Ash Brown

Manga Giveaway: Kuroko’s Basketball Giveaway Winner

January 4, 2017 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Kuroko’s Basketball manga giveaway is… Coco!

As the winner, Coco will be receiving a copy of the first Kuroko’s Basketball omnibus, created by Tadatoshi Fujimaki and published in English by Viz Media. Tournaments often play a large part in sports manga like Kuroko’s Basketball but they can also be incorporated into other genres in interesting ways, too. For this giveaway, I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite tournament manga. I’ve collected some of the responses in the list below (combined with some additional titles), but be sure to check out the giveaway comments for all of the detailed replies.

Some of the tournament and competition manga licensed in English:
Air Gear by Oh!Great
Angelic Layer by CLAMP
Battle Angel Alita: Last Order by Yukito Kishiro
Crimson Hero by Mitsuba Takanashi
Cross Game by Mitsuru Adachi
Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
Eyeshield 21 written by Riichiro Inagaki, illustrated by Yusuke Murata
Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate
Hikaru no Go written by Yumi Hotta, illustrated by Takeshi Obata
Hunter x Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi
King of Cards by Makoto Tateno
Kuroko’s Basketball by Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Let’s Dance a Waltz by Natsumi Ando
My Hero Academia by Kohei Horikoshi
The Prince of Tennis by Takeshi Konomi
Real by Takehiko Inoue
Reborn! by Akira Amano
Revolutionary Girl Utena by Chiho Saito
Shaman King by Hiroyuki Takei
Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue
Toriko by Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
Welcome to the Ballroom by Tomo Takeuchi
Yakitate!! Japan by Takashi Hashiguchi
Your Lie in April by Naoshi Arakawa
Yowamushi Pedal by Wataru Watanabe
YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi
Yu-Gi-Oh! by Kazuki Takahashi

The above list is not by any means comprehensive, but it’s not a bad place to start looking for some tournament manga to read. Perhaps unsurprisingly, sports manga seems to predominate but there are a few other interesting titles in there as well. As always, thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in the giveaway and share your favorite manga tournaments with me! I hope to see you again for the next giveaway. (Oh, and happy new year!)

Pick of the Week: Bloom Into 2017

January 2, 2017 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: I adore Haikyu!! and Honey So Sweet and undoubtedly will be acquiring the new volumes, but I am very intrigued by Bloom Into You, particularly after reading Sean’s review, so that is my official pick for this week.

SEAN: There’s plenty of Viz this week to enjoy, but Seven Seas is where my focus is, with a new volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride and a new series, Bloom Into You. I’ll make that my pick, as it starts off looking just like many other derivative yuri series, but its new take on an old genre is refreshing and intriguing.

ASH: It’s Bloom Into You for me as well! I’ve been looking forward to the series ever since the license was announced. I’ll definitely be picking up Haikyu!! and The Ancient Magus’ Bride, too, though.

MJ: I’m absolutely on board with the group, here! It’s Bloom Into You for me! A Seven Seas pick is a rarity for me, so that’s an especially strong statement.

ANNA: I’ll be the outlier here and pick the latest volume of Honey So Sweet. This cute but not cloying manga is a great read to kick off the new year.

My Week in Manga: December 26, 2016-January 1, 2017

January 2, 2017 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Happy New Year, everyone! 2016 may now be over, but there’s still a little time left to enter Experiments in Manga’s December giveaway. Tell me a little about your favorite tournament manga or tournament story arc by Wednesday for a chance to win the first omnibus of Tadatoshi Fujimaki’s Kuroko’s Basketball. Also posted at Experiments in Manga last week were my random musings about some of the notable manga, comics, and other books that debuted in 2016. Despite there being three posts last week (which hasn’t happened in a very long time!) I actually wasn’t online much at all. As a result, I probably missed out on some interesting reading and announcements, so do let me know if there was anything particularly cool. One thing that I did see though was an interview with Kabi Nagata, creator of My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness which is scheduled to be released in English by Seven Seas later this year (and which I’m really looking forward to).

Quick Takes
Bungo Stray Dogs, Volume 1 written by Kafka Asagiri and illustrated by Sango Harukawa. The Armed Detective Agency specializes in the dangerous cases that the Japanese police and military either won’t or can’t handle. It’s a team of uniquely skilled individuals who have abilities that seem to come right out of fiction, but the “good guys” aren’t the only ones with formidable powers. While there are names that a more casual reader might recognize—Osamu Dazai, Edogawa Rampo, Junichiro Tanazaki, Ryunosuke Akutagawa, and so on—others, like the lead Atsushi Nakajima, are less well-known in English. (I actually happen to be a pretty big fan of Nakajima’s work.) Their supernatural talents and personality quirks are all based on their namesakes. For example, Dazai’s power is named No Longer Human and he has a penchant for attempting suicide. It’s off to an intriguing start, but I’m not sure if Bungo Stray Dogs will appeal quite as much to someone not as familiar with the literary references being made. It’s not necessary to understand them to enjoy the manga, though. So far, I am getting a kick out of the series and look forward to seeing how it develops.

Hunter x Hunter, Volumes 1-8 by Yoshihiro Togashi. I’ve been somewhat reluctant to start reading Hunter x Hunter (it might have something to do with the manga already being over thirty volumes long), but I’ve seen so much excitement and fan art for the series recently that I finally gave in. And I’ll admit, there’s a tremendous amount that I found appealing about the beginning of Hunter x Hunter. The setting is interesting, too, especially the concept of Hunters. These are people who, after putting their lives at risk to pass a grueling series of tests, are granted access to resources and information that others can only dream of. The manga largely follows Gon, a boy who wants to become a Hunter in order to find his father Ging, himself a hunter of great renown, as well as the friends and enemies Gon makes along the way. I really enjoyed the first story arc in which the candidates are trying to pass the Hunter exam. The second arc, while it serves an important purpose, I found to be a bit tedious as some of the world’s metaphysics are overexplained. However, the series quickly recovers its momentum again with clever action, intriguing characters, and drama.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Volume 1 by Coolkyousinnjya. Out of Seven Seas more recent monster girl manga, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is the one that I was most interested in. For one, I happen to really like dragons. It also doesn’t hurt that the series is yuri-esque and that the titular Miss Kobayashi is an adult woman working as a systems engineer. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid features some nudity and bawdiness but for the most part it doesn’t tend to be overly-sexualized which is also refreshing. The manga can actually be surprisingly cute, charming, and sweet. Hotaru is a dragon who has taken it upon herself to act as Kobayashi’s maid after Kobayashi saves her life. For her part, Kobayashi thought it was all an alcohol-induced dream and so is very surprised to discover that a dragon girl has made herself at home in her apartment. Why a maid specifically? It turns out that Kobayashi is a bit of a maid otaku (which becomes very clear when she goes off on drunken rants on the subject). Hotaru, who loves Kobayashi dearly, wants to do anything to make Kobayashi happy even if her efforts are somewhat awkward and frequently miss the mark.

Reindeer Boy by Cassandra Jean. I am a fan of Jean’s illustration work, and so I was very excited to learn that an original graphic novel was in the making. Reindeer Boy is based on a series of character drawings that Jean has been creating (and that I’ve been following) since 2013. The comic follows Quincy, a young woman whose life takes an unexpected turn when a group of students, all of whom have antlers, transfer into her high school. They seem to take particular interest in her, especially the flirtatious Cupid who claims they are Santa’s reindeer. Quincy’s not sure what to make of it all, but the more she gets to know them the more she likes them. Admittedly, the story of Reindeer Boy does feel like it was made to fit the characters rather than the other way around. It’s kind of a strange comic, but it’s fun, goofy fluff with a bit of romance, delightful characters, and beautiful, sensual artwork. Reindeer Boy, while telling a complete story, does seem to end rather abruptly. I’m not sure if there are plans to release any additional reindeer comics, but I’d love the opportunity to spend more time with the characters and learn more about the mythology that Jean has created.

Yuri!!! on Ice directed by Sayo Yamamoto. It’s been a long while since I’ve had the time and opportunity to marathon an entire anime series, but I knew that once I started Yuri!!! on Ice that I wouldn’t want to stop. And I was right; I love this series so much and hope that there will be a nice physical release that I can purchase in the future. The underlying story is fairly straightforward and simple: After a miserable performance at the Grand Prix, the career of Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki is falling apart when his idol Victor Nikiforov unexpectedly quits competing to become his coach. Yuri!!! on Ice is a series about love, passion, and inspiration in many forms. It’s also about people struggling against their selves, fighting through failure and realizing their self-worth. Yuri!!! on Ice is a tightly written and immensely satisfying show, but I do think it would have been even better if there were just a few more episodes to allow the characters and story more room to breathe. That being said, there is still some impressive character development with the series’ short span and the psychological elements are handled particularly well. Understandably, the leads receive the most attention, but I’d really like to know more about the supporting cast, too.

Random Musings: Notable in 2016

December 30, 2016 by Ash Brown

The end of 2016 has come and, as promised, I have compiled my annual list of notable releases of some of the works published within the last twelve months. All of the caveats from previous years still apply–to qualify a book must have been released in 2016 and I must have read it in 2016. (And I certainly haven’t read everything that’s been published this year.) Additionally, this year I’ve specifically decided to focus on debuts rather than continuing series (with one exception) and am limiting the list to one book per publisher in order to make it more manageable for myself. This is not a “best of” list or a list of favorites (that would be a much longer feature). It’s not even a list of all of the noteworthy releases from the past year, otherwise I’d probably never finish writing (2016 was an excellent year for manga in particular). What this list is is a subset of releases from the last year that, for one reason or another, left the most significant impressions on me.

The first manga published in English in 2016 which really made me take note was Ichigo Takano’s Orange. It’s a heartwarming but bittersweet story which deals with some very heavy topics including crippling guilt, regret, depression, and suicide. Orange resonated very strongly with my own personal experiences as someone who is both challenged by and knows others who struggle with similar issues. The manga can be heartbreaking, but Takano’s approach is immensely compassionate and life-affirming.

Inio Asano’s Goodnight Punpun is likewise a heartwrenching manga that deals with very serious and troubling subject matter. However, in the case of Goodnight Punpun, that exploration ends up being incredibly dark and surreal. I find the series to be remarkably compelling and the artwork is spectacular, but it’s certainly not what I would call light reading. The tragic coming-of-age story that Asano presents is deliberately uncomfortable and even the humor tends to be extremely bleak.

Devastating coming-of-age stories were apparently a theme for me in 2016 because The Gods Lie by Kaori Ozaki fits into that category as well. The Gods Lie was actually one of my most anticipated releases of the year and I was not disappointed. The manga is a beautiful, emotionally resonate work with a story that is both skillfully told and drawn. Ozaki addresses themes of abandonment, desperation, and death, recognizing that solutions to bad situations aren’t always easy or clear.

Although the subject matter of Rokudenashiko’s autobiographical manga What Is Obscenity?: The Story of a Good for Nothing Artist and Her Pussy is also quite serious—a portrayal of the circumstances surrounding her multiple arrests on obscenity charges—the volume itself is charmingly funny, sweet, and surprisingly upbeat. Rokudenashiko’s work as an artist and activist is both inspiring and empowering. I personally feel that What Is Obscenity? was one of the most important releases from 2016.

A few years ago, Drawn & Quarterly released a collection of Shigeru Mizuki’s Kitaro manga which I loved, so I was thrilled when a multi-volume Kitaro series was announced. Beginning with The Birth of Kitaro, the series has been specifically curated to appeal to younger readers although the manga is still a tremendous amount of fun regardless of age. Not very many classic manga are licensed in English these days, but with my particular interest in yokai, I’m glad that the influential Kitaro is one of them.

Kodansha Comics was the manga publisher that impressed me most overall in 2016 with the expansion of the range of its offerings. One of the most interesting releases actually wasn’t a manga but an original collection of Western comics inspired by Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan. Like any anthology, some of the contributions to Attack on Titan Anthology are stronger than others, but some are incredible. As a whole, the volume is a fantastic collection compiling a wide variety of styles and genres.

Another remarkable multinational effort from 2016 was Are You an Echo?: The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko from Chin Music Press. The children’s book, beautifully illustrated by Toshikado Hajiri, combines a biography written by David Jacobson with a selection of Kaneko’s poetry translated by Sally Ito and Michiko Tsuboi. Kaneko is relatively unknown in English but her work is utterly delightful, charming, and compassionate. Are You an Echo? is a lovely book and a treasure.

Technically, Han Kang’s Human Acts won’t be released in North America until 2017, but the English translation was first published in 2016. The novel was honestly one of the best books that I read all year. It was also one of the most devastating and haunting. Beautifully written by Kang and elegantly translated by Deborah Smith, Human Acts shows how past tragedies have long-lasting and far-reaching effects on the present and future. The novel is intensely personal, political, and powerful.

The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories is the second book by Ken Liu to have been published. (Liu’s first book, The Grace of Kings, was actually on last year’s list of notable releases.) The collection brings together fifteen of Liu’s short stories and novellas, a combination of award-winning works and the author’s personal favorites. The volume is consistently compelling and thought-provoking—as good speculative fiction should be—each story providing a distinctive and meaningful perspective.

As many people know, Lianne Sentar’s Tokyo Demons is one of my obsessions, so I would be remiss to not mention it here. 2016 was a great year for fans of the series: Know What You Want, a provocative collection of mature side stories, was released in print, the third book finished its serialization online with an extremely satisfying conclusion, and the beginnings of the sequel series Tokyo Ghosts began to make its appearance. I’m very glad for the opportunity to see the story and characters continue to change and evolve.

Manga the Week of 1/4

December 29, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, MJ and Anna N 1 Comment

SEAN: No respite for anyone this January, as unlike past years the manga keeps on piling in. What’ve we got next week?

Dark Horse has the 2nd Shinji Ikari Raising Project omnibus. So much lighter, fluffier Evangelion lately…

J-Novel Club debuts a new digital-only light novel series, and boy does this have a light novel title. I Saved Too Many Girls And Caused The Apocalypse has a tremendous number of volumes out in Japan, but it’s a harem series so that may explain it. At least our hero isn’t in a fantasy game-type world… I think.

Your Lie in April finishes from Kodansha with its 11th volume, and you’d better get ready for some Bridge to Terabithia level tears, let me tell you.

Seven Seas has a 6th volume of The Ancient Magus’ Bride, one of my favorites of their lineup. First printings will have extra material!

ASH: I’m really looking forward to this!

SEAN: They also debut Bloom Into You, a yuri title that for once is not ‘yuri for fanservice’s sake because girl-on-girl is hot’. This well-written series from Dengeki Daioh also boasts great art. If you enjoy manga like this but have avoided it because of Seven Seas’ recent yuri titles, give it a shot.

MICHELLE: I’ve been looking forward to this one!

ASH: Me, too! I’ve heard very good things about the series.

MJ: I will check this out!

SEAN: And there’s also a 10th volume of Magical Girl Apocalypse, for those who enjoy seeing cute girls dying.

Lastly, in case Seven Seas’s normal demographic was feeling left out, there is a 3rd volume of the Monster Musume side-story series I Heart Monster Girls.

And now it’s time for Viz. First off we have a 3rd volume of 7th Garden.

And a 3rd volume of “we’re still not Ouran” series Behind the Scenes!!.

ANNA: I still like it!

SEAN: The Demon Prince of Momochi House gets a 7th volume.

ASH: I just recently caught up with this series and plan on reading more.

ANNA: It is one of those series that just keeps getting better with each volume.

SEAN: And if you still can’t get enough of buying Dragon Ball over and over and over again, here’s the 5th Full Color Freeza Arc.

We’re on an odd month, so Haikyu!! is the sole sports series out from Viz this time.

MICHELLE: At least there’s never a month when we’re without!

ASH: Plus, Haikyu!! is great!!

ANNA: Yay for volleyball!

SEAN: Honey So Sweet has a 5th volume of cute cuteness.

MICHELLE: Yay. I could use some adorable about now.

ANNA: It is SO cute.

SEAN: And Naruto is still churning out 3-in-1s – this is the 17th.

Nisekoi 19 begins the march to slowly resolving all the harem pairings – and by resolve I mean let down gently.

One-Punch Man 10! PUNCHING!

MICHELLE: I am embarking on this series in the very near future!

ASH: I hope you enjoy! It can be a highly entertaining series.

SEAN: A new 3-in-1 debuts, as we now get Rurouni Kenshin for those who didn’t read it ages ago. If you didn’t, do so, it’s very good.

MICHELLE: Forsooth.

ANNA: It is so good! But I find it odd how many printings some series go through!

SEAN: An 11th volume of Seraph of the End stares quietly, waiting stoicly for me to make a vampire joke. I back down.

Skip Beat! has its 3-in-1s catch up with its main release again with this 12th omnibus.

Twin Star Exorcists trundles along as well with a 7th volume.

And we also get a 14th World Trigger, and wish the author a ‘get well soon’.

See what I mean? Not your usual slow January. Whadya got?

Manga Giveaway: Kuroko’s Basketball Giveaway

December 28, 2016 by Ash Brown

2016 is finally drawing to close. It’s been a tumultuous year for me personally, with all sorts of ups and downs, but one thing at least was constant–2016 was great for manga. But before the is completely over, there’s still time for one more manga giveaway to celebrate all of the great releases. This month you all have the chance to win TadatoshiFujimaki’s first Kurkoko’s Baskestball omnibus published in English by Viz Media. And as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

The licensing of sports manga have recently become more common; there are more, but the three major series that are currently be released are Yowamushi Pedaul by Wataru Watanabe, Haikyu!! by Haruichi Furudate, and Kuroko’s Basketball by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. Each series features a different sport–cycling, volleyball, and basketball respectively–but one of the many things that they have in common are the stories’ competitive natures. Competitions and tournaments provide a ready-made narrative for a series. Tournaments aren’t limited to sports manga, and not all sports manga have tournaments although most of the ones that I’ve read certainly do. When done well, tournament arcs can be very exciting events. When done poorly, they seem to drag on and seem to serve little purpose. Kuroko’s Basketball dives into it’s initial tournament game very quickly. I haven’t read much of the series yet, but so far the manga has been pretty entertaining.

So, you may be wondering, how can you a copy of Kuroko’s Basketball, Omnibus 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about a favorite tournament manga or favorite manga with a tournament arc. (If you don’t have one or haven’t read any, simply mention that.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

It’s as easy as that. Everyone participating has one week to submit comments and can earn up to two entries for this giveaway. Comments can also be submitted directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com if needed or preferred. The comments will then be posted here in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on January 4, 2017. Best of luck, and happy new year!

VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address in the comment form, a link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can’t figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I’ll just draw another name.

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Kuroko’s Basketball Giveaway Winner

Pick of the Week: Farewell to 2016

December 26, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N 2 Comments

SEAN: A bit of the post-Christmas blah, as there’s stuff I’m getting this week but nothing I’m wild about. I’ll make my pick the 2nd volume of The Ghost and the Lady from Kodansha, which features a great interpretation of Florence Nightingale.

MICHELLE: I think Cells At Work! Volume Two is the only thing I’m getting this week, so that makes picking it the obvious choice.

ASH: I’ll definitely be picking up the finale of The Ghost and the Lady, too, but my pick of the week has to go to Vinland Saga. For a time there it didn’t look like the rest of series would be translated, so I’m very happy to see more of the incredible manga finally being released.

MJ: I gotta admit there’s nothing I’m really keen to slap my money down for this week, so I’m going to go way off list. Sometime last week, Michelle convinced me that I needed to check out a digital-only series from SuBLime, The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, and I have a feeling I’m going to be picking up all the available volumes pretty quickly this week, in my post-Christmas haze. I haven’t paid enough attention to these digital series, which is a shame, since so often the kind of BL that I love best is not the kind that is popular enough to warrant print releases. At $5.99 a volume, they’re decently affordable, too, at least for a short series! So that’s my major purchase for the week.

ANNA: I’m with Ash, I’m most excited about the next volume of Vinland Saga. I thought that we weren’t going to see another volume translated, so seeing a new volume released is a wonderful surprise.

My Week in Manga: December 19-December 25, 2016

December 26, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Nothing other than the usual My Week in Manga feature was posted last week at Experiments in Manga. However, I still have a few things in store before the year is through. Later this week you’ll want to be on the lookout for the monthly manga giveaway for December. I’ve also been hard at work on my list of notable manga, comics, and other books that I’ve read that were released in 2016. That list should be ready to post in the very near future as well!

Quick Takes

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Volumes 2-6 by Aya Shouoto. It was the beautiful artwork and yokai that first drew The Demon Prince of Momochi House to my attention and that continues to be a large part of the series’ appeal for me. I’m also enjoying the story’s melancholic atmosphere as the manga explores themes of loneliness and the desire to belong. Himari, who is an incredibly sweet and caring person, is steadily building her relationships and friendships with the locals, ayakashi and humans alike. However, more the romantic elements of the series are admittedly less convincing. Although there is an underlying story about the mysteries surrounding Aoi and Himari’s efforts to free him from his tragic fate, The Demon Prince of Momochi House frequently almost seems episodic in nature as Himari is introduced to a variety of supernatural wonders and dangers. The seemingly directionless and less-than-cohesive storytelling can be frustrating and sometimes even feels a little shallow, but overall I find the series to be alluring and provocative and look forward to reading more.

What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Volumes 9-11 by Fumi Yoshinaga. I am incredibly happy that What Did You Eat Yesterday? is being released in English, so it makes me sad that the series doesn’t seem to be doing especially well in translation. It’s a shame, because it really is a wonderful manga. While I certainly appreciate the food aspects of What Did You Eat Yesterday?, I particularly love the realistic and nuanced characterizations found in the series. The food is all well and good, not to mention beautifully illustrated, but it’s the characters and their relationships that really make the series work. Shiro’s character development has probably been the most interesting and satisfying. I’m very glad to see his relationship with his parents improving even after some significant setbacks. While he’s still not out in his professional life, it is clear that he is becoming more comfortable publicly expressing his sexuality. Fortunately, Shiro and his long-term boyfriend Kenji have the love, support, and acceptance of others which makes that easier. More recently, rather than their homosexuality, what they’ve had to worry about are Shiro’s aging parents and the rising cost of living.

Yowamushi Pedal, Omnibuses 3-4 (equivalent to Volumes 5-8) by Wataru Watanabe. Out of the recent spate of new sports manga being released in North America, Yowamushi Pedal is currently one of my favorites. I have seen a fair amount of the anime adaptation so at this point I am very familiar with where the plot is heading, but even so I still find the original manga to be immensely engaging. Before Yowamushi Pedal, I actually didn’t realize how much of a team effort cycling could be; it’s interesting to learn about the various strategies that can be used to win a race. These couple of omnibuses largely focus on Sohoku’s intensive training camp and also introduce some of the major competition. The characters are fun, some of them are frankly pretty cool, too, and they all have distinctive personalities. The Sohoku team especially is made up of a group of quirky but likeable and talented young cyclists. Art-wise Yowamushi Pedal could almost be described as ugly, but I really like its highly dramatic and energetic style. Watanabe probably uses more speedlines than any other artist I’ve seen, but the effect is great.

Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volumes 2-3 by Yoshiki Tanaka. Despite the nearly constant war and political upheaval present in the Legend of the Galactic Heroes novels, the series isn’t really that action-oriented. I suspect some people will actually find it to be rather dry and perhaps even textbook-like. With only the occasional bout of melodrama, the series quickly moves from one event or venue to the next and the cast of characters only continues to grow. (Granted, as this is war, not all of them survive very long after being introduced.) Because the scope is so sprawling sometimes it feels as though Legend of the Galactic Heroes lacks depth of story and characters, instead opting for a wider view and summary of major events. However, Tanaka does show how the complexities of societal, political, economic, and militaristic influences can impact one another. The books frequently read like a popular history, and the series actually reminds me a bit of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, too. So far I’m really enjoying the series and find its story and characters interesting. I like the focus on tactics and strategy as well as the influence that real-life history has had on the series.

Manga the Week of 12/28

December 22, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: I remember only 4-5 years ago when the Christmas week releases numbered zero, or at most one. Those days are gone forever, though this is a light week compared to the previous ones.

Dark Horse has a 6th omnibus of the Astro Boy manga.

Kodansha has the 20th volume of Attack on Titan, and if you like there’s also the Special Edition which comes with an actual Titan that will eat you… OK, it’s just a DVD. But I bet they’d do it if they could.

Cells at Work! gives is a 2nd volume of anthropomorphic medical action.

MICHELLE: I’m reading the first volume now and it’s pretty entertaining. I’m interested to see how (and if) the story develops.

ASH: The first volume was a great deal of fun! I’m interested in reading more.

SEAN: And a second (and final?) volume of The Black Museum: The Ghost and the Lady. No word if the other series in this collection has been picked up.

ASH: I really liked the first half of this story. If the rest of the series is anywhere near as good, I hope it’s licensed, too.

SEAN: Potboilers continue to do well, as we get an 8th L♥DK.

Lastly, rejoice! An 8th Vinland Saga omnibus is here in all its glorious carnage.

ASH: I am beyond thrilled for Vinland Saga’s return.

ANNA: I did not realize that this was coming out, but I’m very excited!

SEAN: Seven Seas has D-Frag! hit double digits. My guess: there will be boke and tsukkomi humor within… like the nine previous volumes.

And a 4th survival game-ish Not Lives.

My #1 guilty pleasure, and believe me the guilt outweighs the pleasure by a metric ton, Seven Seas also has a 6th Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, where two amazing talents prove they can reinforce each other’s worst habits.

The debut next week is the first volume of Seven Princes of the Thousand Year Labyrinth. It’s one of the most Ichijinsha things you’ve ever met, despite also being a survival game. I reviewed it here.

ASH: I plan on giving the first volume a look at least.

SEAN: Lastly, Vertical gives us a 4th omnibus of Mysterious Girlfriend X. Get yourself some drool for the holidays.

MICHELLE: Ew.

MJ: Nothing really calls out to me from this week’s list, but I did want to say “Happy Holidays!” to all our readers, and to you all, too!

SEAN: So what are you getting with those Christmas gift cards?

Pick of the Week: Holiday Reads

December 19, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: There are several things coming out from Yen this week that I’m pretty excited about, but the one that I most look forward to—even more than Fruits Basket, since I’ve read that a time or two already—is the fourth omnibus of Yowamushi Pedal.

SEAN: I’m basically reading half this list (whimper), but there’s no doubt my pick of the week is Bakemonogatari. I’ve loved Nisioisin’s writing for some time now, and this is both his most popular as well as his most mainstream series. The fanservice can be appalling, but I’m ready for it.

ASH: I’m right there with you, Sean! There are so many things being released this week that I’m looking forward to reading. Yowamushi Pedal, Tomie, Goodnight Punpun, and Gangsta: Cursed are all definitely high on that list, but I think the manga I’m most curious about this week (and which therefore gets my pick) is the debut of Bungo Stray Dogs.

MJ: So, I feel a little guilty, because if I hadn’t already read it and been somewhat disappointed (look to this week’s Briefs for my elaboration on this point) my obvious choice would have been Jun Mochizuki’s The Case Study of Vanitas, given my long-standing devotion to her previous series, Pandora Hearts. But as it stands, I’m going to have to go with Bungo Stray Dogs, which has the advantage of not having had the opportunity to disappoint me yet. Is that fair? Maybe not, but there you have it.

ANNA: I absolutely adore Gangsta, so the prequel series is what I’m most interested in this week. I hope Gangsta: Cursed doesn’t disappoint me!

My Week in Manga: December 12-December 18, 2016

December 19, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

After a slight delay, November’s Bookshelf Overload was posted last week at Experiments in Manga. Last week I also came to the sad conclusion that my feature on Ichigo Takano’s Orange simply isn’t going to happen despite the progress that I’ve made on it and all of my best efforts. I’d like to extend an apology to everyone who was looking forward to that post, myself included. Orange deeply resonated with me and my own experiences and I wanted to share that with others. Specifically, I wanted to write an essay exploring its sensitive, honest, and compassionate portrayal of the very personal challenges surrounding issues of guilt, depression, and suicide. Ironically, it’s partly due to my own mess of anxieties, et al. that I’m having so much trouble lately. Even when I have the inspiration and desire, I’m still having a terribly difficult time actually writing. So, I’m not sure when my long-form features will return–even though I miss writing and sharing them, I’m trying to be kind to myself by giving myself a bit of a break–but I hope that it is sooner rather than later. However, I can at least still commit to regularly posting My Week in Manga, Giveaways, and Bookshelf Overload features! It’s not much compared to my past output, but at least it is something. Oh, and I’ll definitely be posting my list of notable 2016 releases at the end of the month!

Quick Takes

The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Mentaiko Itto. Bruno Gmünder’s Gay Manga line began in 2013 and the publisher has been slowly but steadily releasing gay erotic manga in English translation ever since. The Boy Who Cried Wolf is the second collection of Mentaiko Itto’s erotic doujinshi to be published by Bruno Gmünder. The volume collects three of Itto’s short manga: “Hamu and the Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “Holy Night,” and “As Swift as Lightning.” As I’ve come to expect from Itto’s work, in addition to uninhibited sex scenes there is also a fair amount of humor to be found in The Boy Who Cried Wolf as well as a great deal of heart. Unlike Priapus, Itto’s previous collection in translation, The Boy Who Cried Wolf is generally more realistic and less fantastic in nature. Granted, as a historical comedy of sorts, “As Swift as the Lightning” deliberately includes its fair share of anachronisms. But Itto actually incorporates some autobiographical elements in “Hamu and the Boy Who Cried Wolf,” a manga about a young man who is initially so deeply closeted that he unintentionally hurts the person he cares most about. However, because this is Itto, the story isn’t nearly as gloomy as that description sounds. The Boy Who Cried Wolf is a great collection of highly entertaining erotic manga. I truly hope that more of Itto’s work will be translated in the future.

In/Spectre, Volume 1 by Chasiba Katase. Although In/Spectre is based on the novel Invented Inference: Steel Lady Nanase by Kyo Shirodaira, Katase seems to have been given plenty of freedom in adapting the story as a manga series. If the note from the original author is to be believed, the currently ongoing In/Spectre manga is actually the more popular of the two renditions. Unsurprisingly, I was primarily drawn to the manga because yokai play a prominent role in the series. Considering the title I thought it might also be a mystery manga which, as it turns out, in some ways it is and in some ways it isn’t. I didn’t find the first volume of In/Spectre to be as engaging as I hoped it would be–at times the pacing can be agonizingly slow–but I am still greatly intrigued by the series. Now that the setting has been established and the rather peculiar characters have been introduced, I’m hoping that future volumes have more energy to them because I really do like the basic premise of the series. In/Spectre largely follows a young woman named Kotoko Iwanaga who has become a god of wisdom to Japan’s yokai. This has its benefits, but it also cost her an eye and a leg. She is responsible for helping to mediate disputes between yokai, but also for keeping the more unruly ones in check when humans are in danger.

Persona 4, Volumes 2-5 by Shuji Sogabe. Though I suspect that I would enjoy it, I still haven’t actually played the original Persona 4 video game, so it’s difficult for me to directly compare Sogabe’s manga adaptation. However, I can say that for the most part the manga can stand alone as its own work. However occasionally it does feel as though the characters are being railroaded and the story has only one possible path to take, probably a remnant from the manga’s RPG origins. While overall the artwork is attractive and stylish, the action-oriented scenes and fight sequences can be somewhat lacking in their execution. But I love the themes that Persona 4 deals with, especially those of personal identity and self-acceptance. As the series progresses, concepts of gender and sexuality come into greater play as well which (as always) I find particularly interesting. In general like all of the characters, too. Yosuke can unfortunately be a homophobic ass from time to time, but I absolutely adore Kanji, a tough guy with a good heart who has traditionally feminine interests and hobbies. Much of the character and story development in Persona 4 is ambiguous enough that multiple and sometimes opposing readings and interpretations are possible, some of which are frankly unflattering. Personally, I prefer and am more comfortable with the more positive interpretations.

Stand Still, Stay Silent, Book 1 by Minna Sundberg. The first book of Sundberg’s ongoing Stand Still, Stay Silent collects the award-winning webcomic’s prologue, first five chapters, and additional bonus content. It’s available in both digital and physical editions, but the hardcover print volume is absolutely gorgeous. Much like Sundberg’s earlier epic A Redtail’s Dream, Nordic influences are a major part of Stand Still, Stay Silent. The comic is stunningly illustrated with beautiful, full-color artwork. Stand Still, Stay Silent is a post-apocalyptic tale of adventure and exploration with an ominous touch of horror and the unknown. At the same time, the comic manages to be lighthearted and humorous. The prologue establishes the comic’s fascinating setting–a seemingly harmless disease which turns out to be fatal quickly spreads across the globe. Ninety years later, Iceland, which was able to completely close itself off from the rest of the world, has become the center of known civilization, but a team has been assembled to see what can be found beyond the relative safety of the Nordic countries. Despite scenes of intense terror and action, the plot of Stand Still, Stay Silent is actually on the slower side; the focus is almost entirely on the characters and their interpersonal dynamics. The character writing, worldbuilding, and humor in Stand Still, Stay Silent is simply fantastic.

Bookshelf Overload: November 2016

December 16, 2016 by Ash Brown

In an interesting trend, I seem to be picking up more and more non-manga comics lately. And in some months–take November as an example–the number of non-manga comics that I purchase even manage to rival the number of manga proper that find their way to my shelves. As for my manga acquisitions in November, I was very happy to almost complete my print collection of Kyoko Hikawa’s From Far Away which is now largely out of print. (I still need to find a nice copy of the fourteenth volume for a reasonable price.) I was also very excited for the release of Mentaiko Itto’s second collection of gay erotic manga in English The Boy Who Cried Wolf, the latest in Bruno Gmünder Gay Manga line. November saw the debut of Ichiya Sazanami’s absolutely ridiculous Magia the Ninth which I can’t claim to be the best manga out there, but I loved it and was delighted by all of its music history in-jokes. Major holiday sales began in November, too. Those will have a larger impact for me (and my wallet) in December, but a few purchase (mostly anime) have already started to arrive. Also of note, I picked up the Lone Wolf and Cub boxset for a steal when it was initially listed at the wrong price. It’s a really lovely collection of the six Lone Wolf and Cub films from the early 1970s. Surprisingly, none of which I’ve actually seen yet.

Manga!
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Mentaiko Itto
A Bride’s Story, Volume 8 by Kaoru Mori
Devils’ Line, Volumes 1-2 by Ryo Hanada
From Far Away, Volumes 4-12 by Kyoko Hikawa
Gate: Where the JSDF Fought, Volume 1 written by Takumi Yanai, illustrated by Satoru Sao
Haikyu!!, Volumes 4-6 by Haruichi Furudate
In/Spectre, Volume 1 by Chasiba Katase
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 3: Stardust Crusaders, Volume 1 by Hirohiko Araki
La Corda d’Oro, Volumes 1-7 by Yuki Kure
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Volumes 3-4 by Shinobu Ohtaka
Magia the Ninth, Volume 1 by Ichiya Sazanami
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Volume 1 by Coolkyoushinja
Please Tell Me! Galko-chan, Volume 1 by Kenya Suzuki
Prison School, Omnibus 5 by Akira Hiramoto
Sunny, Volume 6 by Taiyo Matsumoto
To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts, Volumes 1-2 by Maybe
Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend, Volume 1 by Toshio Maeda
Yona of the Dawn, Volume 3 by Mizuho Kusanagi

Manhwa!
His House, Volumes 2-3 by Hajin Yoo
Intense, Volumes 2-4 by Kyungha Yi

Comics!
The Boy in Pink Earmuffs, Volumes 1-3 by Jay Fuller
Cucumber Quest, Book 1 by Gigi D.G.
Fujoshi Trapped in a Seme’s Perfect Body written by Seru, illustrated by Joberu
Habitat by Roy Simon
How to Survive in the North by Luke Healy
I Thought You Hated Me by MariNaomi
Jane Eyre adapted by Crystal S. Chan, illustrated by SunNeko Lee
Laid Waste by Julia Gfrorer
Lovers in the Garden by Anya Davidson
Miss Priss is Missing! by Jay Fuller
Narrow Road, Issues 1-2 written by Zack Davisson, illustrated by Mark Morse
No Mercy, Volume 1 written by Alex de Campi, illustrated by Carla Speed McNeil and Jenn Manley Lee
Oh Joy Sex Toy, Volume 3 by Erika Moen
Queer: A Graphic History written by Meg-John Barker, illustrated by Julia Scheele

Novels!
Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Volume 3: Endurance by Yoshiki Tanaka
The Moai Island Puzzle by Alice Arisugawa
Mr. Turtle by Yusuke Kitano

Anthologies!
The Black Cat Takes a Stroll: The Edgar Allan Poe Lectures by Akimaro Mori
Invisible Planets: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation edited by Ken Liu

Nonfiction!
A Brief History of the Martial Arts: East Asian Fighting Styles, from Kung Fu to Ninjutsu by Jonathan Clements

Anime!
Haikyu!!, Season 1 directed by Susumu Mitsunaka
Karate Master directed by Osamu Dezaki
Parasyte: The Maxim directed by Kenichi Shimizu
The Vision of Escaflowne directed by Kazuki Akane

Film!
Lone Wolf and Cub directed by Kenji Misumi, Buichi Saito, Yoshiyuki Kuroda

Manga the Week of 12/21

December 15, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Anna N, MJ and Michelle Smith 2 Comments

SEAN: Abandon hope all ye who enter here.

ASH: Deep breaths!

SEAN: Kodansha starts things off with an 8th volume of Kiss Him, Not Me!

ASH: It has its problems, but I’m still enjoying this series.

SEAN: One Peace gives us a 2nd volume of Kuma Miko, which I hope is a bit more strange and cute and not strange and creepy.

ANNA: I have the first volume of this, I need to read it.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a 2nd volume of Lord Marksman and Vanadis, in which, hopefully, the village is saved? Or not, it could be a much darker sort of story.

At last, one year after the release of the chronological prequel Kizumonogatari comes the book that started it all. Bakemonogatari is being published by Vertical in 3 parts, fitting the Japanese re-release, and the first one contains Hitagi Crab and Mayoi Snail. If you love complicated prose, glorious dialogue, and the supernatural, you’ll love this.

MJ: I possibly should take a look at this.

SEAN: And Vertical also has the final Chi’s Sweet Home omnibus. Bye, Chi!

Viz has a 12th volume of Afterschool Charisma, reminding you that the SigIkki brand remains awesome.

MICHELLE: I believe this is the final volume, as well.

ASH: I really need to catch up!

ANNA: Me too! I need to wait for a sale or something and fill in my collection.

SEAN: Gangsta: Cursed is a prequel to the main series with the same writer but a different artist. It runs in the wonderfully named Go Go Bunch.

ASH: I’m looking forward to this.

ANNA: I am too, but I like the main series art so much!

SEAN: Viz also has a 4th omnibus of the cheerful and innocent fantasia Goodnight Punpun.

ASH: Very cheerful! Very innocent!

MICHELLE: *is not fooled*

SEAN: Master Keaton has a 9th volume, reminding me it was quite a long series.

ASH: I actually didn’t realize how long a series it was.

SEAN: And even though Amazon isn’t listing it for some odd reason, there’s a 10th Tokyo Ghoul.

The big Viz release, in more ways than one, is Tomie: The Complete Collection, a 750-page hardcover containing all of his classic horror story. If you love getting scared witless, try this book.

ASH: I love Viz’s Junji Ito releases, so I’m definitely picking this up (even though I also have the ancient Dark Horse edition).

MJ: I love getting scared witless!

SEAN: I always forget to mention Yo-kai Watch when it comes out, so this is me correcting that, as Viz has Vol. 6 of it.

And now it’s time for Yen, but stay comfortable, we’ll be here for a while. There are new digital volumes of Aoharu x Machinegun (7), Black Detective (7), Saki (7), and Corpse Princess (…8, goddamn you).

ASH: Saki!

MJ: Always love Saki!

SEAN: There are also old Yen Press releases from way in the past getting shiny new digital releases! With the Light, Yen Press’s first ever title. Dragon Girl, a fun shoujo omnibus. And Sundome, which was Flowers of Evil before it was cool. All are worth a look.

Yen On has a record number of novels out this month. Accel World’s 8th volume may finally finish this arc, perhaps? Will Takumu turn evil? Probably not.

The Asterisk War 2 continues to have magical school antics.

Baccano! Vol. 3 has the back half of the 1931 Flying Pussyfoot story, focusing on different characters as well as showing us where the heck Ladd went.

MICHELLE: Someday I really will try out this series, even though light novels are not usually my thing.

ASH: I’ve been meaning to try it out, too.

SEAN: Black Bullet 5 has the start of what I’ve heard called the “NTR” arc, a phrase that always makes me groan. We’ll see.

The Devil Is A Part-Timer! 6 apparently gets us back to the part-time work.

The debut this month is Goblin Slayer, which takes place in a fantasy world but strangely has no one come into it from another world. How weird.

The 3rd Irregular at Magic High School novel is the start of a 2-volume arc about the school Sports Festival, which uses magic. Don’t get it confused with November’s A Certain Magical Index, the start of a 2-volume arc about the school Sports Festival, which uses magic.

The 7th Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? novel is HUGE, much bigger than the other books. Set aside time for it.

After what seems like ages, the 5th No Game No Life volume is upon us. Can it live up to the wait?

Sword Art Online seemed to only two one to two arcs before this, but not anymore. The 9th book is the first in a 10-VOLUME arc. Are you prepared for this much Kirito?

And now we finally get to Yen’s manga deliveries. Akame Ga KILL! ZERO has a 4th volume, or should that be FOURTH! VOLUME.

Aoharu x Machinegun has a 2nd print volume. More fake gun battles, I assume?

The first of Yen’s debuts this month is Bungo Stray Dogs, which has supernatural powers, a detective agency, and I suspect a lot of pretty young men.

ASH: I’m actually really looking forward to this series! Supernatural, bishonen versions of some of Japan’s literary greats? Count me in.

MJ: Sounds great!

SEAN: We also have The Case Study of Vanitas, which has – you guessed it – vampires, and is by the author of Pandora Hearts.

MJ: Okay, so I know you’re all looking at me here. I checked out the first volume and wasn’t immediately drawn in as I had hoped, but I’ll give it some time to charm me.

SEAN: Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition 8 has the comedic highlight of the entire series.

MICHELLE: These volumes multiply so quickly!

MJ: Hurray, hurray!

SEAN: GA Art Design Class has its 7th and final volume. I know most fans here preferred Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro, but I always loved this series’ focus on art and cute girls.

He’s My Only Vampire has a 9th volume.

MICHELLE: I’m a bit bummed this has gone downhill quality-wise, but I’ll probably still finish it.

SEAN: The Honor Student at Magic High School has caught up with the novels, meaning it too is starting the Sports Festival.

Just as GA Art Design Class ends, Kiniro Mosaic begins. It’s also got cute girls, and while it may lack art school, it makes up for in yuri tease. (Which GA Art Design Class also had, to be honest.)

The 3rd My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected manga still has a long title.

There’s more Of the Red, the Light and the Ayakashi with a 5th volume. Is it halfway through adapting the game yet?

MICHELLE: I’ll be reading this one.

SEAN: Overlord also has a 3rd volume of the manga adaptation.

And Strike the Blood has a 5th manga adaptation. Expect novels from those last two in January.

Ubel Blatt’s 7th omnibus takes us to the 15th volume of the Japanese release, in case you’ve gotten lost.

Lastly, there’s a 4th omnibus of cycling manga Yowamushi Pedal.

MICHELLE: Yay! Oh sports manga, how I adore you.

ASH: Yes, yes, yes!

ANNA: I have not read this yet! Someday!!!!

SEAN: And we’re done. At last. Good God. What’re you getting from this morass?

Pick of the Week: Complex Simplicity

December 12, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: Well, I was going to pick the digital release of the Spice & Wolf novel, but Yen already bumped it back to the 20th with its 80 other releases that week. And tempting as it is to pick Magi by default as always, I will instead pick the 3rd volume of Complex Age, which sometimes hits too close to home, but is riveting.

MICHELLE: Magi is always a contender for me, but like Sean, I am going to go with Complex Age this time.

ASH: It’s Complex Age for me, too! The first volume surprised me and the second volume continued to impress me, so I’m very much looking forward to the third.

ANNA: I’m picking Complex Age too, it is extremely well done and feels quite unique compared to many of the other manga out there.

MJ: How can I possibly resist? Complex Age it is!

My Week in Manga: December 5-December 11, 2016

December 12, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Last week at Experiments in Manga I announced the winner of the Kodansha Comics Collection manga giveaway. The post also includes a list of Kodansha Comics’ 2016 print debuts, the variety of which quite impressed me. I’ve made a little more progress on my Orange feature, but not as much as I originally intended as I found myself working on a job application instead (which is greatly stressing out my current supervisor).

Anyway! There were a few things that caught my attention online last week: Manga translator Jenny McKeon was interviewed for Forbes. Sally Ito, one of the translators of the marvelous Are You an Echo?: The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko, was interviewed over at Tofugu. In licensing news, Kodansha Comics recently announced the acquisition of the anthology Otomo: A Tribute to the Mind Behind Akira, which sounds like it should be fantastic, and Haruko Kumota’s Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, which I am extremely excited about. (I’ve actually known about the licenses for a while now, but I didn’t want to say anything until the official announcement was made.)

Quick Takes

Gate: Where the JSDF Fought, Volume 1 written by Takumi Yanai and illustrated by Satoru Sao. Sekai Project primarily localizes visual novels and video games but has very recently expanded its catalog to include manga. Gate is Sekai Project’s first manga publication. The Gate manga is based on an ongoing series of light novels by Yanai. After a gate to another world opens up in Ginza, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces successfully fights off an invasion of knights and dragons and establishes a base on the other side. What I especially liked about Gate is that it addresses the real-world politics and implications of the gate alongside those encountered in the fantasy-like environment. Japan obviously wants to maintain control of the gate and the resources to which it can provide access, but the United States (supposedly Japan’s ally) and China are both preparing to leverage their weight, too. On the other side of the gate, the standing empire is using some less-than-ethical tactics as it struggles to maintain its power and control after such a tremendous defeat. Despite some peculiar name choices (the princess Piña Co Lada, for one), so far the setting and culture clashes of Gate are interesting. It’s also really nice to see so many competent female characters in prominent roles.

Intense, Volumes 2-4 by Kyungha Yi. The first volume of Yi’s boys’ love manhwa Intense was, well, intense. The rest of the series continues to be psychologically and emotionally heavy and at times is outright bleak. However, it is beautifully drawn. The second and third volumes of Intense aren’t quite as compelling as the first–though necessary and important to the story, I didn’t find the temporary focus on the political dynamics of organized crime to be especially engaging–but the fourth volume more than makes up for that. Overall, Intense was a very satisfying series. Jiwoon and Soohan’s happy ending does not come easily. (Honestly, I was afraid they wouldn’t get one at all and was steeling myself for the tragedy that I hoped wouldn’t come.) Even after they are able to extricate themselves from the crime syndicate that more or less owned Jiwoon, things do not go well. Though they deal with them in vastly different ways, both Jiwoon and Soohan struggle with abandonment issues. Soohan is surprisingly controlling and overbearing, desperate to be indispensable, while Jiwoon hasn’t yet developed a sense of self-worth or the ability to stand up for himself. This combination of traits is devastating and heartbreaking. They both care tremendously for the other, but initially neither of them are in a healthy enough place to make the relationship work.

Kuroko’s Basketball, Omnibus 1 (equivalent to Volumes 1-2) by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. In Japan, Kuroko’s Basketball has been hugely successful. English-reading fans have been clamoring for the series to be licensed for years, but it was only picked up relatively recently. There has been something of a renaissance when it comes to sports manga in translation, and Kuroko’s Basketball is one of the major series to usher in that trend. However, while I did enjoy the first omnibus a great deal, so far I’m not quite as enamored with it as I am with some of the other leading sports manga, namely Haikyu!! and Yowamushi Pedal. Still, Kuroko’s Basketball has quite a few things going for it and even turns a few well-worn tropes on their heads. Rather than being overly realistic, Kuroko’s Basketball takes a more fantastic approach–the abilities of the highly-skilled players and coaches are almost supernatural. Kuroko, the lead, is deliberately one of the most nondescript and unassuming characters in the series, but he is able to use this to his a team’s advantage on the court. Kuroko’s Basketball can actually be quite clever and entertaining. I was also absolutely delighted to discover that instead of having an attractive young woman as its manager (which is fairly standard for a sports manga), Kuroko’s team has an attractive young woman as its coach. I hope that remains the case as the series progresses.

Yona of the Dawn, Volumes 2-3 by Mizuho Kusanagi. I enjoy epic fantasies and seem to have a particular proclivity for epic shoujo fantasies specifically, so reading Yona of the Dawn was an obvious choice. While the first volume did an excellent job of setting the stage for the unfolding drama, Yona herself spent much of it in shock and barely functioning. Fortunately, although she is still devastated by her father’s death and the betrayal of her cousin Su-won, Yona recovers in the second volume and by the third she begins to show her mettle by actively taking control of her life and destiny. These couple of volumes also expand on the series’ worldbuilding, introducing myths, legends, and prophecies that will have a direct impact on the story. Seeking a way not only to protect herself but also the people she cares about and those who are doing all that they can to keep her safe, Yona sets off on a quest to secure the help of the descendants of the four dragons who aided the country’s first king. Yona’s close friend and bodyguard Hak continues to accompany her but others begin to join them on their journey as well–Yona is proving to be a leader worth following. No longer the sheltered and naive girl she once was at the palace, Yona is working to improve and strengthen herself in addition to making an effort to learn more about her country and its people.

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