Bring It On!, Vol. 5

By Baek HyeKyung
Yen Press, 192 pp.
Rating: 13+

On the eve of Seung-Suh’s birthday, a surprise party guest threatens to turn everything upside down and split up Mi-Ha and Seung-Suh in the process. Eun-Yang, the classmate that cost Seung-Suh everything, returns to tie up loose ends with a small wager: whoever Mi-Ha chooses to go out with on the allotted date is declared the winner. Unfortunately for Seung-Suh, the unwitting Mi-Ha is on a quest for the truth about his past–and the only way to get it may be a conveniently timed outing with Eun-Yang.

It’s difficult to explicate the appeal of Bring It On!, given the series seems to be yet another romance/school life/comedy hybrid when laid out on paper. Much of it, however, may be explained by what the series does right in comparison to its shojo brethren: it keeps the right elements in check while still allowing for equal parts comedy and drama. Gone is the angst and over-the-top obsessing typical to the genre, replaced instead by a well timed sense of comedy and an upbeat vibe. The even better news is that much of the comedy is genuinely funny, and never has to resort to the romcom standard of a few side character zingers or character flailing to merit the designation.

Perhaps the rarest–and thus most awe inspiring element–of shojo is genuinely good characterization. Too often is the central relationship focused on the big reveal, the discovery that (surprise!) the lead couple reciprocates each others’ feelings. Thankfully for Bring It On!, there is a sense of growth and naturalness to both Mi-Ha and Seung-Suh. Both carry trace elements of character archetypes within them, but there’s no one name that can be clearly pinned upon either of the two- or any of the supporting cast, for that matter. Characters frequently feel like paste-ins for roles, so it’s a refreshing change to have them feel more like, well, people.

With a strong lean on comedic paneling, it’s clear that Baek’s artistic strength lies in cartoon-esque, often outlandish poses and action. Her grasp of tone is equally admirable, as it avoids lacy, sparkly overabundance while simultaneously managing to not over darken or out gradient the action at hand. A good balance and a keen eye for usage go a long way towards ameliorating the otherwise standard schoolyards, cities and room interiors that seem to comprise most of the volume.

It’s difficult to imagine a series with more amiable charm than Bring It On! While it seems assembled around the usual shojo scaffolding, a decidedly welcome set of adaptations propels the title into a realm above much of its brethren. Infinitely approachable and far too overlooked, the series should prove an unexpected delight, especially to those familiar with other girl-oriented offerings. Simply put, if you’re a manga fan with an inclination towards good, underloved titles, bump this one to the top of your list.

Volume five of Bring It On! is available now.

Dorothea, Vols. 1 – 2

By Cuvie
Published by CMX
Rating: Mature

As Catholicism sweeps across feudal Europe, many of those who still practiced pagan religions find themselves ostracized, feared, or worse. In one small Germanic village, the practice of revering the local albino population leaves the area open to accusations of witchcraft and heresy from a neighboring king. Thus the young albino girl known as Dorothea is forced to leave her home and family for the first time as she sets forth on a quest to rally allies to help protect her people from persecution and a possible invasion.

The actual plot to get Dorothea out into the world is a bit confusing. While Catholicism spurs on an attempt to grab the land that Dorothea and her people inhabit, it also presents their own ruler with an opportunity to remove the albinos from his land, thus giving his sole control of the territory. With almost no where else to turn, an old friend pops up once more, presenting her and the rest of the albinos that live within the “White House” an opportunity to find allies. A returning friend is convinced to take her out into the world to find allies to help protect her friends and their land. The political in fighting and jockeying for positions of power takes a back seat to what’s essentially a coming of age story for young Dorothea. Accompanied by her friend, Gyruk, a boy who had left the village several years later to in his own search for adventure, she joins with a large mercenary battalion and is forced to confront the harsh realities of how the rest of the world treats albinos, not to mention the brutalities of warfare. Dorothea proves herself a strong and capable young woman, but still manages to have a certain emotional vulnerability that doesn’t impact her mental and physical abilities.

It’s the same emotional vulnerability of anyone going off into the world for the first time, not knowing what to expect and not truly prepared for the harshness of war and life outside of her little hamlet. The second volume really focuses on this, forcing her to deal with the repercussions and aftermath of her first skirmish with enemy soldiers, and the fact that the rest of the mercenaries she’s with tend to view her as a witch or demon. It shows her coming to understand the fact that evil is a rare thing and even those she calls allies are capable of doing some fairly horrible things, not to mention her wish to simply be accepted and not viewed as some sort of inhuman monster due to her appearance.

The artwork didn’t really blow away. It’s decent enough and it gets the point across, but something about it didn’t quite click with me. It just might not be my thing though, as I honestly can’t find anything bad to say about it. I found several of the characters to look alike and relied upon the dialogue and costuming to help tell them apart. Thankfully, Dorothea’s about the only girl who appears in both books, and she’s heavily designed to look unique due to her albinism and her rather snazzy outfit. The action sequences aren’t anything special; they tend be quick, taking only a few panels. The backgrounds also tend to be a bit sparse with toning being used to make up for the lack of detail in them.

Despite not blowing me away, I thought Dorothea was an interesting story. It’s always nice to see a strong and capable female lead, and Dorothea is definitely that. It seems like the kind of title that should be able to build up a strong fan base among girls in their early teens, but with CMX’s low profile, and the M rating warranting a shrink wrap, I get the feeling that many folks will over look or miss out on it.

Volumes one and two of Dorothea are available now.

Cat-Eyed Boy, Vols. 1-2

By Kazuo Umezu
Published by Viz
Rating: Older Teen (16+)

Kazuo Umezu’s writing defies easy categorization. His horror stories unfold in an almost haphazard fashion, seldom offering Western readers the kind of inevitable showdown between supernatural menace and righteous avenger that’s de rigeur in grindhouse flicks. In a less charitable frame of mind, I might suggest that Umezu was simply making it up as he went along, adding whatever Grand Guignol flourishes tickled his fancy; in a more critically responsible frame of mind, I’d argue that Umezu uses non-sequitors, heightened realism, and Freudian imagery to create a hallucinatory atmosphere that thumbs its nose at logic or teleology.

Artist Mizuho Hiroyama offers this pithy assessment of Umezu in the afterword to Cat-Eyed Boy:

But just what is this unforgettable bizarreness that lies at the core of Umezu’s world? Is it a child’s nightmare? I think that this probably the best way to describe it… It’s simply fear. The escalating fear and imagination of a child who is unable to fall asleep in a pitch-dark room late at night… thinking about the worst-case scenarios and wondering, “What would I do if this happened?”

I think Hiroyama is on to something here: as anyone who’s read The Drifting Classroom knows, that entire series reads like a child’s nightmare, filled with terrifying monsters, chase scenes, and irresponsible—or worse, evil—adults whose inability to save the day forces children to rely on themselves.

These same motifs recur throughout Umezu’s work, especially in Viz’s deluxe, two-volume edition of Cat-Eyed Boy. The collection encompasses eleven stories of varying length that are tied together by the presence of the titular character, a half-demon, half-human creature. As that description implies, Cat-Eyed Boy finds himself relegated to the periphery of both worlds, ostracized by demons and humans alike. His role varies from story to story; in some, he’s an active participant in events, while in others, he serves as a kind of J-horror Greek chorus, commenting on the action without playing a direct role in the outcome.

By far the strongest entry is “The Tsunami Summoners.” On one level, it’s an origin story, explaining where Cat-Eyed Boy came from, how he was exiled from the demon world, and why humans greet him with such suspicion, despite his frequent efforts to intervene on their behalf. On another, it’s a superb example of Umezu-style comeuppance theater, as a small coastal village is punished not only for mistreating one of their own members but for ignoring an ancient warning about a sea-borne menace. Everything about the story works beautifully: the crack pacing, the unforeseen plot twists, and the genuine pathos of Cat-Eyed Boy’s situation as he tries to protect the same villagers who tormented his sole human friend. The summoners are a particularly effective menace, as their initial appearance is relatively benign—they look like brain-shaped rocks, perfect for building walls and houses—allowing them to insinuate themselves into the story before we’re really aware of the danger they pose.

Other standouts include “The One-Legged Monster of Ondai,” a cautionary tale about the evils of lepidoptery; “The Thousand-Handed Demon,” a blood bath in which a evil spirit possesses a statue of the Buddhist deity Kwannon; and “The Stairs,” a story about a boy so eager to be see his late mother that he ignores all warnings about the perils of crossing between the lands of the living and the dead.

Several stories were simply too long or scattershot to leave much of an impression. The chief offender is “The Band of One Hundred Monsters,” a rambling tale in which a group of hideously deformed humans aspire to become demons. I thought it was going to be an extended riff on the creative process, as the story initially focuses on the interaction between the “monsters” and a manga-ka known for his bizarre horror tales. Instead, Umezu quickly dispatches the manga-ka and steers the narrative in a wholly unanticipated direction, with the Band of One Hundred going vigilante on pretty, soulless people. The net result is about as successful a union as peanut butter and gefilte fish: it’s never clear what the rationale is for combining these two storylines, as they don’t work together at all.

Viz presents Cat-Eyed Boy in two generously sized volumes, both clocking in over 450 pages. Both are beautifully packaged, with French flaps, creamy paper stock, and color pages. I particularly liked the endpapers, which catalog the various demons found in both volumes. And what a rogue’s gallery it is—these monsters are considerably more grotesque than anything Umezu conjured for earlier series, sporting myriad eyes, warty skin, tentacles, and grossly misshapen bodies. Most of the stories aren’t terribly spooky or shocking by contemporary standards, but the sheer oddness of the character designs will get under your skin like images from a particularly vivid nightmare.

Volumes one and two of Cat-Eyed Boy are available now.

It’s Scenes from a Marriage, Japanese-style… Read on for the full scoop on the latest VIZ Pictures acquisition.–KD

San Francisco, CA, August 11, 2008 – VIZ Pictures, an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC that focuses on Japanese live-action film distribution, has announced a series of special theatrical screenings of HAPPILY EVER AFTER, a live-action comedy directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi (MEMORIES OF TOMORROW) and based on a popular manga series by Yoshiie Gouda.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER will screen in Seattle, WA August 15-21 at the Grand Illusion Cinema, followed by Scottsdale, AZ for a showing on October 4th at the Scottsdale International Film Festival, and then onto Pittsburgh, PA for a screening on October 10th at the 2008 Japanese Film Festival at the University of Pittsburgh. Information on each of the venues follows at the end of this press release. VIZ Pictures also plans a DVD release of the film in February 2009.

HAPPILY EVER AFTER was the subject of controversy upon its initial release in 2007 for its depiction of a co-dependent and devoted, but troubled wife, and her boorish, unemployed and often abusive husband. But director Yukihiko Tsutsumi keeps the laughs coming as he explores a sensitive subject in a visually striking, and darkly comedic way. Yukie Morita (played by Miki Nakatani of TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO) works hard at a noodle shop and struggles to make ends meet, while her husband Isao (played by Hiroshi Abe of GODZILLA 2000) hangs around all day gambling and getting into trouble. Isao’s uncontrollable temper often results in the dinner table being overturned and their meal on the floor. Everyone advises Yukie to leave Isao, but her love for him is unconditional because he was the one who initially saved her from misery with his unconditional love.

“HAPPILY EVER AFTER is a visually inventive, and engrossing comedy that makes you feel warm, despite its depiction of a series of unluckiness and failures in life,” says Manami Iiboshi, Director, Marketing, VIZ Pictures. “This is not a story about an unhappy marriage, but about a journey of reuniting twin souls, overcoming successive hardships and problems with laughter. We are very pleased to present this unconventional love story to theatrical audiences.”

Theatre information:

SEATTLE – Theatrical Screening: August 15-21
Grand Illusion Cinema
1403 NE 50th St. , Seattle WA 98105
(206) 523-3935 / http://www.grandillusioncinema.org/

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Theatrical Screening: October 4
Scotts Dale International Film Festival
For details visit http://www.scottsdalefilmfestival.com

PITTSBURGH, PA – Theatrical Screening: October 10
2008 Japanese Film Festival at University of Pittsburgh
For details visit http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/asc/news/index.shtml

For more information on HAPPILY EVER AFTER and other VIZ Pictures films please visit www.viz-pictures.com.

About VIZ Pictures, Inc.
Based in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Pictures, Inc. distributes Japanese live-action films and DVDs, with particular focus on Japanese “kawaii (cute) and cool” pop culture. VIZ Pictures approaches each release from a J-pop fan’s point of view to serve manga and anime generation in North America. VIZ Pictures titles include TRAIN MAN: DENSHA OTOKO, LINDA LINDA LINDA, THE TASTE OF TEA, and PING PONG. The company will continue to offer the hottest visual entertainment straight from the “Kingdom of Pop” for audiences of all ages in North America. VIZ Pictures, Inc. is an affiliate of VIZ Media, LLC, the San Francisco-based leading U.S. publisher of Japanese manga (comics) and merchandise licensor of Japanese animation such as the popular NARUTO animated TV series. For more information please visit www.viz-pictures.com. © 2006 VIZ Pictures, Inc

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

In an effort to keep things fresh and cover more titles, we’re converting Manga Minis from a monthly to a weekly column. Expect an eclectic assortment of capsule reviews every Friday, along with our customary mix of longer reviews, con coverage, and recurring features throughout the week.

This week, we tackle four new titles: volume five of The Antique Gift Shop (Yen Press), a Korean import with a supernatural vibe; volume one of Classical Medley (CMX), a shonen romp in which the characters have musically inspired names; volume four of Her Majesty’s Dog (Go! Comi), a shojo romance with a demonic twist; and volume two of Hollow Fields (Seven Seas), Madeleine Rosca’s award-winning OEL series.

The Antique Gift Shop, Vol. 5

By Lee Eun
Yen Press, 200 pp.
Rating: Teen

The first four volumes of The Antique Gift Shop adhered to the same formula: unsuspecting customers purchase objects from a magical emporium, only to discover that said objects are possessed by spirits with agendas of their own, e.g. reuniting lost lovers, punishing bullies for bad behavior. Volume five is something of an anomaly, as the longer of the two stories is only tangentially connected to the shop. In it, a delivery man finds himself stranded at a compound whose gothic denizens shun the one seemingly normal resident, a curly-haired moppet with big, dewy eyes. Though Lee Eun channels Charles Addams’ iconic family with her marvelous character designs and atmospheric backgrounds, she has considerable difficulty with the actual storytelling. Each scene is weirdly self-contained, leading to a denouement that feels more like a bolt from the blue than the logical resolution of the story’s central mystery. The second chapter suffers from many of the same problems–disjointed storytelling, cryptic dialogue–but has a crucial advantage: it stars the proprietress of the gift shop, a character familiar from previous volumes. Her story is, at times, frightfully hard to follow–I think she plays a hand of go to save her mother’s soul–but I did learn a few fun facts about Korean playing cards, and and dug her opponents’ fabulous costumes, which struck me as something Cotton Mather might have worn after a visit to seventeenth century Korea.

The bottom line: the cover art is beautiful, but the interior is a mess. Wait for volume six or backtrack to the first volume if you’d been curious about this series.

–Reviewed by Katherine Dacey

Classical Medley, Vol. 1

By Sanae Kana
CMX, 162 pp.
Rating: Teen (T)

There are two magical orbs in the Classical Kingdom, one a ball of light and the other a sphere of darkness. The power of the latter has been sealed away since being abused by a king of yore, and a ceremony to renew the seal is required every 100 years. The ceremony goes wrong, and the current king winds up possessed by dark powers while Alto, protagonist of indeterminate gender and bodyguard to the prince, obtains the powers of light. Alto flees with Prince Soprano and trusty dragon companion Mezzo to seek help from Soprano’s brother, who is the only one not to have come under the king’s evil influence since he’s attending school in another country.

This title is rated Teen, but it’s hard to imagine any teen wanting to read this. The characters look and act younger than their established ages, the attempts at humor are not funny, and the story keeps getting modified as it goes along. I’d say it ought to be rated All Ages instead, but there are a few gratuitous images of the queen’s enormous boobs that might make that problematic.

Classical Medley is thoroughly mediocre, treading closely to the border with outright bad. I’m usually a completist, especially with a short series like this, but I couldn’t endure a second volume, even to know how it all ends.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith

Her Majesty’s Dog

By Mick Takeuchi
Go! Comi, 196 pp.
Rating: Older Teen (16+)

In my review of volume seven, I noted some similarities between Her Majesty’s Dog and InuYasha. In both series, for example, the heroine is a teenaged priestess/schoolgirl who pals around with a moody demon dog. Though the two series diverge plot-wise, they share another trait: the filler arc. Volume nine of Her Majesty’s Dog feels like one of those “Hey, let’s have InuYasha disrupt the cultural festival at Kagome’s school!” storylines that Rumiko Takahashi likes to insert between long, drawn-out quests for jewel chards. Nothing of consequence happens: Amane and Ateko quarrel and reconcile; Amane and Hyoue help a tree spirit cross over; the gang attend–you guessed it–a cultural festival.

Mick Takeuchi’s art hasn’t evolved much from the first volume. Her character designs and backgrounds are crisply rendered, if a little generic, while her indiscriminate use of screentone would vault her to the top of Dee DuPuy’s Most Wanted list. Takeuchi still struggles with action sequences; the few scenes involving koma-oni combat are a hot mess of diagonal panels, facial close-ups, and sound effects.

That said, fans of the series shouldn’t skip volume nine, as Amane “makes a shocking decision” (to borrow a phrase from the dust jacket) in its final pages–a decision with the potential to end her relationship with Hyoue for good and bring the series to a dramatic close.

–Reviewed by Katherine Dacey

Hollow Fields, Vol. 2

By Madeleine Rosca
Seven Seas
Rating: All Ages

One thing I can credit Hollow Fields with as a series: the main character does get more interesting. In the first volume, Lucy Snow showed severe growing pains at her new school, whining how it was too cold outside to dig up corpses, and fainting at the sight of vats full of genetically-engineered fish-birds and formaldehyde. Not only was she in danger of failing her first week and earning detention–which according to the rules at Hollow Fields, means being sent to the ominous windmill no student has ever returned from –worse, she was almost no fun. And attending a school for aspiring mad scientists should be fun, right?

In volume two, Lucy toughens up and shows potential in certain forbidden sciences. Unfortunately, she still comes across as bland compared to her classmates, especially Summer Polanski, who would be the star if this were a more subversive series. But it isn’t; writer/artist Madeleine Rosca seems content serving up a routine adventure plot, in which Lucy has to get out of Hollow Fields or something terrible will happen to her. Worse, Rosca doesn’t even let the suspense build until the next volume. Instead, just when the dark twists on academic competitiveness and pre-teen girl rivalries start to heat up, a major plot development takes place, and things take a turn towards more run-of-the-windmill stuff.

As a reader, I wanted more scenes like the mid-term exam, in which Lucy and her classmates unleash destructive class projects on a scale-model city. At least Rosca’s art, which combines cute, nose-less children with spooky-looking backgrounds, continues to make an interesting-looking combination. Now if only the story itself were as twisted as it looked.

– Review by Phil Guie

You’re So Cool, Vol. 1

By YoungHee Lee
Yen Press, 192 pp.
Rating: 13+

Intelligent, affluent, polite, attractive…who wouldn’t like Seung-Ha, the resident prince of the school and beacon of perfection? Certainly not Nan-Wo, his klutzy, aggressive classmate who spends her days pining for him and replaying her seemingly endless string of slip ups in front of him. But when Seung-Ha asks her to date him, it all seems like a dream come true- that is, until she figures out that her dream prince is actually her worst nightmare!

Ah, the personality dichotomy: old as the hills but an ever attractive plot device. You’re So Cool may not be heading in any new directions, but a vicious bent and unflinching lead heroine manages to keep things interesting in spite of the title’s shortcomings. The first installment follows a remarkably simple path: girl likes boy, girl scores impossibly improbable date with boy, girl is victim of injustices and realizes boy is thug. It doesn’t make for great reading, and certainly doesn’t enamor one towards anybody other than Nan-Wo, but nonetheless serves as the right setup for future installments. Act One may be the big reveal, but act two will inevitably be sweet revenge.

Exempting a few forgettable background characters, You’re So Cool is almost entirely a two man show. Nan-Wo, the protagonist du jour, provides the levity and spastic humor the series revels in: she’s unfeminine, brash and thoroughly overeager, traits designed naturally to clash with her tormentor. Seung-Ha packs a vicious attitude and penchant for cruelty, but hints of emotional baggage and emotional instability promise that he has the Rich Boy Family Issues to explain it all away in future installments.

Artistically, the series remains firmly planted in the realm of serviceable manhwa style, improved by the occasional well done full page spread. Everyone suffers from a kind of angular lankiness, but the effect isn’t overwhelming enough to detract from the narrative. This being shojo, there’s plenty of elaborate toning, but never to the point of invasive excess. Yen’s treatment of the material is perhaps most admirable, as the oversized volume comes with an abundance of color opener pages and a well adapted (ten points for usage of the verb “shotgunning”) translation.

You’re So Cool may follow the usual love/hate dynamics, but an unstoppable female lead and appropriately nasty counterpart add an extra crackle that less outrageous titles fail to capture. There’s nothing new to amaze and delight anyone remotely familiar with the usual shojo tropes, but with so many simpering wallflower protagonists on the market, those searching for a little more spastic spunk are advised to take a look.

Volume one of You’re So Cool is available now.

Tokyo Is My Garden

By Frederic Boilet and Benoit Peeters
Fanfare/Ponent Mon, 152 pp.
No rating (Mature content)

To give full disclosure, I was a little reluctant to tackle this comic after crying my eyes out after a nineteen-volume Banana Fish marathon this week. After that kind of an emotional joyride, an arsty-fartsy nouvelle manga did not sound like a panacea. But fortunately I was pleasantly surprised. Boilet and Peeters’ moody tale of a Frenchman living in Tokyo is the perfect thing to quiet your worries and carry your imagination to Japan.

If you’re at all familiar with the duo’s previous work, such as Boilet’s Yukiko’s Spinach or Mariko Parade, it should not come as a surprise that the story revolves around a Frenchman in his thirties and the Japanese love of his life. You get the feeling after a couple of these nouvelle manga that there is at least some connection between this ongoing theme and Boilet himself, but I digress.

What truly fascinates is Boilet’s perspective into Japanese culture as a gaijin who has lived there for years. On page 113 the protagonist David says: “That there is a fundamental between the Japanese and the rest of the world is a lie… Hooey for lazy journalists… The Japanese are like us in every way. What changes is there way of being identical.” This is really a brilliant insight that smashes through the oft repeated BS in Japanophile circles that the Japanese somehow have an insurmountable culture barrier. But to David, who has lived in Japan for years and lived his life like he would anywhere else, this fallacy is revealed for what it truly is: a crutch.

In Tokyo Is My Garden, the protagonist David starts things off by breaking up with his model girlfriend. Turns out he’s a boutique French cognac salesman trying to expand his company’s market into Japan. Soon after his breakup, David meets a new girlfriend and prepares for his boss’ imminent checkup on him in Tokyo. The truth is, he’s sold only one case of the cognac in his years in Japan! And he left his last promo bottle on the train by accident! Whatever is he to do? Fate and chance actually factor heavily into this story as David’s career future is determined by strangers even as he focuses completely on his love life. The way his future is determined is beautifully depicted in a way that only clicks in the reader’s mind when things come to head in the comic’s conclusion.

The art’s minimalist comic-manga fusion style is a nice change from the pop manga that inundates our local bookstores. Boilet has outdone himself once again. What exemplifies his art for me is when David and his Boss go to a dance club and most of the people with in have very sketchy and minimal facial features. But when David and his lover are sharing intimate moments, the detail is jaw-dropping. The scene where David is photographing his love is one of the most iconic in Boilet’s work, a theme echoed from his earlier Mariko Parade. We are also treated in this work by brilliant shading by Jiro Taniguchi of The Walking Man and The Ice Wanderer fame.

Though this comic is unlikely to appeal to the vast majority of casual manga readers who drop in for their monthly fixes of Fruits Basket and Naruto, it’s definitely worth checking out for manga fans, comics lovers, and art enthusiasts alike. Its not one of my favorite manga of the year, but it certainly was nice to have a break from all the standard manga fare. Try out this nouvelle manga stuff, and you’ll sound as pretentious and crotchety as I do in no time. And while you’re feeling smug about being a part of real in-the-making comics history, take the time to give Tokyo Is My Garden a good long read. It’s worth it.

Tokyo Is My Garden is available now.

Fairy Tail, Vol. 3

By Hiro Mashima
Del Rey, 196 pp.
Rating: 13+

Though there are distinct differences, Fairy Tail can easily be compared to Mashima’s former series Rave Master. Yet, in my opinion, Fairy Tail is a more competent version of Rave Master. While similar to many Rave characters (Natsu is a Hot-Headed Haru, Lucy is Elie and Gray is Musica), Fairy Tail’s are much more fully developed. Mashima’s characters are his strong point and with Fairy Tail, he is able to accentuate his characters with a much smaller, more manageable cast. The overall plot is also much tighter, restricting the story to short vignettes instead of long-winded quests. So it is no surprise that volume three of Fairy Tail embodies all of the traits that make this series a winner.

Volume three leaves us with Fairy Tail’s strongest team at the hands of Erigor and the Dark Eisenwald Guild. At Erza’s request, Natsu and Gray are sent after the fleeting Erigor, while she and Lucy stay put to fight the rest of the guild. This volume is a good, deep introduction to Fairy Tail’s stronger characters. Erza, throughout the volume, is given a chance to showcase not only her offensive tactics (which I must say is one of the more amazing powers that Mashima has ever conceived) but also her leadership abilities. She is an incredibly perceptive woman, constantly taking note of what’s going on and steering her team in the right direction. It’s no wonder that she is called “Titaina Erza” or “Queen of Fairy’s Erza.” Let’s not forget Gray though, our other new hero of Fairy Tail. Though he doesn’t get as much of the glory as Erza does, Gray still manages to show us his stuff during the Lullaby Arc. Gray also gets a chance to show off the “Maker Magic,” which allows him to put a form to his magic. Though both Erza and Gray are both given a great amount of face time in this volume, the real focus is on Natsu’s fly cat companion, Happy. Happy, during the course of this adventure, gets the group out of the Erigor’s Wind Wall by giving Lucy the Virgo Key. On top of this, he encourages Natsu (through some reverse psychology) to beat Erigor.

Just as Mashima is known for his clever writing, his stylized artwork is also very appealing. His action scenes are not overloaded, giving the reader just enough detail. He spells out exactly what is going on without it getting confusing or boring. His character design is also fantastic. Each character has their own unique style, matching their abilites and personalities quite well. Natsu, Erza and Gray’s costumes speak volumes about who they are: Natsu’s open vest suggests his heated temper, Erza keeps her heart hidden, figuratively and literally behind iron clad armor, and Gray wears a warm coat to contrast his cool and calculating ways.

Del Rey has picked another winner with Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail. I would say that it is one of the better representations of modern shonen to date. Its clever story and engrossing characters are reminiscent of older series, like Dragon Ball and Yuyu Hakusho, yet Mashima still manages to put a fresher spin on the classic genre. Fairy Tail is sure to please a wide audience.

Volume three of Fairy Tail is available now.

Slam Dunk, Vol. 1

By Takehiko Inoue
Viz, 208 pp.
Rating: Teen (T)

Sakuragi has never been a hit with girls. In fact, in three years of junior high he amassed an impressive fifty rejections! Now in his first year of high school, he once again believes he’s met the girl of his dreams. Haruko loves athletes, and basketball in particular, so to win her affections, Sakuragi becomes determined to join the school team.

This aim is complicated by Sakuragi’s overwhelming, almost painful stupidity and violent outbursts of temper. He mouths off within earshot of the captain (who also happens to be Haruko’s older brother) and publicly humiliates him in a basketball contest. Though he manages to control himself long enough to get onto the team, he is quickly frustrated by fundamentals training and ends up storming off the court in a huff.

I know Slam Dunk is a classic of sports manga, a genre I really like, but I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would. Most of that has to do with Sakuragi’s temperament, though, so I’m hopeful that as he’s forced to learn discipline and teamwork, the ignorant boasting and random karate chopping will gradually subside. The actual playing and practicing of basketball is great fun to read, another reason I assume my enjoyment will increase in future installments.

I was both impressed and a little confused by Inoue’s artwork. The style is by turns realistic and comedic, and though sometimes it borders on unattractive, there are definitely moments of greatness. A page and a half spread of the basketball court is a particular standout; the way the panel is framed does an excellent job in conveying the size and height of the room.

The confusion stems from several characters that appear to be of African descent. Their names are Japanese, though, and one of them is Haruko’s brother, so I am assuming they’re not supposed to be a different ethnicity than their peers. I was also struck by the resemblance of one of Sakuragi’s buddies to the late Robert Goulet. Consider the evidence:

A number of extras are included in this volume, all without deviating from the standard Shonen Jump price of $7.99. The first chapter is printed entirely in color, and a glossy color section in back includes a profile of a real-life NBA superstar and some tips on how to perform a slam dunk. And a sticker!

I liked this okay, and I’m confident I’ll like the rest more. It’ll be a long wait until volume two–due out in February–but Viz recently announced that a new series is due to replace Slam Dunk in the magazine come March, so the frequency of releases ought to increase in the near future.

Volume 1 of Slam Dunk will be available on September 2, 2008.

Although I helped Publishers Weekly cover Comic Con, I jotted down some notes at the Shojo Beat panel for PCS. As a Shojo Beat subscriber myself, I found the panel absolutely fascinating.

SDCC 2008: Shojo Beat Panel

The panelists were Pancha Diaz, Narasu Rebbapragada, and Marc Weidenbaum.

More girls attended this panel than, I would guess, any other panel at the convention. The room was packed with the younger, more anime-interested attendees, many of whom were cosplaying with a few gothic lolitas sprinkled through the crowd.

Marc Weidenbaum seemed incredibly concerned that people might leave before he had the chance to ask the audience some questions. I found all of these questions extremely fascinating.

Weidenbaum asked the audience which interested them more: Fashion, travel, cooking, or video games? By far, most of the audience was interested in video games. Weidenbaum asked for a show of hands: Portable, console, or PC games? Hands were raised equally for each platform.

This totally blew me away: Interest in video games laughably outweighed an interest in fashion from the magazine’s overwhelmingly female readership. I think this represents an awesome unmet market demand – no magazines are catering specifically to girl gamers at the moment! Shojo Beat could throw in more video game coverage and totally corner that market.

Before that, however, the panelists reviewed lisenses annouced at AX:

• Honey Hunt by Miki Aihara, author of Hot Gimmick
• The Magic Touch, about a shiatsu masseuse girl who finds the perfect back
• We Were There, by Yuki Obata, about a girl pursuing a guy still grieving for his dead girlfriend. (An anime just started airing based on this title…)
• The Nana anime series is to be released later this year
• Fushigi Yugi and Hot Gimmick will get the Viz Big treatment in March 2009
• Otomen (a new license) volume 1, February 2009, is about a boy who has girly hobbies who falls for a tomboy (sounds good to me!)
• Heaven’s Will, December 2008, about a girl who can see ghosts and a friendly cross-dressing exorcist who bakes cake.
• The Honey and Clover anime series is set to be released
• Captive Hearts, from the author of Vampire Knight, November 2008, about a family cursed to be butlers to another family
• Saint Dragon Girl. My note on this reads, “Martial arts demon-fighting panda bear,” but I can’t verify my use of the word “panda” here. There’s definitely a dragon spirit.
• Blank Slate, December 2008 has all male protagonists who are killers and gangsters (I’d pick it up!)
• The Arina Taremura Collection artbook will come out in October
• Viz is expanding their artbook line because of fan support
• Naruto, Death Note, and Bleach are available in the iTunes store.
• The panelist showed a trailer for the Vampire Knight anime with permission from the Japanese studio, but assured the audience that it has not been licensed yet.

The panelists seemed hyper-concerned about the panel becoming too boring and broke up the announcements with trailers for anime in addition to THE WORST AND EASIEST TRIVIA QUESTIONS EVER. Seriously, name the protagonists? Come on guys, this is Comic Con! You can ask harder questions. It was the opposite of the attitude at the CMX panel, which could have used some trivia and prizes to spice things up.

Weidenbaum asked the panel attendees how many of us want to learn Japanese? Most of the audience did. How many speak it already? Many people did what I did – waved their hands side-to-side to indicate “sort of”. Dear Shojo Beat, please print material to help us study for JLPT levels three and four!

Weidenbaum asked who subscribes and who buys the magazine off the newsstand every month. It was an equal split. What keeps newsstand readers from subscribing? One woman named Patrice volunteered that she was worried about the future of the magazine, having been burning on magazine subscriptions in the past. (I assume she meant NewType USA.) “We’re not going anywhere,” Weidenbaum assured the audience.

A significant number of the audience reads Shojo Beat in the library. Libraries are “…second only to teenage girls in supporting the magazine,” according to the panelist.

One attendee asked why Shojo Beat doesn’t include more extras like Japanese magazines (many of which come with pencil boards or small gifts). Weidenbaum explained that in Japan extras do not tend to disappear from magazines in bookstores. He has tried going so far as to attach extras into the binding itself, and the items still get stolen. Additionally, 50% of the magazine readers subscribe, so bulky extras mean additionally shipping costs.

Perhaps this has already been covered elsewhere, but Weidenbaum also talked about an upcoming feature in the magazine where various American artists will draw 1-3 pages of nonfictional/biographic comics about their first exposure to Japanese pop culture and entertainment as a regular column. It sounds interesting to me, although the crowd didn’t seem terribly enthusiastic.

Weidenbaum asked how many girls in the audience were artists or interested in making their own comics. Surprisingly few girls raised their hands, but those who did also read the “Drawing with Yuu” feature of the magazine (by Yuu Watase).

The boys at the panel were, by and large, boyfriends of subscribers, and all of them identified Vampire Knight as their favorite title. Ed Chavez of the MangaCast, one of the few male subscribers present, said Crimson Hero is his favorite (since he loves sports). Later he won a prize for the only halfway difficult trivia question: What is the oldest manga title Shojo Beat has ever published? (Answer: Princess Knight)