I'd have to say that my favorite thing about Bleach is that the weapons are all unique and alive. They have as much personality as the actual characters. I'm looking for a manga where the weapon/weapons being "alive" is one of the main components of the story, or at least a significant part. I know that there is a Sentient Weapon category (that's where I got the topic title), but I'd like actual recommendations from people who have read manga like what I'm looking for.

you must read kandachime!!!
maybe black cat
and also gunslinger girl... if u look at the girls as weapon

Id

________________
This signature was recovered from Hades to serve in my rotting armies.

Saikano the female lead is a weapon.
Probably not what you are looking for but it fits the topic.

________________
All choices are made in fear,
What you fear more is the only difference.
Positive decisions are made in fear negative consequences,
Negitive decisions are made in fear of positive decisions not giving the outcome you want.
Embarrassment is the fear of people knowing your real thoughts.
Greed is the fear of having too little.

Demonblaze0's personal thoughts

Soul Eater -- lol, some of the characters ARE weapons (they transform into them)! This is an awesome series once you get past the first few chapters (to be honest, chapter zero totally scared me away from it for a good year or so, but one day I took the plunge and plowed through it and the rest was history XD)
Kamui -- I think this has it. I can't really remember, but I do know the weapons were gods or something.
Immortal Regis -- I don't remember when, but maybe somewhere around chapter 20? he gets a sentient weapon
Pandora Hearts -- Mmm, in this the "weapons" are more like beasts, but it might work
Durarara!! -- I'm not sure how far into the manga it is, but the sentient weapon doesn't appear until the second season of the anime
Void -- I think. I didn't really like this series much so I don't really remember

I probably know some more...

EDIT: Duh, forgot Project ARMS

Elemental Gelade - the weapons are EXTREMELY alive

There's a sentient sword in Zero no Tsukaima who usually plays the role of comic relief.

Thank you, especially magical_poof. Kamui sounds interesting. I thought for sure all of the recs would be shounen. Didn't expect a shoujo. I thought about reading Soul Eater but my sister read it and I guess she had the same problem as you because she dropped it after the first volume. Already tried Elemental Gelade and I really couldn't get into it. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Battle Fairy Yukikaze is AWESOME, and it has a fighter plane as a sentient weapon, this time - although the pilot kind of "melds" with it and becomes a sentient weapon, too (he's more attached to his plane than he is to any actual human being, lol). I've watched the anime but haven't read the manga, so I can't say which is better... I'd recommend the anime any day, but you might like to try the manga if you prefer that medium.

As for other sentient weapons... I don't know how you like the idea of sentient swords or "sword-spirits," but there are a few stories like that.

Goshintou (it's yaoi, though...)
Diary of a Drunk Man
Hakkenden (demon occupying both the weapon and the body - not always a blade)
Yo-u
Takeru - Opera Susanoh Sword of the Devil

I hope you like these!

Ransetsuki has something like this.

I second Hakkenden.

About Yukikaze - If you decide to try it, watch the anime first. The manga is a sort of prequel / side-story...the actual plot is in the anime, which is the original medium.

Haven't read these, but Nephilim , Ragnarok and Chronicles of the Cursed Sword should all fit.

Last edited by calstine at 4:42 am, Jun 8 2010

Nephilim doesn't fit, the sword is just named after a person or something like that. The series didn't delve too much into flashbacks. If the mangaka decides to create the sequel it will probably be explained. Good read anyways, though.

Id

________________
Lalala~

Katana the swords all have spirits that help the main character and stuff.
and def. the yukikaze anime!!!! very very very good show

Elemental Gelade

________________
If there was a real evil in the universe it would be the illusion that man creates to defend its Forsaken Ideals.