From Where I Sit - Top 5 Best Manga [so far]

It's true that I don't read a lot of manga. In fact, when it comes to manga I find myself lacking in the huge knowledge department. I'm no expert. Still, I've read a number of titles that I've often trailed back to because the story or the characters were just so brilliant that I couldn't put the title down. There's some many things that mangaka put into their work that make some manga worth picking up again and again. Here's my list of the best manga ever written and drawn... well, so far anyway.

5. Cat Street
There is something oddly charming about Cat Street. When I first picked it up, I really didn't think that I would like it. After I read through the first couple of chapters however, I knew that I was hooked. The characters really caught me off guard, because of how true and honest they seemed to be on the page. I didn't think that a manga could get me to feel this way toward a character. Each character had their own distinct personality and I seemed to fall in love with each one of them for different ways. Although I haven't really looked at Cat Street lately, I know it's only a matter of time before I pick up the title and read through it again.

4. Doubt
Whenever I pick up something that's suppose to be scary, I always find myself looking at it was a bit of a grimace. Although I like the idea of horror, I find that everything I look at lacks the scare factor and leaves me wishing I hadn't picked it up. Doubt is one of those titles that isn't necessarily scary on true horror terms, but it had just enough to make me jump in the middle of reading if there was any noises nearby. One of the appeals Doubt had was the way it made the reader care about the lead male in the story. There was something charming about him that made him easy to cling onto in a type of story like that. I found that I didn't want him to die through the entire story. The others characters were good in their own respects, but the way that they acted weren't quiet as appealing. Still, Doubt is a good look for people looking for a small jump in manga.

3. Yotsuba&!
When my brother introduced me to the charm that is Yotsuba, I really didn't think that I would take a liking to it. Sure, the art was cute and the little girl on the page was charming, but I didn't often go for things that were just cute. Little did I know I was slowly falling in love with the cuteness and wit of the little girl on the page. Yotsuba offers and insight into living with a joyous little girl who just lives for the small moments in life. Although one wouldn't think so, the story for Yotsuba&! is very addictive. I would send Yotsuba&! to anyone that needs a little light in their day because it never stops to warm the heart.

2. Fullmetal Alchemist
After I finished the anime for Full Metal Alchemist, I took a look at the manga after my friend swore the manga was better. I hadn't believed him when he made that claim, but I really should have. It's not very often I start a manga and feel like I've changed as a person when I finished it, but Fullmetal Alchemist made me feel like I grew with the Elric brothers on their journey. Each character was finely tuned, even the minor ones, and made the world they lived in even more appealing, despite the level of danger that was built into the story. I felt myself cheering for all of the characters, even the ones that didn't really deserve to get cheered for. Everything that Fullmetal Alchemist had to offer was awesome and when the manga finally ended, I dreaded looking for something else to read. Really, Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the best shonen manga anyone can ask for. 


1. Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle
If somebody asked me what my favorite thing about Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle was, I don't think I could answer them. There's so many elements that go into the manga that make me smile every time I think about it. The story is just charming enough to get you attached to the characters while being completely serious and overwhelmingly depressing at the same time. There was moments I found myself laughing, and then the next chapter would be a complete tear-fest. Each character in the manga had their own personalities and really made each world glow in it's own way. Everything was so well constructed that Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle practically sparkles in my mind every time I think about anything to do with it. By far, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is one of the best manga I've ever read so far.  

From Where I Sit - Top 5 Best Subbed Anime [So Far]

I'll admit it - I'm picky. There's a lot of elements it takes to fully please me, especially when it comes to anime. Some series are story heavy, others are character heavy, but each series must appease me in some way without trying to rape my brain with overly confusing story and characters. So, without further ado, here are my top 5 favorite subbed anime (so far).

5. Azumanga Daioh
Despite my neutrality to the series when I finished watching it, I find Azumanga Daioh strangely addicting. Though I'm more likely to pick up the manga whenever I need a quick look into the world, I still find the anime to be charming on its own. Whether it be the nicely built characters or the plain and simple story, Azumanga Daioh never stops to please and slips in at number five.

4. Haibane Renmei
If there was ever a surprising moment for me when I started watching anime, Haibane Renmei would capitalize that moment. There was something about the series that pulled me in from the very first episode. Although most of the emotions the anime played were subtle, there was enough to keep me entertained and focused on the screen for hours. Despite not knowing the title when I first started the series, I loved it when I finished. Simply, Haibane Renmei is a must see for anyone into slice of life, and stays at number four on my list.

3. Ouran High School Host Club
It's not often I find myself enjoying anime where fan girls scream and yell in every episode, but Ouran High School Host Club has a sort of fantastical appeal that those other series just didn't have. I find that Ouran offers more than just sparkling boys and a cute story. There's so many complex things that run through Ouran that had me laughing one minute, and then crying the next. Although the series is a little more fan girl heavy than I would like, I still find myself looking back at more and more episodes as time goes on. With so much to offer and an endless array of emotions to give, Ouran had to just slip into my top three.

2. The Girl Who Leap Through Time
I know that The Girl Who Leap Through Time is actually a movie, but that doesn't change the fact that the story and characters were amazing. I found myself immersed in the story, despite the fact that I was sitting with thirty other people in a large lecture hall. I found myself experiencing a full range of emotions, and on the edge of my seat for nearly the entire movie. Everything that The Girl Who Leap Through Time had to offer was simply breathtaking and just had to make it to number two on my list.

1. Baccano!
There's very few anime I pick up and love from the first episode to the last one. In fact, Baccano! is the only one to ever achieve this feat. From the instant the opening music played in the first episode, I was hooked. Everything from the smallest score of music to the biggest emotions on screen was captured by the fantastic visuals and audios that I could nearly die for. Despite the confusing story jumping that Baccano! presents, it's, by far, one of the best anime ever.