Kevin's Watch

Group,
The following message concerns a list of 'manga you can't miss' as recommended by Patrick Galbraith

In August/October Patrick Galbraith, Ph.D. student at University of Tokyo, wrote The Otaku Encyclopedia: An Insider's guide to the Subculture of Cool Japan. As an appendix to the text, Patrick has added a list of "manga you can't miss". The list is: Akira, Berserk, Cyboorg 009, Dragon Ball, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, La Blue Girl, Lone Wolf and Cub, Maison Ikkoku, Monster, Phoenix, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, The Rose of Versailles, The Song of the Wind and the Tree's, Tomorrow's Joe. It's to bad but I wish that Galbraith had added reasons these manga would be considered can't miss, but the list is non-annotated.

I agree that reasons would have been helpful. For instance, I can't fathom La Blue Girl being on there, so I'd be interested in the thinking behind it. I've never heard of Slam Dunk, so I'd be even more interested in the reasons for that inclusion; from just a simple mention of the title I have no idea if I'd enjoy it.

Having said that, Monster is superbness given papery form. I hear the manga of Berserk is better than the anime, in which case it's probably very good.

I read Akira years ago, but I remember it being excellent.