tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22521437240232908912024-02-20T08:13:12.285-08:00Cartoon Geek CornerMad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-59735851451474269882018-10-29T19:15:00.001-07:002018-10-29T19:15:37.860-07:00Moved To Asian Comics BlogHello I moved the blog to Wordpress and I am continuing it under the name Asian Comics Blog. The link to the blog is below.<br />
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<a href="https://asiancomics.news.blog/">https://asiancomics.news.blog/</a>Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-84006586055489796992018-09-06T01:48:00.002-07:002018-09-06T01:48:31.455-07:00Elegance Eve September 2018I enjoyed this issue much better than the previous one. At the time, I had been adjusting to Japanese text and was not able to obtain much of value from my experience with the previous issue of Elegance Eve. This issue was hit or miss but the series which struck a cord with me created such fascinating narratives I was unaware existed in Japanese josei manga. Elegance Eve seems to be targeting a broader audience than perhaps the name lets on. Yes, there are series for housewives(which were also emotionally swaying reads by the way). In addition, there were also some alternative comics which would not have been out of place in an American indie zine. My goal initially with discussing the magazines is to scratch the surface of the various notable Japanese shojo and josei manga as well as to catalogue my own experiences as I am unfamiliar with the astonishingly greater variety in content which comes with reading manga in Japanese. I would like to explore the actual contents of the magazines down the road at some point. It would be fantastic to get people reading more comics targeted at girls and women since there is a great variety of content which is unknown to most people. At one point I asked a friend what they thought of when they saw the words manga and anime they immediately grasped for Naruto. Now, this post seems to be straying further and further from its original intent so I believe I will call it a night. Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-8600107117322980652018-09-06T01:25:00.000-07:002018-09-06T01:25:23.855-07:00Nakayoshi October 2018<div style="text-align: center;">
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This was honestly a fantastic read! Black Panther And Sweet 16 disrupted the quick clip I was reading gobbling up the chapters but even it had some dramatic moments and an overall dark tone which made it a compelling read in its own rite. A series which revolves around a girl marrying a sheikh had me concerned about what particular direction it would go in last issue when it started. Those fears were washed away as the series seems to be taking a more political intrigue angle than a a "Harlequin for beginners" angle I dreaded it taking. There are many good Harlequin manga but there is a huge over saturation of them in English which makes them easy to get agitated about. Thankfully the heroine was able to stand her ground in this exotic locale. Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card adorned the issues cover. Given the popularity of Cardcaptor Sakura this perhaps comes as no surprise but it is still a lovely cover by CLAMP. A rerun chapter of Saint Tail sits at the back of the issue. I opted to ignore it I wonder if this will come back to haunt me down the road? There's an idol manga which seems to be ripe for an anime adaptation early in the issue. It has the darker angle modern kids anime seems to aim for without questionably odd subtext like Black Panther has. Nakayoshi was a truly fascinating and exciting read, perhaps I didn't get that detail across discussing it this time. A lot of the stories were unconventional in the issue which seems to be quickly becoming my favorite aspect of modern shojo. </div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-24413691185680150962018-08-24T02:03:00.001-07:002018-08-24T02:03:10.566-07:00Shojo Comic issue 18 (2018), Hana to Yume issue 17 (2018)<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>Shojo Comic issue 18 (2018)</u></div>
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Decided to start using this blog again.<br /><br />Shojo Comic issue 18 offered an interesting mix of titles this issue had very little smut compared to other issues I've read and the action scenes were genuinely intense for series which had them. Shojo Comic is a very easy read even for a novice to Japanese like myself. The artwork is really detailed although this isn't Hana to Yume levels of diversity in content and tones for narratives which is kind of unfortunate. </div>
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<u>Hana to Yume issue 17 (2018)</u></div>
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This issue offered a broad range of stories that make it worth the purchase for casual manga readers. The overall storytelling was phenomenal and the artwork was amazing. Oresama Teacher is quickly catching my attention. The series is released in English under Viz Media's Shojo Beat imprint. I honestly feel compelled to go back and read the entire series properly but with no digital edition and certain volumes from the series being out of print in Canada makes me hesitant to actually do so. Hana to Yume is markedly more fantasy leaning than Shojo Comic this issue which made for a refreshing contrast when reading the two issues the same day.</div>
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I'm not going to make any promises whether I'll start using this blog more regularly or not since things seem to get in the way a lot the last few years. I will try though. </div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-34452079326693924632018-03-11T21:32:00.000-07:002018-03-11T21:41:48.808-07:00Aposimz chapters 1-5 Review<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tsutomu Nihei’s Aposimz is a grand science fiction epic set in a bizarre world. The artwork is gorgeous, hauntingly portraying the horrific events of the story. The setting is fascinatingly somber. The world of Aposimz is perpetually snow covered. The one issue I had is that the narrative is holding its cards close to its chest so far.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are so many aspects of this universe which would be fascinating to understand more about but Aposimz is through and through a Tsutomu Nihei work. Nihei’s narratives dive into the surreal worlds with the reader often being swept along for the experience. This almost always leaves it up to the reader to pick up and interpret the narrative themselves and Aposimz is no exception to this rule. Even Nihei’s arguably most reader friendly work, Knights of Sidonia is still obtuse at times. Aposimz is another intriguing work from an exceptionally talented manga creator. I cannot recommend this experience enough!</span></span></div>
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Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-14113682627562906422018-02-28T14:39:00.001-08:002018-02-28T14:45:39.775-08:00Alice in Murderland volume 4 Review<span id="docs-internal-guid-8bb1960c-de97-4983-0f18-d030632ed514"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaoru Yuki’s body of work translated in English is considerably larger than many mangakas’ and it is fascinating to see how the tone of her work has changed over the years. That being said, while there is a greater sense of self-awareness in her more modern works the biggest problem for long-time readers of her works is easily the fact it always comes across as a touch homogenous. The biggest theme in a lot of Kaoru Yuki’s works has always been the dark reality behind fairy tales. A world which once looked like it was rose tinted is actually horrific once given a closer examination. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alice in Murderland volume 4 follows this long tradition. The heroine becomes more and more aware the Alice in Wonderland influenced world she lives in contains layers upon layers of dark secrets. Everyone in the cast is not who they seem to be at first glance. The heroine herself has an alternate murderous personality. Even her wealthy adoptive mother she once thought to be kind reveals herself to be the cruelest member of the manga’s cast thus far. Alice in Wonderland is the perfect theme for a Kaori Yuki work and Alice in Murderland’s continued descent into madness makes for a fascinating read. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While Alice in Murderland is certainly a nice addition to Kaori Yuki’s body of English translated work there still is very much the issue with the series that it feels like Alice in Murderland is once again just Kaori Yuki simply going through the motions of creating a series. The formula she seems to have developed for creating her work is nevertheless an effective one even if she is once again reusing the themes and issues from her previous work. It still is nice every once in a while to sit down with a Kaori Yuki manga and cleanse the palette from the tropes of shojo manga in general.</span></div>
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</span>Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-43186771452262903712017-08-11T03:11:00.001-07:002017-08-11T03:11:13.261-07:00Our Precious Conversations volume 2 Compared to volume 1, volume 2 of Our Precious Conversations continues the trend of being an enjoyable read. The characters are still the dorks you know and love. Robico's artwork is as lush as always. Now I'm just excited to read the simulpub chapters.Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-17514186084526137212017-05-03T21:10:00.001-07:002017-05-03T21:10:28.128-07:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<u>A Perfect day for Love Letters volume 1 Review</u></div>
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With George Asakura's manga being finally released in English again in roughly 2 weeks I thought I would take a brief look at one of her previously translated works that I'd forgotten I had sitting on my shelf unread for so many years. </div>
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A Perfect day for Love Letters volume 1 is an anthology of sorts which compiles various George Asakura short stories themed around love letters. The first 3 chapters follow an oddly specific narrative structure while chapters 4 and 5 more or less break away from the framework the book establishes in wildly different ways. The storytelling is strong in each of the short stories, While I had been curious about her much longer Drowning Love, known in Japan as Oboreru Knife, manga and her other works. A Perfect Day for Love Letters makes a perfect entry point into George Asakura's works even if it is sadly incomplete and out of print in English. </div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-53360297847229146862017-04-22T03:28:00.003-07:002017-04-22T03:28:41.587-07:00Chihayafuru volume 1 reviewI was debating whether to blog again yet here I am! With that out of the way let's dig into Chihayafuru, shall we?<br /><br /><div>
Much like the Chihayafuru anime, volume 1 of the Chihayafuru manga is a deeply moving experience. Chihaya is a compellingly written strong lead herself but the supporting cast is just as strong filled with colourful characters who immediately leave a strong and loving impression. Volume 1 is more of a prologue but it establishes many core elements for the series as well as the emotional core of the manga. When I finished reading I desperately wanted to read more right away. The artwork is also gorgeously expressive. It's impossible not to be swept up in Chihaya's infectious positivity. It's a small story there are no cheap narrative gimmicks just really solid writing complete with characters who feels very real yet at the same time lovable. The series also focuses very little on romance for readers who that might be an issue for going into it. This is a very moving manga about a Japanese poem game. </div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-22618178714665192852016-01-09T22:37:00.002-08:002016-01-09T22:37:48.656-08:00Comic Corrale: Winter 2016 Anime Premieres Part 1<div class="MsoNormal">
Comic Corrale: Winter 2016 Anime Premieres Part 1<o:p></o:p></div>
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This season I see a lot
of “what should I watch this season?” As someone who watches anime premieres
for funsies, I thought I’d give my two cents on the premieres I’ve seen if it
helps at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lupin III Part 4 Ep. 1-5:
Technically not a show to premiere in Japan this season. This series has had a
bit of an odd release schedule. It was actually scheduled to air in Spring 2015
in Italy but got delayed until late August. It premiered in Japan in October
before FINALLY premiering to English speaking audiences a few days ago. If you
haven’t check it out yet, I highly
recommend you do! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Myriad Colors Phantom
World 1: This series had a colorful start only to give way to the light novel clichés
which it fails to even do well. The animation is fluid but that’s really all it
has going for it. It’s self aware that it’s bad and continues to be despite
that. You can probably give this one a pass.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ojisan to Marshmallow 1:
It’s about an overweight man who loves marshmallows and a woman who wants to do
the diddlydoo with him. That’s literally all there is to this. At 3 minutes I
found it entertaining enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Oshiete! Galko-chan 1: If
you have the humor of a 5 year old you will likely enjoy this. Needless to say,
I was laughing the whole way through.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Pandora Crimson Shell:
Ghost Urn 1: It is trash that I have no intention of returning to. It’s
somewhat watchable at least, in that way watching a train wreck unfolding would
be. Really though, there are so many other things in this world you could be
watching other than this.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nurse Witch Komugi-chan R
1: I admit, once it got rolling, I was entertained if only for the references
to classic anime. Before it does entertain, though, it feels the need to mock
every cliché from this type of show which bored me to tears. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Haruchika 1: The
surprisingly positive representation of the LGBT community at the very end of
the episode caught me off guard. It’s rare to see a protagonist who’s gay/bi/pan/etc.
in animation who isn’t either meant to inspire fanfiction or to be mocked. In
fact, I’ll likely continue watching simply to see where it goes from there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Showa Genroku Rakugo
Shinju 1: I’ve already seen this 48 minute premiere twice. Once alone and once
with a family member and enjoyed it both times. Far and away the biggest
standout, thus far, this season, I cannot wait for more. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Erased 1: This made some
good use of minimalism in some shots. That being said, the protagonist is
grating with his internal monologues. Really, it’s the supporting cast that
made this premiere shine. The plot is certainly compelling as well to an
extent. I can kind of guess how it’ll unravel but given the more grim nature. I
think waiting for it to finish and then having a marathon would be the best way
to watch this show.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tabi Machi Late Show 1:
This series has by far been the least talked about on social media. It has
Comix Wave’s practically trademark limited animation. The story is touching in
the premiere. It manages to cover a lot of ground in its 7 minutes. This series
is only going to be 4 episodes and will apparently be part of the “Comix Wave
Omnibus.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sekko Boys 1: For lovers
of guilty pleasure shows, Sekko Boys with what appears to be either very
detailed or photoshopped statues is the go to show this season! It’s part of
the Ultra Super Anime Time block in Japan which has produced some very
entertaining comedies since it debuted last July and this certainly follows in
that tradition.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Norn9 1: Complete with a
name a ten year old would come up with, Norn9 has surprisingly detailed
backgrounds. That’s really the only highlight of this first episode. Otherwise
it is very much a copy and paste video game anime adaptation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Prince of Stride
Alternative 1: This series has some talent behind it, surprisingly, and it
makes the end product look super stylish. Honestly, both writing and visually I
was impressed by this premiere and am very much looking forward to more. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bubuki Buranki 1: The character
CG is laughable but the story is more than enough to carry this premiere. This
is probably more a series for more mainstream anime fans and I feel it will
succeed to that end. It really isn’t my cup of tea though I feel it’d be best
watch with friends as it feels like a Hollywood flick.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Before I finish this I feel it’s
worth mentioning there were a few shows that premiered that I couldn’t even
finish: Girls in the Wastelands is probably the most painful premiere thus far
this season. Phantasy Star Online 2 the Animation comes from the school of thought
that it need not put in an ounce of effort and still succeed and needless to
say it fails dismally for it. I will write up other premieres I watch at a
later point so I guess that will be a part 2.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-13748145135562616452016-01-05T11:29:00.001-08:002016-01-05T11:29:12.639-08:00Comic Corral #3<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Comic Corral #3: Jolly Jojo New Year!<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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By Geordi Demorest<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy New Year to all! Here’s
another spree of meandering writings about what I was reading and watching over
the holidays.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure seasons
1-3: After my Black Butler marathon I thought I would follow it up with another
homoerotic shonen series and sunk my teeth into Jojo. With Diamond is
Unbreakable start in a few months which was certainly being a motivator. With
Jojo being the series it is of course they kill my beloved Iggy the dog. At
least they give him and the other characters that kicked the bucket in this
part a Lion King send off. Stardust Crusaders is my least favorite of the Jojo
parts to date, with how long it is and its less than stellar finale, though it
too is a really good series in its own way. There are lots of creative ideas
and cheesy moments in the third part so it certainly has its positives. Part
two Jojo is rather frustrating as a character but again that’s probably more of
a personal taste for protagonists.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cuticle Detcetive Inaba vol. 1
& 2: I was surprised by how much I liked this series. I admit to not being
the biggest fan of the anime with how it rushes through scenes but the source
material never feels rushed despite the episodic nature of the first volume or
so. I think the clincher was when they finally introduced the true antagonist
who gives the series more of an overarching and somewhat compelling plot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nanbaka vol. 1: It takes the
volume forever and a day to truly introduce the cast much of the book meanders
from gag to gag only at the end revealing the protagonist’s motivation. There
isn’t a whole lot else to bring up about this series apart from the bright,
vivid colors which compelled me to continue. <u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-67930217756273636482015-12-27T19:52:00.001-08:002015-12-27T19:52:08.848-08:00Comic Corral #2<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Comic Corral #2: Black Butler’s Big Day(s)<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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by Geordi Demorest<o:p></o:p></div>
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Black Butler Chapters 1-111: I’ve
never been one for long running series comic or otherwise so Black Butler took
years to catch-up on inevitably ending in a marathon that was both fascinating
and depressing. Once I truly sunk my teeth into the manga there was no
stopping. I think the biggest hurdle for those who have seen the anime in part
or entirely will be separating it from the source material which has an
entirely different take on the world and characters after the booking arc. The
manga tries its hand at everything from mysteries to sports manga.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sweetness and Lightning chapters
1-29: I haven’t talked about Sweetness and Lightning much, if at all, but it
truly is an adorable manga. There isn’t a whole lot to it beyond its premise. The
characters have layers and goals though which I think is what establishes it
apart from many other slice-of-life manga well that and its incredible artwork.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today’s Cerberus chapters 1-28: This
is not a comic with an ounce a class yet I adore it all the same. It takes
Nisekoi’s tropes and characters and does them many, many times better. It isn’t
afraid to continue its story and doesn’t go off on tangents. It’s still
shameless fan service (which is perfectly fine) it just has more too it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Dark Horse Presents volume 3
issues 1-16: Currently I’m working my way through the seventeenth issue of this
comic anthology magazine. Not all the series are winners but the ones that are
really hit it out of the park. It’s a breath of fresh air for one such as I who
spends much of my time with Japanese comics.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Relife volume 1: This manga
caught me particularly by surprise from the outset I thought it would be fan
service pandering to the lowest common denominator. However it’s a surprisingly
thoughtful and addictive series. I
cannot wait for more of it to be up on Crunchyroll!<u><o:p></o:p></u></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-82563417015442194682015-12-19T15:16:00.003-08:002015-12-19T15:16:52.250-08:00Comic Corral #1<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Comic Corral #1<o:p></o:p></u></div>
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by Geordi Demorest</div>
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So I’m trying
something a little different again. This is column is more of a roundup of some
of the books and shows I’ve been watching and a more blog style reaction to
them instead of reviews with structure to them. So basically what I’ve been
doing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Island issues 1-4: This one caught
me off guard. I hadn’t expected to enjoy this as much as I do. Not all of the
stories were winners one of the stories in particular in which people have
devices that do everything for them seemed to clash with the more surrealist at
times almost dada. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lettera volume 1: This one can be
found on the sparkler monthly site where it is currently being serialized. It
does this weird thing where it goes into super deformed mode at odd times, as
in, most of the time. I really like series with strong female protagonists and
this is a prime example of that. The heroine, who doesn’t have much depth so
far honestly, can hold her own in a fight and has a compelling personality.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Orange Junk Chapters 1-14: This
comic is kind of a guilty pleasure with not too much substance to it. It’s a
fun read and also can be found on the sparkler monthly website. The modeling
arc is by far my favorite as it actually has some stakes and greatly expands
the cast.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Natsume’s Book of Friends volume
10: I have always been a fan of Natsume, though admittedly I still have the
fourth/final season sitting unfinished on my CR queue. It’s a quiet series
though my favorite moments are the more suspenseful ones. This volume pretty
much continued to stick to the series’ status quo for better and for not so well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Big Punch Magazine issue 1: I’d
been vaguely aware of this magazine for some time but never had gotten around
to reading it mostly because I wasn’t sure it would stay afloat for long. The
end of the year though and it’s still around. The stories are compelling and too
my liking in art style Though don’t really care for the first story in the
issue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There was a lot more that I read
recently, and continue to read, and I might get around to writing up about those
series at some point too. Anywho, have a good day!<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-28469295941369617482015-12-12T13:13:00.004-08:002015-12-12T13:13:40.967-08:00Top 5 Best and Worst Comics of 2015<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Top 5 Best and Worst Comics of 2015</u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
by Geordi Demorest</div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
2015 was
a huge year for comics. Highly requested series have been licensed in droves,
French comics made a splash onto the North American market, new services sprung
up like Spottoon, Yen Press simulpubs, Silent Manga Audition, webtoons (a new
format for comics designed for the digital age) seem to be taking off globally,
and so on and so forth. With the year drawing to a close I thought I’d make a
best and worst list for comics that came out in 2015. To clarify the worst list
was really subjective while the best list is made up, what I feel to be, the best
comics of 2015.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
Let’s get the worst out
of the way:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
5) Idol Dreams: I couldn’t
get past the first chapter of this one. Tanemura really isn’t that great at
writing adults who feel and act like adults. There was also a suicide joke
thrown in and well let’s say it isn’t one of her better works.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
4) Takahashi-san is
Listening: This series relies completely around a really awkward joke: the
protagonist is a stalker. There really isn’t much to say about it beyond that.
It never really goes beyond the joke nor does the heroine face any consequences
for her actions.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
3) Samon the Summoner: This
one was particularly insufferable. The biggest problem lies in the fact that
the heroine is actually a great person, and yet Samon tries to convince the
audience that secretly she is evil at heart and that she should, thus, be
miserable. It never gave a reason in the pilot chapter and it was another one I
couldn’t read much of beyond it admittedly. Like most of the Jump Starts this
year this one was cancelled quickly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
2) Yuuki and Nao: This
one goes higher because, when I started reading it, I was cautiously optimistic,
that it might be decent, but it turned out to be yet another of Renta’s many hard-core
smut series.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
1) Marie of the Dragons:
It now occurs to me that this list is comprised mostly of smut and tasteless
humor series. Marie of the Dragons falls into the former category. It took me
many months to finish the one issue I have bought. While I enjoy some bande
desinee this is not one of them. The art is hideous and it prefers to
concentrate on the smut far too much for my tastes. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
Now for the “best of”
list:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
5) Bloody Mary:
Admittedly this one is more of a personal favorite but the way it goes about
its subject matter is well written and refreshing. It’s far more intelligent than
I thought it would have been from the outset and it was a genuinely pleasant
surprise for me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
4) Scarlet Empire:
Another personal favorite. The artwork is distinct and eye-catching, the story
flows fluidly, and the characters have layers to their personalities. It’s
probably the lowest profile series on this best list but I think it deserves a
spot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
3) So Cute It Hurts: This
series was even more of a pleasant surprise. Despite how plain it looks it has
a lot of personality. Gender benders are difficult to do well and I think So
Cute it Hurts is certainly up to the task.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
2) Princess Jellyfish: I
really struggled with the top two.
Princess Jellyfish is only in second because I was well aware from the
outset how great it would be. It’s charming and has many, many likeable,
colorful characters. The common is perfectly tuned and it just does very well
at what it sets out to be: a romantic comedy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoNormal">
1) Tokyo Ghoul: I really
could not NOT put this one at number 1. Tokyo Ghoul is by far the most
compelling comic of 2015. It spends lots of time and effort establishing the
decay of its protagonist’s morality and sanity and its multi-layered world. The
artwork is no slouch either the series comic consistently looks good too. Tokyo
Ghoul is nigh impossible to put down and it truly deserves its place.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-4152952886486913922015-11-07T13:20:00.000-08:002015-11-07T13:20:05.786-08:00xxxHolic Rei volume 1 review<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>xxxHolic Rei volume 1 Review<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
by Geordi Demorest<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Review: Yuko has never really been one of my
favorite leads in a manga and this volume spotlights one of her biggest flaws
as a protagonist: she takes this whatever will be will be attitude which makes
her difficult to root for. Instead she chooses to spend her time talking in
circles and indulging in alcohol and smoking to pass the time while her clients
fall metaphorically apart. That said, xxxHolic rei’s first volume has an almost
hypnotic grasp over its readers and is the perfect book to read before going to
sleep. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
This new series
returns Yuko to being the owner of the wish granting shop while Watanuki
resumes being her flunky. While it’s clear something is amiss throughout the
entire volume no one cares to explain it to the audience. Plot has never been
one of xxxHolic strong suits. The aspect that ultimately compels the reader to
continue is the strange relationship between Watanuki and Domeki. Watanuki
spends the entire book asking for answers while Yuko would rather be vague and
give non-answers that confuse both Watanuki and the reader.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
I preferred when
Watanuki was the shopkeeper because he was a lot more clear on what his goal
was and was much more proactive in helping his clients that Yuko continues to
be. In conclusion, I would say, that this would be a good jumping on point for
new readers to the series. For those of us who have continued the series until
now, well, there’s really no escaping for us at this point.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Grade: B-<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
xxxHolic Rei is available in
print and digitally from Kodansha Comics.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-62308373755788969542015-11-07T12:57:00.003-08:002015-11-07T12:57:57.303-08:00Metamo Kiss vol. 1-3 review<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Metamo Kiss volumes 1-3 Review<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By Geordi Demorest<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Review: I
think the word “meh” is what best describes Mteamo Kiss ultimately. That isn’t
to say the entire series is subpar but in the final book when you would think the plot would really be ramped
up the protagonist just kind stands around absent mindedly happy and the entire
series ends with most of its subplots unresolved. In the afterward to the
series one the characters are chatting with the “author” of the book and one of
them calls the author a hack and, in all honesty, that probably wasn’t too far
off. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
The first two
books have an actual tension but the third (which is also the final) book just
goes “oh yeah, right, this a romance” and so in the last two pages the leads
are a couple, inexplicably, despite having shared no actual moments or
chemistry. And then the audience just walks away without having gained or lost
anything. To the credit of the series, the first two volumes feature compelling,
colorful characters and interactions and feels like it takes the tired bodyswap
premise and uses it creatively. Ultimately Metamo Kiss is bland and
forgettable. It starts off well but in the end just kind of fizzles out.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Grade: C<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Metamo Kiss is available
digitally from Viz Media.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-41709900480898964732015-09-13T13:38:00.000-07:002015-09-13T13:38:11.640-07:00Shonen Jump<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Shonen Jump<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In
the past I’ve looked at comics from Shonen Jump on here. Today I’m just going
to look at the magazine and how it has evolved. This isn’t so much a review of Shonen
Jump, as much as a brief, and probably ill-informed, examination of the
magazine that brought about a fascination with Japanese comics for me. Jump has
been around a long time, for a majority of my life anyhow, but started as a
monthly print magazine. It enjoyed considerable popularity for a manga magazine
introducing such hits as Naruto and One Piece. Bleach, what is often considered
the other member of the “Big 3”, curiously wasn’t added to the magazine for quite
some time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As
a print magazine, Shonen Jump had a considerably pool of popular series to draw
from many of which would be notoriously censored especially in the early years.
This would not be entirely remedied until the magazine made the switch to
digital which will be covered in a bit. The other frustrating aspect of the
print magazine was that many of these series would never be fully serialized in
the magazine instead being finished In graphic novel form if they were lucky.
These problems would be remedied once the move to digital occurred but this too
came with flaws.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The
move to digital brought with it changes, most of which for the better, chapters
for the first year were near simultaneous with Japan (well nearer than before
anyway 2 weeks behind) for the first year, Viz had to prove to Shueisha in
Japan that they could put out a quality product. As odd as I find Weekly Shonen Jump today, at the time, it was
standard-ish for manga serializing in English. Most serialized digital manga in
the early years was as magazines as it had been in print. Even now, manga
publishers cannot seem to settle on a particular model that works for everyone.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
Back on topic,
many of the digital serialized Japanese comic’s pioneers: Comicloud, Gen Manga,
Manga Boshi, to name a few have either faded or changed drastically over time
with the rapidly changing media landscape. Weekly Shonen Jump, now jaded from years
of the rapidly morphing manga scene, seems to stick firmly to the formula that brought
them success in the first place. They have always had a very particular type of
story they would run in their magazine, more so than the magazine’s Japanese
counterpart, which itself has at least some variation on its formula. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
English
Shonen Jump’s formula is as follows: the protagonist must overcome the odds and
achieve their dream. The lower their situation is, and the greater the odds, the
more it seems to resonate with readers. In some ways it feels similar to Disney’s
formula which may be why it resonates with so many people. Viz is particularly
formulaic at present as they tend to stick to certain genres (namely science
fiction and fantasy).Will this formula ever grow tiresome for audiences or will
we finally see some new ideas flow forth and gain traction from the beloved magazine
we have come to know and love? Or is the answer already apparent? As a simple
reviewer on the internet, I really cannot say. I suppose I will find out at
some point in life anyhow.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-18791576597916776512015-08-26T18:44:00.001-07:002015-08-26T18:44:27.097-07:00<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span lang="X-NONE">VIZ MEDIA </span><span lang="EN-US">LAUNCHES THE SWEET SHOJO MANGA CONFECTION <i>KOMOMO CONFISERIE</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">New Manga Series About An Ex-Rich Girl Who Starts
Working At A Pastry Shop And Finds Love For The First Time From The Creator Of </span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">S•A</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> And VOICE OVER! SEIYU ACADEMY<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">San
Francisco, CA, August 26, 2015 –</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media),
the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North
America, announces the release of its latest shojo manga (graphic novel) series
with the launch of </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">KOMOMO CONFISERIE on September 1<sup>st</sup>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The romantic comedy, created by </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Maki Minami, about a sheltered
but determined girl finding her way in the world after her family goes bankrupt
is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will carry a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. KOMOMO CONFISERIE </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">also
launches </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">digitally on September 1<sup>st</sup> via </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.vizmanga.com/?utm_source=PR&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=vizmanga"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">VIZManga.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> and the
VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and
GooglePlay stores. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">The
series will be published under the company’s Shojo Beat imprint with new
volumes scheduled for release in print and digitally on a quarterly basis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">As
a little girl, Komomo Ninomiya delighted in picking on Natsu Azumi, the son of
her family’s pastry chef. Ten years later, when the family fortune is lost and
she has no place to live, Komomo encounters Natsu again in her hour of need.
Now that Natsu is a master pastry chef in his own right, he’ll help Komomo –
but only if she works for him at his new confiserie!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">“In
KOMOMO CONFISERIE, Maki Minami has created a strong, unique heroine who tackles
challenges in her own way including working hard for the first time in her life,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Senior Editor.
“Be prepared for a lot of laughs as Komomo and Natsu learn to get along in this
sweet new series!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Manga
creator Maki Minami is from Saitama Prefecture in Japan and debuted in 2001
with <i>Kanata no Ao</i> (Faraway Blue). Her
other works include <i>Kimi wa Girlfriend</i>
(You're My Girlfriend), <i>Mainichi ga
Takaramono</i> (Every Day Is a Treasure) and <i>Yuki Atataka</i> (Warm Winter). Her series, S•A, (published in English by
VIZ Media; rated ‘T’ for Teens), was serialized in Japan's <i>Hana to Yume</i> magazine and was also adapted into a popular anime
series. Maki Minami also is the creator of VOICE OVER! SEIYU ACADEMY, which is
published in English by VIZ Media. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For
more information on KOMOMO CONFISERIE</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">
or other shojo manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.viz.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">www.viz.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">About VIZ Media, LLC </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Headquartered in San Francisco, California,
VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles
direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation
companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions,
Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for
English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and
South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and
blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers
cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga,
science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are
available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films,
downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products.
Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.viz.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">www.VIZ.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-44293812755383268542015-08-18T19:02:00.001-07:002015-08-18T19:02:46.247-07:00VIZ MEDIA’S HAIKASORU LITERARY IMPRINT PARTICIPATES AT 73rd WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION AND WELCOMES AUTHOR TAIYO FUJII<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">VIZ
MEDIA’S HAIKASORU LITERARY IMPRINT PARTICIPATES AT <i>73<sup>rd </sup>WORLD SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION</i> AND WELCOMES
AUTHOR <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">TAIYO
FUJII <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Award
Winning Japanese Author Of GENE MAPPER Comes To One Of The Longest Running
Science Fiction Conventions <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">San
Francisco, CA, August 18, 2015 – </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint has announced
its participation at Sasquan, the </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">73<sup>rd</sup> World
Science Fiction Convention. Haikasoru will welcome the acclaimed Japanese
author Taiyo Fujii as a panel participant, and will host a retail booth (E4) in
the main Dealer’s Room that will offer a wide variety of the imprint’s
acclaimed titles at specially discounted prices. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
Happening August 19<sup>th</sup>-23<sup>rd</sup> in Spokane, WA, Sasquan 2015</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> is the site of the 2015
World Science Fiction Convention, also known as “Worldcon,” an annual gathering
of science fiction and fantasy fans. Additional details are available at: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.worldcon.org/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">www.worldcon.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> and </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://sasquan.org/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">http://sasquan.org</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Taiyo
Fujii will be featured in several events throughout the convention and
participating in several panel discussions:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thursday, August 20<sup>th</sup> <sup><o:p></o:p></sup></span></u></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">11:30am
– 12:00pm <i>Taiyo Fujii Reading (Room 303B)</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Join the author as he offers a
personal reading of select passages from his works. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Friday, August 21<sup>st</sup> <sup><o:p></o:p></sup></span></u></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">11:00am
– 11:45am <i>Self-Publishing – When To Do It, When To Publish<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <i>Traditionally (Room 401C)<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Taiyo Fujii will be among the
authors featured for a discussion of the whys and whens of self-publishing
versus traditional publishing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Saturday, August 22<sup>nd</sup> <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">11:00am – 11:45am <i>The Future of Publishing (Room </i></span></b><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bays 111C</span></i></b><b><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">)</span></i></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
publishing industry has changed dramatically, moving away from traditional
models to online sales, self-publishing and ebooks. What could the next
20 years bring?</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">2:00pm
– 2:45pm <i>Kaffe Klatche – Taiyo Fujii (Room 202B)<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">A special insightful discussion with
the author on his work and creative process. </span><b><i><u><sup><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></sup></u></i></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">4:00pm
– 4:45pm <i>SpoCon Presents – SubGenre Games <o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <i>(Grand Ballroom: Salon III)<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Are you deep for
dystopia? Crazy for cyberpunk? Soft on steampunk? We're pitting ten
sub-genres against each-other to see which should shed
its "sub" prefix and become a fully-fledged genre
alongside the towers of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Join author
Taiyo Fujii and Haikasoru Editor Nick Mamatas for this unique forum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">5:00pm
– 5:45pm <i>Seiun Awards & Publishing SF in Japan<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <i>(Grand Ballroom: Salon III)<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Taiyo Fujii will join two other
prominent Japanese authors for a discussion of the famous annual literary award
and the process by which science fiction literature is published in Japan. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Taiyo
Fujii is the author of the mystery thriller, GENE MAPPER, and won a </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">2014 Nihon SF Taisho
Award by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">GENE
MAPPER was Fujii’s first novel and became Amazon Japan’s Number One Kindle bestseller of for 2012 when it was originally
published. The novel was later revised and republished in both print and
digitally in Japan as <em>Gene Mapper – full build – by</em> Hayakawa
Publishing in 2013 and also was nominated for the Nihon SF Taisho Award and the
Seiun Award. Fujii’s second novel, <em>Orbital Cloud</em>, won the 2014 Nihon SF
Taisho Award and also took first prize in the “Best SF of 2014” in <em>SF
Magazine</em>. <em>Fujii’s English-language short fiction debut, the
novelette “Violation of the TrueNet Security Act” appeared in Lightspeed
Magazine in July 2015.</em><em><span style="font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></em></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During </span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Sasquan 2015, <em>Haikasoru will offer GENE MAPPER along
with a wide variety of its other titles for purchase </em></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">with special convention
pricing. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Titles to be offered will include: ALL YOU NEED IS
KILL (the novel which inspired the 2014 blockbuster <i>Edge of Tomorrow</i>); BATTLE ROYALE REMASTERED and the BATTLE ROYALE
SLAM BOOK; GENE MAPPER; anthologies PHANTASM JAPAN and THE FUTURE IS JAPANESE
(includes the Hugo Award-winning Ken Liu story, “Mono no Aware”); RED GIRLS and
DENDERA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">For more
information on </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">GENE MAPPER</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"> and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit the dedicated
website at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.haikasoru.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">www.haikasoru.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">About VIZ Media,
LLC </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets
and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by
three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc.,
Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has
the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in
North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular
digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like
NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and
family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans
of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs,
animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and
a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and
manga at </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS Mincho"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.viz.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">www.VIZ.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%;">.</span>Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-58470823294246320562015-08-18T17:44:00.001-07:002015-08-18T17:44:24.219-07:00Mahou Josei Chimaka Chapters 2 & 3 Review<div class="MsoNormal">
<u>Mahou Josei Chimaka Chapters 2 & 3 Review<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
by Geordi Demorest<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So what feels like
a thousand years ago I wrote a review of the first chapter of Mahou Josei
Chimaka as well as many, many other titles that I have not come back to
reviewing. I put my Cartoon Geek Corner writing on hold mostly because of
things beyond my control but also because of work I found elsewhere. Before I go back and begin reviewing new
things I’d like to go back and finish up what I can, things such as manga box
where there is no legal way to go back and review the earlier chapter any
longer as well as titles from sites like JManga that are long gone obviously
not but titles still legally available I’d like to get back to. Boring tangent
done let’s get back into the actual content.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
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It’s
become clearer over time that Mahou Josei Chimaka pulls heavily from other
series in particular Sailor Moon. This becomes very evident in its climax in
chapter 3 but that is not to say that Chimaka is not its own thing. It has its
own colorful cast of characters and story as well as great pacing. In fact,
despite the title, this seems to pull from other cultures mythology for its
climax (sadly I don’t feel equipped enough to say which cultures specifically)
and despite being self-described as a parody it still feels like its own thing
to some degree complete with its own themes such as a more modern view of
feminist fiction something Sailor Moon I feel was lacking in from my
recollections of it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Chimaka
is a light and fun read that, once started, you cannot put down. The final
chapters in particular are gripping while to a degree staying true to the
original spirit of the comic’s first chapter. Despite being a “parody” Chimaka
still has its deeper moments which are, naturally, character development and
the budding LGBT romance with her co-worker who was introduced in the first
chapter but finally has time to develop and breathe as a person instead of just
being someone meant to forward the plot. I would say give Chimaka a read if you
are looking for a more playful magical girl series with a more feminist as well
as LGBT slant. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Grade: B+<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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Available on Sparkler Monthly’s website.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-69610518708316286022015-05-18T15:37:00.001-07:002015-05-18T15:37:15.747-07:00VIZ MEDIA NAMES BRAD WOODS AS CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span lang="EN-US">VIZ MEDIA NAMES BRAD WOODS AS <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<span lang="EN-US">CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Entertainment Executive To Lead Global Multimedia
Initiatives And Drive Omni-Channel Marketing For The Industry’s Leading Catalog
Of Anime And Manga Content<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">San
Francisco, CA, May 18, 2015 –</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media),
the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North
America, has announced that Brad Woods has been named as Chief Marketing
Officer (CMO). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Brad Woods is a seasoned entertainment executive
with a proven success record of enhancing brand equity, increasing revenue, and
achieving results with innovative strategies and visionary leadership,” says
Ken Sasaki, CEO of VIZ Media. “His multi-disciplinary experience will play a
vital role in expanding VIZ Media’s market share across the publishing, digital
content, licensing, home media, and consumer product landscapes.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Woods will be responsible for developing a range of
marketing and product strategies to expand the VIZ Media brand and </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">omni-channel marketing for
titles </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">across all company imprints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">“I
am very excited to build upon VIZ Media’s mission to offer exciting and unique
multimedia content to a diverse global audience,” Woods says. “Our dynamic
catalog of titles across the print, digital, broadcast, and mobile arenas will
allow us to reinvent how consumers discover, enjoy, and interact with our
properties on a truly global level.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Woods joins VIZ Media from DreamWorks Animation,
where he served as Senior Vice President leading the domestic consumer products
and retail business development divisions. During his tenure at DreamWorks, he
restructured and substantially expanded the studio’s consumer products business,
led the U.S. licensing and retail teams, and also provided strategic leadership
for breakthrough marketing programs on properties including <i>Madagascar</i>, <i>Kung Fu Panda</i>, and <i>How To
Train Your Dragon</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Over
his 20-year career, Woods has held senior positions in the entertainment and
multi-media industries with companies including Mattel and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
His experience spans a wide variety of marketing and licensing operations such
as product marketing, brand development, corporate marketing and
communications, lead generation, channel relations, and digital and social media
marketing. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California, where he
graduated Summa Cum Laude, and a BS from the University of Arizona.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">For more information on VIZ Media, please visit </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.viz.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">www.VIZ.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.viz.com/"></a></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">About VIZ Media, LLC </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Headquartered in
San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best
anime and manga titles direct from Japan.
Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies,
Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd.,
VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English
speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South
Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster
properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and ONE PIECE, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge
action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science
fiction and fantasy fans of all ages.
VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated
television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a
variety of consumer products. Learn more
about VIZ Media, anime and manga at </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.viz.com/"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">www.VIZ.com</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-64947589499551384772015-02-02T17:26:00.002-08:002015-02-02T17:26:13.949-08:00Mahou Josei Chimaka Chapter 1 review<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Mahou Josei Chimaka Chapter 1 Story
& Art by Kaiju Review<o:p></o:p></div>
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From the Publisher: “Fifteen
years ago, magical girl Shimmer Shimmer Sky Patcher Chimaka lost her final
battle against her greatest foe, broke up with her "destined"
boyfriend, and practically flunked out of school. Now a chemical engineer at
Squid Petroleum, Chimaka is older, wiser, and a whole lot more bitter. But when
a surprise phone call alerts Chimaka to the fact that her ancient enemy is
getting restless again, it's going to be up to Chimaka and her best friend
Pippa to try to reignite Chimaka's old magic...and save the world!<o:p></o:p></div>
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For all you readers who wanted to
know what happens after your favorite magical girl series left off...KaiJu
brings you "Mahou Josei Chimaka"!”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Serialized in Sparkler Monthly,
Mahou Josei Chimaka has surprisingly good artwork and a more or less compelling
plot. The way it stealthily pokes fun at magical girl tropes was amusing to say
the least. And yet, it still believes in itself whole-heartedly and is
compelling enough to not be a mindless parody. The first chapter has me really
excited for future chapters and I am legitimately curious where it will go from
here. In conclusion I would say read this premiere chapter as it is maddeningly
addictive.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-30156473124247590952015-02-01T19:49:00.002-08:002015-02-01T19:49:43.205-08:00Hi-Fi Cluster Chapters 11-18 review<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 36.0pt;">
Hi-Fi Cluster Chapters 11-18
story & art by Ippei Goto Review<o:p></o:p></div>
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In
this final stretch of chapters, Cluster is charging forward at full force
(until the last chapter where it gives some sort of vaguely optimistic, tonally
jarring epilogue). As of this writing it is unclear if Cluster will leave any
sort of impact on manga readers in the west let alone be remembered. I’m going
to lean towards no for both. Although there seems to be forthcoming series
replicating the failed formula. There really is little to say about the manga
itself beyond that. It had a neat concept and had some compelling moments but,
ultimately, wasn’t long for the world. It is a short read, though, and while
flawed it is also entertaining so if you
have a means of reading it in its entirety and have yet to do so I
recommend giving it a read.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-7707400520072972562015-01-22T10:54:00.002-08:002015-01-22T10:54:23.140-08:00Mushishi Next Chapter Season 2 Episodes 2-10 review<div class="MsoNormal">
Mushishi Next Chapter Season 2 Episodes 2-10 Review<o:p></o:p></div>
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It
really is disappointing the television series could not tie up the franchise.
That was my only expectation going into this season. The quality is standard
for the show. The visuals and music are as soothing as ever. If one is in
search of shows well off the worn path Mushishi is most likely the franchise
for them. While it will more likely put the world to sleep and not so much
revolutionize anything it remains among my favorite anime. Fare well Mushishi:
your contribution to the world will not be forgotten.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2252143724023290891.post-90666344258759579112015-01-22T10:46:00.002-08:002015-01-22T10:46:17.244-08:00Hi-sCool! Seha Girls Episodes 3-13 review<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi-sCool! Seha Girls Episodes 3-13 Review<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sega
Hard Girls will always have a fond place in my heart. Yes, it was a cheap hours
long advertisement for games well over a decade old and it most likely will not
reach a greater than it already has but it was campy fun. If you are a fan of
classic video games and enjoy bad in a good way shows I recommend giving Sega
Hard Girls a test drive. It isn’t a huge commitment and who knows? You might
find a hidden gem.<o:p></o:p></div>
Mad Mangahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06338918347476854158noreply@blogger.com0