Category: Reviews

Manga Review: Honey So Sweet / by Amu Meguro

Honey So Sweet, Vol. 1Honey So Sweet, Vol. 1

by Amu Meguro

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Unfortunately, the only redeeming quality is the pretty art. Megumi certainly has a nice sense of human proportions; and these are probably some of the best uses for screen tones I’ve seen in a while.

But, the story itself is completely forgettable. Megumi relies too heavily on the common trappings of shoujo manga, and forgets to fill the spaces between these common scenarios to make a complete or robust story. For example, half of the volume focuses on prepping for a school trip and the inevitable walk-thru-the-woods-test-of-courage but essentially doesn’t show anything else about the school trip experience. Seemed like a wasted opportunity to me. I won’t be buying more…

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Graphic Novel Review: Just So Happens / by Fumio Obata

Just So HappensJust So Happens

by Fumio Obata

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this comic, but I think you have to be in the right frame of mind to read it. It’s quiet, melancholic and introspective… The art is beautiful and delicate, and colour is applied with purpose (which is something I always appreciate). The story is relatively without, and I guess you could say, incomplete, but this isn’t about a story, or solving problems — this comic is about opening up conversation on important topics.

What do you feel when you don’t belong home anymore? — returning to a place where you’ve rejected the cultural ideals and expectations that everyone has of you? — living in a new place where you’re in the minority, rather than the majority?

Plus, it always helps to add all of these familiar settings: I’ve attended a Buddhist Funeral in Japan, I’ve watched Noh theatre, I’ve sat in that exact place where Yumiko and her mother have tea… I always love to be able to point at pictures and say, “I’ve been there”. So, even if I don’t quite understand what Yumiko is going through — at least I can understand where she is.

Overall, I really enjoyed this comic.

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Novel Review: Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy

Dumplin' (Dumplin', #1)Dumplin’

by Julie Murphy

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It was cute. Somehow relate-able — but also, completely predictable. It doesn’t have that impact that I expected from a book like this (and especially after hearing friends rave about it). It just kind of fizzled out at the end. And, I found it strange that everyone in this book has the same “stress” response of chewing on their thumb. Anyone else notice this?

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Manga Review: Yokai Watch / by Konishi Noriyuki

Yokai Watch vol. 01 (Yokai Watch, #1)Yokai Watch vol. 01

by Konishi Noriyuki

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A funny and cute children’s manga series about an ordinary boy who saves a ghost-shaped yokai who in turn gives him a special “yo-kai” watch which he can use to collect yokai friends, and later call on them to help him collect more yokai. It’s a fun series with an extremely predictable and repetitive plot that would probably remind most people of Pokemon. Except that the yokai aren’t being used to deliberately “battle” other yokai while the owner stands back. It actually reminds me a bit more of “Cardcaptor Sakura”… but, maybe intended for an even younger audience. It is fun, and I probably laughed out loud once or twice, accompanied with the phrase “this is so dumb”. I certainly could picture it as being a fun series for children, but probably not super interesting for adults, or even teens.

I will say, that I had one major issue with the series that will keep me from reading further. I don’t know who makes these translations decisions! …but, to rename “Keita” as “Nate Adams”!!! I don’t understand why children couldn’t handle or even relate to a Japanese character? Why are we censoring this? Do we seriously think that keeping the Japanese names intact is a barrier to children’s understanding of a simple comic book? I do not understand. Actually, I would argue that part of the fun of reading manga is that it is “Japanese”. Why are we trying to take the “Japanese” characters out of the series??

— English translation is the source of most of my current pet peeves!

And, to make matters more confusing to my little mind… they didn’t even bother to alter or replace the Japanese word “yokai”. The entire series is based on the premise of a “Japanese” theme… and yet, the main character was given an English name.

Or, flip the comic to read left-to-right! Wouldn’t you think they would flip the comic so that it could be read in the “English” direction if it was necessary to make the character “English”.

ARGGHH! *Why is this happening??? Who is making this decision??? And, How do we make them stop???*

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Manga Review: QQ Sweeper / by Kyousuke Motomi

QQ Sweeper 1 (QQ Sweeper, #1)QQ Sweeper 1

by Kyousuke Motomi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute series — and I (and you) will probably enjoy reading the entire thing.

However, it just feels like something I’ve already read before. There’s nothing new here. Her characters are a rehash of characters she’s used in her other series. And the general premise (about “cleaning” out peoples “hearts/heads”) has been done so often in shoujo manga, it’s getting old.

It does seem like she’s giving the clean-up a new spin — using brooms/and not magic. But, I was expecting something “more”. She’s given “more” before. I hope and expect that the “more” I’m expecting will come in future volumes.

Otherwise… I will never stop yawning.

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Graphic Novel Review: Moose by Max de Radiguès

MooseMoose

by Max de Radiguès

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The art was fair (no complaints).
The plot has potential. It doesn’t go very far or deep, but this is hardly surprising when you consider the length of the book.

The characters are unfortunately, “stock”.

1: The mindless bully who has no purpose in life except to pick on
2. the weak and simpering kid who just turns over and takes it.
And then there are
3. the friends and people around who can see what’s going on and do nothing to interfere.

Yes, some of the episodes of bullying were uncomfortable to read, but without any depth or value to the characters themselves, I just didn’t care. Not about the bullying, nor the “moral” dilemma at the end.

What kept coming to mind while reading this was, “I wonder if the author is enjoying drawing these bullying scenes…” Because, in such a short book, there’s a lot of them.

…

I liked the moose.

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Novel Review: A Sentimental Journey by Laurence Sterne

A Sentimental JourneyA Sentimental Journey

by Laurence Sterne

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read this because it is mentioned in the movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Mansfield Park”… and I was really keen on reading the passage “about the caged bird”. That was the very best chapter, in my opinion. (p.69 in my edition, btw)

As a narrative, it doesn’t really “do much”. My consciousness kind of went in and out while I read. (Which I partly attribute to reading at 6am on the train). He doesn’t describe the “traveling” he does so much as random comic anecdotes, digressions and moments of titillation.

There was something relate-able in so many of his anecdotes despite the complication.

That feeling of absolute dread…seconds after being carefree.
That feeling when you’re awkwardly left in a room with a stranger.
That feeling when you try to get out of someone’s way and keep failing.
That feeling of disgust with yourself as you analyse recent awkward conversation with someone.

I don’t know if I would recommend this to anyone, though. I would describe it as “dry”, “complicated”, “experimental”, “disjointed”, “short”, “of its time”, “deluded”… but still, there is something about it that I loved…

And, did anyone else think that that last “sentence” was absolute perfection?!

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Graphic Novel Review: Three Feathers by Richard Van Camp

Three Feathers (The Debwe Series)Three Feathers

by Richard Van Camp

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I was disappointed with both art and story. The story seemed to try to represent modern cultural identity — and yet the art was a poor reflection of it. This would have been more effective and evocative had it been illustrated using some of the visual tradition of the indigenous culture it was trying to portray. But, no… just a poor reimagination of Japanese-style art. I thought maybe this was done to make the story more accessible. But, if that were the case, it would have been an accessible story. Instead the story was plotless, stilted, and preachy. It may have been more effective if I belonged to a different cultural group — But, judging as an outsider (and comic book reader) — I didn’t get it.

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Graphic Novel Review: The Gifted by Damian Wassel, Adrian Wassel and Nathan Gooden

The Gifted: Books 1 & 2The Gifted: Books 1 & 2

by Damian A. Wassel, Adrian F. Wassel and Nathan C. Gooden

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gorgeous ink washes with a restrained use of purposeful color. Human speech is written in IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) which gives a feeling of foreignness to the hunters; perfectly matching a story from the perspective of an animal. There are many problems with the story, but the execution is so strong it’s easy to forgive. A great concept piece.

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Graphic Novel Review: I Never Liked You by Chester Brown

I Never Liked YouI Never Liked You

by Chester Brown

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I never liked this. The only redeeming and relate-able quality it had was one wistful telling of a bossy friend who’d turned conspirator during play. I couldn’t sympathize with his pathetic character. Not awkward character… just unapologetically pathetic. And, I couldn’t wrap my head around the art style which did NOTHING to lend itself to the story. Certainly not a comic for me.

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