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My Week in Manga: July 8-July 14, 2013

July 15, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Last week I posted two reviews. The first was for The Vast Spread of the Seas, the third novel in Fuyumi Ono’s fantasy series The Twelve Kingdoms. I’ve really been enjoying reading The Twelve Kingdoms and this volume was no exception. I also reviewed Jen Lee Quick’s Off*Beat, Volume 1. Originally published by Tokyopop, the recently established Chromatic Press has rescued the series and I couldn’t be happier. The new Chromatic editions also include some additional bonus content as well.

Elsewhere online: Xavier Guilbert has published his interview with Taiyo Matsumoto from the 2013 Toronto Comic Arts Festival. The most recent episode of the Comic Books Are Burning In Hell podcast focuses on Suehiro Maruo. Kodansha Comics is offering two digital samplers containing the complete first chapters of many of its series. The Real sampler collects chapters from Kodansha’s “real-life” manga: Arisa, Bloody Monday, Danza, Genshiken, Genshiken: Second Season, I Am Here, Kitchen Princess, Missions of Love, and Vinland Saga. The Unreal sampler includes chapters from Kodansha’s fantasy, science fiction, and supernatural series: @ Full Moon, Attack on Titan, Cage of Eden, Fairy Tail, Mardock Scramble, Ninja Girls, No. 6, Sankarea: Undying Love, and Until the Full Moon.

Finally, this week is the Yun Kouga Manga Moveable Feast! MJ of Manga Bookshelf is hosting this round and has already posted a marvelous introduction. For my contribution to the Feast I’ll be reviewing the first Loveless omnibus later this week. Loveless was originally published in English by Tokyopop, but Viz Media rescued the license last year (which made me very happy.) Although I enjoy Loveless, I haven’t actually read any of Kouga’s other manga. I look forward to seeing what everyone else has to say about her work.

Quick Takes

Dog X Cat, Volumes 1-3 by Yoshimi Amasaki. Junya and Atsu have been friends since they were young. They’re in college now and their friendship becomes a little more complicated when Junya lets it slip that he’s actually in love with Atsu. Dog X Cat might not have the most original plot–I’ve seen the friends becoming lovers storyline many a time–but the two young men have a charming relationship with each other and a lot of sex. (Dog X Cat is part of Digital Manga’s more explicit 801 imprint, after all.) Some chapters are told from Junya’s perspective while others are from Atsu’s. It’s nice to see both sides of their story. Dog X Cat is an ongoing series; the fourth volume is scheduled to be released in English in 2014.

Mardock Scramble, Volumes 5-7 by Yoshitoki Oima. I’ve read Tow Ubukata’s original Mardock Scramble, but somehow managed to forget how pivotal child and sexual abuse was to the plot. The manga handles it fairly well and hasn’t turned it into something titillating. One thing that I didn’t forget from the novels was the lengthy casino scene. In particular, nearly two hundred pages worth of Blackjack which sorely tried my patience. Although some of the finer details and plot complications are glossed over in Oima’s adaptation, I much preferred reading the two volumes of manga covering the same material. This left one volume for Oima to bring everything to a quickly paced, action-packed close. For the most part, Oima’s interpretation of Mardock Scramble largely succeeds.

No. 5, Volumes 1-2 by Taiyo Matsumoto. Only two volumes of No. 5 were ever released in English in print. However, the entire series is now available digitally (on a platform I can’t use). I’ve come to love Matsumoto’s work in general and I particularly enjoy No. 5. The story follows Number Five, a member of the Rainbow Council of the International Peackeeping Forces, a small group of people with superhuman abilities. He’s fallen in love and gone rogue and now his teammates must hunt him down. While Number One and the rest of the Rainbow Council try to maintain control of the situation, there are others who are making the argument that the group is obviously dangerous and should no longer exist.

Black Lagoon, Episodes 13-24 directed by Sunao Katabuchi. Although I still enjoyed the second half of Black Lagoon anime, for some reason that I can’t identify I didn’t like it quite as much as the first. The anime follows the manga fairly closely, but takes a few of its own liberties while keeping the same tone as the original. I do think that I still prefer the manga slightly more than the anime, but the anime is entertaining as well. Additionally, the action is a little clearer and easier to follow in the anime. And I continue to be impressed by the sound design. The Black Lagoon anime tends to be violent and bloody and even the protagonists aren’t really “good guys.” They can be just as vicious as the other people they come up against.

Bookshelf Briefs 7/5/13

July 15, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Anna N and MJ Leave a Comment

This week, Sean, Anna, & MJlook at six recent releases from Viz Media.

Blue Exorcist, Vol. 10 | By Kazue Kato | Viz Media – As you would expect after the end of a long arc, a lot of this volume is taking a breather while setting things up for the arcs to come (such as the Gehenna Gate). So we see Rin back to school, and dealing with his normal, non-exorcist classmates. Except it turns out that one of then is starting to not be normal, and it’s slowly driving him insane. There’s a lot more silliness here as well, as our heroes are tasked with taking care of the 7 School Mysteries, all of whom are demonic, of course. Cue cross-dressing ghosts, bitchy grudges, and lots of amusing yet broad shonen gags. There’s also a pile of extras, something becoming quite common in these volumes – a short side-story focusing on Renzo, and lots of 4-koma gags drawn by Kato’s assistants. Not as mind-blowing as the last few volumes, but still fun. – Sean Gaffney

A Devil and Her Love Song, Vol. 9 | By Miyoshi Tomori | Viz Media – The first part of this volume deals with the unwanted attentions of Shintaro, a first-year student who has a crush on Maria. As always, Maria has a way of coming at a problem with a different perspective than other people. While Shintaro’s over the top flirting is annoying to almost everybody, Maria comments that it is just the way he communicates, and gives him the teasing nickname “Eros.” Shin attempts to take a step forward by performing again, but his habit of keeping his distance from Maria to preserve her fragile emotional state may just backfire, as she becomes more and more comfortable with Yusuke being her best friend. The drama in this series continues to be executed with unexpected plot twists, which means that it isn’t getting stale as it nears the 10th volume. – Anna N

Jiu Jiu, Vol. 5 | By Touya Tobina | Viz Media – There is a certain about of subterfuge in this volume that is deliberate on the author’s part. I get that. The true identity of Takayuki, who is the person who father’s Takamichi’s child (not a spoiler, it’s on the cover). That’s fine. The main issue is that everything else doesn’t make sense to me as well. Some series read badly chapter to chapter, and I’m sure that if I read Jiu Jiu in one big 5-volume chunk, I might get more out of it than I did. But I’ve no desire to. This frustrating series kept trying to figure out whether it was epic or not, what its art style was, and if it was going to risk offending people with a romantic pairing that was… problematic, to say the least. It did avoid that last one. But all in all, everything in Jiu Jiu was more annoying than endearing. If you like supernatural stuff, it may be for you. read it all at once, though. – Sean Gaffney

Psyren, Vol. 11 | By Toshiaki Iwashiro | Viz Media – This volume manages to spend a large amount of time focused on the villains, and not a moment of it is wasted. I was apprehensive at first – I like our heroes. But this was easily one of the most terrifying volumes the series has ever had, with the battle on the docks between Miroku and Grigori winning the biggest awards (and killing off the most people – being an innocent bystander in Psyren is lethal). I was also fascinated with the subplot of rescuing Riko, where our heroes totally lose – she’s abducted by the bad guys (she’s probably that mini-boss we saw drawing in Psyren world a while ago). Add this to the continuing issues of Ahega and his father, and Miroku making his threat to the world much earlier than expected, and you have a series that still knows how to ramp up the tension. – Sean Gaffney

Strobe Edge, Vol. 5 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – I suspect that we won’t be seeing that much more of Mayuka after this volume. If that’s the case, what a way to go out. I loved everything about her arc, from her close observation and realization about Ren once her brother points out the obvious, to the acceptance she has regarding her parents’ divorce, and acceptance that’s shocking to her, and how it finally allows her to realize that she has to accept that Ren’s heart has moved on as well. It’s astonishingly mature, and in marked contrast to Ando, whose own past is shown here. No matter how much he acknowledges he’s being immature, I still want to belt him for it. And in the middle we have Ninako, who knows what she doesn’t want, but can’t quite get past not being able to get what she wants. Absolutely riveting shoujo soap. – Sean Gaffney

Tiger & Bunny, Vol. 2 | By Mizuki Sakakibara, Sunrise, & Masafumi Nishida | Viz Media – Manga adaptations of anime series tend to be a sketchy prospect for me. Generally speaking, I’ve found that anime rarely translates well to paper, especially in terms of visual power (see Puella Magi Madoka Magica), and it’s difficult to understand the point. Why take the time to create something that is doomed to be nothing more than a clunky, cardboard version of its source material? Tiger & Bunny‘s weakness, however, may be that it resembles its source just a little too much. It’s breezy, action-packed, and easy to follow—often major stumbling blocks when adapting from the screen—and it’s definitely attractive to the eye. Unfortunately, it’s really not much more, and each volume of manga flies by with the emotional impact of a Saturday morning cartoon. This light, glossy series is undoubtedly fun to watch, but its move to print only accentuates how little lurks beneath the surface shine. – MJ

Pick of the Week: Fulfilling Expectations

July 15, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Anna N, Michelle Smith and MJ Leave a Comment

SEAN: As always, I sort of give away what I’m picking in my Manga the Week of posts. I’ve followed the story of Konoha dealing with PTSD and slowly coming to terms with his life for the last six volumes of this series. And now we get the first of a 2-part finale, Book Girl And The Scribe Who Faced God. Given we’ve run out of characters to put through the wringer, I’ve no doubt that this volume and its sequel (out in January 2014) will answer some questions we have about Tohko, and just how much of a Book Girl she really is. And perhaps it may resolve the romantic subplots as well, though that’s honestly less important to me. This is pretty much my favorite light novel series coming out here right now, and I really want everyone to go buy it. It’s also on Kindle/Nook!

ANNA: My pick is 07-Ghost Vol. 5. I enjoy the combination of angsty protagonist and fighting priests. It is sometimes a bit incoherent, but the art has a very distinct style that makes up for the occasional lack of clarity in the action scenes. I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next to Teito Klein as he becomes a fighting priest himself, and searches for the legacy of power that was taken from him.

MICHELLE: As per usual, I’m going to award my pick to Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, which reaches its twelfth volume, which sees an end to the main storyline (but not an end to releases, as there are two books of short stories still forthcoming). I like this arc, but I continue to be sad that it isn’t longer, since I adore the Starlights so. Good thing that season of the anime is released here… oh, wait.

MJ: Before I chimed in here, the others were loftily making predictions about what they were certain would be my choice. This, of course, made me want to subvert expectations and pick something else. Alas… I apparently am that predictable. There really is no other choice. I have to give my pick this week to the final volume of Nabari no Ou, the surprising little series that somehow made me give a crap about ninja. This week brings us its final volume, and though I’ve fallen a little behind, I’ve been wanting to marathon it for a while, and this provides the perfect excuse. I simply can’t choose anything else.

What looks good to you this week?

Don’t Tell My Husband, Vol. 1

July 14, 2013 by Anna N

Don’t Tell My Husband, Vol. 1 by Kei Kousaki

This volume is available from emanga.com

I have to admit that one of my main criteria for buying romance manga is often the title. So when I saw that Don’t Tell My Husband was josei manga, I decided to give it a whirl on my kindle paperwhite. This is a fairly hilarious housewife escape fantasy title that reminded me a little bit of Lady, Lady and the movie The Heroic Trio, just because the main character’s appearance is completely at odds with her inner resources and actions.

Minano spends her days as a sheltered housewife, practicing traditional Japanese skills like flower arranging. The first story features her going out to shop for dinner, over her husband’s objections. She goes to a bank where she’s taken hostage. Instead of panicking, she coolly manages the situation, giving first aid to a shooting victim and talking about the situation with the bank robbers. When one of the robbers slaps a bank clerk, Minano bashes his skull in with a pipe while commenting that she can’t stand men who hit women. Minano comments to her fellow hostage with a small smile that she’s “Just gotten a little angry.” She then proceeds to execute a divide and conquer strategy on the bank robbers, splitting them up and confiscating their weapons. The police detective on the scene is an old boyfriend who comments that “I bet you surprised everyone with your fragile housewife persona.”

The other chapters in this book follow the same general outline of Minano using her amazing abilities to perform sophisticated cat burglary and rescues a woman injured in the mountains with some impressive impromptu snowboarding skills. Minano’s antics are superhuman and the contrast between her meek persona and her actual abilities is pretty funny. This is definitely a manga to read for story and characters over the art. Kousaki has basically only two character types, and since almost everyone in the manga is blond it is sometimes really tricky to keep track of who is speaking. Minano’s husband basically looks identical to all the other men she encounters, so when he actually has a conversation with another man I was a bit confused as to who was saying what. There’s some slight weirdness about the noses of the characters in full face views that looked a bit odd. Overall, I enjoyed the story and the situations very much. The $7.99 price tag on this is a bit of a stretch given the quality of the art, although I realize that it costs just as much to translate manga with not-so-great art as it does a much more elaborately drawn title. If the first and second volumes were priced at the under $4.00 range of much of the digitally available Harlequin manga, I probably would have picked up both volumes and enjoyed them as a fun, disposable summer read.

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 14

July 14, 2013 by Sean Gaffney

By Izumi Tsubaki. Released in Japan by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Hana to Yume. Released in North America by Viz.

One problem with licensing manga in North America is that when you see a series that gets insanely popular, the gut reaction is to go back and find earlier works by the author. And this can often lead to disappointment, as you realize that the series you love was the point where the author really took off, and the work they did before just doesn’t quite measure up. Fruits Basket is an excellent example, as it’s Tokyopop’s biggest hit, but Tsubasa: Those With Wings and Phantom Dream did not have nearly the same sales, because, well, they weren’t as good. But with Oresama Teacher, we’ve already gotten the early series out of the way. The Magic Touch came out here first, and even though it had only one fan (me), it still made it through nine volumes. And now we see the successor, Oresama Teacher, which is, in most ways, a better series overall.

This isn’t to say the manga is perfect. The fact that you need TWO cast sheets is a big clue that there are simply too many people in this manga, and it requires referring back and forth sometimes to remember who the more minor characters are. Indeed, one of the cadre of ‘bad guys’ laments the fact that she’s bored, and wonders when she’ll be able to have a role in this series. Every time we return to Mafuyu’s old school (including in this volume), things seem to drag a little more. And for readers of Shojo Beat, it might be a little odd seeing a series like this, filled with gang wars, goofy comedy, and a complete lack of romantic hijinks. But to me that’s what makes it better. Let’s face it, if Hakusensha had a shonen magazine, this series would be in it. But it doesn’t, it has Hana to Yume.

And so when we see our heroes going off to rescue Kanon, they do so by kicking as much ass as possible. In fact, part of the thrill of these first two chapters is seeing just how intelligent everyone is in regards to fighting, particularly Mafuyu. She’s good at being a gang leader for many reasons. She’s strong, and has endurance. She plans ahead, or at least tries to. And the guys who make up run of the mill henchmen help her by being idiots. Seeing her use one as a ventriloquist dummy, or making a deal so that they won’t open the door for 30 seconds when she’s running from them… it’s hilarious, but also showcases that she’s not merely the main character because it’s a shoujo manga.

The other thing I loved about Kanon’s rescue arc was that it showed that the whole “boys bully the girl they like” attitude that elementary schoolkids are supposed to have is simply pure bullying, full stop. And that, while you can’t change the past, you can try to move past your actions. Kento’s plan was quite stupid, but it does end up leading him to what he needs to do: he needs to apologize to Kanon for everything he did back then. It’s his realization o this that’s the climax of this arc, and I am relieved that, while accepting his apology, Kanon continues to not give two shits about him.

The other plot point that’s come up over and over again is Mafuyu’s memory loss, and we see a chapter devoted to that in this volume. Since it’s clear she can remember things when prompted (even if she doesn’t want to, as they’re always humiliating to her high school self), it would appear that there’s some major event in her past that caused her to repress everything involving Takaomi – and that he is not ready to tell her what that is. Indeed, it’s not even clear if he knows what that is – he’s been surprised once or twice at her lack of memory. It can be a bit discomfiting seeing that she and Takaomi are still the closest thing to a potential couple in this manga – indeed, we see scenes here of their childhood selves play-acting a rather disturbing family – especially given that Takaomi has to a certain extent raised Mafuyu to be the badass she is today. Still, would not be the first older man/younger woman shoujo manga ending if it does happen.

We seem to be gearing up for a new arc here, as Mafuyu and company are going on a class trip that I suspect will take all of Vol. 15 and more. But I don’t know if I’m all that invested in the major plot points behind Oresama Teacher, even as I go on about them in my review. This is a fun title with badass characters and a tendency towards hilarity. Movement of the plot is simply gravy at this point.

MMF: Introduction to Yun Kouga

July 14, 2013 by MJ 6 Comments

“I wonder, does that make me a pervert?”

When one of Gestalt‘s dual protagonists, Ouri, asks this question in volume four, it’s impossible not to wonder if the series’ author is really talking about herself. And as a reader, it’s pretty difficult not to apply this to oneself as well, because if there is one thing Yun Kouga excels at, it is creating characters whom we will find surprisingly relatable and endlessly fascinating, even as we’re exploring the darkest corners of their hearts and minds.

And it’s not only her characters’ minds that Yun Kouga seems intent on exploring. Her awareness of and ability to express her characters’ darkest desires, simply and without apology, also serves as an exceptionally unflattering mirror for the reader. Her characters are so real and so human in both their complexity and their selfishness, it’s impossible to ignore the reality staring us in the face.

Those deep, dark thoughts you were sure nobody else shared? Those self-destructive urges you’ve (mostly) controlled all these years? That private fantasy you keep quietly to yourself? That thing you always do when you need to hide your real feelings? Yun Kouga’s got your number. And she’s got no mercy.

“I keep thinking of all these different things I want to do with you. Like this… and that… But that’s okay, right? As long as I’m just thinking about it, it’s not wrong. I haven’t done anything yet.”

– Hisayoshi Tajima, Crown of Love

While undeniably attractive, super-confident teen stalker Hisayoshi is carrying on this conversation with himself, we’re thinking, “God, he’s creepy!” and then, “Well… I guess it’s not wrong just to think about things…” and finally, “I had almost that exact thought that time when… oh, fuck.”

And there she leaves us. Yun Kouga just leaves us like that, permanently, irretrievably stuck with the cognitive dissonance and muddy morality that simply is grown-up human life—no excuses, no justifications. It’s not pretty, but it’s effective, and I find myself thinking about a Yun Kouga manga (and the emotional chaos it brings along with it) long after I’ve finished reading.

But if she leaves us unable to deny our darker impulses, she at least doesn’t leave us alone. There’s a sense, always, that Kouga loves her characters fully and without conditions, even when they’re at their worst. We’re all ugly and beautiful in Yun Kouga’s world, and there’s nothing to do but to try to navigate the mess as best we can.

“Mess” is a key word here, and though Kouga-sensei’s artwork is a consistent highlight—genuinely gorgeous and a real treat to behold—one might say that her greatest talent is in making a mess. She writes messy characters in messy relationships, and if these are often accompanied by some messy plotting as well, perhaps that’s an unavoidable side-effect.

Not that the messiness is wholly unintentional, or even close.

“I forgive you, Seimei!” and “I’m mad at you, Seimei!” young Ritsuka shouts in the same panel in volume 8 of Loveless.

We may not quite be with him (at least on the first bit), but we surely understand, because we’ve been there and back, over and over again, about someone (everyone?), most likely in the same chapter, and definitely in the same story.

Kouga’s messiness extends not only to her characters and their relationships, but also to the way we feel about them as they draw us in. We love them, we hate them, we’re angry, we’re confused, we identify with them when we least want to, and all we can really count on is that it’ll all get significantly messier before the day is done.

Fortunately, “messier” is just the way I like it.

There’s a passion to Kouga’s messiness and to her willingness to jump head first into it all that reminds me less of the polished world of publishing and more of the best parts of fandom, where rabidly pulling apart characters and their motivations is largely the point. And though any speculation on my part about the influence of Kouga’s doujinshi roots would be simply that, it should be understood that, in my view, it’s a compliment that it even came to mind.

Unlike her characters, Kouga’s plotting generally begins with grand disorder and tidies itself up over time, especially in her earlier series, and wading through the initial flurry of chaos is, in my experience, always worthwhile.

Despite a rather hefty catalogue, ranging from RPG-style shounen fantasy, to josei romance, to boys’ love, and even to parts of the Gundam franchise, only four of Kouga’s series (and a single chapter in Dark Horse’s Neon Genesis Evangelion: Comic Tribute) have been published in English to date.

These series include Earthian (BLU/Digital Manga Publishing), Gestalt (Viz Media), Crown of Love (Viz Media), and Loveless (Viz Media).

Here’s a brief introduction to each:

Earthian
4 volumes, complete (BLU/Digital Manga Publishing)

From the pages of Shinshokan’s idiosyncratic shoujo magazine Wings, and originally translated in print for Tokyopop’s BL imprint, BLU, this tale of angels in crisis is the earliest of Yun Kouga’s works currently available in English. And available it is, despite BLU’s demise, thanks to digital re-licensing by Digital Manga Publishing, though only three volumes are available for sale at this time. It is also the only translated series of hers that I haven’t read.

I’ll be introducing myself to the series this week, and I’m counting on Yun Kouga’s special talents to win me over, despite the fact that David Welsh once credited it with awakening him to the fact that he “never needed to consume another piece of romantic fiction featuring an angel.” For a more favorable opinion, try Riyka’s Reviews.

Previews of the first three (DRM-free) volumes are available at eManga.

(click image to enlarge – images read right-to-left)

Earthian, Vol. 3 © Yun Kouga

Gestalt
8 volumes, complete (Viz Media)

Originally serialized in the pages of Square Enix’s female-friendly shounen magazine GFantasy and later distributed under Ichijinsha’s Zero Sum imprint, this quirky fantasy follows the adventures of roving priest Olivier and mysterious slave Ouri, as they quest to Gestalt, a remote island supposedly cursed by the gods.

From Gestalt, Vol. 2:
“Another charming element is the series’ complete and utter honesty about the fact that it is playing out an RPG. The straightforward announcement of each character’s race, skills, and magical level continues, and in this volume they even visit a local shop to purchase magically-enhanced weaponry. It really seems like this kind of structure should be tedious but it’s hard to be irritated when the author is so up-front about it, and with a story so light and breezy, how can one complain? Humor is key in this series and there is never a moment in which things are allowed to become serious enough to obscure that.”

(click image to enlarge – images read right-to-left)

Gestalt, Vol. 1 © Yun Kouga

Other articles at Manga Bookshelf:
Gestalt, Vol. 1
Fanservice Friday: A Girl’s (G)Fantasy, including Gestalt

Crown of Love
4 volumes, complete (Viz Media)

This josei series from Shueisha’s Comic Crimson (marketed as shoujo here in North America) follows the story of Hisayoshi, a rising teen idol who entered show business in order to become closer to Rima, a struggling idol he falls in love with at first sight. As he works to manipulate his circumstances and fights his jealousy over Rima’s crush on her (married) former manager, Rima fights hers over Hisayoshi’s seemingly effortless rise to stardom.

From Crown of Love, Vol. 2:
“This series’ hero, Hisayoshi, continues to be both intensely creepy and surprisingly relatable. It’s a combination guaranteed to make most readers uncomfortable, but it’s also one of the series’ greatest strengths. Watching Hisayoshi perilously straddle the line between crushing teenager and bona fide stalker quickly becomes a rather terrifying series of ‘There, but for the grace of God,’ moments for anyone who has experienced unrequited love (in other words, roughly everyone). His inner thoughts echo the kind of late-night self-confessions that rarely see the light of day, tucked firmly away in those dark, hidden corners where shame and denial conveniently coexist.”

(click image to enlarge – images read right-to-left)

Other articles at Manga Bookshelf:
Off the Shelf: Too Many Books, featuring Crown of Love, Vol. 4
Off the Shelf: Six for Six!, featuring Crown of Love, Vol. 3
Crown of Love, Vol. 1

Loveless
11 volumes, ongoing (Viz Media)

From the pages of Ichijinsha’s Comic Zero Sum, this supernatural fantasy revolves around 12-year-old Ritsuka, whose brother’s death sweeps him into a world of magical fighting teams who use the power of words to disable, injure, or even kill their opponents. Now bound to 21-year-old “fighter” Soubi, Ritsuka is determined to uncover the truth about his brother’s death.

From Fanservice Friday: Lovesick over Loveless:
“The truth is, Yun Kouga’s work (and Loveless in particular) hits so many of my personal storytelling kinks in so many instances, it would be prohibitively time-consuming to catalogue them all. But perhaps more significantly, she manages to address several of my usual turn-offs (and at least one known deal-breaker) in a way that makes them somehow palatable, even to me. As a result, my reaction to Loveless has begun to resemble nothing more than a kind of romantic longing, characterized by ever-wandering thoughts and a persistent love-struck haze. in short, I’m lovesick over Loveless. ”

(click image to enlarge – images read right-to-left)

Other articles at Manga Bookshelf:
My Week in Manga: Episode 6, featuring Loveless, Vols. 3-4
Off the Shelf: Off the Shelf: Loveless, Puzzles, Infernal Devices, featuring Loveless, Vols. 1-2

Obviously I’m a fan of Kouga’s work, and I’ll continue to talk about why as the week continues, but whether you’re a fan, an anti-fan, or somewhere in-between, all discussion is welcome at the Manga Moveable Feast!

To submit your contributions to the Yun Kouga MMF for inclusion in this month’s archive, please send your links by email to mj@mangabookshelf.com or via Twitter to @mjbeasi between now and Saturday, July 20th. If you would like your contribution(s) to be hosted at Manga Bookshelf, please email them to MJ, along with any included images. Contributions to the Yun Kouga MMF will be archived here.

Let the Feast begin!

Disclosure: MJ is currently under contract with Digital Manga Publishing’s Digital Manga Guild, as necessitated for her ongoing report Inside the DMG. Any compensation earned by MJin her role as an editor with the DMG will be donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Juné, 801 Media, DokiDoki and Digital Manga Guild are all imprints produced by Digital Manga Publishing or their parent company, Digital Manga, Inc.

D.Gray-Man, Vols. 1-3

July 13, 2013 by Sean Gaffney

By Katsura Hoshino. Released in Japan by Shueisha, serialized originally in Weekly Shonen Jump, currently ongoing in Jump Square. Released in North America by Viz Media.

I’ve often felt that the most popular Jump series in the West, the ones with the most fanatical followings, are ones where no one noticed them until 10 volumes in, when they hit a groove. Suddenly, word of mouth is telling everyone “Oh man, you have to read this awesome series! Don’t worry, it gets better!” With that relief in mind, the reader powers through however many volumes are at the start, secure in their knowledge that they will reach the really good bit. Kenshin has its Kyoto arc, One Piece has Arlong Park, Bleach has Soul Society. This even applies to unlicensed titles, such as Medaka Box and the Student Council Battle arc (notably, most fans were frustrated as this is exactly where the anime stopped).

I bring this up because D.Gray-Man seems to be falling into the same groove as most other popular Jump series, in that it’s a slow starter. There’s nothing bad or boring about this omnibus; I found it quite entertaining. But there’s nothing in it, aside from maybe the pretty young men, that makes you go “Oh, that’s why it has a big fanbase here.” Indeed, it’s not even the most popular exorcist series in Jump Square, its current home – Blue Exorcist has that won hands down. The series starts the way most do in Jump (where it ran for years before the author’s health caused it to move to the monthly title) – with a series of one-shot battles followed by a couple of brief, volume-long arcs that introduce us slowly to each member of the main cast, particularly our hero, Allen Walker.

I’ll be honest here – it’s hard for me to read this series and not see Hayate Ayasaki in the lead. Shonen Sunday’s Combat Butler shares many traits with D.Gray-Man’s Exorcist, be it a similar appearance, tremendously tragic backstory, heroic self-deprecation, a desire to save everyone, or just the ability to do one-fingered push-ups. Allen’s rather mild-mannered compared to the loud boisterous Jump heroes we’re used to, and the series itself also seems to run in more muted tomes. That said, the quieter nature of this series does help to emphasize the series’ biggest strength, and the thing I ended up enjoying most: the horror.

This can get quite scary when it wants to. The art is grotesque and bishonen in almost equal amount, and the villain is straight out of the “monster clown” handbook. but it’s not just scary images; the first chapter points out how absolutely horrific an Akuma is, and how its creation and ongoing life involves the eternal torment of an innocent soul. Allen, indeed, feels this torment more than his colleagues do, which can sometimes put him at odds with the standoffish Kanda or the matter-of-fact Lenalee. (Lenalee, sadly, was one of the weaker parts of the book for me, partly as she’s quite similar to Allen in temperament and partly as she didn’t do much but kick things and get captured. I hope that improves.)

D.Gray-Man has been running since 2005, and is up to 23 volumes, so it seems odd to come at it from a newbie perspective as I am. But that’s how I’m seeing it. It’s a promising new series to me, with some good characters, some characters who could be good with more effort, a diffuse plot that could use more direction, some decent goofy humor, and some very nice art. Oh yes, and a BL fandom that is one of the largest of all modern BL Jump fandoms, up there with Reborn! and Prince of Tennis. It didn’t reach out and shake me by the shirt, but I will definitely try a 2nd omnibus.

(Dull cover, though. That black border does it no favors at all.)

Off the Shelf: Shoujo Fantasy Catch-Up

July 13, 2013 by MJ and Michelle Smith 2 Comments

MJ: Good morning, Michelle! It’s been a while since we got together to talk about manga, but we’re certainly going to make up for it this week!

MICHELLE: Indeed we are! I’m excited that the e-publication of older shoujo titles on VIZManga gives us the opportunity to have columns like this one, in which we’re basically gonna check back in with a couple of series we previously discussed and see how they’re faring.

MJ: I second your excitement, that’s certain!

Back in March, we took at look at the beginnings of two shoujo fantasy series from the 1990s, Chie Shinohara’s Red River, and Kyoko Hikawa’s From Far Away, both currently in digital re-release. Only two volume in, I think we’d both picked a favorite, but I’m interested to see whether things have changed at all on that front, now that we’ve delved in further.

Michelle, would you like to get us started?

MICHELLE: Sure!

So, as a reminder, Red River is about a modern-day Japanese schoolgirl named Yuri who is transported to the Hittite Empire by the scheming queen, who intends to use Yuri in a curse against the other princes so that the queen’s son may ascend to the throne. Very quickly she meets Prince Kail and becomes known as his concubine.

As the story develops, Yuri is eventually hailed as the incarnation of Ishtar, goddess of war. At first, Kail just makes this up in order to have an excuse to keep Yuri with him when he rides off to war, but there are a few suggestions in the story that this might actually be true. The queen cooks up a variety of schemes designed to get rid of Kail and/or Yuri, and so our heroes spend most of their time trying to foil her plots, but have a hard time proving she was ultimately responsible for them. Meanwhile, their romantic feelings for each other grow, but Kail holds back because he believes Yuri really wants to go home, and Yuri holds back because she believes that Kail is going to have to marry a suitable queen someday and that he can never really be hers.

MJ: I will be the first to admit that, though I liked Red River from the start, I was less than enthused about its general plotting and its romantic trajectory and certainly held it in somewhat lower regard that I did From Far Away. Now, ten volumes in, things have changed dramatically, at least as far as Red River is concerned.

It’s hard to believe now that I was once dismayed by what felt like too-easy plotting and wearied by Kail’s “rake” persona, as I’ve been swept up completely by both at this point. And I think that Yuri’s characterization deserves credit for both of these things, as it’s her strength and general awesomeness that makes the whole story work for me. She’s transformed from simply “plucky” to “thoughtful and inspiring,” and she’s transformed those who remain near her, including Kail.

MICHELLE: Yuri has definitely changed a lot and become a genuine asset to Kail. Things were still a little problematic in earlier volumes—in which she becomes a sword badass pretty much instantly, or conveniently overhears enemy plotting but then blows her cover by both a) stepping on a twig in the middle of the desert and b) sneezing—and I rolled my eyes a lot, but she does eventually do awesome things, like when she has the presence of mind to prevent anyone from removing an arrow with which she’s been shot because she knows its markings will be crucial evidence. Of course, a bevy of dudes express interest in her, but it’s mostly because she’s bewitched them by doing something impressive. (She still gets on my nerves occasionally, though!)

Another aspect of the story that’s developed a lot is the political scheming. I also really like Ilbani, who is Kail’s… chief-of-staff or something. He originally counseled Kail against marrying a mere concubine, but once he saw how great Yuri would be as queen, he changed his tune, and has actually been conspiring to keep her from returning home to Japan.

MJ: I think maybe the political scheming has had a lot to do with my change of heart on the plotting as well, because it keeps the story’s very black-and-white villainess (formerly the queen, now the dowager) from becoming too one-note to be interesting. Yes, she’s only got one real objective—increasing her power by making her son king—but there are a lot of obstacles in her way, and her path isn’t simple by any means. Also, her son is a truly lovely character who, though too young to be an effective king, is at least no Joffery Baratheon. That’s a nice touch.

I have to say, though, that Yuri has never gotten “on my nerves.” I genuinely adore her, and that feeling is only increasing as the story continues. But perhaps my perspective is a little different than yours, because I admit that when you said that she’s become a genuine asset to Kail, I was thinking, “No, it’s that Kail has become a genuine asset to her!” Heh. I especially appreciate the fact that she’s adjusted to her environment enough to understand, from a cultural standpoint, how the results of her actions in this world would differ from those in her old world, and tries hard to make adjustments with that in mind. And her decisions during the Hittites’ war against the Mitanni really show her true colors. Her heart and her bravery ring true even when she’s being handed some unbelievable abilities, and that’s ultimately what’s important to me.

MICHELLE: I suppose the reason why I phrased it that way is because Kail has some clearly defined goals as to what he’s trying to accomplish long-term, and Yuri doesn’t. That said, she does take on and successfully complete various short-term projects, and having his backing is indeed an asset there. And I do assume that she will eventually develop long-term goals of her own.

One random thing I wanted to mention is… isn’t Kail supposed to be some awesome sorcerer? He’s got the capability to send Yuri home again, but we never see him work any magic! You’d think he’d be able to devise something to actually catch the queen in the act!

MJ: You know, I admit I hadn’t really thought about it! In a way, though, I’m glad he hasn’t been performing any sorcery, because I feel like that would be just another checkmark on the list of “things that are too easy in Red River,” and watching him deal with things with only the power of politics and personal strategy is much more compelling. After all this time, I think I’d just sort of assumed that he can help Yuri get back because of the magical power in the particular time and place rather than because of his awesome personal power. And maybe I’m not so far off, really. Even the queen is limited to what she can do with what’s at hand. She can create a potion with mind-controlling properties, but it’s not like she can wave her arms and make someone into her slave or turn them into a goat or something.

I think the limited magic makes the story work a whole lot better, even if it means sloppiness in other plotting areas.

MICHELLE: Perhaps we’re back to the one point where we often seem to differ: tolerance of sloppy plotting when there is character goodness at hand. I have some degree of it, but you’ve got more. :)

MJ: You speak the truth. As always.

MICHELLE: Heh. So, want to catch us up a bit on From Far Away?

MJ: Okay!

Like Red River, From Far Away sends a Japanese high school student on an epic journey, but one through space/dimension rather than time.

Noriko’s increasingly strange dreams become reality, as a seemingly random act of terror plunges her into another world in which she is identified as “The Awakening,” a supernatural being prophesied to bring forth the Sky Demon—a legendary evil that grants ultimate power to any nation that controls it. True to prophesy, Noriko’s first encounter is with a warrior named Izark, who is soon revealed to be the yet unawakened Sky Demon.

Aware of his destructive potential, Izark’s original intention is to destroy The Awakening before it can transform him into the monster he’s sure to become, but as he gets to know Norkio, he finds himself unable to do so, and decides instead to distance himself from her, in hopes that this will be enough to keep tragedy at bay. But prophecy being what it is, even this is too much to hope for, and he finds himself drawn back to Noriko despite himself.

Further in (we’ve both now read through volume 8), the two, now deeply in love, have finally become resigned to their mutual plight, and have decided to travel together, hoping against hope that they can somehow alter their fate.

MICHELLE: I have to say that From Far Away started off as my favorite of the pair and remains that way. I have a very strong compulsion to compare the series, but probably I should give FFA some praise on its own merits first.

I love the real adventure feeling of From Far Away. By this I don’t mean the various monsters the characters encounter, or the strange beasts, or the political scheming (yes, there’s a bit of that here, as well), or Izark’s supernatural powers. More, I mean the assembly of a hodge-podge group of friends who are traveling together in pursuit of a big, epic goal. In volume three, Izark leaves Noriko in the care of Gaya, someone he befriended two years ago and trusts. It’s revealed later in a bonus story that she was the one who taught Izark to use a sword, and I absolutely LOVE that a plump, unattractive, middle-aged woman gets to be such an unabashed heroic badass. Later, Noriko meets Agol and Geena, a former mercenary and his seven-year-old daughter, whilst Izark initially fights against and later recruits Barago, a hard-faced warrior who soon grows ashamed of his service to a corrupt lord and decides to make amends by aiding Izark.

There are some other supporting characters, too, but these are the ones who particularly stand out for me. In fact, I totally ship Gaya and Barago—Baragaya!—and was kinda dismayed to see on an age chart that he is supposed to be 25 (he looks 45!) and she’s 53. Still, I’m sure that those crazy kids can make it work!

Anyway, by this point in the story, Noriko and Izark have been outed and have distanced themselves from their friends in order to not bring harm upon them. But it’s not like their friends are now lost and aimless—they’re going to be working to find a lot of honorable leaders that have been ousted by corrupt ones in hopes of eventual overthrow.

I’ve got more to say about Noriko and Izark’s relationship, too, but perhaps I should pause here, as this was possibly sufficient gushing.

MJ: From Far Away is still my favorite as well, and I think what I particularly love about it (besides the things you already mentioned) is that we aren’t left long in that Twilight-esque “I love you but I can’t be with you” place. Though both Izark and Noriko must individually confront the ramifications of their relationship and they struggle with that in their own ways, they ultimately decide that they are better off together than apart, even if it creates a greater danger in their lives and in the world as a whole. Yes, Izark goes through a phase where he’s deliberately standoffish with Noriko (somehow this is always the way), but he gets over it faster than I’ve become accustomed to in the treacherous waters of YA fiction.

MICHELLE: Another thing that I really love is our degree of access to Izark’s thoughts. He may have great physical prowess, but we get to see that he’s awkward and anxious, and regards himself as not being strong at all in terms of controlling his emotions. I’m sure I can’t be the only one reminded of Kyo and Tohru here, also. The first time Noriko sees the transformed Izark, she’s not concerned with how he looks, but only sorry that she saw something he didn’t want her to see and worried that he’s going to go away again. It eventually becomes clear that harm befalling her has the capacity to awaken the Sky Demon, but, more than that, she’s the person who can heal his emotional wounds and bring him back to himself.

MJ: I had, indeed, thought of Kyo and Tohru, and thankfully that’s not a bad thing at all! This moment is expertly written, as well. Though Noriko’s reaction could so easily have played out as an unbelievable mix of selflessness and obliviousness, it truly reads like love, plain and simple. And it makes her role as The Awakening feel all the more important and grounded in emotional truth.

MICHELLE: Definitely. And there’s been such lovely buildup to that moment from Izark’s side—”Am I afraid of the day when The Awakening turns me into a real monster? Or do I fear the day when Noriko will see me as a monster and leave me?”—that the significance of what her acceptance means to him is just about palpable. It is no lie that I have geekbumps right now as I type this.

I love how he begins to change once he accepts her love, and I love their sense of partnership in this. This does bring up a comparison with Red River, where the threats are generally coming from one source (the queen) and which the audience doesn’t really believe will succeed in killing either of the two leads. In From Far Away, danger is everywhere, and it seems a lot more conceivable (though still probably unlikely) that one of the leads could be forced to do something awful because of who they are.

MJ: I am in agreement on all points! I really can’t wait to continue with this series (and Red River, too). And I’m sure we’ll take a look at more of these digital re-releases in later columns as well!

MICHELLE: I am on a personal mission to get you to read Kaze Hikaru, so yes, I’d say we will!

Soulless: The Manga Vol. 1

July 11, 2013 by Anna N

Soulless: The Manga by Gail Carriger and Rem

I generally tend to steer clear of manga adaptations of books I’ve already read. I have read the first three books of Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate series, and then I stopped following it, because of plot element that I usually find extremely annoying in romance novels. I spotted this manga version recently at my local library and decided to give it a try.

Soulless the book is a witty take on the steampunk/paranormal/historical romance genre. Heroine Alexia Tarabotti is a bit of a black sheep in her own family due to her intelligence and looks taking after her father instead of her mother. She’s also a unique and rare specimen of supernatural being because she’s a preturnatural, someone born without a soul. This gives her immunity to vampires and werewolves, which comes in handy as Victorian era London is overrun by supernatural beings.

Alexia has an encounter with a rather stupid vampire after she ducks out of a party in an attempt to find something decent to eat. This doesn’t sit well with the overbearing werewolf Lord Conall Macon, who is working for the government. Alexia and Conall insult each other and stalk off, only to find themselves thrown together again as unusual things begin to happen with the local London vampires. As a heroine, Alexia is very entertaining. She doesn’t hesitate to rescue herself by staking the odd vampire, and her status as a spinster ensures that she’s going to speak her mind without much regard for social conventions. On the other hand she has a hard time believing that anyone, even a werewolf would be attracted to her, because she’s been the topic of frequent put-downs by her family.

It is difficult to adapt an almost 400 page book into a 225 page manga. A certain amount of world building and character development does get lost in the process. The book goes into much more depth with Alexia’s relationships with the foppish vampire Akeldama and Ivy, Alexia’s good friend with horrific taste in hats. Some of the details about what exactly a preturnatural is and the more steampunkish aspects of this particular London were glossed over. But the essential plot and the developing romance between Alexia and Conall was maintained, so overall I can’t really quibble with the adaptation choices.

The art by Rem is detailed and fluid, with distinct designs for each character. The occasional lapse into chibi/wolf puppy style when Conall was in the grips of werewolf emotion was funny, and overall the art was extremely appealing. The illustrations did a good job at portraying the humorous reactions the characters have to each other even while they are dealing with plenty of suspicious supernatural incidents. Overall, I thought that this adaptation was one that fans of the book would enjoy. It also reminded me of what I liked about the prose series, so I might give the fourth book a try now.

Manga the Week of 7/17

July 11, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, MJ and Anna N 4 Comments

SEAN: Standard ‘Diamond is sending me Yen Press a week early’ warning. I’m not quite sure why they do this, it seems to only be the the Northeast Corridor. Ironically, years ago, I used to get my manga a week later than others, again just the Northeast Corridor was affected. In any case, my list is hefty this week.

Dark Horse has the 4th volume of Gate 7, a title that has completely failed to keep me interested in any way. But there are some fans of it, particularly those of a historical bent.

MICHELLE: I feel bad that this one didn’t particularly grab me, but… it didn’t.

MJ: Gate 7 *did* grab me right away, but then the heavy concentration of unfamiliar historical references kinda bogged me down. Fortunately, I found a helpful guide to carry me through! So I’m looking forward to this new volume with only the slightest sense of bog.

SEAN: Kodansha has the 4th volume of Missions of Love. You know, when I was first promoting this title as an interesting little shoujo love triangle, I wasn’t aware that it was going to turn into the Gakuen Prince of 2013. Let’s see how saucy it will get this time.

MICHELLE: I read a couple of volumes of this, but I think I didn’t like any of the characters enough to continue.

ANNA: Knowing now that it turns into the Gakuen Prince of 2013, I’m glad I didn’t start reading this.

SEAN: Many are calling the 12th Sailor Moon volume the final one, and it’s true that the main story wraps up here. However, this re-release stripped out all the short stories that had originally been interspersed in the volumes, and has given them two separate books of their own. So fear not! Soon you will be able to learn if Rei farts.

MICHELLE: Yay?

SEAN: Viz has the 5th volume of 07-Ghost, a series I’ve fallen behind on. Anyone else?

MICHELLE: I’m behind, too. I’ll catch up one day.

MJ: Same here, and that’s really a shame.

ANNA: I’ve read through volume four, and I like this series! But I’m predisposed to enjoy any manga that involves fighting priests.

SEAN: They also have the 5th and final volume of I’ll Give It My All… Tomorrow, a SigIkki series. I found the protagonist too annoying to continue the series, but then, that was sort of the point, and I know a lot of people identified with his situations.

MJ: I can’t say that I identify with him, but I do feel like I know him, and that is enough to keep me interested in his plight.

SEAN: The rest is all Yen. We have the 14th volume of Black Butler, which I’m sure is sexy as hell, at least according to the Tumblrs I see. Or perhaps smexy.

MICHELLE: I am old, because I just had to look up what “smexy” means.

MJ: Smexy or not, I just… can’t get into it.

ANNA: I read the first volume, and that was enough for me.

SEAN: This isn’t a manga, but I don’t care. The Book Girl light novel series has hit its endgame, and Book Girl and the Scribe Who Faced God is a 2-parter it’s so big. Part 1 drops this week, and we will finally get to focus on Tohko.

The 2nd and final Doubt omnibus is out, which will no doubt kill off most of the rest of the cast. If you’re a fan, good news: its spiritual sequel Judge is coming soon.

Is This A Zombie? 5 proves that it’s not just Seven Seas’ moe titles that make me sigh and rub my forehead. Congrats to Yen, I guess?

MJ: Heh.

SEAN: K-On! had a sweet, definitive ending, but it was also wildly popular, and you know what companies think about wildly popular finished titles. So K-On! College is the first of two sequels that continue the story, this one following Yui, Mio, Ritsu and Mugi in higher education.

Nabari no Ou is the last title we have this week that is ending, showing us that you can succeed as a ninja manga and not be Naruto. Though I’m sure it would have appreciated Naruto’s sales…

MICHELLE: This title isn’t one of my favorites, but it’s been interesting enough to keep me reading, so I’m looking forward to reaching the conclusion.

MJ: This title is one of my favorites, so I’m looking forward to it!

SEAN: Madoka Magica prints money, let’s have more of it! Puella Magi Oriko Magica is another spinoff series, and I believe it’s the darker of the two that Yen is putting out.

Soul Eater 15 shows us barreling to a climax, though things have started to go badly for some of our heroes. Poor Kid!

Lastly, we have a 4th omnibus of Until Death Do Us Part, which doesn’t remind me of the way Glenn Miller played at all. (Seven Degrees of Pun Bacon there.)

MICHELLE: I would feel so proud of myself if I could get the reference.

MJ: That’s what Google is for, Michelle!

SEAN: Even Google might not help. Till Death Do Us Part -> Till Death Us Do Part -> All In The Family -> “Those Were The Days” -> “Boy, the way Glenn Miller played…” Welcome to Sean’s mind. Don’t stay long.

MJ: I guess we’ll have to wait until someone develops a search engine for Sean’s brain. It’s sure to happen. Someday.

SEAN: What manga are you beating the heat with?