Arata: The Legend - Stop and Smell the... Cause You Have No Choice

I read Arata: The Legend, Vol. 21

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which is seeking donations.  Follow me on Twitter or at Grumble.

Spell of Desire: Incubus Block

I read Spell of Desire, Vol. 3

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Dengeki Daisy: The Secret of M's Last Testament

I read Dengeki Daisy , Vol. 14

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Arata: The Legend - Demon Tree

I read Arata: The Legend, Vol. 20

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Spell of Desire: Enter the Black Witch Coven

I read Spell of Desire, Vol. 2

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Tegami Bachi: Late Hire Chico

I read Tegami Bachi, Vol. 17

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Oresama Teacher: The Secret Mission of Shinobu Yui

I read Oresama Teacher , Vol. 17

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Review: MY LOVE STORY!! Volume 2

MY LOVE STORY!!, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Kazune Kawahara
ART: Aruko
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Mark McMurray
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7145-4; paperback (October 2014); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Kazune Kawahara is a manga creator best known for her romantic comedy shojo manga, High School Debut.  She also writes the high school, romantic comedy manga, Ore Monogatari, which is drawn by Aruko.  VIZ Media recently began publishing Ore Monogatari in North America as My Love Story!!

The series focuses on high school student, Takeo Goda.  He is a gentle giant, but he isn't the most attractive fellow.  He also has a giant heart, but girls won't have anything to do with him.  Then he meets Rinko Yamato, after saving her from a harasser on the train.  Yamato falls in love with Takeo and his life changes.

As My Love Story!!, Vol. 2 (Chapters 4 to 7) opens, Takeo is enjoying life with a girlfriend.  Now, that Takeo has a girlfriend, his friends also want to meet girls, so Yamato plans a mixer.  Everything is going well when some of the friends decide to start saying bad things.  Also, Takeo agrees to help out the Shuei High judo team, but that means time away from Yamato.  Will this relationship, which is still in its “honeymoon stage,” survive gossipy friends and sports tournaments?

[This volume contains an interview with series creators, Kazune Kawahara and Aruko.]

The My Love Story!! manga is a sweet high school shojo love story.  Reading it tickles my imagination; it's dessert for my brain.  That's all I can say about it for now.  I have to admit that I cannot help but love a volume of manga that includes four recipes for Japanese treats, sweet and savory.  Manga plus foodie culture – that's nice.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Arata: The Legend - Betrayal

I read Arata: The Legend, Vol. 19

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which is seeking donations.  Follow me on Twitter.

Dawn of the Arcana: The Final Volume

I read Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 13

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Review: MIDNIGHT SECRETARY Volume 7

MIDNIGHT SECRETARY, VOL. 7
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Tomu Ohmi
TRANSLATION & ENGLISH ADAPTATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Joanna Estep
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5950-6; paperback (September 2014); Rated “M” for “Mature”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Midnights Secretary Volume 7 is the final volume of the series.  Created by Tomu Ohmi, Midnight Secretary focuses on a human female, Kaya Satozuka, and a vampire male,  Kyohei Tohma.

Kaya Satozuka prides herself on being an excellent secretary and a consummate professional at Tohma Corp., a tableware manufacturer.  When she was 22-years-old, Kaya was reassigned to the office of the company’s difficult Managing Director, Kyohei Tohma.  Kaya did not worry about her hard-to-please new boss; then, she discovered that Kyohei was a vampire.  Now, 23-years old, Kaya works full time at Lakes Venture Capital (LVC), a new investment company started by Kyohei.

As Midnight Secretary, Vol. 7 (Chapters 31 to 33 to Final Chapter) opens, Kyohei is banished from the vampire clan because he refuses to renounce his love for Kaya.  However, it is dangerous to be a lone vampire outside the clan, cut off from the vampires' power, influence, and protection.  He even loses access to blood substitutes.

Kaya is determined to support Kyohei through this difficult time, even if it means arranging “dinner dates” for him.  A “dinner date” is a woman who has sex with Kyohei and also gives him blood.  Can Kaya really accept that?  Will she be able to accept the big change in their relationship and an even bigger change in both their lives.

[This volume includes a bonus story, “Special Feature: Midnight Butler” and the extra, “Nekomata Today.”]

The Midnight Secretary manga is an intriguing shojo vampire manga, although it is also silly and playful, at times.  I will miss it, as it is ending sooner than I expected.  As this is the final volume of the series, creator Tomu Ohmi offers two big surprises and even a few small ones.  Some have been previously teased, and some are obvious, considering that this is a romance manga.  [Hint: think Twilight.]

At times, Midnight Secretary has been melodramatic, a bit dark, even edgy, and sometimes comedic.  This final volume is all sentiment and warm cocoa.  Ohmi leaves behind the potential of the series self-contained mythology and the intrigue presented by the internal and external politics of the vampire clan, especially where it concerns Kyohei.  Still, Midnight Secretary had some good moments, and while I doubt that it will be memorable, I can be an entertaining read.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Manga Review: SPELL OF DESIRE Volume 1

SPELL OF DESIRE, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Tomu Ohmi
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane
LETTERS: Monalisa de Asis
ISBN: 978-1-4215-6775-4; paperback (August 2014); Rated “M” for “Mature”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Tomu Ohmi is a female mangaka who made her debut in 2000.  VIZ Media is currently publishing the English-language version of her series, Midnight Secretary.  The San Francisco-based publisher is also making her most recent series, Spell of Desire, available to North American readers.

Spell of Desire focuses on Kaoruko “Koko” Mochizuki owns and operates an herb shop in a small seaside town in Japan.  One day, a mysterious man dressed in black walks into the Moon Witch Herb Shop and introduces himself as Kaname Hibiki.  Kaname tells Kaoruko that she is actually a witch and that he has arrived to help her control the power that is awakening in her.

Spell of Desire, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) opens with the arrival of Kaname.  He is bringing shocking news about Koko and her mother and grandmother.  He says that he is a “Knight.”  He tells her about being the target of humans and demons alike.  And now her customers think that Kaoruko finally has a boyfriend.  Kaoruko wants to reject Kaname, but then, he steals a kiss…

It is worth comparing the Spell of Desire manga to Midnight Secretary, the previous manga produced by Spell of Desire creator, Tomu Ohmi.  Midnight Secretary is by turns sweet and silly and also dark and mysterious.  Its scenario is playful, which belies the danger inherent in some characters.

Spell of Desire seems like something I’ve read countless times before.  While Midnight Secretary manages to be different as vampire fiction, Spell of Desire scenario of the Knight-without-shining-armor rescuing the magical-novice-damsel seems a bit soft.  The best scenes are the ones featuring Kaname’s familiars, Dragon and Unicorn.  Like Midnight Secretary, I think Spell of Desire will start to differentiate itself in the second and third volumes.  Meanwhile, Spell of Desire Volume 1 has beautiful art, but the magic does not crackle.  Still, Fans of Tomu Ohmi may want to try Spell of Desire.

B-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Midnight Secretary: Having a Baby

I read Midnight Secretary, Vol. 6

I posted a review at ComicBookBin, which is calling for donations.  Follow me on Twitter.

Arata: The Legend - Written Word

I read Arata: The Legend, Vol. 18

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Arata: The Legend - Demonization

I read Arata: The Legend, Vol. 17

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which has free smart phone apps and comics, and seeks donations from its readers.  You can follow me on Twitter and follow my Indiegogo campaign.

Midnight Secretary: Love Triangle?

I read Midnight Secretary, Vol. 5

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which needs your donations).  You can follow me on Twitter and visit my Indiegogo campaign.

Manga Review: STROBE EDGE Volume 10

 

STROBE EDGE, VOL. 10
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Io Sakisaka
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Ysabet MacFarlane
LETTERS: John Hunt
ISBN: 978-1-4215-6448-7; paperback (May 2014); Rated “T” for “Teen”
184pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Strobe Edge is a shojo manga (comics for teen girls) from Io Sakisaka (the creator of Ao Haru Ride).  VIZ Media sent me a copy of Strobe Edge Volume 2 for review in late 2012, which was my first experience with the series.  Now, with the release of tenth volume, the series’ North American publication comes to an end.  I can say that in terms of graphic style and tone, Strobe Edge never changed.

Strobe Edge focuses on Ninako Kinoshita, a 16-year-old who falls crazy in love with fellow high school student, Ren Ichinose.  Just before summer vacation begins, Ninako first tells Ren how she feels about him, and that begins a complicated romance.  Things get even more complicated, but Ren changes Ninako’s world.

As Strobe Edge, Vol. 10 (Chapters 35-36 – the Final Chapter) begins, Ren wants answers from Ninako.  She’s not ready to give them.  Now, she fears that Ren is out of her life.  Is that what she wants?  That can’t be what she wants.  Takumi Ando, a boy who also loves Ninako, decides that now is the time to make his move.

[This volume includes a side story, “Strobe Edge ˜Manabu Miyoshi˜;” a “Strobe Edge Bonus Chapter;” and a bonus story.]

The North American version of the Strobe Edge manga comes to an end.  It is a typical high school shojo romantic manga, and Strobe Edge Volume 10 offers a typical happy shojo ending.  Creator Io Sakisaka ties up loose ends, but she offers a lot of extras for readers as she ends the story.  I am guessing that I am as satisfied with the resolution as anyone who has followed this series since the beginning.

Strobe Edge takes the easy way out to satisfy readers, but the lead characters go through enough, even in the end, to make readers earn that sweet happy ending.  I think that fans of Shojo Beat high school romance will want to try the Shojo Beat title, Strobe Edge.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Dawn of the Arcana: Guran and Sara

I read Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 12

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics with an Indiegogo campaign), and you can follow me on Twitter.

Oresama Teacher: The Shrinking of the Public Morals Club

I read Oresama Teacher , Vol. 16

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Midnight Secretary: The Mysterious Marika

I read Midnight Secretary, Vol. 4

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.