Anna N

Pick of the Week: Excel Saga & some other stuff

April 8, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, MJ, Michelle Smith and Anna N 5 Comments

MJ: There’s quite a bit on the menu for this week, but honestly not too much for me, which makes it incredibly easy to go for an older series that’s one of my new favorites. That, of course, would be Yun Kouga’s cat-ear-sporting, battle-filled, BL-tinged fantasy Loveless, currently running in Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero Sum and recently licensed-rescued by Viz. I’m a Kouga junkie of a sort, and Loveless delivers on everything I crave most from her series—idiosyncratic characters, complicated morality, and messy, messy relationships. My reaction to the release of a new omnibus volume is pretty much, “Gimme.”

MICHELLE: Yeah, not much for me on this list, either. Still, Punch Up! really has grown on me of late, so there’s no way I’d miss its fourth and final volume!

ANNA: Not a lot for me on this list. I’m going to go with Crimson Empire 1: Circumstances to Serve a Noble though, just because I decided not to resist the siren song of yet another Quinrose manga and I ordered it! We’ll see if I regret this pick once I actually read it.

Readers, what looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/8/13

April 8, 2013 by Anna N, Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

This week, Anna, Sean, & Michelle look at recent releases from Viz Media and Vertical, Inc.

07 Ghost, Vol. 2 | By Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara | Viz Media I continue to dig the Saiyuki-like vibe of this series about a young boy gifted with power who finds himself suddenly living in a church filled with mystical fighting bishops. This volume shows Teito dealing with the spiritual possession of his only friend Mikage. Teito decides to join a training class and become a bishop himself, but the power that he contains inside him might be too difficult to wrangle. There are plenty of random moments of humor sprinkled between slightly incoherent yet awfully pretty scenes of priests battling demons. I’m enjoying this series so far, as it has a distinct visual look and Teito is a sympathetic main character. – Anna N.

Barrage, Vol. 2 | By Kouhei Horikoshi | Viz Media – And here we get the other side of the story, and see that yes, while some promising titles are cut short by unforgiving Japanese fans and editors, sometimes series just don’t take off. Astro and Tiamat arrive in a new city, meet a girl who could have been the standard girl of Jump’s “two guys, one girl” lineup, learn her tragic past, and fight baddies. But then we also get Astro’s own tragic past, and a quick explanation of his true origin that screams “we shouldn’t have known this till Volume 11, at least”. It’s a vicious circle – the manga wasn’t quite good enough to continue, so has to wrap up fast with an unsatisfying “the story will continue” ending. That said, there are some nice touches here – I love the space whale – and the extra showing everyone was acting was pretty cute. Farewell, Barrage. In the end, you weren’t Jump enough. – Sean Gaffney

Jiu Jiu, Vol. 4 | By Touya Tobina | Viz Media – Some titles enthrall me, some titles bore me, and a few titles offend my sensibilities, but there are only a couple of manga series I can think of that have frustrated me as much as Jiu Jiu. This being shoujo manga, Takamichi has no idea what love is, and over the course of the volume concludes, a) Snow and Night love her, and b) she loves them. Which is fine, except she still doesn’t quite get what kind of love it is. The best part of the manga focuses on this, with Takamichi bluntly being asked “Do you want to have sex with them?” (A reminder: Snow and Night are dogs. Sort of.) Unfortunately, the rest of the manga has Jiu Jiu’s usual issues – an incoherent plot, inconsistent art, and difficult to like characters. It could be better than it is. Something I’ve said for 4 straight volumes now, so I’m starting to think maybe it can’t. – Sean Gaffney

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 16 | By Karuho Shiina | Viz Media – Ahh, Kimi ni Todoke is always a delight, even when it brings tidings of romantic turmoil for its protagonists. Chizu is in a daze over Ryu’s confession, Ayane is uncertain about Kento’s intentions (could she really let herself believe that he’s genuinely serious about her?), and Sawako is feeling exceptionally awkward and nervous about Kazehaya, who seems to be keeping something from her. This leads to the best scene in the volume—one of the best in the series so far, in fact—where Ayane and Sawako have a really good conversation and share some of their worries and insecurities. I think I am going to have to call it: Kimi ni Todoke is the best shoujo series for depicting female friendships. (Sorry, Fruits Basket. I still love you!) There’s also a fun tribute section in the back with submissions from some familiar artists; Aya Nakahara’s is my favorite. – Michelle Smith

Limit, Vol. 4 | By Keiko Suenobu | Vertical, Inc. – The world our heroines now inhabit continues to break down, with corpses causing accusations and screaming incoherence, and no one can trust anyone any more. Suenobu’s best trait as an author is keeping the tension ramped up the entire volume, and this is probably the best one yet at forcing you to keep turning the page to find out what happens next. The art is also a plus – at one point in this volume, Morishige looked straight out of Drifting Classroom, a title this work has echoes of. This is definitely a series that works best in short, 160-page volumes – as an omnibus, it would be entirely too crushing, and even in these short bursts I long to cleanse my palate with something that has humor and fluffiness. But if you like tense, over-the-top teen thrillers, it’s one of the most compelling. – Sean Gaffney

Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 9 | By Hiro Arikawa and Kiiro Yumi | Viz Media – The cliffhanger to the last volume is resolved quickly, in a chapter that’s the weakest of the book. Luckily, stronger stuff happens next. With a hero who can get as dense as Iku, it’s great to see her excel in something other than “kicking asses”, and her scenes with the children in the library are pure gold. Even better is the final chapter, which revolves around censorship of a certain word. At first I wondered if there was a translation issue, as the word censored seemed totally bland. Of course, that’s the point – unchecked censorship can go after any word, phrase or medium, and the sheer innocuousness of it is why the Library Forces – and real life organizations – exist. It also sets up another cliffhanger, of course – this series is very good at making you want the next volume now. – Sean Gaffney

Manga the Week of 4/10

April 4, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, MJ, Michelle Smith and Anna N 5 Comments

SEAN: Yes, that’s right, after catching up digitally this week, next week will see the debut of Excel Saga 25! Both digitally and in print! We’re close to the end, folks! There’s only two volumes to go after this one! With Excel go back to her body? Will Watanabe win Hyatt’s heart? Will Misaki be tsundere or simply have a nervous breakdown? Will Elgala continue to be Elgala? We’ll find out next week! Can you stand the excitement?

So, what are you buying this week?

MJ: Ahem.

SEAN: Hm? Did I forget something?

MJ: (glares)

SEAN: OK, OK, it’s possible there’s a few more things coming out next week…

Speaking of series that have been going on seemingly forever, Oh My Goddess hits Volume 44. Forty-four! That’s as many as four elevens. And that’s fantastic. We’re still trawling through hell, meeting mini-boss after mini-boss, and this is still looking an awful lot like the series may wrap up after this arc. But we shall see.

As I noted in my Pick of the Week, some folks got their copies of DMP’s Unico a bit early. But it hits retail shops next week, and is a great Tezuka title for kids (in the same way that, say, Book of Human Insects isn’t). That’s not to say it doesn’t have sad or dramatic moments, but it’s definitely all-ages fun. And in full color!

MJ: I missed backing the Kickstarter for this, so I’m looking forward to picking it up.

SEAN: Kodansha is putting out Volume 3 of Missions of Love, a title I’ve enjoyed. I suspect the love triangle will get ramped up quite a bit, given the cliffhanger from last time…

MICHELLE: I read volumes 1-2 fairly recently, and it’s probably not a good sign that I utterly forgot the series even existed until just now.

SEAN: Seven Seas has the 7th volume of A Certain Scientific Railgun, one of my favorite titles of theirs. We just wrapped up a dramatic arc, and glancing at the cover, I expect that we’ll see a lot of cute comedy and quasi-romance here to make up for it. Should be fun.

The other series is a debut, though fans of Alice in the Country of Hearts may find it awfully familiar, as it shares the same author and is based off a similar series of Otome Games. Crimson Empire 1: Circumstances to Serve a Noble may sound like it’s straight out of Harlequin with that title, but it features hot assassin maid bodyguard action!

ANNA: I am somewhat tempted by this, just because I enjoy the Alice franchise much more than I expected to. And I love romance stories with insanely long titles.

MICHELLE: Wow, the cover for Crimson Empire looks very much like a BL cover with a random girl on it.

SEAN: SubLime offers us Vol. 4 of Punch Up! Unfortunately, I can’t find cover art anywhere, so can’t do my usual schtick of talking about BL with the cover as my only guide. So, I got nothin’.

MJ: For what it’s worth, this title is a favorite of Michelle’s, so I’m inclined to give it a thumbs up, with or without a cover.

MICHELLE: Yeah, it has really grown on me.

SEAN: Viz has Case Closed 46, in which I’m pretty sure some sort of mystery will be solved, and Conan… um, Jimmy will still be trapped as a little kid. Call it a hunch.

Itsuwaribito got to Vol. 8 before I even realized it, and it’s still running in Japan. This apparently features the cast arriving on an island and a character named Kuroha, but is not a Princess Tutu crossover. At all.

Loveless has another omnibus, collecting Vols. 5-6. Apparently it’s even more angst-filled than the previous two omnibi. If that is realistically possible.

ANNA: I have the first omnibus of Loveless sitting on my shelves and keep meaning to get to it.

MJ: Given my post last week, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I’m eagerly anticipating this volume. This has been one of my most enjoyable recent discoveries. Tension is really ramping up, too, so this installment should be pretty intense.

SEAN: Lastly, there’s the debut of Tiger & Bunny, whose anime has been insanely popular over here, so it’s no surprise that Viz would license the manga, which comes out in Kadokawa’s Newtype A. I’m not entirely sure what the series is about myself, except “superheroes” and “this BL fandom is so large it’s not even funny”, so look forward to seeing exactly WHY it’s insanely popular.

MJ: Michelle and I will be reading this for our next installment of Off the Shelf, and I’m looking forward to digging in!

SEAN: Oh yes, Midtown strangely has the first volume of No Matter How You Look At It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular! out next week, which is a bit of a stretch, given Yen announced it Saturday with an October street date. I expect that’s a glitch.

So, aside from the obvious (Excel Saga!), what are you getting this week?

Please Save My Earth, Vols. 1-5

April 2, 2013 by Anna N

One of the things I was most excited about when Viz launched their digital store was the possibility that some of their backlist shoujo titles would get released in digital format. The one series I was most wanting to experience again was Please Save My Earth. I read the first few volumes of the series many years ago, but dropped it. At the time I was a bit frustrated about the lack of forward movement in the story, even though I thought the manga was interesting and well-constructed. I know that plenty of people have read the whole series and consider it a favorite so I was anxious to give it a second try.

The first volume opens by introducing the slightly strange heroine of Please Save My Earth. Alice has just moved to Tokyo from Hokkaido, and she’s having a hard time adjusting. She has an affinity towards plants and feels cut off from nature in the big city. Alice is tormented by an oddly precocious neighbor boy named Rin. As she’s excaping the stress of school she happens upon an oddly intimate conversation between two of her male classmates, Jinpachi and Issei. At first Alice thinks that she’s stumbled across a moment from a yaoi manga and concludes “this is what manga fangirls are supposed to weep with joy over!” Later, Jinpachi and Issei explain the meaning behind their conversation – every night they share the same dreams where they are male and female scientists marooned on the moon.

Rin has an accident while Alice is babysitting him and is in a coma for several days. When he wakes up, the bratty boy seems to be taken over by a much more cynical and manipulative personality and he begins to exhibit an obsessiveness over Alice that would be even more disturbing in a grown man. Alice has a dream where she’s a woman named Mokuren, on the moon with Shion, the man she loves.

As the early part of the series progresses, Alice, Jinpachi, and Issei start tracking down other people who share their alien moon dreams by placing an ad in a kooky paranormal magazine. They start having regular meetings, trying to piece together the history of what happened to the alien scientists. Many of the feelings of the adult scientists tend to transfer over to their female incarnations, as Jinpachi starts to exhibit signs of the unrequited love his counterpart Gyokuran had for Mokuran/Alice and Issei/Enju remains on the sidelines.

Hiwatari’s art shifts back and forth from a cartoonish classic 80s style showing the schoolkids to a much more lush and detailed way of portraying life on the moon. One thing that I’d forgotten that I noticed much more the second time around were the touches of humor included in the story such as a random Saint Seiya reference and the occasional mention of shoujo magazine publishing conventions. Jinpachi is congratulated on his emotional conviction when he’s so stirred that he has to be portrayed in a two page spread.

A manga that focused only on characters sharing their dreams about being teeny tiny aliens on the moon might not seem to be very compelling reading on the surface, but there’s plenty of dramatic tension in the way the Moon and Earth stories intersect. The aliens are the last outpost of a dying race, spending their remaining time observing the Earth. But some events show Mokuren and Shion together after all of their companions have died off from an unexpected disease. The mystery behind the final days of the aliens is tricky to put together, as the events shown in the dream flashbacks shift forwards and backwards in time.

Rin is Shion reincarnated, and it is difficult to tell if his scheming is a desperate attempt to put things right or a form of revenge for being left alone on the Moon base for so long that he went insane. Rin is able to manipulate both the adults and high school kids around him, tagging along with Alice and coming up with an elaborate scheme to hide his true reincarnated identity. There’s a bit of a race against time element at play, as the other reincarnated high schoolers start to piece together more and more information about their previous lives, Rin may be able to manipulate them into revealing some information that would allow him to access the dormant alien technology from Earth. Rin also has developed psychic powers, which makes him quite terrifying as a hidden antagonist to the story.

With the digital availability of this series it is very easy to read several volumes at once, and I think that will end up being the most rewarding option for most readers. I wonder if part of the reason why I was starting to grow impatient the first time around was due to delays between volumes. The story of Please Save My Earth progresses in a very compelling way, with past lives informing the reader of the character’s current motivations. I’m interested to see if they are going to play out their tragic fates again, or if free will and the changed personalities of Alice and her gang are going to cause their lives to take a turn for the better. I’m happy to have the chance to revisit this series.

Pick of the Week: Saiunkoku conclusion & more

April 1, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: It’s rare that I go off of my own reservation, especially in a week with so much stuff piling in. But my pick of the week just arrived in the mailbox, and will be hitting stores soon: Unico, the new release of Osamu Tezuka’s put out by DMP’s Kickstarter label. Unico is a children’s title (in full color) about a unicorn who can bring others happiness; that said, it’s not as happy and fluffy as you’d expect, and can be quite tearjerking. It’s great to see, and I can’t wait to dig into it.

MICHELLE: Despite the presence of favorites like Sailor Moon, Dawn of the Arcana, Kimi ni Todoke, and Slam Dunk on Sean’s list, I am going to have to give my pick to a beloved series that’s ending this week: The Story of Saiunkoku. I’m very glad we got the chance to read this, but I’m so sad the manga has ended already, when there’s so much story in the light novels that we will never see! Still, that’s no reason not to read the part of the story that we did get, because it’s utterly charming.

ANNA: Since I can’t pick Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin two weeks in a row, I will highlight Library Wars Vol. 9, which is reaching increasing heights of romantic adorableness as Dojo and Kasahara seem to spend most of the volume blushing, lost in thoughts about their feelings for each other, and occasionally fighting the evil forces of library censorship. This shoujo manga isn’t very deep, but it is consistently enjoyable and always makes me smile.

MJ: There are a lot of strong titles on this week’s list, including all those mentioned above, but given that it’s reached its eighth and penultimate volume, I feel I must continue to root for Toru Fujisawa’s GTO: 14 Days in Shonan. When I placed this at the head of my Top Five New Print Manga of 2012, I talked a lot about Onizuka’s status as a genuine badass, and after volume seven’s terrifying blow against the kids he’s worked so hard to protect, I’m counting on his stubborn, badass nature to see us through. This is a series I’ll savor to the end.

Readers, what looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/1/13

April 1, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Anna N, MJ and Michelle Smith 1 Comment

This week, Sean, Anna, MJ, & Michelle look at recent releases from Kodansha Comics, Viz Media, Yen Press, and Vertical, Inc.

Attack on Titan, Vol. 4 | By Hajime Isayama | Kodansha Comics – The art still has issues with facial differences, but this is finally the volume where we see developed characters beyond the big three. Annie and Jean both get to show off potential antagonist chops, but my favorite was Sasha, or “Potato Girl.” In a manga as deeply depressing and bleak as this series is, we need moments of levity—moments we didn’t get in the first three volumes. Sasha’s personality, love of food, and general liveliness are a breath of fresh air. Of course, that doesn’t mean this volume is all laughs. We cycle back and forth between training flashbacks and the present day so quickly that I lose track of which is which (black borders would help, Isayama—don’t you read manga?), and the present day is bad for everyone, with more corpses, more distrust of Eren, and a bleak future promised. Also, Blouse? Not Braus? This reminds me of Fairy Tail romanization… -Sean Gaffney

Demon Love Spell, Vol. 2 | By Mayu Shinjo | Viz Media I read the first volume and liked this series much more than Ai Ore!, and that was confirmed by the second volume, which kicks off with an unexpectedly poignant story of a lost fox demon. Miko continues to be a reasonable foil for any demons she encounters due to her almost bull-headed obliviousness. A scene of her fending off a demonic spirit with an extra sandwich was hilarious. Kagura is very much the typical alpha male Shinjo hero, but his frequent transformations into a tiny handbag mascot keeps him from being too insufferable. This is going to be a go-to fun read for me whenever I need a bit of a laugh. – Anna N

Durarara!! Saika Arc, Vol. 1 | By Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi | Yen Press – As always with DRRR!!, there’s a lot going on here at the same time. Mikado fades into the background a bit, as we turn to Anri and her own self-esteem issues, which aren’t helped by a sexually harassing teacher. Shizuo is on the cover, and some of his backstory is covered here, showing why he is so incredibly strong—and why it’s a burden rather than a choice. And of course there’s also a series of assaults in the city, as everyone’s getting slashed by a mysterious demon sword—who’s also an internet troll. DRRR!! is the sort of series where explaining everything that’s going on makes it sound more complicated than it is. This is the life of a city, as filtered through about 20 different cast members. Like the author’s other series, Baccano!, there is no main character. Just lots of fun and chaos. – Sean Gaffney

Limit, Vol. 4 | By Keiko Suenobu | Vertical, Inc. – As swiftly as Limit‘s group of survivors came together in the series’ third volume, they fall apart even more quickly in the fourth, as it becomes clear that one among them has committed a brutal murder. Accusations are hurdled from all sides, and yet another member of their party will be lost before the group finally settles into a sort of grudging paranoia that is unlikely to abate anytime soon. Volumes of this series seem to fly by, that’s how engaging they are, and I emerged from this one with a combination of dread and feverish anticipation. Fortunately, these are being released on a reasonably brisk schedule, with volume five due out before the end of May. Given the series’ tense atmosphere and quick pacing, it’ll be a great candidate for marathon reading once all six volumes have been released. I look forward to that re-read for sure. Still recommended. – MJ

The Story of Saiunkoku, Vol. 9 | By Kairi Yura and Sai Yukino | Viz Media – The main storyline of The Story of Saiunkoku wrapped up quite satisfactorily in volume eight, and I never would’ve thought that a subsequent volume of side stories would be necessary. And, indeed, it really isn’t. There are three stories in this final volume—“So Began the Fairy Tale,” which offers a glimpse at the early loss of innocence suffered by Shoka, Shurei’s father; “Hurrican Ryuren Strikes the Capital,” about the eccentric member of the Ran clan who achieved the second-highest rank on the civil servants’ exam; and “Someday I Will Come to You,” about Shoka’s odd brother Reishin and his continued obsession with Shurei. Actually, rather a lot is made of Reishin and his obsession for Shoka, too, and it’s a joke that’s warn a bit thin with me. Nevertheless, this is a pleasant volume, if not the most dramatic or substantial. I’ll miss this series. – Michelle Smith

Paradise Kiss, Vols. 2 and 3

March 31, 2013 by Anna N

I was very happy to have the chance to experience this great series again in the new editions from Vertical. Paradise Kiss is one of the most emotionally nuanced josei manga that I’ve read, and these gorgeous oversized editions make it possible to appreciate Ai Yazawa’s art. One of the reasons why I like this series so much is that for a manga about a group of fashion kids putting on a show, it manages to explore the subject of love in an extremely unromanticized way. Beginning model Yukari is beginning to go through a process of self-examination, deciding for herself what her priorities in life are. She’s pushed to this in part by George, who is one of my favorite romance manga leading men, just because he’s so atypical. Bisexual, ruthless and driven to produce his vision of haute couture fashion, George is showing Yukari a new world but he doesn’t have the emotional sensitivity to be a 17 year old girl’s first love. Add in a wonderful supporting cast in the form of cross-dresser Isabella, the punked-out Arashi and painfully cute Miwako, and the reader of Paradise Kiss gets a manga masterwork.

The second volume shows Yukari deciding to drop out of school. Seeing the ParaKiss team work together to create something meaningful has made the deficiencies in her own life far to clear. Yukari has been dedicating her life to studying due to her mother’s ambitions, and she wants to put school aside and work until she figures out what she wants to do. She ends up running away from home when her mother is less than thrilled with her new life plan. The ParaKiss team is dismayed, but somewhat supportive. George intones “Even if you end up in hell, I refuse to take any responsibility.” Yukari ends up staying at Arashi’s place while he visits his home, and this entire volume shows how sincere and well-meaning he is. Yukari and George end up becoming closer and she moves in with him, but she’s too restless to enjoy lounging around his apartment all day. She looks around for work and helps out with the dress for the big fashion show. The only person from Yukari’s old life who seems to be concerned about her absence from school is Miwako and Arashi’s old friend Tokumori.

There’s more dramatic tension in Yukari and George’s romance, because it is clear from the start that things aren’t going to work out. Yukari is too anxious, trying to meld her personality to reflect her idea of George’s ideal woman, and while George cares for her, he has the self-involvement of a true artist. His work will always come first. Even while Yukari tries to cling on to George, she knows that they are going to end up being incompatible.

Everything turns bittersweet in the concluding volume of the series, as Yukari begins to launch herself into a modeling career, and the ParaKiss group prepares their showstopping dress. Preparing for the show isn’t going all that smoothly as Yukari starts having health issues and difficulty dealing with jealousy when one of George’s old classmates comes back for a visit. There’s a general sense that everything is going to end one way or another after the show. George is making unsuccessful attempts to launch Paradise Kiss as a label, and having difficulty. If the label can’t sustain them, everybody is going to have to split up and get jobs separately. In a more conventional manga, the show would happen, George would get a grand prize for his dress, and everybody would live happily ever after. Paradise Kiss explores the fashion world in a much more realistic manner. While Yukari is tall, she lacks the towering height of a supermodel. George’s own elaborate sense of aesthetics is holding him back from the type of commercial creations that a successful fashion label would require, but he’s not going to compromise his vision. Yukari and George’s relationship goes from a whirlwind of love to a relationship where they’re both burdened by each other’s expectations.

What makes Paradise Kiss so interesting as a romance manga is that so much time is spent exploring the reasons Yukari and George are going to split up. The book basically takes place entirely in Yukari’s head, so it is easy for the reader to be just as uneasy as she is about George’s true feelings. When his grand romantic gesture comes at the end of the series, it is easy to see just how much he cared for her. Paradise Kiss had a very satisfying and realistic ending, which elevates it among most romance manga. It is rare for me to feel like all the aspects of an emotional story arc were fully explored, but Yazawa is just that good. Reading Paradise Kiss again made me pine for more Nana or the possibility of a Gokinjo Monogatari translation. The oversized volumes make it possible to appreciate all the intricate details of the fashion-centric world the characters inhabit. These great editions from Vertical deserve a place on any manga fan’s shelf.

Manga the Week of 4/3

March 29, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Anna N, MJ and Michelle Smith 3 Comments

SEAN: Too much manga next week. Luckily, a good chunk of it came in everywhere except Diamond *this* week, so that takes a bit of the curse off.

Attack on Titan 4 still has lots of horrible death, grotesque horror, and the fear that this series will end with *everyone* dead. But – BUT – it has Potato Girl. More on her in my weekend brief. Suffice to say, she’s a great reason to grab this.

ANNA: I remember being vaguely intrigued when I saw the license announcement for this manga, but I never really followed up on that. Should I give it a whirl? I’m feeling a bit ambivalent knowing that there’s a “Potato Girl” in it.

MJ: I really liked the first volume of Attack on Titan, yet never bought more. “Potato Girl” might be the tipping point, though, for getting me into the bookstore.

SEAN: Battle Angel Alita: Last Order starts its omnibuses. I already reviewed this one, and suffice to say that I was mostly pleased, even if it is losing something by Kodansha being unable/unwilling to license the original Alita.

Fairy Tail 24 wraps up its Edolas arc and starts a new one, with a competition to see who will be the next S-class mage. Oh, and a surprise return! Big surprise – it divided the fandom when this came out in Japan.

Love Hina finishes its re-release with the 5th omnibus, a slightly smaller one containing the last two volumes. No surprises to see who gets paired off in the end, but the amount of focus on swordswoman Motoko may surprise people.

Sailor Moon hits the big 1-0 and wraps up the SuperS arc. (That’s right, there’s no cliffhanger for once.) This was the first Sailor Moon manga I ever read back in the day, and its disturbing nightmarish imagery still stays with me.

MICHELLE: Volume 10 wasn’t the first Sailor Moon manga I read, but it was the first one I reviewed. The review mostly consisted of squee about the Outers and Amazoness Quartet, though. Up next – the Sailor Starlights! I might be in the minority, but I do love them so. (Probably more in the anime, though.)

ANNA: Several years ago I would not have thought that there would be such an abundance of Sailor Moon. I am unfortunately behind on this series, but am looking forward to indulging in some binge reading one day.

MJ: Same here. I bogged down after a few volumes, mainly due to a limited budget. I need to pick up the pace!

SEAN: Meanwhile, on the Vertical beat, we have the penultimate volume of GTO: Shonan 14 Days. Given the cliffhanger from 7, I expect most of this volume to be things going very, very badly. Luckily, Onizuka doesn’t know how to give up.

MJ: I have so much love for this little series. I can’t believe it’s nearly over!

SEAN: Limit hits Vol. 4, and has a new girl on the cover, and no doubt lots of tense survivalist horror and teen drama.

MJ: After volume three, I’m really on the edge of my seat, though I approach volume four with some real apprehension. This series is that tense.

SEAN: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin 1 is Vertical’s big release. It’s a deluxe omnibus hardcover, and simply looks expensive and gorgeous. I’ve heard good things about the content as well, as many Gundam fans apparently cherish this.

ANNA: I am sooooooo annoyed that my copy of this is currently languishing on a FED EX truck somewhere.

MJ: I really want to love this, though I’m a little nervous, given the weight of its fandom. Having never watched the anime nor read any of the other manga adaptations, will I be able to approach it as a fresh, new fan?

SEAN: The rest of the list is aaaaaall Viz. Barrage ends its short run with Vol. 2, hitting the Shonen Jump new series wall. Still, this does not necessarily mean that it’s a failure as a story. It’s worth checking out.

MICHELLE: I definitely liked volume one enough to check out volume two. I agree that it’s worth reading.

ANNA: This was an enjoyable series.

MJ: Indeed!

SEAN: Bleach hits Vol. 56, and has probably survived that early cancellation problem that befell Barrage. It’s not as popular as it once was, but it’s still a mainstay.

MJ: Heh. Yes.

SEAN: Blue Exorcist is the cream of the crop at Jump Square, and every volume brings fresh new delights. I think they’re still fighting toxic monsters from beyond, so it’ll be nice to see how they fix that.

MICHELLE: I really need to catch up on this!

SEAN: Also at Volume 9 is Dawn of the Arcana, which runs in Cheese! but so far has not been nearly as saucy as I was expecting from that shoujo/josei straddling magazine title.

MICHELLE: There are a couple of small “huh?” moments in the plot in this volume, but overall it provides some good drama, as Nakaba’s power proves to be quite a burden.

ANNA: I enjoy it, mostly because it has a sensibility that reminds me of some of CMX’s great fantasy titles.

SEAN: Anna may be gone, but Maria’s problems are still around as Devil and Her Love Song enters its second half. Vol. 8 will no doubt introduce new plot twists. I suspect the choral director may feature. (At least we haven’t seen the evil teacher lately…)

MICHELLE: Another one I intend to catch up on soon.

ANNA: The choral director seems a bit too invested in Maria. I am suspicious of him.

SEAN: By popular demand, Hana-Kimi continues its cheap 3in-1 omnibuses, containing Vols. 10-12. Do you like crossdressing, misunderstandings, and as close to BL as Hana to Yume ever gets these days? Then this is for you.

MICHELLE: Snerk. I read this the first go ’round, and while I liked it for most of the time, the ending profoundly irked me. I have a hard time recommending it because of that.

ANNA: I love this series!

SEAN: Jiu Jiu has hits Vol. 4, and I’m still on the fence about it. It has its good points and its bad points, but I’m not sure there’s enough good points to keep up with it. Still, wolf boys. Gotta love ’em.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I think I’m done. I really did try.

ANNA: I am not feeling this series either.

MJ: I really wanted to like wolf boys, but… no. Not really.

SEAN: I have no such issues with Kimi ni Todoke, which is at Vol. 16 but will never be unwelcome in my come. With one exception (sorry, Kent, I still have issues), the cast is absolutely perfect. Who isn’t reading this?

MICHELLE: If you aren’t, get on it!

ANNA: Kimi ni Todoke is so great. I love reading the stories of the supporting cast.

MJ: What they said!

SEAN: Library Wars: Love & War is yet another Vol. 9, and has hit the dreaded “caught up with Japan” stage (or at least as caught up as Viz allows itself to get). When we left off, they were using Iku as cute bait to catch a molester. I expect CUTE VIOLENCE will ensue.

MICHELLE: I ended up enjoying the eighth volume a lot more than I expected to, so I’m looking forward to volume nine. Also, don’t forget to check out the trailer for the movie that Anna recently posted!

ANNA: There is no way I wasn’t going to love a series about weaponized librarians, but let’s face it, this series is mega adorable.

SEAN: Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. Saigon. I can’t believe we’re still in Saigon. Substitute “Kyoto” for Saigon and you have the gist of where I am with Nura. Still, I like it enough to soldier on. Especially as I know we still have at least two volumes to go.

Slam Dunk hits Vol. 27. I think basketball is involved in this particular volume.

MICHELLE: Hee. I’ve gotten to the stage where I’m starting to hoard the final volumes of Slam Dunk so I can read them back-to-back. That means I’ll have to wait ’til December, but it’ll be totally worth it.

ANNA: It is amazing how Slam Dunk can spread out one basketball game over several volumes and still manage to be utterly engrossing.

SEAN: Our last Vol. 9, as Story of Saiunkoku continues to be the shoujo Yes, Minister. Civil Service intrigue has never been so pretty.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this one, too!

ANNA: I am sorry to see this series end as I would happily have read 9+ more volumes.

MICHELLE: Oh, is this the end?! Somehow I completely missed that.

SEAN: It is the last one, and I totally missed it as well. The story continues in the 11 billion light novels that will never, ever come over here.

ANNA: That makes me sad, as I really enjoy this story. But I’m glad we at least got the manga!

MJ: I, too, am really sorry to see this series end. It was a rare and wonderful treat.

SEAN: Toriko is up to Vol. 15, and has a cover that can best be described as TEETH. I think we start a new arc here as well.

MICHELLE: Yeesh. I intend to read Toriko, really I do, but this cover is giving me pause.

MJ: I have never been able to stomach this series. So to speak.

SEAN: Lastly, there’s Vol. 4 of Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds, which I dunno, whatever, I fell off about 4 Yu-Gi-Ohs ago.

There has to be something in that pile for everyone. What’s yours?

Manga Shopping Bag: March

March 27, 2013 by Anna N, MJ and Sean Gaffney 2 Comments

ANNA: Welcome to Manga Shopping Bag, a new monthly feature that will showcase what exactly the Manga Bookshelf crew has been spending their hard-earned money on. We’ll cover both print and digital purchases, and highlight a few shopping deals along the way.

I don’t order from RightStuf very frequently, but sometimes they have deals that are so good you would have to be crazy to pass them up. Right now, they have discounted sets and individual volumes of 20th Century Boys, and I decided to dive in and get the volumes that I need to finish off the series. These bargain bundles are only good until April 4th, so snag this series while you can! I stopped reading at around volume 13 but always meant to get back to the series, so I’m looking forward to being able to experience the rest of Urasawa’s masterwork.

I also picked up Demon Love Spell 2 and I ordered Gundam: The Origin Vol. 1, which is coming out on March 26th. I’m looking forward to being able to read about perverted demons and giant mecha.

On the digital front, I decided to pick up volumes 1-3 of Please Save My Earth on the Viz iPad app. I’ve read a few volumes of this when it was first coming out but didn’t collect it, so I’m looking forward to reading this properly for the first time.

I was also really happy to see that Vertical was moving into digital editions for 7 Billion Needles, Twin Spica, and Drops of God, but since I already own print volumes of Twin Spica and Drops of God, I decided to pre-order the first volume of 7 Billion Needles. I am super happy that Twin Spica is coming out digitally, since the print volumes are going out of print.

I think that was plenty of manga shopping for me for March, what are you buying?

MJ: I’ve been feeling giddy on the digital front as well, especially regarding Viz’s new wealth of older shoujo—much of which I missed completely when it was being released in print. I picked up first two volumes each of From Far Away, Red River, and Angel Sanctuary (the first two of which Michelle & I discussed in this week’s Off the Shelf), and I plan to follow all these series through to the end, now that I can.

In print, I picked up volume one of Dark Horse’s new release of CLAMP’s Tokyo Babylon. I already discussed much of the content, but I guess this is my opportunity to report that it’s an absolutely gorgeous edition. Dark Horse’s large trim size and smooth, bright white paper really make the most of the series’ clean lines and deep blacks. I suspect I’ll hang on to my well-loved Tokyopop volumes for nostalgia’s sake, but Dark Horse’s edition is vastly more beautiful. I should note that though this officially retails for $19.99, Amazon lists it at $10.98, which is an impressive savings. I’ll be preordering the second volume soon.

As you can see, 80s and 90s shoujo is where my money most often goes. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Lastly, this may sound a little silly, but I saw a couple of sets of Fumi Yoshinaga’s Antique Bakery for sale on ebay that were just too good to pass up. I picked them both up to give as gifts. I just couldn’t let them go unsold. I should note, too, that a few of these volumes are currently on clearance at Akadot Retail.

SEAN: Generally I tend to review the print manga I buy (hence go read my blog or the Briefs for those opinions), but there’s quite a few digital titles that I’m revisiting thanks to Viz. One of the more interesting is Bleach, a series that I’d grown increasingly jaded about once I realized that it was better to read it in chunks of 20 so that I could read in real time. Back with the first few volumes, though, it’s a different beast, and almost seems like it’s going to be about death and how we ceremonialize and respect those that have gone before us. It also has Rukia’s drawings, which are hysterical, and Orihime’s crush on Ichigo, which is adorable. It’s easy to see why it became popular, in the days before it was battles lasting for 52 weeks.

I’ve evangelized about Excel Saga quite a bit, both on my blog and on Twitter, and it’s just fantastic to see that Viz has made nearly the entire series available on digital, including the hideously out of print Vols. 7 and 8. Now, I’ve gotten some flak about pimping this out on the Excel Saga forums, most of whom live in England or Europe and are thus regarding me as a brat dangling their favorite toy just out of reach. Sigh… international rights are still a bear. But for North American fans, it’s a great way to see that the anime is not the be-all-and end-all in regards to this series, and there’s plenty of plot and characterization excellence to be found among the biting satire and zany humor.

ANNA: Early Bleach is pretty great, and I’m also very excited about the older shoujo series that are coming out digitally.

Readers, what have you been spending your manga money on this month?

Pick of the Week: Blood & Mecha

March 25, 2013 by MJ, Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith and Anna N Leave a Comment

MJ: We’ve got some interesting titles to choose from this week—not a lot in the way of long-standing favorites, but quite a bit of variety. Given my initial reaction to this series’ cover images, I’m surprised to hear myself saying this, but I’m giving my vote this week to volume two of Yuuki Kodama’s Blood Lad. I enjoyed volume one quite a bit—more than my colleagues, I believe—so I’ll be delving into the second volume with a great deal of optimism. Apparently, otaku vampires are my thing after all! This title was a surprise hit for me, and I’m really looking forward to continuing with it.

SEAN: We’ve finally hit the last bad end of Higurashi: When They Cry, and it’s a really bad end, as you’d expect with the title Massacre Arc. The arc after this is a bit contested among fandom, but everyone seems to love this one, which may end in tragedy but is the emotional catharsis of every other arc that came before it. It may not run in Jump, but the precepts of Friendship and Training (well, living through the arcs could be considered training in a way) are here in spades, and will help to achieve Victory in the Festival Accompanying Arc. No victory here, though. But oh so close.

MICHELLE: I think I’m gonna go with Durarara!! Saika Arc this week. As I wrote in a recent Off the Shelf, so far “this is shaping up to be a lot more linear than the original, and I’d say a definite improvement.” The story’s self-contained, so one could start here, but be prepared for a disorienting glut of characters at first. Since you’d encounter the same even if you started at the actual beginning, though, there’s really no difference.

ANNA: I think Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin comes out this Tuesday, and I am genuinely excited for that. Based on the Japanese Aizoban editions and produced by Vertical, this is a manga that should be a treat to own.

Readers, what looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 3/25/13

March 25, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Anna N and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

This week, Sean, Anna, and Michelle look at recent releases from Kodansha Comics and Viz Media.

Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 9 | By Rei Toma | Viz Media – Dawn of the Arcana is shaping up to be a decent fantasy adventure! Nakaba and friends are presently in Lithuanel, attempting to broker an alliance with Senan, but the foreign land is no stranger to ruthless political machinations, as Nakaba soon knows all too well, thanks to her power, the Arcana of Time. In fact, this volume makes it clear that the ability to see into the past and the future is far more of a curse than a blessing, as Nakaba learns just what it is that her attendant Loki has been hiding and soon faces a terrible choice. Meanwhile, her husband, Caesar, sails home to an uncertain fate. A little bit of sloppy plotting and art that’s a bit too simple keep this title from achieving true epic status, but it’s still quite entertaining. Highly recommended. – Michelle Smith

Genshiken: Second Season, Vol. 2 | By Shimoku Kio | Kodansha Comics – Most of the original cast of Genshiken has moved on by this volume – Sasahara barely appears, Saki is absent, etc. But Madarame has always been Genshiken’s heart, so it’s no surprise that he can’t drag himself away from the narrative for long. Which is good, as it’s becoming clear that he’s having a mini-harem form around him. Not that he’s aware of it or anything. It’s good as this is a goldmine of humor, and allows Genshiken’s funniest characters – particularly Sue, who gets her own omake devoted to how awesome she is – shine. But what the 2nd season really seems to be about is Hato and his gender identity, and that’s handled quite realistically and sensitively. In short, it may be a second season with a new cast, but Genshiken still does what it’s always done best – give otaku nerds depth and heart.– Sean Gaffney

Kimi Ni Todoke, Vol 16 | by Karuho Shiina | Viz Media This is one of those shoujo series that is just always excellent. We see Sawako and her friends move forward with more self-awareness and maturity into their developing relationships. Sawako senses some distance between her and Kazehaya and attempts to deal with the issue. Kento attempts to develop his relationship with Ayane. Some of the best moments in this manga are when characters are just sitting and talking to each other, as Kento and Kazehaya discuss their relationship woes. Shiina’s use of paneling and shifting perspective makes everything visually interesting even when most of the manga focuses on heartfelt discussions as opposed to action. – Anna N

Psyren, Vol. 9 | By Toshiaki Iwashiro | Viz Media – I’ve been more of a fan of the modern day parts of Psyren than the dystopian future, though the leveling up of the Elmore Wood kids helped a lot in Vol. 9. Still, in a manga where the future can change such as this one, it’s hard to invest in it. Which is why it’s good to see a subplot with someone like Amakusa, a slimeball who is determined that since the world is destroyed, he may as well rule it. There’s always going to be people like him around after a tragedy. Luckily, he’s merely small fry, getting taken out merely by Marie getting very mad… and crumpling the entire building into a ball around him. Still, there’s no getting around it – this is a “fighting volume” of a Jump series, meaning that the plot mostly takes a pause… with the exception of Nemesis Q’s creator, whose big appearance is the cliffhanger of this good but not great volume. – Sean Gaffney

Rin-Ne, Vol. 11 | By Rumiko Takahashi | Viz Media – One of the big reasons that I go on about Sakura having her negative emotions stolen when she was in the afterlife is that she’s so normally passive that it’s hard to get a grip on her and understand her, and thus she runs the risk of becoming dull. Dull Takahashi characters make me sad. That said, the start of Vol. 11 continues to make me think there’s something to it, as Sakura gets some candy that allows her to not see ghosts… including Rinne himself. And, in her own subtly, low-key way, she realizes that she’s bored out of her gourd without them. (On the bright side, she does miss the many, many attempts on her life.) Other than that, we get the usual: ship tease that doesn’t really go anywhere, unhappy spirits who can easily move on because the whole things a misunderstanding, and lots of violence. Rin-Ne is what it is. – Sean Gaffney

Strobe Edge, Vol. 3 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – This third volume of Strobe Edge is primarily devoted to Ando, who is being groomed to take over the rival spot from Daiki now that he’s been quickly paired off. It’s always fun seeing the so-called player who’s found a girl that he’s genuinely fallen for, but can’t make that clear. Ando’s player tendencies have a serious past to them, much like every other character in this series. The pain of teenage love, and the fact that it doesn’t work out most of the time, is why we read Strobe Edge, a series that so far has no real bad guys. Even Mayuka seems beset by doubts when she shows up towards the end. But of course, if things remain as they are, we won’t have a plot, so that’s no surprise. Strobe Edge is slow paced, and may frustrate some people, but its bittersweet feelings seem just about right for me. – Sean Gaffney

Drama Diary: My Princess Eps. 8-16

March 24, 2013 by Anna N 3 Comments

Here’s my first My Princess post covering the beginning of the series, if you haven’t read it before!

The second half of My Princess becomes more serious as the political machinations pick up and everybody has to deal with Events From The Past, as one does in kdramas. The restoration of the Monarchy is going to go up to a public vote, so the President and other politicians are very interested in the outcome. The President supports the Monarchy on the surface because he owes Hae Young’s Grandfather a great deal, but in reality he is not thrilled about a new ceremonial Korean Monarchy pulling focus from the elected government. The toppling of the Monarchy is aided by the evil Yoon Joo, who gets a willing accomplice in Seol’s sister Lee Dan. Lee Dan manages to steal a royal artifact from Seol’s house and starts claiming to be the real princess. Professor Nam tries to head off Yoon Joo, but isn’t entirely successful. While most of the time in kdramas the evil second woman isn’t particular sympathetic, I thought that Yoon Joo was so irredeemably bitchy that as a viewer I wouldn’t really be satisfied unless she was somehow seriously maimed by a runaway truck at the end of the series. Unfortunately, no maiming of Yoon Joo actually happens.

Please die in a fire, evil lady!

Seol and Hae Young are pushed apart by the rumor that his father persecuted her father and caused his death. Seol is dedicated to bringing back the monarchy in order to restore his reputation, and the idea that Hae Young’s father might have caused her tragic early life is very painful to her. One of the repetitive aspects of this kdrama that actually gets a bit wearying as the series goes on is the sheer number of times that Seol runs away from Hae Young, only to be reunited with him a half hour later. Also, it seems like the South Korean government just places travel bans on people willy nilly, as everyone is always fleeing to the airport only to be told that they are unable to leave the country. Seol’s constant fleeing might have decent motivations, but it does make me question her sanity in avoiding a brooding rich diplomat who clearly adores her.

Seriously, would you run away from a man with this face!?

As things begin to get worse for the would be Monarchy, Professor Nam and Hae Young begin to grudgingly work together. One of the most amusing things about this series are the random displays of alpha male posturing when they start arguing over ridiculous things like cuts of meat in an attempt to establish who is doing a better job looking out for Seol.

Who is more handsome!
I am!
No, I am!

This series manages to last for 16 episodes purely because Seol and Hae Young are each determined to suffer in silence and not burden each other with their problems. While this might be noble, it is a bit infuriating that Seol never comes out and tells the Professor or Hae Young how badly Yoon Joo is bullying her, although both men figure out what is going on. Hae Young ends up solving many problems through his sneaky diplomatic skills, but by putting the Monarchy first, the Princess and the Diplomat might have to put romance aside.

So cute, I can’t stand it.

Hae Young and Seol are one of my favorite couples out of all of the kdramas I’ve watched so far. The actors have great chemistry. The relationship between them has an amusing dynamic, because while Hae Young tends to act in a very high-handed manner most of the time, when Seol decides to get back at him by doing something like pretending to go to a marriage meeting he immediately drops his arrogant pretenses and starts acting overly concerned. I enjoyed rewatching this series, because I was reminded of some of my favorite moments, like Seol trying to erase her slightly perverted internet history and Seol and Hae Young bonding by sitting together in an antique car museum exhibit. The final episode pairs everybody off nicely, and while I would like to see the villains of the series be punished even more, there’s something to be said for the comfort found in happy endings.

Watch now at DramaFever!

Manga the Week of 3/27

March 21, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, MJ and Anna N 2 Comments

SEAN: Last week of the month, and we have a few interesting tidbits from around the mangasphere.

Dark Horse has the 2nd and final omnibus of CLAMP’s Angelic Layer. I seem to recall there was some big complaint with this book, but can’t recall what it was. Whatever it was, this is the big series where folks prefer the anime to the manga, so I’ll be interested to see how much CLAMP break their own premise this time. As we’ve seen, they later got in the habit of breaking every series they did in some way. Was this the first?

MICHELLE: Somehow I missed the first omnibus of Angelic Layer coming out! I still have my TOKYOPOP editions, which I’ve read, but I don’t remember what the difference between the manga and the anime was. (Tangent: my big series where I prefer the anime to the manga is Gravitation!) I liked it enough to keep it, at least!

MJ: I’ve been saving these up to read together, as it’s one of the few CLAMP series I never picked up. I’m looking forward to finding out whether it’s my kind of CLAMP.

ANNA: I’ve also never read this, so I am curious to hear what you guys think before I dive into another CLAMP series.

SEAN: Kodansha has the 2nd season of Genshiken continue with Vol. 2. The cover features the new characters, and I’m hoping the focus is put squarely on them before it returns, as it inevitably will, to the original cast.

We have finally hit the end of Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, with the 2nd volume of the 21st Century Epilogue. It’s been an epic journey, thank you, Viz. And I fear, bar a major surprise, it will be the last Urasawa we see over here for some time.

MICHELLE: I like to marathon my Urasawa, so I actually haven’t read 20th Century Boys beyond the first volume. At some point I will have to find the time to remedy this.

MJ: Fortunately, Urasawa is eminently re-readable, so if nothing else, we can revisit old worlds while waiting for the new.

ANNA: I think I’m only halfway through this series, but I intend to catch up one day!

SEAN: And then there’s Yen, not arriving at Midtown but arriving everywhere else. First off, we have a digital Light Novel, Another (which I believe is Part 1 of 2) hitting Kindle and Nook. Horror has sold quite well for Yen, and so we’re going to continue to see more of it – I think the manga adaptation of this is due out in the summer. It has supposedly dead students who aren’t quite the urban legend folks thought, creepiness, and lots and lots of corpses.

MJ: Well, hm, that sounds like it might be fun.

The 2nd omnibus of Blood Lad is out. The first one wasn’t a huge hit with me, but I liked it better than I expected, and I’m hoping for good things for this one as well. Though I’m sure it will have lots of fanservice as well. As these titles often do.

MICHELLE: I’m actually interested to read this too, after the intrigued reactions volume one received ’round these parts.

MJ: As you probably know, I quite enjoyed volume one of Blood Lad—much more than Sean did. So I’m definitely looking forward to digging into the second volume.

SEAN: Durarara!! hits the 2nd arc, called the Saika arc. Something is going around slashing people in Ikebukuro! Who is it, and what do they have to do with our heroes?

MICHELLE: I liked this volume. Celty gets her sleuth on!

SEAN: Higurashi: When They Cry wraps up its penultimate arc, as the Massacre Arc shows us why it has that title. Expect heartwarming moments intermixed with appalling tragedy and death. As usual.

Jack Frost is manwha, and I haven’t read it since the first few chapters, but hey, let’s throw it in here. Vol. 7 is out. Is the girl still just a head?

MJ: I’m behind on this series, but I’ve lately had the hankering to dig back in, so perhaps I’ll be able to answer that for you soon, Sean!

SEAN: Soul Eater hits lucky Vol. 13 and Baba Yaga Castle gets a lot louder with the addition of Black*Star. This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite shonen series, so I can’t wait to read more.

Lastly, there’s the release – also digital only – of Welcome to the Erotic Bookstore, an odd ecchi title about a used bookstore that decides to add some adult videos and sex toys to its merchandise. It’s already out on Nook, and apparently will have an iPad app. It may be on Amazon’s Kindle site soon as well. So, if you are able, check it out!

What’s your springtime manga?

Library Wars: Love and War, Vol. 9

March 19, 2013 by Anna N

Library Wars: Love and War, Vol 9 by Kiiro Yumi

This manga is one of my go-to comfort reads. As a librarian, I am always happy to read about Library Wars‘s slight goofy premise of librarians becoming a paramilitary force to fight censorship, and while the development of the inevitable romance between overly tall rookie recruit Iku Kasahara and her intense, slightly short, and ever capable instructor Dojo might not be filled with much suspense, there are plenty of adorable and amusing moments along the way.

Iku now knows that Dojo is her fabled “Prince”, the long lost officer from her past who inspired her to join the Library Force. Dojo doesn’t yet know that she knows, but it is growing more and more difficult for the would-be couple to hide their feelings for each other. This volume is fairly episodic, but the stories do serve to push Iku and Dojo closer together. Iku takes part in a sting operation to catch a pervert that is preying on disabled women in the library, and Dojo isn’t very happy that she was placed in harm’s way even though she does manage to finish off the mission capably. Most of the volume centers around the skill test that Iku, Tezuka, and Shibazaki must pass to move up a level. Tezuka and Shibazaki don’t need to worry about passing the written part of the test, but Dojo volunteers to subject Iku to some merciless tutoring to make sure that she’ll be able to advance in her chosen profession. The skills test is where Iku will shine, because it involves leading a storytime for little kids. Tezuka has a bit of a child phobia, and he isn’t sure how to handle it. Iku seems incredibly casual about the situation but as she wanders around going on extra walks, she’s actually designing an incredibly successful active learning activity that ensures she’s going to pass the skill test with high marks. There are some great moments of awkwardness as Dojo apologizes to Iku for not having more faith in her, and she tries to give him a present in thanks for his help on the test.

In many ways, Library Wars is a standard sort of shoujo title, but Yumi’s art easily shifts between showing details of blushes and cartoonish negative emotions as the characters experience the agony of unexpressed love. The paramilitary library plotlines are amusing if one doesn’t think too hard about them, and Iku and Dojo are such a cute couple that I’d happily read many more volumes of the manga.

I didn’t realize that a live action movie adaptation was going to be released in Japan next month! Check out the trailer, what do you think?

Bringing the Drama: Stars Falling from the Sky

March 19, 2013 by Anna N, Michelle Smith, Nancy Thistlethwaite and Emily Snodgrass 1 Comment

Anna: Stars Falling From the Sky is a drama with an unusual plot twist as the circumstances of the heroine change dramatically between the first and second episode. Jin Pal Kang is the worst insurance saleswoman in Korea. She’s superficial and spends most of her time shopping and spending her meager salary on items to attract the attention of her crush, an emotionless lawyer named Won Kang Ha. Pal Kang’s family life is extremely chaotic as her parents have adopted five younger siblings. Pal Kang’s life drastically changes when her parents get killed in a car accident. She manages to secure a job as a housekeeper for the handsome lawyer, but becoming the sole provider for five adopted siblings and actually maintaining her insurance job is going to be difficult! Won Kang Ha’s house is also occupied by his feckless nephew and his overly kind brother, providing a perfect set-up for a love rectangle. Stars Falling From the Sky is available on Dramafever.

Stars Falling From the Sky!

I found this series immensely addicting and I watched all 20 episodes in a couple weeks. What were your reactions to the first few episodes?

Michelle: I went from almost violently hating everyone—except Pal Kang’s long-suffering best friend—in episode one to feeling pretty addicted myself by the end of episode two! The heroine turns around overnight, practically, and even the kids grow more distinct. I think I might end up actually making it to the end of this series (which would be a kdrama first for me), which I didn’t think would be possible when it took me several sittings to get through just the first episode.

Anna: The first episode was rough going, just because really the only characters that I liked were Pal Kang’s parents. That being said, I had a certain amount of sympathy for how selfishly she was behaving just based on her hectic home life. If I was a young 20something and was still living at home with a gaggle of siblings causing chaos everywhere, I might become overly fixated on snobby lawyers and shopping myself. I thought the ending of the first episode was so shocking I immediately started watching the second, and then I was hooked. One of the things I like so much about this series is the more realistic way the characters develop. Pal Kang becomes a much better person but it doesn’t happen overnight.

Michelle: I suppose I never did hate her dad, but her mother frustrated me with her refusal to do anything about the younger siblings destroying Pal Kang’s things and, in fact, blaming it on Pal Kang. But you’re right, the end of the first episode suddenly gets riveting starting with the parents going to the site of the proposed hospital. When I wrote that Pal Kang turns around overnight, I didn’t mean that she completes a transformation, but that she suddenly sees how frivolous she has been. And even when times are tough in her housekeeping situation and her first instinct is to complain about unfairness, she quickly follows it up with gratitude that they’ve all got a roof over their heads. She’s no saint, but she has matured a great deal quite abruptly.

Pal Kang sports the latest in apron fashions.

Emily: Yeah, this is something I really enjoyed about this series – the unconventional heroine, Pal Kang. Yes, in episode 1 she starts off as very immature and flighty and irresponsible. It is almost painful to watch. But when times get rough, she makes a difficult decision and then STICKS to it. She changes herself, and then abides by her choice even when all the other characters around her try to drag her into the usual kdrama love triangle nonsense. While it does take her some time to ramp up her skills- it’s one thing to make a decision, and another to actually have the knowledge about exactly how to make things work, she keeps pushing forward and puts family first. Other characters put her into typical kdrama situations – especially the amazingly awful and delusional obligatory female rival – but Pal Kang doesn’t have time for her crap, and pretty much says so repeatedly. She has an iron resolve.

I also enjoyed the family bond between Pal Kang and the kids. They do all develop distinct personalities and each one supports the family in a unique way. And the child actors are great.

Pal Kang, the Cranky Lawyer, and a Gaggle of Children.

Our grumpy hero doesn’t have much to work with for a while, other than, ‘be grumpy and mean,’ but he does loosen up eventually and have more to do later. Pal Kang’s influence changes him a lot, and even he learns to respect and understand her choices.

Anna: The child actors were an aspect of the show that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did. But they all had very distinct personalities, and I thought the oldest boy’s storyline portraying his anger at being suddenly orphaned was particularly good. Grumpy hero Won Kang Ha was grumpy, but I thought the writers at least gave him more history and motivation to explain his grumpiness, so I felt like his emotional remoteness was earned as opposed to being a bit of a stock character.

Michelle: I definitely came to like the kids more than I expected, especially since at the beginning their storylines revolve almost exclusively around having to go to the bathroom (complete with over-the-top squirming and facial expressions). Gradually, their distinct personalities do emerge and it’s fun seeing, for example, Cho-Rok and Pa-Rang have a discussion amongst themselves whilst the older kids are out of the room. I confess that clever Cho-Rok is my favorite.

Anna: The bathroom stuff was a bit excessive, but I will say as a parent to young children it is alarming how much you end up having to deal with bathroom stuff.

Nancy: I’ll touch on a few points already brought up. I hated this drama at first. Then it became engrossing, but I’m not sure it was worth all the hours in the end. I did dub this “Defecation Drama”–there should be a drinking game for every time a character has to go the bathroom, is constipated, is grabbing their ass (like that will help?!), or is grimacing while seated on the toilet. Oh, and the baby poop scene in the car… I thought they might actually slow-mo it or do a dramatic flashback because the makers of this show seem to be so enamored with poop!

Do NOT test a bottle that way!

Pal Kang was the high point of this drama. Her struggle to survive with her young siblings was very moving. There was enough drama without adding the scheming female relatives from the Jung family. Jae Young, the wannabe fiancée, was interesting before they made her jump off the deep end. The motivations of the Jung relatives made no sense after a while. Like in so many kdramas, the focus of the story was lost to its detriment.

The inevitable confrontation between lead guy and second lead guy!

I must bring up grandpa. He collapsed so many times in this drama after hearing startling news that I found it hilarious. If you watch this drama, see if you can predict each time grandpa will keel over.

Anna: It would be easy to come up with a drinking game for this drama based on bathroom issues, housekeeping problems, and grandpa’s collapses. There was something about the pacing and the cliffhangers at the end of each episode which were particularly compelling to me. I marathoned this series in a way I haven’t done with a kdrama in quite some time. Part of what interested me so much were the aspects of the series that were a bit unusual like Pal Kang’s unsympathetic character in the beginning. But I can see Nancy’s point about the standard kdrama plot points coming in and derailing the unique aspects of the show.

Emily: I could have done without most of the subplot involving grandpa’s family/corporate maneuvering and the obligatory Birth Secret, but I suppose it can’t be a kdrama without those things :) I liked watching the bond between Grumpy Hero and Sleepwalker ^^

Michelle: I reacted much the same to the cliffhangers, Anna. There was just something so compelling about them that made me forget all about bathroom ridiculousness. And I have actually not yet gotten to the bond between the Grumpy Hero and the Sleepwalker. Do you mean Pa-Rang? I anticipate some adorableness.

Nancy: Grumpy Hero and Sleepwalker were sweet. :3

Turn a lawyer into a marshmallow by making him deal with a child with an adorable sleep disorder!

Anna: So Stars Falling From the Sky features a heroine who is maddening at the start of the show but who redeems herself by the end, an over reliance on bathroom issues as a plot point, a grumpy lawyer lead guy, cute kids, a fainting grandpa, and some adorable sleepwalking. If you are going to embark on this show, I recommend watching at least the first two episodes before making a decision to continue or not, because it really does change drastically from the first to the second episode.

The family that scams grocery store samples together, stays together?

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