We’ve got another manly bunch of minis in store this week! Ken starts things off in a very manly way indeed, with a review of volume 21 of Blade of the Immortal (Dark Horse); Michelle valiantly attempts to provide some shojo content with a look at the final volume of Boys Over Flowers (VIZ); Grant counters back with reviews of volume 30 of Case Closed (VIZ) and the fifth volume of Psycho Busters (Del Rey); and Sam seals the deal with his takes on volume twelve of Hayate the Combat Butler and volume eighteen of Yakitate!! Japan (both from VIZ).
Blade of the Immortal, Vol. 21
By Hiroaki Samura
Dark Horse, 232 pp
Rating: 18 +
After an interminably long wait, the end has come. Not to the series, but the epic prison arc! Picking up from the last volume, Rin and Manji are finally united but the hugs and kisses may have to wait as they find themselves trapped in the tunnels battling hordes of samurai, Asaemon, and the final, failed product of Burando’s medical experiments, all while the tunnels are filling with the icy water from the castle’s moat.
It’s a hell of a payoff that’s been forever in coming. The action sequences are beautifully done; the artwork is probably the best it’s been for this series in a while as Samura is clearly into it once again. As with the rest of the prison arc, he delves once more into the realm of horror by introducing one of Burando’s failed experiments into the mix. It’s a suitably creepy fellow and the big reveal about it is a brilliantly twisted one.
This volume and the previous one were breaths of fresh air for Blade of the Immortal fans, oases of bloodshed and action in what’s been the longest, slowest arc in the history of the series. There are some wonderful payoffs throughout it, though, like seeing Rin finally and truly come into her own, not just in planning but in her bravery, and watching her relationship and friendship with Doa grow and expand. Samura’s done a hell of a job at developing her character throughout the series, but this volume really feels like culmination of everything he’s set up since “Rin’s Bane” nearly ten years ago. Her swordsmanship may still not be the best in the book, but her perseverance, determination and bravery have been nothing but fantastic to see in action.
Everything about this volume reminded me why I had fallen in love with the series ten years ago and why it’s still one of the series I most look forward to to this day. Fantastic stuff from Samura and the folks at Dark Horse.
Volume 21 of Blade of the Immortal is available now.
–Reviewed by Ken Haley
By Yoko Kamio
VIZ, 200 pp.
Rating: Teen
After 36 dramatastic volumes, Boys Over Flowers has finally come to an end. It’s just too bad it didn’t happen sooner. The end of volume 31 would’ve been a good place, for example, with Tsukushi and Tsukasa finally realizing that their love is what’s most important in their lives. Instead, after Tsukasa recovers from a rather lame bout of amnesia, he announces that, due to his father’s sudden illness, he is taking off for New York after graduation and won’t be back for four years.
Although some very nice moments between the main couple result, like a night spent alone together and some endearingly misspelled skywriting, on the whole this volume is a disappointment on that front. With Tsukasa’s departure looming and Tsukushi forced to deal with her wacky family, they spend too much of this final volume apart for it to truly feel satisfying. Also, while I don’t really mind checking in on some of the secondary characters introduced throughout the series, I begrudge them the pages that could’ve been spent on the protagonists.
On the positive side, the volume provides some unexpectedly touching moments with Tsukushi and the rest of the F4, who are graduating, too. Instead of taking dates to the prom, they’ve decided that the last girl they want to dance with in high school is Tsukushi and we get a little farewell moment with each of them. Also, a bonus story about Akira, the least developed member of the F4, proves to be surprisingly entertaining.
Boys Over Flowers might end with a whimper rather than a bang, but don’t take that to mean that it isn’t ultimately well worth reading.
Volume 36 of Boys Over Flowers is available now.
–Reviewed by Michelle Smith
By Gosho Aoyama
Viz Media, 200 pp.
Rating: Teen
There isn’t much to say about this volume of Case Closed that is different from any other. There’s a mystery, Conan figures everything out, and he presents a grand reveal.
There is a little bit of variety to be found in the Sunset Manor arc, where Conan and six other detectives find themselves invited to a mansion by a mysterious third party. The group of sleuths is forced to crack a riddle in hopes that one will be able to find treasure and ensure safe passage away from the house. The others are doomed to die. It all conveniently devolves into the three-step formula mentioned above, with nary a moment of character development.
The most intriguing moments tend to be the ones that explore the ongoing plot points involving character relationships and the organization responsible for Conan’s transformation, but those moments are almost nonexistent in this release.
If you are still buying Case Closed at this point, you know exactly what you will be getting, which is why this volume is nothing more than average.
Volume 30 of Case Closed is available now.
–Reviewed by Grant Goodman
Hayate the Combat Butler, Vol. 12
By Kenjiro Hata
VIZ, 190 pp.
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
The latest installment of Hayate the Combat Butler continues the comedy/harem stylings of a young boy, Hayate, who has taken on the duties of a butler for a rich orphan, Ojo. Volume twelve is chock full of short stories, featuring an alien who crash lands at a hot spring, the insidious hunt for persimmons, and the political dealings of the oh-so-troublesome White Day. The stories all have a very comedic tone to them, but this doesn’t resonate with me. The characters are a bit flat and that the writing tries to incorporate a fair amount of fan service moments that the art just won’t allow for. Older teen rating, oh how out of place you are!
What did really get me about this book is the homages the series goes to lengths to pay. In the beginning of the hot spring incident, for example, Ojo sprays Hayate with cold water and, immediately struck with disappointment, says, “You didn’t turn into a woman!” Other nods range from an appearance by Char’s costume from Mobile Suit Gundam and Studio Ghibil-style forests to a mention of Negi Springfield. I think its great when an author is able to show that they know their roots and Kenjiro Hata does just that.
Volume twelve of Hayate the Combat Butler is available now.
–Reviewed by Sam Kusek
By Akinari Nao and Yuya Aoki
Del Rey, 208 pp.
Rating: Older Teen
Let’s do the rundown of this manga’s symptoms. Group of spunky youngsters. Young boy destined to save the world because his power is greater than everyone else’s. Mysterious organization exploiting kids with powers. Fragmented review sentences.
If you have read through that list and you like the sound of it, you will like Psycho Busters. Yuya Aoki’s story takes a standard formula and instead of making the kids ninjas or crime solvers, gives them psychic powers. For those interested in the tale’s romantic subplots, Kakeru and Ayano finally get some alone time in Akihabara. It is a very cute scene, up until Todoroki arrives and wrecks things (namely, Kakeru). With Kakeru down and out, he abducts Ayano and runs off, which will no doubt lead to a dramatic rescue arc in the volumes to come.
Nao skips out on illustrating a big fight scene, reducing what could have been a wonderfully dramatic showdown to a double-page illustration and then it’s all over. To me, that’s probably the biggest disappointment in this volume. To others, this may be a positive that allows the story progress at a much quicker pace. I don’t think a few extra combat scenes would have hurt, though. The resolution of the fight is simple and trite, ending with a predictable “This villain isn’t angry, just horribly lonely. Hey, let’s be friends.” Predicting it made me feel like I had psychic powers, too.
Volume five of Psycho Busters is available now.
–Reviewed by Grant Goodman
By Takashi Hashiguchi
VIZ, 200 pp.
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
When we last left the Pantasia team, Kanmuri, resident Harvard grad and baking wizard, was in the midst of a head-to-head battle with his half brother over control of their father’s mafia rights. The only problem is Azuma, the golden boy of the group, is out sick, so it’s up to the unlikely Kawachi to aid and assist this time. Fast-forward to the second half: Azuma is better and is met with the challenge of facing a newcomer, Norihei Miki, an admirer of Azuma’s who believes he can best his idol. (The Norihei character is actually homage to Tadashi Tanuma, a famous Japanese comedian, which is a nice peer into Japanese culture.)
As the norm with the reviews for Yakitate!! Japan, the art has remained just as strong, with vibrant angles and in-depth looks into the recipes. As for the writing, I feel like it’s gotten crazier. I remember when I first read this and didn’t expect to see so many gags in the future. I certainly appreciate a good sense of humor but at times, I feel like it can really overpower the intensive bread baking techniques that make the book what it is. Otherwise, great continuation in the series! Can’t wait to see more!
Volume eighteen of Yakitate!! Japan is available now.
–Reviewed by Sam Kusek
I’m looking forward to the side story about him in Boys Over Flowers: Jewelry Box.
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