2018 Favourite Manga

Wow, I've neglected this blog for a year...  Apologies for that... I kind of forgot about this blog until I wanted to review what manga I read this year and then I remembered that I used to do monthly reviews here lol. Anyway, hopefully I won't go MIA again! It's the last day of 2018 and I've read a few manga that I really loved this year and a lot of them are getting anime adaptations next year, so even if you're not into manga, you can be happy that you'll get to see it in anime form! (unless the anime sucks...) Oh, and I haven't watched anime in a while so it'll only be manga this year! (sorry I skipped last year T_T)

Natsu no Zenjitsu by Yoshida Motoi (R18+)

Genre: Seinen, Smut, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life

Status: Completed, 35 chapters scanlated

Just a heads up but there are sex scenes, so no kids! :P On a serious note though, this might be my absolute favourite manga of the year just because of how well it depicted the characters and their emotions. I felt like I could really relate to both of the MCs not because I've experienced similar things but because of how well everything was shown, including the story.

It follows the story of Akira and Tetsuo who both meet and start a relationship and that's all you really need to know LOL. Because the rest is just how they face their situations, their problems and their relationship itself. I don't want to spoil it since I think it's definitely worth a read and Tetsuo may be very frustrating especially when *spoilers* he keeps "going after" another girl even when he's with Akira. I feel like it shows very well how a relationship can be very difficult for people at two different stages in their lives - Akira is an established woman that knows what she wants and is mature, but couldn't help but be captured by Tetsuo's passion towards art, whereas Tetsuo is still growing as a person, he doesn't know what he wants, whether he even really likes art and whether he really likes Akira or not, he just knows that she's always there for him and I guess he takes that for granted. In that sense, I did enjoy the ending even though it wasn't what we would have hoped to see but I think it was logical and probably for the best, because regardless of what we wanted, what Akira wanted the most was to see Tetsuo grow and I think she achieved that in the end.

Anyway, if you're into romance, finding yourself and an emotional rollercoaster, I recommend! It's a bittersweet story~

ReLife by Yayoi Sou

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi

Status: Completed, 222 chapters scanlated

It's kinda crazy to think ReLife has ended, I still remember first picking it up! Honestly though, things did get a bit dramatic and iffy near the end but I still enjoyed it a lot. I mean, Kaizaki and Hishiron are sooo cuteee! I think the highlight of this webtoon would have to be the characters, initially the story was engaging but I think it kinda flopped near the end tbh, but I was still happy to see it, so oh well.

Anyway, it follows our 27 y/o MC Kaizaki who is unemployed and can't find a job after quitting his last job (for a good reason). Here comes some shifty guy named Yoake who gives him a pill that will change his appearance back to a 17 y/o and says that he will offer him an employment opportunity if he takes part in this experiment to redo the last year of his high school life again. Great premise, entertaining, funny and lovable characters! The best thing about this is that you can see how much Kaizaki opens up and improves himself along with his new high school friends that he makes. You see them all grow together and it's just so cute. No one is perfect and you can really see how the cast of characters clashing together, interacting with each other makes them confront their weaknesses, their fears and support each other into becoming people who they want to be. 

Romance is slow but veryyyy cute because Hishiron is hilarious with Kaizaki, but they're so adorable. It really makes me miss high school and think that I might want a chance to redo it again too haha. Others are quite iffy about Kariu but I really enjoyed her character because I feel like she was the epitome of a high schooler; worried about grades, had to be the best, shy in love etc, and I feel like her existence was important to show how many high schoolers these days are constricted by these shackles, and that's why it made it so great for someone like Kaizaki who has experienced high school before to reach out to her and show her that some things you have to have the bravery to do now or you'll regret it. It's a wonderful read where Kaizaki helped out his friends so much with his perspective and they end up saving him in the end.

unOrdinary by uru-chan

Genre: Fantasy, Action, Superhero

Status: Ongoing, 122 chapters scanlated

I randomly picked this webtoon up when I saw that it was really popular on LINE webtoons and yes, I do really enjoy it! It's straightforward, colourful and interesting. It follows our protagonist John who is a "cripple" in the sense that he has no powers in a world where everyone else does (kinda like Deku in Boku no Hero Academia but that's where the similarity ends lol) as he struggles with all the bullying he must face because of it. Through all this, he becomes friends with the strongest girl in the school, Seraphina and they kinda tackle the problems of this society (which is inherent in the school), which is that hierarchy is everything and that the strong will always be at the top bullying those beneath them, which creates the domino effect where high tiers will exert their authority over mid-tiers and mid-tiers will then take out their frustrations over this on low-tiers like our protagonist. And of course, the government is overbearing and controlling in wanting to keep this hierarchy and thus try to stomp out any superhero mentalities where everyone should be equally treated.

I think this webtoon is great because it has a good balance of action and story. Our protagonist is not as simple as he shows to Seraphina, and we get to slowly see and experience through the characters the kind of injustice the different characters are faced with because of the structure of this society and how warped everyone is in following the "rules" of this society and playing by it. Seraphina and John are also great characters since they're both very cool and headstrong but caring towards others and each other, they're beautifullll. I also really dig the changes John is going through right now and am just waiting for everything to go down haha, gotta experience chaos in order for a new world to appear? XD

The Promised Neverland by Shirai Kaiu and Demizu Posuka (artist)

Genre: Shounen, Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Tragedy

Status: Ongoing, 118 chapters scanlated

One of the upcoming anime for next year! Initially, I wasn't that big of a fan of TPN, especially when everyone kept saying it's like Death Note (I still think it isn't lol), it only aligns with Death Note  because there's a lot of thinking and planning etc that must be done for our MCs to survive in this world. Basically, it follows our protagonist Emma who lives happily in an orphanage with all the children she's grown up with until she realises what exactly this orphanage is. There begins all the planning, the deception, the danger and the journey for the MCs to overcome, to grow and save themselves and their friends. It sounds so boring from what I'm saying LOL and I think the beginning isn't that great imo but it definitely gets better and is quite interesting! It has all the elements of a good shounen (adventure, comrades, action etc), but there are also darker elements that tie along with death being nearly an everyday thing and how they have to learn to survive in this world relying on no one but themselves.

Definitely recommended and I hope the anime adaptation can solidly adapt the mystery and the fear that is portrayed really well in the manga, because I always feel like I can feel the danger that is imminent and how serious but interesting things are.

Dr. Stone by Inagaki Riichiro and Boichi (artist)

Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi

Status: Ongoing, 89 chapters scanlated

Dr Stone was one I didn't like as much at the beginning until everything was told from the perspective of Senku, because dang Taiju was boring, but Senku is AMAZING. His entourage is AMAZING too, Gen and Chrome are like the best guys EVER, I love them all haha. Anyway, one day all the people in the world are turned into stone and after many millenia, Taiju wakes up somehow and that begins the sci-fi adventures with Senku as they discover how to bring the world back into becoming the civilisation that they know of, fend off against others that do not go along with their ideals whilst experimenting with science to bring life back to all the people in this world as they try to find out how this all happened. Honestly, I didn't like it as much until Senku bonded with Gen and Chrome and they start their adventures in science by creating all different things that they need to kickstart getting back the necessities in this world to improving civilisation, and really, it's done in such an entertaining way! The science isn't very mind boggling either since Senku simplifies it for you lol, so it's just jam packed with fun, excitement but also a pretty nice story. 

The highlights are definitely the characters though. Senku is inherently kind and wants to save everyone but he's an interesting guy that has a lot of tricks up his sleeves too, and you have Chrome who is someone interested in science and is opened up to a whole new world once Senku brings all his ideas into being with his help. I really love how everyone cooperates to bring Senku's ideas into fruition, it's a fun but also emotional ride seeing them able to enjoy all those modern things they lost after they became stone. Definitely recommend reading it, but otherwise the anime is coming in 2019 as well, so hopefully that will be good!

Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai by Tsutsui Taishi

Genre: Shounen, Ecchi, Comedy, Romance, Harem, School Life

Status: Ongoing, 93 chapters scanlated

Initially, I didn't have the best impression of this, since Nisekoi ended right before this came out and I thought it was going to be another boring harem with someone like Chitoge winning (omg, I do not like her btw lol), so yes it didn't start out very favourably to me and I didn't think it was that good until I kept reading, and I actually like the characters much more than I thought. Tbh, I like all the girls as well! They all have different personalities but they're not annoying at all, but instead, they're all so cute in their various ways. Makes it hard to choose but I still like the teacher the best!

Anyway, story is centered around Yuiga who is studying for his college entrance exams, and the school strikes a deal with him that if he can teach these two genius girls into getting better results in what they're weak at, he'll get a good recommendation or something like that. Anyway, so he has to teach the science wiz Ogata literature(?) and the literary genius Furuhashi math/science or whatever it was, but basically the opposite type of subject that they find it hard to grasp, and that's how his ordeals begin. The cute thing is that these geniuses actually want to pursue a career in the subject they're most weak in and they have very admirable and understandable reasons for trying so hard to do that, and I find that really cool. At the same time, we also have his childhood friend that is great at swimming but weak at English, and the teacher that is someone that had to give up on pursuing her dream to settle down into facing reality that sometimes no matter how hard you try, some things you can't have a career in if you're not good enough, and I feel like Yuiga and his friends will be able to show her that this may not necessarily always be true!

Anyway, it has all the typical harem stuff with chapters focusing on different girls, and you can really see how much he helps them all emotionally and with their studies, but at the same time, he also has his weaknesses and the girls cheer him up in their own way too. It's quite wholesome and cute, so I'll recommend this if you're into the harem kinda stories, I sooo want the teacher to be  the one! XD But I will admit that any of the others are really nice too.

Dame na Watashi ni Koishite Kudasai by Nakahara Aya

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Josei, Romance, Slice of Life

Status: Completed, 40 chapters scanlated

As a fan of Lovely Complex, there was no way I wasn't reading this one. However, it does start out rather weirdly just because I felt like Shunin was just plain mean and the MC very silly and stupid to the point that it was frustrating lol. But as they interact and go through their respective love life problems with each other, their bickering becomes very cute and sweet. Anyway, our heroine here gives her all to love, but gives it all to the wrong men and in the wrong way, because she's basically buying expensive things for young pretty boys to the point that she's broke and now unemployed, but luckily for her, she meets her former boss who helps her out by giving her food and a job until she finds a proper job lol. It has all the usual quirkiness that Nakahara has in her heroines and it is a pretty funny but sweet story.

Honey Lemon Soda by Murata Mayu

Genre: Shoujo, Drama, Romance, School Life

Status: Ongoing, 29 chapters scanlated

This one goes along with the shoujo cliche with the cool guy and plain girl thing, but this one just feels so much cuter to me! It's basically the story of a shy girl that gets the help of the cool guy when she's bullied, and then because the guy is such a cool ray of sunshine or whatever, she decides that she wants to change and be more like him. I really like this one because I feel that even though the heroine is shy, she tries really hard and quite fast too, she's not completely wishy washy and usually when she decides on something, she goes through with it no matter how embarrassing it is. She doesn't really cry either, oh and the guy helps her just the right amount!~ He doesn't help her do everything, instead he pushes her to better herself so that she can stand up for herself and do things on her own, he gives her independence and doesn't help her every time she's in trouble, instead he lets her grow and I think that was really nice to see that mutual respect they had for each other, and how he helps her grow without babying her, and I guess that's the best part about it!

Jigokuraku by Kaku Yuuji

Genre: Shounen, Action, Adventure, Drama, Historical, Romance, Tragedy

Status: Ongoing, 41 chapters scanlated

So, Gabimaru is a former ninja assassin that has been sentenced to death but has now been given the "chance" to go to this island and find the elixir of immortality in order to be freed from death by the shogunate. Our protagonist is a badass that will not allow himself to die so easily since he's got someone he wants to go back home to, and so alongside with the appointed executioner that will follow him around the island (that will kill him if he tries to run etc), they and all the other death row prisoners find that this island is much more dangerous than they thought it was, and now it cannot be helped but to wonder whether this elixir really exists and whether anyone will actually be able to leave this island alive.

Anyway, action in this one is nice! I like it, kinda bloody and hard to get attached to some characters and see them die, but you can really see how each of these characters have their respective motivations in needing to survive, however, this island isn't nice enough to grant those wishes. Luckily, our MC is strong and cool but also cares for no one, so really, it's a story revolving around action and survival, I quite like it.

Domestic na Kanojo by Sasuga Kei (R18+)

Genre: Shounen, Ecchi, Smut, Drama, Romance, Slice of Life, School Life, Harem

Status: Ongoing, 212 chapters scanlated

This is another one that's getting an anime adaptation soon too! Note that there are sex scenes and there is nudity! Basically, if you've read Good Ending (by the same mangaka), you'll know that you're gonna be in for a lot of drama, and I mean A LOT hahha. Anyway, Natsuo likes his teacher Hina but wants to forget about her, so he goes to a mixer and ends up having his first time with another girl called Rui because she wanted to experience how sex is like. Little did he know that his father is remarrying and he just so happens to now have both Hina and Rui as his new stepsisters! So, yeah, you can just imagine the drama that ensues as they all bond together and all the love triangle stuff, because basically a lot of the story is revolved around both sisters liking him and Natsuo finding his own place as an author.

Tbh, I really like it despite the drama, and I guess I do kinda like the drama (except the crazy stalker guy lol) since I feel like it makes sense and the actions that the characters took are understandable. Most people love Rui the most and I find her so adorable too, but I can't help but feel so sorry for Hina and she's a good girl too, sigh. Anyway, if you're into drama, love triangles, romance problems and also growing up problems then you'll like this haha.

Aaaand I'm done! 2 hours until 2019, but anyway, happy new year! Hopefully I'll go back to monthly reviews but no guarantees since I haven't been reading much new manga these days, but we shall see! XD