Manga – Reading Suggestions

Who doesn’t love to read comics and especially the Japanese equivalent which is manga? But with thousands of genres and titles, it is quite confusing to know which genres will appeal to us and which titles to start reading, especially if we are just beginning to discover this fascinating medium.

One thing you should know, manga are not “children’s comics”, and there are genres that will cover every age group, gender, and social group.

So which manga should you read?

Well, let’s start with the genres and some title suggestions:

Redikomi or Josei, from the Japanese “Lady Comic”. Sometimes referred to as Josei (female). This genre is aimed at teenagers to adults, going beyond the idealized romance of Shojo, with a more realistic view of modern Japanese women’s relationships. I recommend: “Midnight Secretary”, “Gokusen” and “Honey and Clover”.

Seinen (Young) is Redikomi/Josei’s male counterpart. The genres are relatively the same as Shonen, except they are darker and more gloomy. My recommendations: “Bastard!!”, “Berserk” and “Basilisk”.

Shojo or Shoujo (literally “girl”) is a manga aimed at young women up to the age of 18. It focuses on romance and relationships from the point of view of a teenage girl. Recommendations: “Ceres Celestial Legend”, “Fushigi Yuugi” and “Love Celeb”.

Shonen or Shounen (Literally translates to “boy”), the male counterpart of shojo, focusing on the adventure, action, and martial arts genres. Manga recommendations: “Bleach”, “Naruto” and “Full Metal Alchemist”.

Yuri or Shojo-ai is based on strong female/female romantic relationships, themes depicted graphically. Shojo-ai literally translates to “Girl-love”. Yuri literally translates to “Lily”. In Japan, the term GL (Girl Love) is also used. Recommended reading: “Strawberry Panic”, “Free Soul” and “Love My Life”.

Shonen-ai / Yaoi, the male equivalent of Shojo-ai/. Shonen-ai translates as “Boy-love” BL (Boy Love). Less graphic than Yuri. Recommended reading: “Count Cain – GodChild”, “Boys Next Door” and “Just Around the Corner”.

Hentai: This manga is a sexually hardcore manga. Hentai is Japanese for “kinky” or “perversion” (adult content). Recommendations: “Step Up Love Story”, “Maid in Heaven” and “Sexy Magical Girl”.

The next step is to go find these titles. But with busy schedules and limited resources, especially when we just want to test the waters, going to the actual manga store can be a challenge. That is why reading manga online can be a good alternative.