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marklenone-blog · 5 years

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Why Isekai is the worst genre as of this day.

Before we get to the talk about why Isekai is sooooo bad as of today I think that we must have a little knowledge about Isekai itself.

Isekai is a subgenre in anime that’s all about a certain person getting transported, reincarnated, delivered, etc…In a fantasy/another world.

So basically Isekai has been around ever since the first years of anime the time when anime is still practicing its first steps. One good example is Rayearth (1997)

Magic Knight Rayearth focuses on three eighth-grade girls: the tomboyish, headstrong but short Hikaru Shidou (獅堂光 Shidō Hikaru); the quick-tempered and no-nonsense only child Umi Ryuuzaki (龍咲海 Ryūzaki Umi); and the intelligent and ladylike Fuu Hououji (鳳凰寺風 Hōōji Fū). While on a field trip to the Tokyo Tower with their respective schools, the girls find themselves drawn into another world, Cephiro. There they learn that Cephiro is influenced by one’s will and that the Pillar maintains Cephiro through prayer. The girls are then tasked with rescuing the current Pillar, Princess Emeraude, from her abductor, the high priest, and antagonist Zagato, after which they will be returned to Tokyo.

Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Knight_Rayearth

This anime is one of the first isekai’s that came out. But yeah sure it’s good but it’s not enough to awaken the Kraken. Even the world-wide phenomenon, Oscar Nominee, Masterpiece “Spirited away” (2001) isn’t enough. (If you call that an Isekai.)

But not until 2016 when a monster that appeared out of nowhere, a monster that appeared out of nowhere, a monster that devoured the community by storm. A monster that awakens the Kraken. A monster that goes by the name Re: Zero.

Re: Zero is one of the biggest and — — NO it IS the biggest anime of 2016 all thanks to its intricate story, superb world building, amazing character Introduction, astounding story introduction, and Rem…Yes, it’s Rem the “Best Girl”, The bread and butter of the show, the spotlight of Re: Zero, The woman that made the community crazy.

Some might even say that the Rem fan craze is bigger than the oreimo waifu wars back in 2013….And this is where it all started.

The start of the “Isekai plague”(2016)

As Re: Zero came out studio “White Fox” became the “cool kid” and every studio wants to be like him and when I said everyone I mean EVERYONE and so they made their own most of them is complete and utter shit but thanks god some of them are good. But everything turned from bad to worse when Konosuba came out. When Konosuba was released it became an instant hit and captured the heart of basically everyone.

But since konosuba is pretty weird itself with a little bit of (or maybe a lot) of ecchi thrown in every one tried it in an attempt to outdo Konosuba and even each other.

This is where the “Dark age of Isekai started” (2017- Present)

Now that we are finished going through some background history of Isekai we can finally talk about what really makes Isekai that bad. And believe it or not, there’s only one thing that makes Isekai that bad and that is —

Lack of context:

Context; the parts of something that comes before or follow a word or passage and influence its meaning or effect: They tried to guess the context on what the show meant.

You know after watching Sekai’s since 2016 I have this lingering question in my mind “Just what is the purpose of making this garbage?” and after months of doubt I’ve finally stumbled upon the answer and that is. “Many Sekai’s just completely lost the plot of what they’re doing there is simply no more context anymore.”

Most Isekai’s these days just doesn’t capture the essence of Isekai itself it’s just a presentation of the most futile and pointless work of animation it’s so bad that it comes to a point where it can be called a joke that’s not even funny. Isekai should be this one hell of a genre filled with endless horizons of ideas and possibilities and all we need to do is try to make that idea happen in the best way possible. But that’s not what’s happening instead we got shitty Dere tropes, Tasteless harems and side characters that are mere plaything and cliché concepts.

Everything that comes out of Isekai is just and hot, steaming mess I mean are these studios even trying? Is that the best they can do? There’s nothing that even makes sense anymore it’s all just GARBAGE.

But as of Fall 2018, we finally got 1 anime that stood among the rest an anime that captured the essence of Isekai itself.

The time that I got reincarnated as slime is an anime about a man that…Died and got reincarnated as a slime. Really that’s it but what makes this show well is it’s world building how it introduced the type of world that our main character is in. Everything is wholesome as is and my god it’s beautiful this show clearly is the one of the best anime not only in its season but also in the entirety of the year itself. It’s so good that it can stand beside Konosuba, Re: Zero and Spirited Away (Again if you call that an Isekai). This anime is considered as finding gold in a dumpster and due to the fact that this anime was released in an age where Isekai is repugnant just makes it a whole lot better and as of now the anime is still running and I DEFINITELY recommend that you watch it!

I’m pretty sure that this anime will go down in history as the anime that marked the end of the “Dark ages of Isekai” and bought “The age of light” (Ok that was a bit edgy)

Believe it or not, Isekai can still get over its slump and make a bigger comeback in the industry as a better sub-genre and as of Winter 2019 we’re seeing some promising shows that I think will be a big hit this year and my oh my it’s a good start! and the fact that a slime started it all just makes it better.

I hope I truly hope as an anime fan that Isekai can finally make its comeback as one of the greatest subgenres in existence.

Hey you guys thanks for reading! I really appreciate it if you send me some feedback I would love to hear your opinion on my writing as it will help me improve and be a better writer :) please feel free to reach out to me via Email [email protected] Again thanks for reading and don’t forget to wait for my next piece! Bye!!!

#anime #I'm an idiot for doing this #2D asian cartoons #blog

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recentanimenews · 4 years

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Outbreak Company, Vol. 14

By Ichiro Sakaki and Yuugen. Released in Japan by Kodansha Light Novels. Released in North America by J-Novel Club. Translated by Kevin Steinbach.

Short stories here, two starring Shinichi and one Hikaru, of varying quality. The three together do remind you that this series has been sort of coasting ever since the Japan arc. The author says that he plans to end it in three more volumes (it ended up being four), so they at least have an endgame in mind, but there is very much the sense of “killing time” here. That said, at least the stories, for the most part, avoid the worst of Shinichi’s otaku qualities. The first one is a continuation of the prior volume, and offers us our hero hiding in his room to avoid seeing the girls in love with him. The second one involves Brook and Cerise hatching a family, and Shinichi trying to bond with the new lizard baby, who unfortunately sees him as food. And in the final story, another magical maguffin is found that ends up turning Hikaru into a girl for real.

The first story is the weakest. For all that the series has seen Shinichi achieve a lot of things and even save the world once or twice, there has been little to no actual maturity in his character. That’s really been emphasized in the last couple of books, as he’s totally unable to deal with the idea that more than one girl might be in love with him. Seeing him deal with this by hiding in his room and reading manga/playing games is totally in character but also 100% annoying to a reader who sort of wants him to grow up. That said, there was some nice suspense writing here as the team uses an obvious but effective lure to get him out. As for the second story, it shows Shinichi in a slightly better light. He could have simply given up and avoided the new baby, but he’s stubbornly determined to make it like him. This shows off the qualities Myusel and Petralka see in him.

The final story is the most interesting, though it loses a bit when the author admits the editors gave him the idea. It’s actually a sex-change slime, discovered in the caves and turning out to be yet another piece of long-lost technology. It fastens onto Hikaru and essentially leaves his real body there while putting his consciousness in a female body. The rest of the cast have some discussion of how Hikaru identifies – Shinichi discovers that he wears real bras and panties rather than male underwear, and they discuss how much he might identify as a woman. That said, Hikaru’s own POV narration is more matter of fact about it – he thinks of himself as a man, and is attracted to women, but dresses as a girl for reasons of family upbringing. Probably the most interesting part of the story is seeing Elvia forcibly bathe Hikaru, who realizes that getting involved in wacky harem comedy “I saw your boobs!” scenes is easier than it seems.

There weren’t really any big missteps taken here, and it’s certainly pleasant enough. That said, it’s not a good sign when, after each volume finishes, you’re thinking “When will this series come to an end?”.

By: Sean Gaffney

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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anoixish-blog · 4 years

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A while ago, I came up with a list of a bunch of anime that I have watched. It ended up being way inter than I thought...

Full Metal Alchemist

Dr. Stone

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Angel Beats

Code Gease

Fairygone

Humanity has Declined

Goblin Slayer

Fustige Yugi

Fate series

Spice and Wolf

Durarara

Sword Art Online

Fruits Basket

Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions

Amagi Brilliant Park

Snow White with the Red Hair

Black Clover

Classroom of the Elite

Clannad

MEKAKUCITY Actors

No Game No Life

Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

Soul Eater

Steins;Gate

Blue Exorcist

Kamisama Kiss

Log Horizon

Nisekoi

Noragami

After School Dice Club

Arifureta

Astra Lost in Space

Cautious Hero

Cop Craft

Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba

Kaguya Sama Love is War

My Hero

Rascal does not Dream of Bunny Senpai

Special 7

The Ones Within

The Promised Neverland

Urara Meirocho

We Never Learn BokuBen

The Disastrous Life of Saike K.

Ouran High School Host Club

One Punch Man

Seven Deadly Sins

Princess 9

xxxHolic

Deathnote

Maid Sama

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Violet Evergarden

Hunter x Hunter

Your Lie in April

7 Seeds

Aggresuko

Kakegurui

Madoka Magica

UtaPri

Fairytail

Aldnoah Zero

Assassination Classroom

Bakuman

Blood Lad

Danganronpa

Food Wars

Gargantia

Guilty Crown

Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto

Hikaru no Go

In Another World with My Smartphone

Initial D

The Irregular at Magic High School

Kemono Michi

From me to You

Magi

Outbreak Company

Overlord

Place to Place

Pokémon

Record of Grancrest War

Say “I Love You”

Special A

Wise Man’s Grandchild

#anime #my things #don’t judge me #i stand pokemon

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amboseus · 7 years

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To Be Alone

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2wBGcvk

by Too_Kute_To_Kill

An infestation has happened aboard the USS Enterprise. An unknown organism has burst free of a security officer. Out of over 400 people, thirteen is all that is left. The captain has been missing for more than two hours. Reported dead. Spock has now taken control of the situation, not believing for one second that Kirk is dead, he has taken a three man team to... the nest

Words: 963, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Alien 3 (1992)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: M/M

Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Nyota Uhura, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Minor people, Pavel Chekov, Hikaru Sulu

Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock, James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Additional Tags: dub con, Messed up-ness, Bones to the rescue, He's always saving their butts, Slime, Teeth, Babies, Mild crack!

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2wBGcvk

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #mcspirk #spock #star trek #kirk #bones #mccoy #james t kirk #leonard mccoy

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ao3feed-spirk · 7 years

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To Be Alone

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2iFdunh

by Too_Kute_To_Kill

Words: 963, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Alien 3 (1992)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: M/M

Characters: James T. Kirk, Spock (Star Trek), Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Nyota Uhura, Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, Minor people, Pavel Chekov, Hikaru Sulu

Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock, James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy/Spock, James T. Kirk/Leonard "Bones" McCoy

Additional Tags: dub con, Messed up-ness, Bones to the rescue, He's always saving their butts, Slime, Teeth, Babies, Mild crack!

read it on the AO3 at http://ift.tt/2iFdunh

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #Spirk

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recentanimenews · 6 years

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The Manga Revue, 5/21/18

Remember the good ol’ days when a new Star Wars movie took three years to make, and no one was certain that George Lucas was going to get around to Episodes I, II, and III? I miss those days; new installments felt like a joyful public celebration, rather than a dutiful obligation, and the films were an irresistible mixture of bad acting, thrilling space battles, and earnest conversations about the Force. When I’ve felt a twinge of nostalgia for my childhood Star Wars experience, I’ve found the manga adaptations of the original trilogy much more satisfying than the current batch of Disneyfied films. So I was curious to see what a more recent Star Wars manga might look like: would it explore new territory, or simply recycle the same plot points, a la The Force Awakens, Rogue One, and The Last Jedi? Read on for the scoop!

Star Wars: Lost Stars, Vol. 1 Original Story by Claudia Gray Art and Adaptation by Yusaku Komiyuma Yen Press, 192 pp. Rated T, for teens

Lost Stars is to Star Wars what Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is to Hamlet, a retelling of an iconic story from the perspective of two peripheral characters. Many of the most famous moments from the original trilogy appear in Lost Stars — the capture of Princess Leia, the annihilation of Alderaan, the ice battle on Hoth — though the framing of these events is new, seen through the eyes of two young Imperial pilots: Thane Kyrell and Ciena Ree, both of whom enrolled in the Imperial Academy hoping for adventure and a better way of life.

The inclusion of these scenes is a double-edged sword; they provide a handy point of reference for the Star Wars greenhorn while simultaneously pandering to the hardcore fan by faithfully recreating iconic images and dialogue from A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. There’s a dot-the-i quality to them that suggests that Yusaku Komiyuma was more concerned with nailing down the original details than imagining how Thane or Ciena would perceive — or participate — in these events. The other problem with these scenes is that they’re more dramatically interesting than Komiyuma’s brisk but flavorless adaptation of Claudia Gray’s novel. The most thoughtful elements of Gray’s work — particularly the class politics on Thane and Ciena’s home planet Jelucan — are presented in a bald fashion that reads more like CliffNotes than honest-to-goodness fiction, while important scenes of character development are too compressed. The net result is a manga that successfully bridges the aesthetic gap between Shonen Jump and Star Wars without achieving its own distinct identity. Your mileage may vary.

Must-See, Must-Hear Reviews

The Black Manga Critic takes a closer look at the latest chapters of The Promised Neverland and One Piece at his YouTube channel. Over at The Comics Alternative, Derek Royal and Shea Hennum discuss the final chapters of Otherworld Barbara and Monster.

New and Noteworthy

The Bride Was a Boy (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

The Bride Was a Boy (Kathleen Townsend, Looking Glass Reads)

Captain Harlock Space Pirate: Dimensional Voyage, Vol. 1 (Kathleen Townsend, Looking Glass Reads)

Chi’s Sweet Adventures, Vol. 1 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

CITY, Vol. 1 (Dennis Amith, J-Ent! Online)

Dead Dead Demon’s Dedededestruction, Vol. 1 (Gabe Peralta, The Fandom Post)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Fullmetal Edition, Vol. 1 (J.J. Travers, AiPT!)

Golosseum, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Heaven’s Design Team, Vol. 1 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)*

Heaven’s Design Team, Vol. 1 (Justin, The OASG)*

Mahou Josei Chimaka: Magical Woman Chimaka (Kathryn Hemman, Contemporary Japanese Literature)

Moteki: Love Strikes!, Vol. 1 (Ian Wolf, Anime UK News)

My Dearest Cop (Marion, Otaku She Wrote)*

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Silver Spoon, Vol. 1 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Sorry for My Familiar, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

The Watch Cats of Ginza, Vol. 1 (Justin, The OASG)*

World’s End Harem, Vol. 1 (Theron Martin, Anime News Network)

Ongoing Series

Arakawa Under the Bridge, Vol. 3 (Krystallina, The OASG)

Baccano!, Vol. 3 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Black Clover, Vol. 11 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

Children of the Whales, Vol. 4 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

Dimension W., Vol. 10 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Dorohedoro, Vol. 22 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Everyone’s Getting Married, Vol. 8 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Fire Punch, Vol. 2 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Fire Punch, Vol. 2 (Dennis Amith, J-Ent! Online)

Flying Witch, Vol. 3 (Dennis Amith, J-Ent! Online)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 23 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Happiness, Vols. 4-7 (Katherine Dacey, The Manga Critic)

Kaze Hikaru, Vol. 13 (Erin Jones, The Fandom Post)

Mobile Suit Gundham Thunderbolt, Vol. 7 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

One-Punch Man, Vol. 9 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Prison School, Vol. 9 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

PTSD Radio, Vol. 5 (David Brooke, AiPT!)*

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 2 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 3 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Val x Love, Vol. 2 (Justin, The OASG)

From the Vault

Bakuman, Vol. 8 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

In the Walnut, Vol. 1 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

Over the Rainbow (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Secret of the Princess (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Slam Dunk, Vol. 1 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

That Was Good (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Until Death Do Us Part, Vols. 1-13 (Krystallina, Daiyamanga)

WILD COM. (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

* Denotes a digital-first or digital-only release

By: Katherine Dacey

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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recentanimenews · 7 years

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Monthly Manga Review Index: Halloween 2017 Edition

I’m posting my monthly review index earlier than normal so that folks in search of a Halloween read can find one this weekend at their local comic shop. To that end, I’ve compiled a list of recent horror manga reviews, and linked to Halloween Comic Fest, an annual event in which retailers around the country give away freebies, discount merchandise, and invite the public to meet their favorite artists. Comic Fest takes place tomorrow (October 28th), and manga offerings include previews of Junji Ito’s Shiver, Battle Angel Alita, and The Mortal Instruments.

Thus far, I’ve posted two reviews this month, taking a closer look at H.P. Lovecraft’s The Hound and Other Stories, an adaptation of three early works, and Until Your Bones Rot, a thriller about a group of teens with a secret: they murdered a man and hid the body. Look for more horror-themed posts here at The Manga Critic between now and the end of the month!

THE HORROR! THE HORROR!: SPOOKY MANGA REVIEWS AND BEST-OF LISTS

5 Horror Manga to Devour Like Halloween Candy (Kelly Chiu, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)

7 Horror Manga Authors to Keep You Up at Night (Lynzee Loveridge, Anime News Network)

Anomal (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Dissolving Classroom (Zainab Akhtar, Comics & Cola)

Dissolving Classroom (Jason Bradley Thompson, Otaku USA)

Dissolving Classroom (Leo, Turnaround)

Dissolving Classroom (Sean A. Guynes, World Literature Today)

H.P. Lovecraft’s The Hound and Other Stories (Craig Neilson-Adams, Big Comic Page)

H.P. Lovecraft’s The Hound and Other Stories (Serdar Yegulalp, Ganriki)

H.P. Lovecraft’s The Hound and Other Stories (Jason Bradley Thompson, Otaku USA)

Happiness, Vols. 1-4 (Thomas Maluck, No Flying No Tights)

Higurashi When They Cry: Abducted by Demons Arc, Vol. 1 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)

Spirit Circle, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Tokyo Ghoul:re, Vol. 1 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Tokyo Ghoul:re, Vol. 1 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Tokyo Ghoul:re, Vol. 1 (Robert Prentice, Three If By Space)

Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 1 (Brittany Vincent, Otaku USA)

Yokai Rental Shop, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

FROM THE TOP: DEBUTS AND FIRST VOLUMES

After Hours, Vol. 1 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

The Boy & The Beast, Vols. 1-2 (Jennifer Wharton, No Flying No Tights)

Captain Harlock: Dimensional Voyage, Vol. 1 (Shaenon Garrity, Otaku USA)

Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 1 (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Erased, Vols. 1-6 (Jason Thompson Bradley, Otaku USA)

Frau Faust, Vol. 1 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

Furari (Hans Rollman, Pop Matters)

Generation Witch, Vol. 1 (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Hatsune Miku: Acute (Krystallina, Daiyamanga)

Hatsune Miku Graphics: Vocaloid Art & Comic, Vol. 1 (LG, A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)

I Hear the Sunspot (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Helvetica Standard (Evan Bourgault, Boston Bastard Brigade)

Hokusai x Manga: Japanese Pop Culture Since 1680 (Sarah Boslaugh, Pop Matters)

Ichi-F: A Worker’s Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant (Hans Rollman, Pop Matters)

Kaze Hikaru, Vols. 1-25 (Krystallina, Daiyamanga)

Kigurumi Guardians, Vol. 1 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight, Vol. 1 (Che Gilson, Otaku USA)

Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 1 (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Land of the Lustrous, Vol. 1 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask and A Link to the Past (Allen Kesinger, No Flying No Tights)

Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer, Vol. 1 (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Hatsune Miku: Rin-chan Now!, Vol. 1 (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Manga in Theory and Practice: The Craft of Creating Manga (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Mikagura School Suite, Vol. 1 (Amelia Cook, Otaku USA)

Nirvana, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Otome Mania!!, Vol. 1 (Demelza, Anime UK News)

Otome Mania!!, Vols. 1-2 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Plum Crazy! Tales of a Tiger-Striped Cat, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

The Royal Tutor, Vol. 1 (Shaenon Garrity, Otaku USA)

Sekirei, Vol. 1 (Shaenon Garrity, Otaku USA)

She and Her Cat (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

She and Her Cat (Gabe Peralta, The Fandom Post)

Shojo FIGHT!, Vol. 1 (Anna N., The Manga Report)*

Species Domain, Vol. 1 (Amelia Cook, Otaku USA)

Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. 1 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. 1 (Ash Brown, Experiments in Manga)

Sweet Blue Flowers, Vol. 1 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 1 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

The Tokyo Five, Vol. 1 (Al Sparrow, Comic Spectrum)

Venice (Jason Bradley Thompson, Otaku USA)

ONGOING SERIES

Akame ga Kill!, Vol. 12 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 4 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 18 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Assassination Classroom, Vol. 18 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Black Clover, Vol. 8 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

A Bride’s Story, Vol. 9 (Krystallina, The OASG)

Bungo Stray Dogs, Vol. 4 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Chihayafuru, Vol. 4 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)*

Descending Stories: Showa Genkoku Rakugo Shinjo, Vol. 3 (Austin Price, Otaku USA)

The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-Chan, Vol. 10 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Erased, Vol. 3 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Food Wars!! Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 20 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Girls’ Last Tour, Vol. 2 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 2 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Golden Kamuy, Vol. 2 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, Vol. 2 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 3 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 5 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Honey So Sweet, Vol. 7 (Melina Dargis, The Fandom Post)

Kase-San and Shortcake (Erica Friedman, Okazu)

Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler, Vol. 2 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Kamisama Kiss, Vol. 25 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Kiniro Mosaic, Vol. 4 (Krystallina, The OASG)

Kiss & White Lily for My Dearest Girl, Vol. 3 (Helen, The OASG)

Kiss & White Lily for My Dearest Girl, Vol. 3 (Erica Friedman, Okazu)

Maid-Sama! Omnibus, Vol. 7 (Melina Dargis, The Fandom Post)

Master Keaton, Vol. 12 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

One Piece, Vols. 61-63 (Renay Williams, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)

Platinum End, Vol. 3 (Nick Creamer, Anime News Network)

Prison School, Vol. 7 (Justin, The OASG)

Queen Emeraldas, Vol. 2 (Lisa Allison, AiPT!)

The Royal Tutor, Vol. 3 (Krystallina, The OASG)

School-Live!, Vol. 8 (Krystallina, The OASG)

Sherlock: A Study in Pink (Justin, The OASG)

So Cute It Hurts!!, Vol. 15 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 14 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

The Water Dragon’s Bride, Vol. 3 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 8 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 8 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Yowamushi Pedal, Vol. 6 (Krystallina, The OASG)

FROM THE VAULT

Barefoot Gen (Hans Rollman, Pop Matters)

The Demon Ororon (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

The Devil’s Secret (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Emma, Vol. 5 (Elizabeth Lotto, The Outerhaven)

Exotic and Delicious Fate (Patricia Beard, The Fandom Post)

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 10 (SKJAM, SKJAM! Reviews)

Guardian Angel Getten (Mamotte Shugogetten) (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Hot Steamy Glasses (LG, A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)

Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Kiss Blue, Vol. 1 (Patricia Beard, The Fandom Post)

Kurashina Sensei’s Passion, Vol. 1 (Matthew Warner, The Fandom Post)

Maid-sama! (Krystallina, Daiyamanga)

not simple (Serdar Yegulalp, Ganriki)

orange, Vols. 1-2 (Hans Rollman, Pop Matters)

Stray Little Devil (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Zodiac P.I. (Krystallina, Daiyamanga)

* Denotes a digital-only release

By: Katherine Dacey

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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recentanimenews · 7 years

Text

Monthly Manga Review Index: August 2017

August was a month of transitions: here at Manga Bookshelf, our long-time colleague and friend Ash Brown announced that he would be retiring his blog at the end of 2017. Though Ash’s reasons for stepping back are understandable, I selfishly wish he’d continue Experiments in Manga. As his recent reviews of My Brother’s Husband and A Small Charred Face attest, he’s a perceptive, elegant writer with a unique voice, and a unique point of view. Here’s hoping that he finds his way back to blogging again!

Further afield, Joe McCulloch just posted his final “This Week in Comics” round-up at The Comics Journal — sad news for anyone who cares about good comics criticism. Joe was always erudite and funny, peppering his writing with memorable turns of phrase and incisive comments. Even when TCJ didn’t have much manga content, Joe tirelessly dug into his own private vault to write about oddities — how’s pachinko manga grab you? — classics — hi, Golgo 13 — and titles that cry out for an English language edition. I can’t imagine who TCJ will enlist for “This Week in Comics,” but that person has a big pair of shoes to fill.

My August yielded a modest crop of reviews: I Hear the Sunspot and She and Her Cat, two coming-of-age dramas about twenty-somethings teetering on the brink of adulthood; Melody of Iron, the latest Tezuka title to be Kickstarted to press; and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, a good-natured comedy about a salaryman who gets a second chance at life as a slime monster. I have a number of reviews in progress for September, including MB favorites Queen Emeraldas, Otherworld Barbara, After Hours, and My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness, as well Jiro Taniguchi’s most recent books Venice and Furari. I’m also in the process of gathering my thoughts on Hergé a Québec, an exhibition I saw at the Musée de la civilisation in Québec City last week. Stay tuned!

REVIEW OF THE MONTH

Stop the presses–The New York Review of Books deigned to publish a manga review! The title in question is Ichi-F: A Worker’s Graphic Memoir of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, which was released earlier this year by Kodansha Comics. Ryan Holmberg’s assessment of Ichi-F is markedly different in tone than most early reviews, which praised Kazuko Tatsuya’s meticulously detailed drawings, and his emphasis on the day-to-day routines of Fukushima workers. In particular, Holmberg takes issue with the fact that the author used a pseudonym, making it difficult to fully assess his political (or economic) motivation for writing Ichi-F:

We know, through press reports, that Tatsuta was in his late forties when he drew Ichi-F, so one assumes a fairly extensive resume of past comics work; what would that oeuvre reveal about his politics and associations if we knew his real name and could look it up? Alas, all we are really shown about Tatsuta is that he earnestly believes in what he sees with his own eyes, in the merits of hard work, and in the good intentions and dedication of his workmates and their employers. And he seems to be adverse to any of the personal or political reflection that transforms a report or recollection into a worthwhile memoir, or for that matter into a persuasive work of journalism.

At the same time, however, Holmberg argues that Ichi-F provides a measured counterpoint to “the superficial, fear-mongering nonsense that infects so much post-Fukushima reporting and art, both inside and outside Japan,” by showing what the clean-up entails, effectively “mak[ing] the threat visible and knowable and, if not controllable, then at least navigable.” Holmberg’s analysis is further bolstered by a thoughtful primer on nuclear politics in Japan, providing some badly needed context for understanding where Ichi-F fits into that discussion.

FROM THE TOP: DEBUTS AND FIRST VOLUMES

Appleseed Alpha, Vol. 1 (David Brooke, AiPT!)

Beyblade Burst (Teh Ooi Sherene, Star2)

Cosplay Animal, Vol. 1 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)*

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, Vols. 1-2 (Sarah, Anime UK News)

Don’t Be Cruel: Plus+ (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 1 (Tyler Goulet, All-Comic)

Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 1 (Thomas Maluck, No Flying No Tights)

Girl’s Last Tour, Vol. 1 (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 1 (Julie, Manga Maniac Cafe)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 1 (SKJAM, SKJAM! Reviews)

Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler, Vol. 1 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

Kakegurui: Compulsive Gambler, Vol. 1 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Love & Lies, Vol. 1 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)

Love & Lies, Vol. 1 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Love’s Reach, Vol. 1 (Michelle Smith, Soliloquy in Blue)*

Manga in Theory and Practice: The Craft of Creating Manga (Anne Ishii, The Comics Journal)

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY, Vol. 1 (Ben Leary, The Fandom Post)

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing Endless Waltz: Glory of the Losers, Vol. 1 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

My Brother’s Husband, Vol. 1 (Ash Brown, Experiments in Manga)

My Girlfriend Is a T-Rex, Vols. 1-2 (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness (Katie Skelly, The Comics Journal)

Otherworld Barbara, Vols. 1-2 (Michelle Smith, Soliloquy in Blue)

Please Tell Me! Galko-Chan, Vol. 1 (Al Sparrow, Comic Spectrum)

Plum Crazy! Tales of a Tiger-Striped Cat, Vol. 1 (J. Caleb Mozzocco, Good Comics for Kids)

Plum Crazy! Tales of a Tiger-Striped Cat, Vol. 1 (Helen, The OASG)

Sekirei, Vol. 1 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

She and Her Cat (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Spirits & Cat Ears, Vol. 1 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Vol. 1 (David Brooke, AiPT!)

Vampire Knights Memories, Vol. 1 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Waiting for Spring, Vol. 1 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

ONGOING SERIES

7th Garden, Vol. 5 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Vol. 7 (Nick Creamer, Anime News Network)

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 3 (Gabe Peralta, The Fandom Post)

Attack on Titan, Vol. 22 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Behind the Scenes!!, Vol. 4 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Bleach, Vol. 70 (Cold Cobra, Anime UK News)

Bloody Mary, Vol. 7 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Bloom Into You, Vol. 2 (Helen, The OASG)

Complex Age, Vol. 5 (Helen, The OASG)

Delicious in Dungeon, Vol. 2 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 9 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

The Devil Is a Part-Timer!, Vol. 8 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Dimension W, Vol. 7 (Josh Piedra, The Outerhaven)

Erased, Vol. 2 (Helen, The OASG)

Erased, Vol. 3 (Eric Cline, AiPT!)

Food Wars!! Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 19 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Food Wars!! Shokugeki no Soma, Vol. 19 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Girls’ Last Tour, Vol. 2 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Girls’ Last Tour, Vol. 2 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 6 (Keith Hendricks, NerdSpan)

Goodnight Punpun, Vol. 7 (Rebecca Silverman, Anime News Network)

Haikyu!!, Vol. 12 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Hunter x Hunter (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders, Vol. 4 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Kaze Hikaru, Vol. 25 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World, Vol. 2 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

Log Horizon: The West Wing Brigade, Vol. 5 (Helen, The OASG)

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, Vol. 4 (Aaron, Manga Energy)

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun, Vols. 7-8 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

My Hero Academia, Vol. 9 (Nick Creamer, Anime News Network)

My Love Story!!, Vols. 12-13 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

My Neighbor Seki, Vol. 9 (Matthew Warner, The Fandom Post)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (Jordan Ramee, Gamer Professionals)

The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords (Kenyth Mogan, Huffington Post)

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Vol. 2 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)

No Game No Life, Vol. 6 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys’ Fault That I’m Not Popular, Vol. 10 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

One Piece, Vols. 27-28 (SKJAM, SKJAM! Reviews)

One Piece, Vols. 49-51 (Renay Williams, B&N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog)

One Piece, Vol. 83 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

One-Punch Man, Vol. 11 (Elizabeth Lotto, The Outerhaven)

Otherworld Barbara, Vol. 2 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Platinum End, Vol. 3 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Real Account, Vol. 3 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Queen Emeraldas, Vol. 2 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

School-Live!, Vol. 7 (Gabe Peralta, The Fandom Post)

Sherlock: The Great Game, No. 1 (Todd Young, AiPT!)

Skip-Beat!, Vol. 39 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

Sweetness & Lightning, Vol. 3 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Ten Count, Vol. 4 (Johanna Draper Carlson, Comics Worth Reading)

Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 12 (Elizabeth Lotto, The Outerhaven)

Twinkle Stars, Vol. 3 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Umineko, Vol. 10 (Kate O’Neil, The Fandom Post)

Until Death Do Us Part, Vol. 8 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

Until Death Do Us Part, Vol. 9 (Matt Morrison, No Flying No Tights)

Welcome to the Ballroom, Vol. 5 (Jordan Richards, AiPT!)

What Did You Eat Yesterday?, Vol. 12 (Terry Hong, Book Dragon)

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 7 (Sean Gaffney, A Case Suitable for Treatment)

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 7 (Leroy Douresseaux, Comic Book Bin)

Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 7 (Anna N., The Manga Report)

FROM THE VAULT

3 x 3 Eyes (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

The Drops of God, Vol. 1 (A Library Girl, A Library Girl’s Familiar Diversions)

Hell Girl, Vol. 1 (Greg Hackman, The Fandom Post)

Hell Girl, Vol. 2 (Chris Beveridge, The Fandom Post)

Minima!, Vol. 1 (Sakura Eries, The Fandom Post)

Moyashimon, Vol. 2 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

My Heavenly Hockey Club, Vol. 3 (Matthew Alexander, The Fandom Post)

Tower of the Future (Megan R., The Manga Test Drive)

Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms (Faith Orcino, Anime Ushi)

* Denotes a digital-only release

By: Katherine Dacey

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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