If you were on Twitter this week, you may have seen folks talking about Titan Comic’s Kamen Rider Kuuga for all the wrong reasons. Gizmodo’s James Whitlock summarized the controversy succinctly, noting that fans were upset by “a consistent pattern of errors and awkward phrasing in the English translation of the manga. From clunky syntax to inconsistent name romanization, from awkward line breaks to printing errors cutting off art and dialogue, both volumes of Kuuga showcase a pattern of sloppiness that make them difficult to read at best.” Titan Comics’ initial response stated that both books “were worked on by two highly respected translators in the business,” though readers expressed skepticism over the company’s claim. Within 24 hours, Titan posted a new response acknowledging the shoddy translation and production, this time promising to implement new quality control standards and fix the “identified art errors and textual inconsistencies” in both volumes.
NEWS AND VIEWS
Party like it’s 2008! Barnes & Noble will be adding 30 new stores to the chain this year–a hopeful sign for anyone who remembers the manga boom of the aughts, when teenagers clogged the aisles at BN and Borders any time a new volume of Fruits Basket or Naruto hit the shelves. [ICv2]
No Flying No Tights publishes its list of the Top Comics of 2022. Though the emphasis is on American titles, Our Not-So-Lonely Planet Guide got a shout-out as well. [No Flying No Tights]
Jocelyne Allen explains why Hitomi Takano’s Gene Bride is both totally relatable and also… totally bananas. Someone license this, please! [Brain vs. Book]
Over at SOLRAD, Bradathon Nu explores the creepy horror of Masaaki Nakayama, “a creator obsessed by the plane of existence between ours and the next.” Nu elaborates: “That is to say, horrors that we as humans can just barely grasp, horrors that are so subtle, so close to our world, that we might not even notice them (one notable example of this is a story in which a man smokes a cigarette in the woods, completely unaware that he is being watched by a shadowy figure who lurks just shy of his peripheral vision). Many of Nakayama’s stories are only a few pages long, giving the reader a glimpse into some kind of otherworldly terror, but never giving any details. Nakayama often utilizes the short, uncertain nature of his works to insert an air of creepiness into them. ” [SOLRAD]
REVIEWS
Helen Chazan’s latest Comics Gridlock column is up, and she doesn’t mince words about Last Gender: When We Are Nameless. “Last Gender is definitely LGBT Manga, pejorative,” she observes. “Kodansha’s putting out this one, it’s packaged all fancy, you won’t be able to tell from the cover or ad copy but it’s smut. Credit to Kodansha for including a crisis line number under the table of contents, I’ve never seen that before and I hope I’ll see it again, especially since I don’t think reading a comic this facile and tawdry is gonna make things better for any sad gay kid that might come across it. I don’t know much about the author Rei Taki, but the work definitely has the feel of a wikipedia binge brought to life, down to a character referencing how many gender identities are offered on Facebook.” (Spoiler alert: she liked The Gay Who Turned Kaiju a lot better.)
The latest installment of Beneath the Tangles’ Reader’s Corner offers pithy reviews of Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21, Kaiju No. 8, and Tombs, while the Manga Bookshelf gang posts a fresh crop of briefs. (Spoiler alert: I was kinda underwhelmed by 17-21, but Ash’s review of Hell in a Bottle persuaded me to order a copy.)
New and Noteworthy
- Archlord, Vol. 1 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)
- A Capable Man (Danielle Van Gorder, The Fandom Post)
- Doomsday With My Dog, Vol. 1 (Harry, Honey’s Anime)
- Go With the Clouds, North by Northwest, Vols. 1-5 (Adam Symchuk, Manga Obsessive)
- I’m Quitting Heroing, Vol. 1 (Harry, Honey’s Anime)
- Natsume and Natsume, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, ANN)
- Neijishiki (Tom Batten, Publishers Weekly)
- Oshi No Ko, Vol. 1 (Darkstorm, Anime UK News)
- The Restorer’s Home, Vol. 1 (Adam Symchuk, Asian Movie Pulse)
- Run Away with Me, Girl, Vol. 1 (Matt Rolf, Okazu)
- Tatsuki Fujimoto Before Chainsaw Man: 17-21 (Rory Wilding, AiPT!)
- Tsuredure Children, Vol. 1 (Krystallina, Daiyamanga)
Complete and Ongoing Series
- Call of the Night, Vol. 10 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- The Dangers in My Heart, Vol. 4 (Justin, The OASG)
- Fly Me to the Moon, Vol. 15 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 7 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)
- A Galaxy Next Door, Vols. 2-3 (Demelza, Anime UK News)
- The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!, Vol. 4 (Justin, The OASG)
- Hard-Boiled Cop and Dolphin, Vol. 5 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- Lost Lad London, Vol. 3 (Sarah, Anime UK News)
- Magu-Chan: God of Destruction, Vol. 6 (King Baby Duck, Boston Bastard Brigade)
- My Happy Marriage, Vol. 2 (Justin and Krystallina, The OASG)
- Read or Dream (ROD), Vol. 1 (Megan D. The Manga Test Drive)
- Whisper Me a Love Song, Vol. 6 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)
- Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games, Vols. 3-4 (Justin, The OASG)