Over at her personal blog Soliloquy in Blue, PCS reviewer Michelle Smith posts her first impressions of the much-praised Banana Fish:

After frequently hearing about how good this series is, I decided to check it out. Unfortunately, the volume gets off to a start so slow that I twice fell asleep while reading it. The backstory is important—Ash’s brother had some kind of involvement with something called “Banana Fish” while he was serving in Vietnam and ended up opening fire on some fellow soldiers—but not exactly riveting.

The second half of the volume is far more exciting. A pair of Japanese journalists researching youth gangs is introduced, as is a plan by a disgruntled gang member to lure Ash (the gang leader) out and kill him. Brawling, capture, sharpshooting, and daring escapes ensue. In addition to this, there are plot threads involving the deaths Ash’s former benefactor seems to be ordering as well as the police investigation into same. A lot is going on, but it is well-balanced and easy to follow.

Down in the comments, Michelle clarifies her initial resistance to reading the series in the first place:

A basic plot description—gang warfare in New York relating to drugs somehow!—doesn’t much sound like something I’d enjoy… to be honest. But it sounds like some great drama is in store for the characters, too, which is what I’m really tuning in for.

I had a similar reaction when I first heard about Banana Fish, so I’ll be following her subsequent reviews with interest… after all, 19 volumes is a major time commitment! Click here for her full review.