August 7, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
Wild Adapter, vol. 1-2 By Kazuya Minekura Translation: Alexis Kirsch English Adaptation: Christine Boylan Tokyopop ISBN-10: 1598169785 (v1) $9.99 ISBN-10: 1598169793 (v2) $9.99 In Wild Adapter, Kazuya Minekura takes readers into Japan’s underworld, where yakuza power struggles, interpersonal rivalries, and … Continue reading
July 16, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Hatori, Bisco: Ouran High School Host Club, vol. 9-10
Ouran High School Host Club is a shojo manga series that both embraces and pokes fun at the storytelling conventions that diehard manga readers have come to know, love, and occasionally mock. The protagonist, Haruhi Fujioka, is a poor but … Continue reading
July 10, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
Mushishi, Vols. 1-3 Story and Art by Yuki Urushibara Translated and Adapted by William Flanagan Del Rey, 2007-2008 (First published 2000-2002 in Japan) ISBN-13: 9780345496218 (vol. 1) ISBN-13: 9780345496447 (vol. 2) ISBN-13: 9780345496454 (vol. 3) Review Ginko is a mysterious … Continue reading
June 16, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
I first heard of director Shinkai Makoto through a brief mention of his work in Asia Pacific Arts’ Best of 2007: Asian Film roundup. I do not usually find anime recommendations over at APA, which made this mention worth investigating, … Continue reading
June 12, 2008
by Joy
7 Comments
I’ve just started watching the BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad anime courtesy of Netflix (verdict so far: not bad at all!), and it inspired me to brainstorm all the manga and anime that I know that feature rock music as a … Continue reading
June 4, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Arakawa, Hiromu: Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 16
My review of vol. 16 of Fullmetal Alchemist is now up at Manga Life. An excerpt: In Volume 16 of Fullmetal Alchemist, the story returns to the present after the long flashback to the Ishbal campaign in Volume 15. As … Continue reading
April 30, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
My review of Bus Gamer is up at Manga Life. An excerpt: For fans of Minekura’s other series, Saiyuki and Wild Adapter, Bus Gamer offers familiar pleasures. Although the art is not quite as polished as that seen in Wild … Continue reading
April 18, 2008
by Joy
5 Comments
For me, learning to interpret a whole new set of cultural references and symbols is one of the pleasures of reading manga and watching anime. And one of the most widely used symbols in manga and anime, especially at this … Continue reading
April 9, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Umino, Chica: Honey and Clover, vol. 1
My review of vol. 1 of Honey and Clover is up at Manga Life. An excerpt: Chica Umino’s Honey and Clover follows the lives of five students at a Tokyo art college. Though it is published in the U.S. by … Continue reading
April 2, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Arakawa, Hiromu: Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 15
My review of vol. 15 of Fullmetal Alchemist is now up at Manga Life. A teaser: The fifteenth volume of Hiromu Arakawa’s Fullmetal Alchemist takes readers several years into the past, as Lieutenant Hawkeye tells Ed about the Ishbal campaign. … Continue reading
March 31, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Link roundup 2008-03-31
Just a couple of reviews this time around: Micole at Coffee and Ink on Vampire Knight, v. 4 and Kaput and Zosky. Joanna at Comics Worth Reading on Honey and Clover, v. 1. FYI, my comment notifications don’t appear to … Continue reading
March 30, 2008
by Joy
2 Comments
I’ve decided to start a new feature for this blog: the recommended series. I’ve been writing reviews of individual manga volumes and plan to do some of individual anime DVDs, but sometimes it makes more sense to write a post … Continue reading
March 20, 2008
by Joy
3 Comments
Hana-Kimi, Vols. 1-2 Story and Art by Hisaya Nakajo Translation by David Ury English Adaptation by Gerard Jones Rated T+ for Older Teen Viz, 2004 (First published in 1997) ISBN-13: 978-1-59116-329-9 (Vol. 1) ISBN-13: 978-1-59116-398-5 (Vol. 2) Review Japanese-American teen … Continue reading
March 19, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Hoshino, Katsura: D.Gray-Man, vol. 2-3
My reviews of
March 13, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
(I may not have time to post on Friday, so you get this post a day early!) If you read enough shojo manga, it won’t be long before you become an expert in how Japan celebrates Valentine’s Day and White … Continue reading
March 12, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Chrono, Nanae: Peace Maker, vol. 1
My review of Peace Maker, Vol. 1 has been posted over at Manga Life. A teaser: Set in 1864, Peace Maker is the story of two brothers, Tetsunosuki and Tatsunosuke, who join the Shinsengumi, a group of swordsmen loyal to … Continue reading
March 2, 2008
by Joy
Comments Off on Link roundup 2008-03-02
David Welsh of Precocious Curmudgeon highlights offerings from Manga Month in Diamond’s Previews catalog. I happen to have gotten my hands on an advance reading copy of one of the titles he mentions, Seichi Hayashi’s Red Colored Elegy, and am … Continue reading
March 1, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
D.Gray-Man, Vol. 1 Story and Art by Katsura Hoshino Translation and English Adaptation by Mayumi Kobayashi Rated T+ for Older Teen Viz, 2006 (First published in 2004) ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-0623-4 Review Set in an alternate nineteeth century, D.Gray-Man tells the story … Continue reading
February 25, 2008
by Joy
9 Comments
Re-Gifters Written by Mike Carey Art by Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel DC Comics (Minx), 2007 ISBN-13: 978-1-4012-0371-9 Review Widely hailed as the best offering in the first round of Minx comics, Re-Gifters is the story of Los Angeles teen … Continue reading
February 25, 2008
by Joy
1 Comment
Over at Asia Pacific Arts, Gene Yang talks about the growth of Asian American comics and his current projects in The Second Life of Gene Yang. Am I a geek for being excited by the prospect of a comic about … Continue reading