Usamaru Furuya Manga Moveable Feast: Call for Participation

© Usamaru Furuya

A happy new year to you all!

I am very pleased (and very nervous) to officially announce that Experiments in Manga will be hosting the first Manga Moveable Feast of the year. What exactly is the Manga Moveable Feast? Each month, the manga blogging community gathers to celebrate, discuss, and examine a particular manga, creator, genre, or theme. Anyone and everyone is invited and encouraged to participate.

January 2012’s Manga Moveable Feast (which will be held January 22-January 29) will feature mangaka Usamaru Furuya and his work. If you would like to join in the Feast and need somewhere to post your contribution, as the host I would be happy to coordinate with you. You can reach me by e-mail at phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com.

During the Feast, you can notify me of contributions by e-mail or via Twitter. Simply include @PhoenixTerran (that’s me!) and the #MMF or #MangaMoveableFeast hashtag. If you have previous articles or reviews that you would like to be included on the Usamaru Furuya Manga Moveable Feast archive page, please just let me know and I will add the links.

I am both terrified and excited to be hosting the Usamaru Furuya Manga Moveable Feast. Please be kind to me; I will do my best!

Usamaru Furuya Manga Moveable Feast: Archive

© Usamaru Furuya

The January 2012 Manga Moveable Feast (January 22-January 29), hosted right here at Experiments in Manga, features Usamaru Furuya and his works. This page serves as the Feast’s archive and will link to posts contributed to the Feast.

Call for Participation
An Introduction
Roundup One
Roundup Two
Roundup Three
An Epilogue
A Final Farewell

Reviews:
The Children’s Crusade, Volumes 1-2 (Completely Futile)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Experiments in Manga)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Manga Xanadu)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 2-3 (BookDragon)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Otaku Ohana)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Experiments in Manga)
No Longer Human, Volume 2 (Comic Attack)
No Longer Human, Volume 2 (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
No Longer Human, Volume 2 (Slightly Biased Manga)
No Longer Human, Volumes 1-2 (Manga Bookshelf)
No Longer Human, Volumes 1-2 (Manga Connection)
No Longer Human, Volumes 1-2 (Manga Xanadu)
Secret Comics Japan (Experiments in Manga)
Short Cuts, Volume 1 (Experiments in Manga)
Short Cuts, Volumes 1-2 (A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Other contributions:
English, Please!: Palepoli (Slightly Biased Manga)
An Examination and Appreciation of the Works of Usamaru Furuya (Experiments in Manga)
Manga Giveaway: Genkaku Picasso Giveaway (Experiments in Manga)
My Limited Exposure with Usamaru Furuya (Animemiz’s Scribblings)
My Week in Manga (Experiments in Manga)
Usamaru Furuya’s Genkaku Picasso & Why It’s Currently the Only Shounen Manga on My Shelves (All About Manga)

From the archives (pre-Feast content):
Interview with Usamaru Furuya (Shonen Jump Magazine)
Met Usamaru Furuya in Toronto! (Same Hat!)
A Short Appreciation of Manga-ka Usamaru Furuya (Comics 212)
TCAF 2011: Spotlight on Usamaru Furuya (Kuriousity)
This Genius’s Horror Edition of MMF: Usamaru Fuyura (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
Usamaru Furuya TCAF 2011 Autograph Signing Session (Flash Frame Omake)

Flowers
Flowers (Completely Futile)

Garden
Garden (Completely Futile)

Genkaku Picasso
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (About.com: Manga)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Anime News Network)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (BookDragon)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Burning Lizard Studios)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Comic Attack)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Hooded Utilitarian)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (The Manga Critic)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (The Manga Curmudgeon)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Mania.com)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Read About Comics)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 1 (Slightly Biased Manga)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 2 (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 2 (Comic Attack)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 2 (The Manga Critic)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 2 (Slightly Biased Manga)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 3 (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 3 (Comic Attack)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 3 (The Fandom Post)
Genkaku Picasso, Volume 3 (Slightly Biased Manga)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Good Comics for Kids)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Mama Reads Manga)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Manga Report)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Manga Worth Reading)
Genkaku Picasso, Volumes 1-3 (Reading Is Delicious)

Lychee Light Club
Lychee Light Club (Ani-Gamers)
Lychee Light Club (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
Lychee Light Club (Comics-and-More)
Lychee Light Club (Experiments in Manga)
Lychee Light Club (The Fandom Post)
Lychee Light Club (Genji Press)
Lychee Light Club (Graphic Novel Reporter)
Lychee Light Club (Kimi-chan Experience)
Lychee Light Club (The Manga Curmudgeon)
Lychee Light Club (Manga Worth Reading)
Lychee Light Club (Manga Village)
Lychee Light Club (Manga Widget)
Lychee Light Club (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
Lychee Light Club (Otaku USA)
Lychee Light Club (Slightly Biased Manga)

The Music of Marie
The Music of Marie, Volumes 1-2 (Completely Futile)
The Music of Marie, Volumes 1-2 (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)
The Music of Marie, Volumes 1-2 (Ryu’s Dreams)

No Longer Human
Dehumanizer Dept. (Genji Press)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (A Case Suitable for Treatment)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Comic Attack)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Comics-and-More)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (The Fandom Post)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Genji Press)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Kuriousity)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (The Manga Critic)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Manga Maniac Cafe)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Otaku Champloo)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Otaku USA)
No Longer Human, Volume 1 (Slightly Biased Manga)
No Longer Human, Volume 2 (Genji Press)
No Longer Human, Volume 2 (Otaku USA)
No Longer Human, Volumes 1-2 (BookDragon)

Love Exposure
Love Exposure (Animemiz’s Scribblings)

Plastic Girl
Plastic Girl (Completely Futile)

Secret Comics Japan
Looking Back at Secret Comics Japan (Same Hat!)
Secret Comics Japan (Comics-and-More)
Secret Comics Japan (Slightly Biased Manga)

Short Cuts
Short Cuts, Volume 1 (Slightly Biased Manga)
Short Cuts, Volume 2 (Slightly Biased Manga)
Short Cuts, Volumes 1-2 (The Manga Critic)

Suicide Club
Suicide Club (Completely Futile)
Suicide Club (Organization Anti-Social Geniuses)

Other Feast Archives

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1

Creator: Naoko Takeuchi
U.S. publisher: Kodansha
ISBN: 9781935429746
Released: September 2011
Original release: 2003
Awards: Kodansha Manga Award

In 1997, Naoko Takeuchi’s manga series Sailor Moon was one of the very first titles published by Tokyopop. It, along with the anime series, became somewhat of a phenomenon in the United States. But, Tokyopop’s license ended and Sailor Moon has been out of print for years despite its popularity. Then, in 2011, Kodansha brought the manga back in a completely new edition under the title Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. Kodansha’s version is based on the 2003 revision of the original series, which was first published in Japan between 1991 and 1997. I’ll admit, I mostly missed out on Sailor Moon the first time around except for a single day that I was sick in bed and there happened to be a marathon of the Sailor Moon anime on television. I don’t really remember much of it though, and the whole incident may very well have been a fever dream, but I’m pretty sure it actually happened. Still, I was very glad that Sailor Moon was selected for the December 2011 Manga Moveable Feast so that I could be properly introduced to the series.

Usagi Tsukino is an average fourteen-year-old middle school student at Minato Ward Juban Public. She enjoys eating, sleeping, and having fun. Her grades could stand to be better, but she would rather visit the local game center than study. On her way to school one morning, late and in a rush as usual, Usagi comes across a strange cat. After helping it—she was the one who stepped on the poor thing after all—the cat begins appearing wherever she goes. That night the cat, Luna, reveals its ability to talk and declares Usagi to be a guardian, destined to find her allies, defeat her enemies, and protect the princess and the legendary silver crystal. Usagi’s not really sure what Luna is talking about or even that she wants anything to do with it. But given the ability to transform into Sailor Moon and the powers needed to save her friends from harm, Usagi suddenly discovers she’s not just a normal teenager after all.

For a cat that appears to know just about everything about what is going on, at the same time Luna doesn’t seem actually to know anything. Although I’m sure that Takeuchi has some basic idea of where she is taking the story, in this first volume of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon I really feel like she’s making up most of it as she goes. Things just kind of happen and the readers and characters are simply there for the ride. The guardians themselves seem oddly accepting of everything that is occurring around them and of the revelations of their true natures—they just seem to go along with it. I actually found the resulting narrative chaos to be rather delightful at first, but I do hope that the story finds a bit more direction and focus in subsequent volumes.

Probably the thing I like best about Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon so far is the cast. While the villains come across as a bit one note, Luna and the guardians and Tuxedo Mask are all very likable. I particularly appreciate the range of their personalities. I was actually a little surprised by how much I ended up liking Usagi. She’s a bit of an airhead and an admitted crybaby, characteristics that tend to annoy me. But those aren’t her only defining qualities. When her friends are in trouble she will do anything she can to help them and will give it her best. Usagi’s an unlikely leader, but her confidence is growing and the others trust her. I think that Takeuchi’s artwork has held up pretty well over time. Granted, I do read a lot of older manga, so maybe it just doesn’t bother my stylistically. However, the more action oriented sequences and fights can be difficult to follow. I wasn’t astounded by the first volume of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, but I did enjoy its charming silliness enough to want to read more.

Manga Giveaway: Magical Girl Mania (Sailor Moon Giveaway)

It’s that time again. Time for another manga giveaway, that is! The end of December and the end of the year seemed to sneak up on me and were nearly over before I realized it. For December, I’ll be giving away a new copy of the first volume in Naoko Takeuchi’s classic magical girl manga series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. This giveaway happens to happily coincide with the Sailor Moon Manga Moveable Feast hosted by Sean Gaffney at A Case Suitable for Treatment. (You should check out the contributions, there are some really great ones!) The contest is open world-wide, so I hope you’ll enter for a chance to win Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1!

Magical girls are one of those easily recognizable staples of Japanese pop culture. The genre has been around for quite some time and remains popular to this day. I actually haven’t read many magical girl manga. Off the top of my head I can only think of three, but I enjoyed each of them: Clamp’s Cardcaptor Sakura, Moyoco Anno’s Sugar Sugar Rune, and Naoko Takeuchi’s Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. A classic of the genre, Sailor Moon has been out of print in English for years. Fortunately, Kodansha has started publishing the revised edition of the series. This makes me particularly happy since I missed out on Sailor Moon its first time around.

So, you may be wondering, how can you win Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Volume 1?

1) In the comments below, tell me about your favorite magical girl manga. If you don’t have one, you can simply mention that.
2) To earn a second entry in the giveaway, name a magical girl manga that hasn’t been mentioned yet by me or 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).

Each entrant can earn up to three entries for this giveaway. As usual, you have one week to submit your comments. If you have trouble leaving comments, or if you would prefer, you can also e-mail me your entries at phoenixterran(at)gmail(dot)com. I’ll post the comments in your name. The winner will be announced and randomly selected on January 4, 2012. Good luck!

VERY IMPORTANT: Include some way that I can contact you. This can be an e-mail address, 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: Magical Girl Mania Winner

House of Five Leaves, Volume 1

Creator: Natsume Ono
U.S. publisher: Viz Media
ISBN: 9781421532103
Released: September 2010
Original release: 2006

My introduction to Natsume Ono and her work was through the 2010 anime adaptation of her series House of Five Leaves. Since then, I have been devouring her other works available in English, so far all a part of Viz Media’s Signature line, but House of Five Leaves remains my favorite. Ono completed House of Five Leaves in eight volumes which were initially published in Japan between 2006 and 2010. It was also in 2010 that Viz Media began releasing the English translation of the series. Currently, the first four volumes are available; the fifth volume is scheduled to be published in December 2011. Although I haven’t been reviewing the individual volumes as they have been released, I have been reading them, and rereading them, as soon as I have a copy available. But because Ono was the focus of November 2011’s Manga Moveable Feast, I decided to be a little more vocal in my love for House of Five Leaves.

Akitsu Masanosuke is a highly skilled swordsman although most people wouldn’t expect it to look at him. Often they are surprised to discover that he’s even a samurai at all. He’s extremely shy, embarrasses easily, and is not even close to being intimidating. Masa’s unfortunate personality makes it difficult for him to keep a job. His lord let him go as a retainer and no one wants to hire a timid bodyguard, and so Masa wanders Edo as a hungry rōnin looking for work. At least until he meets Yaichi, who is looking for a samurai in name only. Yaichi, perfectly capable of defending himself, simply needs a bodyguard for show. Preferably one that is easily controlled. Masa is glad to have the work, not realizing at first that Yaichi happens to be the leader of a kidnapping group known as Five Leaves. Despite his misgivings, Masa slowly finds himself drawn into their circle.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Ono’s manga is her art. I have never mistaken her illustrations for anyone else’s, nor have I ever taken another artist’s work to be hers. Admittedly, Ono’s style is not one that everyone will appreciate. I wouldn’t describe it as pretty, but the loose, deliberate lines have a certain attractive elegance to them. I have become quite fond of Ono’s artwork. The style seems to be particularly well suited to the story of House of Five Leaves, especially in the portrayal of the characters and their personalities. The droopy-eyed melancholy fits Masa’s timidity perfectly while at the same time the artwork also easily embodies Yaichi’s lazy, slightly unsettling intensity. My only real complaint about the art in the first volume of House of Five Leaves is that it is difficult to discern what is happening in the few action-oriented sequences.

House of Five Leaves is not a quickly paced manga by any means. It’s strength lies in its characters and their interactions, and especially in the relationships developed between Masa and the members of Five Leaves. Probably most important is Masa and Yaichi’s strange sort of friendship. Yaichi is fascinated and intrigued by Masa and his unusualness. In return, Masa admires Yaichi’s confidence and is curious about him. Yaichi is a charismatic, enigmatic, and intensely private man. Not even the members of Five Leaves know much about him. At this point in House of Five Leaves, not much is known about any of the characters yet, but Yaichi is the most guarded. The groundwork for the story has been established in this first volume and the major players have been introduced. Masa still isn’t quite sure what he’s gotten himself mixed up in or who these people are, but that will all be revealed as the series progresses.