I’d lose my official Manga Reviewer license if I didn’t exhort everyone to buy the spectacular, 600+ page omnibus edition of Taiyo Matsumoto’s Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White (Viz), which arrives in stores this Wednesday. Not sure if you want to spend $29.95 on a manga that’s longer than your econ textbook? Then check out fellow otaku Erin F.’s recent review in which she compares Tekkonkinkreet with such other certifiable comic classics as The Dark Knight Returns, Maus, and The Watchmen. Sounds like a ringing endorsement to me.

If you still have a few clamshells left over after purchasing Tekkonkinkreet, I’d encourage you to snap up the first volume of Key to the Kingdom (CMX), an old-fashioned adventure story; the final volume of Banya the Explosive Delivery Man (Dark Horse), a smart-looking Korean import that’s loud, dumb fun; and the first volume of Andromeda Stories (Vertical, Inc.), another vintage slice of sci-fi goodness from Keiko Takemiya. (And I’m not kidding when I say “vintage”: Andromeda Stories debuted the same year Ronald Reagan arrived at the White House!) West Coast readers have a chance to meet Takemiya on Monday, September 17th, when she’ll be in Portland, OR to promote the long-awaited release of the English language edition. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to meet one of the pioneers of modern shojo manga! Visit the Vertical weblog for details.

REVIEWED THIS WEEK:

• Emma, Vol. 5 (CMX)
• Her Majesty’s Dog, Vol. 7 (Go! Comi)

SHIPPING THIS WEEK:

• Andromeda Stories, Vol. 1 (Vertical, Inc.)
• Anime Classics Zettai: 100 Must See Masterpieces (Stone Bridge Press)
• Banya the Explosive Delivery Man, Vol. 5 (Dark Horse)
• Case Closed, Vol. 19 (Viz)
• Dead Already, Vol. 1 (Seven Seas)
• Gold Digger Sourcebook: The Official Guide to the Gold Digger Universe #9 (Antarctic Press)
• Gold Digger: Swimsuit End of Summer Special 2007 (Antarctic Press)
• He Is My Master, Vol. 2 (Seven Seas)
• How to Draw Manga DVD-ROM 2 (Antarctic Press)
• Key to the Kingdom, Vol. 1 (CMX)
• Moon Child, Vol. 8 (CMX)
• Mr. Grieves, Vol. 1 (Seven Seas)
• Naruto Anime Profiles Episodes 38-80 (Viz)
• Ninja High School #153 (Antarctic Press)
• Shojo Beat (October 2007)
• Sky Sharks #2 (Antarctic Press)
• Tekkon Kinkreet (Viz)
• Witchblade Takeru Manga #8 (Image/Top Cow)
• With the Light: Raising an Autistic Child (Yen Press)
• Wizard Anime Insider #49

Recent Arrival: Emma, Vol. 5

By Kaoru Mori
CMX, 192 pp.
Rating: Teen Plus

My first impression of Kaoru Mori’s Emma was lukewarm. I found its artwork elegant, but years of watching Masterpiece Theater and reading Brit lit predisposed me to finding fault with the series’ occasional anachronisms, stately pace, and familiar rich-boy-meets-poor-girl story. A glowing review by Brigid Alverson, however, persuaded me to give the series a second chance. I’m glad I did, as Emma is a stellar example of manga for grown-ups.

The plot is as basic as it gets: William Jones, a Victorian gentleman, falls for Emma, a pretty maid. Not surprisingly, their class differences make a public courtship impossible, as William’s parents expect him to marry a wealthy girl and assume his role in the family business. Yet William chafes at his obligations; he particularly dislikes his family’s efforts to shed their nouveau riche image—they’re merchants, not peers—by encouraging his relationship with Eleanor, the impetuous daughter of a viscount. William realizes that pursuing Emma will cause scandal, yet his naiveté and sense of entitlement lead him to believe that their relationship might succeed. Emma, on the other hand, is painfully aware that someone of her station will never gain acceptance to William’s social circles, no matter how dignified or refined she may be. Much as she yearns for his company, Emma flees London, accepting a job on a country estate to avoid crossing paths with him.

If the storyline suggests a lost volume of The Forsyte Saga, the expert way in which William and Emma’s courtship is told more than compensates for a few moments of narrative cliché. Kaoru Mori immerses us in the very different worlds of her lead characters, from the elaborate dinner parties and country outings of William’s circle to the scut work and boozy revelry of Emma’s fellow servants. Mori occasionally fumbles small details—in one scene, for example, William’s father and future father-in-law discuss an opera that hadn’t yet been written. (That would be Tosca, which premiered in 1900, about five years later than the events in Emma). Most of the time, however, she convincingly evokes the period through her exquisitely detailed pen-and-ink drawings that recreate the intricate patterns, ornate furnishings, and busy architecture of Victorian London without overwhelming the eye. That keen sense of observation extends to her cast as well. Emma bursts at the seams with the sort of vivid characters that one finds in Charles Dickens’ London, from Kelly Stowner, William’s crusty but kind-hearted former governess, to Hakim Atawari, an Eton-educated raj and friend of the Jones family.

Those who haven’t yet tried Emma may find the first volume a little pokey; the drama begins in earnest with volume two. Those already enamored of Emma’s charms will be happy to learn that volume five doesn’t disappoint, as Emma and William begin the kind of epistolary courtship that makes letter writing seem downright sexy.

Volume five of Emma is available now. Volume six will be released in December.

Recent Arrival: Her Majesty’s Dog, Vol. 7

By Mick Takeuchi
Go! Comi, 200 pp.
Rating: OT (Older Teen)

At first glance, it’s easy to see why the folks at Go! Comi affectionately refer to Her Majesty’s Dog as “InuYasha with an ending.” Both series feature a lead couple comprised of a teenage priestess and a dog spirit. Though both spirits assume the physical form of a cute teenage boy, they are actually powerful demons whose canine instincts compel them to protect their female companions. Lest these demon dogs become too possessive (or chew on their mistresses’ favorite shoes), both girls can assert themselves over their canine charges with a carefully chosen word. The similarities end there, however, as Rumiko Takahashi’s epic tale (fifty-three volumes and counting) barks like shonen with its extended fight scenes, elaborate weaponry, and hero-on-a-quest theme, while Mick Takeuchi’s series (eleven volumes total) is a textbook example of shojo, both in terms of plotlines—most of which focus on relationships—and artwork.

Volume seven of Her Majesty’s Dog finds shamaness Amane Komori and her koma oni (literally, “lion dog”) Hyoue Inugami back in Tokyo after a visit to the remote island where the Komori clan lives. The first chapter is pure comic relief, as Hyoue takes a job at a hostess club to earn the money he needs for a surprise gift. (I won’t spoil the fun by divulging what, exactly, Hyoue does at this club, but I’ll offer this hint: he’s not the bouncer.) In the following chapters, the mood turns darker as Takeuchi introduces a new story arc. The Ritsumei, a rival of the Komori clan, accuse Hyoue of savagely attacking their leader and demand that Amane surrender her koma oni to their custody. Believing that Amane’s intimate bond with Hyoue has compromised her judgment, the Komori elders arrive in Tokyo with an edict: Amane must return to the island at once to assume her role as the head priestess—without Hyoue by her side.

As volume seven demonstrates, Takeuchi is not a particularly distinctive artist; her character designs and generic settings are virtually interchangeable with the artwork in dozens of similar series. But she is a great storyteller, leavening a fairly serious coming-of-age tale with judicious amounts of slapstick and supernatural mystery to good effect. The result is a briskly paced romance that should appeal to fans of Millenium Snow, Yurara, and—dare I say it?—InuYasha.

Volume seven of Her Majesty’s Dog is officially scheduled for release in November 2007, though I was able to purchase a copy at my local comic book store in August. Advanced copies can be reserved through Go! Comi’s e-store.