I've been reading a LOT of manga in the past 2 or so years, and I haven't really had the chance to talk about it much on here, so I figured I'd revive this old thread.
Two weeks into January, I finished reading 4 different series already, with more on the way. Here are some (mostly) spoiler-free reviews of said series:
Sousou no Frieren: I had read all 9 officially translated volume of Frieren back in November, when the anime was getting some hype. I finally read the scanlation of the 30 something chapters I had left to read and it was quite a fun ride. Most of what I had left to read was of the El Dorado arc, and it was really good. The next major arc as well was also a lot of fun. The one thing that I somewhat dislike in Frieren are the more episodic parts of the story which, to me, do not always feel completely necessary, although they're still enjoyable. Overall, this isn't a rising star of modern manga for no reason, although I do believe it is very overhyped compared to what it delivers. It still has many days ahead and perhaps someday I'll truly fall in love with it. A low 8/10 for now.
Fullmetal Alchemist: I don't think I need to say much about this story. It's Fullmetal Alchemist, it's brilliant, it lives up to the hype. Rarely has a story felt so intricately crafted, where each element has its real importance and seemingly minor characters will often end up taking on a more important role. Nothing is out of place, few things feel contrived or incoherent, and overall there's a lot to love about this story. An incredibly high 8/10 that could turn into a 9 with more time to think about it.
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 1 (Phantom Blood): I initially watched the anime version of the first 3 parts of JJBA back in 2020. Having heard great things about the rest of the series, I read parts 4 to what's currently available of part 9 last year and had an absolute blast. Since it's been a while now, I figured I'd read the first 3 parts so I could have a definitive opinion on the whole series, starting of course with Phantom Blood. Although it was a pretty interesting and daring story when it was created (1986!!), I believe it hasn't aged the best. It has mostly uninteresting characters, it has a bunch of very forgettable fights and characters, and that's kind of the charm of this part. It's incredibly imperfect and it's only the beginning of something that would eventually be great. The main highlight of the part however is Dio, who is very entertainingly evil and has enough charisma to carry the entire story on his back, especially when we know his role in future arcs. The finale of the story is also very daring for the time and honestly really good. Overall a solid 6/10. Not the best but far from horrible.
Dandadan: This is one of the current stars of modern shonen, and I figured I'd finally give it a shot. The one thing that's immediately striking is the absolutely incredible art showcased here. This is by far one of the prettiest manga series I've ever read and as the story progresses, the impressive shots and double page spreads just keep on delivering. The story itself is very wacky and weird, but the main focus here is clearly the dynamic between the two main characters (as well as with the ever expanding main cast). And at first, it didn't really grab me. They kept facing dangerous threats but always managed to find a way to come out on top, and while it was fun to read, it was maybe lacking a little in more serious stuff for me to get really invested. Things start to change with the cursed house arcs where the situations get increasingly more perilous and the characters have to make more difficult choices. But the arc that completely sold me on the series was the Space Globalists arc. Here, the main cast are pushed all the way to their limits against a never ending swarm of aliens. At this point, Dandadan pretty much turns into a lighter version of Gantz, and I'm all for it. The absolutely stunning visuals only add in making this one of the most enjoyable and fun arcs I've had the pleasure to read in a manga. It has the ambition and scale of a grand finale, but the story still has quite some time ahead and I can only hope it remains at this level of quality. A well deserved 8/10 for now.
Sorry for the absurdly long post, feel free to share some manga recommendations and reviews!