Just read the Claymore manga from where the anime ends. It certainly is pretty cool. The events that occur after the anime are a lot more interesting that what happens within it. And Priscilla is fucking epic.

 

Not sure if it has been mentioned yet, but Ubel Blatt is going to update on the 25th.

 

Really? Because I watched and loved the anime right until the end which I thought was one of the most horribly disappointing shit endings I'd ever seen. If the manga keeps going though I would love to see an actual ending to the series.

 

Had some free time so I waded out in search of decent manga. Found a couple.

Yandere Kanajo
Comedy/romance about an honors student and his delinquent girlfriend. It's funny and sweet without going overboard, and all the characters are likeable. They're also surprisingly deep for (somewhat of) a gag manga.

Blood Lad
A Japanese schoolgirl wanders into the demon world but is killed under the watch of Staz - a vampire infatuated with Japanese culture - who then promises her ghost he will revive her. Weird, I know, but cool characters and nice action make this pretty damn good.

Araragi Express
A short 8 volume series about a former law student and his goal of uniting all major crime organizations under his banner. Pretty gritty at times but quite well done.

Drifters
Authored by Hirano Kouta - the same artist that created Hellsing - so you know to expect general ass kicking and fucked-up shit mixed with his brand of humor. It's also educational since now I know how to make saltpeter.

It's set in a fantasy world where great warriors, generals and leaders from across Earths history have ended up in the same time period, and on two opposing factions. There they proceed to take control of the native armies/monsters/populace and try to wipe the other side out. Pretty cool seeing Joan d'Arc work alongside Rasputin while Hannibal and Scipio Africanus argue whose legacy is greater.

 

Berserk is fantastic. Imo the best of dark fantasy from any medium.

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer is also great, with interesting and well developed secondary characters.

Midori no Hibi is a very well written and funny shounen.

Parasite has some of the best and most believable character growth in any manga I've read.

 

I've actually been reading that over the past few weeks and been utterly hooked.

Originally I read the first 5 volumes in hard copy back in like, 2006, but dropped it because I had already seen the flashback arc, and to be honest the first 4 volumes just felt kind of dull compared to the flashback arc.

But continuing on after the flashback arc, it actually gets really good. I still maintain you have no idea where its heading (are we approaching the end? Have we just started the story? Are we in the middle?), and the mangaka keeps adding plot points and whatnot. But since each arc goes for so long (4-6 volumes of 200 pages each), and each arc is well scripted and addictive, it stays awesome.

Shame he releases new chapters so infrequently. But yeah, this is probably one of my favorite manga (that aren't cover by anime) so far. Highly recommend.

Only thing is, I feel like I'm watching porn sometimes. Every few chapters is like "demon/tentacle/fucked up rape scene", and any one of my family members walking into the room leads to a quick alt-tab. Not the kind of thing you want to be caught reading. =S

 

Liar Game is awesome. I didn't read the manga, but I've watched the live action drama. It's pretty fucking epic although the main character's ideals piss me off from time to time; especially after she gets betrayed for the upteenth time. The game theory and psychology stuff reminds me a bit of the author of Kaiji and Akagi. I wouldn't be surprised if they are created by the same guy, but I can't be bothered to check.

 

It's worth noting that Liar Game's art really improves after the first few arcs. The games improve as well, the first one is pretty lame all things considered and the way they resolve it isn't nearly as complex and interesting as the rest of the manga.

 

It is heartening that Nao does undergo relatively major character development as the manga progresses i.e. she realizes that humans are capable of deceit - and has to work with the fact.

 

Hikaru No Go is another good manga that is completed. It's about a kid discovering the ghost of a brilliant Go player from a few hundred years back and his introduction into the Go world. Interesting and entertaining even for someone like me who has never played Go before.


Shaman King is decent too, although it had a kind of clusterfuck ending, with being put on hiatus or so for a while and the author finished it quite a while later. It's not that good, but it has good elements and it has a, in my opinion strong beginning, which holds quite a while until the later rounds of the tournament later. The power levels are just a bit shaky at the end.


About Claymore, I really loved it but to be honest, the recent chapters are just bad. I can't really distinguish between all those Claymores anymore and all those monsters popping out of the woodwork has just become tiring. Doesn't really matter who they are and what's happening over all.

Spoiler

Riful's death was pretty much the turning point. All of the old powerhouses being killed off by the new monsters, Priscilla being so ridiculously overpowered, it just became boring to follow.

Have to say, really loved Girl Friends, fluffy though it may be. But it was good fluff and I liked how they explored the relationship but I felt the ending was too abrupt and that it could have easily gone for a few more chapters.


The harem manga was decent though, but it still felt meh, even if it does try to take this concept a lot more seriously than other mangas do. The main character just isn't all that likable.

 

Seriously, thank you. I haven't read a manga so enjoyable in quite awhile.

Good characterisation, fairly good comedic elements, and so far a reasonably interesting plot.

 

nairit, I've read almost all of the manga that you've recommended and I have to agree with you, they're all incredibly good and definately worth reading. For the ones that I haven't read yet, I'm going to be fixing that now since they look interesting.

 

Just read Baby Steps and I have to say, right after Eyeshield 21 this is probably my favorite sports manga. Really fun to read and a really likable main character.

 

Pretty stupid that they would try to relate them somehow.

 

Well, it kinda sorta makes sense instory. But like I said, just minor background details, not really necessary.

One last manga for today: Majin devil

I spent all day searching for this one, since it's hella old. And no major online reader has it, which I think is very strange.

I read this one way back in the old days when there were no online readers. It's by Oh! Great, who you may recognize by his other works Air Gear or Tenjou Tenje.

It's only 12 Chapters and is very, very good. It doesn't suffer from the faults of his other two manga- namely having too much exposition too quickly and going in a wtf direction without any base. The art is as always, great. The protag is also cool and doesn't suffer from any wussiness or bitchiness.

Go read the stuff I've put up and I'll see if I can find some other manga/mahwa from my read stuff that's worth recommending.

 

Congratulations, nairit!

You single-handedly destroyed my social life for the next few weeks.

Aren't you happy?

 

Social life? Is that some kind of food?

 

Holyland is currently the best fighting manga being scanlated. The latest volume didn't have much action (or it did, but not gut-wrenching action), bu there're only two volumes left and shit is starting to hit the fan. Wish Illuminati-Manga would hurry the fuck up with the releases though.

Rookies (again from I-M) currently is the best sports manga being scanlated but it's rather old, if we're looking at ongoing stuff... Baby Steps takes the cake. (I also love Last Inning and Giant Killing.)

 

Harooo Evermeow! How are you? FINE? Zankyuu

More manga tiem:
ID

This is the only example of an OP character done right that I can think of. Seriously, the protag is super OP and the mahwa still manages to have that tension in it. Pretty good stuff. 148 chapters out, so pretty lengthy read.

Another

Mystery time. This manga is defined by its ambiance. The art, the characters, the shading, all contribute to it. The slow descent into horrorville is demonstrated admirably. 11 chapters out, so you can jump in pretty easily but have the drawback of being antsy about the wait.

Happy World

This manga has everything. Redemption stories, fighting, grinding, pervertedness, childhood friend romance, romance romance, ecchi romance, serious stuff, pretty good protag.

Basic premise- The protag is cursed with the worst luck in the universe. Actually cursed with it, not just a plot-device. So, he's sent a guardian angel. Shenanigans ensue. Harem manga.

Complete at 71 chapters. So no waiting for new translations.

Angel Densetsu

Hilarious. The humor is very much focused on the situations that the protag gets himself into but it is super funny. Also the only threesome relationship in manga that I have read that is actually developed as such.

Basic premise: Extremely kind and good person born with a scary face. Everyone around him thinks he's a monster/delinquent/satan(for realz)

Complete at 84 chapters. Very much 5/5

Iris Zero

Premise: The next generation of kids is born with a special power (Iris) that allows them to see weird stuff. The protag is the only kid without any Iris. But still manages to be the solve problems that all of them with Iris's couldn't solve. Is not perverted in any form and is thus markedly different from your usual high-school manga.

27 chapters so far. Still in translation.

Sora No Otoshimono

Super perverted. Like don't even think about opening this at work. One day an angel descended into Tomoki's life. Shenanigans ensue. Watch for awesome stuff like exploding panties, cock lazers and fishing for angels.

Warning: Mood whiplash is something very common for this manga. One chapter will be all lulz/lol/rofl and then suddenly SrsBusiness. This happens a lot.

Very much a harem manga.
57 chapters so far.

PS: those of you who didn't get the opening line here