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Review: Zombie Loan (Vol. 05)

Posted by Shevaun Morrison on Monday, April 13, 2009

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Zombie Loan (Vol. 05) – Peach-Pit
Published by Yen Press

Here we have another installment in an interesting series, Zombie Loan. Though, as much as I have been enjoying the story, occasionally I have to take a minute to really look at the art. I do honestly enjoy the style of the series, but sometimes it’s a little inconsistent and the faces can become lopsided. Overall, though, it does seem far more balanced than the previous volume.

As for the story itself, our heroes have found where their friend and companion Shito is being held and have, of course, started busting zombie heads to go in and valiantly rescue him. Chika is his usual self when it comes to facing Shito, and though he does help his partner out, he does a half-assed job of it that is somehow his way of showing affection. Though the group does manage to find victory against the most recent enemy, Yoshizumi, it does end on a sad note.

While the members of Z-Loan celebrate with drinks and karaoke, we are given the chance to see a little bit more about just what Bekkou does. Remembering his true job as a ferryman, it’s actually quite interesting to see him interact with his coworkers. Not only does the plot thicken as they meet to speak about the recent surge of illegal zombies, but at the very end of the volume a surprising twist is given that is sure to give Michiru and the rest of Z-Loan crew trouble for the next volume!

Review written April 13, 2009 by Gizmo
Book provided by Yen Press for review purposes

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Tags: Manga, Yen Press

Mini Review: After School Nightmare (Vol. 09)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, April 11, 2009

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After School Nightmare (Vol. 09) – Setona Mizushiro
Published by GoComi

Yet again Setona Mizushiro manages to pull a fast one on readers with some big surprises that contradict the few supposed facts of the series up until now. Admittedly I found it was the very assuredness certain characters had for certain situations that gave me cause to rethink people’s true identities long before now. This unfortunately meant for me that the big ‘surprise!’ moment in this volume didn’t have as much impact as it may’ve otherwise. That said, while one of the revelations may not have held much shock-factor, the following exposition and clearing up just whose-who in the alternate reality dream world was nothing short of ‘whoa!’.

The bulk of the story focuses on Sou and his sister so those who’ve been waiting for the present-day confrontations and past histories explored will be thrilled to finally have this volume in their hands. I found Sou to be the most interesting character in this series which has several uniquely layered characters to choose from. This volume only solidified my reasoning with some deep-rooted psychosis that made for an engaging read. Readers will get a chance to see the world through Sou’s eyes and it’s both eerie and compelling to realize where for him reality ends and fantasy begins.

As a lead character, Mashiro continues to do little for me on any remaining levels of interest for their gender issues. Still, I’m happy to see that they’ve come to accept themselves well enough that by now they’re finally ready to put the whining aside and really give a good look at the people around them. Panel flashbacks to previous volumes made for neat visual comparisons to how Mashiro’s design has changed over these past nine volumes, going from a distinctly male to more feminine in appearance.

Some powerful decisive moments in this ninth volume really kept up this series’ history of being a real page-turner. There’s now only one volume left until the story’s conclusion I can’t wait to read volume ten to see where After School Nightmare ends up after such a winding road.

Review written April 11, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book purchased online from Amazon.ca

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Tags: GoComi, Manga

Review: Nightmare Inspector (Vol. 06)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, April 9, 2009

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Manga-ka: Shin Mashiba
Publisher: Viz
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: February 2009

Synopsis: “Dreams on the menu in this volume: a woman tied to a burden she can’t escape and another being watched from afar, a fantastic ordeal for Hiruko’s briefcase, a girl who no longer feels like herself, a rival Baku who makes nightmares worse, the truth of Hiruko’s past, Mizuki’s childhood memories, and Hifumi’s terrible blunder.”

From laugh out loud moments that’ll leave you shaking your head in disbelief, to dramatic pivots to plots much more sinister, this sixth volume of Nightmare Inspector manages to pack a lot into its pages and will undoubtedly have something to offer all its readers with more short stories, surprise visits and a lot of chilling exposition.

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Tags: Manga, Viz Media

Review: Sweet Admiration

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, April 8, 2009

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Author: Yuuki Kousaka
Manga-ka: Midori Shena
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: March 2008

Synopsis: “Though Katsuya only spent one summer with brothers Kazuki and Shio, the impression that the beautiful Shio left was one that would last a lifetime. Truth be told, even after 12 years, Katsuya still can’t get Shio out of his head. So quite impulsively, Katsuya goes off to Tokyo and applies to the company that Shio helped found. The reunion he had hoped for comes unexpectedly, when he is forced to share a dorm with Shio himself! Acting cold and aloof, however, the Shio of Katsuya’s dreams is not the same as the real Shio. Can Katsuya pick up the pieces of his shattered dreams and start over?”

Sweet Admiration is the story of Katsuya, a country boy who moves to Tokyo for work. The first thing Katsuya does is plan to meet with a childhood friend, Kazuki, in hopes of finding a place to stay while he awaits his company’s housing development. However, things don’t work out as planned; that is, until things suddenly take a turn in his favour when his new boss places him with a roommate in the “company dorms”, with someone Katsuya has had on his mind since childhood: Kazuki’s older brother, Shio.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Light Novels

Review: 07 Ghost (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, April 7, 2009

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Author: Yuki Amemiya
Manga-ka: Yukino Ichihara
Publisher: GoComi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “Teased unmercifully for his past as an orphan and a slave, Teito has only his best friend Mikage to ease his days at the elite Barsburg Academy – and his mastery of the magical art of Zaiphon! But even that will not be enough to save him when he discovers a horrifying secret behind the ruling Empire. Trapped in an ancient battle between a wicked God and seven ghosts, guided by three mysterious priests, Teito discovers a power that could save the world… and shed light on his own mysterious past.”

07-Ghost, named for the seven ghosts within it, is a fantasy story that follows Teito: a young man soon to reach graduation at a prestigious military academy, before the appearance of his childhood guardian’s killer appears to wrench up painful memories from the past and sends Teito fleeing to a nearby church of ancient magic, hidden secrets and a bishop prone to bouts of perversity.

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Tags: 07 Ghost, GoComi, Manga

Review: Color of Earth

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Monday, April 6, 2009

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Manhwa-ga: Kim Dong Hwa
Publisher: First Second
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: March 2009

Synopsis: “First love is never easy. Ehwa grows up helping her widowed mother run the local tavern, watching as their customers – both neighbors and strangers – look down on her mother for her single lifestyle. Their social status isolates Ehwa and her mother from the rest of the people in their quiet country village. But as she gets older and sees her mother fall in love again, Ehwa slowly begins to open up to the possibility of love in her life.”

The Color of Earth is in essence a coming of age story. This first of a three-part book series follows the youth of Ehwa, a young Korean girl learning what it is to be female both physically and emotionally as she grows from young child to young woman.

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Tags: Manhwa

Review: Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time (Vol. 02)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, April 4, 2009

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Manga-ka: Akira Himekawa
Publisher: VizKids
Rating: All Ages
Released: March 2009

Synopsis: “After completing his training Link begins his journey to find the remaining Sages. Meanwhile, Ganondorf continues looking for Princess Zelda and plotting to capture Link with the aid of the witches known as Twinrova. At the urging of the mysterious Sheik, Link enters the Haunted Wasteland to find Zelda. The journey will be dangerous, but Link is determined to overcome Twinrova’s traps and survive to face Ganondorf in an epic final battle!”

This second volume of Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time brings an end to this arc of the story, based on the popular Nintendo 64 game of the same name. This two part adaptation follows through from the game’s beginning to end, taking readers on a journey with the Hero of Time in his quest to save the world and rid it of the evil Ganondorf.

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Tags: Legend of Zelda, Manga, Viz Media

Review: Cut

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Thursday, April 2, 2009

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Manga-ka: Toko Kawai
Publisher: DMP/June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Released: March 2009

Synopsis: “Chiaki Sakaguchi appears to be a sociable, popular high school senior, but he carries a dark secret with him that he can tell no one about – not even his closest friends. When Chiaki meets fellow student Eiji Yukimura – an under-achieving social misfit – for the first time, he believes he’s found someone who can understand his inner pain. As the two become closer, Chiaki learns that Eiji has a secret also – a secret so dark, it threatens to overshadow his own. United by common dysfunction and angst, Chiaki and Eiji begin to search for pleasure together beyond their pain.”

Notably heavier than your usual boys’ love fluff, Cut is the story of two young students whose dark pasts have left their toll both mentally and physically. Their growing love for one another becomes a gateway to a kind of peace that neither has known before and together they weather the storm of their own personal issues.

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Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Manga

Mini Review: Black Knight (Vol. 04)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, April 1, 2009

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Black Knight (Vol. 04) – Kai Tsurugi
Published by BLU

Sometimes I wonder why I keep reading this series. Black Knight at this point is more political period-drama than a boys’ love story, and with the exception of a handful of the lead characters, I can’t tell who’s-who well enough due to similar character designs to even understand that much of the story.

Thankfully when the story steps back from the who-done-its, the characters themselves are still likeable with often the background crowds proving the most entertaining (as evident by some amusing mini-strips at the end). Christian, the youngest Prince of the Aran royal family, is currently in the neighbouring country of Dunhalk, the same country said to have tried to assassinate his Father. Far from being on vacation however, Chris is being held as a voluntary hostage to Dunhalk’s second Prince in a bid to create peace between their two countries. At his side is the ever-vigilante, Zeke, his bodyguard and secret-lover who still remains injured from a fight taking place in the previous volume.

While the boys’ love is at an all-time low in this one, fans have some overzealous royals, incestuous brothers and foreboding political plots to look forward to. The book’s last third takes a break from the main storyline and enjoyably takes us back in time to see Zeke in his youth, easily my favourite part of this book along with more of the gorgeous period clothing and detailed background settings that I’ve come to love since volume one.

While I do occasionally find Black Knight a little on the dull side thanks to some plot that falls just short of catching my interest, there’s successfully been enough focus on characters to keep me reading with eye-candy present to fill in any gaps. With the main plot steering for some choppy waters, I’m looking forward to reading how Christian and Zeke will make it through what the royal world has in store for them.

Review written April 1st, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book purchased in-store from Chapters

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Tags: BLU, Boys' Love/Yaoi, Manga

Review: Utahime – The Songstress

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, March 31, 2009

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Manga-ka: Aki
Publisher: Digital Manga
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: March 2009

Synopsis: “For centuries, a far-off kingdom has been protected by the nightly singing of the Utahime. This powerful voice is passed down from one female songstress to another within the Utahime‘s bloodline. Then the impossible happens…a male songstress has been born.”

In a country where songstresses protect the citizens through the power of their song, a pair of twins are born to an ailing songstress trapped within a tower. Utahime is a condensed chronicle of their lives in a society where trandition of the duty-bound has never before broken and the life of a boy born to a songstress is thus burdened by the resulting prejudice, loss and decision.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: DMP, Manga