Best Fantasy Manga
Look for the sequels to The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia , with The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts and the upcoming Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia due out April 24th 2018. He is the series producer and manager of The Legend of Zelda and won the Golden Joystick Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The opening letter from Shigeru Miyamoto sets a wonderful, celebratory tone for the rest of the book. The first third of the book, entitled "The Legend Begins: The World of Skyward Sword" is devoted to said title, the most recently released Zelda game we all played and loved. It's filled to the brim with the concept and official art that inspired Skyward's Sword brilliant aesthetic style. As one who views Skyward Sword as one of the most beautiful and brilliantly inspired video games ever made in terms of its art design and visuals, this is just fine with me. There's tons here, including a lot of really interesting ideas for characters that didn't make it into the game, like a floating Fi in a massive suit of armor or Zelda designs that are decidedly more elegant and fancy. There's also a good amount of location art that is simply gorgeous and really captures your imagination, just like the settings in the game did. What is even better about this section is the following 70 or so pages that actually chronicles, in great detail, the events of each timeline in chronological order. Sprinkled liberally through all of this are nice screenshots and art, as well as fascinating tidbits, like boxes that fully decipher the various Hylian/Hyrulean dialect text that appear in the games. This section closes with a very nice letter from Eiji Aonuma, arguably the second most important man behind the Legend of Zelda, after Shigeru Miyamoto of course. The lay-outs are nice, the printing quality is vibrantly beautiful and sharp as a tack, and the pages are crisp and clean. The binding is also high quality, which is important because this is a big book that would fall apart relatively quickly if it wasn't bound well. There are few games that capture the sense of beauty, imagination, and adventure like the Legend of Zelda effortlessly does with each and every release."
"As a Zelda fan it's wonderful to have a physical book of all game events (from 1986=2011), concept images and developer interviews."
"There's translations of some of the games in-game language systems and explanations for why certain things are as they are, for example hinting that timeshift stones and the ocarina of time are made of the same time-travel capable material. If I had to say anything negative, it would be that perhaps learning about the development decisions made during other games would have been nice, particularly Majora's mask, instead of just showing Skyward Sword concept art."
"One thing that I wish this had, and I don't know why I assumed it would... but I have a Nintendo Power magazine of Zelda from the 90's that was pretty cool."
"I say, anything that will hold his attention for that long and he will read in it daily, I consider it a great buy."
"After going through Amazon in search of gift ideas, I came across this particular one and decided it might be a good gift to purchase for him."
T he Legend of Zelda™: Art and Artifacts contains over four hundred pages of fully realized illustrations from the entire thirty-year history of The Legend of Zelda™ including artwork from the upcoming The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild ! A few years later, the Gameboy and the Super Nintendo cemented Nintendo as one of the premier gaming companies in the world.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"First of all, if you're a die hard Zelda fan, nothing in this book is new as this book is essentially a collection of promotional and concept art for the series. You do get art from the entire series from the original Legend of Zelda to Zelda Twilight Princess HD or Zelda Tri Force Heroes."
"This is a must own to learn the history of one of the greatest franchises is video game history."
"The only unique part to the book is the final 40 pages or so that are full of interview Q&A's which are pretty interesting."
"Gorgeous to look at, came safely packaged, no wear and tear, protective plastic sleeve fits perfectly with the cover illustration."
"I bought this book as a gift and it is beautiful!"
"That said, I am an obsessive Zelda image hunter and have sought out most of this art in the past."
"I bought this for my son's birthday and he loves it."
"I'm pretty obsessed with everything Zelda, so when I saw this book I had to get it."
In this post-apocalytpic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"LOVE IT MY FAVORITE MANGA <3 <3 even though you make me suffer every month i still love you for creating this amazing and beautiful manga in which you kill my favorite characters QwQ just kidding but you actually make me cry QwQ b I wonder what other surprises you got for us your Fans this next chapters, the plot on the manga has increased into a point i want to scream of emotion I'm really exited!"
"After reading the 1st manga or volume I was hooked and watched the series afterwards."
"This fast paced Seinen manga is amazing."
"When I first read this manga I thought this was the best manga ever, it's a lot different than the other manga I have read."
"I never liked manga or any anime."
"If you have not read this and like anime/manga or if you have never read a manga before then you should pick this up and give it a read."
"I bought this after my daughter and I watched the series on Netflix."
"Arrived as expected and fast."
Best Romance Manga
As Sailor Moon, Usagi must fight for justice against, in the name of the Moon and the mysterious Moon Princess.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So excited to read these for the first time!"
"Our Sailor Moon fan loved this set for her birthday."
"Granddaughter likes all of the books in this series."
"But when Black Lady, saddened by Sailor Pluto's demise, wakes up from the evil influence and transform into Sailor Chibi Moon for the first time, I was really blown away!"
"Great manga even for guys."
"Thank you so much for my book."
"The only thing I have a problem with is the occasional TL error and although it never really bothers me it just kind of makes me roll my eyes (For instance, Queen Beryl introduces herself as something along the lines of "Princess Beryl, Queen of the Dark Kingdom"...haha)."
Best Teen & Young Adult Manga
In this post-apocalytpic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"LOVE IT MY FAVORITE MANGA <3 <3 even though you make me suffer every month i still love you for creating this amazing and beautiful manga in which you kill my favorite characters QwQ just kidding but you actually make me cry QwQ b I wonder what other surprises you got for us your Fans this next chapters, the plot on the manga has increased into a point i want to scream of emotion I'm really exited!"
"After reading the 1st manga or volume I was hooked and watched the series afterwards."
"This fast paced Seinen manga is amazing."
"When I first read this manga I thought this was the best manga ever, it's a lot different than the other manga I have read."
"I never liked manga or any anime."
"If you have not read this and like anime/manga or if you have never read a manga before then you should pick this up and give it a read."
"I bought this after my daughter and I watched the series on Netflix."
"Arrived as expected and fast."
Best Fantasy Manga
However, his simple life of pulling all-nighters and sleeping in school is suddenly turned upside down when he, along with the rest of his class, is summoned to a fantasy world! Ryo Shirakome is a Japanese author best known for Arifureta: FromCommonplace to World’s Strongest .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Traditional OP MC but with a very different personality."
"And love how the main character actually changes but still retains their personality."
"This is my favorite of the various Isekai series I've read."
"Fantastic translation!"
"The action makes one want popcorn, while the romance can make one carnivorous (yep)."
"I liked it, a dash of original within the sea of the genre, i didn't expect much but i had that opinion very quickly blown out the window."
"Riveting and exciting story progression with more than a few unseen twists and turns."
"A very enjoyable ride through the trite cliche of being transported to a parallel world, and getting through power levels and become from the weakest of the bunch, to being the most OP nerf plz character... just like a certain black-clad swordsman!"
Best Teen & Young Adult Media Tie-In Comics
This special hardcover edition also includes an exclusive sound clip of Rick and Morty and all the cover art from the first ten issues of the comic book series! "Rick and Morty, the unlikely pair at the heart of the hit Adult Swim cartoon, happily bring their signature blend of brainy sci-fi and surreal, warped mayhem to print. When dissolute genius Rick builds a device to predict the future of the stock market, he and his bumbling teenage grandson, Morty, hit the big time. Though readers unfamiliar with the show might be thrown off by the idiosyncratic speech style, it's a pitch-perfect replica of the voice actors' performances, and the artwork, full of exaggerated cartoon shapes and grotesque creatures, expertly mimics the animation. - Booklist. "Aside from the normal difficulties inherent in being young, such as school and the trials and tribulations of parents, siblings, and friends, Morty also has to deal with his grandfather Rick, a cracked scientific genius with authority issues. Verdict Based on Dan Harmon and Justin Roiland's (adult swim) animated cartoon, Rick and Morty walks a shredding tightrope among slapstick, pathos, and hilarity, with unexpected twists and a healthy sprinkle of nutty sf concepts thrown in for good measure. The anthology nature of the stories means some pieces are stronger than others, but all are imaginative and will appeal to fans of weird sf humor that borders on the psychedelic. Cannon, Ryan Hill, and back up artist Marc Ellerby have given audiences, both in and out of know, a solid debut issue chocked with comedy and pathos that can go nowhere but up.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It plays literally every time the book is moved, so not only when you open the book cover -- but then as you are trying to read the book."
"Awesome book!"
"Purchased for my daughter's fiancé for Christmas."
"If you're a Rick and Morty fan, you will LOVE this book!"
"Nicely printed, oversized compilation of R&M comics."
"Just like the show."
"This book is awesome!"
Best Teen & Young Adult Light Novels
Linked up and logged into the deadly VMMORPG "Sword Art Online" in both the real and virtual worlds, Kirito is stuck in a hell of one man's making, and like everyone else, unable to escape until the game is beaten. Reki Kawahara is an award winning author best known for his light novel series, Sword Art Online and Accel World .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Every page skips about 2-7 page numbers.With that being a small issue because it does not affect the story, It's a great book that I don't want to put down."
"I love the SAO anime series so naturally I am devouring these books as quick as that can be delivered."
"It is an amazing story if you love love stories, or if you love action stories."
"If you do plan to do the double, that is, read the novels and watch the anime's, watch the anime's first."
"I love Sword Art Online. However, what I don't love about it is it's one of those series that messes with the characters too much, getting worse and worse as it goes. I'd pay $25 Blu-Ray or $15 DVD for Season 1 Part 1 - Sword Art Online, before Alfiem."
"My son and I are SAO dorks."
"I watched the anime before anything else, so it was awesome to see how the anime was adapted from the original concept (this novel)."
"I'd read the fan translation and watched the anime, and I still really enjoyed this story on the third pass."
Best Viz Publisher Comics & Graphic Novels
Rumiko Takahashi's first serialized manga series, Urusei Yatsura, was originally published in Weekly Shonen Sunday in 1978.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This Manga was a very entertaining read!"
"I don't think that you can stress the importance of Rumiko Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura (which translates to Those Obnoxious Aliens)manga and its anime TV and film adaptations enough when talking about the history of the medium. The Urusei Yatsura manga was released in the very early 90's in two series, Lum and The Return of Lum, by Viz. The series didn't really take off, and Viz only translated a tiny fraction of the total Urusei Yatsura series, which originally ran in Japan for nearly a decade. This is some of Takahashi's earliest work on a long series, and the stories presented are really not the best Urusei Yatsura would have to offer, but the writing improves quickly and even by the middle of this collection, there is marked improvement over the first few chapters."
"Fans of Rumiko Takahashi's other titles will certainly see parallels between this and her later work; UY is a good introduction to Takahashi's manga in general and is a must-read for fans of her other series."
Best Mystery Manga
This custom box set includes all 12 books from the Death Note series, the information How To Read "Death Note 13" and exclusive Death Note premium gifts! The high gloss printed box set also comes with a recessed handle and velcro closure. Artist, Takeshi Obata made his debut in 1989 with CYBORG JI-CHAN G. The runner-up recipient of the 30th Annual Tezuka Award, Obata's major works include CHIKARABITO DENSETSU and MASHIN BOUKENTAN LAMP-LAMP.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I’m not going to lie and say I’ve loved Death Note since the beginning. I love how the box is reusable, with easy velcro to open and close."
"I purchased these for my son who read them all in about a week."
"I recommend this manga to everyone who likes mysteries and mind games. The box came in perfectly wrap no scratched or problems the manga volumes were in mint condition."
"I love Death Note, and got my brother into it as well and bought this for his birthday."
"Box was in great condition and my boyfriend loves them :)."
"Nice set of books and great price!"
"My son loved it."
"Awesome!Thanks!Love this book!"
Best Sports Manga
Ever since he saw the legendary player known as the "Little Giant" compete at the national volleyball finals, Shoyo Hinata has been aiming to be the best volleyball player ever! He starts a volleyball club in his middle school and is outmatched and beaten by a team led by Tobio Kageyama; a 5'11" spiker derisively referred to as the "King of the Court" and a "diva."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I would recommend this to anybody who loves comedy because it is almost full of it, people who have seen the anime, and people who like volleyball in general."
"Gift for my daughter, loved it!"
"The story is very interesting and straight to the point."
"The volume came in perfect shape, not bent or ruined in the delivery process."
"It's funny but also well done!"
"If I could give it a higher rating I would."
"Really good(: the book was in perfect condition and there's no real problems with it."
"High level concepts of volleyball are initially avoided and only introduced once the basics have been defined and even then with a lead character who may not understand it in the technical sense we are able to understand that which was said by seeing the character execute the concept. I enjoyed the introduction to high school boys volleyball club antics as well as the heartfelt story of crushed dreams and a new attempt to tackle those dreams after a high school debut."
Best Erotica Manga
A lamia named Miia is sent to live with him, and it's Kimihito's job to make sure the sexy snake girl integrates into everyday life. OKAYADO is a Japanese manga artist and author who is best known for Monster Musume .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great manga."
"This book was a great thing."
"It actually shows nudity, I was unaware of this."
"A great new series of manga that I recommend, a must have."
"Love it really funny great manga definitely recommend it also has some nice fan service can not be any more happier after reading it."
"I have no complaints totally worth the buy."
"There is nudity(boobs), but it is a great book."
Best Dystopian Manga
Humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans. With his debut series, ""Attack on Titan,"" Hajime Isayama has enjoyed a meteoric rise from unknown to one of Japan's top comics artists.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"LOVE IT MY FAVORITE MANGA <3 <3 even though you make me suffer every month i still love you for creating this amazing and beautiful manga in which you kill my favorite characters QwQ just kidding but you actually make me cry QwQ b I wonder what other surprises you got for us your Fans this next chapters, the plot on the manga has increased into a point i want to scream of emotion I'm really exited!"
"After reading the 1st manga or volume I was hooked and watched the series afterwards."
"This fast paced Seinen manga is amazing."
"When I first read this manga I thought this was the best manga ever, it's a lot different than the other manga I have read."
"I never liked manga or any anime."
"If you have not read this and like anime/manga or if you have never read a manga before then you should pick this up and give it a read."
"I bought this after my daughter and I watched the series on Netflix."
"Arrived as expected and fast."
Best Horror Manga
According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but by a pattern: uzumaki, the spiral, the hypnotic secret shape of the world. Junji Ito debuted as a horror manga artist in 1987 with the first story in his successful Tomie series.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Amazing story."
"I had read these online and the story haunted me enough that when I saw it collected, it was an easy decision to buy immediately."
"The familiar is not horrifying."
"Stunning artwork and succinct writing make you feel like you're in that little seaside town."
"Junji Ito is an amazing author and this book has some fantastically creepy stories you're bound to enjoy if you like his work."
"Lacks in the general GORE but caters to actual horror."
"The hard cover was thick and strong, the book inside is creepy as all hell and I love it!"
"so good I'll be getting some of he's other books too if you like horror then get this manga I already have 2 of he's book besides this one so that makes 3 and everyone of them were amazing the only thing I didn't like was the ending it was a bit lacking something but I don't know it could've been just me."
Best Media Tie-In Manga
Look for the sequels to The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia , with The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts and the upcoming Legend of Zelda Encyclopedia due out April 24th 2018. He is the series producer and manager of The Legend of Zelda and won the Golden Joystick Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The opening letter from Shigeru Miyamoto sets a wonderful, celebratory tone for the rest of the book. The first third of the book, entitled "The Legend Begins: The World of Skyward Sword" is devoted to said title, the most recently released Zelda game we all played and loved. It's filled to the brim with the concept and official art that inspired Skyward's Sword brilliant aesthetic style. As one who views Skyward Sword as one of the most beautiful and brilliantly inspired video games ever made in terms of its art design and visuals, this is just fine with me. There's tons here, including a lot of really interesting ideas for characters that didn't make it into the game, like a floating Fi in a massive suit of armor or Zelda designs that are decidedly more elegant and fancy. There's also a good amount of location art that is simply gorgeous and really captures your imagination, just like the settings in the game did. What is even better about this section is the following 70 or so pages that actually chronicles, in great detail, the events of each timeline in chronological order. Sprinkled liberally through all of this are nice screenshots and art, as well as fascinating tidbits, like boxes that fully decipher the various Hylian/Hyrulean dialect text that appear in the games. This section closes with a very nice letter from Eiji Aonuma, arguably the second most important man behind the Legend of Zelda, after Shigeru Miyamoto of course. The lay-outs are nice, the printing quality is vibrantly beautiful and sharp as a tack, and the pages are crisp and clean. The binding is also high quality, which is important because this is a big book that would fall apart relatively quickly if it wasn't bound well. There are few games that capture the sense of beauty, imagination, and adventure like the Legend of Zelda effortlessly does with each and every release."
"As a Zelda fan it's wonderful to have a physical book of all game events (from 1986=2011), concept images and developer interviews."
"There's translations of some of the games in-game language systems and explanations for why certain things are as they are, for example hinting that timeshift stones and the ocarina of time are made of the same time-travel capable material. If I had to say anything negative, it would be that perhaps learning about the development decisions made during other games would have been nice, particularly Majora's mask, instead of just showing Skyward Sword concept art."
"One thing that I wish this had, and I don't know why I assumed it would... but I have a Nintendo Power magazine of Zelda from the 90's that was pretty cool."
"I say, anything that will hold his attention for that long and he will read in it daily, I consider it a great buy."
"After going through Amazon in search of gift ideas, I came across this particular one and decided it might be a good gift to purchase for him."
Best Science Fiction Manga
In this post-apocalytpic sci-fi story, humanity has been devastated by the bizarre, giant humanoids known as the Titans.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"LOVE IT MY FAVORITE MANGA <3 <3 even though you make me suffer every month i still love you for creating this amazing and beautiful manga in which you kill my favorite characters QwQ just kidding but you actually make me cry QwQ b I wonder what other surprises you got for us your Fans this next chapters, the plot on the manga has increased into a point i want to scream of emotion I'm really exited!"
"After reading the 1st manga or volume I was hooked and watched the series afterwards."
"This fast paced Seinen manga is amazing."
"When I first read this manga I thought this was the best manga ever, it's a lot different than the other manga I have read."
"I never liked manga or any anime."
"If you have not read this and like anime/manga or if you have never read a manga before then you should pick this up and give it a read."
"I bought this after my daughter and I watched the series on Netflix."
"Arrived as expected and fast."
Best Yaoi, Gay & Lesbian Manga
Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, affable Canadian named Mike Flanagan, who declares himself the widower of Yaichi’s estranged gay twin, Ryoji. Thoughtful and fetching, My Brother’s Husband is the first in a two-volume omnibus about grief, reconciliation and the strength to be who you are.” — Shelf Awareness *starred review* “ My Brother’s Husband focuses more on the uneasy relationship between Yaichi, a single father raising his daughter, Kana, and Mike Flanagan, who was married to Yaichi’s recently deceased (and estranged) twin brother, Ryoji….There’s something beautiful in the careful way that My Brother’s Husband handles Yaichi’s coming to terms with his feelings about his brother that’s rarely seen in mainstream comics. Tagame understands that and hopefully, as the rest of the book unfolds, readers will too.” —io9.com “ My Brother’s Husband is focused on normalizing a gay relationship to those who are uncomfortable with the idea….there’s an audience and a need for works like this…. It’s charming and provides hope for the future.” — Comics Worth Reading “The story provides a very interesting look at Japanese society through Yaichi’s struggle to come to terms with his brother’s sexuality, revealing some of the struggles the Japanese gay community faces at the same time….One of the most notable things about Tagame’s artwork is just how vastly different it is from nearly anything I’ve seen before. If these are qualities that help books rise to the top of your summer reading list, your new number one is My Brother’s Husband ….The story moves along quietly and gently, Tagame cleverly evoking parallels between mutual misperceptions of gays and straights, older and younger generations, Westerners and Japanese.” —. Passport Magazine “This winsome look at culture clash compares the largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture with the West, underscoring a theme of universal yearning for family.” — Library Journal.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a sad and beautiful story, captivating from the very start."
"A wonderful story, anyone gay or straight should be able to relate to the high emotions this book brings out!!"
"Excellent manga, gives a new and thought provoking perspective on homosexual relationships."
"Earth shatteringly lovely."
"A great read, really engaging."
"Nearly made me cry in public a few times."
"Seeing Yaichi struggle with acceptance is the heart of the story, and it's important to read, but also beautiful to look at artistically."
"Even grown-ups like good story telling, especially stories that help us deal with love and loss."
Best Historical Fiction Manga
Step back in time with the Shadowhunters with this collectible hardcover boxed set of the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy. She is the coauthor of The Bane Chronicles with Sarah Rees Brennan and Maureen Johnson and Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy with Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman, as well as The Shadowhunter’s Codex, which she cowrote with her husband, Joshua Lewis.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The epitome of the best (& most emotional) love triangle I would've ever hoped to have read/imagined."
"I found the story and it's previous books, to not only be enchanting but also beautifully written, with extreme detail and a very good description of current and past land marks and locations, Tessa's London and Williams Wales made me inspired to travel."
"This book really helps you understand James and Tessa in suck a deep sense."
"Charlotte and Henry's love was explained more and left me smiling."
"Absolutely love the whole clockwork series."
"I don't want to give it away, so I will just say that the thing I didn't like was later redeemed by Cassandra because of all the other events that happen. I did take a peek at Cassandra's web page though, and am happy to say 2 more Shadowhunter type series are in the works, so I will just have to hold on to that!"
"I think it's beyond comprehension that a force is about to annihilate your race & you call a council meeting to argue about it. I also wish the mundane servants could have made more practical use of their second sight. I was stunned at the choice Jem made, but after finishing the book, I understand it better."
"I read this series before the Mortal Instruments, which are set it the same world but present day, and I have to say I like this set more (although both are on my favorites list!). I loved the Mortal Instruments as well, but I don't feel like I would have fully experienced them without reading these, as the Mortal Instruments didn't delve as deep into some of the important aspects of the shadow world (like the parabatai connection between shadowhunters)."
Best Educational & Nonfiction Manga
Introducing The Manga Cookbook, an illustrated step-by-step guide to preparing simple Japanese dishes using ingredients found in every Western kitchen. Readers are guided through the cookbook by three cartoon characters: a young girl, Miyuki, who calls herself the kitchen sensei; Hiroshi, her boyfriend who likes to eat; and the feline-like mascot, Coo, identified as the book's culinary mastermind.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"At first read through this book is well laid out with simple explanations, cute narrators and easy to follow directions. I bought this book so I could get some ideas to start making bento boxes for my boys and was surprised at how many of my favorite Japanese dishes were in there."
"My 15 year old daughter loved it and has already made two meals!"
"Best for regular Japanese cooking."
"Great cookbook!"
"This book gives recipes on the basic Japanese cuisine you see in animes, hence why it's called the manga cookbook."
"The recipe for sticky rice is heavenly!"
"The Manga CookbookA 5Star publication, The Manga Cookbook is a very easy How To Cook Japanese publication with very cute, expressive, masterful illustrations. Definitely for manga [Japanese Comic] and anime [Japanese animation] fans, who also wish to learn cooking Japanese food their favorite characters eat in much loved stories."
"Inside the book are only a few pages of colour photos of most of the recipies, and the rest of the book is black and white manga characters showing you how to cook."