Silver Diamond, Vol. 1

By Shiho Sugiura
TOKYOPOP, 192 pp.
Rating: Teen (T)

Rakan was only two when he and his late mother inexplicably appeared amongst the flowers in an old Japanese man’s backyard. Lonely and kind, the old man took them in and Rakan’s been doing his best to live a sensible life ever since. Having inherited the old man’s fortune upon his death, Rakan’s goals are simple and steady: graduate from college, find a stable job, marry someone kind and serious, and continue to reside in the house in which he’s lived for the past fifteen years.

His solitary existence is disrupted when a mysterious stranger named Chigusa turns up in the garden just like Rakan did all those years ago. During a scuffle resulting from a case of mistaken identity, Rakan demonstrates an ability he didn’t even know he possessed and causes Chigusa’s wooden gun to sprout into a tree. It turns out he possesses a rare gift that could help Chigusa’s barren world, and the latter vows to protect this “precious creature.”

Because Silver Diamond is billed as shonen-ai as well as fantasy, I had some doubts about it at first. I worried the fantasy plot might be treated like an afterthought while the wilting protagonist had to repeatedly fend off the lecherous advances of his Mr. Grabby Hands protector. I’m glad to say these fears were entirely groundless.

The plot might not sound like the most original thing ever—our unassuming hero could be the savior for another world—but Sugiura adds enough unique world-building and mystery for it not to seem derivative. It’s also unexpectedly funny. I was amused mostly by authorial asides—how did the old man get Rakan and his mom added to the national registry? In bold letters… CRIME—but also by the cranky talking snake that appears toward the end of the volume, who makes the old cliché “character from another world/time encounters a television for the first time” scene seem shiny and new.

All of the characters introduced so far are likeable and interesting. Rakan is practical and thoughtful, and though he realizes pretty quickly that his houseguests have something to do with his origins, he’s reluctant to ask questions about it, lest the normal life he wants for himself be threatened. Chigusa is enigmatic but smiles often and seems kind. Late arrival Shigeka functions somewhat as a go-between between the other two, answering questions as well as raising them, particularly where Chigusa’s true nature is concerned.

There’s something about the page layout that reminds me of Please Save My Earth, but that might simply be due to the abundant plants and flowers. The art is nice, though occasionally the pointy chins look like they could hurt someone. Some might feel there’s too much screentone, but it doesn’t bug me—I rather like how Shiho Sugiura uses it to create sand dune landscapes on a few occasions.

On the whole, I come away with a very favorable impression of Silver Diamond and am genuinely interested to see where the story goes from here. If the purpose of review copies is to hook people on new series they might not ordinarily have investigated, then mission accomplished.

Volume 1 of Silver Diamond is available now.

Reporters and talk-show hosts love to issue midterm report cards to presidents, congressmen, governors, and mayors, looking at highlights and lowlights of their first months (or years) in office. In a civic-minded spirit, we at PCS decided to issue a midterm report of our own—one that focused on the best manga released in the first six months of 2008, rather than, say, a Midwestern congressman’s penchant for supporting pork barrel projects. Contributing their expert opinions are manga pundits Chloe Ferguson, Isaac Hale, Ken Haley, Michelle Smith, and yours truly. How does our assessment align with yours? Inquiring minds want to know!

Chloe’s Picks

After School Nightmare, Vols. 6-7 (Setona Mizushiro, Go!Comi)
What’s not to love about this deliciously psychological take down of adolescence? Dark stories, dreamy art and some serious baggage to unload have kept this Go!Comi gem buoyant even into later volumes—perhaps especially into later volumes. With everything beginning to unravel and the tantalizing pieces falling into place, there’s a sense that some big reveals are just around the corner. It’s all shaping up to be one hell of a home stretch—and if you haven’t picked up the series yet, now’s as good a time as any to start.

Nightmare Inspector: Yumekui Kenbun, Vol. 2 (Shin Mashiba, Viz)
I’m not inclined to be a fan of uncannily similar retreads, particularly when the material is so elegantly done elsewhere (xxxHolic, it has to be said) but the innovative dynamics and whimsical pretty factor have won me over in the case of Nightmare Inspector. Short, dark vignettes may not be for everyone, but there’s a sense that the series is a little to airy to be grounded in trifles like heavy plot and character development, although both are present in subdued doses. Accessible, quick, and cleverly done, this series is a wholly unexpected gem.

Fairy Tail, Vols. 1-2 (Hiro Mashima, Del Rey)
Fairy Tail’s strength lies not so much in its originality as in its ability to out-quirk all the other guys in the room. True, the series treads familiar shonen territory, but it does so with a sense of off-kilter weird that forgives its clichéd sins. Two appealing main characters and a whole untapped background crew of oddballs promise to stave off the staleness (at least for now) and provide ample hijinks to amuse into further volumes. It’s more of a comfort food than a rare delicacy, but like any familiar dish, it merits repeat meals in spite of its less-than-daring nature.

Isaac’s Picks

Barefoot Gen, Vols. 5-6 (Keiji Nakazawa, Last Gasp)
Though I’ve been saddened and frustrated by many series’ cancellations and hiatuses, Barefoot Gen was the first I ever wrote the publisher over. Barefoot Gen is not light reading. This is not a light-hearted manga you pick up to enjoy a summer afternoon. This is a comic like Art Spiegelman’s Maus—it grabs you by your conscience and your heartstrings and leaves a mark that doesn’t disappear. Barefoot Gen, like Maus, covers one of the greatest human tragedies of our time, the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The protagonist Gen, who is modeled after the author himself, must struggle to survive and provide for what remains of his family while facing poverty, prejudice, and radiation poisoning. Barefoot Gen uses the comics medium in the rarest of ways—to humanize tragedy in a way that words alone cannot.

From Eroica With Love, Vols. 12-13 (Yasuko Aoike, CMX)
I have to admit, this series really took me awhile to pick up. I yoinked the first seven volumes at my local comic stores blowout sale and they sat on my shelf until Katherine offered to let me review volume 11. I knew from various sources that I should love the series, so I said yes and quickly caught up. Hot damn! This series is hilarious, parodic, dramatic, and very, very eighties. Between the ridiculous heists and the homoerotic subtext (and just plain text) between Klaus and Eroica, this manga is a non-stop crack up. Sadly, like most of CMX’s titles, it hasn’t been the biggest financial success in the world. Give this classic a try ASAP, and you won’t regret it!

NANA, Vols. 8-10 (Ai Yazawa, Viz)
Though apparently this is the #1 shojo manga of all time in Japan, this manga has become one of the biggest overlooked gems published in the US today. Like Paradise Kiss before it, Ai Yazawa’s NANA captures the drama of human relationships in a way no other manga-ka or comic creator can. Though in this snippet I will refrain from a HUGE spoiler in volume 8, I can only say that volumes 1-7 have been but warm-up for Ai Yazawa’s masterpiece of human drama. The fates of the two bands, Trapnest and the Black Stones, become hopelessly intertwined, and the future changes from one of hope to total uncertainty. This is one emotional roller coaster you do not want to miss.

Parasyte, Vol. 3 (Hitoshi Iwaaki, Del Rey)
Though it’s highly ironic to associate this comic with emotions of kindness and loving, I have nothing but nostalgia and respect for Hitoshi Iwaaki’s action/sci-fi/horror masterpiece Parasyte. When I first started getting into manga besides that known to tweens nationwide, Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Parasyte was one of the first manga I checked out of my local public library. Sure it was flopped, somewhat low quality, and laughably translated, but its immense coolness captured my imagination. Having just given up Animorphs a few years earlier, the experience of reading a more mature and jaw-dropping story based on alien parasites blew me away. Now, thanks to Del Rey’s awesome re-release, we get to relive the awesomeness of the head-splitting, body-slicing aliens of Parasyte. Sure the body designs are “a little stiff,” but does that matter when people controlled by alien parasites can turn their heads into flesh-grinding Cuisinarts?!! It doesn’t get better than this, people.

Yakitate!! Japan, Vols. 9-11 (Takashi Hashiguchi, Viz)
Now I love me some shonen manga, but when a parody as straight-faced and brazen as Yakitate!! Japan shows up I have to admit the genre is pretty ludicrous by nature. The irony is that even though Yakitate!! Japan is a parody on one level, it’s also an amazing shonen tournament manga on another—a bread-baking tournament manga that is! Unlike the rest of the manga on this list, there is no exotic twist or additional depth to Yakitate!! Japan. The characters bake bread… and then fight for their artisan’s honor! Batshit ridiculous, on a constant speed high, and completely unabashed, this manga simultaneously tears the genre to shreds and reminds us why it is so awesome in the first place. May you find Ja-Pan someday soon Kazuma (but not too soon)!

Kate’s Picks

Dororo, Vol. 1 (Osamu Tezuka, Vertical, Inc.):
Once again, Vertical gives Tezuka the red-carpet treatment, rolling out this minor masterpiece in a handsome English-language edition with snazzy covers, helpful cultural notes, and a translation that captures the darkness of the subject matter while respecting the fact that Dororo is, in fact, a shonen manga with some seriously corny dialogue. None of this would matter if the story wasn’t good, of course. But Dororo is dark, funny, shocking, and ridiculously entertaining—crack in manga form, if you will. It also offers a window into a transitional period in Tezuka’s style, as he matured into the creator of such masterworks as Buddha, Phoenix, and the unfinished Ludwig B. A must for serious manga fans!

Suppli, Vol. 2 (Mari Okazaki, Tokyopop)
Suppli is one of the first manga I’ve read that depicts post-collegiate life without a whiff of fantasy or glamour. Its heroine is a twenty-something advertising grunt who works in a cube farm, pulls all-nighters, has bad hair days, and worries that she’ll become her office’s designated old maid. After shedding a long-time boyfriend, she quickly becomes embroiled in romantic intrigue with two co-workers, neither of whom seem like great prospects: one drags a steamer trunk of emotional baggage behind him, the other hides his feeling behind a brusque—some might even say rude—façade. Though the second volume ends on a cliffhanger worthy of General Hospital, the overall tone of Suppli is more muted; the story seldom veers into soap opera territory, instead focusing on the real frustrations that all of us experience in our twenties. (You know, the big imponderables: What am I supposed to do with my life? Will I always be alone? That sort of thing.) The artwork is flat-out gorgeous, filled with floral and water imagery that highlight the heroine’s ever-changing emotional state with grace and subtlety. If you’re one of those folks carping about the dearth of manga for adults, you owe it to yourself to pick up this gem.

Toto! The Wonderful Adventure, Vol. 1 (Yuko Osada, Del Rey):
Around the same time Del Rey launched Fairy Tail, they also released Toto! with considerably less fanfare. It’s too bad they didn’t give Toto! the same marketing push, as this high-spirited shonen romp plays like a Miyazaki flick, complete with airships, pirates, plucky heroines, and a cute pup with a Very Big Secret. While the plot feels familiar—Boy With Dream Pursues Goal With Single-Minded Intensity (or stupidity, take your pick)—the artwork has a loose, sketchy feel that infuses Toto! with a fresh energy. Add a colorful cast of supporting characters (a.k.a. the Man Chicken gang) and playful allusions to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and you have a series that promises many volumes of light-hearted, fast-paced entertainment.

Ken’s Picks

Crayon Shinchan, Vol. 1 (Yoshito Usui, CMX)
It may not be high art, but it is a hilarious series which follows the exploits of the naughty, yet charming, Shinchan as he brings all manner of woes to just about everyone he encounters. Whether he’s harassing a poor elevator attendant, or causing problems at home, the stories never failed to bring a smile to my face. The comedy is fairly universal, and the timing and pacing is dead on. All these factors help make the series a fun and entertaining read.

Dororo, Vol. 1 (Osamu Tezuka, Vertical Press)
How could this not be on my list of top picks so far? The first volume of Vertical’s release of this unfinished, yet very fun, shonen samurai tale was definitely a highlight of the first six months. The action is fast, smooth, and wonderfully over the top at times. Add to that some interesting and fun characters and you have a damn fun shonen story! While it’s perhaps not as highbrow or smart as some of the other Tezuka works that have made their way stateside in the past few years, I think it has the benefit of being a slightly more accessible to the general manga reading public. The shonen-y quest format of the story makes it a nice entry level drug for younger fans who may have been turned off by more serious Tezuka fare.

Parasyte, Vol. 3 (Hitoshi Iwaaki, Del Rey)
I know I picked it as one of the best of 2007, but I’ve just got to pick it again because, well, it’s just that good! It’s a fantastic seinen series with shape-shifting, human-eating alien parasites that masquerade as people’s heads! It’s got a nice blend of everything, ranging from humor, horror, introspective meanderings, and more. To top it all off, in the latest volume Iwaaki opens up the story with urban legends arising about people with deformed faces, along with showing the Japanese governments response the looming situation. The noose is slowly tightening for our intrepid hero and his talking hand, and I for one can hardly wait for the next volume. More people need to read this!

Michelle’s Picks

Love*Com, Vols. 4-6 (Aya Nakahara, Viz)
Remember back in high school, where you had a crush on one of your friends but all he could ever see you as was his funny pal? I certainly do, so perhaps that’s why I enjoy Love*Com so much. By this point in the series, Risa has summoned the courage to confess her feelings to Ôtani, but things haven’t gone as well as she’d hoped. Risa’s internal agonizing and doubts ring true, as does Ôtani’s continual confusion as he struggles to adjust to her ever-changing moods and emotions. In the latest volume, a rather irksome new rival has been introduced, but though it appears he’s driving a wedge between the two leads, it’s just possible he’s trying to help them out.

Sand Chronicles, Vols. 1-2 (Hinako Ashihara, Viz)
The compositional structure of Sand Chronicles is a large part of why I love it. After her parents’ divorce, Ann Uekusa and her mother move to a rural area of Japan. The story unfolds as a series of recollections as recalled by the now-adult Ann, snapshots in time of events whose impact is still clearly felt many years later. People and feelings that she once held dear are now nothing more than memories, and moments that she wanted to hold onto forever have slipped away. Knowing that what we’re reading about does not last lends a bittersweet feel to the story that I adore. The characters are likeable and realistic, too, and mingled with all of the nostalgia are plenty of amusing moments. In just two short volumes, Sand Chronicles has managed to establish itself as one of the best manga series I’ve ever read.

Seduce Me After the Show (est em, Deux)
If you’re looking for something thoughtful and a little melancholy in your yaoi, check out Seduce Me After the Show. This collection of seven short stories is about grown men dealing with their feelings for each other in various ways. The title story is especially good, as it deals with a dancer grieving for his mother and an actor who realizes he’s still acting even when the camera isn’t running. The back cover makes mention of themes like “the dichotomy of hope and despair,” but there’s also an undercurrent of artistic encouragement that runs through several of the stories. The art is distinctive, as well, and several of the character designs are quite original, including a 50-year-old man as love interest in one of the stories, and when’s the last time you saw that happen in this genre?

Skip Beat!, Vols. 10-12 (Yoshiki Nakamura, Viz)
In any other series, the failure of the two leads to realize their feelings for each other by the tenth volume would be intensely frustrating. But Skip Beat! has so much to offer beyond romantic possibilities for Kyoko and Ren that it doesn’t seem like an arbitrary delay at all for them to still be largely clueless of their own emotions. They’re in the middle of working on a remake of a successful drama, and that is where their focus chiefly lies. Kyoko is a refreshing heroine, far more intent on improving her skills than mooning over some guy and while Ren has now realized his feelings, he’s exercising restraint because of Kyoko’s age. Or at least, he claims that’s the reason why…

Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Vols. 16-17 (CLAMP, Del Rey)
Talk about game changing! After multiple volumes of quest-type adventures and self-referential cameos with little movement in the villain’s plans, the dam breaks and important things start happening left and right. In these two volumes, the travelers find themselves in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo ravaged by dangerous environmental conditions. No character emerges from the experience unscathed. Unlike some shonen series where the characters essentially remain the same from start to finish, CLAMP allows their cast to change in fundamental and surprising ways. If your interest in this story waned a ways back, consider giving it another chance; many of the flaws that plagued the earlier volumes now seem like memories of a more innocent time.

What do Tite Kubo and the Laker Girls have in common (besides a love of outlandish costumes)? Both will be at the Viz Media booth at San Diego Comic-Con to help promote Viz’s hottest shonen franchises. Read on for the full scoop!

San Francisco, CA, July 16, 2008 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced an exciting agenda of personal appearances, screenings and convention exclusives for the 2008 Comic-Con International taking place July 23-27 at the Convention Center in San Diego, CA. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #4113.

The year 2008 marks the 5th Anniversary of VIZ Media’s SHONEN JUMP Magazine and also the 40th Anniversary of Japan’s largest manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, the source of some of the world’s most popular manga. These double milestones mean loads of events, appearances, announcements and many show-only exclusives during Comic-Con International 2008!

Highly anticipated by many excited fans will be an ultra-rare, in-person appearance by Tite Kubo, creator of the smash-hit BLEACH manga series, in the VIZ Media booth for two one-hour signing sessions on Saturday, July 26 at 10:00am and 3:30pm. This is the first time he will appear at any North American convention. Each signing session will be limited to 100 persons each. The first 50 fans who purchase a BLEACH item from the VIZ Media retail area each day from Wednesday through Saturday will each receive a special shikishi signing board and ticket as gifts. These gifts will qualify fans to attend one of the signing periods and receive an autograph from Kubo-sensei himself.

VIZ Media will also welcome Kubo-sensei, along with his editor, Mr. Atsushi Nakasaki, for a unique panel discussion about his work on Saturday from 1:00pm to 2:00pm in Room#7AB. Panel attendees will receive a limited edition BLEACH poster while supplies last. Throughout the convention, the VIZ Media Prize Patrol will be awarding prizes to fans dressed in BLEACH attire. Kubo-sensei is the creator of the wildly successful manga series BLEACH and ZOMBIEPOWDER. Both series are published domestically by VIZ Media and BLEACH is also currently serialized in SHONEN JUMP magazine.

A free theatrical screening of the BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY will be held on Friday, July 25 at 7:00pm at the Gaslamp 15 theatre located in downtown San Diego. A limited number of free passes to attend this special event will be available. Fans are encouraged to come by the VIZ Media booth to pick up one of the free passes while supplies last. Greeting guests at the screening will be KON, the lovable character from the BLEACH manga series. BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY is rated T for Teens.

The September release of Takehiko Inoue’s riveting basketball-themed manga series – SLAM DUNK – is also anticipated by many fans, and VIZ Media will highlight this upcoming title throughout Comic-Con with a variety of fun games and events including a very special in-person appearance by NBA star Greg Oden of the Portland Trailblazers on Sunday from 12:00pm to 1:00pm. Also attending to celebrate the release of SLAM DUNK are two of the famed Los Angeles Laker Girls, who will be at the VIZ Media booth on Friday, July 25 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm. SLAM DUNK is rated T for Teens.

VIZ Media will also headline a variety of panel discussions throughout the convention, beginning with a SHONEN JUMP panel on Friday from 10:00am to 11:00am in Convention Center Room #2. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to meet the editors and find out what they’ve got up their sleeves for 2009. Also on Friday, the VIZ Media Anime and Manga Panel will be happening from 3:00pm to 4:00pm in Room #2. The SHOJO BEAT magazine panel discussion is scheduled on Saturday from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in Room #10.

Finally, VIZ Media is pleased to have the work of three significant manga creators – Takeshi Obata, Naoki Urasawa and Taiyo Matsumoto – nominated in three categories for the 20th Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, which are considered the Oscars of the comic book industry. Mr. Obata is nominated in the Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team category for his work on DEATH NOTE and HIKARU NO GO. NAOKI URASAWA’S MONSTER is a contender for Best Continuing Series and Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Japan. Mr. Matsumoto’s, TEKKONKINKREET: Black & White is also nominated in the Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Japan. The awards are scheduled for Friday, July 25 in Ballroom 20 at the Convention Center.

“This year’s Comic-Con International is especially significant for VIZ Media as 2008 marks the 40th Anniversary of Japan’s best-selling manga anthology, Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, as well as the 5th Anniversary of the widely-read North American counterpart, SHONEN JUMP, and we are excited to celebrate these double milestones,” says Evelyn Dubocq, Sr. Director, Public Relations. “VIZ Media will present a captivating array of fun activities, discussions, in-person appearances and product exclusives that will make each day of this year’s show a truly memorable event for new as well as veteran fans!”

VIZ Media will also be available for portfolio reviews on Sunday, the 27th, from 2:00pm to 4:30pm in the Portfolio area of the Convention Center. Artwork will be reviewed by Marc Weidenbaum, Vice President of Original Publishing and Eric Searleman, Senior Editor at VIZ Media.

Time Stranger Kyoko, Vol. 1

By Arina Tanemura
Viz, 200 pp.
Rating: Older Teen (T+)

It’s the 30th century and all of the nations of Earth have united to form a single kingdom. The treasure of the people is their princess, Kyoko, but she’d rather attend school like a normal girl than fulfill any of her royal obligations. Her sixteenth birthday is approaching, however, and along with it the celebration at which Kyoko must finally appear before her subjects, putting an end to her incognito scholastic career.

Kyoko resigns herself to her fate, but her father offers her an alternative—if she can awaken her younger twin sister, who has been asleep since birth, and turn princess duties over to her, Kyoko can have her freedom. To do this, she must locate twelve godstones scattered around the planet and the twelve telepaths who can use them. When gathered, they can set into motion the giant clock upon which Princess Ui sleeps and use its power to awaken her.

I was pretty put off initially by the notion that Ui was to be awoken for the sole purpose of foisting princess duties upon her. Even though Kyoko intends to give her sister a choice in the matter, it’s still a thoroughly selfish aim. Quickly, though, Kyoko ends up revealing her identity anyway (to thwart a band of thieves who’re menacing her schoolmates) and her goal becomes simply meeting her sister.

Adventure ensues, with Kyoko gradually acquiring more powers and, eventually, locating the first of the telepaths. She’s often tempted to use her powers for selfish reasons, but usually ends up helping others in the end. Other hobbies include requiring rescue by her bodyguards and behaving irrationally.

There are some comedic elements to the story, though not all of them are a success. I giggled at the instructions for the issuance of a royal greeting (step 5: gesture flamboyantly!) and I like that Kyoko’s magic cane has a personality and dialogue, but I can’t stand the character of Chocola. She’s the King’s cat android pet, and I reckon I’m supposed to find her unbearably cute, but instead she just creeps me out.

As usual, Tanemura’s artwork features big eyes, lots of screentone, and a plethora of flowers. I was a little disappointed that she didn’t avail herself of the opportunity to draw the kirito—humans whose DNA has been combined with that of plants or animals—in a new and different style. Mostly, they just get things like pink hair or gold eyes. Kyoko herself has pointy ears, but no one has commented on them thus far, so I’m not sure if she’s supposed to a hybrid or not.

While I didn’t love this volume, I didn’t absolutely hate it, either. It’s true that neither the story nor the characters particularly engage me, but because the series is only three volumes long, it’s really not that much of a commitment to see it through to the end. I expect that I will do so.

As a final thought, I leave you with a topic: Arina Tanemura is the manga equivalent of Meg Cabot. Discuss.

Volume one of Time Stranger Kyoko is available now.

If you’re a faithful Manga Recon reader, you may have noticed that several new reviewers have joined the team. Helping me, Erin, Ken, Chloe, and Isaac sort the manga wheat from the chaff are Phil Guie, Sam Kusek, and Michelle Smith. Here’s what they had to say for themselves:

Phil Guie is a freelance writer who lives in Brooklyn, New York. A liberal arts graduate with a degree in English, he is doing surprisingly well, and even has time to focus on his hobbies, which include movies and American comic books. Phil’s favorite film is The Third Man, and he can talk about superhero comics until the cows come home.

Sam Kusek goes to Emerson College in Boston, has an awesome girlfriend, and enjoys taking late-night rides through the city on his baby blue bicycle, Gloria. He wears tight pants and buys cartons of Vitamin Water… and why don’t they have Vitamin Water vending machines?! He loves (and often quotes) Scrubs and Home Movies, and has a great appreciation of local music and, of course, manga.

Michelle Smith has been writing manga reviews on her blog Soliloquy in Blue since 2006 and has amassed a diverse and extensive manga collection. She’s a musician, a math person, a voracious reader, a competent cook, and a new homeowner. Basara tops her list of favorite manga, and she shamelessly exploits all opportunities to urge people to read it.

Welcome aboard!

As for this week’s new arrivals, you’ll find something to suit just about every taste, from fanservice spectaculars (Alice on Deadlines, Nephilim) to fantasy-adventures (Dorothea), shojo romances (I Hate You More Than Anyone, Tears of a Lamb), and angsty vampire intrigue (Vassalord). My top picks for the week are Silver Diamond (Tokyopop), a peculiar sci-fi series with gorgeous artwork, gorgeous male leads, and enough plants to populate the New York Botanical Garden (don’t ask, just read) and Real (Viz), Takehiko Inoue’s gritty, funny drama about paraplegic basketball players. Want a second opinion? Then check out Ken’s glowing yet perceptive review of this decidedly adult story.

SHIPPING THIS WEEK
Alice on Deadlines, Vol. 3 (Yen Press)
Bizenghast, Vol. 5 (Tokyopop)
Case Closed, Vol. 24 (Viz)
Chibi Vampire, Vol. 9 (Tokyopop)
Daemonium, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
The Dark Good-Bye, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
Dorothea, Vol. 2 (CMX)
Elemental Gelade, Vol. 8 (Tokyopop)
Ellie Mamahara: Alley of First Love (BLU Manga)
Ghost Talkers Daydream, Vol. 1 (Dark Horse)
I Hate You More Than Anyone, Vol. 5 (CMX)
Martin and John, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Nephilim, Vol. 2 (Aurora)
Oh My God, Vol. 1 (Aurora/Deux)
Plastic Chew (Tokyopop)
Psychic Power Nanki, Vol. 3 (Tokyopop)
Real, Vol. 1 (Viz)
Rising Stars of Manga, Vol. 8 (Tokyopop)
Rolling, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Rose Hip Rose, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
Rurouni Kenshin VIZBIG Edition, Vol. 3 (Viz)
Samurai Deeper Kyo, Vol. 29 (Tokyopop)
A Seduction More Beautiful Than Love, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)
Silver Diamond, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Spiral: Bonds of Reasoning, Vol. 4 (Yen Press)
Star Trek: The Manga, Vol. 3 (Tokyopop)
Suzunari, Vol. 1 (Yen Press)
Tears of a Lamb, Vol. 3 (CMX)
Tetragrammaton Labyrinth, Vol. 3 (Seven Seas)
Tokko, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Vassalord, Vol. 1 (Tokyopop)
Your and My Secret, Vol. 2 (Tokyopop)

The Last Call, Vol. 1

By Vasil Lolos
Oni Press, 136 pp.
Rating: T + (Older Teens)

Alec and Sam are two typical teenage guys. They like loud music, sticking it to the man, being rebellious, sneaking out at night, and generally being “bad”. Unfortunately for them, it seems that they’re conservative parents may have been right, listening to the devil’s music (a.k.a. metal) will doom them to hell… or at the very least hell’s version of Amtrak.

Vasil Lolos throws your right into the mix with little to no prep what so ever. One minute you’re in the car with two teens who are blasting metal from their speakers, then, suddenly, they’re on board a massive train full of demons and monsters. Don’t worry if you feel a little lost at first, so do Alec and Sam–your confusion in theirs. Of course things just go from bad to worse for the two as they have the unfortunate luck of bumping into the ticket checker, who promptly throws Alec through a window, leaving poor Sam to fend for himself on a train full of fiends. And yes… it gets even worse from there, as Sam soon finds himself as the only witness to a murder aboard the train, and host to a living shadow.

The story is surprisingly fun once it gets rolling. The scenes of the two boys in the car are a little blah, and they do drag on for about twenty pages or so, but once they board the train, the pace really picks up and the fun stuff begins. Sam spends most of the time trying to come to terms with his new location, swept up in the different happenings aboard the train against his own wishes. Despite the large amount of inaction on Sam’s part, and despite all the fretting he does, he still manages to come across as a fairly likeable kid, just a bit frayed at the edges. Then again, under the circumstances, you can hardly blame him.

Lolos’ artwork is really fantastic. His monsters range from very human to weirder creations that actually make me think of some of the critters from the Hellboy 2 ads, only with a 1920’s sense of style. These monsters aren’t in loin clothes or rags, they’re dressed to the nines in outfits that look like they’d be right at home in a F. Scott Fitzgerald story: furs, bow ties, I think I saw a monocle or two in the background at one point. I suppose the fashion he was going for might have been from a different era, but it definitely evoked the Jazz Age in my mind. Beyond the snazzy character designs, Lolos’ art is nicely detailed and his characters are all wonderfully expressive, whether it’s the terrified look that Sam wears for most of the time, or the sinister grin upon the overweight Meredith’s face, it’s all wonderfully done.

I really enjoyed this, a lot more than I thought I might. When it comes to western comics I tend to fall into ruts, only buying books from tried and true names and sometimes I forget just how fun it can be to find a new name and be blown away by their work. This is definitely one of those cases, and of course it’s Oni who does it once again. You’d think I’d have learned my lesson after being introduced to people like Bryan O’Malley and Corey Lewis thanks to Oni, but no, I still tend to over look their OGN’s. The Last Call is a fun book and fans of “Through the Looking Glass” type of tales should definitely give it a look and do so soon, the second volume is due out at the end of the month.

Volume one of The Last Call is available now.

I saw a lot of movies during Subway Cinema’s New York Asian Film Festival this year. This is the first of my coverage, which will be a bit delayed this year thanks to an Otaku USA deadline and San Diego Comic Con being back-to-back in next two weeks. (Be sure to pick up Otaku USA issue 7, on newstands now! I have a few reviews and a bio in it.)

I meant to see L: Change the World with anime bloggers the Reverse Thieves but I failed to communicate that the show had sold out long ago, and I was surprised I got tickets, and last year’s Death Note films were the most popular screenings in the festival (they predated the Viz theatrical release by an entire year). My friends showed up confused and ticketless, facing an enormous line with no hopes of getting a ticket. Sorry about that!

L: Change the World

North American Premiere
Running Time: 129 minutes

I think of myself as more of an L fan than a Death Note fan, so I was very excited to see this film. I had only one expectation: I wanted to see L eating sugary snacks. I was not disappointed; L consumes a lot of sugar in this film. I didn’t know anything about the plot, so I was in for a few surprises. Here is a short list:

Things I Did Not Expect to See in This Film

• Ebola
• Cute children
• Third World Jungles
• A Maid Cafe
• People bleeding from the eyes
• A Manga Cafe
• Vomiting of blood
• James Bond-style villains
• A Hot pink crepe truck with the word “Angel” on it

Ever see Andromeda Strain? How about that episode of the X-Files where people get exploding facial sores? Change the World is not that grotesque, but the ebola scenes are disgusting, and I did not go into a Death Note movie prepared for such a high level of gore. The film attempts to somehow balance the gross-out factor with two very cute (orphaned) children as key characters. Without the children, the film might be much darker. Without the ebola, the orphans would be totally unbearable and obnoxiously saccharine.

Director Hideo Nakata also handled Ringu, Ringu 2, and Hollywood’s The Ring Two - which might explain the gore factor. Kenichi Matsuyama is totally adorable as L, and delivers an even performance in this otherwise rocky road of a film. Matsuya also plays Shin in the live-action Nana movie and has rolls in Linda Linda Linda and The Taste of Tea, all of which are available from Viz Pictures. Matsuyama even plays Robo in the Sexy Voice and Robo drama - which I must watch, since it’s one of my favorite manga titles. Matsuyama’s English dialog in the film is not great, but he’s cute, so I’m willing let it slide.

Change the World takes place after the end of the previous two Death Note live-action movies, which have different continuity than the manga or anime series. In the films, L has written his own name in the Death Note at the end of his battle with Light, giving himself 30 days left to live, which renders Light’s attacks useless.

Light, Ryuk, and Misa only get brief cameos, but Ray’s wife Naomi makes a confusing appearance in a flashback to Los Angeles (covered in the light novel Death Note: Another Note), in a long scene irrelevant to the rest of the film.

Smash cut to the jungles of Thailand, where a deadly plague is wiping out a poor village with horrible ebola-esque facial sores. A group of American bio-suited men blow up the entire town, but agent K narrowly escapes in a truck, saving an orphan boy in the process. Agent K doesn’t survive, but he gives the (apparently) immune orphan child (who happens to be a math genius) a message for L.

A group of sharply dressed Japanese scientists (reminiscent of Andromeda Strain) get news of the village and analyze the virus - it’s a bio-weapon mix of ebola and the flu, 10 times more deadly than ebola. Wait, let me say that again: Ten times more deadly than ebola!!!

Meanwhile, a group of hyper-pro-environmental terrorist kill some rich dude and come after the cure for the virus so they can release it on the world and become rulers in the post-bio-apocalypse. This ragtag band of bioterrorists consist of a scarred man with one all-white eye, a super genius clean-cut female scientist, a crazy-eyed girl with a giant knife, and a frightened-looking young man with a machine gun who doesn’t seem all that evil. I really liked the crazy-knife-girl, who seemed to have wandered out of Kill Bill into this film. Her tone is totally inappropriate for Change the World, but I found her hilarious. The other villains are essentially James Bond rejects.

The only scientist with the cure for the virus kills himself in front of the bad guys as well as his own daughter in a gruesome twenty-minute death scene. I’ve seen several Japanese films in the last few years (most recently Dororo) where characters have extremely long death speeches… cut it out, Japan! You’re really trying my patience!

The scientist’s junior-high-aged daughter escapes, infected with the virus but displaying no symptoms, and finds L with a clue left by her dad (the clue is a math puzzle). Meanwhile, the unnamed math-genius orphan is delivered onto L’s doorstop. With just 15 days left to live, L must find a cure for the deadly virus while baby-sitting at the same time.

Knowledge of the Death Note franchise is a prerequisite for understanding the film, but if you didn’t know anything about L going in, it might add an enjoyable bizarreness level to the film.

I particularly liked a montage early in the film wherein L is going through his old case files, wrapping up unsolved mysteries in the time he has left to live. It’s strongly implied that Princess Diana’s death was an assassination instead of an accident. I wonder if a lot of Japanese people think of Diana’s death as a conspiracy, since there was a Golgo 13 manga story (volume 4 in the U.S.) wherein Golgo assassinates Diana (or possibly just her boyfriend, I haven’t actually read it yet). It would be hilarious if L was solving a Golgo 13 case, but I don’t think it was implied in the film.

Change the World is ridiculously uneven, with long science-y scenes punctuating cute orphan hijinks. It’s a lot more high-concept than the previous films, between the jungle locations and a huge airport scene at the end it must have had a fairly high budget. There are great comedic moments and a funny low-speed chase scene, but overall the movie is just weird. There are a number of wonderful scenes (like L riding the train), but the film just doesn’t hold up as a whole.

The film is only a must-see for L fans, but it’s exactly the kind of movie you want to watch with someone else so you can discuss it afterwards.

My early reviews of the previous two Death Note live action movies draw a lot of traffic to this site. Viz did a small theatrical release of the two films earlier this year (2008), and will certainly release the region one DVDs sometime soon. Logically speaking, Viz will most likely also release L: Change the World on DVD eventually, but probably not before 2009. Nothing has been announced as of this writing, but I’d put money on it. Please be sure to support Viz by purchasing the legitimate releases when they come out. (Hint: Legitimate release won’t have Cantonese subtitles, and are not region free.)

L: Change the World has no distributor at the time of this writing. Look forward to it in 2009 or 2010.

Puri Puri, Vols. 2-4

By Chiaki Taro
Published by DrMaster
Rating: Ages 15+

It’s a scenario that just welcomes wacky hijinks: an aspiring priest enrolls at a private divinity school, not realizing they recently changed from an all-girls institution. As a result, he is the only boy, surrounded by young ladies who either don’t know – or don’t seem to care – how to behave properly around someone of the opposite gender. Every moment at the school is a battle against temptation, as flashes of skin and underwear constantly threaten to derail his dream of becoming a man of the cloth.

The priest-in-training in Puri Puri is Kamioda-kun, who takes his own virtue as seriously as that last sentence implies. But Saint Sophia Academy does feature a considerable number of temptations, and Kamioda constantly finds himself in situations that put his urges to the test: face-to-face with cleavage; cheek-to-cheek with a coed’s rear end; pinned underneath some boxes with the girl he finds hopelessly cute; naked in a bath with a willowy female samurai warrior-in-training.

Granted, a lot seems contrived, especially in volume one, but writer/artist Chiaki Taro’s series is not without inspiration: specifically, the hormonal battlefield we all experience as teenagers, between our intellects and desires, our brains and other bodily organs.

That’s all subtext, of course; on the surface, Puri Puri may be drawn in a squeaky-clean style, but Chiaki devotes as many panels as possible to T & A – effectively simulating the distraction-prone mind of Kamioda. Unfortunately, this means an inordinate amount of page space gets devoted to girls in their undergarments or less, which does get old after a while. However, it’s also the source of much of the series’ humor: the fact Kamioda is practically living through stereotypical male locker room fantasies – those that can be published for audiences age 15 and above, at least – but they’re mostly nightmares to him.

Looking back on the first four volumes, the series does improve quickly as Chiaki gets away from schemes to get Kamioda kicked out of the Academy, introducing wacky supporting characters, over-the-top scenarios, and potential love interests instead. The decision proves correct, given how exploring the religious school’s appropriately-themed clubs – along with choir, there’s one for exorcism, even a Knights Templar that makes sure students obey the behavioral code – is more fun.

And quite frankly, Chiaki’s lone attempt to introduce a more traditional adversary for Kamioda – as opposed to just letting her oddball and sexually-obsessed cast play off one another – ends in an unsatisfying deux ex-machina. Our hero doesn’t need to face off against a devious student body president. His worst enemy, he knows all too well, are his own raging hormones.

The would-be comedy sequences also seem to get more elaborate, even if the punch-lines frequently involve nudity. At least Chiaki takes an equal opportunity approach to exposing and embarrassing her characters; by volume four, everyone’s revealed so much of their bodies already that it’s impossible to predict how a game of strip “rock/paper/scissors” is going to turn out.

It may sound as if Puri Puri will mostly entertain male audiences, but if there is a reason for female readers to also pick it up, it’s probably the character of Sherrice, the captain of the Knights Templar. This being a manga, of course the private school has its own student-based security force. However, Sherrice also serves as the female counterpart to Kamioda, constantly struggling to balance the rigorous training required of the samurai with her own personal desires. She’s a refreshing antidote to Puri Puri’s other female protagonists, given she’s quite possibly the only one who displays determination, focus, and confidence. She definitely merits her own series.

Volumes two through four of Puri Puri are available now.

COWA!

By Akira Toriyama
Published by Viz
Rating: All Ages

COWA! is Toriyama’s storybook-like tale of a cute half-were-koala, half-vampire and his best friend, a ghost named Jose Rodrigez, as they save Monster Ridge from the Monster Flu with the help of a retired sumo wrestling human. Behind the extremely cute artwork is a masterfully crafted story which strikes a careful balance between what kids want to read about (monsters, fighting, farts, flying) and what parents want kids to read about (doing the right thing, getting in trouble for lying, etc.).

Paifu transforms into a super-strong monster koala when he sees any cross-shaped object and turns back into a vampire when he sees anything round. The transformations in the book are few, but brilliantly timed. Paifu acts like a typical kid, prone to trouble-making and bossing around the less-strong-willed Jose. I found the first few stand-alone chapters cute, but I was bored by Paifu and Jose’s relationship, which is like a less extreme version of Mac and Blue from Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. Why does one kid always have to be the jerk?

Fortunately, the main story arc of the volume picks up and the jerk/scaredy-cat relationship falls to the wayside. Paifu and Jose must team up with ex-sumo Mr. Maruyama, formerly known as “The Volcano” on an epic road trip to get the cure for the deadly Monster Flu, which threatens to wipe out the entire town.

The story unfolds halfway between a folktale and the Hero’s Journey. Some bystanders Paifu helps along the way become allies later and, in the end, Paifu must face the witch alone. But nevermind my highbrow literary reading, Paifu and his friends are kids through and through. Despite the high stakes, the little monsters argue over who gets to sit in the front seat on the road trip. In another scene, staying safe from a [bad] monster hinges on Paifu’s ability to learn to whistle. I was particularly impressed, since I could totally imagine kids whistling to keep monsters away after reading this book.

Mr. Maruyama quickly becomes a pseudo-father/hero figure, beating up bad guys and monsters (who sometimes look very similar to Dragonball characters). Some of the bad guys are introduced and disposed of very quickly, as if they were created only to generate fight scenes. I haven’t read Dr. Slump, but COWA! seems more like Slump than Dragonball Z.

This story is so very, very cute, but I wonder if strict American parents would be annoyed by the fist fights and (surprisingly frequent) gun-pointing. I would let a kid read this, but for the record, I don’t have any kids.

The character designs are deceptively simple (Jose only looks easy to draw!) and the storybook layout of the panels is easy to follow. A few color pages begin each chapter, but beyond the first 15 pages everything is in black and white.

Don’t pass this up! At only one volume, it’s just the right length. Who wouldn’t want to read about a were-koala? (Apparently not Carlo Santos!)

COWA! is avaiable now.