Rich storytelling and stunning visuals are the cornerstone of manga — Japanese comics and graphic novels on which the genre of anime is based. If you are an anime fan but haven’t yet been initiated into the fascinating world of manga, here’s our list of six for you to pick from.
Monster
What is the nature of good and evil? What makes human beings equal to one another? Do we always realise the consequences of our actions? These are some of the questions that Naoki Urasawa leaves readers with in his 1994 manga Monster.
Serialised in 18 volumes, Monster is the story of Dr Kenzo Tenma, a respected brain surgeon who chooses to save the life of Johan Liebert, a young boy, instead of the mayor, as ordered by his seniors. Years later, Tenma comes across a series of mysterious deaths and disappearances linked to Johan, and stumbles upon the fact that the boy he had once saved has grown into a manipulative sociopath. This plunges Tenma into a moral dilemma, making him question the choice he made years ago.
20th Century Boys
Also by Urasawa, the manga 20th Century Boys revolves around Kenji Endo and his friends as they run into a dangerous cult reminiscent of their childhood club from 1970. The cult is involved in mysterious disappearances as well as the release of a lethal virus, and under the leadership of a figure named Friend, it aims to take over the world.
It’s a thriller with elements of sci-fi, supernatural and slice-of-life that critiques cult mentality while highlighting the resilience of friendship and the potential of ordinary individuals to overcome extraordinary challenges.
Vinland Saga
Loosely based on the life of the Icelandic explorer Thorfinn Karlsefni, Makoto Yukimura’s manga Vinland Saga follows the life of Thorfinn, a young Viking who wants to avenge his father’s murder. After witnessing his father’s death at the hands of the cunning mercenary Askeladd, Thorfinn joins Askeladd’s group with the plan to kill him some day. But thoughts of revenge soften into a dilemma as Askeladd becomes a father figure for him.
Vinland Saga traces Thorfinn’s transformation from villain to anti-hero and, finally, a hero seeking redemption. What makes this manga special is Yukimura’s ability to capture hope amidst despair through Thorfinn’s pursuit of peace inspired by his late father’s life.
Attack on Titan
When the anime adaptation of Hajime Isayama’s manga Attack on Titan released in 2013, it changed the anime scene forever. Besides popularising brutal and gory scenes in anime, it made anime a part of popular culture, building an engaging fandom and sparking conversations.
This 34-volume manga is centred on the last bastion of humanity in the city of Paradis, which is protected by three concentric walls from gigantic humanoid creatures called Titans. The population within the walls is kept in the dark about the world beyond. During a wall breach, the protagonist Eren Yeager’s mother is devoured by a Titan, which leaves him devastated. After joining the military, Eren and his friends Mikasa and Armin gradually discover shocking truths about the Titans’ origins, the real nature of their world and the political conspiracies within their society.
Nana
Known for her influence on contemporary Japanese fashion trends, Ai Yazawa’s manga follows two young women, both named Nana, who meet on a train to Tokyo and become roommates. While Nana Komatsu, also called Hachi, is a naive, lively girl seeking love and a fresh start, Nana Osaki is an ambitious cold punk rock band singer looking for stardom. With the complexities of adulthood in sharp focus, Nana depicts how the friendship between the two girls deepens as they navigate careers, romantic relationships and personal struggles together. Yazawa couldn’t finish the manga because of health issues, and so the open-ended story leaves room for interpretation.
Uzumaki
While Japanese horror movies are a fan favourite around the world, Junji Ito’s horror stories are slightly different. Instead of relying on jump scares and typical horror scenes, Ito’s manga creations have more of a psychological bent.
Set in the cursed town of Kurouzu-cho where supernatural spirals wreak havoc on its residents, Uzumaki follows high school students Kirie Goshima and Shuichi Saito who encounter bizarre phenomena around them. From people transforming into grotesque snail-like creatures to spiral patterns appearing on human bodies, the town’s inhabitants descend into madness as the curse takes hold.
