Yo-Kai Watch: Jibanyan's Tale

I read Yo-kai Watch, Vol. 3

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

Yo-Kai Watch: Beware the Bristly Germs

I read Yo-kai Watch, Vol. 2

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

Review: YO-KAI WATCH Volume 1

YO-KAI WATCH, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA/Perfect Square – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Noriyuki Konishi
ORIGINAL STORY: Level 5, Inc.
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Aubrey Sitterson
LETTERS: William F Schuch
EDITOR: Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8251-1; paperback (November 2015); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN

Yo-Kai Watch is a video game created by Japanese video game developer, Level-5.  It is published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 3DS.  Yo-Kai Watch inspired a manga produced by mangaka, Noriyuki Konishi.  This manga is the latest addition to VIZ Media's “Perfect Square” imprint, and November sees the release of the first two volumes of Yo-Kai Watch.

Yo-Kai Watch, Vol. 1 (entitled Nate's Lucky Day; Chapters 1 to 7) introduces Nate Adams, an ordinary elementary school student.  One day, Nate meets a strange yokai (called “yo-kai” in this series) named “Whisper.”  The floating, blob-like Whisper gives to Nate a gift.  It is the “Yo-Kai Watch,” which allows Nate to see yo-kai that are invisible to the human eye.  Soon, Nate is helping yo-kai and collecting from each one a “Yo-Kai Metal,” a memento of friendship that allows him to call on each one when he needs help.

[This volume includes the bonus story, “Late to School!!]

The Yo-Kai Watch manga is a good graphic novel series for young comics readers, especially those already familiar with Yu-Gi-Oh! manga.  In fact, I would not be surprised to learn that Yo-Kai Watch is inspired by Yu-Gi-Oh!  Both franchises encourage fans to collect franchise-related creatures and creature-inspired objects and ephemera.

That aside, Yo-Kai Watch Volume 1 is a good read.  The stories are not exactly taken from the “wheel of morality,” but each offers a lesson to learn.  Also, Nate Adams is an all-around good guy, who is always up for adventure and discovery, which is a good thing in a lead character, whether the story is for young or old.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: LBX Volume 6

LBX, VOL. 6
VIZ MEDIA/Perfect Square – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Hideaki Fujii
ORIGINAL STORY: Level 5
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Aubrey Sitterson
LETTERS: Annaliese Christman
EDITOR: Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7700-5; paperback (July 2015); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
152pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

The video game, LBX (Little Battlers eXperience), is a series of role-playing action games created by Level-5 for the Sony PSP.  Hideaki Fujii created an “all ages” manga based on LBX, which VIZ Media has published in English as a bi-monthly graphic novel series under its “Perfect Square” imprint.

In the world of Fujii's manga, the LBX is the hottest toy in the year 2050.  The LBX (Little Battlers eXperience) is a miniaturized robot made of a new super-strong industrial cardboard.  Van Yamano is a rising LBX player, but he doesn't just play with these battle-robots for fun.  In order to save his father, Professor Yamano, he has to keep the LBX, named “Achilles,” out of the hands of evil at all costs.

As LBX, Vol. 6 (Chapters 23 to 25 to Final Chapter, entitled World Battle) opens, the “Duck Shuttle” arrives at the powerful new military satellite Eden, which orbits the Earth.  Aboard the shuttle are Van and his partner and LBX rival, Hiro Hughes, with Cobra piloting.

Van has LBX Icarus Zero, and Hiro has LBX Icarus Force.  The duo plans to use their LBX to stop a plot by Alfred Gordon, Vice-President of the American Union and also leader of “The Directors,” a terrorist group.  Gordon wants to bring peace to the world by taking control of the world, and he has the powerful and perhaps unstoppable LBX Zeus to enforce his will.  Van, Hiro, and Gordon are in for a big surprise.

[This volume includes bonus comics.]

I am still surprised that I enjoyed the LBX manga, which proved to be quite entertaining.  The series is really directed at elementary-age readers and also fans of the LBX, an actual, real-life media and merchandising franchise.  Alas, LBX Volume 6 is the end of the series... for now at least.  Still, this short, six-volume graphic novel series is perfect for readers who are enjoying or have enjoyed the Yu-Gi-Oh manga.  Those readers may even want to have an LBX toy.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux (Support Leroy on Patreon.)


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

LBX: New Hope

I read LBX: New Hope, Vol. 5

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

Review: "The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past"

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: A LINK TO THE PAST
VIZ MEDIA/Perfect Square – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Shotaro Ishinomori
TRANSLATION: Dan Owsen
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7541-4; paperback (May 2015)
192pp, Color, $19.99 U.S., $22.99 CAN, £13.99 U.K.

The manga-ka (artist-creator), the late Shotaro Ishinomori (1938-1998), was an influential figure in manga and anime and in the live-action film and television genre known as “tokusatsu.”  Ishinomori is the creator of such series as Cyborg 009 (1964) and Kamen Rider (a manga and tokusatsu).  VIZ Media recently brought a “lost” work of Ishinomori back into print.

The Legend of Zelda is a high-fantasy themed action-adventure video game series published by Nintendo.  Since 1986, Nintendo has published over 20 Zelda games and spin-offs.  For two decades, Nintendo has also officially endorsed and commissioned manga adaptations of The Legend of Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, loosely based on a 1991 game of the same title, was published in 1992.  Written and drawn by Shotaro Ishinomori, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was a twelve-part series originally published in the magazine, Nintendo Power, from Volume 32 (January 1992) to Volume 43 (December 1992).

VIZ Media brought the long out-of-print The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past back to readers through its “Perfect Square” imprint.  VIZ published the new The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past as an 8” x 11.75” full-color, paperback, graphic novel.  This special, single-volume, print edition, which is exclusive to VIZ Media, carries an SRP of $19.99 U.S. and $22.99 CAN.

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is set in the kingdom of Hyrule and focuses on a young man named Link.  One night, he receives a telepathic summons from Princess Zelda, who is being held prisoner by Agahnim, an evil wizard.  Agahnim wants to use the life force of seven maidens to open the Golden Seal to the Dark World, which would allow a great evil to come into the world of light, of which Hyrule is a part.

Rescuing Zelda and keeping her safe turns out to be quite a task.  Link goes on a quest to retrieve the “Three Symbols of Virtue,” a trio of pendants that will make it easier for Link to find and to wield the “Master Sword.”  Is Link really the legendary hero who appears once every hundred years to use the Master Sword in order to save Hyrule?  A difficult journey and quest will answer that question.

I am not sure if I ever realized that there were comics and manga based on The Legend of Zelda, although I was aware of the 1989 American animated television miniseries.  VIZ Media sent me copy-for-review of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, and as soon as I flipped through it, I was impressed with this graphic novel.  The colors are dazzling and really show well on the high-quality coated paper stock upon which this book is printed.

As for the story, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is an especially fun read.  What “little kid” is left in me loved it.  In fact, I think that this is a perfect graphic novel for elementary school age readers.  It is a simple quest story that jumps around a lot – sometimes in a manner that makes for awkward transitions within an scene and from one scene to the next.  However, the inventive supporting characters and imaginative locales, as depicted by Shotaro Ishinomori, are captivating.

I am surprised that I find myself thinking that VIZ Media's publication of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is a good comics reclamation project.  I think some American manga fans will also be glad for the return of this lost comics video game adaptation.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

LBX: Artemis Begins

I read LBX: Artemis Begins, Vol. 2

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

Review: LBX Volume 1

LBX, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Hideaki Fujii
ORIGINAL STORY: Level 5
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Aubrey Sitterson
LETTERS: Annaliese Christman
EDITOR: Joel Enos
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7695-4; paperback (November 2014); Rated “A” for “All Ages”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

The video game, LBX (Little Battlers eXperience), is a series of role-playing action games created by Level-5 for the Sony PSP.  Hideaki Fujii created an “all ages” manga based on LBX, which VIZ Media is publishing in English as a bi-monthly graphic novel series.

LBX, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4, entitled New Dawn Raisers) introduces Van Yamano, a boy who really loves LBX!  These miniaturized battle-robots are the hottest toys in the year 2050.  The problem is that Van's mother does not want him to play with LBX because she blames them for the death of her husband and Van's father, Professor Yamano.

Little does she know that the professor left a very special LBX just for Van.  However, the C.I.O. and the New Dawn Raisers know about the special LBX and are interested in Van.

[This volume includes the original LBX story from Coro Coro Comics magazine.]

VIZ Media publishes the LBX manga through its Perfect Square imprint, which offers “all ages” books.   These are comic books for elementary age children, and if they have the patience and can read at their grade level, then, young readers can grasp the uncomplicated LBX.

I must admit that I find LBX Volume 1 to be surprisingly intense with a relatively believable sense of impending death directed at the heroes.  This isn't the kind of guaranteed death that comics like Kick-Ass or Preacher presented.  Still, the duels between LBX players seem painful, but I also have to admit that I would read this again.  LBX may be genuine kids' comics, but it offers up some interesting questions to which I want to know the answers.  Young comic book readers who are ready for graphic novels will want their own LBX.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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