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rainsometimesFairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
I went back and forth whether to include Fairy Tail or not: to tell the truth, I've also alternated a lot between feeling fairly meh about the manga and enjoying it; and the meh has recently been stronger. (Note: I haven't followed it in scanlations, only the official translations.) But I have enjoyed reading it at other times, so it doesn't seem right to forgo it entirely. It can provide funny, cute, exciting and sometimes even moving entertainment; and while there is an awful lot of cheesecake fanservice, so there is also a lot of female characters who are prominent in the story, of various personalities and strengths. (Indeed, Lucy is the protagonist of the series, though Natsu is the traditional hero.) And Gray is pretty cute.
Four Immigrants Manga by Henry Kiyima
Reads left to right. Typed English text was originally in Japanese; hand-lettered English text is from the original.
First published in San Francisco in 1931, this is a fascinating little book of comic strips. Drawn between 1904 and 1924, they tell about the exploits of four young Japanese immigrants to America that were closely based on Kiyima and his friends' own experiences. Kiyima tried repeatedly to get them published in Japanese-language newspapers for fellow immigrants but with no success - which I think is too bad, since he seems to have had real talent as a comic storyteller. It's exciting to see these old strips with a near documentary feel to it: while Kiyima always tries for the humorous touch with a gag or a punchline to finish with, it feels like there's also a serious tone at times you rarely see in these older comic strips.
Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
The first shojo manga I fell in love with, and probably still the one I like the most of all I've read. I'm not sure how long it would have taken me to try Fruits Basket if I hadn't seen several reviews telling me it was more than just the cute exterior one might take it for, and if the first six volumes hadn't been available at the library. The art (particularly the early art) was not the kind I take to immediately, and back then I'd read very little shojo so I wasn't too used to the basic style.
Looking back, I'm no longer sure where I knew I wanted to stick with these people - it seemed to have happened quite gradually. But certainly along the time that Kyo's true form is revealed I knew I was badly hooked, and progressed to buying new volumes from the bookshop, impatiently.
Fruits Basket has lots of things to say about coming-of-age, self-esteem issues from timidity to downright self-hatred, about bullying, guilt, jealousy, being blind to one's own virtues as well as to other people's problems, the importance of friends, the false comfort of having someone to blame and hate, or to look down on... But perhaps what stands out the most to me is how clearly it points out the danger in letting old bonds shackle us - and that even something that started out as a bond of pure love can degenerate into something dark and painful, especially if it becomes involuntary and tied to an authority. In the end it's right and necessary to rebel even against the kindest parent; to stand up to even the most venerable tradition. To move forward out into the big scary world and be open for whatever may happen, than staying shut up in the misery of a tradition that people expect you to follow. It's true that Fruits Basket is not too subversive in some areas - it's very heteronormative, for one - but at the same time it clearly cherishes striving for freedom and true responsibility. And it makes clear that everyone will need a hand to get to that point, and that there's nothing wrong with getting helped.
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
For Fullmetal Alchemist, on the other hand, there was no such problem with the manga, as I didn't start with it until I'd already seen many episodes of the first anime. So I was already stuck on the characters back then, and eager to find out what happened to them in this original and different continuity. However, it still took me some time to get used to the manga's style and rhythm; I think it wasn't until the flashback volume where Ed and Al are stuck on the island that I really got into it. (Much like the anime, actually: it wasn't until I'd seen some of young human Al that the story started to really matter. Al swiftly became my favourite.) Once I did, I was delighted to learn that Izumi is more reasonable and sympathetic in the manga, Ed is even more funny and complex; and Al is notably smarter and more competent.
I can't even begin to give a good summary of FMA in this kind of entry. I can tell you that when I did my (highly emotional) response post to the very last issue, I tagged it "best finished shonen after Barefoot Gen?", something I still believe in. (Best or second best finished shonen that I've read, that is. Though I understand there's some disagreement regarding whether or not FMA truly counts as shonen.) The amount of themes that FMA takes on, and the way it develops them through a multitude of intriguing and fascinating characters to seriously awe-inspiring heights and deeply moving moments is just stunning. It even manages to give us some really evil/disturbed/scary bad guys while also keeping them interesting characters who add more than just a physical threat to the narrative. (I'm usually not much into the more purely evil type of villains, but FMA is excellent at providing variety on that front, too.) Very, very impressive. There were several scenes that made me sniffle, and when I read the last half dozen chapters it got a bit tricky to remember to breathe. Also, I utterly love the ending, which I so did not see coming.
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Anime corner
Fantastic Children An unfairly overlooked 26-episode series with a retro art style and a convoluted plot involving reincarnation, awakening soul-memories, epic questing, mystical children with adult minds, other children who don't understand what's going on but try to do their part, government conspiracies, aliens, friendship, treachery, redemption, and for some reason a lot of close-ups of trembling faces. Great story.
Fullmetal Alchemist - The first anime series, that is, as I have not yet seen Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood which follows the manga much more closely. I've heard there is a conflict in FMA fandom between manga fans and fans of the first anime, which makes me sad, because I like both! I guess for me the manga is a more solid, thoughtful, and on the whole more hard-hitting series [SPOILERS for both endings] not to mention having a happier ending, without feeling cheap[/spoilers]. But the first anime has its own angsty charm, and it probably made me more obsessed with the series than the manga would later. Or at least, it was a different and I think more obvious obsession. Anyway, good stuff!