News and reviews for the discerning manga fan
When I lived in New York City, I went on my share of awesome first dates. Those dates followed a predictable pattern: we’d go to a funky, hole-in-the-wall restaurant, have a great conversation, and discover a mutually-shared passion for Hitchcock movies or dim sum. Second dates, however, were a different story; if someone were to [...]
Once upon a time, when there were only three major television networks, programming executives assumed that most folks were too busy enjoying the final days of summer to be clamoring for new installments of Marcus Welby, M.D. or The Streets of San Francisco. Nowadays, of course, no major network would dare to take an entire [...]
When the Manga Bookshelf team introduced Bookshelf Briefs, I debated whether to retire my own capsule review column for good. After some consideration, I decided not to discontinue Short Takes, but to re-tool it as a monthly feature. To kick off the new edition of Short Takes, I’m re-visiting three series that I previously reviewed: [...]
Though I can’t claim to love every title in VIZ’s Signature imprint, I love the fact that VIZ is putting so much energy into publishing high-quality manga for grown-ups. (I’d say “adults,” but “adult manga” has an unsavory connotation.) The line encompasses a variety of genres, from dystopian science fiction to slacker comedy, making it [...]
This week’s column focuses on two new titles from the Seven Seas catalog. The first, Toradora!, is a romantic comedy based on Yuyuko Takemiya’s popular light novel series; the second, Vampire Cheerleaders, reunites Aoi House artist Shiei with writer Adam Arnold, this time for a comic horror story about a cheer squad with a very [...]
It’s easy to forget that DMP publishes more than just romance; after all, they have the largest catalog of ladies’ comics and yaoi of any publisher in the US. But DMP is also home to Vampire Hunter D, Itazura na Kiss, Project X: Cup Noodle, Alice the 101st, Speed Racer, and dozens of other titles [...]
This week’s column checks in with three new-ish shonen titles from VIZ: Kurozakuro, a story about a teen who swallows a bad seed and begins turning into an ogre; Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, an inter-generational drama about a boy caught between the demon and human worlds; and Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, a sci-fi [...]
It’s time for another round of Second Takes, in which I revisit series that had promising debut volumes. First up is Genkaku Picasso (VIZ), a surreal farce about a teen who can see the darkness in other people’s hearts; next is House of Five Leaves (VIZ), a costume drama about a ronin who falls in [...]
Lou Grant may have famously told Mary Richards, “I hate spunk!,” but I have a special fondness for plucky heroines, those ladies whose confidence, determination, and unrelenting optimism compel them to save the school drama club or bag a cute boy. I’m not an indiscriminate fan of spunk, however: I strongly prefer stories in which [...]
Is it true that you never get a second chance to make a first impression? After plowing through the second volumes of Afterschool Charisma, Grand Guignol Orchestra, and The Story of Saiunkoku, I’m beginning to think so; my impression of all three series remained essentially unchanged, even with the introduction of new characters and new [...]
When I lived in New York City, I went on my share of awesome first … [Read More...]
GTO: 14 Days in Shonan is loud and silly, the kind of manga in which … [Read More...]
Among the many books I read and loved as a child, few left as … [Read More...]
Below is a list of helpful English-language web resources about manga and manhwa. I update this page … [Read More...]
Since joining the Good Comics for Kids team in 2008, I've reviewed a variety of comics, graphic … [Read More...]
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