Home Archives for Ai Yazawa
7 June 2013 Leave a Comment

Library Love, Part 15

Support manga, support your library!

Here’s what I’ve been reading:

Ju-On: Video Side by Miki Rinno. I haven’t actually seen any of the the films in Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-On franchise, but I believe that Ju-On: Video Side is an adaptation of the first direct-to-video Ju-On movie, also known as The Curse. The manga opens with a woman being murdered by her husband as their young son looks on. Because of the violence and deaths associated with the house, the property is difficult to sell. Despite being warned against it, the Murakami family moves in. Their lives are quickly consumed by horrifying incidents and bizarre accidents. Anyone even remotely connected to the household is at risk as the vengeful spirits take out their anger on the living.

Nana, Volumes 9-12 by Ai Yazawa. I continue to be impressed by Yazawa’s Nana. I have a feeling that this will be a series that I end up buying to have a copy of my own. It’s just that good. The characterization in Nana is phenomenal. As the series progresses, the characters continue to evolve and grow. They are all multi-layered and their relationships are complex. While the interpersonal drama is still extraordinarily important in Nana, these particular volumes start to focus on Trapnest and Black Stones as bands a bit more. The two groups and their members are revealed to be very closely linked. Complicating matters further, they’re harassed by paparazzi. Their careers get in the way of love and romance as they lose some control over their own lives to their music labels.

The Nao of Brown by Glyn Dillon. I was happy to discover that all the praise The Nao of Brown has received was well-deserved: Dillon’s artwork is gorgeous and the storytelling is mature. Nao Brown is half-Japanese and half-English, living in London with Purely Obsessional OCD. She is plagued by violent thoughts and is afraid that one day she actually will hurt someone, which makes leading a normal life and developing healthy relationships with other people difficult. But then she meets Gregory, a burly washing machine repairman who reminds her of one of her favorite anime characters. The two of them hit it off pretty well, but not without some problems.

Slam Dunk, Volumes 3-6 by Takehiko Inoue. I am much more familiar with Inoue’s later seinen works Vagabond and Real than I am with Slam Dunk, his immensely popular breakthrough series. Although there are some similar themes to be found in all three series, Slam Dunk is more obviously humorous than the other two. It’s great fun. I’m very fond of Hanamichi as a protagonist. He’s a sort of delinquent with a heart of gold. Actually, the delinquent aspects and Hanamichi’s gang are some of my favorite parts of Slam Dunk. Of course, the basketball is good, too, and really the focus of the series. By this point, Hanamichi finally gets the chance to play in a real game. Even though he’s still a new player and makes plenty of mistakes, he also shows an impressive amount of potential.

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18 March 2013 3 Comments

My Week in Manga: March 11-March 17, 2013

My News and Reviews

Two reviews for you all this past week! First up was my review of Edogawa Rampo’s novella Strange Tale of Panorama Island. I enjoyed it quite a bit and am now even more excited for the release of Suehiro Maruo’s manga adaptation of the story, which looks like it will actually be published this year. (I’ve been waiting since 2009.) The second review posted was my monthly Blade of the Immortal review—Blade of the Immortal, Volume 19: Badger Hole. In this volume the women of the series get a moment to shine before the introduction of a new character diverts readers’ attention.

The biggest manga news from last week is that the digital manga service JManga will be shutting down. JManga7 is already gone, but more information regarding JManga’s closure (termination schedule, refunds, FAQs, etc.) can be found here. I personally never got around to using JManga (I still have plenty of print manga keeping me busy), but I am still sad to see the service go.

In happier news, Kuriousity takes a quick look at a couple of One Peace Books’ upcoming manga: Black Bard and Smuggler. Smuggler was previously published by Tokyopop, but Black Bard is a new English license. I’m actually somewhat interested in both titles, but especially in Black Bard since it will be an omnibus release and has a music connection, too. Over at All About Manga, Daniella Orihuela-Gruber takes on a 30 Day Yaoi Challenge. Check out the first post/review to learn more about the project and what’s in store for Daniella and All About Manga readers.

Quick Takes

Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl, Omnibus 2 written by Satoru Akahori and illustrated by Yukimaru Katsura. Hazumu is still trying to get used to being a girl, but in the second omnibus she has even more pressing concerns to deal with. While I vaguely enjoyed reading Kashimashi, it hasn’t really left much of an impression. As strange and original as Kashimashi tries to be, it ends up feeling very derivative. I’m not sure if it’s intentional or not, but Yasuna (one of the love interests) reminds me a lot of Tomoyo from Cardcaptor Sakura in both character design and personality. Seven Seas also made the bizarre decision to include the translation notes for the entire series in the second omnibus.

Paradise Kiss, Part 3 by Ai Yazawa. I continue to be impressed by the characterizations and complicated relationships found in Yazawa’s manga. Her characters come complete with flaws and are much more interesting because of it. In Paradise Kiss I was particularly pleased to see Yukari’s development and growth as a person. In the beginning, she frequently annoyed me, but as she matures I found her to be a more sympathetic character. Part 3 of the series also spends a little bit of time exploring Isabella’s backstory, which made me happy. (This also includes seeing George as a dapper young boy.) I was very satisfied with the ending of Paradise Kiss. It might not be the happily ever after that some readers hope for, but I think it was the right one and true to the characters.

Solanin by Inio Asano. In the afterword, Asano describes the characters of Solanin as “just your average 20-somethings,” with nothing particularly noteworthy about them. Meiko is a recent graduate who hates her office lady job. And so she quits, even though her savings won’t last that long. Her live-in boyfriend Naruo is faced with a similar dilemma: he doesn’t mind his job as an illustrator, but he would be much happier if his band could make it big. Searching for their place in the world, Meiko, Naruo, and their friends aren’t quite ready to become adults. Solanin is largely a melancholic work, but it has just the right touch of humor and hope to keep the manga from becoming too depressing.

Usagi Yojimbo: Yokai by Stan Sakai. In 2009, Sakai celebrated the 25th anniversary of his marvelous series Usagi Yojimbo. As part of that celebration, Yokai was published as a standalone graphic novel. Although Yokai is written in such a way that newcomers to the series can approach it, established fans will probably appreciate it more. Fans of yokai will also get a kick out of the volume as Usagi encounters a fair number of yokai before the story is through. Which, considering the title, probably isn’t that surprising. What sets Yokai apart from the rest of Usagi Yojimbo is that it is Sakai’s first story to be completely hand-painted in watercolor. The volume also includes a nice interview with Sakai discussing a little about yokai the creation of the work.

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2 March 2013 Leave a Comment

Library Love, Part 14

Support manga, support your library!

Here’s what I’ve been reading:

Emma, Volumes 7-10 by Kaoru Mori. I didn’t realize that the main story of Emma concludes in the seventh volume of the series and so was taken a little by surprise when the ending seemed to come along so suddenly. I like that Mori didn’t go for a trite “happily ever after”; the ending is much more complicated than that and realistically addresses the challenges that Emma and William will face due to their class differences. The final three volumes are actually a collection of short side stories, mostly featuring established characters although some simply feature the established locale and time period. Emma is a wonderful series; I really hope to see its license rescued. Thankfully, my library had a complete set.

Nana, Volume 5-8 by Ai Yazawa. I continue to be greatly impressed by Nana and Yazawa’s work in general. Her characters are marvelously complex and multi-faceted. In Nana, the assholes aren’t complete assholes and the angels aren’t complete angels, either. Yazawa eschews stereotypes and the results are naturally unpredictable. The readers and the characters might expect one thing only to be proven wrong. Because the characters are so complex their relationships are just as complicated if not more so. Selfishness and possessiveness create believable and often heartbreaking situations that the characters have to deal with either together or on their own. Life and relationships are messy and Yazawa doesn’t allow her characters to take the easy way out.

Ode to Kirihito by Osamu Tezuka. Ode to Kirihito is probably one of the stranger Tezuka manga that I have read. It’s a mix of medical drama and some sort of horror, with a bit of a revenge tale thrown in for good measure. Kirihito Osanai is a young doctor investigating Monmow, an incurable disease that causes a person’s body to take on dog-like characteristics. His theory is that it is an endemic condition while his superior is adamant that the disease is both viral and contagious. Osanai’s life is changed forever when he himself contracts Monmow. Ode to Kirihito is an engaging read with some real-life parallels to how people with various medical problems are treated and even shunned by others.

Stargazing Dog by Takashi Murakami. I did enjoy Stargazing Dog but I don’t seem to be quite as taken with it as so many other people are, although I can certainly understand its appeal. What impresses me the most about the manga is how Murakami captures the importance and significance that human-canine relationships can have. Stargazing Dog is about people and the dogs who love them. The manga collects two loosely related stories together, both of which are rather bittersweet. Because Stargazing Dog stands so well on its own and feels satisfyingly complete I was surprised to discover that there is actually a second volume. NBM only released the first volume of the series in print, but both volumes are available digitally from JManga under the title Star Protector Dog.

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31 December 2012 Leave a Comment

My Week in Manga: December 24-December 30, 2012

My New and Reviews

Last week was the last full week of the year! I’m looking forward to what 2013 might bring. Today ends the Hikaru no Go/Game Manga Manga Moveable Feast. I had two contributions for the Feast this time around. Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata’s Hikaru no Go is a fantastic series; I was excited to see it selected for the Feast. For my first contribution, I reviewed the first volume of Hikaru no Go. Keeping with the Feast’s game theme, I also posted some random musings on mahjong manga. I love mahjong, and it’s very unlikely any mahjong manga will be licensed in English, but references to the game can be found all over the place in manga. Not related to the Manga Moveable Feast but also posted last week was the final manga giveaway for the year. There’s still time to enter for a chance to win the first volume of Saki Hiwatari’s shoujo science fiction epic Please Save My Earth!

I was also saddened to learn last week that Keiji Nakazawa, survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and creator of Barefoot Gen, passed away from lung cancer at the age of 73. In the past, I reviewed both the first volume of Barefoot Gen and Nakazawa’s autobiography Hiroshima: The Autobiography of Barefoot Gen. Jonathan Clements also recently reprinted his interview with Nakazawa from a few years ago. Nakazawa and his work will be missed.

Quick Takes

Blood Lad, Omnibus 1 (equivalent to Volumes 1-2) by Yuuki Kodama. I wasn’t planning on reading Blood Lad, but I recently heard some good things about the series. For the most part, Blood Lad was a lot of fun. But it’s a pity that the plot hinges on what is probably the weakest element in the entire manga—Yanagi Fuyumi, a human girl who’s fallen into the demon world. Unfortunately, she’s all boobs and no personality. But I do like the rest of the characters, particularly Staz, a vampire who’s obsessed with human, and specifically Japanese, pop culture. I was a little surprised that Blood Lad is a seinen series; it feels more like shounen to me. I’m not in a rush to pick up the next omnibus, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it away, either.

Blue Spring by Taiyo Matsumoto. I sought out Blue Spring specifically for the story “Mahjong Summer,” but I also happen to be a fan of Matsumoto’s work in general. I really liked this collection of loosely related stories about the delinquent, disillusioned, and apathetic students of Kitano High School. The teachers don’t care about what’s going on at the school and the students care even less. They are bored with school and life and seek out ways to occupy themselves before entering adulthood: playing dangerous games, getting involved with gangs and yakuza, showing off and talking shit, and so on. The school itself is rundown and covered with graffiti both inside and out. There’s a touch of the surreal to Blue Spring which is one of the things that makes the manga work so well.

Paradise Kiss, Parts 1-2 by Ai Yazawa. I don’t have a particular interest in fashion which is one of the reasons I haven’t picked up Paradise Kiss until now. It really is a shame I took so long because the series is fantastic. Yazawa excels at writing characters. They all have their histories and faults. They’re not always likeable, but they always come across as real people. I’m particularly fascinated by George in Paradise Kiss. He’s a hard person to read, and there’s a reason for that. He’s manipulative and a bit twisted, but he’s been damaged and hurt in the past, too. After reading part of Nana and now first two-thirds of Paradise Kiss, I am extremely impressed by Yazawa’s work; she is a phenomenal creator.

The Prime Minister’s Secret Diplomacy by Youka Nitta. Embracing Love is one of my favorite boys’ love series, and so I was looking forward to trying another work by Nitta. Unfortunately, I can’t say that I was particularly impressed by The Prime Minister’s Secret Diplomacy. Although I liked the story’s setup—two diplomats navigating their affair and liaisons, taking both personal and political risks in order to do so—I ended up fairly bored with the manga as a whole. And, except for a few brief moments, I wasn’t really feeling any chemistry between the two men, either. Apparently, The Prime Minister’s Secret Diplomacy is the beginning of a series; there’s at least one more volume, but it doesn’t appear to have been licensed in English.

Hikaru no Go, Episodes 1-15 directed by Shin Nishizawa. I love the Hikaru no Go manga, but up until now haven’t seen any of the anime adaptation. I’m enjoying the anime, but the manga is definitely the superior of the two. The art and pacing of the story are better in the manga and the anime isn’t as forgiving if you don’t already understand go. Granted, the anime does teach a little more about the game than the manga does. It even includes short go lessons with professional player Yukari Umezawa (who was also the supervisor for the manga) at the end of each episode. Sai seems to have lost much of his cute side, which made me a little sad; his serious nature is more prominent in the anime.

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30 November 2012 Leave a Comment

Library Love, Part 12

Support manga, support your library!

Here’s what I’ve been reading:

Black Blizzard by Yoshihiro Tatsumi. When a train is derailed by an avalanche, two criminals on board make their escape. Handcuffed together, they disappear into the mountains under the cover of a blizzard. Black Blizzard was my introduction to Tatsumi. It also happens to be Tatsumi’s first full length, non-serialized graphic novel. Written in the late 1950s, it is one of the earliest examples of gekiga. Black Blizzard is a great read, even if the ending’s twist seems a little too convenient. But even so, the story is quickly paced and engaging. The English-language edition of Black Blizzard from Drawn and Quarterly also includes an interview with Tatsumi which is a nice addition.

Here Is Greenwood, Volumes 1-2 by Yukie Nasu. Okay, I’m really enjoying this one. Here Is Greenwood isn’t an outstanding series, but for the right audience (to which I apparently belong) it’s solidly entertaining. It has a large cast of quirky and offbeat characters. The residents of the “Greenwood” dormitory frequently find themselves in some fairly ridiculous and unbelievable situations, generally of their own creation. The main protagonist is Kazuya Hasukawa, a perpetually stressed out student at the prestigious all-boys Ryokuto Academy who Mitsuru Ikeda, the head resident of the dormitory, delights in tormenting. Here Is Greenwood is really funny stuff if you enjoy the absurd, which I certainly do.

Nana, Volumes 1-4 by Ai Yazawa. The first volume of Nana serves as a sort of prologue to the main series and can stand completely on its own. It introduces the two main characters and their backstories: Nana Komatsu, a young woman trying to establish her independence after one too many heartbreaks, and Nana Osaki, a punk singer working towards her success as a musician. The two women become roommates by chance more than anything else, but their friendship becomes very important to them. The characterization in Nana is phenomenal. All of the characters are complex and their relationships are complicated and messy. Nana has a sense of humor, but it’s really the human drama that makes the series.

Peace Maker Kurogane, Volumes 1-3 by Nanae Chrono. I’ve enjoyed manga with a basis in history for quite some time. More recently, I’ve developed a particular interest in the Shinsengumi. So, I was looking forward to giving Peace Maker Kurogane a try. Unfortunately, these early volumes just aren’t working for me. I have a decent handle on what was happening during the time period in which the series takes place, but I had a hard time following the plot of the story or even caring about what was going on. Things start to come together and get to be more interesting with the third volume, but I’m not sure that’ll be enough for me to track down the rest of the volumes that are available in English.

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