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Lucky Star, Vol. 1

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luckystar1Good morning all! My big news for the day is my debut as a guest reviewer at Deb Aoki’s manga blog! To check it out, head on over to about.com where you’ll find Deb’s introduction, followed by my review of Kagami Yoshimizu’s Lucky Star, volume one.

As a pretty enthusiastic fan of the anime series, I was excited when Bandai announced they’d licensed the manga as well. Unfortunately, their first volume turned out to be a fairly stunning lesson on the importance of effective translation. For those who still haven’t read Matt Thorn’s recent smackdown on the state of translation in the manga industry, now would be a good time. On a positive note, the third volume of Lucky Star (which I have here in my possession) displays a change in translation credit I think many will find heartening. I know I do.

Many thanks to Deb for this opportunity! Read my full review here!

The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers: B

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theninetailorsFrom the back cover:
The nine tellerstrokes from the belfry of an ancient country church toll out the death of an unknown man and call the famous Lord Peter Wimsey to confront and contemplate the good and evil that lurks in all of life and in every human’s actions. Steeped in the atmosphere of a quiet parish in the strange, flat fen country of East Anglia, this is a tale of suspense, character, and mood by an author critics and readers rate as one of the great masters of the mystery novel.

Review:
Before I checked The Nine Tailors out of my local library, I was laboring under the misapprehension that it would feature a nonet of suit-making suspects. Imagine my surprise when instead of haberdashery, I got campanology, as the title actually refers to the nine tolls of a church’s largest bell (dubbed Tailor Paul) that announce the death of a male adult in the parish.

When Lord Peter Wimsey is stranded in the village of Fenchurch St. Paul over New Year’s Eve while awaiting repairs to his car, he is drafted by the kindly yet absentminded rector to fill in for a sick man for a nine-hour spate of change ringing to celebrate the new year. Wimsey proceeds on his way the following day, but when a body turns up in the parish some months later, the rector writes to ask whether he would be willing to assist the local investigators. Although the cause of death cannot be determined, it’s obvious that the body didn’t find its way into someone else’s freshly dug grave on its own. Wimsey is intrigued and very quickly works out that the case might have something to do with a jewel theft that occurred 20 years ago.

On the whole, I found The Nine Tailors to be an entertaining read. It doesn’t provide any new character development for Wimsey—he doesn’t seem to show much emotion when Harriet Vane’s not around—but offers a nicely puzzling mystery in a quaint and unusual setting. While I found the identity of the dead man relatively easy to guess, I was genuinely surprised by the ultimate solution. Two things dimmed my enjoyment of the title somewhat. First, each chapter is prefaced by an instructional quote about change ringing and egad, are these passages both boring and confusing! Second, the local official seems to be a bad influence on Lord Peter, because the two of them together spend a great amount of time concocting various scenarios that would make all the clues fit together. I’m sure that’s human nature and all that, but I suppose I subscribe to Sherlock Holmes’ caution against theorizing in advance of the facts.

Gaudy Night is finally next, and I’m feeling pretty giddy about that, though I really hope I don’t find it disappointing after hearing so much good about it. You may expect a review before the year is out!

Amefurashi: The Rain Goddess, Vol. 2

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By Atsushi Suzumi
Del Rey, 240 pp.
Rating: T (13+)

At the end of volume one, Sora, Gimmy, Mil, and Mel set off on a quest to retrieve the core of Sora’s tree. Volume two opens with this quest well underway, though Mil and Mel are mysteriously absent and Gimmy’s guardian is with the group instead. The volume starts strong as Sora and Gimmy face off with two other Amefurashi in order to prove Sora’s claim to the title. Sora learns the value of letting herself get to know humans and Gimmy learns to show Sora that he cares, all over the backdrop of a standard adventure as they head toward a final battle with the power-hungry Amefurashi, Ciel.

Sora and Gimmy’s adventure begins well, but what comes as a surprise as the volume nears its end is that this is, apparently, the final volume of the series. One can’t help but wonder if this was a surprise to the mangaka as well, since the beginning of the volume is paced as though it is the start of something truly epic. The final battle arrives abruptly, tying up loose ends in startling (and not quite graceful) haste. The result is rather jarring and even disappointing as things wrap up just as the story was finally finding its groove. The series’ ending is not entirely unsatisfying but there is a sense that much has been left untold, and it’s rather sad to wave goodbye to the story’s young characters before they’ve really had time to grow.

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

Though this volume shows great promise in the beginning, easily surpassing the strength of the first, a rush to conclusion in its final chapters keeps it from truly building on that promise.

Manhwa Monday: December’s Here!

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shamanwarrior08Happy December, manhwa readers! Today’s featured review comes from Clive Owen at Animanga Nation, for volume eight of Park Joong-Ki’s Shaman Warrior from Dark Horse. After coming in late to the series, Mr. Owen has become a big fan, though now he laments the fact that the series’ final volume is nearly upon us. I have to admit that his review has gotten me excited about reading the series myself. Check out this quote: “It’s good to see that after eight volumes the series manages to keep up the same action-packed momentum … Park Joong-Ki not only knows how to tell a story but also develop the characters enough that you’ll actually care about them. On top of that there’s the gorgeous art that makes the fights look absolutely stunning.” Sounds like a winner to me! Read the full review for more!

Before I get to the rest of this week’s reviews, let me draw your attention to …

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Tsubasa: Those with Wings 3 by Natsuki Takaya: B-

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tsubasawings3After a disappointing start and lackluster middle, Natsuki Takaya finally delivers a mostly satisfying conclusion in this, the final volume of Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

We begin with Kotobuki and friends (sans Raimon, who is prohibited from leaving the country by a bomb in his brain) in Japan, where they conveniently meet the Tsubasa’s creator and learn the secrets of its origin. After several tedious chapters featuring characters sitting around and talking, the plot picks up when Raimon is captured by the army. Kotobuki wants to rescue him but lacks confidence so Rikuro, a mysterious boy who has helped her on a few occasions, shows up and replays Raimon’s past for her so that she can see how much she has helped him already. Painful backstories are Takaya-sensei’s forte, and Raimon’s proves to be unexpectedly touching.

From there, the story morphs into an enjoyable sci-fi action tale, with Kotobuki making her way through a sprawling military complex to rescue her love and ultimately facing off against the big villain (who, of course, has angst of his own). Along the way, she lends encouragement to allies and enemies alike, showing a profound resemblance to Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket. Indeed, this quote about Kotobuki could easy apply to Tohru, as well:

She isn’t supposed to have the time to be worrying about anyone else right now. Still… her foolishness somehow always winds up becoming much-needed support for someone else.

Coming back to the same themes and character types might, in some creators’ hands, feel like uninspired regurgitation, but with Takaya it feels more like someone playing with and fine-tuning ideas. If nothing else, Tsubasa: Those with Wings is interesting as a milestone on the way to a greater work.

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

Itazura Na Kiss, Vol. 1

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Seventeen-year-old Kotoko Aihara is a ditz, the kind of girl who gets easily flustered by math problems, blurts whatever she’s thinking, and burns every dish she attempts to make, be it a kettle of boiling water or beef bourguignon. Though Kotoko’s poor academic performance consigns her Class F — the so-called “dropout league” at her high school — she has her eye on Naoki Irie, the star of Class A. Rumored to be an off-the-chart genius — some peg his IQ at 180, others at 200 — Naoki is an outstanding student whose good looks and natural athletic ability make him an object of universal admiration. Kotoko finally screws up the courage to confess her feelings to him, only to be curtly dismissed; Naoki “doesn’t like stupid girls.” Furious, Kotoko resolves to forget Naoki.

This being a shojo manga, however, author Kaoru Tada contrives an only-in-the-pages-of-Margaret scenario to bring her reluctant lovebirds together: an earthquake. When a tremor flattens Kotoko’s house, she and her father don’t go to a shelter or a hotel. No, they take up residence at… the Iries! (Kotoko and Naoki’s fathers are lifelong friends, having attended the same high school thirty years prior.) Though Mr. and Mrs. Irie warmly embrace Kotoko, Naoki balks at her presence, forbidding her to acknowledge him at school or tell her friends where she’s staying. Making matters worse are Naoki’s younger brother Yuuki, a fiercely intelligent third grader who shares Naoki’s contempt for Kotoko, and Naoki’s mother, a cheerful busybody who tries engineering a relationship between Kotoko and her son; their intrusions into Kotoko’s life are a constant reminder of just how awkward her situation really is.

Tada’s set-up is credulity-straining — to say the least! — but she populates her story with so many fabulous supporting players it’s easy to forgive the absurd plot twists. Yuuki is my favorite character, a pint-sized terror who’s equal parts Stewie Griffin and Harriet the Spy, filling a notebook with detailed (and unflattering) descriptions of Kotoko’s daily routine. When Kotoko discovers his “observation diary,” a hilarious battle royale ensues, as she tries to persuade Yuuki that she is, in fact, smart, kind, and attractive. Kotoko’s Class F pals are another welcome source of comic relief. Though her friends are strictly one-note characters — a wiseacre, a wiseguy who carries a torch for Kotoko — they function as a kind of salty Greek chorus, alternately rooting for Kotoko and ruing her impulsive behavior.

Even Tada’s lead couple are more appealing than they initially seem. Kotoko, for example, turns out to be spunkier and smarter than one might have guessed from the opening pages, tapping into a hidden reserve of cunning when she discovers an incriminating photo of Naoki. Naoki, for his part, demonstrates a capacity for chivalrous behavior, even though he remains appalled by Kotoko’s… well, stupidity. (Spoiler alert: She doesn’t become a Nobel laureate overnight.)

Tada’s artwork is serviceable, with simple layouts and minimal attention to background detail, save for the occasional patch of screentone. Though crude, her sketchy character designs prove surprisingly effective, neatly encapsulating each cast member’s personality in just a few simple shapes and lines: Naoki’s hauteur by his sharp nose and rooster-like shock of hair, Kotoko’s naivete by her round, girlish face. The characters’ rough, unfinished look readily lends itself to the kind of facial and bodily deformations so characteristic of the shojo rom-com; I’ll take Tada’s unpolished yet soulful cartooning over the super-slick stylings of Arina Tanemura any day.

Reading Itazura Na Kiss, it’s easy to see why the series proved so influential. Tada makes opposites-attract comedy seem effortless — just throw your leads under the same roof and presto! hilarity and romance ensue. What Tada did better than many of her admirers, however, is make the comedy count for something more than just a few laughs; her characters’ pratfalls and humiliations serve as catalysts for self-reflection and growth, making it seem plausible that Naoki and Kotoko might be right for one another… some day. (I never rule out the possibility of a deus ex-mangaka bringing them together before then, however.) Highly recommended.

ITAZURA NA KISS, VOL. 1 • BY KAORU TADA • DMP • 342 pp. • RATING: TEEN (13+)

Butterflies, Flowers, Volume 1

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Butterflies, Flowers, Vol. 1
By Yuki Yoshihara
Published by Viz Media

ButterFlower1
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Choko Kuze’s once-wealthy family fell into financial ruin when she was seven years old, forcing them to trade in their heavily-staffed country estate for a family-run noodle shop. Now a grown woman seeking her first job, Choko is cornered into signing on with the only firm to show any interest, which is unfortunately the same company whose interviewer asked her such wildly inappropriate questions as, “Are you a virgin?” Things are no better once she begins work, as the outrageous interviewer takes her under his tyrannical wing , choosing to personally train her for his department rather than allowing her to learn alongside the company’s other new hires. Confused by his attention and unwarranted familiarity, Choko tries her best, even while her coworkers rant about her behind her back. Finally, then, a slip of the tongue reveals that Choko’s new boss is actually the son of her family’s former chauffeur (once known to her as “Cha-chan”) who had cared for her a child and promised they would one day be reunited.

Though this revelation clears up a lot of questions for Choko, it actually makes her life much more complex. She’s grateful to reconnect with the boy she so loved as a child but his adult self is unfamiliar and fraught with contradiction. Furthermore, their relationship both in and outside of work is a confusing mess, with “Cha-chan” (more appropriately known as Masayuki) vaulting back and forth from controlling boss to obedient servant multiple times a day, leaving Choko constantly flustered over where she really stands. To complicate matters further, she also finds herself falling for Masayuki, whose perception of her as a helpless innocent he must protect (he still addresses her by the childhood name, “Milady”) prevents him from seeing her as an adult, let alone a candidate for romance. Help arrives in the (unexpected) form of Masayuki’s cross-dressing best friend, Suou, who sees Choko as someone uniquely worthy of his friend’s affection, but can anyone truly overcome such complicated mutual history?

This series’ premise may first appear to be shojo all over–shojo of the worst kind, even, with its controlling male love interest winning over the passive heroine with occasional crumbs of condescending kindness. Fortunately, there is a solid thread of adult humor and understanding running through the entire volume that makes its content both more complex and more palatable, exposing the series’ true brilliance. The result is a smart, funny, romantic comedy that takes some real shots at both soap-opera romance and Japanese office politics without ever taking itself too seriously.

Though Choko is undeniably drawn to Masayuki, she recognizes the maddening contradiction in her own feelings, something most every adult woman has faced at some point in her life. “I don’t want him to treat me like a child, but I want him to stay close and indulge me. I want him to call me ‘Milady,’ but I want him to see me as a woman,” she laments as she realizes she’s fallen in love. Meanwhile, Masayuki is just as confused as she is, torn ungracefully between the desire to control Choko and the world around her and the desire to be controlled by her. With both gender and class dynamics (some specific to modern Japanese society, others more universal) being constantly turned on their heads and back again over the course of this volume, the characters’ mutual confusion becomes both surprisingly sympathetic and genuinely humorous as the story progresses.

Speaking of humor, it’s important to be clear here that this manga is really quite funny, often in unexpected moments. For instance, when Choko finds herself in terrifying position of being expected to “entertain” a visiting client in the most horrifying sense possible, Masayuki arrives to save the day by gravely offering himself up as her replacement. The volume is filled with over-the-top behavior played with utter sincerity, rendering all of it twice as funny as it would be if it was delivered with a wink and a smile. Take this deadpan exchange for instance:

Choko: And please stop calling me “Milady.”
Masayuki: Then how about “Milady-Poo”?

The series’ art is a highlight as well–fresh, sharp, and stylized as needed. The use of popular shojo imagery, such as flowers and stormy backgrounds, helps accent the romantic melodrama while the overall cleanliness keeps everything in perspective. Like the story itself, Yoshihara’s art operates on multiple levels, maintaining its aura of smart humor while also providing the seeds of real substance. What this manga will ultimately turn out to be is anyone’s guess but whatever game is being played, both the story and its artwork are playing along perfectly.

With the second volume of Butterflies, Flowers not due out until March, it’s difficult not to feel impatient. Though the series’ first volume is charming to be sure, there is a sense that its true colors have not yet been spotted. Despite the story’s obvious commitment to humor at this stage in the game, there’s enough romantic substance bubbling underneath to suggest the possibility of a deeper direction. Though most of the characters in Choko’s life are painted with a hilariously broad brush, that each of them has more to offer seems quite clear. Time will tell how much of this we’ll see as the story continues.

In the meantime, there’s plenty to enjoy as-is. Butterflies, Flowers is truly delightful.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Heat Wave by Richard Castle: B

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heatwaveFrom the front flap:
A New York real estate tycoon plunges to his death on a Manhattan sidewalk. A trophy wife with a past survives a narrow escape from a brazen attack. Mobsters and moguls with no shortage of reasons to kill trot out their alibis. And then, in the suffocating grip of a record heat wave, comes another shocking murder and a sharp turn in a tense journey into the dirty little secrets of the wealthy. Secrets that prove to be fatal. Secrets that lay hidden in the dark until one NYPD detective shines a light.

Mystery sensation Richard Castle, blockbuster author of the wildly bestselling Derrick Storm novels, introduces his newest character, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikki Heat. Tough, sexy, professional, Nikki Heat carries a passion for justice as she leads one of New York City’s top homicide squads. She’s hit with an unexpected challenge when the commissioner assigns superstar magazine journalist Jameson Rook to ride along with her to research an article on New York’s Finest. Pulitzer Prize-winning Rook is as much a handful as he is handsome. His wisecracking and meddling aren’t her only problems. As she works to unravel the secrets of the murdered real estate tycoon, she must also confront the spark between them. The one called heat.

Review:
If you’re not familiar with the ABC series Castle, the premise is that famed mystery novelist Richard Castle has wrangled a standing arrangement to follow Detective Kate Beckett around on her cases as research for his new novel. They, and her underlings Kevin Ryan and Javier Esposito, solve a murder each episode. The cases are usually pretty lousy—someone seriously needs to start a drinking game (if they haven’t already) with instructions to sip every time an adulterous spouse is involved—but Castle’s charm and the witty banter amongst the sleuths makes the show quite entertaining. In the context of the series, Heat Wave is the book that Castle writes based on his observations and experiences. (Entertaining note: When Castle gives Kate a copy to read, he informs her that the sex scene is on page 105. It really is!)

In a nutshell, reading Heat Wave is exactly like watching an episode of Castle. Kate Beckett is the inspiration for Nikki Heat, and Ryan and Esposito have been renamed Raley and Ochoa. Castle’s even written himself in, in the form of a wisecracking journalist named Jameson Rook who, like Castle, never follows instructions to stay out of the fray when something potentially dangerous is going on. They’re investigating a case that involves marital infidelity (sip!) and a bunch of stereotyped characters like real estate tycoons, Russian mobster thugs, and discontent trophy wives. As in the show, the case is rather lame, but the humor and interaction between the characters make it an entertaining read anyway.

There are some differences, though. Beyond the mild profanity, sex, and heightened level of violence, there’s the matter of perspective. Castle, as the title would imply, is the main character of the series and the actor who portrays him, Nathan Fillion, steals every scene that he’s in. In Heat Wave, Nikki/Kate is the protagonist and is fleshed out to a far greater extent than the show manages. One thing bothers me: I’m not sure if we should assume that whatever is true about Nikki is necessarily true about Kate. We know that Castle has made up some things for the novel—like the aforementioned (and remarkably not icky!) sex scene, for example—so are his insights into Nikki automatically applicable to her television counterpart? If so, then this book is essential to understanding where Kate is coming from. If not, then it’s going to be confusing to reconcile the two.

I’m not sure how Heat Wave will fare with someone who’s never watched Castle. As a regular viewer, I found it impossible not to superimpose the actors’ voices and physical traits onto the novel’s characters and presuppose the same lighthearted tone featured in the series. There’s enough humor in the book that I think an outsider will get the feel eventually, but I worry that the lackluster mystery might turn them off before they discovered the amusing parts.

Ultimately, Heat Wave is very successful as a media tie-in book, going beyond a faithful adherence to the show’s story and characters to possibly offer valuable new information. As a stand-alone work it is perhaps less worthy of praise, but based purely on its own charms, I can still honestly say that I’d want to read more. Hopefully I’ll get that opportunity!

Additional reviews of Heat Wave can be found at Triple Take.

Manhwa Monday: 11/30/09

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sugarholic_1Welcome to another installment of Manhwa Monday! First off, our featured review this week comes from Snow Wildsmith at the School Library Journal’s Good Comics for Kids, discussing volumes one and two of Sugarholic. Here’s a bit of what Snow says about this fish-out-of-water tale: “Readers … will be intrigued … as they are caught up in the whirlwind storyline. Even two volumes is not enough to get all of the characters completely introduced and the major plot points outlined. There’s a sort of controlled chaos going on in the story, where the plot is always on the edge of falling apart, but somehow still manages to hold together. There aren’t many answers in these two volumes, but the questions are interesting enough to make readers head for volume three and beyond.” Check out her review for more!

As a follow-up to last week’s post, Troisroyaumes posted a rebuttal to Daniella Orihuela-…

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Manga Marching Orders, 11/30/09

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fromfar1Wow, y’all sure can pick ’em! The results of the last Manga Marching Orders post, in which I asked for help in deciding between several shoujo fantasy series that take place in other worlds, were overwhelmingly in favor of From Far Away, and now I see why: it’s awesome! You can find my review of the first five volumes here. I’ll definitely be continuing that series through to its completion—how I let it languish in my to-read pile for so many years is beyond me!—but in the meantime, I’m soliciting advice once again.

Recently, I read the first three volumes of Honey Hunt, which was my first time reading anything by Miki Aihara. I liked it a lot, and it made me intrigued about the series she’s best known for: the ultimate guilty pleasure of shoujo, Hot Gimmick. This, in turn, got me thinking about other shoujo/josei classics with possibly over-the-top/raunchy romance drama that I really should read.

Here, then, are the five series I’m trying to decide between. All are complete and owned by me in their entirety, inveterate hoarder that I am. I note, too, that 80% of these series were released in the US by TOKYOPOP. They sure don’t license them like they used to.

hotgimmick11. Hot Gimmick by Miki Aihara – shoujo, 12 volumes
Believe me, I have heard the complaints about this one. Forewarned is forearmed, they say, and since this series is still being talked about so often, I feel like I should experience its icky-yet-addictive blend for myself.

2. Peach Girl by Miwa Ueda – shoujo, 18 volumes but split into two series by TOKYOPOP
I want to read this for the same reason I want to read Hot Gimmick. I’ve been reading Miwa Ueda’s newest series, Papillon, and have seen other reviewers note its similarities to this earlier story. I remain ignorant of any recycled story elements, and this just won’t do!

3. Tramps Like Us by Yayoi Ogawa – josei, 14 volumes
I’ve heard many good things about this series and though I’ve read some josei, I’ve never read a josei series as long as this one. Plus, I’m always ridiculously excited to read about a heroine who has a career.

4. Happy Mania by Moyoco Anno – josei, 11 volumes
Connie mentioned this series recently in a review over on Manga Recon and it really intrigued me, especially when she said, “the series reveled in dragging the characters through all sorts of relationship miseries, then having them beg for more.” I went out and procured it (got a great deal on eBay!) based on her recommendation. I think it’d be fun to read about a succession of guys instead of just one true love. Sex and the City in manga form!

5. Mars by Fuyumi Soryo – shoujo, 15 volumes + 1 one-shot
From what I’ve heard about Mars, there doesn’t seem to be much really raunchy about it, but I’m willing to bet that in a series this long there’s going to be some major crazy drama somewhere along the line. I’m also intrigued by this mangaka in general; her seinen series ES: Eternal Sabbath looks really good, and I feel like I should read this one first to better appreciate the contrast.

Reader, help me choose!

Manga/Manhwa Holiday Gift Guide

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bluepresentgoodWelcome to Manga Bookshelf’s Manga/Manhwa Holiday Gift Guide! I am one of many bloggers publishing such a guide over the next few days as a response to the New York Times Graphic Novel Gift Guide which turned up last week with not a single volume of manga included.

Now, with so many bloggers making recommendations at once, I’ve deliberately refrained from attempting to create anything like a comprehensive guide, instead focusing on series and genres I especially favor in fairly arbitrary groupings. For a rich, well-rounded shopping guide experience, I recommend making the rounds to everyone’s guides over the next week or so (Erica Friedman is keeping a list of participating bloggers over at Okazu and David Welsh is linking to entries as they go up at Precious Curmudgeon). But first, behold!…

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I.N.V.U., Vol. 5

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I.N.V.U., Vol. 5 | By Kim Kang Won | Published by TOKYOPOP | Rated T (13+) – After the unfortunate ramen incident involving Rea’s “borrowed” designer dress, things come to a head for her at home when Youngjun unknowingly outs her as an aspiring model to her family. Rejected by her father for her ambitions, she loses her home but unexpectedly gains an opportunity in the fashion business. Meanwhile, Sey is finally warming up to Siho (though not quickly enough to satisfy him) and Jae Eun’s crush on pastry chef Simon may not be a lost cause after all! This volume’s heavy drama, however, comes when a well-meaning neighbor shares one of Hali’s magazine spreads with Hali’s mother, forcing her to temporarily face the reality of her son’s death. This reality check sends her into a fit of violence against Hali, sending Hali straight into the arms of her teacher and reluctant suitor, Hajun.

I.N.V.U. is unapologetically soapy and certainly over-the-top, but this volume strikes an unusually nice balance between soap opera drama and real inspiration by putting Rea in the spotlight and giving her a genuinely realistic job in the fashion business—something that could easily lead her towards a satisfying career. Though the drama with Hali and Hajun is given more page time, it is Rea’s fortune that drives this volume, lending it some real (and unexpected) sparkle. It helps, too, that even the endless Hali/Hajun angst is forced to actually move forward, thanks to some serious manipulation on the part of Hajun’s conniving fiancée. That Hajun reacts to these manipulative moves with more maturity than he’s shown in the previous four volumes combined is a real bonus as well. Fans of boys’ love will appreciate Jae Eun’s subplot in this volume, too, as Simon makes a special request for future versions of his donginji boyfriend.

Five volumes in (and after a second multi-year break) I.N.V.U. seems to finally be hitting its stride. Here’s hoping the pace will pick up for publication as well!

The Antique Gift Shop, Volume 9

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Guest Review: The Antique Gift Shop, Vol. 9
By Lee Eun
Published by Yen Press

Review by Megan M.

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Bun-Nyuh, who still hates the supernatural world and tries to pretend it isn’t a part of her life, thinks to finally free herself from it by closing her shop and dumping the remainder of her grandmother’s antiques, all touched by the supernatural, in the river. This, of course, does not have the desired effect. Before we can get to that, however, we must first wrap up Lee Eun’s skewed version of “The Little Mermaid,” which began in the previous volume and features a rather self-centered mermaid convinced that the fairy tale got things completely wrong and that she must rescue her prince from life with his obese girlfriend (who is a former ballerina).

I confess that I ended up not caring much for the mermaid plotline, at least partly because I couldn’t follow much of it. I’m not sure who pulled who from the river, who found who in the river, or, for that matter, if anyone even lived. I also have no idea if the prince grew a spine, the mermaid finally thought about someone besides herself, or if the ballerina regained her self esteem. All three, I think, were meant to reflect various parts of Bun-Nyuh’s personality, but the conclusion of that arc was too confusing for it to really work for me.

In contrast, the return to Bun-Nyuh’s story is the series at its best, with the creepy atmosphere combined with Bun-Nyuh’s zany temper and insistence on barging ahead with whatever she wants to do. Having deprived herself of both Mr. Yang’s protection and the presumed protection of her grandmother’s antiques, Bun-Nyuh is now at the mercy of the force they’ve been protecting her from the entire series. Instead of a threatening villain or scary monster, however, what she encounters is a strange young man who claims to be a childhood friend she doesn’t remember, revealing many things about her half-remembered nightmares and recollections throughout the series.

Lee Eun’s characters always look a little unfinished to me, their faces often seeming to have only the barest of features (an odd criticism of manhwa art, I know) and the bodies just short of elongated. This, however, is very well suited to the spooky atmosphere she creates and her depiction of the supernatural elements is often stunning. In this volume, the scenes in which Bun-Nyuh seeks to avoid being alone in the rain and the scenes where she imagines Mr. Yang is with her (Or maybe he was–I never trust those things unless he actually confirms them) are particularly effective.

This is not a particularly well known manhwa, not really fitting the mold for what seems to create licensing hits, but it is one of my favorites, and I’ll be sad to see it go when it wraps up in the next volume. Hopefully Yen, or another studio, will license another of Lee Eun’s works soon.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Manhwa Monday: My Kingdom for a Copy of the Wall Street Journal

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yenplusnovToday’s featured review is Lori Henderson’s recent Comics Village write-up of the latest issue of Yen Plus which features many of Yen Press’ strong manhwa offerings each month and is a great starting point for those who’d like to sample a variety of manhwa, manga, and OEL titles. The manhwa titles in November’s issue include Pig Bride, Time and Again (which begins full volume releases in December), Jack Frost and One Fine Day. “These are all strong titles, making this side of the magazine most enjoyable,” Lori says about the OEL/manhwa side of the magazine. I’m personally a fan of both sides, but I’ll definitely agree that the manhwa in this magazine is strong.

I’ll start the linkage today by looking outside the online comics world where people are talking about manhwa in a couple of contexts. First off, Karl Urban talks about his role in the upcoming film adaptation of Priest (published in English by TOKYOPOP) with Jenna Busch at the Huffington Post. …

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Black Bird 2 by Kanoko Sakurakoji: B-

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blackbird2Misao is the bride of demon prophecy, and marrying her will bring her childhood friend Kyo, leader of the Tengu clan, prosperity. Misao is drawn to Kyo, but she resists this arrangement because she can’t be sure whether Kyo actually loves her for herself or because of the benefits she could bring him.

The answer to this question arrives in the form of Kyo’s eight vassals, a group of young men who’ve got intimate knowledge of Kyo’s past, his real feelings for Misao, and how hard he worked to become clan leader so that he could have the right to claim her as his bride. The original heir, Kyo’s older brother Sojo, also makes an appearance and nearly ravishes Misao, but not before allowing her a glimpse of her forgotten childhood memories.

The backstories of the characters are fleshed out nicely in this volume, and I’m pleased with the rate at which information is doled out to the reader. One confusing point, though, is that Kyo is shown in flashbacks and the testimony of the vassals to be a kind, nurturing guy, but his present-day treatment of Misao runs contrary to this assessment. Sure, he comes to her rescue as needed, but he also says things like, “Shall I shut your mouth for you?” and punishes her for being a flirtatious drunk. Worse is Misao’s reaction: she accepts his use of force as his way of communicating and finds that it makes his gentle moments that much more meaningful. That’s seriously disturbing!

Ultimately, I do enjoy this series but its creepy moments ensure I feel rather guilty doing so.

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