Review: Inuyashiki V.04

Title: Inuyashiki
Volume: 4 (of 6+)
Creator: Hiroya Oku
Format: Right-to-Left
Original Publisher: Kodansha
US Publisher: Kodansha Comics
Release Date: 6/28/16
Pages: 192
ISBN: 1632362635
MSRP: $12.99
Genre: Seinen
Rated: OT (Ages 16+)

Description: FRIEND OF AN ENEMY

Inuyashiki has put a stop to Samejima and his gang, but there are worse evils that he must face. Tokyo is still plagued by a string of cold-blooded murders that are being committed by Inuyashiki's cyborg counterpart, Shishigami, and Inuyashiki is the only one who can stop him. To prevent more senseless killings, Inuyashiki must learn how to master his newfound abilities, but he can't do it alone. Fortuantely, there's someone close to Shishigami who wants to stop his rampage just as badly, and his knowlege may be just what Inuyashiki needs to take down Shishigami.

Contains Chapters 27-35:

• Chapter 27: It's OK
• Chapter 28: There Is Another
• Chapter 29: Hero
• Chapter 30: Hiro
• Chapter 31: Training
• Chapter 32: As Far As You Can
• Chapter 33: Savior
• Chapter 34: Change
• Chapter 35: Escape

Review:

Cover: The cover for this volume features our antagonist, Hiro, once again. His head is upside down on the cover, with the same kind of previous technological design used as the other volumes of the series. The color this time used is orange. Last time we got a good look at inside of Inuyashiki's head, while this time, Hiro's head is slightly opened up so we can get a glimpse of what is inside his.

The spine from top to bottom contains the Kodansha Comics company logo, the series title, the volume number, and the mangaka.

Back cover has the usual technology background scheme with the orange coloring. The volume summary is on the left half of the cover.

Like other volumes of the series, the front cover is great. I love how we get to see different parts of the hero and antagonist with each volume of the series. My only real problem is the rest of the cover is a complete bore. The spine is very bare, and so is the back cover. If there was a bit more flare, this would be an amazing display for a bookshelf.

Artwork: The seinen artwork of this series continues on with this volume, but as we move closer to the end, we begin to get a much darker, action feel as shit begins to hit the fan for both of our leads. I really loved the emotion put behind some of the darker stuff. Hiro and his mother for instance was really a touching scene, but we will get to that with the content section. For the most part, this volume truly shines greatly over the rest of the other volumes so far.

Translation: Characters, artwork, sound effects, places, anime/manga references, and cultural references all remain intact. Perfect translation!

Extras: There is one color page and translation notes. Very bare minimum.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): Inuyashiki wakes up after the gun blaze battle with the mafia in the previous volume. All of the Yakuza have been taken out, so he manages to rescue the female captive and bring her safely back to her fiance.

Meanwhile, Andou, Hiro's childhood friend begins to see different types of heroism going on in the city. He believes their is someone that has the same powers as his friend, but is using them for helping people. He calls out as if he needs help, and Inuyashiki finds his way to Andou's home. Andou reveals to Inuyashiki more about his friend, and how he wants to help Inuyashiki become stronger by assisting him in training his weapons and powers to help one day stop his friend from doing any more harm. Thus a training arc begins.

While this is going on, Hiro continues to steal money and get things that he wants. He ends up moving his mother to a better place to live. We eventually learn that she has cancer and Hiro uses his powers to finally do his first good thing that he's ever used his powers for, save her. He begins to rethink his life to stop doing bad things, when a police force arrives realizing hes the one thats been causing a lot of problems in town and stealing money from banks. He manages to flee and runs into a girl he goes to school with that has a huge crush on him.

Inuyashiki also has his own encounter, but with a different type of enforcement. As he is healing people in a hospital, he is confronted by a group of people who have been looking for him...

The volume ends with a lot of loose ends, but for the most part it was a great read and kept me wanting more. Both characters being left off where they were at the end is leading to a lot of places in my head. Hiro and the girl who likes him, it could take a huge turn with what can come next. Even the scene with Inuyashiki, he could be used as a healer for the hospital or maybe a government weapon. I for one was very thrilled with this read and I am definitely looking forward to what's to come in V.05.

Objectionable Content:

• Language: Yes
• Violence: Yes
• Nudity: Yes
• Sexual Situations: Yes

Score:

Cover: 4/10
Artwork: 8/10
Translation: 10/10
Extras: 1/10
Story: 8/10

Overall Rating: 6/10

Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 7/31/16

Schedule Might Be Changing

I have had a big change in my lifestyle lately, as I am trying to live a healthier lifestyle, so the schedule might not be exactly up to accurate. I will still go by orders of reviews, but days might be changing and I may modify what will be coming out and when.

Throw-Back Thursday Review: Saiyuki V.01

Title: Saiyuki
Volume: 1 (of 9)
Creator: Kazuya Minekura
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: ISSAISHA
US Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: 3/2/04
Pages: 208
ISBN: 1591826519
MSRP: $9.99
Genre: Action/Fantasy
Rated: OT (Older Teens Age 16+)

Description: Having been assigned by the human elders the mission of stopping a mystical plague that has afflicted the Youkai with madness, Genjyo Sanzo assembles his team of Youkai warriors, desperately hoping that the disease will not affect them. He sets up qualifying tests that will help him determine the loyalty and worth of Cho Hakkai, Son Goku and Sha Gojyo. The team then journeys west to rid the land of madness.

Contains Chapters 1-5

• Prologue: GO TO THE WEST
• Chapter 1: First Game
• Chapter 2: Even
• Chapter 3: Get Square
• Chapter 4: His God
• Chapter 5: My God
• Translator Notes
• SFX Glossary

Review:

Cover: I have never seen a cover be handled this well in my entire life. Saiyuki V.01 is a complete masterpiece. The cover is an exact copy of the original tank, which is very surprising. The front features Sanzo looking his best with his banishing guy. To the left of his picture is the series title, “Saiyuki,” in gold letters, as well as both romanji and kanji characters; it is simply brilliant. The volume number is also on the bottom in black and gold print.

The spine has the new TokyoPop design, but I find the new design more appealing. From top to bottom we have the Tokyopop logo, the series title in gold, the mangaka in gold, and the volume number in black and gold. You can’t miss this title sticking out of a shelf.

The back is also its own masterpiece. We have no summary whatsoever present on the cover. All we have is a very nice picture of the other three characters of the series; Son Goku, Cho Hakkai, and Sha Gojyo. In my honest opinion, I have never been so happy with a cover in my life. It is extremely brilliant that Tokyopop kept this cover to the first volume as it appeals to new fans, as well as the old fans of the series.

Artwork: The artwork of Saiyuki is done very nice. Nice clean and crisp images. The transfer is done nice as well.

Translation: The Translations of Saiyuki is superb. All names are left intact. SFX are left untranslated. Attack names are left alone. The only thing that some people might not like is the honorifics, even though this volume does not really need any.

Extras: There are plenty of extras with this volume. First off, we have a lot of translation notes, and I mean a lot. When you first open up this volume you are presented with a very definitive translation of what the word “Saiyuki” means. There is also a SFX Glossary in the back of the volume, Translation Notes, and Character Profiles.

What I really enjoyed were the color pages of the main characters. These were included in the original tanks as well, so it was a very nice addition adding these to the domestic R1 version of the series.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): This Volume begins with our main heroes meeting up and deciding to go on a quest in order to find sacred scriptures and prevent the resurrection of a demon king. I do not want to spoil much of this series, as it is a series that I recommend to most. Not only does it please the action fans, but there is also plenty of comedy, angst, and a little of romance within these pages.

This volume contains pretty much to stories. One deals with our heroes staying the night at a small inn, where they are attacked by a spider woman. Our four heroes must defeat this enemy, along with trying to ignore the hateful words that are being said along the sidelines, directed towards the demon kind.

Our next story takes place at a Buddhist Temple that our heroes manage to reach and rest at. Our heroes are attacked by a powerful demon that was sent by Lord Kougaji. The demon wants our main protagonist, Genjyo Sanzo, dead. Our heroes manage to defeat the demon, and we are then shown an image of our main antagonists of this series.

This volume ends with a cliffhanger, but what can you expect from most long running manga and anime series. All-in-all, it was a good read, and it is worth the money that a person has to pay for it.

Objectionable Content:

• Language: Yes
• Violence: Yes
• Nudity: Yes
• Sexual Situations: No

Rating:

• Cover: A+
• Artwork: A
• Translation: A
• Extras: A+
• Content: A-

Overall: A

Where Purchased: Walden Books

Throw-Back Thursday Review: Rurouni Kenshin V.03

Title: Rurouni Kenshin
Volume: 3 (of 28)
Creator: Nobuhiro Watsuki
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: SHUEISHA Inc.
US Publisher: Viz
Release Date: 1/14/04
Pages: 200
ISBN: 1591162505
MSRP: $7.95
Genre: Shonen Jump
Rated: T+ (For Older Teens)

Description: A REASON TO ACT

A night out gambling and what Kenshin and Sanosuke bring back are not winnings, but a woman - Takani Megumi, mysterious and beautiful, pursued by the crooked industrialist Takeda Kanry - and in need of Kenshin's protection. Megumi, it seems, is the daughter of a famous family of physicians and, however unwillingly, has been participating in the production of a super-powerful, super-profitable form of opium. But now Kanry wants his "hen who lays the golden egg" back, while Sanosuke - who lost a friend to an opium overdose, and therefore sees only the worst in Megumi - would just as rather she did disappear. Kenshin, though, has looked into her eyes...seen the sadness...and knows that, whatever reason a man may need to act, for one who has seen as much as he, the plight of Megumi is for him enough.

Contains Acts 16-22:

• Act 16: Megumi, Kanryu, and...
• Act 17: The Oniwabanshu Strike
• Act 18: Team Kenshin
• Act 19: Daughter of Aizu
• Act 20: A Reason to Act
• Act 21: The Storm Breaks
• Act 22: Attack on Kanryu Mansion
• End-of-Volume Special (2): Rurouni – Meiji Swordsman Romantic Story

Review:

Cover: What a beautiful cover we have here. It is almost exactly like the original cover. In my honest opinion, I think its better then the original cover. First up, like all the other manga covers to Kenshin so far, we have a nice flowery background pattern; the flower pattern is brown on this cover, a nice little touch. Then in the middle of the cover we have a profile pic of Kenshin and Kaoru sitting down in front of him. The series title is towards the top/center, which doesn’t really take away from the beauty of the cover. The Volume Number is on the bottom right, and the Mangaka is on the left.

The Spine is nicely done as well. From top to bottom we have the Shonen Jump logo, the Series Title, the Volume Number, the Mangaka, and a pic of Kaoru (same one as the front cover, but it is still a nice addition since the last 2 Volumes had Kenshin as the spine pic).

The back cover has the same brown flowery background on the top and bottom of the cover. The top of the manga has the Shonen Jump logo and the series title beneath it. Under that, on the white background, we get the manga summary, with its volume subtitle, ‘A Reason to Act.’ To the right we have another nice picture of Kenshin with a somewhat angry look on his face. Finally, on the bottom we have the volume number.

The cover as a whole is rater nice. I find it better to my liking then the original cover and I don’t often say that about manga covers. It’s usually on par or worse. Hopefully VIZ will continue to pull through and release more awesome covers for the remaining volumes of the series.

Artwork: The artwork of Rurouni Kenshin is rather nice. It is consistent and it doesn’t tend to look as old as some of the series from the mid 90s are beginning to look. A lot of detail was also put into the art, which makes it even more enjoyable.

Translation: Translation is accurate. Names are kept intact and plot lines left unchanged. Only problem I have (like most VIZ titles) is the translated sound effects. I can’t stand translated Sound Effects, but they can be looked over in this situation as so far, everything about this Volume is outstanding.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): With out me going too far into detail with this volume, I will just go on a little about what happens.

This volume continues the Megumi arc, and it does not finish the Megumi arc (I love long story arcs, as long as they don’t drag on too much). After our heroes saved Megumi from the illegal gambling place, they run into a group called the Oniwabanshu, who want Megumi because she knows how to make Opium. Their purpose is to get her to make enough Opium so that the world will become addicted to this illegal substance.

So, Kenshin and Sanosuke deal with the Oniwabanshu. Team Kenshin defeats the bad guys, but Megumi sneaks out and goes with the Oniwabanshu. Kenshin and the others realize this, so they track down Megumi at Kanryu Mansion, where the head of Oniwabanshu, Kanryu, is located. Kenshin, Sanosuke, and Yahiko storm the mansion and get attacked by the Oniwabanshu along the way. Team Kenshin eventually reach the mansion’s front doors, but a new obstacle stands in their way.

Not much character development in this volume, except for a little with Megumi. There is however a lot of action and progressive story, which is a plus. Also there is a bonus story which was one of Watsuki’s first ever manga chapters with the characters Kaoru and Yahiko (kind of a different way to see the Kenshin story).

Objectionable Content:

• Language: No
• Violence: Yes
• Nudity: No
• Sexual Situation: No

Overall Rating: 5 (Out of 5)

Where Purchased: Walden Books
Original Review Date: 2/20/04

Review: Fruits Basket V.02 Collector's Edition

Title: Fruits Basket
Volume: 2 (of 12)
Creator: Natsuki Takaya
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: HAKUSENSHA
US Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: 6/28/16
Pages: 376
ISBN: 031636018X
MSRP: $20.00
Genre: Shoujo/Comedy
Rated: Teen

Description: When she was living in a tent pitched on the Sohma family's land, Tohru Honda's primary concerns were dirt and slugs. But now that she's living with the Sohmas, she's gotten a crash course in magical powers and ancient curses! And as if keeping the Sohma clan secret wasn't bad enough, Tohru has to work overtime to prevent all the jealous girls from finding out that she's living under the same roof as the school prince, Yuki, and the school hothead, Kyo! What new drama will Valentine's Day bring into Tohru's life?!

Contains Chapters 13-24:

• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Chapter 23
• Chapter 24

Review:

Cover: The front cover for this volume features our very first Sohma to appear on the covers, since last volume we had Tohru and her mom, Yuki! Yuki is sporting his usualy school clothes, which he wears for a majority of the series to begin with. The series title is on the top left corner, followed by the volume number under it. The background coloring is powder blue.

The spine from top to bottom contains the volume number, the series title, an image of Yuki and Kyo back to back, the mangaka, and the Yen Press Company Logo.

The back cover features Kyo, in his school uniform as well.

The cover may seem bare, but there are side inserts with the volume summary on them. I actually am really enjoying these a lot. I know I said that with the last volume as well, but these covers are very clean looking. Not a lot to distract the eyes of the buyer anywhere else. Plus there are so many characters in this series, its cool they are using two full shots of two characters across each book, and the spine brings them both together. Two volumes done of this, I think its pretty simple the rest of this series is gonna be just as amazing!

Artwork: More of the same sweet artwork that was found in the first volume. This is a shoujo series, so don't expect much action. Characters are drawn simple, yet effectively. There are not a lot of backgrounds, but the simpleness of this series is what makes this series still look beautiful. Its art truly does express the meaning of the series, especially when it comes to its dramatic parts.

My only complaint is still, the stick figures for humor. We are in the second volume, more characters are being introduced, so more moments of comedy, so there is a bit more stick figure scenes present.

Translation: The translation for this volume is amazing! Character names, cultural references, locations, sound effects, everything is left intact! I don't think I really need to say anymore!

Extras: There are 8 color pages, each one has pictures from the original release that were in color when they first appeared in the magazine that the series was serialized in. There is also an Afterword and some translation notes. I am still a bit sad that they didn't include the original notes in each chapter that was in the original release, but it doesn't warrant that there is still a good chunk of extras.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): Since this volume essentially covers two volumes of the original manga, I shall do my best to cover as much of the content as possible.

The first three chapters we are introduced to another new member of the Sohma family, Hatsuharu. He is also the Ox. These two are an introduction to him, as well as continuing from the last volumes school festival as we dive into a school marathon. Hasuharu interupts the race, looking to fight Kyo. He is a unique character due to him having two personalities.  The fight doesn't last long as Hatsuharu switches back to his white side, and forgets the whole reason they are fighting. Yuki ends up feinting at the end of the second chapter to this arc, and we deal with the last chapter a bit on Yuki's past.

We then move into a Valentines/White Day story arc, which covers up to Chapter 18. This story arc is basically dealing with Tohru's gifts to the Sohma family for Valentine's day and ends with Momiji taking Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki to a hot spring for White Day. We get to meet the mother of another member of the Zodiac here, but other then that there isn't too much development character wise within these chapters.

Originally, Chapter 19 would start the original 4th volume in the series, so the remainder of this volumes mood shifts a bit. Chapters 19 and 20 begin the new school year for everyone, with this Hatsuharu and Momiji are now freshman students at the same school that Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki go to. This is also the first time Tohru meets Akito, the head of the Sohma family. Although Akito treats Tohru well, as she leaves the school grounds, she tells Hatori a completely different story. We also learn a bit here on why Yuki is so scared of Akito, but it seems this isn't even the tip of the iceberg of what is truly to come.

Chapter's 21 and 22 we finally meet up with Yuki's brother, Ayame Sohma who is also the Snake. He has come to finally meet Tohru and check in on his little brother. There is a lot of friction between the two due to their age gap and how much of a ditz Ayame can be.

Chapter 23 we have a visit to where Momiji and Tohru work at. We learn about Momiji's tragic back story of how he was born into a world where no one wants him. Won't go into more of this though, as this chapter is probably the most emotional thing in the entire volume.

Last we have Chapter 24. It marks 1 year after Tohru's mom has died. Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, and her friends all go to visit her grave to have a picnic, cause that is what Tohru's mother would have wanted, to celebrate her life and not grieve her death.

There's a lot going on in this volume, some of it could be taken a bit overwhelmingly, since we had two of these huge books back to back. For the most part however, the stories are beginning to build up to something much bigger. If you haven't read the series yet, don't worry cause these reviews will not spoil the outcome until we reach the end. Best chapter by far is Chapter 23. The emotion that is in this story is over the top, and its sad seeing Momiji, the most sweetest character in this series, which such a tragic upbringing. All in all, my second trek through these stories, and they are still timeless!

Objectionable Content:

• Language: No
• Violence: No
• Nudity: No
• Sexual Situations: No

Score:

• Cover: 10/10
• Artwork: 7/10
• Translation: 10/10
• Extras: 6/10
• Story: 8/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 7/26/16

Review: Fruits Basket V.01 Collector's Edition

Title: Fruits Basket
Volume: 1 (of 12)
Creator: Natsuki Takaya
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: HAKUSENSHA
US Publisher: Yen Press
Release Date: 6/28/16
Pages: 392
ISBN: 0316360163
MSRP: $20.00
Genre: Shoujo/Comedy
Rated: Teen

Description: After a family tragedy turns her life upside down, plucky high schooler Tohru Honda takes matters into her own hands and moves out...into a tent! Unfortunately for her, she pitches her new home on private land belonging to the mysterious Sohma clan, and it isn't long before the owners discover her secret. But, as Tohru quickly finds out when the family offers to take her in, the Sohmas have a secret of their own--when touched by the opposite sex, they turn into the animals of the Chinese Zodiac!

A perennial favorite of fans and librarians alike, Natsuki Takaya's beloved bestselling Fruits Basket series returns to print in gorgeous deluxe English-language omnibus editions with beautiful full-color illustrations that are not to be missed!

Contains Chapters 1-12:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12

Review:

Cover: The cover's for the new edition of Fruits Basket are brand new and not like the previous editions at all. The front for this volume features our lead character, Tohru Honda, on a very clean, powdery pink background. The Series title is on the upper left corner, with the mangaka and volume number following right underneath.

The spine from top to bottom features the volume number, the series title, an image of Tohru and her mother (both images from the front and back cover), the mangaka, and the Yen Press Company logo.

The back cover uses the same clean, powdery pink background, but features an image of Tohru's mother, Kyoko Honda; literally, besides the barcode, that is the only thing on the back cover.

Because of the content of this series, and how it can really be light hearted and very deep at the same time, it makes me really appreciate it from a series standpoint. I know a lot of new fans or blind purchasers probably won't care as much for the cover art due to it doesn't really show what the series is about, but in all sense, the cover really does. This is a series about Tohru and the people in her life, especially the Sohma family who she goes to live with. Since this is the first cover, and its technically a rerelease with cleaned up artwork, I must say, it is probably the better omnibus, Collected Editions, released so far by any company, and it truly is beautiful.

Artwork: The art style of this series is very clean and beautiful. Being a shoujo title, there is not any huge battle scenes that really gets any of the pages convoluted. Backgrounds are minimal, which isn't a bad thing where this series is concerned as the story is so light hearted that it just makes sense for the art to not be so busy.

However, there is one thing I don't like. At times there are blurry panels, I guess the artist decided to use this for flashback scenes, but they just look really bad. There is also sometimes stick figures used for light hearted comedy moments. It was ok the first couple times, but after a while it just shows a bit of laziness really.

Translation: Perfect translation. Character names, sound effects, locations, cultural references are all left intact. I can not ask for anything better!

Extras: There's translation notes and a one page Afterword. I really wish the original creator's notes on each chapter were left in, but they were removed due to her thinking they were not relevant on an older title like this. There is also a lot of color artwork from the original title pages.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): Welcome to the world of Fruits Basket. This is a very light hearted series that I am actually making my second trek through it in the manga world (fourth in the anime world). I absolutely love this series, and seeing that it was getting a re-release as a collector's edition series, I decided what better way then to review them this time around.

The series begins with a girl named Tohru Honda, who has pretty much the worst luck ever, but it doesn't stop her from trying to keep a happy life. Her mom died about a year ago and she lives in the woods in a tent, since she doesn't want to burden the rest of her family. One day she stumbles upon a nearby home, one that one of her classmates lives at, as well as a few of his other family members. His name is Yuki Sohma. Yuki's older cousin, Shigure Sohma is the other resident. She sees a shrine dedicated to the Chinese Zodiac and really appreciates it as she has always loved what the Zodiac stood for, even the Cat which is not part of the zodiac. Eventually, the house is crashed by another member of the Sohma family, Kyo. Kyo and Yuki don't get along much and when a fight between the two breaks out, Tohru tries to break it up. In the process, she falls into them in a type of embrace, causing them to transform into animals of the Chinese Zodiac itself. Thus our real story begins...

The Sohma's are cursed, and there are a total of thirteen members who transformed if hugged by the opposite sex, or are weakened in health. Tohru eventually gets asked to stay with the Sohma family, for the most part I felt it was to keep an eye on her at first so she won't tell the family secret, but the members of the household begin to fall for her charm more and more.

This volume really is just a set up and introduction of some of the characters. We are also introduced to Hatori, Momiji, and Kagura in this volume (three other members of the Sohma family). Each time one is introduced the members who are basically already their try to make bets with Tohru on who they are. Hatori however is the only member who was a bit more refrained. We learn of his tragic backstory though which is kind of our first real emotional ride in this series, with tons more to come along the way.

The volume doesn't really leave readers in a sore spot with a cliffhanger, but even if the reader wants to read more, the first two volumes were released on the same day. We have lots of mysteries though to look forward to. The first being is there is a curse in the family and although Tohru is not part of it, these characters are relying on her for something (no spoilers out of me here). We also have a seventh member, Akito Sohma, who basically controls the entire family. Who or what she is is still a mystery. The series has a lot of room to grow, but for a first volume, this was a great romp through a special world. For readers that this is their first time reading this, please, sit back and enjoy it; Fruits Basket is one amazing ride that will push you through every emotional spectrum possible. For those who have read it, enjoy it again with me, as we see Furuba through to the final chapter again.

Objectionable Content:

• Language: No
• Violence: No
• Nudity: No
• Sexual Situations: No

Score:

• Cover: 10/10
• Artwork: 7/10
• Translation: 10/10
• Extras: 6/10
• Story: 8/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 7/19/16

Review: Black Clover V.01

Title: Black Clover
Volume: 1 (of 7+)
Creator: Yuki Tabata
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: SHUEISHA
US Publisher: VIZ
Release Date: 6/7/16
Pages: 192
ISBN: 1421587181
MSRP: $9.99
Genre: Shonen Jump
Rated: T (For Teen)

Description: Asta is a young boy who dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the kingdom. Only one problem-he can't use any magic! Luckily for Asta, he receives the incredibly rare five-leaf clover grimoire that gives him the power of anti-magic. Can someone who can't use magic really become the Wizard King? One thing's for sure-Asta will never give up!

Young Asta was born with no magic ability in a world where magic is everything. In order to prove his strength and keep a promise with his friend, Asta dreams of becoming the greatest mage in the land, the Wizard King!

Contains Pages 1-7:

• Page 1: The Boy's Vow
• Page 2: The Magic Knights Entrance Exam
• Page 3: The Road to the Wizard King
• Page 4: The Black Bulls
• Page 5: The Other New Member
• Page 6: Go! Go! First Mission
• Page 7: Beast

Review:

Cover: The cover features our two main rivals, Asta and Yuno. Yuno is in the background, holding is Grimoire out. Asta appears to be coming out of the pages of the open Grimoire, about ready to swing his sword at the series title. That being stated, The series title is across the middle of the cover, in white lettering. Under it is the volume number in green. The mangaka is located across the bottom.

The spine from top-to-bottom contains the Shonen Jump brand logo, the series title, the volume number, the mangaka, an image of Asta (the one used on the front cover), and the VIZ company logo.

The back cover has a brown cloth like background. There is an image of our leads, and the nun and children from the orphanage on the top. The series title is underneath it, followed by the volume's title "The Boy's Vow." Under that is the volume summary.

I love how the front cover is represented. It has great imaging that can appeal to new and old fans of the series who have either bought this title blindly or read the chapters in the issue of Shonen Jump magazine. My main issue is with the rest of the cover. I wished the image on the back cover was a bit bigger. The back cover is pretty sparse; there's lot of room for more to be added here and its a shame to not show more of the color art on the back cover.

Artwork: This is a shonen title, so the artwork is a bit on the rougher tone in terms of art style, as most series that are shonen need to be more tempting for a male audience to read. The artists style reminds me of a cross between Claymore and Berserk in terms of the feel. It is not as dark as Berserk though, due to it being serialized in a teen boy magazine. My only complaint however is the comedic moments when the characters presented sometimes have weird moments where there is another head of their's in the corner as they argue with another character on page. Besides that though, I really do love the art style.

Translation: Character names, locations, spells, attacks, and what little cultural references this series has are left intact. The sound effects have been changed to English lettering.

Extras: There are tons of character bios. There's also a afterword section, which is rare in the Shonen Jump line of mangas. And there is a page that talks about the creator's assistants who help him on the series.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): Our story begins with two teens, who were found as boys by a church and raised in the church as orphans with other children. Their names are Asta and Yuno. Asta, our main character, has dreams of one day becoming the Wizard King, the only problem is, in a world full of magic, he has none. Yuno on the other hand is filled to the brim with this magic energy, and on the day they were supposed to have a ceremony to see how powerful they were (its a ritual all teens go through at one stage in their life), Yuno receives a rare Four-Leaf clover Grimoire. Asta doesn't even get one. Yuno vows he will be the Wizard King.

Later that day, Yuno is attacked by an thief wanting his Grimoire for himself. Asta uses his physical abilities to try and help but he is no match for the thief, that is until he finally gets his very own Grimoire, a Black Five-Leaf Clover. This type of Grimoire is known to be sent from the devil himself, and because Asta has no magic, the Grimoire gives him the ability to dispel all spells. Asta then defeats the thief, and Yuno and him make a pact to try their best to become the Wizard King.

Next we move on to the day when Wizards must compete in front of several guild leaders in hope of getting picked by a guild so they can continue on in their wizard training. Yuno surpasses everyone in skill and all the guild leaders want him for their team. Yuno chooses to go to the Golden Dawn guild. When Asta is judged, only the Black Bulls choose to accept him into their guild, so he goes with them instead of having to wait another year for the tournament to come back around.

As Asta joins his guild, he meets all of his new guild mates. They are all delinquents in some way or form and the other guilds practically look down on the Black Bulls; this doesn't mean they are not a strong guild however. He is eventually put on a trial membership until he can beat a member, Magna Swing. Magna really doesn't pose much of a threat to Asta however with his magic nullifying abilities. There is one other new member that joined that day as well, a female named Noelle Silva. She comes from royalty but can't actually seem to control the magic that she has.

Eventually the Guild Leader, Yami, sends Asta, Magna, and Noelle out on a mission. They must go to a town and help the mayor kill boars. When they arrive, the town is covered in mist. Asta uses his magic to dispel the mist, as it is magic and is only covering the town itself. When the mist clears a heretic mage known as Heath Grice and his group of mages has all the villagers in the center of town, about to execute them with icicles from above. Magna and Asta manage to save the villagers from death, while Noelle tries to get them to safety. The mayor has already died by this evil mage and the volume ends with Asta about to go on the offensive.

 By far this was a very entertaining read. It hit a lot of high points in my book and I honestly loved everything about it. It reminds me of some of the earlier shonen jump titles, before they got too long and repetitive. That's not to say this series won't eventually get like that, but for now I have to admit, I have fallen in love with the characters and the story. If your a fan of stuff like Fairy Tail, this is a definite read. It's a bit darker then Fairy Tail in nature, but it still is very fun! I definitely will be on the lookout for when V.02 is released!

Objectionable Content:

• Language: No
• Violence: Yes
• Nudity: No
• Sexual Situations: No

Score:

• Cover: 7/10
• Artwork: 7/10
• Translation: 8/10
• Extras: 10/10
• Story: 8/10

Overall Rating: 8/10

Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 7/12/16

JULY! And some of August...

Anime Expo has come and gone and we had a blast! Now back to business!

Sorry for the late TBT post, it is up though now! I have up to, on the review board, done up to Fruits Basket CE V.01. V.02 is being worked on now, as well as the third Naruto Hiden volume, which will be posted as soon as it is done being written. After that is Inuyashiki V.04. That concludes the month...

For August, nothing is set in stone yet... but here is a preemptive look at what August might look like:

• 8/2 - My Hero Academia V.04
• 8/7 - One-Punch Man V.07
• 8/9 - Fruits Basket V.03 CE
• 8/16 - My Hero Academia V.05
• 8/21 - Black Clover V.02
• 8/23 - Magi V.19
• 8/28 - NEW SERIES
• 8/30 - Fruits Basket V.04

This will be a huge catch up month. I will do my best to try to catch up with everything I have been wanting to do, before taking on a newer series. This is subject to change as well, due to some of these not even being out at the moment. Keep a look out till everything is finalized!

Throw-Back Thursday Review: Battle Royale V.05

Title: Battle Royale
Volume: 5 (of 15)
Creator: Koushun Takami & Masayuki Taguchi
Format: Unflipped
Original Publisher: Young Champion Comics
US Publisher: Tokyopop
Release Date: 1/13/04
Pages: 216
ISBN: 1591823188
MSRP: $9.99
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama
Rated: M (Mature Ages 18+)

Description: Shinji Mimura's attempt to hack the government's computer that monitors The Program's progress is a big success. His plan to end The Program suffers a major setback, however, when he discovers that the collars are bugged and that the men in charge have been listening in from the start. Unwilling to give up, Shinji drafts a new plan, one that involves the use of the explosives his late uncle left him...

Contains Chapters 33-39:

• Chapter 33: Rouse
• Chapter 34: Last Man Standing
• Chapter 35: Trap
• Chapter 36: Thirst
• Chapter 37: Existence
• Chapter 38: Set Up
• Chapter 39: Anxiety
• Side Story: Man of Justice

Review:

Cover: The covers of Battle Royale continue to stay true to the original, and I was incredibly impressed with the volume five cover; more so then with previous volumes of the series. This cover is black like the rest of covers in the series. The series title is on the top, which is the same as the other volumes’ titles. I like how Tokyopop does the series title for Battle Royale. It has a nice splash shot of blood and a target to the left, underneath is a picture of Shuuya. This time the picture is in color, but it has dark shades and it appears as if he is being seen with a searchlight. On the right side is the Tokyopop strip, which looks like dried up blood.

The Spine from top to bottom has the Tokyopop logo, the series title, the mangakas’ names, and a bullet with a ‘5’ on it (referring to the volume #).

The back is plain, but still nice looking and not cluttered. It has a black background like the front. The Tokyopop dried blood strip is on the left side. The series title is centered on the top. Underneath the title is the same quote that has appeared on all of the covers so far, which came out of Entertainment Weekly. Following the quote is a summary of the manga, which doesn’t go into that much detail in terms of spoilers. It also has the ‘100% Authentic Manga Stamp.’

The cover as a whole is quite nice. The picture of Shuuya is done very well. The only problem I have is that they should include more then just Shuuya on the cover or group shots with Shuuya. A nice image of Mitsuko, Kawada, or Kiriyama would be really nice. Then again, they are sticking to the original covers, so why am I complaining?

Artwork: The artwork of Battle Royale still surprises me. A lot of dark and hard images are used, which brings the plot and emotion of the story up to the surface so the reader can grasp a hold of it more. The images are nice and clear in this volume and there are no blurry or fuzzy shots.

Translation: The Translation for volume five is completely accurate and left unchanged from the original manga. The side effects are all left in their original form (hiragana and katakana). It really pleases me to see plot and sound effects untampered with when I read my manga.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): Battle Royale volume five goes more in-depth into the pasts of our characters. In the first chapter of this volume we have Mimura and Sato discussing the bomb plans that they have with the school. This storyline is somewhat continued from the last volume without that much new info brought up. We do however, have a small flashback scene on how Sato and Mimura first became friends, which is somewhat a humorous read.

The first main arc of this volume takes place in the next two chapters. They deal with a rather new character, Tsukioka, who is a homosexual transvestite. He explains his back story of when he was at a club and he met a man whom he fell in love with. After the flashback he spots Kiriyama, our local transfer student, who has killed many times in The Program so far. Tsukioka takes a liking to this bad boy and decides to follow him for a while in hopes that he will get to “join” Kiriyama in this little game. Kiriyama leads Tsukioka to this little outhouse, which is in a danger zone. Tsukioka is a little scared that the danger zone will activate soon, but he shrugs it off since he knows Kiriyama would not do anything to endanger his own life. A few minutes pass and the door of the bathroom swings open, what Tsukioka thinks is Kiriyama peeing is really a water bottle spilling out its contents into the toilet bowl below. Tsukioka spots Kiriyama behind him, walking away in the distance. It is too late however for Tsukioka to run, as his collar explodes, severing his head from the rest of his body.

The next two chapters are another small arc. Shimizu, who was shot in the last volume, is continuing to look for a safe place to rest and get something to drink. She spots a well and decides to get a drink. As she gets a drink, she is attacked from behind by one of her classmates, Oda. Shimizu manages to shoot Oda, but he is not affected because of his bulletproof vest. Oda knocks Shimizu into the well, where she assumes that she will die.

Then, it begins to rain and the well begins to fill up with water. Shimizu begins to go crazy and hallucinate about a perfect ending as she meets back up with Shuuya. In the process she drowns from the well filling up.

The last two chapters of this volume shift back to Mimura and Sato. They find an empty warehouse where they set up a base of operations. They finally finish their “plan” and decide it is time to act. They climb the hill near the school and Mimura climbs a tree that he will release his bomb from. Sato is left to stand guard. Sato gets scared from some rustling in the bushes and he shoots. It ends up being an owl. Mimura climbs down, not doing what he wanted to accomplish, and tells Sato to take a nap. Sato rests while Mimura stands guard.

Meanwhile, a figure lurks near the location of Shuuya, Noriko, and Kawada. Who can it be?

The last chapter, or rather “Side Story” deals with Shuuya and his mother, which was one of the most moving and powerful parts of a story that I have ever read. I will not give any of this away, so you people who have not read this volume will have something to look forward to.

As a whole, I found this volume to be a much lighter volume of the series. With the death of only two students in this volume, a little humor, and a lot of angst with back-stories, it makes me anticipate the next volume even more. Battle Royale has already won a close place in my heart and it keeps getting closer with each volume as the end nears.

Objectionable Content:

• Language: Yes
• Violence: Yes
• Nudity: Yes
• Sexual Situations: Yes

Overall Rating: 5 (out of 5)

Where Purchased: Frank and Sons (Collectible Show)
Original Review Date: 1/5/04

Review: Magi V.18

Title: Magi - The Labyrinth of Magic
Volume: 18 (of 27+)
Creator: Shinobu Ohtaka
Format: Right-to-Left
Original Publisher: SHOGAKUKAN
US Publisher: VIZ
Release Date: 6/14/16
Pages: 192
ISBN: 1421583941
MSRP: $9.99
Genre: Shonen Sunday
Rated: T (Teens)

Description: Deep within the desert lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their riches, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks.

The army of Leam reaches the gates of Magnoshutatt, and the magicians of the city join the battle. Aladdin is among them, fighting to protect his friend Titus, and his skills are crucial to the defense. But what will happen when Aladdin must face the full might of Leam's team of Fanaris warriors?

Contains Nights 169-178: 

• Night 169: The Power of People
• Night 170: Magic Weapon
• Night 171: Prey
• Night 172: Fanaris vs. Magicians
• Night 173: Beast Kings
• Night 174: A Magi's Power
• Night 175: The Heart that Fights
• Night 176: Barbatos
• Night 177: The High Priestess
• Night 178: Dark Spot

Review:

Cover: The cover for this volume features Barbatos, in the moonlight. He is pretty much introduced in this volume, and probably won't be seen again for a while. The series title is across the top in a grayish blue coloring. The volume number and mangaka are across the bottom.

The spine from top-to-bottom contains the Shonen Sunday brand logo, the series title, the volume number, the mangaka, an image of Barbatos taken from the front cover, a magic lamp image, and the VIZ company logo.

The back cover has a group shot of the Fanaris clan on the top half. The series title and volume number is also present, and is on the lower right part of the image. The bottom half of the cover features the volume summary on a blue tapestry background.

Even though Barbatos was featured on this cover and doesn't really have that much huge of a presence in the series, I feel the image portrayal was excellent. Being a Shonen series, this cover really stood out to me as this character design looks like something out of Saint Seiya to me. I love the shiny metallic armor he sports and I love how the backdrop is the moon.

The back cover though I have a little distaste for. The Fanaris image was great, as the Fanaris clan is huge in this volume. My complaint was putting the series title and volume number on the image. The grayish blue coloring used over the hot colors used for the Fanaris family portrait is an eyesore.

Artwork: This volume is non stop action, so not much other stuff to really deal with in terms of humor and drama. However as far as the scenes are concerned, the artwork suffers greatly. This is the second time in the series that we get an epic scale battle that deals with large armies battling for control, and both times the artwork I feel seemed extremely rushed and sloppy. The solo shots of characters are great, but when we get more then 5 characters in a single panel, it gets a lot less detailed and very convoluted.

Translation: Character names, places, Djinn Equips, attacks, cultural references, and everything else pretty much left intact. Sound Effects have been changed as usual...

Extras: We have a very badly drawn, 4 page, bonus chapter about the daily life of the Fanaris Forces. It really does nothing to enhance the story.

Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): The war between the Magicians of Magnoshutatt and the forces of the Leam Empire (The Fanaris Clan) rages on and comes to a head in this action packed volume. It looks like all is lost at first as the Leam Empire reveals they have a secret weapon to bring down force field blocking the country where the Magicians reside. Aladdin however has other plans.

With the Leam empire beginning to outright slaughter the Magicians, Aladdin is about to step in, raising a new barrier up to protect Magnoshutatt. The Magicians launch a counter as they release Magic Warriors as well to help aid them; these new warriors are over powered and a new slaughter begins against the people of Leam. The war is basically a stalemate, that is until Aladdin removes the item preventing him from using his powerful Magi abilities and begins to stop both sides from pretty much causing any more pointless death.

As the Magoi helps Aladdin succeed in holding both forces back, Barbatos, from the Leam Empire decides it is time to end this foolishness. He uses his Djinn Equip and goes in to attack Aladdin, and as he is about to succeed, Alibaba reunites with his friend and defeats Barbatos easily. Alibaba and Aladdin together manage to stop the war and bring peace for a bit. Aladdin goes with Alibaba and his other friend, Titus, to meet with Lady Scheherazade. We finally learn the real reason why Titus is dying; Lady Scheherazade is actually very old and she is dying, once she dies Titus will die as well. Aladdin and Alibaba now appear to want to try to save their friend at all cost, but a new threat begins to emerge; the Kou Empire is on the move.

This volume was incredible with its story. We really got an awesome view of what Aladdin can really do with his magic finally. The battles really felt large scale as well (I haven't seen the full anime yet, but reading this I would love to see how this is played out on video format). There was a bit of character development with Aladdin and Alibaba and seeing how much they have come with their magic abilities. I loved the plot twist on how Titus being created completely of magic, and I really hope there is a way to save him in the coming volumes. The cliffhanger we were left with was also a big surprise, but I am sure everyone reading this series kind of expected Kou to become the next threat moving on from this epic long war in the making.


Objectionable Content:

Language: No
Violence: Yes
Nudity: No
Sexual Situations: No

Score:

Cover: 8/10
Artwork: 3/10
Translation: 8/10
Extras: 1/10
Story: 8/10

Overall Rating: 6/10

Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 7/5/16