Features

Manga the Week of 9/25

September 19, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 1 Comment

SEAN: A surprisingly huge last week of the month. Shall we get right down to it?

Archaia has their new modern adaptation of Cyborg 009 debuting this week. I recall the old 60s series when Tokyopop took a flyer on it, and it was fun if very ‘a product of its time’. It’s a series that a modern retelling, getting rid of some of the racism and sexism, could really work wonders. Intriguing.

ASH: I’ve already got my copy of this one. I haven’t read it yet, but I can say this–Archaia’s Cyborg 009 has one of the coolest book designs that I’ve seen in quite a while.

SEAN: Kodansha continues the speedup of Attack on Titan with Vol. 7, which reminds you that the series can still be really, really brutal.

ASH: Yes it can! If Attack on Titan has one thing going for it, it’s the series’ intensity. And tragic deaths.

MICHELLE: I feel very wrong that “tragic deaths” has seriously made me consider Attack on Titan.

ANNA: I feel the same way. What is the ratio of tragic deaths to non-tragic deaths per volume?

MJ: I also would like to see some statistics on this. Yes.

SEAN: Also, lest you think there’s only omnibuses, there’s the 18th volume of Battle Angel Alita: Last Order.

And speaking of speedups, here’s Fairy Tail 30, which wraps up its very long S-class arc, and has a major plot shift that affects… well, not quite everything.

I admit I sometimes miss things coming out via Picturebox and their cadre of indie manga releases. Here’s a new one called World Map Room, which I know nothing about.

ASH: Picturebox is a publisher that has really caught my eye this year. I don’t always enjoy Yuichi Yokoyama’s manga, but I can certainly appreciate his draftsmanship and experimental work.

MJ: Agreed. I’m very interested in what they’re doing.

SEAN: I had assumed that Dictatorial Grimoire: Cinderella was another series from Quin Rose in the Alice in the Etc Etc. vein, but apparently not. This is from Media Factory’s oddball shoujo-ish Comic Gene, and is a Grimm’s Fairy Tales rewrite, in a way.

MICHELLE: Huh. I’m feeling a little oversaturated with fairy tail adaptations, though.

ANNA: I love fairy tale adaptations! Not sure if I will check it out although content from oddball shoujo-ish magazines sounds promising.

MJ: Well, huh. This does sound like my kind of thing!

SEAN: Alice in the Country of Clover: Cheshire Cat Waltz is almost finished, I believe, but not quite, so here’s more Boris and Vol. 6.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin has been one of my most awaited titles of 2013, with every volume desperately needing to get into my hands as quickly as possible. Vol. 3 is called Ramba Ral!

ASH: I’ve been very impressed by Vertical’s edition of The Origin. It’s a great manga and a gorgeous release. Plus, I’m a fan of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s manga.

MICHELLE: I’m enjoying it, too!

ANNA: I am so happy that Vertical is putting out this series.

SEAN: If you’d told me a few years ago Vertical would be licensing a Young Animal title, I’d have laughed. But here we are. Sickness Unto Death is along the lines of Flowers of Evil, but only 2 short volumes. The first ships this week.

ASH: I’m very curious about this one.

MICHELLE: I don’t know what to think about it.

MJ: I’m always interested in what Vertical has to offer, so count me in!

SEAN: Are You Alice? has a 2nd volume that may potentially have something comprehensible happen, which Vol. 1 lacked, in my opinion.

And The Betrayal Knows My Name, a series that feels like it should be Wings but is instead in Asuka (which is becoming the new Wings), hits Vol. 6, and has lots of reincarnation romance.

MJ: I have been shamelessly addicted to this series ever since my holiday marathon read last year. More, more!

SEAN: A Bride’s Story really picked up for me with the introduction of the twins in Vol. 4, so seeing their wedding in this new volume is definitely high on my list of things to do.

ASH: I’m always happy to see a new volume of Kaoru Mori’s A Bride’s Story! (Now, if we could only get Emma back into print, too…)

MICHELLE: Someday I will have time to read this.

ANNA: Me too. I need to catch up. The first two volumes were lovely.

MJ: I adore this series, and I’m very excited about the wedding! Hurray!

SEAN: Kieli hits Vol. 9… of the novels, that is. Don’t get your novels and manga mixed up, especially from Yen, which tends to license both more than most companies.

The regular old manga may be ending in Japan, but its gag spinoff continues, as we see the 7th volume of The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya.

Lastly, Soul Eater hits sweet 16, and will likely start spinning out new plot threads here to see what sticks. Always fun.

What’s whetting your appetite?

MICHELLE: Isn’t Goong 13 coming out too this week, now that I think about it? At least, Amazon has it with the same date as the other Yen, and I just got it in a box of review copies (yay!).

ANNA: eeeeeeeee!

MJ: YAY GOONG YAY!

SEAN: It’s still hard for me to remember Korean books…

My Week in Manga: September 9-September 15, 2013

September 16, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I posted two reviews here at Experiments in Manga last week. The first was for Yusuke Kishi’s novel of horror and survival The Crimson Labyrinth. Currently The Crimson Labyrinth is the only work by Kishi available in English, but Vertical will begin releasing the manga adaptation of his novel From the New World later this year. (The same From the New World recently had an anime adaptation, too.) I also posted my latest Blade of the Immortal review–Blade of the Immortal, Volume 25: Snowfall at Dawn. The last few volumes of Blade of the Immortal have been building up to the showdown between Shira and Manji; finally the time has arrived when they face each other.

There were a couple of interesting things that I came across online last week. First, there was an interview with Annaliese Christman, a freelance letterer for Viz Media. I didn’t know much about lettering, so I found it to be a very interesting read. The other item I wanted to mention was Dan Kanemitsu’s examination of the impact the upcoming Tokyo Olympics may have on censorship in Japan–Fear and Loathing in the Bold New Olympic Era. (Too long, didn’t read? CBLDF has a nice overview of the article with some additional commentary–Tokyo Olympics Emboldens Censors.)

Quick Takes

Fairy Tail, Volume 29 by Hiro Mashima. This is only the second volume of Fairy Tail that I’ve had the opportunity to read in its entirety. At this point my general impression is that it’s a fun, but rather generic series. I just can’t seem to shake the feeling that I’ve seen it all before. I do like the variety of magic styles, though. Most of the twenty-ninth volume focuses on the battle between five young members of the Fairy Tail guild and Hades, the guild’s former grandmaster. Although not entirely unexpected, there were some great moments during fight that really show off the group’s teamwork. Fairy Tail moves along quickly with plenty of battles and action sequences. For the most part, Mashima’s art works nicely. However, all of the cuts and scratches that the characters end up with over the course of their fights make them look like they all have scales, which is a little odd. Although for some characters, like Natsu with his dragon abilities, it’s rather appropriate.

Nana, Volumes 16-18 by Ai Yazawa. The more of Yazawa’s manga that I read, the more I am impressed by it. Nana is a fantastic series. The characters are complex and multilayered; the story is dramatic and absorbing without being overwrought. These particular volumes deal just a little less with the music industry and the bands as a whole. Instead, they delve more into the characters’ personal lives. Particularly important is the revelation of Nana and Shin’s pasts as well as their less than ideal family circumstances–something that proves to be very problematic. Also included in these volumes are two lengthy side stories. One shows Nobu and Nana’s relationship back when they were in school together. Similarly, Takumi’s complicated feelings for Reira is the focus of the other. The side stories are a really nice addition to Nana, giving the story even more depth. They show the importance of the characters’ relationships and how they developed over time to become what they are in the series proper. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of Nana.

Saiyuki Reload, Volumes 7-9 by Kazuya Minekura. While the early part of the series seemed directionless, by the end of Saiyuki Reload Minekura has a great narrative drive going. Some of the plot elements and storylines do unfortunately seem to have been dropped or forgotten (though perhaps she pulls them all back in for the finale) but the manga does benefit from having a stronger focus. What is particularly interesting about these volumes is that the yokai’s side of the conflict is shown in more detail. Although there have been exceptions, for the most part the yokai have simply been the series’ monsters. Minekura makes it very clear here that the yokai are really not all that different from humans and that it is the humans who are sometimes the real monsters. Looking back, this has actually been one of the recurring themes in the series. Although Saiyuki Reload is ten volumes long, only nine volumes were ever released in English. It’s particularly tragic since the ninth volume ends on one heck of a cliffhanger.

Smut Peddler by Various. Smut Peddler had its beginnings as a three-issue indie minicomic series back in 2003. In 2012, Smut Peddler returned as a full-length anthology collecting twenty-six short erotic comics. Smut Peddler is a phenomenal collection of sex-positive, lady- and queer-friendly comics. I was particularly happy to see the diversity included in the anthology, not only in terms of the characters’ various identities but in genre as well. Smut Peddler contains science fiction and fantasy as well as reality-based works, both historical and contemporary. The stories are short, sexy, and sweet. Some are more serious and others are more humorous, but they are all heartfelt. I was previously familiar with and already follow the work of many of the creators included in the anthology, but there were plenty of artists and writers who I was encountering for the first time. (I now have even more creators I want to seek out.) Work has already begun on a second Smut Peddler anthology, currently scheduled for release in 2014. I can’t wait.

Velveteen & Mandala by Jiro Matsumoto. Reading Velveteen & Mandala was a rather odd experience for me. I was consistently engaged while I was reading it, but I wasn’t sure that I actually liked it. But after finishing Velveteen & Mandala I couldn’t seem to get it out of my head which to me is a sign of a good manga. The more I think about it, the more I want to read it again–it’s like a lingering and intense fever-dream (or nightmare.) Velveteen & Mandala is a very strange horror manga with strong psychological elements, extremely black humor, frequent pop culture references, and characters who all seem to be at least slightly insane. The ending’s big twist was something that I suspected from the very beginning of Velveteen & Mandala but that doesn’t make it any less effective. Velveteen & Mandala easily earns it’s 18+ rating–it’s gruesome, violent, and sexually explicit. The manga’s off-beat, weird, and bizarre horror and humor definitely aren’t for everyone, but if you can stomach it Velveteen & Mandala is a strangely intriguing work.

Manga the Week of 9/18

September 12, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown and MJ 3 Comments

SEAN: Three weeks this September have a huge pile of manga, one is merely a small pile. This is that week. (Though some may get Yen titles one week early via Diamond.)

Genshiken has continued to prove that if you have a good enough ensemble cast, it doesn’t matter who the ‘lead character’ or stars are. It rotates students in, it rotates students out. Well, OK, Madarame and his not-quite-harem continue to be the focus of the 2nd Season. Vol. 3 is out this week.

MICHELLE: I must admit that I have never read any Genshiken.

ASH: I haven’t read any of the second season yet, but I did rather enjoy the Genshiken omnibuses. Guess I’ll need to catch up!

MJ: I’ve always been interested in this title, but missed picking up the first season, so I’ve never managed to get into it. I would like to rectify that at some point!

SEAN: The other Kodansha title, Sherlock Bones, you may at first glance think is meant for younger readers, especially once you see the premise “Sherlock Holmes reincarnated as a dog”. That said, I think there may be something I can do to tempt old-school mystery and manga fans to get this volume: “From the creator of Kindaichi Case Files.”

MICHELLE: … and also !!! That certainly tempts me!

MJ: What she said!

SEAN: Everyone knows that old-school manga titles are not really looked at by companies anymore. UNLESS… they’re by the late director Satoshi Kon, aka Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers, etc. Tropic of the Sea was a single-volume manga he did for Kodansha’s Young Magazine in 1990, and it’s at the start of his career, before he became famous for other things. It promises to be riveting, from what I hear.

ASH: I’m really looking forward to Tropic of the Sea. That cover is simply gorgeous and the interior art I’ve seen is also striking.

MJ: I’m very interested in this as well.

SEAN: Bokurano: Ours must still have cast members to kill off in a tragic yet heartwarming and life-affirming way, as the series is still going. Here’s Vol. 9 from Viz, whose continued support of the SigIKKI line I will always appreciate.

MICHELLE: I’ve fallen somewhat behind on Bokurano: Ours, but I do like it.

SEAN: Lastly, Ooku: The Inner Chambers has a new volume. We’re caught up with Japan, and the series doesn’t come out all that rapidly anymore. But this just makes this alternate world tale of court intrigue a rare treat.

MICHELLE: Yay, more Ooku!

ASH: Indeed! Hooray for more Ooku!

MJ: Insert additional cheers here!

SEAN: What manga dost thou wish to acquire on the morrow?

It Came from the Sinosphere: State of Divinity (Part 2)

September 10, 2013 by Sara K. Leave a Comment

Picking up from last week, here is even more State of Divinity.

Background

This is a TVB production.

TVB Hong Kong’s (and the Cantonese-speaking world’s) biggest commercial television station, and one of the most popular television production companies in all of Asia. Their hit shows get dubbed in Vietnamese Indonesian, Hindi, Mandarin, Thai, and other widely major languages.

In wuxia, ‘TVB’ is a legendary name. Many people around Asia (and in Asian communities abroad) first got hooked onto wuxia due thanks to a TVB production. TVB has also been a launching point for the careers of many of Hong Kong’s top actors. In particular, the 1980s is known as the ‘golden era’ of TVB wuxia dramas.

Chow Yun-Fat as Linghu Chong and Rebecca Chan as Ren Yingying from the 1984 TV adaptation.

Well, this drama, State of Divinity, was made in the 1990s, after the ‘golden era’. Yet on every single list I have ever seen ranking wuxia dramas from the 1990s, State of Divinity is always in first or second place. This is actually the second time that TVB has adapted this novel – the first adaptation was The Smiling Proud Wanderer 1984, starring Chow Yun-fat as Linghu Chong. Yet, in spite of the fact that The Smiling Proud Wanderer 1984 was made in the golden 80s, every single reviewer says that State of Divinity is much, much better.

This is also TVB’s last adaptation of this novel – in 2000, Jin Yong revoked TVB’s license to adapt his work.

The Visuals

State of Divinity is not ugly. At times, it’s pretty. But if you compare it to Laughing in the Wind, which is probably the most beautiful TV drama I have ever seen, it will lose really, really badly. Therefore I will be merciful, and not compare them.

Shenggu is wearing a veil as she walks out of a burning building.

I do like this dramatic shot.

Yilin and the Hengshan Sect

I think Yilin, the young Buddhist nun, might be one of the most under-appreciated characters in the story. Almost nobody takes her because she’s just a teenage girl, and as well all know, teenage girls – particularly teenage girls with strong feelings combined with doubt – are by default silly. But if you actually think about what she says and what she does … it actually does not seem so silly after all, at least not to me.

She says that if doing the right thing would mean going to hell, then she would willingly spend an eternity in hell. Think about that for a moment. If she things that doing the right thing *might* send her to hell, that means that she does not consider the Buddhist world order to be perfectly just. While her religion heavily influences her sense of ethics, she thinks it does not have the final word on what is right and what is wrong. And she is so committed to doing the right thing that she would be willing to go to hell for it.

Can you bribe someone who is willing to go to hell in order to do the right thing? Can you threaten them?

In this respect, Yilin and Linghu Chong are very much alike. For most of the story, Linghu Chong believes that he is going to die quite soon, so whenever somebody tries to bribe/threaten him, his standard response is ‘I am going to die soon, so why should I care?’

The nuns of the Hengshan Sect

And then there is the doubt. Her religious order tells her on thing, her father tells her another thing, and then there are the feelings inside her own heart that she doesn’t completely understand. It is therefore quite reasonable that she is not sure what to do, and she is humble enough to recognize this. However, in the deepest levels of her heart, I think she has no doubt that she wants to do the right thing, it is merely a question of what the ‘right’ thing actually is.

Of course, Yilin is part of the Hengshan Sect, which is the voice of morality in the story. And many of the issues specific to Yilin also apply to the whole sect. The Hengshan sect is an order of Buddhist nuns who have taken vows to live a simple life and do no harm. While many characters publicly praise the Hengshan Sect for their upright way of life, they privately hold contempt for that ‘bunch of nuns’. I think this partially because the nuns are women, but I think it’s also because, by putting morality and humility first, they silently critique anybody whose goal is to amass power and prestige.

It’s interesting to note that, while the Hengshan Sect has many rules, whenever those rules come into conflict with what’s right, they always bend the rule and do what’s right. This is something which almost no other group in the story will do – and indeed the Hengshan Sect gets heavily criticised for bending its rules. How dare they put ethics first! Silly women!

Laughing in the Wind removes much of Yilin’s and the Hengshan Sect’s role in the story, and I understand why – its interpretation of the story doesn’t need them so much. State of Divinity, on the other hand, really does justice to Yilin and the Hengshan Sect. They are a crucial part of State of Divinity’s humanistic vision.

The Thick, Deep Humanity of It All

One thing that is really striking about this drama is the depth of the human relationships.

For example, more than any other version of this story I’ve experienced (including the original novel), this TV show establishes really well the relationships within the Huashan Sect. While
they certainly aren’t a perfect ‘family’, overall, it feels like a tight, warm group.

Linghu Chong is injured. Again. Never fear, the Huashan Sect looks after its own.

Of course, this makes the eventual fate of the Huashan Sect all the more heartbreaking.

And then there is Zuo Lengshan. Unlike most of the ‘villains’, he doesn’t seem to have any redeeming qualities. Yet in this adaptation, he feels human. That’s not to say he is *not* a villain – his actions, after all, are pretty much the same as in every other version of the story. But it feels like there is a human being behind those actions, rather than a mere ‘bad guy’.

Zuo Lengshan is puzzled.

I think what made the difference to me was the very first episode, where Zuo Lengshan was pondering something which puzzled him. Something about that very simple act – trying to figure out a something he doesn’t understand – made Zuo Lengshan feel like a genuine person.

Indeed, it seems much of the artistic directive in this TV drama was to make everybody feel like a real person. For example, there is an entire new subplot which is added just to explain why Yue Lingshan acts a certain way (she does the same thing in most versions of the story, but it usually difficult to buy it).

Yue Lingshan

Clearly, the actors put a lot of work into making their characters feel genuine, and to make their connections feel authentic. In addition to the actors work, there’s also the work of the camera operators and editors – I didn’t realize just how much of this TV show consists of meaningful glances and reaction shots until I translated that scene for Part 1. It all works really, really well.

The Bad Gender Baggage

Alas, there is a huge exception to the story’s humanistic vision, and that’s the way it handles non-binary/cis gender. Or, if I may be blunt, it’s transmisogynist.

During the course of the story, four characters lose their testicles. One of them loses his testicles in an ‘ordinary’ way – while he loses his interest in sex, his voice doesn’t change, and he generally still seems fairly masculine. This is consistent with what happens in the real world to people who lose their testicles post-puberty.

The other three, however (I am making up a term in order to avoid spoilers) ‘go through the mork’. In addition to losing their genitalia, they become stereotypically feminine – they develop an interest in pretty clothes, make-up, embroidery, etc. Clearly this is due to ‘going through the mork’, not just the absence of their testicles.

The thing is, these three characters happen to be villains.

Now, in some versions of the story, you could argue that they were evil *before* they ‘went through the mork’, and that it’s just a coincidence that the characters transitioning from male to female are all evil. Well, in State of Divinity that argument doesn’t hold – it clearly depicts the characters becoming *more* evil after they ‘go through the mork’. Now you could say that it’s just a coincidence that the same thing which makes them evil also makes them feminine … but that’s not what the characters in the story think (to paraphrase Ren Yingying ‘Don’t trust him because he’s a neither male nor female freak’).

I actually like Henry Lo’s performance. It’s not his fault that the story is transmisogynist.

Believe me, I have tried to interpret this story in a way which is not transmisogynist … and basically the only two ways to pull that off is a) change the story (which is what Laughing in the Wind does to reduce the transmisogyny) or b) not be honest with myself.

Some people might excuse the transphobia/transmisogyny by saying that it was written in the 1960s. My response is that Liang Yusheng managed to write an wuxia novel in 1960s Hong Kong with a transwoman character *without* implying that MtF people are evil. If he could do it, why not Jin Yong?

I am really disappointed that such a great story is also transmisogynist.

If Laughing in the Wind is a Work of Art, then State of Divinity Is a Cat

As I’ve described before, Laughing in the Wind feels like it’s been curated by somebody with impeccable artistic taste. Part of the joy of watching that show is wondering what exquisite delight is coming next, for the TV show manages to get the viewer to trust its artistic sense pretty quickly.

State of Divinity is not like that. It does not dazzle the audience with its refined elegance. It feels like a typical wuxia TV show – just as the opening theme song announces. It submits itself so entirely to being a standard wuxia TV show that it has become a ‘cat’.

The actress Uta Hagen says in the book Respect for Acting that, if you put an adult human on stage with an animal, such as cat, or a very young child, then the audience will probably pay more attention to the animal/young child than the adult human. That’s because animals/young children are not very stage conscious, and will probably act more authentically than adults who have been trained to monitor themselves. Uta Hagen said that her goal, as a performer, is to always be more fascinating to watch than a cat.

State of Divinity is so true to what it is that it sucks the viewers in and holds onto them tightly. I actually cannot think of another TV show – in any language and any genre – which excels State of Divinity in this specific respect.

And I Still Have More to Say…

So come back next week!

My Week in Manga: September 2-September 8, 2013

September 9, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Last week I announced the Blood Lad Giveaway Winner. The post also includes a list of manga licensed in English that feature vampires, too, if you’re looking for something to sink your teeth into. I posted two reviews last week in addition to the giveaway announcement. The honor of the first in-depth manga review for September goes to Shigeru Mizuki’s Kitaro. The manga collects stories from the first three volumes of Mizuki’s yokai classic GeGeGe no Kitaro. I absolutely loved it. I also reviewed Manga: Introduction, Challenges, and Best Practices, edited by Manga Bookshelf’s own MJ and presented by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It’s a great resource and recommended for anyone wanting to learn a bit more about manga. The book’s general release is in December, but it is possible to purchase an early copy directly from CBLDF.

Elsewhere online, Vertical’s licensing and reader survey is now open and will close on September 25. It’s a great way to let Vertical know what you’re reading. If you want you can even suggest manga you’d like to see Vertical publish in English. Related to Vertical manga, Matt Cycyk at Matt Talks About Manga has a nice post about Knights of Sidonia and why fans of Attack on Titan might want to check the series out–Attack on Sidonia: Selling Knights of Sidonia to Attack on Titan Fans. And speaking of manga, I was amused to come across the article Attack on Titan’s author causes a stir with his less-than-stellar sketches at RocketNews24. (Amused since I’m used to hearing complaints about the artwork in Attack on Titan and didn’t realize it was something so shocking.)

Quick Takes

Battle Angel Alita: Last Order, Omnibus 1-2 (equivalent to Volumes 1-6) by Yukito Kishiro. Although I have been aware of Battle Angel Alita for quite some time I haven’t read any of the manga until now. Last Order is the original series’ immediate successor, serving as a sort of alternate ending. It’s still ongoing in Japan. The manga is a little difficult to jump into without already having some familiarity with the franchise; I frequently found myself confused why certain characters were important to the story and what their motivations were. But by the time I reached the second omnibus I had started to settle into the series and even began to enjoy myself. I like Last Order best when Kishiro isn’t trying to be too serious with the story and focuses more on the action–cyborg battles, ancient Martian martial arts, space karate, and so on. Alita is an appealing lead, but at the moment I think I like the more erratic and unruly supporting character Sechs even better.

Chi’s Sweet Home, Volume 10 by Konami Kanata. I can always count on Chi’s Sweet Home to bring a smile to my face. Kanata’s color work is lovely and Chi is adorable. I grew up around a lot of cats and continue to be surrounded by them, so I can particularly appreciate Chi’s antics. And with the tenth volume of Chi’s Sweet Home, there are even more kittens romping around–Cocchi and Chi have befriended a pair of sibling kittens. Kanata captures the attitudes and behavior of cats perfectly. Chi has finally come to the realization that she’s a not a human, but she still has a far way to go before mastering all the skills expected of a feline. In many ways Chi’s Sweet Home is very episodic, but there’s also the underlying story of Chi being separated from her original family. By the end of the tenth volume it looks as though she may be getting closer to finding her mother. (She’s easily distracted, though.) Generally the series is funny and sweet, but there’s a bit of sadness and drama, too.

Diary of Sangchul by Hajin Yoo. Two side stories from Yoo’s Totally Captivated boys’ love manhwa were released in English. One of those is Diary of Sangchul, which is a prequel to the main series. It’s not absolutely necessary to have read Totally Captivated in order to enjoy Diary of Sangchul, but the manhwa will probably appeal most to those who have. The majority of the volume is devoted Sangchul’s story through which is shown Mookyul’s rise to power and how he earns the respect of the men who work under him. Dairy of Sangchul also reveals more about Mookyul’s relationship with the Chairman (who looks a lot younger here than he does in the original series.) Diary of Sangchul dovetails quite nicely with Totally Captivated. There is also a short manhwa about Mookyul and the Chairman’s first meeting included in the volume. In the epilogue Yoo goes on to outline the rest of their story. I’m not sure if she ever drew it, but I’m okay if she didn’t–it’s extraordinarily melodramatic.

Helter Skelter: Fashion Unfriendly by Kyoko Okazaki. I’m always happy to see more josei released in English, but I was especially excited for Okazaki’s debut. Okazaki is a particularly influential josei artist. (The marvelous Moyoco Anno even once worked as her assistant.) The award-winning Helter Skelter is a harsh and brutal tale about the darker side of the entertainment industry. Thanks to drastic and repeated plastic surgery, Liliko is enjoying the height of her career as a celebrity but the operations can only take her so far. As her body begins to deteriorate her life begins to spin out of control. Her obsessions and society’s unrealistic expectations drive her to extremes; in the end she isn’t the only one ruined. Helter Skelther is an startling work. Even though the characters are often unlikeable, the manga is extremely engaging; it’s hard to look away from their unraveling. Helter Skelter works simply as fiction, but it can also be read as a deeper criticism of celebrity culture.

Manga the Week of 9/11

September 5, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, Anna N and MJ 3 Comments

SEAN: Manga is here, let’s to’t.

Dark Horse has the 27th volume of Blade of the Immortal, one of Dark Horse’s long-running prestige manga titles. It’s still badass.

ASH: That it is! Blade of the Immortal was one of the first manga series that I started reading and I’m still hooked on it.

MICHELLE: I read the first volume and was really impressed by the art, and I own a bunch more of it, but I’ve still never continued. The same thing happened with Vagabond too, actually.

ANNA: I read the first three volumes or so and really liked it. If I ever stumble across a library with a good chunk of this series, I would check it out again. Vagabond as always has my eternal devotion, I think I might be behind with one or two of the VizBig editions.

MJ: I wish I’d gotten hooked early on. At this point the length feels so daunting! Yet I feel I’d probably love it.

SEAN: They also have the 4th volume of OreImo. No spoilers in the comments, bitter fans of the anime. (I wonder if OreImo will pull a School Rumble in terms of sales now that the ending is out in Japan?)

DMP have a BL title coming out called Priceless Honey. Seems to be a short story collection from the author of Punch Up!.

MJ: I’m not big on BL anthologies, but I did like Punch Up!…

SEAN: Kodansha have the 2nd to last Arisa, which I got very, very behind on. Luckily, it’s out digitally now, so I can try to catch up!

ASH: I’m a bit behind on Arisa as well, but it had a great start and I’ve been meaning to read more of it.

MICHELLE: I’ve read through volume ten. It’s become rather snickerworthy, as I noted in brief back in June, but I’m still planning to see it through to the end.

ANNA: I haven’t read this, for some reason Kodansha’s current shoujo releases don’t appeal to me very much, but I’m looking forward to some of the new series they’ve recently announced!

Not out digitally (here or in Japan) but certainly out in print is the first collection of Sailor Moon Short Stories. These ran in Nakayoshi’s sister magazines throughout the run of the manga, and originally were interspersed through the original volumes. The re-release collected them all at the end. This first of two volumes collects the Chibi-Usa side stories, and the Exam Battles starring the other Inners. It also has my 2nd favorite Sailor Moon manga moment.

MICHELLE: I’m not sure how wise it was to put the short stories in their own collection. True, this way they don’t interrupt the main flow of the narrative, but when I read the Japanese edition this way I was sort of… underwhelmed. Maybe they’ll fare better in English.

ANNA: One of these days I will marathon Sailor Moon, I feel like I should block out a day and stock up on Sailor Moon reading supplies. I’m envisioning a lot of sweet milky tea and many star-shaped cookies.

SEAN: I’ve come to love His Favorite without ever reading it, just for the look of disgust on the face of the uke on every single cover. It’s an absolute delight, and I hope he’s just as grouchy in the manga itself. Vol. 5 is out this week.

MJ: I’m a volume behind on this now, but the manga really is as delightful as its covers, in my experience. And that character is pretty grouchy. It could sort of read as an AU xxxHolic fanfic, if that gives you some sense of what you’re in for.

SEAN: Also out from SubLime is The Man of Tango, which sounds like it should star Robert Vaughn and David McCallum. The cover art for this is easily the best design SubLime’s ever done (their cover design has been a very weak point to date), and really looks smokingly passionate. This apparently has previously unpublished content as well.

ASH: I’m very excited about the release of The Man of Tango! Originally licensed by Aurora but never released, I was thrilled to see SuBLime pick it up.

ANNA: I don’t read a ton of yaoi, but this was one manga that I actually pre-ordered when Aurora was supposed to release it. Glad this is coming out finally, I found the title and cover of this manga very intriguing.

MJ: I’m looking forward to this as well!

SEAN: Udon still puts out manga, and not just artbooks. Today, it’s Disgaea 3: School of Devils 2. Next week, Arsenal 4, Tottenham nil.

And a trio from Viz. 07-GHOST just ended in Japan last month, but fear not, there’s still a lot to go before we catch up. Here’s Vol. 6.

MICHELLE: It seems like volumes of this series are appearing like bunnies! Soon we’ll be caught up with Go!Comi, if we’re not already!

ANNA: ACK, I’m three volumes behind now! I do like this series, though.

MJ: I am too, yikes!

SEAN: Arata: The Legend is about a year and a half behind Japan, which is not uncommon for a Shonen Sunday mid-list title, even if it is by Yuu Watase. Here’s Vol. 15.

MICHELLE: I do enjoy Arata, even if I can’t get as squeeful about it as, say, Genbu Kaiden.

ANNA: Genbu Kaiden deserves all the squees!

MJ: Agreed, re: Genbu Kaiden. I’m iffy on Arata.

SEAN: And Vol. 22 of Hayate the Combat Butler, which is 3 1/2 years behind Japan and growing farther away every biannual release, but sadly, sales. The manga is still in Greece, and this volume has what may be one of the best romantic heartbreakers of the entire series to date.

Anything strike your fancy?

It Came From the Sinosphere: State of Divinity (Part 1)

September 3, 2013 by Sara K. 1 Comment

Linghu Chong wears a black cloth covering the lower half of his face as his sword is pointed at a merchant'st throat.

Linghu Chong is asking for a ‘donation’.

I noted that the opening theme for Laughing in the Wind is so low-key that it stands out from other wuxia TV shows without being pretentious at all. Compare that to the opening them of State of Divinity 1996, which is adapted from the very same novel as Laughing in the Wind:

This TV theme does not stand out at all. It is a very typical wuxia TV show opening theme. Whereas the Laughing in the Wind theme says ‘This is not your typical wuxia drama’, the State of Divinity Theme says ‘Another standard TVB wuxia drama coming right up!’

This difference in approach explains a lot of what makes these two adaptations feel different.

So, let’s look at a ‘typical’ scene from a ‘typical’ drama.

Example Scene: Why This Show Is So Addictive

This scene is not particularly special, but it is precisely because it is not special that it is good for demonstrating how State of Divinity keeps ratcheting up the tension to keep the audience hooked (of course most of the credit goes to Jin Yong, who wrote the novel). I am going to translate the scene (with abridgements), and whenever something happens which increases the tension, I will increase the font size. Ready?

This is a dinner party hosted by Liu Zhengfeng, where everybody is polite. They won’t stay polite for long.

Yu Canghai: Yue Buqun, you’re looking younger and younger! Apparently the Violet Mist Divine Skill is extending your life.
Yue Buqun: You flatter me, my skills are nothing much really. But you look like you are in excellent shape.
Yu Canghai: Oh, you are much too polite.
Liu Zhengfeng: Welcome, Yue Buqun and Yu Canghai.
[polite talk that I’m not translating]
Liu Zhengfeng: Ah, Abbess Dingyi has arrived. Oh, and the Huashan Sect disciples have also come. Welcome, welcome!
[more polite talk]
[but Abbess Dingyi looks displeased]
Yue Buqun: Abbess Dingyi, is there a problem?
Dingyi: Ah, it is best that you are here. I want an explanation.
Yue Buqun: What do you want me to explain?
Dingyi: Your unbridled disciple Linghu Chong’s absolutely unexcusable behavior.

[Yue Buqun looks at the Huashan Sect disciples. I should note that Yue Buqun is the leader of the Huashan Sect.]

The Huashan Sect disciples.

Yue Buqun: Though my disciple is a bit mischievous, he’s always been frank and outspoken. If he’s said anything which offended you, I will apologize for him.
Liu Zhengfeng: Let’s discuss this slowly and calmly, and keep the peace.
Yue Buqun: Yes.
Dingyi: Yue Buqun, please bring your horrid disciple Linghu Chong out immediately!
Yue Buqun: Bring him out?
Dingyi: Your horrid disciple is associating with that rapist Tian Guangbo, and they kidnapped my disciple Yilin!

[tension goes up]
Yue Buqun: That is impossible. Though Linghu Chong often misbehaves, he would never do such a thing. There must be a misunderstanding.
Dingyi: This is completely true. Taishan Sect’s Tian Songdao saw it with his own eyes! And Yu Canghai’s disciple Mai Renda also saw it!

[tension goes up]
Yu Canghai: My disciple saw it? Then it must be true. [laughs] I never would have though that the great ‘gentleman sword’ Yue Buqun would train such a base disciple! [laughs more]

Yue Buqun, though not amused, stays calm.

Yue Buqun: Abbess Dingyi, I feel that what you said still leaves room for doubt. Alas, Linghu Chong isn’t here now to tell his side of the story. For the moment, we cannot get to the bottom of this.
Dingyi: You think that just because Linghu Chong isn’t here, you can clear yourself of this matter?!
Yue Buqun: That’s not what I mean, but…
Taishan Sect Person: Linghu Chong, you scum, bring your ass out now!
[The Taishan Sect comes in with two bodies, one dead]

[tension goes up]
Taishan Sect Person: Linghu Chong, you monster, I am going to kill you!
[Liu Zhengfeng approaches one of the bodies, which is still moving]
Liu Zhengfeng: How did Tian Songdao get so severely injured? Who killed Chi Baicheng?
Tianmen Daoren: It was that rapist Tian Guangbo! Yue Buqun, bring out that Linghu Chong immediately!
Lingshan: What does the fact that Tian Guangbo attacked your disciples have to do with Brother Linghu Chong?
Tianmen Daoren: Though Linghu Chong didn’t kill him himself, it’s Linghu Chong’s fault that he died! He injured my disciple, killed my disciple, and Linghu Chong sat and did nothing! He should pay!
[sounds of agreement]
Liu Zhengfeng: Tianmen Daoren, let’s slow down a little. How could Linghu Chong be with Tian Guangbo? We should wait for this to be fully investigated. If Linghu Chong did do something wrong, I will persuade him to change his ways.
Tianmen Daoren: Persuade him to change his ways?! We should expel him, and take his head!
Lu Dayou: Tianmen Daoren, you’re taking this too far! Brong Linghu Chong hasn’t killed anybody, so nobody should execute him!
[Yu Canghai, leader of the Qingcheng Sect, is still smiling]
Dingyi: Who says he hasn’t killed anybody? He killed someone from the Qingcheng Sect!
[Yu Canghai stops smiling]

This is Yu Canghai *not* smiling.

[tension goes up]
Yu Canghai: WHAT! Linghu Chong killed one of my disciples? Killed who?
[The Qingcheng Sect disciples enter with a dead body]

Qingcheng Disciple: Shifu, it’s too late!
Yu Canghai: What happened?
Qingcheng Disciple: Brother Luo has been killed!
Yu Canghai: Who killed him?
Qingcheng Disciple: Linghu Chong!
Yu Canghai: So Linghu Chong really did kill him.
Qingcheng Disciple: I saw it with my own eyes. Alas, I was no match for Linghu Chong, and couldn’t save Brother Luo from that villain!
Lingshan: Who are you calling a villain?!
Yue Buqun: Did you really see Linghu Chong kill him?
Qingcheng Disciple: I’d recognize him even if he were a heap of ashes!
[Yu Canghai pulls out a sword from the dead body. The sword has the name ‘Linghu Chong’ engraved on it]

Linghu Chong’s sword

[tension goes up]
Yu Canghai: It’s proven that Linghu Chong did this, what do you say now, Yue Buqun?
Yue Buquen: This is definitely Linghu Chong’s sword. Yu Canghai…
Yu Canghai: You’re still defending your disciple?! You hypocrite!
Liu Zhengfeng: Yu Canghai, you have my deepest sympathies. But it has not been proven beyond all doubt that Linghu Chong did this. If we keep going on like this, I fear we will break the peace … we must find and question Linghu Chong. What do all of my guests think?
Yue Buqun: Brother Liu, you are right. Denuo and Dayou, go out and bring Linghu Chong here.
Denuo and Dayou: Yes, shifu.
Yu Canghai: You three, help them find Linghu Chong. I don’t trust that Yue Buqun won’t try to shelter him.
Qinggcheng Discipes: Yes, shifu.
Liu Zhengfeng: Danian, send someone to help them find Linghu Chong and Yilin.
Danian: Yes, shifu.
Liu Zhengfeng: Abbess Dingyi, don’t worry, we’ll soon find your disciple Yilin.
Yilin: Shifu!
[Yilin, the nun who was ‘kidnapped by that rapist Tian Guangbo and the horrid Linghu Chong’ enters]
Dingyi: Yilin!

[tension goes up]
Yilin: [weeping] Shifu, I never thought I would live to see you again!
Dingyi: Yilin, don’t cry. Shifu asks you, did you see that horrid Linghu Chong?
Yilin: Brother Linghu? [Yilin weeps some more]
Dingyi: Don’t cry! Tell shifu, did you see him or not?
Yilin: Disciple did see Brother Linghu.
Dingyi: Where is he?
Tianmen Daoren: Yes, where is Linghu Chong?
Yilin: Brother Linghu … he’s … he’s dead.
Huashan Sect People: Dead!
[I should point out that Linghu Chong is *the main protagonist*. And this is episode 6 out of 43 episodes. Therefore, the tension practically leaps into the air here. However, for technical reasons, I am not going to increase the font size to 50]

Yilin and Abbess Dingyi

Lingshan: Sister Yilin, who did you hear this from?
Yilin: I saw it with my own eyes.
[Lingshan faints]
Huashan Sect Disciples: Sister!
Yue Buqun: Take her back to her room.
Huashan Sect Disciples: Yes, shifu.
Yu Canghai: Well, it’s best that Linghu Chong is already dead. It looks like I won’t have to sully my hands by killing him.
[Yue Buqun gives Yu Canghai a stare]
Yue Buqun: Yilin, do you know who killed Linghu Chong?
Yilin: Linghu Chong … was [points at dead Qingcheng disciple Luo Renjie] killed by him!
Yu Canghai: [expletive], my disciple Luo Renjie was clearly killed by Linghu Chong! Are you saying that my disciple is Linghu Chong’s murderer?! What logic is this!
Yilin: Brother Linghu really was killed by this bad man!
Yu Canghai: You DARE SAY THAT! The people of my Qingcheng Sect are bad people? All of your Five-Mountain-Alliance people are good people, eh?
Yilin: I didn’t say that Uncle Yu was bad just … just that he [pointing at the body] is bad.
Yu Canghai: You… [approaches Yilin, Dingyi blocks him]
Dingyi: You dare threaten my disciple! Yilin, don’t fear, your shifu is here to protect you. Please explain to everybody exactly why he [pointing at the body] is a bad man.

I could keep translating, but I think you already understand why it was hard for me to stop myself from watching this (even though I already know the story). Suffice to say, it’s an interesting dinner party.

The Story

I have summarized the story already hereand here. Instead of summarizing it again, I will offer this quote from a minor
character, Huang Zhonggong, which I think sums up the essence of the story:

“When we four brothers first entered the Sun Moon Cult, we thought we could carry out heroic deeds all over jianghu. Who knew that Ren Woxing [leader of the Sun Moon Cult] was so violent, and so hungry for power? Long after we four brothers had been disillusioned, Dongfang Bubai became the leader, and he loves wickedness even more. He executed all of the elders, and we four became even more disheartened. We decided to retreat to Plum Villa, and guard the prisoner. Firstly, far from Heimuya [headquarters of the Sun Moon Cult], we did not have to participate in all of the internecine struggle and backstabbing. Secondly, we could quietly live by Xihu, and fill our days with music and books. We can say that we have had twelve happy years. Nevertheless, in life the sorrows are many, and the joys are few. That is the nature of life.”

Just after saying that, Huang Zhonggong dies. With a few changes (i.e. replace ‘we four brothers’ with ‘Linghu Chong’), this would be an even better summary of the entire story that what I wrote.

I also suspect there is a touch of autobiography. The China where Jin Yong grew up was torn between various groups vying for control. In high school, he was punished for insulting the government in power.

As an adult, he moved to Hong Kong, where he has definitely lived a life full of books and letters … yet he could do almost nothing about the political situation in China. Many people say that Jin Yong had supported the Chinese Communist Party (some people say he is still a communist). This novel was written during the Cultural Revolution.

I am far from done…

So come back next week for Part 2!

Last week, Sara K. helped make some mud volcanic tofu, and then ate it. Why is it called mud volcanic tofu? It’s made from soybeans, water, and mud from a mud volcano. It actually tastes quite good.

My Week in Manga: August 26-September 1, 2013

September 2, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I only posted one review last week, but that wasn’t the only thing going on at Experiments in Manga. The review was for Yoshikazu Yasuhiko’s Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin, Volume 2: Garma. The third volume is scheduled to be released later this month and I realized that I hadn’t reviewed the second one yet. If you enjoy science fiction manga the series is definitely worth checking out, even if you’re not a Gundam fan. What else was going on at Experiments in Manga? I posted August’s Bookshelf Overload for those interested in the absurd amounts of manga I manage to collect. My most recent manga giveaway is currently in progress as well; there’s still time to enter for a chance to win the first Blood Lad omnibus. Since Experiments in Manga is now part of the Manga Bookshelf team, I’ve also started to participate in some of the group features: Pick of the Week and Manga the Week of.

Elsewhere online, Dan Kanemitsu wrote an opinion piece for CBLDF about the recent ban of Keiji Nakazawa’s Barefoot Gen manga in Japan–The Inconvenience of Barefoot Gen. Happily, the ban has since been lifted. (In the past I reviewed both the first volume of Barefoot Gen and Nakazawa’s autobiography for the Barefoot Gen Manga Moveable Feast.) Sean Kleefeld at Kleefeld on Comics has put together some pie charts based on Alex Woolfson’s survey of the readers of his Young Protectors comic–Who Reads Yaoi Webcomics?. I found the results and demographics to be very interesting. Finally, Ng Suat Tong posted Island of Sex, Panorama of Empire at The Hooded Utilitarian, an in-depth analysis of Suehiro’s Maruo’s The Strange Tale of Panorama Island manga and Edogawa Rampo’s original novella. (In the past, I reviewed the manga and the novella separately.)

Quick Takes

Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh. Originally published in French in 2010, Blue Is the Warmest Color has only recently been released in English. The graphic novel has won several awards as has its film adaptation. It’s a beautiful comic and a beautiful love story. Maroh’s artwork is wonderful. I particularly liked her use of color; much of the graphic novel is illustrated with muted tones with blue as an accent color.Clementine is in high school when she completely falls for Emma. She must come to terms with her identity and sexuality–something that is at first difficult for her to fully embrace and something even more difficult for many of her friends and her family to accept. Although the ultimate ending of Clementine and Emma’s story is known from the very beginning of Blue Is the Warmest Color, Clementine’s death still seems to come rather suddenly. Blue Is the Warmest Color is tragic and bittersweet, but it is also a lyrical exploration of love and desire.

Bunny Drop, Volumes 7-9 by Yumi Unita. Parts of Bunny Drop were spoiled for me early on but I wanted to see how things played out and how Unita handled it all. These volumes actually do a great job showing Rin’s developing relationship with her mother as well as her struggle with her feelings for Daikichi and his response to them. But then along comes a huge plot reveal in the fifty-fourth chapter that attempts to smooth everything over and make it okay. (Honestly, I was kind of pissed off about it.) It’s as though Unita was trying to find an easy way out after backing herself into a corner. Unfortunately it doesn’t really work, contradicts earlier parts of the story, and even negates previous character developments. In part due to poor planning, the twist is neither satisfying nor believable. Perhaps if Unita had taken the time to show the intervening two years and how Daikichi’s feelings evolved it would have been more convincing. Even though I found the ending of Bunny Drop to be disappointing, I still plan on picking up the final volume of short stories.

Sankarea: Undying Love, Volume 2 by Mitsuru Hattori. I’m a little surprised by how much I’m liking Sankarea. At least I can say that I enjoyed the second volume more than the first. I even chuckled out loud a few times while reading it. I hope the series continues to improve. At this point Sankarea is definitely more of a romantic comedy than it is a horror story. The horror elements are still there though, as are the nods to zombies in popular culture. But it’s Rea’s father who remains the creepiest part of the series. In one delightful scene, Chihiro even calls him out on it directly to his face. And even though Sankarea is a comedy, I’m glad to see that Danichiro’s disturbingly unhealthy relationship and obsession with his daughter isn’t seen as funny. On the other hand, Rea’s relationship with Chihiro–as weird as it is and as weird as they both are as individuals–is almost charming. Sankarea is kind of a strange series, but then so are hydrangea zombies.

Wolfsmund, Volume 1 by Mitsuhisa Kuji. Very few historical manga with a European setting have been licensed in English, and so I was intrigued by Vertical’s acquisition of Wolfsmund. I was even more interested when I learned that Kuji was once an assistant for both Kentaro Miura and Kaoru Mori, whose work I love. (I particularly noticed Mori’s influence in how Kuji draws many of the character’s eyes in Wolfsmund.) Wolfsmund takes place in 14th-century Switzerland and is a retelling of sorts of the legend of William Tell. So far the story has focused on those attempting to illicitly cross through the Sankt Gotthard Pass, generally unsuccessfully but not without putting up a fight. While Wolfsmund isn’t overly graphic–most of the gorier moments are implied rather than actually seen–it is a violent and brutal manga. Very dark and very intriguing, I’m looking forward to the next volume of Wolfsmund a great deal.

Manga the Week of 9/4

August 29, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, Ash Brown, MJ and Anna N 4 Comments

SEAN: As I’ve noted before, Diamond Comics and Amazon’s street dates are looking farther apart than ever before. As a result, this list is a fusion of Amazon (the major, book-company publishers) and Midtown Comics (the comics-first publishers).

Dark Horse brings us the 4th volume of Blood Blockade Battlefront, the alliterative series from the Trigun creator.

There’s also a new Evangelion spinoff coming out as well, with the first volume of Shinji Ikari Detective Diary. From the description, it sounds like this is aimed squarely at the BL Evangelion shippers, in much the same way that the Raising Project manga is aimed at harem fans.

Fanfare/Ponent Mon has the 4th volume of mountain climbing manga Summit of the Gods, one of those “blogger popular” titles I keep meaning to catch up on but have never quite done so. It is supposed to be excellent, though.

MICHELLE: Oh, nice! I really like Jiro Taniguchi, but have been waiting for this series to come out in full before reading it. I think there’s one more volume still.

ASH: Oh! I’m one of the reasons this is a “blogger popular” title. Summit of the Gods is easily my favorite Jiro Taniguchi collaboration; I’m very happy to see that Fanfare/Ponent Mon is continuing to release the series. Only one more volume to go after this!

MJ: Count me in for this one as well!

SEAN: Amazon has Wandering Son 5 listed for November 2nd. If Kodansha is the publisher that is consistently always arriving at bookstores first and comic shops later, Fantagraphics is the classic example of the opposite. Here’s Wandering Son 5, hitting comic shops. In this volume, I believe we get to high school and introduce some new supporting players.

MICHELLE: I am lamentably several volumes behind with Wandering Son, but it’s still nice to see new volumes make their appearance!

ASH: We actually have a few years of junior high to get through before reaching high school, but you’re right about the new supporting characters.

ANNA: I really need to catch up on this series!

MJ: I adore this series, and I can’t wait to read volume five, whenever it appears!

SEAN: Seven Seas has the final volume of one of my favorite series from them, Young Miss Holmes by Kaoru Shintani (of Area 88 fame). This omnibus, containing Books 5-7, is even larger than the previous two, and is filled with mysteries, mayhem, and killer maids. There’s a sequel in Japan, featuring 17-year-old Christie continuing to solve crimes. Seven Seas has noted its possible license (Slightly Older Miss Holmes?) depends on sales of the first, so go get it! Also, there’s only one Conan Doyle story in here (the rest are originals based on ‘unseen cases’, so less danger of offending Holmes purists.

ANNA: I somehow missed that this was by the mangaka of Area 88! I still have all my ancient Eclipse Comics/Viz editions of Area 88 stashed in a box somewhere. Now, I might finally pick up Young Miss Holmes. I hope there are scenes of people in flight suits with floppy hair looking incredibly emo in Young Miss Holmes, because Area 88 was awesome at that.

SEAN: There’s also a 2nd omnibus from Seven Seas, with Vols. 3-4 of Zero’s Familiar. I was surprised that the dark shroud of fan opinion surrounding the tsundere heroine turned out to be more of a off-white silk scarf more than anything, and wonder if my opinion will stay the same as we go further into this fantasy harem series.

I presume that those who read Bleach either have done so for years, or are likely never to do so. But if you’ve been catching up via the omnibus, the 3 volumes collected in the 6th one are some of the very best, and remind me of those olden days when Kubo could pace properly.

MJ: Agreed. I have much nostalgia for those early volumes, and this is a particularly strong little set.

SEAN: Demon Love Spell has been one of Shinjo’s best titles at walking that fine line between ‘sexy, forceful guy’ and ‘complete ass’, and I’m hoping that Vol. 4 continues that balance.

ANNA: I have just read this and it was hilarious. This is rapidly becoming my favorite Shinjo series, despite my long-standing fondness for Sensual Phrase.

MJ: I’m absolutely addicted to this series.

SEAN: Dragon Ball has an omnibus as well, and it’s hit Vol. 2. New Dragon Ball readers are born every day! This omnibus is probably for them more than those of us who bought the VIZBig, or the original volumes. Or the digital volumes. And stay tuned for Dragon Ball cranial ports, coming in 2015.

Midnight Secretary has a lot of good buzz. So much good buzz, in fact, that Viz has already licensed another title by the same author before this one has even come out. You know they trust it will do well. And why will it do well, you ask? One word: vampires. That said, the heroine is also apparently an excellent draw, and is not your usual Petit Comic office lady. I’m very intrigued about this one. Can’t wait.

ANNA: I think this will be a must get for paranormal romance manga fans. I am also looking forward to this. I mean, the title alone is fantastic.

MJ: Agreed on all counts!

SEAN: The 6th Naruto omnibus is out. I still need to catch up on this title. So… ninjas?

ASH: Yes. Ninja. Lots and lots of ninja.

SEAN: One Piece has reached Vol. 68. There is an awful lot of fighting happening here, and several of our heroes continue to be in the wrong bodies, leading to humorous situations. Recommended as top-drawer entertainment.

MICHELLE: I continue to love One Piece.

SEAN: Last time, Psyren turned its attention to our villains, and did a damn good job of fleshing them out. I expect it will go back to the heroes this time, as we’re getting near a climax (I think we’ve only 5 volumes to go).

MICHELLE: I need to catch up on Psyren. So many books (and responsibilities), so little time.

SEAN: And Strobe Edge hits its second half with Vol. 6. We may have resolved one of the obstacles standing between our two lovebirds last time, but the course of true love definitely doesn’t run smooth in this title. Something bad’s going to happen, I can feel it. Be there to read it when it does.

MICHELLE: I really love Strobe Edge, and I admit I kinda wouldn’t mind seeing something bad happen.

ANNA: This is one of those shoujo series that just seems to get better as it goes along.

MJ: This is a strong week for addictive shoujo, I see. Lovely, lovely.

SEAN: Any manga jump out at you this week?

Manga Giveaway: Blood Lad Giveaway

August 28, 2013 by Ash Brown

It’s the last Wednesday in August which means it’s the first day in Experiment in Manga’s monthly manga giveaway! Up for grabs this time around is the first omnibus volume of Yuuki Kodama’s Blood Lad manga as published by Yen Press, which is equivalent to the first two volumes of the original Japanese release. Since the anime is currently airing, I thought there might be some renewed interest in the series. As per usual, the contest is open worldwide!

Vampires seem to be a perennial favorite in film and literature. Manga is no exception and vampires abound. They show up in many different genres–action, comedy, horror, romance (just to name a few)–and appear in all of the major demographics. Shōjo? Matsuri Hino’s Vampire Knight. Shōnen? Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Josei? Tomu Ohmi’s Midnight Secretary. Seinen? Yuuki Kodama’s Blood Lad. (And that’s just off the top of my head…there are many, many more examples I could provide.) Generally, I prefer my vampires to be real monsters, terrifying creatures that pose a genuine threat to the humans around them. But I’ll admit, I am greatly amused by Staz in Blood Lad. He’s such an otaku goofball that I can’t help but like him.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win a copy of Blood Lad, Omnibus 1?

1) In the comments below, simply tell me who your favorite vampire in manga is and why. (Be sure to mention which manga they’re from, too.)
2) For a second entry, name a vampire manga that hasn’t been mentioned yet by me or by someone else.
3) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).

And there you have it! Each person can earn up to three entries; you have one week to submit your comments. If you have trouble leaving comments, or if you would prefer, you can e-mail me your entries at phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com and I will post them in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on September 4, 2013.

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

Contest winner announced–Manga Giveaway: Blood Lad Giveaway Winner

Cute, But Kind of Awful – Young Gangan Magazine

August 28, 2013 by Erica Friedman 4 Comments

English-language readers are more familiar with the pages of Young Gangan than they might expect, due to Yen Press’s relationship with Square Enix. Bamboo Blade, Sekirei, Working!! and Saki are other titles that have been brought over as manga or anime. Nonetheless, it’s hard to be an adult paging through this magazine without thinking one is missing something crucial to actually enjoying it.

On the other hand, Young Gangan is also home to award-winning, slightly wacky and unique Arakawa Under The Bridge, by Nakamura Hikaru. This is one of the most popular series in the magazine and the anime was licensed for North America by NIS, but the manga remains almost wholly unknown here.

The magazine website for Young Gangan, which is part of Square Enix’s family of magazines, has little original content. Ads for upcoming volumes, magazine specials, upcoming events and issue content fills the page.

Young Gangan runs just around 470 pages for 320 yen ($3.26 at time of writing), with twice monthly distribution. When you visit Japan, Young Gangan and magazines just like it fill convenience store racks, looking to hook young (nebbishy?) men with manga about other young (nebbishy) men and pictures of partially clothed girls. In fact, the above picture for the current volume at time of writing is not representative at all. The cover is far more likely to show a girl in a bikini, like this:

With not-quite softcore photos of “gravure” idols filling the pages and manga that is rarely standout good or bad, for better or for worse, I tend to categorize this as a magazine for the kind of guys who call girls “fake geeks.” The magazine is very boy’s club, but not very kind to its readers. Male leads in the manga in biweekly Young Gangan are often slight loser-y nebbishes, confused by their lives and the madness that surrounds them. I have long felt that if I were a nebbishy guy, I’d rather read a story in which the nebbish triumphs over whatever, gets the girl and lives happily ever after. But that never seems to occur to the creators of these manga.

Young Gangan from Square Enix: http://www.square-enix.co.jp/magazine/yg/

It Came From the Sinosphere: Laughing In the Wind (Part 2)

August 27, 2013 by Sara K. Leave a Comment

Read part 1

What Sense of Vision!

I have come to really appreciate the films of Li Han-hsiang. He once studied to be a painter, and it really shows in the way that his films are full of beautifully framed. He also happens to be one of the most influential Chinese-language movie directors ever.

This drama gives me the same sense of wonderfully arranged images (the people who made this drama most likely studied the work of Li Han-hsiang during their film studies).

I mentioned the gorgeous scenery in the previous post, but there is much more to making a visually beautiful TV drama than selecting locations well. Aside from the natural scenery, this drama has a dazzling abundance of striking imagery.

Take, for example, this picture of Lin Pingzhi:

I really like the way the windows (with its square pattern) frames Lin Pingzhi, and I like the way Lin Pingzhi’s body contrasts with the shadow of his right arm.

And here’s a shot of Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze (though it’s hard to tell it’s them):

I think we can agree that it’s not the setting itself that is impressive, but the composition of the stone structure, the sun, the mountains, and the figures which stands out. There’s also the effect of the light and prevalence of grey (which really fits the mood of this particular scene).

And look at these two women in the cave:

It’s a nice cave, but what really makes this image work is the thin, diagonal slit through which we can see the characters. Diagonal lines are generally more eye-catching than horizontal or vertical lines.

I could keep on pulling more and more examples if I wanted, because this TV drama simply has so much fantastically composed images. I just need to pick a random spot in a random episode in order to find more noteworthy images in a short time.

There’s also the attention paid to the characters’ appearances. For example, Yu Canghai and his Qingcheng sect have rather imaginative costumes…

… with the final touch being that, when he’s in a serious fight, he pulls various colorful masks out from his hyperspace arsenal.

And then there are the visual metaphors. For example, as Ren Yingying and Linghu Chong’s romantic feelings grown into a committed relationship, a group of ducklings grow into ducks. And, considering that this is wuxia, and that to be real wuxia, a story has to present someone weeping over an injured/dying loved one (or at the very least subvert this trope), I find it appropriate that we see the mature ducks as Ren Yingying weeps over a bashed-up Linghu Chong for the first time.

This TV drama truly is a feast for the eyes.

… And There’s the Ending

This is such a good drama … and then, at the end, it drops the ball.

Obviously, I cannot describe the problems with the ending in detail without spoilers. But I think I can make some general, spoiler-free observations.

The best comparison I can make (which would be familiar to MangaBookshelf readers) is the first Neon Genesis Evangelion anime. The last two episodes are infamous for disappointing viewers. Of course, that wasn’t the ending which was originally planned, but Gainax went over-budget, so they needed and ending which could be produced cheaply.

In spite of the last two episodes, I still think that Neon Genesis Evangelion is one of the greatest anime ever made (I pretend that the original anime ends at episode 24). Likewise, I think that, in spite of the last few episodes, Laughing in the Wind is one of the best Chinese-language dramas I’ve ever seen.

Furthermore, the last few episodes are still as visually fantastic as the entire drama.

The fact that the ending of Laughing In the Wind diverges from the original novel is not the problem. However, if you change the ending of a good story, you need to change things throughout the story in order to maintain consistency. The Ang Lee version of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was good about making the necessary changes throughout the story so that, when it does have an ending different from the original novel, it feels natural to the audience. Yet the the ending of the original novel would have felt more natural in Laughing In the Wind than the ending which the drama actually has. To me, that indicates that a) they had probably originally intended to have an ending closer to the one in the original novel and b) the choice to change the ending was probably not made for artistic reasons.

So why change the ending? I can speculate…

– Budget. I don’t think the original ending would have been any more expensive to produce, but maybe I’m wrong about that, and this show went over-budget just like Neon Genesis Evangelion (I can easily believe that it went over-budget at least).
– Other Production Reasons. Maybe they were originally promised 45 episodes, and then an executive somewhere told them that it can only be 40 episodes long.
– Audience Reaction. Maybe they thought audiences wouldn’t like the original ending so much. In that case, they are wrong – I have never seen/read any complaints about the ending of the original novel, whereas I have encountered quite a few complaints about the way that Laughing in the Wind ends.
– Political. It’s well known that many people interpret this story as a political allegory, so maybe some censor wanted to change the ending to de-politicize it. But I think this would have been a silly move. The original, uncensored novel is currently widely available in China, so changing the ending to make it more politically palatable seems pointless.

I think ‘Budget’ and ‘Other Production Reasons’ are the most likely speculations.

Personally, I pretend that Laughing in the Wind ends the same way as the novel.

Availability in English

I’ve already mentioned that it’s available, in its entirety, on Dramafever. It’s also available on Region 1 DVDs with English subtitles, which you can find for sale on the internet very quickly using ordinary search techniques.

Conclusion

This drama feels like it was put together by an exquisite artisan. The casting of the actors is excellent, the scenery is spectacular, the script (barring the last few episodes) is superb, the costumes are imaginative, etc.

Yet it manages to pull off this artistry without ever feeling pretentious. It does not show off its artistic excellence to the audience. Instead, it invites the audience to entire a space which has been curated for virtuosity. It doesn’t need to tell the audience that it’s good, it simply just is good.

I think it is this attention to detail, in addition to the strength of the story itself, which makes this drama such a delight to watch. Highly recommended.

And Then There’s State of Divinity

State of Divinity 1996 is yet another TV adaptation of the same novel. In fact, this novel has been adapted for television a whopping six times (including the 2013 adaptation, starry Joe Chen from Fated to Love You, not to mention two sets of movie adaptations (and this is before we talk about the manhua and video game adaptations).

However, people generally hold up Laughing in the Wind and State of Divinity as being the best adaptations of the novel. Though I’m not familiar with every adaptation, I agree, these are the two best. But how do these two compare with each other? You’ll find out, because next time my subject will be State of Divinity 1996.

And I’m going to lock up the lesser of these two TV adaptations in this cage.

Sara K. just happened to be away from Taiwan proper when a typhoon came along. This is why she was at Fuao harbor an hour and a half before they started selling tickets for the Taima ferry – and the line was already long (lots of flights had been cancelled). She did get a ferry ticket – and while the Taima ferries are usually quite smooth and comfortable, this last ride through an approaching typhoon was the most stomach-churching boat ride Sara K. has ever been on. And the ride lasted nine hours (to be fair, the first 4-5 hours were okay – the ferry wasn’t so close to the typhoon at first). She remained dizzy for over an hour after she reached land (she kept on wondering why the ground was shifting under her).

My Week in Manga: August 19-August 25, 2013

August 26, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Well, the biggest news from last week (at least for me and Experiments in Manga) is that I have officially joined the Manga Bookshelf family of blogs. I posted an introductory post for new readers and anyone else interested in learning a little more about me or Experiments in Manga. I’m still getting used to WordPress, and I still have some cleaning up to do, so if you notice anything amiss, I’d appreciate you letting me know!

I also posted a review of Edogawa Rampo’s collection of short stories Japanese Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Originally released in 1956, the volume was Rampo’s English-language debut. I had previously read and enjoyed Rampo’s novella Strange Tale of Panorama Island which is why I sought out more of his work. (And on a related note: Suehiro Maruo’s The Strange Tale of Panorama Island is also marvelous.)

I also had the opportunity to help out manga critic Jason Thompson last week (who I credit as one of the major reasons I became so interested in manga.) If you’re in Vancouver, Washington this coming Sunday, Jason is presenting “Manga Hell: The Worst Manga Ever Translated” at Kumoricon. It should be pretty great. I was able to provide some images of choice pages from Kazuo Koike and Ryoichi Ikegami’s notorious manga series Wounded Man. (I first learned about Wounded Man thanks when it was selected for Kate Dacey’s Manga Hall of Shame.)

On to a few interesting things found online! I either completely missed this when it was first announced or simply forgot about it, but Bento Books has licensed five novels from Hayakawa Publishing: Hiroko Minakawa’s Pleased to Dissect You, Yuka Nakazato’s Silver Wings of the Campanula, Yu Godai’s, Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, Volume 1, Akimaro Mori’s The Black Cat Takes a Stroll, and Issui Ogawa’s Many Many Sheep. It’s an intriguing mix of fantasy, science fiction, and mystery and quite a change of pace from Bento’s first release Math Girls.

In other licensing news, Sean Gaffney has a roundup of the Japan Expo announcements from this weekend. Finally, if you have the time I recommend giving the most recent ANNCast episode a listen–Super Manga Pals Forever. The always marvelous Deb Aoki and Rebecca Silverman join host Zac Bertschy to talk about the manga they’ve been reading and discuss the use of rape and taboos as plot elements in entertainment media. (Warning: Spoilers for the ninth volume of Yumi Unita’s Bunny Drop if by some chance you haven’t been spoiled already.)

Quick Takes

Attack on Titan, Volume 6 by Hajime Isayama. Despite the issues that I have with the art in Attack on Titan, which admittedly has been improving, I continue to be utterly absorbed and engaged by the story. The sixth volume picks up right where the fifth volume left off with the appearance of a new, seemingly intelligent, but still incredibly dangerous titan. It’s mostly one long action sequence as the titans tear through the ranks of the Survey Corps. Unsurprisingly, there are quite a few messy deaths. However, there’s a bit of character development as well. In particular, more is reveled about the members of the Special Operations Squad charged with guarding Eren who are also responsible for killing him should he get out of hand. The ending sets things up nicely for some major plot reveals in the next volume. Fortunately Kodansha has sped up the series release, so it won’t be too long of a wait to find out what happens next.

Awkward Silence, Volumes 1-3 by Hinako Takanaga. I tend to be fond of Takanaga’s boys’ love manga and so was happy when SuBLime picked up one of her ongoing series. Normally, I’m annoyed by manga where the plot hinges on a problem that would immediately be solved if the characters would just talk to one another. But in the case of Awkward Silence I didn’t mind as much because there is a very good reason that the characters don’t–Satoru has a difficult time expressing himself. It’s an integral part of his character and integral part of the story. One of the points of the series is that he and his boyfriend Keigo learn to overcome this. Their relationship is really quite sweet. Beginning with the third volume Awkward Silence starts to focus more on two of the secondary characters. (At least they started out as secondary characters.) Personally, I don’t find their relationship to be nearly as interesting. While still enjoyable, it feels more generic. Unlike the main couple, so far it’s missing something to really set it apart.

Saiyuki Reload, Volumes 4-6 by Kazuya Minekura. Although I was a little disappointed with the first three volumes of Saiyuki Reload, much preferring the earlier series Saiyuki, I think that Minekura has started to find her stride again. These volumes finish up the long flashback/backstory segement which included a look at Gojyo and Hakkai’s past when they were living together. (I’m a sucker for Hakkai, so I rather enjoyed that.) From there, Saiyuki Reload starts in on a new story arc, giving the plot the focus and direction that it needed. While the first few volumes of the series didn’t seem to be going anywhere, with the introduction of Hazel things are starting to get a bit more interesting. Sanzo and crew are faced with several moral conundrums and suddenly their journey west has some urgency behind it again. And speaking of The Journey to the West–the influences of the original work can definitely be seen. They aren’t always particularly prominent and Minekura is often very free with her interpretations, but The Journey to the West can still be found in there somewhere.

Tough, Volumes 1-6 by Tetsuya Saruwatari. Only six volumes of Tough were ever released in English. The series is actually a translation of Saruwatari’s Kōkō Tekken-den Tough and shouldn’t be confused with its sequel series which in Japan was called Tough. The fights are by far the best thing about Tough. Although the martial arts are taken to the extremes there are some legitimate styles and techniques being used. The manga is ultimately over-the-top, although dubious plausibility is maintained. Tough is violent and frequently brutal. The fighters deliver and sustain immense amounts of damage. Saruwatari doesn’t hesitate to show the resulting blood and broken bones. The few women, too, are shown to be martially capable. (Unfortunately they don’t make much of an appearance after the first volume.) The story, on the other hand, is nearly nonexistent and the attempts at humor fall flat. For the most part the plot is just an excuse to have men beat each other to a pulp. The actual fights are much more interesting than the weak justifications behind them.

X, Omnibus 6 (equivalent to Volumes 16-18) by CLAMP. Well, here it is, what is very likely to be the last volume of X. The series went on hiatus in 2003 and it doesn’t seem that CLAMP will be returning to it anytime soon. I read the first volume of X a few years ago but didn’t think much of it. I gave the series another try when Viz began to release the omnibus volumes and I’ve been hooked ever since. There are many fans frustrated by the series’ lack of ending, waiting for the final battle which may never come; I suppose I can now be counted among them. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed X in all of its epic, melodramatic, twisted, and tragic glory even if it can be a bit ridiculously excessive at times. CLAMP also uses some of the most intriguing page layouts that I’ve seen. They are very effective in conveying the emotional and dramatic moments in the story, of which the series has more than its fair share. Love and death are very closely intertwined in X and there is plenty of heartbreak to be had.

Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine directed by Sayo Yamamoto. This series has style–the animation is distinctive but appealing, the jazz-influenced soundtrack fits it perfectly, the storytelling is mature and has both darkness and levity. Familiarity with the Lupin III franchise isn’t necessary to enjoy the series; The Woman Called Fujiko Mine is a different take on the characters and story and can stand alone. Fujiko Mine is a thief and femme fatale. She is very much in charge of her sexuality and is more than willing to use it to get what she wants. It shouldn’t be too surprising, but nudity is a fairly frequent occurrence in the anime, but it is handled tastefully and artistically. In the last four episodes, things take a surprising turn for the strange when the revelation of Fujiko’s backstory really beings. Up until that point the series seemed largely to be an episodic collection of the various heists with which Fujiko was involved. There were hints of what was to come and most everything is tied together rather nicely in the end.

Manga the Week of 8/28

August 22, 2013 by Sean Gaffney, Michelle Smith, MJ and Anna N Leave a Comment

SEAN: As the month of August draws to a close, it’s a quiet week for manga. Peaceful. Let us see what mild, calming titles we have out. But soft, lest we disturb the young ‘uns!

We have a trio of titles from Kodansha. First is Attack on Titan 6, beginning its speedup! Oh dear, this doesn’t seem quiet and peaceful at all. In fact, it may involve people getting killed messily. Despite that, it really is a fantastic title that deserves your attention. Perhaps if you whispered the dialogue as you read.

MICHELLE: I still haven’t read any of this one, and now six volumes is seeming like quite an investment. I dunno…

MJ: I’m thinking that when I finally get around to restarting this series, I’ll definitely whisper the dialogue in my head.

SEAN: Fairy Tail has proven to be loud and boisterous in the past, and I suspect that Volume 29 will be no different, meaning it’s really not adding to the appeal of this quiet, peaceful week of manga. Still, it has a good heart, and is a great title for those who love a strong sense of loyalty and justice, the bonds of family and friendship, and punching things.

MICHELLE: Hee.

MJ: I *heart* punching things. You know. Quietly.

SEAN: The second volume of Sankarea is also shipping. I’m afraid that zombies are really never mellow and friendly. I blame their upbringing. That said, the first volume was funnier and more heartwarming than I expected, and has a father character who looks to explore a dark side to overprotective anime dads. A very dark side.

MICHELLE: That upbringing line is priceless.

MJ: What can I say? You’re weirdly making me feel like reading this.

SEAN: Seven Seas has the second volume of Crimson Empire. I suspect the main reason this series was licensed is so that the company could release more volumes of the far more popular Alice in the Country of Hearts, whose one-shots tend to have Crimson Empire short stories in the back. Nevertheless, it’s filled with swordplay and battles, so absolutely does not meet our criteria at all.

MICHELLE: Zzzz.

MJ: What she said.

ANNA: I enjoyed the first volume, but I have a high tolerance for reverse harem titles.

SEAN: Lastly, there’s Chi! Yes, perfect! Chi’s Sweet Home 10 from Vertical gives us an adorable cat and her adventures with her family! It’s like floating downstream on a quiet river. Everyone loves Chi.

MICHELLE: I certainly love Chi!

MJ: A lovely addition to the week! Every week could use a little Chi.

SEAN: A perfect way to end this quiet, peaceful week of manga. Well, except for those other four titles. What looks good to you?

My Week in Manga: August 12-August 18, 2013

August 19, 2013 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

Two reviews, and some big news! First up was my review of Blade of the Immortal, Volume 24: Massacre by Hiroaki Samura. As you might suspect from the title, it’s a rather bloody volume. It also features what I think is one of the best visually executed battles in the series. I also reviewed Yukio Mishima’s novel Forbidden Colors which is a bit twisted but extremely engrossing and very good. Like his earlier novel Confessions of a Mask, it deals with homosexual themes and includes autobiographical elements.

As for the big news! Over the weekend Experiments in Manga celebrated it’s third anniversary and I wrote quite a lengthy post about it. If you don’t feel like reading the whole thing, here’s the really important bit: I am delighted to announce that in the very near future Experiments in Manga will be joining the Manga Bookshelf network of blogs!

I was traveling quite a bit last week (a couple of my friends were getting married), so I’m a little out of touch when it comes to some of the most recent manga news. However, there is one thing that I want to be sure to pass along. I personally don’t read much manga digitally, but Organization of Anti-Social Geniuses has a fantastic post looking at all the legal ways to read digital manga in 2013.

Quick Takes

The Last of the Mohicans by Shigeru Sugiura. The Last of the Mohicans is the first volume in editor Ryan Holmberg’s Ten-Cent Manga series, exploring classic manga influenced by popular culture and comics from the United States. In addition to the manga itself, the volume also includes an article by Sugiura and an extensive essay by Holmberg which puts The Last of the Mohicans into context. For me, this was probably the greatest appeal of the volume. I more or less enjoyed the manga, but I valued to an even greater extent learning about its history and Sugiura’s influences. I don’t know that The Last of the Mohicans will necessarily entice casual manga readers, but for those interested in comics history it’s great.

Math Girls Manga, Volume 1 written by Hiroshi Yuki and illustrated by Mika Hisaka. Based on the Math Girls series of novels, the manga focuses a little more on the romance and a little less on the math, but it still can teach a thing or two about it. Unfortunately, errors slipped into the English edition and some of the mathematical symbols are missing. Seeing as Math Girls is about, well, math, this is somewhat problematic. But if you can ignore that, Math Girls is a rather delightful and charming manga. Math lovers in particular will appreciate it, but as with the novels it’s possible to skip over the math-intensive sections and just enjoy the story. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of the Math Girls manga, but I suspect there won’t be another volume released anytime soon.

Strawberry Chan, Volumes 1-2 by Ai Morinaga. I picked up Morinaga’s Strawberry Chan manga on a whim. The series consists of two volumes, The Gorgeous Life of Strawberry Chan and The Super Cool Life of Strawberry Chan. The manga is fairly episodic and each chapter is very short. The titular Strawberry Chan is a small pet frog owned by Taro Akiyoshi, a sadistic high school student who delights in tormenting him. Despite his cruelty, Strawberry Chan adores his master. And then there’s Taro’s roommate who’s legitimately in love with Strawberry Chan and a masochistic classmate who just wants Taro to abuse him instead of the frog. Strawberry Chan is utterly ridiculous, random, and all sorts of wrong. I loved it.

Three Wolves Mountain by Bohra Naono. So far, only two of Naono’s manga have been released in English. Yokai’s Hunger largely frustrated me but I thoroughly enjoyed Three Wolves Mountain; it’s easily my favorite manga out of the two. It’s an odd mix of comedy, drama, and the supernatural, but Naono makes it work this time. Kaya Susugi is a cafe owner by day and a grave keeper by night who ends up taking in Tarou and Jiro Tsukihara, two werewolf brothers. Susugi is used to being alone but becomes very close with both of the brothers, but especially with Jiro who has fallen in love with him. I wasn’t expecting Three Wolves Mountain to become such a family affair, but parents, siblings, and even cousins all have their role to play in the story. Three Wolves Mountain is great stuff.