I'm interested in any manga that features weird or offbeat main characters. Freaks and geeks, so to speak! I've read tonnes of manga so far, and let's just say that I'm getting tired of the same old character archetypes. The typical shoujo heroine -- genki, pretty, airheaded but with a good heart -- is starting to bore me. (Okay, I was bored of that a long time ago.) Similarly, the typical shounen hero is also starting to bore me, as are the bishounen/bishoujo stereotypes common to most genres.

I'd really like to read about an unusual character. Someone who doesn't just fall into an easy manga stereotype, and preferably someone whose behavior is out of the norm. Psychopaths, geeks, obsessive stalkers, malicious beyotches, brainless thugs and apathetic cowards are usually assigned to the sidelines, but this is their chance to shine. I want a manga that features unusual main characters.

Examples of unusual female protagonists can be found in Bambi and Her Pink Gun, Gokusen, Helter Skelter, Nodame Cantabile, Perfect Girl Evolution, Tokyo Red Hood and The Flower of Evil. Each of these leading ladies have quirky qualities, such as violent inclinations or nerdy obsessions. Some of them are even serial killers or socially inept music prodigies. Go figure!

Unusual male protagonists can be found in Bakune Young, Homunculus, Ichi the Killer, MPD Psycho and Ressentiment. They range from crazy thugs to philosophical homeless guys, as well as psychopaths and hardcore otakus.

If you'd like to suggest a manga of your own, please do so. The genre can be shoujo, seinen, shounen, yaoi, yuri, anything. Just as long as the main character's offbeat! I'd especially like to read about a "bad" main character -- for example, someone that would be considered immoral or even villainous by mainstream society. So many protagonists are goody-two-shoes... It would be great to see someone less pleasant.

________________
"They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm." - Dorothy Parker.

Immoral eh? How 'bout Ultimate!! Hentai Kamen , he aint very evil, but he is gross in a panty way.

Rabuyan has got some... ugly loli geek.

Last edited by Mamsmilk at 6:06 am, Aug 22 2007

This is quite a long shot as im not sure if you would like it... but Gantz, first thing i thought of when i read apathetic cowards, I didn't see it on any of your lists.

Can't think of anything that you haven't met >_<

Thread moved to the correct forum

________________
A just ruler amongst tyrants

Automatically made me think if Yagami Light of Death Note and Lelouch Lamperouge of Code Geass

One of the most interesting main characters I've ever seen is Kubota of Wild Adapter, although I mentioned in another thread that he reminds me of myself, but he's still so mysterious and crazy
I think he's awesome

And Kiri of Beauty Pop. Not so sure why she's the protagonist cuz, well, she's a bit boring and plain. I really don't get what's going on with her. Still a pretty great manga though!

________________
(\__/)
(+'.'+) <(Kufufufu~)
(")_(")
This is Bunny. Copy and paste Bunny into your signature to help him gain world domination!

the dad (and almost every other character) from arigatou were as seriously f'd up individuals.

@mams- Ultimate!! Hentai Kamen is my hero. He's everything I want to be. literaly.

is yotsuba!& wierd enough to be considered?

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei

It is always nice to have suicidal characters.

I haven't read Welcome to the NHK!, but I'm told it's about a paranoid nutcase.

Vulgar Ghost Daydream...the heroine comes with her own personal stalker, as well as some...hnn...unusual talents. *snerk* Hee hee hee.

The main character in Freesia is essentially insane and seems to react in ways that are outside of morality. He's fascinating to watch because you don't know what his motivations are, and the hints of the supernatural keeps you guessing. It's really good so far (I'm up to around volume 4).

Ki-itchi!! who is just a 3 year-old boy also follows his own morality. It looks as though the manga will follow him through his teenage years.

In Boys Next Door, (yaoi) the main character is a serial killer. Very different from the usual yaoi.

There's also Sexy Voice and Robo. It has a strong female lead who has unusual characteristics. (I've only read the first chapter, though.)

Otomen, while being a relatively typical shoujo, turns the usual masculine stereotypes on it's ear. The same way that there are the terrible female stereotypes, the same applies to the men: That they must be strong, unemotional, aviod feminine pursuits, etc. So I appreciate this manga for taking a different view.

That's all for now. Will post more if I can think of them.

________________
"The time comes for everyone to do deliberately what he used to do by mistake." Quentin Crisp

avatar by Asami-chan

Try Genshiken, Sket Dance, and I'm Doushirou.

the world is mine from arai hideki
just read it!

I second this one (Although it's BL, not yaoi)

________________
(\__/)
(+'.'+) <(Kufufufu~)
(")_(")
This is Bunny. Copy and paste Bunny into your signature to help him gain world domination!

Its good to see you again Pearlesque!!

I don't have much to contribute - the most off-beat that I can think of right now is Bokko, though its probably more like a different read for myself than overall, since I read mostly shoujo.

try HINO Hideshi for some horror weirdness.

Definitely! He's awesome. I like characters that don't follow "the rules."

How does he remind you of yourself otakubaybay? Are you mysterious and crazy? (that's not a bad thing )

________________
"The time comes for everyone to do deliberately what he used to do by mistake." Quentin Crisp

avatar by Asami-chan