One of my New Year’s resolutions was to review a greater variety of titles than I did in 2009, when I focused primarily (though not exclusively) on seinen and shojo manga. To that end, I’m dedicating the first of this week’s Short Takes columns to two areas of the graphic novel publishing scene that don’t always get the critical respect they deserve: manhwa and OEL, or original English language manga. The first title, One Fine Day (Yen Press), is currently serialized in the manhwa section of Yen+, where it has drawn praise and scorn in equal measure, with fans describing it as cute and detractors excoriating it for being, well, cute. The second title, Talking to Strangers (Sweatdrop Studios), is a short story collection showcasing a variety of English manga artists and writers, including several involved in Self-Made Hero’s much-lauded Manga Shakespeare project. What did I think of these two works? Read on for my unvarnished opinion!

ONE FINE DAY, VOL. 1

BY SIRIAL • YEN PRESS • 176 pp. • RATING: ALL-AGES

whim·si·cal \ˈhwim-zi-kəl, ˈwim-\ 1 : full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims 2 a : resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially : lightly fanciful <whimsical decorations> b : subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change

One Fine Day is whimsical in the fullest sense of the word, at once “lightly fanciful” and “subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change.” The series focuses on a trio of animals — Nanai, a dog; Guru, a cat; and Pritz Rang, a mouse — who live with No-Ah, an inexperienced magician. To say that nothing happens is a bit of an overstatement, though it is fair to say that the action doesn’t quite rise to the level of plot: the animals bake cookies with No-Ah; Nanai and Guru snoop around No-Ah’s study, making a mess in the process; Nani, Guru, and Rang attempt to wash and fold No-Ah’s laundry. These domestic scenes are viewed primarily through the animals’ eyes, allowing us to experience these activities as children do: an opportunity to explore their surroundings. (It’s no accident that Sirial frequently depicts the trio as child-like creatures in animal costumes.)

Midway through volume one, Sirial introduces Aileru, a bully from No-Ah’s childhood, and it’s here that that the “lightly fanciful” comedy gives way to some very odd, disjointed scenes that are meant to elucidate the two magicians’ relationship. It’s nearly impossible to ascertain what’s happening, as conversation devolves into a string of non-sequitors and the “action” into a series of super-deformed reaction shots. I think Aileru cast a spell on Nanai at one point, but would be hard-pressed to describe how, exactly, the spell affected him.

If One Fine Day fails to achieve dramatic tension, it succeeds in creating a playful, inviting atmosphere. In one chapter, for example, a cake-baking project is thwarted by a passel of feisty chicks, while in another, No-Ah and friends throw a lavish party for his grandparents’ antique furniture, here represented as beautiful fairies and enormous woodland creatures. Some readers may find Sirial’s loose, sketchy drawings and spare backgrounds too crude for their tastes, though I found them well-suited to the material; if the art were more polished, the whole enterprise would collapse under the weight of its own cuteness. Folks with an aversion to whimsy or aimlessness won’t find much to like here, as One Fine Day unfolds at a leisurely pace that seems gently calculated to yield plenty of “awwwww” moments. For those of us who find the idea of parachuting chicks and talking hedgehogs appealing, however, One Fine Day rewards the patient reader with some sweet, low-key surprises.

TALKING TO STRANGERS

STORIES BY FEHED SAID, ART BY CHLOE CITRINE, SONIA LEONG, NANA LI, WIN YUN MAN, AND FAYE YONG • SWEATDROP STUDIOS • 224 pp. • RATING: TEEN (13+)

In the foreword to this short-story collection, author Fehed Said explains the genesis of its title. “In desperate or even just unfamiliar circumstances,” he notes, “we are more than willing to talk to anyone who will listen. We seek comfort in the company of strangers, often accept help without question.” That motif is developed, to varying degrees, throughout the six stories that comprise this anthology. In the second story, “Static,” for example, a recluse plays an essential role in repairing a stranger’s relationship with his girlfriend, while in the final story, “The Old Man,” a sesquicentenarian (yes, you read that right) explains how a chance encounter with a hermit radically altered his life’s course.

Two stories are standouts: “Box” and “Flowers.” “Box” is a Twilight Zone-esque tale about a young woman who lingers at the border of life and death. Nana Li deftly captures the principal character’s fear and claustrophobia, using closeups of eyes, hands, and mouths to tell most of the story; only on the very final pages does she pull back to reveal the story’s macabre — but effective — punchline. Li’s spiky, spare style is the perfect compliment to Said’s script, dramatizing his conceit without needless, fussy detail. “Flowers,” the collection’s longest entry, is a similarly effective writer-artist pairing. The story focuses on Elowena, an enthusiastic seven-year-old who discovers a exotic plant growing in an abandoned lot. As Yong depicts her, Elowena has a round, mischievous face, skinny arms, and a penchant for playful accessories (bunny earmuffs are a favorite), the kind of small but revealing details that speak volumes about the character’s personality. That same attention to detail carries over into the settings as well, as Yong takes the time to establish each locale with a few carefully rendered objects. The result is a sweet, coming-of-age story that has the feel of a good children’s picture book, with smartly written, smartly drawn characters.

As enjoyable as “Box” and “Flowers” are, not all of the stories are successful. “Malignant,” for example, feels tonally off-kilter, an uncomfortable marriage of cute character designs and dark themes, whereas “Hero” is hampered by clumsy character designs and awkward use of perspective.  “Static” suffers from the opposite problem: smart, stylish artwork in service of an unsatisfying script. Said aims for heartwarming comedy, but that’s awfully hard to pull off when your principal character is an unfriendly peeping Tom who spies on his neighbors; tonally, it plays like Rear Window crossed with Friends. Taken as a whole, however, Talking to Strangers contains more hits than misses, offering readers an appealing and varied assortment of stories illustrating a simple theme: “Only connect!”

Review copy provided by author.