manga best of 2011

Want to know about some good reads for your summer break?  Want to dig in and find out where your favourite anime series started? Time for a rundown of some of the biggest and best manga titles of 2011!

Here’s a top 10 list for you to debate, tell us your manga favourites in the comments!

10
Bakuman

If the creators of Death Note isn’t enough reason to know this is a manga to watch, the surprisingly compelling art-imitates-life subject of two would be manga creators learning the ropes and finding their way in an intriguing industry will have you hooked.

9, 8, 7
Bleach
Naruto
One Piece

The boy’s action trio without compare! Shonen Jump’s finest, Bleach, Naruto and One Piece are action adventure that continue to amaze.  Long running but never short of kicking butt, whether you’re hunting Hollows in the Soul Society, defending the Leaf Village, or sailing the Grand Line, you’re in for stories packed with creativity. These are the most popular manga titles for a reason – great characters, consistently impressive new challenges and inventive twists for our heroes to overcome.  Jump on board and you too can say you read it before you saw the anime and how it was SO MUCH BETTER.

6
Fullmetal Alchemist

While the anime has seen two fantastic versions conclude the story of Ed and Alphonse as they search for the Philosopher’s Stone and a way to restore themselves after a terrible alchemic accident, the manga has steadily been driving towards a dramatic, emotional ending that’s coming up fast!

5
Vampire Knight

Next to Naruto as the other all time most popular manga, this is the shojo manga you must read! Taking vampires, romance and action, with a bit of melodrama and mystery, all with beautiful character art, you can be prepared to swoon now.  Successfully sidling between traditional horror and staying smartly away from the gushing nonsense of your modern shiny vamps, Vampire Knight has a believable love triangle, plus a strong and dangerous set of protaganists whose loyalties and desires are not always as they seem!

4
Are You Alice?

An intriguing premise, combining the concept Wonderland with a harrowing hunt-and-kill spy thriller!  In this world, there is a deadly game, called the Alice game, in which one would be victim is named “Alice”, and stumbles into Wonderland with no memories and a loaded gun. Will he (yes he) agree to take part in the hunt for the White Rabbit? Curiouser and curiouser!

3
Kimi Ni Todoke

Not your typical romance, Kimi Ni Todoke has a nice edge to it while remaining sweet and engaging. Poor Sawako is the perfect heroine, but for a horror movie! With jet black hair and a sinister smile, she’s found it hard to make friends especially when she’s compared to the evil Sadako from The Ring!  To everyone’s shock, the most popular boy in school has taken an interest. But with a new friend comes new enemies!  Lots of fun!

2
Biomega

A very different look and feel to most manga today, Biomega is unnassailably cool. A cyberpunk story with amazingly detailed and realistically stylised artwork, it’s also filled with crazy characters and great near-future technological ideas – and some violently high concept action! Did we mention the giant talking bear with the guns?

1
Blue Exorcist

The runaway manga hit this year has been Blue Exorcist – definitely one to jump on board as it gathers steam. Featuring a cool mix of mythology and a great concept for a hero, you’ve got a classic anti-hero setup in Rin Okumura. He’s been raised by a famous exorcist, but finds out he’s actually the son of satan! Laying its claim in the argument of nature vs nurture, Rin is going to take his hellfire powers and make it his mission to destroy satan himself!