Michelle and Connie are on deck this week! Michelle checks out Physical Attraction (DMP) as well as volume eight of Slam Dunk (VIZ) and volume two of Welcome to Wakaba-soh (Yen Press). Meanwhile, Connie finds that the thrill is gone in volume eighteen of Sgt. Frog (TOKYOPOP).
By Tatsumi Kaiya
Digital Manga Publishing, 176 pp.
Rating: Mature
Physical Attraction is a collection of BL stories about adult men—either college students or professionals—and is bookended by two tales about the same couple. In “Physical Attraction,” Kurata and Narusawa have been having a sexual relationship for some time, but when Kurata belatedly realizes that he loves Narusawa, he wonders whether it’s too late to try to steer things in that direction. It’s actually quite a cute story, and though it wraps up a little too easily, it’s nice to glimpse the guys again in “Loving Attraction” and see how being together in a loving way has positively influenced them.
Other good stories include “Anti-Dramatic,” in which one member of a cohabiting couple feels neglected when his significant other gets a job, and “Let Me Knock on the Same Door,” in which a talented graphic designer rejects a golden opportunity in order to work on a project with the down-on-his-luck game software developer he loves. The latter also ends too quickly and easily, but the premise is intriguing enough that that’s forgivable.
The other two stories, “February Rain” and “Cooled Passion,” are not going to be to everyone’s taste since in both, the point-of-view character abruptly forces himself on his companion. In “Cooled Passion” this is especially unfortunate, as the act is quite malicious and the tale had been so promising up to that point.
In the end, though there are elements in some stories that I’m not keen on, the overall collection is enjoyable and unique enough that I can still recommend it.
Physical Attraction is available now.
–Reviewed by Michelle Smith
By Mine Yoshizaki
Tokyopop, 179 pp.
Rating: T (13+)
Wacky hijinks persist as the Keroro Platoon members continue to fail in their schemes to conquer Earth. This time, invasion plans involve mosquitoes, doing things exactly as expected, paint that had such a weird purpose I don’t even know what to make of it, and luxury hotel rooms on the moon. There’s also a two-part trip to Kyoto that introduces enemies of Koyuki’s Shinobi clan as well as two flashback chapters that spotlight Momoka and Keroro.
I pick up this series every few months, and there are still a few chuckles to be had in each volume, but for the most part it seems to have run its course. The humor comes from the outlandish plans the Keronians continue to come up with, but reading chapter after chapter of failed invasion plots, knowing that there will never be a change in this formula, is a little disheartening. It’s different from even repetitive shojo or shonen romance manga, where eventually the characters will develop and change. Occasionally, the formula is disrupted a bit, as with the flashback chapters in this volume (the best part of it, really), or with the two-part story in Kyoto, but even that just isn’t enough to break up the monotony.
The best parts of Sgt. Frog are always the stories that go on a bit longer and involve just a bit more risk. We all know those will never go anywhere either, but they at least throw a little spice into things. The excellent sense of humor has remained intact for the duration of the series, and I can’t help but smile at the chapter where they decide to act like something from the movie Alien or laugh out loud at the bizarre paint chapter. But even that isn’t enough to break up all the repetition. The early volumes are among the funniest manga I’ve ever read, but with no change, the novelty just doesn’t last this long.
Volume eighteen of Sgt. Frog is available now.
–Reviewed by Connie C.
By Takehiko Inoue
Viz, 196 pp.
Rating: Teen
After an admirable performance in an exhibition game against a tough rival, the Shohoku High basketball team is ready to get back to practice, but a gang of thugs with a grudge against team member Ryota Miyagi make that impossible. They invade the court with the intent of starting a brawl that’ll get the Shohoku team disqualified from competition. Just when the thugs have been beaten back, with help from Hanamichi’s pals, assistant captain Kogure reveals that the lead punk, Mitsui, was once a promising member of the team.
What follows is a multi-chapter tale of hubris, wounded knees, and wasted potential, and it might perhaps seem rather pointless if not for all the heartfelt emotion on display and the certainty that Mitsui will once again rejoin the team. Kogure, typically very mild in manner, shows he’s tougher than he looks while Mitsui does the opposite when confronted by Coach Anzai, whom he dearly loves and respects.
All in all, there’s very little actual basketball in this volume but there is a lot of team building, which makes for a very enjoyable reading experience.
Volume eight of Slam Dunk is available now.
–Reviewed by Michelle Smith
By Chaco Abeno
Yen Press, 128 pp.
Rating: Older Teen
Just in case you were uncertain about what kind of manga this is, the volume opens with five color pages containing about a dozen bra and panty shots and one profile view of bountiful, nude bosoms.
The main storyline involves a not-too-bright boy called Kentarou Sawai who lives in a building with a bunch of girls of varying character types. He’s in love with Karen, the pretty caretaker, and doesn’t realize that the bespectacled Arai is really his childhood love. Chapters are brief and focus on uninspired scenarios like “Kentarou is ill and must eat the foul concoction prepared by the girl he likes” or “Kentarou’s sister visits and to avoid being recognized, Arai dons a mushroom costume.”
The characters are all incredibly shallow and none of the comedy is in the least bit amusing. The tone does get a little more somber right near the end, but the angst is so sudden and over-the-top that it comes across as more ridiculous than compelling. Plus, it’s hard to take it seriously when, two pages later, a girl wearing a maid’s outfit and thigh highs trips and sprawls across half a page, exposing her undies in the process.
It’s probably to be expected that female fans of this title will be few, since women are obviously not the target audience. I certainly don’t begrudge the fellas their right to eye candy, but must it be so vapid? I really looked for something to compliment, but aside from the cover, which I think is pretty, I couldn’t find a thing.
Volume two of Welcome to Wakaba-soh is available now.
–Reviewed by Michelle Smith
Review copies provided by the publishers.
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