All right, I wasn't quite sure if this is where I should put this. I figured as i am basically looking for advice as to what manga to read it would work though.

Anyway, my list of titles to be read has been exhausted near completely now. Instead of looking for completely new titles with this topic, I thought to go back and see if the manga version of a number of anime I've seen is worth reading. Anyway, here are the titles:

Black Lagoon - I've been very gradually watching the anime for a while now. It's amazing. Is there a lot of extra stuff in the manga? Does it lose any of it's excitement and swagger as a manga? Should I read it or just stick to the anime and wait for the third season?

Soul Eater - This has been a stylish and fun series for me as an anime. Is the manga vastly different or is the anime more of a direct adaptation?

Ikkitousen - I've watched three seasons of this even though I know very well how much it sucks. It's a sort of guilty pleasure. Is the manga worth reading or is it as stupid as the anime?

Kashimashi - I liked the anime up until the last episode. It's a cute story. Should I pick up the manga too or just leave it with what I got from the anime and move on to new stuff?

Negima - I hated the anime. There were a few things I liked, like that yuri couple and the character designs of a few characters who did absolutely nothing the whole series, but overall it just seemed worthless. I've heard some good things about the manga, but do you think I'd honestly be able to tolerate it. It's not just annoying characters and contrived harem mechanics is it?

Sekirei - I typically loathe harems but this anime was at least watchable for me. It seems more the sort of thing that I'd like better as an anime. Then again, it's not really certain when the anime sequel will start and the plot was getting kinda interesting. Is the second part of it good enough to warrant me reading through the entire manga or would I be better off just waiting?

Additionally, is there anything on my anime list that isn't on my reading list that I should maybe consider reading?

Please be honest. I know this is a manga site and most are biased that way here, but as I've already had experience with these series, I only want to read them if it is truly worth my time.

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I found the Black Lagoon & Soul Eater anime better than their manga counter-parts. Kashimashi was good as a manga though, as is Sekirei.

Ikkitousen is garbage, no matter which medium it's in.

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Black Lagoon is definitely just as good in manga form, although it's the type of show that becomes inherently more interesting by being animated (just the sheer volume of the action scenes). Makes up for the minor intricacies that they have to leave out as a result of it being animated.

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I kinda figured that the Black Lagoon anime stood up to or surpassed the original manga. The anime is just excellent. Part of me really wants to read it, but I'm afraid I'll be disappointed and that it will just be the same stuff I've seen only less exciting than it was in the anime.

And Soul Eater is a very slickly animated show and it doesn't seem like they could be leaving much out. I'm not surprised to hear someone say the anime is better.

And yeah, I'm not expecting many here to advise me to read Ikitousen. I sometimes wonder how I could tolerate the anime.

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Negima is a definite must, the anime shames the manga. Both animes. The manga is fantastic, much more broader, and much much more in-depth. There are actual fight scenes in the manga, and its actually more shounen adventure with good action.

Negima?! (the second anime) tries to capture the action but loses the story, Negima!(first anime) captures some of the story but pretty much loses almsot all the action.

I've heard stuff like this, but the anime did really seem to put me off the series. There is more to it than the 30 or so 14 year old girls getting into ecchi situations and all swooning over a 10 year old boy? That stuff isn't as big a factor in the manga? I really don't care for ecchi harem shounen romance type stuff.

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Negima...well it's a fun read, but if you're not into ecchi-harem-romance shounens, don't read it, because that's pretty much what it is. There are some good action in there, but the fanservice is overdone, and it gets pretty old.

Ikkitousen- it sucks in both manga and anime form, it's just a ecchi mixed into fighting...so bad but it's ok if you have nothing to read, and just looking for something fun and nothing serious[don't expect a decent plot from this manga btw]

As for Black Lagoon and Soul Eater...the manga are both amazing, as well are the animation. I prefer manga>anime, but both are very good for this. Black Lagoon...well the anime just blows you away, and keeps on par with the manga. I don't really like Soul Eater is animated because in the anime the kids look too..."funky" if you ask me, but nevertheless it's very good and also follows the manga well.

As for Sekirei, if you like it, continue with the manga, if not, just wait for the anime. It's just basically a big mess of hot fanservice with action+ plot mixed into it. It's not just fanservice though, there are character development and relationships, and the fightscenes+ character are pretty nice.

Kashimashi, I didn't read so I don't know sorry, I'm not into yuri stuff.

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I would say the Negima manga shouldn't even be compared to any of the negima shows, its a lot of fun and so much more indepth, has lots of action as well, makeing it one of my favorite mangas but I have to agree that if you are not a fan of harem and fanservice it might not be for you. Best thing I can recommend is to try reading a few chapters of it. The first chapters are not really a good representation of the story and action but they will give you an idea of wether the harem and fanservice is not to your likeing.

Huh

I think The Negima Manga is just awesome, neither of the animes can compare they are utter garbage...

There is quite a bit of fan service, and a lot of funny stuff (My fav characters are Kamo-kun and Jack Rankan) I am a guy so I find it hilarious, dunno how you would feel, but I can say is much better than the Anime, and in the last arc it took a turn for the better and the plot is now MUCH more deep, and quite a few flash backs are finally making the connections to give the plot a deeper sense

EDIT: Burningdragon is giving the right option, read the start and see if you can stand the fan service, the manga gets much better later on and the fan service stays pretty much in the same level

Of the rest... I haven't seen any of the other animes, or I just don't remember them, nevertheless I refrain myself to make a comment about them.

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Let me clarify that I like fanservice (and I'm a guy too, Chaoswind). I'm just not really into the cheap, cliche ecchi stuff you see most of the time in shounen romance. You're right, I should probably give it a try. I want to like the manga; I like girls, I like action and adventure and stuff. I might as well see if I can get past all the stuff I don't like and find something there.

Thanks for the advice, everyone.

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MY BAD

sorry to get it wrong ._.
You will probably like it

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Give it a try for about 10 or so volumes, everybody's level of tolerance is different. In my opinion its just right, but then again i have a very high tolerance. I find that the ecchi-ness and harem-play don't overshadow the plot or characters

I hope you enjoy it

10 whole volumes seems a little much for a trial run, but I will at least look at the first volume or two and make my own judgments.

I'm pretty much decided on Negima, but if anyone has anything about the other series I'd be happy to hear it. So far it sounds like I'd just be fine staying with the anime for Soul Eater and Black Lagoon, but I still would like to hear more opinions. I'd especially like anything about Kashimashi or anything other than the typical "it sucks" comments about Ikkitousen. I watched three anime seasons; I'd think I'd have already realized that much.

Additionally, another one I have been giving thought to is Elfen Lied. I enjoyed the short, 13 episode anime a number of years ago but just a few months ago I found out there was a twelve volume manga. I seem to remember liking the anime; is the manga worth reading as well?

Last edited by Walrothetacoking at 8:40 pm, Nov 29 2008

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elfen lied manga is pretty good IMO
i heard the anime ending was better though

just finished kashimashi, like just 2 min ago, it's pretty good, but i have to say it's not really amazing in any aspect...

Well, with Ikkitousen, there are some differences between the anime and manga. Like how in the manga (or it could be the other way around) that it centered more around the female characters, and that the main character boy was in love with his cousin(?)... I don't remember quite clearly though.

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