Bleach 3, 4 and 5 by Tite Kubo

AZ: "One rainy day, Ichigo, whose ability to see the undead is a blessing with a curse, tried to stop a young girl from drowning in a nearby river. His mother, Masaki, ran after them, frantically trying to rescue her son. Then everything went black, and Ichigo awoke only to discover his mother dead and the little girl gone. It's the anniversary of Masaki's death, and the entire Kurosaki clan, along with former Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki, head to the cemetary to pay their respects. Sleeping demons rarely ever stay still and pretty soon Ichigo confronts the Grand Fisher, the Hollow that may be resposible for his mother's demise"

Bleach by Tite Kubo

My first real foray into Manga, after sitting on the floor of Borders browsing through to eliminate the endless stories of teenage girl angst with improbably large breasts. Not really my kettle of fish

AZ: "Ichigo Kurosaki has always been able to see ghosts, but this ability doesn't change his life nearly as much as his close encounter with Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper and member of the mysterious Soul Society. While fighting a Hollow, an evil spirit that preys on humans who display psychic energy, Rukia attempts to lend Ichigo some of her powers so that he can save his family; but much to her surprise, Ichigo absorbs every last drop of her energy. Now a fully-fledged Soul Reaper himself, Ichigo quickly learns that the world he inhabits is one full of dangerous spirits, and along with Rukia, who is slowly regaining her powers, it's Ichigo's job to both protect the innocent from Hollows and to help the spirits themselves find peace."

I've been reading my way through the series ever since, I think this entry is for Bleach volumes 1 and 2. I love the way you have to read manga backwards and the sense of an entirely different culture with different sexual and cultural values.