So I thought I'd Ask, What are your "Classic" Manga/Manhwa/Web and Anime? What I mean by "Classic" are not necessarily just favorites, but something a bit deeper. These are the 1 in 100 Stories that touch something deep that other stories, while perhaps being just as good from one standpoint, just don't reach. That Story that you can pick up dozen times and never tire of. A "Classic" may not even be a very popular, or even well liked Story. The point is, it resonated with something in YOU.
Here are MINE.

"Love Hina"
Maybe this one simple holds a place in my heart because it was my First Manga, but Love Hina is IMP a classic story that can resonate with just about anyone. If you've not read it already, you are missing out.

"Angel Densetsu"
This Premise has been played with time and time again, but I feel that no other Story truly captures the essence. How some people say they can't stand Kitano Seiichirou, I will never understand. I read this one at a young age, and I am not ashamed to admit that he is one of my Heroes, someone I'd want to be like.

"20th/21st Century Boys"
This one is a Strange one. I admit, I'd actually passed over this one several times. It never seemed to know what it wanted to be. What is a Slice of Life? What is a Mystery? Was it a Fantasy? What was with those eye? But once you start to get into the meat, you being to see all the seemingly random threads and idea tie themselves together into an startling complex plot When ever I think of this manga, I always think of the old proverb, if you focus to much on one thread of a tapestry, you never see the whole picture.

"Mushi-shi"
On the Anime side of things. I would have to say, my favorite of all time would be Mushi-shi. Seriously, It is about as Perfect of an Anime as you can get; everything from the Environment, to the music, to the Characters and World concepts, are all blended in a way, that while their flaws are still noticeable if you look, they each carry the others to create an enjoyable and gentle Story. Not to mention, it is a nice change from the "PUNCH THE BAD GUY IN THE FACE!" Mentality that is pretty prevalent. Someone described Mushi-shi as the "Grim Tales" of Anime (the actual Grim Tales, not the TV show), and I think that description fits well.

Every one have a few, so again, what are YOUR "Classics"?


Last edited by Torigoma at 11:10 am, Aug 30 2014

I have some.

Ongoing
One Piece
Okay, okay. I know that this is one that gets a lot of negativity but to be honest, this is one that I can reread over and over again and the mangaka never ceases to surprise me (even if it is a stupid surprise). The manga is comical and is the epitome of the shonen genre but if you look past that, Oda throws in some tough to deal with topics: social division/power trips, racism, corruption, and of course the generic: standing up for what you believe in, even if you stand alone and believing in yourself no matter how many times you are knocked down by someone who tells you that you are not worthy (I speak from experience, these aren't easy). And even though these heavy topics are in the manga, Oda communicates the message in a light and fun way; a way that children can fully understand without experiencing it themselves.
This is a manga that has made me not only laugh but cry and really hate a character. IMO, only really good storytelling can make you feel these emotions (I mean, you are only reading words and/or looking at pictures).

Skip Beat!
My love for this manga is inexhaustible it is still an ongoing so there is room for failure, but (if it's done well) it will be a classic when it's finished. I can reread this manga over and over again. I never tire of it. The female protagonist is so hilarious (and so much like me!), I could read about her and her thoughts all day. She is so lost in the world (which I can totally relate to), but she is slowly finding herself in acting and she is learning about the world and all its secrets. She is kinda dumb, but then at times she is highly astute.
SB's characters show the enigma of humans. There is the whole "Kyoko Grudge" thing but that makes it comical. I like that she combined the fictional characters with reality and unless you're reading a novel, those irregularities don't usually show up.

Complete
Fruits Basket
Will always be a classic for me. It holds a special spot in my heart because the anime introduced me to the wonderful world of manga, anime, and otaku-ness. It is another one that has made me cry. (OMG Momiji... --> ) This one also shows complex characters. Let alone Akito and Kyo, all of the zodiac and their direct family are riddled with problems! And Tohru... poor Tohru. Not only did she have to be the solution to all their problems, but she is bashed all the time as "a saint" and that it makes her annoying and unreal. But seriously? If you paid attention throughout the series, you'd notice the facade she wore and that she too had a lot of pain that she hid by being overly optimistic and cheerful. I actually like that she could be their solace, even though she was dealing with things herself (something that I can relate to).

Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori - Red River/Anatolia Story
This manga isn't all bubbly and cliched like a normal shoujo but intense and full of darkness! One thing that I loved was the heroine. She is not your typical shoujo heroine. She is firm, talented, and brilliant, ruthless if you will, but kind-hearted and humble. She is what I consider a great woman. I also loved the fact that the heroine enchants anyone she meets! Can I hear you say, "reverse harem"? I just love how the females are depicted in this manga. Most shoujo have this weak girl who can't even decide what she wants for breakfast, let alone anything else. Not to mention, she doesn't really think of anyone besides herself. Yuri does think about herself but she is totally torn apart by the plight of others and that makes her enchanting to everyone who lays eyes on her.
The male lead was awesome as well. He is talented himself. Kind, strong, and decisive, a great leader, but he is so in love with Yuri and that throws him off his (playboy) groove. He could have anyone he wants, but he chooses the spunky, argumentative woman; a woman with her own opinions (the best choice, I might add ) and he is all the better for it.

That's story and I'm sticking' to it!

________________
I'm sorry for my long comments... So much stuff going through my head and I think I should share all of it with the world!
Plus, learning other people's opinions of the things I say is addictive to me.

KNOWLEDGE & NONSENSE... It makes the world go round <3

Heptagon
It just hit a chord in me and reminded me of my own life a lot. I reread it again and again

Slop Mansion ni Okaeri and magic
Just the first story for both. I can't stop rereading it either, it's so bittersweet and also reminds me a lot of things that have happened.

Also yes it's highly flawed but Angel Sanctuary I grew up with this and it did help me become a more accepting person.

anyone Else?

I'll just throw in one before I go to sleep:
The Voynich Hotel

I saw the cover of this series a year or two after I originally got into manga. The art style on the cover was strange, looking like some kind of bizarre and unfamiliar creation that didn't quite fit in with all the other manga I had seen so far (at the time). Not only was I judging it by the cover, but the genres listed (horror + comedy, wacky combo I didn't understand at the time) also pushed me away even further.

Out of nowhere though, updates for the series finally began to appear again in 2013 after an entire year of no updates. I finally decided to give it a shot, fell in love with everything about it instantly, and to this day, it's definitely beyond just being "one of my favorites." I love it so much that I ended up buying the volumes (1+2) from Japan. I have never ordered any other manga from Japan before, but along with that, I can't even read Japanese...

I've read a number of series out there, but nothing comes close to what Voynich has to offer: There's practically no real story, and the extremely large variety of characters are all pretty much mashed up into the island/hotel setting, where they each engage in different interactions with one another. Some characters get killed, some fall in love, some are changed for the better, some for the worse, some run away, some decide to permanently stay... and the chapters are so short while all this is happening!!!
It's definitely madness, but hey, that's one way I'll never get bored rereading it.

Note your definition of Classics being 'something that resonated within you' is
not my defintion of Classics

Basara
Ai no Kusabi
Skip Beat (anime)
Detective Conan
Tower of God

My "Classics"
Tower of God
Skip Beat
Last Game
Cheese in the Trap
Dice - The cube that changes everything
Half Prince
Lessa
Dr Frost
Cheonsaeng Yeonbun
Koe no Kotachi
Koi dano Ai dano
Ore sama teacher
Love Calendar
Doubt
Liar Game
Orange Marmalade

Novels:
Legendary Moonlight Sculptor
Ark
Anime:
Sword Art Online
Gun Gale Online
Dangan Ronpa
Fairy Tail

My "classics" are:
- Ranma 1/2
- Detective Conan
- Ouran High School Host Club
- Lovely Complex
- Bleach
- Bitter Virgin
- Ghost Hunt
- Midnight Secretary

Mars
In the very first time discovering the manga genre I was unsure what would fit my taste so I tried many different manga only to drop them after a while. "Mars" was the first longer series I managed to read entirely. Therefore it is precious and still love it deep inside me. But not only for me, "Mars" really is a classic. So many mangakas copied ideas from Mars only to gain success, too.

Haru o Daite Ita
First I hated all yaoi for their unrealistic romances with too fast paced development and tons of smut, rape etc. Haru showed me for the first time the deep pleasure and joy of love stated between two men in a very realistic and entertainic way. Cos I was so touched with this story I searced for more and became a lover of this genre in the end. But I'm still picky, only read the goodies.

Uchuu Kyoudai - both, manga & anime
The anime would be my favorite of alltime I think. Hope it will get a 2nd season one day. It conveys you the feeling watching a movie not only an anime, that's how realistic and mature it is.
After finishing the anime I was obsessed with this story why I immediately started reading. For this precious manga I even throw off my principle not reading a series longer than 15 volumes.

Kimi wa Pet
This manga stands out for me because of its MCs. Sumire is a female MC I admire a lot, always wished I could be like her: smart, good-looking, successful in her job. And Momo is so cute, you always want to ruffle his curly hair. Another reason why it's precious: with this I dicovered the josei genre.

Uchuu Kyoudai sounds interesting, I'll have to give it a look.

Wow, I'll probably forget some, but anyway, the ones I go back to reread often(since I have the books at hand) or that I'm always recommending in forums:

Beauty Pop- I've always liked characters that are unfazed by anything, so Kiri is the epitome of that.
Natsume's Book of Friends- I really like stories that are friend-centric, so this one fits the bill perfectly.
Phantom Dream- Yeah, I know a lot of people think of it as amateurish compared to Fruits Basket, but even though I Iiked Fruits Basket, I prefer Phantom Dream over it.

Trinity Blood-Even though Abel is not my favorite protagonist, it is a well written story.

Seven Days-Cute uncomplicated love story.

Legal Drug/Drug & Drop-hopefully CLAMP will finish the story someday

And Bleach for whatever reason, I really enjoy that series.

Please do! Words cannot describe how extraordinary it is. If possible watch the anime first. I promise, you'll get hooked soon.

NANA
Paradise Kiss
Skip Beat!
Tokyo Crazy Paradise
Mars
Bakuman
Kimi ni Todoke
The One
Annarasumanara
Bokura ga Ita
Oyasumi Punpun
Watashitachi no Shiawase na Jikan
Dengeki Daisy
Oresama Teacher
Berserk
Monster

and there are more that I don't remember atm

________________
朝露の少女。

“The longer we live, the more weight we carry in our hearts.”

It's a good and more over a tough question, if one is already for a rather long time into Manga and Mahwa or following the trend of webtoons these days, so recently I would say:

Completed works:

* Diamond Dust (KANG Hyung-Gyu) - A really mature webtoon, that not only comes off with a bubbly love, but more a well depicted set of characters and emotions bound to a tragedy in sight - Even beofre everything starts off. Well, it's just sth, that stayed in my mind and keeps me thinking about it more than just a week. Maybe it's even because of the music setting.

* Hannune Banhada! Season 1 and it's sequel Hannune Banhada! Season 2, let alone because of the male main character Han-Se and his attitude. The way he just watchs the story develop, like any reader will do, and comment it in a dry yet amused style from the sideline just got me totally drawn in. Lol.

* I'm a fan of KIM Jea-Eun and in honor to her works, it's time to mention the forever unfinished Teen Spirit and He Was Cool. As for the reasons, they are mentioned in my comments on the respective site.

* Shaman although the ending left me hanging. Maybe it's even that, because the whole atmosphere sucked me in and wanted me to have a sequel so badly. Ah, it's a shame, that it even now jumps to my mind.

* Generally the works of ANDO Yuki and YOSHINO Aki, which have a mature vibe and even feed you with your need of romance in a flush.

* As for the works of Sakisaka Io, I want to throw in Strobe Edge. Never before the setting of unrequited love between your usual girl and the ever popular guy, which is more over happily taken in the beginning, was better developed. The way the struggle with their (unnecessary) feelings towards each other and later on the approach to face them was really well written, so it was the first time ever a break-up left me with this "Yeah, it's like this in life"- feel.

* Coming to me hate-love favourite H. It's by times a depressing and painful read, but that's the drama you got yourself, with picking up sth like this. It's full of emotions, characters not sure how to overcome their own fears, that are unexpectedly triggered by the events,,, Love it or hate, but it's still an obsession.

* NAO Tsukiji's artworks are probably all over the place loved, let alone the details picking and grabbing the readers eye, yet the designs of the characters personalites just won't let you off the hook. The thrilling Haikyo Shoujo and later on the colorful story of Adekan made me re-think my view on Manga in a flash.

* Same goes kind of for Satanic Sweet. Lol.

* Tig-Hug Planet, Granulated Sugar and Shinyu no Mikami-kun are to me classical images of the ever sweet modern Shoujo genre. It's girly stuff, which will let you feel touched a little by the ideal first love memories.

* Beck, Shiki no Zenjitsu and Halfway on the other hand threw one back to the reality. Yeah, life can be like this. As for further thoughts, there are comments I wrote before.

* Majo to Boku is artistique in every way. Something to wish for every day ...

* Nanairo Sekai and Bus Hashiru represent another classical line, that a reader like me goes for. Sketchy and edgy drawings, that are bound to captivating stories. A quick read, that won't let your thoughts get by easily. A good example, on how limited page ranges can be used - Afar from the ever stereotyped stories.

Ongoing works:

As my list is actually quite long, let's just talk about a few.

* Gangsta. - I already spoke highly smitten of many times, but it's a masterpiece. The artwork is modern and the characters designs, also the whole setting, is just top-notch IMO. Furthermore the story develops in an intelligent way, having flashbacks or jokes when it's necessary and twists, when you least expect them. It's the right mixture of a stylish adventure, a heavy atmosphere and some action. Yeah, I love it.

* Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji: No joke, because the male main character isn't exactly mean, but in more than one way mature and realistic. The sadistic comments also made me smirk, every now and then.

* Cheese in the Trap has just the right level of comedic, thrilling and psychological elements, that a modern romance should have. It's a great webtoon, that can take easily lots of your time.

________________
"It's like love is a bonus in your life. Even without it, I'm just fine. I don't feel like pointlessly searching for it. You don't have to make yourself unhappy." (Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji)

"Why does it rain?" - "To create drama." (Drops (Andou Yuki))