With the start of the 2008 Book Expo America, Viz has announced a new addition to their Vizkids line, a sadly neglected line if you ask me. But today, they announced chapter books about who? Why, everyone’s favorite ninja, Naruto! They’re older brother are reading the manga, they’re watching the anime, with their Leaf Village Headbands. Those young ‘uns should be able to read about him too! And now they can. And I know this will sell. Taking my own kids to the bookstore always had them drifting toward the books with TV and movie character they knew. This will be no different. Press Release after the break
Well, it’s been a tough week at the Manga Village, but still, we persevere! First, Memorial Day greeted us with the site being hacked, but it’s all patched up now, with practically no damage. But then, yours truly went and caught a nasty flu bug. Trust me, don’t want this! So, things are a little late, but still up before the end of the week! The week starts out with Enchanter Volume 1 from Digital Manga Publishing? Was I spellbound by it? Check out the review to find out! Revisit the Museum of Terror Volume 2 from Dark Horse with Charles Tan. Dan Polley’s on vacation this week, and John Thomas had a bout with real life, but they’ll both be back next week. There’s also our weekly picks. It’s an eclectic selection as always. Over at Good Comics for Kids, I’ve got the newest All Ages Comics list up. Sabrina Fritz has a review of many of the All Ages comics that were available on Free Comic Book Day. Come check out what she found, and the other reviews that are up!
Pick of the Litter Volume 1 (Buy Now) By Yuriko Suda Published by: Tokyopop Age Rating: Teen Genre: Comedy RRP:$9.99 Rating: Riku joins his whacky long-lost family in the mythical land of Yamato and finds he’s got a few new siblings! On cat, two rabbits… Sounds more like a zoo than a home! He may be new in town, but Riku’s pledged to lead the family business of Hiyokoya to the top—and no sneaky competitors, smart-mouthed cats, or mysterious magic stones are about to stop him! Well…not really. Riku only said he’d work part-time.
I may as well jump into the Tokyopop fray, as I’ve had a draft about the TP.com website sitting here for a while. I may as well add my two cents (rant) to the current discussion as well. Tokyopop’s Pilot Program pact has stirred up a lot of people in the last few days, with it’s casual language and questionable practices. But, is this really a surprise to anyone? Tokyopop is about as two-faced as you can get in the manga publishing industry. Their public face, the one they put out in press releases and at conventions, is one of a teen friendly publisher that is trying to help new artists get a break in the comics/manga industy, get them published, and give them a place to meet, talk and share their work online. Take a closer look at them, and you’ll see the truth that lies hidden underneath.
You’ll notice a few changes to the site. The most obvious is the theme. While I liked the old one, it was old and wouldn’t let me use widgets. This new one is more up to date, has a second side bar, and I just like it. 🙂 I can now add things like the Upcoming Reviews widget. I’ve also added a few new pages. There’s now a reviews archive, with all the reviews on this site listed by title, company and age rating, all linked to the reviews. I’ve also added a page for the manga I’ve got to trade. There’s a list of manga that I’ll trade for, but I’m always interested in new titles, so make me an offer.
Magical Pokemon Journey Volume 1: How Do You Do, Pikachu? by Yumi Tsukirino Publisher: Viz Media Rating: All Ages Genre: Game Price: Only available used Rating: What is the story about? A new trainer named Hazel that started without a pokemon. Soon, she goes into the grass and finds a Pikachu. She trys to draw Pikachu but fails. What did you like about the story? I liked it when Hazel yelled at the Ekans. I loved how they drew the pokemon. I also loved how they made the Clefairy act. What did you dislike about the story? I hated when Pikachu was knocked out. I also hated the way Hazel drew Pikachu. Would you recommend the story to kids your age? Yes
Ordering from the Previews catalog can be like gambling. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And I lost big time. See, the problem with Previews is, I’m ordering books 2-3 months in advanced, based solely on a picture of a cover, and a brief marketing copy that meant more to entice retailers into buying than the individual consumer. When there’s a new title in the catalog, I can sometimes try and research it, if it looks like something I want, as long as the US title is the same as the Japanese (or at least close to). But often, there isn’t much to find, and I’m stuck going on instinct.
There’s been some freaky weather here in Southern California this week, but nothing can stop the Manga Village crew from their appointed round of reviews! Charles Tan starts us off by teaching us Death Note: How to Read Volume 13 from Viz. Dan Polley’s gonna Gacha Gacha Next Revolution Volume 6 from Del Rey. I fly in with Fairy Cube Volume 1 from Viz. John Thomas searches the rainbow for the Color of Rage from Dark Horse. We make our weekly picks, of course, from a list that isn’t so wallet-busting, but still has some must haves. Check it out for some Memorial Day reading. (Day off! Whoo Hoo!!!) And for the kids, check out the All Ages Comics list at the Good Comics for Kids blog, as well as the reviews and links posted by my fellow bloggers.
Hell Girl Volume 1 By Miyuki Eto Publisher: Del Rey Manga Genre: Supernatural Rating: Teen (13+) Price: $10.99 Rating: Summary: Hell Girl is a girl named Ai Enma who has recently transferred into a middle school. She will come to people who want revenge on their enemies via a strange, eerie website named Hell Corresponce that appears only at midnight. She will bring those people down to Hell. The only price is your soul; you will suffer in hell after you die. What did I like about it: I liked the ever-so-beautiful Hell Girl’s looks and actions. Graceful and kills enemies with her phrase. The drawings and vocabulary were perfect as well. There was also one story I liked, which ups the rating. What did I dislike about it: The stories were interesting but it was disgusting because of what happened to the people that were about to be sent to hell. Also, the death of a puppy displeased me, as I like animals. Could you improve: No, you couldn’t improve on the manga. My reason why is because of said graphics and vocabulary. Also, by just looking at the pictures, you could somewhat tell what was going on. The…
Muhyo & Roji’s Bureau of Supernatural Investigation Volume 1 by Yoshiyuki Nishi Publisher: Viz MediaRating: Teen Genre: Supernatural/ActionPrice: $7.99 Rating: When the ghost of a tormented school-girl starts terrorizing subway passengers, can Muhyo and Roji resolve the paranormal crisis before it totally derails? Meet Toru Muhyo and Jiro Kusano, sole proprietors of the Muhyo Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. Muhyo is an executor, the highest rank available in the Magic Law Assosication, and the only one able to practice Magic Law. Roji (who always turns his name around, so everyone just calls him that) is Muhyo’s secretary, a second clerk and the lowest rank. In this first volume, we are introduced to the protagonists, and see what they do with Magical Law. Put simply, they exorcise ghosts by sentencing them to either above or below, depending on their crimes.
It’s time for another round of mini reviews. It’s the teen edition of Shonen Jump. Next time I’ll give some reviews of some Tokyopop titles.
Dragon Drive Volume 6 By Kenichi Sakura Publisher: Viz Media Genre: Fantasy Rating: All Ages Price: $7.99 Rating: Storyline Kohei is pushing himself to the limit. His body can’t take much more training. Meanwhile, Silver is waiting as Reiji and Hikaru go on to the trials to get Shinsaber. Meanwhile, Maiko is captured and taken to Guan-Coo, who isn’t how Maiko expected it to be. Guan-Coo seems gentle, as it acts like a baby. Review Once again, it is pretty much hilarious. The battle scene at the end gets the reader tense. It’s quite a charm. What I liked about it Guan-Coo is very funny. He’s cute and acts like a child. What I didn’t like Once again, nothing. I like it all. What you could do to make it better I have no idea. Is this suitable for children? Yes.