Last month I did the fantasy and mystery tag but since I read a lot of manga I knew I had to do one for manga.

Plot: In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical “auto-mail” limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother’s bodies…the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. The mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg…and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders…even to kill. Except his powers aren’t unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher’s Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…

I watched the show first so I knew it was a super safe bet to see if I was interested in reading manga by reading the original material.

If you could be a hero in a manga series, who would be the author and what’s one trope you’d insist be in the story?

I think it would currently be Kamome Shirahama the author of Witch Hat Atelier because I love the art-style and while it’s serious it is just super cute and I want to be a witch! I would choose the power of friendship making me incredibly strong. This always happens in manga where somehow the characters get hit a ton but still survive and get more powerful when thinking of their friends and I want to experience that moment!

What is a manga series you’ve read this year, that you want more people to read?

Plot: Sixteen-year-old Kanoko Urabe knows that someone is lying if she can hear the strange, echoing sound of clanging metal in their voice. As a young and overly honest child, she would point out the lies of other villagers, and was ostracized as a result. She is eventually forced to leave her hometown and tries to find a place for herself in the city of Tsukumoya in 1920s Japan. In a chance encounter, Kanoko meets Souma Iwai, a gifted but penniless detective. After she is forced to demonstrate her ability, he expresses appreciation for what she can do and agrees to take her in, asking the girl to be his assistant. The Iwai investigation firm soon makes a name for itself helping clients by solving cases with Souma’s sharp wits and Kanoko’s power. In the process, Kanoko’s life is enriched by the various people she encounters in her investigations.

Such a funny and sweet mystery series that has just flown under the radar so much I am so sad about it!

What is your favourite manga genre? What genre have you not read much of?

I love a fantasy manga series. Fantasy in general is my fave and that is the same for manga. I don’t read much horror manga. I have read one Junji Ito collection and I did enjoy it but I just don’t gravitate to the horror genre in general.

Who are your auto-buy authors?

• Hiromu Arakawa
• Rumiko Takahashi
• Abi Umeda

How do you typically find manga recommendations?

I have yet to properly find a channel or a tiktoker who I love for manga recs so I just pick up what seems interesting at work and hope I enjoy it.

What upcoming mystery releases are you excited for?

Plot for Vol. 1: Elf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. But Frieren will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to understand what life means to the people around her? Decades after their victory, the funeral of one her friends confronts Frieren with her own near immortality. Frieren sets out to fulfill the last wishes of her comrades and finds herself beginning a new adventure…

I have started my re-read of the series in time for the next volume!

What is one misconception about manga you would like to lay to rest?

I think this goes for anime as well but people expect a lot of dodgy and 18+ content in manga. Like with every format and piece of media there will be 18+ content but the manga genre as a whole is full of incredible story-telling, amazing illustrations, great characterisation and most people know this. I think people pre-judge it but they are missing out on some incredible stories.

If someone had never read a manga series before, what 3 books would you choose to get them started.