#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 22

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 22
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1108-6; paperback (February 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese shojo manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Yona of the Dawn focuses on the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka, Yona.  She lives an ideal life, and her father, King Il, dotes on her.  Her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yona even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin, Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes for Princess Yona on her 16th birthday when the king is killed, and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne.  To do so, she begins a journey to find the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 22 (Chapter 124 to 129) opens, the battle against the Nation of Sei and its treacherous nobles, Lord Hotsuma and Lord Kishibi, has ended in defeat for Sei.  Yona and Princess Riri of the Water Tribe have been rescued, and now, is the time for reunions and revelations.  For instance, Riri has a crush on a military leader … who is also a married man!  Meanwhile, is Yona ready to admit her feelings for Hak?

Later, Yona, Hak, the Four Dragon Warriors (Gija, Jaeha, Sinha, and Zeno), and Jun travel to the Nation of Xing, where trouble brews.  It seems that Princess Kouren, leader of Xing, is preparing to start a war against Kohka.  Her younger sister, the exiled Princess Tao, would prefer that Xing become a vassal state of Kohka.  Tao hopes that Yona and the Dragon Warriors, whom she believes to be beautiful and fierce monsters, can make that happen.  So what will Yona do, and can a decision come in time with all their lives in danger?

THE LOWDOWN:  It has been exactly a half-year since I last read the Yona of the Dawn manga.  I find historical shojo romance manga to be a highly enjoyable read,  The series belongs to one of my favorite shojo sub-genres, the manga that use elements of Chinese history and myth.

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 22 says goodbye, for the time being, to Princess Riri and the Water Tribe.  Creator Mizuho Kusanagi briefly delves into the relationship between Yona and Hak, while delivering readers a surprising development in the life of Yona.  Then, Kusanagi does what she does best – insert Yona into another conflict in which she must help a troubled young noble woman.  Of course, Yona is this series' most troubled young novel woman.  This manga may seem repetitive, at times, but it tells an absorbing story with lovable characters.

Yet, JN Productions (translation) and Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane (English adaptation) never make it boring.  Their work makes us want to follow Yona once more into the breach and the lovely lettering by Lys Blakeslee creates the sense of a magical romantic adventure.  Once again, dear readers, I highly recommend that you also follow Yona.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the “Shojo Beat” title, Yona of the Dawn.

A
8 out of 10

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


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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: ONE PIECE Volume 35

ONE PIECE, VOL. 35
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Eiichiro Oda
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Megan Bates
LETTERS: Elena Diaz
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3451-0; paperback (March 2010); Rated “T” for Teen
192pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

One Piece is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Eiichiro Oda.  It has been serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since July 1997.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series, beginning in September 2003, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint.

One Piece focuses on Monkey D. Luffy, who wants to become the King of the Pirates.  The enchanted “Devil Fruit” gave him the ability to stretch like rubber, but it also took away his ability to swim.  Not deterred from his dream, Luffy set out to sea and gradually enlisted his very own pirate crew, known as the “Straw Hats.”  They sail the oceans on their ship, the Merry Go, searching for the legendary treasure known as “One Piece.”

One Piece, Vol. 35 (Chapters 328 to 336; entitled “Captain”) finds the Straw Hats in The City of Water on the island of Water Seven.  They are going to use the gold they found during their Skypeia adventure to repair the Merry Go.

The gold nets them 300 million berries, but all that money earns them the attention of the Franky Family, a band of ship dismantlers and part-time bounty hunters.  Meanwhile, the newest Straw Hat, Nico Robin, goes missing, and Luffy makes a shocking announcement that puts him at odds with shipmate, Usopp.

THE LOWDOWN:  At less than 190 pages of narrative, One Piece Volume 35 reads like a graphic novel twice its size.  Featuring visually potent art, this volume of One Piece has intrigue, superhero-like fights, an assassination attempt, a shocking announcement, and a fight between brothers.  The weirdo characters and outlandish settings are in abundance, and there’s the ever-present cliffhanger that will make you return for another volume of pirate goodness.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for top “Shonen Jump” titles will want One Piece.

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 5

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 5
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8786-1; paperback (April 2017); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Princess Yona is living an ideal life as the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka.  Her father, King Il, dotes on her, and her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yon even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes on her 16th birthday when the king is killed and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne by finding the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 5 (Chapter 24 to 29) opens, Yona, Hak, Yun, and Gija the White Dragon leave the Village of the Blue Dragon, after they escape from an earthquake.  Yona gives the Blue Dragon a name, but will he leave with Yona and company?  Next, Gija senses the presence of the Green Dragon, which takes the small band to Awa Port in the land of the Earth Tribe.  Although his presence is strong, the Green Dragon proves hard to find.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Yona of the Dawn manga is part Chinese historical romance (or at least a Japanese version of it) and part quest-adventure.  Over the last ten years of reading manga, I have come to enjoy the particular shojo spin on historical fiction/romance/adventure.

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 5 offers more of the elements of this series that have become familiar to readers.  This is, however, not more of the same.  In the six chapters contained in Vol. 5, creator Mizuho Kusanagi shifts the focus away from her star Yona, and delves into the personalities, goals, and trials and tribulations of the rest of her cast, especially focusing on Hak.  This volume might make the reader believe that he is the star, and Hak does have a star quality.  He could be the lead of his own manga, which is one more reason to read Yona of the Dawn.  Yona and Hak give this series two excellent leads.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the Shojo Beat title, Yona of the Dawn.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 4

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 4
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8785-1; paperback (February 2017); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Princess Yona lives an ideal life as the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka.  Her father, King Il, dotes on her, and her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yon even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes on her 16th birthday when the king is killed and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne by finding the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 4 (Chapter 18 to 23) opens, Yona and Hak continue their journey to find the rest of the Four Dragon Warriors, after locating Gija, the White Dragon.  Gija can sense the other warriors, but only slightly when they are at a great distance away.  Luckily, the trio is also accompanied by Jun, pretty-boy genius.  Next up, is the location of the Blue Dragon, but this warrior's village is not a welcoming place.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Yona of the Dawn manga is in my manga fanboy wheelhouse.  Part Chinese historical romance and part quest-adventure, so I cannot help but like it.

In Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 4, creator Mizuho Kusanagi further delves into her star quartet's personalities.  She throws a surprise at her readers, by making the place of the Blue Dragon not as friendly or as easy to navigate as the home of the White Dragon.  Her origin story of the Blue Dragon is a poignant and heartbreaking tale, but our heroine Yona is the spoonful of sugar to make it all better.  It should not be so easy to like this series, but the main characters are classic lovable shojo teens.  Yeah, they are quite sugary even in this epic adventure.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the Shojo Beat title, Yona of the Dawn.

A-

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


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 21

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 21
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9381-4; paperback (December 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Yona of the Dawn focuses on the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka, Yona.  She lives an ideal life, and her father, King Il, dotes on her.  Her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yona even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin, Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes for Princess Yona on her 16th birthday when the king is killed, and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne.  To do so, she begins a journey to find the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 21 (Chapter 118 to 123) opens, King Su-Won continues his advance into the rival nation of Sei.  Yona and Princess Riri of the Water Tribe were betrayed and became prisoners of Sei, working as slave labor on one of two forts being built along Sei's border with Kohka.  After their devastating siege of Lord Hotsuma's fort, Su-Won and company move on to Lord Kishibi's fort after not finding either princess at Hotsuma.

But Yona and Princess Riri have been separated, and Yona is alone and injured in a nearby forest.  Meanwhile, Lord Kishibi prepares to execute Riri!

[This volume includes a bonus chapter, “From Good Morning to Good Night.”]

THE LOWDOWN:  I find the Yona of the Dawn manga to be a hugely-enjoyable historical shojo romance manga, which is one of my favorite genres of manga.  I also like that it uses elements of Chinese history and mythology.

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 21 is a typically fantastic entry in this series.  In the case of this series, I think being “typically fantastic” is just “Jim Dandy!”  Seriously, despite the action of violent battle, creator Mizuho Kusanagi takes time to delve into the relationships between her core players.  Kusanagi also takes some time to further develop the steadily growing relationship between Hak and Yona.  It's intense and hot!  Let's keep reading, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the “Shojo Beat” title, Yona of the Dawn.

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

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

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#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 20

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 20
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9220-6; paperback (October 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Yona of the Dawn focuses on the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka, Yona.  She lives an ideal life, and her father, King Il, dotes on her.  Her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yona even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin, Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes for Princess Yona on her 16th birthday when the king is killed, and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne.  To do so, she begins a journey to find the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 20 (Chapter 112 to 117) opens, Yona and Princess Riri of the Water Tribe have been betrayed!  Now, they are prisoners of the nation of Sei, working as slave labor on one of two forts being built along Sei's border with Kohka.  Yona and Riri's respective companions split into two groups, with each group heading to one of the forts.  Which team will find the two:  Team Jaeha with Zeno and Ayura or Team Hak with Yun, Gija, and Sinha find Yona and Riri?

Meanwhile, Riri's father, General Jung-Gi, receives some surprising offers of help to find his daughter.  And one of them has ties to Yona!

[This volume includes miscellaneous comics material.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Yona of the Dawn manga is a highly-enjoyable historical shojo romance manga, which is one of my favorite genres of manga.  I also like that it uses elements of Chinese history and mythology.

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 20 is a fantastic entry in this series.  I can say, without spoilers, that it begins with trouble and ends with trouble.  Creator Mizuho Kusanagi always finds a way to keep readers coming back for more.  Kusanagi also delves deeper into the complicated relationships that surround Yona and Son Hak.  Even with all the action and intrigue, Yona of the Dawn always manages to get to the heart of the matter – the character melodrama.

The work of JN Productions (translation) and of Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane (English adaptation) helps to deliver some strong scenes of personal moments – within characters and between characters.  Plus, Lys Blakeslee's lettering sets the mood, as usual, for Vol. 20, which like Vol. 19, is a bit more intimate than other volumes.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the “Shojo Beat” title, Yona of the Dawn.

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

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

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#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 19

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 19
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8801-8; paperback (August 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Yona of the Dawn focuses on the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka, Yona.  She lives an ideal life, and her father, King Il, dotes on her.  Her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yona even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin, Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes for Princess Yona on her 16th birthday when the king is killed, and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne.  To do so, she begins a journey to find the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 19 (Chapter 106 to 111) opens, Yona, Hak, Jun, the Four Dragon Warriors: Gija, Jaeha, Sinha, and Zeno, arrive in the “Blue Forest.”  While gathering firewood, Sinha the Blue Dragon finds a stone dragon idol.  When the idol's mouth begins to close down on his animal companion, “Ao,” Sinha slices the idol's head off.  Sinha does not realize that his actions have also released an ominous spirit – one with a connection to his past!

Then, it is on to a reunion with Princess Riri of the Water Tribe and her two guardians, Ayura and Tetra.  Once again, Riri must call upon Yona and company for help.

[This volume includes the bonus chapter, “Sleep Well Tonight,” and also miscellaneous comics.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Yona of the Dawn manga is a historical shojo romance manga, one of my favorite genres of manga.  I also like that it is somewhat based in Chinese history and mythology.

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 19 offers a glimpse into the past of one of its Dragons.  Creator Mizyho Kusanagi uses this opening story not only to reveal some things about Sinha, but also about the other characters.  “The Blue Forest” mini-story arc is also a brief interlude that allows readers to enjoy the series' seven main heroes.  Kusanagi also gives us some intense moments between Yona and Hak that bring the two closer together than ever.

The work of JN Productions (translation) and of Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane (English adaptation) helps to deliver some strong scenes of personal moments – within characters and between characters.  Plus, Lys Blakeslee's lettering sets the mood, as usual, for this more intimate Vol. 19.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the “Shojo Beat” title, Yona of the Dawn.

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 reprint and syndication rights and fees.



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

#IReadsYou Review: ORESAMA TEACHER Volume 26

ORESAMA TEACHER, VOL. 26
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Izumi Tsubaki
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Erik Erbes
EDITOR: Pancha Diaz
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0837-6; paperback (July 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Oresama Teacher is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Izumi Tsubaki.  It was serialized in the shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, from July 2007 to February 2020.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shojo Beat” imprint since March 2011.

Oresama Teacher focuses on Mafuyu Kurosaki.  She was once the take-charge, hard-hitting leader (“bancho”) of a high school gang.  Hoping to reform her daughter of her delinquent ways, Mafuyu's mother sends Mafuyu to Midorigaoka Academy, an isolated school far off in the country.  There, Mafuyu reunites with Takaomi Saeki, the childhood friend who set her on the path of delinquency.  Now, Saeki is Mafuyu’s homeroom teacher.

As Oresama Teacher, Vol. 26 (Chapters 147 to 152) opens, Mafuyu has been kidnapped.  The kidnapper is her homeroom teacher, Mr. Seiichiro Maki, who is something of a conundrum.  He has spirited her off to some unknown place and locked her in a room.  When she discovers that she is locked in one of many rooms in a mansion, Mafuyu is happy because she loves mansions.  That aside, she will have to unravel the mystery of Mr. Maki if he is to escape and continue her bid to save her school.  But to do what she needs to do, she will have to rely on an enemy.

[This volume includes bonus manga:  “Okegawa's College Debut,” four pages of four-panel comics and a “Bonus Chapter.”]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Oresama Teacher manga is a bit inconsistent in tone.  It is, at its heart, a raucous high school manga featuring former delinquents and scheming high school club types.

Oresama Teacher Graphic Novel Volume 26 shows the series' other side, its best side, and that is poignant, character revealing back stories.  I find that creator Izumi Tsubaki does her best work in these flashbacks and characters pieces.  She grounds the silliness of her narrative in good storytelling with the dramatic examinations of her characters.

JN Productions also does its best work in translation and English adaptation when the story turns poignant.  Here, letterer Erik Erbes also turns his fonts into strains of haunting melodies that draw the readers into the drama before they return to the rough and tumble.  Vol. 26 is an entry in the series that longtime readers deserve.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of offbeat high school shojo manga will want to try the Shojo Beat title, Oresama Teacher.

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 reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: YONA OF THE DAWN Volume 16

YONA OF THE DAWN, VOL. 16
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Mizuho Kusanagi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Lys Blakeslee
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8798-1; paperback (February 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Yona of the Dawn is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mizuho Kusanagi.  It has been serialized in Hakusensha's shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume, since August 2009.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since August 2016 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Yona of the Dawn focuses on the only princess in the Kingdom of Kohka, Yona.  She lives an ideal life, and her father, King Il, dotes on her.  Her faithful guard, Son Hak of the Wind Tribe, protects her.  Yona even cherishes the time spent with the man she loves, her cousin Lord Su-won of the Sky Tribe.  However, everything changes for Princess Yona on her 16th birthday when the king is killed and Hak is blamed.  Soon, Yona is on the run with Hak, but she is determined to reclaim her throne.  To do so, she begins a journey to find the Four Dragon Warriors.

As Yona of the Dawn, Vol. 16 (Chapter 89 to 94) opens, Yona and her companions continue their fight against the drug known as “nadai,” which has spread swiftly through the coastal towns of the “Water Tribe” territories.  Their fight has earned them the ire of the nadai's kingpin, the drug dealer, Hyo, who has called on his allies in South Kai to help him defeat all those who have massed against him.

Now, a fleet of South Kai ships sails into the waters of the port town of Sensui.  Can Yona and her friends stop Hyo and his allies?  Can Yona's new friend, Lady Riri, the pampered princess of the Water Tribe's chief, General Jung-Gi, convince enough of her people to follow her?  Plus, Yona comes face to face with a dear friend turned adversary.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Yona of the Dawn manga concludes its adventure into the land of the Water Tribe, one of five tribes that comprise the Kingdom of Kohka (Sky, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Water).  This is my favorite story arc of the series, thus far.

Yona of the Dawn Graphic Novel Volume 16 is a tale of two princesses, as was Vol. 15.  Creator Mizuho Kusanagi seems to have initially used this story arc to contrast Yona and Riri.  While Yona seems so brave and self-assured to Riri, readers know that Yona is still discovering herself and what she can do.  Riri, however, is struggling to come into her own, but Kusanagi depicts her as being stronger and more capable than she thinks herself to be.

The fun in reading this arc is not only in seeing the “Nadai conspiracy”play out, but also in watching Riri come into her own, which plays a part in the formation of Yona of the Dawn's next arc.  JN Productions (translation) and Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane (English adaptation) always reveals the romantic side of this shojo historical fiction and romance, but in Vol. 16, they capture the evolution of a princess and the ongoing journey of discovery of another.

Also, in hopes of avoiding spoilers, I can say that in a way, Vol. 16 throws a spotlight on Hak.  His actions here are bound to come back to haunt future story lines...

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of historical romantic adventure will want to try the “Shojo Beat” title, Yona of the Dawn.

A+
10 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.



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#IReadsYou Review: THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE Volume 13

THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE, VOL. 13
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Aya Shouoto
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0402-6; paperback (January 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
172pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

The Demon Prince of Momochi House is a supernatural and romance manga series written and illustrated by Aya Shouoto.  It began serialization in Kadokawa Shoten's shojo manga magazine, Monthly Asuka, in July 2013. VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a graphic novel series under its “Shojo Beat” imprint since July 2015.

The Demon Prince of Momochi House focuses on Himari Momochi.  When she reaches her 16th birthday, Himari learns that she has inherited an old house located deep in the woods.  She has never seen this domicile, which is called “the Momochi House,” and does not know that it already has three inhabitants.  One of them, 17-year-old Aoi Nanamori, is the “Nue,” the “Demon Prince” of Momochi House, which acts as a barrier between the human world and the spiritual realms.

As The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Vol. 13 (Chapters 47 to 51) opens, Himari believes that she is dead because the conniving ayakashi, Kasha, shot her with a pistol.  However, what Kasha shot Himari with was really an “ayakashi item.”  It only removed Himari's spirit from her body, and while she isn't dead, the struggle to return Himari to her body is... well, quite a struggle.

Kasha has plans and ulterior motives, and even his agreement to return Himari to her body is a ruse.  But everyone will be shocked when Kasha reveals his true intent.  Plus, Himari gets help from two returning supporting characters.

[This volume includes miscellaneous illustrations.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Demon Prince of Momochi House manga is delightfully infused with a sense of magic and mystery.  Practically every page of this delicious series is populated by ayakashi (yokai), but sometimes the series seems too dreamy for its own good.

The Demon Prince of Momochi House Graphic Novel Volume 13 pays off the killer of a cliffhanger ending that Vol. 12 presented.  Kasha shot Himari at the end of the previous volume.  That leads to this – Vol. 13 being one of the best volumes of the series.  What makes it so good?  The answer is first, conflict, and secondly, is hindrance.

Kasha and a special guest star both force Himari to struggle for what she wants, and one of the characters proves to be not only a tremendous adversary for Aoi, but also something else.  The chapters in this volume, all five of them, are one long series of hindrances in the way of Himari's determination to make everything right again.

So conflict and hindrance create drama, and Vol. 13 offers some of The Demon Prince of Momochi House's most potent drama to date, and JN Productions' translation conveys that drama in all its potency.  And as ever, letterer Inori Fukuda Trant offers stylish lettering and word balloons that bring out the beauty in the supernatural chaos and strife.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of high school supernatural romance and of yokai fiction will want to visit the “Shojo Beat” title, The Demon Prince of Momochi House.

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 reprint and  syndication rights and fees.


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

#IReadsYou Review: SP BABY Volume 2

SP BABY, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Maki Enjoji
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9375-3; paperback (February 2018); Rated “+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

SP x Baby is a manga written and drawn by Maki Enjoji.  It was serialized in the Japanese shojo manga magazine, Petit Comic, from 2014 to 2015.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a two-volume graphic novel series, entitled SP Baby, from 2017 to 2018 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

SP Baby centers on 23-year-old Tamaki Hasegawa, who wants to join the “Security Police” (SP) and works hard towards that goal.  One day, she is on the way to an interview for a much-needed job when she stops to help a young man whom she believes is being assaulted.  That young man turns out to be Kagetora Sugou, the nephew of the prime minister of Japan.  Now, Kagetora wants Tamaki to be his bodyguard, and although she accepts, Tamaki does not realize that she has met Kagetora in the past.

As SP Baby, Vol. 2 (Chapters 6 to 9 to Final Mission) begins, Tamaki isn't feeling well.  She perks up, however, when her younger brother, Taishi Hasegawa, informs her that the most important man in her life, longtime friend, Natsuo “Natsu” Shino, is coming for a visit.  Meanwhile, the 25-year-old who wants to be the most important man in her life, Kagetora, also stops by for a visit.

With Kagetora acting more like a boyfriend than a boss, he is bound to give Natsu the wrong idea about their relationship, which is supposed to be strictly professional.  Natsu, however, also has some big news to share with Tamaki.  So will Tamaki let her guard down and accept Kagetora's advances?  Will she become his “SP Baby?”

[This volume includes a five-page bonus SP Baby manga story.]

The SP Baby manga is written and illustrated by Maki Enjoji.  She is one of the current reigning queens of shojo romance.  Enjoji specializes in chronicling the evolution of romances between young females and young males whose personalities clash, as seen in VIZ Media's current Enjoji project, An Incurable Case of Love.

SP Baby Graphic Novel Volume 2 is the final volume of this two-volume series.  Vol. 1 was not so much a love story as it was a “Me Too” era violation.  Enjoji depicted Kagetora as a bore who did not respect Tamaki's space.  He acted like a privileged brat, and his actions sometime bordered on being criminal.  Tamaki was depicted as plucky and determined, but she lacked the good sense to quit her job as Kagetora's bodyguard.  In fact, if she had trusted her feelings, she would not have taken the job in the first place.

Vol. 2 is a more traditional frothy shojo romance story.  Kagetora comes across more as a desperate pest who is madly in love with Tamaki.  The plucky Tamaki of the first volume is still plucky in Vol. 2, but her feelings are more conflicted.  Also, now, her feelings lean more towards accepting Kagetora's courtship.  JN Productions' translation conveys the sharp change in narrative tone from the first volume to the second.  As usual, Inori Fukuda Trant's lettering is perfect for a Maki Enjoji manga.

In her afterword, Enjoji writes that she was pregnant will producing the chapters that comprise the first volume and struggling with a newborn child will producing the chapters for the second volume.  That might explain the shifts in tone from the first half to the second half of the series.

So, SP Baby is not a great series, and I think that it is the least of her works in terms of quality that I have read to date.  But the ending is nice.

B
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 reprint and  syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: SP BABY Volume 1

SP BABY, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Maki Enjoji
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9540-5; paperback (November 2017); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

SP x Baby is a manga written and drawn by Maki Enjoji (who also created Happy Marriage?!).  It was serialized in the Japanese shojo manga magazine, Petit Comic, from 2014 to 2015.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a two-volume graphic novel series, entitled SP Baby, from 2017 to 2018 under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

SP Baby, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) introduces a young woman named Tamaki Hasegawa.  One day, she is on the way to a much-needed job interview when she stops to help a young man whom she believes is being assaulted.  That young man turns out to be Kagetora Sugou, the nephew of the prime minister of Japan.

Kagetora starts to pursue Tamaki to be his bodyguard because he was impressed with the way she handled the assault.  At first, Tamaki is put off by Kagetora's playful, teasing demeanor.  She is determined, however, to get a job so that she can earn money to prove herself as a good worker and to help her younger brother, Taishi, pay for college.  Although she does accept the job, Tamaki does not realize that she and Kagetora have met before...

The SP Baby manga is from one of the reigning queens of shojo romance manga, Maki Enjoji.  She specializes in chronicling the evolution of a romance between people whose personalities clash, as seen in VIZ Media's current Enjoji project, An Incurable Case of Love.

SP Baby Graphic Novel Volume 1 isn't so much a love story as it is a “Me Too” era violation.  Kagetora is a bore and does not respect Tamaki's space.  He acts like a privileged brat, and his actions sometime border on being criminal.  Tamaki is plucky and determined, but if she really had any good sense, she would quit her job as Kagetora's bodyguard.  In fact, if she had trusted her feelings, she would not have taken the job in the first place.

Vol. 2 is going to have to come up with a really good reason for Kagetora's behavior and personality.  It will likely have something to do with the characters' shared pasts.  I do give credit to JN Productions' translation, which really conveys Tamaki's struggles to succeed and her stubborn determination to get what she wants.  And, as usual, I thoroughly enjoyed Enjoji's art and graphic design.

4 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseauxa 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.


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#IReadsYou Review: LOVE ME, LOVE ME NOT Volume 1

LOVE ME, LOVE ME NOT, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Io Sakisaka
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Sara Linsley
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1309-7; paperback (March 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Love Me, Love Me Not is a shōjo manga written and illustrated by Io Sakisaka, the creator of such manga as Strobe Edge and Ao Haru Ride.  Love Me, Love Me Not was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Bessatsu Margaret, from 2015 to 2019.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of Love Me, Love Me Not as a series of graphic novels.

Love Me, Love Me Not, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4) opens the spring before Yuna Ichihara enters her first year of high school.  She is pained that her best friend, Satchan, is moving away.  On her way to the train station to say good-bye to her, Yuna meets a strange girl about her age, and the girl asks Yuna for money.  The girl, Akari Yamamoto, promises to pay Yuna the following day, which she does.  When they leave the train station, however, they discover that they live in the same apartment building.

The girls instantly become friends, but discover that they explore and look at love in completely different ways.  Yuna is an idealist, and Akari is a realist.  Throw in Yuna's childhood friend, Kazuomi Inui, and Akari's brother, Rio, and this becomes a complicated case of love and friendship.

The Love Me, Love Me Not manga is like creator Io Sakisaka's other manga.  Sakisaka's shojo romances are sweet confections... on the surface, but bite enough times and you, dear readers, will find a pungent or tart side.

Love Me, Love Me Not Graphic Novel Volume 1 offers so much of Sakisaka's lovely, ethereal art.  It looks like a film shot through greased lens.  The heart of the story is a bit more solid.  Yuna and Akari are teen girls in a state of growth and change, and as they navigate their first year of high schools, their thoughts and feelings don't fit simple descriptions like “idealist” (Yuna) and “realist” (Akari).  The “tart” or edgy elements arrive at the end of this first volume.

JN Productions (translation) and Nancy Thislethwaite (English adaptation) do excellent work capturing the nuances of this story.  While reading Vol. 1, readers will find that Yuna, Akari, Inui, and Rio are four distinct personalities, and, as these characters are endearing, they will want to meet again.  Also, Sara Linsley strikes the perfect tone with her lettering... especially for that killer ending.

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 reprint and syndication rights and fees.


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Review: AN INCURABLE CASE OF LOVE Volume 1

AN INCURABLE CASE OF LOVE, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Maki Enjoji
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0931-1; paperback (October 2019); Rated “M” for “Mature”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomade mo is a “josei” manga (comics for adult women) from Maki Enjoji, creator of the Happy Marriage?! manga.  “Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomade mo” was serialized in the Japanese magazine, Petit Comic, from February 2016 to January 2019.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language version of “Koi wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomade mo” in a graphic novel series, entitled An Incurable Case of Love.

An Incurable Case of Love, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) introduces Nanase Sakura.  Five years ago, she witnessed a handsome and charming doctor save a stranger’s life.  Inspired by this mystery physician, Nanase trains to become a nurse.  On her first day as a new nurse, Nanase meets the doctor again.

However, Dr. Kairi Tendo turns out to be nothing like the man she imagined or remembered him to be.  He is so harsh and blunt, especially with her, that Nanase nicknames him “Dark Lord.”  But, of course, there is more to him than she realizes.

The An Incurable Case of Love manga is not a typical “Shojo Beat” romance manga.  For one thing, it has a “mature” rating and is a “josei” manga, and secondly, the romantic lead characters are both adults with serious adult responsibilities.

An Incurable Case of Love Graphic Novel Volume 1 is also the first time that I have read a manga set largely in a hospital and focusing on a nurse and a doctor.  I have enjoyed romantic manga starring people who worked in the food industry, in the banking industry, and in the entertainment industry.  I have enjoyed love stories featuring aliens, magical girls, and vampires, to name a few supernatural types.  But no medical personnel, as far as I can remember.

An Incurable Case of Love also focuses on two characters badly at odds with one another.  Nurse Nanase and Dr. Tendo clash so much that them getting together might take some willing suspension of disbelief.  The hospital setting also presents sick and dying patients... yikes!  JN Productions translation ably mixes the drama and the couple's sparring, and Inori Fukuda Trant's lettering captures the frequent shifts in mood.  So this first volume is an interesting read.

I am curious about An Incurable Case of Love; this first volume is not great, but it does have potential.  I think this series is certainly worth two reads; by then, I'll have an idea how strong this series is going to be.

7 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: DAYTIME SHOOTING STAR Volume 1

DAYTIME SHOOTING STAR, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Mika Yamamori
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0667-9; paperback (July 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Daytime Shooting Star is a shojo manga from creator Mika Yamamori.  The series was originally serialized in The Margaret, a Japanese manga magazine, from 2011 to 2014.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a graphic novel series, entitled Daytime Shooting Star.

Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 7) introduces 15-year-old Suzume Yosano, a girl who lives in a small rural town that does not have convenience stores, cafés, or traffic lights.  When her parents suddenly announce that they are moving to Bangladesh, they also tell that Suzume that she will be moving to Tokyo to live with her uncle, Yukichi Kumamoto.

Not long after arriving in Tokyo, Suzume has a fainting spell.  She is rescued by a odd young man, who turns out to have a surprising connection to her uncle and to her high school.

In some ways, the Daytime Shooting Star manga is a typical high school shojo manga.  It is about a girl who falls in love, after all.

Daytime Shooting Star Graphic Novel Volume 1, however, strikes many odd and offbeat notes.  I don't want to spoil anything just yet, but Suzume's new Tokyo home offers surprising relationships.  Suzume even forces a taciturn boy to be her friend, and she also makes a “frenemy.” And there is a shocking confrontation.

Mika Yamamori's wide-open illustration style and pretty figure drawing (especially the nice-looking characters who have big eyes) are attractive on the page.  As far as the art goes, Daytime Shooting Star reminds me of Io Sakisaka's Ao Haru Ride.  As for the story, JN Productions throws down a tart translation that captures the narrative's edginess which bubbles beneath the surface.  I think shojo fans will latch onto this series, especially for its potential to surprise.

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: KENKA BANCHO OTOME: Love's Battle Royale Volume 2

KENKA BANCHO OTOME: LOVE'S BATTLE ROYALE, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Chie Shimada
TRANSLATION:  JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9911-3; paperback (July 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Original concept by Spike Chunsoft; video game developed by Red Entertainment

A series of video games that debuted a decade ago for the Playstation Portable, Kenka Banchou follows the efforts of a male “bancho” (delinquent) to beat up other delinquents.  Manga creator, Chie Shimada, created a manga, entitled Kenka Bancho Otome: Girl Beats Boys, based on the game, but it focused on a female character as the lead.

VIZ Media is publishing that manga under the title, Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale, which focuses on Hinako Nakayama, an orphaned girl.  She is about to start her first day at the all-girls school, Kotobuki Girls' High School, when she accidentally bumps into a teen boy whose face resembles her face.  His name is Hikaru Onigashima, and he is her long-lost twin.  Hikaru demands that because Hinako has hurt him, she must disguise herself to look like him and take his place at his new school, Shishiku Academy, an all-boys school of delinquents – who fight all the time!

Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale, Vol. 2 (Chapters 5 to 8) finds Hinako-as-Hikaru the boss of the first and second year classes.  However, she is in for a surprise when she meets Houou Onigashima, the real Hikaru's older brother, and that means she also has a big brother.

Meanwhile, Hinako is so happy to finally have friends.  She grows closer to Totomaru Minowa, Rintaro Kira, Takayuki Konparu, and Yuta Mirako.  Totomaru and Kira are secretly rivals for Hinako's affections, but it may all end when one of her friends is being forced to leave the school

The Kenka Bancho Otome manga has a familiar premise, as it reminds me of the recent shojo manga, So Cute it Hurts!!, from mangaka Go Ikeyamada.  Kenka Bancho Otome, however, will not run as long at the latter manga did.

Kenka Bancho Otome: Love's Battle Royale Graphic Novel Volume 2 is the final volume of this series.  It is a nice volume as it solidifies the relationship dynamics so that readers can recognize Hinako's immediate circle of friends.  I don't know if there will be more of this series, but this second volume makes me think that there is more story to tell.  In the meantime, I recommend this to fans of gender-switch manga.

B+
7 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: KENKA BANCHO OTOME Volume 1

KENKA BANCHO OTOMO: LOVE'S BATTLE ROYALE, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Chie Shimada
TRANSLATION:  JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9910-6; paperback (April 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Original concept by Spike Chunsoft; video game developed by Red Entertainment

Kenka Banchou is a series of video games that debuted in Japan a decade ago for the Playstation Portable.  The games follow the efforts of a male “bancho” (delinquent) to beat up other delinquents.  Manga creator, Chie Shimada, created a manga, entitled Kenka Bancho Otome: Girl Beats Boys, based on the game, but it focused on a female character as the lead.  VIZ Media is publishing that manga as a two-volume graphic novel series, entitled Kenka Bancho Otome: Loves's Battle Royale, under its “Shojo Beat” imprint.

Kenka Bancho Otome: Loves's Battle Royale, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4) introduces Hinako Nakayama, an orphaned girl who is about to start her first day at the all-girls school, Kotobuki Girls' High School.  However, she accidentally bumps into a teen boy whose face looks just like her's.  His name is Hikaru Onigashima, and he is her long-lost twin.  Hikaru demands that because Hinako has hurt him, she must disguise herself to look like him and attend the opening ceremony at his new school, Shishiku Academy, an all-boys school of delinquents – who fight all the time!

One might think that a girl has no chance of surviving a school where delinquent boys fight each other to be the #1 boss of his year.  Hinako is full of surprises, and so are some of the boys she meets.

The Kenka Bancho Otome manga has a familiar premise.  After all, dear readers, I just recently guided you through the shojo manga, So Cute it Hurts!!, from mangaka Go Ikeyamada.  That manga followed a twin brother-sister pair that looked identical, or whose faces looked close enough that they could pose as each other.

Kenka Bancho Otome: Loves's Battle Royale Graphic Novel Volume 1 introduces a similar plot of look-a-like twins taking each others place at school, in which the girl must play the tough.  The difference is that in Kenka Bancho Otome, its star female lead is actually quite capable of defending herself against bad boys.  However, the character writing in Kenka Bancho Otome is not as strong as it is in So Cute It Hurts!!

The male supporting characters have potential, but none of them really steps forward as a breakout male antagonist.  Hinako's brother, Hikaru, barely registers as a character; it is almost as if he is merely a throwaway piece used to explain how a girl ends up in an all-boys school.  Still Kenka Bancho Otome is a fun read, and this first volume does end with a tease of a new adversary for Hinako.  That plus Chie Shimada's beautiful art make this worth another look.  Fans of switched-identity shojo manga will want the Shojo Beat title, Kenka Bancho Otome: Loves's Battle Royale.

B
6 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: THE YOUNG MASTER'S REVENGE Volume 1

THE YOUNG MASTER'S REVENGE, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Meca Tanaka
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9897-0; paperback (March 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Young Master's Revenge (Kimi no Koto nado Zettai ni) is a manga (Japanese comics) from creator, Meca Tanaka.  The series is published in the Japanese manga magazine, LaLa.  VIZ Media is publishing the manga in English as the graphic novel series, The Young Master's Revenge.  VIZ Media has also launched The Young Master's Revenge digitally via viz.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and Google Play stores.

The Young Master's Revenge introduces Leo Tachibana.  Leo wants revenge for an incident that occurred ten years ago.  His target is a childhood friend, the rich girl Tenma Tsuwabuki.  When he is reunited with Tenma, however, Leo discovers that she and her family have fallen on hard times.

The Young Master's Revenge, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) opens as Leo returns to Japan.  His first stop is to visit the home of Tenma, the girl who destroyed his pride.  However, the family business, Tachibana Department Store, is now bankrupt, and Leo finds the Tachibana estate abandoned and in disrepair.  Inside the dilapidated home, Leo finds Tenma scrounging for family heirlooms and treasure that she can sell.  Leo decides if he is to get revenge, he will have to take this sad former “princess” under his care, and make her love him so that he can break her heart.  But will it be that easy?

[This volume includes the bonus manga, “If It's About Me, Keep It Brief” and “Meca Site.”]

Sweet and frothy, The Young Master's Revenge manga is a familiar tale of reunions and ulterior motives.  This series is also from manga writer-artist, Meca Tanaka, the creator of the sweet and delightful shojo manga, Meteor Prince (which VIZ Media published in English back in 2015 in a two-graphic novel series).

The Young Master's Revenge Graphic Novel Volume 1 reveals that Tanaka will bolster this manga's slight premise with supporting characters that are interesting, conniving, and aggressive.  Two of the best are Tenma's jilted fiancé, Gou Gamada, and the student council president, Masaomi Barazono, who is just like one of those rich boy villains out of a John Hughes' teen romantic comedy.

The Young Master's Revenge is not exactly “Shojo Beat” empty calories.  There is some substance inside and a tart cherry on top of the shojo ice cream sundae that is The Young Master's Revenge.  I like it, and I'm giving the first volume a high grade.

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.

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

Review: TAKANE & HANA Volume 1

TAKANE & HANA, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Yuki Shiwasu
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Freeman Wong
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9900-7; paperback (February 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Takane & Hana is a shojo manga from creator Yuki Shiwasu.  A romantic comedy, the series uses the familiar “opposites attract” scenario to focus on a female high school student and a young businessman and heir, who both have strong personalities.  The series originally began publication in the Japanese shojo manga magazine, Hana to Yume.

Hana Nonomura is 16-years-old, and she is about to meet a man who could be her husband.  Why?  Her 23-year-old sister, Yukari, has refused to go to an arranged marriage meeting with 26-year-old Takane Saibara, the heir to a vast business fortune.  Hana and Yukari's father works for the company owned by Takane's family.  Fearing that he might lose his job because of Yukari's refusal, their father convinces Hana to be Yukari's stand-in and save face for their family.

As Takane & Hana, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4) opens, Hana is sitting with her father in the room where the arranged marriage meeting is to be held, but the perspective groom, Takane, heir to the Takaba Group, is a no-show.  When he does finally arrive, Takane proves to be snobby and condescending, but he is about to discover that Hana may still be in high school, but she is no push-over

[This volume includes a bonus story, “Takane & Hana & Jr.,” an afterword, unpublished scene, and character introductions.]

The Takane & Hana manga is a high school shojo romance in which one of the star-crossed lovers is ten years older than the other.  Still, readers will recognize the familiar tropes of young shojo manga in love

Takane & Hana Graphic Novel Volume 1 is a manga narrative feeling its way in its early chapters.  These first four chapters don't equal exceptional material, but Takane & Hana has potential.  All it needs is a third character (or more) to come between the lead characters.  What creator Yuki Shiwasu offers here promises that more fun is coming.

B+
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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Review: CHILDREN OF THE WHALES Volume 1

CHILDREN OF THE WHALES, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Abi Umeda
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Annaliese Christman
EDITOR: Pancha Diaz
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9721-8; paperback (November 2017); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Children of the Whales is a new fantasy adventure manga series from creator Abi Umeda.  The series is set on a island floating atop an endless sea of sand, and the narrative focuses on the isolated community that clings to life on that island.

Children of the Whales, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4) introduces a boy named Chakuro.  He is the archivist for the “Mud Whale,” a floating island city of clay and magic.  Chakuro diligently chronicles the lives and deaths of his people, who cling to survival, but are cut off from its own history.

As the story begins, the community holds a funeral for Benihi, one of “the marked.”  Chakuro is also one of the marked; they are short-lived, but they wield “Thymia,” a magical power fueled by emotions.  Knowing that his time is short, Chakuro tries to chronicle everything he can about his isolated community.  That isolation, however, is about to be shattered by the discovery of a mysterious girl on another mysterious floating island.

[This volume includes an afterword, “How I Discovered Children of the Whales.”  This is also “From the Archivist's Diary: An Illustration of the Mud Whale,” and “A Note on Names.”]

I can honestly say that Children of the Whales is one of the best new manga and graphic novel debuts of 2017.  It reminds me of Daisuke Igarashi's imaginative environmental manga, Children of the Sea, which VIZ Media published earlier this decade.

Children of the Whales Volume 1 reads like an eco-fantasy and thriller because so much of the narrative is not only about the characters, but also about the world around them.  Creator Abi Umeda offers graphical striking compositions and inventive page design and layout that drive the narrative to balance character drama with a sense of suspense and mystery.  The four chapters contained in this first graphic novel are obviously connected, but each one presents something new, and sometimes even a fresh perspective.  From the exotic beginning to the shocking ending, Children of the Whales, Vol. 1 is a magical and gripping narrative.

Readers looking for unique graphic novels for young readers and teens will want the VIZ Signature title, Children of the Whales.

A
10 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 blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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