Archive for the English Manga Category


Princess Knight Manga, Volume 2 (English)

February 21st, 2012

Handsome.

Manly.

Feminine.

Pretty.

Think about those words applied to a man, then a woman. For a woman to be “handsome” is perhaps not an insult, but when a woman is called “Manly” it almost assuredly is.

A man who is called feminine is probably not particularly thankful for that, and while pretty boys often get the girls, you don’t want your son being called “pretty” by the bully in school.

Sapphire is both pretty and handsome, and manly and feminine – but not at the same time and only at the exclusion of one or the other.

Sapphire’s boy heart makes her strong and confident, gives her hope and heart, but her girl heart makes her weak, hopeless and incapable.

Volume 2 of Princess Knight is less about imposed gender roles and assumptions than Volume 1 was, and yet is more problematic for those of us who want to see Sapphire the girl be the Prince we know she can be.

Aside from this nagging problem with this story – which is to say, the story – the rest of Volume 2, seems like a Boy’s Own Reader, with witches and demons and even Satan, Princes and Kings and Queens and pirates and a tournament.

The story ends (somewhat abruptly) with the reunion of Franz and Sapphire. I’m going to pretend that they will return to Silverland and find that Plastic has indeed declared Sapphire the true ruler, and that Franz is supportive and he and Sapphire co-rule over Goldland and Silverland and usher in a new age of equality…which is the exact opposite of the ending Tezuka implies here, but I don’t care, he’s dead and I’m not. ^_^

Art – 8
Story – 8
Characters – 7
Yuri – 1, if you pretend that Friebe might have come around after time
Service – 1, on principle only

Overall – 7

Oh Friebe. You are both a knight and a woman and there is no nonsense about girl hearts and boy hearts with you. Why do people do not love you more?





A Certain Scientific Railgun Manga, Volume 2 (English)

February 19th, 2012

The first US patent for a Railgun (a device that propels a projectile through electro-magnetic force) was granted in 1918. I mention that only because so much of what populates our scifi seems to be a direct result of World Wars 1 and 2.

In Volume 2 of A Certain Scientific Railgun Manga, we’re racing forward with the Level Upper story, and things are really starting to look grim. When Saten-san becomes one of the people who collapses into a coma, it’s even more urgent for Uiharu and Judgement to find out what’s going on.

This volume spends some time with Kuroko in prolonged battle, so we can see that she’s got some real chops, and also to make us realize how forlorn Saten feels when she simply can do nothing to help anyone. It’s a feeling anyone of us might have had at any time. We don’t have powers, those of us who are not physically strong know exactly the level of frustration and anger Saten feels. We can’t just wade in when the going gets tough, the only outcomes is that we ourselves will get hurt. And so Saten does. She uses her last conscious energy to call Uiharu, thus goading Judgement into greater urgency.

Professor Kiyama is turned into an apparently evil genius for the purpose of this volume of manga. I like the way that ups the tension, as well.

The bigggest weakness with this series is the incredibly stupid intrusion of A Certain Magical Index.  Kamijou is a distraction, his reactions to everything and anything are absurd and Misaka’s obsession with him is random. I realize that Index is the larger body here, of which this is a mere spin-off, but the connection is so…unorganic. Everytime Kamijou appears, one just has to heave a sigh and wait for him to go away. And of course Kiyama’s propensity for shedding her clothing is merely ham-handed service.

The strength of this volume is Kuroko. It’s hard to take her seriously at first. She’s not nasty, but she’s a child, an a privileged child at that. This formula pretty much guarantees we giver he no respect. But here in Volume 2, she earns that respect in the old-fashioned way. She puts the beat down on an opponent much bigger and apparently stronger than herself by using her powers and her brains. And, to her credit, she doesn’t walk around bragging about it. Kuroko is the kind of heroine a book like this needs to be readable.

Yuri in this (and almost all the other volumes of the series) is minimal. The cover provides about the sum and total of the Yuri, with a picture of Kuroko snuggling a Mikoto doll and later Kuroko leaping to embrace Mikoto, but this series was never really about the Yuri. It’s just the icing flowers on top of the cake. ^_^

The Level Upper arc has a bit more to go, then the story turns very dark indeed. For now, we will watch as Uiharu, Kuroko and Mikoto set out to get to the bottom of the Level Upper and save Saten-san.

Ratings:

Art – 7
Story – 7
Characters – 8
Yuri – 2
Service – 4

Overall – 7

In many ways I preferred watching Kuroko fighting, since she has limitations that Mikoto does not. All in all, a rollicking adventure, suitable for scifi fans of most ages.





Cardcaptor Sakura Manga Omnibus, Volume 3 (English)

February 17th, 2012

Having integrated Syoran into her set of allies, in Volume 2, Sakura is now faced with another, far more powerful enemy. And this time, she’s one ally down, as Mizuho has gone abroad again. This leaves Sakura, Kero-chan, backed up by Syoran and of, course, Tomoyo, to fight off this new foe in Volume 3 of Card Captor Sakura.

First of all, the foe is much more powerful than the rogue cards ever were – and worse, the cards themselves aren’t powerful enough to defeat whatever it is. In order to defeat the enemy’s attacks, Sakura must recreate the cards for herself, evolving them from their form of Clow Cards to a new existence, entirely created by her.

When we learn the true identity of her new enemy, it’s still kind of weird/surprising and way creepy, no matter how you look at it.

And, lastly, something is terribly wrong with Yukito, who can’t seem to stay awake.

All of these combine for a very eventful, very interesting volume of manga.

Sakura continues to be the somewhat oblivious heroine, Li the somewhat ineffectual love interest and only Tomoyo can see anything. Well, Tomoyo and Toya. Toya is forced to make a life-changing decision in order to save his beloved Yurikto…and Sakura, of course.

For those of us racking up points on the bent-o-meter, Tomoyo basically flat out tells Sakura she likes her (again) knowing Sakura will miss the point, Rica and her teacher fiance’ are trotted out again, Sonomi’s feelings for Nadesico are mentioned, of course Mom’s age is mentioned, Yuki and Toya have some pretty intimate moments and, not at last or least, Ruby Moon points out that gender doesn’t matter and s/he could be male or female, as s/he desires. She just happens to be female this time.

Technically, some of the printing was a little fuzzy – the letters seemed off, but I’m getting used to my copies being not so good. It’s still heavy enough to be the murder weapon.

Ratings:

Art – 9
Characters – 9
Story – 9
Yuri – 2
Service – 4

Overall – 9

This will always be one of my favorite series ever.





ALC Publishing and JManga Announce POOR POOR LIPS Partnership!

January 20th, 2012

Okashi Nako is a young woman living in poverty. When she applies to work at a Gem store, she learns that store owner, Otsuka Ren, is a lesbian. Ren promises that Nako’s not her type, but she may be lying…. Nako takes the job and so begins a comedic tale of rich and poor, sickness and health, for better and for worse!

ALC Publishing and JManga are proud to announce a partnership to bring you Goto Hayako’s Yuri love comedy, POOR POOR LIPS!

From JManga, the world’s first official Japanese manga portal website, directly from the 39 prominent publishers that make up the Digital Comic Association, and from ALC Publishing, a pioneer in Yuri Manga comes a partnership that brings you some of the best in Yuri digital manga straight from Japan! With the honest representation of lesbian life you’ve come to expect from ALC and the convenience of digital manga, Poor Poor Lips is sure to please Yuri fans.

(Cover Image: Poor Poor Lips Volume 1 (c)HAYAKO GOTO/Takeshobo Co., Ltd.)





Wandering Son Manga, Volume 2 (English) Guest Review by Kayden L

January 19th, 2012

Welcome back, I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s blackout. As you may have guessed from my many years of writing about it here, freedom of expression is pretty much the one issue I consider to be the single *most* important issue there is. Obviously, as I discuss copyrighted materials here, and post covers and the like, it’s critical to me that no one decides that my blog or any of its content must be blocked. Framing SOPA and PIPA as saving American jobs is especially nasty, as it is those very same corporations that supported these bills who have systematically undervalued, underpaid and outsourced the creative efforts of the people who make the material they lay claim to. Of course I support creators’ rights and their copyright, but SOPA and PIPA have no stronger provisions for creators.

As with LGBTQ content and purges to supposedly “save the children,” I feel as if we must be extra vigilant with any designs to block Internet access. Thus, the blackout. Thank you for bearing with me.

In any case, today we come back with a bang! A brand new Guest Reviewer, Kayden L, is joining our ranks. When I reviewed Wandering Son, Volume 1, Kayden made some great points in the comments about the spectrum of transgender and genderqueer life, and so I requested Kayden review Volume 2. And here we are. ^_^ Please welcome Kayden and enjoy this guest review!

Ahoy, everyone. My name is Kayden and I identify as a trans/genderqueer individual, and here’s my review of Wandering Son…

Time seems to be moving quickly in Volume 2 of Wandering Son. Already, Shuichi is heading into the 6th grade, but as the characters soon learn, age comes with increased social and gender pressures.

When Yamazaki-sensei tells the class to write an essay on what their dreams are, we find that Shuichi experiences “censor’s block” (rather than writer’s block). After struggling with the assignment for several nights, Shuichi submits a paper that says, “I don’t know yet. I’m sorry”. As readers, we know that Shuichi has a dream – “to be a beautiful woman” – but the portrayal of Shu’s self-policing is one of many examples of Shimura-sensei’s excellent storytelling skill. Through Shuichi, readers are able to get a glimpse of the closet in which many LGBTQI people hide. Seemingly irrelevant day-to-day decisions, such as the simple task of writing about one’s hopes and dreams for the future, become difficult for many closeted individuals who feel like they may be ostracized, ridiculed, or harassed for having personal wants, needs, preferences, and/or goals that deviate from social norms.

Luckily, Shuichi is able to find full acceptance with Takatsuki-kun (Yoshino) and Chiba-san (Saori), and it is within this the tiny community of friends that Shuichi develops a positive outlook on identity. That community is slightly expanded when Shuichi and Yoshino, dressed as a girl and a boy respectively, go out on one of their excursions and befriend Yuki (the woman who flirted with Yoshino in Volume 1). Initially, Yuki believes that Shuichi is a girl and that Yoshino is a boy, but she eventually learns the truth and becomes a sort of mentor, along with her boyfriend, Shii, to both kids by offering emotional support; adult approval of who they are; and a safe physical space in her apartment,  where they can be themselves. Perhaps most importantly, Yuki tells the kids to have pride in their own selves: “You must never become discouraged or afraid… you two are just too good for that”. When a classmate harasses and calls Shuichi a faggot during a school trip, it is Yuki’s words that inspire Shuichi to find the strength to stand up against the bully.

Shimura Takako’s Wandering Son is a beautifully drawn and skillfully executed story about being different and how people struggle with being alone. It is an excellent springboard for LGBTQI discussion, and I believe that its universal themes (eg. finding your identity, being bullied, growing apart from friends) can appeal to everyone, rather than just LGBTQI audience.

Naturally, the story does not reflect all trans/queer experiences, but when I read this series, I get nostalgic because I see my younger self in Yoshino and Shuichi; I remember doing, feeling, and thinking the exact same things. I take my hat off to Shimura-sensei for capturing a trans/queer experience that feels genuine and honest.

For any of you who are interesting in reading Volume 2, I tried not to reveal too many things… so if you want to know Yuki’s secret, or find out how a family member reacts when Shuichi’s secret is discovered, you should give Wandering Son a try. Also, there’s an essay, written by manga scholar Matt Thorn, at the end of the book that’s titled “Transgendered in Japan” that may be of interest to some of you.

Ratings:

Art: 8
Story: 8
Character: 9
LGBTQI: 9
Service: 1 for Yuki’s “cradle robbing”… and for what her boyfriend did in the elevator

Overall – 8

Thank you Kayden for another perspective on what I agree is a stellar series!