monchi-kun
Member
BECK and Blade of the Immortal!!! YAY!!!
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NeoGAF Top Manga List --RESULTS--
- Thread starter FnordChan
- Start date
- Status
Tom_Cody said:
I love G13, but it isn't quite up there with my top ten. Close, mind you - it was high up on my short list - but just not quite. I think that we're lucky to have the Viz edition of the two best of Golgo 13 omnibuses in the US, as it seems to have a very small following here. My roommate and I keep wishing that bookstores would file titles like Monster and Golgo 13 in the thriller section. Back in the heyday of men's adventure novels if someone had managed to get Golgo 13 out in a widely distributed, affordable edition (the four volumes released here in the late-80's don't quite count) it probably would have sold like gangbusters.
Of course, in Japan it's a different story. For comparison's sake, here's a Japanese poll of the top 50 manga from 1997. Of course, being a decade old this isn't quite indicative of the current Japanese market, but it does make for interesting reading:
1. Banana fish
2. Black Jack
3. Doraemon
4. Glass Mask
5. The Rose of Versailles
6. Phoenix
7. Poe's Family
8. Devilman
9. Heaven's Son of the Sunrise Land
10. Asakiyumemishi (The Tale of Genji)
11. Tomorrow's Joe
12. The Heart of Thomas
13. Mr. veterinarian
14. Slam Dunk
15. Candy Candy
16. Master Keaton
17. Akira
18. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
19. Children Away From Home
20. Galaxy Express 999
21. Please Save My Earth
22. Aim for the Ace!
23. Patariro!
24. Maison Ikkoku
25. Angels of laughter (Michael)
26. Song of the Wind and Trees
27. Jojo's Bizarre Adventures
28. Attention, Students!
29. OZ
30. Touch
31. Astroboy
32. Tekkon Kinkreet (Black and White)
33. They Were 11!, Dragon Ball, Palm, Parasyte
37. Urusei Yatsura, Sazaesan
39. Here is police box in front of Kameari park, Katsushika-Ku (Kochi Kame)
40. Fist of the North Star
41. Adolf, Golgo 13
43. From Eroica With Love
44. Jungle Emperor Leo (Kimba), There Goes the Modern Girl
46. Captain
47. Swan
48. Papa Told Me
49. Ping-Pong
50. Mari and Shingo, River's Edge, Lupin III
Now, that's a damn fine list. Banana Fish is pretty freakin' great - I need to get back to it now that the volumes available are well and beyond where Pulp left off several years ago - and I can't argue with it being in first place too much, but it does point out that this list was voted on by about twice as many women as men. As for the rest of the top ten, the only reason RoV didn't make the cut for me was that I haven't read enough of the comic to really justify it, only the two abridged translated volumes released in Japan as an English study aid. Poe's Family illustrates the desperate need for more Moto Hagio ("They Were 11!") manga to be released in English. And I would dearly love to read Heaven's Son of the Sunrise Land, even if that translation of the title seems a bit wonky to me; I've got a volume and while I'm illiterate it's some kind of amazing to flilp through.
I'd be very interested to see a similar poll taken today, considering how much of, say, Shounen Jump's audience crosses over with the shoujo demographic.
FnordChan
Eric P said:
You may want to give them another shot, as they're top-notch men's adventure stories, generally with a heavy political (or, at least, current events) angle. Reading older stories is like a survey of the major issues of the day. The Viz release collects both massive volumes of the best of Golgo 13 (one dedicated to the author's favorites and one for the reader's picks) so we're getting the cream of the G13 crop. Each and every volume is utterly self contained, so check out the back covers, see if any of the stories you see catches your eye, and give it a shot.
I'm particularly fond of the second half of Volume Three, which extrapolates some ideas about what the real world impact of a vastly successful, incredibly wealth assassin would be. Or you can just kick off with the first Viz release; it's really hard to go wrong.
FnordChan
Dali said:
I like Shirow, but the problem I have with his comics is my perception that Shirow seems compelled to get from one cool scene to the next as quickly as possible, which generally means he skimps on minor details such as, say, a coherent plot. That said, his art is astonishing...or, at least, it was until he discovered Photoshop. Alas, I'm not a fan of his new style.
Again, his art is amazing, his ideas were always interesting (particularly his cyberpunk settings, which are second only to Otomo and Endo...okay, so that would make Shirow third) and I now have a hankering to go re-read Appleseed (Volume One is now back in print!) and Black Magic.
FnordChan
Adam Blade
WWKC
Blame...
rollingstart
Banned
is Yotsuba actually supposed to be good? its by the person that did Azumanga, right?
FnordChan said:
:lol
Too true. I don't understand why no one tells him. I love the setting and storyline of GitS: MMI, but compared to his pre-digital stuff, the art really sucks. It's much better than most of the stuff from his Blades artbook - which I think is mostly from when he first started digital - but the digital coloring really doesn't compare to the stuff that came from his old work-flow.
Adam Blade
WWKC
Not having shoujo is a good thing.
Crazymoogle
Member
Linkzg said:
Yeah, though I think it's fundamentally a lot better as manga goes anyway. (Though I do need to check out azumanga again sometime...)
Basic gist: Yotsuba has just moved to a new neighborhood with her dad, a translator. It's sort of a combination of "overconfident kid finding out about the world" stuff combined with the fact that Yotsuba is not by any measure a "normal kid". Her homeland is to the "left". Her adoptive father seems well...he's not a typical father description by any stretch either. Sometimes between the Daddy dance and the impromptu combat you'll just be left with no choice but to laugh out loud at all of the craziness going on.
The key thing that sells Yotsuba though is how she reacts to everyday situations. Sometimes it's sincere and heartwarming, sometimes it's bizarre and comical. Sometimes its both. You get the impression that she's a real person who can manufacturer some very bizarre situations rather than the typical manga standard of a normal person forced to react to bizarre events.
I should write something more coherent about it later...
typhonsentra
Banned
Come on, what's your problem with it?tokkun said:
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Dali said:
Come on dude! You're not waiting for the next Intron Depot book which will just be the same illustration with 160 different color and background variations?! :lol
I dunno, those hentai pinups he did - Galgrease or some such were pretty good. His new art is a mixed bag, but I find it's still mostly Shirow.
Crazymoogle said:
Or you could write something that isn't full of pompous windbaggery!
Yotsuba is a funny comic about a toddler.
It's not that far out there when you look back on your life. Getting smacked in the face with a swing is just part of growing up. :lol
What I'm surprised is that out of the top 230, no one's mentioned Living Game, Family Compo or 3x3 Eyes.
Here's three titles in my top 10 that I think requires pimping:
#1 (on my list) Iihito by Shin Takahashi. (Seinen)
26 volumes (completed), Published in Big Comic Spirits 1993-1999 (via Wiki
Shin Takahashi is more well known for Saikano, a great tale which involves romance and a fairly dark plot. On the flip side, Iihito's his first major serialised work and I think his best due to the great character development of every character EXCEPT the protagonist, who does not change but affects others positively when in contact with them.
In most stories, our protagonist is just the medium for an event to occur with unforgettable main and side characters (eg. Takeo his girlfriend whom he left in Hokkaido to work Lightex, the footwear company he wanted to work in). It initially reads very slowly as we see Yuji stumbling in late to work (a lite-salaryman comedy), but once it hits the ground running, it really hits the ground running.
A great review of Iihito by JanimeS I shall unashamedly link to:
http://janimes.com/lore/article.php?id=154
And the ANN encyclopedia link:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4565
#6. Tennen de Sozai de Ikou by Asou Mikoto (Shoujo)
10 volumes (completed), Hana to Yume, 1996-2002
Obscure shoujo author alert - Asou Mikoto's longest series are this series and 'Go! Hiromi! Go!' which just ended with 8 volumes. She started serialisation in Lala DX in 1991 with 'Bell!. Her Japanese Wiki page is here.
'Tennen' tells the story of a 'natural' girl named Futami (where tennen comes from - although it can also be seen as 'naive', and Futami's is a bit of that at times in the book but otherwise she's very direct and blunt). She doesn't have many defining characteristics unlike her two closest friends who are the most popular girls in school... and the 'school prince' who gets attracted to her as well much to the dismay of the rest of the girls, of course.
That said throughout the series it's this dynamic and 'natural' nature that Futami has that attracts these popular people to her, whether she admits it or not. Set mostly in high school and is more comedy than drama though there are some fantastic moments of the latter.
#8. PPOI! by Yamazaki Takako (Shoujo)
24 volumes (continuing), started serialisation in Lala but now in Melody, 1991-current
This series is Yamazaki Takako's longest series, and most famous. Taira and Banri are best buds in middle school, and it's there where they meet other characters with their own little quirks and personalities.
This series has a good mix of comedy, drama, romance and slice of life and I really enjoy seeing the entire cast having a good time talking with other, sharing their secrets and finding their demons. Lots of great character development as they grow.
Japanese Wiki:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%A3%E3%83%9D%E3%82%A4!
Another great review I've seen from JanimeS:
http://janimes.com/lore/article.php?id=071
Here's three titles in my top 10 that I think requires pimping:
#1 (on my list) Iihito by Shin Takahashi. (Seinen)
26 volumes (completed), Published in Big Comic Spirits 1993-1999 (via Wiki
Shin Takahashi is more well known for Saikano, a great tale which involves romance and a fairly dark plot. On the flip side, Iihito's his first major serialised work and I think his best due to the great character development of every character EXCEPT the protagonist, who does not change but affects others positively when in contact with them.
In most stories, our protagonist is just the medium for an event to occur with unforgettable main and side characters (eg. Takeo his girlfriend whom he left in Hokkaido to work Lightex, the footwear company he wanted to work in). It initially reads very slowly as we see Yuji stumbling in late to work (a lite-salaryman comedy), but once it hits the ground running, it really hits the ground running.
A great review of Iihito by JanimeS I shall unashamedly link to:
http://janimes.com/lore/article.php?id=154
And the ANN encyclopedia link:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/manga.php?id=4565
#6. Tennen de Sozai de Ikou by Asou Mikoto (Shoujo)
10 volumes (completed), Hana to Yume, 1996-2002
Obscure shoujo author alert - Asou Mikoto's longest series are this series and 'Go! Hiromi! Go!' which just ended with 8 volumes. She started serialisation in Lala DX in 1991 with 'Bell!. Her Japanese Wiki page is here.
'Tennen' tells the story of a 'natural' girl named Futami (where tennen comes from - although it can also be seen as 'naive', and Futami's is a bit of that at times in the book but otherwise she's very direct and blunt). She doesn't have many defining characteristics unlike her two closest friends who are the most popular girls in school... and the 'school prince' who gets attracted to her as well much to the dismay of the rest of the girls, of course.
That said throughout the series it's this dynamic and 'natural' nature that Futami has that attracts these popular people to her, whether she admits it or not. Set mostly in high school and is more comedy than drama though there are some fantastic moments of the latter.
#8. PPOI! by Yamazaki Takako (Shoujo)
24 volumes (continuing), started serialisation in Lala but now in Melody, 1991-current
This series is Yamazaki Takako's longest series, and most famous. Taira and Banri are best buds in middle school, and it's there where they meet other characters with their own little quirks and personalities.
This series has a good mix of comedy, drama, romance and slice of life and I really enjoy seeing the entire cast having a good time talking with other, sharing their secrets and finding their demons. Lots of great character development as they grow.
Japanese Wiki:
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%81%A3%E3%83%9D%E3%82%A4!
Another great review I've seen from JanimeS:
http://janimes.com/lore/article.php?id=071
typhonsentra said:
Well, NHK seemed alright when it started, and I thought it was going to be something similar to Genshiken. Then I realized that the main character was schizophrenic, and I thought that could be interesting. Eventually it became clear that everyone was schizophrenic, including the author.
Whatever vestige there was of a plot went down the toilet as the story spiraled in endless circles while the characters got more and more bipolar and angsty with every chapter (I'm trying to avoid the E-word here) to the point where there was no one in the manga who was remotely likable. It was obvious the author had no plan, and it seemed to be constantly changing his/her mind on what the story was supposed to be about. I think this is evident by the fact that the NHK company barely even factors into the manga past the first volume.
It started out with the promise of being a story about depressed and socially maladjusted person coping with the world, but it ended up as a self-indulgent piece written for depressed and socially maladjusted readers who want to believe that everyone in the world is really a miserable person wearing a facade of happiness, so they don't have to take responsibility for their own problems.
Crab Milk Mickey
Member
...
Damn it.
Crazymoogle
Member
The Take Out Bandit said:Or you could write something that isn't full of pompous windbaggery!
Thanks for responding, jackass. :lol :lol
I dunno, I just can't say Yotsuba is "just" a funny comic about a toddler. Wardances, combat, family and friends that look like they were ripped out of programmer college...it's just part of growing up, as you say, but she clearly behaves something more like she was living in the 12 kingdoms. :lol The interest lies in how it seems so plausible and yet awry at the same time, otherwise you'd just be reading Aishiteruze Baby...
1 Berserk 316 42YAY!!! Look at that, One I voted for in first!!!
44 Eyeshield 21 27 5....Next closest at....44:lol
66 Yakitate!! Japan 14 3Bread Representing
93 Ouran High School Host Club 10 1No shojo love *Cries*
104 Gravitation 9 1I feel so lonely
116 Golden Boy 8 1Not one other person backed me up here...booo It wasn't even Yaoi *cries*
164 Let Dai 5 1I expected to be alone on this one:lol
178 Ookiku Furikabutte 4 2HOLY **** someone else agrees!!!
179 OverDrive 4 1Back to being alone
198 Ray 3 1Come on Gaf...This is even Sheinen(Correct Word?)
205 Futari Ecchi 2 1I didn't vote for it, But Sex Ed Manga FTW:lol
Everything I voted for and my reactions in bold
44 Eyeshield 21 27 5....Next closest at....44:lol
66 Yakitate!! Japan 14 3Bread Representing
93 Ouran High School Host Club 10 1No shojo love *Cries*
104 Gravitation 9 1I feel so lonely
116 Golden Boy 8 1Not one other person backed me up here...booo It wasn't even Yaoi *cries*
164 Let Dai 5 1I expected to be alone on this one:lol
178 Ookiku Furikabutte 4 2HOLY **** someone else agrees!!!
179 OverDrive 4 1Back to being alone
198 Ray 3 1Come on Gaf...This is even Sheinen(Correct Word?)
205 Futari Ecchi 2 1I didn't vote for it, But Sex Ed Manga FTW:lol
Everything I voted for and my reactions in bold
"God's Beard!"
Member
Shintoki said:
FTMFW
lol I'm the only one that voted for Futari Ecchi, Only a Monkey can Draw Manga and Kimi Shika Iranai(top 150 whoo!)
Suburban Cowboy
Member
Where's La Blue Girl?
Buggy Loop
Member
I can pretty much only vote for berserk as even though i've downloaded a bunch of mangas, mostly to surpass the anime series' story, there's only 1 that stuck out and stayed with me with all these years, even though the US release is as slow as molasses, i've read all the volumes to the latest, and i still buy the earlier volumes. That manga is...
/bow
Kentaro Miura is a freaking god
/bow
Kentaro Miura is a freaking god
Keru_Shiri
Member
Good to see Yotsuba& and GTO getting some respect. Man, I really should have voted, but still, a great list overall!
Forceatowulf
G***n S**n*bi
Berserk being #1 is justice. Sweet, sweet, delectable, juicy justice.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
I would have voted shojo, but I tend to lean more toward funny. :\
Posthumous vote for Peach Girl.
Plus I only had ten slots and had to use two to rep my favorite smut artists, just two of them. There's soooo many. . .
Posthumous vote for Peach Girl.
Plus I only had ten slots and had to use two to rep my favorite smut artists, just two of them.
There's soooo many. . .grandjedi6
Master of the Google Search
The only 2 manga I voted for became GAF's #1 and #2 manga
The Take Out Bandit
Member
Fuzzery said:
I would be inclined to agree, but considering I read Shirow manga for Shirow art which cannot be replicated in animation it makes it a moot point.
rollingstart
Banned
wow, Yotsuba is really good!
I wasnt a big fan of Azumanga, so I was wondering how much I would like it, but it is really great.
I wasnt a big fan of Azumanga, so I was wondering how much I would like it, but it is really great.
I consider Appleseed to be a requirement of reading for those at all interested in Shirow. Not only is it (IMO of course) his best work ever, but it contains more character and realism I think than anything else he's really touched before and since - and this coming from a huge Ghost in the Shell fan. However I do enjoy the fact that every animation iteration they try and do Appleseed justice just falls flat on its face because it makes the viewer keen to read the original source.FnordChan said:I like Shirow, but the problem I have with his comics is my perception that Shirow seems compelled to get from one cool scene to the next as quickly as possible, which generally means he skimps on minor details such as, say, a coherent plot. That said, his art is astonishing...or, at least, it was until he discovered Photoshop. Alas, I'm not a fan of his new style.
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