Review: THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: Legendary Edition - Majora's Mask/A Link to the Past

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LEGENDARY EDITION (VOL. 3) – MAJORA'S MASK/A LINK TO THE PAST
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Akira Himekawa
TRANSLATION: John Werry, Honyaku Center, Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITORS: Mike Montesa; Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8961-2; paperback (March 2017); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
402pp, B&W with some color, $17.99 U.S., $24.99 CAN, £12.99 U.K.

The Legend of Zelda is a high-fantasy themed action-adventure video game series published by Nintendo.  Since 1986, Nintendo has published over 20 Zelda games and spin-offs.  For two decades, Nintendo has also officially endorsed and commissioned manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda.  The Legend of Zelda revolves around Link, a brave knight/warrior, and Princess Zelda of Hyrule, who guides, encourages, instructs, and summons Link to battle evil.

Mangaka Akira Himekawa has produced several multi-chapter manga serials based on particular Legend of Zelda video games.  VIZ Media is reprinting these Himekawa manga under the title, The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition.  The third release in this series is The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Majora's Mask/A Link to the Past.  Majora's Mask is a 2000 video game in the Zelda series.  Himekawa's  manga based on the 1991 game, A Link to the Past, was originally titled Triforce of the Gods, but is entitled A Link to the Past for its new English-language release.

In Majora's Mask,  Link is a famous swordsman.  He stops to give lessons at the school of an old friend before continuing his search for his missing friend, Navi the fairy.  On his journey, Link is transported to the land of Termina, where he is accosted by someone named “Skull Kid.”  This character wears the cursed Majora's Mask, and he also imprisons Link's face inside a mask.  Now, Link must not only unravel the mysteries of the masks, but he must also solve the troubles that besiege Termina and stop Skull Kid from dragging the moon down so that it will crash into the Termina village of Clock Town.

In A Link to the Past, Link is an apple farmer in Hyrule, and he grows apples so good that they can heal the body.  With his Uncle's help, Link is ready to make his farm the best apple orchard in Hyrule.  However, one night, Link hears a mysterious female voice calling him.  The voice belongs to Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, and she is being held captive by the traitorous royal adviser, Agahnim.  He wants the legendary Triforce, and the only way Link can stop him and rescue Zelda is to find the legendary “Master Sword.”  With the help of the female bandit, Ghanti, Link goes on a journey that takes him to many lands and that may also answer questions about Link's past.

In the last year, VIZ Media has sent me several volumes of The Legend of Zelda manga so that I might review them.  I have discovered that these manga are better reads than I ever imagined – not that I took much time to think about Zelda manga.

The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Majora's Mask/A Link to the Past manga is not as awesome a volume of the previous volume of the Legendary Edition series, The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages, but it is still quite good.

Majora's Mask is a quest fantasy that has nothing to do with Link rescuing or serving Princess Zelda, at least in the manga.  Majora's Mask, as a narrative, has a weak opening, but the story picks up strength and momentum when Link starts looking for the “four giants.”  Majora's Mask definitely finishes better than it started.

A Link to the Past is a strong, exciting story from beginning to end, and I have to admit that I was disappointed that it had to end.  It is a pure Link-rescues-Zelda story.  Both Majora's Mask and A Link to the Past are well served by the clean drawing style of the art, which makes for clear storytelling.  Akira Himekawa presents his Legend of Zelda manga in a graphic style that makes the story attractive to readers young and young-at-heart.

B+

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: POKEMON THE MOVIE: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel

POKÉMON THE MOVIE: VOLCANION AND THE MECHANICAL MARVEL
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY/ART: Kemon Kawamoto
SCRIPT: Atsuhiro Tomioka
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION/EDITOR: Annette Roman
LETTERING: Susan Daigle-Leach
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9419-4; paperback; Rated “A” for “All Ages”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel is a 2016 Japanese anime film.  It is the third and final film in the Pokémon: XY film series and the 19th Pokémon movie overall.  The film, which is known as Pokémon the Movie XY&Z: Volcanion and the Exquisite Magearna in Japan, received a limited theatrical release in the United States in December 2016.  It was released to home media in the U.S. on March 21, 2017.

This film also has a single-volume manga adaption from mangaka Kemon Kawamoto.  As usual, this Pokémon story stars Ash Ketchum, the young boy on a quest to become a Pokémon master, and his partner, Pikachu, a Pokémon (the highly-sought after creatures of this series).

Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel opens with Ash and Pikachu defeating their most recent opponents.  Then, the duo travels to the “Great Mechanical City,” Azoth Kingdom.  Outside the city limits, they are surprised when the Mythical Pokémon, Volcanion, crashes down from the sky.  The crash creates a cloud of dust, and a mysterious force binds Ash and Volcanion together.

Volcanion despises humans, but cannot escape Ash no matter how hard he tries to get away, and is forced to drag Ash along as he continues his rescue mission  Volcanion wants to save his friend, the artificial Pokémon, Magearna.  She is the target of Alva, the Minister of Azoth Kingdom, who wants control of something powerful inside Magearna.  Can Ash find a way to work with Volcanion, who despises all humans?

For adults, Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel will be a quick read.  This kodomo manga (comics for children) has it moments, and I must admit that I am surprised that the story is long as it is.  I guess that makes it a true children's graphic novel.

Kemon Kawamoto really creates a sense of impending sense of doom in this story.  The reader will believe that the heroes are actually in peril.  When Ash and Pikachu leave their new friends at the end of this story to head to their next adventure, the parting is genuinely bittersweet.  I don't see myself as a regular reader of Pokémon manga, but I won't avoid them.

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: Legendary Edition - Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: LEGENDARY EDITION (VOL. 2) – ORACLE OF SEASONS/ORACLE OF AGES
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Akira Himekawa
TRANSLATION: John Werry, Honyaku Center, Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITORS: Mike Montesa; Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8960-2; paperback (January 2017); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
404pp, B&W with some color, $17.99 U.S., $24.99 CAN, £12.99 U.K.

The Legend of Zelda is a high-fantasy themed action-adventure video game series published by Nintendo.  Since 1986, Nintendo has published over 20 Zelda games and spin-offs.  For two decades, Nintendo has also officially endorsed and commissioned manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda.  The Legend of Zelda revolves around Link, a brave knight/warrior, and Princess Zelda of Hyrule, who guides, encourages, instructs, and summons Link to battle evil.

The first Zelda comic was published in 1992, a full-color comic, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, which was loosely based on a 1991 game of the same title.  Mangaka Akira Himekawa has also produced Legend of Zelda manga based on video games.  Himekawa created a multi-chapter serial for each of two Zelda video games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages, games that were first released in Japan around 2001.  VIZ Media reprinted each serial in a graphic novel edition back in 2009.

Now, VIZ has returned these two graphic novels to print in an oversized paperback edition, The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages.  In Oracle of Seasons, we are introduced to Link who has been raised by his grandmother and his grandfather.  The grandfather was formerly a brave knight of Hyrule, and that is what he wants Link to be.

Although he wants to chart his own destiny, Link leaves home to participate in a tournament of knights, but he ends up in the land of Holodrum where meets Din the Dancer.  Din turns out to be the Oracle of Seasons, who is being hunted by Onox, General of Darkness.  If Onox can capture Din, he will also have possession of the powerful relic, the Rod of Seasons.  Of course, Link, with the help of brave allies, must stop him.

In Oracle of Ages, Link gets caught up in the quest to find Nayru, the Oracle of Ages.  Veran, the sorceress of shadows, also wants Nayru, and eventually takes possession of her body.  Veran then travels through time, deep into the past of the land of Labrynna, where she uses her dark influence to build a tower that shall reach the skies.  Now, Link and someone with a surprising connection to him must stop her, a long and arduous campaign of many twists and turns.

As I have said before, I am not sure if I ever realized that there were comics and manga based on The Legend of Zelda, although I was aware of the 1989 American animated television miniseries.  Apparently, there are lots and lots of Zelda comics.

If the rest of these comics are like The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition – Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages, I want more.  These two stories are even better than the colorful (but kind of simplistic) The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past   Oracles of Seasons and Oracle of Ages are some of the most enjoyable all-ages manga that I have ever read.

I like the clean drawing style of the art, which makes for clear storytelling.  There are some shifts in setting – by either time or region – that seem arbitrary and contrived, but for the most part, this straight-forward quest fantasy and epic adventure proves to be delightful.  This isn't “Game of Thrones” or Lord of the Rings, but Akira Himekawa isn't wary of offering a bit of darkness and character drama to the story for the sake of making the narrative stick with the readers.

A-

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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The Return of Bagge and Hernandez's YEAH!

YEAH! #1
HOMAGE COMICS/DC COMICS

WRITER: Peter Bagge
ARTIST: Gilbert Hernandez
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COLORS: Joanne Bagge
32pp, Color, $2.95 U.S., $4.50 CAN

Yeah! was an all-ages comic book co-created by two legends of alternative comics, Peter Bagge (Hate) and Gilbert Hernandez (Love and Rockets). Written by Bagge and drawn by Hernandez, Yeah! ran for nine issues from late 1999 to 2000 and was published by Homage Comics, a DC Comics imprint via Wildstorm Productions.

Fantagraphics Books has reprinted the series in a black and white trade paperback (Yeah!; 224-page black & white 7" x 10.25" softcover • $19.99; ISBN: 978-1-60699-412-2). The book is scheduled to be available to comic book shops and bookstores this week, as well as being available through www.fantagraphics.com.

Yeah! was a girl-centered comic book and was probably meant to appeal to girls. Still, fans of Bagge and Hernandez, regardless of gender, probably liked it. I was a fan of both men, and I liked Yeah! a lot.

Yeah! was like a comic book version of two early 1970s Hanna-Barbera Productions, Josie and the Pussycats and its follow-up, Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space. These Saturday morning animated series were based on the long-running, Archie Comics title, Josie and the Pussycats (initially known as She’s Josie and later as Josie). Gilbert Hernandez’s art for Yeah! does have some similarities to the work of the late Dan DeCarlo, the creator of Josie and whose work has reportedly had a strong influence on Hernandez.

Yeah! is about an all-girl band called Yeah! Krazy, a lanky blonde, is the lead guitarist. Thick, curvy Woo-Woo is the keyboardist and a practical type. With her thick braids, Honey is Yeah!’s brown sugar and drummer. Believe it or not, Yeah! is the most popular band in the universe, and as the series begins, they are wrapping up their 50-planet intergalactic tour.

Now, the girls are ready to conquer Earth, where they are simply nobodies. Their manager, a skid-row bum type named Crusty, isn’t doing anything to help them become rich and famous rock stars. The trio turns to an industry power player and all-around shady guy named Mongrel Mogul. Surprisingly, Mongrel is ready to make the girls stars, but the cost may be too high. Well, at least most of the group seems to think so.

There were many things that I liked about Yeah! For me, it helped that this comic book was created by two of my all-time favorite cartoonists, Peter Bagge and Gilbert Hernandez, who are also two the most acclaimed comics creators of the last 30 years. What I liked most was that Bagge and Hernandez somehow mixed the playfully screwy nature of the Saturday morning cartoons that appeared on ABC, CBS, and NBC in the 1960s and 1970s with the Underground Comix sensibilities of the alternative comix and independent comics of the 1980s. Like Saturday morning cartoons, Yeah! was about a kind of science fiction that embraced weirdo aliens rather than science fact. From alt-comix came characters that were outcasts, lived on the margins of society, or had outsider personalities. Instead of being offensive and edgy, this unusual comic book series was imaginative and inventive. That it was approved by the comics industry watchdog group, the Comics Code Authority, testifies that this is an all-ages comic book.

Well, it was an all-ages gem, and I’m glad that its back, even in reprint form as a trade paperback. I still hold onto the fantasy that someday, Yeah! will return with new stories.


Yeah!

Thank You Very Much for Domo

I recently reviewed Domo: The Manga, TOKYOPOP's OEL manga starring the mascot of Japan's NHK television station. I think that this full color, all ages title would make an excellent comic book gift for a young reader. I plan on passing Domo to my six-year-old nephew who is already showing a growing love for comic books.

I don't know how good TOKYOPOP is at marketing and publicizing their titles, especially the last few years, as they've apparently shed people from various departments, including publicity. It would be a shame if Domo simply got lost in the shuffle of comic books and graphic novels released each and every week (to say nothing of the avalanche of books of all types unleashed on booksellers every week).