December 3, 2009
by Joy
3 Comments
Earlier today I opened up Gmail and found the latest column from David Pogue at The New York Times waiting in my inbox. The column, entitled “What I Bought This Year,” is just that. Instead of a review of a … Continue reading
November 29, 2009
by Joy
5 Comments
Over the last week, many manga bloggers have been writing gift guides in response to the NY Times’s decision to include no manga in their own Graphic Novel Gift Guide. David Welsh has a roundup of the posts thus far … Continue reading
November 17, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Patterson and Lee: Maximum Ride, vol. 2
Maximum Ride is the story of six friends, led by Max Ride, who are the products of some unscrupulous genetic engineering. When they were younger, a sympathetic scientist helped them escape from the school that had made them by knitting … Continue reading
November 15, 2009
by Joy
2 Comments
Darren Shan and Steve Leonard are best friends with a shared taste for creepy things. Steve is a fan of horror movies and has an interest in the occult, while Darren’s favorite things in the world are spiders. When a … Continue reading
November 3, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Arakawa and Zhou: Hero Tales, vol. 1
Taitou Shirei is one of the strongest fighters in his village–so strong, in fact, that he helps drive out soldiers from the Imperial Army when they make trouble for the other villagers. On the day Taitou finally completes his coming-of-age … Continue reading
October 30, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Azuma, Kiyohiko: Yotsuba&!, vol. 6
Yotsuba&!, vol. 6 Story and Art by Kiyohiko Azuma Translated by Amy Forsyth Yen Press, 2009 Original Japanese edition: Media Works Inc, 2006 Paperback $10.99 US ISBN-13: 978-0316073240 In Volume 6 of Yotsuba&! we continue to follow our heroine as … Continue reading
September 28, 2009
by Joy
2 Comments
It’s been all Urasawa, all the time, around my apartment this last month, as I’ve been busy catching up on three of his series. I’ve reviewed 20th Century Boys and Pluto elsewhere, so that leaves Monster for this post. For … Continue reading
September 21, 2009
by Joy
6 Comments
The other night I finally got a chance to read the first volume of the much-talked about Japanese food manga, Oishinbo, by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki. This is the story of a cynical journalist, Yamaoka Shirō, who has been … Continue reading
September 17, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Nakajo, Hisaya: Sugar Princess, vol. 1
Sugar Princess: Skating to Win, vol. 1 Story and Art by Hisaya Nakajo Translation and Adaptation by Anastasia Moreno Viz, 2008 Original Japanese edition: Hakusensha, 2005 Paperback $8.99 978-1-4215-1930-2 When middle schooler Maya Kurinoki takes her little brother to the … Continue reading
September 14, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Shiina, Karuho: Kimi ni Todoke, vol. 1
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, vol. 1 Story and Art by Karuho Shiina Translation by Tomo Kimura Viz, 2009 Original Japanese edition: Shueisha, 2005 Paperback $8.99 978-1-4215-2755-0 Sawako Kuronuma is the terror of her high school classroom. Her … Continue reading
September 10, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Urasawa, Naoki: 20th Century Boys, vol. 4
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, vol. 4 Story and Art by Naoki Urasawa With the cooperation of Takashi Nagasaki English Adaptation by Akemi Wegmuller Viz, 2009 Original Japanese edition: Shogakukan, 2001 Paperback $12.99 978-1-4215-1923-4 Naoki Urasawa now has three different … Continue reading
September 6, 2009
by Joy
1 Comment
Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 19 Story and Art by Hiromu Arakawa Translation by Akira Watanabe Adapted by Jake Forbes Viz, 2007 Original Japanese edition: Square Enix, 2008 Paperback $9.99 978-1-4215-2568-6 While reading vol. 19 of Fullmetal Alchemist, it’s hard not to … Continue reading
September 2, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Urasawa, Naoki: 20th Century Boys, vol. 3
Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, vol. 3 Story and Art by Naoki Urasawa With the cooperation of Takashi Nagasaki English Adaptation by Akemi Wegmuller Viz, 2009 Original Japanese edition: Shogakukan, 2000 Paperback $12.99 978-1-4215-1922-7 Having now written full reviews of … Continue reading
September 1, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Highlights from Yen Plus (Sept. 09)
It doesn’t seem entirely fair to do a formal review of a single issue of a magazine, especially a magazine that serializes sequential art. So much is taken out of context that it’s difficult to do make a reasonable evaluation. … Continue reading
August 31, 2009
by Joy
3 Comments
Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka, vol. 1 By Naoki Urasawa and Osamu Tezuka Co-authored with Takashi Nagasaki Supervised by Macoto Tezka With the cooperation of Tezuka Productions Translation by Jared Cook and Frederick L. Schodt Viz, 2009 Original Japanese edition: Shogakukan, … Continue reading
August 25, 2009
by Joy
3 Comments
Story and Art by Fumi Yoshinaga Translation and Adaptation by Akemi Wegmuller Rated M for Mature Viz, 2009 (First published in Japan in 2005) ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-2747-5 List Price: $12.99 Review In Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Fumi Yoshinaga (Antique Bakery, Flower … Continue reading
August 25, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Totsuka and Igarashi: Bamboo Blade, vol. 2
Kojiro, a high school kendo instructor at Muroe High, has made a risky bet in a moment of desperation. If his all-girls kendo club can beat the Machido High club coached by his old friend, Kojiro will win a year’s … Continue reading
August 17, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on CLAMP: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, vol. 22
The last time I reviewed Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle for this site I noted that CLAMP had just kicked the plot of the series into high gear. Well, after many chapters of high drama, volume 22 finds our protagonists enjoying a … Continue reading
June 8, 2009
by Joy
2 Comments
Honey and Clover, Vol. 4-5 Story and Art by Chica Umino Rated T+ for Older Teen Originally published in Japan in 2000 Serialized in US Shojo Beat in 2008-2009 Published by Viz in volume form 2008-2009 ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-1507-6 (vol. 4) … Continue reading
June 5, 2009
by Joy
Comments Off on Highlights from Shojo Beat (Apr-Jun 09)
I have never been a subscriber to Shojo Beat, but I was definitely among those who were sad to hear that the July 2008 issue would be its last. I’ve read the magazine off and on at the library for … Continue reading