Archives for September 2013

My Week in Manga: September 16-September 22, 2013

September 23, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Well, I somehow managed to post three reviews last week. This is a little unusual for me as normally I only have one or two ready to go. The first review was for Hinoki Kino’s No. 6, Volume 2. The pacing, characterization, and world-building improves on the first volume, which I was very glad to see. (I’m really hoping that the manga will have a better ending than the anime.) The second review was for Yoshiyuki Tomino’s Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation, an omnibus of a trilogy of early Gundam novels–the first part of the Gundam franchise to be officially released in English. (To be honest, though, I much prefer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s manga series Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin.) I also reviewed Sherlock Bones, Volume 1 by Yuma Ando and Yuki Sato. I was very skeptical going into the series, but found the first volume of the manga to be surprisingly entertaining.

As for a few interesting things found online: Comic Natalie has announced the winners of its first annual manga awards. If you don’t read Japanese and can’t identify manga by their covers, Vertical compiled a list of the winners currently avilable in English (in addition to posting a hint for an as of yet unannounced Vertical license.) As reported by the Business Standard, Viz Media is apparently entering the market in India–Top Manga publisher set to make India entry. And if the relationship between Kodansha Comics, Del Rey/Del Rey Manga, and Random House has you confused, Kodansha posted a brief explanation/clarification of the situation on its Tumblr account.

Quick Takes

Attack on Titan, Volume 7 by Hajime Isayama. The terror in Attack on Titan has started to shift. At the beginning of the series the fear was much more about the unknown–the titans were these terrifying creatures beyond comprehension. But now the fear is coming from the knowledge that other humans may very well have a hand in what is happening. There have been plenty of deaths in Attack on Titan, but when those deaths involve characters who you’ve gotten a chance to know instead of just being nameless faces, suddenly the casualties carry even more weight. It makes the terror, frustration, and utter despair experienced by the characters even more palpable. Attack on Titan is dark, and it has been from the start, but the developments in the seventh volume pack quite a punch. I’ve had my doubts about the series in the past, and the artwork is still terribly inconsistent and occasionally difficult to follow, but I am hooked on it.

Boxers & Saints written and illustrated by Gene Luen Yang, colors by Lark Pien. Boxers & Saints is easily one of the best comics that I’ve read this year. The two graphic novels that make up the duology can be read separately, but together they are even more powerful. The work is a retelling of the Boxer Rebellion–a violent uprising against foreign and Christian influence in northern China that took place at the turn of the 20th century. Boxers follows the life of a young man who becomes one of the leaders of the rebellion while Saints shows the conflict from the perspective of a young Chinese woman who converted to Christianity. Although very different in their details and narrative style, the two volumes follow a similar story arc as the characters come of age and find something to believe in, but are then challenged by those beliefs and conflicted over their decisions and actions. The Boxer Rebellion was a complicated and tragic event for both sides of the dispute. Boxers & Saints is a fictional account, but Yang put in a tremendous amount of research into the work. Highly, highly recommended.

Genshiken: Second Season, Volumes 1-3 by Shimoku Kio. The Genshiken has turned into a fujoshi club. This doesn’t really bother me (I also enjoy BL and yaoi), but to an extent I do miss the greater variety of otaku that were represented in the original series. Still, even the fujoshi have their quirks and differences–the Genshiken has always attracted weirdos. And then there’s the cross-dressing Hato-kun, who for me is really stealing the show in the second season of Genshiken. The only male first-year to join the club, he’s created a very complete and convincing female persona. I find him to be the most interesting new character in the new series and he seems to be the focal point for much of the drama. I’m also particularly enjoying Yajima’s character development. She is uncomfortable with Hato’s cross-dressing but becomes very protective of him. As for the older characters, I was very happy to see Madarame return as he remains one of my favorites. Put him and Hato together in a scene and it’s just perfect.

Library Wars: Love & War, Volumes 9-10 by Kiiro Yumi. Perhaps it’s because I’m a librarian, but I can’t help but be fond of Library Wars even when it’s not always the strongest series. Sometimes the characters and their interactions are fantastic, and sometimes it seems as if they’re all acting like a bunch of high school students when they’re supposed to be mature, capable adults. Granted, there are some delightfully awkward scenes now that Iku has come to the realization that Dojo is her “prince.” He’s known for quite a while, but he doesn’t know that she knows, yet. It’s all rather amusing. I am very glad that Iku seems to be more competent now than she was at the beginning of the series. I don’t care how enthusiastic a person is, if they don’t have the needed skills for the job there’s not much hope for them. Library Wars is a fantasy, but it actually does address some real issues encountered in the library world. Censorship is the biggest one and at the core of the series, but things like sexual harassment and dealing with inappropriate patron behavior come up, too.

Totally Peeking Under the Sheets, Volumes 1-2 by Hajin Yoo. Totally Peeking Under the Sheets is a collection of side stories relating to Yoo’s boys’ love manwha Totally Captivated. It’s definitely intended for those who have read and enjoyed the original series. The first volume contains quite a few short manhwa, some of them only a few pages long. Many of these stories emphasize the more humorous aspects of Totally Captivated and its characters. And as might be expected from the title Totally Peeking Under the Sheets, several stories are also rather racy–what little plot there is is used to get Ewon and Mookyul into bed with each other. (Not that that’s very difficult.) The focus of the second volume is a much longer sequel manhwa called “The Final Chapter.” Although there were some great character moments, the story felt forced to me. Ewon suddenly has to deal with his family, particularly the mother who abandoned him. I’m not sure the situation would have really played out in the way that Yoo presents it. Overall, I much preferred the first volume.

Fist of the North Star: The TV Series, Volume 2 (Episodes 37-72) directed by Toyoo Ashida. While the first collection of the Fist of the North Star anime series had quite a bit of filler, the second collection starts to really dig into the plot and characters. The series is much better for it. Plus, the anime has now reached a point in the story beyond the manga that was released in English. Some of the fights do still get to be a little repetitive, especially when the protagonists face off against large groups of unnamed bad guys and minions, but there’s always something about each battle that makes it stand out from the rest. The best fights, though, are those that occur between two martial arts masters. But Fist of the North Star isn’t just about power, skill, and strength (although that’s certainly an important part of it). The series is also about destiny, loyalty, friendship, and love. Kenshiro is a tragic hero who continues to lose those who are close to him. Fist of the North Star is a post-apocalyptic martial arts epic, and I’m loving it.

Bookshelf Briefs 9/23/13

September 23, 2013 by MJ, Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith 1 Comment

This week, MJ, Sean, & Michelle look at recent releases from Yen Press, Viz Media, Kodansha Comics, and Seven Seas!

The Betrayal Knows My Name, Vol. 6 | By Hotaru Odagiri | Yen Press – Now that this series has caught up with Japan, Yen Press has switched from double-length omnibus releases to single volumes, and I’ll admit this worried me to start. Though I’ve found this melodramatic, BL-leaning, supernatural epic to be a fairly satisfying (if somewhat guilty) pleasure, I was concerned that single-volume releases might only serve to expose a lack of real substance. I’m happy to report that I underestimated the series. Not only does this relatively thin-looking volume manage to successfully engage, but it does so without the constant addition of new characters that had become the series’ greatest point of weakness, at least for this reader. The Betrayal Knows My Name may not be a shoujo masterpiece, but it hits enough of my personal storytelling kinks to remain thoroughly enjoyable. – MJ

Genshiken 2nd Season, Vol. 3 | By Shimoku Kio | Kodansha Comics – Despite the fact that the series has gone from a male-dominated series where otaku talk about ero games to a female-dominated series where otaku talk about BL, the core premise of the series really hasn’t changed, nor have its observational tendencies dimmed in any way. We also get even more gender-bending as another new character is shown to be a ‘trap’ in some way… given the direction both fandom and this series have taken in recent years, this isn’t really a surprise. Hato remains at the core of this new series, though. His gender displacement gets so bad that he draws totally differently depending how he’s dressed, and he still can’t get over his attraction to Madarame. Genshiken’s always been about the characters, and that will never change. Still very good. – Sean Gaffney

The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan, Vol. 7 | By Puyo and Nagaru Tanigawa | Yen Press – The nature of this series means that it’s a playground to have fun. We see the main series being made fun of, the nature of 4-koma driven gag comics being made fun of, and Japanese holidays and customs being made fun of, taking advantage of Haruhi‘s obsession with them. Divorced from canon, Koizumi can be far more active in his desire to get our stubborn couple together. Nagato can be far more adorable in her interaction with others… and also far more petulant, as the chapter where she sends Ryouko and Kimidori against a dragon proves. The main manga series is ending, so I’m not sure how long Haruhi-chan will last on its own. Or indeed if the cast from the 9th-11th novels, who show up at the end, will have any relevance. It’s a gag series, after all.. – Sean Gaffney

Otomen, Vol. 16 | By Aya Kanno | Viz Media – There’s a definite sense of this being the final arc in Otomen – the series is ending in Japan right about now – and as everyone no doubt expected, Asuka’s mother is clearly the final boss, and gets a cover with her son. Her obsession with manliness is starting to look like a mental illness of some sort. Unfortunately, she has lots of influence to get anyone to do whatever she wants, which is… good for most of our heroes, as they find great opportunities that coincidentally take them far away from Asuka. No such luck for Juta, whose Love Chick is summarily canned at the cliffhanger. God only knows what she’s going to do to Ryo… I hope that Asuka can turn things around next volume. Then again, I suspect next volume may be a ‘darkest before the dawn’ type book. Ryo’s not the type to break things off, but…? -Sean Gaffney

Psyren, Vol. 12 | By Toshiaki Iwashiro | Viz Media – Most of this volume consists of Ageha, Sakurako and Matsuri walking into the world’s most obvious trap – indeed, it comes as a surprise that the mole leading them to it *isn’t* in on the trap himself. Much of what follows is a battle between good guys and a psychopath, with lots of psychic attacks and near-deaths, along with lots of assorted army officers getting slaughtered (this series has quite a high mook death count). The high point, though, is the appearance of Sakurako’s dark alternate personality. Just in case we miss the point, her skin literally darkens when she takes over. And she has no issues whatsoever with expressing her feelings for Ageha, in the loudest way possible. If this were a romantic comedy, no doubt shenanigans would ensue. But it’s a battle manga, so more likely we go back to fights. -Sean Gaffney

Strobe Edge, Vol. 6 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – After the previous couple of volumes of Strobe Edge tried to hit maximum angstosity, this one seems to be more of a breather. Everyone finds out that Ren is now single, and this means that every girl in the school except Ninako is trying to hook up with him. Ninako accurately surmises that he needs time to cope with the breakup, but isn’t quite sure how to help him. Ren, meanwhile, is also dealing with this rivalry/friendship with Ando, and wonders how exactly to define it. A new school year, and some old faces, might mean a lot more tension next time around. This is a short volume, so there’s an unrelated short story at the end. Sadly, it really didn’t grab me the way that Strobe Edge does, as the heroine’s flakiness is less endearing (like Ninako’s), and more simply irritating. It’s clear the author has improved with time. -Sean Gaffney

Voice Over!: Seiyu Academy, Vol. 1 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – Let me get this out of the way up front: Voice Over! is every bit as generic as you might suppose. Its lead, Hime Kino, is a “bright-eyed first-year” whom we meet on her first day at a high school with a prestigious voice acting program. She’s ditzy and uncoordinated and possessed of a voice that makes the other students wonder why she was accepted, yet somehow attracts the notice of the most surly/handsome/talented boy in her year as well as that of a popular idol duo. Soon, she discovers a Hidden Talent she is loathe to embrace, but Surly Boy’s taunts fire her up to surpass him. So, okay, a work of genius this is clearly not, and yet… I kind of liked it. Perhaps it just suited my mood in the moment, but I have to admit that I’m planning to read volume two. – Michelle Smith

Zero’s Familiar, Vols. 4-5 | By Noboru Yamaguchi and Nana Mochizuki | Seven Seas – The North American market has seen a glut of manga series adapted from light novels these days, for good or for ill. At one end of the spectrum is a series that can enhance and even outpace its core series… Railgun is a good example here, as is the Higurashi franchise in its later books. On the other end… sometimes you read an adaptation, and know it must have been far more thrilling and emotional in the original story. Such is the case with Zero’s Familiar, where the need to write thrilling action battles finally catches up to its artist. Saito’s sword battles are simply dull, and the facial expressions of the main cast also seem stiff when trying to emote the tragedies contained herein. The light novels are unlikely to be licensed, so this is all we have at the moment. I hope the artist improves. -Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Goong Returns!

September 23, 2013 by MJ, Anna N, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown and Michelle Smith 4 Comments

MJ: I have a number of favorites to choose from this week, which would normally cause me a bit of angst. But if I’m being honest with myself, there’s very little in the wide world of comics that could, for me, trump a new volume of something as gloriously addictive as Goong—the only series among Yen Press’ collection of Ice Kunion manhwa acquisitions still running (to my recollection). I love this fabulously dramatic soap-opera more than I can possibly say, and I simply can’t wait to read its newest volume. Happily, too, this series is being released in chunky omnibus format, so I’ll be able to enjoy a nice, substantial fix. Thanks, Yen Press, for continuing to offer up this series! Gimme, gimme.

ANNA: Goong also makes me happy! But I have to go with Gundam: The Origin Vol. 3 Ramba Ral. This is the only book on this week’s list that I felt compelled to pre-order and I’m eagerly awaiting this volume. The hardcover and deluxe presentation of this series make it a real treat.

SEAN: There’s a lot of really nice books out this week, including some intriguing debuts and personal favorites. But I’ll go with Vol. 5 of A Bride’s Story. I’d been somewhat lukewarm about the series to start, mostly as I just find it hard to get inside the head of its female lead. But with the action switching to a pair of rambunctious twins, things picked up and also got much funnier, while keeping the warmth and heart from prior books. Definitely can’t wait to read this.

ASH: Wow, this is a great week for manga, so it really is hard to choose! Since the most recent volumes of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin and A Bride’s Story have already been mentioned (both of which I’m looking forward to a great deal), I’ll put my vote in for the first part of Hikaru Asada and Takahiro Seguchi’s Sickness Unto Death. I don’t really know much about the series, but Vertical has a habit of publishing some very intriguing manga, so it has caught my interest.

MICHELLE: It’s Goong all the way for me! This series has been on hiatus for a full two years, so I am INTENSELY grateful to Yen for bringing it back to finish its run and for scheduling subsequent releases at four-month intervals! This omnibus covers material from volumes 17-18 of the original Korean release, so if my math is right, the rest of the volumes on Yen’s schedule will take us not only through the conclusion of the series (volume 27), but through the extra 28th volume, as well.

What looks good to you this week?

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: September 16, 2013

September 22, 2013 by Derek Bown Leave a Comment

It’s a hard thing, to be set in an opinion and then be forced to change it. Why do you suppose there is so much resistance to all the social change we’ve gone through recently and historically. People are creatures of habit, and when they are set in their ways of hating a specific thing it will take a lot to break them out of their rut.

And no, I’m not talking about Naruto. Read on to find out what I’m on about.

One-Punch Man Ch. 25.2
It’s not hard to create a “cool” character. What is hard is creating a character that stays “cool” while getting his butt kicked. Granted, Genos gives as good as he gets (which is one of the secrets for maintaining a character’s cool image even in defeat), but he gets beat up pretty good and I think it’s clear that he won’t be the one to finish this fight.

What amazes me about this series is how much I’m enjoying it despite it being a fairly shallow premise. We don’t know much of anything about this threat, and yet it’s being played completely straight. The setup was literally just, “And then some monsters came out of the ocean.” Why are they invading? Who knows, but it’s awesome anyway. It’s the mark of a great series when I’m able to read it and notice the flaws but dismiss them because the rest is just so well done.

Bleach Ch. 548
Kubo has this odd habit of trying to make Omaeda, a character that was basically the butt of a joke, a sympathetic character. I’m not sure how to feel about that because I like my comedic characters and my dramatic characters kept separate. And yet, somehow it works for me. He’s not my favorite character, but I find that the tonal dissonance in how he’s written actually works in a strange way.

Hitsugaya, fan favorite that he is, actually has a pretty good fight this chapter. It may seem a bit short, and the “science” behind it is questionable at best, but I like to see more intellectual combat in my shonen action. I can only take so many “the strength of our friendship gives me power” climaxes without wanting to tear my hair out. It’s good to see Rangiku back in the series too. She was always a favorite of mine (not just for the reasons you may think), mostly because she’s another one of those gag characters who gets serious moments that work. For some reason. I’m not sure why, but somehow Kubo can pull it off.

Naruto Ch. 646
Methinks Kishimoto has been reading the Bible. And he’s managed to adapt the story of Genesis into his story without completely missing the point. Sure there aren’t very many tailed demons in christian canon, but at least the basics of the story are used in a way that is far more respectful of the source material than one tends to see in manga. It’s a shame that all it really does for the story is convolute the whole thing more than it needs to be.

I really can’t say anything but, “Why is this fight still going?” We finally see some progress with the Infinite Tsukoyomi being set up. But this all could have been done in a quarter of the time we’ve spent. I’m sticking it through because for some reason I’m still curious about how Naruto will end, but by this point I’m just looking for material to complain about online.

One Piece Ch. 721
What!? A dead mother!? Such a thing has never been done in One Piece! Oda you edgy devil!

Sarcasm aside, I think One Piece has desensitized me to tragic backstories. Rebecca’s backstory is par for the course for One Piece. That of course means that it’s good, just not the best I’ve seen in this series. I do have some theories about the toy soldier and Ricky the gladiator. I’m pretty certain that one of them is her grandfather, and one of them is her father. I don’t know which of course, and it’s not like I’m going to be the only one to draw that conclusion from this chapter but I still feel like throwing that idea out there.

The idea that Rebecca is being forced to fight because of her family could explain why she fights in a scale-mail bikini. Doflamingo is probably forcing her to wear the outfit to humiliate her. Or Oda just likes drawing fanservice a lot more than he used to, but I like my explanation too.

Nisekoi Ch. 090
It’s been a while since the mystery of Rakku and the girls’ past was brought up. And this chapter gives us more hints than we’ve gotten in a while, including the bombshell that Chitoge probably isn’t the girl that Rakku made a promise with. This doesn’t mean they won’t end together, and I’m still wary about the Love Hina route this story might take, but I’ve missed the wrenches Naoshi used to throw into the story.

The standout this chapter for expressions and reactions was definitely Ruri. Her face when the keys are brought out may be the more subtle of her expressions, but I loved it the most.

Jaco Ch. 009
Well, I was right about the rocket crashing. But I’m probably wrong about whatsherface dying. Oh well. Not much else to really comment on this chapter, except that Jaco revealing himself is a bit surprising. The plot really started moving after several chapters that felt far too slow. I guess we really do only have a couple chapters left. We’ll see how things go.

Toriko Ch. 249
What I love most about Toriko is that Shimabukuro takes the time to actually think through the implications of the powers he comes up with. Of course making abnormal movements of cells the norm would wreak havoc on the automatic processes of the body. Fortunately Midora isn’t going down as easily as we thought, and the fact that he can keep up with Ichiryu promises yet another grand fight. The pacing was a bit off this arc, but as of late it’s been moving along quite nicely, switching between scenes where needed. I expect this fight will be a couple more chapters. Hopefully it won’t overstay its welcome like Toriko’s fight.

World Trigger Ch. 030
Yes. I didn’t hate this chapter of World Trigger. And this is the first time that I not only didn’t find anything to complain about, I actually was able to look at the chapter without prejudice. It’s still not a great manga, but the fight was competent. And that alone is promising. I give credit where due, and the fight in this chapter was well paced and well thought out. Kitora is definitely turning out to be one of my favorite characters for this series.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 031
I really wish we knew more about Saiyan society. This chapter hints a bit at it, with Nappa mentioning being nobility. There’s so much more I’d like to know about the Saiyans, but I already know we won’t be learning much more from the manga. And even the anime doesn’t go that into depth.

This was a good week. The chapters were, for the most part, enjoyable. At the very least the good outweighed the bad by a considerable margin. I think, as usual, One Piece was my definite favorite this week. But World Trigger showed the most improvement, so I’m definitely open to the idea of not hating it.

Which was your favorite this week?

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

Sherlock Bones, Vol. 1

September 21, 2013 by Ash Brown

Author: Yuma Ando
Illustrator: Yuki Sato
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781612624440
Released: September 2013
Original release: 2012

Sherlock Bones is currently a seven-volume manga series written by Yuma Ando and illustrated by Yuki Sato. The first volume was originally released in Japan in 2012 while the English-language edition was published by Kodansha Comics in 2013. I didn’t realize it at first, but I was already familiar with Sato and Ando’s previous works in English. Sato is the creator of Yokai Doctor and Ando (one of many pen names used by Shin Kibayashi) worked on Bloody Monday and Drops of God. More thematically relevant, Ando was one of the original creators of The Kindaichi Case Files. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes is a well-loved and well-known detective worldwide and this is no exception in Japan. Sherlock Bones is only one Japanese work among many that is directly inspired by Doyle’s stories. I was vaguely curious about the series when it was licensed, but it wasn’t high on my list of manga to acquire. Happily, Kodansha sent me a review copy of Sherlock Bones, Volume 1, so I was able to give the series a try sooner rather than later.

When Takeru Wajima adopted a puppy from the local animal shelter, he had no idea what he was getting into. Most new pet owners have to worry about things like house and obedience training, but Takeru has an entirely different problem to deal with–Sherdog is the reincarnation of none other than the brilliant detective Sherlock Holmes. Oh, and Sherdog can speak (at least to Takeru, that is) and he is certain that his new owner is the reincarnation of his dear friend and faithful assistant Dr. John H. Watson. It’s not as if the two of them go out looking for mysteries to solve, but Sherdog and Takeru seem to be drawn into criminal investigations. When one of Takeru’s classmates is killed, and Sherdog is the only witness to the crime, they must find a way to prove the guilt of the murderer. Sherdog may have the brains to determine a solution, but it will be up to Takeru to do all of the legwork. After all, who else would belive, let alone understand, a dog.

I’ll admit, I was more than a little skeptical going into Sherlock Bones. I thought that the premise–Sherlock Holmes reincarnated as an adorable puppy–would be silly at best. And it is silly, but it also ends up being a good deal of fun. I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed the first volume of Sherlock Bones. Its mix of goofiness and seriousness is entertaining even if it is rather ridiculous. So far, though, it seems to work. There’s Sherdog himself–appalled that he’s a canine, though on occasion he will deign to use it to his advantage–and then there’s Takeru, who seems to be a good kid even if he’s understandably a bit befuddled by the whole situation and less than convinced that he’s Watson’s reincarnation. I also like that the entire Wajima family is made up of police officers and investigators–father, mother, and sister–so Takeru’s poking around into various criminal goings-on doesn’t seem too out-of-place.

As for the central case in Sherlock Bones, Volume 1, the mystery doesn’t lie within who killed the unfortunate student. Even why the murder took place can be fairly easily deduced. The trick is in how the culprit establishes an alibi and then carries out the deed. In part this is where Sato’s artwork plays an important role–the major clues that help Sherdog and Takeru crack the cases in Sherlock Bones, Volume 1 can be found right there on the page even before they solve the mysteries, waiting for observant readers to notice. I appreciate this sort of potential for engagement in the mystery fiction that I read, and so was happy to see it included in Sherlock Bones. Granted, not all of the clues are revealed in this way, especially when things like color come into play, but overall I was pleased with how the story and art worked together to form a cohesive whole. Sherlock Bones was a pleasant surprise for me and I look forward to reading more of the series.

Thank you to Kodansha for providing a copy of Sherlock Bones, Volume 1 for review.

A Preliminary NYCC 2013 Schedule

September 21, 2013 by Sean Gaffney

This year’s NYCC is even more vicious than last year in terms of competing events at the same time. And Friday will be busier than ever. But let’s break down what I’d like to cover, in an ideal world, and if I could split into multiple bodies:

THURSDAY:
3pm: Women in Comics
6:15pm: New York Times OUT and Geeks Out present LGBT and Allies in Comics

A fairly light Thursday, to give a warm-up to the event itself. Both of these panels are things I’ve taken an increasing interest in over the last few years, and I will be intrigued to hear what is said.

FRIDAY:
11:15am: Vertical Manga
1:45pm: Welcome to Night Vale: The Art of Weird Podcasting
2:45: From Light Novel to Anime/Manga: Presented by the Japan Foundation
3pm: Shonen Jump live podcast
3pm: Kodansha Comics
4:15pm: Viz Media Panel
5:30pm: Ranma 1/2 Panel
5:30pm: CLBDF: The Secret Origins of Comic Censorship!
7:30pm: Toughpigs.com Presents Jim Henson: The Biography

As you can see, this is my first “I need to be in three places at once” day, and also assures me that I will be having an early lunch and a very late supper. Most likely Kodansha will win out over light novels and Jump for having my actual presence. And there’s no way I’m missing the Ranma panel. (And yes, it is a panel, not a screening – the screening is Thursday night.) I also suspect Night Vale may have one of those “…you know, maybe not” long lines of death.

SATURDAY:
11:15am: 50 Years Of Doctor Who
11:15am: Yen Press Industry Panel
2:45pm: The Mary Sue Presents: Representation in Geek Media
3pm: Archie Comics: Zombies, Heroes, Cartoons and More!

This day hurts my soul, as it has four panels, two of which conflict with the other two. Being a manga blogger, I should see the Yen panel, especially as I had to leave LAST year’s panel early for a Jump panel that was scheduled at the same time. however, the Doctor Who panel is hosted by several folks from the online rec.arts.drwho days of the mid-1990s, who I have never met in person and deeply would like to see. So MJmay cover that for MB and let me know what happened afterwards. Remind me to grovel at Kurt and Tania later.

As for the afternoon, the Mary Sue panel sounds really really interest, but I haven’t missed an Archie panel at NYCC yet, and they really give great panel every year. I’m actually still undecided about this one.

You’ll note my schedule is empty after 4. There’s likely a lot to see that I may opt for… or, alternatively, if we want to do a massive dinner with friends away from the con, that would be great too. There is a Viz anime panel at 8pm, too.

SUNDAY:
1:30pm: Warner Archive Presents: Forgotten TV Heroes
2:30pm: CBLDF: Raising a Reader
2:45pm: Doctor Who: Big Finish Audio Dramas And More…

Believe it or not, this is a bigger Sunday than usual for me… Sunday has traditionally been the ‘relax and maybe go home early’ day of the con. I’m quite fond of Warner Archive, so may see some of the TV Heroes event. And while I’m more of a prose than audio Who spinoff fan, there is the promise of Colin Baker at the Big Finish panel to entice me…

So a very busy con. No matter what I may see, though, be aware that my primary purpose at the con is to do a swell job for you, my readers. Expect much talk of things! Happening! IN THE FUTURE! And I won’t even mentioned Medaka Box at the Viz panel this year. Much.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation

September 20, 2013 by Ash Brown

Author: Yoshiyuki Tomino
Translator: Frederik L. Schodt
U.S. publisher: Stone Bridge
ISBN: 9781611720051
Released: April 2013
Original release: 1979-1981

The first part of the massive Gundam franchise to be officially released in English was a trilogy of novels by Yoshiyuki Tomino that were initially published in Japan between 1979 and 1981. The novels are a reimagining of the original 1979 anime series Mobile Suit Gundam which was directed and primarily developed by Tomino. Based on the trilogy’s 1987 edition, the novels were originally translated by Frederik L. Schodt and published by Del Rey between 1990 and 1991. They subsequently went out of print but were released again by Stone Bridge Press in 2004 in an omnibus edition with a revised translation. The omnibus, too, went out of print only a few years later. It wasn’t until 2012 that the license was able to be re-secured, but Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation is once again available in a newly redesigned omnibus. It also includes some of the concept design sketches form the original anime series as illustrations.

In Universal Century 0079, the colonists of Side 3 rebelled against the Earth Federation, establishing the Principality of Zeon. During the ensuing war, half of the solar system’s human population was annihilated before the two sides of the conflict could reach a temporary ceasefire. In less than a year, the relative peace came to an end. The fighting began again as the Federation and Zeon forces were caught up in an arms race. Each side continued developing more and more advanced and powerful weapon systems and mobile suits. Combined with the emergence of Newtypes–humans with astounding powers of intuition and expanded consciousness–the conflict quickly escalated. No one is entirely sure what the Newtype phenomenon means for the future of the human race or what dangers those with Newtype potential will present, but both militaries are resolved to harness their abilities in order to gain an advantage in the war.

I haven’t seen the original 1979 Mobile Suit Gundam anime series in its entirety, but I do know that the novels are a darker, more mature, and more detailed take on the story. The ending of the trilogy is significantly different from that of the anime, as well. My first real introduction to the Gundam franchise was actually through Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s manga series Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, which is also a retelling of the original anime. If I am to be completely honest, I much greatly prefer the manga over the novels. However, simply by the nature of the medium, the novels allow Tomino to explore the world of Mobile Suit Gundam in greater depth than either the anime or the manga; some of the specifics about the characters and their motivations can be found nowhere else. But this can also be a drawback–at times, Mobile Suit Gundam: Awakening, Escalation, Confrontation reads more like an insider’s guide to the Gundam universe rather than a set of novels.

I like the story of Mobile Suit Gundam as well as its setting. Unfortunately, I wasn’t nearly as fond of the novels’ execution. There was an annoying preoccupation with who was or wasn’t, or who could or could not possibly be a Newtype. Though frequently debated, the characters never reach a solid conclusion and constantly change their opinions on the matter. This is somewhat understandable since the Newtype phenomenon is a new step in human evolution that has yet to be strictly identified or defined, but it’s particularly frustrating when the author doesn’t seem to have a firm grasp of the concept, either. I do like the Newtype theory, though, and it is a very important part of Mobile Suit Gundam. I also like that the novels show both sides of the conflict between Zeon and the Federation from multiple perspectives. Mobile Suit Gundam is an ambitious war tale with a fairly large cast of interesting characters. But in the end, I have a feeling that the novels will appeal most to readers who are already fans of the franchise.

Manga the Week of 9/25

September 19, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: A surprisingly huge last week of the month. Shall we get right down to it?

Archaia has their new modern adaptation of Cyborg 009 debuting this week. I recall the old 60s series when Tokyopop took a flyer on it, and it was fun if very ‘a product of its time’. It’s a series that a modern retelling, getting rid of some of the racism and sexism, could really work wonders. Intriguing.

ASH: I’ve already got my copy of this one. I haven’t read it yet, but I can say this–Archaia’s Cyborg 009 has one of the coolest book designs that I’ve seen in quite a while.

SEAN: Kodansha continues the speedup of Attack on Titan with Vol. 7, which reminds you that the series can still be really, really brutal.

ASH: Yes it can! If Attack on Titan has one thing going for it, it’s the series’ intensity. And tragic deaths.

MICHELLE: I feel very wrong that “tragic deaths” has seriously made me consider Attack on Titan.

ANNA: I feel the same way. What is the ratio of tragic deaths to non-tragic deaths per volume?

MJ: I also would like to see some statistics on this. Yes.

SEAN: Also, lest you think there’s only omnibuses, there’s the 18th volume of Battle Angel Alita: Last Order.

And speaking of speedups, here’s Fairy Tail 30, which wraps up its very long S-class arc, and has a major plot shift that affects… well, not quite everything.

I admit I sometimes miss things coming out via Picturebox and their cadre of indie manga releases. Here’s a new one called World Map Room, which I know nothing about.

ASH: Picturebox is a publisher that has really caught my eye this year. I don’t always enjoy Yuichi Yokoyama’s manga, but I can certainly appreciate his draftsmanship and experimental work.

MJ: Agreed. I’m very interested in what they’re doing.

SEAN: I had assumed that Dictatorial Grimoire: Cinderella was another series from Quin Rose in the Alice in the Etc Etc. vein, but apparently not. This is from Media Factory’s oddball shoujo-ish Comic Gene, and is a Grimm’s Fairy Tales rewrite, in a way.

MICHELLE: Huh. I’m feeling a little oversaturated with fairy tail adaptations, though.

ANNA: I love fairy tale adaptations! Not sure if I will check it out although content from oddball shoujo-ish magazines sounds promising.

MJ: Well, huh. This does sound like my kind of thing!

SEAN: Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz is almost finished, I believe, but not quite, so here’s more Boris and Vol. 6.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin has been one of my most awaited titles of 2013, with every volume desperately needing to get into my hands as quickly as possible. Vol. 3 is called Ramba Ral!

ASH: I’ve been very impressed by Vertical’s edition of The Origin. It’s a great manga and a gorgeous release. Plus, I’m a fan of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s manga.

MICHELLE: I’m enjoying it, too!

ANNA: I am so happy that Vertical is putting out this series.

SEAN: If you’d told me a few years ago Vertical would be licensing a Young Animal title, I’d have laughed. But here we are. Sickness Unto Death is along the lines of Flowers of Evil, but only 2 short volumes. The first ships this week.

ASH: I’m very curious about this one.

MICHELLE: I don’t know what to think about it.

MJ: I’m always interested in what Vertical has to offer, so count me in!

SEAN: Are You Alice? has a 2nd volume that may potentially have something comprehensible happen, which Vol. 1 lacked, in my opinion.

And The Betrayal Knows My Name, a series that feels like it should be Wings but is instead in Asuka (which is becoming the new Wings), hits Vol. 6, and has lots of reincarnation romance.

MJ: I have been shamelessly addicted to this series ever since my holiday marathon read last year. More, more!

SEAN: A Bride’s Story really picked up for me with the introduction of the twins in Vol. 4, so seeing their wedding in this new volume is definitely high on my list of things to do.

ASH: I’m always happy to see a new volume of Kaoru Mori’s A Bride’s Story! (Now, if we could only get Emma back into print, too…)

MICHELLE: Someday I will have time to read this.

ANNA: Me too. I need to catch up. The first two volumes were lovely.

MJ: I adore this series, and I’m very excited about the wedding! Hurray!

SEAN: Kieli hits Vol. 9… of the novels, that is. Don’t get your novels and manga mixed up, especially from Yen, which tends to license both more than most companies.

The regular old manga may be ending in Japan, but its gag spinoff continues, as we see the 7th volume of The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya.

Lastly, Soul Eater hits sweet 16, and will likely start spinning out new plot threads here to see what sticks. Always fun.

What’s whetting your appetite?

MICHELLE: Isn’t Goong 13 coming out too this week, now that I think about it? At least, Amazon has it with the same date as the other Yen, and I just got it in a box of review copies (yay!).

ANNA: eeeeeeeee!

MJ: YAY GOONG YAY!

SEAN: It’s still hard for me to remember Korean books…

Attack on Titan, Vol. 7

September 19, 2013 by Sean Gaffney

By Hajime Isayama. Released in Japan by Kodansha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. Released in North America by Kodansha Comics.

(please continue to avoid spoilers in comments)

We all knew a volume like this was coming. Despite the mass deaths and danger, things had simply been going too well for our heroes recently. There were heartwarming moments, and points where you marveled at the awesomeness of humanity. That clearly cannot last. And so you have Attack on Titan 7, which, yes, also gives you heartwarming and reaffirming love for humanity, but then brutally stomps all over it and tears it to shreds while laughing in your face.

So yeah, it really didn’t bode well that Levi’s team, for all their backstory and character building, never had biographies at the front of the book. Much of this book (and indeed the series in general) is about the mindset of a soldier, and how you can commit to actions that seem stupid or that you may not believe in. I’ll give Special Ops this, they were decisive and trying to stop the Female Titan. And, in the end, they weren’t good enough and were brutally murdered. This doesn’t mean it was a bad decision, or that they didn’t die like heroes. It’s just a function of life in this book, and how horrible the situation is with the Titans. Things are really bad, and sometimes you make a firm decision that leads to an ignoble death.

Speaking of the Female Titan, as Armin has already noted, she’s definitely one of a special group of Titans that are intelligent and crafty, and it shows throughout the entire book. Even when Erwin has her cornered, she’s still able to think of a way out. And her fight with Eren and Mikasa is not only epic but gives us some stunning motivation on what the Titans are trying to achieve; when given an opportunity to kill Eren, she doesn’t, but tries to kidnap him instead. Eren, presumably as he’s also a Titan, is useful to them in some way. Chilling, really.

I do sort of wonder what it will take to get Levi to break, or if he ever will. He’s the most popular character in the series in Japan, and rapidly taking that position over here as well, but there’s only so far stoic can take you. Will he continue to suffer nobly and look off into the middle distance? If nothing else, he makes a very good contrast to hotheads Eren and Mikasa.

But it’s all about the final scene, which simply makes you want to cry. Eren waking up to see everyone re-entering the city. The jeers of the adults, and the cheers of the little children. Petra’s dad, running to Levi, asking him to give her something, and Levi’s stoic non-response. And the final narration, noting that they’re all basically under arrest, Eren’s going to be turned over (presumably to be tortured and executed), and Erwin and company may be in a lot of trouble all around. It’s a horrible place to leave a cliffhanger. And so naturally here is where it is.

But hey, from here things can only get better… right?

No. 6, Vol. 2

September 18, 2013 by Ash Brown

Creator: Hinoki Kino
Original story: Atsuko Asano
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781612623566
Released: August 2013
Original release: 2011

My introduction to Atsuko Asano’s No. 6 was through the anime adaptation of the original novels. I enjoyed the setting and characters, but was disappointed in the anime’s rushed, original ending. Asano’s No. 6 novels are unlikely to be released in English, so I was glad when Kodansha licensed Hinoki Kino’s manga adaptation of the series. The second volume of the No. 6 manga, originally published in Japan in 2011, was released in English in 2013. Although Kino’s character designs are based on the same ones used for the anime and many of the underlying elements are the same (they are both adaptations of the No. 6 novels after all), Kino’s version of the story is different. The first volume of the manga was a little too quickly paced for my taste, but for the most part I still enjoyed it. However, I did have hopes that the second volume would slow down a bit after the first volume‘s rush to establish the characters, story, and setting.

After barely escaping from the holy city of No. 6, Shion is now a fugitive hiding in West Block, a dangerous area outside of the city walls and No. 6’s dumping grounds. Although he is out of immediate danger, he still has a lot to learn about West Block if he hopes to survive there. The violent and bleak conditions outside the city are very different from the peaceful and pampered life that Shion led in No. 6. The only reason he’s made it this far is thanks to the help of Rat, the young man whose life Shion once saved as a boy. The two make an unusual pair. Shion is altruistic and slow to doubt people, characteristics which could get him into big trouble in West Block, while Rat only looks out for himself and is much more wary of others. Saving Shion’s life was a way for Rat to repay his debt, but in the process he has begun to open up to another person. For the time being Rat persists in watching over the other young man, but he is also capable of turning on Shion at any moment.

One of my favorite things about the No. 6 anime was the relationship between Rat and Shion. I’ve happily found this to be the case with the manga as well. Even though it’s only the second volume, there has already been some very nice character development. Both Shion and Rat are beginning to change due to the circumstances surrounding Shion’s escape from No. 6 and their continued association with each other. As Shion is faced with the harsh realities of living in West Block and Rat’s seemingly uncaring attitude, he is learning to stand up for himself and what matters to him. In turn, Shion is also influencing Rat to a much greater extent than either of them at first realize. When it comes to Shion, Rat finds himself acting out of character and letting his guard down. It understandably bothers and worries him, but it’s also rather touching from an outsider’s perspective. I’m really enjoying watching their relationship evolve in No. 6.

In addition to character development, the second volume of the No. 6 manga also reveals more about No. 6 and West Block. As Shion experiences West Block first hand, nearly getting killed in the process, the readers are also introduced to the world in which he now lives through the people he meets–the children who are starving, the marketplace vendors who are quick to pull guns on thieves, the prostitutes and pimps. Everyone is struggling to get by in any way that they can. It also reveals in part why Rat has the personality that he does. To survive in West Block requires people to place their own needs above those of others. Simply trusting another person means taking a huge risk. It’s a hard lesson for Shion with his innocent nature and privileged upbringing. The second volume of No. 6 does build and improve on the first in its pacing, characterization, and world-building. I can honestly say that I’m looking forward to the next volume of Kino’s adaptation.

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: September 9, 2013

September 18, 2013 by Derek Bown 6 Comments

It’s strange, even though I haven’t really been missing Bleach, seeing it back in the lineup makes everything feel right again. I think we’ve gotten a glimpse of what life will be like post-big three, and I must say, I don’t care for it. What will I do without the top three most popular shonen manga to either love or hate? What will my life become? These are all things worth considering, leave your survival strategies in the comment section. But for now, let’s talk about the manga itself.

Bleach Ch. 547
Well, Bleach is back. Can’t say I really missed it all that much, even though my manga reading life did feel a bit emptier without it. Bleach, and Naruto, and I have a bit of an abusive relationship. They give me nothing but pain and I just can’t quit them. Bleach has the upper hand in that it hasn’t actually done anything to hurt me, rather it’s like being in a relationship that you’ve grown tired of, but you aren’t ready to quit because your partner still knows how to function like a human being and hasn’t done anything to royally piss you off.

Sure there’s some misplaced comedy, and the idea that the Quincy were hiding in Soul Society all along is pretty ludicrous, but whatever. At least Bleach doesn’t force characters I hate down my throat. Rather it forces characters I don’t care about down my throat. Which is still annoying, but not as rage inducing as what other series I’ve read do.

One matter of note is that having gotten another good look at Ichigo’s sword I have to wonder why Kubo keeps designing swords that look like they would be incredibly uncomfortable to use. His swords don’t even have hilts, they’re just pieces of the blade that happen not to be sharp. But they still have edges that look like they would dig into your skin quite painfully after a while.

World Trigger Ch. 029
Anytime I find myself thinking, “This chapter of World Trigger wasn’t so bad” I have to remind myself that it’s taken twenty nine chapters to do what most series would do in one or two. The “moderately interested” stage of manga reading should not take several months to kick in. So, even when it gets a little bit interesting I remember that World Trigger took forever just to be competent. That doesn’t bode well for any actual future enjoyment.

To be fair, this chapter, on its own, was enjoyable. A lot of my hatred for this series stems from the fact that I apparently have a hard time letting go of grudges. At best all I can say about World Trigger is what I’m saying about this chapter, “It wasn’t awful, but I’m not expecting anything from this series.”

One Piece Ch. 720
Eiichiro Oda is a master of a character writing style that I started practicing a couple years ago. The method involves taking character archetypes and stereotypes and then adding a contradictory element to them. I haven’t exactly mastered it yet, but Oda is the writer I look up to most for this method after this chapter. Already Bartolomeo was a fun character, but to find out that he’s a massive Luffy fanboy just made him shoot up in my One Piece character rankings.

Rebecca was less impressive, she does reveal more of the underlying backstory for this arc, but as far as characters go she follows the vein of most women in One Piece that aren’t main characters. She’s not a bad character, but she’s not very interesting. The fact that she spends most of the time almost completely naked (I refuse to consider that outfit actual clothing) would be a good foil to build upon, after all the scantily clad female warrior is a trope in and of itself. But taking that archetype and making her just a normal One Piece girl doesn’t quite do it for me. I’m open to being surprised, after all One Piece is nothing if not surprising, but for the moment I’m not a huge fan of Nami 5.0…I mean Rebecca.

Toriko Ch. 248
What sets Toriko apart from most other battle series is Shimabukuro’s willingness to use real science/theories in his fantasy world. After amping them up to one million of course. Maybe the Square Root Law is a real theory (don’t ask me, I don’t do statistics), but I’m pretty sure we can’t use the ten percent abnormal movement of our cells to fly. But it can be done in manga, and that’s why I love manga so much. It doesn’t have to follow normal rules like other forms of fiction do. It can do what it wants, when it wants. It’s a sign of how clever the whole idea is that I ignore the man with the giant tongue to talk about it.

Naruto Ch. 645
As I’m writing this I have to go back and reread chapters to remember what happened. I don’t need to do that with Naruto because I know for a fact it won’t make any more sense the second time around. Here’s the problem with Naruto right now. It isn’t even that Sasuke is in the story. It’s that things are happening. But none of them carry any weight. The scale has gotten so ludicrously large that any escalation leaves me cold. Sure my attitude is influenced by past chapters, but it really is a problem that this series has gotten to the point where nothing that happens will be seen as important. A formerly somewhat important character dies? Who cares, it was only Neji, we’ve all forgotten about that now.

Please, Kishimoto, just finish this so we can see Naruto and Sasuke have their final battle. And please, stop it with the inappropriate comedy. You stopped being funny years ago.

One-Punch Man Ch. 025
There wasn’t any comedy this chapter, and it’s a sign of how talented these creators are that a series based on a single gag has grown so much. The action is amazing in this chapter, and the rising conflict is exactly what I expect from an action series. It’s a shame that a comedy series is doing a better job of it than certain action series are.

Then again, plenty of action series are trying and failing at comedy while this comedy series is trying and succeeding at action. Huh.

Jaco The Galactic Patrolman Ch. 008
Now this chapter I liked. Granted it was because I was reading a lot more tension into it than was actually there, with the possibility of “insert article of clothing name here” dying during the rocket launch. But beyond that I can’t say I’m a huge fan of this series. I’ve heard rumors of this actually being a prequel of Dragon Ball, which honestly makes no sense since the overall level of technology in this series seems a bit higher than it did in Dragon Ball. Though I could be remembering things wrong. Either way, I’m hoping things turn out the way I expect since that will help raise this series’ stock in my opinion.

Blue Exorcist Ch. 049
Methinks someone is taking some liberties with Hebraic/Christian mythology. I know this may come as a shock, considering this is a manga we’re talking about, which tend to usually be so faithful to the source material they are cribbing from, but I’m getting the sneaking feeling that the author only knows a bunch of names of demons without knowing who they actually are. Wondering what I’m talking about? Well, for one, suddenly Mephisto is also Samael, but most egregiously, Lucifer and Satan are now different characters. To put that into perspective for those of you that weren’t dragged to Sunday School every week, and then didn’t spend a chunk of University researching the Hebraic roots upon which most Christian mythology is built upon, Lucifer and Satan are the same person. Lucifer, the Prince of Light, was Satan’s pre-fall identity. And Samael is an early name given to Satan in Hebraic lore. While Mephistopheles is highly suggested to be yet another name given to Satan. So it’s three different people, all of which are actually supposed to be the same person.

As for the material in this chapter itself. It was okay I guess, but I’m a little peeved that we’re entering a rescue arc. Nothing wrong with rescue arcs per-say. But it’s still been incredibly overused. It’ll take a couple decades of nobody ever using a rescue arc again for me to not immediately say “Oh jeez, not another rescue arc.”

Nisekoi Ch. 089
Amnesia is a tired old trope. But I like what Nisekoi is doing with it here. We get to see a wrench thrown into the usual antics of the characters, and we’re getting the promise that this arc we’ll get more of the past. The series is still funny, though there are some latent issues slipping in here and there. Mostly with Rakku’s reaction to Tsugumi pulling a gun on him. “Girls shouldn’t use guns”? Yeah, that’s a can of worms I don’t think should be opened. But, latent sexism aside, this series continues to be funny, just in a slightly more haremy way than I was hoping for.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 030
So the line was “Over 8000” all along? My whole life is a lie! Anyone know what the proper number is, because I’m really curious now. My theory is that 8000 is the original number, but that the english anime changed it to 9000 to avoid the consonant sound at the end of eight and make the line flow better. Still, we’re coming to the Goku and Vegeta fight soon, which should be plenty fun.

I hope we get a new series in WSJ soon, because at the moment it feels like most of what we get is getting a bit stale. I’m hoping for another Cross Manage or another Barrage, only this time I hope for a series that actually sticks around. What do you think the new series should be? Action? Adventure? Romance? Comedy? Or a bit of everything?

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

Jojo is back, plus what you missed in Shonen Jump!

September 18, 2013 by Brigid Alverson

Good news for fans of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Viz is going to release part 3 digitally, and if that catches on, there may be more…

The Manga Bookshelf bloggers look over this week’s new releases and discuss their Pick of the Week.

Lissa Pattillo looks at three series that were recently announced in Japan that she hopes will make it over here: You Higuri’s Princess Ledalia: The Rose Pirate, Makoto Tateno’s Vampire Romanshiki, and the Attack on Titan spinoff.

Derek Bown catches us up on the past few weeks’ worth of Shonen Jump.

Erica Friedman rounds up the latest yuri news at Okazu.

Justin chats with freelance manga letterer Annaliese Christman, who works on a lot of Viz titles, including Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan and Psyren.

Lori Henderson looks at the BookScan best-seller list, what’s up at Vizmanga.com, and Kodansha Comics’ digital samplers in her latest Manga Dome podcast at Manga Xanadu.

Reviews: Ash Brown leads us through a week’s worth of manga reading at Experiments in Manga.

Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 7 of 07-Ghost (The Comic Book Bin)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 15 of Arata: The Legend (The Comic Book Bin)
Lissa Pattillo on vol. 20 of Bakuman (Kuriousity)
Ash Brown on vol. 25 of Blade of the Immortal (Experiments in Manga)
Chris Kirby on vol. 2 of Btooom! (The Fandom Post)
Mark Thomas on vols. 1-3 of Dragonball (omnibus edition) (The Fandom Post)
Erica Friedman on vol. 2 of Eden no Higashitotsuka (Okazu)
Ken H. on vols. 1 and 2 of Happy-Go-Lucky Days (Comics Should Be Good)
Matthew Warner on vol. 1 of Happy Marriage?! (The Fandom Post)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 22 of Hayate the Combat Butler (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Angela Sylvia on vol. 13 of Kamisama Kiss (The Fandom Post)
Lissa Pattillo on vol. 21 of Kaze Hikaru (Kuriousity)
Matthew Warner on vol. 1 of Kingdom Hearts II (The Fandom Post)
Dana Lynch on Knights of Sidonia (Culture, whatnot, etc.)
Michael Buntag on K-ON! College (NonSensical Words)
Kate O’Neil on vols. 7-8 of Loveless (omnibus edition)
Dana Lynch on Me and the Devil Blues (Culture, whatnot, etc.)
Kristin on vol. 1 of Midnight Secretary (Comic Attack)
A Library Girl on vol. 1 of Nightschool (A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 1 of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan (Blogcritics)
Erica Friedman on vol. 2 of Omoi no Kakera (Okazu)
Erica Friedman on Onna no ko Awase (Okazu)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 68 of One Piece (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Lori Henderson on Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Official Casebook, vol. 1: The Phoenix Wright Files (Manga Xanadu)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 11 of Pokemon Black and White (Blogcritics)
Lesley Aeschliman on Pokemon Adventures HeartGold and SoulSilver (Blogcritics)
Matthew Warner on vol. 11 of Psyren (The Fandom Post)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 12 of Psyren (The Comic Book Bin)
Matthew Warner on vol. 1 of Puella Magi Kazuma Magica: The Innocent Malice (The Fandom Post)
Matthew Warner on vol. 12 of Rin-ne (The Fandom Post)
Connie C. on Saikano: The Last Love Song on this Little Planet, X, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Comics Should Be Good)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 12 of Sailor Moon (Blogcritics)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 1 of Sailor Moon Short Stories (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Kate O’Neil on vol. 15 of Soul Eater (The Fandom Post)
Anna N. on vols. 5 and 6 of Strobe Edge (Manga Report)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 6 of Strobe Edge (The Comic Book Bin)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 17 of Toriko (The Comic Book Bin)
Justin on Tropic of the Sea (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
Nick Smith on Tropic of the Sea (ICv2)
Dave Ferraro on Unico (Comics-and-More)
Kate O’Neil on vol. 4 of Until Death Do Us Part (The Fandom Post)

One Piece, Vol. 68

September 17, 2013 by Sean Gaffney

By Eiichiro Oda. Released in Japan by Shueisha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. Released in North America by Viz.

It’s worth noting, when reading this volume of One Piece, how much fun Oda is clearly having writing every single chapter. His simple joy in drawing all this crazy stuff comes out from the page and just overflows into your brain. Be it giant slime monsters clearly based off of video games in his youth, the bodyswap continuing to humiliate Nami and Sanji (and ending at just about the right time so it doesn’t get old), or even our heroes happily commenting on how Luffy and Smoker are locked up in another seastone cage again, just like Alabasta! (Bonus points for it being Robin commenting, who was a villain at that point.) This manga is what happy feels like.

Of course, it’s not all fun and games – or rather, the fun and games continues to be contrasted with the atrocities that Caesar Clown is committing. Drug addict giant toddlers, poison gas corpses that look like something out of Edvard Munch, and Luffy getting completely punked in his first fight with Caesar, despite his supposed poison immunity… this is not simply a walk in the park the way other arcs have felt. We even have yet another mole for the bad guy who’s a Vice-Admiral with the Marines (and, Oda-style, has a hamburger affixed to his cheek. As he forgot it was there.)

We also see Kidd and some of the other Supernovas meeting to discuss Caesar Clown’s offer, and it reminds me of something that Oda has been showing us again and again: anyone with power in this world is highly likely to be evil or insane. Luffy and company are one of the few non-evil pirate crews, and, fittingly, Smoker and Tashigi’s group are one of the few non-evil Marine crews. When you live in a world like One Piece’s, with so much raw power out there to abuse, you run into people who will do all they can to hold onto it.

Luckily, our heroes are strong, and can’t be kept down for long. Everyone has their own bodies again, and Kin’emon, the samurai, has his full body back (and is really quite tall now). What’s more, Luffy and Law have formed an alliance! I suspect that Law will rapidly come to regret allying himself with Luffy and company, which to a certain degree involves throwing your self-image out the window and giving in to the goofy. I am amused that once again Luffy says, when being informed of a plan, “Yeah, OK, I got it”, and then merrily go off to punch things again. It’s not something anyone can stop at this point.

If there’s something that feels slightly dissatisfying here, it’s that Caesar Clown doesn’t feel like a big bad. He’s pretty scummy, and I’ll enjoy seeing him defeated, but the revelation that there’s someone behind him who’s the real mastermind makes a lot more sense, and as a reader, I’d really like to leap ahead to that battle. Till then, though, One Piece continues to go where it wants to with unlimited joy.

My Week in Manga: September 9-September 15, 2013

September 16, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I posted two reviews here at Experiments in Manga last week. The first was for Yusuke Kishi’s novel of horror and survival The Crimson Labyrinth. Currently The Crimson Labyrinth is the only work by Kishi available in English, but Vertical will begin releasing the manga adaptation of his novel From the New World later this year. (The same From the New World recently had an anime adaptation, too.) I also posted my latest Blade of the Immortal review–Blade of the Immortal, Volume 25: Snowfall at Dawn. The last few volumes of Blade of the Immortal have been building up to the showdown between Shira and Manji; finally the time has arrived when they face each other.

There were a couple of interesting things that I came across online last week. First, there was an interview with Annaliese Christman, a freelance letterer for Viz Media. I didn’t know much about lettering, so I found it to be a very interesting read. The other item I wanted to mention was Dan Kanemitsu’s examination of the impact the upcoming Tokyo Olympics may have on censorship in Japan–Fear and Loathing in the Bold New Olympic Era. (Too long, didn’t read? CBLDF has a nice overview of the article with some additional commentary–Tokyo Olympics Emboldens Censors.)

Quick Takes

Fairy Tail, Volume 29 by Hiro Mashima. This is only the second volume of Fairy Tail that I’ve had the opportunity to read in its entirety. At this point my general impression is that it’s a fun, but rather generic series. I just can’t seem to shake the feeling that I’ve seen it all before. I do like the variety of magic styles, though. Most of the twenty-ninth volume focuses on the battle between five young members of the Fairy Tail guild and Hades, the guild’s former grandmaster. Although not entirely unexpected, there were some great moments during fight that really show off the group’s teamwork. Fairy Tail moves along quickly with plenty of battles and action sequences. For the most part, Mashima’s art works nicely. However, all of the cuts and scratches that the characters end up with over the course of their fights make them look like they all have scales, which is a little odd. Although for some characters, like Natsu with his dragon abilities, it’s rather appropriate.

Nana, Volumes 16-18 by Ai Yazawa. The more of Yazawa’s manga that I read, the more I am impressed by it. Nana is a fantastic series. The characters are complex and multilayered; the story is dramatic and absorbing without being overwrought. These particular volumes deal just a little less with the music industry and the bands as a whole. Instead, they delve more into the characters’ personal lives. Particularly important is the revelation of Nana and Shin’s pasts as well as their less than ideal family circumstances–something that proves to be very problematic. Also included in these volumes are two lengthy side stories. One shows Nobu and Nana’s relationship back when they were in school together. Similarly, Takumi’s complicated feelings for Reira is the focus of the other. The side stories are a really nice addition to Nana, giving the story even more depth. They show the importance of the characters’ relationships and how they developed over time to become what they are in the series proper. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of Nana.

Saiyuki Reload, Volumes 7-9 by Kazuya Minekura. While the early part of the series seemed directionless, by the end of Saiyuki Reload Minekura has a great narrative drive going. Some of the plot elements and storylines do unfortunately seem to have been dropped or forgotten (though perhaps she pulls them all back in for the finale) but the manga does benefit from having a stronger focus. What is particularly interesting about these volumes is that the yokai’s side of the conflict is shown in more detail. Although there have been exceptions, for the most part the yokai have simply been the series’ monsters. Minekura makes it very clear here that the yokai are really not all that different from humans and that it is the humans who are sometimes the real monsters. Looking back, this has actually been one of the recurring themes in the series. Although Saiyuki Reload is ten volumes long, only nine volumes were ever released in English. It’s particularly tragic since the ninth volume ends on one heck of a cliffhanger.

Smut Peddler by Various. Smut Peddler had its beginnings as a three-issue indie minicomic series back in 2003. In 2012, Smut Peddler returned as a full-length anthology collecting twenty-six short erotic comics. Smut Peddler is a phenomenal collection of sex-positive, lady- and queer-friendly comics. I was particularly happy to see the diversity included in the anthology, not only in terms of the characters’ various identities but in genre as well. Smut Peddler contains science fiction and fantasy as well as reality-based works, both historical and contemporary. The stories are short, sexy, and sweet. Some are more serious and others are more humorous, but they are all heartfelt. I was previously familiar with and already follow the work of many of the creators included in the anthology, but there were plenty of artists and writers who I was encountering for the first time. (I now have even more creators I want to seek out.) Work has already begun on a second Smut Peddler anthology, currently scheduled for release in 2014. I can’t wait.

Velveteen & Mandala by Jiro Matsumoto. Reading Velveteen & Mandala was a rather odd experience for me. I was consistently engaged while I was reading it, but I wasn’t sure that I actually liked it. But after finishing Velveteen & Mandala I couldn’t seem to get it out of my head which to me is a sign of a good manga. The more I think about it, the more I want to read it again–it’s like a lingering and intense fever-dream (or nightmare.) Velveteen & Mandala is a very strange horror manga with strong psychological elements, extremely black humor, frequent pop culture references, and characters who all seem to be at least slightly insane. The ending’s big twist was something that I suspected from the very beginning of Velveteen & Mandala but that doesn’t make it any less effective. Velveteen & Mandala easily earns it’s 18+ rating–it’s gruesome, violent, and sexually explicit. The manga’s off-beat, weird, and bizarre horror and humor definitely aren’t for everyone, but if you can stomach it Velveteen & Mandala is a strangely intriguing work.

Pick of the Week: Satoshi Kon & More!

September 16, 2013 by Ash Brown, MJ, Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith and Anna N 1 Comment

ASH: Although this week is relatively light when it comes to manga releases (at least when compared to the last few weeks), there are still plenty of great manga to choose from. I’m especially interested in Satoshi Kon’s Tropic of the Sea. Kon is probably best known in the West as an anime director—and a fine one at that–but he started his career in manga. With beautiful artwork and a focus on legends and water, there’s no way I’m passing up Tropic of the Sea.

MJ: I’m quite torn this week, despite the limited selection, as it’s difficult to ignore a new volume of Ooku. But it’s even more difficult to ignore something as new (to us, anyway) and intriguing as Tropic of the Sea. So I’ll stand with Ash on this one. The cover art alone has me sold.

SEAN: Given we have Tropic of the Sea out of the way, I’m going to take a chance on Sherlock Bones, the new shounen title from Kodansha. As readers who have read my Young Miss Holmes reviews know, I’m a sucker for all things Holmes and Watson, so the premise at least intrigues me. We’ll see how much it abuses canon. The writer is also one of the pseudonyms of the people who did Kindaichi Case Files, a low-selling but highly regarded mystery series from back in the day.

MICHELLE: I admit Tropic of the Sea is very intriguing, and that I’m curious about Sherlock Bones but I simply must throw Fumi Yoshinaga some love and officially pick Ooku. True, it’s not my favorite of her manga, but it’s still quite fascinating.

ANNA: I am also torn between Tropic of the Sea and Ooku! I think I’ll have to go with Tropic of the Sea though, since I’m finding that the most interesting debut of the week.

What looks good to you this week?