Fairy Tail (Manga)

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Name: Fairy Tail
Type: Manga

Author: Hiro Mashima

Books: 57+
Genre: Action, adventure, comedy, fantasy
Age Rating: 18+

Review:
Join Natsu Dragneel and his friends from the Fairy Tail guild as he goes on magical adventures to find Igneel, his dragon-father. Enter a world of Wizard Guilds, magic, and epic friendship! 

This is one of my all-time favorite manga and anime series. The characters are all refreshingly different, and all have their quirks and hilarious habits. Though very strong, they are not without flaws, and many have tragic and hard backstories that are relevant to the plot and add a lot of mystery to the plot. It's one of the only series I've read that doesn't feel redundant, and no moment is dull or feels forced. The author knows his characters extremely well, and as a reader, you get the chance to read the point of view of many of the main characters, including Lucy, Happy, Erza, and Grey. 

Hiro Mashima's art is great; I absolutely love it! Each character is drawn a little bit differently, and he is consistent with appearances. I also really appreciate how Lucy's outfit is always different. It's more realistic that way. The amazing consistency Mashima has is to be praised---both in his art and in his writing. It is really interesting how he follows Lucy almost closer than he follows Natsu at times. I actually misrepresented her as the main character because she is the narrator most of the time, and is the one we follow in the beginning. It turns out later that Lucy loves to write, and it is implied that she writes down all of her adventures in Fairy Tail, which is what we, as an audience, are reading. I think that's an interesting concept.

There are some sexual references and nudity, and on the online version of the manga, there is quite a bit more profanity, including the "f" word. The women are also dis-proportioned--their breasts are far bigger than what they should be, and there are a lot of nude shots. This is why I would keep it monitored and only allow more mature kids read it. Another aspect of this story is the magic. I understand that sorcery is condemned in the Bible, so the reader should understand that there is no such thing as "magic" like that in Fairy Tail. However, none of the magic or sorcery talked about felt offensive to me, personally.

I would be careful about boys reading this series, just because of the nudity. Unfortunately, this series has a lot of appeal for men, but for younger boys it may not be appropriate for them, especially if you feel they would have more of a problem with it. Just another reminder to "be careful little eyes what you see." Both boys and girls can get into this manga; there is something for everyone. Humor, mystery, tragedy, action, adventure, suspense, drama, a hint of romantic tension...this series definitely gives you all the feels. It is a very popular manga as far as mangas go, and it's not hard to see why. If this isn't already on your list, you should seriously consider putting it there, however, please consider the fact that I gave an 18+ rating because of the increasing nudity as the saga continues.

Mature Content: 

• Sexual References- Unnaturally large breasts and a lot of extremely skimpy outfits
• Boobs/butts are sometimes accidentally grabbed by the opposite gender (sometimes they are grabbed by the same gender as well, though it's never meant to be romantic)
• Some mild sexual innuendos (Lucy using her "feminine wiles" against an enemy, Taurus commenting on Erza's boobs)
• Nudity- Sometimes clothes are ripped off (usually the women).
• Everything but the nipples and nether extremities are drawn and revealed
• Grey Fullbuster frequently strips his clothing, but nothing is ever shown and it is supposed to be funny 
• Profanity- "Damn,"  "hell," "bitch," "ass," "shit," (and "fuck" in the online versions)
• Violence- The characters frequently fight with many enemies, and even each other
• Blood is drawn (unnatural pain tolerance)
• Magic- The characters practice and preform magic
• Drugs- Some characters (Kana) drink excessively to the point of passing out
• Some characters are seen with cigarettes in their mouths
• Intense Scenes- This manga is very emotionally intense

Personal Note: 
I ship NaLu so hard, I sometimes can't concentrate! I even dream about them and have a picture of them together on my bedroom wall! I WILL GO DOWN WITH THIS SHIP!