Michelle Smith

This week, Sean, Anna, & Michelle look at recent releases from Seven Seas and Viz Media.

Alice Love Fables: Toy Box | By QuinRose and Mamenosuke Fujimaru | Seven Seas – This is pretty much what it sounded like, a series of short stories, all romance-themed, on QuinRose’s 3 properties. Arabians Lost is the first (and dullest), Alice in the Country of (blank) gets the majority, and Crimson Empire rounds it out. I’m most familiar with Alice, so those were the most enjoyable, even if they lack the twisted core I like in my Wonderland. She gets stories with Peter and Grey as love interest, something we haven’t gotten books for yet. And the Blood story is really adorable and sweet. As for Sheila, she’s the most interesting of the three heroines, but is rarely served as well by her male leads, so her stories don’t really gel as much. Still, nothing here truly bothered me, and it’s a good stocking stuffer for Alice fans. – Sean Gaffney

Dengeki Daisy, Vol. 13 | By Kyousuke Motomi | Viz Media – By now everyone knows that this is one of the best shoujo manga coming out today, with laughs, thrills, excitement, and frustratingly unconsummated romance that gets even more tantalizing here. Heck, even Akira, who’s been a horrible thorn in the side of our heroes, looks like he may get a bit of redemption after all, once we hear of his tragic past. (You know, the one every character in this series has.) What I really noticed in this volume was the way the art has matured. There’s a scene with Riko receiving something belatedly from Soichiro, and it’s made even more intimate by our never seeing what it is (even though we know). It shows a lovely subtlety that contrasts with the wacky “what color are Teru’s favorite panties” schtick that’s going on next door. I will be so sad when this ends. – Sean Gaffney

Kimi Ni Todoke, Vol. 18 | By Karuho Shiina | Viz Media – This volume, set during Christmas, is the perfect manga to read while curled up by a fire and enjoying some hot chocolate. Lack of communication has caused some issues with Sawako and Kazehaya’s budding relationship. They have a breakthrough around Christmastime, and finally acknowledge how much they care about each other. Sawako and her friends Ayane and Chizu get together for some post-date gossip, as each girl has new romantic developments to report. The whole gang gets together at Sawako’s house for a party, and even Sakako’s overprotective father begins to acknowledge how good Kazehaya is for his sheltered daughter. This slice of life manga works through plenty of emotional developments in a warm and cozy manner, making it the perfect volume for some winter relaxation. – Anna N

Midnight Secretary, Vol. 3 | By Tohmu Ohmi | Viz Media – Things continue to be hot and heavy in the 3rd volume of this josei paranormal romance series. Kaya’s extreme competence as a secretary allows her to work for a subsidiary office by day and then return to her lover/ex-boss and vampire Kyohei at night to serve his secretarial, carnal, and blood bank needs, but her double life begins to take a toll on her. Kaya collapses, and it results in Kyohei trying to rearrange his life to accommodate their new unusual lifestyle. Along the way he begins to realize that he might actually care for Kaya, even though she is a human woman. This series is top notch paranormal romance for those who enjoy that kind of thing, which I certainly do! – Anna N

Skip Beat!, Vol. 32 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – For those who love the love triangle between Ren, Kyoko and Sho, you will revel in this volume and all its glorious horribleness. Sho in particular is in fine form, showing off both his consummate skill at reading Kyoko and his complete and total immaturity when it comes to what she wants or needs. (I could do without Shoko starting to fall for him, though.) He tries the same mental manipulation on Ren, and while it may not work while Sho is there in person, Ren’s distrust of himself is enough to make it niggle regardless. This all comes to a head in the hotel room, where a phone call from Sho causes Ren and Kyoko to both fall out of character… or maybe, given the incestuous subtext between Cain and Setsu, the character and the self may be bleeding together. I warn you, the cliffhanger will drive you nuts. Can’t put this down. -Sean Gaffney

Skip Beat!, Vol. 32 | By Yoshiki Nakamura | Viz Media – What a dramatic volume! It definitely feels like the beginning of the end here, with Kyoko getting an inkling of what might’ve happened in Ren’s past, Sho pushing her buttons expertly and getting her to declare that she’ll never fall for Ren (lest she lose herself even more than she did with Sho), and then Sho promptly informing Ren of this fact. Poor Ren’s barely hanging on by a thread (a thread named Kyoko) and with two guys out to possibly snag her affections, he snaps and breaks character when they’re supposed to be on assignment as the Heel siblings, scaring her with the darkness he’s desperately trying to hide. It’s not that I want this series to end, but these developments definitely have me excited for a grand finale to come! – Michelle Smith

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

Cage of Eden, Vol. 12 | By Yoshinobu Yamada | Kodansha Comics – There really is an awful lot of being threatened by giant predatory animals in this series – indeed, that makes up about half of this volume – so it’s nice to see a return to the basic question posed by the series. Where are they, why is the entire place filled with animals from conflicting time periods, and can they even escape at all? A rather disturbing stone monument is found, with words the cast can’t read, not being fluent in Latin, but we can – Requiescat In Pace. The idea that everyone is, in reality, dead and this could be a rather horrific afterlife is a downbeat one, and I’m fairly sure that it won’t turn out to be quite that bad. Still, we get another death here, and one worries that soon we may start running out of young, nubile teen girls to bathe naked in rivers. -Sean Gaffney

The Infernal Devices 2: Clockwork Prince | By Cassandra Clare & Hyekyung Baek. | Yen Press – This adaptation of Cassandra Clare’s prequel to her popular The Mortal Instruments series began as seemingly perfect girls’ “manga” fodder—so much so, in fact, that its careful adherence to shoujo manga tropes made it feel a little cold and emotionally manipulative. In this second volume, the series out-shoujos itself, with its increasingly spunky heroine and a cruelly dramatic love triangle. But while you might expect all this to reinforce the first volume’s contrived feel, in actuality, it finally gives the series some real heart. Clare’s supernatural world is still less interesting than the people she’s placed in it, but that hardly matters in the face of true romantic torture. I’m officially hooked. – MJ

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 15 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Viz Media – Just when I start to think that Oresama Teacher maybe isn’t for me, along comes a volume like this one. The first couple of chapters were pretty boring school trip hijinks, but then I found myself unexpectedly captivated by the attempts of a doll-like member of the student council to win over Shibuya (the Public Morals Club’s newest member) with her finely honed cute act. Probably it’s because I enjoy skewering the transparent schemes of manipulative people, but I actually really liked their chapters together and now kind of want them to end up as a couple. I didn’t expect much at all from Shibuya when he first appeared, but now I definitely find him more interesting than Kurosaki, the main character, which doesn’t exactly bode well for the series. Still, it’s enough to keep me reading, if not rereading. – Michelle Smith

Slam Dunk, Vol. 31 | By Takehiko Inoue | Viz Media – To properly convey how much I love sports manga in general and Slam Dunk in particular, I kept a tally of how many times this volume made me verklempt. The total? Eight. I just find it so moving when someone finds the thing that they love and the “unwavering resolve” to go after it, changing the trajectory of their life in the process. True, the series doesn’t end like I had expected, but I actually think the most important thing that needed to happen occurred a bit earlier on—Sakuragi and Rukawa finally recognized each other as trustworthy teammates. There’s a great moment where Sakuragi recovers a loose ball and trusts Rukawa to deliver on it, a gesture that’s later repaid when a blocked-in Rukawa counts on Sakuragi in a crucial moment. The change in their eyes as they regard each other is so palpable it gives me goosebumps to contemplate it. I heart this series like whoa. – Michelle Smith

World War Blue, Vol. 3 | By Anastasia Shestakova and Crimson | Seven Seas – Any goodwill I may have possessed towards this series is gone by now, as it tries to tell a story with cute video game references but can’t rise above the most hackneyed cliches. So we have aggrieved siblings who chafe at the policies of their peaceful country and strike off on their own; we have the ‘weak’ member of the party reminded that war is hell and that she has to contribute and stop worrying that she’s useless (she’s even slapped, because of course), and the tragic narration “this was the last time we would ever fight together” setting up future events that I don’t care enough about. Even the side story, about a female slave with ridiculous strength who is rescued by a rather casual hero, leaves a bad, somewhat sexist taste in the mouth. It’s a shame, this started off with promise. – Sean Gaffney

Yotsuba&!, Vol. 12 | By Kiyohiko Azuma | Yen Press – I’ve said before that I enjoy Yotsuba as a catalyst more than an actual character. Luckily, she’s rarely on her own in this volume, and her interaction with everyone else drives the humor and the heart. Torako is learning to be just as good as Asagi at handling Yotsuba, even if it’s in a grumpy truculent way. Fuuka and Shimau are hilariously weird and cute as a team, spotting the potential of Yotsuba and awkward pumpkin costume straight away. And the camping trip that takes up the 2nd half is filled with exactly what we want in the series: the wonders of everyday life, people being adorable dorks, and lots of cute. Yotsuba’s final page quote makes one think the series is ending (it isn’t), but honestly there’s far more that can be done here The wonders of childhood are limitless. – Sean Gaffney

Yotsuba&!, Vol. 12 | By Kiyohiko Azuma | Yen Press – New volumes of Yotsuba&! are sadly few and far between these days, but at least each one is solidly consistent and guaranteed to raise a smile. True, nothing much changes, but the series does have its own internal slice-of-life continuity, with Yotsuba’s newfound fascination with tying bows factoring into future chapters not to mention the repercussions of her naughty adventure with paint. “Everyone gets blue hands sometimes!!” on its own might not read as much of a punchline, but Azuma’s excellent (as ever) depiction of Yotsuba’s body language effortlessly communicates how embarrassed she is by her predicament, and it’s nice to see how her dad handles her misbehavior. Too bad it’ll probably be at least another year before volume thirteen. – Michelle Smith

Voice Over! Seiyu Academy, Vol. 2 | By Maki Minami | Viz Media – As pleasantly sugary as Hana to Yume series are known to be, I admit that I found the first volume of Voice Over! Seiyu Academy to be more sickly than sweet. Its perky, dim heroine and and obvious romantic setup, though certainly no grave sins in the context of current shoujo manga, languished within a lackluster premise. Volume two begins pretty much the same way, as heroine Hime and her gang of student seiyu “stragglers” trudge through a tired plotline involving the value of friendship. Fortunately, a late-volume twist changes things for the better, utilizing an equally overused trope that somehow feels just right here. Can a shoujo manga live or die on its precise combination of clichés? Time will tell. Tentatively recommended. – MJ

This week, Sean and Michelle look at recent releases from Viz Media.

Midnight Secretary, Vol. 2 | By Tomu Ohmi | Viz Media – As ever with the josei series we’ve seen Viz license in Shojo Beat, this second volume is dedicated to much angsting and lying to oneself. Unlike most Shojo Bdeat series, all the angsting ends in a fairly hot sex scene, which actually feels earned, mostly as we do get to see both Kaya and Kyohei making the same journey. Kaya “But I’m just a secretary” drives the first half, and Kyohei’s “Vampires should not love humans” drives the second, but they’re essentially the same concerns; each is losing themselves to the other, and it’s scary. I am pleased that we continue to focus on how good the two of them are at their jobs, and I suspect that Kyohei’s family will play a larger role as things go on. In the meantime, enjoy all the fretting and frothing leading to a whole lot of pleasure for all concerned. – Sean Gaffney

Psyren, Vol. 13 | By Toshiaki Iwashiro | Viz Media – I like the fact that so much attention is given in Psyren to showing us how the villains came together as a team. Usually the heroes band together with the power of friendship, etc., so it’s nice seeing it coming from the other side, with folks having agendas other than ’cause we’re evil like that’. Also, given Jump action series almost never really focus on the romance, I also liked seeing Sakurako freaking out at what her alternate self did with Ageha, even if it was played for the broadest comedy. (As was Maria being jealous, which was also very cute). Then it’s back to the Psyren world for more fighting, as things get livened up by the addition of a genuinely unhinged serial killer on the villain’s side – the flashback to his victims being found is chilling. Hopefully the series cam keep the momentum going, next volume looks like all fighting. – Sean Gaffney

Rin-Ne Vol. 13 | By Rumiko Takahashi | Viz Media – Never let it be said that Rumiko Takahashi’s comedy hasn’t been consistent as we travel from UY to Ranma to Rin-Ne. Her characters are funny because they are all gloriously selfish asses who are truly horrible to each other for the most petty reasons. There is the occasional heartwarming bone thrown here, but even then you never know when it will be yanked away from you, as with the chapter with Rinne’s horrible father. Even Sakura gets in on the act, not having issues with Rinne being a thief, but musing he wouldn’t be so bad at it if he were. Even the ghosts everyone is helping are petty, vindictive and shallow. If I hadn’t been reading Takahashi for almost 20 years now, I’d be fairly repulsed at this entire cast. As it is, it feels like putting on your favorite old electric blanket. – Sean Gaffney

Strobe Edge, Vol. 7 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – One of the things that makes Strobe Edge so great it’s that it’s often sweet, but never sappy. Some of the best moments occur when mature-seeming character show their vulnerabilities and insecurities to the select few they care about, which means these scenes area always firmly rooted in character. The primary focus of this volume is the growing closeness between Ren and Ninako and the latter’s unwillingness to let go of their friendship to try for something more, especially since she knows Ren is still sad after breaking up with his girlfriend, unlike the other girls in school, who are eager to nab him without truly knowing him. Then there’s Ninako’s friend, Sayuri, who is worried that her current boyfriend has fallen for another girl just like her last one did. I suppose there’s nothing really new here, but it’s done so well that I just don’t care. – Michelle Smith

Sunny, Vol. 2 | By Taiyo Matsumoto | Viz Media – How does one craft something that’s sad but simultaneously uplifting and charming? Introspective and yet a page-turner? I have no clue, but thankfully Taiyo Matsumoto does and has instilled those qualities in Sunny. I especially love that the kids in this series (who live together in a group foster home) are not idealized. They tell lies, act tough, fail to show gratitude for their caretakers, and hang out with the wrong crowd but Matsumoto shows us the vulnerabilities that make them behave this way. One can’t help but feel for them, with the painful truths they’re confronting at such a young age. My favorite chapter involves relative newcomer Sei taking the latest arrival under his wing, only to say goodbye when the boy’s mother actually keeps her promise to come for him. It’s just beautifully done all around, which is yet another reason why you should be reading Sunny. – Michelle Smith

This week, Sean, Anna, & Michelle look at recent releases from Viz Media and Vertical, Inc.

Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 5 | By Tsutomu Nihei | Vertical, Inc. – There is quite a good space battle towards the end of this, but as usual I’m focused on other things. The reason that I keep coming back to Sidonia is the balance it maintains between different aspects. I will never get over how this is still a wacky harem manga, complete with Nagate being a clueless dope and Izana running off in best cliched “I hate you!” form. But I will also never get over the scene with Tahiro’s possession – and, I have to assume, death – which is some of the sickest body horror I’ve ever seen, and is done slowly and silently so that you revel in its horribleness. These are both in the same manga! And yes, there is also a great Star Wars-style battle with SPEED GAUNA and Nagate showing off his awesome skills as well. It’s become a must-read title. – Sean Gaffney

Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 5 | By Tsutomu Nihei | Vertical, Inc. – I honestly never thought I’d love a mecha-centric manga like I do Knights of Sidonia, but then again, this is not your average mecha manga. Humanity’s desperate fight for survival never lets up—which isn’t to say the series is devoid of light moments, only that they are few and far between—and just when it seems they’ve possibly got a leg up on the enemy, the enemy grows more clever while an unknown threat begins to grow within Sidonia itself. The characters have become even more endearing, too, especially Izana Shinatose, Tanikaze’s “middle-gendered friend,” and this is the kind of series where people can easily end up dead—dead en masse, in fact—so watching them fly into battle can be a somewhat stressful reading experience, but oh so addictive and rewarding. I’m counting the days until volume six! – Michelle Smith

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 15 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Viz Media – The class trip that I thought would take the entire volume only took half of it, but things are all the better for it. First, we get just enough time devoted to Mafuyu trying once again to hide her past, Yui realizing that his deep cover role is a lot deeper than I suspect he’s truly comfortable with, and Saeki once again being ridiculous. To my surprise, though, I also loved the second half. I didn’t think much of Shibuya when he was introduced, as he was putting up a very false front. Now, with everyone else off on the trip, we can delve closer into that, and see what happens when he runs up against someone he can’t read like a book. As for our latest mini-villain, Komari… well, she’s finding the exact same thing happening to her. Clearly these two are made for each other. Depth is always welcome in my favorite shoujo comedy. – Sean Gaffney

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 15 | By Izumi Tsubaki | Viz Media – I’m a bit in awe of the capacity of this series to seem absolutely silly and hilarious even as the cast grows and almost nothing happens in terms of forward-moving plot. The class trip is funny, and I especially enjoyed Saeki’s unholy obsession with ping pong. While sometimes the large cast gets a bit tricky to keep track of, the story shift in the latter half of the volume to Shibuya fending off Komari’s aggressive cuteness is both amusing and intriguing from a character development standpoint. It is always nice to have a manga to turn to that always makes me smile, and Oresama Teacher delivers every time. – Anna N

Slam Dunk, Vol 31 | By Takehiko Inoue | Viz Media – The final volume! It feels a bit like the end of an era. I didn’t think this basketball game could get any more intense, but the tension and strain were palpable as the underdog heroes of Shohoku High face the final minutes of their battle against Sannoh. There’s a bit of bittersweet resolution as Sakuragi and Rukawa acknowledge each other as teammates in the closing moments of the game. I feel like this series has just been a wonderful gift, seeing Inoue’s style and storytelling skills evolve and grow over the 31 volumes of this series serves as a master class in manga appreciation. I would happily have read 31 more volumes of this series, yet it is utterly appropriate that Sakuragi gets the last word, delivered with his characteristic confidence to conclude the volume. – Anna N

Strobe Edge, Vol. 7 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – I would like to note that it is starting to beggar belief that every single ex of every single character is converging on the same school now. But, having gotten that out of the way, this was a solid volume of Strobe Edge. The focus on Sayuri was appreciated, and showed how experiences (and indeed lack of communication) from past relationships can affect future ones. I’d argue that even more than most shoujo manga, this series reads like a primer for first love, with the characters talking about their feelings out loud far more than we normally see. Sadly, Ninako and Ren are rather static right now, as they enjoy their close friendship and think “This is enough, right?” Well, no, it’s really not, and I think Ren is going to be the first to break. We shall see… – Sean Gaffney

Vampire Knight, Vol. 17 | By Matsuri Hino | Viz Media – For the past several volumes of Vampire Knight, I’ve noted that I’ve enjoyed its mood and flavor, but really haven’t been able to follow the plot from one volume to the next. That’s getting worse and worse, and this volume can only coast on style for so long before I start to skim. We’re clearly in endgame, but most of what’s happening involves Kaname trying to kill Sara and Yuki trying to stop him, and everything else here is pretty much added window dressing to those two things. There’s some attempt at development for Ichijo, and some romantic sacrifice by Souen, but honestly it’s been 17 volumes, I should not still be turning to the back to remember who everyone is. Still, the art is gorgeous, and everyone suffers beautifully. It’s the manga equivalent of Rococo art. – Sean Gaffney