Favorite Shonen Manga Vol.2!
Today on the blog, I’m delving into the wonderful world of Shonen Manga! If you’re interested in seeing my previous post on Shonen Manga click here!
For those who are unfamiliar with the term. “Shonen Manga” is aimed at a teenage male target-demographic readership. Shōnen manga stories are action-packed and may feature different themes, such as martial arts, robots, science fiction, sports, terror, and mythological creatures.
I’ve read so many over the years, but here are some picks of stories that I’ve read and continue to stick with me. Enjoy!
Synopsis: Shy Ken Kaneki is thrilled to go on a date with the beautiful Rize. But it turns out that she’s only interested in his body—eating it, that is. When a morally questionable rescue transforms him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid, Ken is drawn into the dark and violent world of Ghouls, which exists alongside our own.
Ishida’s take on ghouls in this manga is particularly interesting when it comes to the horror/paranormal genre. People fight for survival in a world where there is a constant battle between human beings and ghouls. When Kaneki becomes a “half-ghoul” he struggles to adapt to his new lifestyle. On top of that, he doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. Though this manga can be pretty graphic at times and some of the ghouls are definitely spine tingling it only adds to the environment of the story. It’s definitely an immersive reading experience.
Synopsis: One day, teenaged martial artist Ranma Saotome went on a training mission with his father and ended up taking a dive into some cursed springs at a legendary training ground in China. Now, every time he’s splashed with cold water, he changes into a girl. His father, Genma, changes into a panda! What’s a half-guy, half-girl to do?
Years ago, Genma promised his old friend Soun Tendo that Ranma would marry one of Soun’s three daughters and carry on the family’s martial arts school. Except that the girl picked to be Ranma’s bride doesn’t seem to like him, Ranma keeps getting into fights, and did we mention that whole changing into a girl thing?
Inuyasha will always be my top favorite Takahashi series, but one that comes in second place is Ranma 1/2. It’s a classic manga that is a staple for any manga reader. It’s got on-going gags, romance, action, and plenty of awkward moments to make you cringe. It’s goofy and not to be take too seriously which is why I enjoy it so much. It’s a comfort read after a long stressful day in which you can pick up a new volume and find out what shenannigans Ranma is getting into. Plus the artwork style has a nostalgic feel to it as the manga was released in the 90s.
Synopsis: England. France. Germany. What common thread binds these three nations together? Answer: each is famous for producing unique, distinctive, delicious bread. But what about Japan, home to rice and delicacies of the sea? Is there not a doughy, gastronomic delight they can claim as their own? The answer is no…until now! Kazuma Azuma, a 16-year-old-boy blessed with otherworldly baking powers, has taken it upon himself to create Ja-pan, the national bread of the land of the rising sun!
The stakes are high and the competition is fierce, but Kazuma won’t let anything prevent him from achieving his nation-changing, freshly baked goal. Relocating to Tokyo, Kazuma seeks to further his studies at Pantasia, a famous bakery chain. But will he rise to the challenge and pass the entrance examination, or will his best intentions fall flat?
I love stories about food so it’s no wonder that I was hooked into the narrative of Yakitate!! Japan. It’s a underdog tale about a boy who wants to rise to the top of the bread baking world and all of the important cooking and life lessons he gains on it’s journey. It’s a heart-warming series with it’s themes of self-discovery and overcoming obstacles. I loved seeing what new recipes the chefs would put togther and eagerly awaited the results of the competitons. Best of all the artwork has so many delicious pictures of food!
Synopsis: Two years ago, Train, a high-level assassin known as Number XIII in Chronos, left the secret society to live by his own rules. Since then, Train has been a sweeper, a bounty hunter, catching criminals and bringing them in alive. But his main mission is to find a former Chronos member who killed his best friend.
I think the main reason I was interested in Black Cat was because it gave me a mixutre of Chrono Crusade and Trigun vibes. It’s the suspenseful story of a bounty hunter on the run while searching for secrets and dealing with a painful past. This manga has a fast pace and there are twists and turns to keep the reader on edge. I was particularily impressed by the action sequences and how they are displayed in Yabuki’s artwork. Plus it’s got the underlying layers of suspense throughout the story which makes you want to solve the mysteries.
Synopsis: Karin is a cute little girl who also happens to be a vampire…with a twist. Once a month, she experiences intense bleeding from her nose—we’re talking gushers! In other words, she’s a vamp with blood to spare, so rather than stealing blood from humans she actually gives her blood to them. If done right, this can be an extremely positive experience that benefits the “victim” as much as the vampire. The problem is that Karin never seems to do things right!
I enjoyed this supernatural manga for the way it takes vampire tropes and turns them upside down. Especially since the main character donates blood instead of drinking it. Though it’s categorized as a shonen manga, it’s mainly a romance comedy at heart. It talks about growing up, navigating high school, and life’s obstacles through the lens of the undead. It has some dramatic arcs in the story, but for the most part it’s light-hearted and very funny.
That concludes my favorite Shōnen manga list! What are your favorites or recommendations?
My favorite shonen is probably Naruto *shrug* I’m basic. Maybe BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad. It’s about a group of boys who start a rock band.
I have heard of Beck but I haven’t watched the anime or read the manga. But I do know it’s a popular one. Naruto is one of my favorites too. I think I featured it in my first post about Shonen Manga.