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Comic, Volume 7

August 22, 2009 by MJ 6 Comments

Comic, Vol. 7
By Ha SiHyun
Published by Yen Press

Now that Patrick realizes that the girl Neil has fallen for is his own estranged girlfriend, Alice, he is filled with jealousy as Neil and Alice prepare for the school festival’s three-legged race together. Patrick’s partner in the race is a real surprise as well. Later, Alice is mesmerized when she sees Neil dance but is flustered when he confesses his feelings for her. Both Patrick and Alice experience wavering feelings throughout the volume–Alice for Neil and Patrick (shockingly) for ice queen Daria–but by the end they are both drawn back to each other, even if their timing is astoundingly unfortunate.

I have to admit that I just can’t seem to let go of my disappointment over the fact that this series seems to have entirely dropped its original premise–Alice’s pursuit of a career as a manhwa-ga–in favor of becoming just another high school romance. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a very charming high school romance but it is the story of an aspiring young artist that really made it stand out in the first place, and it is a real shame to have (apparently) lost that for good. This volume did not include even the slightest mention of Alice’s artistic dreams or Patrick’s current profession as a manhwa-ga, as though that had never been part of the story at all. That said, I’m as anxious as anyone to find out what happens in the Alice-Neil-Patrick-Daria love quadrangle and I’ll be counting the days until I’m able to read the next volume.

Neil has become an especially appealing character in this volume and I admit I even considered that it might be nice if Alice actually fell for him, since he would be much less complicated to love than Patrick is. It was especially gratifying to discover that his feelings for Alice hold up even after hearing the truth about their original meeting in the music room. On the other hand, Neil obviously has her propped up on a pedestal and that can rarely end well. Oddly, even Daria comes off well in this volume. Okay, “well” might be an exaggeration but she at least shows some of who she actually is and evokes some real sympathy at long last. Patrick and Alice remain as volatile and dense as all girls’ manhwa couples seem destined to be, which is perfectly fine with me.

Though there isn’t enough forward motion in this volume to satisfy my quest for a romantic conclusion, it is fun, fiery, and emotionally fraught, just as I have come to expect from this type of manhwa, and I mean that in a good way. Though the artwork isn’t as stunning as something like One Thousand and One Nights or even Goong, it has its very nice moments, and the visual storytelling flows quite well.

Though it has lost some of the charm and particular draw of its initial volumes, Comic is still a solid choice for fans of girls’ manhwa.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Nightschool, Volume 1

August 21, 2009 by MJ 1 Comment

By Svetlana Chmakova
Yen Press, 192 pp.
Rating: Teen

As the last of the city’s high school students leave their classes and after school activities, school officials make way for the school’s night students—witches, vampires, and other supernaturally inclined teens who arrive nightly for their own education. Sarah Treveney is the school’s new “Night Keeper” who takes care of the school and its students through the dark hours. She lives with her younger sister, Alex, a young witch (known as a Weirn) who refuses to attend the school due to a mysterious past incident. Sarah teaches her at home but it’s hard to keep tabs on her when she’s working all night, and Alex takes the opportunity to wander outside despite the threat of Hunters—a group of demon trackers who are always on the prowl. Much is left untold in this first volume, but there are strong hints that Alex is more powerful than she knows and perhaps is even possessed by something truly formidable, capable of taking out a full team of Hunters single-handedly. After Sarah disappears during her night shift—so thoroughly that she is erased from all known record—Alex will have to go to the school she so fears in order to get her back.

There are more questions raised than answered in Nightschool‘s first volume, but that is actually one of the series’ best qualities. Information is revealed slowly, organically, and with the kind of sure hand that lets the reader know that all will be revealed in due time. Sarah and Alex’s relationship is nicely established, as are the basic rules of the Nightschool universe, though there is so much to introduce, these 192 pages read like one long introductory chapter. That’s not to suggest that the volume is full of boring exposition. There is plenty going on from the start and each of the story’s main characters and groups of characters possesses real personality from the moment they appear on the page—students, teachers, vampires, Hunters—each deftly introduced amidst the action.

One might even suggest that they are too deftly introduced, or perhaps too carefully so. Though the volume flows very well from moment to moment, there is a sense of something reminiscent of a good Disney film, in which the characters always say just the right words to each other (or aloud to themselves) in order to introduce themselves to the audience. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though it does make the setup feel almost too pat, with Alex cast as the perfect animated heroine—smart, restless, and rebelliously brave with a special inner strength of which even she is not fully aware.

Though Alex is at the center of all the mystery, it is Sarah who is easiest to warm up to in this volume. Her gentle compassion for her students, her obvious love for her little sister, and even her chronic lateness for work are all so endearing, it is honestly devastating when she is snatched out of the world so early in the story. This is brilliant characterization on the author’s part, of course, as the audience is now just as determined to get her back as Alex is. This entire volume, in fact, is perfectly crafted to make the reader desperate for the next one. With a beloved character in peril and so many questions yet unanswered, the second volume can’t appear soon enough.

Truthfully, most of the characters in the story are presented in a sympathetic light so far, including the Hunters so feared by our heroine and her ilk. That the series does not have an obvious villain at this time is definitely a strong point, though considering the way Sarah is removed from the story it seems likely there will be one eventually, perhaps even very soon. Who the Hunters really are is definitely a burning question, along with what or who Alex has lurking inside her. That Alex herself may turn out to be a villain of sorts seems very possible and adds an extra dimension of interest to the proceedings. The lines between good and evil are nicely blurred in Nightschool, creating a compelling, morally gray world that is bursting with potential.

Svetlana Chmakova’s art is as well crafted as her story, particularly in the way she uses her panel layouts. Action moves from one panel to the next seamlessly and with an artful feel, creating powerful action that is easy to follow alongside magical sequences that are often quite beautiful. Her character designs have a sameness about the face—especially the adult women—but they are drawn expressively enough that it doesn’t hinder the storytelling.

Readers who like to have things thoroughly explained as they go will have a rough time with this series but for those of us who enjoy just being swept up in the ride, Nightschool promises to be an eventful one indeed.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at PopCultureShock.

Goong, Volume 6

August 20, 2009 by MJ 5 Comments

Goong, Vol. 6
By Park SoHee
Published by Yen Press

Buy This Book

Convinced that the royal couple’s relationship will improve if they consummate their marriage, the elders trap Chae-Kyung and Shin together overnight, hoping to create a romantic mood. Unfortunately for them this just makes things worse as Shin’s stubbornness causes him to let Chae-Kyung go on believing that he does not care for her and she has too much self respect to lose her virginity under those circumstances, regardless of her own feelings. Confronted by Yul the next morning, who pulls Chae-Kyung in for a hug that is too close for either her comfort or Shin’s, Shin buries himself further by piling on insults and hurtful comments that only cement Chae-Kyung’s pain and feelings of disgust. Not that Yul is in any better position with her by the end of this volume. Though Yul arranges for Chae-Kyung to visit a sick family member, his confession of love only helps open her eyes to his darker motivations, further proving to her that the royal family is one seriously screwed up bunch and making her own unrequited love even more painful as a result.

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Shopping eManga

August 18, 2009 by MJ 19 Comments

It was almost two months ago, when I first started reviewing some DMP titles here, that the folks behind eManga.com asked if I’d review the website itself. Now that I’ve finally taken a good look at the place, I’m sorry it took me so long. With a few small caveats, my experience was very positive and I even discovered some new series I’d like to follow.

The general setup is similar to another pay-to-read website, NETCOMICS, with a few significant differences. While NETCOMICS charges a small fee (25 cents) per chapter for a 48-hour period (with no option to buy long-term), eManga charges by the volume–between 200 points (approximately $2) and 600 points (or less, if one takes advantage of their current sale), depending on the series. Manga released on their June imprint seems to be the cheapest, followed by 801 Media, with titles from DMP’s primary imprint coming in on top. Single volumes can be “rented” for a 72-hour period or purchased (not for download, but for unlimited online access) for an additional fee. Anything rented for a second time is automatically considered a lifetime purchase. Though the price per volume is nicely affordable, it should be mentioned that the minimum purchase is 500 points, so if you’re only interested in one low-price volume, there’s no way to buy only that.

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The Magic Touch, Volume 3

August 17, 2009 by MJ 2 Comments

I have a review in the most recent installment of On The Shojo Beat over at Manga Recon for volume three of The Magic Touch. I previously reviewed the first volume and unfortunately it’s become less interesting to me as the story has progressed. I still have hope, however, that this series could gather up its perfectly good shojo romance elements and make something better of them.

Also in this column, Michelle reviews volume one of Blackbird, a manga I also found myself enjoying against my better judgement.

Enjoy!

The Magic Touch, Vol. 3

August 16, 2009 by MJ Leave a Comment

magictouch3 By Izumi Tsubaki
Viz, 200 pp.
Rating: T+ (Older Teen)

Volume three opens as Chiaki and the other members of the Massage Research Society begin a massage competition along with students from several other schools, including Mihime, a boy who made Chiaki collapse with only the power of his voice. The students compete vigilantly (if not always fairly) and Chiaki is feeling the pressure by the end, only to be revived by the appearance of Yosuke, whose presence reminds her how much she loves massage. This volume also contains some wackiness involving a rival school’s newspaper, Mihime’s odd obsession with Chiaki (and his oddness in general), and another student’s mistaken gender identity, but the real story in the last half of the volume revolves around Chiaki’s realization that her feelings for Yosuke may extend beyond her desire to massage him.

What’s frustrating about this series is that though it possesses all the crucial elements of a fun shojo romance—a heroine and hero with real chemistry, a unique premise, and a likable cast of supporting characters—it seems to go out of its way to focus on the least interesting aspects of those things. The relationship between the two leads has remained largely stagnant since the first volume, the massage club premise has become tedious and alternately ludicrous and cerebral, and the believability of the supporting characters has been pushed far beyond normal limits. Only three volumes in, the series still has a chance to recover itself and take advantage of the potentially successful elements with which it began, but for the moment it remains a fundamentally unsatisfying read.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at PopCultureShock.

Black Bird 1 by Kanoko Sakurakoji: B-

August 16, 2009 by Michelle Smith

Misao Harada has always been able to see spirits, but when she turns sixteen, things suddenly get a lot worse. Kyo Usui, her childhood friend and first love, returns after a ten-year absence just in time to inform her that she is “the bride of prophecy,” and that now that she is sixteen, all sorts of demons are going to want to drink her blood, eat her flesh, and/or marry (read: sleep with) her, all of which will confer some benefit to the demon, be it eternal youth or prosperity for his/her clan. Kyo is a demon himself—a tengu, as it turns out—and appoints himself Misao’s protector, fending off other demons while pressuring her to become his bride.

There are several very good reasons why I shouldn’t like Black Bird. In the first place, it’s another supernatural romance where the somewhat ditzy heroine is possessed of delicious-smelling blood that inspires the hottest guys around to fight over her. In the second, Misao’s childhood memories of Kyo have left her waiting for some guy to show up and protect her from the spirits who’re harrassing her. And thirdly, when Kyo does arrive to perform that function, he does things like fly up into the air with Misao (who is scared of heights) in his arms in order to encourage her to cling to him, saying, “You can’t live without me. I have to teach your body that.” Creepy! That’s just a step away from, “Why are you making me hurt you?” in my book.

And yet, I did like Black Bird, at least more than I’d expected to. Misao, though she’s weak in some ways, is adamant about not becoming Kyo’s bride—even though she’s attracted to him—because she believes he’s only interested in the prosperity that sleeping with her would grant his clan. These doubts also come into play for some fine drama later on when a tricky kitsune (fox demon) arrives and points out that it’s likely not a coincidence that Kyo was Misao were childhood friends, that Kyo must’ve been establishing that early relationship in order to foster a preference for him in Misao’s mind down the road. The notion that her precious memories might all be a sham leads Misao to push Kyo away, though of course he persists in protecting her anyway. It’s angsty, but good.

Sakurakoji’s artwork is attractive, and even though Misao and the rest of the cast boast rather humdrum character designs, Kyo really stands out, making it easy to see why Misao would be so captivated by him. Also, while I’m genuinely not one for smutty scenes, the ones in Black Bird rely more on suggestion than explicit detail, making them all the more sexy.

In the end, Black Bird really is nothing more than your standard wish-fulfillment fantasy. And I think I’m okay with that.

Black Bird is published in English by VIZ. The series is still ongoing in Japan, where eight volumes have been released so far.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.

Crimson Hero 11 by Mitsuba Takanashi: B

August 16, 2009 by Michelle Smith

The Crimson High girls’ volleyball team has made it to the third round of the Newcomers’ Tournament and is facing its first serious challenge. Things are going well and they win the first set, but when the opposing team intentionally wounds Crimson High’s star setter, there’s no one who can fill in. Instead, the Crimson High girls rearrange their strategy to protect their injured teammate and refuse to give up. Their spirit of camaraderie and teamwork inspires their rivals, who are, of course, actually sympathetic girls being led astray by an unaccountably obnoxious coach.

Okay, yes, I completely admit that Crimson Hero can be sappy at times. This whole volume seems calculated to make one verklempt, be it the way that the most inexperienced member of the team demonstrates her growth by scoring the winning point or how the girls from the other team come to regret the way they’ve abandoned their friendships in pursuit of the number one spot on the team. Transparent manipulation like this would usually annoy me, but it just works so well in a sports manga that I can forgive it.

There’s also a little progress on the romantic front. It seems that one of the boys who likes Nobara might still have feelings for his ex-girlfriend, but it’s really nothing to get excited about. I’m just here for the volleyball.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.

Ze, Volumes 1-2

August 16, 2009 by MJ 7 Comments

Ze, Volumes 1-2
By Yuki Shimizu
Published by 801 Media
Buy these books

Left on his own after the death of his grandmother, Raizou Shichikawa, a student at the local culinary school, is brought to work as a live-in cook and housekeeper for the Mitou family–a wealthy household with a very strange secret. Initially shocked by the inhabitants’ overt sexual behavior towards one another, Raizou quickly discovers that the household is made up of two types of people: “kotodama-sama,” who are born with the ability to use kotodama (the power of words), mainly to deliver curses for hire, and “kami-sama” who are actually not people at all, but instead human-like dolls made of paper who exist to absorb the injuries sustained by their masters each time they perform a curse. The injuries may be transferred from kotodama-sama to kami-sama either by using kotodama or through contact with the “mucus membranes.” In other words, the injuries are transferred primarily by sexual contact. Additionally, the kotodama/kami pairings must all be homosexual.

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Fairy Tail 7 by Hiro Mashima: B+

August 15, 2009 by Michelle Smith

From the back cover:
Fairy Tail’s rival guild, Phantom Lord, has taken the competition to dangerous levels by smashing the Fairy Tail building and nearly killing three wizards. What is Fairy Tail’s response? A full-frontal assault on Phantom Lord! But this clash is all part of the Phantom Lord’s evil plot to capture a coveted prize.

Review:
Volume seven of Fairy Tail is a lot of fun. The battle between Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord continues on, and not only are some nifty villains introduced on the Phantom Lord side, we also learn more about some members of Fairy Tail who’ve remained in the background thus far. True, a couple of the chapters could be summarized as “Mirajane and Elfman have angst,” but it’s about time some of these folks got some attention.

Showcasing the new faces on both sides means Mashima gets to show off his talent for devising interesting new magical abilities. The most devastating new power to be introduced in this volume is called “drain,” wielded by a wind magic user, which essentially blows a person’s powers right out of them. Elfman turns out to have a pretty cool ability too, and now that he’s overcome his angst enough to use it, I wonder whether he’ll figure more prominently in the story from now on.

Lastly, I must commend Mashima for not taking this in the exact direction I was expecting. I was dreading another entry into the “our heroine is kidnapped by the enemy and our heroes bravely battle to retrieve her” school of shounen plotting, but Lucy surprised me by escaping her confinement pretty quickly. Everyone does still battle because they refuse to hand her over, but at least she wasn’t wholly passive about it.