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Pick of the Week: Pandora Hearts

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Wow, it’s a tough week here for choosing a Pick, though for a much different reason than last time around. Looking at this week’s new manga from Midtown Comics, we’ve got the new omnibus of Cardcaptor Sakura, a second volume of Alice the 101st, Double Cast, 13th Boy (one of my favorite manhwa series), the adorable third volume of previous Pick Chi’s Sweet Home, new Nightschool, new 20th Century Boys… it’s a great week for manga.

All that said, I’m going to go with the third volume of one of my favorite current shonen series, Pandora Hearts from Yen Press. Here are a few bits from my review of volume one:

That’s a lot of plot to spell out in a single review, though it really only scratches the surface of this whirlwind shonen fantasy. Impressively, though the story races along at an exceptionally fast pace, it is very easy to follow and its characters immediately take shape, evoking both sympathy and great interest from the beginning. Both Oz, whose carefree attitude hides significant intelligence and compassion, and Alice, whose aggressive, fearsome persona seems crafted to protect the psyche of a very damaged young girl, are immediately compelling …

Mochozuki’s art is central to the atmosphere of this manga, with its detailed character designs and settings. Much inspiration is taken from John Tennial’s vision of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, with the addition of Mochizuki’s own style which excels particularly in the story’s creepiest moments, such as Oz’s adventure in The Abyss … The story’s action sequences are unusually coherent and easy to follow, with a very dramatic use of contrast and paneling, matching its surreal setting beautifully.

As with any story as elaborately set up as this one, the real question at the end of a strong first volume is whether or not the author can effectively follow through with what’s been put into play. The series has offered more questions than answers at this point, relying mainly on the strength of its characters to hold the reader’s attention through the din. That said, there is enough promise in this fun, mysterious fantasy to ease all doubts for the moment and simply anticipate. Fast-paced, enigmatic, and attractive to the eye, Pandora Hearts is easy to recommend.

For reviews of volumes two and three, check out the tag, pandora hearts. All three volumes are available now.

Pick of the Week: Full House

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With little to excite me in this week’s comics shipment, and with so many publishers at New York Comic Con turning their focus to digital comics, I’ve decided this week to highlight a manhwa title that can currently be read in English only in digital form. That title is Sooyeon Won’s romantic comedy Full House, available online from NETCOMICS.

Though the Full House‘s early volumes were published by now-defunct Central Park Media, they are obviously now out of print. Thankfully, NETCOMICS rebooted the series from the beginning, providing fresh translations and regular chapter updates at their online store. And though many of us may far prefer to read our comics in print, without the pressure of generating print sales, it seems more likely that NETCOMICS will stick out this 16-volume series over the long haul.

Though NETCOMICS’ updates have been increasingly slow for all their series over the past few months, Full House, at least, is getting some attention from its publisher, with its most recent update just a few weeks old. I’ve reviewed both of the first two volumes here at Manga Bookshelf (one | two) and after my weekend at NYCC, I feel quite inspired to dig into later chapters, so look for more on this series (and others) over the next few weeks.

Here’s an excerpt from my review of the series’ second volume:

Though this series is, frankly, stunningly predictable, to leave it at that would be a grave oversimplification. Manhwa-ga Sooyeon Won has an extraordinary talent for turning romantic cliché into storytelling gold, a skill she would later refine to perfection in her outrageously poetic boys’ love epic, Let Dai. Her secret to this is brazen excess, which in this case applies to the series’ endless stream of classic screwball comedy banter—precisely the thing that makes the story so much fun in the first place. Will Ellie and Ryder get together? Of course. Will they face numerous rivals, career obstacles, and ridiculous misunderstandings along the way? Sure! Frankly, none of it matters as long as they keep talking … and talking and talking.

So head on over to NETCOMICS and check out the series’ first chapter for free!

Pick of the Week: Demon Sacred

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It’s tough pickings for me this week, even taking into account the last two weeks’ worth of new arrivals at Boston’s Comicopia. Dark Horse’s second Chobits omnibus is tempting, though I haven’t yet taken a look at their new (reportedly awesome) translation. The second volume of Seiho Boys High School! is an outside possibility, too (reviewed here in a recent installment of Off the Shelf).

Yet, after much indecision, I’m going with volumes one and two of Demon Sacred, just out from TOKYOPOP. I haven’t read either volume yet (they’ve just barely arrived on my doorstep!) but here’s a taste of what Manga Critic Kate Dacey has to say about them in her recent review:

Demon Sacred is shojo manga’s answer to the everything bagel, substituting hot scientists, dragons, pop idols, twins, secret government research facilities, and time-traveling aliens for garlic chips and sesame seeds … the opening pages of the series involve a stampede of unicorns emerging from the aurora borealis and trampling a group of tourists in the Finnish countryside. Even Madeline L’Engle didn’t have the guts to try that.

It’s hard to guess how Itsuki will resolve the myriad subplots introduced in the first two volumes, but the story unfolds in such a feverish, urgent fashion that it’s easy to forgive the occasional narrative shortcuts or capitulations to shojo convention. (See “hot young scientist” and “pop idols,” above.) Demon Sacred may not be the best new manga of 2010, but it’s a strong contender for most addictive.

Time traveling aliens? Dragons? Stampede of unicorns? SIGN ME UP.

Look for my take on this series before the month is out. In the meantime, buy these books.

Pick of the Week: 7 Billion Needles

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It’s come to my attention just recently that since I began this feature only eight weeks ago, precisely every other pick has gone to a Vertical title. But really, who can blame me, when they keep putting out titles like Nobuaki Tadano’s sci-fi series 7 Billion Needles, on sale this week. Here’s a little taste of what’s inside:

7 Billion Needles begins with the introduction of Hikaru, a quiet teen who carefully isolates herself from her peers by hiding under a set of headphones. Hikaru has moved to a new town where she’s living with her aunt, but she’s still thinking about the island she left behind. When, in the manga’s first few pages, she’s obliterated by a ball of plasma falling from space, it seems likely that she’ll leave the world without ever really engaging with it, but in the end she finds herself back at school with no memory of the incident.

As it turns out, the alien entity that killed her did something “unforgivable.” Unable to let her (or itself) die, it joined with her to rebuild her body, but must now reside in her bloodstream for both of them to survive. This arrangement pulls Hikaru into a war other humans don’t even know exists, but more importantly, it forces her to reach out to her classmates, with surprising results.

Inspired by Hal Clement’s 1950s sci-fi novel, Needle, but set firmly in the present, this volume feels nostalgic and contemporary all at once–a dichotomy that is only enhanced by being presented on manga’s standard black-and-white pages. And though the premise is perhaps not quite original, as with most manga, the plot here is somewhat beside the point. The real story driving this volume is Hikaru’s own personal journey and the beginnings of her tenuous connection to the other seven billion people with whom she shares the planet.

Hmmm, sounds like I’m already accidentally writing my review, eh? I’ll put a cap on the rest of it until the proper time and place, but suffice it to say for now that I raced eagerly through the first volume the moment it turned up in my mailbox. For fans of character-driven sci-fi, 7 Billion Needles is a must-read. Pick it up this week!

Pick of the Week: House of Five Leaves

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Taking a quick break from my recent Vertical kick (though you can expect to see them back in this slot next week), and eschewing my usual PotW source, Comicopia, I hereby name Natsume Ono’s House of Five Leaves as my latest Pick of the Week!

Unlike many others, I haven’t fully jumped on the Natsume Ono bandwagon (though I do like Ristorante Paradiso quite a bit), but this series… oh this series. It hits me in all the right ways, with its passive, conflicted protagonist and shaky moral center.

Here are a couple of quick quotes from my recent review on Off the Shelf, where I discussed both my love for the story’s “hero,” Akitsu, as well as the volume as a whole:

“He’s just about as lost as a person could be, and yet there’s a survivor’s instinct somewhere in there that keeps him living and makes him weirdly compelling, despite his limp personality. I can’t help liking him and it’s definitely not out of pity. Ono’s unique art style is especially poignant here, too, and I think that really helps develop the character … The story moves quite slowly, but that’s really not the point. It’s all about this strange, vulnerable man, and whether he can truly discover family in a bunch of morally ambiguous outlaws. I had a lot of difficulty stopping after the first volume. It grabbed me that strongly.”

For more info, check out Viz’s latest press release on the series. Or just go buy it.

Pick of the Week: Howdy Sir Dog Milk

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This was actually on Comicopia’s list last week, but it wasn’t until this week, when I received my copy of volume two in the mail that I realized just how much it needed to be a Pick of the Week. I’m talking, of course, about the second volume of Filipe Smith’s Peepo Choo.

I rarely quote back-cover copy, because I usually think it misses the point. Vertical’s blurb on the back of this volume, however, is completely spot on:

“Originally serialized in a comics monthly issued by Japan’s premier publisher, Filipe Smith’s exuberant satire rips a new one in the fabric of trans-Pacific understanding, sparing neither the Japanese mafia nor American manga licensors. The ugly truth about the eponymous anime is revealed in this second of three volumes of shrink-wrapped excellence.”

And “excellence” it is. I’ve had some trouble reviewing the first volume of the series. Though the seeds of a strong story all seemed to be there, I felt that Smith was not quite able to follow through. With the release of volume two, everything has changed. Suddenly it’s clear what story Smith is really telling, and he’s telling it very, very well. Though the real-life industry personalities Smith is skewering pass this manga n00b right by, his point does not. Expect more on all of this in my upcoming review!

Please note, this series is rated 18+, and is not for the squeamish. Some of its gross-out moments have been a bit much for me, I’ll admit, but the payoff is well worth it.

Check out more on the series at Vertical’s website, or simply buy this book.

Pick of the Week – Arata: The Legend

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Oh, how the week flies! It hardly seems possible that it’s already time to choose another Pick of the Week, yet here I sit again with the latest upcoming arrivals list from my favorite comic shop, Boston’s Comicopia.

My pick this week is volume three of Yuu Watase’s Arata: The Legend published by Viz Media. I’ve had a rocky relationship with Watase’s work, and though I’m fond of her current shojo series, Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden, what I think I’ve learned from the early volumes of Arata: The Legend is that I actually like Watase best as a shonen artist.

From my review of the series’ first two volumes:

While Watase’s shojo fantasies have always featured a lot of action, this series allows her to really shine, with fights, chases, and weapons galore. There’s a natural, easy feel to the artwork in this series, even when compared to her other current work like Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden, as though by choosing to draw shonen action heroes, she’s finally really hit her stride.

Though I have yet to take a look at the series’ latest volume, there’s still time to check it out at Viz’ Shonen Sunday website before its release. So go & read, and if you like it, buy it!

Pick of the Week: Twin Spica

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Buy this book – Considering how much I’ve raved about this series (volumes one | two) it should be no surprise to anyone that my pick of this week’s new arrivals is the third volume of Twin Spica by Kou Yaginuma, published by Vertical, Inc.

Here’s what I had to say about the first two volumes:

Though this series finished its run in seinen magazine Comic Flapper just last year, its simple artwork and wistful tone make its first volume read like an instant classic … Yagimuna’s artwork is utterly charming. Simple, clean, and full of heartfelt emotion, it flows easily from panel to panel. Again here, there is a persistent air of nostalgia to the series, enhanced even by Vertical’s choice of font … Hopeful, charming, and tinged with sadness, Twin Spica leaves us wanting more. Highly recommended.

What started out as a wistful, nostalgic story about nurturing dreams in an environment tainted by years-old pain is now introducing us to school politics, adult grudges, and a lot of real-world ugliness that puts Asumi’s dreams in depressing perspective.

While this might cripple a weaker series, it really strengthens this one. Asumi’s still the same girl, but her warm, dreamy nature isn’t going to hold up easily in the face of real intimidation. While it’s certainly painful to watch this play out, it’s also really compelling, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next volume.

My volume just arrived yesterday, and I can’t wait to read it! If anything drives you to the comic shop this week, it should be Twin Spica!

For a full list of this week’s new releases, visit Comicopia.com!

Pick of the Week: A Drunken Dream

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Buy this book – As I peruse this week’s new arrivals at Comicopia.com, I feel a bit sad. There are a number of new volumes that might normally catch my eye for Pick of the Week. Rasetsu, for instance, has become quite a favorite. And who can resist Sand Chronicles?

This week, however, everything fades in the presence of a newly-released collection of short manga from shojo pioneer Moto Hagio, A Drunken Dream and Other Stories. The book is published by Fantagraphics, and edited and translated by Matt Thorn.

Simply put, this book is gorgeous. You can expect a review here soon at Manga Bookshelf, though there’s no way I’ll come even close to doing it justice, unlike Kate Dacey, whose recent review should be required reading all on its own. Visit Publishers Weekly for a very generous preview, if you’re wondering just what I mean by “gorgeous.” Also, check out the slideshow at Fantagraphics’ website for a glimpse of its spectacular, hardcover glory. This is not a cheap book (in any sense of the word), and it is a must-buy for any fan of sequential art.

For my thoughts on one of the very few of Hagio’s works to be published in English, you can read my review of the out-of-print short series They Were Eleven.

This is a release I’ve been eagerly anticipating since its announcement. Visit your local bookstore to find out why.

Pick of the Week: Chi-licious

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Welcome to Manga Bookshelf’s Pick of the Week!

Buy this book – This week, we recommend another new arrival, volume two of Chi’s Sweet Home, published by Vertical, Inc. Chi’s Sweet Home is the story of a stray kitten who finds a new home for herself with a loving family in a (supposedly) pet-free apartment building.

The series is funny and sweet, with the cutest artwork you’ll ever see. It’s also surprisingly poignant and provides some startling insight into the complicated relationship between human and feline.

Volume two addresses kitty frustrations that many humans will relate to as well, and offers up the same light humor mixed with deeper emotional underpinnings (for those who are looking).

Expect a full review of volumes one and two here in the near future. In the meantime, check out the second volume of this adorable series for yourself!

Keep up with all of this week’s new manga with help from Boston’s own Comicopia.

Pick of the Week: Days of Sehara

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Welcome to Manga Bookshelf’s first Pick of the Week!

This feature is exactly as it sounds–a weekly spotlight on a single manga or manhwa title. Picks may be chosen from among the week’s new releases, or whatever else I’ve been enjoying in the moment.

Buy this book – This week’s pick falls into the first category. It’s the final volume of a series I’ve followed ravenously for quite some time, Han SeungHee and Jeon JinSeok’s One Thousand and One Nights, published by Yen Press.

Though originally I declined to categorize this series as boys’ love (much like Akimi Yashida’s Banana Fish), it has certainly earned that title over the past few volumes. It also has the distinction of being one of the few in its genre I’ve ever encountered that was written by a male author.

This overtly homoerotic take on the tales of Scheherazade (“Sehara” in this retelling) is dark, violent, and melodramatic at times. It is also intensely beautiful, and one of the most tender love stories I’ve read in quite a while. My enjoyment of this series is quite well-documented, most recently in last week’s installment of Off the Shelf.

Originally published in English by ICE Kunion, the series is available in its entirety from Yen Press. Do take a look. And don’t let the unattractive cover art fool you. It’s gorgeous, through and through.

For a list of what may be shipping to your local store this week, check out new releases at Boston’s Comicopia.