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Boys Over Flowers 21 by Yoko Kamio: B+

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boysoverflowers21From the back cover:
Tsukasa’s mother, Kaede, is back! Can Tsukushi really stay in the home of the woman with whom she is at war?! Kaede takes a new and vicious tack in her obsession to tear Tsukushi away from her upperclass son. If Tsukushi can’t be bribed, then maybe Kaede can destroy the lives of Tsukushi’s friends! Tsukushi is forced to take extreme measures—but which course will she choose?!

Review:
Kaede’s return has everyone in turmoil. Tama, the elderly maid who has been instructing Tsukushi in her duties, manages to keep Kaede from kicking Tsukushi out of the mansion, but Kaede simply turns to other means at her disposal and pulls strings to threaten the jobs of the fathers of Tsukushi’s two closest friends. Ultimately, Tsukushi agrees to stop associating with the Doumyouji family in exchange for their jobs being reinstated.

At first, I found this volume to be kind of frustrating, despite some nice moments. The scene in which Tsukushi attempts to hide from Kaede under a table is painfully dumb, for example, and Tsukushi’s decision to give up Tsukasa seemed like just another way to extend the drama for a few more volumes. But then that last page!

That last page made me cry! I shan’t spoil it, but suffice it to say that this volume contains a couple of very important actions and realizations on Tsukushi’s part, and the impact is enough that I immediately forget all the silly business and enjoy reading the last half dozen pages several times over.

Tail of the Moon Prequel: The Other Hanzo(u)

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By Rinko Ueda
Viz, 192 pp.
Rating: T+ (Older Teen)

Kaguya is a young woman working as a housekeeper in a Tensho Era brothel, the inhabitants of which originally discovered her wounded and unconscious in a field of bamboo. Though she has no memory before that time, the one mark of her former life is a long, moon-shaped scar left on her back by a sword or knife. Though her scar prevents her from working as a prostitute, one of the brothel’s regulars, Hanzou Hattori—a well-known playboy who serves as a bodyguard at the nearby Okazaki Castle—takes an interest in her and after just a few meetings they fall in love. It is only when Hanzou finally sees the scar on Kaguya’s back—one which he gave her—that he realizes her true identity as the assassin who killed the Okazaki lord’s mother just six months prior. Confronted with this news, Kaguya flees to safety, suffering a blow to the head in the process. When she finally awakens in the care of her retainer, Rikimaru, Kaguya realizes that she is actually Princess Sara, a powerful ninja sent to assassinate the very lord whom Hanzou protects. As the volume continues, new truths are revealed, Lord Okazaki is destroyed, and Sara and Hanzou continue as secret lovers while Sara takes on her missions, including one in which she must pretend to marry Hanzou’s relative, Shimo-no-Hanzo, recognizable to fans as the male lead from Tail of the Moon.

Following the first meeting and courtship of two minor characters in Tail of the Moon, Tail of the Moon Prequel: The Other Hanzo(u) is quite accessible to those who have never read the original series, which is probably one of its strongest points. Though the art is pretty and the heroine, Sara, is fun and feisty as a ninja, the story itself provides little substance or thrill. The romance is rushed to the point of being unbelievable, and Sara’s ninja missions are too easily accomplished to evoke any real suspense. It is disheartening, too, that despite her great renown as a ninja, Sara always seems to require Hanzou’s last-minute intervention to achieve her objectives.

That said, this volume is lively, with attractive characters and a breezy romantic plot line which may appeal to many shojo fans, particularly those fond of the original series.

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

The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need

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Given the current economic climate, any book with the subtitle The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need sounds like a worthwhile investment. Job seekers should be warned, however, that The Adventures of Johnny Bunko isn’t about crafting the perfect resume, networking, or nailing the interview, but finding a career path that suits your strengths and personal values. Readers should also note that Johnny Bunko’s format defies easy categorization, straddling the fence between graphic novel and self-help book. Some readers may find Johnny Bunko’s mixture of slapstick humor and advice charming, while others may find the presentation too gimmicky for their tastes.

The story follows Johnny, a recent college graduate toiling in anonymity at a large company. Thanks to a set of magical chopsticks, he acquires an unorthodox career counselor who talks like a drill sargeant but dresses like a genie. Johnny hopes that Diana will give him insider tips for getting ahead, but instead she offers six, Yoda-esque rules that run the gamut from “There is no plan” (meaning that it’s impossible to map out your entire career) to “Persistence trumps talent” (meaning that a strong work ethic is a better predictor of success than intelligence or talent). Each chapter addresses one of these six rules, showing us how Johnny’s mistakes prevent him from being successful in the workplace by playing it safe, working a job that taxes his weaker skills, and bypassing his supervisor to pitch an idea to the head honcho.

Daniel Pink’s advice may seem glib to recent college graduates without jobs. After all, Johnny is employed; he just doesn’t like what he’s doing. Folks in their mid-to-late twenties are a better audience for Johnny Bunko, as they’re more likely to be questioning their career path—should I go back to school for a graduate degree? why didn’t I get the promotion I deserve?—than those struggling to find an entry-level position.

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Whether twenty-something readers will warm to the presentation, however, is another question. Artist Robert Ten Pas, winner of Tokyopop’s Rising Stars of Manga contest, employs a style that blends Eastern and Western influences. This synthetic approach doesn’t quite work, producing a jumbled, dark layout that’s overly toned, a flaw compounded by the thin, greyish paperstock. Pas’ character designs are also problematic: though he draws realistic, animated faces, his characters’ bodies often look stiff, like dolls whose limbs have been bent into slightly unnatural positions.

If The Adventures of Johnny Bunko carried a lower price tag—say, $7.99—I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, as Daniel Pink offers the kind of sensible advice that most of us never got from parents, college career counselors, or co-workers. At $15.00, however, Johnny Bunko seems overpriced, both for the paucity of content and the poor production values. Self-help books don’t need to be long to be useful, of course, but when the book’s main talking points could be reduced to a good blog post, budget-conscious readers may prefer to obtain their copy through a used bookstore or library, as I did.

THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY BUNKO: THE LAST CAREER GUIDE YOU’LL EVER NEED • BY DANIEL PINK, ART BY ROB TEN PAS • RIVERHEAD BOOKS • 160 pp. • NO RATING

Monkey High! 6 by Shouko Akira: B+

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monkeyhigh6Volume six of Monkey High! builds on issues between reserved Haruna and her cheerful boyfriend, Macharu, that began to develop in the previous volume. Macharu, in his optimism, keeps trying to help bring about reconciliation between Haruna and her distant politician father while the mere thought of her family woes is sufficient to ruin any fun Haruna might be having. Macharu’s friend Atsu, who also has feelings for Haruna, tries to take advantage of the situation to convince her that he’s a better choice, but in the end Haruna decides that it’s time to stop running from her family problems and face them head-on.

I’m always appreciative when the issues a couple faces come completely from who they are as people. Haruna and Macharu have had very different upbringings, and it’s clear that Macharu’s warm and loving environment has rendered him incapable of imagining the coldness with which Haruna’s father treats her until he sees it for himself. I also really like how clear the beautiful Haruna is about her devotion to the goofy Macharu and how she’s neither flustered nor tempted by Atsu’s attempts to woo her.

On the downside, the old shojo cliché of “Oops, I tripped and got to first and/or second base with you!” is employed not once but twice in this volume. In each case, it serves to get Macharu and Haruna thinking about the physical aspect of their relationship, which is good, but it’s too bad that couldn’t have been accomplished in a more original way.

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

Pluto, Volume 3

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Pluto, Vol. 3
By Naoki Urasawa & Osamu Tezuka
Published by Viz Media

pluto3
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Based on the story “The Greatest Robot on Earth” from Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy series, Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto takes place in a future world in which robots and humans live as equals. It begins by following a detective named Gesicht (a robot with exceptional sensory abilities) as he takes on two similar cases–the murder of a robot war hero who was beloved by the world and the murder of an activist who worked to preserve existing robot civil rights laws. Though the lack of physical evidence at both crime scenes suggests that a robot is the culprit, robot laws forbid a robot from killing a human which makes that possibility complicated and potentially very volatile.

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Keeping Up Appearances as a Female Fan

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This morning as I was scrolling through my LiveJournal friends list, I came across a post by a friend, lamenting the obvious sexism in both the LA Times’ Girls’ Guide to Comic-Con and the upcoming Marvel Divas comics. I bristled, just as she did, at the implication (or perhaps outright statement?) that the only things that could possibly interest women in comics are hot guys, romance, and shoes. It was only after my initial disgust waned a bit that I was able to stop and think about how much work I’ve put into proving that kind of thinking wrong and how much that has shaped my actions and decisions–to the point where I may be letting those ideas about women control me as much as if they were true.

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Boys Over Flowers, Volumes 1-5

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As you may have noticed, I’ve been spending a lot of time lately (thanks to the generosity of friends!) catching up on older shojo series I missed during all those years I spent tragically unaware of manga. Included in a recent shipment of manga loaned to me by Michelle Smith were the first five volumes of a long-running shojo classic. Behold.

Boys Over Flowers, Vols. 1-5
By Yoko Kamio
Published by Viz Media

bof1Tsukushi Makino is a smart girl from a working class background, attending an elite “escalator” school populated mainly by kids of wealthy families. Disgusted by a group of rich bullies known as the “F4” (“Flower Four”) who rule the school with an iron fist (and their parents’ money), she finally snaps and kicks the leader (Tsukasa Domyouji, son of a powerful corporate mogul) in the face as he begins to bully her best friend, Makiko. Defying the F4 earns Tsukushi a dreaded “red slip”–the F4’s declaration of war–something that signifies such torment and misery to come that it typically drives students into transferring out of the school. …

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Tea for Two, Vols. 1-2

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By Yaya Sakuragi
Published by BLU
Rating: Mature

Madoka Tokumaru is, to put it simply, a spaz. He is verbally crude, physically out of control, and lacks grace and composure on every level–something his sister is certain can be cured by forcing him into their school’s Tea Ceremony Club. Fortunately, the club’s president, Kazuma Hasune, whose family maintains the tea ceremony traditions, is up to the seemingly impossible task. Madoka’s progress is slow. He is crude, clumsy, and has difficulty maintaining seiza for any period of time. Still, as the school’s cultural festival rolls around, Madoka is deemed presentable enough to put on a kimono and serve tea.

Madoka’s newfound composure is quickly broken, however, when he discovers that some students are taking advantage of the festival chaos to rob the Tea Ceremony Club room of its valuable teacup collection–specifically Kazuma’s personal cup, which, despite being of lesser monetary value than any others in the room, has great sentimental value for Kazuma. Determined to retrieve the cup, Madoka chases after the culprits and gives them a sound beating, only to drop the cup himself immediately upon his return. Devastated by his failure, Madoka falls to pieces, but Kazuma is touched by his actions and thanks him warmly. This is really the beginning of a closer relationship between the two and as the first volume continues, Modoka and Kazuma begin to fall in love, though it requires some encouragement from Keigo (an openly gay friend of Kazuma’s) to really loosen up Kazuma’s heart and get things going.

Volume two follows the protagonists as they face questions about their future. Madoka feels directionless and Kazuma begins to question his place as the future head of his family, where he is expected to take over the tea ceremony. Adding further complication is the return of a close friend of Madoka’s who has been living overseas and who inspires some jealousy in Kazuma.

Though this series isn’t remarkably original or groundbreaking in any sense, it is a very satisfying romance story which bests much of its genre by actually discussing the characters’ sexuality in clear terms, at least by its second volume. Though initially appearing to play into the tired female fantasy of two (one, at the very least) apparently straight schoolboys falling in love with each other, as the story continues, the two not only must face how their relationship is viewed by family and friends and how it affects their future, but they even have a conversation about it in which they actually use the word, “gay.” Though it is sad that this is such a rarity in a boys’ love story, the reality of it makes this manga a rare jewel. That said, the mangaka does pull a cop-out by making most of the story’s queer characters actually bisexual (including the two protagonists)–Madoka even continues to ogle girly magazines after he begins a sexual relationship with Kazuma–though this only costs her a few points.

Speaking of gay characters, though the story’s primary relationship is quite touching and definitely a satisfying read, the real gem of the series is Kazuma’s friend Keigo, whose relationship with an artist who illustrates erotic novels begins as a side story in the first volume and continues into the second (actually culminating in a joke about the lack of “realism” in yaoi). Keigo is flamboyant and fun and serves as a sort of mentor for Kazuma who is too serious for his age. “Let me tell you something, Kazuma-kun,” Keigo says, supposedly discussing the broken cup but obviously hinting at deeper things. “Even when you think you’re taking good care of something… if it’s cracked, someday it’s going to break. You should fix things before it’s too late.” Though he never becomes more than a supporting character, it is his presence that really makes the story work–providing much-needed insight and offering a role model for both Kazuma and Madoka, neither of whom are as comfortable with their sexuality and what it means for them as Keigo is.

This is not to belittle either of the story’s protagonists. Kazuma is quiet and intriguing–deeply serious and afraid of letting either his youth or his fears show. When he experiences second thoughts about his career path, it is really quite moving and dramatic, and it’s nice that even at the end of the second volume nothing has been truly resolved there except for the fact that it does not yet need to be. Madoka is brash and wonderfully honest, and he provides much of the story’s real truth as well as a lot of its humor. Humor is actually one of this series’ best strengths and manifests itself with a sense of subtle whimsy unusual for this kind of manga (Madoka exclaiming, “I’ve just never seen a real gay couple before,” while wearing a shirt that says, “Buttocks,” is an oddly funny moment).

Though the story’s character designs are not especially attractive, they are at least distinctive and there’s never a question of telling the characters apart. The art overall is very nice, however–expressive, detailed, and easy to follow.

Tea for Two may not be an epic masterpiece, but it is down-to-earth, funny, occasionally sexy, and above all, a nicely nuanced romance. Though the two volumes published here stand very solidly on their own, it is exciting to note that a third is scheduled for December of this year, possibly answering some of the questions left open at the end of the second volume–something for boy’s love fans to truly look forward to!

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

The Brimstone Wedding by Barbara Vine: B+

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brimstoneFrom the back cover:
“It’s crazy thinking I can tell her,” says Genevieve Warner, thirty-two years old, thirteen years into a loveless marriage, and recently swept into her first passionate love affair. “She’s so old. She’ll have forgotten what sex is.”

But Stella Newland, the gracious, dignified, dying woman that Genevieve cares for in an English nursing home, has not forgotten. She knows all about love: its promises, its betrayals, its sometimes deadly consequences. She learned her lessons thirty years ago in a country house she owned, and owns still. When Genevieve confides in Stella, the old woman reciprocates by giving Genevieve the key to the now forlorn house, and by telling this young woman who will be her last friend, in the few minutes a day her failing strength allows, the story of her own erotic entanglement in adultery and worse, much worse.

Review:
Genevieve Warner, employed as a “carer” at a nursing home, feels a special affection for her charge, Stella, an elegant elderly woman who, unlike the other residents, seems firmly grounded in the present. As Stella’s condition worsens, however, she begins to confide in Genevieve about her adulterous affair of 20+ years ago and the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of film star, Gilda Brent. Parts of the tale parallel what Genevieve herself is going through as she is engaged in an affair of her own.

The Brimstone Wedding possesses a puzzling duality of attributes, in that it’s rather predictable at times yet still unforgettable. Most of the revelations in Stella’s story are easy to see coming, and one is often left merely waiting for the details to be revealed to Genevieve. Even so, the tale from the past is intriguing and the characters in the present so vivid that it’s hard to fault the story too much for going where one expects it to go. In fact, it’s done in such a way that I wonder whether Vine even intended for these revelations to be big twists at all.

The tone is different from other works by Vine (a.k.a. Ruth Rendell) that I’ve read recently. Mostly this is due to Genevieve, who has spent her life in rural Norfolk and has been raised to believe in all sorts of folksy superstitions, giving her a rather unique outlook. She’s also not weak and annoying like the heroine of The Keys to the Street, for which I am grateful. All in all, I enjoyed the book, and will certainly be reading more by this author in future.

The Brimstone Wedding was another recommendation from Margaret.

Silver Diamond, Volumes 1-4

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Silver Diamond, Vols. 1-4
By Shiho Sugiura
Published by Tokyopop

sd1Rakan Sawa is a relatively normal seventeen-year-old boy living on his own after the death of his mother and grandfather. He likes to study, cook, and take care of the house, and he craves normalcy on all fronts. So he’s got this little issue where the trees and flowers in his yard seem to grow abnormally well, so what? Even when things aren’t quite normal Rakan can do his best to ignore them, and he’s awfully popular at school for all the lovely cut flowers he brings in every day. Unfortunately, all pretense of normalcy flies out the window when a tall, handsome man falls into his backyard from another world. …

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Fairy Tail 6 by Hiro Mashima: B

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From the back cover:
Hotshot Natsu and his cool rival Gray are fighting to stop a calamity demon from being revived by Gray’s fellow disciple Lyon and Zalty, a master of lost magic. But while they try to defeat the bad guys, the magical ice binding the demon keeps melting. Then a grudge between Fairy Tail and a rival guild turns to all-out war!

Review:
In the Author’s Note at the end of the volume, Mashima says that he doesn’t do much planning ahead with his story. I think that shows with the way the Deliora arc plays out. There are a couple of switcheroos that, while they very well may have been intended from the beginning, make me suspect a last-minute easy out. Also, Lucy’s sudden escalation in importance at the end of the volume comes out of nowhere.

That’s not to say the result isn’t entertaining, though. The battles between Gray and Natsu and their opponents are pretty fun, with some new ice techniques from Gray and a new kind of magic—the ability to control time as it relates to objects—for Natsu’s opponent. Shounen staples like having faith in one’s companions, preventing one’s rival/ally from completing a noble self-sacrifice, forgiving the enemies’ sins due to mitigating angst, and delayed-reaction spurting wounds abound.

Though it’s disappointing that our heroes face virtually no punishment whatsoever (aside from some very creepy spanking the Master administers to Lucy) for undertaking an S-class quest (played up as an offense worthy of expulsion), the story picks up a bit once they return home to find that Fairy Tail headquarters has been virtually destroyed by a rival guild called Phantom Lord. Throughout the volume, less prominent members of Fairy Tail had been introduced on the chapter splash pages, and just as I’d been thinking I’d like to see some of these folks get to do something cool they’re given an opportunity to do so in a rather awesome brawl when Fairy Tail pays the rival guild a retaliatory visit.

Even though Lucy’s capture at the end of the volume is not the most original shounen plot device, some of the Phantom Lord opponents look interesting, so I’m looking forward to what’s to come.

Recommendations for Yen Press Sale!

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For those who don’t know, Right Stuf is having a 33% off sale on all Yen Press books. The sale ends tomorrow, so I thought I’d do my part and recommend some Yen Press titles I’ve enjoyed!

1001nights_2My top recommendation is for One Thousand and One Nights (further reviews/rambles to be found here, here, and here), a loose retelling of the original tales with Scheherazade (“Sehara” in this version) cast as male. Sehara’s tales are taken from a wide range of times and cultures (including modern-day) and though the story has a BL feel to it, similar to stories like Banana Fish, Wild Adapter, or Silver Diamond, it can’t actually be called BL, at least not as of volume seven. From my review of volumes 1-6:

One Thousand and One Nights is a beautiful, compelling series that is pleasurable both to read and to look at. With at least five more volumes coming, it has the potential to become a classic of its kind, as long as it continues with the same strength JinSeok and SeungHee have displayed so far.

nabarinoouSecondly, a new title, Nabari No Ou, the story of a boy reluctantly pulled into his ninja heritage. Though my PCS colleague Grant Goodman did not agree, both Danielle Leigh and I found a lot to love in Nabari No Ou. Notable as the only manga that’s ever made me even remotely interested in ninja (and further proof that my love for shonen manga simply will not die), I’ve become an immediate fan after just one volume. From my review:

Overall, Nabari No Ou is a funny, energetic, visually compelling, nicely dark shonen manga, and a surprising new favorite for me!

comic6Thirdly, Comic, the story of a high school girl who dreams of being a manhwa-ga, and her trials in career and romance. I’ve had some disappointment over how far into romance the story has gone while leaving behind the heroine’s career dreams, but I’m still plenty hooked on Alice and friends and I keep looking forward to future volumes. From my review:

With its energetic, attractive art and idiosyncratic characters, Comic has the potential to be both entertaining and romantic while also offering an enticing glimpse into the world of aspiring young manhwa artists. Hopefully over the next few chapters it can pull itself out of the romantic dregs and restore the balance that made its early volumes so much fun.

Here are a few other reviews of Yen Press books I’ve written over the past six months or so, some of which I’ve really liked, some less so. You’ll note, however, that even when I’ve had issues with a Yen Press book, I’ve never actually disliked one. It’s never hard for me to find something good to say.

11th Cat Special
13th Boy
GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
Jack Frost
Legend
Pig Bride
Sumomomo, Momomo: The Strongest Bride on Earth

Also, a couple of recommended titles I’ve read but not yet reviewed: Goong and Nightschool.

As someone relatively new to manga/manhwa, I’ve read only a small fraction of Yen Press’ catalogue, so please feel free to list more recommendations in comments! Happy shopping! :D

Boys Over Flowers 20 by Yoko Kamio: B+

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boysoverflowers20From the back cover:
Tsukushi has agreed to be Tsukasa’s girlfriend! But there’s a hitch—she’ll go out with him for only two months to see if she can truly love him. Tsukasa is off to a bad start when he ends up smacking the womanizing new boyfriend of Tsukushi’s friend, Yuki, at the end of a double date, making Tsukushi furious. Then Sojiro of the F4 helps Yuki by exacting a little revenge on her playboy boyfriend and the two wind up on a date together. Tsukushi is worried to death about Sojiro taking advantage of her good friend. The question is… who is using whom?

Review:
I had a really hard time grading this one.

The case for a B: There are some frustrating moments in this volume. Tsukushi doesn’t believe Tsukasa had a good reason for hitting Yuki’s sleazy boyfriend and lectures him about resorting to violence, only to do exactly the same when she encounters the guy herself. She does, at least, recognize that she was in the wrong. Also, her preoccupation with Yuki’s plight later on prevents her from noticing Tsukasa’s adorable awkwardness after an important development in their relationship, and in general, several promising moments fail to pay off as satisfactorily as one might wish.

The case for a B+: Enduring all of the frustrating moments makes the sweet ones all the better for being so hard-earned. I love how Tsukasa drops everything to help Tsukushi look for Yuki and how Tsukushi actively reaches out to hug him for the first time when he doubts their chances of succeeding as a couple. Later, when the two of them have been manipulated by Sojiro and Yuki to tail them on a romantic pseudo-date, there’s more good stuff, with Tsukushi earnestly asking Tsukasa to stay with her and saying, “I don’t know what I’ll do if you go.” Of course, Tsukasa is totally won over by her cuteness. Also, Tsukasa demonstrates how much he has changed by saying to Yuki, “And Yuki… find yourself someone better than this.” Tsukasa, actually kind of caring about Tsukushi’s commoner friend? Now, that’s progress!

In the end, the impact of the good scenes outweighs my frustrations, and I come down on the side of the B+. I have this feeling, though, that this sort of balance is going to be the norm until they finally, finally genuinely get together.

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class, Vol. 1

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By Satoko Kiyuduki
Yen Press, 120 pp.
Rating: Teen

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class is a four-panel manga featuring a group of five moe-style girls enrolled in a graphic design course, possessing unique personalities that are used at one point in the comic to illustrate different tones of a single color. The characters are motherly Namiko, tomboyish Tomokane, serious Miyabi (aka “Professor”), glasses-wearing Kisaragi, and fashion-plate Nodamiki. As the five girls go through their studies, learning about color, technique, and tools of design (from paints to computers), they also have a lot of fun, both with their tools (painting the linings of their school uniforms, for example, which brings about unintended consequences) and with the trappings of ordinary school life.

Though the author claims, “… regarding the art information in this manga: You shouldn’t really trust it,” there is still a lot to learn for those of us with no knowledge of color or techniques at all, and that’s actually the greatest draw of this manga for English-speaking readers. Though the comic strip is obviously humorous, as with many four-panels, the translated jokes are very much hit or miss, with more misses than hits in this particular case. The characters are a fun and whimsical mix and the volume is enjoyable, but outside of the genuinely interesting artistic instruction and related jokes (about mold growing in the poster paint, for example), there isn’t any other element that consistently succeeds.

The artwork is standard moe fare–tiny girls with giant eyes, generally indistinguishable from each other aside from their hair and accessories–and as such, rather bland. The book’s frequent color pages fare better, both in general expression and in their ability to convey ideas about art.

Though GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class is not stunningly humorous or emotionally engaging, it has some fun moments and a wealth of interesting information for those curious about art.

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