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The 2011 Great Manga Holiday Gift Guide!
It’s that time of year once again. The season of giving. Time to find out who’s been naughty or nice. Thankfully, there are a variety of manga series that appeal to folks who’ve been good all year or just a bit bad. In collaboration with the 2011 Great Manga Gift Guides, it’s time to present Manga Therapy’s 2011 Great Manga Holiday Gift Guide!
Here are a few manga titles that I feel make great gifts for readers.
Blue Exorcist (Volume 1-5+) by Kazue Kato, VIZ Media
Does it make sense that I have to start off with one of the hottest shonen titles in 2011? Blue Exorcist is a manga that continues the dominance of female mangaka writing shonen manga. The characterization is very well-done and the plot is original. Also, girls will fall in love with Rin and Yukio Okumura.
Fullmetal Alchemist Complete Box Set (Volumes 1-27) by Hiromu Arakawa, VIZ Media
Hiromu Arakawa’s grand masterpiece in one box set. Do I really need to say anymore? FMA is arguably one of the most epic manga series ever written. This series has everything you want in a shonen manga. From start to finish, you will enjoy the journey of the Elric brothers as they show off the power & perseverance of humanity.
Drifters Volume 1 by Kohta Hirano, Dark Horse Comics
Time travel? Check. Historical figures? Check. Lots of violent fighting to stop evil? Check. Drifters is an interesting title that highlights how cruel people can be. Plus, it’s from the same guy who did Hellsing. The main villain also looks like a Nazgul from Lord of the Rings.
The Drops of God Volume 1 by Tadashi Agi & Shu Okimoto, Vertical Inc.
This is for those who want to read a manga title that doesn’t focus on violence & sex. This international phenomenon has impacted reality in many ways and has received much press attention from popular media outlets. If you’re a wine enthusiast, you will LOVE this manga. For anyone else, it’s a nice change of pace from the usual manga you see everyday.
‘A Bride’s Story’ Volumes 1-2 by Kaoru Mori, Yen Press
A title that has won critical acclaim in both Japan & America. The story focuses on a young lady named Amira, who marries a younger boy named Karluk in the Middle East. The artwork is gorgeous and realistic. This is a cute and fascinating title that takes a look at the structure of family and marriage.
20th Century Boys (Volumes 1-15+) by Naoki Urasawa, VIZ Media
One of the most suspenseful manga I have ever read, period. The Eisner Award-nominated 20th Century Boys is a title full of mystery and intrigue. If you want a title that throws crazy plot twists and you love crazy cult figures, then this is your book.
Sailor Moon (Volumes 1-2+) by Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha Comics
This is the female role model that all the little girls should look up to. All I can say is that it’s a good title to show to young teenage female readers interested in manga. It’s also a great history lesson for them as well as they get a chance to read one of the most influential shojou manga out there.
Princess Knight Volume 1 by Osamu Tezuka, Vertical Inc.
A gem that would help set the tone for shoujo manga. You can’t help but admire Princess Sapphire and her determination to be a hero to others. This is another influential title that I feel young female manga readers HAVE to read.
The Book of Human Insects by Osamu Tezuka, Vertical Inc.
An intense, thought-provoking story where you see how certain people can be very manipulative towards others. The main protagonist isn’t someone you can actually root for. This title is recommended for those who love complex characters in their stories.
This is just a small sample of what I would recommend. What other manga titles do you think would make great gifts for readers? Post in the comments section below and let me know what you would give!
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Photos from “A Very Vintage Vertical Vednesday - Tasting the Drops of God”
This past Wednesday, I had the privilege of attending a wine-tasting event in New York City to celebrate the release & success of the hit wine manga “The Drops of God”, hosted by Vertical Inc. & Bottlerocket.
It was truly a fun experience as I got to see some familiar faces and also meet a few new faces. I can’t ever recall a time where I discussed comics and video games over a glass of wine.
Much thanks go out to the crew of Vertical Inc. and Bottlerocket for putting a event like this. Let’s hope that more events like this happen for young adults who want to learn more about wine.
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When In Doubt, Put Some Wine Out (The Drops of God)
“Wine does not live in a vacuum and it is sampled and savoured in the context of our life experiences.”
While shonen manga is the mainstream genre of manga, there’s one manga that has gone beyond mainstream & plays a direct effect on reality itself. The trio of Tadashi Agi (the pen name for the brother & sister duo, Yuko and Shin Kibayashi) & Shu Okimoto have created a title that can decide the fate of one of the oldest drinks known to man, wine. The Drops of God (“Kami no Shizuku” in Japan or “Les Gouttes de Dieu” in French) has been a mainstay in the wine world since its debut in Kodansha’s Weekly Morning back in 2002. The manga is a great example of how wine plays a huge effect on the people who are enthusiastic about it.
The story of this fascinating tale revolves around a young man named Shizuku Kanzaki, who is trying to gain the inheritance of his late father, Yutaka Kanzaki. In order to do so, Shizuku has to find & name thirteen different wines that are of great significance. The first 12 wines are known simply as the “Twelve Apostles”, while the 13th wine is the Holy Grail, the “Drops of God”. Standing in Shizuku’s way is Issei Tomine, a popular wine critic who just happens to be a second “son” to Yutaka. Shizuku is not a wine drinker, but goes forth in exploring the world of wine & using his great senses to become the “god” of the Kanzaki family. You can say that The Drops of God is a “wine battle manga”. Naruto vs. Sasuke has nothing on Shizuku vs. Issei.
Out of all the alcoholic drinks out there, wine seems to be the one drink that truly brings people together. Wine stimulates conversations and enriches your soul. It is also noted that wine can spark creativity. The manga even notes that the original purpose of wine is for it to be shared with others during meals. All of these benefits can lead to improved social status in reality. The health benefits cannot be ignored as well as wine can be considered a form of medicine.
Even though wine is such a powerful tool for networking, it seems that American young adult culture is still quite fascinated with other alcoholic drinks. The manga has grabbed hold of the Asian & European wine markets, which has led to a new wave of young wine enthusiasts. In America, a majority of young adults are caught up with beer, gin, whiskey, vodka, etc. Even if they do drink wine, it is mostly due to it being associated with a celebrity. Perhaps it’s the grown-up & sophisticated image that wine portrays. With regards to the character of Shizuku, he is young and sells beer for a living. Shizuku was at first very reluctant to try wine, but his father trained him during childhood relentlessly to be a wine enthusiast (much to Shizuku’s displeasure). Maybe it would help if there were some more great, yet casual, education about the intricacies of wine towards young people. Or better yet, show them the manga.
Possible poster boy for young wine enthusiasts everywhere?
There are a couple of things that I appreciate the series is trying to educate people on: the sense of taste & smell. Your senses can be taken for granted at times. They help to experience mindfulness and can make you feel very alive. Treasure the pleasant aroma that travels through your nasal passages and savor the amazing flavors in your mouth. You never know what good things could come when you pay attention to your senses.
“The Drops of God” has a great chance of being a big hit in North America and hopefully encourage more young adults to enjoy wine. So much passion & effort goes into making wine and winemakers’ efforts can be reflected in their products. It’s similar to a Japanese swordmaker making a blade that reflects its potential user’s soul.
Wine is truly one of the gems that has BOTH style & substance, wouldn’t you agree?
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Living The Cat Life & Getting Love in Chi’s Sweet Home
Forget LOLcats, it’s all about the Sweet Home of Chi!
It all started a couple of years ago when I was in Kinokuniya Bookstore browsing for manga one day. There was a TV on the 2nd floor that showed anime and then the show appeared. The TV showed an adorable kitten and its experiences living with its owners. I immediately thought “WHY IS THIS SO CUTE!?” Later, I found out more about Konami Kanata’s “Chi’s Sweet Home” and the series being shown on Crunchyroll. With Vertical Inc. picking up & publishing the title in North America, I finally decided to give the series a read. Chi’s Sweet Home is definitely an all-ages title, but there are some underlying mature themes behind it.
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Vertical Inc.’s Summer 2011 Catalog
Last week at Holiday Anime & Manga Day, I picked up this lovely free catalog for Summer 2011 from Vertical, Inc.
Vertical is one of the best manga publishers in the U.S. out there. A majority of people will agree with me & I think they pick some of the more unique releases out there. Not a lot of manga titles, but there are gems in that treasure lot.
I will be reading the following from their catalog:
- Velveteen & Mandala by Jiro Matsumoto
- The Book of Human Insects by Osamu Tezuka
- Twin Spica by Kou Yaginuma
- Chi’s Sweet Home by Konami Kanata
- Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka
- Peepo Choo by Felipe Smith
- 7 Billion Needles by Nobuaki Tadano
I am already reading Twin Spica & Chi’s Sweet Home and highly recommend both series to readers. Twin Spica is such a heartwarming tale about making your dreams come true while Chi’s Sweet Home has some huge adult themes underneath the cuteness. Peepo Choo is another interesting read, though there’s a lot of unnecessary violence & sex.
I probably will start reading Black Jack & 7 Billion Needles.
Another fun fact: I did not know Vertical published Nintendo Magic: Winning the Videogame Wars.
Happy manga reading, folks.
