Top Puppetry Manga Recommendations

Special A

Also known as S.A: Special A.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance

Her whole life, Hikari Hanazono has been consumed with the desire to win against her school rival, Kei Takishima--at anything. He always comes out on top no matter what he does, and Hikari is determined to do whatever it takes to beat this guy...somehow!

At age 6 Hikari lost to Kei in an impromptu wrestling match. Now, at 15, Hikari joins "Special A," a group of the top seven students at a private academy, for the opportunity to trounce the guy who made her suffer her first defeat.



Included one-shots:
Volume 1: Mikansei Chorus
Volume 11: Shoku no Miyako (Food Paradise)

Included specials:
- Vol.8 Special Short; The Hana to Yume 2006-09
The short is about what Kei was like as a child, and when he and Hikari first met.
- Vol.9 Special Short; The Hana to Yume 2007-01
The short is about when Yuhiro meets Sakura.
- Vol.16 Special Chapter; The Hana to Yume 2008-05
The chapter is about Hikari and Kei's middle school days.

Tags: Female Protagonist , Shoujo , School , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Tsundere , Twins , School Club , Gender Bending , Love Triangle , Ensemble Cast , Puppetry , Wrestling

Dawang Raoming

Also known as Spare Me, Great Lord!.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy

This is the story of an orphan, Lü Shu. He is not any regular orphan, but a metahuman experiencing the changes in himself, his country and the world during the dawn of the magical era. Watch as Lü Shu embarks on a journey to hone his peculiar abilities together with his sister, the adorable and charismatic Lü Xiaoyu. Along the way, they’ll encounter supernatural events, obstacles and even the most powerful people in their country. How will Lü Shu make the best of his abilities and oust his never-ending list of rivals and opponents?



Note: Includes 29 extra chapters.

Tags: Swordplay , Cultivation , Full Color , Coming of Age , Conspiracy , Found Family , War , Animals , Anti-Hero , Dragons , Super Power , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Puppetry , Cult , Magic , Heterosexual

Karakuri Circus

Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Mystery

The protagonist, Masaru, has just inherited a big fortune after the death of his father. However, people are trying to get their hands on it by any means necessary, even if it means killing him. Narumi helped Masaru from being kidnapped after fighting some weird guys. He found out that they're not humans but wooden puppets with amazing strength. After a hard fight, Narumi was forced to admit that he's no opponent for them; and just when he started to think that Masaru would be captured, Shirogane, Masaru's watcher arrives from France with a weapon, the puppet Arlequin. Here, begins the story of Karakuri Circus.

Tags: Conspiracy , Circus , Puppetry , Adoption , Urban Fantasy , Ensemble Cast , Shounen , Robots , Memory Manipulation , Martial Arts , Amnesia , Alchemy , Assassins , Animals , Trains , Male Protagonist , Nudity

Sumire♡16-sai!!

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

The manga chronicles the days of Sumire, a lively 16 years old girl. However, Sumire is not a common girl: she is a life-sized marionette, controlled by an old man in black clothes. Sumire seems unaware of her puppet nature, although the rest of the cast are very aware that she is a marionette, but they become more or less accustomed to her weird nature.

Tags: School , Puppetry , Shounen , Surreal Comedy , Primarily Teen Cast

Sumire♡17-sai!!

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

Sumire is a 17 year old high school girl who wants nothing more than to make friends with her new classmates. She's so dissappointed that they all seem to hate her, calling her a pervert, a dirty old man, creepy, weirdo... alas, what is a poor lifesized puppet to do in this cruel world.

Tags: School , Puppetry , Surreal Comedy , Shounen , Love Triangle

ROPPEN

Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Drama , Thriller

The deadliest game begins: six assassins, one throne. In the far west of Yamaguchi Prefecture lies Roppen Houkoku, a ruthless dictatorship. To decide its next ruler, the nation announces a savage contest: six assassins will battle until only one remains. But among them enters Shifu, the man feared as the Assassin-Killer. In this unforgiving death match, can he carve his way to survival or will he be swallowed by the blood-soaked game of kings?

Tags: Battle Royale , Death Game , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Assassins , Guns , Martial Arts , Primarily Adult Cast , Survival , Tragedy , Cyborg , Military , Politics , Torture , Suicide , Puppetry , Orphan , Amputation , Swordplay

Hyouku

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Horror

Grandma's heirloom doll's hair started growing...!? A puppet battle one-shot!



Tags: Puppetry , Shounen