Manga Village

By all counts, Ryouta Sakamoto is a loser when he’s not holed up in his room, bombing thing into oblivion in his favorite online action RPG. But his very own uneventful life is blown to pieces when he’s abducted and taken to an uninhabited island, where he soon learns the hard way that he’s being pitted against others just like him, in an explosive-riddled death match! how could this be happening? Who’s putting them up to this? And why!? The name, not to mention the objective, of this very real survival fame is eerily familiar to Ryouta, who has mastered its virtual counterpart–BTOOOM! Can Ryouta still come out on top when he’s playing for his life!? By Junya Inoue Publisher: Yen Press Age Rating: Mature Genre: Game/Survival Horror Price: $11.99 I had mixed feelings when I heard about BTOOOM! There were comparisons of this series to .hack going on in the mangasphere, which didn’t inspire me. Though having read the first volume, I think being stuck in a video game like BTOOOM! would have been better than the “Battle Royale”-esque “game-in-real-life” that the series has ended up being. BTOOOM! doesn’t waste much time in throwing the reader into the action….

It’s always darkest before the dawn as Taitou’s journey has become more difficult as he is beaten down with the death of family and comrades, and a change in loyalty by his most trusted comrade Ryouko. Despite it all, he finds the strength to go on and decides to fight his destiny. He is determined to stop Keirou’s madness from destroying the Ken Empire and its people. By Hiromu Arakawa Publisher: Yen Press Age Rating: Older Teen Genre: Historical Fantasy Price: $10.99 I liked the first two volumes of Hero Tales, though I had my reservations. These last three volumes move the plot along quickly to get to the final battle between Taitou and Keirou. Along the way, the story touches on the themes of dealing with loss, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and defying destiny. While I still think Hero Tales is a good story, these three volumes still can’t elevate it to a great one. In order for the story to go forward, there has to be a lot of looks back. Taitou’s past is confirmed, and Ryouko’s and Keirou’s are revealed. The reasons behind Keirou’s intense hatred of the Ken Empire is explained and understandable. Many of…

Reviews are subjective things. A reviewer is drawing on many things when they write their review. Besides technical things such as story structure, character development and art, a reviewers personal preferences and experiences can affect their feeling about a book. And sometimes, even their gender can make a difference as to whether a book gets a good score or bad. In the following discussions, reviewers Alex Hoffman and Lori Henderson will look at different books and examine the similarities and differences they have over each of them. Shonen Jump Alpha/Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine Publisher: Viz Media Age Rating: Teen Genre: Action/Food/Supernatural/Historical/Game Price: .99/week; 26.99/yr Lori: It’s been quite a year for Shonen Jump Magazine. The digital edition started running weekly at the end of January 2012, with chapters 2 weeks behind it’s Japanese counterpart. The print magazine officially ended in April. And now, in 2013, the magazine has gone same day with the chapters as the Japanese print edition. I’ve been a subscriber to Shonen Jump since it debuted back in 2003. How long have you been reading Alex? Alex: I’ve been with Shonen Jump since it went digital – although I read a few of the paper versions while…

After the intense drama of the Burnish Academy TV shoot, each member of the Muroe kendo team has a new outlook on their involvement with kendo, and Tamaki is eager to learn what reasons her friends have for participating in the sport, hoping they will help her find her own motivation. Kojiro plans a trip to observe the Gokuryuki national tournament to help Tamaki on her search, and with the support of her family and friends, Tamaki takes a confident step toward the future in the final volume of Bamboo Blade! Story by Masahiro Totsuka; Art by Aguri Igarashi Publisher: Yen Press Age Rating: Older Teen Genre: Sports ISBN: 9780316189583 Price: $11.99 I was really drawn in to Bamboo Blade with the Burnish Academy arc, not knowing it was also the final arc of the series. My review of volumes 9-13 had me brimming with excitement for more, but this last volume of the series isn’t about the intense action and drama that the last 5 had. Instead it’s a quiet reflection of how far all the characters have grown and changed. But that is far from being a bad thing. After all the intensity of the match between Erina…

For once, it looks like the Chikubushima High soccer team might heave a shot at the national tournament (provided all their players actually show up to the matches)! Rakuichi may have the raw talent that makes him an invaluable asset to this bizarre mess of a team, but his enourmous ego interferes with his ability to make good decisions on the field. (Seriously, dude. Just pass the ball.) As Rakuichi continues to irritate the heck out of his teammates, the foundation on the team, Azuchi, is out of commission, and captain Matsuri is losing interest as teh power of the principal’s bribes wane. With even tougher opponents to come, will the stars and supporting players of Chikubushima manage to pull together and secure victory? By Ryuji x Gotsubo Publisher: Yen Press Age Rating: Older Teen Genre: Sports Price: $20.99 I’m not a masochist by nature, but I am a skeptic. So when I saw so many reviews reviling the first volume of Sasameke, I had to see the horror for myself. I was given such a chance when I received volume 2 for review. Let me just say, the reviews of volume 1 were not exaggerating. If anything, volume 2…

I have been lucky in my reading that I rarely come across things I actively hate. Sure, I have had a few instances (Sasameke comes to mind) but the stuff I don’t like I just don’t like, and there are no hard feelings. But there are times when I consider a new title to add to the “shit list,” and unfortunately, Attack on Titan is one of those times. By Hajime Isayama Publisher: Kodansha Comics Age Rating: Older Teen Genre: Shonen/Speculative Fiction/Horror Price: $10.99 At the core of Attack on Titan is a futuristic version of the Earth where the human race has been driven nearly to extinction by a race of giant monsters called Titans. These creatures seem only to exist to devour human beings. Humanity has responded to these alien creatures by building a giant walled city to protect themselves, and created an elite group of fighters who protect the human race by using retro-futuristic grappling hooks and natural gas to propel themselves through the air and kill Titans. As far as end of the world stories go, it’s a fairly original premise. While the premise is original, the execution in Attack on Titan is poor. The tone of the dialogue is always some flavor…

Haruka is a young girl who is able to predict the future with incredible accuracy–an ability that has made her a target. When she is kidnapped, Haruka uses her power to seek out someone who can help her, fixing upon a blind man amid the crowded streets of Tokyo. Though seemingly odd choice, Haruka’s powers have not led her wrong, as her chosen protector draws a sword from his walking stick and deftly takes out her captors. Knowing she will always be pursued for her gift, Haruka begs the mystery swordsman to keep her safe… “Until Death Do Us Part.” Story by Hiroshi Takashige; Art by DOUBLE-S Publisher: Yen Press Age Rating: Older Teen Genre: Action Price: $18.99 I was interested in Until Death Do Us Part when it was first announced at NYCC/NYAF last year, though now that I think back, I can’t seem to remember why. That is unfortunately a common theme with this title. It isn’t very memorable in story or characters. The best thing it’s had going for it is its similarity to other stories that I did enjoy. Blind Swordsmen are nothing in Japanese story telling. Zatoichi, a character created by novelist Kan Shimozawa is…

It makes sense to me that one of the most cutting edge manga in Yen Press‘ manga collection is Soul Eater Not! The series is published on the same day and date in the USA as it is in Japan, and is the only series that Yen Press releases with that schedule. In Japanese comics, it stands beside Rumiko Takahashi’s Rin-Ne from Viz Media as the only other mainstream* comic that is released day and date in both Asia and America. The reason why this makes sense to me has quite a bit to do with the characteristics of Soul Eater Not! – it is neither shojo, shonen, or moe, but rather a strange mix of all three. By Atsushi Ohkubo Publisher: Yen Press Age Rating: Older Teen Genre:  Slice of Life/Action/Fantasy Price: $11.99 USA The best way to describe Soul Eater Not! is that is not the same manga as Soul Eater, another popular release from Yen Manga. Written and illustrated by the same author and set in the same world, it even uses some of the same characters to tell a much different story. Tsugumi, our main character, is a girl enrolled in the DWMA, an international organization in charge of training meisters and “weapons” in order to make sure they are able to control their abilities…

For the Shohoku High players, the past echoes in the present as Rukawa learns something about Coach Anzai that leaves him determined to be the best high school player in Japan. With ten days remaining until the start of the national tournament, Coach Anzai send the Shohoku High team to Shizuoka for a week of practive with another local team. But Sakuragi stays behind for a special practice session that will push him to the limit and improve his individual skills for the crucial games ahead. By Takehiko Inoue Publisher: Viz Media/Shonen Jump Age Rating: Teen Genre: Sports Price: $9.99 Slam Dunk isn’t a series I read regularly, but I do like to check in on it from time to time. With the Inoue Manga Movable Feast being this month, this was the perfect time to check out the latest volume. This time the action is off court as Shohoku prepares for the national tournament. Preparations are both physical and mental, and inspiration comes from some unexpected places. Rukawa has really stepped up his game, both mentally and physically, as in practice he shows his determination to be the best. He finally shows Sakuragi the real difference in their skills,…

Black Jack’s three year journey ends finally comes to an end with these last two volumes. Unfortunately, the good doctor doesn’t go out with a bang, but more of a fizzle, as these last two volumes are the weakest of them all. The stories aren’t bad. They’re just not as engaging.