Young Adult Books To Read

Exciting Must-Read Mangas For Shojo And Shounen Fans Alike!

There are just so many mangas coming out these days. On top of that, you get anime adaptations of said mangas, making it, in many cases, harder to keep up with all the new fun stories to read, but sometimes it’s hard to know which manga is worth investing in and which one isn’t. Let’s take a look at some exciting mangas that you absolutely NEED to read, but before we get into that, let’s ask ourselves a question. What makes a manga worth a read? Well, usually, the answer to that would be good writing, characters and, most importantly, art direction. No one wants to read a cheaply made manga with uninteresting art and character designs that look boring. There have been so many talented mangakas over the years utilizing a wide range of techniques to make the art in their mangas stand out.

So let’s take a look.

Death Note

Death Note is one of the most cherished and exciting mangas ever written, a story so engaging, deep and complex with twists and turns throughout. Every single person who’s ever gotten into anime would tell you that their first anime/manga was Death Note, and for a good reason, too: it’s one of the best young adult books to read. The story of Light Yagami, an intelligent college student who discovers the titular Death Note, a notebook in which you can write the names of anyone who you wish to kill. Upon gaining the notebook, he uses it to kill anyone he deems to be immoral, a criminal or evil. He eventually takes up the pseudonym ‘Kira’, and everyone, good or bad, is afraid of him. Exploring themes such as vigilantism, the manga starts to show him as a self-righteous and morally ambiguous anti-hero eventually, though he crosses into villain territory as he uses the Death Note in less than noble ways, another character of this story is of L, intelligent detective and his arch-rival. The dynamic between the two and the way L tries to discover the identity of Kira is quite exciting to read through. This manga is paced perfectly, and there are no slow moments. Every single chapter is written so well that the journey is exciting from start to finish, making it a MUST-READ for fans of Shounen Manga.

Sailor Moon

One of the most beloved shojo mangas of all time, Sailor Moon is a long-running manga and anime series that has had many different adaptations. At its core, it’s a story about girls bestowed with supernatural abilities that help them protect the earth from all the evil that seeks to destroy it. The protagonist, Usagi Tsukino, also known as Sailor Moon, is a likeable, relatable heroine who does everything in her power to protect the earth while also being a lazy, homebody girl who prefers to spend time playing video games and ignoring her responsibilities. Sailor Moon and the way it portrays its cast of characters, as well as the way they all interact with one another, is quite well done.

Alice 19th

This is a shojo manga written by Yuu Watase. The story is about a girl whose encounter with a rabbit starts the story, in many ways mirroring Alice in Wonderland. The story explores themes of romance and supernatural powers, and much of the story is about the moral purification of the soul, which is a large theme within the story.

One Piece

Among great young adult books to read One Piece is considered to be one of the best mangas ever written, written by Eiichiro Oda. Known for its exceptional art direction, characters and humour. One Piece has won the hearts and minds of millions of people around the world. It even set the Guinness world record for “the most copies published for the same comic book series by a single author.” The story is set in a fantasy world with fairies, giants, dwarves, and fishmen. The world in this series is dominated by the World Government which comprises dozens of member countries. The story is all about the protagonist, Luffy, who goes on an adventure to find a hidden treasure known as the ‘One Piece.’ The story shows him interacting with all sorts of diverse characters and making friends along the way. The story resonates so much with people due to its character development, where many characters undergo enormous transformations. How a character was near the story and how they are near the end is quite the difference, and this character growth is exciting to read through. Making it one of the best young adult books to read.

Dragon Ball By Akira Toriyama

Dragon Ball is a shounen manga by Akira Toriyama and is among the most well-known shounen mangas out there due to the impact that it has left. This is a story that is a blend of science fiction and fantasy the story is inspired loosely by the Chinese novel The Journey to the West. Dragon Ball and its successor, Dragon Ball Z, are one of the most popular and influential stories told to date from Japan, and it’s impact is felt in many shows, movies and even video games. Many people enjoy the protagonist, Son Goku, who grows throughout the series as a character and even ends up having his own child in the form of Gohan who is also a beloved fan favourite among many others like his friend and rival Vegeta. Many pop cultural references are made about the story and that goes to show how much of an impact Dragon Ball has left on public perception. The story is all about overcoming challenges, heroism, bravery, and feats of strength, as well as advocating for the value of friendship and camaraderie in difficult times. This is what makes the Dragon Ball series among the most loved young adult books to read.

The Art And Beauty Of Amazing Manga!

Hopefully, now you have mangas to read that you enjoy and love and become a fan of these amazing works of art. Among young adult books to read these are going to be the best books to read for anyone looking to pass the time and have fun!