#IReadsYou Review: DRAGON BALL SUPER Volume 6

DRAGON BALL SUPER VOL. 6
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Akira Toriyama
ART: Toyotarou
TRANSLATION: Toshikazu Aizawa, Christine Dashiell, and Caleb Cook
LETTERS: Paolo Gattone and Chiara Antonelli
EDITOR: Marlene First
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0520-7; paperback (September 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Dragon Ball was a long-running Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama.  It was originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995 and was comprised of 519 individual chapters.  The hero of Dragon Ball was Son Goku, and the series began with the story of his childhood.

Dragon Ball Super is written by Toriyama and drawn by Toyotarou, a writer-artist who works on Dragon Ball spin-off manga.  Dragon Ball Super has been published in the Japanese manga magazine, V Jump, since June 2015.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since May 2017, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint.

Dragon Ball Super is a sequel to the Dragon Ball manga and to the “Dragon Ball Z” anime series.  This sequel is set several months after Goku's victory that brought peace back to Earth.  Goku and his friends must defend Earth, this time from fighters from other universes and timelines.

As Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 6 (Chapters 29 to 32; entitled “The Super Warriors Gather!”) opens, the “Zen Exhibition Match” between the “Gods of Destruction” comes to an end.  And the Lords of Everything are bored, so they change some rules.  Now, the “Tournament of Power” will only feature mortals, and gods are forbidden.

Each universe that competes must field ten warriors, which means that Goku and friends have to recruit Universe 7's mightiest warriors.  But they must win because the universes that lose will face complete destruction.

[This manga includes the sketchbook section, “Toriyama Sensei's Corrections,” which features Akira Toriyama's corrections of Toyotarou's character designs and story pages.]

THE LOWDOWN:  Because of a scattering of review copies I received, I became an occasional reader of the Dragon Ball manga.  I do enjoy reading the manga, and the Dragon Ball Super manga is a nice fresh start for new readers... at least I think so.

Dragon Ball Super Graphic Novel Volume 6 follows the changes that began with Vol. 2.  This saw the series move on from its original premise – the fight between Universes 6 and 7 – to this current battle of the universes.  After several volumes dealing with Goku and company's epic battle against the multi-universal villains, Zamas and Goku Black (which ended in the middle of Vol. 5), Toriyama and Toyotarou move readers deeper into the “Tournament of Power” story line.

Vol. 6 may be the volume that I have enjoyed the most.  It is mostly battle manga and some comedy-drama about the gathering of warriors.  It promises much battle manga fun to come, so I'll keep reading... and recommending this to you, dear readers, who happen to be Dragon Ball fans.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers looking for more Dragon Ball manga will want to try the “Shonen Jump” title, Dragon Ball Super.

A
8.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

---------------------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

 

#IReadsYou Review: DRAGON BALL SUPER: Volume 5

DRAGON BALL SUPER VOL. 5
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Akira Toriyama
ART: Toyotarou
TRANSLATION: Toshikazu Aizawa, Christine Dashiell, and Caleb Cook
LETTERS: Paolo Gattone and Chiara Antonelli
EDITOR: Marlene First
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0458-3; paperback (May 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Dragon Ball was a long-running Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama.  It was originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995 and was comprised of 519 individual chapters.  The hero of Dragon Ball was Son Goku, and the series began with the story of his childhood.

Dragon Ball Super is written by Toriyama and drawn by Toyotarou, a writer-artist who has produced Dragon Ball spin-off manga.  Dragon Ball Super has been published in the Japanese manga magazine, V Jump, since June 2015.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since May 2017, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint.

Dragon Ball Super is a sequel to the Dragon Ball manga and to the “Dragon Ball Z” anime series.  This sequel is set several months after Goku's victory that brought peace back to Earth.  Goku and his friends must defend Earth, this time from fighters from other universes and timelines.

As Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 5 (Chapters 25 to 28; entitled “The Decisive Battle! Farewell, Trunks!”) opens, Goku, Vegeta, and Future Trunks continue their battle on the “Future Parallel World” of Universe 7.  Their adversaries are “Goku Black” and Zamas, who have now fused into “God Zamas,” a being even harder to beat than its formidable progenitors.  And just when Goku and Vegeta think that they have beaten God Zamas, their problems multiple...

Next, Goku has been itching for an “interuniverse tournament” that would pit the greatest fighters of 12 universes against one another.  It turns out that two “Lords of Everything” want the same thing.  Thus, begins the “Tournament of Power,” in a way most unexpected by many beings, including Goku!

[This manga includes a bonus story that was originally published in the Jump Victory Carnival Official 2017 Guidebook.]

THE LOWDOWN:  I began as an occasional reader of the Dragon Ball manga, and I do enjoy the franchise.  The Dragon Ball Super manga, which is a nice fresh start for new readers, has made me a semi-regular Dragon Ball reader.

Dragon Ball Super Graphic Novel Volume 5 follows Vols. 2 to 4, which moved the series beyond its original premise – the fight between Universes 6 and 7, and introduced the villains Zamas and Goku Black, as well as a future parallel world.  I will play spoiler and say that by the middle of Vol. 5, that Zamas-Goku Black story arc is resolved... with finality.  I'm glad, as I was tired of this story line.

This “Tournament of Power” feels like a return to classic Dragon Ball battle manga.  In between the end of the previous story line and the beginning of the next, Toyotarou draws a fantastic, fifteen-page battle between Vegeta and Beerus, which makes this one of the better recent volumes.  He also draws a large group of new characters, which makes this volume sound like a must-have for Dragon Ball manga fans.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers looking for more Dragon Ball will want to try the “Shonen Jump” title, Dragon Ball Super.

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

-------------------------

#IReadsYou Review: DRAGON BALL SUPER Volume 4

DRAGON BALL SUPER VOL. 4
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Akira Toriyama
ART: Toyotarou
TRANSLATION: Toshikazu Aizawa
LETTERS: Paolo Gattone and Chiara Antonelli
EDITOR: Marlene First
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0144-5; paperback (January 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Dragon Ball was a long-running Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama.  It was originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995 and was comprised of 519 individual chapters.  The hero of Dragon Ball was Son Goku, and the series began with the story of his childhood.

Dragon Ball Super is a sequel to the Dragon Ball manga and to the “Dragon Ball Z” anime series.  Dragon Ball Super is written by Toriyama and drawn by Toyotarou, a writer-artist who has already produced Dragon Ball spin-off manga.  This new series is set several months after Goku's victory that brought peace back to Earth.  Goku and his friends must defend Earth, this time from fighters from other universes and timelines.

As Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 4 (Chapters 21 to 24; entitled “Last Chance for Hope”) opens, Goku and Vegeta return from the world of “Future Trunks.”  It was there that they got their butts handed to them by “Goku Black,” a mysterious warrior who looks exactly like Goku.

It turns out the Goku Black is really Zamas, the Lord of Lords from Universe 10, teamed-up with another Zamas.  Now, Goku trains with Master Roshi to perfect the technique, “Matū-ba,” which he can use to seal Goku Black.  When Goku and Vegeta return to the Future Trunks future parallel universe – with more allies – they find the two Zamas have come up with a way to make themselves seemingly unbeatable.

[This manga includes a bonus story.]

THE LOWDOWN:  While I am an occasional reader of Dragon Ball manga, I do enjoy the series.  The Dragon Ball Super manga is a nice fresh start for new readers.

Dragon Ball Super Graphic Novel Volume 4 follows Vols. 2 and 3, which moved the series beyond its original premise – the fight between Universes 6 and 7.  It is true that the new direction can be a little confusing because the reader has to keep up with characters from multiple universes and timelines and also with a few duplicate characters from other timelines and universes.

Still, Vol. 4 is an example of a quintessential battle manga, and I have to admit that it is a fun read, and Toshikazu Aizawa's translation is quite useful  Letterers Paolo Gattone and Chiara Antonelli continue to pack the chapters in each volume with explosive sound effects that go just right with the kinetic battles.  And thanks to that cliffhanger, I want to come back for more.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers looking for more Dragon Ball will want to try the “Shonen Jump” title, Dragon Ball Super.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

-----------------------

Review: BLACK TORCH Volume 1

BLACK TORCH, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Tsuyoshi Takaki
TRANSLATION: Toshikazu Aizawa and Colin Leigh
LETTERS: Annaliese Christman
EDITOR: Marlene First
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0046-2; paperback (August 2018); Rated “T+” for “Teen Plus”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Black Torch is the first long-form manga from creator Tsuyoshi Takaki, previously known for his one-shot, Freaks.  Originally published in the Japanese manga magazines, Jump SQ, Black Torch follows the adventures of a young ninja caught in the middle of a war between ninjas and demons.  VIZ Media is publishing the manga in English as the graphic novel series, Black Torch.

Black Torch, Vol. 1 (Chapter 1 to 3) introduces Jiro Azuma, who is descended from a long line of ninja.  He can also talk to animals, and his rough and tumble appearance belies his compassionate nature.  He meets Rago, a mysterious, unique, and suspicious, stray black cat.  Jiro's compassion for animals will get him into trouble, when his encounter with Rago rudely introduces him to the world of the mononoke and changes his life forever.

The Black Torch manga is the kind of manga seemingly made for me.  It features both ninja and also supernatural creatures from Japanese myth, folklore, and fairy tales.

Black Torch Graphic Novel Volume 1 offers a lot of surprises, and although the text on the back cover spills some of it, I am determined to spoil as little as possible.  I loved reading this first volume, but it is far from perfect.  The narrative drags a little in the middle; in fact, I can accurately use the euphemism, “treading water,” to describe some portions of these first three chapters.

However, there are so many fantastic twists and turns, and when Tsuyoshi Takaki introduces a new character or concept, it serves to make the story richer and more attractive.  The battles are nice, and some of the creatures are chilling to behold, even straight scary.  I highly recommend Black Torch to fans of supernatural ninja fiction.

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint syndication rights and fees.


----------------------------------------