Advance Manga Guide for Winter Hermits
Nicole Sun (G11)
Nicole Sun’s main form of entertainment is reading manga and has always been so. Over the past decade, she has consumed more than what can ever possibly be considered healthy; far more than the people she can find to chat about in school. She felt a great urge to recommend her recent favorites to the world, resulting in the creation of this article.
So, winter break is coming soon and between the FOOD and the CELEBRATIONS and the “Finally Getting Eight Hours of Sleep”, you should spend some time doing something useful: reading manga. Manga are Japanese graphic novels and are the origin source of anime like Gintama or Demon Slayer, which can be thought of as the classier, zestier versions of their anime clones ( THERE. I SAID IT. I STAND FOR MANGA SUPREMACY). There are as many reasons for reading manga as there are chapters of One Piece (over 1000) - its entertaining, insightful, and it secures you a place in the B.B.M.H (Big Band of Manga Hermits)
Convinced? Great! Whether you’re an experienced reader or entirely new here, don’t worry! This recommendation is for you, because below are some manga that you really won’t regret reading.
A Brief Intermission for the Skeptics
Recommender’s Credentials
If you’re reading this, then you’re likely wondering why you should listen to me - and since I'm a “Responsible Writer”, I've been nice enough to provide a not-so-nice self-introduction :) .
Manga Reading Experience: 10 years
I’ve read manga longer than some of your siblings have existed on this planet. I’ve seen a lot of things.
An Art Student
I’m an art student; in DP art, been drawing for my entire existence, did fanart, know how many heads an average person’s legs are - the whole shebang. This means that I am extra judgemental about how a manga looks. Though its not very important for some people, I think that good art should be considered part of a “Good Manga Experience.” So for my fellow illustration aficionados, I’ve got you covered.
A Lover of Many Genres
I like shonen, I like seinen, I like shoujo, so I don’t (intentionally) discriminate based on genre.
Any more doubts? You can duke it out with me in the stairwell.
QUICK DISCLAIMER :
This recommendation will not be featuring any of the very mainstream or classic manga- Hunter x Hunter, Gintama, Demon Slayer, Naruto, Haikyuu!, Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Sailor Moon, etc.-, not because I don’t enjoy them, but because there are already thousands of places recommending them; I do not serve any purpose by putting them in this article. Instead, I will be sharing great mangas that I don’t see come up much in conversation so that they get the attention they deserve, and you get be a “Cultured Reader.” Now, onto the actual mangas…..
DOROHEDORO
Criteria A: 4 Criteria B: 5 Criteria D: 2 Criteria F: 5 Criteria V: 4
Status: Finished
The protagonist is a murdering, soul-searching, lizard man. There: in eight words, you have the basic premise of Q Hashida’s DORO HE DORO (ドロヘドロ), a fantasy-dystopian manga following Kaiman, the lizard- headed man who journeys to regain his memories and figure out the curse behind his head. The setting is a dingy, worn-down city called Hole, which connects to a magical world via doors only magic users can generate. Though human-appearing, magic users regularly use Hole’s inhabitants as lab rats to improve their magical abilities. The cast contains of a wide range of strange individuals, including a mad scientist who has managed to age backwards with his interesting practices (probably unethical) and a mastermind antagonist C.E.O who’s magical ability is mushrooms. Yes. Mushrooms.
Criteria A
Fittingly, DORO HE DORO’s art is grungy. Everything is a glorious mess
of doom, and the imperfections of Q’s renderings, slightly squiggly lines and walls that are never entirely rectangle, work well for the mood. Readers navigate wayward streets and tilted
buildings, coarsely held together by staples and wires. The character designs are too terribly memorable, as the clothing is a mix of cyberpunk, rust, and sooty magical dust. The way Q illustrates makes Doro he doro’s world simply spell-binding.
Criteria B
The plot is nicely bizarre, relatively light hearted, and very well-woven, making it very memorable. Thus, it’s great for the casual pick-up-and-read. The pacing is slow enough that it wouldn’t be confusing to pick up the book after a short period away from it, meaning that if you only have time for one or two chapters a week, the experience should still be rewarding.
Criteria D
The characters are a fun bunch, and most of them are extremely close knit in their group of friends. However, questionable morality is their norm: Human-skin doors are sewn, tongues are used to summon demons, fingers and skulls mashed for a variety of reasons. It’s rather unrealistic to date someone here.
Criteria F
YES. A downside of this manga is how the mangaka (the manga equivalent of an author) WILL. NEVER. LET. THE. SHIPS. SAIL. This manga is not romantic by any means, but some of the bonds characters share are past “just friends” by a good mile.
BLUE PERIOD
Criteria A: 5 Criteria B: 4 Criteria D: 5 Criteria F: 4 Criteria V: 4
Status: Ongoing
For once, a portrayal of high school that actually embodies the devastation it brings to my social life (thank you ib :‘)). Yaguchi Yatora is a high schooler who has no aspirations for his future. He simply does not know what he wants to do with his life, until one day in art class, he realizes that he really enjoys art. He then tumbles into the heart-racing process of trying to get into his dream art school.
Partly based off of the mangaka’s lived experience (she graduated from the top art school in Japan) Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s Blue Period (ブルーピリオド) realistically accounts what the art school application process is like. My description really doesn’t do it justice, because the premise of this manga sounds mundane - but what you need to understand is that this exactly is its best feature. It’s relatable to an inspiring extent; it’s like following a real high schooler’s struggles and and celebrating their victories, except the protagonist doesn’t have to battle IB and all his classmates are really good looking. Which is to say, it’s not real life. But truly, this manga can be addicting.
Criteria A
It is difficult to present a slice-of-life manga as extraordinary, yet Tsubasa Yamaguchi’s art manages to elevate the protagonist’s experience, casting the rightful magic for moments of success and self-discovery. The art Yatora produces is professional- made by mangaka’s artist acquaintances. Many panels are rendered from interesting perspectives, making an intriguing reading experience.
Criteria B
This manga is dangerous. It is addictive for the art student, gripping for the others, and all around magnetic. The plot is memorable and reasonably light (save for the exam and college ap arc) so its great for a casual pick- up. However, in personal experience, one can never seem to put this manga back down after they begin; it simply devours time. Be warned!
Criteria D
The people in this manga are genuinely decent, empathetic, helpful, and kind, so there is definitey date-worthy people in this manga. Last but not least, there’s always the “golden elephant” in the room that most manga characters are rendered to be physically attractive...
Criteria F
The characters are not implied to have any romantic relationships with each other, so shipping is a bit unnatural, but the quality of the characters means that I would love to see good fanfiction about it any day.
WITCH HAT ATELIER
Criteria A: 5 Criteria B: 3 Criteria D: 1 Criteria F: 3 Criteria V: 4
Like a slightly more morbid Harry Potter where Harry Potter is a small girl and Hogwarts is being homeschooled by a cottage core wizard. Kamome Shirahama’s Witch Hat Atelier (とんがり帽子のアトリエ) is a manga that follows a young girl, Coco, in a world where magic and wizards are a part of everyday life, though the craft is thought to be unattainable by the average person. Yet after an encounter with a strange stall keeper, Coco learns the hard way that what she knows of magic is not the truth... The reader follows Coco’s journey into the exclusive world of magic that introduces a flurry of wonder, self-cooking stews, and fluffy magical creatures. However, a strained magical political climate and the threat of a faction of dark Wizards casts a shadow on all. As much as Witch Hat Atelier caters to the demand for a feel-good fantasy, it is much more than just that, as it provides a thoughtful rumination on the ethics of a magically integrated society.
Criteria A
Shirahama’s art style is interesting because it has many features of “classic” illustration: the lines clearly appear to be drawn with a fountain pen, and hatching brings to mind illustrations on victorian newspapers. On the other hand, the mangaka’s use of geometric shapes and pattern- like panel compositions create satisfying visuals, drawing the audience further into the fantasy of Witch Hat Atelier’s world.
Criteria B
The plot is not extremely punchy, so it doesn’t do much in providing instant gratification. But if you want a slow, comfortable story to sink into on a slow afternoon, Witch Hat Atelier is the one.
Criteria F
Again, the main cast is full of children, so this is not the occasion for fan-fiction-typical romance. However, the setting and characters complexity are enough to generate decent spinoffs or OC’s (original characters) within Witch Hat Atelier’s world, so there is still a decent opportunity for fanfiction.
Criteria D
It’s about a child’s adventure. Don’t be a creep.
GOLDEN KAMUY
Criteria A: 4 Criteria B: 2 Criteria D: 1 Criteria F: 5 Criteria V: 4
A high-stakes treasure hunt in the middle of Hokkaido’s wilderness where the treasure map is a puzzle of tattooed human skin and the treasure is a lake full of stolen gold. Satoru Noda’s Golden Kamuy, (ゴールデンカムイ) is undefinable in the way that it could be categorized - slice of life, action, comedy, cooking, or seinen manga and all would fit perfectly. But what binds the whole story together is the central cast of strange, vivid, people, with ever-changing motives and alliances. This manga is truly one-of-a-kind and the reading experience is truly something special; Noda has poured his incredible capability to develop vein-like,intricateplotintothis manga, which considers pressing topics such as colonization, nationalism, cultural genocide, and revolution all while maintaining an smooth pace and a highly engaging tone.
Criteria A
Thewaypeoplearerenderedis definitive. Noda’s characters stray from the traditional sharp-chined sparkly-eyed anime style, but his thick lines and “grittier” style fits well withthepremiseofthemanga. The oftentimes strange character appearances charmingly suit their eccentric personalities.
Criteria B
Despite of the comedy, this manga is heave and complex both in plot and in themes. Readers may become confused and loose interest if they read in short bursts. This is a manga to binge.
Criteria D
Most of the characters are an entertaining but questionable crowd. Morally grey snipers and psychopathic ex police-warriors makes for great reading, but dating? Not for me at least.
Criteria F
The characters are complicated people with ever-changing motives, and their bizarre personalities provide great opportunity for the making of fanfiction. Also, the existing fanart for this manga is very well done (and by that I mean, IMMACULATE).
OUR DREAMS AT DUSK
Criteria A: 5 Criteria B: 4 Criteria D: 3 Criteria F: 5 Criteria V: 4
Growing into one’s true self can be a tremendous struggle, especially when one finds themselves part of a minority heavily prejudiced against in a society that prizes conformity. Yuhki Kamatani’s Our Dreams at Dusk (しまなみ誰そ) follows a boy’s journey to fully embrace his identity for which he faces bigotry and ridicule after being outed at school. Thankfully, he is able to find acceptance in a club house at the top of a mountain, run by a group of people who are able to provide him with guidance and a location to thrive. A warning- this manga portrays many heavy topics relating to society and personal orientation, and many arcs come to a less than ideal ending.
But the imperfections reflect reality, and Kamatani portrays an unfiltered truth of the small nuances, the microaggression, the baseless bias that for most in the LGBTQ+ community, is unavoidable. Through beautiful, creative compositions and with a plot lost between reality and fantasy, Kamatani spins a touching tale of self-discovery and acceptance.
Criteria A
Many of Kamatani’s compositions break the traditional “block-by- block” manga format, which along with her moving artwork, is able to communicate complex messages solely through image- something rare, even in the realm of graphic novels. Many of the creative choices are unconventional in a wonderful way, such as sparkles and stars which accent the characters’ emotions, or dream- like clouds and bubbles complementing a scene’s mood. Moreover, the art in this manga has depth: motifs such as goldfish are used to express themes, and metaphorical illustrations are used in many scenes to communicate nuanced plot.
Criteria B
How emotional the reading process of this manga differs based on the reader. It could be a casual read for some, but for others, it is one that requires a certain amount of time to be set aside. The plot is simple enough for casual readers to follow along with, but for those that really want to appreciate the manga for all that its art is, sitting with it for a long time is a better option.
Criteria D
Most of the characters are genuinely good people with a sense of humor, so yes, they get the seal of approval for date-ability. However, this manga especially focuses on the themes of self- understanding and growth, so it’s important to note and respect that many of the characters are not emotionally mature enough for a relationship (hence decreasing this score).
Criteria F
Kamatani does a spectacular job of weaving inter-character relationships, but like Q, they leave much to the readers imagination. After finishing this manga, one can’t help but wonder what existing relationships were like when they were first budding, or how certain relationship dynamics would be like if the characters were ever reach romance.
