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.

Filed Under: Manhwa Tagged With:

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.

Filed Under: Fantasy, Manga, Shounen Tagged With:

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.

Filed Under: Manhwa, Supernatural Tagged With:

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.

Filed Under: Manga, Shoujo Tagged With:

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:

The Lizard Prince 1 by Asuka Izumi: B-

November 6, 2009 by 2 Comments

lizardprinceFrom the back cover:
Canary is the princess of the kingdom of Linaria. Her father, the king, has promised her hand in marriage to Heath, the handsome prince of the kingdom of Gazania. Canary isn’t crazy about this, because Heath has a bad reputation. The Prince has his own reservations, and gets his brother Sienna to pose as him on their first date, convinced he’ll drive her away. But the plan backfires when chemistry ignites between the two. The only problem is, Sienna’s been under a spell, which turned him into a lizard. And once he’s done posing as his brother, he reverts back to that form! Will love really conquer all in this mixed-up triangle?

Review:
CMX does a great job finding all-ages shoujo fantasy titles that also appeal to older readers. I enjoyed both The Palette of 12 Secret Colors and Lapis Lazuli Crown, and while I think The Lizard Prince has some problems, it’s still a decent read.

When Princess Canary’s father announces that the time has come to discuss an arranged marriage, she is pragmatic enough to have been expecting it, though she is not so sanguine about her proposed mate. Prince Heath, heir to a neighboring kingdom, is rumored to be a drunken, womanizing lout and Canary wants nothing to do with him. Her father assures her that she need only meet him once and can then call things off, and she agrees. Meanwhile, Prince Heath has acquired some magical 24-hour body swap medicine and prevails upon his talking lizard pal/minion to switch places with him.

With the lizard inhabiting his body, the Prince Heath Canary meets is sweet and kind, and she falls in love with him. Awesomely, when Canary later meets the real Prince Heath she can tell instantly that he’s not the same person and, when she learns the truth behind the masquerade, unselfconsciously professes her love for the lizard. The moment she does so, the curse upon the lizard is lifted and he’s revealed to be Heath’s older brother, Sienna.

It’s patently clear that The Lizard Prince was meant to be a one-shot story. Events wrap up so neatly at the end of the first chapter that there’s not much else to be done. And yet, the tale continues with Canary and Sienna having a variety of episodic (and rather lame) adventures, like dealing with an imposter, helping some ghosts achieve closure, and caring for an infant. After fifteen years of living as a lizard, Sienna now possesses the ability to become one at will (though he has no control over when he becomes human again), and frequently faces peril while in this form. It’s sometimes amusing, but not often.

Though it may be similar in feel to Lapis Lazuli Crown, The Lizard Prince suffers in comparison because there’s no point to the story. Both Canary and Sienna are likable characters—a “strong woman and pathetic man” combo that the author professes to prefer—and much of the enjoyment derived from reading the volume is on account of them, but it’s disappointing that they’re not given more to actually do.

Izumi’s artistic style isn’t particularly distinctive, but it is nice to look at. Sienna doesn’t look much like any lizard I’ve ever seen—he kind of looks like a plushy comma with teeny legs—but I doubt realism was even attempted. The biggest problem is that it’s occasionally hard to determine in what order the panels should be read; I made the wrong choice a few times.

The Lizard Prince is pleasant but forgettable. If the series were any longer, I’m not sure I’d bother continuing, but since it’s only two volumes long, I will likely seek out the second for the sake of completion.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Filed Under: Fantasy, Manga, Shoujo Tagged With:

Case Closed 4-5 by Gosho Aoyama: B

November 3, 2009 by 1 Comment

caseclosed4I find that one has to be in a certain mood for Case Closed. If one’s not into it, its episodic nature and the knowledge that even 60 volumes in, Conan’s secret still hasn’t been discovered can be annoyances. If you’re in the mood for a short mystery, though, the series can be a lot of fun.

Five cases of varying lengths get solved over the span of these two volumes. There’s the one where the nefarious Men in Black have planted a bomb on a train, the mystery of a coded treasure map, and the mysterious poisoning of a musician in front of several witnesses. As ever, Conan relies on the various gadgets he’s been given by Doc Agasa to both conduct his sleuthing and reveal the solution. The repeated motif of tranquilizing an adult and using the voice modulator in his bowtie (yes, really) to accuse the culprit used to bug me, but now I’m resigned/used to it.

caseclosed5My two favorite cases are each the first in their respective volumes. In volume four, a museum has been purchased by a greedy businessman who is on the verge of closing it down when he seems to be killed by a suit of armor in a medieval gallery. This one was low on gadget usage and featured some neat things like reviewing the murder on a surveillance camera and particularities of ballpoint pens.

In volume five, a group of college friends has gathered at a villa where they are menaced by an axe-wielding man wrapped in bandages. This one reminded me of a story in another volume (25, perhaps), but that’s a fairly common occurrence in this series. I actually figured out a little bit of the mystery before Conan did, which is usually difficult considering how unlikely some of these scenarios can be. It occurs to me that the stories I’ve singled out for praise also had the goriest moments in these two volumes. I’m not going to think about what that says about me.

Ultimately, Case Closed is not the best thing I’ve ever read, but when I finished volume five I wished I had the next one on hand, and that’s worth something, at least.

Filed Under: Manga, Mystery, Shounen Tagged With:

Vampire Knight 8 by Matsuri Hino: B

November 2, 2009 by 2 Comments

vampireknight8Have you ever seen anyone claim, in defense of Vampire Knight, “It gets better! Wait until you get to chapter 35!”? Well, it turns out that they’re half right.

Chapter 35 is a game-changer, with the full details of Yuki’s forgotten past coming to light along with unexpected revelations and their attendant complications. I found part of what occurs easy to predict, given the final moments of volume seven, but was genuinely surprised by a few things and absolutely delighted by Zero’s tortured reaction. (And yes, I am being terribly vague on purpose. It really is that big of a spoiler.)

However, I wouldn’t say that the series is necessarily better as a result of this dramatic turn. Kaname’s evil relative, Rido, has emerged as the villain of the piece, but he’s a recent addition and woefully undeveloped. Shifting allegiances are tough to pin down, Kaname behaves inscrutably, and the political maneuverings of the vampire realm can be confusing.

These flaws aren’t anything new—and are ameliorated somewhat by the gorgeous art—so I’d advise against developing unrealistically high expectations. Shocking developments aside, volume eight essentially offers more of the same.

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

Filed Under: Manga, Shoujo, Supernatural Tagged With: , ,

Ouran High School Host Club 13 by Bisco Hatori: B

November 2, 2009 by Leave a Comment

ouran13Feelings. That’s entirely what this volume is about. First, you’ve got Haruhi taking a love quiz and finally realizing that what she feels for Tamaki isn’t just admiration of his many good qualities, but actually love. Not that she’s ready to deal with that just yet, so she resolves to take his advice and start accumulating more life experience. Next, Hikaru informs Tamaki that he loves Haruhi, which sends Tamaki into a tizzy that still doesn’t result in him realizing his own feelings.

Even though I get the sense that not too much about this series is planned in advance, Hatori-sensei does at least offer a credible explanation for Tamaki’s family fixation and exactly why he may be unable to acknowledge his feelings for Haruhi. I also like how Haruhi realizes that Tamaki’s been encouraging her to be less apathetic for quite some time now and how he, who is pursuing his new career goals with much energy, has actually become her role model in a lot of ways.

This series is nothing if not lighthearted, but sometimes the side trips into comedy (or unnecessary appearances by other host club members) get in the way of the love story. Still, it’s fundamentally a warm, fuzzy, and satisfying read.

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

Filed Under: Gender Hijinks, Manga, Shoujo Tagged With: , ,

Ouran High School Host Club 12 by Bisco Hatori: B+

November 1, 2009 by 3 Comments

ouran12From the back cover:
Hikaru and Kaoru’s fight over Haruhi is taking its toll on Hunny and Mori, who are trying to watch over the estranged twins. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Tamaki, Kyoya starts looking for Tamaki’s mother in France.

Review:
Three plot threads are simultaneously underway in this volume, though they converge nicely by the end. In the first, Kyoya is using the class trip to France to look for Tamaki’s mother. In the second, Kaoru and Hikaru are fighting over their feelings for Haruhi and Kaoru launches a plan to spur Hikaru into action. And in the third, Tamaki is trying to decide what he wants to do with his life, and a job offer from his dad gives him a lot to consider.

Although I like the twins and enjoyed the chapters focusing on them—wherein Kaoru rightly sees the need for him and Hikaru to establish themselves as individuals but has a rather convoluted way of going about it—the heart of this series for me will always be Haruhi and Tamaki. Tamaki has backed out on the class trip to France at the last minute, but everyone else believes he has gone. There’s a priceless scene around the middle of the book where Haruhi’s on the phone with Kyoya asking how Tamaki’s doing and then spots him lurking in front of her house. There’s a lot more to the scene than that, but I don’t want to spoil it.

Haruhi and Tamaki proceed to have a lovely scene with just the two of them, wherein he gives her license to ask anything about his childhood. He also confides in her that his desire to make people happy comes from a vow to his mother and that he’d also like to carry this oath further into a career. Haruhi’s encouragement clearly means the world to him, and it’s also clear that Haruhi admires him and is getting a bit flustered in his presence (something that completely failed to happen during an outing with Kaoru in the volume’s earlier chapters). When Kyoya is later able to report that Tamaki’s mother is doing well (sniffle alert!), Tamaki decides to embrace his place in the Suoh family and accept his father’s offer to work with a chain of hotels the Suoh corporation owns.

So here we have a volume that features several characters maturing, two reticent characters displaying fondness for Tamaki, a classic bit of comedy, and a scene that brought tears to my eyes. I guess that may not seem like much, but for a largely episodic series like this one, it really is quite a lot. It also, as someone mentions in uncredited narration, is starting to feel like the beginning of the end. I think the timing’s perfect—we’ve had quite a while to enjoy these characters in a variety of situations and now it’s time for some of them to grow up enough to realize that it’s not a bad thing if relationships evolve from their current states. From all present indicators, it would seem the ending is shaping up to be a satisfying one.

Filed Under: Gender Hijinks, Manga, Shoujo Tagged With: , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »