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Manga artist

Anime and Manga Favorites!

Anime (アニメ ) are Japanese animated productions that can be either computer generated or hand-drawn. They can be anything, from television series and short films to full-length feature films. Manga (漫画) are Japanese versions of comic books. Both anime and manga are popular forms of entertainment in Japan and over the years,  also  around the world. Most anime series are derived from manga. Here are some anime and manga favorites:

One Piece (ワンピース)  – a manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda since August 4, 1997. In 1999, it was adapted into an anime series by Toei Animation and is still ongoing. One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a young man whose body develops rubberlike qualities after eating Devil’s Fruit.

He goes on various adventures with his crew of Straw Hat Pirates, to searches for the ultimate treasure known as One Piece. Monkey D. hopes to become the next Pirate King.

Bleach (ブリーチ)  –  written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. Bleach has been serialized manga since August 2001 and has been developed into an anime television series by Studio Pierrot since 2004. Bleach is about the adventures of Ichogo Kurosaki who has the powers of a Soul Reaper (死神 Shinigami, literally, “Death God“). His powers enable him to guide spirits into the afterlife and defend other humans from evil spirits.

Elfen Lied (エルフェンリート) – written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto. It was initially serialized by one of Japan’s leading manga publishing companies, Shueisha, from June 2002 to August 2005. It means “Elf Song” in German.

It was adapted into a  13-episode anime television series by Arms Studio from July to October of 2004. Elfen Lied revolves around the lives and the many differences in views and emotions between humans and the Diclonii, a mutant human strain who have vectors and horns in their heads. It follows the life of a Diclonius girl named Lucy, who is struggling to cope with human rejection because she is different.

Interested in learning more about Japanese anime and manga? Enroll in our Summer Japanese Anime and Manga program! Visit our website for more details.

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