Best Mystery Manga
The heroine, Karen Otonashi, tries out for a maid position with the Mitsurugi family in hopes of becoming a great maid like her grandmother. Keiji Mitsurugi : The middle son of the Mitsurugi family and a senior in high school. Rei Mitsurugi : 6 years old and the youngest son of the Mitsurugi family. This manga is drawing the love and growth of Karen Otonashi.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Three poor-little-rich-boys live isolated in a preposterously large mansion after a tragedy claims the life of both their beloved mother and trusted housekeeper -afraid to be hurt again, they keep their distance from the staff, and even their own father. This is a fun little manga, full of the usual comedic situations and melodramatic emergencies... there's nothing objectionable in it, and makes for light reading -unfortunately, there's also nothing challenging in it, and it's not unique."
"Not much of a story line and I'm just wondering since the book is in English and marketed in English speaking countries, why didn't the author follow the front-to-back format instead of the other way around?"
"You can tell the main character has a special connection with her masters right off the bat, even if that connection isnt clear right away."
"Very good manga, funny and draws attention."
"I like the flow of the story and the characters seem believable."
"I am just a poor person and I have decided to buy the rest of this series eventually (as fast as I can make the money) because I want to know what happens next."
"I guess butlers and maids would always be a popular theme for manga."
"So cute!"
The century-spanning war between Midland and Chuder continues unabated. In 1989, after receiving a doctorate degree, Kentarou started a project titled King of Wolves based on a script by Buronson, writer of Hokuto no Ken ( Fist Of The North Star ). The series has also spawned a whole host of merchandise, both official and fan made, ranging from statues and action figures, to key rings, video games, and a trading card game.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Set in the feudal era where destiny seemed so ingrained, one man bravely swung his sword to ensure his own freedom. Never have I so desperately cheered on a protagonist as he took on insurmountable odds with the careless, berserking rage that carried the weight of an entire era. Also, Guts can no longer stand being the subordinate of Griffith, Guts battles to claim equality with Griffith, the man ordained by the Behelit (The Egg of the one who would be king)."
"I'll be back for the rest as time goes by ^^ Thank you so much!"
"Everything I expected, perfect condition."
"These books are a gift to my grandson which loves the series."
"Classic Serk."
Cosmic horror, supernatural events, ghost stories, weird fiction, mystical fantasies, occult narratives, this book plunges you into dark domains and brings you face to face with surreal monstrosities.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"While many, if not most, of these tales have been heavily anthologized in numerous, previous horror collections, happily there were a few included here that I had never read before; discovering them and revisiting the others made this set worthwhile to me."
"A great book!"
"Not really what I expected."
"To say it is the "greatest" collection is a great falsehood."
Best Shojo Manga
From the #1 New York Times best-selling author and lifestyle/cleaning guru Marie Kondo, this graphic novelization brings Kondo's life-changing tidying method to life with the fun, quirky story of a woman who transforms her home, work, and love life using Kondo's advice and inspiration. If organizational mandates are medicine, this book is like a spoonful of sugar." "Whether you're a dedicated Kondo follower, or a KonMari Method newbie looking for some organizational tips, this cute animated book is sure to inspire your inner neat-freak." "Fans of Kondo’s runaway hit, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up , will recognize tenets of her cleaning philosophy, woven through a classic manga-style read. Decluttering tips paired with a potential love story? "There aren’t many comics that teach actual practical lessons, which is what makes this one so surprising. "Readers reluctant to submit to word-heavy lectures may be beguiled—and even con- verted—by witnessing Chiaki’s success as played out in an enjoyable story that paints Kondo as more inspiring than inquisitorial." .Marie Kondo is helping the world to properly (and lovingly) store their most beloved possessions, one fold at a time." "To show you how serious my respect for Ms. Kondo is: if I ever get a tattoo, it will say, Spark Joy!" -- Jamie Lee Curtis, TIME "The most organized woman in the world." MARIE KONDO is the founder and chief visionary officer of KonMari Media Inc. and author of the #1 New York Times best seller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Her books have sold more than seven million copies worldwide and have been translated into thirty-eight languages. Kondo has been featured in the Wall Street Journal , The Atlantic, the New York Times , USA Today , and on the Today show, and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Visit www.konmari.com to learn more about Kondo's latest efforts to create a global community with the mission to organize the world through the official KonMari app and KonMari Consultant Program.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She comes to her own realization that she needs help, although it's set off in part by the growing piles of trash on her balcony (! Chiaki thinks she's a fairy when she first appears, a reference to Kondo's real life diminutive size, and while she is generally calm and soothing, she becomes almost a miniature demon when Chiaki wants to tidy her sentimental items first. All of this was buried under habits she'd worked to acquire as part of a campaign to acquire Mister Right, and it's not until she can let go of the last ghost of the The Men Who Got Away that she can actually move on, not only in her home but also in her life. Curiously, this piece of the KonMari philosophy isn't usually written about, but it's an important component of not just tidying but living happily: let go of things that tether you to your past or shelter you from a future you're terrified of, and then you can live fully--and joyfully--in the present. It's also profound while also being humorous."
"Having read Kondo's first book, I wasn't sure about this illustrated version, but I LOVE it."
"This is a great place to get acquainted and introduced to the KonMari method."
"Very adorable art style and easy to follow along."
"Great information and it has made life so much easier."
"Great book, great pictures, very inspiring!"
"Quick read, illustrates what "tidy" can do for your life."
"This was a lovely and pleasant read."
Best 90-Minute Comic & Graphic Novel Short Reads
Presented for the first time with stark, stunning new coloring by Brian Bolland, BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE is Alan Moore's unforgettable meditation on the razor-thin line between sanity and insanity, heroism and villainy, comedy and tragedy. This is a no-holds-barred take on a truly insane criminal mind, masterfully written by British comics writer Alan Moore. The Killing Joke provoked fury among many readers who lamented the disposal of Barbara Gordon as a mere pawn to testosterone; yet Gordon reinvents herself later as superinfohacker Oracle, poster girl for disability empowerment (see Birds of Prey, LJ 7/08).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Playing the Arkham video games by Rocksteady made Batman really stand out."
"The book reveals how he was once sane but turned insane due to personal reasons (read the book)."
"Before reading The Killing Joke, I've ready V for Vendetta and Watchmen. Both are other graphic novels written by Alan Moore. I had no idea what to expect, but a friend of mine did call this (in his opinion) the greatest graphic novel of all time. They're all awesome, so of course I was gonna love Batman in this story too. This story isn't so much about Batman fighting bad guys as it is about proving the joker wrong. Batman (and Gordon) are pushed to their limits as they not only try to stop the joker, but prove him wrong. One thing I liked from another comic, Batman: Hush, was the use of other DC characters to progress the story, but I really liked how The Killing Joke told another amazing story with less character in less pages."
"But that's just me, and don't get me wrong, some of his pictures have an absolutely incredible amount of depth, you can just see layer after layer of the character. This book is an absolute gem, Bolland and Moore play off one another to absolute perfection, one of the best comics I've ever read."
"The events in this story felt much more real than other superhero comics/graphic novels that I have read in the past."
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 Horror 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!"
"The setting of this world is basically the apocalypse; the majority of humanity has been wiped out by huge man-eating humanoid creatures called Titans. The survivors of humanity hide behind huge walls to protect themselves, and only a brave few, the Survey Corps, venture from the safety of the walls to fight against the Titans."
"After reading the 1st manga or volume I was hooked and watched the series afterwards."
"This fast paced Seinen manga is amazing."
"I have a 2014 Kindle Paperwhite, which I otherwise love, but I won't be buying manga for my Kindle again until this issue is addressed :(."
"Do NOT read the interview with the author at the end if you want to be surprised in volume two! Do NOT read it until you're done with volume two!"
"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."
Best LGBT Manga
The candid tell-all of a young woman's struggles with depression and sexuality that has taken the internet by storm! " My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is one of the most powerful manga I have ever read, and it all comes down to Nagata Kabi's openness and honesty." "No question, absolutely, my pick this week is My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness , which was simply one of the best autobiographical manga I’ve read." Kabi Nagata is a manga artist best known for her autobiographical comic, My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Beyond its personal affect, I have been lucky enough to witness MLEL spread happiness and discussion through the community of women closest to me, with an incredible popularity among fellow lesbians."
"There are never enough stories that portray, with brutal honesty, what it's like to be a lesbian within a society that doesn't even acknowledge you exist - what it's like to struggle with mental illness - and what it's like to struggle a people-pleasing complex at the expensive of your own well being. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who might be part of the LGBTQ community, struggle with mental illness, or just feel lonely in general. But I would also highly recommend some serious self-care during and after reading because the book is heavy in its subject matter - in a good yet painful way."
"Telling her story of the myriad of emotions, experiences, failures and successes that for her life, I connected with her every step of the way."
"This was a great read."
"Really, this young woman has many difficulties to overcome: depression, eating disorders, cutting - each one by itself can be life-threatening. I find this a vivid, endearing account of facing those problems and prevailing. BTW, if you're looking for a salacious girl-on-girl first time thing, you'll mostly find the kind of awkwardness that I (straight male) found in getting bare with my (straight female) first partners. But this resonates with so many readers because it's a collection of growing experiences shared by far more grownups than the title suggests."
"It’s a sincere story that will click with a lot of lesbians who deal with depression and anxiety."
"Great story, I recommend it to anyone who enjoy's reading funny stories."
Best Yaoi Manga
Deacon, a prototype android soldier, was ordered by his corporate masters to eliminate a team of scientists who knew too much and he has failed spectacularly. Essentially an intimate look into Deacon’s therapy sessions, with the mission’s events told in flashback, the narrative grips the reader from the first panel to the last, treating the audience to a moving rumination on love, free will, sexuality, and the question of whether a machine can feel. - Publishers Weekly Originally published as a serial webcomic, Artifice is a full-color graphic novel that tells a cyberpunk same-sex love story… Although Artifice is for mature audiences only, its violent and sexual content is directly in service to a thought-provoking science fiction story that will keep the reader fascinated to the final page.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Overall the story itself is enjoyable, the drama of the situation and the feelings evoked during the "present" and "flashback" scenes are very well crafted. As good as Alex Woolfson's story is, it is Winona Nelson's art that truly captures me."
"I had been meaning to read this graphic novel for a while, having heard good things about how it used a sci-fi / action story to talk about homophobia, racism, free will, first love, and self-acceptance; and in light of recent current events, it seemed like the perfect time."
"It has all been said, the art work is superb, the story is superb and the pacing is superb."
"It's practically the size of an artbook rather than a comic and has a lot of information from the site on the back as well as several extras, including the process of the artist getting such clean lines."
"Great story and great graphics, thank you!"
"Though I already read this at the artists own website I still wanted to hold it in my own hands (I bought a hard copy)! Back when I was younger I read a few but with age I somehow found the stories to be boring, dreary, too Action-centered or whatnot..."
"I stumbled onto Artifice the webcomic and fell in love with the story, the characters (yes, even Maven) and the artwork. The romance between Deacon and Jeff is simultaneously sweet and erotic, but also deals with age-old questions about love--what it means to be in love, how do you know you're in love, how do you prove it?"
"However I wasn't too impressed with the packaging which consisted of a padded bag, putting the novel at risk of damage."
Best Erotica Manga
It's bad enough that Kimihito is stuck hosting not one, not two, but three sexy Monster Girls -- and is forbidden by law to touch any of them, no matter how much they come on to him -- but now, he's going to have to marry one of them! OKAYADO is a Japanese manga artist and author who is best known for Monster Musume .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Poor Kimihito, just when he was starting to get used to having three lovely monster girls under his roof, their handler throws a new wrinkle and suggests that he marries one of the three, be it magnificient Miia, precocous Papi, or curvacous Centora."
"You don't actively look for a Monster Musume book for no reason."
"Though I must say, my favorite part of this volume was the introduction of Suu and Papi's relationship with her. It really helped develop Papi's character."
"Even though this story is famous for its' fanservice, it can actually be funny at times."
"I love monster musume series, this is a must have."
"Well got to say its still awesome about this book monster girls comedy a lot and of course talking and seeing what everyday monster girl are doing."
"This series is full of amusing antics and scenarios, and has never failed to entertain."
"Being the second book of the series things pick up right where we left our hero; in trouble."
Best Romance Manga
Chise Hatori's life has recently undergone shocking change. Kore Yamazaki is best known as the author and artist of The Ancient Magus' Bride .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My copy came with bent pages and a cover (Nooo! ;A;). I think I can flatten out the bends if I leave it under a heavy book, but darn it amazon!"
"The world is very engaging the artwork is nice and the characters are very interesting."
"The art style is really showing itself here and the plot moves along quicker as well. Elias is still a mystery but I'm beginning to get the sense that he's more around Chise's age in Fae logic which makes the whole bride thing make more sense."
"I love this story its unique and fun with a serious story line."
"I have to keep reading this series."
"I'm loving the story and the art."
Best Media Tie-In Manga
Every time a promising villain appears, Saitama beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! In many ways, this story feels as though it was created inside the id of a 12-year-old boy who spent too much time playing with superhero and supervillain action figures. VERDICT The story is fast-paced, humorous, and entertaining in a way that looks and feels like an action movie.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library Manga creator ONE began One-Punch Man as a webcomic, which quickly went viral, garnering over 10 million hits.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Outside of the over the top build up to fights completely described by the manga’s title, ridiculous amounts of emphasis are placed on odd things for comic effect both during the fights and when spotlighting One Punch Man’s past."
"As far as I can tell, ONE and Yusuke Murata have continued to deliver on the initial issues of this series."
"Got turned on to One Punch from Adult Swim!"
"If you like good manga, you owe yourself One-Punch Man."
"I was reluctant to read this when it first began publishing back in 2012 for reasons I don't even remember."
"Love this, got it after watching the Netflix anime."
"Great condition and was precisely as I expected since I had previously watched the anime."
"Gift for granddaughter age 17."
Best Nonfiction Manga
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”. Animal Farm is an all time bestselling book written by George Orwell in 1945. Since its publication in 1946, George Orwell's fable of a workers' revolution gone wrong has rivaled Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea as the Shortest Serious Novel It's OK to Write a Book Report About. Fueled by Orwell's intense disillusionment with Soviet Communism, Animal Farm is a nearly perfect piece of writing, both an engaging story and an allegory that actually works. While this swinish brotherhood sells out the revolution, cynically editing the Seven Commandments to excuse their violence and greed, the common animals are once again left hungry and exhausted, no better off than in the days when humans ran the farm. Satire Animal Farm may be, but it's a stony reader who remains unmoved when the stalwart workhorse, Boxer, having given his all to his comrades, is sold to the glue factory to buy booze for the pigs.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you are of my age 25+, and have not read the book, I would say give it a chance because it's not bad."
"A sentiment clearly shared by other writer's of his time across a spectrum ranging from despair (Ray Bradbury, Farenheit 451) to hope (Tolkein, Lord of the Rings; CS Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia)."
"I apparently didn't read the description too carefully because I thought I was purchasing two separate books, but it actually comes with both Animal Farm and 1984 combined."
"If you ever wonder how your revolution can be hijacked by those in the background, Animal Farm is the book for you!"
"This book must be read by those - at leaset i Europe - who tries to rehabilitate one off the worlds most insane and malicious gangsters mister Joseph Stalin."
"Today we see many disturbing "Orwellian" signs, such as the Patriot Act, surveillance drones being used on the public here in America, revealing NSA insights, and so on."
"Hard to write one review that covers both, because l984 certainly DOES have violence and sexual content, but Animal Farm much less so."
"I am sorry I bought this particular edition, as although it must somehow be legal if Amazon is selling it, the flagrant disregard for original copyright information is the antithesis of everything we English teachers are trying to instill in our students/children regarding plagiarism."
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 Historical Fiction Manga
The Eisner and Harvey Winner. In this fourth volume of the award-winning graphic novel biography, Buddha slowly discovers that his destiny lies in a path not readily available to him. - Scott McCloud , author of Understanding Comics "In handsome volumes designed by Chip Kidd, the Vertical books present Tezuka at his best." The armchair philosopher, the devout Buddhist, the casual manga fan - this book satisfies all with its tale of humanism through sequential art, and definitely earns its place on a bibliophile's bookshelf." With his sweeping vision, deftly interwined plots, feel for the workings of power, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tezuka elevated manga to an art form.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The level of the art work remains high even if he has begun to simplify some of the images expecting us to understand the conventions of this series. The narrative style is familiar but we are being taken deeper into the mysteries of Buddhism and how this belief system would have appeared to those watching it mature. Siddhartha has yet to understand why there must be death and what is it about humans that they alone carry awareness of the fate all living things share. In volume 3 we were shown the realization ordeals that intended to purify the soul and only bring death are futile."
"A whole new cast of characters is introduced to embellish the tale, such as Yatala the giant slave, the Crystal Prince, and Tatta and Migaila, two reformed bandits. The Forest of Uruvela, in the end, is a stunning display of artistry that perfectly captures Buddha's moment of Enlightenment and shows clearly why Tezuka is consider the godfather of Japanese comics."
"Great series."
"Tezuka continues his epic story of the Buddha in Manga form, I cannot find any fault with it."
"These books are not for people looking for serious Buddhist dialogue either, but they are fun and a new and interesting way to view the life of the Buddha."
"I picked up one of these books at our local library and fell in love with the story."
"I have read the Japanese version of this and bought English sets for my boyfriend."
"I've re-read it many times, and you always pick up new things with each read."