either series they're well worth reading.

From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa is available in English. It has violence but nothing too graphic. Romance/adventure with an old-fashioned aesthetic.

Twin Spica is one of the most heartwarming and wholesome drama with several adaptations. The manga is available in English and on the Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Spica-Vol...mm_kin_title_0

Karakuri Odette is one of the few comedy series I've found that has a very cross-cultural sense of humor. Honey and Clover and Sand Chronicles are two other more recent series with nice art and thoughtful writing, very focused on drama. I would also second the recommendation for Nausicaa by Hayao Miyazaki, a sprawling adventure with a fantastic heroine.

Also this one- http://www.amazon.com/With-Light-Rai.../dp/0759523568

I have way too many to recommend so I'll just stop here.

purple_fishy · 05-07-2013, 08:11 PM

Cool! Thanks for the suggestions and the comments. I am definitely not interested in reading manga forever, I just wanted to give it a shot since my student recommended it.

owly · 05-08-2013, 03:41 AM

How about going to your local library? They might have some.

Gazella · 05-08-2013, 12:17 PM

I'm not a fan of anime/manga at all but my brother is. He likes The Legend of Zelda, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece and Monster Hunter Orage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by purple_fishy

Hm. Maybe a graphic novel would be better.... I saw some James Patterson books were made into graphic novels.

I read graphic novels from time to time. I really love The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé. Also, Bone by Jeff Smith is really good. Another is Art Spiegelman's Maus. It's a story about the Holocaust. In the graphic novel, Jews are depicted as mice, Nazis as cats, Poles as pigs, Americans as dogs, and so on.

steven522 · 05-09-2013, 04:03 PM

Reading a manga for the sake of reading a manga?

I would try to read something a little familiar to you. There are a lot of manga to anime and vice-versa that you can try if you've already become familiar with the animated version. There are also a lot of manga-ized movies, books, and comics that you could try.

I've read the Star Wars adaptations, and the manga-zation of different comic book super heroes such as Spider-Man.

If you are new to any type of drawn medium like comic books, you have the right idea of just going for a graphic novel. Many of them have very detailed artwork and even if they are based off of existing characters/worlds in the comics, they tend to take a fresh view and not carry the baggage that would require you to be fully versed in the history.

Latinandgreek · 05-09-2013, 04:39 PM

I love manga by Clamp. You might consider checking out Chobits, Magic Knight Rayearth, Card captor Sakura, Wish and my personal favourite, Xxxholic. Xxxholic, despite the title, does not have any content of a graphic nature. It has romance and adventure, and is heavily influenced by japanese folklore.

alicepattinson · 05-09-2013, 05:24 PM

One of the most popular manga series is NARUTO. Like my cousins and friends are so crazy about it

purple_fishy · 05-09-2013, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven522

Reading a manga for the sake of reading a manga?

I would try to read something a little familiar to you. There are a lot of manga to anime and vice-versa that you can try if you've already become familiar with the animated version. There are also a lot of manga-ized movies, books, and comics that you could try.

I've read the Star Wars adaptations, and the manga-zation of different comic book super heroes such as Spider-Man.

If you are new to any type of drawn medium like comic books, you have the right idea of just going for a graphic novel. Many of them have very detailed artwork and even if they are based off of existing characters/worlds in the comics, they tend to take a fresh view and not carry the baggage that would require you to be fully versed in the history.

Yep, for the sake of trying something different.

I decided to go with a graphic novel version of a book I am familiar with first, before I try an actual manga. We will see how it goes.

DrNefario · 05-10-2013, 08:25 AM

I find it incredibly difficult to pick manga, myself. It's such a broad subject, it's a bit like saying "recommend me a movie". The only two sensible ways of finding anything seem to be a recommendation from someone who knows what you like, or a random sampling until you find something. I don't really know anyone who reads manga and likes the same things as me, so I'd probably be better off going to the library and trying a few. I get the feeling their manga selection is aimed at kids, though.

It's kind of the same with anime, and there is understandably a lot of crossover. I find it almost impossible to tell if I'm going to like something until I actually see it. Popularity is no real help.

In practice, I have bought and tried a few. Some have hit, some have missed. I picked up the first three issues of Initial D at a clearance sale once, and enjoyed it more than I expected. It's a petrolhead manga about street racing. The characters don't look too great, but the cars are detailed and accurate. I just found that I was drawn in by the story-telling. It's an extremely long series, though, so I let it drop.

I also quite enjoyed Deathnote, about a boy who has the power to kill anyone in the world by writing their name in a demonic book, although again I haven't (yet) seen it through to the end.

05-07-2013, 03:44 PM	#1
purple_fishy Zealot Posts: 124 Karma: 33812 Join Date: May 2011 Location: The land of sand and sun Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook STR, iPad Air 2	Have never tried Manga. Any suggestions? One of my students reads manga all the time. She suggested that I give it a try. I have never tried Manga before and would like to get some suggestions on where to start. I need something with a decent storyline and nothing too graphic with violence or sex. I will be reading it on my Nook HD tablet if that makes any difference on what you suggest. I like adventure stories, romance, or mysteries that are not TOO graphic. Thanks so much in advance! Last edited by purple_fishy; 05-07-2013 at 04:25 PM.

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05-07-2013, 03:53 PM	#2
odiakkoh Guru Posts: 823 Karma: 1818344 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: iPhone 5s	What type of stories do you like to read? The question is too broad, the same as asking "what book should I read?" Manga isn't capitalized in case you didn't know.

05-07-2013, 04:50 PM	#4
Namekuseijin affordable chipmunk Posts: 1,290 Karma: 9863855 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Brazil Device: Sony XPeria ZL, Kindle Paperwhite	it's usually a genre very fond of cliché, stereotypes and visual gags relying on stereotyped facial expressions to the extreme. some famous I really enjoyed: Dragon Ball, Naruto, Inuyasha etc. long arc stories involving some character growing up and becoming stronger. lol then, there is more artful and mature things like Cowboy Bebop, Akira, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Lone Wolf and Curb, Blade of the Immortal, Nausicäa of the Valley of the Wind etc

05-07-2013, 06:50 PM	#5
purple_fishy Zealot Posts: 124 Karma: 33812 Join Date: May 2011 Location: The land of sand and sun Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook STR, iPad Air 2	Hm. Maybe a graphic novel would be better.... I saw some James Patterson books were made into graphic novels.

05-07-2013, 07:30 PM	#6
Lemurion eReader Posts: 2,750 Karma: 4968470 Join Date: Aug 2007 Device: Note 5; PW3; Nook HD+; ChuWi Hi12; iPad	One thing you might want to consider before digging into manga is that if you're used to western graphic novels, they can be difficult to read. My eleven-year-old reads both manga and comics with equal facility, but at 49, with over 40 years experience reading almost exclusively western comics, I have some difficulty with manga. The problem I face has nothing to do with the stories or quality of art. It's just that I've spent four decades training my eyes to follow the pictures in the wrong direction. My daughter can flip back and forth with ease. So can my stepson, who's been reading both since he was young (he's now 22), but my habits are harder to break. So if you do want to transition from western-style comics to manga I would recommend getting into the manga as early as possible so you don't build up the wrong habits.

05-07-2013, 08:09 PM	#7
Bani Member Posts: 19 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: USA Device: Kindle DX	Recommending some all-ages and female-oriented series. They don't have the most beautiful of art, they're mostly focused on the storytelling and some are older works. Basara and Please Save My Earth are probably my two favorite manga with romance, adventure, and some mystery. Sadly, both have long been out of print in English despite success in several countries. If you can get a hold of the first few volumes of either series they're well worth reading. From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa is available in English. It has violence but nothing too graphic. Romance/adventure with an old-fashioned aesthetic. Twin Spica is one of the most heartwarming and wholesome drama with several adaptations. The manga is available in English and on the Kindle. http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Spica-Vol...mm_kin_title_0 Karakuri Odette is one of the few comedy series I've found that has a very cross-cultural sense of humor. Honey and Clover and Sand Chronicles are two other more recent series with nice art and thoughtful writing, very focused on drama. I would also second the recommendation for Nausicaa by Hayao Miyazaki, a sprawling adventure with a fantastic heroine. Also this one- http://www.amazon.com/With-Light-Rai.../dp/0759523568 I have way too many to recommend so I'll just stop here.

05-07-2013, 08:11 PM	#8
purple_fishy Zealot Posts: 124 Karma: 33812 Join Date: May 2011 Location: The land of sand and sun Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook STR, iPad Air 2	Cool! Thanks for the suggestions and the comments. I am definitely not interested in reading manga forever, I just wanted to give it a shot since my student recommended it.

05-08-2013, 03:41 AM	#9
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	How about going to your local library? They might have some.

05-09-2013, 04:03 PM	#11
steven522 binomial: homo legentem Posts: 1,061 Karma: 25222222 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Alabama, USA Device: iriver Story HD; Archos 80 G9	Reading a manga for the sake of reading a manga? I would try to read something a little familiar to you. There are a lot of manga to anime and vice-versa that you can try if you've already become familiar with the animated version. There are also a lot of manga-ized movies, books, and comics that you could try. I've read the Star Wars adaptations, and the manga-zation of different comic book super heroes such as Spider-Man. If you are new to any type of drawn medium like comic books, you have the right idea of just going for a graphic novel. Many of them have very detailed artwork and even if they are based off of existing characters/worlds in the comics, they tend to take a fresh view and not carry the baggage that would require you to be fully versed in the history.

05-09-2013, 04:39 PM	#12
Latinandgreek Warrior Princess Posts: 5,038 Karma: 9724231 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-505; PRS-350, PRS-T1, iPad, Aura HD	I love manga by Clamp. You might consider checking out Chobits, Magic Knight Rayearth, Card captor Sakura, Wish and my personal favourite, Xxxholic. Xxxholic, despite the title, does not have any content of a graphic nature. It has romance and adventure, and is heavily influenced by japanese folklore.

05-09-2013, 05:24 PM	#13
alicepattinson Banned Posts: 142 Karma: 2564052 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Kindle Fire	One of the most popular manga series is NARUTO. Like my cousins and friends are so crazy about it

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05-10-2013, 08:25 AM	#15
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,099 Karma: 11315768 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	I find it incredibly difficult to pick manga, myself. It's such a broad subject, it's a bit like saying "recommend me a movie". The only two sensible ways of finding anything seem to be a recommendation from someone who knows what you like, or a random sampling until you find something. I don't really know anyone who reads manga and likes the same things as me, so I'd probably be better off going to the library and trying a few. I get the feeling their manga selection is aimed at kids, though. It's kind of the same with anime, and there is understandably a lot of crossover. I find it almost impossible to tell if I'm going to like something until I actually see it. Popularity is no real help. In practice, I have bought and tried a few. Some have hit, some have missed. I picked up the first three issues of Initial D at a clearance sale once, and enjoyed it more than I expected. It's a petrolhead manga about street racing. The characters don't look too great, but the cars are detailed and accurate. I just found that I was drawn in by the story-telling. It's an extremely long series, though, so I let it drop. I also quite enjoyed Deathnote, about a boy who has the power to kill anyone in the world by writing their name in a demonic book, although again I haven't (yet) seen it through to the end.