Tenjo Tenge: The Final Full Contact

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 11

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

Tenjo Tenge: Susano-O the Swift

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 10: Full Contact Edition 2-in-1

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.

Tenjo Tenge: Time War(p) at Osaka Castle

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 8 (Full Contact Edition)

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free comics).

VIZ Media Debuting 9 Mature Manga Series on VIZManga.com

VIZ MEDIA DEBUTS MATURE MANGA SERIES ON VIZMANGA.COM

BLACK LAGOON, DOGS, NANA, TENJO TENGE And More Launch This Month On North America’s Leading Digital Manga Platform!

San Francisco, CA, September 11, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, tantalizes readers with a digital collection of nine mature manga (graphic novel) series launching this month on VIZManga.com.

From kinetic action and imaginative science fiction to romance and gothic melodrama, these new additions push the boundaries of the manga medium and share an emphasis on creative quality and unique storylines. The newly available manga series, each rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers, include BLACK LAGOON. BUTTERFLIES, FLOWERS, THE CAIN SAGA, DOGS, DOROHEDORO, IKIGAMI: THE ULTIMATE LIMIT, JORMUMGAND, NANA, and TENJO TENGE. Individual volumes start at $4.99 each.

BLACK LAGOON Volume 1 · by Hiroe Rei · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
Lock n' load with the baddest group of mercenaries ever to hit the high seas of Southeast Asia! Aboard their World War II torpedo boat, the Black Lagoon, Dutch the Boss, Benny the Mechanic, Revy Two Hand, and Rock, the salaryman from Japan, deliver anything, anywhere. In the dangerous underworld of the Russian Mafia, Chinese triads, Colombian drug cartels, crazed assassins, and ruthless mercenaries, it's hard to know who to trust. But if you've got a delivery to make, and you don't mind a little property damage along the way, you can count on the crew of the Black Lagoon!

BUTTERFLIES, FLOWERS Volume 1 · by Yuki Yoshihara · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
Choko Kuze is the sensible daughter of a venerable family who went bankrupt. She joins a real estate company as an entry-level office worker, but her eccentric boss is harder on her than anyone else in the company! After hearing him inadvertently call her "milady," she realizes he was the young servant boy she knew as a child. At work he's a tyrant, but after hours he insists on treating her like a lady of the nobility. Is romance even possible for a couple locked in such a crazy role reversal?

THE CAIN SAGA Volume 1 · by Kaori Yuki · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
Delve into the tortured past of Earl Cain C. Hargreaves, charismatic heir to a wealthy family full of secrets, lies and unthinkable crimes. The prequel to the Godchild series, The Cain Saga follows the young Cain as he attempts to unravel the secrets of his birth, all the while solving each new mystery that comes his way.

DOGS Volume 0 · by Shirow Miwa · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
Boasting furious action, switchback plotting, magnetic characters and dazzling art, Dogs tells the story of four individuals struggling to survive a dystopian urban future by gun and sword and courage and luck.

DOROHEDORO Volume 1 · by Q Hayashida · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
In a city so dismal it's known only as "the Hole," a clan of Sorcerers has been plucking people off the streets to use as guinea pigs for atrocious "experiments" in the black arts. In a dark alley, Nikaido found Caiman, a man with a reptile head and a bad case of amnesia. To undo the spell, they're hunting and killing the Sorcerers in the Hole, hoping that eventually they'll kill the right one. But when En, the head Sorcerer, gets word of a lizard-man slaughtering his people, he sends a crew of "cleaners" into the Hole, igniting a war between two worlds.

IKIGAMI: THE ULTIMATE LIMIT Volume 1 · by Motoro Mase · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available September 25th
Dear Citizen: Thank you for your loyalty. You've no doubt noticed that the world is a troubled place. People are apathetic, lazy, unmotivated. You've probably asked yourself WHY ISN'T ANYTHING BEING DONE TO STOP THIS SYSTEMATIC DECLINE? Rest assured that measures are being taken. Beginning today, we will randomly select a different citizen who will be killed within 24 hours of notification. We believe this will help remind all people how precious life is and how important it is to be a productive, active member of society. Thank you for your continued attention and your cooperation and participation...

JORMUNGAND Volume 1 · by Keitaro Takahashi · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available September 18th
Jonah is a child soldier, born amidst the chaotic conflicts that rage across West Asia, his family lost to a war fueled by weapons supplied by the so-called Merchants of Death--international arms dealers. Despite Jonah's hatred of weapons and violence, he employs both extremely well in the service of high-flying arms dealer Koko Hekmatyar and her band of mercenaries. Their journey through the dark underbelly of the world's arms markets may lead only to damnation, but will Jonah one day make his way back to the light? Only one thing is certain: it's going to be a long, hard road out of hell...

NANA Volume 1 · by Ai Yazawa · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
Nana "Hachi" Komatsu hopes that moving to Tokyo will help her make a clean start and leave her capricious love life behind her. Nana Osaki, who arrives in the city at the same time, has plans to score big in the world of rock'n'roll. Although these two young women come from different backgrounds, they quickly become best friends in a whirlwind world of sex, music, fashion, gossip and all-night parties!

TENJO TENGE Volume 1 · by Oh!great · Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers · Available Now!
Welcome to Todo High, where the only rule is: get strong or get schooled.

Soichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara have always been the meanest street brawlers around. When they enter Todo High they plan on carving out a reputation as the strongest fighters in their new school – easier said than done in a place that's dedicated to training its students in the art of combat! After realizing they're the new fish swimming in a tank full of sharks, Soichiro and Bob enter the Juken fight club as rookie members. However, the Executive Council – the archrival of the Juken Club – soon launches a surprise attack. Soichiro and Bob have a chance to show their stuff, as long as they don't get curb-kicked in the process!

VIZManga.com is the top website for reading manga and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world, with more than 80 series and 700+ volumes are currently available and new ones added regularly. To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit vizmanga.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan's largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Tenjo Tenge: Maya Natsume vs. Tetsuhito Kagiroi the True Demon

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 7 (Full Contact Edition)

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

Tenjo Tenge: Masataka Rising

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 6 (Full Contact Edition)

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Tenjo Tenge: "F"

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 5: Full Contact Edition 2-in-1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps and comics).

Tenjo Tenge: The Natsumes

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 4: Full Contact Edition 2-in-1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has free comics).

Tenjo Tenge: Bunshichi Takes on Shin

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 3: Full Contact Edition 2-in-1 (Tenjho Tenge)

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.

Tenge Tenjo: Enter Todo High

I read Tenjo Tenge, Vol. 1: Full Contact Edition 2-in-1

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

I Reads You Review: AIR GEAR, VOL. 11

Creator: Oh!great; Makoto Yukon (translation and adaptation)

Publishing Information: Del Rey Manga, paperback, 202 pages, $10.99 (US), $12.50 CAN

Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-0-345-50814-0 (ISBN-13)

Rating “OT for Ages 16+”

Air Gear is a shonen manga created by manga-ka, Ito Ōgure, who works under the pen name, Oh!great. The series takes place in a world where the most popular sport is Air Trecks, a highly advanced form of inline skating. The series focuses on Itsuki “Ikki” Minami. A student and juvenile delinquent, he is also a prodigy at Air Trecks and may become the “Sky Keeper.” To compete with other Air Trecks teams, Ikki and his friends form their own team, Kogarasumaru.

In Air Gear, Vol. 11, Ikki becomes something of a rock star in the world of Air Trecks, but now he’s forgetting where he came from and also his friends. In a bid to move Kogarasumaru up in the rankings, Ikki challenges Team Potemkin to a fight on their home turf, Shinonome Battleship Island, an island partly made of boats. Also, a trip to Kyoto brings Kogarasumaru into conflict before and during the trip.

Air Gear is like a combination of the shonen manga, Yakitate!! Japan and Reborn! Air Gear is full of fantastic weird characters like both, and focuses on the dynamics of a gang or criminal organization – like Reborn! Like both, Air Gear is an action comedy, and creator Oh!great is good at drawing both action and comedy.

In the action scenes, the artist displays solid draftsmanship with imaginative compositions. The storytelling is a bit wild and incomprehensible, at times – the kiss of death in graphic storytelling, but here, is much less catastrophic for the narrative. He’s great at drawing objects, landscapes, cityscapes, etc. He can also warp and deform anatomy and backgrounds for the appropriate comic effect or whatever comic tone is appropriate for a particular scene.

Although I had a hard time following Air Gear and catching onto the concept, I would read this again. The idea of football played by athletes wearing inline skates or high-flying martial arts done while wearing inline skates intrigues me. Air Gear is more weird than stupid, or at least that is what a fool for shonen manga would say.