It’s the last Wednesday of April (not to mention the last day of April) which means it’s time for the monthly manga giveaway here at Experiments in Manga to begin! This month you have the opportunity to win the first omnibus of Hiromu Arakawa’s wonderful manga series Fullmetal Alchemist as published by Viz Media. The omnibus collects the first three volumes of the series in one convenient package and makes a great introduction to Fullmetal Alchemist. (And for you collectors who like your manga to match, never fear! The final volume of the omnibus edition is currently scheduled for release this November.) As always, the giveaway is open worldwide!
Gender has been a fairly hot topic in comics over the last few years (if not longer). The discussion isn’t just about who is represented in comics, but who’s reading and creating comics as well. Amazing women creators are out there, and they have been for a long time. This is not only true for comics in general, but for manga specifically. Women are and have been creating for all demographics. I am aware of plenty of women mangaka working in seinen and shounen, which are primarily aimed at men and boys, not to mention those who are working in josei and shoujo, which are primarily aimed at women and girls. Of course there are all of those manga that don’t neatly fit into one of the four main demographics and women are creating those, too.
Now, when I’m looking for manga to read, I’m looking for great characters, great stories, and great art. Whether the creator is a woman or a man (or any other gender for that matter) can be important, but for me it usually isn’t a deciding factor when it comes to choosing what to read. Sadly, that’s not true for everyone. I know of readers who will intentionally avoid the work of women creators, authors, and artists simply because they’re women. And they’re missing out on some fantastic material because of it. Take Fullmetal Alchemist as an example.
So, you may be wondering, how can you win a copy of the first Fullmetal Alchemist omnibus?
1) In the comments below, simply name one of your favorite women mangaka and tell me what you enjoy about her work.
2) For a second entry, name a shounen or seinen manga series (which hasn’t been mentioned by me or by someone else) that is written and/or illustrated by a woman.
3) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).
And there you have it! Each person participating in the giveaway can earn up to three entries and has one week to submit comments. If you have trouble leaving a comment, or if you would prefer, entries may also be submitted via e-mail to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. I will then post the comments in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on May 7, 2014. Good luck!
VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address, a link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can’t figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I’ll just draw another name.
Contest winner announced—Manga Giveaway: Fullmetal Alchemist Giveaway Winner
1. Arina Tanemura (Fullmoon wo Sagashite). I really liked how she mixed darker themes with the light and bubbly shoujo artstyle. Her character designs (especially hair!) are always fun too.
2. Pandora Hearts by Jun Mochizuki. Also known as my favourite manga… :)
1. Ah, so many good ones to choose from! I’ll go with Hagio Moto. the godmother of shojo: Zankoku rips your heart out, while A,A’ and They Were Eleven lifts you to the stars.
2. Kazuya Minekura’s Wild Adapter.
1. I am a big fan of Kaoru Mori. Her stories are great and her art is incredible. I watched a few videos of her drawing on Youtube and that was enough for me to order all of the available Brides’ Story volumes. Now if only Emma was easily available.
2. D.Gray-man by Katsura Hoshino. I loved the anime so it was ended, I went and read the manga. It went on hiatus multiple times due to Hoshino’s illness, but the current status is sadly unknown, as there has been no new chapters for years.
3. Link to tweet below:
https://twitter.com/inter4ever_7/status/461563214342262784
Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist!!! *Eyes full of tears…* *can’t control them feels* *sobs awfully* *bawls* *tries to control herself*
I watched the anime Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood and it just captivated me in such a way that it was my return to watching anime and reading manga after some years of hiatus… now I can’t stop it! AND I NEEDZ FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST MANGA BECAUSE… PUUURFECT!
1. CLAMP is just perfect. I can’t imagine someone who does not like CLAMP’s works. Well, I know there are people who don’t like their work, but that style for me is just ah-mazing! Also <3 the art of FMA itself and lots of others… <3
2. Kazue Katō, with Ao No Exorcist. Just puurfect!!! Love the anime and the manga <3
http://twitter.com/kitsuneninko/status/461573858714484736
CROSSING THE FINGERS AND HOPING TO WIN <3333
1) Rumiko Takahashi. Her manga was some of the first I ever read and bought, I love the heart she puts into her characters, and the subtle but charming style she has in her artwork.
2) Maison Ikkoku! One of my favorite seinen manga ever, I love it more and more the older I get.
3) RTing your tweet on my twitter @bunnycartoon!
1) Moto Hagio: Her artwork is beautiful and timeless, and her characters are rich and deep. The Heart of Thomas is the most beautiful book in my collection. She is also just a really interesting person in her own right—I love reading interviews with her.
2) How about Shinobu Ohtaka’s Magi? One of my favorite shounen adventure series!
1) Fumi Yoshinaga, easily. Her use of just expressions is amazing, her slice of life is epic, she’s just all around epic, there’s not a work of hers I don’t like. It can be difficult to describe how a series about a gay baker, high schoolers, Yoshinaga herself as a foodie, law school college students, and more can be so awesome, but as Chikage says: Once you have tasted it, you will understand.
2) Yumi Hotta, author of Hikaru no Go, my favorite shonene ever. I think women write the best shonen, plain and simple.
1. Natsume Ono. I love how emotional her stories make me and her loose art style.
2. Some of my favorites have already been claimed, but Yellow Tanabe’s Kekkaishi is a great shounen series. Unfortunately it’s kind of long, so I still haven’t finished collecting it all. One day I’ll be able to marathon read it!
1) Mitsukazu Mihara
got into her work from her Gothic Lolita illustrations in magazines and then found out her stories are full on AWESOME!
Her stories read like a punk-rock mix of …everything from I Robot to fetishes really. With bitchin stylin clothes for all the characters. She tends to really focus on the strange relationships the most
2)Chii’s Sweet Home by Kanata Konami!
it was published in Weekly Morning, which is a seinen mag, so there we go =P
Everyone needs to drop everything and get some of this kitten adorableness in their life. Right now!
grr.. I swear someday I’ll actually check my post has all the lines before hitting “post”
3 Twitter: https://twitter.com/persoconchii/status/461709942505091072
1.Moto Hagio! Her art is so pretty, and her stories are so pretty (and/or make me want to die), and I find 70s-era shoujo mangaka pretty inspirational in general. Special mention goes to Asumiko Nakamura. I would sell my soul if it would allow me to draw like she does.
2. Kei Tome authors a fair amount of male-demographic stuff (Lament of the Lamb, etc.), and Moyoko Anno (my third favorite female mangaka btw) did a seinen series called Flowers and Bees.
Hi! So I think these two haven’t been mentioned yet…
1. Toboso Yana! I tend to be the one that picks up a manga based on how good the art is (yeah, I’m horrible xD) and her style is just so amazing! That was actually the first thing that drew me in. After that the characters just kept me there.
2. Shingeki no Kyojin!!! Yes, I love it! And this is the only anime that has made me spend so much money in so little time! xD Levi~~!! Eren~~!!
I just noticed that both of these have this ‘the world is evil’ and ‘you have to fight in order to survive’ type theme, just another reason I love these two <3
Twitter: @crimson613
so sorry! I just committed a sin xD will be back in a few
Let’s start over, kind of off right now >//.< I have to say that I really like it (and prefer it over the anime because of how Yuki is played out)! Or rust blaster but that's by Toboso Yana who I've already placed for #1. Haha
Please don’t enter me into the contest, but i just couldn’t resist making a comment on this beautiful thread.
1. Since none of her thirteen series have ever been licensed in English and probably won’t be, many people may not have heard of Hiyori Otsu, but she’s far and above my favorite mangaka. Her shoujo and yuri stories are irrepressibly cute and deeply emotionally laden, with characters’ psychologies and inner-turmoil often exposed through their actions and what goes unsaid.
2. Saki (seinen) and Saki: Achiga-hen (shounen) are two wildly popular guys’ series penned by Ritz Kobayashi. She’s still a pretty young writer, but Ritz has also written sports and action manga. She lives in grandparents’ haunted house in Kichijoji. xD
1. I was going to list Kaoru Mori as my favorite since her art is phenomenal, but as someone has already mentioned her, I’ll say Yuki Midorikawa instead. Natsume’s Book of Friends is a beautiful and subtle series, and one of the few manga that have managed to make me cry, which is always a feat I applaud. Her art is gorgeous, her characters endearing, and her ability to manipulate my emotions superb.
2. Kumiko Suekane’s Afterschool Charisma, which is seinen, is a great example of quality sci fi. It takes a few volumes to really get good, but once it does, it’s absolutely haunting. I love the moral questions it poses.
Thanks for the giveaway! :)
1. This is a tough question lol. There are so many amazing female mangaka that have created master pieces. One of my favorites is Katsura Hoshino. I enjoy everything about her work. D. Grayman is one of the best mangas out there and the story is really interesting and gets you hooked onto it with a mix of action and comedy and hints of romance which I look forward too in every anime/manga that I read or watch and her drawing style is very nice as well.
2. Yellow Tanabe, the creator of Kekkaishi! Such an addicting manga! A must read.
3. https://twitter.com/DrkSpphrGT/status/462427074980880384
1. My favorite woman mangaka would be Tooyama, Ema. She creates absolutely great manga such as Koko no Iru yo and Watashi ni xx Shinasai!. She makes and draw very beautiful art and character designs. I just love her style! And a her manga titled GDGD Dogs will be licensed in america this year so I really can’t wait!
2. Hasumi, Natsume’s Manga, Bloody Junkie! Pretty good but I wasn’t really satisfied with the ending. lol. but still, it’s a great read! if you’re into mystery, horror and survival manga you might want to check this :)
3. https://twitter.com/Gazerock_yumii/status/462496718940954624
So many good picks :)
1) My first pick will have to be Yuki Midorikawa. Just love her style and art, which has developed through Natsume’s Book of Friends. Her stories can range from poignant to heartwarming, and basing Natsume around japanese folklore makes it pretty interesting. Though unlikely to happen, really hoping her oneshot Hotarubi no Mori e will somehow get printed.
2) Another favourite is Yuki Urushibara for Mushishi. Has the same feel to Natsume, but just as amazing in its own right. (If you couldn’t get volume 6 by del rey, the anime’s second season running at the moment covers those stories).