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Cross Manage

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: July 22 – September 2, 2013

September 15, 2013 by Derek Bown Leave a Comment

July 2 CoverWell, it’s been a while. I have to apologize for my long silence. Personal circumstances and a stressful stretch of months at work made it very difficult to get anything done outside of waking up, going to work, coming home, playing video games until I pass out, and then waking up to start it all over again. Now, to some that second to last part might sound like I was just being lazy. And yes, there was a certain element of laziness involved. But it was less motivated by being a slacker, rather it was because nine to eight hours a day working customer service will drain the desire to do anything, even something you enjoy, out of anyone.

But, with no real change in my situation in sight, rather than just give up, I’m going to just suck it up and pick back up where I left off. I love writing about manga, and if I don’t share my opinions here, then where else can I go that people will actually listen when I go off on an incoherent rant about Naruto, Bleach, and World Trigger?

Obviously covering the past month plus in detail would take too long. So instead I’m going to give a quick recap of what I’ve thought of the past few weeks of manga before getting back to producing this column at a weekly rate.

And because the order in which the chapters are posted changes from week to week, I will be posting my comments about each series in the order that I feel like talking about them. So, essentially it’ll be organized by what I liked most to what I liked least.

Cross Manage
It’s been a while so I can’t be certain, but I do believe I forgot to cover Cross Manage‘s final chapter. Astute readers may notice a correlation between the end of this manga and when I went on my extended hiatus. And yes, I would say that the two are connected. I really did fall in love with this series, and really do think it could have gone much further than it did. Sadly it would appear that the readers of Japan did not agree with me. And while this may just be a pipe dream, I hope that in the future our votes will matter in regards to which series will get cancelled. But, even if that does happen in the distant future, it won’t be enough to save this series.

Since it has been long enough since this series was cancelled, and my initial rage has subsided to a certain extent, I feel that now I can talk about this final chapter without making veiled and overt threats towards the Japanese readers for letting this series get cancelled.

And, like I had been saying, the ending really was satisfying. Sure there were some elements that didn’t get resolved, but it ended well by foregoing the “See, this is what you could have had route” that so many passive aggressive manga artists seem to go when their series is cancelled prematurely. As Viz brings out the digital volumes I’ll be reading the series again, so that I can at least enjoy one of the only sports manga I ever liked.

I know it’s a bit late, but please, I want to know how everyone else felt about this manga ending. Also, I feel it’s relevant to point out that I think there are certain series that have been going on for years with established fanbases that are making the rankings system extremely unfair towards new series. We know One Piece and Naruto are going to stick around, so why should anyone be voting for them? I say we need to take those series out of the voting pool, they will keep going no matter what, and open up the floor for new manga to get some votes. After all, beating series like One Piece, Toriko, Bleach, and Naruto is an insanely unfair requirement for new series.

Strong World Color Spread

One Piece
While I’ve been losing a good deal of my enthusiasm for Weekly Shonen Jump since the cancellation of Cross Manage, at least One Piece has been there for me all along (not counting those couple of weeks hiatus due to health reasons). And while the story has been great, with this last week revealing the nature of Don Chin Jao’s gripe against Garp in the most ludicrous way, I think events relating to Oda’s life have been far more significant. With his health issues it’s become clear that fans don’t mind Oda taking some time off. After all, if we have to go a couple weeks without new manga so that the series actually keeps going then that’s a small price to pay. It’s also helped to remind us that while a manga-ka’s schedule is insane and inhumanely punishing, the editors are also human and want their artists to stay healthy, as shown by how they’ve been insisting Oda take it easier and actually take scheduled breaks even after a month long hiatus.

While we love having weekly manga, I think the grueling schedule manga artists go through to provide us with manga is worth discussing. It makes the issue of piracy even more relevant, considering that so many of us are willing to take what they’re sacrificing their lives for for free. And granted there is distribution to keep in mind, after all how can one get manga that isn’t being officially translated, I think what we really need to do is spread the word about this magazine so that we not only get more series in this magazine, but so that other companies make it worth their while to start emulating Viz.

One Piece

Toriko
Toriko the past couple weeks has shown that I may not be the biggest fan of our protagonist. He’s not awful, but compared to all the other characters I can’t help but feel like Toriko is a bit…dull. This series is the definition of Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, so it’s a shame when the protagonist feels a bit samey with all the other protagonists in manga. Still, everything else has been amazing in that silly Toriko way. The power levels of the players keep ramping up in ways that sometimes make absolutely no sense but I’m inclined to forgive it because this series just does ridiculous so well.

Nisekoi
Nisekoi has been a bit hit and miss over the past month or so. I’ve been enjoying it, but some chapters were weaker than others. I particularly haven’t been a fan of the Haru heavy chapters, but there have been some great ones. The teacher leaving her job after getting married was problematic for me, but you can always listen to the podcast as to why I thought that. The most recent chapters get into the old amnesia shtick, but I find that it’s working so far if for no other reason that it’s being used to hang a lamp shade on harem series tropes. Particularly the unspoken reality that most harem protagonists would be considered scumbags in real life.

Nisekoi

One-Punch Man
The amazing thing about One-Punch Man is that it goes beyond just being funny. It has great action, and great characters. Sure Saitama is pretty one note, but he’s entertaining enough and the side characters, even brand new ones, get some pretty great moments to shine. I won’t lie, the Puri Puri Prisoner character is problematic in how it shows that Japan apparently has a ways to go in their social rights issues. Though it does make me chuckle to compare how most gays are portrayed in our media versus how they are portrayed in manga. Let’s just say that at least gays in our media aren’t being threatened with arrest for hitting on other men.

One-Punch Man

Bleach
Bleach has been off for most of the time that I’ve been gone. And no, this is not a case of correlation. I honestly could care less about this series as it is now. We’ll see where things go when it picks back up this week, but all that really needs to be said now is that this series has been dull for far too long. It better pick up with this finale, and I hope that Kubo is able to resolve things in a way that satisfies everyone. And if that isn’t possible than I at least hope he resolves everything in a way that satisfies me specifically.

Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z may not be the most sophisticated manga out there, but I can’t help but love its old fashioned simplicity. Sometimes all we need is a little punching and characters yelling out their attack names. Without all the extra complications. Granted Dragon Ball Z is hardly my favorite manga, but I really do enjoy reading these old chapters again.

Blue Exorcist
I love a good “traitor revealed” moment. And then I start questioning whether it actually makes sense. A month is a long time for me to suspend my disbelief, but we’ll see whether it actually makes sense this coming chapter. My best guess is that it’ll be a red herring. Or maybe I’m wrong and Blue Exorcist is about to be shaken up real well. Which would be really well done, considering that Kato was distracting us with the Rin, Yuki, and Shiemi triangle.

Naruto
I don’t like Naruto. I really don’t. And with so many other series to go over I don’t think it’s worth my time to list exactly why this series has been pissing me off of late. But don’t worry, we’ll go back to our regularly scheduled rants with this coming week.

Naruto

Jaco the Galactic Patrolman
Toriyama keeps saying that we probably won’t enjoy this since it doesn’t have the stuff he usually puts into his manga. And I keep saying that I agree with that statement. Jaco is a fun enough diversion, but hardly a work of art. But, considering how harmless it is I don’t see why I should waste any time complaining about things the author would probably just agree with anyway.

World Trigger
I hate this series for one reason and one reason only. It’s dull, it’s predictable, the characters are getting on my nerves. But the one reason is that I feel like this manga artist is wasting their time. So many better series have been cancelled, and this lousy series can’t be bothered to actually make an effort to stop sucking. And even when it does try to get some kind of direction it’s in a direction that was overused a decade ago. And even the fight scenes, while competent at places, spend most of the time being dull. It infuriates me that this series is still going when I can think of at least two that have been published in this magazine alone that should have kept going.


And that catches us up. Look forward to more consistent releases as I put my big boy pants on and actually get stuff done despite my work schedule.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives.

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS, WSJA Recaps Tagged With: bleach, blue exorcist, Cross Manage, Dragon Ball Z, Jako The Galactic Patrolman, naruto, nisekoi, One Piece, toriko, world trigger

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: July 1-15, 2013

July 22, 2013 by Derek Bown 1 Comment

July 15 CoverIn case it hasn’t become painfully obvious, my writing time is currently dependent on how busy work is. For the foreseeable future I’ll have to write these as a bi-weekly or tri-weekly column. It all depends on how things go at work during the week.

One Piece Ch. 712-714
Oh Sanji. Sanji, Sanji, Sanji. You used to be so cool? What happened man? Now you’re just the butt of jokes; sure I laugh at those jokes every time, and maybe a little part of me thinks it’s karma for your womanizing ways, but even I wish for a return to the Mr Prince times. Still, you manage to shine a little bit, but only after Violet looks into your mind and is horrified by what she sees. And considering she can read minds I imagine she’s seen some pretty perverted stuff. And somehow your sincerity brings her over to your side. I’m not sure if you’re really smooth or you just got lucky for once in your life.

What’s been great about One Piece these past few weeks is how much ground has been covered in the story. Splitting focus between multiple story lines is not an easy task, and most manga authors avoid it as much as possible. And yet, somehow Oda manages to do it not just chapter by chapter, but page by page in each individual chapter. He even manages to bring back old characters like Noland. And astute readers, such as the gentlemen at the One Piece Podcast, will notice that the seeds for the current arc were planted even so far back as the Skypiea arc. And there’s really nothing quite like one chapter ending with possibly one of the funniest faces in One Piece, and another ending with one of the many “most epic One Piece moments.” Luffy punches out a giant, what more do you want from your manga? (Please leave all answers to that question in the comments section.)

One Piece

Naruto Ch. 636-638
I’ve found that a lot of my time commenting on Naruto is spent referencing all the terrible stuff that has happened before the chapters in question. And in a way that is supremely unfair. After all, I dislike being judged for the deeds of my ancestors, so who am I to hold what came before against the most recent chapters?

Is what I’d love to say, but let’s be honest here. Once burned twice shy, and this manga has burned me multiple times. So already it’s impossible for me to really get invested in anything that happens in this series, because I know full well how bad things can get in this series. And even if I am able, with the most supreme of efforts, to forget everything I’ve disliked about this series in the past, I still find the recent chapters dull and uninspired. I could talk about specifics, but why bother? Everything is summed up in the most recent chapter; a chapter so rote and by the numbers that I’m amazed it was penned by the author of one of the most popular manga in the world. So the big event this most recent chapter was based on? The villain gets stronger. Shock and awe! I’ve never seen this exact scenario played out even as far back as say…JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (and even before that). “But wait,” you might say, you hypothetical reader, “It’s not about the events, it’s about how they are portrayed. After all, originality died a long time ago. To really be great one must do what’s done before but do it better, or in a slightly different way.” Unfortunately neither of those happen. The reveal that Obito is now more powerful is as generic as it can get. I honestly think this series should have ended a long time ago, it’s just being stretched for time because someone in Shonen Jump is afraid of what will happen if Naruto ends at the same time Bleach is wrapping up. Well, I can tell you something that’s worse than this hypothetical eventuality, what we’re getting right now. There is nothing worse than a creatively bankrupt piece of art. Of course it’s impossible to separate manga from their commercial nature, but there is room to allow for decisions motivated by artistic integrity rather than a business committee. Ultimately consumers will react to great art, it’s just unfortunate that turning out a bunch of garbage and some good stuff is more economically sound.

One-Punch Man Ch. 021-023
Thanks goodness for series where sometimes the artist just decides, “Forget actually having a story, I’m going to spend an entire chapter drawing each and every exact motion my characters are making.” Sure it may not make for the longest read, and sure it may mean we get less story than in a chapter of Bleach, but the last thing I feel like doing is criticising the one shonen/seinen manga that is trying something different. Are some of these chapters a pain to read on a phone? Most definitely, but when I get around to reading them on my computer there is nothing better than how meticulously Murata captures motion in his art.

One-Punch Man

Toriko Ch. 239-241
There’s a stark difference when we move from Toriko and Starjun’s fight to the events in the coliseum. I may love Toriko, but he is not necessarily as interesting as pretty much every other character in this series. It’s when we focus on the next big reveal that this series really shows its strength. And of course, after a brutal two chapters, where the lines of reality and fantasy are blurred (though I could have sworn they were blurred long ago, Toriko is confusing when it comes to what is a physical manifestation and what is a metaphysical representation of a concept), we get a reveal that Shimabukuro knows how to draw women. After years of nothing but butch men and mostly butch women I’m amazed to see that Shimabukuro has finally gone outside his comfort zone and drawn a conventionally attractive woman. Though this latest reveal, that Froese was a woman, has shown a possible trend. I’ve been noticing that a lot of the cooks paired with gourmet hunters tend to be women, once again casting doubt as to what Komatsu’s gender was originally meant to be, or if perhaps there’s some gender role commentary going on here.

Toriko

Cross Manage Ch. 039-041
Cross Manage has managed a three week streak (not counting the weeks before of course) of absolute excellence. And now, with the end of the big game upon us, I find myself still wondering whether this series will be ending soon or not. Had they won I would have considered that the final nail in the coffin. After all, who ends a sports manga with the heroes losing to their big rivals? Possibly a genius, because the fact that they lost the game doesn’t mean that there will ever be a rematch. Whatever comes next, even if this series meets an early end, it has been handled so well that I’m certain whatever comes next, and however this series ends, it will be perfectly satisfying. I’ll still be enraged that the youth of Japan are incapable of recognizing true quality, but I’ll try my hardest to convince myself that this series has done everything it set out to do.

World Trigger Ch. 020-022
So we finally learn something about Yuma. Finally we get to see his back story. Keep in mind that for twenty chapters he’s more or less been the focus and we know nothing about him or his goals. And here we are twenty chapters in and we don’t exactly have a goal, but the author has admitted that he needs a goal. Too bad that goal he finally decides on is awful. And not just awful, awfully derivative. I won’t say that someone dipped into someone else’s creative well, but I have to say, this whole concept of a three man team competing against other three man teams to rise in the ranks of their organization sounds awfully familiar. I know I may be coming across as being impossible to please, but when we go from having absolutely not direction to having terrible direction then I have to put my foot down. This idea of a tournament, which is already a terrible idea no matter who writes it (minor exceptions apply), but for a series so early on to suddenly jump into a tournament is absolute lunacy. And if nothing else this series feels like its wasting the golden chance it’s been given. Shonen Jump is not an easy magazine to get into or stay inside. You’d think that anyone who finally manages to work their foot into the door would realize how lucky they are and not waste their time throwing the laziest tropes in the game at us.

What makes it worse is that there is some legitimately entertaining character work in chapter twenty two. There’s definite skill going into this manga, that skill just isn’t being applied where it should be. And even though I enjoyed the latter half of chapter twenty two, it doesn’t undo the rage I felt reading the first couple pages.

Nisekoi Ch. 080-082
Nisekoi continues to be funny, though the addition of fanservice in two of the three chapters these last three weeks makes this a bit of an uncomfortable set of chapters to read for older fans. Of course, they’re not real characters blah, blah, but yegads it feels so weird reading a series where one is reminded that the target audience is considerably younger. Not like that’s ever stopped me from enjoying a comic or cartoon before, but one does not like to be reminded of one’s age. Good thing the fanservice is not the only reason for these chapters. They also happen to be just as funny as any of the chapters preceding them. And in some cases they are even funnier.

Bleach Ch. 543-545
Sometimes I feel like a failure of a reviewer when I read Bleach and, when I try to actually review it, I can’t remember what happened. Well, after I blame the manga for that and not myself, I strain and I strain and I manage to remember a little bit of what happened these last three weeks. Mostly questions. Questions that I can’t help but ask. Such as, “If this woman brutally murders hot guys instead of having sex with them, why hasn’t anyone realized that maybe her room is the last place any horny guy should be going?” Is nobody in this army asking what’s happened to Private Hans? Isn’t there a commanding officer of some kind that might wonder what happened? No role call? Anything? Not even rumors about the crazy woman calling men to her room and then they never appear? Seems like the kind of gossip the new recruits would need to hear about. Just because WE didn’t know about her habits, doesn’t mean the entirety of the Bleach universe does not know. Things can exist before we see them. Some might even say that in order to write a good story one MUST do this.

It just goes to show, how little Kubo cares about his human characters, when it took me a couple seconds to realize the strange guy asking about Ichigo was Keigo. Maybe a smaller cast for your next project, Kubo-sensei? Something a little more manageable perhaps? Or you could do as Toriyama did and do professional character design for a while.

Bleach

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 022-024
Good old Dragon Ball Z. Sometimes all it takes is some mindless action to cool down after a long day of raging and commenting on other manga. Just this once, I think I won’t bother commenting on these chapters, and instead just let the good old action tropes of the past soothe my soul.

Blue Exorcist Ch. 047
But not for too long. We’ve got one of our monthlies to talk about. Of which I will say this, it’s amazing how enjoyable a series can become when one abandons the discipline of shipping. In the past perhaps I would have raged about the lack of any satisfying romantic development. But instead I will just enjoy the cute moment between friends and siblings, and the fact that this chapter reminds me of how importance friendship is. Sure romance is good and all, but not at the cost of other relationships. Love triangles may be fun and all (for some, I hate them myself), but sometimes it’s better to just focus on what really matters.

Jaco The Galactic Patrolman Ch. 001
It’s amazing how an old veteran can come on to the scene and show all the rookies how a first chapter should be written. Our characters have been introduced, and we’ve gotten two sources of conflict and plot. One of our main characters has a goal, and the other has been exposed to the variables he needs to determine his own goal. Will he work to save the world, or let Jaco destroy it? Considering that the character in question is a grumpy old man, I can’t say which way he’ll decide. Sure the humor may fall flat at some points, but Toriyama himself says some people are either too young or too not-Japanese to get it. And I’m perfectly happy with that, all I need is a first chapter that actually does what a first chapter should do. Take notes, World Trigger.


If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to the last few episodes, Episode 054 – July 1, 2013 – The Portrayal of Overweight People in Manga | Fairy Tail Vol. 9 and Episode 055 – July 8, 2013 – The Top Five Old People in Manga | Fairy Tail Vol. 10.

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS, WSJA Recaps Tagged With: bleach, blue exorcist, Cross Manage, Dragon Ball Z, Jako The Galactic Patrolman, naruto, nisekoi, One Piece, toriko, world trigger

Off the Shelf: Kisses & Crosses

June 8, 2013 by MJ and Michelle Smith 3 Comments

MICHELLE: Hey, MJ! What did the water say to the boat?

MJ: Um. I got nothin’.

MICHELLE: Nothing. It just waved.

MJ: Okay, that actually made me giggle a little bit.

MICHELLE: Victory! While I wallow in this feeling, care to introduce our first selection? (I note this is another week in which MJand I have two mutual reads instead of just one.)

kissessighs_vol1_fullMJ: Sure! Hmmmm… now the question is, which one? I guess I’ll start with the book I read last, since it’s freshest in my mind, and that would be Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink, a double-sized volume of yuri short stories from Milk Morinaga, creator of Girl Friends, a five-volume series that we discussed in this column last year. Though Girl Friends was released here first, Kisses predates it, and it’s easy to see how one grew out of the other.

The volume’s opening chapter, “Not Friends Anymore,” begins the story of Nana and Hitomi, long-time best friends who are about to start high school together—or so Nana thinks. When Hitomi abruptly announces that she’s decided to attend a different school, Nana struggles with feelings of hurt and loss, until she finally realizes that it was her own rejection of Hitomi’s stronger feelings that drove her away. Eventually, Nana comes to terms with her own feelings and the two begin to explore a romantic relationship. Initially they are relieved to have ended up at different high schools, since they’d have a harder time concealing their romance as classmates, but over time they become dissatisfied with living in secrecy and find themselves longing for friends with whom they can share the truth about their relationship.

Though the book is a series of short stories, Morinaga uses Nana and Hitomi’s story to thread the collection together; each story is set at one of the two girls’ schools, utlimately bringing things back to their romance by the end. The stories are lovingly woven together, creating a feeling of real cohesion unusual in the short manga I’ve read. Since short stories aren’t my favorite format for manga, I found this quite gratifying.

MICHELLE: It was that sense of cohesion that kind of threw me, actually, since Sean’s comments about it for the last Pick of the Week column had led me to expect more couples, and more sad stories.

It’s not that I disliked Nana and Hitomi, though I did find them a little dull. More, I liked the stories with ambiguous or less cheery endings, like “Remember This Love Someday,” in which a girl confesses to her boyish friend, only to be kindly rejected by her, or “My True Feelings,” which ends with one girl declaring that she’ll make another like her. It doesn’t really seem likely, in my eyes, so I like it for that, even if it’s played a bit comedically.

MJ: I wouldn’t say that I found Nana and Hitomi dull, but the volume as a whole did really make me aware of just how much I crave more grown-up (or at least more complicated) romance. Like Girl Friends, Kisses is nothing if not sweet, but there’s a sameness to even the less overtly happy stories that makes me long for something more. Kisses‘ various romantic protagonists are all nice, pretty girls, carrying on relatively uncomplicated relationships in relatively comfortable environments. Even Hitomi and Nana’s brief stint as runaways is stunningly uncomplicated, as the two shack up in a hot springs resort before heading home to discover that all their problems have magically been resolved. The whole thing is, as I mentioned, unambiguously sweet, and though that’s often enough for me, I couldn’t help wishing for something just a bit meatier.

MICHELLE: “Sweet” is generally enough for me, too, but I think “sameness” aptly describes the aspect that left me feeling a bit blah. Nobody really stands out. None of the background characters is particularly significant. There’s nothing in these girls lives except other girls. It’s like they’re just drifting along, occasionally fancying each other, and not engaging with anything else.

MJ: Well said, Michelle. It’s a lovely little collection, don’t get me wrong, just… not much more than that.

So, shall we move on to our second selection?

MICHELLE: Okay!

CrossManage1Cross Manage is a relatively new Weekly Shonen Jump series in Japan, beginning in 2012, but we’ve already got a taste of it here, courtesy of VIZ’s digital manga site. (I have no idea whether there are plans for a print edition of the title.) Given that I generally adore sports manga, I really wanted to like this, and though I was kind of disappointed by its first half, it won me over in the end.

Tsunenori Sakurai used to be the star of the soccer team, but after a knee injury resulted in doctors telling him he’d never play again, Sakurai quit the team and has been adrift ever since, trying multiple clubs in the hopes of finding something that interests him. One day, he comes upon Misora Toyoguchi, who is enthusiastically practicing lacrosse by herself. Eventually, his innate sports sensibilities (or something) enable him to see where she is going wrong, and he is able to coach her through a breakthrough in her technique. When he accidentally touches her chest, Misora decides to exploit the situation and get him to manage the girls’ lacrosse team, of which she is captain, despite her lack of skills. At first, Sakurai resists, but can’t help responding to Misora’s passion for the sport, and ends up unashamedly giving it his all.

I just couldn’t get into Cross Manage at first, and kept seeing it ticking off items on, like, the Hikaru no Go checklist or something. Pro jock who has lost his own chance to play who is now mentoring someone else? Check? Underdog school club that has to undergo last-minute recruitment for a game? Check! First game against the most renowned school, with its super-refined, untouchable ace? Check! Gradually, though, I found myself won over. I like that Sakurai can tell Misora frankly how amazing he thinks she is, and of course the whole “I’ve finally found it” (regarding a place to belong) revelation pushes my buttons in a big way. And though Misora herself is somewhat of a cipher at this point, I like some of her teammates quite a lot, especially chubby, shy Noto, who is actually the most skilled player on the team.

MJ: In general, you’re a much bigger fan of sports manga than I, so I’m surprised to report that I had no problem whatsoever getting into Cross Manage from the beginning. Now, I’ve actually been following the series for a while, by way of Derek Bown’s Weekly Shonen Jump Recaps, so it may be that his increasingly positive impressions predisposed me to cut it some slack early on, but I liked both Sakurai and Misora right away and felt invested in their stories from the start. Also, I enjoyed the story’s examination of the difference between Misora’s initial raw enthusiasm for lacrosse and her growing seriousness, and how this progression affects her ability to play without caring about playing well.

Since you’ve brought up Noto, though (who is, indeed, awesome), I’ll take this opportunity to mention my one real issue with the series so far. I’ve complained before about overweight manga characters being portrayed as lacking normal facial features, and while this applies to Noto to a small extent (though even Misora’s facial features are pretty basic, Noto’s are disproportionally tiny in comparison to her over-round face), there is another heavy member of the girls’ lacrosse team whose physical features… well… I can only ask “WTF?”

IMG_0466

I mean… Yeah. I don’t know what to else say.

MICHELLE: I don’t either. I kept being reminded of Kurita and Komusubi from Eyeshield 21, who are also large and fat and small and fat, respectively. Both have very simple facial features compared to the other characters, but they’re male instead of female. (They’re my favorite characters in that series, actually.)

I guess we could look on the bright side and note that (in both cases) they’re portrayed positively, and their characterization is not based on weight at all.

MJ: I guess so? It really bothered me, though, I’ll admit. Not enough to keep me from continuing with the series, but enough to cause persistent discomfort, which is disappointing considering how much I enjoyed the volume otherwise.

MICHELLE: Possibly One Piece has inoculated me against being too distracted by strange body types, since that series is full of them. Granted, it feels much more out of place for just one character to look so weird. In One Piece, there’s a bevy of folks looking weird.

MJ: Yeah, I know that odd-looking manga characters are nothing unusual, but my discomfort in this instance is specifically related to the portrayal of fat people as having less complete or less “real” facial characteristics than other people, which implies that they are less complete or less real themselves. It’s a thing.

That said, Cross Manage has a lot going for it, and I’m likely to stick with it.

MICHELLE: Yeah, me too!

Filed Under: OFF THE SHELF Tagged With: Cross Manage, kisses sighs and cherry blossom pink, milk morinaga, yuri

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: May 20, 2013

May 22, 2013 by Derek Bown 1 Comment

May 20 2013 TitleIt’s actually been a while since the last time we had just a regular issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. As far as I can remember the past few weeks have included a few monthly series here and there. So I almost don’t know what to do with myself, finding that I’m back to basics this week. It’s also the first week where I find myself unsure what to think of certain chapters that I usually really like. I’ll try to do my best, but I can’t make any promises about the coherence of my thoughts, considering the current change in my work schedule.

One-Punch Man Ch. 017
Well then, if One-Punch Man is anything, it’s most certainly experimental. This was basically thirty two page spreads, thirty pages of a magazine, devoted to the most pure representation of what a fight in shounen manga should be like. No talking, just pure action, punching, kicking, laser…ing… It’s a cinematic approach that most creators don’t take because their page count is limited. But being a monthly series One-Punch Man manages to pull this off. Were I still writing my Combat Commentary column this would be a definite candidate for analysis. Still, it does run the risk of readers just skimming over it, which I recommend against, because you can’t get the full impact unless you take the time to examine each page. Protip: Don’t read it on an iphone, or any phone. Read it on a tablet or a computer. You’ll get the full effect that way.

One-Punch Man

One Piece Ch. 709
I think most everyone was at least suspecting that B block would come out the way it did. I know I for one didn’t definitively call it, but it it was one of the possibilities I thought would happen. Though, I was impressed by Elizabello’s punch. I know we were told it was powerful, but somehow just having a really big punch that could only be used once an hour didn’t seem that impressive. And yet, here we are, with him taking out all the heavy hitters of the round except one. Though it did prove the main flaw of his attack—that if someone was prepared for it and knew what was coming, or could otherwise block it, the attack loses some of its effectiveness. Now it remains to see if we get a backstory for the island, or if we move on to the next set of fights next chapter.

One Piece

Naruto Ch. 630
Will someone please shut Obito up? He’s been saying the same thing for the past three months. It’s like Kishimoto doesn’t think we have the mental faculty to understand what Obito is saying unless it’s constantly repeated over and over. Then again, and I can’t speak for the rest of you, but I’m still reading this series, so I dunno if Kishimoto would be that far off in his estimation of my intelligence.

Though, it was good to finally get a response to the repetitive rhetoric Obito has been sprouting. Especially after he went completely coo-coo bananas with these past few chapters.

The rest of the chapter was inoffensive. And I’ll even go so far as to say that I quite enjoyed Minato’s appearance at the end. Even though I knew he was coming. Though why is Naruto not surprised that his dead father suddenly appeared? Is this series going to treat death the way Dragon Ball Z did?

It was also nice to see Sakura actually contribute. Remember her? She was the female lead at one point, before she was abandoned way at the beginning of this interminably long arc. I know more chapters means more money and all that. But there’s something to be said for quitting while being ahead. Instead Naruto is going to be remembered as a good series that went quite bad for a while, became tolerable, and then became absolutely awful at the end.

World Trigger Ch. 014
Seeing as how my time has become a lot more precious to me, I can’t say I have much to say about this week’s chapter. If nothing else the fight was interesting enough. But I can’t help but wonder why we’re supposed to believe a government agency would give sniper rifles to two kids not even eighteen yet. I know it’s a trope to have kids fighting the monsters in manga and anime. But in series like Evangelion we’re given a reason why it has to be kids. It’s not exactly a good reason, but it’s a reason. World Trigger expects us to just accept that a government agency is having teenagers fight with deadly weaponry for no other reason than that’s how it’s done in manga. I’m sorry, but I refuse to accept that. Give me a good reason. Are adults incapable of producing Trion? Can they not use the triggers? I need a reason. Any reason. Even a stupid reason would be marginally better than expecting me to just sit back and accept that a bunch of kids are the most effective fighting force around.

Bleach Ch. 537
While this chapter did retcon Masaki’s death, it at least makes sense in the context of what the flashback has established. We needed to understand how she could die against an easy opponent like Grand Fisher, considering she had her own powers that could take on hollow hybrids. And if we consider that she was sensitive enough to know the kid Ichigo was going to save was a hollow, then we could perhaps assume she had some kind of power. Still, it’s clear that the purpose of it all was to make Ywatch the ultimate bad guy. And yes, in that case it’s rather clumsy. But at least in the context of the flashback it holds together. Motivations of the author aside.

Cross Manage Ch. 033
This week’s chapter was a bit weaker than the last two, but mostly just because there was a lot less focus on the action. The character interactions, and general character moments, were really strong. Ryu also just happened to give me my favorite moment of the entire issue. I have high hopes that Cross Manage will continue to do well, and increase in the rankings so we can continue to see what Kaito can do.

Cross Manage

Nisekoi Ch. 074
I’ve found that the biggest problem I have with Nisekoi is that after Chitoge fell in love with Rakku she lost what made her unique from the other girls. She’s no longer the one that doesn’t like him, she’s just like the rest of them. And as strong as the rest are, Chitoge doesn’t have much else to back up her personality. In the long run she’s just less interesting than the other girls. I think it would have served the overall manga much better to put the inevitable moment where she falls for Rakku for much later, because the overall dynamics just don’t work as they are. She’s still enjoyable enough, and this chapter was a lot of fun, but I’ve found that I tend to enjoy her moments less. Which goes to show when I compare this chapter to recent ones. And that’s a big shame considering she’s the main romantic interest. If we don’t like her over the other girls, as well handled as the romance is, it just won’t be that satisfying when she and Rakku get together. And since that’s the whole point of the story it’s a big weakness that needs addressing.

Nisekoi

Toriko Ch. 233
This wasn’t the best Toriko chapter ever. The biggest weakness is of course how much time was spent on flashbacks, and the fact that the big reveal last chapter, that Toriko was beaten, is irrelevant. It was just meant to be a shocking moment, and now we move on to the real fight. It’s weak, transparent writing, and as much as I love this series I have to call it on this one. Emotional moments don’t work if they’re obviously being written to be emotional. Still, we can’t expect every chapter to be a winner, so I’ll give it a few more before I start really laying into it. I think Toriko deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 015
Chi Chi may be one of the least liked characters of this series, but I really can’t help but feel sorry for her. Not only is her child kidnapped, but her husband has been murdered by the monster that almost murdered him before she and Goku got married. I’m amazed she isn’t traumatized by the events of the series. And of course, we get the beginning of Goku actually being a pretty terrible husband and father. Never mind that he’s leaving his wife and child behind to train, I know, I know, it’s to save the earth and all, but later on he does this exact same thing for no good reason. Still, this chapter focuses more on just blanket exposition and reminding us that Goku still has made any progression yet. But, it’s a good chapter, enough variety to make it more entertaining than some of the past few chapters have been.


And there you have it. I apologize again for this column being late, hopefully things at work slow down so I can actually get this taken care of in a timely manner. Anyone have any suggestions for blogging and working a fulltime job? Leave them in the comments, I need all the help I can get.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 047 – May 13, 2013 – Gender Roles in Manga | Wandering Son. PS: We had Ed Sizemore on as a guest last week, he’s a lot smarter than us so last week’s episode is actually really good.

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS, WSJA Recaps Tagged With: bleach, Cross Manage, Dragon Ball Z, naruto, nisekoi, One Piece, one punch man, toriko, world trigger

What’s Your Favorite Weekly Shonen Jump Title?

May 7, 2013 by Justin Stroman 17 Comments

Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha Weekly Shonen Jump

So what do you know? It’s been over a year since Viz’s Weekly Shonen Jump has been around. With it out of the “Alpha” phase and now moving forward with simultaneous releases, it’s doing what I don’t think many would have thought years ago—and it’s pretty impressive. And while maybe the content is not like Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump, the lineup that’s appeared since the magazine began is nothing to sneeze at. So I’ll ask you all to share what’s been your favorite Weekly Shonen Jump title serialized since January 30, 2012. Here’s a reminder of the works that have appeared in WSJ so far:

Bakuman

Bakuman

Created By: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Publisher’s summary: “Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. Can these two boys turn their dreams into reality with all the challenges they must face in the manga-publishing world?”

Run: January 30 to May 7, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

Barrage

Barrage

Created By: Kouhei Horikoshi

Publisher’s summary: “Spunky slum kid Astro gets the chance of a lifetime to end the chaos ripping apart his alien-invaded home planet when the playboy prince switches places with him. Now Astro has become Prince Barrage, a boy charged with the duty of restoring peace to the planet…and given an all-powerful magical spear to do it!”

Run: June 4 to September 2012

Serialized: Weekly

Bleach

Bleach

Created By: Tite Kubo

Publisher’s summary: “Ichigo Kurosaki never asked for the ability to see ghosts — he was born with the gift. When his family is attacked by a Hollow — a malevolent lost soul — Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits themselves find peace.”

Run: January 30, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

Blue Exorcist

Blue Exorcist

Created By: Kazue Kato

Publisher’s summary: “Raised by Father Fujimoto, a famous exorcist, Rin Okumura never knew his real father. One day a fateful argument with Father Fujimoto forces Rin to face a terrible truth — the blood of the demon lord Satan runs in Rin’s veins! Rin swears to defeat Satan, but doing that means entering the mysterious True Cross Academy and becoming an exorcist himself. Can Rin fight demons and keep his infernal bloodline a secret? It won’t be easy, especially when drawing his father’s sword releases the demonic power within him!”

Run: July 30, 2012

Serialized: Monthly

Cross Manage

Cross Manage

Created By: KAITO

Publisher’s summary: “Talented but aimless Sakurai just can’t find a place to belong. After trying (and failing at) one extracurricular activity after another, his life changes thanks to a chance encounter with lacrosse fanatic Toyoguchi, who thinks Sakurai has just what it takes to propel her girls’ lacrosse team to victory!”

Run: October 1, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

Dragonball

Dragon Ball (full color)

Created By: Akira Toriyama

Publisher’s summary: “The legendary classic manga series Dragon Ball is back…in full color! Relive the incredible Saiyan Saga with this special re-release.”

Run: February 4, 2013

Serialized: Weekly

 

Hunter X Hunter Special

Hunter X Hunter Kurapika’s Memories

Created By: Yoshihiro Togashi

Publisher’s summary: “Hunters are a select group of people who track down rare and priceless items. Many people have tried to become one, but most give up or are killed during the exam. This special one-shot is the story of one such Hunter, named Kurapika. His people were wiped out because their eyes turn a fiery red color and are sought by collectors. This is the story of Kurapika before he lost his clan…”

Run: December 17 to Decemeber 24, 2012

Kintoki

Kintoki

Created By: Akira Toriyama

Publisher’s summary: “Once upon a time, the Kinme Clan were an extraordinary tribe best known for their incredible physical strength and golden eyes. Because of that they were revered as gods of war, but now the clan is slowly dying out due to a short lifespan. And just when most everyone has forgotten about the clan, a mysterious golden-eyed boy enters the scene…”

Run: January 28, 2013 (one-shot)

 

Naruto

Naruto

Created By: Masashi Kishimoto

Publisher’s summary: “Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He’s got a wild sense of humor, but Naruto is completely serious about his mission to be the world’s greatest ninja!”

Run: January 30, 2013

Serialized: Weekly

Nisekoi

Nisekoi

Created By: Naoshi Komi

Publisher’s summary: “It’s hate at first sight…rather a knee-to-the-head at first sight when Raku meets Chitoge! Unfortunately, his gangster father arranges a false love match with their rival gang leader’s daughter, Chitoge! However, Raku’s searching for his childhood sweetheart, with a pendant around his neck as a memento, and is surprised to discover three candidates with keys: Chitoge, Onodera (his current crush) and Tachibana (the police chief’s daughter)!”

Run: November 26, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

Nura

Nura: Rise of The Yokai Clan

Created By: Hiroshi Shiibashi

Publisher’s summary: “At first, no one thought that Rikuo, who is only one-quarter yokai and three-quarters human, could handle following in his grandfather Nurarihyon’s footsteps as the leader of the most powerful yokai clan. But now Rikuo has proven he can unite both humans and demons. He’s building the ultimate Night Parade of a Hundred Demons to ward off the legendary onmyoji, Abe no Seimei, and his descendants, the Gokadoin clan, who plan to take over the world with a master strike called The Purification.”

Run: January 30, 2012 to January 14, 2013

Serialized: Weekly

Nura Special

Nura: Aoi Spiral Castle Specials

Created By: Hiroshi Shiibashi

Publisher’s summary: “While the day belongs to humans, the night belongs to Yokai, supernatural creatures that thrive on human fear. Caught between these worlds is Rikuo Nura. He’s three-quarters human, but his grandfather is none other than Nurarihyon, the supreme commander of the Nura clan, a powerful yokai consortium. Now Rikuo’s on his way to taking over that command!”

Run: August 27, 2012 (Part 1), October 29, 2012 (Part 2)

One Piece

One Piece

Created By: Eichiro Oda

Publisher’s summary: “When Monkey D. Luffy accidentally ate the cursed Gum-Gum Fruit, he gained the power to stretch like rubber…at the cost of never being able to swim again! Despite this, he’s vowed to someday become King of the Pirates and find the legendary treasure known as “One Piece” With his large crew of powerful and unique characters and his advanced pirate ship, the Thousand Sunny, Luff’s out to become the greatest pirate that’s ever lived!”

Run: January 30, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

One Piece X Toriko

One Piece X Toriko: Taste of the Devil Fruit

Created By: Eiichiro Oda and Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro

Summary: Crossover one-shot between One Piece and Toriko.

Run: Available to subscribers who signed up before April 30, 2012

 

 

One-Man Punch

One-Punch Man

Created By: ONE and Yusuke Murata

Publisher’s summary: “From illustrious illustrator Yusuke Murata of Eyeshield 21 fame and the maniacal mind of up-and-coming mangaka ONE comes a manga series that packs quite the punch! Follow our hero Saitama through his hilarious romps as he searches for the baddest guys to challenge. Let’s get ready to rumble!”

Run: January 21, 2013

Serialized: Weekly

Bakuman Otter #11

Otter #11

Created by: Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Summary: A gag manga series created by Kazuya Hiramaru in Bakuman.

Run: Published in the SJ Alpha Yearbook 2013

 

 

 

 

Road To Ninja Naruto The Movie

Road To Naruto The Movie

Created By: Masashi Kishimoto

Publisher’s summary: “To commemorate the latest Naruto Shippuden movie hitting Japanese thaters, Shonen Jump Alpha presents a special chapter that chronicles the events right before Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie. See the Naruto characters in an all-new light as they deal with Tobi’s dark trap!”

Run: August 6, 2012 (One-shot)

Rurouni Kenshin Restoration

Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration

Created By: Nohiburo Watsuki

Publisher’s summary: “Action, romance, and historical intrigue help make Nobuhiro Watsuki’s Rurouni Kenshin, the tale of a wandering swordsman set against the backdrop of the Meiji Restoration, one of the most popular Shonen Jump titles among fans to date. Himura Kenshin, once an assassin (or hitokiri) of ferocious power, now fights to protect the honor of those in need.”

Run: May 21, 2012

Serialized: Monthly

Sachie Chan Good!!

Sachie-Chan Good!!

Created By: Akira Toriyama and Masakazu Katsura

Summary: A collaboration between Akira Toriyama and Masakazu Katsura.

Run: Published in the SJ Alpha Yearbook 2013

 

 

 

 

Sakuran

Sakuran

Created By: Toshiaki Iwashiro

Publisher’s summary: “A special one-shot from the creator of Psyren.”

Run: April 1, 2013 (One-shot)

 

 

 

Takama-ga-hara

Takama-ga-hara

Created By: Jyuuzouu Kawai

Publisher’s summary: “Yamato Yamada’s family is famous for their physical strength, but Yamato doesn’t want to follow in his four brothers’ footsteps — all he wants to do is draw manga and win the Tezuka Award! Life for Yamato taks an unexpected turn, however, when his right hand becomes even stronger than usual…Does Yamato actually have godlike powers?!”

Run: July 23, 2012 to November 19, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

Toriko

Toriko

Created By: Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro

Publisher’s summary: “In a savage world ruled by the pursuit of the most delicious foods, it’s either eat or be eaten! While searching for the tastiest foods imaginable, Gourmet Hunter Toriko and his bottomless stomach travel around the world facing every beast in his way.”

Run: January 30, 2012

Serialized: Weekly

World Trigger

World Trigger

Created By: Daisuke Ashihara

Publisher’s summary: “A gate to another dimension has burst open, and invincible monsters called Neighbors invade Earth. Only a group of elite warriors who co-opt other-dimensional technology can defend life on Earth as we know it.”

Run: February 11, 2013

Serialized: Weekly

 

Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal

Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal

Created By: Shin Yoshida and Naoto Miyashi

Publisher’s summary: “In a futuristic city, augmented reality Duels are all the rage. Duelists, using devices called D-Gazers, can interact with the environment and their opponents as never before. With more awesome monsters and unbelievable cards, the future of Yu-Gi-Oh! starts right here!”

Run: July 9, 2012

Serialized: Monthly


Justin Stroman is the founder of Organization Anti-Social Geniuses, a Japanese Pop Culture Blog that covers anime, manga, games, and more. You can follow him on Twitter and like the Facebook page to get updates and links to Japanese Pop Culture Related content.

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS Tagged With: bakuman, barrage, bleach, blue exorcist, Cross Manage, Dragon Ball, Hunter X Hunter, Kintoki, manga, naruto, nisekoi, nura: rise of the yokai clan, One Piece, one punch man, Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration, Takama-ga-hara, toriko, Weekly Shonen Jump

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: April 29, 2013

April 30, 2013 by Derek Bown Leave a Comment

April 29 CoverThis was an amazingly strong week for Weekly Shonen Jump. The majority of the chapters were all excellent, with two exceptions, and once again One Piece has somehow managed not to be the top chapter this week. In fact, in my personal rankings, it’s actually just number three. How did this happen? Keep reading and find out. And as always, let me know in the comments how wrong I am.

One Piece Ch. 707
One Piece was excellent this week. Don’t think that it was any weakness of Oda’s that made this week’s chapter fall in my own personal rankings. We actually get a really good look at the fights and all the different characters. I’ve been loving the design for the Fighting King Elizabello II. There’s just something about that goofy boxing pose of his that is charming. Though, the idea that his punch can take down a wall would be more impressive if it didn’t take him an hour to charge it up and there weren’t characters who could do the same without charging their punches.

I love how Oda manages to include new plot lines in an almost flippant kind of way. Former Gladiator Ricky clearly has an important story, but not more than a couple of pages is spent on him. My best guess would be that it’s somehow connected to Rebecca’s developing plot. Oda also uses this chapter to make Bellamy appear much more formidable than he was. Even his at first goofy power is actually kind of badass. His punch is like one of Luffy’s punches, only he doesn’t have to stretch his arm back first.

One Piece

Naruto Ch. 628
I could go on a long rant about this chapter. Not even because the chapter itself is bad, but because the last chapter was the final blow for me. This series has constantly moved from being good to bad to good to bad to decent to bad to boring to bad to screw-this-I’m-out. The bad moments on their own aren’t that terrible, but they keep getting worse, and after years of putting up with this pattern, the latest batch of stupidity was the last straw. I was almost ready to give this series up after the Kage summit. After the last chapter, and then realizing how much I don’t care about this series anymore, I would give it up. Except that I write a review for it every week, and I cover it on a podcast.

If you want to know the biggest problem I have with the series now, it’s that every time I see any of the characters I remember all the stupid, terrible writing decisions Kishimoto has made in the past. The worst part of it all is that from what I’ve seen of interviews of him, Kishimoto seems like a pretty humble kind of guy. So I feel bad ragging on his series so much. But the fact remains that Naruto should have ended years ago. And a good chunk of the cast should have been excised from the series well before then.

Like I said, I could go on a long rant. Instead I’ll keep it to a medium rant.

Mario One-Shot Prelude
After the intense bad feelings Naruto left with me this week, I actually found myself enjoying the few pages of this prelude we got. I really think Kishimoto would do quite well if he just started a new series. Drop all the baggage Naruto has accumulated and just try again. It’s outlived its welcome and I wouldn’t mind seeing a completely new series.

World Trigger Ch. 012
The best I can say about this series is that it’s boring. It doesn’t have any pizzaz and the characters aren’t exactly memorable. It didn’t bother me before, but Yuma’s default face is really getting on my nerves. Sadly I can’t even build up any kind of vitriol to make my commentary about this series entertaining. It’s just boring.

Bleach Ch. 535
Bleach manages to remain adequate once again. I do find it a bit annoying that there needed to be some kind of convoluted reason for Isshin to stay with Masaki. Is it too difficult to just have him fall in love with her and leave Soul Society for her? That would certainly be a better love story and is pretty much the story readers have been telling themselves for years. Is it really necessary to complicate that? It does provide a good explanation for where Ichigo’s hollow powers come from though. And I do appreciate that Isshin’s “Well duh” answer fits the overall attitude readers have had. Of course he’s going to stay, after all how else would he have three kids with her. But overall the story has been interesting enough that I don’t mind already knowing the ending.

Bleach

Nisekoi Ch. 072
You wanted to know what my number two was for this week? Nisekoi continues its strong streak with another comedy-heavy chapter. It dips in quality when things get too serious, something One Piece does not suffer from. But at its strongest Nisekoi can trump even One Piece, at least where I am concerned. And this is no mean feat. Nisekoi was just beyond funny this week, and the comedy stretches on to the next chapter. What more could I, as a comedy fan, possibly ask for?

Nisekoi

One-Punch Man Ch. 015
One-Punch Man is back in form after a few lackluster chapters. They were entertaining at the time, but it isn’t until now that I see how they were relatively duller than what this series can be at its strongest. And they did it with a punch to the balls joke. How does that happen?

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 013
I’m sorry, but I can’t think about this series without thinking of the corresponding episodes of Dragon Ball Z Abridged. This was definitely a step upwards from the first few chapters. Seeing the focus on the wilderness of Dragon Ball does make me regret that later on in the series it will become a lot more urbanized, which is a real shame since Toriyama is great at designing and drawing monsters. Fewer cities, more dinosaurs please.

Toriko Ch. 231
This. Chapter. Was. Amazing! And yet it was only my number four this week. In any other manga I’d call OP shenanigans on Zebra. But his presence and balls-out badness transcends literary criticism and touches the depths of my primal macho drive, bypassing any argument that isn’t expressed as a gutural roar of badassitude. I don’t need any kind of balance or logical progression of strength, I just need Zebra messing even the biggest baddie up.

And yet, Setsuno is even more awesome than that hulking pile of muscles. Toriko is a very unusual series.

Cross Manage Ch. 031
I’ll probably get calls of “Traitor!” from the One Piece fandom for this one. But Cross Manage was the best chapter this week. We actually get to see a proper lacrosse game for what feels like the first time since the series started. And the game isn’t finished in a single chapter—that’s completely unheard of in this series. And boy does it pay off. After not seeing any games in so long, spending all the time on character development, we finally get to see how good Kato actually is at drawing a suspenseful game. Sure the final twist was easily called, but it was so well portrayed that I didn’t mind. Having gotten to know all these characters really helps this first actual game stand out. I would have liked to see more of the other characters—that would have helped certain moments—but I think this was a strong enough showing that Cross Manage should survive the next wave of cancellations and allow us to spend even more time getting to know the underdeveloped characters. This series has been underperforming at first, but slowly it has risen in my estimation and if it gets canned I will be calling bloody murder.

Cross Manage


Did I explain my choices for this week’s rankings well enough? Or are you even more convinced that I’ve lost my mind? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to argue with you about it.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 045 – April 22, 2013 – The Naruto Conundrum: Why Do People Like Side Characters More? | Cooking Papa

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS, Weekly Features, WSJA Recaps Tagged With: bleach, Cross Manage, Dragon Ball Z, naruto, nisekoi, One Piece, one punch man, toriko, world trigger

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: April 22, 2013

April 23, 2013 by Derek Bown Leave a Comment

April 22 Cover PageBit of a short issue this week, or at least it feels like that for me since I stopped trying to decipher Yugioh! Zexal. It may be lax of me as a reviewer to ignore that series, but the only way for me to give it a fair shake in any kind of review would be to actually do my research and read the series. But, let’s face it, I could already tell you from chapter one it wouldn’t be interesting—and I haven’t seen anything since then to change my mind.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 012
Dragon Ball Z (I refuse to call it Dragon Ball since saying “Dragon Ball Ch. 012″ would be inaccurate) really is at its best during chapters that would be nothing but talking heads, were Toriyama not so good at utilizing panel layout and camera angles to make even the talkiest of scenes dynamic. Again, it’s impossible to comment on these chapters without letting my prior knowledge of the series color my perspective, so I’ll limit it to saying that I’m amused by how Gohan actually goes through with his plans to become a scholar, despite everyone saying it’s such a waste. Follow your own dreams, not those others inflict on you. Even if you’re talented at something, it doesn’t mean you are required to pursue it. Sure people that want to do what you’re good at will think it a waste of talent, but that’s not what matters. It’s really a good lesson for all of us.

One Piece Ch. 706
There aren’t many creators who could take a character who was beaten down like a putz and have him come back as a legitimate threat. Not only did Bellamy come across as a threat, but he actually is one of the two characters I predict to win Block B. Oda set up the fights to take advantage of the fact that we all expect Luffy to win, and managed to introduce doubt in the other two blocks by focusing on four characters in the two blocks, either of which could win their respective blocks. So it’s certainly suspenseful when normally it would not be.

Also, Nami is going to be furious if she finds out Bellamy stole the golden pillar that was supposed to be theirs.

One Piece

One-Punch Man Ch. 014
Oh Hammerhead, I’m so glad you didn’t die. He makes a great final punch line because he is the opposite of the usual. Instead of someone dying, it’s someone living when they shouldn’t. Sonic’s expression is also the scariest thing I’ve seen all week. That is all.

One-Punch Man

Bleach Ch. 534
While this chapter was not as engaging as the past few chapters have been, I quite liked it compared to the chapters before this flashback. I think it’s because this is a story I’ve been waiting for a long time, but also because it eschews the baggage Bleach has accumulated in the past years. I think Kubo is capable of telling good stories, but he’s overburdened himself with years of continuity. Sometimes you just need a fresh start, and this story is as close to a fresh start as we’re going to be getting for a while.

Nisekoi Ch. 071
When I found myself rating One Piece as the best chapter this week, I realized that I was doing what I had sworn I would not. I was ranking it number one because I always rank it number one. But this week that honor goes to Nisekoi. The setups for the final punchline were all wonderful, and the punchline itself was just hilarious. Every chapter I think I have a new favorite character, and every time I find myself proven wrong yet again. That’s it—just give this series a harem ending, I won’t mind. I can’t pick which girl to root for anymore.

Nisekoi

Toriko Ch. 230
This chapter of Toriko was the embodiment of “But wait, there’s more!” in manga. There are so many unexpected reveals and awesome cliffhangers that I can’t focus on one. Nor do I want to give anything away. Let’s just say that an unimportant character from early on in the manga comes back in a big way, and another fairly important character who only showed up once changes sides. And then Zebra. Just Zebra. You think he’s peaked in awesomeness, but then you find out you are once again wrong.

Toriko

World Trigger Ch. 011
What could have been a pretty major threat, and has been the main threat for the series’ run, turns out to handled in a montage. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out there are more gates opening in strange places, because nobody functioning as a writer in any kind of professional capacity could ever possibly make such a basic writing blunder in such a high stakes game. Could they?

We’ll have to wait to see what happens. But hopes are not high. A shame, truly, considering how much I enjoyed the first chapter.

Cross Manage Ch. 030
How does this series keep getting better!? Last week I thought it would be disastrous if Kaito skipped the match. And either he has the most common sense of any writer, or he’s reading my mind. If the latter, please pay attention, Kaito-sensei, I have a few ideas for some omake material. This chapter really showed how good Cross Manage could be as a straight up sports manga. Which just doubles my enjoyment because I already was enjoying it as a character piece. Considering possible upcoming cancellations and series ending their runs I wouldn’t be surprised if Cross Manage lives to fight another day. It better, it’s survived this long and gotten this good that canceling it now would be an abject shame.

Cross Manage


Despite being a short issue, this week’s Weekly Shonen Jump was very strong. Perhaps the lack of Naruto skewed the overall quality. One more week, and then we’re off for Golden Week. I’ll be craving new manga chapters all week, but at least I get to take a break just like the manga authors do that week.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 044 – April 15, 2013 – The Naruto Conundrum: Why Do We Hate Sasuke? | Mutant Turtles Gaiden and Super Turtles.

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS, Weekly Features, WSJA Recaps Tagged With: bleach, Cross Manage, Dragon Ball Z, nisekoi, One Piece, one punch man, toriko, world trigger

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: April 8, 2013

April 9, 2013 by Derek Bown Leave a Comment

April 8 CoverpageThis is another one of those weeks that is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because we get two extra chapters of manga. And a curse because my workload has been increased by two. But you’re not here to listen to me whine, you’re hear to listen to me whine about manga specifically. So let’s get to it.

Blue Exorcist Ch. 045
Last month’s chapter of Blue Exorcist was weak, mostly because the chapter itself lacked any specific focus. It was developing background information that would be needed later, but the chapter itself—the story itself didn’t have a specific drive. This chapter, while perhaps not to some readers’ comedic tastes, worked much better because there was a specific goal to the chapter. It may have been a bit frivolous, but it was something to latch on to and follow through the chapter with the characters. Though, I think it’s safe to say that Shiemi will probably turn Rin down next chapter. Why else end on that kind of cliffhanger?

One Piece Ch. 704
Okay, I’m not even going to bother making excuses. One Piece was just flat out the best chapter this week. Bar none. I… just… it… My most coherent response to this chapter wasn’t coherent in the slightest. All the reveals, all the characters. All the everything. Especially the illogical scale maille bikini. Seriously, how is that thing staying on? I would go into more depth, but I don’t want to give anything away. This was just an incredible chapter. I’m a lot more optimistic for this tournament’s future.

One Piece

Bleach Ch. 532
Surprisingly, despite its simplicity, Bleach was excellent this week. Granted, there is not much to talk about because the entirety of the chapter was action. But when Kubo just lets himself go and gives in to the action he can pull off some wonderful chapters. Much less happened this week compared to other series, but in the context of what Bleach is, I loved this chapter. Mostly because it turns out Masaki was a badass. Who knew? This makes the fact that she was killed by a hollow a bit suspect though. Pretty sure this hollow is much more powerful than Grand Fisher. Still, on its own, great chapter.

Bleach

Naruto Ch. 626
At least the flashback is over. That’s all I’ll say. I had planned to go on a rant about how much I hate that the Uchiha are being shoved down my throat as victims of some kind. As if they aren’t all complete lunatics (as shown by just the past few weeks worth of chapters). But I think you get the idea.

So instead I’ll say that next week we get to finally move on with the main plot. My expectations are low, but we’ll see what happens.

World Trigger Ch. 009
Ultimately, World Trigger is just kind of boring. Perhaps things will pick up, but I haven’t really found a reason to root for this series. With all the series I fell in love with there was a reason I kept reading past the first chapter, and that reason is generally expounded upon in later chapters. World Trigger just hasn’t done that. So I really can’t say anything but that it’s forgettable and dropped the ball really early on in its run.

Nisekoi Ch. 069
And the award for best expressions once again goes to Nisekoi! While I am wary about Naoshi setting up for future ugliness later on, I trust him enough to pull this series off without leaving us all feeling depressed. As for this chapter, it was adorable, and hilarious. That’s all I’ve ever asked for from this series. The moment when Raku tries Onodera’s chocolate was probably my favorite overall moment for this week.

Nisekoi

One-Punch Man Ch. 012
One-Punch Man continues the trend of moving beyond single chapter stories, and builds up towards longer stories. Sure we all know that we’re moving towards that final joke. But the journey is as important as the destination, so I say this week’s chapter is a promising start for yet another entertaining story. I don’t even mind the standard serious-type character we get in Sonic, because we all know exactly what’s going to happen with him, and it will be glorious.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 010
Dragon Ball Z is one of those series where the action may be fun, but doesn’t leave much to discuss. I am amused by the blasĂ© attitude already being shown towards death. But I am even more amused by the tragedy that is Raditz. Not only is he the weakest Saiyan, but the two people he thought were his friends could care less about him. No point bringing him back to life—just wish for immortality. Raditz is as forgotten by his friends as he is by his creator. Tragic.

Cross Manage Ch. 028
Cross Manage may have had a weak beginning, but I think by this point most readers are on board and praying that it gets to continue. We get a small glimpse at the characters who haven’t been explored yet, and it makes me wish that Kaito could just take his time and tell the story he wants without having to worry about cancellation. The downside is that we don’t actually get to see the game, but as I’ve said, the game is not really the point. The point is how the characters grow; their training is a metaphor for their personal growth. The fact that they won their first game doesn’t matter, what matters is who they have become thanks to their training and victories. I just hope we get more time to see who they actually are. Out of a large cast we’ve had development for a relatively small group. It sounds like the volumes are selling well, so here’s hoping that makes up for what seem to be low rankings.

Rurouni Kenshin Ch. 009
And finally, the series I have not been a fan of. This week I actually quite liked it. It helps that Megumi makes a cameo, though she is robbed of all the characterization that made her one of my favorite characters. And sure the action is well rendered but ultimately confusing, but this chapter really drives home that since it is a retelling, anything goes. I won’t give away the end, nor do I really think Watsuki will go through with it. But if he does, then he has serious guts. He’s taking advantage of this being a different continuity, and he now has my attention.

Rurouni Kenshin


And somehow I got through all those chapters in fewer words than normal. How odd. Let me know if I missed anything, or if there is anything from this week’s chapters you would like to discuss. The comment section is just at the bottom of this page.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 042 – April 1, 2013 – Abridged Series | My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Volume 1.

Filed Under: FEATURES & REVIEWS, WSJA Recaps Tagged With: bleach, Cross Manage, naruto, nisekoi, One Piece, one punch man, toriko, world trigger

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