Manga Reviews:

[Ranma4699]

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Hajime no Ippo

Rating - 9.2 / 10.0
Story/Plot - 4 out of 5
Characters - 5 out of 5
Drawing Style - 4 out of 5
Enjoyment - 5 out of 5
Overall - 5 out of 5

Plot/Story
Makunouchi Ippo was always picked on in school, even in Highschool. Until a fateful day he encountered a Boxer, who helped him. Ippo was shocked at the strength of the boxer, and wondered if he, too, could change himself, and what it meant to be strong. Thus begins his long road into the boxing world.

The plot is a general plot encountered in most sports shounen manga. However, the author brings his unique wit, with his extensive knowledge of the sport to this manga to make it very enjoyable.

Characters
The characters in this story are all hilarious. Some are not as unique as others, however they all have they're own unique stories going on, and they're all intertwined very well. Each character brings something unique to the plot, whether it be Ippo's sense of loyalty to his coach, and not wanting to let him down, or Takamura's sense of his own strength.

Each character's own unique backstory comes into play at some point or another, and only helps to bring the characters greatness out. Morikawa-sensei takes great pride in his characters, and he shows it with the level of detail put into each characters strengths and weaknesses.

Drawing Style
The drawing style, at first, takes awhile to get used to. In the beginning its not as defined as it gets later on, as Morikawa-sensei is just starting out. Keep in mind that he started this in the late 80's, so the drawing style clearly reflects the era.

The drawings of the action scenes take precedence over most of the other art. The action scenes move fluidly and vividly almost as if they're playing out like a finely directed film. The only drawback to the main portion of the art is that in the manga only a few years have passed, even though in the real world over a decade has passed, so the characters still wear fashion statements from then. This can make it hard for some people to enjoy as they may be thinking "What the hell is he wearing that for? He looks stupid". This is something that doesn't necessarily take away from the enjoyment of the manga, however it can be hard for some to accept.

Regardless of that fact, Morikawa-sensei still gets credit for keeping the manga's continuity in tact, even after 76 volumes.

Enjoyment
The most enjoyable thing about this manga is that once you start reading, its very hard to stop, even to take a break. When I started reading, I felt compelled to continue until I could find a point in the manga where the story took a break from the main plot for a quick breather, and that is where I felt myself pausing to stop. When I started, I read the first eight volumes straight. It took most of my day, but I couldn't stop. I was enjoying it far too much to stop.

This level of enjoyment is something I have felt with other series, such as One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, and others. However, with Hajime no Ippo, it was almost unexpected. I hadn't considered the fact that I would enjoy it so completely. Everything from the story, to the characters, to the jokes, and sometimes even the art, I enjoyed it as a whole, aswell as separately.

Overall
I stated in an earlier comment in regards to Hajime no Ippo, that if I where to make a list of must-read manga for any new otaku, or make a list for THE BEST manga, that this would be on both lists, and I stick to that. This manga is something I feel any manga fan should look into. It'll almost certainly have something you can enjoy.

Hajime no Ippo has reached just over 76 volumes, and has no end in site. As far as I know, Morikawa-sensei has no other works currently, however, I feel he should be proud to say that his single work has been going well over 15 years. That kind of success is rare in manga, and I think it only serves to prove how good this series is. I recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone reading this. If you've not checked out even the first few volumes of this manga, you're missing out on a great experience.

[Ranma4699]

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CLAYMORE
Design - 9.0
Story - 10.0
Character - 9.0
Value - 10.0
Enjoyment - 10.0


Overall
If I was going to choose a series to introduce someone to the art and talespinning that is manga, and knew they were a fan of fantasy, this would be the series I used to introduce them. Solid character design and world, combined with a well thought out storyline. My only complaint would be the speed new chapters are introduced as its on a 1 chapter per month cycle.

Design
The characters make sense. The "claymores" look like young ladies, and the monsters are believable. The backgrounds are very detailed considering how much the characters travel, and the fights are consistent. (since we are talking a magic world, I'm not going to say they are realistic.) The only issue would be just how many sound effects are used which sometimes results in a cluttered page.

Story
Well, if I discovered that a race of demons was eating through my village I'm not sure I'd have come up with the solution used here, which is to turn young ladies into half-demons and send them out to kill the demons, but that's the basic plot.

what's surprising is that it works. There is little romance or comedy here, but the drama and action are superb and starting about volume 6 the main character starts to question just what kind of organization she is fighting for, which adds an element of mystery to the equation. The series is ongoing, but I have read through what's available in the US commercially (vol 10 as of 2/18/08) and have enjoyed the development of the characters and their abilities. I look forward to the next 2 volumes becoming available in the coming months.

Character
If you are looking for large breasts and lots of bare flesh, this series is not for you. Most of the warriors have bodies that resemble gymnasts rather than the usual large chested female amazons you find in many anime. They also wear armor that covers most of their body. However the design makes sense, and works quite well in showing how these ladies are seperated from the people they are sworn to protect.

The characters are not static either. Clare the main character learns and develops new techniques constantly and clearly has a goal to which she is striving. In the manga the end is still very much in doubt, which only adds to the mystery. Other characters also change and grow, and even die which is a good example of a series which lets its characters do more than exist on the page.

Value
This is a collectable series and can be reread by fantasy lovers. The storyline is solid and the artwork superb. Its a bit graphic on the violence, but that shouldn't take away from its value.

[Ranma4699]

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Love Attack: Junai Tokko Taicho! GN1

Overall: B+
Story: B+
Art: B
Good: A great cast of characters and energetic humor make for very entertaining reading.
Bad: A rushed first chapter and a dragged-out third create a couple of hiccups in the pacing.

Synopsis:
High-schooler Chiemi Yusa has a way of getting herself into fights—and now she's just one brawl away from getting expelled. However, Chiemi's teacher cuts her a deal: help clean up the act of Akifumi Hirata, the toughest guy in school, and Chiemi will be allowed to stay. Her no-nonsense attitude quickly beats Hirata into shape, but another complication arises: he's fallen in love with her! Suddenly this couple brought together by violence must deal with first dates, jealousy, and all the other trappings of love.

Review:
Oh, if only high school worked out as easily as it does in Love Attack. If only the resident school bully were actually a hard-working, sensitive guy on the inside, and if only the one person who could tame him happened to be a beautiful, strong-willed girl. It's no secret that the setup for this love comedy is highly improbable, but it takes that improbability and runs with it, creating an endless stream of energy and hilarity. Whatever it is they put in Shizuru Seino's coffee, it must be working, as this spin on high-school love is way more fun than most other variations on the theme. Highly appealing characters, straight-to-the-point artwork, and perfectly timed comedy situations—what more could you ask?

Split into three relatively long chapters, this volume moves fastest in its first 50 pages, establishing the plot for the rest of the series. It's probably the only point in the book where the pacing doesn't feel quite right: Chiemi's near-expulsion, her taming of Hirata, and their subsequent falling in love all happen so quickly that the storyline never gets a chance to breathe. Oddly enough, Chapter 1 resolves so well that it feels almost like a one-shot that eventually got converted into a series. From Chapter 2 onwards, though, the rhythm flows much better, especially with the joke material: when Chiemi's friends shove a trashy magazine into her hands, she starts to wonder if Hirata wants a more physical relationship, leading to a brilliant sequence of dirty-minded gags that treads the thin line between innocence and vulgarity.

This parade of high school hijinks wouldn't be half as effective were it not for the strongly defined characters: Chiemi's toughness and energy add a lot of kick to the usual shoujo heroine, and Hirata's sensitive interior (clichéd as it may be) helps to balance out his tough-guy persona. Pairing up two very similar characters may seem to go against traditional storytelling theory, but it really works in this scenario—our two romantic leads look out for each other and beat up any would-be challengers. It's not all sunshine and roses, though: jealousy crops up in the third and longest chapter, when Chiemi's clingy cousin appears and starts stealing her time away from Hirata. The first fight between the couple brings new depth to the relationship, even if the resolution to the final chapter is perhaps a little too long and ridiculous.

In a story where the characters and humor are uppermost, it's essential that the art be nearly "invisible"—that is, straightforward enough that the reader never stops to wonder what they're looking at. That's where the clean, mainstream style of Love Attack succeeds, with its well-defined variety of character designs and easy-to-follow layouts. It's hard to forget Hirata's trademark bandana or Chiemi's flying kicks, and there's something so satisfying about a manga artist who knows how to time a comedy punchline behind a page turn. (Even more satisfying are the crazy reaction faces when something funny happens.) Action scenes are also perfectly paced and full of energy—exaggerated perspective and tilted angles galore, as if someone had studied a fighting manga and figured out how to apply it to a more domestic context. While other school romances get hampered by too many background patterns or weak linework or character clutter, this is one series where the art actually does what it's supposed to do: tell the story.

The lively writing style of this manga adds the final touch to the humor, as the characters aren't afraid to speak in direct terms. It may not be on the level of high wordplay or one-liners, but the dialogue has plenty of wit to go around—just look at all the wacky things Chiemi says to herself when she starts worrying about the issue of Hirata getting physical with her. Clearly, this is not the most direct translation out there (attentive readers will spot a distinct Americanism or two), but the sheer entertainment value of the dialogue makes up for it. However, that's about the furthest extent of this volume's translation efforts; sound effects are left untranslated and there's no bonus content or cultural background material. Pick it up for some fun reading, but don't expect a collector's edition or anything.

It's easy to get burned out on the high-school romantic comedy genre and say that they're all the same identical trash with different characters and situations just shuffled around. But then you'd miss shining examples like Love Attack, which in its first volume is already rising above the rest with its memorable characters and wildly violent sense of humor. It may not have the deepest story, the most intricate plot, or the most innovative art, but my goodness, if it isn't just a whole lot of fun. And that's more than can be said about most manga these days.

[Ranma4699]

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Switch GN 1

Overall: C
Story: C-
Art: B-
Good: The celebrity junkie story arc and occasional wordless scenes help to create some strong emotional moments.
Bad: Moments of awkward plotting and confusing action scenes drag this series down before it can even take off.

Synopsis:
Every police career has to start somewhere—and for babyfaced Kai Eto, that means teaming up with high-strung officer Hal Kurabayashi in the Greater Kanto Narcotics Control Division. Hal isn't too excited about having to work with "the rookie," but Kai's innocent demeanor has its advantages: he can get friendly with suspects and they won't get suspicious. Hal and Kai's targets come from all walks of life: a deadbeat dad, a street thug, a celebrity burnt out on life ... but catching their suspects is never as easy as it seems, with a rival detective and a deadly syndicate trying to complicate things for them. It's up to Hal and Kai to choose what risks to take, as one wrong move could cost an officer his life.

Review:
If there's one good thing about the investigative activities of Switch, it's that it does not involve ghosts and spirits. Goodness knows we've already had enough of that genre. Instead, this buddy-buddy cop series takes on a topic that should be pretty familiar anywhere around the world: ****-related crimes and the people who perpetrate them. An instant recipe for success? Not quite. The two main characters fail to rise above their good cop/bad cop stereotypes (in fact, the most interesting character is the suspect in the latter half of the book), and the stories lumber along at an awkward pace with equally awkward action scenes. Maybe this volume should have spent some time in rehab before making its debut.

The signs of mediocrity come early: the opening pages of Chapter 1 introduce too many characters in a vague first scene where there is little clue of what's going on. Even more maddening is that the next two chapters after that also begin in the exact same way: lots of nameless guys standing around and making things more confusing than they need to be, when all that's really needed is for Kai and Hal to pick up the info on their next case. Fortunately, the stories flow better once the two leads are in the car and positioned for a stakeout, as this is where the real crime-fighting begins. The first chapter culminates in a good old-fashioned brawl, while the second chapter comes with a smart (if perhaps predictable) twist where Kai and Hal use some trickery to outwit their opponent.

Chapters 3 and 4—which together take up the rest of the volume—mark the beginning of a longer story arc, where our heroes try to track down a **** syndicate by secretly monitoring a celebrity client. This setup makes for some great character drama: here's an actor who's on his way to becoming the most famous face in the country, and yet he has to sneak into the bathroom every few hours to cough up blood and get his fix. Add in a childhood flashback, and this guy is already a more developed character than the main duo. However, this is also the point where the pacing starts to get awkward, perhaps bogged down by its own length and ambition. Hal's "hanging out at the bar" scenes never really seem to find the right place in the plot, and a violent confrontation with a ****lord seems tacked on to create a cliffhanger situation, when most readers would probably be more interested in finding out if Kai can save the wayward celebrity from his self-destructive ways.

Being a crime series, action scenes are of course essential to every chapter—yet they are often the weakest points in this volume. When things get violent, the visuals lean more toward "stuff that looks cool" rather than showing what's actually going on, which means lots of random limbs and ambiguous close-ups that require a second read-through. A lack of toning and texture also adds to the confusion, as the frequent use of pure black-and-white lineart causes characters and backgrounds to blend into each other. Less busy scenes, however, are laid out beautifully: some of the most striking moments (i.e. any of the troubled actor's bathroom trips) are rendered in wordless, carefully spaced pages that say more than any dialogue could. Stylishly designed characters capture the series' urban feel, although some of the supporting cast are hard to tell apart—once again, the "lots of nameless guys standing around" problem.

Although this is very much a metropolitan crime series, the dialogue thankfully avoids overdoing it with gritty dialogue. The characters talk to each other in a typical conversational style, with occasional slang and police vocabulary sprinkled in as needed. This translation also sees all Japanese sound effects edited out and replaced with English equivalents, but a wide variety of fonts and careful placement help the "clicks" and "whumps" to blend in with the art. Cultural or linguistic notes are nowhere to be found, but there really isn't anything here that counts as a uniquely Japanese oddity anyway.

It may take another volume or so to figure out if Switch is worth getting into or not, as Volume 1 leaves off in the middle of the series' first extended arc. Still, it's hard to find anything here that makes it stand out from other crime stories. The individual cases are average material for the genre, and often lacking in clarity. From time to time, there are some pockets of quality—the excitement of pulling off an arrest, the emotional anguish of a celebrity addict, the effective layouts in no-dialogue scenes—but these are often overshadowed by various rough spots. When the pivotal action scenes are hard to follow, and subplots have an awkward time fitting themselves into the main story, well, that's going to have to be fixed before we can start calling this series good.

[Ranma4699]

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Toto! The Wonderful Adventure
Volume 1 The World is Vast


Publisher: Del Rey
Story and Art: Yuko Osada
Rating: T 13+

Toto! is a about a young boy named Kakashi who lives in a small town on a small island where nothing ever happens. He’s determined to get off the island and find adventure, and thus continually involves his friends in schemes to do so which never work. By this point his friends are tired of being dragged along in his stupid blunders and berate him for his silly dreams. But having been told to go on a journey through a note to him written in his missing father’s journal, Kakashi has no intention of giving up.

One day a luxury zeppelin makes an emergency landing on the island for repairs, and Kakashi manages to sneak on board. To his surprise, once he gets there he finds that the ship has been hijacked by yakuza, and it’s up to him to weasel his way into their favor in order to avoid being thrown overboard.

It’s a pretty typical shonen story. Kakashi is a loud, determined boy who lives by the mantra “I’m gonna do my best!” and pulls crazy stunts in the name of adventure, which he always gets through unscathed due to Einstein’s seminary “protagonist can’t die” law of make-believe physics. He has a sidekick dog with mutant superpowers, and a Darth-Vaderish, “Luke, I am your father” relationship with the boss of the hijackers. Before long there is a precocious kung-fu-wielding school girl introduced as the love interest, and they have to haphazardly ride off on a motorcycle to escape from the evil adults chasing them. It follows a watered-down version of the Studio Ghibli formula of kid’s adventure stories to a T.

That being said, for all its simplicity and unoriginality Toto! is still a fairly endearing, fun tale. I wouldn’t quite put it up there with Hayao Miyazaki, but Studio Ghibli movies are still fun even when you’re an adult and they’re blatantly all the same after the second or third flick. In much the same way, even though you know the formula and the story is simplistic, Toto! brings out the kid in you and gets you rooting for Kakashi even though he’s just another obnoxious brat shonen hero.

The art is decent. The line work is clean, and there’s just enough style and exaggeration to keep the action looking interesting. However, since the subject matter is fairly tame as manga goes there’s little opportunity for the artist to flex his drawing muscles with anything extremely visually exciting. To be honest, Osada actually does a pretty good job coming up with unique little character designs for all the background cast, so each of the townspeople and mafia cronies look like specific people and not just a blur of stock characters. However, the scope of the artist’s designs is still somehow limited enough that a few key characters look nearly identical, like the bandit boss Tequila and the military leuitenant Vio.

If you’re looking for a fun little shonen story, Toto! The Wonderful Adventure could be your ticket. It doesn’t have extreme power battles, ninja fights, magic, or giant robots, but it’s a good old-fashioned tale about a boy going on an adventure, lightly reminiscent of movies like Laputa: Castle in the Sky or Steamboy.

[Ranma4699]

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Yagyu Ninja Scrolls, Volume 2
Shield your eyes!


The series Yagyu Ninja Scrolls: Revenge of the Hori Clan bears a rather unique, if odd, distinction. It has what are quite likely the ugliest villains ever to grace the manga world. Indeed, these villains are so ugly, that it hinders the readers' physical ability to read the work. This reviewer was entirely unable to finish reading the first volume of the series, such was the acute ocular pain inflicted by the collective visage of the Aizu Seven Spears. Fortunately, the recap introductions which are now conveniently present in nearly all modern U.S. manga releases brings one right up to speed and ready to grasp everything missed in earlier volumes.

Some artists are able to cultivate ugliness in their characters which is compelling and intriguing as much as it is repulsive. After all, every good anime or manga needs antagonists which the reader loves to hate, and what better place to get the reader started hating than at a villain's physical appearance? Berserk is one title in recent memory which does an admirable job of throwing a veritable zoo of creeps, thugs, demons, monsters, and fetid creatures before the reader in each volume, inviting awe at the creativity and skill involved in conceiving of and executing such disgusting vermin.

Unfortunately, the villains of Yagyu Ninja Scrolls are not those kind of villains. The Aizu Seven Spears and the other unsavory individuals they are involved with are often the sort of 'ugly' which just looks badly drawn. And it's a shame, because Masaki Segawa clearly can draw well, and does so with remarkable consistency when handling the series' protagonists. Jubei, the surviving women of the Hori Clan, and various third party individuals are handled not only with precise and elegant line work, but with strong yet subtle hints of tone and shading as well, which is uncommon in the mostly flat, linear world of manga.

The villains are handled in entirely the opposite manner. The line work appears clumsy and lacks variation in line width, often looking like it was drawn with a crude office pen rather than the implement of an artist. The shading is always done in the same dead, light-grey tone, and follows the contours of the line work in a redundant manner which does nothing to reveal volume or form.

Whereas the faces of other characters appear full, round, and voluminous, the enemies of this manga look flat and devoid of depth, as if seeing them from the wrong angle would reveal a cardboard-cutout profile reminiscent of characters from the Paper Mario videogames. On top of that, every member of the Aizu clan has double the amount of lines in his cheeks necessary, eyebrow folds which look like butt cheeks, and a chin equal in size to the rest of their head...which may or may not be graced with a single in-grown hair the size of an earthworm. One of the chunkier Seven Spears members even seems to grow an additional chin with each panel he appears in!

Stylization and artistic license are a pinnacle trait of the manga art form, but in this case, it looks like the "good" and "evil" casts of Yagyu Ninja Scrolls are each drawn by different artists. For example, any normal member of the Hori Clan looks vastly rounder, fuller, and more three-dimensional than the most disgustingly obese member of the Aizu Seven, because the line-width variation and shading is executed so much better in the former than in the latter. In such a case, it is obvious that the artist is failing to achieve, even contradicting what they intended.

If you can bear to look at the art, the story told is decent, with a plot which twists around just enough to keep the reader engaged. However, between cinema, manga, and anime, violent tales of Japan's feudal era have been coming to America for a long time now, and for someone who's been around the block, Yagyu Ninja Scrolls presents nothing that will knock your socks off. This series would make a competent addition to the collection of a hardcore fan of samurai/ninja manga, but more general audiences would be better off pursuing older series such as Blade of the Immortal or Vagabond (coincidentally, both translated by Dark Horse) which are far easier on the eyes and have more in-depth stories to tell.

On an optimistic note, the most visually-offensive villain in the series so far is killed off by the end of this volume, so his painful visage will trouble us no more, and the experience of reading future volumes can only be improved!

[Ranma4699]

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Bleach Manga Volume 22

Conquistadores
The noose is tightening around Ichigo. His inner Hollow can't wait to consume him, the sinister transfer student has him tapped for a mysterious job, and now powerful new enemies have landed in his hometown to destroy him.

Publisher: Viz Media
Story and Art: Tite Kubo
Rating: T
Genres: action, adventure, comedy, drama, fantasy, supernatural
Themes: Giant Weapons, Spirits, Superhumans
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)

Review:
It’s hard to believe I just got done reading the 22nd volume of Bleach. Sure, I can believe that it’s gone on for this long, but it’s hard to ******* the fact that I’m still reading it, and it’s still a good read. Tite Kubo has shown a lot of maturity throughout the saga’s run, and not just in the art department either. The storylines are consistently dramatic without hammering it home too heavily, the characters manage comic relief that’s not as eye rolling as one would expect, and the action (in classic fighting series form) has only gotten more ridiculous over the years; in a good way, of course.

Most surprising of all is that nothing’s stagnating at this point, stuck in some comfortable limbo of narrative, since Kubo tends to keep things moving and shaking. In this volume, Ichigo Kurosaki—who still manages to show up in the nick of time when his friends are in a perilous situation—has a whole pot full of troubles that are really starting to come to a boil. First and foremost is his battle against the Hollow within, apparently triggered and strengthened by his work as a Soul Reaper. It couldn’t have come at a worse time either, because new powerful enemies have landed in our world, and they’re hungry for very specific souls.

A couple of Arrancar—a sort of Hollow/Soul Reaper hybrid, to put it simply—are looking for Ichigo, and it doesn’t take long to find him. Only a small portion of their potential strength is shown during their first battle, and their ominous arrival is a big enough problem to bring about the return of some old friends from the Soul Society.

Bleach is obviously gearing up for some massive fights in the coming volumes, but what’s here—the initial exhibition round between Soul Reaper and Arrancar—is a good enough taste of things to come. It’s almost funny how strong the enemies are becoming; at least judging by the way those in the Soul Society describe them. There must be a running bet between the big gun creators in this genre to see who can break the power level Richter scale the fastest.

If you’re still early in the manga, or getting your Bleach fix from the domesticated run of the show, then it’s safe to say that the contents of later chapters are reason enough to stick with it for the long haul. Following sprawling shonen series like Bleach, Naruto, One Piece etc. can be a somewhat arduous process regardless of how absorbing the stories may be, but there’s enough reward in Tite Kubo’s spirit world epic to keep you reading for a long time.

[Ranma4699]

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Gosick Vol 1 The Novel

Kazuya Kujo is studying abroad in the tiny European kingdom of Sauville in the year 1924, so it's only natural that his foreign background makes him stand out. But one of his fellow classmates stands out even more—Victorique, a doll-like blonde girl who spends her days reading difficult books in the school library and solving mind-boggling crimes with her superior intellect. However, Kazuya and Victorique find themselves caught up in a deadly mystery when they stumble aboard the cruise ship Queen Berry, the subject of a terrible tragedy from 10 years ago and supposedly haunted. Outside the safety of school, on a slowly sinking ship with a mad killer on deck, Victorique and Kazuya will have to rely on all their wits to survive ... and solve the mystery.

Publisher: Tokyopop
Rated: T
Creator: Kazuki Sakuraba
Genres: mystery

Review:
Funny-sounding title aside, Gosick is certainly "Gothic" in character, with a violent murder-mystery weaved into an elegant period setting. If you ever wanted a classic example of a closed-room case, few things are as closed-room as a ship lost at sea—all the suspects are on board and there's no getting off the boat! The characters, too, fill in classic archetypes; Victorique plays the Holmes to Kujo's Watson, except that instead of a deerstalker cap, Victorique goes for frilly dresses, adding the Lolita element to the Gothic. With elaborate explanations, clever misdirections, and a story-within-a-story, this period detective thriller has all the right elements—not necessarily a breakthrough, but a fine example of the form.

The first thing one notices is the careful establishment of characters and setting. Victorique, of course, is the most distinctive, with her delicate demeanor and sarcastic tongue (can we say tsundere?), but there are plenty of others, like the goofy town detective Grevil and the morally questionable characters on the cursed ship. Amidst all this, Kazuya feels a bit bland, and his ethnic background seems like cheap pandering to the target audience, but he provides the everyman point of view that gives readers a window into the story. The setting, too, is a distinctive one: Sauville comes complete with an imagined history, geography and culture, as seen in little things like architectural details or the way different people carry themselves. And once aboard the boat, the attention to atmosphere and detail are heightened even more with the ghost ship's aura.

But the real star of the show is the plot, of course, which is paced almost perfectly—the main mystery starts about one-third of the way in after a thorough introduction, culminating in a breathless action sequence, and leaving enough room to explain everything at the end. The only hiccup is in the flashback sequences that always seem to shoehorn themselves in at the wrong moment and take up too much time. Although it all makes sense in the end, the flashbacks still give off a feeling of "Here's a confusing scene written in a different character's voice" throughout the story. What may also be confusing (or perhaps disappointing) is that the story seems to give away the main villain really early on. However, the exact details of the villain's scheme are only revealed in gradual snippets, and that's where the story excels—dropping subtle hints that allow you to figure out bits of the mystery in advance, but never the whole thing. (Admittedly, the whole thing turns out be a rather ridiculous, far-fetched scheme, but it's about the journey, not the destination, right?)

A well-balanced writing style helps this story to flow naturally on the page. Gone are the clipped, telegraphic sentences that tend to result from Japanese popular fiction translated into English; instead, we get real paragraphs and sentences, with a good mix of description, dialogue and action to keep the story moving. Since plot is more important than style in this kind of story, the lucid writing makes it easy to focus on the mystery at hand. (However, this doesn't stop a couple of typos from sneaking into the translation.) One other annoying quirk is the tendency to repeat certain details—do we really need to hear about Victorique's pale skin and doll-like features one more time?—but perhaps that repetition works, because the characters definitely stick after while.

A handful of illustrations also add flavor to the story, although putting faces to the names can sometimes disrupt the immersive experience of prose fiction. Of course, some characters can get away with being illustrated—Victorique is on the front cover, so you already know what she looks like—but for some of the minor characters, it can be disorienting to imagine them a certain way and then discover a half-chapter later what they really look like. The illustrations are pretty decent overall, but the cartoony style doesn't always fit the tone of the story, especially when it gets serious later on.

The first volume of Gosick is a solid mystery-thriller that brings in many elements and gets them right: a period setting, a closed-room scenario, an intricate but compelling plotline, and a tsundere goth-loli girl detective (okay, that one's strictly for the otaku, but anyway). What makes this novel particularly impressive is how it balances beginning (introduce the charaters), middle (dig into the mystery) and end (explain what happened) without getting too bogged down or skimping on details. With memorable characters, a memorable setting, and a clever plot that manages to avoid the contrivances and confusions of other storylines, this deserves just as much acclaim as any of the more popular mystery series out there.

[Ranma4699]

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King of Thorn
Graphic Novel 4

While the small group of survivors led by Marco investigates the dark secrets of Level 4, another struggles for his life against the nightmarish beasts roaming the castle and yet another seems to have come back from the dead. From a videotape left behind by the dead leader of the castle and its cult, Marco and crew learn the truth behind the nature of Medusa and what it does to people, and perhaps also a clue as to how things came to be the way they are and what might be done about the Medusa “virus.” Marco also gains insight into the man who may be behind it all: his old foe Zeus, the man responsible for him going to prison. While Marco goes after Zeus, Kasumi finally watches the videotape discovered earlier by Marco and others, and what she sees there not only shakes her to the bone but also releases a whole horde of new questions.

Publisher: TokyoPop
Creator: Yuji Iwahara
Rating: OT (Older Teen Age 16+)
Genre: Action

Review:
After three volumes heavily focused on the awakened sleepers just trying to survive in their nightmarish thorn-and-monster-strewn environment, the story settles down for a while and spills its guts. Many of the things that have heretofore gone unexplained see extensive clarification in this volume, most notably what, exactly, the Medusa “virus” really is and how it is directly connected to the disastrous events which created the current environment. The mechanics laid out here offer some intriguing twists on sci fi and horror gimmicks and, to an extent, explain the mysterious little girl who has been hanging around since the beginning. They also imply that the title of the series most likely refers to the newly-introduced character Zeus. During that time we also get a more detailed background on Marco which decisively lays out exactly who he is, what he's doing here, and (more or less) what his real goals are.

The other big secret to be dealt with is, of course, the security videotape which first popped up in volume 2. At the time other characters commented that Kasumi needed to see it, and by the end of this volume readers will finally understand why. Though the ultimate revelation is shocking and raises oodles of fresh questions, it should not be entirely unexpected given the way the storytelling has set things up so far. It certainly casts many previous events in a new light, especially given what the survivors learn about Medusa, the actions of Zeus, and the misconceptions Marco probably had about the content of the video. Annoyingly, the whole videotape business gets spread out over five chapters while decidedly less interesting events and flashbacks progress. Sure, Marco's backstory is critical to a full understanding of what has transpired, but did it really need to be so long?

Despite all the revelations, the series does not forget its horror/thriller foundations, although those elements have less prominence here than in previous volumes. Certain characters still get their fair share of action, a convincing threat factor ratchets up the tension when needed, and the opposition includes monsters aplenty. Zeus seems a little too much like a stereotypical whacko mastermind, but at least his appearance finally gives the story a true villain.

The somewhat rough look of the artistry suits the content well, although it also results in character designs that look somewhat like cartoonish variations on more typical manga designs. Manga-ka Yuji Iwahara's artistry looks its best when detailing monsters or showing off the colored opening pages; moreso than most manga, this one could have benefited greatly from being done all in color. He shows a good sense for staging action content and portraying horrified reactions, but struggles more with other expressions.

Tokyopop's release of this volume leaves the original sound effects intact without translation, which can sometimes cause minor issues with fully understanding a scene. It includes a one-page story review at the beginning, a brief Next Volume preview at the end, and a two bonus pages in between but after the main story. At 235 pages it clocks in a bit longer than your typical manga volume but never seems quite that long, nor does it have any increased price.

Numerous major revelations about the Medusa “virus” and apocalyptic cir***stances, amongst other shocking secrets, come out in a volume which balances action, horror, and tedium with lots of cool story developments. It offers plenty to like in further establishing this as a solid horror/thriller series.

[Ranma4699]

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School Rumble
Graphic Novel 9

The school cultural festival is coming up, and Class 2-C has decided that there's only one way to decide on their class activity: a BB-gun deathmatch where the last person standing gets the final vote! In the end, it's up to rivals Haruki Hanai and Kenji Harima to determine whether the class puts on a play or runs a café. Once that's decided, they actually have to prepare for the event—which means lots of backbreaking work for the boys, moral support from the girls, and a trip to the public baths just to relax. As the day of the festival arrives, Harima and friends hope to attract plenty of attention, but what will they do when a rival class starts luring away visitors by offering them their wildest fantasies?

Publisher: DEL REY
Creator: Jin Kobayashi
Genres: action, comedy, drama, romance
Themes: School
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)

Review:
All good things must come to an end, and for School Rumble, that means a conclusion to the military survival shootout from last volume. Things quickly settle back into a normal school-comedy pace, but this is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it's comforting to see our favorite characters being their usual wacky selves and getting into more hilarious misunderstandings. On the other hand, these misunderstandings tends to be Jin Kobayashi's fall-back when he runs out of clever ideas, and it's already been done plenty of times in the story. Is there anything in particular that makes the school festival arc more special than the rest?

Short answer: No. Although Volume 9 starts off strong—the showdown between Hanai and Harima is over-the-top gunslinging action at its finest—the series quicky dials back down into generic school-life territory. After all, it's not a high school manga without at least one cultural festival episode. The preparation stages contain some decent comedy moments: hilariously bad pitches for the class play, the awkwardness of asking Harima who he likes, and the world's worst rice balls as prepared by Eri and Tenma. Unfortunately, one also runs into lots of scenes and long stretches of dialogue that are almost funny but never quite get there: what's the big deal with Miko and Hanai's friendship? Why must there be so much chatter about who Yakumo likes or doesn't like? And most importantly, how could they do a bathhouse scene and not get any decent fanservice gags out of it?

As the actual school festival approaches, things get more entertaining, but still suffer from that trade-off between comedy gold and school-life filler. For example, secondary characters like Nara and Imadori try to get in on the action, but their personalities just aren't as well-defined (and therefore not as funny) as the main cast. In fact, trying to cover every single character—or trying to show the activities of the whole class—makes the story and the humor lose focus. To see what does make a comedy situation work, look for the chapter where Yakumo and Harima end up in a "manga-ka café" scenario—here we have familiar characters doing something that really defines them, and most importantly, is cute and funny. Meanwhile, the side-story chapters at the end get away with more absurd situations: a military flashback with Eri's butler, for example, or a literal vampire who accidentally gets involved with a class's haunted house exhibit.

As the series drops back into school-life mode, the artwork also reflects this change: gone are the dramatic shadows and angles of the survival shootout arc, and instead things go back to plain classroom backgrounds and lots of dialogue scenes. Expect small, restricted rectangular panels and plenty of talking heads as always, but at least the text isn't as overbearing as it has been in the past. Spacing out the dialogue and adding the occasional silent panel clearly helps. But despite the more readable layouts, there's still confusion to be found among the character designs, 80% of which seem to consist of black-haired girls. Good luck figuring out the minor characters ...

For those who miss those over-the-top action scenes, though, there are still some to be found in the first couple of chapters as Hanai and Harima finish their shootout. With dynamic speedlines, intense shadows, and some insane gunslinging moves, it seems that Jin Kobayashi really wants to work on an action series for his next title.

The current School Rumble may not rely on puns as much as it used to, but there are still plenty of cultural points to be explained here. Thankfully, the glossary in this volume does a thorough job, pointing out parodies and references to Japanese pop culture that one might miss. (Admittedly, having to explain the joke makes it less funny, but at least now you'll know the reason why.) The dialogue is also a major translation challenge, mostly because of the sheer quantity; perhaps that's why it feels rather dry at times and the characters often lack distinct personalities or speaking styles.

As School Rumble returns to normal school life, certain things remain the same: the series still strives for comedy through absurdity and romantic misunderstandings. However, that also makes it near-identical to previous volumes, and certainly far less exciting than the survival shootout scenario. We already know that Harima will never have the guts to confess to Tenma, and that his sort-of-but-not-really relationship with Yakumo is going to go on forever, and that Eri is always going to get exactly the wrong idea ... In other words, the same things that happen all the time, except with a school festival in the background. Some of the laughs are worth it, but it's getting more and more frustrating to see this story going nowhere.

[Ranma4699]

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Switch Graphic Novel 2

Rookie Narcotics Control Division (NCD) investigators Kai Eto and Hal Kurabayashi's action-packed undercover operations continue. Volume two picks up where the previous left off with the tragic conclusion of the multi-chapter story arc featuring Dragon Speed-addicted heartthrob actor Shirai. The manga then strikes a lighter note when the duo goes on assignment with Expert Substance Analyst Ms. Kuzui, an imposing woman with an unbecoming crush on Kai. The final two chapters begin a new plot which takes Kai and Hal back to school as student and student-teacher, respectively. Once there, they must unravel a ****-laced conspiracy involving a suicidal student and an uber-violent gang called the “MP.”

Publisher: VIZ
Rated: T+ for Older Teen Age 16+
Creator: Naked Ape: Saki Otoh, Nakamura Tomomi
Genre: Action, Adventure

Review:
What does Naruto have in common with Code Geass? Not all that much, one might be well-justified in thinking, but it so happens that the two women who go by the creative handle “naked ape” (all small caps), artist Tomomi Nakamura and writer Otoh Saki, have produced numerous parody doujinshi of both series. And while Switch's exact thematic debt is entirely open to interpretation, its artistic debt to these two fandoms is indisputable. The characters all seem to boast Naruto-style heads spliced onto Code Geass-style bodies—which, safe to say, is definitely not the greatest character design innovation to have made the big time in 21st century Japanese manga.

Moreover, Nakamura's artwork unfortunately lacks both the fluid elegance of CLAMP and the whimsical warmth of Masashi Kishimoto. She likewise fails at anything resembling Takeshi Obata's tough-mined, film noir style (a la Death Note). Switch, quite frankly, just looks like the secondhand product of profound misanthropy. Panel angles are poorly-chosen, transitions between panels are counter-intuitive and sloppy, and action sequences in particular are clumsily choreographed. Though there is marginal improvement upon the exceedingly confusing montages proliferating in the first volume, the visuals still border on a disaster entirely out of proportion with the (lack of) complexity of the consistently mediocre line work.

And the story per se does not compensate for the art's many narrative failures. Though reasonably well-paced and hewing to a tried and true buddy action formula, it does absolutely nothing that hasn't been done before and better elsewhere. For a nail-biting tale of organized crime conspiracies, law enforcement, designer ****s, and truckloads of homoerotic tension, Akimi Yoshida's Banana Fish, widely considered the greatest shoujo manga of all time, has not yet been beaten. Given that unfavorable comparison between the two series, which are both named after a series-specific, fictional illegal ****, is virtually inevitable, it is shocking that Saki even bothered to try. At her very best, she compares well to the Kazuya Minekura of the non-supernatural thriller Bus Gamer…not a compliment by any means, as far as I'm concerned.

The stories as such are reasonably well-paced, perfect for a bit of lightweight, mindless entertainment. No surprises—the actor dies in the crossfire, the besotted female shocks everyone by apprehending the criminal herself, student and teacher are caught up in an “inappropriate” relationship—but then intellectual challenge should not be the objective when picking up a manga like this one. And well, okay…on a shallower note, there are lots of bishounen in Switch. Kai is alternately cute or deadly, and he has a mysterious, traumatic past that has yet to be revealed. Hal is invariably poised and icy cold, and in the final story arc of the volume especially he projects a raw, aggressive (homo)sexuality. None of the male characters thus far have any female love interests, which leaves plenty of room for overactive, dirty imaginations. Cue to fangirls swooning away. Unfortunately, none of them seem particularly complex; they're more one-dimensional eye candy than three-dimensional representations of humanity.

I simply cannot understand why Viz Media bothered to go the extra mile to license this mediocre title. It was originally published by Square Enix, not by either of VIZ's parent companies Shueisha or Shogakukan, and there is nothing—nothing—about Switch which makes it worth the red carpet treatment from North America's largest manga publisher. At least, not yet. Maybe something that revolutionizes the manga medium occurs in volume sixteen…but somehow I rather doubt it, and at this rate few readers are likely to remain loyal long enough to find out. In the first volume, Saki and Nakamura comment wryly in the afterword that, together, they do the work of one person. After two volumes, many discriminating manga fans will surely find themselves wondering why “naked ape” didn't just do the work of no people.

[Ranma4699]

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Fairy Cube
GN 1

Do you believe in fairies? Well, Ian Hasumi certainly does—because he can see them with his own eyes. His entire life, a sinister doppelganger named Tokage visible only to himself has been shadowing him. But a gift of a “fairy cube” from mysterious one-eyed shopkeeper named Kaito and is fay sidekick Ainsel soon leads to disaster for Ian, for it grants Tokage the power to take over Ian's body! Now Ian is the shadow, helpless as Tokage lives his life and steals his childhood sweetheart Rin, and if he's ever to get his body and his girl back, he's going to have to play by their fairies' sinister rules…and become a changeling himself.

Publisher: VIZ
Rated: T+ for Older Teen
Creator: Kaori Yuki
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, psychological, supernatural

Review:
Veteran shoujo mangaka and confessed Anglophile Kaori Yuki is at it again with a delightful genre-bending mixture of school romance and gothic horror/fantasy. Yuki is best known for her two twisted epics Angel Sanctuary and the Earl Cain series, but she is arguably at her best when cir***scribed by a modest page count. Although the single volume Boys Next Door remains, in my opinion, her strongest work to date, Fairy Cube, projected and complete at three volumes, is by no means a shabby competitor.

Devoted Yuki fans, of which there are many, will notice many parallels between Fairy Cube and her other works; many of the character types and plot developments are analogous across multiple titles. Yet she also adds a welcome infusion of the novel by drawing upon a rich body of Celtic tradition and fairy lore. She has a distinct talent for bringing to bear the weight of myth upon her plots, and they both deepen and strengthen the original narrative already brought to the table. For example, Changelings are humans whose bodies have been taken over by fairies—predictable enough so far. But Yuki also adds her own sinister twist: the possessed human occasionally proves to be a poor match for the fairy, and the fairy is forced to vacate the body in a deadly, wings-shaped spray of blood that in the manga have become labeled the Fairy Murders by law enforcement assuming a non-supernatural explanation. Quite original, easy for the reader to comprehend, and, most importantly of all, it works for the series.

In fact, Fairy Cube's story works, period. The story's controlled pacing its one of its best assets, and the sheer variety of action and locale is deliciously diverse but never too confusing. Ian's story covers an incredible amount of territory in the first two-hundred pages; he lives, he dies, he explores another world, and then he comes back again as someone else. Yet it's all effortlessly fluid and never moves too quickly or too slowly. Nothing—not dialogue, not fight scenes, not background information—takes up too much space. The best storytelling is that which does not draw attention to its own artifice; in this, Yuki is an underappreciated master who is capable of preventing the story from getting away from her, and you can readily believe that this series is going to reach a satisfying conclusion by volume three. Purely from a narrative point of view, this is a most difficult book to put down.

Unfortunately, the artwork is, on a visceral level, much less satisfying. Up until this point in the review, I have been referring to Kaori Yuki as the auteur of the manga that bears her name on the cover, but it might be more accurate to take a page of Foucault and talk about “Kaori Yuki” as an author function. For although the story avoids the signature cynicism of a cultural product developed by committee, the illustration does not. Like many successful mangaka, Yuki has an army of assistants at her beck and call, and the resultant stylistic inconsistencies show on every page. It looks like the product of a half-dozen artists, not one, and it is unclear how much of this work is actually Yuki's own. Naturally, none of the assistants are credited, so Yuki, deservingly or no, takes the lion's share of the credit for all of the peons laboring anonymously under her name. Of course, this practice is now a ubiquitous fact of life across the Japanese manga publishing field, and I am perhaps somewhat unusual for being bothered by it. There is no question that, despite this, Fairy Cube's art is quite lovely. Many are captivated by Yuki's stylings and layouts—and rightly so. Her color work in particular is exemplary, and the cover of volume one, which depicts Ainsel in iridescent shades of blue and green, is hands down the most beautiful of any yet to be published under Viz Media's Shojo Beat imprint.

Anyway, I highly recommend Fairy Cube to any and all manga fans. Yuki has been honing her craft for over two decades now, and this pretty little gem of a manga is both a worthy addition to her not inconsiderable oeuvre and an excellent introduction to any looking for a modest yet satisfying way into it.

[Ranma4699]

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Minima!
Graphic Novel 1

Ame Oikawa is a gloomy, retiring schoolgirl with an age-inappropriate fixation upon toys and character goods. With the exception of her childhood friend Midori, the rest of her class treats her with either contempt or pity. But this all changes in the blink of an eye during a class trip to an amusement park after an impulse buy at a souvenir kiosk lands Ame a stuffed toy that comes to life and talks! Toys, it seems, are actually alive—but ordinarily they only start walking and talking when humans aren't around. Nicori, on the other hand, has decided not to live a life of ignominy anymore, and the attention that he draws to himself and to his owner Ame is bound to change both their lives forever.

Publisher: Del Rey
Rated: T Ages 13+
Creator: Machiko Sakurai
Genres: Comedy

Review:
Wait a minute…Nicori, that minimally designed, flesh-toned creature which looks like nothing so much as a wide-eyed rat, is supposed to be a meerkat? A meerkat?! As in the South African species of diurnal mongoose??? Mangaka Machiko Sakurai must have been watching Meerkat Manor; it's the only plausible explanation. (The applicable dates work as well, in case you were wondering.)

She also admits to having been watching Pixar's Toy Story, and this much beloved animated film is, without question, the single most important thematic influence upon the Minima! manga. But never mind the fascinating socio-economic implications vis-à-vis global flows and counter-flows of popular culture—wherein a Japanese manga borrows from an American film, and then that manga is repackaged by a German media conglomerate for American consumption—this influence serves the manga magnificently…by providing it a rich foundation on which to construct a secret social life of toys.

For, as any veteran consumer of the medium knows, the plots of most mainstream shoujo manga are driven by the social lives of their characters, such their friendships, their romances, their interpersonal conflicts, their reconciliations, etc. Generally speaking, the scope remains limited to a single social milieu, such as that of the Japanese high school, and inasmuch as boys and girls represent different schoolyard cultures, it all starts to feel very inward-looking and myopic very quickly. Minima!, on the other hand, is a kind of cross-cultural tale dressed up as a fantasy and is, as such, a somewhat rarer bird. It would not be too much of stretch to say that Ame and Nicori are two very different kinds of people from two very different cultures who will eventually realize that, together, they are stronger than the sum of their parts. A Japanese reader may prefer to read this as “strength in solidarity,” whereas an American reader may prefer to read this as “strength in diversity.” Either way, the story is bound to achieve widespread appeal.

The manga also proves surprising in the depth of its emotional affect. Out of proportion, in fact, with what is, on the face of things, a plot of, at best, only moderate originality. Ame is, unlike most shoujo heroines, neither ditzy nor spunky; if anything, she's a clinically depressed wallflower who takes refuge in collecting toys and whose classmates talk about how pathetic she is behind her back. Nicori, likewise, is an unpopular toy recently discontinued who decides to seize the reins of fate in his own two little hands, but he soon realizes that the media attention which soon comes calling just isn't the same as an owner's affection. Besides, you gotta love a palm-sized stuffed animal that marches fearlessly off to rescue its owner from kidnappers, right? Sakurai's depiction of her two characters is nuanced but not over-dramatic; I readily admit to feeling a number of sympathetic pangs while reading the first volume. I also find that, as with Toy Story, the notion that toys come to life when humans aren't looking is a provocative one that fires the imagination. No wonder Sakurai chose it! How many people started looking at their children's toys in a whole new way after Woody, Buzz…and now Nicori? (Raise your hand, now; don't be ashamed.)

Oh, and for goodness' sake, don't let the dinner-plate eyes of the characters on the cover of the manga deter you. The obvious lack of effort and lackluster artistry characterizing Sakurai's color art is quite disappointing, especially given the quality of her draftsmanship on interior pages. Unlike others of her ilk, she manages line work that is attractive and delicate as well as layouts that are interesting and dynamic. Those sequences involving Nicori are especially so, and I love how seamlessly and naturally panels shift from human-sized perspectives to toy-sized ones and back again. They are a perfect complement to an entertaining little ditty of a story and just go to show that, once again, you should never ever judge a book by its cover. Minima!, much like its meerkat toy hero, comes to exuberant life when you're least expecting it.

[Ranma4699]

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Fujoshi Rumi
Graphic Novels 1-2

Love ain't easy when the object of your affections is a fujoshi. Takahiro Abe is a (painfully) ordinary high school boy who agrees to model for the adorable Rumi Asai…who, as it turns out, is a die-hard fujoshi who wants his body for her, ahem, yaoi doujinshi. Soon enough, he is smitten and determined to learn his beloved's ways. Later on, the duo is joined by Takahiro's boyhood friend, the playboy Shunsuke Chiba, and the glamorous Yasuko Matsuura, a second fujoshi forever. Shunsuke, if he is capable of feeling anything, also has his heart set on Rumi, while Yasuko has long harbored a crush on Shunsuke. Together, the quartet navigates the rocky waters between the Lands of Ordinary and Otaku. Can even their love build bridges?

Publisher: Media Blasters
Rated: 16UP
Creator: Natsumi Konjoh
Genre: Comedy

Review:
During Japan's decade-long economic slump, the otaku and his consumer obsessions were the only things keeping the wheels of commerce turning…or so say the otaku themselves, at least. Regardless of the truth behind the matter, this received wisdom has become a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts as Japan's otaku tribe has been transformed into just another market demographic for whom various companies and institutions hotly compete. The world of otakudom has gone mainstream, and the otaku are nobody's secret source of income—not anymore.

So it was perhaps inevitable that commercial interest would, at the end of the 20th century, shift toward the otaku's feminine fandom counterpart, the fujoshi (literally “rotten girl”), who was believed—along stereotyped gendered lines, of course—to be less smelly and more sociable than the otaku but nevertheless eager to consume in bulk the myriad products related to her odd obsessions. And sure enough, catering to female tastes in bishounen and BL (boy's love) made people lots of money, and the fujoshi quickly became a cultural force in her own right. After that, it was only a matter of time before the increased visibility would start inspiring manga storylines.

Mousou Shoujo Otaku Kei, retitled Fujoshi Rumi for release in the United States by Media Blasters with the permission of mangaka Natsumi Konjoh, is among the most prominent of this first wave of fujoshi-centric efforts. What it is not, unfortunately, is a terribly realistic or convincing one. The characters are, paradoxically, the manga's weakest point. While Rumi, Yasuko, and Shunsuke's sister in volume two are believable as fujoshi, clearly based upon Konjoh's own experiences, they have no real identity apart from their fandom. The guys are even less well-described; Takahiro is the male equivalent of the naïve shoujo heroine, and Shunsuke is just habitually insincere.

Some of the problem may stem from the publisher. Fujoshi Rumi runs in Futabasha's Comic High, which specializes in “shoujo manga for men.” But how, exactly, does one go about writing shoujo manga for men? There isn't much precedent for it, and the series seems uncomfortable in its own skin. For example, in the first volume, the first chapter is narrated from Rumi's point of view, but then the rest is told from Takahiro's. In the second volume, narrative perspective ricochets from one character to the next and back again from chapter to chapter. Who is supposed to be the object of the proverbial gaze here, and who the subject?

Even after two volumes, the answer to these questions are not resolved, and thus what should be full-throttle and exaggerated instead feels tentative and lukewarm. Konjoh's art is distinctively shoujo and feminine with its ectomorphic characters and stiffly-plotted sequences, and the occasional BL/yaoi illustration looks cut and pasted from the latest issue of BexBoy. But her male-centric fanservice is barely serviceable, and the obligatory bouncing ***** and lesbian jokes are treated like a gross chore. Plotting is likewise uneven. The first volume is comprised mostly of introductory chapters of below average effort, though there is a subplot at the end involving Takahiro's first visit to Rumi's house. The second volume does show some improvement—albeit not enough—and the quartet's expedition to a thinly-disguised summer Comic Market is the highlight of the series thus far.

But although a Comiket visit is key to the anthropological study of the otaku in its native habitat, those not familiar with otaku culture should use caution when approaching Fujoshi Rumi. It is most effective as parody, and there are countless insider references to mid 90s – early 00s anime/manga series such as Gundam, Evangelion, and Death Note...not to mention the amusing amalgamation of Fullmetal Alchemist, Prince of Tennis, and Loveless called “Fullmetal Prince.” Media Blasters provides six pages of endnotes, which are quite educational, explaining all of these arcane references at the end of each volume. However, humor that has to be explained isn't funny, and you are unlikely to fully appreciate these books unless you're already a card-carrying otaku able to recognize most of the references without assistance (and squeal along).

Ironically, more effort appears to have been put into the execution of the footnotes than that of the translation itself. There are a number of typos in the first volume, and several text boxes and balloons are missing words in the second. These editorial bloopers didn't bother me overmuch and did not particularly interfere with overall reading comprehension, but they were definitely noticeable. Even so, Fujoshi Rumi is without a doubt one of Media Blasters' best manga releases to date and far and away the best in quite a long time.

[Ranma4699]

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Mushishi
Graphic Novel 4

Ginko is a mushishi, an expert on the powerful and primordial forms of life, more primitive even than bacteria, known as mushi. Mushi come in countless, myriad forms, and Ginko, whose powers mean that he cannot stay in one place for long, is ever on the move across the width and breadth of Japan, studying the mushi wherever he goes. In this volume, he explores mushi-laden mysteries surrounding a mountain imbued with life energy, a bamboo forest with some unusual inhabitants, a valley of zombies and magical bridges, a secret spring that places hapless human beings into an enchanted sleep, and a girl who gets lost within the otherworldly domain of the mushi.

Publisher: DEL REY
Rating: OT Ages 16+
Creator: Yuki Urushibara
Genres: drama, fantasy, horror, mystery, supernatural

Review:
Mushishi is not Yuki Urushibara's first manga. In years prior, she had produced a few select volumes for a now defunct small publisher under a different pen name, but these were, at best, modest efforts recognized or remembered by very few. In fact, it is quite likely that, had Mushishi not been accepted for publication by Kodansha's Afternoon, she would have quit manga creation entirely! Thank goodness she did not; what a terrible waste it would have been. Urushibara is easily one of the best, most subtle storytellers of her generation, and her achievement has been rightfully sanctified in the field with the receipt of both a Japan Media Arts Festival award in 2003 and a Kodansha Manga Award in 2006.

Few manga series these days, even those that win the aforementioned awards, are genuinely literary, and Mushishi is one of those few. A dash of well-considered pseudo-science and deep wells of animistic Japanese tradition are woven together into a seamless tapestry that is at once wholly original yet mythic and timeless. Like many great science fiction authors before her, Urushibara seems to intuit the ebb and flow of scientific discovery. Why, just the other day, I was reading an article in the newspaper about the social life of plants! Who would have suspected that they have a social life? Even the ordinary is much more complex that we're wont to assume. And what about viruses? Are they alive? Or those self-replicating proteins called prions—are they? Perhaps the mushi aren't so far-fetched a notion after all. Anyway, mix that up with a human penchant for superstition (or spirituality, if you prefer), and next thing you know what we don't fully understand becomes Mushishi's pure magic.

Indeed, at her very best, you really believe that Urushibara is somehow tapping into legends thousands of years old…and she is, though I doubt she necessarily realizes it. For example, volume four's “In the Cage” tells the story of an ordinary man who marries a supernatural woman who bears him a supernatural child and ultimately loses both to forces beyond his control. Such tales, broadly similar in outline, can be found in cultures on every continent and reveal preoccupations that haunt and unite all of humanity. Some are dark, while others resolve happily. All are unforgettable.

Yet, at the same time, Mushishi feels earthy and culturally specific, its sense of place and closeness to nature strong throughout. The various characters appearing in each chapter—with the exception of Ginko, who remains a cipher with his white hair and green eyes—are humble and flawed, motivated by their simple needs. Everyone—again with the exception of Ginko, the only character in Western dress—wears kimono. The setting is that of a traditional, rural Japan, abounding in forests, dirt paths, rice fields, and timber-frame houses. It might have been the Japan of yesterday or of a hundred years ago; there is no modern technology or particular historical backdrop to give the reader any indication, so the manga should age gracefully. Alas, none of this is drawn especially skillfully, since Urushibara's only weakness is the stiffness of her design and expression, but the sequential art as such is entirely functional in its service to such an excellent series.

The only real disappointment to be found anywhere pertains specifically to the Del Rey edition. Those familiar with the Japanese books, exceptionally beautiful objects of bound printed matter even by Japanese standards, are liable to look upon their American counterparts like poor cousins. Besides the exquisite watercolor covers, color art has not been reproduced, and some of the text bubbles are unreadable because they recede too deeply into the binding. In addition, each volume has been priced two dollars higher than most other Del Rey titles, perhaps in anticipation of weak sales and thin (or no) profit margins. But I doubt money was foremost in their minds. One Del Rey editor is on record saying that Mushishi “was something we had to do for the readers of tomorrow.” Read it and see for yourself why it's worth being handed down to the next generation.

[Ranma4699]

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CY-Believers
Graphic Novel 1

The Domus Aurea School is an elite boarding school with a deep love of freedom, though of late its assorted clubs have come under the tyrannical oppression of the Public Safety Commission headed by Natori Nijo, who is intent on abusing his power to eliminate “weak” and “useless” clubs. He is also, regrettably, the fiancé of newcomer Rui Kobayakawa via a family-arranged marriage, and despite coming to Domus Aurea to seek freedom from her family Rui finds herself threatened by her fiancé's extremely aggressive methods and Neanderthal attitude about Rui's place in his future. Required by school rule to join a club, Rui soon falls in with the Believers, a downsized subgroup of the renowned Public Relations Club that consists of three side job-oriented senior girls and two handsome computer geeks. When the Believers' very existence is also threatened as “worthless,” Rui pushes them to form their own new club: the Cy-Believers.

Publisher: Go! Comi
Rated: OT for Older Teen 16+
Creator: Shioko Mizuki
Genres: comedy
Themes: school

Review:
The second of manga-ka Shioko Mizuki's shojo manga titles to see release in the U.S., CY-Believers somehow manages to be far more entertaining than it feels like it should be. It offers nothing special conceptually, fails to impress artistically, and throws out lots of traditional shojo romantic comedy hooks, including spunky heroines, beautiful guys sweeping the heroine off her feet (literally, at one point), school-based buffoonery, and even a bit of a shonen ai vibe. It does, however, prove that putting the right combination of quirky characters together in quirky situations, and giving them snappy dialogue to toss out, goes quite far in making up for any other inadequacies. Despite blatant shojo conventions and situations, even male readers may find this one juicy enough to warrant a taste.

And the characters are what will win readers over and keep them coming back. Natori is one of those deliciously evil characters you love to hate, with an attitude that might be compared to an abusive boyfriend if the content took itself even slightly more seriously. (“You don't need human rights,” he says to Rui at one point. “Just obey me.” But then he says he'll die to protect her if she does that.) Dark-hair Azumi, meanwhile, has this thing about 107 spirits hanging around him, while lighter-haired pretty boy Rio has a tendency to flip out if he doesn't take his pills. The three senior girls in the Believers, all deliberately designed to be barely distinguishable from one another, are basically a cute comical chorus existing to counterpoint Rui's spunk. A loony class president rounds out the core cast.

The writing gives them some great things to say, too. “Natori Nijo might possibly be a little bit dead in there,” Rui says at one point after fending off Natori's amorous advances. Just as snappy are the things the characters do. Yeah, none of this progression is all that credible, but it isn't supposed to be. Few manga get more effective value out of milking exaggerated scenes for humor than this one does. Naming the school after the legendary opulent villa the Roman Emperor Nero built in the wake of the Great Fire of Rome in 64 A.D. is also an interesting move.

Although not bad, the artistry does not represent one of Mizuki's strengths. Most characterized by light lines, bizarrely long bowties on both guys and girls, and a girl's school uniform specifically designed for a robot-like effect, her artistic style does not stray far from shojo artistic norms. Most characters (especially male ones) have traditional lanky, long-limbed builds, most of the guys have the typical bishonen look, and numerous scenes pose characters in classic shojo romantic style. The way Mizuki handles Natori, especially with his wicked expressions, does distinguish her work some, and deliberately giving the Believers' senior girls a consistent generic appearance is an amusingly satirical touch, but the high striped socks that contribute to the girl's uniform seem a bit out of place and backgrounds get little attention.

Go! Comi's release of the title opens with a page explaining honorifics and closes with a Post Script page by Mizuki and a page of invaluable Translator Notes, especially those explaining peculiar Japanese expressions. A preview page for volume 2 referenced in the Post Script is not included, but occasional sidebars are, as is nicely colored cover art. Original Japanese sound effects are only retained in places where the panel offers sufficient room for both them and an English translation; in other places only the translation exists.

CY-Believers may not overwhelm you with its greatness, but it does deliver solid entertainment value that mostly justifies its higher-than normal (at $10.99) price.

[Ranma4699]

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Monster
Graphic Novel 14-15

The race continues to stop Johan, the "monster" whose traumatic childhood has turned him into a manipulative, remorseless serial killer. Dr. Kenzo Tenma, who years ago saved Johan's life, is still determined to end it—although being an escaped fugitive is putting a bit of a damper on Tenma's plans. Meanwhile, Tenma's ex-fiancee Eva has some key knowledge that could lead others to Johan, but her erratic behavior might end up putting her life (or someone else's) in grave danger. And finally, Johan's twin sister Nina is on the verge of uncovering all their unpleasant childhood memories, as she pays a visit to the ominous "Red Rose Mansion" where they grew up. However, Nina might not be mentally prepared to handle all those memories just yet—and it seems that Johan has his own plans for the mansion as well.

Publisher: VIZ
Author: Naoki Urasawa
Genres: drama, horror, mystery, psychological
Themes: Police
Age rating: Mature (May contain sex, ****s, and extreme graphic violence)

Review:
As Monster draws ever closer to a dramatic finish, one pressing question remains: does Naoki Urasawa have the talent to keep track of all the crisscrossing plot lines? What may have once been a tense cat-and-mouse game has evolved into something much greater, involving one mouse, seven different cats, two dogs, a fox, and a chicken—or at least it looks that way. Volumes 14 and 15 pass through several of these storylines, and it can seem at times that new story threads and new characters pop up whenever ideas start running out for the existing ones. Yet each chapter delves deep into its characters and draws out powerful emotions, so wherever the story is headed next, thrills and suspense are guaranteed.

Of course, those thrills don't necessarily mean action and gunplay: some of Monster's finest moments are the ones that occur in the characters' minds, and Vol. 14 proves it by digging into Nina's childhood. With fragmented images, flashbacks, and storybook excerpts, these chapters capture perfectly the fleeting nature of human memory—and it can take just one horrific recollection to leave Nina, as well as the reader, in shock. Yet there is also a glimmer of hope; the puppeteer that Nina meets is a comforting presence, and proof that even the most minor character has a purpose. (On the other hand, some may find it annoying that Urasawa has thrown in yet another character with ties to the central mystery. Enough already!) But that is perhaps one of the most overlooked qualities of Monster: that amidst all the mystery and horror, there are moments of love and hope and all the good things about humanity.

The last couple of chapters in Vol. 14 and the first half of Vol. 15 take a more conventional tack, shifting away from the realm of memories and toward a conspiracy-action arc involving Eva Heinemann. For someone most often seen as an emotionally unstable drunk, it is perhaps Eva's finest hour, culminating in a bittersweet sequence where she reunites with Tenma. (Remember that stuff about love and hope?) Even Eva's temporary bodyguard—yet another briefly-introduced minor character—wins audience empathy with his "heroic slacker" role. The back half of Vol. 15 isn't quite as focused, though, and these chapters seem to wander back and forth, trying to keep up with all the various plotlines—Nina continues to dig up memories, other people reveal fragmented clues about the Red Rose Mansion, and Tenma continues to run as he plots his next move. Oh well, leaving you hanging is one of the key points of the suspense genre, right?

If it were enough just to arrange story events in a particular order, then Urasawa would be a decent novelist—but it is his mastery of art and comic paneling that make him one of the all-time greats. The use of flashbacks and fragments to show Nina's memory is just one of many techniques; the wide range of events in these two volumes offer a full showcase of his skills. Whether it's everyday life (the puppeteer on the streets of Prague), or building up suspense (Nina tracking down the Red Rose Mansion), or intense action (gunplay and chase scenes), or even just dialogue, the story is told with perfect spacing and timing of panels. In fact, a silent image or series of images can say all that needs to be said. And while Urasawa's style can seem rectangular and plain at first glance, there is a wealth of creativity within the rectangles: the variety of character designs, the strong ****** expressions, the details in the backgrounds, and the viewing angles that make each scene unique. To maintain all these skills without getting too flashy or confusing is perhaps the greatest artistic talent.

For a series with such a complex storyline, one might expect an ocean of text to wade through, but these chapters continue to maintain a careful balance between wordiness and brevity. True, there are some scenes that are loaded with talk—one chapter is nothing but a sequence of interviews—but on the other end, there are moments where an entire page goes by with only a couple of words being said. Best of all, the writing and translation are wonderfully direct: no fancy phrasing, no overwrought paragraphs (and this is why Death Note will always be inferior), just the words that need to be said so that the characters and the reader know where the story is headed next. Even sound effects are used carefully; it's possible to go several pages before ever seeing onomatopoeic Japanese characters on the page. Thankfully, Viz's Signature line does not edit out the sound effects—readers looking for translations can look up the glossary in the back.

Once again, words, images and story come together to make Monster a one-of-a-kind thriller. A couple of strong story arcs occupy these two volumes—the search for Nina's childhood memories, and Eva's secret mission—but built around that are a few stringy loose threads, like the puppeteer in Prague, the fate of Dr. Tenma as he continues to run from the law, the lawyers and officers still looking into the mystery of Johan, and oh yeah, what has Johan been up to lately? So maybe the master storyteller and artist isn't always masterful, but wherever Naoki Urasawa takes us next, it'll be a terrific ride.

[Ranma4699]

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Walkin' Butterfly
Graphic Novel 1

Michiko is a brash tomboy who loves motorcycles and hates being super tall. While delivering pizzas backstage at a fashion show one day, she is mistaken for one of the runway models and tossed onto the catwalk. Just as the show's designer Ko Mihara warned, however, she cannot hack it and flees in humiliation. Now the proud Michiko is determined to prove Mihara wrong and become a runway model so glamorous that even he will have to acknowledge her. But first, she will need to convince the director of a modeling agency to take her on if she is to take even the first step…and, more importantly still, she will need to learn how to know herself.

Publisher: Aurora Publishing
Rating: 16+
Creator: Chihiro Tamaki

Review:
If Aurora Publishing were to give Walkin' Butterfly a subtitle, it would be the following: “Where Professional Modeling Becomes a Competitive Sport.” Although technically a josei manga, the series begins as a textbook example of what the painfully hilarious—and painfully honest—classic parody Even A Monkey Can Draw Manga calls the shounen “tournament” formula, which calls for a protagonist who is then subjected to an indefinite number of struggles of increasingly difficulty. As the name suggests, the most common, stereotypical iteration of this formula involves sports storylines such as basketball (Slam Dunk) or baseball (Kyojin no Hoshi), but an identical narrative structure can be creatively shoehorned into tales about board games (Hikaru no Go!), exorcisms (Bleach), ninjutsu (Naruto), and ballet dancing (Swan), just to name a few. Well, now mangaka Chihiro Tamaki has proven that modeling may be added to this already lengthy list.

For all intents and purposes, Michiko is a shounen manga hero in drag. Like Naruto, Hikaru, and Hanamichi, she is untried, sincere, and perhaps a bit stupid. She adores motorcycles and mechanics and hates girly fashion. She loses her temper easily. She even soliloquizes with over the top, classic shounen declarations along the arduous path to victory: “Now I'm one step closer to that guy!! I'm closing the distance between us!!” All in all, Michiko's personality and skill set makes her seem singularly ill-fitted to her eventual professional calling, but certain inborn advantages (in Michiko's case, her height) suggest that she will soon be able to draw upon deep wells of heretofore untapped talent.

And the plot sure is shaping up into a fun-filled ride that is going to present her with plenty of opportunities to do so. At the beginning of the story, Michiko has, for all intents and purposes, hit a dead end in her life. Her current job is a joke, and she is unable to work up the courage to confess her love to the guy she likes. In short, she needs something—or someone—to light the proverbial fire under her behind. That someone is Mihara, an insufferably supercilious human being who right from the get-go has nothing but contempt for Michiko. He is to her what Sasuke is to Naruto, Rukawa to Hanamichi, Akira to Hikaru, etc.—a worthy rival. (He is also likely to become a love interest since this is a josei manga. This tension between hero and rival can easily be reinterpreted as romance, which explains the prevalence of yaoi fanfiction dedicated to pairing together these two archetypes.) Anyway, the force of his contempt will undoubtedly drive Michiko to greater and ever greater achievement in professional modeling until, at long last, he will acknowledge her as his equal, thereby ending the story.

Obviously, nothing here about the plot or the characters is particularly believable or novel. Instead, it is comfortably formulaic; the pleasure of Walkin' Butterfly lies not so much in the discovery of what happens next but rather in how what happens next happens. Modeling is not the most self-evident of tournament manga subjects, yet Tamaki gives it plenty of quirky texture. And she has clearly done her research. She also has a taste for lowbrow humor, which is nearly a prerequisite for levity in a tournament series. (Many jokes come at Michiko's expense.)

Finally, it all blends seamlessly with a standard josei manga art style, akin to that of Moyoco Anno or Yayoi Ogawa, which tries to embody the genre's intended sassy, edgy spirit on the page. In this, as in everything else, the art is functional and skillfully executed but not especially exceptional. Outlines are sketchy; backgrounds and screentones are minimal. This brand of art serves the story, not the other way around. One notable oddity is an apparent lack of interest in detailed illustration of fashion. Michiko's motorcycle actually gets more attention! Those hoping to learn about haute couture along with Michiko are likely to be disappointed in the long run.

This oversight does not detract unduly from the series, surprisingly. Its subject is modeling, which is an act, not a piece of clothing. Besides, it is not every day that one stumbles across a josei manga that will undoubtedly have both guys and gals alike cheering from the rafters for the protagonist. Run—don't walk—for your copy of Walkin' Butterfly.

[Ranma4699]

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Claymore
Graphic Novel 12

Thanks to a catastrophic experiment performed ages ago by the Organization, #5-ranked Claymore Rafaela has long carried both a scar and dark secret, and both pertain to the Creature of the Abyss Luciela. As Isley seeks to defeat Luciela, Rafaela seeks her own confrontation with her onetime sister. In the wake of those events seven years pass, and a new generation of Claymores has arisen to replace the many lost (or presumed lost) at Pieta. Some of them, including the new and incomplete #47-ranked Clarice, journey north on an Awakened Being-hunting mission, only to catch a hint of another big secret. Clarice later finds herself reassigned to assist the current #4-ranked Claymore Miata, a young woman with a rather unusual problem. Meanwhile figures from the past are on the move, and past meets present in deadly battle.

Publisher: VIZ
Creator: Norihiro Yagi
Genres: action, adventure, drama, fantasy, horror, supernatural
Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)

Review:
Show of hands: how many people who have been following either the animated or manga version of Claymore since the beginning actually seriously thought that manga-ka Norihiro Yagi was going to leave most of his principle cast, including his main heroine, dead and just move on in the wake of the events of volume 11?

The improbability of such a move is so great that it should not count as a spoiler that he does not, in fact, do that. Although the time shift forward seven years does allow him to introduce a whole slate of new Claymores – most notably the seeming new centerpiece Clarice – he brings back many of the key players from the Pietà arc before this volume is even half-done. If any surprise exists here, it lies in exactly how the seven unaccounted-for Claymores managed to survive a seeming certain death, a flashback which also provides much of the volume's best dramatic content. They have even picked up a few new tricks along the way, which should gratify shonen fans. Based on the actions of Clare, Miria, and company in these chapters, they will still be playing an integral role in the main storyline for some time to come.

But while the Pietà survivors get a significant portion of the attention in these six chapters, they are hardly the only foci of attention. Chapter 64, the volume opener, definitively explains and resolves Rafaela's situation, which also partly deals with the results of the titanic battle between Creatures of the Abyss that ended the previous volume. In doing so it provides a nice little cameo of another prominent character from the past. The volume spends nearly as much time establishing Clarice, a Claymore whose weakness and retaining of her original hair color mark her as a warrior who has apparently not undergone the full hybrid transformation. Although she practically radiates an “I'm a wide-eyed-newbie” aura, her personality has yet to fully settle in by the end of the volume. She does form a rather unique, um, “relationship” with new #4 Claymore Miata, while Audrey and Ray, the new #3 and #5 Claymores, also make appearances. (The volume has nothing to say about what happened to the previous #3 Galatea, however.)

In general, though, the series still returns to its shonen roots: sexy women wielding big swords and using flashy displays of skill and power. This volume may have less actual action in it than the previous few, but still provides several opportunities for the ladies to strut their stuff. Crediting any of the material here with depth may be pushing it, but the writing does offer plenty of character development and a good amount of drama and scheming.

Whether drawing his ladies, the Awakened Beings, Elders, or background art, Yagi's artistic chops are as strong as ever. Few do as good a job (much less a better one) at portraying bleak landscapes, ruins, or rocky ground, and rarely does his artistry lack for background detail. He continues to work wonders at finding slight variations on character design to differentiate a vast cast of female characters who nearly all have the same hair color, although a couple of his newest designs are starting to blend into his older ones. Miria altering her hairstyle a bit in Clarice's timeline appearances does not help matters, either. The decidedly different apparel of the Pietà survivors does give him a chance to finally toy with some costuming variation, and he still stages his combat scenes nearly as well as anyone. If his artistry has a flaw, it's that, in some panels, it is not always clear who the speaker is for the dialog in the word balloons. The color cover art, with its light blue tones starkly contrasting the bleakness of the scene, provides a great advertisement for the volume, and the silver eyes of Clarice on the back create an interestingly disconcerting effect when viewed from different angles. The graphic content is not quite as high as in the last couple of volumes but still present.

As with previous volumes, this Viz Media release under their Shonen Jump Advanced label opens with a brief bio on Yagi and a brief story summary set against negatives of scenes from this volume. It has no ending Extras beyond a “next volume” preview page. Sound effects are invariably translated. The title's continuing $7.99 MSRP maintains it as one of the most economical manga purchases on the market, a pleasant surprise given that several prominent titles are now creeping into the $10.99 range for equal or smaller page counts.

Interesting story developments combine with new characters and all of the elements that have made earlier volumes a hit – action, clearly-defined characters, impressive artistry – to produce a volume which should easily maintain fan enthusiasm for the series. If you have only seen the anime version, though, you should go back and start with vol. 11, as most events portrayed here directly result from the different direction the manga version started to take there.

[Ranma4699]

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Fall in Love Like a Comic!
Graphic Novel 1-2

Rena Sakura is no ordinary high school girl; she also draws risqué shoujo manga for the “Chugakukan” magazine “Chami.” When her handsome classmate Tomoya Okita discovers her secret one day, she decides to seize the day and ask him to be her boyfriend. As research for her manga, of course. But their relationship quickly becomes more than just business as Rena starts to fall in love with Tomoya and she learns that having a boyfriend is one thing but keeping him entirely another! What will she do when a gorgeous actress, an irrepressible little girl, and a wise older woman all show up, appearing to vie for Tomoya's attentions?

Publisher: VIZ
Creator:Chitose Yagami
Age Rating: 15+
Genres: romance

Review:
The two volume series by Chitose Yagami Fall in Love Like a Comic! is plagued by many problems. The first and most important, from an American context, is that important parts of the story get lost in translation. One might not think so on the face of it. The plot as such is painfully simple: professional comic book artist falls in love with a research subject and, after a handful of stints fending off (imagined) rivals, eventually marries him. Granted, it is silly, shallow, and poorly developed. But romance is after all a universal human impulse. The plot per se, however, is not the problem. The root of the problem lies in the way in which the manga loses its original cultural context in the trip across cultures. This missing context is key to any real understanding of it.

In Japan, the manga originally ran in Ciao (the Italian greeting pronounced “chao”), a shoujo manga magazine published by Shougakukan targeted primarily at elementary school girls. (The “Chugakukan” and “Chami” of the story are clear puns on Yagami's own publisher and magazine.) It competes with Shuueisha's Ribon and Kodansha's Nakayoshi. However, because Rena talks about writing “risqué” manga, wants sex with Tomoya, and even gets caught in the nude in the shower, Viz Media has rated both volumes “For Older Teens”—the same rating that it gives many other shoujo manga on its list originally intended for a significantly older readership.

Once one understands that Fall in Love Like a Comic! was actually meant to be read by nine year olds, things start to make sense. The insipid plot? All that a small child's mind is going to be able to handle. The fact that Rena and Tomoya get married while still in high school? Sheer fantasy! A child that young cannot actually conceive of what real adulthood will be like. High school is the outer limits of her imaginative universe. Why does the fifteen year old Rena look like a nine year old? No, Yagami isn't a lolicon; she is drawing a protagonist with which her readers can empathize.

Unfortunately, even after one understands its original cultural context, it is still mighty tough to appreciate the manga on its own terms. The series' problems just do not end. As mentioned above, the plot is silly and shallow. Character development is equally lousy; none of the characters are fleshed out beyond the basic narrative assurance that Tomoya is the perfect guy and that Rena, despite her utter ordinariness, is unimpeachably loveable. The art is aggressively average and cynically cutesy. Even the character designs, which in Rena's case are a millimeter of skirt length short (pun intended) of bishoujo manga-style panty shots, are tiresome and derivative. Rena, especially when drawn in her school uniform, looks like she was cut and pasted from a Cardcaptor Sakura doujinshi—and given the way that Nakayoshi is Ciao's better circulated competitor, it is not surprising that material found in the latter is inferior overall and, stylistically at least, slavishly derivative.

Both volumes include one bonus story each. The first volume features Yagami's debut one-shot “Magical Project,” a wizard school fantasy about a girl who uses magic to transform her loyal pet dog into a human boy that seems to beg for dirty jokes about bestiality. And like Rena, this story's protagonist looks like Sakura of Cardcaptor Sakura. The second volume includes “Bewildered Princess,” a poorly-plotted, near incomprehensible story about two students who find love while given a puppet theater performance. Also in the second volume is a thirteen-page “how to draw manga” strip. The advice itself seems sound, especially the parts about layouts and visual pacing, but it can be quite difficult to take Yagami seriously given the extreme weakness of her own creative endeavors.

All in all, two volumes was two too many. If it had not been about manga creation and featured subplots involving fandom (perennially popular subjects), Viz Media would not have ever licensed it in the first place. “Fall in love like a comic”…? What a joke. It's just a shame that it could not have been “fall in love for real.” If it had, maybe there would have been more to enjoy about this sorry excuse for a shoujo series.

[Ranma4699]

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Cat Eyed Boy
Graphic Novel 2

Half demon and half human, Cat Eyed Boy lives on the fringes of society and brings bad luck wherever he goes. With the "Band of One Hundred Monsters" on the loose, Cat Eyed Boy races to stop them and finally uncovers their bizarre origins. His next adversary is a fleshy monster that only appears to a single cursed family—so how come he can see it as well? Another mystery also awaits him in a village where a religious statue transforms into a bloodthirsty demon. But sometimes the problems Cat Eyed Boy witnesses are the ones that humans bring upon themselves: a boy longing for his dead mother, a father making an ill-advised promise, a boy who sees visions of hell, and two childhood friends drifting apart. Whatever happens next, it won't be a happy ending.

Publisher: VIZ
Rated: T+ for Older Teen
Story and art: by Kazuo Umezu
Genres: horror, supernatural

Review:
Just in case the first 500 pages of the Cat Eyed Boy compilation didn't freak you out enough, here's another 500 pages that are worth a try. Once again, each story boasts shocking images designed to prey on our greatest fears—monsters no one else can see, horrific creatures thirsting for blood, terrible tragedies befalling our loved ones. But maybe Kazuo Umezu indulges himself a bit too much in these shocking images: "Hundred Monsters" is already a continuation of a sprawling plotline from Volume 1, and "The Meatball Monster" keeps going until it skews off into absurd B-movie schlock. To tell the truth, Umezu's real mastery lies in the short pieces at the end of this volume: all it takes is a simple premise and several pages to create a chilling portrait of the human soul.

But about those long stories. Even though "Band of One Hundred Monsters" finally concludes after the ill-timed cliffhanger in the previous volume, it still feels like so much filler—random acts of cruelty and people yelling at each other until Cat Eyed Boy finally solves a mystery that he should have figured out a hundred pages ago. Similarly, "The Meatball Monster" starts out with a strong, spooky premise but overstays its welcome until it finally descends into one those ridiculous "It Came From Wherever!" creature features. Of course, the similarity between Umezu's work and mid-20th-century pulp horror is clear, but there are some things that just don't age well. Even "The Thousand-Handed Demon," which brings up the classic concept of a creepy-looking object coming to life, shoots itself in the foot with a cop-out ending: It was all a dream ... or was it?!

So maybe managing medium-to-long storylines isn't Umezu's greatest strength. Fortunately, his short horror vignettes in the book's last 150 pages are so much more effective: each story relies on a single idea or mood, designed to disturb the reader just by suggestion. "The Stairs" and "The Hand" both focus on the relationship between a mother and child—the most powerful of all familial bonds—and as those relationships become twisted with elements of the supernatural, they become something unsettling yet thought-provoking. Other familiar human relationships also become warped beyond recognition—father and son in "The Promise," and childhood buddies in "The Friend." These stories are the ones that linger in the mind, because they focus not on imaginary, cartoony monsters, but the fears and visions of normal people.

Yet even in those shorter and simpler stories, Umezu can't help but throw in the occasional creature—and really, that's the visual trademark throughout the Cat Eyed Boy compilation. A deformed body part here, an unnecessary appendage there, a cross-breed with an animal, perhaps—and voila! Yet another creature from the macabre master's inventive mind. Intense black-and-white contrasts, as well as detailed textures (used to terrifying effect in "The Meatball Monster"), also add to the visual shock factor. But the artwork has its weaknesses as well; the human characters all kind of look the same, and even if you like the retro designs, the fact remains that they all seem limited to a specific set of poses: Shocked Face, Running Away, or Dead. The strict rectangular paneling also hinders the horror potential of the art at times; a lot of key action sequences end up as lots of little squares crammed together. At least the full-page spreads make their impact felt, and the occasional color pages in this volume are a pleasant bonus (the blood-red segment of "The Hand" is wonderfully apt).

As one can imagine from the subject matter, nuanced dialogue is not to be found in these stories. In fact, staying true to its B-horror pedigree, most of the writing is simple and expository, almost like having the characters narrating directly to the reader: "The monsters are chasing us!" "I've got to get away!" "They're trying to eat other people!" Not exactly difficult work for a translator. Sound effects, meanwhile, are handled by replacing them with good old retro-horror lettering in English. Because of the dialogue's simplicity and the fantastical themes of the stories, there aren't too many cultural points to be explained, so this volume simply adds the occasional footnote where necessary. However, an afterword by cultural critic Mizuho Hirayama is a nice touch, where readers can reflect further on the themes of Umezu's work. Cover flaps, sturdy binding, and a $25 price tag also suggest that this is aimed more at the serious collector rather than the casual reader.

As Cat Eyed Boy wanders off in search of his next doomed encounter, the most interesting thing to think about is that he isn't inherently bad: he just happens to attract bad things. That moral neutrality, especially within the last few stories in this volume, reminds us that true horror comes not when gruesome creatures try to attack us, but when people do terrible things to themselves. Modern-day artists may have expressed that with better visual technique, and with better command of storytelling, but it is Kazuo Umezu who plunges his hand in and pulls out the raw, beating heart of these terrifying emotions. Once you get past good and evil, there is only mystery and dread, and standing right there in the center of it all is a freaky little half-demon kid with bulbous cat eyes.

[Ranma4699]

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Honey and Clover
Graphic Novel 1-2

Yuta Takemoto has moved to Tokyo to attend art school. Along with fellow classmates Shinobu Morita and Takumi Mayama who in the same decrepit apartment building, he struggles with schoolwork, poor eating habits (too little protein in their diets), and unrequited love. Both he and Morita, a misanthropic money-hound who seems incapable of graduating, fall in love with the sprite-like niece of their professor, Hagumi “Hagu” Hanamoto. Meanwhile, Mayama has fallen for their professor's friend, the quietly tormented Rika Hamada, and another classmate named Ayumi “Ayu” Yamada has fallen hard for Mayama. The story follows Takemoto's maturation, Morita's failure to graduate, and the evolution of everyone's professional and personal lives.

Publisher: VIZ
Rated: T+ for Older Teen
Creator: Chica Umino
Genres: comedy, romance, slice of life

Review:
In some cases, winning prizes is a proud sign of merit. In other cases, it is an ignominious sign of how far a once mighty field of contenders has declined over the years. And despite many valiant attempts to recast Chica Umino's Honey and Clover, which won the 2003 Kodansha Manga Award and was nominated for several others, as heir to the shoujo manga greats of a generation ago, it is hard to see the accolades it has received as anything other than overwrought presumption…and the manga itself as anything other than overhyped pabulum.

Not that Umino appeared to be aspiring to all that much with this series in the first place. Much of her effort feels modest or just misplaced. This is a classic in the making only to those who were not expecting much of anything in the first place. Expect nothing and you'll never be disappointed, right? The artwork is standard in its josei manga look, quite similar to that of Moyoco Anno's Happy Mania or Chihiro Tamaki's Walkin' Butterfly, with plenty of sketchy line work and little screentoning. Many scenes are quite busy, and panel sequences are poorly paced and not especially cinematic.

The story itself is as jerky as the art. Most of the chapters are standalone episodes that somehow involve eating (excessively), drinking (even more excessively), or vacationing (what about school?). In the first volume, the characters gorge themselves on croquettes and sausages, get drunk on Christmas, and head to the beach. In the second volume, the characters gorge themselves on their parents' largesse, get drunk at a hot springs resort, and head to the zoo. A pattern seems to be emerging here… Most of the rest of the plot involves the characters' two love triangles; progress in that respect seems to happen at a snail's pace.

But really, the plot and the art are not reasons why anyone would want to read Honey and Clover. The primary draw is, without question, the characters and their (theoretically) hilarious antics. Indeed, except for Takemoto, the only normal boy of the bunch, they are seriously weird. Money-grubbing Morita, who seems unable to graduate or express affection in a normal way, in particular. But “Iron Man” Ayu is an odd bird too, and one wonders if she will ever be able to win over the sometimes pathetic Mayama. They and their lives are supposed to be funny, and much of the manga is played for laughs. Unfortunately, the oddball, misanthropic humor is an acquired taste, and not everyone will find it even remotely funny. If you laugh, the chances are as good as not that it is because these annoying personages are being tortured by an impromptu game of Twister or something similar. Honey and Clover has a wide sadistic streak.

The pint-sized Hagu, on the other hand, is outright creepy—among the most disturbing characters to appear in a shoujo manga in recent memory, in fact. She looks like a wan, pale child, and she hardly ever speaks in articulate sentences. The first two things she ever says are “Here” (serving tea in chapter one) and “Nooooo I hate you, go away” (fleeing Morita's attentions in chapter two). She is the least threatening love object imaginable, and naturally two of the men are romantically obsessed with her. Hagu is, in short, every gross stereotype of the ideal Japanese woman—silent, subservient, and small—come to life, the logical conclusion of Japan's incomplete modernization that the moé and lolicon genres make repulsively manifest. One expects this sort of misogyny from a male mangaka. But it is especially deplorable when it issues from the pen of a woman.

In any case, it really is a shame that Umino's manga does not live up to the reputation that precedes it. The Viz Media edition has been translated and adapted by Akemi Wegmüller, whose work on such complex and culturally specific works as Usamaru Furuya's Short Cuts and Novala Takemoto's Kamikaze Girls novel deserves to win awards in its own right. Yet even she cannot save it from a torpid, Zen Buddhist-like obsession with the ordinary that, ultimately, makes Honey and Clover itself little more than ordinary.

[Ranma4699]

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Pleasure Dome
Graphic Novel

This standalone volume features five short stories by BL (boy's love) manga master Megumu Minami. Two of the stories, “Desire on Fire” and “Hell for a Fallen Angel,” imagine forbidden love between men on opposite sides of famous historical conflicts between British colonists and Hindus and Japanese Christians and the Shogunate, respectively. Incestuous domestic drama takes center stage in “Cantarella,” and an awkward financier gets over his fear of French people in “L'Amour: I Belong to You.” “Pleasure Dome,” the title story, features a despotic, Medieval monarch who forces his subjects into service for his own perverse pleasure. However, the noble lord oversteps his bounds when he enslaves a foreign knight who shares a complicated past with his right-hand man Olivier.

Publisher: Kitty Media
Parental Advisory Explicit Content
Creator: Megumu Minami
Genre: Bishonen (Pretty Boy)

Review:
Few BL mangaka have been producing material in the genre for as long as Megumu Minami, and fewer still have such a well-developed, distinctive style. Her taste for exotic locales, historic settings, and costume drama is justifiably famous, and she uses this material to good effect. Even for a medium famous for indulging in every imaginable fantasy, Minami's work is often built upon themes characterized by an easy, freewheeling perversity. This perversity—which is emphatically not so much about shocking the eyes with sexually explicit drawings as it is shocking the mind with taboo subject matter—would be much more difficult to sustain in a more banal setting to the extremes of Pleasure Dome.

For example, “Cantarella” revolves around a handsome Japanese man named Seishu, who was most recently the paramour of a now-deceased older man. This man, as it turns out, also has two sons by different women, and both of them are also attracted to Seishu. To make matters worse, the older man's considerable wealth has been divided between his sons and Seishu equally, and only after a considerable amount of conflict do they conclude that the division was fair. Such a story would be impossible to execute within 28 pages were it located in a modern Japanese setting. The subject matter would become too lurid for BL, which is supposed to be romantic and escapist. So instead, the family is French, and everyone is clothing in vintage costume. How can it be grotesque if they're all so handsomely dressed?!

Socio-political subject matter is likewise taboo in most mainstream manga, and BL is no exception. This is unfortunate; countless love stories about people on opposite sides of some enormous political or cultural divide have a venerable pedigree—and are just as emotionally affecting today—as such works of literature as Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet.” Minami manages to get around her publisher's de facto prohibition by setting her stories in a fantasy version of the far past. Britain's history of colonialism in Asia and the Shogunate's anti-Christian policies are textbook knowledge in Japan, not lingering cultural wounds. Thus, they are safe topics to mine.

Similarly, a story like “Pleasure Dome” would be flat out impossible to imagine outside of the hierarchical social system of an absolutist monarchy, and Western characters in a Victorian setting make the fluffy romantic comedy “L'Amour: I Belong to You” more interesting than it would be otherwise. Moreover, Minami's gorgeous art, elegantly rendered costumes, and seductive characters cast a visual spell that meshes seamlessly with the plots. Expect plenty of flowing robes and tresses and rangy male bodies. Beauty is equivalent to divine truth in a Megumu Minami manga. The occasional cute, chibi character rendering, which she also does very well, appears only in one story in this volume but nevertheless constitutes a pleasant change of pace from an otherwise hothouse atmosphere of decadence.

In fact, the fetishistic detail of this manga's presentation of history and human relations distracts from what would otherwise be obvious narrative flaws. Most of the stories here feel too compressed, compromised products of a rigid page count. Plots are ordinarily supposed to have a defined beginning, middle, and end, but Minami has a penchant for breezing through the beginning as quickly as possible—or, worse still, skipping it entirely. “Cantarella” is especially bad in this respect, and though it works, its multiple characters and their multiple motivations would have worked much, much better given more room to grow. Though she always manages to tie things into a neat bow by the end, readers may find themselves paging back and forth through the book in confusion. Even so, Pleasure Dome is a pleasurable work of fiction with a flair for the astonishing that so many other examples of the BL genre lack.

[Ranma4699]

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Fairy Tail
Graphic Novel 3

Natsu is a fire-wielding wizard hoping to make a name for himself with the illustrious Fairy Tail guild. Accompanying him on his adventures are Lucy, a fellow magic-user with summoning powers, and Natsu's pet cat Happy. Their latest mission has put them in grave peril, however, as they must stop the sinister Eisenwald Guild from killing hundreds of people. As Natsu, Lucy, Gray (an ice wizard) and Erza (a magical weapons spe******t) come face to face with the wizards of Eisenwald, they discover that the Dark Guild's plan is something far deadlier than just mass murder—and even if Fairy Tail's wizards manage to win, what will they do when the cursed artifact stolen by Eisenwald takes on a mind of its own?

Publisher: Del Rey
Rated: T Ages 13+
Creator: Hiro Mashima
Genres: action, adventure, comedy, supernatural

Review:
Imagine if Harry Potter had vanquished Lord Voldemort by about ... Book Two and a Half. That's the kind of magical potency on display in Fairy Tail, where our plucky young heroes think nothing of making mincemeat of some Seriously Evil Wizards, and even an ancient demon. Sure, this volume follows every action-adventure convention by the book, but damn if it doesn't put on a good show along the way. With each major character fighting at full strength and pulling off some clever moves, this is a special-effects extravaganza not to be missed. Why, it's almost good enough to distract you from the lack of story and character development going on.

In fact, fans might say it's more than good enough to compensate for the lightweight story—especially since Hiro Mashima has such a strong grasp of pacing for large-scale battles. The fight against Eisenwald could easily have been a multi-volume drag, but instead it's an efficient, fast-paced sequence of one-on-ones that typically take no more than a chapter each; even the highlight of this volume, where Natsu takes on the wind-user Erigor, is maybe a chapter and a half at the most. Some shounen series take an entire chapter and a half just announcing someone's attack and how it works! Mashima also brings in a variety of magic styles—fire, wind, ice, shadow, summoning, weaponry—and carefully shows how each technique is unique to the user. Natsu's brute force with fire, for example, is worlds away from Erza's precise ability to "requip" weapons and armor. The multiple locales for each fight also add to the variety: a train station, a railway bridge, a rural town. See, even something as genre-driven as a magical battle requires creative effort.

But for all the creativity, there is still something mechanical behind the process: namely, the utter reliance on the formula of escalating battles and increasingly difficult opponents. Oh, you defeated the chief evil wizard? Congratulations, the evil artifact he was using is still powered up! That's hardly even a spoiler, because it's been done so many times in so many other fantasy works. And meanwhile, Natsu and his friends are so busy hacking away that they don't get time for any dramatic emotional flashbacks or anything—nope, these characters are defined entirely by their arsenal of magical attacks. (Magical attacks with fancy names that must be said out loud while using them, of course, because God forbid anyone should miss that cliché.) In the end, all this volume accomplishes in the story department is to show that the heroes win a really big fight and stop a really terrible tragedy—which seems just a bit shallow despite the brilliant pyrotechnics.

Those who came specifically for the pyrotechnics, though, will certainly not be disappointed as this volume shows off Mashima's artistry in alpha mode. With combat being the focus, there are speedlines and special effects galore, from Erigor's numerous wind-based spells to Natsu's fire magic to everything in between (see, that's where the variety of magical techniques comes in handy). Yet despite the frenetic artwork, the layouts miraculously avoid the usual pitfalls of clutter; the panels are spaced widely enough to be readable, and the action scenes clearly show how the characters are moving in relation to each other. Ah, if only other other artists realized that readers actually do like knowing what's going on in a fight. The only downside of this is the inevitable monotony of an entire volume's worth of battle: all the attacks start to look the same after a while, and Mashima's other artistic strength—background and landscape—doesn't get much of a chance to shine. And since we're seeing the same few characters that were introduced late in Volume 2, there isn't much of an opportunity for fresh character designs either.

As an action-packed fight manga, the text in this volume boils down to mostly screaming at each other, taunting, and announcing the attack names. The expository dialogue is often weak as well, stating the obvious as each battle rages on, but at least this translation puts a lot of energy into each character's lines. Touches of wordplay like Natsu being called a "flaming brat" help to add some humor, and as the glossary in the back explains, that pun (as well as other linguistic flourishes) can be found exactly as they are the original text. Not surprisingly, sound effects are a big part of this volume too, and readers will find the original Japanese characters intact with small translations (sometimes alm