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Posts Tagged Manga

Review: One Fine Day (Vol. 02)

Reviewer: Marsha Reid

Manga-ka: Sirial
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: May 2010

Synopsis: “With No-Ah’s childhood friend/tormenter added to the mix, all sorts of new adventures are brewing at the green-roofed house. Nanai the dog, Guru the cat, and Rang the mouse have cooked up even more fun this time around: visiting the library, searching for treasure—and tailing Rang on her first date?!”

If you think of volume one of One Fine Day as a test pilot, then issue two is the smoothed out first episode. There is more time spent on showing us the world these characters live in than episodic cuteness, which is fantastic. Sirial really got it together in this second instalment starring animal cuteness beyond comprehension.

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ANN Review: Library Wars – Love and War (Vol. 01)

New review written by yours truly over at AnimeNewsNetwork, this time for one of Viz Media’s new series –  Library Wars – Love and War (Vol. 01).

I didn’t have many expectations going into this one, short that a lot of fellow bloggers were really eager for its release. Had to admit though, the idea of librarians being hardcore gun-toting organized vigilantes-of-sorts charged with protecting books from censorship agents did sound pretty neat. While the characters aren’t exactly hardcore, the story still really drew me in – very likeable characters and smooth pacing. Most of this first volume follows the lead going through physical training to be an agent and I’m really forward to seeing their skills in action in later volumes.


Review: My Darling! Miss Bancho (Vol. 01)

Reviewer: Andre

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.

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Manga Publishers Combine To Form Scan-Fighting Manga Coalition

News travels fast in the manga-world and this is definitely news worth spreading – a press release circulated by Viz Media today outlines the creation of a publisher coalition teaming up to target illegal distribution of their work.

“Working together, the membership of the coalition will actively seek legal remedies to this intellectual property theft against those sites that fail to voluntarily cease their illegal appropriation of this material.”

Along with a list of Japanese license-holders, North American manga publishers Viz Media, Yen Press, Vertical and Tokyopop are also all on the list showing a crackdown on piracy that many had hoped (and some expected) was coming.

So what does this mean for the manga scanlation world? In some ways a lot, and in others probably not so much. While the specifics of this coalition isn’t addressed in much detail in the press release, it seems safe to say that Viz, Yen Press and Tokyopop aren’t likely to call out the big guns over things like individual scanlation groups unless they’re outright violating licenses they hold. The large aggregator sites that make money off of posting full series (many of which fully available in English) on the other hand, are something that’s been a huge eyesore in the entire industry and medium for ages, offending companies, fans and scanlators alike as they dropkick any percieved notion of nobility square in the proverbial balls.

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Review: Pokemon Adventures (Vol. 07)

Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Author: Hidenori Kusaka
Manga-ka: MATO
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: June 2010

Synopsis: “On her search for famous Pokémon trainer Red, Yellow Caballero finds both human and Pokémon friends–and enemies. Now Yellow must team up with other trainers, gym leaders, and even evil Team Rocket to fight the Elite Four! Yellow Caballero, prepare to battle the Elite Four’s top trainer, Lance…!”

Red returns to the team in full force in this volume, bringing together the cast that’s been evolving up to this pinnacle point of the series to date. After following his adventures in the earlier volumes, it’s been interesting having Red in the background this entire time while following Yellow. It’s proven even more so because of the near legend-like status he’s earned for himself in the process. While the familiar face’s return is enjoyable, he also doesn’t overshadow everything (or everyone) that’s already present. Blue continues his battle with the ghost-wielding Agatha, Green with the psychic-powered Sabrina and Yellow working with Blaine to reach the final boss.

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Super Savings: BookCloseOuts Adds Yen Press Titles

BookCloseOuts is a site that’s long been a source of getting Tokyopop books for super cheap (of which there are still lots to choose from). Thanks to librarian and fellow manga blogger, Tagnognat, we’ve learned that BookCloseOuts has now added a couple pages of Yen Press titles to their offerings as well.

There’s a fairly good range of titles there, from the Korean-shonen Croquis Pop to the cute 4-koma, Hidamari Sketch. I’d also personally recommend the title History of the West Wing – a one-shot book with gorgeous full colour artwork. The books are listed at 65% off which puts their prices down to a very attractive $3.99.


Super Savings: RightStuf Fulfills Your Yen Press Desires

RightStuf Fulfills Your Yen Press Desires

RightStuf is bringing manga fans more snazzy-savings this week, this time with all Yen Press titles. From now until June 14th, all Yen Press’s titles are 30% off their already listed prices! This means a nice chunk off every book so snatch ’em up while the price is good.

Lots of great new titles have come out recently such as Kobato (Vol. 01-02) and My Girlfriend’s A Geek (Vol. 01). The second volume of the popular Black Butler is out as well, along with a slew of other continuing favourites. And if you haven’t picked up Yen Press’s re-release of Yotsuba&! and their March release of the incredibly charming, Bunny Drop then by all purchasing means go out and do so, you won’t be disappointed.


Review: Sumomomo Momomo (Vol. 02)

Reviewer: Andre

Manga-ka: Shinobu Ohtaka
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: October 2009

Synopsis: “As if being the target of Momoko’s affections isn’t bad enough, now Koushi is a target for assassination! Iroha Miyamoto is the next to make a move, determined to regain the honour of her fallen clan. But there’s more than one way to break up the union of Kuzuryuu and Inuzuka. Why kill Koushi off? Why not marry him instead?!”

The bizarre misadventures of Koushi and his wannabe bride continue as Shinobu Ohtaka brings us more of this surreal series. Like its energetic heroine, Sumomomo Momomo’s pretty low on brain cells and focuses on merrily skipping along, allowing you to witness as it smacks your mind around lest you think you’re reading a normal manga. Engaging in yet more offensive territory, Sumomomo Momomo is a not something for everyone, but it certainly is something.

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YaoiCon Updates, Tokyopop Titles and GloBL for June

Some technical difficulties over the weekend put a bump in my final update regarding Anime North but while I await the retrieval of some material, I notice it’s been a while since we’ve had a news snippet post. Time for some boys’ love loving with news today.!There’s been a few tidbits the past while so here’s a quick round-up of each:

AnimeNewsNetwork is reporting the next Gakuen Heaven manga has been listed on Amazon by BLU (the boys’ love imprint of Tokyopop). The book was also listed in this month’s Preview catalog from Diamond Comics. The company has already released the first two of the Gakuen Heaven books. Based on a boys ‘ love sim game, each book follows the lead character being involved with a different character. The title of this third volume is Gakuen Heaven: Endo ~Calling You~. BLUManga has also posted on their Twitter account that the third volume of Voice or Noise has gone to the printers (yay!).

Yaoi Con has updated its website with a whole look and a bunch of new announcements. This year’s Yaoi Con, North America’s largest convention dedicated to boys’ love, is celebrating its ten year anniversary. They’ve updated their website with guest information – including Hinako Takanaga, Ayane Yamano, Jo Chen and Kano Miyamoto – as well as information regarding returning events such as their AMV contest.

Over at The Yaoi Review, blogger Jennifer LeBlanc has proclaimed June to be Global Boys’ Love Month. Over the month she’ll be covering boys’ love works from creators around the world. Should be lots of interesting stuff to come!

On the note of global boys’ love, there’s some related news to check out on that front as well:

Artist Jo Chen, whose gorgeous painted works can often be seen on the cover of Marvel comics and Buffy issues, has some new independently released books that are definitely worth a look. Firstly she’s completed her first doujin (noted by Yaoi Con) – In These Words. The work is 52 pages altogether and was sold at the recent Fanime, plus will be available at Yaoi Con. Secondly she’s also releasing an art book of her cover illustrations, restricted to only 1500 copies, that she’s selling through e-mail. The book is in Chinese, has 140 pages and costs $45.

Tina Anderson, GlobBL creator whose work include Only Words and the web comic, Whore of Turfan, has a new independently published work coming out with the pre-order date closing in. Loud Snow is  a story of “romantic ice-age hilarity” with art by Amelie Belcher. A digital edition is already available via Kindle with a version soon to be available on eManga. The print edition is coming out this July with pre-orders available for only $8.00.


ANN Review: Kobato (Vol. 01 – 02)

ANN Review: Kobato

My review of the first two volumes of CLAMP’s Kobato. series has been posted over at AnimeNewsNetwork. Good grades all around for a very fun series so far.

I’m a big CLAMP fan and was eager to read Kobato.. I’d read some chapters in NewType when it ran but didn’t get too much of an idea about it, short that the art style was really pleasantly nostalgic. The tone and art of the series in general reminds me a lot of Cardcaptor Sakura, my favourite of CLAMP’s work. I really recommend reading both the first two volumes of Kobato. together (Yen Press chose to release the two volumes at once) because it really sets the story much more than the first which is more  short story in style.

A thanks again to my local comic store Strange Adventures for always stocking the best and newest books on shelf for me to purchase each Wednesday!


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