Where to Start: Manga

Alright, so I've decided I'm gonig to try and start reading manga. I've always enjoyed anime, and I know a lot of anime is inspired by the original manga. Most people say that books are usually better than the movies, and I have a funny feeling this is true for manga as well.

So, what I'd like from the people of this board is this: Where should I start when first picking up manga? Is there a series I should absolutely read first so that I have a standard for good manga? Any advice is helpful here guys. Oh, and thanks.

The first page of the first volume tends to be a good starting point IMO.

Well... this IS a Naruto site. Wouldn't be a bad idea to pick up there. I stick to action based primarialy so you wont get and shojou crap out of me.
Full Metal Alchemist's manga is x10 better than the series. GetBacker's is one of my favorites also. Bleach isn't so bad but the anime sticks close to the manga so no worries on missing out on anything. D. Gray-man is a nice one that I like also. All of them primarialy action based but all have good stories invloved also with well thought out characters that you can always like something about.

While that is definitely a good answer, I was trying to get some specific titles you might have enjoyed.

@ Trent: Considering I enjoyed the Full Metal Alchemist series, I think I'll definitely look into the manga from that advice. Never heard of GetBacker, but I think I might take a look into it now that you have opened my eyes towards it.

Anybody else have some titles they think I should sink my teeth into? <Closest I could come to a smiley sinking it's teeth into a book.

Deathnote, bleach and naruto are my pics!

you should absolutely start with death note, then gantz. And there are a lot of great mangas

Naruto is obviously a good one, because...you're here. XD

I've been told the Bleach manga is fantabulous as well, though I watch the anime instead...

I've also been told on many ocassions that Hellsing is quite entertaining as well. It all kind of depends on what you're interested in.

After all, some people like Fruits Basket more than Naruto, etc.

*Tries not to look too gulity*

Yea, all of what they said (Bleach Anime fllows the manga closely...except the anime has an extra arc, the Bount Arc)

Of course, we could add in Hellsing, Berserk, HunterxHunter, Zombie Powder...

^^; I wasn't trying to point fingers. XD But it's all good. We all have our different tastes. Which is what makes being altogether that much more fun, ya know?

-Whispers to Jeral- I know someone else who favors Fruits Basket, so don't feel too bad.

Alright, for those of you who actually spend a lot of time READING MANGA!

It really depends on what you LIKE to read. Seinen? Shoujo? Shounen?

Me, I like well-written manga, or manga with good art. That's why I'd recommend:

Blame!
NoISe
Blame! Net Sphere Engineer
Abara
Biomega
Digimortal (one shot)
Leviathan

(the above are a little confusing to read; however, they're amazing)

Black Lagoon (get this; I don't care what anyone says, get it)
Battle Royale (best manga of all time?)
Blue Heaven (gross to the xtreme)
GANTZ (I LOVE THIS MANGA! If you're innocent, don't read it)
Bokurano
Elfen Lied (crappy art, tho)
Higurashi (all of them! SO AMAZING!)

Naruto is a nice read, but it's really repetitive and overall I don't enjoy it. Death Note, again, it's very repetitive. I read it all in about two days, and found that it actually really sucked (ch. 58 is the worst and I just hate Misa). I haven't read Bleach, so I couldn't comment there.

http://www.mangaupdates.com/releases.html

Now this is what I love to see. I'm glad you guys don't mind sharing your opinions of what you think of the different mangas. This is really helping me get a list together.

Naito, do you like violence? Dark stuff? Light, happy stuff? Battle Royale and Bokurano might make you cry. I did.

See, I also enjoy Cromartie High School and Azumanga Daioh! (those are fecking awesome, btw).

I can hook you up with almost any manga you need, for the record.

*raises hand proudly*

I'm a Furuba fan, finished the series and joined a few fellows in honoring the awesomeness that became the end of one of the best damn series in the world.

...oh yes; I roleplay as Isuzu "Rin" Sohma in certain circles on LiveJournal. >3

EDIT: As I am a girl and yes, I gravitate towards storylines and powerful characterizations rather than the "MAH POWA IS OVAR NINE THOUUUUUUUUUUUSAND" crap I see too often in manga and anime. I shall give you a few obscure but enjoyable titles to look into.

Fruits Basket: Yes, silly shoujo series on the outside but gets really dark and actually twisted in little time. The art improves like crazy and you're really thrown for a freakin' loop about three or four times in the entire thing. One of those series where there isn't many loopholes in plot or anything else.

Angel Dust (there's a second I can't remember the name to): Absolutely gorgeous art style and amusing/amazing subtly thrown in with some humorous moments.

xxxHOLiC: Possibly one of my favorite damn CLAMP series ever. The characters are fun and amusing, and, well, it's CLAMP for crying out loud. You gotta love 'em. It's not really a shoujo or shounen series. More Supernatural-esque if anything. It crosses over with CLAMP's "Tsubasa Resvoir Chronicles" but stands alone as it's own manga series and is my preferred read over TRC. Watanuki is a spaaaaaaaaaaaazz X3.

Ghost Hunt: Very very obscure manga/anime series I started watching a couple months ago. Awesome series and definitely one of my favorites. I'm a sucker for the arrogant bastard types and adore "Naru" to pieces; the jackass.

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: I second Hidey's recommendation there. Freakin' ADORE that series.... even if a couple parts made me pause and hop around for a minute in fun flailing mode. Be warned though, it will make you pause when you see white vans for a while, especially unmarked white ones.

Hoshi no Koe (Voices of a Distant Star): Though this is one of the occasions I say watch the OVA to first before reading the manga, it expands more on the OVA's ending in the manga and generally gives you a little more insight into the personalities and thoughts of the characters. I loved the OVA and own the manga, very touching story with an ending that leaves you really thinking about the important things in life.

...I'm so sure I'll be back once I think of some more manga series. XD

i read alot of ... shonen-ai and yaoi...>< it's a guilty pleasure i just think they are funny because the plotlines sometimes go off the deep end... okay that said...

Love Hina is a good place to start it was my first manga and it is really funny

hmmm.... what else... pet hop of horrors... *Looks over at manga collection*
hmm i own Fruit Basket

>> i am going to have to read some of these other suggestions since the last manga i bought was.... a year ago? lol

UZUMAKI!
GYO!
Evangelion's good too, so I hear.