To begin our countdown of the best titles of 2008, we present to you our picks for the Top 3 Manga of 2008. These titles had to have started their English-language publication in North America during the 2008 calendar year to be eligible for the Top 3. Unfortunately, we have a limited staff that actually reads manga, so this is far from a comprehensive list. We apologize, but trust us when we say that this list has some really fantastic titles on it. The writeup for each winner has the author's nickname next to it. [Vampt Vo], for example.

Following the steady downturn in the American economy, the manga industry also had troubles this year. Riding into 2008 on the coattails of a massive rise in manga popularity over the past half-decade, publishers expected more big sales to come. However, the industry faltered, and sales figures began to show small decreases. Eventually former manga giant Tokyopop cracked under the strain, cutting their production in half, and newer players like Del Rey and Yen Press jumped in to take its place. These new companies (as well as the ever-present Viz and the retro-centered Vertical) have defined the manga world in 2008 with fantastic new titles covering a wide range of topics.

Below, our staff-voted choices for best manga of 2008.

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Third Place ••• Me and the Devil Blues Story and Art by: Akira Hiramoto Published by: Del Rey Who would have thought that a Japanese manga – much less one from the creator of a childish "gag comic" – could provide a gripping story about an American blues musician? Akira Hiramoto does just that in this starkly illustrated and disturbingly realistic manga. Everything from faces to guitars are shown with exquisite attention to detail, and no historical reference is spared as legendary blues musician Robert Johnson meets thieves like Bonny & Clyde and faces cold-blooded Southern racism. Dark, brooding, and downright cool, Me and the Devil Blues easily deserves a spot in our Top 3. [Vampt Vo]

Second Place ••• MW Story and Art by: Osamu Tezuka Published by: Vertical, Inc. Tezuka's darkest book is full of nothing but nasty: murder, rape, genocide... This isn't exactly what you'd expect from the guy, but he knocks it out of the park with a great story that's full of characters you love to hate. The killer ending that caps off the epic tale of a vengeful sociopath is one of the biggest "OH SNAP!" moments in manga history (despite being sort of predictable), and Tezuka manages to hammer home every point with uncomfortable poignancy. [MitchyD]

First Place ••• Black Jack Story and Art by: Osamu Tezuka Published by: Vertical, Inc. Osamu Tezuka wrote Black Jack in the 1970's, but that doesn't make its 2008 U.S. release any less relevant. Readers both new and old who come to Black Jack for the first time will not find an "old," dated manga, but a vibrant work that still manages to touch readers' hearts three decades after its original publication. The mysterious Doctor Black Jack's battles with strange (and improbable) diseases are more than interesting mini-plots for Tezuka to try out – they are complex studies of the human condition. No other manga this year can compete with the brilliance and beauty of Tezuka's classic. [Vampt Vo]

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Personal Choices
(The top manga choice from each of our staff members that voted)

• Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto: Black Jack (Tezuka)
• Mitchell "MitchyD" Dyer: MW (Tezuka)

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Mitchell "MitchyD" Dyer, Karl "Uncle Yo" Custer
Topics: Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (Game-PC/360), Me and the Devil Blues (Manga), The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk (Anime-Sub)

2009 is finally here, so we're naturally taking a look back at our favorite anime, manga, and video game titles of the past year. The first half of episode #011 (this show) goes in the following order: In Mitchy's segment, he and Evan talk about Mitchy's favorite game, C&C: Red Alert 3. Then the duo moves on to the 2008 manga Evan is currently geeking out over, Me and the Devil Blues. Finally, Karl does a solo recording about The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk.

Remember to email us (podcast@anigamers.com) with comments on this episode!

Show notes and links can be found after the break.

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(Runtime: 32 minutes, 8 seconds)

[0:00:00] Opening Song: "R.O.D Theme" by Taku Iwasaki (R.O.D. OVA opener)

[0:00:15] Evan's wishing everybody a Happy New Year and explaining the convoluted recording plans that ended us up with two different episodes with a different set of hosts.

[0:01:14] Mitchy is ready to rant and rave about Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (developed by EA Los Angeles), but first he adds a follow-up to our original Mirror's Edge discussion in episode #009. I cut out some of the ME conversation, since we got quite off-topic. Topics for this segment include psychic schoolgirls, tripedal lightsaber-wielding robots, and bearatroopers. Also, Golgo 13.

[0:09:41] Promo: Lather's Blather Podcast - lathersblather.blogspot.com

[0:10:48] Evan tries his hand at explaining Me and the Devil Blues (by Akira Hiramoto). Basically, Japan finally made something with black people in it that isn't unintentionally racist. Topics for this segment include ten-fingered hands, bug-eyed white kids, and Golgo 13 again.

[0:22:13] Break: "SWINGING" by Muramasa (The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk opener)

[0:23:20] Karl goes this one alone, but he still manages to talk up a storm about The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk. RPG cliches and D&D references abound in this mini-review. Topics for this segment include D20s, the Delicious Happy Fluffy Pink Cupcake of Redundant Happiness, and COOPA.

[0:31:48] Ending Song: "WORLD END" by FLOW (Code Geass R2 second opener)

Links:
Reverse Thieves
Review: The Tower of Druaga - The Aegis of Uruk (Sub)