... Geeze, do I have to pick just ONE of each? o_o; Because that's rather tricky, especially considering that I've seen many of the animes for my favorite manga. So I guess I'll simply have to list my most favorite by catagory of whether I've seen the anime, read the manga, or done both for each series.
Manga Only:
Battle Angel Alita: A little-known but VERY well-done manga. If you find the first few volumes, pick them up! If you like science fiction, you'll probibly enjoy it.
Yu-Gi-Oh: The japanese version, with 90% less Friendship rants, 100% more dark undertones, and 500% more sadistic punishments from Yami. Seriously, in the manga, Yami can be one MEAN Egyptian.
Anime Only:
FMA: This is one of the very few animes where I like the English dub just as much, if not more, as the Japanese version. Plus, I only liked it more because of the fact that it ended, instead of continuing until everybody was sick of it, like some other animes. coughDBZcough
Trinity Blood: Next to Alucard from Hellsing, Abel from Trinity Blood is definatly one of the most badass vampires in anime that I've seen. The ending was a bit weak to me, but given that the novels the anime is based on were never finished due to the author dying before being completed. (I think he got some form of lung cancer?)
Anime and Manga: (Oh boy, big list coming up)
Naruto: Subbed anime episodes found online and scanlated manga also online. To me, they're a better version than the American versions of both. (4kids = Bane of all anime! HISS!)
Hellsing: Now, I don't mean the original Hellsing anime with only 14 episodes or so. I mean the recently-released OVAs, which follow the storyline of the manga. If you love violence, vampires, enough blood showers to give a transfusion to an orca, and babes with huge guns (By which I actually mean firearms, not some double-entendre) then check out this manga/OVA
Keroro Gunsou: Or Sgt. Frog for the American manga. Wacky frog-like aliens trying to invade Earth, and usually messing up with much hilarity. In my experience, this series has a relativly small, but very devoted fanbase in America, while it's much more popular in Japan and, for some reason, Korea.
Bleach: When my brother originally described Bleach to me as "Yu Yu Hakusho, but with samurai" I was a bit skeptic. But then I watched the first episode, and got hooked. Again, I've never actually seen the anime episodes playing on Cartoon Network, so I don't know how they rate to the fansubs released for free online.
