Reviews

Sand Chronicles, Volume 5

September 9, 2009 by MJ 5 Comments

Sand Chronicles, Vol. 5
By Hinako Ashihara
Published by Viz Media

After promising to call once he’s sorted out his feelings, Daigo has gone three months without contacting Ann and each passing day makes it more difficult for him to pick up the phone. Ann tries to be patient but is dying inside, saved finally by her friend Asa who places a call to Daigo on her behalf. Determined to be the one to put in the work this time, Ann rushes to the airport and flies back to see him. Meanwhile, Shika has been going all out to try to attract Daigo for herself, though she meets repeated rejection. Finally faced with Ann’s presence (and her own betrayal), Shika’s desperation leads to desperate action and though ultimately some things do end up going her way, the outcome is far from what she might have hoped.

As rare as it is for first love to last forever, particularly in ones so young, it’s still painful to watch such an intense relationship wane, especially when both characters are so likable and so obviously still in love. Though Ann’s considerable emotional baggage and Daigo’s hero complex make their relationship potentially damaging for them both, their mutual devotion is hard to beat and very difficult to give up easily as a reader. “No, no!” I found myself crying throughout much of this volume, despite the fact that both characters have equally appealing admirers waiting patiently (or not) in the wings.

One of the most powerful characteristics of this series, of course, is its nuanced treatment of love and friendship, and this volume provides an perfect example of that trait, if not in quite the way one might expect. Though the mangaka’s handling of Ann’s relationships with both Daigo and rival Fuji are as poignant and wonderfully layered as always, the most interesting interaction in this volume is between Ann and Shika. Alternately defiant and conflicted over her decision to steal her best friend’s boyfriend, Shika never loses either the love or jealousy she feels for Ann, and as a result, ties them both up in knots. The fact that this volume nowhere contains (or even remotely approaches) any kind of stereotypical cat fight or other confrontation between the two of them keeps the story’s melancholy feel perfectly intact, while also demonstrating the power of the characters’ long mutual history. Even while hurting each other, these characters are connected too deeply to relish the results or even to just be okay with them. This kind of thoughtful writing is perhaps what I treasure most in shojo manga and is certainly what draws me to this series.

Also in this volume, both Ann and Daigo face decisions about their careers–a common theme in high school manga–presented here with the same delicate anxiety that permeates the series overall. Both of their personal struggles here are highly engaging, as Daigo fights off snickers from friends and family when he sheepishly announces his intention to get into a well-respected public university and Ann fights her own complacency when she realizes she’s never developed any ambition at all beyond her desire to go back home and marry Daigo. This plot line only enhances the sense that the two of them may be growing irrevocably apart, as new love interests are the ones best poised to help each of them move forward.

Though this series’ art lacks the extraordinary poignance of something like We Were There–a series with a similarly melancholy feel–it is visually well-paced and nicely expressive with occasional moments of stillness and beauty that can be truly breathtaking. Body language, in particular, is one of the artist’s real strengths, which is a great asset to her already-rich characterization.

For those of us who prefer our shojo manga heavily weighted in sweet, sweet angst, choosing Sand Chronicles is no-brainer and its fifth volume could not possibly embody this aesthetic more. Bring some tissues and dig right in!

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Kare Kano 11-12 by Masami Tsuda: B-

September 6, 2009 by Michelle Smith

One thing that Kare Kano does differently from a lot of shoujo manga is that it puts its side stories about the main couple’s friends in the middle of the series rather than the end. That might be a disruptive and frustrating choice if one is consuming the story rapidly—the “Dark Arima” arc has been left hanging since the end of volume nine—but for someone like me, who hasn’t read a volume of this series in a year, the two-volume tale of the romance between childlike Tsubasa and her step-brother, Kazuma, works as a nice, self-contained reintroduction to Kare Kano‘s characters and plot.

When Tsubasa’s doting father married Kazuma’s mother, each lonely only child acquired a new step-sibling. Tsubasa was very upset at first, but grew to like her step-brother a lot and open up to him in a way she had with no one else. Kazuma fights his more mature attraction for her, drawn to the sad and lonely side of her that only he gets to see, especially as he feels an increasingly strong desire to devote himself more fully to his musical career with the indie band, Yin and Yang. Feelings of doubt and insecurity about his musical worth plague him, however, and he spends a lot of time trying to figure out what he wants and should do. He eventually realizes that his love for Tsubasa is a strength rather than a weakness, as allowing himself to experience it positively impacts his songwriting abilities and makes him feel like a more legitimate part of the band.

Tsubasa has always been my least favorite character in the series. Since her introduction, she’s been portrayed as immature and violent, and often pretty dumb. These two volumes make the case that she’s actually refusing to grow up on purpose, putting up walls to deflect things she’s not ready to deal with yet. She’s certainly far more tolerable here than she ever has been before, and by the end of the story seems to have grown up a great deal. Originally viewing Kazuma as a “safe” guy by whom she can feel adored without entering into anything more complicated, her front row center presence at a Yin and Yang concert signals that she accepts both Kazuma’s dedication to music as well as his feelings for her.

While there are certainly moments between Kazuma and Tsubasa that are important, not just between them but for the story at large (I very much hope Tsubasa retains her newfound maturity), I still can’t get very excited about their relationship. Part of the problem is that they’re not actually together a lot in these two volumes: it seems like Kazuma spends much more time with his (meant to be amusing but not actually amusing at all) bandmates than he does with her. Granted, this is actually indicative of their circumstances, and Kazuma’s absence from Tsubasa’s world and her hatred of the music that keeps him from her is a big part of the story, but it seems they’re only able to connect for a few pages at a time which hampers my ability to really understand how they’d function together as a couple.

I’m also rather confused about the passage of time. From the time Kazuma’s new song prompts Yin and Yang to give a stellar performance to the concert Tsubasa attends, eight months pass. Have these eight months also passed uneventfully for Yukino and Arima, who appear throughout these volumes sporadically, functioning solely as Yin and Yang fans? Perhaps it was a convenient way for Tsuda to leave her leads in a holding pattern while whisking them that much nearer to graduation. Time will tell, I suppose.

Ultimately, these two volumes are decent, but disappointing, too. At least the focus returns to Yukino and Arima with the next volume.

Nodame Cantabile, Vol. 16

August 31, 2009 by MJ 1 Comment

By Tomoko Ninomiya
Del Rey, 184 pp.
Rating: OT (11+)

Auditions for open positions in the Roux-Marlet Orchestra continue in this volume, leading up to rehearsals for Chiaki’s first official concert as resident conductor. Under pressure to restore the orchestra to its former glory (and halt the alarming flood of subscribers leaving the Roux-Marlet for rival orchestra Deschamps), Chiaki drastically increases rehearsal hours and unleashes his unforgiving perfectionism on the ensemble, earning some heavy grumbling from its members. Meanwhile, pianist Rui returns to Paris seemingly at loose ends, oboist Kuroki struggles to balance school with his new professional position, piano student Tanya proudly displays the fruits of her post-illness diet, and Nodame tries hard to play the perfect conductor’s “wife” while keeping up with her own studies.

While this series’ classical music setting is always enjoyable and informative (this volume, for instance, contains discussion on the differences between the French bassoon and German fagott), its true charm is in its wonderfully quirky characters, particularly obsessively correct Chiaki and uniquely whimsical Nodame. It makes sense somehow that Nodame is addicted to natto (after eating which, Chiaki will not kiss her), believes that putting on a hairband successfully disguises her as a manga character (“I thought I was in disguise. I was trying to be Yawara-chan.”), and feels that free tissue boxes displaying Chiaki’s photo are the key to his orchestra’s marketing success. Some of the series’ supporting characters have great moments in this volume too, including bassoonist Paul who is determined to revive the bassoon in France’s orchestras and Rui, who unsuccessfully tries to get picked up in a lobby full of (according to her) gay men.

Now in its sixteenth volume, Nodame Cantabile manages to remain just as funny and touching as when it began. Readers craving a satisfying bite of rich, quirky josei simply can’t do better.

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

Nodame Cantabile, Volume 16

August 31, 2009 by MJ 1 Comment

Today I review volume sixteen of Nodame Cantabile for Manga Recon’s Manga Minis column. It is, you’ll notice, a very positive review. I must confess that I have a deep and abiding love for this series and I would be quite surprised if it ever let me down in any significant way. Even my early misgivings about lecherous conductor Stresemann and stereotypically presented Masumi have long been quelled. I could write many paragraphs describing the various charms of each character (just in this volume alone), my general adoration of Nodame, and my long-standing crush on Chiaki–and perhaps someday I will. Today you are spared this long-winded treatise.

Admittedly, much of my love for this series has to do with my own experience as a music (performance) major in college and how nostalgic I become whenever I sit down to read it. I said recently that I thought I was most like Mine–determined to rebel against my strict classical surroundings, but swept up with love for the music in spite of myself. Now that I’m entering a period of my life where I’ve begun singing classically again, I suppose the nostalgia is even closer to my heart.

Whatever the reason, Nodame Cantabile touches me in a very personal way, with its humor, its drama, its cast of wonderfully idiosyncratic characters, and its unusually insightful look into the lives of young performers as they struggle to find balance between insecurity, ambition, and simple love of their art. Though this kind of struggle is not limited to music students (and, in fact, probably describes any person attempting to make a career out of their true vocation), the raw vulnerability required of performers simply to do their work provides the ideal vehicle for expressing these feelings on paper. It is this, I believe, that is Nodame Cantabile‘s great success. Read my review here.

Phantom Dream 3 by Natsuki Takaya: B

August 31, 2009 by Michelle Smith

Once upon a time, a thousand years ago, there was a beautiful woman named Suigekka who used her magical abilities to help the people of Japan. The people feared and misunderstood her, however, and killed her after blaming her for the drought that had descended upon the land. A magician who loved her, Hira, went insane after Suigekka’s death and vowed revenge on humanity. He began to turn them into jaki, beings controlled by their negative feelings, while his younger brother, Saga, sought to protect people and undo their transformations. Fastforward into the present, where that inherited conflict is still going on. Tamaki Otoya, a descendant from Saga’s line, is the current shugoshi, or one tasked with exorcising jaki. Hira has reawakened, thanks to the reincarnation of Suigekka, and his quest for revenge continues. Tamaki must stop him, but personal feelings are making him hesitate.

While I originally found Phantom Dream to be confusing, it has really shaped up in the last couple of volumes, and now seems to’ve achieved a good balance between plot progression and character development. Events still tend to happen quickly, but motivations are clearer and moments of sacrifice carry more weight. Protagonist Tamaki has become a more sympathetic character, and I also quite like the story of Eiji, once his opposite number among Hira’s ranks, who defects to Tamaki’s side after learning Hira’s real reasons for creating jaki.

Also assisting to clear up the confusion is the desperately-needed glossary that makes its first appearance in this volume. Unfortunately, the “Story So Far” section includes a big spoiler that, while strongly inferred in volume two, is not confirmed until the early chapters of this volume. One might wish to steer clear.

All in all, Phantom Dream is not bad and is, in my estimation, superior to Takaya’s later work, Tsubasa: Those With Wings.

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

Phantom Dream 2 by Natsuki Takaya: B-

August 30, 2009 by Michelle Smith

From the back cover:
Tamaki Otoya is the last in a line of ancient summoners tasked to battle evil forces that threaten mankind. But when the rival Gekka family return to collect the demon sword Tamaki’s family stole centuries ago, a devastating secret is revealed! Tamaki is left in such a state of shock that he doesn’t even notice his beloved Asahi slipping away to the Gekka mansion…

Review:
I was pretty underwhelmed by the first volume in this series, finding it to be confusing and more interesting as a measure of Natsuki Takaya’s progression as a storyteller than for its own merits. Volume two is a big improvement, however; though the confusing elements persist, a potentially compelling story is beginning to take shape.

In this volume, more details about the feud between the members of the Gekka family, who use negative emotions to turn people into jaki, and the Otoya family, who are tasked with exorcising those people, are revealed. The current representatives of the families, Eiji and Tamaki, seem to bond a little over their shared burdens, but also engage in combat, as well. Some members of a branch family come to support Tamaki, leading to revelations about the reasons why more of the family is not rallying behind him. Asahi seems to feel a strange connection with a sword belonging to the Gekka family, which the Otoya family has sacrificed much to protect, but Eiji ends up in possession of the weapon after his cat demon minion manages to infiltrate the shields on the Otoya temple in an unexpected way.

That summary is distilled from a couple hundred pages of random and rapid plot developments, which brings up the biggest problem I have with Phantom Dream: major events happen too quickly, giving the progression of the story a rather slapdash feel. It’s possible that Takaya-sensei has meticulously planned out each new development, but they rush by without giving the reader enough time to appreciate what has happened. In the first volume, for example, I completely missed that a butterfly-loving boy whom Tamaki exorcised had volunteered to become a kind of reconnaissance spirit in Tamaki’s employ. This time, we’re barely given time to digest some news about Tamaki’s parentage before the sword is stolen, Tamaki’s mother dies, and Asahi goes missing, apparently on the verge of betraying Tamaki and awakening the Gekka king from his slumber.

Through the blur of these events, however, one is occasionally afforded a glimpse of what the story could’ve been if more time were devoted to allowing the main characters some reaction time. Tamaki and Eiji don’t seem to really hate each other; instead, they are bound by destiny and familial expectations to continue a pointless feud that’s been going on for a thousand years. Eiji, at times, doesn’t seem to want to do what he’s doing—and even seems to cherish some feelings of love for Tamaki—but does them nonetheless, causing Tamaki to have to fight him. I wish this element of the story had been played up a lot more, rather than the emphasis being on the secrets of Tamaki’s parentage.

Still, even with all of these problems, I find that I do like Phantom Dream, and substantially more than I like Tsubasa: Those With Wings. For all its speed, it’s still by far the more focused work, with a driving narrative that isn’t sidetracked by forays into “comedy.” It’s also more clearly the precursor to Fruits Basket, with a heroine whose sunny outlook proves of invaluable aid to the hero and even manages to get through to the ostensible villain of the piece.

Monkey High, Volume 7

August 29, 2009 by MJ 3 Comments

Monkey High, Volume 7
By Shouko Akira
Published by Viz Media

Buy This Book

After her politician father is arrested for corruption, Haruna Aizawa transfers from her elite private school to a run-of-the-mill high school though, from her perspective, there is no great difference between them. She sees high school as being like living on Monkey Mountain–watching a gang of monkeys fighting each other over and over again, establishing and re-establishing their hierarchy. Her theory is quickly confirmed by the first student she meets at her new school–a grinning imp of a boy named Masaru Yamashita (“Macharu” to his friends)–who strongly reminds her of a baby monkey. The rest of the students are the usual crowd, including the class “prince,” Atsu, and a gang of unfriendly girls, and Haruna keeps herself at a distance as much as she possibly can.

Trouble is, there is one student she can’t seem to distance herself from no matter how she tries, and that is Macharu. When she’s around him, her heart pounds and her skin goes tingly, leaving her utterly confused. Fortunately, Macharu feels the same way and as the first volume winds down, the two begin to explore a relationship together, despite their strong personality differences and Haruna’s initial embarrassment over having fallen for a short, goofy guy like him. As the series continues, their relationship grows and Haruna even goes so far as to introduce Macharu to her estranged father (“…because I want to be with him for a long time.”), though her father only ends up hurting her in the attempt.

…

Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom, Volume 7

August 27, 2009 by MJ 2 Comments

Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom, Vol. 7
By Kazunari Kakei
Published by Viz Media

Buy This Book

Read my review of volume six here.

As the dramatic battle that began in volume six continues, power-crazy villain Fall has the Dark Liege cornered, thanks to the revelation of a new and unexpected power. Meanwhile, Nora and Kazuma face their own foes along with other members of the Dark Liege’s army. Still reeling from the news of Nora’s intended fate as the current Cerberus (who is expected to one day pour all of his power into Kazuma–the next Dark Liege–sacrificing his own life in the process) they both fight fiercely and with more feeling than ever before, determined to see this battle through and find a way to bring balance to the demon and human worlds in their own way–one which does not conform to the tragic customs of the past.

Although several of its fight sequences come close to being too long, for the most part this volume manages to keep up the considerable tension and dramatic momentum set into motion in volume six which is, surprisingly, one of the series’ new strengths. Though it offers nothing significantly different from most standard shonen fare, Nora has finally found its groove, particularly in terms of characterization which has advanced substantially over the last two volumes. Nora, especially, has gained new depth since discovering the grim truth about his fate, learning to truly value not only his life but the lives of those who care for him. Though his refusal to let the current Dark Liege calmly accept her own defeat is pure shonen formula, his delivery (“Nobody could ever replace a pain in the ass like you!”) is so charmingly in-character, such judgements are easily dismissed.

Another pleasant bit of characterization that has begun to take shape over the last two volumes is the changing relationship between Nora and Kazuma. Its development has been slow and painful (if often humorous), evolving finally into an uneasy camaraderie that feels especially nuanced and fragile for this kind of story. As in any relationship with a significant power imbalance (Kazuma, after all, has the power to allow or forbid Nora’s use of his own magical abilities with no more than a word, effectively holding Nora’s life in his hands) mutual trust is incredibly difficult to achieve, but in response to the new revelations regarding their shared fate, the two have forged a bond between them, fashioned out of an unlikely combination of fury, indignation, and hope.

Though this series has a ways to go before it can hope to stand up to the best titles of its genre, Nora: The Last Chronicle of Devildom has finally landed on its feet, becoming a solid choice for fans of shonen manga.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Boys Over Flowers 36 by Yoko Kamio: B

August 24, 2009 by Michelle Smith

After 36 dramatastic volumes, Boys Over Flowers has finally come to an end. It’s just too bad it didn’t happen sooner. The end of volume 31 would’ve been a good place, for example, with Tsukushi and Tsukasa finally realizing that their love is what’s most important in their lives. Instead, after Tsukasa recovers from a rather lame bout of amnesia, he announces that, due to his father’s sudden illness, he is taking off for New York after graduation and won’t be back for four years.

Although some very nice moments between the main couple result, like a night spent alone together and some endearingly misspelled skywriting, on the whole this volume is a disappointment on that front. With Tsukasa’s departure looming and Tsukushi forced to deal with her wacky family, they spend too much of this final volume apart for it to truly feel satisfying. Also, while I don’t really mind checking in on some of the secondary characters introduced throughout the series, I begrudge them the pages that could’ve been spent on the protagonists.

On the positive side, the volume provides some unexpectedly touching moments with Tsukushi and the rest of the F4, who are graduating, too. Instead of taking dates to the prom, they’ve decided that the last girl they want to dance with in high school is Tsukushi and we get a little farewell moment with each of them. Also, a bonus story about Akira, the least developed member of the F4, proves to be surprisingly entertaining.

Boys Over Flowers might end with a whimper rather than a bang, but don’t take that to mean that it isn’t ultimately well worth reading.

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

Boys Over Flowers 29-35 by Yoko Kamio: B

August 23, 2009 by Michelle Smith

These seven volumes leading up to the conclusion of Boys Over Flowers, which now has the distinction of being the longest shoujo series I’ve read, feature some pretty drastic reversals of fortune. Through spontaneous trips to New York City, love confessions from unexpected sources, kidnappings, deserted islands, stabbings, and amnesia, Tsukushi and Tsukasa endure a whirlwind of on again, off again romance that can leave the reader rather dizzy.

Because it’s better simply to go with the shoujo flow than try to reconstruct a linear account of what happens, I’m going to forgo any attempt at a comprehensive summary and instead write a little bit about each volume individually.

Volume 29: B
Tsukasa is convinced that he can make his mother understand his feelings for Tsukushi. The two of them have a very sweet date, one of their first that’s uniformly happy, with visits to pet stores and attendance at a baseball game. Alas, this game is the scene for a record-breaking home run for an American player, and Tsukushi’s catch of the ball ends up televised in New York, where Tsukasa’s mother happens to see it. She yanks Tsukasa back to New York, and Tsukushi pluckily follows.

After a couple of dumb chapters wherein Tsukushi just happens to run into someone she knows, things pick up again when she finally gets to see Tsukuasa. He coldly tells Tsukushi to go home and that he’s staying in New York of his own volition. She is stunned, but then sweet Rui arrives to lend her his support.

Volume 30: B+
Rui reveals that he is in love with Tsukushi. Although they don’t really work as a couple—the one date they had in the past was pretty awkward—I still see why they’d be drawn together. There’s a certain aura that Rui exudes, a strong, wistful kind of pull, that produces romantic angst of such a wonderful quality that it quite literally makes my heart ache a little. Even better is that this time, Tsukushi’s feelings for Tsukasa don’t waver in the slightest.

On the annoying side of things, Tsukushi just accepts Tsukasa’s cold dismissal and is on the verge of returning to Japan, when Kaede turns up at the airport and gives her one wish (in return for helping save a business deal). Tsukushi wishes for Tsukasa to keep his promise to have a hot pot dinner with her. A few days later, Tsukasa returns to Japan to spend just one day with Tsukushi, and it’s wonderfully sad and they’re about to have a tearful goodbye when suddenly some thugs with tasers arrive and kidnap them.

Volume 31: B
Tsukushi and Tsukasa awake to find themselves on a ship set on auto-pilot. When they arrive at a deserted island, Tsukasa proves himself surprisingly reliable by catching some dinner and, as they explore their surroundings, he reveals why he sent her away in New York and Tsukushi finds the courage to declare that she never wants to be separated from him again. Predictably, it turns out that their friends were behind the kidnapping, but neither Tsukushi nor Tsukasa is mad, since Tsukushi feels the experience has taught her what’s really important to her and Tsukasa decides that he’s going to leave his family.

Alas, Tsukasa’s sudden disappearance has hit the news. There’s a media frenzy upon his return and, in the commotion, he ends up getting stabbed by a guy with a grudge against his family. “Why is it,” Tsukushi wonders, “that every time I’m about to grasp that hand it just slips through my fingers?”

Volume 32: B-
Tsukasa nearly dies from his injuries, but miraculously recovers, though he has amnesia as a result and can’t remember Tsukushi. This ailment is untimely since, in grudging gratitude for Tsukushi’s life-saving actions after Tsukasa’s attack, Kaede says she’ll consider her son dead for one year. Throughout the rest of the volume, Tsukasa continues to be unable to remember Tsukushi while a very annoying, supposedly innocent girl at the hospital begins spending a lot of time with him.

A new romantic rival this late in the game is irritating. It’s strange—previous volumes prove I can accept and be entertained by all kinds of ridiculous drama, but this arc is just incredibly frustrating. I do like that we get a glimpse of a softer side of Kaede, though, and hope that it’ll be followed up on in the future.

Volume 33: B-
The amnesia plot persists and Umi continues to hang around Tsukasa, prompting him to wonder if perhaps she is the person he’s forgotten and taking credit for making a bento lunch that he found nostalgic somehow. Kamio-sensei attempts to portray Umi as naive and oblivious rather than calculating, but it doesn’t really work for me and I still hate her unreservedly. Thankfully, Tsukasa begins to realize that being with her simply doesn’t feel right and eventually scares her away with his temper, still awful when not modulated by Tsukushi’s influence.

Tsukushi, meanwhile, has become convinced that the Tsukasa she loves no longer exists and decides to see him one last time to return the mementos of their relationship. The encounter angers her enough to bean him in the head with the baseball she caught on their date and viola, his memories return. I’m more relieved than anything else, though there are certainly some nice moments after their reunion. The volume ends with them heading out to enjoy the freedom granted by their one-year grace period, promising to think about what to do after that when the time comes.

Volume 34: B+
Now that Tsukushi and Tsukasa are back on the right path—though Tsukushi can’t quite believe that it’s not going to all fall apart again, given their track record—focus shifts back to the subplot involving Yuki and her feelings for Sojiro. After helping him to attain a bit of closure regarding the one girl he ever really loved, she’s been keeping her distance. When they reconnect at a dinner to celebrate Tsukasa’s recovery, he offers to do something for her to repay her actions, and she asks him to instruct at her school’s Tea Club, unaware that the Sara in the club is the very girl that Sojiro once loved.

Angst ensues, but it’s enjoyable. Yuki is a strong and likable character (whose increasingly mature outlook has been an inspiration for our heroine), Sojiro has some unexpected layers, and it’s nice to give the main couple a break sometimes and let others bear the brunt of the drama burden for a while.

Volume 35: B
The Yuki/Sojiro storyline plays out to its conclusion and it’s awesome. Less awesome, alas, are the developments with our main couple. They couldn’t possibly be allowed to enjoy the year of freedom they’ve been granted! Instead, Tsukasa’s father collapses and he decides to go off to New York after graduation and take the reins of the company, leaving he and Tsukushi only a few more days together.

Firstly, this is entirely out of the blue and runs contrary to what Tsukasa was just saying a few volumes ago, about how he’s going to leave the family and all that. Secondly, as his departure approaches, the story turns into a tour of memories, with random reappearances by side characters that I don’t really care about.

All in all, of these volumes, I loved the scenes between Tsukushi and Rui the most, followed by the resolution to the Yuki and Sojiro story. There are some really great moments with the main couple in there, but the amnesia plot and this latest announcement of Tsukasa’s kind of bum me out in that department. Instead of being excited at the prospect of what the final volume will bring, I’m now kind of wary.

Nightschool, Volume 1

August 21, 2009 by MJ 1 Comment

By Svetlana Chmakova
Yen Press, 192 pp.
Rating: Teen

As the last of the city’s high school students leave their classes and after school activities, school officials make way for the school’s night students—witches, vampires, and other supernaturally inclined teens who arrive nightly for their own education. Sarah Treveney is the school’s new “Night Keeper” who takes care of the school and its students through the dark hours. She lives with her younger sister, Alex, a young witch (known as a Weirn) who refuses to attend the school due to a mysterious past incident. Sarah teaches her at home but it’s hard to keep tabs on her when she’s working all night, and Alex takes the opportunity to wander outside despite the threat of Hunters—a group of demon trackers who are always on the prowl. Much is left untold in this first volume, but there are strong hints that Alex is more powerful than she knows and perhaps is even possessed by something truly formidable, capable of taking out a full team of Hunters single-handedly. After Sarah disappears during her night shift—so thoroughly that she is erased from all known record—Alex will have to go to the school she so fears in order to get her back.

There are more questions raised than answered in Nightschool‘s first volume, but that is actually one of the series’ best qualities. Information is revealed slowly, organically, and with the kind of sure hand that lets the reader know that all will be revealed in due time. Sarah and Alex’s relationship is nicely established, as are the basic rules of the Nightschool universe, though there is so much to introduce, these 192 pages read like one long introductory chapter. That’s not to suggest that the volume is full of boring exposition. There is plenty going on from the start and each of the story’s main characters and groups of characters possesses real personality from the moment they appear on the page—students, teachers, vampires, Hunters—each deftly introduced amidst the action.

One might even suggest that they are too deftly introduced, or perhaps too carefully so. Though the volume flows very well from moment to moment, there is a sense of something reminiscent of a good Disney film, in which the characters always say just the right words to each other (or aloud to themselves) in order to introduce themselves to the audience. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though it does make the setup feel almost too pat, with Alex cast as the perfect animated heroine—smart, restless, and rebelliously brave with a special inner strength of which even she is not fully aware.

Though Alex is at the center of all the mystery, it is Sarah who is easiest to warm up to in this volume. Her gentle compassion for her students, her obvious love for her little sister, and even her chronic lateness for work are all so endearing, it is honestly devastating when she is snatched out of the world so early in the story. This is brilliant characterization on the author’s part, of course, as the audience is now just as determined to get her back as Alex is. This entire volume, in fact, is perfectly crafted to make the reader desperate for the next one. With a beloved character in peril and so many questions yet unanswered, the second volume can’t appear soon enough.

Truthfully, most of the characters in the story are presented in a sympathetic light so far, including the Hunters so feared by our heroine and her ilk. That the series does not have an obvious villain at this time is definitely a strong point, though considering the way Sarah is removed from the story it seems likely there will be one eventually, perhaps even very soon. Who the Hunters really are is definitely a burning question, along with what or who Alex has lurking inside her. That Alex herself may turn out to be a villain of sorts seems very possible and adds an extra dimension of interest to the proceedings. The lines between good and evil are nicely blurred in Nightschool, creating a compelling, morally gray world that is bursting with potential.

Svetlana Chmakova’s art is as well crafted as her story, particularly in the way she uses her panel layouts. Action moves from one panel to the next seamlessly and with an artful feel, creating powerful action that is easy to follow alongside magical sequences that are often quite beautiful. Her character designs have a sameness about the face—especially the adult women—but they are drawn expressively enough that it doesn’t hinder the storytelling.

Readers who like to have things thoroughly explained as they go will have a rough time with this series but for those of us who enjoy just being swept up in the ride, Nightschool promises to be an eventful one indeed.

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

Goong, Volume 6

August 20, 2009 by MJ 5 Comments

Goong, Vol. 6
By Park SoHee
Published by Yen Press

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Convinced that the royal couple’s relationship will improve if they consummate their marriage, the elders trap Chae-Kyung and Shin together overnight, hoping to create a romantic mood. Unfortunately for them this just makes things worse as Shin’s stubbornness causes him to let Chae-Kyung go on believing that he does not care for her and she has too much self respect to lose her virginity under those circumstances, regardless of her own feelings. Confronted by Yul the next morning, who pulls Chae-Kyung in for a hug that is too close for either her comfort or Shin’s, Shin buries himself further by piling on insults and hurtful comments that only cement Chae-Kyung’s pain and feelings of disgust. Not that Yul is in any better position with her by the end of this volume. Though Yul arranges for Chae-Kyung to visit a sick family member, his confession of love only helps open her eyes to his darker motivations, further proving to her that the royal family is one seriously screwed up bunch and making her own unrequited love even more painful as a result.

…

The Magic Touch, Volume 3

August 17, 2009 by MJ 2 Comments

I have a review in the most recent installment of On The Shojo Beat over at Manga Recon for volume three of The Magic Touch. I previously reviewed the first volume and unfortunately it’s become less interesting to me as the story has progressed. I still have hope, however, that this series could gather up its perfectly good shojo romance elements and make something better of them.

Also in this column, Michelle reviews volume one of Blackbird, a manga I also found myself enjoying against my better judgement.

Enjoy!

The Magic Touch, Vol. 3

August 16, 2009 by MJ Leave a Comment

magictouch3 By Izumi Tsubaki
Viz, 200 pp.
Rating: T+ (Older Teen)

Volume three opens as Chiaki and the other members of the Massage Research Society begin a massage competition along with students from several other schools, including Mihime, a boy who made Chiaki collapse with only the power of his voice. The students compete vigilantly (if not always fairly) and Chiaki is feeling the pressure by the end, only to be revived by the appearance of Yosuke, whose presence reminds her how much she loves massage. This volume also contains some wackiness involving a rival school’s newspaper, Mihime’s odd obsession with Chiaki (and his oddness in general), and another student’s mistaken gender identity, but the real story in the last half of the volume revolves around Chiaki’s realization that her feelings for Yosuke may extend beyond her desire to massage him.

What’s frustrating about this series is that though it possesses all the crucial elements of a fun shojo romance—a heroine and hero with real chemistry, a unique premise, and a likable cast of supporting characters—it seems to go out of its way to focus on the least interesting aspects of those things. The relationship between the two leads has remained largely stagnant since the first volume, the massage club premise has become tedious and alternately ludicrous and cerebral, and the believability of the supporting characters has been pushed far beyond normal limits. Only three volumes in, the series still has a chance to recover itself and take advantage of the potentially successful elements with which it began, but for the moment it remains a fundamentally unsatisfying read.

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

Black Bird 1 by Kanoko Sakurakoji: B-

August 16, 2009 by Michelle Smith

Misao Harada has always been able to see spirits, but when she turns sixteen, things suddenly get a lot worse. Kyo Usui, her childhood friend and first love, returns after a ten-year absence just in time to inform her that she is “the bride of prophecy,” and that now that she is sixteen, all sorts of demons are going to want to drink her blood, eat her flesh, and/or marry (read: sleep with) her, all of which will confer some benefit to the demon, be it eternal youth or prosperity for his/her clan. Kyo is a demon himself—a tengu, as it turns out—and appoints himself Misao’s protector, fending off other demons while pressuring her to become his bride.

There are several very good reasons why I shouldn’t like Black Bird. In the first place, it’s another supernatural romance where the somewhat ditzy heroine is possessed of delicious-smelling blood that inspires the hottest guys around to fight over her. In the second, Misao’s childhood memories of Kyo have left her waiting for some guy to show up and protect her from the spirits who’re harrassing her. And thirdly, when Kyo does arrive to perform that function, he does things like fly up into the air with Misao (who is scared of heights) in his arms in order to encourage her to cling to him, saying, “You can’t live without me. I have to teach your body that.” Creepy! That’s just a step away from, “Why are you making me hurt you?” in my book.

And yet, I did like Black Bird, at least more than I’d expected to. Misao, though she’s weak in some ways, is adamant about not becoming Kyo’s bride—even though she’s attracted to him—because she believes he’s only interested in the prosperity that sleeping with her would grant his clan. These doubts also come into play for some fine drama later on when a tricky kitsune (fox demon) arrives and points out that it’s likely not a coincidence that Kyo was Misao were childhood friends, that Kyo must’ve been establishing that early relationship in order to foster a preference for him in Misao’s mind down the road. The notion that her precious memories might all be a sham leads Misao to push Kyo away, though of course he persists in protecting her anyway. It’s angsty, but good.

Sakurakoji’s artwork is attractive, and even though Misao and the rest of the cast boast rather humdrum character designs, Kyo really stands out, making it easy to see why Misao would be so captivated by him. Also, while I’m genuinely not one for smutty scenes, the ones in Black Bird rely more on suggestion than explicit detail, making them all the more sexy.

In the end, Black Bird really is nothing more than your standard wish-fulfillment fantasy. And I think I’m okay with that.

Black Bird is published in English by VIZ. The series is still ongoing in Japan, where eight volumes have been released so far.

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