7 Unique and Stylish Manga (1/20/2021)

Continuing with my previous manga related post (last time about sports manga), this time I'd like to present 7 very stylistic manga. These are not ranked this time, because I love all these manga and I think that they are all worth a read. When I say stylish, I mean that these manga are all very unique, and these stories probably couldn't be published or expressed in anything other than a manga or anime form. They all not only have distinct art styles, they also have unique worlds and relationships that are very far outside of the norm.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Okay, I lied. Jojo is the only manga on this list that I don't actually love. That doesn't mean that I can't recommend it, though. I am not actually a major Jojo's fan, but I do have to admit it is one of the most unique pieces of fiction out there. Despite all the crazy JoJo's fans out there, I do think that the best way to go into JoJo's is knowing nothing about JoJos. Don't expect an expertly crafted story, because there isn't one. JoJo's is actually just a simmering mess of characters and bright colors and bizarre events, and people love it for that. Araki, the artist, is a creative genius, and I don't think that anyone else could have thought up of the ideas that make up JoJos. Literally everything doesn't actually make sense, with or without context, and you just have to go along with it.

That being said, it can be pretty hard to get into JoJos, because of how long it is, and also how painfully average part one is. I would recommend that you treat each part as its own series, and take breaks after each part. Also, the anime, while lengthy, is the superior way to enjoy the series.

Gantz

Gantz is just edgyness turned up to the max. There is a lot of gore, violence, and sex. That is really all you need to enjoy this series. The best way to describe Gantz is that it is an edgy mess that shouldn't work, but it somehow does. The art is weird and oddly cgi-heavy, yet it somehow works to enhance the action. The plot is a complete mess, but it's also somehow interesting to pay attention to. There are very obvious flaws in Gantz, but Gantz somehow manages to still make everything work. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

Annarasumanara

Annarasumanara is about magic. What makes this series unique is in the story, art, and symbolism. Annarasumanara is a story that can only be truly told in a manhwa form. Notice I said manhwa, not manga, because Annarasumanara is actually Korean. Why I think this matters is because manhwa is often colored, and Annarasumanara uses color along with its overall art style expertly. At some points within the story, the author actually layers in photographs (or hyperrealistic drawings, I can't tell) into the story, which I haven't actually seen utilized in any other manga I've ever read. It's a bit jarring, but that only adds onto the quality of the manga because these scenes are often used with a symbolic meaning throughout the story. In fact, the amount of symbols and little details within the story are what makes this manhwa amazing. Red is used often as a motif for magic, for example, while a certain someone's head is also used as a symbol, but I can't delve into that without spoilers. Besides the excellent usage of art as a storytelling medium, the story itself is also very well done. It's very meta, and I think there is a lot of unpack after finishing this series.

Dorohedoro

Dorohedoro is a nearly perfect series. The main plot is essentially just about a dude with a lizard head (that has another head inside his mouth, by the way) who also has amnesia trying to get his memories back with the help of his hot dumpling making friend. The plot is very convoluted, but the fun of this series is trying to decipher what is going on, while at the same trying to get used to this completely different world. 

Like JoJo, Dorohedoro is a series that is uniquely itself. What makes Dorohedoro special lies in the world of the story. Although the world of Dorohedoro might seem crazy at first (and it is crazy, to be fair), as you progress through the story you learn that it actually functions very well within it's own rules. This world is weird and fucked up, yet also unique and completely different from what I've ever seen. The way Dorohedoro treats magic is also completely unique, which I find refreshing. 

Dorohedoro is a dark comedy that gets violent on the regular, so it might not be for everyone, but if you can deal with that I think this is a must read. However, the only reason why I think this manga series isn't perfect is because the story starts to stumble a tiny bit towards the end. If the ending was tackled just a little bit more gracefully or handled slightly different I think this would be a perfect 10/10.

Chainsaw Man

I feel a bit like a liar when I say that there isn't anything else that feels like Dorohedoro, because Chainsaw Man exists. In a way, I see Chainsaw Man as Dorohedoro's little cousin, who although similar, is still a very separate series (the author actually called Chainsaw Man a ripoff of Dorohedoro). What I think make them similar is in the art style and in the tone of the series. Both Dorohedoro and Chainsaw Man are very violent black comedies that live in a very unique and dark world. I think that it can be seen that Chainsaw Man was in part inspired by Dorohedoro, but it still manages to carve out its own identity. There isn't much to diss about Chainsaw Man. The characters are all great, the action is amazing, and the story is also surprisingly good. The only thing I can really fault the series for is not explaining everything super well, although this might be alleviated in the future, because there will be a part 2 of Chainsaw Man. If you just want a solid series to enjoy, then Chainsaw Man is a very good recommendation.

Onanie Master Kurosawa

OMK has probably one of the most unique premises I have ever read. It's basically just about this dude who really likes wanking in a girls school bathroom, but one day he gets caught by a bullied girl who then blackmails him. It's a crazy weird synopsis, but don't let that turn you away from this unironic masterpiece of a series. OMK is a coming of age story at it's core, and it's genius lies in watching all the characters grow. Each character has to face the consequences of their actions at some point, and the ending of this manga is amazing. Definitely worth a read, you could probably finish this series in a day because it is relatively short.

Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan is the modern day anime classic. It is super hyped up, and for a good reason. Part of this success is due to how unique AoT has been from anything else before it. Who could've thought up the idea of all of humanity being trapped inside huge walls, with titans outside trying to eat them? Even more, who could've thought up of a satisfying resolution to this question, while constantly adding on to itself and increasing in quality as the story goes on? Just from the premise, this series is worth a read just by itself, but what makes the series truly great is the story. Everything feels planned out, and the foreshadowing and reveals are completely revolutionary. I honestly can't think of any major faults of AoT, it really is just that good. Please go give AoT a read/watch. It actually lives up to the hype and more.