Author: Darren Shan

Mangaka: 新井隆広 (Arai Takahiro)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Shounen, Supernatural

Summary: “Darren Shan was an average kid until destiny brought him to the Cirque du Freak. There, he spotted an amazing performing spider, which he eventually stole. The spider ended up poisoning his best friend, and, in order to save him, Darren became a half vampire and agreed to become a vampire’s assistant. Now, Darren’s been immersed into a shadowy world inhabited by vampires, werewolves, and strange creatures that he never even thought existed! His life will be forever changed!” - Baka-Updates

Comment: This is a really great manga. Definately worth reading. I’d say to read the book series it was based off of as well, but I’d honestly never have bothered if it weren’t adapted, lol. But it was a really fun & heart-wrenching story. The art isn’t the best but it’s good for shounen & really fitting. (Also, despite what Baka-Updates may say, you can download further volumes from The Evil Empire. Or buy them. Whichever, lol.) Hope you enjoy reading it.

Mangaka: みつきかこ (Mitsuki Kako)

Genre: Drama, Historical, Romance, Shoujo, Tragedy

Summary: “Asakura Nariko is the daughter of a wealthy family in the Showa era. As the successor of the family, she is very strictly educated to become a proper lady, and her teacher is Sawa Keiichirou, the son of her family’s butler. To Nariko, Keiichirou is like a brother, or maybe even more than that, but it is her duty to marry the leader of another prominent family someday…” - Baka-Updates

Comment: A sad and beautiful oneshot by Mitsuki Kako-sensei. It has incredible art and an unforgettable story. If you like history, melancholy, & shoujo manga; this is a great read. I hope you enjoy it.

Mangaka: 円陣闇丸 (Enjin Yamimaru)

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Supernatural, Yaoi

Summary: “Moriya, a former boxer, and Watase, who left the yakuza after watching Moriya’s match. Two strangers, who, after a traffic accident, find themselves at zero point, a place between life and death. There, they’re offered a way to rejoin the living by a mysterious woman. 

“Together, let’s come back alive from zero point”” - Baka-Updates

Comment: A crazy, interesting, and sexy story about two men who meet at death & are turned into a vampire & werewolf by a crazy alien woman & told to gather “life” so they can turn back time in order to prevent their demise. Along the way, they get to know each other, see their past, & fall in love. It’s over-all a good & enjoyable story. The great art only makes it better.

Mangaka: 小田ひで次 (Oda Hideji)

Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Shoujo

Summary: “A young girl abandoned by her parents explores the wooded hillside behind her grandmother’s home, encountering the various spirits of the forest in a journey of the heart.” - Baka-Updates

Comment: Today’s manga is a one love & I’ve recently discovered also has an anime. (Must watch.) This is another that, although classified as shoujo, would seem more appropriately classified as seinen to me. Aside from that; the art is great in a sketchy, almost charcoaly way, and the story is another amazing one. If you are a fan of Miyazaki I am sure you will enjoy this one. Have fun reading.

Mangaka: 蛇龍どくろ (Jaryuu Dokuro)

Genre: Drama, Mature, Psychological, Slice of Life, Tragedy, Yaoi

Summary: “Ikki, an optimist who isn’t afraid of anything, begins working at a small restaurant when he finds himself charmed by the owner. It’s there that he runs into Ryuu, and from Ryuu, he hears Toshimitsu’s name, one that’s oddly familiar.

Neither Ikki nor Ryuu can seem to get away from Toshimitsu, and now their mysterious shared past will lead to an unknown future.” - Baka-Updates

Comment: This is an amazing, tragic, twisted, dreamy/foggy (not in the good sense), beautiful story. Drugs, love, fighting, & incest. It’s so twisted yet realistic. Jaryuu Dokuro’s beautiful art makes the story even better. If you ask me; It’s award worthy.

Mangaka: 森恒二 (Mori Kouji)

Genre: Drama, Mature, Psychological, Seinen

Summary: “Treating non-successful suicidal patients requires a lot of money and resources. With low budget and a personal respect argumentation, a doctor will ask a non-successful suicidal patient if he/she still wants to live on or not. If not the government will respect his/her wish. However, the government doesn’t just simply kill them.” - Baka-Updates

Comment: A great survival manga about suicidal youths who, after trying to kill themselves & failing, get sent to a secluded island; Suicide Island, off of the Japanese coast, where they are told to either die or live however they want on the island. The only thing is; they are not welcome back. So what will happen on an island that is seemingly uninhabited (no longer inhabited) island with a group of people who want nothing but to die? Will they find the will to live, will they end it, or will they become something other than themselves? It’s a very interesting & thought-provoking story with unique & good art. I hope you enjoy reading.

Mangaka: 渡瀬悠宇 (Watase Yuu)

Genre: Drama, Historical, Josei, Mature, Mystery, Psychological, Tragedy, Yaoi

Summary: “Sakura Gari is a Taishou Era romantic story, ten years in the making. It centers around the 16 year old Tagami Masataka as he is aiming to find his place in life. While attempting to start prep school as a rounin he encounters Saiki Souma, the son of a distinguished noble of the Saiki Koushyaku family and becomes part of the Saiki household.

It seems as though this will be the story of Tagami’s life, taking us through both him growing up physically and emotionally.” - Baka-Updates

Comment: This is actually, probably, in my top five for BL mangas. It’s always interesting to see a, normally, shoujo mangaka make an attempt at BL. Usually it’s a complete failure. Thankfully in this case; It is a master piece. Watase Yuu’s art is amazing in this story. It fits beautifully with the time period the story is set in (Taisho) & remains clean, solid, & without error even throughout a story filled with insanity, lust, sins, taboos, & (as a first for her) even through the rape/sex scenes. Her art and story both individually so beautiful, come together in this three volume story so seamlessly that I can’t help but call it a masterpiece. To me, it’s something one must read at least once (although I can’t count the number of times I’ve reread it, lol.) So, I hope if ever you decide to read it, you will enjoy it as I have.

Mangaka: 五十嵐大介 (Igarashi Daisuke)

Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Seinen, Supernatural

Summary: “A wildly imaginitive trek into the deepest realms of human beliefs and the mysteries of the universe. Daisuke Igarashi’s amazing pen can recreate anything he can imagine on paper, resulting in beautifully chaotic, maddeningly detailed scrawls of pure wonder. A true celebration of the human imagination.

When deep emotions come to the head, the witch that dwells in the heart awakens - the gorgeous and literary illusory tales begin.

Majo won the Excellence Prize in the Manga Division at Japan Media Arts Festival in 2004.” - Baka-Updates

Comment: An amazing story with incredible art. Personally, I think all of Igarashi-sensei’s works are amazing, though. The color pages he does are very amazing and make the stories even more enjoyable. This particular story is pretty sad, torture-some, & beautiful, though. Award winningly so. That being said; If you want to read something short & epic; this is a good choice. 

Manhwaga: 이선영 (Lee Sun-Young)

Genre: Mature, Supernatural, Yaoi

Summary: “Year XXXX, The Age of Chaos, a dictator meets a vampire who has awaken from 300 years of slumber and is hungry for some tasty blood.” - Baka-Updates

Comment: Because I love Kine in Aqua’s art, even after Hollywood butchered them; I still think vampires are sexy, I have a thing for “old” military uniforms, & BL manhwa needs more appreciation. It really is a bloody, sexy, great story. So. I hope you like it.