Archive for the English Manga Category


My Wandering Warrior Existence

March 21st, 2022

Kabi Nagata is back once again with a volume of her comic essay work. My Wandering Warrior Existence is quite possibly her best work to date.

To begin with, let me provide a Content Warning of some significance, Nagata talks about a sexual assault she experienced as a child, and the retraumatizing consequences. This was not sugarcoated in any way and was rough to read, so be warned. The experience is not presented out of context however, and it comes not as the point of the story, buy a jumping off point for a comic essay that will make you feel many things. Horror and anger, yes, but also triumph and, dare I say it, joy.

The volume begins with a search for joy in fact. That search takes Nagata-sensei into her own past and out again, as she talks about her relationship with her body, her sexuality, her gender, building a habit of self-care and self-love. There are many deeply moving moments including one key moment when a fan letter explains something that she had not been able to understand and, as a result, is for the first time to see those things she was missing in her understanding of relationships.

Of all her works, this one feels the most crafted to reach an audience. Her first books were diaries and there was a sense that a reading audience was a nice to have. There are some many things in this book that indicate that, for the first time, this book was meant to be read, by us and our reactions are accounted for. This becomes even more obvious as we approach the end of the book and are assured that Nagata-sensei is finding joy in her life these days. And much of the content is constructed to be far more relatable than previous volumes, which focused on her personal struggles.

When I read this book in Japanese, I laughed out loud at this image of the thing that brought her a lot of happiness….a giant fridge! I had also gotten a new fridge not too long before I read this and let me tell you – you cannot overestimate the power of a new fridge to bring joy. ^_^

We’re left, as a result, thinking, if small things like this can make her happy, then maybe there is hope for her…and by extension, there is hope for us. ^_^

Once again, ratings seem pointless. But, both narrative and art here are more confident and there is humor, along with the harrowing.

As always,the care an attention from the gang at Seven Seas, means we have all the right tools to work through this book. Thanks to everyone who made this such a great reading experience!

I joined the Lum and Colton of the lovely Manga Mavericks team to discuss this book on their podcast this weekend, so keep an eye out for that when it is hits their website. It’s always fun to dissect a book with them. ^_^





Cocoon Entwined, Volume 4

March 14th, 2022

We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the role of “Prince” around here. But what we have rarely considered is the role as a burden that is too much to bear.

In Volume 4 of Cocoon Entwined, Yuriko Hara has us watch as Hana is bowed under the weight of this role that she was given by an absent Hoshimiya. But so much more interestingly, is he evolution of Youko into the prince that might just be able to save her after all.

But first, we see where Youko has come from. Specifically we meet and instantly dislike her onee-sama, Reina. ^_^; We are treated to, as I said in my review of the Japanese volume, “the obligatory, “holy shit, this school and it’s clothes and all the people who attend, are SUPER CREEPY” story….”

And then, the war is on. Youko  on the one had, being strong enough to save Hana and refusing to let her fall and Kujou, who is clearly hoping to break Hana to her will. It will come as no surprise that I am still rooting for Youko.

The art in this book is fabulous. I’ll never be comfortable with all that hair, but in this volume, it becomes sublime. It is symbol, and character, and bonds and freedom.

Ratings:

Art – Honestly 9
Characters – 8
Story – 8
Service – 5 This volume amps up the creepy, the sex, and the dark
Yuri – 8 See above.

Overall – 9

Cocoon Entwined, Volume 4 is available now from Yen Press!





Kageki Shojo!!, Volume 2

March 13th, 2022

If you are a fan of all-female musical theater review troupes, then you really don’t want to miss this series by Kumiko Saiko. I reviewed Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises, which was the prologue to the story, following the fortunes of a number of young women as they seek to enter the Kouka Musical School.

I read, but did not review volume 1, as it was covered fully in the anime, which I did review and is for the moment, still streaming on Funimation.

In Kageki Shojo!!, Volume 2, we learn why, specifically Sarasa is here and the forces that have shaped her abilities. This volume motivated me to talk about the character of the Girl Prince in Yuri Studio S03 E01: The Girl Prince. In part because, as I say, Sarasa is a Girl Prince and there is never any doubt that she will be able to play one on the Kouka stage, but also because this story also struck at the heart of the fundamental inequity of the Girl Prince archetype.

In Volume 2 we learn that Sarasa should have been able to perform on the kabuki stage. That she would have been a natural – that everything her childhood friend Akiya has to work to master, came naturally to her. We also learn that she very likely may be the illegitimate daughter of a kabuki master. We don’t need to ask why she is never given that opportunity, do we? The answer is, of course the same sexism faced by all girl princes since the archetype first entered literature. And you know what? I am sick of it. I am sick to death of men (and they women who prop them up) telling women that they cannot do or be something.

Sarasa is an amazing character. Instead of letting the way the kabuki world treated her get her down, she’ll take the exact same path laid down by Oscar to create her own reality as Oscar. It’s maddening that she is not allowed to do what she would be best at, but it will be triumphant when she is equally the best at what she has now set her sights upon.

Not all of us face the kind of barriers Sarasa faced, but all of us face some barriers, whether they be societal expectations or familiar barriers. And, like Sarasa we can take steps to create our own path. If we can’t all be Oscar, we can all be Erminia, letting the world that held us down burn, while we run off to make a new life for ourselves, the way we want it to be.

Like Oshi ga Budokan Ittekuretara Shinu, Kageki Shojo!! is not great at cheerleading the industries it’s portraying, but it’s doing a great job in helping me envision a future where this controlling bullshit is history.  ^_^; Now if only the people in those industries could imagine that, as well.

Saiki’s art is gripping, she does amazing body language, as one might expect, since this is a 2-d manga about a 3-d form of performance. Her characters are blank canvases upon which each scene has to be created. Except for Sarasa, who is as fully formed as Athena when she stepped out of Zeus’ head.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Character – 9
Story – 8
Yuri – 0
Service – 1 on principle

Overall – 8

As this series touches deeply into the worlds of musical revue and kabuki, I think it’s a worthy read for fans of the female kagekidan and kabuki traditions.

Kageki Shojo!!, Volume 2 is available from Seven Seas on Amazon, Global Bookwalker, RightStuf or your favorite manga store.





Kase-san and Yamada, Volume 2

March 11th, 2022

Kase-san and Yamada have been dating for a few years now, and while they are both working on building lives for themselves that include each other, their schedules make it very difficult. And maybe that would be okay, but it means that they haven’t really had the time they need to discuss themselves with each other.

A surprise summer vacation for both Kase-san and Yamada makes them very aware of those gaps where their lives don’t mesh. In Kase-san and Yamada, Volume 2, that gap seems impossibly wide to Yamada. Unsure, made to feel unconfident, she still sees Kase-san as someone too cool and popular for her, someone she’s not worthy of. This causes a number of problems for them –  and for us, as readers. We’d become used to seeing Kase-san be unreasonably jealous, and thought we had left that behind. Now it’s Yamada’s turn to be unreasonable and we’re likely to be less tolerant as a result. But…is Yamada being unreasonable?

I think it’s worth remembering that Kase-san’s sempai teased her rather mercilessly only a year so so ago, and now she’s dealing with Kase-san’s roommate Fukami being a grade-A jerk. (It’s super obvious that she has a crush on Kase-san and all I can hope is that rather than dealing with that noise, Fukami will realize how shitty she’s being and feel badly about it.) As an adult reading this book, I kind of want to have a stern talk with Fukami-san. The more I think about this story, the more I think that Yamada’s done amazingly well, given how much crap she’s had to take from other people. So, I’m cutting her some slack her as she wallows a bit here. It is very easy to find other people’s relationship drama annoying, but since we’re reading How Do We Relationship…maybe we can cut Yamada a little break? ^_^

When it comes down to dealing with the problems, Kase-san shows she *has* matured. She accepts Yamada’s concerns, is supportive and understanding AND addresses the underlying issue – what does their future look like? Neither they nor we know what shape their future will take, but Kase-san is trying to create a future that will include Yamada and that’s good enough right now.  It would be nice if the two of them get to just be together and talk without everyone wanting to get in their way, but oh well, it’s a rom-com. ^_^;

The fantastic translation by Jocelyne Allen means I’m hearing different characters sounding like different people and outstanding lettering by CK Russell. It feels so much like it’s part of the original, I hardly notice it. Thanks again to the entire Seven Seas team for their great work.

If you’re looking for a comedy college life Yuri series that feels awfully like real life, with bumps in the roads and fully-fleshed out characters, Kase-san and Yamada fits the bill.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Service – 5 a bit of skin
Yuri – 10

Overall – 9

In the middle of all the running around, Hana being a rube and tanning jokes, let’s give a round of applause to Mikawacchi for finally figuring out a path forward for herself!





Yuri Is My Job, Volume 8

March 7th, 2022

Hime is leaving Liebe. She has resolved that, to stop hurting Mitsuki, (and, as Mai is once again hale and hearty,) she will leave. Yuri Is My Job, Volume 8 begins with the tensest birthday celebration of all time.

No one wants Hime to leave, Hime does not want to leave, but she simply cannot think of a way to resolve this issue. The entire staff conspires to get Hime and Mitsuki to talk one last time….but will it be enough? Well…maybe. It’s enough for now, at least.

With their relationships patched up, but extremely fragile, the entire staff heads out for an overnight and photo shoot which causes cracks all over again. New cracks, though. Hime is, for the very first time, very aware of Mitsuki’s body, and has no idea how to handle what is going on in her head.

I sympathized so strongly with Mitsuki through this volume. She’s so vulnerable and honest about not being able to understand Hime’s intentions. About halfway through this volume I was ready to make an ultimatum…no more beating on Mitsuki. But, then the worm turns and it’s Hime struggling with who they are as schwestern. I’m fine with that, I just don’t want Mitsuki to be hurt any more.

By the end of this volume this arc is, finally, put to rest, thank Gott. Mitsuki and Hime carve out a tenable working relationship. Now we’re free to movie on for a bit.

I did genuinely love the photoshoot idea. I constantly think that Mai would be a very good manager of a cafe. The end notes are narrated by Mai, as she walks us through the school uniform policies. And again, in the author’s notes, we get insight into Miman-sensei’s process. At 8 volumes, and no sign of the story slowing down, it feels good to know that there is a plan.

Ratings:

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 9
Service – 4
Yuri – 8

Overall – 8

Next volume we’ll turn our focus to Sumika and her left-over baggage and the new stuff she’s picked up since Kanako arrived. Trust me, she’s got a lot of stuff to deal with. ^_^

Nice work by the team at Kodansha, for an overall gripping volume!