Yakitate!! Japan 23
Posted: June 7, 2010 Filed under: Yakitate!! Japan 5 Comments »Takashi Hashiguchi – Viz – 2010 – 26 volumes
I feel like I’m missing some story between this volume and the last, but that might just be because it opens with a bizarre nonsequitor story focusing on a side character from an earlier point in the series, then starts fresh with a new “worst scenario” conflict in the Yakitate 25 that I’m missing out on a little by not having read earlier volumes.
The story in the first chapter really is a gem, though. It’s about a little kid that won a “Shounen Monday” contest (apparently a spoiled rich brat that has appeared before) learning from Kuroyanagi how to be a taster. Kuroyanagi goes into great detail about the tests one must take to be a taster, which is actually pretty fascinating. The kid wants to give up since he thought being a taster was going to be easy, which triggers a dream sequence where the kid inhabits the land of quitters. In this land, the “What do you mean!?” kid is king. Then he snaps back to reality and decides to be a taster.
The above has nothing to do with the plot of the series, really, and is beautiful. The fact that I learned about those taster tests is just a bonus.
This round of the Yakitate 25, the opponent is Meister, Azuma’s mentor from Pantasia. Meister’s evil father is the one behind the contest, and apparently he is evil because he made himself bread that changed his personality. So both Meister and Azuma are attempting to make a bread that turns a bad person into a good one. The fight against Meister is a brutal blow, though.
The father’s dirty tactics include making a bread that is so delicious, you are forced to obey the person that made it. He gains control of the “What do you mean?!” kid this way. Why anybody would eat a loaf of bread that looks so much like a brain is beyond me, but there you go.
This volume is relatively serious and pun-free (compared to others), but still sneaks humor in wherever it can. When they learn the devastating secret behind the delicious mind control bread, it’s from a veterinarian they’ve taken the “What do you mean?!” kid to. Later, their manager shows up late to the tournament because “there was a misunderstanding” and he had to go to prison for a little bit. No futher explanation or comment is offered. Also, the other Yakitate 26 organizer is still a blow-up doll.
I’m just… I love this series. There are no words to describe its weirdness. There was more than I knew what to do with when I first started reading it, but now I find that I’m addicted to its “special” brand of humor. I need bad jokes and constant puns. I need the characters commenting on how crazy everythign is. I need bread that looks like a brain because the Japanese name is a bad pun. I need all this, and I’m going to go back and begin from the beginning. The thing is, I’m also only a few volumes from the end here, so I know things are way crazier and more insane in the earlier volumes. I know it’s way better, and I’ll be laughing myself silly if I do go back. I think I need a little of that right now, honestly.
This was a review copy provided by Viz.
Gentlemen’s Alliance † 7
Posted: June 6, 2010 Filed under: Gentlemen's Alliance † Leave a comment »Arina Tanemura – Viz – 2008 – 11 volumes
I hope you like drama, because that’s what you’re going to get here.
The first helping comes courtesy of Haine and Takanari. At this point in the story, we can pretty well expect that she’s going to have feelings for both of the twins. So there’s that. Both Haine and Takanari do something they shouldn’t, and Haine says something hurtful to stop him. Of course there’s lots of drama, and lots of making up, and everything is super shoujo happy. There’s not too much to say or analyze in this part, because… well, it could come straight from a shoujo textbook. It’s still great though, and in the context of the story, it makes for a very compelling read. Haine makes for a good heroine, which is good news for this story since it needs all the great characters it can get to make the story work.
Speaking of good characters, Mao-chan is spectacular. He doesn’t even have much of a role, but in order to get information out of Maguri at one point, he transforms into the Postman, then gets angry when Maguri is lovestruck. This was funny for all sorts of reasons I won’t explain for fear of spoiling things, but I love that the story is capable of jokes like this.
But the real meat of the volume was an Ushio story. The Ushio story. The one that’s been coming since the beginning of the series. Ushio is a bit of a martyr, a looming dark presence over the mostly happy characters in this series, and while I do like her, I knew it would be ugly when she finally confronted Haine about her feelings. This story lasts two chapters, and is carrying over into the next volume.
I like that this series manages to be good at both drama and shoujo fluff. The dark bits with Ushio and Takanari are very dark, but they don’t take away from the comedic portions, and even during the most depressing stories, most of the characters find time to crack a joke (while being approached by a strangely-dressed Maguri, Haine starts to worry since he’s the only student council member that hasn’t stolen a kiss from her). Again, it’s just an excellent example of shoujo manga, a series that does everything right and supports itself with great characters. I’m hoping to polish it off this week.
Kabuki 2
Posted: June 6, 2010 Filed under: Kabuki | Tags: BL Leave a comment »Yukari Hashida – June – 2009 – 5 volumes
I reviewed volumes 1-2 of this series over at Manga Recon, so you can check out my review over there.
I liked this an awful lot. I was impressed with how it sidestepped a lot of the usual plot devices, though there was a little too much whining for my taste. I’m definitely going to continue with future volumes.
St. Dragon Girl 7
Posted: June 6, 2010 Filed under: St. Dragon Girl 1 Comment »Natsumi Matsumoto – Viz – 2010 – 8 volumes
This story isn’t particularly strong, even considering the age group its targeted at, but I guess I’m just a sucker for shoujo stories like this. It’s got all the right pieces (cute romance, magic, pandas, fight scenes), and I enjoy its sense of humor well enough. I think I enjoyed this volume more than the others because it’s becoming clear that the series is climaxing.
One of the biggest improvements was Mao, a silly half-demon sorcerer who is after Momoka. Of course there’s the expected foot dragging about whether or not she’s really dating Ryuga, but Mao’s ardent pursuits, plus his nifty magic and the lengths he’s willing to go to in order to impress Momoka were pretty fun. The stories are still all one-shots, but I think having characters that stick around in the main storyline helps, too. I had forgotten how many people had come and gone through the volumes until I saw the couples amusement park date in the last chapter, featuring couples I’m sure I’m supposed to remember from the past stories. Sorry, guys. Mao’s sister is probably a little excessive as far as new characters go, but on the other hand she’s the one that kicks off the climax, and I do like her glasses that let you see the red thread of fate, so that’s all right.
There’s still lots of pandas, and most of the romantic interaction is still limited to Ryuga saying something to ruin the moment and Momoka booting him into the horizon, but it’s still fun considering what it is. Not fun enough for me to go back and pick up the volumes I missed, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to want to read the ending, so take that as you will. It’s a shame they make so many breast jokes, because otherwise this might be good for little girls, too. The pretty art would make it especially appealing.
This was a review copy provided by Viz.
V.B. Rose 8
Posted: June 6, 2010 Filed under: V. B. Rose 1 Comment »Banri Hidaka – Tokyopop – 2010 – 12 volumes
Oh man, I haven’t had a dose of girly this strong in a long time. The whole Ageha/Arisaka situation comes to a head here, and it is completely shameless as far as that goes. Shamelessly girly.
Two things happen in this volume. The above is the most major event, and most everything that follows is just reactions to it. But there’s also a detailed flashback about Kanna and her relationship with Arisaka. That flashback was of the type I’m not particularly fond of, where teenagers dwell on the sadness of their lives and decide things aren’t good for them (not that this is improbable, it’s just a little… you know, dramatic teens and all that). Kanna’s an interesting character, and making her so grumpy and antisocial is a great thing when you get a little more character development. She comes off as more of a straight man when you get behind her grumpiness, and it’s cute the way Tsuyu gets along with her so well. Ageha points out that Tsuyu merely ignores all her grumpiness, which is an idea I like a lot.
Maki and Kazuha put in an appearance. I almost didn’t recognize Maki, but he was also toned way down in this series. It’s almost heartbreaking seeing them here and knowing I won’t get to read the end of I Hate You More Than Anybody.
Hm. There’s still something a little shallow about V.B. Rose that keeps it separate from my true favorites, but when I’m blinded by girly when reading anything, I find I have to bow my head. Bravo, V.B. Rose, for being an awesome shoujo manga.
Children of the Sea 3
Posted: June 6, 2010 Filed under: Children of the Sea 3 Comments »Daisuke Igarashi – Viz – 2010 – 4+ volumes
You know, I like this series. I like it a lot. The art and atmosphere alone make it a great read. The mixture of sea and costal areas, the aquatic life constantly swarming around Umi and Sora, and the periodic creepy legends that creep into the narrative. All of that is good stuff, and I just can’t fault it. If nothing else, Children of the Sea does an excellent job of conveying its mystery and coming-of-age story through the medium of nature, and that’s just not something you see every day.
On the other hand, I’ve never been very good with intangible philosophy, which is what drives the plot. The characters often speak of the philosophy of life and creation, and I’m pretty sure that it has a deep, intrinsic meaning to the plot, but I’m just not getting it. I can follow what’s going on well enough, but every single bit of nuance is stripped from the storytelling by my lack of comprehension as to how discussions along the lines of likening conversation to whale songs and turning into ghosts that can be viewed by people from the future have to do with the plot. I can see it, since in that case, Anglaide is very much affected by what he sees in that flashback, but I want to assign meaning to all parts of it. The part about the whale song makes more sense later in the volume, and yet, I wish that things could be more straightforward. The characters are just talking in riddles when they explain things. Again, it’s not hard to pull meaning from in terms of the immediate conversation, but it’s frustrating to read, and I feel like I’m missing out on a big chunk of the story.
As far as ambition, art, and atmosphere goes, Children of the Sea is one of the best. But the plot progression always makes me hesitate when I’m going for a new volume. It’s beautiful, and I have a feeling that there are quite a few people who can appreciate it more than me. I’m going to continue reading, because it’s just so bizarre and I do love mythology… but it is a little frustrating.
This was a review copy provided by Viz.
Sand Chronicles 7
Posted: June 5, 2010 Filed under: Sand Chronicles 3 Comments »Hinako Ashihara – Viz – 2009 – 10 volumes
You know, I was kind of sick of Ann’s back and forth between the boys and the way she was just never happy, then someone in the comments pointed out that that was the whole point, and everything clicked.
It helps that this volume leaves that mess behind and advances the storyline to where volume one began things. Ann resolves to be happy, and sets about her adult life working as hard as she can and hoping Mr. Right will come along. He does. It’s not quite the storybook romance you’d expect from a shoujo manga, but he certainly seems like Mr. Right.
Meanwhile, all her friends are getting married, and time is marching on. She feels it keenly, and seems very lonely, but with her upcoming marriage, her thoughts keep drifting back to Daigo and Fuji. Fuji tells her that she was never as happy as she was with Daigo, so she resolves to go back and see him again, after all these years, to test that.
Maybe it’s just been too long since I was a teenager (I haven’t been out of my teens for very long at all, so I hope that’s not the case), but I had trouble relating to Ann’s back and forth. I’ve never really been one for doubts or “grass is greener” situations, though, so Ann’s my complete opposite in every way. That’s a shame, since I love the small town setting, and can relate to the whole friend-swapping romance thing. The fact that the series moves on and shines the appropriate light on all that, making it sound crazily desperate and just such a teen thing, is pretty amazing, and erases all my doubts about it. Ashihara really has captured something here, the perfect view of both teen life and young adult life, and while I’m not very sure where things are going after the end of this volume (a bad place indeed), I think this volume cements Sand Chronicle’s place as a classic.
I often compare it to We Were There. I liked We Were There better, but I think they’ve just switched places. We Were There has also advanced the storyline to adulthood, but hasn’t quite gotten around to shining the nostalgic light back on its teens, going for maximum drama instead. I do like where it’s going, but now that I see Sand Chronicle’s aim, I have a much higher opinion of it.
I enjoy reading it again, basically. It’s showing me viewpoints that I rarely see in shoujo manga, and is a much more mature flavor that what I’m used to. It’s got a lot to say, and while Ann isn’t easy for me to identify with, I can still appreciate everything it’s trying to say. I’m very curious to see where it goes from here.
Happy Boys 2
Posted: June 4, 2010 Filed under: Happy Boys 1 Comment »Makoto Tateno – DokiDoki – 2010 – 2 volumes
I covered this volume over at the weekly Manga Minis column at Manga Recon, so check it out over there.
I’m developing a Yoshinaga-like crush on Makoto Tateno. Happy Boys is the least of the series I’ve read by her, but for a manga adaptation of a really cheesy live action show, it’s still pretty good, and I wound up enjoying both volumes. I’ve also read Yellow and Angelic Runes. She has no less than 500 volumes available in English, so I think I’m going to start sampling a few others.
Kabuki 1
Posted: June 2, 2010 Filed under: Kabuki | Tags: BL Leave a comment »Yukari Hashida – June – 2009 – 5 volumes
Ooh, this was really good! The premise did sound interesting, but I’ve been burned before on this past life business, and it’s usually cheesed up for maximum effect. Basically, a pair of lovers from ancient Japan (apparently the warring states period) make a vow to always be together, and then the clock turns ahead to modern times. One of the lovers was a nobleman then and now, and when he wakes up, he is suffering health issues from his current mansion burning down and remembers nothing about his present life, only his past. In a well-played first story, he goes through several members of the Kageya family, all of whom he is sure are “his Kageya,” before settling on the right one. Then it turns into a story about him adjusting to modern life and the fact that he is flat broke and needs to get all his money back, shifting between the past and present lives, with a few random characters showing up in both.
It’s just the right amount of romantic, humorous, and compelling to keep me interesting. The interaction between Konosuke and Kageya has some strange Yoshinaga touches to it (pauses, rehashes, some composition similarities), which made me like it even more. THe “ancient man in modern Japan” story could get very silly and very old fast, but this handles it well and relatively realistically, with Konosuke appropriately freaked out and confused, but beginning to learn by the end of the volume. He’s younger than the present Kageya, so he’s still in high school, and other stories deal with him coming to terms with the horrible jerk he was before his past personality entered his present body. A later one-shot story deals with how the same thing happened to Kageya some time ago.
Good stuff. There’s one more volume out right now, which I’m picking up ASAP. I’ll be reviewing both together for the Manga Recon within the next couple days, and I’ll link it here when I’m finished.
Fushigi Yugi 3 (VizBig ed.)
Posted: June 2, 2010 Filed under: Fushigi Yugi 2 Comments »Yuu Watase – Viz – 2009 – 18 volumes (this omnibus is volumes 7-9)
Oh, Miaka. Oh, Tamahome. Unfortunately, the last couple chapters in the last volume here featured a lot of those two shouting for each other, so that’s what I’ve got ringing through my memory right now. I still don’t like either of them, and again, that’s a bit of a problem for my enjoyment of the series. But it would be a shame to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and there’s a lot of other stuff to like here. So I’m going to pretend that Miaka and Tamahome don’t exist, and I’m going to talk about everything else in these volumes.
I love how interconnected and well-developed the mythology is here. The Seriyuu celestial warriors are still being introduced one by one, and that does leave a lot of wildcards in the journey. The journey, in this case, is for the Suzaku warriors down to Genbu territory to retrieve an item that belonged to the former priestess of Genbu (poor Takiko). Ghosts of the Genbu warriors guard it, and there is another trial the Suzaku warriors have to face before they even get to the cave. The result of the latter challenge was the reason I stopped reading the series the first time, since… well, what reason did I have after that since it was Miaka and Tamahome’s show from there out? But the advantage is that most of the stuff after that is completely new to me, so now I’ve got stuff to look forward to.
There’s an awful lot of dark stuff going on here for a nice girls’ comic, too. Lots of murders, unpleasant sexual torture, manipulation, gore, and other things. Fushigi Yugi doesn’t pull any punches. On one hand, that’s a shame since it’s tone makes it more comfortable for an early teen set, but on the other hand, I’m an adult and love it when disturbing stuff like that enters a super-girly series like this.
In addition to Genbu’s trial, there are several challenges from Seriyuu, including Suboshi, Soi, and Ashitare. Soi’s first attack lands all the warriors on an island where they have to impersonate women or risk being chained up and used for “seed,” something I thought was pretty twisted. Nuriko gets an awful lot of character development in here, including some insight into why he cross-dresses and some maturation on his part as well. There’s also a lot of Yui, and she’s still hard to read since she’s been so thoroughly manipulated. There’s also some detail about the link between the book and the outside world, but I’m guessing we won’t find out too much about that until the very end.
Mostly, I enjoyed the strange Genbu scenes since I’d been reading Genbu Kaiden. Unfortunately, it’s been so long since I picked that series up that I couldn’t recognize or appreciate the characters in FY, but I still loved the link and that Watase decided to expand their story. It makes me more curious than ever about the ending of Genbu Kaiden. I maintain that is the better series, by far, but to be fair I believe it’s written in a magazine meant for an older audience.
FY is an undisputed classic of shoujo, and it’s hard not to like all its fantasy elements and wide variety of friends, enemies, mythology, and everything else that’s going on. On the other hand, it’s hard not to hate the main couple, and they figure largely in the story and events. But even they managed to make me sympathize with them a few times in these volumes (and with everything they go through, it would be scary if I didn’t). FY isn’t my favorite, but I am growing to appreciate it more and more.
