Buzz counts down the manga gems that have been forgotten over time or otherwise overlooked…
Manga fans know there’s a never-ending deluge of series to discover, with new releases announced in Japan every month. As with any other format, there’s a series to suit every taste, with manga covering a wide variety of topics from romance, slice of life and adventure epics to psychological thrillers and horror. Popular manga can run into hundreds of chapters and with that avalanche of titles it’s no wonder some series fall into obscurity – and we don’t just mean those books that have found their way down the back of your sofa.
If you’ve never heard of some of these elusive classics, they may turn out to be your new favourites. And if you feel we’ve missed out an epic, little-known manga the world needs to know about, let us know in the comments below!
10. Aria (2002)
Praised for its calm pace and optimistic worldview, Aria is a beautiful utopian science fantasy that was originally serialised in Mag Garden’s Monthly Comic Blade from 2002–2008. The futuristic manga is set on a terraformed Mars in the watery city of Neo Venezi – an exact replica of Venice – where the transport of choice is gondolas. The story follows Akari Mizunash, a gondolier in training in this tourist hub, who dreams of becoming a professional gondolier. In amidst the scenic backdrop of the sprawling city, Akari meets a variety people on her gondola trips, learning about life and the world around her.
