General

Anime

Manga and Ln Recommendations Please

Hi, I'm looking for a manga/light novel series that may include the following...
- Not too many volumes
- Great artwork
- Romance
- May include supernatural/sci-fi/thriller
- Popular or slightly popular
- Action
If it doesn't meet 1 or 2 of the categories I'm fine
If you think you have an anime that violates a good amount of categories but still is a MUST READ, please recommend!
THANK YOU

November 15, 2013

9 Comments • Newest first

EMSfreeze

did you check out tower of god?

lemme see:
- Not too many volumes [b]currently chapter 167, it is manageble compared to others[/b]
- Great artwork [b]korean manwha, everything is colored, AWESOME[/b]
- Romance [b]okay, i admit this part lacks a little bit, currently they are starting, but nothing has started yet[/b]
- May include supernatural/sci-fi/thriller [b]OH YES[/b]
- Popular or slightly popular [b]most popular korean manwha[/b]
- Action [b]MOTHERF'KING GOD YES[/b]

also +1 for to aru kagaku no railgun [a certain sciencific railgun], if you like, check out the to aru majutsu no index [a certain magical index]. currently another spin off is already anounced and starts in december (to aru kagaku no accelerator, a certain sciencific accelerator, he is in index the most badass vilain/MC you will see. he litteraly pwns everything around him)

Reply November 20, 2013
voyance

[quote=iVege]To Aru Kagaku no Railgun or A Certain Scientific Railgun (manga).

- Volumes: only 65 chapters out so far. It has 9 volumes.
- Artwork: mediocre during the beginning chapters, but it gets significantly better over time and becomes exceptionally good by the latest arc, which is around chapter 40. Here's a comparison: [url=http://i.imgur.com/i5erzGs.jpg]1[/url], [url=http://i.imgur.com/d7epuTl.jpg]2[/url], [url=http://i.imgur.com/fMiKv9F.jpg]3[/url], [url=http://i.imgur.com/MjaNco5.jpg]4[/url].
- Romance: there's a bit of chemistry between the main character and the main character of the original series (A Certain Magical Index, which is a light novel series). The main character from the original series actually has a harem of over 10,000 girls though, but they don't appear in this series.
- Supernatural/Sci-Fi/Thriller: definitely fits the Supernatural genre. It's not exactly Sci-Fi in the sense of Star Wars or Star Trek, but there is a heavy emphasis on futurism (the story is set in a city with technology 20 or 30 years ahead of the rest of the world) and science (magical science and technobabble, that is). There are Thriller elements in the anime for sure, but I don't really remember for the manga.
- Popularity: not quite mainstream, but fairly popular. If you don't like reading obscure works, yet dislike mainstream works, then this series is pretty much in that 'balanced' category.
- Action: focuses mostly on action with a bit of slice of life to go with it.

Note: also has two anime adaptations. The first one was good and the second one was excellent until it hit the fillers at episode 16. The second season was truly exceptional, apart from the fillers.

To Aru Majutsu no Index or A Certain Magical Index (light novel).

- Volumes: 22 (+2 included side stories for a total of 24) volumes, 8 New Testament volumes, 9 side stories and 2 official parodies/collabs.
- Artwork: there's quite a few for each volume. All the characters undergo art evolution to become more deformed (as in, 'cuter') over time. Compare [url=http://i.imgur.com/rNaxDUZ.jpg]1[/url] to [url=http://i.imgur.com/r3JU8Gz.jpg]2[/url] ([url=http://i.imgur.com/LdOBEgf.png]anime[/url]) and [url=http://i.imgur.com/Tmvzr0f.jpg]3[/url] to [url=http://i.imgur.com/20HMb9l.jpg]4[/url] ([url=http://i.imgur.com/zwQpzGE.jpg]anime[/url]).
- Romance: main character has a harem of over 10,000 girls, but there isn't much romance between them.
- Supernatural/Sci-Fi/Thriller: definitely fits the Supernatural genre. The main character's right hand negates the supernatural. The story is broken between the Science and Magic side, and quite a bit of the story is set in a city with technology 20 or 30 years ahead of the rest of the world. Some elements of Thriller, but not really.
- Popularity: fairly popular. One of the more notable light novel series, but not the most notable one.
- Action: focuses mostly on action.

Note: also has two anime adaptations and a manga adaptation. The anime adaptations were okay, but the manga adaptation is apparently crap. I haven't personally read it though.[/quote]

+1 on Railgun and Index.

Reply November 16, 2013
iVege

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun or A Certain Scientific Railgun (manga).

- Volumes: only 65 chapters out so far. It has 9 volumes.
- Artwork: mediocre during the beginning chapters, but it gets significantly better over time and becomes exceptionally good by the latest arc, which is around chapter 40. Here's a comparison: [url=http://i.imgur.com/i5erzGs.jpg]1[/url], [url=http://i.imgur.com/d7epuTl.jpg]2[/url], [url=http://i.imgur.com/fMiKv9F.jpg]3[/url], [url=http://i.imgur.com/MjaNco5.jpg]4[/url].
- Romance: there's a bit of chemistry between the main character and the main character of the original series (A Certain Magical Index, which is a light novel series). The main character from the original series actually has a harem of over 10,000 girls though, but they don't appear in this series.
- Supernatural/Sci-Fi/Thriller: definitely fits the Supernatural genre. It's not exactly Sci-Fi in the sense of Star Wars or Star Trek, but there is a heavy emphasis on futurism (the story is set in a city with technology 20 or 30 years ahead of the rest of the world) and science (magical science and technobabble, that is). There are Thriller elements in the anime for sure, but I don't really remember for the manga.
- Popularity: not quite mainstream, but fairly popular. If you don't like reading obscure works, yet dislike mainstream works, then this series is pretty much in that 'balanced' category.
- Action: focuses mostly on action with a bit of slice of life to go with it.

Note: also has two anime adaptations. The first one was good and the second one was excellent until it hit the fillers at episode 16. The second season was truly exceptional, apart from the fillers.

To Aru Majutsu no Index or A Certain Magical Index (light novel).

- Volumes: 22 (+2 included side stories for a total of 24) volumes, 8 New Testament volumes, 9 side stories and 2 official parodies/collabs.
- Artwork: there's quite a few for each volume. All the characters undergo art evolution to become more deformed (as in, 'cuter') over time. Compare [url=http://i.imgur.com/rNaxDUZ.jpg]1[/url] to [url=http://i.imgur.com/r3JU8Gz.jpg]2[/url] ([url=http://i.imgur.com/LdOBEgf.png]anime[/url]) and [url=http://i.imgur.com/Tmvzr0f.jpg]3[/url] to [url=http://i.imgur.com/20HMb9l.jpg]4[/url] ([url=http://i.imgur.com/zwQpzGE.jpg]anime[/url]).
- Romance: main character has a harem of over 10,000 girls, but there isn't much romance between them.
- Supernatural/Sci-Fi/Thriller: definitely fits the Supernatural genre. The main character's right hand negates the supernatural. The story is broken between the Science and Magic side, and quite a bit of the story is set in a city with technology 20 or 30 years ahead of the rest of the world. Some elements of Thriller, but not really.
- Popularity: fairly popular. One of the more notable light novel series, but not the most notable one.
- Action: focuses mostly on action.

Note: also has two anime adaptations and a manga adaptation. The anime adaptations were okay, but the manga adaptation is apparently crap. I haven't personally read it though.

Reply November 15, 2013
Yumtoast

[quote=lightxtc]To Love Ru Darkness (per-requisite: must have read To Love Ru before this)
- Not too many volumes: [b]Check[/b]
- Great artwork: [b]Definitely[/b]
- Romance: [b]Yep[/b]
- May include supernatural/sci-fi/thriller: [b]Totally[/b]
- Popular or slightly popular [b]Yes[/b]
- Action [b]Uh-huh[/b]

I don't read a lot of manga but I can recommend this one because it totally meets all your requirements.[/quote]
It's crazy how well TLR fits into all of those categories.

Reply November 15, 2013
lightxtc

To Love Ru Darkness (per-requisite: must have read To Love Ru before this)
- Not too many volumes: [b]Check[/b]
- Great artwork: [b]Definitely[/b]
- Romance: [b]Yep[/b]
- May include supernatural/sci-fi/thriller: [b]Totally[/b]
- Popular or slightly popular [b]Yes[/b]
- Action [b]Uh-huh[/b]

I don't read a lot of manga but I can recommend this one because it totally meets all your requirements.

Reply November 15, 2013
Nolen

[url=http://www.basilmarket.com/forum/2724084/#Manga]Here's manga for ya[/url]

Reply November 15, 2013
kcwt

I think I might actually suggest Sword Art Online. I found the LN far more enjoyable than the anime. Then again, it's quite long.

Reply November 15, 2013 - edited
cyberdudelol

@kopred98 The series itself was quite enjoyable, but overall, I'm not a super big Attack on Titan buff
Sorry

Reply November 15, 2013 - edited
kopred98

Attack on Titan! The art isn't very good and the romance part is really lacking but other than that it fits your description perfectly!

Reply November 15, 2013 - edited