On tap this week: mini-reviews of Forest of Gray City (Vol. 2; Yen Press), a Korean title with a josei vibe; Kekkaishi (Vol. 14; Viz), a shonen title that Chloe, Isaac, and I heartily recommend; and Pumpkin Scissors (Vol. 3; Del Rey), a military drama with topical themes.

Forest of Gray City, Vol. 2

By Uhm JungHyum
Yen Press, 200 pp.
Rating: Teen

Mourning the cancellation of Suppli? Still in Tramps Like Us withdrawal? Then I have something to help you heal that josei jones: Forest of Gray City, a two-volume soap opera chronicling a March-December romance between a twenty-something woman and her seventeen-year-old roommate. The first volume introduced us to the three principle characters: Yun-Ook, a graphic designer whose independent streak has complicated her search for Mr. Right; Bum-Moo, a brooding hottie with a killer wardrobe and a taste for older women; and Bum-Moo’s stepsister, whose loves her younger brother a little too much. Volume two begins with an extended flashback to Bum-Moo’s relationship with his stepsister, showing us how they met, and how tragedy brought them closer together.

Uhm JungHyum packs enough sudsy twists into the first sixty pages for a sweeps’ week worth of General Hospital episodes: second-chance weddings, fatal car crashes, law suits, and abusive husbands all factor into Bum-Moo’s backstory. Yet Forest of Gray City never veers into camp or melodrama, thanks to the beautiful artwork. Uhm JungHyum uses screentone and background detail sparingly, often relying on white space to suggest the isolation and sadness her principles are feeling. The story itself is a little rushed; the artist introduces a rival for Yun-Ook’s affections midway through the second volume, never allowing us to see this character as anything but a plot device. (His subplot barely merits twenty pages—a hiccup in the resolution of the central drama.) Narrative shortcomings notwithstanding, Forest of Gray City offers the same kind of compelling characters and elegant artwork as Suppli, Tramps Like Us, and Walkin’ Butterfly in a wallet-friendly, two-volume package, complete with gorgeous color plates. A must for josei connoisseurs!

–Reviewed by Katherine Dacey

Kekkaishi, Vol. 14

By Yellow Tanabe
Viz, pp.
Rating: Teen (13+)

In this volume of Yellow Tanabe’s utterly enchanting Kekkaishi, we see a return to the episodic storytelling of earlier volumes. Though the multivolume Kokuboro arc was quite fun, the episodic supernatural dilemma solving is where this series really shines. Whether it’s taking down rogue ayakashi or stymieing the sex drive of a lustful goblin king, Yoshimori always has many hurdles to overcome in his quest to become a stronger kekkaishi.

In my last review, I noted the remarkable similarities between this series and its Shonen Jump counterpart Bleach. To be sure, the series have a lot in common. Demon-slaying dominates, and they even both involve cross-dimensional travel to an enemy fortress. As Kekkaishi finished its Kokuboro arc though, it has accomplished what Bleach did not. After an epic conflict, Kekkaishi has taken the much more believable and entertaining route of returning to the episodic storytelling that made it so great in the first place. Where Bleach has all but abandoned its most compelling draw, the monster-of-the-day fare of the pre-Soul Society arc, Kekkaishi has made a triumphant return. For Bleach, any sense of grounding has been lost as increasingly boring non-stop epic battles have dominated everything since the impressive Soul Society arc. For Kekkaishi, the first long story arc of Kokuboro was likewise a triumph, but the aftermath has been a far greater pleasure.

In addition, Tanabe’s art has only improved since her early volumes. My favorite improvement has been how wonderful all of the characters facial expressions are now. Also, Tanabe has a rare gift for a shonen mangaka: her flashback arcs are awesome. They add a lot to the story, and make you love the characters even more. Cheers to Kekkaishi and Yellow Tanabe for making me genuinely hopeful for the future of shonen manga. Run, don’t walk to the nearest volume of Kekkaishi. You won’t regret it!

–Reviewed by Isaac Hale

Pumpkin Scissors, Vol. 3

By Ryotaro Iwanaga
Del Rey, 222 pp.
Rating: 16+

Volume three of Pumpkin Scissors is lackluster at best. The book picks up with the Pumpkin Scissors busting the President of Public Waterworks for meeting with the elusive Sterling Wheel. The operation then devolves into a “who’s had a sadder time at war” battle between a flame-thrower named Hans and PS’s own Corporal Oland. Hans dies, SW leaves (mysteriously) and Pumpkin Scissors is sent back to HQ where they laugh, cry and find out their leader, the tomboyish Alice, has a fiancé.

Though volume three has drama to spare, the childish art ruined any mood that was created. Hans’ dilemma was an interesting storyline, but he didn’t last long enough for his torment to matter. Alice’s engagement and the introduction of her sisters seemed like useless filler. And almost every event that occurred in this volume never seemed mature enough for the “war” tone the book is trying to give off, or to justify the 16+ rating.

The entire time I was reminded of Full Metal Alchemist, as the two stories share the same wartime European setting. Yet Pumpkin Scissors lacks the fantastical magic that makes FMA the interesting story that it is. Possibly the only “magical” object in Pumpkin Scissors is Oland’s Blue Light, which makes him “super-human.” However, it seems almost as ineffective as the book itself. Not recommended.

–Reviewed by Sam Kusek