21 December 2012 Leave a Comment

Aron’s Absurd Armada, Omnibus 1

Creator: MiSun Kim
U.S. publisher: Yen Press
ISBN: 9780316219969
Released: November 2012
Original release: 2008-2010

Aron’s Absurd Armada is a Korean webcomic by MiSun Kim that roughly follows a yonkoma, or four-panel, format. Even though the series has been translated into English beginning with the release of the August 2010 issue of the digital edition of Yen Plus magazine, I only became aware of the manhwa with the publication of the first trade omnibus. Published in 2012 by Yen Press, Aron’s Absurd Armada, Omnibus 1 collects the first two volumes of the original Korean release of the series, published in 2008 and 2010 respectively. Aron’s Absurd Armada continues to be serialized online. So far, the series has been collected into five volumes in Korea with more expected to follow. Yen Press’ release of the series is completely in color on nice, glossy paper with a larger trim size. I came across Aron’s Absurd Armada more by chance than anything else, but still looked forward to giving the series a try.

Lord Aron Cornwall is a pirate. Or, at least he wants to be. Mostly because he thinks it sounds like it would be fun. He’s not off to a very good start, though. Sure, he has a ship. He even has a bodyguard. (Of course, Robin is actually more interested in treasure and getting paid than anything else. He only protects Aron in order to protect his source of income.) But that’s about it. Aron’s friendly if slightly oblivious personality paired with his natural incompetence doesn’t make him the most inspiring of captains. Despite this, Aron still manages to slowly put together a crew of somewhat loyal misfits, all who have their own peculiar quirks and personalities. He’s even drawn the attention of the Marines, a sign that at least somebody has noticed his less than successful attempts to become a pirate.

At its heart, Aron’s Absurd Armada is a gag manhwa, but it also manages to have something resembling a plot. Most of the humor in the series is derived from the characters themselves, their varying levels of incompetence, and their general quirkiness. There are a few strips that partially rely on some knowledge of Korean culture, including an homage to Bong Joon-ho’s 2006 film The Host, which I found hilarious. But then, I am rather fond of that film. Some of the “gay” jokes in Aron’s Absurd Armada are a little harsh. However, considering the context and overall tone of the series, which is lighthearted and quite funny, I don’t think that Kim is being deliberately malicious even if the comic can occasionally come across as homophobic. For the most part, Aron’s Absurd Armada is a lot of fun.

To be completely honest, I actually wasn’t expecting much from Aron’s Absurd Armada. It ended up being a delightful surprise and highly entertaining. As with any gag-oriented comic some of the jokes can be hit-or-miss. Personally, I was consistently amused and caught myself laughing aloud on several occasions. Granted, I tend to enjoy ridiculous and absurd humor. I’m glad that Yen Press published the omnibus in full color. Part of what makes the series so fun is Kim’s playful illustrations and use of color. I enjoyed Kim’s artwork and characters in Aron’s Absurd Armada. I was particularly fond of Robin and his nearly perpetual look of resigned disinterest. I enjoyed Aron’s Absurd Armada much more than I was anticipating; I’m really looking forward to the release of the next omnibus.

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19 December 2012 2 Comments

An Alaskan Tale

Author: Jirō Nitta
Translator: Motokuni Eto, Elissa Hendry, and Nicholas Teele
U.S. publisher: University Press of America
ISBN: 9780819173898
Released: December 1990
Original release: 1974

An Alaskan Tale was the first novel by Jirō Nitta, the pen name of Hiroto Fujiwara, to be translated and released in English. Only two other works by Nitta are currently available: Death March on Mount Hakkōda and Phantom Immigrants (both of which I’ve read.) Nitta was a historical novelist with a background in meteorology who was particularly well known for his writings about mountains and the arctic. All three of his historical novels available in English were meticulously researched. An Alaskan Tale became a bestseller in Japan when it was originally published in 1974. A team of translators—Motokuni Eto, Elissa Hendry, and Nicholas Teele—worked on the English-language edition of An Alaskan Tale, released by University Press of American in 1990. The English edition of the novel also includes reproductions of many historic and family photographs.

Kyosuke Yasuda, later known as Frank Yasuda, was born on November 20, 1868 in Ishinomaki, Japan. The middle child in a family of doctors, he had a good understanding of medicine but was otherwise directionless early on in his life. Eventually, Yasuda ended up serving as a cabin boy aboard the United States revenue cutter Bear. When the cutter became trapped in an ice pack in 1893, Yasuda rescued the ship and its crew by crossing the ice alone, seeking help in Barrow, Alaska. Yasuda would remain behind in Point Barrow and was accepted by the coastal native Alaskan community that lived there. He became an important and respected figure among them and he cared deeply for their welfare. As the native population started to decline due in part to over-hunting and poaching by newer residents, Yasuda went to great lengths to establish a settlement along the Yukon River for them. In 1906, he would guide more than a hundred people to the newly formed community of Beaver, Alaska.

One of the things that I particularly like about Nitta’s historical novels is the final chapter of the book which generally focuses on Nitta’s experiences writing the work, his inspirations, and his research methods and process. I can understand that other readers might not be as interested in this material, but I think it makes the novels more personal and relevant. Unfortunately, this final essay isn’t translated as part of the English edition of An Alaskan Tale. Although it is summarized, I did miss having the opportunity to read it in its entirety. I was glad to see that other notes from the author were included at the end of each chapter, further explaining the story’s historical basis and significance. Comments from the translators which make any necessary clarifications and provide additional information were also included.

Frequently, An Alaskan Tale reads like an adventure novel. It is a dramatized account of Yasuda’s life, but most of the events portrayed actually did occur. Yasuda led a very eventful and exciting life on the Alaskan frontier. That fact, and the influence he had on the region, makes him an ideal subject. An Alaskan Tale begins with Yasuda’s treacherous ice crossing to rescue the Bear and follows him closely as he becomes ingrained in the native Alaskan community. He learns traditional hunting and whaling skills and gains a greater understanding of their culture, becoming one of the first outsiders to be accepted so completely by them. Yasuda became an important bridge between the native Alaskans, white society, and even other groups of native Americans, all while still encountering prejudice for being Japanese. An Alaskan Tale is an exciting and engaging narrative with an great mix of adventure, survival, and diplomacy. Based on a true story, it’s a good read.

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17 December 2012 4 Comments

My Week in Manga: December 10-December 16, 2012

My News and Reviews

The end of the month and the end of the year seem to be approaching very quickly. But even with the chaos which accompanies that, I posted two in-depth reviews last week. First up was my review for The Twelve Kingdoms, Volume 2: Sea of Wind by Fuyumi Ono. I’m really enjoying the series; I’ll definitely be reading (and reviewing) the rest of the novels that were translated into English before Tokyopop’s implosion. I also reviewed Hiroaki Samura’s Blade of the Immortal, Volume 16: Shortcut. My Blade of the Immortal review project is steadily progressing. At the rate the series is being published in English, I should be caught up in less than a year. Next week, beginning on December 26, is this month’s Manga Moveable Feast. This Feast will be focusing on Hikaru no Go and other game manga. I have a couple of things in mind that I’m working on, including a review of the first volume of Hikaru no Go. Elsewhere online, Comics Alliance has a fabulous introduction to the work of Shotaro Ishinomori—Shotaro Ishinomori Is A Big Deal: An Action-Packed Primer For New Readers.

Quick Takes

Blood Sucker: Legend of Zipangu, Volumes 5-7 written by Saki Okuse and illustrated by Aki Shimizu. I enjoyed the first four volumes of Blood Sucker and so was looking forward to reading more. The long, multi-volume flashback finally comes to an end with volume five. I’ll admit, I found the earlier volumes more compelling. It seems like important plot points and developments were either forgotten or lost along the way. But I still like Blood Sucker. It’s quickly paced and packed with gory action. The artwork is good, too, but occasionally difficult to follow during fights. Only seven of the twelve volumes of Blood Sucker were published in English, but it’s still probably worth tracking down for fans of vampires or action-horror.

Fist of the Blue Sky, Volumes 1-4 written by Nobuhiko Horie and illustrated by Tetsuo Hara. Fist of the Blue Sky is a prequel to Fist of the North Star. The protagonist, Kenshiro Kasumi, is the uncle and namesake of Kenshiro from Fist of the North Star. The two series are vaguely similar in tone with over-the-top scenarios, gang warfare, and fantastical martial arts, except that Fist of the Blue Sky largely takes place in Shanghai in the 1930s instead of in a post-apocalyptic world. Kenshiro has a sort of Indian Jones vibe going on at the beginning, but that seems to be quickly left behind as the series progresses. Fist of the Blue Sky ended in Japan with twenty-two volumes, four of which were released in English before Raijin folded.

Please Save My Earth, Volumes 1-7 by Saki Hiwatari. So far, I’m loving Please Save My Earth, the shoujo science fiction epic. Seven students in Japan discover that they are the reincarnations of seven alien researchers who died on the moon. This might seem like a silly premise for a story, but the manga is actually very engrossing. At first the students are fascinated and excited about their shared history, but slowly the guilt, memories, and emotions from their past lives begin to intrude upon their current lives, causing all sorts of difficulties for them. Sometime, the results are tragic. The artwork is a little rough at first, but steadily improves. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

Seven Days: Friday-Sunday written by Venio Tachibana and illustrated by Rihito Takarai. Seven Days is an absolutely beautiful story; I enjoyed it immensely. Because I loved the manga so much, a part of me wishes that there was more—it’s only two volumes long—but another part of me is completely satisfied. Seven Days is a fairly quiet and somewhat melancholy manga. In the first volume, Shino asked Seryou out almost accidentally. It was a joke and he certainly didn’t expect him to say yes. They’re only guaranteed to date for one week, and now that that one week is drawing to a close, both of them are conflicted. They’ve gotten to know each other better and neither one of them wants their relationship to end, but it can’t continue on like it has been, either.

Black Lagoon, Episodes 1-12 directed by Sunao Katabuchi. I was late to the Black Lagoon anime party and so missed out on the series’ initial release, which is why I’m so glad that both seasons are now available on DVD again. At this point, I think that I still slightly prefer the manga, but the anime adaptation is great. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the animation and sound design. Black Lagoon is a lot of fun, with violent and foul-mouthed protagonists, plenty of explosions and gun battles, and a dark sense of humor. I don’t find it to be particularly compelling as a story, but it is highly entertaining. I’m really enjoying watching the series.

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14 December 2012 Leave a Comment

Blade of the Immortal, Volume 16: Shortcut

Creator: Hiroaki Samura
U.S. publisher: Dark Horse
ISBN: 9781593077235
Released: January 2007
Original release: 2004
Awards: Eisner Award, Japan Media Arts Award

Shortcut is the sixteenth volume in Dark Horse’s release of Hiroaki Samura’s manga series Blade of the Immortal. Due to the differences between the Japanese and English releases of the series, Shortcut is actually equivalent to the fifteenth volume published in Japan in 2004. Shortcut itself was released in 2006. Blade of the Immortal has won several awards, including a Japan Media Arts Award and and Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material. I myself have been quite fond of Blade of the Immortal since its beginning. I enjoy the series’ morally ambiguous characters, anachronistic style, and dynamic artwork. Shortcut picks up the story immediately where the previous volume, Trickster, leaves off. Things weren’t looking particularly good for Manji in Trickster, so I definitely wanted to see how the events in Shortcut would unfold.

Rin hasn’t seen her bodyguard Manji since he was invited into the residence of Habaki Kagimura, the leader of the shogunate’s banshū samurai as well as the head of the Mugai-ryū assassins. Fearing the worst, Rin does her best to try to find him but she is unable to make much progress. She is right to worry. Manji’s disappearance has nothing to do with being forced to join the Mugai-ryū. Instead, Kagimura is very interested in Manji and his apparent immortality, something that Kagimura has personally been witness to. On top of Manji being missing, Rin suddenly has a couple of uninvited house guests to deal with, too. Isaku Yasonokami and Dōa Yoshino make a strange pair—he’s a hulk of a man while she’s a petite young woman who orders him around. Little does Rin know that she is helping to hide two members of the Ittō-ryū, the group responsible for the death of her parents.

I find Isaku and Dōa to be very intriguing characters. Not much is really known yet about either of them. Except for their apparent devotion to each other and their association with the Ittō-ryū, they largely remain a mystery. From the far northern reaches of Japan, they are out of place in Edo society. I’m curious to find out how they became involved with the Ittō-ryū, but it does go to show how accepting the sword school is of outsiders. This is in direct contrast to the majority of Japanese society during this time period. The shogunate’s isolationist policies made it extremely dangerous for anyone to even leave the country and hierarchical social classes were rigidly enforced. In part, this is what the Ittō-ryū is fighting against, so it shouldn’t be too surprising that social outcasts and criminals are to be counted among their number.

On the opposite end of the spectrum of power is Kagimura. He is very in control of himself and those around him, using his position as the bangashira to his advantage. Blade of the Immortal has shown Kagimura to be cunning and manipulative and not above using unsavory methods to reach his goals. This is very unfortunate for Manji in Shortcut. Simply put, being immortal can really suck. This certainly isn’t new to Manji who has repeatedly, and literally, been hacked to pieces in the past. But Shortcut is the first time in Blade of the Immortal that the extent of his immortality has deliberately, thoroughly, and methodically been put to the test. If things weren’t looking good for Manji in Trickster, they’re looking even worse for him in Shortcut. What else is in store for Manji will be revealed in the next volume, On the Perfection of Anatomy.

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12 December 2012 1 Comment

The Twelve Kingdoms, Volume 2: Sea of Wind

Author: Fuyumi Ono
Illustrator: Akihiro Yamada
Translator: Alexander O. Smith and Elye J. Alexander
U.S. Publisher: Tokyopop
ISBN: 9781427802583
Released: February 2009
Original release: 1993

Sea of Wind is the second novel in Tokyopop’s English-language release of Fuyumi Ono’s fantasy light novel series The Twelve Kingdoms illustrated by Akihiro Yamada. The novel was originally published in Japan as two separate volumes, both of which were released in 1993 under the title Sea of Wind, Shore of Labyrinth. Alexander O. Smith and Elye J. Alexander’s English translation of Sea of Wind was originally published in hardcover by Tokyopop’s Pop Fiction imprint in 2008 before being released in a paperback edition in 2009. I very much enjoyed Sea of Shadow, the first novel in The Twelve Kingdoms, and so was looking forward to reading the second volume a great deal. Technically, Sea of Wind is a prequel of sorts. Although they are not directly related, the events in Sea of Wind take place before those explored in Sea of Shadow.

Before his birth, the kirin of the kingdom of Tai was swept away by a great shoku, a terrifying storm that rips between worlds. Although the search for him began immediately, it is an unprecedented ten years before the kirin is able to be found. Having been lost in the world Over There, Taiki’s return to the world into which he should have been born is celebrated. Taiki never really fit in Over There but because he has been gone for so long he doesn’t quite fit in in the world that is welcoming him home, either. He has much to learn about the world he now inhabits and, more importantly, about himself. The kirin play a critical role and Taiki is desperately needed by Tai. But without the knowledge and powers that should have come naturally to him, Taiki must first conquer his own inadequacies before he can fulfill his role.

After the initial chaos surrounding Taiki’s disappearance, Sea of Wind begins fairly benignly. Taiki’s welcome home is a warm one and he is treated very kindly. But as the novel progresses danger and darkness are introduced to the story. The portrayal of Taiki’s growth as a character is particularly well done. His fear, confusion, and distress is almost palpable as he struggles with his newly discovered obligations and responsibilities. Taiki is plagued by doubt and guilt. He wants to please those around him and is terrified of making a mistake. He can hardly be blamed—the fate of an entire kingdom rests on his tiny, inexperienced shoulders. Most of the other characters aren’t nearly as well developed as Taiki, but Sea of Wind really is his story more than anything else.

Although Sea of Wind is the second book in The Twelve Kingdoms, it stands quite well on its own. However, there are some scenes that will be more meaningful to someone who has read Sea of Shadow as well. In particular is the appearance of Keiki, another kirin who was introduced in Sea of Shadow. He plays an important role in Sea of Wind, too, and his interactions with Taiki are wonderful. A few of the other characters from Sea of Shadow also make their return in Sea of Wind, which I was very happy to see. As for the story itself, Ono still has the tendency to infodump from time to time. However, I find the world of The Twelve Kingdoms to be so fascinating that I usually didn’t mind too much. I am still thoroughly enjoying the series and am looking forward to reading the next volume, The Vast Spread of the Seas.

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