Ah, shounen. It's always somewhat of a relief to take a break with some shounen because things tend to be blissfully uncomplicated. Encounter a bad guy? Fight him. When he whips out a backstory that suddenly makes him your ally? Befriend him. That’s the central idea behind these three volumes. We begin on Cactus Island in a town called Whiskey Peak, where the residents—who, … [Read more...] about One Piece 13-15 by Eiichiro Oda: B
Comics
Dokebi Bride 1-6 by Marley: B
Dokebi Bride is very difficult to describe because it's a little bit like a lot of things, but isn't fully any one of them. On the surface, it's the tale of a girl named Sunbi Shin who can see spirits, and those are a dime a dozen, though few incorporate myth and folklore so creatively. In later volumes, it morphs into the story of a supernaturally gifted protagonist who … [Read more...] about Dokebi Bride 1-6 by Marley: B
RIN-NE 1 by Rumiko Takahashi: B+
From the back cover: As a child, Sakura Mamiya mysteriously disappeared in the woods behind her grandma's home. She returned whole and healthy, but since then she has had the power to see ghosts. Now a teenager, she just wishes the ghosts would leave her alone! At school, the desk next to Sakura's has been empty since the start of the school year. Then one day her always-absent … [Read more...] about RIN-NE 1 by Rumiko Takahashi: B+
13th Boy 1-2 by SangEun Lee: B
There's really no way to describe 13th Boy other than “odd,” but it's odd in the best possible way. It's the story of Hee-So Eun, a fifteen-year-old girl who is already on her twelfth boyfriend, Won-Jun Kang, to whom she confessed on a national TV program. Alas, their relationship only lasts a month before Won-Jun unexpectedly breaks up with her. Hee-So refuses to give up, … [Read more...] about 13th Boy 1-2 by SangEun Lee: B
Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box by Yoko Kamio: B
After Boys Over Flowers ended its serialization in 2003, Yoko Kamio published two follow-up stories—one about the wedding of Shizuka and another told from Rui’s perspective—that take place a year after the events of volume 36. These stories were released (along with some supplemental material) in 2008 as volume 37 of the series and immediately topped the shojo charts. VIZ has … [Read more...] about Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box by Yoko Kamio: B