So doom may be a little grim a word but it’s a rampant sort of tone recently with all that’s going on in the English manga-industry. I popped in on this week’s ANNCast to share some of my thoughts on recent events, in particular DC’s announcement regarding CMX and the disappearance of Go!Comi.

I’m starting to feel like all my efforts to promote CMX are being intentionally smited somehow though – first CMX’s shutdown is announced mere days after we here at Kuriousity make the decision to push out a bunch of CMX reviews (since the site’s been sadly lacking them!) and then here in the ANNCast I tell everyone to go check out CMX’s site and look through the books they have – only to have DC Comics, for some inexplicable reason, strip down CMX’s website today. Yikes. And triple-boo on you, DC Comics. What the heck is going through your corporate mind over there?

Also on the ANNCast this week is a guest sharing her thoughts on the difference between Canadian and American anime conventions. Interesting ideas there. As someone who’s been staff helping run a convention and holding panels more than an attendee of any, I don’t have all that much to go on pertaining to the concept. Comparatively I’ve been to San Diego Comic Con and Fan Expo, which are ‘very’ similar in their target-audience but different in obvious ways because, well, SDCC is in California and Fan Expo is not. I am heading to Anime North next week and New York Anime Fest in October however, so for pondering’s sake, I’ll keep the concept of difference in mind. The discussion about the semi-thankless nature of running an anime convention is interesting too. Super-duper hard work but worth it for all the thank yous and happy fans? Yup!

So check out the podcast if you so feel inclined – it always makes for interesting listening! And beware my voice, which you may be doomed to hear in your mind each time you read one of my reviews from now on ;)

The English manga publishing industry has started to look pretty glum recently. First news of Aurora Publishing’s supposed demise spread through the web after the approach of listings appearing to be the company for sale, then in late April Yen Press announced that it’s anthology magazine Yen Plus is no longer going to be in print.

Continuing down a dim road,  GoComi’s forums first went down in April but the website itself followed just the other day – gocomi.com now showing an expired domain as of May 8th. This led to speculation but alas none of it good, especially as the publisher hasn’t released a book since October 2009.

Audry Taylor, Creative Director of GoComi, confirmed the website’s demise on her Twitter account while AnimeNewsNetwork recently learned that she was no longer working at the company. Earlier this year GoComi had posted an update on their forums about the difficulties they were having and that their website would likely be something shut down in the future. Whether this means the company itself is gone or just really slimming back remains to be confirmed but the prospects aren’t looking anywhere near as good as we’d like.

Doing nothing to soften the blow however came news of Viz Media laying off 60 of its employees and shutting down its New York branch altogether (Update: News of their NY offices closing has been confirmed false by Viz). This equals around 40% of the  publisher’s workforce, a sizable chunk for any company to let go. While this shouldn’t be taken as a sign that the company is going to vanish on us, it is a stark reminder of the things they’re required to do to keep stable. A statement was released on Viz’s website regarding the move as well, taking the time to reassure consumers.

It’s a sign of darker times but certainly not the end of them. Still, I can’t help but see it as a real eye-opener as to what really equates to success. New York Times Bestseller list looks impressive, for example, yet the numbers that beat out other lesser-selling graphic novels doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve sold truck loads, or enough to make up for the dozens of titles released each month that don’t sell nearly as many as their frontline siblings and still need the support to keep strong.

“But what can I do to help?” You may (hopefully) ask yourself. It’s pretty simple, and nothing you probably haven’t heard before – buy. Your money helps the publishers, funds the creators and truly shows your support. Not buying now because you’d rather buy later? The sad reality is that the books you want may not be there later. Publishers can’t live off money later – they need your help now, not only to fund the price of making the books but also to show them people do want more. That’s the way you can do your part to see your favourite books on store shelves later.

And you don’t need to buy a lot – companies understand that many of their target audiences don’t have as much disposable income as they’d like. Do what you can and be proud of your collection (and never stop looking for those awesome bargains at your local store, online vendor or anime convention!).

Imagine the sales if today (good ‘ol new book shipment Wednesday), if every reader who’s read an illegal scanlation went out and bought one manga book. Just one. Food for thought?

But stay positive, folks! Times may look a little glum but there’s so much power in our hands to make a difference. Purchase, share, suggest and love your manga!

And keep in mind the good stuff we’ve been lucky to have recently as well: the evolving trend of omnibus editions is allowing affordable ways to collect manga series both new and old, Fantagraphics recently announced their own manga imprint showing an appreciated enthusiasm in the market and experimentation with different genres, online manga from companies offers lots of legal ways to enjoy your favourites digitally and manga publishers continue to pick up numerous new series. Just to name a few of course!

A bunch of interesting news and previews this past week – what better way to spend a lazy Sunday than getting caught up on a bunch of them! From contests to continuations, there should be a little something for everyone in this lengthy round-up of the week’s what-have-yous:

RightStuf’s most recent sale is on Tokyopop books, including their boys’ love imprint, BLU. Until February 1st, you’ll save at least 33% on each book. Perfect time to get caught up some series and get your hands on the recent ones – which include lots of fantastic new licenses including Alice in the Country of Hearts and Deadman Wonderland.

More information about Yen Press’s upcoming adaptation of Twilight has been released. The book will be a hardcover edition costing $19.99. It’s already one of the top-selling books on Amazon right now! Entertainment Weekly has an image of the cover and an interior preview. On a related note, Shannon Garrity has a great – and amusing – post comparing Twilight with most modern-day shoujo manga.

Fans of the series rejoice – Descendants of Darkness (Yami no Matsuei) is returning! After an eight year hiatus the supernatural manga laced with all that glorious homoerotic tension (perhaps biggest understatement of the new year so far) will be returning to publication with the release of its twelth volume in Japan. Viz Media has the English license to the series and has published up to volume eleven, last released in 2006.

DeviantArt is currently holding a contest: Ponyo Make A Splash – Online Banner Creation Contest. They’re looking for ad banners designed for use on the website to promote the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray release of Studio Ghibli/Disney’s Ponyo. There are four different banner templates for designers to submit banners in. As for the prizes, “…each of the four winners will recieve a $500 Visa gift card, a devWEAR bag of Winner’s choice, a copy of Ponyo on DVD, a devWEAR shirt of Winner’s choice, and a one year Premium Membership to deviantART.”

After the continuation was pushed back to Spring 2010in early 2009, it looks like Yu Watase is finally able to put Fushigi Yuugi‘s prequel series, Genbu Kaiden, back into her busy production schedule! She posts about it over on her personal blog, though no complete translation is yet publicly posted of the entry. Viz Media has released the currently available nine volumes of the series. (via Manga Xanadu)

Lastly, the fairly-silent-in-recent-months publisher, GoComi has posted an update of their status via their forums. There isn’t a lot of specific news but they assure readers that despite some economic problems, they’re still plugging forward and going at it their best. Unfortunately a number of titles have gone on hold. You can read the whole post over there which also includes information of the potential future of their website community, the popularity of 07-Ghost and word about the status of books sold through their online store. (via @danielle_leigh1)

Manga-ka: Mizuki Watanabe
Publisher: GoComi
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: May 2009

Synopsis: “Talentless, shy Tsubasa has just been accepted to the prestigious Seiko Academy. Right away, he gets mixed up with the most popular kids in school – and the entertainment world! Forced to join the pop idol group RINXS, Tsubasa finds himself stuck in a cross-dressing comedy of kidnapping, blackmail and mistaken identity.”

Days of Cool Idols is a one-shot story about a young boy trying to start new life for himself at a new school. When he finds himself among the school’s elite and being asked to perform a great favour to both them, the entertainment industry and all its fans, he begins to believe he may’ve finally found a place where he belongs, even if the book itself struggles with that particular point.

Tsubasa is in his new school no more than a few moments when he’s asked to play the role of a female pop sensation who, after issues with a stalker, has locked herself away from her job and her fans. A little hesitant, but eager to please, Tsubasa agrees, bolstered by the other elite students in the school he finds himself partnered with in the charade. Conveniently they’re all members of a popular boy band called RINXS so they have their share of experience in show biz.

As far as acceptance goes, Tsubasa has it in spades. He puts up with most of what’s tossed at him with little critical thought and much of it stems from a strong lack of self-esteem. His new friends continuously shower him with support and kind words, prompting him to continue his new life of late nights, live performances and cross dressing. Naturally he’s a natural, not only incredibly comfortable with it his first time but it’s also consistently noted how much better at singing, dancing and performing than even the starlette he’s standing in for. Why? No explanation so just lucky I guess. It’s one of the many things about the story that requires a fair share of suspended belief.

There isn’t much to say for the other main characters, most of whom blend together in a way that doesn’t make remembering their individual names all that important. Suffice to say they’re all kind, loyal and willing to stick their necks out for Tsubasa with nothing but kindness and admiration. For a bit of drama’s sake, there’s the leader of an all-girls band who is in love with one of the members of RINXS and takes her jealous frustrations out on Tsubasa, and a couple other envious-types rear their ugly heads across the story to cause trouble as well.

Mizuki Watanabe’s art style is a pleasing part of the book, easy on the eyes and will strong appeal to fans of modern shoujo style. The characters all fall under either cute or pretty-boy handsome, definitely crossing the line to overly feminine at times. I really like how solid the art style is, showing a strong level of consistency and a good grasp on pacing for both the semi-dramatic and humorous scenes. The chibis were very entertaining and the whole book is inked with an especially appealing look, well utilizing ink for shading and depth while stilling maintain an overall light visual style.

One of the things that stood out most to me about the book however was Go Comi having Days of Cool Idols listed among their boys’ loves titles. Despite the all male-protagonist cast, I must admit I don’t find it an accurate standing on the book’s genre. Honestly, while I was reading it I did think numerous times that it had the potential to be a yaoi, though not because it actually contains any boys’ love, but simply because it stars a largely pretty-boy cast who are somewhat ambiguously supportive of each other, boys who could then suddenly act out romantically with each other without it being too far a stretch. That said however, the main male character could’ve been made a girl with a single line of dialogue and the execution of the plot itself would’ve barely been affected in the slightest, and with a lack of any romantic interest, there’s a substantial lack of corroborating material for those looking explicitly for boys’ love. In fact it falls sharply to Go Comi pandering to the boys’ love audience who have proven to be a strong buying audience and I imagine that was the result they hoped to achieve with this label.

While this one-shot falls flat on delivering on its yaoi-label, it could still prove an amusing read for those fans none the less. It’s a shallow but cute story about this young man finding a place for himself in the world of over-glitzed show biz, and the solid art style, one that fits neatly in Go Gomi’s overall repertoire of titles, helps bolster a story that lacks much substance on its own. Days of Cool Idols isn’t especially memorable, and likely won’t hit many re-read lists, but it manages to be a fairly enjoyable read for its 200-page run.

Review written August 10, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book purchased from the Comic Cellar at San Diego Comic Con 2009

Innovative manga publisher Go! Comi and cutting-edge game designer Zeitgeist Games today announced the release of the iPhone version of Aimee Major Steinberger’s smash-hit manga journal “Japan Ai – A Tall Girl’s Adventure in Japan” – named one of the Young Adults Librarian Association’s Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens of 2009! It is now available, formatted for the iPhone or iPod Touch, for the introductory price of .99 CENTS!

Join Aimee Major Steinberger on the ultimate otaku vacation! Steinberger uses sketches and hand-written descriptions to capture it all in this manga journal that is both adorable and breathtaking. And now you can have her travel journal right at your fingertips no matter where you are, with this handy app that features the COMPLETE 190-page book, formatted for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

The application also contains several special features that are EXCLUSIVE to the iPhone version of the book:

- Using Smart Panels(TM) technology, you can move from panel to panel with a single tap
- With two different viewing modes, reading is a snap
- Browse thumbnail images of each page in the chapter
- Learn Japanese words with the help of the voice phrase dictionary
- Photo gallery allows you to see actual photos from the trip

That’s right – readers will get the complete book in iPhone form, plus exclusive iPhone/iPod Touch features, for only 99 cents! The “Japan Ai” iPhone App is available now at the iTunes store.

ABOUT GO! COMI
Go! Comi is known for its exciting manga series and top-notch production values. Among its publications are the Bookscan best-sellers “07-GHOST,” “The Devil Within” and “Her Majesty’s Dog,” and the Eisner Award-nominated “After School Nightmare,” which was named one of the Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens of 2008 by the Young Adult Library Services Association. Two other Go! Series, “Train + Train” and “Cantarella,” have also been cited by the YALSA Great Graphic Novels list.

ABOUT ZEITGEIST GAMES
Zeitgeist Games, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Dustin Clingman and Dave Arneson as a “pen and paper” role playing game company. The immediate success of the company led Zeitgeist Games to expanded its product line into other forms of gaming. Today, Zeitgeist Games has developed games and applications on such platforms as the PC, Nintendo DS, and iPhone.

Manga-ka: You Higuri
Publisher: GoComi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: October 2008

Synopsis: “Seto is a former god imprisoned by a demon, bound to bring misery and misfortune to whomever releases him from his prison. Marie is the daughter of an aristocrat, hopelessly in love with one far above her station. When she unwittingly breaks the seal binding Seto, he agrees to help her win her prince’s heart… but can love overcome the dark fate that awaits her?”

Young Marie finds herself infatuated with her country’s Prince but feels resigned to only watch him from afar. After accidentally releasing a god sealed within a book, Marie is promised the love of her life by the charming, Seto. Though enthralled with the idea of meeting the Prince, Marie doesn’t realize she’s doomed to meet a dark end by the very hands of her helper. Is there charm in a story that builds itself up with a pre-explained ending?

Though Marie’s fate is deemed sealed, Seto, the very man doomed to make her life miserable, is determined to alter her future at the risk of his own well-being. This is what really serves as the catch for the plot. I also found Marie endearing as a character, in her own special way, and couldn’t help but feel myself rooting for her against all odds when she becomes entangled in a web she doesn’t know exists.

While the tone of the story treads little new ground in You Higuri’s repertoire, what really stands Angel’s Coffin out is its pockets of humour. Going into the story with a piercing stare from the front cover’s image, and a darker feel from the tone of the book’s synopsis, I was caught off-guard by the visual comedy of the story. While the majority of the book maintains a semi-sinister tone thanks to some grim foreshadowing, the character Marie sparks some unexpected but laugh worthy moments of hilarity with her overzealous devotion and accompanying panels.

Along with serving as some momentary distraction from the threat of things to come, Marie’s amusing portrayals also serve to make her much easier to feel empathy for, more down to earth in her flaws than the doey-eyed maidens that often serve in female roles of the time period. My thoughts on her worked in strong contrast to the Prince, who I found creepy and unmovingly flat. While it wouldn’t be too out there to assume that was the intended persona, it gave the plot a very one-sided lean for reader’s sympathy, despite randomly suggesting some pity for the prince would be well-founded.

All that said however, there isn’t enough time to really feel like you’ve gotten to know any of the characters. There seems to be multiple layers of the Prince that could’ve been explored and Seto feels very rushed despite playing such an important role. At the one-book length, Angel’s Coffin felt too short to be savoured, but too involved with characters to be truly satisfying come the end.

Though easily the book’s strongest point, the artwork of Angel’s Coffin, as with the story, won’t offer You Higuri buffs anything new, and similarities to characters in her other works are hard to ignore. However, in the context of the story itself, everyone is easy to tell apart, aided in part by the very small cast. The men are easily as attractive, if not more so, than the lead female, Marie, and along with the 19th century clothing and décor, there’s plenty of eye-candy for fans of romantic eras and flowing hair.

Ultimately Angel’s Coffin is a nicely compacted one-shot but one that sadly falls short of being terribly memorable. You Higuri fans will enjoy adding this book to their collection for its familiar tone and style, and while its appeal can easily stretch past You Higuri fans to those seeking a quick read, it isn’t a release I’d push much past its visual appeals.

Review written May 4, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book borrowed from the Halifax Regional Public Libraries

Manga-ka: Tomo Maeda
Publisher: GoComi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: November 2008

Synopsis: “Shikimi remains trapped within his body, tormented by the memories of those he’s killed. His own memories of Taki lend him the strength to survive… but is it enough to overcome the demons when Taki finally fulfills his promises?”

Everything comes full circle here in the seventh, and final, volume of Black Sun Silver Moon as readers are pulled back to the bloody confrontation of the previous book, all in preparation for a page-heavy instalment that manages to leave few questions unanswered.

The focus of the book remains on the leads, Shikimi and Taki. Shikimi’s darker half has finally won control of his body and seeks to destroy Taki, a natural born-enemy to all demons his kind. Even here in the last book I continually find Taki’s role of a ‘Nightling’ to be inconsequential to the story and it easily could’ve done without that particular fact add-in, even if here Tomo Maeda does manage to make it a tad more relevant to current plot events.

The continued evolvement of Grey, another demon who shows up earlier on, continues to be one of the series’ best features. His ability to come in at just the right (or for the characters, wrong) time is never short of entertaining. He’s a great good-guy-bad-guy combo and serves as both an instigator and salvation for the others involved. While Shikimi versus Taki was the book’s focus, it was the moments with Grey that really stood out to me and make for some of the book’s greatest shock-factor moments.

Unfortunately while the exposition and inevitable showdowns were a welcome sight to finally see, many were bogged down with pages of back and forth banter. Sure it’s all relevant, but is it all necessary? What starts off as a high-tension one-on-one soon becomes a drawn out conversation. Fortunately, however, these moments appear only as pockets throughout the book and are connected via fight scenes and moments of explanation that prove much more enthralling.

Following the main story are some shorts that seek to finish capping other leftover holes in the plot. The most notable plot hole of which would be Laz, a hunter who appeared early on in the series only to in turn befriend Shikimi and Taki. Laz has always maintained that they’re a young man when appearances and personality would suggest the opposite. In ‘Thorn and Splinters’, Laz’s Father shows up to take them home and he reveals to the others what led Laz to being as they are today. While the true nature of Laz will come as little surprise to readers, the explanation is pretty silly, though not without offering its own amusement value. In fact, it actually leaves me wanting a short spin-off where Laz’s Father and brothers could have some more page-time, though that comes more from their attractive character designs showcased at the book’s end.

Readers of BSSM to this point have gotten to watch the art style evolve along with the plot and here in volume seven its reached its crispest, more eye-catching stage, as one would hope in a multi-volume series. The characters are sleekly drawn with few unnecessary strokes and the line work is really tight. The whole thing has a much more consistent look than when the series began, though I still find some characters are hard to tell apart from one another when shown from certain angles.

Tomo Maeda’s ability to weave all the threads of the story together into a tidy little bow will undoubtedly please fans of happy endings. With the art at its peak of the series and some amusing add-ons, the book is able to make up for its flaws and provide a satisfying end to the series.

Review written April 29, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book purchased from independant hobby store, The Batter’s Box

After School Nightmare (Vol. 09) – Setona Mizushiro
Published by GoComi

Yet again Setona Mizushiro manages to pull a fast one on readers with some big surprises that contradict the few supposed facts of the series up until now. Admittedly I found it was the very assuredness certain characters had for certain situations that gave me cause to rethink people’s true identities long before now. This unfortunately meant for me that the big ‘surprise!’ moment in this volume didn’t have as much impact as it may’ve otherwise. That said, while one of the revelations may not have held much shock-factor, the following exposition and clearing up just whose-who in the alternate reality dream world was nothing short of ‘whoa!’.

The bulk of the story focuses on Sou and his sister so those who’ve been waiting for the present-day confrontations and past histories explored will be thrilled to finally have this volume in their hands. I found Sou to be the most interesting character in this series which has several uniquely layered characters to choose from. This volume only solidified my reasoning with some deep-rooted psychosis that made for an engaging read. Readers will get a chance to see the world through Sou’s eyes and it’s both eerie and compelling to realize where for him reality ends and fantasy begins.

As a lead character, Mashiro continues to do little for me on any remaining levels of interest for their gender issues. Still, I’m happy to see that they’ve come to accept themselves well enough that by now they’re finally ready to put the whining aside and really give a good look at the people around them. Panel flashbacks to previous volumes made for neat visual comparisons to how Mashiro’s design has changed over these past nine volumes, going from a distinctly male to more feminine in appearance.

Some powerful decisive moments in this ninth volume really kept up this series’ history of being a real page-turner. There’s now only one volume left until the story’s conclusion I can’t wait to read volume ten to see where After School Nightmare ends up after such a winding road.

Review written April 11, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book purchased online from Amazon.ca

Author: Yuki Amemiya
Manga-ka: Yukino Ichihara
Publisher: GoComi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “Teased unmercifully for his past as an orphan and a slave, Teito has only his best friend Mikage to ease his days at the elite Barsburg Academy – and his mastery of the magical art of Zaiphon! But even that will not be enough to save him when he discovers a horrifying secret behind the ruling Empire. Trapped in an ancient battle between a wicked God and seven ghosts, guided by three mysterious priests, Teito discovers a power that could save the world… and shed light on his own mysterious past.”

07-Ghost, named for the seven ghosts within it, is a fantasy story that follows Teito: a young man soon to reach graduation at a prestigious military academy, before the appearance of his childhood guardian’s killer appears to wrench up painful memories from the past and sends Teito fleeing to a nearby church of ancient magic, hidden secrets and a bishop prone to bouts of perversity.

My biggest, and really only, issue with this series after completing volume one was the pacing. While you’d have a few consecutive pages of smooth sailing, suddenly you’re tripped up by a wave of sudden events that deviate too far from the predeceasing tone to feel appropriate. A prime example would be the book’s beginning, which works itself up to the inevitable first plot-climax with some background of the world and its relevant-military mixed with some entertaining character banter. Abruptly, however, the entire story pitches in a different direction, hurling at readers page after page of fast-paced action with important information buried under the speed lines and multi-framed overlaps.

While this kind of sudden change of pace does add to the sense of urgency in the story, in this instance it unfortunately wasn’t handled quite smooth enough to achieve that effect without sacrificing coherency. I had to reread more than a few pages when I just couldn’t follow what was happening after one of the aforementioned ‘pitches’.

Thankfully however, the plot itself is a pretty interesting one with the myths of the world, its reigning God and the connected seven ghosts, all proving interesting hooks for me. The characters themselves though haven’t provided me much substance yet, past some energetic and snappy discussions, and the character interaction I found teeters between charming and a little overdone in the must-suddenly-express-devout-emotion-for-sake-of-advancing-plot department, but this combination makes for some scenes that will undoubtedly have an appeal for boys’ love fans looking for the possibilities amidst this almost entirely male cast.

To my delight while reading was how, despite the clunky execution, the actual delivery of the facts was pretty well spread throughout the book, making it easier to take it all in. This is especially good since there’s so much of it, from numerous characters to a summary of an entire world’s worth of politics, military, mythology and magical powers all in one book.

While the pacing was off, at least the artwork was pretty spot-on. I really enjoyed Yukino Ichihara’s style, with the cover being the selling point for my purchase. There’s a great balance between the different moods of the story, from dramatic battles involving giant scythes and cloaked skeletons, to some amusingly portrayed physical humour during the more light-hearted moments of character interaction. The confident use of black was also an appealing part of the visual look and the screen toning was well utilized (aka not overused).

Continuing on that positive note, GoComi has continued their tradition of simple but solid release work. The writing was clear, the lettering well handled, with particular kudos for some nice work on the sound effects, and the cover design maintains the look of the original which is eye-catching and, simply put, pretty darn cool to look at.

Overall, while choppy pacing may’ve put a dent in my enjoyment for 07-Ghost thus far, the winning combination of attractive artwork and plot potential will have me coming back for more in volume two. I have hopes that the manga-ka duo will find their stride and take this promising series in a stronger direction.

Review written April 6, 2009 by Lissa Pattillo
Book purchased from Strange Adventures

Blade of the Immortal: Legend of the Sword Demon (Del Rey)

“The first novel based on the worldwide sensation! Rendered immortal by an infusion of mystical worms that can repair any wound, the masterless samurai Manji wanders the hillsides of feudal Japan, his quest to slay one hundred evil people to atone for his past sins. By his side is the young woman Rin, an orphan who seeks vengeance for the murders of her parents. Driven in a quest for absolution, the two have faced many deadly challenges, both natural and supernatural. But can they survive their greatest battle against the all-powerful Inugami?”

If this was previously announced, then I missed it which mades me sad because I think it sounds really fun. As a fan and follower of Blade of the Immortal since the manga single-issue ‘floppies’ first hit comic store shelves, I think it’d be great enjoying the series in a different media (anime doesn’t count). I wonder how Manji will translate to prose?

Tokyopop has a listing for something simply titled Saving Life, which may or may not be the manga of the same-name by Girls Bravo creator, Mario Kaneda.

And lastly, GoComi has a listing up for the previously revealed sequel-of-sorts to Aimee Major-Steinberger’s wonderfully charming Japan Ai, titled Cosplay Ai (cover at right). While never having cosplayed myself, I have no doubt that this book will be worth a read and I really look forward it!

Edit: While I appreciate the e-mails from people with a heads-up that I “missed” the Haru Hana manga listing that is also on Amazon.ca, I already posted about that title back in February :)

On the manga licensing front, there were a few new titles I came home to read about:

Brigid has information about five new yaoi titles from NetComics and Ed over at MangaCast posts about new listings in Diamond previews: Peach! by U-Jin, put out Aurora Publishing, and Fujita Maki’s Trill on Eden being put out by GoComi. Trill of Eden is a title first spotted on Amazon in December.

Lys-chan found some new CMX titles on Amazon which she posts about on her LiveJournal: A Tale of an Unknown Country by Natsuna Kawase and Oh! My Brother by Ken Saito. I also came across a listing for Deka Kyoushi by Tamio Baba (pictured at left).

And though I didn’t have time to post about it before heading out for convention-y goodness, Digital Manga has a post about YouTube manga previews they’ve put together as promotion and preview for several of their recent and upcoming boys’ love releases. These titles include the previously released Black Sun and the long-awaited sixth volume of Our Kingdom.

Taking a brief moment to catch up on the anime-world in Canada, those who watched the premiere of Pretty Cure on YTV over the weekend have good things to say about it, including a pleasant dub job and, from what they can tell, no edits or censoring. I can’t wait to catch an episode but the 7:30am and 4:30pm on Fridays showtimes are likely going to make this a difficult thing to manage. Darn you work and school!

On the less positive anime front in Canada,  Bandai Entertainment’s free YouTube streaming of Gundam 00′s first couple of episodes isn’t available in Canada. Phooey. Then again, Code Geass did become available to us eventually…

And to finish this round-up post with something else anime-related (crazy, no?), I have to post a link to ANN’s news that Takako Shimura’s Aoi Hana is getting an anime. I love the manga so I’ll definitely be adding it to my short of list of animes I look forward to previewing when they become available.

Keep your eyes peeled in the near future for a post about this past weekend’s Animaritime including a quick peek at my newly acquired swag, which will be a very good indication of the reviews you can expect to see here at Kuriousity over the next month or so :)

Manga-ka: Duo Brand
Publisher: Go!Comi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: December 2008

Synopsis: “Akito and Neon set out with the mysterious skipper Haran in search of medicine to save Yaya’s life. Their search leads them straight to Neon’s home town, where Neon has been branded a criminal. Can Akira help eon restore his people’s faith in him before it’s too late? And will Haran’s demand that Akito play for him in dangeros circumstances lead to their capture at the hands of the deadly warlocks?”

I keep being surprised while I’m reading Cross x Break that’s it a Duo Brand book. I’ve read several of their boys’ love series, and though this series does have its teasing moments, it still has a dramatically different tone. There’s a lot more focus on humour and a sense of pacing that’s both exciting but erratic. Is it a shonen-like shoujo or a shoujo-like shonen? I can’t say for sure, but it’s neat reading a series by a team who are, to my knowledge, best known for one genre but whom are still capable of doing a notable job on another.

That said, I found myself enjoying this second volume of Cross x Break considerably more than I did the first. It still has some pacing problems, with characters tossed in too casually and the world is so bizarre yet it never feels like the story slows down enough to really explore it. From fire cats to shoe-plants, this book never really takes the time to stop and smell the proverbial roses (though in the case of shoe-plants, maybe that’s a good thing?). The characters are evolving though and I find them more endearing than my initial takes on them at the story’s beginning.

Neon’s origins are briefly touched upon when the group must return to his home of Song where everybody sings, as both a hommage to their home and a right of passage. It’s another interesting world, one that’s (as usual) drastically different from those before it, though Neon’s weird personality doesn’t seem anymore explained by this seemingly strict society. But not everything needs justification of course and I find Neon’s wish-wash personality to be pretty cute and entertaining, even with his angsty past looming behind his occassional emo-eyes. The group’s skipper, Haran, also seems to be flourishing as a different kind of character than I first took him for, filling the role of occassional comic-relief and adding to the series’ roster for brother issues and boys’ love teasing.

For the stories’ leads, Akito is a generally likeable main character. In fact, I think he’s actually my favourite (doesn’t hurt I find his character design completely adorable). He continues to do his best to adjust to this strange world, though always quick to turn his thoughts back to his brother, Shinkai, who was the one initially responsible for sending him here. Personally, I want to know what the deal is with his brother and this whole other-world, so that alone will likely keep me reading this fantasy-adventure for volumes to come. Akito’s best friend, Yaya, continues to be a flaky female tag-along and I think this second volume has me officially labelling her as prop. Fortunately the eccentric interactions of those around her easily overshadow her near-useless presence.

Amidst the story’s erratic pacing, there’re lots of dramatic scenes including Neon’s trial-of-sorts and a battle for another town that the Warlocks, the series’ continuing protagonists, attack. The action scenes are decently handled though admittedly I had to stop and backtrack a panel or two to doublecheck what happened. Refreshing to see a lead character who can’t toss himself willy-nilly into battle and somehow be spectactular at it too. We have fighters for fighting and others who’re atleast willing to do what they can. I like how Akito’s ability to play the piano is a consistantly handy talent, even if it does play the role of convenient plot device (but one that seems to have some foreshadowing).

By my general rule of ‘two-volumes to prove yourself’, Cross x Break looks like its passed the test. I find the characters entertaining, the story interesting enough to warrant further investigation and Duo Brand’s artwork appeals to me here more than it ever has in their boys’ love work. Let the boat-riding, bug-eating, piano-playing, world-surfing continue! The pacing may still be bumpy, but I’m willing to ride it out thanks to the fun I had doing it this time around.

Review written December 25, 2008 by Lissa Pattillo.
Book purchased from independant hobby store, The Batter’s Box

Manga-ka: Duo Brand
Publisher: Go!Comi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: August 2008

Synopsis: “Akito has always been in her older brother’s shadow, but all that changes when Shinkai sends him to study abroad…though it’s not any “abroad” he’s ever heard ot! Suddenly trapped in a world full of warlocks, poisonous bugs and more than a few secrets, Akito and his friend Yaya have nothing to rely on but their wits and the help of a mysterious benefactor named Neon…who seems to know a little too much about Akito’s brother!”

When Akito makes the mistake of telling his older brother that he wished to see the world, he unexpectedly set himself up for a sudden trip to another dimension. Trapped there with his childhood friend, a timid and odd young girl named Yaya, Akito must try to find his way home and kick his brother’s ass when he does!

I purchased this first volume of Cross x Break because I’ve enjoyed books by the manga-ka duo, Duo Brand, before. All the series I’ve read by them, however, have been boys’ love so I was pretty eager to see how they’d do another genre. This is one of those series that’s rather hard to classify; the story and framework suggests shonen but the art style and character sensibilities would probably be more marketable to the shoujo and boys’ love fans. What that makes this then, I suppose, is a pretty balanced piece of work that can be enjoyed by anyone, taste-pending of course.

Akito is your fairly standard lead character: dark spiky hair, energetic and a little mouthy but there’s more to him than that which rounds him out as a person. He lives in the shadow of his Father, Japan’s President in the story, as well as his older brother but he makes due without it bothering him much. He’s honest and morally-sound, and while confident, isn’t arrogant. It’s his lack of arrogance that I think makes me like him the most, because sometimes you wish those shonen lead characters would just sit down and zip it for a while! He goes about dealing with this crisis in a pretty reasonable manner and also possess his own weird little quirks that adds some humour to the pages.

Yaya, a young girl accidently sent to the strange world with Akito, didn’t really work for me as well. She’s spacey, slow, weak and weepy, your typical manga-girl damsel. And yet, there’s something so weird and damselly about her that I’m inclined to think there could be more to her than an empty smile. Here’s hoping!

The world they’re sent to has proven to be fairly interesting as well. Most of this first volume takes place in a dangerous underground portion of the world where most citizens flee from hunters called Warlocks. Akito and Yaya are helped by a friend of Akito’s brother, who’s a bit of an oddball, but with a shy personality and dark past that promises some interesting revelations later. He also eats bugs (yuck!).

Duo Brand’s art style is fairly attractive though suffers from some anatomy and consistency issues. The character designs range from plain to weird (what is up with the random braids coming out of their guide’s head?) and there’s a nice balance of dramatic angles and comedic events to keep the book feeling lively. I liked they’re drawings of the world, which did a good job feeling other-worldly in a suitably fantasy way, and also as strange and intimidating as it should be.

Overall, Cross x Break seems to be off to a pretty decent start. It has its own charm to it that, while I wouldn’t run about singing its praises, did have a certain special something. Now that this first volume has set up the plot and characters, I look forward to volume two for a better look at where this fish-out-of-water story is going.

Review written September 20, 2008 by Lissa Pattillo.
Book purchased from independant hobby-store, The Batter’s Box

Manga-ka: Takako Shigematsu
Publisher: Go!Comi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: October 2005

Synopsis: “In the play of life, all Hikaru wanted was to be part of the scenery, but fate had other ideas. When the 15-year-old introvert transfers to an all-girls academy, her new roommate turns out to be the super-popular TV idol Izumi Kido! As if living with a celebrity wasn’t bad enough, Hikaru discovers that there’s more to Izumi —she’s a he! Now Hikaru’s the unwilling star player in a tale of deception, abduction, humiliation and blackmail… you know—the usual romantic stuff.”

After a short modelling job, Hikaru Takabayashi found her childhood plagued by bullies and insults. Because of this, she’s done her best to avoid the spotlight throughout her life and just be an average girl and to avoid having to move to France, she agrees to her Mother’s plan to enrol her in a prestigious all-girls school. Unfortunately for her background-lurking ways, Hikaru finds herself rooming with a famous TV idol. Not only that, but it seems that the lovely Izumi Kido has more than just some weird habits to hide from the fan girls and paparazzi.

I didn’t have the highest hopes for trying out a random shoujo series this time round, but I’ve gained a certain faith in GoComi’s licensing choices so I picked up volume one anyway. The girl is actually a guy in disguise plot-device isn’t the most unique twist ever, but I had no doubt the moment it was revealed that many amusing hi-jinks were in store for me as a reader. Fortunately, I wasn’t disappointed in that regard for sure.

This book has a little of everything: entertaining lead character, secondary characters with enough hinted back story to warrant an interest in them, a touch of drama, a sprinkle of blackmail, some potential romance thrown in for good measure, and a small, fat little dog that has yet to serve much purpose past being a small, fat little dog.

Character-wise, I really liked Hikaru as this story’s lead character, especially when she futilely tries to maintain bystander-status amidst everything. She’s a tough one, but a person who deals with things in her own way, and not always the ways you’d expect either. Good thing too now that she has so many new problems to deal with, be it nasty classmates or trying to find a bit of peace and solace in her ever changing-life.

I don’t have much of an opinion formed about Izumi yet but at least the interaction between Hikaru and the self-minded idol are never short of entertaining. He’s stubborn, that’s for sure, which at least gives me faith that his less-than-completely-friendly-but-ultimately-growing relationship with Hikaru will last a while longer in this head butting stage. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, as they say, but absence hardly seems a problem for these two (round the clock surveillance!), so teeth-gritting-acceptance will have to do in the meantime.

As for the art, Takako Shigematsu’s style is pleasant and has the thinner lines and screen tone usage that’re often an expected element of present-day shoujo manga stories. I liked how the characters looked in both design and expression, though I did have a little quip with how often I found Hikaru looked like a man over a pretty girl. While there’s nothing I’d note as that exceptional, it’s none-the-less a pretty and functional style and the story and art compliment each other nicely throughout the book.

Overall and thus far, Tenshi Ja Nai!! has proven itself to be a quirky and refreshing shoujo series. With all the addictive qualities shoujos manage to hold over their readers, some great humour and an interesting plot, its got a lot of great things going for it and I’d certainly recommend this first volume to curious collectors. Thumbs up! Hope the second volume is as fun.

Review written September 7, 2008 by Lissa Pattillo.
Book purchased from vendor at Fan Expo 2008

Manga-ka: Tomo Maeda
Publisher: Go!Comi
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Released: August 2008

Synopsis: ”They say all good things must come to an end… but will this hold true for Shikimi, as well? The half-demon priest was making such good progress, but a fun-filled day in the falling snow turns deadly as his demon half takes over. Will Grey finally win their bet?”

With strange dreams and memories that never fade, Shikimi is starting to act more oddly than usual and he doesn’t seem keen on telling his friends why. After an early snowfall offers fun and frolic for Laz and Taki, it soon spells trouble for everyone when the darkness in Shikimi finally claws its way to the surface.

It’s the volume we’ve all been waiting for! As fun as the random hijinks and continued bolstering of Taki’s promise to save Shikimi were for five volumes, it was high time that the anticipated ball finally got rolling. Shikimi’s transformation was something expected from the beginning and it’s finally happened, leaving blood stained snow in its wake.

Grey, the demon who’s stuck around to see his bet with Shikimi through to the end, is of course witness to the sudden change, and becomes the only one who can see to it that Taki gets a chance to fulfil his promise with Shikimi. Bad time for a multi-page conversation though, you guys! Meanwhile, Laz rushes off alone to stop Shikimi but learns that she’s little match for the white-haired demon.

Speaking of ‘she’, something about this volume that stood out to me, in a rather confusing way, was the gender of Laz. In previous volumes, Laz has always maintained that they were a male, despite their very feminine design, and the other characters referred to them as such. Now, suddenly here in book six, Laz is referred to as a female, no questions asked. Was this gender-specific speech a Go!Comi translation choice or just an off-page acceptance of what seemed obvious?

Regardless, Black Sun Silver Moon, volume six, delivered with what fans have been waiting for and does it with a balance of drama, suspense and humour, plus art that seems to improve with each chapter. Shikimi has finally snapped and who knows what could happen next as his sadistic bloodlust finally has a chance to stretch its claws. A cliffhanger ending, and holding the title of final volume, is definitely going to make book seven a release that cannot come fast enough.

Review written September 6, 2008 by Lissa Pattillo.
Book purchased from independant hobby store, The Batter’s Box