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InuYasha

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InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi
Format: Manga Series
Who it’s for: Teens

Kagome is a present-day high school student in Tokyo, but ends up getting sent back to Sengoku feudal era of Japan after she encounters a magical shrine. She meets a half-demon named InuYasha, who is stubborn but honest and loyal. After a treacherous event takes place where the powerful Shikon jewel shatters into a million pieces, the two heroes team up to find all of them before they slip into the wrong hands. Along the way, Kagome and InuYasha meet some amazing friends, go on great journeys, and try to protect the world from complete evil! This is a classic manga series that has so much depth and character development to it. The anime and movies that were based on this manga have been released, so if you love reading this series, give those a try! Find InuYasha in the catalog.

Ouran High School Host Club

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Series Title: Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori
First Book: Ouran High School Host Club Volume 1
Who it’s for: Teens

A romantic comedy manga that had me adoring the characters and wanting to join in on their daily shenanigans. The series follows Haruhi, she’s a scholarship student at a school for rich kids. When she’s trying to find a quiet place to study, she stumbles into a music room that ends up being used by the school’s host club. In her attempt to leave she ends up breaking an expensive vase and is now indebted to the host club to pay it back by being a host. Haruhi is a very logical and no nonsense person among people that don’t tend to make much sense, especially Tamaki—the host club’s king. Haruhi soons learns that even rich kids have their issues and warms up to them and the club members begin to understand Haruhi more too. I love all of the characters in Ouran High School Host Club with my favorite being Tamaki—he’s always so over the top.

Find Ouran High School Host Club in the catalog!

My Hero Academia

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My Hero Academia
Format: YA Graphic Novel
Who it’s for: Teens and Adults

Attention all heroes in training! There’s only one manga to read if you want to see a new take on the superhero genre. My Hero Academia is the tale of a world where 80% of the world develop powers, known as quirks. Ranging from super strength, to fire powers, to…..being a frog. Our protagonist is Izuku Midoriya, nickname Deku, one of the limited number of people born without a quirk, and thus is mocked for his desire to become a hero. But everything changes after a fateful encounter with the number one hero, and idol of young Midoriya, All-Might. This 9 foot, American oriented hero is the hero of the masses, but hold a fateful secret that Deku soon learns, giving him his chance in order to ascend the ranks and join the prestigious hero academy UA.

From here we’re treated to a delightful assortment of classmates and heros who are just trying to navigate high school life while also occasionally (ok, very often) fighting off villains and even worse, homework! One of the best elements is the growth of the characters in this series, where the ideals of self-sacrifice are examined, and what it means to the future, as well as learning from your mistakes and growing from them. Of particular note is Bakugo, the prodigy childhood friend of Deku turned school bully until fate finds them even ground, shaking Bakugo’s perspective and forcing him to grow as a result.

Overall, I’ve found My Hero to be a fantastic love letter to American superhero comics while still taking it’s own spin on the subject. It’s great for Teens and Adults, if you’re looking at it for younger readers, there’s enough language and action to recommend you to first take a read through to see if it’s right for them. My Hero has also spawned a fantastic anime series and their first movie is actually about to hit our shelves so there’s never been a better time to check it out, Plus Ultra!