S.Q. Eries's Blog

Manga Review: Reincarnated In A Mafia Dating Sim Vol. #1

There’s a ton of life do-over stories on the market, whether via time slip, reincarnation, or isekai. LoveLove‘s Reincarnated In A Mafia Dating Sim takes the reincarnation route. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

When the granddaughter of a yakuza boss is reincarnated as Francesca Calvino, the heroine in a mafia dating video game — set in a fantastical world where crime bosses serve the king — she knows what to expect: another ill-fated life without friends. But thanks to her upbringing, she’s already hatched a plan. By expertly navigating the game’s main story, Francesca will leave the world of organized crime behind for good!

First on her agenda: break off her engagement to the notorious Leonardo Aldini, the young head of the Aldini family and major villain of the game. But after breezing through her kidnapping without a male lead in sight, Francesca proves herself to be a little too good at taking Leonardo on. Not only does he still wish to marry, but he won’t leave her alone.

How is Francesca supposed to live a normal life while being pursued by an insolent crime lord?

The Review

17-year-old Francesca Calvino is not merely the daughter of the don of one of the kingdom’s most powerful criminal families. She’s the reincarnation of a yakuza boss’ granddaughter. And having been reborn as “Francesca,” the main character of a popular Mafia dating sim, she’s determined to use her knowledge of the game to get the normie life she never experienced in her previous existence. Unfortunately, her attempts to escape the world of organized crime hit a snag when the game’s chief villain, Leonardo Aldini, sets his romantic (?) sights on her.

The setup for the story is similar to many game reincarnation isekai. The protagonist gets reborn as a character with an undesirable fate and has to use her knowledge of the game to avoid said fate. However, Francesca’s not so much out to escape a “Bad End” as she is to escape the role she was born into. While many stories in this genre gloss over the protagonist’s previous life, Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim devotes 15 pages of the opening chapter to the protagonist’s friend-starved existence in a yakuza household. In doing so, the narrative establishes two things. First, her organized crime smarts, which the overly sheltered “Francesca” of the video game did not possess. Second, her desire to escape the mob life, which motivates all her actions in the story.

Also introduced in this initial chapter are, of course, the premise and particulars of the game, which are kind of complicated. People use guns over swords, and those with noble bloodlines can use magic. The setting is a European-style kingdom where the monarchy is supported by five noble houses that also control the Underworld. Logically speaking, I don’t get how criminal families would cooperate in a monarchy system this way (unless the whole system is rotten), but in our protagonist’s previous life, her grandfather was supposedly an “honorable mob boss.” So the entire work romanticizes organized crime quite a bit. And because it is a dating sim, the protagonist’s love interests all come from the aforementioned noble mobster houses, and their interactions take place in an academy setting.

Because of all the backstory and explanations, our male lead, Leonardo Aldini, doesn’t make his dramatic entrance until page 60. And once he hits the scene, there are more explanations about him. He is the head of the Aldini family. He assumed leadership at age 10 when his father and older brother were killed. He has a reputation for genius, charisma, and ruthlessness. And due to an old promise between their grandfathers, Leonardo and Francesca are engaged. However, the game storyline pits him as Francesca’s enemy, so their first interaction is his kidnapping her the day before school starts for nefarious purposes.

But because Francesca doesn’t act as he predicts, he falls for her… I think. Despite the ton of information provided about him, it’s hard to tell what he’s really after. I believe it’s an attempt by the creator to make him mysterious, but he just comes off as baffling. Francesca’s attitude toward him is also baffling. She describes him as the kingdom’s greatest threat but goes way out of her way to lend a hand when he gets into a dangerous situation. On top of that, chemistry is lacking between the two. The romantic scenes feel more prescribed than heart-pounding, which is somewhat problematic for this genre.

By the way, Francesca is the only named female character so far, which isn’t too surprising for the genre. However, only three male characters have been introduced, and one of them is Francesca’s doting father. Because this world is based off a dating sim, I’m guessing more guys will eventually join the cast, and hopefully they’ll be less confusing than Leonardo.

Artwork is about average. Panels are packed into the pages, and the very tiny footnotes are barely visible in the panel gutters. Despite the crowded layout, action scenes are not difficult to follow. Extras include first four pages printed in color, afterwords from the creators, bonus story (in text), and bonus manga.

In Summary

It’s a Mafia-themed dating sim isekai whose protagonist, Francesca, has one goal: leave the world of organized crime for a normal life. But even though her goal is simple, her circumstances and setting are complicated. Like, really complicated. By the time the narrative is done explaining her past and present life, the political situation, the magic system, and the trajectory of the game, a third of the volume is over. And when the villainous male lead does enter the story, he’s more confusing than compelling. Dating sim-type stories are generally a fun romp with a herd of eye candy, but so far, only two potential love interests have appeared, and digesting all the details is taking work.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Book Review: Pop Manga Catitude Coloring Book

Do you want to dabble in art but not confident about your drawing skills? Try an adult coloring book! And if you’re a lover of cats, Watson-Guptill’s Pop Manga Catitude Coloring Book is certain to please. Read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

Drawn in Camilla d’Errico’s signature Pop Surrealism, manga-inspired style, this 80-page adult coloring book includes black-and-white drawings of fabulous felines flaunting their punchy personalities—from disgruntled costume wearers, to playful pets with their favorite toys, to sleepy kittens. In Pop Manga Catitude Coloring Book you’ll find delightful illustrations on non-bleed paper with patterned backgrounds for extra coloring fun. Add your own creative touch to the fun drawings and bring these furry friends to life!

The Review

Pop Manga Catitude Book is marketed as an adult coloring book, but honestly, the book would appeal to and is appropriate for cat lovers of all ages. The paperback book contains 80 pages of black-and-white feline-themed drawings printed on thick, bright-white matte stock. According to the press release, the paper is non-bleed. While I’m not sure how it would fare with paint, it feels like it would stand up well against markers.

d’Errico draws her cats in a realistic style with a definite bias toward kittens and super fluffy breeds. Although she limits herself to the range of actual feline anatomy, her cats still exude a wide spectrum of emotions and personality, with cute and disgruntled (think grumpy cat memes) dominating her works. Most of the featured felines are housecats, but the collection does include larger cats like lions and tigers.

Drawings can be broadly categorized into five types:

Cats in costumeCats with cute props/backgroundsCats in cute posesCute cats doing cute thingsFeline-themed demi-humans

The demi-humans are basically shojo manga-style children and youths with animal ears and tails. While the majority are feline-people, there is a mouse-girl in the mix. Also, most of the demi-human illustrations show them posing with cats.

Although everything in the collection can be described as adorable, some illustrations have a whimsical feel, others are funny, while still others are charming. For the cats in costume or with props, backgrounds are drawn to match or complement the cats’ outfits and objects. As you might expect, several drawings incorporate cat-associated items, such as mice, fish, fishbones, and pawprints. However, the collection also includes a sailor cat against a background of anchors and a fantastical winged cat against a background of feathers.

Most illustrations take up a single page, but there are a few two-page spreads. The main illustrations are outlined in black ink; for drawings with backgrounds, background images are printed in grey.

In Summary

Looking for a cute animal-themed coloring book? Catitude is sure to fit the bill, especially if you love fluffy felines. Perfect for all ages, d’Errico’s artwork is wonderfully creative and delightfully fun.

First published in The Fandom Post.

Graphic Novel Review: Emma & Capucine Vol. #01

The beauty and pressures of the dance world are a popular subject for stories. Tokyopop has recently released a translation of one such French graphic novel for tween readers, Emma and Capucine. Read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

Emma and Capucine are sisters and best friends, who have worked their whole lives to attend the most prestigious ballet school in Paris. However, when Capucine passes the auditions and Emma doesn’t, their world collapses completely. Dealing with parental pressure, new friendships, and first loves, the two girls learn to follow their hearts – and that, sometimes, what you really want is something you never expected. Growing up and finding yourself isn’t so hard… when you can dance through it!

The Review

Emma and her younger sister Capucine share a dream of becoming professional ballet dancers together, a dream that has the enthusiastic support of their mother. But when Emma fails her third audition to the Paris Opera Ballet School while Capucine passes on her first try, Emma wonders if ballet is just a pipe dream for her.

This is a dance graphic novel series. This particular story focuses less on what goes on in the studio and stage and more on dealing with parental pressure, processing disappointment and expectations, and–because it is a ballet story– the bullying that goes on behind the scenes. However, the content does stay within the series’ Age 10+ rating.

The main characters are Emma (who I am guessing is at the start of high school?) and her 11-year-old sister Capucine. Both are dedicated dancers, but while Capucine’s self-controlled style is a perfect fit for the Paris Opera Ballet, Emma’s freer movements get her rejected time and again. Unwilling to compromise on the way she expresses herself, Emma quits classical ballet to pursue other dance forms, a decision that devastates her mother and sister.

As indicated by Chapter 1’s title, “A Dream for Three,” the mother is as (and probably more) driven as her daughters to see their ballet dreams come true. Yes, she absolutely is living vicariously through her children, but not in the way you expect. At any rate, the first half of the volume is predominantly about Emma questioning her long-held goals and her mother’s opposition to and eventual acceptance of Emma’s decision to quit.

Meanwhile, Capucine is reluctant to enroll at the Paris Opera Ballet School without her sister. The shy girl is attached to her family, and she’d rather train at a less prestigious school if it means staying with Emma. Unfortunately, because Capucine is so withdrawn and the dispute between the mother and Emma is so charged, Capucine doesn’t make much of an impression in Chapter 1.

She does get more screen time in Chapter 2 when she enters ballet school as a boarding student while big sister Emma figures out her post-ballet life. Although the mother takes a less prominent role in the book’s second half, Emma still overshadows Capucine. Emma takes an active role in experimenting with hip-hop and stumbling through possible romantic feelings with her long time friend Jake. Capucine, on the other hand, gets bullied by classmates without much explanation and wants to leave school. It doesn’t help that a ton of ballet classmates get introduced all at once, so readers have to keep track of them even as we’re trying to learn what kind of person Capucine is.

That’s one of the drawbacks of this graphic novel’s illustration style. Drawings are digitally rendered and printed in full color on matte stock. Overall, pictures are pleasing to look at, and the artist includes nice effects like light/shadow and blurring/focus. Unfortunately, the female characters look extremely familiar with only minor differences in hair color/texture to distinguish them. That’s fine for Chapter 1 where you can separate Emma, Capucine, and their mom as blonde, brunette, and auburn. But in the studio and stage scenes where multiple dancers have their hair bound and shadows obscuring hair color, it’s impossible to tell who’s who.

Extras include a creator’s afterword.

In Summary

Looking for a tween dance graphic novel? Give Emma and Capucine a try. It’s got parental pressure and drama with jealous classmates, but nothing inappropriate for an Age 10+ audience. Right now, ballerina-turned-hip-hop-dancer Emma is dominating the storyline, and it remains to be seen if Capucine can be more than a talented, good girl victim at her prestigious ballet school.

First published in The Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage Vol. #3

There’s been a lot of variations on the Villainess trope, and Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage is the latest such series released from Inklore. Read on for my review of Volume 3. (For other reviews from this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Desperate to appear unavailable for marriage to the tyrannical Crown Prince Maximilian—the villain of her previous life—Juvelian has proposed a contract relationship with her father’s rebellious protégé. At first glance, he’s the perfect choice, but a veil of misunderstandings hides a dark truth that could challenge Juvelian’s attempts to change her future.

Meanwhile, political schemes and old grudges are moving in the shadows of the imperial court, and Juvelian’s father, Duke Floyen, stands at the heart of them. As the crown prince seeks to solidify his power, the emperor tightens his hold over the duke.

The Review

Max agrees to become Juvelian’s contractual lover, but her scheme immediately brings up a couple of problems. Namely, how to justify a Duke’s daughter meeting a commoner mercenary in the first place. She cooks up a completely fantastical story for her guards, and their reaction to it is hilarious. However, she is forced to deliver more of the truth to her father, and that triggers a completely different but no less entertaining reaction from the Duke. Max, Juvelian, and the Duke are each operating on some level of misunderstanding about the other two characters, and what results is a variation of the Overprotective Father versus Devoted Lover vibe that looks like it will dominate Max and the Duke’s interactions for a while.

By the way, while Juvelian thinks of Max as a sulky, disobedient cat, Max apparently thinks of Juvelian as a helpless white mouse. This volume turns up that metaphor, so if you like seeing Max drawn with cat ears or Juvelian with mouse ears, there’s plenty of it.

Also showing up in this volume is Mikhail, who hasn’t done much since Juvelian dumped him at the beginning of Volume 1. Well, he makes up for it by crashing the exclusive tea party Juvelian got invited to. This arc is fun, and not just because certain characters have matching outfits (which are absolutely charming!). Mikhail versus Max gives us another variation on two men fighting over Juvelian. However, Juvelian also lays down the law – to both Max and Mikhail, and their reactions to this are priceless. At the same time, she manages to make progress on befriending other women her age.

Most of the volume focuses on Juvelian’s personal problems, but in the last chapter, we get a glimpse of the Empire’s political affairs, more details on the hold the Emperor has on the Duke, and the introduction of Max’s scheming stepmother and her daughter. The daughter is the one whose poisoning triggered Juvelian’s BAD END in the novel, and the Princess’s one brief scene makes it clear she’s not on Team Crown Prince. As such, I look forward to seeing how she will figure into the much-altered storyline.

Extras include a one-page character Q&A in between chapters, a character sheet, and bonus art.

In Summary

If you like men fighting over the heroine, you’ll get it in spades. We’ve got Max versus Overprotective Duke Dad; Max versus Ex-Boyfriend Mikhail, and Max versus Overprotective Dad Round 2. For all the murderous glaring from the guys, these scenes also include plenty of misunderstanding-based comedy, which makes for an entertaining and wholly satisfying volume.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: A History of Japan in Manga: Samurai, Shoguns and World War II

Manga is not only great for entertainment, it’s great for education! Historical facts are often more accessible thanks to non-fiction manga. One of these works is Tuttle Publishing’s A History of Japan in Manga: Samurai, Shoguns and World War II. Read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

A History of Japan in Manga tells the action-packed saga of Japan from its misty origins up to the present day. Epic battles, noble Samurai and duplicitous leaders are all portrayed in modern manga fashion!

The Review

Presenting the entire history of Japan a single book is a tall order, but that is the goal of A History of Japan in Manga. Originally written for a Japanese audience, this book has been translated into English, and the format switched to read left to right. The content is organized into ten chapters:

Chapter 1: The Dawn of Japan
Chapter 2: Buddhism and the Birth of a Nation
Chapter 3: Buddhist Policies and the Rise of the Aristocracy
Chapter 4: The Establishment of a Samurai Government and the Kamakura Shogunate
Chapter 5: The North-South Imperial Court and the Onin War
Chapter 6: The Dawn of the Warring States Period
Chapter 7: The Coming of Peace
Chapter 8: The Meiji Restoration and the End of the Samurai
Chapter 9: The Birth and Modernization of Imperial Japan
Chapter 10: The Advance of Modern Japan

Each chapter opens with a timeline of events, then presents one or two short manga stories that profile historical figures. These figures range from the Shaman Queen Himiko of Yamatai to Oda Nobunaga to poet Matsuoka Shiki. Each manga story is followed by 4 to 6 pages of text presenting detailed facts about the era in which that character lived. Chapters conclude with a map showing the locations of significant events of that time period and a one-page article on a cultural aspect of that era.

The book, which is printed in black and red ink, contains a total of 17 mini-manga. Each is a standalone story, and they are rendered by different artists. For instance, Toyotomi Hideyoshi appears in both “The Dream of National Conquest” and “The Battle of Sekigahara,” but each story draws him differently.

The back cover blurb touts the book as “easy-to-read,” but that’s not quite accurate. The text portions of the book are extremely dense. While I respect the creator’s desire for completeness, the way that complex timelines, family trees, and government organization charts get crammed onto the pages is often confusing. Historical notes include pictures of monuments, ancient documents, and artistic renditions of significant events to give a sense of the era, but the images are usually too small to truly appreciate.

While the manga portions are easier to digest, even they pose issues for a Western reader. As mentioned, this was originally written for a Japanese audience. Thus, it assumes a certain familiarity with Japanese history. As such, the narrative for “The Dream of National Conquest” depicts the Honnoji Incident without really explaining what it was, and the dialogue throws in Hideyoshi’s “Monkey” nickname without explaining that either. In “Chapter 8: The Meiji Restoration and the End of the Samurai,” the Shisengumi are not depicted in either of the chapter’s two manga nor are they defined in the text even though the group is mentioned a couple times in the chapter.

Original content aside, my biggest issue with this history book is the translation. Verb tense keeps shifting between present and past tense. Moreover, it is full of errors ranging from misplaced punctuation to missing words. On page 236, the captions for its two images are switched. The worst problem is the misspelling of proper names. It’s hard enough to keep track of historical figures, especially ones with extremely similar names, without misspelled names muddying up the narrative. “Satsuma” gets misspelled “Sumatra,” “Choshu” gets misspelled “Chosha,” and “Monet” gets misspelled “Money” to name a few.

There are also number errors. On page 19, the historical notes make a reference to 50,000 years when it actually means 500 years, and I caught at least three dates that were clearly wrong. Page 54 includes a photo of an ancient painting depicting the beheading of Soga No Iruka with a caption stating, “Iruka’s head flew almost a kilometer away.” Given all the other errors, I’m left scratching my head as to whether the distance is a mistake or something legendary.

Presenting facts accurately in a historical text is critical. As such, this book can give a general sense of the history of Japan but be cautious about using it as a reference to look up specific details.

Extras include the appendix “Concise Chronology of Japanese History.”

In Summary

A History of Japan in Manga has the ambitious goal of presenting that nation’s entire history in 320 pages. While its collection of mini-manga does a decent job of bringing historical figures to life, the book falls short as an introductory resource for Western readers. Parts of the text are difficult to read, the narrative assumes a minimal knowledge of Japanese history, and the English translation is unfortunately rife with grammatical and other errors.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage Vol. #2

There’s been a lot of variations on the Villainess trope, and Father, I Don’t Want This Marriage is the latest such series released from Inklore. Read on for my review of Volume 2. (For other reviews from this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Juvelian, infamous daughter of the legendary Duke Floyen, must rebuild her reputation if she is going to survive the events that led to the end of her previous life. Amid scandalous rumors of a secret lover, she makes careful plans for the debut of her reformed self at an aristocratic birthday party. But finding a suitable escort for the event proves more difficult than Juvelian expected.

When she discovers that her father is making plans of his own—ones that see her married off to the tyrannical crown prince—Juvelian is determined to thwart them. The only problem: She’ll need to convince Max, her father’s unpredictable protégé, to join the scheme.

The Review

While the initial volume focused on the Death Flag aspect of the story, this volume is more about palace intrigue and drama. When Prince Maximilian got introduced, the banished-from-court-Crown-Prince seemed very much like the stray cat that Juvelian perceived him to be. As it turns out, Max has more people on his side than just Juvelian’s father. Moreover, he’s got a keen read on the current affairs of high society thanks to Madame Freesia, a salon owner who’s much more than she seems. It is still unclear how large the Crown Prince’s faction is, and the Imperial Princess whose poisoning triggered Juvelian’s Bad End in the novel has yet to make an appearance. However, battlelines have clearly been drawn between Max and his stepmother in addition to his conniving excuse of a father.

As for Juvelian, we get a better sense of her and her father’s reputation as she tries to find an escort for a ball celebrating a noblewoman’s birthday. This part is all comedy, with the Duke playing the stereotypical overprotective father and scaring off all of Juvelian’s prospects. At the same time, Juvelian and her father are constantly misreading each other – the Duke interpreting her fear of him as daughterly clinginess, Juvelian perceiving her father’s actions as murderous or coldly opportunistic.

This comedy of misinterpretations also applies to interactions between Juvelian and Max. Juvelian’s misunderstandings generally stem from the fact that she thinks he’s a commoner student of her father’s. As for Max, his misunderstandings are partly due to his developing attraction for Juvelian. While it is fun to see those unaccustomed feelings mess with his judgment, Max’s change of heart comes awfully quick for a guy who was about to kill her in cold blood only days earlier. At any rate, Juvelian is causing changes in the violent, murderous prince, and it’s nice to have Madame Freesia’s commentary so we can gauge the extent of those changes.

Extras include a character sheet and bonus art.

In Summary

There is less emphasis on Juvelian’s death flag and more on Max’s circumstances as the banished Crown Prince in this installment. Balancing out the court intrigue are Juvelian’s efforts to find an escort for a ball, a situation that draws interest from her father and Max. While Max’s attraction to her has developed a bit too quickly, romance readers will likely enjoy the trouble his feelings are bound to cause with Juvelian’s overprotective father.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Japan’s Longest Day

Manga is not only great for entertainment, it’s great for education! Historical facts are often more accessible thanks to non-fiction manga. One of these works is Tuttle Publishing’s Japan’s Longest Day. Read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

In the final days of World War II, Japan lay in ruins and the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki had been obliterated. A tense drama unfolds in Tokyo as Japan teeters on the edge of Armageddon. Japan’s Longest Day tells the true story of the day immediately before the surrender, as a group of fanatical army officers attempt to prevent the Emperor from surrendering—an act of high treason which will inevitably result in Japan’s total annihilation.

The Review

In August 1945, atom bombs obliterated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Under those circumstances, one might think Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allies was a foregone conclusion. As it turns out, a mob of Army officers fought to the end–even going so far as to interfere with the Emperor’s announcement of surrender–in hopes of prolonging the war.

Japan’s Longest Day: A Graphic Novel about the End of World War II has a broader scope than the final 24 hours before Emperor Hirohito’s radio proclamation of Japan’s surrender. The book begins with Admiral Perry’s Black Ships in 1853. This bit of history introduces the low-ranking samurai who formed the basis of what became the Japanese army as well as Japan’s relationship with foreign powers. Thus, readers get the origin story of the Japanese military and an understanding of their ideology and influence on the government.

Although this backstory provides context for the conflict central to this manga, the sheer number of names, places, and events may be overwhelming for a person unfamiliar with Japanese history. Also, the manga was originally created for a Japanese audience, so the selected events are Japanese-centric. For instance, Japan declares war on the United States/attacks Pearl Harbor on page 48, and two pages later, the timeline has skipped ahead 4 ½ years to the American bombings on Tokyo. Although the book mentions the Japanese colonization of Manchuria, no mention is made about how the Japanese Army’s treated the populations they invaded. It only describes the plight of Japanese settlers who were massacred by the Soviets after the Japanese army retreated.

After three chapters of introductory material, we get to the meat of the book: the 24 hours leading up to Emperor Hirohito’s August 15 noon declaration of surrender. Events are laid out in 12 chapters, each chapter covering a two-hour interval. A huge number of characters, many with lengthy titles, are involved, but it broadly boils down to two opposing groups. One side is the Emperor and cabinet members who are advocating peace. The other is comprised of Army officers and specifically members in the Imperial guard who want to fight to the last person.

The creators include a lot of detail about the layout of various facilities and the different military groups involved. However, they pack in so much information that it becomes difficult to follow the narrative, especially in regard to the coup instigators. Differentiating between those involved is also complicated by the fact that most are soldiers in similar military garb.

However, other parts of the story are much more straightforward in terms of heightening the drama. In “August 14, 4 PM to 6 PM” and “August 14, 6 PM to 8 PM,” the nation is clearly taking a beating, but the Cabinet wastes precious time making their surrender because they are quibbling over phrasing in their surrender document. The manga drives home the consequences of this lollygagging by depicting the areas of Japan that were concurrently getting destroyed while ministers nitpicked words. Later in the book, rogue army officers storm the Imperial Residence and the radio broadcast center in an attempt to thwart the announcement of surrender. It was impossible to keep track of all the people swept up in that chaos, but the tension of that critical moment definitely came through.

Overall, the narrative is very sympathetic toward the Emperor. Meanwhile, the Army is depicted as an inflexible mob, who, despite all the rhetoric about sacredness of their Emperor, would not hesitate to dispose of him if he veered from their agenda. Nearly all the officers involved in the failed coup committed suicide, so it’s easy to shove the blame entirely on them. However, the end of the manga does raise the question of whether the Emperor was completely innocent of war crimes.

In terms of illustrations, Hoshino-sensei’s drawings deliver plenty of impact. Because this is a story of wartime and insurrection, there is no shortage of violent images. In addition to the ruthless actions of the hawkish officers, the loss of life due to war are depicted quite graphically. Military equipment and landmarks are drawn with impressive detail, and Hoshino-sensei appears to have rendered a number of historical photographs for the narrative.

The translation unfortunately has several grammatical errors, including missing words and misspellings. The most glaring error I noted was the incorrect date for the bombing of Nagasaki (August 6 instead of August 9).

In Summary

If you ever wondered what was happening in Japan during the six days between the bombing of Nagasaki and the end of the Pacific War, this manga dives into it. It is an extremely deep dive, however. To provide context for the drama in the hours leading up to the Emperor’s public declaration of surrender, the creators delved into the Japanese military’s origins and even further back. This skillfully illustrated manga is perfect for Japanese history or war history buffs but would probably overwhelm the casual reader.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Hereditary Triangle

Love triangles generally show up in heart-pounding romances. But how about a love triangle in a slice-of-life? That’s what shows up in the standalone manga Hereditary Triangle. Read on for my review.

Back Cover Blurb

In the days of their youth, Koutarou Fujiki and Kajiwara were the best of friends. Even the realization that they liked the same girl couldn’t break their bond, and so for years, they both vied for her affection. But that era of Koutarou’s life ended when Kajiwara suddenly left. Now an adult, Koutarou has taken his sweetheart’s hand in marriage, but he’s plagued with doubts―Why did Kajiwara take off? And would his wife, Touko, have chosen differently were he still around? During a visit to their hometown, Koutarou meets someone who sends him hurtling back through his memories…and toward the answer he’s been seeking ever since…

The Review

Next-door neighbors Koutarou and Tooru grew up as best friends. Their friendship continued even after both fell in love with the same girl. Then one day Tooru left without any explanation. Koutarou wed his sweetheart but has always secretly wondered if his wife would’ve chosen differently if Tooru had stayed. All those doubts come bubbling to the surface decades later when Koutarou returns to his hometown and encounters a dead ringer for Tooru.

Hereditary Triangle involves a relationship triangle, but it’s not your standard love triangle. Usually, the focus is on the feelings of the single female as she interacts with and struggles to choose between the two males fighting for her. In this title, the focus is on Koutarou and Tooru’s shared history, so it ends up feeling like a bromance that gets disrupted when the best friends fall for the same woman.

The book begins with Koutarou and his wife Touko returning to his childhood home to live with his newly widowed mother. That’s when he learns his old neighbor Tooru also recently passed due to an accident. This gets Koutarou thinking about the questions and unresolved feelings when Tooru left. Then things come to a head when he encounters Tooru’s son Kaoru, who’s sorting through his father’s belongings in the house next door.

Kaoru looks exactly like his father in his youth. Hayashi-sensei draws them exactly alike, save for a mole beneath Kaoru’s eye to differentiate the two. Thus, Kaoru serves as a kind of stand-in for his deceased father as Koutarou grapples with decades-old insecurities and the mystery of why Tooru distanced himself so abruptly.

Therefore, this is not an impassioned romance. Even in the flashbacks of Koutarou, Touko, and Tooru’s university years, they are portrayed as a comfortable threesome with Tooru inserting himself as a not-unwelcome third wheel on Koutarou and Touko’s dates. Instead, the plot focuses on Koutarou’s regrets about the way his friendship with Tooru disintegrated and guilt about the happy marriage he got after his friend took off.

The story sticks mainly with Koutarou’s POV, but Touko and Kaoru also get a chance to voice their thoughts. Readers get a frank perspective on Tooru’s and Touko’s thoughts about Koutarou in a recounting of the only “date” Tooru had with Touko at a local aquarium. As for Kaoru, it may seem strange for someone his age to be interacting with friends of his father’s that he never knew. However, Tooru was a bit of a mystery to his son due to the lengthy travels that came with his career as a photographer. Because Kaoru’s interactions with the couple allow him to learn more about his father (as well as get help sorting through his father’s sizable collection of personal effects), the interplay between the three characters is natural and believable.

The artwork is clean, and the characters are easily identifiable in their different stages of life. Illustrations do an excellent job of setting the atmosphere and conveying the varied emotions of the characters.

Extras in this hardcover standalone book include full-color foldout illustration, author afterword, and bonus illustration.

In Summary

Hereditary Triangle is a mature slice of life. Thanks to childhood and college-year flashbacks as well as our college-age character Kaoru, a breadth of lifetime experiences get represented in this standalone story. However, those events tend to be interpreted through the filter of an empty nester questioning the choices he made. While melancholy, it’s also warm and has funny moments with a likable and relatable cast. If you like narratives that are deeply reflective and characters who, despite their weaknesses and hangups, deeply care for one another, give this beautifully produced manga a try.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: The Real Musashi

Manga is not only great for entertainment, it’s great for education! Historical facts are often more accessible thanks to non-fiction manga. One of these works is Tuttle Publishing’s The Real Musashi. Read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

Miyamoto Musashi was undefeated throughout his long career as a fighter and became even more famous later in life as the author of The Book of Five Rings, the bible of Japanese military strategy that is still widely read today. This book tells the incredible true story of an enigmatic man who is the most famous warrior in history.

The Review

Although I had heard of Musashi, I never knew any details about this samurai until I read this book. An outline of his accomplishments, The Real Musashi presents information in an entertaining and memorable way. The book is comprised of a five-chapter manga biography followed by an essay by one of the creators, three brief articles delving into Musashi trivia, and a timeline of the samurai’s life.

Chapter 1: “Munisai and Bennosuke” presents a depiction of Musashi’s difficult childhood and complicated relationship with his father. Chapter 2: “The Duel with the Yoshimoto Clan” focuses on Musashi’s attempt to make a name for himself by challenging the strongest swordsmanship clan in Kyoto. Chapter 3: “The Ganryu Island Duel” recounts five duels that took place in Musashi’s 20s. Chapter 4: “Unwanted Genius” skips ahead to Musashi’s 50s and the series of events that led to him finally securing a position as a military commander. Chapter 5: “The Book of Five Rings” concludes with the literary works Musashi created before his death.

As you can see, there are large gaps in Musashi’s life history. This is partly due to the fact that Musashi was born at the close of the Warring States Era, a time when military outcomes began depending more on firearms versus individual swordsmanship. So although Musashi participated in the Battle of Sekigahara and the Siege of Osaka, he was unable to make a name for himself in battle. And with the country turning toward peace, there was less demand for those with military skills.

As a result, Musashi spent much of his life wandering from one part of Japan to another. Instead of epic battles or political power struggles, the bulk of this historic figure’s biography focuses on various duels. While he was a skilled swordsman, Musashi wasn’t above using methods like swapping out his sword for a boat oar to defeat his opponent. Overall, the manga reads like a series of anecdotes. Beyond his difficult relationship with his father, there’s very little about Musashi’s personal life. The book mentions his two adopted sons, but the narrative offers no sense of what those relationships were like.

Illustrations are clearly drawn with lots of detail on weapons and clothing. The text unfortunately has several grammatical and spelling errors in the last third of the book. Also, Tuttle Publishing did not provide cultural or translation notes beyond what was in the original Japanese book. Because of that, readers may miss certain nuances like the significance of Bennosuke’s name changing to Musashi or the power hierarchy during this era.

In Summary

If you’re seeking nonfiction for a child who likes swashbuckling heroes, consider The Real Musashi. This manga biography doesn’t try to fill in the gaps left by the historic record, so it reads like a series of anecdotes about Musashi’s feats of swordsmanship. But be aware that it was written for a Japanese audience, and this translation does not include cultural notes.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Takahashi from the Bike Shop Vol. #1

Opposites attract is a popular subgenre of romance. In Yen Press’ Takahashi from the Bike Shop, the mismatched couple is a timid office drudge and a striking bicycle repairman with a foul mouth. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

From unwanted advances from her boss and work dumped onto her by coworkers, thirty-year-old Tomoko Hanno, or Panko for short, struggles to stand up for herself. But when her rusty bike breaks down, she meets Ryohei Takahashi from the neighborhood bike repair shop. Although he can be a bit overbearing, Panko finds herself relying on his considerate nature and her world begins to shift…

The Review

30-year-old office worker Tomoko Hanno is drifting through life. She has slimy supervisors, and her younger colleagues are disrespectful slackers. And because she has a hard time saying no, she gets pushed around. So when an intimidating bike repair man tells her to take her broken bike to his shop, she obeys. But Tomoko quickly discovers that Ryouhei Takahashi is not nearly as scary as he looks.

Tomoko is the type of character that pops up in a lot of isekai. She’s got a timid personality with airhead tendencies, a dead-end job, terrible coworkers, no boyfriend, a bad relationship with her mother, little cash, and no aspirations beyond eating and watching anime. In other words, easy to relate to but not particularly interesting on her own. But instead of getting supernatural powers or a new life in a new universe, romance blooms between her and a hot guy who looks like a gangster.

However, their love story gets off to a slow start. They are not in the same social circles, and it is only because Ryouhei’s bike shop is along Tomoko’s commute that they meet. He fixes her loose bike chain in their first encounter and gives her a soda in their second. In both brief instances, she’s mostly terrified because of his blunt manner, crude speech, and bleached hair. When she treats Ryouhei to dinner at his friend’s restaurant as repayment for her bicycle repairs, she spends as much time talking to his two friends as she does to Ryouhei. And it’s not until the morning after that dinner that she gives her name to Ryouhei.

By that time, she realizes he is a decent person with a mutual interest in anime, but she’s not thinking of romance at all. Because of that and her own unremarkable personality, getting invested in this romance was difficult.

As for Ryouhei, the progression of his feelings for Tomoko are difficult to read. He notices her first, and he approaches her first (to fix her loose bicycle chain). However, it’s unclear whether he’s attracted or annoyed by her at the start. Because the story is mainly from Tomoko’s point of view, it’s impossible to tell if the treatment she receives at Ryouhei’s shop is common to all customers or because he’s trying to hit on her. While Ryouhei has looks and his gruff kindness to appeal to Tomoko, I’m not sure what he finds attractive about Tomoko. As a male lead, he’s not the type to impress a woman with words or displays of affection. Rather, he’s more of the comfortable drinking buddy who happens to have a wild appearance and sailor’s mouth.

The artwork is on the rough end. Body proportions tend to be off. You can tell which characters are supposed to be attractive, but these drawings are not exactly the kind you drool over.

Extras include the first eight pages printed in color, creator afterword, translation notes, and bonus manga.

In Summary

It’s “opposites attract” in this slow-paced romance. And when I say slow, I mean really slow. This is largely due to the main character’s wishy-washy personality. It’s mostly up to the male lead to drive the story forward, but it’s unclear in the first 100 pages if he’s actually interested in her or not. As such, it’s difficult to get invested in this odd couple.

First published at the Fandom Post.