Features & Reviews

Ready for Some Manga Action

February 12, 2014 by Erica Friedman 2 Comments

It’s the beginning of a new year and we’re all feeling energetic and stuff, right? I can’t think of a better time to tackle Manga Action (漫画アクション) magazine from Futabasha. Manga Action is another one of the manly manga magazines that fills convenience store racks on Japanese street corners.

Like other purely seinen manga magazines, the audience is presumed to be adult males. The protagonists of the story are adult men, the stories told include sexual situations. The stories tend toward slice-of-adult-male-life, with a slight fantasy element thrown in, but the variety is surprising; Manga Action stories include comedy, sex, fantasy, adventure, psychological suspense and more.

Although you might not expect to have heard of any of the manga series running in Manga Action, the late, lamented JManga had a good relationship with Futabasha and was translating Nakua Hakao’s “Masuikai Hana” as “Anesthesologist Hana” and “Odds GP,” Ishiwata Osamu’s sports manga about the short-track bicycle racing known as Keirin.

Originally debuted in 1967, Manga Action was published weekly until 2003, when it was suspended for a time. It is currently released twice a month. At 380 yen ($3.65 at time of writing), each issue includes just over 350 pages of manga, so it’s a pretty good, cheap form of light entertainment for the salaryman on his daily commute. The Japanese Magazine Publisher’s Association puts per-issue circulation at 200,000 for Manga Action during October 2011-September 2012.

Like most other men’s manga magazines, Manga Action frequently sports a bikini-clad model on the cover and often has other pop culture tie-ins, like gravure photo shoots and girl-group news and interviews. Futabasha has a webpage for Manga Action, but to say it is “sparse” is an understatement. The single page with magazine and series information is more like a press kit than a website. However, there is a substantial Manga Action Webcomic Page, with sample chapters of many of the currently running stories. Manga Action has a dedicated Twitter account, in case you’re looking for updates and news.

Manga Action from Futabasha publishing: http://webaction.jp/action/

Weekly Shonen Jump Recap: January 27, 2013

February 11, 2014 by Derek Bown 1 Comment

Pretty good batch this week I have to say. Some chapters weren’t the greatest, but overall even the chapters I don’t usually care for were pretty good.

Naruto Ch. 662
All I can say about this chapter (well that’s not entirely true) is, “Ding dong the witch is almost dead!” But I jest, my condolences to anyone whose heart broke when Sasuke got stabbed last chapter and remained stabbed this chapter. Honestly I’m surprised he didn’t think to switch places with a handy log.

What really stands out this chapter is how romance in this series works. I know right? We start off talking about an almost dead person and suddenly it’s all about romance. Allow me to explain. As it turns out apparently Ino and Karin’s “love” for Sasuke is so great that they were able to telepathically realize that he is mortally wounded. I can understand Ino being capable of that, what with her ability to transmit thoughts across multiple minds. But how exactly is Karin realizing that he’s been mortally wounded? If the answer turns out to “True Love” then I just might break something.

More amusing is the fact that neither Sakura nor Hinata reacted when Naruto was mortally injured. In fact, Sakura was one of the only characters who’s ever had a thing for Sasuke that didn’t react when he got stabbed. Make of that what you will.

Overall the chapter is actually enjoyable if mostly because seeing our two main characters in such a life threatening situation makes for good drama no matter how the rest of the series fumbles the ball when it comes to storytelling. And the shipping implications are entertaining for anyone that enjoys watching the shipping communities go mad.

All You Need Is Kill Ch. 002
I didn’t get around to reviewing the first chapter because it was in a special issue instead of a regular issue. Should I have reviewed that special issue? I say Nay because there were only three chapters in it, all of them from Obata’s old series. Instead I’ll tell you what I thought right here.

The first chapter was interesting, the concept certainly has my attention and I do like body armor. But I find the female character designs a bit problematic in that they don’t seem to fit in the world this manga is trying to build. They look like they’d be more at home in Bakuman, rather than a gritty action sci-fi series.

The second chapter continues to be worth the time it takes to read by introducing the idea that Keiji can change the outcome of each time loop slightly. Ultimately he is unable to change his ultimate fate without more experience, but as he comes to realize that while his physical abilities will not increase, he can improve himself mentally by learning how to properly use his armor, learn battle strategies, and more importantly gain combat experience from facing the mimics over and over.

Seeing how this series is not only being made a manga, but a western style comic, as well as a movie, I have to say this odd cross promotion has been strangely effective. I originally wasn’t intending on seeing the movie “Edge of Tomorrow” but after seeing the basic concept handled well in the manga I’m curious to see how the big budget adaptation turns out.

One Piece Ch. 735
One Piece can be hard to review because each chapter has so much content that it almost deserves its own review. There’s so much to say that if I were to say only a fraction of it I would feel like what I did say didn’t do the chapter justice.

But enough creative stalling, the chapter was of course, as usual, excellent. I still don’t understand what Oda is trying to do with Señor Pink, but this time around I actually thought he was kind of cool. If he weren’t such an odd parody of I don’t know what he’d definitely be a cool type of character. I think it deserves mention that this is the first chapter of One Piece, ever, that acknowledges that sex exists in the One Piece world. Sure we’ve had children born in this series before, but never before has Oda gone into the specifics of how such an event comes to be. And then this chapter we have one of the random groupies flat out ask Señor Pink to “Make love to me, Señor!”

Fujitora’s plan to undo the seven warlord system is fascinating, and definitely makes him stand out as a character, and not just another Admiral. This arc has been very good with its characters, even moreso than the Fishman Island arc because with these characters we can expect them to stick around and show up later in the arc. At least we can with Fujitora and the newly appointed Lucy who is making his appearance in the finale of the tournament.

Nisekoi Ch. 107
I continue to wonder why Haru gets so much focus in this series, even when she’s tolerable she’s far from my favorite character, so it becomes hard to enjoy chapters of which she is the focus. However, the reveal at the end where she discovers the truth about Raku and Chitoge’s relationship is definitely worth it. Now we just have to see how she reacts now that she knows her sister isn’t trying to steal another girl’s boyfriend.

One-Punch Man Ch. 032
I think the main thing this chapter highlights is that the weakness of One-Punch Man is how the characters kind of appear without any real development towards their personalities. They usually are introduced during a fight, rather than the standard way of introducing them outside of a battle. To be fair, I call this a weakness, when I’m not sure that’s the right term I’m looking for. It’s a unique approach certainly, but it does mean that we’re spending a lot of time with characters that are perfectly fine, I just haven’t had enough time to grow attached to them, so anytime Saitama isn’t on screen I feel myself struggling to remain invested in the other characters.

Bleach Ch. 565
Not only do we get to learn Yhwach’s powers, but we also discover, in a kind of roundabout way, that Uryu definitely hasn’t turned against his friends, but that he most likely went to avenge his mother, only to find himself trapped. And the Quincies find themselves in a never ending battle because if Yhwach ever stops battling he will return to an infantile, helpless state.

An interesting concept, but the chapter was a bit too explainy to really be entertaining.

Dragonball Z Ch. 048
People can say what they want about Chi-Chi, I will contend that she’s in the right. Think about it, how happy would you be with your spouse if they got your child involved in a life or death battle for the sake of the planet? Sure everyone would have died had they not, but keep in mind this is your son that hasn’t even hit puberty yet. I’d be pretty furious too in that situation. So to see the characters all complain about what a terrible wife she is kind of pisses me off. What exactly was Toriyama trying to say? That caring about your offspring makes you a terrible spouse? Yes she’s overbearing, but the extent to which the other characters call her out on not caring about Goku is a bit sickening. Because, let’s face it, Goku isn’t exactly a model husband and father. Ultimately I feel that her portrayal in this chapter was excessively political in that she was clearly there to make a statement, and the statement being made is problematic at best.

El Viento Del Norte
I’ll spare you the rant about how Katanas are not the greatest swords ever made, and how the constant praise heaped on them by manga kind of pisses me off (We get it manga artists, your ancestors made good swords, well guess what so did my ancestors. And Katanas aren’t actually all that unique, the form was simultaneously developed/adopted on the asian mainland by Cambodia, Thailand, and Burma to name a few. Not identical, but the basic shape of the swords of these four countries are very similar. And how exactly does some goon in the middle of the US Mid-West (or wherever this is set exactly) know what in the flip a Katana is? These are the people for whom the basic name for Chinese people was offensive at best, and to them EVERYONE asian was Chinese. I doubt they’d even care to make the distinction between Chinese or Japanese, so how are they supposed to know what the smeg a flipping Katana is??!?!? And don’t get me started on cutting guns, a Katana can’t even cut a basic European longsword, how are they supposed to cut an entire gun?!?!?).

…sorry.

Anyway, as for the manga itself. The idea of a sword wielding cowgirl is interesting, and while I have to suppress my inner fanboy to accept that said cowgirl wields a Katana, the execution of this one-shot is amateur at best. Which, of course, makes sense considering it was written by an amateur. But it feels like the whole thing was an attempt to appeal both to the Japanese and the Americans voting. “Oh hey, Americans like Cowboys right? Well let’s make it a Cowgirl, and give lesbian overtones because the Japanese (and some Americans) like that along with Katanas.” It feels like something Nobuhiro Watsuki wrote at the beginning of his career. The art style even resembles it a bit. And if Watsuki wanted to write a western with Katanas I would be down, but this story feels like a watered down version of what he would have drawn.

The characters are difficult to get invested in, mostly because of lack of space, which is somewhat countered by the old manga fallback of exaggerating their every interaction. The lesbian overtones from Marianne are a good touch, as sexual attraction can easily explain the attachment between two characters, but the two act like they’ve been lifelong friends instead of people that have only known each other for less than two days.

It’s fun, but when compared to professional standards I wouldn’t expect this to be a long lasting series were it being given the chance at serialization.

If you want to hear more, check out the Manga^3 Podcast Archives.

The Legal Manga Reading Sites You Don’t Know About

February 11, 2014 by Justin Stroman 19 Comments

You don’t really see it at ANN. You don’t really see it at Manga Bookshelf. You don’t really see these discussed amongst forums and various social media sites. I did list some of them though, because they proved they’re legit somehow. Needless to say though, it feels that’s the only type of exposure they’ve gotten. I’m guessing it’s not true, but it’s just a feeling. And it’s weird. Well, maybe not as weird as expected, since the online manga sites themselves might be the ones with some issues.

…Oh right, I guess I should explain a bit more what I’m talking about.

…

Bookshelf Briefs 2/10/14

February 10, 2014 by Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith Leave a Comment

This week, Sean and Michelle look at recent releases from Yen Press, Seven Seas, and Viz Media.

Alice in the Country of Joker: Circus and Liar’s Game, Vol. 4 | By QuinRose and Mamenosuke Fujimaru | Seven Seas – Another volume of Joker vs. everyone else in the battle as to whether Alice will live happily in denial or wake to reality and crushing guilt. Blood gets the cover, and it’s appropriate – of all Alice’s potential suitors, he’s the one that seems to understand why he loves her better than the others, who can’t move beyond ‘bafflingly attracted to her’. Like Ace, Blood enjoys seeing Alice’s changing facial emotions. Unlike Ace, he prefers those to be mostly centered around him and love – and if that means they’re all anger and venom, well hey. It also contrasts well with Peter’s overdevoted yet basically sexless love, and the ‘oneesama’ feelings of Vivaldi. Will we ever see Lorina’s fate in this series? Only if it heads towards a ‘bad end’, which I doubt. – Sean Gaffney

Inu x Boku SS, Vol. 2 | By Cocoa Fujiwara | Yen Press – While there is still an undercurrent of darkness to this title, I must admit I wasn’t expecting this volume to be quite as light and silly as it was. Carta, in particular, is a walking punchline, with ‘Peking Duck!’ probably being my favorite. Likewise the flamboyant lunacy of Kagerou, Ririchiyo’s fiance, means everything seems divided into nothing but masochism or sadism. That said, everything always gets dialed back when we focus on the cute yet arm’s length relationship between Ririchiyo and Soushi. The story of his upbringing is where the humor ceases, and his letter to Ririchiyo, as well as his realization of what they have meant to him, is very touching. Given the plot and the suggestive covers, I was expecting this to be a lot more fanservicey of a title. Instead, it’s proven quite sweet. – Sean Gaffney

Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 14 | By Julietta Suzuki | Viz Media – I spent an enjoyable weekend getting caught up on Kamisama Kiss, a manga I had neglected for far too long. Unfortunately, volume 14 isn’t the best representation of the series, since it’s largely introduction to an arc that finds Nanami paying a visit to Tomoe’s past in an attempt to save him from a 500-year-old curse in the present. That’s not to say there aren’t some very nice moments here—my favorite is the moment when Nanami realizes that her first plan would mean that Mizuki would never have come to their shrine, causing her to rush to his side and reassure him—but everything builds to the final moment, which promises some interesting developments to come. Just not, y’know, in this particular volume. Still, I like the series a lot in general, and have faith that the eventual payoff will be rewarding. – Michelle Smith

No Matter How I Look At It, It’s You Guys’ Fault I’m Not Popular!, Vol. 2 | By Nico Tanigawa | Yen Press – Sometimes I read this and it’s the funniest thing ever, where I take my time and savor each horrible moment. And then sometimes it just hits far too near the knuckle, and I find myself flipping ahead because I really don’t want to cringe as I read about Tomoko’s new humiliations. Balancing on that knife edge is what this series is, and I like the fact that it seems to be different for each reader – I had immense trouble with the entire arc with Tomoko’s cousin, but seeing Tomoko spying on a couple with two younger boys or her father catching her with a massager and a BL tape were hysterical. There’s something that every fan of dark comedy here will love, but buyer beware: each volume will also give you the creeping shakes at how horrible her life really is. – Sean Gaffney

Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Vol. 19 | By Horoshi Hiibashi | Viz Media – There’s a wrap-up of the events in the past here, showing us Rihan supposedly taking out the Hundred Stories (as well as more of Otome’s psyche being quite fragile). However,k most of what we get here is complete chaos, as the Hundred Stories are back, and using the human tendency for rumors and mistrust to make life a living hell for our heroes. It’s impressive how well the author shows us things going completely to hell – you never quite lose track of what’s happening, but the sheer chaos of the sequences is fleshed out enough for you to care. Even Kana can’t escape the fact that Nura and his clan are yokai now, and it’s understandably making her a little upset. I anticipate next volume will have a lot of fighting, so it was good to see effective setup for that here. – Sean Gaffney

Toriko, Vol. 20 | By Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro | Viz Media – This volume mostly consists of a series of smaller short arcs meant to show Toriko and Komatsu on less life-threatening adventures. This ranges from Toriko playing Santa and delivering food to the hungry to the search for the stinkiest fruit in the world, the Durian Bomb. Having once been exposed to Durians, I can sympathize with this last one. This Durian also provides a healthy dose of humor, along with other one-shot gags such as the Full-course Meal of health-nut Aimaru. In the end, though, the best reason to read Toriko is also here in this volume: seeing Toriko obsess about food and be incredibly strong, and having Komatsu reveal how far he’s come as a character and show off his basic innate goodness. After 20 volumes, this title still makes me (sigh, sorry) hungry for more. – Sean Gaffney

My Week in Manga: February 3-February 9, 2014

February 10, 2014 by Ash Brown

My News and Review

Last week I announced the winner of the Vinland Saga manga giveaway. The post also includes a list of the manga with memorable snowy scenes that were mentioned during the contest. (Just in case you haven’t had enough snow where you are this winter.) And speaking of Makoto Yukimura’s Vinland Saga, I also reviewed the second omnibus of the manga. I’m really loving the series and enjoyed the second volume even more than I did the first. Over the weekend I reviewed Mieko Kanai’s award-winning novel Oh, Tama! which I greatly enjoyed. I know quite a few people who find it to be a boring work, but I found it to be delightfully low-key with a quirky sense of humor.

As for news and interesting reading seen online this week: The fourth issue of the international edition of Monkey Business will be released later this month. I quite enjoy Monkey Business, so I’m looking forward to it. Seven Seas answered a question about some of the decisions that go into licensing manga for omnibus release over on its Tumblr. At Organization Anti-Social Geniuses, Justin posted a great List of Where You Can Buy Anime/Manga in 2014. Hooded Utilitarian’s Ng Suat Tong writes about some of the best online comics criticism of 2013, including some great articles on manga that I hadn’t previously come across.

Quick Takes

Dictatorial Grimoire, Volume 1: Cinderella by Ayumi Kanou. I have a feeling that Dictatorial Grimoire may very well be one of those manga that is so bad that it’s good. The story is admittedly a bit of a mess and sometimes doesn’t even make a whole lot of sense. However, I can’t deny that I had fun reading the manga. It’s all sorts of ridiculous. (I’m not sure that all of it is entirely intentional, though.) Otogi Grimm is the descendant of the Brothers Grimm which turns out to be a rather dangerous thing to be. The Brothers made a pact with demons offering up the lives of their descendants in exchange for the stories that formed the basis of their famous fairy tales. Many of those demons–such as the progenitor’s of Cinderella and Snow White–are now after Otogi in one way or another. He does seem to maintain some control over them, though it’s never explained how he learned, developed, or perhaps inherited this power. I did love that Cinderella is a complete masochist, although that fact is used mostly as a gag rather than for any meaningful characterization. I was, however, amused.

Fairy Tail, Volume 34 by Hiro Mashima. The thirty-fourth volume of Fairy Tail gets off to a good start with the conclusion of Natsu’s confrontation with the Saber Tooth Guild. Then it’s back to the Grand Magic Games for the third day of competition. After a nice buildup to the day’s challenge event, called Pandemonium, Erza’s epic battle is largely reduced to a two-page spread. More time is spent on what basically amounts to target practice for the other teams than on what could have been a glorious combat sequence; it was extremely disappointing. Some of the other fights in this volume fare better, but others are completely rushed through. I’m more interested in the plots going on behind the scenes than I am in the tournament itself, but it seems that to some extent Mashima has given up on the Grand Magic Games. Even the event challenges, which were initially interesting because they required some actual thought and strategy to be put into them in addition to magic and martial skill, have become little more than all-out brawls in this volume. That, too, was a rather disappointing development.

Manic Love by Satomi Yamagata. Manic Love is a prequel of sorts to Yamagata’s Fake Fur; it delves deeper into the back story of Maki Sonoda, an important side character. Yamagata jokes in the afterword that she had challenged herself to write a manga that was half nude scenes, so there’s quite a bit of sex in Manic Love. But it’s actually handled quite tastefully and the sex scenes are an important part of the manga and the themes with which Yamagata is working. As was the case with Fake Fur, Manic Love explores the relationship between romantic love and sexual desire and how they can influence each other. Sex is used as a form of communication and connection between the characters in addition to being something that they enjoy. One of the things that I particularly liked about Manic Love is that each chapter it told from a different characters’ point of view. Maki is in what is probably best described as a sort of love triangle, but it’s one without hard feelings or anger. It’s interesting to be able to see that unusual relationship from multiple perspectives, including one from someone who is outside of that triangle entirely.

Oh, Tama!

February 9, 2014 by Ash Brown

Author: Mieko Kanai
Translator: Tomoko Aoyama and Paul McCarthy
U.S. publisher: Kurodahan Press
ISBN: 9784902075670
Released: January 2014
Original release: 1987
Awards: Women’s Literature Prize

Oh, Tama! is the third volume of Mieko Kanai’s work to be translated into English. The first was The Word Book, a collection of her short stories from the 1970s, while the second was a short novel called Indian Summer. Both Oh, Tama! and Indian Summer are a part of Kanai’s Mejiro Series–a group of novels tied together more by location and characters than by an overarching plot (though some events do cross over from one novel to another.) Indian Summer is actually the third volume in that series while Oh, Tama!, even though it was translated later, is the second. Oh, Tama! was originally serialized between 1986 and 1987 before being collected and released as a single volume which went on to win Kanai the Women’s Literature Prize in 1988. The English-language translation by Tomoko Aoyama and Paul McCarthy, released by Kurodahan Press in 2014, is based on the 1999 Japanese edition of the novel. I was very pleased to receive a copy of Oh, Tama! through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers program.

Tsuneko is pregnant. No one except for her and maybe her half-brother Alexandre (if he really is her half-brother) is entirely sure who the father is. Natsuyuki was one of the candidates, but for various reasons instead of being given the role of “father” he has had the responsibility of caring for Tama–Tusnkeo’s pet cat, also pregnant–thrust upon him by Alexandre. It’s a rather strange turn of events, especially when Tusneko leaves the country and Tama becomes one of the only remaining links to her left in Tokyo. The other potential fathers-to-be are trying to find or at least contact Tsuneko, which eventually leads them to Natsuyuki and Tama. In yet another bizarre twist of fate, one of them, Fuyuhiko, actually turns out to be Natsuyuki’s very own long-lost half-brother, making for a rather odd meeting.

There’s actually not much of a driving plot to Oh, Tama!. Instead, Kanai focuses on the mundane lives of the characters. Even the novel’s setting is unremarkable–almost the entire story takes place within the confines of Natsuyuki’s small apartment. Tama provides a focal point from which Kanai explores the interpersonal relationships between Natsuyuki, his friends, family members, and neighbors. The characters in Oh, Tama! aren’t particularly exceptional people although they’re all slightly quirky, eccentric, and offbeat. Their relationships also follow that same pattern of being just a little peculiar and unusual. I actually quite like Natsuyuki and the others and find their interactions, though fairly low-key, to be delightfully amusing as well as realistic. According to one of Kanai’s afterwords, the characters in Oh, Tama! are actually based on real people, so perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising that their relationships, in all of their strangeness, should also feel so natural.

The translators’ introduction to Oh, Tama! describes the novel as “a treasure chest of rich and varied parody, allusion and intertextuality.” Since I haven’t actually read many of the works being alluded to, many of the references (even when pointed out) were a little lost on me. However, I could appreciate what Kanai was doing. Personally, what appealed to me most about Oh, Tama! were the characters themselves. Natsuyuki is a fairly laid back sort of guy, but this tendency (mostly because complaining or actually trying to change things would take too much effort) puts him into some odd situations. Alexandre, who seems to delight in messing with people, is often more concerned about Tama and the kittens than any of the people around him. I found their slightly antagonistic friendship and their interactions with Fuyuhiko and the others to be highly entertaining. I greatly enjoyed Oh, Tama! and its quirky, understated humor. So much so that I plan on reading the next novel in the Mejiro series, Indian Summer, in the very near future.

Thank you Kurodahan Press for providing a copy of Oh, Tama! for review.

Vinland Saga, Vol. 2

February 7, 2014 by Ash Brown

Creator: Makoto Yukimura
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781612624211
Released: January 2014
Original release: 2006-2007
Awards: Japan Media Arts Award, Kodansha Manga Award

The second Vinland Saga omnibus, released by Kodansha in 2014, collects the third and fourth volumes of Makoto Yukimura’s historical manga series originally published in Japan in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Vinland Saga first began serialization in 2005 and has since earned Yukimura several honors, including a Japan Media Arts Award in 2009 and a Kodansha Manga Award in 2012. Vinland Saga was a series that I had been hoping would be licensed in English for years and so I was understandably thrilled when Kodansha picked the series up. Kodansha’s edition of Vinland Saga is quite nice–hardcover omnibuses which include color pages and have a larger trim size than the publisher’s previous releases. Vinland Saga is Kodansha’s first deluxe manga; personally, I think it’s a series which deserves the special treatment. I was not at all disappointed with the first omnibus of Vinland Saga and so was eagerly awaiting the release of the second.

In the early part of the eleventh century, England was under frequent attack by Vikings. In 1013, after years of fighting, England’s King Ethelred has been driven into exile in France while King Sweyn of Denmark proceeds with his invasion of the country. The Danes aren’t entirely united though, and many of the king’s forces are more like mercenaries or bands of pirates than they are loyal followers. Some groups, such as those led by Thorkell the Tall, have actually aligned themselves with the English in the conflict. Others, such as Askeladd’s band of warriors, fight under King Sweyn simply because he currently has the more advantageous position and the chance of reward is therefore much greater. But there is some infighting among Askeladd’s ranks as well. The only reason that Thorfinn, a skilled young fighter, follows him is for the chance to seek revenge against Askeladd for the death of his father. In the meantime, Thorfinn serves both as one of Askeladd’s most valuable and most expendable assets.

I enjoyed the first omnibus of Vinland Saga a great deal, but I think that I probably enjoyed the second one even more. Yukimura has struck an ideal balance between exciting action sequences and combat and the more personal and emotional character development of the fighters who are involved. Vinland Saga is both epic and intimate in its scope. War is occurring between nations, but it is the characters’ individual struggles that make the story so visceral and compelling. Many of the warriors in Vinland Saga are bloodthirsty, seeking glory and taking pleasure from battle itself rather than from any sort of perceived noble cause. But there are exceptions. Thorfinn despises this fighting for fighting’s sake. However, while his search for revenge may arguably be more righteous, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s in the right. Askeladd, too, has some very legitimate justifications for fighting. But while his skills as a warrior and strategist are commendable, many of his actions are deplorable.

The depth of characterization in Vinland Saga is impressive. In this omnibus, Askeladd in particular is shown to be a much more complicated figure than he may have first appeared. Vinland Saga, Omnibus 2 delves into part of his backstory, which only begins to reveal his motivations and who he really is as a person. Yukimura’s attention to detail in Vinland Saga extends beyond the characters themselves. The amount of research he has conducted allows him to portray the time period realistically, taking into consideration major historical events but also incorporating religious issues and matters of the day-to-day lives of royalty, mercenaries, and common folk. The artwork, too, can be incredibly detailed. The landscapes and environments are beautifully rendered and each character, even the multitudes of unnamed combatants, have distinctive designs. Vinland Saga really is an excellent series. I’m enjoying it immensely and am extremely happy that it’s finally available in English.

Manga the Week of 2/12

February 6, 2014 by Sean Gaffney, Ash Brown, Michelle Smith, MJ and Anna N 2 Comments

SEAN: Assuming that you are able to get out of your house and are not snowed in, there’s a lot to like in this 2nd week of February.

Does anyone here remember Hey! Class President from DMP? Vol. 3 came out back in September 2010. Well, here’s Vol. 4, despite the fact that he surely should have graduated by now.

Do you like tournament arcs? Do you wish that they came out in giant omnibuses so that you could get EVEN MORE TOURNAMENT ARC per volume? Then you will love the 3rd Battle Angel Alita: Last Order omnibus from Kodansha.

ASH: Ancient Martian martial arts and space karate! What’s not to love?

SEAN: Do you like tournament arcs? Do you wish that they came out in giant omnibuses so that you could get EVEN MORE TOURNAMENT ARC per volume? Then you will love the 9th Negima omnibus from Kodansha.

MICHELLE: *snerk* Somehow, this has left me wondering when/whether The Prince of Tennis will get the omnibus treatment.

MJ: This whole conversation just made me smile. Though I mostly don’t like tournament arcs. Unless they are about Go. Apparently.

SEAN: Sankarea looks like it may be taking that big step towards full-blown horror, but will it find the time to be silly and have harem antics? Find out with Volume 5.

Blue Morning 4 is filled with tortured embraces and flowers blooming from nowhere.

MICHELLE: It’s so good!

MJ: I’m looking forward to this!

SEAN: Meanwhile, in Crimson Spell 2, our heroes would prefer to merely glare at the reader. Both of these from SubLime.

ASH: I’m still incredibly happy about this license rescue.

SEAN: Knights of Sidonia looks like it may be taking that big step towards full-blown horror, but will it find the time to be silly and have harem antics? Find out with Volume 7.

MICHELLE: Also so good.

ASH: Yes, it is!

MJ: More Sidonia, more!

SEAN: Deadman Wonderland manages to combine the survival game genre with a prison drama, as a young man who is the sole survivor of a brutal massacre is convicted of being the cause and sent to Japan’s Next Top Prison.

MICHELLE: I liked the first volume of this, back when it was a TOKYOPOP title. I’m looking forward to being able to revisit it and hopefully get more of the story.

ASH: I enjoyed what TOKYOPOP released, too, though I preferred the earlier volumes over the latter ones.

ANNA: I also enjoyed the first few volumes of this, and it makes sense that it is going to be reissued, what with the anime tie-in. I really really wish someone would license rescue old Tokyopop titles like Demon Sacred and Sky Blue Shore though.

MICHELLE: Oh, me too x 1000.

MJ: I’m grateful for this one because I missed it the first time around. Count me in on Demon Sacred, though!

SEAN: Hayate the Combat Butler 23 finally begins to get dramatic (no, seriously, it does), but will it be able to actually resolve the Athena plot? Or will we wait another 6 months with a nasty cliffhanger?

The last VIZBIG InuYasha is looking like it may be the last VIZBIG edition period, but it was a nice way to get a very long series.

MICHELLE: I have still not finished InuYasha. One of these days.

SEAN: Our heroes are separated as of the end of the 3rd Magi volume. Can we get them back together in this 4th book? Let’s hope so, I love shonen teamups.

MICHELLE: I’ve been really impressed by Magi so far. Hooray for more.

SEAN: Lastly, the 4th volume of Tiger & Bunny continues to attract a very devoted audience.

MICHELLE: That’s very diplomatic.

SEAN: What’s your poison this week?

Hayate the Combat Butler, Vol. 23

February 6, 2014 by Sean Gaffney

By Kenjiro Hata. Released in Japan as “Hayate no Gotoku!” by Shogakukan, serialization ongoing in the magazine Shonen Sunday. Released in North America by Viz.

This volume wasn’t really supposed to be read on its own – it came out in Japan at the same time as Vol. 24, as it’s one big epic storyline resolution. But here in North America, where Hayate’s sales sort of suck, we get this volume now and Vol. 24 in late summer. That said, it’s not like this is incoherent without the other volume, it just leaves us with another nasty cliffhanger. More to the point, everything is finally tying together as the universe sets out to make Hayate’s life miserable, and he helps it along as best he can.

Not that Hayate is the only one suffering – we get the aftermath of Hina’s confession, as her heart is shattered into little pieces but she still manages to say the right things to Hayate. There are many characters in this series who are at their best when they’re absolutely miserable, and Hina’s is one of the bigger examples. That said, I suspect she’s not simply going to sit back at the hotel for the rest of this arc and let Athena steal the show…

Nor is Nagi, though she doesn’t really appear much in this volume. Hayate’s self-worth is tied directly to the fact that Nagi ‘saved’ him from his old life, and therefore when Mikado (who is really being a horrible old bastard here) forces him to choose between Nagi’s happiness (as losing all her wealth will destroy her) and Athena’s (as she may very well die if Hayate doesn’t intervene), it’s snot surprising that he freezes up and goes into a bit of a blue funk. It’s not so much a Lady or the Tiger choice as it is two kinds of tiger.

And then there’s Athena (who has a comedy relief servant, Makina, who is appropriately a bit of a dark Hayate to Athena’s Dark Nagi). There’s a bit of possession by evil going on, so her desire to get the King’s Jewel at all costs it wrapped up in that. Her feelings for Hayate seem to be genuine, though, and it’s telling that the evil inside her is allowed to take over when she realizes that Nagi is the one who saved him and the most important woman in his life right now. This leads to summoning giant demonic spirits to kill Hayate once and for all. Thank goodness for Isumi…

…who arrives just in time to lose her first battle in the entire series (as possessed-Athena points out to her, “You’ve never had to face someone stronger than you, have you?), so our heroes have to run away for a bit. Isumi also gets to be infodump girl, informing Hayate that even if they destroy the stone, the shock of the thing that’s currently possessing her being destroyed may kill Athena. He really does have no good options here. Well, except this is a shonen manga, so he can go back and plead with her to listen to reason some more. I suspect that’s what we’ll see next.

At the time this came out, a lot of folks were wondering if this might be the conclusion, and if Hayate would actually end up with Athena. No fear (it’s up to Vol. 39 in Japan now), but this is still an excellent buildup to something big. Can Hayate win despite his amazing powers of self-hatred?

Book Girl and the Scribe Who Faced God, Part 2

February 4, 2014 by Sean Gaffney

By Mizuki Nomura. Released in Japan by Enterbrain. Released in North America by Yen Press.

And so we finally get to the book that wraps everything up, and it’s appropriate that it also dips back into the previous seven books so much. Everything here has been interconnecting far more than we expected at the time, and, as Chie herself noted, people did not get magically healed after the tragic events that happened to them. Still, most everyone seems to be working things out to a certain degree as they graduate. Even Konoha, who has finally come to terms with the fact that once he removes writing from all of the triggers it presents to him, he actually loves doing it.

Konoha has been a very frustrating character to read through this series, and can be that way here as well, at least for the first half. His relationship0 with Nanase is sweet and innocent and pure poison to absolutely everyone involved, even if Ryuto’s attempts to break them up through threats and violence are even more dumb. I actually feel bad for Nanase – not only does she lose out on Konoha in the end, but she also ended up being the least developed character, really. The tragedy in her focused book happened to her best friend, leaving her to be the prime example of the pure tsundere shonen heroine that pines away even as she knows deep in her heart that something is wrong. I hope one of the side-story sequels in Japan features her and gives her more depth.

Ryuto and Tohko tie together, of course, and while I still think he makes every wrong decision imaginable in this series, I can now sympathize with Ryuto’s intentions and see why he tries to torture himself so much. He and Chie still make a weirdly twisted couple, and her actions towards the end were not surprising but still managed to pack a punch. As for Maki, she finally gets what she wants out of life. Her painting of Tohko included. She’s an excellent positive example of how to beat overwhelming odds through sheer determination, and probably still my most favorite character in the series.

Finally, Tohko and Konoha, and the backstory with Tohko’s parents. This is where most of the plot twists come in, some of them mere lines after the last. I have not read Andre Gide’s Strait Is the Gate, the book that features so heavily, but it ties into Tohko’s life heavily. Tohko in the end is simply an incredibly nice girl who wants to see people happy and doing what they do best. She also knows that Konoha needs to write, and his rejection of her basically hits all if her emotional trauma buttons. I’m still not sure I like the idea of them as a romantic couple – I think they’d be excellent best friends and a writer/editor team. But they’re the best part of this book, and I liked that it was Konoha who got the big dramatic speech tying the tragedy into the book this time around.

Book Girl has been a roller coaster of teen trauma, and really didn’t have *too* much supernatural content – Tohko’s nature really isn’t examined all that much. It’s the perfect novel series for someone who wants a book for teenagers but wants to avoid all the cliches that plague most Japanese light noels that are translated into English. Character you care about, twisty plots, and an overwhelming love of books. I want to read it all over again. Luckily, I don’t eat books, so I can do so fairly easily. (Tohko must hate e-readers.)

Bookshelf Briefs 2/3/14

February 3, 2014 by Sean Gaffney and Michelle Smith 3 Comments

This week, Sean and Michelle look at recent releases from Kodansha Comics, Viz Media, and Seven Seas.

Arisa, Vol. 12 | By Natsumi Ando | Kodansha Comics – Yay, it’s over! Although this volume features a bomb, an over-the-top bitchy mom, several stabbings, and a healthy dose of redemption and forgiveness, none of it has any impact. It all just breezes past superficially. I’m kind of bummed that this is the sole example of shoujo mystery/suspense to come out in English in recent memory, because surely there must be better stories out there. One complimentary thing I can say about Arisa, however, is that the heroine (Tsubasa) does not get paired off romantically with the guy who helped with her investigation (Manabe). I thought for sure that would happen, but in the end, he actually likes someone else and Tsubasa derives closure from being able to get closer to her sister, and not from snagging a boyfriend. That counts for something! – Michelle Smith

A Devil And Her Love Song, Vol. 13 | By Miyoshi Tomori | Viz Media – It seems appropriate that the first third of this volume deal with the adversarial relationship between Ayu and Maria, given that this is where it all began. Sure, they’re good friends now, but that does not change the fact that Ayu still loves Yusuke, Yusuke still loves Maria, and Maria is in love with Shin. And sometimes there’s no real solution to those things. Maria, at least, refuses to abandon any of her friendships, and Ayu does come around. After this, it’s a refreshingly happy and positive final volume, as Maria continues to see her family, finds fresh resolve to become a singer, and of course strengthens her relationship with Shin. Even Anna is mentioned as moving forward. the darkness this series had throughout makes this ending all the sweeter, and it feels well-earned as well. A terrific title. – Sean Gaffney

Haganai: I Don’t Have Many Friends, Vol. 5 | By Yomi Hirasaka and Itachi | Seven Seas – First off, let’s note that, even amusingly censored as it is, this volume has a lot – a WHOLE lot – of nudity. FYI. As for the plot, Yozora tries her hardest (the horse head helps), and there’s the hint that our trap may not in fact be a trap at all, but for the most part this is a very Sena-focused volume. We see her loneliness and need to bond when everyone but her has a cell phone, and we see her obsession for cute things such as Kodaka’s sister. Mostly, though, we see that she’s really fallen for Kodaka, in a tsundere sort of way, and given that she’s slightly less socially inept than Yozora, probably has a better chance of getting together with him. Oh yes, and her family are insane, but I could have guessed that. This was a fun read for fans of harem comedies. – Sean Gaffney

Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 14 | By Julietta Suzuki | Viz Media – I sympathize with Nanami, I really do, given that the alternative is Tomoe’s death. But part of me just wants to grab her and scream “DO NOT MESS WITH TIME!” Yes, most of this volume takes place in the past, as Nanami resolves to stop Tomoe’s curse from killing him by preventing the curse from existing in the first place. The volume has plenty of magnificent Nanami moments, but fans of Kirihito and Mizuki will also find things to enjoy here. The other big attraction, though, is the evil past Tomoe, and how his history may already be changing just from meeting Nanami. (Or so we think – who knows? Do not mess with time.) This has the feeling of a multi-volume arc, so be prepared to spend more time in the past. Which I am fine with, as long as Nanami keeps being awesome. – Sean Gaffney

Strobe Edge, Vol. 8 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – There is so much self-sacrificing going on in this volume I want to punch a kitten. Don’t get me wrong, it’s lovely to see the angst and people being considerate of each other’s feelings and all, but I can’t help wonder how much longer this is going to go on with Ninako lying to herself? (Checks volume count – two more to go.) I do like the addition of the blunt guy who has nothing to do with Ninako or any of their friends – he makes a good sounding board, and hopefully will not be dragged into any love triangles, even though I suspect jealousy is going to rear its ugly head. I’m still enjoying this, but it’s a shoujo where everyone is sad most of the time, and that means that it needs to run its course soon. You can’t sustain angst over 10+ volumes. Luckily, next time is the penultimate one. – Sean Gaffney

My Week in Manga: January 27-February 2, 2014

February 3, 2014 by Ash Brown

My News and Reviews

I only posted one review last week, but there were a couple of other posts as well. As for the review, I took a look at Haruki Murakami’s award-winning Kafka on the Shore. Of the two Murakami novels that I have so far read, this is my favorite. Still, at times I found it to be a rather frustrating reading experience, although there were parts of the novel that I absolutely loved. For the few people who are actually interested, I also posted January’s Bookshelf Overload last week. But, perhaps most importantly, my first manga giveaway of the year is currently in progress! I accidentally ended up with two copies of the second Vinland Saga omnibus, so now you have a chance to win one for your very own! The winner will be announced on Wednesday, so there’s still some time to enter the giveaway.

On to other things online! Matt Thorn has tracked down the interview with Inio Asano that sparked the whole discussion about his gender identity among fandom and offers some of his own comments. Over at All About Manga, Daniella Orihuela-Gruber writes about Hetalia’s Version of History: What Does It Offer Readers?. The fourth episode of Fujojocast has been posted, which takes a look at some award-winning and award-nominated manga. And speaking of honor-worthy manga, Wandering Son made the Rainbow List again this year and quite a few manga appear on YALSA’s 2014 list of Great Graphic Novels for Teens (which is actually a great list of graphic novels for anyone, not just teens). Finally, Seven Seas has had a week full of license announcements, including Vampire Bund doujinshi, Kokoro Connect, and it’s newest yuri acquisition Citurs.

Quick Takes

Attack on Titan, Volume 11 by Hajime Isayama. To be honest, I’ve recently been a little worried reading Attack on Titan due to the sheer number of plot twists that seem to be included in every volume. While this does make for some exciting (and occasionally confusing) storytelling, it also makes the series feel like Isayama barely has it under his control. Fortunately, the eleventh volume of Attack on Titan is relatively the free of any “big reveals.” (At least in comparison to previous volumes.) Instead, the characters must deal with the fallout from some of the most recent developments–there are a surprising number of Titans who have come out of the 104th Corps. So, while there aren’t many dramatic plot twists in the eleventh volume, there is a major Titan battle between Eren and some of the people he once considered to be his comrades. Some nice character development comes out of it, too, as well as some more hints regarding what the Titans really are and who is behind it all. I’m still sticking with the series at this point.

Sake Jock: Comics from Today’s Japanese Underground edited by Adam Glickman. Published in 1995, Sake Jock is described as being “the first collection of Japanese alternative artists to appear in English.” Sadly, this slim volume from Fantagraphics can be rather difficult to find nowadays. Sake Jock collects seven short manga, most if not all of which were originally published in the influential alternative manga magazine Garo. Some of the creators I was already familiar with from other underground comics anthologies while others I was encountering for the first time. I was particularly happy to see a work by Kiriko Nananan included since I love her style. Overall, I appreciated and enjoyed the manga collected in Sake Jock. I’m not sure that the collection will hold much general appeal except to those who already have an established interest in alternative manga; there have since been other anthologies published that would make a better introduction. It’s kind of a cool artifact, though, and I am glad to have it as part of my collection.

Two Flowers for the Dragon, Volumes 2-4 by Nari Kusakawa. It’s actually been a few years since I read the first volume of Two Flowers for the Dragon, but I remember being quite taken with it so I figured it was about time to get around to reading more of the series. I’ve rediscovered that I really enjoy the manga. It’s a wonderful mix of fantasy and romance with great character dynamics. There’s also a bit of court intrigue and some assassination plots for good measure.(And some unexpected gender-bending, too, for that matter.) Shakuya, the princess and heir of the Dragon Clan, has two fiancés vying for her affections. Kuwan is a capable but somewhat arrogant captain of the guard while Lucien is a kind-hearted young man who has lost many of his memories. The two of them obviously care for her dearly and are understandably a little antagonistic towards one another. Much to her dismay, Shakuya has developed feelings for both of them to varying degrees. But trying to figure out the workings of her own heart is only one of her many concerns.

The Tyrant Falls in Love, Volume 7-8 by Hinako Takanaga. Volumes seven and eight of The Tyrant Falls in Love form the last story arc in the series although Takanaga does promise that she hasn’t completely abandoned the story and characters. She plans on creating more manga–side stories, epilogues, and so on–but The Tyrant Falls in Love forms a complete story on its own, even considering the fact that it was a sort of follow-up to her debut series Challengers. Throughout The Tyrant Falls in Love, Morinaga and Souchi’s communication has been absolutely terrible. Their relationship is an extraordinarily rocky and volatile one; I honestly wasn’t sure what sort of ending Takanaga was going to go for. Overall, I was very satisfied with the series’ conclusion and I think it works. The only thing I wasn’t entirely convinced by is the direction that Masaki’s relationship with Morinaga’s older brother seems to be taking. Granted, that particular development did set in motion a pretty critical realization on Morinaga’s part.

Harlequin Manga: The Tycoon’s Pregnant Mistress and Her Sheikh Boss

February 3, 2014 by Anna N

The Tycoon’s Pregnant Mistress by Maya Banks and Nanao Hidaka

The Tycoon’s Pregnant Mistress manages to hit some sort of Harlequin manga trifecta, because the pregnant mistress in question gets cast off, kidnapped, and develops amnesia in the first 30 pages! The woman with the eventful life is Marley, and her boss is a slightly dimwitted Greek tycoon named Chrysander. Marley finds out that she’s pregnant and attempts to have a meaningful talk about their relationship with Chrysander, only to be shut down and promptly kicked out when Chrysander discovers top secret business documents in Marley’s handbag only minutes after his extremely suspicious secretary pays him a visit at their home. While he might be successful in business, Chrysander has very little insight into human nature, as he kicks Marley out onto the street, where she is immediately scooped up by kidnappers, appearing four months later in an advanced stage of pregnancy!

Chrysander is very suspicious of his pregnant former mistress who has amnesia, but he is determined to Do the Right Thing and decides that he’s going to take care of her and her child. Marley attempts to get her memories back, all the while being slightly bewildered by the continued presence of Chrysander’s skanky secretary and his distant nature. The art for this title is about average for a Harlequin manga, it is attractive despite some slightly odd proportions, and while it doesn’t have the lush 80s retro vibe that I tend to love the most in these manga adaptations, everyone’s hair is glossy and there is a profusion of brooding greek tycoons.

Her Sheikh Boss by Carol Culver and Earithen

The story for this manga is fairly predictable, but I really enjoyed the art for this title, which had a loose sophisticated style that reminded me a bit of Walkin’ Butterfly. Claudia is a highly efficient secretary working in the United States for Samir, the prince of a country in the Middle East. She’s indispensible for his business, and he decides to take her along when he goes home to his country. Samir tends to view Claudia as an efficient piece of furniture, and when Claudia goes on her trip she is profoundly dismayed to find out that her boss his traveling back to his family in order to get engaged!

Claudia has developed a secret crush on her boss, and she struggles with her feelings as his family regards her with suspicion. As Claudia visits Samir’s country he begins to see her as a woman for the first time, as she throws herself into new experiences with enthusiasm. His fiancee seems very unenthusiastic, perhaps due to the handsome male servant that follows her about wherever she goes. The art captures Claudia’s transformations and shifts in moods easily and there’s plenty of billowing hair and the occasional camel. While the illustrations aren’t necessarily very detailed, there’s more variation with the paneling and I found myself just as entertained by the art as the story. The complications that keep Samir and Claudia are resolved nicely, and overall I found myself pleasantly entertained.

Umineko: When They Cry, Vol. 5

February 1, 2014 by Sean Gaffney

Story by Ryukishi07; Art by Kei Natsumi. Released in Japan in two and 1/2 separate volumes as “Umineko no Naku Koro ni: Banquet of the Golden Witch” by Square Enix, serialized in the magazine Gangan Joker. Released in North America by Yen Press.

In Umineko fandom, there are two manga arcs that are considered to be the absolute best at adapting the source and adding actual expressions and action, and Banquet is the first of these (the other is End, if you’re curious). The artist from the first arc is back, but this one gives her far more to sink her teeth into, with Beatrice seemingly getting replaced as people actually bother to… solve the epitaph this time around! Meanwhile, given the first arc was Natsuhi-heavy and the 2nd focused on Rosa, the cover of the 3rd arc should not surprise you…

Yes, that’s Eva biting her pinky on the cover… and yes, that’s also Eva behind her grinning insanely. Sort of. We get flashbacks at the start of the book to Eva as a teenager, dealing with being the smartest of the siblings but having a father who’s an abusive misogynist and a brother who realizes this is basically the only way he can ever have power over her. The flashbacks blend together with the present, as Eva arrives in 1986 for the Conference, and we see teenage-Eva stay behind, acting as sort of a ‘inner voice’ for Eva, driving her forward and giving her help/admonishment.

The First Twilight takes out all the servants (plus Kinzo), leaving us with the parents for a far more extended period than we’ve seen before. Which, if nothing else, reminds us once again how toxic this family is, even as they’re trying to hide from a killer. Speaking of that Twilight, we also meet a few new people, Ronove and Virgilia. Ronove seems like your typical ‘demon butler’ sort, there to give small hints, dole out tea, and be a bit too gay for battler’s liking. (It is worth noticing that Genji’s last name is Ronoue.) As for Virgilia, we see at the start that she was Beatrice back when the Beatrice we know was a young girl, and has been hiding inside Kumasawa until she emerges to chastise her former student. There’s a lot of double identities here, which is quite important as the series goes on.

Speaking of the Beatrice we know, there’s a lot of interesting things going on with her. She’s still really cruel and nasty, to the point where the omnibus ends with Battler slapping her after she laughs at the antics down on Rokkenjima. At the same time, she’s far less aloof and more likeable here, and I’d go so far as to say she’s even cute. This is also the first time I’ve really been able to buy the flirting that she and Battler do. We also get some backstory on her supposed history on the island; we see her as a young girl at the start, and later on a teenage Rosa runs into Beatrice imprisoned in Kuwadorian, Kinzo’s secret mansion on the other side of the island he created because he’s just like that. Sadly, Rosa leads her off the edge of a cliff (by accident, I note, she’s not an abusive mother just yet) and she dies. And Beatrice notes in read that she’s definitely dead down there. Curiouser and curiouser…

This arc has been described as “Umineko for Dummies”, as the fans apparently told Ryukishi07 that he made the first 2 arcs too hard to figure out what was really going on (except, well, “it was magic”, which they were reluctant to say). Ergo, this one really is a lot more anvilicious with its hints to Battler/the reader, describing the idea of Schrodinger’s Box as a way to avoid answering the “magic vs. human culprit” question in the first place, the use of ‘imaginary friends’ and identity theft, and Beatrice as a shared title. This culminates in Eva managing to solve the epitaph (though Rosa was close behind, give her credit), and finding the gold, which really does exist. As a result, she inherits the title of Beatrice… or rather, her teenage self does. And when her teenage self realizes she is unwilling to share the gold with anyone else, well, the murders take an even more grotesque turn. One might even go so far as to say that this game as been hijacked…

So again, if you’re looking for human culprits here, the obvious question is “Can I trust what I’m reading? And who can I not trust?” By the end of this first omnibus, you should have a pretty good idea. This is another good (and huge) adaptation of a fun and increasingly convoluted story. Will we get to sympathize with Beatrice even more next time? If so, which Beatrice will it be?

Also, Yen, you tried, and I appreciate the reluctance to use the fan version everyone knows already, but “Karub Kamy Crokatch” is no “Sucker Merry Barrels”. Love Natsuhi’s reaction, though.

Kafka on the Shore

January 31, 2014 by Ash Brown

Author: Haruki Murakami
Translator: Philip Gabriel
U.S. publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
ISBN: 9781400079278
Released: January 2006
Original release: 2002
Awards: World Fantasy Award

Haruki Murakami is an international best-selling author and one of the most recognizable Japanese novelists currently writing worldwide. Therefore, I find it somewhat surprising that I actually haven’t read much of his work. Before picking up Kafka on the Shore I had only read two of his books–1Q84 and Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche–in addition to a small selection of essays and interviews. 1Q84 was my introduction to Murakami; it was both an incredibly frustrating and invigorating experience. I loved parts of the novel but strongly disliked others. 1Q84 probably wasn’t the best place to start reading Murakami, and so I’ve been meaning to give another one of his novels a try. I settled on Kafka on the Shore, originally published in Japan in 2002, for several reasons. It’s one of Murakami’s best-known works. Philip Gabriel’s 2005 English translation won the World Fantasy Award. The novel’s young protagonist basically runs away to a library. But mostly, I wanted to read Kafka on the Shore for the sake of one character, Oshima, with whom I happen to share quite a bit in common.

Fifteen-year-old Kafka Tamura, though that’s not his real name, has just run away from home. He leaves behind his father in Tokyo just as his mother and sister left the two of them behind more than a decade ago. Kafka’s plan is simple–travel to a faraway town and make a place for himself in a library. That’s how he finds himself in Takamatsu, over four hundred miles away from the home, father, and life that he wants to escape. There he seeks out the privately owned Komura Memorial Library where meets Oshima, an assistant at the library who takes Kafka under his wing. Meanwhile, strange events are unfolding around Kafka and the people in his life. Back in Tokyo, a man by the name of Nakata with the ability to talk to cats finds himself pulled into Kafka’s story. Though the two have never met they share a strange connection with each other that neither of them are entirely aware of or expected.

The chapters in Kafka on the Shore alternate between Kafka and Nakata’s individual journeys. Kafka’s chapters are written in first-person present, giving them a very intimate and immediate perspective, while Nakata’s are written in third-person past, creating more distance. At first the two stories seem to be completely unrelated, but as Kafka on the Shore develops the tales steadily draw towards one another and connect in shocking ways. Kafka and Nakata’s paths never directly cross but they do influence each other and those of the people around them. Ideas, concepts, and turns of phrase, not to mention actions and their consequences, echo throughout the novel, tying seemingly disparate events together into a cohesive whole. There is a lot of loneliness in Kafka on the Shore. The characters are searching and reaching out for these sorts of connections and relationships, both consciously and subconsciously. They are individuals yearning to find what is missing from themselves and from their lives, often disregarding time and reality in the process.

Much as with 1Q84, there were parts of Kafka on the Shore that I adored and other parts that I found immensely frustrating. In general, I preferred the earlier novel over its later developments. For me, Kafka on the Shore worked best when it was more firmly grounded in reality with hints of the unexplainable, mysterious, and strange rather than the other way around. As the novel progresses it becomes more confusing and dreamlike. That in and of itself isn’t problematic, but towards the end of Kafka on the Shore Murakami begins introducing bizarre elements seemingly out of nowhere that do very little to develop the plot or the characters. Readers looking for closure from Kafka on the Shore may be disappointed as there are plenty of threads left unresolved by the time the novel reaches its conclusion. Despite my frustrations with Kafka on the Shore I am glad that I read the novel. I appreciated the importance giving to books and the influence of music; I found the characters intriguing; and although the story goes a little off the rails, I liked Kafka’s peculiar journey of discovery and coming of age.