Ash Brown

Manga the Week of 9/28

September 22, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, MJ, Michelle Smith and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: Duck and cover, folks.

Kodansha gives us a 3rd Colossal Edition of Attack on Titan, which no doubt still remains a potent blunt instrument as well as a good way of catching up.

ASH: These volumes truly are colossal.

SEAN: And a 56th volume of Fairy Tail, which had one of my pairings become canon recently, and apparently other stuff is happening as well.

The first of three debuts from Kodansha next week, Happiness is from the creator of Flowers of Evil (and Inside Mari, and Drifting Net Café, for those who want to be reminded that there are iffy things the author has done too). It seems to combine school bullying and vampires, and runs in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine.

ASH: I’m not especially interested in vampires, but I’ll definitely be checking out this series.

MJ: I’d give this a look.

SEAN: The Prince in His Dark Days is an Aria title, so file it under shoujo-ish. This seems to involve some gender bending, and the author is better known for her BL. We’ll see what it’s like.

MICHELLE: This is already in my Amazon cart!

ASH: I’m very curious about this series!

ANNA: I’m curious too, but I will wait until you guys read it.

MJ: I’m absolutely on board for this!

SEAN: Sweetness and Lightning may have just finished its anime, but the manga goes in, with Vol. 2 coming out next week.

And Welcome to the Ballroom is from Weekly Shonen Magazine, and from what I can tell may be a sports manga, only the sport is ballroom dancing. Of the three debuts, this one excites me the most.

MICHELLE: And so are both of these!

ASH: It’s a strong week for Kodansha debuts; I want to read them all.

ANNA: BALLROOM DANCING MANGA! I am amazed.

MJ: So excited!

SEAN: Franken Fran has an omnibus of Vol. 5 & 6. It’s not for everyone, as many have discovered, but I do love its combination of excessive horror and excessive humor.

ASH: As do I.

And there’s a 7th volume of Servamp, which… OK, look, there’s a LOT of vampire titles this week. I have to save my bad jokes for other vampire titles down the list.

And Vertical has a 3rd volume of Devil’s Line. See what I mean? It’s just awash with vampires around here.

Yen Press takes up the rest of this list, but trust me, we aren’t almost done. First, there’s the digital line, with 6th volumes for Aphorism, Crimson Prince (not vampires, but demons), and Sekirei.

Yen On time. The 7th novel of Accel World will hopefully involve the nasty cliffhanger from the last volume, but will we really be free of the constant threat of the corrupting armor? And will Haru get actual self-confidence?

Since the last volume of Kagerou Daze was delayed, that means we get this 5th volume sooner than expected. This one should explain how Shintaro’s dead not-quite-girlfriend, Ayano, is connected to all this.

At last, we have the debut of Yen On’s first light novel series with no fantasy elements, My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong As I Expected. You can tell it’s a light novel by that wordy title, just call it OreGairu. It comes highly recommended, I will see what the fuss is about.

MJ: I will check this out as well.

SEAN: And a 2nd volume of Overlord, as we continue to see how ‘trapped in a game’ works if you’re a villain.

And there is a 4th volume of Strike the Blood, which I continue to find very generic but enjoyable despite that.

On to Yen Press proper. We get a 3rd volume of Akame Ga KILL! preview ZERO.

And we get the final volume of Aldnoah Zero First Season. The Second Season is not yet licensed, as far as I can tell.

There’s a 2nd volume of the manga adaptation of The Boy and the Beast.

As you might guess from the cover, A Bride’s Story 8 will be focusing on Pariya, our favorite tsundere, and her own marriage – assuming she does not blush herself to death first.

ASH: Looking forward to seeing more of A Bride’s Story on my shelf.

MJ: This, always.

SEAN: Chaika the Coffin Princess is also ending with its 5th and final volume.

And if you like fanservice, have a 2nd volume of Demonizer Zilch.

There’s also a 5th volume of the heartwarming and sometimes creepy First Love Monster.

Fruits Basket’s collectors Edition gives us 2 more volumes with its 5th omnibus, and a new zodiac, of course, of course.

MICHELLE: And a nice Ayame pic on the back cover!

MJ: These are so beautiful, I could not be happier.

SEAN: He’s My Only Vampire has ended in Japan, but still continues here with Vol. 8.

Now that I’ve read its source, I expect The Honor Student at Magic High School’s 4th volume to make 100% more sense.

And speaking of LN adaptations, there’s the 2nd My Youth Romantic… I’m not typing that out again.

Of the Red, The Light, and the Ayakashi is adapting a game, but still intrigues me as we hit Volume 4. I’m in it for the savvy little sister.

MICHELLE: I’m intrigued, as well.

SEAN: Overlord’s 2nd manga is coming out the same day as its 2nd light novel. That’s never not confusing!

And Space Dandy wraps up with a 2nd volume. This is the trouble with anime tie-ins.

Strike the Blood has a 4th manga volume, coming out the same day as… see my entry on Overlord.

Triage X may be up to a 12th volume, but on the bright side, we’ve caught up with Japan.

Ubel Blatt has a 6th omnibus that is really its 7th. Still bitter.

ASH: Understandably so.

SEAN: And lastly, Erika Furudo continues to RUIN EVERYTHING as we get a 2nd Umineko: Dawn of the Golden Witch omnibus. Can we get a happy ending with Battler controlling things? Don’t bet on it.

Are you buried under the weight of all of this? If not, what are you getting?

Human Acts

September 22, 2016 by Ash Brown

Author: Han Kang
Translator: Deborah Smith
U.S. Publisher: Hogarth Press
ISBN: 9781101906729
Released: January 2017
Original release: 2014
Awards: Manhae Literary Prize

Over the last few years South Korean novelist Han Kang has gained a fair amount of international attention. Of particular recent note, her second novel to be translated into English, The Vegetarian (which I’ve been meaning to read for quite some time now), was awarded the Man Booker International Prize in 2016 after being met with great acclaim. Kang isn’t a stranger to awards–her work, while at times controversial, is well-regarded and has earned her many honors and accolades both in South Korea and abroad. Human Acts is Kang’s third novel to receive an English translation. The book was originally published in Korea in 2014 (under a title that more closely translates as The Boy Is Coming) and won Kang the Manhae Literary Prize. Deborah Smith’s English translation of and accompanying introduction to Human Acts was first published in Great Britain in 2016 and is scheduled to be released in the United States in early 2017.

After the assassination of South Korean president Park Chung-hee in 1979, the political climate of the country became increasingly perilous. The student demonstrations calling for democracy and the protests against the government which began during Park’s rule when he implemented authoritarian policies and martial law continued even after his death. In 1980, in the southern city of Gwanju, one such demonstration was engulfed in violence when a group of citizens supporting the students’ efforts was attacked and killed by government forces. The protest in Gwanju quickly escalated into an uprising involving thousands. The incident only lasted a few days–ultimately the civil militias were defeated by the government troops–but the uprising and accompanying massacre would deeply impact South Korea and its people for decades to come, leaving a wound that has yet to completely heal.

Human Acts focuses on the aftermath of the Gwanju Uprising and the personal costs, pain, and suffering of the people involved. The novel unfolds in seven parts told from seven different perspectives. It begins in the midst of the uprising itself in 1980 and ends in 2013 with its lingering influence. Human Acts opens with the story Dong-ho, a middle school student working in a gymnasium which had been hastily converted into a temporary morgue in order to accommodate the tremendous number of casualties. There he helps to care for and identify the bodies. After he himself is killed during the uprising, Dong-ho becomes the touchstone which ties the disparate parts of the novel together. In addition to Dong-ho, Human Acts contains the accounts of the soul of his friend who also lost his life, two of the women who worked in the morgue with him, a protestor who witnessed his death and who was later arrested, imprisoned, and tortured, his mother, and the writer who retells their stories.

Human Acts is a beautifully written novel, the translation is elegant and at times even poetic, but the subject matter is horrific and tragic and Kang doesn’t shy away from that fact. The story, based on truth, is filled with death, brutality, and violence. Human Acts is extraordinary though it certainly isn’t light reading; it can be a very difficult, affecting, and haunting read. The text slips in and out of a second-person narrative which draws the reader directly into the story. The technique is surprisingly effective and disconcerting, helping to turn the novel into something that’s akin to both a eulogy and a denunciation. While Human Acts focuses on a specific historical event, its themes are universal, exploring the lasting changes that the past has on the present and how people as individuals cope with the trauma that has been experienced. Human Acts is an intensely personal, political, powerful, and devastating work and is honestly one of best novels that I have read in a long while.

Thank you to Hogarth Press for providing a copy of Human Acts for review.

Pick of the Week: Seinen Extravaganza

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

SEAN: Nothing really knocks it out of the park for me this week, but having just read it, I’m going with the 8th volume of Arpeggio of Blue Steel, which has a few surprising reveals, and one reveal that isn’t so surprising, but it’s nice to see confirmed. I enjoy this military thriller with cute girls.

MICHELLE: I’m definitely going with volume two of Complex Age this week. Volume one was indeed complex, and informative to boot. I’m looking forward to seeing how the story develops.

ASH: I’m intensely curious about the second volume of Complex Age, too, but my pick this week goes to the third omnibus of the incredibly surreal and at times devastating coming-of-age story that is Goodnight Punpun.

ANNA: I’m for sure most interested in Complex Age, I’m sure mostly because I haven’t yet read Goodnight Punpun yet. I could see it being a hard choice between those two titles!

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

September 19, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Last week at Experiments in Manga I posted the Bookshelf Overload for August. I picked up some great out-of-print (or soon to be out-of-print) manga and comics last month in addition to some highly-anticipated new releases. I was particularly busy with work and taiko last week so I wasn’t online much, but there is one thing that I’d like to draw attention to–the thirty-eighth and most recent issue of Sparkler Monthly. In it is the first part of a Skyglass side story written by Jenn Grunigen and illustrated by Mookie called “The Mud God” which, in addition to being adorably cute, is partly my fault as it’s related to another Skyglass commission that the author is working on for me. (Hopefully that one will be able to be shared soon, too!)

Quick Takes

Inuyashiki, Volume 4 by Hiroya Oku. The fourth volume of Inuyashiki begins immediately where the third volume ends, with the devastating and gruesome aftermath of Inuyashiki’s confrontation with an powerful organized crime group. It then turns to follow Shishigami’s story again. One thing that I found to be particularly interesting about Inuyashiki, Volume 4 is the character development of the two main leads. Since the beginning of the series, Inuyashiki and Shishigami have been opposites, using their newly-granted powers in vastly different ways. Though they both are mechanical monsters with many of the same abilities, Inuyashiki has focused on helping others, whether that be by curing major illnesses or fighting on behalf of those who are weaker, while Shishigami has been going on killing sprees for his own selfish reasons. Inuyashiki abhors violence, even when he is a willing participant; Shishigami delights in it. But the fourth volume of Inuyashiki sees some of that change. Inuyashiki is learning to consciously use and control his more deadly powers, specifically in order to put an end to Shishigami. He still considers it to be a necessary evil, though. As for Shishigami, his mother’s illness inspires him to use his abilities for less destructive purposes, but it’s still difficult to sympathize with him since he shows very little regret or remorse for the suffering he has wrought in the recent past.

One-Punch Man, Volumes 4-8 written by One and illustrated by Yusuke Murata. I continue to be greatly impressed by both the artwork and writing of One-Punch Man although the series is not without its flaws. The manga plays around with many of the tropes of the superhero genre and makes use of plenty of stereotypes in the process. Unfortunately, that means the introduction of an unquestionably gay hero and the perceived threat of his sexuality is intended to be comedic, resulting in an uncomfortable setup in which implied sexual assault is treated as a joke. Personally, I didn’t find this to be particularly funny. However, other than that glaring misstep, the humor in One-Punch Man is fantastic. A slew of new heroes and villains have been brought in; their powers are frequently over-the-top and frankly ridiculous, fitting the overall tone of the series perfectly. Murata’s artwork can be absolutely stunning and is incredibly dynamic, shifting from simplified illustrations to those that are nearly photo-realistic depending on the needs of the story and humor. The action sequences are great, filled with intense battles between absurdly powered opponents and accompanied by a suitably tremendous amount of destruction. It’s not at all surprising that One-Punch Man has been adapted into an anime series–the manga as a whole but especially the visual components seem to beg for it.

Queen Emeraldas, Volume 1 by Leiji Matsumoto. Older manga are not often released in English, so I was very excited to learn that Kodansha Comics would be publishing a classic series. I was even more interested when I found out that series would be Matsumoto’s space opera Queen Emeraldas which takes place in the same universe as his Captain Harlock stories. Although the hardcover English-language edition is based on a Japanese release from 2009, Queen Emeraldas was originally serialized in the late 1970s. The story largely follows a young man by the name of Hiroshi Umino, a runaway from Earth who crash lands on Mars in a spaceship he cobbled together himself. The titular Emeraldas is charismatic and enigmatic woman, a living legend who metes out justice as she wanders the stars. She takes a particular interest in the boy, repeatedly aiding him in his struggle to survive in space. Initially her concern seems to emerge from the fact that his story shares so many similarities with her own although later it is implied that she may have a deeper connection to him. However, like much of Queen Emeraldas, the nature of that connection is still a mystery. So far, I am thoroughly enjoying Queen Emeraldas. The manga is moody, atmospheric, and melancholic with a Western frontier flair. The characters are ambitious, seeking a life of freedom in a world that is harsh and unforgiving.

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 9 by Miki Yoshikawa. It’s fairly common for bodyswap manga to incorporate a fair amount of fanservice, especially when different genders are involved, and Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is no exception to that trend. Generally, the fanservice in the series doesn’t bother me that much especially considering the context, but every once in a while it’s more of a distraction than anything else. A case in point is a completely inexplicable panty shot in the ninth volume which completely threw me out of the story; it served no purpose for either characterization or plot, and even how the scene was illustrated didn’t make any sense. Usually, Yoshikawa is much better than that. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the ninth volume of Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. There are some interesting twists and revelations as Yamada tries to find a way to return everyone’s missing memories. I’m not always very fond of amnesia plotlines in stories simply because they can be a lazy way for creators to write themselves out of a corner or cause unnecessary drama, but in the case of Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches it actually works really well. At it’s very heart the series about friendship and overcoming isolation. Yamada, intentionally or not, was the one who brought so many of the characters together in the first place and he will do everything that he can to bring them together again.

Manga the Week of 9/21

September 16, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: Another big chunk of books to talk about next week. There’s no breaks anymore.

The adult coloring book has been a hot new trend for a while now, so it’s no surprise that Kodansha is getting in on it with the Attack On Titan Adult Coloring Book. Be sure to have lots of red.

Complex Age gives us a 2nd volume of cosplay drama and adult fear.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this one!

ASH: As am I! I was surprised by how much I was able to identify with the first volume. I’m also curious to see if the series will take the same direction as the original one-shot.

ANNA: I loved the first volume and am excited to read this!

SEAN: And there’s a 3rd manga volume of Ninja Slayer Kills, which is totally written by two American guys, honest.

And a 4th volume of Real Account. Has the survival game genre peaked?

And a 16th volume of The Seven Deadly Sins.

Lastly (from Kodansha, at least), Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches has hit double digits, but we still haven’t dealt with those pesky witches just yet.

ASH: I’ll admit, I’m still enjoying this series.

SEAN: This has been out in comic shops for a while now, but Amazon has the debut of Kuma Miko from One Peace. It’s half cute slice-of-life comedy about a shrine girl and her talking bear, and half weird and somewhat uncomfortable comedy.

Seven Seas has an 8th volume of the criminally underrated Arpeggio of Blue Steel, the Tom Clancy of anthropomorphic girl series.

Make no mistake about it, NTR – Netsuzou Trap is about cheating on one’s boyfriend – NTR stands for ‘netorare’, the Japanese word for ‘cheating’ that has become used and abused by North American otaku. That said, it’s about two girls cheating on their boyfriends with each other, and runs in Ichijinsha’s Yuri Hime. We’ll see. My expectations are near the bottom of the sea, so…

MICHELLE: Huh. I’d definitely want to read a story like that if it were, say, josei, but the boob-smushing on the cover is not encouraging.

SEAN: And a 3rd Tomodachi x Monster, for Pokemon fans who want more death and violence.

Vertical has a 3rd omnibus of Mysterious Girlfriend X, which is highly regarded once you get past the drool thing.

MICHELLE: Which… I haven’t been able to do.

SEAN: Viz gives us a 3rd volume of the brilliant but amazingly depressing Goodnight Punpun.

ASH: Goodnight Punpun is so, so good. But, yeah, it doesn’t really make for light reading.

SEAN: And an 8th Master Keaton – I think 9 is the last? Man, I never thought we’d see this title here at all. HOT INSURANCE ACTION.

MICHELLE: *snerk*

ANNA: Hooray for insurance!

SEAN: And Terra Formars is up to Vol. 14.

So what’s in your shopping cart?

Bookshelf Overload: August 2016

September 15, 2016 by Ash Brown

I’m slowly slipping back into my old buying habits; I should probably be a bit more stringent before things get ridiculously out of hand again. Granted, I stayed within my budget in August more than it would initially appear by the list below. The last of my Barnes & Noble orders from the recent manga super sale arrived which were already paid for; a bunch of Kickstarter rewards arrived; I somehow received not one, but two boxes of review copies from Kodansha Comics; and I made judicious use of coupons and gift cards. I also received some pretty phenomenal gifts like the out-of-print limited edition hardcover of Minna Sundberg’s A Redtail’s Dream. (A huge thank you to Narrative Investigation‘s Helen! You can read my quick take of A Redtail’s Dream here, and Helen’s thoughts about the webcomic here.) My biggest unplanned splurge in August was picking up an entire set of Firefighter!: Daigo of Company M by Masahito Soda which I liberated from the shelves of my Manga Bookshelf cohort Kate Dacey. (The series seems to be on its way out of print, but is still available digitally.) As for the August manga release that I was most excited for, I’m absolutely thrilled that Moto Hagio’s first Otherworld Barbara omnibus from Fantagraphics is now available. I love Hagio’s work, and am especially happy to see more of her science fiction in translation. I’d like to review or otherwise feature Otherworld Barbara at some point, but am not sure when that will be. However, I do have a review of South Korean author Han Kang’s novel Human Acts to post soon! Human Acts has already been released in the United Kingdom, but it won’t be released in the United States until January; I was fortunate enough to receive an early review copy. It’s honestly one of the best novels that I’ve read recently.

Manga!
Attack on Titan, Volume 19 by Hajime Isayama
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Volume 8 written by Ryo Suzukaze, illustrated by Satoshi Shiki
Complex Age, Volume 2 by Yui Sakuma
The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Volumes 3-5 by Aya Shouoto
Devil Survivor, Volume 6 by Satoru Matsuba
Dimension W, Volumes 1-2 by Yuji Iwahara
Dorohedoro, Volume 19 by Q Hayashida
The Earl & The Fairy, Volumes 1-4 by Ayuko
Fairy Tail, Volume 55 by Hiro Mashima
Fairy Tail: Blue Mistral, Volume 3 by Rui Watanabe
Firefighter!: Daigo of Company M, Volumes 1-20 by Masahito Soda
Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, Volumes 9, 13 written by Yuto Tsukuda, illustrated by Shun Saeki
Forget Me Not, Volumes 3-4 written by Mag Hsu, illustrated by Nao Emoto
The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Volume 5 by Hiromu Arakawa
Horimiya, Volumes 3-4 by Hero
Inuyashiki, Volume 4 by Hiroya Oku
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Part 2: Battle Tendency, Volume 4 by Hirohiko Araki
Kiss Him, Not Me, Volumes 5-6 by Junko
Kuroko’s Basketball, Omnibus 1 by Tadatoshi Fujimaki
Livingstone, Volume 3 by written Tomohiro Maekawa, illustrated by Jinsei Kataoka
Lone Wolf and Cub, Omnibuses 11-12 written by Kazuo Koike, illustrated by Goseki Kojima
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, Omnibus 5 by Satoshi Mizukami
Noragami: Stray God, Volumes 15-16 by Adachitoka
Otherworld Barbara, Omnibus 1 by Moto Hagio
Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 18 by Bisco Hatori
Paradise Residence, Volume 3 by Kosuke Fujishima
Persona 4, Volume 3 by Shuji Sogabe
Real Account, Volume 3 written by Okushou, illustrated by Shizumu Watanabe
Say I Love You, Volumes 14-15 by Kanae Hazuki
The Seven Deadly Sins, Volume 15 by Nakaba Suzuki
Spoof on Titan, Volume 1 by Hounori
Ten Count, Volume 1 by Rihito Takarai
That Wolf-Boy is Mine!, Volume 1 by Yoko Nogiri
Wolfsmund, Volume 7 by Mitsuhisa Kuji
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 9 by Miki Yoshikawa
Your Lie in April, Volumes 8-9 by Naoshi Arakawa

Comics!
Baggywrinkles: A Lubber’s Guide to Life at Sea by Lucy Bellwood
Breaks: Prologue by Malin Ryden and Emma Vieceli
Chester 5000 XYV, Book 2: Isabelle & George by Jess Fink
Dragon Heir: Reborn by Emma Vieceli
Fresh Romance, Volume 1 by Various
Gaijin Mangaka by Various
Gatesmith, Volume 1 by Jen Lee Quick
Libby’s Dad by Eleanor Davis
The Other Side edited by Melanie Gillman and Kori Michele Handwerker
Our Mother by Luke Howard
QuickSilver, Volume 1 by Emily Smith
Rainflowers by Ash Heimerl
A Redtail’s Dream by Minna Sundberg
The Usagi Yojimbo Saga, Omnibus 6 by Stan Sakai

Novels!
Human Acts by Han Kang
Dusk in Kalevia by Emily Compton, illustrated by Onorobo

Nonfiction!
Hi! My Name Is Loco and I Am A Racist by Baye McNeil
Loco in Yokohama by Baye McNeil
Mah Jong for Beginners by Shozo Kanai

Pick of the Week: Taking the Blame

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

MICHELLE: Although I’m happy to see more of Blue Morning, I have to admit that my heart belongs entirely to BLAME! this week. This is the title that made me a major fangirl for Tsutomu Nihei’s art style, and even if plot clarity is not his top priority with this title, there’s just something about his detailed rendering of the setting that gives me geekbumps. Thanks for the rescue, Vertical!

SEAN: I feel bad for not picking Hayate the Combat Butler, because if I don’t no one else will. But Michelle is right, BLAME! is clearly the pick of the week here, and I look forward to delving into it and being completely baffled by what is going on.

ASH: While I’m definitely interested in the re-debut of BLAME!, my pick this week is the most recent volume of Blue Morning. I’m not as voracious a reader of BL as I once was (maybe I’ve just become pickier) but I’ve been awaiting the continuation of Blue Morning with great anticipation.

MJ: I’m also pretty psyched for more Blue Morning, but having fallen so hard for Knights of Sidonia, I gotta jump on the BLAME! wagon here. Michelle’s endorsement goes a long way as well. I missed it the first time around, so count me in!

ANNA: I’m excited to have a chance to read BLAME! finally, and am glad Vertical picked it up because they always have great production values for their manga.

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

September 12, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Last week was a relatively quiet week at Experiments in Manga (granted, that’s true of most weeks these days), but the winner of to Tokyo Ghoul giveaway was announced. The post also includes a list of some of the manga available in English which feature half-humans of one type or another. Elsewhere online, there were plenty of interesting things posted: Massive and gay manga were featured at Edge Media Network, and it sounds like we should be seeing more of Jiraya’s work in English later this fall; Alice Nicolov wrote an article on queer representation in manga for Dazed and Confused Magazine; Nami Sato, the creator of Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto was interviewed for the first time in either English or Japanese; and Publishing Perspectives posted some of the highlights of a conversation with Allison Markin Powell and Hiromi Kawakami about Japanese literature translation. Also, the Kickstarter project for Power & Magic, a queer fantasy comics anthology about witches of color (which looks like it should be fantastic), was recently launched.

Quick Takes

Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Volume 8 written by Ryo Suzukaze and illustrated by Satoshi Shiki. It’s been a while since I’ve read Suzukaze’s Before the Fall light novels so I may be misremembering, but the novel adaptation seems to include characters and storylines not found in the original. It also expands on some of worldbuilding and characterizations of the franchise as a whole, so readers interested in the most comprehensive Attack on Titan experience will want to read the manga even if they’ve already read Suzukaze’s novels. Sharle, while still managing to come across as a stereotypical maiden in distress at times, is a more well-rounded and independent character in the manga. Her brother plays a more prominent and slightly more sympathetic role as well although he’s still one of the main human antagonists (and an ass). The Titans actually don’t even make an appearance in this volume and are barely mentioned as the manga focuses on the conflict and intrigue among the military, political, and religious factions. Overall, it’s an exciting volume with some interesting twists. Unfortunately it suffers some from Shiki prioritizing cool-looking panels and scenes over continuity and logical plot developments. (I’m sorry, if someone is going to daringly scale a wall to sneak into a city, they really shouldn’t be attempting the maneuver above the few guards that are present unless there’s a good reason for it.)

Devil Survivor, Volume 6 by Satoru Matsuba. I wasn’t especially enamored with the first volume of Devil Survivor and so haven’t really been following the manga very closely. However, the series had potential, and I’m glad to see that the sixth volume delivers on that promise. The Devil Survivor manga is based on a video game in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise, one of many adaptations from the megaseries to have recently been translated in English. Probably my biggest criticism of the first volume of Devil Survivor was that it read too much like a video game and not enough like a manga. If the sixth volume is anything to judge by, the series has greatly improved in that regard. While the video game elements are still readily clear, the manga seems to be focusing more on plot and characters. I actually really like the underlying story and find some of the characters to be interesting as well. The artwork is serviceable, understandably keeping close to the designs of the video games, but the way Matsuda draws the more well-endowed women can be a bit awkward to say the least. Many of the demons invading Tokyo look pretty good, though. The sixth volume is a turning point in the story as the series enters its final arc. Important revelations are made, a major boss battle is fought, and already dangerous situations become even more dangerous as the characters prepare to do all that they can to survive and save Tokyo from destruction.

The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime by Toshio Ban. While I certainly understand why Stone Bridge Press chose to release the entirety of The Osamu Tezuka Story in a single volume, the book is huge, amounting to over nine hundred pages of material. Most of the volume consists of Ban’s manga, but it also includes an excellent introduction by the translator (and friend of Tezuka) Frederick L. Schodt and one of the most exhaustive lists of Tezuka’s work that I’ve seen in one place. I’ve read my fair share of works examining the life and career of Tezuka so I wasn’t especially surprised by anything in the manga, but The Osamu Tezuka Story provides one of the most comprehensive, engaging, and accessible biographies. The manga, which is largely chronological, is divided into three parts which delve into Tezuka’s childhood, his entry into manga, and the expansion of his career into anime. Commissioned following Tezuka’s death in 1989, the biography incorporates many of Tezuka’s own words taken from his essays and earlier interviews. Ban, who was one of Tezuka’s sub-chiefs in the manga department, adopts an illustration style very similar to that of Tezuka and excerpts from some of Tezuka’s manga and anime are also used. The Osamu Tezuka Story reveals just how remarkable and influential a creator Tezuka was and is highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of Japan’s manga and anime industries.

Our Little Sister directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. I’m not sure when (or if) Our Little Sister will receive a home video release, but I recently had the opportunity to see the film in a theater. Our Little Sister is actually a live-action adaptation of Umimachi Diary (the title more literally translates to “Seaside Town Diary”), an award-winning ongoing manga series by Akimi Yoshida who some will likely recognize as the creator of Banana Fish. I’ve seen one other film by Kore-eda (Like Father, Like Son) which is similar in both theme and tone to Our Little Sister. Both films, despite intense interpersonal drama, are fairly quiet and gentle without becoming saccharine and focus on the complexities of familial relationships. In the case of Our Little Sister, the story primarily follows three sisters whose father left their mother for another woman more than fifteen years ago and whose mother largely left them behind to be raised by their grandmother. After their father dies they meet their half-sister, the daughter of his second wife (out of three), for the first time while at the funeral. For a variety of reasons, they invite her to live with them. While this does cause some raised eyebrows and strain in the family, both immediate and extended, the decision is ultimately a healing one as all four sisters grow closer as they pull together their fragmented lives. Our Little Sister is simply a lovely film. (And I’d certainly be interested in reading the original manga, too!)

Manga the Week of 9/14

September 8, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: In a month this big, even the smaller 2nd and 3rd weeks can be packed with manga titles, and that proves to be the case here.

Dark Horse has its 24th volume of Vampire Hunter D, showing that it was way ahead of the vampire curve.

Devil Survivor has come out so fast from Kodansha it’s hard to believe it’s almost done. Vol. 7 is the 2nd to last.

There’s also a 4th volume of shonen romance Forget-Me-Not.

If you want a parody of Attack on Titan but would like it to be closer to its source material as opposed to a high school AU, Spoof on Titan may be for you. It’s a cute 4-koma gag series that originally ran on the Mangabox app a few years back. It’s quite amusing.

One Peace has now caught up with the old Maria Holic releases, so I believe Vol. 7 is new content.

The description of Lord Marksman and Vanadis, Seven Seas’ debut this week, on a manga info site has keywords like ‘based on a light novel’, ‘big breasts’, ‘tsundere’, and the like. Still, it’s in Comic Flapper rather than Comic Alive, so maybe it’s not as cliched as it sounds…

And we also get the 2nd volume of Masamune’s Revenge, whose first volume surprised me by not being terrible, so there’s always hope.

And a 2nd volume of The Other Side of Secret, which… nah, can’t say the same. Moving on.

Remember Blue Morning? From so long ago? We now have a 6th volume of it, courtesy SuBLime. Yay!

MICHELLE: Yay, indeed!

ASH: I’ve been waiting for this! I’m loving the series.

SEAN: And they also have a 2nd 2-in-1 omnibus of Don’t Be Cruel.

MICHELLE: I had major issues with the first volume, but I admit that I kind of want to read this.

SEAN: Udon has a 4th volume of the manga adaptation of Persona 4.

Vertical has what I think most Manga Bookshelf peeps will consider the big release of the week, the first omnibus re-release of BLAME!, rescued from the out of print Tokyopop doldrums thanks to the performance of Knights of Sidonia by the same author. I actually never read this back in the day, so look forward to seeing what it does. And if it has bears.

MICHELLE: I’ve read all of BLAME! and enjoyed it very much, especially the art and labyrinthine setting. Alas, I don’t recall any bears.

ASH: It’s also a literal big release–the volume is huge!

ANNA: I haven’t read it before, so I am excited!

SEAN: Hayate the Combat Butler, from Viz, is exciting no one this week but me, but I am still excited to see a 28th volume of another of my ‘lost cause’ series.

Lastly, a 16th Ranma 1/2 omnibus gives us more of what you like from Rumiko Takahashi, unless you like character development, it doesn’t have that. But it’s funny, so who cares?

ASH: Still happy to see Ranma 1/2 back in print.

SEAN: What are you getting from this list?

Manga Giveaway: Tokyo Ghoul Trio Winner

September 7, 2016 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Tokyo Ghoul Trio manga giveaway is… Briell Saunders!

As the winner, Briell will receive the first three volumes of Sui Ishida’s manga series Tokyo Ghoul as published in English by Viz Media. For this giveaway, I asked that participants tell me a little about their favorite half-human characters from manga. Kaneki Ken, the protagonist of Tokyo Ghoul, was mentioned a fair number of times, but he’s not the only well-liked half-human. Check out the giveaway comments for everyone’s details responses, and check out the list below for some of the manga that feature half-humans of various types.

Some of the manga licensed in English featuring half-humans:
Bleach by Tite Kubo
Blue Exorcist by Kazue Kato
Ceres: Celestial Legend by Yuu Watase
Cirque du Freak by Takahiro Arai
Claymore by Norihiro Yagi
D.Gray-man by Katsura Hoshino
Dawn of the Arcana by Rei Toma
The Devil Is a Part-Timer by Akio Hiragi
Franken Fran by Katsuhisa Kigitsu
Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa
InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi
Jiu Jiu by Touya Tobina
My Girlfriend Is a T-Rex by Sanzo
My Monster Secret by Eiji Masuda
Negima by Ken Akamatsu
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan by Hiroshi Shiibashi
Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki
Rin-ne by Rumiko Takahashi
Rust Blaster by Yana Toboso
That Wolf-Boy Is Mine! by Yoko Nogiri
Three Wolves Mountain by Bohra Naono
Tokyo Ghoul by Sui Ishida
Übel Blatt by Etorouji Shiono
Wolf Children: Ame & Yuki by Mamoru Hosoda
YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway and took the time to share your favorites with me. I hope to see you all again!

Pick of the Week: Our Heart Skips a Beat

September 5, 2016 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: It’s Viz week, so there’s quite a bit I’m interested in, but my eyes turn first, as they often do, to Skip Beat!. It may not be ending soon, but it is wrapping up plotlines, and one of the bigger ones starts to get wrapped up beginning in this volume. I will be reading it immediately.

MICHELLE: I second Sean in every respect!

ASH: It’s Haikyu! this week for me! I’ve been thoroughly enjoying all of the sports manga being released of late, but I especially liked the first two volumes of Haikyu! with their emphasis on playing together as a team.

ANNA: If Skip Beat! is coming out, there can be only one pick for me and that would be Skip Beat! How does it manage to be so good after so many volumes? I don’t know but I’m always happy when there is a new volume to read.

My Week in Manga: August 29-September 4, 2016

September 5, 2016 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

The end of August has come and gone, but there’s still time to enter Experiments in Manga’s most recent giveaway. This time around you all have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win the first three volumes of Sui Ishida’s Tokyo Ghoul. (The winner will be announced on Wednesday.) Other than that, it was a fairly quiet week at Experiments in Manga. I was actually on vacation last week, too. I wasn’t online much, but I did catch that Viz Media will be releasing Hidenori Kusaka and Satoshi Yamamoto’s Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire manga as well as a Pokémon Pocket Comics box set.

Quick Takes

Kiss Him, Not Me!, Volumes 5-6 by Junko. The overall narrative of the last few volumes of Kiss Him, Not Me! has fallen into a noticeable pattern; the series focuses on Serinuma’s potential romantic interests one after another in turn, each of them becoming the subject of their very own mini story arc which briefly delves into their relationship with Serinuma and how they have changed (generally for the better) because of it. Much to my surprise, yet another character has been introduced who has developed feelings for Serinuma, though just how serious he is is somewhat ambiguous. Granted, it’s mostly because of him that everyone ends up confessing their own feelings to Serinuma. As for Serinuma herself, she still seems to be completely uninterested in romance, though she is enjoying having a larger group of friends. Kiss Him, Not Me! continues to be an over-the-top romantic comedy that doesn’t take itself at all seriously. Even when the basic story elements start to feel a little repetitive (such as when Serinuma goes on a date with each of her admirers) the series is unpredictable and varied enough that it remains both entertaining and engaging. The characters aren’t especially deep, and there’s plenty about the series that’s unbelievable, but Kiss Him, Not Me! is silly fun.

Tramps Like Us, Volumes 10-14 by Yayoi Ogawa. I am so glad that I made a point to collect Tramps Like Us when I did; the series is now very much out of print and unlikely to be rescued. (Although, considering the recent expansion in Kodansha’s digital offerings, there might yet be some hope there.) I’m really not sure why it took me so long to actually get around to reading Tramps Like Us, because I ended up loving the manga and its characters. The basic premise is somewhat strange and the series frequently takes off on flights of fantasy, but somehow the emotions and relationship dynamics still manage to be incredibly real and relatable. The final volume of the series did feel a little rushed to me, and everything might have been tied up a little too nicely, but I still found the slightly bittersweet but predominantly happy ending to be very satisfying. Some of the developments weren’t really that surprising; it was only a matter of time before Sumire and Momo/Takeshi had to face what their relationship had become and actually do something about it. Although she has to give some things up, Sumire is able to find a balance between her career, home life, and love life that makes her happy. And I have to admit, although it might ultimately be a little idealistic, the ending made me happy, too.

Your Lie in April, Volume 8-9 by Naoshi Arakawa. As a musician, I’m naturally drawn to manga in which music is featured in some way. And so, because music plays a very prominent role in Your Lie in April, the series immediately caught my attention. Arakawa captures the deep emotional connection a person can have with music remarkably well in Your Lie in April. My own relationship with music is a complicated one, so I’m glad to see that sort of complexity reflected in the manga as well. Generally, however, the series does tend more towards the angst associated with performance rather than the joy of music. Many of the characters are pouring their whole selves into their art; being a musician can be both a thrilling and terrifying experience. Effectively expressing oneself through music is a tremendous accomplishment, but frequently this is accompanied by fear and worry that one will never be good enough. Still, there are wonderful moments in Your Lie in April in which the characters are able to break through their insecurities. While music is an important part of Your Lie in April, probably even more important are the relationships between the characters, even if Kosei still seems oblivious to the fact that he means so much to so many different people.

Manga the Week of 9/7

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

SEAN: It’s September! Summer vacation is over, time to go back to school, and a whole lot of manga seems to be coming to a close.

Dark Horse has a 10th New Lone Wolf and Cub. There are swords in it.

Paradise Residence wraps up with its third volume, It felt fairly inconsequential, but then so did Oh My Goddess! much of the time.

ASH: I actually didn’t realize the series was only three volumes.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a 5th volume of Citrus, whose cover looks suggestive, but if it’s like previous volumes it will have more angst than seduction.

And a 5th Non Non Biyori, which has yuri tease but otherwise could not be more different than Citrus.

Vertical gives us a 4th volume of Nichijou, which is funny and weird, not necessarily in that order, but always worth getting.

And now the rest is Viz. Bloody Mary has a 4th volume, and, well, vampires.

ANNA: I enjoy this because the vampires are so pretty, and I think secretly in love with each other.

SEAN: Dragon Ball has its final 3-in-1, the 14th. Worry not, however, because…

There’s a 3rd Dragon Ball Full Color Freeza Arc, and that’s not done yet! There will always be Dragon Ball in Oceania.

I liked Everyone’s getting Married’s first volume, and am interested in seeing how far it goes with its premise. Vol. 2 next week.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this one.

ASH: Somehow, I’ve already fallen behind. I’ll need to change that.

ANNA: So good! I’m always happy when there’s a regular josei series coming out.

SEAN: Haikyu! is still monthly, with its third volume. My guess? Volleyball practice.

MICHELLE: With the new defense specialist kid!

ASH: I’m really enjoying this series!

ANNA: I am too, it just keeps getting better and better.

SEAN: Idol Dreams continues to come out at a very slow rate, which is what happens when you catch up to Japan almost immediately. Will Volume 3 still be uncomfortable? We shall see.

ANNA: Still here for any Arina Tanemura series.

SEAN: Also caught up with Japan is Kimi ni Todoke, but that’s OK, it’s always worth the wait, even at Vol. 25.

Komomo Confiserie wraps up with its 5th volume. It wasn’t a Special A, or even a Voice Over, but it was pretty good.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I certainly didn’t hate it, but I don’t know that I’d reread it.

ANNA: I liked it, but I agree, probably not a series I’d reread every few years.

SEAN: Nisekoi 17 is the first one to be released after the manga has ended in Japan. Will sales still be good? And is the harem safe? Think of the poor harem!

One Piece’s 17th 3-in-1 has reached Thriller Bark, which I wasn’t fond of at the time but has grown on me after the endless Dressrosa arc.

One-Punch Man 8! PUNCHING!

ASH: INDEED!

ANNA: SO MUCH PUNCHING!

SEAN: Seraph of the End 10! SERAPHING!… OK, no, that doesn’t work. Vampires?

ANNA: I’ve fallen behind on this series but I enjoy the vampires, complex worldbuilding, and angst.

SEAN: Skip Beat! is not coming to an end anytime soon, despite reaching its 37th volume. That said, we do reach a plot I’ve been waiting for since the first volume.

MICHELLE: I actually do not know anything about the plot in this volume, so now I am all excite.

ANNA: I don’t know either, but I’m always excited for Skip Beat! May it run eternally.

SEAN: World Trigger is up to a dozen volumes. And I still have almost nothing to say about it.

And lastly, the 9th and final volume of Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal, which totally wraps up the franchise forever and ever… wait, there’s already a new series solicited. Nevermind.

So what’cha want?

Manga Giveaway: Tokyo Ghoul Trio

August 31, 2016 by Ash Brown

Not only is it the last Wednesday of August, it’s the last day in August which means it’s yet again time for Experiments in Manga’s monthly giveaway! This month you’ll all have the opportunity to win not one, not two, but three volumes of Sui Ishida’s Tokyo Ghoul as published in English by Viz Media. The giveaway is open worldwide, too!

Tokyo Ghoul has been doing very well for Viz Media. The first volume has currently been on the New York Times’ Best Sellers list for fifty-nine weeks strait. The eighth and most recent volume is currently at the top of that list, and other volumes are frequently found on it, too. While I haven’t followed the series closely beyond the first few volumes, there are still quite a few things I like about the manga. In addition to the series’ dark and gritty aesthetic, I particularly appreciate that the protagonist must come to terms with who he is, struggling to find his new identity after a near-death experience leaves him part-ghoul and part-human. In general I find explorations of personal identity to be engaging and Tokyo Ghoul‘s supernatural variation on the theme to be interesting.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win the first three volumes of Tokyo Ghoul?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about your favorite half-human from manga. (If you haven’t encountered any half-humans, 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).

Not too difficult, is it? Participants in the giveaway can earn up to two entries and have one week to submit comments. If you have trouble with comment form or if you prefer, comments can be sent directly to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. The comments will then be posted here in your name. The winner of the giveaway will be randomly selected and announced on September 7, 2016. Best of luck 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–Manga Giveaway: Tokyo Ghoul Trio Winner

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Pick of the Week: For a Few Yen More

August 29, 2016 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Anna N and Ash Brown Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: What a dilemma! A new volume of Fruits Basket versus a new volume of Yowamushi Pedal! I love both series, but I think the advantage here has to go to the content that hasn’t been released here before, in which case it’s Yowamushi Pedal by a handlebar!

SEAN: An embarrassment of stuff this week. Emma, Furuba, Nozaki-kun, YowaPeda, and light novels galore. My pick is the second Baccano! novel, because Jacuzzi and Nice are sweeties, and Ladd and Lua are terrifying, albeit in different ways.

ANNA: There is so much stuff coming out! I have to go with the title I’m most likely to read very soon, which is Nozaki-kun.

ASH: Wow, it’s a really great week for Yen Press manga! I’ll definitely be picking up Yowamushi Pedal and Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun, but my official pick of the week goes to the final omnibus volume of Emma. I’m so glad that the series was rescued! I’m looking forward to completing my collection.