S.Q. Eries's Blog, page 56

Manga Review: Oresama Teacher Vol. #15

Mafuyu is a high school delinquent who wants to turn over a new leaf. So when she transfers schools, she thinks she’ll finally be able to live the life of a normal girl. There’s just one problem: her teacher  Mr. Saeki is a bigger delinquent than she is!

Oresama Teacher is a shojo manga that offers humor of the silly variety. Volume 15 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (For those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

Back Cover Blurb

Mafuyu is really happy to be a normal student going on a normal school trip. In her delinquent past, school trips were all about beating up on hooligans from other schools, so she’s excited at the chance to relax and enjoy the activities. But it turns out her old rivals from West High are in the same town on their school trip! Will Sakurada ruin her cherished taste of normalcy?!

The Review

With Midorigaoka having its first class trip in years and Takaomi taking all precautions to protect the school’s image, I thought the trip would wind up the backdrop for another Student Council scheme. As it turns out, that’s not the case at all. The participating Student Council officers are as intent on making the most of the newly reinstated school trip as everyone else so Mafuyu gets a rare chance to enjoy herself. That is, until she runs into an old West High rival on his own class trip. These chapters wind up being much like the very beginning of the series, with Mafuyu absolutely delighted to play the part of a normal student while trying to shake a persistent element from her delinquent past.

Not to say the Student Council is completely inactive during the school trip. With the second-year students gone, Akki’s left to represent the Public Morals Club (and sub as dorm RA), and that’s when Student Council Officer Komari Yukioka takes action.

Of the Student Council schemes so far, hers is the least malevolent. That’s because her plan to seduce Akki to gather intel on the Public Morals Club is just a front. She’s really interested in Akki himself. Like fellow officer Ayabe, she’s got a quirky obsession and a seriously quirky ability to go with it. But despite her adorable looks and overbearing telepathic power, Akki’s hypersensitivity to girls’ feelings cause all her plans to backfire. As it turns out, both have major communication issues with the opposite sex, and Komari’s single-minded pursuit of Akki takes on the flavor of a romantic comedy.

Extras include lots of 4-panel comics interspersed throughout the book.

In Summary

Lighthearted humor abounds in Volume 15. The normal high school outing Mafuyu’s always dreamed of keeps getting interrupted by her delinquent past in the form of old rival Sakurada. Meanwhile, back at Midorigaoka, Student Council Officer Komari targets junior Public Morals Club member Akki, but she’s more interested in his hot body than any club secrets he might have to spill. While the Student Council remains the enemy of the Public Morals Club, it’s difficult to take them seriously after this installment.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Research Ramblings: Spartan Women Part 1

Recently a new member of my online critique group made this comment about my manuscript:

Your [unmarried] main character is seventeen, but weren’t girls that age usually married with kids in ancient Greece?

The answer is a resounding yes–if she was Athenian. Those girls wed early, around twelve years of age. But my heroine is from Sparta, where girls didn’t marry until they were eighteen or nineteen.

Actually, I’m surprised no one commented on my heroine’s marital status sooner. Most of what is taught as ancient Greek culture is actually ancient Athenian culture, partly because Athens was so dominant in ancient times and partly because Athenian sources provide so much of what we know about that period. But customs varied from one city state to the next, and the one most unlike the rest was Sparta, homeland of my main character.

Even then, other Greeks thought Spartans were different (to the point of weirdly different). Stands to reason that included the way they treated their women. In the case of marriage, Athenians married off their daughters at the beginning or even before puberty while Spartan girls stayed unwed until they were pretty much done. Why? Spartans were big on producing healthy warriors, and they figured their chances of strong sons were better if the mothers bearing those children were physically mature. In contrast, Athenian men were more concerned about getting brides still impressionable enough to mold into the kind of wives they wanted. That meant a lot of Athenian girls got pregnant while they were in their early teens and sadly many of them died in childbirth.

This is only one of the ways the lives of Spartan women contrasted with their Athenian sisters. Over the several weeks, I’ll be posting more intriguing and sometimes bizarre facts about the women of the military city state. Please look forward to it!

Asian Live Action DVD Review: Mulan: Rise of a Warrior

When Disney released Mulan in 1998, I can’t say I was too thrilled with it. Mulan always struck me as a heroic figure so it rubbed me a bit the wrong way to have the story presented as a comedy.

As such, I was really curious to see how the Chinese would handle a film with Mulan as a subject. After all, she’s a Chinese legend and her story concerns their history. Not surprisingly, Mulan: Rise of a Warrior  has an entirely different feel than Disney’s Mulan.

Back Cover Blurb

When the emperor of China issues a decree that all families in the Northern Provice must defend their homeland against the barbarian hordes, Mulan, a young girl from a military family without a male heir, disguises herself as a male soldier rather than expose her aging father to the horrors of the battlefield. As the invading armies close in, her remarkable courage and insight elevate her to the position of a true leader, who will sacrifice everything to defend her nation and bring honor to her family.

Audio

The DVD language options are English and the original Mandarin in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround with English subtitles. The Blu-Ray language options are English and the original Mandarin in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 with English subtitles. For the Blu-Ray extras, the audio is the original Mandarin in Dolby TrueHD 2.0 with English subtitles. I noted no issues with the actual film audio, but the sound levels for the Interviews with Cast and Staff were inconsistent and included a lot of background noise. Also, the subtitles for the Interviews with Cast and Staff contained a number of typos.

Packaging

The front cover features Mulan standing in armor among those killed on the battlefield. The back features Mulan on horseback with her army in the backdrop, a few screen shots, and the series summary. The cardboard sleeve has the same design as the DVD cover. No DVD related inserts are included inside the case.

Menu

Various stills from the film are used for the DVD menu backgrounds. The Blu-ray menu selections take up the lower part of the screen while a sweeping excerpt from the score and various scenes play in a continuous loop. There are only a few options so menus are easy to follow.

Extras

Extras include the Making of Mulan; Interviews with Cast and Staff; original trailer; and previews for various Funimation live action Asian films. I should note that the Making of Mulan is presented in Mandarin with yellow English subtitles placed above the original white Chinese subtitles, which looks kind of clunky but still legible. The lengthy Interviews with Cast and Staff is poorly edited and looks like the rough footage for the Making of Mulan video.

Content

Most Americans are now familiar with Mulan, thanks to the Disney film, but for the Chinese, Mulan has been a national legend for generations. As such, Jingle Ma’s Mulan: Rise of a Warrior, a collaboration of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong talent, strives to be epic.

The film accomplishes that epic feel on a number of fronts. The cinematography is gorgeous, with dramatic views of the northern Chinese desert, and the battle scenes, especially the final massive showdown against the vicious Rouran prince, are thrilling. The costumes, from the Rouran royals’ garb to the Wei military uniforms, are a treat for the eyes, and the film includes a lot of nice little details like the soldiers’ dog tags and Mulan’s bronze mirror.

However, there are two places where the film falls short. The first is that Mulan, who’s passing herself off as a man, is clearly feminine. Not to say she’s a wimp. She’s definitely strong and capable and demonstrates that clearly when she breaks up a brawl between fellow soldiers with her superior martial arts skills. But when she’s making her rallying speeches to the troops, she sounds and looks like a woman, even in full armor. A major part of the plot is the romance between Mulan and her commander Wentai so she can’t be too masculine, but Zhao Wei, who plays Mulan, is so pretty you have to wonder if the entire Wei Army is blind not to notice her true gender.

The other major issue is the film’s pacing. There’s a huge rush in the beginning with the Rouran invasion, Mulan going to war, Wentai discovering Mulan’s secret, Mulan distinguishing herself in combat, and her and Wentai shooting up the ranks all in quick succession. Then, after Wentai gets ambushed by the Rouran, everything slams to a halt as Mulan falls into a lengthy depression. When she finally snaps out of it, the film shifts back to a hurried pace, glossing over events spanning several years until we wind up at the final confrontation with the Rouran hordes.

Those issues aside, Mulan offers a compelling portrayal of the harshness of war and a soldier motivated not by glory but the desire to protect those she cares for. An image which the film returns to time and again is the dog tags of the fallen and Mulan’s grief for those who have been lost. Though her staggering military accomplishments are duly noted, the story focuses not on the renown Mulan gains but the desires she must sacrifice and suppress to survive.

Although the film is about warriors and includes many battle scenes, it’s definitely a woman’s film (though you can hardly call it a chick flick). That’s not just because the main character is female nor because of the romance element. Although Wentai is Mulan’s superior in the ranks and socially, he is very much the “man behind the woman.” And when peace ultimately gets negotiated between the Wei and Rouran, it’s brokered by Mulan and the Rouran princess using a Wei prince as a bargaining chip. Still, there’s enough swordfights and martial arts action to keep male viewers from getting bored.

In Summary

No talking dragons or happy, catchy songs here. Jingle Ma’s Mulan is dramatic with a strong but angst-filled heroine. Though the battlefield and barracks dominate the backdrop, the film’s focus is Mulan’s inner turmoil as she watches friends fall and sacrifices her own passions to save her country.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Manga Metamorphosis

In the J-drama Dragon Zakura, the protagonist uses unconventional methods to help the school’s worst students get into prestigious Tokyo University. And his approach for the history portion? Historical manga! And why not? As exciting as a past event might be, if it’s presented as a lengthy wall of text, some may get intimidated and give up reading even before they start. The beauty of manga is that it can offer access to that same information in a way that’s entertaining and more likely to stick with the reader.

I have a feeling that’s why NEXT put out its five volume series. While the Bible is an amazing piece of literature with truly epic moments, it’s up there when it comes to dense text. Manga Metamorphosis is the fifth in NEXT’s series, and you can read on for the review. (For those interested in other volumes of the series, click here).

Back Cover Blurb

Manga Metamorphosis dives right into the adventures of Yeshua’s followers after his departure. At first bewildered, they quickly see there is little time for reflection as the forces of their enemies bear down hard and fast upon them. Every ounce of courage and strength is required as these newly endangered followers hold on to their faith and to each other.

They must come to terms with the knowledge that each day could be their last, and indeed, some of them will pay for their convictions with their lives. But despite losses and upheaval, victory is in the making and many believe the adventure and its purposes are worth the sorrow.

The Review

Chronologically speaking, Manga Metamorphosis is the last in NEXT’s Bible series, and in my opinion, it’s the best executed. This is for two reasons. First, except for a brief prologue, it sticks to a single book, the Book of Acts. Second, this particular book lends itself well to Shinozawa-sensei’s shonen style artwork. Between the actions of God, angels, demons, Yeshuah’s followers, the religious establishment, and missions trips all over the Roman world, there’s plenty of action going on.

Shinozawa-sensei does well with the dramatic parts. James’ martyrdom is especially moving. She does even better with scenes that lend themselves to humor. One of the best examples is Peter’s escape from prison, where an angel punches him awake and Rhoda’s comic excitement gets elevated by hilarious misunderstanding from the other disciples. All in all, it’s an entertaining and quick read that stays true to original and inserts just enough historical information to orient a modern audience.

While Metamorphosis is basically a manga retelling of the Book of Acts, it does include Paul’s letters to four communities (Philippians, Corinthians, Ephesians, and Romans). What the creators did was create manga mini-synopses of these letters featuring a cute chibi-Paul. These synopses are one to three pages and inserted after the communities to which they were addressed get introduced. They don’t delve into every theological detail of these letters, but they do offer the highlights in a way anyone can understand.

 A map, chronology, and character profiles are included in the back as extras.

In Summary

Manga Metamorphosis is fun and lively yet stays true to the original Book of Acts text. Shinozawa-sensei’s shonen illustrations and humorous storytelling style are a good complement to the wild adventures of Yeshua’s followers after his ascension. While it looks like it was written for a juvenile audience, it’s still a good resource for anyone wanting a quick overview on the history and leaders of the early church.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Manga Messiah

Merry Christmas to all! Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday! It just so happens my next manga review is Manga Messiah is the fourth in NEXT’s  Bible series, and I think it very appropriate to be putting it out on the day that celebrates Christ coming to Earth.

(For those interested in other volumes of the series, click here).

Back Cover Blurb

Manga Messiah tells the story of an unknown king who enters the world under the cover of night to begin a seemingly unimpressive work. He soon becomes one of the most powerful figures in the land; intensely hated by some and emphatically loved by others. His work is unlike that of any king before or after him. And his words, his strength, and his life are unlike any the world has ever known.

The Review

Manga Messiah is NEXT’s adaption of the Gospels of the New Testament. Those familiar with NEXT’s Old Testament manga adaptions will notice Manga Messiah differs somewhat. That is because an almost entirely different production team adapted the New Testament books.

The most obvious change is the artwork. Shinozawa-sensei uses more of a shonen style, with broader faces and bolder lines and colors. In addition, illustrations are geared for a younger audience. Exaggerated expressions and reactions are used for comic effect, and it’s very obvious from their ugly, menacing looks and twisted expressions who the bad guys are.

The storytelling style is also different. The script has a tendency towards info dumping, and while the dialogue does provide context for the events of the story, it frequently sounds unnatural. The translators also chose to use the names Yeshuah, Miryam, and Yosef instead of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. However, all the other characters have standard English spellings for their names (John, James, Peter, etc.), and they use “Mary” not “Miryam” for Mary Magdalene and Mary of Bethany so I’m baffled why they decided on Yeshuah, Miryam, and Yosef. As in Mutiny, Melech, and Messengers, references to original Bible passages are provided as footnotes on each page.

The manga is divided into three parts. The first covers Miryam’s encounter with the Angel Gabriel up to the calling of Yeshuah’s first disciples. The second part focuses on Yeshuah’s teachings and miracles up to the raising of Lazarus. The final third depicts the final days leading to Yeshuah’s betrayal and arrest, his passion, crucifixion, and resurrection.

Shinozawa-sensei provides backstory and sets the tone for scenes through Yeshuah’s disciples. There are twelve of them, but as in the original text, some get more airtime than others. The fishermen brother pairs Andrew/Peter and John/James interact the most with Yeshuah and provide the bulk of commentary. Still, Shinozawa-sensei does an excellent job of conveying all the disciples’ personalities, with the exception of Thaddaeus and James the son of Alphaeus.

The weakest parts of the manga are where there’s a lot of talking and not much action. The Sermon on the Mount reads like a bullet point list, and some of the verbal battles in Jerusalem also drag. One exception to that, however, is Yeshuah’s very moving monologue about the vine and branches against the backdrop of the Mount of Olives. Shinozawa-sensei does a better job with the parables, which are delivered in stand-alone format or inserted in the midst of a scene. The narrative is strongest when characters are interacting, whether Yeshuah’s hanging out with his disciples or performing a miracle.

Going into the final chapters, the lighthearted tone shifts to a much more serious one. While I believe Manga Messiah is appropriate for a fifth grader, crucifixion is brutal, and the images depict Yeshuah’s death as such. The book then concludes with a twelve page chapter on Yeshuah’s resurrection and ascension, which I felt was much too short. Then again, NEXT is probably counting on readers to continue the story in the following volume.

A map and character profiles are included in the back as extras.

In Summary

With Shinozawa-sensei’s particular style of shonen artwork and her lighthearted portrayal of the disciples, Manga Messiah is a bit like reading the Gospels from a children’s Bible. Still, it packs in many of the teachings and miracles of the Messiah Yeshuah. It also provides a good sense of the controversy surrounding him, why his disciples chose to follow him, and why his enemies hated him.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Manga Messengers

In the J-drama Dragon Zakura, the protagonist uses unconventional methods to help the school’s worst students get into prestigious Tokyo University. And his approach for the history portion? Historical manga! And why not? As exciting as a past event might be, if it’s presented as a lengthy wall of text, some may get intimidated and give up reading even before they start. The beauty of manga is that it can offer access to that same information in a way that’s entertaining and more likely to stick with the reader.

I have a feeling that’s why NEXT put out its five volume series. While the Bible is an amazing piece of literature with truly epic moments, it’s up there when it comes to dense text. Manga Messengers is the third in NEXT’s series, and you can read on for the review. (For those interested in other volumes of the series, click here).

Back Cover Blurb

Manga Messengers is a biblically accurate retelling of the prophets—the life of King David to the end of Malachi. These stories from the Bible are presented in the authentic Japanese Manga style. This 5th book of the series to release combines cutting-edge illustration with fast-paced storytelling to deliver biblical truths in a compelling package to an ever-changing, postmodern culture. Over 200,000 books sold in the series!

The Review

Manga Messengers is the third in NEXT’s Bible manga series. It picks up where Manga Melech left off, the naming of Solomon as David’s successor, and continues through to the very beginning of the New Testament. That is actually quite a bit of material, including the split of Solomon’s kingdom, the histories of Judah and Israel, their ultimate captivity by other nations, and the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. Unfortunately, it feels like Azumi-sensei bit off more than she could chew trying to cram everything into one volume.

The overarching narrative in the previous volumes was stronger because a particular family or individual provided a sense of continuity through events. The characters of Manga Messengers don’t offer that kind of continuity. It doesn’t help that the action constantly bounces between Israel and Judah in the middle third of the book. As such, the stories of the kings and prophets of the latter portion of the Old Testament come across as stand-alone anecdotes.

That’s not to say that the individual chapters aren’t well executed. Especially for the prophets, Azumi-sensei provides a sense of their backgrounds, the political climate, and the particular challenges they faced at the time of their ministries. I particularly like how she showed Hosea and Amos as contemporaries and the way she incorporated Jonah’s prayer into his chapter (the line about seaweed wrapped around his head never stood out to me before, but I won’t forget it now).

While the pacing might have been better had Manga Messengers been split into two volumes, it does wrap things up nicely in its closing chapter. It not only summarizes the Old Testament, it details major events that happened in the years between the Old and New Testament. Readers get a sense of the political and religious climate of Judea under Roman rule, which sets the stage well for the next volume of the series.

A map and simplified chronology of the age of the prophets are included in the back as extras.

In Summary

Azumi-sensei continues to offer engaging depictions of biblical events along with the historical commentary to comprehend them. However, so many individuals and stories get crammed into this volume that no one really stands out the way Moses or David do in the previous volumes. It’s a bit weak from a narrative standpoint, but the chapters still make good companion material for anyone studying the writings of the Old Testament prophets.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Manga Melech

In the J-drama Dragon Zakura, the protagonist uses unconventional methods to help the school’s worst students get into prestigious Tokyo University. And his approach for the history portion? Historical manga! And why not? As exciting as a past event might be, if it’s presented as a lengthy wall of text, some may get intimidated and give up reading even before they start. The beauty of manga is that it can offer access to that same information in a way that’s entertaining and more likely to stick with the reader.

I have a feeling that’s why NEXT put out its five volume series. While the Bible is an amazing piece of literature with truly epic moments, it’s up there when it comes to dense text. Manga Melech is the second in NEXT’s series, and you can read on for the review. (For those interested in other volumes of the series, click here).

Back Cover Blurb

Manga Melech is a Biblically accurate Manga retelling of Bible stories beginning with entry into the Promised Land through the rule of King David. This book, fourth in the Tyndale Manga line, combines cutting-edge authentic Japanese Manga style with fast-paced storytelling to deliver Biblical truths in a compelling package to an ever changing, post-modern culture. Nearly 200,000 books sold in series!

The Review

Manga Melech is the second in NEXT’s Bible manga series. While it’s not necessary to have read the first volume (Manga Mutiny), it does help in recognizing the characters. Manga Melech picks up where Manga Mutiny left off, the aftermath of the parting of the Red Sea. There are a lot of laws and regulations in this segment of the Bible, but Manga Melech focuses mainly on people, battles, and other historical events. However, the giving of the Ten Commandments gets its own scene, and a couple other major commands get woven into the dialogue.

After the exhilaration of escaping Egypt, things quickly go south for the Israelites as hardship spurs continuous complaining, occasionally bubbling up to rebellion. Moses, Miriam, and Aaron are put to the test as the community’s leaders, and I like how Azumi-sensei shows how their resolve weakens before they fail and the way the camp’s discontent creates tension between the siblings. But while the time of Moses is marked by internal strife, his successor Joshua’s is marked by unity and obedience, which the Israelites sorely need as they fight their way into the promised land.

The adventures of Moses and Joshua comprise the first quarter of the book. The period of the Israelite judges takes up the second quarter of the book, specifically the stories of Deborah, Gideon, Samson, and Ruth. While “The Song of Deborah” is an inspirational chapter, especially with its female characters, the players are a bit two-dimensional. Gideon, however, is the consummate reluctant hero, quaking in his sandals every step of the way to heroism. Azumi-sensei seems to have a lot of fun with the Samson chapter. Everyone knows the story of him and Delilah, but this chapter also includes the details of his ill-fated first marriage, the stuff that makes you scratch your head and wonder how he could be a leader appointed by God. (The illustration of him and the foxes on fire is pretty funny.) And nestled among the tales of warriors and battles is Ruth’s story of providence, acceptance, and love.

The final half of the book goes to the establishment of the Israelite kings, starting with King Saul and ending with King David naming Solomon as his successor. David’s life was intimately connected to Saul’s family. He served Saul, was best friend to Saul’s son Jonathan, and married Saul’s daughter Michal. All the relationships get strained when Saul decides to hunt David down, and Azumi-sensei does an excellent job of showing how everyone’s choices continue to impact David (and Michal) years after Saul and Jonathan are killed. Speaking of family conflict, David had his fair share as a result of his adultery with Bathsheba, and Azumi-sensei makes clear the connection between that personal sin to the tragedy that results within his family and nation decades later.

In addition to being a warrior and king, David was a musician. In fact, our first glimpse of David is of him playing the harp while watching his father’s sheep. The harp shows up over and over again in his life, and a couple of his Psalms get woven into the narrative to reflect his mood at different points of his life. In doing so, readers get a taste of the Book of Psalms as well as an understanding of the circumstances that inspired David’s poetry.

A map and family tree/character profile are included in the back as extras.

In Summary

Manga Melech includes two of the biggest names in the Bible: Moses and David. But though they and the other prophets and warriors of their time were heroes, they weren’t without their flaws. Azumi-sensei paints a very human portrait of the men and women God chose to do his work, showing their highs and inglorious lows in the early days of the nation of Israel.

First published at the Fandom Post.

New Short Story in 2014!

Writing is a long process. It’s not just putting words to page but includes editing, querying, and more rejection than anyone cares to think about. That’s why writers have to celebrate victories when they come by, and I’m very happy to announce that my fourth short story will be published in Elephant’s Bookshelf Press‘s Winter Anthology!

The theme of the anthology is regret. My own contribution is a historical set in Heian Era Japan. The approximate release date is February 2014, and I’ll post more details when I get them. Until then, please look forward to it!

Manga Review: Manga Mutiny

In the J-drama Dragon Zakura, the protagonist uses unconventional methods to help the school’s worst students get into prestigious Tokyo University. And his approach for the history portion? Historical manga! And why not? As exciting as a past event might be, if it’s presented as a lengthy wall of text, some may get intimidated and give up reading even before they start. The beauty of manga is that it can offer access to that same information in a way that’s entertaining and more likely to stick with the reader.

I have a feeling that’s why NEXT put out its five volume series.The Bible is an amazing piece of literature, packed with truly epic moments, but it’s up there when it comes to dense text. By using the manga format, NEXT uses art and dialogue to bring these stories to life.

Back Cover Blurb

Manga Mutiny is a Biblically-accurate retelling of Genesis through Exodus 15:27 presented in the authentic Japanese Manga style. This book, third in the Tyndale Manga line, combines cutting-edge illustration with fast-paced storytelling to deliver Biblical truths in a compelling package to an ever changing, post-modern culture.

The Review

To those new to manga, please note, just because Manga Mutiny contains both Bible stories and pictures doesn’t mean it’s meant for little kids. This is because the Bible is NOT rated G. It contains fratricide, incest, and assault, and that’s just the first book. While children’s Sunday school material may skip over this less savory material, Manga Mutiny does not. Azumi-sensei says she tends to be drawn more toward the weaknesses in her characters than their heroic qualities so we see a cowardly Abraham telling the Pharaoh that his wife is his (unmarried) sister and a less than heroic Lot offering to throw his two daughters to an angry mob. Azumi-sensei doesn’t glorify these aspects of the Bible, but they’re not censored out. So keep that in mind before you pass Manga Mutiny to a seven-year-old.

As mentioned before, this is the first in a five-part series, and Manga Mutiny covers the events from Genesis to Exodus. Interestingly, Azumi-sensei doesn’t begin with the creation of the universe, but with Lucifer’s rebellion against God. What that does is place the human story in the context of a greater cosmic struggle so each episode is part of an interconnected whole rather than a stand-alone story. When characters veer toward evil, Satan’s lurking in the background, and when redemption takes place, you see God’s agents at work.

Unlike most manga, this series is done entirely in color like most Western comics, but the artwork is standard shojo style. Azumi-sensei does a satisfactory job of making each member of the sizable cast distinct, but her artwork is probably not the most reliable resource if you wanted to know what the patriarchs actually looked and dressed like. Choices for hair/skin coloring and clothing seem more a function of artistic sense, and you know when you’re dealing with the divine because they have green or purple hair.

Regarding the dialogue, there’s no King James-speak here. In keeping with making this story accessible, characters use colloquial English. Children refer to parents as mom and dad, and people use terms like “okay” and “get lost.” Manga is dialogue-heavy, and there’s quite a bit of dialogue based upon but not actually in the Bible. However, each page includes a footnote referencing which books and verses each scene is drawn from. And to make clear when God is actually speaking, his speech is highlighted in color.

A map and family tree/character profile are included in the back as extras.

In Summary

Although it doesn’t cover every single detail of the ancient texts, Manga Mutiny provides an excellent overview of the first two books of the Bible. Azumi-sensei’s depictions of people, architecture, and clothing are probably more artistic interpretation than archaeologically/historically accurate, but her narrative makes characters relatable while sticking closely to the original story. It’s an excellent resource for teen readers who prefer graphics to text or older readers wanting a quick overview of the Bible.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Goong Vol. #13

What if modern Korea was a constitutional monarchy similar to England’s? That’s the backdrop for Goong: the Palace, a manhwa that got turned into a wildly popular drama and musical.

Set in an alternate world where the Korean monarchy still exists, the story follows Chae-Kyung Shin, an strong-willed commoner who attends the same high school as Shin Lee, the crown prince. After accidentally witnessing Shin proposing to his girlfriend Hyo-rin and being rejected, Chae-Kyung unexpectedly learns that she will marry Shin and become crown princess due to a promise between the former king and her grandfather.

Yen Press has just released Volume 13 of the series, and you can read on for the review. (For my Fandom Post review of Volume 11, go here.)

Back Cover Blurb

As Prince Shin and Chae-Kyung carry on separate lives away from each other in the aftermath of their divorce, the schemes and manipulation continue behind their backs! When the pair meet by chance at an orphanage, the fireworks go off just as the political factions – to say nothing of the conniving Yul – intended. Chae-Kyung’s outright rejection of Shin leads the Crown Prince to go running into the arms of his ex-girlfriend, Hyo-Rin – and propose to her a second time?!

The Review

Shin and Chae-Kyung’s divorce is official, but that doesn’t put an end to their feelings. The separation of lovers means angst, and the first half of Yen Press’ release of Volume 13 has it in spades with Shin rebelling against everyone and everything to have her back. Meanwhile Chae-Kyung’s in agony having to thwart his desperate advances. And of course there’s Yul, trying to capitalize on a situation where Chae-Kyung’s emotionally weak and Shin’s forbidden to see her. What makes it worse is that the royal family seems to think that throwing a new crown princess at Shin will help matters so Hyo-Rin and Chae-Jun get added to the mix. On one hand, the actions of the royals seem callous, the way they’re trying to replace Chae-Kyung, yet you can’t really hate them because SoHee makes clear how much they all miss her. It’s the kind of tangled emotional torment Korean dramas are famous for.

But SoHee can’t keep us wallowing in misery forever. By the middle of the volume, their post-divorce life takes on a comic flavor. Chae-Kyung is no longer crown princess, but she’s not exactly a regular person either. SoHee seems to take a kind of twisted pleasure in torturing Chae-Kyung at a group date gone horribly wrong with Shin stalking about under the pretense of a driving lesson. Mi-Roo also serves up a huge chunk of comedy. The rich brat is conniving and up to no good, but the way she twists her father into canceling plans to marry her to an Arab prince and helping in her ploy against Hyo-Rin is pretty funny. And SoHee continues in the super bizarre humor (?) that is particular to Eunuch Kong. (That character seriously disturbs me.)

Of course, things can’t end so sadly for our lead couple. Toward the end of the volume, the Queen and Shin are feverishly but separately trying to get to the bottom of the intrigue that led to their current predicament. Between that and Mi-Roo’s somewhat juvenile plan to get Hyo-Rin booted as crown princess by forcing Shin and Chae-Kyung back together, the divorced pair’s definitely got another encounter in their future, but it’s bound to be a tumultuous one.

Included as extras in this volume are Words from the Creator from the Korean Volumes 17 and 18 and the short story Confession, which delves into the past of one of our more villainous characters. Usually, this kind of back story makes me more sympathetic toward the individual in question, but this did not, although it did provide insight into the royal love triangle of a generation ago.

In Summary

Nothing like forcibly separated lovers to tug at the heartstrings. Shin earns points as a lead male for his persistence in pursuing Chae-Kyung despite everything driving them apart while Chae-Kyung is the consummate tragic heroine. Anguish abounds, yet SoHee keeps the mood from getting overly depressing with comic moments involving blood sausages, sleepless eunuchs, conniving rich girls, and the worst group date ever.

First published at the Fandom Post.