As part of this month's Manga Moveable Feast on Mitsuru Adachi's Cross Game, Kate Butler and I engaged in a bit of conversation about our love of sports manga in general and this series in particular. As we reference the plot and characters, this page from VIZ's Shonen Sunday website might come in handy. MICHELLE: I'm fighting the compulsion to start this thing off by going, … [Read more...] about Cross Game Color Commentary
MMF
Maison Ikkoku 10-15 by Rumiko Takahashi
Maison Ikkoku is a series I've been meaning to read for a decade now. I watched a lot of the anime, and got up to volume nine in the manga a few years ago, but it took an MMF dedicated to Rumiko Takahashi to finally concentrate my determination sufficiently to conquer the final six volumes. Since I am writing specifically about the end of the series, and the methods Takahashi … [Read more...] about Maison Ikkoku 10-15 by Rumiko Takahashi
Aqua 1-2 by Kozue Amano
Aqua is a slice-of-life charmer ideal for architecture buffs like me. The year is 2301 and Akari Mizunashi has left Earth (Manhome) for Mars (Aqua), whose surface is now 90% water thanks to man's tinkering. It is Akari's goal to become an undine, or female tour guide who conveys sightseers by gondola through the canals of Neo-Venezia, a city modeled on Venice, which we are … [Read more...] about Aqua 1-2 by Kozue Amano
Barefoot Gen 1 Keiji Nakazawa: B
From the back cover: Barefoot Gen is the powerful, tragic story of the bombing of Hiroshima, seen through the eyes of the artist as a young boy growing up in a Japanese anti-militarist family. Of particular interest is Barefoot Gen's focus on family in a militarized culture, and the special problems which they encounter. Barefoot Gen brings home the reality of an event in our … [Read more...] about Barefoot Gen 1 Keiji Nakazawa: B
Karakuri Odette 4-5 by Julietta Suzuki: A-
When a manga’s back cover features the lines “She's a hot robot in high school! What's the worst that could happen?” one might be forgiven for expecting some sort of titillating romp to ensue. In reality, Karakuri Odette is about as far from that as it’s possible to get. Odette is the crowning achievement of her creator, the genius roboticist Professor Yoshizawa, and when she … [Read more...] about Karakuri Odette 4-5 by Julietta Suzuki: A-