Nakayoshi October 2018

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. 

Shojo Comic issue 18 (2018), Hana to Yume issue 17 (2018)

Shojo Comic issue 18 (2018)

Decided to start using this blog again.

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. 

Hana to Yume issue 17 (2018)

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.

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. 

Aposimz chapters 1-5 Review

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.

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!

Alice in Murderland volume 4 Review

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.

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.

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.

Our 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.

A Perfect day for Love Letters volume 1 Review

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. 

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. 

Chihayafuru volume 1 review

I was debating whether to blog again yet here I am! With that out of the way let's dig into Chihayafuru, shall we?

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.