BAKUMAN by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Official description

“Is becoming a successful manga artist an achievable dream or just one big gamble?

Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?

Moritaka is hesitant to seriously consider Akito’s proposal because he knows how difficult reaching the professional level can be. Still, encouragement from persistent Akito and motivation from his crush push Moritaka to test his limits!”

Reflection

A sticker on the front cover states that the manga is “From the creators of Death Note,” and they make sure you know it. Not more than 20 pages into the manga, someone brings up Death Note. And again a few pages later. And again in the second half of the book. But this was more than just a Death Note lovefest.

While reading through Bakuman, I felt as though Ohba and Obata were allowing me to peer into the obstacles they had to overcome — everything from telling one’s parents of the desire to become a mangaka to learning how to use a G-Pen. Exploring the step-by-step process of creating manga was entertaining in itself. Even deciding the genre of Mashiro and Takagi’s manga was covered.

Bakuman has one similarity with Death Note. Both main characters are observant and intelligent (remind you of anyone?). Takagi cleverly uses his cunning to persuade Mashiro to draw manga. However, Mashiro’s transformation from a reluctant partner of Takagi’s to workaholic manga artist is what was really captivating.

Artwork. Nothing much to write here except that the style is similar to Death Note. But with much less blood and violence. If you’re not familiar with Death Note, Obata’s art is crisp, if a little over dramatic sometimes.

As expected from a manga about manga, several prominent series are mentioned: Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach and Gin Tama, as well as some obscure manga unfamiliar to most American manga readers. Speaking of which, has anyone heard of Beet the Vandel Buster?

The flow of the story fits quite well in the first volume. At first, two classmates who barely know each other gradually take to each other and by the end, are working furiously to complete their final draft to submit to — who else — Shonen Jump. There’s a romantic subplot, and while I loathe those, this one is fairly important in spurring Mashiro’s development.

Bakuman is not going to be a blockbuster like its evil brother, but it doesn’t have to be. I appreciate Ohba and Obata going in a totally different direction with their latest work.

Other works by the same mangaka: Death Note, Hikaru no Go (Obata)

PANDORA HEARTS by Jun Mochizuki

Official description

“The air of celebration surrounding fifteen-year-old Oz Vessalius’s coming-of-age ceremony quickly turns to horror when he is condemned for a sin about which he knows nothing. Thrown into the Abyss—an eternal prison from which there is no escape—Oz meets a young girl named Alice, who is not what she seems. Now that the relentless cogs of fate have begun to turn, will they lead only to crushing despair for Oz, or will Alice provide him with some shred of hope?”

Reflection

Reading Jun Mochizuki’s Pandora Hearts has been a long time coming. I bought the June 2009 Yen Plus issue featuring the first 45-ish pages of Pandora Hearts but never got around to reading it. When I saw the first volume of the manga at a bookstore more than a year later, I decided it was finally time to check it out. After all, any manga that appears on the cover of Yen Plus, Shonen Jump or any other anthology magazine has to be a can’t-miss. Right?

First the good. The artwork is excellent. Several character designs were particularly gruesome, but in a good send-chills-down-your-spine way. In one scene, a creature known as a “chain” transforms from a beautiful girl into its original form, showing a hideously deformed face in the process. Sometimes, though, the art can get a little too busy, and the abundance of onomatopoeia (a word that represents a sound) in both Japanese and English is sometimes distracting. Another appealing characteristic of this manga was the element of mystery. It was difficult to determine if some characters were friend or foe, even at the end of the first volume. Normally, this would compel me to rush out and buy the next volume but …

… After finishing the first volume of Pandora Hearts, I had little desire to continue simply because I felt as though I didn’t know the main characters well enough to care about them. Oz seems like a good person who isn’t so shallow as to not be friends with his servant, Gilbert, but there isn’t a strong connection to him, either. Even with its positives, Pandora Hearts didn’t grab me like Fullmetal Alchemist, Death Note, or even Naruto did. When I completed the first volumes of those manga, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second, third, and subsequent volumes.

In the end, I was slightly disappointed in the first volume of Pandora Hearts. I’m still pondering whether I will read the second volume. While not awful, Pandora Hearts failed to capture mine.

Other works by the same mangaka: Crimson Shell

If you like this, you might also like: Bleach, Shakugan no Shana

By REBECCA P.

“Haruna Aizawa thinks that school life is just like a monkey mountain — all the monkeys form cliques, get into fights, and get back together again. The school that she just transferred to is no exception. There’s even a boy called Macharu Yamashita who reminds her of a baby monkey!

It’s hard enough fitting in at a few school while dealing with family problems … Will Haruna remain jaded and distance herself from everyone around her? Or with Macharu win her over with his monkey magic?”

My thoughts
Haruna finds her family disgraced after a scandal her well-known father was in. As a result, she transfers to a low-key high school. To her, her new classmates are nothing but a bunch of monkeys. She retains a stubborn and stern outside appearance, which only results in being considered a snob and being rejected by many of her new classmates.

With the help of the childish Macharu she begins to come out of her shell and soon becomes accepted by her classmates. Haruna herself does come off as a snobbish character. She isn’t in reality and does it to be stubborn and partly out of fear. By the end of the volume she has opened up a lot but still retains a high-class mannerism yet true to herself appearance. She’s an interesting character in the realm of manga and she works. Macharu is adorable and a bit awkward, and his best friend, Atsuyuki, makes a welcome addition. The other characters in this volume fit the mold of the core story and well, that’s about it.

I enjoyed Monkey High more than I thought I would. It’s cute and just funny enough to set it above the bar of the average shojo. It’s a fast read, and it almost feels too fast. Within in a few pages of meeting Macharu and Haruna are already in the pre-relationship stage and are going out halfway through the book. I thought their relationship moved too quickly, and there wasn’t a lot to build up to it. It was disappointing, so it’ll be interesting to see if the series can keep the momentum it has or get better as time goes on.

Macharu and Haruna are the core of the story and they’re a goofy couple to say the least. However, they’re a goofy couple in a welcoming way. As opposed to choosing the cool hot guy, Haruna picks the goofy guy whom a lot of girls just pass off as a friend. It’s very sweet and endearing for that reason. It’ll be interesting to see how this goofy couple develops and to see if they can last despite social differences.

There’s an underlying theme to Monkey high in social status. Haruna’s family was formally very upscale and it’s reflected in her mannerisms as she’s educated in different areas (such as sewing and cooking) and acts more mature than some of her classmates. Macharu on the other hand is your average high school boy, though a bit childish and less mature, he does show a side more mature than some of his classmates in certain circumstances. It’s a tale of social class and expectations and Haruna is thrust out of a top hierarchy because of her father’s ill-doings and into the norm.

To summarize Monkey High, it’s a good series so far. It’s not perfect, but it does rank above your average shojo on the marketplace and it’s fun. It’ll be interesting to see where it leads and how social aspects affect the relationships of the characters in general. The art style is good and what you would expect in a shojo, and that’s all it needs. While I don’t plan on running out to buy the second volume of Monkey High, it is a series I plan on continuing because it has promise and I think the mangaka is well on her way of grasping it.

By REBECCA P.

“Her whole life, Hikari Hanazono has been consumed with the desire to win against her school rival, Kei Takishima — at anything. He always comes out on top no matter what he does, and Hikari is determined to do whatever it takes to beat this guy … somehow!

At age 6 Hikari lost to Kei in an impromptu wrestling match. Now, at 15, Hikari joins “special A,” a group of the top seven students at a private academy, for the opportunity to trounce the guy who made her suffer her first defeat.”

My thoughts
Poor Hikari just can’t seem to beat her lifelong rival, Kei. Despite years of failing to beat him in anything, she continues to work hard. Hikari and Kei are the top two students at an elite private high school and belong to the top group of students known as “Special A.” All of the students, excluding Hikari whose father is a carpenter, come from rich families and strong backgrounds; sound familiar?

The first volume of SA is average to say the least, but it’s not without potential. The characters don’t stand out a lot themselves and this results in a bland atmosphere and dialogue pattern. However, Hikari is a strong character with a good head on her shoulders and is a welcome personality in the world of shojo. For Kei, I found him to be a curious character whose feelings and motives are unclear as of the end of the first volume.

Story-wise I had to laugh at Hikari. As much as she tries to beat Kei she comes up just short. Kei isn’t uncaring to her efforts to beat him and in more than one scene shows that he admires her work ethic and worries that she tries too hard by scolding her. Yet, by the same token he teases her to keep trying. By the end of the volume, the author has set the stage for a potential “thing” between Hikari and Kei, but the question is how will it develop and not become a stale romance out of rivalry.

I do have a pet peeve with SA. Every chapter begins with a story summary. This includes reintroducing all seven members of the special class and Hikari’s rivalry with Kei. It takes away from the story and quickly makes things repetitive. It’s unnecessary and SA isn’t the only manga I’ve read that does this. All it succeeds in doing is boring the reader and adding useless details unnecessary for the story or reader enjoyment.

Speaking of story, not a lot happens in the first volume. It feels as if the first volume is composed of short story shots that try to build character but ultimately create vague spots of shallow plot development. There is potential, I just don’t think we’ll see it until the second or third volume. The artwork of SA is well done and the individual characters have looks that reflect their personalities. Hikari has a determined and strong look while still looking feminine, and Megumi looks quiet yet artistic.

Overall, SA as a volume is well, average. It’s a mixed bag of shojo fun that has a lot of clichés, good artwork and room for potential. I didn’t dislike reading SA, and it can be a fun read at points, but it’s obvious the author didn’t go as far as she could have. The question remains if the author will utilize this or if SA will just become another high school shojo.

By REBECCA P.

“School life is a drag, and home life is no better. Sometimes it seems like the devil really does exist!”

“High school is hard for Kayano. When she tries to confess her love to the kind but distant Yuichi, the school bully Takeru makes her life hell. But things get worse when Kayano’s mother gets engaged to Takeru’s father, the school principal! How will she cope with having the devil himself living in her own home?”

My thoughts
The Devil Does Exist begins with Kayano, a 17-year-old student about to confess her feelings, via a note, to the kind and quiet Yuichi. However, luck isn’t on her side and she accidentally slips the love letter to the school bully and roughneck, Takeru! He immediately takes interest in her and her torture begins. As Takeru says, he gets what he wants and he wants Kayano. Fortunately, her friends and even Yuichi are there to help her, at least until they meet Takeru!

The Devil Does Exist is one of those manga that clearly stand out from the rest and with good reason. Despite being a shojo, its down to earth and real. The characters themselves are mature and rational and are 3 dimensional, more so than most manga characters. There are some goofy characters thrown in for kicks (such as Takeru’s father and Kayano’s mother), but for the most part the characters are very human. The Devil Does Exist feels like a story that could actually happen with real people something that is lacking in most manga.

The art style itself is unique. It’s not your typical manga drawing and Takanashi Misuba has clearly created an effective style all her own. Some manga fans may not find it the most attractive, but it works for a story like The Devil Does Exist that is realistic. My only artwork peeve was Takeru. He looks like a girl in some scenes and downright creepy when his hair is up. There isn’t a good deal of background detail as the focus is on the characters and emotion of the story.

The Devil Does Exist is a manga I can’t recommend enough. The first volume hints at things to come between Takeru and Kayano, so those who are weary of step-sibling relationships may be turned off. It’s also a volume that leaves at a comfortable ending. You’re not dying to know what happens next, but by the same token you’re living to know what happens next. In the end, I hope the unique and compelling pattern the first volume sets continues on through the manga’s 11-volume span.

By REBECCA P.

“Ayumu Shiiba is studying for the all-important high school entrance exams. She is struggling to get by, but thankfully has help from her best friend Shii-chan, who is at the top of their class. But when the test results come back, their friendship falls apart — Ayumu surpasses Shii-chan’s scores and gets into her high school of choice while Shii-chan doesn’t!

Losing Shii-chan is so painful for Ayumu that she starts cutting her wrists for comfort. Hoping for a fresh start, Ayumu arrives at her new high school and finally opens up to a new friend, Manami. But will Manami prove to be the friend that Ayumu truly needs or send her further in a downward spiral?”

My thoughts
Life focuses on Ayumu who is studying for her high school entrance exams. She isn’t the best student, but her best friend, Shii-chan, offers to help when she learns Ayumu wants to get into the elite school she’s applying for. While Ayumu gets in, and Shii-chan doesn’t, Shii-chan is devastated and breaks her friendship with Ayumu. This has a devastating effect on the young Ayumu who begins cutting herself to ease the pain. When she arrives at her new school she has difficulty fitting in until Manami befriends her. This is one manga not for the faint of heart.

Life falls into one of those manga categories where it’s good to read when you’re young and naïve, but once you grow older you find yourself shaking your head at the characters. If you’re an older reader, the first volume of life will feel exactly like that, at least in the attitudes and thoughts of the characters. Due to the context (cutting and depression) it’s aimed for an older audience, but it’s a series that you either like or don’t.

The artwork is average at best and the character models and lines are very simple. The author wanted to make a statement about a serious social issue in Japan as well as raise awareness, and as a result that is the core of the manga’s heart, at least for the first volume. The characters are dull and lacking in effort except for the main character. Ayumu is likable, but when reading through, I spotted a few instances where she made easy mistakes, but by the same token regained them. She’s a typical teenager with a serious problem.

All that being said, Life is a very dark manga that gets darker. The characters and artwork are bland, but the dialogue is fresh and moves the story along at a good pace. However, it suffers the unfortunate fate of having a terrible first volume while the rest of the volumes get better (similar to Chrono Crusade). I can’t say that I would recommend Life vol. 1 as a good read, but it’s a decent read. If you like dark, depressing stories about teenage life then it’s a great book to pick up. Otherwise, pass and skip to later volumes.

By REBECCA P.

My thoughts
Najika is the daughter of two pastry chefs who died when she was young. Shortly after their death she met a young boy who cheered her up and gave her a spoon. The spoon had the emblem of Seika Academy, a prestigious school in Tokyo, and she was determined to find her prince. Oh, and she loves to cook and is amazing at it! Rest assured, Kitchen Princess isn’t just another shojo title. While it does have some cliches, it’s handled in a fashion that makes it new and refreshing in the genre.

Kitchen Princess is one of those rare manga that break stereotypical molds. There are some tried and true clichés well-known to the shojo genre such as her early encounter with the schools princes and their quick liking to her. However, there’s something refreshing and new about everything that Kitchen Princess does. With the exception of the bully, Akane, who is just plain annoying.

Speaking of characters, most of them are well, sweet. While even the main characters are a bit shallow without a lot of depth, it works for Kitchen Princess. Najika is happy, optimist, sweet and unusually mature and stable. While a lot of shojo heroines can be helpless, Najika stands as both an independent and dependent person who does the right thing and does it well. The outbursts she does experience from not being included are justified and while the first volume doesn’t state her age we can assume she’s in late junior high (14 most likely). The supporting characters are the usual, though maybe a little too perfect in some cases (Sora and Daichi), but mostly same old same old.

There’s a special flair to Kitchen Princess. It has a special something be it in the way it tells the story in a happy and fulfilling way, or just its cute style, it’s something hard to put down. As a special treat for kitchen lovers, the back of the manga includes the recipes for all the treats Najika makes. The story really moves things along, along with unique elements and it’s a hard series to stop.

If you love cooking, like cute stories or just like shojo Kitchen Princess is an irrestible manga. It’s not a simple or complex read and sits as a sturdy title. I know I can’t wait to read the next volume (ok, so I already did) and it’s a read that won’t be over in a snap or take as long as molasses. That being said, I highly recommend it and recommend it to your friends. Any desire to bake after reading is understandable too; it made me bake a gingerbread cake. Speaking of which … rice is done.