The Wonderful World Of Manga

Bored? Never read a manga? Or need a new manga to read? Here's some really good manga that you may not have heard about.

What is Manga?

Manga is basically Japanese comics, but there are quite a few things that make them different other than country of origin. Manga is usually serialized in weekly or monthly magazines. There is one chapter per magazine. Just like the publication of comics, once a certain number of chapters of a manga are released they are collected into a book, a graphic novel. Examples of manga are Dragonball, Naruto, One Piece, Death Note, etc. Some of you may have seen the series I listed as "anime". Usually an anime is a manga first and if it is popular enough it will get an anime that typically runs about 26 episodes. There are several exceptions to this rule such as the Gundam franchise, Dragonball GT, etc. Some start as anime and then receive manga adaptations.

So here is a list of really amazing manga that would interest anyone (tastes may vary).

Gantz

Gantz is a manga that is written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. The series takes place in Japan and revolves around a group of people trapped in a game. Not a video game or any other kind that you've heard of before. In order to be in the game you have to die first. If you're "lucky" once you die you will be downloaded by Gantz (a giant black sphere) and teleported to its location. You and several others will be participating in a game where you have to kill monsters for points. The more points you earn the better weapons you can get, revive someone who has died while playing the game or you can use your points to leave Gantz. Everyone starts off with a full body suit that increases your strength and damage resistance, a gun that does not need bullets, and a katana that can grow or shrink in length.

The story revolves around two students, Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato. These two save a man from getting hit by a train and are in turn struck by said train. They are downloaded into Gantz and have to participate in the games whenever Gantz calls. Otherwise you have your life back. Failure to report will lead to immediate termination. If you get caught by someone in the outside world with Gantz equipment then Gantz terminates you. No one can discover Gantz that are not already apart of the game. Sounds pretty great right? You have all these weapons and so long as you don't take them from Gantz and participate in the games you get to keep on living your new lease on life. Well people do take equipment into the outside world and use it to do things like beat up bullies and kill their classmates.

There is an overall point to Gantz, but I'd rather not say because I don't want to spoil anything. They have to do more than kill monsters for this black sphere. The art is amazing and you can tell especially with the high action scenes (which there are a lot of). The story is great and best of all this manga has finished. It did not get cancelled, it has a definitive ending and its available in any place that sells manga. This is one of the few manga series America has a license for. I highly recommend this series. Its a great blend of horror, sci-fi, and action.

Zetman

Zetman is a manga by Masakazu Katsure. The series revolves around a homeless child named Jin Kanzaki that is hunted by this company that supposedly created him and these other creatures called "Players". Players are monstrous creatures that can hide in human form and enjoy killing. Jin is what is known as the "ZET". He is able to transform into a inhuman form and is capable of killing the Players. The figure in the photo all way to the left is the ZET. He is very cool looking and through a series of events, that you will have to read the manga to find out about, chooses to work with the company and kill the Players.

The company that created the ZET and the Players is known as the Amagi Corporation. They created the Players as a way for people to gamble on. The Players were originally mindless until one day they evolved and broke out from their cells. The Amagi Corporation are also the ones responsible for the superhero anime known as "Alphas". Kouga Amagi, the heir to the Amagi Corporation, is obsessed with Alphas and decides to make him a reality. Kouga was already a skilled athlete and very intelligent so he just needed the equipment. He used some of his family's money to create the Alphas suit and gear. With a team, he too started to hunt the Players.

This too is a horror manga with a lot of action. This story has a few time skips and has a lot of crazy fight scenes. These two try to eliminate the Players as things in their personal lives go horribly wrong. This story is great and I recommend it just like Gantz. Unfortunately, this series was not released in the U.S., but you can find scans of the chapters translated on any number of online manga websites. Check it out! Its worth a read.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Plot to Assassinate Gihren

I only recommend this manga if you are a Gundam fan just like I am. If not, I recommend you watch the original Gundam series, "Mobile Suit Gundam" (sometimes referred to as Gundam 0079). This manga was created by "Ark Performance". It is set during the One Year War and involves, like the title suggests, a plot to assassinate Gihren. Gihren is one of the heads of the Zeon nation. Zeon is a separatist group located in the colonies known as Side 3. Gihren, is referred to as a Young Hitler, in the original "Mobile Suit Gundam" anime and so the people that plan to assassinate him call their plot "Valkyrie" after the plot that was meant to kill Hitler. The story takes place on Side 3 as the One Year War comes to a close with Zeon losing to the Earth Federation.

Just because this is a plot to assassinate Gihren does not mean there are not going to be giant robot (mobile suit) fights. The national guard of Zeon stage a coup and use their mobile suits to secure parts of the city. This also involves one of the greatest pilots ever, a man named Lance Gerfield, who pilots a white Gouf model and he does so only with one arm. There are a lot of great characters and the series overall is very interesting. This is a really cool manga with a twist ending so you should watch the anime and then read this or if you feel confident enough, read the manga now.

This manga is also not available in the U.S. so you are going to have to find it online just like Zetman. It is very well done and I would dare say it is my favorite Gundam manga.

Bio Meat: Nectar

Bio Meat: Nectar is a manga by Fujisawa Yuki. World Hunger is one of the major problem our planet faces and probably will always face. In this manga they have solved their world hunger issues by creating a creature that is cheap to create and eats garbage so say goodbye to our waste problem too. These mindless creatures can eat anything and are sold as meat for a very low cost in supermarkets. They are contained inside the "Tokyo Municiple Garbage facility" so they do not escape and eat the populace, but guess what happens? There is an accident and the hordes of these creatures escape out into the city.

The creatures devour everything in their path leaving a group of school children to fend for themselves. Quite a bit happens and you'll have to read this manga if you want to find out if the kids survive or if they are met with an untimely and horrible end. This is an amazingly detailed horror manga if you couldn't tell by the photo included with this section. I'll include another below. This is a cool horror, survival manga so if you're in the mood for something that's a better read than Walking Dead, check this out.

666 Satan

This manga is my favorite shonen manga and possibly my favorite manga of all time. This manga was written and illustrated by Seishi Kishimoto. It involves Judeo-Christian demonology and Japanese folklore. Two things I am in love with.

The story focuses around Jio Freed, an outcast child because he was blamed for the death of the parents of his friend, Jin. Jio was raised by a wolf named "Zero" shortly after that. Eventually the wolf chased him away, Jio then set out on his mission to conquer the world. He meets a girl named Ruby, who fights a man claiming to be Satan. However, the man is proved to be a fraud when the true Satan reveals himself from within Jio. Together, Ruby and Jio travel the world to find magical treasure known as "O-Parts". O-Parts are magical items that grant the user fantastic powers. Ruby, of course, has to pay for Jio to be her bodyguard and save her from anything. Later on in the manga it is revealed how Jio became the vessel for Satan and he finds out he is not the only vessel in the series.

I truly love this manga and think its a must read for any person that reads manga. Even if you're new to manga this is a good one to start off with or to read later. It touches on a lot of interesting folklore and mythology that could only be done if someone did extensive research. Unfortunately, this manga goes by the name "O-Parts Hunter" in the United States. Censorship has made the title change, which is a true crime. This is the best shonen manga I've ever read. Check it out!