S.Q. Eries's Blog, page 8

Manhwa Review: A Business Proposal Vol. 2

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is A Business Proposal. Read on for the review of Volume 2 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of the series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

On a romantic evening date with the young, rich, and unbelievably handsome Taemu, Hari is the envy of all women…but little do they know―it’s all fake! She has been trapped into playing the part of his girlfriend to appease his meddlesome grandfather, all the while desperately trying to hide the fact that she is actually an employee at his company! How long can she keep up this nerve-wracking double life?

The Review

After being coerced into becoming Taemu’s fiancée for hire, Hari’s got a dilemma: how does she pull off this gig without her employer-who-hates-being-lied-to discovering she works for his company? Thus Hari switches her femme fatale persona for another fake identity. Meanwhile, Taemu’s not being completely truthful himself. He’s still actually set on marrying her and using the “fiancée job” as a means to convince her to agree.

Sounds like a pretty good strategy for Taemu to accomplish his goal, but unfortunately, he is his own worst enemy. In keeping with his strict, single-minded personality, he regularly calls Hari at 4 AM as if it is normal, demands that she meet up with him with little to no warning, and nitpicks if she is a single minute late. Hardly charming behavior, and Hari runs herself ragged switching between her office drone and sexy escort look and avoiding Taemu in their workplace.

While watching Hari freak out is funny, the vibe isn’t exactly romantic between our main couple. On Taemu’s end, he seems more weirdly obsessed then smitten, and considering all the lies that Hari has thrown (and continues to throw) at him, it’s hard to tell what he finds attractive asides from maybe her looks.

The one who is basking in a romantic glow is Hari’s friend Yeongsuh. She’s found her Mr. Right, and she’s not particularly remorseful about the suffering she’s brought upon (and continues to bring upon) Hari. Between Yeongsuh and Taemu, this title is really painting rich people as awful, self-centered jerks. However, things can’t go TOO well for anyone in a Korean drama, and Yeongsuh’s blind date proxy scheme comes back to bite her in a big and personal way, LOL.

In Summary

The lies continue… Hari’s cover goes from femme fatale to part-time hired escort. And unfortunately for her, Taemu forces her to take a gig as a pretend fiancée. While some of the setup is implausible, it is entertaining to watch Hari frantically switching between personas. And then it’s REALLY satisfying when rich girl Yeongsuh, the cause of Hari’s troubles, gets bit by her own proxy blind date scheme.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom Vol. #1

The isekai genre has gotten big enough to spin off subgenres such as the reincarnated villainess. Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom is an entertaining take on that subgenre that also happens to be a fairytale retelling. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Once upon a time, there was a lovely young princess who suffered under her cruel stepmother…that is, until a children’s clothing designer is reborn as the evil queen! All Her Majesty, Abigail Friedkin, wants to do is dote on the adorable Princess Blanche and give her the happy childhood she deserves. The problem is, the previous Abigail has garnered a reputation for being extremely jealous and materialistic-and to top it off, her smile is the stuff of children’s nightmares! Will Abigail be able to convince her stepdaughter that she might not be so wicked after all?

The Review

When a 30-year-old children’s clothing designer dies from overwork, she finds herself in the body of Queen Abigail, stepmother to the adorable 11-year-old Princess Blanche. All the resurrected woman wants to do is dote on the princess and give her the happy childhood she deserves. Problem is, Princess Blanche – and the entire palace staff – are terrified of her!

Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom has a convoluted title, but the work itself is actually a fun take on the isekai-ed villainess subgenre. After dying of overwork, a modern Korean woman is reincarnated as the stepmother in a Snow White scenario. Basically, the original Queen Abigail dies under mysterious circumstances, but she suddenly returns to life before they can bury her. It’s during this brief death that the Queen’s soul is swapped with that of our recently deceased protagonist, and she wakes up in her new world in Abigail’s coffin and – conveniently enough – with some of Abigail’s memories.

Those memories, however, don’t include the circumstances under which the Queen died, which has her wondering if someone’s out to get Abigail. Even more pressing is that our protagonist recognizes that she is now in the position of the evil stepmother of the Snow White fairytale, and if she doesn’t improve relations with her stepdaughter Blanche, she’s bound for a BAD END. To make things more difficult, although Abigail has a pretty face, the fact that she is this world’s villainess means that her smiles always have a grotesque quality and her laughter has a diabolical tenor no matter how hard she tries to come off as kind and harmless.

Thus, the story has pretty good stakes, and the contrast between Abigail’s actual expressions and how she tries to be perceived provides a hefty source of visual humor. I should mention that even though she’s longing to sew outfits for her stepdaughter, we haven’t seen her making anything for Blanche yet. For now, she’s obsessing over the girl and showering her with gifts in a manner that screams daughter-complex. Meanwhile, everyone in the palace is struggling to determine whether the Queen’s plotting something or if she’s had a real change of heart.

The supporting cast does their part wonderfully in portraying the confusion sown by the reincarnated soul. For Abigail’s attendants, we have the long-suffering head attendant Norma and the newbie Clara. Norma was thoroughly abused by the original Abigail while Clara has only ever known the Queen with her new soul. Their differing behaviors and reactions toward the Queen demonstrate just how awful the original Abigail treated others while simultaneously providing fodder for comedy. The magic mirror of this story is considered a defective magical item because of his smart mouth. He (and everyone else) fully expects the Queen to destroy him because of his frank personality, but she astonishes everyone by making him her chief confidant instead.

Princess Blanche as of yet does not have much personality to speak of; she’s merely there to be the object of the Queen’s obsessions. Abigail’s husband, however, is another story. The original fairytale didn’t have much to say about the king, but in this version, he’s actually the cause of the misery in his family. He neglects his daughter and wants nothing to do with his wife, whom he married purely for political reasons. His rejection of Abigail’s affections was why the stepmother Queen’s personality warped in the first place, and the reincarnated Queen feels nothing but contempt for him. However, this volume hints that the king himself is somehow a victim. As such, it looks like this couple’s relationship is in store for future twists and turns.

By the way, this book is printed in full color on glossy pages. The illustrations are fun, funny, creepy, and adorable as the scene demands it. It has a European fairytale palace setting, so be prepared for tons of flounces and frills.

Extras include an afterword from the illustrator.

In Summary

A modern-day woman gets reincarnated in the body of an evil Queen! All she wants to do is spoil her stepdaughter, but no matter what she does, everyone suspects she’s up to no good. Not-Sew-Wicked Stepmom is a funny, brilliant isekai and Snow White retelling. I especially appreciate the fact that the king is actually an active player in the story and not just an absentee father/husband. Looking forward to the next volume!

First published at the Fandom Post.

Novel Review: The Samurai and the Prisoner

Samurai generally evoke epic tales of battlefields and duels. But how about a gripping mystery involving swordsmen from Japan’s Warring States Era? That’s what Honobu Yonezawa has created in The Samurai and the Prisoner.

Back Cover Blurb

The winter of 1578, four years prior to the Honno–Ji Incident. Araki Murashige has betrayed his ally Oda Nobunaga and holed himself up in Arioka Castle—but a string of unsettling incidents within the castle walls has him at his wit’s end. The desperate warlord’s only hope for solving these mysteries is imprisoned in the castle’s dungeon: a man named Kuroda Kanbei, one of Oda’s most gifted strategists. When all the conflict and intrigue come to a close, what will these two men have gained…and lost? Award–winning author Honobu Yonezawa’s English–language debut is a page–turning blend of historical and detective fiction.

The Review

When warlord Araki Murashige imprisons the gifted strategist Kuroda Kanbei, he has no intent of interacting with him again. However, a month later, a seemingly impossible killing takes place in Murashige’s castle. The resulting rumors threaten to undermine his authority, and desperate to find the culprit, Murashige takes the mystery to the cleverest person in his castle – the prisoner in his dungeon.

The Samurai and the Prisoner is a wonderfully written novel that is both a historical and a mystery. Set in the Warring States Era, it features contemporaries of the notable Oda Nobunaga, although Oda himself never appears in person. The book includes a reference list of historical texts, and the descriptions of settings, battles, cultural practices, and religious, military, and political powers reflect the author’s thorough attention to detail. As a mystery, the conundrums that beset Murashige are presented like a series of four detective cases that invite the reader to guess at the solution themselves. The stakes involved in each mystery are also high, adding to the tension of the story. However, the pace does get bogged down in parts because the explanations of the circumstances of each incident and their political, religious, and military ramifications can get long-winded.

But as well-researched and cleverly crafted as this novel is, it has a major handicap when it comes to Western audiences. The author assumes that the reader is familiar with Japanese history, specifically the Warring States Era. I was able to get by because I’d watched a few anime and J-dramas about Oda Nobunaga, but if you don’t know what he accomplished and what type of reputation he had, understanding the motivations and circumstances of the characters will be difficult. However, if you’re knowledgeable about that era (or are willing to look up references to learn about it), Yonezawa’s portrayal of Murashige, a lesser figure of that period, is fascinating.

The story is written in the third person, but the vast majority of the book follows Murashige and his thoughts. He wasn’t born into a position of authority, but because of his skills as a warrior and his intellect, Oda grants Murashige the governance of Settsu. However, Murashige turns traitor on Oda to align with the Mouri Clan, and the book opens with the messenger Kanbei attempting to persuade Murashige to return to Oda and getting tossed into Murashige’s dungeon as a result. At first, Murashige seems to have the upper hand against his former master, but a series of betrayals and military movements instigated by Oda leaves Murashige and his samurai commanders bereft of the protection of the Mouri Clan.

Thus, Murashige’s forces are besieged in the castle town of Araki and cut off from allied forces when the series of mysterious incidents occur. On top of being serious crimes to be solved, they are also threats to Murashige’s authority; with each new mystery that arises, he becomes more convinced a traitor’s scheming to bring his downfall. And at the end of the book, Yonezawa delivers not one but two satisfying twists.

A note regarding the translation. Japanese is a language with several levels of formality. For the most formal scenes, the translator uses terms like “ye,” “prithee,” and “hark.” The archaic words take some getting used to, but this is a story set in the 1500s so they are actually suited for the time.

In Summary

A detective-style novel set in a samurai castle town! Those unfamiliar with the Warring States Era will likely get tripped up by the numerous historical figures and events mentioned in the book as the author assumes readers have knowledge about that background. However, if you’re a Japanese history buff or willing to read up on the subject, The Samurai and the Prisoner is an engaging, if sometimes long-winded, mix of mystery and historical fiction.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? Vol. 2

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim?. Read on for the review of Volume 2 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Operation: Sweep Miso Off Her Feet is in full force! Winning over his secretary’s affection has proven to be a tough task, but Youngjun’s pulling out all the stops and re-creating her perfect date—whatever it takes for her to stay! Though Miso finds her heart fluttering at his advances, her dreams are haunted by the memories of a boy from her past, one she feels too compelled to remember…

The Review

Armed with survey information and his vast resources, YoungJun pulls out all the stops in creating Miso’s perfect date! But YoungJun being his self-absorbed YoungJun self manages to sabotage the mood more than once. Like a good romantic comedy, our main couple is never quite able to get in step with each other, yet each does manage to see the other in a romantic light, if at different moments.

In the end, Operation: Sweep Miso Off Her Feet doesn’t do the job of convincing her to be his girlfriend. However, it still serves a purpose. Shortly thereafter, Miso goes on a blind date and later gets asked out by a handsome coworker. Though both men would make excellent boyfriend material, Miso can’t help but compare them to YoungJun. All part of YoungJun’s grand scheme… though it’s a rom-com so Miso’s comparisons don’t always portray YoungJun in a positive light.

Then the narrative shifts away from dating comedy to phobias and dark memories. Miso gets distracted from her search for Mr. Right when her friend’s journalist fiancé discovers a possible connection between the mysterious boy of her past and an incident hushed up by YoungJun’s family. At the same time, YoungJun’s older brother returns to Korea for the first time in three years. Unlike YoungJun, this Lee son resides in France, has nothing to do with the family business, and has a charming personality. Oh, and he and YoungJun hate each other’s guts. It’s an enmity that goes back to their childhood, and those elements combined with glimpses of our characters’ dreams create a compelling element of mystery in the story.

Extras include illustration gallery, next volume preview, artist’s note, and translation notes.

In Summary

What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim? continues the rom-com with YoungJun simultaneously creating and flubbing up Miso’s dream date. However, halfway through the volume, the tone shifts from humor to mystery as YoungJun’s older brother enters the story. Phobias, nightmares, and intensely bad blood between the brothers will soon have you pondering What’s Wrong with the Lee Brothers?

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Akane-banashi Vol. 1

Rakugo is a very Japan-specific storytelling art. As such, rakugo manga isn’t the sort of genre with a built in Western audience. However, Kodansha made the leap with Descending Stories a few years back, and Viz is releasing yet another rakugo tale, Akane-banashi. Read on for the review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Shinta Arakawa wants nothing more than to pass his shin’uchi exam—the test that would make him a top-rank headliner and master storyteller in the traditional Japanese art of rakugo. Akane Osaki, his daughter and biggest fan, spies on him while he practices and learns his routines for herself. When rakugo master Issho Arakawa expels everyone after the exam with no explanation, a fire is lit inside Akane. From that day forth, she has had one goal—to avenge her father and prove his art was worthy of the title of shin’uchi.

The Review

Akane Osaki’s father spent 13 years striving to become a master rakugo storyteller. But he and his fellow aspirants have their dreams crushed when the head of the rakugo school expels them all without explanation. Akane, who is her father’s biggest fan, vows to avenge him— by becoming a rakugo artist herself. But even with innate talent and the help of her father’s former teacher, the path to becoming a master storyteller is a difficult one with no guarantees!

Akane-banashi is a Shonen Jump title, which is interesting on two accounts. For one, it has a female protagonist. Not that it’s unheard of – I’ve seen shojo titles with male main characters, too – but it’s atypical of shonen stories. Also, Akane’s the only teenager in the cast, and aside from her mom and a couple side characters, the rest of the characters are all male adults.

The other thing that makes it unusual as a Shonen Jump title is that it’s about a very traditional Japanese storytelling art. So no space aliens, ninjas, pirates, or fantasy harems. Just a lot of men telling stories set in bygone eras and practicing their craft.

There’s no good equivalent to rakugo in modern American culture, and the repertoire is made up of tales that are unknown to the vast majority of Westerners. As such, this isn’t the best series for newbie manga readers or action/adventure fans. The creators give the series a shonen competitive tone with an adversary, rivals, mentors, and a ranking system for the protagonist to climb. However, the entire story is steeped in Japanese culture and tradition, some of which is very specific to the rakugo art, so be prepared for a lot of lingo. The volume concludes with a two-page “Basics of Rakugo” written by the rakugo consultant for this series. While some of it is informative, I’m not sure how helpful the advice to watch a live performance will be for English speakers who have zero Japanese comprehension.

In terms of the actual plot, the story opens with a 55-page chapter introducing Akane’s rakugo obsessed father, her love for his storytelling, and the fateful exam that destroyed his dream of becoming a master storyteller. It then fast forwards six years into the future with Akane striving to achieve what her father could not. Her logic of proving her father’s brilliance by having the rakugo school acknowledge her talent is shaky. After all, rakugo is a solo performance art, and her father isn’t even training her. However, the story does a good job of establishing her love for the art, and her grudge against the rakugo master who canned her dad is relatable, so… whatever.

Getting back to the characters, aside from the fact that Akane’s female, she fits the profile for a Shonen Jump protagonist. She’s got a goal of becoming the best, she’s got innate talent and passion for what she’s doing, and her personality is bold and energetic. However, unlike most shonen titles, our main character has no peers her age or level.

The thing about rakugo is that, unlike music, baseball, or dance, it isn’t something many kids get the chance to learn or even try. It’s not a group activity, and it doesn’t exactly lend itself to being a club activity. As explained in the “Basics of Rakugo,” the art is taught one on one from seniors to juniors. Thus, 16-year-old Akane has a college age rival, and the other pupils mentored by her instructor are also college age or older. So everyone has more experience than her. As a result, the story thus far is her learning a different aspect of the rakugo craft from everyone she meets–even the izakaya waitstaff. However, the creators try to make up for their older cast by giving them eccentric personalities. Thus, we have the introvert, the vain one, the strict enforcer, and the overly familiar guy.

From an illustration standpoint, the manga is very strong. All the characters are distinct, and the artist skillfully manipulates expressions/shading/backdrops when they go into story telling mode. The various settings are wonderfully detailed. When the narrative shifts to a rakugo plot, he switches to a traditional art style to reflect it.

Extras include mini-comics and sketches in between chapters, the two-page “Basics of Rakugo,” and a couple bonus illustrations.

In Summary

Akane-banashi has a spunky teenage protagonist, excellent illustrations, and a very clear story arc. However, the subject matter is the traditional storytelling art of rakugo, which is not well-known outside Japan. While it makes the manga unique, it also poses a stumbling block for a young Western audience. However, if you’re open to learning (a lot) about Japanese traditional culture, Akane-banashi might be a fun way to do it.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: My Gently Raised Beast Vol. 3

Lots of Korean web comics and web fiction are successfully making the jump from the Internet to traditional media nowadays. One of these is My Gently Raised Beast. Read on for the review of Volume 3 of the manhwa. (For reviews of other volumes, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

All it took was a brush with death to get her there, but Blondina finally realizes her true feelings toward Amon. It’s more than just friendship―it’s love! And so begins her quest to win over the handsome divine beast. But first things first―she’s curious to see how he looks in human form, all grown up. Luckily, Amon’s been waiting for her to ask: “…Think you can handle it?”

The Review

Amon’s now the leader of the Divine Beasts. Therefore, he has the authority to pursue the romantic relationship he’s desired with Blondina. As for Blondina, she’s finally stopped seeing Amon as a cute kitten and fallen hard for his grown human form. Sounds perfect, right? They’re both into each other, and nothing’s stopping them from getting together…except their own misunderstandings.

I’m not averse to romances where couples misread one another, but the way things play out between Amon and Blondina is more frustrating than titillating. Blondina especially seems stone-blind to what’s happening. Amon’s never made advances on Lucy, yet Blondina is stuck on the idea he’s in love with Lucy despite the fact that Amon’s paws and tongue are all over her. When he switches to human form and gets handsy with her, she attributes it to his “innocence,” and when he kisses her, she chalks it up to “mating season.” Blondina did not lead a sheltered existence. Far from it, she’s well aware that humans and Divine Beasts have sexual urges. So her behavior doesn’t make much sense, and it winds up dragging the plot.

While the developments between Amon and Blondina make me want to slap them both, the developments with Blondina’s half-siblings are much more engaging. Lart, who is now pretty much Blondina’s friend thanks to his crush on Lucy, takes steps toward actually courting the object of his affections. Adellai, on the other hand, remains as cold toward Blondina as ever and still harbors ambitions of stealing the crown from her brother. Now she gets an ally. Philip, the nobleman’s son who took an interest in Blondina before leaving to study abroad, returns. But after Amon interferes with Philip’s plans to woo Blondina, Philip teams up with Adellai in her search for the golden-haired, golden-eyed individual who can subdue Divine Beasts.

In Summary

With the ghosts of Blondina’s past dealt with and the leadership of the Divine Beasts in Amon’s paws, it’s back to the palace, where Amon starts making romantic advances toward Blondina. Unfortunately, she’s ridiculously slow to understand his intentions, so these potentially heart-throbbing moments left me annoyed instead. Thankfully, in the palace faction department, things get interesting with Lart stepping up his game in order to court Lucy while Adellai gains a valuable ally in her search for the person who can subdue Divine Beasts. All we need now is for Blondina and Amon to get on the same page with their relationship, and this story can really get going.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping

As a manga trope, yakuza tend to be terrifying thugs or comical characters. Tatsu of The Way of the Husband definitely falls in the funny category. To go with the manga series, Viz is presenting The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping, a housekeeping handbook inspired by Tatsu! Read on for my review. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

Back Cover Blurb

Everyone, from busy office workers and aspiring homemakers to the fiercest members of the yakuza, can gain important life skills from The Way of the Househusband: The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping!

Learn the housekeeping secrets of the legendary gangster, Tatsu, with this practical and humorous book inspired by the popular manga series The Way of the Househusband. This detailed guide includes cleaning tricks to leave your home sparkling, secrets for finding cutthroat deals, schemes for mastering your territory, keys to caring for your gang, and much more. Within these pages, you will also find 25 delicious recipes that will satisfy any voracious gangster.

Follow these tips and apply the determination of the Immortal Dragon to cooking, cleaning, shopping, and crafting to discover the path to housekeeping success!

The Review

The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping is part domesticated gangster comedy, part practical guide. What it is NOT is a translation of a Japanese work. Oono’s name is on the cover, and nearly every page features illustrations from The Way of the Househusband manga. However, the book’s text was written by New York-based writer Laurie Ulster, and recipes are credited to Victoria Rosenthal.

In short, this is a housekeeping handbook inspired by Oono’s manga and written in the gangster style used for yakuza dialogue in Viz’s translation of The Way of the Househusband, but all the content is geared for an American audience. Which makes sense from a practical standpoint. For instance, the book recommends minimizing water by running full loads on dishwashers, which are fairly common in American households but rare in Japanese ones.

Still, even if you’re not interested at all in recipes or housekeeping tips, hard-core fans may consider the book as a collectors’ item. The hardcover book is beautifully produced, and the inside covers are decorated with illustrations of Tatsu’s dragon tattoo. Each subsection includes the specific manga scenes that inspired them. The pages of The Gangster’s Guide to Housekeeping are larger than the Househusband manga, so it provides larger reproductions of manga artwork, and a few are printed in full color. I should mention though that the manga frames retain their right to left alignment, while the rest of the book is formatted left to right, which tripped me up a couple times. In addition to Oono’s artwork, the book is also decorated with color chibi drawings of The Way of the Househusband characters drawn by Stephanie Kao.

The book is divided into four sections. Each section has its own layout color, which makes it easy to tell which part of the book you’re in.

“The Way of the Housekeeper” (teal layout), as you might guess, contains housekeeping tips and tricks. These include recipes for homemade cleaners (think lemons, vinegar, and baking soda), advice on room organizing, and managing home finances. Most of the content is good, basic advice, but some points had me a little leery. Like the suggestion to scuff up shoe soles with sandpaper to get enough traction to shovel snow. Certainly the jug in the toilet tank trick won’t work with the low flow toilets that abound in California.

“The Way of the Chef” (orange layout) is the longest section (78 pages). It starts off with practical information about knives and adapting recipes to different diets. That’s followed by recipes in the following categories: Appetizers, Soups and Stews, Mains, Desserts, and Drinks. Every item was featured in some way in the manga.

Each recipe begins with an introduction written in gangster lingo, but the actual recipe part is written in normal cookbook language with steps and lists (which makes it easier if you’re actually trying to cook the item). Recipes include difficulty level and note if they’re vegan, vegetarian, or dairy free. Because the manga featured mainly Japanese dishes, recipes also provide notes about Asian ingredients and suggest substitutions for items that might be difficult to find in the United States. I did find it strange that the recipe for “Simple Lemonade” calls for “citric acid” instead of lemon juice. Also, recipes include drawings of the item from the manga but no cooking diagrams. For most recipes, that’s not an issue, but envisioning the directions for “Bear Cookies,” “Tamagoyaki,” and “Birthday Cake” might pose a challenge.

“The Way of the Urban Explorer” (green layout) is the third and shortest section. It’s a bit of a hodgepodge as it starts with how to be a smart shopper, then moves to exercising and befriending neighbors, and ends with self-defense (against zombies). Basically, it feels like they picked the funniest images of Tatsu outside the house and wrote advice articles to go with them.

“The Way of the Gang” (pink layout) is even more of a hodgepodge. This section’s supposed to cover how to look out for your family, friends, and neighbors, and it does provide advice about throwing birthday parties, babysitting, and taking care of pets. However, it also includes a subsection on camping and DIY projects (making an apron, Halloween costumes, upcycling lumber). Like with “The Way of the Urban Explorer,” it feels like Viz selected a bunch of funny scenes from the manga and wrote content to go with it. There is some useful advice in this section, but it feels like they were going more for entertainment than instruction. Also, approach the DIY projects with caution. The suggestions for Halloween costumes are easy and clever, but making Tatsu’s apron is not as simple as the instructions make it sound. Plus there’s no pattern provided. If you’re a rank beginner at sewing, you’re better off buying a premade apron.

In Summary

Want to clean house like the Immortal Dragon? Hankering to re-create the foods featured in The Way of the Househusband? Then check out this housekeeping guide inspired by Oono’s manga! It’s meant more for entertainment than instruction with its illustrations and jokes. However, there is some good advice mixed up with the gangster humor, and the recipe section seems solid.

First published at The Fandom Post.

Manhwa Review: The Remarried Empress Vol. 3

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 3 of the manhwa. (For other reviews of this series, click here.)

The Review

Volume 2 ended with Rashta stirring up gossip about a prominent noblewoman to deflect rumors about her own past. Not surprisingly, those efforts nearly backfire on the former slave, but she’s saved when it’s discovered that she’s pregnant.

Succession is generally a huge deal in royal circles so I had been wondering why the topic of an heir hadn’t popped up yet. Especially since Navier never mentions children or pressure to produce a child. With Rashta’s baby on the way, the Emperor and Empress talk frankly (argue) about the matter, and we learn that despite years of trying, Navier’s never gotten pregnant. With Navier ostensibly unable to conceive, the Emperor broaches the idea of making Rashta’s child his heir, which only further sours his relationship with his wife.

In short, if you didn’t think the Emperor was awful and inconsiderate before, Volume 3 should get you there. Especially with his jealous double standard concerning Navier’s love life.

Speaking of her love life, that proceeds to get more complicated thanks to Grand Duke Kaufman. To be honest, the straight-laced ambassador from Luipt does not seem at all like the type to meddle in a foreign sovereign’s personal affairs with a love potion. And he REALLY does not seem to be the type to prove the efficacy of said potion by consuming it himself. However, the delightful payoff of this less-than-believable chain of events is the lovelorn visuals of the otherwise serious Duke. (I’ll admit I have a weakness for that type of character so I found those illustrations delicious.) And there is an even greater payoff when Heinrey, the Grand Duke, and the Emperor all get into a jealous stew over Navier in the palace garden.

Navier’s such an unappreciated character that it’s nice to see so many guys brawling over her for once, even if it’s for absolutely the wrong reason.

However, the jealous fighting dissipates when the Grand Duke and Heinrey leave the Eastern Empire shortly thereafter – the Grand Duke to seek an antidote to the love potion and Heinrey to rush to his dying brother’s bedside.

Volume 3 wraps up on a somber note with pressure increasing on Navier to accept Rashta’s baby as a legitimate member of the Imperial family and with the crown of the Western Kingdom going to Heinrey after his brother’s passing. This puts Navier’s conditions for divorce in the opening of Volume 1 into a whole new perspective. After all, remarriage to a prince of another country would be shocking enough, but remarriage to a foreign king is outrageous! I’m looking forward to seeing how the dutiful Empress gets to that point and what happens afterward.

In Summary

The Emperor’s mistress has caused all sorts of headaches for Empress Navier, but now the former slave outdoes herself: Rashta’s pregnant. With a baby on the way, the palace drama continues with the line of succession at stake. And to spice up the story a little more, Navier gets an additional handsome admirer, although the way he falls for her is a bit far-fetched. The creators deliver yet another engaging and gorgeously illustrated volume of The Remarried Empress.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom Vol. #1

Isekai has really overtaken the anime/manga scene the last several years. A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is one such title. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

On her eighteenth birthday, shut-in Sena Shirai finally works up the courage to leave the comfort of her home—only to be hit by a truck! Luckily, she has a second chance at life as a witch in another world, but the only spells she can use are “explode” and “perish.” Unable to control her destructive power, Sena is shunned by the nearby villagers and doomed to live in isolation once again. But when a mysterious boy collapses at her doorstep on her (second) eighteenth birthday, will her fate finally turn around?

The Review

Sena is shut-in who meets an untimely demise due to a reckless driver. As a result, the angel that reincarnates her into her new life grants her special powers. Unfortunately, those powers are the spells “Perish” and “Explode,” and they doom her to a life as a shut-in once more. But on her 18th birthday, a young boy collapses on her doorstep, triggering a series of events that bring Sena back out into the wider world.

A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is a misleading title. Yes, Sena is reincarnated, and she is called a witch. Moreover, she is the only character thus far who is labeled a witch. However, according to Sena herself, half the population of this fantasy world can cast magic. So magic is simply a normal part of everyday life, and it’s never clarified why Sena is a witch and other magic users are not.

The other thing that’s misleading about the title is that it makes Sena sound like a walking disaster zone. She’s not. Her “Perish” and “Explode” spells, destructive though they are, are firmly within her control. She’s even able to package the magical powers for commercial use as weed control. So rather than a harbinger of chaos, Sena’s a timid girl living quietly alone in the forest who happens to be capable of two spells no one else can cast.

The creators might have been better off keeping this a fantasy without the isekai factor. The first 30 pages are devoted to showing Sena’s life in Japan and how she got reincarnated with her particular powers. However, the knowledge and experiences she retains from modern Japan aren’t really critical to the story, and all that background about her being a shut-in before her second shut-in life simply results in a very slow start.

Moreover, the chain of events that led to Sena’s second shut-in life are rather convoluted. At the age of 10, she spectacularly destroyed a carriage in town, freaking out the inhabitants. As a result, she isolated herself in her forest home in fear of their wrath. Turns out, the townsfolk were actually grateful to her because she had destroyed the carriage to protect another child. Yet Sena conveniently forgot the critical fact that she saved someone’s life, and even though her mother and the friendly old peddler who delivers their supplies knew the truth, they neglected to clear up this misunderstanding, instead allowing it to drag for eight years.

Anyway, the second half of Chapter 3, where Sena demonstrates her powers to Prince Keith’s corps and accepts their invitation to go to the capital, is where the story really gets going. Apparently, the prince is involved in a succession struggle, and the kingdom’s under threat by dragons, who are undergoing their own succession issues. These conflicts, along with the mystery of Sena’s powers, which fall outside this world’s standard seven magical elements, create a decent fantasy plot.

In addition to the dragon crisis and factional palace conflict, the story appears to be setting up the prince as Sena’s love interest. As far as their relationship goes, it’s moving quite fast for a girl who’s lived apart from civilization for eight years and the guy she just met. Only three days, and this hard-core shut-in is leaving everything she’s known to follow him. But if you like perfect prince types, Keith fits the bill.

In terms of illustrations, the human characters, architectural elements, and objects are drawn in a pleasant, cute style. However, action scenes and magic scenes are hard to follow. The dragon scenes especially are heavy on speed lines that make it difficult to tell what you are looking at. If not for the character commentary, I wouldn’t understand what was happening in those panels.

Extras include the first four pages printed in color, creator notes, and bonus illustrations on the inside cover.

In Summary

As you might guess from the title, A Reincarnated Witch Spells Doom is an isekai. However, so far there’s not much about main character Sena’s previous shut-in life that comes into play in her current shut-in life in a fantasy world where half the inhabitants wield magic and half do not. Perhaps those memories and experiences of modern Japan will prove crucial later, but for now, the plot is coming across more as a standard fantasy with a sheltered heroine who manifests unique magic powers, a noble prince embroiled in palace politics, and dragons who are currently ravaging the land.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Manga Review: Handyman Saitou in Another World Vol. #1

Isekai has really overtaken the anime/manga scene the last several years. Handyman Saitou in Another World is one such title. Read on for my review of Volume 1.

Back Cover Blurb

Until recently……he lived an ordinary life. Saitou is a thoroughly unremarkable handyman who can’t help but feel unsatisfied with his lot in life. Sure, doing odd jobs pays the bills―barely―but it comes at the cost of dealing with his ungrateful customers and boss. Dejected and dispirited, he’s starting to wonder what the point of it all is…when he finds himself in another world. There, he meets Raelza, a strong and beautiful female warrior with a prickly attitude; Morlock, a dirty old man and a powerful wizard (when he can remember his spells); and Lafanpan, a cute but greedy fairy. Together with his companions, Saitou goes dungeon crawling in search of riches and feels what it’s like to be needed for the first time. After all, who would you trust to open locked treasure chests or repair your equipment more than your local handyman?

The Review

Saitou is living an unfulfilling life as an underpaid, underappreciated handyman. Above all, he wants to be needed by someone, but society views him as an easily replaceable drone. Then one day, he’s suddenly transported to a fantasy world where he becomes an irreplaceable member in a party of dungeon crawlers. After all, when it comes to repairing equipment or picking locks, there is no match for a modern Japanese handyman!

I watched the anime adaption that was released earlier this year, and based on its story format, I guessed that the original material was four-panel comics. Turns out, I was wrong, but not by much. The Yen Press adaption divides Volume 1 into four chapters, but each “chapter” is actually a grouping of very loosely connected mini-vignettes that are 1 to 6 pages long. Moreover, these vignettes about Saito and his party are frequently broken up by side stories about other adventurers. (At this point, five other parties and two solo adventures have been introduced).

As such, even though Saito is the main character, the manga very much has the feel of a fantasy sitcom with an ensemble cast. Pretty much every character has a quirk, and the creator plays those quirks (like Morlock’s frequent memory loss) to comic effect.

For Saito, his quirk is that he is a handyman among magicians, fairies, and armor-clad warriors. The juxtaposition of his jumpsuit and toolkit among fantasy characters is pretty funny. His modern Japanese mindset is also used for laughs, like when he grills an eel monster to his party’s horror.

In terms of setting, Saito’s new world has all the attributes you would expect in a fantasy comedy on the lewd side. For instance, mimics, succubus, and a metal-dissolving slime that leaves party member Raelza in her undergarments. However, it also has its own version of things associated with the modern world, like a crystal ball live-stream of a government-certified hero’s party.

So even though characters, setting, and conflict are drawn from standard fantasy elements, the way the narrative shapes them is definitely nonstandard. Like the old king who defeats the Demon Lord and turns him into his chess playmate. Or the adventurer entry fee with a senior discount for the government-run dungeon.

As I mentioned above, this comedy does lean on the lewd side in terms of content and visuals. In addition to Morlock’s dirty old man tendencies, there’s blatant messing around among side characters and phallic jokes. And yes, there is fan service. Female characters are all cute or sexy. On the other hand, with the exception of Saito and government-certified hero Cains, male characters are old, scarred, and/or homely.

In terms of illustrations, the artwork does the job of conveying the narrative and humor but can’t be called polished. The manga is lean on screen tones, so drawings tend to look flat. Design details are the same as the anime but rendered in a much rougher style. Honestly, it’s like looking at storyboard drafts for the anime. Also, due to the six or less pages format, content is often packed in, which results in a cramped look.

By the way, even though the illustrations do leave something to be desired, the manga does contain scenes and details that were not included in the anime. So if you are a big fan of the series, the manga is worth considering from that standpoint.

Extras include introduction of party members, character sheets, and translation notes.

In Summary

If you’re seeking an epic fantasy with a strong narrative arc, Handyman Saito in Another World is not it. However, if you’re looking for sketch comedy involving a Japanese handyman exploring fantasy style dungeons with quirky party members, this series fits the bill. The artwork is on the rough side and humor can be raunchy, but it is a clever and fun take on the isekai genre.

First published at the Fandom Post.