Ash Brown

Pick of the Week: Slim Pickings

November 9, 2015 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney and Ash Brown Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: There are a few volumes coming out this week that I will probably enjoy, but none that fills me with particular enthusiasm. But since a pick is required, I reckon I will go for volume four of Love Stage!!. I continue to hope for more stage, and will probably be disappointed, but I’m not giving up yet.

SEAN: With nothing really blowing me away this week, it’s time to go back to the beginning of my manga reading career. One can never go wrong with a volume of Ranma 1/2, provided you don’t take it too seriously. That said, the appearance of Nodoka Saotome does make this one a bit less wacky than the previous.

ASH: The two manga that I’m particularly interested in this week have actually both already been mentioned. But, since I haven’t actually read any of Love Stage!! yet, I’ll throw my pick towards the series that I know I like and am happy to see being re-released in English, Ranma 1/2.

My Week in Manga: November 2-November 8, 2015

November 9, 2015 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Keeping this short and sweet because boy do I have a lot of stuff going on right now! Last week at Experiments in manga the Barakamon manga giveaway winner was announced. The post also includes a list of manga with prominent countryside settings for anyone interested in exploring some of what has been published in English. As for the first in-depth manga review of the month, I took a look at Junji Ito’s Cat Dairy: Yon & Mu which I found to be highly entertaining. I expected that I would at least like the manga, but I absolutely loved its weird mix of not-exactly-horror and comedy.

A few things of interest that I came across online last week: The most recent Sparkler Podcast focuses on what it’s like Working in the Manga Industry. (The podcast is currently only free for Sparkler Monthly members. Non-members can either purchase it now, or simply wait a few weeks.) Over at Anime New Network, Deb Aoki has been talking to the folks at Kodansha about the upcoming Attack on Titan anthology and bridging the gap between American comics and manga. Finally, Seven Seas slipped in a new license announcement: Monster Musume: I ♥ Monster Girls, a yonkoma spinoff from Okayado’s main series.

Quick Takes

My Little Monster, Volume 10 by Robico. The last few volumes of My Little Monster have been getting progressively more serious to the point where, overall, the tenth seems to hardly have any humor at all. This is quite a change from the beginning of the series where the manga’s balance leaned more towards comedy and the more humorous aspects of the interactions between its oddball characters. I did really like this volume, though. Basically, Haru’s past and present are now colliding and the results are appropriately dramatic as everyone involved deals with the fallout. There are hurt and conflicted feelings, and many complications and frustrations. For one, Haru’s family circumstances are more fully explained, showing how the intense antagonism between him and his brother came about and just how awful a person their father is. A significant portion of My Little Monster, Volume 10 actually explores the story through the perspective of Haru’s brother Yuzan, which I was glad to see. He’s still not particularly pleasant, but being able to better understand his and Haru’s situation makes him less of an enigma and a much more sympathetic and interesting character.

Suikoden III: The Successor of Fate, Volumes 6-11 by Aki Shimizu. I still haven’t played any of the Suikoden games, although based solely on the manga adaptation of the third, it’s likely a to be franchise that I would enjoy. I liked the first five volumes of Shimizu’s Suikoden III, but the final six cemented my appreciation for the manga–it’s a solid epic fantasy series with both magic and military might. Although it is a video game adaptation and in a few places the RPG mechanics can be seen if one is looking for them, the manga stands very well on its own and doesn’t really feel too game-like. The second half of the series more fully delves into the antagonist’s backstory which was needed as his motivations are much more complicated than would initially appear. One of the things I like the most about the Suikoden III manga is that nothing is strictly good or evil, the characters and their actions are more nuanced than that. Under the weight of war and inherited responsibilities they must all try to hold onto their ideals while at the same time making compromises in order to protect what and who they love. Enemies become allies and in some cases even friends, but it is a hard journey.

Taimashin: The Red Spider Exorcist, Volume 2 written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Shin Yong-Gwan. Although all six volumes of Taimashin have been translated into English, only the first two were released in print; the other four volumes are only available digitally. It’s been a long while since I’ve read the first volume in the series, but I do distinctly recall liking it, or at being enthralled by Akamushi Fujiwara, the titular Red Spider Exorcist who may be a human, a demon, or something else entirely. Reading the second volume, Akamushi still fascinates me and is probably my favorite part of the manga. For the most part I would classify Taimashin as a horror manga although, as I’ve come to expect from Kikuchi’s works, it also has distinct elements of science fiction and fantasy. While it doesn’t always make a lot of sense, the manga can be both thrilling and creepy. This is actually something else that I associate with Kikuchi–he writes these bizarrely engaging stories with ominous atmospheres that end up being all over the place. Taimashin‘s artwork fits the story and characters particularly well, ranging from Akamushi’s otherworldly beauty to scenes that are frankly grotesque.

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu

November 6, 2015 by Ash Brown

Creator: Junji Ito
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781632361974
Released: October 2015
Original release: 2009

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu was one of the manga releases I was most looking forward to in 2015. Junji Ito is primarily known for horror manga–his Uzumaki is one of my personal favorites in the genre–but in 2008 he had the opportunity to serialize an autobiographically-inspired manga based on his experiences living in a house with two cats. The result was Junji Ito’s Cat Diary, ultimately collected in a single, slim volume and published in Japan in 2009. The English-language edition of the manga released by Kodansha Comics in 2015 also includes the contributions made by Ito and his wife (Ayako Ishiguro) to the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake relief anthology Teach Me, Michael! A Textbook in Support of Feline Disaster Victims. I thoroughly enjoy Ito’s brand of unusual horror and I, too, happen to have the privilege of feline companionship, so I was very interested in Junji Ito’s Cat Diary. I expected it to be a manga that I would enjoy and I wasn’t disappointed; I absolutely loved it.

J-kun is the proud owner of a new house in pristine condition from floor to ceiling and he’s looking forward to living there with his soon-to-be wife A-ko. What he didn’t initially realize was that by inviting her to live with him he would also become host to two more guests: Yon and Mu. J-kun is convinced that Yon, one of A-ko’s family’s cats, is cursed. He’s a strange-looking feline with skull-like markings that would seem to confirm J-kun’s suspicions. Mu, on the other hand, is an adorable kitten with a pedigree and cute enough to melt even J-kun’s dog-loving heart. And so begins J-kun’s trials and tribulations as a keeper of cats, slowly falling under their spell as he grieves the loss of his perfectly-kept house. He warms up to both Yon and Mu, but they don’t quite exhibit the same amount of warmth in return, more often than not preferring A-ko’s company. But J-kun is determined–one day he, too, will enjoy Yon and Mu’s love and affection.

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary is immensely entertaining. Ito has kept his signature style used when drawing horror manga and has applied it to a collection of stories that are closer to being gag manga. The illustrations can be intentionally grotesque and creepy, with an emphasis on J-kun’s exaggerated expressions as he reacts (and overreacts) to the events occurring in his household and the horrors of pet ownership. A-ko, too, is drawn in such a way that her disconcerting appearance adds to the atmosphere of horror in the manga. For the most part, the cats are simply cats (at least when J-kun isn’t hallucinating from lack of sleep); it’s the humans who come across as maniacal. Junji Ito’s Cat Diary looks like it should be a horror manga and has all of the genre’s visual stylings, but it really isn’t. The humor is even funnier because of this deliberate disconnect between the actual stories being told and how they are being portrayed.

As someone who tends to enjoy Ito’s work and as someone who tends to like cat comics, I was already in a position to particularly appreciate Junji Ito’s Cat Diary. It may certainly not work for everyone, though–the manga is a weird mix of horror and comedy, the grotesque and the adorable–but I loved it. In general, the stories in Junji Ito’s Cat Diary are less about Yon and Mu’s antics and more about J-kun’s reactions to their behavior and his changing relationships with the two cats. Yon and Mu are actually very normal as cats go; the humans in the manga are the ones who come across as eccentric and a bit odd. Junji Ito’s Cat Diary is hilarious but at the same time the manga maintains and oddly disconcerting and even ominous atmosphere. Ito simply excels at taking the mundane and transforming it into something truly devious and bizarre. I’m not sure, but perhaps I should be concerned by how much I can identify with the stories found in Junji Ito’s Cat Diary.

Manga the Week of 11/11

November 5, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Anna N, Michelle Smith and MJ Leave a Comment

SEAN: Good news! Every week in November has an absurd amount of manga coming out – except next week! Bad news – the Manga Bookshelf team is going to be finding pick of the week very hard, I suspect.

Kodansha has a spinoff of Fairy Tail called Fairy Girls, which, as you may have guessed, is about the girls in Fairy Tail. It has a different author, though, and looks to be even more cutesy and fanservice-oriented than the main series – which is saying something.

And if you missed Fairy Tail to begin with, why not try the new 1000-page omnibus of the first five volumes? This is a ‘Colossal Edition’ style release.

ASH: That is a lot of manga in one volume! The Master’s Edition, indeed.

ANNA: That sounds crazy!

SEAN: Seven Seas has the second and final volume of Bodacious Space Pirates: Abyss of Hyperspace, which has female pirates in outer space, and I think that no other words are needed.

And for those who like dragons and nudity (I suspect the core fanbase reverses the order), there’s an 8th volume of Dragonar Academy.

SubLime has a 4th volume of Love Stage!!!!, which I’ve decided to add a ! to for each new volume.

ASH: I’ll admit: I’ve been collecting this series, but I actually haven’t read any of it yet.

MICHELLE: It’s fairly cute. Very fluffy, with very little stage, but not bad!

ANNA: Huh, I think I have a few volumes, I should read them!

MJ: I admit I would like more stage.

SEAN: The 11th omnibus of Ranma 1/2 ups the stakes for both Ranma and his father, as it sees the debut of Nodoka Saotome, Ranma’s mother who has certain ideas about what constitutes a “man among men”, and sex changes are probably not in that list.

The 19th volume of Rin-Ne I expect has no real premise-altering developments like that, but I bet it has a lot of ghosts who are secretly (or not so secretly) jerks.

Lastly, there is an 8th volume of superhero BL tease with Tiger & Bunny.

MICHELLE: I seldom rave about RIN-NE and Tiger & Bunny, but I do like both of them in a low-key kind of way.

SEAN: Taking a breather? Or getting something from the above list?

Manga Giveaway: Barakamon Giveaway Winner

November 4, 2015 by Ash Brown

And the winner of the Barakamon manga giveaway is… Joseph!

As the winner, Joseph will receive Satsuki Yoshino’s Barakamon, Volume 1 as released in English by Yen Press. As the fall and winter holiday season has arrived, I was beginning to feel a little nostalgic for my childhood home in the country. So, for this giveaway, I asked that entrant’s tell me a little about their favorite manga with countryside and rural settings. Check out the giveaway comments for everyone’s complete responses, and check out below for a list of manga!

Some of the countryside manga available in English:
Barakamon by Satsuki Yoshino
Brilliant Blue by Saemi Yorita
Can’t Win with You! written by Satosumi Takaguchi, illustrated by Yukine Honami
The Flowers of Evil by Shuzo Oshimi
A Girl on the Shore by Inio Asano
Kamikaze Girls by Yukio Kanesada
The Legend of Kamui by Sanpei Shirato
Mermaid Saga by Rumiko Takahashi
Moyasimon by Masayuki Ishikawa
Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara
Non Non Biyori by Atto
NonNonBa by Shigeru Mizuki
Popcorn Romance by Tomoko Taniguchi
Sand Chronicles by Hinako Ashihara
Summer Wars written by Mamoru Hosoda, illustrated by Iqura Sugimoto
Tropic of the Sea by Satoshi Kon
Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura
Wandering Island by Kenji Tsuruta

As usual, the above list isn’t comprehensive, but it hopefully presents a nice selection of manga from which to choose. Thank you to everyone who shared you’re favorites with me! I hope to see you all again for the next giveaway as well.

Pick of the Week: Past Lives and Saving Souls

November 2, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: This week’s pick is the debut of Arina Tanemura’s new series Idol Dreams. It was called her first josei series, though it runs in Melody, a magazine that caters to late shoujo/early josei demographics. And, as is common with a lot of new series lately, it features an age difference romance. Should be fun.

MICHELLE: Two series that I love are ending this week—Chi’s Sweet Home and Yukarism. I love Chi a lot, as it’s adorable and great for kids, but it doesn’t have a mystery plot that I’ve been waiting to see resolved for several months, so in terms of sheer anticipation, I think I’ve gotta award this week’s pick to Yukarism.

ASH: As usual, there are quite a few manga that I’m looking forward to this week. The final volume of the ever-delightful Chi’s Sweet Home is definitely high up there on my list, but as a JoJo’s fan who never expected to see much of the series translated, the first volume of the ridiculously epic Battle Tendency earns my pick this time around.

MJ: Since Michelle has already given the final volume of Yukarism its due, I’ll throw caution to the wind and check out Livingstone. Though I had mixed feelings about Deadman Wonderland, the combination of summary and cover art on this series’ first volume intrigues me pretty intensely. So I’m in, at least for the short term. Livingstone it is for me!

ANNA: I’m a bit torn between Yukarism and Idol Dreams but given that I’m often distracted by whatever is shiny and new, I’m going to pick the new Tanemura manga.

What looks good to you this week?

My Week in Manga: October 26-November 1, 2015

November 2, 2015 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

A few different things were posted at Experiments in Manga last week. The most recent manga giveaway is currently underway, for one, and here’s still time to enter for a chance to win Barakamon, Volume 1 by Satsuki Yoshino. Last week I reviewed Vinland Saga, Omnibus 6 by Makoto Yukimura. The series continues to impress me a great deal with its story telling and character development. The fate of the series in English will be in part determined by how well the sixth and seventh omnibuses do (the seventh omnibus is currently scheduled to be released in December); I truly hope that Kodansha will be able to release more because Vinland Saga is fantastic. Finally, over the weekend, I posted the Bookshelf Overload for October.

I’ve been extremely busy with all sorts of life stuff, so while I’m sure there were plenty of interesting things going on in the realm of manga online, there were only two that really caught my eye last week: Shojo Beat posted a short interview with Rinko Ueda and Chris Butcher wrote about his experience interviewing Masashi Kishimoto at New York Comic Con. Also as a heads up, because I am so extraordinarily caught up in things going on at work and at home right now, I’ve decided to go a little easier on myself with my blogging schedule for November (and probably for the first half of December as well). Instead of the usual Monday-Wednesday-Friday posting schedule, in the upcoming weeks I may just be posting on Monday and Thursday. Hopefully things will calm down and I can get back to writing more soon!

Quick Takes

Fairy Tail, Volume 50 by Hiro Mashima. After so many arcs in which the Fairy Tail guild was fighting to save the world, I’m particularly enjoying the beginning of this most recent arc in which Fairy Tail doesn’t technically even exist anymore. Although there are some epic, world-altering developments occurring in the background, for the moment the story is focusing on the much more personal crises of the disbanded guild as it rebuilds itself. It’s a nice change of pace, though I’m fairly certain it won’t last for very long. A year or so has passed since the members of Fairy Tail parted their separate ways. Quite a few of the magic users have managed to power up during that time, allowing Mashima the opportunity to come up with some exciting and interesting new skills for them in order to show just how badass they’ve become (and they were strong to begin with). Some of the fan service focusing on the female characters in Fairy Tail continues to feel very out-of-place and distracting, but at least the women are frequently some of the strongest and most well-developed characters. The male characters are the subject of fan service from time to time, too, though never to the same extent.

Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 1-3 by Sui Ishida. The glut of vampire and zombie manga continues—and I’m not really a devotee of either of those subgenres—so I especially appreciate that Tokyo Ghoul makes use of an entirely different creature, the titular ghoul. In the case of this particular manga series, ghouls largely pass as normal humans assuming that they can master their intense hunger for human flesh. After an encounter with a ghoul that nearly leaves him dead, Kaneki finds himself in the unique position of partly belonging to both the human world and the world of the ghouls, and yet it will be a struggle for him to survive in either of them. In Tokyo Ghoul, humans are just as capable of being monsters. And Ishida isn’t afraid of killing off prominent characters, whether they be human or ghoul, so there is a constant sense of danger. Sadly, I think the emotional impact of the deaths was somewhat diminished since readers hadn’t yet had the chance to really get to know the characters involved as individuals. Still, kudos to Ishida for potentially making good use of some shocking, unexpected developments, especially as some early parts of the first volume were a little predictable.

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Volume 4 by Miki Yohsikawa. Although the fan service in Fairy Tail tends to bug me, the fan service in Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches doesn’t really bother me at all, probably because it’s better incorporated into the story itself. Admittedly, it can still be gratuitous from time to time. Since the manga in part deals with body-swapping, it makes sense that there would be some focus on the characters’ physical traits. Plus this particular volume includes the obligatory beach and onsen scenes. One thing that really impresses me about Yoshikawa’s artwork in the Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is that it’s obvious from the characters’ facial expressions and body language when there has been some swapping going on. This actually ends up being explicitly pointed out in the series when one character develops a crush on a specific combination of personality and body type. The witch count continues to grow in the series as does Yamada’s group of friends while he begins to work out a theory explaining why everyone has the powers that they do. I’m still really enjoying Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches. Though largely a comedy, it has some heart to it as well.

Bookshelf Overload: October 2015

November 1, 2015 by Ash Brown

Another month has passed and my collection of books and manga continues to grow. (I am, however, in the process of pulling together a rather large library donation, so at least there will at least temporarily be space for new acquisitions.) I had quite a few Kickstarter rewards arrive last month which I was happy to see. I’m especially looking forward to reading the TJ and Amal epilogue comic Five Years Ago and Three Thousand Miles Away by E.K. Weaver and the queer science fiction and fantasy comics anthology Beyond. Last month I started trying to collect Kyoko Hikawa’s manga series From Far Away, which may take some time to complete since it’s out of print, but if that fails at least it’s now available digitally. I also managed to find a fairly nice copy of Hideshi Hino’s out-of-print Panorama of Hell for a reasonable price, which is one of the best horror manga that I’ve ever read. (It’s definitely not for the weak of heart or stomach, though) Speaking of horror, Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, probably my most anticipated October release, is now available! Expect an in-depth review to come soon, but for now know that I absolutely loved it.

Manga!
Alice in the Country of Clover: March Hare by Soyogo Iwaki
Alice in the Country of Clover: The March Hare’s Revolution by Ryo Kazuki
Battle Angel Alita, Volumes 1-5 by Yukito Kishiro
Because I’m a Boy! by Asia Watanabe
Boys Over Flowers, Volumes 1-4 by Yoko Kamio
Citrus, Volume 2 by Saburouta
Devil Survivor, Volume 1 by Satoru Matsuba
Fairy Tail, Volume 50 by Hiro Mashima
From Far Away, Volumes 1-3 by Kyoko Hikawa
Horimiya, Volume 1 written by Hero, illustrated by Daisuke Hagiwara
Imadoki!, Volumes 4-5 by Yuu Watase
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu by Junji Ito
Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances, Volumes 2-3 by Masami Tsuda
Kiss Him, Not Me!, Volume 1 by Junko
LDK, Volume 1 by Ayu Watanabe
Love at Fourteen, Volume 4 by Fuka Mizutani
My Little Monster, Volume 10 by Robico
Ninja Slayer, Volume 1: Machine of Vengence written by Yoshiaki Tabata, illustrated by Yuki Yogo
Noragami: Stray God, Volume 7 by Adachitoka
Otouto no Otto by Gengoroh Tagame
Pandora Hearts, Volume 4-9 by Jun Mochizuki
Panorama of Hell by Hideshi Hino
QQ Sweeper, Volume 1 by Kyousuke Motomi
Say I Love You, Volume 9 by Kanae Hazuki
Slam Dunk, Volumes 3-14, 17-20, 23-25, and 27 by Takehiko Inoue
Tenshi Ja Nai!!, Volumes 1-3 by Takako Shigematsu
Tokyo ESP, Volume 1 by Hajime Segawa
Tokyo Ghoul, Volume 3 by Sui Ishida
Witchcraft Works, Volume 7 by Ryu Mizunagi
Wolf Magic by Natsuki Zippo
The World’s Greatest First Love, Volumes 2-3 by Shungiku Nakamura

Comics!
Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster
Check Please!, Year One by Ngozi Ukazu
Darlin’ It’s Betta Down Where It’s Wetta, Volume 1 by Megan Rose Gedris
The Fall of the House of West written by Paul Pope, JT Petty, illustrated by David Rubín
Get Jiro: Blood and Sushi written by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose
Five Years Ago and Three Thousand Miles Away by E.K. Weaver
Last Man, Volume 3: The Chase by Bastien Vivès, Michael Sanlaville, and Balak
Lost in the Snow, Volume 2 by Velvet Toucher
The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver
Lumberjanes, Volume 2: Friendship to the Max created by Grace Ellis, Noelle Stevenson, and Shannon Watters
Meaty Yogurt, Volume 1: Small Town Blues by Megan Rose Gedris

Anthologies!
Hanzai Japan: Fantastical, Futuristic stories of Crime from and about Japan edited by Nick Mamatas and Masumi Washington

Artbooks!
Art Collection, Volume 1: 2011-2015 by Inuyoshi

Anime!
Kitaro directed by Katsuhide Motoki
Paprika directed by Satoshi Kon
Tekkon Kinkreet directed by Michael Arias

Vinland Saga, Vol. 6

October 30, 2015 by Ash Brown

Creator: Makoto Yukimura
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781612628035
Released: September 2015
Original release: 2012
Awards: Japan Media Arts Award, Kodansha Manga Award

After some delay, the sixth omnibus of Makoto Yukimura’s magnificent historical manga series Vinland Saga was finally released in 2015, nearly a year after the previous installment. It was a year in which I waited anxiously—Vinland Saga is one of my favorite manga series currently being published in English and I hope that it does well enough that Kodansha Comics can continue to released the manga. (Currently, English-reading audiences are only guaranteed to see one more omnibus, but even if the translation ends there the series is well-worth reading.) The sixth Vinland Saga omnibus collects the eleventh and twelfth volumes of the original Japanese edition, both of which were released in 2012, the same year the series won a Kodansha Manga Award. The series has also earned Yukimura a Japan Media Arts Award. As was the case with the last few omnibuses, sixth also includes a question and answer section exclusive to the English-language edition in which Yukimura discusses the series.

As the result of the Danish invasion of England in the eleventh century, Canute has successfully taken control of the county. He must still find a way to maintain that control, though. He is no longer the weak young man he once was, having grown into a powerful and cunning king who will do anything necessary to establish his ideal society. In order to gain his current position Canute had to arrange for the death of his father. Now he is turning his ambition towards Denmark and his older brother, hoping to secure rulership there as well. Meanwhile, Thorfinn, a young man from Iceland and a former mercenary who was once Canute’s bodyguard, lives his life in slavery. However, after working diligently for years clearing forested land for his master, his freedom is tantalizingly close. Thorfinn, too, wants to one day shape a world free from war and violence, but his current circumstances make such hopes little more than dreams. But as the political turmoil in Denmark increases it becomes difficult to foretell anyone’s fate, whether they be slave or king.

I continue to be immensely impressed by the depth of storytelling and the character growth and development found in Vinland Saga. Particularly striking is the nearly complete reversal in Thorfinn and Canute’s respective outlooks on life. Thorfinn, who was once a fearsome warrior dealing in death and destruction, wants nothing more than peace and a way to somehow atone for everything that he has done. Canute, on the other hand, originally abhorred violence but now willingly employs it, considering it to be a necessary evil for the sake of creating a prosperous kingdom and protecting its people. I also find it fascinating that as both Canute and Thorfinn continue to mature and make their way in the world they are each beginning to follow in the footsteps of and even embody the ideals held by their respective fathers, for better or for worse. Canute has learned to successfully use his power politically and strategically as a leader while Thorfinn now fully understands how destructive such power can be.

Violence and the dynamics of power are major themes in Vinland Saga. In particular, the series explores what it means to turn away from violence and if it is even possible for someone to do that with the world and human nature being what they are. Yukimura has so far done an excellent job showing how a violent society affects the people living within it and how difficult it is for them to change that culture when it is held as an ideal. Vinland Saga incorporates many exciting and engaging fight scenes and battles which, like the rest of the manga, are dramatic and well-drawn. However, that violence hasn’t been glorified by Yukimura. Instead, a large focus has been put on the tragic consequences that result from those encounters. The action can be brutal and shockingly gruesome, but perhaps even more important is the tremendous psychological impact on the characters as violence perpetuates more violence in a seemingly endless cycle. Vinland Saga remains an exceptional series; I’m looking forward to reading more of the manga a great deal.

Manga the Week of 11/4

October 29, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Anna N, MJ and Michelle Smith 1 Comment

SEAN: I’ve gone on lately about how much manga is coming out lately, but November is really going to try a wallet’s soul. Let’s start with a huge first week, mostly from Viz.

Kodansha debuts a new series, Livingstone, that ran in the seinen magazine Morning. The artist is better known for Deadman Wonderland. It’s about two guys who try to find … well, living stones. No sign of Stanley, in case you wondered.

ASH: I’m rather curious about this one.

ANNA: This sounds odd, and I’m usually up for trying at least one volume of odd.

MJ: I’m interested in this, for sure.

SEAN: Say “I Love You” reaches double digits. Unlike other soap opera series I follow from Kodansha, I actually like the characters in this one. Read it if you haven’t.

ASH: It’s such a consistently good series!

MICHELLE: Very much looking forward to this!

ANNA: I so need to get caught up and binge read this series.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a 7th volume of oddball slice-of-fantasy-life series A Centaur’s Life.

I believe that Volume 12 is the final volume of Chi’s Sweet Home from Vertical, a series that has introduced a huge number of people to the adorable and quirky qualities of cat manga. I’ll miss it.

ASH: Hooray for Chi!

MICHELLE: It has been such a great manga to lend to coworkers’ kids, too.

ANNA: Nice. I think I’ll finally be reading this in the omnibus editions.

MJ: More Chi is always welcome!

SEAN: Let’s get on to Viz now. The 6th Black Rose Alice volume catches up with Japan, I believe, so enjoy your gorgeous yet spider-filled people while you can.

ASH: Alas, now we must suffer the wait with the rest of the world!

MICHELLE: Yeah, the double-eged sword. Thanks, VIZ, for exposing us to the awesome and the agony of Black Rose Alice.

ANNA: This series is so surreal. Even though it is painful that it is on hiatus, I still greatly appreciate the gorgeous spider-filled people.

MJ: Yes, yes, YES.

SEAN: Bleach, at Vol. 65, is in no danger of going on hiatus, or indeed finishing this arc, supposedly the final one, which started in 1883. Or feels like that.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: That 13th Bleach 3-in-1 is also an option, and honestly the series reads better that way.

And I think D.Gray-Man may be mostly caught up on omnibuses with this, it’s 8th.

I’ve really been looking forward to this debut. Arina Tanemura’s new shoujo title is Idol Dreams, which runs in Hakusensha’s Melody and features a 31-year-old woman regretting her life who finds herself getting a do-over.

MICHELLE: I’m not historically much of a Tanemura fan, but I am really curious about this one!

ANNA: I am an unapologetic Tanemura fan and I am quivering with anticipation. Quivering!

MJ: I’m with Michelle on this one! Curious, but not quivering.

SEAN: JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure begins its 2nd arc with Battle Tendency, which leaps forward in time to focus on Joseph Joestar. Will it be as ludicrous as the first arc? My guess is yes.

ASH: This is gonna be good!

ANNA: When I think about how horrible humanity can be, then I think about JoJo and appreciate the fact that the human race has produced this ridiculous and transcendent manga. I’m serious.

SEAN: Kiss of the Rose Princess enters the home stretch with its 7th volume.

ANNA: Yay! I hope that an evil rose person shows up to throw an obstacle in the way of the heroine and her handsome knights.

SEAN: Maid-sama! has a 2nd omnibus. Teeth grinders beware, Usui is still in it.

ASH: But so is Misaki! Who is the best.

MICHELLE: I will keep reading, at least for the time being.

ANNA: Yeargh, if it wasn’t for the relationship dynamics I would enjoy this series so much more.

SEAN: My Hero Academia had a promising first volume, now let’s see where it goes with the second.

Naruto may be over, but its spinoffs live on, first with a nice-looking artbook, and secondly with the first of several post-series spinoff novels, the first being Kakashi’s Story.

Nisekoi gives us more mostly balanced harem antics with Vol. 12.

One Piece is still battling Doflamingo, but I think we’re edging closer to a conclusion with this 76th volume.

MICHELLE: Woo.

SEAN: One-Punch Man could only dream of having 10-volume long fighting arcs – sadly, Vol. 3 shows his fights end all too quickly.

ANNA: Because of the punching!!!!!!!!

SEAN: There are two Izumi Tsubaki series out this month! This week we have the one folks have seen for a while, with the 19th volume of Oresama Teacher.

MICHELLE: I’m glad for more Oresama, but really looking forward to the other one!

ANNA: Oresama is delightful. Looking forward to the new series very much too.

SEAN: Giant manga box sets are a great way to get newbies to read your favorite obsession – you can threaten top bludgeon them with the set if they don’t. Here’s one for Rosario + Vampire.

Yu-Gi-Oh gets a 4th omnibus 3-in-1. Collect ‘em all!

Lastly, there’s a 4th and I believe final volume of Yukarism.

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

ANNA: Yay! Why is it final at 4 volumes? I want more!!!!!

MJ: More! More! *whimper* More.

SEAN: Are you prepared for November 2015? Can you handle it? What are you getting next week?

Manga Giveaway: Barakamon Giveaway

October 28, 2015 by Ash Brown

October has been a busy month at work for me, so I’m glad to see it wrapping up, but even better is the fact that it means it’s time for another manga giveaway here at Experiments in Manga! This month you’ll all have the chance to win a copy of Satsuki Yoshino’s Barakamon, Volume 1 as published by Yen Press. And, as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

I grew up in a rural area and, for the most part, have fond memories of living in a small village in the countryside. Currently I live and work in a small city, which certainly has its benefits, but occasionally I find myself yearning for less people, more green, open spaces, and a somewhat slower pace of life. In part because of this, I find particular enjoyment in manga series like Barakamon which largely take place in the country; they remind me of living “back home.” There don’t seem to have been very many of these manga translated, so I especially appreciate them when I do happen to come across one.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win Barakamon, Volume 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me about your favorite manga that has at least one countryside or rural setting in it. (If you don’t have one, simply mention that.)
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

It’s as easy as that. You all can earn up to two entries for this giveaway and have one week to submit your comments. Comments can also be sent to me directly at phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com if you have trouble with the comment form or if you prefer. I will then post your entry below in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on November 4, 2015. Best of luck to everyone!

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: Barakamon Giveaway Winner

Pick of the Week: Abundance

October 26, 2015 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown and MJ 3 Comments

MICHELLE: There are a few things I’m interested in picking up this coming week but, ultimately, my heart belongs to kitties. Junji Ito is responsible for some incredibly terrifying imagery but I am hoping he’ll elicit warm and fuzzy feelings instead with Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, brought to us this week by Kodansha Comics.

SEAN: I continue to be drawn towards Yen’s light novel program, so I’ll make my pick the third volume of Sword Art Online Progressive. Seeing the author return to his original setting with added years of experience under his belt has led to better writing and greater depth, and having it limited to one floor per volume is also a good idea. Also, Kirito x Asuna OTP.

ASH: I’m completely with Michelle on this one. While there are several manga being released this week that I’ll definitely be picking up, by far I’m most excited for Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu.

MJ: There are a number of releases I’m interested in this week, including my colleagues’ picks, but I simply can’t ignore anything involving Yun Kouga. I’ve waxed eloquent (or at least waxed enthusiastic) about her works time and again, and though Akuma no Riddle was somehow not on my radar at all before this week, there’s no way I’d miss it. I’m sure I’ll miss her artwork on this series, but it was always her particular way with writing that really hooked me. Akuma no Riddle is my only possible choice this week.

What looks good to you this week?

My Week in Manga: October 19-October 25, 2015

October 26, 2015 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I posted a couple of different things at Experiments in Manga last week in addition to the usual My Week in Manga feature. Having recently read and enjoyed Yukito Ayatsuji’s debut novel The Decagon House Murders, I made a point to finally get around to reading and reviewing his first novel released in English, Another. Though I felt a little cheated by one of the plot twists, overall the novel is a great mix of horror and mystery. I enjoyed the story so much that I plan on checking out the manga and anime versions, too. (Seems like a good candidate for an Adaptation Adventures feature.) My other post last week was some random musings on A Moment of Respite in Kohske’s Gangsta. Basically, a single scene from the sixth volume of the manga (more specifically, a sequence of three panels from that scene), inspired me to write more than a thousand words about some of the things that I particularly appreciate and love about the series.

A few things of interest found online last week: First of all, the most recent entry in Ryan Holmberg’s What Was Alternative Manga? column, Gottfredson’s Illegitimate Heirs: Tezuka Osamu and the Great Wall of 1945, was posted at The Comics Journal. Speaking of Tezuka, Stone Bridge Press will be publishing the manga The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime in a single, massive volume. In other licensing news, NBM Publishing continues to release graphic novels in the Louvre Collection. Hirohiko Araki was the first Japanese creator to contribute to the series with the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure spinoff Rohan at the Louvre, but In 2016, Jiro Taniguchi’s full-color Guardians of the Louvre will be translated.

Quick Takes

A Centaur’s Life, Volumes 4-5 by Kei Murayama. I love the world that Murayama has created for A Centaur’s Life. A fair amount of the worldbuilding can be found within the series’ narrative, but there’s also a ton of supplementary material between chapters—lessons in history and biology and such. The full introduction of a new character in these volumes, a transfer student who’s also an Antarctic snake person, allows for even more worldbuilding to be incorporated directly into the manga as she is learning about cultures outside of her own while the other students are learning about hers. The issues of race and discrimination that come up fairly frequently in A Centaur’s Life can sometimes be a little heavy-handed or simplistic, but the lessons learned are good ones. The series does tend to be fairly episodic, and even the individual stories and chapters can be fairly fragmented. They give glimpses into the characters and their lives without there necessarily being much of a plot. Generally, A Centaur’s Life is fairly charming and sweet though it has moments that, for one reason or another, are vaguely disturbing, too.

LDK, Volume 1 by Ayu Watanabe. I’ve largely enjoyed most of Kodansha Comics’ recent shoujo series (or at least found something about them that I’ve liked even if as a whole they didn’t work for me), so I was looking forward to giving LDK a try. I believe that LDK is Watanabe’s first manga to be released in English. I’m not especially familiar with her or her series, but she seems to primarily work in shoujo romance. LDK falls squarely into that category. However, after only one volume, I remain completely unconvinced by the supposed romantic chemistry between who will obviously become the lead couple after they end up living together. Part of my difficulty probably stems from the fact that I don’t particularly like either of the characters involved. Shusei is frankly a jerk with apparently no sense of how to express his interest in another person without being an absolute creep. And sadly Aoi is so concerned about doing right by her best friend that she doesn’t actually listen to what she says or needs. On top of that, so far LDK is just a little too generic in both its story and artwork for me to feel truly engaged with the series.

Passion, Volumes 1-4 written by Shinobu Gotoh and illustrated by Shoko Takaku. I actually read the first volume of Passion several years ago, but the series begins so unpleasantly (opening with what appears to be a rape scene) that it took me this long to get around to finishing it. I gave it a second chance for two reasons: I was assured by others that the series improves and I’m loving the artist’s more recent series I’ve Seen It All. While it’s still not a favorite of mine, Passion does get significantly better. That opening scene which was so awful has repercussions for everyone involved and ends up being handled rather well by the creators. Hikaru is a high school student who is desperately in love with Shima, one of the teachers at his school. He forces himself on Shima and, after a peculiar turn of events, the two initially pretend to be lovers. But then their relationship continues to deepen. It turns out Shima is terribly manipulative, but he does recognize that about himself and is extremely troubled by it. Passion takes place over the course of multiple years. It’s interesting to see how the characters grow and evolve while dealing with their bad decisions.

Random Musings: A Moment of Respite in Kohske’s Gangsta

October 23, 2015 by Ash Brown

Gangsta is an ongoing manga series created by Kohske that began serialization in Japan in 2011. The collected volumes of the manga are being published in English by Viz Media under its Signature imprint. So far, I have been loving the series.

Although the manga features a large and diverse cast of characters, the story primarily revolves around the Handymen: Alex Benedetto, a former prostitute recovering from involuntary drug use; Nicolas Brown, a deaf Twilight mercenary with incredible physical abilities; and Worick Arcangelo, a gigolo with an exceptionally accurate and vivid memory. Living in the city of Ergastulum, which was created to quarantine and control the superhuman Twilights, the three leads carry out all sorts of odd jobs for the police, the mafia and gangs, and individual citizens, everything from repairing buildings to finding lost cats to assassination hits.

I have been thoroughly enjoying Gangsta ever since it first began being published in English. I like its dark, gritty atmosphere, intense action sequences, and engaging characters with complicated relationships and pasts. However, I only recently caught up with the sixth and most recent volume, released back in May. While reading the volume, I was particularly struck by a short sequence of panels which was part of a larger four-page scene:

At first glance, Nic could be standing next to anything—a door, a wall, a pillar, or what have you. I was initially so caught up in the subtle changes in his expression from one panel to the next that it actually took me a moment to realize that Nic was in fact leaning up against part of the sound system at Bastard (a club/brothel run by one of the mafia families that the Handymen are on good terms with). Nic may be deaf, but for an all too brief moment he’s enjoying Ally’s performance as she sings. He’s also literally feeling the music.

A bit of a personal side story: Back in my undergraduate days, the symphonic band that I was a part of would go on tour over spring break. There is one performance from my junior year that particularly stands out to me for two reasons. The first being that our lead trumpet player (who was also my roommate for the tour) was hit in the head by a tuba during intermission, didn’t let anyone know there was a problem, proceeded to play through the rest of the concert with a concussion, and ended up in the hospital that night as a result. The second reason (and the reason that I’m even bringing this all up) is that several members of that evening’s audience happened to be deaf. They sat together as a group with a clear view of the stage so that they could see the performance and they held balloons between their hands so that they could more easily feel the different vibrations created by the woodwinds, brass, and percussion.

Likewise, Nic standing near and actually leaning against one of the sound system’s speakers allows him to more fully experience the music of Ally’s performance. When I recognized this was what was happening, I immediately thought back to that concert in my junior year. I love Kohske’s attention to these sorts of details. They can be found throughout the series and bring an added level of realism and nuance to the manga’s characters and story. I also appreciate that Nic’s deafness isn’t used as a gimmick; it is an integral part of who he is as a person and how he experiences and interacts with his environment and the people around him.

This scene takes place during Ally’s second public performance as a singer at Bastard. The first was an effectively heartbreaking rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me,” her voice superimposed over the mayhem and death occurring in the streets just outside while Worick, Nic, and others risked their lives to trying save those of the Twilight refugees seeking shelter within the club. Tragically, the violence could not be withheld and ultimately spilled into the club itself. This makes Ally’s later performance even more significant, powerful, and emotionally resonant. Her singing this time is a celebration—it can be seen in the joy and happiness in her face and in the faces of those who are listening—providing healing for the survivors and a moment of peace between the tragedies of the past and the tragedies that will inevitably come.

The entire sequence, and specifically these three panels, capture that feeling and atmosphere astonishingly well. Kohske is remarkably skilled when it comes to pacing in Gangsta. Chaos and violence is balanced by quieter moments, pain and tragedy (of which there are plenty) is alleviated by humor and compassion. Gangsta has a narrative rhythm to it that continues to build tension without becoming unrelentingly bleak. Kohske knows when to push the action and when to hold back to allow the characters and the readers to recover, breathe, and process the ramifications of everything that has taken place.

What is also striking about this four-page scene is that there isn’t a single word of spoken dialogue or narration. Even what it is that Ally is singing is unknown. The scene is an entirely visual experience, relying exclusively on the strength of Kohske’s artwork to convey the emotions and narrative of the manga. It serves to emphasize what is happening in these particular three panels as well, accentuating Nic’s perspective as someone who can see but not hear the world around him. And then he closes his eyes, distancing himself even further from that world and from the people he cares about and who care about him.

In the very next instant, Nic is suddenly gone, off on a mission of his own devising that may very well get him killed. And he hasn’t told Ally or Worick or anyone else who truly matters about his plan. But this moment before he disappears is tremendously important—Nic is fully present as he absorbs with all of his senses Ally’s performance and the jubilation permeating the club, something that he will carry within himself when he leaves. Even while Nic is closing himself off, he still maintains and strengthens his connection to others. The space that he previously occupied is left disconcertingly empty; though initially unnoticed, his absence will be felt.

Nic knows what he’s going to do and what’s coming next even if nobody else does. Elation, sadness, energy, calm, regret, contentment, and a myriad of other things can all be found within this one scene. And the wider implications of it are surprisingly complex considering its simplicity. On the surface, Ally sings while others listen, but underneath it all is a turmoil of emotions and a tangle of intentions. In general I have found Kohske’s Gangsta to be an incredibly engaging manga, but this scene in particular has left a huge impression on me from both a visual and narrative standpoint.

Manga the Week of 10/28

October 22, 2015 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 3 Comments

SEAN: Bad news. There’s 31 titles shipping next week. Good news: I’m not getting too many of them, so it’s not crippling for me. What’s happening next week, anyway?

I haven’t seen an 801 Media title in forever, but Amazon lists Magical Warriors: Chocolat & Pudding as coming out next week. Which sounds like a cute magical girl title, but I’m going to hazard a guess isn’t.

ASH: I’m pretty sure that’s actually a Project-H title…

SEAN: Gantz comes to an end with Vol. 37, which is good because I ran out of things to say about it 30 volumes ago. I wish HEN was licensed.

Kodansha gives us more terrifying Junji Ito!… wait, no. This is Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu, and I expect it will be adorable and strange.

ASH: I am looking forward to this so much!

MICHELLE: Me, too!

ANNA: This sounds like a winner.

SEAN: There’s also an 11th volume of guilty pleasure Missions of Love.

And a 4th volume of “she’s not a manic pixie dream girl, honest” series Your Lie in April.

Seven Seas is debuting three new titles. Akuma no Riddle has yuri and takes place at a girls’ private school, but given it’s all about assassins, I’m hoping it’s less moe than the usual.

ASH: Yun Kouga is involved with the series, so I’m doubly intrigued.

MJ: You had me at “Yun Kouga.” How was this not on my radar? I need to fix my radar.

MICHELLE: So do I!

ANNA: Huh. I am also intrigued.

SEAN: A Certain Scientific Accelerator is based off of a certain well-known franchise, and stars a certain popular antihero, as you will already have guessed.

And Golden Time is based on a light novel by the author of Toradora!, and I hope is just as heartwarming and enjoyable as that title is.

Udon gives us the first volume of Steins;Gate, a title I remember more for the aggravating punctuation than anything else.

MJ: This, this, THIS. I adored this as an anime series, so I’m very optimistic.

SEAN: Viz Select gives us a 2nd digital volume of Chocolate Cosmos. Teacher-student relationships, whee!

MICHELLE: The debut volume wasn’t bad, so I will probably check out volume two, as well.

ANNA: I meant to check this out earlier!

SEAN: Yen Digital has a giant pile of releases, as this is the first month of the “official” rollout, with chapter releases and everything. I’ll just cover volumes here, starting with Corpse Princess, which is probably what it sounds like.

There’s also new volumes for Handa-kun, The Royal Tutor, and Today’s Cerberus.

ASH: Handa-kun will be coming out in print later, so I’m hoping that more of the digital titles will, too.

SEAN: Unknown is an actual title for a new manga about supernatural powers and the people who police them.

MJ: I’ll pretty much always check out a series with supernatural powers.

SEAN: And we get all 3 volumes of When a Magician’s Pupil Smiles, about an emotionless boy and his run-in with magic. This actually looks like a MJ/Michelle sort of title.

MJ: Why, it certainly does.

SEAN: Yen On has a third No Game No Life, where we see whether Sora will somehow manage to return from being erased from existence.

And a third Sword Art Online Progressive, where we reach a new level of Aincrad and prepare for a lot of water travel.

MJ: I’ve fallen behind in my SAO reading, but I must rectify that soon.

SEAN: Yen Press proper, meanwhile, has its usual pile. Accel World has a 5th manga, not to be confused with the 5th novel, out next month. (At least they aren’t the same date anymore.)

Akame Ga KILL! sure is popular, and has a 4th volume out as well.

Alice in Murderland proved to be as attractive to me as most other Kaori Yuki manga are, but a 2nd volume is out for her fans anyway.

Barakamon has a 7th volume, and I suspect we’ll have a lot more country life to make up for all the Tokyo in Vol. 6.

There’s a Black Butler artbook coming out with many pretty color illustrations of people draped over each other, I expect.

ASH: Yen does a nice job with its artbooks from what I’ve seen, so this should be good.

MJ: Agreed. I’m not a fan of the series, but I expect this will be a nice release.

SEAN: A Certain Magical Index’s 3rd manga volume decides to skip the not-all-that-good 2nd novel entirely and go straight to adapting the third.

And The Devil Is a Part-Timer! also has a 3rd manga volume out.

First Love Monster’s first volume balanced sweet and kind of skeevy very well. We’ll see if it can keep it up with Vol. 2.

Horimiya is Yen’s debut this month, a manga adaptation of a webcomic that seems like your standard cute shoujo romance, but runs in GFantasy so I’m sure it has to be weird in some way.

ASH: I like weird!

MJ: GFantasy, it’s like a drug.

MICHELLE: I’m looking forward to this one a lot!

SEAN: A third Kagerou Daze will likely be adapting the 2nd novel, which I liked but see not reason to read a manga adaptation of.

In case you didn’t think Homura had had enough revenge yet, there’s a 2nd volume of Puella Magi Madoka Magica: Homura’s Revenge. (Look, I’m sorry, it’s the end of a long list.)

So I Can’t Play H! continues to give us ecchi situations with no payoff in its 3rd volume.

Lastly, the debut of the manga adaptation of Strike the Blood, whose first light novel I found reasonably good last month.

Does this list make you happy? Or merely ill at the pile of titles?