what are the top ten manga?

[lilly1992]

top ten are............... i don't know i can never decied so tell me what are your top ten.

[Kyou sohma]

I thinki the best mangas i ever read was

fruitsbasket
inuyasha
FMA
bleach

yea thats the best id think, because its the only ones i really like.

[sohryu]

gg making the best thread ever.

I recommend:

Wish
Yotsuba&!
Gunslinger Girl

[Erigion]

top ten are............... i don't know i can never decied so tell me what are your top ten.

Uhh, right... The top ten manga or your top ten manga? I have read BECK and MONSTER. So far, they've been the only ones that captivated me until now.Your question was answered in the original post. Seriously, take some time to actually read the post before you post. It'll save everyone time.

And if this thread is gonna stay open I want actual top 10 lists. Not a random 3 or 4 manga you've read. If you haven't read 10 manga? Sucks for you.

[Sae]

My Top Ten Favs

1. Happy Hustle High

2. Tokyo Mew Mew (Mew Mew Power)

3. Furuba (Fruits Basket)

4. Boys Over Flowers (Hana Yori Dango)

5. Othello

6. Chibi Vampire

7. Imadoki

8. Marmalade Boy

9. Chobits

10. The Kindaichi Case Files

Sae

[animanic_critic]

MONSTER
20th Century Boys
Mushishi
BECK
Akira
Death Note
Rin!
NANA
Love Hina
Full Metal Alchemist

[Itachi Uchiha]

Off the top of my head... In no particular order:

-Anything By Adachi Mitsuru
-B-Shock
-NHK
-Kurozuka
-Good Morning Call
-Nodame Cantabile
-Dance Till Tomorrow
-Living Game
-Open Sesame
-Video Girl Ai
-Rubbers Seven

(that list is by no means my top ten list, it's merely a list of manga's that I enjoy)

[silan]

Why the hell do I feel so compelled to answer these types of threads?!

Top Ten Manga (in no particular order)

1. Monster. One of the best dramatic manga I've ever read.

2. Eyeshield 21. The best of the sports manga genre, in my opinion. Hilarious.

3. Blade of the Immortal. Stunning artwork and characters that are neither evil nor good = :love:

4. From Far Away. The best of the girl-gets-swept-to-foreign-land-and-has-important-destiny-there genre, complete with a heroine you can actually sympathize with, character development, and a bittersweet romance.

5. Death Note. Another best dramatic manga, with intellectual drama.

6. Pet Shop of Horrors. Awesome horror manga with one of my favorite characters, Count D, the cute but inherently evil pet shop manager.

7. Hot Gimmick. A controversial relationship manga with every soap opera plot twist you can think of.

8. Boys Next Door. This remains the most dramatically moving manga I've ever read. Props to Dt and Manga Reviewer (http://www.mangareviewer.com) for introducing it to me.

9. Hotaru no Mori. A sweet and touching one-shot also introduced to me through MR.

10. Land of the Blindfolded. Another sweet manga that has some of the most tragic characters I've read. If you like Fruits Basket you'll probably like this one too.

[jetfire]

Hmmm...I havent read much manga, but I have read some of at least 10 different titles, and they at least pretty good, so they're my top 10 for now. Luckily, I'm getting into manga a lot more now, so my list will probably expand:

1. FullMetal Alchemist
2. Naruto
3. Bleach
4. Trigun Maximum
5. Jing: King of Bandits
6. Cowboy Bebop
7. Berserk
8. GTO
9. Suikoden 3
10. Inuyasha

Yeah, not much of a list, but some shows have inspired me to watch the animes, or some animes made me wonder if the manga could be better.

The best one was FullMetal. Even though I don't like the story in the mangas as much as the anime, they still present it very well in the manga. Naruto and Bleach can be really fun to read for mindless fun, and I definately have to read more of Jing: King of Bandits, which was a really fun read. It'll probably move up to one of my favourite mangas when I can find more volumes of it.

[KiraraKim]

This list is not all inclusive (and subject to change) but I am only listing series that I have either read the whole thing or the majority of. I also think these are all great manga to start people on. Anyways I apologize in advance for the long post but I wish other people would say why they like the series they put on their list so this wouldn't just be a top 10 favorite list thread.


1) Fullmetal Alchemist- My current favorite series. It is amazing in terms of character and plot development. The world is fascinating and has the perfect blend of comedy and drama. It is probably the most fun I've had reading anything in a long time. I am also constantly amazed at Arakawa's use of plot twist. She has a tendency to put small hints of future scenes throughout the manga but since you are so focused on something else you miss these hints until afterwords. I also love how the series focuses on both its young and adult characters.

2) Inuyasha- I will admit the series has gone on for longer than it probably needs to. But there is just something about Inuyasha's characters, and world that really draws me in. Not to mention I think the series has some of the most consistently beautiful artwork.


3) Ranma 1/2- Another one from Rumiko Takahashi. Not much in the way of plot or character development but it delivers in terms of laugh out loud moments and truly memorable characters.

4) Fruits Basket- This was my first shoujo manga and it is still probably my favorite. I love all the characters and this series wins in terms of character development. Although the series starts out on the more comedic side it quickly takes a serious turn looking into the relations humans have with one another using a very creative and clever fantasy backdrop.

5) Rurouni Kenshin- This is in my opinion is one of the best written shounen action series. While not being historially accurate, Rurouni Kenshin is a great place to get people interested in Japanese history. I learned a lot not from the series itself but from researching things that I heard in the series. I also love how the main character does not have to learn how to be strong like most shounen manga series but instead has to learn that even though he made mistakes in the past what he does now in the present is what is important.

6) Hikaru No Go- This is a series I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. After all most people would not think a story about a game, ghost and young boy could be so engaging. But something about watching a young boy learning to love something so much that he wants to do everything to improve himself really got to me. This story has a great deal of character development. The main character especially is not the same in the end as he was in the beginning. Shonen Jump really does not give this series the love it deserves.


Other series I am really enjoying/enjoyed are Yotsuba&!, Nana, Fushigi Yuugi Genbu Kaiden, and Maison Ikkoku (I really need to start reading this one again) although I feel I haven't read enough of these to actually put them on my top favorite list. I would still recommend them as good series.

I am also really like Naruto but I don't think I would put it on a top-ten list.

[Dtortot]

Why the hell do I feel so compelled to answer these types of threads?!

8. Boys Next Door. This remains the most dramatically moving manga I've ever read. Props to Dt and Manga Reviewer (http://www.mangareviewer.com) for introducing it to me.

9. Hotaru no Mori. A sweet and touching one-shot also introduced to me through MR.
:thumbup:

I am extempt of answering this questions for the obvious reasons.

[Ninja Realist]

Realist's Top Ten Manga So Far

1. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - This manga is widely considered to be one of the greatest mangas ever created, an, well, it lives up to the hype. It actually out does the hype in my opinion. This is one of the few mangas that has ever made me bawl. Great Characters, Great Art, and one of the greatest stories I have ever encountered in any media. Ten years in the making this is Hayao Miyazaki's true masterpiece.

2. Buddha - Another manga written by an Anime Legend. Osamu Tezuka's masterpiece shows you the life of Siddartha, and all those people whose lives he touched. A brilliant and sad manga whose characters have an almost unrivaled depth. Another excellent, must-read, manga.

3. Akira-Possibly the most famous Manga ever made, Akira does not dissapoint. This manga is a truly epic exploration of the corrupting influence of power, and the way that it permeates the very fabric of our civilization. Even if you didn't like the movie, I almost guarantee you'll love this manga.

4. Blade of the Immortal - I picked this manga up a few years back, and after two chapters, I was unimpressed to say the least. Except for the incredible artwork, there is very little that was appealing about this manga. Then when this manga got to Volume 3, things began to change in a big way and it quickly became my favorite currently running manga. This is required reading for any fan of Samurai, Action, or Pencil Drawing.

5. One Piece-This is, by far, the greatest shounen action manga, that I've ever read. Great characters, a great plot that even after 420 chapters is still mysterious, and, more than anything else, the coolest fight scenes in any manga I've ever seen. This is one of the few manga I've ever read that manages to be fun after over 400 chapters. If you haven't allready done so, check this one out.

6. Lone Wolf and Cub-This manga may seem a bit dull and predictable at first, but after a few volumes, when the plot begins to pick up it's pace, this manga truly comes into it's own. If you're looking for a fun manga, or even a manga that isn't woefully depressing, your looking in the wrong place. But if you can handle 28 volumes of human sorrow, or if that even sounds appealing to you Lone Wolf and Cub might be the manga for you.

7. Battle Angel Alita - Gritty and Violent, there is nothing Angelic about this tale of humanity and inhumanity in a dystopian future. If you can stomach the violence, you will find a lot to like in this bittersweet tale of sin and redemption.

8. Great Teacher Onizuka - This manga tries to be every genre at once, and strangely it succeeds. Onizuka will make you laugh and cry. It's an excellent balance of Drama, Comedy, and bizarre over-the-top action. While the story is a bit far fetched at times, the characters, and their daily struggles are ones we can all relate to. I reccomend this for the drama and comedy fans alike.

9. Jiraishin - I won't lie to you, this manga ranges from simply grim, to downright disturbing in it's bleak depiction of the worst thtat the human race has to offer. And yet it is so faithful to this image that it is, in a strange way, fascinating. This is one of the most horrifiying manga I have ever read, but it's also one of the most fascinating.

10. Eyeshield 21 - This manga has to be seen to be believed. Don't take my word for it, because it really isn't good enough to describe this bipolar, and awesomely frenetic manga that manages to mix in little bits football. Try it, it's very good.

[philnicau]

1) Slow Step
2) Nausicaa of the valley of the wind
3) Marmalade Boy
4) Kimagure Orange Road
5) Kareshi Kanojo no Jijyo(Kare Kano)
6) Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
7) H2
8) W Juliet
9) Please Save My Earth
10)Miracle Girls

[Mr. Otaku]

1) Love Hina
2) Negima
3) A.I. Love You
4) Chobits
5) Naruto
6) InuYasha
7) Ranma 1/2
8) Fruits Basket
9) Battle Vixens
10) Mahoromatic

[Darkdreams]

Fruits Basket
Negima
Naruto
One Piece
Rebirth
Hunter X Hunter
Chobits
Legal Drug
Tsubasa
Death Note
(This is not a list in order of favorite, for I'm not too sure which would be my favorite. I really enjoy them all.)

[Mana]

the Mermaid Saga - Rumiko Takahashi
Princess Mermaid - Junko Mizuno
Paradise Kiss - Ai Yazawa
Maison Ikkoku - Rumiko Takahashi
Sailor Moon - Naoko Takeuchi
Peach Girl - Miwa Ueda
Shadow Lady - Mazakazu Katsura
Short Cuts - Usumaru Furuya
Cinderalla - Junko Mizuno
Aa! Megami-Sama - Kosuke Fujishima

Yeah, my tastes are weird >.>;;;

[Ender]

Ara ra,

Let's count 'em down like a saboteur on New Year's.

10). Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi

9). Berserk by Kentaro Miura

8). Nana by Ai Yizawa

7). Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

6). Great Teacher Onizuka by Tohru Fujisawa

5). Slam Dunk! by Takehiko Inoue

4). One Piece by Eichiro Oda

3). Adolf by Osamu Tezuka (though this may be replaced by Buddha in the future)

2). Lone Wolf and Cub by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima

1). Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki

-Prof. Ender

[Devotion]

Hmmm, let me see. It's easier to organize my favorite manga into tiers rather than rank them in a 1-10 format. The order in each tier is meaningless, which is why there are so many tiers. The lower tiers aren't meant to be disparaging.

Tier 1
Doraemon

Tier 2
Chrno Crusade
Ultra Maniac

Tier 3
Ranma 1/2
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou
Violinist of Hameln

Tier 4
RG Veda
Tsubasa: Resevoir Chronicles
Battle Angel Alita
Chobits

From the fact that Samura Pizza Cats' manga isn't mentioned at Wikipedia or Anime News Network, I'm guessing that the manga I read was actually animanga, despite the fact that it was in black and white, so that was removed.

[DarkKanti]

1. 20th Century Boys- A Masterpeice in every sense of the word.
2. Hajime no Ippo- The best sports manga. Bar none.
3. Pluto- An old classic revamped and better than ever.
4. My Name is Zushio- Gag manga at its absolute best. Funniest thing ever.
5. Hikaru no Go- Almost too much character development.
6. Great Teacher Onizuka- Blends comedy and drama together in a way I never even thought was possible.
7. Beck- Informative about the JRock scene and fun to read.
8. H2- Adachi Mitsuru's masterpeice.
9. Eyeshield 21- What can I say about this that Silan and Realist already didn't?
10. Blame!- 'Cuz I like purty piktars.

Anything by Naoki Urasawa, Mitsuru Adachi, or Tsutomu Nihei is absolute gold.

[JOJO]

1. Berserk
2. Cromartie High School
3. Iron Wok Jan!
4. Ichi the Killer
5. Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken
6. Zetman
7. Kinnikuman Nisei
8. Hellsing
9. Excel Saga
10. Eyeshield 21

Not to sure about the order, i might change it later

[ant]

Wow Homunculus wasn't on anyone's top ten!

1 Berserk
2 Homunculus
3 Beck
4 Hunter X Hunter
5 Death Note
6 Nana
7 Naruto
8 Gintama
9 FMA
10 Shounan Jun'ai Gumi

subject to change due to my lack of reading

[Kitsurai]

Don't read much manga but, to recommend...

Deathnote
Yotsuba&!
Ranma 1/2 of course
And I must say Inuyasha can be pretty intense in the manga.

[blazinghell]

1. A.I. Love you
2. Ai Yori Aoshi
3. FLCL
4. Evangelion Angelic Days *Still waiting for the rest to come out =(*
5. Boy's Be
6. Negima
7. Love Hina
8. Legal Drug
9. Ah! My Goddess
10. Ragnarok *I dont know if you can really call this manga, and I hope it gets finished one day*

Im just a big Ken Akamatsu fan at heart

[Shogun Bob]

1. Masion Ikkoku – I like Rumiko Takahashi and this is her best work to me.
2. Vagabond – Amazing drawings that could be in an art gallery and I like the historical element.
3. Rurouni Kenshin – great manga that avoids becoming a mess in the second half, unlike the anime.
4. Gantz – Violent, nasty, and great.
5. I’s – It has grown on me quickly.
6. Bleach – Sometimes seems a bit generic but I always enjoy reading it.
7. Full Metal Panic! - Kind of a manga mashup a little comedy, mech, romance…
8. Beck – The highlight of the AnimeNEXT con was seeing the creator of Beck in person.
9. Battle Royale – Not as good as the novel but still enjoyable.
10. Inu Yasha – Another good Takahashi manga all though I wonder if its ever going to end.

[Nicotine]

Because I have nothing to do right now, in no particular order.

1. Maison Ikkoko by Rumiko Takahashi
2. Boys Next Door by Kaori Yuki
3. Sexy Voice and Robo by Iou Kuroda
4. FAKE by Sanami Matoh
5. Detective Conan by Gosho Aoyoma
6. Confidential Confessions by Reiko Momochi
7. Club 9 by Makoto Kobayashi
8. Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi
9. One Piece by Eiichiro Oda
10. Short Program by Mitsuru Adachi

[NausicaaBoy]

Nausicaa of the valley of the wind
Chobits
Bleach
A.I. Love You
Dears
Psychic Academy
Dragon Quest: Dai no Daibouken
FlCL
Maison Ikkoku
Lupin III

[Pachinko]

Not really in order, or anything:

-NANA
-Paradise Kiss
-Revolutionary Girl Utena
-Azumanga Daioh
-Fruits Basket
-Kare Kano: His & Her Circumstances
-Hana Kimi
-Princess Ai
-Love Hina (unlike the anime, I enjoyed the manga a lot)
-Oh! My Goddess

...and other trash like that.~

[Dark Lord]

I don't really read manga a lot so my choices are kinda limited... so here they are...
1. xxxHolic
2. Maison Ikkoku
3. Fruits Basket
4. Mahou Sensei Negima
5. Genshiken
6. Super Gals
7. Tsubasa Chronicle
8. Case Closed
9. Wallflower
10. Othello

NOTE: I'd also put in Angel Diary at #3 but I remembered that it was a manhwa, not a manga... what a shame...

[soundchazer]

Maison Ikkoku
Kare Kano
Nana
H2
Monster
Socrates in Love
Paradise Kiss
Emma
Yotsubato!
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou

[mamimi_kawaii]

in no particular order:
1. Deathnote
2. Fruitsbasket
3. Negima
4. Naruto
5. Hakuro No-Go
6. One Piece
7. Shaman King
8. Bleach
...thats it for now. I'd say FLCL, but they dont technically have a manga.

OMGSH how could I forget Love Hina?!! Yes, pretend Love Hina is on the list I made. ^-^;;


SC: The edit button is your best friend.

Pardon my double posting. I'm new. ^^;

[Sunami 366]

Sadly, I don't buy much manga.. Only the times when I see something I think I'd be interested in.

My top... 4... xD :

1. Cross Road
2. The Cursed Sword
3. Rurouni Kenshin
4. .Hack (only have vol. 2)

However, I have my eyes set on some other things I might be interested in... Such as... ... >.< gahh can't think of anything right now.. Maybe Chrono Crusade, and this one other comic book series I spotted in my anime magazine.

[WookieInMaShoo]

1. Deathnote- full of twists.It's Psychological thriller that keeps me on my toes when I read it. This series managed to get a friend of mine, who is "non-anime" person, interested. The concept (I'm pretty sure it's been done before) is not what interested me, it was the writing.It really inspired me to create my own manga.Ok, maybe I sisn't say much about the series...
2. ~


6) Hikaru No Go- This is a series I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did. After all most people would not think a story about a game, ghost and young boy could be so engaging. But something about watching a young boy learning to love something so much that he wants to do everything to improve himself really got to me. This story has a great deal of character development. The main character especially is not the same in the end as he was in the beginning. Shonen Jump really does not give this series the love it deserves.



Enough said...
3.Kanpai!- it's chaotic random violence and humor done by the creator of Gravitation. I really wish it wouldd have been finished.

4.Air Gear- I have only read one volume of the series(and I'm hoping for the best) but few manga have grabbed my attention so easily.It's about a guy living with a group of girls--which sounds a lot like Love Hina--but it's more about the gangs, the fighting over turf, and self-propelled roller blades that let the wearer catch "some serious air" to where they almost fly.That + beautiful art.

5. Midori Days- It's just plain funny. No other manga had me laughing so much(except maybe Kanpai!).Though I just started the series, I'm sure it will stay as one of my favorites.

6.MaR- Not many people know about this one it seems. Ginta always wanted to be someone he wasn't:The strong hero who rescued the princess. And he ends up getting his chance and takes it without thinking twice. It's by the creator of Flame of Recca and it still has the attitude of the "ninja wannabe". It's fast paced with great art,butmay not be for everyone.

This is all I have so far. I hope to finish the series I have.

[Risen Hell Fire]

1. Mamotte ShugoGetten

2. Azumanga Daioh

3. A.I. Love you

4. Boys be

5. Ai Yori Aoshi

6: God child

7. Gacha Gacha (even though the ending kinda stunk)

8. Yotsubato!

9. Slam Dunk

10. City Hunter

[lilly1992]

ok now everyone let me tally up all the favorites and make a list. SO NO MORE POSTING PLEASE.

[lucky]

Hm..

RGU
Battle Angel Alita
Angel Sanctuary
Berserk
Hellsing
Spirals
Basilisk
Battle Royale
Blame!

And..
Paper Eleven

[Sorry, but I got bored and I'm pretty sure these are not everyone else favorites.]

[Kiba]

1. One Piece
2. Death Note
3. Hellsing
4. Berserk

I really have no interest in reading any other manga other than these four series.

[Lupin the 3rd]

1. Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind
2. Kare Kano
3. Monster
4. Chobits
5. Death Note
6. Clamp School Detectives
7. Hellsing
8. Gantz
9. One Piece
10. Great Teacher Onizuka

[Cyrius]

ok now everyone let me tally up all the favorites and make a list. SO NO MORE POSTING PLEASE.

Actually, I encourage anyone else to post their top ten. In the future, we could periodically update the master list of top ten manga.

I really do want to see everyone's favorite mangas, so keep 'em coming!

Mine:

1.Berserk
2.Hajime no Ippo
3.Blade of the Immortal
4.Love Hina
5.Great Teacher Onizuka
6.Rurouni Kenshin
7.Beck
8.One Piece
9.Kare Kano
10.Full Metal Alchemist

[[...adrien...]]

not in any order whatsoever...

Hot Gimmick
Paradise Kiss
MPD Psycho
Blame!
Narutaru ~ Shadow Star
Gantz
Death Note
Angel Sanctuary
Kodocha
Love Hina

[drummerhick555]

- kare kano
-mars
-kill me kiss me
-juvienial orion
-confedinatal confessions
-paradise kiss
-chobits
-battle royal
-demon diary
-model

[Dagda Mor]

10-Naruto: This manga's place has fluctuated on this list more than any other. I hated how the battles devolved into "whose superpower is better" during the Rescue Sasuke arc, but recent chapters have me intrigued once more.
9-Death Note: So very, very smart.
8-Fruits Basket: So very funny.
7-Bleach: Fun, stylish action that's managed to consistently stay engaging. I'm withholding judgment on events after the soul society arc, as I haven't seen enough of the latest arc to decide whether it's been worth all the buildup.
6-Lone Wolf and Cub: The most stirring piece of historical fiction I've ever read.
5-Blame!: Probably more a matter of personal taste than anything else on this list. I adore how Nihei continually takes sci-fi concepts several steps beyond anything most people would dare to imagine.
4-Hunter x Hunter: I could call it a shonen fighting series that gets it right and stays smart, but I feel like that'd be doing it a great disservice. If you enjoyed the Ninja Exam arc of Naruto, here is a manga that manages to constantly maintain that style of engaging storytelling.
3-Hellsing: Extremely crazy-cool, surprising depth of emotion, gorgeous art.
2-Fullmetal Alchemist: Cool, smart, and surprising both in its serious themes and laugh-out-loud humor.
1-Berserk: Epic scope, amazing action, and extraordinary depth of character.

Places 11-15 go to Trigun Maximum, One Piece, Excel Saga, Gantz and Blade of the Immortal.

[Raiden]

1). Akira

2). Ranma 1/2

3). Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

4). Blade of the immortal

5). FLCL

6). Lone Wolf and Cub

7). Love Hina

8). Chobits (getting a bit bored of it now though)

9). Bleach

10). Cowboy Bebop

[Dagda Mor]

Crap! Lone Wolf and Cub! I always think of it as something beyond just manga. Gotta revise my list.

[Kyttii]

10. Bleach
9. Under the Glass Moon
8. Shaman King
7. Inuyasha (im sticking to the anime)
6. Naruto(im stickin to the manga)
5. Sailor Moon
4. Ranma 1/2
3. Azumanga Daioh
2. Magic Knights Raearth
1. Chobits!!!!!!!!!!

[Le Bread]

It's that time again. Bread's Personal Top 10 -Semi-Updated-

10. "Akira" by Katsuhiro Otomo - As punk as cyberpunk gets. A sprawling modern epic that's had an impact on COMICS as a whole, not just japanese ones. Well written, marvelously drawn, and deserving of a place on any bookshelf.

9."Doctor Slump/Dragon Ball" by Akira Toriyama - Early Toriyama, before he found himself at the beck and call of whining fans and stringent editorial demands, was rich with charm and imagination. There's something about these two books that just feels so free, and never fails to make me smile when I read them.

8."Eden: It's An Endless World" by Hiroki Endo - A recent find, and one that's kept me going back to the bookstore whenever a new volume drops. An often compelling post-apocalyptic series that never flinches in the face of shocking readers. Sometimes heartfelt, other times uncomprimisingly brutal, and a perfect example of what hard sci-fi in comics ought to look like. Excellently choreographed fight scenes should at least merit a flip-through from any action comic fan. The completely ballsy ending to Volume 2 alone, which while I won't spoil it is something that I couldn't imagine any other mangaka daring to do so early in a series, was worth putting this on the list alone. The fact that Endo is willing to ignore the main character for large stretches of the story to develop side characters and make the reader give a damn about them is another plus.

7."Uzumaki" by Junji Ito - As good as any horror comic has ever been, and perhaps may ever get. An outright bizarre, sometimes completely visceral short series about a small harbor town obsessed with and eventually doomed by the shape of spirals and all the ways they occur in nature. If it sounds totally out there, it is, but like the shape of the spiral itself there's just something that draws you into reading more and more of it until you finally hit the bottom. I've never met a person who hasn't begged for more after being lent the first volume.

6."Fist of the North Star" by Tetsuo Hara and Buronson - It's just dumb fun, plain and simple. The Master Editions, presented on magazine sized paper and in full color, were a blast while they lasted. There's just something invigorating about reading the adventures of a grizzled tough guy with a strong sense of justice doing horrible, horrible things to no-name baddies. Plus, like it or not, the definite influence it's had on anime and manga can't be ignored.

5. "Battle Angel Alita" by Yukito Kishiro - I've said it once, and I'll gladly say it a billion times more, nobody builds a world quite like Kishiro. Reading Battle Angel Alita, and some of his side projects, I don't think he's ever approached a new story without having it's entire universe mapped out in his head. An action comic tour-de-force, Alita hits all the right notes at all the right times. Whirlwind action sequences that never drag on to the point of being boring, intriguing characters, and a fully realized world for them to duke it out in.

4."Galaxy Express 999" by Leiji Matsumoto - The seminal work by the godfather of the animated space opera, and truth be told, my first real exposure to anime and manga. My bias might be showing, but this one is a classic in every sense of the word. Iconic characters, storylines that play out like futuristic fables, and a nice read for all ages.

3. "Blade of the Immortal" by Hiroaki Samura - Samura knows how to tell a good story. He understands how to build a character and show growth and change gradually, instead of beating the reader over the head with it, a quality that is sometimes painfully lacking in mainstream manga. Combine that with his stunning pencil shading artstyle and cinematic perspective during fight scenes, and you've got yourself a winning title.

2."Gon" by Masashi Tanaka - A completely wordless series (no dialogue or visible sound effects) about the adventures of a three foot tall antisocial dinosaur and his journey to eat, sleep, and harass every other animal that he comes across. Tanaka has such a vivid imagination and it shows in every single panel of his work. Watching Gon interact with REAL animals is a blast, whether he's orchestrating a pack of Koala's to divebomb a hungry dingo, headbutting a walrus just so that he can nap on it's belly, or obnoxiously trying to build a bigger dam than a neighboring beaver just to spite him, it's all hilariously rendered. Tanaka, more than anybody else, reflects that "World Art" movement I'd always like to see develop in comics, claiming that Gon is told entirely through pictures because comics should "be without grammar", and should tell stories that can be understood by any reader anywhere in the world regardless of language or background. Fun to read, highly accessible, and ALWAYS entertaining, "Gon" is 100% worthy of being in just about any comic fans library.

1. "Black & White" by Taiyo Matsumoto - Even though it's been my top rated manga for years now, I'm still not fully able to explain what it is that I love about it so much. There's just something fresh and exciting about Matsumoto's work. Maybe it's the art, that looks like a weird hybrid of the Beatle's Yellow Submarine and a child's scribble. Maybe it's the surreal story, the sometimes seemingly unrelated dialogue that actually holds together, or the quirky characters. Showing clear influences from American, European, and Japanese comics "Black & White" dares to be on the cutting edge in an industry that's so frequently bombarded by "more of the same".

[EMY23-23]

1. XXXholic
2. Great Teacher Onizuka
3. Hellsing
4. FLCL
5. Pet Shop of Horrors
6. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
7. Cowboy Bebop (Including Shooting Star)
8. Bastard!!
9. Trigun
10. Bleach

[X~Alchemist]

1= FMA
2= Hellsing
3= Get backers
4= Sakura taisen
4= Initial D
5= Naurto
6= DN/Angel
7= Bleach
8= Trigun
9= Gundam Wing
10= GTO