Blog

Pick of the Week: Old Favorites & New

March 3, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Anna N and MJ 2 Comments

SEAN: There’s a heck of a lot of stuff here, almost too much to choose from. Therefore I will go with an old favorite, because I am lazy like that. It’s the rare manga series in America that can hit its 70th volume and show no signs of stopping, and One Piece is that manga series. More than any other, I think this title exemplifies all the good qualities of shonen manga – and, yes, a few of the bad ones, as Nami and Robin’s figures have expanded to ludicrous proportions over the years. But oh well. Pirates! Comedy! Creepy poison power villains! Give me 70 more volumes after this! (No, don’t do that, pleads Viz.)

MICHELLE: I do love me some One Piece, but I really can’t pass up my final chance to pick Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, which finally comes to an end this week with its twelfth volume. (It’s been a year since volume eleven.) It’s got all the drama of the original, but Watase has matured a lot as a storyteller, which leaves me hopeful that she’ll allow tragic events to unfold without some kind of cheery retcon or presumably editor-mandated continuation to the story. And, of course, I can’t pass up this last opportunity to hope for Byakko Kaiden someday!

ASH: My pick of the week goes to Inio Asano’s Nijigahara Holograph. The previews that I’ve seen have been beautiful, dark, and disconcerting. Fantagraphics’ hardcover manga are gorgeous, too, easily making Nijigahara Holograph one of my most anticipated releases for the year.

ANNA: I’m torn, because I want to read Nijigahara Holograph as soon as I can, and it has been a very long time since we’ve had new manga from Asano to enjoy. But I’m going to team up with Michelle and highlight Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden. It took a long time for the series to be completed, but Watase can do shoujo adventure romance like no one else. I’m also holding out hope for the Byakko storyline!

MJ: I’m extremely anxious to read the final volume of Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden, but I think this week I have to go along with Ash and Nijigahara Holograph. I first encountered Inio Asano’s work by way of Solanin, which has been one of those rare manga that sticks with me over time, cropping up in my mind at surprising moments. Add to that my very positive feelings about the line of manga Matt Thorn has curated for Fantagraphics, and Nijigahara Holograph becomes the obvious choice.

What looks good to you this week?

Anime gives manga a boost; a look at Manga Box

March 3, 2014 by Brigid Alverson

ICv2 talks to Kevin Hamric, Viz’s media director for sales and marketing, about the synergy between manga sales and streaming anime. Back in the boom years, sales of a manga series often jumped when the anime started running on Cartoon Network and other channels; now a similar effect is showing up when the anime becomes available on streaming sites such as Crunchyroll or Viz’s own Neon Alley.

The Manga Bookshelf team discuss this week’s new releases.

Justin Stroman takes a good look at the new digital manga service Manga Box and finds a lot to like, although oddly, one of the translators tells him the Android Market is forcing them to tone down the “raunchy” jokes. And in case you don’t know where to start, he includes a list of the ten best manga on the service.

Why is nobody talking about josei manga? Khursten Santos tackles the question at Otaku Champloo.

Sarah has all the fujoshi news in her Fujoshi O’Clock feature at Nagareboshi, and Erica Friedman catches us up on the world of yuri in her Yuri Network News column at Okazu.

Dark Horse editor Carl Horn talks about two upcoming books of interest to manga fans, Hatsune Miku: Unofficial Hatsune Mix and Dragon Girl and Monkey King: The Art of Katsuya Terada, both due out in May.

Lori Henderson discusses four manga she was surprised she liked in her latest Manga Dome podcast at Manga Xanadu.

A veteran of the Japanese manga industry and of American comics suggests five manga that should be published in America.

Reviews: The Manga Bookshelf team take a look at some recent releases in their Bookshelf Briefs. Ash Brown looks back at a week’s worth of manga reading at Experiments in Manga.

Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 1 of Attack on Titan (Lesley’s Musings… on Manga)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 1 of Attack on Titan: Before the Fall (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 1 of Attack on Titan: Junior High (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Sarah on vol. 59 of Bleach (Nagareboshi Reviews)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 10 of Bokurano: Ours (The Comic Book Bin)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 13 of Case Closed (Lesley’s Musings… on Manga)
TSOTE on vol. 22 of C.M.B. (Three Steps Over Japan)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 5 of The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-Chan (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
John Rose on vol. 30 of Fairy Tail (The Fandom Post)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 1 of Gangsta (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Lori Hendreson on vols. 1 and 2 of Midnight Secretary (Manga Xanadu)
Ash Brown on vol. 4 of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (Experiments in Manga)
Ash Brown on vol. 5 of No. 6 (Experiments in Manga)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 15 of One Piece (Lesley’s Musings… on Manga)
Lori Henderson on vol. 13 of Oresama Teacher (Manga Xanadu)
Erica Friedman on vol. 2 of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Perfect Edition) (Okazu)
Ash Brown on vol. 1 of Real (Experiments in Manga)
Matthew Warner on vol. 2 of Rurouni Kenshin: Restoration (The Fandom Post)
Derek Bown on the February 10 issue of Shonen Jump (Manga Bookshelf)
Ben Leary on vol. 24 of Slam Dunk (The Fandom Post)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 3 of Thermae Romae (Comics Worth Reading)
Lesley Aeschliman on vol. 6 of Wandering Son (Lesley’s Musings… on Manga)

Real, Vol. 1

March 2, 2014 by Ash Brown

Creator: Takehiko Inoue
U.S. publisher: Viz Media
ISBN: 9781421519890
Released: July 2008
Original release: 2001
Awards: Japan Media Arts Award

When I first began reading Takehiko Inoue’s manga series Real it was simply because it was the only work of his that my local library had at the time. I was already familiar with and loved Inoue’s fantastic artwork but I hadn’t actually yet read any of his manga. The series that I really wanted to read was Vagabond, but it happened to be Real that was more readily available. Little did I know that Real would not only end up being my favorite series by Inoue, it would become one of my favorite manga period. I honestly believe that Real is one of the best comics currently being released in English. The first volume of Real was published in Japan in 2001, the same year that Inoue won a Japan Media Arts Award for the series. Viz Media released the English-language edition of Real, Volume 1 in 2008 under its Signature imprint.

Ever since he quit the Nishi High School basketball team, nothing seems to be going right for Tomomi Nomiya. His life is changed forever when he is involved in a motorcycle accident. Nomiya comes through it relatively unharmed, at least physically, but Natsumi Yamashita, the young woman who was riding with him, is no longer able to walk. While visiting her at the hospital Nomiya meets Kiyoharu Togawa, another young man who, like him, has a passion for basketball. He’s incredibly talented, but with only one leg it’s wheelchair basketball that has become his outlet. Thus begins a somewhat antagonistic friendship between Togawa and Nomiya. And then there is Hisanobu Takahashi, one of Nomiya’s former classmates and the current captain of Nishi High’s basketball team. He may have the skills on the court, but he has an extremely arrogant attitude and delights in making Nomiya and his friends miserable. But soon he’ll have some serious challenges to face in his own life as well.

In general, Inoue’s artwork in tends to be very realistic, with a particular focus on characters and their designs. This is certainly true for Real, and his style suits a story that emphasizes real-life issues as the source of its drama incredibly well. The characters’ personalities and attitudes can easily be determined by their actions and how they are drawn. When Nomiya is first introduced, he seems to be nothing more than a delinquent. And to some extent he is a delinquent, frequently getting into fights and finding ways to scam rich kids out of their money. But he is also exceptionally kindhearted and accepting of others. Nomiya’s facial expressions and body language range from pure anger to utter delight. Togawa, on the other hand, more often than not has a smirk or sneer on his face and barely manages to suppress his extreme irritation. He has absolutely no patience for people who can’t take themselves or what they are doing seriously and it shows. At times Nomiya and Togawa’s respective intensity can be both frightening and exhilarating.

At its heart Real is very much a manga about its characters and how they deal with the challenges and setbacks in their lives. Basketball is simply a part of that because the game is important to the characters as individuals. The first volume of Real does an excellent job of introducing the main players of the series–Nomiya, Togawa, and Takahashi. In one way or another, each one of them is searching for some direction in their lives. It is their passion for basketball that provides some of that needed purpose. Nomiya struggles a great deal with the guilt he feels over the incident that cost Natsumi the use of her legs; his love of basketball is the only thing that really remains from before the accident. Togawa holds onto a tremendous amount of anger that playing basketball helps to keep under control. As for Takahashi, his talent for basketball was one of the few things that secured his popularity. But even considering the important role that basketball plays in Real, it is not at all necessary to be a fan of the game to be able to appreciate the manga.

Gangsta, Vol. 1

March 2, 2014 by Sean Gaffney

By Kohske. Released in Japan by Shinchosha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Comic @ Bunch. Released in North America by Viz Media.

One of the things that most manga fans who follow publishing closely have found is that manga readers tend to be loyal to genres rather than authors. Sure, Natsuki Takaya may have written Fruits Basket, one of the best-selling shoujo manga of the last ten years, but other similar titles have proven less stellar, and there’s no rush on anyone’s side to license Hoshi wa Utau or Liselotte to Majo no Mori, her post-Furuba work. On the other hand, when you see a title with vampires that sells, manga publishers go and find other vampire titles. (Oddly, this doesn’t work with other non-Naruto ninja titles, which tend to bomb. I wonder why.) In any case, Dogs and Black Lagoon have done quite well for Viz, but both have ‘caught up’ to Japan. Dogs is now a yearly title, and Black Lagoon is at the mercy of its author’s ‘whenever’ schedule. Clearly another similar title is needed. And so we have Gangsta.

Gangsta apparently takes place in “Ergastulum”, which judging by the decor seems to be somewhere in Southern Europe – my guess is “fantasy-world Italy”. Our heroes are mercenaries for hire, who do bad things but have good hearts deep down. Which does not stop them, however, from doing bad things. Each has a tragic past – Worick seems to have been from a rich family at one point, till he was kidnapped and lost one eye. Nick, meanwhile, has it worse – he’s a Twilight, which gives him superior strength and agility, but at the cost of lifespan and getting close to anyone – he’s a pariah. Oh, and he’s also deaf, which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with his Twilightness. The manga starts when they’re hired to wipe out a gang in town, and end up sparing one of the prostitutes in it – Alex, who becomes their new secretary. She’s the naive newcomer in this manga, needing Worick to explain things to her. Indeed, her lack of knowledge about ANYTHING in the town is suspicious in itself.

Gangsta has a very solid first volume. Its art is decent, its plot is better than its art, its characters are better than its plot, and its aesthetic is best of all. The series tends to hit all the right beats. As I noted before, its weakness may be Alex’s need to have the plot exposited to her, which can come across as blunt exposition at times, but it’s so odd I’m prepared to reserve judgment till I see more volumes. Of the two mercenaries, I’m possibly more sympathetic to Nick, but that could just be because he doesn’t speak much – while Worick’s constant chatter always seems to hide darker undertones, as we see towards the end when he brutalizes another prostitute with his harsh words. I also liked Nina, the teenage nurse at a local clinic, who shows that this isn’t just an ‘everything is awful’ world, but is allowed to have happy, innocent kids – even if they are under constant danger of being threatened and kidnapped.

This seems to be the first major work of its author, Kohske, who is female, by the way. I always like to note female creators, especially on titles like this and Dorohedoro where it may not be immediately obvious. In any case, Gangsta is definitely an M-rated title, but if you enjoy titles of this ilk, it’s definitely worth a try, and I will happily get the second volume.

Bookshelf Overload: February 2014

March 1, 2014 by Ash Brown

February may be a short month, but that didn’t seem to have much of an impact on how many manga and other goodies made their way into my possession. It’s been a little while since there’s been an out-of-print find that I’ve been particularly excited about, but in February I came across a complete set of the shoujo horror manga Bride of Deimos (at least, all of the volumes that were released in English) which should prove to be interesting. As for preorders that I was happy to see, I finally got my hands on Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal, Volume 28: Raining Chaos. Technically it’s release date was in January, but my copy took its time in arriving. (Expect a review soon!) The two February releases I was most thrilled to see were Insufficient Direction by Moyoco Anno and the third and final omnibus of Mari Yamazaki’s Thermae Romae. Recently, I reviewed Jeffrey Angles academic work Writing the Love of Boys. I initially borrowed the volume from the library, but found it interesting enough that I decided to pick up a copy of my own. Also, while wandering around a used bookstore, I came across a book of photography from 1984 by Komaro Hoshino which focuses on the taiko group Kodō. I didn’t even know such a thing existed, so that was a pretty cool.

Manga!
After I Win Itsuki Kaname
Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Volume 1 written by Ryo Suzukaze, illustrated by Satoshi Shiki
Blade of the Immortal, Volume 28: Raining Chaos by Hiroaki Samura
Blue Morning, Volume 4 by Shoko Hidaka
Bride of Deimos, Volumes 1-7 written by Etsuko Ikeda, illustrated by Yuho Ashibe
A Centaur’s Life, Volume 2 by Kei Murayama
Crimson Spell, Volume 2 Ayano Yamane
Dictatorial Grimoire, Volume 2: Snow White by Ayumi Kanou
Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M, Volume 1 Masahito Soda
Gangsta, Volume 1 Kohske
His Favorite, Volumes 1-6 Suzuki Tanaka
Insufficient Direction: Hideaki Anno X Moyoco Anno by Moyoco Anno
Knights of Sidonia, Volume 7 by Tsutomu Nihei
Missions of Love, Volumes 1-4 by Ema Toyama
My Little Monster, Volume 1 by Robico
No. 6, Volume 5 by Hinoki Kino
Power Play! by Yamatogawa
Sherlock Bones, Volumes 2 and 4 Yuma Ando Yuki Sato
Thermae Romae, Omnibus 3 Mari Yamazaki

Comics!
Teahouse, Chapter Five by Emirain
Titty-Time, Volume 1 by Amanda Lafrenais

Novels!
Clamp School Paranormal Investigators, Volume 1 by Tomiyuki Matsumoto
Yukikaze by Chōhei Kanbayashi

Anthologies!
New Writing in Japan edited by Yukio Mishima and Geoffrey Bownas
The Word Book by Mieko Kanai

Nonfiction!
Kodō by Komaro Hoshino
Writing the Love of Boys by Jeffrey Angles

Games!
Golden Sky Stories by Ryo Kamiya and Tsugihagi Honpo

No. 6, Vol. 5

February 28, 2014 by Ash Brown

Creator: Hinoki Kino
Original story: Atsuko Asano
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781612623597
Released: February 2014
Original release: 2012

As much as I would like to read them, it is highly unlikely that Atsuko Asano’s series of science fiction novels No. 6 will ever be licensed in English. Happily, two adaptations are available: the 2011 anime series directed by Kenji Nagasaki (which was my introduction to the story) and the manga series by Hinoki Kino. Despite the anime’s bungled ending, I actually quite enjoyed the series, so I was glad to have a chance to experience another interpretation of the original story. The fifth volume in Kino’s manga adaptation was initially published in Japan in 2012. Kodansha Comics’ English-language edition of No. 6, Volume 5, published in 2014, also collects bonus stories not included in the regular Japanese edition. Though it had its high points, overall I found the first volume of the No. 6 manga to be a bit weak. However, each volume has gotten progressively stronger as Kino has had time to more fully develop the series’ characters and world.

With the increase in the number of refugees and the rise in violent crime, the population of West Block has been deemed too large and dangerous. It’s all the excuse the holy city of No. 6 needs to mount a massive cleanup operation, known to the residents of West Block as the Manhunt, in which parts of the area outside the city walls are completely destroyed and the population conveniently “removed.” The Manhunt is a way for No. 6 to keep control and prevent riots, but this time the operation serves another purpose–to gather enough undesirables to serve as human guinea pigs for a top-secret experiment being conducted and authorized by the city’s upper echelons. The Manhunt will also provide Shion and Rat with the opportunity that they need to infiltrate the Correctional Facility in order to search for and hopefully rescue Shion’s close friend Safu. Rat is one of the few people to have made it out of the Correctional Facility alive and doesn’t particular want to go back, but he isn’t about to allow Shion to attempt it on his own.

This is the volume of No. 6 in which Shion is brought dangerously close to his breaking point, and it is heart-wrenching to witness it happen. Living in West Block has been slowly changing him; it’s an environment that is drastically different from the seemingly perfect city of No. 6 where he spent almost his entire life. But the violence and suffering that Shion has been exposed to in West Block is nothing compared to the extent of the very deliberate cruelty of the Manhunt. Any faith that he still had in No. 6 is shattered when confronted with this horrifying atrocity, absolute proof that the city is not at all what it claims to be. Shion by nature has a very positive and optimistic outlook on life, but he has begun to lose that. Both he and Rat regret that change and even fear how much Shion might continue to change, especially in light of the most recent turn of events. Shion will never be able to return to the person who he once was no matter how much either of them would want it.

The characters and their growth continue to be some of the strongest elements of Kino’s No. 6 manga. This is especially true of Shion, as can particularly be seen in this volume, but Rat has also been changing in significant ways. The supporting cast, too, has almost all seen at least some minor development. The only major exception to this is the research scientist in charge of No. 6’s experiment. In fact, even though the series is more than halfway over, he doesn’t even have a name yet and is only referred to as “the man in white” in the character profiles. Since he seems to be one of the series’ main antagonists, this is a little disappointing. It’s also rather unsatisfying that the experiment, its purpose, and the motives behind it haven’t yet been made clear to the readers. This persistent vagueness and lack of clarity, instead of being mysterious or creating ominous tension, is mostly just frustrating this far along in the series. Even so, Rat and Shion’s excellent development in the manga largely makes up for this. In the end, I’m still really enjoying No. 6.

Manga the Week of 3/5

February 27, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, Anna N and MJ 3 Comments

SEAN: Sooooo much stuff. Let’s break it down. Oh, and apologies for last week, the date of Wallflower 32 got shoved back to May after I’d written the post. This is the danger of last minute date-changes. I will discuss it in May, and no doubt Michelle will have the same “it’s still going?” reaction.

MICHELLE: That is probably true.

SEAN: As for this week, let’s start with a Fantagraphics title from Inio Asano, Nijigahara Holograph. This single-volume release is dark, tragic, and creepy, and should immensely please Asano fans. Hey, if it sells well, maybe Viz will take a flyer on Oyasumi Punpun.

ASH: This is one of my most anticipated releases for 2014! I’ve been looking forward to getting my hands on a copy ever since it was announced.

ANNA: I am very excited about this! I enjoy Asano’s works very much, and Fantagraphics editions are always a treat.

MJ: This is definitely a draw for me. Everything about this sounds compelling.

SEAN: Did you enjoy Jiro Tanaguchi’s The Walking Man but wish it took place 300 years earlier? Than you’ll love the same author’s Furari, out from Ponent Mon.

MICHELLE: Ooooh! I really like Jiro Taniguchi!

ASH: It’s always nice to see more Taniguchi.

MJ: Agreed!

SEAN: You cannot stop the Alice in the Country of Hearts spinoffs! They are endless! Here’s March Hare, a 2nd series focusing on Alice pairing up with Eliot.

ANNA: I can take or leave new spinoffs, but sometimes they are fun.

SEAN: Seven Seas also has the 6th volume of Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, featuring the tight group of not-friends getting involved in further not-friendship events.

I’ve enjoyed The Sacred Blacksmith far more than I was really expecting, and hope Vol. 4 keeps me happy despite my general distrust of manga fantasy-oriented stories.

Senran Kagura ended up being pretty much exactly what I was expecting, but the 2nd volume should give us more of that as well.

Vertical’s From the New World gives us a 3rd volume as well, speaking of popular titles I try to say as little as possible about.

ASH: I haven’t read beyond the first volume yet, but I have been told the fanservice was toned down considerably in the second.

SEAN: There’s no blood on the cover of Black Bird 18, and the protagonists are smiling, so we must have reached the final volume! Black Bird sold a pile, so let’s give a round of applause to this title I never warmed to but others most certainly did.

MICHELLE: I hear Strong Bad’s voice in my head, going “It’s over!”

ANNA: I’m sure that this was a financially remunerative title for Viz, so that’s nice even though I really never connected with this series.

MJ: Oh, Black Bird… I really won’t miss you.

SEAN: Blue Exorcist is always a treat, and I’m sure Vol. 11 will live up to the anticipation and not advance any of the potential romances I read it for.

MJ: Hee!

I fell behind with D.Gray-Man’s omnibuses, so should see if I can pound through them now that the 3rd one is coming out.

I can’t even remember if this Dragon Ball 3-in-1 is the original series, Z, or the color edition. Or the VizBIG edition. But hey, it’s Dragon Ball, surely someone hasn’t read it yet. Somewhere. Perhaps in outer Mongolia.

Oh hey, look, a new volume of Fushigi Yu– (Sean is trampled by the rest of the Manga Bookshelf team rushing forward to squee.)

MICHELLE: Hmm, did I just step on something squishy?

ANNA: If trampling is the best way to express my love for this series, I will be right back as I need to put on my trampling boots!

MJ: SO MUCH LOVE. Sorry about the trampling.

SEAN: Ow. Moving on to Midnight Secretary? (cheers but no violence) Excellent. Vol. 4 is approximately halfway through this series, and I expect things will take a darker turn round about now.

ANNA: I do enjoy Midnight Secretary quite a bit!

MJ: As do I!

SEAN: Nisekoi continues to try to catch up to its digital releases with the 2nd print volume. Do you like Jump harem comedies? Sure we all do! Well, a good 40% of us, perhaps…

MICHELLE: Now I’m hearing the voice of Sally Struthers!

SEAN: One Piece hits another milestone with its 70th volume. Donflamingo steps up to what seems to be the next ‘big villain’ role here, and it promises to be a lot of fun.

MICHELLE: Somehow I’ve gotten a couple volumes behind on One Piece. Clearly I need to rectify that!

SEAN: Comedy volume of the week has to go to Oresama Teacher 16, which is filled with idiots being idiotic. Each volume takes it to a new level.

ANNA: This manga never fails to make me laugh.

SEAN: License Rescue of the week absolutely goes to Phantom Thief Jeanne, the one remaining Tanemura title that was out of print after CMX went under. Kudos to Viz for picking it up!

MICHELLE: Despite owning the full CMX run (and watching VHS fansubs of the anime long ago), I have not actually read this series. Perhaps the VIZ edition will compel me.

ANNA: This is my favorite Tanemura series, because it is absolutely bonkers. And Jeanne makes failed attempts to turn rhythmic gymnastics equipment into deadly weapons, which is always good for a laugh.

MJ: I’m definitely looking forward to having a chance at this!

SEAN: We’ve hit the 2nd to last volume of Psyren, which is good, as it feels like it’s just about time to start wrapping things up. Given it’s a Jump series, I’m not sure how sudden the ending will be, but…

MICHELLE: Some day I’ve gotta catch up on this.

SEAN: What’s Rin-Ne 14 doing among all these Shueisha titles? Take your Shogakukan-ness to the 2nd week of the month where it belongs! Wait, likely it’s here so that it doesn’t get in the way of that week’s OTHER Takahashi release…

MICHELLE: I’m torn. Do I like RIN-NE enough to cheer for it?

SEAN: Skip Beat! 3-in-1 hits Vol. 7, which I think means it’s still dealing with Black Moon rather than Box R.

Strobe Edge 9 is also a penultimate volume. How much worse can things get than they already are? Well, it *is* a romantic comedy…

MICHELLE: No question about these two. *Cheer!*

ANNA: I’m impatient for Strobe Edge to wrap up, but I do enjoy it!

MJ: Seconded!

SEAN: Lastly, Tegami Bachi has also reached 16 volumes, and as ever I have next to nothing to say about it.

That’s a lot of manga. What will you get this week, and what will you put off?

Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 1

February 27, 2014 by Sean Gaffney

By Ryo Suzukaze and Satoshi Shiki. Released in Japan by Kodansha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Shonen Sirius. Released in North America by Kodansha Comics.

(This review is based off an advance copy provided by the publisher.)

If Attack on Titan: Junior High as the inevitable lighter, fluffier gag manga spinoff of the main Titan series, then this one is even more inevitable. A prequel set far back enough so that it features no one we know, yet providing some much needed context and perhaps even a few explanations that might carry over into the new series, while still remaining its own title. That said, it remains to be seen how successful it will be, as this is very much Vol. 1 of a longer work, and we’ve just barely gotten started before things are all over.

Just like its spinoff partner, Isayama did not write or draw this. The author seems to be known for writing tie-in novels (and indeed, this manga is based on a spinoff novel that Vertical will be releasing later in the year). The artist is likely more familiar to old-school manga fans. Satoshi Shiki did a Daphne in the Brilliant Blue manga that Tokyopop released, as well as Kami-Kaze and the really old Viz title Riot, which came out back in the ‘flipped, 32-page comics’ days. The art here is pretty and serviceable, with its leads being attractive and likeable. This puts it miles ahead of Isayama, who has gotten better as he’s gone along, but whose art is still his weakest point. Of course, just because the leads are pretty doesn’t mean bad things don’t happen – some of the grotesque shots of people getting eaten by Titans (and the aftermath) are just as bad as the original.

The basic premise is that, about 70 years before the AoT series proper, a child is found in the puked-up remains of people who had been eaten by Titans, one of whom was a pregnant woman. The baby in her womb miraculously survived, right in the center of the undigested pile. Found by the Survey Corps, he is immediately described as “the child of a Titan”. And promptly locked away for the next 13 years, feeding on bugs and tiny scraps and living a horrible prisoner’s life. It should be noted that Kuklo is not large or monstrous or anything – Child Of A Titan is a metaphor that has carelessly been allowed to become real.

Most of this volume is setup, showing us what life is like inside Wall Sheena, the innermost wall that the cast of the main series haven’t really had to deal with. The answer is that it’s filled with rich smug jerks, including a spoiled brat son who will grow up to lead the military one day, and takes delight in beating the shit out of his prisoner who doesn’t even know enough to fight back. The only other likeable person in the entire series is Sharle, the smug jerk’s younger sister, whose seems to be the innocent, human face of this series and who will no doubt die horribly at some point down the line.

Most of this first volume is setup, showing us the world Kuklo and Sharle live in, and setting up their journey to escape and find answers. It runs based on its mood, which is dark and grimy (the one place that Isayama’s art might have helped… at times this world feels a bit too clean compared to his own.) Certainly a title worth getting for Titan fans, and we’ll see how many volumes it can make it through before inevitable tragedy has to happen.

Manga Giveaway: Smuggler Giveaway

February 26, 2014 by Ash Brown

For being the shortest month of the year, February seems to be lasting a long time for me. But the end is almost here, which means it’s time for another manga giveaway! This month you all (well, mostly all) will have the opportunity to win a copy of Smuggler by Shohei Manabe. Originally released in English by Tokyopop, Smuggler is now available in a new edition from One Peace Books. Because this manga is aimed at more mature audiences, entries are restricted to those of you who are eighteen years of age or older. Otherwise, as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!

Assassins, they’re everywhere you look. Well, maybe not everywhere, especially as many of them generally stay out of sight as part of their job. However, it’s not uncommon to come across an assassin or two in a manga. It tends to be a fairly manly profession, with the likes of Golgo 13 and Yo Hinamura (Crying Freeman), but there are some pretty kick-ass women working as assassins, too, such as the titular Lady Snowblood and quite a few of the women in Black Lagoon. Why am I talking about assassins? Because the dark and violent Smuggler just so happens to feature more than one extraordinarily vicious killer-for-hire, though the manga’s focus is on one of the guys who has to clean up after them (he just doesn’t realize it at first).

So, you may be wondering, how can you win a copy of the Smuggler?

1) In the comments below, tell me a little about your favorite manga assassin.
2) For a second entry, name another manga that features an assassin that hasn’t been mentioned yet by me or by someone else.
3) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

And there you have it! Each person can earn up to three entries for this giveaway. As usual, you will all have a week to submit your comments. If you would prefer or have trouble leaving a comment, entries may also be submitted via e-mail to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. I will then post them in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on March 5, 2014. Good luck!

VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address, 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: Smuggler Giveaway Winner

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: February 10, 2014

February 26, 2014 by Derek Bown 1 Comment

If you don’t have a Weekly Shonen Jump membership you really should consider buying one. The past couple weeks have been quite excellent, almost all the manga published in the magazine have had a pretty excellent run the past couple months. Even the series I complain about on a regular basis have been doing pretty well.

A good week of manga is a lot of good chapters. Or just a lot of chapters. But it’s a double edged sword. Because the more there is for me to read and enjoy, the more work I have to do when writing it all up. It’s a good thing I love sharing my opinion so much on the internet. So let’s do this.

Blue Exorcist Ch. 054
This series has been a bit lackluster the past several chapters. This month is a return to form as we get the pay off for some foreshadowing we didn’t even realize was being implemented. We also go back to a focus on action instead of in between chapters and backstory. Keep in mind, in between chapters are necessary, but in a monthly series more than just a single in between chapter drags on for a dangerously long time. Finally getting some action after a long while really helped me be more interested in this chapter. And the way the story is portrayed really works in that we have two separate stories being interwoven quite well, as we switch from Kamiki to the rest of the group. Definitely a recommended read for this issue.

Nisekoi Ch. 109
Last week I raised some concerns about how Komi would handle Haru as a character. I worried that she would go the stereotypical route of being just another member of the harem. Fortunately this week mostly dispelled those fears. There are of course major hints that she will become a member of the harem, but for the moment she is going to be a much more interesting character than I initially feared. I find the idea of a character who clearly accepts how they feel about someone, but are willing to step aside for someone else quite interesting. I’m curious to see how far Naoshi Komi will be taking this idea, whether he will go all the way with having Haru refusing to act on her feelings, or if we will be treated to her confession to Raku despite her intention to support her sister. Either way, this chapter definitely salvaged what I feared was a lost cause of a character.

World Trigger Ch. 048
This was an excellent chapter. I’ve railed against Border for being another incompetent military organization, and while I still question the ethics of using teenagers as soldiers, I loved seeing the commanders competently handle the battle. And not just the ones we figured would be competent, but even characters built up as buffoons are showing their intelligence. We get a pretty badass scene where Tachikawa cuts a bomber in half, which was easily my favourite part of the chapter. And seeing Kitora act outside her originally established character was an excellent moment, one that I’m sure the shippers probably are enjoying. With each trope a character follows, the best way to gain points with me is to have them act outside that trope. It does wonders for making characters feel more real, and Kitora certainly is doing that for me in this series.

Toriko Ch. 265
This was much better than last week. While I enjoyed last week’s chapter I found that it was a lot harder to get over Komatsu’s rescue being skipped. This week I’ve accepted that jarring shift and was able to enjoy the chapter for what it was. And while a little emotionally manipulative I loved how the chapter sets up the food shortage as a very real problem, the world has clearly had to evolve around this situation, rather than just being a one chapter problem and yet somehow we get the emotional payoff of seeing Toriko deliver the food he brought. And all that in just a single chapter. I love Mansom’s new design, though he does look quite a bit like Ichiryu. And is it just me or does it look like Komatsu may have just found his long lost son?

Naruto Ch. 663
So we get confirmation that Gaara is going to try and fuse Minato’s ninetails chakra with Naruto, so that’s nice. And I enjoy seeing Sakura actually be involved in the story. And actually care about her so called friend. But the sudden powerup from Karin comes out of nowhere, though I’m biased against her so I doubt she could do anything I wouldn’t hate. And Madara finally takes on the form of the sage of six paths. So at least the plot is moving forward. And for all intents and purposes Sasuke is pretty dead. So overall this was a good chapter for me. Though I have to wonder as to the effectiveness of cutting a dying person’s side open and massaging their heart directly. That’s not an actual thing that’s ever been done is it?

One-Punch Man Ch. 32
This is definitely a chapter where if you haven’t shifted your paradigm from comedy to action you probably won’t enjoy. Personally I’ve finally made the switch again so I was able to enjoy the excellent art and fighting scenes. I like the idea of an enemy that can regenerate no matter what, which I think is honestly the only way to pose any kind of threat to Saitama. So I look forward to this monster fighting Saitama. Other than that, this was definitely a great chapter to show of the fighting prowess of the other characters. Worth a read, but unless you spend a lot of time studying the art you will get through it very fast.

Bleach Ch. 567
Has Kubo just forgotten that his characters are ghosts/spirits/gods? What’s all this talk about Rukia being dead as if it wasn’t her usual state. She is already deceased! That which is dead cannot be alive as well! She is a spirit! A soul! Are we supposed to believe that souls in this world have a different kind of life? And that’s why they can die? I guess that kind of works. This chapter would be a lot easier to swallow if it weren’t for the fact that the mythology of the afterlife in this world is completely messed up. The best I’ve been able to gather is that after humans die they become spirits. But spirits can also die/be destroyed. But their energy cannot be destroyed, because physics, and ultimately they are re-purposed as energy to create spiritual constructs and (and this is me assuming) new spirits. Hence how soul reapers can have families. But if spiritual energy can become spirits in the afterlife, what with there being families that soul reapers are born into, then at what point does spirit matter go back into the human world? Can only the soul reapers reproduce? Or can the souls of dead humans do the same? In fact, if they ultimately become spirit energy, then what’s the point of human spirits retaining their consciousness? And ultimately, what is the purpose of this system? If souls can be destroyed, as quincies have shown the ability to be able to do, and that destruction causes an imbalance, suggesting that the spirit energy is destroyed as well (which should be impossible since it is energy) then what is consciousness and what is spirit?

Ultimately, how can Rukia be any more dead than already dead!?!?!

All You Need Is Kill Ch. 004
We get a satisfying answer to how Keiji gets his battleaxe. And I guess it doesn’t need to be forged in the traditional sense so it doesn’t take as long to make. But is he really going to have to convince Shasta to make him a new axe every single time. I guess we aren’t really supposed to think about it too much. I do feel a bit disappointed that we don’t get to see any actual action, but the anticipation is good enough for me right now. The pacing has been quite strong, and I’ve found no real fault in the series to this point. The writing is strong and the art is as always excellent. Though I cannot stress enough how out of place Obata’s women are. But at least I haven’t seen anything in this series that could lead to major accusations of sexism like in Bakuman.

One Piece Ch. 737
So would Peka’s Stone-Stone ability qualify as a paramecia or a logia? Since he doesn’t really turn himself into stone on his own, rather he has to absorb it from somewhere, I’m guessing it’s a paramecia, even if earth/stone is considered one of the classical elements. Either way, things aren’t looking good for Luffy’s group, how can they fight someone that controls the entire building they are inside?

The answer will of course be, “Amazingly” but we’ll have to wait for that. For now it’s time to focus on the coliseum. Clearly “Lucy” is a force to be reckoned with, and what we all thought would happen occurs, people start to notice that “Lucy” fights differently from Lucy. The delayed final reveal of his identity is puzzling. We all know who he is, but Oda continues to hide him from the audience. All I can say is, what exactly is he planning?

Finally, the build up for Leo’s mission is to over the top that it’s clear that something will go wrong. I kind of want it to go right, because that never happens in any story ever. But it’s pretty clear that something will go awry. Either way, I got more than a chuckle out of the running gag with Usopp this time around.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 50
Who knew this was only going to be a temporary thing. Next week we lose Dragon Ball Z, and here I was hoping it would run through the whole series, to give me a chance to read it all the way through again. But I guess if we’re getting some new manga space must be made in the magazine. And while space isn’t really an issue in a digital magazine, the effort it takes to get an extra series ready for publication really does push costs up.

I enjoyed the Superman parallels with Kami, this was a part of the series I hadn’t read before, so I’m picking up a lot of details that I had missed before. I enjoy Dragon Ball Z a bit more when we aren’t focusing entirely on the fighting. And this was definitely worth the read for me.

I don’t know how we got through it, but we did. This was a long issue, and while I love reading all the extra manga, I look forward to a lighter load next week.

Don’t forget to mention in the comments which series was your favorite this week.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives.