Tezuka, Osamu

From time immemorial to the age of space colonization, there is one legend that has stayed unchanged in every history book—the tale of the immortal bird Phoenix. A being whose blood is said to grant eternal life or wisdom, the radiant figure ensures the continuation of sentient life in the universe as it oversees human civilizations and their development.

Yet, mankind remains a slave to its habits; from happiness and sorrow, to wrath and love, a myriad of emotions continue to play an integral part of human life. Simultaneously, time and time again, certain beliefs and agendas persist over the centuries to disturb the fragile equilibrium of the world's preordained nature and principles. It appears that fate, with its dynamic variables, can manifest itself in many ways—and oftentimes exhibits a bizarre sense of humor.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Note: This is an incomplete series due to Tezuka's death.

Hi no Tori

Phoenix

火の鳥

Hiwatari, Saki

Mystic dreams of a previous life in the moon lead to the bonding of seven students in an attempt to uncover the secrets behind what they have forgotten. As various truths are sought and avoided, Alice must hurry remembering if she is to save the fragile Rin from self-destruction. For only after facing the grave errors of the past, can they all move forward and live fully in the present.

(Source: MangaTraders)

Boku no Chikyuu wo Mamotte

Please Save My Earth

ぼくの地球を守って

Nagai, Go

Soft-hearted Akira Fudou has always been somewhat of a pushover. When he reunites with his childhood friend, Ryou Asuka, in a fateful encounter, Ryou reveals to him the terrifying reality of his father's research: demons exist and are planning to claim possession of the earth once again.

Eager to help his friend save humanity, Akira agrees to attend Black Sabbath, a party filled with depravity and corruption, to attempt to merge with a demon. A near-death encounter causes him to unify with Amon, a demon feared amongst even his own kind. Together they form Devilman, a combination of Amon's strength and Akira's pure heart.

After uniting with Amon, Akira begins to fight against the demons with his newfound power, desperate to stop the downfall of all human civilization.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Devilman

デビルマン

Kikuchi, Hideyuki

Amano, Yoshitaka

The series that spawned the Vampire Hunter D anime.

12,090 A.D. It is a dark time for the world. Humanity is just crawling out from under three hundred years of domination by the race of vampires known as the Nobility. The war against the vampires has taken its toll; cities lie in ruin, the countryside is fragmented into small villages and fiefdoms that still struggle against nightly raids by the fallen vampires—and the remnants of their genetically manufactured demons and werewolves.

Vampire Hunter D

吸血鬼ハンターD; バンパイアハンターD;

Matsumoto, Leiji

Tetsurou Hoshino is a young street urchin who desperately wants to replace his human body with an android body, which would grant him immortality and the social freedom the androids have. Normally this is incredibly expensive but it has long been rumored that if you board the Galaxy Express headed for the Andromeda Galaxy, at the end of the line is a planet where they are given out for free.
After seeing his mother murdered by an Android Count, he has no reason to remain on his home planet and nothing to hold him back. Now, not only seeking the android body of his dreams but also a way to avenge his loss, he begins to search for a way to board the train alone.

Then he meets Maetel, a mysterious woman who offers him a ticket aboard the train if he will be her companion for the journey.
Their journey will take them to planet after planet, each strange and new, and each stop along the way being an opportunity for Tetsurou to reflect on being human, human actions, and the prospect of immortality. During their travels Tetsurou and Maetel meet, amongst others, Emeraldas and Harlock.

Ginga Tetsudou 999

銀河鉄道999

Ishinomori, Shoutarou

A experimental manga series about a boy named Jun and his surreal voyages. The character is a alter-ego of Ishinomori himself.

(Source: MU)

Jun: Shoutarou no Fantasy World

ジュン - 章太郎のファンタジーワールド

Shougo is a young man who has a problem with love, not just in humans but even with animals. He is even compelled to kill animals that show each other affection, which lands him in a mental hospital. During therapy, he has a vision where he meets a goddess that dooms him to fall in love with the same girl over and over again, but one of them will always die before they can truly be together.

Apollo no Uta

Apollo's Song

アポロの歌

Takada, Yuuzo

Through a strange series of events, a young man named Yakumo Fuuji becomes the immortal slave of the last of a race of 3 Eyed immortals. The immortal, Pai, absorbs his soul to save his life, making him immortal in the process. Now, he begins a journey with the female immortal in an attempt to find a way of becoming human. Of course, there are many complications along the way, not the least of which being that the immortal is a female with a split personality, one achingly cute and the other being no-nonsense destructive power, and romances that develop between.

3x3 Eyes

3×3 EYES

Ashibe, Yuuho

Arianrhod is a young girl from an island called Erin. She is different from all the other kids her age. All the others in the tribe have blond hair while Arian is the only one with black hair and because of this she was bullied many times. One day a traveler in silver clothing came to Erin and “named” Arian. To be named is very important because it reveals one's true self. After that the Master Drisu takes Arian in as his disciple because she was “named” by the stranger. Balor is the evil leader of Death Valley and one night he murdered all the people in Arian's tribe, and she swears to get vengeance on Balor.

(Source: Esthétique)

Crystal☆Dragon

クリスタル☆ドラゴン

After the cruel lord Daigo Kagemitsu sells his newborn son's body parts to 48 demons in exchange for power, he casts what remains down a river and quickly forgets about his son, soon establishing a mighty kingdom. Little does Daigo know that his child survives, possessing advanced spiritual senses that allow him to navigate the world without eyes, ears, limbs, or even a voice.

A brilliant doctor rescues the son and raises him as his own, naming him Hyakkimaru and fitting him with advanced prosthetics that make it possible for him to move and fight. However, tragedy strikes when Hyakkimaru turns out to be a beacon that brings demons into the doctor's home, and the doctor eventually has to send Hyakkimaru out into the world.

Amid his travels, Hyakkimaru learns that slaying demons allow him to recover his missing parts and seeks to kill enough to make himself whole. He soon encounters Dororo—a boy claiming to be the world's greatest thief—who joins Hyakkimaru against his will in hopes of one day obtaining his sword. Together, the duo travels through a countryside infested with both demons and brutal men, who might prove to be worse.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Dororo

どろろ

A remake of the original Ribbon no Kishi, and the much more well-known version of the story.

Taking place in a medieval fairy-tale setting, Princess Knight is the story of young Princess Sapphire who must pretend to be a male prince so she can inherit the throne (as women are not eligible to do so). This deception begins as soon as she is born, as her father the King announces his baby is a boy instead of a girl. The reason for this is that the next-in-line to the throne, Duke Duralumon, is an evil man who would repress the people if he were to become king, and because of this the King will go to any length to prevent him from taking over.

(Source: Wikipedia)

Ribbon no Kishi (1963)

Princess Knight

リボンの騎士

Spoon

Kim, Suji

"I pray every day that this love dies, that I may love you only until today, and that tomorrow this love will be dead."

Thalia Roem Grta, the ill-fated princess born of an affair. She grows up distorted amidst indifferent parents, hostile half-siblings, and servants who despise her. Thalia has protected herself by raising her thorns against everyone who approaches. Yet, even she becomes defenseless in the presence of one person. He is none other than the Prince of the East, Barkas Raedgo Sheerkan.

Forced to be perfect as a retainer of the imperial court and the heir to the Grand Duke, he grew up with most of his emotions numb under discipline bordering on abuse. A man who exists solely for the honor and duty of his family. To keep a promise made to the late Empress, he enters into a marriage with Thalia's half-sister, Ayla, and Thalia, engulfed in despair, slowly falls apart.

However, her love, destined for death, faces an unexpected turning point....

(Source: Kakao Entertainment, translated)

12 Manga Like Funerals for the Damned