As a manga aficionado for several years, I pride myself on having read a wide variety of manga across genres of shoujo, slice-of-life, shounen, historical and many more. While trying not to come across as the usual manga-nerd that society stereotypes people who love manga or anime, I do want to emphasize the beauty and skill of the art and writing that manga requires, and for that matter, anime as well.

Stereotypically, manga and anime are rarely given value in Western society as a legitimate art or written form and is often misconstrued as immature, underdeveloped or simply part of pop culture that is eschewed for more popular and supposedly more high-brow graphic novels and comic books. This stereotype might not be true for several people-- people who read or know about manga and the rich history of Japan from which it arises-- but in many cases, it becomes difficult for consumers of modern day international culture to see it beyond its superficial qualities that deem it invaluable or childish for them.

It is precisely this stereotype-- that manga and anime are invaluable, especially when compared to other versions of this art form-- that needs to be broken and reconstructed to be able to reveal the magic of manga. Manga, read by people of all ages in Japan, has a deep and rich history of art and writing that not only foes back to the 1870's in terms of publication, but the modern day manga that is now known and read all over the world in several languages, finds its first stirrings during the Occupation and post-Occupation years in Japan (1945-early 1960's). Following the cultural and artistic explosion after Occupation, Japanese graphic art forms developed, and influenced by American comic books, became a powerful force of art and literature that went beyond children's stories to beautifully drawn works of great skill and technique.

The first manga magazine ever, published 1895

Currently, the Japanese manga industry has great standing in the Japanese publishing industry. The magic of manga, as I like to term it, lends itself to the perhaps, more popular anime, which is the televised animation series that are oftentimes based on the original manga. Hand drawn and framed, each carefully constructed box in a manga is transformed into the colorful moving and alive scenes we see in an episode of Pokémon or Naruto, but what the simplicity of such anime conceals is the hours of work that goes into transmitting the skill drawing manga onto a screen.

This is where I segue into some manga that you-- if indeed you are a first-timer into the world of manga, or simply looking for new ones to read-- should be reading if you find this beautiful art form interesting. All of these mangas have been made into anime, so in case watching episodes is more your thing than turning pages, I have a few to get you started:

1. "Bakuman," Tsugumi Ohba (Story), Takeshi Obata (Art)

The story of how manga is created, dreams of young artists and writers cultivated, broken down, and regenerated, and young love that withstands the pressures of growing up and of dreaming of a future: this manga packs a round-house punch in everything it delivers. For those interested in how the processes of manga and anime actually work, Bakuman details the story of two teenage high school boys who dream of making it big in the manga industry, and getting their work serialized into an anime; all so that the artist, Mashiro Moritaka can be with the love of his life.

2. "Barakamon," Satsuki Yoshino

One of the most beautiful mangas in terms of artwork and story, the funny, inspiring and heart-warming bildungsroman centering on eccentric and young calligrapher Handa Seishu, Barakamon is a manga that blows your mind away. It will make you tear up, smile at the beautifully soft and delicate artwork, giggle at the misadventures of Handa-san, who is, like all of us, trying to find his happiness in what he loves most.

Revolving around his journey as a calligrapher, the manga takes you on a wild ride as his career plummets and rises, and finding yourself on a remote island surrounded by squealing kids and eccentric villagers, you will too, just like Handa Seishu, become frustrated, laugh, and enjoy wherever life takes him, and in your case, wherever this manga takes you.

Handa Seishu, the man in blue, with the children of the village

3. "Kaichou wa Maid-Sama," Hiro Fujiwara

Categorized as a romance manga, this manga also packs a lovely punch: a head-strong female President of a male-majority high school, a mysterious and painfully perfect male lead who seemingly has superhuman abilities (he cooks, tops every exam, sings, seemingly flies... his special skill on an anime website is listed as "everything he does"), a broken family in a broken (literally) house, and a very big secret to hide.

This manga is my all-time shoujo/romance favorite, and what I love the most is one of the strongest female characters I have seen in a manga that seemingly is about one of the most cliché stories, but yet arises from this well-used plot line to reveal an unconventional and heart-warming story of love and determination. After ten years of keeping fans on tenterhooks, the manga ended on the best note ever.

4. "Akatsuki no Yona," Mizuho Kusanagi

Venturing into the domains of fantasy and history, this manga deals with fictional lands and dynasties, tribes, wars and histories that go back centuries and centuries. Again, with a strong female character (who gets better every chapter and volume) Akatsuki no Yona follows the journey of a princess who seeks healing not only for her own ravaged country but also for herself. Aided by several mystical beings (I won't reveal the brilliant spoiler and also a major part of the plot here) she slowly works her way to success, also building herself up at the same time into a strong leader. It also has a wonderfully tender and subtle love story. This manga is still ongoing, and lots more of adventure and plot twists await.

Yona, and her bodyguard, Hak

5. "One Piece," Eiichiro Oda

Possibly the most prolific and beloved manga in the world, One Piece chronicles the many, many, many (there are 820 chapters in the series, and it's barely completed yet) adventures of Monkey D Luffy and his pirate crew, a motley group of very skilled pirates, all in search for the 'one piece': a historic pirate treasure that lies on an island in the Grand Line.

The Grand Line, a dangerous and supernatural ocean current belt, is where their adventures happen, and this crew, all having superhuman powers, find themselves in adventure after adventure. Luffy is not only in search of the 'one piece,' which was incidentally left behind by the 'Pirate King' Gol D Roger but also the title itself.

This manga has inspired so many people across the world; the basic and life-affirming message that runs throughout the manga is the emphasis on determination and faith in your dreams, and that following your heart and believing in your dreams is perhaps the only thing that really matters.