Independent Opinions, News, and Reviews of Graphic Novels, Manga, and Comic Books
Flying Witch volume 3 doesn’t differ appreciably from the first book in the series. That’s its strength — calm, lightweight stories about everyday life with just a soupçon of magic to make things interesting. Not too scary or different, though, just relaxing. The kids go to a witch cafe where they’re waited on by a ghost. Another patron is a fox — drawn adorably! — an encounter which helps Chinatsu’s mother write children’s books. The kids garden and eat what […]
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As indicated at the end of volume 6, the couple of Asuka and Ryu face an even more challenging obstacle than we’ve previously seen: Ryu is being asked to work overseas for some years. It’s a major career advancement, but how will the two cope, and will this change his objection to the idea of marriage? I won’t spoil Everyone’s Getting Married volume 7, because much of the fun of this series is seeing what happens next, but I will […]
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Creator Yumi Unita is best-known in this country for Bunny Drop, an adorable manga about a single father that turned creepy when he decided to get involved with his adoptive daughter once she grew up. Thus, when Slumbering Beauty was announced, I was concerned about what might be part of this manga. I shouldn’t have worried. I could really get into Slumbering Beauty, because it was weird from the start. Schoolgirl Yoneko likes to sleep, and she’s really good at […]
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I don’t have much to say about this volume except to note that, for those hanging on through the series, a major turning point occurs, as Kae finally chooses one of her suitors to focus on in a relationship. Kiss Him, Not Me volume 12 continues directly with the consequences from the previous book, in which there was a ridiculous, life-threatening fall off a cliff. I still miss the fannish behavior (and silly humor that results) that drew me to […]
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This is a new one on me. When I heard of Neo Parasyte f, a tribute volume to Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Parasyte manga series with stories by other manga creators, I thought it would bring back fond memories of the original. Although it’s horror, I liked it a lot when I read it almost ten years ago. With such a collection of works by fans, I would have hoped to get a feeling of communal enjoyment, of readers coming together to […]
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If you like the idea of a girl helping out a family of shape-shifters, but you aren’t interested in committing to the length of Fruits Basket, then That Wolf-Boy Is Mine! is the manga series for you. In only four volumes, Komugi discovers the secret of the school heartthrobs and shows them a new way to co-exist with humans. Komugi has moved to the country from Tokyo. Her mother has been sent away on business, so she’s going to live […]
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In looking over the manga I’ve read from Vertical, I’ve come to realize that they specialize in challenging works. With the exception of their two longest-running series — the heart-warming What Did You Eat Yesterday? and the weirdly comic My Neighbor Seki — the stories in Vertical releases are generally off-kilter and discomforting in some way. (Even the cat manga had some disturbing portrayals about home and family.) These are not manga you read for escapist enjoyment or light entertainment. […]
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I was surprised at the subject of this latest title in the Manga Guide series. Many of the other volumes have been more general in scope, focusing on branches of science or math. The Manga Guide to Microprocessors is more specialized, with details about how a computer CPU works at the most basic level. Typical of this series, the characters are a cute, goofy schoolgirl being tutored by a more knowledgeable guy. Ayumi is a champion shogi player, but she’s […]
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