Been almost two years since I have posted... since then I have moved, started a new job, made new friends, and there has been plenty of new and different anime and manga circulating the world. Some very interesting which I would love to cover. In the meantime, while I figure out where to start, the reviews I have not posted will be posted to keep content still a bit fresh...
Monday, May 6, 2019
Long Hiatus
I know I have been gone for quite a long time, but life uprooted me for a while, but I want to get back into the swing of things here. I have a few Reviews I have not posted yet... I will semi make a Review Schedule but I probably won't be doing consecutive volumes for most series due to the time constraints that I have.
Review: The Legend of Zelda - Legendary Edition V.01
Title: The Legend of Zelda - Legendary Edition
Volume: 1 (of 5) - Ocarina of Time
Creator: Akira Himekawa
Format: Right-to-Left
Original Publisher: SHOGAKUKAN
US Publisher: VIZ
Release Date: 11/1/16
Pages: 378
ISBN: 1421589591
MSRP: $17.99
Genre: Shonen
Rated: A (All Ages)
Description: A young boy named Link must defeat evil at every turn on his long, perilous quest to find the Triforce and deliver it to Princess Zelda!
The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition contains two volumes of the beloved The Legend of Zelda manga series, presented in a deluxe format featuring new covers and color art pieces by Akira Himekawa. The battle for Hyrule and the Sacred Realm has begun! A young boy named Link must defeat evil on his long, perilous quest to find the spiritual stones that hold the key to the Triforce, and deliver them to Zelda, princess of the land of Hyrule.
Young Link embarks on a perilous quest to find three spiritual stones that hold the key to the Triforce, the wielder of which will rule the world! Link's plan is to deliver the stones to the Princess of the mystical land of Hyrule, Zelda. But obstacles abound and his long journey has only just begun!
Contains the Complete Ocarina of Time:
- Ocarina of Time
- Chapter 1: The Great Deku Tree Incident
- Chapter 2: Link's Journey Begins
- Chapter 3: The Mystery of the Triforce
- Chapter 4: The Search for the Spiritual Stone of Fire!
- Chapter 5: Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly
- Chapter 6: The Hero of Time is Born
- Bonus Chapter 1: The Skull Kid and the Mask (Part 1)
- Bonus Chapter 2: The Skull Kid and the Mask (Part 2)
- Hero of Time
- Chapter 1: Sword of Legend: The Master Sword
- Chapter 2: The Sage of the Forest: Saria
- Chapter 3: An Old and Beloved Friend
- Chapter 4: Link vs. Link
- Chapter 5: Shadow Guide: Sheik
- Chapter 6: The Haunted Wasteland
- Chapter 7: A Fated Reunion
- Chapter 8: Ganondorf Defeated!
- Chapter 9: A New Journey Begins
- Bonus Chapter 1: Rouru of the Watarara
Review:
Cover: The cover features the series title in gold text across the top in gold, with the volume title under it. There's an image of Adult Link from Ocarina of Time in the center, with the Triforce and the Legendary Edition imprint below it. The background is green like Link's tunic, with a golden Triforce border.
The spine from top to bottom contains the series title, the volume title, the Triforce, the Legendary Edition brand, the mangaka, and the VIZ company logo.
The back cover uses the same background and border theme. We have an adult Zelda on the top half of the cover, followed by the volumes summary.
I love the simplicity of the cover; I really have no complaints for the overall design. Colors work well, the imaging placement is great. Enough said.
Artwork: This is a Shonen series, but not a typical style like most the Shonen Jump titles are. If i could place it anywhere, it is similar to other works like Pokemon Adventures and Monster Hunter Flash Hunter. It has a very childish feel, but then again the story is meant for kids in a sense. It's not a bad either. The detail is great and the action segments have a great focus on the action. But overall it still lacks to me that umph that other Shonen titles have. I think it might be due to how it switches from a light hearted story to dark moments with no real transition.
Translation: Basing this on the original game; Characters, places, weapons, references are all intact. Sound Effects have changed.
Extras: We have almost a full chapter completely in color. There is also 3 bonus chapters. One of these isn't really worth the time, but there is a two-part story that deals with the Skull Kid and his origin, which was actually a great read since we don't have much info on the Skull Kid even from the original game.
Last is an Afterword section that gives a lot of background info on this volumes content.
Great set of Extras, but that should be said due to this being the Legendary Edition.
Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): This volume is essentially two separate volumes, but it tells one complete story. We have Link during his childhood years that takes place in the beginning of the Ocarina of Time video game and we have his Adult years which is the climax of the story. Does it hold up to the masterpiece of the original is really what this is about.
Our story starts with Link waking up in a forest. The Great Deku tree that the people of the forest basically worship is infected by an evil spirit and Link draws his sword and kills the monster inhabiting it. The evil however is too much for the Great Deku tree who withers and dies, leaving behind a sacred stone which sets Link up on a course to change his destiny and save Hyrule.
Over the course of the remaining child years, Link visits the Princess, obtains two more stones from the Zora and the Goron, and meet his future horse Epona. All this happens within the first half of the volume, with each instance taking up pretty much a single chapter.
Eventually Link returns to the castle to watch as Zelda is kidnapped by the evil Ganondorf, as he wants the sacred power of the Triforce that she contains a piece of. Link then enters the Temple of Time and removes the Legendary Master Sword, causing him to go into a deep slumber for several years.
When Link awakes, Hyrule is in turmoil as Ganondorf is now in control of the entire world. Link must then go on another quest to find and awaken the Sages to help stop Ganondorf once and for all.
Over the course of the remaining chapters, he does so and manages to defeat Ganon and restore balance to the kingdom. He must however put the Master Sword back and return to his child form in case the world will one day need a new hero to wield it.
For the most part this reminded me of a Best Of type of story. If the reader has not played the game, it might be a bit hard to follow as there really isn't much info on what is actually going on. It does however give a lot of new narrative to the original story, since the original did not have as much of a grand plan as the manga actually shows. Overall though, this isn't something I would recommend for all readers. Even with a title as Legendary, it still falls short unless you are a gamer or know the basics of the Zelda franchise.
Objectionable Content:
Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 5/6/19
Cover: The cover features the series title in gold text across the top in gold, with the volume title under it. There's an image of Adult Link from Ocarina of Time in the center, with the Triforce and the Legendary Edition imprint below it. The background is green like Link's tunic, with a golden Triforce border.
The spine from top to bottom contains the series title, the volume title, the Triforce, the Legendary Edition brand, the mangaka, and the VIZ company logo.
The back cover uses the same background and border theme. We have an adult Zelda on the top half of the cover, followed by the volumes summary.
I love the simplicity of the cover; I really have no complaints for the overall design. Colors work well, the imaging placement is great. Enough said.
Artwork: This is a Shonen series, but not a typical style like most the Shonen Jump titles are. If i could place it anywhere, it is similar to other works like Pokemon Adventures and Monster Hunter Flash Hunter. It has a very childish feel, but then again the story is meant for kids in a sense. It's not a bad either. The detail is great and the action segments have a great focus on the action. But overall it still lacks to me that umph that other Shonen titles have. I think it might be due to how it switches from a light hearted story to dark moments with no real transition.
Translation: Basing this on the original game; Characters, places, weapons, references are all intact. Sound Effects have changed.
Extras: We have almost a full chapter completely in color. There is also 3 bonus chapters. One of these isn't really worth the time, but there is a two-part story that deals with the Skull Kid and his origin, which was actually a great read since we don't have much info on the Skull Kid even from the original game.
Last is an Afterword section that gives a lot of background info on this volumes content.
Great set of Extras, but that should be said due to this being the Legendary Edition.
Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): This volume is essentially two separate volumes, but it tells one complete story. We have Link during his childhood years that takes place in the beginning of the Ocarina of Time video game and we have his Adult years which is the climax of the story. Does it hold up to the masterpiece of the original is really what this is about.
Our story starts with Link waking up in a forest. The Great Deku tree that the people of the forest basically worship is infected by an evil spirit and Link draws his sword and kills the monster inhabiting it. The evil however is too much for the Great Deku tree who withers and dies, leaving behind a sacred stone which sets Link up on a course to change his destiny and save Hyrule.
Over the course of the remaining child years, Link visits the Princess, obtains two more stones from the Zora and the Goron, and meet his future horse Epona. All this happens within the first half of the volume, with each instance taking up pretty much a single chapter.
Eventually Link returns to the castle to watch as Zelda is kidnapped by the evil Ganondorf, as he wants the sacred power of the Triforce that she contains a piece of. Link then enters the Temple of Time and removes the Legendary Master Sword, causing him to go into a deep slumber for several years.
When Link awakes, Hyrule is in turmoil as Ganondorf is now in control of the entire world. Link must then go on another quest to find and awaken the Sages to help stop Ganondorf once and for all.
Over the course of the remaining chapters, he does so and manages to defeat Ganon and restore balance to the kingdom. He must however put the Master Sword back and return to his child form in case the world will one day need a new hero to wield it.
For the most part this reminded me of a Best Of type of story. If the reader has not played the game, it might be a bit hard to follow as there really isn't much info on what is actually going on. It does however give a lot of new narrative to the original story, since the original did not have as much of a grand plan as the manga actually shows. Overall though, this isn't something I would recommend for all readers. Even with a title as Legendary, it still falls short unless you are a gamer or know the basics of the Zelda franchise.
Objectionable Content:
- Language: No
- Violence: Yes
- Nudity: No
- Sexual Situations: No
- Cover: 10/10
- Artwork: 6/10
- Translation: 7/10
- Extras: 10/10
- Story: 4/10
Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 5/6/19
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