Nabari No Ou 2 by Yuhki Kamatani: C+

November 16, 2009 by Leave a Comment

nabari_2Middle-schooler Miharu Rokujou is the unwilling host of a great ninja power known as Shinra Banshou. He’s got allies who want to extract the power and destroy it, and enemies who want to claim the power for themselves. In this volume, his allies decide to adopt the same plan as their enemies and collect the scrolls of each clan’s forbidden arts, believing that the way to extract Shinra Banshou can be found by combining elements from the various methods. Meanwhile, Miharu is approached by a couple of people who want him to use Shinra Banshou to grant their wishes, one of whom threatens death for Miharu’s friends if he does not comply.

I really want to like Nabari No Ou. The art, relying heavily on contrasts between black and white, is nice to look at and there are some compelling characters. My favorite is Kouichi, Miharu’s studious-looking classmate who turns out to be a capable and surprisingly ruthless ninja. Everyone’s got their own agenda, but bonds are beginning to grow between Miharu and his three protectors, resulting in some nice moments that are the highlights of the series.

In between, though, it’s just so damned boring! There’s a lot of talk about forbidden arts and secret arts and “wisdom” and none of it is explained well enough to have any real impact on the reader. I quite literally fell asleep twice while trying to get through this volume. I had hoped that this second volume would somehow click with me in a way that the first did not, but I’m even more disappointed than before.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.

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Nabari No Ou 1 by Yuhki Kamatani: B-

November 15, 2009 by 6 Comments

nabari_1From the back cover:
Apathetic schoolboy Miharu Rokujou is content to meander through life in the sleepy village of Banten. But his quiet existence is shattered when the Grey Wolves of Iga, a powerful ninja clan, attempt to kidnap him in broad daylight. Only then does Miharu discover that the ultimate power of the hidden ninja realm—a power that can do both great good and great harm—is sealed within his body. As battles erupt among rival ninja clans seeking to control him, Miharu must overcome his apathy and learn the ways of the ninja if he wants any shot at survival!

Review:
Through circumstances so far left unexplained, apathetic middle schooler Miharu Rokujou has within his body the “wisdom” required to access the power to rule all things, Shinra Banshou. This makes him a hot commodity among rival ninja clans, who have persevered into the modern day solely because of their quest to find and obtain this power for themselves.

But Miharu’s not interested in any of that. He’d much rather maintain his indifference to the things around him and coast through life until such time as he inherits the family okonomiyaki shop. Despite repeated urgings from the covert ninjas in his school—a classmate and a teacher—to take the situation seriously and begin training, Miharu can’t be made to care. Eventually they wear him down and he joins the ninja club, where he begins to learn a few techniques. Later, a trip to consult a ninja expert ends in bloodshed as a rival clan is in the midst of an attack and employing a “monster” who uses his own life force to inflict terrible wounds on his opponents.

Although it picks up towards the end of the volume, with the battle scenes and the revelation that Kumohira-sensei, ninja club advisor and Miharu’s self-appointed protector, harbors a dark secret, I found the first half of this volume to be extremely dull. There’s a repeating pattern that goes like this:

Kumohira-sensei: You should join the club and train!
Miharu: Don’t wanna.
Rival ninjas: *attack*
Kumohira-sensei: See?!
Miharu: Nope.

Rinse and repeat about four times before he finally ends up in the club, though without any significant change of heart. It’s pretty frustrating. He does, at least, begin reading up and shows incredible aptitude when he actually applies himself. It’s a good sign that, towards the end of the volume, he actually gets adamant about something. Perhaps he’ll finally begin to care about his situation and the people willing to give everything to protect him.

The comedic gags didn’t really work for me, either. I don’t think I smiled at a single one. These range from Miharu using his uke-like looks to get his way—seriously, he’s so scrawny that in one panel his head is, like, twice as big as his butt—to the others’ over-the-top reactions to the unfashionable garb Miharu wears to the train station. I get that the author is trying to establish some camaraderie between the characters, but it’s just not funny.

I have no complaints about Kamatani’s art, and the packaging from Yen Press, including some smooth and swanky paper, is quite nice. This is the first manga published by them, as opposed to manhwa, that I’ve read so I’d never previously noticed, being unable to read Korean, that they faithfully translate the sound of the original sound effect and then include its meaning in parenthesis, like “basa (flap).” I like it.

Ultimately, while I’m not wild about Nabari No Ou so far, the uptick in the last couple of chapters means I’m not quite ready to give up on it yet.

Nabari No Ou is published in English by Yen Press; two volumes have been released so far. The series is still ongoing in Japan and is up to eleven volumes.

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Gestalt 4 by Yun Kouga: B-

November 14, 2009 by 1 Comment

gestalt4From the back cover:
Olivier continues his slow and roundabout trek to G, accompanied by Suzu and Sakata. Along the way they meet an old man who offers to aid Olivier in exchange for tutoring his granddaughter, Roxanne. The girl turns out to be much more than she seems, with hidden powers and a history with Ouri as well. With all the various plots starting to come together, Olivier and his friends head back to Salsaroa for some answers—but the real game is just beginning!

Review:
Wouldn’t you know it? A review copy of volume four arrived at my doorstep the very day I posted my review of volumes one through three.

When last we left off, Ouri had left the group, blaming herself for the drastic measures she had to take to stop the progress of a corrosive poison Father Olivier’s dark persona had spilled on his arms. Now, she’s on her way back. Shazan and a couple of her siblings are out looking for her and meanwhile, Olivier and his two “trackers” have been invited to stay at a ritzy manor by an old guy who seems a little too enraptured by Olivier’s pretty face.

Things proceed pretty predictably from there. Ouri meets up with Shazan first, shows some increased powers when battling her siblings, then turns up just in time to rescue Olivier from his creepy host’s intentions. Although the main plot is not very exciting, along the way we learn more about the purpose of the game Ouri and her siblings are playing and are introduced to a new foe, a sorceress who somehow curses Ouri with an infant. Too, the group has a new goal, as the consciousness within Ouri informs her of a way that Olivier’s arms might be restored.

In terms of the overall merits and flaws of the series, I haven’t much to add at this point that would differ from what I wrote in my earlier review. I’m pleased to note, however, that the interstitial comedy episodes are missing from this volume, which greatly improves the flow of the story. While many mysteries remain, the new nugget of information about the siblings’ game continues the well-paced dissemination of clues that makes even a rather episodic volume like this one feel like it has a part to play in the grander scheme of the story.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

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Silent Möbius: Complete Edition 1 by Kia Asamiya: B

November 13, 2009 by Leave a Comment

silentmobius1With an all-new translation, new scans of the original artwork, and extras like color image galleries and interviews, UDON Entertainment’s really going all out with their reissue of this shounen manga classic. I reviewed the first volume for Comics Should Be Good.

You can find that review here.

Silent Möbius is complete in twelve volumes, but UDON has only released the first volume so far. They also have plans to release a one-volume prequel and a two-volume set of short stories.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

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Small-Minded Schoolgirls 1-2 by toma: A-

November 11, 2009 by 2 Comments

small-minded1What do you get when you combine some admittedly funky art with excellent characterization and a slice-of-life story about the romantic woes of a pair of professional women? Small-Minded Schoolgirls, the josei-ish, online-exclusive manhwa from NETCOMICS.

The series focuses on two women: Miru Na, a successful novelist, and Somi Han, a thwarted writer whose job is to secure talent for a literary magazine. Miru, 30, is prickly and fussy, and I honestly could probably go on for three paragraphs about her various quirks and flaws. She was popular with guys in her twenties, and always wearied of their attention and wished they’d leave her alone until one day, they did. Somi is younger and aloof, adept at hiding her real feelings, and unsure about what she really wants. She has a boyfriend, whom she claims to adore, but gets caught up in illicit flirtations with a married coworker.

The two women are acquainted, since Miru is going to be writing something for the magazine Somi works for, and though they interact occasionally (and, awesomely, do not like each other at all), the narrative mostly switches back and forth between them as they go to work, ponder existential questions, and deal with the men in their lives. Miru starts off looking for a passionate love, the kind where her mere presence is something very precious to another person, but loneliness compels her to entertain the advances of a former classmate, Dongsoon. His long-term adoration of her is flattering at first, but soon turns creepy. Somi, meanwhile, eventually realizes that she’s actually a pretty crappy girlfriend and is incapable of truly supporting her boyfriend’s dream of becoming an animator. Though declaring her eye would never rove again after the first coworker incident, the pattern’s already begun to repeat itself.

Of increasing importance is Miru’s brother, Migook, who is a resolutely apathetic slacker. He left his job over a misunderstanding he couldn’t be bothered to explain, and spends most of his time loafing around the house, reading tons of manhwa and maintaining a review blog (hee!). Slowly, we learn more details about the incident at work, and he gains more confidence about dealing with it and life in general. After long feeling like a man with nothing to offer, effectively threatening his sister’s stalker seems somehow to empower him and by the end of the second volume, he’s seeing someone and actually considering going back to work.

There are a few more characters who show up from time to time—the most important of these is Jingwan, Migook’s friend, who is looking like the perfect match for Miru—but they’re significant only in the way they impact our lead characters. Small-Minded Schoolgirls is definitely a character-centric tale that hinges more on the subtleties of interaction and personal foibles than big dramatic moments. The one time it goes there—when Dongsoon briefly kidnaps Miru—it feels wrong somehow. The series is full of keen observations on human nature and achieves poignancy and humor in equal measure. One storytelling aspect I particularly adore is the way toma uses boxes of omniscient narration to comment on what’s going on in a panel or to provide further insight into a character’s state of mind at that moment. My favorite occurs when Migook has just told Miru about his girlfriend. Before she can be truly happy for him, she unconsciously begins dialing the phone to call the new man she’s begun seeing. The narration in this panel reads, “Note: People are only able to congratulate others when they have their own peace of mind.”

While I recommend the series without reservation, the one area where it could prove a disappointment to some is in the art. The most obvious deviation from traditional manhwa is the fact that it’s in color. There’s no shading in the illustrations and backgrounds are apt to be solid fields of color, almost as if they were filled in using the bucket tool in Microsoft Paint. The drawing style itself takes some getting used to, as well. At first, I was reminded of the heta uma (bad, but good) style employed by Yusaku Hanakuma in Tokyo Zombie (Last Gasp). Eventually, though, I came to appreciate toma’s skill in depicting body language, and though close-ups are few and the scribbled black eyes inexpressive, the strength of the storytelling ensures that emotions are communicated without incident.

I’d be sad if the eccentric art kept anyone from giving Small-Minded Schoolgirls a try. After a while, it honestly becomes hard to imagine the series drawn in any other way and really, can josei lovers afford to be picky?

Review copies provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.

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Gestalt 1-3 by Yun Kouga: B-

November 10, 2009 by 5 Comments

gestalt1Our story begins when Father Olivier, a priest of gentle temperament, abruptly resigns from his order and begins a journey to an island known as G. There’s a legend that a god, Gestalt, cast out from his brethren, was exiled there and will grant the wish of any explorer who seeks him out. For some reason, the head of Olivier’s order, Father Messiah, is rather desperate to get him back, and sends dark-elf Suzu in pursuit. Meanwhile, a mute slave girl is bestowed upon Olivier as an innkeeper’s thank-you gift for blessing her garden. He attempts to decline the gift, but the girl points out that she might wind up with a truly cruel master were she sold again, so he reluctantly accepts.

When Suzu catches up to them, Olivier dispels the enchanted silence that’s been laid on the slave girl, who is then free to use her magic. She introduces herself as Ouri, and is extremely vague about her origins at first, though information gradually trickles out about the game in which she is apparently engaged with her six siblings and for which she’s been handicapped by various means. Instantly fond of her kind “master,” Ouri decides to accompany Father Olivier on his journey rather than devote her attentions to the game, though her siblings do tend to pop up anyway. On the way, they’re joined by Suzu and Shazan, a fortune-teller who’s intrigued by another consciousness that seems to be housed within Ouri as well as a demonic vibe around Olivier.

gestalt2While we start off with quite a few mysteries, information is doled out at a satisfying pace. There’s still a lot that we don’t know about Ouri, but by the third volume we’ve got a general idea. The supporting characters get some development—Shazan’s surprising past comes to light and Suzu is victorious over her dismissive sisters, responsible for casting her out from her clan—and we also learn the reason for Gestalt’s banishment and Father Messiah’s concern for Olivier, after whom he now sends a second tracker. Though Olivier’s position as protagonist was almost immediately eclipsed by Ouri, the revelation that the dark presence within him is coming unsealed reasserts his significance to the story, though the narrative is more focused on how Ouri deals with things than how Olivier does.

Though it’s entertaining enough, I wouldn’t yet say that Gestalt is actually truly compelling in any way. The major problem seems to be that it’s determined not to be taken seriously. In the second and third volumes, the plot is frequently interrupted by side stories about Christmas or trips to the beach (complete with blatant fanservice), which are particularly jarring when inserted between chapters dealing with Olivier’s dark side and the damage it inflicts. Another issue is the lack of genuine emotional reactions from the characters: this is one of those series where characters demonstrate their anger by shaking a fist and sprouting a fang for a panel or two. Also, potentially shocking news about Ouri is absorbed with nary a ripple of surprise from her traveling companions and her siblings are uniformly dull. Some would add to this list of gripes the RPG-like stats and damage assessments that crop up from time to time. I grant that talk of “leveling up” takes one out of the story, but I personally find this aspect of the tale kind of fun.

gestalt3Though the cover art was drawn as part of the packaging for a reissue and therefore looks more modern, the interior art possesses that indefinable quality that betrays its ’90s origins (Father Messiah, for one, seems to have copied the hairdo of Nokoru from CLAMP Campus Detectives). It’s also, as I described it on Twitter, “boobalicious.” Every female wears impossibly skimpy garb, and though Kouga-sensei seems to be making fun of fanservice at times, there’s still a lot of it. I also note that sometimes the boobs are strangely asymmetrical; check out the cover of volume three for an example.

Overall, Gestalt is by no means a masterpiece. If certain elements were excised—the fanservice, the pointless bonus chapters, and Ouri’s siblings—and others improved, then perhaps it might have a chance. Otherwise, the best that it could ever hope to achieve is “decent.” And yet, even though I find that I can’t really care about any of the characters, I’m still interested to learn the truth behind the remaining mysteries. As long as I don’t make the mistake of expecting too much, it’ll probably be enjoyable.

Review copies provided by the publisher.

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The Antique Gift Shop 9 by Lee Eun: B-

November 9, 2009 by Leave a Comment

antiquegift9Bun-Nyuh never wanted to be the proprietor of an antique shop, but made a bet with her grandmother that if she managed to sell all of the mystical merchandise she’d be allowed to pursue her goal of attending university instead of following family tradition and becoming a shaman. The bulk of the series has focused on episodic tales of the items Bun-Nyuh and her enigmatic employee, Mr. Yang, have sold to their customers as well as the results of those transactions.

That pattern ends in the ninth and penultimate volume, as Bun-Nyuh, desperate to be rid of the shop, decides to close it and abandon everything by running away. Despite her attempts to flee, her journey brings her to her hometown where a childhood friend she doesn’t remember claims her as his bride. Remaining by his side offers solace from things she’d rather forget, but dreams of Mr. Yang remind her there are some memories she’d like to keep. Just as she resolves not to let her memories of their time together disappear, her life is suddenly in jeopardy.

This was my first time reading The Antique Gift Shop and boy, was I confused at first. The volume begins with the conclusion to a story from volume eight, and I was completely lost. The tale of Bun-Nyuh and her friend really won me over, though, with its moody and oppressive atmosphere brought on by Bun-Nyuh’s fear of the incessant rain. Mr. Yang, though scarcely glimpsed in this volume, looks to be a very intriguing character, too, and I find that I’m both interested to learn what happens next as well as what’s gone before.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.

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Shinobi Life 3 by Shoko Conami: B+

November 9, 2009 by Leave a Comment

shinobilife3Beni Fujiawara’s dreams of pursuing a relationship with her ninja bodyguard from the past, Kagetora, are thwarted when her father announces that he has arranged her marriage to Rihito Iwatsuru, a classmate with an agenda of his own who is not adverse to hurting Kagetora when he gets in his way. As volume three begins, Beni has agreed to go out with Iwatsuru in exchange for him leaving Kagetora alone and is trying to keep Kagetora from finding out.

When put into words, the plot seems so simple, and yet a great deal of dramatic goodness is wrung from it. Iwatsuru’s henchman plants the seed in Beni’s head that Kagetora only sees her as a substitute for the princess he used to guard. Though she initially refuses to believe it, when her attempts to reassure Kagetora with a courageous smile remind him of her ancestress, he blurts out the wrong name and triggers all of the doubts she’d been determined to squelch. Because his code of ethics prevents him from defying her father’s orders to keep his distance, Kagetora is rather stuck when it comes to demonstrating that it’s her he truly cares for. Their dilemma makes for compelling drama as well as a satisfying conclusion to the volume.

I also appreciate that Iwatsuru is not some two-dimensional villain and is, in fact, just as much a pawn of his parents as Beni is. Speaking of Beni’s parents, the more I see her dad in action the easier I find it to believe the accusations she lodged against him in the first volume concerning his involvement in her mother’s death. With each volume, the tone of the series has become progressively darker and it now seems like major family secrets are just below the surface, waiting to emerge.

Shinobi Life hasn’t turned out to be lighthearted and fun like I was expecting and a few revelations leave me scratching my head, but I still find it quite enjoyable.

Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.

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Shinobi Life 2 by Shoko Conami: B

November 8, 2009 by 1 Comment

shinobilife2From the back cover:
Beni convinces Kagetora to go back with her to the future—as a student! Everything is going fine until they meet a strange and mysterious classmate, Iwatsuru. As Kagetora and Beni’s interest in one another blossoms, Beni’s father reminds Kagetora that he is only a mere bodyguard and nothing more! What’s worse, he reveals that he has already arranged for Beni to get married—to Iwatsuru! A test of true love and courage begins…

Review:
Now that she and Kagetora have both returned to the present and he’s no longer seeing her as the untouchable princess he used to guard, Beni’s thinking that everything is going to be fine. She’s trying to get Kagetora accustomed to living in the future—enrolling him in school and having a nice bedroom set up for him—but he can’t change right away. When her father notices Beni and Kagetora getting close, however, he reminds Kagetora of his promise to be mindful of social rank and informs Beni that he has arranged for her to marry a surly classmate, Iwatsuru.

Another thing that Kagetora is unable to jettison from his past is his unquestioning respect for authority, and Beni is frustrated when he doesn’t speak up with any objections to her marrying someone else. Her fiancé is a real creep, though, and as much as Kagetora tells himself not to intervene, he does step in when Beni grows truly frightened. His meddling irritates Iwatsuru, who has an unexpected houseguest—a ninja from the past with a grudge against Kagetora.

This series really gets some things exactly right. The chemistry between the leads is strong, leading to some genuinely sexy moments. I love, too, that their cultural differences are so well-integrated; it doesn’t feel like some artificial obstacle that Kagetora would step aside for a suitor chosen by Beni’s father—it feels perfectly in character. Beni’s hurt feelings when Kagetora fails to defy her father are poignant, and when she realizes that if he’s incapable of rebelling she’ll just have to be the one to do it, it’s a nice moment.

I was disappointed in the methods Beni takes to break off the engagement, however. She somehow believes that this jerk is going to be fooled by her attempts to shake him off by being terribly rude in public, and the scenes where she tries to embarrass him are painful to endure given how good this series can be the rest of the time. Still, I’m won over again by an insight into Beni’s thoughts—she knows the time she and Kagetora have together will end someday, so she’s desperate for them to get as much time together before that happens.

As a final note, I’m also impressed by how seamlessly Conami-sensei was able to turn this concept, originally intended as a one-shot, into a series. I never would’ve realized that was the case, which is in marked contrast to a recent read, The Lizard Prince, where it could not have been more obvious.

Filed Under: Manga, Shoujo Tagged With:

Demon Ex Machina by Julie Kenner: C

November 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment

demon-ex-machinaFrom the back cover:
With her first husband possessed by a demon and her current husband spending way too much time at home, Demon Hunter Kate Connor is having one hell of a month…

In between demon patrols and teaching self-defense classes for local moms, Kate has to deal with a teenage daughter, who is gung ho about being a demon slayer in training, and a toddler son entering a tantrum phase that rivals anything from the pits of hell.

To make matters worse, ever since her current husband, Stuart, learned about her secret life, he’s been practically smothering her with attention. That wouldn’t be so bad, except now Stuart’s fired up to learn everything he can about demons, and that kind of research can get a former desk jockey killed.

It’s a lot to juggle. And on top of it all, Kate has to find a way to release the demon possessing her first husband, Eric, without destroying the man inside. Because if the demon within Eric gets free, it just might be more than this seriously stressed suburban mom can handle…

Review:
In my review of the previous volume in the Tales of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom series, I outlined a formula that Julie Kenner seems to be following in each installment. Let’s see how Demon Ex Machina fares.

1. A demon attacks Kate in her backyard.
Check! This time the demon does not demand information about an artifact required for a ritual, but it does provide a clue by naming the demon (Odayne) dwelling and growing within Kate’s late-but-alive-again husband, Eric.

2. Scattered investigation ensues, taking a backseat to domestic plans. These will include a dinner party.
Check! Most of the “investigation” (and the book) consists of Kate sitting around whining that the only way she knows of to vanquish Odayne is to stab him with some special dagger, but doing so will take Eric along with it. A dinner party is mentioned, but not seen on camera. This time, a house-flipping project is the main domestic subplot.

3. The word “kiddo” will be used a distracting number of times.
Semi-check! It’s used a lot less than in previous volumes, but pops up occasionally.

4. Kate will angst about keeping secrets from her husband.
Check! Stuart knows most everything now, though not about the occasional smoochies Kate enjoys with Eric. Her big secret is not telling her daughter, Allie, about Eric playing host to Odayne.

5. Someone Kate cares about will be kidnapped by the demons.
Check! I almost thought it wasn’t going to happen this time but twenty pages from the end, there it was. So close!

So, yes, more of the predictable, lackluster same. As before, what I find most interesting is Stuart’s reaction to Kate’s doings. Stuart himself isn’t really much of a character, but his pain regarding Kate’s lingering feelings for Eric and his attempts to reconcile himself to her demon-hunting duties supply the most compelling emotional moments this series has to offer. Allie, too, is becoming quite the competent Hunter in her own right and the novel’s conclusion promises further development in her skills as well as a possible departure from the formula I’ve just been criticizing. I am weak against promises such as these, so I’m sure I’ll be back for more when Kenner churns out the next one.

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