Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

After losing their bodies in an alchemy experiment gone wrong, Edward and Alphonse Elric set out on a journey for the only item that can bring their bodies back: the Philosopher’s Stone. The two brothers must overcome many challenges and are forced to choose between what they want most or save those they love. The Elrics will meet many memorable characters along their way in this typically stylized manga series which spans across twenty-seven volumes. As with many popular shonen, themes such as friendship, perseverance, grit and self-sacrifice are woven into this series. The black and white drawings are sharp and full of details which bring to life the multitude of action scenes found in nearly every chapter. Readers of Naruto, Bleach and One Piece are sure to enjoy following Edward and Alphonse along their epic journey.--Claudio Leon

Arakawa, Hiromu. Fullmetal Alchemist. San Francisco: Viz, 2005. Print.

Buddha by Osama Tezuka

This compelling manga series takes readers on a journey of enlightenment across 8 volumes.  It begins before Siddartha, the Buddha, is born.  Book one starts by explaining the different social castes in Kapilavastu, India.  Siddartha who is born a prince sacrifices his riches and family in order to search for the meaning of life.  This journey is what makes the series such an amazing read.  A Throughout the series we learn about a multitude of characters, that change their lives as they interact with Siddartha.  In turn they also force the future Buddha to rethink the purpose of his journey.  This manga series offers an accessible entry point to classic works on the buddha, such as Hermann Hesse’s Siddartha. The first volume in the series can be helpful to introduce students to the concepts of social classes and segregation and to world religions, perhaps in Global Studies.  Students looking for drama or that have read titles like The Alchemist would likely enjoy the series. -- Claudio Leon