Link of the Day [4.28.11]

broderic on April 28, 2011

"Tetsuo!""KANEDA!"*bong* *bong**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*So goes my imagination of Akira, Katsuhiro Otomo's sci-fi manga masterpiece, as I read through Jason Thompson's overview of it at ANN. I saw the anime years ago what the U now calls the Cosford Cinema. Big as life on the big screen with all that chaos of Neo-Tokyo, it was an amazing experience and came to epitomizes anime when I was a young buck. But today's link gives you a reading of the manga that didn't make it very much into the anime. So there was more to it? Yeah, I would guess so, because the anime at times is confusing.I do have few issues of the original US run of the "comic." They are pretty cool issues with a very distinct cover design. I should scan a few as the issues signify that this is not a kid's book: this is AWESOME!And still, "Tetsuo!" rings in my ears…http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2011-04-28

Link of the Day [12.10.10]

broderic on December 10, 2010

I occasionally link to Jason Thompson's manga work at Anime News Network, because he writes articles that go over the history of manga, which I love reading. Today's link is Thompson's article on Battle Angel Alita.Alita was one of the first manga I read. I still have the early print editions of the VIZ comics, which I collected in the 90s. Along with Shirow Masamune's Appleseed, Alita was my early introduction to manga and it's weird to think that I have been reading manga for this long. Back then, manga were 30 page issues of a comic book bought at the comic store and not a hundred page volume of a soft cover graphic novel bought at Barnes and Noble. A comic is a comic, and manga is a comic. I still read lots of comics, but I buy them at Barnes and Noble.Looking over my early manga reading I find that I was into sci-fi worlds. Now, I'm into shojo, moe girls, but still find myself reading sci-fi manga. Pluto, Saturn Apartments, 7 Billion Needles are all on my reading list and they are sci-fi. I can't get enough moe girls, but it seems I can't get enough sci-fi. Thanks, manga!Battle Angel Alita is still ongoing! I hear that it isn't that great and Thompson says so to an extent. I still have my long boxes of comics from the 90s. I should dig up those VIZ comics issues from back then. I can't remember where I stopped reading. Maybe, I should dig up the volumes of the books on Amazon….http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2010-12-09

Shojo Hermione Granger

broderic on December 7, 2010

Someone cool please write the Harry Potter wherein Hermione is in a shojo manga.

A muggle born girl finds out that she has been accepted into the prestigious Hogwarts Academy. When she arrives she has to negotiate through a new, magical setting and new, magical friends and/or rivals. She studies real hard to become one of the best students in her class and in all of Hogwarts, but finds that that is not enough to win the admiration of the school. She is overshadowed by Harry Potter. Harry Potter who seems to not do anything to achieve his standings. Harry Potter, mediocre in his studies. Harry Potter, mediocre in his magic. Harry Potter beloved by the school. Will this rivalry last throughout school and will it turn out to be something more? And what about Harry’s saucy sidekick, Ron Weasley. Quiet but friendly, Ron Weasley. Can he be the one?

Well, someone. Get started!

(I guess you really have to be into manga to understand how funny this would be. See Ouran High School Host Club, Kitchen Princess, etc.)

Local Comic Shop

broderic on July 7, 2010

It takes me to the future.

I just finished reading the first volume of Bakuman. It’s not due out for another month.

Thank Kami-sama for the local comic shop. They don’t care too much about manga, but know that it has its readership so they just plop all the manga they get out. They usually have titles available a month or so before they should really ship. Pick it up and read it. You’ll be ahead of the class.

Back to Bakuman, which I liked. The story starts with two junior high students who befriend over manga. The smart guy, the instigator, wants to become a manga-ka. He finds the artist’s notebook and attempts to convince him to be his partner. There is a girl whom the artist has a crush on, and in convenient fashion, he’s proposing to her and blurting out his plans to be a manga-ka. The story reminds me a lot of Ichigo 100% without the panty flashes. I’m digging it a lot.

I’m on the look out for he next volume, which should’ve been at my local comic shop back in February!

Link of the Day [5.08.10]

broderic on May 8, 2010

When I first started reading manga, I stuck to safe shonen stuff, usually ecchi. I stayed away from shojo (girls) manga, because the sparkly screen tone and the big eyed girls and handsome men scared me. Eventually, though, I had to pick up a shojo series. Once I did I found that it wasn’t so bad. Those sparkly screen tones weren’t so bad. Not all the series I read featured them, and when they showed up, sparkles! The big eyed girls not so scary either. But still the handsome men (or boys), they still are aloof and mean, but important.

I like shojo. It’s another genre to explore. There are good stories found in it. I hope you read some too.

Shonen. Now there’s something that’s become scary.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/jason-thompson-house-of-1000-manga/the-rose-of-versailles/2010-05-06

Bottom of the Ninth

broderic on February 9, 2010

After 170 chapters, Mitsuru Adachi finishes off Cross Game. I’ve just finished the penultimate chapter. I almost cried, but you could’ve seen this ending coming since last week.

I envy you who are about to read the manga for the first time.

Cross Game 168

broderic on January 30, 2010

Too bad they’ll never bring the Cross Game manga here. The industry believes that sports manga can’t ever catch on in the US. It’s our loss. Adachi-sensei is a very good story teller. Every time I read the scanlation, I ponder the greatness of this tale. Love, friendship, and baseball. Just plain a great story.

[Although when you read his other manga, you’ll find out that he runs through the same plot devices.]

Adachi-sensei still one of the best you’ll ever read.