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Manga Therapy’s “Manga I’m Thankful For” Notes

Cover to ZETMAN Volume 18, by Masakazu Katsura

Yes, this is the only title. Look how pretty Masakazu Katsura’s art is!

On all seriousness, Matt Blind of Rocket Bomber recently asked manga bloggers to give thanks to the manga industry for all their hard work. He also asked folks to highlight what manga titles we’re thankful for on Thanksgiving 2012. I decided to join in on this feast since hey, creators and publishers really do look out for their fans. With a bit of Jimmy Fallon quirkiness, here are some notable manga series (both licensed and a few unlicensed titles) that make me go, “Arigato, Soushite, ARIGATO!”

Thank you, Gintama, for providing an anime adaptation which actually turned out to be even better than the original source material.

Thank you, Initial D, for introducing me to yaoi fandom.

Thank you, Dragon Ball Z, for showing us the best way to be successful is to yell and turn your hair blond.

Thank you, Berserk, for re-defining the meaning of an eclipse.

Thank you, ZETMAN, for showing me that there are Japanese folks who do like American comic book characters besides Spider-Man.

Thank you, Kimi ni Todoke, for continuing the story after the main couple gets together.

Thank you, GANTZ, for that nude alien boss in the Osaka storyline.

Thank you, Sailor Moon, for giving me my first female anime/manga character crush.

Thank you, One Piece, for influencing a local NYC indie rock band vocalist to proclaim me as Tony Tony Chopper.

Thank you, Rurouni Kenshin, for introducing me to the wonderful world of soba noodles.

Thank you, BLEACH, for giving me “chuunibyou” in my early-to-mid 20s’.

Thank you, Naruto, for bringing me Rock Lee’s Springtime of Youth.

Thank you, Rock Lee’s Springtime of Youth, for giving Tenten more screen time than she would ever get in the main series.

Thank you, Fairy Tail, for being a title that says “Hey, we look just like One Piece, but with magic and even hotter babes!”

Thank you, Death Note, for causing lulz in real-life.

Thank you, Great Teacher Onizuka, for introducing a character that we sorely need in our education system.

Thank you, Beelzebub, for reminding North America that they’ll never get a license for it.

Thank you, Gokusen, for being my first foray into josei.

Thank you, Billy Bat, for highlighting a world where grown, non-geeky men fight over a comic strip character.

Thank you, 20th Century Boys, for reminding me that grudges can last a long time.

Thank you, Vagabond, for showing me a character’s who pretty much Daredevil if he weren’t blind and was deaf instead.

Thank you, Fruits Basket, for showing what a dysfunctional family gathering would be like if it were run by a control freak.

Thank you, Chi’s Sweet Home, for making me want a cat.

Thank you, Attack on Titan, for coming out of nowhere since being on Shonen Jump is just too mainstream.

Thank you, Natsume’s Book of Friends, for having a Japanese version of Garfield.

Thank you, Blue Exorcist, for not being D.Gray-man.

Thank you, Fullmetal Alchemist, for having one of the greatest cast of villains in manga.

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There’s more titles I would have liked to thank, but this will do for now. Now, I turn to you: what manga are you guys thankful and why?

Let’s all give thanks to the gods that brought us our favorite creators!

Be sure to check out the Thankful Manga Feast archive for more awesome entries on what manga titles got fans saying “thanks”!