Manga-ka: Yukiya Sakuragi
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: November 2010

Synopsis: “Before the day his comic book drawings came to life, Taro was an ordinary boy. Now his characters are in danger and it’s up to him to save them! With the flick of a magic pencil, Taro transforms into Terry (a terrier) and enters his comic book world. The adventures ahead are more amazing than anything he ever imagined.”

Children’s manga has only recently started to trickle into the domestic market, with VIZ and Udon each offering a clutch of Japanese titles tailored to this growing segment in the graphic novel market. While there has been lots of manga targeting younger fans like the Shonen Jump line, what struck me as interesting about this range of titles is that they are aimed at early readers. Taro and the Magic Pencil takes this a step further than other all-ages manga in serving as a bridge between children’s story books and comics, similar in the approach of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Captain Underwear books, if for a slightly younger audience.

While using word balloons and other traditional comic effects, Taro often utilizes splash pages, making use of paneled pages when the story calls for it. The illustrations are big and friendly, with basic backgrounds and deceptively simple designs. In bringing together elements of picture books and comic books, it takes advantage of both formats strengths and prepares readers for comics by introducing them to the language. Word balloons, side gags, and visual narratives blend in with more storybook styled narration, creating a great introductory read for younger readers.

The cast is fairly endearing as Morimoto employs a round, big footed cartoon style, introducing us to a nervous looking but very brave bunny and other unexpected friends. Morimoto’s clean artwork and strong layout choices give one a sense of organized chaos, evoking the doodles of children within Taro’s imaginary world, but keeping a definite polish on his work that captures the eye with his humorous character designs. The appeal of having the main character be an artist who creates his own characters adds another level of appeal in the artwork, showing kids that they too can draw and create, an aspect that shines in the book’s best twist.

As Taro gets transported into his comics, he brings the reader along in a fun way. How does the reader get involved in his misadventures? Not only does it blend picture book and comic storytelling techniques, but Taro doubles as an activity book. This aspec  sets the title apart from regular manga, as readers have to participate in the story, helping Taro in his quest to save his creations from the evil King Crossout. The book manages to include aspects of drawing, mazes and other puzzles, blending them in with the plot through restoring those who’ve experienced Crossout‘s evil use of his eraser or helping Taro escape from assorted silly situations. The humour in these segments pleasantly skews towards potty humour, the core of children’s comedy, as Taro teams up with a surly crocodile to escape the intestinal track of a sea monster. Readers travel through the maze of a monsters intestines with the help of their own magic pencil, avoiding poop along the way. Potty humour, where would children be without you?

Production values were fairly high, resulting in an attractive package for kids. While primarily black and white, there are several colour splash pages at important moments in the story. Alternating between the two works within the context of the story, as the black and white scenes evoke Taro’s usage of his pencil. The colour pages scream primary, vivid colours, like out of a colouring book, arriving at key moments such as Taro’s seeming defeat of a sinister crocodile. This also keeps the price point low, at the 7.99 VizKids standard. The trim differs from other VizKids books, using the larger SigIkki size, even including French flaps with cute colour comic strips as a bonus. These flaps foldout with extra illustrations of the cast and instructions on how Terry can use his pencil. VIZ has flipped this release, yet as a kid’s manga it makes perfect sense- like Vertical Inc’s release of Chi’s Sweet Home, VIZ is targeting outside the otaku niche. They‘re aiming for general audiences with a slickly produced package whose art style and presentation match other popular works aimed at kids.

With a can-do lead who uses his imagination to his best, and a format that lets readers participate in the adventures, Taro and the Magic Pencil is a great start comic for young fans, and a nice addition to the diversity of manga available domestically on VIZ’s part. If you have a little would-be comics reader you want to introduce to the format, Taro is a well drawn, cute way to start things out. With it’s simple premise it might not strike many manga fans as a good gateway for younger readers when the identify manga with more “serious” fare like Naruto or comic classics like Bone, but it’s full of energy and subject matter that kids devour, combining the core kid hobbies of gross-out humour and doodling. This sort of book is exactly what kids need. A book at a reading level suitable for those not ready for the more complex dialogue and story lines of comics for slightly older kids, and one that serves as a good step along the path to being a dedicated reader.

Review written March 19, 2011 by Andre Paploo
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manhwa-ga: JinJun Park
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2010

Synopsis: “Irel and Lamia are back on the hunt for the chrism bottles – that is, until Lamia decides that it’s time to part ways. Memories of a solitary past have given her cause to keep her distance from humans, but is she really prepared to go it alone? Meanwhile, Detective Chris’s conspiracy theories lead him to the heart of a secret society called “Crossline.” Can their leader, Ian, truly be who he claims?”

Rolling in with another volume of insane, fast-paced action, mildly incoherent conspiracy theories and zombies created by the blood of religious icons, JinJun Park’s Raiders offers more of the same thrills. Slightly held back by poor reproduction choices, it never the less offers a decent mix of art, though might not be suitable to mass market tastes.

Yen Press’s presentation is something that is fairly standard in terms of fan expectations, with a colour insert and digest sized format, yet didn’t quite work in the series favour. Having read previous volumes, it’s become clear that this series would of benefited in using a larger trim such as Sugarholic’s. Park’s line work is very delicate, using light shadows to add some contrast, yet is sometimes hard to distinguish due to the blurry lines that result from presenting it at such a small scale. This seemed less noticeable in previous volumes, and there are indeed many pages that manage to avoid blurry lines, but there’s enough issues with the printing that I hope Yen Press pays more attention in subsequent volumes. Hopefully, should Park’s work succeed and more of their works are translated, Yen Press will opt to use a larger trim on those releases. Nevertheless, despite all this, the presentation is otherwise excellent, and the artwork remains enjoyable.

While the art is mildly compromised, the story is quite compelling. One might get somewhat confused by the assorted organizations creeping in on Irel and Lamia, as sinister priests, international cults and the oft required mysterious persona employed by the Vatican pop up. There’s a fair amount of information to take in, including some bits about Chris’s past, but the series shines by focusing in on Lamia’s tragic past instead. There are some fairly shocking revelations, including a gruesome scene that happens mostly off panel as Lamia dodges Nazis in World War II. Park presents some scenes that would of made shocking, horrific bits in a Japanese publication, holding back just enough to let Yen Press sneak it past with an Older Teen rating, perhaps due to differences in content regulation in Korea. Even if it happens off camera, the series doesn’t shy away from depicting just how horrific Lamia’s existence can be, something which may be off putting for some readers. Park does a lot to humanize her plight, yet also shows why Lamia is one many should fear, something that foreshadows her choices regarding questing with Irel.

It’s these intriguing characterizations that offset the horror throughout. Lamia is a stoic fighter who does her best to help humanity while simultaneously being their predator. Irel is over eager, unfazed by his new existence and closely bonding with Lamia in a mildly Stockholm syndrome way. And Chris is a maniacal human monster with several surprises up his sleeve that he dumps on his partner and the professor’s daughter. Park’s characters have taken on stronger shapes, guiding us along the occasionally unpredictable plot through some fairly grim moments. The narrative continues to build as Park adds more cards to the situation while the artwork’s skillful body language and facial expressions make for a stark, yet emotional result that would appeal to fans of Death Note’s Takeshi Obata.

The introduction of Vatican flunky and would-be Messiah Ian into the mix ends the volume on a fairly blasphemous note, just in case we hadn’t found all the cannibalism, zombies and gore wacky enough. Park’s spirited, fast paced comic certainly doesn‘t shy away from violence or controversy, hopping from one crazy plot element to the next. These aspects are perhaps slightly more edgy due to Korea having a larger population of Christians than Japan, outnumbering even traditionally Asian religions like Buddhists. This aspect makes Raiders slightly more interesting then the window-dressing crosses and strange representations of Christianity one often encounters in manga. Even if it’s entertainingly nutty in its references to Christianity, it’s clear that Raiders at least has a better idea of the history and concepts involved, and the context makes it slightly more daring.

Despite the issues with presentation, Yen Press’s publication of Raiders should be sought out by those who enjoy their manga very much insane and don’t mind checking out non-Japanese works. Even with its light rendering, Parks inks are solid, with a quality many artists strive for in their delicacy. In keeping itself moderately gory, it opens itself up to a slightly wider readership, making it a decent choice for those who’d like a step between Shonen Jump titles and seinen fare like Berserk and Gantz. Filled with an intriguing cast and an excellent sense of pacing, one can overlook the slight overload of ideas and have a fun time with the title. Hopefully Park will manage to continue to balance the elements well and deliver on the promise established so far in the title.

Review written December 6, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Yen Press for review purposes

Manga-ka: Yukiya Sakuragi
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: July 2010

Synopsis: “Woofles regular Chizuru advises her friend Serina, who is contemplating motherhood, to try looking after a dog first. Can Chizuru’s dog Melon and a new puppy convince Serina that their affection and cuteness are worth the aggravation?”

Pet manga is a popular genre of manga in Japan that has become a noticeable presence in the domestic fandom with the bestselling Chi‘s Sweet Home, and this long-running series from VIZ. It follows in the path of series like Ginga Legend Weed, Hamtaro, Bow Wow Wata and What‘s Michael. The longest running of these titles, Inubaka is an adorable entry in the brand, originating out of a seinen magazine as Chi’s Sweet Home did, reassuring us manga readers that we are never too old to gush over doggies. And if there’s one thing Inubaka delivers on, it’s a never ending assortment of dogs!

Over the course of the series, Sakuragi has managed to keep things fresh by revolving plots around the Tokyo-based  pet shop “Woofles”. The naïve yet practical pet shop employee Suguri is our window into this world, a relatable recent graduate who over the course of the series has become extremely knowledgeable about dogs, through both natural gifts and a range of experience. In previous volumes, Suguri has learnt about the importance of vaccinations, how dogs give birth and the importance of responsible breeding and pet-selling.

One will also often be amused by how unfazed Suguri is by the bodily functions of dogs, hearkening back to Arale of Dr.Slump’s hilarious fecal fixation and giving the series just a touch of toilet humour. Dr.Slump and Inubaka are perhaps the only series in English translation you‘d see a character make an impassioned, dramatic statement regarding the importance of poop. However, while decidedly light hearted for the most part, the series focuses as much on educating your of the perils and responsibilities of dog ownership as it does enchanting you with an assortment of realistically fluffy friends.

This particular volume covers issues relating to neutering of animals and subsequently the serious responsibilities a new puppy offers. Suguri’s friend Chizuru has to make a decision about neutering her Chihuahua, Melon. Offering yet more opportunities for toilet humour, the subsequent chapter still manages to be very educational in terms of the effects neutering or spaying has on dogs, and the reasons behind it. Chizuru’s choice isn’t simply population control, but based in Melon’s future health due to a heart condition. This story arc is followed up by Chizuru convincing her friend who is considering having a baby to adopt a puppy to improve her ability to be responsible.

Serina is a very flighty, childish character, like a refugee from a trendy shojo manga or moe anime, a somewhat jarring fact considering her age and marriage. She wants to prove herself an adult and have a family while making poor choices and partying with her friends. The challenges her Maltese puppy presents is a fairly harsh jab at how some women treat small dogs as fashion accessories, and makes it fairly clear that adopting a puppy is a serious life decision. If Serina can’t handle a dog, how will she handle children? While things generally work out for Suguri’s clients and their doggies, it was refreshing to see Sakuragi return to this theme, helping her readers to comprehend the choices dog owners have to make.

The window-dressing of the series is all cute, trendy pure-bred dogs, yet at it’s core, it’s an instructional manga that looks at the realities of pet care, highlighted in Suguri’s own dog being a spirited mutt. Lupin’s mixture of challenges and rewarding friendship is a core theme reflecting the nature of the series. Sakuragi’s choice to draw the dogs in a realistic fashion simultaneously grounds the series in a real-world context while treating us to cuteness. These dogs face real-life dangers pet owners face, from diseases to traffic accidents, and Sakuragi doesn’t shy away from these aspects.

A somewhat less pleasant subplot involving an unwanted paramour/stalker from Suguri’s hometown emerged in this volume, though it seems to have moved itself to the background, popping up occasionally as a recurring plot-line while Suguri pays attention to the primary stories and needs of the dogs involved. One hopes Sakuragi will resolve this in a pleasant yet responsible fashion, as Fujita is for the most part non-threatening in this volume. While Inubaka indulges in cute, sexy female characters one would expect from a seinen manga, it primarily manages to create an inviting atmosphere that would make it appeal to a broad range of readers.

Despite that somewhat unusual subplot, Inubaka continues to be an enchanting read that many will find both endearing and educational. It’s approach differs from the more pure comedy or action settings we’ve seen in other translated pet manga, and one can discover many fascinating facts about the assorted breeds of dogs over the course of this lengthy series. Sakuragi’s rounded cast of regulars aids in this venture, as Teppei, Momoko and Suguri offer their professional knowledge of dogs and their regular clients like Chizuru and Hiroshi offer a dog owners perspective, a wide array of experiences from beginners to gurus.

VIZ’s presentation of the series is very consistent, opting to translate all the sound effects, an excellent choice given the fairly wide appeal of the subject matter. Each volume includes a roundup of Japanese readers pet photos, in case your saccharine levels weren’t high enough, and Sakuragi’s authors notes are generally pleasant and informative. Sakuragi’s wide array of assistants might seem surprising, but makes sense when one considers the level of research involved in terms of dog breeding knowledge among other things, and the detailed nature of the photo realistic dog artwork.

Inubaka is an ideal choice for those who’ve fallen in love with Chi’s Sweet Home and are interested in seeing manga take on our doggie companions, providing a story with a broad appeal that aims itself just slightly at an older audience than most. For those looking to branch out from their shonen epics and shojo dramas, while still looking for something still cute and fun, Inubaka offers an involving series on a universal subject.

Review written July 15, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Yuki Midorikawa
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: October 2010

Synopsis: “Takashi’s quiet afternoon in the forest is disrupted when an angry spirit tries to possess him. He manages to dodge the spiritual attack, but he can’t as easily avoid the yokai’s pleas for help. Now he’s tracking down an escaped evil spirit that threatens the life of the forest. But he’s still learning that yokai never tell the whole truth, and the secrets spirits keep spell trouble for him!”

Yuki Midorikawa returns with yet another volume of Natsume’s Book of Friends, taking us back to the enchanting bittersweet realm of a boy haunted by Yokai due to his grandmother’s strange childhood hobby. Takashi’s grandmother Reiko Natsume made many enemies by enslaving yokai with her magical book of the work’s title, and this volume continues his encounters with the supernatural, and search for the comforts of a happy family life and friendships. With excellent art and characterization, Midorikawa creates a wonderful manga supported by VIZ’s strong production values.

The art shines yet again, as Midorikawa mixes sweetness with the ethereal and horrific.  Her Yokai are a joy, a mixture of strangely cute cartoony creatures, mysterious masked melancholic maidens and horrific monstrosities. Highlights included teensy little masked yokai carrying their lord’s disembodied head, demonically possessed bunnies made of snow and a disturbing painting of a winter forest with a life of it’s own. The theme of masked yokai pops up again, yet Midorikawa strays from the theme a little with a more spirited female yokai who met Natsume as a young boy. The first human she met who could see her, she surprises little Natsume with her over enthusiastic attempts to frighten him. Her true nature is revealed as her mask slips slightly off to reveal a kind, smiling face, a wonderful little bit of artwork that establishes that chapters mood in a single moment.

Takashi’s attempts at making friends, both yokai and human, continues to be a core element of the work. Conflict arises as he debates how much he should trust his human friends. He often has more relaxed acquaintances with the predominately harmless, kind yokai he encounters, yet this volume offered a few who were just as manipulative as any human. One such yokai plays upon his compassion, setting herself up as a victim while reinforcing the guilt he feels for his grandmother’s past transgressions. His growth as he learns the dangers of this world progresses, while also contemplating being more open with other humans. Actor/Exorcist Natori returns, seemingly out to take advantage of his powers, yet simultaneously being open about things and extending a rare opportunity for friendship to Takashi. The dilemma of telling his adoptive family of his powers when other relatives rejected him because of the problems they cause is also a recurring element, one which will hopefully be resolved in future volumes. The kindly Mrs. Fujiwara makes one root for things working out, though the uncertain gray morality of Midorikawa’s realm casts a slight doubt on things.

Midorikawa’s authors notes continue to be a change in pace from most manga-ka. In place of cute anecdotes, she primarily talks about publication events. I was surprised to find out one of the early chapters in this volume was originally published as a booklet included as an extra in Lala, similar to a domestic comic book in presentation. This opening chapter is a delicate standalone tale about a lonely guardian spirit and an unleashed demon, whose connection reveals stunning commentary on the way humanity deals with the supernatural and unexplained. The relaxed, contained pace of most of the volume make it an excellent read, satisfying in it’s completeness, yet also creating a mood you hope to revisit in future volumes.

Other chapters were published as short stories, showing the sporadic nature under which some shojo manga are published. Reaching the fourth volume was a major milestone for Midorikawa, achieved through a varied output of the series which sounds to have been somewhat irregular at first, with random chances to get out extra bits.  This is something that’s reflected in how often Takahashi recalls his past, each chapter able to act as an introduction to the series. It’s very similar to the approach of domestic comics in the past, wherein writers would sometimes treat every issue as if it were the readers first. Some may find this aspect repetitive, but Midorikawa handles it in way that’s mostly natural, reminding us of the grim responsibility the book represents for Takashi.

VIZ’s presentation continues to be exceptional, with a custom version of the “this book is backwards” inside back-flap using some of the volumes artwork to create a pleasant touch. VIZ added a short range of end-notes to help with some particular cultural elements of the book, using a crinkled paper background as a nod to the weathered look of the cover’s design. There’s excellent attention to detail in this book’s presentation, continuing the pleasant differentiation/customization of Shojo Beat titles VIZ has been doing with recent book. These elements are all appreciated, and compliment the quality of Midorikawa‘s work.

I’d easily recommend this series to all fans of quality manga, as it doesn’t entrench itself in superficial trends, instead focusing on creating a high degree of fantasy and sensitive character interaction. Those who love works like Mushishi, Aria and Two Flowers of the Dragon will appreciate the attention put into world building, as Midorikawa creates an otherworldly reflection of our everyday existence, lazing the days along with Nyanki-sensei, Takashi and the yokai they encounter.

Review written November 20, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Yoshinori Natsume
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2010

Synopsis: “Mikito Sakurai is tired of being a punching bag for all the delinquents on campus, but what can he do? By nature he’s a gentle and easygoing high school student. That all changes the night he swallows a mysterious orb and meets Zakuro, a strange kid who promises to grant his most heartfelt desire. “When you wake up,” says the pint-sized apparition, “you’ll be stronger and better than a human.” Ad that’s exactly what happens – Mikito wakes up with super strength. But there’s a catch: he may look the same on the outside, but deep inside lurks a monster that craves ultraviolence and the taste of human flesh. “I used to hate the sight of blood,” says Mikito to himself, “but now it looks so beautiful to me…”

In Yoshinori Natsume’s previous series Togari, he explored the story of a former killer who rediscovers what it’s like to be a normal teen when the forces of Hell return him to life to combat demons. Kurozakuro shares some similarities in being a fairly dark shonen manga work, yet it changes the status quo by having Mikito be a normal human suddenly thrust into the life of a demon, with a constant hunger for violence.

Going a bit darker, Mikito eventually starts hungering for something more, shocked by his sudden desire to kill and devour his classmates. Natsume handles all this in a compelling fashion just as he did with Togari, creating a sympathetic main character who is simultaneously rather psychopathic on the surface. He then boiled this down into a fairly standard shonen manga format, while allowing more subversive aspects to work their way to the surface, perhaps even more so than Togari, as Mikito slowly evolves away from his humanity.

The  demon child he meets in his dreams, Zakuro, is deceptively sweet. His promise of a wish is a fairy tale moment, primarily betrayed by his fangs and skull cap. In reality, the weak Mikito’s dream to be stronger was a contract that seals a seed within Mikito, robbing him of his humanity. Later on, Mikito keeps returning to these dreams, adding a meta-fictional element to the work, reminding me of CLAMP’s use of storybooks within the story in some of their works such as Suki. This furthers the fairy tale elements, Zakuro’s childlike nature masking his sinister presence.

Friendly little Zakuro plays Mikito along, confronting him with new moralities that place him separately from humans, and above them on the food chain. Food becomes a major symbol as Mikito’s mother initially chides him for under-eating, and yet after his change. Mikito hungers all the time, culminating in him seeing others as potential victims. He’s first shocked out of it and maintaining control, but disturbingly devouring a package of raw meat later on to satiate his needs. To demons, humans are merely food, Zakuro suggests, the same as any animal. Mikito’s constant internal struggle to maintain his humanity is further confounded as he encounters other newly formed ogres without these qualms. These changes are magnified in his newly repaired vision, able to see without glasses, giving him a literally different way of looking at the world, a physical manifestation the his inner change into something not quite human.

Mikito’s central storyline makes for a fascinating read, but Natsume manages to accomplish interesting things with the supporting cast. His childhood friend Saki fills the role of “supportive female friend/potential love interest” one finds inserted in many a shonen manga, yet subtly breaks the mould with her frustrations over Mikito’s weakness. She is embarrassed by his lack of fighting back to bullies, even overlooking his attempts to hold them back from fighting her, taking a beating she had almost gotten. Saki is aware of this self-centeredness, recalling how kind he was as a child, and her confrontations with Mikito’s new personality make for disturbing moments as she clings onto these memories and overlooks new events. The fact that he originally accepted Zakuro’s wish out of a desire to impress Saki, who subsequently regretted the way she’d been treating him, adds a subtle element of tragedy that makes one wonder what will happen when the duo’s separate secrets are revealed.

Subsequently, Mikito’s demonic and personal dilemmas are further confounded by the addition of the plot’s antagonists, or in one perspective heroes, Ogre Hunters. Natsume hints at a broader organization, but opts to introduce just a few individuals, as Mikito slowly realizes that aside from dealing with his new found hunger, he also must avoid the hunters, who only know one way to save those possessed by an ogre seed- slaying them. It adds another element of danger which Natsume manages to weave into the core plot by having Mikito opt for an interesting way of dealing with a hunter who gets a little too close to his everyday life.

Natsume’s art is very strong, with clean, flowing panel work without the normal manga clutter, perhaps part of being influenced by American superhero comics, with strong fight scenes. This aspect of his art is echoed in the story line’s dark interpretation of what might happen if a teen suddenly did acquire superpowers. His colour work also makes for a different change of pace in manga, as he uses a thicker, painted style that makes for excellent covers and great opening pages, which could of benefited from being printed in colour, though nevertheless fascinating in greyscale. His style changes slightly during the dream sequences, drenched in shadows as Mikito faces a silhouette of a spooky tree which was smartly incorporated into the cover design. The tree symbolizes the growth of the Ogre within Mikito, flowers blossoming as blood stains his hands. Zakuro cherishes these flowers, his childlike glee and love for them further separating Mikito from his humanity as Zakuro pleads for him to identify with his ogre-self in allowing them to grow. Wrapped around the spine of the book, it makes for an excellent visual, helping to establish the mood of the contents within.

VIZ’s presentation is their usual solid fare, translating and replacing all sound effects in a natural fashion that makes for a natural pace while reading. The translation is plainly worded, forgoing honourifics that might of interrupted a very tense atmosphere for casual readers. Translation notes and subtitled sound effects do not make for a fun read when the first thing on your mind is worry for the protagonist’s growing blood lust.

This is a fun, fascinating twist on standard Shonen Sunday fare, still safely enough in the manga box for most readers while reaching out into subject matter you’d normally find in seinen manga, handled in a less sensationalistic fashion given the audience of the Sunday line. The mixture of fast paced action and dark fantasy aspects makes Kurozakuro a highly recommended read for any manga reader.

Review written November 16, 2010 by Andre
Book bought from Strange Adventures

Manga-ka: Yuki Midorikawa
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: July 2010

Synopsis: “Takashi is busy returning the names his grandmother trapped in her book and helping the local yokai with their problems. But he has to put his good deeds on hold when a black Nyanko Sensei snatches the Book of Friends! Takashi and the real Nyanko trail the bad cat to a secret yokai meeting deep in the forest. Will they be in time to stop the impostor’s wicked plans?!”

Bringing in a pleasant new addition to their Shojo Beat line of graphic novels, VIZ’s choice of Natsume’s Book of Friends has provided readers with yet another subtle manga treasure. A laid back adventure that slowly builds its mystery, the work presents itself in a gentle fashion while not shying away from contemplating darker story elements. Takashi Natsume’s world is both uncertain and hopeful, depicted in welcome shades of grey and light that make for a relaxing, involving reading experience.

Similar in themes to the darker Mushishi, Natsume’s Book of Friends depicts a world that is in some ways a fairy tale wonderland, yet also full of melancholy, loneliness and cruelty. The title itself mirrors this with it’s cheerful intonation, preparing you for a boy and his adventures, yet actually representing an item that causes him nothing but trouble. The book ends up making as many enemies as it does friends, a creation of his grandmother. Reiko is a fascinating figure, never appearing prominently in the story yet a constant presence despite her death. Well known among Yokai, his grandmother seems to have sealed herself away from not only the yokai through the ownership of their names, but also from people, leaving an orphaned Takashi to be passed among distant family members who don‘t seek any association with the deceased Reiko.

When invited to a convention for Yokai hunters, Takashi discovers that most Yokai hunters display little concern for their familiars, and comes to understand why Reiko had become wary of others with her power. Takashi is friendly to others, but wary of trusting them due to a childhood of being passed around and bullied. It’s a fascinating depiction of both the cruelty and potential within people, as Takashi slowly forms friendships with people and Yokai. It was also a fascinating choice that while the story doesn’t shy away from showing the more dangerous nature of Yokai, it also opts to give them personalities and roles as protagonists. It manages to also depict them sympathetically, whether as immortals who get tied up in the lives of ordinary, rapidly ageing humans or creatures caught and used as tools by some exorcists, or as equals with a place in the world and their own agendas.

Despite all this, Takashi remains an optimistic figure. While like many a young adult literature protagonist, he is an orphan, Midorikawa still provides Takashi with a family. His adoptive mother and father are depicted as kind people, and Mrs. Fujiwara is an ideal mother, constantly present yet respecting Takashi’s space, seemingly unaware of his activities with Yokai, and seeing Nyanko-sensei as nothing more then a normal cat, dubbing him Mr. Kitty. This aspect of the series shines best in the final chapter, as Takashi looks after a yokai egg and does his best to give to the egg what his adoptive parents have given to him- a family and home that accept you openly and embrace your good and bad sides. It was a pleasant surprise to see this focus given how often parental figures are discarded or ignored in manga, giving the fantasy elements a sense of firmness by binding them to daily family life.

Midorikawa’s artwork tends towards delicate lines without getting overly pretty, her character design looking like something that wouldn’t entirely look out of place in a seinen magazine. There are still uses of the usual shojo techniques, but it’s kept minimal, with adults who don’t look like slightly taller teenagers, sporting visible lines in their faces. Her monsters take on oddball appearances, often sporting masks to hide their forms as much as their hide their names. In terms of the main cast of Yokai, Takashi’s “pet” Nyanko is a delightful design choice, looking like a cross between the ceramic cats whose form he possesses within the story and Garfield, a round bossy creature that is somehow compellingly cute, even as he occasionally seems to be conspiring against his young master.

I’ve noticed VIZ has become more playful with the book design on their Shojo Beat titles lately. Crown of Love and Library Wars have more individual looks, lacking the usual white spine and pink Shojo Beat symbol most of the line sorts. Natsume’s look is in between the standard look and these more adventures takes on the line’s graphic design. While still sporting some of the line’s trade dress, Natsume uses it’s series logo on the spine, and the graphic designers opted to go for a weathered look, complimenting the series focus on Natsume’s grandmothers book. The textured green backdrop, and hand-made paper look of the cover’s logo’s off-white backdrop compliment the analogue colour cover artwork.

In terms of extras, Midorikawa opts for the usual shojo manga authors notes sprinkled through the volume, and like Natsumi Matsumoto, in those volume she focused on giving us a view into an artists like, in this case her first book signing. Giving a little bit of insight into her process, these tidbits are expanded upon further in the extra pages, which are also put to good use with notes in individual chapters. Given the introspective nature of the series, these prove useful, and elaborate on plot details, such as the focus on a romance between a human and a yokai in chapter ten. Apparently this aspect was editorially mandated as that chapter ran in the primary Lala magazine, but thanks to Midorikawa’s skill, it easily fits in with the more adventure-focused chapters. On top of these author-specific extras, VIZ included a short page of cultural notes, something I appreciate seeing. Yet they also manage not to go overboard, keeping it a brief page of topics, and ensuring to translate many items within the story, keeping the story coherent. A contemplative book like Natsume is better served by having translated sound effects, and no foot notes, ensuring you remain in its enchanting atmosphere.

I’d recommend the series highly to those who seek more oddball shojo series outside the normal fan favourites. While still very much so a young adult work, it expresses a deep sincerity and world-building elements that were appreciated, welcoming a larger audience. This is a series fans of contemplative titles rich in atmosphere such as Emma, Mushishi and Aria might find this series interesting, with strong attention to characters and setting.

(Note: In addition, those intrigued by the series may also want to check out the anime adaptation, streaming legally at Crunchyroll.com.)

Review written November 4, 2010 by Andre Paploo
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Moiro Kitoh
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: February 2009

Synopsis: “Saving the world is hard. Saving yourself is even harder. One summer, 15 kids innocently wander into a nearby seaside cave. There they meet a strange man who invites them to play an exciting new video game. Sounds like fun, right? This game, he explains, pits a lone giant robot against a horde of alien invaders. All they have to do is sign a simple little contract. The game stops being fun when the kids find out the true purpose of their deadly pact.”

Mohiro Kitoh’s Shadow Star was an unsettling yet somehow charming series. It combined the wonder of the assorted adorable battle monster anime that populated fandom around the time it debuted in North America, with a dark take on the unpleasant aspects of adolescence as its heroine Shina and her new friend Hoshimaru confronted other teens with decidedly less chipper attitudes and sinister friends of their own. Bokurano continues the strange combination of childhood wonder with the grim nature of humanity that Shadow Star had, this time in the giant robot genre. In some ways, it is a more tranquil series, yet in others just as brutal as Shadow Star.

The series kicks off with the characters attending a summer school retreat. Mirroring the opening chapters of Shadow Star as the characters meet while at the beach, the children of Bokurano come across a strange man named Kokopelli in a cave by the sea, and soon become enlisted to take part in a game. Sold on a fantastic new game featuring aliens and giant robots, the kids are given the fantasy they were promised, with consequences they quickly become acquainted with.

Each chapter focuses in on a different cast member, the initial chapters being themed towards Kokopelli and introducing the large ensemble cast. Primarily junior high students – with the exception of Jun’s little sister Kana – the cast is almost evenly split between male and female pilots, creating a classroom like environment. Indeed, we’re introduced to the cast during summer camp, as they befriend each other over their vacation, before heading back to their respective homes and towns. Each of the children has their own quirks that slowly emerge across the two volumes, foreshadowing how they will handle their turns at piloting the robot they name Zearth.

The series starts off quite jovially before plunging into giant robot battles, knowing when to slow the plot down to reflect on the changes that occur in the characters lives. The aliens attacks are irregular, with little foreshadowing, leading the crew of Zearth to slip back into their daily lives before being interrupted by robot battles. After several encounters, the reality of their situation sets in, and the beauty of the story comes in how the children chose to adapt to it, embracing or rejecting their status as the new saviours of humanity.

Kitoh’s artwork has always proved fascinating. Delicate line work that is simultaneously sketchy, his characters look achingly fragile, standing strong and firm despite their small stature and thin frames. His cast is even more differentiated than that of Shadow Star, as he artfully balances the cast of 15 children, along with their accompanying families and others in their lives. Each chapters takes on a different setting, even more memorable than the strange giant monsters Zearth battles, from a quaint resort area to a close-knit family home.

From a warm personable mother and daughter living on their own, to a boy who is seemingly unattached to others until the one person he loved is torn from him, Kitoh takes on both dark and light territory in his story. His artwork is extremely emotional, conveying many small details with his character designs and interactions. The comic changes its scenery to suit these themes, from the sort of garish overpriced car one only imagines owning in middle age, to a girl slaving over a sewing machine in her two family home. Daiichi’s home bears all the markings of a large family loving and living their lives in it, overcoming a past that would shock many of the other children. Touches such as these reflect how Kitoh’s stories are deeply personal as they focus in on the characters worlds while drawing the camera out for some spectacular yet tragic battles.

Contrasting against the personality of the characters home lives, Zearth is a cold, alien creature, and the scenes of destruction enacted by him and the aliens are reminiscent of classic super robot shows with their monsters-of-the-week and even earlier to the Japanese monster films of the 60’s such as Godzilla. It’s appearance is insect-like, a deep black colour to distinguish it from the primarily white “aliens”, with a design that appears more organic than robotic. Indeed, subsequent revelations show it to be something more than simple gears and leads one child to suspect it’s somehow alive. Inside, the robots cockpit is sterile, white and without a defined space, as the cast’s chairs float above it, reinforcing the classroom environment. Each chair is personalized to the children, many simply their classroom chairs reflecting their daily lives, others their families, such as Maki‘s crib representing her soon to be born baby brother. This personalization becomes all the more important when Zearth’s true nature is revealed.

Further sinister design elements are carried over into the mascot character, Koyemeshi, a floating, teddy bear eared sidekick, with a cheerful grin loaded with serrated teeth. So many of these elements are drawn from the traditions of children’s anime and manga, but subverted in a fashion that mirrors the nostalgic views adults have of pleasant childhoods that are often not entirely so. Nevertheless, the series manages to give these aspects a tangible sense of wonder, as these fantastic elements weave themselves into the children’s lives. It mirrors how what might seem like tragic elements in their lives are often quite happy ones. People can find happiness in otherwise grim situations, a theme Bokurano exploits to the utmost.

VIZ’s presentation is rather solid, using the standard Sig Ikki use of oversized trim, art on the interiors of the cover, and french flaps. These elements agree with Kitoh’s choice of a wraparound cover, as does the appropriate choice of using a notebook theme for the title and end pages. Sound effects are retouched and translated, providing a smooth read, with a few unobtrusive translation notes for some cultural elements. There was an apparent issue with a panel being censored but it has no effect on the story and was likely done with Kitoh’s participation.

Kitoh doesn’t shy away from societal issues, using classroom drama, family issues and school life elements as part of each child’s story, leading to some occasional unsettling moments. Nevertheless, I highly recommend Bokurano for fans of thoughtful, story-driven manga for mature readers. For those familiar with the wish fulfillment themes of so many manga titles, this series is a dark spin and a celebration on those elements, with rewarding, devastating lessons to share with us all.

Review written October 7, 2010 by Andre
Books bought from Strange Adventures

Manga-ka: Natsumi Matsumoto
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: September 2010

Synopsis: “Mio has severed the red string of fate between Ryuga and Momoka that destines them to be soul mates. Momoka wants to tell Ryuga she loves him, but he has fallen victim to Mio’s magic spell. Will Momoka be able to repair her and Ryuga’s destiny?”

St.Dragon Girl’s charming mixture of fantasy, martial arts and flowery shojo visuals comes to a sugary end as Natsumi Matsumoto closes the chapter on Momoka and Ryuga’s youth. The gleeful combination of Chinese and Japanese mythology and adorable details common to Ribon magazine manga leaves a warm impression on its readers, leading one hopeful that VIZ will see fit to import the sequel series promised in the concluding notes.

Matsumoto kicks off the volume by concluding the cliff-hanger from the previous volume, wherein Mao’s sister Mio had severed the red string of fate tying Momoka to Ryuga. As the cast meets up at an amusement park to foil Mio’s plans, we’re treated to them taking on goofy demons haunting a thinly veiled version of Cinderella’s Castle from Disney World, right down to the goofy costumed castle stage show, as a large elaborately costumed bunny counts down to the new year of 2002. This chapter highlighted the chummy nature of the supporting cast, as they find ways to support Momoka in her fight to save Ryuga from Mio’s clutches.

The monthly format of most shojo magazines really lends itself well to chapters centered around holidays, and the New Years chapter is followed by a chocolate filled Valentines Day segment. Closing the primary storyline, it focused on Ryuga’s return from training, at once a family tradition, but also an attempt to balance himself and Momoka. Closing out the primary romance plotline, this chapter ends on an overly saccharine note, but how else could it end? The use of Momoka’s dragon in the closing scenes adds an extra quirkiness to it all.

With these two chapters ending the primary storyline, the volume is rounded out by follow-up chapters that finish off some unresolved plotlines, as Akira attempts to resolve her crush on Ryuga and her rivalry/friendship with Momoka before both leave for China. More silly spirits and kung fu action occur as a peach tree’s spirit attacks our heroes. The subsequent chapters continue the series themes of friendship, romance and supernatural hijinx, balanced out with discussions on the characters future- though primarily a children’s series, the characters are in their later years of high school, so while slightly out of place, it foreshadows Matsumoto’s future plans, allowing her characters to grow beyond their school comedy manga setting for a brief moment as the series concludes.

By this volume, her artwork as become more consistent given the years it took to serialize the work, yet remains fresh with a touching nod to her assistants in the extra pages. Slightly less cluttered than the more well-known Arina Tanemura (whose shojo manga I’ve also enjoyed and would recommend to fans of this series looking for a similar fix), Matsumoto brings us the polished charm of a professional having fun with her work, as her cast jump, laugh and sparkle across the series. I found it refreshing that something that is in many ways extremely formulaic nevertheless shows a lot of joy in cartooning, translating into a fun reading experience as good cartooning should.

Matsumoto’s series ends with fairly solid closing notes, but also a look towards the future. She makes note in her author‘s commentary that she‘d soon be publishing St.Dragon Miracle, following the next generation of her cast with a focus on Momoka‘s daughter. This is also something she looks to be doing with her recently announced current series, a sequel to Yumeiro Patisserie that’s set 10 years from that series respective conclusion. Comics, especially those aimed at younger readers, often shy away from aging their main characters, so it’s refreshing to know we’ll get to see the adventures of a slightly older Momoka and her daughter in this sequel series, passing to the torch to the next generation like in Marvel’s long running Spidergirl franchise. Here’s hoping VIZ will bring us more of Matsumoto’s works so we can continue to follow these characters and the next generation.

Review written September 12, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Q Hayashida
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: August 2010
Synopsis: “Once a year, hordes of the dead rise and roam the streets of the Hole, hungry for live flesh. And every year, Caiman and Nikaido sign up for the local zombie-killing contest! Whoever sends the most zombies back into the ground will win some fantastic prizes. But the fun ends quickly when En’s cleaners finally track down Caiman and Nikaido. Somebody’s going to lose their head. Literally.”

Continuing on the violence and food focused buffet of the previous instalment, Dorohedoro volume two offers us more helpings of this charming ultra-violent manga. While continuing with its constant food references and cheerful, chummy cast of vigilantes and villains, it amps up its stark visuals and draws us further along the plot and the origins of Caiman’s unusual, lizard-headed appearance while also shedding more light onto Nikaido’s mysterious past.

It’s hard for a manga to go wrong when it kicks off with a zombie-killing Festival. Some might worry that this would be played for gore, but Hayashida instead plays it comedically to a degree, as this is apparently an annual event in the Hole, caused by magic waste seeping into graveyards and raising the dead. To ensure they‘re killed, local Buddhist monks enlist bounty hunters like Caiman and Nikaido, and offer prizes for those who can re-kill the most zombies. Appropriately, our heroes gun for the meat grinder, so Nikaido can better prepare her delicious Gyoza dumplings for a hungry, hungry Caiman. Showing how separated the societies of the Wizards and the residents of the holes are, the Wizards arrive with a newly repaired, shortly-to-be-mangled Ebisu to investigate the mysterious lizard man, entirely unaware that they will encounter a ravenous zombie horde.

Hayashida subsequently builds off this hilarious opening chapter and it’s shocking conclusion with a fairly spooky chapter to shed more light on Caiman’s cursed nature. We discover just how attached (or unattached) he is to his Lizard head, and find out more details about Nikaido. This cheerful chef seems to be the neighbourhood sweetheart, but her bounty hunter skills are her least surprising secret, and Hayashida opts to reveal more of her past to readers (even if Caiman’s a little slow to pick up on the clues himself). The final chapter shows just how dedicated Nikaido is to her restaurant, as she and Caiman take on a dangerous underground boxer to save it. This boxing chapter provides another detour in the series sensibilities, adding sports manga to the elements of ultra violence and art manga. This brief chapter showcases the eclectic nature of Dorohedoro, as it balances both gentle and dark comedic moments.

The visuals are extremely inventive, notably in an early sequence wherein Noi uses her magic to restore Ebisu‘s previously damaged face and brain tissue by chewing on it in a page crammed with panels showing the progression in detail. Another fun moment comes from the title page for Chapter 9, “Dancing with Lizards” where a series of small illustrations of Caiman instruct you on how to do a little jig. The volume even kicks off with a short colour story that gives readers a basic understanding of the series concept as Caiman and Nikaido hunt down a sorcerer, depicted in vivid, painterly mixed media fashion without digital materials on brown paper. The excellence of the artwork goes well with VIZ’s better than usual production values, throwing in a large chunk of colour pages, French flaps and translation notes, most of which are dedicated to the names of the restaurants that decorate Dorohedoro’s background art.

Food continues to serve as a strong visual metaphor, an ever present part of human survival, but also a comfort and a luxury. It’s an everyday necessity, something the living need to continue, yet occasionally indulgent or wasteful, and at one time alive and in search of food itself, echoed in the opening with the Zombie horde. As the zombies hunger for their flesh, the cast waxes nostalgically of delicious home cooked meals, balancing the grim and the fanciful.

Food works it’s way into every chapter and significant event, even as a surprising reveal comes about as Caiman chows down on hospital food. Later, the bumbling foursome of Wizards hunting down Caiman head to a doll-maker wizard who wears a cooked turkey for his mask, and creates dolls with souls. Using elaborate recipes one would normally expect to make a multi-course gourmet meal, he instead creates doubles of people with vestiges of their memories. Masks are another thematic part of the visual narrative of the series, from Caiman’s lizard head to the use of masks in the wizarding world, to the beheading the publishes synopsis teases us with. Each member of the cast wears a mask of some form, whether it’s a lizards head, a spell to change their appearance or the a double life they keep away from friends.

Dorohedoro has built up a compelling narrative around charming, friendly characters with a dual dark nature that even endears the antagonists to you as a zombified Ebisu hungers for your brains or the wizard Shin slightly inappropriate thoughts conjuring up a slightly sexier doll of his burly partner, the blond bombshell Noi, who towers over the rest of the cast and defies expectations as the lead badgirl of the book. Moments like these pepper Dorohedoro as it defies stereotypes and goes against its genre standards, and when combined with the mystery of his origins and the creative world building of both the Hole and the Wizard’s realm, makes for a fascinating, must read for fans of comics and manga.

Review written September 1, 2010 by Andre
Book bought from Strange Adventures

Manga-ka: Izumi Tsubaki
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: August 2010

Synopsis: “For a brief moment, Chiaki fears that another girl is giving Yosuke a massage on the sly. As graduation day approaches, she must untangle her feelings for Yosuke and tell him how she really feels. Love, romance and massage…the exciting conclusion to The Magic Touch!”

Having heard both good and bad things about this series, I decided to undertake a review of the final volume for team Kuriousity. Catching up on the series with a previous volume beforehand, reading this last instalment left me pleasantly surprised. Magic Touch takes a fairly odd concept and delivers an entertaining, offbeat shojo series.

The volume starts off by touching upon the standard exams and Christmas stories you see in so many romantic comedy manga. While seemingly formulaic, these are shared moments of everyday life all of Magic Touch’s readership can relate to, and Tsubaki deserves credit for ensuring what could be seen as a repetitive becomes important moments in the cast’s emotional life. Seeing Chiaki make the difficult choice of helping her best friend out over going on a traditional Christmas date was refreshing, as was Yosuke’s reactions to this turn of events. Tsubaki’s use of a study date to spend more time developing Yosuke and Chiaki’s relationship, depicting more casual moments as they’ve grown more comfortable with each other, also made for a fun sequence that set-up the emotional base for the closing chapters.

Chiaki and Yosuke make for a charming odd couple, as Chiaki’s strange obsession with massage initially raises a brow out of it’s quirkiness, but grounds itself well despite the strange visualization of back pain as adorable creatures Chiaki calls Tsuboz. Chiaki manages to slowly endear herself on the reader, as her fairly honest, well-meaning personality help the reader root for her. Meanwhile, Yosuke might be your typical school prince with a tragic past, but Tsubaki managed to make these elements believable thanks to a detailed back story, and a generally flustered characterization as Chiaki misses Yosuke’s cues in the relationship, and Yosuke makes missteps of his own. The relationship is less a one-sided in this form, and allows the reader to sympathize with both characters.

While the massage-element makes for oddball window dressing initially, Tsubaki chooses to fold it into the conclusion as Chiaki begins questioning her massage-based reasons for being in a relationship with Yosuke. Misunderstandings build-up, and Yosuke also begins to be confused as to Chiaki’s feelings towards him. As Tsubaki sorts out the reasons the couple connected with each other outside the series strange concept, we’re presented with a natural, endearing chain of events that even manages to incorporate the Tsuboz, and complete the main character arc.

I also appreciated that Tsubaki opted to both go with her preferred ending, and the ending suggested by her editor, which worked alongside each other to provide a fairly satisfying finale. Depicting their schoolmates graduation and relationships provided an overall sense of closure, ensuring the reader that everyone is moving forward in to a bright future, yet still remain friends. Although my exposure to the cast was limited, Tsubaki seems to have balanced a fairly large range of characters well, something difficult to maintain in a long running shojo series, where supporting characters often get shoved to the sidelines.

Tsubaki’s artwork is a little more angular then some shojo manga, reminding me a little of Korean shojo manwha with her thicker inks and sharp angles. Her designs are slightly rounded off to make them a bit softer, giving her a look that wouldn’t look out of place in a shonen manga anthology. Also, the outright bizarre visual of the Tsuboz makes for a strangely cute anthropomorphic depiction of back pain. One might be initially confuddled by the bulbous, perpetually relaxed creatures, but will eventually succumb to their charming manipulation of their hosts.

Tsubaki closes the volume with a collection of 4-Koma, and a selection of fanart from assistants in their personal style, a nice way to send off the series from the entire team. Amid the often tumultuous world of shojo manga, it’s nice to have a series end on such a positive, outward looking note, reflected in the warm send-off of the assistants post-script. I’d recommend this series to most shojo manga fans, though some might be a bit put off by Chiaki’s odd fixation on massage. VIZ has announced her subsequent series Ore-Sama Teacher for an English release, so if you enjoyed Magic Touch, be sure to check that out as well.

Review written August 27, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Natsumi Matsumoto
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: June 2010

Synopsis: “Momoka is eager to give Ryuga the antique pocket watch she bought him for his 17th birthday, but when she gets to school, the Ryuga she meets is only 13 years old! A tiny trickster fairy who lives in the watch has taken Momoka back in time, and now Momoka must find her way back to the present day.”

As Matsumoto adds the element of dinosaur-obsession into an already panda-inclined manga, cuteness levels jump into overdrive in this volume of St. Dragon Girl. A personable narrative combines with clever design elements to make a very readable series that touches upon most of the basic elements of shojo manga for a younger audience, while also appealing to general manga readers. Everything is handled in an efficient fashion that endows it with endearing charm, whether it‘s time travel, sinister paintings or overly violent mermaids.

Possessed objects are a fairly common theme in occult manga, and Ryuga’s family business as magicians works this into the series fairly naturally. The volume kicks off with two stories that use this common ghost-element in amusing ways. The time travel elements described in the synopsis are handled in a fun way as well, as a time fairy spites Momoka and sends her back a few years into her own past, leading to some fun moments as the heroine does her best not to upset her nearby future. While time paradoxes are always a fun element of fiction, I was more intrigued by the slightly macabre yet endearing story that followed, as Momoka and Ryuga get hired to take on a boy ghost who has befriended their principal’s granddaughter.

While the amount of panda is less than in the previous volume I reviewed, Matsumoto makes up for it by introducing a new supporting character with a dinosaur fixation, Mao. A whimsical moment of necromancy arrives as this new transfer student attempts to revive a dinosaur skeleton to life in crowded Tokyo, leading to a fun sequence as Momoka summons her dragon to do battle with it’s historic genetic cousin. Being St.Dragon Girl, no one holds a grudge, and the good-natured cast attempts to assuage any issues with his defeat by presenting him with dinosaur toys! This lack of outright villains is part of what makes St. Dragon Girl fun, with dangerous situations arising from mischief, and her cast subsequently dash about solving them. This chapter provided the sort of story that St. Dragon Girl truly excels at, taking an absurd personality trait to make what would otherwise be a simplistic fight sequence a highlight.

The generally jovial approach to the series antagonists also carries over into the romantic aspects. Matsumoto has fun playing on character relationships, while she avoids making the mood overly dramatic. Momoka and Ryuga have their relationship ups and downs, as do their friends, and whenever someone opts to interfere, she avoids making them into a menacing harpy or suave dandy. Instead, we’re treated to self-centered teenage behaviour, as classmates learn the dangers of manipulating each others emotions, and otherwise take a good natured approach. Matsumoto’s characterization choices are a key part of the manga’s success, establishing a positive, happy go lucky mood, though she does wisely opt to leave readers with a bit of a cliff hanger just so they aren’t too complacent.

Matsumoto’s artwork continues to be a major supporter of the most charming elements of the title. Her deft handling of action scenes helps make for a stronger work, elevating it above being a simple festival of cute. The frenetic pace of the book stands out among other school-based manga, as characters run from assorted gangs, rampaging monsters and undead Victorian children. However, the cute quotient is still much appreciated, as we’re treated to the aforementioned dinosaur and other not-entirely threatening dangers.

In terms of extra material, I continue to appreciate how Matsumoto opts to give us a view into her creative process in place of “crazy hijinks my assistants and I get up to!”. Learning the origins of her main characters, and her original concept for the series gives great insight into how manga are made. The volume also includes a bonus-story, “Midsummer Shaolin Mermaid”, which though short, provides some of the funniest moments of the manga as Momoka finds herself training a seemingly selfish Merman during a standard manga beach trip. Highlighting many of the fun elements of the series, it’s a wonderful way to cap off this penultimate volume.

St.Dragon Girl continues to be a fun, involving series that is generally a light read, but an accomplished one. The author bio confirms that there is a sequel series, St.Dragon Girl Miracle, so hopefully VIZ’s upcoming titles will opt to bring over this series, as well as more of Matsumoto’s work. Those looking for more exposure to her work may also want to check out the legal subtitled streams of Yumeiro Patissiere at CrunchyRoll.

Review written August 19, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Natsumi Matsumoto
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “During the Sports Festival, Momoka brings lunch for Ryuga so they can eat together, but Akira isn’t happy that Ryuga rejected her lunch in favour of Momoka’s. Jealous, Akira calls on three impish wind demons to break the couple apart.”

A charming mixture of Chinese pop culture with the traditional styling of Ribon manga, St. Dragon Girl is a sweet, spirited piece of manga fluff. It also slips in just enough fantasy elements and strange cuteness to avoid being overly sweet, relying on an upbeat tone that will overcome many a jaded manga fan.

St.Dragon Girl’s recipe takes a lot of tried and true manga elements and presents a combination that well suits those with a shojo appetite. The Chinese cultural references work themselves in neatly as the series combines Japanese and Chinese spiritual practices, joyfully celebrating these elements much as Ranma ½ had. The series establishes this well in this volume, kicking off with a self-contained story about a supporting character and the little dragon who is a better friend then she could suspect, and eventually moves onto a story wherein an adorable Panda demon wrecks havoc that leads to an epic number of adorably drawn pandas of varying sizes populating Momoka’s school. This understanding of cuteness expands into other aspects of the series such as the strange demons that attack the cast, reflecting their mischievous nature. This compliments how they often ultimately prove to be harmless wayward spirits, reflecting the generally positive outlook of Matsumoto’s characters.

The upbeat nature of the series is further enhanced by the art. Matsumoto’s art bounces across the page, mixing in some decent knowledge of action layouts with the usual flowery fare you expect from shojo for younger readers. Whether it’s snowboarding to the extreme at a deluxe resort , or some overviews of cities as the cast soars above on a flying dragon, the artwork is primarily polished, and extremely cheerful. Some might still find it cluttered due to the amount of screen tones, but I appreciated the kinetic feel it gave the series. The series flips well between action scenes, supernatural moments and school day hijinx, providing some consistent laughs whether it’s cutesy razorblade demons or narcissistic school idols.

Another element of St. Dragon Girl that struck me as charming was the role reversal of gender and superpowers we’ve seen in old superhero comics. For many years it was common for the girl on the team to have a more passive power, like Jean Grey‘s telekinesis or the Invisible Girl‘s force field while giving the men more physical powers. This trend that started to wean off in the 70’s, when Jean started eating suns and manipulating the cosmic fabric of the universe, thankfully. Because girls, they want to have fun, y’know? And Momoka is definitely the one having fun in this title, claiming credit to all sorts of cool martial arts action scenes and excelling as one of the school’s top athletes. Meanwhile, the male characters all had magic based powers, so they don’t get to partake in kicking the butts of evil panda poachers. While this was more of a background element to the usual sparkly shojo overdrive, I still appreciated it. It was refreshing to see a take-charge shojo lead who gets to both invoke magical dragons and know kung fu.

However, while the manga itself is definitely endearing, Matsumoto’s comments sections proved to be the most intriguing element. Matsumoto’s commentary proved insightful, as she delved into topics relating to how manga is made, rather then the usual anecdotes, fan mail and “this is the video game I’m currently playing” blurbs we usually see in shojo manga. As a cartoonist, it was fun to learn things like the inner workings of Ribon editorial, and the tools she uses for her colour work, inking and bits where she discussed panel borders. This isn’t a topic that comes up often in authors notes, and it was interesting to find out how an individual magazine might approach these things.

If you’re a fan of Arina Tanemura’s work, often published in Ribon as well, you’ll find a lot to like in this series. This shares the same sense of fun mixed with moments of melodrama, though opts to focus more on silly situations with a decent sense of humour. I recommend this most to fans of manga who don’t mind their shojo sparkly and fluffy, and also to anyone who find pandas adorable, which I imagine should primarily ensure the enjoyment of all.

Review written July 27, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Takashi Hashiguchi
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: July 2010

Synopsis: “Young Yamatoya, a spoiled brat with a thing for bread, is back – and this time he’s trying to buy a job as a bread judge. But when master taster Kuro-san decides to teach him a lesson about hard work, Yamatoya realizes he may have bitten off more than he can chew. Later, Azuma’s team Pantasia is in a bind when their next opponent in the “Yakitate!! Japan” baking competition turns out to be an old rival who’s caught in the grip of a powerful mind-controlling substance: miso bread!”

Yakitate Japan offers some signature Shonen Sunday-brand humour, adding a dash of whimsical absurdity to the realm of cooking manga, with its strange yet involving tale of youths struggling to be the best bread-makers in all of Japan. This volume is well into the series, yet is quite accessible to new readers, piquing my curiosity to check out more of this offbeat bakery comic.

While I’m a fan of the cooking manga genre, it was Yakitate Japan’s odd sense of humour that drew me in. The comic offers some strange non-sequitors, from the Afro-wearing manager to the use of a friendly veterinarian to treat one of the casts injuries – it just rolls along with the oddity of its characters interactions. A particularly striking visual was one of the evil Kirasaki’s minions, who is apparently trapped in the form of a blow-up doll. It might sound offensive, but it is far more innocuous than it sounds, lending to some odd moments of comedy to some otherwise dramatic dialogue.

These moments are like a dash of Bobobobo Bobobo, breaking the fourth wall and keeping the series upbeat and entertaining when many current shonen manga prefer to up the angst levels. The opening chapter in particular is strange, as two of the characters apparently share a dream sequence of a world where no one tries or aspires to be anything. This bleak opposite of any shonen manga gently mocks the themes it tries to promote, while reassuring the readers that they too can achieve anything, using the bizarre career choice of a tasting judge. The use of Yamatoya in this story felt a little preachy as the rich child genius learns his lesson in patience after bribing his way into a contest win, but was evened out by the strangeness of his transportation to a homeless parallel world through fried chicken.

Even with its these surreal moments, the manga also pays attention to details, going into an in-depth explanation of how kneading affects the release and distribution of air and gases in bread, adding a touch of realism. Amazingly, this all occurs while some of the cast are being controlled by mind-altering, brain-shaped bread as they compete in a nationally celebrated bread baking competition, but one accepts the situation and appreciates the brief educational situation. Surely young Kazuma Azuma will find a way out of this bind and do so by baking some scrumptious bread, leading many a reader to ponder if its snack time.

The artwork is the sort you’ll see on any long-running Shonen Sunday manga, polished and professional, the result years of work on the title. With slick line work and a straightforward layout, it makes for well-paced storytelling. Hashiguchi is also skilled at drawing food, though the comedy moments overshadow that aspect of the art in this volume. While the visuals are often silly, the artwork itself isn‘t overly stylized, relying on its versatility to get us through both dramatic and humorous with the same flair.

VIZ’s presentation is their usual standard, with an appealing graphic design approach that reminds me a little of food packaging, and folds in some extra information on Japanese food with an entry on Miso. Sound effects are translated, and like several already long-running VIZ series, it has been re-branded with the new Shonen Sunday imprint. Those looking for a sample of the manga will be pleased to know VIZ has placed a sample chapter on their Sunday website, which also offers character profiles, helping to add to the series accessibility.

While not as insane as Iron-Wok Jan, this is nevertheless a great addition to your cooking manga collection, a pleasant, mindlessly light read to squeeze in-between your overdramatic shojo and formulaic shonen battle manga. Once you know that there is a) a character calling himself “Meister” and b) said character wears a cape and a feather covered mask, you accept these things and enjoy this quirk-ridden, pan-obsessed manga.

Review written July 15, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by Viz Media for review purposes

Manga-ka: Shouko Fukaki
Publisher: CMX Manga
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: March 2010

Synopsis: “A mysterious society is stalking Jin because his father and sister, Toko, betrayed them in the past by removing Jin before he could further their cause. At the same time, long-lost brother Soichiro tries to warn Jin’s friend Fusano that Toko and their father are not the good guys they appear to be. Fusano’s not buying it and leaves with Toko, a decision she may come to regret.”

In my previous review, I recommended The Battle of Genryu as a fun martial arts manga with an intriguing plot. That remains to be true, but it’s a little difficult to recommend now with CMX’s closure. If you don’t mind not getting an ending to your manga, you might still want to check this series out, since it sports some great art, and will hopefully be revived someday.

The plot focused a little less on shock-factor this volume, though it still throws us a few interesting parts as we learn more about Jin’s brother, Soichiro, and his adoptive family. While the first volume presented a somewhat conspiratorial tone, this volume expands on the secrets of Jin’s family and the nature of their martial arts teachings. After Jin agrees to the Minamoto Dojo’s plans to train him, Toko follows him along, playing the role of the good big sister while we get sinister hints here and there about the exact nature of dojo itself.

While originally presented as an antagonist , it seems Soichiro deflected from the dojo primarily to enjoy fighting as a sport rather then as a killing technique. His renewed contact with Jin appears to be an extension of this philosophy, attempting to stop the family’s cycle of violence. With scenes revealing he’s started his own school dedicated to sports-based martial arts, the author offers a differing opinion to the more hardcore training we see Jin undertaking. This casts a darker light on the Minamoto Clan, in comparison to Soichiro‘s athletically focused dojo. Some mildly violent moments occur when these two schools get into conflict with each other, and it added another compelling element to the series.

Meanwhile, Toko seeks to protect Jin from this world in her own way, will still appearing to be a part of it. Soichiro’s past with her continues to emerge, and leads to some cute moments as she flips between girly moments and wielding a knife to his throat, which he seems to take in stride. Unfortunately, while we got to see Toko take on a more action-oriented role this volume, Fusano has seemingly settled into being the girlfriend character. This isn’t an entirely bad role, but hopefully one she won’t stay in given she did sport a fair amount of skills previously. I was a little disappointed with this development, as Jin seems to have outpaced her, failing to deliver on the promise of the earlier chapters of volume one. Given CMX’s demise, it seems unlikely we’ll get to find out if its followed through eventually, but the character interaction is still enjoyable despite the somewhat stereotypical shift for Fusano in these chapters.

Shouko Fukaki’s art continues to be the highlight of the series, taking on a stylish look that hearkens back to 90s manga with its stylized faces and a strong focus on anatomy. Characters are less cutesy and more realistically depicted, with some animated flair to emphasize the more fantastical elements. While the series is more realistic then some fighting manga in its brutal combat scenes, the somewhat-superhuman skills of some of the cast is complimented by this look. Backgrounds are solid with detailed imagery of the dojo that gives you a feeling for the exiled world of combat Jin has elected to retreat to, as well as the more traditional school environment. And yes, like many a manga protagonist, despite his strange circumstances, Jin cannot escape going to class. It seems like the cast of Flame of Recca and YuYu Hakusho were able to avoid it for fairly extended periods of time, but Jin hasn‘t lucked out on this fighting manga tradition. (Meanwhile, Naruto’s village avoided it by having a low-quality education system that disregards high school altogether.)

While very enjoyable, I have a tough time recommending this volume given the current state of CMX. Someone else might pick up the series, but since Flex’s only licensor was CMX since DC had invested in them, it remains unclear if any of their titles will find a venue among surviving licensors like VIZ, Tokyopop, Dark Horse and Vertical Inc. Checking Flex’s website, it looks like one more volume has been published in Japan, which given its 2007 release date is presumably the final one, so people who really enjoyed the series might want to track down the third volume in its original language. I’m guessing it would likely conclude some of the relationships that developed in the earlier volumes, and expanded upon the opposing dojos. The Battle of Genryu is charming enough and refreshingly action oriented for a market dominated by shojo manga and more kid-oriented shonen fare, so fans of the genre will probably want to look into it, though it’s still not quite as stellar as other CMX series I enjoyed, included finished series such as Astral Project and Emma.

Review written June 21, 2010 by Andre
Book provided by CMX Manga for review purposes

Manga-ka: Mayu Fujitaka
Publisher: CMX
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: March 2010

Synopsis: “Souka and her recently divorced mother move to a new place to start over. In looking for a school to enroll in, Souka decides to leave her preppy, private high school behind and transfers into a technical high school. To her surprise, she’s the only girl student in the entire school! The first day of school is nothing like she ever imagined — boys crashing through the window, fighting for all they are worth. One day, the school’s current “Bancho” (a term for a gang leader) ambushes Souka. What Souka didn’t know was that when someone takes down the class’ leader, you became the leader of that class. This wasn’t a role she was expecting for herself, but will she be able to relinquish it?”

After all the recent goings on regarding CMX, namely its demise, reviewing this volume was a little sad. However, while the series might go unfinished, My Darling! Miss Bancho’s first volume still has a lot to offer its readers. A decidedly off beat take on the generic Cinderella “guys transform plain girl into campus princess” genre, Souka finds herself the unwanted leader of an entire school of goofy, unrefined young men.

As Souka barely survives her first day at a new school, Mayu Fujitaka introduces us to a fun, independent heroine. Her mother newly divorced, she makes the best of her situation and decides to take the practical route with a technical school to hopefully get a good job once she‘s graduated. I really enjoyed that Souka stood up for her friends, seeking to stop the previous Bancho when he was attacking Yu, and subsequently made the best of a daunting situation.

The manga quickly went from a standard story of a plucky heroine to a hilarious, more realistic take on what it would be like to have a legion of boys at your command. It was a bit of a treat to have a shojo manga where the lead wasn’t a pushover, and the boys aren’t either cheesy romantic leads or menacing examples of why you shouldn’t use shojo manga as a guide to life (like say, any manga involving vampires). While the budding romance plotline with Yu is fairly standard, it’s handled well, and much of the humour is rooted in the absurdity of Souka’s situation. Most of the students are gleeful fans of Miss Bancho, hovering about like overprotective Moms, a strange visual considering the tough guy atmosphere. As Souka takes on would-be usurpers, campus fairs and field trips that become turf battles with other schools, the reactions of her minions offer lots of comedy and heart. Fujitaka seems to have a great understanding of the many forms of stupidity, from goofy to occasionally violent, that occupy high schools that a mostly male population won’t help.

Indeed, the minions make for much of the fun. The bancho aspect of the series had me doing a lot of flashbacks to early 90’s and late 80’s anime, where the school gangs were a common theme, and idealistic thugs headlined series like YuYu Hakusho. While some of the series reflects current shojo manga trends, the old-style basic black uniforms, pompadours, and shaved heads give the series a nice middle ground feel between shonen and shojo, and the accuracy of the setting adds another interesting aspect to the series.

This volumes’ author notes go into Fujitaka’s personal experiences, as her brother attended one of those schools which seem to function similarly to community colleges in North America. It offers a different look at the Japanese educational system. Even the silly aspect of Souka being the only girl at school seems less fantastical after the author reveals that her brother went to high school with 800 boys and 15 girls(!). It seems too often manga are set in extremely decadent schools for the elite gunning for Tokyo University, while this series gives us a heroine on a blue-collar level of training.

The creator admits that this is an early work, and it’s interesting to view things from that perspective. The self-contained nature of the initial chapters reflects the nature of manga anthologies, wherein short stories are a regular feature, and if well received, will see more stories commissioned from the author and expand the story into a series. As such, the first chapter mostly stands on its own, while subsequent chapters are self-contained and build upon the initial wacky theme. Her artwork can occasionally be clunky (mostly in the first chapter), but nonetheless pleasant, and the strong characterizations and strange premise make up for it. It’s interesting to encounter an early work of an artist, rather then the ultra-polished fare of most manga published here, adding another charming aspect to Miss Bancho. The side-notes in different spots of the book also offer a fun glimpse into the challenges and nature of a manga author‘s initial work in the Japanese industry, revealing that Bancho‘s was initially published in another magazine, with it‘s 2nd chapter debuting in the more mainstream Lala.

CMX’s presentation follows their usual standards. Clean, crisp printing on paper that’s a little lighter then other publishers but still a nice quality, which Yen Press looks to have started using on some titles like Kobato. They opted to showcase the artwork and avoid making the cover overly busy, and replace translate sound effects completely (or overlay them with a translation in a similar font), making for a natural read. I’ll miss that attention to detail, as some publishers seem to just slap on a subtitle in basic text, which can be visually distracting for some titles.

DC’s dumping of CMX was one of many recent manga publishing downfalls, but was in many ways the saddest. An imprint of a large, successful publisher, CMX seemed to be an often overlooked stepchild, a division of Wildstorm independent from DC’s primary operations that after an awkward start had become one of the more solid manga publishers, with a strong focus on quality and a diverse range of titles. Ignored by a fandom that perpetuated falsehoods about its editing standards, and by a publisher who consistently ignored the imprint, it still kept going and brought a lot of good books to the market. Some people at DC apparently were not fans of manga, and shuttered the line at last notice, with more volumes of Miss Bancho already solicited and numerous other series cut short. I hope more readers continue to discover their titles and appreciate what’s now gone and what remains. CMX has published a number of great series over the past 5 years, so be sure to check out their numerous completed series before they’re out of print.

My Darling! Miss Bancho is a great read I can easily recommend to any manga reader. The setting will be a nostalgic throwback to older manga fans, like a kinder, gentler Cromartie High School, and the light hearted nature will appeal to new shojo manga fans as well. It has a lot of crossover appeal, and even though its release has been cut short, the origins of the series in a short stories makes it easier to recommend as everything is fairly self-contained. It’s a great example of the fun, unusual titles CMX specialized in bringing to the market.

Review written June 7, 2010 by Andre
Book purchased from Strange Adventures