So you want to give someone the gift of manga, but you don't want to stick 'em with the long-term commitment of a multi-volume series? Or perhaps you're hoping to share the fun with a reader who's new to manga. But before you despair and reach for the bookstore gift card, here are a few recently-released gift-worthy picks to consider.
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Publisher: VIZ Media
for Fullmetal Alchemist Box Set
Great for: Any fan of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime, or shonen manga readers who haven't yet read one of the most beloved series out today.
Now that the final volume of the series is out, VIZ Media is offering all 27 volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist in one ginormous box set. Besides being an impressive gift, the set offers the entire series at a 20% off buying each book individually. Even if you have some of the books, the set also offers some special extras, like Fullmetal Alchemist Novel: The Ties That Bind and a full-color, two-sided poster.More »
Author: VIZ Media and Thomas Flintham
Publisher: VIZ Kids / VIZ Media
for Mameshiba ♥ Winter
Great for: Young readers age 6 and up who will be charmed by these quirky but adorable dogs having winter-time fun.
Not quite a dog and not quite a bean, Mameshiba are both! Mameshiba ♥ Winter includes stickers, a pop-up snow castle and cut-out Mameshiba characters that you can dress up in winter gear.More »
Author: various artists
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
for Mega Man Tribute
Great for: Old school and new video game fans, especially ones who love Capcom's "Blue Bomber"
Art books are always a fun gift, and this one is pretty special because it features over 100 artists from all parts of the world paying tribute to Mega Man, the fightin', flyin' robot featured in 8-bit Nintendo NES games from back in the day, like the original Mega Man, to sequel games like Mega Man X, Mega Man Zero, Mega Man ZX, and Mega Man Legends.More »
Author: Kaoru Mori
Publisher: Yen Press
for A Bride's Story Volume 1
Great for: Armchair travelers, your cousin who read The Kite Runner, anyone who loves a tale with a strong female lead, and appreciates exquisitely done artwork.
Kaoru Mori, the creator of the Victorian-era romance Emma turns her attention to the Middle East, as she tells a tale of a young 20-something woman who is sent to another village to marry a young boy. Set in a land that vaguely resembles Afghanistan/Turkey or thereabouts, A Bride's Story offers many charming and exquisitely-drawn vignettes of everyday life, from baking bread to wood carving, hunting and herding, as well as drama when the young bride's family comes looking to take her back to her village to marry another man.
As befitting this lovely story, Yen Press is presenting A Bride's Story in gift-worthy hardcover editions that'll even impress readers who aren't hip to the manga-reading tip.More »
Author: Matsuri Hino
Publisher: Shojo Beat / VIZ Media
for The Art of Vampire Knight
Great for: Shojo manga fans and aspiring manga creators who'll love this look behind the scenes. Also lovely for fans of Gothic artwork and vampire lit.
If you're already familiar with Vampire Knight, you know that a big part of the appeal of this series is Matsuri Hino's lush, lovely artwork. Now fans of this Gothic vampire high school drama can see illustrations from this series in all their full-color glory in this beautiful hardcover edition. Aspiring artists will also appreciate Hino's commentary on her creative process, and a step-by-step showing how she creates her color illustrations from start-to-finish.More »
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Artist: Young Kim
Publisher: Yen Press
for Twilight Volume 1
Great for: Duh, Twilight fans who can't get enough of this vampire romance series, and also anyone who loves supernatural romance.
Now that Volume 2 is out, Yen Press' graphic novel adaptation of the first novel in the Twilight series is complete, which makes these hardcover editions a perfect gift for fans of this bestselling young adult romance series. Even if they've read Twilight or seen the movies more times than they can count, this graphic novel adaptation will delight them with a new way of looking at their favorite story.More »
Author: Yellow Tanabe
Publisher: Shonen Sunday / VIZ Media
for Kekkaishi Volume 1 (3-in-1 Edition)
Great for:Shonen manga fans who haven't yet been turned on to this fun, action-packed series.
If you know a shonen manga fan who raves about Naruto and Bleach but are looking for something new, then introduce him/her to Kekkaishi! Especially now that the Kekkaishi anime series is featured on Cartoon Network, there's even more reasons to get into this story about two childhood friends who are students by day, and warriors by night, who must battle demons attracted to a mystical site that's beneath their school. It's got a winning mix of action, humor, and memorable characters that'll have them coming back for more.
VIZ also has value-priced 3-in-1 editions of Bleach, Naruto, One Piece and Fullmetal Alchemist that are also great intros to manga.More »
Author: Tadashi Agi
Artist: Shu Okimoto
Publisher: Vertical
for Drops of God Volume 1
Great for: Anyone (not just manga readers) who love wine, good food, and a heaping helping of globe-trotting romance and drama. Also a fun read for K-Drama addicts.
It's no secret that I love wine and gourmet food almost as much as I love manga, so when I heard that Vertical would be publishing an English edition of wine manga Drops of God, I had to share it with almost every foodie and wine-loving friend I knew. Why? Because it not only showcases real wines that you can actually find, buy, and drink, it makes the world of wine and wine appreciation fun, accessible and very, very entertaining.
Shizuku is the son of a famous wine critic who has turned his back on his father's world. But when his father dies and leaves a will that stipulates that his son must compete with an arrogant young wine critic to inherit a multi-million dollar wine collection, Shizuku takes up the challenge and embarks on a journey of exciting tastes, places, and experiences.More »
Author: Daisuke Sato
Artist: Shouji Sato
Publisher: Yen Press
for High School of the Dead Color Omnibus
Great for: Your twenty-something friend who likes zombie movies and enjoys a little (OK, a LOT) of T&A.
Since the first volume of High School of the Dead was published in English in January 2011, this fanservice-filled horror comic has been delivering action, violence, gore and yes, a fair amount of busty teen girls in various states of undress. So while this isn't the book you'd want to open in front of grandma, for fans of HSoTD, this deluxe hardcover edition featuring all the stories from volumes 1-4 in full color is an 8-lb bundle of joy.More »
Distributor: Aniplex of America
for Blue Exorcist Anime DVD
Great for: Shonen manga fans who love this supernatural action series by Kazue Kato
Sure, it's been great to watch Blue Exorcist online on Hulu and VIZAnime.com, but c'mon, isn't it good enough to want to see it again and again? Heck, I think so! Give 'em the Blue Exorcist DVD, which includes lots of extras like unaired episodes, special short clips not seen in the simulcast, and a double-sided poster too!
Other top picks for recently released anime based on shonen manga include Fairy Tail and the new Blu-Ray edition of Dragon Ball Z.More »
Fullmetal Alchemist Box Set
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Publisher: VIZ Media
for Fullmetal Alchemist Box Set
Great for: Any fan of the Fullmetal Alchemist anime, or shonen manga readers who haven't yet read one of the most beloved series out today.
Now that the final volume of the series is out, VIZ Media is offering all 27 volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist in one ginormous box set. Besides being an impressive gift, the set offers the entire series at a 20% off buying each book individually. Even if you have some of the books, the set also offers some special extras, like Fullmetal Alchemist Novel: The Ties That Bind and a full-color, two-sided poster.More »
Mameshiba ♥ Winter
Author: VIZ Media and Thomas Flintham
Publisher: VIZ Kids / VIZ Media
for Mameshiba ♥ Winter
Great for: Young readers age 6 and up who will be charmed by these quirky but adorable dogs having winter-time fun.
Not quite a dog and not quite a bean, Mameshiba are both! Mameshiba ♥ Winter includes stickers, a pop-up snow castle and cut-out Mameshiba characters that you can dress up in winter gear.More »
Mega Man Tribute Art Book
Author: various artists
Publisher: Udon Entertainment
for Mega Man Tribute
Great for: Old school and new video game fans, especially ones who love Capcom's "Blue Bomber"
Art books are always a fun gift, and this one is pretty special because it features over 100 artists from all parts of the world paying tribute to Mega Man, the fightin', flyin' robot featured in 8-bit Nintendo NES games from back in the day, like the original Mega Man, to sequel games like Mega Man X, Mega Man Zero, Mega Man ZX, and Mega Man Legends.More »
A Bride's Story Volumes 1 & 2
Author: Kaoru Mori
Publisher: Yen Press
for A Bride's Story Volume 1
Great for: Armchair travelers, your cousin who read The Kite Runner, anyone who loves a tale with a strong female lead, and appreciates exquisitely done artwork.
Kaoru Mori, the creator of the Victorian-era romance Emma turns her attention to the Middle East, as she tells a tale of a young 20-something woman who is sent to another village to marry a young boy. Set in a land that vaguely resembles Afghanistan/Turkey or thereabouts, A Bride's Story offers many charming and exquisitely-drawn vignettes of everyday life, from baking bread to wood carving, hunting and herding, as well as drama when the young bride's family comes looking to take her back to her village to marry another man.
As befitting this lovely story, Yen Press is presenting A Bride's Story in gift-worthy hardcover editions that'll even impress readers who aren't hip to the manga-reading tip.More »
The Art of Vampire Knight: Matsuri Hino Illustrations
Author: Matsuri Hino
Publisher: Shojo Beat / VIZ Media
for The Art of Vampire Knight
Great for: Shojo manga fans and aspiring manga creators who'll love this look behind the scenes. Also lovely for fans of Gothic artwork and vampire lit.
If you're already familiar with Vampire Knight, you know that a big part of the appeal of this series is Matsuri Hino's lush, lovely artwork. Now fans of this Gothic vampire high school drama can see illustrations from this series in all their full-color glory in this beautiful hardcover edition. Aspiring artists will also appreciate Hino's commentary on her creative process, and a step-by-step showing how she creates her color illustrations from start-to-finish.More »
Twilight: The Graphic Novel Volumes 1 & 2
Author: Stephenie Meyer
Artist: Young Kim
Publisher: Yen Press
for Twilight Volume 1
Great for: Duh, Twilight fans who can't get enough of this vampire romance series, and also anyone who loves supernatural romance.
Now that Volume 2 is out, Yen Press' graphic novel adaptation of the first novel in the Twilight series is complete, which makes these hardcover editions a perfect gift for fans of this bestselling young adult romance series. Even if they've read Twilight or seen the movies more times than they can count, this graphic novel adaptation will delight them with a new way of looking at their favorite story.More »
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Kekkaishi Volume 1 (3-in-1 Edition)
Author: Yellow Tanabe
Publisher: Shonen Sunday / VIZ Media
for Kekkaishi Volume 1 (3-in-1 Edition)
Great for:Shonen manga fans who haven't yet been turned on to this fun, action-packed series.
If you know a shonen manga fan who raves about Naruto and Bleach but are looking for something new, then introduce him/her to Kekkaishi! Especially now that the Kekkaishi anime series is featured on Cartoon Network, there's even more reasons to get into this story about two childhood friends who are students by day, and warriors by night, who must battle demons attracted to a mystical site that's beneath their school. It's got a winning mix of action, humor, and memorable characters that'll have them coming back for more.
VIZ also has value-priced 3-in-1 editions of Bleach, Naruto, One Piece and Fullmetal Alchemist that are also great intros to manga.More »
Drops of God Volumes 1 & 2
Author: Tadashi Agi
Artist: Shu Okimoto
Publisher: Vertical
for Drops of God Volume 1
Great for: Anyone (not just manga readers) who love wine, good food, and a heaping helping of globe-trotting romance and drama. Also a fun read for K-Drama addicts.
It's no secret that I love wine and gourmet food almost as much as I love manga, so when I heard that Vertical would be publishing an English edition of wine manga Drops of God, I had to share it with almost every foodie and wine-loving friend I knew. Why? Because it not only showcases real wines that you can actually find, buy, and drink, it makes the world of wine and wine appreciation fun, accessible and very, very entertaining.
Shizuku is the son of a famous wine critic who has turned his back on his father's world. But when his father dies and leaves a will that stipulates that his son must compete with an arrogant young wine critic to inherit a multi-million dollar wine collection, Shizuku takes up the challenge and embarks on a journey of exciting tastes, places, and experiences.More »
High School of the Dead Color Omnibus
Author: Daisuke Sato
Artist: Shouji Sato
Publisher: Yen Press
for High School of the Dead Color Omnibus
Great for: Your twenty-something friend who likes zombie movies and enjoys a little (OK, a LOT) of T&A.
Since the first volume of High School of the Dead was published in English in January 2011, this fanservice-filled horror comic has been delivering action, violence, gore and yes, a fair amount of busty teen girls in various states of undress. So while this isn't the book you'd want to open in front of grandma, for fans of HSoTD, this deluxe hardcover edition featuring all the stories from volumes 1-4 in full color is an 8-lb bundle of joy.More »
Blue Exorcist Anime DVDs
Distributor: Aniplex of America
for Blue Exorcist Anime DVD
Great for: Shonen manga fans who love this supernatural action series by Kazue Kato
Sure, it's been great to watch Blue Exorcist online on Hulu and VIZAnime.com, but c'mon, isn't it good enough to want to see it again and again? Heck, I think so! Give 'em the Blue Exorcist DVD, which includes lots of extras like unaired episodes, special short clips not seen in the simulcast, and a double-sided poster too!
Other top picks for recently released anime based on shonen manga include Fairy Tail and the new Blu-Ray edition of Dragon Ball Z.More »