[i suggest stuffs for you]

[queendork56]

All righty... I've been wanting to do this for some time now but due to my chronic laziness... my two big ones (Fullmetal Alchemist and Death Note) got licensed. (Does that tell you how lazy I am?) But now I've done it. Nine manga recommendations. (It was gonna be 10 but I never found a 10th title that sounded interesting.)

The following mangas cover a range of genres but I found each of them enjoyable in their own way. You may not like all of these series but hey... what's the harm in trying them?

And since I'm such a nice person I even upload the first chapter of each series to YSI and have it ready for your download enjoyment. *I'm just so considerate.*

-All series but one have direct downloads available somewhere on the net.
-All links should open in a new window.
-If there are any errors in the links please let me know.



Aishiteruze Baby
Scanlators: Dragon Voice
HTTP Downloads: Yes (Scanlator's Website; Stop Tazmo)
Summary: Katakura Kippei is renowned throughout his school as a carefree player without a worry in the world, nor a single shred of responsibility, but that all changes when one day, he returns home from school to find that he's been put in charge of a five-year-old girl, called Yuzuyu, who's been abandoned by her mother. As he struggles to be the best "Mommy" to Yuzuyu he can, Kippei falls in love with the hyper-reserved Kokoro. Will his new-found sensitive side help him to break through the Ice Maiden's cool exterior? Will Yuzuyu be reunited with her mother?

Number of chapters read: 33 (Complete Series)
Clarissa's Take: This manga is adorable. I looked into because Kaz (a.k.a. biteme65) made a batch of AiBaby icons and I liked the art style. I fell in love with it instantly. I'm not won over by many shoujo series because the characters usually rub me the wrong way but the characters in AiBaby are great. I didn't hate a single one of them. (Okay... well maybe one. Chances are you'll probably hate them too.) All of the major players developed really well and the plot never seemed to drag. Yuzuyu is the most adorable five year old. Her attachment to Kippei is just so cute. Something that I really liked about this manga is that it didn't shy away from some dark topics. All in all it was a very enjoyable read.
Favorite Character: Kippei. He's just so darn loveable.
Chapter One: Download



D.Gray-Man
Scanlators: Yanime; Timcanpi
HTTP Downloads: Yes (Timcampi; Stop Tazmo; Tidwah)
Summary: The Millenium Earl has created a weapon called Akuma (monsters) to destroy mankind. The only people who can stop them are the exorcists from the "Dark Religious Organization." Allen Walker, a 15 year old Brit with a disfigured red left hand, is one such exorcist. (Sorry for the shortness of the summary.)

Number of chapters read: 53
Clarissa's Take: I was attracted to this series based some Internet buzz. I wasn't disappointed. This is a shounen series but it feels different than most. This manga really reminded me of another series but I just couldn't put my finger on it... at least until young Allen was called a "bean sprout." D.Gray-man feels a lot like Fullmetal Alchemist. It does a wonderful job of blending a historical setting with supernatural elements. The characters are fun and really push the story. It takes some deeply religious elements and twist them into a brilliant story. Allen even reminds me of young Edward Elric (except a bit more level headed and a hell of a lot less selfish.) But while the two series have the same feeling to them they're both very different.
D.Gray-man throws you into the action and gives you very little time to catch up. The plot never really reaches a lot point in the 53 chapters that I read. The action is fast and sometimes you get a lot of info to mull over all at once. I recommend D.Gray-man if you're looking for a different type of shounen series.
Favorite Character: It's a toss up between Rabi and Komui. I just can't choose between them.
Chapter One: Download



Emma
Scanlators: IIChan Translation Group
HTTP Downloads Yes (Stop Tazmo)
Summary:Emma has spent most of her life as house maid to an old lady. Now her employer receives a visit from a young man, William Jones, to whom she was once governess. The meeting between William and Emma is the beginning of a romance that crosses all social boundaries.

Number of chapters read: 32
Clarissa's Take: Oh, how much do I love Emma? This series is just great. A wonderful blend of drama and romance. A lot of research must have went into this manga. The historical points are incredible. So many mannerisms and small details. The characters are wonderful. This may be the sweetest love story I've read. You can't help but love it.
Favorite Character: William. He's such a dork.
Chapter One: Download



Fire Candy
Scanlators: SnoopyCool (Site currently down)
HTTP Downloads: Yes (Scanlator's Website; Souhaku)
Summary: To save the future of the human race, scientist have found a way to combine DNA from other animals to create human children. However, as comes with any great diversity these new children are persecuted unnecessarily and so in they form gangs. But most of these children are addicted to a drug, a drug that might just make them explode. This drug is called "Fire Candy." This manga contains adult themes and graphic violence and nudity.

Number of chapters read: 10
Clarissa's Take: Fire Candy is... well.. different. After 10 chapters the plot is still setting things up and shaking out characters but it's got quite the storyline. I still don't really know my thoughts or feelings on Fire Candy but I do know that I'm interested.
Favorite Character: Leo. Plain and simple.
Chapter One: Download



Gintama
Scanlators: Yanime
HTTP Downloads Yes (Stop Tazmo; Souhaku)
Summary: In the Edo period of Japan, 20 years ago, the Amanto's (aliens... like space aliens) rise to power and the ban of swords forced the samurai to retire their swords. In that time and place there is still one man who believes in the ways of the samurai. His name if Sakata Gintoki. He is the main character of this story and lives int the General Store. He works as a "freelancer." He has both a sweet tooth and Glycosuria. (sugar in the urine; often a symptom of Type 2 Diabetes)

Number of chapters read: 18
Clarissa's Take: Gintama in hilarious. Think Edo in Space. I found myself laughing out loud at several parts. Gintama is (as of now) an eposodic manga. No real overall plot has been introduced but the characters more than make up for it (esp. the Shinsengumi.) The chapter names are hilarious. The characters are hilarious. While it is lacking a plot it's still enjoyable. Read it if you want a good laugh.
Favorite Character: Hijikata or Okita. I just can't choose. I love them both so much.
Chapter One: Download



Good Morning Call
Scanlators: Manga Sketchbook
HTTP: Yes (Stop Tazmo)
Summary: Yoshikawa Nao has convinced her mother to let her live alone in her own apartment (thus avoiding a move which would take her away from her friends), despite being a third year middle school student. She gets to her new apartment and is almost kicked out by a boy who claims the apartment is his. After some arguing, they visit the landlord who explains that the apartment costs $1500 a month instead of $800, which the two were told. During this discussion, Nao suddenly recognizes the boy as Uehara Hisashi, a rather popular guy at school. Long story short, they decide to live together since both don't want to go back to the parents and they can't afford another place.

Number of chapters read: 35
Clarissa's Take: More shoujo! Good Morning Call is another one Kaz said I should check out. Good Morning Call is really cute. I love the art style. The character designs look fairly typical for a shoujo manga but the mangka loves going super deformed making this manga even more cute. The characters are so much fun. Nao is your typical ditz at times but she worries about her weight (*loves*) and never comes off as annoying.
Favorite Character: Abe or Nao. They're both in the total dork boat. ^_^
Chapter One: Download



Honey & Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover)
Scanlators: Shoujo Magic
HTTP Downloads: No (But if you're interested let me know.)
Summary: Takemoto Yuuta, Mayama Takumi, and Morita Shinobu are college students who share the small apartment. Even though they live in poverty, the three of them are able to obtain pleasure through small things in life. The story follows these characters' ups and downs as poor college students, as well as their love life when a rather short 18 year old girl called Hanamoto Hagumi enters their life.

Number of chapters read: 5 6 (Hehe.. just got 6)
Clarissa's Take: I've been watching the Honey & Clover anime that premiered this spring and I cannot begin to tell you how much I love this series. The characters are so wonderfully quirky. Even if you start out unsure about some of them you can't help by be won over. These characters could very easily be someone I know.While the first five chapters are still setting up things they're still wonderfully enjoyable. If you're in college or just out of it or just want to read a wonderfully enjoyable story check out Honey & Clover.
Favorite Character: Morita! From his crazy food addiction to his artistic soul... Morita is the awesome.
Chapter One: Download



Yakitate!! Japan
Scanlators: SnoopyCool (Site currently down);
HTTP Downloads: Yes (Souhaku (links currently down); Tidwah)
Summary: Azuma Kazuma, an energetic and dense young man, was introduced to the art of bread making when he was six. He decides to take the path of bread-making and become a baker right after graduating from middle school. Through his travels, he encounters many rivals and found work at the branch store of the most famous bread maker brand, Pantasia.

Number of chapters read: 133
Clarissa's Take: I know what you're thinking.. "Bread? WTF?! How is that interesting?" Well you'd be surprised. Yakitate!! Japan has got to be the funniest thing I've ever read. Out of all the people I know that are reading or watching Yakitate!! Japan no one has said a single bad thing about it. The characters are loveable. The villians are hateable. The bread is delicious, I'm sure. Despite it's comedic nature I've actually learned quite a useful tidbits of information about bread from Yakitate!! Japan. It is loaded with tons of big scientific words but not enough that you'd get lost. If you want to laugh... read Yakitate!! Japan.
Favorite Character: Kuroyan! The best judge ever!
Chapter One: Download



Zombie Powder
Scanlators: Toriyama's World
HTTP Downloads Yes (Scanlator's Website; Direct Manga)
Summary: They say that if you find all twelve rings of the dead, you can obtain the power of immortality for the living, or bring back someone from the dead. People who search for the rings are called Powder Hunters, and Gamma is one of them, searching for the power of immortality.

Number of chapters read: 27 (Complete Series)
Clarissa's Take: If you are a Bleach fan you owe it to your self to read Kubo Tite's first major work, Zombie Powder. While Zombie Powder is short (it was sadly canceled even though it had a cult following... stupid Jump *shakes fist*) it more than shows off Kubo Tite's style and genius. (And given what he's done with Bleach... I'm dying to see how Zombie Powder could have been.) The character designs closely resemble Bleach's early chapters and you Bleach fans might notice a couple of familiar faces. (Elwood is nearly Tatsuki's twin and Gamma himself reminds me of an older Hitsugaya. Smith has the original pair of smexy glasses that Aizen so totally copied. And Wolfina.. well let's say if you took Orihime, Matsumoto, and Kuukaku and tossed thier er... assests together... you'd get Wolfina. There are also quite a few other character twins.) Kubo's wonderful blend of action and comedy show up here in Zombie Powder as does his totally loveable characters. If you're a Bleacher... read Zombie Powder even if it's just to see early Kubo. If you're not a Bleacher.. read it anyway.
Favorite Character: C.T. Smith. The original smexy librarian. (Azien is totally ripping him off. :P) Gamma is great too. (His opening scene is just great.)
Chapter One: Download

Comments

[shuugasmer.livejournal.com]

Yay for manga! X3

*goes to check out some titles*

[funkybrewsta]

Thanks for the suggestions! I was looking for new stuff to read (and Fire Candy is good and Leo is HAWT).

LOL@you learning science from Y!J. Who said manga wasn't educational?

[electra-torch.livejournal.com]

Yay! *hugs*

[electra-torch.livejournal.com]

Leo is hot.

I could see me learning something from like... a smart manga like... Fullmetal Alchemist or something like that... but I given all the humor in Y!J... I never thought I'd learn anything. But thanks to Kuroyan I'll never eat crappy bread again. XD

[funkybrewsta]

Thanks to Yakitate!Japan, I've become a bread snob!

I shouldn't talk. I learned to count in Japanese from Bleach XD

[electra-torch.livejournal.com]

I leanred to count from Bleach too. This flash (http://www.genkienglish.net/genkijapan/learnjapanesenumbers.htm) helped too.

Kubo Tite... helping American girls count in Japanese. XD

[aurenfaie.livejournal.com]

Wait a second... Death Note is licensed? o_o

[electra-torch.livejournal.com]

Eh... sorta. Apparently VIZ picked it up in April but never made an annoucement about it. (The same thing they did with Hikaru no Go I think it was. They could just be trying to dodge heat about it cause you know that some soccer mom somewhere will take offense to it. >_>) The first volume is supposed to come out in October.

Half the internet says it's licensed the other half says it isn't.

[aurenfaie.livejournal.com]

Wow, really? I admit, I've been out of the Death Note loop for a couple of months, but I'm still a member of death_note and I don't really remember anyone mentioning anything about it being licensed. o_o Surprising! XD

BTW, did you know they're making Gintama into one of those Jump Festa OVA thingies? I was hoping they'd do D.Gray-man, but... XD

[electra-torch.livejournal.com]

Probably wasn't mentioned since VIZ never confirmed it. I just say it's licensed but secretly download it on the side. >_>

I hadn't heard that. Maybe D.Gray-man will get one next time. I figure that D.Gray-man will become an anime sooner or later. I hope so cause I really like it.

[aurenfaie.livejournal.com]

Ah... then I'll take this "licensing" with a grain of sand until Viz confirms or denies the claim, or I see the manga on bookshelves. :P

Yeah... hopefully... someday, I'd LOVE to see a DGM anime. I would... very, very much like to see one. ^_^;

Can I friend you? We seem to have an awful lot in common. ^^

[electra-torch.livejournal.com]

Sure. You'll just have to put up with my rambling. ^_^

[aurenfaie.livejournal.com]

lol. No worries there! ^_~ *hugs your super cute Kon icon* <3