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| Death Note / Re-Light Vol 2 : 3 of 5 | |
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10.31.2009
2:50 PM | Link0 comments |
 I know you're wondering how I could possibly watch even more Death Note, but since I kind of enjoyed the first Re-Light DVD, which condenses the entire anime into a movie-length story, I pretty much had to watch this second part of the saga. While the first movie did its best to cram nearly all the major plot points into two-hours, this time around they went crazy with editing and simply chopped out huge sections of the story! I have to admit that while I was watching it I just decided to enjoy it and not worry about it, but afterwards I couldn't believe that giant dramatic segments like the death of Light's dad and great character backstory like Mikami's childhood were completely missing. Although it's a shame that so much good material was lost, Re-Light Vol 2 moves along at a much more even pace than Re-Light Vol 1, even finding time for things like Misa's dinner with Takada (one of my favorite scenes). Some of the editing may have been a good thing, since I kind of liked the way Near's SPK members are killed through Light's actions, rather than by Mellow's somewhat overly complex mafia subplot. There are only a couple of truly new scenes (not nearly as effective as the new material in Re-Light Vol 1), including L talking with some kids at the Whammy House (plus a look at Near's thought processes as he plays with a million dominos), and of course the new SPK killings (which is pretty intense). As always, I enjoyed the animation and Japanese voice acting, but it was a little obvious that the new scenes didn't have quite the same quality of the original anime. This DVD doesn't include any bonus material with the editors - it would be interesting to see if the same team worked on this film, since their methods are so entirely opposite. I've always thought the first half of Death Note is better than the second, so I guess the butchering of this half didn't bother me as much as it will some fans, and I still had a good time watching such a fantastic anime in a new way. As far as I know, there's no other Death Note incarnations left for me to see, so I guess this is truly the end!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note 3 / L Change the World : 3 of 5 | |
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10.06.2009
12:36 PM | Link0 comments |
 Somehow Death Note continues to march on with a third live-action movie, featuring everyone's favorite bizarre mastermind detective, L. In the altered ending of the Death Note story (much different than the manga or anime), you may remember that L wrote his own name in the Death Note in order to trap Light, scheduling himself to die in 23 days. L Change the World happens to be set during those three weeks and two days, so we get to see what L does with his remaining life (each day is announced with a countdown), including solving a huge case that threatens humanity itself! I had to keep reminding myself that the live-action world is a different story universe, so I could get over silly things like Watari's network of alphabet letter agents (we get to meet F in Thailand and K plays a major part as well). The bulk of the story involves a group of environmental extremists who want to save the Earth's ecosystem by wiping out mankind with a deadly virus, and L is joined by two children (a mathematical genius boy who survived the virus test in Thailand, and a scientist's daughter whose blood holds the key to the antidote) to save the day. It's kind of fun seeing the introverted, socially inept L start to bond with the kids (initially by giving them sweets, of course). I really enjoyed the references to the original Death Note movies, including cameos by Watari (who dies in front of Misa) and even Ryuk (with dramatically improved CG effects, in my opinion), who watches L burn the two Death Notes. The dramatic climax of the movie is also super exciting, but there are other scenes (such as a scientist's death) that go on much too long. Unfortunately, there's quite a bit of English spoken by Japanese actors in film, and their pronunciation is so awful that it really should have subtitles (but unfortunately, only the Japanese lines are subbed)! There's a nice scene at the very end with a nod to the original manga that fans will enjoy, but honestly I think all three Death Note films are better suited to fans anyway. Now I'm wondering if they'll find a way to squeeze out more Death Note material in the future!Labels: death note, dvds |
| Death Note / Re-Light Vol 1 : 3 of 5 | |
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8.31.2009
12:02 PM | Link0 comments |
 Although I’ve read the entire Death Note manga, watched the complete anime series, plus the live action movies, it seems they’ve figured out a way to squeeze a few more hours of attention out of me. Death Note: Re-Light is an interesting idea, which is to retell the story from a different point of view, which happens to be none other than Ryuk the Shinigami in this case! Unfortunately, this movie is just the first half of the anime re-edited and crammed into a two-hour time frame, with only a few new scenes added to keep things interesting. However, since I enjoyed the series so much, I didn’t really mind watching this compressed version, and I was impressed with the editing (especially the re-voicing of a few scenes to help explain the plot). Truthfully, the only moments from Ryuk’s point of view happen in the opening and closing framing scenes, which take place in the Shinigami realm as Ryuk tells his story to another Shinigami, and looks almost longingly at Light’s name in his Death Note (which he wrote to kill Light at the end of the series). The other new scenes include a new meeting between Light and L (not nearly as effective as the original), plus an extended moment at L’s funeral where Light goes mad with his victory (which provides a chilling look into the Light’s character). Most of my favorite scenes from the anime are all included in the movie, and they even kept in Misa’s creepy song, though that seems like something that would have been easy to cut. I think claiming this movie is a new version of the story goes a little far – at least they should have let Ryuk do some narration to make it seem more like he was telling the story! The DVD includes some nice Japanese interviews with the director and voice actors, but they are pretty short. I still had a good time watching Death Note: Re-Light (and I know I’m going to watch the next volume, which will compress the second half of the series), but I can’t really recommend it to new viewers (since it’s more difficult to follow than the extended series), so only dedicated fans should check it out!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note II / The Last Name : 4 of 5 | |
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4.22.2009
4:32 AM | Link0 comments |
 It's time for yet another Death Note review, so if you're tired of this stuff, tough luck! After enjoying the original Death Note movie, of course I had to get this DVD to finish the story, and I was glad this film was over two hours to contain it all (since the first movie barely got the ball rolling). A lot of the plot this time involves Misa, and although she seems slightly more tomboy-ish than she did in the manga, I still think she was cast well (although her shinigami Rem has a male voice, which was female in the anime!). Her character is developed through a gruesome flashback, and the story saves a lot of time by having her flat-out announce "I am Kira 2" on the video (no need for L to figure out there are two Kiras!). I liked the way they worked Light's sister Sayu into the incident at Sakura TV, but I thought it was a little too convenient for Misa to discover Light's identity almost by chance. Even though the entire Yotsuba plot was removed for time considerations (as well as Near and Mello, of course), the screen adaptation still managed to get the fake 13th rule into the story, which was cool. I was also fascinated by the way they combined aspects of Mikami into Takada's character, taking a well thought-out short cut by combining them into one person. But the best aspect of this movie is the huge twist ending, which completely took me by surprise! Everything seemed to follow the manga/anime ending as expected, and then suddenly the world is turned upside down, which is a wonderful treat. I'm sure they knew half their audience would already be familiar with the story, so this new ending (which I won't spoil for you) was crafted for the fans! This sequel is actually much better than the first movie, and when you combine both films into one story, it really gets across the Death Note experience (although I would still recommend the manga first and the anime second).Labels: death note, dvds |
| Death Note : 3 of 5 | |
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3.25.2009
4:34 PM | Link2 comments |
 Even though the Death Note live action movies are probably my least favorite medium for telling this excellent story, I still had a pretty good time seeing this first film in the theater last year. I was disappointed they decided to screen the dubbed version, though, so I decided to add this Viz Pictures release to my collection, and I enjoyed it much more in Japanese! In addition to the major departures from the manga version, such as Light's girlfriend Shiori who plays such an important role in the movie, it was fun to notice subtle changes that worked really well. I thought it was a great idea for FBI agent Raye's fiance to follow him onto the train where Light tricks him into killing the other agents, since it gives more substance to her obsession with defeating Kira. I also thought the brief moment where Raye sees the shinigami Ryuk outside of the train was brilliant, since he was just touching a piece of the note! Overlooking some of the semi-goofy acting by the actor playing Light, at least the filmmakers managed to convey a deeper sense of evil for the character - it's pretty amazing when Ryuk actually says Light is worse than a shinigami! The entire hidden camera investigation sequence is painfully slow, but thankfully things really pick up in the finale, and I'm looking forward to checking out the sequel soon (which is also now available on DVD). The bonus material on the DVD is fairly interesting, but it's buried in some of the worst menus I've ever seen (which are supposed to be cool, no doubt!). I would definitely recommend the manga or anime over this movie as a first Death Note experience, but for the established fan this movie is an interesting take on the story!Labels: death note, dvds |
| Death Note Vol 9 : 4 of 5 | |
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3.09.2009
9:25 PM | Link0 comments |
 After watching nine DVDs with 37 total episodes, I've finally finished the anime version of Death Note, and it was incredible. Of course, I had already read the entire manga series, and even watched the whole anime on Cartoon Network, but I still rented all the DVDs so I could hear the original Japanese voice work, which was awesome. Actually, I've enjoyed all the incarnations of Death Note I've experienced (manga, anime, live action), because the story is so good that it's interesting to see it interpreted in different ways. But getting back to the anime, this final DVD contains the last five episodes, starting with Near's all-out challenge to Kira for a final showdown. It's fascinating to watch every subtle move of the notebook and the various tampering going on, especially when you know the outcome of the plot beforehand! The animation does an incredible job of portraying some incredibly emotional moments, including the sad end of Takada, Matsuda's explosion when he realizes his "hero" Light has been evil all along, and of course the dramatic death of Light/Kira (which is a bit different from the manga, but probably designed to generate a bit more sympathy, and I can appreciate both versions). The final warehouse scene is stretched to two entire episodes, which are for the most part characters standing and delivering dialogue, but the animators somehow transformed these scenes into a riveting experience! As usual, there are some voice actor interviews included, but I really wish there was some behind-the-scenes material about the animation itself. It's nice to finish this anime series, and even though it was tough waiting for each volume to be released, the anticipation was kind of fun!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note Vol 8 : 3 of 5 | |
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1.18.2009
2:35 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm still enjoying watching this great anime series in Japanese on DVD, even though I've already seen the whole thing dubbed in English on Cartoon Network (and read the entire manga, of course). There are some big jumps in time to move the plot along, but the major events have to do with the Shinigami Sidoh's arrival, Light's failed plan against Mello that leads to the death of his dad, and the introduction of Mikami to take over as the new operating Kira. Since I know the story so well, I tried to focus on little details, such as Sidoh's love of chocolate (much like Ryuk's craving for apples), as well as the cool animation used when Near stops the angry mob by raining cash on them (the texture mapping on each bill is pretty incredible). Seeing Light's dad on his death bed and knowing that he dies without ever realizing that Light is Kira makes for a really dramatic scene, and one of the strengths of this anime is always getting moments like this right! I really enjoyed the background story for Mikami, played out with some self-narration by the character and revealing plausible reasons why someone could be so disturbed (and come to the same moral conclusions as Light). This DVD has the same old interviews with the dubbing talent, which included the voice artist who originally dubbed the voice of Shampoo in Ranma 1/2! I used to have a huge cartoon crush on Shampoo, so it was shocking to find out her voice came from such a boring looking person. I'm definitely ready for the next DVD, which I think is the final volume of the anime!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note Vol 7 : 4 of 5 | |
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11.05.2008
8:00 PM | Link0 comments |
 I'm always excited about the next Death Note DVD release, even though I've already watched the whole series (dubbed, unfortunately) on TV, and I think Netflix sent this to me the day it came out since it was at the top of my queue! This volume finally finishes the Light versus L arc (far better than the Near and Mello arc, in my opinion), and the anime interpretation of these final events is definitely spectacular. The inclusion of the creepy song that Misa sings as she resumes her activities with the notebook is nothing short of amazing, especially since this is something that couldn't be conveyed in manga alone. L's death scene is dramatic and fantastic, and the just prior moments of "friendship" between Light and L really make the moment poignant. Soon afterward Near and Mello are introduced, and time moves forward to the year 2012. The scenes regarding Sayu's kidnaping are really tense, but I especially loved the slow motion falling of Near's dice sculpture as his team of agents is killed. I think the story moves along much too quickly in these episodes (it was even rushed in the manga), but the anime does a pretty good job of making the course of events clear. As usual, there's a quick interview with some English dub voice artists, and I realized for the first time that L is played by Gaeta from Battlestar Galactica! I'm really looking forward to the next volume of this DVDs series when it comes out in December!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note Vol 6 : 4 of 5 | |
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9.29.2008
7:26 AM | Link0 comments |
 Lately I've been writing anime reviews two volumes at a time, but since I'm totally caught up on Death Note DVD releases, I have to write about this one now (since the next DVD doesn't come out for a month). This volume contains some of the more intense plot developments in the story, including the huge build-up to the capture of Higuchi as the "third Kira". It's cool to see Misa and Light regain their memories just as planned - this particular point is so complex that they take the time to go over all of the notebook swapping in detail via a flashback, and it's amazing how everything was thought out. There was some nice animation this time, especially during car chase scenes (the reflections are really cool), and I also noticed a nice touch with both Light and his dad refusing to use a handgun (which shows how both of them cherish justice, but with much different outcomes). After watching the new frenetic opening and closing sequences a few times, I've finally decided I like them (regardless of the intense music), since they both have awesome images and color (and Misa looks really hot, too). This DVD has the standard voice actor interview segment, which is pretty boring, but it was interesting to hear how the voice actor for Rem tries to duplicate the Japanese actor's voice. I'm looking forward to the next volume and seeing more of the story - it doesn't matter that I already know what happens!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note Vol 4 & Vol 5 : 4 of 5 | |
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6.25.2008
8:27 PM | Link0 comments |
 I somehow got out of the habit of watching Death Note on Cartoon Network, so I enjoyed these two DVDs of the series even more. I'm a bigger fan of the first arc of the plot (before L is killed) than the second, so these episodes (four per DVD) are really cool. I should also mention that since Death Note is presented in widescreen, I can upscale it to use my full HDTV screen! Volume 4 includes the first meeting of Light and Misa, starting with her interesting way of spotting him with her Shinigami eyes (which are presented in an eerie red color), and later her dramatic conversation when Light finally embraces her. This volume also begins Light's incredible plan to give up the Death Note (one of the most incredible parts of the story) and his long confinement. In Volume 5, the confinement finally ends and the Yotsuba Corporation segment begins, which includes some tense (but funny) scenes with Matsuda as Misa's manager. I'm still enjoying the way this series keeps presenting interesting images to go with long conversation or thought sequences, such as the symbolic Light and L standing on skyscrapers, or slow pans across L's endless supplies of sweets while he talks. A new opening and closing theme begins on Volume 5, which has a fantastic visual look, but the original theme song is a million times better! Both DVDs contain interviews with voice artists used in the dubbed dialogue, and I enjoyed seeing Misa's actress (who was cute and quirky), but of course I would never choose their performance over the original Japanese. Unfortunately, now I have to wait until the end of August for the next DVD to be released!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note : 3 of 5 | |
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5.29.2008
7:06 AM | Link0 comments |
 Although this movie came out in 2006, I somehow managed to miss downloading a fan-subbed version of the film, even though I was already a huge fan of the Death Note manga. Now that I've been watching the anime, and with the complete story fresh on my mind, I was really excited to see this special one-night local showing of this live-action version at the theater! Unfortunately, the experience was both good and bad. I was really expecting to see the movie in Japanese with subtitles, but instead they showed the dubbed version (I'm hoping both will be released by Viz soon). The dub was interesting since they used the same voice actors from the anime, but it's still a sucky dub that caused lots of audience laughter. Speaking of the audience, that was my other complaint - it was like being at an anime convention, complete with a little cosplay and homemade T-shirts! Of course, I love and respect that stuff, but I wanted to really get into the film without hearing the girls squeal at the first sight of L. The movie itself was cool, though, and really captured the story well. Of course, there are major departures from the manga plot, but some of them are actually more dramatic and possibly even improve on the original! The major difference is the role of Light's girlfriend Shiori (before Misa enters the story), which comes to a chilling climax along with the wife of the FBI agent! I also enjoyed the final scenes of the film with the first meeting of Light and L, since it sets up the next movie so well (only the first few volumes of the manga are covered in this film). The movie has a bit of a tokusatsu feel, which is fine with me, especially because the CG version of Ryuk is a bit old-school, so it feels a little like a TV show. But overall, the film is definitely worth watching again in Japanese, so I can't wait for the DVD release!Labels: death note, movies |
| Manga Mentions 5.08 | |
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5.15.2008
7:50 AM | Link0 comments |
 Another month, another five volumes enjoyed! I wish I had time to read more than that, because I can always use a manga escape every now and then. Here's this month's report!Monster Vol 10: Although my interest in this manga has toned down a little, it's still one of the most amazing suspense stories I've ever read, so even though I'm behind the current release, I still can't put a volume down once I start it! This time we're introduced to Grimmer, a new character who's a former spy investigating the creepy 511 Kinderheim experiments, and there really isn't much of Tenma to be seen. Johan's sister is getting pretty scary, though! Phoenix Vol 12: I was completely shocked to discover this bonus volume of my beloved Hi no Tori was available, since the last official story was Vol 11! This is a collection of serialized children's stories that star the Phoenix, mostly as a baby named Chirol, focusing on ancient Egypt and Rome, so familiar plots like the Trojan Horse are included. It was fascinating to read these light-hearted yet dramatic stories and still recognize the main characteristics of my favorite manga series! Death Note 13: On the subject of bonus volumes, here's another unexpected treat! This extra addition to this fantastic series is titled How to Read, and it's basically a encyclopedia of every detail, large and small, about the story. There are long discussions with the creators, detailed explanations about every plot twist, an exhaustive Death Note rules list, character studies, and so on - it's an obsessive geek's delight! The first Death Note pilot story is included as well, with the original idea that erasing a name would bring the person back to life! Nodame Cantabile Vol 4: I enjoyed this volume mostly because I was engrossed in the live-action drama of this series at the same time, so it's lots of fun to compare the plots as they unfold, but I'm definitely devoted to sticking with the manga all the way. This volume includes the Nagano Music Festival, with a quick and funny stop at the beach, plus an extra story about Nodame's childhood and her first piano teacher, which was really sweet. Yotsuba Vol 5: Finally, it was wonderful to get back to this gentle, heart-warming series again, which should receive simultaneous awards for "quickest read" and "most laughs out loud"! This time Yotsuba has fun star gazing, playing in the rain and at the beach, and gets fooled by a robot costume. Even though it's so simple, this series always makes me feel wonderful - its motto of "Enjoy everything" is so poignant and true! Labels: death note, manga, tezuka |
| Death Note Vol 2 & Vol 3: 4 of 5 | |
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3.17.2008
9:44 PM | Link0 comments |
 I've recently rented both of the next Death Note DVDs, and I'm still enjoying watching this series a second time in Japanese, even though I'm currently watching the newer episodes on Cartoon Network. The Volume 2 DVD contains the genius plot to kill all of the FBI agents through Raye Penber, which is absolutely chilling, and then quickly moves on to Light's cruel manipulation of Raye's fiancee. In both of these plots, Light tells his victim he's Kira just before it's too late, which is pretty devastating! Light's character really reveals itself as a creepy combination of perfection and evil, which is part of what makes this series so fascinating! On Volume 3, L decides to confront Light by entering the same college, and they begin a high-tension relationship that can only be explained by long thought monologues. When I read the manga I expected this to be a big challenge for the anime, but they really pull it off well with some dramatic artwork! Misa Amane is finally introduced as the second Kira (and of course her voice is cute in the way only a Japanese's girl's voice can be!), but the real stand-out moment of this DVD is when the Shinigami Rem tells the story of the other Shinigami who loved Misa and gave himself to save her life - it's presented like a bittersweet fairy tale! Unfortunately, now I have to wait for future DVDs of this series to be released, but I'm definitely going to keep renting them until the show ends. I'm curious to find out if they plan on continuing the plot past the L story arc!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Death Note Vol 1 : 5 of 5 | |
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1.22.2008
6:19 PM | Link0 comments |
 Since I completely enjoyed reading the entire series of Death Note manga, I've been watching the anime on Cartoon Network and marveling at how well the story has been adapted to animation. But of course, I have a big problem with the English dubbing (Light's voice isn't too bad, but L's voice is horrendous), so I decided to rent the series on DVD as well. As I expected, it's so much cooler watching the series in Japanese - everything just has the right feel and emotion that I don't think a dub can ever capture. The story itself is just as fascinating as I remember, and I'm really enjoying seeing it unfold even though I know everything that's going to happen. The anime is able to grab the viewer in ways the manga couldn't, especially in interesting scenes like Ryuk's journey from the Shinigami world to the human world, or via some masterful montages (my favorite is when Light really gets going on writing names in the Death Note, with huge arm gestures and quick cuts to the suffering criminals that flow perfectly with the dramatic music!). The artwork is completely on-model compared to the manga, and often uses interesting camera moves and lighting that I know must be a pain to draw! In this volume I thought the exciting bus-jacking scene (where Light manages to get the name of the FBI agent Raye Penber) was well done, as well as the explanation of Light's trick hiding place for the Death Note. Overall, the series has really captured the same tone as the manga (and the cool opening and closing themes don't hurt the mood either), so I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!Labels: anime, death note, dvds |
| Manga Mentions 8.07 | |
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8.18.2007
7:59 AM | Link0 comments |
 Today's Manga Mentions begins with an amazing ending! Death Note Vol 12 is the finale to the huge story of Light Yagami, and it's been a great story overall (although the battle against L was much better than against Near and Mellow). I think it's difficult to end a plot about an anti-hero, but this volume certainly delivers (although it's mostly huge Sherlock Holmes style explanations of how both sides tricked each other). Next, I enjoyed Nodame Cantabile Vol 2, which introduces some fun new characters, including a gay percussionist and a genius German conductor who likes to scam on his girl students (these characters appeared in the Nintendo DS game, which makes much more sense now!). To finish off this set of five manga, I blazed through some shoujo, starting with Video Girl Ai Vol 5, where Ai is living with Yota again but doesn't have her memories back yet, and the troubles with Nobuko continue. Gacha Gacha: The Next Revolution Vol 3 was actually pretty boring, even though a new little sister character (who looks like a boy, of course) was introduced. Finally, Suzuka Vol 4 gets serious with some interesting character development between Akitsuki and Suzuka, which is a complete turn-around from all the crazy fan service in the earlier volumes, and Honoka-chan is definitely getting into the love triangle now, which is great since I like her more than the title character so far! I promise my next five volumes will be more than just high school romances!Labels: death note, manga |
| Manga Mentions 7.07 Part 2 | |
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7.22.2007
11:29 AM | Link0 comments |
 It's manga time again! First up is Yotsuba&! Vol 4, which I was completely shocked to discover, since after the first three volumes were published in English, this title completely disappeared for months and months (I was even desperate enough to buy the next couple volumes in Japanese, but I'm really happy to have English translations to compare them with!). As usual, Yotsuba is completely laugh-out-loud funny, and in this volume she does some shopping, goes on a fishing trip, and gives some hilarious heartbreak advice! Densha Otoko Vol 3 finishes up my favorite version of the popular story, with a nice sub-plot about one of Densha's net friends being real-life friends with Hermes' sister, and the actual end of the story is really sentimental and well done. Buddha Vol 4 gets even more interesting because of some fascinating side characters, such as the wise yet goofy Assaji and the misunderstood giant Yatala, and Siddhartha finally achieves enlightenment at the end of this volume. I''s Vol 14 focuses mostly on Aiko (the girl next door) who is developing a crush on nice guy Ichitaka, while Iori's manager keeps sabotaging things (causing me to yell at the manga while reading it!). Finally, Death Note Vol 11 moves slow (certainly the norm recently), but is definately heating up for the final showdown in the very next volume! Light and Near are ready to face-off, now that they have discovered practically everything about each other. There's nothing like a huge cliffhanger to keep me interested!Labels: death note, manga |
| Manga Mentions 7.07 Part 1 | |
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7.06.2007
5:09 PM | Link0 comments |
 I got a little confused with my last Manga Mentions post, since I had forgotten to write about some other volumes that I had read previously. Anyway, this is kind of a catch-up post, since the manga just keeps on coming! I'm still enjoying the saga of Ichitaka and Iori in I''s Vol 13 (though it feels like it should finally end soon), and it's been interesting comparing it to Video Girl Ai (by the same mangaka). Sticking to romance, Kaze Hikaru Vol 5 reslly starts developing since Saito realizes he loves Sei (setting up a love triangle), and continues with more historical information, including katakana techniques this time. Kaze Hikaru is a brilliant story, and it's tough to keep waiting on the next volume! Death Note Vol 10 starts off a little boring, because the rules are getting a little ridiculous at this point, and too much time is spent in long thought baloons, but things get better at the end with the introduction of some new characters to help Light. Buddha Vol 2 (yes, I have already mentioned Buddha Vol 3) was spectacular not only because of Tezuka's incredible artwork, but also because of the emotional situations of young Siddhartha's princehood, resulting in his rejection of his family to become a monk. Finally, I broke down and read Nodame Cantiable Vol 1, both because I enjoyed the Nintendo DS game and because Mikie is such a fan, and I really enjoyed it. All of the classical music mentions really make it interesting for me, and following the lives of music students is a great change from the usual high school romance!Labels: death note, manga |
| Manga Mentions 3.07 Part 1 | |
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3.10.2007
7:34 AM | Link0 comments |
 No matter how busy I get, it's always essential to escape into some manga, so here are the last five volumes I've enjoyed. xxxHolic Vol 8 has a really bizarre twist where Doumeki shares his eye with Watanuki (who lost his in the last volume), plus another appearance by the cute Zashiki-Warashi (I'm completely aware that none of this makes sense to anyone but manga readers!). Kaze Hikaru Vol 4 was wonderful, and it's quickly becoming one of my favorites, since I'm fascinated by the history and culture (intensely researched, actually!) that's wrapped inside this love story (and Sei's mistaken jealousy over Okita's sword was really sweet!). Monster Vol 6 was unique because the main character Dr. Tenma is almost completely absent, but taking the time to develop the character of his ex-fiance is one of the reasons this series is so mature. Death Note Vol 9 was a little disappointing, only because the rules of the note keep getting more obscure (who cares what happens if there are seven death notes in the human world?), and because Near and Mello together are taking the cerebral thing a little too far. Kikaida 02 Vol 5 was filled with some excellent artwork, and this time includes a second story (apart from the main series) that felt much more like an episode of the awesome TV show. I would have loved to see Jiro stop a moving train in live action!Labels: death note, manga |
| Manga Mentions 1.07 | |
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1.27.2007
8:04 AM | Link0 comments |
 It's time for another Manga Mentions, since I'm continuing to follow too many series at once (it feels like I'm collecting comics again)! Death Note Vol 8 kept me intrigued with what seems to be the third arc of the story, and Near & Mello (successors to L and enemies of each other) are really creepy characters. I'm always amazed at the complexity of this manga, and I'm sure the original Japanese is unbelievably difficult! Dr. Slump Vol 11 was full of laughs as always, including the introduction of a second Gatchan, and a particularly funny story with X-ray glasses. I always look forward reading to Dr. Slump! The next three volumes are new titles for me (as if I need more to keep up with), starting with Suzuka Vol 1, which I've been tempted to try out for a while (based on some interesting reviews and cute cover artwork). The story is just OK so far, with a few ridiculous fan service scenes, but I"m going to read the next volume to see if the characters start developing a little more. Next I decided to read Video Girl Ai Vol 1, which is a much older manga by the creator of I''s (which I like so much), and it's definitely a similar story, except for the whole girl popping out of the video tape premise. You definitely know it's an old manga since there's no DVD technology yet! Finally, I read Black Jack Vol 2 (because I can't find Vol 1 anywhere, since it was translated around 1999), which is Osamu Tezuka's "two-fisted surgeon" character. The stories are pretty cool, with plenty of disgusting operation scenes and some scalpel-throwing action, as well as the usual intellectual, philosophical Tezuka undertones. I wish there were more translated stories!Labels: death note, manga, tezuka |
| Manga messages | |
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9.13.2006
10:35 PM | Link0 comments |
 I've polished off another seven volumes of manga, so it's roundup time again! Azumanga Daioh Volume 4 was so wonderful, and I'm sad there's no more to read - I wish it could go on and on, but I guess the girls had to graduate from high school eventually (but now I'm watching the anime again!). Monster is possibly my favorite dramatic manga right now, and Volume 4 was fantastic - I also discovered that there are 18 volumes of this masterpiece, so it's going to be years before I finish! My other favorite is still Death Note, and Volume 7 finally gets the story back on track with Light as the true Kira. So much of this story is told through thought balloons (quite necessary!), so it has the most words of anything I'm reading now, which is the total opposite of Kikaider 02, since Volume 4 is still mostly battle panels (but with more story than the last volume). Dr. Slump Volume 9 was really funny with a long honeymoon story (Senbei's proposal was hilarious, too), and I''s Volume 9 continues with its usual doki-doki magic. Finally, xxxHolic Volume 4 had a terrific plot about two sisters and how their lives are affected by the power of words, and I have to say the message behind the story really hit me - I think it's the first time a manga has actually got to me and really made me think. See, I knew all this reading would pay off!Labels: death note, manga |
| Manga roundup XL | |
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7.05.2006
10:59 PM | Link0 comments |
 I haven't written a manga roundup in a little while, but it's definitely that time again since I've finished about eight new volumes recently! I read a blurb about Ninin ga Shinobuden in NewType, and since I was craving some more light, funny stuff, I decided to order it (for some reason, they don't carry this publisher at my Barnes & Noble). I really enjoyed it - it's got a lot of Dr. Slump type humor (with awesome cultural references), but definitely has a Ranma feel (no crazy transformations, though - maybe Shinobu just reminds me of Shampoo!). I also started xxxHolic, since I had heard so much about it, and I've never read a Clamp manga before (even though I'm a big fan of the Chobits anime). It took a chapter or two to interest me, but the sub-plot about getting rid of bad habits was really intriguing. Death Note Vol 6 was incredible, and it looks like the tangent with the new "corporate" Kira is going to end, which is great! Monster Vol 3 keeps the story chilling - I can never put it down once I start reading. It's definitely getting a Kung-Fu kind of storyline, with the gifted surgeon, wanted by the police but tracking down a killer, wandering from town to town saving strangers - he even has a sidekick now. I''s Vol 8, Midori Days Vol 6, and Gacha Gacha Vol 4 were all good, and Dr. Slump Vol 8 was just as fun as always. It's a good thing I bought a new small bookshelf for all this stuff - I'm sure it will be overflowing by the end of the year!Labels: death note, manga |
| Growing manga collection | |
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6.08.2006
10:09 PM | Link0 comments |
 It's been a while since my last manga update, so I'm sure you're wondering if I've been keeping up on my favorite series. (Of course, you know I have!) My manga collection has been growing so fast that I need to buy another bookshelf for them! Even though I'm reading lots of series, there's always a lull when I've read all of the latest volumes, and during those times I can't help shopping for something new to try. I like reading the reviews in Newtype USA (they're always too positive, but at least they give me a clue!) so I know what to try, and that's how I found Monster. This is an incredibly dramatic story about a Japanese surgeon living in Germany who saves the life of someone that ends up being a serial killer! It's suspenseful stuff, and I've read the first two volumes, each in one sitting! Death Note (up to Volume 5) has been exciting as usual, taking really dramatic plot turns that totally change the feel of the story, but I still love it - I think Monster and Death Note have both surpased Hikaru no Go for my favorite manga! On the fun side, Midori Days and Gacha Gacha are still funny, and I always look forward to Dr. Slump, too (especially because it feels like nostalgic Japanese pop culture, and I can't help rooting for poor Senbei). Reading manga is so much fun!Labels: death note, manga |
| Old manga, new manga | |
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3.15.2006
11:04 PM | Link0 comments |
 Time for another quick look at the manga I'm reading! As far as continuing series, I've finished Hikaru no Go Vol 6, Dr. Slump Vol 6, and I''s Vol 6 lately (you can definitely tell I started those series at the same time, since they're all on the same volume number!). Hikaru no Go is still the most interesting, but I''s has some new life now that Itsuki has moved away so Ichitaka can focus on Iori (ah, romance). I read the manga version of Kamikaze Girls, which was quite different than the movie (I wonder if the movie or the manga is more like the original novel?), and it includes a fun sequel story, too. Finally, I started Death Note, which is completely unlike any manga I would normally read, but the artwork is by the same artist who draws Hikaru no Go, so it's fantastic. I'm officially sucked into the story, too, even though it's kind of creepy!Labels: death note, manga |
