Hi everybody,

Recently I've been reading too much mainstream and it's starting to boil inside my head. =S

I like mangas such as Shingeki no Kyojin, Shamo and Wolfsmund but there's not much crude ones like these. I also like the both poetic and realistic Kokou no Hito, but it's even harder to find similar series - and this one's over now.

I've started reading the very good Berserk, but I find the little I've read so far too 'fantasy" and not desperate enough - I still like it, however I'm rather in search of no-epic-plot-no-epic-goal-no-epic-power manga with a story-telling that focuses more on providing a lot of events, a general weight on the reader and a very "real" world (you could imagine accurately a day on its world, even if there are elves in it).

So, first I'm looking for something :
• that doesn't insist on tough events but let them happen naturally
• with real complicated affairs & different sides with no real evil or an unvulnerable common enemy (good exemples of that would be Battle Royale and Mouryuu no Yurikago)
• there might be siblings, rivals, love and friendship if it's not a pain (Kokou no Hito, Ares) or if it's twisted (like in Shoujo Gensou Necrophilia)
• rather seinen, because shonen mags mostly publish mainstream stuff. I still prefer shonens like Ares or Shingeki no Kyojin rather than a seinen like Mangaka-san to Assistant-san...

Secondly I would love some "ufo-like" mangas confusing the senses, as the twisted Hideout or the crazy Discommunication: Seireihen.

Other than that, I'm looking for metaphoric story-telling which is rare but can be effective (as in Vagabond) and can compensate for the lack of movement in several actions, like in The Climber or in Les Gouttes de Dieu.

I would also like to know more "generic shonen"-like mangas (cute drawings, straight story) with a "smart" feeling, like Hunter X Hunter and Yureka.


Thanks, have a nice day and please forgive my english mistakes and my habit of writing too much

Atm i can only remember Vinland Saga should be something u like since u seem to like historic seinen or feels that way. Also Ubel Blatt could be something you like, has a few nude/sex in it but those can be counted with my finger tbh, not much but fantastic action in my opinion, but opinions varies so thought i should at least mention it.

Checked your reading list and it seems you are reading Ubel Blatt

Oh, yeah, I did not start Vinland Saga but I looked at the plot a while ago, looks promising. Thanks

As for Übel Blatt, yeah, I read it. It's not what I'm looking for now, but I like the general plot and what it does involve. Just too soft on the characters, I'd say. ^^"

So you want stuff like HunterXHunter, with the moral ambiguity like in Battle Royale and you find enjoyment in Berserk (keep reading if you want despair, it'll come soon enough ^^)… it's not the absolutely perfect fit, since it remains fairly optimistic, but I think you might find joy in reading Tower of God, a pretty awesome webtoon. Basically the story of a boy who tries to follow his only friend when she escapes into this mystical place called the tower, which grants you any wish when you reach the top. Just that actually, there are many who want to get up there and there are only a few who can do it. He tries to find her, discovers he has certain talents and makes a fair amount of friends and then all kinds of shit happen to him because he is an outsider with much talent. Starts a little slow as it builds it's world and introduces characters, and then shit really gets started with the crown game 15 chapters in. It relies a bit on action and mind games, but the best part are these awesome characters.

Regarding Kokou no Hito, I am really no one to judge, but I think you might like BECK and Nana, a seinen and a josei about bands and their passion for music. Poetic and realistic are both words that apply to those series.

I'll go read Tower of God asap.

I'm almost at the end of Beck, and yeah I like it ! As for Nana, never tried, I'll get a look.

Thanks

Don't know why, but right now I feel again like mentioning Mugen no Juunin, which storyline and drawing style will probably be able to catch your attention already within the first pages. ^^

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"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))

Already know ! (=^_^"=) Thanks anyway

Only crude one not in your lists and on par of Shingeki no Kyojin, Shamo and Wolfsmund that I can think of is Kurozuka. Don't expect a masterpiece, the plot can get quite messy but it's not a bad manga imho. Or there is Tokyo Red Hood, but only read it if you can bear a really crazy and messed up story. Similar to Battle Royale there is Btooom!, which also has an upcoming anime this autumn.
Something softer but still crude could be Zetman.

Next to the thing with 4 points... the first thing who came to my mind is Mugen no Ryvius, unluckily the manga is a poor adaptions of the anime, which is truly a masterpiece. Excellent story and cast which perfectly fit all your requirements. For manga I don't know pretty much all my favorite are the things in your lists... :/ maybe I'd say Vampire Juujikai (more than a good/evil party is based on a kind of rock-paper-scissors relationship)...

Also try Pluto if you enjoyed Monster since I see it in your lists.

"I'm looking for metaphoric story-telling" Oyasumi Punpun.

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What I like in Trivial Pursuit style. Pick your category:

Well, in the vein of Battle Royale and Btooom!, there's still good ol' Gantz.

This sounds more like slice-of-life meet fantasy/historical. ;p


Bokurano immediately came to mind.


Would a disaster/catastrophe/horror manga kinda fit that criteria? Bio meat focuses on a buncha engineered creatures on the loose due to careless error if I recall correctly. How about Jisatsutou? It doesn't quite fit the criteria but maybe you'll take a liking to it. Hotel? Manhole?


Tomie, Uzumaki fits the twisted and wth part as do most of ITOU Junji's manga. Um, Suiiki?

reid1 => Thanks, Kurozuka & Zetman definitely interest me Btooom! somehow less, I mean does it really remind Battle Royale ? I found Hunger Game quite not entertaining because it was too much like a BR... As for Tokyo Red Hood, I fear a little the "bordeline H" tag... Vampire Juujikai sounds fun. Pluto & Oyasumi Punpun (especially the second) are amongst my current readings (though I don't update here) and I think it's more what I'm looking for now.

Ashoka => yep, until the last arc at least ^^

xailah => Bokurano sounds promising ! Jisatsutou and Hotel have nice plots too. Junji Itou seemns to have nice "crazy horror" ideas, but kind of more interested by Suiiki. Dreams, alternate reality, I dunno. I've started AnoHana (one of the rare animes I watch) and I really like Menma (ah, must recall from any spoil).

Thanks for all your replies, I knew there was still so much to read ! (but damn, hard to find)

Vampire Juujikai
Listed as a shounen but it should be a seinen if you ask me. Don't be thrown off by its shoujo style art!
Its a masterpiece! Ask anyone who has read it!

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Is this me in a nutshell?
Pretty much.

Does it really remind Battle Royale (which is crap if we're talking about the manga and a pure masterpiece if we're talking about the novel, just saying)? Well, short answer is yes. Imho all the survival story are pretty much alike, so only thing I usually care for is good characters. Since chars are not bad, it's a decent read if you ask me, but if you want something original, well look somewhere else. The story/premise is pretty much the same. I'd never suggest you to read it if you want an original plot, but it's pretty much the best I can think of for Battle Royale look alike (unless you're willing to read novels, in that case Hakomari vol. 3-4 has the best and most original survival story I've ever read in ages - and it still pales in comparison to vol. 1 story - so if you don't mind reading a novel, that's where I'd start).

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What I like in Trivial Pursuit style. Pick your category:

reid1 => I've downloaded Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria v.1 and read the 30 first pages ~ it looks promising. Reading without the book in my hands and having some "Japanese-like" dialogues feels unusual to me, kind of first time experience I wouldn't have expected to start here. (=°v°=)

silencecomes => second time it was recommended to me here, so looks even more interesting.

Thanks

Recommended:
Sun-ken Rock - Mafia, so no pure evil. Your type of seinen. Could happen in real life.
Historie - Very good historical manga. The art is a lot better than the picture on the site.

Okay:
Jormungand - No pure good and bad. Could happen in real life.
Kiseijuu - Very good, but may not fit.

More or less:
Bloody Cross The characters get very manipulative in later chapters, so push through the first couple chapters.
The Breaker - Its very good, but i don't know if it fits your criteria.
Claymore - Maybe.

If you liked reading Hakomari, then try out Fate/Zero (Novel) . Its really perfect. There's a manga and anime version; the anime is also really good, but i haven't read the manga. Really tho, starting with Hakomari will spoil you so much