Manga Bookshelf

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Archives for December 2012

JManga the Week of 12/13

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SEAN: I will admit that next week’s crop of JManga offerings don’t give me as much to chatter about. No new series, but a lot of new volumes of series that I am either not reading or woefully behind on. Not to mention Pride and Crazy for You 4 got bumped back a week in a Diamond-esque fashion.

MJ: *snif*

MICHELLE: I also despondent.

SEAN: Recorder and Randsell is a series that I’ve no doubt is cute and heartwarming, but I find almost impossible to get past its incredibly twee premise, with a high school girl who has the body of a small child and her brother, a child with the body of a high schooler. It’s a 4-koma, so no doubt moe gags abound. It’s from Takeshobo.

Also from Takeshobo, we have Vol. 5 of PoyoPoyo’s Observation Diary, the awkwardly titled series about a spherical cat and his family. It has cornered the spherical cat market, I tell you!

MICHELLE: I read the first volume of this and had a mixed reaction. There was enough about it that I liked to compel me to continue, but I must admit that I haven’t yet done so.

SEAN: My Darling Kitten Hair is a BL manga from Libre Shuppan, and I see it described as ‘quirky’. Points off for the popsicle-sucking cover, though they do at least keep it cute and tasteful.

MJ: Okay, I have almost nothing else to say this week except that My Darling Kitten Hair was one of my favorite BL manga of the year AND I AM SO HAPPY. So happy.

Okay, I’m done now.

MICHELLE: The very first thing I thought when I saw this on the list was, “Ooh, MJwill be happy.”

SEAN: Peacemaker Kurogane 4 is out far too soon after Vol. 3 for me to have anything to say.

I admit I haven’t had time to read Madame Joker, but given I’ve liked all the other series that Futabasha has released on JManga from the josei magazine Jour, I’m sure I’ll enjoy this as well. Vol. 3 hits the site.

Lastly, Tactics heads further into double digits with Vol. 11. Did anyone read the Tokyopop version of this?

MICHELLE: Not me.

MJ: Oh, actually I did. I only got a few volumes in, though, before I simply lost interest. Perhaps I should give it another chance? It has lots of pretty costuming.

The Rose of Versailles Debuts On Viki Today!

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So normally I don’t talk about anime much, but am making an exception for this. Everyone should watch it. Yes, even you. Here’s the initial press release that came out before NYCC.

Viki Signs Exclusive Deal to Stream Revolutionary Anime Series The Rose of Versailles for the First Time in North America

Ground-Breaking Title by TMS Entertainment LTD to Premiere at New York Comic Con 2012, Streamed on Viki.com Starting December

Viki, Inc., the global TV site powered by avid fans, today announced an exclusive deal with Right Stuf, Inc. to stream The Rose of Versailles, a legendary anime title produced over 30 years ago by TMS Entertainment LTD, based on the manga comic created by Riyoko Ikeda, one of the most well-known manga artists in the world, partly for her progressive characters. A sneak peek of the first episode, subtitled in English, will premiere at the New York Comic Con on October 13 with Anime News Network and anime expert and Tufts University Professor Susan Napier.

This is the first time TMS Entertainment LTD has allowed the series to be released outside of Japan, Asia and Europe and made available for English-speaking audiences in the U.S. and Canada. The 40-episode series will begin streaming on Viki in December with English subtitles. Viki launched its anime channel in March and now has over 100 anime titles from Japan’s largest licensors.

“Many companies have tried unsuccessfully for years to bring The Rose of Versailles to North America,” said Razmig Hovaghimian, Viki CEO and Co-Founder. “We’re honored TMS has entrusted Right Stuf and Viki to bring a true Japanese treasure to our fans.”

The screening will be hosted by Professor Napier, a specialist in modern anime literature and Professor of the Japanese Program at Tufts University. She is author of the groundbreaking book “Anime from Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle,” which analyzes sexuality, transgender protagonists, and femininity and masculinity in manga and anime characters.

“When Rose of Versailles burst on the scene in 1972, it was a revolutionary work in many ways,” said Professor Napier. “First of all, it really WAS a work about revolution — the French Revolution of 1789, to be exact — and its historical setting, psychological complexity and adult themes all signaled a new direction in the genre of manga for young girls, known as ‘shojo manga.’”

Even more “revolutionary,” however, was the introduction of a major cross-dressing character, the young woman named Oscar, who befriends and guides the hapless Marie Antoinette as the world churns around her. While much of “Versailles” is historically accurate, Oscar is Ikeda’s own invention, a passionate young woman who dresses and often behaves like a man. Oscar quickly became the series’ most popular protagonist and her gender-bending role not only gave young female readers a new approach to gender and sexuality but also paved the way for the many other gender-ambiguous characters who continue to populate the world of anime today.

“I’m excited that we can work with an innovator like Viki for the online premiere of our production of The Rose of Versailles,” said Shawne Kleckner, President and CEO, Right Stuf, Inc. “Viki’s audience is a great fit for this property, and we look forward to the upcoming broadcast.”

About Viki
Viki is a global TV site with over 12 million monthly viewers who come to watch their favorite TV shows, movies and other premium content, translated into more than 150 languages by a community of avid fans. With over 1 billion videos viewed and nearly 250 million words translated, Viki uniquely brings global prime-time entertainment to new audiences and unlocks new markets and revenue opportunities for content owners. In 2011, Viki announced $20M in Series B funding from strategic investors include BBC Worldwide and SK Planet, a subsidiary of SK Telecom; as well as from existing investors Greylock Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Charles River Ventures and Neoteny Labs, among others.

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.
Currently celebrating its 25th year in business, Right Stuf, Inc. was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation (“anime”) industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications. Its video and print publishing division includes the Nozomi Entertainment, Lucky Penny, and 5 Points Pictures studio-labels. Right Stuf plans to begin releasing The Rose of Versailles on DVD in Spring 2013.

ABOUT TMS ENTERTAINMENT, LTD.
TMS Entertainment, Ltd. (better known as TMS), one of the world’s largest and most distinguished animation studios, has rapidly won recognition from the international filmmaking community for its highly acclaimed animation, pioneering techniques and proud commitment to quality. With its headquarters situated in Tokyo under the supervision of the world’s dedicated team of top development, production and design executives, TMS’s growing reputation is reflected by the versatility, artistry and originality of the remarkable volume of programs the company has produced for the international markets worldwide. Established in the year 1964, TMS has produced more than 100 features, and over 100 TV programming series, in total of 8,000 half hours, for global distribution. TMS also proceeds restoration projects of the titles to keep its highest quality for next generation. TMS is proud to uphold our tradition of presenting to you unforgettable images from the finest animation produced anywhere in the world. TMS’s programs have attained the worldwide recognition and we continue to strive for excellence and lead the animation world throughout the century.

Comic Conversion: The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel

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The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel | Novel: Cassandra Clare / Margaret K. McElderry Books | Manga: Hyekyung Baek / Yen Press

Tessa Gray arrives in England to live with her brother, but instead of Nathaniel she finds herself kidnapped. A pair of warlocks keep her locked in a house, forcing her to utilize a power she didn’t know she had—the ability to change into anyone, living or dead, and access their memories simply by holding an object they possessed. Suddenly Tessa is rescued by Will Herondale, a beautiful and dangerous boy who claims to be a Shadowhunter—warriors blessed with angelic power who exist to rid the world of demons. The rest of the Shadowhunters, like the diminutive Charlotte and the kind but sickly Jem, agree to protect Tessa from the mysterious Magister who had her kidnapped, and to help her find her lost brother. But as Tessa, Will, and Jem strive to figure out what is happening, Tessa may uncover some terrible truths.

Cassandra Clare’s first series, The Mortal Instruments, tells the story of Clary and Jace, a pair of superbly star-crossed lovers, which takes place in the present day. When the first three of this soon-to-be six book series was completed, Clare began work on a prequel that takes place over a hundred years before Clary and Jace’s adventures, The Infernal Devices. It’s not necessary to read both series together, but The Infernal Devices does provide some background for the other The Mortal Instruments, giving us a look not only at the ancestors of some of our favorite characters from the first set of books, but also a peek into the earlier lives of some of the immortals that make an appearance in both books. Since I often find myself more delighted with the side characters (in this case, a couple of immortals) than the main pair in The Mortal Instruments, this is a series I couldn’t help but pick up. Yen Press’s release of the manga adaptation was the perfect excuse to give this series a go.

While this novel, and presumably the rest of the trilogy, can stand on its own, there are some times when Clare seems to take for granted that her readers are already familiar with The Mortal Instruments series, as she doesn’t go quite so deeply into the details about Shadowhunters and their history, or spend so much time explaining the problems with Downworlders. The big things are easy to pick up on, though, like the harshness of their lives (most don’t grow very old, as they die in battle, and if they decide to leave they lose all contact with the ones they loved) and the Accords, a deal set with creatures like vampires and werewolves to help keep the peace.

A problem I’ve had with Clare’s writing in the past is the abundance of dead details—in particular, descriptions that have absolutely no bearing on the story. Most things such as dresses and rooms I can let slide, as Clare uses these descriptions to fix her readers in the time period. Other things, however, are entirely useless, like her constant referral to Will’s blue eyes. Bits like this waste time, slowing down the pace of the novel while also leaving little for the reader to imagine herself. Another thing that tends to clunk up the story is the tendency for conversations to veer off course, like when Tessa begins to ask Will to leave her brother alone, then suddenly rants (for pages) about Will’s personality and how he should be looking for Jem’s cure. These conversations just turn into characters saying things the readers already know or that are inconsequential to the story, unnecessarily dragging out the time between plot points.

Even with my gripes, Clockwork Angel is an entertaining young adult book, particularly if you’re already a fan of Clare’s other series. Her story is engaging, with sudden twists and betrayals, which are still exciting even if you can see them coming for ages. The cast is diverse (if predictable), with both the “good” and “bad” boy romantic interests, but even the most seemingly flat characters, like Jessamine, have hidden depths that, even if they don’t reveal themselves completely in this novel, leave the readers to believe that we’ll come to understand these characters as the series progresses.

Now, for the manga. Hyekyung Baek’s adaptation does a good job of keeping us close to Tessa, convincingly converting the narration to her inner thoughts and giving us a shot of her dynamic expressions even in the middle of the excitement. Compared to the novel, the comic’s plot really clips along, with Baek skipping some unneeded scenes and cutting down the rambling conversations. But unfortunately, more often than not this swift pace works against the manga. Characters are moved like props from one place to the next so it’s hard to keep track of their movements, such as in one scene in which Tessa and company shift from the library to an upstairs room seemingly instantaneously. And while I feel readers get a clear understanding of Tessa and her character arc, the too-quick pace is damaging to the development of the other characters: we never get a clear picture of Charlotte’s trouble and insecurities with running the institute, and even snotty, selfish Jessamine comes across more sympathetic in the novel.

I enjoyed Baek’s art in the Gossip Girl adaptation, but while her style worked wonders in that glamorous, sexy world, it doesn’t quite click for me in Infernal Devices. Don’t get me wrong, Baek’s character designs are gorgeous, but I feel her style often makes the teenage characters look too old, and backgrounds are bland and boring, even when she includes detail. Baek also seems to go for prettiness over what was actually described in the novel, most notably when it comes to the maid Sophie’s face. When we first meet Sophie, Clare describes her scar: “a thick, silvery ridged scar slashed from the left corner of her mouth to her temple, pulling her face sideways and distorting her features into a twisted mask.” Baek draws the scar merely as a long scratch on the cheek, which could be taken as a stray strand of hair if Tessa didn’t mention it. One thing Baek’s art definitely improved upon were the goofy asides. Bits that came across as a bit awkward in the novel worked more easily in the comic, as exaggerated expressions and super-deformed characters gave the jokes more punch.

Many of my issues with Clare’s prose are stylistic, and while I wasn’t as invested in this novel as I have been in her other series, the problems I had still did not get in the way of my overall enjoyment of the book. The manga adaptation has its good points, but overall it left me feeling frustrated. While Clare’s novel may meander, the manga’s swift pace just barrels through the plot and skims over characterization. Baek’s adaptation is something fans will likely enjoy, but those looking to get a proper introduction to Clare’s universe are better off going with the novel.

Manga the Week of 12/12

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SEAN: After the hugeness of this week’s list, next week is looking a lot milder. Though as always, Midtown, Diamond, and bookstores don’t seem to match at all. (My shop got most of the Viz stuff, but none of the Yen releases, which they say are coming out 12/12.) This list is mostly Midtown, with two Viz titles most stores will get 12/12, and one Yen title with the same circumstances. (Midtown gets Yen’s hardcovers later than most?)

Yes, yes, I will stop being a nerd and get on with the list. Kodansha brings us a few new titles. Attack on Titan 3 looks to answer what’s going on with that Ally Titan and why Eren is back, but I suspect I still won’t be able to tell half the soldiers apart from the other half. Come on, at least give them a distinctive scar or something!

MJ: Ack! I’m a whole volume behind in Attack on Titan, and that’s about to grow into two volumes. I need to catch up!

SEAN: Battle Angel Alita: Last Order returns after a very long hiatus and with a new publisher. Kodansha Comics picks up the reins after the author switched Japanese publishers in what was, for Japan, a very loud parting of the ways. Vol. 16 picks up where Viz left off, but for those who need to start from the beginning, omnibuses are coming soon. (Of Last Order, that is. The original is still out of print and likely to remain so.)

The Wallflower is up to Volume 29, and at times I feel I’m the only one still reading it, mainly as I don’t give a rat’s ass when Sunako and Kyohei admit their feelings, I just want to see them kicking people who annoy them in the face. I should get more of that here.

MICHELLE: Three series so far that I haven’t read! I did own the first half dozen volumes of The Wallflower for a time, but I must’ve gotten wind of its terminal lack of resolution, because I quit buying it and eventually gave away the ones I did have.

SEAN: I have no earthly idea what Captain Commando is. It’s by Japanese artists, apparently, but I can’t find out who originally published it. Given Udon is putting it out, is it a Capcom thing, maybe? Anyway, this is Volume 2.

MJ: I suspect this isn’t even remotely for me, yet I feel compelled to read something called “Captain Commando.” I mean. Yeah.

SEAN: Viz somehow missed sending Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan 12 to shops this week, but it’ll be there next week. I like Nura, which always entertains me without wowing me. It’s a meat-and-potatoes Jump series, much like Psyren.

MICHELLE: I am way, way behind on Nura, but I don’t dislike it or anything. I guess it’s easy to put on the backburner.

MJ: I have a difficult time getting interested in titles like this (I guess I never did like meat and potatoes). Should I try anyway?

SEAN: Depends, do you enjoy generic Jump? Lots of multi-volume fights, a few love triangles, people getting stronger through training and the power of friendship…

Everyone except Midtown will also be getting the 7th volume of Itsuwaribito. I admit I never really followed this series, about a boy trying to redeem the world with his lies. But it’s one of Viz’s few remaining Shonen Sunday series, and I cherish each of those like my own kin. So go get it.

MJ: “I cherish each of those like my own kin.” I have nothing profound to say about Itsuwaribito, I just liked that sentiment. Actually makes me want to read every Shonen Sunday series I can find.

SEAN: Speaking of which, it’s the final volume of Kekkaishi! This is definitely on my list of series to catch up with, and it makes me sad that it’s ending here. But I hear the ending is quite satisfying, so definitely grab grab grab this.

MICHELLE: I have been carefully hoarding Kekkaishi for years and am looking forward to indulging in a marathon. Possibly over Christmas break!

MJ: I have never delved into this series, but I really do want to. Maybe I’ll catch up digitally!

SEAN: Lastly, for some reason not featured with the giant pile of Yen last week, Kaoru Mori’s collection of short stories Anything and Something is due out as well. There’s apparently some commentary and designs for Emma and A Bride’s Story interspersed throughout. I’m not as wild about Mori as some other bloggers I know, but this is still definitely a book to have.

MICHELLE: I haven’t read as much Mori as I should have, but this one looks pretty quirky and fun.

MJ: I’d really, really like to see this, so I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

SEAN: Sticking your thumb into any of these hoping for a plum?

MICHELLE: *groan*

My Week in Manga, Episode 1

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Welcome this evening to a new video feature here at Manga Bookshelf! It’s called “My Week in Manga,” and in it, I’ll talk briefly about what I’ve read this week and what I plan to read before the week is out, including a short review of Mayu Shinjo’s Demon Love Spell, volume one.

This is my first experiment with any kind of video feature. I hope to improve with experience. Feel free to let me know what you’d like to see in a video feature!

Big savings from Viz

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Big news from Viz: They are marking down every volume in their digital app by 20% for the holidays. And there’s more: Viz is offering Shonen Jump Alpha for free on its Android app, with advertising support. There’s also a free SJA starter pack to help bring you up to date with the Japanese releases.

Deb Aoki continues her series on OEL manga with a look at why the Japanese model doesn’t work in North America and what can be done to make things better. The article includes a lot of resources and commentary from artists working in the manga tradition, so it’s well worth bookmarking. Evan Liu adds some interesting thoughts on the divide between OEL manga and Artists Alley.

Laura takes a look at the newest shoujo releases at Heart of Manga.

Victoria Martin starts her countdown of the top 20 manga of the year at Kuriousity.

David Brothers looks at some of Akira Toriyama’s storytelling flourishes in Dr. Slump.

Tony Yao asks readers to contribute their thoughts on creating a balanced “manga diet.”

Reviews

Justin on 5 Centimeters Per Second (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
J. Caleb Mozzocco on Animal Land (Every Day Is Like Wednesday)
Noah Berlatsky on vol. 1 of Biomega (The Hooded Utilitarian)
Kate O’Neil on vol. 1 of Attack on Titan (The Fandom Post)
Erica Friedman on Zenryaku, Yuri No Sono Yori (Okazu)

PR: Viz Digital Sale

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Well, this is exciting and has me contemplating stocking up on digital manga for my winter vacation! Viz is putting their digital titles on sale until January 8 at 20% off. There are a few series that I haven’t been getting in print that I’m thinking of picking up in the sale like Blue Exorcist and some of the recent volumes of Cross Game. The digital VizBig edition of Fushigi Yugi might inspire me to replace some of my print volumes. What looks good to you?

Here’s the press release with full details:

December 4, 2012

VIZ MEDIA OFFERS A NEW HOLIDAY PROMOTION THAT GIVES FANS 20% OFF ON ALL DIGITAL MANGA ON VIZMANGA.COM AND THE VIZ MANGA APP THRU JANUARY 8th

Explore New Titles Or Catch Up On Ongoing Series With A Special Discount That Applies To The Entire VIZ Manga Library Of Over 1,000 Digital Volumes

VIZ Media has just announced a special new promotion to wrap up 2012 that offers 20% off on all digital manga (graphic novel) titles featured on VIZManga.com and available through the VIZ Manga App, including top-selling titles BAKUMAN｡, BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, NANA, NARUTO, ONE PIECE, VAMPIRE KNIGHT, and more. Enjoy the fun of manga throughout the holiday season with this special offer that runs for a limited-time only from now until Tuesday, January 8th.

Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform, registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever, allowing for complete interoperability to read manga. The free VIZ Manga App is the top application for reading manga on the Apple iPhone®, iPod® touch, iPad® and supported Android-powered smart phones and tablets (including the Kindle Fire), and may be downloaded through the iTunes Store, Google Play Store, and Amazon Appstore. The platform is also accessible from VIZManga.com for desktop and laptop computers.

The VIZ Manga platform features a massive library of the most popular manga series in the world, featuring over 1,000 volumes across over 100 different series, with new series and volumes added every Tuesday. All manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application starting from $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each.

Download the free VIZ Manga App for your Android and iOS devices at www.VIZ.com/apps.

To learn more about VIZ Manga, and to explore free Chapter 1 previews of every manga title, please visit VIZManga.com.

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More on CLAMP, one-hit wonders, and manga you may have missed

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If you’re new to the CLAMP party, AstroNerdBoy gives a bit of background on xxxHOLiC and talks about why it’s surprising that they have just announced a new xxxHOLiC series.

Manga Bookshelf’s own MJ guests on Fandomspotting, where she and several other fans discuss the best manga you’re not reading.

Starsmaria takes a look at some one-hit wonders, shoujo manga creators who have hit it big just once with English-language readers, at Shojo Corner.

Reviews: Ash Brown looks back on a week of manga reading at Experiments in Manga.

Jessi Silver on vol. 2 of Backstage Prince (The Fandom Post)
Alex Hoffman on Barbara (Manga Widget)
Khursten Santos on Beck (Otaku Champloo)
Chris Kirby on vol. 22 of D.Gray-Man (The Fandom Post)
Erica Friedman on Himawari-San (Okazu)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 13 of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Lori Henderson on vols. 1 and 2 of Late Advent (Manga Village)
Anna on Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (box set) (Manga Report)
Chris Kirby on vol. 3 of No Longer Human (The Fandom Post)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 5 of One Piece (Blogcritics)
Chris Kirby on vol. 10 of Tegami Bachi (The Fandom Post)
Leroy Douresseaux on Uglies: Cutters (I Reads You)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 1 of Yotsuba&! (Blogcritics)

It Came From the Sinosphere: A Deadly Secret (Part 1)

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It’s high time that I discuss something from China again. It’s high time that I actually review a TV series that is not an idol drama. And it’s high time for me to discuss Jin Yong again. Now, I’m going to do all three at once.

A Scene

Why, it’s a wedding!

It’s a wedding in front of a tomb.

See, both the bride and the groom are dead, so the wedding has to take place at the bride’s tomb.

In wuxia stories, if you promise to marry somebody, you marry them. Death is no excuse.

He’s drinking because he is so happy that his best friend is finally marrying the love of his life (who apparently is also the love of his afterlife).

And he’s swinging his sword around with joy.

Anyway, since the groom and bride are dead, he needs to help them get together. This is the problem with getting married when you’re dead – there’s no privacy when the newly married couple finally gets intimate physical contact.

Wait a minute … why are the bride’s arms stretched up like that?

And there’s writing on the inside of her coffin. That’s only possible if she was put in the coffin while she was still alive.

The writing says that, as a reward to whoever reunites her with the love of her life (afterlife), she is revealing The Deadly Secret (which is not exactly a favor, since people who learn The Deadly Secret have a tendency to die young).

The groom’s cremated ashes are poured onto the bride’s body. What a romantic wedding!

Background

I don’t think it’s possible for a Jin Yong novel to be underrated, but if any of his novels are underrated, it’s this one. It’s my personal favorite of his novels under 1000 pages.

If you don’t know or forgot who Jin Yong is, you can refer to my post about the Condor Trilogy or The Book and The Sword.

There are only three adaptations of this novel: the 1980 movie, the 1989 TV series, and the 2004 TV series. This is (mostly) about the 2004 TV series.

The Story

Di Yun is a country bumpkin who is studying martial arts and is in love with his master’s daughter, Qi Fang. It’s a real bummer when his master disappears, he gets framed for heinous crimes, Qi Fang marries the man who framed him, the prison guards break his body, and he’s put with a cell mate who beats him up for apparently no reason whatsoever.

This is what Di Yun looks like after hearing that Qi Fang is going to marry the guy who framed him and put him in prison.

Why does his life suck so much? Well, you see, there is this ultra-powerful martial arts technique and fabulous fortune that everybody is trying to get … and Di Yun is unwittingly close to this deadly secret.

The Songs and the Production Values

At first I didn’t like either the opening or the ending songs. But the opening song eventually grew on me and, by the end of the series, I even liked the ending song.

If you watch the opening and ending songs, you might notice that the production values are a bit lower than the norm for, say, Hollywood TV shows.

Welcome to China.

Personally, I’d rather watch something with consistently low production values than something with mostly high production values which spectacularly drops the ball, and really, the production values of this TV series really aren’t that bad at all. And ultimately, the quality of the story and acting is much more important to me than the quality of the special effects.

Adaptation

This TV series is 33 40-minute episodes long. The original novel is less than 500 pages long. Before watching this series, I wondered how they could make it so long without lots and lots of padding.

Well, it turns out that there is not that much padding per se. There is quite a bit of added material, but a lot of it is just spelling out things which are merely implied in the novel. Most of the added material is relevant to the story. At worst the new stuff is offensive (because of sexism or ableism) but thankfully most of it is not. Quite a bit is powerfully mediocre. Some of the new stuff, however, is quite good.

The biggest change is not that new stuff is added (since much of it was implied by the novel), but the pacing itself. This novel is quite concise by Jin Yong standards, so things move fairly quickly. In the TV series, things progress in a much slower and more thorough way. In some ways, this increases the emotional impact – for example, we see a lot more of Di Yun and Qi Fang’s relationship, which makes their separation even more heart-breaking. However, in some ways it makes the story harder to watch – it’s much easier to read about Di Yun getting framed in the novel, where events move pretty quickly, than to watch the TV series, where it takes several episodes to watch Di Yun getting framed and tortured in prison.

I also think there is some power in leaving some things left unsaid. That’s one of the things I like about the novel. Sometimes, when the TV series fleshed out the unsaid stuff, it did pretty cool things with it … but I still think leaving things to the reader’s imagination is more powerful.

It’s hilarious to compare the 33-episode TV series to the 90-minute movie. Things which take two episodes in the TV series happen in two minutes in the movie. Of course, the movie cuts out about 60% of the original story (the TV series covers about 130% of the original story).

Ding Dian

Even though Ding Dian only appears in two chapters of the original novel (specifically chapters 2 and 3 of the novel), he is definitely the most memorable character in the story. Apparently, other people agree, because both the movie and this TV series give him plenty of screentime.

A picture of Ding Dian in prison.

On the one hand, he is a bad-ass martial artist, one of the toughest fighters in this story, and he spends a great deal of time cultivating his kung-fu skills. In fact, he can even (under certain specific circumstances) bring dead people back to life. But it turns out martial arts is not his greatest passion in life.

His great passion, it turns out, is flowers.

Ding Dian at the flower fair

He is a flower encyclopedia (this is most apparent in the novel, but also indicated in the TV series). He goes to a flower fair. His greatest joy in life is watching flowers. It turns out that one of the villains is also a flower-arranging geek, so he gets to communicate with Ding Dian via flowers.

Of course, there are other reasons to love Ding Dian. He is a person of great integrity, and intensely loves his friend and his sweetheart. But being a badass martial artist who loves flowers above all else (except maybe his friend and his sweetheart) clinches the deal.

The Female Characters

In some stories, I would be annoyed if the female characters were constantly relying on the male characters to rescue them. Not in this story. It is clear that they are just as innately competent as the male characters. However, patriarchy has so badly stacked the deck against the female characters that they can’t rescue themselves. They do still manage to rescue the male characters when it is in their power to do so.

A picture of Qi Fang

All of the main female characters – Qi Fang, Ling Shuanghua, and Shui Sheng – have the same problem; they were born into a society that is so patriarchal that even their own families, who ‘cherish’ them, ultimately consider them to be merely disposable possessions. Sure, their families claim to love their daughters and other female relatives dearly, but when push comes to shove, in this TV adaptation [SPOILER WARNING] one female character is murdered by her father, another female character, after having almost been murdered by her fiancee, is driven to suicide by her uncle, and the last one is murdered by her husband [END SPOILER WARNING].

And the fact that Baroque China was an extremely patriarchal society makes it that much easier for their families to oppress them, in fact, without the patriarchy helping their families bully them, these female characters would have definitely had much happier outcomes.

A Picture of Ling Shuanghua

A Picture of Ling Shuanghua

An interesting thing I noticed is that the female characters don’t want to believe that their families regard them as (potential disposable) possessions. They want to believe that they are being loved as full human beings. I can understand this, since the truth is very cruel. In a way, it’s easier to keep on believing one is being valued and loved properly. But reality catches up with all of them.

I appreciate that this TV series gave a lot more attention to the female characters than the novel. On the one hand, some of the new material is powerfully mediocre (at worst, offensive). On the other hand, some of it is good, and definitely fleshes out the females characters more than the novel does. In particular, the TV series is a bit more sympathetic to Qi Fang, and treats us to the Extended Adventures of Shui Sheng (granted, it’s a mixed bag).

A Picture of Shui Sheng

Yes, the adult female characters even talk to each other in the TV series, which is not true of the novel (they mostly talk to each other about men though). That said, I actually think it’s okay that this story fails the Bechdel test, because the female characters’ isolation is one of the worst ways the patriarchy has stacked the deck against them. Two of the female characters’ families hardly ever let them leave home, and only with supervision, and the third one gets kidnapped, which drastically limits her opportunities to bond with other women.

What is really interesting is that, even though all of the main female characters have the same problem, they react to the problem in different ways.

You Think I’m done Talking? Bwa ha ha ha ha…

I definitely have more to say about this TV series, but this post is getting long, so I guess I’ll have to wait until Friday to say more.

Next Time (not Friday): The Bride with White Hair (novel)

Sara K. plans to discuss every single Jin Yong novel at Manga Bookshelf. She is now halfway there, having discussed six novels and having six novels left to cover. Her plan is to discuss Tales of the Young Fox, Sword Stained with Royal Blood, and The Laughing Proud Wanderer next, in that order, but that’s only a tentative plan.

The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, Vol. 13

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By Eiji Otsuka and Housui Yamazaki. Released in Japan as “Kurosagi Shitai Takuhaibin” by Kadokawa Shoten, serialization ongoing in the magazine Young Ace. Released in North America by Dark Horse.

I am pleased to report that this volume of Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service has exactly what its readers look for each time around. There’s lots of grotesque set pieces which allow the artist to display a flair for horrible imagery. There’s wry and witty commentary between smart people. There’s genuine mystery, with our heroes being clever, and a nice use of synaesthesia as a plot point. And there’s copious endnotes from editor Carl Horn, explaining things like Karatsu’s Space Battleship Yamato reference and who Terry and Dory Funk are.

That said, there is one other development that not only surprised me but irritated me a bit. Not because of what the revelation was – yes, it sinks one of my ships, but given that this isn’t a harem manga I can deal – but because of its offhand nature. I am reminded of an earlier volume, when we saw a storyline end with Karatsu set on fire and an intense cliffhanger. Come the next chapter… and we’ve moved on, with nothing ever getting resolved. Here we see Sasaki and Karatsu get back from the Okinawa trip mentioned in the last volume, and for the most part it’s the same thing, except for that revelation. Which is laid out more to explain the deus ex machina of the story rather than for any dramatic tension. I do hope we eventually come back to it.

With all that said, it is an intriguing revelation, and also leads to some misdirection and amusement when we see Sasaki being sick and think it may be due to other reasons. Sadly, nothing quite so pleasant – it’s just the joys of being a woman. (KCDS is as blunt and matter-of-fact when dealing with periods as it is when dealing with corpses.) Sasaki also gets more to do than usual here, as she’s the focus of the 2nd case in the book, involving a jury trail where a man has already admitted his guilt. The jury system is still fairly new in Japan, and Carl’s notes help to lay out how it’s different from the U.S. The use of auras and synaesthesia manage to give it both a fantasy and realistic feeling, and the murder victims are both quite sympathetic.

Lastly, there were clearly not enough shots of nude women in peril in the series recently, so the final story more than makes up for that, combining a look at land redevelopment and harvest rituals with a good old fashioned psycho who likes to chop up young women. Luckily, the ‘karmic justice’ aspect of this series also makes a reappearance to give the reader someone to root for. Overall, this is a good but not great volume of our favorite cynical horror manga, offering some solid imagery and a few interesting revelations, even if the authors may not have figured out what to do with these revelations as yet. The series is still ongoing in Japan, so we may have a ways to go. Especially as I’m not sure when Vol. 14 is scheduled here. Fight on, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service!

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Box Set

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I’m just going to talk about the packaging and quality of this box set, because I think most people are familiar with the story and wonderful art found in Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. Nausicaä is a manga classic, and it totally deserves the deluxe treatment it gets in this collected edition. This is a two volume set that comes in cardboard box with a glossy cover. The set comes with a folded two-sided Nausicaä poster as well. The hardcover volumes are a mega-sized 10+ inches tall, ensuring the reader can appreciate the full details of Hayao Miyazaki’s art. The covers for each volume are matte, with an image of Nausicaä on the front and some grey and blue tinted abstract designs featuring the flora and fauna from Nausicaä’s world, giving the covers the look of an antique book. I pulled out my Viz Select Comics editions from way back in 1988 when Viz was releasing monthly comics with flipped art, and the reproduction size of the art was the same. I have always regretted not having a complete run of Nausicaä in the larger size. I filled in my collection of the later half of the series with a couple of the Perfect Collection volumes and I thought that the art suffered a little bit from being printed smaller.

The paper used for the box set is a good matte quality, and the ink used is a softer black which I think makes the backgrounds of the story seem even more dreamy and fairy-tale like. The translation here is the same Studio Proteus translation for the series that has been used in the past, but the lettering has been redone and looks much more smooth, compact, and easy to read. There are glossy color plates in front of each volume, which include character portraits as well as maps rendered in the lovely muted color palette I expect to see used for Nausicaä. I think that out of all the deluxe editions of manga that I’ve seen, this is by far the nicest.

I originally had this box set on my wishlist for the holidays, and then got wind of a coupon at Barnes and Noble and picked it up for $22.00, which I consider to be basically free. At slightly below $40 on Amazon currently, this is still an extremely good deal. If you have the money to spare to treat yourself to this set or can make some pointed hints to people who might be buying you presents, I think this is truly a great addition to any manga fan’s library.

Monday Morning Links

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Good morning, friends of Manga Bookshelf! I’ve got a few quick links to start off with this week:

First, yesterday afternoon I joined a lovely group of women for a live discussion at Fandomspotting on “The Best Manga/Anime You’re Not Reading/Watching!” It was a tremendous pleasure, and I must thank my fellow panelists and moderator Cathy Yan for all their brilliance and hard work. I was honored to be invited to join them. If you missed the episode, you can catch it here or wait for the podcast link to go up. That page is full of reference links from the broadcast, so be sure to bookmark it either way!

Secondly, here’s what’s happening in the Manga Bookshelf Forums!

We’ve seen our first couple of Reader Reviews, Masahito Soda’s Firefighter Daigo from AshLynx and Aki’s Utahime: The Songstress from myrah. Come check them out and post your own!

The forum’s fandom section is seeing some good discussion on things like Vincent/Ada in Pandora Hearts and “Top X Favorite Manga,” and I’m still looking for folks to sell me their fandoms.

In the General discussion area, Travis has started a conversation on Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, while AshLynx asks What are you reading right now?

And don’t forget to weigh in on the latest Topic of the Week: Post your Top 10 Manga of 2012!

That’s all for this morning! Feel free to share your own weekend links in comments!

CLAMP is back at work

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November was a big manga month, and I looked over the last two weeks’ worth of new releases at MTV Geek; Lissa Pattillo made her picks in her On the Shelf column at Otaku USA.

The Manga Bookshelf bloggers discuss their picks of this week’s new releases in print and on JManga.

Erica Friedman queues up the latest edition of Yuri Network News at Okazu, and she also has a gift guide for the yuri lover.

Tony Yao talks about why we blush, and specifically, why Naruto‘s Hinata Hyuga blushes, at Manga Therapy.

Matt Blind calculates the manga best-sellers for the week ending December 2.

Anna N is giving away a copy of the Street Fighter X Sanrio crossover book, plus a sticker book, at Manga Report.

News from Japan: Good news for CLAMP fans: The manga super-group is working on a new series, xxxHOLiC Rei, according to an announcement made at last weekend’s CLAMP Festival. The series will launch in Kodansha’s Young Magazine in February. Arina Tanemura also has a new series in the works, Neko to Watashi no Kinyōbi (The Cat’s and My Friday), which will debut in Margaret in February. Digimon Xros Wars manga-ka Yuuki Nakashima is drawing a manga series based on the Dragon Quest X Mezameshi Itsutsu no Shuzoku online game. And ANN has the Japanese best-seller lists for the year: Top 30 by series, top 50 by volume, and #50-100 by volume.

Reviews: Ash Brown has been getting manga at the library at Experiments in Manga. The Manga Bookshelf bloggers give short takes on new releases in their latest Bookshelf Briefs.

Lori Henderson on vol. 1 of 13th Boy (Manga Xanadu)
Carlo Santos on vol. 22 of 20th Century Boys (ANN)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 15 of Black Bird (The Comic Book Bin)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 52 of Bleach (The Comic Book Bin)
Kristin on vols. 5 and 6 of Blue Exorcist (Comic Attack)
Anna N on vol. 1 of Demon Love Spell (Manga Bookshelf)
Rebecca Silverman on Honey*Smile (ANN)
Jocelyne Allen on Usamaru Furuya’s Jisatsu Circle (Brain Vs. Book)
Eden Zacarias on vol. 2 of Kingyo Used Books (Animanga Nation)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 1 of Polterguys (Comics Worth Reading)
Rebecca Silverman on Sakuran (ANN)
Rebecca Silverman on vol. 8 of The Story of Saiunkoku (ANN)
Carlo Santos on vol. 11 of Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee (ANN)
Shannon Fay on est em’s ULTRAS (Kuriousity)
L.B. Bryant on vol. 1 of Umineko: When They Cry (ICv2)

Manga Bestsellers: 2012, Week Ending 2 December

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Comparative Rankings Based on Consolidated Online Sales

last week’s charts
about the charts

##

Manga Bestsellers

1. ↔0 (1) : Sailor Moon 8 – Kodansha Comics, Nov 2012 [427.2] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Naruto 59 – Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2012 [409.2] ::
3. ↑1 (4) : Death Note vols 1-13 box set – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Oct 2008 [403.8] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Vampire Knight 15 – Viz Shojo Beat, Nov 2012 [378.9] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Sailor Moon vols 1-6 box set – Kodansha Comics, Nov 2012 [341.3] ::
6. ↑2 (8) : Sailor Moon 4 – Kodansha Comics, Mar 2012 [326.9] ::
7. ↓-1 (6) : Sailor Moon 3 – Kodansha Comics, Jan 2012 [325.9] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Rosario+Vampire Season II 10 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Nov 2012 [322.8] ::
9. ↑3 (12) : Maximum Ride 6 – Yen Press, Sep 2012 [320.6] ::
10. ↑8 (18) : Alice in the Country of Clover Cheshire Cat Waltz 3 – Seven Seas, Nov 2012 [319.1] ::

[more]

Top Imprints
Number of volumes ranking in the Top 500:

Yen Press 99
Viz Shonen Jump 89
Viz Shojo Beat 59
Kodansha Comics 49
Viz Shonen Jump Advanced 43
Seven Seas 24
Dark Horse 21
Viz 15
Viz Signature 15
Del Rey 10

[more]

Series/Property

1. ↔0 (1) : Sailor Moon – Kodansha Comics [1,069.9] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Naruto – Viz Shonen Jump [810.3] ::
3. ↔0 (3) : Vampire Knight – Viz Shojo Beat [648.0] ::
4. ↑1 (5) : Black Butler – Yen Press [609.5] ::
5. ↑1 (6) : Maximum Ride – Yen Press [599.1] ::
6. ↑2 (8) : Alice in the Country of Clover – Seven Seas [548.4] ::
7. ↓-3 (4) : Bleach – Viz Shonen Jump [540.6] ::
8. ↑1 (9) : Death Note – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [498.2] ::
9. ↓-2 (7) : Rosario+Vampire – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced [490.7] ::
10. ↔0 (10) : Soul Eater – Yen Press [474.0] ::

[more]

New Releases
(Titles releasing/released This Month & Last)

1. ↔0 (1) : Sailor Moon 8 – Kodansha Comics, Nov 2012 [427.2] ::
2. ↔0 (2) : Naruto 59 – Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2012 [409.2] ::
4. ↓-1 (3) : Vampire Knight 15 – Viz Shojo Beat, Nov 2012 [378.9] ::
5. ↔0 (5) : Sailor Moon vols 1-6 box set – Kodansha Comics, Nov 2012 [341.3] ::
8. ↓-1 (7) : Rosario+Vampire Season II 10 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Nov 2012 [322.8] ::
10. ↑8 (18) : Alice in the Country of Clover Cheshire Cat Waltz 3 – Seven Seas, Nov 2012 [319.1] ::
17. ↓-6 (11) : Blue Exorcist 8 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Nov 2012 [249.6] ::
22. ↔0 (22) : One Piece 65 – Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2012 [229.8] ::
26. ↓-9 (17) : Bleach 50 – Viz Shonen Jump, Nov 2012 [213.1] ::
29. ↓-8 (21) : Omamori Himari 9 – Yen Press, Nov 2012 [202.1] ::

[more]

Preorders

14. ↓-4 (10) : Sailor Moon 9 – Kodansha Comics, Jan 2013 [268.7] ::
24. ↔0 (24) : Sailor Moon 10 – Kodansha Comics, Mar 2013 [218.6] ::
38. ↓-7 (31) : Sailor Moon 12 – Kodansha Comics, Jul 2013 [185.7] ::
43. ↓-9 (34) : Sailor Moon 11 – Kodansha Comics, May 2013 [181.7] ::
70. ↓-4 (66) : Negima! 37 – Kodansha Comics, Jan 2013 [131.7] ::
100. ↑1 (101) : Alice in the Country of Joker Circus & Liar’s Game 2 – Seven Seas, May 2013 [101.3] ::
108. ↑6 (114) : Alice in the Country of Joker Circus & Liar’s Game 1 – Seven Seas, Feb 2013 [97.5] ::
110. ↓-2 (108) : Negima! 38 – Kodansha Comics, Apr 2013 [93.8] ::
111. ↓-9 (102) : Battle Angel Alita Last Order 17 – Kodansha Comics, Feb 2013 [93.6] ::
112. ↑6 (118) : Naruto 60 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jan 2013 [93.4] ::

[more]

Manhwa

220. ↓-10 (210) : Bride of the Water God 12 – Dark Horse, Nov 2012 [48.2] ::
492. ↓-279 (213) : March Story 4 – Viz Signature, Oct 2012 [18.1] ::
619. ↑ (last ranked 19 Aug 12) : Black God 8 – Yen Press, Feb 2010 [12.5] ::
638. ↑16 (654) : Bride of the Water God 11 – Dark Horse, May 2012 [11.8] ::
842. (new) : Aron’s Absurd Armada 1 – Yen Press, Nov 2012 [6.3] ::
868. ↑507 (1375) : Jack Frost 1 – Yen Press, May 2009 [5.8] ::
1036. ↑ (last ranked 4 Nov 12) : Chunchu: Genocide Fiend 3 – Dark Horse, Jan 2008 [3.5] ::
1042. ↑ (last ranked 18 Nov 12) : Devil’s Bride – Tokyopop, Mar 2008 [3.4] ::
1115. ↑ (last ranked 28 Oct 12) : Cynical Orange 8 – Yen Press, Aug 2004 [2.7] ::
1118. ↑ (last ranked 9 Sep 12) : 100% Perfect Girl 6 – Netcomics, Jul 2008 [2.6] ::

[more]

BL/Yaoi

116. ↓-38 (78) : Awkward Silence 2 – SuBLime, Oct 2012 [91.8] ::
131. ↓-21 (110) : Finder Series 6 Passion within the View Finder – DMP Juné, Jul 2012 [80.4] ::
153. ↓-16 (137) : Alice the 101st 3 – DMP DokiDoki, Jan 2013 [69.0] ::
222. ↓-36 (186) : Loveless 9 – Viz, Sep 2012 [47.6] ::
226. ↑1135 (1361) : Ze 7 – 801 Media, Jan 2013 [47.1] ::
267. ↑50 (317) : I’ve Seen It All 2 – DMP Juné, Dec 2012 [40.9] ::
279. ↓-133 (146) : Starting with a Kiss 2 – SuBLime, Nov 2012 [38.9] ::
280. ↑41 (321) : Ninth Life Love – DMP Juné, Dec 2012 [38.7] ::
286. ↑43 (329) : Caramel – DMP Juné, Dec 2012 [37.7] ::
369. ↓-117 (252) : Honey*Smile – DMP Juné, Oct 2012 [28.9] ::

[more]

Ebooks

23. ↑10 (33) : Maximum Ride 1 – Yen Press, Jan 2009 [223.2] ::
42. ↑10 (52) : Maximum Ride 5 – Yen Press, Dec 2011 [181.8] ::
51. ↑2 (53) : Naruto 57 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2012 [163.8] ::
63. ↑1 (64) : Maximum Ride 2 – Yen Press, Oct 2009 [138.4] ::
84. ↑2 (86) : Maximum Ride 4 – Yen Press, Apr 2011 [119.4] ::
90. ↓-9 (81) : Maximum Ride 3 – Yen Press, Aug 2010 [114.0] ::
96. ↓-13 (83) : Naruto 56 – Viz Shonen Jump, May 2012 [104.7] ::
125. ↑6 (131) : Naruto 1 – Viz Shonen Jump, Jul 2003 [85.2] ::
132. ↑400 (532) : Highschool of the Dead 2 – Yen Press, Apr 2011 [80.3] ::
140. ↑9 (149) : Blue Exorcist 1 – Viz Shonen Jump Advanced, Apr 2011 [75.5] ::

[more]

Bookshelf Briefs 12/3/12

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This week, Sean and Michelle look at recent releases from Kodansha Comics, Yen Press, VIZ Media, and Vertical, Inc.

Aron’s Absurd Armada, Vol. 1 | By MiSun Kim | Yen Press – So, the plot: stupid nobleman coerces his bodyguard to play pirates with him and they gradually acquire a misfit crew. I’m pretty hard to please where comedies are concerned, but Aron’s Absurd Armada delivers the right amount of the promised absurdity to appeal to me. The fact that I started snickering on the character introductions page was a good sign, and there were several bits thereafter that amused me. I like the fact that, though primarily composed in a 4-panel format, there’s actually a sequential story (however silly) being told, so it doesn’t feel like merely a series of jokes. It all flows quite well, actually. Sure, some parts are less funny than others—I particularly fail to find humor in the crew of marines who’re suffering through a similarly incompetent leader—but it’s quite fun on the whole, and I’m looking forward to volume two. – Michelle Smith

GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, Vol. 6 | By Toru Fujisawa | Vertical, Inc. – Again, the best thing about this series is how much of an inspiration Onizuka is. His actual actions may not help much – his plan to get Keiichi in good with his girlfriend’s parents is typical Onizuka, i.e. wildly over the top and idiotic – but his never say die determination lets people he comes into contact with find their own inner strengths. This can sometimes even surprise him – when Ayame goes after the yakuza at the start of this volume, he’s the one that’s nervous. But towards the end we find more and more of the White Swan is in his corner. Of course, they’re dealing with the messed-up twins – well, messed-up twin, as it turns out that they’re not two of a kind. So the cast of this series may not be enough – we have to bring in some ringers from GTO proper. Absolutely cannot wait for Vol. 7! -Sean Gaffney

Miles Edgeworth: Ace Attorney Investigations, Vol. 3 | By Kenji Kuroda and Kazuo Maekawa | Kodansha Comics – It would appear I was not the only one annoyed at the complete lack of any Ace Attorney cast other than Miles and Gumshoe. Ema Skye makes an appearance here, coming home from the U.S. for the holiday break. (My guess is she’s about 19-20 here, putting these cases in the gap between Phoenix being framed and the Apollo Justice games – which helps explain the lack of other regulars.) The writers may have played the DS game starring her before they wrote this volume, in fact – the 2nd case has some similarities to her debut. As seems to be a habit with these releases, the first case in the volume is merely OK, but the 2nd is more gripping. Everything is still light as air, but for Ace Attorney fans, this volume is another win.-Sean Gaffney

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 13 | By Yuki Midorikawa | VIZ Media – “I’ll be waiting here at noon tomorrow. If you’re not here, I’ll come by the house.” That sounds innocent enough, doesn’t it? But it’s the threat implied—that exorcist Matoba will tell the relatives Natsume’s living with all about his involvement in the dangerous supernatural world if he doesn’t cooperate—that forces Natsume to attend a meeting of exorcists with Matoba in order to root out the person who’s been attacking them. The ensuing chapters are good though fairly straightforward. I was most captivated by the pair of side stories depicting Natsume as seen through the eyes of a couple of classmates. Midorikawa skillfully creates full personalities for these guys while offering us something new about our protagonist. It’s her skill and the overall warmth and loveliness of the series that left me feeling like this volume was over way too soon. – Michelle Smith

Psyren, Vol. 7 | By Toshiaki Iwashiro | VIZ Media – About 2/3 of the way through this series, the main characters are pulled back into the Psyren World, to their great frustration. I share this frustration, as I find the constant fights and posturing in the apocalyptic ruins to be far less interesting than the attempts to change the future in the present. Indeed, the future is already changed – we see the Elmore Wood kids get killed off again on the DVD, but in a different way than they did at first. I’m simply more invested in the present-day plots, and the villains being stock caricatures is not helping at all. I will admit to being amused by the solution to ‘I am being a mook because my sister is in a coma’ – fix the coma, problem solved. But if the majority of the next volume takes place in Psyren World, I’m not really looking forward to it unless something revelatory happens. (coughforeshadowingcough) -Sean Gaffney

Soulless: The Manga, Vol. 2 | By Gail Carriger and Rem | Yen Press – The second volume of Soulless finds the supernatural denizens of London sporadically “afflicted with normality.” Getting to the bottom of the matter involves taking a dirigible ride to Scotland, with various attempts on Alexia’s life along the way and some new, though possibly untrustworthy, acquaintances along for the journey. In some ways, this is a stronger volume than the first, with a mystery plot that’s better integrated into the characters’ storyline, though I do miss the banter between Alexia and Conall from their courtship days and the resolution of the mystery is decidedly lame. The introduction of Madame Lefoux, however, is the real highlight. A French inventor who dresses like a gent (complete with top hat), Lefoux’s a scene-stealer whose flirtatious attentions provoke a definite response in Alexia. I hope we’ll be seeing more of her (and, of course, more Soulless)! – Michelle Smith