What I Read Recently -- Manga Reviews

Title: Insufficient Direction
Artist: Moyocco Anno
Publisher: Vertical
ISBN: 978-1-939130-11-2
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Synopsis --

Moyocco Anno's biographical manga about her married life with Hideaki Anno

Artwork -- A: The manga is drawn in a fun style that reminds me of newpaper comic strips. It's different from Moyocco Anno's usual style, which was cool. It shows artistic range.

Presentation -- A: Of course I love the bigger book size because it's easier to read. There's a generous appendix that explains the references in the manga. The translation reads very smoothly.

Story -- B: This is a tough manga fairly rate story-wise. There are many references to anime and manga and some inside marriage speak that only married people would truly understand. This means that the manga has limited accessibility. Honestly speaking, 90% of the references blew right past me, but I understand geek marriages perfectly well because I am a geek married to another geek. Anyhow, the compilation is broken into very short episodes that last a handful of pages. This makes for quick reads and small contained gag-based storytelling. I laughed a lot, mostly because the manga hit closer to home than I wanted.

Overall -- A-: I liked this manga. Rompers and Director-kun are presented as an adorable and real geek couple. I also appreciated the quick-hit gag-style storytelling. This is a must for Moyocco Anno's adult fans who have read more of her works than "Sugar Sugar Rune." Younger people and non-geeks will probably find this manga to be inaccessible.
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Title: Library Wars Volume 11
Artist: Kiiro Yumi
Publisher: Viz (Shoujo Beat)
ISBN: 978-1421564319
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Short Review: Iku faces the reality of war and her participation in it. The standard crying and questioning values comes forth as Iku deals with the possibility that she may have shot somebody. There's also an examination of violent vs. non-violent approaches to protest and how both can be highly politicized. The pacing of the chapter was nice. I read through it quickly in one sitting. This chapter also prompted me to reflect on what freedoms are worth dying for. There is a fun and funny short story at the end of the volume. I was grateful for this respite after such an emotional and weighty read up to it.

I am kinda getting tired of the slow pace of Iku's and Dojo's romance. I want to see what they are like together as a romantic couple in these dangerous situations. The "almosts" and "holding back" are getting on my nerves. I feel like it's inhibiting character growth at this point.

Overall B+:  It's a thoughtful volume, but on the whole I was left unsatisfied with the lack of romantic progress between Iku and Dojo.
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Title: Voice Over! Seiyu Academy Volume 4
Artist: Maki Minami
Publisher: Viz (Shoujo Beat)
ISBN: 978-1421559735
Purchase: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Short Review: Hime is cast in a role and must overcome the misgivings of the sound director. As per every talent or fighting shoujo or shounen manga, Hime has a shortcoming that she must overcome. I loved every moment spent in the chapter showing Hime in her male disguise interacting with Kudo. The rest was standard idol-manga schlock that was handled in standard fashion. There were no surprises good or bad.

At this point I'm only into this series for the relationships between characters. I couldn't care less about the idol storyline.

Overall B-: It's still a fun read and the moments between Hime and Kudo are precious. The idol crap doesn't appeal to me at all.

What I Just Read: "Another" and "Otomen" Volume 16 (Manga Reviews)

Title: Another
Story: Yukito Ayatsuji
Art: Hiro Kiyohara
US Publisher: Yen Press
ISBN: 978-0316245913

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

First Impressions:

I couldn't get passed the first few episodes of the anime because it was too slow, but in manga form I can follow it.  Wow... does nobody notice the mass psychosis? All right, I'm going to put aside the absurdity of this curse and accept and enjoy the story that's being told.

Breakdown --

Artwork A: The color pages are gorgeous and the comic artwork is uncluttered. There is a lot of focus on faces and eyes, while having just enough background to indicate place and mood.  The characters look like middle schoolers, the adults look like adults, and there's very little fanservice to distract from the story.  There is also nice use of screentones to create the dark atmosphere. The artwork balances well with the story -- it supports the story rather than overshadowing the story.

Presentation A- : This is tome! The thickness made it difficult to read in the tub and the gym. I think it would have been better to break it into two volume omnibuses rather than packing all 4 volumes into one book. However, the book is so lovely that all is forgive.  The cover is striking.  The hot pink and contrasting purple and gray appeal to me. There are quite a few lovely color page between each volume. And then there's the large size. I love larger size manga because my eyesight is crap and I need larger text. The translation also read smoothly and naturally.  Needless to say, at $17.99, this is an excellent bargain considering it's four volumes ($4.50/volume!!!).

Story B: The story itself is ridiculous. While reading this, so many solutions to the "curse" crossed my mind, including the most obvious solution of everybody recognizing the mass psychosis. Curse stories usually annoy me in this sense because they become self-fulfilling prophecies. But... the curse must be forced or else there would not be a story.  The central mystery of the story doesn't become apparent until the end. Once the revelation of how to stop the curse is made, the story becomes very paced paced and nail-biting. I like Sakakibara and Mei, the two main characters. The side characters were good too, accept for the crazy wench that goes all Lord of the Flies toward the end. I didn't like her and I suppose that was the point of her nasty character.

Overall A-: This is an enjoyable read if you accept the curse and let the story take you into its world.  The artwork is nice and the presentation is excellent.  I encourage readers to purchase this omnibus.  At $17.99, you will get a lot of bang for your buck.
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Title: Otomen Volume 16
Story and Art: Aya Kanno
US Publisher: Viz -- Shojo Beat
ISBN:  978-1421554808

Purchase: Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Mini Review: C+
Ryo and the Otomen boys put on a play and Asuka's mom decides to save her son from his feminine ways by ruining his life. This volume closes the Yamato arc and in general signals the series is ending soon. I was kinda "meh" about this volume, but it was a quick read, so I was okay with it. Obviously the series had run too long, so the entire volume felt like filler, with a sudden rush of plot at the end.　The rushed feeling at the end is kinda weird considering that there are 2 more volumes to go!

New Purchases March 9 - April 20

Here's a list of manga I've purchased in the 5 or 6 weeks (I will add mini-reviews as I read the volumes):

• "Black Butler" Volume 5
• "Shinobi Life"Volume 7
• "Natsume's Book of Friends" Volume 6 -- Lovely as usual (5/5)
• "Stepping on Roses" Volume 5-- More crazy smut-lite stoopidity.  It's fast paced and childish, but I can't help but like this series. (3/5)
• "Skip Beat" Volume 23 -- Kyoko brilliantly mind-***s Chiori.  It's a must read volume (5/5)

First Impressions of Winter 2011 Anime Series

First, the loving spoonful:

• I will definitely watch:
• "Yumekui Merry"
• "Beelzebub"
• "Kore wa Zombie desu ka"
• "Level E"

• I will give it another episode
• "Gosick"
• "Puelle Magi Madoka Magica"
• "Infinite Stratos"
• "Dragon Crisis"

• Crap
• "Freezing"
• "Rio Rainbow Gate"

More Details about the series:

• "Gosick" ("Gothic") -- A really nice and normal Japanese boy transfers to a boarding school in a fictional European country in the Alps.

New Manga Purchases: Week of January 24, 2010

• Black Butler Volume 1
• NG Life Volume 1
• Black Bird Volume 3
• Otomen Volume 5
• Pandora Hearts Volume 1

Reviews and Comments on other recent purchases:

• Butterflies and Flowers Volume 1:  It's a nice start to a series for women.  In this series, former rich girl Choko Kuze is employed at a real estate agency by her ex-servant Mr. Domoto ("with a heart").  Basically, he acts psycho, swinging between being a hard-driving sexual harassing boss and a sweet and loving servant.   It has some very funny moments.  I can't say I approve of the harassment, though.  3.5/5  Hopefully, it gets better.
• Happy Cafe Volume 1:  Adult Kuroneko003 found this first volume of this series very commonplace and predictable.  It was so predictable that there was no reason to finish the entire volume.  1/5 12-year Kuroneko003 who is just reading her first manga series thought it was very cute and related to the baby faced female protagonist and her budding crush on the much older cake making guy.  Oh, but then there's the hottie assistant, who's always falling asleep because he's hungry, to consider.  I wonder what will happen next?  Will she and the cake making guy kiss?  4/5

If you are interested in purchasing any of these manga, please check out my Amazon Associate Store and give me a nickle for my trouble ;p.

Link to Omari's Sister's Amazon Associate Store