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News, reviews and features with a focus on manga, self-published works and a Canadian perspective. Enjoy fulfilling your Kuriousity!

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Archive for June, 2009

Shannon Fay Joins Kuriousity, Minor Review Changes

Kuriousity Welcome for Shannon Fay!

Hello readers, I want to take this post to let everyone know of some small review changes here on Kuriousity and, even more exciting, a new face joining our review team!

On the review format-front, future reviews will no longer see the distinction of Guest Review and Reviews in their titles. The info bar beneath the headers will now include the reviewer’s name and a link to their bio so you can easily see who’s written the review. Also, Kuriousity will no longer have my so-called Mini Reviews either, which started out as a good idea until I finally had to come to terms with the fact that they were rarely ever very mini! Plus they lacked the book information that came with full reviews, which always bothered me, so now, no more!

I’d also like to give an official on-site welcome to Kuriousity’s newest reviewer! Already a manga reviewer at Manga Life, and the now defunct AnimeFringe.com, fellow Haligonian, journalism grad and manga lover Shannon Fay joins the Kuriousity crew. You can check out her bio on the About page and read her first review for the weirdly sci-fi yaoi, The Way to Heaven.

With lots of books to be reviewed and even more to be enjoyed, readers please join me in welcoming Shannon to the team! I’m super psyched to have her and I hope you are too. Until next time, readers, keep fulfilling your Kuriousity :)


KuriKoma – “Gratitude” + Bonus Haiku

KuriKoma - Gratitude

Funi offers free
Fans download illegally
Fans call Funi fail?


Eva: 1.0 Movie to Play in 67 Canadian Theatres in September

Eva 1.0: Hopefully Coming to Canadian Theatre Near You!

It comes as little surprise anymore when us Canadians get the short end of the theatrical anime-stick. Those of us who don’t live in the big cities of Vancouver and Toronto, and occassionally Montreal, can usually count ourselves out of many big Japanese animated film releases. However, in a news release from Funimation, it seems that Canadians are getting the good end of the stick this time.

On September 30, 2009, the first of four Evangelion remake films, Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone, will be playing across Canada in 67 different theatres. The film, rated PG-13, will sport a dub bringing back many of the voice talents from the original Evangelion series’ dub.

You can watch a trailer for the movie on Funimation’s Eva 1.0 website, and see the full list of Canadian theatres under the post cut.

News Source: AnimeNewsNetwork (FUNI Press Release)

Read more…


Review: The Way To Heaven

Reviewer: Shannon Fay

Manga-ka: Yamimaru Enjin
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: February 2009

Synopsis: “Cruel fate claims the lives of former boxer Moriya and former yakuza Watase off the edge of a busy freeway overpass. But the end for these two is just the beginning. Rescued from “ground zero” by a mysterious alien woman with magical powers, Moriya and Watase find themselves trapped in a world almost like the one they left – yet completely different! Appeasing the whims of their alien overseer seems to be the only hope Moriya and Watase ever have of returning to their former lives. Will the time traveling events Moriya and Watase find themselves in bring them closer together… or will they alter the past so much, it dooms any hope for a relationship?!”

This one-shot yaoi manga throws a sci-fi monkey wrench into the usual boy-meets-boy story. Watase and Moriya are saved from certain death by a female alien who needs their help. The alien wants the two men to go back to Earth and collect human energy. For Watase, that means basically becoming a vampire and sucking the blood of virgins. Moriya on the other hand, must collect seman by sucking off men.

Read more…


Release List: June 2009

After recieving a few e-mails from readers about my releases lists, still some of the bigger draws of my site it seems, I’ve made some changes to the format :) Now for your convenience each book is seperated by publisher instead of being listed alphabetically (with shiny banners just ’cause!). I’ll also be updating this list with links to reviews for the books posted here on Kuriousity as they’re posted.

Also, as you may have noticed, this book list is for June 2009’s manga releases. Where as I was going to post these monthly release lists a month in advance (example: this should be July by that system), a reader brought up the concern that this was too far in advance and knowing what’s coming out right now is more useful, which makes sense of course. So, what do people think? Post these lists at the beginning of the month or return to the month-in-advance formula?

Either way, enjoy this month’s releases! Tons of goodies coming your way with Viz leading the pack yet again. And is that another volume of Nightmare Inspector I see? Didn’t I just buy that? Viz is great for giving me that feeling quite often it seems.

Read more…


PR: June Manga Pre-Order/Demand For Publication Web-A-Thons!

Gardena, CA (June 11, 2009)- Digital Manga Publishing, one of the industry’s most innovative and unique companies, is pleased to announce a special program for yaoi fans who have been waiting patiently for titles to see print an opportunity to make it happen themselves! Junémanga.com is finally offering awaiting yaoi fans an opportunity to acquire selected anticipated yaoi titles, months in advance, through Juné’s new Pre-Order/Demand for Publication Web-A-Thon program. This is for those long-yearned titles eager fans have been waiting for, which have yet to see publication anytime soon from Juné’s immediate release schedule.

Read more…


Review: Emma (Vol. 01)

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo


Manga-ka: Kaoru Mori
Publisher: CMX
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: September 2006

Synopsis: “The saga begins. In Victorian England, a young girl named Emma is rescued from a life of destitution and raised to become a proper British maid. When she meets William, the eldest son of a wealthy family, their love seems destined. But in this world, even matters of the heart are ruled by class distinctions.”

As far as we’ve gone here in volume one, Emma is the story of a maid of the title name who works under the charge of a stubborn, yet kind, older woman. A previous student of the older woman comes to call one day and is immediately smitten with Emma, something that is no uncommon occurrence for the timid but attractive young woman. Though she has long since become accustomed to politely declining the advances of men, in this case Emma can’t help but be rather charmed in return.

Read more…


Animinitime 2010 Site Goes Live

Animinitime

For my fellow Canadian Maritimers out there, the 2010 Animinitime site went live last night, outlining the set-up for CanCon East’s first one-day event! Most of you are likely more familiar with its parent-convention, Animaritime, the 3-day convention that is currently on one-year break until 2011 for planning purposes.

“We at CanCon East are excited to announce the official launch of the Animinitime 2010 website! Along with this we have exciting news to share about our 2010 one-day event: Animinitime 2010 will consist of two events celebrating fans’ love of anime and gaming across the Maritimes!

For the first time since Animaritime began seven years ago, CanCon East is holding an event in Halifax, Nova Scotia along with our classic New Brunswick event.”

Yay for an event in Halifax! Long time coming, no? I hope others are as excited to attend the events as I am about running them :) Hard to believe they’re a year away though, but that just means more time to prepare and anticipate, right?


Review: Black God (Vol. 06)

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo


Author: Dall-Young Lim
Manhwa-ga: Sung-Woo Park
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: June 2009

Synopsis: “Kuro opens up about her life before she came to Earth, that of a carefree princess in her family’s haven of pure tera. But factions emerged among the mototsumitama, and now the violent betrayal that destroyed her clan drives her search for the head of the Shishigami family. The mutual tragedy of their pasts draws Keita and Kuro closer together — this fight has become personal for both of them. But will their bond of trust give them the strength to take on the Kaionji Group as Kouei’s sinister plot unfolds in Okinawa?”

Most of my proverbial prayers were answered here in volume six. The previous book had left me discontent with the direction of the story, or lack there of, and I was quick to learn it’s hard to muster interest in a story that seems to be failing at even interesting itself. Thankfully the first half of this volume seeks to give the story a more solid direction as it takes readers back to Kuro’s life before she arrived in the human world.

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Review: Bleach (Vol. 27)

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo


Manga-ka: Kubo Tite
Publisher: Viz
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: June 2009

Synopsis: “Orihime’s return from the Soul Society is interrupted by the Arrancar Ulquiorra, who has a different, terrifying path for her. Using duplicitous tactics, Ulquiorra convinces Orihime to accompany him to Hueco Mundo, which brands her as a traitor in the Soul Society’s eyes and therefore unworthy of rescue. Ichigo refuses to abandon his friend, and sets out to storm Hueco Mundo to set her free! But can he win when the entire world is against him?!”

Swords were clashing and powers soaring here in the twenty-seventh volume of Bleach, but as has been consistent in the recent story arc, it’s the character development that really makes the book a rewarding read.

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