#IReadsYou Review: KAIJU NO. 8 Volume 2

KAIJU NO. 8, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA

MANGAKA: Naoya Matsumoto
TRANSLATION: David Evelyn
LETTERS: Brandon Bovia
EDITOR: Karla Clark
ISBN: 978-1-9747-2714-8; paperback (April 2022); Rated “T” for “Teen”
212pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 U.K.

Kaiju No. 8 is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoya Matsumoto.  It has been serialized for free on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ application and website since July 2020.  VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of the manga as series of paperback graphic novels under its “Shonen Jump” imprint in December 2021

Kaiju No. 8 opens in a world where Japan is plagued by the giant monsters known as “kaiju.”  Thirty-two-year-old Kafka Hibino is a kaiju corpse cleanup man for Monster Sweeper, Inc., a professional kaiju cleaning company.  He wishes that he was a member of the Japanese Defense Force (JDF), which is tasked with neutralizing kaiju.  Kafka and childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, both wanted to be members of the Defense Force.  Mina is now captain of the JDF's “Third Division” and has neutralized hundreds of kaiju.  Kafka has revived his dream to join Mina in the Defense Force, but he undergoes an unexpected transformation.  Now, he has made the Defense Force's neutralization list as the kaiju code named “Kaiju No. 8!”

As Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 2 (Chapters 8 to 17) opens, some of Kafka's colleague know his secret that he is Kaiju No. 8, as he springs into action to put down other kaiju.  But now, it's time to worry about the final Defense Force tests.  Kafka fails spectacularly, but his spirit and determination get him into the JDF on a provisional basis.  Kafka isn't an officer; he is a cadet, and he has three months to prove himself.  A Honju (a “main beast”) has attacked, and if Kafka can't use his skills, he can use his knowledge to impress.  But is the latest invasion too much for everyone, including his colleagues, Reno Ichikawa and Iharu Furuhashi?

THE LOWDOWN:  The Kaiju No. 8 manga is one of many current kaiju manga.  It manages to be a standout with its many twists and turns.

Kaiju No. 8 Graphic Novel Volume 2 offers a familiar scenario – young people going through the process of joining and then making their way in some kind of monster-fighting organization.  Naoya Matsumoto does not short readers on scenes featuring tests and field exercises.  There are rivalries and also one student that really stands out.  Thus far, the most intense plot line in the series is Kafka and his Kaiju No. 8 situation.  What is he really?  It is not a matter of if more people will discover his secrets, but of when.  So what happens then?

Those questions and the intrigue make Kaiju No. 8 a manga worth following.  Plus, Matsumoto's kaiju illustrations are really awesome.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of kaiju manga will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Kaiju No. 8.

A-
★★★½ out of 4 stars

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


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#IReadsYou Review: KAIJU No. 8: Volume 1

KAIJU NO. 8, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA

MANGAKA: Naoya Matsumoto
TRANSLATION: David Evelyn
LETTERS: Brandon Bovia
EDITOR: Karla Clark
ISBN: 978-1-9747-2598-4; paperback (December 2021); Rated “T” for “Teen”
212pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 U.K.

Kaiju No. 8 is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Naoya Matsumoto.  It has been serialized for free on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ application and website since July 2020.  VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of the manga as series of paperback graphic novels under its “Shonen Jump” imprint in December 2021

Kaiju No. 8, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 7) opens up in a world where Japan is plagued by the giant monsters known as “kaiju.”  Thirty-two-year-old Kafka Hibino is a kaiju corpse cleanup man.  Kafka works for Monster Sweeper, Inc., a professional kaiju cleaning company, but he wishes that he was a member of the Japanese Defense Force, which is tasked with neutralizing kaiju.

Kafka and childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, both wanted to be members of the Defense Force.  Mina is now captain of the JDF's “Third Division” and has neutralized hundreds of kaiju.  Kafka is training a new part time worker, 18-year-old Reno Ichikawa, who is determined to take the JDF's exam to join the force as a kaiju fighter.  That inspires Kafka to revive his dream to join Mina in the Defense Force, but there is one serious complication.  Kafka has recently made the Defense Force's neutralization list as the kaiju code named Kaiju No. 8!

THE LOWDOWN:  The Kaiju No. 8 manga made its North American debut this month (Dec. 2021).  With its striking cover art, the first volume may tempt fans of kaiju comics to try it.

Kaiju No. 8 Graphic Novel Volume 1 offers a familiar scenario.  A hero is forced into becoming the very kind of monster that he fights, or, in the case of Kafka Hibino, the very monsters which he cleans-up after.  Rather than treating his lead character as tragic, creator Naoya Matsumoto creates a comedy in which the hero makes the best of the situation.  That will probably lead to enough imaginative comic scenarios to keep Kaiju No. 8 running for several volumes, at least.

The translation by David Evelyn captures the moods, styles, and elements in which the manga plies its narrative trade.  Right now, the story focuses on the nastiness of Kafka's job, his growing friendship with Reno, the rigors of training, and how he faces becoming a kaiju.  So far, I like that Kafka is making the best of it.  Maybe, this manga will ultimately be about a hero who overcomes obstacles.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of kaiju manga will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Kaiju No. 8.

A

8 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: THE PROMISED NEVERLAND Volume 16

 

THE PROMISED NEVERLAND, VOL. 16

VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Kaiu Shirai
ART: Posuka Demizu
TRANSLATION: Satsuki Yamashita
LETTERS: Mark McMurray
EDITOR: Alexis Kirsch
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1701-9; paperback (August 2020); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 U.K.

The Promised Neverland is a Japanese manga series written by Kaiu Shirai and illustrated by Posuka Demizu.  It was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from August 2016 to June 2020.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint from December 2017 to August 2021.

The Promised Neverland opens at Grace Field House, an orphanage where the children have a wonderful life... or so it seems.  The orphanage's three brightest children are Emma, Norman, and Ray, all 11-years-old as the story begins.  Like the other orphans, they enjoy the daily studying and exams, and also the delicious food and plentiful playtime.  However, the children's loving, but stern caretaker, “Mom,” hides the fact that everything is not what it seems, a fact these three bright children will discover upon turning 12.

As The Promised Neverland, Vol. 16 (Chapters 134 to 143; entitled “Lost Boy”) opens, Emma and Ray attempt to find the “Seven Walls,” and find themselves trapped in a mysterious, twisty world.  Can they escape this labyrinth and make their way to the human world?  And are they willing to pay the price required?  Elsewhere, Don, Gilda, and Hayato continue their quest to find their old demon friends, Mujika and Sonju, but betrayal is afoot.

Meanwhile, Norman has his own plans to end the human-demon conflict...

THE LOWDOWN:  In Japan, The Promised Neverland manga ended its serialization in the Japanese edition of Weekly Shonen Jump last summer.  In North America, the final volume (Vol. 20) of VIZ Media's English-language collection of the manga as a graphic novel series for young adult readers will arrive in about two weeks as of this writing.

The Promised Neverland Graphic Novel Volume 16 is the first volume of the series that I have read in almost a year.  I still find this manga to be a riveting read, but I realized, early in reading this volume, that I wasn't as into reading the series as I had been a year or so ago.  That changed and I got back into the series, full-on, when I realized that Vol. 16 was a symphony of backstabbing and betrayal.  Much of it deals with the history of Julius Ratri, essentially the human who helped to create the current status quo between humans and demons.

Satsuki Yamashita creates the translation that makes Vol. 16 deliver power via its shocks and surprises, while Mark McMurray's lettering hits all the dark and edgy notes.  They help to make Vol. 16 both an exceptional and a pivotal volume.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers of dark fantasy graphic novels will find a terrifying story in Shonen Jump's The Promised Neverland.

A
9 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: NARUTO Volume 71

NARUTO, VOL. 71
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Masashi Kishimoto
TRANSLATION: Mari Morimoto
LETTERS: John Hunt
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8176-7; paperback (August 2015); Rated “T” for “Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Naruto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto.  The series is based on two one-shot manga by Kishimoto: Karakuri (1995) and Naruto (1997).  Naruto was serialized in the Japanese magazine, Weekly Shōnen Jump, from 1999 to 2014.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a series of paperback graphic novels from August 2003 to October 2015, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint.

Naruto tells the story of a young shinobi (ninja) named Uzumaki Naruto, in two parts, first his pre-teen years and then, his teen years.  Naruto has an incorrigible knack for mischief, and he is the biggest troublemaker at the Ninja Academy in the shinobi Village of Konohagakure.  He is an outcast because there is something special about him.  When he was a baby, his parents (father Minato and mother Kushina) imprisoned a nine-tailed fox spirit (Kurama) inside his infant body.  Now, 16-years-old and incorrigible as ever, Uzumaki Naruto is still serious about his quest to become the world’s greatest ninja and the Hokage (leader) of his village.

The Akatsuki villain, Uchiha Madara, was the true instigator of The Fourth Great Ninja War.  Reviving the monstrous tailed-beast (biju), Ten Tails, was just the part of his plan.

Naruto, Vol. 71 (Chapters 680 to 690, entitled “I Love You Guys”) opens with Naruto and his former teammate/now teammate again, Uchiha Sasuke, facing the prospect of fighting the revived Kaguya, the creator of all chakra.  That will be difficult as this mother of all can traverse time-space.

Her partner, the creature who has been plotting Kaguya's revival since time immemorial, Black Zetsu, has information to share.  He explains who he is, what Ten Tails really is, and how Kaguya will reclaim all chakra.  Also, he says that his opponents are the reincarnation of Kaguya's two sons, with Naruto being Ashura and Sasuke being Indra.  Plus, the Sage of Six Paths returns, and Cell Seven reunites to save the world.

Some of you may know that the Naruto manga came to an end in Japan last November (2014).  Here, in the states, we are just catching up to that finale via VIZ Media's graphic novel format publication of Naruto.  Naruto Graphic Novel Volume 71 is the penultimate volume of the series (which I incorrectly thought was Vol. 70).  Vol. 71 is big... big... big, but still the same size.  It is not that the battles contained herein are any more epic than the battles in previous volumes.  It is simply that Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto puts everything or almost everything in context.  He explains basically who the “bad guys” were and are, and why they were and are.

SPOILER ALERT:  I don't yet know what happens in the final graphic novel (Vol. 72), but the good guys win in Vol. 71.  However, I think we are the losers because Naruto is gone too soon.  Still, the 72 volumes that comprise this series are so packed with narrative that we have likely forgotten much of what has already happened by the time we get to the end.  Naruto is worth reading again.

A+
10 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: SAMURAI 8: The Tale of Hachimaru Volume 2

SAMURAI 8: THE TALE OF HACHIMARU, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CREATOR/STORY: Masashi Kishimoto
ART: Akira Okubo
TRANSLATION: Stephen Paul
LETTERS: Snir Aharon
EDITOR: Alexis Kirsch
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1538-1; paperback (May 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 U.K.

Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru is a shonen manga series created and written by Masashi Kishimoto (of Naruto fame) and illustrated by Akira Okubo.  Samurai 8 was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, from May 2019 to March 2020.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a five-volume graphic novel series from March 2020 to February 2021 under its “Shonen Jump” imprint.

Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru introduces Hachimaru, a boy who has always dreamed of becoming a samurai.  Samurai carry special souls within themselves and can travel through space as easily as they walk the earth.  Only the most powerful warriors are able to transcend their human bodies and become samurai!  Hachimaru is weak and so sickly that he can’t even eat solid foods.  But one day, his father's secrets and the arrival of a samurai cat named “Daruma” combine to give Hachimaru a chance to live his dream.  With enough heart, could Hachimaru become a true samurai?

As Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru, Vol. 2 (entitled “Who and Why” – Chapters 7 to 15) opens, Hachimaru asks, “What is fate?”  Now, he begins his samurai training under Master Daruma, but he is not a good student.  However, this day will also bring new people into his life.  One is the samurai, Sir Hagamichi; the other is Princess Ann, a “princess of fate.”  Hachimaru finds a new source of confidence in Ann – his princess of fate, and he is delighted, although Ann is somewhat wary of him.  Elsewhere, Ata the Peerless, a new enemy, approaches, and he is a threat to Hachimaru's existence.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru manga is creator Masashi Kishimoto's follow-up to his legendary, smash hit manga, Naruto.  [The Naruto sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, is written and drawn by a new writer-artist team.]  Kishimoto created Samurai 8 and writes the story and produces the storyboards, and newcomer artist Akira Okubo draws it.

Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru Graphic Novel Volume 2 has a perfect title, “Who and Why.”  The first volume was quite a read for all the wild and inventive characters and concepts it introduced.  In Vol. 2, Kishimoto and Okubo give us the adversary, Ata, that will vex Hachimaru, and, as Master Daruma explains, the vast conspiracy that threatens the world of Samurai 8.  Granted that it is not until this volume's last chapter (Chp. 15), but the narrative gets there:  the conflict and the competing ideologies.  We also get the origin story and back story of Hachimaru and his father, with plenty of shocking reveals.

I like Akira Okubo drawing style, although it can tend to create cluttered panels that are difficult to read.  Okubo draws like the late Moebius, but the younger artist's compositions are not as streamlined as Moebius'.  Still Okubo and Kishimoto seem like a perfect pairing, and translator Stephen Paul does a good job making the narrative clearer.  Snir Aharon's lettering also goes a long way to creating a rhythm that captures the fun of this story.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Naruto will want to try the Shonen Jump title, Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru.

A
8 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: ONE PIECE Volume 53

ONE PIECE, VOL. 53
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Eiichiro Oda
TRANSLATION: Taylor Engel, HC Language Solutions Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Lance Caselman
LETTERS: HudsonYards
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3469-5; paperback (June 2010); Rated “T” for Teen
216pp, 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.

Monkey D. Luffy dreams of becoming King of the Pirates.  Even after the enchanted “Devil Fruit” gave him the ability to stretch like rubber while taking away his ability to swim, Luffy was undeterred.  He set out to sea and gradually enlisted a motley crew:  Zolo the master swordsman; Nami the treasure-hunting thief; Usopp, the lying sharpshooter; Sanji the high-kicking chef; Chopper, the walkin’ talkin’ reindeer doctor; the secretive archeologist, Nico Robin; shipwright and cyborg, Franky; and skeleton warrior with an afro, Brook.  Known as the “Straw Hats,” these pirates sail the oceans on their new vessel, Thousand Sunny.  Their goal is the legendary treasure known as “One Piece.”

As One Piece, Vol. 53 (Chapters 513 to 522; entitled “Natural Born King”) begins, the Straw Hats rumble with Bartholomew Kuma, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.  “Tyrant” Kuma smacks them around using his bare paw, which erases them.  They are not really being erased, however; this is Kuma’s teleportation power, which sends victims of his smack down to unknown locations.  Luffy finds himself on the island of Amazon Lily, an island where men are not allowed on pain of death!

THE LOWDOWN:  One of the most imaginative manga being offered to the North American market, One Piece takes readers from one exotic locale to another – each one populated by a menagerie of creatures, people, and creature people who almost defy imagination.  Yet this all comes from the imagination of Eiichiro Oda.  The art is drawn in such detail that very little of the page is left without something drawn on it.  Vol. 53 isn’t one of the better volumes, but it really picks up when Luffy fights the Gorgon sisters.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for wacky “Shonen Jump” fun will find it in One Piece.

B+
7 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: ONE PIECE Volume 38

ONE PIECE, VOL. 38
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Eiichiro Oda
TRANSLATION: Taylor Engel, HC Language Solutions Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Megan Bates
LETTERS: HudsonYards
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3454-1; paperback (March 2010); Rated “T” for Teen
208pp, 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.

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming 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.  Undeterred, Luffy set out to sea and gradually enlisted a motley crew known as the “Straw Hats.”  Zolo the master swordsman; Nami the treasure-hunting thief; Usopp, the lying sharpshooter; Sanji the high-kicking chef; Chopper, the walkin’ talkin’ reindeer doctor; and secretive archeologist, Nico Robin join Luffy and sail the oceans on the Merry Go.  Their goal is the legendary treasure known as “One Piece.”

The Straw Hats arrived in The City of Water on the island of Water Seven in hopes of getting Galley-La, the famed shipwrights of Water Seven, to fix the Merry Go, which was much in need of repairs.  They got only bad news.  The shipwrights told them that the Merry Go was beyond repair, which eventually led to Usopp leaving the crew.  Then, the Straw Hats were accused of trying to assassinate the city’s Mayor Iceberg, who is also the leader of Galley-La.  The real assassins are members of the Navy’s covert agency, CP9, and Nico Robin is apparently one of them.

As One Piece, Vol. 38 (Chapter 358 to 367; entitled “Rocketman!!”) begins, the Straw Hats are scattered about the island.  CP9 agents are also close to retrieving the blueprints to Pluton, a destructive ancient weapon, and they need Nico Robin to decipher them.  They leave Water Seven on the miraculous Sea Train.  Luffy and his new found allies are soon right behind them in the Rocketman.  Meanwhile, the dreaded tidal wave, Aqua Laguna, bears down on them.

THE LOWDOWN:  Reading like a manga version of a Roland Emmerich movie, One Piece also races through the streets and back alleys of The City of Water like a spy thriller.  Readers of shonen manga (comics for teen boys) want action, and One Piece always delivers.

The meticulously drawn art, which seems to capture every line on everyone and everything and every background detail brings this to vivid life.  No American comic book for young readers is drawn with this attention to detail and such craftsmanship, nor is any one written with such complicated and intricately plotted action scenes. One Piece is in a league of its own.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers of good comics will want the “Shonen Jump” title, One Piece.

A
8 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: ONE PIECE Volume 37

ONE PIECE, VOL. 37
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Eiichiro Oda
TRANSLATION: Taylor Engel, HC Language Solutions Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Jake Forbes
LETTERS: Hudson Yards
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3453-4; paperback (March 2010); Rated “T” for Teen
232pp, 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, a youngster who wants to be 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.  Undeterred, Luffy set out to sea and gradually enlisted a motley crew.

Known as the “Straw Hats,” they are Zolo the master swordsman; Nami the treasure-hunting thief; Usopp, the lying sharpshooter; Sanji the high-kicking chef; Chopper, the walkin’ talkin’ reindeer doctor; and newcomer, secretive archeologist, Nico Robin.  They sail the oceans on their ship, the Merry Go, searching for famed pirate Gold Rogers’ legendary treasure known as “One Piece.”

The Straw Hats arrived in The City of Water on the island of Water Seven in hopes of getting Galley-La, the famed shipwrights of Water Seven, to fix the Merry Go, which is much in need of repairs, especially after the Skypeia adventure.  The shipwrights told them, however, that the Merry Go was beyond repair.  Luffy decided to get a new ship, which caused a riff between him and shipmate, Usopp.

Meanwhile, the lead shipwright, Mayor Iceberg, is the target of an assassination plot hatched by the World Government and carried out by agents of its covert agency, CP9.  The biggest shocker is that Nico Robin is one of them, so the Straw Hats are hunted as the would-be assassins.  As One Piece, Vol. 37 (Chapters 347 to 357; entitled “Tom”) begins, Luffy and friends battle to stop CP9.  But the World Government’s conspiracy against the shipwrights of Water Seven is an old one, as revealed in the story of the legendary shipwright, Mr. Tom.

THE LOWDOWN:  It’s another volume of raucous action and fights that rival what is found in superhero comic books.  However, much of the story of One Piece Graphic Novel Volume 37 focuses on the story of Mr. Tom.  It is a story of young men and their role models and also a story of good versus bastard.

As usual, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda is not content with presenting mere shonen thrills.  He manages to teach life lessons and spin morality tales that we might miss in this very busy narrative, but we shouldn’t miss

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

A
8 out of 10

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


https://www.viz.com/
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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: ONE PIECE Volume 36

ONE PIECE, VOL. 36
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Eiichiro Oda
TRANSLATION: Taylor Engel, HC Language Solutions Inc.
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Jake Forbes
LETTERS: John Hunt
ISBN: 978-1-4215-3452-7; paperback (March 2010); Rated “T” for Teen
216pp, 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.  The enchanted “Devil Fruit” gave Luffy the ability to stretch like rubber, but it also took away his ability to swim, which hasn’t deterred Luffy from his dream.  One day he will become the King of the Pirates.  Now, Luffy and his very own pirate crew, known as the “Straw Hats,” sail the oceans on their ship, the Merry Go, searching for the legendary treasure known as “One Piece.”

As One Piece, Vol. 36 (Chapters 337 to 346; entitled “The Ninth Justice”) begins, the Straw Hats find themselves in trouble in The City of Water, Water Seven.  They’d gone to the island in hopes of getting the Galley-La, the famed shipwrights of Water Seven, to fix the Merry Go.  They were told that the ship was beyond repair, so Luffy decided to get a new ship, which caused a riff between him and shipmate, Usopp.

Now, the mayor of The City of Water, Iceberg, has been shot, and the Straw Hats have been blamed.  It doesn’t help that the newest Straw Hat, Nico Robin, is involved in the assassination plot.  Is this true, and how is she connected to the mysterious CP9?

THE LOWDOWN:  High adventure, action comedy, and supernaturally imaginative storytelling are what One Piece usually offers.  One Piece Graphic Novel Volume 36 switches to riveting suspense.  It’s a thriller that is on par with The Bourne Ultimatum – if that film were an action comedy.  And there is a hook ending that will drag you back for the next volume.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for imaginative adventure yarn-spinning will find it in the “Shonen Jump” title, One Piece.

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


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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: FOOD WARS!" Shokugeki No Soma Volume 36

FOOD WARS!: SHOKUGEKI NO SOMA, VOL. 36
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Yuto Tsukuda
ART: Shun Saeki
TRANSLATION: Adrienne Beck
CONTRIBUTOR: Yuki Morisaki
LETTERS: James Gaubatz; Mara Coman
EDITOR: Jennifer LeBlanc
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1542-8; paperback (June 2020); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
248pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma is a shonen manga series written by Yuto Tsukuda and illustrated by Shun Saeki.  Yuki Morisaki, a culinary researcher, also works as a contributor, providing the recipes for the series.  Food Wars! was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, from November 2012 to June 2019.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series from August 2014 to June 2020 under two imprints:  first, “Shonen Jump Advanced” and then, “Shonen Jump.”

Food Wars! focuses on teenager Soma Yukihira.  He grows up cooking in his father's Yukihira Family Restaurant.  The 15-year-old wants to be a better chef than his father, Joshiro Yukihira (Saiba), so he hones his skills day in and day out.  His father decides to enroll him in a classy culinary school, Totsuki Saryo Culinary Institute, a place that prides itself on a 10 percent graduation rate.  If Soma Yukihira really does not want to attend Totsuki, how can he succeed?

As Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma, Vol. 36 (Chapters 309 to 315; entitled “Shokugeki No Soma”) opens, the “Blue,” a world-renowned cooking tournament for the best of the best young chefs from around the world, approaches its conclusion.  This year, for the first time, traditional chefs clash with the “underground noir” (or “cuisiniers noir”) chefs.  Soma has been eager for a rematch with the noir, Asahi Saiba, who defeated him.

Now, the two are facing off, and the judge is the impossible-to-please “Lady Mana,” who is Erina Nakiri's mysterious mother.  Like Erina, Mana suffers the “curse of the 'Divine Tongue',” and Mana has not found a dish that satisfies her in years.  As “the Book” (highest judge), Mana has demanded that Soma and Asahi prepare a dish that represents the “five grand cuisines of the world,” which are French, Chinese, Turkish, Indian, and Italian.

Asahi has shocked the audience with his dish, the “basty,” a soup covered with a lattice pie crust, and it represents the five grand cuisines.  Even Lady Mana is so impressed by what she tastes that she both experiences “the gifting” transfers it to those around her.  And what is Soma's answer to Asahi's basty?  It's fried rice?!

Can Soma win with what seems like a rather ordinary dish?  And finally, can Soma inspire the dispirited Erina to be herself again?

THE LOWDOWN:  The Food Wars! manga spent the last 30 or so chapters racing towards the conclusion of its narrative.  At the grand cooking tournament, the Blue, readers prepared to learn the answer to the question of who is the best chef?

Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma Graphic Novel Volume 36 is the final tankobon (graphic novel) volume of the series.  The English-language edition was originally published in June 2020, but I only recently had a chance to finish reading the last few volumes of the series.

What can I tell you, dear readers?  To the end, writer Yuto Tsukuda and artist Shun Saeki maintained the series' mix of competition, camaraderie, and cooking.  As he has been doing since the beginning of the series, Yuki Morisaki, wrote home versions of shokugeki recipes, which, in this volume, was Soma's winning dish.  It is that consistency that kept Food Wars! an exciting read throughout its six-year, 315-chapter, 36-volume run.

To the end, Adrienne Beck's translation catches the sense of competition and of comedy-drama in all their varies modes.  Letterers James Gaubatz and Mara Coman created a rhythm that kept this often dialogue-heavy story from overwhelming readers.  Of the foodie manga that I have read, I think Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma is the one most likely to continue to capture the interest of readers in the decade of the 2020s the way it did in the decade of the 20-teens.  I think it is a must for fans of Weekly Shonen Jump series.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers hungry for good manga will want the “Shonen Jump” title, Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma.

A
9 out of 10

The volume includes the following bonus features:

– Afterwords written by Yuto Tsukuda, Shun Saeki, and Yuki Morisaki

– The three-part epilogue, “Food Wars! Le Dessert,” that was originally published in Jump GIGA Summer 2019.  The three parts are entitled  “Le Presént,” “Le Passé,” and “Le Futur.”

– “Special Commemorative Illustrations on the End of 'Food Wars!'” from Eiichiro Oda of “One Piece,” Kohei Horikoshi of “My Hero Academia,” Yuki Tabata of “Black Clover,” and Tadahiro Miura of “Yuna of the Haunted Hot Springs”

– miscellaneous illustrations

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


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#IReadsYou Review: DEMON SLAYER: Kimetsu No Yaiba Volume 13

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, VOL. 13
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Koyoharu Gotouge
TRANSLATION: John Werry
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITOR: Mike Montesa
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1113-0; paperback (June 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge.  The manga was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint since July 2018.

Demon Slayer is set in Japan's Taisho era (1912 to 1926).  It focuses on Tanjiro Kamado, a kindhearted boy who sells charcoal in order to support his mother and four siblings.  After one particularly taxing trip to sell coal, Tanjiro returns to his home in the forest and finds his family slaughtered.  He discovers that a younger sibling, his sister Nezuko, has herself been transformed into a demon by the unknown demon that killed his family.  Tanjiro becomes a Demon Slayer in order to find and destroy that demon, Muzan Kibutsuji.

As Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, Vol. 13 (Chapters 107 to 115; entitled “Transitions”) opens, Tanjiro is up to his … neck in demons.  While recovering from injuries he sustained in battle, Tanjiro traveled to the mysterious and hidden “village of the sword-smiths.”  There, he would get his damaged katana repaired by Haganezuka, the man who forged the sword.  But once Tanjiro arrived, he started having strange experiences.

Now, Tanjiro is in a battle with the strange, shape-shifting demons, Upper Rank 4: Hantengu and Upper Rank 5: Gyokko.  Joining him in battle is the “Mist Hashira,” Muichiro Tokito, who struggles against these demons even with all his power.  Suddenly, only Tanjiro and another Demon Slayer, Genya Shinazugawa, stand against seemingly unbeatable demons.  Can the two Slayers handle a demon that can split itself into four separate bodies and regenerate almost instantly?

THE LOWDOWN:  The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba manga has become one of my favorite graphic novel series.  It is, however, hard to keep up with the series as VIZ is currently publishing it on a monthly basis, for which I don't blame them.  Demon Slayer is a huge bestseller on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Graphic Novel Volume 13 joins Vols. 7 to 12 to create a fantastic run of superb shonen dark fantasy action-adventure storytelling.  Creator Koyoharu Gotouge ended a long and intense story arc in Vol. 11, but he put his readers right back into the thick of things with another demonic mystery.  Simply put, Demon Slayer is great because Tanjiro's struggles and battles are hard to ignore once you start reading, dear readers.

John Werry's translation and Steve “Stan!” Brown's English-language adaptation deliver an engaging read, as always.  In Volume 13, their work captures Genya Shinazugawa's conflicts and internal battle in all their full dark and bitter glory.  And since that is the case, why stop reading now?

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of demon-fighting heroes will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba.

9 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: SPY X FAMILY Volume 2

SPY X FAMILY, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Tatsuya Endo
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Casey Loe
LETTERS: Rina Mapa
EDITOR: Amy Yu
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1724-6; paperback (December 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Spy × Family is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo.  It has been serialized biweekly for free on the Shōnen Jump+ application and website since March 25, 2019.  VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint in June 2020.

Spy × Family focuses on the mysterious master spy, “Twilight,” a man of a hundred faces with extraordinary combat, memory, and information processing skills.  His latest mission takes him from his native Westalis to its neighbor to the east, The People's Republic of Ostania.  To protect a fragile truce between Westalis and Ostania, he must get close to Donovan Desmond, a politician, and spy on his activities.  To do that, Twilight poses as a family man, “Loid Forger,” with a pretend-wife, Yor Briar, and an elementary school-age daughter named “Anya.”  Is Twilight finally in over his head?

Spy × Family, Vol. 2 (Chapters 6 to 11) opens at prestigious Eden Academy on its “Admissions Day.”  Now, Twilight and Yor will learn if Anya has been admitted to the school, which she must if Twilight is to be successful in his mission.  But Twilight may have done something that could cost the child admittance into Eden.

Later, Anya learns about the academy's system of merits (“Stella” or stars) and demerits (“Tonitrus bolts), the hard way.  Plus, Twilight plots “the Friendship Scheme” as a way for Anya to get close to her Eden classmate, Damian Desmond, the second son of Donovan Desmond.  However, the plan goes awry as soon as the two children meet.

[This volume includes the bonus manga, “Extra Mission 1;” “Spy × Family Confidential Files: Franky's Secret Files;” a bonus illustration; and “Anya's Favorite Things.”]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Spy × Family manga (which is apparently pronounced “Spy Family”) is a spy manga with a domestic twist.  The family part of the series is a story of growing love, and the spy part is edgy and filled with suspense.

Spy × Family Graphic Novel Volume 2 does two things.  First, it introduces new characters, including a classroom rival and also a best friend for Anya.  Creator Tatsuya Endo also provides a deeper look at some supporting cast members, including Henry Henderson, Headmaster at Eden Academy.  The second thing is that Endo reveals that the series' world of spies and Twilight's mission are more complicated than the first volume suggested.

Casey Loe's English-language adaptation captures the nuance of the dialogue, character relationships and drama, and the plot.  While Vol. 2 of Spy × Family is not as dialogue heavy as the first volume was, the narrative remains a complexity of different tones, both in drama and comedy.  Once upon a time, it would have been published under VIZ Media's “Shonen Jump Advanced” imprint, which is no longer used.  Spy × Family is no mere shonen manga, nor is it a battle manga.  The drama can be poignant, but the comedy can by seriously edgy.  I think this is a series to keep watching.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of secret agents and of international intrigue will want to spy on the “Shonen Jump” title Spy × Family.

A
8 out of 10

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

https://www.viz.com/
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#IReadsYou Review: FOOD WARS!" Shokugeki No Soma Volume 35

FOOD WARS!: SHOKUGEKI NO SOMA, VOL. 35
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Yuto Tsukuda
ART: Shun Saeki
TRANSLATION: Adrienne Beck
CONTRIBUTOR: Yuki Morisaki
LETTERS: James Gaubatz; Mara Coman
EDITOR: Jennifer LeBlanc
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1258-8; paperback (April 2020); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma is a shonen manga series written by Yuto Tsukuda and illustrated by Shun Saeki.  Yuki Morisaki also works as a contributor, providing the recipes for the series.  Food Wars! was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shonen Jump, from November 2012 to June 2019.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series from August 2014 to June 2020 under two imprints:  first, “Shonen Jump Advanced” and then, “Shonen Jump.”

Food Wars! focuses on teenager Soma Yukihira.  He grows up cooking in his father's Yukihira Family Restaurant.  The 15-year-old wants to be a better chef than his father, Joshiro Yukihira (Saiba), so he hones his skills day in and day out.  His father decides to enroll him in a classy culinary school, Totsuki Saryo Culinary Institute, a place that prides itself on a 10 percent graduation rate.  If Soma Yukihira really does not want to attend Totsuki, how can he succeed?

As Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma, Vol. 35 (Chapters 300 to 308; entitled “The Divine Tongue's Despair”) opens, the “Blue,” a world-renowned cooking tournament for the best of the best young chefs from around the world, rages on.  This year, for the first time, traditional chefs will clash with the “underground noir” (or “cuisiniers noir”) chefs.  Soma, eager for a rematch with the noir, Asahi Saiba, who defeated him, heads to a certain famous old castle in a famous city where the event will be held.

Totsuki's brightest:  Soma, Megumi Tadokoro, and Takumi Aldini, as well as recent Totsuki graduate, Eishi Tsukasa, have joined the competition, but they are swiftly dispatched – except for Soma.  Now, their classmate, Erina Nakiri, who got to skip the early stages of the “Blue” because of her past achievements, is forced to face off against multiple opponents.  But who is doing the forcing?  Who is “Lady Mana,” and what does she have to do with the “curse of the 'Divine Tongue'”?

Plus, Soma finally has his rematch with Saiba!

[The volume includes recipes and miscellaneous illustrations.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Food Wars! manga races towards its conclusion.  The narrative prepares to answer the question of who is the best?

Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma Graphic Novel Volume 35 is the second-to-last (or penultimate) volume of the series.  There are some surprise reveals in regard to Erina Nakiri's past, and one of them is the answer to an obvious question.  Writer Yuto Tsukuda and artist Shun Saeki usually delve into the details of recipes, the processes of cooking, and the skills of the competing chefs.  In Vol. 35, they seem more intent on moving onto the final confrontations, so this volume lacks the full fun of the cooking battles that we have been getting since the very beginning of this series.

However, Adrienne Beck's translation catches the drama and conflict between characters in the raw and with edgy intimacy, so that takes the sting out of having only one cooking battle presented in some detail.  Letterers James Gaubatz and Mara Coman expertly close in on the focus on the dialogue and the exposition that prepares for the grand finale.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers hungry for good manga will want the “Shonen Jump” title, Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma.

A
8 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: O-PARTS HUNTER Volume 3

O-PARTS HUNTER, VOL. 3
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Seishi Kishimoto
ISBN: 978-1-4215-0857-3; paperback (April 2007); Rated “‘T+’ for Older Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S.

666 Satan is a Japanese manga series written and drawn by Seishi Kishimoto.  It was originally published in the magazine, Monthly Shōnen Gangan, from 2001 and 2007.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a 19-volume, paperback graphic novel series, entitled O-Parts Hunter, from 2006 to 2009.

The manga series O-Parts Hunter is like a game manga built around treasure hunting.  Drawing from Judeo-Christian angelic and demonic traditions, Japanese folklore, and Kabbalah, it is shonen manga for older teens.  O-Parts also has a striking similarity to Naruto because O-Parts’ manga-ka (creator) Seishi Kishimoto is the twin brother of Naruto’s creator Masashi Kishimoto.

“O-Parts” are artifacts containing mystical powers.  They are all that are left of an unknown ancient civilization and come in the form of everyday objects like rings and amulets to the more unusual such as aircraft and masks.  An O.P.T. or O-Parts Tactician has the ability to release and use the power within an O-Part.  The “Spirit” is the special energy force inside an O.P.T. that allows him to release the power or “effect” of an O-Part.  If an O-Part can create water, then, water is that O-Part’s effect.

O-Parts Hunter, Vol. 3 finds Jio Freed and Ruby Crescent separated in Entotsu City.  Jio and his newfound partner, Ball, a fellow teen and member of the city’s underground resistance movement against Governor Jaga, fight for their lives in Jaga’s throne room against (extra cool character) Wise Yury, a powerful O.P.T. knows as “The Crimson Magician.”

Meanwhile, Ruby languishes in the dungeon, but discovers that fellow cellmate, Amidaba, knew her father.  The old woman has another surprise about the pendant Ruby wears around her neck.  Later, Jio and Ball take on three dangerous tasks in order to pierce the sanctum of a mysterious O-Parts appraiser named Kirin.

THE LOWDOWN:  This volume has less of the esoteric mythology that drives O-Parts Hunter, which is no small matter as this series is heavy with myth, folklore, and symbols.  Vol. 3 is more of a fight comic.  

In O-Parts Hunter Graphic Novel Volume 3 Kishimoto emphasizes wide open battles with lots of action lines and a dash of wuxia.  Other action sequences are elaborate, stunt filled ordeals that are right out of a Hollywood adventure flick like National Treasure or an Indiana Jones movie.  The central conflict and mystery continues to cook at a nice simmer.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  I’m partial to manga built around obtaining objects of power or winning some points formula, such as in Dragon Drive or Yu-Gi-Oh!, but O-Parts Hunter has the added sass and edge of something like Naruto.  All in all, this is a nice improvement over the previous volume.

B+
7 out of 10

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

https://www.viz.com/
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#IReadsYou Review: DEMON SLAYER: Kimetsu No Yaiba Volume 4

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, VOL. 4
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Koyoharu Gotouge
TRANSLATION: John Werry
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITOR: Mike Montesa
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0055-4; paperback (January 2019); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge.  The manga was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint since July 2018.

The Taisho era Japan (1912 to 1926).  Tanjiro Kamado, a kindhearted boy, sells coal in order to support his mother and four siblings.  After one particularly taxing trip to sell coal, Tanjiro returns to his home in the forest and finds his family slaughtered.  He discovers that a younger sibling, his sister Nezuko, has herself been transformed into a demon by the unknown demon that killed his family.  He becomes a Demon Slayer to find and destroy that demon.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, Vol. 4 (Chapters 26 to 34) opens in the wake of Tanjiro and company's battle inside a house full of demons.  Now, Tanjiro finds himself fighting Inosuke Hashibira, a young man who wears a boar's head and who may be a Demon Slayer.  Tanjiro sees him as an ally, but what an ally they will need him to be as they face demons that turn Demon Slayers into marionettes.  Plus, Zenitsu Agatsuma, a demon slayer who seems to be a coward, discovers the existence of Nezuko.

[This volume includes four-panel comics and bonus text and art.]

THE LOWDOWN:  The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba manga was one of 2018's best new graphic novel series.  It is still kickin' in the two-oh-one-nine.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Graphic Novel 4 focuses on the characters outside of Tanjiro.  Creator Koyoharu Gotouge has offered new intriguing characters, especially Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira, both with interesting pasts and both possessing personalities that clash with the sweet-natured Tanjiro.  More characters are showing layers and textures in their personalities, an element that makes Demon Slayer a manga deserving to be read.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of demon-fighting heroes will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: O-PARTS HUNTER Volume 2

O-PARTS HUNTER, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Seishi Kishimoto
ISBN: 978-1-4215-0856-6; paperback; (February 13, 2007) Rated “T+” for Older Teen
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S.

666 Satan is a Japanese manga series written and drawn by Seishi Kishimoto.  It was originally published in the magazine, Monthly Shōnen Gangan, from 2001 and 2007.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a 19-volume, paperback graphic novel series, entitled O-Parts Hunter, from 2006 to 2009.

The manga series O-Parts Hunter is essentially a card-playing or game manga.  “O-Parts” are artifacts containing mystical powers.  They are all that are left of an unknown ancient civilization and come in the form of everyday objects like rings and amulets to the more unusual such as aircraft and arcane technology.

An O.P.T. or O-Parts Tactician has the ability to release and use the power within an O-Part.  The “Spirit” is the special energy force inside an O.P.T. that allows him release the power or “effect” of an O-Part.  If an O-Part can create water, then, water is the O-Part’s effect.

O-Parts Hunter, Vol. 2 (Chapters 4 to 8) continues to follow the adventures of the series’ lead characters: Jio Freed and Ruby Crescent.  Jio, an O.P.T. whose chosen O-Part is a boomerang, wants to dominate the world (really, he does.)  Ruby wants to become the greatest treasure hunter of them all.  Together they travel the world in hopes of getting closer to their dreams.

Their travels take them to the walled metropolis of Entotsu City, where Master Jaga, the governor of the city, has enslaved the populace and uses the citizens to dig for O-Parts.  He also uses the threat of terror and his ability to fight it to keep Entotsu City dependent upon his rule (sound familiar?), but Jio has discovered his dirty big secret.  Will it cost the ambitious O.P.T. his and Ruby’s lives?

THE LOWDOWN:  Although the esoteric mythology that drives O-Parts Hunter can be off-putting (I initially didn’t want to read this.), there is really more to it than just gathering strength points and items of power.  At O-Parts Hunter's core is the quest to be a hero and all the sacrifice and work it takes to become one.  Seishi Kishimoto makes watching Jio face and overcome his obstacles fun to read.  Kishimoto’s art is also quite reminiscent of Masashi Kishimoto’s work on Naruto.  Why?  Seishi and Masashi are twin brothers.

I am partial to manga built around obtaining objects and power.  This includes titles such as Dragon Drive or Yu-Gi-Oh!  Plus, this is similar in tone to my beloved Naruto.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Seishi Kishimoto will want to try O-Parts Hunter.

B
6 out of 10

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


https://www.viz.com/
https://twitter.com/VIZMedia
https://www.instagram.com/vizmedia/
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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: DEMON SLAYER: Kimetsu No Yaiba Volume 3

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, VOL. 3
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Koyoharu Gotouge
TRANSLATION: John Werry
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITOR: Mike Montesa
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0054-7; paperback (November 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge.  The manga was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint since July 2018.

It is Taisho era Japan (1912 to 1926).  Tanjiro Kamado, a kindhearted boy, sells coal in order to support his mother and four siblings.  After one particularly taxing trip to sell coal, Tanjiro returns to his home in the forest to find his family slaughtered.  He discovers that a younger sibling, his sister Nezuko, has herself been transformed into a demon by the unknown demon that killed his family.  He became a Demon Slayer to find that demon.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, Vol. 3 (Chapters 17 to 25) opens as Tanjiro continues his battle with the servants of Muzan Kibutsuji, the demon master.  Susamaru (balls) and Yahaba (arrows) prove to be quite formidable, and Tanjiro will need help from an unexpected place to defeat them.  If defeated, will these members of the “Twelve Kizuki” (demons that serve Kibutsuji) reveal secrets about their master?

Then, Tanjiro and Nezuko meet Zenitsu Agatsuma, a demon slayer who seems to be a coward.  He proves to be little to no help when they find an unusual house that is full of demons.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba manga is one of 2018's best new graphic novel series.  It is one of a group of excellent titles released by VIZ Media in 2018.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Graphic Novel 3 takes readers into the grit and determination of series hero, Tanjiro Kamado.  However, creator Koyoharu Gotouge makes sure that readers how kind and considerate Tanjiro is.  That complicates a narrative that is quite gruesome at times.  At the same time, other characters begin to show layers and textures in their personalities, another element that makes Demon Slayer a manga to read.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of demon-fighting heroes will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba.

A
9 out of 10

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

https://www.viz.com/
https://twitter.com/VIZMedia
https://www.instagram.com/vizmedia/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVIZMedia
https://www.snapchat.com/add/vizmedia

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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

#IReadsYou Review: DEMON SLAYER: Kimetsu No Yaiba Volume 2

DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Koyoharu Gotouge
TRANSLATION: John Werry
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Steve “Stan!” Brown
LETTERS: John Hunt
EDITOR: Mike Montesa
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0053-0; paperback (September 2018); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 U.K.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotoge.  The manga was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from February 2016 to May 2020.  VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint since July 2018.

Demon Slayer is set in Taisho era Japan (1912 to 1926).  Tanjiro Kamado is a kindhearted boy who sells coal in order to support his mother and four siblings.  After one particularly taxing trip to sell coal, Tanjiro returns to his home in the forest to find his family slaughtered.  He discovers that a younger sibling, his sister Nezuko, has herself been transformed into a demon by the unknown demon that killed his family.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, Vol. 2 (Chapters 8 to 16) opens as Tanjiro battles a demon as part of the final selection for the Demon Slayer Corps.  Next, he must choose the kasugai crow that he will use for mission communication with the corps.  Tanjiro must also choose the ore from which his sword will be made, but after his sword is made, something unusual happens.

Tanjiro's begins to walk the path of the Demon Slayer by heading north to a town where young girls are disappearing.  Plus, Tanjiro learns of the name of the demon he must eventually confront, Muzan Kibutsuji.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba manga is the latest in a line of excellent titles that VIZ Media has released in the last year.  A supernatural fantasy and revenge drama, Demon Slayer is demonic treat.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Graphic Novel 2 takes reader into the beginning of Tanjiro's quest and of his profession.  Creator Koyoharu Gotouge does not make things easy for his young hero.  I don't get the feeling that he will be defeated, but that he will undergo a learning process that we readers will get to experience with him.  I think that makes for a fun read.

I also like that Gotouge is not leaving Tanjiro's sister, Nezuko, as a mere victim or as nothing more than a liability.  When Gotouge gives her something to do, the cursed sister becomes a wild card character, engaging and appealing.  I almost want her to have her own manga; in the meantime, she makes Demon Slayer twice the fun to read.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of demon-fighting heroes will want to read the Shonen Jump title, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba.

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.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).