What's up, everyone?
I have more manga recommendations for you guys.
I mentioned a lot in my last recommendations video
that you'll want to check out too,
but here are some series I want to shine a spotlight on.
I'm into all sorts of genres and types of manga.
I buy or read manga simply for the reason that they interest me.
So this list has a little bit of everything.
That all being said, let's get into the recommendations!
Magus of the Library is a fantasy series written by Mitsu Izumi,
who's also the creator of 7th Garden.
The panels are so stunning that on many occasions
they have elicited an emotional response within me.
Not only does it have some of the most amazing art
and most detailed panels I've ever seen, it has one of the best stories as well.
Wonder and curiosity, the thirst to learn, a love
but also appreciation for books,
and the power of knowledge are all things that are explored in this series.
But it also is very much a tale about people
and the discrimination that some face, including our main character, Theo,
and more too.
Magus of the Library follows Theo, who lives in the village of Amun
and has always loved books.
But because he is poor and has pointed ears, the other children bully him
and he is told he can't use the village library.
Theo dreams of going to the City of Books, a place where a gigantic library
awaits him and people don't care about how much money you have or how you look.
One day, he meets a Kafna, a librarian who works for the Great Library,
and his life changes forever.
Amongst all this is a wonderful fantasy backdrop
and a world that's full of magical and wondrous creatures,
so Magus of the Library features incredible worldbuilding also.
This is an extraordinary series that really connected with me
as someone who is a lover of books myself,
and I really relate with the characters as well as the story as a result.
Few series hit every element out of the park, the art, the characters,
the worldbuilding, story, etc., but Magus of the Library does.
It will awaken a childlike sense of wonder within you, and even potentially,
as it did with me, reignite your passion for the hobbies and pastimes you love.
Tsui no Taimashi Ender Geister follows Akira, an S-class exorcist
from Germany, who teams up with Chikage, a beautiful exorcist from Japan,
to fight dangerous creatures that are not of this world.
It is every great action movie wrapped into one.
It's high octane, over-the-top fun, and it has a supernatural spin
that makes it an interesting read.
It's one I recommend, especially if you're a fan of Quentin Tarantino's films.
The panels are super detailed and the art is amazing too,
but the references this one makes and the movies that it takes inspiration
from also add to its charm.
It hasn't been printed with
English translation yet, but it's one to keep an eye on for sure.
Really hope it is released someday soon because it's
one of the most entertaining series I've read as of late.
This next one Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is a rom com.
And while it very much follows its main characters
and their romantic relationships, it's also about their dynamic as a group
and how they bond together through their interests as otaku.
In addition to Genshiken, Wotakoi is one of my favorite manga
that highlights otaku culture and it features a fantastic cast of characters.
More so than anything, though, Wotakoi is a comedy.
While the romance is definitely there, and it tells the story
of multiple different romantic relationships,
it's more so a story about a group of friends
who are bonding together over their love for manga, anime, video games and more.
So if you are put off by the romance tag just know it's not really the main focus
of this story.
The humor in the series is relatable and hilarious.
The facial expressions are funny and the comedic timing is perfect.
It is a heartwarming but also comical read as a result.
One thing I really like about Wotakoi
is that
depending on who the characters are with, the dynamics change as they do
in real life.
How we act with our friends varies
in how we act with our significant others or coworkers, etc..
We see these characters in the workplace, out and about, at home.
We follow them in the present
as they go about their daily lives but we also get glances into their past.
Because of this and more, you really connect with the characters.
It's one of my all time favorites, and while it may sound like
it may have a simple premise, this series has a lot to offer.
It will make you laugh, but it will move you in unexpected ways as well.
Wotakoi actually began releasing as a doujinshi but
Kodansha later picked it up for release.
2-in-1's of the series were later released by Kodansha with English translation,
there are 11 volumes in total to read, which are collected in 5 2-in-1's
and one single volume, So it's a relatively quick read.
There are three variants of the sixth and final volume, the B&N, Books-A-Million
and Kinokuniya exclusives that you may want to keep an eye out on as well.
Bakemonogatari's manga adaptation, which has art by one of my favorite manga
artists, Oh!
great, who is the creator of another favorite of mine
Air Gear is another series I highly recommend.
Vertical is releasing the series with English translation, and so far
14 volumes have been released.
There's so much going on in this series.
There's action, drama, horror, a little romance, supernatural elements.
It has a very unique take on vampires, by the way, and some mystery and humor, too.
Nothing about Bakemonogatari from its art, which I give a 10/10, to its characters
to its story is typical, and this is part of the reason I love it so much.
It's concept of monsters is more abstract, which I love,
and it's unlike any other supernatural story I've read before.
While it's
very otherworldly, the human experience and the struggles
the characters face are explored well here, so it's extremely relatable too.
If you're looking for an eccentric and entertaining series
with good character dynamics, highly detailed, stunning art and a unique story,
Bakemonogatari is one you need to check out.
The anime is one of my favorites too,
so I recommend checking it out as well if you have yet to do so.
This next one is manhwa but I had to mention it because it's
so unbelievably good.
It's Windbreaker which follows Jay, a straight-A
student and the student council president that comes from a family of doctors.
They teach him that all that matters
is excelling at school, but he wants something more.
He discovers a love for cycling and creates an cycling team called
the Hummingbird Crew with his friends.
The individual characters are great, but so are the group dynamics.
If you're wondering about the art
in the beginning, by the way, please stick with it.
The art gets so incredibly good in the later parts, next level for sure,
so it's worth sticking around for,
especially given that it has such an amazing story.
Everyone in the series
has different motivations for cycling, and this is highlighted well.
They really feel like a real group of individuals
and the interactions between them are believable.
They poke fun at each other, hang out each other's houses, etc.
so they bond and interact like normal high school kids.
So Windbreaker is not just about cycling, but the character's everyday lives too.
It's kind of similar to series like Beck in that way.
Windbreaker is a series
that is thrilling and adrenaline-inducing but it's funny and full of drama also.
Passion as well as friendship are two things
that are really explored in the series, and it does an incredible job
at highlighting the dilemma that many of us face in our lives:
Do we do what we love or what's expected of us?
If you're into streetwear like me, you'll enjoy the outfits
the characters wear in this series too.
I thought Yowamushi Pedal was dangerous.
It will make you want a bike, but with Windbreaker...
I want a bike and I want the clothes.
Dangerous and expensive combination to say the least.
I love so many manhwa, but Windbreaker is one of my top,
if not my top, to release so far.
You can read the series digitally on Webtoon
if you'd like to check it out,
but I really hope a print release of the series releases soon!
The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service is an extremely underrated horror manga.
It follows the adventures of five young Buddhist students
as they go about their days working in an unusual trade.
What's most surprising about the series is that despite its dark subject matter,
it manages to feel light and fun, thanks to its quirky characters and black humor.
There are plenty of moments in this series
that aren't for the faint of heart, though.
The premise features main characters with supernatural abilities
that use their powers to help the dead move on to the next life.
They work together to solve mysterious deaths, so it's a great mystery
manga, too.
Each chapter is a self-contained story, but there are recurring
characters and long term plotlines that run throughout the entire series.
Since each chapter is a standalone story that roughly follows the same formula:
A corpse is found
and then they try
to figure out how they died and then try to put that spirit to rest,
I was slightly concerned that it would become predictable.
I'm happy to report it was actually quite the opposite,
even though it has the same formula
throughout for the most part, the story always felt fresh and exciting
as new mysteries and jobs came into the picture.
The Kurosagi Corpse
Delivery Service was released in English for the first time by Dark Horse in 2008.
It was later released in an omnibus format by Dark Horse as well.
The omnibues actually
recently restocked on Barnes and Noble if you're looking to get into the series.
If you're looking for a manga
restocks list, check out the link to my website in the description below!
Dark Fantasies are some of my favorites
and I recently got into a new one that's underrated, Ragna Crimson.
Anytime a series opens up with a chapter titled "The Day the Reaper Was Born",
I get excited.
It comes across simple enough at first with an MC
that wants to become the strongest to protect someone he cares about.
But trust me, it's not your average dark fantasy.
It develops incredibly and becomes something much more over the course
of the volumes.
Ragna Crimson is set in a rich world where dragons reside as well as dragons
slayers that hunt them.
Ragna is one such dragonslayer, but he is one of the weakest.
He forms a partnership
with the highest ranked Dragon Hunter, though, and forms a strong bond with her.
He wants to protect her at all costs, but can't do so in his current state.
So he works to grow stronger.
But time runs out when an extremely strong and sentient dragon appears.
I know this sounds pretty typical, but it's one of those series that has twists
and turns, and if I were to tell you them, it would spoil the series.
As with most dark fantasies, there's a revenge mission in this one.
Like Goblin Slayer wants to take out
all of the goblins, Ragna wants to take out all of the dragons.
The power systems in this one, though, are unique and intriguing.
It's action packed with interesting developments,
and it has a really cool, gritty art style.
There's just something about the art that really captures my attention.
The use of contrast, which is similar in the vein of something like Death
Note, the atypical character designs, the Gothic style...
I just love the panels in this series.
It's one I highly recommend
and I hope more people will check it out because it's a hidden gem.
Also, if you enjoy the series,
keep an eye out for the anime that's releasing in 2023.
This next one, The Apothecary Diaries, is an absolute gem
and is highly underrated for how good it is.
Square Enix is printing this series with English translation
and four volumes in the series have been released so far.
The story follows Maomao, a girl trained in the art of herbal medicine,
who was kidnaped and is forced to work as a servant in the inner palace.
She has been awaiting an opportunity to escape her life of drudgery,
and she finds a chance when a curse afflicting the imperial heirs falls
upon her.
She uses her wits and skills in herbal medicine to break it.
Her success attracts the attention of Jinshi
a handsome eunuch who promotes her to attendant food taster.
She becomes a detective of sorts, solving mysteries and maladies.
So it is somewhat episodic,
but it has an overarching story and driving plot as well.
I absolutely love Maomao as a character.
She isn't your typical MC.
She has a lovable attitude and is charming,
but she is quick witted and kind as well.
I always love seeing how excited she gets when she finds new herbs and medicines
and how disgusted she is by Jinshi, who normally has hordes of women
vying for his attention.
This series is historical, but it feels modern,
thanks to its unconventional MC and fun sense of humor.
The art and character designs are beautiful to witness too.
This next manga, The Witch and the Beast is one
I've actually been eyeing on the shelf for months, but for some reason I just now
got into it.
I think it's partially
because the covers don't really represent all that much what it's about.
So it surprised me, to say the least, when I discovered how much I love the series
and how much it was up my alley.
I have many of you guys to thank for this, though,
because a lot of you recommended this one to me.
The Witch and the Beast is a supernatural, dark fantasy
that follows a quiet man and an abrasive, hot tempered girl, who are two members
of the Order of Magical Resonance, as they investigate mysterious cases
of supernatural phenomena from witches to necromancers to vampires.
Most of the series I mentioned are hidden underrated gems, but
the Witch and the Beast is probably the most underrated of them all.
The worldbuilding in this
manga is incredible because of the way the world is set up.
One of Kousuke Satake's greatest strengths is his ability to quickly
and vividly create a world and drop you right in the middle of it.
The vampire world in The Witch and the Beast, for instance,
is your classic Victorian setting, which is in stark
contrast to the human world where this story mainly takes place.
So the setting changes
throughout the volumes, which keeps things fresh and interesting.
From the extravagant clothing to the Gothic architecture,
not a single detail is spared in the series.
The fights are also some of the most exciting to experience.
If you're a fan of Dark Fantasy manga or series that have strong worldbuilding
and exciting action, you'll want to check out The Witch and the Beast.
The Witch and the Beast is being released with English translation by Kodansha.
It's still releasing, but eight volumes have been released so far.
The latest arc, which features vampires, is incredible too,
so make sure you stick around until then if you give this one a shot!
Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu is one of the best new horror series I've read in a while.
It follows two boys, Yoshiki and Hikaru, who grew up together in a small village.
One day, Yoshiki notices that something is different about Hikaru
and discovers that an imposter is taking control over his body.
With a real Hikaru gone in spirit, but not in body, Yoshiki struggles to let him go
and decides that he'd rather be together with whatever it is than lose
Hikaru forever.
It's very much a story about grief and loss
and how we struggle to let those who have passed go.
This is a true part of human nature and one that is often explored in horror,
but few explore it as well as Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu.
Since it's set in a village where strange incidents begin occurring,
it reminds me a lot of Higurashi in regards to its setting and atmosphere.
There's something that's just not quite right about this village.
The people are secretive and dark whispers move around the town,
the animals are uneasy, and there's an ominous terror
lurking in the shadows as well as the trees of the mountains.
The story and emotions of the characters are expressed well.
The art is beautiful and it's the best horror BL manga I've read to date.
If you love mystery
and supernatural manga too, you'll want to give this one a shot!
The series is releasing in Japan right now and has yet to be printed
with English translation, but I hope it's released someday!
And there you have it, guys.
There are my manga recommendations this time around.
I have a lot more that I want to recommend you guys,
and if you're looking for more, be sure to check out this playlist next!
Thank you so much as always for watching and I'll see ya next time!