I want some good shounen.

Note when I saw GOOD.

I'd rather not have a 100-volume series that drags out and makes me want to tear my hair out. I'd love a shounen that's nice and goes at a good pace - not too fast and not too slow - and that I would enjoy. Shounens that run for 50 million volumes really deter me from reading. Try to keep it at reasonable length. A complete series would be better, but I wouldn't mind ongoing if there are any indications that it won't go on for another 50 volumes.

Do not want:
Harem (VERY FEW exceptions - I actually did not mind Ichigo 100% that much, save when I wanted to kill some of the characters and speed up the story)
Male leads that'll kill my brain cells
Plots that'll make me want to top the FBI's Most Wanted

At the top of my head, I can say something like Death Note would do. I'm not talking about the genres or plot itself, but other aspects: the length was reasonable (I do not count last 3-5 volumes >_>), the plot was LOVE, the characters were rape material, and it was thought provoking.

Give me your best shots~

EDIT: I don't mind seinen too, ofc. >.>; But I'm just looking for shounen stuff right now. I wouldn't mind shounenish seinen like Mel Kano though. <33 that series.

EDIT2: A long-running shounen that I did not mind (much) was Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn! But even then, the beginning was Zzzzzz for me and some parts go kinda slow. But seriously, that's one of the rare exceptions. >_> And at parts I still wanted to bash someone's head in.

Last edited by Dubby at 8:40 pm, Apr 5 2010

Saw Nabari no Ou in your wish list, that's a good one, same with Mirai Nikki.

Mmm, I actually already read (part) of both of those. xD; My lists aren't updated, heh. >.>;

But I suppose it has been awhile and I need to catch up to both. ;P

Maybe Pet Shop of Horrors might fit. Not sure if it's shounen though.

The hardest part is coming up with a completed series. How about reading something in arcs (I do)?
And I know what you mean about hair-tearing leads, so shounen that I'm currently enjoying are:
[m]Beelezebub[/m] - action, fantasy, kick-ass (literally) lead
Hyakkiyakou Shou - fantasy, horror
Ookiku Furikabutte - baseball (well, hero's a bit hair pulling, but so damn cute that I forgive him)
Piano no Mori - Thoughtful shounen, closer to seinen. First arc (7 vols) completely scanlated. Ongoing

I could go on, but many of my reads are in the middle of being scanlated. Others aren't necessarily shounen. (Shounen-ai maybe. ;D)

Cloth Road is a seinen that has some shounen-y aspects (battle clothing ftw!), it's about a boy and a girl looking for their parents.
Alive is a reasonably lengthed shounen about powers and possession and suicide that turns into an international conspiracy. Complete at 21 vols, aprox 90 chpts, 74 are scanned
Bloody Monday is another shounen (I think) on a similar vein to Alive, but with less action and more strategy, completed @ 96ch, all scanned.
Shoukoku no Altair is about politics in a middle eastern civilization some time ago, the plot has yet to move in a concrete direction in nine chapters though...
Mx0 is a shounen set in a magic high school. It was ended at about chapter 100, though this was more of a discontinuation. The main char does acquire a harem and he isn't the smartest guy ever, but he does have his moments.
Vampire Juujikai has a genius protagonist that is also good at physical things. He does get kinda angst around the last quarter of the story though...completed @ 43chpts.
Yumekui Kenbun is similar to PSoH, being a psych/horror manga, it's classified as both shounen and shoujo. Completed @ 9 vols, all scanned
King of Thorns is a survival horror seinen, it does drag a bit at the beginning but the ending's sorta sweet. The main char is a girl, she starts kinda weak but develops near the end. Completed @ 6 vols, 37ch, all scanned.
Bokurano is a depressing seinen about kids sacrificing their lives to pilot a giant robot and protect their existance. Much more seinen-y that I just described. Completed @ 65ch, all scanned.
Shin Angyo Onshi is a decently long seinen (17vol, 21ch that are split into parts), but it does have favourable reviews and the plot and characters are likeable.

Have you tried Deadman Wonderland ? (from your list =D)

I haven't read it in a while, but I remember it being pretty interesting.

Try reading [mPandora's Box


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No ONGOING-STATUSES please.

azure, you need to make my pants your new home.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

You guys are wonderful.

Did you try Hoshi no Samidare?
I know it says seinen in the genre tags but I consider it shounen.
Also it (maybe) won't drag on since the aim of the two main protagonists would be to destroy the earth (before their archenemy gets the chance to do so - or was it that they want to defeat him so they can destroy earth afterwards ... been a while since I read it but I'll pick it up again after a couple more releases)

hmm, i quickly looked through your reading and I don't think I saw these mangas there

The Breaker--Shioon starts off as the typical wimp at the beginning but inspired by his badass sensei he changes. Over the next couple of chapters he tries to become stronger, he fails but well he tries again. He then becomes badass even when he loses a fight hez still badass. So far he has only won one fight and thats with a guy that doesn't do martial arts but hez still badass because he saves this chick that he likes. He loses but still he loses in such a way he inspires fear in his opponent like this genius prodigy dude whoz like in love with him now. Shioon is badass, his sensei is badass and the chicks are hot and the art is awesome. The plot is meh but the characters make up for it. One of the best shounen out for me right now.Its being regularly updated and my bad if its already on your list.

World Embryo--good plot and a refreshing new main character. He is selfish, a liar and will do anything to get what he wants. He has lost someone important. He doesn't trust easily. Excellent art and some romance as well. Seems like it will finish in another 20 chapters or so. Its seinen though.

Luck Stealer--a pretty new concept I think of killing people by basically taking away their luck. Its funny to see how they die by supposed accidents. The dude has a very good reason for being an assasin. There is a good plot emerging and its got good art.

Yanki-kun to Megane-chan---this is some funny as shit. At the beginning its ok but like when the student council stuff starts like after 15 or so chapters you will be cracking up so hard. The girl is insane here and the dude well he's like this delinquent who for some reason or another always has to help out the girl. The other characters are pure win. When you are depressed, just read this and honestly damn its really really good. After beelzebub this is my favourite comedy out. Some action, some romance and a whole lot of fun. There is a plot but doesn't develop much.



The above are ongoing but they are being updated on a regular basis so shouldn't be a problem. My bad if they are already on your list.

Last edited by John21 at 7:35 am, Apr 7 2010

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Angel Beats--best anime of the 2010 spring season

Tegami Bachi... Read it, just read it.

Ares... Yeah, I know it's long, but what has been scanlated thus far is pretty high quality stuff. So, give it a try.

One of the series I'm enjoying right now is Painting Warriors, but I don't know how well it ends. This is because there are only 3 volumes, and it seems that the story might need more than that. So, keep an eye out for this one.

Another long series you should look into is Fullmetal Alchemist. It's got a great story, it flows well, and the characters won't make you personally want to kill them (as it seems you are pron to that).

Sengoku Strays

Vampire Juujikai


Also, I suggest you look into Storm in Heaven's Shounen projects, which Sengoku Strays is one of.

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"Officially, this machine doesn't exist, you didn't get it from me,
and I don't know you. Make sure it doesn't leave the building."

;P I actually read The Breaker (I own the first two volumes), and part of Yanki-kun to Megane-chan.

Others sound fabulous.

thank yaa <3

EDIT: 1,000 POSTS. ;.;

A goal I should have reached 2 years ago.

I'm so proud. ;.;

Took me a few months to reach 800, and 2 more years to reach 1,000.