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Sword Art Online, Vol. 2

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By Reki Kawahara and abec. Released in Japan by ASCII Mediaworks. Released in North America by Yen Press.

The author of this novel admits in his afterword that the first book was an excellent stand alone, but did not really make for much of an ongoing series. So, in order to fix that, he’s going back and adding a few elements that might a) expand the cast and draw in a few more fans of those ‘types’, b) expand the world of Aincrad a bit more before everyone is free of it, and c) give a bit more depth to Kirito’s mental and emotional issues while continuing to show off how amazing he is (really, if Kirito bothers you as a super awesome guy, you should probably find some other series to read. I’ve no real issues with it.)

sao2

This novel consists of four short stories, and while they all achieve something, I’d have to see it’s the last two that hold more emotional weight and are better written. In the first story we meet Silica, a young girl who has a rare beast and has let it go to her head, with potentially tragic circumstances. Kirito straight up admits (though later he reveals that part of this was a ploy) that he’s helping her as she reminds him of his younger sister. Having read Fairy Dance’s manga, I don’t really see it, but again, ploy. We see a bit of how criminal activity works in the world of SAO, and also how a young girl on her own would have to deal with creepers – Silica is well-known, popular, and underage, a dangerous combination even in a MMORPG.

Next we meet Lisbeth, a blacksmith who is friends with Asuna and indeed shares many of her qualities. Kirito comes to her looking for a second sword, and so they have to go on a quest for the mystery metal that can make it. I found this the weakest story in a few ways, but it does manage to highlight what it must be like for an outsider on coming across the relationship between Kirito and Asuna. The author may be adding more cute girls to fall for Kirito (we get three in this book alone), but never lets us forget that Kirito and Asuna are THE couple, and Lisbeth, much as it hurts, can’t bring herself to try to come between them. (She also gets first person narration, the first we’ve seen that isn’t Kirito’s.)

The third story was my favorite, and not coincidentally focused on Kirito and Asuna right after they get married, when they come across a young girl in the forest. The manga adapted this, but I hadn’t realized how much it was compressed – here we meet several more cast, and it’s revealed that most of the young kids in the game are not leveling up like Silica, but just wanting to survive. Sasha corralling them is a definite good thing. It’s also nice seeing a romantic couple that isn’t the main one – Yuriel attempts to frame Thinker as her commanding officer, but it becomes clear early on she’s deeply in love with him. Mostly, though, this is the heartbreaking story of an AI who overcomes mental blocks to help her parents, and a coulpe that experience the exquisite pain of losing their child.

The last short story is the shortest, and is the only story in first-person Kirito narration. It expands on the story he’d told us in the first book about the guild he joined that was wiped out – in particular Sachi, the young woman he reassures but can’t quite save. This is Kirito at his darkest and most driven, and it’s stated several times that he’s in a suicidal state. It’s stark and emotional, though the actual guild and their fate is more of a catalyst than anything else – this is not about them, it’s about how Kirito can get over his grief and start to recover.

As you’d expect, this was a lot more uneven than the first book, but I enjoy its leads, and I like the expanded worldbuilding. Now that we’ve done that, hopefully Book 3 will show us Kirito and Asuna happily reuniting in the real world. Well, unless something goes horribly wrong…

A Mostly Yen Press License Roundup

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I was away for a few days, so naturally the license DELUGE hit. As such, let me ask you to turn to A Case Suitable for Treatment, for the very last in news. :) Let’s see what 17 million titles are coming out soon, however, and talk about them a bit.

First the non-Yen stuff. Seven Seas has three more Alice spinoffs coming, featuring, I believe, Gray, Elliot, and the Twins. They sell well, and there are PILES of the things, so I see no reason why Seven Seas shouldn’t license them till they run out.

Dark Horse just announced today the license of Fate/Zero, the prequel to Fate/Stay Night that runs in Kadokawa’s Young Ace. It’s based on a couple of light novels that tell the story of the ‘fourth Holy grail War’. I admit I didn’t read F/SN when Tokyopop was putting it out, but it’s certainly quite popular, and Fate/Zero seems to be the most respected of the side projects.

Karneval

Now it’s time for Yen Press. On the manga front, a big recent license is the Karneval manga from Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero-Sum. There’s over a dozen volumes to date, and it’s been a highly discussed series. Featuring two innocents on the run from forces beyond their control who end up with a defense organization called Circus, it’s the sort of title that defines the words ‘fantasy manga for young women’ and should sell like hotcakes.

There’s more Madoka Magica manga, as we get Orico Magica’s side story which posits a different meeting between its leads, which I’m sure will lead to puppies and rainbows instead of tragedy; and Tart Magica, which features Jeanne D’Arc and three fellow pseudo-historical young women as magical girls in the 15th century, thus showing that Kyubey can ruin EVERYTHING.

And on the Disney front, sort of, we have Big Hero 6, which just debuted in Kodansha’s Magazine Special. Based on the film due out this November, it looks to be geared towards the younger set, and is a rare Kodansha license from this publisher.

Now let’s talk light novels. I’d mentioned that I thought Yen was pursuing a surprisingly aggressive approach to the new Yen On line, and it’s clear that if anything I was underestimating it. Kurt says they’re going to go even further next year, with over 2 dozen books out in 2015 alone, from a variety of series. Sword Art Online sold quite well, and has I expect inspired the licensing of the Progressive novels that will debut in April.

I have whined on Twitter about the lack of ebooks for SAO and the upcoming Index novels, and I suspect judging from Kurt’s response in the interview that this is not something that will be changing anytime soon. It seems to be the Japanese side more than our side, as Yen says that they make an effort to get them when they’re available. So perhaps I should whine at ASCII Mediaworks instead.

log horizon

As for the new LN series announced, we have four. The first, Log Horizon, has a plot that may seem familiar to fans of Sword Art Online, as it also has a large group of MMORPG gamers who find themselves trapped in a virtual world. Log Horizon seems to have a broader focus, however, and less romance/harem/fanservice elements than SAO does. Yen has also licensed the manga, though we’re not sure yet which manga they have – there are three possibilities, all from different companies. The novel is from Enterbrain, who also do Book Girl, so I’m hoping for ebooks here.

Speaking of fanservices, No Game No Life seems to be the most ‘otaku-oriented’ title that was licensed in this batch. It’s from Media Factory, and involves (try not to contain your shock), an MMORPG. A brother/sister gaming team, who in real life are basically shut-ins, are transported to a fantasy world where they have to use their amazing gaming skills to save humanity.

The Devil Is A Part-Timer!, aka Hataraku Maou-sama!, is a Dengeki Bunko title (i.e., the SAO/Index company). It sounds like the funniest of the new series, as Satan and his lieutenant are on Earth and powerless, and must find work while scheming to regain their powers. To make things worse, the woman who defeated them in the first place is back to finish the job. Luckily, she’s lost her powers as well. This has fantasy elements in it, but the mere fact that it doesn’t involve an MMORPG makes it the most intriguing of these titles for me.

Lastly, for fans of Pandora Hearts, Yen is putting out the novels which contain side stories from the main manga, which are titled Caucus Race. These are also, I believe, from Square Enix.

Judging by their interview, Yen isn’t done yet, and I suspect we’ll have a few more light novels announced at NYCC. Which unlicensed title do you most want? You are not allowed to say Baccano!. Or Durarara!!. Or indeed any title by Narita. But other than those?

My Week in Manga: August 25-August 31, 2014

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My News and Reviews

The most recent manga giveaway at Experiments in Manga is currently underway, and there is still time to enter for an opportunity to win Nana, Volume 1 by Ai Yazawa. All you have to do is tell me whether or not you’ve ever given a manga a second chance and what your experience was. I also posted two reviews last week. The first was for the third and final volume of Off*Beat by Jen Lee Quick, which I was very happy with. Nearly ten years after the series first began, fans finally have a chance to read its conclusion thanks to the efforts of Chromatic Press. The second review last week was for Keigo Higashino’s most recently translated mystery novel, Malice. I enjoy Higashino’s work tremendously and was not at all disappointed with Malice. The novel will be released in October and is recommended for readers who enjoy smart, clever mysteries. Although it was from a couple of weeks ago, my Spotlight on Masaichi Mukaide has been making the rounds and gaining some attention. I worked pretty hard on it, so I’m extremely pleased that people are finding the post interesting.

Elsewhere online, Organization of Anti-Social Geniuses has an interview with Vertical’s Ed Chavez, discussing the success of Knights of Sidonia. And speaking of Vertical, the Fall 2014’s reader survey and license request form has been launched. Comics Alliance has an interesting interview with Felipe Smith (whose series Peepo Choo was published by Vertical). Yen Press announced some new light novel and manga licenses. And for your enjoyment, one of Kate Beaton’s recent Hark! A Vagrant comics focuses on Natsume Sōseki’s classic novel Kokoro. (I actually really like Kokoro and reviewed it a few years ago.)

Quick Takes

Noragami: Stray God, Volume 1Noragami: Stray God, Volume 1 by Adachitoka. Yato is a god of war that everyone has forgotten, or maybe never even knew about to being with. He has no temples or shrines, no followers or worshipers, but he’s determined to change all of that. Unfortunately, his personality leaves a bit to be desired and even his servants don’t like him; he’s had to resort to doing odd jobs and spreading his name (and number) by graffitiing the walls of bathroom stalls and alleyways. The beginning of Noragami: Stray God is somewhat uneven in tone, but by the end of the first volume it seems to have found a nice balance between the manga’s humor and the more serious aspects of the story. The introduction of the series’ other lead character–Hiyori, a human girl who has a little trouble with her spirit leaving her body after a near-death experience–helps to achieve this balance. She also happens to be a fan of professional wrestling, which actually comes into play in the story instead of just being a character quirk. I quite enjoyed the first volume of Noragami, finding it to be amusing and even a bit charming, and look forward to reading more of the series.

Shattered: The Asian American Comics AnthologyShattered: The Asian American Comics Anthology edited by Jeff Yang, Parry Shen, Keith Chow, and Jerry Ma. The followup anthology to Secret Identities, Shattered collects forty-three short comics and pin-ups from seventy-five contributors. Whereas Secret Identities focused on superhero stories, Shattered also includes other genres of comics–fantasy, science fiction, martial arts, historical, contemporary fiction, and so on. The volume is intended to address and subvert five stereotypical representations of Asians and Asian-Americans in media: The Brute, The Temptress, The Brain, The Alien, and The Manipulator. Although there are some absolute gems in the collection–personal favorites include Tak Toyoshima’s “Occupy Ethnic Foods” and the precursor to Gene Luen Yang and Sonny Liew’s graphic novel The Shadow Hero–for me Shattered works better in concept than in execution. Many of the comics are either incomplete or feel as though they are pitches for a longer series instead of being finished works in their own right, making for a rather unsatisfying reading experience. However, I did appreciate the wide variety of comics and creators included in the volume.

Shinobu Kokoro: Hidden HeartShinobu Kokoro: Hidden Heart by Temari Matsumoto. Way back when, Shinobu Kokoro: Hidden Heart was one of the first boys’ love manga that I ever read. Had it been my only exposure to the genre, I might have given up on boys’ love because I didn’t enjoy Shinobu Kokoro much at all. And honestly I still don’t, despite there being a few elements that I like. Actually, it might be some of those elements that hinder my enjoyment of the manga. Two of the three couples in Shinobu Kokoro are ninja. When handled well, I generally like ninja. Sadly, they’re not handled particularly well in Shinobu Kokoro, or at least not believably. Subaru is so incredibly naive, I’m not sure how he’s managed to survive. Also because of this, the unbalanced power dynamics in his relationship with the head ninja come across as disconcerting rather than romantic. And it’s surprising that the ninja clan has continued to exist at all since Hiiragi and Asagi find it appropriate to take time to have sex while in the middle of an escape from a difficult mission. The third set of stories is about snow spirits, but I’ve since read better snow spirit stories, too. There is some nice artwork here and there, but overall I wasn’t especially impressed by Shinobu Kokoro.

Malice

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MaliceAuthor: Keigo Higashino
Translator: Alexander O. Smith and Elye Alexander
U.S. publisher: St. Martin’s Press
ISBN: 9781250035608
Released: October 2014
Original release: 1996

Ever since reading The Devotion of Suspect X I have steadily been devouring Keigo Higashino’s other novels available in English. I really enjoy his style of clever and unusual mysteries. I was thrilled to learn that Malice would be the next of his works to be translated. Technically, Malice is the fourth novel in Higashino’s series of books featuring Detective Kyoichiro Kaga. However, in English, it is the first volume of that particular series to be released. (Before Malice only select Detective Galileo novels and Himitsu, published in English as Naoko, had been translated.) But, as with many mystery series, it is not necessary to have read every volume in order to make sense of each installment; Malice holds up very well as its own work. Malice was originally published in Japan in 1996 while the English translation by Alexander O. Smith and Elye Alexander was released by the Minotaur Books imprint of St. Martin’s Press In 2014. When offered an early copy of the novel for review, I leapt at the chance to read it.

Kunihiko Hidaka is a best-selling, award-winning novelist who, soon before he moves from Japan to Canada, is murdered in his home. His body is found in his office behind a door locked from the inside. The house, too, is locked. Only three people are known to have seen Hidaka before his death: Rie Hidaka, his second wife; Osamu Nonoguchi, his friend and fellow author; and Miyako Fujio, the sister of a man who was vilified in one of Hidaka’s novels. All three have alibis and their motives, if they even exist, are unclear at best. Kyoichiro Kaga is one of the police detectives assigned to the investigation of Hidaka’s murder. It just so happens that he knows Nonoguchi. The two men used to be teachers at the same middle school before Kaga left to join the police force and Nonoguchi left to write full-time. Kaga’s intuition and his previous acquaintance with Nonoguchi correctly leads him to believe that something isn’t quite right with the other man’s story. Digging deeper he discovers that Nonoguchi and Hidaka’s relationship was much more complicated than it first appeared.

Higashino takes a different approach in each work, but much like the two Detective Galileo novels in English–The Devotion of Suspect X and Salvation of a Saint—who the murderer is in Malice becomes quite clear early on in the work. It doesn’t take very long at all for Nonoguchi to confess. The real mystery is the reason behind Hidaka’s murder and Nonoguchi’s motives. The confession is really all that the police department needs to close the case, but human curiosity demands to know the reasons why. To some extent, Nonoguchi is counting on this; he needs Kaga to investigate. Nonoguchi leads and misleads the detectives in order to create the narrative that he wants the world to believe about Hidaka and his murder. Malice is extraordinarily clever. Nonoguchi’s novelist mindset enables him to manipulate others in ways that are unexpected and yet completely reasonable. As an author he is quite skilled in creating fictions that people are willing to believe and knows how to play into their expectations.

As a whole, Malice is an extremely engaging mystery, but one of the most interesting and intriguing things about the novel is its structure. I’ve never come across something quite like it before. Some of the chapters are told by Nonoguchi, essentially forming a novel within a novel, while other chapters are devoted to Kaga’s notes on his investigation as well as the interviews he conducts as a part of it. Nonoguchi is an inherently unreliable narrator, freely mixing select facts into the fiction of his written account. Kaga’s task is to tease the truth out of Nonoguchi’s writing. Kaga is working with the same material that is presented to the readers of Malice; it is fascinating to see his thought processes and theories develop in response to the information that Nonoguchi is deliberately providing him. I’ve come to expect smart and clever writing from Higashino and I was not at all disappointed with Malice. I hope to see even more of his work translated, and perhaps even more stories featuring Kyoichiro Kaga, in the future.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of Malice for review.

Off*Beat, Vol. 3

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Off*Beat, Volume 3Creator: Jen Lee Quick
Publisher: Chromatic Press
ISBN: 9780991946648
Released: August 2014
Original run: 2013-2014

Nearly a decade after the series first began it’s finally here–the third and final volume in Jen Lee Quick’s Off*Beat. The first two graphic novels in the series were published by Tokyopop in 2005 and 2006, but the planned third volume never materialized and the first two volumes went out of print. For years fans were left languishing with one heck of a cliffhanger and with little hope of ever seeing the ending of Off*Beat. But then along comes a brand new publisher, Chromatic Press, to save the series, reprinting new editions of the first two volumes in 2013 and serializing the third in its digital multimedia magazine Sparkler Monthly. Off*Beat, Volume 3 made its debut in the first issue of Sparkler Monthly in 2013, reaching its conclusion in the ninth issue in 2014. The collected print edition of Off*Beat, Volume 3, which includes additional material not serialized online, was published later in 2014. As a long time fan of Off*Beat, I am absolutely thrilled to finally have the completed series.

With the next stage of the Gaia Project about to begin, Colin must make a decision. He knows that Tory has been spying on him–he even has one of Tory’s many notebooks recording his activities as proof–and despite Colin being drawn to the other young man, Tory seems to be lacking the attunement that Colin is hoping to find in another person. Though somewhat reluctant, Colin is preparing himself to end his strange relationship with Tory. As for Tory, what started out as a dubious obsession with his neighbor has grown into genuine affection. Although he is still intensely curious about the top-secret Gaia Project, he has begun to care less and less about it and more and more about Colin. He can’t seem to help himself. And so when Colin disappears without a word, Tory momentarily finds himself at a loss before applying all of his investigative skills into searching for him. He has very few clues to work with, but if nothing else Tory is meticulous and determined.

I really love the slow, natural development of Tory and Colin’s awkward relationship over the course of Off*Beat. It takes them all three volumes to recognize and come to terms with their complicated feelings for each other and matters are made even more difficult by Colin’s peculiar circumstances. They both have to figure out what to do about Colin’s devotion to the Gaia Project and how that will impact their budding relationship. One of the things that is never called into question in Off*Beat is the legitimacy of Colin and Tory’s liking each other–something about the series that makes me extraordinarily happy. If the two young men can somehow find a way to make their relationship work despite the strangeness of their situation, they have the ready support of family, friends, and classmates. That they would even be interested in another person romantically is what the drama stems from; a big deal is never made over the fact that they both happen to be guys. Their close relationships with the other characters in the series are another very important part of Off*Beat as well.

Off*Beat reaches a very satisfying conclusion with the third volume and yet at the same time it is open-ended enough that readers are left imagining all of the possibilities presented by the last few pages. Quick’s ending, like real life, is messy and complicated, but most of the plot threads are tied up in some fashion. Which is not to say that all of the questions have been answered–more has been revealed about the Gaia Project, but there is still plenty about it and about Colin himself that remains hidden and unknown even by the series’ end. The needed speculation may frustrate some readers, but I found it to be a believable and engaging aspect of the story. Despite all of the curious mysteries and top-secret projects, the characters’ relationships and feelings are both realistic and authentic. They all have their quirks, flaws, and strengths. It’s this beautifully strong human element in Off*Beat that really makes the series work. With the final volume of Off*Beat I find that I love the series more than ever. I am so incredibly happy to have finally been able to see the completion of such a wonderful story.

Manga the Week of 9/3

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SEAN: Remember when I whined about so many titles coming out in August? Yeah, September is just as bad if not worse. Didn’t the manga boom end? Here’s what’s out the first week:

Dark Horse gives us the 2nd volume of the New, Modern-day Lone Wolf… no, wait, it’s the New Lone Wolf & Cub, but it’s still an old samurai manga. The lone wolf himself is new, though.

Gen Manga has the first volume of a series called Kamen, a word with much history in Japanese manga.

ASH: This is actually a new edition of a volume that was originally released in 2012 in preparation for the release of the rest of the series.

noragami1SEAN: If I say ‘ordinary middle school girl meets a god’ are you excited? No? Well, Noragami has that premise, but it’s apparently quite a coveted title, from the artists who brought you Alive, if you recall that old abandoned Del Rey series. Kodansha has Vol. 1 next week.

ASH: I got my hands on an early copy of Noragami and rather enjoyed it. I’m looking forward to reading more of the series.

ANNA: Hmm, I am a little curious about this.

MJ: Same.

MICHELLE: I recall hearing good things about Alive while it was ongoing, so consider me intrigued.

SEAN: The 2nd volume of Knight’s Knowledge, an Ace entry in the Country of Hearts series, is out. I thought vol. 1 was pretty good in showing that everyone just doesn’t gave in to the love interest of the arc. Hopefully it continues to interest.

ANNA: I need to pick up the first volume! Ace is my favorite. I also have no sense of direction and murderous urges.

SEAN: A Centaur’s Life has its fourth volume, and I think introduces us to a new cast member. My suspicion is this volume may deal with racism in a fantasy sort of way.

ASH: That it may.

SEAN: Mayo Chiki has its seventh and final volume, and further deponent sayeth not.

There’s also another volume of the 2nd part of the Zero’s Familiar series, Chevalier.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? has another volume of food and Shiro driving me crazy.

ANNA: I’m so happy this is being released in English! I am happy with every volume that comes out!

ASH: It makes me happy, too!

MJ: Hurray! Just when I thought this abundant week might not really have much for me… this is enough!

MICHELLE: Commence happy dance!

SEAN: Viz has a pile of releases, and a goodly number of them are omnibuses. Bleach, Naruto, and Dragon Ball all have 3-in-1 omnibuses for you to play catch up with.

midnight7Library Wars: Love & War had a fantastic action-packed 11th volume. Can this 12th volume keep things going? And will there be actual romantic progress?

ASH: I’m pretty sure I enjoy this series more than I should, but I can’t help it!

ANNA: I have read this volume and it features librarians kissing!!!!!

ASH: Oh, most excellent!

MICHELLE: Library Wars really has grown on me. I’m looking forward to this!

SEAN: Midnight Secretary comes to an end with the 7th volume. If you enjoyed it, no worries; Spell of Desire by the same author is out from Viz now. No vampires (yet), but it does have witches!

ANNA: This was a good conclusion to the series, and the bonus story included in this volume titled “Midnight Butler,” with a gender swapped couple consisting of a female vampire and human man is quite amusing.

MICHELLE: Spell of Desire also has kitties!

SEAN: Nisekoi has introduced a new antagonist to its harem, so I’m sure this 5th volume will be devoted to softening her antagonism a bit.

One Piece reaches its 72nd volume. 72! Will Luffy continue to advance in the tournament, or get distracted by shiny objects?

Phantom Thief Jeanne had quite a cliffhanger at the end of its third volume, and I suspect that a good chunk of the 4th will involve picking up the pieces.

ANNA: I don’t always greet reissues with glee, but this series more than deserves to be in print.

MJ: Clearly, I need to give this some attention.

MICHELLE: MJ, if there were ever an Arina Tanemura series you would love, I think this is the one. But seriously also read One Piece! :)

SEAN: A word of warning to those of weak constitutions: the 4th Ranma 1/2 omnibus introduces us to Happosai. Yes, I’m sad as well, but sometimes life just hands you lemons that you can’t even make lemonade from.

Seraph of the End has its second volume, and it’s probably not a good sign that I’m having trouble remembering what happened in the first already.

ANNA: I thought the first volume was intriguing and am looking forward to the second volume.

timekillersSEAN: Skip Beat! has reached Vol. 33, and it’s starting to creep up on the ‘longest running shojo manga in North America’ title.

ANNA: Skip Beat! is another favorite of mine. I’m also currently obsessed with the live action drama series based on the title.

MICHELLE: *happy sigh* Does Boys Over Flowers hold the title currently? That had 37 volumes, if you count Jewelry Box. Also, HOW DID I NOT KNOW THERE WAS A LIVE ACTION DRAMA SERIES?!

SEAN: For fans of Blue Exorcist, Viz has a short story collection from its author called Time Killers, collecting various one-shots done before she became a household word.

ASH: I’m looking forward to checking this one out.

ANNA: Me too!

MJ: I’m interested, I’m interested.

SEAN: Lastly, and I still don’t have anything to say about it, there’s the 6th volume of Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds.

What kind of September are you trying to remember?

Manga Giveaway: Nana Giveaway

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It’s that time again! Time for Experiments in Manga’s monthly manga giveaway! This month everyone will have a chance to win the first volume of Ai Yazawa’s fantastic series Nana as published by Viz Media. The series may not be finished, and it might never be, but it’s still well worth reading. The first volume actually stands very well on its own, too. As always, this giveaway is open worldwide!

Nana, Volume 1

Many, many years ago, before Experiments in Manga even existed, I read the first volume of Ai Yazawa’s Nana. I enjoyed it well enough, but didn’t initially get around to reading much beyond that. However, I kept seeing other people write about the series, expressing their love for the manga. And so a couple of years ago I decided to try reading the series again. And it floored me. (In a good way.) Who knows why at first Nana didn’t grab me? Maybe it was just bad timing, or maybe I was in a bad mood the day I read it. But I’m so glad that I gave the series a second look–it’s a tremendous work deserving all of the praise that has been bestowed upon it. Nana isn’t the only series that I’ve had a similar experience with. Take CLAMP’s X, for another example. I didn’t like the first volume at all, but gave the series a second chance when Viz began to release the beautiful omnibus edition. For whatever reason, the second time around X hooked me. Granted, in the case of X, it’s one of those manga that’s so bad it’s good as opposed to something like Nana which is just damn good.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win a copy of Nana, Volume 1?

1) Have you ever given a particular manga or series a second chance? If so, tell me about your experience in the comments below. If not, simply mention that and tell me why.
2) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting, or retweeting, about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

There you have it! Each person can earn up to two entries for this giveaway and has one week to submit comments. If you prefer or have trouble with the comment form, entries may also be sent via e-mail to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. (The entry will then be posted in your name.) The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on September 3, 2014. Best of luck!

VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address in the comment form, a link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can’t figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I’ll just draw another name.

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Nana Giveaway Winner

The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vol. 1

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By Yoshiki Tanaka and Hiromu Arakawa. Released in Japan as “Arslan Senki” by Kodansha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. Released in North America by Kodansha Comics.

I must admit to being unfamiliar with the original Arslan fantasy novels this is based on. Published since the 1980s by Kadokawa, they also spawned a manga in the early 1990s, which ran in Asuka and was drawn by Chisato Nakamura, famous over here for many Harlequin manga adaptations. But now the series is being rebooted for a new generation, with the art being done by Hiromu Arakawa of Fullmetal Alchemist fame. This means that the action scenes are superbly handled, and also that our hero, Arslan, just happens to look like the child Ed and Winry would have had in FMA. Which is pretty much what you’d expect. If you hire an artist, you get their art style.

arslan1

The story itself is about a fantasy kingdom that seems to be defined as “not quite Persia”, and its young prince who is having difficulty living up to the expectations placed on him, particularly since he doesn’t get much love from either of his parents. He does have some awesome advisors, though, one or two of whom even survive past this first book. After a prologue showing him getting into a prolonged chase with an escaped prisoner from Lusitania, whose country is a bit more democratic and less dependent on slaves than Arslan’s own, we move forward to seeing Arslan at 14 or so, getting ready to fight in his first battle, not knowing how much of a disaster it will be.

As you’d expect for a fantasy series, much of this first volume is devoted to worldbuilding, though there’s also some healthy character development. Arslan has a bit of a complex about wanting to impress his stern and cold parents, neither of whom seem to hold him in much regard – there may be an answer for that, it’s hinted later, as Arslan may not be the King’s real son. He’s the sort of nice, earnest, naive protagonist you enjoy seeing grow to maturity in stories like these. His main ally seems to be Daryun, who is also stern but actually cares about Arslan, even if he has to be prodded to do so on occasion by his father.

I imagine that the next couple of volumes will be trying to figure out how to retake the kingdom now that it has fallen, and attempting to reassess their enemies. The enemies themselves don’t get much of a look-in here – the child who drags Arslan around in Chapter 1 did not return, much to my surprise, in the battle. As for the masked man who appears to be the main villain, he’s driven by a hatred of the King (who, I will admit, is not a caricatured bad King/bad father as I’d expected – he’s a decent King who likely is aware his wife is having affairs and that Arslan isn’t his, and this galls him, as it’s also clear he’d do anything for her). Like a lot of Volume 1s, this seems to be mostly setup, but I’m definitely on board with what is shaping up to be a thought-provoking and exciting new action series.

Bookshelf Briefs 8/25/14

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

devils-realist2Devils and Realist, Vol. 2 | By utako Yukihiro and Madoka Takadono | Seven Seas – Much of the first volume of this series was the lead character being shown various demonic and fascinating things and simply refusing to accept them, attempting to find a rational example for everything. He’s still doing that to an extent here, but this volume is mostly dedicated to showing him that no matter how he defines what’s happening around him, the trouble is that everyone either wants him dead or making a decision for them. As such, there’s a lot more Devils than Realist here, and even the priests can’t be trusted. I’m hoping that starting soon William will find a way to introduce his own brand of rationalism into the demon world instead of shutting it out. – Sean Gaffney

Haganai8Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, Vol. 8 | By Yomi Hirasaka and Itachi | Seven Seas – A lot of this volume is devoted to characters who are unable to have normal friendships managing to find something similar by pretending they are bitter rivals. Kobato and Maria, Maria and her sister Keito, who is also a Sister – a nun has some bad habits, so to speak – and between Sena and Yozora, which Kodaka realizes when he enters Sena’s room, which looks more like a shrine to Yozora than anything else. So much of Haganai is friendship via conflict that when we start to see the softer side of things – such as Kodaka and Sena’s growing attraction to each other, which comes to a head at a karaoke party – we also feel we don’t want to break up the chemistry of the group. Luckily, we’ve a ways to go. – Sean Gaffney

happymarriage7Happy Marriage?!, Vol. 7 | By Maki Enjoji | Viz Media – The conclusion of the previous volume found Chiwa feeling like she and Hokuto were finally “walking together at the same pace,” but they soon discover that even though they love each other, there’s one thing they can never agree about: Hokuto’s father. Hokuto is convinced his dad is responsible for the death of his mother, and refuses to visit his dying father in the hospital. Chiwa can’t bear to see Hokuto so heartless, and he ends up moving out for a while, but they soon realize that though they don’t know how to solve this problem, they still love each other. I thought this was actually a rather insightful thing for a couple to be fighting about in a manga, and though Happy Marriage&! certainly relies heavily on well-trod tropes for its drama, it’s occasionally a pleasant surprise. I’m glad I revisited it! – Michelle Smith

knights10Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 10 | By Tsutomu Nihei | Vertical, Inc. – There’s so much I could talk about with this volume of Sidonia. The ongoing oddball harem formed around Tanikaze, which is fine feeling like a family but gets very jealous when it comes to the man himself. There’s also the somewhat disastrous attempts to replicate what’s been done with Tsumugi, which almost ends in tragedy. There’s Izana’s ongoing relationship with her grandmother, who looks so similar to her they could almost be identical twins. Yet what I will most recall from this volume is seeing Tahiro, whose possession so disturbed me five volumes ago, blowing her brains out now that her usefulness to Ochiai is at an end. There’s still a good deal of horror left in Sidonia’s quiver. – Sean Gaffney

librarywars12Library Wars: Love and War, Vol. 12 | by Kiiro Yumi and Hiro Arikawa | Viz Media Sometimes the key emotional moments in a series seem to have more resonance if more time has been spent building up to them. Library Wars could be a bit hit or miss in earlier volumes, but I always loved the premise of an action oriented series about paramilitary librarians. This volume will be very satisfying to long-time readers, as Iku and Dojo finally go out on a date. Seeing Dojo’s calm and restrained reactions as Iku spazzes out a bit was quite adorable, but the part of this volume that made me want to stand up and cheer was the romance between Tezuka and Shibasaki. Shibasaki does a bit of traditional shoujo gender role switching, with stellar results. On the library side of things, the team is charged with protecting an embattled author, and there might be some more promising developments with Tezuka’s brother thanks to Shibasaki’s intervention. This continues to be a fun series. Anna N

loveless12Loveless, Vol. 12 | By Yun Kouga | Viz Media – One of the downsides of consuming something in bulk, is that it’s difficult to top that kind of immersive experience, or even come close to matching it. This is certainly the case with Loveless, with which my own series of omnibus binges could best be described as a soul-consuming love affair. After all that, how could any single volume possibly live up? It couldn’t. It doesn’t. I’d be lying if I suggested otherwise. What the series’ twelfth volume does offer, however, is proof that the series can hold up even without the fervor of new love. While the volume contains a bit more non-linear fluff that I’d ideally prefer, it also provides a lot of substance, especially as regards Ritsuka’s supposed personality change and Seimei’s controlling relationship with his fighter, Nisei. These sections are honestly riveting, and I’m left desperate for more. Just as it should be. Still recommended. – MJ

spellofdesireSpell of Desire, Vol. 1 | By Tomu Ohmi | Viz Media – There’s a lot that’s swirling around the first volume of this new josei-only-not series from the creator of Midnight Secretary. Repression and control as both a positive and negative thing, and when it feels all right to give in to your passions, especially when you haven’t ever had to deal with them before. Tying this into witchcraft helps to make it at least a bit more metaphorical, and while the male lead hasn’t really done’ anything for me yet, I do quite like Kaoruko. The premise of the series seems to hint that we’ll eventually meet her missing mother as well, which promises to deliver some thrills. This first volume still feels a bit incomplete in the end, however. I hope future volumes will give it some solidity. – Sean Gaffney

Pick of the Week: Guilty Pleasures & More

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potwSEAN: There’s really not a lot of literary, “worthy” manga out this week. It’s a load of titles that are the manga equivalent of candy. So I reserve the right to pick one of my favorite guilty pleasures that everyone has abandoned but me – The Wallflower. I expect to see a lot of laughs, some possible incremental advances of romance, and no end in sight. So very, very bad for me. I love it.

MICHELLE: Given that I’m not following anything else being released this week, my pick kind of falls on Say I Love You. by default, but I really am enjoying this series and probably would’ve picked it anyway.

ASH: I’m actually really excited for the eighth volume of No. 6. Things have been getting exceptionally intense (and heartbreaking) as the series approaches its end. Plus, we get a illustration gallery and color pages in this, the penultimate volume!

ANNA: I’ll have to throw in with Michelle, Say I Love You is by far the most interesting manga coming out this week for me.

MJ: I realize this series will seem like a strange choice for me, but I’m going with the second volume of the Sword Art Online novel series. I really enjoy this world and its characters, and it’s nice to read some prose once in a while, even when it’s escapist prose. I’m there, SAO.

What looks good to you this week?