Lostphrack

Noragami, Vol. 4
by Adachitoka
Kodansha Comics, 200 pgs
Rating: Older Teen (16 +)

While Yato struggles with a possible cure for Hiyori’s half ayakashi problem, something’s rotten in the house of Bishamon. Adachitoka turns their eye to what being a shinki entails, the problems that can arise with them, and their relationships with the gods in Noragami, Vol. 4!

Noragami’s been something of a surprise. I didn’t think I’d like it, but over the course of the first three volumes it’s started to grow on me. There are still things about the series which rub me the wrong way and this volume highlights one of those things. A story focusing on the problems plaguing Bishamon and her house full of shinki is kicked off and it actually seems pretty intriguing and engaging. It’s nice to see Bishamon’s character and motives being explored more deeply, changing her from a stern, warrior God to a more caring figure who’s empathy and heart may ultimately prove to be her undoing, as it’s revealed that she has far more shinki in her service than previously shown. In fact, she has dozens. This leads to neglect, which leads to hurt feelings, bitterness and more, which ultimately cause her to be stung and develop wounds. Her refusal to upset or possibly cause her shinki any distress leads her to carrying this pain and suffering on in private, turning to drugs to help her manage it. Of course, this attitude is mirrored by her shinki, who refuse to talk to her about their problems, instead keeping them inside until they cause her problems and it just becomes a vicious self sustaining cycle. Factionalism occurs and beneath the perfect and placid surface of her house, there are plots and counter plots to remove other shinki from their positions, elevate others and to remove Bishamon from the picture altogether. While the core concept of this particular plot thread has a solid core, it’s also wrapped up in the myriad of rules that govern shinki/God relationships. Ablutions, blights, stings and more are all vital to the plot, but they also feel vaguely unnecessary. The mechanics end up feeling a little clunky and almost detract from the emotional underpinnings at times, rather than reinforcing them like they should.

Adachotika are quite the art team and this volume’s as solid as the other three. Something about the visuals and the emotional content of the series always leads me to think that the story is taking place in a perpetual twilight, despite things like school scenes and daytime events that would suggest otherwise. The artwork and the subject matter blend together nicely, but the mood can be almost oppressively sad at times. There are a few shots and sequences in this volume which really drive this concept home, like the haunting shot of a lonely cherry tree, or the large and empty hallways of Bishamon’s mansion. While Noragami, Vol. 4 is a little light on the action, when it comes it’s usually fast, intense and slick. Adachotika also does a nice job reinforcing the more horrific aspects of the story as well, with a suitably creepy teddy bear creature and a rather disturbing depiction of a spirit which become infected by an ayakashi.

It’s not my favorite series, but Noragami, Vol. 4 continues the series’ streak of be a surprisingly enjoyable one. The emotional issues it tackles and deals with feels real and unforced, even if the mechanics of the world often feel a bit forced at times.

Noragami, Vol. 4 are available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welcome to another midweek manga review! This week I’ll be looking Dream Fossil from Vertical Comics, but first, here are a few news items which caught my eye.

• Yesterday, Drawn & Quarterly announced plans to release a 7 volume collection of Shigeru Mizuki’s Kitaro stories! The series will include essays from the translator, Zack Davisson, who’s been handling most of D&Q’s Shigeru Mizuki’s releases.
• Viz announces the addition of three more titles to their digital library. The three series which were previously published in English by Tokyopop, are Welcome to the N.H.K., Metamo Kiss and AiON.
• Over at the Organization Anti-Social Geniuses, EiC Justin sat down with Kate the Manga Critic blog for a chat about manga and her return to the blogging scene.
• Comixology has added Marvel’s Free Comic Books Day offering, Secret Wars #0 to their offering of free digital comics. For those wondering why this is here, Secret Wars #0 also contains the Attack on Titan/Avenger crossover which was originally published in Japan’s Brutus magazine.
• Over at GoodReads, Kodansha Comics is running a giveaway for 10 copies of their upcoming release The Science of Attack on Titan. The contest end on June 30th, so head over their and enter while you can!
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for June 7th.

And now, onto the featured review of Dream Fossil!

Dream Fossil
by Satoshi Kon
Vertical Comics, 426 pgs
Rating: Not Rated

Dream Fossil is a collection of fifteen short stories from early in the career of Satoshi Kon, the acclaimed director of Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress and Paprika. Available in English for the first time, these stories from the 80s and 90s range the gamut from sci-fi to slice of life and provide an interesting glimpse into the earliest beginnings of one of anime’s most gifted creators.

Several of the stories within Dream Fossil are reminiscent and feel like first run drafts of ideas and situations that would later appear in his movies. It’s difficult to read “Joyful Bell,” a story about a man dressed as Santa Claus attempting to help a young girl get home and not think of Tokoy Godfathers, or “Beyond the Sun”, which depicts a elderly, bed-ridden woman’s hilarious day trip, and not compare it to Roujin Z, a movie Kon worked on. While some of the stories within this volume feel like first run attempts at ideas he’d more fully flesh out later in his career, there are others in areas I wouldn’t really expect to see from him. “Waira,” which involves samurai brothers embroiled in a battle of succession and the local legend which stalks them both, stands out as the only period piece in the volume and seems to lack the heart and emotional core that mark much of his other works.

The fact that this is some of Satoshi Kon’s earliest works is most evident in his artwork which bears the unmistakable look and feel of an 80s and 90s anime. More specifically, the characters’ faces, their manner of dress, their expressions and body language will undoubtedly remind readers of another Japanese artist, Katushiro Otomo. This isn’t a coincidence as Satoshi Kon spent several years working with Otomo as an assistant. The similarities between the two don’t stop at the external visuals either. “Toriko,” a story about a rebellious high schooler struggling against a brutal militaristic regime bears some strong surface similarities to Akira’s teen gangs and ruthless military, despite the fact that the details of the stories differ substantially. Speaking of “Toriko,” one of the most striking things about this volume is the reproduction value of several stories. Apparently the original artwork for “Toriko” and “Desert Dolphin” were lost, leading the Japanese publisher to reproduce them using the published editions. While I have no idea what kind of technical process is involved in such a thing, it’s hard not to notice that those two stories have a photocopied feel to them, something that’s hard to ignore when the majority of the book is so clean and clear. It’s certainly distracting, but hopefully it’s not enough to ruin the reader’s enjoyment of them.

Dream Fossil is a fascinating look at the early career of one of the anime industry’s most internationally successful directors. With several of the stories feeling like predecessors to his later work, it serves as an interesting glimpse into the beginnings of ideas and themes that he would bring to fruition elsewhere. Some are more enjoyable, clever and entertaining than others, but for fans of late Satoshi Kon, this seems like an unmissable volume.

Dream Fossil is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Fairy Tail, Vols. 43 – 48
by Hiro Mashima
Kodansha Comics
Rating: Teen (13 +)

The men and women of Fairy Tail face their greatest challenge to date, when a group of demons known as Tartaros enacts a plan to destroy all magic in the world! Can Natsu, Grey, Erza and the rest defeat these powerful new foes? And if so, at what cost? Hiro Mashima pulls out all the stops to deliver a non-stop action adventure tale in Fairy Tail, Vols. 43 – 48!

In the past, I’ve been rather lukewarm to Fairy Tail. I came on board with the Grand Magic Games arc and was less than impressed with it. Well, thankfully, it looks like Hiro Mashima corrected course with this Tartaros arc. The focus is much narrower, with the members of Fairy Tail taking the spotlight as they battle a group of incredibly powerful demons. Shrinking the cast down really allows for the story to flow and develop in a much more natural manner, and the dramatic beats and character moments generally don’t feel forced or shoehorned in, with a few rare exceptions. The battles are intense and they rarely let up. These six volumes practically fly by with nothing to drag them down. As a result the drama is constantly being ramped up and the battles grow in intensity reaching ludicrous levels by Fairy Tail, Vol. 48… and that final volume isn’t even the climax of the story arc!

While the focus on Fairy Tail really helps with some of the character building and development, the massive cast is still one of the series’ weak points. Much of this arc is dedicated to Natsu, Grey, Erza and Gajeel, but there’s about six or eight other supporting characters who also all get their own subplots, and that’s where the problems begin to arise. With a cast this large it can be hard to keep track of who’s doing what, who’s where and what their particular problem is, especially for those characters not in the big four or five. To further clutter up the field, early on there’s an subplot which is only tangentially unconnected to the main story. While there’s still room for it to return and play a roll in the climax, its inclusion and seeming abandonment felt a little weird. Likewise, some of the flashbacks for the supporting cast, and even for the main characters, feel awkward as well. There’s a flashback which expands on Gajeel and his relationship to an incredibly minor character who only appeared on a handful of pages, which pops up in the middle of a battle and feels horribly out of place. This is something that Mashima himself seemingly agrees with as he laments his inability to build it up properly in one of the notes from the author later on.

Hiro Mashima’s artwork has always been a little hit or miss with me, but here he does bang up job with the crazy action scenes and life or death struggles. His character designs still strike me as something of an acquired taste in places, but it’s to deny the visceral thrill or contagious excitement contained within the pages of these six volumes of Fairy Tail. One of the highlights is his backgrounds. A large chunk of the action in these volumes takes place in a weird floating fortress. When things start off it looks like a fairly solid castle, with the typical hallways, doors, turrets and more that you’d expect in a castle. Over the course of the arc it’s slowly but surely reduced to rubble, along with most of the casts clothing now that I think of it. It’s a small thing, but it’s appreciated and it helps lends a sense of weight and consequences to the epic battles.

I’ve been reading Fairy Tail for just under twenty volumes at this point, and I have to say that Fairy Tail, Vols. 43 – 48 are easily the best this series has been during that time. These volumes are full of shonen-y goodness, such as insane fight scenes, power ups driven by emotional and personal break throughs or realizations, and well placed heroic come backs paired with dramatic exposition explaining a characters motivation and driving force. Despite my quibbles, Hiro Mashima does a bang up job with the Tartaros arc and for the first time I can really see why this series is so popular.

Fairy Tail, Vols. 43 – 48 are available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copies provided by the publisher.

Welcome to the latest midweek manga review! This represents a return to the two review a week schedule that I maintain whenever possible. It’s been a rather slow news week, but here are a few pieces that caught my attention…

• Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi, the creators of Linebarrels of Iron and the recent Ultraman manga, will be attending SDCC! Viz will be releasing their Ultraman series later this year.
• Having just returned in April after a nearly one year hiatus, xxxHolic Rei is going on a one month break.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for May 31st.

And now, onto the featured review of My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 2!

My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 2
by Takuma Morishige
Vertical Comics, 176 pgs
Rating: Not Rated

More wacky hijinks as Yokoi tries to study and pay attention in class, only to be distracted time and time again by her classmate in the neighboring seat, Seki. Takuma Morishige’s delightful comedy series opens up and introduces us to new figures, classmates and some returning faces in My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 2!

My Neighbor Seki is quickly becoming my favorite comedy series. It manages to be funny without resorting to the cliched humor that plagues many other manga series. This volumes continues the wackiness of volume one, but expands upon it and takes it in new directions thanks to field trips, school chores and new characters like Yokoi’s would be friend Goto. The humor also expands beyond Seki’s insane desk top thanks to Takuma Morishige pulling the duo out of the classroom environment that dominated the first volume. Trips to the pool and a field trip mountain hike allow opportunities for Yokoi to grow as a character while allowing Seki’s antics to grow in scope and ambition. Yokoi’s bizarre relationship with Seki also proves fertile ground for misunderstandings as she becomes friends with Goto. Goto, a fellow classmate and wanna be friend of Yokoi’s, provides us with an outsiders view on Seki and Yokoi, while also giving Yokoi someone to interact with and talk to, allowing her to grow as a character and giving her something else to do beyond simply playing the straight man to Seki’s class clown… now she gets to be the cause of Goto’s misunderstanding!

Takuma Morishige does a lovely job at making the hilarity easy to follow. Whether it’s the overly complex and convoluted games of othello or shoji he plays, or the impossible card tricks, each scene is depicted simply and clearly, allowing for the ludicrousness of the situation to have it’s full impact. Seeing Seki making a toy bear climb a fellow classmate through a complex pulley system is made all the more silly by the mundanity of the classroom setting.

With my My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 2, Takuma Morishige’s comedy series continues to delight! It’s an easily accessible comedy series and is a refreshing, light hearted read with a sense of humor that seems universal and which doesn’t rely on tired cliches.

My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 2 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

A Silent Voice, Vol. 1
by Yoshitoki Oima
Kodansha Comics, 192 pgs
Rating: Teen (13 +)

Being a new transfer student is never easy, but for Shoko this is especially true to her deafness. Her lack of hearing quickly attracts the attention of Shoyo, a young boy who will do anything to keep himself entertained, including bullying Shoko relentlessly. I had heard some very good things about this series, but beyond the basic premise I really had no idea what to expect from it. What I got was a powerful and emotional tale about a bully and his victim. From Yoshitoki Oima comes the series that won her the “New Creator Prize” at the 19th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, A Silent Voice, Vol. 1

Make no mistake, while A Silent Voice, Vol. 1 is a very good read, it can get pretty rough at times. The bullying and the subsequent reactions to it from the students and the staff felt brutally honest and was difficult to sit though. Not because the acts where so shocking, but because of how real it all fault. The apathy and band wagon jumping, followed immediately by the throwing the instigator under the bus while claiming to be innocent. It’s stomach turning in just about every way. From Shoya’s initial bullying, to the class getting on board with it, to the ostracization that follows. Likewise the faculty’s responses are equally as apathetic and rage inducing. While it certainly presses a tone of emotional buttons, one of the most notable things about the first volume is that there are almost no likable or sympathetic characters in it! Shoya and his classmates are all fairly heartless bullies who stab each other in the back at the drop of a hat, meanwhile Shoko’s shown to be fairly passive, meek and lacking in personality throughout the book. There are one or two moments where she shows more character and personality, but those come fairly late in the volume, leaving one of the main characters as little more than a blank slate for much of the first volume. This is something that will undoubtedly change as the series goes on, but I did find myself wishing we were privy to her inner thoughts in the same way we were to Shoya’s.

Yoshitoki Oima’s visual fit the material and the story perfectly. There’s a little cartoonishness to them, something that seems really emphasized on the cover, but not enough to detract from the emotional weight of the story. The characters’ posture, body language, expressions and more are exaggerated just enough to heighten their impact and presence, but not enough to make it look goofy and silly. Slouches, disappointed looks, heartbreaking moments and more are all wonderfully rendered and heightened by Yoshitoki Oima’s lovely artwork. It serves to make the emotional beats that much more powerful and memorable, such as Shoya hiding the true state of the his social life from his mother, or when Shoya’s cheery facade finally cracks and we get a glimpse of the anger and frustration she’s quietly been carrying throughout the volume.

All in all, A Silent Voice, Vol. 1 has to be one of the better first volumes I’ve come across in the last year. It’s intriguing, it’s gripping, it’s real and is an emotional gut punch in places. If Yoshitoki Oima set the bar pretty high for this series with volume one, and if he can keep meeting and passing it, then this is going to be one incredible tale.

A Silent Voice, Vol. 1 will be available on May 26th from Kodansha Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welcome to another midweek-ish manga review! Today I’ll be taking a look at Cardfight!! Vanguard, Vol. 5 from Vertical Comics, my first taste of the series no less. First though, have a little news…

• Last weekend at Anime Central, Dark Horse announced a number of new licenses. Including RG Veda from CLAMP, Kentarou Miura’s Giganto Maxia and Kengo Hanazawa’s I Am a Hero among others.
• Speaking of I Am a Hero, Dark Horse Editor Carl Horn recently wrote about the series and revealed Dark Horse’s release plans for it.
• Seven Seas continues it’s seemingly endless licensing bonanza with Yoshihiko Inui’s Tomodachi x Monster.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for May 24th.

And now, onto the featured review of Cardfight!! Vanguard, Vol. 5!

Cardfight!! Vanguard, Vol. 5
by Akira Itou
Kodansha Comics, 196 pgs
Rating: Not Rated

From the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh! R and Bushiroad, comes Cardfight!! Vanguard, Vol. 5! Created as part of a multi-media franchise spanning CCG (collectable card game) series, video games and even a live action special, Cardfight!! Vanguard follows young Aichi Sendou as he enters the world of competitive card games! This volumes sees him wrapping up one duel, before taking on another challenge in the form of his friend and rival, Kai.

Aichi’s a talented Vanguard player, but he’s got something of an ace up his sleeve in the form of Psy-Qualia, an ability which allows him to see key moments of his matches before they occur. In this volume, we see him finish off a card battle with another Psy-Qualia user named Ren, but most of the volume is given over to Aichi’s match with Kai. While Aichi is clearly the main character of the series, this volume focuses so heavily on Kai that at times I forgot Aichi was the book’s lead. The two card fighters contrast heavily and this is noticeable right from the start. Aichi appears more upbeat and sports a more light hearted attitude, while Kai’s a quiet brooding figure, silently determined to win the match, despite his lack of Psy-Qualia. It seems Kai’s been on something of a losing streak and feels the need to test himself against his friend with enmity, Aichi. The ensuing battle is peppered with flashbacks which expands and explores the history between the two, while also detailing Kai’s own tragic past and the intense connection to Vanguard that he developed as a coping mechanism. The focus on Kai makes this volume feel like a pretty good jumping on point, and Akira Itou even includes a bonus chapter which further explores Kai’s history with Vanguard.

Unfortunately, for the most part, this volume just felt like an off brand Yu-Gi-Oh! Maybe that’s because Yu-Gi-Oh! is my primary exposure to the CCG genre, or maybe it’s because of Akira Itou’s involvement with Yu-Gi-Oh! has heavily influenced his designs sense, but everything about the visuals of Cardfight!! Vanguard left me thinking it was a Yu-Gi-Oh! knockoff. The designs aren’t quite as elaborate or memorable, but it’s hard to shake the feeling when the card hero and monster designs are so heavily reminiscent of that franchise in several places. The dragons, and even the heroic looking knights in Aichi’s deck, all remind me of characters and cards from that franchise. There were a few interesting and fun designs to be found, with my personal favorite being an adorable ninja-like dog who’s got a flappy scarf and even has a dagger and sheath!

Cardfight!! Vanguard, Vol. 5 provides a decent jumping on point for newcomers, despite the first 50 or so pages being dedicated to wrapping up a match in progress. This is thanks to it’s strong focus on Kai, complete with flashback’s showing his deep connection with Vanguard and Aichi. Coming in on the fifth volume of a series is never easy and doing so may skewed my perceptions of it, but ultimately I wasn’t terribly impressed with series. It’s light, it’s fun, but it’s also fairly bland and feels more than a little generic.

Cardfight Vanguard, Vol. 5 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Apologies for the delay with this week’s manga review. This week was nothing but finals and it threw me way off schedule. Hopefully I’ll be able to return to a twice a week schedule within the next two weeks! At any rate, this week I’ll be taking a look at The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vols. 2 + 3, but first some news…

• It was announced a few days ago that Kazuki Takahashi, the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh! will be appearing at this years San Diego ComiCon.
• The 39th Annual Kodansha Manga Award winners were announced earlier this week. Among the winners were several titles which are currently being released in the U.S., including Tsutomu Nihei’s Knights of Sidonia and Nakaba Suzuki’s The Seven Deadly Sins
• Viz announced plans to add several new series to their digital store. Among the announced titles were Kazuma Kondou’s Eureka Seven and Yuana Kazumi’s The Flower of Deep Sleep.
• Elsewhere on the digital front, Crunchyroll added Hiroya (Gantz) Oku’s Inuyashiki manga to their digital line up. The series will be getting a physical, U.S. release in August thanks to Kodansha Comics.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for May 24th.

And now, onto the featured review of The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vol. 2 + 3!

The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vols. 2 + 3
Story by Yoshiki Tanaka, Art by Hiromu Arakawa
Kodansha Comics
Rating: Teen (13 +)

Following a disastrous loss against Lusitanian invaders, young Prince Arslan finds himself on the run. Searching for a safe haven with his trusted alley, Daryun, the two make their way to the abode of an exiled member of Pars’s court. Meanwhile the Lusitianian army marches on Pars’s capital, Ecbatana, to claim victory once and for all. War, religion, equality, freedom and more all collide inThe Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vols. 2 + 3, as Hiromu Arakawa continues her adaption of Yoshiki Tanaka’s hit novel series!

With prominent themes of religion, slavery and leadership currently at the heart of the series, The Heroic Legend of Arslan certainly has a lot to offer, but in some cases the depiction of the characters seems to undercut whatever point it’s hoping to make. The lead priest of Yaldabaoth, for example, is so cartoonish and over the top that even Power Ranger villains are asking him to take it down a notch or two. The character is just such a caricature and has yet to show anything other than maniacal over the top religious fervor, that you’re forced to wonder how he ever got to the position of power he’s in? The series is really at it’s best when it’s exploring these ideas and concepts by showing the repercussions of religious extremism and the political power plays taking place. Watching the slaves of Ecbatana plotting against their clueless masters, only to realize that they’ve traded one yoke for another, or the scenes of the invading Lusitanian forces desecrating and destroying Pars’ cultural heritage are wonderful examples of the actual cost of the war, something that’s often overlooked in other fantasy series with similar settings. The destruction of Pars’ books and statues is surprisingly timely as well as it echoes the recent footage of ISIS destroying books, statues and pairings that were part of Iraq’s cultural heritage.

Despite some of the cartoon-y villains, I have to admit that I’m growing rather fond of Arslan himself, not to mention his little entourage which grows over the course of these two volumes. It’s interesting to see how he and others are hanging their hopes on the very qualities that Arslan’s father saw as weak in volume one. His compassion, desire to help others, sense of fairness are clearly what Daryun and Narsus hope will provide a rallying point to unite the currently fractured kingdom. The two new figures who are introduced to us, including a warrior nun named Farangis and the roguish Gieve, seem like they could add some much needed color and life to Arslan’s party, but at this point they both still feel like wildcards.

Hiromu Arakawa’s visuals are simple and clean. For the most part the action scenes here are well done and fast paced, though they lack the intricacy and elaborateness that I tend to fall for in fights. On occasion Hirmou Arakawa slows down the pace, showing off the impressive speed and technique of certain characters in a blow by blow manner. Usually though, the fights feel like quick affairs, with a flurry of speed and motion lines indicating strike and counter strike rather than a detailed decompressed rendering of each move. While she employs several different body and face shapes to help convey personality and add a little variety to character designs, I can’t but think that there’s just something lacking in the character designs. Every design looks and feels stripped down and bare bones. There’s almost a blandness and generic quality about the clothes, armor and hair styles present throughout the books. There’s not doubt that Hiromu Arakawa’s a good visual story teller and a good artist, but in the visuals department The Heroic Legend of Arslan just feels like it’s lacking that spark to really make it stand out and grab readers attention.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vols. 2 + 3 present a solid and enjoyable read, but one that just feels like something’s missing. Maybe it’s the lack of flash about Hiromu Arakawa’s visuals, or maybe it’s how the entire tale, no matter how good, feels a bit cliched? A prince struggling to unite his kingdom and overthrow oppressive invaders isn’t exactly new or innovative. Either way, there’s just something about this that keeps it from being fantastic and relegates it to just being pretty good. Hopefully, as the series continues, things will pick up and unexpected twists and turns will help it to develop into something a bit more unique.

The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Vols. 2 + 3 are available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copies provided by the publisher.

Time for another midweek manga review! This week I’ll be taking a look at Mitsuhisa Kuji’s Wolfsmund, Vol. 6 from Vertical Comics, but first some news…

• These slipped by me last week, but Seven Seas has licensed Wataru Karasuma’s Not Lives and Katuhisa Kigitsu’s Franken Fan
• If you’re going to NYCC than you’ve hit the jackpot! Earlier this week Viz announced that Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto will be appearing at the convention!
• DMP’s Kickstarter for Osamu Tezuka’s Clockwork Apple has managed to hit it’s third stretch goal, meaning that Swallowing the Earth will be getting a new printing.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for May 10th.

And now, onto the featured review of Wolfsmund, Vol. 6!

Wolfsmund, Vol. 6
by Mitsuhisa Kuji
Vertical Comics, 176 pp
Rating: 16 +

Set in the 1300s, Mitsuhisa Kuji’s Wolfsmund is the retelling of the William Tell legend and the Swiss people’s battle for independence from Hapsburg rule. Specifically it focuses in on the castle guarding a mountain pass known as the Wolfsmund, ruled by the cruel and sadistic Wolfram. For six volumes he’s stood in the way of all those who would pass through his gates and has taken life after life, until now. Walter, the son of the Swiss folk hero William Tell, faces off against Wolfram in the dungeons beneath Wolfsmund as the united Swiss forces lay siege to the castle..

This is my first experience with this series and it doesn’t disappoint. The book opens with a fantasic knife fight which ultimately leads to the defeat and rather brutal and grizzly demise of who I understand to be the series primary antagonist for the previous five volumes. It’s a shocking turn to be sure and not just because of the way in which he’s finally dispatched (hint: the back cover quote is fairly literal), but because it then leads to a lengthy look at the general Swiss uprising, showing them celebrating their first victory before they begin sweeping into other castles and areas ruled by Hapsburgs. While this volume feels more like the capstone to a story arc, the events within were horrifying and intriguing enough to keep me reading despite not really knowing what was going on.

Mitsuhisa Kuji was apparently one of Kentaro Mimura’s assistants on Berserk and it’s easy to see why! She does an amazing job at handling the large battle scenes, making them both coherent and exciting to watch. The clearness of what’s going on and the different tactics used by each side, however brief they may be in this volume, is a thrill and has me wanting to see more of these from her. If that wasn’t enough, the one-on-one confrontation between Walter and Wolfram is every bit as much fun and clear without sacrificing excitement or intensity in the process. Mitsuhisa Kuji’s style employs quite a bit of thatching which is something I’m always fond of and her designs are clean and full of straight lines and angles which makes me think more of Western comics than manga. It’s really lovely and quite different from much of what’s coming out in the U.S. at the moments and I like that a lot. The backgrounds, clothing and more all look fantastic and do an amazing job at conveying the era Wolfsmund is set in, they help immerse you in the world of the story.

Wolfsmund, Vol. 6 is clearly a bad jumping on point, but that doesn’t obscure the fact that I’ve been missing out on what seems like a rather bleak and beautifully put together series. Between the gorgeous art and the meticulously detailed action scenes I’m really left wondering why I’ve slept on the series so long before now? While the violence and gore may turn off some folks, those that brave will find a rather intriguing series about a turbulent time in European history that looks absolutely fantastic.

Wolfsmund, Vol. 6 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welcome to yet another midweek manga review! This week I’ll be taking a look at Kodansha’s Your Lie in April, Vol. 1, but first some news…

• Seven Seas has announced that they’ll be releasing Ichigo Takano’s Orange.
• DMP’s Clockwork Apple Kickstarter has reached it’s first two stretch goals! Thanks to the first stretch goal, DMP will releasing a print copy of Brave Dan, and with the second stretch goal they’ll be reprinting Barbara as well.
• Speaking of manga Kickstarter campaigns, Shuzo Noguchi and Awesome Japan have launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance the completion and translation of his manga, The Reconds of Genshu.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for May 3rd.

And now, onto the featured review of Your Lie in April, Vol. 1!

Your Lie in April, Vol. 1
by Naoshi Arakawa
Kodansha Comics, 224 pp
Rating: Teen (13 +)

Driven by his mother’s desire for success, young Kosei Arima was well on his way to becoming one of the most talented pianists in Japan until tragedy struck. His ill mother took a turn for the worst and passed away. The resulting trauma drove Kosei from the piano. Now, years later his world is empty and devoid of joy, or at least it was until an encounter with Kaori Miyazono, a violinist who will change his life forever. From Naoshi Arakawa comes the winner of the 37th Annual Kodansha Awards Best Shonen series, Your Lie in April, Vol. 1.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this as the buzz surrounding the anime adaption managed to slip by me completely unnoticed. What I found was a surprisingly soft and touching tale about a traumatized prodigy rediscovering his love for his specific area of talent. The characters are engaging and Kosei’s particular trauma rings true and tragic. His fascination with Kaori Miyazono is based heavily on her ability to enjoy and play music for the sheer joy of playing music, something that was never really present in his life as we see in flashbacks to his tutelage under a rather stern and unforgiving mother who’s hell bent on living vicariously through her child. Along for the ride is Kosei’s friends from school, the athletic and womanizing Watari and the tomboyish Tsubaka.

One of the interesting things about this is how heavily involved it is with the music. References to specific songs, pieces and interpretations abound throughout this volume. This leads to some interesting scenes and sequences where Naoshi Arakawa is forced to convey the sounds through a solely visual medium. As a result Naoshi Arakawa attempts to convey the sounds and emotions of the music through the panel layouts, two page spreads, body language and reactions of the audiences and observers. Along the way there are scattered notes about the pieces of music featured, with some background information, historical context and similar bits of information about them. They even include specific Youtube search terms to look for official videos of the pieces that Kodansha Japan seems to have posted. Sadly when I tried using the suggested English search terms nothing specific came up and instead I just got a list of videos of the anime’s OST.

If I had any real complaints about the first volume, it’d be the occasional dip into comedic over reactions. They don’t happen all time, but they’re frequent enough for them stick out like a sore thumb. I know this is just part and parcel of the whole shonen manga thing, but they really break the tone and take me out of the story when they pop up. Hopefully, as the series goes on, Naoshi Arakawa will rein them in a bit.

Your Lie in April is off to an intriguing start. The focus on emotions and relationships is wonderfully handled and watching Naoshi Arakawa attempt to convey the musical pieces through his artwork is fascinating to watch. I’m curious to see how Kosei Arima’s relationships with Kaori Miyazono and with music grows. All in all Your Lie in April, Vol. 1 was a wonderful surprise and one that fans of character driven relationship dramas would do well to check out!

You Lie in April, Vol. 1 is available now from Kodansha Comics.

Sorry for the slight delay, as the end of the semester nears things have been a little hectic and I fell a bit behind schedule. Still, better late than never! So before we get to today’s review, have some news!

• With SDCC mere month away, the 2015 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards have released their list of nominees. While most of the manga series appear in the “Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia” category, Massive Gay Erotic Manga and the Men Who Make It and Hello Kitty, Hello 40: A Celebration in 40 Stories have received nomination nods in other categories.
• After a nine month hiatus, CLAMP’s xxxHolic Rei returns to Weekly Young Magazine next week!
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for May 3rd.

And now, onto the featured review of All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 3!

All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 3
by Sho Hidaka
DMP/Emanga.com, 212 pp
Rating: Teen (13 +)

After three bizarre volumes, Sho Hidaka’s comedy series,All-Purpose Chemistry Club comes to an end! Before it’s climax though, Ipponsugi, Akiyama, Boss and the rest of the gang must contend with talking eggs, relationship problems, health crisis and more!

With it’s third and final volume, All-Purpose Chemistry Club proves its dedication to the art of being nonsensical. Its commitment to a lack of plot and character development is on full display here, as Ipponsugi and the rest of the gang rocket from one barely coherent adventure to another. Encounters with sleepers who magically modify the world around them, giant snakes and more bizarreness from Boss blur together in an avalanche of gags and overreactions. In the end, nothing really happens. Ipponsugi’s relationship with Akiyama is essentially unchanged, the club’s friendly rivals are still friendly rivals, there’s no explanation for whatever Boss is, and readers will be left scratching their head as they wonder what they just read. As with the previous two volumes, there are some bright spots. A few of the gags are funny and Sho Hidaka’s penchant to throw everything at the wall does result in a few chuckles, but outside of those scattered moments this final volume is just as messy and forgettable as the previous two.

The artwork follows suit, as clear visual story telling is nonexistent within these pages. Characters often look alike and it’s easy to become confused about who’s who. Toning patterns are splattered across the page, along with hyperactive overreactions which often distort and contort some already questionable anatomy. Speed lines and jagged edges abound as characters flip tables amid pages cluttered with voice bubbles and panels flow in some really odd directions, requiring arrows and word bubbles labeled with the letters of character names to help identify who’s talking to whom.

Getting to the end of All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 3 is less of an enjoyable moment and more like an achievement in endurance. While Japanese comedy has always been a bit hit or miss with me, rarely has it felt quite as much like a chore as it has with this series. The cluttered artwork, non-stop visual gags, similar looking characters and commitment to a lack of any kind of narrative makes for a forgettable and messy read.

All Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 3 is available now from Digital Manga Publishing and Emanga.com. Digital review copy provided by the publisher.

Attack on Titan, Vol. 15
by Hajime Isayama
Kodansha Comics, 192 pp
Rating: Teen (16 +)

Political maneuvering and plotting dominate Hajime Isayam’s Attack on Titan, Vol. 15, as the Survey Corps find themselves branded as outlaws and rebels. Being hunted down by the rest of the military and the enigmatic and deadly Interior MPs, the group is struggles to find a way out of the corner they’ve been painted into. Meanwhile Eren and Krista find themselves at the mercy of their kidnappers who promise to pull the curtain back on some of series longest running mysteries!

After last volume’s insane chase and shootout, Hajime Isayama tones it down a bit as he shifts the focus onto the political machinations that have been going on in the background. Erwin, Levi and the rest are all forced to plot and counterplot against the unseen human foe pulling the government and the royal families strings. It’s a nice chance to catch our breath and it allows for the first introduction of the 4th estate, the press, into the series, but at the same time the endless plotting and theoretical debates that make up much of the volume dragged down and dampened any momentum the series had from the last volume. Yes, the plot moves forward and there’s the promise of major revelation in the next volume, but all the talking heads here just felt like a bit of a let down. On the upside, it did all help to reinforce the overarching themes and ideas that Isayama’s been peppering the series with since it’s inception, so it was nice to see those addressed and brought into focus once again, but I wish he had achieved a slightly better balance for this volume.

With a marked decrease in the fighting this volume, Hajime Isayama’s explosive action scenes are almost completely absent. Attack on Titan’s foray into human vs. human situations for the last few volumes may have left some folks starving for Titan scenes and it’s certainly something I hope we see the return of soon. Still, Isamya manages to work in a few interesting visual moments in this volume and it seems like his skills continue to improve over time. There’s a lack of the stiffness that marked his non-action poses from the earlier volumes, likewise his anatomy seems to be on the upswing and I didn’t find myself wondering over the length of some peoples limbs as I have in the past. His faces continue to be packed with intense emotions which make every philosophical discussion or debate feel like the most important conversation ever.

Attack on Titan, Vol. 15 is full of politicking and plotting as the various machinations of Erwin and the other commanders finally come to a head. The volume represents a massive shift in the status quo for the world that Hajime Isayama has created, but whether it’s for the better remains to be seen. The next volume would seem to promise even more world shattering revelations, which shows one of the things that’s made this series so damn good in the first place. Cliffhangers that leave you desperate for the next volume!

Attack on Titan, Vol. 15 is available now from Kodansha Comics.

And we’re back… again. Sorry about the surprise skip day on Monday. Delayed con crud hit me hard and left me reeling. Hopefully now things will be back on track though! This week I’ll be taking a look at Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13 from Vertical Comics, but first… an anemic looking news section!

• DMP’s Kickstarter for Osamu Tezuka’s Clockwork Apple has already met it’s goal! If the Kickstarter can meet it’s first stretch goal they’ll also publish Brave Dan for the first time in Englsh.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for April 19th.

And now, onto the featured review of Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13!

Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13
By Tsutomu Nihei
Vertical Comics, 192 pp
Rating: Teen (13 +)

As Nagate and the hybrid, Tsumugi, take part in a dangerous attempt to harness energy from a nearby sun, the Sidonia faces threats from ever nearing Gauna cluster ship and treachery from within as an old enemy makes his return. Tsutomu Nihei’s bizarre sci-fi, mecha, harem mash up series continues with Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13!

One of things that drew me to Nihei originally was his penchant for absolutely stunning vistas and completely insane action sequences. Knights of Sidonia has quite a bit of each, but it has also exposed me to a completely different side of him I hadn’t encountered before by exposing me to his sense of humor. The whole series has been peppered with some really wonderful slapstick moments courtesy of the abuse he heaps upon Nagate, but this volume really gives him a chance to show off his sense of the absurd when Nagate declares his love to Tsumugi, a massive techno-organic sentient garde unit developed by Kunato earlier in the series. The juxtaposition of the two figures and Tsumugi’s lovestruck teen girl act just highlights the silliness of the situation, but at the same time Nihei allows Nagate and the rest of the crew to approach this relationship like any other, giving it an awkward tenderness that feels genuine despite the fact that it involves a giant gauna hybrid.

Nihei’s visuals have always been one of his high points, but the shift in style that’s occurred as the series has progressed still isn’t clicking with me. It’s a little rougher around the edges with a slightly more organic feel to it, which makes for some nice looking gaunas and hybrids, but I feel like the hard straight edges that helped define the Sidonia and it’s grade units suffer under this new style.

With much of the volume taken up by the burgeoning romance between Nagate and Tsumugi, Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13 really feels like the calm before the storm. This is especially true given the last 12 or so pages which promises a very eventful next volume! With it’s weird mixture of hard sci-fi, harem comedy and mechs elements, Tsutomu Nihei’s Knights of Sidonia continues to be an intriguing and enjoyable read.

Knights of Sidonia, Vol. 13 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

And we’re back! After a small break for Anime Boston we’ll now be returning the regular two review a week schedule. Sorry about the small delay! Today I’ll be taking a look at Manga Dogs, Vol. 1 – 3 from Kodansha, but first, some news!

• Coming out of Anime Boston was a bevy of licensing announcements from Kodansha Comics. Among the new titles announced were Ninja Slayer Kills, Junji Ito’s Cat Diaries, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth P3, Shad ow of the Labyrinth P4 and Devil Survivor. Other highlights include plans to release a special editions version of Attack on Titan, Vol. 16 with playing cards and a slip cover from an unrevealed American comics artist.
• Anime Boston wasn’t the only convention occurring this weekend though! Over at Sakura-Con, Yen Press made several license announcements of their own! Among the titles they announced were Yowamushi Pedal, Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun, Dragon’s Rioting, Aldnoah.Zero Season One and Sakura no Himegoto. They also rolled out a number of new digital titles as well.
• Elsewhere, DMP launched another Osamu Tezuka Kickstarter. This time around they’re hoping to raise funding for Clockwork Apple, an anthology of eight short stories.
• Meanwhile, Viz announced plans to release Grenadier and Red Hot Chili Samurai digitally. Both titles were previously published in the U.S. by Tokyopop.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for April 12th.

With that out of the way, it’s onto the featured review of Manga Dogs, Vols. 1 – 3!

Manga Dogs, Vols. 1 – 3
by Ema Toyama
Kodansha Comics
Rating: Older Teen (16 +)

At just 15, Kanna Tezuka has taken her first steps on the path to manga stardom! With her series, “Teach Me Buddha” being published she’s eager to work on her manga and jumps at the chance to join her school’s new manga program. Unfortunately her hopes for a decent learning environment and the chance to get some work done are dashed as Kanna soon finds herself stuck with three wannabe manga artists with their heads firmly in the clouds. Wackiness ensues in Manga Dogs, the latest series from Ema Toyama, the creator of Missions of Love!

Despite the harem-y set up there’s not a whole lot of love, romance or romantic comedy occurring in Manga Dogs. Instead, Ema Toyama uses the set up to give us a series of short, gag focused chapters as Kanna struggles to get her manga done despite the constant presence of her three wannabe, pretty boy classmates known as the Manga dogs; Fumio Akatsuka, Fujio Fuji and Shota Ishinomori. As you may have noticed, nearly everyone in the series is named after an established manga creator and the constant references to the manga industry don’t stop there. References to magazines, series, other creators, bits of manga history and more are peppered throughout the series, hidden amongst the goofy adventures of Kanna and company. Thankfully you don’t need to be an expert to grasp them all, as Kodansha included some fairly extensive notes and annotations in the gutters to help clarify things for those readers who aren’t in danger of being found crushed to death beneath their piles of Japanese comics.

This is my first encounter with an Ema Toyama series and while I’m not exactly blown away by it, I wasn’t offended either. It can be a bit slow at times and the promises held by it’s manga industry references and hook are never really used beyond adding some brief tension and leading into some silly gags. For example, we discover that Kanna’s series, a romance series about a girl who ends up in a school populated by the Buddha statues of Japan, was suggested by her editor and that it’s constantly in peril of being canceled. Despite this the editor refuses to allow her to change the premise, insisting that teenaged girls will love the educational hook and editorial asides. Likewise brief glimpses into things like manga contests are rarely used to show or explore the actual experience and are instead use to highlight the lofty ambitions of the Manga Dogs versus the actual effort they’re willing to expend in getting there. At times this hit a little close to home and reminded me of my younger years and my pipe dream of entering into the American comics industry despite my utter lack of artistic talent, but at the same time I’m far enough removed that I was able to enjoy, relate and laugh at myself and the Dogs throughout the volume.

Most of the comedy comes through the text and the situations rather than the visuals, though at times Ema Toyama does dip into some sight gags here and there. Things like a field trip to Comiket as the Manga Dogs discover the interests of fujoshi springs to mind, but by and large the art is serviceable but not terribly memorable to stand out. The characters adhere to various cliches, most notably with the Manga Dogs falling into some fairly typical archetypes (Shota Ishinomori is an example of.. well.. a shota cliche). The visuals reflect this nicely, but they just lack that something extra to really make them pop. Generally her style looks and feels like your fairly typical shojo style and it rarely deviates from that in any way. So while it suites the material just fine, it doesn’t really jump at you or stick with you.

Manga Dogs, Vols. 1 – 3 is a fun, little series. Ema Toyama’s decision to avoid romantic entanglements and instead focus on misplaced passions for manga and pipe dreams leads to some funny moments, but folks hoping to get an inside look at the manga business or creation will be disappointed.

Manga Dogs, Vols. 1 – 3 are available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copies provided by the publisher.

Blade of the Immortal, Hiroaki Samura’s samurai tale, reaches the end of its long run this week with the publication of Volume 31. Dark Horse began publishing the series in 1996, at a time when manga was not only flipped but chopped into single-issue comics. The world has changed a lot since then, and so […]

Before we get to this Monday’s manga review, a quick programming note. Due to a combination of classes, homework and Anime Boston occurring this weekend I’ll be skipping the next two reviews. So, there will be no new review this Thursday, April 2nd, and there will be no new review a week from now on April 6th either.

Thank you, now onto this week’s manga Monday review!

Prophecy, Vol. 3
By Tetsuya Tsutsui
Vertical Comics, 210 pp
Rating: Not Rated

As Erika Yoshino and the rest of the Anti Cyber Crimes Division close in on them, the four members of Paperboy gather as they attempt to assassinate Shitaragi, a member of the Japanese Diet. As their year long plan nears its climax, their motivations slowly become clear. Tetsuya Tsutsui guides his cyber crime thriller to a finale full of twists and turns in Prophecy, Vol. 3!

While I did miss the opening chapter of the series, Prophecy, Vol. 2 proved to be a compelling and engaging mystery involving a group known as Paperboy engaging in vigilante activities through the internet. Given the rise of online activist groups, “hacktivism” and anonymous communities, the premise was bound to strike a cord with the modern manga reading audience. While much of this continues, Tetsuya Tsutsui provides plenty of surprises as the story takes a rather unexpected turn in its final acts. Well, unexpected to me at least, perhaps the motivations and ultimate goals were more strongly hinted at in the first volume, but based upon volume two, it really felt like it came out of nowhere. The previous aspects of the social commentary fall away as the series takes a more personal approach to the story and the characters, shedding light on their actions and their reasoning. On one hand it rings true. The personal details revealed do, on a certain level, explain why they would take some of the actions they’ve taken. Given how we’ve been told how clever and resourceful the members of Paperboy are supposed to be, you’d think they’d have come up with a better plan than this.

Regardless of the head scratching climax, Prophecy, Vol. 3 is still a nice looking book. Tetsuya Tsutsui does a wonderful job with the artwork and there are some fantastic visual moments throughout the volume. The characters and the setting are appropriately contemporary and he does a nice job depicting the alleys and abandoned military bases that the story occupies. His use of body language with Nobita, a member of Paperboy, has been especially nice throughout the series. One glance at the character and it’s clear how uneasy, tense and awkward he feels. Likewise during a meeting with his friends, the guilt is spelled out so clearly upon his face that watching him attempt to evade questioning is almost painful.

While there are still some elements of social commentary spread through the final volume, Prophecy, Vol. 3 really feels like it’s shifting the focus from larger social issues to smaller and more personal ones. While it does still touch upon things like corruption and exploitation of workers, they often feel like more background trappings as the actual motivations are revealed and relationships are expanded upon. The ultimately resolution left me feeling a bit confused as Paperboy’s plan seems to be very poorly thought out in the end. Still, it was a short and enjoyable thriller which touched upon larger issues, which is a lovely change of pace from the fantasy that permeates America’s manga landscape. As a result, even though I was a little disappointed with the climax, Tetsuya Tsutsui’s Prophecy was an enjoyable breath of fresh of air!

Prophecy, Vol. 3 will be available on March 31st from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Emerald City Comic Con is under way this weekend in Seattle, WA; and per usual, Dark Horse announced a slew of new projects – ten to be exact – heading our way later this year. Some are horror (including a series co-written by Joe R. Lansdale and Mark Miller), some are sci-fi, and some are for the younger set. There’s even a new Barb Wire tale ahead!

We’ve included them all here with the most Dread-worthy grouped together at the top.

The Steam Man #1
Mark Miller (W)
Joe R. Lansdale (W)
Piotr Kowalski (A)
On Sale in October
The Old West (but not as we know it): Giant robots that run on steam power are created to take down invading Martians and armies of killer albino apes in an all-out brawl. The Steam Man, a giant metal man operated by a team of monster hunters, seems to have the town protected and the West under control, until a crazed and powerful vampire comes to town to bring forth the apocalypse.

Death Head #1
Zack Keller, Nick Keller (W)
Joanna Estep (A)
On Sale in July
When Niles and Justine Burton go camping to get a break from their stressful lives, they expect to find peace… not an abandoned village hiding an ancient evil. In a turn of events ripped straight from a horror movie, a brutal killer wearing a plague doctor’s mask begins hunting Niles, Justine, and their two kids. Who is the Plague Doctor? What does he want? And how will the family survive?

Negative Space #1
Ryan K. Lindsay (W)
Owen Gieni (A)
On Sale in July
When one man’s writer’s block gets in the way of his suicide note, he goes for a walk to clear his head and soon uncovers a century-old conspiracy dedicated to creating and mining the worst lows of human desperation. A corporation has manipulated his life purely so they can farm his suicide note as a sadness artifact that will be packed and shipped to ancient underwater creatures who feed off our strongest and most base emotions. Our hero partners with a cult intent on exposing the corporation, and only a suicide mission can solve the whole mess.

King Tiger #1
Randy Stradley (W)
Doug Wheatley (A)
On Sale in August
Blood, death, and fire—the darkest kind of magic. A monstrous secret from King Tiger’s past has found the mystic warrior, but can Tiger’s skills and sorcery triumph against an unthinkable supernatural obscenity linked to his own destiny? If the Tiger falls, the Dragon will rise!

The Tomorrows #1
Curt Pires (W)
Jason Copland (A)
On Sale in July
A bold new speculative-fiction comic from the mind of writer Curt Pires, each issue illustrated by a different brilliant artist!

The future: art is illegal. Everything everyone ever posted online has been weaponized against them. The reign of the Corporation is quickly becoming as absolute as it is brutal—unless the Tomorrows can stop it. They told you the counterculture was dead. They were wrong. Welcome to the new reality.

Adam.3 #1
Scott Kolins (W/A)
On Sale in August
Award-winning writer and artist Scott Kolins (Past Aways, The Flash, The Avengers, Solomon Grundy) premieres Adam.3.

On a futuristic island paradise populated by talking animals and monitored by orbiting control satellites, the peaceful lives of Adam and his wife, Skye, are troubled by growing tension between Adam and his previous son, Beo. The situation goes from bad to worse when an alien invader infects the animals—turning them into aliens themselves. When Beo is captured, Adam must battle his transformed animal friends to save his son—and their island home!

Power Cubed #1
Aaron Lopresti (W/A)
On Sale in September
On his eighteenth birthday, Kenny’s inventor father gives him a phenomenal piece of matter-reinterpreting technology, attracting the attention of a bumbling Nazi scientist and an elite government agent. Aaron Lopresti delivers a comical coming-of-age tale in a fantastic sci-fi universe!

Chimichanga: Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face #1
Eric Powell (W)
Stephanie Buscema (A)
On Sale in late 2015
Wrinkle’s Traveling Circus’s most adorable bearded girl and her savory-named beast are back, and there is a new act in store! Come one, come all to the Sorrow of the World’s Worst Face! But beware: Those who look behind the curtain are in for an awful treat, and it’s not just his face we’re talkin’ about!

Barb Wire #1
Chris Warner (W)
Patrick Olliffe (A)
On Sale in July
Nail-hard tough and drop-dead gorgeous, Barb Wire is the baddest bounty hunter on the mean streets of Steel Harbor, where gangsters can lift bulldozers and leap rusting factories in a single bound. The hunting is stupid good, and the bounties are hella big—if Barb lives long enough to collect!

Zodiac Starforce #1
Kevin Panetta (W)
Paulina Ganucheau (A)
On Sale in August
They’re an elite group of teenage girls with magical powers who have sworn to protect our planet against dark creatures . . . as long as they can get out of class! Known as the Zodiac Starforce, these high-school girls aren’t just combating math tests. They’re also battling monsters—not your typical afterschool activity! But when an evil force from another dimension infects team leader Emma, she must work with her team of magically powered friends to save herself—and the world—from the evil Diana and her mean-girl minions!

From Kevin Panetta (Bravest Warriors) and Paulina Ganucheau (TMNT: New Animated Adventures, Bravest Warriors), this super-fun and heartfelt story of growing up and friendship—with plenty of magical-girl fighting action—delivers the most exciting new ensemble cast in comics!

The post Dark Horse Comics Announces The Steam Man, Death Head, Negative Space, and More appeared first on Dread Central.

Welcome the latest midweek manga review! This week I’ll be looking at All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 2 from DMP, but first up a few news items.

• A few days ago the first teaser trailer for the One-Punch Man anime was released! The series will be produced by Madhouse and directed by Shingo Natsume. More cast and crew information can be found in the links.
• Speaking of trailers, late last week the first Attack on Titan live action movie trailer hit the internet, along with release dates for the first movie and its planned sequel.
• Last week Viz announced the return of Rei Hiroe’s Black Lagoon manga in April. If that wasn’t enough, Viz continues to add more series the digital comics sites Comixology as well.
• Translator and author Zack Davisson appeared on the latest episode of the “Let’s Talk Japan” podcast to discuss Japanese ghosts and more.
• And finally, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of March 29th.

And now onto this weeks review of All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 2!

All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 2
by Sho Hidaka
DMP/Emanga.com, 212 pp
Rating: Teen (13 +)

The wild hijinks of Ipponsugi and friends continues in Sho Hidaka’s All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 2! More obstacles are thrown into Ipponsugi’s road to romance with his fellow classmate, Momiji as a rival club emerges to challenge the All Purpose Chemistry Club’s right to exist! If that wasn’t enough, camping trips gone horribly wrong, a mysterious and magical Christmas tree and more all provide plenty of challenges for Ipponsugi and the club to overcome.

Much like the first volume this one consists of several short stories full of insane and off the wall comedy. The humor ranges the gamut from slapstick, visual gags, word play puns and everything in between. It all comes out in a rapid fire style that makes it feel like Sho Hidaka created it by throwing everything he’s got at the wall and hoping that something would stick. Surprisingly, or perhaps because of his “everything and the kitchen sink” style there are definitely some moments that work, where the humor’s on target or simply so bizarre that it got a chuckle from me. A few visual gags pop up repeatedly, such as the ever shrinking panels, characters becoming stick figures as they flee into the distance, or dramatic exaggerated perspective on thumbs up gestures. The characters really don’t matter and if possible they even less personality here than they did in the first volume. They’re simply vehicles for Sho Hidaka’s never ending bag of gags and comedy routines.

If you didn’t like the first volume’s visuals than you probably won’t be thrilled with this volume. It looks almost exactly the same with each page being a clutter of bleeding panels, toning, speed lines, dialogue boxes, fourth wall breaking editorial comments and more. On several occasions I found myself searching the page to try and figure out what the exact panel order was supposed to be. Things aren’t helped by the fact that several of the characters look a lot alike and lack a distinct personality, meaning that everyone outside of “Boss” kind of blurs together in the reading. “Boss” really stands out thanks to his large black hood, something unique to him in the series, making it almost impossible to mistake him for anyone else.

All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 2 delivers more of the same, so if you were turned off by the first volume don’t come into this one expecting to have your mind changed. It’s lack of a central narrative, strong characters makes for a light and forgettable read, while Sho Hidaka’s all or nothing approach to the humor means that there’s bound to be a gag or joke for almost anyone. I’d be curious to see what he’s capable of producing if he’s reined in a bit.

All Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1 is available now from Digital Manga Publishing and Emanga.com. Digital review copy provided by the publisher.

Noragami, Vols. 2 + 3
Created by Adachitoka
Kodansha Comics
Rating: Older Teen (16 +)

After the dramatic fight that closed out the previous volume, Yato’s new Shinki, the spirit of a deceased which can become a weapon, Yukine struggles to adjust to the after life and his new role and relationship with Yato. Tempers flare and patiences begin to fray, and if attempting to reign in his smart mouthed, disrespectful Shinki wasn’t enough trouble for Yato, he also has the unfortunate luck of crossing paths with the warrior god Bishamon who’s got a score to settle with our favorite down on his luck deity! Adachitoka, the creative team behind Alive continue to explore their world of working class Gods and evil spirits while also shedding some light on Yato’s history with Noragmi, Vols. 2 + 3!

Noragami’s starting to grow on me. Yato receives some much needed fleshing out, though at times he still comes off as a bit too unlikeable for my tastes. The addition of Yukine gives the a nice way to expand upon the world he’s creating, while at the same providing a look into Yato’s life prior to the series. If that wasn’t enough, Yukine’s presence creates an interesting new dynamic for the Hiyori/Yato pairing and casts the duo into an almost parental role of attempting to help him adjust to the new world he finds himself thrown into. The sense of humor that permeated the first volume is still present, but it slowly gives way to a strong sense of loss and alienation. Much of these two volumes focuses on individuals and their inability to connect with others, causing them to remain isolated and, in some cases, turning bitter and self destructive. We see this with Yukine as he acts out like a belligerent child, we see it with Yato in his role as an outcast God with a shady past and tarnished reputation, and with Hiyori as begins to realize that her place in Yato’s world comes into question. It’s a nice, solid theme that also ties in with the individual jobs Yato’s been taking on since volume one.

This shift in tone also matches Adachitoka’s slick, but dark visuals. His use of backgrounds in particular really helps drive home the sense of loss, isolation and self loathing. From dingy allies to dirty bathrooms, from empty streets to the lonely rooftops, the backgrounds reinforce these emotional elements. The new characters who pop up look good and fit right into the world that duo created, though I wish the more well regarded Gods looked a bit more respectable or had something to them did more to visually differentiate them from Yato and his crew. While Bishamon makes quite an entrance astride her lion the rest of her design is contemporary enough that she doesn’t feel all that out of place from Yato. It’s a minor quibble, but after the first volume I had just expected there to be a bigger difference visually between Yato’s homeless God routine and the more established and well off deities.

So, Noragami is starting to grow on me. Adachitoka knows when the insert some humor and makes sure it never detracts or interfere with the drama of the story they’re trying to tell. They balance the humor and the darker thematic aspects nicely, never allowing it to become too grim or oppressive. It’s used well and it’s addition really helps to up the drama and stakes Yato and his crew are faced with in these two volumes, while at the same time adding an air of mystery or sympathy to some of the characters and their situations as well. With Noragmi, Vols. 2 + 3, the series seems to be shaping up into an interesting shonen adventure tale.

Noragami, Vols. 2 + 3 are available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welcome the latest midweek manga review from yours truly! This week I’ll be looking at All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1 from DMP, but first some news…

• Vertical Comics has announced plans to publish Inio Asano’s A Girl on the Shore . They plan to release the two volume series as a single “omnibus” style book. Inio Asano’s has had several other works released in the US, with the Fantagraphics release of Nijigahara Holograph just last year.
• In other licensing news, Yen Press has picked up Tsutomu Satou’s Irregular at Magic High School light novel series.
• Meanwhile, Sukagawa, Japan honors Ultraman with the unveiling of not one, but four statues! The city is the birthplace of Ultraman creator, Eiji Tsuburaya and all four statues have been placed on the street he once lived on.
• And finally, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of March 22nd.

And now onto this weeks review of All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1!

All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1
by Sho Hidaka
DMP/Emanga.com, 210 pp
Rating: Teen (13 +)

Sho Hidaka’s All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1 is, ostensibly, a romantic comedy about Ipponsugi Kaede, a high school student with a crush on his classmate Akiyama Momiji. In the hopes of wooing her and winning her affections he joins a club she’s in which is… odd. Lead by a hooded student known only as “Boss” the club leads him to wacky encounters with ghosts, aliens, rampaging komodo dragons and more. With so much insanity and seemingly random occurrences, will romance bloom for our beleaguered hero and heroine?

This is a series for folks who like their manga to make very little sense. The first volume is full of fourth wall breaking, hyper kinetic over reactions, chibified comedy bits and just about anything else that springs into Sho Hidaka’s mind. Supposedly at the core of non-stop jokes is a love story, but that’s usually lost amid the torrent of fast paced humor and running gags that occupy most of the page time. As a result, none of the characters have any kind of personality beyond a single quirk or two. In fairness, these quirks are pretty strongly defined and it’s Hidaka does little to deviate from the formula he sets out early in this volume. Kaede is the guy who’s hopelessly in love with Momiji, who in turn is fairly oblivious to this and basically just serves as the love interest, while Boss is a good natured, hooded prankster who torments Kaede and just about anyone else he can.

Sho Hidaka’s artwork suits the manga pretty well, in that it’s also full of reoccurring gags and something of a mess. The pages are crammed to bursting with panels, speed lines and toning to the point where you’ll probably feel tired from just trying to keep up with everything. Exaggerated perspective is used time and time against for comedic overreactions. Word bubbles, unbubbled text, sound effects and other text vie for readers attention amongst a sea of shojo dot effects, overlapping images and more. All of which makes this an incredibly busy, and messy looking book. The cluttered visuals aren’t helped any by the fact that this is Sho Hidaka’s freshmen outing, meaning his art’s a bit generic and many of his characters look exactly alike, making it difficult to tell them apart, with the exception of Boss thanks to his ever present hood. This is at it’s worst during the second half of the volume which is made up of some of short stories he did prior to winning the manga contest that landed him this gig. Strangely enough though, I think those pages might be the least cluttered and messy in the whole book.

All in all, All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1 is a rough, rough read. It’s a mess of a gag manga, but given that it’s Sho Hidaka’s first profession gig I suppose we should expect it to be a bit rough around the edges. Japanese humor can be a hard sell for me and despite a few moments that got a smile out of me, this book mostly fell flat on it’s face. If wacky Japanese humor appeals to you though and you’re looking for some fast paced, goofy nonsense, then this might just be what you need.

All-Purpose Chemistry Club, Vol. 1 is available now from Digital Manga Publishing and Emanga.com. Digital review copy provided by the publisher.

xxxHolic Rei, Vols. 1 + 2
Created by Clamp
Kodansha Comics
Rating: Older Teen (16 +)

Student Watanuki has an odd job. He works for the mysterious Yuko in her mystic shop which is visitable only to those who need her services. Over the course of these two volumes Watanuki and fellow student Domeki aid and observe Yuko as she tends to the various customers and the supernatural problems they bring with them, but even then there’s more going on than meets the eye. Clamp returns to one of their recent hit series with xxxHolic Rei, Vols. 1 + 2!

Initially I thought I’d have little to no problem with xxHolic Rei, Vols. 1 + 2, but after reading a little bit of the first volume this was clearly not the case. Yes, the series is a sequel to Clamp’s popular xxxHolic series, but I thought this follow up might provide new readers with a decent jumping on point. It doesn’t. It throws you right into the action without explaining the already established relationships between the various characters, or going into detail about the nature of Yuko or Watanuki’s abilities or the circumstances that brought him into her service. Still, I stuck it out and puzzled some of it out as I went along, and for the rest of it, well, that’s what Wiki and the internet is for.

These two volumes are primarily made up of short stories about the different clients who find their way to Yuko’s store. These can range from friends with similar phone charms and the mystery that links them, to supernatural yokai in need of assistance and more. Each tale, however, is only the tip of a much larger iceberg. By the end of the first volume it’s clear that there’s something going on with Watanuki and that whatever it is, thematically, relates to the various cases shown in both volumes. Wishes, the desires of man, the ability or inability to move on or return to a place that they miss, all of them are screaming “big picture,” and while the big picture is no more clear by the end of the first two volumes of xxxHolic Rei, it’s abundantly clear that there is one.

While these two volumes throw you into the middle of already existing characters, relationships and a world with some clearly established rules, it’s worth noting that Clamp makes it very clear who each character is and the kind of person they are quite quickly. From the get go it’s apparent that Watanuki’s a bit high strung, while Yuko’s sensuous and mysterious with a playful side that enjoys poking fun at Watanuki. This isn’t just due to the writing, but also the art! The luxurious and sensuous clothing that often drapes Yuko thin form speak quite loudly to her personality, as does Watanuki’s properly worn school uniform. Clamp’s always been known for their sense of style and fashion and they use their interest and fondness for these things to help inform characters and express their personalities in everything from body language to the clothing. The constant use of wisps of smoke or mist to suggest a supernatural presence is a fantastic choice and adds to the mystery and allure of Yuko and her shop. Even better is the way the wisps are worked into some of the page designs designs, it’s small touch but a one that helps unify and reinforce Yuko’s mystery and allure. Likewise the heavy blacks and clean, slick line work does are deceivingly simple but incredibly effective at conveying character and emotions. Even the lack of backgrounds, something that usually drives me nuts, doesn’t feel lazy but instead like a choice to help reinforce the almost surreal and dreamlike atmosphere that permeates these two volumes.

Over the years I’ve heard a lot of mixed things about xxxHolic and the other Clamp series it links up to, Tsubasa, and while I’m not sure I’m ready to go out and buy up both series, I can safely say it proved to be a pleasant surprise. xxxHolic Rei, Vols. 1 + 2 are dripping with a languorous and sensuous atmosphere, with just the dash of mystery to keep me curious about what might happen next. The shorter stories that populate the two volumes are interesting and at times haunting, but perhaps what I’m most interested in is what’s going on with Watanuki?

xxxHolic Rei, Vols. 1 + 2 are available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copies provided by the publisher.

Apologies for the delay in this week’s midweek manga review… Well, I can’t really call this a midweek review when it lands on a Firday, huh? Call it what you will, but it’s here! Before you take a look at Prophecy, Vol. 2 from Vertical Comics, have some news…

• ICv2 is reporting a second of year growth for the North American manga market. The article cites Attack on Titan as a big driver of sales, but also mention that Viz’s shojo manga sales have risen.
• Sticking with ICv2, they recently ran a two part interview with Dark Horse’s CEO Mike Richardson, Director of Licensing Michael Gombos, and manga editor Carl Horn.
• On the, “oops I missed it” licensing news front, Viz’s Shojo beat will be adding Amu Meguro’s Honey So Sweet, and Akaza Samamiya’s Bloody Mary to their line up.
• It was recently announced that ONE and Yuusuke Murata’s One-Punch Man will be receiving an anime adaption, with more information and a promotional video appearing at Anime Japan 2015 later this month. Considering how amazing some of the visuals in that series is, it’ll be interesting to see how the anime looks.
• On a more somber note, Yoshihiro Tatsumi passed away last week. He was a pioneer of the gekiga, whose works have earned such honors as Angoulême’s Prix Regards slue monde award in 2012, and the Osamu Tezuka Cutlture prize in 2009. Several of his works have been released in the U.S. by Drawn & Quarterly, including A Drifting Life, Black Blizzard and Abandon the Old in Tokyo.
• And finally, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of March 22nd.

And now onto this weeks review of Prophecy, Vol. 2!

Prophecy, Vol. 2
By Tetsuya Tsutsui
Vertical Comics, 210 pp
Rating: Not Rated

In a story that could be ripped from today’s headlines, Tetsuya Tsutsui’s Prophecy, Vol. 2, follows the Lieutenant Yoshino and Japan’s Anti Cyber Crimes Division getting ever closer and closer to uncovering and capturing the identity of the enigmatic cyber terrorist known only as Paperboy. As his attacks become more political and more high profile, one of his accomplices faces a crisis of conscience that could prove to be Paperboy’s undoing!

Prophecy, Vol. 2 is definitely an interesting read and one that feels incredibly relevant in today’s ever more interconnected society. Tetsuya Tsutsui weaves a tale which looks at the familiar issue of anonymity on the internet, mixed with other concerns and issues faced by modern Japanese society. The result is a cyber thriller that’s both familiar but different from similar stories here in the U.S. Some of differences are more obvious than others, such as the Sea Guardians, a thinly veiled reference to the controversial Sea Shepard organization being a target, something that would mostly likely be absent from a similar tale taking place in the West. Other moments might be easy to miss or mistake for similar scenes in the U.S. as well. The hordes of people showing up to record a possible murder, for example. While a similar scene wouldn’t exactly be out of the question in the U.S., I found it difficult not to see the event as an echo of the Akihabara massacre from 2008, which allegedly involved several people live streaming the attack and its immediate aftermath.

On the other hand, surrounding this interesting premise and littered throughout the story are characters who’re almost cartoonishly over the top at times. The highway police officer drooling over Lieutenant Yoshino, or Yoshino herself who boldly stakes her career upon a single stake out in a scene that feels like it’s right out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Even the Sea Shepard stand-ins get in on the over the top antics when they’re shown to be practically cackling with glee as they try and smear the Japanese police because they were given a male officer to guard them instead of an attractive woman office. All these little moments detract from the more serious and fascinating premise and result in Prophecy, Vol. 2 having a rather odd feel to it at times.

The artwork’s solid and depicts everything in a clear and easy to follow manner, but I wasn’t really blown away by Tetsuya Tsutsui’s visuals. The internet cafes, the busy streets and more are all nicely rendered and do a lot to help the contemporary and modern feel of the story. Even including characters in the background help lend a sense of weight to the story, implying that there are people who could be affected by Paperboy’s events beyond his targets and those pursuing him. Paperboy himself is clearly the most standout design and thanks to the newspaper mask and really snazzy looking t-shirt which is designed like a typical iPad or tablet interface he cuts a rather dashing and memorable figure.

Prophecy, Vol. 2 was a solid and engaging read, but it didn’t quite blow me away. That said, it did intrigue me. It was definitely interesting and different enough that I’ll be tracking down the other two volumes in the series in the near future and I’m looking forward to getting to read the entire series in a single sitting. If you’re looking for a different, contemporary series that tells a story that’s relevant to the modern society, then this is absolutely the manga for you.

Prophecy, Vol. 2 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Kotoura-San, Vol. 3
By Enokids
DMP/Emanga, 138 pp
Rating: Teens (13 +)

Kotoura and her friends struggle to deal with their involvement in a string of killings and come up with a plan to aid the police investigation. Time waits for no man or woman however, and Summer is fast approaching with its promise of fun in the sun… Assuming that Kotoura and her friends survive that long, that is! After the surprisingly dark turn of Kotoura-San, Vol. 2 with the introduction of a serial killer plot line, Enokids slowly begins to turn things down a notch as he returns to the series’ adorable, relationship based, comedic roots in Kotoura-San, Vol. 3!

The last volume of Kotoura-San saw some truly surprising developments as the story took an incredibly dark turn with the introduction of a serial killer plot line. Given how much of the focus had until then been on creating a sense of cute, simple and warmth, such a turn was something of a shocker. While the serial killer story remains much of the focus for Kotoura-San, Vol. 3, it’s abrupt and unsatisfying conclusion haunts the rest of the volume and left me scratching my head in confusion. Did something happen behind the scenes in the production of the series? Did Enokids simply have that ending in mind all the time? Did his editor look at what a huge tonal departure this plot was from the rest of the series and put the kibosh on it? I’d love to know, because it easily has one of the most anti-climatic resolutions that I’ve come across in recent memory. Following that unsatisfying climax, the book gradually returns to it’s adorable roots, as the focus returns to things such as dating problems and the ins and outs of Kotoura’s relationship with Manabe. This aspect of the volume felt like it was playing up Kotoura’s helplessness or shyness a bit more than usual, transitioning from being cute and warm to eyerolling-ly annoying at times. The beach trip story in particular rubbed me the wrong way with it’s depiction of how helpless and incapable she was.

Despite the darker turn the series takes in this volume, Enokids maintains the same stripped down, simplistic and adorable art style he always uses. He never really veers away from the 4-koma layouts, though the few deviations here and there for side stories or chapter breaks are a welcome change from the monotony of the 4 panel column that dominates the series. Sadly, the wonderful Shojo-esque opening sequence from volume two doesn’t return and instead we’re treated to a fairly typical recap and short intro strip instead. It’s kind of a shame because that one break from the in house Kotoura-San style was quite fun, and the unexpectedness of it made it a pleasant and enjoyable treat. There aren’t a ton of new characters introduced in this volume as Enokids keeps the cast small with only the introduction of Yoshihiro Manabe’s brother to really shake things up. His initial design reminded me of a 1960s hippy or anti-war protestor and contrasted nicely with the rest of the young cast, but it doesn’t stay for long as he quickly transitions into a more typical office worker look for most of his stay. His introduction does provide some much needed movement in the Moritani/Kotoura/Manabe love triangle though.

Kotoura-San, Vol. 3 is a real mixed bag. Enokids wraps up the shocking plot line in an incredibly unsatisfying manner before largely returning things to status quo for the remainder of the volume. While the typical Kotoura-San hijinks are enjoyable enough, the volume is haunted by the quick and disappointing resolution to the serial killer story and, as a result, the rest of the volume suffers because of it. It’s enjoyable enough, but after the unexpected direction the story took, a return to the usual is just something of a letdown.

Kotoura-San, Vol. 3 is available now from Digital Manga Publishing and Emanga.com. Digital review copy provided by the publisher.

Time for another midweek manga review from yours truly! This week I’ll be taking a look at Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 3, but before we get to that, some news!

• Recently Deb Aoki was one of four judges in the 2015 Manga Translation Battle, an event sponsored by the Digital Comics Association of Japan, with support from Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs. She tweeted from the event, which eventually led to a lengthy and in depth discussion regarding the manga publishing in Japan and their attempts to reach a wider international audience. She helpfully Storified the discussion which grew to include many members of the American manga publishing industry, including translators and editors, as well as fans, comic creators, and more.
• Last Wednesday saw Seven Seas add two more titles to their ever growing line up. The Testament of Sister New Devil by Kashiwa Miyako and My Monster Secret from Eiji Masuda
• Last week also saw DMP’s Kickstarter for Osamu Tezuka’s Alabaster reach it’s goal! Unfortunately none of the stretch goal wasn’t met, but at least Alabaster will be seeing print.
• Interested in a career in the American manga publishing business? Well, Kodansha Comics is looking for paid Summer interns.
• The Los Angeles Times recently conducted a short interview with author Yuya Sato about his book Dendera, which was recently released in the US by Haikasoru.
• And last but not least,, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of March 8th.

And now onto this weeks review of Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 3!

Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 3
Art by Satoshi Shiki, Story by Ryo Suzukaze, “Attack on Titan” created by Hajime Isayama, Character Designs by Thores Shibamoto
Kodansha Comics, 192 pp.
Rating: Older Teen (16 +)

Kuklo’s desire to see a Titan, led him to stow away in a wagon during a Survey Corp expedition and now, much to his dismay, he’s getting his wish! Meanwhile, Sharle discovers that her attempt to help Kuklo may ultimately lead to a fate worse than that she sought to rescue him from. Satoshi Shiki and Ryo Suzukaze’s look back into the long forgotten past of Hajime Isayama’s continues with Attack on Titan: Before The Fall, Vol. 3!

Much of this volume is dedicated to depicting the rather brutal and horrific battle outside of the wall. It’s incredibly well done, looking intensely brutal and hopeless for most of the volume as a single Titan slaughters his way through the Survey Corps ill fated expedition. Satoshi Shiki’s artwork does an amazing job at depicting the massacre in an appropriately disturbing manner, with the leering grin of the Titan contrasting nicely with the traumatized expressions on the Survey Corps members faces. There are a few places where the in panel action is lacking in clarity and while this does mess with the panel-to-panel flow of the action, it’s not enough to really damage the overall affect of the brutality on display. As with the previous volumes of this series, Satoshi Shiki does a wonderful job depicting the Titans, giving them a skin texture that’s reminiscent of the anime series more so than the Hajime Isayama’s original manga. It’s a nice touch and one that helps adds to the inhuman nature of the Titans, further separating them from the humans beyond the typically bizarre proportions and obvious size differences.

On the plot and character front there’s little development to really speak of. Kuklo learns a little bit about himself and there’s some developments involving him and Sharle that don’t bode well for either of their futures, but it’s really just the hook towards the end of the volume that’s meant to keep us hanging and wanting to return. The highlight and focus is clearly the intense battle with the Titan which dominates nearly all 192 pages of Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 3. Given that most of the previous volumes have focused on building up Kuklo and Sharle’s friendship and their respective traumatic pasts, taking a break from that grim oppressive atmosphere for an exciting and bloody fight was a welcome change of pace.

Overall Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 3 is one of hell of a fun read. It’s a quick exciting read with some fantastic moments and highlights buried within it’s blood soaked pages. I was a little iffy on the series based on the slow build up, but if this is going to be the kind of payoff we get on a regular basis then I’m quite happy to sit through the slower and more dreary moments.

Attack on Titan: Before the Fall, Vol. 3 is available now from Kodansha Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 3
By Gamon Sakurai
Vertical Comics, 200 pp
Rating: Not Rated

Sato’s attempt to rescue Kei from the Japanese government continues, but soon Kei’s forced to make a choice that might leave him at odds with his would be rescuer. Elsewhere in the facility, scientists face off as amid the chaos and slaughter as they debate the nature of the mysterious Black Ghosts. Gamon Sakurai’s Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 3 continues to ramp up the action and tension while offering us teasing glimpses into Sato’s true motivations and the childhood of Kei.

This volume is all over the place, but in a good way. Gamon Sakurai manages to keep several balls in the air throughout this volume as the focus is constantly shifting from Sato’s brutal rescue attempt, to Kei’s bizarrely apathetic past, to scientific infighting over the nature of the immortal demi-humans and more. It’s an incredibly busy volume that’s packed to the gills with story and action, resulting in a fast and exciting read.

Ajin has nearly everything I could want in a story, but after having read volumes two and three I just couldn’t shake the feeling that it was missing something. That there was something it was lacking that was keeping me from loving it. After reading this volume I think I’ve discovered what that is. Sato is easily the most interesting character in this series, while the ostensible protagonist, Kei, is a just too bland. He lacks any real personality and, after this volume, what he does have isn’t terribly interesting. I’ve never been a fan of the whole apathetic teen routine that Kei’s working, and that pops up from time to time in Manga and comics. The whole “I never really felt anything so I faked it” schtick is an immediate turn off for me. Then when you add in the fact that Sato seems to have plans and desires, along with a long term goal, versus Kei who’s just kind of stumbling around trying to survive right now, it’s not terribly surprisingly that I found myself far more interested in what he’s going to do next than in anything that’s going on with Kei at the moment.

Gamon Sakurai’s action sequences continue to be a treat to watch play out across the page. We get to see a few new takes on the Black Ghost form, including Sato’s rather disturbing variation which debuts in a rather disturbing and memorable scene. One of the action sequences actually came as a bit of a surprise, namely the Black Ghost vs. Black Ghost showdown. It’s something that seems like it would have been inevitable, but isn’t something I would have expected quite so early in the series. Throughout all the gun battles and knife fights, Gamon Sakurai manages to keep the action clear and easy to follow. While none of the sequences are quite as impressive as last volumes multipage sequence of Sato breaking into the lab, it still has several exciting and dynamic scenes. Sakurai also manages the various shifts in time and location throughout the book quite well, ensuring that readers won’t get lost amid the myriad of flashbacks and memories that populate this volume.. The Black Ghosts continue to be the visual highlight of the series, with a shot of Kei’s emerging from a mass of smoke which has gathered against the wall being the most memorable moments in Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 3.

Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 3 continues to role out some fantastic action scenes, blended with a rather intriguing plot about conspiracies and the mysterious nature of the immortal demi-humans. The combination of intrigue and violence, with a dash of sci-fi that echoes the paranoid undercurrent of the 90s all combine to make Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 3 a fast and enjoyable read.

Ajin: Demi-Human, Vol. 3 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Welcome to another midweek manga review! This week will see an end to Kairi Shimotsuki’s Brave 10, but before we get to that have some news!

• Viz Editor, Hope Donovan, recently down with the comics site Panels to answer 10 questions.
• Starting in September, Dark Horse will be re-releasing Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy in an omnibus format!
• In light of my recent reviews of the first two volumes, I thought it was worth noting that Enokids’ Kotoura-San will be ending in Japan with the April release of volume seven. DMP currently has volumes 1 – 3 available through Emanga.com.
• As part of the advertising campaign for the Japanese release of 24: Live Another Day, Fairy Tail creator Hiro Mashima drew Jack Bauer.
• And last but not least,, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of Feb. 21st.

And now onto this weeks review of Brave 10, Vols. 7 + 8!

Brave 10, Vol. 7 + 8
by Kairi Shimotsuki
DMP/Emanga.com
Rating: Young Adults (16 +)

After 8 volumes Kairi Shomotsuki brings the Brave 10 to an end. After protecting Isanami and her mysterious power from a number of different warlords, Sanada has finally assembled all 10 of his warriors only to be faced with a betrayal from within. This betrayal was merely a prelude to an all out assault from the Iga Grotesque Five, an elite group of ninja led by Hattori Hanzo with designs on capturing Isanami and using her power to change the fate of the world. It all hangs in the balance with this final two volumes full of blood, action and battles!

This series has been a really odd and uneven ride, but these two volumes really pick up and delivers a rather explosive and action packed climax. Sure, the introduction of Hanzo’s ninja squad feels a little random and unexpected, but Kairi Shimotsuki manages to weave some interesting threads and plots despite this sudden and dramatic development. Revelations about the Brave 10 come hard and fast as nearly each member is forced to push themselves to their limits and in some cases confront insecurities and tragedies from their past if they hope to survive the onslaught. Throughout the series it’s been clear that Shimotsuki favors certain characters over others and that’s no different in these final two volumes. For example, while Sekei, Benimaru and Jinpachi each get standout moments in these two volumes during their individual fights, Kamanosuke’s duel takes up a huge chunk of the story, encompassing several chapters complete with a fantasy/dream sequence and brutal fight scene. Likewise when it comes time for Saizo to face off against Hattori Hanzo towards the end, despite all ten of the Braves being present, the fate of Isanami is ultimately left in the hands of these two to the point where Sanada orders the rest of the group to stand down and let them handle it. While this all well and good if you’re interested in these specific characters, it does leave the rest of the group feeling a bit shallow and woefully underdeveloped.

The visuals continue to be something of a mixed bag. Incredibly gorgeous and elaborate costume designs make for some cluttered panels and sequences, but they look absolutely gorgeous on the covers, during splash pages and in the chapter breaks. While the ninja women have generally been of the femme fatale brand, none of them had costumes that came close to being as ridiculous as Kaiyo. Seriously, she’s nearing Hideyuki Kikuchi levels of ridiculousness in both costume and demeanor. Her costume is completely lacking in any sort of bottom, meaning she’s basically fighting with her naughty bits exposed. This is a good thing seeing as half the time she’s on the page she’s reaching between her legs and commenting on her state of arousal, so I suppose in that sense the costume is practical…? At any rate, she’s just ridiculously over the top and stands out as one of the most memorable members of the Iga Grotesque Five thanks in part to her designs and her blush inducing levels of lewdness.

Brave 10 has been a wildly uneven read, alternating between interesting, boring, and wonderfully over the top. The last two volumes definitely aren’t boring and thanks to the costume designs, and non-stop fight scenes they’re definitely fun and over the top. Unfortunately nothing is really or truly resolved despite these being the final two volumes in the series. Isanami’s power is still nearly uncontrollable and represents a threat and potential weapon that could be turned against Sanada and is lusted after by other warlords. Sanada’s rivalry with the Tokugawa and Date is unresolved and the series actually wraps up on something of a cliffhanger promising bigger threats in the future. There is a spin off series, Brave 10 S currently running in Japan, but it’s unlicensed in the US, which means readers are bound to be left wanting more and wondering what happens next.

Brave 10, Vol. 7 + 8 are available now from Digital Manga Publishing and Emanga.com. Digital review copies provided by the publisher.

Attack on Titan: No Regrets, Vol. 2
Art by Hikaru Suruga, Story by Gun Snark (Nitroplus)
Kodansha Comics, 192 pp
Rating: Teen (16 +)

After an impressive first outing Levi and his friends are feeling pretty confident about their skills and their chances at completing the mysterious mission they’ve been tasked with. As Captain Erwin leads the Survey Corps beyond the wall in a test of the Long Distance Scouting Formation, Levi prepares to make his move. Unfortunately for him, this is Attack on Titan and things have a tendency to go horribly wrong very quickly. From Hikaru Suruga and Gun Snark comes the conclusion to Attack on Titan: No Regrets.

Prequels can be tricky to pull off, thankfully Gun Snark and Hikaru Suruga have managed to do a pretty good job with the two volumes of Attack on Titan: No Regrets and they manage to give us several moments throughout the series that not only illuminate bits of Levi’s character, but which also thematically tie into certain events within the main series. As a result, the Attack on Titan: No Regrets ends up feeling like it matters a bit more than you might expect from a two volume spin off. The glimpse into the recent past of the Attack on Titan world shows just how long Erwin’s being playing political games to keep the Survey Corps afloat and during the climax of the volume Levi learns a lesson about teamwork the hard way, a lesson that’s echoed in a speech he gives to Eren during their attempt to capture the Female Titan in the main series. To a lesser degree it also hints at aspects of Levi’s background which are just now being explored within the main series as well. The series does a good job with the characterization of all the established characters, though I was hoping that Levi would be even rougher around the edges than he actually is shown to be here to better highlight the changes that turned him into who he is in the main series.

Hikaru Suruga’s artwork continues to be slick and clean. It calls to mind Hajime Isayama’s in places, but without the anatomical anomalies and the thatching that makes his work stand out for better or worse. His Titans are acceptably creepy and his action scenes are pretty easy to follow, though they lack the intensity of the original series. Attack on Titan fans will recognize several familiar faces here, but they don’t really look or feel that much younger or different here. They’re immediately recognizable and their body language and facial expressions feel completely within their established personalities. It’s solid and looks good, but I don’t think it’s terribly striking or memorable. You won’t find many faults with it, but you probably won’t be blown away by it either.

It’s hard not to compare spin off and prequel material like Attack on Titan: No Regrets to the original series. Levi’s presence and the little illumination it gives to his background will probably put this on many Attack on Titan fans reading list though. His presence and the way the actions tie into and reinforce events in the main series helps make it feel a bit more relevant and important than it’s sister series, Attack on Titan: Before the Fall. Exploring the past of one of the franchise’s most popular characters seems like a no brainer and a sure way to produce a hit, but it doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for the twists and turns that make Attack on Titan so popular and addictive. While it does a good job with the story and material it’s given, it never quite rises to the level of a must read or unforgettable tale.

Attack on Titan: No Regrets, Vol. 2 is available now from Kodansha Comics.

Welcome to another midweek manga review! Before we get to the usual news and featured review I wanted to take a moment to mention a change in my regular posting schedule. For the foreseeable future the Wednesday review is now being bumped to Thursday. With that out of the way, onto some news!

• Over the last few weeks Viz made several announcements of new licenses and releases. August will see the release of Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi’s Ultraman series, and a print release for Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia. On the Shojo Beat side of the things, this Fall will see the release of Kyosuke Motomi’s QQ Sweeper and Arina Tanemura’s Idol Dreams.
• Not be left out, Vertical announced several new licenses at Katsucon this past weekend. They include the Kizumonogatari light novel from NisiOisin, an omnibus of Kagami Takaya’s Seraph of the End light novel series, and Yuki Yogo and Yoshiaki Tabata’s Ninja Slayer manga!
• Several novels by the late Project Itoh are set to receive anime film adaptions, including Harmony and Genocidal Organ. Both novels are currently available in English through Haikasoru.
• Speaking of Haikasoru, a movie based upon Sayuri Ueda’s short story ”The Street of Fruiting Bodies” is currently in development as well. The short story was published in the US as part of Haikasoru’s Phantasm Japan anthology.
• DMP’s been busy promoting their current Osamu Tezuka Kickstarter. In addition to adding several new tiers to the Alabaster campaign, they recently sat down with Anime Vice talk about the project.
• And last but not least, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of Feb. 7th.

And now onto this weeks review of Kotoura-San, Vol. 2!

Kotoura-San, Vol. 2
By Enokids
DMP/Emanga, 146 pp
Rating: Teens (13 +)

What started out as a light, warm comedy takes some rather dark and disturbing turns in Kotoura-San, Vol. 2! With her new social life and circle of friends, things seem to be going rather well for the young school girl psychic Kotoura. Unfortunately for her things take a turn for the worst when she crosses paths with a serial killer! Torn between her desire to help, her inability to actually provide proof for what she knows, Kotoura and her friends find themselves struggling to deal with the murders and Kotoura’s ever growing sense of guilt and responsibility.

While the humor and warmth that dominated the first volume is still present here, it’s over shadowed by some rather heavy and dark themes. Not only the serial killer, but Kotoura confronts and copes with issues regarding her family as well. The tragedy from her past is mirrored by the glimpses into the past and the growth of the friendship between Mifune and Muroto. It’s nice to see some of their pasts and it’s even nicer to see Enokids working in some heavier and more serious themes, but there’s a strong sense of tonal whiplash when you go from the kids goofing off and having romantic rivalries to stalking and serial murders. I’m a little curious to see how far he’ll push this theme into the sugary and cute comedy. Will any of the cast die? Someone close to the cast? There’s almost something sadistic about the violent and dark turn this could take, like dropping Michael Myers into iCarly and waiting to see which of your favorite teen stars he’ll off.

What makes the material even odder, is Enokids simplistic and cute art style. You’re looking at adorable, cute and goofy looking characters coping with some intense and serious issues. Even the adults, like the police, come off as surprisingly cute despite Enokids attempting to depict them in a more serious manner. The art style lends itself to the comedy and the warmer moments, but it really feels at odds with some of the darker themes that are cropping up. So far he’s avoided showing graphic gore and it’s mostly been suggested through dialogue and some of the art, but if the serial killer story keeps up and eventually becomes the focus it’ll be interesting to see how he decides to depict the violence and the killer’s victims. Otherwise the art suits the material beautifully with the humor and warmth radiating off the page and supporting the story and emotional beats perfectly.

Kotour-San, Vol. 2 is a weirdly mixed bag. The passive warmth that made the first volume so charming is present, but the murders and flashbacks dealing with weightier situations are slowly beginning to take center stage. At times, this almost feels intrusive, like someone’s forcing a dark and gritty material into a story where it doesn’t belong. It reminds me of American comic fans complaining about how the uber serious stories have overwhelmed the lighter ones in the superhero genre. That said, the chemistry between Kotoura and her click is wonderful and pretty enjoyable to see play out upon the page. Hopefully the darker material is only temporary and not indicative of the direction Enokids will be taking what’s been a rather cute series.

Kotoura-San, Vol. 2 is available now from Digital Manga Publishing and Emanga.com. Digital review copy provided by the publisher.

Political cartoons | Legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki said in a Japanese radio interview that it was a “mistake” for the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo to publish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. “For me, I think it’s a mistake to make caricatures of what different cultures worship,” he said when asked about the January attack […]

Attack on Titan, Vol. 14
by Hajime Isayama
Kodansha Comics, 192 pp
Rating: Teen (16 +)

Attack on Titan takes an even darker turn in this volume as the Survey Corp find themselves stretching their morality and humanity to the breaking point. Meanwhile a figure from Levi’s past comes back to haunt him, ushering in a whole new threat for Eren and his comrades to deal with. All this means that Attack on Titan, Vol. 14 is full of what we’ve come to expect from Hajime Isayama, big reveals, big twists and crazy action sequences!

The volume starts off a bit slowly, continuing with the Survey Corps. efforts to capture and discover who’s pulling the strings to the behind the scenes machinations within the capital so that they can better plan their offense against them. Unfortunately not everything’s as cut and dry as you’d expect and there’s a difference between inflicting violence upon a Titan and a human. As Eren, Armin and the rest struggle with the emotional and mental tolls from their actions and their ultimate plans, the forces of the capital begin to the tighten the noose in a fairly violent and surprising way. A large chunk of the volume is dedicated to establishing their moral issues with hurting or killing another human being, even the early portion of the volume with Erwin talking to Pixis serves to hammer home the fact that the Survey Corp facing off against human opponents is something of a major taboo. Not just because it’s a portion of their military revolting, but because killing another human would taint their attempted uprising and make them no better than the Titans they’ve been battling all this time. Reading this hot on the heels of From the New World, Vol. 7, I couldn’t help but see some similarities in how both showed people capable of killing when it came to non-human opponents, but when circumstances forces them to fight against other humans, things get a bit more tricky.

Hajime Isayama’s artwork continues to evolve, but it also continues to be peppered with some odd anatomical bits and stiff, awkward posture throughout. Most of the visual highlights come courtesy of the action scenes, and the fact that Clint Eastwood turns up as Levi’s dad and a serial killer which is absolutely hilarious. Naturally, with an Eastwood inspired character popping up you’d expect this volume to feature something of a Western theme and you’d be right! This volume is totally working the western angle, complete with a showdown in a bar. The new weapons and equipment from these new enemies allow Isayama to really stretch his muscles a bit, showing off just how kinetic and crazy his battles can get while beefing up Levi’s reputation as a bad ass to absolutely ludicrous levels.

While it starts off rather slowly, once Attack on Titan, Vol. 14 takes off, it takes off in a major way! Plans and counter plans unfold at a rapid pace as the Survey Corps struggle to cope and enact the plans of commander Erwin. Those looking for some Titan action will be a little disappointed as this volume focuses heavily on the humans and the government conspiracy as the series begins to address some long standing questions raised by the world and the amount of time we’re told has passed since the series begin. The series continues to be quite the roller coaster ride and I can’t wait to see what new ups and downs Hajime Isayama has in store!

Attack on Titan, Vol. 14 is available now from Kodansha Comics.

Welcome to my slightly belated midweek manga review of From the New World, Vol. 7! Living in the North East these past few weeks have meant being buried under snow, between the shoveling, raking and classes I’ve fallen a little behind my intended Monday/Wednesday posting schedule, but at least I’m still getting two out a week. At any rate, before we get the main event, enjoy these few news items…

• Viz has announced that Toshiaki Iwashiro’s Kagamigami will be added to it’s digital edition of Weekly Shonen Jump. Toshiaki Iswashiro is the creator of Psyren, which is also published in the Viz.
• Fans of Crunchyroll’s simulpub edition of Seven Deadly Sins are in for a bit of a delay, as the series takes a short break due to Nakaba Suzuki’s sudden illness.
• And finally, the New York Times Best Sellers List for the week of Jan. 24th.

And now onto this weeks review of From the New World, Vol. 7!

From the New World, Vol. 7
Story by Yusuke Kishi, Art by Toru Oikawa
Vertical Comics, 212 pp
Rating: Teen (16 +)

From the New World, Vol. 7 is the final volume of Toru Oikawa’s adaption oh Yusuke Kishi’s award winning novel. Like many of the current Kodansha and Vertical Comics titles, this was originally serialized in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine, alongside the fan favorite Attack on Titan and the critical darling Flowers of Evil. Set in a post apocalyptic world populated by psychic humans and mutant animals, From the New World, Vol. 7 brings an end to the trials and tribulations of Saki and Satoru as they engage in their final showdown with the Squealer, the Morph Rat leading the revolt against the human population.

Starting off with the the final volume of a series is always an odd experience. It’s hard to say how well it wraps up the story, or how satisfying it is or isn’t. What I can say is that the themes present in From the New World, Vol. 7 hint at subjects such as classism and the dehumanization of the other to a point where the other is.. well, literally dehumanized. It seems like a rather fascinating and cautionary tale to say the least. The characters, on the other hand, just didn’t stand out at all here. Most of the volume is focused on a final showdown which seems to have been long in the coming, and while it’s certainly interesting to watch play out none of the characters during the showdown or afterwards really grabbed me or had me wanting to find out more about them. Instead it was the world in general that most interested me. The idea of genetically altering large swaths of the population so that you could use them and kill them and replace them however you want is just fascinating. Also, despite not being Japanese and not privy to the ins and outs of Japanese society, this theme resonated with me and I couldn’t help but see a reflection of many situations plaguing us in here in the U.S. These range from the demonizing of lower classes to the dehumanization of our enemies on the battlefield. Not to mention how those in the story going so far as to advocate disposing of potentially dangerous children and replacing them with more obedient genetic duplicates, something I couldn’t help but feel echoed issues of over medicating children for one reason or another.

Toru Oikawa’s artwork was serviceable but unspectacular. It’s perfectly serviceable and there wasn’t any situation where panel to panel transitions or actions were unclear. While there were some impressive splash pages here and there, including a very striking one of The Fiend in a caver, overall Toru Oikawa’s art failed to really wow me. Splash page aside, the big climatic showdown lacked the visual oomph to really pull me in or make it exciting. Admittedly, some of that was surely due to coming into the tale with the final chapter, but I felt the visuals could have done a better job at imparting the tension and danger Satoru and Saki were facing. The character designs seem to be an interesting mashup of contemporary clothing, fantasy gear and futuristic accoutrements. The animal people are a nice touch and they make a certain amount of sense given some of the themes and revelations in this volume, but they often looked a tad too goofy and cartoony for my tastes, something I felt undercut the threat they were meant to be. This is particularly true when it came to the primary antagonists, the Morph Rats. They’re a weird cross between rats and pigs, and they’re certainly not pretty, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling that they were made out of felt and that just off panel was a Japanese guy with his hand up their butts making them move and talk.

Coming in at the last volume of a series is always a little awkward, but if it’s a good series and a good conclusion it will leave you wanting to find out more. More about how they got there, what the conflict was, more about the characters involved and just more in general. When it comes to From the New World, Vol. 7 I was left curious, but not really compelled or driven to discover more.

From the New World, Vol. 7 is available now from Vertical Comics. Review copy provided by the publisher.