Poll: The Best Kids’ Manga of 2009
The Season of List-Making is almost upon us, bringing with it numerous articles identifying the best and worst manga of 2009. And while it’s a safe bet that A Drifting Life, Ooku: The Inner Chamber and Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka will top many critics’ list, it’s almost as safe a bet that titles like Leave it to PET!: The Misadventures of a Recycled Super-Robot and The Lizard Prince won’t make the cut. A few folks — Deb Aoki, Lori Henderson, my colleagues at Good Comics for Kids — can be counted on to round up the year’s best kid-friendly titles, but the category generally remains an afterthought for many manga bloggers. That’s a pity, because publishers have been making a concerted effort to license more manga for younger readers, as Vertical’s recent acquisition of Chi’s Sweet Home attests. So to keep the spotlight on comics for the under-twelve set, I’m putting the question to the manga-reading community: what kid-friendly titles deserve the label “Best Kids’ Manga of 2009″?
A few notes about my very unscientific poll. First, I’ve divided the list into two broad categories: Best Continuing Series and Best New Manga. (Really, could I overlook the return of Yotsuba&! this year and maintain any credibility as a manga critic?) Second, I’ve focused on titles suitable for kids in the eight to twelve category, as there’s almost nothing available in English for kids in grades K – 2, and teens aren’t exactly an under-served market when it comes to manga. Third, I’ve included a few teen-rated titles that I think are appropriate for younger readers, and would encourage folks to nominate similar series in the comment section. Finally, if I’ve overlooked a great title, please let me know!
Yotsuba is Yen Press, btw.
Thanks for catching the typo — I just corrected it, and the changes should appear shortly.
[...] Originally posted here: The Manga Critic » Blog Archive » Poll: The Best Kids' Manga of 2009 [...]
Swan for Kids?!
Absolutely — Swan is a great manga for tween girls (nine to twelve).
I say that for three reasons: First, the reading level is right; the technical vocabulary makes it a little more challenging for readers at the younger end of the spectrum, but it’s manageable. Second, many girls are heavily involved with dance, music, skating, and other performance activities in grade and middle school, as they explore new interests. Third, grade schoolers have a tendency to read about middle school and high school students because they’re curious about what lies ahead for them. The heroine of Swan is just a little older than Swan’s target audience when the series begins, making her a perfect heroine (at least from the standpoint of a younger reader).
I should also point out that CMX has given Swan a rating of “E” (Everyone), indicating that there’s no nudity, swearing, sex, graphic violence, or drug use depicted in the series.
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You know that Yotsuba is supposed to be a shonen/seinen manga? Just as Chi’s sweet home ^^ But I agree those are awesome for kids (while not sure if kids understand all the jokes in Yotsuba?).
Yup, I know. Since Yotsuba&! is marketed here in the US as a kids’ manga, however, I’m including it in my list. (I’m not sure how Vertical plans to market Chi’s Sweet Home, but I’m guessing the presentation will be a little different from MW…!) I agree that there are moments in every volume that will resonate more with adults than kids, but the series definitely appeals to young readers, too; librarians will attest to its popularity with tweens and teens.
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