I'm looking for manga/manhwa where aspects of mythology and folklore like witches, demons, deities, gods, youkai, oni, kapaa, tengu, mermaids(ningyo), historical items or religious/tribal beliefs and practises etc., play a major role. It'd be even more awesome if tales of folklore(oral and recorded) played a part in the story as well.

(Edit: I apologise... I should've mentioned that I'm up for the more authentic stuff rather than typical stereotypes. For example: the "witches" in Witches or the kinda shamanic stuff in Yakumo Tatsu and not the "witches ride on broomsticks" stuff.)

Any setting, culture, genre is fine by me. I don't really like most ecchi or pure romance stuff(with no drama, no comedy, etc.), though. (Edit: I am perfectly all right with yuri, BL, hentai, etc.)

Here's an idea of what I like and dislike... *shrugs*. Well, it's a mish mash of random stuff.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing some suggestions!

Stuff I'm reading/have read/on my wishlist:
Crystal Dragon(if it counts as such a series. I haven't read it yet.)
Dokebi Bride
Ghost Hunt
Hyakki Yakoushou(Selected pandemonium)
Japan Tengu Party Illustrated
Kaze no Galdor
Kaikisen
Maimiko Touko no Jikenbo(if it counts as such a series. I haven't read it yet.)
Mana (if it counts as such a series.)
Natsume Yuujinchou (I've also read a number of other works by this author too.)
Nagaraja
Tengujin(A little interesting but seems too stereotypical.)
Tsuki to Mizu no Yoru(if it counts as such a series. I haven't read it yet.)
Tsukiya
Umi no Misaki(if it counts as such a series)
Witches
Yakumo Tatsu
Xblade(if it counts as such a series)
And yes, I'm rather acquainted with most of the works by Mizukami Shin

Stuff I didn't like, didn't finish or which I found average:
Banhonsa
Blade of the Immortal
Fruits Basket
Karasuma Kyouko no Jikenbo
Kekkaishi(I really liked this but as of late? Meh)
Kwaidan
Mermaid Saga
Nurarihyon no Mago
Oni-Gokko
Saiyuki
School Ningyo The twist was good but took really long to deliver.
Senki Senki Momotama
Seto no Hanayome
Shaman King
X(Yes that manga by Clamp... I know it's supposedly interesting but I no longer care for melodramatic plots where almost everyone ends up dying.)

Last edited by yuri21 at 1:49 pm, Jun 26 2008

A kind of obvious choice would be Mokke. Except, of course, you're unlikely to get much more in translated form than the 4 chapters that are already out there, any time soon...
(Here's a torrent for those chapters, anyway, in case you still feel like trying it.)

Or, for a not very serious alternate history take on the whole youkai thing, you could always try Otomeyoukai Zakuro.

Some that would fit but aren't translated could be Machi de Uwasa no Tengu no Ko or, for some mermaids, maybe Hikari no Umi. Maybe Mikoto to Miko to for a comedy take on kami.
Well, I could list stuff like what you seem to be after all day, if I wasn't so bad with names. (And if I wasn't fairly certain that you prefer them translated anyway.)

Just to be a bit general, ones that I have come across recently that have a fair bit of mythology and folklore in them are land of silver rain and Arcana. Divine Melody might also count because it has a lot to do with demons/ gods etc (although it might be a bit shoujoish side, judging by the lists you read)

edit: oops... forgot to add this, if you don't mind a bit of shounen-ai, Cantarella has a lot of religion/ demons etc in it.

Katana - erhm, swords?
Kamikaze - Same author from Xblade
Tobenai Majo - Witches
Pygmalio - Heroic epic


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ççççççç[Ô .Ô] tsutopodus© will eat your manga and steal your cats!

Dango sounds pretty much what your looking for but i'm still not quite sure who the main character is,,,

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P.S. Dead Fantasy. Look it up.

Have you read Mushishi?

I agree with the Dangu suggestion too, which appears to be an action type series with Shamans and general mysteriousness. The translation I read kept having pages out of order so I gave up, but the art was awesome..

Also Berserk, which is too violent, graphic and generally horrible for a lot of people to enjoy, but once it gets going does contain a huge amount of references to (mainly western) folklore, some very dark comments on religion in general, and deceptively subtle character development. Plus, erm, demons.

You should read some Ursula Le Guin books, and watch Seirei No Moribito.


Last edited by centzon totochtin at 10:59 am, Jun 26 2008

Tactics?

Onikiri Jyuzo was pretty good, and you might like Pet Shop of Horrors and Genjuu no Seiza.

Soul Eater has witches...>.>
Kamikaze
xxxHolic
Inuyasha

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Lots and lots of blood!

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'm quite sure I'll take my time browsing through them. Though I apologise for neglecting to add that I'm up for the more authentic stuff rather than typical/mainstream stereotypes. I've since edited my first post to reflect this.

Try Cantarella. It has to do with the devil and it's a really great manga.

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Erm, thank you for the recommendation but I don't really like You Higuri's manga... probably because her writing usually is a hit and miss.

And most "supposed folklore" of the devil used in manga is usually pretty much "stuff just grabbed from some book/internet site" and then the mangaka doesn't really bother to dwell even further into how those myths came about. Just like how the "supposed satanic symbol" frequently used by Hollywood seems so much to resemble the Star of David(a Jewish symbol). Or how some of the myths about the devil and witchcraft were pretty much caused by racism, misogyny and fear about the mysterious and unknown.

Still, I'm very very surprised there's still someone who replied to this thread.

3x3 Eyes - has major Hindu reworkings, among other stuff.
Island - lots of Korean demons. Seems to make an effort to be accurate.
Kamichu! - Fun play with Japanese gods.