Manga Books - Page 3

Vampire Knight, Volume 2

Matsuri Hino

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A new twist on a much-used theme... 4 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

This story is, I think, a huge departure from "MeruPuri". In any event, there hasn't been any sex (actually no one has even really kissed) but the story is still erotic. Pretty boy vampires, bloodsucking, more pretty boy vampires; I guess those are the right ingredients for an erotic shojo manga. I've been following it in the Shojo Beat magazine because I am way too impatient to wait for the volumes to come out (look how far they've spaced out the releases!) and the story gets better and better. So even though I read the whole volumes in the monthly installments before the bound volumes were published, I still have to buy a copy (that is how hooked I am on this series).

I won't go into a synopsis because that has already been done but this is definitely worth a read. The story is surprising, intense, erotic, dark but very prettily drawn. Not a lot happens in each volume but that is not to say that each volume is boring. It is more like the manga-ka takes the time to convey so much without actions (or even words).

I think the manga-ka shows more depth than she did in "MeruPuri" (and I am not trying to insult "MeruPuri" because I actually enjoyed that story). But comparing "MeruPuri" to "Vampire Knight" is like comparing nonfat yogurt to devil's food cake.

Editorial Review:

Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At sunset, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, there to protect the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires.

Descendants of Darkness, Volume 10 (v. 10)

Yoko Matsushita

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Not the end? 5 out of 5 stars.
13 of 15 people found this review helpful.

According to the infamous Wikipedia there just might be a 12th volume. The mangaka went on haiatus in 2001 from this serties & hasn't made a manga since. My personal guess is that the original Japanese publishers are pressuring her to pick up the series again now that they're making forign profit through Viz off the series. The exact same thing happened to the Aoike Yasuko whom made the Eroica manga; 7 year haiatus on book 19, now on book 33.
Hopefully the series will extend beyond a 12th book & like Patalliro, get a second TV series to boot. Oh yeah, & there's a raunchy yaoi scene at the end between unfamiliar characters. The series gets progressively BL.

Editorial Review:

As the god of death, Tsuzuki has a lot to think about. First of all, there are all those dead people. Someone's got to escort them safely to the afterlife. Then there's all that bureaucracy. The affairs of death come with a lot of paperwork, budgetary concerns and endless arcana. Combining supernatural action with heavy dollops of romance, sex and humor, Descendants of Darkness proves one thing: Death is big business...and business is good!

Black Jack Vol.1

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A good introduction to Osamu Tezuka's work 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I would recommend this book both to people who are Tezuka fans and to people who are new to Tezuka's work. This volume contains twelve relatively short self-contained stories, so it might be a good choice for those who don't want to commit to reading one of the longer Tezuka stories like Phoenix or Buddha. I also think that this would be a good choice for people new to Tezuka's work because it's an example of his gritter, harder-edged work that shows that there's much more to Osamu Tezuka than Astro Boy or Kimba the White Lion (I enjoy Tezuka's more child-oriented works too, but they express only a very limited concept of what Tezuka was all about).

I should point out that if you're looking for anything like a realistic medical drama here, you're going to be disappointed (On the other hand, wouldn't the medical dramas on tv be more fun if they had doctors who could throw scalpels like ninja throwing stars?). Black Jack is set in "Tezuka-land," not the "real world," so there's a fair amount of pseudoscience and a few really oddball bits that might make you ask, "Was this really written by a guy who was a doctor?"

Tezuka's storytelling techniques might seem a little strange at first (He has a tendency to throw in jokes and visual gags at seemingly inappropriate moments, which might frustrate some readers, but I'm starting to look at it almost like a Brechtian "distancing" or "alienation" technique), but I think that this volume gives readers a glimpse of what a unique talent Tezuka was (I consider Tezuka to be one of the masters of world comics, not just Japanese comics). More importantly, I think that these are highly entertaining stories that fans of comics (or "sequential art" or whatever highfalutin' term you prefer) are likely to enjoy.

Editorial Review:

A crazed doctor populates this edgy work by a manga master.

Bleach, Volume 23

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Ikkaku, more than meets the eye 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Volume 23 of Bleach is strong continuation of the Arrancar arc. It starts off with Ichigo recovering from the beating him and his friends received at the hands of the arrancar, Ulquiorra (a personal favorite character) and Yammy. Everyone is looking inside themselves trying to figure out how they are going to deal with the coming threat.

Rukia arrives, and in her own "special" way manages to cheer up and refocus Ichigo. Her return also has an effect on Orihime. We get to spend some more time with the Ichigo's friends and associates in school and around town. And begin to notice that alot more people are becoming spiritually aware. This is gaining the arrancar's attention.

The arrancar are Hollows who have removed their masks for more power, Soul Reaper power. Though the difference in strength before has been minimal, with Aizen's help and the orb's properties, these new arrancar are strong enough to battle Soul Reaper captains. The arrancar are no longer an anomaly, they are a force.

This fact is made abundantly clear during this volume as the reinforcements from Soul Society, Renji, Rukia and others are almost immediately matched against a force of arrancar led by Grimmjow, a very powerful opponent. The volume finishes with this match up. Its a good classic example of Bleach's action, Hollow vs Soul Reaper,with their unique abilities and ideals showcased. One the highlights is seeing Rukia in action (finally!) & she does not disappoint.

Overall, this volume is a good mix of the comedy and character development that start the volume and the vicious hardcore battles that finish it. I recommend it as a good continuation of a very strong series.

Editorial Review:

Ichigo "Strawberry" Kurosaki was born with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow -- a malevolent lost soul -- Ichigo becomes a Soul Reaper, dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping the tortured spirits find peace.

The Arrancars, Hollows that have attained Soul Reaper-like powers, have descended on Karakura Town. Led by Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, they plan to eliminate anyone who poses a threat to them. And their deadly hunt doesn't stop with Ichigo and the Soul Reapers--the Arrancars are after anyone with even a trace of spiritual powers!

Fruits Basket, Volume 19 (v. 19)

Natsuki Takaya

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Three Princes 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

In spite of an amusing coda to the Yuki/Ayame story in which Yuki (gasp! shock!) voluntarily pays a visit to Ayame's apartment, this volume of Fruits Basket - in which Kyo's fate and Kyoko Honda's ghost loom large and one of the series most forshadowed and anticipated moments arrives - is rather somber in tone.

As it begins, we find Tohru reeling in guilt as she realizes that her beloved mother is no longer the most important person in her life. It's not an easy episode for Kakeru either, as he realizes that he can no longer put off telling Yuki about his uncomfortable connection to Tohru considering the likelihood that he'll be seeing more of her in light of her place in Yuki's life and the fact that Yuki and Machi are inching closer towards dating.

The part of the volume that will probably have the longest effect on the characters, however, is the middle. With Yuki having gracefully bowed out of the picture and Tohru having virtually confessed her feelings for Kyo as the last volume ended, it would seem that a difficult situation has been averted. But as readers who have followed the subtext of the series will have realized, Tohru has three princes - and it's now that prince number three becomes an issue.

As school begins again, the girls are gossiping about a mysterious drop-dead gorgeous boy with non-Japanese features who's caught their attention. When one girl confirms that he's a Sohma our suspicions are heightened, and when he heads for Tohru and her face lights up at the sight of him as they walk off hand in hand, we know it can only be one person.

Momiji Sohma has finally caught up with his other three cousins - and big time.

Although we've known for a long time what Momiji would eventually look like via the infamous flash forward frame of him on his first day of high school, his first official appearance as an older teen - endearingly confused by the new female attention he's getting until Tohru gives him the newsflash that he's stunningly handsome - is worth the price of the volume alone. It is also, however, a very bittersweet moment.

Momiji wears his heart on his sleeve and has always been completely open regarding how he feels about Tohru. Although those feelings undoubtedly started out having alot to do with her filling the void of his unrequieted love for his mother and sister, Tohru has also clearly been his first crush. Had Kyo made a move at any earlier point, that would have been the end of that. But Kyo has finally waited too long, the flood dam finally breaks, and Momiji can no longer deny what's been written all over his face, actions and body language for a long time now.

Ever the child of an unlucky star, Momiji Sohma has fallen in love with his best friend - a girl who everyone, including himself, knows is meant for his ostracized cousin.

While this is going on, a dark cloud forms over all the younger Zodiac members as Kyo's impending confinement begins to loom close enough that it can no longer be ignored; and they become increasingly anxious as they realize they will all be complicit in a terrible crime if the unthinkable happens. It is ultimately Momiji who kindles the flame and goes to Kyo to try to shock him into offering resistance. It is Momiji as well who becomes the first Zodiac member in the history of the curse to commit the grand heresy of openly declaring for the Cat and stating outright that he doesn't intend to let his cousin be taken without a fight.

All of which makes what must inevitably happen all the more painful, as we realize with saddened spirits that for Tohru and Kyo to end up together Tohru will have to break the heart of a boy she adores who has been with her through thick and thin and deserves much better; and in a cruel case of irony Kyo will have to trample not his lifelong rival, but the saintly cousin who is his greatest ally and source of strength among the Zodiac.

After this volume, a completely happy ending all around no longer seems possible.

Editorial Review:

As the Fruits Basket saga continues, the relationship between Tohru and Kyo becomes increasingly complicated, especially since most of the members of the Zodiac seem to look down on him. Tohru comes to the realization that if she wants to save Kyo, she'll have to create some sort of trigger to break his curse. But what, if anything, can cure Kyo? The answer is right inside this next volume of the super-popular Fruits Basket, the winner of Best Manga at the inaugural American Anime Awards Show!

Rurouni Kenshin, Vol. 4

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Definitely the Best RK book Out of the First 6 Volumes 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is the best Volume of the fist story arc (vols 1-6). It is incredibly done and the characters are great. You will learn to love a villian....and learn to despise another...

Agreat read and with much much more books a head, it may not be th absolute best.

Kenshin vol 4 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I just got the manga today, and it was great to read. Well we all know Kenshin and company went to Kanryu's mansion to save Megumi, then they have to fight Aoshi's men, then the fight with Aoshi and Kenshin come along and,theres a whole bunch of blood and it was sad how Aoshi's men died for him. Get this manga.

Very Good! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have seen the original (Japanese) series and I think that the book is a great added feature to anime fans all over. I have seen the English TV series, but especially prefer the Japanese version. The manga (volumes) are a bit more closer to the Japanese version, but are more vivid and definitely more graphic than the TV versions all together. I really enjoy Kenshin and I really appreciated the work put into this anime!

Editorial Review:

Held captive and running out of hope, Megumi must face a life of suffering or a peaceful death. Meanwhile, Kenshin and the others continue their battle with the elite former guards who spit fire and throw poison darts.

Warcraft: Legends Volume 2 (v. 2)

Aaron Sparrow, Dan Jolley

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Editorial Review:

Some of the world's best manga creators join together to bring the world of Warcraft to life as never before in this title. Between these covers lie tales of adventure, treachery, humor and bravery. Told from both Alliance and Horde point of view, these stories have entertained the likes of travelers, soldiers and thieves. They have endured the trials of time and have earned the title of legend.

Fruits Basket Volume 22 (v. 22)

Natsuki Takaya

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Editorial Review:

Kyo finally makes the decision to stop running from his fears and confront his birth father. But how will he react to his father's pressure to accept an unwanted truth? Meanwhile, as Akito's control over the Sohma family slips away, will the last vestiges of her sanity and reason slip away as well?

Hana-Kimi, Volume 13

Hisaya Nakajo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 40 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great but not for those without open minds 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I loved this manga. Everything about it was very well done. The story line is amazing and makes you long for the next book. I have nothing really to complain about.

However, you will not like this series if you mind "boy-love" as there are some scenes that involve it although not many, cross dressing main characters trying to pretend to be the opposite sex because that's the books basis, or if you are a complete realist who cannot read a book that may not be so realistic in the real world. This manga pushes the envelope and what unfolds is a wonderful romantic comedy that most people would enjoy. However, if you do not like the three things listed you will not like the book. but if you don't mind it is a great read and very well drawn.

Editorial Review:

Japanese-American track-and-field star Mizuki is transferring to a high school in Japan, but not just any high school! To be close to her idol, high jumper Izumi Sano, she's going to an all-guys' high school...and disguising herself as a boy! But as fate would have it, they're more than classmates - they're roommates! Now, Mizuki must keep her secret in the classroom, the locker room, and her own bedroom. And her classmates, and the weird school nurse, must react to the new transfer student who looks like a very pretty boy...

The Prince of Tennis, Volume 1

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A good series but a poor translation 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The Prince of Tennis is one of my favorite anime series. Many people say the manga is superior. This may be true, but this publication butchers the translation to the point where I can't stand reading it. I've only seen a friend's copy, and it was enough to make me not want to get it myself.

What bothers me the most is how lazy the translators seem to be. The anime has a large following in america. You'd think they could get someone knowledgable in the common terms used, or how characters address each other. Any Tenipuri fan could have caught the dozens of errors prior to publication.

It baffles me that the same company can do a stellar job with the publication of Death Note but completely butcher this one.

Editorial Review:

Ryoma Echizen just joined the Seishun Gakuen Middle School tennis team, which is known for being one of the most competitive teams in Japan. Ryoma has proven his skills by winning four straight American junior tournament titles. With his skills, Ryoma challenges a rule of Seishun Gakuen that freshmen don't represent the team to play in tournaments until summer.