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@ Full Moon
Comedy, Fantasy, Gender-bender, Gothic
Preview: @ Full Moon Volumes 1 & 2 David is a vampire; Marlo is half vampire, half werewolf. The young men have been close friends since childhood and in the two volumes of Sanami Matoh's light-hearted bit-lit manga series 'Until the Full Moon' they fall in love and get married. Oh - sorry - forgot to mention that Marlo becomes a woman every full moon, hence the title, so it's ok for all those with BL-phobia, because he's a she once a month. '@ Full Moon' continues their story as newly-weds and plunges the happy couple into a difficult situation as Clive, an ardent admirer of Marlo, gets his little witch and contract mage friend Mona to place a spell on Marlo that will make him stay in his female form forever. As it turns out, Marlo is not pleased about this at all - and has no interest...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 2 Feb 2012]
Love Hina #2
Preview: When I think way back into the early days of my anime and manga fandom, I can remember a time when I couldn’t walk into a WHSmiths and easily find a manga section to pick from. I had to take trips to the centre of London and find an obscure comic shop just off China town in order to get my manga fix. Of course, back then not a lot of manga had been licensed and on top of the usual problem of never finding the first volume of a series, I had to settle with what little I could get my hands on, this included golden oldies such as Sailor Moon, Please Teacher, Demon Diary and our topic for today – Love Hina. However as time flew by, I grew up, and more titles became commercially available; as a result my tastes changed and the genres I grew to enjoy the most became...
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 1 Feb 2012]
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei #12
Preview: I’m in despair! I’m in despair over reading this entire volume! Last year, someone at a convention talked to me about “Sayonora, Zetsubou-Sensei” after discussing popular worldwide political satire shows such as Have I Got News For You, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, of which I’m a regular viewer. Since then I have read a few volumes of the series and loved the way it parodies everything about Japanese culture for the sake of comedy - so does volume 12 continue the smart satire? To re-cap on what the series is about: Itoshiki Nozomu (known as Professor Negative) is a homeroom teacher for class 2-F and he suffers from being negative about every single subject that is talked about and constantly tries to hang himself (only to fail...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 25 Jan 2012]
Pluto #8
Detective, Mystery, Sci-Fi, War
Preview: This review covers all eight volumes of Pluto . I imagine Naoki Urasawa suffered butterflies the first time it truly dawned on him that he was about to adapt Osamu Tezuka's flagship work, Astro Boy , specifically its 'The Greatest Robot on Earth' story. However, Pluto brilliantly weaves its own emotional landscape out of the threads of the original plot. Different characters get different emphases and a prototypical action adventure becomes a brooding murder mystery, but it feels just as seminal. 'The Greatest Robot on Earth' shows how one robot called Pluto systematically kills the world's most powerful robots in some contrived effort to be the best. Underscoring this is Tezuka's assertion that the human ego uses destructive technology for selfish and shallow aims. Its...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 17 Jan 2012]
Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn - #1 & #2
Preview: Once upon a time, there was a princess named Courtney Love. Made famous by her marriage to a front man of a grunge band and her own controversial antics, she was known by many across the land. One day she met a CEO of a manga company named Stu Levey, who was also known by his pen name of DJ Milky. The pair journeyed far and wide to Japan to meet the manga artists Ai Yazawa and Misaho Kujiradou in order to create a 3 part manga series loosely based on Ms Love’s romance life in a fantasy setting; Princess Ai. Upon its release it enjoyed moderate success with posters, calendars, figurines and soundtracks available for the fans. In 2008, volume 1 of its sequel manga was released, however with Tokyopop closing in 2011, the final part of Princess Ai’s story was left...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 2 Dec 2011]
xxxHolic #17
Preview: The dimension witch Yūko has vanished, leaving her protégé Kimihiro Watanuki in charge of her magical shop – a shop he can now never leave. As the years pass, Watanuki carries on Yūko’s work of wish-granting, supported by regular visits from his friend Dômeki, now a student (“We’re not friends!”) and black Mokona (“More sake!”) But the sudden appearance of a glamorous and seductively-clad blonde customer strikes a chill into Watanuki’s heart; she is the Jorô-Gumo, the spider who once consumed his right eye. She’s back with a request – but this time he’s older, wiser, and ready for her wiles (the pipe fox is also protecting him.) She wants Watanuki to bring her a red pearl, a wish...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 9 Nov 2011]
Magic Knight Rayearth #1
Adventure, Fantasy, Mecha, Shojo
Preview: When Dark Horse announced their releases of classic Clamp titles as omnibus editions in 2009, manga fans around the world rejoiced. The Clover and Chobits omnibus editions were released not long after in stunning presentation filled with beautiful colour pages, retranslations, and enough bonus features to make any Clamp fan squeal with joy, as well as truly raising the bar in how manga should be brought to the masses. However late 2010 then continuing onto 2011, numerous delays affected the new editions to the point that no release date could be confirmed, leaving many fans worried that they had been cancelled. This was not helped by having no official word from Dark Horse, so we simply had to rely on numerous delivery updates from the sites we pre-ordered the volumes from, and hoped...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 5 Nov 2011]
Domu: A Child's Dream
Horror, Psychological, Supernatural
Preview: My first thought upon turning the last pages of Domu was that the manga has magnificent action. The second was that it doesn't have much else. I point especially to the first act, which, comprising the murder mystery staples of police detectives heroically barking up the wrong tree, frustrated witnesses, and a handful of too-obvious suspects, feels unrepentantly derivative. Chief among the problems is that the synopsis has already given away the crux of the tale - an old man and a little girl get into a psychic battle - so watching detectives fumbling their way through a set of 'inexplicable' deaths feels like stalling. I sense that even the mangaka, Katsuhiro Otomo, is far less interested in the setup than the culmination. There is something sardonically self-aware, maybe even...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 3 Oct 2011]
I Give to You
Preview: “The world…is rejecting me.” Ryoichi’s life has gone badly wrong. Betrayed by a lover who has run out on him, leaving him saddled with his enormous debt of thirteen million yen, he finds himself on the run from the debt collectors, lost, and caught in a typhoon. That’s when the gusting wind blows a flyer into his hands. ‘I’ll give you a seat,” he reads in the pouring rain. “I’ll give you my delicious tea. Tea Efil.” Looking around, he spots the dark little tea shop across the way and decides – on the spur of the moment – to seek shelter there. Inside the old wooden building he finds a young man asleep with a little cat in his lap and a cigarette burning to ash drooping out of one corner of his mouth. The...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 27 Sep 2011]
The Drifting Classroom #4
Preview: Instead of gore or monsters, The Drifting Classroom derives horror from the fall of humanity; it intends not so much to induce vomit as to shake us to our souls. The first four volumes describe the social collapse between students and teachers after their school teleports to a desolate alternate world, abandoning them to the ruthless game of survival. 'Social collapse' is of course an understatement: by volume two there have been stabbings, shootings, people being set on fire, an epileptic fit, a murderous car chase, a hostage situation, a monster attack, and students leaping to their deaths from the school roof. What stops the plot sinking into a tedious string of atrocities is the budding theme of improbable courage and endurance. Working firmly in the Lord of the Flies...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 16 Sep 2011]
Butterfly of the Distant Day
Preview: Saki, a gifted classical pianist and teacher, takes his younger cousin Riya, an aspiring violinist, to perform at a summer retreat in the Berkshires. But when they get there, Saki is taken aback to find Irving Russell awaiting them; the young British composer and conductor has been put in charge of their concert, as the musical director, Larry Foreman, once Saki’s mentor, is unable to be there this year. And, of course, there is history between Saki and Irving, who dated for two years…but then broke up. The atmosphere in the summer cottage becomes increasingly tense as Saki’s buried feelings for Irving are stirred up and tempers fray over rehearsals. Is it possible that the reserved (he’s British!) Irving still has feelings for Saki too? There’s a concert...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 5 Sep 2011]
Solanin
Preview: A child's world is one of reliable laws that define what is meaningful and worthless, success and failure, black and white. In comparison, the adult world, often viewed in youth as the ultimate freedom, is just one grey smear of dilemmas in which nobody can give us definite answers. Meiko learns that when she quits her boring office job. An act intended to liberate her from soul-destroying drudgery, it instead puts her straight into another prison: stuck in perpetuity before daytime drama and computer games. For readers in a similar situation, Solanin will provide great comfort. It surveys life's ironies with a wistfulness and nostalgia that could only come from an author bleeding his memories onto the page. The creator, Inio Asano, came up with the story when he was...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 5 Aug 2011]
Tanpenshu #2
Drama, Gangster, Psychological, Sci-Fi
Preview: In seven short stories spanning just two volumes, Hiroki Endo's Tanpenshu manages to weave a sprawling tapestry of human experience. After one story leaves us stewing in an emotional cocktail, the next will depict a fresh set of tormented people instantly bleeding out their neuroses from the page. It's thematically ad hoc, sometimes whimsical, but mostly worming its way to the hearts of its characters. Endo's cast is a troubled one, with many characters capable of terrible acts in the commonest sense. 'For Those of Us Who Don't Believe in God' portrays Tajima, a talented theatre director, as he commits domestic violence against his girlfriend, Kogure. Everyone in his troupe knows it but, as happens in real life, ignores his vice in favour of their own more pressing issues. That...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 28 Jul 2011]
Astro Boy #3
Action, Adventure, Childrens, Sci-Fi, Shonen
Preview: Who is Astro Boy for? Osamu Tezuka, in his day, would have straightforwardly replied 'for children'. But Dark Horse Comics' edition, running to a monumental twenty-three volumes, will have a trickier time navigating the market. The kids of Tezuka's age are all grown up and the kids of today are used to more sophisticated fare. Dark Horse's paperback, with its tiny, kiddie- un friendly script and panels presumably wants to appeal to those craving nostalgia rather than those hunting for an after-school action fix. Some might understandably assume the rudimentary art to be the biggest put-off; it offers Disney-inspired bulbous hands and feet, dinner plate eyes and sparse environmental detail. But Tezuka's style also has a vivacity and expressiveness that lends itself to easy...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 27 Jun 2011]
Planetes #4
Preview: In one part of the universe, Hachimaki is soon to become a symbol of enduring human endeavour and signal a new era for mankind. In another part, Fee and the others are on the verge of seeing the Kessler Effect initiate in front of their very eyes due to the ongoing war between the United States and the Republic Space Army, triggering the eventual and inevitable end of the world. Meanwhile, the emotionless genius facilitator Werner Locksmith returns to Earth to meet an old acquaintance at a church. Yukimura brings the ongoing story to a close in this volume and decides to split the storylines into two halves respectively. The first half is devoted to Fee, where she loses faith in humanity upon seeing the US Army inducing the Kessler Effect through the indiscriminate bombing of the...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 10 Jun 2011]
The Art Of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga
Preview: If you know anything about the history of manga and anime, then you should know who Osamu Tezuka was. He may not have been the first Japanese person to draw comics, but no other individual has had such a massive influence on the manga industry. Not only did he produce 170,000 pages in around 700 different manga titles, but he was also responsible for the first modern anime and was hugely influential in making Japan's animation industry what it is today. Despite such claims to fame, Tezuka is somewhat underappreciated in the West, where he is known chiefly as the creator of Astro Boy. He died before the birth of anime fandom in the English speaking world, so in a community obsessed with the latest, newest, shiniest thing, it's perhaps not that surprising. This book serves as a great...
Score: 10 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 8 May 2011]
Tonoharu: Part One #1
Preview: Tonoharu is a graphical novel covering the story of Daniel Wells, the one and only American in the small town of Tonoharu. He is an Assistant Language Teacher working at the local rural Japanese school, surrounded by students and teachers who speak very little to no English. The end result is a story that focuses on the difficulties of working in such a place, and ultimately how lonely that can be. Daniel went to Tonoharu with high hopes of drastically improving his Japanese language skills, while at the same time having a positive effect on the students he would be teaching. Now with one year spent at the school, Daniel needs to decide on whether to sign up for a second year. This isn't an easy decision as his language skills have not improved, and...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 2 May 2011]
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Official Casebook #1
Comedy, Detective, Drama, Mystery
Preview: When I was at university, my stress was reduced thanks to my Nintendo DS; it was then that the Phoenix Wright series was introduced to me and I had plenty of fun exploring such a unique and comical storyline which was helped by memorable characters and a solid script. This gives me a perfect chance to review The Phoenix Wright Files – Official Casebook volume 1; review is now in session. The manga is based on the first three games (Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Justice for All, and Trials and Tribulations) so if you're expecting this manga to be a sequel or to have cases just like the game, then you are going to be sadly disappointed. Instead it contains short stories and 4-koma panels done by various artists who are fans of the series. The 293 pages that are...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 26 Apr 2011]
Planetes #4
Preview: Planetes has provided us with a cast of very different and interesting characters. Though on average the story understandably focuses more upon the protagonist Hachimaki, and his journey to achieve his dreams, this volume is devoted to some of the other key characters. It is a welcome change and addresses some points in the story that could have easily been forgotten about, illustrating the care Yukimura puts into his work. The first couple of chapters focus on two different characters, one old and one new. The first chapter introduces us to a man named Danshaku, nicknamed 'The Baron' by his peers. Wearing a sleeveless denim jumpsuit, whilst sporting a pompadour and glasses, his look evokes the hallmarks of rebellious youngsters of 1950s America, or the punks of the yakuza during...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 22 Apr 2011]
Planetes #3
Preview: Hachimaki is living the dream. He has successfully entered the expedition team to Jupiter, on the technical marvel that is the Von Braun. The successful completion of the mission should save the human race, make him a hero, and in turn give him a fortune with which to get the spaceship he so wants. It has taken a lot for Hachimaki to get to where he is. As seen in the previous volumes, he kept everything to himself - his fears, anger, pain, loneliness - and used it as the fuel to drive him on to achieve his goals. Now that he has reached this first milestone, that first taste of success and achievement, an almost unexpected feeling pervades his mind: emptiness. His fire and passion seem to have mysteriously disappeared from his body, and starts to question his own significance in this...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 28 Mar 2011]
Planetes #2
Preview: Love is a curious thing. It is often romanticised as the ultimate goal of humanity; the most wonderful of emotions, allowing pure enlightenment and happiness. It has the power to conquer all fears and any adversity. However, Love also has the power to destroy souls as one endlessly yearns for companionship, never quite attaining it. This dependence on others can therefore be seen as a weakness, a sentiment that Hachimaki agrees upon. A sentiment that Hachimaki is determined not to succumb to, risking it getting in the way of his dream to fly to Jupiter, become a great astronaut and own a spaceship one day. The first chapter of this book shows the power that ambition can have on people, and the consequences of letting ambition dominate your life. Hachimaki seems to be blinded by...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 4 Mar 2011]
Cardcaptor Sakura #1
Preview: CLAMP is a very well known and respected manga group with many adored titles under their belts ever since their debut in 1987. Dating from 1996, Cardcaptor Sakura is arguably one of their most loved works that sadly didn’t get the affection it deserved in the Western market. Not only did Tokyopop’s first translation of the manga meet with a mixed reception (flipping the pages to the Western left-to-right) but the anime was unsympathetically dubbed and severely edited to the point where no anime fan wanted to be associated with it, and neither did religious parents want their children watching the show, saying that the Clow Cards represented tarot cards. Although the manga was re-released in its original right-to-left format and the uncut anime hit shelves in...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 2 Jan 2011]
Not Simple
Preview: “A story within a story, a book within a book, a tale about the search for family, for an emotional home.” What is the most depressing thing you have ever experienced in your life? Mine would be listening to an Interpol album: all those dark lyrics and moody music going through your ears, it makes you feel bad. That is - until I read Not Simple. It's more than depressing, it's horrific. Story and art are by Natsume Ono whom some of you might recognise from previous manga/anime series such as Ristorante Paradiso and House of Five Leaves. Ono's work seems to concentrate more on older characters and stories set outside of Japan; it's quite refreshing to see a Japanese author not mentioning the land of the rising sun at all. Not Simple is about a boy called Ian who is...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 2 Jan 2011]
Alice in the Country of Hearts - #2 & #3
Preview: Not all is wonderful in Wonderland, but Alice Liddell is slowly growing used to the males having animal ears, falling in love with her, and the sudden changes between night and day. But there are some things she cannot get her head around; life itself is seen as a throwaway, firearms are too easily accessible for her liking and why are clocks so important in this world? Many questions are left answered as Alice goes deeper into 'the game' and further away from home. Compared to the heavy ground that the first volume set down for the story, the following 2 volumes are slightly weaker in terms of exposition. Many of the story elements mentioned in the beginning, such as Wonderland possibly being Alice's creation and the rules of the game she needs to play to go back home, aren't...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 1 Jan 2011]
Planetes #1
Preview: We all have dreams. Some are possible, and some are seemingly impossible. Nonetheless, despite often recognising the futility of it all, some of us pursue them no matter what. The pursuit often leads to small, gradual breakthroughs, and eventually the dream that was once considered unattainable becomes a very achievable reality. You only have to look at history to see the vast progress the human race has made. One of these is in space, with the ability to launch men and machines away from the clutches of the Earth's gravitational pull and into the depths of the universe. We are fascinated by space, and in turn by science fiction. So fascinated, in fact, that we are looking for ways to take over and inhabit it, in order to make the fantasies seen in science fiction a possible reality....
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 18 Dec 2010]
Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture #2
Preview: Moyasimon is the tale of Tadayasu Sawaki, a new student at Agricultural University and a boy with a special talent. He can see microorganisms, interact with them, and get completely disgusted by how much bacteria people have on and around them. In the first volume of Moyasimon we saw Tadayasu through his first days at the University, his growing friendship with Kaoru Misato and Takuma Kawahama, and the ongoing interest of Professor Itsuki in Tadayasu's unique ability. Volume 2 sets the tone with Misato and Kawahama conducting another madcap experiment. This one has nothing to do with sake production, though. Instead they are...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 3 Nov 2010]
Bakuman #1
Preview: Bakuman is a shonen manga written by Tsugumi Ohba (Death Note) focusing on the story of two high school students and their bid to become creators of manga. Although there are two main characters in this story, the focus is clearly on Moritaka Mashiro, the artist of the pairing. His uncle had already taken the path of manga artist, but that ended in his eventual death with suspicions around exactly how it happened. The other protagonist is Akito Takagi, the most intelligent boy in class, and someone who is willing to give up studying for a high-paid career in a more traditional area to be a manga writer. Akito has spotted Moritaka's talent for drawing and decides they would...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 7 Sep 2010]
Vampire Knight - #9 & #10
Preview: It’s very easy to disregard the Vampire Knight manga as nothing more than shojo fluff with some good-looking males - who just happen to be vampires - thrown in. It doesn’t help that the earlier volumes lack plot development, half of the series consists of people standing around talking, there’s plenty of teenage angst to go round, and the premise is borderline stupid (man-eating vampires and delicious humans going to the same school and living in the same building together? Nothing can POSSIBLY go wrong!) But Matsuri Hino, over the course of time, has subtly added themes that make this shojo a bit deeper and darker than some of its competitors once you’ve sunk your teeth into it (pun intended) including vampires that do actually eat and kill humans,...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 31 Aug 2010]
Black Bird #1
Preview: Misao is an unlucky girl; ever since she was young she’s been able to see things that others can’t. Ghosts and demons haunt her everyday life, causing her misery. To make things worse, on her sixteenth birthday, she gets attacked by a demon possessing a human. Just as she thinks it’s all over for her, the handsome Kyo (her childhood friend who's recently moved back into town) saves her life...but it turns out that he’s a demon too! It doesn’t end there though as Misao discovers that she is the one human born every few hundred years that the demons hunt. If demons drink her blood, they gain a long life; if they eat her, they gain eternal youth; or if they make her their bride then their whole clan will thrive, which is what Kyo intends to do! Take...
Score: 3 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 24 Aug 2010]
Alice in the Country of Hearts #1
Preview: There have been many and varied adaptations of the Lewis Carroll classic; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The versions spread from film to video games, and the adaptations themselves range from ‘as-close-to-the-original-as-possible’ (like Disney’s attempt back in 1951) to ‘we-take-what-we-like-and-make-our-own’ (such as American McGee’s dark interpretation of Wonderland). We’ve had sequels, prequels, and pretty much all the adaptations any person could ever want. Alice in the Country of Hearts isn’t the first manga adaptation but it’s one of more recent versions currently available on the market. Based upon a Japanese romance adventure game, Alice in the Country of Hearts stars Alice Liddell, a young girl who...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 22 Aug 2010]
Samurai Deeper Kyo #35
Action, Historical, Samurai, Supernatural
Preview: The end is nigh. That's what it says in big letters on the back cover. And indeed it is, as Samaurai Deeper Kyo draws closer to the final volume. It nearly didn't end at all though, as despite having published 34 volumes, Tokyopop decided for whatever reason to drop the series. Fans were faced with being left in limbo with just 4 volumes left of the manga's run to go. Fortunately for the fans, Del Ray came riding into view like a knight in shining armour to rescue the series from oblivion. This is the first of the releases from Del Ray, and it's a bumper volume containing the Japanese volumes 35 and 36. Akimine Kamijyo's Samurai Deeper Kyo is set in an alternate take on feudal Japan which mixes fictional and supernatural elements with events based on real life figures and...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 30 Jul 2010]
Black Butler #1
Preview: In the reign of Queen Victoria, just outside of London, lies the manor of the Phantomhive family, now run by its sole member by the name of Ciel. The Earl himself is a faithful servant to the Queen and owner of London’s most successful toy company, despite only being a small boy. So how does a young man manage to do it all? He thankfully has his ever faithful butler by the name of Sebastian, who can do anything from clean the silverware to vending off intruders, often at the same time. But is there more to Sebastian? And just what is Ciel exactly hiding underneath that eye patch of his? When starting a new manga series, it’s a rare to a find one that you can honestly say that from volume 1 you’re completely hooked. Generally first chapter in volume...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 17 Jul 2010]
Moyasimon: Tales of Agriculture #1 #1
Preview: Tadayasu Sawaki was born with a very unique talent: he can see and interact with bacteria. To him, each strain of bacteria looks and acts differently, they talk, and he can pick them out of the air. Now he is off to Agricultural University, and both staff and students will call on his unique ability. Tadayasu understandably has a mixed view of his "talent" as it meant strange looks and rejection by others while growing up, but at the same time allowed him to interact and even make friends with these tiny germ characters. His unusual skill has remained a secret from most of the staff and students at Agricultural University, but one professor and his sceptical assistant already know about it, and plan to use it in their ongoing research. During his...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 2 Jul 2010]
Nighthead Genesis #1
Preview: Nighthead Genesis’ story is over 18 years old; created by George Iida, it first aired as a live action series in Japan during 1992, which later spawned a 24-episode anime series in 2006 and a 4 volume manga in 2007. The manga is, currently, the only form of the story available in the UK and has been adapted by manga artist You Higuri, better known for her work on yaoi based manga. Don’t get too excited over this however, although the 2 male leads look very much like your typical bishōnen types, the story is far from yaoi. Nighthead Genesis stars Naoto and Naoya Kirihara, brothers who both possess psychic powers. During their childhood, fearing their capabilities, their parents sent them away to a research center where the 2 boys remained trapped for over...
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 24 Jun 2010]
King Of RPGs #1
Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Geek, Parody
Preview: When I was around eight years old, I first got my hands on an RPG and ever since then I've been addicted to them; same goes for collecting rare battle cards, getting my first Warhammer kit, and now watching anime and manga. What King of RPGs does is take all of these activities and merge them into a story - but is this quest worth taking or will it torture you from beginning till end? King of RPGs is written by Jason Thompson who is best known for his work on ' Manga: The Complete Guide' and has edited various English editions of manga like Naruto, One Piece, and Shaman King. The artist is Victor Hao, who gives the art more of a Western manga feel. The story starts off with a quick prologue introducing the main characters. Shesh Maccabee is a hardcore...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 9 Jun 2010]
Oninagi #1
Action, Comedy, Fan Service, Supernatural
Preview: Nanami Kushimiya is fifteen years old, she's looking forward to starting high school this spring time, and has found out that her junior high love Kazuto Sanjouin is also going to the same school for the next three years. Sounds like your typical romantic comedy opener, doesn't it? Well...until someone wielding a sword suddenly appears, judges her to be a demon, and starts pursuing her all round the town. The swordswomen chasing Nanami is Tomotaka Onigoroshi, a demon slayer dispatched to find out how five people disappeared. When she catches up with Nanami near a park, Tomotaka discovers that the demon is instead a cherry blossom tree. However, while in battle and struggling to defeat the demon, Nanami changes into a different personality and kills the monster in seconds....
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 3 Jun 2010]
Yokaiden #2
Adventure, Shonen, Supernatural
Preview: Yokaiden is an American comic book drawn in what some would call the “Manga Style”. That fact alone has probably convinced a lot of people reading this review to press the back button and never give Yokaiden any more thought. When one thinks of comic books drawn in the “Manga style” (I will openly state my belief that there's no such thing) they often think of two-bit artists, shamelessly aping the conventions of the media without giving any real consideration to their work on its own merit, using the “Manga Style” as a crutch to get the attention of publishers.That mental image, however, and let it be known that I state the following under no uncertain terms, is something that does not apply to Yokaiden and to dismiss it with such an ill-informed...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 1 May 2010]
Only One Wish
Preview: Make A Wish – If You Dare! ‘It’s easy,’ proclaims the blurb. ‘Just send a text to a certain address and a dark angel will appear and grant you a wish – but only one! You can wish for you crush to fall in love with you, for revenge against those who have wronged you, or even for the dead to be brought back to life. But choose your wish carefully – sometimes a dream come true can be a nightmare!’ Four short stories, each with the linking theme of ‘Only One Wish’ make up this volume. The first deals with the theme of the frailty of friendship – in this case, amongst three schoolgirls. Each story is framed by the appearance of the ‘dark angel’ who here looks just like a schoolgirl witch, complete with...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 24 Mar 2010]
Tsubasa Album de Reproductions: Original Art Collection
Preview: It will come as no surprise to anyone who has read some of my other reviews that I'm fan of CLAMP’s work (and have been ever since I first came across ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ years ago on TV.) So this truly gorgeous collection taken from CLAMP’s series ‘Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle’ appealed to me from the instant I saw the cover. Here we have over a hundred pages of full-colour artwork, some (for promotional items, such as telephone cards) never seen before in the UK, as well as some of the splash pages already published in black-and-white in Del Rey’s editions of the manga. So for anyone who’s been following the further adventures of Sakura and Syaoran, this book offers many delightful vignettes of the leading...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 17 Jan 2010]
Maid War Chronicles #1
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Harem, Shonen
Preview: Maid War Chronicles. The name gives you a surprisingly good idea of what to expect - a classically styled fantasy adventure... except with maids in the starring roles. "War Chronicles" comes from the same Japanese naming convention that gave us Record of Lodoss War, amongst other things, but the only thing that maids are usually on the front line fighting for is the right to themed cafes and more moe than you can handle. You'd be forgiven for assuming that the combination wouldn't work at all, but there's a little more to it than that. The story of a Prince ousted from his throne via a military coup, involving corrupt generals, traitorous Lords and legendary weapons sounds like fantasy story template 8a, but this time the Prince in question is a lecherous child, and his esteemed...
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 26 Dec 2009]
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Character Guide 2
Preview: Time for Tsubasa I’m always excited when a book (usually manga) arrives for review, though of late that excitement has been a little dampened by some of the more recent Del Rey series which haven’t really been my cup of tea. However, imagine my delight to discover a very handsome copy of the ‘Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Character Guide 2!’ It struck me as singularly well-timed as the manga series by CLAMP has just finished its lengthy run in Japan with Chapitre 232 (although we’re currently awaiting Volume 22 and 23 in translation, due in October/November.) I’ve been following ‘Tsubasa’ and its sister series ‘xxxHOLIC’ since they first appeared from Del Rey in 2004. I adore ‘Cardcaptor Sakura’ – and the...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 21 Oct 2009]
Parasyte #6
Preview: ATTENTION: Spoilers below! What can I say about this volume of 'Parasyte' other than "page turner"? This volume, I believe, actually has Iwaaki capturing the essence of his story and actually translating that onto paper. Considering the last was, at best a average, and at worst forgettable the sixth volume makes up for this immensely. In previous reviews I wrote about how 'Parasyte' was an evolution of sorts. This volume is certainly the story's coming of age. No longer is it this angst ridden teenager longing for love but rather an adult philosophizing where life went wrong. Volume six is certainly a very dark story evoking from its readers a reaction. The reaction could be a questioning of what your life is about; or perhaps it could be an actual reaction to...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 17 Oct 2009]
Parasyte #5
Preview: Hitoshi Iwaaki continues to impress in this next volume of 'parasyte' by continuing to plunge his protagonist into a series of devilishly drawn out duels with human and Parasyte alike. This volume sees Shinichi have to tackle the problem of an overly curious detective, his relationship with Murano, a new parasyte called Miki who's body, at first glance, seems to contain two other Parasytes but also the puppeteer behind it all: Reiko Tamiya and her continuing study into what makes defines humanity and her cruel and heartless raising of her child. The interesting thing about this volume is that Shinichi is not driven by his angst as he was in previous volumes. Indeed Shinichi seems positively clear about what it is to be human, perhaps because Migi is a constantly demonstrates how...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 12 Jul 2009]
Parasyte #4
Preview: This review will contain spoilers of a salient kind! Do not read any further if you do not wish to know them! This review will contain spoilers of a salient kind! Do not read any further if you do not wish to know them! It feels really good to be coming back, after some time, to review the fourth volume of 'Parasyte'. The ambivalence I feel towards 'Starship Operators' is certainly not shared with this fourth volume but my desire to see both 'Parasyte' and 'Starship Operators' go from strength to strength is something I feel both need to do. The only difference is that 'Parasyte' is actually going from strength to strength whereas 'Starship Operators' is a series that is not. At the helm of 'Parasyte' Hitoshi Iwaaki continues to craft a series...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 28 Jun 2009]
Genshiken Offical Book
Preview: Summary ATTENTION HARDCORE GENSHIKEN FANS! Now available for your exclusive pleasure: the ultimate sourcebook for the ultimate fans of the nine-volume, smash hit manga series. The Genshiken Official Book covers virtually every aspect of being an anime fan, from cosplay bare skin rules, the otaku must-have anime, to games, games, games (including fight games and girly games) and how to hunt down the best ones. Negima! creator Ken Akamatsu, who was a fanboy himself as a teenager, reveals how to get the most out of attending Comiket, and Genshiken creator Kio Shimoku provides plenty of his own insight, including his personal guide to manga conventions. So get ready to embark on a fascinating odyssey into the world of Japanese anime/manga fandom. Review If you are a...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 21 Jun 2009]
Negima!? Neo 1: Magister Negi Magi #1
Action, Comedy, Fan Service, Harem, High School, Romance
Preview: Summary Negi Springfield is ten years old...and a powerful wizard! This boy wizard is the greatest prodigy ever to graduate from his magic school in England. After graduation, however, Negi's given an unusual assignment: teach English at an all-girl school in Japan. Now Negi has to find a way to deal with his thirty-one totally gorgeous - and completely overaffectionate - students... without using magic! Based on the Negima! anime, this is a fresh take on the beloved Negima! story. Review A "fresh take on the beloved Negima! story"... really? How many versions of Negima are there now? Yes, there is another rebooted version of Negima, and I'm pretty sure it's happened at least once already to both the anime and the manga. Sadly by now it's a little hard to care...
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 8 Jun 2009]
Alive: The Final Evolution #6
Preview: Alive: The Final Evolution, from Del Rey, reaches its 6th volume here. This supernatural/sci-fi series is pitched at age 16+ and so far has been a thrilling read. Volume 6 continues the story with 4 more chapters. Taisuke, Yuta, and Nami are still travelling ‘north’. Katsumata and his motley crew are still hanging out and talking in vague terms about their goal, ‘Acro’s Heart’. Taisuke’s sister still does very little, except pout. Overall then, it’s a typical volume. The first half, (i.e. the first 2 chapters), is actually quite poor. It sees author Tadashi Kawashima struggle to keep the reader up to date with all the characters that he has created. Almost every character appears in the first...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 10 May 2009]
Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei #1
Preview: “What if I had died?” Kafuka Fura is a high school girl with a supremely positive attitude to life. So when, as she’s walking to school through the cherry blossoms, she comes across a man trying to hang himself, her first action is to stop him. He’s not best pleased, especially as her optimistic view of the world makes it impossible to understand his despairing state of mind. “What if I had died?” he demands. “You didn’t really want to die,” she comes back at him, brimming with confidence. “You were trying to be taller.” So imagine her surprise (and his) when the two (‘who should not have met’) meet again in Class 2-F where Nozomu Itoshiki (Mr. Despair) announces himself as her new homeroom teacher. The...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 26 Apr 2009]
Alive: The Final Evolution #5
Preview: Chapters #16 – #19 of Alive: The Final Evolution are presented here in volume #5. Thus far, Del Rey’s supernatural/sci-fi series has had its highs and lows. It is not very original, and its post-apocalyptic setting and characters with supernatural powers (called “comrades”) are reminiscent of countless other series. But despite its flaws, it is usually a rewarding and engaging read for the slightly more mature manga fan. The last volume ended with a gripping cliffhanger and I’m sure most readers would have been on tenterhooks to see how it would be resolved. Fat otaku Okada showed just how nasty and heartless he is, and caused a major headache for protagonist Taisuke and his chums. And so the first chapter here, called...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Wed, 15 Apr 2009]
Alive: The Final Evolution #4
Preview: After reading the first three volumes of Alive, it quickly threatened to become one of my favourite mangas. The third volume in particular was really compelling and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this, the fourth instalment. I was looking forward to finding out what would happen to Taisuke and Yuta, two evolved humans ('comrades') with special powers. They're travelling north, searching for Taisuke's former-friend-turned-enemy Hiro, and ultimately they're searching for answers. This volume gets off to a surprising and inauspicious start with the introduction of a talking owl. Yes, this is a sci-fi series so the rules are out of the window, but a talking owl just didn't do it for me. Thus far, Alive has been a serious and bleak tale, dealing with themes of death, and the...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 4 Apr 2009]
Parasyte #3
Preview: 'Parasyte' is now in its third volume. This volume covers Shinichi's exploits with regards to who he is attached to by the red string of love but also this volume is an attempt by author Hitoshi Iwaaki to create a device by which he can juxtapose Shinichi's humanity against that of a real Parasyte. The introduction of Shimada as this device allows Iwaaki the ability to take the series' central trope, that of defining what exactly is humanity, and the addition of Shinichi's two love-interests and his reaction to Shimada's killings later on allows this central trope to be adequately developed in this volume. The first and second volume was crafted with, what I called, “sustained drama”. Unfortunately this volume does have its highs and lows here in terms of what it...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 12 Mar 2009]
My Heavenly Hockey Club #7
Preview: A new volume of Ai Morinaga’s wickedly funny manga is always something to look forward to and this one is no exception. High-school girl Hana has only two main loves in life: sleeping and eating. In the first volume she became an unwilling member of her high school hockey club whose members use the club as an excuse to travel to different places and sample the local food. There may have been the odd hockey match since then (and odd is probably the only word to describe the kind of hockey that this team play) but for the five bishonen members of this unorthodox group, competing in matches comes pretty low down their list of priorities. There have also been hints of a developing relationship between Hana and Izumi, the group’s leader, but this being the work of...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 19 Feb 2009]
07-Ghost #1
Action, Fantasy, Shojo, Shonen, Supernatural
Preview: Every once in a while, a new manga series comes along which stands out from the crowd. ‘07-Ghost’ by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara is one of those rare beasts that grabs the heart and mind from the very first pages and carries the reader along at breakneck speed. ‘07-Ghost’ tells the story of orphan Teito Klein who is a promising cadet at the elite Barsburg Empire Military Academy where the students are preparing for their final examination. Ostracized by his peers (he was a slave before he entered the academy) his only friend is his room-mate, the cheerful and loyal Mikage. Teito is troubled by fleeting dreams of his early life, but can remember nothing of who he is or where he came from – until the day he accidentally discovers a terrible secret...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 14 Feb 2009]
Parasyte #2
Preview: This volume of 'Parasyte' is an extremely harrowing read. It is a territory not explored by myself in the medium of manga or anime because of its extremely, not only dramatic but, chilling story arc where the story was taken up a notch by Hitoshi Iwaaki. This volume is not the usual fair in terms of the usual 'run of the mill' action-drama manga. Iwaaki has crafted a manga that is the essence of dramatic. So much praise! Why? In the last review I gave the previous volume an eight for Iwaaki's clear demonstration for his penchant for writing dramatic and, reasonably, action-packed adventures. This volume takes that foundation and throws a spanner in the works: Iwaaki kills Shinichi's Mother and makes her a Parasyte. This may seem inane of me to highlight this point and make it the...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 18 Jan 2009]
Alive: The Final Evolution #3
Preview: ‘You can choose to be barely alive. Or you can choose a definite death. So….don’t make a wrong choice.’ This is the sombre advice given to the protagonist of this story, Taisuke. After surviving the ‘suicide virus’, he was left with a supernatural power. And he’s not the only one. These people are evolved humans, and they call each other ‘comrades’. Taisuke’s childhood chum, Hirose, is another comrade. But he kidnapped the lovely Megumi and headed north, with the sinister Katsumata and other comrades. Alive has now comfortably settled into a plot arc. Taisuke and his new friend Yuta are travelling north, looking for Hirose and the bad guys. In this volume they...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 10 Jan 2009]
Alive: The Final Evolution #2
Preview: When we left Taisuke at the end of Volume 1, he had a hole in his stomach and had just survived a fall off the top of a building. He wakes from a 3 day coma and ponders to himself, ‘Any normal human would normally be in pain…’ But he is not in pain, and his wounds have healed. In this volume, he’s got to come to terms with the fact that he is no ordinary human anymore. He is a ‘comrade’ amongst others. Certain humans have apparently ‘evolved’ and developed unnatural powers, including his childhood buddy Hirose. The second instalment of this sci-fi series, with a bit of horror and mystery thrown in, builds on the promise shown in the aimless volume 1. It's an improvement in almost every way....
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 4 Jan 2009]
Alive: The Final Evolution #1
Preview: It became known as “Nightmare Week”. A pandemic of global suicides suddenly hit planet Earth, apparently caused by some new kind of “suicide virus”. This coincided with a host of other strange events, including murders and people going missing, and just possibly, a new evolution of the human race. Tokyo resident Taisuke Kanou witnesses it all before his very eyes, and we follow him as he tries to find meaning in a new era for humankind. Welcome to the world of Alive: The Final Evolution, written by Tadashi Kawashima and drawn by newcomer Adachitoka. With a mix of sci-fi, horror, mature themes, and philosophy, it’s aimed squarely at older teens and above. Its long chapters (e.g. just 3 in this approximately 190 page...
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 20 Dec 2008]
Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo #1
Preview: “To those of you who betrayed me, who stole everything from me, I will give death and despair unto death.” Alexandre Dumas’s classic tale of betrayal and revenge ,‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, is still as powerful today as it was when it was first published in 1844. Countless adaptations have been made since then – and one of the most striking is ‘Gankutsuou’ which sets the story in a science-fictional re-imagining of Dumas’s nineteenth century France. All the more intriguing then, that Mahiro Maeda should choose to reinterpret his anime version in manga form with Yuri Ariwara, who prefaces the first volume with the words, “We’ve worked for a year to bring you a slightly different perspective on the anime.”...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 6 Dec 2008]
Parasyte #1
Preview: 'Parasyte' is a reasonably well realised synthesis of drama, action and philosophy. Hitoshi Iwaaki's story follows the journey of protagonist Shinichi as he deals with the problem that will change his life forever: The Parasyte Migi. The two protagonists are brought together by chance when Migi, trying to invade Shinichi's mind and take it over fails, resorts to taking over Shinichi's hand. The two then merge creating the a dual protagonist: two persons in one body. Shinichi and Migi get involved many predicaments precipitated by the two's agglomeration as Migi's alien race is the very antithesis of humanity; very mechanical, logical beings, governed by their instincts and needs rather than by any duty to others or morality. The great thing about this manga is...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 1 Dec 2008]
Papillon #1
Preview: "I'm tired of living like this. I wish I could escape...and just fly off to a better place." Twins – especially identical twins – have been a favourite subject for authors from Shakespeare’s time to the present day. And there are plenty of identical twins in manga, affording the mangaka the ideal opportunity for misunderstandings, mistaken identities and complications galore. ‘Papillon’, the new shojo series from Miwa Ueda, centres on the plight of shy high school girl Ageha, whose twin sister Hana is popular, outward-going, and gorgeous to look at. Separated when they were babies, Ageha was sent to live in the country with her grandmother while Hana stayed in the city with their parents. When her grandmother became unwell, Ageha returned to...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Fri, 17 Oct 2008]
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE #14
Preview: Volume 14 of Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE continues to follow the trials and tribulations of a group of 4 dimension travelling friends. They were thrown together way back in Volume 1, each with their own personal reason for travelling through the dimensions, but all united in a quest to recover Princess Sakura’s feathers. This CLAMP manga began as a fairly light-hearted fantasy tale, but now in its 100th chapter, it has become a more dark and complicated saga. This volume sees our heroes heading to a large public library, in order to check out a book. Seems like a fairly ordinary chore, but of course, this is no ordinary library, and it’s no ordinary book. The library is filled with magic, and guarded by some huge, devouring beasts. And the...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 28 Sep 2008]
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE #10
Preview: On the back of this volume are written the words “Time Will Tell” and it is a very fitting phrase for this manga. Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE follows the adventures of four friends (Syaoran, Princess Sakura, Fai, and Kurogane) as they travel through time and space in search of Sakura’s memories, manifesting as feathers. The consequences of time travel are an important theme in this volume, hence the “Time Will Tell” phrase. This is the 10th volume of the CLAMP-drawn series. And because this is the 10th volume, some knowledge of the preceding 9 volumes is required. In fact, the first few chapters will make no sense to anyone who hasn’t already ready volume 9. For those fans that have read volume 9, the first chapters...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 21 Sep 2008]
Death Note #13
Preview: 'Death Note' reached its conclusion in volume twelve's battle royale of wits. Concluding with the death of the Kira volume twelve after a fantastic final showdown and that demonstrated just how great the 'Death Note' saga actually is. However have you ever wondered what Ohba was trying to say by introducing one element or another? Perhaps you wondered what inspired the design of a certain character within 'Death Note'? Well, 'Death Note: How to Read' is the book to refer too. Indeed with the book's in-depth interview with 'Death Note' creator Tsugumi Ohba and, the artist who created the distinctively Gothic aesthetic, Takeshi Obata, an examination of the characters, chapter titles and having an unrivalled access to Ohba who sheds light on many of the complexities of the...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 18 Sep 2008]
Negima! #1
Comedy, Fan Service, Harem, High School, Romance
Preview: It’s that time of year again. Thousands of children graduating from school and moving on to see what life has in store. Although at this Welsh school, things are a bit different. With the ceremony over it’s time for the students to find out what fate has planned. And for our lucky protaganist he’s managed to bag himself a job as an English teach in Japan. Not too shabby for a 10 year old. Welcome to the life of Magister Negi Magi! or to you and me, Negima! Negima! Is the latest manga series from acclaimed manga-ka Ken Akamatsu (of Love Hina fame). It’s focused on Negi, the 10 year old wizard who has somehow ended up in Japan teaching to a class of cute Japanese School girls. Over the course of Volume 1 we follow Negi as he begins to adjust to...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 13 Sep 2008]
xxxHolic #9
Preview: CLAMP’s xxxHolic continues here, with the ninth instalment of the popular supernatural fantasy tale. Watanuki is now intrinsically linked to his perceived rival, Dômeki, via a shared right eye. It sometimes allows the latter to see what the former sees. More specifically, it happens when Watanuki sees spirits and visions. But when our protagonist is not seeing such things, he is usually working to pay off his debt to Yūko, or, he is spending time with the relentlessly cute Himawari. The first few chapters are all about dreams. It’s a new year in xxxHolic-land, and so everyone is talking about their first dreams of the new year, which are sometimes thought to be prophetic. But somehow, Watanuki manages to inadvertently...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 6 Sep 2008]
Death Note #12
Preview: 'Death Note' enters its twelfth, and final, volume as if it were a chess game nearing its own conclusion with everything in the balance. This volume pits the two geniuses against each other in a match that will decide the outcome for human morality. Perhaps the fate of the world in their hands. In many ways this volume is one of the greatest volumes of manga in the history of the genre. This is because, instead of the usual fare, it is a really challenging moral dilemma that is summarised nicely in the last exchange by Light and Near. 'Death Note' deserves this recognition because of this dilemma being posed throughout the whole series. Volume twelve is where the dilemma is summarised and is dealt with in a style only 'Death Note' could manage. This style is also why it is one of...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 4 Sep 2008]
Death Note #11
Preview: ‘Death Note’ enters its eleventh, and penultimate, volume of the chess like game being played out between Light and Near. In the world of ‘Death Note’ society believes Light, now the new L, and Near, the successor to the first L although this title is highly contested by Mello, are jousting for the position of the white king. However the reader, as well as Light and Near, knows that Near and Light are hard at battle on opposite sides of the chess board. This volume concentrates on how both protagonists are on the different sides of the chess board. One fighting for ‘justice’, the other fighting for ‘justice’. ‘Death Note’ is nearing its conclusion so consequently this volume is a stepping stone...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 31 Aug 2008]
Lupin III #1
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Gangster
Preview: Lupin III is one of the longest running anime franchises in Japan. Spanning over forty years with three TV series, yearly television specials and a series of feature films with Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki heading the highly regarded The Castle of Cagliostro. It revolves around Arsene Lupin III and his gang of thieves as they are pursued by the resourceful Inspector Zenigata who's goal in life if to throw Lupin behind bars. This is where it all began. For me as a fan of the Lupin III anime franchise I was interested in reading the manga to find out how the character started out and how he was presented all the way back in the sixties. I was surprised to see how drastically different Lupin was to the greedy yet likable thief I'm used to watching. Make no mistake about it, here...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 28 Aug 2008]
Yotsuba&! - Volumes 1 - 5
Preview: Yotsuba&! chronicles the life of Yotsuba Koiwai, a five year old girl that has just moved to a new neighbourhood with her father, who is simply called Mr Koiwai. We follow Yotsuba as she meets the neighbours, goes swimming, buys food and gets influenced by TV shows. Sounds a bit like Big Brother right? While a premise like that could have easily fallen flat, Kiyohiko Azuma (Creator of the widely popular manga, Azumanga Daioh) has moulded a character that turns these inane activities and non stories into a pure joy to read. Yotsuba has an almost unstoppable energy and carefree naivety that makes her stand out from other female manga and anime characters around the same age. I don't think I could name many that weren't depicted as being just shy little girls. Rather than shy away...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 24 Aug 2008]
xxxHolic - Volumes #7 and #8
Preview: When Watanuki opens Volume #7 with the line “It’s looking like good things will happen today!”, well, you just know he’s going to get into a spot of bother. Our protagonist Watanuki still works at the shop owned by the “Dimension Witch”, Yūko. She granted his wish way back in Volume #1, and working at the shop is his payment. This leaves High School student Watanuki with very little free time, but whenever possible he tries to get close to the impossibly cute Himawari. She’s blissfully ignorant of his feelings, though, and they are often joined by their classmate, the austere Dōmeki. So do good things happen to Watanuki in these volumes? Well, no, because losing the sight in one’s right eye is...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 27 Jul 2008]
Death Note #1
Preview: 'Death Note' (デスンート) is the story of Light Yagami and his quest to create a better and more just society for humanity than is being offered by Japanese society and those other societies around the world. So when he picks up a note book, The Death Note, he believes himself capable of instilling a perfect form of justice in which criminals cannot get away with their heinous crimes. In this volume the reader is presented with a story in which Light is getting used to the Death Note and the many functions it can, and cannot, perform. The reader is also introduced the context in which Light is actually living e.g. family, him being a bored student and also the amount of crimes being committed and not being 'dealt' with effectively. Death Note is an...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sun, 27 Jul 2008]
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE #8
Preview: The 8th volume of this fantasy story from CLAMP continues to follow Princess Sakura (of Cardcaptor Sakura fame) as she travels across multiple dimensions in search of her lost feathers. No ordinary feathers, however, they contain powerful magic and fragments of her own lost memories. It would be a lonely journey without travelling companions, and she is joined by her childhood friend Syaoran, strong warrior Kurogane, and playful Fai. Conveniently, we begin the volume with our heroes entering a new world. It’s a jungle world inhabited by large, talking, rabbits. But don’t get too comfortable because within three short and uninteresting chapters, the gang enter the jungle, find a feather, and then take off again. The standard Tsubasa formula...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 17 Jul 2008]
Claymore #3
Action, Horror, Supernatural, Thriller
Preview: ‘Claymore’ volume three is basically Yagi coming back into form. This volume begins to really unravel Claire’s past whilst simultaneously setting up her future. The conclusion to the long and drawn out story arc contained within ‘Darkness in Paradise’ ends also in good form with the last scene (seven scenes in all) really sealing Raki’s position on his feelings for Claire. The conclusion also leads nicely into the rest of this volume’s content contained within the four scene ‘Teresa of the Faint Smile’. ‘Teresa of the Faint Smile’ tells the story of how Claire is initially discovered before becoming a Claymore and it is very emotional and very good read. The story not only acknowledges the emotions behind...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 7 Jul 2008]
xxxHolic #4
Preview: Throughout the multitude of different worlds and dimensions, she is known by many names, such as ‘The Dimension Witch’ or ‘The Far Eastern Witch.’ But in this gothic fantasy story from CLAMP, she goes by the name Yūko Ichihara. She is a dimension-manipulating, wish-granting sorceress, dealing in all things supernatural from her esoteric shop in Tokyo. She will grant a wish for her customers, but she will take something in return. One such customer was Kimihiro Watanuki, who requested to be free from the spirits that were constantly following and troubling him. He got his wish; but in return, he has to work at Yūko’s shop. xxxHolic follows Watanuki and his job, and the many supernatural episodes that take place in...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 3 Jul 2008]
Claymore #2
Action, Horror, Supernatural, Thriller
Preview: Following on from the death of Elena and Raki becoming Claire’s cook they both travel to Rabona which is a holy city where there is a huge religious community. A Yoma is present here however holy and Claire, who herself is part Yoma and therefore unholy, must work undercover to expose and destroy the Yoma. Norihiro Yagi’s trump card here, to differentiate the plot from the same basic formula as volume one, is to disable Claire’s abilities to sense the Yoma facilitating a need to find the Yoma “the Old fashioned way”, i.e. by searching. In this sense Yagi creates a reasonably good foundation for chronicling the first five dark scenes of “Darkness in Paradise”. His ability to create a dark and repressive atmosphere is...
Score: 5 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 30 Jun 2008]
Nana - Volumes 1 & 2
Preview: Ai Yazawa’s seminal shojo (for girls) manga Nana tells the story of two young women on the cusp of life’s realities. While superficially polar-opposites in style and attitude both find one another through an act of fate and set out on their journey as a duo, united by not only by their name but also by a common desire to break free of prior circumstances and carve out a new life for themselves. Volume one dedicates itself to providing a detailed prologue of its two protagonists and their various associates. The first half considers Nana Komatsu, a slightly dippy girl-next-door type who is relentlessly cheery, prone to falling in love and is wholly dependent on her nearest and dearest. She’s later dubbed ‘Hachi’ by Nana O because of her puppy-like...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Thu, 26 Jun 2008]
Claymore #1
Action, Horror, Supernatural, Thriller
Preview: Norihiro Yagi’s ‘Claymore’ ( クレイモア ) is a dark and brooding story chronicling the journey of Claire, a Claymore (a half-breed of Human and Yoma), through her miserable job of destroying Yoma, devious creatures who morph into humans and proceed, resolutely, to start slowly feasting on a habitation’s population. This manga is a good springboard for Yagi to develop the reader’s understanding of the motivations of the empty Claire and whilst this emphasis is really this manga’s greatest strength; it's also its greatest weakness. Claire, the protagonist, is a ‘Strong and Silent’ type and Yagi does well to avoid spawning the same type of mistake that becomes of D in The...
Score: 7 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 24 Jun 2008]
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE - Volumes 4-5
Preview: In a place resembling Europe circa 1900, there lies a village named ‘Spirit.’ The children of the village are going missing without a trace, and terrified villagers swear it is the return of a 300 year old legend, concerning the child-snatching ‘Princess with the Locks of Gold.’ The four heroes of this time-and-dimension travelling fantasy saga, (Princess Sakura, the resolute Syaoran, amiable Fai and surly Kurogane) are warned not to go anywhere near the village. So what do they do? They head there as quickly as possible! But of course they must; if they are to have any hope of retrieving another of Sakura’s feathers (fragments of her memories and soul, capable of producing powerful and dangerous magic when placed in the wrong hands). Volume 4...
Score: 6 out of 10
[Reviewed: Sat, 21 Jun 2008]
MPD Psycho - Volumes 1 - 4
Crime, Drama, Psychological, Supernatural, Thriller
Preview: MPD Psycho’s protagonist Kazuhiko Amamiya and his multiple personality disorder – with one personality indeed being a bit of psycho – proves to be a blessing and curse for new readers. In one sense it opens the plot up to a new degree of sophistication and, perhaps more importantly, creates a unique sense of danger. Almost immediately we learn that our leading man is equally as capable of the horror committed by those he looks to stop. This alone sets MPD Psycho apart from many other supernatural thriller series and offers a tense, unpredictable drama unmatched by its peers. Eiji Otsuka, its writer, has become an acclaimed writer in the supernatural genre and his achievements here justify every bit of it. The curse of this complexity, of course, is that you...
Score: 9 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 19 May 2008]
Fairy Tail #1
Preview: Spanking new from Del Rey comes ‘Fairy Tale’, the eagerly anticipated new manga by Hiro Mashima ( www.delreymanga.com ) . Mashima is already known in the west as the mangaka of ‘Rave Master’ an extraordinary off-the-wall shonen fantasy adventure, crammed full of weird characters and just the right mix of comedy and danger. Getting such a volatile cocktail of manga ingredients right is a tricky matter and there have been countless series that have failed to pull it off (no names mentioned here!) However, having devoured the first volume, I’m delighted to report that ‘Fairy Tale’ is a fun read, genuinely funny, and brimming with promise for the adventures to come. It should be a winner, especially for fans of Eiichiro Oda’s classic pirate...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Mon, 12 May 2008]
The Enigma of Amigara Fault
Preview: Halloween is fast approaching and it’s time to indulge in some frightful Japanese horror. Sadly, it’s not a genre that translates well to anime and manga, but having recently discovered the abnormal works of manga-ka Junji Ito, there may well be hope for us yet. This time I’m talking about the claustrophobic “Enigma of Amigara Fault”; a remarkable 30-page short that has abducted my thoughts since falling victim to its spell last night. The ambiguous story begins as an earthquake scythes open the titular Amigara Fault; a gigantic rock riddled with human shaped caves. Nervous people from all over Japan are inexplicably drawn to the landmark, haunted by nightmares and convinced they have recognized individual caverns that perfectly match their own unique...
Score: 8 out of 10
[Reviewed: Tue, 30 Oct 2007]
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It's comically-huge swords aloft this time, as we discuss notable gal-game enthusiast (and occasional author) Kentarou Miura's..
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I have fond memories from way back in the heyday of the original Playstation. I remember popping the black-bottomed discs into Sony's little grey box and waiting for the fun to..
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@ Full Moon Volumes 1 & 2
David is a vampire; Marlo is half vampire, half werewolf. The young men have been close friends since childhood and in the two volumes of Sanami..
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