Manga I'm Reading Right Now

 

Having entered the manga scene fairly late, I thought I would compile a list of three mangas I am currently reading / have read that will hopefully entice you into reading too. 

 1. Chainsaw Man

With the announcement of the Chainsaw Man anime adapatation by MAPPA studios, I was keen to throw myself into the world of Chainsaw Man through the manga to get me hyped for the anime. Chainsaw Man is a shonen series that follows the story of Denji, a young man struggling with debts he inherits from his now deceased father, repaying his debts by killing demons with his companion Pochita who is a dog demon that acts as Denji's chainsaw. Whilst out on a bounty, he is set up and is killed by those who he repays his debt too. Its here where he fuses with Pochita who sacrifices his life to restore Denji's and thus, Chainsaw Man is born.

The manga is a really enjoyable read. Whilst nothing groundbreaking storywise, its comedy holds up and makes it an enjoyable read throughout, the main cast are really enjoyable and have a natural and intriguing relationship with another. Tatsuki Fujimoto's artwork really shines through too with very clear and detailed panels that are easy to follow and understand. With volume ten of the English translation recently releasing it is a great manga to start on in time for the release of the anime.

2. Kaiju No. 8

The most recent manga release of the three. Recommended to me by a friend, Kaiju No. 8 started as a series in Japan on the 4th December 2020 by Naoya Matsumoto. This shonen manga follows the story of Kafka Hibino, who along with his childhood friend Mino Ashiro made a pact to join the Japan Defence Force, a specialised organisation tasked with ridding Japan of kaiju attacks. Fast forward and Kafka is a member of the cleanup crew responsible for disposing of the Kaiju's taken out by the Japan Defence Force whilst Mina is now a full fledged captain of the Third Division, Kafka failing to meet the requirments to join multiple times. Whilst out on a job he digests a small monster that gives him the ability to transform into a kaiju himself. This places him on the Japan Defence Force's kill list under the name 'Kaiju No. 8'.

Whilst at the time of writing this post, Kaiju No. 8 only has two official volumes in English. Having only having read the two volumes, the manga definitely has potential with a very solid foundation. Best comparison I could give it already is a mixture of 2013's Pacific Rim (The good one) and Attack on Titans. Definitely one to give a read.

3. Tokyo Ghoul

Last on this list is Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul. Tokyo Ghoul follows Ken Kaneki, a bookworm living in an alternative ghoul ridden world, aggressive species who seek to feed on humans as their only means of survival. Whilst out on a date with a character named Rize Kamishiro he is attacked by her after she reveals her true intentions to him. While on death's door, Kaneki is saved by a stranger and both Rize and Kaneki's body are rushed to hospital. It is here where Kaneki is brought back to life using the organs of Rize, transforming into a half ghoul. 

Without a doubt the strongest of the three mangas on all aspects. Tokyo Ghoul is a masterpiece of storytelling, covering the topic of morality of both humans and ghouls where no species is truly good or evil. The artwork by Sui Ishida is mindblowing. Panels in each volume dedicated to some of the most horrifying artwork I have seen. Whilst only at volume five. I am already hooked by the story and characters. Definitely a must read.

What are your thoughts on the manga above? What are you reading right now that would recommend?