Recent years have seen the popularity of manga explode, with more and more new titles available in bookstores. If fans of the first hour rejoice, this abundance as well as the multiplicity of themes addressed by these works can intimidate newcomers. Here are some ideas for those who would like to embark on this exciting and expanding universe!
Unmissable series
One Piece, by Eiichiro Oda and his one-shot Wanted!, which prefigures the entire universe of the Straw Hat saga; Bleach, by Tite Kubo; Dragon Ball (first of the name), by Akira Toriyama; Demon Slayer, by Koyoharu Gotôge: impossible to miss the phenomenon, transcended by its animated version; Attack on Titan, by Hajime Isayama, for hearts and fans of twists and turns.
For budding detectives
Detective Conan (Goshō Aoyama); Monster (Naoki Urasawa), pillar of the genre; The Ghost Tower (Tarō Nogizaka), an unbearable and Machiavellian suspense; The Ship of Theseus (Toshiya Higashimoto), a journey back in time with the air of repentance; Bungo Stray Dogs (Harukawa35 and Kafka Asagiri), an explosive mix between literary behemoths, mixed with the supernatural.
For those who like to shiver
Mieruko-chan: Slice of horror (Tomoki Izumi), where we laugh a little nervously at the setbacks of a heroine with impressive self-control; Darwin's Game (FLIPFLOPs), where reality and virtual world merge for a bloody game out of bounds; Starving Anonymous (Kazu Inabe, Yû Kuraishi and Kengo Mizutani), a five-volume uppercut that questions the foundations of our humanity; I am a hero (Kengo Hanazawa), a road-trip in zombie country striking realism (attention, publication stopped, but available on occasion).
For fans of survival games
Nothing better than the works of Tonogai Yoshiki to embark on a genre very popular lately. With few volumes each time, we advise you to discoverDoubt, Judge, Secret or Dead Company !
For more romantic souls
Switch me on and Entre deux (Kujira), two love stories at the heart of the upheavals of adult life and adolescence; Beyond appearance (Fumie Akuta), between art and romance, a sensitive and invigorating story; Secret Garden (Ammitsu), a romantic and touching slice of school life.
For virtual reality enthusiasts
Sword Art Online (Kawahara Reki), probably the best-known series dealing with virtual reality. Many adaptations have emerged, which makes it possible to discover several worlds as interesting as each other. We can also advise you Outlaw players (Shonen), a manga with stunning graphics.
For those who love comedy series
What could be better than laughing in front of a good book? If this is your credo, we strongly encourage you to discover Kid I luck (Osada Yuko), a work that warms the heart through laughter! 50 shades of fat (Synecdoche) should also fulfill this role. Finally, Beelzebub (Tamura Ryuhei) is a work that mixes action and comedy, nothing better to end a day.
For athletes
No matter what sport you are looking for, there should normally be a manga that talks about it. Basketball with Kuroko No Basket (Fujimaki Tadatoshi); Volleyball with Haikyu (Furudate Haruichi), American football with Eyeshield 21 (Inagaki Riichiro, Murata Yusuke) or European football with Blue lock (Kaneshiro Muneyuki, Nomura Yusuke). There is no shortage of series dealing with sports. And there are still a very large number (swimming pool, diving, rugby, baseball, …).
For artists
The first work that comes to mind is Blue Period (Yamaguchi Tsubasa), a striking series that we cannot recommend enough. You can also immerse yourself in Arte (Ohkubo Kei) or Barakamon (Yoshino Satsuki), two very enjoyable series.
Light Novels, a genre in its own right
We recommend Re: Zero – Re:living in another world from scratch (Nagatsuki Tappei, Otsuka Shinichiro). Transported to a fantasy world, Subaru is endowed with a power that can be considered a curse and a gift at the same time: He can return to a specific point in time after his death. Berserk of Gluttony (Isshiki Ichika, fame) exists in manga and light novel. He tells the story of Fate Graphite with an extremely dangerous skill: gluttony. The more souls he eats thanks to his skill, the stronger he becomes, until he loses his mind. Ascendance of a Bookworm (Miya Kazuki, Shiina You). A young adult finds herself reincarnated in a fantasy world after her sudden death. She is a fan of books, but in this new world, they are becoming scarce. She will then decide to make her own books! And this is just a list of some of the most famous series or have marked us. The world of manga is very vast. This diversity is very enriching and allows you to move from one universe to another without too much difficulty.
