Features & Reviews

By Eiichiro Oda. Released in Japan by Shueisha, serialization ongoing in the magazine Weekly Shonen Jump. Released in North America by Viz.

Let’s get the bad out of the way right off the bat: Rebecca has not remotely lived up to the hopes I had for her as a character. The reunion with her father, with all the overtones of “you should never have been a fighter, I’m so sorry you had to be strong and not a princess that needs protecting” left a bad taste in my mouth, and I’ve given up on it being subverted at this point. Unfortunately, this is not a sentiment that’s unique to One Piece, as we’ve seen it in countless manga and anime before this. I had hoped Oda might avoid it, but no, there it is. Luckily, it’s a low point in an otherwise excellent volume, so let’s talk about the rest of it.

I have occasionally wondered if I praise Usopp too much, but then I wander on to forums and see more people talk about how useless he is, and so therefore I think no, there is not enough praise. Because he’s hella awesome here, taking out Sugar AGAIN with the help of a truly weird power from a minor character and what I believe is actual haki, which we haven’t heard much about since right after the timeskip. We’d seen Coby use it before, but it’s still awesome to see that a power that is basically “I am enforcing my will on reality” can be used not just by the brute force heroes but by support folks like Usopp.

Speaking of which, Robin and Usopp both have small speeches in this volume where they talk about their devotion to Luffy, and it’s worth noting how much of being a pirate captain in One Piece is creating a cult of personality around yourself. Luffy doesn’t do this deliberately, of course, but those who follow him know that he is the one, they one they can dedicate everything they have to protect and serve. It’s even given a parody over the last few volumes with Bartolomeo, whose idolization of the entire Straw Hat crew is a takeoff of the typical fanboy. It’s worth noting that Robin does not denigrate this love the way others have, though (and that she calls him rooster, I love that she still tends to give nicknames to everyone), as she’s a convert as well.

Meanwhile, Luffy and Law (finally out of the seastone cuffs) are ready to face off against Doflamingo, which means that we get two things that One Piece is most famous for – chaotic final battles with lots of punching, and flashbacks to explain a character’s tragic past, this time Law’s. Sure, we also get a bit of Doflamingo’s, which has a bit of a ‘fallen angel’ vibe to it, but Law, with his tragic white lead poisoning and massacre of his entire homeland (hmmm, seems familiar… Doflamingo even points this out, saying complete genocide is a standard World Government tactic) is the one we’re meant to feel bad for. This story leads us to the cliffhanger for this volume, and I suspect will take up the majority of the next. When it finishes, will we be finishing the Dressrosa arc? Don’t hold your breath. But keep reading One Piece anyway.

By Yuyuko Takemiya and Umechazuke. Released in Japan by ASCII Media Works, serialization ongoing in the magazine Dengeki Daioh. Released in North America by Seven Seas.

I’ve talked before about how difficult it can be to introduce an unlikable character early in a series and have their character growth be a part of it, mostly as fandom takes first impressions and encases them in amber forever. This is doubly true if the character is female, and quadrupley true (is this a word?) if it also happens to be a comedy romance, with harem overtones. Golden Time is starting off in a bit of a pickle, though, as its heroine, Kaga, is introduced to us as an obsessed stalker who’s also rich and beautiful, and rubs every single reader the wrong way. Luckily, we have our hero, Tada, who is determined to show that she has hidden depths, even if he can’t quite make them out. And, wonder of wonders, he is not the doormat that most of these series frequently use as male heroes, so as the volume goes on and we learn more about the two of them the good qualities of the series come to life.

That cover, to be honest, really doesn’t help, and panders to a fanbase that is more Monster Musume than Toradora. Oh yes, this is by the creator of Toradora, based on her light novels, which she started after finishing her other series. Toradora also featured an unusual lead male hero, and Golden Time’s Tada has a very good reason for sometimes acting out of character – he has amnesia of most of his life before the last year, and can’t recall what his character actually is. This is presented in the midst of a truly ridiculous chapter involving a religious cult who have kidnapped several students to indoctrinate them, so it’s no surprise that Kaga does not particularly believe him. As for Kaga, her backstory is more normal, being a lonely rich girl who has no idea how to do affection, so overdoes it to the point where it becomes terrifying.

Most of this volume just involved Tada, Kaga, and Kaga’s unfortunate crush Yanigasawa, who is thoroughly sick of her and horrified that she followed him to college (the fact that this is set in college – and indeed in the law program – is highly unusual for a harem comedy, and I hope more is done with it in future volumes). There’s another girl who gets cameos at the start and end, who I suspect will take on the position of chief rival/alternate heroine choice, but this is mostly a two-hander, relying on the two leads. They bond right away, and Tada is falling for Kaga while also clearly seeing her flaws – he just doesn’t really care, and also her flaws don’t impact *him*, as she’s in love with someone else.

I think fans of Takemiya’s other works will enjoy this, and fans of romantic comedies should give it a try, but be aware this is one of those series where you may need 2-3 volumes to star liking the heroine, and if you’re the sort who rolls out the word ‘psycho’ whenever it suits you, take my advice and don’t get involved.

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

In my review of the last volume, I said that Hayasaka’s past was looking more serious than this manga usually gets, but I didn’t think it was going to get that dark. Boy howdy was I wrong. Not that Oresama Teacher has suddenly turned angsty and depressing, but certainly this volume hinges on the fact that Momochi’s mental manipulation of Hayasaka is being helped along naturally by his own traumas, and that he has in fact had this sort of thing happen before. Luckily, he has the Public Morals club to help him this time, and the volume ends on an upbeat note (albeit one with our heroes at the bottom of a cliff – what is it with Hana to Yume series and cliffs?)

Tsubaki enjoys playing with reader preconceptions and that’s certainly the case here, as Hayasaka’s supposed family background is the sort of thing we’ve seen in manga and anime before, with the mistress kept in a locked room away from everyone. Only that turns out not to be the case, and in fact is something that Hayasaka has created to cover up the real tragedy that he refuses to accept. The scene with Hayasaka and his father at the funeral is heartrending, something I never really thought I’d say about Oresama Teacher. And in fact, again contrary to our expectations, Hayasaka’s family turn out to be mostly okay – his hatred of his father stems from something that isn’t happening anywhere but in his head, and his dad, while trying to keep Hayasaka’s past hidden, shows genuine concern for him.

There is some humor in this volume, rest assured, though I wonder if the story turned more serious when Tsubaki was starting off Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. Most of it comes from Mafuyu and Yui, who continue to react in a hilarious way whenever called on to be normal or mature. Mafuyu also gets an emotional arc in her desperation to make Hayasaka recover his memories, though I wonder if that will come back to bite her in the end, as it’s hinted that the main reason that Hayasaka hasn’t realized Mafuyu is Natsuo or Super Bun is his own mental blocks, and those may be coming down. Her emotional tears in the last chapter are well earned, though.

We’re still not quite done with this arc, though, as Momochi is still a threat. We see she’s used her ‘hypnosis’ powers in the past, and has forced several students to withdraw from school – even non-delinquents. There are, of course, nasty rumors about her, and I have a feeling that Hayasaka may not be the only one with a tragic past. (And he has a first name now! Though I can see why he wants to keep it a secret – and an endnote might have helped there, Viz.) Oresama Teacher is still worth reading for the comedy, but as it barrels towards a theoretical conclusion soon, it’s also gaining real depth and heart.

By HERO and Daisuke Hagiwara. Released in Japan by Square Enix, serialization ongoing in the magazine GFantasy. Released in North America by Yen Press.

There’s been a strong market recently for repurposed web novels and webcomics licensed by major publishers and redone more professionally. Sword Art Online was originally published (fittingly) online. One-Punch Man was based on a webcomic band now has the Eyeshield 21 artist giving it a more manga feel. And then we have Hori-san to Miyamura-kun, a webcomic by HERO, which not only was popular enough to have Square Enix release the comic itself in 10 volumes several years ago, but now has a reboot with a new artist, running in Square Enix’s ‘we don’t have a shoujo magazine, so here it goes’ title GFantasy. And I’m happy that we’re getting it as well, as Horimiya is a delightfully fun and relaxed shoujo series about two people who find they can show each other their true selves, and how they then start falling for each other as well.

Fans of Kare Kano may find the premise a bit familiar, but as you dig into it the differences stand out more. Kyouko is a bright, pretty, popular girl at school, but doesn’t hang out with her friends after as much as you’d expect. Izumi is a somewhat otaku-ish guy who always wears long sleeves and long hair no matter what, and who tends to keep to himself. The plot kicks off when Kyouko finds out that outside of school, he’s actually a pretty handsome guy with tattoos and piercings. And Izumi finds that Kyouko is actually a pretty diligent big sister who has to essentially raise her little brother while her mom is away for days at a time at work. Both of these are things they need to hide at school (though admittedly the whole “without my makeup I am plain and don’t want anyone to see this is how I relax” thing made me roll my eyes a bit), and Kyouko’s little brother really bonds with Izumi, so the two of them end up hanging out after school… and possibly more.

There’s no immediate hook to this series the way One-Punch Man had. It’s a standard shoujo with two likeable leads who are clearly going to end up together, it’s just a matter of when, and their friends who are slowly going to learn the terrible secrets contained within. But it’s one of those series that’s just very well told. The two leads are not overly naive and idealistic or sullen and rude, as you find in so many shoujo series these days. They’re just kids. The mood reminds me a bit of Love at Fourteen, only here they’re a couple of years older. The humor arises from the characters and situations, and sometimes made me laugh out loud. There’s even a good cliffhanger where Kyouko realizes that, despite being a nice kid, Izumi is indeed a teenage boy who might (gasp!) be sexually attracted to her.

Horimiya is a strong debut, and I recommend it not only to Yen’s followers but also to any Shojo Beat fans who might miss it because it’s from a different publisher. I eaglerly look forward to the second volume.

By Reki Kawahara and abec. Released in Japan by ASCII Mediaworks. Released in North America by Yen On.

The cover of this volume of Sword Art Online features Asuna and Kirito shot from above, both relaxing happily as they float down a river in their gondola. It’s a fitting image, as this volume is also very relaxed and leisurely, and though there are some well done action scenes and sword battles, this volume lacks the tension that the first volume had, content to develop the themes it’s had since the beginning: how this world differs from the beta before it, how Kirito and Asuna are both getting closer to each other while also being socially awkward, the ongoing war between the Forest Elves and the Dark Elves, and the pretty scenery of the game itself.

While Asuna once again gets no narrative voice, we as the audience are learning more about her slowly; she’s clearly from a rich family, and Kirito wonders if her talk of ‘real castles’ means she’s seen some before. But her mixed feelings on Christmas also show us a girl who’s grown up very lonely, and is finally coming into her own as a person thanks to the game – though I suspect she feels guilty about that. As for Kirito, he’s gotten better at seeing when Asuna’s upset, but he’s still terrible at guessing why. In this respect, much as he’s the elite gamer who cannot be defeated and always gets the Last Attack bonus (this remains a highly amusing running gag), he’s still very much a 14-year-old boy, one with his own family issues.

There are several cute bits written for the seasoned fan of Sword Art Online. Lisbeth isn’t named, but we do catch site of someone who clearly matches her description early in the book. Argo appears less than I’d like, but her one major appearance is possibly the best part of the entire novel, as she walks on the water alongside Kirito and Asuna’s gondola, showing off her amazing agility and ability to tease Kirito to the max. There are also some interesting quests, such as Asuna and Kirito’s attempts to get their gondola made by the grumpy retired shipwright in the region, which requires them to fight a giant mutant Prophecy bear, and a secret quest to spy on some fallen elves, which requires them to hide in a crate and leads to accidental gropings that are possibly “amusing” to some.

Which there are some serious moments in the book, particularly Kirito and Asuna both worrying about how long they’ll survive and also keeping pace with one another, overall this book is very light and pacey. If it has a fault, it’s that it may be a bit too light – it’s nice to see Kizmel again, and I sense we’ll get more elves as we go on, but honestly not a lot really happens in this book. It’s a shame, as we’ve now caught up with Japan, so I suspect a wait for the 4th book – where the author has promised a tougher boss fight than the one that barely gets three pages here – will be a while. Still, recommended to Sword Art Online fans, especially those who just like to focus on the two leads.

By Kazuma Kamachi and Arata Yamaji. Released in Japan as “Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator” by ASCII Media Works, serialization ongoing in the magazine Dengeki Daioh. Released in North America by Seven Seas.

The danger of spinoffs, as always, is that those unfamiliar with the series may be spoiled for later events when they read it. On the other hand, what reader is going to be picking this up having no idea what’s happened in Index already? That said, be aware that this manga series takes place sometime after the fifth novel, due out next month from Yen On, and that if you don’t know who Last Order is yet it may be wise to wait till you read that before digging in. On the other hand, if you are a fan of the index series but wish it had more action scenes, things blowing up, and girls being brutally murdered, this is an excellent series to get involved with.

For the more experienced Index fan, this manga is interesting primarily for Accelerator’s introduction to the Magical World, though he has no idea that’s what it is. Estelle Rosenthal is, as with everyone in Index who isn’t Touma, involved in some way with a shadowy organization, but for once she’s trying to bring it down. She also appears to be a necromancer, something which baffles Accelerator, who’s never heard of that sort of scientific ability. Given events of later Index books, it’s possible that the whole series may finish without him being any wiser as to her being a magician, but it makes for a good dynamic, particularly as she’s not the stuttering introvert I was expecting Accelerator to be paired up with. Indeed, her casual stripping in front of both him and Last Order shows she doesn’t seem to have too many social cues at all – and she has to be lectured about this by Last Order, who is hardly one to talk.

For those wondering, Last Order’s speech quirk is doubled, thus she sounds like the clones except she says “Misaka Misaka “. This is awkward, but honestly there’s no good way to convey the cutesy way she talks in English, so I’ll roll with it. Last Order herself is captured well here, as we get her hyperactivity and jealousy present and correct. As for Accelerator himself, he gets his defining moment right off the bat, as Estelle battles a mook right in front of his nose, and he never stops reading his book, having directed sound to not hit his ears. this is post-Vol. 5 Accelerator, meaning he’s still standoffish and basically a jerk, but is making the transition from villain to antihero, and nothing pisses him off more than people thinking that he’s been “brought down to Earth’ now, which is what leads to the best fight scenes in the volume.

Throw in a truly terrifying murder scene halfway through (it’s OK, she’s going to get her corpse reanimated so it’s all good), and you have a series that should appeal nicely to Index and Railgun fans, even though Touma and Misaka aren’t in it. Though the preview for Vol. 2 did note that one of the clones will have a big part in Vol. 2, which amused me. It’s spinoff fodder for sales, but done quite well. I look forward to more.

By Yuu Kamiya. Released in Japan by Media Factory. Released in North America by Yen On.

The usual caveats apply: there’s lots of skeevy art of underage girls, Sora spends much time discussing how to secretly film naked girls, and the not-quite-incest plot I was desperately hoping would be avoided from now on gets another peek. That said, I imagine anyone for whom those are a deal breaker would not be reading Vol. 3, so let’s move on to discussing Sora and Shiro, our heroes. It was refreshing seeing the start of this book from Shiro’s perspective, particularly as once Sora returned it went back to being mostly him, as he’s the one that talks. Sora and Shiro not only love each other like family (or more in Shiro’s case), but also idolize each other, and they each get narratives at some point bemoaning that they aren’t good at what the other excels in. Sora at one point mocks those who think this series is about the two growing stronger and maturing, as he points out they’re both already perfect.

The amusing thing about this, of course, is that it’s almost immediately undercut by Sora’s own actions, something Jibril cheerfully points out. Like it or not, this world is going to make the two of them change. That said, Sora also has a point – in terms of actual gaming ability, and the narrative need for victory, [ ] are already at the pinnacle. We don’t read this series to see how these two learn how to be better players – if anything, Stephanie fulfills that role in a way, though she’s still used almost entirely as comic relief instead. No, our heroes are already the best, and there is simply no doubt they will win – the question is how. Reading the long action sequence in the middle of the book, where they compete in a virtual shooting game against the Werebeasts, it really is astounding how much of the surprise twists were long thought out in advance by Sora beforehand. The same applies to the Othello game at the start.

Speaking of the Werebeasts, Izuna is the one who gets the most development in this book. Before the game starts Sora asks her whether she’s ever had fun playing a game. Of course the answer is no – with the fate of her entire nation always on her shoulders, this is a heavy burden. Plus she always wins, so it’s a boring heavy burden. But after her loss, she quickly realizes how exciting it is to be able to play someone who can kick her ass, giving her something to strive for. As for the fate of her people, what was somewhat clear in the first two books is made more explicit – the main plot seems to be Sora and Shiro uniting all of the 16 species into one nation, and the main difficulty is convincing everyone that they aren’t actually evil.

I’ve mentioned the books main flaws above, but as I hinted before, I really wish the author would do more with Stephanie – we’ve seen flashes of how smart she can actually be when she’s not dealing with Sora and Shiro or being humiliated, and I long to see more. Sadly, the fourth novel looks like a fluffy beach story, so I suspect I won’t get it. Other than that, the humor I liked in the first two books is still there, with lots of popular gaming references. There’s also some vivid horror as well with Sora’s fate towards the start of the book, and later Chlammy’s as well. There’s a fascinating series here beneath all the ecchi posturing and naked fanservice.