[Completed: Dec 16, 2015] Gundam: The Origin is an alternate retelling of the anime Mobile Suit Gundam (1979). The story is a timeless classic, and the characters are as charming as ever. Rather than simply retell the story, however, The Origin offers a modernized and improved version of it. This is due to the creative direction of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, the anime’s original character designer who came back to illustrate the manga 22 years later. These changes give older fans like me a chance to re-experience the classic in a refreshing way, while younger fans will find it attractive and modern enough to suit their tastes. Perhaps the biggest selling point of this manga is the artwork! Yasuhiko’s delicate brush strokes create gorgeous images that enrich the setting and characters. Yasuhiko makes some other nice changes too, such as removing the filler that plagued the anime, using real-world locations, and including a whole new backstory on Char and Sayla. Lucky for us, The Origin was released by Vertical in big, beautiful hardbound books with glossy thick paper. Each volume is embellished with Yasuhiko’s distinct artwork and attractive colors. If you can dig out the money to buy these, then you will be in for a real treat! You can also read the manga legally online. ComicWalker is releasing the manga in glorious full-color and makes it easy for you to read it on your computer and mobile device. As you can see, The Origin is getting quite the royal treatment here. It’s just that good!

[Completed: May 14, 2016] Very few manga have ever excited me the way that Lindbergh has. It hit all the right buttons for me, including having an endearing mentor/protégé relationship between a young boy and charismatic adult, sky pirates, mysterious floating islands, air racing, dragons, gorgeous artwork, and dark themes. A hidden gem for sure! Fans of Last Exile or aviation stories in general would love it. The only problem is availability. Only the first 9 chapters are available in English online. The rest of the volumes must be bought in either German, Italian, or Japanese.

Addicting post-apocalyptic story; large cast of likable characters. This has some of the best character development I've ever seen in a shoujo manga!

Extremely detailed astronaut training, real world science, diverse characters, and great humor!

[Completed: Aug 24, 2017] This has got to be the most creative manga I've read in ages... It's a beautiful and whimsical story about magic, family, love, and growing up. I immediately felt a connection to these lovely characters, not to mention the artwork is out of this world. Went straight into my favorites after like five chapters.

[Completed: Feb, 2015] Twin Spica is like the coming-of-age version of Space Brothers, featuring a strong female lead and her group of teenage friends that want to become astronauts. It's a very touching story interspersed with drama and tragedy. I really like the artwork, which reminds me so much of Studio Ghibli's. I own all 16 volumes, the art book, and promo poster...that is to say, I truly love this manga! Unfortunately, it went out of print a few years ago, but you can still read the entire manga on Amazon Kindle.

WONDERFUL storytelling, smart dialogue, fun characters, and lots of political drama and battle tactics.

My first manhua, and WOW is it a good one! Beautiful art, story, world-building, and characters (strong female lead). It reminded me of Disney's Mulan at first, though it develops into something much greater.

[Completed: Feb, 2015] A smart retelling of Tezuka's Astro Boy. Own all 8 volumes.

[Completed: Mar, 2015] More complex than Monster. Lots of character development and creative use of time-skips. Really enjoyed it! Own all 22 volumes.

[Completed: Feb, 2015] This manga just entered the Twilight Zone...

[Completed: Mar, 2015] A lot of my friends hate this because it's 'too depressing.' Make no mistake, this manga is TRAGIC on so many levels, so I understand why it isn't for everyone. However, I really enjoyed reading this after seeing the anime. It has a lot of political intrigue, beautiful art, and deep/complicated characters. I really like the concept of 'fratello,' where each cyborg girl is paired with an adult handler. The handler is responsible for training and taking care of their cyborg. Each pairing has a unique and interesting relationship. My favorite pairing would have to be Triela and Victor. <3 Own all 15 volumes (omnibus edition).

REAL has the best portrayal of physical disabilities that I've ever seen in anime/manga. Physical therapy is a big component of this manga, which I can totally relate to. If you're curious to know about that, just ask. :)

[Completed: May, 2015] A tragic story of reincarnation and love! Very addicting. Completed in 2 days.

Why aren't there more people reading this one? -shocked- I recommend it to anyone looking for a superhero manga with a good balance of comedy and dark psychological drama. The characters are so refreshing and fun, and the story is FULL of mysteries. Very addicting from chapter 5 onward, trust me!

By the same mangaka of Imperial Guards and character designer of Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans. A hidden gem!

What a unique and enchanting manga. It has everything you could ever wish for in a fantasy manga: magicians, wizards, witches, dragons, monsters, vampires, fairies, spirits, talking animals, and beings that are neither human nor monster. I'm loving the artwork, characters, and story so far!

[Completed: Apr, 2015] Who knew that a manga about 'window washers' in a space colony could be so interesting? It's fascinating to learn about all the dangers and rewards of this job. Plus, the character designs are super adorable! Own all 7 volumes.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite sports manga! I like it even more than Diamond no Ace. o_o It has an interesting rivalry between two cousins who end up forming a battery on an underdog team. It's so refreshing to have an MC that's not a prodigy or the ace/pitcher; rather, he is forced to grow into his new position as catcher, which is complicated on a technical and psychological level. Not only is it the most difficult position to learn, but he's left-handed, and he has to cooperate with his cousin who 'stole' his dream position as pitcher. Unlike many sports protagonists, the MC doesn't have a grandiose dream like becoming the best player in Japan. Even though he wanted to become the pitcher, it was only to get revenge on his cousin. He'd rather quit the instant he doesn't get attention or if someone better comes along. That makes him more relatable than say, Sawamura from DnA or Hinata from Haikyu, who are driven by relentless determination and enthusiasm. This is entirely a story about personal struggle, as the MC must face his demons and weave a new path for himself. What a promising story. Also, I just realized that this is a josei manga. Isn't that kind of unusual for a sports manga about an all-boys team? No wonder the characters and story feel less conventional, haha.

Atelier is one of the most promising and exciting new manga to follow right now. It hit the ground running ever since the first chapter. Fun adventure, intriguing world, beautiful art and character designs, endearing characters...check check check!!!!! I really can't get enough of these kinda stories that craft so much detail into the setting, like the rules of magic, how the world works, its history, etc... This one has incredible potential.

It's rare to see a Victorian era setting fleshed out this meticulously in manga, let alone with such fine artwork. The amount of research that Mori did really brings everything to life. Even more rare is that this love story doesn't contain over-the-top comedy and fan service that plague the genre. It's just a traditional romance filled with realism, charm, and cheesy goodness, like a Jane Austen novel. I love it for that. Own all 5 volumes released by Yen Press.