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[Blackace]

Picked up Yotsuba to and loved every second of it... Have to wait until August for the next book to come out =( Can anyone suggest more series? I am looking for everyday life comedies... not really into Naruto, One Piece, and I already read DBZ.... I just want something funny, and down to Earth (those type of Manga help me study)

 

[Zaptruder]

Try Eyeshield 21... sports manga about a shrimpy little runner that hides behind an alias on the field. Hikaru no Go was a pretty good manga about the game of Go when it was still been written... unfortunately it ended abruptly without resolving a lot of the loose ends in the manga... but it's long enough to satisfy.

Slam Dunk is a basketball manga... an old classic about a thug with too much spirit and not enough skill or respect.

And Yakitake Japan is a bread making manga, about a kid with extra warm hands... that help with bread fermentation. Good stuff.

 

[Chrono]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...9/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/104-2106720-2833556

 

[GG-Duo]

You want recommendations for English-translated manga or just Japanese is fine?

Firefighter!
http://store.viz.com/browse/FIREDAIGO/GRNOV/s.VYFTE1Go
http://www.abctoy4me.com/manga-books-firefighter--daigo.html

It's not down to earth at all but it's pure awesome.

 

[Meier]

It's sad that I've fallen so far out of the manga loop since I cant use bittorrent at school and so many groups distribute it that way these days. One series I've always recommended and continue to do so (a sort of slice of life + music series) is Beck which is absolutely phenomenal.

Another series that is ongoing and gets my highest recommendation is 20th Century Boys. It is from Naoki Urasawa (Monster, Yawara, Pineapple Army, etc.) and in my opinion is on par or better to Monster which says a lot coming from me.

 

[Blackace]

You want recommendations for English-translated manga or just Japanese is fine?

Firefighter!
http://store.viz.com/browse/FIREDAIGO/GRNOV/s.VYFTE1Go
http://www.abctoy4me.com/manga-books-firefighter--daigo.html

It's not down to earth at all but it's pure awesome.

Just Japanese is fine. The reason why I like "down to earth" Manga is because it help me learn Japanese... I have not found a chance to use "Kamehameha" to get through the day here in Yokohama

 

[Dead]

Try

A sort of slice of life in space. An absolute must read.

 

[Blackace]

Try

A sort of slice of life in space. An absolute must read.

ok! do we have any humor Manga? I am fiending for Yotsuba to book 2 but I need some filler for the next few months

 

[Shouta]

Angst! Read Marmalade Boy! However, you might be looked at funny since it's a Shoujo manga...

 

[Semjaza Azazel]

I read Lone Wolf and Cub. I enjoy that one greatly. That's about it anymore.

Of course, it's not funny. So this was useless.

 

[Dead]

ok! do we have any humor Manga? I am fiending for Yotsuba to book 2 but I need some filler for the next few months

If you dont like my reccomendation just say so :|

If you want ONLY humour, just go hunt for some old Tankoubons of Kimengumi High School or Dr. Slump

 

[GG-Duo]

Try
Kunimitsu no Matsuri (It's about politics, but in a GTO sort of way.)
Shota no Sushi (It's about.. a sushi chef)

both have been converted to JDrama, so you know that there are good stories in there.

Oh, and I guess if you have not read GTO... check that out.

 

[Blackace]

If you dont like my reccomendation just say so :|

If you want ONLY humour, just go hunt for some old Tankoubons of Kimengumi High School or Dr. Slump

No I'm going to check it out! that's why I quoted you... haha

Shouta, you know what I look like, how am I going to look reading a Shoujo manga on the trains?

Lonewolf and cub rocks! I already read the English version... and if memeory serves me, the Kanji in the Japanese version kills me (no furigana)

 

[Blackace]

both have been converted to JDrama, so you know that there are good stories in there.

sorry I had to quote this... have you seen Japanese television? :lol :lol :lol

 

[Dead]

Allright haha. Just the way I read OK, it seemed as if you meant "ok NEXT!" Anyways, Plantes is fantastic, I think anyone whose read it will attest to that.

 

[Shouta]

Dude, you can read Shoujo manga on the train and when people look at you funny shout profanity at them in Japanese. It's the perfect setup. They'd never suspect a brotha'

 

[Blackace]

I have read the first 5 or 6 GTOs, and being a teacher myself the series doesn't do anything for me... I guess it would be like reading a manga about coding if you were a coder

 

[Blackace]

Dude, you can read Shoujo manga on the train and when people look at you funny shout profanity at them in Japanese. It's the perfect setup. They'd never suspect a brotha'

What a good choice of words.... :lol

 

[GG-Duo]

sorry I had to quote this... have you seen Japanese television? :lol :lol :lol

Right (remembers that GTO sucked balls, while Shota was pretty good although cheesy).

Well, what I meant is that - if someone would shell out the money to turn it into a cheesy Jdrama, then the source must be pretty good to begin with..




But regardless of that, all the titles that I have listed are some of my all-time favorites.

 

[Shouta]

What a good choice of words.... :lol

I missed the joke but that's not the point! You got a good scheme for making people afraid of you, dooooo it!

 

[Bebpo]

Yotsuba is indeed awesome. Vol.4 isn't until august?

Well, here's some stuff I read which you might enjoy:

--20th Century Boys. Good story, good characters, fast page turner. A little depressing and if you're looking for humor stay away. Kanji level = medium, vocab level = medium
Monster is another page turner, but I'd go with 20ch boys over it.

--Fruits Basket. Really good writing (the manga-ka has one some awards for it) ok story, great characters, slow and hard to read at times and closer to reading a novel than a manga, but it's really a nice read and great for learning vocab. Also it's pretty down to earth especially int terms of it's vocab. There is a good amount of humor, but there's also a lot of seriousness. Kanji level = low, vocab level = high

--Trigun Maximum. Umm, not sure if I'd recommend this anymore. Really good art and great action but the story is nearing the end and it's turning into a freaking videogame plotwise. Also it's a tough read becaues there are tons of high level and uncommon kanji. The characters are great, but yea...I don't recommend it too strongly. Kanji level = high, vocab level = medium

--Berserk. Excellent fantasy series. Great story, great characters, jaw-dropping art. At first it seems tough to read in terms of Kanji level, but when you get used to it's vocab it reads pretty quickly. One of the best manga I've read, recommend it strongly. Kanji level = medium/high, vocab level = medium

--XXXholic. Great CLAMP writing, great CLAMP art, great CLAMP characters. Basicaly a collection of short supernatural tales aka. The Monkey's Claw. CLAMP stuff is always great to read because it uses very simple vocab and kanji but yet it makes very poetic dialogue out of it. Kanji level = low, vocab level = low

--Suki Dakara Suki. More CLAMP. Short 3 volume series that's quite likeable and has great art and characters. Also very down to earth-ish. Like above it's easy to read and fun.

--X. Again more CLAMP. But umm it's kinda on hold and may never be finished so at this point I dunno if I'd recommend it.

--Gouhou Drug. More CLAMP (yea I'm a pretty big CLAMP fan ). If you don't mind a little bit of homosexual undertones, this has great art and solid writing. Actually I recommend anything CLAMP besides Tsubasa I guess

I know you said your not into the Jump stuff, but I'd recommend giving various Jump mangas a try as they are excellent for that "down-to-earth" vocab/kanji practice and for every 5 cliche shounen action mangas there is one great manga when it comes to Jump stuff.

 

[Blackace]

I missed the joke but that's not the point! You got a good scheme for making people afraid of you, dooooo it!

people are already afraid of a 200 pound black man with an afro in Japan thankyouverymuch

 

[Shouta]

people are already afraid of a 200 pound black man with an afro in Japan thankyouverymuch

Dude, you got a 'fro? I need to see that.

Anyway, in all seriousness. I'll run down the manga stuff I have here (kind takes awhile to sift through a couple hundred Tankouban) and see if there's anything I have that might be up your learning alley.

 

[Yamauchi]

Berserk

 

[Blackace]

"--Suki Dakara Suki. More CLAMP. Short 3 volume series that's quite likeable and has great art and characters. Also very down to earth-ish. Like above it's easy to read and fun."


What is this all about???

 

[Dead]

"--Suki Dakara Suki. More CLAMP. Short 3 volume series that's quite likeable and has great art and characters. Also very down to earth-ish. Like above it's easy to read and fun."


What is this all about???

Young high school girl falls for older teacher, etc.. Basic stuff from Clamp that I wouldnt personally rate very high above the others Bebpo mentioned. Youre better off with the others he mentioned.

 

[Blackace]

Are there no other "humor" Manga out there? Are Azumanga and Yotsuba to the only ones???

 

[Dead]

Are there no other "humor" Manga out there? Are Azumanga and Yotsuba to the only ones???

Oh, ive thought of one! Family Compo by Tsukasa Hojo (City Hunter) I havent read that much of it, but what I did read of it was fairly humourous. About a boy who moves in with a family of transvestites....

 

[Zaptruder]

Are there no other "humor" Manga out there? Are Azumanga and Yotsuba to the only ones???

Eyeshield 21, Slam Dunk and Yakitake Japan! all fall under the humourous down to earth type categories!

 

[GG-Duo]

Luckyman
Kinnikuman (MUSCLE)
Bobobobo

There's this Ping Pong manga that's absolutely hilarious, but I don't remember the title for it..

 

[Blackace]

Been thinking about Slam Dunk, but it is soooooo old... that is one of the things that is sooooo cool about Yotsuba to... I can relate with what's going on, because I'm here now, and the series is pretty new...

 

[Bebpo]

Are there no other "humor" Manga out there? Are Azumanga and Yotsuba to the only ones???

If you're just looking for straight comedy, check out Cromartie HS (Dead's avatar). Really funny enjoyable stuff.

 

[Blackace]

Cromartie HS...check... damn I can't think of the Katakana version on that.. :lol

 

[Luscious LeftFoot]

Haven't read it myself, but Midori no Hibi seems to be well liked - only 8 volumes though.

 

[Bebpo]

Cromartie HS...check... damn I can't think of the Katakana version on that.. :lol

http://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos...227/sr=1-12/ref=sr_1_2_12/250-6015813-2594632

 

[Meier]

Another hilarious, but full of cultural references, series is Katteni Kaizou.

 

[Blackace]

Another hilarious, but full of cultural references, series is Katteni Kaizou.

give me some info my man!

 

[Fxp]

There's this Ping Pong manga that's absolutely hilarious, but I don't remember the title for it..

Ping Pong Club?

 

[Pellham]

Well "slice of life" is my favorite genre, so here are some recommendations:

Azumanga Daioh - 4koma comedy by the same author of Yotsuba&
Ichigo Mashimaro - It's like Yotsuba&, except that it's about 12 year old girls. Personally this is one of my all time favorites (along with Yotsuba&). If you have a hard time finding it (like I did when I went to Sasuga), the author's name is Barasui
Cromartie High School - this manga won all sorts of awards in Japan for its humor.
Nasu - every story in this manga is about eggplant. Can't get any more "slice of lifeish" than that.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou - set in the future, but there's lots of amazing scenery and makes you feel like you're actually there

And if you like baseball, there's Harold Sakuishi's Stopper Busujima which is considered a classic (i'm not making this statement, it's only what i've heard).

 

[Meier]

give me some info my man!

A manga scanlation group did about a volume and a half of it a few years back but gave up since it was so much work with all the references to old pop culture and what have you (the guy wasnt Japanese so he had to spend a lot of time looking stuff up for accuracy sake). Here's the synopsis from their page:

"Kaizo was a child prodigy until his childhood friend Umi knocked him off of the jungle gym. Ever since that time Kaizo wasn't right in the head. He became very gullible and very strange. Umi doesn't like having to put up with Kaizo, but since she IS responsible for how he is now, she feels obligated to watch out for him.

The manga chronicles Kaizo's misadventures. Very strange and somewhat perverse things that happen throughout this series."

There's a lot of dick jokes and what have you, it's pretty funny. It's a gag series so it's very over the top, but absolutely hysterical. Apparently it is still running in Shonen Sunday.

 

[FnordChan]

Are there no other "humor" Manga out there? Are Azumanga and Yotsuba to the only ones???

I can't resist an opportunity to pimp:

Patarillo is Maya Mineo's long running absurdist shoujo satire about the child ruler (read: spoiled brat) of an tiny island with twin primary exports of diamonds and orchids. Patarillo (master of the quick-change disguise) is armed with immense wealth and absolutely no scruples whatsoever, and is barely kept in line by 00-ranked MI-6 agent Jack "Bishounen Killer" Bankoran and the combined efforts of the entire kingdom. Oh, and every man on the island is gay, which is played for cheap laughs. Cue wacky hijinx. This may not be your cup of tea, but you should definately flip through a volume and see what you think. At roughly 80 volumes and counting, don't worry too much about starting from the beginning; just grab a handy used volume and check it out.

Also:

Maison Ikkoku is positively classic. Don't let the fact that it's by Rumiko Takahashi scare you - her editors forced her to give the series an ending and there's not a hint of overwrought shounen fighting to be seen. Our hapless protagonist, Godai Yusaku, is living in an old boarding house in Tokyo, trying (and failing) to get into college and drinking heavily with his assorted alcoholic housemates. He's about to throw in the towel when the new, devestatingly hot apartment manager shows up, kicking off 15 volumes of Godai's attempts to woo Kyoko and survive college. MI is a gentle romantic comedy with wonderful characters that does a great job of capturing the feel of the impovershed student during the early 1980s. It also makes for a wonderful change of pace from high school dramas, as everyone is at least college age and the key plot point often involves someone being drunk. Very highly recommened, but make sure you begin at the beginning.

Which isn't to say that high school students can't have wacky hijinx of their own. Koko wa Greenwood by Nasu Yukie is about a hapless, stressed out highschool freshman who finds himself living in a men's dorm chock full of eccentric characters. Okay, so they're edging over into full-blown weirdo status, but they're still quite a bunch. Cue wacky shoujo hijinx. It's all rather low-key, even when dealing with odd situations - say, yakuza kidnappings or ghosts showing up - with a decided slice of life flavor. 11 awesome volumes.

So, if you think you can live with the shame of reading Hana to Yume titles on the train, check out Patarillo and Greenwood, and pick up Maison Ikkoku no matter what. Also, you may find this list interesting: The 50 best manga as voted by the Japanese. There's not an overwhelming amount of humor manga on the list, but it still looks like a good place to start poking around. I'm an illiterate fanboy, but I'm familiar with a fair number of the titles there and can vouch that it's a pretty good list, especially where the classics are concerned. There's one title in particular that really stands out, however:

King's Son of the Land of the Rising Sun is a historical drama about Shoutoko Taishi (574-622 AD), which takes his historical accomplisments (uniting Japan under the Emperor, popularizing Buddhism) and adds mysticism, vicious politics, and more than a touch of gender bending. I wish to god I could read this comic, as by all accounts the story is positively amazing. However, I've got a few volumes and am completely blown away by the art style. I mean, get a load of this:

Absolutely striking. Fredrick "I Know More About Manga Than Any White Person" Schodt raves about this in Dreamland Japan, so that's all the recommendation you really need.

FnordChan

 

[Shouta]

I wholeheartedly support Maison Ikkoku. Both the anime and the manga are great although the manga is a much speedier process overall.

Hey Fnord, you checked out the Patlabor manga? That might be some fun for Blackace. I haven't seen it myself so I can't comment but perhaps you have =P.

That 50 best manga list is kind of funny too heh.

 

[FnordChan]

I wholeheartedly support Maison Ikkoku. Both the anime and the manga are great although the manga is a much speedier process overall.

I love the Maison Ikkoku anime, but at 96 episodes I occasionally wished they'd hurry up and get on with it. The manga is definately a faster experience, but the anime is so well made that it's difficult to get too worked up about it's slower pacing.

Hey Fnord, you checked out the Patlabor manga? That might be some fun for Blackace. I haven't seen it myself so I can't comment but perhaps you have =P.

I've seem some of the US release (i.e. all two volumes of it); it's enjoyable, but given the choice between reading Patlabor and watching it I'll go for the anime every time. Of course, it's a bit more difficult to take the anime on the train with you. Of course, the PSP makes that a lot easier...

That 50 best manga list is kind of funny too heh.

Roughly 2/3 of the poll respondents were adult women, so it definately skews more towards classic shoujo than a poll of, say, Shounen Jump readers would. Still, it's an interesting list, and there's plenty of good stuff to be read on there. For example, if the Ping Pong manga is anything like the live-action movie that's gotta be a must-read title right there. God, I love Matsumoto Taiyo.

FnordChan

 

[Jim Bowie]

Great Teacher Onizuka. Great Teacher Onizuka. Great Teacher Onizuka.

I've filled your quota. It's the funniest manga I've ever read, has me smiling ear to ear whenever I read a book. It's poignant and down-to-earth, too. The man wants to become the greatest teacher in all of Japan... and he'll do it!

Just have to wait for the last book to come out in America. Since you're in Japan, you can pick up 1-25 quick snap. Seriously, it's the best.

 

[Mugen]

I could've sworn I posted a reply pimping yet again Blade of the Immortal but ah well.

HERE IT IS.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

Dude, you got a 'fro? I need to see that.
.

I think most black men in Japan would have a fro.
One of the hardest things about being black and not leaving in a black town or city is
finding a good place to get a decent haircut.

when I ever go to japan for 6 months I'm getting a blady and return home with a fro

 

[Pellham]

I would have recommended Maison Ikkoku as well, being that it's my favorite manga of all time, but I figured since it's such a well known classic, Blackace might have already read it at some point.

Fnord, have you seriously read all of Patalliro? You may very well be the only Patalliro fan on these boards since the series doesn't have much of a presence in the US.

 

[FnordChan]

Fnord, have you seriously read all of Patalliro? You may very well be the only Patalliro fan on these boards since the series doesn't have much of a presence in the US.

Oh, hell no. I've got 10 or so volumes sitting around, but I'm an illiterate fanboy, so they're only good for flipping through. (Fortunatly, used manga is dirt cheap.) Still, the flavor shines through, and folks in the know (i.e. they can read) tell me it's even better when you can, you know, read the dialogue.

Even if I could read Patarillo, there's 80+ volumes of the seires out there. Man, that's a lot of manga. That's especially a lot of bizzare, non-sequiter satire.

And, yes, Patarillo fans aren't exactly falling out of the woodwork. The show had a cult following among early hardcore Western anime fans (particularly among the slash crowd), but has since almost vanished completely. The Patarillo anime didn't have an official home video release until the recent R2 DVD box sets, so on top of already being somewhat esoteric the lack of video availability made it completely and utterly obscure. To the best of my knowledge, only four episodes were ever fansubbed (for the first ShoujoCon) and virtually no one has copies. Well, I do, but I'm definately the exception.

Like I said in the Spring '05 Anime thread, I'm hoping the new Patarillo series will spark enough interest among fansubbers for someone to dig up the DVD box sets, thus convincing some bored scanslators to start working on the manga. Okay, so I might be a tad optamistic...

FnordChan