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Review Archive

To see a list of reviews in alphabetical order, please see our review index.

Review: Bleach (Vol. 29)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 17, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Kubo Tite
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “Ichigo and his friends knew invading Hueco Mundo wouldn’t be easy, but even the lesser Arrancars are pushing to their limits. Can Ichigo, Uryu and Chad find the inner strength to overcome the first line of attack, or will Orihime be stuck in Hueco Mundo forever?!”

Our team of heroes have embarked into the proverbial lion’s den. Out to save Orihime, who remains notably absent throughout the volume, the group splits up to cover more ground. It’s no surprise then though that each character suddenly finds themselves face to face with an adversary all to themselves.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Bleach, Manga, Shonen Jump, Viz Media

Review: Crimson Shell

Posted by Andre Paploo on Sunday, December 13, 2009

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Reviewer: Andre

Manga-ka: Jun Mochizuki
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2009

Synopsis: “Rescued from the darkness by Xeno, a mysterious swordsman, Claudia the Rose Witch is the foundation of the Crimson-Shell, a special division of the Red Rose-an organization aiming to capture the results of one mad scientist’s experiments, the deadly Black Roses. But when Xeno’s loyalties are called into question, will Claudia be strong enough to believe in her dearest friend?”

Fans often see manga as primarily never-ending epics, when in fact, much of the material published in Japan is far shorter. Works are more commonly intended to just be short stories or mini-series, often earlier works of creators who later go on to longer series. Crimson-Shell is one such series, from the creator of Pandora Heart, Jun Mochizuki.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Yen Press

Review: Bamboo Blade (Vol. 02)

Posted by Andre Paploo on Friday, December 11, 2009

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Reviewer: Andre

Author: Masashiro Totsuka
Manga-ka: Aguri Igarashi
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: September 2009

Synopsis: “With the expert Tama-chan on the squad, Kojiro feels confident in his team’s chances in the upcoming kendo meet. But the match is rapidly approaching, and he’s still shy one member – not to mention getting newbie Miya and elusive Saya up to speed. With a year of all-you-can-eat sushi on the line, Kojiro’s determined to use every trick he can think of to win, but just how far is he willing to go?!”

When reading the first issue of the Yen Plus anthology, of the Japanese series I was most absorbed by Bamboo Blade. It offered a more down to earth, approachable read that complimented the general audiences vibe of the Korean and domestic series, despite it’s seinen origins. Over the course of the series it became a favourite. The serialization has ended, but Yen delivers more Bamboo Blade direct to trade paperback with this second volume.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Bamboo Blade, Manga, Yen Press

Review: Queen of Ragtonia (Vol. 01)

Posted by Andre Paploo on Thursday, December 10, 2009

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Reviewer: Andre

Manga-ka: Chika Shiomi
Publisher: Aurora Publishing
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: August 2009

Synopsis: “When sorcerers suddenly appear and attack the country Pharsia, fatal damages are wrought upon the land. Faced with all the sufferings of her relatives and soldiers before her, the princess Falna has no choice but to escape. While on the brink of death, a voice calls out to her, “If you have the courage to take my hand, I will lend you my power. You must wake up!” With strong determination in her heart, Falna embarks on a journey that will change the destinies of many.”

The works of Chika Shiomi have been licensed by numerous publishers, including VIZ, CMX and Go Comi. Queen of Ragtonia, a fantasy fiction series, is Aurora Publishing taking on yet another work from her catalogue. Forgoing the usual real world or high school settings in most of her manga, we are presented with a more traditional fantasy novel tale, as a valiant yet cursed young girl seeks to banish demons from her land with the help of the giant Cardus who shares her fate.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga

Review: Jack Frost (Vol. 02)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, December 7, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manhwa-ga: JinHo Ko
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2009

Synopsis: “All hell breaks loose when gangs from schools all over Amityville erupt into an all-out war for supremacy. Bt even as they battle one another, these distracts all have the same goal – to be the grave soul who defeats Jack Forst and claims the title of Amityville’s greatest fighter. Jack has a mission of his own: escorting Noh-A, the much sought-after mirror image, to a place where a great evil was sealed many years ago.”

After she begins to have nightmares of a girl she can’t quite remember, Noh-A comes to realize that she has no memory of her life before coming to this world. But it seems to bother her just as little as the vast amounts of violence around her and she soon sets out with Jack Frost to investigate some unusual activity at one of Amityville’s most important sites. They’re not the only ones on their way there however but just as many who are there to investigate are there to battle the infamous Jack Frost for title of Amityville’s strongest.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (Vol. 24)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Sunday, December 6, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: CLAMP
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: Novmeber 2009

Synopsis: “Syaoran, Fai, Kurogane and Mokona are returning to the Kingdom of Clow – and toward an ultimate showdown with the ruthless Fei-Wang Reed. But entering a world the is cut off from time endangers ther very existence of the once happy villagers, as the final story arc of the Tsubasa epic beings!”

There’s plenty to get excited about in this volume, though perhaps a little more so if it was a little more coherent. It’s not that the events are difficult to follow individually but try to mentally fit them into the woven web of CLAMP’s Tsubasa and you may find some of your enthusiasm dampened. Still, with plenty of gorgeous artwork and moments that strike déjà vu in all the right ways, there’s a still lot of good to be said for Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles as it climbs towards the finale.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: CLAMP, Del Rey, Manga, Reservoir Chronicles Tsubasa

Review: Yotsuba&! (Vol. 07)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Friday, December 4, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Kiyohiko Azuma
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “Mooooo…! MOOOO…! Cows are neato! It’s fun pretending to be a cow! And milk comes from cows, so I bet they’re real nice too. ‘Cos milk is super-yummy, right?! Yotsuba thinks so! And milk comes in lotsa flavors, so cows must come in different flavors too. How else is there white milk and coffee milk and chocolate milk?! Then there’s the black and white cows, they’ve gotta make a super-secret special flavor, huh?! Yotsuba wants to know! Let’s go ask the cows at the ranch, Daddy!”

Paper cup phones, strawberry shortcake, a fever in bed and a trip to the ranch – that and more in this volume of Yotsuba&! – and for those who’ve already fallen in love with the title character’s forthright curiousity, comical expressions and childlike wonder, that’s all you need to hear (if for any reason the title wasn’t enough anyway).

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Kiyohiko Azuma, Manga, Yen Press

Review: Kurashina Sensei’s Passion (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, December 3, 2009

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Reviewer: Shannon Fay

Manga-ka: Natsuho Shino
Publisher: June
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: September 2009

Synopsis: “Welcome to the renowned Shoei Acadamy, a school which prides itself on educating young men from respected families from kindergarten all the way through senior high school. When new teacher Reiji Kurashina transfers to the academy right in the middle of the school year, he proves to be the star all of the senior high boys have been waiting for! But who has a shot at being the special someone to this cool and beautiful teacher…?!”

One manga niche that is sorely lacking in titles is yaoi harem series. There are dozens and dozens of series that feature a guy surrounded by beautiful girls (Love Hina possibly the most famous example) or even a girl surrounded by handsome guys (Ouran Host Club) but hardly any where both the main character and his/her numerous love interests are the same gender. While there may not be a ton of titles with that premise, there is Kurashina Sensei’s Passion.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Manga

Review: Love Skit

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, December 1, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Rie Honjoh
Publisher: 801Media
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: May 2006

Synopsis: “Aoto’s life has been filled with tragedy. First he loses his parents, and then his older sister dies. Now he lives with his brother-in-law, Takashi, whom he’s in love with. But he’s too scared to admit his feelings! To make matters more complicated, Takashi’s friend Masayuki is in love with Aoto. Will Aoto decide his heart actually belongs with Masayuki, or will he stick with Takashi?”

Tended for by his older sister after losing his parents, Aoto is left without a family after he loses his sister as well. With Aoto’s sister having recently married, her widowed husband Takashi takes Aoto in and the two live together as they tend to their grief. But as a one-sided love begins to form, a friend of Takashi’s appears with his own attentions on Aoto… and thus you have Love Skit: a one-shot graced with a pleasant art style and quirky side characters but irrefutably marred by the leading plot that ties them together.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: 801Media, Boys' Love/Yaoi, Manga

Review: Legend (Vol. 06)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, November 30, 2009

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manhwa-ga: Kara/Woo SooJung
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: October 2009

Synopsis: “As No-Ah battles on with Toh, Eun-Gyo’s past life resurfaces and she emerges from the pagodas as Joo-Ji, the central blade of the Seven Blade Sword. Having chosen to abandon the balde and be reborn as a human, Joo-Ji (in Eun-Gyo’s body) is eager to reunite with her lover once again. But though he loved her in his past life, No-Ah is hesitant. If he accepts Joo-Ji, will he loose Eun-Gyo forever?”

Eun-Gyo awakes after being kidnapped but she doesn’t seem to be herself and No-Ah fights to protect her while confronting some harsh truths about their quest to collect the blade of the sword – shockers abound! Meanwhile Hu-Dong is going through some changes of his own though he doesn’t seem to be the only one on whom age has played a game. Yet on top of that, what perhaps seems most important in the long-run is that Eun-Gyo questions the often unquestionable by many a shoujo heroine – why has she accepted all this crazy magical, other-worldly stuff that keeps happening to her without question until now?

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Legend, Manhwa, Yen Press