Dear Author » Manga

Friday Deals and News: Amazon Killing Everyone; Gemma Halliday Sells 1 Millionth Self Pubbed Book

Jane — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:00:31 +0000

News

JManga let us know that it is having a special sale on Josie/Romance titles from March 15 to 21st (PST). Subscribers who purchase any Josei/Romance titles during the promotion will get 100 points back (up to 29% off) per volume!

Now is the perfect chance to check out such romance manga titles as “The Celebrity Doctor’s Proposal” by Sarah Morgan / Masami Hoshino, “The Bride of Montefalco” by Rebecca Winters / Kiriko Higashizato, and yaoi romance such as “Pet on Duty” by Nase Yamato and “Dash!” by Isaku Natsume.

You must be a subscriber in order to purchase manga on JManga, but during this promotion will be offering a special sign-up bonus of up to 4500 points! Don’t miss this chance to get the romance manga you need.

JManga.com continuously strives to offer the widest selection of legal online manga available, from major to niche, shonen to shojo and yuri to yaoi/BL!

They also offered to provide an account to Dear Author and Jan agreed that she was interested in reviewing some titles for the site.

Amazon has suspended the account of Digital Manga Inc over images in the manga which Amazon is citing for “content violations”. It appears, however, that the titles in question are primarily homosexual depictions of sex and not other types.

Our account was suspended under troubling circumstances – we have had titles cited for “content violation”, and while we screen every title to ensure they adhere to Kindle’s standards, their guidelines are notoriously vague, and prohibit “Pornography and hard-core material that depicts graphic sexual acts.”

There is no definition of “pornography” versus “erotica” officially available from amazon. In the past, we considered our titles the latter, and strive to comply with Amazon’s guidelines. However, with such vague guidelines and a veritable library of erotica in written and drawn form already available on the Kindle, it is difficult to discern exactly what rules Amazon wanted us to comply with. We also find it disheartening that our titles depicting male homosexual romance have been banned while erotica depicting other forms of intercourse flourishes. What makes relationships between men more objectionable than erotic tristes between men and women? This is a question we imagine you’re all asking yourselves right now, and a question that we need Amazon to answer for us.

Gemma Halliday has sold her millionth ebook since self publishing.

Just to clarify, I’m not yet in the coveted Million Kindle club (though, I’ve got my sights set on it!!), as these sales have come from Kindle, Nook, iTunes, Sony, etc. So they have been spread out over several different outlets. Just a breakdown of roughly where the sales have come from: about 1/2 Amazon, 1/4 BN, and 1/4 all other outlets (iTunes, Sony, Kobo, Smashwords, ARE).

Deals

Audible has expanded its trial period from 14 days to 30 days. Currently you can get your first three months at Audible.com for $7.49/month. I really enjoy my Audible subscription.

I Think I Love You by Stephanie Bond * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Three Wishes by Stephanie Bond * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Marry Me, Maddie by Rita Herron * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Honor Bound by Brenda Novak * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
The Selkie Spell by Sophie Moss * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Seeing Julia by Katherine Owen * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Play Dead by Anne Frasier * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Yearnings: A Paranormal Romance Box Set by Amber Scott Carolyn McCray * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr * $0.99 * A | BN | K | S
The French Detective’s Woman by Nina Bruhns * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
The Fifth Avenue Novels Box Set by Christopher Smith Brandi Doane * $0.00 * A | BN | K | S
Bridge To Happiness by Jill Barnett * $1.99 * A | BN | K | S
Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran * $3.99 * A | BN | K | S *Recommended*
A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal by Meredith Duran * $3.99 * A | BN | K | S *Recommended*
Darkness of Fire by Alexis Morgan * Meredith Duran * $3.99 * A | BN | K | S
Pillow Tallk by Maya Banks * $3.99 * A | BN | K | S *Recommended* (This is a pre order. It was part of a duo logy with Shayla Black)
The Lord of the Rings: One Volume: Collector’s Ed by Tolkien * $9.99 * A | BN | K | S *Recommended* (All three books, Fellowship of the Rings, Two Towers and Return of the King)

MANGA REVIEW: Ooku: The Inner Chambers volume 3

Jia — Thu, 13 May 2010 17:00:02 +0000

Story & Art: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: Viz Signature
Rating: M for mature
Retail: $12.99
Length: 3/5+ volumes

Dear readers,

A few months ago I reviewed the first volume in this historical josei series by Fumi Yoshinaga. In it, we were introduced to an alternate history of Tokugawa era Japan where the majority of the male population was stricken with a fatal disease called the Redface Pox. Due to the lopsided gender demographics that resulted, the power hierarchy in Japan was forever changed: women held positions of authority while men, in scarce supply, were coddled and protected.

In volume 1, the last member of the direct line of the Tokugawa shogunate dies and a woman from a branch line, Yoshimune, ascends the title. In addition to instituting reforms that scandalize and shock the court, she delves into the history of the Redface Pox, kept meticulously in an archive called Chronicle of a Dying Day.

Volume 2 opens with that history, taking us back in time to just before the Redface Pox struck the population with devastating force. In that volume, we were introduced to the daughter of the last male shogun, Chie, who has been forced into a charade for the sake of maintaining peace and order. No one outside of the court knows that the last male shogun, Iemitsu, succumbed to the plague. Instead it is a combination of Chie-masquerading-as-a-boy and male retainers projecting their voices who continue the deception. A heavy burden has been placed upon Chie — denied her own name and now called Iemitsu — who, in the hopes of continuing the line, must bear a male heir.

Volume 3 continues the story of Iemitsu and Arikoto, the abbot who was brought to court to be a concubine, who have found an unlikely love despite their circumstances. But unfortunately, it is not meant to last. Despite the fact they have been lovers for a year, Iemitsu has yet to conceive. She remains certain that the inability is her fault; early on during her stay at court, Chie was raped by a retainer who didn’t know her true identity. Chie is convinced both the rape and the difficult birth of the stillborn child that resulted caused irrevocable damage to her womb. Lady Kasuga, Iemitsu’s attendant and the effective ruler of the Inner Chambers, is not so sure and brings other men to court, evicting Arikoto from his place in Iemitsu’s bed in the process.

I have to take back what I said in my review for volume 1. There is a romance here because the relationship between Arikoto and Iemitsu can’t be read in any other way. But for all their desire to remain true to their hearts despite everything thrown at them by fate, I can’t see this ending well. In fact, I’m almost 100% sure this will not end well so I still can’t recommend this title sans reservation to readers looking for a romance manga. It’s not one and it’s not meant to be, so expecting an HEA here is unreasonable.

What it excels at, however, is depicting people with realistic reactions and believable emotions in these circumstances. Arikoto and Chie try to fight fate and cling to each other as hard as they can which, considering the hand life has dealt them, is better than either could expect. I will warn readers, however, there is a lot of drama surrounding their now-starcrossed fates so if your tolerance is low for this sort of thing, the middle sections may try your patience. Or, if you like this sort of thing, you will find it riveting.

I did enjoy watching Chie come into her own, and become the Iemitsu she’d been masquerading as in truth. In this volume, we see the seeds of how the power in the shogunate switched genders. Remember, Chie’s sole purpose to bear the next male heir. I don’t think it’s a spoiler, considering what we first see in volume 1 and its female shoguns, to say that obviously didn’t happen. I really liked seeing Chie surprise the advisors with her intelligence and acumen. Her suggestions and ideas were often better than that of the advisors themselves. It makes what happens in the final pages of this volume even more momentous.

Despite the focus on the Inner Chambers and the shifting balance in the shogunate, we also see how the outside world begins to change with new gender spread. Even though the title of the series is ÅŒoku and as a result, its focus is on the shogunate’s inner workings, I do wish we could have seen more of the peasant characters and their lives. Of course, I do wonder if maybe the change in power dynamics grows more accepted when a female shogun rules openly.

While I wasn’t quite as spellbound by this volume as the previous two, I did enjoy what I read and I thought it was an excellent continuation of a stellar series. I thought it was an excellent transition into what we all know is soon to follow. I can’t wait to see what happens when a female shogun takes power openly without any masks or charades, and what it’ll mean for Iemitsu and Arikoto. B

My regards,
Jia

Book Link | Amazon | BN | Borders

REVIEW: Ooku: The Inner Chambers volume 2

Jia — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:00:14 +0000

Story & Art: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: Viz Signature
Rating: M for mature
Retail: $12.99
Length: 2/5+ volumes

Dear readers,

A few months ago, I read the first volume in this wonderful series by Fumi Yoshinaga. The premise is deceptively simple: What would happen if a plague wiped out the majority of the male population in Tokugawa era Japan? How would that affect Japanese society and culture? The answer proved to be thoroughly engrossing and fascinating.

At the end of the previous volume, we were introduced to the newest shogun to ascend the title, Yoshimune. Unlike her predecessors, Yoshimune has very strong opinions about how the country should be run, particularly with regards to its financial sector. She’s strict and frugal, and I thought she was an absolutely awesome interpretation of one of the Japan’s most beloved historical figures. Volume 1 ended with Yoshimune delving into the history of the Redface Pox and how it changed the course of Japan forever.

Volume 2 opens several decades before, when the Redface Pox was beginning to spread through Japan and before Yoshimune assumed the title of shogun. In this early pages, we witness the death of Iemitsu, the third Tokugawa shogun, at the hands of the plague. For a bit of historical context, such an event would have catastrophic had it happened in reality. As being only the third shogun, it was his task to continue solidifying Tokugawa rule. His death in such a precarious time would have been disastrous.

In the pages of ÅŒoku, this is a fact that hangs over everyone. You see, Iemitsu had no interest in women much to the dismay of his nursemaid-turned-attendant, Lady Kasuga, and left no heir. With the death of the last male shogun and no claimant to the title, the country was left without a ruler. Considering the chaos that consumed Japan while the Tokugawa clan fought to gain control of the country, everyone dreads what would happen if the general populace were to find out what had happened.

Several years after Iemitsu’s death, the monk Arikoto travels to Edo castle to present himself to the shogun before assuming his new role as an abbot. Unfortunately, he soon finds himself held hostage in the castle, barred from leaving. And it is here that he learns the truth: Iemitsu died six years ago, a fact that was kept secret from everyone and the person who sits in his place now is his illegitimate daughter. It is a masquerade carried out for one purpose alone — for Iemitsu’s daughter to live long enough to conceive and give birth to a male heir, who will then be a legitimate bearer of the shogun title. The reason why Arikoto has been barred from leaving the castle is because Lady Kasuga intends for him to enter the Ooku and become a member of the meager harem to encourage Iemitsu’s daughter to carry out her duty.

If I thought the first volume was amazing, the second volume matches that and goes beyond. Desperate times lead to desperate actions and while I have no doubts that Lady Kasuga’s motives for taking Iemitsu’s daughter and having her assume the identity of her father were less than stellar, it doesn’t change the fact that it was one way to keep the country under orderly rule. Japan was already in chaos due to the Redface Pox. Society was already facing upheaval because of the large numbers of men dying; to add the destruction of shogunate rule after such a short period of time would have been more than the country could have beared.

At the same time, we also see how such measures completely destroyed the people involved in its schemes. Despite being of noble birth, Arikoto wanted nothing more than to be a monk so he could bring succor and peace to the general populace. But even more so, my heart wrenches for Iemitsu’s daughter — in order to fulfill Lady Kasuga’s plan, she’s had to throw away her femininity and be forced to assume that of a man. She doesn’t even have her own name anymore; people call her Iemitsu, which is sure to be damaging. No one cares for her as a person either. They only care for the fact that one day she will hopefully bear them a son who can bring back the order they’re used to having.

Much of the plot in this volume delves into the ways people cope. Arikoto bears it as best he can, with the gentle strength that is his trademark. But there is doubt that deep inside, he is bitter and angry at what has happened to him, particularly when it becomes apparent that his noble family has abandoned him to this fate. Along those lines, Iemitsu is angry and bad-tempered, unleashing it upon everyone around her. But deep inside, she is deeply hurt and wounded and terribly sad. It is a love story that may not fit the traditional definition as such, but it is one nonetheless.

In this volume, we also learn the origins of the customs we were introduced in the previous one, such as why the ÅŒoku exists and why the secret swain meets the fate he does. It was interesting to see how such things get altered from their actual origin to the ritualized practice we saw demonstrated in volume 1. The origin of the secret swain, for example, was horrifying and yet all too believable for me and to see how its roots led to the practice subverted by Yoshimune was a sad one.

I still recommend this series to fans of historical and political manga as well as to readers interested in stories that comment on gender dynamics. The first volume set a high bar and it pleases me to say that this one meets that standard and exceeds it. A-

My regards,
Jia

This book can be purchased at Amazon.

Friday Midday Links: MWA Breaks Up With Harlequin

Jane — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:31:11 +0000

Explicit sex is hard to write well and even if you do write it well, it means you are just packaging up pornography for women. Also, bla bla bla, romance books are killing romance bla bla bla. All according to this article by Alan Elsner. I don’t plan to comment over there because Alan Elsner doesn’t like explicit sex in books and no comment, no matter how articulate will move him from his convictions.

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The Stalker’s Notebook wrote about genre labels and how restrictive they can be, particularly in the store. On the internet, however, with “tags”, readers can use as many labels as they like to help group books together. The more meta the data, the more helpful to the reader, and the better able authors are able to sell their books to the right audience.

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According to the Bookseller, a UK publication, many industry insiders say that ebooks will harm brick and mortar retail bookselling and while people are reading digitally, only a small percentage are actually buying them.

The results showed that though 44% of respondents had read a book digitally, only 19% had bought one. The majority of respondents said that e-books should be priced at the same cost as a paperback book (30.1%), or cheaper (53.6%).

…

“The high price of e-books is the main obstacle to their takeup,” said one respondent. “Readers can’t understand why the online versions of bricks and mortar shops sell ebooks at higher than paperback prices.”

The entire article is worth a read.

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Digital Manga Publishing announced that it hard partnered with Harlequin to bring Harlequin’s romance manga available online. What I found interesting wasn’t the deal but the rent to own business model of DMP. Apparently you can “rent” a book for approximately 72 hours and if you rerent it, you are also granted ownership. I find this pricing model very interesting. Another reader, Blue Tyson, pointed me to this article about subscription pricing for music. Apparently an entry fee and small per song charge yields higher revenue than individual uniform pricing.

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Lori James of All Romance EBooks shared some of her insights as a retailer of romance digital books. DRM clearly inhibits sales as only 3% of sales at her site are for DRM’ed ebooks. It’s another article that I thought was really fascinating although I do wonder whether anyone though Microsoft was a player in ebooks. Hasn’t it always been Adobe?

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MWA has delisted Harlequin as a recognized publisher. The two were in talks since the announcement of Harlequin Horizons now Dell Arte Press but could not come to a resolution. Lee Goldberg has an explanation of MWA’s position and Harlequin’s lengthy response. In Harlequin’s response, it notes that ITW and NINC have taken a different approach than the one taken by MWA. Goldberg excerpts from the MWA rules this passage:

…nor may the publisher, or any of the executives or editors under its employ, have offered authors self-publishing services, literary representation, paid editorial services, or paid promotional services.

If the publisher is affiliated with an entity that provides self-publishing, for-pay editorial services, or for-pay promotional services, the entities must be wholly separate and isolated from the publishing entity. They must not share employees, manuscripts, or authors or interact in any way. For example, the publishing entity must not refer authors to any of the for-pay entities nor give preferential treatment to manuscripts submitted that were edited, published, or promoted by the for-pay entity.

I’m still curious how HarperCollins/Authonomy/CreateSpace fits into this because while Authomony is free, HarperCollins solicits for CreateSpace through it. Authonomy’s blog post today is how participants can get published with HarperCollins. RWA is having a special board meeting in January. Will it follow MWA’s lead and end up with a very, very abbreviated RITA ceremony or will it adopt the hands off approach of ITW and NINC?

MANGA REVIEW: Ooku: The Inner Chambers

Jia — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:00:49 +0000

Story & Art: Fumi Yoshinaga
Publisher: Viz Signature
Rating: M for mature
Retail: $12.99
Length: 1/4+ volumes

I first heard of ÅŒoku about a year ago from a friend. The premise, she said, was that due to a disease that targets only men, the power hierarchy in Japan was genderflipped. Women filled roles that had, up until the disease struck the male population, been traditionally done only by men — including that of the Tokugawa shoguns. It sounded completely like something I would like but since I’m unable to read Japanese, it was one of those things I resigned myself to never having access to. Thankfully, other people thought it sounded interesting too and it’s now available in English.

In ÅŒoku, a strange new disease breaks out among the Japanese male population. It’s characterized by a high fever that’s then shortly followed by red pustules that spread all over the body. These pustules soon fester and the victim dies within a few days. Because of these symptoms, the disease is dubbed the Redface Pox.

Although the Redface Pox originated in a small farming village, it becomes apparent that the plague is highly contagious and virulent as well. It spreads from one village to the next, striking down only the men. And unfortunately, no cure is ever found so it becomes a common disease that’s simply a part of life.

Eighty years after the Redface Pox first appeared, the male population has stabilized at 25% that of the female. Because of their low survival rate, men are carefully protected as seed-bearers while women took over the labor in the land. Another result of the decreased male population is that marriage as an institution collapses. Poor women had no hope of ever taking a husband, a right now reserved only for the samurai class, wealthy merchants and government officials.

The only exception to this, of course, is that of the Tokugawa Shogun. As the supreme leader of Japan, she alone is allowed the luxury of keeping an interior palace populated solely by 3,000 beautiful men (this number later turns out to be an extreme exaggeration) and from which all other women are banned from entering. This interior palace is called the Inner Chamber, or the ÅŒoku.

One thing I didn’t expect when I started reading this first volume was that while the gender roles are inverted, the Japanese history portrayed in ÅŒoku is pretty much identical to that of our own. For example, when the sixth shogun dies, her daughter assumes the title. But the seventh shogun is merely a child, and a sickly one at that. When she dies, so does the main bloodline of the Tokugawa clan, which means the mantle of shogun falls onto one of the three branch bloodlines, ushering in the era of the eighth shogun, Yoshimune. How it plays out in ÅŒoku is nearly identical to how it happened in our history, right down to Yoshimune’s background. I found that I really liked this choice because in keeping the major details the same, readers can focus on the alterations that inverting the gender roles causes and the social critiques that I believe Yoshinaga is making about traditional gender roles.

That said, I was initially put off for the first half of this volume. The main story begins with Mizuno, the handsome son of a poor hatamoto (shogunate retainers) family who is in love with his childhood friend, O-Nobu. O-Nobu, however, is the daughter of a rich merchant family and thus, Mizuno is an unsuitable marriage match for her. Spurred on by the fact that he can never marry the one he loves, he chooses to enter the service of the Inner Chamber. To be honest, I actually have no problem with this storyline in and of itself. It’s just the manga is about a historical Japan in which the gender roles are switched but yet we still begin with a man and his angst. That isn’t exactly what I signed up for.

But through Mizuno’s eyes, we catch a glimpse of the Inner Chamber and the politicking that’s a daily way of life for the men who live there. It’s a fascinating contrast to see the coping mechanisms and machinations of men in a situation that, traditionally speaking when it comes to fiction, has belonged to women. This fact alone is what carried me through the first (80-page) chapter.

Thankfully, the second chapter introduces Yoshimune and with her entrance, my interest substantially increased. In our history, Yoshimune is widely considered to the best of the Tokugawa shoguns, instituting a lot of financial reform during his reign. The female Yoshimune of ÅŒoku is no different. Because she comes from a far province, she finds the excesses of the Inner Chamber distasteful, particularly when Japan’s financial situation is in dire straits. I’ve seen various portrayals of Yoshimune over the years, in period dramas and movies, but I really enjoyed this version of a no-nonsense, pragmatic female Yoshimune who refused to put up with any B.S. And not only that, but one who is unapologetic about her sexual appetite.

Knowing what I knew about the historical Yoshimune Tokugawa and the decisions he made during his reign, I was really interested in seeing how his decisions would play in the manga via this alternative female version — particularly with regards to the Inner Chamber. The translation of Yoshimune’s historical decision to the female Yoshimune’s edict in the manga takes on a completely different note given ÅŒoku‘s premise. It’s a brilliant reimagining in that sense.

I do think I should point out to potential readers that the dialogue used in this manga might take some getting used to. It is accurate because the manga does take place during the Edo Period and most of the characters belong to the upper classes. Even so, the old-fashioned formality might be a shock at first, especially when compared to other manga set during this time period and which show virtually no difference between the dialogue depicted and that of our own.

Because this is a Viz Signature title, the production values of the actual manga itself are beautiful. Both the front and back cover have fold-out flaps, and the first page in this volume is black with translucent lettering for the title. I initially thought it was vellum but under further examination, I don’t think it is. All of this frames Yoshinaga’s artwork, which is lovely. The chapter pages are gorgeous. I wish my scanner was working so I could include a sample.

So despite a rocky start, I really ended up enjoying this volume and I look forward to the next. I do wonder how the publisher intends to handle the English release since ÅŒoku is infamous for having a slow release schedule in Japan — one volume per year versus the multi-volume releases that characterize other manga series. I checked the release date for the next English volume and it’s at the end of this year. That’s already half of what’s available in Japan. This might pose a problem in the future but for now, I’ll look to volume 2. I can’t wait to see what Yoshimune learns about the history of the Redface Pox and how the transition between male shoguns to female ones occurred. B+

My regards,
Jia

This book can be purchased at Amazon.

COMIC REVIEW: Solanin

Jaili — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:00:52 +0000

Comic Review: Solanin (2008)
Art & Story: Inio Asano
Publisher: VIZ Signature
Genre: Josei / humour / drama
Pages: 432
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1421523213 ISBN-13: 978-1421523217

Solanin is one of those rare comics that manage to something memorable out of a predictable story premise: a coming-of-age story revolving around the lives of twentysomething college graduates.

The heart of the 432-page comic are Tokyoites Meiko Inoue and her long-time live-in boyfriend Shigeo Naruo, whom she’s been dating for six years since their college days. Naruo is the vocalist-guitarist and lyricist of a struggling rock band, Rotti, but he has no motivation to go far. He instead spends time at home, playing video games and strumming on his guitar; generally being a layabout and a dependant on Meiko’s small income. Neither is showing interest in marriage or all other mod cons. Meanwhile around them are their three close former college friends, who are also members of Naruo’s struggling rock band, Rotti.

The story opens with Meiko working in her office job and she isn’t happy. She – at 24 – is becoming acutely aware of the passing time, and that she might be sinking deep into the rat race as another faceless office worker. It isn’t what she was born for, even though she doesn’t know what she was born for. All she knows is she wants to change. She decides that Naruo – and his band Rotti – may be the key to making her undefined dreams come true. When Meiko announces to Naruo she wants to quit her job, he encourages her to go for it.

And so she does, unknowingly opening a new chapter of their lives that would soon force them to recognise the reality of their future that could affect their relationship, their dying childhood dreams and the purpose of their lives. As they – as well as their former college friends – struggle to figure it all out, something happens that will turn their lives upside down.

That’s the only summary I’m prepared to give because solanin – two volumes bundled as one volume – has a very simplistic storyline that can be summarised in just one page.

Considering a huge number of autobiographical comics out there and the fact solanin actually doesn’t offer originality, I must admit I was surprised how much I liked solanin. This kind of story exists everywhere – in comics, novels, films, and songs, but in this case, it left a deep impact on me and I’m not even sure why.

I suspect it may be because creator Asano clearly has mixed feelings towards his characters. Once in a while we can sense – for example – Asano’s regret through a character’s dialogue or action, which makes us believe it had happened to Asano in real life. It might not, but that’s how intimate solanin seemed. He doesn’t make it that embarrassingly intimate, but just enough to draw you into his characters’ world of memories, reflections, vague misgivings, complicated maze of a long-term relationship, and a hope that refuses to die.

It sounds as if it’s a heavy, woe is me and serious story, but it isn’t. It’s a quiet slice-of-life tale with touches of gentle humour and stark glimpses of universal themes that affect all our lives.

Not only the storyline is simplistic and somewhat episodic, the art is also simplistic and straightforward. In spite of its simplicity, almost all characters are likeable and easy on the eye. There are some bits in panel backgrounds that will make you smile quietly. Asano also has the ability to intensify emotions within his characters and "moments", which makes the simplicity of art work in dialogue-free panels even more poignant.

When the story ended, I didn’t know what to think or say. It wasn’t even dramatic or even, "Holy cow! That was the greatest piece of comic literature ever!" It wasn’t. It was more than that. It left me a feeling I needed to be alone and quiet for a bit. And a thought that the best we can do is to move on, like what those characters may be doing after The End.

In spite of being on a am-so-hot-for-you-that-I’m-going-to-pimp-you-to-everyone-I-know kick for solanin, I did have a couple of problems with it.

First problem, the comic’s navel-gazing occasionally interfered with the story flow. I could imagine some readers may be impatient with the pacing, but the pay-off will be worth the patience as it did for me.

Second problem, considering a number of characters involved, their life issues can be too similar, which can make it a repetitive read. I would have like it a bit more diverse. Occasionally, I felt a couple of characters were neglected. Such as Gotou’s girlfriend who were part of all their lives, but we still don’t know much about her and I found that somewhat frustrating. Why was she so patient with her antic-loving boyfriend? Why was she so understanding about Meiko and Naruto’s fight? I would love to know more about her, but I suspect if Asano allowed that, we would have a three-volume book instead of a two-volume book.

After reading solanin, I read reviews to see what they had to say and almost all experienced the same reaction, which is a pleasant surprise. I think the reason why it’s a hit with many readers is, one could sense Asano’s compassion, sincerity, wry humour and occasional gentle exasperation towards his characters and that experiences and themes in solanin are truly universal.

Although it’s rated 16+, I think it’s fine for readers age +14 and above. In spite of these characters’ college ages, there is no scene of drug abuse, glamorous violence, gratuitous nudity and such. Some characters are smokers, which might be a concern for some parents. I believe sensitive teenagers would probably enjoy solanin because although, there aren’t any fast action scenes, dramatic romantic storylines, or good-looking characters, it’s almost a gentle guide of what may happen in life. It still makes a good read for adult readers, though, because it may remind some of us how it used to be.

If you’re new to comic-reading and would like to start with something simple that will leave you emotionally satisfied, or at least won’t feel you’ve wasted your time, I highly recommend solanin. Grade: B+

Be good, be bad & be safe,

Jaili

This book can be purchased at Amazon.

Diana Gabaldon to Write Outlander Story to Be Turned into Manga

REVIEW: Luv-Luv titles and Netcomics

Jan — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:00:13 +0000

Dear Readers,

Netcomics is a publisher that publishes manga and manhwa online. No e-reader is needed, just $0.25 per chapter. They publish not only their own but Luv Luv and Yaoi Press comics among others. The way it works is that you buy e-cash in $10 amounts, then pay as you view each new chapter.

You don’t own the chapters, not at those prices. You get to view them for 48 hours. But, so you have a chance to look at a manga before starting to pay, the first 1-2 chapters are always available free (one for short works, 2 for longer).

Last, almost all the books are or will be available in hard copy if you find you truly love them and can’t live without them. There are a couple of series I follow that I purchase in hard format. What I love most about Netcomics though is that the net-version is usually 1-2 volumes ahead of the print, and with chapter releases the wait time is generally much less for updates, 2 weeks for my favorite series.

The series tend to be focused on women’s and girls’ comics. There are romances both het and m/m, and fantasy and drama with strong female leads. Only a few of the series are what I’d consider to be male-oriented. There’s a lot of variety though, and a number of the series look interesting. Browsing through their lineup I found 20 series that looked interesting enough to try, a third in various stages of completion, the others completed and (most) also in print.

The comics are quite easy to read on the screen. Some adjustments can be made for size, one or two page viewing, auto vs manual page turning. One thing that does annoy me about the reading window is the scrolling text on the upper left menu bar. It keeps catching my eye and distracting me. But the window can be slid to the side so it’s off screen so it’s not that big a deal. Other than that, I enjoy reading the manga this way. The print and art are clear and crisp, and there seems to be very little issue with things like lag or memory overload.

Today I’m looking at three ladies’ het oneshot manga volumes (single volume series) that can be viewed on the site for a really reasonable cost. The quality of writing varies wildly between them. I’ve not included samples, because the website itself offers a sample of every manga it sells. I’ve linked to the pages for each.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Luv Luv Press is bringing Japanese adult comics for women to the US. Sadly, the economy is hitting them hard, so if any of the titles here interest you, you may want to try them while you can. Their titles are all complete within one volume. The subject matter is adult romance and relationships. Their latest title on Netcomics is Make Love & Peace by Takane Yonetani. The volume is 7 chapters, or $1.50 (the first chapter is free). It consists of the 5 chapter main story and two oneshots.

The story has Ayame, a college student in a relationship with Koichi, a detective, when he saves her from a mugging. Koichi saves Ayame a lot. Between saving her they have lots and lots of sex (The sex is softcore level of explicitness, ie no graphic depictions of genitalia.). But it’s boring sex, not the least bit erotic to me, for two reasons. One is that the characters look like teens. I know the conventions of a lot of manga result in this, but I prefer manga where the guys look like they’re over fourteen, especially if sex is involved. Second, the art just feels amateurish. Not only are the character designs mediocre, but the pacing of the stories is off, and the drawing of the sex is stiff (no pun intended) and without eroticism. It felt like this was an early comic by someone who didn’t know how to draw sexual tension.

The entire volume had that shortcoming. There wasn’t much story, just several flimsy plotlines about an underwear burglar and lots of boring sex. It was painful to read. Honestly, if I hadn’t bought it for review I would have stopped after one chapter. I’d call this a skip-worth volume. I really found nothing redeeming in it, so I’d have to honestly give it an F.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The next Luv Luv volume I tried was much better. It’s Real Love by Mitsuki Oda , and is 6 chapters, or only $1.25!

The art in this is beautiful, professional, a complete opposite to the previous volume. It reminds me a lot of Ai Yazawa (Paradise Kiss, NANA) only a little less cluttered. It’s very pleasing to look at. The story is an improvement as well. Of the 6 chapters, the first 4 are devoted to the cover story. The last two chapters are a lesser story about a young woman musician who has to learn to write music from her heart, and it’s fairly average.

I enjoyed the cover story more. A young woman in university, Shu, is surprised to meet the young man, a popular actor named Naomichi, who took her virginity. She had loved him but found he was a cold womanizer and she dropped him. His career went downhill after that and he’s back in school, and determined to win her now. She’s not interested, except the sex was hot and she’s still attracted for that reason. Her waffling and our not being sure of his motive or feelings supplies the tension. As does the presence of her twin brother Shun, who seems to be having some crises of his own centered around both his sister and her ex.

For only having four chapters I thought I got to know the main characters remarkably well. I felt like I’d been reading something several volumes long, not because it was tedious, but because the mangaka told us a lot in the space she had, and that made this feel much deeper than a typical one volume manga.

However the ending of it felt way too rushed. In fact, I was shocked when I turned the page and found another story starting, and that’s not a good thing. I hope there’s a volume 2 being worked on out there that someday makes it to our shores. As it stands, it gets a B-.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The last single-volume manga I looked at for this group was cm0 (Centimeter Zero) by Kazumi Tohno and published by Netcomics. It’s 5 chapters, so would only cost $1! Honestly, at these prices how can you not try some?

This was a sweet and slow-paced love story about a university student, Hasumi, and a young woman, Miharu, who is one of his professors. They live in the same apartment building and know each other on a friendly basis. When her fiancée dumps her because of rumors about them, she turns to Hasumi for comfort, but that night they spend together drives a wedge between them. Eventually they begin to reconnect, slowly drifting back together, first as friends, then both gradually realizing it’s something more.

I love the artwork in this. The character designs are so normal, and the drawing style is soft and expressive. There is no explicit sex on the pages of this story, though there is some in their relationship that’s referred to.

I do have a complaint about typos and grammar. I’m not one to notice them, so when I do it generally means it’s bad enough to annoy most people. There were several instances of letters dropped off or left out of words. And one thing that annoys me to no end is when someone says “between you and I”. The character is an English professor. I think she’d know that after a preposition you use “me”, not “I”. This is a translation/editing mistake, and one that shouldn’t occur in a professional publication.

However, despite that, the story is a lovely one and I do recommend it the most of the three books here. This book is only available online. I’d give this story a B+.

No matter what I thought of these books though, the fact remains that I read three volumes of manga that would normally put me out $30 plus shipping and leave me stuck with one I wanted to give away but couldn’t because of its adult nature. I only spent $3.75. That makes it a great way to try manga, and a cheap way to buy manga for teens as long as you’re aware of the offerings on the site and what they’re reading. I’ll be reviewing more of the series in upcoming installments, and focusing on both the manhwa and BL (m/m) offerings.

Sincerely,
ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³
(JÄn)

[Review] A Manga Guide to Japanese Cuisine: Oishinbo by Kariya Tetsu

Jan — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:00:29 +0000

Dear Readers,

I just have to tell you about this manga. This isn’t a typical manga for me to review because it’s not a romance manga, and it’s not really about the characters. It’s about food. I’m a serious foodie. I love exploring foods of all cultures, from low cuisine to high. And I love reading about it as well. Viz Manga has decided to bring over to the US part of one of the most influential food manga series of all time, and if you’re a foodie you’ll probably love it.

First, a note about food manga. The Japanese love them. There are a surprising number of action manga where the hero of the series has special food talents. Yakitate! has a boy with a gift for creating breads unique to Japan. Addicted to Curry is about a chef dedicated to, yep, curries. Kitchen Princess is a shoujo (girl’s) romance about the orphan daughter of pastry chefs who has inherited their talent to please everyone with some dessert.

There are also manga that seek to educate adults. The Drops of the Gods is fairly new one that’s educating the Japanese about Western wines. It has sparked an enormous rise in the sales of wines, especially those discussed in each chapter.

The granddaddy of these manga series is Oishinbo. This massive and extremely popular series of 102 volumes, still ongoing, started in 1983 and sought to educate the Japanese about their cuisine and food customs and give them pride in them. The author says in a short essay that the best word for Japanese cuisine(s) is washoku. The wa means Japanese, but also means harmony. That, he says, is the essence of eating Japanese style. All the elements are present and recognizable, but in harmony. This series attempts to explain all the elements and how they fit together.

Now, Viz can’t bring all 102 volumes over. Well, they could, but they’d probably lose money on a lot of them. Even though I’d buy every one. But they are bringing over select chapters and sections on things Westerners tend to be curious about: sake, rice, noodles, sushi/sashimi.

This first volume covers quite a few basics. Some chapters seem downright silly, as in the cook-off between the demanding bastard father and the (anti-)hero over rice. The father’s chef wins because he goes through every grain of rice and pulls out the ones that are broken or odd shaped so each grain finishes at the same time. It’s so anal it’s ridiculous, but it also serves to support a point all cooks know, and that’s that you want portions you’re cooking to be of equal size so they finish cooking together. It’s a good principle applied in a goofy manner so you remember it.

The book covers why sashimi is an art and not just chopping up raw fish, simplicity as a technique, etiquette with chopsticks, purity of ingredients and letting them stand on their own, and making sure your palate as a chef is clean. It explains several dishes (though doesn’t provide recipes) like daishi broth; it’s more concerned with explaining the heart of it than the how of it, though often the how is involved. There’s also a lengthy section of footnotes, 14 pages in the back, that explain all Japanese customs and words that might not be clear to Western readers. It’s quite thorough and good.

There is a plot of sorts. A young man, Yamaoka Shiro, is a gourmet with a very discriminating palate and an ability to cook that matches it. However, he now works at a newspaper and his main concern is betting on the ponies. One day his editor decides that for their 100th anniversary they will serve the ultimate feast, and knowing Yamaoka’s background appoints him to be in charge (along with a young woman to whom he eventually gets married in a minor part of the story which we don’t really see).

This appointment angers the most important gourmet in town, Yamaoka’s nasty father, a renowned potter who demanded such perfection from his wife in their food that it drove his wife to her grave. Yamaoka in revenge destroyed all his father’s artwork. Needlesstosay, they’re not getting along. Yamaoka’s father sets up a rival feast and constantly challenges his son. (He seriously needs his ass kicked.) The most annoying chapters are when he’s right. But even jerks can teach us things.

The graphics in this are really old-style manga. They’re not bad by any means, but they may look dated to people used to newer manga, especially in their use of block panels a la Western comics. They always illustrate points clearly though, and that’s what concerns me most. Here an American friend of Yamaoka’s has been training in how to make water-chilled sashimi to teach some know-it-alls a lesson (as usual, please start reading from the top of the right page, and please forgive my homemade scans).

As you can see, expressive as they are, the faces leave something to be desired. But the portraits of the food and technique come through clearly. I also included a page from the notes from the back of the book so you could see how useful they are.

The book itself is quality, softbound and larger with a dust-jacket. Viz did a lovely job with it.

I’d read parts of this before, but none of these sections in this first volume. I seriously couldn’t put it down once I got it in the mail yesterday. I found everything about it fascinating, even the irritating father and how he was dealt with by the author, and the anal-retentive bits, because being picky about techniques and ingredients is part of being a good chef. I think anyone with an interest in Japanese cuisines or culture would eat this up. It’s a little choppy because of the way the story was taken apart and put back together, but it should just be read as a series of related short stories, A-.

Sincerely,
ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³
(JÄn)

Oishinbo, by Kariya Tetsu, illus by Hanasaki Akira. Viz. Retail: $12.99. 272 pages. 1/8 compilation volumes. Rated T for teen (probably because kids probably wouldn’t understand terms and such, but there’s no sex or violence; if you’ve got smart young-uns though go for it.). This book is available for discount at most manga stories like Rightstuf.com

TokyoPop reduces output by 50%

Jane — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 20:37:22 +0000

Tokyopop announced that it is spinning out the multimedia arm into a new company, Tokyopop Media LLC. TokyoPop Inc retains control of the publishing arm and will reduce the output to 200-225 titles per year to “allow for less cannibalization at retail.” With the change, 39 positions with Tokyopop are eliminated.

Is this a sign that manga is declining in popularity after years of record output? Or is it a sign of a weaker economy overall? I did read an article the other day that suggested teens were struggling to find employment this summer and that might contribute to softer manga sales.

Source:ICv2.

First Impressions 4: Honey and Clover, and Swan

Jan — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:00:54 +0000

Dear Readers,

Here are two more first volumes, these two from popular series that I found I didn’t like as much as their popularity suggested I should.

Honey and Clover by Chica Umino. Viz. Retail $9.99. Rated T+ for older teen. 10 volumes (still ongoing in Japan; 1 released here).

Honey and Clover centers around a group of poor eclectic students at an art college that live in the same tiny, rundown apartment building. There’s a large cast of characters but these are the main ones: Morita is a weirdo genius slob who’s been in college for many years, and who leaves for weeks at a time and comes back exhausted and loaded with money. Mayama is a fairly normal architecture student about to graduate, but with hints of a mysterious past. And the last is a very average guy, the hero, Takemoto, who doesn’t have any real aim in life except he’s studying architecture as well.

One day they meet a tiny relative of a professor who enters the school as a Freshman. She’s Hanamoto Hagumi and both Takemoto and Morita instantly fall in love with her cuteness. They fall for her but she’s never anything but a doll, even in the drawings. It’s a bit disturbing. She’s not much interested in them though; she’s a genius as sculpture and lives for that. And shiny pink mules. And meat. She isn’t your typical heroine. But then, this isn’t exactly a romance.

The story goes on, with little slices of life, some more interesting than others. Takemoto tries to find common ground with Hagumi and ends up trying to design a rococco warddrobe for her caveman-inspired doll clothes. A tenant returns from the country with meat and vegetables, and they feel better for eating until he leaves again.

You know, what this manga reminds me of is Seinfeld. It’s really not about anything. It’s just episodes about their lives, revealing their characters and friendships, but not really taking you any place. It’s kind of interesting. It’s kind of funny. It’s good at revealing who the guys are. I’m assuming the love story goes somewhere, maybe. But all in all, it seems something to relax with when you don’t want to think about anything yourself. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. B.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Swan by Ariyoshi Kyoko. CMX. Retail $9.99. Rated E for Everyone. 21 volumes (complete in Japan; 12 released here)

This is one of the toughest reviews I’ve had to write. I’m just not sure what to make of this rather famous shoujo series.

On the one hand, it’s a serious story about ballet, and the rise of a ballerina from being someone who has a lot to learn, to the top of her form. The art used to tell the story is gorgeous, albeit a little dated since it’s from the 70s. The heroine isn’t a genius who rockets to the top, but someone at the bottom of her class who keeps screwing up. Because of that, both she and the reader learn a lot about what it takes to be a successful ballet dancer. This is a story about the sweat and the work and the sacrifices and the pain of being a great dancer.

But on the other hand, it’s so freaking melodramatic, tears and wailing and gushing over everything. I’ve never seen so many exclamation points. This her revelation over ballet after she’s lost a big contest and had her bubble burst, when she sees the winning performance by the people she met. Her thoughts surround her jumping through the clouds, tears overflowing:

“I get it now!

I can feel it exploding in my heart… Like I’m going to burst! Because of them, in just that short time!

Everything they told me… Everything they did…It was all about the discipline of ballet!

Now I want the harsh world of ballet! I want it more than ever!

I want a teacher who will mold me into something beautiful! I want it now, more than ever!

I want to dance!

I want to be with the others, those brilliant, beautiful dancers.

I want to take this passion and pour my heart and soul into training!”

Good thoughts really, but the way they’re expressed… I want to read it, and yet don’t.

I will recommend this with caveats. If you are an aspiring ballet dancer, or even if you just love ballet this might well be a great series for you to buy. And those with youngsters should note that this is the first series I’ve reviewed here with a general rating, acceptable for everyone, so those with children 8-12 who are thinking about ballet could buy it for them. It would be the perfect introduction to the real world of dance, I think. But I recommend buying the first volume or reading it in the library so you or they get a feel for what it’s like.

Many people have loved this series through the years. I do not love this first book, but I don’t want to discourage others from trying it if they’re interested in the subject and think they can get past the melodrama. B-.

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

These can be purchased or pre-ordered at most bookstores, or they can be found at a discount at one of my favorites places to buy manga: Honey and Clover; Swan

Manga First Impressions 3: Land of the Blindfolded, I.O.N., Sand Chronicles

Jan — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:40:17 +0000

Dear Readers,

Two more vol 1′s from Viz. But the first is a Vol 1 from CMX, another publisher who brings quality shoujo to the US.

Land of the Blindfolded by Tsukuba Sakura. CMX. Retail $9.99. Not rated, but I’d say high school and up. 9 volumes (complete in Japan and in the US.)

(I should mention that the main story only takes up about 2/3 of the first book. There are also two unrelated short stories at the end that are rather sweet, both romantic.)

I actually heard of this story back when I first started reading manga and the concept intrigued me. I never knew it was released over here though until recently, and so I bought the first volume. It’s definitely a cut above other shoujo.

The story involves a high school girl named Kanade who can sometimes see the future when people touch her. She thinks of it like living in the land of the blindfolded, only her blindfold sometimes slips. One day she bumps into a young man in the hallway, Arou. He can see the past when he touches someone. He’s a bit bitter about the fact that he can’t change anything, but Kanade can. Kanade thinks she was given her gift to make things better. Arou’s philosophy is that they were given this gift to observe, and he won’t help Kanade.

The book plays with both of these ideas a lot, showing the good and bad of interference and non-interference, and how both Kanade and Arou are torn by what they have and what they can and can’t do with it. It hurts, being able to see what they do when they can’t change things, or when they screw them up worse. This draws them to each other, because no one else understands what they’re going through.

There are a few interesting side characters in this book as well. Kanade’s best friend, who is shallow and self-depreciating in her pursuit of the boy she likes, but completely aware of what she is doing and why. The boy she’s chasing almost qualifies as @sshole of the year, until the author shows that maybe that girl got through to him. And then there’s the new kid at school, another psychic who can see the future, but one who likes to play games with it, a jerk but one there seems to be hope for. All of them are three dimensional, and I look forward to reading more about them.

Most high school romances don’t concern themselves with the ethics of the special gifts the characters have, or about the characters surrounding them. The fact that this one does, and does it well, makes it a special series above and beyond the average shoujo romance. I hope it sustains that. B+.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I.O.N. by Arina Tanemura. Viz. Retail $9.99. Rated: T for Teen. 1 volume, complete.

Ms Tanemura is the mangaka of the very popular Full Moon wo Sagashite and Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, so I was familiar with her work. KKJ doesn’t have much depth and really is rather silly (a magical girl reincarnation of Joan of Arc who fights demon-possessed paintings? Okaaay.), but Full Moon wo Sagashite does have depth and I recommend it, only be prepared to cry. But considering how different those two works are I had no idea what to expect from this single volume story.

ION turns out to be a fairly standard shoujo romance that didn’t do much for me. Like Monkey High the characters are quite young looking, and act it. And while I don’t mind this in a book like oh, Kitchen Princess where the focus isn’t so much romance but following your dream, when the focus is solely on romance older is just better for me.

The book is about a young girl, Ion, who chants her name when she’s in trouble because it makes her feel better, maybe like a mantra or something (funny, when I do that it sounds conceited). But when she comes in contact with an experimental substance made by the psychic research club at school and starts chanting, she’s suddenly telekinetic! This leads to hijinks galore!

Young teens might think this is a cute story. Or they might be bored from comments I’ve seen on message boards. I tended to agree with the message board commenters. Another DNF.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sand Chronicles by Hinako Ashihara. Viz. Retail $9.99. T+ for Older Teens. 10 Volumes (complete in Japan, 2 out here)

I instantly fell in love with this series. It’s so good. 26 year old Ann is getting ready to marry and move overseas, and is packing up her things. An old hourglass falls out and makes her remember when she got it 14 years before, the year she met, I think, her husband to be.

It starts when her parents have just divorced and she and her mother have gone to live in the country with her grandmother. She’s such a real 12 year old, emotional, volatile, cynical, vulnerable, trying so hard to act the adult and help her mom make it through tough times yet still child enough to enjoy the world around her. Her own older self comments at one point, “I was still so innocent.”

I think everyone could identify with Ann. Her troubles are shown honestly, from her serious family ones to less serious problems with her period and friends. But the fun times are shown honestly too. Her friends never let her forget to laugh. Sometimes it’s the only thing they can give her. That leads to some incredibly funny moments, as does the mangaka showcasing everyone’s foibles through asides and comments in the background.

Volume one shows Ann gradually making friends, in the real way young people drift toward one another in small communities. Two of her best friends are boys her own age, the athletic Daigo, who she falls for and who likes her, and the upper class Fuji, who falls for her. It’s a love triangle that I have the feeling will last for the next 14 years, and we won’t know the outcome until we see just who she’s going to marry in the future. The whole set up lets me know that these relationships will be treated seriously, and that there will be some hard decisions for all three after they learn to see themselves and each other honestly. This has the makings of a great romance.

If there’s a short-coming, it’s in the second half of the story where for a moment it veers close to shoujo cliché territory when a rival for Daigo appears. But the reason for that section is all in how Fuji and Daigo respond, which seems to foreshadow an awful lot to me.

OK Viz, you sold me. I am a complete and utter fan. I want more of this story NOW. A-.

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

These can be purchased or pre-ordered at most bookstores, or they can be found at a discount at one of my favorites places to buy manga here:Land of the Blindfolded, I.O.N., Sand Chronicles

Manga First Impressions 2: B.O.D.Y, Monkey High, Haruka

Jan — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:00:28 +0000

Dear Readers,

Here are some more first volumes of shoujo series coming out:

B.O.D.Y. by Ao Mimori. Viz. Retail $9.99. T+ for older teen (kisses, sexual innuendo). 12 volumes (ongoing in Japan, just starting here this month)

I’d never heard of this title but I was taken with it from the first page. The drawing is clear, sharp, and expressive, the characters modern, attractive and easily distinguished, the storyline cute, funny and lively.

Ryoko has a crush on a silent studious type in her class that everyone else thinks is creepy because he’s so morose. But she likes a guy who’s so conscientious about his work, and can’t stop thinking about him. She decides she’s in love and dons her battle armor (mascara, curls, accessories, and courage).

Then she finds out he’s working as a host (a male escort affiliated with a host club, sex not necessarily included) because he likes playing around and getting paid for it, and he has a completely different personality outside school. She rightfully knocks him on his ass and tells him she would absolutely never fall for him. He takes it as a challenge and tells her he’ll win her heart. The fight is on. He starts by ignoring her. Some of this was very funny.

I love Ryoko because she’s kind of serious but not too much, has normal friends, doesn’t let people walk on her, and she goes for what she wants even though she has as many doubts and periods of freaking out as the rest of us do about relationships. And I can’t wait for Ryunosuke, the hero, to fall for her as hard as I have. This looks like a great title and I can’t wait to read more of it. I’ll just pray it doesn’t fall into the pit full of clichés that often sustain longer shoujo series. So far it hasn’t. B+

~~~~~~~~~

Monkey High by Shouko Akira. Viz. Retail $9.99. T for teen (kisses only). 8 volumes (ongoing in Japan, just starting here this year, 1 vol released.)

On the other hand, Monkey High didn’t appeal to me at all. The art is pretty good, but the characters seem younger to me. The hero is a immature energetic good guy that reminds the upper class heroine of a monkey. That doesn’t spell the kind of romance I’m interested in. The cover copy describes the conflict as this: “Will Haruna remain jaded and distance herself from everyone around her? Or will Matcharu win her over with his monkey magic?” Um, no. Just no.

The main problem to me is that the hero doesn’t seem to have hit puberty yet, and while I know kids can fall in love too, it’s not really something that appeals to me. I like romances where I can enjoy and appreciate the attraction between the h/h without feeling like I’m doing something illegal.

In reading parts here and there, I’d have to say this is one for the young ‘uns, 12-13 or so. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to finish it, so DNF for me.

~~~~~~~~~

Haruka, Beyond the Stream of Time by Tohko Mizuno. Viz. Retail $9.99. T+ for older teens (innuendo, non-graphic violence). 14 volumes (ongoing in Japan, just starting here this year.)

I have to admit up front, I’m a fan of this franchise. I have Harukanaru Toki no Naka de wallpaper for my computer. I’ve played the Japanese dating sim that goes with this version of the manga. I lust after one of the main characters. (Thank god he’s not a monkey boy, but a full-grown sexually active male.) So it’s a little strange that I’ve never read this manga.

Then again, maybe not. My attraction to Haruka is largely based on the very popular seiyuu (Japanese voice actors) who give life to the characters. So how does the story hold up without them?

I’m sad to say, not as well.

First, the story. Remember Fushigi Yuugi (FY)? If you’d managed to forget, sorry I reminded you. But this series owes a lot to that one, to be kind about it. Girl transported into Japan’s Heian era where men wear the loveliest costumes. She, Akane, turns out to be that world’s savior, a priestess with special powers to defeat demons, the leader of whom is pretty darned hot. She’s not as stupid as the FY heroine, but she does do some TSTL things.

Akane has the help of 8 prime males, one of each “sort”: sensitive pretty musician, proud silent gorgeous warrior, fiery street fighter, quiet handsome scholar, powerful coolly-attractive magician, sexy flirt of a general, and two friends from home who get pulled into the past with her, the kid brother type and the childhood friend she ends up loving. Maybe. There are several versions of this story where she ends up with other guys, consistent with the dating sim mentality.

So what sets this apart from FY and the rest of its ilk? I’ll be blunt. I like this purely for the eye-candy. The guys are prettier. In the anime they have charisma. They’re conveniently paired up with each other for those who like slashing things. They all have their sad back stories so you can pick the angst of your choice. Frankly, Akane and the plot are just something to brush aside while you pick the man you want. What girl wouldn’t enjoy that? We all need a harem from time to time.

But do I recommend buying it? Well. Bandai Visual is going to start releasing the anime this month. They’re too expensive to buy, especially for subs and no dubs. But you should be able to rent it. I’d say if you’re going for the harem, get the full effect. But the manga isn’t bad. I liked it better than Monkey Boy, though not quite as much as B.O.D.Y. I’ll probably buy books later in the series that focus on characters I like. B-.

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

Available for purchase and/or pre-order here: B.O.D.Y, Monkey High, Haruka: Beyond the Stream of Time

Manga First Impressions: Wild Ones and Fairy Cube

Jan — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:00:35 +0000

Dear Readers,

I got some first volumes of some shoujo series from Viz for review. I’ve not read any of the series, so I’ll just be providing my first impressions based upon all the Vol 1′s, a couple at a time.

Wild Ones by Kiyo Fujiwara. Viz. $9.99. T for Teen (innuendo, some cartoony violence). 6 volumes (still ongoing in Japan, 2 volumes out here)

I’m a sucker for yakuza (Japanese gangster) stories, especially the ones that are comedy so I was looking forward to this manga. Unfortunately this one, unlike Gokusen, didn’t have much special to make it rise above the rest.

The main character, 15 year old Sachie, is orphaned and trying to figure out what to do when her presumed-dead grandfather shows up and asks her to live with him. She’s a little shocked to find out that he’s the head of a yakuza family, and she is his heir. She finds herself thrown into this family of idiot gangsters with hearts of gold and decides to try to live as normal a life as possible. Unfortunately for her, her new bodyguard, the young and handsome Rakuto, is as nutty as the rest of the gang and just won’t leave his “princess” alone.

This is pretty typical shoujo ‘fantasy’, with pretty average drawing. The character is no doormat, but she is a Mary Sue. The gangsters adore her –she can do no wrong even when beating them up, because they’re proud she’s yakuza– and she’s worshipped by her bodyguard who’s also the student council president who of course met her and fell in love when they were children (though she doesn’t remember him). There doesn’t seem to be anything here that I can’t get in countless other shoujo series, so I’d give this a very average C and recommend if you want to read it to do so at the library.

~~~~~~~~

Fairy Cube by Kaori Yuki. Viz. $9.99. T+ for Older Teen (violence, no sex). 3 volumes (complete in Japan, just starting here)

I’m a big fan of Kaori Yuki’s. She’s the mangaka of the very popular Angel Sanctuary and Count Cain / Godchild series. She has an intricate and expressive style of art, and her stories are often gothic in tone, occasionally veering into the macabre. They don’t always work, sometimes sinking under the complexities she can layer into them, but when they do work they’re better than much of what’s out there. But there’s one thing for sure about her stories, and that’s that you’ll get angst, angst, and more angst, and teenagers eat this stuff up. This one is no exception.

This is a series of hers I hadn’t read. As usual, the premise is a complex one. Ian’s mother was a fairy. No one believes it. But she left him a legacy of a twin spirit who hates him and the ability to see fairies. It’s an ability that got him named Ian the Liar and abused by his father. No one except Rin believes him. She’s a girl his age and his one true friend and love.

The twin spirit, Tokage, makes Ian’s father murder Ian, and Tokage takes over the body sending Ian into the spirit world while he lives Ian’s life and hurts those Ian loves. Ian finds out that a number of fairies have done this, and the device they use is the fairy cube, a dormant state that lets them lie in wait for a body to possess. Ian makes a deal with a devil of shopkeeper who holds the cubes. He gets a body of his own and revenge, but in return he must betray the world.

To be honest, that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the plot I read in this first volume. Trips to Faery and battles with monsters from Celtic mythology, a battle between the Seelie and Unseelie court taking place in the human world, plots to rule the world, plots to rule the high school. No one is who they seem. Everyone has ulterior motives. Everyone has an angsty back-story to explain their behavior.

This story is definitely intriguing, albeit a little confusing. I have no idea where’s she’s going with it or even if she can manage to hold it together, but this first volume shows enough promise that I’m going along for the ride. B+

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

These volumes can be purchased / pre-ordered at most any bookstores, but I like Anime Castle and their prices: Wild Ones and Fairy Cube

REVIEW: Manga Review: Cipher by Narita Minako

Harlequin to Distribute Manga Via Cellphones in Japan

Jane — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:39:09 +0000

By now, you must have read how Japanese consumers are reading more and more on their cellphones. Harlequin is the grey old lady of romance no more. Harlequin is teaming up with Softbank Creative to sell and distribute its romance manga via cellphone in Japan.

Beginning in April 2008 SoftBank will distribute digital versions of Harlequin K.K.’s successful comics on cell phones and Internet distribution sites. Over the next five years SoftBank will carry 1,000 Harlequin manga titles chosen from over 10,000 of the romance publisher’s novels.

I don’t know of another publisher that is pushing the international and digital boundaries like Harlequin. HarperCollins is a close second, but Harlequin, for all its faults, is thinking of the future.

Via news release.

REVIEW: Manga: Romance with a Capital “R”: From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa

Jan — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:00:18 +0000

From Far Away by Kyoko Hikawa. Publisher: Viz. Retail: $9.99 each. 14/14 volumes released in English. Rated T for Teen (some fighting, no sex).

Dear Readers,

I’m starting to feel a little like Harriet Klausner, with all the positive manga reviews I’ve been doing. But everyone knows there’s a lot of mediocre manga out there. I’m trying to share the good ones that I’ve come to love. This next one I came to love overnight just a few weeks ago and the romance is still new and sparkly in my eyes. That’s probably not the best way to review, but consider yourself forewarned. But for that reason I’m giving this a B+, since A’s really need to stand the test of time with me.

First, thank you to you readers! You recommended this to me after my Basara review, and I read it overnight. “So what?” you might think. “Manga reads fast.” So it was 14 volumes, I dropped $70 for it (yay for coupons and sales), and I couldn’t put it down, except where I had to because I was stupid enough to only buy the first seven the first night. But I was up and hitting the bookstore first thing the next morning.

This is young adult romance and fantasy/adventure, just what I would have wanted to read as a young teen. Had these books been available back in the ??’s, they’d have become instant favorites of mine, up there with The Three Musketeers. Reading them now I know that they’re an instant comfort read for me whenever I want to be swept away into a world that, while it contains evil, is also chock full of warmth.

This isn’t a complex or a deep story. Manga readers have read many variations of it, though since this one is by one of the mangaka of the golden age, chances are she’s one of them who taught them their tricks. A girl gets transported to another land where she’s the key to saving it from a great evil and meets a handsome but lonely hero who needs her love. But as we know in romance, it’s not so much the plot as how you tell it.

The heroine, Noriko, is cute as a button. But not stupid-cute, or martyr-cute, or inept-cute as so often happens in these tales (including others by this author). She’s smart. For the first book or so she doesn’t even speak the language, but uses her head to figure out what’s going on, and makes it her first responsibility to learn to communicate. She’s very positive and loving. She comes from a close-knit family and has a loving background, no angst baby she, and she’s able to spread that to others. But most of the others don’t fall in love with her – this is not a harem story. They form other connections, those of family and friends. Noriko’s no Mary Sue. OK, she’s a little too good, but darn it, she’s so *cute* at it!

The hero Izark is the source of angst in the story. Noriko is The Awakening (stupid name but you get the point) that opens Izark up to becoming the Sky Demon, who is foretold to be a monster of great evil that will destroy the world. As a human, however, he’s about the nicest guy imaginable, though a very withdrawn one. As one might guess, neighbors and relatives weren’t inclined to think the potential Sky Demon was very loveable and shunned him, leaving him with serious angst. But Noriko only saw her rescuer and a hero and a lonely man and fell in love. And therein lies his redemption and the redemption of the world. Here a fight with a demon has thrown him into the pain of childhood flashbacks, until memories of Noriko intrude and he realizes what she means to him (the three pages and two have some fighting and running between) (as usual, reads right to left below and on the page):

<-then <-start here

Like all good fantasies, there’s a great group of side characters that you come to care about, good and bad, and most people are a bit of both. There are also some excellent action and fight scenes, as good as the better ones I’ve seen in shounen manga (for boys); they had me on the edge of my seat. The comedy is pretty silly and I got a kick out of some things like the village where everyone made up background stories for travelers, each more ridiculous than the last. And there are some wonderfully romantic and emotional moments throughout that had me tearing up.

The art is very 80′s shoujo, but I loved it because it also has a lot of elements from the 20s. I mean, get a load of the villain (on the right). His palace is totally art deco. The artwork throughout the book is mostly clean and simple lineart. There’s not a lot of shading, and not a lot of background detail except where it’s needed to establish a setting. But while there are books where I love intricate art, I didn’t miss it here.

Some people won’t like this because the world is a fairly standard fantasy one, though it seems to be based upon an ancient Indian or Middle Eastern one from the costumes. There’s one main plot thread and not a lot of divergence. The h/h’s relationship never progresses beyond kissing, no sex here, but plenty of romance. The story isn’t realistic and gritty, though the lessons it teaches about friendship and love and how to live are as important and real as you’ll find in any adult manga. The morals are positive but not childish. I found the story very uplifting, which to me is what a comfort read is all about.

All in all it’s a great series for kids and adults who still love kid’s books. This is one longer series I recommend buying, especially if you have teenage girls who love manga. It can be found as a complete set at some places like justmanga.com for $114 with free shipping, or bought individually from discountanimedvd.com for $7.50 a volume for $105. But if that’s too much, do go to the library and try this one out.

I just realized I’ve reviewed three fantasy manga in a row, albeit very different ones. Next time I’ll try to do something different.

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

REVIEW: Manga: Sex Education: Manga Sutra by Katsu Aki

Jan — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 09:00:15 +0000

Manga Sutra by Katsu Aki. Published by TokyoPop. Retail: $19.99. 1/37+ released in English. Rated M for Mature (graphic sex). Note: Each single English volume contains 2 Japanese volumes.

Dear Readers,

This one is slightly different for me. Some people might just call it hentai (Japanese porn). But while it does contain scenes that qualify, its purpose isn’t just to titillate, but to educate. The author put it this way in his short preface:

This isn’t just a hentai manga. It’s about love, sex, and how-to… I wrote this with the hopes that it would serve as a bible to those who dream of having the best sex ever! And I really mean that.

That’s cute. So to serve that purpose Aki-san gives us Makoto and Yura, virgin newlyweds in an arranged marriage (still fairly common in Japan with businessmen and women who are too busy to date). They’re basically pretty nice people, though not very outgoing (hence their virginity), and they eventually fall in love.

But they don’t have a clue about sex. Not. A. Clue. Sure, they know that Tab A goes in Slot A. But even basics like kissing techniques are beyond them. However, they’re stupid so the reader doesn’t have to be. There’s someone around to explain it every step of the way, like Yura’s very sexually active sister Rika and Makoto’s loud-mouthed jerk of a brother Akira who prides himself on being a stud in bed. (Know-it-all people are always interrupting in this book, something which annoyed me to no end, like perverted Akira showing up to spoil their honeymoon.)

To show you the way things are often explained, here Rika explains the basics of kissing to Makoto after Yura has turned him away because he never turns her on (as usual, please read right to left):

<- with diagrams <- start here

And then he tries it out (with an intermittent page removed):

<- start here

As you can see, the graphics are kind of useless and almost comical. However the information is good, and in a culture like the US where half the people won’t talk about sex much less try to figure out how to do it right, it could only help. This volume covers topics ranging from kissing, hymens and virginity, honeymoons, foreplay, love hotels, premature ejaculation, non-sexual intimacy and communication, breasts, erogenous zones, and the ever-popular reverse cowgirl. There’s even an afterward question and answer session with a sex therapist. Facts pepper the pages (–>).

But, I have to wonder if the book would really be of interest to most English speaking people. I showed this to my non-manga-reading husband and the following conversation took place:

Me: What would you think if someone, like a girlfriend, gave this to you?

Him: My girlfriends know I don’t need it.

Me: *swats*

Him: Seriously? I’d laugh and think it was a joke.

Me: Why? The information in it’s good.

Him: The format. It’s cartoons. It’s a cultural thing. The Japanese are used to getting information in this format. But in the US, cartoon = kids stuff or comedy.

Me: Except to the people who know better.

Him: Those are the only ones who would take this seriously.

Me: A small niche — even smaller since only the adults could buy it.

Him: *nods* Adult manga readers are probably the ones who need it most though, living in basements without ever meeting the opposite sex, and not having a clue about what to do with them if they do.

Me: …. I’m an adult manga reader.

Him: …. This is one of those ‘Do I look fat?’ situations, isn’t it?

Those who wish to contact my husband over the next few days may try the doghouse.

But his initial point was valid. If you’re capable of gleaning information from a book regardless of the format, you might find the Manga Sutra full of useful and interesting facts. But the presentation makes it a hard sell in this society unless you’re already a manga fan; I wouldn’t suggest buying it for someone who isn’t. And even for manga readers the presentation is kind of eye-rolling and can be very annoying at times because of the side characters. So in the end, despite its potential usefulness, I’d have to give this a C+.

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

REVIEW: Manga: Sorcerers, Demons, and Smut, Oh My: The Crimson Spell by Ayano Yamane

Jan — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:00:53 +0000

The Crimson Spell by Ayano Yamane. Published by Kitty Media. Retail: $11.99. 1/2+ volumes. Rated: Mature (this title is adult-only, sexually graphic yaoi (MxM).)

Dear Readers,

This is my favorite manga release of 2007. There are some with loftier ambitions that I might admire more, like Town of Evening Calm, but when it comes to pure enjoyment of a book, The Crimson Spell wins hands down.

The story is a fairly simple one. Prince Vald’s country is overrun by demons and there’s only one way to save them, to take up an accursed family sword. For the sake of his people he does so, but the sword’s demon begins to take him over. At first it’s only at night, when he changes into an erotic beast-like version of himself (and whoo boy is he one erotic looking beast). His country’s wizards are able to give him ensorcelled shackles that keep the change at bay each night. But he knows it’s only a matter of time until the demon takes over, endangering everyone, so he sets off to find the one man who could remove the curse, the sorcerer Halvir.

Halvir (Havi) is beautiful, but he isn’t what I’d call an upstanding citizen, being greedy and lascivious. He not only wants the magical sword for himself, but once he finds the demon-controlled version of Vald at night and realizes he can absorb its power (through sexual contact of course), he begins an affair with the beast-half of Vald that the human half doesn’t know about (read right to left as usual, and don’t worry, I stopped right before the naughty bits)(sorry for my crappy scans):

<- start

To gain the sword and keep Vald nearby, he makes a deal with him. He’ll break the curse if Vald helps him gain certain magical objects. Vald agrees and they set off on a journey.

However, the journey, like in all good books, isn’t just a trip from here to there, but one of change for both the characters. Halvir is immediately touched by the prince’s beauty and spirit, and he’s captivated by the beast’s sensual nature, and he begins to fall in love with both. For the first time in a long time, he starts to think of another. The changes to Vald aren’t all that pleasant. His demon and human forms slowly begin to meld as the change approaches a time when it will become irreversible and control him completely. But this also brings a growing realization of an attraction to his companion, one that at this point he still pushes away in denial as a human but which he fully embraces as a beast.

Concerning the sex in the book, I’ve never heard anyone complain about it, but the fact that Halvir is having sex with the beast half of Vald while keeping it a secret from the human half might bother some people. Also, while the first sexual encounter between Halvir and the beast verges on non-con, that primal side of Vald loves his sex and jumps Halvir if he isn’t getting enough. The beast Vald doesn’t have the inhibitions of the human half and thoroughly enjoys himself no matter what they try. One side note, there is an extra story in the volume that has that staple of hentai, tentacle sex, when Vald encounters an aphrodisiac plant that works on him in more ways than just chemical. One friend labels that chapter “Tentacle Sex Done Right”. …. There’s really nothing I can add to that.

While sex and romance are an important part of the story, there are a lot of parts to the story that are just plain funny. Yamane-sensei has a way of drawing humor from the characters: Halvir’s greed and utter lack of concern for anyone but himself and Vald; Vald’s naivety about what’s happening to him each night. And then there’s Rulca, a very sexy spiritual being who likes to take the form of a bunny, and who delights in annoying Halvir and in trying to seduce Vald. This adds up to a story that’s much lighter in tone than the other work of Yamane’s released stateside, the Finder series.

Then there’s the artwork. Yamane-sensei is renowned in yaoi circles for it. The attention to detail makes each panel gorgeous to look at. She obviously revels in drawing the trappings of fantasy. (click for a bigger view)

Yamane’s men are breathtakingly beautiful and masculine. No emasculated ukes (bottoms) here, as happens fairly often in yaoi. Vald has fire and strength in both his forms, enough to make me suspicious that he’ll be turning the tables on Halvir before the end of the series.

Finally, the book’s quality deserves recognition. In the past Kitty has put out volumes that are on par with TokyoPop, quite average though great value for their low price. But for this book they worked directly with Ayano Yamane, and at her direction turned out a top of the line volume. This book is gorgeous with color plates, a high paper quality, and an exceptional translation. There were one or two typos, but really this is a premium piece of manga that’s a pleasure to hold and read. Honestly, the only thing that will be nicer than having this book in my hands will be to have this book plus volume two (hint hint, Kitty).

So, who is this one recommended for? Any adult who wants to see a great example of the sexier side of yaoi manga as done by one of its most popular mangaka. It’s beautiful to look at, a pleasure to hold, full of engaging characters, and funny and sexy to boot. That’s why it is my favorite of the year. Grade: A.

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³

(JÄn)

REVIEW: Manga Review: Epic Adventure and Romance: Basara

Jan — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:00:48 +0000

Basara by Yumi Tamura. Published by Viz. Retail: $9.99. Rated T+ for older teens (frank sex and violence. The sex isn’t graphic but the violence can be.) 25/27 volumes published, complete in Japan.

Dear Readers,

Some long running romance manga series are drawing to a close this month, and all deserve mention here.This column is for the first, Basara, a shoujo manga classic that is Romance in both the old and new senses of the word.

Basara is a sweeping saga of 27 volumes, the tale of the death and birth of a nation, epic in length and scope.It’s also an involved love story that is as heart-rending as anything you’ll read (but *hint* it is a romance manga when all is said and done).The main story ends in volume 25, which is just out this month.The last two volumes are side stories.

The gist of the story is thatJapanhas had an apocalypse that’s sent society back into more primitive times, and it’s now ruled by a dissolute king and his four wicked sons.One of these is Shuri, the Red King, a hard and sometimes cruel young man; it’s been foretold that he’ll kill his father so he’s been banished to rule the wastelands in the South.There’s a small village in his territory where a “child of destiny” is born.His name is Tatara, and he’s the people’s messiah of sorts, supposed to lead them in a revolt to reclaim their country.But when Tatara is killed in a raid by the Red King, his twin sister Sarasa vows revenge and to see her brother’s vision through, so she takes his identity and begins to build the revolution.

Sarasa carries an incredibly heavy burden, and spends her few spare moments at a nearby oasis where she meets Shuri in another guise, and they eventually fall deeply in love and promise to marry.Neither knows who the other is, and this is where all the trouble starts.Shuri is constantly battling himself over the harshness necessary in his job as king, his position as the son of his none too charming parents, as Sarasa’s lover, and as Tatara’s sworn enemy especially after Tatara/Sarasa kills his best friend.

Sarasa too has a lot to contend with, other than the warring factions she has to bring together.There’s a war within her about her love once she finds out the truth, but she also fights to keep her self intact, which becomes increasingly difficult as her vow leads to new repercussions at every turn.She has to dive into the politics and learn to survive, and none of it’s easy as betrayal waits around every corner.

What makes Basara special to me is the huge cast of characters, all of them three-dimensional and human, most of them with interesting stories and points of view.Shuri and Sarasa’s story is the main thread, but there are countless others that are well-developed, as is the world itself, and in reading it I can’t help but become swept away and a part of it.I love both heroes and villains and agonize at every wrong decision and applaud all the right ones on both their parts, and best of all, watch them grow.Everyone here is grey.No one is right and perfect.No one is a cardboard villain.Some are more flamboyant than others, but they’re all people nonetheless.

For instance, you know how romances often say that the hero is bad, but you never see it?Not here.Shuri rules with an iron fist and makes decisions that shock you and leave you wondering how the heck this romance could possibly work out in the end.But because the characters grow and change for knowing each other, it becomes possible.

Now, are there bad points to the series?Sure there are.At 27 volumes there are going to be missteps along the way, and there are some plot lines that just bored me.Occasionally cliche reared its ugly head, sometimes the side stories were about characters just I didn’t care about.But when taken in comparison to the whole, there weren’t that many and I didn’t mind them much.

The proliferation of characters can get confusing too.At times I felt the need to keep a cheat sheet.Luckily, they all have different Flock of Seagull’s hair so they’re all easy to tell apart.

Also, some people may not like the art.I have to say the first time I saw it I thought “Eww, I don’t want to look at that for 27 volumes.”It’s very sketchy.But then it grew on me and I now find it ethereal and beautiful, contrasting with the harshness and strength of what she portrays.She draws a bit like watercoloring. From her Basara artbook:

From the manga itself (fan scans since I didn’t want to ruin my book). This is the scene right after Sarasa has seen her brother killed and she recalls his words to her. (read right to left, in sequence and on the page):

<-start

Lovely, even though they all have 80s hair.And Sarasa looks like a guy in drag, but then she would have to, to pass for her brother.Some things you just have to accept.

So should you buy this?I suggest trying it from your library or by buying a couple of volumes before you jump in.27 volumes is a huge investment.Personally, I rarely buy any manga series this long but I have bought Basara.It’s a classic story that can be read time and again.Regarding the age ranges for this, in my opinion it’s for high school and up. It contains graphic violence because it is about a war.Also, the characters have adult relationships, though they aren’t anything close to sexually graphic.But sex is there and a normal part of life.

I’ll end with a quote from a reader on Amazon named Peter Oksman who summed up my feelings on this series so much better than I, that I have to share what he said:

“It [Basara] is vividly imagined and populated with characters that you will remember for a long time. From glittering palaces to howling winds in the desert, full of primal emotions of love and revenge, villains with a tender side and conflicted heroes. It is a story of prophesy, a messianic story, and as such has a primal, direct impact – a feeling that the characters and events are part of a larger tapestry of history, that they are caught up in a flow beyond their control.”

Now really, do you want to miss that?

Sincerely,

ã‚¸ã‚§ãƒ¼ãƒ³
(JÄn)

REVIEW: Sorcerers and Secretaries by Amy Kim Ganter

Jayne — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 09:00:25 +0000

Dear Ms. Ganter,

My blogging partner Jan reviewed this series earlier and I was so impressed by the review and by the artwork she included that I posted to her review. She graciously offered to loan me the volumes of “Sorcerers and Secretaries.” I’ll be honest and say that I’d never tried any manga and in fact hadn’t read any type of comic or graphic arts book since childhood. Yep, manga has swept the world but hadn’t swept me. That is until I read this book. Now I begin to understand the appeal. I might not be a convert but this is one novel I might just have to search out.

I’ve included ‘manga’ tags on this review so it will show up on our website along with Jan’s original review but I’m not reviewing it as manga. Since I don’t know the genre enough to speak with any authority on it, I’m talking about it as a romance. And a delightful romance it is. Nicole and Josh have to work through their problems as any romance couple I normally read about do. Nicole is one smart cookie. Though she initially likes Josh, she quickly becomes discouraged from continuing their growing relationship by his pursuit of any woman with enough breath to write out her phone number. She might not have the most self confidence in the world but she knows she deserves better than this.

Josh is a young man still infatuated with the idea of being wanted by everyone. When Nicole repudiates his efforts to add her phone number to his growing collection, he decides he wants her just for the challenge. His roommate, also a ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ lothario, urges him on and Josh has to learn some hard lessons before he gains the confidence to be honest about his desires for a relationship with Nicole. I like that his growing feelings for Nicole are mirrored by his dawning admiration for her writing gifts.

And then there’s Nicole’s fantasy story which is wonderful on its own. It’s a story and world so real to her that it intrudes into her everyday life demanding to be told. The girl’s got real talent but feels that she has to put it aside in order to get a degree in business to help her family. She’s miserable in her studies but determined to stick it out. Realizing that she might be able to study and do what she really wants is a major growth step for her. I love that her family rallies to her side and supports her decision. Remembering back to when I was in college, I recall a meeting with my freshman advisor who said he saw so many students, struggling through business and accounting studies, who were miserable, all because the parents wanted their children to have a marketable degree. Yes, the world needs English, history, philosophy and classics majors too.

I will say something about the illustrations in “Sorcerers and Secretaries.” They’re fabulous. Though I’m not sure about the high-heel boots that Ellon wears. I am in awe of anyone who can tell a story not only in writing but visually as well. It’s a talent and you have it. This gets a solid A from me and I want a cute little familiar who sits on my shoulder too!

~Jayne

Manga Review: Romance for Boys: Ai Yori Aoshi

Jan — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:00:42 +0000

Ai Yori Aoshi by Kou Fumizuki. Published by TokyoPop. Retail: $9.99. Ratings: T+, older teens, for most volumes (many sexually suggestive situations a.k.a. fan service – the cover gives you a taste for that), Mature for the last volume (tasteful sex between the h/h). 17/17 volumes published.

Dear Readers,

Two long running romance series have drawn to a close this month, and both deserve mention. This one is different from what I normally review because it’s a shounen harem story, written for boys. Oddly perhaps for those of us in the west, while the other series, Basara, was written for girls it concentrates on warfare and politics albeit emotionally; this series however concentrates on love and relationships. It’s called Ai Yori Aoshi.

Ai Yori Aoshi is, through much of the story, a typical harem manga. That means a young man finds himself living with a group of young women, generally stock characters, all of whom fall in love with him. Circumstances always keep him and the one he truly loves from being together until the end. There’s also a lot of “fan service” included. That means he happens to accidentally walk in on the women bathing, or bending over and revealing a little too much pantie or bra, etc. After all, it’s written as fantasy romance for teenage boys. I typically can’t stand this kind of series unless something lifts it out of the muck and something does for me here, the romance between the main couple, Aoi and Kaoru.

Aoi is the quiet daughter of a very wealthy and powerful family, and she has been promised to Kaoru since she was tiny. She only met him once when they were children, but she fell in love with his kind and caring nature. Her whole life has been centered around preparing to marry him and make him happy; she’s very old-fashioned Japanese.

Kaoru is also the son of a very powerful and wealthy family only he’s a bastard, and when his mother died due to neglect by the family, he disowned them and entered the university determined to make his own life. Unfortunately, that made Aoe’s family break off the engagement. He hadn’t remembered it so he never cared, until Aoe showed up and told him who she was. Despite all the temptation around him, he falls in love with only Aoe and does his best to make himself someone worthy of her. Kaoru, unlike many harem heroes, is a great guy with a steel core when it comes to his love.

Aoi is a very traditional woman in that she’s quiet and determined to serve those she loves. But she has a streak of stubbornness and strength running through her that makes her the strongest character in the series. She leaves home to find Kaoru because she will be his wife, whatever it takes. It turns out it takes a lot. Everything tries to come between them, friends, family, you name it. But because their love is so strong and they try so hard, they overcome all obstacles to gain what they want. (This really isn’t a spoiler since it’s a romance manga, and that requires a HEA. As usual it’s the journey that’s worth reading.)

One of the things that I love about this manga is that it is read and loved by men and women alike. The last volume has just come out, and comments and reviews by boys talk about how they cried at the end, and they say that it’s the best romance they’d ever read. That’s just too cute. I wouldn’t go that far and say it’s the best. It’s probably the best shounen harem romance I’ve read, but that’s not saying much. It’s got a lot of shenanigans throughout that are terribly clichéd, and for the most part I skim over them. The only parts of the story I’m interested in are those with Aoe and Kaoru. I cried several times at their part of the story, good tears, because they had so little but treasured it so much.

For a sample of the artwork, one of the quieter scenes at the beginning of the story, where Kaoru first tells Aoi he loves her (as usual, please read right to left):

<– start here

I honestly prefer older-looking characters, but these two were so sweet I didn’t mind. The reader should note that in typical shounen fashion, all the characters appear quite young, though most are adults, but some of the members of the household are young indeed. Nothing really untoward happens, though there is suggestive comedy along the lines of slapstick. There is, in the final volume, a consummation of the relationship between the hero and heroine and nudity and tasteful sex are shown so it’s rated Mature. The other volumes are 16+ because of the fan service.

Is it worth dropping the $150 or so to buy a set? Maybe if you’re Bill Gates. But now that all 17 volumes are out, I recommend it as a library loan, using speed reading at the annoying parts. It’s about a C+ for me (D- for all the fan service parts, A- for Aoe and Kaoru).

Sincerely,

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(JÄn)

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