Monday's recommendation

Today's recommendation is going to be a little different than usual. I need to admit something to all on the universe of... the internet, I guess. I am a complete and utter Manga Freak!
Not anime or figurines or all that jazz (some anime is good but go too far into the ridiculous and you lose me) but just Mangas.

To celebrate this declaration I am going to recommend some of my favorite manga of the moment.

Hapi Mari
by Enjouji Maki

This tells the story of two people that marry for business reasons, a union without love. Through all the different troubles and pains they go through in everyday life and not-so-everyday life they come to know and love each other as the husband and wife that they are pretending to be.

Sukitte ii na yo
by Hazuki Kanae

This story tells a lot about the troubles of youth and of bullying in Japan. We follow the story of a young teenage girl who is ostracized and starts slowly coming out her shell thanks to a boy in her class who has a lot to learn as well. Together though, they can get through it. 


Shuukatsu!! - Kimi ni Naitei
by Yoshino Aki

This one I just found and love! It's basically a story about how hard it is to just get out of school or get close to the end of school and realize how hard it will be to get a job or be afraid of not getting in. A great story for anyone of my age of course (my last year of university...)

My all time favorites are:

From Far Away
by Kyoko Hikawa

I have read this story over and over and over again and I will never get enough of it.
The young girl Noriko is transported (by some supernatural force) to a different world where she is known as 'The Awakening' she is supposedly, in their culture, the key to awakening a great demonic force of 'the Sky Demon'. Right after falling into this new world she comes face to face with a young warrior who saves her life. Izark however is not what he seems but his supernatural strength and kindness are just what Noriko needs to make it in this rough new world. And even though he doesn't know is, Izark will need Noriko's help as well.

and

Red River  or  Anatolia Story
by Chie Shinohara

So this is a very similar story to From Far Away but what makes this series stand out is the History. This manga is based on many historical facts interleaved into a fantasy series.
Yuri, a young japanese teenager, is chosen as the perfect candidate for Queen Nakia of the Hittites plan. Using her power over water she transports Yuri through time to use her as a sacrifice and bring down Prince Kail of the Hittites, the most infuencial of the princes and the only true obstacle to getting her own son on the thrown (Hittites have many concubines and Queen Nakia was one of the many wives of the King and many mothers of his children).
Barely in our world Yuri is chased down by soldiers and bumps into Prince Kail before being arrested by the Queens guards. Before the sacrifice can be given to the god Teshup however, Prince Kail steps in for the girl he met and saves her life. Thus Yuri falls under the protection of Prince Kail and her true adventures in the land of the Hittites begins.
You learn a lot in this manga about the times before the Egyptians became the most powerful people of our past and how the Babylonians fell.