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Strobe Edge, Vol. 3

March 6, 2013 by Anna N

Strobe Edge is the manga equivalent of comfort food and I find myself liking it more and more with each volume. The third volume explores the emerging love triangle between Ninako, reformed womanizer Ando, and unavailable but perfect Ren. Ninako is struggling a bit with wanting to be friends with Ren after being rejected previously, and things become even more emotionally traumatic when it seems like Ren is deliberately acting cold to her. Ren actually being a good guy, he is attempting to protect Ninako from the attentions of the Rejected by Ren Girl Squad, who have targeted Ninako with their bullying ways. This gets cleared up relatively quickly, but more complications are on the way as Ando’s feelings towards Ninako grow and deepen. The two guys in love with a slightly oblivious girl is a well-word shoujo plot device, but Ninako is oblivious and friendly that it is difficult to get annoyed with her. Sakisaka does a good job portraying the subtle ways that Ren and Ninako continue to be drawn towards each other. They have a random conversation about sweets and Ren reveals that he doesn’t think that his girlfriend even knows that fact about himself because he pretends to dislike them around her because she’s always watching her figure. Ren’s general protectiveness towards Ninako is unusual given is general indifference towards other girls. Ren’s actions like helping Ninako out at a school festival and providing extra math tutoring seem to go a bit beyond the limits of normal guy niceness.

Ando has plenty of feelings for Ninako but seems to be holding back both due to his awareness of her feelings for Ren and his realization that she probably couldn’t handle it. He hints around about his feelings and even confronts Ninako about her feelings for Ren, saying “You can’t love someone forever…without getting something back from them.” Ando’s brash personality is a big contrast to Ren’s more quiet thoughtfulness, but it is clear that he does actually care about Ninako and isn’t trifling with the idea of having a relationship with her.

I feel like Sakisaka’s art has grown a bit after three volumes. While the first volume focused a bit too much on Ninako’s blushing naivete, there are more comedic moments in this volume, mostly at Ando’s expense as he gets crushed in a subway car while Ren protects Ninako. When Ninako, Ren, and Ando all start a part-time job in a cafe, Ren and Ando are portrayed as the ultimate desirable waiters, smoothly taking care of everything, while Ninako’s enthusiasm almost makes up for her clumsiness. It is easy to see how well Strobe Edge fits into the Shojo Beat line and with so many series ending or about to end, I’m glad to have a newer series to follow.

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: March 4, 2013

March 5, 2013 by Derek Bown Leave a Comment

The bad part about an excellent week of chapters is that the following week has to work that much harder just to seem passable. And while this week’s chapters were not quite as excellent as last week’s, we still got a good bunch of manga this week. We also got a lot of it, since Rurouni Kenshin and Blue Exorcist returned to the lineup for their monthly appearances.

Rurouni Kenshin Ch. 008
I will say this for this month’s Rurouni Kenshin: It did not frustrate me quite as much as last month’s. Sure, Kanryu is an absolute joke of a villain, and the fact that he would even be remotely considered a threat for Yahiko—even an untrained Yahiko—stretches my suspension of disbelief to the maximum. Still, I did get a chuckle (and then a groan) out of the end of Sanosuke’s fight. Sure it was amusing, but at the same time I wasn’t really looking for comedy out of this series. As with every month, this project feels more and more like a tired attempt to cash in on the movie’s publicity rather than a labour of love or anything.

I guess one way of expressing my disappointment is that I was really hoping for a sequel. Oh well, it is what it is, and critiquing it based on what I want it to be rather than what it is isn’t fair. Unfortunately what it is isn’t very impressive in the first place.

Naruto Ch. 622
Speaking of misplaced comedy, Naruto is a series about Ninja and the impact war has on children, though one could be forgiven for missing that point, considering that this chapter started with an unfunny comedy segment. Kishimoto’s humor is very hit or miss—most often miss it seems like. I’ve only really laughed at one of his jokes in months. And even that was probably misplaced comedy. In this case, starting off an attempt at establishing pathos in your story with a goofy scene isn’t the best way to go.

And while I lauded him for connecting Naruto and Obito thematically, if he’s trying to do the same thing with Hashirama and Madara I will go on strike. It’s clever if done once. Done twice, it becomes the damning evidence that it’s the only tool in your box.

Still, the point that war is bad and children dying in war is bad is always a good point to make. Too bad the execution left plenty to be desired.

One Piece Ch. 700
While I find it odd that Kinemon and Law seem to be getting along just fine, considering Law was responsible for holding up Kinemon’s search for Momonosuke, it’s a minor concern in an otherwise great chapter. There is so much material to go through that I feel more inclined to just say this was a great chapter and leave it at that. There are, however, a few points worth noting. For one, we get confirmation that Buggy is one of the seven warlords, and his inappropriate title amuses me to no end. Second, Luffy and Doflamingo interact for the first time, and it’s good to see that Luffy still can’t take anything seriously. Thirdly, Law is slowly, against his own will, becoming accustomed to the crew. And hilarity ensues. Fourthly, Nami finally put on a damn shirt. Far be it from me to complain if beautiful women want to wear skimpy. But it becomes very hard to sell the series to non-fans when one of the main characters wears nothing but bikini tops for two solid arcs.

World Trigger Ch. 004
World Trigger continues to ask questions, but the answers seem to still be off in the distance—for the moment at least—but not in the way that frustrates me, more in the way that I am interested to know more. In execution, World Trigger is playing it a bit more standard shounen than I would necessarily want. Even as a shounen fan, I need a bit more to really grab my attention. For now I am willing to come back to see my questions answered, but I hope at least a few of those questions will be answered soon. Though, to be fair, I am willing to wait if it means the story is paced properly. The jury is out on World Trigger for the moment.

Nisekoi Ch. 064
As I’ve said before, if you want a manga that gives you romantic comedy that doesn’t get too drenched in melodrama, then Nisekoi is the manga for you. This chapter somehow manages to give all the girls their time in the spotlight, and it does so at Rakku’s constant expense. It’s a necessary element for a harem manga that the main character be the butt end of a few jokes. Otherwise the readers (the male readers at least) would start hating them for being so unreasonably lucky with girls. Somehow Rakku is one of the few who can escape that scorn, and still be a fitting candidate for a bit of punishment here and there. Also, once again, Chitoge wins the chapter for her facial expressions.

Toriko Ch. 224
This chapter didn’t quite have as much material as in the past few weeks. We spent a lot more time focused on Coco, and a bit on Sunny, that we didn’t get to see much of the battle as a whole. Which works plenty fine, since now it is time to focus in on the individual battles now that the battle as a whole has been established. Still, the material provided seems a bit less bountiful than last week. At least we get an explanation for why cooks are so important. That and Sunny’s fight promises to be the absolute most entertaining part of this war.

Bleach Ch. 528
It’s cute how Kubo pulls out these big reveals, only to have his readers say, “Uh…yeah, we kinda figured it out when you dropped the first hint months ago.” That’s not to say the reveal of what exactly Ichigo’s mother was is bad, it’s just that literally everybody following this manga figured it out back when Ichigo first fought whatshisface the Quincy King.

The problem lies in the fact that Kubo drops hints, and those hints point at literally the only single explanation. And then when the only explanation is revealed, it comes across as underwhelming. This would be easily overcome if he broadened his strokes a little. Make the hints point at an obvious conclusion, and then have the reveal be something completely different but completely logical. But, considering that we are almost at the end of the series, I’ll take what I can get.

For a Bleach chapter, there was a surprising amount of content this week. Action scenes usually go by so fast that reading a completely plot centric chapter seems like suddenly reading War and Peace. And what I said last week is true, when Bleach is good, Naruto suffers. And this week Bleach was quite good.

One-Punch Man Ch. 007
As usual, One-Punch Man was excellent. The joke continues to be the same, but it continues to be funny. Rather than have the one punch be the punchline at the end of the chapter, the joke is carried through the whole chapter. The introduction of Genos, and an ongoing set of antagonists, helps give this series more body. Also, it’s just really funny every week.

Dragon Ball Z Ch. 005
The fight starts, and this is the first time we are really introduced to the idea that power levels are unreliable. I can’t really think of much to say, beyond how ridiculous it is to see Raditz winning, in hindsight at least. Still, it’s a shame that Toriyama introduced him as Goku’s brother, and then never decided to do anything with him after this arc. It seems almost pointless to introduce him as Goku’s brother and then never use him again. Sure it may be unique to have what should be a major character in the hero’s life be relegated to a oneshot villain. But in that case, why bother establishing the relationship in the first place.

Cross Manage Ch. 023
Cross Manage continues to stay an enjoyable series for me. Sure the focus isn’t on the sport, which is a bit odd for a sports series. But I enjoy it for the characters. With the development they’ve gotten in the past few chapters, I’m finally looking forward to these chapters, and would be severely disappointed if this series ends. It’s that right balance of quirky characters with high school and sports drama that I can enjoy reading.

Blue Exorcist Ch. 044
This series must be maddening for anyone invested in any kind of romantic relationship between the characters. First Shiemi appears to be a romantic interest for Rin, then chapters like this emphasize her feelings for Yuki, etc. Were I not an unfeeling Cyberman I would be frustrated by this series. Fortunately I was instead able to focus on the growing friendship between Rin and Godaiin, as well as the potential world building promised to us by Mephisto. This chapter focused more on the different characters, building up their relationships and inner turmoil with each other. It lacked a big climax, but I suppose that is not to the chapter’s detriment. I’m still waiting to see where this next arc will be headed exactly, so I hope next month’s chapter picks up the pace.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives. Or go directly to last week’s episode, Episode 037 – February 25, 2013 – What is Seinen Manga? | Hyrule Historia.

It Came from the Sinosphere: My Lucky Star, Part 1

March 5, 2013 by Sara K. Leave a Comment

Jewel thieves! Car racing! Beautiful scenery! Melodrama! Silly sexual humor! This drama has a lot going for it. Let’s set the mood with a song:

Now, a scene from the first episode.

Example Scene

Ou Yaruo is getting married today. Or at least that’s what she thinks.

When the door opens, she assumes that it’s her fiance.

Actually, it’s her ex-boyfriend.

Clearly, this is not good news.

Ou Yaruo tells him to get out.

He does not get out.

In fact, he gets closer to her. She apparently broke his heart when she dumped him.

He’s very interested in her necklace.

The sneak tabloid photographer has arrived on the scene…

… and he’s just in time to take a picture of them kissing.

After the kiss, he leaves, leaving her wondering what the meaning of this encounter was. Does she still love him? Did he come to take back the jewel of her heart?

Then she realizes, no, he did not come to steal the jewel of her heart. He just wanted to steal the big jewel in her necklace, which he has slipped off her neck while kissing her.

The Heroine

From all of the Taiwanese idol dramas I’ve seen, I think Xia Zhixing is my favorite female protagonist. She’s one of the most honest and compassionate characters in the entire drama – which is ironic, considering she’s a con artist dating another con artist.

Well, Zhong Tianqi catches her in the act, and she gets sent to prison for two years. Not only does she spend two years in prison, but when she gets out, she discovers that she’s lost her con artist boyfriend.

But wait! She catches Zhong Tianqi stealing a jewel too! He got her sent to prison while he’s a thief himself. No fair!

So why did Xia Zhixing become a con artist in the first place? It’s revealed that she’s an orphan, and she grew up in poverty. Being a con artist was the only way she was able to find out of her poverty, and after leaving prison, she finds herself back in financial distress. The fact that she now has a criminal record makes it hard for her to make an honest living which, ironically, is the only thing pushing her back into a career of crime.

Because of her own difficult experiences, Xia Zhixing has a lot of empathy for other people in unfortunate circumstances, especially people who ended up in them through no fault of their own. At one point, she makes a HUGE sacrifice for the sake of an innocent child she barely knows.

When she’s not trying to pull off a con, she is not afraid to be herself, even when this might make people uncomfortable. For example, she does not try to hide her criminal past to anybody that she cares about.

Many of her cons revolved around selling fake jewels. During this “job,” she learned a lot about jewelry, and developed an interest in jewelry design. Is this the path to an honest living, or will her past hold her back? Or will she put others’ needs before her own?

The Guys

Much as I love Xia Zhixing, this drama is make even better by a good set of male protagonists.

Guy #1: Zhong Tianqi

He is the black sheep of his rich family. He’s handsome, he speaks French, and he races cars. Most of all, he’s fearless, whether that means defying his father, standing up for what he feels is right, or car racing while blindfolded.

I am not kidding about the blindfolded car race.

He also takes things very, very deeply to heart. That means that, when somebody is important to him, he will dedicate himself to that person 100%. On the other hand, when he feels betrayed, he gets very, VERY nasty (see the above scene where he ruins his ex-girlfriend’s wedding).

It’s a common trope in Taiwanese idol dramas for Guy #1 to turn into a jerk at some point, and in my opinion Zhong Tianqi does this better than any other Guy #1. First of all, it’s clear that he becomes a jerk because of intense personal suffering, but most of all, I like that he’s a colorful jerk. He is the standard to which I hold up all other Guy #1 jerks. If the male protagonist must turn into a jerk, he at least should be as much fun as Zhong Tianqi.

Oh, and he’s also a prince.

Guy #2: Zhong Tianjun

Zhong Tianjun is Zhong Tianqi’s older brother. He is one of the sweetest male characters I have encountered in a Taiwanese drama, He’s patient, forgiving, understanding. He protects people from sexual harassment. And he tries very very hard to be romantic. Oh, and he’s handsome and wealthy.

He’s the perfect romantic hero. In fact, he’s too perfect. That is why there is Guy 2.5.

Guy #2.5: Han Zhiyin

Han Zhiyin is hot celebrity from Thailand who is, ah, flirtatious and promiscuous. However, he finds himself having deeper feelings for her than he’s felt for anyone else. And while he’s a hotshot model, he grew up in the slums of Bangkok, so he can relate to Xia Zhixing’s background in a way that Zhong Tianqi and Zhong Tianjun cannot.

He also does things with as much, if not more, flair than Zhong Tianqi. Then again, as a celebrity, it’s his job to do things with flair.

The Bechdel test highlights the lack of deep female-female relationships in fiction, but in Taiwanese idol dramas, there is also a dearth of male-male relationships too. However, the relationship with the Zhong brothers is quite touching and interesting in its own right, and the relationship between Zhong Tianqi and Han Zhiyin is also quite fun.

Not that female-female relationships are completely neglected. Though Xia Zhixing and Ou Yaruo most certainly are not friends, I actually think their relationship is one of the most intriguing in the entire story.

Ou Yaruo

Ou Yaruo is a jewelry designer who works for the company owned by the Zhong family. She loves her job, she’s a rising designer, and she is Zhong Tianqi’s first love. Seems like she has exactly the kind of life Xia Zhixing wants, doesn’t it?

Well, on the surface that’s the case. But Ou Yaruo has a terrible secret.

Her past is possibly even sadder than Xia Zhixing. Xia Zhixing is an orphan who grew up in poverty, but at least she was cared for by a loving uncle. Instead, Ou Yaruo wishes that she had been an orphan, and least then she would not have been traumatized by her abusive father, who currently is in prison.

She is terrified by the thought that somebody will find out the truth about her family, and that if the truth comes out, she’ll lose career and that the people who love her will hate her. In fact, she is literally willing to kill to protect this secret.

The people close to Xia Zhixing, on the other hand, know that she was a con artist, and that she has a prison record, so she has no dark secret which may cost her livelihood and the love of the people around here.

Ou Yaruo has the career Xia Zhixing wants, and possibly the heart of the man Xia Zhixing is in love with. But Xia Zhixing has the integrity, bravery, and emotional security that Ou Yaruo wishes she had.

But Wait, There’s More…

You have probably figured out by now that this is one of my favorite idol dramas, which meant this post was getting a bit too long. I hope this post has piqued your interest enough to bring you back next week, when I will talk about this drama some more.

Sara K. saw swarms of purple butterflies in Maolin last week. Some of those butterflies flew all the way from Japan. Maolin itself is a gorgeous place. On a different note, she also has a guest post up at Yago.

Viz gets busy; Okazu gets a new home

March 5, 2013 by Brigid Alverson

I talked to Kevin Hamric, director of publishing, marketing, and sales for Viz Media, about his company’s digital program and the logistics of simultaneous U.S./Japan publication of Shonen Jump. Lori Henderson responds by calling on Viz to offer digital manga on 10″ Android tablets.

Viz has been busy lately. Last week, they announced two new box sets, the full run of Bakuman (vols. 1-20 plus the mini-comic Otter #11 and a poster) and the first 23 volumes of One Piece. If you like your manga all in one place these are the products for you; both will be out next fall. Another fall release is an updated My Neighbor Totoro artbook and a new novel, marking the 25th anniversary of Hayao Miyazake’s film.

Reset your bookmarks: Erica Friedman has moved Okazu to its own domain! Go pay her a visit in the new digs, and savor the design by Kuriousity’s Lissa Pattillo. While you’re there, check out her most recent Yuri Network News post.

The Manga Bookshelf bloggers discuss their Pick of the Week.

At Heart of Manga, Laura looks forward to the new shoujo volumes coming in March.

Reviews: Check out the latest round of Bookshelf Briefs at Manga Bookshelf.

Kristin on vols. 1 and 2 of 07-Ghost (Comic Attack)
Anna on vol. 1 of Alice in the Country of Joker: Circus and Liar’s Game (Manga Report)
L.B. Bryant on vol. 1 of Barrage (ICv2)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 1 of Barrage (I Reads You)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 8 of Cross Game (Comics Worth Reading)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 2 of Demon Love Spell (The Comic Book Bin)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 8 of Dorohedoro (The Comic Book Bin)
Lori Henderson on vols. 3 and 4 of Durarara!! (Manga Xanadu)
Sean Gaffney on Emerald and Other Stories (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Erica Friedman on vol. 17 of Hayate x Blade (Okazu)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 21 of Hayate the Combat Butler (The Comic Book Bin)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 21 of Hayate the Combat Butler (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Connie on Message to Adolf, Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms, and Barefoot Gen (Comics Should Be Good)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 14 of Otomen (The Comic Book Bin)
Serdar Yegulalp on vols. 2 and 3 of Paradise Kiss (Genji Press)
Anna on vol. 30 of Skip Beat (Manga Report)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 3 of Strobe Edge (Comics Worth Reading)
Leroy Douresseaux on vol. 11 of Tenjho Tenge (Full Contact Edition) (The Comic Book Bin)
Ken Haley on vol. 2 of Trigun (Comics Should Be Good)

Skip Beat, Vol. 30

March 4, 2013 by Anna N

Skip Beat Volume 30 by Yoshiki Nakamura

I continue to be an absolute fangirl over the current Skip Beat storyline about the Heel siblings. It says a lot that 30 volumes into this series I’m still so excited each time I pick up a new volume. Even with some of my other beloved shoujo series like Boys Over Flowers, I think I was starting to get impatient for things to wrap up around volume 30 but as far as I’m concerned I would be perfectly happy for Skip Beat to continue on indefinitely.

Nakamura is very clever about how she’s structured Skip Beat, because while there are plenty of shoujo series out there that use show business as a superficial setting, she really uses the idea of acting and the challenge of portraying other characters to highlight the inner psychological turmoil of her characters. I begin to get a better sense of why Kyoko and Ren are portraying the abnormally close punked-out Heel siblings. Ren playing a actor playing a role of a violent criminal gives him a certain amount of distance from the role in his new movie, a role that is dangerously close to the person he used to be as Kuon. This volume shows Ren’s legendary control slipping a bit as even with the protective layer of Cain Heel, the self he thought was buried starts to resurface.

Kyoko as Ren’s sibling functions as an important anchor for him, but she’s beginning to get a bit disconcerted by her physical proximity to Ren, and while she is attempting to carry out her real life role as best she can, she isn’t able to stay entirely in character. One of the things I’ve always appreciated about Skip Beat is how visually dynamic it is. There’s an extended action sequence at the start of this volume, but there’s plenty of visual interest as Kyoko and Ren both just process their thoughts about their situation. Ren cycles through different aspects of himself as we see the violent and non-reflective Kuon from the past, the grim Cain Heel role, and then glimpses of present-day Ren slip through the cracks in his performance as he interacts with Kyoko. It is nice to be able to count on Skip Beat for a reliable dose of shoujo manga goodness.

Bookshelf Briefs 3/4/13

March 4, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, MJ, Anna N and Michelle Smith 3 Comments

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

Ai Ore!, Vol. 8 | By Mayu Shinjo | VIZ Media – Ai Ore! is now on hold in Japan while Shinjo works at other projects, which honestly is fine with me, as I’m starting to get really bored with these leads. Rolling back the canon so that they are not sexually active did get rid of some of the more rapey aspects of Akira, which I can only approve of, but it also made him slightly duller. As for Mizuki, I have to regard her as a failure even compared to other weak Shinjo heroines. When the best part of the manga for her is having a mental breakdown at losing her guitar—for 30 pages—you know something’s wrong. That said, there’s nothing actively offensive here like Vol. 1 had. It’s cute and fluffy, and mostly tame. Which is great for generic shoujo manga fans, but a disappointment to those of us who want anything but boring pablum from this artist. It’s sad that I preferred it when it offended me yet kept my interest.– Sean Gaffney

Bakuman, Vol. 18 | By Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata | VIZ Media – With the end of this series quickly approaching, Mashiro and Takagi come very close to achieving their dreams, which is actually more gratifying than I expected. Even Mashiro’s ill-conceived romance now feels like something to root for (though the manga fan in me still balks at the idea of an anime adaptation as his ultimate goal). Now that the series’ leads have become truly likable, it’s much easier to revel in their successes, and this volume offers up a lot to celebrate. Even Hiramaru’s strange romance gets a satisfying boost in this volume, and I came out pretty much adoring Aoki, which was a real surprise for me. An inside look at assistant politics adds excitement as well. Though I’ve long established myself as an addicted fan of this series, it’s nice to see it push through towards the end with such strength and verve. Still recommended.– MJ

BTOOOM!, Vol. 1 | By Junya Inoue | Yen Press – Battle Royale has a lot to answer for, even though I don’t think it anticipated creating its own genre. But “Survival horror” is very big now, and Yen’s High School of the Dead sells well enough that they’ve bought two more series in a similar vein. BTOOOM! is the first, where a NEET who is master of the gaming world but a failure at getting a real job finds himself on a deserted island with only a bunch of bombs and people trying to kill him. He’s also lost his memory, which is helpful as it allows others to explain the plot to him in detail. There’s a hot girl I’ve no doubt we’ll learn more about soon, and a few villains running around. But for the most part, this gives you lots of action, lots of explosions, and the occasional examination of morals surrounded by “who will die next” tension. It’s not breaking any new ground, but it’s perfectly decent at doing what it wants to do.– Sean Gaffney

BTOOOM!, Vol. 1 | By Junya Inoue | Yen Press – While BTOOOM! might not be able to claim the most original premise ever, it is nonetheless fairly entertaining. Unemployed Ryouta Sakamoto, a 22-year-old living with his long-suffering mother, is the best of the best at the online game BTOOOM!, even though his real life is in pretty bad shape. When he wakes, disoriented, on a remote island, he gradually realizes that he’s been drafted into a real-life version of the game, with deadly stakes. Even though a lot of what happens is completely predictable to the reader, and some of Ryouta’s anguished faces as he deliberates moral questions are actually kind of comedic, it’s still a quick and reasonably fun read. I could’ve done without the buxom competitor and the obligatory focus on her crotch, of course, but you can’t win ’em all. – Michelle Smith

Cage of Eden, Vol. 9 | By Yoshinobu Yamada | Kodansha Comics – Speaking of survival horror, it’s time for a new volume of Cage of Eden, which deals with a lot of the same moral lessons. In particular, Zaji and Mariya coming to blows (well, OK, Mariya getting beaten up) over whether they should abandon Kanako, who has been kidnapped by a King Kong-alike. Mariya points out that they’re facing a lethal and intelligent beast, and have to put the safety of the whole party over just one person. Zaji says screw that. This is shounen manga, so Zaji is, of course, correct. Meanwhile, there is a brief reminder that these are a bunch of puberty-stricken teenagers on a deserted island, with both guys and girls taking a poll for best boyfriend/girlfriend. No surprises to see who wins each side. The fanservice continues to be utterly blatant, but the series still clips along and provides what readers want.– Sean Gaffney

Fushigi Yugi: Genbu Kaiden, Vol. 11 | By Yuu Watase | VIZ Media – Oh, the angst! The pain! The total awesomeness! With only one volume left of this fantasy-adventure to go, I can’t help being torn between joy and grief. This is unsurprisingly an action-packed installment, filled with difficult battles, epic emotional drama, and some genuine tragedy. And if some of the series’ primary conflicts are a bit too easily resolved, it’s pretty difficult to calm down one’s adrenaline long enough to notice. Overall, this series offers up a terrific example of the enduring appeal of shoujo adventure stories, and it’s gratifying to see it holding its own alongside the ever-growing stack of high school romances. Now, with the Qu-Dong army approaching and Takiko’s life hanging in the balance, the agonizing wait for volume twelve begins! Highly recommended. – MJ

Jiu Jiu, Vol. 4 | By Touya Tobina | VIZ Media – I could feel my interest in this title start to wane a bit in the third volume, and I’m sad to say that state of affairs is continuing with the fourth. The plot wrinkle for this volume is a sudden Jiu Jiu exchange where Takamichi’s familiars Snow and Night are sent away and replaced with alternates. Takamichi’s reaction to being away from her beloved companions is a sudden increase in her crafting habits, producing far too many dog plushies. Tobina’s art is as stylish as ever and there are some quirky humorous parts of the story, but I’m still not emotionally invested in what might happen to these characters. I’m sure this series has plenty of appeal to some readers because it is generally well-executed and quirky enough to be interesting, but unfortunately I am not one of them. – Anna N

Oresama Teacher, Vol. 13 | By Izumi Tsubaki | VIZ Media – The cover of this title is a lie! It shows Super Bun on the cover, but Mafuyu spends most of her time in this volume as her male alter ego Natsuo. The fact that the juvenile delinquent heroine of this series has secret identities both as a spastic bunny superhero and as a man is why my interest in this comedy manga shows no signs of slowing down even at the thirteenth volume. Mafuyu and her team take on a man-hating member of the student council and there’s a bonus appearance by my favorite character Bancho, which always makes me happy. – Anna N

Pandora Hearts, Vol. 14 | By Jun Mochizuki | Yen Press – Well, wow. I suspected that this volume would be dramatic, but despite my open adoration of this series, I didn’t actually expect it to be so well-executed. Volume fourteen opens with a fairly large plot twist, and then proceeds (with uncharacteristic coherence) to escalate from there. But the greatest joys in this volume are to be found in its relationships, particularly as concerns Vincent, Ada, Gilbert, and Break. That there is enough room for such careful emotional nuance amidst all this series’ action and (girl-aimed) fan service continues to be surprising, but gratifying indeed. That this series is still ongoing means that we’re still in for a long haul, but Mochizuki just continues to get better, and she’s quickly making up for her plotting issues early on. Still recommended with unabashed fangirl glee. – MJ

Pick of the Week: VIZ all around

March 4, 2013 by MJ, Michelle Smith, Sean Gaffney and Anna N 2 Comments

MJ: There’s a lot to choose from this week, including a number of my traditional favorites (Bakuman, Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden), but I’m going to betray everything I thought I knew about myself and pick something from the pen of Mayu Shinjo. That’s right—I’m getting behind Demon Love Spell, the latest volume of which is due out this week. I read volume two for this weekend’s Off the Shelf, and I’ll be damned if it didn’t just charm the heck out of me. Mayu Shinjo, I judged you too soon.

MICHELLE: Given that I have only one more chance to say it after this time… my vote goes to Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden. Events are moving very briskly towards the end!

SEAN: It feels like forever since I’ve PotW’d One Piece, which almost gets taken for granted these days as simply being omnipresent. But there’s a reason why it is so popular (in Japan, at least): it’s amazing fun, week after week, balancing comedy, drama, action, and more comedy. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if it does make it to 100 volumes, even if that might make Viz cry a bit.

ANNA: I would normally go for Genbu Kaiden, which I adore, or Demon Love Spell which I expect to adore when I pick it up. But since those are taken I will go for Oresama Teacher. Bancho forever!!!!!!

Readers, what looks good to you this week?

New licenses from Vertical

March 4, 2013 by Brigid Alverson

Vertical had two new licenses to announce at Genericon last Friday: Kyoko Okazaki’s Pink and Tōru Oikawa’s From the New World, an adaptation of the novel by Yūsuke Kishi.

Johanna Draper Carlson looks at the new shoujo titles announced by Viz, two of which are rated 18+, and wonders if they will be closer to josei than shoujo.

The Manga Bookshelf bloggers discuss this week’s new manga, and MJ and Michelle Smith chat about some recent releases in their Off the Shelf column. And Travis Anderson has a license request: He wants to see the return of The Kindaichi Case Files.

Reviews: Ash Brown looks at a week’s worth of manga reading at Experiments in Manga.

Katherine Hanson on vol. 7 of Aoi Hana (Yuri no Boke)
Anna on vols. 1 and 2 of Barrage (Manga Report)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 4 of A Bride’s Story (Comics Worth Reading)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 1 of BTOOOM! (Comics Worth Reading)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 7 of A Devil and Her Love Song (Comics Worth Reading)
Johanna Draper Carlson on vol. 3 of Limit (Comics Worth Reading)
AstroNerdBoy on vol. 4 of Love Hina (omnibus edition) (AstroNerdBoy’s Anime and Manga Blog)
Laura on vols. 1 and 2 of Missions of Love (Heart of Manga)
Sean Gaffney on Neon Genesis Evangelion: Comic Tribute (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Derek Bown on last week’s issue of Shonen Jump (Manga Bookshelf)
Sean Gaffney on vol. 30 of The Wallflower (A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Barrage, Vols. 1- 2

March 3, 2013 by Anna N

Barrage Vols 1 and 2 by Kouhei Horikoshi

Barrage is a bit of a rarity, a two volume complete shonen series. I tend to read less shonen than shoujo just because of my interests as a reader, but I also have a certain hesitation to commit to a long-running shonen series when there are so many shoujo series that I’m following. I think I enjoyed Barrage more just because at two volumes the story didn’t start to get spun out to the point where the manga overstayed its welcome.

Barrage is very loosely based on The Prince and the Pauper. Astro is a plucky slum kid in a futuristic world called Industria where the humans have completely been overrun by aliens, who function as a version of the mafia on the poor stressed planet. Astro has adopted other orphan kids and tries to hold down a job despite his difficult boss just so he can feed his adopted family. One day an arrogant prince named Barrage gets his attention called to Astro and proposes a switch in identities because the boys look so similar. A stray laser blast promptly sends the prince to his death, and a group of handlers take Astro to the palace. Astro agrees to serve as the prince, and he’s given help in the form of the Knight Tiamat, who is aces at fighting and incredibly frightened of women. Astro also demonstrates an uncanny ability to weild the weapon of the royal house, a bracelet called the Orgue which can transform into a powerful energy weapon based on the wielder’s intentions. The first volume mostly serves as set-up, as Astro takes his place in the palace despite his misgivings, and he learns that he has to travel from town to town to fight off the invading aliens. Astro’s motivation stems mainly from his desire to protect families in any form, and the stress that the aliens place on normal people trying to live their lives is almost unbearable to him. Tiamat is filled with exasperation at having to train a newly minted Prince imposter, but he also has some hope for the new state of affairs as Astro takes his responsibilities much more seriously than the previous prince.

The second volume settles in to more of an in-depth storyline as Astro and Tiamat head to a new town and meet Tiko, a young girl determined to avenge the death of her parents at the hands of the alien invaders. The art for Barrage is generally detailed and interesting, with plenty of variation in the aliens’ character designs. Barrage takes down a mountainous rock-like alien and one that looks a bit like a tadpole. Astro’s past is filled in a bit as he gears up to fight an alien who he previously knew in his life as an orphan. While by the end of the second volume I felt like there could have been at least one more volume of story, things were wrapped up nicely and I enjoyed being able to read a complete, short, shonen series. While there might not be anything super innovative about Barrage, it was fun to read and I thought that using the Prince and the Pauper as a set up made the basic story a bit more interesting that I would otherwise expect.

Neon Genesis Evangelion: Comic Tribute

March 3, 2013 by Sean Gaffney

By Various Artists, based on the franchise created by khara and GAINAX. Released in Japan by Kadokawa Shoten direct to tankobon. Released in North America by Dark Horse.

We’ve been seeing more and more of these doujinshi anthologies over here in North America. Quite common in Japan, both official product and fan-produced, doujinshi in this case doesn’t mean porn featuring the characters (at least not yet; Kadokawa just announced another Eva spinoff and I think they’re running out of other ways to make it work), but getting other artists around the office to draw parody comics making fun of said franchise, with the tacit approval of the creators. Given that Anno is quite happy making fun of his own work, an anthology like this was probably inevitable. But the question is, is it readable?

Well, yes, but only if you’re a hardcore Evangelion fan. As you’d expect, this volume makes absolutely no attempt to interest casual readers, and relies on everyone knowing not only the series itself but also the fandom and cliches regarding said series. The very first story involves the pilots dealing with their public approval rating dropping because they’re whiny and morose, there’s mocking of the fake “episode 26”, Shinji Ikari Raising Project, and even the live-action Eva that was in production at one point. Everyone is equally skewered, though admittedly Shinji gets the majority of the abuse here. And fear not, Eva fans who like to admire the girls, there’s lots of fanservice here, from normal “Ooooh, pretty girl” art from the Macross character designer all the way to leeringly horrible “Look, boobs!” parody as Misato and Ritsuko try to get Shinji to study by dressing in increasingly skimpy outfits.

That said, I feel pretty safe in saying this isn’t for everyone. It’s almost entirely comedy, with only the author of Loveless, Yun Kouga, providing a serious character study towards the end. Much of the humor relies on knowing the other titles the artist is famous for, which is fine if it’s say, the Sgt. Frog artist (who did the cover, of course) but verges towards incomprehensibility when you see artists such as Keiichi Tanaka and Tony Takazaki clearly making use of their own stylistic humor… which is lost on me. Given this is edited by Carl Horn, some liner notes might have been appreciated. Then again, given there’s a Sambo joke towards the end, maybe they were better off without them.

All that said, I did laugh quite a bit while reading this, even if it was sometimes “what the hell, this is so stupid!” laughter. Easily the best bits in here are the ones by Yushi Kawata and Yukito, “Neon Genesis Revolutionary Legend Evangelion”. They get three short chapters all to themselves, so I suspect the editors liked them as well, and have just the right amount of humor, snark, and insanity. Yoko Sanri’s Eva-san (the author of B Gata H Kei) is also fun, an amusing 4-koma Eva that feels like a relaxing breeze amidst all the loud Osaka comedy in this that tries a bit too hard.

I think Evangelion fans will like this, but even for them it may be a bit of a risk, as it’s simply so diffuse. The sort of book you’d describe as madcap. But recommended to Eva fans anyway, provided you don’t mind a lot of making fun of the cast. Oh yes, and Rikdo Koshi does a color page at the start, in case people wondered if my Excel Saga radar hadn’t gone off.