This was reccomended to me by a friend, and while I originally picked up the DVD overseas, I can say with conviction that the manga story has had me on the edge of my seat with every volume. First, I should state that it's a bit dark for a story of its genre, but the author stated that he wanted to tell this sort of adventure from a more mature point of view. There are definate themes of the struggles of youth, finding one's path, and deciding what is the right thing to do, but if you don't like violence in your manga, find something a little more tame.

You follow Wataru Mitani, a kid struggling with the divorce of his parents. With a father who never really was there for him and a mother tied up in lies and depression, he finds distraction and aggravation in chasing after a mysterious and distant classmate named Mitsuru Ashikawa. Witnessing his strange powers battling monsters from another world, Wataru follows him through a magical door to another realm, the world called Vision.

Here, humans who find their way to Vision are referred to as Travelers, and they all seek one thing. To find the five orbs that will grant their wish when they find their way to the Tower. The problem is, only one person can have that wish! It has started pitting one person against another, friends against friends, all to be the winner. And worse yet, Wataru took on the title of Travler without realizing what he was getting into. He has a wish... but what will it cost him? What does Ashikawa want? And what happens when more people Wataru knows end up getting tangled up in this mess too? What is going on between all the races and people of Vision? There's more beneath all this mystery than simply a race for power.

I definately reccomend picking up this manga. The art is A++! You can really feel the emotion of the characters through their expressions, the details of the backgrounds and atmosphere are great, and the battles are well drawn. It may be an obscure manga title, but I think the characters are very likable; I can't tell if I want to root for the good guys or the bad guys (and sometimes can't tell who's who)! The story has a nostalgic feel to anyone who liked adventure stories when they were young, but with a grown-up twist, and if it's one of your first, I think it'll definately convert you. Brave Story is more than just a shounen adventure with battles to see who's the strongest - it's a tangle of lives woven together and a quest to find the truth of what really is important. Also, there's a little bit of fanservice in these books for the boys, but as a girl, I can let it go cause the guys look pretty darn cool too. ;)