Top manga series for teensĪkira Himekawa, Osamu Tezuka, Astroboy, Tome 1 : One word of warning: Manga can include strong themes. Let's make this the go-to destination for manga lovers. If you have any other suggestions, let us know at and we'll add them to the list. Where do you begin? So we've put together our own guide to the top manga series for teens. One problem facing newcomers to manga is simply the overwhelming choice. These are creators influenced by the Japanese style of storytelling, and they're acting as role models for younger manga readers who want to create manga of their own." People like Emma Vieceli, Kate Brown and Paul Duffield all grew up watching translated anime and reading comics at the time Tokyopop began the proliferation of English-language manga adaptations in book and comic stores. Buchan added: "At the moment we're seeing the first generation of British comic creators who grew up reading manga, all beginning to finally meet mainstream success. Not only is manga more accessible for readers, but it has inspired a whole new generation of writers. It didn't matter whether they were horror manga, like Junji Ito's Tomie, or shonen manga like Naruto, there was no stigma attached to girls reading manga in the same way that there was superhero comics, and there was a diverse range of manga being translated, made by women and for women."
Because for the first time in decades there were comics available that actually spoke to them directly. "I think this can resonate with teenagers in particular who are curious about the world and their place in it and can often be intrigued by ideas and art from other countries as a way of distinguishing themselves from the place they are from."īookshop manager turned graphic novel critic PM Buchan said: "When I was managing the book stock for a busy comic book store in Newcastle, pretty much the only reason that teenage girls were coming into the shop was to buy manga. He pointed out that manga belongs to a very specific subculture of comics with a very distinct and exotic look. Our first call was on Steve, of the specialist shop Gosh Comics, based in London's Soho. So why is manga so popular? We talked to some of the experts to find out more about this booming genre. For those who don't already know, they're manga comics, and one of their features is that - in keeping with the Japanese originals - they are printed backwards.
Walk into any large bookshop and you are sure to find colourful shelves packed full of "backwards" stories.