I have decided to become a manga fag

[Lindy]

...What? If the term "anime fag" exists, then "manga fag" must too.

So yeah, I've considered that since I'm going on holiday soon, I need something else to do on the beach other than read books and play Boktai/Boktai 2, so I thought about maybe getting into a few manga series. Since I well...I like CLAMP, since I really liked CCS, and a bit of Magic Knight Rayearth, so I thought about looking for CLAMP manga.

Right now I'm torn between Tsubasa, since it just plain seems adorable, Chobits for a similar reason and xxxHolic since that looks like a larf, and also ties into Tsubasa which I'll want to get EVENTUALLY anyway.

I know that I can get the whole Chobits manga, all 8 volumes of it, since I've seen a shop that has them all, I'd have to buy Tsubasa online, though I know it's not complete yet. and the same with at least half of xxxHolic.

So the general question is, which of these do you suggest if you've read any of them, and if you haven't, just suggest something good anyway.

P.S. I hate giant robots, if any of you suggest something dumb like Gundam or Escaflowne, die plz. Though, I'm not averse to violence as long as it isn't the commanding theme of the story.

[TheAbominatrix]

Tsubasa is really really good, and you dont need to know the other series. They just play cameos, though I do also recommend xxxHolic. They have the Tsubasa episodes subbed over at Live-Evil, so if you wanna watch an episode to get an idea of what it is, try it. It's got a good mix of action and love, and cross-references a lot of Clamp manga.

I'm personally more into romance/shoujo series myself... so I really dont know what to recommend aside from those. My personal favorites are currently Othello, The Wallflower, and Couple, all with funny stories and very pretty art.

I you have a local bookstore that sells manga, I recommend just going there and picking out a few volumes to read in the store. That's what I do, so I wont buy something I dislike.

[DMKA]

Welcome to the end. I also can't stand mecha/giant robo stuff.

I haven't read too many manga...I'm more into anime, but the two best I've read would have to be "Angel Sanctuary" and "Boys Over Flowers".

[Lindy]

Yeah, I just spent like, half an hour this morning in a bookstore near my uni that sells manga, my head exploded when I saw the shelves covered in it XD

Skimming through Chobits it looks pretty nice, they only had volume 4 of Tsubasa but looking at that it looks good too, especially the artwork. I know what Tsubasa is about roughly, and the whole cameo thing, since a friend of mine told me about it and how they'd only see CCS but understood it all perfectly well.

And Othello and The Wallflower were two of the manga I had a look at this morning as well XD

[TheAbominatrix]

Omg you like Hana Yori Dango!? *glomps*. Boys Over Flowers, I mean.

They made a gorgeous live action series in Taiwan called Meteor Garden. It's way better than the HYD/BOF anime. So beautiful. You may also wanna check out Mars, which is a really good manga, and also has it's own Taiwanese live action (the girl who plays Tsukushi in MG plays Kira in Mars, and Rui of MG plays Rei of Mars).

edit: Oh, I do hope you'll try out Othello. It's got a good mix of romance and fun and drama. It's rather like the aforementioned Hana Yori Dango, in the drama department. Mars is also very good, one of the best romance stories I've read.

edit2: My roomie recommend MahoRomantic and Peach Girl as well.

[Lindy]

Good lord.

I believe I'm either going to waste all my money, drown in paper, or probably both.

AND I JUST WANTED SOMETHING TO READ ON THE BEACH =(

[TheAbominatrix]

xD

There's just so much good stuff out there!

Okay, I'll narrow it down for ya. Go read a volume of Mars and see what you think. It's only 15 volumes, and it's all released, so if you like it you can get it all and not have to wait.

Or, if you wanna just get them monthly, pick up Tsubasa. <3

[Nephiliam]

Tsubasa is great, and Negima, don't forget about Negima! I've been reading both of them, and I love them. Negima is from the guy who made Love Hina, so you know it's going to be funny. ;) And if you like CCS, Tsubasa has Li and Sakura in it. :O

[Lindy]

Ok, ok, tomorrow, I go back to the shop, look up a few volumes of Mars and anything else I missed, then I'll see what I think, check up prices in the shop and then online.

...Then probably blow my month's paycheck on it all, argh. Though I think I'm still owed birthday money...

[krissy]

Berserk!

so violent and so much nudity

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

<ul type="square"><li>Vagabond
<li>Blade of the Immortal
<li>Dance Till Tomorrow
<li>Battle Angel Alita and Battle Angel Alita: Last Order</ul>That's all you need.

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

The Full Metal Alchemist manga just came out, it's rather good. I'm generally more into the shoujo stuff, so I read things like Rurouni Kenshin and Naruto.

Vision of Escaflowne is absolute crap as manga form, I wouldn't wish that on anybody, lover of mecha or not.

If you like the shoujo Fruits Basket might be good, it's one of the few shoujo I will actually read.

I hear Trigun is good, as are Chrono Crusade and Hellsing.

I can probably think of a few more to post up later. I'll let Starlight give a few of her own suggestions as well, as I'm sure she'll see this thread eventually.

[kikimm]

Ah, WELCOME! :grinpink:

I'll second Vagabond, if JUST for the artwork alone. Angel Sanctuary is well; but you've got to like depressing/dark/morbid stuff, or else I'm at a loss for what to tell you.

Currently, I'm obsessed with Lament of the Lamb. usually I stay away from vampire stories, they're so overused and cluiche, but I've never seen it done this way. I love it, but you might find it boring.

Good luck, anyhow.

[XxSephirothxX]

I was going to suggest Berserk, as well. It's a superb show and the manga is supposed to be far better. It's also extremely long, though only about a fourth of it has reached the States so far.

[faster skating penguin]

I've made the decision long ago. Best one I ever made.

Suggestions:

Battle Royal
Snowdrops(!)
Confidention Confessions

I met the woman who translated 90 percent of the manga in shonen jump. It was pretty smurfin awesome.

And kudos for your hating of Giant Robots. Mecha sucks big time. Shojo owns all.