#IReadsYou Review: MAO: Volume 2

MAO, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA

MANGAKA: Rumiko Takahashi
TRANSLATION: Junko Goda
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Shaenon Garrity
LETTERS: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-2058-3; paperback (November 2021); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 UK

Mao is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi.  It has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, since May 2019.  In September 2021, VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of Mao as a series of paperback graphic novels under its “Shonen Sunday” imprint.

Mao focuses on 15-year-old Nanoka Kiba.  Eight years ago, she was in a mysterious car accident in which she and her parents died, but Nanoka continues to live on.  One day, while visiting the shopping alley on Fifth Street, Nanoka inadvertently enters a portal that transports her back to Japan's Taisho era.  There, Nanoka meets a young-looking exorcist named Mao and his helper, Otoya, a shikigami that resembles a small boy.  As they try to discover what thread of fate connects them, they'll kick demon butt along the way.

As Mao, Vol. 2 (Chapters 1 to 10) opens, Nanoka, Mao, and Otoya investigate the strange cult of Priestess Shoko in hopes of bringing her to justice.  However, diabolical forces surround her, and they will kill anyone who stand in their way.  Meanwhile, Shoko reveals a shocking doomsday prophecy.  Later, Nanoka and her friend, the boy who wants to date her, Shiraha, do some historical research and discover a cataclysmic event that is yet to occur in Mao's timeline.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Mao manga is the latest multi-genre manga from Rumiko
Takahashi.  As usual, this title pairs a young female touched by the supernatural with a youngish male whose trade is in the supernatural.

Mao Graphic Novel Volume 2 finds Nanoka hopping back and forth between timelines.  She and Mao investigate all manner of demons.  Meanwhile, a historical disaster connects the two different worlds in which they live, but history may not be entirely correct about the details of event.  The Princess Shoko story arc reveals that while both their personalities and their methods sometimes clash, Nanoka and Mao are actually a rather nice match.

As she did in the first volume, Shaenon Garrity once again offers an English-language adaptation that is a delightful read, capturing the magic that infuses this volume and also the curious and inquisitive nature of Nanoka.  I couldn't stop reading Mao Vol. 1, and by the time I finished Vol. 2, I really wanted to read more.  I heartily recommend this series to any fans of supernatural fantasy comics and graphic novels even if they have never previously read Rumiko Takahashi.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers who love Rumiko Takahashi’s manga will want the Shonen Sunday title, Mao.

A

9 out of 10

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


https://www.viz.com/
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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: MAO: Volume 1

MAO, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA

MANGAKA: Rumiko Takahashi
TRANSLATION: Junko Goda
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Shaenon Garrity
LETTERS: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-2052-1; paperback (September 2021); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 UK

Mao is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi.  It has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, since May 2019.  In September 2021, VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of Mao as a series of paperback graphic novels under its “Shonen Sunday” imprint.

Mao, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 8) introduces 15-year-old Nanoka Kiba, a third-year middle school student.  Eight years ago, she was in a mysterious car accident in which she and her parents died, but Nanoka continues to live on.  One day, while visiting the shopping alley on Fifth Street, Nanoka inadvertently enters a portal that transports her back to Japan's Taisho era, around the year 1923.

There, Nanoka meets a young-looking exorcist named Mao and his helper, Otoya, a shikigami that resembles a small boy.  When Nanoka gets back to the present, she discovers that she has some new, incredible abilities.  She returns to the past looking for answers, but only finds herself caught up in Mao’s investigation of a series of gruesome murders and of their mutual connection to a powerful cat demon named Byoki.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Mao manga is the latest multi-genre title from Rumiko
Takahashi.  As usual, this title pairs a young female touched by the supernatural with a youngish male whose trade is in the supernatural.

Moa Graphic Novel Volume 1 is the first Takahashi manga that I have read since I read Rin-ne Volume 32 twenty-one months ago.  I don't think that I had forgotten the pure joy I often feel while reading one of her titles, but I must have been in need of her work.  It has been a long time since I enjoyed reading a volume of manga this much.

The English-language adaptation by Shaenon Garrity is a delightful read, capturing the magic that infuses this volume and also the curious and inquisitive nature of Nanoka.  I couldn't stop reading Mao Vol. 1, and I like that the characters are only revealed enough to make us come back for more.  Susan Daigle-Leach's lettering looks like a perfect fit for Rumiko's work, particularly for Mao.

This is a perfect opening volume – the kind that makes me want more.  And I already have Vol. 2.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers who love Rumiko Takahashi’s manga will want the Shonen Sunday title, Mao.

A+
10 out of 10

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


https://www.viz.com/
https://twitter.com/VIZMedia
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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: TWIN STAR EXORCIST Volume 17

TWIN STAR EXORCISTS, VOL. 17
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yoshiaki Sukeno
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Bryant Turnage
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0949-6; paperback (February 202); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Sōsei no Onmyōji is a shonen manga series written and illustrated by Yoshiaki Sukeno.  The manga has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Jump Square, since October 2013. VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a series of paperback graphic novels, entitled Twin Star Exorcists.  VIZ released the series first under its “Shonen Jump Advanced” imprint, and then, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint, beginning July 2015.

Twin Star Exorcists focuses on Rokuro Enmado.  He did not want to be an exorcist, but he met a mysterious girl named Benio Adashino.  This 14-year-old was serious about being an exorcist, and she wanted to fight the monstrous creatures called Kegare.  Because their destinies are intertwined, Rokuro and Benio are called the “Twin Star Exorcists.”  They are fated to marry... and to conceive the “Prophesied Child.”

As Twin Star Exorcists, Vol. 17 (Chapters 61 to 64) opens, the “Yuto Punitive Expedition” into Magano continues... going badly.  Rokuro has led his Enmado family into battle against the vicious “Basara,” Hijirimaru.  Now, Arima Tsuchimado, the chief exorcist of the Associated Exorcists, attempts to stop two powerful Kegare from entering the human world.  But can he be in several places at one time once he has to rescue Rokuro and company?  And just what were the Kegare really plotting when they struck out at the expeditionary force?

[This volume includes bonus drawings.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Twin Star Exorcists manga continues to deliver on this really intense current story arc.  This series is in a constant state of flux … until it focuses in on a singular moment in time, which is what it is doing now.

Twin Star Exorcists Graphic Novel Volume 17 is a scary read.  Creator Yoshiaki Sukeno has practically not only put the series' leads in mortal danger, but he has also put the entire good-guy paradigm at risk of annihilation.  For long time readers, this current arc is an excellent payoff for sticking with the series.  Actually, it is easy to keep reading Twin Star Exorcist because it is so good.

Tetsuichiro Miyaki's translation and Bryant Turnage's English-language adaptation are yeoman's work because of all the spell-casting featured in these chapters.  Kudos to Stephen Dutro for lettering those many, many spells in the perfectly-sized word balloons.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of action-fantasy, shonen manga will want to try the “Shonen Jump” manga, Twin Star Exorcists.

A
9 out of 10

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


https://www.viz.com/
https://twitter.com/VIZMedia
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https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVIZMedia
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The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: POKEMON ADVENTURES: Collector's Edition Volume 3

POKÉMON ADVENTURES: COLLECTOR'S EDITION, VOL. 3
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Hidenori Kusaka
ART: Mato
TRANSLATION: Kaori Inuoe
LETTERS: Wayne Truman
EDITORS: William Flanagan and Annette Roman; Joel Enos (Collector's Edition)
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1123-9; paperback; (August 2020); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
664pp, B&W, $17.99 U.S., $24.99 CAN, £14.99 UK

Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise managed by the Pokémon Company, a company founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures.  The franchise was created by Japanese video game designer and director, Satoshi Tajiri, in 1995.  The franchise began in 1996 as a pair of video games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, for the original “Game Boy” handheld game console.  Pokémon is centered on fictional creatures called “Pokémon.”  Humans, known as “Pokémon Trainers,” catch and train the Pokémon to use in battles for sport.

The Pokémon franchise includes a number of animated television series (known as “anime”) and animated films.  There are also Pokémon manga (comics), and many are simply comic book adaptations of the Pokémon video games, anime, and films, although there are some manga that feature original stories set in the world of Pokémon.

Pokémon Adventures is a Japanese manga series featuring original Pokémon stories written by Hidenori Kusaka.  Mato was the series' first artist, and when he left due to illness, Satoshi Yamamoto became the series current artist.

VIZ Media has been publishing English-language editions of the various Pokémon Adventures series as paperback graphic novels since June 2009.  Starting April 2020, VIZ Media began publishing Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition.  This is a paperback series in which each volume of Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition collects the contents of three graphic novels in one paperback oversize or “omnibus.”

Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition, Vol. 3 (Chapters 79 to 116) is written by Hidenori Kusaka and drawn by Mato.  It opens with the final 12 chapters of the “Yellow” series.  Here, a girl named Amarillo Del Bosque Verde a.k.a. “Yellow” is on Cerise Island.  With the help of the Pokémon, “Pikachu,” she has her final showdown with Lance, one of the “Elite Four,” a group of individuals whose abilities with Pokémon may surpass even the abilities of Gym Leaders.  Can trainers, “Green,” “Red,” and “Blue,” also win their battles against the Elite Four?

Then, the “Gold and Silver” series begins.  Gold is a Pokémon trainer who believes that Pokémon and their human trainers should be partners.  Gold meets a secretive young man, Silver, who is a Pokémon thief.  On a mission for Professor Elm and Professor Oak, Gold chases Silver from one city to the next and finds himself caught in a terrible conspiracy involving Team Rocket and a powerful, shadowy figure, all vying to control a powerful, mysterious Pokémon.

[This volume includes miscellaneous text and art, including maps, character files, and Pokémon information.]

THE LOWDOWN:  I have never played a Pokémon video game or watched a Pokémon movie or TV series.  I have read a few Pokémon manga, including the recently released Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution manga.  The Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition manga is the largest Pokémon manga that I have ever read.

Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition Graphic Novel Volume 3 is a big old chunk of Pokémon Adventures comics.  I don't know if I want to ever read that much Pokémon manga under one cover again.  But, dear readers, you want to know... is this third volume of Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition any good?

I thought Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution was a truly good read.  None of Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition Vol. 3 grabbed me the way Evolution did, but this big book is still a good read.  This huge book will probably be a really good read for Pokémon manga fans.  At the cover price of $17.99, I wouldn't pass it up... if I were a Pokémon reader.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Pokémon manga will want Pokémon Adventures: Collector's Edition.

6 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.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: TWIN STAR EXORCISTS: Volume 16

TWIN STAR EXORCISTS, VOL. 16
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yoshiaki Sukeno
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Bryant Turnage
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0776-8; paperback (September 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Sōsei no Onmyōji is a shonen manga series written and illustrated by Yoshiaki Sukeno.  The manga has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Jump Square, since October 2013. VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a series of paperback graphic novels, entitled Twin Star Exorcists.  VIZ released the series first under its “Shonen Jump Advanced” imprint, and then, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint, beginning July 2015.

Twin Star Exorcists focuses on Rokuro Enmado.  He did not want to be an exorcist, but he met a mysterious girl named Benio Adashino.  This 14-year-old was serious about being an exorcist, and she wanted to fight the monstrous creatures called Kegare.  Because their destinies are intertwined, Rokuro and Benio are called the “Twin Star Exorcists.”  They are fated to marry... and to conceive the “Prophesied Child.”

As Twin Star Exorcists, Vol. 16 (Chapters 57 to 60) opens, the “Yuto Punitive Expedition” into Magano, the realm of the Kegare, has turned into a disaster.  This was to be a minor mission, but the exorcists were met by four risk-level, “SS,” Basara (a Kegare that can speak and is more powerful).  Two of the Twelve Guardians have been killed, but before passing on, they have passed on their spiritual guides.  Meanwhile, what is Rokuro up to?

[This volume includes bonus drawings.]

THE LOWDOWN:  As I've said in previous reviews, the Twin Star Exorcists manga is usually in a constant state of flux, as creator Yoshiaki Sukeno introduces new characters and new subplots at a steady rate.  There are other times when the narrative goes still and focuses intensely on violence and combat, a state in which it currently... rests.

Twin Star Exorcists Graphic Novel Volume 16 focuses on the Yuto Punitive Expedition.  Creator Yoshiaki Sukeno is using the story arc to introduce the next generation of the Twelve Guardians.  The histories, origins, and back stories of these characters are poignant, and Sukeno has provided the material to make them exceptional characters for an exceptional manga.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of action-fantasy, shonen manga will want to try the “Shonen Jump” manga, Twin Star Exorcists.

A
9 out of 10

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

https://www.viz.com/
https://twitter.com/VIZMedia
https://www.instagram.com/vizmedia/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVIZMedia
https://www.snapchat.com/add/vizmedia


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

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

#IReadsYou Review: POKÉMON: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution

POKÉMON: MEWTWO STRIKES BACK – EVOLUTION
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Machito Gomi
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Emi Louie-Nishikawa
LETTERS: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1552-7; paperback; (August 11, 2020); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
128pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 UK

Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise managed by the Pokémon Company, a company founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures.  The franchise was created by Japanese video game designer and director, Satoshi Tajiri, in 1995.  The franchise began in 1996 as a pair of video games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Green, for the original “Game Boy” handheld game console.  Pokémon is centered on fictional creatures called “Pokémon.”  Humans, known as “Pokémon Trainers,” catch and train the Pokémon to battle each other for sport.

The Pokémon franchise includes a number animated television series (known as “anime”) and animated films.  There are also Pokémon manga (comics), and many are simply comic book adaptations of the Pokémon video games, anime, and films, although there are some manga that feature original stories set in the world of Pokémon.

Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution is a 2019 computer-animated Pokémon film.  It is the 22nd film in the Pokémon film series, and it is also a remake of the first Pokémon film, Pokémon: The First Movie.  Released in 1998, it is also know as Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back.

In 2019, manga writer-artist Machito Gomi produced a manga adaptation of Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution.  It was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, CoroCoro Comic, from May 15 to June 14, 2019.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a single-volume, paperback graphic novel.

As Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution opens, a new Pokémon is born.  It wonders where it is and what it is.  It soon learns that it is “Mewtwo,” a clone of the mythical and greatest Pokémon of all time, “Mew.”  Before long, Mewtwo meets the crime lord, Giovanni, the leader of the the criminal organization, “Team Rocket.”  Giovanni reveals to Mewtwo that it was his doing that initiated the creation of Mewtwo, but when the crime lord reveals his diabolical plans for Mewtwo, the newly born and cloned Pokémon rebels.

Escaping from Team Rocket headquarters, Mewtwo heads to New Island where it seeks to find meaning to its life, but also plots revenge against human creators.  Soon, Mewtwo calls forth the world's best Pokémon trainers and their Pokémon to Pokémon Castle to face his challenge.  Ash Ketchum and Pikachu and their friends, Brock and Misty, and their Pokémon find themselves at the center of Mewtwo's rampage.  With the future of the Pokémon world at stake, will our heroes be able to overcome Mewtwo’s challenge…and will Mewtwo be able to find a new meaning for its life?  A surprise Pokémon appearance and a miracle may answer such questions.

THE LOWDOWN:  For adults, the Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution manga will be a quick read.  However, open adult minds will enjoy this manga as much as young readers will most assuredly enjoy reading it.

The Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution graphic novel is also a “kodomo manga” (comics for children), but because it is an adaptation of an important installment in the Pokémon franchise (the first Pokémon film), it could have a broad appeal across the generations of Pokémon fans, which goes back to the mid-1990s.

I am being totally honest when I say that Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution is both the best Pokémon manga or graphic novel that I have ever read and also is one of the most enjoyable comics that I have read this summer.  Why is it a sheer delight?  Writer-artist Machito Gomi captures the things that make Pokémon fun:  the characters, the relationships, the positive attitude, the competition, the possibility for redemption, and the Pokémon.

Gomi's cleaning drawing style, which has a graphic style similar to certain kinds of anime, and the graphical storytelling both make for clear storytelling.  The toning also gives the story a sense of weight and creates an atmosphere of mystery and dramatic tension that makes it feels as if there is something on the line for the characters.  They all have something to lose, especially our heroes.

So I will call Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution one of the summer's delightful comic book and young reader graphic novel surprises.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Pokémon manga will want Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution.

8 out of 10

Monday, August 10, 2020


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


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

#IReadsYou Review: TWIN STAR EXORCISTS Volume 15

TWIN STAR EXORCISTS, VOL. 15
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yoshiaki Sukeno
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Bryant Turnage
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0522-1; paperback (May 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Sōsei no Onmyōji is a shonen manga series written and illustrated by Yoshiaki Sukeno.  The manga has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Jump Square (Shueisha, Inc.), since October 2013. VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a series of graphic novels, entitled Twin Star Exorcists.  VIZ released the series first under its “Shonen Jump Advanced” imprint, and then, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint since July 2015.

Twin Star Exorcists focuses on Rokuro Enmado.  He did not want to be an exorcist, but he met a mysterious girl named Benio Adashino.  This 14-year-old was serious about being an exorcist, and she wanted to fight the monstrous creatures called Kegare.  Because their destinies are intertwined, Rokuro and Benio are called the “Twin Star Exorcists.”  They are fated to marry... and to conceive the “Prophesied Child.”

As Twin Star Exorcists, Vol. 15 (Chapters 53 to 56) opens, Benio is in Magano, the realm of the Kegare.  She must begin the ritual to claim her spiritual powers... and her true form – that of a Kegare.  When she is attacked, however, who in Magano will help her?

Meanwhile, on Tsuchimikado Island, Rokuro and his recently formed “Enmado Family,” prepare for their first mission into Magano.  This is the “Yuto Punitive Expedition.”  Rokuro hopes to get revenge for the killing of his friends long ago, but he and his family are really just support for the expedition.  Well, that is until everything goes... unexpected.

[This volume includes bonus concept art and comics, “Shueisha Jump SQ: “Airweave Collaborator Project, Special Chapter!”]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Twin Star Exorcists manga is usually in a constant state of flux, as creator Yoshiaki Sukeno introduces new characters and new subplots at a steady rate.  Sometimes, however, the narrative goes still and focuses intensely on violence and combat.

Twin Star Exorcists Graphic Novel Volume 15 focuses on the stars, Rokuro and Benio.  Each is entering one of the most intense states of their struggle, and Vol. 15 is the payoff for longtime readers.  I can only say that this is a not-to-be-missed volume, as it introduces some great things to come.

Once again, Tetsuichiro Miyaki (translation) and Bryant Turnage (English adaptation) deliver a strong English adaptation with another ending that will force readers to come back for more.  And Stephen Dutro's lettering is perfect for this volume of utter surprises and loud shocks.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of action-fantasy, shonen manga will want to try the “Shonen Jump” manga, Twin Star Exorcists.

A
9 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: TWIN STAR EXORCISTS Volume 14

TWIN STAR EXORCISTS, VOL. 14
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yoshiaki Sukeno
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Bryant Turnage
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0394-4; paperback (January 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Sōsei no Onmyōji is a shonen manga series written and illustrated by Yoshiaki Sukeno.  The manga has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Jump Square (Shueisha, Inc.), since October 2013. VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a series of graphic novels, entitled Twin Star Exorcists.  VIZ has released the series first under its “Shonen Jump Advanced” imprint, and then, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint twice a year since July 2015.

Twin Star Exorcists focuses on Rokuro Enmado.  He did not want to be an exorcist, but he met a mysterious girl named Benio Adashino.  This 14-year-old was serious about being an exorcist, and she wanted to fight the monstrous creatures called Kegare.  Because their destinies are intertwined, Rokuro and Benio are called the “Twin Star Exorcists.”  They are fated to marry... and to conceive the “Prophesied Child.”

As Twin Star Exorcists, Vol. 14 (Chapters 49 to 52) opens, “the Hadare Castle Imperial Tournament” continues.  The match between Shimon Ikuraga, “the Twelve Guardian Vermillion Bird,” and Unomiya Family head, Tenma Unomiya, takes a sudden, shocking, and ugly turn, so the tournament ends.  Later, Rokuro's performance in the tournament impresses many, and more people, including entire families, request to join his recently formed “Enmado Family.”

Meanwhile, Benio continues her quest to regain her spiritual power, and it seems the only one who can help her make real headway is Kamui... the kegare that killed her parents!  Kamui will lead Benio to Chinu, reputed to be the oldest and most powerful kegare, the one who can tell Benio how to restore her spiritual powers.  However, collaborating with kegare could not only get her expelled as an exorcist, but it could also get her executed as a traitor.  Plus, Chinu, of course, has so many shocking and unbelievable things to tell the young exorcist.

[This volume includes bonus comics, text, and concept art (on exorcist “hunting gear”).]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Twin Star Exorcists manga is usually in a constant state of flux, as creator Yoshiaki Sukeno introduces new characters and new subplots at a steady rate.  Then, there are times when the constant state of change is one big change.

Twin Star Exorcists Graphic Novel Volume 14, if what we learn within these chapters is true, will be one of the series' game-changing entries.  Yoshiaki Sukeno never lets readers feel comfortable with this series.  True, it is a battle manga, but it is also a dark fantasy story replete with elements of gruesome horror and gory monster fiction, and Vol. 14 gives us an origin of that gruesome and gore.  Sukeno also offers a pivotal moment in Benio Adashino's development.  What does she really want?, this volume seems to ask.

Once again, Tetsuichiro Miyaki (translation) and Bryant Turnage (English adaptation) deliver a strong English adaptation with an ending that will force readers to come back for more.  And Stephen Dutro's lettering is perfect for this volume of utter surprises.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of action-fantasy, shonen manga will want to try the “Shonen Jump” manga, Twin Star Exorcists.

A
9.5 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 and  syndication rights and fees.


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

Review: BEASTARS Volume 1

BEASTARS, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Paru Itagaki
TRANSLATION: Tomoko Kimura
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Annette Roman
LETTERS: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0798-0; paperback (July 2019); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
216pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN, £8.99 U.K.

Beastars is a manga from creator Paru Itagaki.  It is set in a world of anthropomorphic animals, divided into the carnivores and herbivores.  In this world, eating meat is a felony.  The “Beastar” is a hero who begins as a school leader.  He or she transcends all the mistrust and discrimination that runs life in this world, and then, graduates to become some kind of great public figure who is a world leader.

Beastars, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 7) opens one night at Cherryton Academy, a boarding school for carnivores and herbivores.  Tem, an alpaca and herbivore student, is brutally murdered.  In a school literally divided into predator and prey, a carnivore is assumed to be the perpetrator.  Some eyes direct their gaze at Legoshi, a gray wolf and carnivore student who was Tem's best pal.

Meanwhile, Louis, a red deer from a wealthy and elite family, has ambitions to become a Beastar.  He has the lead in a school production of the play, “Adler,” and hopes that the play, especially his performance, will bring the school closer together.  As friendships maintain a fragile peace, Legoshi begins to mistrust his own feelings and instincts.  Will a fellow student, Haru the dwarf rabbit, be the thing that drives him to let the beast in his soul free?

[This volume includes bonus comics and illustrated text pieces about the design and world of Beastars and about the creative team.]

The Beastars manga manages to surprise me.  I had never heard of it, and did not know what to expect.  Now, it looks like Beastars could be a memorable anthropomorphic comic.

Beastars Graphic Novel Volume 1 introduces an intriguing world.  Creator Paru Itagaki finds ways to insert information about this world of talking animals without overwhelming the narrative with factoids and the readers with too much data.  She is slowly revealing the characters personalities, with the exception of Legoshi, Louis, and Haru.  For those three character, Itagaki dives deeply into them, as much of the narrative, at least at this point, revolves around them.

I could take the easy route and say that this is a high school drama that is an allegory about teenagers trying to fit into high school before they have to learn their place in the world.  It is, but only partly.  Actually, I think Beastars (a VIZ Signature title) is also a timely tale that examines the dynamics of racial and ethnic strife and conflict, both between different groups and within each group's sub-groups.  There is even the hint of class conflict.

So, the first seven chapters of Beastars set an ambitious table for the series.  If upcoming volumes can be as intriguing as this first one, Beastars will be a beast of a graphic novel series.

8 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: SLEEPY PRINCESS IN THE DEMON CASTLE Volume 1

SLEEPY PRINCESS IN THE DEMON CASTLE, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Kagiji Kumanomata
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Annette Roman
LETTERS: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0018-9; paperback (June 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
176pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle is a manga from creator Kagiji Kumanomata.  The manga, known in Japan as “Maou-jou de Oyasumi,” debuted in Weekly Shonen Sunday in 2016.  The series follows the misadventures of a drowsy, kidnapped human princess who deals with adorable demons, a charming demon king, and his demon castle.

VIZ Media is publishing the series in English as a series of graphic novels entitled, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle.  The series will be published under the “Shonen Sunday” imprint with a rating of “‘T’ for Teens.”  Print MSRP for Volume 1 will be $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN.  Volume 1 will be available digitally on June 12th, 2018 via viz.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and Google Play stores.  Future volumes of Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle will be published on a quarterly basis.

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 13) introduces Princess Syalis, the princess of the human kingdom, “Goodereste.”  She has just been kidnapped by the Demon King and imprisoned in his “Demon Castle.”   While the human kingdom goes into panic over their missing princess, the princess herself is… bored.

Syalis decides to while away her hours in captivity by sleeping, but getting a good night’s rest in the Demon Castle turns out to be a lot of work.  Syalis has no choice but to take matters into her own hands and to make her prison cell/bedroom into a place perfect for sleeping.  From fashioning DIY (do-it-yourself) pillows out of cute “Teddy Demon” guards to turning the “Shield of the Wind” into an air mattress to using the “Forbidden Grimoire” into bedtime reading, Syalis will find the perfect night's rest, even if that makes things not so perfect for the Demon King and his minions.

The Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle manga is super-cute and quite funny.  It is an episodic comedy with each chapter essentially being like an episode of a television sitcom.  Each chapter offers a new comic scenario or situation.

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle Graphic Novel Volume 1 will surprise readers by offering thirteen chapters and almost everyone of them is only about 12-pages in length.  Then, readers will be surprised to find that what seems like a one-note manga is surprisingly inventive.  Kumanomata mines quite a bit of comedy gold out of a princess who seems oblivious of her situation because she can only focus on getting to sleep.

Plus, who can not love “Teddy Demons?”  Cuddly, portly, and tirelessly helpful teddy bears with little bat wings are simply irresistible.

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 and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM Volume 21

ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM, VOL. 21
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yusei Matsui
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Bryant Turnage
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9339-5; paperback (April 2018); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
216pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Assassination Classroom is a science fiction, comedy, and shonen manga from creator Yusei Matsui.  The series was originally serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, from 2012 to 2016.  VIZ Media published an English-language adaptation of the series in graphic novel, beginning in December 2014 and recently ending in April 2018.

Assassination Classroom focuses on the so-called “End Class.”  These are the outcast students of Class 3-E at Kunugigaoka Junior High.  They are trying to kill their teacher, and they have the perfect excuse.  Their teacher is the monstrous, alien-like octopus that recently destroyed 70% of the moon.  This creature becomes Class 3-E's teacher, whom the student name, “Koro Sensei,” and he promises to destroy the Earth after the 3-E students graduate.  Thus, it is up to these students to kill their teacher in order to save the world.  They are the “Assassination Classroom.”

As Assassination Classroom, Vol. 21 (Chapters 178 to 179 to Final Chapter; entitled Time to Say Thank You) opens, Koro-sensei is dead.  The students of the Assassination Classroom killed their teacher, but there are extenuating circumstances.  Now, the class prepares to graduate, but what does the future hold and how will the legacy of Koro-sensei affect them?

[This manga contains bonus manga, “Time to Come Home,” “Time to Go to the Izakaya,” “Time to Reveal Identities,” “Time to Say Thank You,” and “Tokyo Department Store War Journal.”]

The Assassination Classroom manga has reached the end of its run.  The series is often variations of the same, although the usual is usually quite entertaining.  It is like a sitcom about students learning to become assassins while trying to kill their other-worldly teacher, and creator Yusei Matsui finds comedy in characters as well as in situations.

Assassination Classroom Graphic Novel Volume 21 is the final volume of the series, but it is not so much a finale as it is a coda.  Vol. 20, in which the teacher is killed, is really the final volume.  With Vol. 21, Matsui offers a bit of sweetness to his readers.  There are some extra stories that Matsui produced to accompany the anime based on Assassination Classroom, and this volume also reprints the manga Matsui produced before this series.  I hope this series stays in print, and it probably will digitally.  Assassination Classroom deserves to find new readers for years to come.

A
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 and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: KAGUYA-SAMA: Love is War Volume 2

KAGUYA-SAMA: LOVE IS WAR, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Aka Akasaka
TRANSLATION: Emi Louie-Nishikawa
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Annette Roman
LETTERS: Stephen Dutro
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0031-8; paperback (May 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
228pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Kaguya-sama: Love is War is a manga from creator Aka Akasaka.  The series was first serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Miracle Jump, before moving to Young Jump.  Kaguya-sama: Love is War focuses on two high school geniuses who fall in love, but refuse to admit it.  VIZ Media is publishing the series in English as a series of graphic novels.

In Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Kaguya Shinomiya is a well-bred lady and an heir.  She is Student Council Vice-President at Shuchin Academy, a school for the children of the rich and famous and for future leaders.  Miyuki Shirogane is the strong, silent type who has a singular focus on his studies.  He is President of the Student Council.  Kaguya and Miyuki are two geniuses, each in love with the other.  But love is war, so which will confess love to the other when the one who confesses his... or her love first loses.

When Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Vol. 2 (Chapters 11 to 20) opens, Miyuki has finally obtained a smart phone.  As he enters his information in his new device, he wonders if he should ask Kaguya for her phone number.  But could she mistake a request for such information as a declaration of love?  We can't have that!  Then, Kaguya and Miyuki accidentally switch drinking cups.  Is drinking from another person's cup like kissing him... or her?  And will such a kiss be a declaration of love?!

Plus, it's the battle of the cat ears.

[This volume includes bonus manga and an essay, “When reading Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Vol. 2...” by Aka Akasaka.]

The Kaguya-sama: Love is War manga is an episodic manga like Hayate the Combat Butler, which means that each chapter is essentially an episode and focuses on a new situation.  Kaguya-sama's situations are comedic, so it would be fair and accurate to call it a situation comedy or sitcom.

My VIZ Media rep sent me a copy of Kaguya-sama: Love is War Graphic Novel Volume 2.  I was sure I received a press release about this manga before the first volume was published, but the series did not register with me until I received a review copy of Vol. 2.  I must say that I really enjoyed this manga.  It is funny to watch these two genius slash idiots struggling against common sense and the fact that they really want to date each other.  I do think that this series will have to evolve over time, as has Hayate the Combat Butler.

For now, however, just being funny is good enough.  Fans of sitcom-type manga will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Kaguya-sama: Love is War.

A-
7.5 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 and syndication rights and fees.

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Art Book Review: THE ART OF POKEMON ADVENTURES

POKÉMON ADVENTURES 20TH ANNIVERSARY ILLUSTRATION BOOK: THE ART OF POKÉMON ADVENTURES

VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
STORY: Hidenori Kusaka
ART: Satoshi Yamamoto
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Annette Roman
LETTERING: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9451-4; paperback with book jacket; (August 2017)
174pp, Color, $24.99 U.S., $33.99 CAN, £16.99 U.K.

Pokémon is a media franchise that debuted in Japan.  Satoshi Tajiri created the franchise in 1995 and centered its story on fictional creatures called “Pokémon,” and “Pokémon Trainers,” humans who catch and train Pokémon to battle each other for sport.  The franchise began as a pair of video games created for Nintendo's original Game Boy and was released in 1996.

1997 saw the first publication of Pokémon Adventures, a Pokémon-related manga based on the video games.   This manga series was and still is written by Hidenori Kusaka.  Manga artist Mato drew the first nine volumes Pokémon Adventures.  When Mato became ill and was unable to continue illustrating the series, Satoshi Yamamoto took over as series artist with Vol. 10 and still continues to draw Pokémon Adventures.

Pokémon Adventures 20th Anniversary Illustration Book: The Art of Pokémon Adventures is an over-sized paperback art book the showcases the Pokémon Adventures art of of Satoshi Yamamoto.  This book includes illustrations of fan favorite Pokémon and Pokémon Trainers; exclusive sketches and character designs; manga rough drafts and storyboards; and four full-color, pull-out posters.

It also presents a brand-new manga side story published in English for the first time.  This black and white manga was the first chapter of the Pokémon Adventures spin-off manga, Pokémon Rangers: The Comic.  [Drawn by Yamamoto and written by Hidenori Kusaka, it originally appeared on the Pokémon Daisuki Club website in March of 2006.]

One cannot reasonable say that if you have seen one manga or anime art book, you have seen them all.  I have seen a few in English-language editions released by Digital Manga Publishing (DMP), and VIZ Media sends me one or two a year of their manga art books over the last several years.

VIZ recently sent me a copy of Pokémon Adventures 20th Anniversary Illustration Book: The Art of Pokémon Adventures, so I decided to review it.  I am familiar with Pokemon, but I am not a fan – nothing against it – just never got into it, but I must admit that this is an impressive art book.  Sadly, it is the kind of art showcase that American comic book franchises rarely get, but here, the manga/comics artwork of one of pop culture’s most popular multimedia franchises is beautifully showcased.

The vivid color artwork included in The Art of Pokémon Adventures makes me want to go and find Pokémon Adventures manga, especially any of it that has been published in color.  For me, a big selling point of The Art of Pokémon Adventures is that it includes several examples Pokémon Adventures manga art reproduced or scanned for original art board.  As a collector of original art, that just drives me wild.

This is a fantastic manga art book.  Fans of Pokémon, of Pokémon manga, and of manga art books will want Pokémon Adventures 20th Anniversary Illustration Book: The Art of Pokémon Adventures.

A
9 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site 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.

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

Review: 7th GARDEN Volume 1

7TH GARDEN, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Mitsu Izumi
TRANSLATION:  Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Annette Roman
LETTERS: Susan Daigle Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8721-9; paperback (July 2016); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
236pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

7th Garden is a shonen dark fantasy manga from creator Mitsu Izumi.  The series focuses on a gardener who finds himself caught in the middle of a struggle in which angels, demons, and humans fight for control of the world.

7th Garden, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4) opens in the Age of A.N. (Annu Nuntius), year 78.  It is set in Exive, one of the seven great continents, specifically in the village of Karna.  There, Awyn Gardener protects his beautiful mistress, Mariphiel “Marie” Fiacre, and lovingly tends the beautiful gardens on her estate.

However, there is a female demon hiding in the garden.  Named Vyrde, this demon is bent on world domination.  In order to save Marie and the village, Awyn makes a deal with Vyrde and gains the ability to wield a powerful demon sword.  But there is much about Vyrde that is unknown to Awyn.

The 7th Garden manga is a comic book full of beautifully-drawn art.  In some ways, it reminds me of the art featured in the shonen fantasy series, Rosario+Vampire.  7th Garden is like a black and white paperback art book with page of page of manga illustrations that dazzle the eye.

From a story perspective, 7th Garden Volume 1 is slow to develop.  Honestly, I don't care for its internal mythology at this point because it seems like just another angels versus demons concept.  It takes about 200 pages to suggest otherwise; by then, we have to wait for the next volume.  I wonder if creator Mitsu Izumi was quite sure where she was going with this narrative early on.  She teases a lot of intriguing plot lines and subplots, but the best stuff seems to come after the last-page cliffhanger.  I think 7th Garden has possibilities, but those will become obvious in future volumes.

B

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


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Assassination Classroom: Time for an Oppurtunity

I read Assassination Classroom, Vol. 8

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.  Follow me on Twitter and Tumblr or at Grumble.  Support me on Patreon.

Assassination Classroom: On Island Time

I read Assassination Classroom, Vol. 7

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.  Follow me on Twitter and Tumblr or at Grumble.  Support me on Patreon.

Assassination Classroom: Swim Time

I reads Assassination Classroom, Vol. 6

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.  Follow me on Twitter or Tumblr and at Grumble.  Support me on Patreon.

Twin Star Exorcists: Into Magano

I read Twin Star Exorcists, Vol. 2: Onmyoji

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.  Follow me on Twitter and Tumblr or at Grumble.  Support me on Patreon.

Assassination Classroom: Time to Show Off a Hidden Talent

I read Assassination Classroom, Vol. 5

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.  Follow me on Twitter or at Grumble.  Support me on Patreon.