Ash Brown

Pick of the Week: Otherworld Barbara

August 8, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: Another week, another really obvious pick. I’ve loved the other Moto Hagio volumes we’ve seen over here, and so absolutely cannot wait for the first volume of Otherworld Barbara, a story so good it won the Japan SF Grand Prize, the Japanese equivalent of a Nebula Award. It’s from Fantagraphics, so should look great too. And an omnibus to boot!

ASH: Yup, no question about it. It’s Otherworld Barbara for me, for all of the reasons that Sean has already described and more.

MICHELLE: Count me in, as well!

ANNA: Is this a unanimous pick? I agree too!

MJ: This, this, this, THIS.

My Week in Manga: August 1-August 7, 2016

August 8, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Last week brought some very good news! Sparkler Monthly‘s Kickstarter campaign for its fourth year was successfully funded, so we’ll all be getting another twelve months of phenomenal new content in addition to all of marvelous the Sparkler Monthly content that already exists, most of which is freely available online. Somewhat related to that, last week the winner of Experiments in Manga’s Sparkler Monthly Year 4 giveaway was announced. I was hoping to post the wrap up to my horror manga review project last week, too, but it looks like that should be going up sometime this week, instead.

Speaking of Kickstarters, there were two recently launched projects that specifically caught my attention last week. The first is a project to publish the second volume of Moonshot, a comics anthology featuring indigenous creators. The first volume was very impressive and earned multiple awards and honors, so I expect the second volume will be great, too. The other campaign is for the first print volume of Der-shing Helmer’s webcomic The Meek. I haven’t actually read The Meek myself yet, but I’ve heard very good things about the series.

Elsewhere online (well, I guess specifically at Anime News Network), it was a Seven Seas sort of week: Deb Aoki interviewed Okayado, the creator of the massively successful Monster Musume, at Anime Expo, the transcript of which has now been posted. I haven’t had time to listen to it yet, but the most recent ANNCast featured Jason DeAngelis, Adam Arnold and Lissa Patillo from Seven Seas. And in licensing news, Seven Seas will be releasing Atami Michinoku’s The High School Life of a Fudanshi.

Quick Takes

Fairy Tail, Volumes 52-54 by Hiro Mashima. Despite its immense popularity, for me Fairy Tail fairly tends to be fairly hit-or-miss. Mashima readily admits that he doesn’t always know where he’s going with the story and characters, but every once in a while he manages to pull it all together to form something truly grand and epic. I have to admit, I’m really liking the most recent story arc of Fairy Tail. Once again, the members of the Fairy Tail guild are responsible for trying to save the world, but the enemies that they face this time are so strong that it’s not something that they will be able to do alone. To me, this showdown feels more personal than some of the previous world-altering battles. Granted, that impression may in part be because my reading of Fairy Tail has been somewhat fragmented. However, I greatly appreciate the more character-driven arcs of Fairy Tail. These three volumes explore the past of Fairy Tail and the guild’s connection to Zeref, the dark wizard cursed to live forever who is trying to find a way to end it all. (This I believe is all explored in greater depth in the Fairy Tail Zero spinoff, which I suspect I would likely enjoy.) The battles in this story arc are well-paced in addition to being suitably dramatic and over-the-top, fitting for a conflict that will determine the fate of the world.

Haikyu!!, Volumes 1-2 by Haruichi Furudate. Due to my increasingly busy schedule, I’ve only managed to watch the first few episodes of the Haikyu!! anime adaptation, but that was more than enough to determine that I wanted to read the original manga when it was released in English. I find that even though I’m not especially interested in sports, I really enjoy sports manga, and so far Haikyu!!, about a boys’ high school volleyball team, doesn’t disappoint. Like many other sports-oriented manga, Haikyu!! features characters who are in one way or another exceptionally skilled or naturally talented athletes. What makes Haikyu!! stand out from other sports manga that I’ve read is that it emphasizes teamwork in a way that I’ve not usually seen–the manga’s not just about great players who are simply part of the same team, it’s about teammates bringing out the best in one another, finding ways to effectively complement their strengths and weaknesses to form a group that’s more capable than any one individual. The characterization is pretty great in Haikyu!!, too, which is particularly important for a series which will likely have a fair number of characters to keep track of. I really like the characters in Haikyu!!; they all have very distinctive personalities. If Haikyu!! continues as strongly as it begins, I’m definitely in for the long haul with this series.

UQ Holder!, Volumes 7-8 by Ken Akamatsu. There’s something about UQ Holder! that rubs me the wrong way. Frustratingly, I haven’t been able to identify exactly what it is about the series, especially as there are parts of the manga that I actually like. I do wonder if part of this dissonance is caused by the fact that I’ve never read Negima! Magister Negi Magi. Although UQ Holder! initially seemed to be a stand-alone spinoff, lately it seems to be tying itself back to the original to a greater extent; I feel like I’m missing some important context. Much of the humor in UQ Holder! seems to fall flat for me, too, even when I can tell that what I’m reading is intended to be funny. The series also seems to have a bit of an identity crisis, as though Akamatsu can’t quite decide what type of story it’s supposed to be. At this point, UQ Holder! has now suddenly veered into becoming a martial arts tournament; previous incarnations of the series included a murder mystery, among other things. The martial arts tournament was a good choice, though–the battles in UQ Holder! are generally the most entertaining aspect of the series. The tournament also gives the characters an actual, definitive goal to focus on rather than their more ambiguous ambitions. These volumes also delve more into Evangeline’s backstory, which was good to see.

Manga the Week of 8/10

August 4, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith and Anna N 4 Comments

SEAN: For a second week of the month, next week is pretty packed with stuff. Let’s leap right in.

I have become very wary of ever listing a print book by DMP on this list again, and it may just result in me being burned, but for now, the 4th volume of Border is still being listed as coming out next week.

Likewise, there’s also Does the Flower Blossom? 3, with the same caveats.

ASH: DMP has been having major problems with distribution, but I do know that currently these two manga actually do exist in print.

SEAN: The Manga Bookshelf’s pick of the Week has been fairly unanimous the last two weeks, and I suspect we will make it three with the release by Fantagraphics of Otherworld Barbara, a 400-page hardcover by Moto Hagio. This is the first of two volumes, and originally ran in the shoujo magazine flowers (note the lack of caps), home of Kaze Hikaru, as well as 7SEEDS, which is still unlicensed because Viz laughs at our pain. It should be amazing.

ASH: I am absolutely thrilled that more of Hagio’s manga is being translated. I’m especially excited for Otherworld Barbara since it’s an example of her science fiction work, which I love.

MICHELLE: I’m excited, too, but also high-fiving Sean for 7SEEDS solidarity.

ANNA: No surprise, I’m looking forward to this too. I appreciate the 7SEEDS shoutout!

SEAN: Attack on Titan has an 8th volume of its Before the Fall spinoff from Kodansha – honestly, it’s run a lot longer than I expected.

Fairy Tail has reached its 55th volume, and really that is about what I expected. It’s not remotely done either.

And we finally run out of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle with its 9th and final omnibus.

On to Seven Seas. Devils and Realist has reached 10 volumes. I’m not sure what’s going on in it anymore, but the guy on the cover looks pretty sexy.

ASH: I’ve fallen behind on reading the series, but the covers and artwork are lovely to look upon.

SEAN: The Testament of Sister New Devil also has what might be considered by its core audience a sexy cover with Vol. 3. Its audience and Devils and Realist may not overlap at all.

SubLime gives us the debut of Ten Count, a new BL manga. No, it’s not about boxing – I think North America would more accurately call it Ten Step. It’s about therapy, and by the author of Seven Days.

ASH: I loved Seven Days so will definitely be checking out Ten Count. Despite it’s popularity, it does seem to be a somewhat divisive series, though.

SEAN: Udon has the 3rd volume of Kill La Kill. Be warned, the manga was cut short before it covered what the anime did as well – this is the final volume.

It’s been almost a year since the last Arata the Legend, which has caught up with Japan and thus runs on Watase Yuu time. Vol. 24 is here, from Viz, however.

Itsuwaribito has finished in Japan, but there’s more of it to come over here, and Vol. 18 ships next week.

Oh thank God, something I actually read on a regular basis. Magi! Yes, Magi is here to give me something besides Moto Hagio to buy this week. Luckily, it’s awesome.

ASH: I still need to get around reading Magi…

MICHELLE: I’m a few volumes behind, so look forward to getting caught up.

SEAN: Viz also has a 3rd volume of Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter.

Lastly, Viz is releasing an artbook of Yoshitake Amano’s works, simply called Illustrations. It should be gorgeous, and also have vampires, given its creator.

ASH: I have another of Amano’s artbooks and it is stunning, so I’m definitely glad to see more being released.

SEAN: That’s a lot. Any for you?

Giveaway: Sparkler Monthly Year 4 Giveaway Winner

August 3, 2016 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Sparkler Monthly Year 4 giveaway is… Isaac!

As the winner, Isaac will get to choose two Sparkler paperbacks, ebooks, or audio dramas. Last week, I was honestly afraid that Sparkler Monthly wouldn’t be able to raise the funds to continue the online magazine for another year. However, over the last few days there was an amazing surge of support, and the Kickstarter campaign not only met, but surpassed its initial goal. I am so incredibly happy (and relieved) that Sparkler Monthly will continue to thrive for another year. I decided to coordinate a giveaway to go along with the Kickstarter campaign and asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite Sparkler Monthly title. As can be seen from the giveaway comments, Jennifer Doyle’s comic Knights-Errant is very well-loved, but here’s a list of all the great content currently freely available from Sparkler Monthly:

Awake by Tory Woollcott, Barabara, and Angela Sham
Bad Chemistry by Barabara
Before You Go by Denise Schroeder
The Cat Lover’s Circumstances by LAMP and Aiwa
Dead Endings by Jessica Chavez and Irene Flores
Dinner Ditz by Alexis Cooke
Dire Hearts by Christy Lijewski
DNA-RW by Sarah Elkins and Ru Xu
Dusk in Kalevia by Emily Compton and Onorobo
For Peace by Alexis Cooke
Gatesmith by Jen Lee Quick
Guantlet by Ellery Prime and T2A
Inhabitant of Another Planet by KaiJu
Knights-Errant by Jennifer Doyle
Lettera by Studio Kosen
Magical How? by Eurika Yusin Gho
Mahou Josei Chimaka by KaiJu
The Maiden and the Fish by Lydia Mackenzie and Phong Anh
Nine Circles by Jen Lee Quick
Off*Beat by Jen Lee Quick
Orange Junk by Heldrad
The Ring of Saturn by KaiJu
Shut In Shut Out by dee Juusan and Lianne Sentar
Skyglass by Jenn Grunigen and Mookie
Sparkler Podcast by the Sparkler Team
Sparkler RPG: ESPU by the Sparkler Team
Tokyo Demons by Lianne Sentar
Windrose by Studio Kosen
Witch’s Quarry by Jen Lee Quick

That’s quite a list, isn’t it! And because the Sparkler Monthly campaign was a success, even more comics, prose, audio, and games will be able to be added over the coming year. A huge thank you to everyone supported Sparkler Monthly, and a thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway. I hope to see you again for the next one!

Pick of the Week: Fantasy and Basketball

August 1, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown and Anna N Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: There is so much good stuff coming out this week. I probably say that all the time, but there’s usually not as much good stuff as there is this time! That said, I have been eagerly awaiting Kuroko’s Basketball for a long time, and even though I’m keen to read Yona of the Dawn, too, sports manga always has an edge with me.

SEAN: As I already indicated, it’s Yona of the Dawn all the way for me. A fantasy series with a kickass princess and archery to boot.

ASH: There really are some great manga being released this week, but I’m with Sean in choosing the debut of Yona of the Dawn. Could this signal the return of long-running epic shoujo fantasy series in English? I sure hope so!

ANNA: I enjoy a good sports manga, but I’m with most of the Manga Bookshelf crew in having a decided preference for Yona of the Dawn. Bring on the epic shoujo fantasy!

My Week in Manga: July 25-July 31, 2016

August 1, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

A new review was posted at Experiments in Manga last week! The final review in my (at one point monthly) horror manga review project delves into Setona Mizushiro’s After School Nightmare, Volume 10. I have mixed feelings about the series’ conclusion, but overall there was a lot that I really liked about the manga as a whole. I’m not exactly sure what my next in-depth feature will be (I have a few different ideas for it), but I do plan on writing a brief wrap-up for the horror manga review project. I’m also working on the post for Experiment in Manga’s (sixth!) anniversary which will be coming up later this month.

Also posted last week was Experiments in Manga’s most recent giveaway which offers a chance to win two Sparkler Monthly paperbacks, ebooks, or audio dramas of your choosing. The last few days of the giveaway coincides with the last few days of the Sparkler Monthly Year 4 Kickstarter. The winner of the giveaway will be announced on Wednesday, but the fate of Sparkler Monthly will be determined on Tuesday. There was a surge of support for the campaign over the weekend, but it still has a little ways to go if it’s going to succeed. I wrote a little bit on Twitter about the importance of Sparkler Monthly to me personally and in general; please consider contributing to the campaign in some way if you are at all able and haven’t already!

Speaking of Kickstarters, Czap Books recently launched a campaign to support it’s 2017 Collection. Last year Czap Books released the first volume of Laura Knetzger’s Bug Boys which I adored, and the books in the 2017 Collection all look as though they should be fantastic, too. Other interesting things found online last week include Deb Aoki’s writeup on manga at SDCC 2016 for Publishers Weekly. Audio recordings of some of the panels at SDCC are now available as well. (As are audio ecordings from TCAF 2016; I don’t remember if I previously mentioned those.) I haven’t had a chance to listen to it yet, but The OSAG introduced the first episode of Translator Tea Time, a podcast featuring two professional manga translators. Also last week, Yen Press slipped in a license announcement for Miyuki Nakayama’s Spirits & Cat Ears and Canno’s A Kiss and White Lily for Her.

Quick Takes

Fairy Tail: Ice Trail, Volume 2 by Yuusuke Shirato. When I first started reading Ice Trail, a spinoff of Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail which follows Gray Fullbuster before he joins the guild, I had assumed that it would be a somewhat longer series. Gray is probably one of the most popular characters in Fairy Tail, but Ice Trail ends up only being two volumes long. It’s a fun and even cute series that introduces some original characters in addition to incorporating, either directly or indirectly, cast members from Fairy Tail. Readers already familiar with Fairy Tail will probably get the most out of Ice Trail, but the series doesn’t require much previous knowledge of the original story and characters to follow what is going on. The second volume concludes Gray’s search for the Fairy Tail guild, having heard that it was home to a number of great wizards. As Gray journeys to Magnolia, he more or less unintentionally forms a three-person adventure party with another boy named Pauz, a wizard whose magic is based on books and paper (a type of magic which unsurprisingly I loved) and the young thief Doronbo, who was probably my favorite character out of the entire mini-series. Although initially their relationships were somewhat antagonistic, by the end of Ice Trail the three have become close friends, keeping with the tradition and themes of Fairy Tail as a whole.

Genshiken: Second Season, Volumes 7-8 by Shimoku Kio. It’s admittedly been a little while since I’ve read the original Genshiken manga, but there do seem to be quite a few parallels between the two series. Granted, Second Season is probably much closer to being a continuation of Genshiken proper rather than an entirely separate series. One similarity that particularly struck me reading these two volumes is that both Genshiken and Second Season start as series about otaku and their hobbies but soon evolve into series that’s more about the relationships between the members of the club and inevitably romance. At this point in Second Season, Hato is coming to terms with his feelings for Madarame and is beginning to dress as a woman more frequently. (Just how closely those two things are related to each other is debatable.) As Hato starts making the moves on Madarame, the rest of Madarame’s real-life harem is thrown into turmoil. And of course everyone on the sidelines has their own pairings that they’re rooting for, treating it almost like a game which creates even more drama. Madarame himself isn’t really sure what to do with the situation and has his own conflicted feelings to work out. I won’t lie—I like Hato and Madarame together, so I’m very curious to see where this is all heading.

A Redtail’s Dream by Minna Sundberg. I don’t remember exactly when the webcomic A Redtail’s Dream was first recommended to me, but never got around to reading it until now. Which is a complete and utter shame. I had actually forgotten about it but recently came across it again while looking for a different comic entirely. The collected edition of A Redtail’s Dream includes the entire series in a single, massive volume along with additional bonus content, commentary, and cultural notes not found online. A Redtail’s Dream is an absolutely gorgeous comic. Drawn over the course of two years, each chapter is illustrated using a different color palette and the results are simply beautiful. The comic is strongly influenced by Finnish mythology (Sundberg was born in Sweden, but was raised and lives in Finland), but familiarity with those stories and legends is not at all necessary to appreciate and enjoy Sundberg’s epic. A Redtail’s Dream follows Hannu and his beloved dog Ville who are given the responsibility of rescuing the souls of their friends, family, and neighbors when a young spirit fox accidentally causes their village to slip into a dream realm which is dangerously close the land of the dead. Hannu is actually fairly antisocial, so it’s interesting (and amusing) to see him crankily take on the role of the hero when he’d much rather just be left alone.

Seven Stories by Hiroshi Mori. Outside of Japan, Mori is probably best known as the creator of The Sky Crawlers, which was adapted as an anime film directed by Mamoru Oshii in 2008, and his debut novel The Perfect Insider, which was even more recently adapted as an eleven-episode anime series. Inside of Japan, Mori is an extremely prolific, well-known, and popular author. (Apparently, Mori also wrote the novelization of Moto Hagio’s Heart of Thomas, which I didn’t even know existed; I’d love to read that.) It wasn’t until recently that any of Mori’s writing was translated into English, thanks to the efforts of Breakthrough Bandwagon Books. As can be safely assumed by the title, Seven Stories collects seven of Mori’s short works, some of which are representative of his earliest short stories and most of which can be generally categorized as mysteries with some interesting twists: “The Girl Who Was the Little Bird,” “A Pair of Hearts,” “I’m In Debt to Akiko,” “Silent Prayer In Empty,” “Kappa,” “The Rooftop Ornament of Stone Ratha,” and “Which Is the Witch?” (The last two stories are actually from Mori’s S&M series which is a continuation of sorts of The Perfect Insider.) The collection also includes an essay by the editor and translator, providing additional background information and context for the stories which I greatly appreciated. The translation tends to be more literal and academic than literary, but the dry humor present in some of the stories still comes through quite well.

After School Nightmare, Vol. 10

July 29, 2016 by Ash Brown

Creator: Setona Mizushiro
U.S. publisher: Go! Comi
ISBN: 9781933617718
Released: February 2009
Original release: 2008

Many years after reading the first volume of Setona Mizushiro’s manga series After School Nightmare, I have now read the tenth and final volume. After School Nightmare is a dark and intense psychological fantasy with strong horror elements. Despite finding the first few volumes compelling, I also found them to be challenging since many of the themes explored hit fairly close to home for me. However, while After School Nightmare continued to be unsettling, I am glad that I finally made a point to read the entire series. After School Nightmare, Volume 10 was first published in Japan in 2008. A little over a year later the tenth volume was released in English by Go! Comi in 2009. Go! Comi no longer exists as a company and so After School Nightmarish has gone and currently remains out-of-print. Sadly, that also means that the series is becoming more difficult to find with each passing year.

Mashiro has slowly come to terms with his gender identity, but it has been a struggle. His body can’t be easily defined as either male or female and although he initially made the decision to live as a man, he has since realized that may not have been the correct choice to make. Although he was always uncomfortable with who he was, in large part Mashiro started to reevaluate his self-identity when he was placed in a special after school class required to graduate. Along with several other students, Mashiro was forced to confront and share his most personal fears, anxieties, and insecurities within a literal nightmare. Mashiro’s fellow classmates, each dealing with their own traumas, are also in the position to graduate, but to accomplish that will require active change and desire on their part. Every one of the students in the class must participate in the brutal, violent nightmares if they hope to leave the agony and anguish of their old lives behind.

The final volume of After School Nightmare is almost impossible to discuss without spoiling the entire series—it contains a fair number of plot twists and major revelations which greatly impact the understanding and interpretation of the manga as a whole. The boundaries of birth, life, rebirth, and death are much thinner than one might expect and very closely intertwined. However, while Mizushiro leads readers down multiple dark and twisting paths over the course of the series, the true nature of the nightmares and of the school itself have been hinted at from the very beginning of the series. After School Nightmare, Volume 10 addresses many of the mysteries and answers many of the questions raised by the story and setting of the manga. In the end, there is a reason for the ominous and disquieting atmosphere and a purpose behind everything that the students have been through.

Honestly, After School Nightmare, Volume 10 leaves me feeling conflicted. In concept, I like what Mizushiro was attempting to do with the series, however I ultimately found the execution and much of the resolution to be unsatisfying. Although almost everything is explained by the end of the series, that explanation seems to effectively render meaningless all of the character development, their struggles and triumphs as they grow and overcome personal strife. I think in part After School Nightmare was intended to be uplifting or even empowering as the characters find the strength to survive. That’s certainly a legitimate interpretation, but to me it came across as exceptionally depressing as though the manga is needlessly or at least unnecessarily cruel. (And for the most part, I actually really liked the darkness of the series.) Still, I’m glad that I finally finished reading After School Nightmare. Even though I’m still working out my feelings regarding the conclusion of the series, over all I found it to be worthwhile.

Giveaway: Sparkler Monthly Year 4 Giveaway

July 27, 2016 by Ash Brown

The end of the month is fast approaching, which means it’s time for another giveaway at Experiments in Manga. It also means that the Kickstarter campaign for Year Four of Sparkler Monthly is drawing to a close. I actually held a Sparkler Monthly giveaway last year to coordinate with the campaign to raise funds for the magazine’s third year. Normally, I try not to repeat myself too much when it comes to giveaways, but this year’s campaign still needs some boosting if it’s going to succeed. Also, I love what Sparkler Monthly is doing and I want to share that love! And so for this year’s Sparkler Monthly giveaway, the winner will have the opportunity to choose not one, but two Sparkler paperbacks, ebooks, or audio dramas. (Don’t worry, I’m more than happy to make specific recommendations if needed or desired.) And of course as always the giveaway is open worldwide!

I adore Sparkler Monthly and have been an avid supporter of both it and its publisher Chromatic Press for years. Although I am a little behind in my reviewing, I do make a point to feature the novels and comics released in print here at Experiments in Manga, but there is even more content available digitally, either as ebooks or freely serialized online. And it’s all marvelous; I have honestly loved everything that I’ve read or listened to from Sparkler Monthly. The magazine, which is currently a mix of prose, comics, illustrations, and audio, provides a wonderful variety of stories in a number of different genres. There’s romance, fantasy, horror, mystery, science fiction, historical fiction, comedy, satire, drama, adventure, and so much more.

As Sparkler Monthly continues to grow, so does its catalog. A fourth year will mean even more fantastic content including (but certainly not limited to) the Paper Star Studio’s visual novel Out of Sync, the light novel The Decoy and Retrofit by Hazel + Bell, a continuation of Denise Schroeder’s lovely comic Before You Go, and even a Skyglass novella that I personally commissioned from Jenn Grunigen. The work that the staff and creators of Sparkler Monthly and Chromatic Press is doing is phenomenal and important, too. I sincerely hope that the Kickstarter campaign succeeds because they all deserve another year and then some! If you can, please consider directly supporting the campaign if you haven’t already.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win some Sparkler Monthly goodness?

1) In the comments below, write a little about a Sparkler Monthly series that you’ve enjoyed. (Haven’t read or listened to any before? That’s okay! Simply mention that, or take the time to try one out!)
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). You can tag @SparklerMonthly, too, while you’re at it if you’d like!

That’s all there is to it. As usual, giveaway participants will have one week to submit comments and can earn up to two entries. If needed or preferred, comments can be sent to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com and I will then post them here in your name. The winner of the giveaway will be randomly selected and announced on August 3, 2016. Good luck and sparkles to you all!

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–Giveaway: Sparkler Monthly Year 4 Giveaway Winner

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Pick of the Week: Long Live the Queen

July 25, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: As I stated earlier, Queen Emeraldas is my absolute pick of this week, though there are many things I’m interested in. It’s such a classic series. If you’ve ever seen Harlock, or Galaxy Express 999, or just love classic 70s shonen (it ran in Weekly Shonen Magazine), you should read this.

MICHELLE: It is definitely my pick as well, but I will absolutely be picking up Liselotte & Witch’s Forest and Sweetness and Lightning, too!

ASH: There are quite a few new releases that I’m interested in, including Sweetness and Lightning, but my pick of the week likewise goes to Queen Emeraldas. I’m very happy that Kodansha Comics is willing to take a chance on an older series, and especially on one that’s not created by Osamu Tezuka. (Not that I have anything against Tezuka; I’m just glad to see other creators being translated, too.)

MJ: Oh, wow, here I am in the middle of an intense rehearsal process (if you do not know what I’m talking about CLICK HERE) and all this incredible manga is appearing in front of me! I’m interested in everything that’s been mentioned here, but I absolutely have to jump on the Queen Emeraldas bandwagon. So much love for 70s manga! I can’t wait to see it!

ANNA: I’m all in for Queen Emeraldas, in fact I am ordering it right now!

My Week in Manga: July 18-July 24, 2016

July 24, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Other than the regular My Week in Manga feature, there were no posts from me last week at Experiments in Manga. I was, however, able to make some progress on my review for the final volume of Setona Mizushiro’s manga series After School Nightmare. I hope to finish and post the review in the very near future, and then officially wrap up my horror manga review project.

Elsewhere online last week, I came across two interesting interviews: a translation of a 2006 conversation between Taiyo Matsumoto and Fumiko Takano as well as an interview with Kazue Kato, creator of Blue Exorcist, from Anime Expo 2016. The San Diego Comic Con took place over the weekend and there were a few licensing announcements to come out of the event: Kodansha Comics is planning a deluxe edition of Masamune Shirow’s Ghost in the Shell; Udon Entertainment has acquired Yuztan’s Dragon Crown manga adaptation in addition to more artbooks, Manga Classics, and a Street Fighter novel; and Viz Media will be releasing a Princess Mononoke artbook as well books based on RWBY.

Finally, in part due to a suggestion made by a regular reader of Experiments in Manga, I’d like to start more regularly mentioning some of the crowdfunding projects that I’m either supporting or that have caught my eye. In the past, I’ve tended to only mention projects that were directly or tangentially related to manga in some way, but I’d like to begin highlighting other campaigns as well. And so! Natasha Alterici is raising funds for the second volume of Heathen, a beautifully illustrated comic about lesbian Vikings. Jason Thompson, author of Manga: The Complete Guide and a comic creator in his own right, is printing a poster map of alien invaders. Bones of the Coast is an anthology of horror comics inspired by the Pacific Northwest.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to give the Sparkler Monthly Year 4 campaign another shout out. (If you follow me on Twitter, that’s pretty much all I’ve been doing for the last week or so, and will probably continue to do so for a while.) I really love everything that Sparkler Monthly/Chromatic Press is doing, and will be legitimately heartbroken if the Kickstarter doesn’t succeed.

Quick Takes

Fairy Tail, Omnibus 2 (equivalent to Volumes 6-10) by Hiro Mashima. When I first started reading Fairy Tail, I ended up jumping into the series around the twenty-fifth volume. Fairy Tail has a huge following, but it just didn’t seem to click with me. However, now that I’ve read some of earlier volumes, I think I finally more fully understand the appeal of the series. Fairy Tail is a fun and exciting manga with likeable characters and an emphasis on friendship and found family. One of my complaints about Fairy Tail in the past has been that it often seems directionless. Even this early in the series Mashima readily admits to making things up as the he goes with no concrete plan in place. He even seemed surprised when he realized that the series would reach ten volumes. (And it’s now over fifty and still ongoing.) Interestingly, this lack of direction didn’t seem to bother me as much as it has before, I think in part due to the fact that Mashima spends a fair amount of second omnibus exploring the main characters’ back stories which provided the needed amount of focus. I liked getting to know the characters better, something I missed out on by starting with a later story arc. Also, Kodansha’s massive, oversized “Master’s Edition” omnibuses show off Mashima’s artwork and are a great way to catch up on the series.

Princess Jellyfish, Omnibus 2 (equivalent to Volumes 3-4) by Akiko Higashimura. I am still incredibly happy that Kodansha Comics is releasing a print edition of Princess Jellyfish. I’m also glad that the series seems to be worth the risk and is doing fairly well for the publisher so far. I am especially looking forward to reaching the parts of the story that weren’t included in the anime adaptation. While there are some differences, for the most part the second omnibus fall entirely into what was adapted for the anime. Because of that I’m not at all surprised by any of the plot developments, but I still am thoroughly enjoying the story and characters. I also get a kick out of the visual nods to classic shoujo manga that Higashimura scatters throughout the series, usually when something particularly dramatic is going on. Princess Jellyfish is probably first and foremost a comedy, but through its humor it explores issues of gender roles and expectations. There is a fair amount of relationship drama, too. At this point in the series, Kuranosuke is trying to come up with a plan to raise the funds needed to save the Amamizukan apartments from being demolished and in doing so becomes more and more attached to Tsukimi. As for Tsukimi, she’s dealing with her own personal and romantic turmoils.

A Silent Voice, Volume 7 by Yoshitoki Oima. The first volume of A Silent Voice left a huge impression on me, and the series as a whole has consistently been one of the strongest stories that I’ve recently read. Granted, A Silent Voice isn’t always an easy read and the subject matter can be pretty heavy. Bullying, depression, social anxiety, suicide attempts, and other tough issues all come into play. Oima isn’t afraid to let the relationships between the characters be extremely messy and complicated. I especially appreciate that Oima doesn’t just slap romance on the situation like magical bandage that will fix everything or erase the misdeeds of the past. From time to time, I was a little worried that might happen, but A Silent Voice takes a more nuanced and much less stereotypical route with the story. If anything, the romantic feelings just complicate matters further. The characters themselves are realistically and believably flawed people. Frankly, they can even be unlikeable, they still remain interesting and compelling. Many of them are struggling with mistakes that they have made and are dealing with devastating regret. But by the end of the series, the characters able to begin to look forward towards the future instead of wallowing in what can’t be changed; their pasts have shaped who they are, but won’t be the only thing that defines them.

Manga the Week of 7/27

July 21, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Anna N and Ash Brown Leave a Comment

SEAN: You know the drill. Last week of the month, piles and piles of titles, let’s get right to it.

Dark Horse gives us a 2nd volume of Dangan Ronpa: The Animation, whose awkward subtitle lets you know it’s based on that rather than the game.

And they also have a 4th Oh My Goddess omnibus, which is warring with Dragon Ball for most re-releases.

This is my featured manga this week, and I guarantee it’s my pick of the week as well. The first omnibus volume of Queen Emeraldas is coming from Kodansha Comics, and I’ve heard it looks gorgeous. Matsumoto’s manga is always amazing, and don’t let the age of the material stop you – this is top tier.

MICHELLE: So excite!

ANNA: I am also very, very excited!

ASH: Definitely picking this one up!

SEAN: Also from Kodansha, we have a 3rd volume of Real Account.

ASH: As far as manga with games of life and death go, this series actually manages to be pretty interesting.

SEAN: The other Kodansha debut is Sweetness and Lightning, which runs in good! Afternoon, and apparently lives up to the sweet part of its name. It was a Crunchyroll title that Kodansha then decided to take to print. The author is much better known for BL titles, which this isn’t.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this, as well!

ASH: A food manga featuring a single dad and his adorable kid? I’m in.

SEAN: And there is a 9th volume of Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, currently in the middle of a very dramatic arc.

ASH: That it is! I just recently caught up with the series, and I’m curious to see where it goes.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a 4th volume of college romance and drama Golden Time.

We also have the 4th and final volume of Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto, which is ending at just about the right time, I think.

ASH: I’m glad Seven Seas took a chance on this series.

SEAN: Vertical has the 2nd volume of vampire thriller Devils’ Line.

They also debut Immortal Hounds, a violent supernatural thriller that runs in Enterbrain’s Harta magazine. If you liked Ajin and the like, you should enjoy this.

And now for Yen. Only one digital-only title this month, the 5th volume of Crimson Prince.

For print, we have a 7th volume of capital-letter loving (or just English loan-word loving) Akame Ga KILL!.

A manga debut based off a light novel that comes out next month, The Asterisk War is a fantasy series with magic and swords, much like every other series licensed in the past 3 years or so. Its manga runs in… groan… Comic Alive.

Speaking of manga that make me groan, BTOOOM! is somehow at 14 volumes, and more are coming.

MICHELLE: Ugh.

SEAN: A Certain Magical Index has its 6th manga volume. It’s adapting Accelerator and Last Order, should be good.

And The Devil Is A Part-Timer! also has its 6th manga, which is only up to the 3rd book, because it’s not jettisoning some novels the way Index did.

The final volume of Final Fantasy Type-0 Side Story, Volume 5, means I can stop making lame soccer-based jokes.

Fruits Basket gets a 3rd Collectors’ Edition, which will collect the 5th and 6th volumes. It will feature a very awkward but true discussion of how school bullying really works in Japan.

MICHELLE: And Shigure looks fetching on the cover.

ANNA: More Fruits Basket is always a good thing!

SEAN: Horimiya has a 4th volume of romantic sweetness – will things finally get taken further?

ASH: I really need to catch up on this series! The first volume was delightful.

SEAN: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend reaches Vol. 3, and the boring girlfriend is still the major issue with this.

Kagerou Daze has a 6th manga volume, and I’ve honestly lost track of which LN volume it’s adapting.

And a 5th omnibus of Karneval comes next week as well.

The debut I’d be most excited about were it not for Queen Emeraldas is Liselotte & Witch’s Forest, the current series (though I think it’s on hiatus for health reasons) by Natsuki Takaya, creator of Fruits Basket. It runs, when active, in Hana to Yume.

MICHELLE: And a third debut I’m eagerly anticipating. All of these fab new series almost salve the pain of what we lost when various companies folded in recent years. I’ll never stop pining for Silver Diamond, though.

ANNA: Ah, I’m looking forward to this, although series on hiatus always make me nervous. Also, if Michelle is going to shout out Silver Diamond, I am going to take a moment of silence for Demon Sacred.

MICHELLE: I still haven’t given up hope!

SEAN: Log Horizon’s harem-influenced spinoff The West Wind Brigade has a 3rd volume.

And there’s a 4th omnibus of hard-to-read but fascinating Prison School.

ASH: Yup.

SEAN: And for those who wished Jeanne D’Arc’s life was just as tragic but had more magical girls, there’s the 3rd Puella Magi Tart Magica manga.

Re: Zero had its novel debut last week, so look to that post for a description. Here’s Vol. 1 of the manga, which runs in Big Gangan.

Lastly, there is a 3rd Taboo Tattoo, one of manga recent series that have an anime running at the same time.

Exhausted yet? That’s a whole lotta spicy manga. You’ll need alka-seltzer.

Pick of the Week: Heroes, Zeroes, and Gangstas

July 18, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown and Anna N Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: It isn’t manga, but my pick this week is definitely the second volume of Legend of the Galactic Heroes. In fact, I just used my shiny new Audible credit to pre-order it!

SEAN: I’m definitely ready for more LOGH as well, but my pick of this week is the first volume of Re: ZERO. Not since Sword Art Online have I seen a light novel debut with this much buzz, thanks no doubt to the anime’s current showing. I want to see what the fuss is about.

ASH: Likewise, I’ll certainly be making room on my shelf for the next volume of Legend of the Galactic Heroes, but my pick of the week is for something else entirely. In my particular case, I’m greatly anticipating the continuation of the dark, gritty, violent, and frequently tragic Gangsta.

ANNA: I have to agree, Gangsta is a special series and the wait for a new volume has been killing me!

My Week in Manga: July 11-July 17, 2016

July 18, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I finally did it! I actually managed to finish a longer, in-depth feature. The first since I announced the need to scale back on my blogging. It’s been about a month, the last in-depth post being my review of Yui Sakuma’s Complex Age, Volume 1. (Which I suppose thematically may have been oddly appropriate.) Anyway! Last week I posted a new Adaptation Adventures feature, this time focusing on the Mushishi manga, anime adaptations, and live-action film. I actually really enjoy writing these longer non-review features, so it made me very happy to be able to post a new one! The Mushishi Adaptation Adventures post is part of my (at one point monthly) horror manga review project. There’s only one more review to go, the final volume in Setona Mizushiro’s After School Nightmare, and then I’ll be able to bring the project to a close, so I’ll likely be focusing on that for my next in-depth post.

Elsewhere online, last week I came across a few interesting interviews: Oprainfall has a brief interview with Naoshi Arakawa, the creator of Your Lie in April, from Anime Expo. Crunchyroll posted an interview with Reo Kurosu, the producer of the newest Berserk anime adaptation, also from Anime Expo. And over at Okazu, Takarazuka Week begins with an interview with Ako Dachs, a former troupe member. Also, though not an interview, there is a free online course from Keio University that looks incredibly interesting: Japanese Culture through Rare Books. The class just started today, so there’s still time to register!

Quick Takes

Franken Fran, Omnibus 2 (equivalent to Volumes 3-4) by Katsuhisa Kigitsu. While I wasn’t quite as taken with the second omnibus as I was with the first, I am still enjoying Franken Fran a great deal and definitely plan on reading more of the series. It’s not nearly as fanservice-y a series as the covers might indicate, although there is still some amount of nudity and sexually charged imagery and themes. Sadly, I do know of some people who would likely enjoy the manga who are hesitant to try it simply because of the salacious nature of the cover artwork. For the most part though, Franken Fran is just good, wholesome(ish), gruesome fun. The series remains episodic, so knowing the basic premise is all that’s necessary to jump into most chapters. There’s not much character development at this point either. What Franken Fran does have is a fantastic and frequently dark sense of humor, oddly quirky yet likeable characters, and a bizarre charm. (I mean, even the Flying Spaghetti Monster makes a legitimate appearance in the second omnibus.) Franken Fran is a horror manga that’s fun and funny as well as gross and grotesque. The stories tend to be incredibly weird, but that’s also probably part of why the series is so engaging and entertaining.

Real Account, Volume 2 written by Okushou and illustrated by Shizumu Watanabe. I was a little surprised by how much I enjoyed the first volume of Real Account, but I found that I appreciated its mix of life-or-death entertainment, psychological drama, and social commentary; I was very curious to see how the manga might develop. Real Account continues to be thought-provoking, encouraging readers to really consider the impact that social media has on individuals and society. The series isn’t especially subtle about it, though, and can be a little over-the-top and melodramatic. Online transgressions in the series can lead to someone’s literal death in Real Account, generally in a rather spectacular fashion. The series already has a huge body count and it doesn’t appear as though the rate of casualties will be slowing down any time soon. At this point the motivations and identities of the people behind it all have yet to be revealed, but the games that people are being forced to play are only becoming deadlier. The manga’s creators do go out of their way to ensure that the lead hasn’t yet killed anyone himself, but he most definitely benefits from others killing on his behalf.

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volumes 5-8 by Miki Yohsikawa. Although I have been thoroughly enjoying Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, it’s been a while since I’ve actually read any of the series. These few volumes are generally playful, upbeat, and fun with plenty of kissing happening between all genders. I really like how Yamada’s circle of friends and acquaintances continues to grow without it exactly becoming a harem situation. Granted, the series’ basic premise does mean that sexual harassment occurs on a fairly regular basis. Thankfully, Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is most definitely fiction, and a comedy at that. However, if taken seriously, the occasionally forced and reluctant kisses, usually necessary for the story and played for humor, may very well be off-putting for some readers. But there’s all sorts of other silliness in Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, and the plot is progressing quite nicely, too. By the end of the eighth volume, the identities of all seven witches have been discovered. The fallout of this is unexpected and is accompanied by several plot twists and revelations. It feels as though the series’ first story arc is beginning to draw to a close; it should be interesting to see where things go from here.

Manga the Week of 7/20

July 14, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Anna N and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

SEAN: Sometimes I like to shake things up and do my list in reverse order, usually when a feature image would be right at the bottom of the list. This is one of those times.

So let’s start with Yen On, which has four books out, one a debut, Re: ZERO ~Starting Life in Another World~ sounds like a mouthful, and it is yet another in a series of “normal guy gets summoned to fantasy world” books, but I have heard from those who have seen the anime that this is top tier stuff. We shall see, but I am provisionally excited.

ASH: One of the light novel competitions has actually stopped accepting those types of stories they’ve become so prevalent.

SEAN: Log Horizon has a 5th volume, subtitled A Sunday in Akiba. Will Shiro and company be able to avoid politics and monster killing and have a light fluffy volume of no consequence? I highly doubt it.

After a bit of a delay, we see the 4th Kagerou Daze novel. The main point of interest in the last novel was seeing that one of the Mekakushi group seems to have a grudge against Shintaro, and also knows about his tragic relationship with Ayano. I’d like to see more about that.

The 4th Durarara!! novel, on the other hand, is a bit of a placeholder before the next major arc begins, but as with most Narita novels, the placeholding is possibly more interesting to fans.

ASH: I’ve sadly fallen behind in most of my light novel reading.

SEAN: And now back to manga, so the rest of the MB team can wake up. We have a 13th volume of Terra Formars from Viz, which honestly has gone a lot further than I expected.

I believe that the 9th volume of Monster (Perfect Edition) is the last, which means it’s a perfect time for readers who got behind to catch up.

ASH: I’m really glad Monster is available in its entirety again! And in a great looking edition, too.

SEAN: And hey, it’s been a while – over a year, in fact – but here’s the 7th volume of Gangsta.

ASH: I’ve been looking forward to the continuation of the series as well as the spinoff that Viz recently licensed.

ANNA: I didn’t realize that there was a spinoff coming out too! I enjoy this series and it has been far too long since a new volume came out.

SEAN: The Complete Chi’s Sweet Home has a 3rd omnibus of amazingly cute kitties!

MICHELLE: Yay!

SEAN: Seven Seas has a bevy of titles out. My Monster Secret’s 3rd volume continues to show us that monsters and broad comedy mix really well.

If you enjoyed Love in Hell when it came out a while back, we’re now getting a sequel series, Love in Hell: Death Life. As for me, I’d prefer an anime of Matt Groening’s Life in Hell.

And there’s a 4th volume of yuri thriller Akuma no Riddle, which is beginning to run out of antagonists.

MICHELLE: I haven’t gone back since volume two. Not sure if I am sufficiently compelled.

SEAN: One Peace has a 4th volume of the manga adaptation of Rise of the Shield Hero (which runs in Comic Flapper, for those of you fond of that magazine).

Kodansha has an 8th volume of UQ Holder, which has gone from weekly to monthly recently in Japan, so may start slowing down soon.

And with Noragami 16, we are finally caught up with Japan, so the monthly releases end here.

ASH: I recently caught up with Noragami myself and it’s getting really good. Like, really good.

SEAN: Lastly, we end as we began, with a novel. This one can’t really be called light, though, as it’s the 2nd Legend of the Galactic Heroes book from Haikasoru. Space opera! Intrigue! A whole lot of death! All are within these pages.

MICHELLE: Woot! I confess I still haven’t read the first one, but I am totally getting this via Audible, as I did the first volume.

ASH: Definitely picking this up!

ANNA: I need to confess that I haven’t read the first, but I really want to! Maybe I will schedule a reading binge for a long weekend soon.

SEAN: Which of these books will help you beat the heat?

Adaptation Adventures: Mushishi

July 14, 2016 by Ash Brown

After revisiting and reviewing each volume of Yuki Urushibara’s Mushishi for my horror manga review project, by now it’s probably readily clear that I greatly enjoy the series. I love the influence of traditional Japanese folklore on the stories. I love the manga’s subtle creepinesss. I love the exploration of the relationship between humans and the rest of nature. I love how the series delves into the connections that exist between people. I love the importance placed on the search for knowledge. The storytelling in Mushishi is atmospheric, beautiful, and frequently unsettling as individuals struggle with themselves and with the unknown. There is darkness and tragedy in Mushishi but there is also hope—one of the major themes in the manga is that for better or for worse, life will ultimately persevere.

Mushishi is a largely episodic series following Ginko, a mushishi, who travels the Japanese countryside studying mushi and trying to help people who have fallen under their influence. Mushi are described as creatures which are very close to the original form of life. Their presence is fundamental and necessary to the living world, but depending on the circumstances they may either be beneficial to or negatively impact humans. Mushi are frequently at the heart of unusual natural phenomenon or may cause otherwise unexplainable illnesses. Within the context of the series mushi can be taken literally, but they can also be read as metaphors for many conditions experienced in reality.

Urushibara’s ten-volume Mushishi, originally serialized in Japan between 1999 and 2008, was first released in print in English by Del Rey Manga between 2007 and 2010. Soon after, Del Rey’s manga imprint was closed and Mushishi subsequently went out of print. Unsurprisingly, the print edition of Mushishi has become increasingly difficult to find over time, but in 2014 Kodansha Comics released the entire series digitally. In addition to earning multiple awards and honors over the course of its publication, Mushishi was also the basis for multiple anime adaptations and a live-action film (most of which are available digitally if not physically in North America), as well as a variety of other media.

The first Mushishi anime series, directed by Hiroshi Nagahama, aired in Japan in 2005 and 2006. At twenty-six episodes, it only adapted a portion of the original manga. (Granted, the manga hadn’t yet been completed at that point.) Since I love the Mushishi manga, it probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise that I love the anime as well. Although the first Mushishi anime adaptation isn’t necessarily my favorite series, or even the anime that means the most to me personally, it is the series that I’ve seen the most number of times; I return to it frequently. Eventually, nearly a decade after the first Mushishi anime series, an animated television special was released which was followed a few months later by a second anime series. This twenty-episode series, also directed Nagahama, aired in Japan between 2014 and 2015 and adapted most of the remaining stories found in the manga. (A second animated television special was released during this time as well.) Despite the number of years that passed between the first and the second anime series, they are both very similar in tone and style. Nagahama also directed the Mushishi animated film released in 2015 which adapted the manga’s final story arc. Since I loved both the original manga and the first anime series, I was very happy to see so much more Mushishi anime produced.

The various Mushishi anime are very faithful adaptations of the manga. Frequently the scenes in the anime follow the scenes in the manga frame by frame and panel by panel, though occasionally the order that events appear in the narrative is slightly altered. Where the anime distinguish themselves is in their color and sound, especially in the establishment of the backgrounds and settings. Urushibara’s color artwork is lovely, but except for the covers of the individual manga volumes, very few examples of it officially appeared in North America. (I imported Urushibara’s 2015 Mushishi artbook which is filled with color illustrations and I adore it.) The anime bring the world of Mushishi to life. While the actual animation can at times be fairly simple and limited, the environments are always absolutely gorgeous and beautiful in their detail. The sound design in the anime adaptations is great, too, adding spectacularly to the overall atmosphere. The music by Toshio Masuda (which I’m constantly listening to) makes extensive use of bells, chimes, and other percussion along with unobtrusive synthesized and acoustic instruments, creating a beautiful soundtrack that is in turns ethereal and dramatic. Much like the original, the Mushishi anime creates an experience that can be calming and soothing as well as unsettling and disturbing.

Urushibara’s manga series was also the inspiration for Katsuhiro Otomo’s award-winning 2006 live-action film Mushishi. For the most part the film was received very well both inside and outside of Japan. Though overall it’s palette tends to be darker and more subdued than the anime adaptations, the visuals can be quite stunning; the special effects hold up surprisingly well even a decade after it was first released. I actually only very recently watched Otomo’s Mushishi for the first time. From the standpoint of someone who is very familiar with the original manga and its anime adaptations, the live-action movie is somewhat disorienting and perhaps even shocking. Though it begins much as one would expect, it ultimately deviates a fair amount from its source material even to the point of changing some of the underpinning mythologies and characterizations of the original. It’s clear that Urushibara’s manga provides the basis for the movie, but many details have been reimagined or remixed in some way. The narrative is still interesting, though. Otomo successfully weaves together several stories from the manga series and makes references to many others before taking the film in an entirely new and different direction. While the original Mushishi tends to be episodic, Otomo’s film is self-contained and provides a single cohesive story. In part this is accomplished placing a significant focus on Ginko’s past and what it means for his present and future, providing a framework for the film as a whole. Instead of simply wandering the countryside helping other people, Ginko has the additional motivation of trying to solve the mystery of who he really is and to reclaim his missing memories.

While I would consider the Mushishi manga and anime to be horror, albeit fairly subtle and subdued horror, the film is much more obviously so. Many of the underlying elements are the same, but the film focuses more directly on the aspects of traditional, supernatural horror. However, this does mean some of the more nuanced themes found in the manga and anime are missing. Otomo’s film is a much darker incarnation of Mushishi. The movie, especially towards its end, is incredibly creepy and extraordinarily disconcerting in both imagery and story. It’s so different in tone and narrative that it might actually be better described as a portrayal of an alternate universe of Mushishi rather than being a strict adaptation. It certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, especially if viewers are expecting something more akin to the gentler (though still disquieting) anime adaptations, but I actually quite liked the movie. For me though, it’s really more of a horror film before it’s a Mushishi film. Still, I feel that the live-action film, the anime adaptations, and the original manga are all well worth checking out and are all fascinating in their own rights. And of course, although unlikely, I’d love to see more Mushishi media and merchandise released in North America.

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