For me it was Nana to Kaoru by AMAZUME Ryuta.
The first time I stumbled uppn this series, I didn't read the description and just looked inside. Man, was I shocked when I saw the male lead was a "sadistic creep"! Sorry for the expression but that's what I thought of Kaoru at that time. To make my first impression worse, I didn't like the art style at all. So I dropped the manga immediately and avoided it henceforth.

Several months later, when I looked it up again on MU on a whim and I saw all the high ratings and list stats, I skimmed some of the reviews and decided to re-evaluate my first impression. So I gave it another try - and I liked it! I even came to appreciate AMAZUME Ryuta-sensei's art for this kind of story

It's true that the male lead is a pervert and a sadist but only to the extent that he can carry out the role of a master in BDSM properly. This definition of a sadist requires reliability, trust, respect and care for his slave; you could call him loving in an uncommon way. He is also a leading figure, if not the leading figure on Nana's route to self-discovery.

All in all, reading Nana to Kaoru gave me a completely different understanding of BDSM relationships.

[color=#8A795D]"Stories are what death thinks he puts an end to.
He can't understand that they end in him, but they don't end with him."

• Ursula K. Le Guin, Gifts[/color]

To be savoured:

• Blood Alone by TAKANO Masayuki
• Otoyomegatari by MORI Kaoru
• Gangsta. by Kohske
• Seishun Kouryakuhon by AKIZUKI Sorata

7 Seeds and Ghost Hunt (Novel)

Kyou kara ore wa The cover art didn't appeal to me and i thought it was just another delinquent story. Avoided reading it for over an year. Many times when i ran out of manga to read i stumbled upon it but did not attempt to even glimpse inside.
One day, i got tired of avoiding it and thought i should just get it through with and read it.

BOY WAS THAT A SHOCK. It turned out to be one of the most hilarious manga i have ever read with one of the most interesting characters i have ever seen. The art that put me off i grew to love it and now wouldn't change it for the world.
😀

Noblesse

Avoid it for quite long time and then bcoz run out of manga to read, I decide to pick it then goddamn, I fall in love!

ꉂꉂ(ᵔᗜᵔ*)笑

Magician...

The art in the beginning was terrible so It took me a long time to begin reading it, but it turned out to be really good. And the art got a lot better eventually so...

This happends to me LOTS of times, descriptions are OFTEN misleading here... I usualy read stuff with names that appeal to me... but once i go to the description... many times i get a feeling im not going to like it or it is too plain, but when i see it being translated really fast i feel like it must be good but unless i get some lil spoil in the comments that make me intriged i dont usualy pick it up.

Happened with noblese and lots of titles.

well it happened again Hekikai no AiON it seems a work with a good title, when u go inside u see this weird pic of vol 11 which may make u get a wrong feeling as it doesnt show how things go at the start BUT in the last vol, but then someone in the comments made me feel its worth a try.

For me, it will be Cheese in the Trap after putting it off so many times (the first few chapters are kind of confusing and dull) and getting so many recommendations, I decided to read it and it's a great slice of life

Also, some other books with not so attractive cover:
Bara no Tame ni
Nodame Cantabile bad art but the story is really good!
Hot-Blooded Woman
Bichunmoo the best love story ever, in my opinion. Style is a bit like old Chinese drawing with thin lines if you know what I mean but the story is gripping and beautiful
Please Save My Earth after reading the first few chapters, the story picks up and turned to be one of my favorite manga to date
Four Daughters of Armian I wasn't fond of manhwa art style until I read this. My first and still one of my favorites
Oboreru Knife

Help! I'm looking for... manga with dangerous guys [url]http://www.mangaupdates.com/showtopic.php?tid=39874&page=1#post594033[/url]

It's funny, but actually two times ...

• First: Strobe Edge

As a girl, of course I'm into romantic storylines and actually I don't mind some stereotyped lines, but the popularity of this one was a mystery for me - At least in the beginning! I have been reading the summary and to be honest, it seemed like a quite painfully setting and like lots of dramatic chapters, while the main character had at this "cute" strike, which I don't really like. But - I gave it a try and now it's among my favourites. The reason is probably, that this Manga is dealing with the whole "one-sided love and break up" - topic in an pretty mature way and even the "popular" male lead has his likeable sight on his own popularity. So, it was definitely worth the try. ^^

• Second: Shooting Star (TAKANO Ichigo)

The reviews for this one made me hesitant, but since I'm into music stories, as long as they give up the feeling bound to that aspect, I started reading. And - In my eyes it's funny and somehow just right, because ... The rather edgy and somewhat chaotic narrative style, seemed to match the whole "first band ever" setting just fine.

"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))

I totally agree with Tower of God and Feng Shen Ji
I was reluctant to read ToG for whatever reason (don't remember) and convinced myself to read it and now it is my ultimate favorite (out of everything)
Angel Densetsu is 1000% worth the time to read even if the art is iffy
Kingdom was another one I was just iffy on reading that I forced myself to read and ended up loving

I did that with Skip Beat. The title threw me off and I didn't read the description for it either. My sister wanted to buy it, but I was prejudice and told her is was just about dancing and nothing else. Boy was I so wrong. I really regret saying all those things about it.

I read and re-read One piece first 2 vols 4 times before fall head over heels in love with it 🤣

Nodame Cantabile 's artwork isn't pleasant at all, but the story makes up for that.

*Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

• John Muir -*

Hm... Definitely:

Tower of God
Holyland
Ares

Shingeki no Kyojin I didn't like the artwork, especially how the giants are drawn. I still don't like the drawings of the giants but the story really got me 😀
Monster I read this one a few years ago, so i don't remember much...only that for some reason i didn't want to read it and thought it would be bad. When i had nothing else left to read i tried Monster and was really really suprised. It's great, kinda special but great!

Hoshi no Samidare
Vampire Juujikai

Is this me in a nutshell?
Pretty much.
[img]http://www.dragonflycave.com/wpay/ninetales.gif[/img]

There are really no mentions of Onani Master Kurosawa? That one has a "don't get scared away, it really is good" comment whenever I see it recommended.

Glass Mask is also hard for me to get people to read because of the old shoujo style, but it's so amazing.