1. Gambling Emperor Zero (Nobuyuki Fukumoto)
   
   The best manga I have ever read. Nobuyuki Fukumoto is a genius. I love the smart and crazy trials, and the hero (Zero), who is both insanely smart and inherently good.

2. Kodoku no Gourmet (Solitary Gourmet / Le gourmet solitaire in French) (Jirô Taniguchi and Masayuki Kusumi)
   
   The manga I have reread the most. It's very special: action fans should avoid this one, because basically, nothing is going on and there is no plot. Kodoku no Gourmet only consists of short stories in which Goro Inogashira, a small business owner, goes out to eat alone. It's very relaxing, since eating alone while dreaming is a precious moment of freedom. Nothingness at his best!

3. A Distant Neighborhood (Harukana Machi e / Quartier lointain in French) (Jirô Taniguchi)
   
   A real masterpiece from Jirô Taniguchi I could never praise enough. A 48 years old man gets magically sent back in the past, to his childhood neightborhood. A beautiful and nostalgic story with the right amount of melancholy.

4. Kaiji (Nobuyuki Fukumoto)
   
   Kaiji is one of my favorite Anime, and I love the manga too. I will talk more about that one in another topic about anime.

5. One outs (Shinobu Kaitani)
   
   My favorite Anime. I will talk more about it in the other topic about anime too.

6. Space Brothers (Uchū Kyōdai) (Chûya Koyama)
   
   Another "smart" manga with a scientific edge. Mutta Namba is in his 30's and is not really on the right track to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut, unlike his brother. Awesome story with a lot of humour and great characters. Highly recommended.

7. Ranma 1/2 (Rumiko Takahashi)
   
   Do I really need to describe that one? My favorite 90s manga.

8. Liar Game (Shinobu Kaitani)
   
   Another smart manga with clever tricks and trials.

9. Buraiden Gai (Nobuyuki Fukumoto)
   
   Another masterpiece from Nobuyuki Fukumoto. Did I say this man is a genius? It's a short series (5 volumes) depicting the adventures of a smart, confident, and strong teenager named Gai. He is sent to a youth detention center from hell even though he did nothing wrong.

10. The Kindaichi Case Files (Fumiya Satō and Yōzaburō Kanari)
    
    I actually prefer Death Note and Hajime no Ippo to that one, but since it's less known, I wanted to talk about it. The Kindaichi Case Files has everything Meitantei Conan is missing: detailed cases, characters (murderers) with a real personality, and interesting motives. Sometimes it is a bit morbid too. My favorite volumes are tomes 20 and 21, in which a crazy and clever murderer spread terror.

I also like Death Note, Hajime no Ippo, Angel Voice, and Whistle!. During the late 90s~early 2000s, I was also a big fan of Meitantei Conan (Case Closed / Détective Conan in French) and Hunter X Hunter, but I don't like how these series evolved.