Hiro Mashima

'Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter' Sticks Too Close To Its Source
'Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter' Sticks Too Close To Its Source
'Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter' Sticks Too Close To Its Source
A huge hit in Japan with a fervent American fanbase, the Capcom JRPG franchise Monster Hunter is exactly what it sounds like; in a world full of giant monsters, players known as Hunters team up in Guilds to kill them for fun and profit. Capcom is pushing Monster Hunter hard in the West. An anime based on the franchise airs this year, and Capcom has partnered with Viz to translate Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter for American audiences. A 2011 manga by Shin Yamamoto, it's based on Keiichi Hikami's Monster Hunter Episode light novels (illustrated short novels aimed at young adults), which tell short stories of different hunters.
The Guild That Doesn't Quit: Should You Read 'Fairy Tail'?
The Guild That Doesn't Quit: Should You Read 'Fairy Tail'?
The Guild That Doesn't Quit: Should You Read 'Fairy Tail'?
What if Ursula K. LeGuin's Earthsea series had more modern technology, and focused on a young girl, a fire wizard raised by a dragon, and a winged, talking blue cat? You'd have something like Fairy Tail, one of the most popular shonen (boy's) manga being published today, and a grand fantasy that's a whole lot of fun.