Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Beginnings & Endings

May 5, 2014 by MJ, Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Anna N and Ash Brown Leave a Comment

MJ: I’m going to surprise myself a bit here by going for a title I hadn’t even heard about before this week’s column! That would be volume one of Whispered Words, out this week from One Peace Books. What this basically boils down to is that pretty much every yuri manga that Sean has ever recommended has turned out to be something I loved. So why would this be any different? This has quickly become my must-buy item for the week!

SEAN: Whispered Words is fantastic, and you won’t regret it, particularly as it gets more serious. Your picking it allows me, even though my real POTW is obviously that as well, to pick the final volume of Otomen. I’ve enjoyed mocking it almost as much as I have reading it, but the fact remains that this series has been filled with tons of funny, romantic, heartwarming moments about how men and women can do whatever the hell they want without worrying about gender roles. Also, Ryo. Ryo forever in my heart.

MICHELLE: It is Whispered Words 100% for me! I’d actually heard of Sasameki Koto, but missed the news of its license, so this is a very pleasant surprise for me, too. I hope it does well enough for One Peace to publish the full series.

SEAN: The 2nd omnibus, with Vols. 4-6 is scheduled for November and available for preorder! My guess is the last 3 volumes will be in a 3rd omnibus in Spring 2015.

MICHELLE: Ah, there it is! Somehow I missed it! Even more securely my pick of the week, then!

ANNA: It seems like everyone else has the yuri fans covered, but I couldn’t help noticing that there’s a great shoujo series ending with the 10th volume of Strobe Edge. This is one of those series that got better and better as it went along, and the concluding volume is very satisfying. It is my pick!

ASH: I’ll be joining Sean this week in picking the final volume of Aya Kanno’s Otomen for all of the reasons that he outlines. Also because Ryo carrying Asuka princess-style on the cover is one of the most perfect things ever. Hopefully the series has done well enough for Viz that the publisher might consider releasing more of Kanno’s work–I’ve particularly got my eye on her manga inspired by Shakespeare’s Richard III.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 5/7

May 1, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, MJ and Michelle Smith 2 Comments

SEAN: First weeks of the month, man. I don’t know… June will be even worse, by the way.

First off, Dark Horse has its third Trigun Maximum omnibus, for those who missed it the first time around. Or just can’t get enough of Meryl and Milly. (And Vash, I suppose.)

Another title I don’t know much about from Gen Manga, called Android Angels. The cat eared girl on the cover really doesn’t play to my demographic, to be honest.

ASH: It has androids, so it has my attention!

MJ: I’m always interested to see what Gen is up to, if nothing else!

SEAN: This one is actually coming out this week rather than next, Amazon surprised me by moving the date up at the last minute. It’s also a highly anticipated title. Whispered Words is an omnibus from One Peace Books, better known to the yuri manga crowd as Sasameki Koto. It runs in Comic Alive, but for once don’t let that put you off – this is great stuff.

MICHELLE: Ooooh. Something just got added to my Amazon cart!

ASH: My copy has already arrived, and yes, this is great stuff.

MJ: MUST BUY.

SEAN: I’m starting to weary of the endless Alice spinoffs, but this new one, Love Labyrinth of Thorns, at least features Julius, one of my favorites of Alice’s many suitors.

Mayo Chiki 6. Mm. Yes. It has certainly reached 6 volumes.

There’s also Monster Musume 3, which has been a huge runaway success, to the point where I’m wondering if I got some other manga by mistake when I tried to read it. Oh well, no one ever said I had to be right all the time.

There’s also the first volume of Zero’s Familiar Chevalier, a sequel to the manga about everyone’s favorite tsundere. I’m not sure how long this will run – the author sadly passed away a while back, so I suspect the ending may be sudden.

Want Viz? We’ve got Viz! How about another Bleach 3-in-1, the first of many of that type of omnibus coming out this week.

Claymore hits Volume 24, and shows no sign of letting up anytime soon.

MJ: I’m good with that!

SEAN: High School Debut has its second 3-in-1. I’m trying to catch up on this series after losing track of it first time around, so this pleases me.

MICHELLE: *flaily Kermit arms*

MJ: Heeeee.

SEAN: Midnight Secretary hits Vol. 5, and I believe gets even further into family politics. But no doubt will still have hot vampire sex as well.

Naruto has an 8th 3-in-1, much like the holy trinity of Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke functions as a 3-in-1 with every chapter. Wait, isn’t this the academic conference?

Nisekoi 3 has been out digitally for ages, but now those who like print can catch up on the latest harem comedy.

MJ: I’m glad to have the opportunity to read this in print. Weirdly, I sort of like it.

SEAN: Otomen has reached its final volume, and it will be hard to top that cover. This is a title that’s gotten stronger as it’s gone along, even if the basic plot beat (new male character turns out to be secret otomen) was beaten into the ground. I’ll miss it.

ASH: I love that cover and I love this series. I’ll miss it, too.

SEAN: Phantom Thief Jeanne was a somewhat darker magical girl take in its first volume, and I expect things to continue in that vein with Vol. 2.

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

MJ: Me too!

SEAN: Psyren also ends with Vol. 16. This was one of those mid-range Jump series that never got quite as popular as I expected over here, but did well enough. Let’s hope it all wraps up nicely.

MICHELLE: One day I really will read Psyren.

SEAN: If you saw Nisekoi is out but prefer your harem comedy a little more old-school, there’s the 2nd Ranma 1/2 omnibus, which features the debut of Shampoo.

The last of our final volumes next week, Strobe Edge hits Vol. 10. Will our heroine finally be able to get what love is? And will it be happy?

MICHELLE: And here are two more I’m eager for! It’s nice to be excited about things. :)

MJ: I’m still hooked on Strobe Edge.

SEAN: Lastly, not a final volume but a penultimate one, as Vampire Knight is almost at its conclusion. What will we do in a world without any vampire manga in our lives? Well, except for those dozen others. Regardless, this volume should prove as addicting yet confusing as the others.

What manga will you be catching up on at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/28/14

April 28, 2014 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney and MJ 1 Comment

This week, Michelle, Sean, and MJcheck out recent releases from Yen Press, Viz Media, and Seven Seas.

Bunny Drop, Vol. 10 | By Yumi Unita | Yen Press – This final volume of Bunny Drop (comprised of short stories) does nothing to clarify the mixed feelings I have about the series. I appreciate having more time with Rin and Kouki as kids, especially seeing how Kouki reacted to having a father figure like Daikichi in his life, or how he ended up on a delinquent trajectory in middle school. There’s also a fun chapter about how Rin’s mangaka mother met her assistant/husband. If the whole volume had been set in the past, that might have been ideal, but the final story, “And Then,” affords readers a glimpse of Rin and Daikichi’s married life, which basically looks just like their pre-marriage life. Their dynamic seems exactly the same to me, and though I suppose I prefer that to scenes of them making out, it’s also kind of depressing that Rin never really got out and experienced life on her own. – Michelle Smith

Magi, Vol. 5 | By Shinobu Ohtaka | Viz Media – Inequity is a sad reality in most worlds, fictional or no, and Magi is no exception, as Alibaba’s flashback shows us his origins and reveals how much of the ‘villainous gang’ presented her are simply fighting for basic needs. The current ruler, of course, is a typical ‘they deserve to starve to death’ type King, but at least the good guys now have Sinbad on their side. That said, the real highlight of this volume is the debut of Judar, who has a real over the top villainy to him that appalls the senses. Naturally, he’s a magi as well, meaning he’ll have to fight with Aladdin – a fight that is evenly matched even with Ugo’s help. In fact, Ugo seems to be almost enraged. A nice solid volume of Magi. – Sean Gaffney

Pandora Hearts, Vol. 20 | By Jun Mochizuki | Yen Press – While it may seem a bit unbelievable that I’ve waited this long to delve into the newest volume of Pandora Hearts, I’ll admit that the fact that we’re nearly caught up with Japan (and are therefore now experiencing longer wait times between volumes) has me feeling a bit anxious. How can I survive without my regular dosage? How? And volume twenty does nothing to relieve my condition, what with its increasingly tense plot, relationship building, joyous reunions (welcome back, Alice!), and dramatic (if not wholly unexpected) ending. Sean recently joked that the site might have to shut down in mourning when this series ends, and I suspect he’s on to something. Oh, Pandora Hearts, how I love the way you hurt me. Still recommended. Y’know. Just in case you wondered. – MJ

Strike Witches: Maidens in the Sky, Vol. 2 | By Humikane Shimada, Projekt Kagonish and Yuuki Tanaka | Seven Seas – I had my issues with the first volume of this series, but it did in fact make sense and have an actual story that introduced the main heroes. This second volume, unfortunately, drops that in favor of pandering to those who have seen the anime, dropping in at least 10 different characters who apparently starred in that version of the story. Which is nice for those who wanted to see them, but for me it’s just a parade of names and quirks. Between that, the ‘look, panties!’ art, and the fact that our heroine is incompetent except when people’s lives are at stake, I’m afraid that I found Strike Witches intensely frustrating overall. – Sean Gaffney

Sweet Rein, Vol. 2 | By Sakura Tsubasa | Viz Media. – The lead relationship in this manga is a bit fuzzy to me (Kaito, in particular, needs more to do besides be the perfect reindeer boyfriend), so I am pleased to see that we had a lot of focus on Kaito’s brother, Rihito, and his much more grumpy and standoffish relationship with his newfound Santa, who is a young man working extra jobs in order to support his younger sister after their parents died. There’s a bit of BL tease here, but mostly it draws on the reindeer/Santa relationship, and how it manages to draw out Rihito’s nicer side almost despite itself. On the whole, though, and not helped by a very weak unrelated one-shot at the end, this isn’t as strong as its first volume. – Sean Gaffney

Voice Over! Seiyu Academy, Vol. 4 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – One thing I really like about this manga is that the romance barely exists. This series is about Hime’s acting career, and even if she does bond with Senri, there’s no sense that it’s going to resolve anytime soon, nor should it. Right now this is about Hime learning how far she has to go (I loved her realization that all her lines sounded the same), and dealing with a highly competitive and biased acting world that may be out to get her before she even begins. As with Minami’s previous series, Special A, the reader has to accept the fact that Hime’s shininess is one of the things that will never go away. The key is finding out how to use that shininess for good… and by good, I mean good acting. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: 3 from Kodansha

April 28, 2014 by MJ, Anna N, Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith and Ash Brown Leave a Comment

MJ: I’m the one with an obvious choice this week, so I’ll start things off by reiterating what I said in Wednesday’s column: xxxHolic, xxxHolic, xxxHolic! By now, everyone knows that I was an enormous fan of this series—of its glorious artwork, its dark tone, and its spaztastic hero, Watanuki. I am also one of the few fans of the series who did not hate the ending, or the major plot event that this new continuation seems to be ignoring. But hey, I’m fine with that, too! I’ll go along with anything that gives me more of this series. So bring it on, xxxHolic: Rei!

ANNA: I’m going to have to go with Vinland Saga, a manly manga about vikings killing people that manages to have really interesting characters and plot development along with the marauding.

SEAN: I enjoy supporting my local josei, or in this case my local shoujo/josei hybrid, so my pick is the first volume of Say “I Love You” from Kodansha. I reviewed it here. As you can see, I wasn’t over the moon about it, but rare is the shoujo series I fall in love with right away. Most take a few volumes to draw me in. I’m hoping this is the same.

MICHELLE: I’m definitely glad we’re getting more xxxHOLiC, but it feels a bit like cheating to pick it when I never managed to finish the original, so instead I’ll join Sean in picking Say “I Love You”. Honestly, I don’t know a great deal about it, but it’s new shoujo from Kodansha, and there really hasn’t been enough of that, so perhaps buying this will encourage them!

ASH: This week is an easy decision for me. I’m in total agreement with Anna. No question about it, my pick is Vinland Saga. With exciting battles and fantastic character development, the series is incredibly engaging and one of my favorite manga being released right now.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 4/30

April 24, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: As usual with a fifth week, it’s small, but not as small as you’d think!

Another DMP blast from the past, as we get the 2nd volume of Otodama: Voice From The Dead, the first having come out in 2010. Does anyone remember what it was like?

ASH: Wow, that is from a ways back!

MICHELLE: I thought I had read and reviewed this one, but evidently not!

SEAN: There’s also Vertical, with its debut of a new series that surprised me when they announced it. Cardfight Vangaurd is a card fighting game, along the same lines of Yu-Gi-Oh!, and has a large cult following. Its manga ran in KeroKero Ace magazine.

Everything else this week is Kodansha. We see the 12th Attack on Titan manga, and I greatly enjoyed it. Which may be the last time for a while, as having read the chapters on Crunchyroll, the series is getting into some very problematic areas for me.

ASH: I’ve been waiting for the print releases, so I’m interested to see where things head with this volume.

SEAN: Sankarea rolls on, and no one is permanently dead yet, nor has anyone consummated their harem relationship. Still, it’s a lot of fun and has some exciting sequences.

They also debut the 2nd series from Dessert magazine in 2 months, this one called Say “I Love You” (Kodansha left off the quote marks from the Japanese version, which I think is a shame). It has an anime I expect a lot of folks have already seen.

MICHELLE: I haven’t! But I’ll definitely be checking this one out.

SEAN: Vinland Saga hits its third omnibus, meaning I’m now 4 volumes behind. The curse of omnibus releases.

ASH: Vinland Saga has become one of my favorite series currently being released. What are you waiting for?

ANNA: Vinland Saga is wonderful. I agree with Ash, I’m surprised you aren’t reading it!

SEAN: Lastly, xxxHOLIC begins its sequel… or is it a reboot? What on Earth is going on here anyway? In any case, it has the Sean seal of approval, i.e. it does not mention Syaoran once.

MICHELLE: I must admit that I never actually finished the original xxxHOliC! But the omnibus releases will make it easy for me to finally get the final volumes I missed picking up. But, nevertheless, it’ll be a while before I read the sequel/reboot thing.

MJ: xxxHolic xxxHolic xxxHolic, that is all I have to say this week! Also, <3

SEAN: Are April Showers bringing manga flowers?

Pick of the Week: Endings & Beginnings

April 21, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: Given I have the least surprising pick of the week, I guess I will go first. This is probably the last chance for me to urge you all to give Higurashi: When They Cry a try. Umineko has more depth, but also is a lot more depressing and filled with broken suffering people. Higurashi also has those people, but the entire story is about the power of friendship and learning to trust each other and managing to work past your issues and deal with your past without letting it rule you… or, in the case of Miyo Takano, letting it rule you after all. It’s been quite a ride. Let’s see how it ends.

ASH: I’m not sure if my pick will be surprising or not, but I’m going to go with the final volume of Bunny Drop. I loved the early series, and there are some great things about the later part, too, but it’s been a long time since a manga has been able to make me so incredibly angry. It wasn’t so much the direction that the story turned that upset me as it was how Unita handled it. I felt cheated. And yet I’m intensely curious about this volume of short stories.

MICHELLE: I have mixed feelings about how Bunny Drop turned out, certainly, but volume ten is still the only thing coming out this week that appeals to me, so I guess it’s my pick by default.

MJ: My pick may indeed be surprising, but I’m leaning overwhelmingly toward the first volume of the light novel series Sword Art Online. I do not watch much anime, but my husband introduced me to the anime adaptation of this series (available on Crunchyroll, for those who might be interested), and I absolutely loved it—particularly the first arc, “Aincrad,” which is the subject of this novel. Though the series’ second arc features more “damsel in distress” than I would like, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to re-experience my favorite storyline in its original format. I’m so glad to see this being published in English!

What looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 4/21/14

April 21, 2014 by MJ, Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith 1 Comment

This week, MJ, Sean, and Michelle look at recent releases from Yen Press, Seven Seas, Viz Media, and Vertical, Inc.

Bunny Drop, Vol. 10 | By Yumi Unita | Yen Press – For many fans, Bunny Drop was a tricky series (for reasons documented by nearly everyone), and though I found the final volumes more palatable than I expected, I was never able to buy the supposed attraction between Rin and her much older guardian, Daikichi. For me, like most fans, I suspect, volume ten provides a single-volume capsule of exactly what I loved most and least about Bunny Drop. On one hand, this collection of side stories offers a welcome return to the series’ early charm. Most of the volume is devoted to tales from Rin’s childhood (along with a Masako side story that is surprisingly delightful). Unfortunately, its final chapter, depicting Rin and Daikichi’s married life, further illustrates the complete lack of romantic chemistry between them. Still, as a huge fan of the early series, I consider this volume a win. Thanks, Yen Press! – MJ

Dictatorial Grimoire: Red Riding Hood | By Ayumi Kanou | Seven Seas – The dramatic arc behind this final volume is not really Red Riding Hood – who’s also the wolf, in an excellent plot twist – but rather the relationship between Otogi and Cinderella, who turns out to be not quite what he seemed. But then given that this is based around Grimm’s Fairy Tales, it makes sense that things would get darker towards the end. Luckily, Otogi is better than his father and uncle, and is able to save the day and come to terms with Cinderella’s past. I wish that the volume had more of Hatsushiba kicking ass (she literally gets locked in a birdcage towards the end), but won’t carp too much. This has been a fun little series, with lots of amusing characters. – Sean Gaffney

Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 5 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – Anytime we see Chiwa interacting with Hokuto’s family I get fascinated, which is a good thing, as Chiwa and Hokuto’s struggles to communicate with each other are really starting to frustrate me otherwise. It’s a decent example of people who fall in love but barely know how the other person works, but man, is it teeth-grinding to read. Much better are the machinations behind the scenes of Hokuto’s family, and Chiwa trying to be supportive and yet learn more at the same time. (There is also a gag showing how ignorant Hokuto is about things like foreplay that made me laugh out loud.) It’s not a happy marriage yet, but we’re only halfway through the series, and it’s been worse. But please, take the time to speak with each other! – Sean Gaffney

Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 8 | By Tsutomu Nihei | Vertical, Inc. – This volume focuses primarily on the relationship between Tanikaze, Izana, and Tsumugi, and their bonding into a family unit – they even find an apartment off in the far reaches of the ship and move in together. This is awkward not just because Tsumugi is a gauna hybrid who looks like a snake-worm thing (if I’m being charitable… please don’t sneak into Tanikaze’s bed looking like that, Tsumugi, it leads to filthy thoughts), but also because Izana’s love for Tanikaze is starting to reach a breaking point, especially as he still seems oblivious to Izana. Is it just because Izana is a hermaphrodite? Is it because Tanikaze still can’t get over the death of Hoshijiro? And does it even matter given that Izana may not live to see the next volume? Dang, this manga is addicting. – Sean Gaffney

Sweet Rein, Vol. 2 | By Sakura Tsukuba | Viz Media – I’m hard-pressed to think of how this manga could possibly be more frothy and insubstantial. Kurumi (a Santa Claus) and Kaito (her reindeer) spend their second Christmas together bringing joy to a bunch of orphans, then it’s summer and their bond is tested by a “Dark Santa,” and then it’s Christmas again, but they’re still 17. Meanwhile, Kaito’s brother finds his Santa and they somehow get into an argument with another beach hut noodle vendor (yeah, it’s summer again) that can only be settled by… a beach volleyball tournament. Ye gods. And yet, despite it giving me multiple things to roll my eyes over, I don’t dislike Sweet Rein. It probably helps that the way Tsukuba draws reindeer is so darn cute. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s only three volumes long; I’ll probably be completing the series as a result. – Michelle Smith

What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Vol. 1 | By Fumi Yoshinaga | Vertical, Inc. – I was campaigning for this series to be licensed when there was only one volume of it out in Japan, so it’s a relief to find that something I lobbied for sight unseen has turned out to be so good. (I mean, it’s by Fumi Yoshinaga, so the odds really were in its favor.) Shiro Kakei (lawyer) and his boyfriend Kenji Yabuki (salon stylist) have been together for a few years. Budget-conscious Shiro shops the sales and every evening prepares a multi-dish meal for them to share. The food segments are fun, no doubt, but what’s even better is when the food serves as a springboard for gay life topics, like their conflicting opinions regarding how open to be about their relationship or Shiro’s profound relief that he never got married to make others happy. It’s great stuff, and I’m so grateful that it’s here at last! – Michelle Smith

Manga the Week of 4/23

April 17, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, MJ, Anna N, Ash Brown and Michelle Smith 2 Comments

SEAN: The 4th week of April brings us a variety of stuff, even if the majority comes from Yen Press, who always enjoy getting a week mostly to themselves (Viz usually owns Week 1 for this purpose).

There’s not nearly as much Korean manwha coming out these days, so I can actually highlight it when it does appear. This week sees the 15th volume of Bride of the Water God, which I believe the Manga Bookshelf team has greatly enjoyed in the past.

MJ: I am so happy that this series continues to be published! It’s beautiful.

ANNA: I’m fairly indifferent to this series. I thought the first two volumes were lovely, but the plot was so thin that the book didn’t maintain my interest at all. But good on Bride of the Water God for being one of the few surviving translated manwha series!

SEAN: There’s also the 31st volume of Gantz, which I believe the Manga Bookshelf team has not particularly enjoyed in the past, but whose collected costumes in all 31 volumes could power the rubber and lycra industries for the next twenty years.

ASH: I enjoyed the first five volumes or so, but never quite got around to reading more of the series. The length makes the prospect a little daunting at this point…

SEAN: Kodansha gives us the 9th volume of Animal Land, which, like Zatch Bell (by the same creator) I keep hearing good things about but can never quite get into.

ASH: It took me a few volumes to really get into Animal Land, but I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes.

SEAN: Vertical has the 9th volume of Flowers of Evil, which is ending next month in Japan, I believe, so we should be getting near a climax.

MJ: All right!

ASH: I’ve been waiting for this entire arc to be released before reading it. And now the wait is over!

SEAN: One of the most contested manga of the last few years comes to an end with Vol. 10 of Bunny Drop. I understand this volume mostly features chapters devoted to Rin as a child, but will also have a flashforward past the end of the series, so be warned in advance. I look forward to an post-series interview from Yen Press regarding this title!

MICHELLE: I’ll be reading it, for the sake of completeness if nothing else.

MJ: I’m rather looking forward to it.

ANNA: I dropped it after the third volume because I just found the plot squicky.

ASH: I’m interested in reading this volume. Some of Bunny Drop was incredibly well done. Other parts of it…not so much.

SEAN: Unless Yen decides to surprise me at Sakuracon by announcing the Dice-Killing optional epilogue, this is likely the final volume of Higurashi: When They Cry, containing the final two volumes from the Festival Accompanying Arc. This is, at last, the good end. Not a series I ever thought I’d read, I have since become totally obsessed with it, and thank Yen for exposing me to its charms. Nipaa~!

I’ve also been pleasantly surprised by Inu x Boku SS, which manages to be less moe than I feared and with dark undertones that are handled rather subtly. I am eagerly awaiting this new volume.

As for the 3rd volume of WataMote… all right, fine, No Matter How You Look At It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!, the key is to try to balance the excellent art, humor and characterization with the fact that reading about the lead too much makes you lose faith in humanity and possibly the will to live.

MICHELLE: Ugh, no thanks. Life’s too short.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: Spice & Wolf’s novels have reached double digits, something which is entirely down to the economics examined through the series, and not at all for the moe and occasionally naked wolf-eared girls who also occupy the series. The novels recently ended with Vol. 17, so we’re over the halfway point.

ASH: I finally gave up on the novels a few volume back, but I’m glad that devoted fans are getting more of the series.

SEAN: I appear to be one of the few people out there who loved the first Sword Art Online manga omnibus, as those who had seen the anime and read the novels said it was very rushed. Luckily, here is the first novel so that I can compare them. I look forward to enjoying them even more. Wish Yen had the digital rights, though.

MJ: This is probably my most-anticipated release this week. I loved the anime adaptation of these novels, and I’m very excited to have the chance to read the source material!

SEAN: Lastly, we have the 2nd and final omnibus of the 3rd Umineko arc, Banquet of the Golden Witch. This should be the last of the truly doorstopping omnibuses – the series went from 5 volumes per arc to 6 after this, so further omnibuses will be 2-2-2 rather than 2.5/2.5. As for the content, after this ends you should have a lot more clues as to Beatrice’s true nature.

MICHELLE: Is that one kid still going “Uuu! Uuuuuu!!” all the time?

SEAN: She’s dead at this point in the arc (Umineko and Higurashi are the only two series where I can say that and have it not be a spoiler). The 4th arc will explore her life in depth, and explain the background of the “uu-uuu’ thing. It’s far more tragic and depressing than just an annoying tic. (Though admittedly, we aren’t there yet, and I admit it is a very annoying tic.)

What’s on your pull list from this group?

Pick of the Week: A Trio of Devils

April 14, 2014 by Ash Brown, Sean Gaffney, Anna N, MJ and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

ASH: There’s plenty of variety in the manga being released this week and quite a few titles I’m interested in, all of which are very different from one another. Each volume of the dystopic No. 6 is better than the last, Dorohedoro continues to somehow be both incredibly dark and incredibly charming, and I’m very glad to see the next volume of Sunny, too. However, the manga that I’m probably most curious about this week is the debut of Utako Yukihiro and Madoka Takadono’s Devils and Realist.

SEAN: There’s a lot to love this week, and yes, someone pick Dorohedoro for me, because I can’t resist the magnetic pull of A Certain Scientific Railgun. This current plot has removed all the allies that Misaka has, leaving her on her own against a powerful enemy. Supposedly this is the work of fellow 5-th level Misaki (don’t you hate it when romanization leaves you with two almost identical names?), but is she the real enemy here? Yes, there’s some annoying fanservice with Kuroko, though her amnesia should tone that down, and yes, I suspect Touma may save the day again. Still, if you like kickass teen girls with esper powers, here’s where to get them.

ANNA: I have to admit, my mind has not been on manga recently because I’ve been embarking on a massive reread of Ed Brubaker’s Captain America series, and I am probably most anticipating Winter Soldier fighting giant bear Ursa Major in a gulag in Captain America: Prisoner of War. But on the manga side of things I have to say that I’m most interested in Sunny volume 3 and the new series Devils and Realist. I think I’m going to have to go with Devils and Realist because the lure of the new! All shiny and full of potential! (Also Winter Soldier FOREVER!)

MJ: I was all set to go with volume three of Sunny this week. It’s a series I’ve loved wholeheartedly since its debut volume, and it’s hard to imagine what could top it. Trouble is, I admit I’ve been lured—lured by my beloved Comic Zero-Sum and Seven Seas’ Devils and Realist. While I’m still skeptical that anything described (by Sean last week) as resembling Black Butler could truly be to my liking, I can’t help wanting to find out. Has Seven Seas finally got my number? We shall see!

MICHELLE: I could be daring and go for something new, but I’m reasonably certain that any time Sunny is an option, I’m going to go for it. It’s so well done, heart-warming and funny and thoughtful and all those good things. I really cannot recommend it more highly.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 4/16

April 10, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, MJ, Michelle Smith and Anna N 2 Comments

SEAN: Mid-April brings us a wide variety of titles, with something for absolutely everyone.

I often feel guilty for forgetting about Gen Manga’s releases, so will take the time to point out a new collection called Alive, which is apparently “a collection of melancholy love stories”, which will likely appeal to, well, indie comics fans.

ASH: Gen releases some interesting material; I like to support its print releases.

MJ: That actually sounds like it might be up my alley. I should check it out.

SEAN: I suspect that the Tournament Arc Fairy Tail has been doing is about to get totally derailed in Vol. 37, which is likely for the best. This has been around the right length for a tournament arc.

As for Missions of Love, this 7th volume will no doubt see everyone continue to not get together in the most soap opera way possible.

ASH: This series is such a guilty pleasure for me.

SEAN: And the volume that everyone has been waiting for (or at least people like me who enjoy amusing name/number jokes), No. 6 No. 6.

ASH: No. 6, No. 6! Not to be confused with No. 5, No. 5. That’s a different manga entirely.

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: A Certain Scientific Railgun is a rare case of a spinoff outdoing the original both in popularity and quality. We’ve caught up with Japan, so are back to only 1 volume every 8-9 months or so. Vol. 9 should be worth the wait, as Misaka finds herself without allies.

Devils and Realist is a new series from Seven Seas, and it seems to be more for the Alice crowd than the Monster Musume crowd, as it’s a josei manga from Comic Zero-Sum. It has a certain Black Butler tone to it judging from its description, and I suspect will please fans of that series as well.

ASH: I’m looking forward to giving this one a try. (I also really just like the cover of the first volume.)

MICHELLE: It *is* quite pretty.

ANNA: Huh, I hadn’t realized that this was a josei manga. The cover is pretty! I will likely check this out.

MJ: I am always up for anything from Comic Zero-Sum, I admit, though I’m not a fan of Black Butler, so we’ll see.

SEAN: And Love In Hell wraps up with its third volume. Can our hero and heroine live happily ever after in the hereafter? Or will we just have more amusing bloody injuries?

Meanwhile, World War Blue 5 continues to combine standard shonen fantasy manga with ‘spot the 80s Japanese gaming reference’.

Vertical has the 4th volume of grim yet worthy medieval manga Wolfsmund.

ASH: Grim might be putting it mildly, but if you like dark manga Wolfsmund is definitely worth checking out.

ANNA: I have too much to read! I do want to check this out one day.

And SigIkki yet lives, even if it’s down to 2 or 3 titles. Afterschool Charisma 9 will no doubt involve celebrity clones who just happen to look like hot bishonen. For some reason. I understand it’s gotten darker and more serious as it’s gone on.

MICHELLE: One day I will get caught up on this.

ANNA: I also want to get caught up on this!

SEAN: Dorohedoro has also gotten darker and more serious as it’s gone on, which is a surprise given it was already pretty damn dark, just not very serious. Poor En! What will happen to everyone now?

ASH: I’m always happy to see more Dorohedoro! It’s such a weird series.

SEAN: Lastly, it may have come out digitally on the 1st, but Vol. 3 of Sunny ships to stores next week. I always manage to be startled at how good it is, even if I can’t quite figure out what to say about it. I don’t expect that to change.

ASH: I’m glad to see Sunny, too. Viz’s deluxe hardcovers are a treat.

MICHELLE: It’s simultaneously accessible and impressive. I’m really looking forward to volume three!

ANNA: This manga really does deserve the deluxe production.

MJ: Yes! Yes!

SEAN: An Easter Basket of manga treats. What’re you seeking?

The Thousand Dollar Tan Line by Rob Thomas and Jennifer Graham

April 7, 2014 by Michelle Smith

From the back cover:
Ten years after graduating from high school in Neptune, California, Veronica Mars is back in the land of sun, sand, crime, and corruption. She’s traded in her law degree for her old private investigating license, struggling to keep Mars Investigations afloat on the scant cash earned by catching cheating spouses until she can score her first big case.

Now it’s spring break, and college students descend on Neptune, transforming the beaches and boardwalks into a frenzied, week-long rave. When a girl disappears from a party, Veronica is called in to investigate. But this is no simple missing person’s case. The house the girl vanished from belongs to a man with serious criminal ties, and soon Veronica is plunged into a dangerous underworld of drugs and organized crime. And when a major break in the investigation has a shocking connection to Veronica’s past, the case hits closer to home than she ever imagined.

Review:
I have been a fan of Veronica Mars from almost the beginning. I tuned in about midway through the first season, after reading about the show on the sadly now-defunct Television Without Pity website, and vividly recall how it quickly became appointment television, and how absolutely riveted I was watching the season finales for the first and second seasons. I mourned the show when it was cancelled, and when a friend forwarded me the link to the Kickstarter campaign for the movie last spring, I was practically delirious with squee. Finally, a few weeks ago, I went to see the movie (after pre-ordering tickets the minute they were available, naturally).

I admit I was a little disappointed the first time through—ninety minutes just wasn’t enough time to flesh out both relationships and the case—but I did like it more upon a second viewing. The Thousand Dollar Tan Line continues the story from where the movie leaves off, and while I was a little unsure at first, I was soon won over by the characterization and the luxury of more time to spend with these characters, inhabiting their world.

A couple months have passed since the events of the movie. While Keith has been recuperating from his injuries, Veronica has been manning Mars Investigations, not that any challenging cases have come along. When a college girl in Neptune for spring break goes missing, however, a representative from the city’s chamber of commerce comes to the Mars family for help, since Sheriff Lamb’s inactivity on the case is resulting in canceled reservations and the loss of tourist revenue. Veronica’s ensuing investigation feels a lot like an episode from the third season of the show, from her dorm room interrogation of one suspect, to her tried-and-true drunk ditz routine at a party full of suspects. When a second girl with surprising ties to Veronica goes missing, things get even more complicated.

I thought the case was reasonably well executed, and the personal stakes for Veronica were intriguing, as well. Dialogue for all characters was great and easy to imagine in the actors’ voices; I even giggled a few times. I’ve seen some reviewers complaining about the book being written in the third person, saying that it lacks the same feel as the series, but I found plenty of internal contemplation from Veronica that read just like the show’s voiceover narration to me. (I can only imagine this will be even more true in the unabridged audio version, read by Kristen Bell. I bought that, too, and plan to listen to it very soon.) Plus, we’re able to get some insights into her thoughts that she might not even narrate, like this nice quote about Wallace: “There weren’t many people in this world who would let you be vulnerable and still believe you were strong.”

Speaking of Wallace, another complaint I’ve seen regards the lack of Logan in this book—he’s on an aircraft carrier thousands of miles away, so it only makes sense—but I actually welcome it. The movie put their relationship front and center; now it’s time to focus on Veronica’s other relationships. To that end, we get several really nice scenes involving Mac (who’s now a technical analyst for Mars Investigations), Wallace, and Keith. There was just enough Logan to my reckoning.

I did have one complaint of my own for a while—two if you count that nobody caught Gia Goodman being referred to as Gia Goodwin. I wished we saw Veronica embarking on an even bigger case, like actively working to expose the corruption at the Sheriff’s Office or to find out who was responsible for the hit and run that injured her father and killed Deputy Sacks. However, I eventually realized that there actually was a big plot on the go—bringing Keith around to the idea that Veronica is doing what she’s meant to do (as opposed to being safe, well paid, and bored as a New York lawyer) . The ultimate resolution here is extremely satisfying, and I find myself very excited at the notion that the two of them could really function as full-fledged partners on a future case. More Keith is always a good thing!

Currently, only a second book in this series is guaranteed, and it has neither a title nor publication date at present, though Rob Thomas has promised more Logan. I suppose it goes without saying that I really, really hope for more beyond that. Give the diehard fans an inch, and they’ll ask for a mile!

Pick of the Week: Dawn of the Arcana & more!

April 7, 2014 by Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Anna N, Sean Gaffney and MJ Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: Since I don’t have too many more chances to plug it, I’ll cast my vote for the second-to-last volume of Dawn of Arcana. I’ve really enjoyed this shoujo fantasy series, especially how the relationship between the romantic leads has developed. It definitely has a better plot than I was expecting, and I think it has reread potential.

ASH: My pick of the week goes to Ayano Yamane’s smutty and surprisingly humorous boys’ love fantasy Crimson Spell. With the third volume we’ve now reached the part of the manga that has never been seen before in English! I’m still very happy that SuBLime rescued this series.

ANNA: I’ll have to second Michelle’s choice. Dawn of the Arcana is a great shoujo series that should be more hyped up!

SEAN: I’m going with Magi again. I’ve always been a huge Arabian Nights fan, and this pastiche is a lot of fun, particularly now that they’ve added Sinbad.

MJ: My only strong choice this week is the eighth volume of Tsutomu Nihei’s Knights of Sidonia, out this week from Vertical. So often this manga is referred to as “confusing,” but I rather like the way that Nihei manages to lead me ever forward, not always with clarity so much as control. I am compelled as though in a dream, and that works for me stunningly well, as it turns out. I’ll be sticking with this series for the long haul.

What looks good to you this week?

Manga the Week of 4/9

April 3, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, MJ, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: After a large first week, things settle down a bit, but there are several tasty titles coming out next week.

Amazon had the 7th and 8th volumes of Ze bouncing around in release date hell for so long, I feel like these books have already come out five years ago. In any case, Vol. 8 is listed for next week, so let’s cross our fingers.

MJ: I… seriously did not realize that this series went on so long.

ASH: It does! Eleven volumes total. We should see the end of the series in English sometime in 2015.

SEAN: Between the clouds, the shirts, and the hair fluttering around the cover of Crimson Spell 3, it’s sort of hard to tell where the guys are, though I assume they’re fondling each other with dark, serious expressions. (As one normally wears when fondling.)

ASH: Fondling is serious business!

SEAN: Knights of Sidonia has reached its 8th volume, and I still only half understand what’s going on at any point in the narrative. But it looks nice, and manages to keep me riveted and longing for more. Just a confused kind of riveted.

ASH: I experienced a similar sort of riveting confusion reading Nihei’s Biomega, too.

MICHELLE: Sidonia is actually lots easier to decipher than Nihei’s BLAME!, if you can believe it.

MJ: I rather love being confused in this manner.

ANNA: I also love being confused by Nihei. This is very tricky for an author to pull off, but he manages it very well!

SEAN: I can’t believe Case Closed has hit 50 volumes. Kindaichi Case Files is burning with jealousy. BURNING.

MICHELLE: The phrase “BURNING” conjures up Prince of Tennis flashbacks.

SEAN: We’re at the penultimate volume of Dawn of the Arcana, a series I got behind on and never really caught up to. I hear it had some really nice things going on, though.

MICHELLE: Yep! I like this one a lot.

ANNA: This series is really good, I enjoy it.

SEAN: Deadman Wonderland 2 also hits from Viz, and will no doubt give new meaning to the word nihilistic, at least if my impression of the first volume continues into this one.

MJ: I. Hm. Yeah. I will read it, but I don’t know.

ANNA: I read the first 2 volumes or so from the Tokyopop translation and enjoyed it, although it is incredibly dark.

SEAN: Itsuwaribito has a long ways to go before it gets to its endpoint, but it has at least hit its double digits. Vol. 11 ships next week.

ASH: Almost halfway there!

SEAN: Lastly, the 5th volume of Magi comes out, and if it has as much of Morgiana kicking ass as the 4th one did, I will be very pleased.

MICHELLE: I’m a few volumes behind with Magi now; perhaps it’s time to get caught up.

SEAN: Anything appeal?

Bookshelf Briefs 3/31/14

March 31, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, MJ and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

This week, Sean, MJ, & Michelle look at recent releases from Seven Seas, Viz Media, Dark Horse, Kodansha Comics, and Yen Press.

Alice in the Country of Clover: March Hare | By QuinRose and Soyogo Iwaki | Seven Seas – These one-shots can be interesting if you like to see the main male characters in different roles than they usually take. Blood Dupre makes a very good big brother type, and Peter White is rather scary when we see him actually try to act on his desires for Alice – it ends up being sexual assault, albeit cut off, and even though he later apologizes it’s still disturbing. Unfortunately, the main pairing of Alice and Eliot, while sweet, is rather dull overall There’s less of the callous disregard for life that I saw in the earlier series featuring this pairing. So in the end you’re left with a mostly fluffy book. Which is OK once in a while, but I usually expect something deeper and more disturbing from my Alice spinoffs these days. – Sean Gaffney

Bloody Cross, Vol. 2 | By Shiwo Komeyama | Yen Press – There’s a lot less of Tsukimiya and Hinata in this volume and a lot more of Tsuzuki, and I’m not really sure it’s to the book’s benefit. Tsukumiya remains a great lead character, particularly when she’s being cagey or indulging in blackmail. Likewise, we want to find out what’s going on with Hinata, and the cliffhanger clearly is there to drive us crazy. Most of the rest of the volume, though, is a lot of bland fighting, a lot of bland pretty boys, and Momose, who is the diligent catgirl demon type who always seems put into works to interest people who are not me. If you enjoy quasi-religious fantasy with lots of swinging swords, explosions, and triple crosses, this will be pretty good. But I think even the hardcore fans of that sort of genre will find this on the bland side. – Sean Gaffney

Deadman Wonderland, Vol. 1 | By Jinsei Kataoka & Kazuma Kondou | Viz Media – Something I’ve appreciated in the current manga market is its abundance of re-releases, including omnibus editions of older manga, and license rescues of series that I missed the first time around. Deadman Wonderland falls into the latter of these categories, having received its original, incomplete release from Tokyopop before the demise of that company’s North American publishing division. Set in a post-apocalytic “prison” park, in which inmates are forced to battle for their lives for the public’s amusement, this series’ re-licensing amidst today’s rash of “survival game” manga seems like a no-brainer. But though the plight of falsely-accused protagonist Ganta is certainly compelling, I’m not sure I have the stomach for the series’ gleeful violence. Walking a thin line between horror manga and brutality porn, the enthusiasm of the series’ creators feels eerily like that of the prison’s eager spectators. Can I continue? Time will tell. – MJ

Drifters, Vol. 3 | By Kohta Hirano | Dark Horse Comics – I will admit that the plot of Drifters does still exist, and it’s intriguing. The Black King does not appear to entirely be the Big Bad that he’s made out to be, even if his generals all appear to fall into that role. But let’s be honest – this manga exists entirely to see how often Hirano can draw badasses being badass, and all of Volume 3 answers that question: a lot. When even the good guys are all battle crazed insane freaks, , there’s no telling what will happen next. There’s a fair amount of sexism here. Joan is treated hideously, and the constant harassment of Olminu grates on the reader as much as it does on her. But man, everyone here is clever and badass and has plenty of quips and big grins and they kill things and blow things up, and… it’s just a pure adrenaline rush of a manga. -Sean Gaffney

Genshiken 2nd Season, Vol. 4 | By Shimoku Kio | Kodansha Comics – I joked on Twitter that much of this volume felt like taking a bunch of extrovert bombs and dropping them into a crowd of introverts to explode randomly. It’s also about crushes, and the importance of saying how you feel, even if it means that your love is not returned. Hiro’s admiration/crush on his sempai has driven much of his behavior, and even as she notes she’s marrying his brother, Hiro’s attentions seem to be turning more and more to Madarame. Speaking of Madarame, he continues to attempt to awkwardly negotiate the festival while plotting and scheming goes on all around him, leading to a nasty little cliffhanger where Saki is lured into the clubroom so Madarame can confess… though she’s figured things out anyway. The characters keep you coming back to this excellent manga. – Sean Gaffney

Library Wars: Love & War, Vol. 11 | Original Concept by Hiro Arikawa, Manga by Kiiro Yumi | Viz Media – A piece of art critical of censorship is about to go on display at a museum in Iku’s hometown, and the Media Betterment Committee aims to prevent it being seen by the public. A gunfight ensues, which at first seems like a completely sanitized shoujo version until Iku actually glimpses a dead person and ends up shooting some people. (It’s still 90% sanitized, but that counts as progress, I think.) Meanwhile, she realizes that she really, seriously likes Dojo and they make plans to go to a café on their day off for some chamomile tea. I’ve gotten to the point with this series where I’ve stopped thinking too much about the premise, or how Iku is the weepiest soldier on the planet, and simply enjoy the nice Iku/Dojo moments, of which there are many. It’s a trick I recommend! – Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Library Wars & Others

March 31, 2014 by Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney, Anna N, Ash Brown and MJ Leave a Comment

MICHELLE: I’m going to have to go with volume eleven of Library Wars: Love & War this week. I still struggle with the overall premise and the depiction of a supposedly elite military unit, but I can’t help but enjoy each volume and the slow burn of Iku’s growing relationship with her commanding officer. It’s become a series I genuinely look forward to.

SEAN: Since Michelle got Library Wars… it’s rare I recommend a pick of the week that I don’t actually read, but really, the release of Eden: It’s An Endless World 14 is really exciting. The story of a world in chaos following a worldwide pandemic, it’s incredibly well-written, and also filled with depressing things happening to nice people, so naturally I couldn’t get through it, because I never read that sort of series. Except when I do. In any case, many people I respect love this, so check it out.

ANNA: I am also very fond of Library Wars, but since Michelle already gave it a shout-out, I’m going to have to go with the Hana Kimi omnibus. Sure, a plucky cross-dressing heroine and a surly yet secretly empathetic hero have been done to death in shoujo manga, but Hana Kimi is one of the best examples. I’ve kept the series on hand since it came out for my every third year ritual rereads, and I enjoy it every time.

ASH: Well, because Library Wars has already been mentioned several times I guess that instead I’ll choose…wait, who am I kidding? I’m still going to pick Library Wars. I’m enjoying the series much more than I actually think I should be. Maybe it’s because I’m a librarian myself, but I get a kick out of the manga’s version of librarianship. It’s certainly one of the more unusual portrayals that I’ve come across.

MJ: So, apparently I’m the only person at Manga Bookshelf who does not read Library Wars. And really, I wish I did, because there isn’t a lot strongly compelling me otherwise this week. I will take a moment, though, to give a shout out to the 4th omnibus edition of Lone Wolf and Cub. I missed this classic the first time around, and have been very grateful to get a second chance at it—especially in its new, larger format! Readable text becomes so much more important to me as my poor eyes get older. If, like me, you never gave the original editions of Lone Wolf and Cub a try, now’s the time to start!

What looks good to you this week?