Best Adventure Manga of 2004

In the American Old West, the world's greatest race is about to begin. Thousands line up in San Diego to travel over six thousand kilometers for a chance to win the grand prize of fifty million dollars. With the era of the horse reaching its end, contestants are allowed to use any kind of vehicle they wish. Competitors will have to endure grueling conditions, traveling up to a hundred kilometers a day through uncharted wastelands. The Steel Ball Run is truly a one-of-a-kind event. The youthful Johnny Joestar, a crippled former horse racer, has come to San Diego to watch the start of the race. There he encounters Gyro Zeppeli, a racer with two steel balls at his waist instead of a gun. Johnny witnesses Gyro using one of his steel balls to unleash a fantastical power, compelling a man to fire his gun at himself during a duel. In the midst of the action, Johnny happens to touch the steel ball and feels a power surging through his legs, allowing him to stand up for the first time in two years. Vowing to find the secret of the steel balls, Johnny decides to compete in the race, and so begins his bizarre adventure across America on the Steel Ball Run.

Thousands of years ago, there existed those gifted with the power of God. Their mission: to destroy the ominous evils that lurk in the darkness known as "Akuma." Led by the Milenium Earl, Akuma seek to destroy fragments of "Innocence," the only weapons capable of harming the Earl and his army and bring about the Great Flood from a hundred years ago. To prevent this tragedy from happening, the Black Order was formed as an organization dedicated to fighting the Earl. They recruit Exorcists, those with the inherent ability to accomodate Innocence, to fight against the Akuma. In the late 19th century, Allen Walker—a white-haired boy armed with Innocence that takes the form of his entire left arm and a cursed eye that can see Akuma—is sent to the Black Order. There, Allen meets various comrades from the Order—the mercurial Yuu Kanda, the kindhearted Lenalee Lee, and the cheerful yet mysterious Lavi. Despite their different personalities, they have one goal in mind: to bring salvation to the souls of Akuma and prevent the Earl from destroying the world.

By night, junior high student Yoshimori Sumimura is a "kekkaishi"—a demon-hunter who specializes in creating magical barriers around his prey. By day, Yoshimori's got some other demons to battle: an addiction to sweets and a seriously crotchety grandfather! Yoshimori's pretty 16-year-old neighbor and childhood friend, Tokine Yukimura, is also a kekkaishi, but their families are feuding over who is the true practitioner of the art.

In a certain city in Japan, one's heart faintly shimmers above the rest—a seemingly odd and naive brunette named Kobato Hanato. Despite appearing to wander around, the pure-hearted girl aspires to fulfill one precious wish: to reach a particular place. But for it to be granted, she must learn how to heal the wounded hearts of the people and collect them in a magic bottle. However, the world can be confusing for such an innocent girl. Her companion Ioryogi can be quite rough in teaching her common sense, especially for a talking blue dog plushie! Luckily for Kobato, a certain quaint place with a troubled history seems to be—and may be looking for—a glimmer of hope.

The Demon Queen Sheila has massacred over half of the human population, holding no regard for life. With no end in sight to her reign of terror, the people elect a hero to vanquish the Demon Queen and her monster kin. However, the chosen hero, Exa, is not exactly humanity's champion: he values not only human lives but those of monsters as well. During his journey, the idealistic Exa saves a monster girl from a dragon, completely unaware that this girl is the Demon Queen herself. Intrigued by a human who would save one of his species' enemies, Sheila poses as a meek, lovestruck monster and joins him on his journey—all while planning to stab him in the back. Even as she is continuously exposed to Exa's ideals, Sheila stands firm on her plan. Yet, she finds herself putting off her original mission time and time again; perhaps these fake feelings have grown into something real...

The continent of Halkeginia is tumultuous—a place where the various kingdoms, princedoms, dukedoms, and fiefdoms strive against each other to expand their domains. The nobility scheme and plot among themselves to gain influence to their lieges or to even foreign lieges. In the middle of Halkeginia is the small but important kingdom of Tristein. The most notable fact about this kingdom is the Tristein Academy of Magic where nobility from all over the world come to study magic so they can become magi. Although friendships will form across national boundaries at this school, will they survive the politics and games of the world at large once they leave? Louise is a student at Tristein Magical Academy. She is known to be quite a screw up when it comes to her magic. One day, a ceremony takes place where each student is to call forth a being or entity that will become his or her familiar. For Louise, her familiar comes in the form of a boy named Hiraga Saito. Somehow, he managed to get transported from his world into hers, and shortly after became her familiar.

Kuro, a little tomboy garbed in pitch-black with a little-tomboy-sized coffin on her back, heads out on a journey to find a certain witch. In the company of her faithful bat friend, Sen, Kuro encounters all manners of people and places which fire the reader's imagination. Told in 4-koma style with beautifully rendered art, Hitsugikatsugi no Kuro. is a manga that manages both dark and gothic and irresistibly endearing on just about every page!

Set in 2100 A.D., where video games feel 99% like real life. Follow Feng Lan in her adventure as the first player to play as the opposite sex in the VRMMO "Second Life" to prove to her brother that she can beat the game without using the "female benefits." But after she offends her family in a pvp match and even meets her real life friends and acquaintances in-game, can she continue to keep herself out of trouble by keeping her identity a secret?

While the original four .hack video games followed the tales and travels of Kite, these books tell the story all over again, from the view of Akira Hayami, also known as BlackRose in The World. When her younger brother, Fumikazu, falls into a coma while playing The World, Akira decides to figure out why it happened, and launches herself into the most exciting, and dangerous, journey she will ever have to encounter. Where she meets the twin blade Kite whose friend Orca has fallen into a coma too. Together they venture to find out The World's innermost secrets meeting new friends along the way who aid them in their journey.

Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor who can see and communicate with fairies. When she embarks on a journey overseas to visit her father in London, she's kidnapped by a young man named Edgar Ashenbert who introduces himself as an earl and requests Lydia's aid in searching for a treasured sword that will prove his status. Although she finds his story dubious, Lydia agrees to work with him—if only because he's her first real client. Meanwhile, rumors of a heinous burglary abound, and the culprit seems to bear an uncanny resemblance to Edgar...

Some of our most cherished manga characters are blessed with magical powers...others have an extraordinary combination superhuman strength and cunning intellect. But Hibiki? Her only real skill seems to be making a pot of delicious tea... Or is it?! This heartwarming fantasy story will have you believing in the power of Hibiki's magic!

A series of short stories portraying the past of some characters from Shin Angyo Onshi. Included one-shot: The Fools