Good manga.

[TehCookie]

FullMetal Alchemist, best manga ever in my opinion.

Also for ninjas read Nabari no Ou it is so much better than Naruto.

 

[Abedeus]

Two words: One. Peice.

Deathnote's good to. But does it have pirates? With super powers?

I couldn't bear reading One Piece. The style kills my eyes.

GTO. Great Teacher Onizuka. This manga has EVERYTHING: Action, comedy, suspense, drama/romance, and flat out lunacy! And best of all, none of it ever seems contrieved, over-the-top or out of place - this wild mix of elements is not only blended together perfectly, but in such a way that it actually feels like something that could happen in real life!

The hero is Eikichi Onizuka, a lazy, unambitious punk who suddenly decides to become the greatest teacher ever. He is eventually able to get a job at a private academy, where he is assigned a class so rebellious that teaching them is considered a suicide mission. (They actually make several attempts at his life!) However, as Onizuka remains more of a street punk than a teacher, he is able to relate to the kids' problems and goes to great lenghts to help solve them.

The manga deals with everyday situations as well as more alarming problems, and much of the fun comes from Onizuka's nearly superhuman ability to come up with the most insane solution to any problem that may appear.

(A somewhat tame example, so I won't give away any of the REALLY good stuff: One girl is upset because her parents are getting a divorce. Onizuka attempts to remedy this by showing up unannounced at their house one evening, shirtless and carrying a sledgehammer, and whacking a large hole in the wall separating the parents' bedrooms, forcing them to share each other's privacy.)

Bottom line: Onizuka is a truly great character, and GTO is one of the best comics out there. I highly recommend you try it!

I second this motion. WITH A VE... Okay, also Full Metal Alchemist is great. Death Note is also good.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Good action and story for a first time reader?

Full Metal Alchemist. Definitely.

i'm going against the grain and not recommend one piece, as they are not pirates. pirates don't help people, or dress up in theme related costumes.

Well of course not. They hijack ships, shoot everyone on board, steal stuff, and head back to either Somalia or some island in the middle of the Pacific. But why would that matter? You want realistic pirates, you grit your teeth and watch The Life Aquatic.

Try Mahou Sensei Negima. It starts out rather perverted (it's by the guy who made Love Hina) but it becomes a very good shonen series. Ask NeutralDow for details.

*cough* [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.115803]

Anyway, a lot of good ones have already been recommended, so I'll hang back this time.

Aww...give me some credit as a fellow fan, at least. Though I'm not sure I recommend it for a first-timer looking for an action series (without the caveat of starting on volume 3).

 

[Flying-Emu]

BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad, MAR, Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Panic...

 

[NimbleJack3]

Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, Ruroni Kenshin, Fullmoon O Shagashite (I think that's the spelling), Vampire Knight, Chrono Crusade, Absolute Boyfriend, Elemental Gelade, Love Hina, Negima!, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Mammoth Book Of Best New Manga vol. 1&2.

A mix there, try them all and see which ones you like.

 

[scotth266]

Aww...give me some credit as a fellow fan, at least.

I do. I just never miss a chance to show off my reviews. What can I say, I'm an egotist :3

 

[Satin6T]

Ruroni Kenchin, Dragon Ball, One Piece
and I love Love Hina

 

[SomeUnregPunk]

go to www.onemanga.com
and click on a random complete one. Keep clicking till you find something you like.
If you like DBZ type action then anything by Mashima Hiro.
or Ares by Ryu Kum Chel

on that site, you can browse by category and everything is free to read, and it has all been fan translated.

 

[NeutralDrow]

Aww...give me some credit as a fellow fan, at least.

I do. I just never miss a chance to show off my reviews. What can I say, I'm an egotist :3

*sigh* Considering how many times I've done the same, I can't really criticize... ^^;

 

[PurpleLeafRave]

Try Mahou Sensei Negima. It starts out rather perverted (it's by the guy who made Love Hina) but it becomes a very good shonen series. Ask NeutralDow for details.

*cough* [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.115803]

Anyway, a lot of good ones have already been recommended, so I'll hang back this time.

Haha, cough indeed. Thanks.

 

[siffty]

school days (cozz that dident give me nightmares)

 

[FallenJellyDoughnut]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! good manga... thats a good one.

 

[falcon1985]

Initial D. It's need for speed anime style

 

[Galletea]

Well from the ultra violence corner we have Battle Royale and Berserk. The former is super gory, but with brilliant character development, and Berserk is just fucking awesome.

 

[lwm3398]

Hellsing.

My mind exploded with awesome from reading 7, 8, and 9 in one night. The anime is good too, but it goes away from the manga's story.

 

[Russian_Assassin]

One Piece or Bleach.

 

[Aldan9]

Dude, read Vagabond. You'll be amazed. It has sword-wielding badassery at its best and the drawing style, in general is just...awesome:|.
Either that or Until Death Do Us Part manga. Modern day crime-fighting with a main character stubbornly using a katana against guns and whatnot.
Or Biomega if you like mad sci-fi stuff.

 

[Takoto]

I have never been into anime or manga, and want to see what It's all about. I want to know what you would recommend for a first time manga reader who wants lots of action, but also a good story?
I've been told Death Note is quite good, but do you have any other suggestions? Thanks.

If you like horror (and you can stand blood, nudity and adult content) I'd say M.P.D. Psycho, if not that then the ring.

If you into more light-hearted comedies, then Azumanga Daioh is a good place to start.

If you're into romance, try something like Vampire Knight... or Fruit Basket (even though I don't like FB much, it's still okay).

Just don't read Naruto. It's not horrendous, but it's pretty bad, and most of (not all) the fans are mindless idiots.

 

[ADDLibrarian]

Death Note
Petshop of Horrors
Hellsing

 

[HaddsSparx]

elfen lied is awesome thumbs up