In some ways, I don’t really need to write another review of One Piece. Its virtues remain the same—a likeable core cast of characters who show how far friends will go to help friends and Oda’s sure hand guiding what might otherwise devolve into scenes of chaos—as does its one chief flaw: a tendency for fights to go on and on. And yet, I enjoyed this trio of volumes so much … [Read more...] about One Piece 22-24 by Eiichiro Oda: B+
Manga
Afterschool Charisma 1 by Kumiko Suekane: B-
Sigmund Freud. Florence Nightingale. Napoleon Bonaparte. These are not merely the names of eminent historical figures. They are also the names of students at a certain high school. These children are the fruit of leading-edge genetic engineering technology. In other words… they are clones. It’s the year 2XXX A.D. and St. Kleio Academy is home to many students, all clones of … [Read more...] about Afterschool Charisma 1 by Kumiko Suekane: B-
Dengeki Daisy 1 by Kyousuke Motomi: B+
From the back cover: After orphan Teru Kurebayashi loses her beloved older brother, she finds solace in the messages she exchanges with DAISY, an enigmatic figure who can only be reached through the cell phone her brother left her. Meanwhile, mysterious Tasuku Kurosaki always seems to be around whenever Teru needs help. Could DAISY be a lot closer than Teru thinks? One day … [Read more...] about Dengeki Daisy 1 by Kyousuke Motomi: B+
NANA 12 by Ai Yazawa: A
Cut for spoilers! From the back cover: Hachi tells herself that she's got her eye on the future and her life with Takumi, but she just can't let go of the past and her friendship with Nana and the rest of Blast—especially Nobu. And the tangle gets thicker when Hachi's wedding has to be postponed in favor of Nana and Ren's nuptials. Can Hachi handle another delay in her … [Read more...] about NANA 12 by Ai Yazawa: A
Black Cat 15-17 by Kentaro Yabuki: B
The last time I reviewed Black Cat, I said, “There are six volumes left of this series, and if they’re comprised of a huge epic battle between the sweepers and Creed and his goons, I think I could be quite happy indeed.” Well, I was wrong. Oh, my prediction as to the contents of these volumes was correct, but I wouldn't describe myself as “quite happy” with the results. Not … [Read more...] about Black Cat 15-17 by Kentaro Yabuki: B