Fifteen kids—most of them, except for one boy’s kid sister, in 7th grade—are taking part in a summer program called “Seaside Friendship and Nature School.” Chafing at the instruction to go out and observe nature, the kids decide to explore a nearby cave, where they inexplicably discover a computer lab and a strange guy who calls himself Kokopelli. Kokopelli tells the kids … [Read more...] about Bokurano: Ours 1-2 by Mohiro Kitoh: B
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Breaking Down Banana Fish 9-10
The fifth installment of Breaking Down Banana Fish, covering volumes nine and ten, is now up at Manga Bookshelf! These volumes feature the dramatic conclusion to the fight between Ash Lynx and his rival, Arthur, and the resulting fallout, somehow culminating in Ash having to escape from a mental hospital. As ever, it's pretty awesome. The story is very well balanced, too, … [Read more...] about Breaking Down Banana Fish 9-10
Two by Natsume Ono
For my latest column at Comics Should Be Good, I reviewed the debut volumes of two (relatively) new Natsume Ono series: House of Five Leaves and Gente: The People of Ristorante Paradiso. I really loved House of Five Leaves, with its story of a hapless samurai drawn into the schemes of a fascinating criminal. Gente is more a collection of low-key short stories than a single … [Read more...] about Two by Natsume Ono
Millennium Snow 1-2 by Bisco Hatori: B-
Millennium Snow is the first series by Bisco Hatori (of Ouran High School Host Club fame), one of those that began as a stand-alone but eventually achieved serialization. It’s been on hiatus for some time, but now that Ouran has wrapped up, some fans are hoping that Hatori will return to it. I’m not so sure that’s a worthy endeavor. Chiyuki Matsuoka has had a weak heart since … [Read more...] about Millennium Snow 1-2 by Bisco Hatori: B-
Gyo 1-2 by Junji Ito: B+
Walking fish aren't the usual sort of monsters one associates with Halloween, but their invasion makes for creepy reading nonetheless! Tadashi and his high-maintenance girlfriend, Kaori, are vacationing in Okinawa when Kaori begins complaining of putrid smells. Soon after, a chase ensues between Tadashi and a barely glimpsed, fast-moving creature, culminating with the … [Read more...] about Gyo 1-2 by Junji Ito: B+