MRC Participant: 2022 • 2023 • 2024
☆★☆
Adult. Manga liker who does not really watch anime.
Message me immediately if you know of a series about cute animals that’s not on my lists.
1. Gintama
2. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon (S1)
3. Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru
4. Cowboy Bebop*
5. Ghost Stories
6. Sasaki and Miyano
7. Barakamon
8. Haikyuu (S1)*
9. Pokémon (Indigo League)
10. Link Click (S1)
(*: not finished)
Basically, I simultaneously have basic and strange taste, and have not watched a lot of anime. In fact, I have watched so few anime that Gintama is already my favorite.
I reserve the #10 spot in my Favorites bar for whatever anime I’m currently watching, so it’s not 100% accurate. When I’m not using the spot, I reserve it for my favorite Studio Ghibli movie. This procedure will probably change once I actually have a solid top 10.
1. Our Dreams at Dusk (Yuhki Kamatani)
2. Blue Period (Tsubasa Yamaguchi) 3. Slam Dunk (Takehiko Inoue)
4. Nabari no Ou (Yuhki Kamatani) 5. Usotoki Rhetoric (Ritsu Miyako)
6. Yuureitou (Tarou Nogizaka) 7. Golden Kamuy* (Satoru Noda)
8. From Far Away (Kyoko Hikawa) 9. The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window (Tomoko Yamashita)
10. Chainsaw Man (Tatsuki Fujimoto) 11. Vagabond (Takehiko Inoue)
12. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun* (Izumi Tsubaki) 13. Kekkaishi (Yellow Tanabe)
14. Happy Happy Clover (Sayuri Tatsuyama) 15. Sasaki and Miyano (Shou Harusono)
16. Mushishi (Yuki Urushibara) 17. Chi’s Sweet Home (Konami Kanata)
18. The End of the Journey (Yuhki Kamatani) 19. My Love Mix-Up (Wataru Hinekure, Aruko)
20. Captivated, By You (Yama Wayama) 21. Yuki to Matsu (Hidebu Takahashi)
22. Blank Canvas (Akiko Higashimura) 23. Don’t Call it Mystery (Yumi Tamura)
24. Shonen Note* (Yuhki Kamatani) 25. Barakamon (Satsuki Yoshino)
26. Yuuutsu na Asa (Shoko Hidaka) 27. Star Clock Liddell (Yoshimi Uchida) 28. Ghost Hunt (Shiho Inada, Fuyumi Ono) 29. Genkaku Picasso (Usamaru Furuya) 30. All My Darling Daughters (Fumi Yoshinaga)
Honorable Mention (Not on Site): Mothers (Kusahara Umi) would probably be within the 9-16 spots.
(*: not caught up w/ Japanese release & caught up with official English; **: not caught up with official English release)
This is a list of manga getting a 2023 English release that I’m particularly excited about:
Do Not Say Mystery
(Yumi Tamura • Seven Seas) Star Clock Liddell
(Yoshimi Uchida • Glacier Bay) Juuji to Aichi
(Junko Yoshitomi • Glacier Bay) Mothers
(Umi Kusahara • Glacier Bay) They Were 11!
(Moto Hagio • Denpa) Let’s Meet in the Next Life
(Yamazaki • Star Fruit Books) The Other Side of the Clouds
(Yoruno Hitsujigumo • glacier bay) Mermaid Scales and the Town of Sand
(Yoko Komori • Viz Media) Cinderella Closet
(Wakana Yanai • Seven Seas) A Story of Seven Lives
(Gin Shirakawa • Seven Seas)
OPs
1. Pray (Gintama OP1)
2. Moonlight Densetsu (Sailor Moon)
3. Donten (Gintama OP5)
4. Know Know Know (Gintama OP17)
5. Tank! (Cowboy Bebop)
6. Pride Kakumei (Gintama OP15)
7. Togenkyou Alien (Gintama OP9)
8. Black Rover (Black Clover OP3)*
9. Kick Back (Chainsaw Man)
10. Kaze Tsuyoku, Kimi Atsuku. (Run with the Wind OP2)
11. Sakuramitsutsuki (Gintama OP13)
12. Kizuato (Given)
13. Dilemma (Gintama OP10)
14. Grow Up (Gakkou no Kaidan)
15. Giniro no Sora (Gintama OP3)
16. Kasanaru Kage (Gintama OP4)
17. Kaibutsu (Beastars S2)*
18. Mixed Nuts (Spy x Family)
18. Stairway Generation (Gintama OP7)
20 Light Infection (Gintama OP8)
21. Mabataki (Sasaki to Miyano)
22. Rashisa (Barakamon)
23. Life Goes On (Antique Bakery)
24. Let’s Go Out (Gintama OP12)
25. Kagerou (Gintama OP18)
EDs
1. Yuki no Tsubasa (Gintama ED3)
2. Bokura dake no Shudaika (Given Movie)
3. Shura (Gintama ED5)
4. Hikari Shoumeiron (Gintama ED30)
5. Kagayaita (Gintama ED12)
6. sexy sexy (Gakkou no Kaidan)
7. Speed of Flow (Gintama ED8)
8. Samurai Heart (Gintama ED17)
9. DESTINY (Gintama ED23)
10. Genjou Destruction (Gintama M2)
11. Marutsuke (Given)
12. Aiiro no Sora no Shita de (Happy Happy Clover)
13. Princess Moon (Sailor Moon)
14. Innocence (Barakamon)
15. Heart Moving (Sailor Moon)
16. Balance Doll (Gintama ED18)
17. Hana Ichi Monme (Gintama ED29)
*: I haven’t watched the anime, but I’ve heard the song.
Note: I am not a big Given fan, but I love the songs. I have also never watched Black Clover; I first heard the song in a store. 😅
Anime
• Finish Cowboy Bebop or Haikyuu S1*
• Resume & finish either Natsume Yuujinchou S1 or The Tatami Galaxy*, and Chainsaw Man S1.
• Watch another Ghibli movie, or at least rewatch Princess Mononoke.
• Finish at least one of my Secret Santa recommendations.
• Complete Gintama on or before May 5th (a year after I started).
• That’s literally it.
STATUS: I'm too busy watching Gintama to do anything else.
Manga
• Finally finish what is available of Vagabond before it’s been 3 years.
• Re-read Golden Kamuy, or just finish it without remembering all the details and then re-read.
• Try to finish at least 5 josei, and at least 3 yuri.
• Complete these longer manga: Basara, Fullmetal Alchemist, Slam Dunk, Blue Morning, Tokyo Ghoul Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, and Aoharu x Kikanjuu Kekkaishi.
• Complete these shorter manga: Planetes, Pippira Note, I Sold My Life…, Cocoon, Coelacanth, The Heart of Thomas, Wake Up Sleeping Beauty, Astra: Lost in Space, and Oniisama e…
• Start/resume some of these, but not too many: Queen’s Quality, One Piece, Ikoku Nikki, Insomniacs after School, My Home Hero, Nana, Skip to Loafer, and/or Vinland Saga
• Attempt to reduce my BL-to-other completed manga ratio to under 50%.
• Do not let yourself get past 375 volumes owned!!!
STATUS: Completed Slam Dunk, Basara, and Vagabond. Slowly reading Kekkaishi. Have completed 2/5 josei, and 3/9 shorter manga. Dropped Insomniacs & paused Skip to Loafer/My Home Hero. Utterly failing to find any decent yuri; please send help.
• I feel like my taste is really obvious if you’re aware of anything about the series in my favorites/Top 25. The biggest unifying elements are mystery, gag humor, and a healthy ratio of plot to slice-of-life moments. I love being emotionally destroyed, but it takes a LOT to get me there.
• I have been “collecting” physical manga since 2009.
• BL is my most read and lowest rated genre…by far. I’m not the kind of person who needs it to be 100% unproblematic and tame—I just think most BL suffer from being way too frustrating or boring. I’m not in it for the boys or the love, anyway; I just find the existence of the genre interesting. I was once on a quest to find enjoyable ones, but it was mostly abandoned in May of 2022. RIP.
• I would like to find good yuri since I would enjoy it for more “normal” reasons than BL, but maybe that’s exactly why I’m having such a hard time.
• My first manga were Happy Happy Clover and Pokémon Adventures. I waited until I was 18 to start reading stuff that is actually meant for my age group because I’m quirky.
• I am most interested in shōjo and josei, but I haven’t read most of THE popular shōjo yet…because I don’t like romance enough to brave the high school romance ones. Oops.
• My favorite mangaka is Yuhki Kamatani. I love everything I’ve read by them.
• I like things that will make me think about them for a really long time after I’ve finished reading them. Chainsaw Man and Yuureitou, I’m looking at you.
• I usually enjoy comics as a medium. I bore quickly watching shows. I think this explains my anime and manga statistics.
• I think that too much romance in literature is either mishandled, poorly written, or unnecessary. A lot of it is rooted in fantasies that the authors don’t bother revealing the merit of. I barely ship anything, either. I am trying to find good romance in manga as a result, or just interesting depictions of it, as no type of romance has that inherent appeal for me. I WANT to be moved by romance, but the writing has to be ON POINT. I have succeeded in this quest to some extent—my top 25 contains a few–but I’m still not satisfied. I’m not sorry for being picky; leave me alone!
• The longest manga I have ever binged was Hana-Kimi, and I can’t figure out why because it was not that good.
• I am totally not in love with Katsura and Tsukuyo. Who told you that?
• I am most definitely not a rabid 銀土 shipper. Do not be fooled by their adjacency in my favorites!
Complete
Sailor Moon, Shimanami Tasogare, Nabari no Ou, Happy Happy Clover, Chainsaw Man Part 1, Antique Bakery, Vagabond, Barakamon, Slam Dunk, Gintama, Mermaid Scales & Town of Sand, everything available in English by Yama Wayama & Konami Kanata
Up to Date
Golden Kamuy, Pokémon Adventures, Usotoki Rhetoric, Shōnen Note, Blue Period, Witch Hat Atelier, Kieta Hatsukoi, Bokura no Chikyuu no Arukikata, Sasaki to Miyano, Hirano to Kagiura, Double
Incomplete
Gekkan Shōjo Nozaki-kun, Kanata Kara, Natsume Yuujinchou, Kekkaishi, Nana
haha, I put any recent manga that I really liked into my favorites! :) although some of them are ones that I read last year because I haven't been good at keeping it updated lol
Hey there!
Thank you for being my secret (not secret anymore) Santa for the Manga recommendations!
I already finished "Yuki no Yousei", and it nearly got into my favorites. It was just so damn cute. As for "Kieta Hatsukoi", I nearly finished reading. I had to lough even when being sad. I think it's great. Didn't start the others yet, but I will read them for sure!
Your recommendations really made my day when I got them. They couldn't match my taste more perfectly!
Thank you very much and a happy new year!
ohhh i see! it's surprisingly easy to binge (but i was also in the mood for something lighthearted), i'll probably finish it today. i'll read the manga soon too because i want to compare the two. i'll let you know my findings then haha
Yesh! Haven't read to chapter 12 yet though so I haven't looked beyond that point this far.
He has a way with words and composure that just mesmerizes me so it's got the style and charm to make me love it.
Okay that's a pity. I think the scans should be a decent alternative indeed.
Thanks a lot :)
You're almost at the Abashiri Prison arc (10 chapters left), and it's got very good twists! Even rereading that part I felt so emotional I was at a loss for words just sitting and staring like an idiot hahaha!
All Comments (16) Comments
also, happy belated birthday!! ^^
Thank you for being my secret (not secret anymore) Santa for the Manga recommendations!
I already finished "Yuki no Yousei", and it nearly got into my favorites. It was just so damn cute. As for "Kieta Hatsukoi", I nearly finished reading. I had to lough even when being sad. I think it's great. Didn't start the others yet, but I will read them for sure!
Your recommendations really made my day when I got them. They couldn't match my taste more perfectly!
Thank you very much and a happy new year!
was the anime adaption not as good? i see you've put it on hold
He has a way with words and composure that just mesmerizes me so it's got the style and charm to make me love it.
Okay that's a pity. I think the scans should be a decent alternative indeed.
Thanks a lot :)
Enjoy your day ~