Reading Pandora Hearts is like mentally treading water. There is so much going on that one is constantly churning the plot waters, trying to stay afloat. It’s not that I’m saying this is a bad thing or that I object to thinking—far from it!—but that I never appreciated episodic lulls so much as when they weren’t around to give me a chance to understand and process what just … [Read more...] about Pandora Hearts 2-5 by Jun Mochizuki
Shounen
The Prince of Tennis 40-42 by Takeshi Konomi
Although the final three volumes of The Prince of Tennis contain many ridiculous things and are, objectively speaking, really not that good, I still think the story wraps up reasonably well. Volume 40 begins with the tail end of the set between Seishun's captain, Tezuka, and Sanada of the Rikkai team. Tezuka is dragging things out to buy time for absentee Ryoma to arrive, … [Read more...] about The Prince of Tennis 40-42 by Takeshi Konomi
Cross Game 2-3 by Mitsuru Adachi
The first volume of Cross Game (well, the first collected volume from VIZ, which includes the first three volumes of the Japanese version) introduced the characters and established the motivation for average boy Ko Kitamura to devote himself to becoming a good enough pitcher to reach the Koshien tournament. It’s very good, but there’s little actual baseball. Volumes two and … [Read more...] about Cross Game 2-3 by Mitsuru Adachi
Hikaru no Go 21-23 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
Nearly seven years after it began, the English edition of Hikaru no Go has finally reached the final volume. I was originally both curious and skeptical about the final arc of the series, in which Hikaru and long-time rival Akira Toya represent Japan in the first Hokuto Cup (against China and Korea), but this was mostly because I’d liked where the anime chose to bring the … [Read more...] about Hikaru no Go 21-23 by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata
Tidbits: Shonen Jumpin’ Jehosaphat
Sometimes I just crave some shounen manga! Here, then, are a few short reviews of some shounen I have lately read: the third volume of Bakuman。, the 31st through 34th of Bleach, the second of Genkaku Picasso, and the thirteenth through fifteenth of Slam Dunk. All are fairly recent releases and all published under VIZ's Shonen Jump imprint; Bakuman。 and Genkaku Picasso also have … [Read more...] about Tidbits: Shonen Jumpin’ Jehosaphat