RecommendationsMangaLight Novels

Manga Recs (not only) for the Beginner's Challenge; Visual, Light & Regular Novels suggestions are also welcome

ucho · 7y

106

Hi,
since I really am a total greenhorn in the manga realm (have read precisely 3 of them so far, plus 1 light novel), I'd like to ask you guys for some recs where to start. Gonna use this as the source for the Challenge, too.^^
As for specific demands, I'm open to pretty much anything, except for hentai and extreme gore. If there are some "inappropriate" scenes scattered here and there, that's fine, just don't let it be the manga's main topic.
Further requirements:

doesn't have anime adaptation (including TV shows, movies, OVAs, ONAs, shorts and everything else I've forgotten about),
is finished,
and, most importantly, you personally enjoyed it and aren't suggesting it just because it's sth the majority reads (i. e. "everyone should read it even though I think it's shit"); if I wanted simply the most popular stuff, I might just as well browse through the charts :-)

If you'd base your suggestion(s) on my taste in anime (topic-, genrewise), it'd be awesome, but it's definitely not a must. :-)

Thank you all in advance!

Frandere 7y
Fukushuu Kyoushitsu is a fun, short read. Its a little violent but i enjoyed the hour or two it took me to read.
- ucho 7y
  Thank you, I'll check it out. :-)
Rhen182 7y
Any particular reason you don't want stuff with adaptations? Sometimes adaptations are done poorly or may just have vastly superior source material.

It's a bit of a time investment, but I'd really recommend checking out the Higurashi visual novels over the anime and going in as blind as possible. I'm working my way through them right now and they're a real roller coaster.
- ucho 7y
  @Rhen182, at this point, I'm simply more intrigued by the anime medium, that's all. If a story comes in both anime and manga forms, I'm sure to pick up the anime first, and probe the manga only if the anime's so good I can't get enough of the story, or if the anime's bad, but the premise feels appealing enough to make me curious whether the source's dealt with better. Either way, I approach the manga through its adaptation - i. e. I read what I've already (at least partially) watched, so there're no recommendations needed in this area. But since you've already given one, I might try to check it out.^^ Thank you!
  Rhen182 7y
  Makes sense! I'm generally in a similar boat. Regarding Higurashi, I'd heard so much praise for the series and being a mystery I decided to see what medium it was best first experienced in. General consensus was that the show was pretty good, but the VN has a lot more time to work with building the atmosphere and characters. Considering the first chapter of the VN takes about 8 hours to read, covering what the anime does in 3 episodes, I can definitely understand that. I'm sure the anime is still great if you don't want to put the time in, but if you are looking for visual novels, Higurashi is a great place to start. Just make sure to do the graphics and voice mod if you end up checking it out.
Removed 7y
Holyland Eden Its an Endless World Strobe Edge Homunculus The Gods Lie A Drifting Life Franken Fran Cage of Eden Tetsugaku Letra Shamo 20th Century Boys
- ucho 7y
  So many. Thank you very much!
MasterCrash 7y
Having in mind that you liked Monster, these two are a must, since they are by the same author:
20th Century Boys
Billy Bat

And since you liked Usagi Drop, this is similar:
My Girl

Other than that:
Solanin
Change 123
Onani Master Kurosawa
Omoide Emanon
Freesia
Spirit Circle
- ucho 7y
  @MasterCrash
  Huh, after I'll have finished Monster, I'll need at least one recovery month full of stories about sunshine and rainbows, not to mention all the antidote anime I'm watching right now just to bear with the darkness. It's some twisted stuff. But thank you, I'm gonna give it a go in a year or so. ^^ (edit, as it seems, pretty much everyone's suggested me dark stuff; hopefully it will go well with all the cheerful anime I was planning to watch anyways xD)
  
  Thank you for all the other suggestions as well, look forward to them. :-)
  MasterCrash 7y
  I'd say that Monster is darker than his other works, but all of those three are heavy thrillers to leave you at the edge of your seat, so I can understand breaks between them. I personally didn't read them all in a row either.
  Yeah, there's a lot of dark in mine and other people's recs from the ones I recognize.
  Out of mine, Spirit Circle, Omoide Emanon and Change 123 are the non dark ones.
  If you want cheerlful fluff, I could rec you Yotsuba& and Komi-San is Bad at Communication, but both of those are ongoing.
BibleReadingBuddha 7y
Runway de Waratte
I really love this one. It's about fashion which was a genre I would have never thought of reading before but due to some lucky coincidence I did. I actually did a full rev on this one so if you're interested you can go and read it.
actage
This one is from another topic I wouldn't be interested in normally: acting. It's characters are charming and they really feel human. Some are born geniuses which helps create a parallel with those who must try their absolute best. It focuses on character growth so it's pretty good.

Hellper

Hellper
For some reason anilist doesn't show the pretty box for this one but I must say I absolutely love this one. However, it is much more experimental when compared to the previous two. It conveys the whole essence of what a cliche comic book or manga should look like. It's black and white with some really dope color shadings. Its style is not the prettiest out there. It is a manhwa so it uses really classic S. Korean names which might feel foreign to some. It deals with hefty topics like the afterlife and regret. And yet, it is my favorite manga/manhwa. So yeah, if you're feeling daring maybe give this a try. I understand it might not be for everyone but personally, it has a special place in my heart.