For being the shortest month of the year, February seems to be lasting a long time for me. But the end is almost here, which means it’s time for another manga giveaway! This month you all (well, mostly all) will have the opportunity to win a copy of Smuggler by Shohei Manabe. Originally released in English by Tokyopop, Smuggler is now available in a new edition from One Peace Books. Because this manga is aimed at more mature audiences, entries are restricted to those of you who are eighteen years of age or older. Otherwise, as always, the giveaway is open worldwide!
Assassins, they’re everywhere you look. Well, maybe not everywhere, especially as many of them generally stay out of sight as part of their job. However, it’s not uncommon to come across an assassin or two in a manga. It tends to be a fairly manly profession, with the likes of Golgo 13 and Yo Hinamura (Crying Freeman), but there are some pretty kick-ass women working as assassins, too, such as the titular Lady Snowblood and quite a few of the women in Black Lagoon. Why am I talking about assassins? Because the dark and violent Smuggler just so happens to feature more than one extraordinarily vicious killer-for-hire, though the manga’s focus is on one of the guys who has to clean up after them (he just doesn’t realize it at first).
So, you may be wondering, how can you win a copy of the Smuggler?
1) In the comments below, tell me a little about your favorite manga assassin.
2) For a second entry, name another manga that features an assassin that hasn’t been mentioned yet by me or by someone else.
3) If you’re on Twitter, you can earn a bonus entry by tweeting about the contest. Make sure to include a link to this post and @PhoenixTerran (that’s me).
And there you have it! Each person can earn up to three entries for this giveaway. As usual, you will all have a week to submit your comments. If you would prefer or have trouble leaving a comment, entries may also be submitted via e-mail to phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. I will then post them in your name. The giveaway winner will be randomly selected and announced on March 5, 2014. Good luck!
VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address, a link to your website, Twitter username, or whatever. If I can’t figure out how to get a hold of you and you win, I’ll just draw another name.
Contest winner announced—Manga Giveaway: Smuggler Giveaway Winner
1) Well, you already mentioned 2 of the characters who always come to mind when I hear “assassin”, Duke Torgo from Golgo 13 and Yo from Crying Freeman. Those are classic assassin characters that really stand out to me, no matter how old I get.
2) Would Xiang-Ying of Angel Heart count, since she starts out as an assassin at first? If not, there’s always the girls of Gunslinger Girl, I guess!
3) RTed your tweet about the contest on my twitter, @bunnycartoon! :D
(1) My favorite ex-assassin is Himura Kenshin… he’s so silly but he’s super-dangerous when he wants to be.
(2) One you haven’t mentioned is Miran Froaude from Legend of the Legendary Heroes. While he’s not explicitly referred to as the assassin in the anime as I recall, he definitely does assassin’s work…
(3) https://twitter.com/Melody_Kondrael/status/438684797997568000 and here’s my Tweet!
(1) My favorite actual assassin is Miran Froaude from Legend of the Legendary Heroes, but in general any samurai-like character gets my attention, like Kanda from D. Gray-man, who could probably be an assassin in a pinch.
(2) Inuyama from Samurai Champloo is one you haven’t mentioned. He’s a minor character but still an assassin. There are probably more assassins in Champloo than him, but I never got around to finishing it, sadly.
I really like Blanca from Banana Fish. He’s a later addition to the cast, but his genial attitude and the way he tries to stick to his morals is endearing to me. His relationship with Ash is really interesting. Also, he is a truly, ridiculously good shot.
1) Favorite would have to be CP9 from One Piece. Though thought to be unofficially retired now, the lot of them were awesome characters.
2) A bit of a cheat? But the students from Assassination Classroom :P They’re assassins in training, who have yet to take out their one target. But maybe one day…
1) A tough one… currently, I think I’ll go with Tsugumi from Nisekoi. Not so much as “my favorite assassin” but my favorite “character who happens to be an assassin.” Because crossdressing blushing tomboys.
2) Sonya from Kill Me Baby! She was the first one I thought about actually. Assassins can be cute girls too (again)
1. Ein from Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom. He loses his memories and then is trained to become an assassin so it’s all he knows, and the way his assassinations are planned out are so awesome.
2. Zwei she’s also from Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom and in a similar situation as Ein, but shes the one who trains Ein.
3. Retweeted on my twitter @Jordandaku
1) Ooooh, gotta be Blanca, in part because Banana Fish is my favorite manga ever. But we spend so much of the series building up to how badass Ash is and we’re suddenly introduced to someone even he fears, and it does not disappoint.!
2) Semi from Maoh Juvenile Remix was damn entertaining
1) My favorite manga assassin is Killua Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter. You would think it would be hard to find a child assassin so likeable, but he has changed a lot since meeting Gon, and his relationship/dynamic with Gon is instrumental in my enjoyment of the manga. Plus his weapon of choice is a pair of 50 kilogram yo-yo’s.
2) I don’t think anyone has mentioned Number 13 from 20th Century Boys. He was pretty menacing
https://twitter.com/MatthewCycyk/status/438902899284783104
1. My favorite assassin manga is Freesia, by Jiro Matsumoto. I don’t really have a favorite character from the cast- I’m more drawn to the plot than any of them in particular, though they’re all suitable insane/entertaining.
2. Umm… the lead from Benkei in New York was an assassin (unless I’m completely remembering wrong, it’s been a while :P)
3. I re-tweeted you, if that’s ok (I’m @commodorewood)
1. Oh, I treasure my set of Crying Freeman. Certainly one of my all time favorites that I have to go reread soon.
2. What? Did I miss it? How about the Lone Wolf and Cub?
Best, and keep on blogging.
1. I would consider my favorite assassin the Gantz progam…. Early volumes. Deadly, original, mostly unescapable. An utter nightmare. Could you imagine playing it.
2. gunslinger girl?
1. Nico Robin is my character in One Piece, and she claims she was an assassin, so I’ll go with her.
2. No one’s mentioned Gangsta yet. I haven’t read much of it yet, but the main duo take assassination jobs at least a few times.