S.Q. Eries's Blog, page 11

Manhwa Review: The Remarried Empress Vol. 1

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is The Remarried Empress. Read on for the review of Volume 1 of the manhwa.

Back Cover Blurb

Navier Ellie Trovi was the lifelong companion of Sovieshu, the emperor of the Eastern Empire, with whom she spent her youth discussing the empire they would build together. She was intelligent, compassionate, and courageous. She was the perfect empress of the Eastern Empire, until the day Sovieshu fell for another woman, demanding a divorce. However, it was Navier who shocked Sovieshu, his beloved mistress, and a speechless court as she coldly declared: “I accept this divorce…and request an approval of my remarriage!”

The Review

Empress Navier and Emperor Sovieshu looked like the perfect couple – until a beautiful girl steals the Emperor’s heart. Not content merely to make the girl his mistress, Sovieshu petitions for divorce. To everyone’s astonishment, Navier agrees – on the condition she’s permitted to marry Prince Heinrey of the Western Kingdom. But how did the Prince and Empress get so close? It all began with a bird…

The Remarried Empress began as a Korean web fiction and has since expanded to various media including this full-color manhwa. As you might guess from the title, it is a palace drama. Specifically, it has a European flavor, so if you enjoy your characters with extensive wardrobes featuring ruffles, cravats, flounces, frock coats, cloaks, gold braid, sweeping skirts, puffed sleeves, bows, and epaulets, you’ll have a lot to feast your eyes on. Even if you’re not particularly inclined toward European styles, SUMPUL’s illustrations are a visual treat, whether depicting Queen the bird’s natural beauty or the elegance of a royal tea party. Prince Heinrey’s almost entirely naked body in Episode 8 is nothing short of gorgeous.

The book opens with the Imperial couple on the verge of breakup; then on page 13, it backtracks a few months in time to show how they got there. The story’s told primarily from the perspective of Empress Navier. Betrothed as a child to Sovieshu, Navier’s dedicated herself to becoming the perfect Empress. While the marriage is not based on love, they grew up as friends. So when Rashta, a girl of unknown origins, catches Sovieshu’s eye, Navier’s hurt but resigned to the situation. That is, until Sovieshu and Rashta’s love affair undermines her position. While Navier can do without her husband’s love, she won’t be disrespected.

This is definitely an old theme, and this variation has Navier as the absolutely wronged party. Rashta is portrayed as conniving. She’s quick to act like the victim and manipulates situations to have her breaches of etiquette, no matter how insulting, brushed off as innocent mistakes. While Navier is likable and Rashta lives up to the part of the deceiving rival, Sovieshu, the man at the center of the conflict, is flat. The intro indicates that he and Navier had mutual dreams for their empire. However, in his scenes, he is a brainless pretty face who simply agrees to whatever Rashta wants, regardless of how it impacts his or his nation’s standing.

Fortunately, there’s another man in the cast, the mysterious Prince Heinrey. He has a colorful reputation that includes playboy and associate of pirates. Outwardly, he’s a frivolous charmer, but he’s surprisingly astute and adept in social situations. And like all good romantic leads, he’s highly attuned to his love interest’s situation and emotions. Heinrey’s intercessions on Navier’s behalf as well as his alternate feathered identity keep this palace drama interesting, and I look forward to the next volume.

In Summary

If you like the kind of palace drama where a royal’s wandering eye leads to a clash of love, rank, duty, and reputation, give The Remarried Empress a try. While it includes a touch of magic, the focus is primarily on the relationship the Empress turns to when her husband’s upstart lover tramples on her identity and position. Although the opening shows readers how things end up, the unlikely combination of punctilious Navier and rash Heinrey makes me eager to learn the details of their story.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Graphic Novel Review: The Journey of Marcel Grob

I never had much interest in war narratives until I came across Tanya the Evil. It’s a completely fictional isekai, but its war nerd creator did such a wonderful job dramatizing the varied aspects of military conflict that it completely hooked me. Since then, I’ve checked off titles such as Tom Hanks’ Greyhound and the Ken Burns documentary The War from my viewing list. On the graphic novel front, I recently reviewed The Journey of Marcel Grob. Read on for the review!

Back Cover Blurb

In the dead of night, eighty-three-year-old Marcel Grob is sequestered by an investigating judge who questions him about his past. Particularly beginning on June 28, 1944, the day when “Marzell,” like ten thousand of his German-speaking peers from the French borderland province of Alsace, became a member of the Nazis’ infamous Waffen SS. But did the teenager volunteer, or was he conscripted by the Nazis? Was he a “Malgré-nous,” one of those forced to comply, or was he a war criminal? To establish the truth of his troubled past, Marcel Grob will have to revisit painful memories as an adolescent forced to fight in Italy with the sinister Reichsführer division. Determined to prove his innocence, Marcel begins the story of a long journey into night.

The Review

In the dead of night, 83-year-old Marcel Grob is taken from his wife and home and brought before a mysterious war crimes tribunal. At first, he vehemently denies the allegations, contending he never took part in the war. However, when the judge presents irrefutable proof that Marcel was a member of the Nazis’ Waffen SS, the old Frenchman must delve into his painful past as a forced conscript in order to prove his innocence.

This graphic novel is written from the perspective of an old man recollecting his experiences as a teenager on the battlefield. As such, the scope is limited to the places and events he lived through during his nine months as a conscript before the war ended. Moreover, the authors are French and presumably crafted the story for a French audience. So rather than a sweeping narrative of the world at war, the creators present an ordeal unique to a very specific group of people, namely the German-speaking inhabitants of the French borderland province of Alsace.

So if you are an American and not well-versed in World War II, this is not a good title to start with. In addition to assuming readers are acquainted with the situation in Europe in 1944-1945, the graphic novel presumes an awareness of the distinction between the Waffen SS and the Wehrmacht. (I was unfamiliar with both terms prior to reading this book). English translations are not provided for German military ranks and terms. While a historical account of the Malgre-Nous is provided at the end of the book, the expert who wrote it goes much deeper into the weeds than the casual reader can follow. In other words, it is not an easy read. The account feels more like an academic paper rather than a text for laypeople.

However, if you are a World War II nerd and particularly interested in Nazism or the French occupation, there’s a lot to sink your teeth into. Through the experience of Marcel and his compatriots, we learn the various motives that brought the youth of Alsace to join the ranks of the Waffen SS and the consequences of avoiding conscription, deserting, and faking following orders. The narrative particularly emphasizes the tenuous situation Marcel and his peers are forced into. On one hand, they are despised because they take on the SS’s brutal reputation. On the other hand, they are despised and never fully trusted by the German SS members, most of whom, unlike the Alsatians, volunteered for the organization.

This is a war narrative, and it evolves Nazis. It goes without saying that the account includes battlefield violence and atrocities against civilians. It also depicts the inglorious parts of warfare–starvation, exposure, injury–as well as fleeting lighthearted moments, such as a soccer match. Illustrations can be disturbing, so be warned.

The scenes depicting Marcel’s past are rendered in black-and-white with monochrome shading. The tint of the shading changes with each scene change. Goethals’ artwork effectively conveys the chaos and brutality of the battlefield, but the expressions of the cast are invariably stiff and their facial features indistinguishable. Especially when the characters are in identical uniforms, it’s impossible to tell Marcel and his compatriots Muller and Antoine apart.

In Summary

The Journey of Marcel Grob explores a lesser-known contingent of the Nazi war machine: the German-speaking conscripts of the French borderlands. Framed as a tribunal against an Alsatian conscript decades after the war’s end, this graphic novel offers a sympathetic look at the circumstances that brought these men into the Waffen SS and their experiences within their ranks. However, the book presumes readers have familiarity with German terminology and an overall grasp of the War in Europe. Moreover, the historical account provided at the graphic novel’s conclusion feels like it was written more for an academic audience than a casual reader.

First published in The Fandom Post.

Light Novel Review: Sasaki and Peeps Vol. 2

Isekai, sci-fi, and fantasy are huge light novel genres. But how about a mash-up of all three? That’s what you’ll find in Sasaki and Peeps! Read on for the review of Volume 2. (For other Sasaki and Peeps reviews, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Sasaki’s pet bird (and otherworld sage) Peeps has gifted him with powerful magic and the ability to cross between worlds, all to game the multidimensional system and live the good life. Due to unforeseen circumstances on both sides, though, things aren’t going as planned. Sasaki’s job as a government psychic isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and with a magical girl out for blood, a neighbor giving in to dark temptations, and a former enemy changing sides, Sasaki and Peeps are looking at a big traffic jam on their road to success!

The Review

This second installment of Sasaki and Peeps is bookended by chapters told by Sasaki’s underage neighbor Kurosu. The opening chapter paints a picture of her miserable life under her mother’s abuse. The closing chapter has her making a life-altering encounter and contract with a demon. Both chapters make clear her unhealthy obsession with Sasaki. As mentioned in my review of Volume 1, the sexualization of this middle school girl (and the female cast in general) leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It’s the one disgusting (and unnecessary) element in an otherwise clever and entertaining spec fic adventure.

And that adventure just keeps going. Things get off to a slow start with Sasaki’s first recruitment assignment of an E-rank psychic. But that mundane task quickly blows up (literally) with the arrival of the killer magical girl, followed by the appearance of Futarishizuka, their deadly opponent from Sasaki’s first psychic battle.

We didn’t see much of Futarishizuka in person in Volume 1, but she dominates the modern world sections in Volume 2. As a lethal Rank A psychic claiming to want to switch sides, she keeps Sasaki guessing as to her true intentions even as he works with her to accomplish mutual goals. I could do without all the sexual innuendos in her dialogue, but she is a fascinating character, much more interesting than Sasaki’s current partner Hoshizaki.

With so much chaos in the modern world, man and bird just want to kick back and relax in the fantasy otherworld. Unfortunately, that plan gets ruined when they discover that their valued trading colleague Mr. Marc has been arrested under false charges. A prison break can easily be arranged via Peeps’s powers, but to protect their leisurely otherworld lifestyle, Sasaki proposes resolving the issue through political and business channels. Unfortunately, his plan hits a major snag when the Count’s daughter stows away in Sasaki’s inter-world cargo!

Midway through the volume, Sasaki winds up with individuals on both sides of the inter-world divide who discover that he is crossing worlds. So on top of dealing with psychic battles and conniving nobles, he’s having to construct various alibis for those who know different aspects of his secret. It certainly keeps things interesting, but now there’s a ton of details to keep track of. Plus, the cast keeps getting bigger. Currently, it’s still manageable, but if the story continues in this vein, I’ll need a recap every time Sasaki crosses worlds.

The first eight pages, which contain illustrations and a thread from Sasaki’s social media, are printed in full color. Extras also include ten black-and-white insert illustrations, afterword, and original cover material.

In Summary

Things get exponentially more complicated for Sasaki as his modern world job pairs him with a former enemy and an important otherworld trading partner gets wrongfully imprisoned. On top of that, a couple of individuals discover that Peeps is not an ordinary bird. Volume 2 is definitely a page turner with crises and supernatural battles piling up one after the other on poor Sasaki.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: The Geek Ex-Hitman Vol. #2

There’s no shortage of gangster-centric manga, and it includes a subset of comedies like The Way of the Househusband, where the toughest denizens of the underworld embrace an entirely new lifestyle. The Geek Ex-Hitman falls into this category, with otaku culture as the new lifestyle and the slight variation that Marco is Italian, not yakuza. Read on for my review of Volume 2. (For reviews of other volumes, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Marco, a former hitman turned anime aficionado, is going to Comisa, Japan’s largest fan fiction convention, and intelligence officer Viviana and her colleague Andre are tagging along too! However, Marco may not get to enjoy the festivities for long, as an uninvited guest emerges from the shadows…

The Review

Volume 1 ended with our Italian trio headed for Comic Summit to sell their very own doujinshi. Despite having poured blood, sweat, and tears into the pages, it is a newbie work and sells accordingly. (For those curious about their creation, a hilarious excerpt of the doujinshi is included in the bonus material.) However, even though their doujinshi doesn’t draw fans, the trio enthralls the conventiongoers by defending the pride of otaku everywhere.

Then yet another Italian comes to Japan: Marco’s former partner Gregorio. The huge, hairy hitman is not at all into anime, but he is obsessed with Marco. So when he fails to compel Marco to return to Florence, he stays in Japan, inviting himself into Marco’s home and keeping an eye for different ways to ingratiate himself to his idol.

Thus the recurring cast goes up to four. Unlike the other three, Gregorio’s neutral about otaku. Or, more accurately, he’s completely ignorant about them. However, he worships Marco, so that adds another flavor of fanaticism into the Italian mix. Plus, his unique characteristic is that he has stupidly good luck. His arrival and familiarity with Marco of course puts Viviana’s fujoshi imagination into overdrive, though interestingly, his presence also backfires on her BL fantasy enactments.

As in Volume 1, the interaction of the Italian characters are energetic and entertaining, and the illustrations are excellent throughout, whether conveying the hard-hitting impact of a brawl, Viviana’s BL delusions, or the giddy delight when people discover they are members of the same fandom. However, as mentioned in my previous review, the series is best enjoyed by those well-versed in anime and manga. The translation notes will allow those unfamiliar with otaku culture to get the gist of what’s going on, but it’s a lot funnier when you recognize all the different series references.

The final chapter in Volume 2 takes a very dark turn. We’ve known from the beginning that Marco’s a former hitman and seen evidence of his strength and skill, but it’s not like he’s offed anyone in Japan. However, Chapter 20 delves into his past, and those pages get really graphic and bloody fast. Although this arc will likely lead to a better understanding of Marco, it’s a sharp change in tone from the goofy lives our Italian hitmen and special agents currently live.

Extras include first page in color, artwork on the inside covers, three pages of bonus comics, bonus chapter, and translation notes. Oddly, the honorifics list of the translation notes does not include the -shi honorific used by Marco and his otaku compatriots.

In Summary

Another Italian arrives in Japan! This time it’s Marco’s old partner, the hitman Gregorio. He comes to drag Marco back to Florence and instead winds up as part of Marco’s new otaku life. No, he knows nothing about anime, but that doesn’t stop Viviana from including him into her Marco-centric BL fantasies. As in Volume 1, Volume 2 is wonderfully illustrated and a ton of laughs for otaku types.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Sasaki and Peeps Vol. 1

Isekai, sci-fi, and fantasy are huge light novel genres. But how about a mash-up of all three? That’s what you’ll find in Sasaki and Peeps! Read on for the review of Volume 1 of the manga. (For more reviews of Sasaki and Peeps works, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

When Sasaki brightens up his tired corporate life by buying a pet sparrow, he never imagined the bird would actually be a reincarnated sage from another world! With his new avian roommate teaching him all sorts of magic tricks, could this be Sasaki’s chance to escape his droll office job?

The Review

Sasaki is a middle-aged office drone scraping by in Tokyo. Longing for animal companionship, he buys a Java sparrow at the local pet shop and gets more than he bargained for when his new pet Peeps declares himself to be a reincarnated wizard from another world. On top of that, he wants to eat Kobe beef Châteaubriand. Sounds like an impossible order, but Peeps has a solution: he’ll share his powers with Sasaki, and they’ll raise the funds via inter-world trading!

Sasaki and Peeps is the manga adaption of the light novel by the same name. Between the two, I would say the manga is the easier for readers to digest as the light novel tends to be long-winded. Not to mention, a lot of the novel’s pages are devoted to its various setting descriptions, whereas the manga’s setting illustrations are, as the saying goes, worth a thousand words. Plus the novel narrative was TMI with aspects of Sasaki’s personal life.

In terms of story, the manga covers the same territory as the light novel. In other words, it’s a real mishmash. Although it includes the isekaied wizard Peeps, it isn’t exactly an isekai because main character Sasaki still has his ordinary life. He’s just overlaying excursions to another world on top of his previous routine. And as hinted by the lengthy subtitle, “That Time I Got Dragged into a Psychic Battle in Modern Times While Trying to Enjoy a Relaxing Life in Another World ~Looks like Magical Girls Are on Deck ~,” the plot involves psychics and magical girls (though Volume 1 only gives a hint of that in the last three pages).

The thing holding these disparate elements together is the relationship between Sasaki and Peeps. The fact that Sasaki views Peeps primarily as his adorable pet keeps the relationship very pure, and they’re bound by the mutual desire for a relaxing lifestyle with good food.

No, these are not fate-of-the-world-depends-on-it stakes. But the main character is a middle-aged bachelor who’s working towards his goal by trading printer paper for gold coins and whose main concern is not tipping off Japanese tax authorities to his new source of income. Probably not the sort of story that would appeal to younger readers. But as an older adult, I found this twist on the fantasy genre entertaining.

However, one thing that makes this title less appealing is the way it handles female characters. With one exception, the characters in Volume 1 are adult males. Most of the men are middle-aged; the youngest is in his 20s. The lone female character is a middle schooler who lives next door to Sasaki. The illustrations give her a Lolita aura, and her unhealthy preoccupation with Sasaki is very evident in the bonus short story when she offers to give him a massage. Although Sasaki’s interactions and attitude toward her are on the up and up, I find the sexual overtones surrounding this girl offputting (and unnecessary) in an otherwise entertaining story.

As for Osho-sensei’s other illustrations, they do a good job of conveying the magical aspects of the story, and otherworldly and ordinary objects are well detailed. Animals are cute and drawn with a realistic bent, so Peeps’ emotions and powers are conveyed via text and background effects. Sasaki’s expressions, however, are sometimes distorted to convey emotion or comic effect.

Extras include the first four pages printed in color, creator afterword, and a bonus short story by Buncololi. I should note that the book does not include translation notes, so it is up to readers to do the yen conversions for the money discussions.

In Summary

Sasaki and Peeps’ protagonist is a meek 39-year-old office worker whose primary goal is obtaining expensive beef for his adorable pet bird/reincarnated wizard. Not the most charismatic character, nor the most dramatic storyline. However, Peeps’ proposal to attain a cushy lifestyle via inter-world trade is an intriguing premise, and from the last few pages, magical action is swiftly coming up on the horizon.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady Vol. #2

Isekai has really overtaken the anime/manga scene the last several years. The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady is one such title. Read on for my review of Volume 2. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Some time off at the royal villa has helped Euphyllia get her thoughts together following the shock of her engagement being broken off, but that clarity has only made her aware of how empty her heart now is. She looks to Anisphia for answers, but the princess is too busy getting hyped for an impending monster stampede! All high-ranked adventurers have been summoned to stop it, including the one known as… the Marauder Princess!

The Review

Volume 1 focused mainly on Princess Anis’ unconventional outlook and the rules of magic. Euphyllia served primarily to provide Anis with a damsel to rescue and to provide readers with a model for how conventional magic works in this fantasy world. However, the opening pages of Volume 2 slows down to provide more of Euphyllia’s perspective on the events thus far. Her sudden fever and subsequent sickroom scene feel forced, but they do the trick of allowing her to reflect on the abrupt changes in her life and position. Unlike Anis, Euphyllia is extremely sensitive to how others perceive her, and her conversation with the maid Ilia gives a sense of where she is emotionally right before the action revs up again.

And that action comes in the form of a massive monster stampede triggered by a dragon! The tone suddenly shifts from otome-sim to fantasy adventure, and Anis reveals herself to be a gold-rank adventurer registered with the adventurers’ guild. Thus the politics of royal engagements take a backseat to knights and adventurers on the front lines of a monster attack. Of course, this provides Anis with the perfect opportunity to try the results of her research as well as an excuse for the narrative to expand on more magical theory–this time about the magicite found in monsters. If you’re not interested in those technical aspects of the story, you can simply watch as Anis “The Marauder Princess” goes berserk on the battlefield, which is apparently par for the course for this reckless royal.

Meanwhile, back at the palace, we get some insight into Anis’ brother Algard. When he publicly dumped Euphyllia, he came off as a royal jerk or possibly a royal dope. However, his conversation with his father about the approaching dragon insinuates that the prince has an inferiority complex and that his behavior is driven less by animosity toward Euphyllia and more by resentment toward his sister.

Extras include bonus art on the inside of the cover and the first page printed in color.

In Summary

The story takes a sharp turn from breakup drama at the Aristocratic Academy to a monster stampede triggered by a dragon! The thread holding these seemingly disparate elements together is Anis’ personal quest to harness magic, though it is jarring to see her persona shift from single-minded magicology researcher to kills-obsessed gold-level adventurer. Yes, it’s still interesting, but the plot feels like it’s all over the place.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Kaiu Shirai x Posuka Demizu: Beyond The Promised Neverland

The creators of The Promised Neverland captivated audiences with their gripping blend of mystery, action, and heart.  For those curious about other works from the team of Shirai and Demizu, Viz presents the short story collection Beyond the Promised Neverland!  (For my reviews of The Promised Neverland manga, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

From the creators of The Promised Neverland comes a collection of their best short stories, including a special one-shot with the key elements that would later go into their biggest hit and an epilogue that shows what the main characters are up to after the end of the manga series

The Review

The four main stories of Beyond the Promised Neverland would be better described BEFORE The Promised Neverland. For various reasons which writer Shirai-sensei explains in the Behind-the-Scenes notes, these standalone stories were storyboarded before the release of The Promised Neverland. As Shirai-sensei states in the foreword, “the stories could be called ‘the road to The Promised Neverland.’”

The first is “Poppy’s Wish,” a sci-fi version of Pinocchio with an AI toaster who wants to become human and a shut-in inventor as his creator. Overall, it’s lighthearted and cute, mainly because of Poppy’s bright, innocent personality. However, just as in The Promised Neverland, his perspective on the world gets thrown on its head when he discovers the true reason his creator avoids other humans.

“Spirit Photographer Saburo Kono” has a completely different tone. If you need suggestions for a Halloween reading list, I’d recommend this one. In this tale, a boy lives next to a haunted apartment, whose latest tenant is plenty creepy himself. Ultimately, the story has an uplifting, if bittersweet, ending, but until you get there, Demizu-sensei does an excellent job spooking readers with her scary illustrations and unnerving expressions.

The third story, “We Were Born,” is the most similar in content to The Promised Neverland. The setting’s a corrupt, war-ravaged Earth, not another world, but it has the super-optimistic orphan whose seemingly beneficent caretaker has a dark agenda. There’s also a ton of violence. Despite that, it, like The Promised Neverland, has a happy ending.

The fourth story “DC3” is about the lone-wolf daughter of an AI manufacturer and her latest android bodyguard. The twist in this story is less startling than the previous three, but if you like action, it has it in spades. Whether it’s a rescue from a mob or hand-to-hand combat between military-type androids, Demizu-sensei’s illustrations really suck you in.

At the end of the book are two short manga. The bonus manga “Takashi and Poppy” is a crossover where Poppy and his inventor travel back in time and share toast with characters from the other three stories of the collection. Then there is the book’s one The Promised Neverland side-story, “Dreams Come True.”

According to the notes, “[‘Dreams Come True’] is a special manga that was displayed at The Promised Neverland Exhibit” (presumably in Japan). It picks up where the series ends, shortly after Emma’s reunion with her family. Though Emma recalls nothing of their previous life together, they are creating new memories together. For those who want to see the orphans’ happily ever after, this delivers. Even Ray, the most cynical and stoic of the bunch, has a moment of blissful awe.

Extras include illustrations and sample drawings printed on the inside covers, foreword, story notes, and a few footnotes placed in gutters.

In Summary

The cover and title of Beyond the Promised Neverland might lead you to believe this is a collection of The Promised Neverland side-stories, but only one out of the six short stories has anything to do with the series. The other standalone works range from sci-fi to supernatural to dystopian future. However, they all feature child (or childlike) characters drawn in Demizu-sensei’s signature style, and Shirai-sensei incorporates some unexpected twists into each plot.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Light Novel Review: Sasaki and Peeps Vol. 1

Isekai, sci-fi, and fantasy are huge light novel genres. But how about a mash-up of all three? That’s what you’ll find in Sasaki and Peeps! Read on for the review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Even though Sasaki’s droll corporate life is constantly filled with work, it leaves him tired and unfulfilled at the end of every day. In search of some companionship to fill the emptiness in his life, he visits a pet shop on a whim, not realizing he’s about to change his life forever. After settling on an adorable bird and bringing it home…his new roommate reveals that it’s actually an incredible sage from another world who promptly bestows Sasaki with supernatural powers as well as the ability to cross between worlds. All Sasaki wants to do is use these newfound powers to live in peace and comfort, but there are more than a few colorful characters who might get in the way of that…

The Review

Sasaki and Peeps falls into the category of light novel, but like the installments of Tanya the Evil, it’s not very light at all. Volume 1 weighs in at 304 pages. And unlike most light novels with insanely long subtitles, this subtitle of this one confused me rather than clarifying what the story was about.

The reason for the convoluted-sounding subtitle is because Sasaki and Peeps incorporates multiple genres. It sounds like a hodgepodge because it is a hodgepodge. However, the story manages to work because of the interactions between the two leads.

The story (which originally began as a web novel) is primarily told from the perspective of Sasaki, a self-described office drone in his late 30s. The lonely bachelor decides to buy a Java sparrow from the local pet shop for a little companionship and gets way more than he bargained for when the sparrow introduces himself as “Piercarlo Starsage, inhabitant of another world.” The name is a mouthful so Sasaki nicknames him “Peeps.”

So it’s a version of an isekai where the reincarnated individual plays costar to a modern-day normie. Buncololi-sensei eases us into the world-building with Peeps requesting Kobe beef of his new owner. Although Sasaki’s enamored of his unexpectedly intelligent and intelligible companion, the item is far beyond his price range. Undeterred, Peeps, who has retained all the magical powers of his previous life, proposes sharing them with Sasaki so that they might earn the money for the beef by exporting Japanese household goods into his old world.

Thus, the first fifth of the book is a quest for delicious food. Peeps teleports Sasaki to his old world, “a fantasy world of swords and magic,” and teaches him about the place as well as instructing Sasaki on the use of magic (for which Sasaki demonstrates proficiency). Meanwhile, Sasaki provides Peeps access to the Internet so he can learn about modern Japan, warns Peeps about transactions that might arouse the suspicion of the Japanese authorities, and provides the funding for the printer paper, ballpoint pens, and sugar they trade in the fantasy world as luxury items. Their interchange is engaging as well as informative, and their discussions on what to purchase at the superstore and how to pitch items to their buyers are surprisingly entertaining.

Then things take an abrupt turn when, on the way home from his office job, Sasaki stumbles on a fight between two individuals with supernatural powers. Up till that point, Sasaki and Peeps have been keeping their abilities on the lowdown, in Japan and the fantasy world. After all, they want to enjoy life; they don’t need the extra stress of the attention their magic abilities would attract. But seeing one individual about to kill the other, Sasaki feels compelled to intervene with his powers. In doing so, he saves a life but effectively blows his normie office worker cover.

Thus, the story takes sharp turn into sci-fi. Sasaki gets sucked into the secret world of psychics, which in this novel are individuals who manifest a supernatural ability. These psychics are roughly divided into two camps: “regulars,” who use their abilities in service of the government, and “irregulars,” who oppose government control. Having unwittingly used his magic to rescue a regular psychic from an irregular one, Sasaki is presumed a psychic and forcibly recruited into a new, more lucrative, and way more hazardous job as a psychic civil servant in the Paranormal Phenomena Countermeasure Bureau.

As result, readers are introduced to an entirely different system of powers, another set of characters, and a hitherto unknown conflict. Most of this action takes place apart from Peeps because he must stay in Sasaki’s apartment to maintain his guise as an ordinary pet. However, Peeps does serve as a sounding board as Sasaki strives to keep his new work life from invading their precious leisurely time in the fantasy world. Peeps’ bird form also proves valuable in informing Sasaki on the happenings in his home while he is at his new job.

With all this happening in Japan, their leisure time in the fantasy world becomes that much more valuable. Unfortunately, war breaks out in that world. As result, their usual trading partner makes a desperate request for war supplies. One thing leads to another, and Sasaki and Peeps wind up in the thick of the battlefield.

The initial fantasy world scenes are limited to the town of Baytrium, its inhabitants, and local affairs. With the outbreak of war, the reader is introduced to the broader scope of the kingdom of Herz, the political powers and various creatures within it, and of course, additional characters. The story also reveals Peeps’ former standing within that world, which is not insignificant.

That is why this novel is 304 pages. No, there is no tidy conclusion at the end, only a prompt from the author in the afterword to check out Volume 2. And because I am invested in Sasaki and Peeps, I’m willing to do that.

In terms of audience, I’d say this novel targets older males who enjoy a range of speculative fiction. Main character Sasaki is not out to relive his youth, nor does Peeps want to take over the world. They just want to enjoy a peaceful life with good food.

By the way, the genres incorporated in this story do NOT include romance. While Sasaki certainly notices women, he’s given up on marriage due to his age, occupation, and looks. And he’s sworn off casual encounters because he got chlamydia from a sex worker. While I appreciate Buncololi-sensei not glamorizing sexual encounters, the fact that Sasaki picked up an STD after a superior at his workplace took him to a brothel tarnished my impression of an otherwise very likable character.

Actually, in terms of female characters, they get sexualized in a way I find unpleasant. A glance at the profiles at the back of the book shows male characters ranging from a teenager up to men in their 30s and 40s. All the female characters, however, are underage. The one exception is a psychic woman who, thanks to her powers, maintains the form of a pretty elementary school girl, so she might as well be underage. Thus, even though Sasaki is not involving himself with anyone, he’s surrounded by jailbait. The most troubling of these female characters is the neglected 14-year-old who lives in the next door apartment. Sasaki, who himself had a poor childhood, occasionally gives food to the malnourished girl like she’s a stray cat. As a result, she fantasizes about repaying him with sexual favors. Ugh.

Like many light novels, the narrative is short on dialogue tags, so it’s sometimes difficult to tell who said what. The book also contains a couple of text errors.

The first eight pages, which contain illustrations and a thread from Sasaki’s social media just before buying Peeps, are printed in full color. Extras also include ten black-and-white insert illustrations, character profiles, and original cover material. I should note that two of the profiles contain quotes that are not actually in Volume 1.

In Summary

An isekaied wizard. A wronged chef given the opportunity to create the restaurant of his dreams. A paranormal war in the shadows of the modern world. A valiant prince and nobleman brandishing swords to save their kingdom from an advancing army. There’s a ton going on in Sasaki and Peeps, whose protagonist is a 30-something bachelor working a dead-end office job. Yet this chaotic mess of genres and storylines works thanks to the charming owner-pet relationship of Sasaki and Peeps and the simplicity of their shared dream: a peaceful existence with delicious food. If you don’t mind a genre scramble and an older protagonist, this title’s worth checking out.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Saga of Tanya the Evil Vol. #17

The Saga of Tanya the Evil anime was a surprise favorite for me in 2017. With a title like that, I was almost too scared to give it a try, but conniving little Tanya turned out to be nothing like I anticipated. Yen Press has released Volume 17 of the manga adaption, and you can read on for the review. (For my reviews of other Tanya the Evil works, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

The 203rd Battlion’s manned V-1 rocket assault, a mission that will determine the fate of the Empire, has thrown the Francois Republic’s headquarters into chaos. Yet is even this unprecedented, unforeseeable strike only meant to open the curtain on Zettour’s devilishly brilliant strategy?!

The Review

Volume 17 is all over the place–literally. In the thick of battle, amid quibbling politicians, and out at sea aboard a submarine. However, everything works, and Tojo-sensei’s artwork, in addition to brilliantly communicating the complex plot, is top-notch, whether conveying the grandeur of the Commonwealth Parliament or the silliness of a more comic moment.

It begins with a very brief recap of the events of Operation Open Sesame thus far. Even though the mangaka could have done a standard summary, she goes the extra mile of framing it as a documentary created by the Commonwealth decades in the future. In addition to refreshing readers on the current state of events, the documentary’s “reenactment” is so off-target it’s hilarious.

Then it’s back to Tanya’s decapitation assignment. The anime spent barely any time on the Republican HQ attack, and the details in the light novel were fairly sparse. Thus, I was surprised that Tojo-sensei dedicated as many pages as she did on the surprise strike and especially the elimination of the Commonwealth’s spy nest. Her fleshed-out version of events are an absolute delight, especially the conclusion to Chapter 48.

Chapter 49 then shifts to the Commonwealth Parliament. Compared to the action and intrigue of Chapter 48, quibbling between politicians is much drier stuff. However, aside from a couple confusing exchanges, the chapter does a good job conveying the Commonwealth’s military capabilities and their view of the Empire, which will be necessary background information once they get dragged into the war.

Balancing out the high-level discussions of peace talks, foreign debt, and the implications of sending Commonwealth soldiers to foreign soil are scenes of the 203rd in the submarine sent to pick them up. Tanya’s is a coed unit, so Tojo-sensei uses the cramped quarters as fodder for comic relief. While Visha’s shirt conveniently becoming unbuttoned is a bit of a stretch, I’m glad the portrayal of her body odor is realistic.

Extras include a world map, battle log thus far, character introductions (in ridiculously small font), profile for the 203rd Battalion, country profiles, and glossaries for each chapter. While the glossary pages are inserted between the correct chapters, they’re labeled with the wrong chapter numbers.

In Summary

To fans of the anime and light novels who wonder if the manga is worth looking at, I say Volume 17 definitely is. Tojo-sensei does an excellent job expanding on the original work’s strike on the Republican Army’s HQ. In addition to heralding the end of the Republic, this installment deftly lays the groundwork for the entry of the Commonwealth into the war. Political discussions aren’t as gripping as enemy spies on the run, but Tojo-sensei balances out those debates with comedy on the 203rd‘s submarine ride home.

First published at the Fandom Post.

 

Manga Review: See You Tomorrow at the Food Court

Slice of life manga cover a wide range of ordinary settings and characters, and the premise of See You at the Food Court is, as its title suggests, a collection of conversations at a local food court. Read on for my review.

Back Cover Blurb

Wada is an honor student who keeps to herself and has an air of mystery around her. Yamamoto is an intimidating fashionista with dyed blond hair and shortened skirt. Though this unlikely duo seems to have nothing in common, it’s only during their daily meetings at the food court that they can be themselves!

The Review

See You Tomorrow at the Food Court is a one-shot manga that reminds me of low-budget independent films. The cast is small–only two main characters with few appearances by side characters. The story takes place almost entirely in one location (the local train station mall food court), and it’s a slice-of-life, meaning no magic or superhuman powers. That means this title is heavily reliant on the two leads’ relationship and conversations to keep readers engaged.

While other works successfully pull off similar setups, See You Tomorrow at the Food Court falls flat. Part of this is probably due to personal preference, but I found the interactions of the two high school girls boring and annoying in turn.

The more irritating of the pair is Wada. At school, she gives off the aura of a quiet, prim honor student. In reality, she’s a mobile game addict with a vicious tongue who picks fights online. The other girl is Yamamoto. Because of her gyaru appearance (tanned skin, bleached hair), classmates find her scary, but she actually has a chill personality. It takes a lot to get her mad, and even though she’s always looking at her phone, she’s practically nonexistent on social media.

Generally, their conversations consist of Wada ranting about something, often getting irrationally het up, and Yamamoto returning levelheaded, logical responses (which cause Wada to rant even more). Their observations aren’t particularly clever or insightful, and Chapter 11 actually got me angry. In that conversation, Yamamoto shares with Wada how she got groped by a passing cyclist. That’s a terrible thing to happen to anyone, but rather than being upset about the actions of the groper, Yamamoto’s upset because her response to being groped wasn’t “feminine” enough. Wada makes it worse by saying, “The fact that he grabbed your chest in the first place means you’re attractive as a woman.” As a woman, I’d punch anyone who said that.

That chapter aside, Wada simply comes off as mean, the way she talks trash about others. She even insults Yamamoto in their conversations and doesn’t think anything of it. Yamamoto has a decent personality, but she’s so passive that I don’t find her particularly compelling.

As to the origins of this pair, the girls were middle school classmates who, due to social circumstances, wound up outcasts with only each other to talk to. However, they hit it off, so when they realized they were going to different high schools, they decided to meet up after school at the mall. And given that neither has friends at their new schools, they cling to their food court friendship.

I believe this backstory is intended to show how unique and valuable their relationship is. However, their bonds are proven fragile when Wada hypocritically ditches Yamamoto because she thinks she has a chance at a boyfriend. The girls do ultimately make up, but only after Wada realizes the boy she’s interested in already has a girlfriend. Honestly, it just makes me wonder why Yamamoto doesn’t get fed up and find better friends.

The manga’s one strong suit is the illustrations. Yamamoto has a pretty complicated hairstyle, but it’s drawn spot on every single time. The mangaka also does an excellent job with expressions, food items, and backgrounds. Behind the girls’ usual table is a movie poster, and it changes each chapter to match the conversation topic, which is kind of cute. Unfortunately, because the story is limited to two characters who spend all their time in a food court, the artwork doesn’t really get a chance to shine.

Extras include the first page in color, artwork on the inside covers, and translation notes.

In Summary

See You Tomorrow at the Food Court is as a slice of life as you can get. But even though I enjoy that genre, this series of interactions at a mall food court is neither charming nor interesting. The majority of conversations between these otherwise friendless high schoolers can be best described as rants. While those can be entertaining, Wada’s constant stream of mean-spirited complaints and lousy personality get old quick, and Yamamoto’s passive nature isn’t enough to save this manga.

First published at the Fandom Post.