Japanese comic books, or "manga" (mahn-gah), now dominate roughly three book sections in Borders and have their own section in Barnes & Noble. It's becoming difficult to walk past them without at least wondering what the appeal is. Unfortunately, there's such a variety of titles that it can be an overwhelming and daunting task to even choose one to look at. Are all of them like "Sailor Moon," "Dragon Ball Z" or "Pok?mon"? And what is manga, exactly?
Much like fiction, manga is a broad category composed of several sub-genres. There are comic books for every type: fantasy, drama, romance, sci-fi, action and more. Unlike fiction, however, manga storylines are written in a different style and accompanied by mostly beautiful artwork.
Below are three of manga's popular genres and some suggested reading. They are relatively mainstream and good series' to start off with.
Action
Also known as the "badass" genre, this category includes any manga containing characters who kick ass with style. One comic that embodies everything this genre represents is "Cowboy Bebop."
Spike Spiegel and his comrades Faye Valentine and Jet Black are bounty hunters living in the future. Together they roam the galaxy looking for people to hunt for profit. Nearly every character in this manga is very calm under fire. They're also sarcastic, compassionate and very human when caught off guard. Faye whines about the jobs she has to do just as much as Spike feels apathetic about his. They both seem to hate each other and Jet is impatient with both of them, but they always manage to work together for the sake of making money.
Hajime Yatate, the man behind the story, creates a very cool storyline that epitomizes this genre. The artwork by Yutaka Nanten is a style in itself.
Teen Romance
Yuu Watase is the queen of writing teen romance. All of her series involve a love triangle and a pretty girl's struggle to choose amongst an array of very good-looking men, ultimately finding true love at the end. Most of Watase's series take place in high school with either very dark overtones ("Ceres: Celestial Legend") or absolute light-heartedness ("Imadoki"). Regardless, the formula is always the same.
"Imadoki" epitomizes the genre of a teen romance book. It focuses on a girl named Tanpapo who has just transferred to a snobbish and cold high school. By the end of the story, Tanpapo manages to melt some of the icy hearts of the students there and helps them find meaning to their lives.
Watase's storylines are, for the most part, repetitive and fluffy but they're fun reading. Adding more appeal to the work is her delicate, cleanly drawn and beautiful artwork.
Comedy
Comedy is prevalent in most manga, even the dramatic and serious ones. There are several series, however, in which comedy is at the forefront. The Japanese love slapstick, but the stories also include clever wit and situational comedy.
A title that exemplifies comedy in all forms is "Oh My Goddess." It follows the story of a young man named Keiichi who is visited by a goddess sent to grant him "his heart's desire." He wishes that she stay with him, causing him to be kicked out of his all-male dorm and forced to find his own home for the rest of his college years.
Author Kosuke Fujishima presents a lighthearted storyline about the romance between Keiichi and his goddess. Fujishima draws stunning pictures of the women but fails to draw the men as anything but awkward. There's plenty of humor and warmth in this series that makes it a pleasant read.
