From: ralphp@techie.com   
      
   Howdy!   
      
   "Bo Rosén"  wrote in message   
   news:1127639142.215327.118480@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...   
   > Hi,   
   > Not old exactly, I'll be forty in a few weeks. I'm just getting into   
      
           You young whippersnapper!  (49, 50 in February)   
      
   > manga and could use a few tips on what titles to pick up. I don't speak   
   > Japanese, so it'll have to be English (or Swedish) translations though.   
   > A lot of the translated manga seem to be targeted primarily for a   
   > younger audience than me, and while many of them seem interesting I   
   > wonder if there is anything out there for my age group? I keep hearing   
   > everyone reads manga in Japan, all ages of both sexes.   
   > When it comes to European or American comics, I tend to like   
   > slice-of-life kind of stories most (e.g. Los bros Hernandez, Seth,   
   > Tomine, Clowes), but also fantasy/SF like Bourgeon or Bilal.   
   >   
   > I've already picked up some manga titles, Hot Gimick (first vol, good   
   > but didn't grab me but may get more), GTO (1st vol - not sure yet what   
   > I think), Nodame Cantabile (2 vols - liked this one), Kindaichi Case   
   > Files (just not my cup of tea), Tramps like us (1st vol - liked this   
   > one and will get more), Maison Ikkoku (1st vol - not sure but will get   
   > more) and Planetes (all - this is the one I liked the best).   
      
           Maison Ikkoku is good if a bit meandering B)  Some other works by   
   the same author - Ranma 1/2, Uresei Yatsura, and Inu Yasha.  All tend to be   
   a bit on the long side - but they all work well overall, IMO.   
      
           All have been made into anime also.   
      
   >   
   > I've ordered Gunslinger Girl and Videogirl Ai and will probably pick up   
   > Hikaru no go and Fruits Basket.   
      
           GG is OK. Not a lot of plot, it didn't seem to go anywhere.   
      
   >   
   > I've also seen a few anime, Love Hina (so silly, how can you not like   
   > it?), Chobits (ok), Serial experiments Lain (very interesting, haven't   
   > finished it yet) and probably a few others I forget now.   
      
           Grab the mangas for Love Hina and Chobits.  They are MUCH better   
   than the anime, IMO.   
      
           I'd also recommend checking out anything by Ken Akamatsu (Love Hina)   
   or CLAMP (Chobits), manga first (the manga almost always is better than the   
   anime - and that's not an insult to the anime, now!)   
      
   >   
   > So, is there anything for a straight middle-aged white male out there   
   > (I mean, this group can't be in a minority here - that'd be a first!)   
      
           Yes, we're in a minority B)  But eh.  I use it as an escape from the   
   drudgery of everyday life.   
      
           RwP   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)