What's up, guys? It's Kristin from Anime Collective.
I've been wanting
to do another recommendation video, so I decided to do one this week.
Anywho
I can't wait to talk about these series, so let's get into the recommendations.
First up is Jagaaan.
Jagaaan is one of the best
manga I have ever read, and it's written by one of the creators of Blue
Lock, Muneyuki Kaneshiro with Art by Kensuke Nishida.
It has yet to be published in English yet, but I'm hoping it is one day soon.
Definitely one of my most wanted print releases.
Jagaaan is one of my favorites because as elements of horror
that make it similar to others I love like Gantz and Parasyte.
But while it's reminiscent of those
and is right up my alley, as a result, it's very much its own thing.
It's easy to compare Jagaaan to Parasyte because the MCs
are both infested by parasites, which would normally take over their hosts.
But in both cases they managed to somewhat control it.
In Jagaaan these parasites are parasitic frogs called frenzied frogs
that morph their hosts into these terrifying visions
and once turned are appropriately called fractured humans.
The monstrous forms they take on are a representation
of their deepest and strongest desires, which is really unique.
Like Gantz, it's very graphic in nature.
It's bloody, gory, shocking at times, and it holds nothing back.
There's also a great deal of mystery in both that make them intriguing too.
That being said, if you enjoy manga like these, you'll definitely enjoyed Jagaaan.
Not to mention the fact that it has some of the best art I've ever seen
and some of my favorite panels in all of manga.
The character designs are great, their expressions as well,
but it's the designs of the fractured humans I love the most.
They are nightmarish and they bring the host's
innermost desires to light in a physical form.
Up next is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a heartfelt series about an elf
and a mage named Frieren who is embarking on a new journey to carry out
the final wishes of her comrades.
Her party defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the world.
But after
losing one of her friends to old age, she looks back on their times together.
The series follows Frieren who lives a near immortal life
as she makes up for lost time
and seeks to know more about her comrades and the human experience.
We all want to feel connected, but sometimes we just don't know how.
And Frieren Beyond Journey's End explores this deeply.
Among a fantasy backdrop where demons reside in magic and heroes
exist, we get a story that is refreshingly relatable and real.
It’s easy to connect with Frieren's journey
and is one of the most compelling as well
as touching fantasy stories I've read as of late.
To top it all off, there are no clichés in this story
and the ideas, as well as the themes that are explored or fresh.
Frieren Beyond Journey's End
debuted not too long ago was already one of my favorite fantasy stories.
It will capture your heart from the get go with the story and characters
develop in a way that keeps you invested.
The artwork is incredibly powerful too.
The feelings of the characters are displayed beautifully,
but it's how the past and the present collide together seamlessly in this story
that make it a true standout.
An anime for Frieren Beyond Journey's End is confirmed to be releasing in the Fall
2023 anime season.
Definitely something I'm looking forward to as well.
In Witch Hat Atelier we follow a young girl named Coco who wants to be a witch.
Her dream, however,
feels out of reach because in this world, magic users are born, not made.
Just when she's about to give up, she meets a traveling witch named Qifrey,
whose curiously performing magic gives her hope that one day
her dream may very well come true.
Qifrey becomes her mentor and takes her in, and she,
along with other apprentices, studies and trains to become a witch.
The friendship that forms between Coco
and the other apprentices is heartwarming to watch,
but there's an air of darkness and danger that's always lurking in this series.
It’s a whimsical, lighthearted read but as we learn more about this world
and the curtain is lifted, we realize that everything is not as it seems.
The story is incredible and the magical system that exists within
the series is unique, but it’s the art which is absolutely breathtaking
that sets this one apart from the rest.
Witch Hat Atelier
has some of the best manga panels, and I was continuously amazed by its art.
The dynamic way in which the panels flow from page to page and the unique way
in which they are structured make it unlike any other manga
I've ever read before. The artwork is delicate,
but highly detailed and the contrast is incredible too.
What excites me most about the art in Witch Hat though, is how the art of magic
and the emotions that come with mastering it are conveyed.
There's so much to marvel at in the series and awaken your sense of wonder.
Pluto is Naoki
Urasawa's take on Astro Boy's the greatest robot on earth
arc is one of my favorite sci fi manga to release to date.
In the postscript in the lines, I read that the son of Osamu Tezuka
first said no to Urasawa’s proposal, but after meeting with him later
accepted with one condition.
He had to go toe to toe with his dad and create something entirely different
and new.
The combination of Tezuka and Urasawa, who was already creating masterful works
like Monster and 20th Century Boys, is a no brainer
given what they both have achieved in the type of works they create.
What Urasawa adds to Astro Boys an air of mystery, a story
where the world's greatest
robots are being hunted down and killed by an unknown killer.
Instead of the main character being Astro Boy or Atom, as he's called in Pluto,
we follow a detective who is a robot, but through his actions
and interactions with others, we see that he's very much human.
In Pluto and Astro Boy, the human and robot relationship
and how the line between the two is so often blurred is explored.
Urasawa delves into this even further in Pluto and showcases
the struggles and discrimination that robots face in this world.
The big thing Pluto really questions, though, is what happens
when the line between robot and human no longer exists, and humanlike
emotions such as hatred and sadness are brought into the mix.
Being that is set in a post-war society and highlights the aftermath that war
has had on the people, both robot and human alike, it’s
many times a heartbreaking, harrowing read, but it's also thrilling
and exciting thanks to the mystery and action that fills its pages as well.
Urasawa didn't stray too far from Astro Boy,
so it's a respectful retelling, but it breaks the mold also.
As a result it’s one that fans of the original series will find familiarity
with, but it offers an entirely new experience too.
It's a fantastic retelling
and it has one of the most enthralling stories
and some of the most striking panels I've seen in manga.
Gannibal by Masaaki Ninomiya is one of the most underrated
manga in the horror genre and is a hidden gem.
When we are first introduced to our main character,
he has just moved to a remote village in the mountains with his family,
but it’s not just any ordinary village.
It’s one that shrouded in a lot of mystery.
More terrifying than that it’s a place where cannibals are rumored to reside.
Everyone jokes about this at first, but when the local policeman goes missing
and our MC is sent in to take over his post
he begins to wonder whether or not
these rumors are actually true and starts to investigate.
The only problem is that one particular family in the area
doesn't like him poking around in their business.
It reminds me of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in a lot of ways
because there's the townsfolk
and then there's a main family in this case,
the Goto family that puts the whole town in a state of unease.
The townspeople acknowledge them, but they don't pry into their lives.
It's a rather suspenseful
but also horrifying read as a result, and it constantly puts you on edge.
Through his interactions with the people in this town,
but also the Goto family, you uncover the mystery alongside the MC and others.
There are some
pretty gruesome scenes in the series, but it's a mysterious and thrilling series
as well.
Gannibal has not been printed in English yet, but has been printed
in a number of different languages, including French and Italian.
I really hope we get an English release one day.
I've read a lot of horror manga over the years
and Gannibal is one of the most exciting and best new horror series I've read.
This next one is a mouthful.
Is The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really,
Really, Really Love You and it’s a harem manga at its extreme.
Not just because our main character, thanks to a gods error, has not one
but 100 soulmates, but also because it stands out from the pack
with its unconventional MC and endearing cast of characters.
This isn't your everyday harem or romance manga.
It has so much more than that.
It will make you laugh a lot with its out there
and over-the-top humor and situations, but will make you feel as well
thanks to the relatability of its characters.
The girls in particular all have insecurities and struggles that I relate
to. I also really enjoy the fact that Rintaro isn't your typical MC.
He isn't creepy in any way, and you can tell he really cares
for his girlfriends and appreciates them all for who they are.
He celebrates what makes them unique and finds them to be beautiful
in their own ways, and I really like this about him.
Watching him
try to maintain harmony between all of these girls proves to be hilarious.
But the 100 Girlfriends is a heartwarming read as well.
It’s the interactions between the girls that move me the most though
because you see them connect with one another and become close friends.
A lot of these girls didn't have friends previously,
so it's awesome to see them making connections,
as well as opening up more to the idea that it's okay to let others in.
There are many times throughout the series that you ask yourself,
what the hell is going on?
This is part of the 100 Girlfriend's undeniable charm.
This next one, Summertime Rendering follows Shinpei,
a young man who returns to his hometown of Hitogashima
Island for the funeral of his childhood friend Ushio.
However, upon his arrival, Shinpei discovers that she has death
shrouded in mysterious circumstances.
Determined to uncover the truth behind his friend's death,
Shinpei begins to investigate
a mysterious presence on the island that could have been responsible.
As he delves deeper into the island's dark secrets, Shinpei realizes
that this presence poses a serious threat to the safety of everyone he loves.
With the fate of his hometown and the people he cares about at stake,
Shinpei must use all of his wit and strength to stop the dangerous forces
at work, all the while protecting Ushio’s little sister Mio in the process.
Needless to say, it’s a mysterious series.
Part of what makes Summertime Rendering such an engaging supernatural mystery
is its use of the death loop story mechanic.
The death loop is a concept that has been explored in other manga,
but the way it's used
and evolved upon in the series that makes it a truly unique entry.
Also, the cast of characters is extremely well developed.
By the end of the story, every character plays a crucial role.
On top of that, the lore surrounding
the island was so interesting I could not put the series down.
I highly recommend
Summertime Rendering to anyone who enjoys horror, supernatural or mystery.
At only 13 volumes, the pacing is great and twists happen at every turn,
so it's a quick but also well thought out and impactful series
that knows how to keep you on your toes.
Udon recently released the series in both paperback and hardcover releases
if you'd like to check it out.
This next one Dandadan is probably no surprise
because I've talked about it on the channel
before and it's one that's relatively hyped,
but I have to keep talking about it on the channel
because it is one of my favorite ongoing series.
Dandadan is up there with series like Chainsaw Man,
Hell's Paradise, Call The Night and Oshi no Ko for me.
This is a huge compliment because these are some of my tops released
within the past few years.
Dandadan is set in a world that has both sci fi elements
like aliens and supernatural elements like ghosts in it.
Instead of focusing on one or the other,
the two collide in this world, and this makes it unique and intriguing.
Dandadan follows Momo, who comes across a boy named Ken that's being bullied
because of her kind heart and her knack for jumping into situations
without thinking, she ends up confronting the bullies and saving Ken.
In return,
he takes this opportunity to try and make a friend and attempts to connect with her
by talking about one of his favorite topics, the occult.
Momo rejects his claims but says that she believes in ghosts.
On the flip side, Ken believes in aliens, but he doesn't believe in ghosts.
Momo and Ken set up a challenge to determine who is right.
Momo will go to a fabled local alien hotspot and Ken will go to a fabled
local ghost hotspot.
Both of them arrive at their destinations and funnily enough, it turns out that
both of them were correct.
Because of their discoveries, their lives are turned upside down.
Now they have to navigate the supernatural and sci fi worlds they have stumbled
into, all the while working to return their lives back to normal.
There's something endearing about Dandadan, and its charm is undeniable.
It’s quirky and wacky, but in a lovable way,
and I love every single thing about it.
Viz are releasing the series now, if you'd like to check it out.
Also I really hope an anime is on the way soon.
There have been rumors that one is on the way,
but no confirmation as to whether or not these rumors are true yet.
Here's hoping.
I recently did a video on my top upcoming new manga series releasing in 2023,
but since then, even more stories I'm excited about have been announced.
One such series is Yomotsuhegui: Scions of the Underworld, and it's one
I've definitely added to my list of most anticipated releases of 2023.
Yomotsuhegui: Scions of the Underworld is the latest from Masasumi Kakizaki,
the creator of Green Blood
and the artist of one of my all time favorite seinen, Rainbow, and Seven Seas
are releasing the series
for the first time with English translation in February 2024.
The story follows Nawa Kanetsugu, who used to be a police officer
until his wife and child were murdered,
and he sought revenge by any means necessary.
In a new quest for vengeance after his release from prison
he discovers that a mortal wound won't kill him.
A confrontation with a mysterious girl shows Nawa that he's eaten
the fruit of Yomotsuhegui, the tree in the realm of the dead,
and now he's an immortal with monstrous powers.
The girl is a god of death who wants his help to fight other dangerous immortals.
If you're a fan of cosmic horror, you'll want to keep an eye out for this one.
The artwork is absolutely incredible and is highly detailed in the series,
as expected from Masasumi Kakizaki and is one of the most exciting
new supernatural manga I've read as of late.
Not one but two of Shinichi Sakamoto manga are releasing in 2023.
In addition to Innocent which is being released by Dark Horse.
#DRCL Midnight Children is being printed with English translation thanks to Viz.
Shinichi Sakamoto
showcases his highly realistic and detailed art yet again in the series
but is also one of my favorites, thanks to his subject matter.
#DRCL Midnight Children is based on Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Horror is one of my favorite genres, so I couldn't wait to see how Shinichi
Sakamoto would reimagine this original classic.
Set in the quintessential Gothic setting in the 19th century,
the landscapes as well as the backdrops that Shinichi Sakamoto
drew further bring the world of Dracula to life, and our MC,
Mina is a well-written and strong character.
#DRCL Midnight Children pays homage to the classic
by maintaining the same atmosphere and feel of the original,
but it brings the series
into the modern day and age with the topics and themes in explores.
Viz is releasing the first volume of #DRCL Midnight Children
on September 19, 2023, and it’s a hardcover release.
It's one of my most anticipated 2023, and I hope you'll check it out.
And that's it for the video, guys.
I hope you'll find a series or multiple series that you're excited to check out.
If you're looking for even more manga recommendations,
I have two other videos featuring even more amazing series you can get into.
If you're looking for new manga you can pick up in 2023, be sure to
check out my most anticipated releases that are releasing throughout the year.
Thanks as always for watching and I'll see you all in the next video.