24 Jul 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Kare Kano]
“I stop but I stare too much/afraid that I care too much/and I hardly dare to touch/for fear that the spell may be broken…”
This is where it all goes official as Yukino and Souichiro are a couple now…but they hardly get time to see each other due to school commitments! There are some great comedy moments with everyone flying around to get festival arrangements finalised and so on, but the main impression is that the two of them aren’t used to being a couple yet. They still exhibit the nervousness and insecurity - Yukino is so afraid to tell Souichiro her feelings that she can’t do it through words alone. This gives what is to my mind the volume’s best scene in which she shows him by a simple gesture; putting to an end her selfish notion of protecting her own feelings.
With that important development sorted out their relationship goes into the awkward ‘first date’ phase, during which we also meet the irrepressible Hideaki. This unscrupulous ladies’ man is a great character in terms of comedy and providing something of a catalyst for the progression of the Yukino/Souchiro relationship; Yukino hates him initially but after they settle their differences (along with Souchiro coming to blows with him as well at one point: when asked what he sees in her, Souchiro retorts with spelling out her genuine affection for him in contrast to Hideaki’s using of Souichiro for furthering his own social standing. Great stuff) the friendship between the three of them is cemented. Let the good times roll as they say.
What I especially enjoyed about this volume is how, in successive scenes, the thoughts of Yukino and Souchiro are shown to run parallel as they assess the ways in which the new state of affairs affects their feelings for each other and their opinions of themselves. It’s brilliant character observation on the part of manga-ka Tsuda but is hilarious as well: for instance, as Yukino thinks “am I good enough for him?” Souichiro is simultaneously thinking “am I good enough for her?” That’s right, even when the two of them are beating themselves up over their insecurities and fears, they are doing so in perfect harmony! If they aren’t kindred spirits, I don’t know who is.
As before, the detailed inner monologues and painstaking portrayals of every thought, spoken phrase or meaningful glance is captured with bright humour and heartfelt feeling; the page layouts still propel the story effortlessly with a nice short chapter Under the Cherry Trees which provides an insightful peek into Souchiro’s head when he first met Yukino. There are sakura blossoms and bishies aplenty here but when the emotions of both sexes are shown with such attention to detail even I am still utterly absorbed. This is ‘realistic fiction’ (thanks to Mike from AnimeDiet for bringing the term to my attention) at its tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud best. Aww. <3
This post’s lyric quote is from a hit 1990 album from a UK band; the song title itself is a neat summing-up of this series as a whole actually. Enjoy!
[No Comments]
21 Jul 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Monster]
The fifth volume shows little of Johan’s larger plan but makes up for this with portraying Tenma’s efforts in trying to understand him and track him down. There’s a great side-story featuring Lunge, who is still convinced that Johan is Tenma’s alter-ego but the main event is Tenma’s effort to understand Johan at a criminal psychologist level, which causes him to cross paths with an old friend and, ultimately, face Lunge himself.
It goes without saying that Monster is downright awesome on several levels; that said, thisvolume adds more background and side-stories than scenes that follow the course of the main story. There’s a married couple who are visiting their son who is serving time for murder, who Tenma and Dieter encounter while hitch-hiking; in another chapter we are introduced to a serial killer who has crossed paths with Johan. In this volume the level of mystique surrounding Johan increases though, as we are introduced to Roberto, the guy who annoyingly crops up during the rest of the series. His ability to survive and cause problems for Johan’s opponents wore on me after a while but at this stage he’s menacing and actually quite cool.
The main event of this volume is Tenma’s relationship with Rudi Gillen, although prior knowledge of what happens later in the story leads me to conclude that Rudi is merely a secondary supporting character. Gillen is an interesting guy though, having an almost pathological fixation on his tape recorder - not unlike Cooper in Twin Peaks actually (another reference/similarity to that series). We get to see a bit of Tenma’s character in this volume because of this, which is a nice change when we’re used to seeing his infallible ‘present’ self. If nothing else, this volume highlights Johan’s almost superhuman ability to use people for his own ends - in this case, Jurgans and his penchant for serial killings with some ‘family’ issues that probably attracted Johan to Jurgens’ M.O. in the first place.
There are plenty of ‘murder-mystery’ style scenes as Tenma learns a little bit more about Johan - if you’re already familiar with where the series is heading (i.e. you’ve already seen the anime like I have), this element of surprise is lost but revisiting it is as fun as always and it effectively builds on what’s gone before in a gradual and realistic way: we’re introduced to the character of Roberto, as well as Johan’s uncanny knack of manipulating others. It’s not an outstanding volume in the grand scheme of things but it can’t be called filler either; at the very least it’s another worthy if unremarkable addition to the series. If you’re already on track, keep reading and your patience will be rewarded.
[No Comments]
14 Jun 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Kare Kano]
As you may be aware, the animated series of His and Her Circumstances (or Kare Kano to its fans) is one of my all-time favourites. My only criticism was the sudden ending, which will hopefully be solved by reading Masame Tsuda’s original manga - at twenty-one volumes in length though, I’m in for the long haul! Hopefully I’ll be able to give accurate impressions of the series without falling into fanboy rave territory.
The initial premise is of the standard shoujo high school romance type: told largely from the perspective of the female protagonist, in this case Yukino Miyazawa, it follows the day-to-day events and her relationship with the male lead, Souichiro Arima. Yukino is quite an ‘extreme’ character, whose defining characteristics - namely her overwhelming desire for admiration and attention - are probably more exaggerated than those of people most of us will meet on a regular basis but nevertheless are believable and true-to-life. The story picks up at the point where Yukino’s position as the most successful and popular student is threatened by Souchiro, who turns out to be a serious rival and a threat to her untarnished reputation as the top of the class; although Yukino is resentful of his presence at first, as they get to know each other better the two of them realise that they have more in common than they thought…
What makes Kare Kano outstanding in a crowded genre that I’m not normally interested in is the meticulous way in which the characters’ thoughts and feelings are portrayed (although I must admit that Hideaki Anno’s direcing skills made me aware of the story in the first place). Because Yukino puts on such an act in front of her friends and classmates, it is only her family who see her true self - this makes her narration all the more intimate and powerful as the reader gets to know exactly what makes her tick. Similarly, Souichiro has some dark secrets that are unknown to even Yukino at first; examining both the male and female main characters makes it more balanced and prevents it alienating male readers too.
To that end, this opening volume is neatly divided into three chapters or ‘acts’ that examine ‘Her Circumstances’, ‘The Secret’ between the two of them that kick-starts their relationship and ‘His Circumstances’ that shows Souichiro’s side of things. Thanks to Tsuda’s impressive grasp of pacing and page layouts, the story plays out comfortably and naturally, providing information and flashback sections without any of it being confusing - I found it to be undemanding yet rewarding late-night reading!
Because my experience in manga is relatively limited I can’t say how the artwork stands up to similar fare, but it comes across as clear and pleasant, if a little rough in places; being the start of the series, I can’t criticise Tsuda too much for that though. There are flowers in the backgrounds, cute girls and dashing bishounen but overall the femininity isn’t too overdone. There are some personal notes and cartoons in the margins from the author as well which don’t exactly add anything to the story but are fun and personal so it’s good to see Toykopop have retained them. There’s also a short story, The Tiger and the Chameleon, which is a cute little extra that has enough potential to develop into a full series in its own right.
Summary
For fans of high school rom-com manga I think it’s fair to call Kare Kano essential but anyone who appreciates character-driven series with depth, introspection and a deft touch for balancing humour and emotion should do themselves a favour and give it a try. As I revisit the heart-rending tale of Yukino and Souichiro, I feel like I’m falling in love all over again!
[3 Comments]
30 Mar 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Death Note]
It’s been a while since I sat down to read any Death Note, which might explain why the seventh volume didn’t leave me as gripped as the earlier ones did. Maybe it could also be down to the fact that we lose a major character at this stage of the story which leaves me sceptical about how the quality can be maintained from here on. As always the plot twists and turns with Light and L trying to outguess one another; for me at least, the seemingly endless repetition of reasoning and counter-reasoning is beginning to lose its edge, and I ended up feeling a little lost and detached from the proceedings. Which is a shame, because one of the main reasons I enjoyed Death Note was because it draws the reader into its tense and morally ambiguous world.
I’ll put my confusion down to the fact that I haven’t been following the series at all over the past month or two, since it starts off really well: a continuation of the excellent ‘Corporate Kira’ arc in which the bad guy finally gets apprehended. Soon afterwards Light re-acquires his own Death Note and his memories, which keeps things moving at their characteristically fast pace.
The main problem I can see is the killing off of one of the principal members of the cast (and no, I’m not telling you who it is!). This means that the story takes a sharp turn in direction, particularly when the timeline shifts forwards by several years in the latter part of the volume in order to see how the events have turned out. Granted, such a move was necessary to prevent things getting stale but the jump isn’t a smooth one. On the other hand, it could mean that fresh life (and death!) is being breathed into the story, so I can be bowled over by it all over again.
Volume 7 is a definite turning point in the Death Note story. The present arc ends in spectacular style, but the transition to a new one has left me uneasy and doubtful as to whether the best is now over. I’m hoping that Ohba and Obata have reivented the twisting tale, rather than stretching out the concept too far; I suspect that volume 8 will decide on whether these new developments make or break Death Note’s greatness.
[1 Comment]
17 Mar 2007
Posted by Martin [Tags: Monster]
I know it’s been a while since I’ve done a manga review so I thought I’d kick things off with the fourth outing of Naoki Urasawa’s Monster. This is the first Frankfurt-set arc and features a rug thief, neo-nazis, an evil-minded midget and Nina brandishing a gun. Surprisingly, it also continues to be the most true-to-life and believable graphic novel I’ve read to date.
This volume opens on something of a side-story featuring Tenma’s former fiancee, Eva. It does little to add to the bigger picture but neatly highlights how far-reaching the effects of Johan’s case have proved to be - it is also easy to hate Eva and dismiss her as a complete bitch but I’d be missing the most interesting aspects of her character. By the end of the chapter I actually felt quite sorry for her…just.
Meanwhile our man Tenma is hot on the trail of Johan, which takes him into the Turkish quarter of Frankfurt where he runs up against some nasty characters who are planning on making Johan their new leader who will, in their eyes, supersede Hitler in terms of charisma and ruthlessness. Unless Tenma can stop them it really does seem like a likely outcome.
It is at this point that we meet the Baby, a fellow whose short stature is the likely explanation for his delusions of grandeur. He also reminds me of that guy from Twin Peaks for whatever reason…anyway, he appears to be a key player in the nasty goings-on in Frankfurt where a number of others, to varying degrees, know Johan.
There are some pretty shocking moments in this volume but interestingly this aspect is conveyed without excessive gore or violence. An innocent woman is murdered but we do not even see her face; neo-nazi skinheads crop up in several scenes, babbling on about how they are expecting Johan to front their new world order; and the Monster himself (or is it…?) disposes of a number of his followers with seemingly little effort.
In terms of characterisation, Tenma is still doggedly determined but his reluctance to kill is still being tested; those he befriends realise how terrible it would be for a man of his moral standards to do such a thing. For this reason it will be interesting (for those of you who haven’t seen the anime series yet, at least) to see how long he can keep this up and whether he will be able to kill Johan in the end. Nina on the other hand shows a really tough streak that is inevitably mistaken for a manifestation of her brother’s evil. Twins they are but Nina is nothing like him; the Baby and his goons don’t know this of course, but she manages to use this to her advantage. She and Johan look alike and they are clearly both above-average in intelligence but the similarities end there.
Overall it’s another great instalment for what has to be one of Viz’s finest titles. The development of Nina’s character and the showdown between Tenma, the Baby and his henchmen were the highlights. Expect a review on volume #5 in the next couple of weeks…
[No Comments]
03 Oct 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
The optimism that Chizuna and Kazuna felt upon their return to school and relative normality is, perhaps inevitably, short-lived. Chizuna’s flashbacks finally reveal to her the terrible secret she has carried all these years, while Kazuna’s bloodlust attacks return with a vengeance. It’s dark, it’s depressing, and there are some surprising twists and revelations before the story draws to a close. We find out the truth behind the majority of the main issues raised, as the characters finally confront the problems they’ve faced all along.
Perhaps surprisingly it is Chizuna who seems to give in to her illness: as strong as she’s been from the start, her memories are now complete and her fatalistic outlook overtakes her will to survive. It is a saddening sight to see her descend into illness and resignation like this but fortunately the explanations and Kazuna’s dramatic experiences lift the mood into high tension.
The possibility that their mother is not dead is raised by Kazami’s investigations, which means that there is uncertainty hanging over the whole affair right until the end - just when we think that we’ve got to the bottom of the Takashiros and their curse, there’s one more mystery to be solved. Apart from one or two standout scenes the pace too is slow-but-steady but of course there are moments that really get the pages turning. Without giving too much away the final scenes offer some resolution but leave enough details open to leave the reader guessing about how things will turn out - they could get better but could just as easily get worse. Fortunately there are no especially glaring out-of-character moments or plot devices that come out of the blue so the conclusion is a fairly satisfactory one.
Final Thoughts
I’ve enjoyed reading Lament of the Lamb, not as a blood-soaked horror (a term I don’t use in describing films and stories; it’s a stance that takes more space than is available here to explain) but as a grim and compelling character-driven drama. The incenstuous overtones are not introduced to shock but are an integral part of the story; unsettling perhaps but justifiable in the context of the characters and their situations. Learning more about their personalities and motives holds much of the appeal for me plot-wise, although the true nature of the Takashiro family’s condition kept me guessing throughout. It is an interesting study into how a life-threatening illness can affect the way in which the sufferer interacts with those around them, as well as how those who share a potentially dangerous state of mind isolate themselves to protect others.
The contrasting attitudes that Chizuna and Kazuna take towards their illness says a lot about their outlook on life in general, without making use of the issues normally raised in stories concerning vampires. In fact, the ‘vampiric’ side to the condition is quite underplayed; the effects on their lives are more the focus. That said, there is a superbly gloomy and pessimistic atmosphere to the piece overall and by the end I took a real liking to Kei Toume’s artwork. One of my favourite images of the entire series is a double page spread pencil drawing in volume #7; I won’t publish any scans here because it is too spoilerish but it sums up the relationship between the two Takashiro siblings perfectly.
Although Minase is possibly my favourite member of the supporting cast I can’t help but feel sorry for poor little Yeagashi. Both of them are utterly devoted to their friends but for the most part are unable to help them in any way; it is the barrier that Chizuna and Kazuna build around themselves that is the saddest thing for all concerned.
Before wrapping this article up completely I ought to mention a couple of pics, the latter of which I hope I’ll have the time and inclination to post up since it left me with such a deep impression. The first is the cover of volume #5 with Chizuna staring out wearing a crimson kimono; the other is a portrait of her on the inside cover. Toume captures a side of her that is at the same time distant, beautiful, dangerous and quite lonely. It is one of several images that are published in the series of volumes that really stay in the memory.
[6 Comments]
20 Sep 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
The penultimate instalment sees the entrance of Shinobu Kazami, a nurse who worked for the father of Chizuna and Kazuna, and is now looking for answers concerning his tragic death. She crosses paths with not only his two children but the Edas and Minase; at every turn she is greeted with suspicion as her search for answers makes slow progress.
After previous volumes examining the inner feelings of individual characters, this volume looks back into the past of the Takashiros and explores details concerning their curse as we follow Kazami on her journey. Because the condition is seen from a rational outsider’s perspective we begin to see it as a tangible, physical medical condition rather than some supernatural affliction: whether or not this is indeed the case I don’t know, but I’m beginning to think that this has a scientific explanation rather than a spiritual one.
Shinobu’s motives appear to be innocent enough but by no means clear. It’s possible that she had an emotional as well as professional attachment to the elder Takashiro, drawing her attention to his family’s secret. The stigma associated with it is also touched upon in this volume, although Chizuna’s relationship with her late parents gets most attention as a result of Shinobu’s enquiries.
After the first couple of volumes the focus did shift from Kazuna to Chizuna but this is understandable now that his symptoms have abated somewhat while hers have not. Furthermore, Kazuna’s memories are decidedly hazy while Chizuna has a little more in the way of emotional baggage from her childhood. The nightmares and flashbacks are particularly interesting but we (and Shinobu) are still far from reaching the full truth about the Takashiros’ tragic curse.
The ending of this volume paints a rosy picture with Chizuna and Kazuna returning to school and going about their lives almost as normal; knowing what I know about the levels of angst that Lament of the Lamb produces so effectively, I can’t help but think that this is the calm before the storm. Kazuna may have finally explained everything to Kinoshita and Chizuna may have found a good friend but it seems to good to last…
[No Comments]
17 Sep 2006
Posted by Martin
A story that runs parallel to xxxHolic, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is both a new story from acclaimed manga-ka team CLAMP and the ultimate in manga ‘crossovers’. A number of characters from Cardcaptor Sakura join familiar faces from numerous other CLAMP series as we follow Cardcaptor’s Syaoran in a magical quest to save the life of childhood friend Sakura.
Even if you have never read a single chapter of Cardcaptor Sakura (or any other CLAMP story for that matter) it doesn’t hinder your enjoyment of this series. The characters may look familiar but their situations, and even some of their personalities, have been reworked for the new story. With the help of XXXHolic’s Yuuko, Syaoran sets out to retrieve Sakura’s memories that have been scattered across numerous worlds. Even if and when Syaoran succeeds the most precious memories of all, those of Sakura’s childhood spent with him, will be irretrievably lost to her.
Right from the outset CLAMP have created a superb premise for an epic fantasy tale. The courageous hero must travel through time and space to accomplish his task of retrieving the memories, which inevitably leads him and the unconscious Sakura to places very much unlike the world that they (or we!) are familiar with. In this first volume he meets two unlikely travelling companions in the form of the fearless warrior Kurogane, magician Fai and a strange creature called Mokona, given to Syaoran by Yuuko.
The artwork is a little sketchy in places but otherwise it is in true CLAMP tradition, combining the gothic and fantastical with beautiful shoujo aesthetic and intuitive page layouts. Tanoshimi have gone to great lengths with the presentation as well with character profiles, translation notes on honorifics, and other helpful extras.
The story itself is only getting off the ground at this stage and even those familiar with the characters’ previous incarnations require some background to them in this particular setting. There are many questions thrown up, not least the circumstances that are responsible for Sakura’s memory loss and even Fai and Kurogane have their own secrets that are not yet apparent; when sent on their way with Syaoran they make for a varied and occasionally tumultuous team.
Summary
Long-standing CLAMP fans will get the most out of Tsubasa but for the rest of us this alternate-universe tale promises to be an enjoyable journey. The greatest strength of the fantasy genre is its unpredictability, so there is no telling where Sakura’s and Syaoran’s journey will lead them. The first volume efficiently introduces the major characters and kicks it all off at a comfortable pace; it is a series that already shows much promise.
[No Comments]
03 Aug 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Lament of the Lamb]
Lament of the Lamb is proving to be a bit of a slow-burner and as a result fans of more action-packed vampire fare will probably have already decided that it’s not for them. This volume mostly concerns itself with highlighting existing situations while adding some minor developments.
The recurring theme of Kazuna withdrawing from his old life and the anguish that results is reiterated, as both aunt Haruka and would-be romantic interest Yaegashi try to talk him into returning to his old life. This time he’s not as abrupt with Haruka and although she doesn’t change his mind in the slightest, they part on better terms. Yaegashi on the other hand is still desparate to be by his side despite knowing full well what the consequences may be.
The focus of this volume is once again aimed a little more towards Chizuna, as she refuses to drink Kazuna’s blood in order to avoid the memories of their father but runs the risk of overdosing on the serum that has so far alleviated her symptoms. Where she once seemed cold and manipulative, she is now just a beautiful but unwell girl whose emotions are pulling her in different directions. Kazuna’s memories of their childhood are hazy but Chizuna’s are all too clear: she doesn’t want to be too dependent on Kazuna because it reminds her of their late father but at the same time both of them realise that they are ultimately alone in their own isolated world.
This is all against Minase’s best efforts as his devotion to Chizuna forces him to try to help her further, with mixed results. A few flashbacks fill out the background between them both, not to mention the appearance of the hospital built by Mr Takashiro all those years ago. Unfortunately the Takashiro curse and her own stubbornness create a barrier that not even Minase can overcome.
This was an interesting instalment but the next volume really needs to give some background and progress the story to prevent it faltering. As Chizuna’s condition worsens Minase is facing up to a few harsh truths while Kazuna’s predicament, for the time being at least, is unchanged. Perhaps surprisingly Lament of the Lamb is now appearing as less of a supernatural vampire tale and more of a mere angsty drama concerning a terrible family-related sickness; the artwork and the gothic atmosphere that results still continues to impress me though.
[No Comments]
31 Jul 2006
Posted by Martin [Tags: Death Note]
The third Kira continues to cause problems for L and the investigation team as they disagree on how to deal with this new threat. One thing is clear though: the Kira of the Yotsuba corporation must be stopped at all costs.
I now find myself repeating what I’ve already said about how gripping and intelligent this series is. The artwork, the plotting, the characters…all this makes Death Note one of the finest pieces of manga on the market today. So, what can I say about this volume that doesn’t spoil anything?
For one thing the third Kira is identified. And no, I’m not going to say who it is! It’s certainly a good reason to keep reading though, eh? 
There’s also an exchange between Misa and the shinigami Rem, which is all the more interesting because, since she no longer possesses her death note, Misa does not recognise her. That’s right, Rem is a female shinigami. Oddly enough, the thought of the death gods being of two separate genders never occured to me before.
There are also divisions occuring within the investigation team that concern the measures they should take to deal with the new Kira; in the process Light, who has lost his memories associated with his own Death Note, begins to understand where L’s suspicions came from. I found this quite interesting: after all that’s transpired Light still thinks that the original Kira has the same standards as he does. In other words, Light’s morals haven’t changed and even if this all ends badly for him, he would probably do the same again if given the chance; the same thing can also be said of Misa.
The very thing that makes Death Note outstanding is unfortunately my only source of criticism: the edge-of-the-seat pacing forces me to turn the pages at such a speed that I end up missing the finer points of the investigations! If nothing else though, the re-read I’m planning on after I’ve finished will be all the more rewarding. Not to mention of course the recently completed live-action film, which looks better and better with every bit of news I hear about it…
By the end of volume 6 Death Note still shows no signs of letting up. The twists come thick and fast and the moral questioning and deductive logic continues to keep my brain in high gear. There’s a great cliffhanger at the end as well with help coming from a surprising source - all of a sudden September’s volume 7 release date seems all too far away.
[No Comments]
