Manga Review -- "Mikado Boy" Volume 2

Title: Mikado Boy (ミカド＊ボーイ) Volume 2
Mangaka: Riko Miyagi (宮城理子)
ISBN: 9784088451251
Publisher: Shueisha
Publication: Margaret Magazine
Purchase: Amazon JP / Yes Asia

Synopsis:
Hide and Gin are given their second mission to investigate a teacher at their school who has been accused of espionage.

Mini-Review -- A:
I've been gushing about this series on Twitter, so obviously I'm enjoying the heck out of it. This volume is jammed packed with intrigue and surprises.  By the end of it, I was somewhere I didn't think I would be and, quite frankly, this volume ends on a deliciously unsettling note. I have to ask myself is this shoujo? And how on earth is this series in a magazine like Margaret?!

Wild Ones Volume 2 Released in the US

"Wild Ones" volume 2 is out in the US. Some "impact" is lost in the Viz translation -- less emotion, both romantic and humorous. Sigh ... well, this is why I'm studying Japanese ... buy it, but you may want to look at a fan version, too, for a more faithful translation.

Summary: Arakure (Wild Ones), Vol 2, Chp 6

This chapter begins with Raizo visiting his friend Ume, the innkeeper from the previous chapter. Raizo asks Ume how his health is and Ume tells him that his health is poor. He then asks Raizo to take care of his grandson, Azuma, because he will hospitalized and Azuma's parents are dead. Raizo agrees.

Meanwhile back at the house, Sachie is preparing to go out. Her yakuza protectors give her stuff to take with her like tea, a fan, and a diaper (for lengthy stays outside). Igarashi catches her before she can go out and asks if she's done her summer homework yet. Of course, Sachie hasn't, so Igarashi with a gleeful look leads her back to her room to do her homework. The other yakuza lament that they can't help Sachie because they don't know kanji (I guess this means they are illiterate). Igarashi tells Sachie if she finishes her homework today, then tomorrow they can have fun at the school sponsored summer camp (a 3 day, 2 night camp). Sachie has a hard time doing her homework and asks if Igarashi can help her understand it. Iragashi replies that he doesn't mind since it gives him an excuse to monopolize her. Sachie is startled and remembers the beach "embrace" in which she asked if he would let her be beside him and he telling her that no one but he would be beside her. When Sachie comes out of her daze, Igarashi is playing with her hair and pulls out a bit of trash to tease her. Sachie then remembers that her grandfather, Raizo, is returning from visiting Ume, so they both go off to greet him.

They welcome Raizo and Raizo introduced Azuma, letting everyone know that due to Ume's illness, Azuma was going to stay with them for the time being. Azuma introduces himself and explains that his parents have been dead since he was young. Igarashi is shocked and displeased. Sachie feels sympathy for Azuma and pledges to care for him in anyway possible to which Azuma says that when he needs to cry he will seek her shoulder and then gives Sachie a hug. This earns Azuma a "flick" to the forehead that knocks him to the ground from Igarashi, who has now taken Sachie into his other arm. Everyone sees this and wonders what just happened. Igarashi explains that they was a bug on Azuma's head and it must have run away.

Onto the summer camp ... All the girls are swooning over the new student, Azuma. Azuma immediately calls out to Sachie, calling her "Sa-schan," a very intimate nickname. Everybody is now curious as to how Sachie and Azuma know each other and what is their relationship. Azuma tells the curious girls that they live together under the same roof. Igarashi butts in and informs everyone that Azuma has barely settled in and that the three of them actually all live together. He makes some reference to some traditional Japanese clogs, and Sachie explains that it isn't often that she wears a kimono, which leads the curious girls to believe that Sachie is a princess with a boy harem.

One of the camp leaders calls out that it's time to break into teams to prepare the meal. Igarashi tricks Azuma with a colored stick pull (Azuma pulls red while Igarashi and Sachie pull blue). Sachie begins to prepare curry, when the girls stop her stating that they can't allow a princess like her to do such menial tasks. They tell her to go away and sit. Soon Sachie gets bored and ends up washing the rice and preparing curry anyway. They are amazed at her skill and enthusiasm and compare her to a bride.

As they eat the curry, one of the girls tells Sachie about he dance party tradition. She's says a proposal to be dance partners is made by offering your name tag to the chosen one. Then the girl start giggling about Igarashi and wonders who he's going to dance with because last year he danced with every girl that asked (30 of them). Sachie wonders if the dance is just a folk dance in which the boys have to dance with every girl anyway. She seems quite annoyed at the idea that Igarashi danced with so many girls last year. Sachie and her friends go off to take a bath when they come out, some girls are gossiping about how Igarashi is declining girl's dance proposals. Sachie blushes and calls herself stupid for even thinking about it. Meanshile, Azuma has been given an arm full of name tags and approaches Sachie to show his bounty. But Sachie is running off upset and in tears with her name tag in hand.

Someone sneaks up behind Sachie and covers her eyes. Sachie thinks it Azuma and reacts with annoyance. To her pleasant surprise, it's Igarashi and he tells her to cover her eyes because there's some place he wants to take her. They run off into a open field and then Igarashi tells her she can open her eyes, and there they are in the middle of fireflies (of course!!! how cliched can you be?!!!). He says he found the spot last year and wanted, this year, to let Sachie see it. Sachie, now feeling braver, offers her name tag -- she's beet red and nervous. Igarashi bows deeply, his hands holding hers, his face to her hands and apologizes that he cannot accept her offer. He explains that he is the class president and, therefore, he cannot escort her to the dance party. Sachie leaves very upset and embarrassed, but she tries to tell herself to not show her embarrassment on her face. She runs off and Igarashi calls out to her to no effect.

Sachie goes off to the sidelines of the camp hub-bub to sulk. Azuma approaches her and asks what's with her face. Sachie shakes it off saying that she didn't get enough sleep. Azuma then offers her his name tag which Sachie accepts and agrees to be his partner at the dance party. Igarashi walks onto the scene and is saddened. His face is red and he is winded from running to find Sachie. As Igarashi approaches, Azuma grabs Sachie and tells Igarashi that Sachie has agreed to be his dance partner. Sachie confirms Azuma's claim and off they go to enjoy themselves. Igarashi is not pleased. And then for some reason Sachie has taken off for the woods with Azuma following behind. Sachie's name tag gets tugged off of her by a branch and goes flying off into the distance. Sachie laments that there is no point in going after her name tag now. Azuma starts putting the moves on her and then they fall off the "mysterious anime/manga forest cliff".

Meanwhile back at the camp ground, everyone is inside because it has started to rain. One of the students reports that Sachie and Azuma have not reported to the checkpoint. Igarashi leaves to find Sachie. Meanwhile back in the forest, Sachie has landed on Azuma. They find the proverbial cave to hide in until the rain stops. Azuma asks Sachie if she likes Igarashi and Sachie denies her feelings saying that Igarashi is a cranky ill-mannered person. Azuma is overjoyed and enthusiastically adds that Igarashi seems like an sly person and eggs Sachie on, telling her to shout to the mountains what she thinks of Igarashi. Sachie shouts, "Igarashi is a pitiful prevert! ... but," now quietly talking, with her hands over her mouth and blushing, continues, "he's not inconsiderate." She remembers how he helps her with her studies and went to buy her a watermelon. "He always makes me happy," she continues, now crying into her hands. Igarashi hears this (he's close by) and Azuma starts to talk with resignation and then Igarashi calls out to Sachie and she takes off running into his awaiting arms. Igarahshi asks if Sachie is okay and tells her that he was worried (everyone has forgotten about poor Azuma -- so sad). Igarashi then lifts Sachie up princess-like, saying that it seems she has strained her ankle so he will now carry her to the medical room. Azuma whines that Sachie is his dance party partner to which Igarashi replies, "Too bad, someone else is taking her away." And the girls are all happy because Azuma is single again.

Fast forward to the nurse's office ... Sachie tells Igarashi that her ankle is fine to which Igarashi says it was a "misunderstanding" on his part (meaning he said it as an excuse to pick Sachie up and take her away from Azuma and the dance party). He then, on bent knees, offers Sachie his name tag and asks to dance with her in the nurses office. Meanwhile, now the rain has stopped the dance party has begun. Outside the girls are talking about a message from the class president. He said that the class officers could now escort a dance partner. Poor Azuma is dancing with some pudgy, curly haired woman. Back in the nurse's office, Igarashi and Sachie are dancing. Sachie says she thought he couldn't dance with a partner because he's the class president. He reminds her that they aren't at the dance party. And the chapter closes with three frames: the first with a happy Igarashi, the second with a disappointed Azuma dancing with some random girl, and the third with Sachie looking embarrassed. The headline reads, "Slowly the summer night passes".

Summary: Arakure (Wild Ones), Vol 2, Chp 5

It's the umi (beach) chapter and it comes so early in story (6 volumes and counting from what I've been able to gather). In chapter 5, Sachie's grandfather gathers the household to go to an inn on the beach that is run by an old friend of his. Sachie worries about the nature of this friendship, suspecting that it has something to do with yakuza. But her fears are put to rest as it seems that Ume is really an old friend.

Sachie is, of course, is looking forward to spending time at the beach, but when they get there she finds it difficult to let loose because she is surrounded by her gruff looking protectors. Finally away from her "family", Sachie quickly gets into a pinch as she defends a beach food vendor from the insults of a very rude and wasteful couple. They claim the vendor's food is of low quality and don't want to pay (I think ...) and end up dropping the food on ground as they leave. Sachie stops them and tells them the food is fine and not to waste it. The couple gets defensive and confronts Sachie and then Raku comes to Sachie's side to protect her. He knocks down the male of the offending couple. Raku scolds Sachie for being reckless and says that if anything were to happen to her it would crush his heart. Sachie, as usual, thinks he's being weird and overly dramatic and walks off muttering to herself.

As she sits on some steps complaining, the young man that was running the food stand comes to thank Sachie for saving him and offers her a beverage while generally trying to flirt with her. And in comes Raku, who is carrying what appears to be a bag with food. He quickly sequesters Sachie, taking her arm by the wrist with one hand and covering her eyes with the other. (To me this looks very possessive as if to imply that he does not want Sachie to touch or ever look at another man. I feel as though I should be offended, but for some reason it seems very old fashioned and sweet in a childish way). He informs Sachie that there is food and beverage back at where they are staying and returns the vendor's drink with one of those fake smiles.

Sachie and Raku return to the inn for dinner and are introduced to Azuma, the innkeeper's grandson, who happens to be the food vendor Sachie saved earlier. Azuma and Raku face off with Sachie inbetween. There are lighting sparks between them and everyone notices it. Azuma tries to introduce himself to Sachie with a handshake, but his hand is intercepted by Raku, and it appears that some knuckle squeezing may be happening. The innkeeper requests that Azuma show them all to their rooms.

Later, Sachie has a watermelon -- her favorite. She puts it in the fridge to chill in anticipation of breaking it open later. Like a child she writes, "Sachie's watermelon" in hiragana on the skin. Then Sachie wonders off and spots Raku dozing. She supposes he must be tired from all the running around he did that day. As she was looks at him, she thinks he seems like a prince as he sleeps. He opens his eyes and tells Sachie to cheer up soon so they can go out and have fun together. He has a "bedroomy" look on his face. Sachie is surprised and Raku wakes up fully and looks as though he doesn't know how "bedroomy" he just seemed.

Azuma is working hard in the inn and Sachie is complaining as Raku follows behind her apologizing and generally acting subservient. Azuma looks upon the scene, cursing that he has to work, and declaring war against Raku. Ume asks Azuma to start preparing the meal and as he does so, he comes across Sachie's watermelon in the fridge. He decides to serve the watermelon thinking that he will score points with Sachie because watermelon is her favorite. And so everybody is enjoying Sachie's watermelon and when Sachie walks in on the scene, she is devastated and passes out. Raku instantly understands that since Sachie had written her name on the melon, she had something special in mind for it that she wanted to take the lead on.

Onto the next page ... Sachie is squatting in the waves lamenting the loss of her watermelon, when Raku shows up with a small round watermelon on which he written "Sachie-sama's" on the skin in Kanji. He approaches her telling Sachie that he has found her lost item -- a small round and easy to carry watermelon. Sachie then recounts getting a watermelon with her Mom. Her Mom teased that the watermelon was too big for just them, but then found a small round that Sachie could eat. Ah, but what about the thick skin. Child Sachie proposes they break the melon, and so goes Sachie's wonderful childhood memory. At first, jokingly, Raku offers Sachie a sword to break the melon, but then blindfolds her and gives her a stick and tells her to go at it. Sachie wanders off to somewhere nowhere near the melon. Raku directs her back towards the watermelon and when she is near it he does the old, teach a women how to hold a bat trick on her. Standing close behind her and holding her hands on the stick he directs her to the final location of the melon and helps her break it. Sachie thinks about how close they are and the possibility of separation. Somehow, magically, they end up in the water, Raku on the ground and Sachie on top. Sachie still blind folded asks if she indeed broke the melon and Raku pulls the blindfold off and tells her she really did.

Sachie then asks why Raku did this for her -- buying the melon and bringing it to her. It's as if they are going out she says. Then she nervously asks if he will let at her be at his side now. (They look as though they are reaching out to hug one another.) To which Raku replies, "This me and no other will be at your side" as he plays with her wet hair.

Meanwhile back at the inn, the "family" wonders what happened to Sachie and why Raku took off in such a hurry to get another watermelon. Azuma realizes that he didn't understand the significance of the watermelon to Sachie and that Igarashi (Raku) is probably spending some quality time with Sachie -- score one for Raku.

Back at the beach, Sachie is surprised by the seriousness of Raku's reply and blushes furiously. Raku suggests that they return and the chapter ends with narrator saying, "this year's summer seems hot."

Manga: Train + Train, Volumes 1 and 2

This manga series is from the same author as "Read or Die." It is the story of an unlikely couple, the raucous Arena and the mild mannered Reiichi. In this world children go off to board school trains. Reiichi and his childhood friend, Liae, travel to planet Deluca to board the general education train when, through a cultural misunderstanding, Liae pisses off a big lion-man-beast. Arena, who is on the run for various reasons saves the mild-manner pair from a serious beating before Arena's pursuers show up. Due to some complications, Arena and Reiichi get handcuffed together for 99-hours, and Reiichi is tricked and forced to board the "Special Train" that Arena has vowed to catch. Suddenly, Reiichi is faced with a life way outside the norm he thought he was destined for and so the adventures of Arena and Reiichi begin ...

So far I like this series a lot. I like Arena's spunkiness and Reiichi is turning out not to be the mild-manner wimp he had settled on being. It's nice seeing how in just two volume how much confidence and manliness Reiichi has developed. The side characters are weird, mainly for the sake of weirdness. They add to the atmosphere, but not to the story, which may be a drawback as the story progresses. Usually, I don't like it when the story take detours into the lives of the side characters, but this series is really too sparing with backstories for the accessory characters. The violence in this manga is well tempered -- not too much and not too little and it's not lost on the reader that these characters are in real danger. In the notes, the mangaka wrote he we was worried that pairing a male and female character together would eventually make this story become a romance. Personally, that is what I want to see. Well, I guess I'll just have to wait to se how this progresses.

If you like action and adventure, I highly recommend this manga series. I will give updates as I progress through the story.