Best Drama Manga of 1997

In an enormous steel labyrinth riddled with horrifying creatures, humanity is forced to isolate itself in small enclaves while living in constant fear of its annihilation. In this dystopia, only a strange young man known as Killy is brave enough to traverse its unforgiving territories. Possessing superhuman strength and a rare Graviton Beam Emitter, Killy fights off bloodthirsty beasts and other fiendish forces in his desperate search for a human with the Net Terminal Gene—genetic information that holds the potential to restore the corrupt world. The dark world of Blame! follows Killy as he meets new people, sheds more blood, and draws closer to finding the Net Terminal Gene. Through these exploits, the true nature of the world is slowly pieced together.

In the panic surrounding a worldwide pandemic which kills 15 percent of the population and cripples many more, a secret organization, the Propater, topples the UN and seizes control of much of the world. A boy and a girl, raised in an abandoned virology research center, immune to the virus, are attacked by the Propater and escape. Twenty years later, the boy is the most powerful drug lord in South America. He aids his son from behind the scenes as he evades and eventually with the help of mercenaries from Nomad (some of them former Propater operatives) fights the Propater. As the plot develops focus shifts away from the main character and develops many sub-plots dedicated to terrorism, Human-improvement, the struggle of the developing countries and the power battles between the drug cartels and Propater. Based strongly on Gnostic mythology, all major characters are named after gnostic deities, and have analogous roles.

Ichitaka Seto is a 16-year-old high school student who is hopelessly in love. He is smitten with Iori Yoshizuki, a classmate who recently became famous after featuring in a magazine. However, Ichitaka has been unable to convey his affection, hung-up on a brutal rejection in the past. As luck would have it, Ichitaka finds himself paired up with Iori in the Freshman Welcoming Ceremony. Despite some mishaps, things go well between the two. But when Ichitaka's childhood friend, Itsuki Akiba, comes crashing into his place, things take a drastic turn, and the three individuals' relationship gets off to a complicated start.

It's nearly the end of the century, and one girl has been breaking the news: Kaitou Jeanne, a phantom thief supposedly sent by God, has been stealing paintings all around the city. Her real identity is Maron Kusakabe, a 16-year-old rhythmic gymnastics enthusiast and student at Momokuri Academy— something unknown to all, even her best friend Miyako Toudaiji, who is in charge of the police chase for Jeanne. Hidden inside the paintings Maron steals are demons sent by the demon lord, who plans to weaken God's power by having his minions possess human hearts. Assisted by the minor angel Finn Fish, it is up to Maron as the reincarnation of Jeanne d'Arc to assume her alter ego, hunt down the cursed paintings, and seal the vile demons away. However, the tough job of balancing this duty with her lonesome high school life only proves more challenging when a mysterious new phantom thief makes his appearance—Kaitou Sinbad.

Since its creation, Tougenkyou has been a place where both humans and youkai live in peace. However, following the breach of a taboo in an attempt to revive the villainous youkai Gyuumaou, the "Minus Wave" unleashes throughout the land. With this ghastly force at large, the youkai begin to lose their self-consciousness, causing them to devour the townspeople. Tasked by the Three Aspects—the messengers of the heavens—to stop Gyuumaou's resurrection and restore peace, Sanzou Genjou rounds up three old comrades, none of which resemble the definition of ordinary. Being half-human, Gokuu Son, Hakkai Cho, and Gojou Sha are the only youkai with the power and spirituality to withstand the Minus Wave. Despite being skeptical about trusting them due to their mixed blood, Sanzou heads to the west with his companions to eradicate the growing threat.

Mai Taniyama's school has an ancient, abandoned, and allegedly cursed building. Whenever it is about to be torn down, a series of unsettling deaths occur and halt the demolition. To prove it is haunted, Mai and her friends try to summon a specter by telling ghost stories. No ghosts appear, but the group encounters Kazuya Shibuya, a 17-year-old transfer student. Though her friends are charmed by Kazuya's attractive looks and great manners, Mai does not trust him. Following a mishap, Mai discovers Kazuya's real identity as the president of Shibuya Psychic Research, a group hired by the school principal to investigate the building's rumored paranormal activity. As a consequence of her actions, Mai must temporarily help Kazuya if she does not want to pay him damages. Joined by other individuals experienced with the supernatural—former Buddhist monk Houshou Takigawa, self-proclaimed Shinto priestess Ayako Matsusaki, famous medium Masako Hara, and Catholic priest John Brown—Mai and Kazuya must uncover the mystery surrounding the building before any more innocent lives are lost.

Makoto Amano wants to become an actor, but his stern father has decreed that the only way Makoto can pursue his dream is to spend the last two years of high school as a girl! He quickly makes friends with popular tomboy Ito Miura, another drama enthusiast at this new high school and the only student to find out his secret—but are they more than pals?

Fujishima Takara goes to high school and will start living in a dorm because he has lost all his family except for his father, who's always away for his work. Takara has to share a room with Kosaka Kyomine. Living together isn't easy, and many rows ensue. Kyomine is very introverted, while Takara is just the opposite. At first the two get on each other's nerves because of those differences, but things eventually start to turn towards friendship.