Independent Opinions, News, and Reviews of Graphic Novels, Manga, and Comic Books
Yowamushi Pedal volume 1 seems like it might be a sports manga, with its focus on cycling, but it’s really about a loner guy learning how special he is. Sakamichi is a meek nerd. He regularly rides his “mommy bike” a long distance over hilly roads to get to Akiba, where he can buy limited-release DVDs and toys and other signs of fandom. (Thanks to the translation notes, I found out “Sakamichi” means “hilly roads”.) He doesn’t realize how hard […]
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Nathan Hale is extraordinary at not only bringing history to life, but also including well-researched bits of the story most people aren’t aware of. The latest entry in the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series is also outstanding in another way. The Underground Abductor is the first of the stories to star a woman, Harriet Tubman. Hale isn’t afraid to tackle difficult topics, either. The book starts with Nathan Hale’s captors — the spy, about to be hanged, has magically become […]
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The twins’ gender-switching is over, and everyone is trying to deal with whether their relationships will continue now that the truth is known. This series is so fluffy it’s a great escapist read. But it does leave me with odd questions. Like… Megumu’s crush Aoi is one of those only-in-manga tough guys who’s “allergic” to women. As in, he actually faints if he gets too close to one. Where did this idea come from and who finds it at all […]
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Shonen Jump Plus (a free digital publication in Japanese) and MediBang (which “provides free digital painting apps and software to illustrators and comic book artists worldwide”) are holding a manga contest to discover new artists. Unlike other manga auditions, this contest is set up to translate English, Korean, and Chinese submissions into Japanese for review by the editors. Entries will be accepted through March 3, 2016. Enter through MediBang’s site. They’re looking for completed one-shot comics under 50 pages. On […]
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As expected, I greatly enjoyed A Bride’s Story Volume 7, although my recommendation comes with caveats. Kaoru Mori’s artwork is as lovely and detailed as always, but much of it this time around is dedicated to drawing women at the bathhouse, which means lots of lovingly illustrated naked breasts. Americans who get upset over nudity won’t want to read this volume (but they probably aren’t aware of this series anyway). There is something refreshing about the variety of bodies she […]
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Idol Dreams puts a clever twist on a typical manga situation, that of becoming famous in show business. Only Chikage is a 31-year-old office worker, unpopular, lonely, and nervous around men. She’s having a mid-life crisis, feeling she peaked when she graduated high school. She attends her class reunion, dreaming of reuniting with her crush from back then, only to be embarrassed by a classmate blurting out her status as a virgin. She’s hopeless and suicidal. But then comes the […]
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I enjoyed Kiss Him, Not Me! volume 2 more than the first book, since the harem of guys are developing distinct, recognizable personalities. Fangirl Kae has four admirers, and here, they go on a series of dates in expected manga situations. First, there’s the school festival, and due to the cosplay theme, Kae gets to make outfits for several of the guys (including one who’s playing princess). They get upset at spending all their time with her in a group, […]
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Emma Volume 3 is where William and Emma’s relationship really gets interesting. But first, there’s a charming digression that establishes essential background information about William’s family. (See Volume 2 for more history.) William’s father Richard Jones had money but no background. His attempts to join society were rebuffed, with the “right people” blatantly talking about how unsuited he was. We see him meet his eventual wife Aurelia, who is considered hopeless for having no talents. The two marry and create […]
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