1. Death Note
2. Psyren
3. Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro
4. Fullmetal Alchemist
5. Hajimete no Aku
________________
Slaughter can't be spelled without Laughter
Manga Poll
Manga is the Japanese equivalent of comics
with a unique style and following. Join the revolution! Read some manga today!
Join #baka-updates @irc.irchighway.net
RSS Feed
Forums
Your Favorite Manga of all time (or maybe top 5)
From User
Message Body
Member
6:40 pm, Oct 5 2012
Posts: 23
Member
10:01 pm, Oct 6 2012
Posts: 57
1. Kiseijuu - I'm a big horror fan and what stands out about this manga is despite the use of a been-there-done-that story setting (aliens invading earth), it manages to add its own unique... flavor/twist to it. That's something I can really appreciate (because it's so easy to just cop out and rehash another exterminate-all-aliens-with-braindead-action kinda story.)
2. Lovely Complex - I've read shoujo manga for.. 10+ some years. It gets depressing reading the same (love story) crap recycled over 'n over every year really. But this one has been the only one I've ever really loved.
3. Ghost Hunt - Originally, I never really had faith with shoujo and horror combined. I didn't think most artists had the skills to back up the 'scare' factor. Some shoujo horrors were predictable and boring. And sometimes the drawings (huge eyes, kiddy characters) really killed the immersion with the story. But I thought everything about this manga was (almost) perfect. Detailed cases, good drawings, likable characters (main and side ones). People sometimes complain that side characters don't get enough background/story, but I could care less. As long as they're not too much of a giant walking cliche, and they're likable, then I don't think it's necessary to know their (full) past/history.
4. Baby Steps - My favorite sports manga, primarily for one big reason: no drama!! I can't count how many times I've read ridiculous, unbelievable, and unneeded drama shounen sports seem to employ just for the sake of it. Ugh. Good drawings are also important when it comes to the sports genre. The artist needs to be able to convey the intensity and excitement in matches, and baby steps can do just that.
5. Bio Meat: Nectar - Guilty pleasure. :3 I love love lots of senseless death in horror and I enjoy watching our protagonists get themselves out of messy situations.
2. Lovely Complex - I've read shoujo manga for.. 10+ some years. It gets depressing reading the same (love story) crap recycled over 'n over every year really. But this one has been the only one I've ever really loved.
3. Ghost Hunt - Originally, I never really had faith with shoujo and horror combined. I didn't think most artists had the skills to back up the 'scare' factor. Some shoujo horrors were predictable and boring. And sometimes the drawings (huge eyes, kiddy characters) really killed the immersion with the story. But I thought everything about this manga was (almost) perfect. Detailed cases, good drawings, likable characters (main and side ones). People sometimes complain that side characters don't get enough background/story, but I could care less. As long as they're not too much of a giant walking cliche, and they're likable, then I don't think it's necessary to know their (full) past/history.
4. Baby Steps - My favorite sports manga, primarily for one big reason: no drama!! I can't count how many times I've read ridiculous, unbelievable, and unneeded drama shounen sports seem to employ just for the sake of it. Ugh. Good drawings are also important when it comes to the sports genre. The artist needs to be able to convey the intensity and excitement in matches, and baby steps can do just that.
5. Bio Meat: Nectar - Guilty pleasure. :3 I love love lots of senseless death in horror and I enjoy watching our protagonists get themselves out of messy situations.
Member
1:21 am, Nov 8 2012
Posts: 6
1. Hikaru no Go -> just amazing. I love to watch a mangaka turn a seemingly dull topic (board game) into a fast-paced bundle of goodness. Art is amazing too, although not as much in the first 20 chapters. The "rushed" ending might be dissatisfying for some, but if you look at it with an open mind, you'll see that the manga as a whole is great as it is.
2. Slam Dunk -> What can I say? I'm a 90s kid. Best sports manga out there.
3. Tower of God -> I used to think that webtoons were a level below manga. I know this sounds crude, but they look amateurish compared to serialized manga. Tower of God changed my mind completely: the characters and plot are so rich that it blew me away. The art may not be the best, but everything else is so great that it has made my favorite list.
4. Holyland -> This manga is not exceptional in many aspects. The art is average and the plot is somewhat predictable. But if there is one thing that separates this manga from others, it is the strength of its theme. The idea of a young boy desperately trying to find a place in the world is illustrated to near perfection in this manga, and it is something that many adolescents can relate to. I'm not sure whether I would enjoy reading Holyland as an adult, but as a teenager, I consider it one of my favorites.
5. Ichigo 100% -> Never knew I could be so drawn by a harem manga. Harem mangas are usually a guilty pleasure for me, but Ichigo 100% is so refined that I am not at all ashamed to admit it as being one of my all time favorites.
Last edited by dannyboy95 at 11:20 pm, Jun 6 2013
2. Slam Dunk -> What can I say? I'm a 90s kid. Best sports manga out there.
3. Tower of God -> I used to think that webtoons were a level below manga. I know this sounds crude, but they look amateurish compared to serialized manga. Tower of God changed my mind completely: the characters and plot are so rich that it blew me away. The art may not be the best, but everything else is so great that it has made my favorite list.
4. Holyland -> This manga is not exceptional in many aspects. The art is average and the plot is somewhat predictable. But if there is one thing that separates this manga from others, it is the strength of its theme. The idea of a young boy desperately trying to find a place in the world is illustrated to near perfection in this manga, and it is something that many adolescents can relate to. I'm not sure whether I would enjoy reading Holyland as an adult, but as a teenager, I consider it one of my favorites.
5. Ichigo 100% -> Never knew I could be so drawn by a harem manga. Harem mangas are usually a guilty pleasure for me, but Ichigo 100% is so refined that I am not at all ashamed to admit it as being one of my all time favorites.
Last edited by dannyboy95 at 11:20 pm, Jun 6 2013
Member
1:49 am, Nov 8 2012
Posts: 320
Dreaming
Member12:09 am, Dec 31 2012
Posts: 82
1. Vagabond - This masterpiece by Inoue Takehiko is simply the best historical drama that i have ever read. Spectacular art, perfect characters and character development and what an amazing story!!
2. Berserk - The LOTR of dark fantasy. Brutal, not for the weak hearted, this manga has one of the best fantasy stories that i have ever read. And not just that, Kentaro Miura portrays the story in such an elegant fashion that even after so many chapters published i still want it to in on and on. This is one manga that i'll never get tired of reading.
3. 20th Century Boys - My first Naoki Urasawa manga and I am simply in love with this author. Truly he is the master of suspense. This manga is an elegant page turner. A story that'll grip hold of you since the beginning and never let you go until the end. This manga will totally satisfy you.
4. Monster - Another one by Urasawa and frankly speaking whatever i say about this manga won't be nearly enough to appreciate its beauty.
5. Slam Dunk - Another Inoue masterpiece. This is my first Takehiko manga and also my first sports manga. And frankly speaking, this manga might have been hugely responsible for growing my interest in this genre. Behold tensai Sakuragi!!!
________________
@beingJyotirmoy
- a dreamer
2. Berserk - The LOTR of dark fantasy. Brutal, not for the weak hearted, this manga has one of the best fantasy stories that i have ever read. And not just that, Kentaro Miura portrays the story in such an elegant fashion that even after so many chapters published i still want it to in on and on. This is one manga that i'll never get tired of reading.
3. 20th Century Boys - My first Naoki Urasawa manga and I am simply in love with this author. Truly he is the master of suspense. This manga is an elegant page turner. A story that'll grip hold of you since the beginning and never let you go until the end. This manga will totally satisfy you.
4. Monster - Another one by Urasawa and frankly speaking whatever i say about this manga won't be nearly enough to appreciate its beauty.
5. Slam Dunk - Another Inoue masterpiece. This is my first Takehiko manga and also my first sports manga. And frankly speaking, this manga might have been hugely responsible for growing my interest in this genre. Behold tensai Sakuragi!!!
________________
@beingJyotirmoy
- a dreamer
Vanilla Ice
Member
8:55 pm, Jan 1 2013
Posts: 38
*I will come back here to edit this list if anything ever changes, but as of now (in no particular order):
~Acid Town: As of now (22 chapters out), the story is really captivating and it simply entraps you. It's a must read. Warning though, it's a shounen-ai series.
~Love So Life: My favorite romance/slice-of-life manga. It's just one of those 'feel good' mangas. It has two absolutely adorable twins, and two mature,yet somewhat dense protagonists. It definitely emphasizes the value of being happy with what you have.
~Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan: One of the first mangas to ever make me cry, I think this is why it has such a special place in my heart. It teaches you to live in the moment and not for tomorrow.
I haven't really found other mangas that I've liked as much as these ones. Others that I enjoyed:
~Billionaire Girl:But, it's on hiatus and no one knows for how long
~Diamond Dust (KANG Hyung-Gyu)
~Hana wa Saku ka
~Kore wa Koi no Hanashi: The concept itself is a little disturbing, I admit, but the execution of the story is not that bad.
~Orange Marmalade
~Eden no Hana: The scanlators never finished it
~Midori no Hibi
~Shinrei Tantei Yakumo - Akai Hitomi wa Shitteiru
________________
"Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."
~Acid Town: As of now (22 chapters out), the story is really captivating and it simply entraps you. It's a must read. Warning though, it's a shounen-ai series.
~Love So Life: My favorite romance/slice-of-life manga. It's just one of those 'feel good' mangas. It has two absolutely adorable twins, and two mature,yet somewhat dense protagonists. It definitely emphasizes the value of being happy with what you have.
~Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan: One of the first mangas to ever make me cry, I think this is why it has such a special place in my heart. It teaches you to live in the moment and not for tomorrow.
I haven't really found other mangas that I've liked as much as these ones. Others that I enjoyed:
~Billionaire Girl:But, it's on hiatus and no one knows for how long
~Diamond Dust (KANG Hyung-Gyu)
~Hana wa Saku ka
~Kore wa Koi no Hanashi: The concept itself is a little disturbing, I admit, but the execution of the story is not that bad.
~Orange Marmalade
~Eden no Hana: The scanlators never finished it
~Midori no Hibi
~Shinrei Tantei Yakumo - Akai Hitomi wa Shitteiru
________________
"Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."
Member
9:36 am, Jan 4 2013
Posts: 370
1 Fullmetal Alchemist - I don't think I'll ever read a manga that will make me rethink 1st place
2 Pandora Hearts - Haven't read it in a while; great plot, who knows what'll happen
3 Chrno Crusade - One of the first manga I've read; I loved the characters, especially Rosette
4 Naruto - Why all the hate? It's a great Shounen. The one that introduced me to manga
5 Psyren - Kekkaishi would've taken this place if it wasn't for the rushed ending (after 300 chapters!)
I'd also like to mention: What a Wonderful World (short stories that made me think for a while), Densha Otoko (a sweet romance without stupid plot twists),[m] Eureka 7[/m] (weird how I liked the manga more than the anime), Summer Wars (again, I don't know why but i prefer this to the movie, the characters felt more likeable), Pokemon Special (at least until the Ruby arc, it was like playing the videogames again!), Angel Densetsu (simply hilarious, you just have to overlook the art, which gets better anyway)
________________
My current top 3:
Fullmetal Alchemist
Pandora Hearts
3-gatsu no Lion
2 Pandora Hearts - Haven't read it in a while; great plot, who knows what'll happen
3 Chrno Crusade - One of the first manga I've read; I loved the characters, especially Rosette
4 Naruto - Why all the hate? It's a great Shounen. The one that introduced me to manga
5 Psyren - Kekkaishi would've taken this place if it wasn't for the rushed ending (after 300 chapters!)
I'd also like to mention: What a Wonderful World (short stories that made me think for a while), Densha Otoko (a sweet romance without stupid plot twists),[m] Eureka 7[/m] (weird how I liked the manga more than the anime), Summer Wars (again, I don't know why but i prefer this to the movie, the characters felt more likeable), Pokemon Special (at least until the Ruby arc, it was like playing the videogames again!), Angel Densetsu (simply hilarious, you just have to overlook the art, which gets better anyway)
________________
My current top 3:
Fullmetal Alchemist
Pandora Hearts
3-gatsu no Lion
Annoying Podcaster
Member
6:28 pm, Jan 4 2013
Posts: 14
Five? Ooh, that's a toughie.
1. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Now c'mon this belongs on just about anyone's list. It's just about the most perfect horror and action series, with great art and ideas up the wazoo
2. Stop!! Hibari-kun! - One I've been getting mad into since getting my hands on the recent reprints of it. For an 80s series this is crazy progressive in its presentation of gender roles, despite out and out being about making jokes about it. Also, super good-looking, as you'd expect from Hisashi Eguchi
3. Taizo Mote King Saga - Dai Amon's great piss-take, doing reference comedy stronger than I reckon even Bobobo did. Also anus jokes, who doesn't love them?
4. ROOKIES - Needed a baseball manga in here, and they don't come better or more emotional than this. Masa's an art master, and the whole thing's ridiculously well done.
5. Hot Gimmick - Masterful bad romance. Need I say more?
________________
Host of Friendship! Effort! Victory!, a podcast about the history and inner workings of Weekly Shonen Jump.
CURRENT EPISODE: Double Arts
1. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure - Now c'mon this belongs on just about anyone's list. It's just about the most perfect horror and action series, with great art and ideas up the wazoo
2. Stop!! Hibari-kun! - One I've been getting mad into since getting my hands on the recent reprints of it. For an 80s series this is crazy progressive in its presentation of gender roles, despite out and out being about making jokes about it. Also, super good-looking, as you'd expect from Hisashi Eguchi
3. Taizo Mote King Saga - Dai Amon's great piss-take, doing reference comedy stronger than I reckon even Bobobo did. Also anus jokes, who doesn't love them?
4. ROOKIES - Needed a baseball manga in here, and they don't come better or more emotional than this. Masa's an art master, and the whole thing's ridiculously well done.
5. Hot Gimmick - Masterful bad romance. Need I say more?
________________
Host of Friendship! Effort! Victory!, a podcast about the history and inner workings of Weekly Shonen Jump.
CURRENT EPISODE: Double Arts
Member
2:17 pm, Jan 16 2013
Posts: 2
2:17 pm, Jan 16 2013
Posts: 2
1. Bokura ga ita
2. Cross Game
- by Mitsuru Adachi my absolute favourite Mangaka. His style is old school, but his skills are superb. It's nice to see some really unique figures instead of the common manga figure( come on most of them look alike!) He is able to create tension behind a story and sometimes I have to stop for a while and think about the happenings. You can almost never read the thoughts of the main people cause it's not necessary, really a great artist with humour. Did you know that a lot of his works became animes and even JDramas? I can recommend almost all of his works. And this one is my fav.
3. Fruits Basket
4. Touch
5. Nijiiro Togarashi
2. Cross Game
- by Mitsuru Adachi my absolute favourite Mangaka. His style is old school, but his skills are superb. It's nice to see some really unique figures instead of the common manga figure( come on most of them look alike!) He is able to create tension behind a story and sometimes I have to stop for a while and think about the happenings. You can almost never read the thoughts of the main people cause it's not necessary, really a great artist with humour. Did you know that a lot of his works became animes and even JDramas? I can recommend almost all of his works. And this one is my fav.
3. Fruits Basket
4. Touch
5. Nijiiro Togarashi
Member
9:47 pm, Jan 16 2013
Posts: 15
Top 5 in no particular order:
Ichigo 100%
- one of the first manga that I ever read & finished, has a very special place in my heart. I've read many manga since this one, and no other romance has even come close to the dept and emotional impact on me.
Mx0
- first manga i got hooked onto waiting for weekly releases. Started since the very first chapter. Although many other manga have tried to copy the theme of Mx0, they never have suceeded in coming close to the potential to how good this could've been before it got axed.
A perfect blend of action, romance, comedy, ecchi, supernatural, and creativity
Bitter Virgin
- Amazing what can happen when a female mangaka writes a seinen romance. Has one of the most beautiful, emotional, and realistic stories i've found.
Umi No Misaki
- One of the only manga in the top 5 that is still on-going. The bi-weekly releases are killing me. Been following since the very beginning.
Just something about the character development and the setting of this manga really drags me in.
The breaker & the breaker: new waves
- Love wuxia types and martial arts stories. Among the best in "Weak to Strong" and "martial arts" themed manga ever. Great action packed and amazing story
Honorable mentions (among my favorite, but didnt make my top 5):
Makunouchi Ippo
Zero no Tsukaima
Death Note
Slam Dunk (my actual first manga ever)
Oretama (great comedy ecchi)
Kiseijuu (great action horror drama)
Kono S o Mi yo!
jisatsutou (best survival manga imo)
One Piece
Sadly most of the best manga i've read are all from long ago, can't find the good ones anymore
Last edited by SrwpkMX at 10:34 pm, Jan 16 2013
Ichigo 100%
- one of the first manga that I ever read & finished, has a very special place in my heart. I've read many manga since this one, and no other romance has even come close to the dept and emotional impact on me.
Mx0
- first manga i got hooked onto waiting for weekly releases. Started since the very first chapter. Although many other manga have tried to copy the theme of Mx0, they never have suceeded in coming close to the potential to how good this could've been before it got axed.
A perfect blend of action, romance, comedy, ecchi, supernatural, and creativity
Bitter Virgin
- Amazing what can happen when a female mangaka writes a seinen romance. Has one of the most beautiful, emotional, and realistic stories i've found.
Umi No Misaki
- One of the only manga in the top 5 that is still on-going. The bi-weekly releases are killing me. Been following since the very beginning.
Just something about the character development and the setting of this manga really drags me in.
The breaker & the breaker: new waves
- Love wuxia types and martial arts stories. Among the best in "Weak to Strong" and "martial arts" themed manga ever. Great action packed and amazing story
Honorable mentions (among my favorite, but didnt make my top 5):
Makunouchi Ippo
Zero no Tsukaima
Death Note
Slam Dunk (my actual first manga ever)
Oretama (great comedy ecchi)
Kiseijuu (great action horror drama)
Kono S o Mi yo!
jisatsutou (best survival manga imo)
One Piece
Sadly most of the best manga i've read are all from long ago, can't find the good ones anymore
Last edited by SrwpkMX at 10:34 pm, Jan 16 2013
Member
10:10 pm, Jan 16 2013
Posts: 42
Five?! 
Well here goes nothing (They're not in any particular order actually. I love them all.) :
Superior - I'm "kinda" big on art, and I suppose the art of Superior is either love or hate; personally, I love it. I love the plot, the story....and the rose tinted glasses I look at it through.
Kuroshitsuji - Sebby is hawt. That is all. No, seriously, that's all. I told you I'm a sucker for good art.
Ludwig Kakumei - Twists on fairy tales are always interesting, and I just really liked this one because it seemed original, even though it was based on a fairy tale. I think it's starting to become obvious what I enjoy reading.
Can't See Can't Hear But Love - I cried. I cried a lot. I like it when stories make me cry (maybe I'm cra- hah! who am I kidding? I am crazy).
Bitter Virgin - as I said, I like manga in which the manga-ka is able to convey her intentions enough so that I can cry.
Oh wow....they're all somewhat dark/tragic in nature. Maybe those manga just hit me harder?
Well here goes nothing (They're not in any particular order actually. I love them all.) :
Superior - I'm "kinda" big on art, and I suppose the art of Superior is either love or hate; personally, I love it. I love the plot, the story....and the rose tinted glasses I look at it through.
Kuroshitsuji - Sebby is hawt. That is all. No, seriously, that's all. I told you I'm a sucker for good art.
Ludwig Kakumei - Twists on fairy tales are always interesting, and I just really liked this one because it seemed original, even though it was based on a fairy tale. I think it's starting to become obvious what I enjoy reading.
Can't See Can't Hear But Love - I cried. I cried a lot. I like it when stories make me cry (maybe I'm cra- hah! who am I kidding? I am crazy).
Bitter Virgin - as I said, I like manga in which the manga-ka is able to convey her intentions enough so that I can cry.
Oh wow....they're all somewhat dark/tragic in nature. Maybe those manga just hit me harder?
Shit happens
Member
8:46 pm, Jan 26 2013
Posts: 19
Only 5?! My List is over 9000!!! haha xD
1. One Piece
2. Claymore
3. Death Note
4. Kuroko no Basket
5. Black Cat
________________
1. One Piece
2. Claymore
3. Death Note
4. Kuroko no Basket
5. Black Cat
________________
Member
5:23 am, Apr 4 2013
Posts: 2
Kigurumi
Member
6:06 pm, Apr 24 2013
Posts: 537
Spoilt for choice, huh?
(First three in no particular order)
Blood Alone by TAKANO Masayuki
Otoyomegatari by MORI Kaoru
Gangsta. by Kosuke
4. Seishun Kouryakuhon by AKIZUKI Sorata
5. Itoshi no Kana by TANAKA Yutaka
Most of them are... Seinen? Who would've thought...
Last edited by Tripitaka at 10:50 pm, Sep 27 2013
________________
"Stories are what death thinks he puts an end to.
He can't understand that they end in him, but they don't end with him."
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Gifts
To be savoured:
- Blood Alone by TAKANO Masayuki
- Otoyomegatari by MORI Kaoru
- Gangsta. by Kohske
- Seishun Kouryakuhon by AKIZUKI Sorata
(First three in no particular order)
Blood Alone by TAKANO Masayuki
Otoyomegatari by MORI Kaoru
Gangsta. by Kosuke
4. Seishun Kouryakuhon by AKIZUKI Sorata
5. Itoshi no Kana by TANAKA Yutaka
Most of them are... Seinen? Who would've thought...
Last edited by Tripitaka at 10:50 pm, Sep 27 2013
________________
"Stories are what death thinks he puts an end to.
He can't understand that they end in him, but they don't end with him."
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Gifts
To be savoured:
- Blood Alone by TAKANO Masayuki
- Otoyomegatari by MORI Kaoru
- Gangsta. by Kohske
- Seishun Kouryakuhon by AKIZUKI Sorata
Member
2:04 pm, Apr 25 2013
Posts: 132
1. Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan
It's absolutely beautiful, probably the saddest manga I've come across. Something that could actually affect your thinking about moral issues, such as the capital punishment.
And the art is a masterpiece.
The rest is in no particular order:
Banana Fish
A shounen-ish shoujo with (and without at the same time) BL. Don't really know how to classify it.
Death Note
not being original here, I guess.
Acid Town
I basically agree with what Day Dreamer wrote earlier (about Watashitachi... also)
Coelacanth
It's absolutely beautiful, probably the saddest manga I've come across. Something that could actually affect your thinking about moral issues, such as the capital punishment.
And the art is a masterpiece.
The rest is in no particular order:
Banana Fish
A shounen-ish shoujo with (and without at the same time) BL. Don't really know how to classify it.
Death Note
not being original here, I guess.
Acid Town
I basically agree with what Day Dreamer wrote earlier (about Watashitachi... also)
Coelacanth
