Daniel Legend is a bounty hunter, tasked with tracking down the various criminals of LA. After one busy night on the job he arrives home to discover an old postcard in the mail, apparently sent to him from his long lost sister. With the card as the only clue as to her whereabouts, Daniel heads off to the place pictured on the card in search of answers. He heads off to Shinjuku.

Going from that description, Shinjuku doesn’t sound half bad, does it? Well, I fooled you because it is half bad. Which half? Well, it’s certainly not Amano’s half that’s for sure. Shinjuku is a weird hodgepodge of near-future sci-fi, Eastern mysticism, crime stories and more. All of which could and should jell together nicely to give an intriguing, weird, maybe even pulpy piece of fiction. Sadly, in Mink’s hands it falls a bit short. For one thing, all of the characters are incredibly flat and bland. Daniel Legend, aside from a rather snazzy name, is a fairly unmemorable protagonist. The main antagonist, Shi, is only a bit more memorable thanks in part due to his tattoos. Neither is terribly compelling, though, and for the most part their personalities are incredibly thin.

They move through the plot with little to no explanation given for their actions beyond the idea that Shi wants to rule the universe and Daniel Legend is the key to this. I’m still a bit foggy on how, though. There was something going on involving a bull god named Togensa, some things about cycling through realities and Daniel’s father, but beyond that a lot of what happens just seems to happen because the writer wants it to. There’s no natural flow or progression and a lot of action and plot points occur off the page, such as a subplot dealing with an LA gangster coming to Tokyo in search of Daniel and his sister, and… oh, the entire climax of the story.

Still, there was one redeeming thing about Shinjuku, namely Amano’s artwork. Unlike other illustrated novels, there’s more than just a few pieces here. In fact, nearly every single page is adorned by some kind of artwork from Amano, ranging from incredibly striking two-page spreads to small, half-page pieces. It’s definitely a rougher and less clean style than I’m used to from Amano, and he focuses heavily on the use of black, gray and red, with the odd blue or gold tossed in for kicks. But yeah, his artwork is the highlight of the story and it looks gorgeous in this oversized format.

In the end, Shinjuku was a rather disappointing read that boasts some lovely-looking artwork by Amano. I was left feeling confused, bewildered and wondering what I had just read and what was the point of it. But who knows, maybe all will become clear in the next two planned installments of the series.

Shinjuku is available now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Alice in the Country of Hearts, Vol. 3

Story by Quinrose, Art by Soumei Hoshino
TOKYOPOP, 192 pp.
Rating: OT (16+)

The plot thickens as Alice begins to blend in more and more with the residents of her Wonderland. She becomes a regular assistant to the clockmaker Julius, Peter the White Rabbit begins to cool his amorous advances, and Alice and Blood Dupree have a conversation about where they stand with one another.

This series continues to defy every expectation I have for it. Even the characters begin pointing this out, as Blood’s conversation runs towards the topic of how Alice ought to be head-over-heels for him and stringing along all the characters that are in love with her, but isn’t. It also ought to be a harem series, but isn’t since Alice is too strong a character and the various suitors are just creepy. The strange mechanics of Wonderland and the “game” Alice is caught up in continue to be maddeningly elusive, and the tidbits we are offered once again in this volume point to it being a pretty complex and tantalizing mystery. There are strange quirks that keep coming up, too, like the fact that Peter can turn into an animal and might remain that way for some time to come.

It’s far better than it ought to be, and volume three continues the mystery of Wonderland and the strange hobbies all the characters keep as Alice becomes used to the way things work. This was more of a leveling off than exposition, but Alice in the Country of Hearts is currently one of my favorite TOKYOPOP series, and I’m very much looking forward to precisely where the story and characters are going to go.

Volume three of Alice in the Country of Hearts is available now.

–Reviewed by Connie C.

Hellsing, Vol. 10

By Kohta Hirano
Dark Horse, 192 pp.
Rating: 16+

In the final volume of Hellsing, nazi vampires and the Hellsing Organization clash one final time in the middle of what was once London, amidst the flaming wreckage of the nazi zepplin. The final three confrontations take place, Alucard is brought low, and the series comes to a conclusion.

What is there to say about this series? It is ridiculous, violent, over-the-top, and absolutely revels in its debauchery. The final fights that take place aren’t unexpected, since Seras is locked in battle with the werewolf at the end of volume nine and it’s obvious that Integra will face off against the Major. What isn’t so obvious is the true nature of the Major (you knew he wasn’t quite human all this time, but he kept his hand held close), and the ultimate fate of Alucard.

Alucard’s battle being a wildcard was a surprise to me, and it was nice to see that he didn’t just plow through everybody, but at the same time what happens is rather poorly explained and nonsensical. On the other hand, the fact that such a thing came from left field is totally in character for this story. The other thing that wound up being a little tedious was the Major’s tendency to launch into tirades about the philosophy of war, but he’s been doing that all the way through, and it made sense for him to have… such strong opinions about the things he’d done.

The epilogue was a little underwhelming, but then again, how does one tie up the loose ends in Hellsing? It was violent and action-packed in the most extreme way possible all the way through and quiet moments feel out of place. It revels in depravity and does it better and marginally more coherently than most other series that try it. It’s a true legend to the end.

Volume ten of Hellsing is available now.

–Reviewed by Connie C.

Maiden Rose, Vol. 1

By Fusanosuke Inariya
Digital Manga Publishing, 206 pp.
Rating: Mature

Taki Reizen and Claus von Wolfstadt should be enemies since their countries are at war. But a bond forged at school abroad leads Taki, a nobleman, to make Claus his knight, fighting by his side while Taki takes the role of division commander, marshalling his humble subjects as they seek to defend against the enemy’s advances. Many view Claus with suspicion, despite his apparent devotion to the commander, and are more apt to regard him as a “mad dog” and possible spy than as a trustworthy ally.

The two adjectives that best describe Maiden Rose are “promising” and “confusing.” For a boys’ love manga, this story is extremely complex, and features many character types and conflicts not traditionally seen in this genre. The character designs are also terrifically varied, from beautiful Taki to gruff Claus to the myriad middle-aged men who make up the rest of the division.

Confusing, though, is the exact nature of Taki and Claus’ (sexual) relationship. A flashback to their first encounter makes it clear that Taki wanted this, but now it seems like Taki is simply allowing himself to be violated by Claus after each battle. This makes for some disturbing scenes, but what’s good about Maiden Rose is that it doesn’t shirk from the consequences of Claus’ roughness. Too, Taki has enough depth as a character that one can read his passivity here as a desire to be punished for getting innocent people hurt; he’s commanding them because he must and it’s better than remaining ignorant while they die, but it’s definitely taking a toll on him.

So, yes, a very promising boys’ love manga indeed. It’s perhaps not for the faint of heart, but it’s definitely something different.

Volume one of Maiden Rose is available now.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith

Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning, Vol. 11

By Kyo Shirodaira & Eita Mizuno
Yen Press, 208 pp.
Rating: Teen

It is always really nice to get the facts when you are reading a story and volume eleven of the Sprial: The Bonds of Reasoning is just that. The facts. After the battle with Kanon, Ayumu Narumi and the rest of the Blade Children are hospitalized, giving them time to mull over the attack. Being the proactive guy that he is, though, Ayumu seeks to find out what exactly caused this situation and what is going to happen in the future.

All I really have to say is thank god for this volume! It makes the story much more interesting, clearing up exactly who and what the Blade Children are and getting me reinvested in the series. Kyo Shirodaira paces the scores of information we receive wonderfully; the volume is never overloaded at any point and instead draws you in with great twists and turns in the writing.

The artwork hasn’t changed much, though, and could work better to suit the serious nature of the story. It just isn’t dynamic enough, underplaying what’s really trying to be said here.

Volume eleven of Spiral: The Bonds of Reasoning is available now.

–Reviewed by Sam Kusek

Review copies provided by the publishers.

For over a decade, Blade of the Immortal has been a mainstay of my manga reading diet and a big reason why is Hiroaki Samura’s absolutely gorgeous artwork. So, when Dark Horse announced a massive, oversized, art book full of his covers, chapter breaks and more, I was excited to say the least.

Within this tome you’ll find many of the series’ most memorable covers, chapter breaks and more. The images are reproduced wonderfully and look even better than when originally published. There are even several pieces that I don’t immediately recognize and suspect this may actually be their first official US release. I’m thinking particularly of two double-page spreads, one showing a more recent incarnation of the Itto Ryu roster, and the other depicting the main three Mugai-Ryu members. Then again, given the sheer size of the series it’s quite possible that I’m simply forgetting them. In addition to the material from the Japanese edition, the Dark Horse edition includes an extra 32 pages of material including a few splash pages from the manga itself, the art pieces from the novel Blade of the Immortal: Legend of the Sword Demon, and a few black-and-white pieces that were colored to be used as covers for the US monthly comic edition of the series.

Notable by their absence are the pieces that arguably set Blade of the Immortal apart from other series at the time: the full-page death scenes. Anyone familiar with the series will know exactly what I’m talking about, but for those who aren’t, try to imagine a full-page shot of someone’s body slowly coming apart after being hacked to bits, set against a background of, oh, say a massive lotus unfurling its petals. I’m really not doing justice to the amount of detail these “death mandalas” actually contain, as they’re absolutely beautiful and blew my mind when I first encountered them. One has to wonder why something that was a prominent feature in the series’ early days was omitted. In his afterward, Samura does discuss having problems looking at his older pieces, so perhaps it’s simply a case of him looking back at these pieces and seeing nothing but their flaws and imperfections.

This release is a fantastic, must-have for any fan of Blade of the Immortal or Hiroaki Samura’s artwork. The price ($29.99) might seem a bit steep at first, but it’s such a high-quality product with art from one of the best manga creators and manga artist around that it’s well worth it.

The Art of Blade of the Immortal is available now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Blood+: Kowloon Nights

By Hirotaka Kisaragi
Dark Horse, 176 pp.
Rating: 14+

In the world of Blood+, a girl named Saya and her trusty servant Hagi battle against chiropterans, a race of blood-sucking creatures. This one-volume prequel focuses on Hagi’s 1993 stay in Hong Kong, during which he teams up with a hot-headed cop named Nishi to put down a man-made pack of chiropterans that’s been leaving corpses in a certain area of town.

Unlike the other manga series in the franchise, Kowloon Nights is definitely intended for a female audience. BL artist Hirotaka Kisaragi (best known in the US for Innocent Bird) excels at depicting attractive male characters and infuses Nishi and Hagi’s interactions with a definite boys’ love vibe. Although there’s not so much as a kiss between them, Nishi frequently blushes and experiences heart palpitations in Hagi’s presence and there are two occasions in which Hagi slurps Nishi’s blood in sexy fashion, including one particular panel that suggests a different bodily fluid entirely.

The plot itself starts promisingly, but soon becomes muddled when a crime boss of some kind reveals his intent to develop a drug that grants immortality. The story probably would’ve been better if it had focused solely on Nishi and the fascination and concern he feels for Hagi, but I suppose they did need a villain to fight so that Hagi could demonstrate that he cares for Nishi, too, in his own way.

Blood+: Kowloon Nights is available now.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith

Cactus’s Secret, Vol. 2

By Nana Haruta
VIZ, 176 pp.
Rating: Teen

Miku Yamada has finally managed to make her dense crush, Kyohei Fujioka, understand that she has feelings for him, even though he doesn’t reciprocate. Meanwhile, a pompous classmate publicly declares his affections for Miku and attempts to get Kyohei expelled for stealing the answers to the midterm exams. Later, Miku and Kyohei are both assigned to the Sports Day Planning Committee, where the lovely chief gets too close to Kyohei for Miku’s comfort.

I didn’t have too great an impression of this series after the first volume, since I found the lead character abrasive and largely to blame for her own angst. Things improve in volume two, in which Miku’s tendency to rant actually helps clear up the cheating accusation and in which Kyohei exhibits sufficient obliviousness to justify her irritation. There’s also an especially nice chapter where the two of them get lost on their way to karaoke with friends and end up having a nice time together at the arcade, complete with some genuinely amusing photo stickers.

Unfortunately, we’re only in volume two and the cast already includes four romantic rivals. They do propel the plot along, at least, with the Planning Committee chief causing Miku some pain when she realizes that something Kyohei said to her is the same thing he’d say to anybody else and the new male character offering to reveal Kyohei’s mysterious secret if Miku goes out with him, but it’s still tiresome.

Volume two of Cactus’s Secret will be available on June 1, 2010.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith

D. Gray-Man, Vol. 17

By Katsura Hoshino
Viz Media, 200 pp.
Rating: Older Teen

The latest volume of D. Gray-Man has some very important revelations that drive the story forward. Unfortunately, they’re far outweighed by filler moments. It turns what should be an enjoyable read into a hunt for the parts that get the story moving again.

In a way, the zombie outbreak chapters in the beginning should serve as a nice reprieve from the enormously serious events of the akuma attack in volumes fifteen and sixteen. Instead, they drag on, taking up far too much space to reach a conclusion that bears very little impact on the overall story.

The highlight of the volume is Cross Marian’s discussion with Allen about the true identity of The Fourteenth. It features Hoshino’s best artwork in the volume (including a striking negative image of The Fourteenth glaring down at Allen), proving that she can make a conversation just as lively as any of her battle scenes.

From there, things get a little clumsy. Allen and friends have to win a chess match with a spirit to reclaim some Innocence and a few new characters arrive from HQ. This is balanced out, however, by the apparent murder of a high-ranking member of the Black Order. It signals a return to the darker tone of past volumes, which I find most welcome.

Volume seventeen of D. Gray-Man is available now.

–Reviewed by Grant Goodman

Happy Boys, Vol. 2

By Makoto Tateno
DMP/DokiDoki, 188 pp.
Rating: 13+

The wacky, slice-of-life hijinx continue at Lady Briganza, the classy butler café staffed with young, good-looking men. We get peeks into the outside lives of the staff, learn all about seasonal teas, see a confrontation with the staff of a host club, and even get to watch as one of the staff members is recruited as a real butler for a genuine rich young lady.

I’m still surprised by how much I enjoyed this, especially given how much I disliked Happy Cafe, a very similar series. The weakest story in the volume is the first (the host club story), but it wasn’t terrible, and the stories only get better from there. There still isn’t a whole lot to sink your teeth into story-wise (I think this volume is the conclusion of the series, and ends with the longer and heavier “real butler” story), but it is fairly entertaining and endearing, and makes for a great light read.

While the characters aren’t ever really developed and act mostly in a group, each chapter does a good job of spotlighting an individual member of the staff, and I think the success lies in the fact that it doesn’t go for cheap gags and lets everything play out fairly realistically. My favorite was the story about one of the boys staying up all night to buy a video game, then going to a maid café on a whim afterwards and dressing the girls down.

The summaries for this series tell you pretty much all you need to know, but if you’re on the fence, it’s a solid enough series that you’ll probably like it. The second volume has even less BL content than the first, so you won’t find any innuendo between the boys, but I think it was a whole lot better without it.

Volume two of Happy Boys is available now.

–Reviewed by Connie C.

Spice & Wolf, Vol. 1

Written by Isuna Hasekura, Art by Keito Koume, Character Design by Jyuu Ayakura
Yen Press, 192 pp.
Rating: M

I read this expecting a decent adaptation of the original novel but was blown away at just how accurate an adaptation it turned out to be! The manga is a near-perfect adaptation of the novel, just with better artwork. It’s so faithful to the source material that folks who read the novel will recognize almost every piece of text in it. I suspect this is due to a combination of the original adaptation’s accuracy and the fact that Paul Starr handled the English translation for both. Admittedly, certain subtleties in the character development are lost, or not as thoroughly explored, but if you’ve read the novel then the manga is sure to give you a strong sense of déjà vu.

The big thing that the manga has going for it that the novel doesn’t is Keito Koume’s artwork. Whether it’s the character designs or the backgrounds, everything is nicely detailed, and the use of tones and hatching serves to give the book a strong rustic look and feel throughout. From the bustling streets of a city to the empty, gently swaying fields of wheat in the countryside, the artwork does a great job at conveying the atmosphere and the setting.

I’m honestly a bit perplexed about this. It’s a very good adaptation and the artwork fits the material to a tee. That said, it’s so faithful that it almost feels redundant if you’ve read the novel. As an attempt to reach folks the novel missed, I think it should do fairly well as the core of the story remains and Keito Koume’s artwork is just lovely to look at.

Volume one of Spice & Wolf is available now.

–Reviewed by Ken Haley

Review copies provided by the publishers.

The fourth and final Blood+ novel is an inventive vampire and monster-filled romp. There’s an effective mix of action, introspection, and tragedy that makes this translated novel a page-turner.

I really love the creativity that shines through in Ikehata’s world. Twin chiropteran sisters (vampire-like creatures) are born with the condition that their blood is fatal to one another. Each girl has the ability to turn humans into immortals by offering up their blood. These new immortals, called Chevaliers, then take on a complete devotion to their queen. Saya, who prefers blood transfusions to drinking it fresh, is on a quest to kill her twin sister, Diva, who has far fewer moral qualms.

Thrown into the mix are the Schiff, who are a failed scientific venture into creating artificial Chevaliers, and the Corpse Corps., who are the second generation of Schiff. Along the way, several humans get dragged into the conflict. They tend to find themselves feeling like evolutionary afterthoughts when they witness the terrifying abilities Chiropterans and the Schiff possess. This large cast creates a healthy blend of characters who have very different views on life.

The twin sister blood feud that drives the story creates some priceless tension. So many of the characters talk about the importance of family. Kai is still caught up in mourning his younger brother. The Schiff have lost most of their brothers and sisters due to their defective bodies that whither and die rather quickly. Hagi is Saya’s only remaining Chevalier and he candidly admits that Saya is everything he has left in the world. Even Diva’s Chevaliers have family ties and when some choose to break them, the others realize the loss. And so, against this backdrop, Saya is still convinced that she needs to kill Diva before she can kill anyone else important to her. Of course, all of this is complicated by the revelation that Diva is pregnant with the next pair of Chiropteran queens. If Saya goes through with her plan, she will have to murder the children in order to truly end to her own bloodline.

John Thomas’s translation is noteworthy for making sure everything flows nicely. There are no awkward lines I came across, a problem that plagues many of the light novels I pick up. This is a testament to the skill of both the original author and the translator. There were many descriptions that jumped out at me along the way. I absolutely love the line that reads: “His uncontrolled laughter hit the ceiling and rained back down.” It’s a powerful way to bring mad laughter to life through words.

Action scenes are very well done and the writing captures the feel of a piece of animation. Characters leap off of buildings, move so fast they vanish and reappear right behind one another, and generally wreck any structure that happens to be nearby. Death scenes are fairly gory, though they often play out with the grace of a ballet. Along with this comes a ton of melodramatic “…” moments and characters softly speaking each other’s names, which drags the novel down, if only just a little.

Minor flaws aside, Blood +: Nankurunaisa is a lively, fast-paced read. The characters are easy to identify with, including many of the villains, who are not your typical one-track-mind servants of their queen. Their triumphs and suffering are all genuine and you’ll find yourself racing through the last hundred pages to see how it all plays out.

Blood+: Nankurunaisa is available now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Dark Horse’s longest-running continuous series, Oh My Goddess!, first debuted in 1994, and Horn talks about how manga was perceived sixteen years ago and how this series about love wasn’t expected to succeed in a market expecting “psychic robot tentacle assassins.”

It’s a great read, so check it out!

To atone for crimes in his past, the immortal Manji swears to kill one thousand “evil men.” His problem, of course, is figuring out who’s truly evil. Enter Asano Rin. Two years ago she watched as her father was murdered and her mother was gang-raped and taken by the group known as the Itto Ryu. She recruits Manji to her cause and together the two set out to avenge her parents. Blade of the Immortal: Legend of the Sword Demon is a reimagining of the first six or so volumes of the original manga. All of the fan-favorite characters are present and several key events from those early years are included as well, though altered to make way for several new twists and an entirely new character, the mysterious and unstoppable being known only as the Inugami.

For the most part, the novel plays out through Rin’s point of view. It’s through her that we’re introduced to Manji and the other major players. This is a slight change from the manga, but one that could work and hopefully give us some interesting insight into Rin and the various facets of her personality. Sadly, this is not the case. While Ohsako makes an able attempt at capturing Rin’s character, I never really felt that he nailed her down. There’s some of the self-doubt and hesitation regarding her quest for vengeance that marks her character in the manga, but it’s never really fleshed out beyond the idea that she’s not quite at ease with murder.

Manji, for his part, is incredibly mysterious and tight-lipped about his own life throughout. The result is that their relationship seems to lack the sibling tenderness and sarcasm that makes it feel so real and vibrant in the manga. In addition, his own motivations are merely hinted at or alluded to, never quite making it clear why he actually sides with Rin or even why he wants to atone for his past in the first place. This all results in the reader being forced to fill in the blanks on their own. For long-time fans this shouldn’t be a problem, but I’d imagine that newcomers might be left scratching their heads over a lot of the characters’ actions and descisions.

The other most obvious change from the original manga is the inclusion of the Inugami, a bizarre creature with ties to the mysterious group known as the Mugai Ryu. There’s not a whole lot to say about him as he’s little more than a rampaging beast. Still, Ohsako manages to use him as a dark mirror for Manji and Rin’s journeys. He presents Rin with a glimpse at what she could potentially become if she loses herself in the quest for revenge, and gives Manji an uncomfortable look at who he may have been at one point in his life.

Samura provides several illustrations for the novel and they’re absolutely gorgeous. The full-page pieces here are similar in style to his cover and chapter break artwork and provide some nice eye candy. That said, I do have two small complaints with it. The first is that we’re never given a full or clear shot of the Inugami. The descriptions make it sound like he’d be visually interesting, but, alas, the book is without anything more than a head shot of the masked creature. The second complaint is that there’s not enough of it. We only get six pieces and they’re just so gorgeous that you can’t help but want more.

I really felt that this book was a mixed bag at best. There were some potentially interesting elements, but they were never properly developed or fleshed out enough for the book to stand as its own work. Long-time fans might find it to be an interesting but unessential companion to the manga, but I don’t think there’s much for newcomers besides a tantalizing taste of what the manga has to offer.

Blade of the Immortal: Legend of Sword Demon is available now.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

Bamboo Blade, Vol. 3

By Masahiro Totsuka and Aguri Igarashi
Yen Press, 224 pp.
Rating: Older Teen

Oh, Bamboo Blade. Your story plods along for these first few volumes, never really going anywhere. It’s all ho-hum and by the time I’ve finished a volume, I realize that none of it was necessary.

Half of volume three is eaten up by the continuation of the practice tournament from the previous volume. Since it’s all for practice and the reader already knows each girl’s fighting style, the matches are completely predictable. Kirino unsurprisingly asserts her “never give up” personality to earn her win and Tama completely dominates her second match. Everything is punctuated by overreactions from teammates and coaches. Yawn.

Even the biggest potential for plot development—the rivaly between Kojiro and Kenzaburou—turns out to be worthless when Kenzaburou reveals that the free year of sushi bet he made in the first place was a ruse. The two part ways with the revelation that Kenzaburou coaches a second team that Kojiro will need to defeat. After that, there’s a fruitless side plot where Tama starts working part-time in order to afford an expensive anime box set.

The saving grace of Bamboo Blade is its sharp, clean artwork. Yes, the characters sometimes change height from scene to scene, but when it’s time to break out the action scenes, they’re consistently great to look at.

If you need a read that is pure, plain vanilla, go ahead and grab Bamboo Blade. Otherwise, it’s safe to skip this title.

Volume three of Bamboo Blade is available now.

–Reviewed by Grant Goodman

Black God, Vol. 8

Story by Dall-Young Lim, Art by Sung-Woo Park
Yen Press, 208 pp.
Rating: OT (Older Teen)

The Okinawa arc comes to a head as Kuro and Keita face off against Hiyou and Shinobu, the Negative Root and murderer of Keita’s own mother! It’s an emotional and surprisingly brutal climax that puts our heroes and their allies through the proverbial meat grinder.

Even though I missed the previous volume I didn’t have too much trouble figuring out what was going on and was caught up in it fairly quickly. The showdown between the four is very well done and the beatdown of the heroes is surprisingly effective. I was really surprised at just how brutal the fight was. Whether it’s a rock to the face or Hiyou and Kuro breaking out their powers, the fight has a distinctly savage and desperate feel throughout the book. The visuals do a fantastic job at conveying all the intensity of the battle and at times it feels like action is going to pop off the page.

The series is hardly a groundbreaking, innovative work, but it’s been a solid action/adventure series from the get-go and this volume is no different. It’s a nice climax to the current arc, even if the ultimate resolution is a bit clichéd.

Volume eight of Black God is available now.

–Reviewed by Ken Haley

Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project, Vol. 3

By Osamu Takahashi
Dark Horse, 192 pp.
Rating: 16+

In volume one, it was a refreshing concept: take the Evangelion cast, let them get to know each other, and make them suffer less. By the third volume, however, the idea has started to wear thin.

The goal of the Raising Project is to help Shinji become “more positive and emotionally affirmative.” Aside from sounding totally lame, it forces the plot into stale predictability. What it seemingly translates to is this: Shinji needs to realize that girls are pretty and that he should talk to them about his feelings, even if it seems difficult. Seeing how Shinji is in the throes of puberty, this is a task that should require absolutely no outside interference—or scientific studying, for that matter.

Unfortunately, the plot makes both of these necessary, resulting in a boatload of unnecessary plot devices to put Shinji, Rei, and Asuka in pseudo-sexual situations. Such devices include Shinji walking in on Asuka changing, catching a falling Rei so she lands on top of him, and—drumroll please—slipping on a banana peel so he he dives face-first into Rei’s crotch. I understand that there is an audience for these hijinks. I am not among them.

It turns out that when the giant robot combat and the looming apocalypse are taken away, Evangelion isn’t much more than a high school blush-a-thon.

Volume three of Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Shinji Ikari Raising Project is available now.

–Reviewed by Grant Goodman

A Tale of an Unknown Country, Vol. 2

By Natsuna Kawase
CMX, 191 pp.
Rating: E

The romance between Marie and Reynol continues in this volume, with most of the action taking place in Reynol’s kingdom of Yurinela as the story leads up to the announcement of their engagement. Marie tries to learn all she can about Reynol’s country as the two lovebirds continue to learn about each other and their respective family members scheme against them for their own reasons.

Unfortunately, I read this volume after the very similar series Lapis Lazuli Crown, by the same author. Both are wonderful and very fun upbeat romances that take place in quirky kingdoms, but I think Lapis Lazuli Crown comes out above this one (fair enough, I believe Tales is Kawase’s debut work). There is less chemistry between Marie and Reynol, though I do appreciate that they do all they can to try and learn about and relate to each other. Also, I had forgotten about the fact the heroine periodically dresses in a maid outfit for no reason, though the random appearance of the outfit is reduced to one chapter, with one other chapter featuring Marie as a maid as part of the plot. There is also a strange subplot involving the individual plans of Marie’s brother and Reynol’s mother and older brother. Marie has to win over the latter two, who are against Reynol marrying the princess of such a small kingdom, in order to announce her engagement, but the political elements seemed out of place. Stranger still, they don’t go anywhere.

It’s a cute and low-key all-ages romance, and it’s also fairly mature and well developed for this kind of title. I think it’s great for kids, and adults could certainly do worse for a cute three-volume read, but there are more challenging reads out there for fans of romantic fantasy.

Volume two of A Tale of an Unknown Country is available now.

–Reviewed by Connie C.

Yu-Gi-Oh! R, Vol. 3

By Akira Ito
Viz, 216 pp.
Rating: Teen (13+)

The card controversies and brand extensions continue as I sink my teeth into Yu-Gi-Oh! R this week. This volume encompasses what seems to be the ending of the card professor battles, with Jonouchi taking out their last and lowest-ranked member (ultimately leading him nowhere closer to their final goal) and Yugi facing off against the cream of the crop, rising higher and higher to victory. Much more is added to the mix when brothers Seto and Mokuba Kaiba arrive on scene, vying to take back what was once theirs.

I liked this third volume a bit more than the first volume. There is a richer story present, with Yugi having to deal with his inner weaknesses during one of the battles. Speaking of the battles, they remained the same in terms of creativity in strategy and the characters’ relationships with their cards (example: a shy, defensive character using chess piece cards).

I felt that the artistic depictions of the card creatures increased tremendously. I was honestly wowed by the structure and design of the card creatures when I read this volume; I just wish a bit more of that creativity could go into the story.

Volume three of Yu-Gi-Oh! R is available now.

–Reviewed by Sam Kusek

Review copies provided by the publishers.

Here are the details:
Prize Package 1:
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga Coffee Mug
- Signed copy of Berserk volume 1
- Gantz volume 1
- Blade of the Immortal volume 1
- Eden volume 1

Prize Package 2:
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga Coffee Mug
- Signed copy of Hellsing volume 1
- Neon Genesis volume 1
- Gunsmith Cats omnibus 1

Prize Package 3:
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga Coffee Mug
- Dark Horse 20 Years of Manga limited edition lithograph print signed by Yoshitaka Amano
- Vampire Hunter D volume 1
- Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service volume 1

Runners-up (10):
- Devil #1
- Blood+: Kowloon Nights

Follow the link above to read the fine print and enter to win!

Blade of the Immortal, Vol. 22

By Hiroaki Samura
Dark Horse, 232 pp.
Rating: 18 +

As Manji and Rin rest and recover from the events of the previous volumes, the forces surrounding the two are hard at work. With only a month to live, Kagimura throws himself into a last-ditch effort to crush the Itto-Ryu and forms a new squad of death row convicts to this end. Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Itto-Ryu gather and make their own plans for the future. It’s a critical juncture for Blade of the Immortal as Hiroaki Samura may just be gearing up for the end game! But then again he’s been talking about ending it for nearly a decade, so hey.

While it’s not as action packed as the “Demons Lair” two parter there’s quite a bit going on in this volume, mostly in the form of setup. Samura wastes little time in introducing us to a bevy of new characters, moving the plots of the various factions forward and still managing to expound upon the changing relationship between Rin and Manji. The latter is one of the highlights of the volume as it’s something that’s been building for quite a long time. It’s a wonderfully done scene complete with the hilarious awkwardness that often accompanies first love. As usual, Samura’s artwork is fantastic throughout. His designs for Kagimura’s new squad, the Rokki, are quite detailed, complete with ornate bits of armor and a vague punk-ish vibe that permeated the series in its early days.

While I’m still not entirely convinced that we’re actually entering the final phase of the series, the ticking clock aspect of the plot definitely helps give it the vibe of something heading towards a climax. Whether the time limit signals the end of anything other than Kagimura’s life remains to be seen, but it promises be to a hell of a ride regardless!

Volume 22 of Blade of the Immortal is available now.

–Reviewed by Ken Haley

Karakuri Odette, Vol. 2

By Julietta Suzuki
TOKYOPOP, 208 pp.
Rating: Teen

In this gentle and episodic comedy, teenage android Odette has just entered her second year of high school and is joined by fellow android Chris, a former attack bot now reprogrammed by Odette’s creator, Hiroaki. Although Odette has learned much from being among humans, some concepts still elude her, like why a girl’s heart would beat faster near a particular boy or why some combinations of food taste better than others. Chris also receives some development, as he’s forced to consider personal preferences for the first time.

While each individual chapter is amusing, the real charm of Karakuri Odette is Odette’s continuing quest to understand humanity and her calm sorrow when she fails to do so. When she emulates something she saw on TV by putting an egg on Hiroaki’s ramen, for example, she experiences happiness that something she made pleased him. Further culinary experiments don’t fare so well, though, leaving Odette unable to recapture that feeling until she seeks out special tutelage from a friend. The concept of romantic love is also baffling, causing Odette to feel left out when so many of her friends have someone they like.

I continue to appreciate the approach this series takes with its subject matter; it’s definitely funny, but not in a frenzied way, and is frequently touching.

Volume two of Karakuri Odette will be available on February 2, 2010.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith

Legend, Vol. 6

By Woo SooJung and Kara
Yen Press, 192 pp.
Rating: Older Teen

I have yet to be fully impressed with any manhwa I’ve come across. I can, however, say that Legend has the best artwork I’ve seen in one. Kara offers several gorgeous, ethereal drawings throughout this volume. My one reservation is that she often frames the panels with flowers and petals, which is overdone.

In terms of plot, Eun-Gyo is overtaken by Joo-Ji’s spirit, so her reunion with No-Ah becomes a little complicated. No-Ah reveals that he is far more interested in keeping Eun-Gyo than taking back his lover from a past life. The strangest aspect of this part of the story is how fast Joo-Ji gives Eun-Gyo’s body back. There’s no real struggle or tension in the moment. In a way, it is a very mature decision, as Joo-Ji realizes that No-Ah has moved on from loving her. At the same time, No-Ah goes right back to treating Eun-Gyo with apathy, making me wonder why he would bother asking for Eun-Gyo back in the first place. If he loves her enough to make Joo-Ji disappear from her consciousness, I’d think he’d be a little more open with his emotions. All this does is press a reset button on the “romance” between the two.

Legend earns a solid C. It’s perfectly average.

Volume six of Legend is available now.

–Reviewed by Grant Goodman

Maid Sama!, Vol. 3

By Hiro Fujiwara
Tokyopop, 195 pp.
Rating: T (13+)

In this volume, the comedic and episodic stories continue as Misaki finishes up field day, deals with act-like-a-little-sister day at Maid Latte, meets the cafe owner’s young niece, contends with some strange sabotage efforts at school, and learns just a little bit more about both Usui and Student Council Vice President Yukimura.

I continue to be very torn when I read this. On one hand, it’s still very funny, and still has the perfect mix of comedy and romance. The situations are genuinely absurd and fun to read, and it’s still entertaining to read the chapters about the prickly and strong-willed Misaki being humiliated and leaping triumphantly over her many hurdles, all while being teased and baited by Usui. On the other hand, since it is still a shojo romance manga, it makes me sad that the plot is not moving forward and Usui seems to be making no progress towards winning her hand. Of course, I’m always surprised when similar series stay fresh from volume to volume without getting repetitive or boring (like My Heavenly Hockey Club or Otomen), so I will continue to be delighted by each new volume as long as the material stays as novel as it is. Given how much I love both the hilariously angry Misaki, who is a genuinely strong-willed heroine, and the sly and supportive Usui, who is still a rarity as “hot guy ardently pursuing the heroine’s hand,” and how funny chapters like the ones with the owner’s niece and the chapter about Usui are, I think Maid Sama! may have at least a little while to go before it gets old.

It doesn’t hurt that it also somehow manages to have awesome cliffhangers, too. The sabotage efforts end the volume on a very mysterious note, and I’m dying to read the next.

Volume three of Maid Sama! is available now.

–Reviewed by Connie C.

Ninja Girls, Vol. 2

By Hosana Tanaka
Del Rey, 208 pp.
Rating: 16+

Picking up where volume one left off, the titular female warriors are still trying to help Raizo, the lone survivor of the Katana clan, restore his family’s prominence by marrying into wealth. They stage a fake attack/rescue of a princess as part of an elaborate plan to woo her; unfortunately, she becomes the target of actual assassins. Meanwhile, another villain wants Raizo out of the way, the better to unlock the secrets of Shintaigo, one of the Ninja Girls’ special fighting techniques.

This volume tells a complete adventure in one go, and does a better-than-average job balancing multiple storylines. On the one hand, there’s untangling the plot to kill Princess Hine; on another, there’s Raizo and the princess’ courtship, which gradually becomes more intimate. Neither would be so involving without strong characterizations, which is what I enjoyed most about this title. Unlike other manga I’ve read where the lone dude among a harem is either an annoyance or hindrance, Raizo is a relatively normal guy with a noble heart, and his guilt over faking his way into Hine’s life supplies much of the drama; we root for him to triumph despite the underhanded means. As for the ninjas themselves, each has a distinct skill set which writer/artist Tanaka utilizes in unique ways, leading to action sequences that rarely feel tedious.

Overall, this is a satisfying mix of narrow escapes, clobberings and slapstick, but Tanaka also throws in the unexpected, such as the princess turning out to be a total badass on par with Kagari, who might be the most dangerous of Raizo’s companions. It seems inexplicable at first, and it’s uncertain if this revelation will come into play in future volumes. But I can’t fault the author; the moment arrives without warning and keeps the reader on his/her toes, and what’s wrong with that?

Volume two of Ninja Girls is available now.

–Reviewed by Phil Guie

100% Perfect Girl, Vols. 10-11

By Wann
Published by NETCOMICS
Rating: 13+

Now firmly back in Jarte’s clutches, Jay falls ill from stress and fatigue, finally opening Jarte’s eyes to the monster he’s become. As he nurses her back to health, the two slowly reconcile, though not without emptying their frustrations out on each other along the way. With their long-awaited wedding day finally on the horizon, it seems as though Jay and Jarte might actually find an awkward kind of peace together. Unfortunately, Jarte’s enemies still have one last trick in store.

After everything this story’s heroine has been through, putting a positive spin on her relationship with her primary abuser is no easy piece of work, which is not to suggest that Wann doesn’t put in one hell of an effort. Given a second chance to prove he trusts Jay, Jarte comes through like a hero of the dreamiest kind, even sacrificing himself to save his beloved. Unfortunately, even readers with selective amnesia will have trouble buying Jarte’s redemption this late in the game.

Plausibility aside, however, it must be noted that Wann’s ability to express her characters’ emotional weakness and mental anguish is no less than striking. There are even times when it seems she understands how sick the romance she’s written truly is. At one point, for instance, an ally of Jay’s suggests that she’s fallen victim to Stockholm Syndrome—one of the most believable explanations offered over the course of the entire series. Jay protests valiantly, of course, but it doesn’t stop the accusation from ringing true.

Though this series is beautifully drawn, genuinely compelling, and emotionally fraught, it ultimately falls far short of satisfying romance.

–Reviewed by Melinda Beasi

One Piece, Vols. 27-28

By Eiichiro Oda
Published by VIZ
Rating: Teen (13+)

Last week I dug into volumes 25 and 26 of the smash hit One Piece and really enjoyed them because they fleshed out the oceanic world to the nth degree. Now I am moving forward to volumes 27 and 28 and have to say that this series has not missed a beat. While these two volumes provide a huge amount of information about Skypiea, its peoples, its wars and its new “Kami,” Eiichiro Oda does a nice job balancing out the facts with a lot of action. The Straw Hat Crew is spilt up at many different intervals (sometimes in groups, other times individually) and this individual attention is great for the characters, providing an outlet for personal growth as well as growth in teamwork. We really get to see more of the Straw Hat Crew working together and forming their small “outsiders” community.

In essence, I really personally like this series and this arc in particular is growing on me. The Skypiea arc deep down really deals with some outstanding social issues (race relations, class distinction, dictatorship vs. democracy). While I’m unsure whether Oda intentionally planned these story elements, it really does give One Piece a more mature feeling. While incredibly goofy at most times (the art really emphasizes this), which is not always a bad thing, the series has elicited more than one emotional response from me. I’ve been happy, sad, and just about everything in between for the characters. You should definitely check out this series if you already haven’t.

Volumes 27 and 28 of One Piece are available now.

–Reviewed by Sam Kusek

Only One Wish

By Mia Ikumi
Del Rey, 208 pp.
Rating: Teen

There’s this rumor. If you send a text message to an address found in a mirror on a nonexistent stair landing at school at midnight, an angel will call you and grant you any wish. Anything, though perhaps you should be careful. You never know how your wishes might end up.

At least, that’s the message of Only One Wish, a collection of loosely related short stories by the artist of Tokyo Mew Mew. The wishes made and the stories surrounding them range from horrible to bittersweet to warm, though the emotional depth strikes me as shallow and half-formed. The angel, a young woman dressed more like a witch than anything heavenly, will grant you one wish. She doesn’t discriminate, doesn’t turn people down, but she also doesn’t promise a happily ever after with the wishes she grants.

Of these stories, I like the sweetest one the best. A girl who has died in an accident makes a wish—she doesn’t want to die until she goes out with a popular boy at school. She’s given 24 hours to find this boy, and if he kisses her by the end of that time period, the angel will bring her back to life for good. She runs into a male classmate and explains her situation, which he believes. He then tries to help her in her quest, which has a slight twist at the end. It’s heartwarming, especially sandwiched as it is between stories of how selfish teenage girls can be.

Only One Wish is available now.

–Reviewed by Jennifer Dunbar

Steal Moon, Vols. 1-2

By Makoto Tateno
Published by Digital Manga Publishing
Rating: Mature

As in the related series Blue Sheep Reverie, Makoto Tateno has gone beyond the call of BL duty to craft a science fiction plot of some complexity. One hundred years in the past, a computer on the moon called “Isis” was created to protect the president then in office. Now it’s rumored to be spying on the populace and seasoned street fighter Nozomi is recruited to help put it out of commission.

This all sounds fairly tame, but the way in which Nozomi gets involved is pretty bizarre. Boasting about his fighting skills after his latest victory, he declares that if anyone could beat him, he’d “willingly become his servant.” This is the cue for a mysterious guy called Coyote to show up, beat Nozomi, and promptly sell him to an internet peep room site. Because this is BL, Nozomi falls in love with Coyote, even though the latter says things like, “I wish I could’ve kept you imprisoned forever.” How romantic.

The peep show gig doesn’t last long, and Nozomi is eventually drafted into helping take down “Isis.” By the end of the second volume, he has learned more about Coyote so their relationship makes a bit more sense, at least, and some of the power dynamic issues are rectified. Nothing in the world can excuse the creepiness of the two twelve-year-olds in the peep show place with Nozomi, though. They’re fond of crawling all over him and striking sexy poses to drive up their hit counts, but the apex of ick occurs when one kid declares, “I’m gonna grow up real fast so I can service you!”

Um, ew?

Plotwise, Steal Moon is ambitious and occasionally even intriguing, but other elements of the story might incite a strong desire for brain bleach.

Volumes one and two of Steal Moon are available now.

–Reviewed by Michelle Smith