Reporters and talk-show hosts love to issue midterm report cards to presidents, congressmen, governors, and mayors, looking at highlights and lowlights of their first months (or years) in office. In a civic-minded spirit, we at PCS decided to issue a midterm report of our own—one that focused on the best manga released in the first six months of 2008, rather than, say, a Midwestern congressman’s penchant for supporting pork barrel projects. Contributing their expert opinions are manga pundits Chloe Ferguson, Isaac Hale, Ken Haley, Michelle Smith, and yours truly. How does our assessment align with yours? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

Chloe’s Picks

AFTER SCHOOL NIGHTMARE, VOLS. 6-7 (Setona Mizushiro, Go!Comi)
What’s not to love about this deliciously psychological take down of adolescence? Dark stories, dreamy art and some serious baggage to unload have kept this Go!Comi gem buoyant even into later volumes—perhaps especially into later volumes. With everything beginning to unravel and the tantalizing pieces falling into place, there’s a sense that some big reveals are just around the corner. It’s all shaping up to be one hell of a home stretch—and if you haven’t picked up the series yet, now’s as good a time as any to start.

NIGHTMARE INSPECTOR: YUMEKUI KENBUN, VOL. 2 (Shin Mashiba, Viz)
I’m not inclined to be a fan of uncannily similar retreads, particularly when the material is so elegantly done elsewhere (xxxHolic, it has to be said) but the innovative dynamics and whimsical pretty factor have won me over in the case of Nightmare Inspector. Short, dark vignettes may not be for everyone, but there’s a sense that the series is a little to airy to be grounded in trifles like heavy plot and character development, although both are present in subdued doses. Accessible, quick, and cleverly done, this series is a wholly unexpected gem.

FAIRY TAIL, VOLS. 1-2 (Hiro Mashima, Del Rey)
Fairy Tail’s strength lies not so much in its originality as in its ability to out-quirk all the other guys in the room. True, the series treads familiar shonen territory, but it does so with a sense of off-kilter weird that forgives its clichéd sins. Two appealing main characters and a whole untapped background crew of oddballs promise to stave off the staleness (at least for now) and provide ample hijinks to amuse into further volumes. It’s more of a comfort food than a rare delicacy, but like any familiar dish, it merits repeat meals in spite of its less-than-daring nature.

 

Isaac’s Picks

BAREFOOT GEN, VOLS. 5-6 (Keiji Nakazawa, Last Gasp)
Though I’ve been saddened and frustrated by many series’ cancellations and hiatuses, Barefoot Gen was the first I ever wrote the publisher over. Barefoot Gen is not light reading. This is not a light-hearted manga you pick up to enjoy a summer afternoon. This is a comic like Art Spiegelman’s Maus—it grabs you by your conscience and your heartstrings and leaves a mark that doesn’t disappear. Barefoot Gen, like Maus, covers one of the greatest human tragedies of our time, the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The protagonist Gen, who is modeled after the author himself, must struggle to survive and provide for what remains of his family while facing poverty, prejudice, and radiation poisoning. Barefoot Gen uses the comics medium in the rarest of ways—to humanize tragedy in a way that words alone cannot.

FROM EROICA WITH LOVE, VOLS. 12-13 (Yasuko Aoike, CMX)
I have to admit, this series really took me awhile to pick up. I yoinked the first seven volumes at my local comic stores blowout sale and they sat on my shelf until Katherine offered to let me review volume 11. I knew from various sources that I should love the series, so I said yes and quickly caught up. Hot damn! This series is hilarious, parodic, dramatic, and very, very eighties. Between the ridiculous heists and the homoerotic subtext (and just plain text) between Klaus and Eroica, this manga is a non-stop crack up. Sadly, like most of CMX’s titles, it hasn’t been the biggest financial success in the world. Give this classic a try ASAP, and you won’t regret it!

NANA, VOLS. 8-10 (Ai Yazawa, Viz)
Though apparently this is the #1 shojo manga of all time in Japan, this manga has become one of the biggest overlooked gems published in the US today. Like Paradise Kiss before it, Ai Yazawa’s NANA captures the drama of human relationships in a way no other manga-ka or comic creator can. Though in this snippet I will refrain from a HUGE spoiler in volume 8, I can only say that volumes 1-7 have been but warm-up for Ai Yazawa’s masterpiece of human drama. The fates of the two bands, Trapnest and the Black Stones, become hopelessly intertwined, and the future changes from one of hope to total uncertainty. This is one emotional roller coaster you do not want to miss.

PARASYTE, VOL. 3 (Hitoshi Iwaaki, Del Rey)
Though it’s highly ironic to associate this comic with emotions of kindness and loving, I have nothing but nostalgia and respect for Hitoshi Iwaaki’s action/sci-fi/horror masterpiece Parasyte. When I first started getting into manga besides that known to tweens nationwide, Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Parasyte was one of the first manga I checked out of my local public library. Sure it was flopped, somewhat low quality, and laughably translated, but its immense coolness captured my imagination. Having just given up Animorphs a few years earlier, the experience of reading a more mature and jaw-dropping story based on alien parasites blew me away. Now, thanks to Del Rey’s awesome re-release, we get to relive the awesomeness of the head-splitting, body-slicing aliens of Parasyte. Sure the body designs are “a little stiff,” but does that matter when people controlled by alien parasites can turn their heads into flesh-grinding Cuisinarts?!! It doesn’t get better than this, people.

YAKITATE!! JAPAN, VOLS. 9-11 (Takashi Hashiguchi, Viz)
Now I love me some shonen manga, but when a parody as straight-faced and brazen as Yakitate!! Japan shows up I have to admit the genre is pretty ludicrous by nature. The irony is that even though Yakitate!! Japan is a parody on one level, it’s also an amazing shonen tournament manga on another—a bread-baking tournament manga that is! Unlike the rest of the manga on this list, there is no exotic twist or additional depth to Yakitate!! Japan. The characters bake bread—and then fight for their artisan’s honor! Batshit ridiculous, on a constant speed high, and completely unabashed, this manga simultaneously tears the genre to shreds and reminds us why it is so awesome in the first place. May you find Ja-Pan someday soon Kazuma (but not too soon)!

 

Kate’s Picks

DORORO, VOL. 1 (Osamu Tezuka, Vertical, Inc.):
Once again, Vertical gives Tezuka the red-carpet treatment, rolling out this minor masterpiece in a handsome English-language edition with snazzy covers, helpful cultural notes, and a translation that captures the darkness of the subject matter while respecting the fact that Dororo is, in fact, a shonen manga with some seriously corny dialogue. None of this would matter if the story wasn’t good, of course. But Dororo is dark, funny, shocking, and ridiculously entertaining—crack in manga form, if you will. It also offers a window into a transitional period in Tezuka’s style, as he matured into the creator of such masterworks as Buddha, Phoenix, and the unfinished Ludwig B. A must for serious manga fans!

SUPPLI, VOL. 2 (Mari Okazaki, Tokyopop)
Suppli is one of the first manga I’ve read that depicts post-collegiate life without a whiff of fantasy or glamour. Its heroine is a twenty-something advertising grunt who works in a cube farm, pulls all-nighters, has bad hair days, and worries that she’ll become her office’s designated old maid. After shedding a long-time boyfriend, she quickly becomes embroiled in romantic intrigue with two co-workers, neither of whom seem like great prospects: one drags a steamer trunk of emotional baggage behind him, the other hides his feeling behind a brusque—some might even say rude—façade. Though the second volume ends on a cliffhanger worthy of General Hospital, the overall tone of Suppli is more muted; the story seldom veers into soap opera territory, instead focusing on the real frustrations that all of us experience in our twenties. (You know, the big imponderables: What am I supposed to do with my life? Will I always be alone? That sort of thing.) The artwork is flat-out gorgeous, filled with floral and water imagery that highlight the heroine’s ever-changing emotional state with grace and subtlety. If you’re one of those folks carping about the dearth of manga for adults, you owe it to yourself to pick up this gem.

TOTO! THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURE, VOL. 1 (Yuko Osada, Del Rey):
Around the same time Del Rey launched Fairy Tail, they also released Toto! with considerably less fanfare. It’s too bad they didn’t give Toto! the same marketing push, as this high-spirited shonen romp plays like a Miyazaki flick, complete with airships, pirates, plucky heroines, and a cute pup with a Very Big Secret. While the plot feels familiar—Boy With Dream Pursues Goal With Single-Minded Intensity (or stupidity, take your pick)—the artwork has a loose, sketchy feel that infuses Toto! with a fresh energy. Add a colorful cast of supporting characters (a.k.a. the Man Chicken gang) and playful allusions to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and you have a series that promises many volumes of light-hearted, fast-paced entertainment.

 

Ken’s Picks

CRAYON SHINCHAN, VOL. 1 (Yoshito Usui, CMX)
It may not be high art, but it is a hilarious series which follows the exploits of the naughty, yet charming, Shinchan as he brings all manner of woes to just about everyone he encounters. Whether he’s harassing a poor elevator attendant, or causing problems at home, the stories never failed to bring a smile to my face. The comedy is fairly universal, and the timing and pacing is dead on. All these factors help make the series a fun and entertaining read.

DORORO, VOL. 1 (Osamu Tezuka, Vertical Press)
How could this not be on my list of top picks so far? The first volume of Vertical’s release of this unfinished, yet very fun, shonen samurai tale was definitely a highlight of the first six months. The action is fast, smooth, and wonderfully over the top at times. Add to that some interesting and fun characters and you have a damn fun shonen story! While it’s perhaps not as highbrow or smart as some of the other Tezuka works that have made their way stateside in the past few years, I think it has the benefit of being a slightly more accessible to the general manga reading public. The shonen-y quest format of the story makes it a nice entry level drug for younger fans who may have been turned off by more serious Tezuka fare.

PARASYTE, VOL. 3 (Hitoshi Iwaaki, Del Rey)
I know I picked it as one of the best of 2007, but I’ve just got to pick it again because, well, it’s just that good! It’s a fantastic seinen series with shape-shifting, human-eating alien parasites that masquerade as people’s heads! It’s got a nice blend of everything, ranging from humor, horror, introspective meanderings, and more. To top it all off, in the latest volume Iwaaki opens up the story with urban legends arising about people with deformed faces, along with showing the Japanese governments response the looming situation. The noose is slowly tightening for our intrepid hero and his talking hand, and I for one can hardly wait for the next volume. More people need to read this!

 

Michelle’s Picks

LOVE*COM, VOLS. 4-6 (Aya Nakahara, Viz)
Remember back in high school, where you had a crush on one of your friends but all he could ever see you as was his funny pal? I certainly do, so perhaps that’s why I enjoy Love*Com so much. By this point in the series, Risa has summoned the courage to confess her feelings to Otani, but things haven’t gone as well as she’d hoped. Risa’s internal agonizing and doubts ring true, as does Otani’s continual confusion as he struggles to adjust to her ever-changing moods and emotions. In the latest volume, a rather irksome new rival has been introduced, but though it appears he’s driving a wedge between the two leads, it’s just possible he’s trying to help them out.

SAND CHRONICLES, VOLS. 1-2 (Hinako Ashihara, Viz)
The compositional structure of Sand Chronicles is a large part of why I love it. After her parents’ divorce, Ann Uekusa and her mother move to a rural area of Japan. The story unfolds as a series of recollections as recalled by the now-adult Ann, snapshots in time of events whose impact is still clearly felt many years later. People and feelings that she once held dear are now nothing more than memories, and moments that she wanted to hold onto forever have slipped away. Knowing that what we’re reading about does not last lends a bittersweet feel to the story that I adore. The characters are likeable and realistic, too, and mingled with all of the nostalgia are plenty of amusing moments. In just two short volumes, Sand Chronicles has managed to establish itself as one of the best manga series I’ve ever read.

SEDUCE ME AFTER THE SHOW (est em, Deux)
If you’re looking for something thoughtful and a little melancholy in your yaoi, check out Seduce Me After the Show. This collection of seven short stories is about grown men dealing with their feelings for each other in various ways. The title story is especially good, as it deals with a dancer grieving for his mother and an actor who realizes he’s still acting even when the camera isn’t running. The back cover makes mention of themes like “the dichotomy of hope and despair,” but there’s also an undercurrent of artistic encouragement that runs through several of the stories. The art is distinctive, as well, and several of the character designs are quite original, including a 50-year-old man as love interest in one of the stories, and when’s the last time you saw that happen in this genre?

SKIP BEAT! VOLS. 10-12 (Yoshiki Nakamura, Viz)
In any other series, the failure of the two leads to realize their feelings for each other by the tenth volume would be intensely frustrating. But Skip Beat! has so much to offer beyond romantic possibilities for Kyoko and Ren that it doesn’t seem like an arbitrary delay at all for them to still be largely clueless of their own emotions. They’re in the middle of working on a remake of a successful drama, and that is where their focus chiefly lies. Kyoko is a refreshing heroine, far more intent on improving her skills than mooning over some guy and while Ren has now realized his feelings, he’s exercising restraint because of Kyoko’s age. Or at least, he claims that’s the reason why…

TSUBASA RESERVOIR CHRONICLES, VOLS. 16-17 (CLAMP, Del Rey)
Talk about game changing! After multiple volumes of quest-type adventures and self-referential cameos with little movement in the villain’s plans, the dam breaks and important things start happening left and right. In these two volumes, the travelers find themselves in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo ravaged by dangerous environmental conditions. No character emerges from the experience unscathed. Unlike some shonen series where the characters essentially remain the same from start to finish, CLAMP allows their cast to change in fundamental and surprising ways. If your interest in this story waned a ways back, consider giving it another chance; many of the flaws that plagued the earlier volumes now seem like memories of a more innocent time.