Monday, February 2, 2015

Manga at the Library



Manga is a form of Japanese comic books that is not just for kids, but for adults as well. Over the years, it has become more and more popular to both youth and adults alike. Here are a few recommendations from our local library.
            Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi is a young adult manga about a young boy who loves different kinds of games: puzzles, board games, card games… you name it. For a few years, he had been working on an ancient Egyptian artifact called the Millennium Puzzle, until one fateful night when he finally solves the puzzle and awakens the spirit of a master gambler from the age of pharaohs. Awakened after three thousand years, this King of Games possesses tenth-grader Yugi and challenges evil-doers to Shadow Games, where the stakes are high and even the simplest of bets results in danger and weirdness beyond belief. This series contains stories not seen in the anime and is great for those who love games.
            Cased Closed by Gosho Aoyama is a fun and great mystery about a high school student named Jimmy Kudo whos keen observation and sharp intuition allow him to solve mysteries that have left law enforcement baffled and confused. While hot on a trail of a suspect, Jimmy finds himself knocked out from behind and fed a strange chemical. When he awakes, he finds himself transformed physically into a grade schooler! Taking on the pseudonym Conan Edogawa, he attempts to track down the people who did this to him. But until he finds a cure for this bizarre condition, Jimmy does his best to continue to help the police solve their toughest cases.
            Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa is a story about two brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric, who dabbled in alchemy in order to grant their dearest wish, but in the process lost an arm, a leg, and the younger brother’s own body. The eldest brother, Edward, becomes an agent to the government to put his unique power to use while he finds the solution for him and his brother to obtain their original bodies. However, it won’t be an easy task, for what they are searching for is the Philosopher’s Stone, an alchemical treasure sought by enemies and allies for their own personal gain. An excellent series for those who love Sci-fi and action.
            The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross by Arina Tanemura is a romantic comedy about a young girl named Haine, who was once a part of a prestigious family of great name. However, in return for a business loan of 50 million yen, the Kamiya family gave their daughter away to the Otomiya family. Haine, now an Otomiya, finds herself newly appointed to the student council of a local private school. Even though she has proper lineage to be on said council, she finds herself struggling to find her place amongst the many secrets of the council’s elite members, especially one council member in particular: Shizumasa Togu, aka “The Emperor”. This series is filled with fun and drama that will melt your heart and put you on the edge of your seat. Will she be able to capture his heart, or will the secrets and shenanigans of the student council keep them apart?
            The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service by Eiji Otsuka is an adult horror about five young students at a Buddhist university that find there’s little call for their job skills in today’s Tokyo… Among the living, that is. But their studies give them a direct line to the dead – the dead who find themselves still trapped in their corpses, and can’t move on to their next reincarnation. In this group of ragtag university students, their ranges of skills include dowsing, hacking, embalming, channeling, psychic abilities, and… being a puppet? This series will leave you hanging and thinking, with chills down your spine. Whether you die from suicide, murder, sickness, or madness, they’ll carry your body anywhere it needs to free your soul!
            Wandering Son by Shimura Takako is a coming-of-age story for the modern generation. Fifth grader Shuichi Nitori and his new friend Yoshino Takatsuki enjoy happy homes and loving families, and are well-liked by their classmates. However, they share a secret that further complicates a time of life that is awkward for anyone: Shuichi is a boy who wants to be a girl, and Yoshino is a girl who wants to be a boy. Their journey through discovering themselves and who they want to be leaves you cheering them on and wanting to read the next book.
             For more information on manga and other materials or activities related to/about manga, contact the Peter White Public Library.

- Hayley Maskus
Technical Services, Library Page

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