Archive for the English Manga Category


Yuri Manga: Burst Angel, Volme 2 (English)

March 18th, 2009

Burst Angel, Volume 2 is a classic case of “be careful what you wish for.”

When I first read this volume in Japanese, I was touched by the tender and genuine relationship between Jo and Meg, and enjoyed Meg’s obvious desire for Jo – something the anime had set aside in favor of extended giant robot fight scenes.

And then Tokyopop licensed the series. I was very excited, because I knew who was working on it, and was reasonably assured it would not suck. Then reality hit. Take a look at the long list of people who worked on this book on the front page and you will see a story of lay-offs and process malfesance. And, in the end, the best volume of the Bakuretsu Tenshi manga has become the not-terribly great second volume of Burst Angel. It’s not crisis-level “OMG, this sucks massively!”, but I’m not singing paeans of joy accompanied by heavenly choir, either.

The good news is that the manga itself is nice. Sweet, a little funny, with a light-hearted beginning that darkens as the series goes on to a more ominous tone. Much like the anime. The Yuri-est bits are not handled well. The translation is a bit silly – in one key moment, completely utterly incorrect and it has the overall effect of diminishing the reason I am reading this otherwise merely okay series.

But what really pushes this particular volume into “fail” territory for me is the craptastic reproduction. Tokyopop is, hands down, the most inconsistent of the large manga publishers. One series will be handled beautifully, the next like they did it on their lunch break. I realize that a lot of that has to do with timing, staff and money resources, etc. What you see with this volume is what happens when a book is rushed through as the staff is being fired from underneath it. The lettering is unacceptably bad in several spots – clearly no one was left to check it. I am *very* tolerant of margin and lettering errors, because I know just how hard it is to get that kind of thing right. But this is really abysmal.

The reproduction of the art (which was terrible in Volume 1) is much improved here. And to be fair, the art is not clean, draftsman-quality lines. (This was the artist’s first professional manga.) If the translation and lettering were at least at the level of the reproduction, the book would be perfectly fine.

All that having been said, if you are a Burst Angel fan, a fan of Jo and Meg, or just like a little light-hearted Yuri and can look past the technical issues, this volume is still worth getting.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 7
Yuri – 6
Service – 5

Overall – 7

It is once again my pleasure to thank Okazu Superhero Eric P. for being the sponsor of today’s review!





Tantric Stripfighter Trina Manga (English)

February 24th, 2009

Every fan of kitsch knows that there are essentially two categories of good crap. The first is the most common – so awful that it’s funny. The second is much rarer – purposefully dumb parody by smart people.

The problem with the former is that it is completely subjective. What you find hilariously tacky may be someone else’s treasured item. The fact that it is someone else’s treasured item is, of course, what makes it hilarious to you. A hilariously awful movie/show/book usually means someone, somewhere, on the production side, was taking themselves way too seriously.

The problem with the latter is that it is open to misterpretation by people on the audience side who miss the joke completely and take the show/art way too seriously.

Tantric Stripfighter Trina is in the third category – neither bad enough to be funny, nor smart enough to be dumb. It’s a painful reminder that someone else has had their manga published and you haven’t. ^_^

(Before I pull out the review scythe I want to be be very clear with short words, so you all – most importantly, neither writer nor author – don’t jump on my bacon and accuse me of taking this book too seriously. I did not take this book seriously at *all.*. Nor, I hope, did anyone involved with it, because the title is *Tantric Stripfighter Trina* and if you are taking that seriously, you don’t have issues – you have whole subscriptions.)

Okay, so, let’s begin at the beginning. In the first few pages, we are introduced to a culture that is so advanced that they’re clueless idiots and, despite their mad skillz in every cool-esoteric-Asian-sounding thing evar, were completely taken unawares when the loud, brutish bad guys flattened their planet. I feel obliged to warn any suggestible 14-year olds that read this book that not only should Tantric Yoga and Shaolin martial arts not be combined in your practice – they are almost impossible to combine, as they are completely opposite in nearly every form of external, internal and energetic discipline. I’m just saying. It’s a good thing the bad guys killed everyone, or their mixed energy arts would have made them all go insane.

The naming sense showed throughout this manga rivals Marimite’s Yumi’s. Tantric Yoga devotees from the planet Rama, bad guys named “Curse” and “The Legion,” and to top it all off, the cleverly titled government – “Crown” and it’s religious arm, “Cog.” But the names aren’t really what make this book – it’s the writing, which appears to be cobbled together from a lot of other stories without discrimination. I’m going to give the writer credit and assume he was going for trite and amusing. But the poor grasp of timing and sense show in lines like, “If you lose…well, let’s just say that you’ll be in no condition to experience the bitter taste of defeat.” Really? Well…that’s a good thing, right?

The art is similarly challenged. The characters are, as they are described in the back of the book, “boobalicious.” That should be an indicator that this book was written for and will appeal primarily to barely post-pubescent males who have not yet had the chance to enjoy actual boobs, which look – and act – nothing like the ones portrayed here. I do have to wonder where they found a 12-year old editor, though.

So, aside from the not-quite-laughably-bad story and the not-quite-giggle-making art, how was the book? After the initial setup, you find yourself sort of settling into a pattern – reading a few pages, then forgetting that you were reading and doing something else, then picking the book back up and being surprised that you’re reading it all over again, then reading a few more pages. By midway, you feel you have established a rhythm which is sustainable until the end of the book, where the tedium of the fighting vies for with the silly dialogue for fail. And then you are done, and you think – not really good. Not bad enough to be funny.

So, why am I reviewing this? Because happily – and predictably – there is fake Yuri in it. Trina’s reluctant, then annoyingly devoted “cybernetic sidekick” (I have no idea what that means, or how it relates to anything in the book,) Abbey, first encounters Trina in battle. When the Tantrika master (three languages cry every time that word is used) Trina “stimulates all of her pleasure centers” to take her out of the fight, Abbey decides to follow her. Totally original, I know. Abbey does manage to save Trina and later has a dream in which Trina thanks her for saving her ass by climbing on Abbey’s lap and kissing her. Abbey gets touchy with Trina, who is an advanced master of many advanced sexual energy techniques, but can’t recognize a crush when she sees one.

As a webcomic, assuming that both artist and writer knew that it was meant to be funny, this story has some potential. As a manga published by Tokyopop, for which real money was spent, I just have to wonder what they were thinking.

Ratings:

Art – 6 Good for webcomic art
Story – 3
Characters – 4
Yuri – 3
Service – 6 Pasties!

Overall – 3

My very real gratitude to Brigid Alverson of Mangablog, who nobly sacrificed her copy on this review pyre.





Yuri Manga: Hayate x Blade, Volume 2 (English)

February 19th, 2009

I know you’re waiting for my review of Hayate x Blade Volume 2  in English, but look at it from my point of view. That’s like, ancient history for me. My heart is in the middle of the (as always) awesome soon-to-become Volume 10 and I just finished reading Volume 9 in Japanese. And here you are, asking me to step waaaayyyy back and review this volume. Okay, but only because I love you. ^_^

The first half of Volume 2 follows the trials, tribulations and duels of Hayate’s roommate Momoka, and her determination to save the woman she wants as her shinyuu from an abusive partner. While Momoka does, in fact, win her duel, Riona explains that she can’t partner with Momoka, because being beaten regularly sharpens her comedy skills as boke. (What you don’t quite get from the translation is that both Momoka and Riona are from Osaka. Japanese regional stereotypes for Osaka are an obsession with business, a love of food – especially takoyaki, a local specialty – and…manzai comedy.)

Momoka takes ultra-creepy Isuzu as her partner, a character I love with all my love – I’m so glad that you all can learn to love her too. For those of you who have not listened to the Drama CDs, Isuzu is voiced by Noto Mamiko, with full creepy BGM and echo effect. Isuzu is absolutely delightful.

This is followed by “serious drama” in which Mizuchi and Sou attempt to thwart Ayana and Hayate in their quest. With hilariously laugh-out-loud failure, of course.

Yuri in this volume is in dribs and drabs – Jun’s and Hayate’s attempts to be groped by Ayana, notably, and Momoka’s desire to partner with Riona can (and will be, no doubt) brushed with the fragrance of lilies by fans. But for my part, I’m standing behind Isuzu who, you will learn, is quite besotted with Momoka. And then there’s Hitsugi and Shizuku who are, by their very existence, Yuri and no one can tell me different.

Once again, I must disclaimer this next bit by admitting that I copy edited this book. Although I was not credited, I really did. (And I missed a typo that the one person on this continent who could have possibly noticed it, noticed and pointed out to me. I am contrite…and irked at myself.) So, it is with pride that I compliment Seven Seas/Tor once again on the reproduction of this fablous series. The quality of translation and adaptation were enhanced by top-notch copy editing (joke, joke!) and in every way but three this was a perfect volume. The main thing is the front pages are printed too lightly, and the ToC is a bit hard to read. It’s just a printer thing, probably no one’s fault. The second was my miss. See below for the third.

I think Sean Gaffney had the final word on this volume. He pointed out that intiially, you think that Hayate is the “idiot” mentioned in every chapter title but, by the time you’re done with Volume 2 you realize that *every character* is an idiot. He is 100% correct. On to Volume 3 and more action and idiotry!

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 8
Yuri – 4
Series – 2

Overall – 8

The third thing that made this book less than perfect is not technical, it is organizational. Neither Seven Seas nor Tor bothered to send me a copy. So it is with much thanks that I bow with sincere gratitude to Okazu Hero Bruce McF. for this copy. As always, you are my Hero. ^_^





My-Hime Manga, Volume 2 (English)

February 11th, 2009

The cast of characters grows, the battle rages and, unexpectedly, there’s at least one something that we can twist into a Yuri-ish thing in Volume 2 of My HiME.

In Volume 1, as you may remember Tate, the least interesting character since Tenchi learned that a peaceful life will never be his, with his magical ability to call disaster and calamity from the heavens down upon himself and everyone around him. By which I mean he’s the most important person in the story.

After formally introducing Nao, Mikoto and Akane, an inexplicable duel pops up between Natsuki and Haruka in which they are each meant to represent their own team of HiMEs but is, in some more nefarious way, the by-product of Chairwoman Mashiro’s meddling. Nagi appears, has his name spelled two different ways, is waved over everyone’s head as a threat, then disappears. And finally, with a lot of sound and fury, Midori arrives.

(Thanks god for Akane, who remains the closest to a normal human. It’s good to know that at least one HiME isn’t completely broken.)

Shizuru’s affection for Natsuki is set on the back burner of the story, taken out only to provide a light Yuri coating to the two panels they spend in each other’s company.

But the big fight between Haruka and Natsuki offers a pleasant dollop of implied Yuri, when it quickly becomes a battle between Natsuki and Mai, who can’t play nice and share Tate, and Haruka and her own beloved key and another HiME in her own right, Yukino. Since we’ve already seen some less-than-subtle sexual implication about HiMEs and keys, we can draw our own conclusion about Haruka and Yukino. I’m sure you all know what my conclusion is. ^_^

In a few places in this volume, I found myself completely befuddled by either the story or the translation of the story but, after a moment, when I realized that I really honestly don’t care at *all* what the story itself is, it was a fine volume. Good luck if you do actually care what’s going on. My takeaway was that the writer didn’t really know what was going on, either and was making it up as he went along. ^_^ (My wife says, “Good for him for filling a book with derivative fluff!”)

Ratings:

Art – 6
Story – 6
Characters – 6
Yuri – 3
Service – 5

Overall – 6

Many thanks to today’s sponsor and brand new Okazu Hero, Katherine H.! Your heroic efforts will be eternally memorialized on the Okazu Hero Roll – and email me for your very own Okazu Hero Badge!





Yuri Manga: Maka-Maka, Volume 2 (English)

February 6th, 2009

makamaka2In Volume 2 of Maka-Maka, Jun and Nene continue on their happy adventure together having intimate contact in public places, and becoming closer on emotional level.

Nene and Jun are happiest together, although they both have boyfriends. These, we are told repeatedly, suck as lovers. (We can probably take for granted that they suck as human beings, as well.) But that’s okay, because they have each other. And in between getting fondled at a restaurant or in a clothes store changing room, Nene is letting Jun touch even more intimate parts of her emotional life. Jun, very much the tachi of this couple acts, from time to time like she takes Nene for granted, but she also opens up to the other woman in a way she would probably never do with a boyfriend.

We learn about their respective childhoods, their first time with a man, their hopes and dreams, their fears and weaknesses.

But mostly, we watch them have sex. ^_^

Depending on your particular set of turn-ons, very hot sex.

As with the first volume, the reproduction is top notch. Color covers, protective obis that hide secret covers on both sides (hint: in the shower, they’re nekkid) double-sided insert poster and excellent reproduction of the internal color pages – all reproduced beautifully – with metallic inks on the cover even. The translation is smooth, makes perfect sense and gives each character a voice of her own. Phew.

Interestingly, Maka-Maka was listed on the manga.about.com poll for best josei series. I spoke to Deb about it because it is not really josei at all. It was drawn by a man, for a men’s magazine as an adult comic for men. You know – the whole lesbian sex/male gaze thing. But let’s face it, the distinctions of genre that are absolutely rigid in Japan (god help you as an adult male buying a magazine for young women, or vice versa) fail completely when manga reaches the market here. At least half the people who bought this book were women, likely more than half. It’s being sold as a “Yuri” manga here, not an “adult manga for men,” which makes me think that if the western manga market survives this economy, I *strongly* recommend rethinking the whole shoujo/shounen/josei/seinen genre scheme completely. I think western publishers should focus on subject genre (scifi/fantasy/mecha/guns/romance/sex) and age appropriateness, which is bollocks but necessary here. In any case, I agree with Deb – list it on the josei list because here in the west, at least, it’s a manga as much for woman as it for men.

The end of this volume is particularly Yuri-fan friendly, as Nene and Jun make a very public statement about Sex. Life. And Communication.

I can’t tell you why exactly, but for whatever reason I like the English adaptation better than the original. Frank, you did a fabulous job. If there were an adult manga award, I’d give it to Media Blasters for Maka-Maka. ^_^

Ratings:

Art – 8
Characters – 9
Story – 9
Yuri – 9
Service – 9

Overall – 9

When I read this volume originally, I remember being turned off by the excess of bodily fluids, but reading it this time, it didn’t strike me that way at all. No idea why.

And let me once again thank Media Blasters for the first copy of this book off the printer. It doesn’t mean I’ll give you a better review, but you do get a bigger smile of thanks!