Manga / Anime Gibberish for Amanda
Amanda left this in comments three blog posts ago:
Maili- I'd like to dip my toe into the great unknown, otherwise known as manga/anime, but I've no idea what is worth reading & what is to be avoided. I saw the new HQ manga romance it really ..er, was yucky. Do you read manga & if so what do you recommend? Maybe a good website? Help! TIAYay! I love anime and manga, but I'm not as knowledgeable about anime/manga as romance author Michelle Jerott/Michele Albert is. Here is her reading blog to prove it. I'm more of a comic geek, as opposite to a manga geek, but I'm willing to give this a try. :) Manga Before I'd list my favourites, please bear it in mind that I tend to be drawn to dark character-driven stories where the line between Hero/ine and Villain/ess frequently blurs. Also, I find that my favourites tend to have a romantic streak. Now why is that not a surprise ...? :D Right, off my head:
- Sanctuary [Sho Fumimura & Ryoichi Ikegami]- the first to introduce me to the concept of manga. To this day, the series remain my favourite, even with its flaws and all. That said, I'd advise you not to read this series until you're used to Manga as it's quite dark Short synopsis: two young Japanese boys grew up during Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia before escaping to Japan where they fight to drag Japan into a new world by having one to enter the Yakuza [Japan's organised crime] to finance the other's career in politics. Their friendship must be hidden to protect the other's political career, sometimes, at their personal cost.
- Mai The Psychic Girl - I read this at same time as Sanctuary. I got to number 4, but by the time I returned home from working abroad, I couldn't find any more new copies and I eventually learnt the series was already out of print. So, some ten years later, I'm still stuck at number 4. lol!
- Vagabond [Inoue Takehiko] - this is based on Eiji Yoshikawa's Musashi, a legendary real-life swordman.
- Crying Freeman [Kazuo Koike & Ryoichi Ikegami] - it's actually terrible. It's a mixture of noble heroic acts, graphic violence, sweet sadness, toe-curling sentimentality, gushily romantic moments, and a lot of shagging. I'm childish enough to snigger every time Freeman weeps a tear. Only because I saw the film version, which completely ruins the comic series.
- Vampire the Hunter D - *hand on heart* Respect.
- Tokyo Babylon -- twin siblings in The X-Files, Manga style. It's a series of supernatural mysteries, basically.
- Lady Snowblood - think of Uma Thurman's Kill Bill, Japanese-style, except Lady Snowblood got here first.
- Angel Sanctuary [actually, to come to think of it, I wouldn't read this if I were you as you're very new to this genre]
- Blade Of The Immortal - he reminds me so much of Ian Nottingham whom I shamelessly lust after.
- The Kindaichi Case Files - ideal for those who love 'sherlock holmes-slash-scooby-doo'-type mysteries. Well, it amuses me.
- Cowboy Bepop - Ah, Spike. :) CB is probably the only TV anime series that I faithfully follow since its creation. It's so complex, with many amusing moments, that you will eventually bond with some characters. It has many pop culture references, which delights the Easter Egg fan in me. Plus it has a great music soundtrack. Whatever you do, don't watch the film version yet as it'd be a good idea to stick with the TV series first. Hm. Is this where I admit to having a soft spot for Vicious? *shame*
- Wolf's Rain -- it's flawed yet I can't help but like it. It has something that reasonates deep in me. Well, it's perfect for navel gazers, methinks.
- Wonderful Days/Sky Blue - a Korean anime film worth seeing. I don't want to say any more that that. Rent it, watch it, and you'll be awed. Well, I was. Well, it's a, essentially, futuristic romance. Enuff said.
- Trigun - what can I say? :D It's fun, nutty and cheerfully violent. Vash is wickedly fun. He's considered the most dangerous man in the world, yet he's never killed a person. Also, who could not love Gung Ho guns either? :D I haven't finish watching this, though. It's a huge series, so I'm a bit lost at the moment.
- Berserk - a sprawling fantasy world of excessive violence, many complex characters, twisty plots, and one ruthless little piece of work: Griffith - the leader of his mercenary gang, the Hawks.
- Outlaw Star - I watch this mainly for Gene, your typical bad boy with a heart of gold, but overall, there are many interesting characters, such as Suzuka, Hilda, and Fred. :) If you like Cowboy Bebop, there is a chance you'll like this, too.
- Akira is a popular classic, but I hate it. I find some characters, especially Akira, too spiteful for my taste.
posted by lost at 2/19/2006 07:29:00 am
19 Comments:
No comments, exactly, except to let you know I printed this one out to give to my son and daughter who are book a lot more into anime than I am. I do watch the occassional movie with them but usually can't tolerate anime series, although there have been exceptions through the years.
2/19/2006 05:52:00 pm
WOW- that's great Maili, thank you sooo much!
I found two Blade of the Immortal books in the UBS but haven't read them yet. I do tend to like dark & sinister, so I think I'll find gems in your list.
I'll hunt around the web for a bit before committing too much $$. Book buget dollars are precious & I spend them carefully most of the time (HAHAHA).
The only anime DVD we have is Spirited Away, but I really like it & am interested in finding more.
The worlds created in anime & manga are often very complex & I want to be sure I start at the beginning.
2/19/2006 09:17:00 pm
Michele Albert definitely knows her stuff. I love Cowboy Bebop. Have several seasons on DVD. I'm definitely going to check out a few of the Manga books you recommended. I've never read one, but Vampire D and Tokyo Babylon sound interesting. The latter because you said the magic phrase...X-files. *ggg*
2/20/2006 12:55:00 am
Oh I forgot, one of the best anime movies I ever watched was Ghost in the Shell. Fantastic story. Makes you understand where the Matrix came from. *g*
2/20/2006 12:57:00 am
Bev - oh, I hope they find it useful. :D Whether you like them or not, which did you see? And hi, mite. No long time see!
Amanda - There you are! :) Yeah, graphic novels of any kind are pretty damn expensive. I used to buy them quite often but these days I have to think twice before making an impulsive buy. SPIRITED AWAY is wonderful! There are three other similar films you might like to see: TOYKO GODMOTHERS, SKY BLUE [which I already mentioned earlier], and MONONOKE [US title: Princess Mononoke]. There are two other films [which I have mixed feelings about] that might interest you - FINAL FANTASY VII [?] and FINAL FANTASY VII: ADVANT CHILDREN.
I'm trying to find a copy of STEAM BOY which I heard is good. Damn, I do need to write up a list of feature-length films I've seen so far. *thinking*
KEISHON! You're alive! Yay! When you have the time, please do write that blog post about your manga reading experiences so far. Miss you, too, and I'm indeed feeling better. Well, my face is still green with jealousy over your Diana Norman collection. :P
Jordan - hello, mite! No long time see! :) That's a good suggestion, GHOST IN THE SHELL. I saw that at same time as the other one .. what's it called? It's really short. *headdesk* Oh, yes, BLOOD. lol! A tormented vampire who appoints herself as the defender of humanity against 'evil' vampires. I think I have GHOST IN THE SHELL on DVD, actually. I might watch it again as I only have impressions, rather than total recollection [I saw it about five years ago]. THE MATRIX. Ha. I must be one of a very few people on this earth who weren't that bowled over. Will still thinks I'm off my head. :D
2/20/2006 01:31:00 am
And there's Hellsing. I've only read the first two issues in manga, but like it. I keep looking in the stores fro teh third one, but they're always out. I keep forgetting to get it online.
And the anime version was cool. Violent and bloody, but cool.
And the volumes of Rurouni Kenshin that I read were decent.
Perhaps I should check a few odd ones out from the library and blog about them.
2/20/2006 04:05:00 am
And dammit, this list is bad for my Netflix queue. I already got a bunch of ideas from Michele Albert's blog.
2/20/2006 04:06:00 am
Maili, it's so good to see you back! Hope things are looking up for you a bit. :)
I cover my manga luvs at the book blog, but not anime. Forgive me for taking over your comments section in this regard...
Anime-wise, I'm picky and go for the more mature dramas. A list of titles I've enjoyed and might be worth checking into:
Cowboy Bebop/Cowboy Bebop: The Movie -- What happens when you bring together three misfits, form a bond between them, and then tear it all apart.
Samurai X Trust/Betrayal -- Not a fan of the Kenshin manga or TV series, but this movie is intense, romantic, and heartbreaking. An assassin falls in love and starts to imagine what it would be like to live as an ordinary man, only to discover the women he loves and trusts has been sent to betray him. No sugar-coating about what it means to be an assassin, either.
Berserk -- Epic, plotting and scheming, rise and fall of the powerful, requires a high tolerance for violence and distressing plot twists. The manga is far more sympathetic toward Griffith than the anime. And the ending tends to piss off people.
Witch Hunter Robin -- Witches, with a touch of X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Slow-paced, but solid. If you like those dark, broody types in big black overcoats, you'll love Amon. His murky motives in the middle really made the series work for me.
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust -- I love this movie. And I cry at the end every damn time; one of the few instances where I actively rooted for the good guys to lose.
Yukikaze -- Kind of Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets Top Gun. Or, conversely, the story of a boy and his beloved AI fighter jet. The only anime I've seen that has a woman in power who's also in her 50s. Actually, all the characters in the series are older. A nice change of pace in a genre dominated by teen-aged characters.
Kaze no Yojimbo -- A stranger arrives in town, rattling the bones of a 15-year-old mystery and stirring up lots of trouble. Again, a little slow going but very involving because the mystery is sooooo good (the opening music...yikes!)
Last Exile -- One of my all-time favorites EVER. Steam punk, epic in scope, and Captain Alex Row is delicious, even if I sometimes wanted to smack him. Air ship battles, politics and plots, a war drama set against a coming of age story, bringing a bunch of very different people together, who then fight for what they believe in. A few sacrifices along the way. Very accessible to anime newbies; even my husband loved it.
Mirage of Blaze -- M/M romance, convoluted story about reincarnation and underworld supernatural battles. It's almost impossible to keep track of who's who, but there's lots of pretty men to watch so it almost doesn't matter. The movie is very good, and easier to follow, I think. Again, be in the mood for major angst. The sexual tension between the two guys is hot, too.
Samurai 7 -- A new series based on Akira Kurosawa's classic movie, but with a futuristic twist. I'm through the 4th volume and so far it's very good. I'm rather fond of Kambei, aka "the Jesus samurai," though the rookie samurai is turning out to be more appealing than I'd expected.
Gankutsuou -- A futuristic take on the Count of Monte Cristo! Demands a tolerance for high melodrama, and this time the story is told through the eyes of two young men, Albert and Franz. The Count is NOT the hero, and the animation style is great, but takes a little getting used to.
Trigun -- First five episodes are filler, the rest is damn good. The final episodes are intense (the scene with Vash and the donuts always makes me cry) and a pacifist gunslinger hero isn't something you encounter very often. Macho types hate that Vash cries; I think it's one of the best parts of his character.
Wolf's Rain -- Unique take on shapeshifters, interesting (loved Darcia, Hubb, and Cher) but kinda depressing. Beautiful animation.
Escaflowne -- Not perfect, but decent yarn involving a girl who finds herself in another world and fighting...well, you wouldn't believe the identity of the main villain and it's so bizarre that I'm not saying. Worth a Netflix rent. Animation is funky; I liked the animation of the movie version so much more (especially Allen!) but didn't like the movie's take on Folken as much.
Twelve Kingdoms -- Fantasy epic that was, unfortunately, left unfinished, but is still excellent. If you like the Chronicles of Narnia, you'll probably like Twelve Kingdoms. Character-centric, strong female leads, but slowly-paced. Action junkies might find it boring.
Outlaw Star -- I like Gene, but had a soft spot for Harry as well, especially toward the end. A nice little romance with a pirate and swashbuckling feel.
L/R (Licensed by Royalty) -- Sort of a James Bond type of series, a little weird in parts and with an annoying ending, but Jack and Rowe are great fun, never miss a shot, and drive cool cars.
Haibane Renmei -- A beautiful little series about "angels" called the Haibane and the humans they live with in a walled city. There's an intriguing mystery about where the Haibane come from and where they go on the day they take "flight." My son figured out the big stuff long before I did.
RahXephon -- A giant robot series that I liked more than the classic Evangelion. The Eva Units were creepy as hell, but the RahXephon isn't anything to sneeze at, either.
Ghost in the Shell, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd Gig -- Most of the current crop of kick-ass chicks in movies owe their existence to the Major, who's a cyborg. Section 9 is a kind of a mix of a police drama and Blade Runner. Cyberpunk. Heavy on the exposition and convoluted plots, interspersed with graphic violence.
Gungrave -- Despite the lame monster segments in the middle, a bittersweet, moving story of a friendship between two young men that goes very wrong. A mafia plot with sci-fi elements and lots of gun action. Brandon and Harry own this story and they make it worth renting and/or buying.
His and Her Circumstances -- A wacky, yet often emotional, look at high school romance and, yes, sex. I watched this with my son and we laughed through it, him because he was living it and me because I was remembering. The ending meanders to a pointless non-ending, but the rest makes up for that weakness.
Full Metal Panic -- A spoof on the mecha (ie, giant robot) genre, with a high school aged secret operative who acts as a bodyguard to a snotty high school girl with special powers. It has one of those annoying villains that just won't die and a ditzy female I wished would go away. However, it also has Kurtz Weber, Melissa Mao, and one of the funniest, most clueless seventeen-year-old bodyguards in the history of anime. Light-hearted and silly fun, random explosions, gratuitous T&A, and a strangely dark stretch of episodes in the middle.
Inuyasha -- With a caveat that it's ridiculously long and repetitive. When Inuyasha is bad, it's pretty bad. When it's good, it's very good. When it's mediocre, which is most of the time, it's pleasantly mediocre. But it's worth it for the good episodes, Sesshoumaru's unexpected but delightful attachment to little Rin, Miroku and Sango's rocky relationship, and Inuyahsa's journey to learn to accept himself as he is, with the help of Kagome, who has the patience of a freakin' saint. To dip a toe into the Inuyasha franchise, pick up the third movie. It's quite good and focuses on the rivalry between Inuyasha and his brother, Sesshoumaru, and their relationship with their father.
The Big O -- No, not that Big O! An odd series in a way, but I rather liked it (didn't see the second season.) A definite homage to Batman: The Animated Series, both in the style of animation and some of the characters (namely the Butler.) I liked Roger's relationship with the cyborg Dorothy. I still laugh when she deadpans, "You're a louse, Roger Smith."
2/20/2006 06:07:00 pm
Oh! Forgot to add that I buy almost all my books and manga at ecampus.com because they offer GREAT discounts on new books. The free shipping is slow, but my mound of TBR books is terrifying in its hugeness, so it's not that big a deal to me.
2/20/2006 06:24:00 pm
I just watched the first dvd of Samurai 7 and enjoyed it a lot. Have the rest on my Netflix. Also have Gankutsuou on the queue because I couldn't resist Michele's comments on it.
I might have to try Trigun again, I watched the first dvd and just wasn't feeling the love.
2/20/2006 07:03:00 pm
Michele -- whoo hoo! for the list, thanks. :D You ought to put that list up at your site. I'd definitely put up a link here.
BTW, I'm amazed that they decided to create a comic out of DEVIL MAY CRY. I played this game a few years ago when I heard that it's largely based on Dante's THE DIVINE COMEDY. Anyway, I just want to say thanks for the heads up on the comic version. [I'm not too sure if my bank manager would share my thanks, though.]
Nicole -- yes, please do give TRIGUN another try. It took me a while before I got hooked on it, especially when the storyline that involves a certain person named Knives deepens.
HELLSING is a good rec, too. Slap me silly for forgetting to include this one. But why else you're around? That's right, here to fill in missing gaps of my skull. :P
2/20/2006 07:38:00 pm
Oh, let's see. According to my daughter, Amy, I've seen movies of Escaflowne, Inuyasha, and Princess Monanoke. Also, bits and pieces of the Inuyasha series. Going way back, there's Sailor Moon, which I actually quite enjoyed, both in the series and movies.
I think there are a couple more anime movies that I've watched in their entirety but dang if I can remember enough of them to even ask Amy what the titles were. And there's probably double that number of series that I've seen bits and pieces of episodes of but not enough to know which was which.
2/21/2006 01:19:00 am
I liked Princess Mononoke, though it's mostly the music that sticks with me. I keep forgetting that Nick got me Ghost in the Shell: SAC for my birthday last year. I need to watch them. And of course everyone needs to see Cowboy Bebop.
I also saw the first disc of Samurai Champloo and liked it. BUt it's very different than CB.
2/21/2006 02:37:00 am
Maili, I keep meaning to add a list of recs for anime and manga to the book blog, but always forget. I'll have to make a note to myself.
The DEVIL MAY CRY franchise is amazingly popular. TOKYOPOP is publishing a novel this summer, in addition to the manga. I keep thinking a live-action version or an anime series can't be far behind. GUNGRAVE was a shooter game before it was an anime. BTW, I really enjoyed the first DMC manga volume, and I'm impatiently waiting for the next one.
Oh, and in the Kenshin movie rec, that was supposed to be woMAN, not woMEN. He's not indulging in multiples; they boy can barely manage talking to girls. ;)
And I forgot to comment on Jordan's post. :) I don't know if I know my stuff, exactly, but I do like to talk about it! A lot...
2/21/2006 03:01:00 pm
"Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust -- I love this movie. And I cry at the end every damn time; one of the few instances where I actively rooted for the good guys to lose."
I just watched this for the first time tonight -- I'd gotten it a while ago (my current heroine is an anime/manga fan, and since the hero's a vampire I thought this would be great to reference at some point -- I've known about Vampire Hunter D for some years now, and hadn't actually read/watched it) and holy crap.
Holeeeeee crap. I cried my ass off. I love this movie. Now off to see what I can dig up at the library for the manga.
2/22/2006 09:25:00 am
Oh, and forgot to add -- I'd never thought of Blade of the Immortal and Ian Nottingham together, but yes! And...le sigh. And now I'm sad for the days of Witchblade gone by, when the tension between Sara and Ian was quite good. *sob*
2/22/2006 09:28:00 am
Keishon - Deathnote? That's new to me. Thanks for the heads up.
Michele - don't worry, you have me around to kick your .. err, remind you to put your lists up at your book blog. Tokyopop is publishing a novel based on DEVIL MAY CRY? *jaws drop* Where have I been? I had no idea that it's a strong following. Granted, Dante's a hunk, but ... *running off to Amazon to buy a copy* oh, before I go, do you have any plans to pen a manga-action-style romance in near future?
Meljean - Amen! I admit I thought Sara was a brickhead, but the tension? Yum, yum, YUM! I don't even like his name, but he can visit me at night ANY time.
OK, I need to get a life. That I will do. By doing the washing up. Cheers.
2/22/2006 06:29:00 pm
Oops, just spotted that I missed two responses:
Beverly Ah, those you saw are very popular. It's been years since I saw them, but if you enjoyed those, I'll give them another try. Thanks for that.
Nicole - Heh! I forgot I had THE NINJA SCROLL on DVD, too. We watched it last night and it's different from what I remembered. Ah, old age ... *sigh* SAMURAI CHAMPLOO? I don't think I'd heard of that one. I'll check it out, thanks.
2/22/2006 06:34:00 pm
Hey, Maili, I'm here to hijack your comments form again. :)
I finally remembered to add a list of anime recs at my book blog and, as requested, here's the URL:
http://www.inkalicious.com/bookblog/animefavs.php
I also meant to comment earlier that there's no Vampire Hunter D manga, just the novels.
BTW, I love HELLSING -- far prefer the manga to the anime -- but it isn't for everyone. Those expecting a kinder, gentler vampire might be a wee bit shocked by the killing spree Alcuard goes on in Volume 3. Did you know that Geneon is now making an OVA series? Unlike the original anime series, this one is based directly on the manga.
Agree on Dante being hot! He's shirtless in the manga, which definitely appeals to my shallow side.
I'm not planning on writing any manga-esque romance adventures, but the Azrael project I've been puttering away at would probably qualify.
2/24/2006 09:29:00 pm
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