Kimi Ni Todoke: Happy Moment

I read Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Vol. 18

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Toriko: Gourmet Tasting!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 19

I posted a review at ComicBookBin (which also has free smart phone apps and comics).

07-Ghost: The Fyulongs

I read 07-GHOST, Vol. 7

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Toriko: Gourmet Casino!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 18

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which has free smart phone apps and comics).

07-Ghost: Xinglu? I Know Him!

I read 07-GHOST, Vol. 6

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics, which you can also buy).

Toriko: Shining Gourami!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 17

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

07-Ghost: Fellowship of the Curse Tickets

I read 07-Ghost 05

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Loveless: Ritsuka or Seimei?

I read Loveless, Vol. 11

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Toriko: Reunion with Terror!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 16

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

07-Ghost: The Bishop's Exam

I read 07-GHOST, Vol. 4

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Toriko: Zebra!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 15

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Review: BARRAGE Volume 2

BARRAGE, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Kouhei Horikoshi
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
LETTERS: James Gaubatz
EDITOR: Hope Donovan
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5571-3; paperback (April 2013); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN

Barrage, the two-volume manga series, comes to an end with the recent release of the second volume. Hopefully, the series will eventually see life in a second run.

Barrage is a sci-fi adventure set on the planet Industria, where peace has been disrupted by an influx of alien races. The alien activity causes planetary instability and begins the Warring Planets Period. Astro is a 15-year-old slum kid living in the capitol city, also called Industria. He struggles with low-paying jobs to support his surrogate family of six younger stray children.

Fate brings Astro into contact with Prince Barrage, the son of the King of Industria. Barrage looks exactly like Astro, so the prince, who wants to be free of royal responsibility, demands that Astro take his place. Astro becomes Prince Barrage and is given Orgue, the all-powerful magical spear that can help him restore peace to Industria.

As Barrage, Vol. 2 (entitled Astro of the Warring Planets; Chapters 8 to The Final Chapter) opens, Astro and tutor/mentor, Lord Tiamat, continue their adventure (journey) of freeing Industria from alien invaders. They enter the walled city of Maseille, which has been overrun by aliens and traitorous members of the Planetary Military Forces.

Astro and Tiamat meet Tiko, a belligerent girl who carries out an underground war against the forces that oppress Maseille. Her war becomes theirs, but a seemingly omnipotent power known as Dark Energy complicates matters. As Astro and Tiamat battle, they discover that Maseille’s problems are tied to Astro’s murky past.

After reading the first volume of the Barrage manga, I was delightfully surprised. This shonen manga (comics for teen boys) had a mix of science fiction, fantasy, and action that reminded me of the kind of Saturday morning cartoons that dominated television in the 1970s and 1980s. It’s like Shonen Jump meets Hanna-Barbera.

I still think that Barrage is like some of the OEL manga/graphic novels that American manga publisher, TOKYOPOP, produced before it expired (or whatever). It also makes me think of Dark Horse Comics’ short-lived Rocket Comics imprint.

After finding the first volume so appealing, I wondered what I would think of Barrage Volume 2. I think I like Vol. 2 more than I did Vol. 1. This is a fun, fantasy series with copious amount of sci-fi action and plenty of humor. What I like the most about Barrage is creator Kouhei Horikoshi’s graphic style. In terms of composition and page design, Barrage looks like other shonen manga.

In terms of graphic style, Barrage could easily find a place in European comics. The graphical storytelling speaks a universal comic book language that is not necessarily manga or much like American superhero fantasy. It is genre entertainment that could have international appeal, like Tintin or The Smurfs. Barrage Volume 2 is the last of a two-volume series. Hopefully, Barrage will return.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

07-Ghost: Bishop Frau Stands Accused

I read 07-GHOST, Vol. 3

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Review: BARRAGE Volume 1

BARRAGE, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Kouhei Horikoshi
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
LETTERS: James Gaubatz
EDITOR: Hope Donovan
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5275-0; paperback (February 2013); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN

Barrage is a shonen manga series from creator Kouhei Horikoshi. The series is set on the planet of Industria, where peace has been disrupted by an influx of alien races. The alien activity causes planetary instability and begins the Warring Planets Period.

Enter Astro, a 15-year-old slum kid living in the capitol city, also called Industria. He struggles with low-paying jobs to support his surrogate family of six younger stray children. Fate brings him into contact with Prince Barrage, the son of the King of Industria. Barrage looks exactly like Astro, so the prince, who wants to be footloose and fancy free, demands that Astro take his place and also Barrage’s royal responsibilities.

In Barrage, Vol. 1 (entitled The Piercer; Chapters 1 to 7), Astro becomes Prince Barrage. He also takes possession of Orgue. This spear and royal relic turns into the Piercer and activates when the wearer is threaten. Now, Astro/Barrage is under the tutelage of Lord Tiamat, the legendary knight who is Prince Barrage’s guardian. The King sends Barrage and Tiamat to go on a journey to save the people of the planet, but not all his reasons for ordering this journey are unclear.

The Barrage manga is one of the series that can leave the reader delightfully surprised, as it did to me. It is more than it seems – a shonen manga (comics for teen boys) that mixes science fiction with the spirit of Saturday morning cartoons. Barrage reminds me of some of those OEL manga/graphic novels that TOKYOPOP produced before the company expired (or whatever). It also makes me think of Dark Horse Comics’ short-lived Rocket Comics imprint.

The character and concept design are not only inventive, but are also infused with a sense of youthful adventure. It is as if creator Kouhei Horikoshi opened up his sketchbooks and let his imagination run wild. Visually, Barrage rarely repeats itself, as it seems that practically every other page offers something new. The graphical storytelling moves like a battle manga and an anime. Horikoshi pushes “the importance of family” theme past the breaking point, but that does not hurt this entertaining series.  Young readers will like the Shonen Jump Alpha title, Barrage.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Loveless: Mobile Suit Gundam /Loveless Crossover

I read Loveless, Vol. 10

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

07-Ghost: Meet Hakuren Oak

I read 07-GHOST, Vol. 2 (07-Ghost (Viz Media))

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Toriko: Deadly Gourmet World!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 13

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.

Review: 07-GHOST Volume 1

07-GHOST, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONISTS: Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara
TRANSLATION: Satsuki Yamashita
LETTERING: Vanessa Satone
EDITOR: Hope Donovan
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4994-1; paperback; Rated “T” for “Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

07-Ghost is a shonen manga which debuted in 2005. It is also the first manga written and drawn by the team of Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara. VIZ Media recently released the first English-language volume of 07-Ghost.

07-Ghost, Vol. 1, opens in the Barsburg Empire. The opening chapter introduces Teito Klein, a former slave and orphan, who is a cadet at the Barsburg Empire Military Academy. An incident between Teito and Chief of Staff Ayanami gets Teito thrown in prison.

With the help of his friend, Mikage, Teito escapes and ends up in District 7, also known as the “District of God.” The bishops and nuns of Barsburg Church take him in and care for him, but the church is also a place of secrets. Teito learns of seven legendary ghosts, and one scary devil. Some of these secrets will cast away the shadows of Teito’s past and point the way to his place in the now-destroyed Raggs Kingdom.

That 07-Ghost is the debut work of a creative team is obvious. The story is overstuffed with characters, subplots, and back story, and the action is frantic and unkempt. The art is a maelstrom of heavy inks and chaotic page design. The composition is pure high energy, but that energy does not translate into consistently coherent storytelling. There is so much here that potential is assumed, and I’d like to see more. I’m intrigued, but right now, a lot of 07-Ghost seems like sound and fury.

Still, youthful exuberance and passion is a good thing, especially when compared to polished professionalism that results in bland corporate product

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Review: LOVELESS 2-IN-1 Volume 1

LOVELESS 2-IN-1, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Yun Kouga
TRANSLATION: Ray Yoshimoto
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Lillian Diaz-Pazygyl
LETTERS: James Dashiell
EDITOR: Hope Donovan
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4990-3; paperback; Rated “T” for “Teen”
446pp, B&W, $14.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN, £9.99 UK

Yun Kouga, the pen name of Risa Yamada, is known for creating such manga as Crown of Love and Gestalt. One of her other popular titles, Loveless, a fantasy/drama series, has a new North American publisher. Tokyopop had the license to publish the series in English, releasing eight of the series’ graphic novels before going out of business. VIZ Media now has the license and resumed the English-language publication of the series with the ninth volume.

VIZ Media will also republish the first eight volumes in 2-in-1 editions, which has a single graphic novel edition containing two volumes. Loveless 2-in-1 Edition, Vol. 1 collects Loveless Volumes 1 and 2.

Loveless, Vol. 1 introduces 11-year-old Ritsuka Aoyagi, a troubled sixth grade student who is still grieving the loss of his older brother, Seimei, who was murdered a few months earlier. Ritsuka meets Soubi Agatsuma, a 20-year-old man who claims to have been a friend of Seimei’s. After a little while, Ritsuka learns that Seimei and Soubi acted as a fighting pair.

They were involved in battles in which the fighting involved spells composed of carefully selected words. Soubi was the “sentouki” or “fighter unit.” Seimei was the “sacrifice,” the one who bears the damage inflicted upon the fighter. When the sacrifice gets worn down, the fighter loses. Through Soubi, Ritsuka learns that Seimei was killed by a mysterious group called Septimal Moon.

In Loveless, Vol. 2, Ritsuka and Soubi grow closer, while more pairs of fighters come forward to challenge them or Soubi, specifically. Yuiko Hawatari, Ritsuka’s classmate, falls deeper in love with him. Ritsuka’s therapist, Dr. Katsuko, tries to unravel the mystery of his apparent dual personalities.

Apparently, Yun Kouga does not consider her creation, Loveless, to be boys’ love manga, although the series does depict romantic, committed, or intimate relationships between pairs of boys and young men. There are no scenes of fleshy entanglements between naked young men, as may be found in the boys’ love subset, yaoi manga. But there is the kind of lusty hugging between fully-clothed young men that one might find in the non-explicit-sex subset of boys’ love called shounen-ai.

That’s how Loveless is. It takes on the characteristics of many genres. It’s part battle manga, and I must admit to being intrigued by its verbal, word-based skirmishes. Call Loveless a battle rap manga. It is also a high school romance with a love triangle (Ritsuka, Soubi, and Yuiko) that threatens to keep adding romantic interests (a fellow student and possibly a teacher). It is a family drama complete with a psycho mom and a largely absent dad.

Loveless is not too much of a good thing, but rather, too many good things. I like Loveless, but I’m not in love with it.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Toriko: Vegetable Sky!!

I read Toriko, Vol. 12

I posted a review at ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).