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The other day my nephew asked me to recommend some good manga. (I’m so proud) He wanted something with action and comedy. Seems simple enough, but I was stumped. Sure there’s plenty of action manga, and tons of comedy manga, but I was having a hard time thinking of something that had action and comedy, but was also appropriate for someone his age.

Reading Tween The Lines

As I thought about what to recommend I found myself rejecting things. Why? They weren’t age appropriate. I began to notice that most of the manga I’ve reviewed has been for older teens. Which makes me wonder where all the Tween manga is hiding.

What I came up with…

• Fairy Tale
• Sgt Frog
• Hollow Fields

I even included one that was for teens with Bleach. Might as well, he’s reading it in Shonen Jump anyway.

We also decided to take him with us the next time we go manga shopping. That way he can find his own darn manga something he likes.

What would you recommend?

If you have any recommendations for younger readers please leave a comment or use the contact form. I’d really love to hear some other opinions on the issue.

Please share your recommendations for tween manga. Even if it’s a recommendation on what to avoid. Anything would help.

I’m sure my nephew would be very grateful.

Manga, Opinion, Age, Tween, Teen, Fairy Tale, Sgt Frog, Hollow Fields, Bleach

Story

Maki Aikawa is a former Olympic gymnast who uses her acrobatic skills in a new sport, street fighting. Her high flying gymnastic fighting style earns her the name “Air Master”. Maki becomes obsessed with pushing herself to her physical limit, taking on stronger and more skilled fighters. As she battles her way through more talented adversaries her skills improve and become more deadly.

My Opinion

I originally thought Air Master was older than it is because of the art style used. It was made in 2003-2004, but it looks like it was made in the 80s. That might turn some people away. That’s a shame because this is a great anime, and the dated look only adds to to it’s charm.

The opening theme really reinforces the dated feel. It looks like an opening that would fit in on television 20 years ago. The ending theme wouldn’t. I’m not sure it’d fit in anywhere. It’s a weird running sequence with some rockin’ music playing. It’s downright strange, but kind of addicting.

Air master is your basic fighting anime with each episode or two featuring a a battle with a different street fighter. Some of the fighters are fairly realistic, using real world fighting styles, but quite a few have strange costumes and outlandish fighting styles.

Is it worth it?

Air Master is worth checking out. The fights are cool and ending rheme will grow on you. I’d recommend this one to anyone. Even if it takes a little while to get used to the old school style, it’s well worth it.

You can find Air Master on Crunchyroll and on Funimation’s streaming video page.

Anime, Reviews, Action, Fighting, Street Fighter, Funimation, Crunchyroll, Air Master, Maki Aikawa

Season 2 of Gundam 00 started last night on the Sci-Fi Channel (soon to be SyFy) and I very nearly missed it.

My g/f was watching it while I was on the computer. I walked through the living room and we talked about how good it was. I didn’t recognize what was happening. That’s when I realized… it’s the second season!

Thankfully it had only been on a few minutes.

I’m glad I didn’t miss it, because it looks like the second season is going to be just as good as the first. Several gundam fights, character specific drama and the return of Lockon Stratos are just a few of the things squeezed into last nights Ani-Monday programming block.

If you haven’t seen the first season, I’d recommend that you watch it now. That way you can tune in on Monday nights and enjoy an hour of piping fresh Gundam 00.

Here’s a very interesting piece on the comics industry in America. The growth of manga is compared to the growth of import cars in the U.S.A. in the 70s and 80s.

All around some very good points made.

How MBAs killed Superman (and fundaes behind Modern Retail) « Strat . In.

I grew up reading comics, mostly Marvel with a few occasional DC titles. I had no idea what was going on behind the scenes at the time, but I remember the comics getting worse. You could almost see it happening, good comics deteriorating by the issue.

I hope the major publishers can get back to telling good stories about great characters again. It doesn’t matter if the characters are superheroes, kung-fu aliens or even high school girls. If the stories are compelling and the characters are believable (in context), then people will want to read ‘em. That’s what built the comics industry in the first place.

Online, Opinion, Comics, Manga

Story

Ichigo finds out who that mysterious guy he’d met really was. It turns out he was in his class at school. Uryû Ishida is a Quincy, whatever that is, and he’s got a problem with Soul Reapers.

When Ichigo finally tracks him down, Uryû challenges him to a contest. Uryû breaks a container of hollow bait and tells Ichigo that the town will be swarming with hollows. Whoever kills the most wins.

Ichigo isn’t the only one drawn into the competition. There are others in Karakura that can see spirits. They’ll have to deal with the hollow invasion in their own ways.

My Opinion

Bleach Volume 5 does a great job of putting the characters in bad situations. Chad has to deal with something he can barely see, while Orihime has to deal with a hollow that doesn’t even do it’s own fighting. How they get out of those situations will affect the rest of the story.

One of Tite Kubo’s talents is showcased very well in this volume, the cliffhanger ending. Kubo finds the point that the action really becomes intense then stops the story in such a way that the reader has to get the next volume. It can be frustrating sometimes, but I’m always looking forward to the next part.

Edited to add:

I know I’ve mentioned the endings before. I don’t want to sound repetitive, but I tend to think of it as part of Tite Kubo’s signature style.

Is it worth it?

Bleach is an amazing manga, and Bleach Volume 5 is no exception. It’s well worth picking up. I highly recommend the Bleach manga series.

Manga, Reviews, Bleach, Action, Adventure, Humor, Spirits, Viz, Shonen Jump, Tite Kubo, Bleach, Volume 5, Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora “Chad” Sado, Uryû Ishida, Uryu Ishida, Soul Reapers, Quincy

Funimation is putting their streaming episodes back online. That’s good, but it looks like they’ve still got a lot of work to do. I tried watching an episode of Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino, but couldn’t get past the opening. I have a fair connection and I can’t get more than a couple of minutes to work before the connection cuts out.

I have to admit, I didn’t watch anime on the Funimation site before, so I don’t know if the problems they’re having are new. I went to check out the site since I heard so much complaining when it was gone. I was surprised by how much they’re offering online. Tons of episodes are, or at least were, available.

I’ll keep an eye on the Funimation video section and let you know when it’s back up.

Anime, Online, Video, Funimation, Gunslinger Girl, Second Series, Il Teatrino

RightStuf.com is having a sale on Geneon and Funimation anime box sets. They’ve got some pretty good deals normally. The sets included in the sale are 40% off. That’s a great deal. I’m gonna have a hard time controlling my urge to spend. I saw at least 3 different box sets that I’m dying to get.

The anime sale is great, but they’re doing something else that makes this one worth telling your friends about. If you buy 2 of the selected items in the sale, you can get a Hellsing Ultimate messenger bag free. (While they last, which won’t be long.)

Check out the details.

The sale ends July 6th and I’m sure the messenger bags will be gone long before that. If you want to get in on this one, you’d better hurry.

Wow. Not many people have entered the June giveaway. By that, I mean no one has entered. I thought there would be more entries simply because it’s open to everyone with no geographical restrictions.

Maybe I didn’t explain things clearly. Guess I’ll try again.

Prize

1 Year membership to Crunchyroll paid by me.

You get one full year of the anime membership on Crunchyroll.
Features include…

Early access to Simulcast anime. A growing list of titles such as Naruto Shippuden, Gintama and Shugo Chara. New episodes can normally be viewed 1 hour after they air in Japan.

HD video streams. You can view many of the video streams in high definition. If you want to get the most out of an expensive monitor, this is a good way to do it.

Fewer Ads. This is the big reason why I have a paid membership. No video ads on the shows you watch.

More Than Anime

Crunchyroll has more than anime. The Drama section as some great TV shows. Coffee Prince and Last Scandal being two of my favs. There are even movies from Japan, including some great horror titles.

How to Win

Add me as a buddy on Crunchyroll and send me a message that you want to enter this giveaway. Something along the lines of “I want to win the free membership” will work fine. You can also leave a comment here with your username, but don’t forget to add me as a buddy or you’re not entered.

Here’s my profile on Crunchyroll. My username is 2xKnight.

2xKnight’s Profile

So add me as a buddy and drop me a note to let me know that you want a chance to win a year of membership.

There’s still time to enter, so don’t miss your chance.

Story

This volume start with Kon striking out on his own. Declaring his independence he sets off on an adventure to find the place where he belongs, or a cute girl. Whichever comes first.

There’s a new hit TV show sweeping the nation. Seems like everyone Ichigo knows is a fan. The only people who don’t like the show are Ichigo and his sister Karin. The show is “Spontaneous Trips To Spiritual Hot Spots” (or just “Spontaneous Trips” for short) staring the new century’s premier spiritualist, hell’s messenger… Mr. Don Kanonji. Ichigo thinks the guy is a fake. Ichigo finds out just how wrong he is when “Spontaneous Trips” comes to his home town.

My Opinion

It’s been long enough since I’ve seen the earlier episodes of the Bleach anime that the memory of it doesn’t interfere with reading the manga. Not that it really interferes, but the differences between the manga and anime aren’t as glaring.

I’m enjoying reading about Ichigo’s early days as a Soul Reaper. I also liked the short adventure with Kon and his first encounter with Yuzu Kurosaki. There are a couple of good introductions in this volume too. We get to meet Don Kanonji as well as getting out first look at Uryû Ishida.

The only problem is, now I want to sit down and read all of ‘em. That’s gonna take a while. Even if I could drop $100 on the manga box set, that only covers the story up to Volume 21.

Dang.

Is it worth it?

Bleach volume 4 is worth it. If you’ve seen the anime you know it’s a great story. Check out the manga and get a new look at Tite Kubo’s work.

Manga, Reviews, Bleach, Action, Adventure, Humor, Spirits, Viz, Shonen Jump, Tite Kubo, Bleach, Volume 4, Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, Uryû Ishida, Uryu Ishida, Soul Reapers

Story

The Narcotics Control Division continues to pursue Ryugen. The investigation of a popular entertainer provides some insight into how the criminal orgainization works. That may be all they can get from the case however, because Hal is still injured and Kai is in serious trouble.

One of the NCD’s Substance Analysts gets the chance to go undercover. Kai doesn’t want to dress like a girl and the club that their target hangs out will only admit mixed gender groups. Kai and Hal need the help of a female agent, and Miss Mari Kuzui wants a date with Kai. Can someone accustomed to the lab handle the danger of an undercover investigation?

Later Hal and Kai infiltrate a high school in search of a gang of drug dealers. They’d better be careful though, there’s more going on in Teito Academy than they expected.

My Opinion

I enjoyed the second volume of Switch better than the first. There seemed to be a bit more humor in this volume. That helped to lighten the mood when things got a bit too dark.

I particularly enjoyed the story which featured Mari Kuzui. Her infatuation with Kai was both funny and sweet. I hope she finds her way into future stories.

The cover of Switch Volume 2 isn’t tainted by laws of nature alien to our world. Take this brief respite and cherish it. The gaze of those who wait may have passed by us for now, but beware… it could return.

Is it worth it?

Switch Volume 2 is worth it. The humor of Mari’s crush on Kai really helps offset the drama.

The absence of a cover that causes insanity is also a plus.

Manga, Reviews, Viz, Older Teen, Drama, Humor, Police, Drugs, Mari Kuzui, Teito Academy, Naked Ape, Saki Otoh, Nakamura Tomomi, Switch, Volume 2

Story

Ral, Grad and the others have to face off against the Red Pheonix before they can get to Opsquria. It’s going to be a tough fight because the Pheonix is a special fusion type, just the same as Grad and Gannet’s White Tiger.

Even if they can get past this opponent, there’s still the Black Rhinoceros and Clear Human to deal with. The final 2 special fusion types are still a mystery. If they’ve decided to side with the Queen of Darkness things can only get worse.

Don’t forget, Opsquria herself has a few dangerous tricks up her sleeve. She commands the shadows for a reason. Her power is nothing to be overlooked.

Can Ral and Grad overcome all of those obstacles and put an end to the war?

They’re certainly gonna try.

My Opinion

Ral Grad Volume 4 delivers lots of action with some very interesting surprises. It’s just a shame that it’s the last volume of the story.

Yep, this is the last one. The story wraps up so quickly that is seems a bit rushed. The notes about how the story was changed since it was first published don’t do anything to dispel the feeling of hurried completion. I was disappointed that the story wouldn’t be continuing, but even rushed the ending tries to live up to the rest of the series.

The first half of volume 4 is good, the second half is the manga equivalent to a going out of business sale. They’re just trying to get things packed up and out the door before the lights are turned off.

Is it worth it?

Ral Grad Volume 4 is worth reading, if for no other reason than to get to the end. My recommendation is based mostly on the previous 3 volumes.

Manga, Opinion, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mature Content, Ral Grad, Volume 4, Tsuneo Takano, Takeshi Obata

Ral Grad Volume 4 Review Coming Soon

The review will be up soon. Before I get to the review I wanted to get this rant out of the way. A couple of things bugged me. Call ‘em pet peeves. These aren’t things that should affect anyone’s choice about reading the manga, but there are a couple of things that I wanted to talk about.

Let’s get to it.

RetCon

I understand the need for retcon (short for retroactive continuity), I grew up a Marvel fan. There is a time and place for retcon. When a character or story is so bogged down in in it’s own history that there is no other option, retcon can be the only way to move forward. When a serial runs what should have been a side story as a main storyline and really screws things up, you might have to retcon it out of existence ( see Spider-Man Clone Saga and Death of Superman).

The power of RetCon should not be taken lightly. It should not be used to make changes just to make changes. When you add computer generated actors to a movie from the 70s for no real reason, you are abusing the power of RetCon. When you change guns to walkie-talkies in a movie, even though the guns make a lot more sense, then you are abusing the power of RetCon.

There are a couple of retcons noted at the end of the last Ral Grad volume. I believe these changes to be unnecessary and an abuse of the power of RetCon. I won’t mention what the changes are, because they’re major spoilers.

Short Story

I didn’t know Ral Grad was going to be short. When I finished reading the last volume I was shocked that it had ended. The ending seemed thrown together just to get the story over with. That’s a real shame. Ral Grad was an interesting story with some great characters, it’s potential was almost limitless.

The first 3 volumes set up a story that could have easily spanned 20+ volumes and still seemed short. You had the potential for huge battles, intense drama and a twisting story that would surprise and delight for a long time to come. All of that gets squeezed into one last volume with an ending that seems extremely rushed.

Then there are notes that let you know how the ending had been retcon-ed.

AAAARGH!

Manga, Opinion, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Mature Content, Ral Grad, Volume 4, Tsuneo Takano, Takeshi Obata, Rant, RetCon, Retroactive Continuity

Story

Sachie and Rakuto need to give some thought to the future. Their Career Planning Sheets need to be turned in, but they’re both blank. Sachie is being indecisive, but what’s up with Rakuto? Does this mean his future depends on Sachie’s choices?

Sachie’s choice may not matter. Rakuto’s teacher decides to get to the bottom of the blank planning sheet. Miss Kinoshita tells Rakuto that it’s time for a home visit. That means trouble.

A pair of tickets to an amusement park puts Sachie in the middle of a three way date with Rakuto and Azuma. Rakuto and Azuma wind up in a competition to see who’s more compatible with Sachie.

Sachie isn’t the only Yakuza granddaughter in town. When Sachie runs afoul of another “heiress” she risks getting the entire clan into a feud. There might be a way to prevent that though. Sachie’s rival, Midori Tokiwa, has fallen for Rakuto.

My Opinion

Whew! Looks like volume 7 of Wild Ones is just packed with action. Not only do we find out a bit about Rakuto’s past, but we meet some new characters. There’s also a clue about the one Sachie might end up with.

I had some reservation about the new characters when I read this volume. I wondered if new characters were being introduced because the main story was running out of steam. Now, I don’t think that’s the case.

Is it worth it?

Wild Ones Volume 7 is worth it. This volume has a lot going on. New characters as well as a deeper look at Rakuto and his life in the Asagi Clan.

It looks like things are going to get even better.

Manga, Reviews, Shojo, Comedy, Romance, Yakuza, Wild Ones, Volume 7, Shojo Beat, Kiyo Fujiwara, Asagi Clan, Midori Tokiwa

Story

Chiaki Togu falls in love with a boy she doesn’t know, all because of his back. He looks so tense on the bus that she’s just dying to give him a massage. Chiaki is a member of her school’s Massage Research Society. Not only that, but she’s the best in the club. That makes sense, because massage is just about the only thing Chiaki is interested in.

It turns out the back that she fell in love with belongs to Yosuke, the hottest guy in school. When he finds out about her massage crush, he makes a deal with her. He’ll let her give him a massage… if she can make him fall in love with her!

My Opinion

The Magic Touch is a bit odd. A massage club is interesting enough, but when you add a love bet things can get flaky. Shoot, that’s why I had to buy the book. I couldn’t resist, I had to find out how such a weird story would be handled.

The answer is, pretty well. I was pleasantly surprised by the cast of characters. Chiaki, the massage otaku, isn’t the only one with an interesting description. Her twin sister Sayaka is a truly horrible person, but that makes her a perfect villain. I couldn’t believe some of the things Sayaka did in this book. Her older brother Takeshi, who is also a Massage Research Society member, also brings quite a bit of humor. I enjoyed his story most of all.

Is it worth it?

The Magic Touch Volume 1 is worth checking out. The odd set up and weird characters really do make for some interesting stories.

Manga, Reviews, Viz, Shojo Beat, Izumi Tsubaki, The Magic Touch, Oyayubi Kara Romance, Humor, Drama, Romance, Massage, Older Teen

The Shugo Chara giveaway on Crunchyroll inspired me. I’m going to giveaway a membership myself. My giveaway is going to be a bit different from theirs. You don’t have to collect eggs for a start. This giveaway will only have 1 winner, but the prize is a bit bigger than a 1 month membership.

How to enter

Entering the giveaway is easy.

Signup for Crunchyroll if you’re not a member already, even the free registration will do. Then just go to my Crunchyroll profile (2xKnight’s Profile) and add me as a buddy, then send me a message saying that you want to enter the giveaway.

That’s it.

At the beginning of next month (July 2009) I’ll pick someone at random from all the buddies that entered and they’ll win.

What can you win?

1 very lucky winner will receive a free 1 YEAR anime membership to Crunchyroll.

As soon as I pick a winner, I’ll go to their profile and buy them a 1 year anime membership.

Remember, the membership covers more than anime. You also get some great live action programming as well. In addition there’s ad free access to the forums and the rest of the site too.

I think this is a great prize. I love my membership and I think that whoever wins the giveaway will love theirs too. Plus I get to support Crunchyroll in the process.

Who can enter?

Anybody that can sign up for Crunchyroll. As far as I know that’s anyone, from anywhere around the world.

(Yes, another giveaway our friends down under can enter)

Deadline

11:59 pm Eastern, June 30th 2009

So add me as a buddy before the end of the month for your chance to win a free year of anime membership at Crunchyroll.

Anime, Online, Fun Stuff, Contests, Announcement, Giveaway, Crunchyroll, Free, Membership