Immortal Rain 1-2 by Kaori Ozaki: A-

January 20, 2010 by 2 Comments

immortalrain1Machika Balfaltin’s grandfather, Zol, was a renowned bounty hunter/assassin, but there was one man he could never catch: Methuselah, an immortal with a price on his head. Machika, like your typical fourteen-year-old, is convinced that she can do anything and is determined to settle her grandfather’s unfinished business. Her attempt to capture Methuselah goes wrong, however, when a rival group of bounty hunters swoops in to take the credit. Methuselah allows himself to be hauled off to jail, whereupon Machika breaks him out because he’s her prey. Of course, now there’s a price on her head, too, so she’s got to leave town. From there, Machika and Methuselah, who reveals that his name is actually Rain Jewlitt, get into a series of adventures usually involving people trying to nab Rain and figure out the secret of immortality, which is portrayed as much more of a curse than a blessing.

While the adventures are interesting enough, it’s the bond between the two characters that’s really the most fascinating aspect of Immortal Rain. Machika still maintains that she’s going to kill Rain one day, but quickly grows frustrated with his passivity regarding his fate and soon nurtures a desire to help him, including finding a way to make him human again. Initially, Rain attempts to keep his distance. He likes people but, as he puts it, “eventually everyone must leave this earth at a speed I can’t keep up with.” When he tries to refuse Machika’s help, it hurts her, but he’s reluctant to keep her with him because her life is so vulnerable. “So… would you hold me like I’m glass? I won’t break,” she replies. It’s clear that he’s unaccustomed to someone showing such fierce concern for his present rather than the promise of an unlimited future that he represents, and by the end of volume two he seems to have finally accepted her as a companion.

immortalrain2In addition to creating this pair of likable characters, Ozaki also parcels out bits of Rain’s backstory with a sure hand. Obscure hints and scraps of information offered in volume one are already taking shape into something that makes more sense by volume two, suggesting that answers will continue to be furnished at a satisfying rate. It would seem that he was somehow involved in some scientific experiments 600 years ago—the remnants of which are being excavated by a company that employs Sharem, an intriguing villainess who is initially introduced as a high-kicking ice queen but is gradually revealed to have inner pain of her own—and is destined to meet someone from that time who’s on the verge of being reincarnated. Too, he was once in love with a dark-haired woman whose violin is his most treasured possession.

Missteps are few, but there are a couple of bothersome things in these first two volumes. First, while a lot of the humor is genuinely amusing (I especially adore anything having to do with Machika’s pet, Kiki), some of it falls flat, especially the inept Evans siblings who attempt to capture Rain with a thoroughly ill-conceived plan involving a train, a bridge, and a 12-year-old girl piloting a mecha. Also, while less of a problem in volume two, volume one contains some passages of narration that don’t make much sense. Here’s an example:

Look. Even if you open your ears you can’t hear… the sound of the heart… if only just once.

That sounds like the kind of poorly translated English you’d find on a t-shirt in Shinjuku!

Another great point in Immortal Rain’s favor is Ozaki’s incredibly appealing art. Although the series runs in the shoujo magazine Wings and Rain technically qualifies as a bishounen, the art fosters more of a shounen adventure feeling, creating an almost palpable sense of the wide world around the central characters. The nonverbal storytelling is also great, especially in Rain’s expressive reactions to some of the things Machika says and does. Somehow, his eyes manage to convey fondness, loneliness, regret, and puzzlement simultaneously; the effect is quite lovely.

I look forward to seeing how the story develops in subsequent volumes, although I do wonder whether TOKYOPOP intends to continue releasing the series. They’ve released eight volumes in English so far, and while new volumes in Japan appear at a rate of one per year there are still ten of them out now with no US solicitation of volume nine on the horizon. It may not be time to fret quite yet, but there’s definitely reason for concern.

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Happy Cafe 1 by Kou Matsuzuki: B

December 22, 2009 by 7 Comments

happycafe1From the back cover:
Meet Uru: she’s a little short, a bit disorganized, often is mistaken for an elementary school kid, and lives by herself after her mother gets remarried. When she decides to pay the bills by working part-time at the Happy Cafe, she meets Ichiro and Shindo, two of the most unsociable guys she’s ever had to contend with! And to make matters worse, it turns out that Uru is not exactly meant for the waitress world, as she’s a HUGE klutz. But as this hilarious shojo tale unfolds, true happiness—and even true love—might be lurking just around the corner…

Review:
I must admit that the back cover synopsis of this series had me worried. “Oh God,” I groaned, “Not another klutz.” Antic shenanigans were what I expected, but Happy Cafe surprised me by delivering instead a laid-back slice-of-life comedy with a dash of romantic potential.

The story begins when sixteen-year-old Uru Takamura answers a want ad for Cafe Bonheur, a coffee shop that also serves tasty desserts. There, she meets surly manager Shindo and his coworker Ichiro, whose hunger-triggered narcolepsy is a running gag. Originally willing to work only on a temporary basis, Uru breaks more than her fair share of dishes but has a way with customers that prompts Shindo to offer her a permanent job. Gradually, we learn that Uru is living on her own because she fears she’s intruding on the happiness of her newly remarried mother. With encouragement from an unexpectedly sympathetic Shindo, who detects her loneliness, she achieves a more honest and open relationship with her parents (neither of whom are villainous, hooray!), even though she ultimately decides to continue living apart from them.

All of that, along with Ichiro awesomely feigning a sleep-talking episode in order to inform Uru of Shindo’s angsty past, happens in the first chapter. It’s good, but it does feel rushed, with certain confidences happening just a little too quickly. Subsequent chapters focus on Uru and the guys getting to know each other better while dealing with things like rude customers and runaway models who spontaneously acquire the guts to refuse an arranged marriage after talking to Uru for, like, three minutes. Most of the action is confined to the café, but the discovery that Uru and Shindo are actually next-door neighbors helps move some of their interactions out into the world.

The relationship between Uru and Shindo is the main draw here. Outwardly unfriendly, Shindo is actually more awkward than unkind, and Uru eventually realizes that when he seems most annoyed with her it’s because he’s flustered rather than angry. He clearly appreciates her sunny qualities, and also gives her advice from time to time, his own past giving him an idea of the things she’s going through. Ichiro’s also an important part of the mix, keeping tabs on the progress between his coworkers and offering up amusing observations. We never get too deep into anyone’s head, but I still like all three characters, enough to be annoyed at the prospect that the café owner might soon be introduced and mess up the balance.

On first glance, I dismissed the art style as “generic shoujo,” but the more I read, the more it grew on me. Uru is your typical flat-chested tomboyish heroine while the guys are standard bishounen types, but Matsuzuki’s style works well for this kind of story; the arsenal of expressions she imparts unto Shindo is particularly impressive. In some ways, the visual impression strikes me as similar to Natsuki Takaya’s Fruits Basket. That may be because both series ran in Hana to Yume.

If you’re looking for a simple, feel-good tale, Happy Cafe would definitely suffice. It may not be extremely profound or original, but like the best comfort food, I can see myself going back for multiple helpings.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

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Tsubasa: Those with Wings 3 by Natsuki Takaya: B-

December 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment

tsubasawings3After a disappointing start and lackluster middle, Natsuki Takaya finally delivers a mostly satisfying conclusion in this, the final volume of Tsubasa: Those with Wings.

We begin with Kotobuki and friends (sans Raimon, who is prohibited from leaving the country by a bomb in his brain) in Japan, where they conveniently meet the Tsubasa’s creator and learn the secrets of its origin. After several tedious chapters featuring characters sitting around and talking, the plot picks up when Raimon is captured by the army. Kotobuki wants to rescue him but lacks confidence so Rikuro, a mysterious boy who has helped her on a few occasions, shows up and replays Raimon’s past for her so that she can see how much she has helped him already. Painful backstories are Takaya-sensei’s forte, and Raimon’s proves to be unexpectedly touching.

From there, the story morphs into an enjoyable sci-fi action tale, with Kotobuki making her way through a sprawling military complex to rescue her love and ultimately facing off against the big villain (who, of course, has angst of his own). Along the way, she lends encouragement to allies and enemies alike, showing a profound resemblance to Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket. Indeed, this quote about Kotobuki could easy apply to Tohru, as well:

She isn’t supposed to have the time to be worrying about anyone else right now. Still… her foolishness somehow always winds up becoming much-needed support for someone else.

Coming back to the same themes and character types might, in some creators’ hands, feel like uninspired regurgitation, but with Takaya it feels more like someone playing with and fine-tuning ideas. If nothing else, Tsubasa: Those with Wings is interesting as a milestone on the way to a greater work.

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.

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Karakuri Odette 1 by Julietta Suzuki: B+

October 25, 2009 by 4 Comments

karakuriodette1“What is the difference between me and humans?” asks Odette, android creation of Professor Yoshizawa, two weeks into her existence. It’s a question that continues to puzzle her and one day, after seeing some schoolgirls on TV, she stuns the professor by telling him she wants to go to high school. The principal takes some convincing, and Odette’s required to keep her true nature a secret from the other students, but her request is eventually granted. Karakuri Odette is a slice-of-life story about Odette’s experiences in school as she makes friends, attempts to be more like a human, and comes to develop an understanding of human feelings and attachments.

It’s not difficult to imagine a story like this taking the route of a madcap comedy, but in Julietta Suzuki’s hands, the result is positively charming. Odette’s curious about her surroundings, and is content to be more of an observer while she works to understand the significance and nuances of things going on around her. There’s definitely humor, but it’s more likely to be something brief like the professor’s reaction to Odette’s mosquito-extermination methods than any kind of prolonged zaniness brought on by her ignorance of human behavior.

Indeed, Odette’s ignorance makes for some poignant moments, particularly in the first chapter. On her first day at school, the other girls notice that she isn’t eating and tell her that she’s missing out on enjoying tasty food. When she comes home, she tells the professor that she wants to be able to eat, and when the reconfiguration’s complete, thinks, “Now I’m just like them.” The next day, however, the gym teacher won’t let Odette participate in a volleyball game, spurring Odette to request that her strength be downgraded to that of a normal human’s. “Now I’m the same as everyone else,” she thinks afterwards.

Eventually, though, Odette gives up on trying to physically be like a human, but surprisingly succeeds in feeling like one when she cries genuine tears of frustration that her reduced strength leaves her unable to help a friend in a medical emergency. As Odette’s comprehension grows, she begins to become sensitive to things that even other humans miss out on, like the feelings of a classmate who’s been dismissed as a thug, as well as how important the opinion of someone you care about can be. One gets the sense she’s transcending her original programming, particularly when another robot, Asia, arrives for a brief visit. Asia seems to develop a quicker rapport with the humans around her, making Odette feel insecure, but it soon becomes clear that she has no real feelings at all.

The art is a little bit on the plain side, with a professor that looks like a teen and bodies that are sometimes awkwardly posed. The paneling itself is good, though, and I really appreciate how facial expressions are used as punchlines of comedic moments. Also, Odette’s all-encompassing curiosity is evident throughout, even when she’s silent.

Considering that Karakuri Odette is Suzuki-sensei’s debut series, the end product is very impressive indeed. I’ll eagerly be awaiting the next installment!

Karakuri Odette is published in English by TOKYOPOP. Only one of a total of six volumes has been released so far.

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

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CSI: Intern at Your Own Risk by Sekou Hamilton and Steven Cummings: C

September 28, 2009 by Leave a Comment

csi-internAs part of the Las Vegas Police Department’s Outreach Program for high school students, five teenagers earn the right to serve as interns to the CSI unit. Among them is Kiyomi Hudson, who is intrigued by the murder of a classmate, Gretchen Yates. While she and her fellow interns—a creepy guy, a nerdy guy, a jock, and a rather jerky normal guy—perform their normal internly duties of watching demonstrations of forensic techniques and solving sample cases, Kiyomi also spurs them into investigating Gretchen’s death which leads to a (theoretically) dramatic conclusion.

I don’t watch CSI or any of its spin-offs, so some of the presumed appeal of this story is lost on me. Apparently, it features some characters from the show serving in an advisory capacity to the interns, but the only one I recognize is Gil Grissom. Taken only on its own merits, CSI: Intern at Your Own Risk isn’t bad, but it certainly could’ve been better.

The main problem is the disjointed nature of the storytelling, which cuts quickly between a facilities tour, a sample case, and the investigation into Gretchen’s murder. The characters are pretty stereotypical, too, and I found the identity of the culprit completely easy to guess, though not the exact nature of his or her motivation. Some of the dialogue is awkward and I had to laugh at the line “We’re on the scene of last night’s grizzly murder.” Oh no! Poor bear!

Still, now that the concept and group has been introduced, I might actually be interested in seeing the team work another case. Hopefully, if there is to be a next time, the result will be more polished.

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

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Wild Adapter 1-6 by Kazuya Minekura: A-

September 24, 2009 by 14 Comments

wildadapter1I’ve heard a lot about the works of Kazuya Minekura over the years—mostly in praise of Saiyuki and Saiyuki Reload—but was never particularly tempted to see what all the fuss was about. That changed when MJ, who has uniformly good taste, raved about Wild Adapter on her blog back in June, and was immediately greeted with a chorus of agreement from other trustworthy sources. The time had come, it seemed, for me to have a look for myself.

On its surface, Wild Adapter is the story of Makoto Kubota, a former leader of a yakuza youth gang who is looking into a string of gruesome deaths, victims transformed into beasts by overdosing on a drug known as Wild Adapter. He takes in a “stray cat,” Minoru Tokito, with no memory of his past and a bestial right hand that indicates he’s had at least some exposure to the drug. Together, they attempt to unravel the mystery while Tokito strives to regain his memories and rival yakuza groups pursue Kubota for various reasons. Delving deeper, Wild Adapter is about two broken men who care for each other deeply but are so damaged that their affection manifests in unusual ways.

wildadapter2The first volume of the series serves as a prologue, introducing Kubota as he was before he met Tokito. He joins the Izumo syndicate on a whim and spends seven months as a youth gang leader, forming a close relationship with his second-in-command, Komiya. It’s primarily through Komiya’s eyes that we see Kubota, who seems to shirk his duties and is underestimated by many until he single-handedly administers violent payback to a rival organization. This Kubota trusts only himself, and says things like, “It was him or me, and I only choose me.” After Komiya is killed for investigating Wild Adapter, Kubota quits Izumo and takes in his new houseguest.

Beginning with volume two, which picks up a year later, the series features Kubota and Tokito together, following various leads on Wild Adapter and getting into dangerous predicaments. Each volume is self-contained and introduces a new character who gives an outsider’s perspective on the leads and their relationship. This storytelling approach is fascinating, because by never really allowing us into Kubota’s head, he’s able to come across to the reader the same way he does to the characters who encounter him, like “a wildadapter3 mysterious, untouchable man who seemed to float on air.” Tokito is much more openly expressive—as Kubota notes, “he can only tell the truth”—and though his past is unknown, who he is now is not nearly so difficult to ascertain.

Kubota has never cared for anyone before meeting Tokito, and is gradually changed by the relationship. Throughout the series there are quite a few poignant moments where he demonstrates how much he cares for and even needs Tokito and by the end of volume six, he has evolved from someone who only chooses himself into someone who will unhesitatingly risk his own death in order to rescue his kidnapped friend. We probably get the most insight into how Kubota feels about Tokito in volume five, where our point-of-view character is Shouta, an elementary school kid and aspiring manga artist who lives next door. Shouta finds his neighbors cool and exciting and is drawing a manga based on them. He confides to Kubota that he’s having trouble with the character based on him, and in a rare moment of candor, Kubota suggests that the character was searching for something to make him feel alive, but didn’t know what to do once he got it.

wildadapter4We begin to see that Kubota wanted to feel a connection like others do, but the only person he’s ever been able to rely on is himself, so it’s difficult to trust in someone else. “He really cares about Tokito,” the observant Shouta concludes. “He just doesn’t know how to express it.” Interestingly, these insights and the undoubtedly positive influence Kubota and Tokito have on Shouta can lull one into thinking Kubota is a good guy, an impression thoroughly tested by the Kill Bill-esque levels of vengeance on display in volume six.

Tokito, on the other hand, immediately trusts Kubota and gets petulant a couple of times when details of Kubota’s past of which he was not aware come to light. Although he’s by far the more endearing of the two, I find I have less to say about Tokito, perhaps because his origins are still shrouded in mystery and therefore all we have to gauge him by is the present. Readers receive a small tidbit of information about his past in volume six, and he’s had a few flashes of memory, but one can only assume that further development for Tokito will come later.

wildadapter5In addition to possessing fantastic, nuanced characters and a well thought-out approach to storytelling, Wild Adapter also boasts terrific art. In a word, it’s best described as “dark,” with black margins on every page and a gritty and shadowy feel that befits the subject matter. Kubota, in particular, has a knack for appearing distressingly cool while committing heinous acts. Despite the darkness, the art is seldom hard to follow and can also be much brighter, especially when the leads are enjoying some pleasant time together in their apartment, as well as versatile, like when Minekura draws the characters in the style of Shouta’s obviously shounen manga. I’m also impressed by the covers, each of which depicts the characters with a barrier of some kind, be it barbed wire, prison bars, or police tape. The cover on which they are the least obscured is for volume five, which just so happens to be the volume in which their missing first year together is finally revealed. Coincidence? I think not.

wildadapter6About the only complaints I could make is that the Wild Adapter plotline is occasionally sidelined for volumes at a time—volumes four and five, specifically, though these are also my favorites, so make of that what you will—and that there isn’t more! I’m sure Saiyuki fans are thrilled by announcements of new spin-offs, but I’d much rather Minekura work on this series instead!

Wild Adapter balances action, mystery, suspense, and strong character development while being downright addictive and capable of inspiring passionate devotion. In my quest to have more Minekura to read, I might even defect and check out Saiyuki, but in my heart I’ll really be wondering, “How long until volume seven?”

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Takeru: Opera Susanoh Sword of the Devil 1-2 by Kazuki Nakashima and Karakarakemuri: B

September 22, 2009 by Leave a Comment

Upon a string of islands known as Oyashima, a country called Amamikado is attempting to assert its dominance by sword and by spell, the tales of its brutality making for easy victories over the frightened populace. The only nation able to oppose the Amamikado onslaught is Jagara, renowned for its warrior women and fabled to have on its side the legendary Sword of Susanoh. As the story opens, a young man arrives from the mainland in search of a wooden box, which, when united with its twin already in his possession, will reveal a clue as to the sword’s location.

After retrieving the box, with the help of a burly fellow, and acquiring some additional (paid) assistance in the form of a stealthy assassin, the young man introduces himself. He is Izumo-no-Takeru, the muscular guy is Kumaso-no-Takeru, and the assassin is Oguna-no-Takeru. The trio sets off to Jagara in search of the sword, but things in the seemingly idyllic jungle kingdom are not as they seem; tragedy and betrayal soon follow.

Takeru comes as something of a surprise, as I hadn’t expected it to be this good. The plot is engaging, moving swiftly and offering up some startling scenes and genuinely unexpected reversals of fortune. The characters are likable. There’s humor. And, as a special bonus, there are extremely capable female warriors whose queen, Miyazu, is effortlessly and awesomely competent in a variety of situations.

On the flip side, sometimes the speed of the narrative works to its disadvantage. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the big reveal in volume two leaves me with some unanswered questions, and with the story proceeding at such a pace, I’m not sure there will be time to come back and answer them. There’s also little chance to develop the lead trio beyond their types. Izumo is the inscrutably cheerful leader; Kumaso is the forthright, personable hothead; and Oguna is the reserved and distrustful ninja. I can’t help thinking certain events would elicit more of a reaction beyond “Oh, cool!” if readers had been given more time to get to know the characters.

takeru2I like Karakarakemuri’s art a lot; it’s lovely in general and features interesting layouts and perspectives, some unique character designs, and a good sense of setting. Also, I love how she uses body language to demonstrate character; this is best seen in a scene in which Izumo plops down on someone’s couch and, while engaged in conversation, plucks a flower from a vase and fiddles with it until his annoyed host snatches it away to return it to its proper place. The art’s only flaw is that action sequences are often unclear, particularly as it pertains to Oguna. Since his primary asset is his speed, his attacks are frequently portrayed as slashes of white, and it can be hard to tell what just happened. “Did he really cut that guy’s head off?” I had to wonder at one point and, y’know, beheadings generally aren’t known for their ambiguity.

At only four volumes, this series doesn’t require much of an investment and offers a genuinely entertaining fantasy adventure. I’ll definitely be following it until its conclusion.

Takeru: Opera Susanoh Sword of the Devil (sometimes written as takeru: OPERA SUSANOH SWORD OF THE DEVIL, though that looks silly next to a cover that reads otherwise) is published by TOKYOPOP. Two volumes have been released so far. The third volume will be released in December 2009 and the fourth and final volume in March 2010.

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

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Kare Kano 11-12 by Masami Tsuda: B-

September 6, 2009 by 7 Comments

karekano11One thing that Kare Kano does differently from a lot of shoujo manga is that it puts its side stories about the main couple’s friends in the middle of the series rather than the end. That might be a disruptive and frustrating choice if one is consuming the story rapidly—the “Dark Arima” arc has been left hanging since the end of volume nine—but for someone like me, who hasn’t read a volume of this series in a year, the two-volume tale of the romance between childlike Tsubasa and her step-brother, Kazuma, works as a nice, self-contained reintroduction to Kare Kano‘s characters and plot.

When Tsubasa’s doting father married Kazuma’s mother, each lonely only child acquired a new step-sibling. Tsubasa was very upset at first, but grew to like her step-brother a lot and open up to him in a way she had with no one else. Kazuma fights his more mature attraction for her, drawn to the sad and lonely side of her that only he gets to see, especially as he feels an increasingly strong desire to devote himself more fully to his musical career with the indie band, Yin and Yang. Feelings of doubt and insecurity about his musical worth plague him, however, and he spends a lot of time trying to figure out what he wants and should do. He eventually realizes that his love for Tsubasa is a strength rather than a weakness, as allowing himself to experience it positively impacts his songwriting abilities and makes him feel like a more legitimate part of the band.

Tsubasa has always been my least favorite character in the series. Since her introduction, she’s been portrayed as immature and violent, and often pretty dumb. These two volumes make the case that she’s actually refusing to grow up on purpose, putting up walls to deflect things she’s not ready to deal with yet. She’s certainly far more tolerable here than she ever has been before, and by the end of the story seems to have grown up a great deal. Originally viewing Kazuma as a “safe” guy by whom she can feel adored without entering into anything more complicated, her front row center presence at a Yin and Yang concert signals that she accepts both Kazuma’s dedication to music as well as his feelings for her.

karekano12While there are certainly moments between Kazuma and Tsubasa that are important, not just between them but for the story at large (I very much hope Tsubasa retains her newfound maturity), I still can’t get very excited about their relationship. Part of the problem is that they’re not actually together a lot in these two volumes: it seems like Kazuma spends much more time with his (meant to be amusing but not actually amusing at all) bandmates than he does with her. Granted, this is actually indicative of their circumstances, and Kazuma’s absence from Tsubasa’s world and her hatred of the music that keeps him from her is a big part of the story, but it seems they’re only able to connect for a few pages at a time which hampers my ability to really understand how they’d function together as a couple.

I’m also rather confused about the passage of time. From the time Kazuma’s new song prompts Yin and Yang to give a stellar performance to the concert Tsubasa attends, eight months pass. Have these eight months also passed uneventfully for Yukino and Arima, who appear throughout these volumes sporadically, functioning solely as Yin and Yang fans? Perhaps it was a convenient way for Tsuda to leave her leads in a holding pattern while whisking them that much nearer to graduation. Time will tell, I suppose.

Ultimately, these two volumes are decent, but disappointing, too. At least the focus returns to Yukino and Arima with the next volume.

Filed Under: Manga, Shoujo Tagged With: ,
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