Manga Bookshelf

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Michelle Smith

Pick of the Week: Heart of Thomas & Other Stories

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heartofthomasMJ: There’s a lot going on at Midtown Comics this week, and a lot to look forward to, including lots of new shoujo from VIZ Media (Strobe Edge, Dengeki Daisy) and some hot ticket items from Vertical (Message to Adolf, The Book of Human Insects), but I only have eyes for one thing. That thing, of course, is Moto Hagio’s The Heart of Thomas, produced in beautiful hardcover by Fantagraphics, and lovingly translated by Matt Thorn. I’ve read the advance digital copy and Hagio’s writing and artwork are both more beautiful and emotionally nuanced than I even expected, but I’ll admit I can’t wait to hold this hardcover in my hands. In fact, I’m pretty sure I said the words “I can’t wait” something like ten times in my holiday edition of My Week in Manga. Michelle and I will be talking about Heart of Thomas in this month’s BL Bookrack (Off the Shelf-style) so you can listen to me gush about it more then. Endless love and gratitude to Fantagraphics for bringing us a treasure like this.

ANNA: I agree that Heart of Thomas is the most exciting release this week. I haven’t read it yet, but I am really looking forward to it.

MICHELLE: While Heart of Thomas is the standout on this list for me, too, I don’t wanna just say “ditto,” so instead I’ll note that I’m really looking forward to reading the second volume of Strobe Edge. Okay, no, it’s not exactly a groundbreaking series (firmly in comfort-read territory), but I enjoyed it and liked all the characters, which is sometimes not the case in these high-school romance stories.

SEAN: Heart of Thomas is clearly the most important manga out this week, and I’m definitely looking forward to having it sit on my review pile staring at me balefully, like most important manga does. That said, my picks of the week are the Shojo Beat volumes I always read the moment they come out – Dengeki Daisy, Oresama Teacher and Otomen. I may not know much about art, but I know what I like.

Readers, what looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 12/30/12

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This week, Michelle, Anna, Sean, and MJlook at recent releases from Yen Press, JManga, Dark Horse, and VIZ Media.

QuinRose_AliceFanaticRabbit_V1_TPAlice in the Country of Hearts: My Fanatic Rabbit, Vol. 1 | By QuinRose, Delico Psyche, and Owl Shinotsuki | Yen Press – I think this is the fourth iteration of the Alice series to be released here, and so far it’s shaping up to be the best since the first at hinting ominously about the mystery of the world in which Alice finds herself and her relationship with her older sister. True, the first series actively focused on these things instead of on romance, but My Fanatic Rabbit does an okay job balancing Alice’s growing affections for Elliot with these other plot threads. Elliot here is rather different than we’ve seen him before, more of a blush-prone goofball who casually kills people on command, and frequently finds himself the unwilling victim of Alice’s ear-fondling attacks. I know, I know, I’m probably taking this all way too seriously, but I honestly found those moments seriously icky. None of that in volume two (which concludes the series), please. – Michelle Smith

crazyforyou4Crazy for You, Vol. 4 | By Karuho Shiina | Shueisha/JManga – Oftentimes, the best shoujo manga has very little actual plot and instead derives its story from the characters’ evolving emotions. Crazy for You falls solidly in that category, though this volume boasts a little more plot than most, as it involves someone almost getting hit by a car. But for the most part, it’s about Sachi trying to forget about her feelings for Yuki and seriously consider Akihoshi’s confession and realizing the many subtle ways in which her feelings for the two boys differ. I’m also really intrigued by her friend, Akemi, whose “critical and serious” nature puts obstacles in the way of her happiness. As in her later series, Kimi ni Todoke, Shiina has created a complex character as her lead’s best friend, which results in some interesting new complications for this love polygon. There’s only two volumes left, and I’m highly eager to see how this story wraps up! – Michelle Smith

devil6A Devil and Her Love Song, Vol. 6 | By Miyoshi Tomori | VIZ Media – A Devil and Her Love Song continues to be a quirky and interesting read due to its unconventional heroine Maria, even as it moves forward with some fairly standard shoujo plot elements of love triangles, unrequited love, and revenge. This volume explores some mean girl antics as Maria’s friend Anna acts on her own feelings for Shin just as Maria decides to confess her feelings for him after being prodded into action by Yusuke. A Devil and Her Love Song leans a bit towards darker themes, as Anna actively prevents a deeper relationship from forming between Maria and Shin. At this point in the series as a reader I’m still undecided if I think Shin or Yusuke would be better for Maria, so I’m still actively engaged in wanting to find out what happens next. Maria’s forthright way of sailing through high school drama always produces some unexpected results, especially when she decides that she doesn’t care if she’s hated as a result of her actions. – Anna N

omg43Oh My Goddess, Vol. 43 | By Kosuke Fujishima | Dark Horse Comics – Generally around Vol. 43 of a long-running series you’re looking for the little things, those moments of well-crafted story or amusing character development that remind you why you still read a series. This is especially true with something like OMG, whose romantic payoff – or lack thereof – is the stuff of legends. Thus, seeing Keiichi and Belldandy having to choose between who has to murder a demon. (Urd and Skuld, who have less scruples, are safely locked away for most of the volume.) The conclusion is foregone but welcome nevertheless. Then, their next opponent is the supposed final boss, which means things get serious. Seeing Keiichi’s arms and legs ‘lopped off’, even bloodlessly, is a bit of horror we’re simply not used to from this series. Another good reminder of why Oh My Goddess fans still read this. -Sean Gaffney

wwt15We Were There, Vol. 15 | By Yuuki Obata | VIZ Media – After becoming completely disillusioned by this series’ main romantic pairing in volume thirteen, I was swept right back up into it by volume fourteen, and this new (old) direction has not let me down, as volume fifteen finally really tackles the question of “Just what is really wrong with Motoharu?” The answer, of course, turns out to be both more complicated and more simple than Nanami or Motoharu could have imagined. The whole thing is gorgeous and heart-wrenching in exactly the way this series has always been gorgeous and heart-wrenching, and though it’s obviously winding down, I know I’ll be a little heartbroken when the final volume arrives next year. This series has been the shoujo romance closest to my heart, and after fifteen volumes, it has never let me down. Still recommended. – MJ

JManga the Weeks of 1/3 and 1/10

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SEAN: JManga is taking a New Year’s break next week from newsletters (but not releases), so gave us two weeks worth of announcements. What’s new and exciting?

Well, first off, Pico Pico Boy has been pushed back to 1/10, so see previous post for our (minimal) thoughts.

I keep confusing Tsumanuda Fight Town, a Shonen Gahosha title with a blue-haired heroine, with Iketeru Futari, an as-yet unreleased Shonen Gahosha title with a blue-haired heroine. Perhaps JManga can look into the latter (though it’s over 30 volumes long). As for the actual release in question (Vol. 2), it’s for those who wish shonen fight tournaments and maids could be combined. So, Negima fans.

MICHELLE: Heh. In general, I don’t mind shounen fight tournaments, though.

MJ: Ugh.

crimepunishment3SEAN: Crime and Punishment: A Falsified Romance is really not my thing at all, but I can’t deny its brilliance. A fantastically dark seinen tragedy of morals updating the Russian novel to modern-day Japan, it’s one of Futabasha’s best titles from its initial deluge of Manga Action series to JManga. Vol. 3 is out next week.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I feel bad that I’m not really into this, but I’m not.

MJ: I actually *might* like this… maybe I should give it a shot.

SEAN: Yurumates is slice-of-life seinen 4-koma. I hadn’t even realized we’ve already gotten 3 volumes of this, but here is the 4th. It runs in Takeshobo’s Manga Club, home to Morita-san Wa Mukuchi.

MICHELLE: This is a very under-the-radar sort of title. It’s pretty tough for me to get excited about 4-koma manga.

SEAN: Moving on to titles out the 2nd week of January, there’s a new Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer (Vol. 3) and Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru (Vol. 10), both from Shonen Gahosha’s Young King Ours. I’ve mentioned before how I like Biscuit Hammer’s odd apocalyptic take on superheroes, and SoreMachi’s slice of life maids are growing on me as well.

MICHELLE: More stuff I haven’t read.

MJ: I really do need to try out Soredemo Machi wa Mawatteiru. It’s not my usual fare on the face of it, but I’ve heard such good things about it!

foulballsSEAN: Some new BL, which I think is from an author new to these shores. We Immediately Swing At Foul Balls certainly wins title of the week if nothing else, but loses points for the standard BL hug from behind while partner cowers cover. It’s done in one volume, so I can only assume the balls weren’t too foul. (whack) Ow.

MICHELLE: Oh dear.

MJ: Heh!

SEAN: The other title, by the same author, is Pochi to Tama, which looks far more adorable, and has pets. Both these titles are from BL flaghip Be x Boy magazine.

MICHELLE: The pets do tempt me a little…

MJ: Pets are sometimes a plus. Usually I’ll check out BL from JManga. Their track record is pretty good.

SEAN: Has anyone stopped to think of the ridiculous amount of titles JManga put out last year? The mind reels…

MICHELLE: It’s fantastic. Keep up the good work! (And pick up Cat Street!)

Manga the Week of 1/2

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SEAN: Back from the holidays, and back to a somewhat normal schedule for manga fans. This week sees lots of DMP, Vertical, and Viz, though I suspect that one other title will be getting some Pick of the Week notice…

First off, some new BL from DMP. Caramel looks to be about as sweet as its title judging from that cover, and is about an eldest son of four, used to taking care of everyone, becoming a live-in housekeeper… and presumably more.

MJ: Hm, that does sound kind of sweet, if generally unoriginal, but what else is new? I’ll probably try it out.

SEAN: I’ve Seen It All reaches Volume 2. The description of the series so repulsive to me that I can only hope that the series crosses the line so often it becomes comedic. The cover is not really helping me judge one way or the other. In the meantime, um… MJ? Michelle?

MJ: I’m afraid I can’t help you here. I’m just as appalled by the premise as you are, and apparently I missed volume one. Wow.

MICHELLE: I had missed this one, too, and I’m awfully grateful about that. Also, I guess these’ll be the last DMP books to see print for a while, owing to the company’s recent announcement.

SEAN: Love Makes Everything Right. Office romance, sexual harassment, smug jerk on the cover… neeeeext?

MJ: Zzzzzzzzzzz

MICHELLE: Ha! I was totally going to type “yawn” here. Clearly, we are on the same wavelength.

SEAN: Ninth Love Life is about a man who really loved his late cat (no, not like that) and when his cat gets reincarnated as a young man is happy that he can really LOVE his cat (yes, like that). Is it me, or are DMP’s titles getting weirder?

MJ: This one’s just weird enough to make me want to read it, so I guess there’s that.

MICHELLE: Ew, no. Also, this gives me flashbacks to The 9 Lives.

Heart-of-ThomasSEAN: As with all Fantagraphics manga choices, we’ve been waiting a long time for this one, mostly as the release date was moved about eight times. But it promises to be worth the wait. Heart of Thomas is a legendary proto-BL manga by Moto Hagio, set at an all-boys boarding school in Germany. It’s a complete in one hardcover, and is pretty much THE required purchase this week, even if you aren’t into BL.

MJ: I am so anxious for this to arrive! Michelle and I will be featuring this title in January’s BL Bookrack and I’m dying to see this in all its hardcover glory! It can’t ship quickly enough for me!

MICHELLE: What she said! And everyone should buy it so we can get The Song of Wind and Trees next!

ANNA: I am looking forward to this as well, more Moto Hagio is always a good thing.

SEAN: On to Vertical, who have a softcover edition of Tezuka’s Book of Human Insects, for those who may have missed the hardcover or just want multiple editions of one of Tezuka’s creepier anti-heroines.

MJ: I really liked this title–recommended!

SEAN: Speaking of Tezuka, there’s the 2nd and final omnibus volume of Message to Adolf, which is about 600 pages long and features a drooling Hitler on the cover. Perfect reading for public transport!

MJ: Heh, yes.

MICHELLE: I really liked Adolf, which is the title the series had when I read the old VIZ. I recall the ending wasn’t quite as good as the beginning, but there’s still some great ironic commentary on the futility of war. Definitely recommended.

SEAN: And there is the 2nd volume of Stan Lee’s Heroman, which I think appeals more to Stan Lee fans than manga fans, but is a good read for those who want to support Vertical but also need a book to buy a younger kid.

MJ: I wish I liked this at all. I really do.

MICHELLE: Me, too.

SEAN: And what would the first week of the month be without a giant pile of Viz? Bleach seems to have stopped double dealing every month, as we just get Volume 54, which features Rukia on the cover! I remember Rukia…

MJ: I haven’t read a volume of Bleach in a while…

MICHELLE: I’m not sure what to make of this latest arc, but at least the Hueco Mundo thing is finally over!

dengekidaisy11SEAN: Dengeki Daisy has mostly caught up with Japan, so this is the first volume in 6 months. As such, I’m really looking forward to it. The power imbalance between the main couple is handled very realistically and maturely, while still being quite romantic.

MJ: So, I missed a whole slew of this title’s middle volumes… is it worth trying to catch up? Your description here sounds like it might be.

SEAN: I think so, yes. Though there is a bit of episodic stuff, this has far more of a running plot, and as I said it has a fascinating relationship between the leads and their tragic pasts.

MICHELLE: I’m a couple volumes behind on Dengeki Daisy myself, but it’s pretty fun.

ANNA: Dengeki Daisy is one of my favorite ongoing shojo series, and I think it gets more emotionally complex as the series progresses. I think it is worth getting caught up on.

SEAN: Seeing a new volume of Hunter x Hunter (Vol. 29) so soon after the previous one is rather bizarre, and almost made me doubt the existence of reality. Luckily, the series is back on hiatus in Japan, so all is well once more.

Jiu Jiu Vol. 2 was somewhat better than a weak Vol. 1, and I hope the series continues its mild upward curve with Vol. 3.

MJ: Admittedly, I gave up after volume one. Perhaps I should try again?

SEAN: I’d hold off till we see what happens, to be honest.

MICHELLE: I liked volume two more, but that might’ve been the result of having low expectations going in. A vampire pig has joined the cast, if that’s any incentive.

MJ: Predictably, it is.

SEAN: I love Oresama Teacher, even if I think it’s wearing out its welcome among the many bloggers I follow. It helps that I don’t really mind the occasional suggestion of Mafuyu/Takaomi, and also that this series is not getting a romance anytime soon. Vol. 12 will no doubt continue to throw mid-level bosses at her like the previous few volumes.

MJ: This is another series where I missed some earlier volumes and am unsure whether I should purchase what I need to catch up. Thoughts?

SEAN: It depends. It’s really comedic – far more than most other shoujo out there – a lot of Osaka-style comedy yelling and running about, with many dense as lead students. Also, what very little romantic tension there is happens to be between Mafuyu and her childhood friend/tormentor Takaomi… who is now her teacher, and does not get nearly as many ‘pet the dog’ moments as, say, Kurosaki does in Dengeki Daisy. This has squicked some people who don’t want to invest in a long manga series in case it endgames that way. (Honestly, the series has so little romantic emphasis that I doubt that will be a problem.)

MICHELLE: I don’t know whether I’d advocate doing so or not. It’s episodic (and probably being made up as it goes along), so the quality is inconsistent. Sometimes I think it’s pretty dumb, but sometimes I think it’s a lot of fun and I’m quite fond of quirky Hayasaka.

ANNA: I’ve read all of Oresama Teacher and it is fairly episodic in terms of plot. You could probably pick up the last 2 or 3 volumes and get by with skipping a little bit. While it does meander quite a bit, I know I can always depend on this series for a regular dose of deranged comedy.

SEAN: Otomen 14 shows the series is still running (see? Told you!), though it will be ending in Japan soon. Given I basically got everything I wanted from Ryo and Asuka last volume, I suspect she’ll barely be in this one.

MJ: I loved this title so much when it debuted… then the episodic comedy format really went sour for me (as it usually does).

ANNA: I did too, and for some reason I have no problem with episodic comedy in Oresama Teacher, but don’t enjoy it as much in Otomen.

SEAN: Yeah, no one reads Otomen for plot resolution.

MICHELLE: Yeah. That’s why I’m not sure catching up on Oresama would be worthwhile for you. I’m quite behind on Otomen, but at least my local library carries this one so I can catch up without too much effort.

SEAN: Psyren 8 takes us back to the Psyren World, but… wait, wait, don’t page down! There’s actual interesting plot stuff happening among the dull boss fights this time. Honest!

MICHELLE: Here’s another one I’m behind on, but I do quite like Psyren!

SEAN: I mildly enjoyed Strobe Edge 1, and have good feelings about 2. That said, it’s not a series I got obsessed with after only one volume, like… well, like Dengeki Daisy, Oresama Teacher and Otomen.

MJ: Despite having spent most of volume one bored out of my skull, by the end I was really dying to know what would happen next. So I’ll be gobbling this up, I’m sure.

MICHELLE: I liked Strobe Edge more than you did, methinks, so I’m very keen to read volume two.

ANNA: I’m looking forward to reading this as well.

SEAN: And there’s a double shot of Stan Lee manga this week, as we get Vol. 8 of Ultimo. I’m sure Ultimo does cool stuff in it, because, y’know, Stan Lee.

MJ: More Stan Lee… why must there always be more Stan Lee?

MICHELLE: I have no idea. Are they trying to make Western comics fans like manga, or are they trying to make manga fans like Western comics? Either way, it feels like someone’s plan rather than a purely organic collaboration.

SEAN: Stan Lee and Moto Hagio’s collaboration next year will absolutely blow your mind! Kidding, kidding… ow, don’t hit…

MJ: *dead*

SEAN: Any manga you desire after your New Year’s hangover? Or are you only getting a Pony comic?

Pick of the Year: 2012

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alice-omnibusSEAN: Given that this last week is rather thin, I thought I’d briefly touch on the titles I enjoyed in 2012. It was hard to pick just one, and several series – Devil and Her Love Song, Young Miss Holmes, Fallen Words, Sakuran, GTO 14 Days – were on my shortlist. But really, 2012 has a surprising winner for me, a red-blooded American male, and it comes from a young girl in a magical Wonderland choosing between many men who seem designed to fall for her. Alice in the Country of Hearts was license rescued by Yen Press and put out in 3 huge omnibuses this May, and it brought with it a host of spinoffs from Seven Seas and Yen, all of which seem to be selling quite well. More to the point, with one or two exceptions, the manga adaptations are not straying too far from the game’s central tenet – this is a broken young girl trapped in a world full of men with loose grips on sanity who think nothing of death and violence. Maintaining that balance between psychological mystery and romantic drama is the key to the series’ success, and it’s why I still enjoy reading it, even if I don’t really care who Alice ends up with.

Aoi_Hana_manga_volume_1_coverMJ: This year was filled with a number of surprising new favorites for me, including titles like GTO: 14 Days in Shonan, Soulless, The Flowers of Evil, and Loveless, as well as a number of shoo-ins like Sakuran, Paradise Kiss, and the awesome conclusion to long-time favorite 13th Boy. It was a strong year for BL as well, as Michelle and I have discussed previously (including a last-minute entry, The Scent of Apple Blossoms). But in the end, my Pick of the Year is a publisher rather than a single title, and that publisher is JManga. When I think about my favorite new titles of the year, a full half of them come from the pages of JManga—Pride, Crazy for You, Sweet Blue Flowers, Dousei Ai, My Darling Kitten Hair, Love My Life, Kyudo Boys—and the list goes on. If I had to pick just one, it’d be impossible. I’ve loved each one of these series and many more. Thanks, JManga, for making my year!

crossgame8MICHELLE: I had to think about this for a while, because the title that first sprang to mine was not one that debuted in 2012. In fact, it started coming out here in 2010, but I so loved every single volume of it, most especially the final one, that I simply must award my pick to Mitsuru Adachi’s Cross Game. Okay, yeah, maybe it’s not pushing any envelopes, but it’s incredibly heartwarming and I just adore it to pieces.

Readers, what’s your favorite title of 2012?

Bookshelf Briefs 12/24/12

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This week, Sean, MJ, and Michelle look at recent releases from Kodansha Comics, Seven Seas, VIZ Media, and JManga.

titan3Attack on Titan, Vol. 3 | By Hajime Isayama | Kodansha Comics – There are many depressing series that never quite let you forget that hope for the best is behind it all. Attack on Titan, on the other hand, never lets you forget how fast hope can be lost and turn into total despair. Despite the arrival of a timely (and high-ranked) ally, most of this volume has our three leads existing at a knife-edge away from being killed. For once, the fact that I can barely tell anyone apart except for our heroes works quite well – the mob mentality and need to get rid of anything terrifying is at work here, and that tends to trump things like strategy and common sense. That said, there’s not a lot of common sense in what Eren can now do, and the ‘hey, now we have a titan on our side’ plan doesn’t go nearly as well as they thought. Luckily, there’s a cooking battle arc next time (OK, not really.) -Sean Gaffney

railgun6A Certain Scientific Railgun, Vol. 6 | By Kazuma Kamachi and Motoi Fuyukawa | Seven Seas – This is adapting the third ‘Magical Index’ main novel, in case readers were wondering why the big battle with Accelerator consists of Misaka standing around watching things. Still, given that you can’t exactly write Touma out, the Railgun adaptation handles things quite well, putting the focus squarely on Misaka and her own suffering. And it is indeed suffering – Misaka cannot stop blaming her own past actions as a child for the mass slaughter of innocents, to the point where the reaches a horrible decision (that, luckily, Touma is there to talk her out of, or at least calm her down a bit). I will admit that Uiharu and Saten, briefly glimpsed at the start, are missed, but this is a big character-building exercise for Misaka, so it’s OK for once to let the spotlight drift elsewhere. -Sean Gaffney

earl-fairy-4The Earl and the Fairy, Vol. 4 | By Mizue Tani and Ayuko | VIZ Media – The ending to this final volume of Earl & Fairy is strangely open – or not so strangely, as the light novel series extends many, many volumes beyond this point. It’s not a bad ending to the manga, but I get a feeling that it’s simply reinforcing the lessons that Lydia learned at the end of Volume 2, simply filtered through a different scenario. Everyone gets to show off what they do best – Lydia is compassionate yet foolhardy, Edgar is intelligent yet nihilistic, and Raven gets to beat people up and be deadpan. I did like the repair of Rosalie and Doris’ relationship, mostly as Rosalie did not magically turn nice – she’s still as annoying as she was since we met her. This was a decent fantasy series, but I fear that it doesn’t really linger in the memories that long – which may be why the manga ended with this volume. -Sean Gaffney

kittenhair2My Darling Kitten Hair, Vol. 2 | By Haruko Kumota | JManga/Libre Publishing – As is usually the case, MJwas absolutely right about My Darling Kitten Hair—it’s thoroughly charming. The time for confessions of love has long past, and now “Kei-chan” and “Mii-kun” are getting used to actually being together as a couple after six years in a long-distance relationship. The characterization in this series is so strong that the reader is actually truly happy for them when they achieve a breakthrough, and crushed when things don’t go quite right. I especially love that Mii-kun, the languid slacker type (as opposed to Kei’s tidy salaryman), is actually the more vulnerable one in a lot of ways. But on the whole, I love both guys so much that I really can’t wait for the next volume. Plus? Cute cats! I don’t know how I could possibly recommend this more highly.– Michelle Smith

natsume13Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 13 | By Yuki Midorikawa | VIZ Media – For me the best part of this volume was seeing attention paid to ‘Those Two Guys’, i.e. Natsume’s school classmates who aren’t Tanuma and Taki. It’s rare you see such characters get development beyond being a line or two within the hero’s larger story, so giving Nishimura and Kitamoto backstories and reasons for enjoying Natsume’s company (without making them connected to the supernatural the way Tanuma and Taki are) is heartwarming to see. Once again, the emphasis is on expanding Natsume’s world. The earlier chapters, a more action-oriented story featuring Natsume infiltrating a meeting of exorcists, didn’t do as much for me, but then I’ve always enjoyed the smaller, quieter chapters of this series over the main plot-based ones. Still a must read. -Sean Gaffney

pride4Pride, Vols. 3-4 | By Yukari Ichijo | JManga/SHUEISHA Inc. – I’d nearly forgotten just how much I loved this series until I delved back into it this week, and wow do I love this series. Tension ramps up dramatically in these two volumes, as Shio, Moe, and Ranmaru form an unexpected musical trio that ultimately lives or dies on each of their personal career choices—all the while Shio struggles to keep secret her business-only engagement to record executive Jinno (who becomes both more sympathetic and more suspect over the course of these volumes). As melodramatic as the story’s plotting may seem, it’s rooted in exactly enough emotional truth to satisfy a cranky old lady like me. It’s an exciting, exquisitely-crafted, gorgeously dramatic ride that has left me absolutely pining for more. Highly recommended.

Off the Shelf: Shorts Weather

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MICHELLE: So, I have these two boy kitties who have had a personality/territory conflict for going on two years now. And now, suddenly, they are sleeping peacefully next to each other on an ottoman. I can only conclude that this is a Christmas miracle.

MJ: Hallelujah!

MICHELLE: Maybe it’s a body-heat issue, but I would be so happy if they actually became friends.

Anyway, what better way to celebrate surviving the longest night of the year (not to mention the Mayan apocalypse) than devoting our final column of the year to two recently released short-story collections? I’m speaking of The Devil Is So Cute by Takako Shimura (JManga) and Kaoru Mori: Anything and Something (Yen Press). It just seemed natural to me to pair these together, since Shimura and Mori are women artists writing primarily for the seinen demographic.

MJ: What better way indeed? Now, I’ll admit that the collection of short manga tends to be one of my least favorite formats (it beats out 4-koma, but only by a hair), so I went into this with a sort of grudging sense of duty, but both collections offered up some interesting insight into their creators, so it was definitely worthwhile.

MICHELLE: Yeah, I don’t have a lot of enthusiasm for the medium itself, but it was at least neat to see how these different artists approached short stories. (With varying results, I suspect, due to the nature of the magazines in which the stories ran.)

Would you care to introduce one of the collections?

devilMJ: Sure! I’ll start with Shimura’s, which, of the two, is the most typical of the format. Pulling from one-shots originally published in magazines like Comic High! and Jump SQ between 2004 and 2009 (along with one extra chapter added specifically for the collection), The Devil Is So Cute covers a range of subjects from the existence of witches to childhood crushes, though when you get right down to it, they’re really all about relationships—particularly those between family members and close friends.

The book’s title story, for instance, about a young boy, Megumu, who meets a woman claiming to be a witch, is really telling the story of the boy’s strained relationship with his very strict father. The witch, Nozomi, who has the ability to be accepted as anyone she wants, in any role she wants—she appears as Megumu’s sister, teacher, pediatrician, you name it—is there to bring them closer together, but she could easily be read as a figment of Megumu’s imagination, as it’s Megumu and his father, ultimately who do all the work. It’s a whimsical story with a serious purpose, which makes it a pretty terrific read.

One theme that comes up more than once in the collection is that of first love—not the sweet, mushy, teen romance kind that tends to be the stuff of shoujo manga, but the unrequited childhood crushes that I think are pretty relatable for most of us—viewed both during and after the fact. “My Summer Vacation,” for instance, tells the story of a young girl whose crush on the man who works at her local public bath leads her to pretend she’s doing a research report on bathing so that she can justify talking to him, over and over. It’s a pretty adorable, light-hearted story, unlike the somewhat darker “Unworthy Son,” which chronicles one young man’s horror as his father remarries to a teacher whom he had crushed on so heavily as a student that she’d inspired him to draw a manga about her.

Some of the stories are more whimsical than others, and some are definitely stronger than others, but there’s a lot of range in this collection, which helps to keep it interesting.

MICHELLE: Y’know, it hadn’t actually occurred to me that Nozomi might be imaginary! That’s an interesting spin on things. But yes, I really appreciated that the story is actually about the father-son relationship—with their inability to communicate depicted with distressing accuracy—instead of witches and magic.

Another theme of the collection, sometimes operating hand-in-hand with “first love,” is that of the struggling manga artist so busy working as an assistant for others that he/she has no time to devote to their own work. But is that truly the case, or are they just using that as an excuse for not pursuing their own dreams? In “One Day,” a would-be mangaka runs into her former crush when she goes out drinking after meeting a deadline. In the past, she had declared her intentions to create manga on a whim, but has failed to find the dedication necessary to make that happen. Similarly on a whim, she confesses her feelings to him in the present and now suddenly wants to resume drawing. In “Unworthy Son,” the protagonist is in a similar situation, never having success with any of the portfolios he submits. He’s on the verge of calling it quits when he too is compelled to carry on by the weight of others’ expectations.

This ties in with yet another theme, which is jealousy of a friend’s talent. This idea is present in “Unworthy Son” but also in “Transformation,” in which a woman dreams that her successful novelist friend has died in an accident and comes out of the experience not exactly transformed, but at least a little more willing to be honest about her feelings, if not completely at peace with them.

MJ: Yes, I thought all the stories about mangaka—and particularly about mangaka who weren’t making a living drawing their own stories—were really interesting and insightful. And while I don’t want to presume that Shimura is writing from her own experience (certainly she is a successful mangaka), I think it would be fair to say that she’s writing something she knows, either from observing others, or from her own, hidden insecurities which of course we all have. In any case, it reads as thoughtful and authentic. It’s one of the strengths of the collection.

So, on to Kaoru Mori, then? Would you care to do the introductory honors?

anythingsomethingMICHELLE: Sure!

So, as opposed to Shimura, who is writing about things she knows, Kaoru Mori seems to be writing about things she likes (or that her audience likes). And since she is known for liking maids a lot, it’s no surprise that there are a few of them here, though there are also some teens and some alluring older ladies as well.

So, you’ve got your kooky maids/servants—the staff in “Welcome to the Mansion, Master!” wants a new master so they can continue to enjoy the creature comforts of their swanky surroundings while the titular maid in “Miss Claire’s Ordinary Daily Life” is the only one to stand by her witless master, going so far as to beat up a robber whilst clad in her nightgown—as well as your fussily affectionate ones (“Maudlin Baker”). The alluring older ladies are found in a pair of stories—”The Swimsuit Bought Long Ago” and “Burrow Gentlemen’s Club”—that share the same storytelling trick, where the main character replies (in square boxes instead of dialogue bubbles) to a man speaking off-panel. I actually thought “Burrow” was the most intriguing story of the whole collection, but because it’s so short, it’s more of a tease than an actual mystery.

Speaking of teases and alluring ladies, it must be said that while there are maids, ladies in swimsuits, and ladies in Playboy-esque bunny attire in this volume, somehow it doesn’t feel super fanservicey to me. I think it’s because Mori keeps the proportions of these characters (even “Cover Story,” which is essentially the four-page sequence of a girl with a bedonkadonk straddling a tree branch to look at a bird) realistic, so it’s more like a celebration of their overall sexiness than an exaggeration of certain anatomical attributes.

MJ: I agree completely! Obviously many of these were drawn as alluring shorts and single-page illustrations for men to enjoy, but her style when she’s drawing women in bunny outfits or swimsuits reminds me of nothing more than old-fashioned bathing beauties from the first half of the 20th century, back when realistic bodies were still considered beautiful. While it’s possible I’d find them scandalous if I lived back in that time, as a woman in 2012, I actually just find it… refreshing.

Anything and Something strikes me as much less a standard collection of shorts than is The Devil Is So Cute, though this isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing. On one hand, it’s a much less polished collection. Not all of the shorts are completed stories—and even a few of those that are feel a little half-baked. “Sumire’s Flowers,” for instance (for which Mori only provided the illustrations), begins as an intriguing look at rival student artists, but then devolves into a weird morality tale about adultery. On the other hand, many of Mori’s little scraps of ideas are more inspired than entire volumes of some long-running manga. “Burrow Gentleman’s Club” is a great example of that. I’d love to read a more complete version of that story, but even the snippet we’re given here is well worth the page space! The book’s overall tone is casual enough to encompass a lot of tiny experiments and bursts of whimsy without the slightest strain, so these bits and pieces fit together nicely.

Is it wrong that my favorite bits in this book are Mori’s little autobiographical strips, afterwards, and thank-yous, tacked on between chapters? Honestly, I’d have picked up the book for those alone.

MICHELLE: Those are lots of fun, and the extensive illustration gallery (with notes) in the back is simply gorgeous. So yes, even if this is less polished (I was baffled by bits of “Sumire’s Flowers,” too) or complete (I want more “Burrow”!) than Shimura’s collection, it’s still definitely worth checking out!

JManga the Week of 12/27

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SEAN: The final week of 2012 gives us some interesting stuff from JManga: 2 recurring volumes, and three new ones I know almost nothing about!

tactics Vol. 11 was postponed from a few weeks back, and is filled with supernatural shenanigans. Nice to see JManga rescue this from Tokyopop.

MJ: I’m definitely thinking about giving this series another chance. I read its early volumes so long ago, I can’t even remember what I didn’t like about them anymore. Time to check in on it again!

SEAN: Morita-san Wa Mukuchi is one of those underrated titles that I always forget to read but when I do, never fails to bring a smile to my face. Even if I’m the polar opposite of its quiet heroine.

Drops is the first new manga here, and appears to be done in one volume. It’s an Ohta Shuppan Manga Erotics F title, always a good sign. The author, Yuiji Aniya, seems to mostly be known for her BL – DMP licensed her Men of Tattoos manga, and Digital Manga Guild picked up Mister Convenience. I don’t think this is BL, but I have no other info.

MICHELLE: I really, really loved Men of Tattoos. In fact, I named it one of my favorite BL reads of 2012! The cover of Drops suggests something more comedic, but I’m still quite excited about it!

MJ: It’s definitely Michelle’s enthusiasm about Men of Tattoos that has me anticipating something good here. I look forward to finding out!

disturbSEAN: Don’t Disturb Me and Him, Please will either be fantastic or horrible, and I’m not sure which. The artist is well known here, having done Blood+ (Dark Horse)and Le Portrait de Petit Cossette (Tokyopop), and this is also Manga Erotics F (and also complete in one volume). The premise, though, is described as being about a girl who is horribly attracted to horrible perverts, and ends up caring for a lolicon. It’s described as comedic. Well, I certainly *hope* so. I’m hoping it’s wildly over the top – the cover seems to indicate it will be.

MICHELLE: Hm. I’ll wait and see on this one.

MJ: Er. Um. Hm. I’m not a big fan of Blood+, but I guess we’ll see? It definitely sounds interesting…

SEAN: Lastly, Rensuke Oshikiri gives us Pico Pico Boy, which seems to be slice-of-life seinen. It’s also Ohta Shuppan, but ran in a couple of their far tinier magazines, so I have even less info! The artist specializes in horror, but this… isn’t that, as far as I can tell.

MICHELLE: Yeah, we haven’t much to go on with this one. But it’s definitely part of JManga’s charm that they bring out these unknown titles. I mean, at least some of them have to be hidden gems, right?!

MJ: Right!

SEAN: Indeed. Lots of surprises coming up next week.

Manga the Week of 12/26

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SEAN: Things are pretty quiet the day after Christmas. Even Diamond Comics is taking the week off, with the exception of a few books from its elite, non-manga publishers. That said, Midtown Comics has a few things that Diamond already sent out that are coming in from their other suppliers, so let’s catch up.

Cage of Eden 8 continues to be action-packed, thrilling, revelatory, and absolutely drenched in fanservice. It’s a title I enjoy reading but can’t recommend to anyone unless they’re used to large breasts everywhere. That said, it is refreshing seeing a shonen title doing well over here that really is for 10-12 year old boys, as opposed to Jump’s more balanced gender readership.

MICHELLE: I have some small interest in this title because of its plot but, yeah, boobs deter me.

MJ: I suppose that, being a manga fan, I’m *used* to large breasts everywhere, but I admit it gets wearying after a while. I wouldn’t say they deter me, exactly, but they do tend to push me into “critical” mode right out of the gate.

dogs7

SEAN: Viz has a new volume of Dogs: Bullets and Carnage, the first in a year. (Either it’s caught up to Japan or sales are meh. I suspect the former.) This is also filled with action, thrills, and revelations, and is absolutely drenched in fanservice… for female readers. I don’t think I’ve read a single non-BL Dogs fanfic on the internet. (Note: Dogs has no actual BL.) I need to catch up with this, but it’s recommended in a dystopian sort of way.

MICHELLE: I have just started reading Dogs with an eye to featuring this latest volume in an upcoming Off the Shelf. “Dystopian” really is an apt way to describe it, and since I usually like those sorts of stories, I am kind of liking this one too, even if violence is trumping characterization at the moment. I’m just in volume one, though, so this could obviously change.

MJ: Is it wrong that I find myself more interested in looking up the fanfic than I am in the series itself? I’ve always been kinda so-so on this series, and I suspect some BL might help.

SEAN: And Neon Genesis Evangelion 13 may have come out last month everywhere else, but this means little to Midtown, who are seeing it arrive a bit late. It’s worth the wait, as I noted in my review. And may finally end with Vol. 14, sometime before we all die. Or the artist does.

MICHELLE: Y’know, I have never actually seen Evangelion (aside from the first couple of episodes), nor have I read any of the manga. Possibly this is a serious oversight in need of correction.

MJ: I’m a fan of the anime, but I never got very far with the manga adaptation. Sean’s review has me feeling rather curious, however.

SEAN: What are you spicing up your Boxing Day with?

Pick of the Week: Old Favorites & Wild Leaps

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SEAN: Not a lot to say. I tend to pick Dorohedoro every time a new volume comes out, because I love its art, its characters, its humor, its worldbuilding, and its plot. This love has only gotten stronger as the series progresses, so Vol. 8 is my pick this week.

MJ: I’m going to take a real leap this week and put my money behind GEN Manga’s Good-bye Geist. Though the premise sounds a little sketchy (sexual assault and animal cruelty are not topics I’m a fan of), a quick flip through suggests that these aspects may be overstated, and I’ve long wanted to pay more attention to releases from GEN. So in the spirit of adventure, I’m jumping in! I’ll let you know how it goes.

MICHELLE: Brave woman! I suppose I’m jumping in a little with my pick of Kaoru Mori: Anything & Something from Yen Press. I reluctantly admit that I’ve only managed to read a couple volumes of Emma so far, and none of A Bride’s Story, so this short story collection is a low-commitment way to get in and experience more of Mori’s storytelling skills. Look for it in next week’s Off the Shelf!

ANNA: I will go for Vagabond VizBig volume 11, because Vagabond is one of my favorite series and being able to read three volumes at once is always a welcome treat.

Readers, what looks good to you this week?

Bookshelf Briefs 12/17/12

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This week, Sean, MJ, Anna, & Michelle look at recent releases from VIZ Media, Yen Press, Kodansha Comics, and Vertical, Inc.

crossgame8Cross Game, Vol. 8 | By Mitsuru Adachi | VIZ Media – And so Cross Game comes to an end (for the record, I started sniffling at page 305). While it’s an extremely satisfying ending, Adachi stops short of adding scenes that fans might like to see, but which are ultimately superfluous to the story. Wakaba’s dream was always of Ko pitching at Koshien, not necessarily winning Koshien, so most of this omnibus is devoted to the riveting final came of the North Tokyo tournament. We never see the Seishu team at Koshien itself, nor do we see Ko and Aoba openly profess their love for one another. But the thing is… they don’t need to. They’ve always been so much alike, after all. It’s a lovely, understated, uplifting ending, and possibly my favorite thing about it involves Akaishi. (Dang it, I’m about to start sniffling again.) There’s something profoundly comforting about sports manga that Cross Game encapsulates perfectly. I couldn’t recommend it more highly. – Michelle Smith

kamisamakiss11Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 11 | By Julietta Suzuki | VIZ Media – I’m always struck by how well done Kamisama Kiss is. The story that started off this volume provided a glimpse into human kamisama Nanami’s past as she slips through a mystical gate and becomes a child again. Her shinshi Tomoe sticks around to observe Nanami as a young girl back when her parents were still alive. He begins to have a newfound appreciation for Nanami’s strong personality when he observers her flighty father and her strong mother. Nanami clearly gets much of her personality from her mother, even if she doesn’t remember her clearly. While some of the adventures in Kamisama Kiss might seem a bit repetitive as Nanami always seems to encounter new otherworldly spirits due to her habit of rushing into action without thinking clearly, Nanami’s adventures are always filled with such interesting and well-executed illustrations that this manga continually seems fresh. I particularly enjoyed a story where Nanami and Tomoe venture to a New Year’s market to buy essential shrine supplies, only to find themselves shopping for shoes, dodging the stompy feet of giants, and talking to a rabbit fortuneteller who has a fondness for leaf umbrellas. – Anna N.

fairytail22Fairy Tail, Vol. 22 | By Hiro Mashima | Kodansha Comics – This is one of those ‘fight’ volumes we see so often in shonen manga, but Mashima does a very good job of balancing the fights with plot, humor, and heartwarming. We’re starting to see the different sides of the villains, and that not all of them are simply evil for the hell of it. Erza and Gray are able to return, which allows us to get what we knew was coming – Erza fighting her evil doppelganger. We get to see more about what’s actually happening here, and the huge gulf between the cat race and the humans. And, of course, this being a Magazine title, we get tons of fanservice, mostly from Lucy, as it is her duty (she does get to be awesome as well, which is a relief). Essentially, this is a very solid Fairy Tail volume, and will not disappoint readers of the series. -Sean Gaffney

limit2Limit, Vol. 2 | By Keiko Suenobu | Vertical, Inc. – The second volume of Limit sees us expanding a bit beyond our main cast, showing us the school starting to figure out what’s going on and the bus company panicking (I sense a cover-up coming soon). What this translates to is not a lot of help coming anytime soon for our heroines. Meanwhile, while Mizuki does manage to bond with some of her fellow survivors in basic things like catching fish and making fires, the class strata are still at work. Everyone is coping in their own different way, especially Chieko, whose way of thinking the sentimental Mizuki just doesn’t get. And then there’s Chikage, who’s not really coping at all, and decides to remove herself from the entire picture. Gripping and compelling, the soap-opera style confrontations don’t feel all that forced, and you still really want to find out what’s next – and if there can even be a happy ending. -Sean Gaffney

pandorhearts13Pandora Hearts, Vol. 13 | By Jun Mochizuki | Yen Press – Well, wow. This volume is full of revelations, particularly regarding the Baskerville family, but also concerning Elliot Nightray and his valet, Leo, who are not only caught up in something that seems inevitably horrifying and tragic (by no fault of their own), but also suddenly stand as the series’ most slashable couple—and in this series, that says a lot. That’s not to say that there’s anything remotely romantic about this volume—in fact, it’s filled with truly horrible events, some of which are quite painful—but it’s exactly this kind of thing that reveals people’s deepest bonds, isn’t it? Jun Mochizuki certainly understands this to be true, and she uses it to her best advantage here, marrying love and pain in an irresistible display of emotional theatrics. As a bonus, this volume makes more sense than Mochizuki’s displays sometimes do—not that lack of such has ever deterred me from reading. Pandora Hearts, never change. Love, MJ. – MJ

madokamagica3Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Vol. 3 | Story by Magica Quartet, Art by Hanokage | Yen Press – The only real downside of having watched the anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica, is that having done so, it’s impossible to know for sure what it would be like to experience the story by way of its manga adaptation for the very first time. That said, my best guess would be “utter confusion,” especially as it reaches its third and final volume. Two of the series’ biggest revelations occur in this volume—the history of magical girl Homura Akemi and the truth of Kyubey’s mission—yet the former is rushed through at such breakneck speed, it lacks any real impact or even basic coherency. Though Kyubey’s revelation (and existence) still manages to be massively creepy, without a real understanding of Homura’s devotion to balance things out, the series has essentially been robbed of its heart. For completist fans of the anime series, this adaptation may be a necessary part of their Madoka collections, but it’s hard to recommend on its own. Sadly disappointing. – MJ

rin-ne10Rin-Ne, Vol. 10 | By Rumiko Takahashi | VIZ Media – As I’ve noted before, this series has very little regard for its ghosts that drive much of the plot. If there’s a message in Rin-Ne’s comedy one-shots, it may simply be “don’t hold on to attachments after you die, as it will never be worth it.” The ghosts we see here are whiny, despondent, and histrionic. The ones that they leave behind, however, tend to be more like the series’ heroine, Sakura – practical, pragmatic, and moving on with their lives. Now, that said, this makes Rin-Ne sound a lot deeper than it really is. This particular volume doesn’t even have any advances in the love quadrangle, which is par for the course with Takahashi, but usually she at least mentions it once or twice. Still having the same pluses and minuses as the previous nine volumes, this is for the reader who misses Ranma 1/2 and wish it had more ghostbusting.-Sean Gaffney

souleater11Soul Eater, Vol. 11 | By Atsushi Ohkubo | Yen Press – A danger of releasing a series as popular as Soul Eater is that you want to put out the spinoffs as well – even if the spinoffs are far newer. As a result, Soul Eater Not! 2, which came out in 2012, spoils a major plot point for Soul Eater 11, which was released in Japan in 2008. That said, it’s not like Kim was a major character in Soul Eater to begin with. Unfortunately, the Witch Hunt surrounding her goes about as well as real-life witch hunts did, and I have a feeling that we may be seeing some brainwashing coming really soon. Other than that, Maka and Soul get to be extra awesome here, mostly as Black * Star has run off and Death The Kid is getting even more OCD with every chapter. And that’s not even mentioning Crona. There’s a whole lot of plot going on here – don’t miss it. -Sean Gaffney

wallflower29The Wallflower, Vol. 29 | By Tomoko Hayakawa | Kodansha Comics – It says something about what this series has become when the author praises herself for writing a chapter that’s meant to be heartwarming rather than ridiculous. And to be fair, she does deserve some of that, as it’s the best chapter in the book, and uses a peculiar time skip that gives it a fairy-tale quality (and makes the backstory more depressing). That said, it’s not like this series wasn’t ridiculous to begin with as well. And the ridiculous is in top form here as well, particularly in the fanservice-laden chapter where, to combat a heat wave and a stubborn Sunako revoking AC privileges, the boys decide to walk around naked. It’s every bit as funny as it sounds. (Kyohei as a nerdish rule-driven class president comes close, though.) No romance whatsoever, but lots of laughs, and a bit of sweetness at the end.-Sean Gaffney

Off the Shelf: Ghosts, Demons, & Darling Kitten Hair

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MJ: Helloooooooooooooo!

MICHELLE: Yo.

MJ: It took every bit of willpower I had not to begin with “Ho, ho, ho!” That’s how much I’m looking forward to my upcoming vacation.

MICHELLE: Heh. I’m not taking much of one, but hubby is, which is kind of like a vacation for me!

MJ: I hope it gives you a least a bit of a break! I’m counting the days…

So, in all the mess of holiday preparations (or not), have you had a chance to read any manga?

MICHELLE: Not a great deal, actually, but some!

demonlovespell1The first item on my agenda this week is the debut of Demon Love Spell, a supernatural shoujo comedy from Mayu Shinjo. I must admit that the setup of this one—an inept shrine maiden with the thoroughly uninspired name of “Miko” tames a sexy demon—did not sound very promising. Coupled with the mess that is Ai Ore!, I definitely had to question why I was putting myself through another Shinjo manga. As it turns out, though, it isn’t bad. It’s not good, nor original, but it isn’t bad!

Miko Tsubaki is descended from a family that has protected a certain shrine for generations. Her father is a renowned exorcist, and though Miko lacks the ability to see ghosts and demons, she still wants to follow in his footsteps. When a classmate suggests her cheating boyfriend is possessed by a demon, Miko takes her seriously and attempts to bind the guy. To her utter astonishment, she succeeds. Kagura, a formerly studly incubus, who survives by feeding off women’s passionate feelings, has been reduced to a tiny state. This ignominious downfall prompts other demons to show up and mock him. However, whenever Kagura’s in physical contact with Miko, she’s able to see and fight them off.

Thus begins a partnership, with Miko lending him energy and him lending her his powers until she’s able to remember the spell to change him back. Of course, there’s a lot of innuendo here, as Kagura is typically tucked into her cleavage for these scenes, and he also has been visiting her sexually in her dreams. I did kind of worry this would be something like Black Bird, but it really isn’t. Kagura is pretty sexually voracious, true, but he doesn’t seem to be doing anything Miko doesn’t want—her dream self states quite plainly that she’s been enjoying what’s going on—and occasionally seems rather sad that she’s unable to remember their closeness during their waking hours. Theirs isn’t a deep love and unfolds far too quickly to be convincing, but at least it’s not icky.

Ultimately, Demon Love Spell is kind of generic, but it’s the kind of fluff one can enjoy without feeling bad about it.

MJ: I reviewed this book for my very first episode of My Week in Manga, and surprisingly, I think I enjoyed it more than you did—or at least felt more enthusiastic about enjoying it—though this could possibly be due to my extremely low expectations. (I never made it past volume two of Ai Ore!) I think I really appreciate its ability to provide some genuine sexiness without all the gross misogyny of Ai Ore! or Black Bird. I don’t know why these things always seem to go hand-in-hand in trashy shoujo manga, but they really do. I’m grateful for a break from it.

MICHELLE: Yes, “sexy without being gross” is a good way to describe it. I like it enough so far to read more, but it’s not the kind of thing I see myself wanting to reread multiple times in the future.

Anyways, what have you been reading this week?

kittenhair2MJ: I pondered heavily over what to choose for my solo read this week—even going so far as to solicit suggestions on YouTube—but in the end, I snatched up the opportunity to talk about volume two of Haruko Kumota’s My Darling Kitten Hair, out this week from JManga. Normally, I’d save a title like this for our BL Bookrack column, but this series is so charming, I just couldn’t wait that long!

A quick recap of the premise for those who missed my short review of the first volume: Young salaryman Kei-chan has left his Hokkaido hometown in order to join his high school boyfriend, Mii-kun (a slovenly writer who makes his living penning erotica), at his grandmother’s boarding house in Tokyo. Though the two have been a couple for a long time, the bohemian atmosphere of the boarding house is a far cry from their closeted world back home, which turns out to be a real adjustment for both of them.

This is absolutely a slice-of-life series, much heavier on characterization than it is on plot, but its series of snapshots into the young men’s lives illustrates beautifully the unquestionable weirdness of becoming a real, independent adult, especially when you’re trying to do it alongside someone from your childhood. Volume one focused heavily on Kei-chan’s introduction to Mii-kun’s queer circle of friends and the shifting of their relationship from chaste country sweethearts (and later, long-distance lovers) into that of sexually active adults. Volume two continues with more of both, which in less skilled hands might simply become repetitive. Fortunately Kumota is the kind of writer who understands how to move her characters forward without having to rely on dramatic plot points to do so. Her deceptively light story develops slowly and naturally, full of warmth and charm in every moment.

It’s so rare to read a BL series (or any relationship-driven story) that is about staying in love rather than falling in love, and there’s a reason for that. It’s hard! As difficult as it can be to write authentic, well-developed romance, much like actual romance, it’s even harder to keep that fire burning after the initial rush of first love. Thankfully, My Darling Kitten Hair stands as a lovely example of how to do exactly that. And it’s a real pleasure to read.

MICHELLE: That sounds really wonderful. Almost like a worthy successor to Future Lovers, if I may make so bold a claim having not read any of the title in question! Is the story still ongoing after the second volume?

MJ: The internet tells me that it is, indeed, ongoing, which fills me with great joy! You particularly, Michelle, will enjoy the two bonus chapters at the end of volume two, depicting Kei-chan and Mii-kun’s relationship from the contrasting POVs of the boarding house’s two cats.

So as usual, we have a mutual read on deck. Would you like to introduce it this week?

MICHELLE: !! Okay, that settles it. I am going to do a brief of this in next week’s Bookshelf Briefs, I do declare!

07-ghost1Our mutual read this week is the re-debut of 07-Ghost, which was originally launched by Go!Comi a few years ago and is now back in print thanks to VIZ Media. This political/military/religious fantasy is the story of Teito Klein, a shrimpy (there needs to be some kind of master list of short male manga protagonists!) but talented student at the Barsburg Empire military academy. He’s a member of the special class, whose students use a power called zaiphon “to shape the divine energy of life.”

Their graduation ceremony includes banding together to defeat a hulking prisoner, and soon after Teito and his best friend Mikage manage to pass the test, Teito overhears some school officials talking about how he’s the best candidate for something called the Eye of Mikael, which was a stone that protected the rival Raggs Kingdom. This sets off a flurry of disjointed memories, and very quickly thereafter Teito has escaped and found himself seeking sanctuary in a church ruled by three rather eccentric bishops. The school/military hasn’t given up on finding him, however, and they’ve got no qualms about using Mikage to do it.

MJ: Well done, Michelle! What readers also should know is that this series runs in Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero Sum which, if you’re a fan of other Zero Sum fantasy series from authors like Yun Kouga (Loveless) and Kazuya Minekura ( Saiyuki Reload), gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect. I went into 07-Ghost expecting three things: pretty male characters, sprawling fight scenes, and homoerotic subtext, and it delivered on all three.

MICHELLE: It definitely reminds me of those series, especially visually. Somehow the art style strikes me as “old-fashioned,” but I can’t really explain why. It’s not as light and simple as some things I’ve been reading recently, which helps create the fantasy feeling, methinks. There were times when I was confused by what I was looking at—what is that flying thing? what’s going on in this fight scene?—but these questions were all quickly answered by the story, so it wasn’t really an issue.

One thing I had some issues with is the pacing. Teito’s escape from the military academy after that overheard conversation is a veritable whirlwind, and he deduces very quickly that he’s a member of Raggs royalty. Perhaps I’m simply used to other manga, where we actually see the moment when a truth is realized, and there is much emphasis on the point to make sure the reader gets it, but with 07-Ghost it felt a little rushed to me. His memories, visions, and temptations to sell his soul in order to learn about his past can also be a little confusing. But that said, I think some of the other plot elements are paced nicely, like the continued allusions to the seven ghosts who I can only assume are eventually going to awaken and do something badass.

MJ: I agree, there were some whirlwind sections that left me feeling a bit frazzled and confused (though the story always caught me back up), and I think the fight scenes in particular could use more definition. But overall, I really enjoyed the chance to sink into some female-aimed action/fantasy, which I’ll admit is a pet genre of mine. I feel like the rushed introduction to Teito’s past was supposed to sweep us along so that we’d experience the same shock as Teito does, but it doesn’t linger quite long enough on that moment of realization which robs it of some impact (and a bit of credibility). But in the context of the whole volume, I can accept this as a minor stumble. And I’m anxious to find out more about the seven ghosts!

MICHELLE: Me, too! I wasn’t aware prior to reading this that I actually wanted 07-Ghost to be license-rescued, but now that it has been, I see that it was a pretty worthy contender. Thanks, VIZ!

JManga the Week of 12/20

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SEAN: A nice quiet week, with only three new titles, but each of them having its own audience.

YuruYuri is basically K-On! with less music and more yuri tease. Well, no, I take that back, K-On! actually had more yuri tease than Yuru Yuri. Which is sort of sad, really. Recommended to anime fans.

MJ: Heh, that is pretty sad.

hanjukujoshiSEAN: Hanjuku Joshi is another one of those Ichijinsha yuri titles where I always check Erica’s Okazu reviews before I give my thoughts. After all, Ichijinsha has been known to put out lowest common denominator sexy tease yuri as well. That said, I’m really looking forward to this title, which seems to be a slightly more realistic take on high school yuri feelings-type stories.

MICHELLE: Yay for more yuri, especially a more realistic take on the topic.

MJ: Agreed! This looks promising to me.

SEAN: And it’s been a while since we’ve had train bento manga, so it’s nice to see Vol. 4 of Ekiben Hitoritabi. Which always makes me hungry.

MICHELLE: Man, me too. I always want those kenshi (sp?) eggs! I actually had forgotten volume three had come out already, so that gives me two volumes to gobble up. (harhar)

MJ: I need to finally read this! I love manga that makes me hungry.

Manga the Week of 12/19

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SEAN: The danger of skipping ahead when you don’t like what a list is providing you is that eventually the list will catch up. Midtown didn’t have a lot of things that we knew were arriving in bookstores, or via Diamond, in the last two weeks, and so we put them on our own list or talked about them before. And now here they are, coming round to Midtown like a prodigal. So this list will skip the volumes we’ve already discussed in previous weeks.

Dark Horse starts us off with Vol. 43 of Oh My Goddess, which is still in its big Hell arc, which continues to give the impression that it’s working its way towards a finale. Working its way at Oh My Goddess’ usual pace, which is to say still a few years. But the ending may be a glimmer in the road ahead.

MJ: This is such a famous, long-running series, I’m a bit embarrassed about the fact that I’ve never read even a single page of it. Probably I should rectify this, but at 43 volumes and counting, that just seems daunting.

MICHELLE: Same here. I at least regard it benevolently.

Goodbyegeist

SEAN: Good-bye Geist is a title from GEN manga, a publisher I always want to throw more support. Unfortunately, I really don’t find the synopsis, which mentions sexual assault and animal cruelty, all that appetizing. Perhaps it’s due to having ‘Geist’ in its title? Something about that word does violent things to anime and manga…

MJ: I have this dilemma with GEN all the time. I really like what they’re doing, and I want to support them, but their titles so rarely appeal to me, at least on the surface. I need to dig deeper more often.

MICHELLE: Even if there is surprising depth to Good-bye Geist, I am simply unwilling to wade through sexual assault and animal cruelty to get to it.

SEAN: Kodansha Comics has Danza, a new collection of short stories by Natsume Ono. I’ve already reviewed this book on my blog. It has the same strengths and weaknesses as most of her short works do, but is still recommended for Ono fans, as well as those who like middle-aged men sitting around talking.

MJ: I never realized that was me, but I guess it is, at least when it’s Natsume Ono driving the conversation.

MICHELLE: I intend to get this some day, but I’m not particularly clamoring for it.

SEAN: Seven Seas has a bunch of titles out this week via Diamond and next week at Midtown. A Certain Scientific Railgun 6 finally gets to the point that it can’t avoid anymore: adapting the third A Certain Magical Index novel. So, a few less surprises here for fans of the franchise, but the Sisters arc is still pretty great, so I’m sure I’ll like this.

Dance in the Vampire Bund is, I believe, Seven Seas’ best-selling Japanese title (someone can correct me if I’m wrong). As such, it makes sense to do a deluxe oversize omnibus, to lure in new readers. And indeed, I’d never read the series, but decided to check it out after reading the crossover with Young Miss Holmes. Hopefully it will rise above ‘loli vampire’, which is what its premise seemed like.

MJ: I have never been able to get interested in this title. I suppose that’s the “loli vampire” bit.

MICHELLE: Yeah. Railgun interests me at least some, though I haven’t read any of it yet.

mayochiki

SEAN: Mayo Chiki is a new Comic Alive title from Media Factory, the makers of Haganai and I Don’t Like You At All, Big Brother!!. It features reverse traps, boys terrified of girls, sadists who love tormenting guys, and, well, that cover. I haven’t read it yet, so someone please tell me it isn’t just a giant catalog of moe fetishes?

MJ: Yes, please.

MICHELLE: This is, like, the third title (at least!) out in English that involves sadistic girls tormenting guys. I hadn’t realized that was a genre.

SEAN: Given we’ve established that I judge BL based on their covers, I am highly amused by His Favorite Vol. 2 from SubLime. I hope it lives up to it, because the combination of ‘Sexy pose!’ and ‘Get the hell off me!’ is a total win.

MJ: Ha! And “agreed.”

MICHELLE: I do that too with BL, and this is certainly a striking one!

SEAN: Vertical has the 2nd collection of Paradise Kiss, deepening the relationship between Yukari and George… for better and worse. So hot together… so bad for each other.

MJ: I made this my pick of the week this week–a bit ahead of schedule, I guess–but it’s really a gorgeous volume.

MICHELLE: There’s a scene toward the end that gives me goosebumps just *thinking* about it. But I shan’t spoil it here.

SEAN: Viz has the 8th volume of my favorite Ikki series, Dorohedoro. The imprint hasn’t done lights-out sales, so I am very thankful to Viz for continuing this awesome series, which has earned great critical praise. Last time we ended on a nasty cliffhanger, which I hope is resolved with little damage. Wait, it’s the world of Dorohedoro, never mind.

MICHELLE: I have been hoarding this one with the intention of talking about it in Off the Shelf at some point, but so far I haven’t yet managed it.

SEAN: Tenjo Tenge is up to the 10th volume of its omnibus collections, so must be nearing the end. I’m so far behind I’ll never catch up, but it’s a great manga for those who like fighting and unrealistic female bodies.

MJ: Heh.

MICHELLE: At least once during each of these columns, Sean, you make me go *snerk*. This was where I did it this week.

SEAN: Lastly, Vagabond also has an omnibus out, collecting more gorgeous art and depressing storylines for the Inoue lover in all of us.

MICHELLE: Oh, Vagabond. You know, I really really love Inoue’s basketball manga (Slam Dunk and Real), and Anna and I even cohosted a MMF celebrating his works earlier this year. But as part of that, I read the first Vagabond omnibus and found it largely unaffecting. Still, owning the first ten omnibus volumes as I do, it’s a given that I’ll be picking up the eleventh as well as giving the series another go in the future. Perhaps it’s simply best in small doses.

SEAN: ‘Zat you, Santa Claus? What manga did you bring me?

Pick of the Week: Outside the Box

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MJ: Midtown’s list is pretty limited, and though Sean’s roundup includes more, I’m going to stray off of both lists and go with Amazon, who tells me we’ll get the second volume of Paradise Kiss this week, in its lovely new edition from Vertical. I had a few reservations about the English adaptation in Vertical’s first omnibus, but those are squashed by volume two, which is really just fantastic from start to finish. I’ve been a fan of this series for a long time, and have reread it more than once, yet this gorgeous edition still manages to bring out new highlights, especially in this volume. It’s well worth picking up, for old fans and new!

MICHELLE: I am sorry to say that there’s nothing on Midtown’s list that particularly appeals to me. However, Sean’s list provides some more likely offerings. Of them, I’m going to have to go with Kekkaishi, which finally reaches its 35th and final volume. I’ve been hoarding this series for some time, and look forward to using some holiday vacation time to immerse myself in it at long last!

SEAN: This week seems to feature a lot of series I pretty much enjoy, but nothing I’m absolutely over the moon over. Some decent Jump, some decent comedy, some decent horror. As a result, I’ll take my chance and pick a short story collection by Kaoru Mori, Anything and Something. I admit I have some trouble getting into Mori’s mild style a lot of the time, but then I have the same issues with Natsume Ono and like several of her series. I’m hoping that the switch to shorter stories will help me to appreciate what everyone else loves about this artist (aside from the gorgeous art, which trust me has already enraptured me.) and that this collection will be a winner.

ANNA: If we are veering off lists, I am going to veer even further and choose as my pick the anime adaptation of Rose of Versailles, now streaming on Viki. I long for the day that we have the manga translated here, but I will console myself with watching all the fencing, cross dressing, and aristocratic scheming in the anime.

Readers, what looks good to you this week?