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Review Archive

To see a list of reviews in alphabetical order, please see our review index.

Review: Raiders (Vol. 01)

Posted by Andre Paploo on Wednesday, March 31, 2010

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Reviewer: Andre

Manhwa-ga: JinJun Park
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “Irel Clark is a professor’s assistant whose latest find is the “Holy Grail” for members of his profession- literally! But when it turns out that some decidedly unholy individuals are also after the blood of Christ, Irel must drink from the chrism bottle he’s recovered to save his own life. Immortality leaves something to be desired, though, when un-dead cannibals walk the earth in constant need of human flesh, and Irel’s newly immortal body is nothing short of an all-you-can-eat buffet!”

After reading some of Yen Press’s shoujo manhwa output, I was pleased to encounter a new series with a strong focus on extensive property damage and undead minions in place of the usual fluff. Full of violence, action, and gore, Raiders offers us some excellent manhwa action. Although, as indicated in the synopsis, it goes for some wackier subject matter than most, and may offend some.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: JinJun Park, Manhwa, Raiders, Yen Press

Review: One Fine Day (Vol. 01)

Posted by Marsha Reid on Monday, March 29, 2010

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Reviewer: Marsha Reid

Manga-ka: Sirial
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: All Ages
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “Take one fussy dog, a rain-loving cat, and a little mouse with a big sweet tooth, mix in a sprinkle of sunshine and a dash of magic, and you’ve got a recipe for adventure! Whether they’re baking cookies, cleaning up, or helping out a friend, this trio always manages to stir up a healthy helping of mischief and fun.”

On the surface One Fine Day appears to be about some sort of magic user and his three animal familiars. Below the surface that’s still what it’s about so far. The familiars call their master (No-Ah) a wizard in training most of the time, monster wizard some of the time and treat him like a father all of the time. In turn he feeds the little mouse, cat, and dog as well as takes them out for walks and picnics and other very mundane things. One Fine Day is a pretty slow story – it’s cute, it’s kinda messy and it doesn’t make a lot of sense if you try to think about it too much.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Yen Press

Review: You’re So Cool! (Vol. 06)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Saturday, March 27, 2010

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manhwa-ga: YoungHee Lee
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: March 2010

Synopsis: “While Jay struggles with old wounds and new worries at the crossroads of his relationship with Hyun-Ho, Nan-Woo heads out on a journey to track down her wayward boyfriend, Seung-Ha, and bring his punk behind back home! Is she only setting herself up for another rejection?! Or will her characteristic pigheadedness win out after all?! It’s the end of the road for this wacky cast of characters and their mixed-up affairs of the heart in the final volume of You’re So Cool!”

The volume takes off running with Nan-Woo hunting down Seung-Ha who’s gone missing. This is to no worry by his family whose fairly substantial page-time drives home his often-emphasized cold home-life. But Nan-Woo refuses to be deterred by their apparent lack of caring and heads out to find Seung-Ha on her own. Seung-Ha, meanwhile, is battling his own internal demons via the often-used child form embodiment of his own angst.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: La Satanica

Posted by Shannon Fay on Thursday, March 25, 2010

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Reviewer: Shannon Fay

Manga-ka: Momoko Tenzen
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: September 2009

Synopsis: “Even though Mashita and Matsushima have known each other for years, they’re having trouble admitting their true feelings. If the two are in love, then what’s holding them back? Mashita likes to play games with Matsushima’s head and heart, forcing Matsushima to try and figure out what he can do to make Mashita happy. But when the real fooling around starts, will they allow their relationship to take off, or will there be hell to pay? The heat goes up as Mashita and Matsushima come to realize that love isn’t just about fun and games. Momoko Tenzen (Seven, Unsophisticated and Rude) shows how twisted romance can be, and how devilish love always is, in this full-length, high school romance!”

Oh my goodness, childhood friends who want to be something more? Why that’s…just like a dozen other yaoi manga out there. Well, sometimes amazing art can lift up a bland story. That’s not the case here: the art is cute, but hardly mind-blowing. And yet despite having a fairly standard story and serviceable art, La Satanica still manages to be entertaining, ending up as something greater than the sum of its parts.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Manga

Review: Stolen Hearts (Vol. 01)

Posted by Andre Paploo on Monday, March 22, 2010

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Reviewer: Andre

Manga-ka: Miku Sakamoto
Publisher: CMX
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: February 2010

Synopsis: “It was a simple accident. Shinobu spilled milk on Miharu’s bag that contained a kimono. All she had to do was apologize to him. But it’s a real challenge because Miharu is known as the tallest and meanest person in the class and everyone is afraid of him! Miharu tells Shinobu that the kimono is very expensive, so she must make it up to him. But how? Shinobu must wear a kimono and help Miharu to hand out advertisement of his grandmother’s antique kimono shop everyday after school. At first, she’s somewhat reluctant, but she begins to enjoy the experience and finds herself coming to like Miharu. Gradually, Shinobu notices how sensitive Miharu actually is, not the mean person that everyone–including herself–thought him to be. Soon, Shinobu realizes that she has fallen in love with Miharu!”

CMX has a nice habit of finding unknown yet excellent shojo manga, and Stolen Hearts adds another gentle, quality series to recommend from their collection. The addition of the educational elements regarding kimonos makes this series standout as more than a simple romance, giving manga fans an inside look at this aspect of Japanese culture. Avoiding the trappings of fandom, it sticks to a pleasant mood and focuses on its core elements – the humour and heart of a growing relationship and the fascinating realm of the art of Kimonos. Adding in a non-traditional couple and a focus on both sides of the romance, Sakamoto gives one us a pleasant reading experience.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: CMX, Manga

Review: Cat Paradise (Vol. 03)

Posted by Andre Paploo on Sunday, March 21, 2010

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Reviewer: Andre

Manga-ka: Yuji Iwahara
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: January 2010

Synopsis: “While the council members are away, the cat demon will play! The Matabi Academy student council (and their cats) are on high alert: Spirit Beasts could be possessing students and hiding among the student body, waiting to make a move! Amidst all this tension, Yumi (with Kansuke in tow) decides to unwind at a dorm slumber party with some friends and a good scary story. But when an actual ghostly encounter cuts the party short, Yumi wanders off the school grounds…and right into the maw of another Spirit Beast, Daraku of the Deep! To make matters worse, she’s not the only student council member to take the bait, and with the school practically defenceless, the evil cat demon, Kaen, is about to strike on their home turf!!”

After the initial volumes set up the series’ tone and world building, Iwahara is now getting around to revealing the inner machinations of the Spirit Beasts, as well as enlightening us on other secrets of the Matabi school. Continuing the inventive visual prowess he built with series like King of Thorn and Chikyu Masaki, Cat Paradise has moved into fascinating territory, combining Japanese horror traditions with super-powered fantasy and environmentalist philosophy.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Yen Press

Review: Eat or Be Eaten

Posted by Jaime Samms on Saturday, March 20, 2010

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Reviewer: Jaime Samms

Author: Jinko Fuyuno
Manga-ka: Yamimaru Enjin
Publisher: June
Rating: Mature (18+)
Release Date: June 2009

Synopsis: “Masaki Ashizawa is hired by a restaurant mogul to find a world-class chef for his new French restaurant. He finds the perfect candidate in Shuichiro Tsubaki, the gruff master chef of a small restaurant. But the proud Tsubaki is happy calling the shots in his own restaurant and Ashizawa must go to all new lengths to convince him to accept the offer. What will it take for Ashizawa to clinch the deal? And what secret form his past is Tsubaki keeping form Ashizawa?”

Jinko Fuyuno has created a great cast of characters in this book. So much yaoi relies on pre-fab character constructs but here the author has dared to take those constructs and flip them inside out. She’s still written the book from the uke’s (the “bottom”) point-of-view, but Ashizawa is no wallflower or a timid man unsure of his desires. He has a successful life he’s created for himself with hard work and determination. He doesn’t take no for an answer, or back down from a challenge, even when the challenge requires a lot of self-examination. This attitude of moving forward makes him the perfect candidate to head up the Grand Maison Master Chef’s plan to open a new kind of restaurant. Ashizawa’s first duty—find the best chef for the job.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Boys' Love/Yaoi, June, Light Novels

Review: The Magic Touch (Vol. 07)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Wednesday, March 17, 2010

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Manga-ka: Izumi Tsubaki
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: April 2010

Synopsis: “Yosuke returns to his childhood home to search for clues to a vague but traumatic memory. But will the past be too much for him to relive? This volume also includes a special story about Tanaka and Sanae, members of the Sazanka Massage Club, and the tender moment of Chiaki and Yosuke’s first kiss!”

This volume of The Magic Touch works on the grounds that it finally backs off from following Chiaki for a while and instead gives Yosuke a volume nearly all to himself. Chiaki isn’t a real flaw to the story but it’s nice to have the plot step back from the often-silly aspect of her massage addiction and delve into territory a little darker, not to mention an area of Yosuke’s life that’s been long in the coming and reveals to readers the cause of his fear of being touched by women.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Manga, Shoujo Beat, Viz Media

Review: Twilight the Graphic Novel (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Author: Stephanie Meyer
Manhwa-ga: Young Kim
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: Teen (13+)
Release Date: March 2010

Synopsis: “When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret…”

Twilight: a multi-million dollar investment in the frothing hearts of fan girls around the world. Many have read the original novel series and infinitely more have at least heard of it. With the live-action films already taking their crack at adapting these popular novels, it’s now the comic world’s time to have a go with Stephanie Meyer holding tight on the reigns.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: Global Manga, Manhwa, Yen Press

Review: Taimashin – The Red Spider Exorcist (Vol. 01)

Posted by Lissa Pattillo on Tuesday, March 16, 2010

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Reviewer: Lissa Pattillo

Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Manga-ka: Yong-Gwan
Publisher: Digital Manga
Rating: Older Teen (16+)
Release Date: December 2009

Synopsis: “Traveling in-between the world of the living and the twilight world of the dead, Akamushi,the shaman is known as the Red Spider Exorcist. With the powers of a giant spider, he combats the demons of the netherworld. When career woman Megumi is suddenly pursued and attacked by unholy demons, she seeks Akamushi’s help. But as it seems, the minions of the underworld may also be too much for Akamushi to handle. But why are these creatures of twilight after her? What truths will unravel about her true self and everyone around her? And what of Akamushi—can he use his unique shamanic spider-like powers to cast out and purify himself from the demon scourge?”

An evening stroll soon takes a potentially disastrous turn for a young woman named Megumi who finds herself trailed by a group of suspicious men. Running into an alley, she’s steered towards the aid of a mysterious man named Akamushi, one whose prowess could prove more deadly than the very forces she seeks to escape from.

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Categories: Reviews
Tags: DMP, Manga