About Manga
Manga is term that describes comic books and graphic novels, either originally produced and published in Japan or imitating the art style. Unlike American graphic novels—which are read top-to-bottom, left-to-right and are usually illustrated in full color—manga is typically printed in black-and-white (except for the cover art) and read top-to-bottom, right-to-left. Many manga stories are long-running series that span multiple volumes. It is important to start at the beginning and read the volumes in order.
Some terms to know:
Anime: Japanese-style animation (think Dragon Ball, Yu-Gi-Oh, or Sailor Moon). If a manga is popular enough, it may be adapted into an anime.
Manhwa: Comics and graphic novels originally produced and published in Korea.
Mecha: Manga featuring advanced techology, such as robots, cyborgs, androids, and space stations.
Categories/Demographics of Manga
Kodomomuke: Manga that is geared toward children. These manga tend to be cute and fun. Pokémon is probably the best example of this.
Shonen: Manga that targets the tween/teen boys demographic. Common themes are action, adventure, friendship, and coming of age. Some examples of shonen are: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood; Dragon Ball Z; Yu-Gi-Oh; and My Hero Academia.
Shojo: Manga that targets the tween/teen girls demographic. Common themes are romance, drama, and coming of age. Some popular examples are Ouran High School Host Club; Sailor Moon; and Fruits Basket.
Seinen: Manga that targets adult men (ages 18+). Common themes are action, violence, sex, and adult themes. Some examples of seinen manga are One-Punch Man; Berserk; and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Josei: Manga that targets adult women (ages 18+). Common themes are romance, sex, and drama. Examples of josei include Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku; Honey and Clover; and The Delinquent Housewife.
Examples of YA Manga and Manhwa
Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice by Call Number: GN AusBeloved by millions the world over, Pride & Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold, new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austen's original, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.
Manga Classics: the Scarlet Letter by Call Number: GN HawA powerful tale of forbidden love, shame, and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. Faithfully adapted by Crystal Chan from the original novel, this new edition features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee(Manga Classics: Les Misérables) which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into the Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America.
Manga Classics: les Miserables by Call Number: GN HugAdapted for stage and screen, loved by millions, Victor Hugo's classic novel of love & tragedy during the French Revolution is reborn in this fantastic new manga edition! The gorgeous art of Tse Mei Lee brings to life the tragic stories of Jean Valjean, Inspector Javert, and the beautiful Fantine, in this epic adaptation of Les Misérables!
Gandhi by Call Number: GN GandhiISBN: 9780143120247Through his quietly powerful leadership and influential use of nonviolent resistance in India's struggle against the British Raj, Mahatma Gandhi became one of the most revered figures of the modern era. While history has recorded Gandhi's words and deeds, the man himself has been eclipsed by maxims of virtuosity that seem to have little resonance in our everyday lives. In Gandhi, award-winning manga artist Kazuki Ebine combines a gripping narrative with stunning illustrations to re-create the life of a man who—like all of us—grappled with doubt and failure, but strove to keep faith in his beliefs and lead his people to a better life.
Che Guevara by Call Number: GN GuevaraHis name is equated with rebellion, revolution, and socialism. His face is on tee-shirts all over the world. Che Guevara's life has been explored and portrayed in numerous books and films, including The Motorcycle Diaries, and he continues to captivate the public imagination more than forty years after his death. Guevara became politically active in his native Argentina, but gained notoriety after he met Fidel Castro and became instrumental in Castro's efforts in Cuba. Guevara then went on to Bolivia, where he was captured and killed by the Bolivian army while trying to incite revolution.
The 14th Dalai Lama by Call Number: GN LamaBorn in 1935 to a peasant family in a small village, Tenzin Gyatso was recognized at the age of two as the reincarnation of his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. In 1950, His Holiness assumed full political power when China invade Tibet-a tragedy that forever changed him and shaped his efforts on behalf of world peace, for which he was award the Nobel Peace Prize. This graphic novel is an appealing and approachable depiction of the life and personality of an iconic figure.
Blue Lock 1 by Call Number: GN KanAfter a disastrous defeat at the 2018 World Cup, Japan's team struggles to regroup. But what's mising? An absolute ace striker. The Football Union is hell-bent on creating a striker who hungers for goals and thirsts for victory, so Blue Lock—a rigorous training ground for 300 of Japan's best and brightest youth players—is created. To survive this battle royale, the last striker standing will have to out-muscle and out-ego everyone who stands in his way!
The Complete Chi's Sweet Home 3 by Call Number: GN KomChi is a mischievous newborn kitten who, while on a leisurely stroll with her family, finds herself lost. Overcome with loneliness she bursts into tears—but then she is rescued by a young boy named Yohei and his mother. The little kitty is whisked away into the warm and inviting Yamada apartment complex; where pets are strictly not permitted.
One Piece, Vol. 1 by Call Number: GN OdaAs a child, Monkey D. Luffy was inspired to become a pirate by listening to the tales of the buccaneer "Red-Haired" Shanks. But his life changed when Luffy accidentally ate the Gum-Gum Devil Fruit and gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years later, still vowing to become the king of the pirates, Luffy sets out on his adventure...one guy alone in a rowboat, in search of the legendary "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world...
Yu-Gi-Oh!, Vol. 1 by Call Number: GN TakSitting by himself in the back of the class, 10th-grader Yugi always had his head in some game—until he solved the Millennium Puzzle, an Egyptian artifact containing the spirit of a master gambler from the age of the Pharoahs. Possessed by the puzzle, Yugi becomes Yu-Gi-Oh, the King of Games, and challenges evildoers to the Shadow Games... weird games with high stakes and high risks!
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Vol. 1 by Call Number: GN YamElf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. But Frieren will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to understand what life means to the people around her? Decades after their victory, the funeral of one her friends confronts Frieren with her own near immortality. Frieren sets out to fulfill the last wishes of her comrades and finds herself beginning a new adventure...
The Color of Earth by Call Number: GN KimFirst love is never easy. Ehwa grows up helping her widowed mother run the local tavern, watching as their customers—both neighbours and strangers—look down on her mother for her single lifestyle. Their social status isolates Ehwa and her mother from the rest of the people in their quiet country village. But as she gets older and sees her mother fall in love again, Ehwa slowly begins to open up to the possibility of love in her life.
The Color of Water by Call Number: GN KimWhen Ehwa goes to the town festival, she meets a handsome young wrestler named Duksam who's eager to catch her eye. After he wins the festival wrestling championship, he and Ehwa begin to meet, sneaking spare moments to be together. But a shadow falls on their romance when Master Cho sends Duksam away and asks for Ehwa's hand in marriage himself It is then that Ehwa discovers the pain of heartbreak—and that love is always complicated.
The Color of Heaven by Call Number: GN KimAs Ehwa grew from a girl to a young woman in The Color of Earth and The Color of Water, she began to understand and experience love and relationships, with her mother as a model and confidante. Now, in the heartwarming conclusion to this lyrically written and delicately drawn trilogy, Ehwa's true love comes at last, and as her mother looks on, she takes the final steps towards becoming an adult.
