Basic Anatomy for the Manga Artist Impression

A lesson in anatomy targeted at manga but useful for any artist.

Christopher Hart does it again. Basic Anatomy for the Manga Artist takes a complex topic, human anatomy, and spins it in a manner which is easy to digest for any aspiring manga artist while remaining invaluable as a long standing reference guide. The large format and vivid visuals help to drive home the core lessons and it offers great starting off points for artist to explore as they develop and continue their own style. Let’s take a look at the contents of this latest guide and see how they can impact each artist.

Introduction – What the books about and what readers will get from it. Introduction folks, pretty self explanatory but nice to see the table being set by Mr. Hart.

1 – Basic Head Elements – Before working on the body, Hart takes a look at the skull, the muscles and tendons and all components of the head from eyes to nose, mouth, ears and their placement. A few specific examples (vampire boy, yeah!) round out the lessons but the point is a well constructed head looks great on a great body. While not as deep in the facial expressions of his former books what this does is build upon those other offerings and allow the reader to get into the core content, the body.

2 – The Foundations of the Body – Readers explore the skeleton and its various aspects as well as positions and how shape changes while tackling various height aspects of characters. The full body male and female muscle diagrams should be printing and hunt around the reader’s preferred drawing location as they are excellent references and what muscles are where and how they should be emphasized.

3 – Topographic Anatomy – Building on those muscle diagrams and looking at how their moving, flexing and posture is shown with skin on top, this is all about the action poses and looks of the character and really gets the mind working and thinking about how the body should be drawn for characters in motion.

4 – Body Symmetry and Asymmetry – Not every body part is perfect and aligned so this makes drawing easier in knowing differences in arms, legs, not too drastic, but subtle can work. Much more detail in this chapter as these lessons are detailed and really will help separate the casual artist from the truly hardcore and dedicated.

5 – How Movement, Light and Perspective Affect the Body – One of the final pieces is adding in the proper shadow and position to bring a character to life. The muscle, tone and bone structure change when movement and light is added so pay attention to grab your targeted fan base with realistic looking characters that live in their environment. Beyond just anatomy, this chapter is universal to every type of art as light and shadow should always play a part.

6 – Putting it all into Practice – The light at the end of the tunnel, the end game. Seeing these examples from Hart drives home the lessons and tips he provides.

Overall Basic Anatomy for the Manga Artist is a solid, solid entry in the learning to draw manga field of books. The lessons hit the topics intended and teach a fair amount about the skeletal and muscular framework of characters and how the manga style lives on top of and is affected by these. What a reader takes from these lessons varies on that reader’s art style but the base that Hart establishes here is solid and a great foundation for new and experience artist.

Alert App for Gamers and Anime Fans; Worth it?

A new app that helps fans aggregate the best of their Facebook feeds, but is it any good?

Many gamers and anime fans follow their favorite series and games on Facebook from Angry Birds to Deus Ex: Human Revolution to Bleach but while content is always ever flowing from publishers into Facebook how can fans keep up? One answer looks to be Alert; an app available on iPhone that takes content from Facebook and puts forth that user’s content, non friend content, into an easy to use and digest feed. Why should Facebook users, gamers and otaku alike, look to use another app when they have Facebook? Let’s take a look at what makes Alert special. (Please note this app was brought to my attention by an acquaintance from the creative company behind Alert to which I’m looking to see how practical it is to my interest.)

What is Alert? Without repeating the websites or App Store, it’s an app that pulls users Facebook content into a new interface. There are four tabs/pages. 

• News – List of top trending and most recent post from pages users like, have interest in. Similar to the feeds being sorted on Facebook where users can like and comment on content. This looks and feels very much like Facebook but being able to sort by categories, and create categories starts to show the potential. Gamers could create genre of games they follow, or blogs on games they follow while anime fans can group their favorite series and pages on Facebook. This layout and flexibility is worth the price of admission for Facebook users tracking the latest on a Facebook heavy content such as an Angry Birds or a game running a contest. Full of potential, yes, but only limited by how creative the user can get. 


• Events – A list of weekly, monthly and future events for users likes? Very nice especially for conventions as Alert shows the dates, times locations and of course offers the options to add to calendar and check out location on maps. Sometimes the best events happen and users have no idea, this helps to correct that and will make users start to narrow their focus on upcoming events. Real bonus is that it urges content providers, companies, to really promote their content on Facebook knowing that Alert is going to, well alert their fans. 


• Menu (Table of Contents) – A fairly quick and easy way to search for content on Facebook and add it as a ‘like’ to the users Facebook page. The tab is called Menu but it’s more a Table of Contents of the users information. Users can create a new page list (category mentioned earlier) and add pages. The search works well and the summary page of search results looks great and is easy to navigate. A nice feature is the ability to click on a link and be taken to that link within the Alert interface with the option to jump into Safari if desired. Love this feature as clicking on links on iPhone can be a pain when it just opens Safari on its own. Once a page is liked users can then view photos and video content in this area also. Deleting is done via the tried and true hold down finger on icon-click X to remove, so familiar and friendly also. 


• Account – Final and most boring tab as it contains a tutorial (use it) and ability to send feedback.

Bottom Line for Gamers – Games are a mainstay on smart phones with a large Facebook presence and consoles titles have moved the same direction. There are always contest and games going on, local events, fan sites and more on Facebook so for gamers to clean the clutter (friends content) seen in the tradition Facebook interface, well Alert shows it’s true potential here. Game videos, images, updates and news all sorted and easy to access with events also shown, it’s pretty solid and when the potential for exclusive content exist then the gamers will flock. This last piece is more a suggestion at this time as we’ve not observed exclusive gaming content but when looking at the landscape of exclusive and free content on Facebook now as well as content for pre-orders of games, well the imagination can run wild with what publishers could offer via Alert. It’s free and if gamers have liked all their favorites then it makes sense to download Alert and see how it gathers their content.

Bottom Line for Anime fans – Very much in the same arena as gamers, the anime fan can gather all their favorite content and keep updated on new content from their favorite pages. Replace the word ‘game’ with ‘anime’ and the bottom line for anime fans is the same as for gamers. It’s a chance to pull all the most recent content into one easy to use interface, but what else? Ah, a word to the …

A word to publishers/developers – These groups have embraced Facebook as most main games, anime, publishers and creators have their own Facebook page and serve up content along with news, images and videos. The field is crowded as ever so if a fan of say, Naruto, looks at their iPhone to read the latest news on Naruto there is a very good chance it’s buried under their friends post or their favorite music. Alert looks to, looks to, solve this by pulling this content and adding the categorization of content but it’s the exclusive content mentioned the Alert site that could really shine here. From the Alert site;

“Be first to get news, events and exclusives from your favorite brands. Then share in real-time back to Facebook.”

Publishers could promote an event and reward Alert users, die-hard fans, they could engage a more engaged audience tracking their content to get the word out. Download codes for episodes, avatar items and more could be offered to the first ‘x’ amount of replies. See this is where alert can become all that more valuable to both publishers, companies and their loyal fans.

Overall Alert is an app worth downloading for Facebook users with a decent ‘like’ list. The potential for more is there on the exclusive front but for now it really does do a good job of pulling in the content the user likes in easy to digest portions. As a gamer and otaku, Alert offers me the chance to stay on top of my uncluttered news and info from Facebook. I like it and see no reason others should not give it a try … and provide feedback, make this app evolve to serve you.

Pokemon Adventures Diamond and Pearl Platinum manga vol. 2 Impression

A new set of trainers continue their journey in the latest Pokémon manga

Sorry, not gonna happen. Nobody, nobody is ever going to catch them all at this rate. Pokémon keeps on rolling in the video game, anime and manga departments with new characters, settings and pocket monsters to catch. The latest manga is Pokémon Adventures: Diamond and Pearl Platinum and we’re taking a look at volume 2 of this adventure. With a comedic duo escorting a young heiress (she’s rich) the adventures feel familiar yet fresh and new with story by Hidenori Kusaka and art by Satoshi Yamamoto. What does this latest adventure offer? Simple; more of what fans love with new twists, let’s take a look.

A case of mistaken identity make hopeful comedic duo trainer Diamond and Pearl travel with young Lady, only daughter of the wealthiest family in the Sinnoh Region, as she looks to gather the materials from the peak of Mount Coronet to construct an emblem bearing her family crest. Lady believes the two trainers are her hired bodyguards while Diamond and Pearl think Lady is their tour guide on their all expenses paid tour which they won in a contest. Meanwhile the real bodyguards are trying to track down Lady. As Lady takes on gym leaders to earn badges, grow stronger, the trio finds themselves on the cycling road with a certain young lady unable to ride a bike who runs into Stunky causing a bit of an odor problem. After a bit of a cave-in issue Lady finds herself entering a talent competition and being rescued by a very eloquent trainer who just screams of being seen again. After a quick trip to a lost tower the group must make their way through the mountain to access the proper route to reach the summit and they encounter some very mysterious Pokémon. The journey continues but a larger plot is in the works as the nefarious Team Galactic is on the move with their own interest in Lady and Mt. Coronet … and just when will the actual bodyguards catch-up with Lady?

So first the art. Yamamoto does an excellent job of delivering Pokémon perfect art that is sharp and on-par with the best Pokémon art out there. Action is great looking, Pokémon look true to form while characters each sport a unique look and familiar looking clothing. Only drawback is the limited background art. There are tons of action lines and dramatic effects but only sparse true detailed backgrounds but can’t complain as the stars are the little monsters and their powers. Now the story, it’s a new cast and setting but similar concept. Trio of young kids on an adventure where a Team X (Galactic this time) gets involved for larger, more diabolical reasons. The twist is Lady’s reason for travelling and the mix-up in thinking Pearl and Diamond are her body guards and also for this duo thinking Lady is their guide. Add to this the way Diamond and Pearl use paneled comedy routines to explain what is going on, rules and concepts, and what readers get is a great entry into the Pokémon universe that does not require prior knowledge. The story is fun and relationships are easy to believe and get behind and there are of course hidden lessons about friendship and other kid appropriate content.

Pokémon fans you and old can sit down with the latest manga and truly enjoy a new adventure yet feel right at home with an old friend. Great art, fun story and some oddball humor mixes to make a unique Pokémon adventure.

Blue Exorcist manga vol. 2 Impression

Rin gets into the swing of things at True Cross Academy

Many manga, most actually, can be grouped based on their core story, art, character types and action to name a few items. It’s rare when a manga feels new and original so it’s with great pleasure to talk about Kazue Kato’s creation, Blue Exorcist. While it does share the spiritual and school angle of other manga, Blue Exorcist feels fresh and original with an art style, story, pacing and characters that are fun and engaging. In a manga landscape full of copies and imitations, Blue Exorcist has managed to separate itself while touting some very strong, established, story elements. How is this possible, let’s take a look at volume 2 of Blue Exorcist and see how the son of Satan is fairing.

As Rin continues class, taught by his twin brother Yukio, and joined by Shiemi Moriyama, a new challenge presents itself in the smart and rough looking Ryuji Suguro. Another exorcist in training, Suguro is dealing with a heavy past that makes him loathe the apparent slacker Rin. The two hard heads clash but in a sideways manner end up helping each other, and this assistance will be needed when an offsite study session turns deadly and the young class of exorcist are attached on school grounds by deadly, high level demons. As Rin adapts another hurdle, the blue night, is put in his path. 16 years ago many holy men and women were consumed by a mysterious demonic blue flame. Suguro’s family, his shine was a victim as were many others. Now it’s even more imperative that Rin hid his secret as being the son of Satan just got a whole heck of a lot worse.

Volume 2’s in manga are a beautiful thing. The impact and revelations of volume 1 have passed and the core characters end up settling into a more normal routine that will last a few volumes (in longer series) as well as set the stage for future events and introduce more key characters. Blue Exorcist volume 2 does just this by bringing Shiemi into the fold, introducing Suguro and providing more back-story with the events of the blue night. This is the story provided in volume two as the introduction of Suguro also serves as the telling of an event 16 years prior that made many angry, was the loss of many lives and just so happens to tie into the birth of Rin and his brother, it must right? Story points accomplished in volume 2 folks. More characters, back-story and main character development and it flows very well, works very, very well.

The art is excellent as seen in volume 1 with great design and some reasoning behind the design (as seen with Suguro). The world of True Cross Academy is very detailed and serves as its own character and the way in which demons and spiritual entities are drawn is a nice, if not familiar, fresh take on the supernatural. As readers may be able to tell this manga fan is a big fan of Blue Exorcist and why not, it’s got everything from action, great characters, compelling story and oozes of sleek design. Love it!

Neko Ramen manga Impression

Tokyopop may be no more but the fun of a ramen making cat can still be enjoyed

Gone bye-bye is Tokyopop but picking up a volume of their manga can still bring joy to the manga fan looking for something new, something a bit more stand alone not needing 5, 10 or 30+ volumes to complete. One such manga is from the creative mind of Kenji Sonishi and it reads more like traditional newspaper comic strips here in the states. Neko Ramen: Hey! Order up! and Neko Ramen: Curry is also delicious! are just the first two volumes of this funny manga and they work great by themselves. So what’s so tasty about this ramen infused treat? Let’s take a gander.

A cat that runs a ramen stand. Yes, Taisho is a cat that makes ramen in his own ramen stand. Repeat customers Tanaka is witness to Taisho’s search for the perfect ramen menu that leads to awkward moments expected when a cat tackles human tasks. Is he a cat? Yes, but he talks and cooks ramen. Is he odd? Yes, he a cat that cooks ramen and dabble sin curry. He has issues with his poster modeling father, dogs, failed business and bad menu choices as well as what to do with his rental space in-store. It’s odd, it’s downright silly, heck it’s a cat that makes ramen.

Not much of a story summary but the reason is simple; Neko Ramen is about a cat that makes ramen and the odd situations that occur. The format keeps it simple with a mostly 4 panel top to bottom strips that will feel very familiar to American newspaper comic reading. Taisho is simple a cat making some ramen and trying to be a success and it’s through Tanaka readers see the funny stuff unfold. Funny stuff is the key here folks as the day-to-day situations he encounters as a ramen making cat are funny. The 2-3 page story segments show a funny history, stuff that just does not make sense. There are cultural story points some readers won’t get due to their basis in and with Japanese food but don’t’ fret, the majority is fun and funny. The art style only adds to the simplicity with a simple style that seems perfect for an Adult Swim run.

Neko Ramen is yet another reason why Tokyopop will be missed. It’s a unique manga that is closer to US comic strips than much of the mainstream manga still being published. Oh well on this front but these books are worth the read if you can find them.

VIZManga.com Announced

VIZAnime.com rocks, so why not rollout with the manga version … as long as it’s not only in Japanese

Love me some free anime so VizAnime.com rocks and now it’s time for VizManga.com with a little twist. Where VizAnime hooks up free, non-dubbed content (some English), VizManga is an extension of the app of the same name which has been out for a while. The prices of each manga are less than the hard copies and of course there is no worries about storage but the free content is limited … oh well. It’s still as solid addition to what Viz has been doing and here is their official press release from last Friday …

“VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES VIZMANGA.COM – Extension of VIZ Media’s Digital Platform Expands Manga Audience to All Web Users in U.S. and Canada San Francisco and San Diego, CA, July 22, 2011 – VIZ Media, the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in the North America, announced the launch of VIZManga.com at their 25th Anniversary Party last night in San Diego during the annual Comic-Con International convention. The website joins VIZ Media’s existing digital manga platform and launched with 40 series currently available on the VIZ MANGA App for iOS devices, including the wildly popular titles NARUTO, BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB and VAMPIRE KNIGHT. With this expansion of the platform, fans can browse and access their digital manga from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ Manga Apps for the iPad™ and iPhone™/iPod™ touch. With one account, registered users will be able to view their purchases across even more devices than ever.

“Our digital publishing team wants manga to be available to as many fans as possible, no matter what device or digital experience people prefer,” said Brian Piech, Vice President, Digital Publishing. “Making our extensive library of the best titles direct from Japan available on VIZManga.com is a natural extension of our current VIZ MANGA apps available on all iOS devices. One purchase can now be read across multiple devices.”

VIZ Media’s digital manga platform allows for universal access for fans from their iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or now, VIZManga.com. Pricing for manga titles on the web will be identical to the VIZ MANGA app. The first chapter of all manga titles will be available as a free preview. Through July 31st, all Volume 1 manga titles will be 40% off.

The VIZ Media digital platform now has an online destination for reading manga on desktop/laptop computers and on Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. The VIZ Manga App continues to be the top app for reading manga on iOS devices and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world, currently offering 40 series and over 300 volumes, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.”

So bottom line … owners of the App will love the site, same content they’ve already purchased in yet another format (buy once, read anywhere indeed) and there are 16 Shojo, 12 Shonen, 2 Shonen Jump Advanced, 5 Shonen Sunday and 5 Viz Signature series to be had with more on the way so plenty of manga goodness (I’d start with Blue Exorcist). It’s an excellent way to sample a full manga at a low price without the full paperback commitment (every dollar counts). Check it out and chime in.

not simple manga Impression

A sad but gripping story about a boy and his search for meaning

Part of Viz Signature IKKI Means Comix, not simple is a tale that is flat out engaging. Natsume Ono weaves a tale that hooks the reader from page one and manages to make the reader care about Ian and his not simple life. This is the type of story that will make readers think, look at their lives and wonder how tragic and un-guided life can be at times.

Ian is unique and has no clue just how challenging and difficult others view his life. Ignored by his father, used by his mother and searching for his sister, Ian meets a writer named Jim who decides to capture his life in a novel. Ian’s family relationships’ are not normal and his relationships complicated. Feeding his mothers alcoholism yet never knowing the reason or that the way he pays for this addiction is wrong; the impact he has on others, his tragic end. Everything about Ian is unique and those he meets are impacted by his presence. Jim captures all these events in a novel titled ‘not simple’ but Ian’s life was anything but.

Ah, to tell the story would be to ruin it. Ian is a tragic figure, a sad one that readers will care about. The pacing of this story, the use of images works and is very powerful. The art style is unlike anything in manga, simple and impactful. The emotion seen in Ian, Jim’s internal conflicts and the hate and disgust of worthless parents, it all comes across amazingly in simple yet amazing art. Simple, yes; not simple, yes. How can Ian not know how odd his life is? Simple, it’s his life, what else does he know. Does a poor man know he’s poor if never exposed to being rich? Ian is tragic yet he remains so positive. He shows what it means to live, to want something as simple as family no matter his situation. Ian’s end is sad yet fitting.

Not too many times will a manga, a story, leave me thinking but not simple has. Its impact, flow and art I find simple amazing. Call me a sap but this level of storytelling, simple at times, to the point, is so impactful that I’ve got to recommend it for anyone looking for a mature tale that is not traditional and typical manga as US fans expect. Ian is the anti Forrest Gump but his impact is nothing less than equal to the character Tom Hank’s brought to life. Amazing read, amazing art and a package that just clicks.

Bleach: Soul Resurreccion coming to PlayStation 3

Bleach fans finally get a true next-generation gaming treat

While video games for hit titles Naruto and Dragon Ball Z have fared well on recent gaming systems there is another equally solid and stylish anime which has failed to receive the gaming love its fans deserve. Bleach is the title and while it’s been seen on Nintendo Wii in a ni-fu, ni-fa experience and on DS in older-school RPG and fighting game formats it’s still lacking in that solid, next generation experience.

Bleach: Soul Resurrección will hit PlayStation 3 this August and will be published by NIS America. Tite Kubo’s manga and anime follows the character Ichigo Kurosaki as he becomes a Soul Reaper (deputy actually) and the battles that follow with lost souls called Hollows and their various forms. There is a ton of back-story already laid out and Resurrección takes up well into the storyline where battles rage against the Arrancars (top level, advanced Hollows folks). Fans will know exactly what this means but for gamer’s familiar with Naruto and Dragon Ball Z, you can expect a very stylish action oriented gaming experience that’s heavy on story, contains an amazing anime look, signature moves and voices from the anime as well as 21 characters from the anime/manga. It’s an action-adventure title with story and mission modes and some leveling up chances through a character map.

More to come as the title was just recently announced so check back for more. From these early screenshots and the trailer (found on Resurrección site) Ichigo looks to be getting a solid PS3 outing. For fans, we can only hope this is true.

Checkout VizAnime.com for free Bleach episodes. 

Tokyopop is dead, long live Tokyopop

With Tokyopop closing its doors, what happens to all our favorite running manga?

With Tokyopop shutting down publishing operations in the US manga fans will now be left wondering what’s next? What now for those titles that hooked us, made us fans? I have a few, listed below, that I love to follow and now I’ll be wondering if a publisher like Viz or Bandai can pick up the slack? Recently the industry has seen Borders file for bankruptcy which means no more reading (and sometimes purchasing) of manga by kids, teens and adults alike, nope, the content is harder to find. Manga is going mobile with tablets and when there are series such as Naruto spanning 40+ volumes it tough to purchase at $10-15 a pop so a lower price online makes sense, but this brings us back to Tokyopop.

Where Viz and even Bandai have stronger, more recognizable titles such as Naruto and Bleach (both Viz), Tokyopop had a largely Go-Bots lineup to Viz’s Transformers. Solid and fun but only a few titles that were rock solid wow titles. Many of the books from Tokyopop were not as mainstream but no less brilliant. Shorter, less know tales were rock solid, great reads and it’s this aspect which will be missed the most. They published more comic oriented titles as well as a gay lineup in Blu but that is all gone now. So as the sun has set on Tokyopop what does this mean for manga fans and those titles in limbo?

Meaning for Manga Fans – Simply put, less players in the game. Viz is the biggest name left and talk about a rock star. They put out tons of printed books but have shifted to iPad and other tablets with lower price points on established titles. The space it will save fans is great but more previews are needed. Manga fans will have a harder time finding new titles from a variety of publishers thanks to how licenses are tied up and this is the biggest question for Tokyopop (since they shutdown their website). What happens to all those great license? Years ago this happened to Dragon Ball Z where the rights got lost in limbo before finally being picked up years later by FUNimation. It’s sad and scary to say the truth as fans are left to suffer.

The other aspect of Tokyopop was its risk taking, its rising stars opportunities to unknown artist and creators, its ties to manga software, to more Western manga-ish titles and to the works of Korea and China. It’s a shame really but the dollar speaks.

Best case scenario is the manga rights of the bigger titles get transferred over for continued publishing and that those smaller titles get released to seek new publishing methods. The hope is out there also that Tokyopop somehow finds a way to move all its manga operations online, go 100% digital in its manga distribution at a lower price point but this does not seem to be in the plans.

Which titles are we most heartbroken to see sitting in purgatory, let’s take a quick look.

• Samurai Harem – Awesome art and a great tale with tons of pretty ladies and even with all the panty shots and big boobs the awkward tale of love was a joy to follow. 
• Happy Café – Not the best art, nor an all original story but it was charming and fun. This manga would make you happy. 
• Maid Sama – LOVE the art and story, the characters and settings and it plain sucks this tale is over too soon. 
• Princess Ai – Beautiful art and while the story is a bit odd the art and style it brought rocked. 
• WarCraft & StarCraft – Boooo as there was some excellent work done for both franchises and now it’s gone but we hope Blizzard forces these rights elsewhere.

Tokyopop, you will be missed as you made the industry all the more exciting and competitive. Hope to meet again even if it’s only in digital form.

Pavane for a Dead Girl vol. 1 Impression

Who would you sacrifice for a heart’s desire?

Pavane for a Dead Girl volume 1 from Tokyopop is unlike any manga I’ve had the chance to take in. It has a very innocent look in its design leading one to think it will skew younger but the core of the story is anything but. This tale of violin prodigy Takenomaru Sagami holds many secrets that justify the OT (older teen, 16+ rating) but no secret is of the perverted or sick for sick sake, not here. This is a solid story of tough decisions.

Takenomaru Sagami is a violin prodigy, taken in by Professor Chogo Sagami who teaches at a prestigious all-female music academy. Takenomaru hones his skills but hides a secret in his past that controls his present and future. He made an agreement, at deaths door, to be blessed with not only the violin skill of a master but the looks to match. Being a half-blood jaded Takenomaru and this deal he struck with the Great Angel, for these two blessings, forces Takenomaru to seek the Tears of Maria. Newly arrived Nanao Kaga is a candidate for these tears as she seeks out Takenomaru whom she’s dubbed the “Prince of Harmony” after hearing him play at a younger age. Upon meeting him Nanao receives a brooch which oddly change color and she and Takenomaru begin to grow closers, a dream come true … or is it? Takenomaru’s agenda is only to harvest the Tears of Maria but why must he make a girl fall for him? What role does the color changing brooch play? How exactly are the tears harvested from the targets heart? It truly is a sad melody Takenomaru plays for his craft.

The art as mentioned carries a younger look with the large eyes, very younger Shoujo, and the plethora of young ladies in frilly outfits but this is no kiddy looking book. Contradicting myself, in a manner but when readers dive in they will find an art style that is sharp, well detailed and puts a focus on characters emotions that flies off the pages. Readers can feel Takenomaru’s hate and regret as well as each young ladies enamored with Takenomaru or their plain cockiness in their talents. This is not by any means a harem type manga, not by a long shot. The art shifts from the beauty readers can almost hear coming off the violin to the racist violence and hate for a boy born to parents of different backgrounds. Yeah, not kids stuff and the art is rock solid in delivering a full range of emotions even with frilly frocks and big eyes.

The story is quite serious in it’s basically a deal with the devil but one called an angel (wasn’t the devil an angel?). Anyway Takenomaru cuts a deal and becomes a harvester for these Tears of Maria which seem to be, well part of the story I’m not going to ruin, but it’s dangerous what he has to do and how he has to nurture these tears before their harvest. His life is by no means easier than it was as a poor down and out mixed breed. Volume 1 sets the stage for what Takenomaru is, what he must do but what I found very interesting is the time it invest in character development for those making short stays in the tale. Takenomaru is the focus and his quest for the Tears of Maria is the goal. What challenges will he face, opposition and potential enemies? More importantly what happens when he fails to collect the tears? This one question is more than enough reason for coming back for more in volume 2, will you be there to harvest along with Takenomaru?

Camilla d'Errico Crocodile Fish at Magic Girls exhibit

As seen April 1st at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles

Missed it or just not in LA, don’t fret Camilla d’Errico fans. Below is Camilla’s contribution to the Meltdown Comics event on April 1st called ‘Magic Girls: Art Inspired by Shojo Manga.’ This piece, called Crocodile Fish, shows off just one pieces of a very cool event that fans of Shojo and its art styles should check out. The event runs until the 22nd of April so get on over if in town. For me I’m just now learning more about Camilla and this work is quite impressive as is the list of resources to see more. Here is the list, check it out and become a fan. Support is awesome folks, let’s have at this.

Camilla's Official Site

Camilla on Facebook

Camilla on YouTube

Camilla's online portfolio

Black Gate vol. 1-3 Impression

A story about those who help regulate death

The collected volumes, 1-3, of Black Gate from Tokyopop offers up a nice story at a very nice price less than the sum of its parts. This standalone series from Yukiko Sumiyoshi follows the exploits of a not-too-talented wanna-be Mitedamashi named Hijiri. The job of Mitedamashi, including Hijiri’s guardian Senju, is to close Black Gates that appear around the world. What is a Black Gate, how glad you asked …

The white light, when death is close, these are white gates, portals the departed see and follow upon their passing. While these gates serve a purpose their opposite does also. Black Gates appear randomly and bring death and destruction based on their size. The size of the gate determines the number of Mitedamashi needed to close the gate and save lives. Senju is one such agent and his annoying, short and cocky subordinate wishes to be one also. Hijiri just lacks talent until an encounter with a strong black gate forces hidden powers to be unlocked. This power begins a chain of events which sees changes in Hijiri and Senju’s relationship, in Hijiri working to become a full fledged Mitedamashi as well as a new partner, two protective guardians and some incredible, world changing revelations about Hijiri’s past and what he really is.

For three volumes this is not much of a description so I’ll start to explain a bit. The first volume introduces Hijiri and Senju but they are far from the only players in this tale. The reason I do not reveal the others is the simple fact it can and will ruin volume 2 and 3. The central figure is the ever young (for a very cool reason) Hijiri and his past is what drives the story. Past events and current collide into one … well I’m stopping again. Hijiri is a likeable enough character in the Naruto mold of never give up, full of energy but lacking in true talent. His journey is both sad yet happy and the pace is well carried out. The medium of death and black gates is not too out there nor is Hijiri’s background, it’s just a good manga. Motivations are all wrapped up quite well, it leaves a yummy taste in the reader mouth. Quite a feat in just three volumes to introduce characters the reader will care about and miss once the final page is read. What about the look …

The art style is solid and the cover art is poster worthy showing off the playfulness of Hijiri and seriousness of Senju. The style won’t spark any copy cats as its solid and very shonen manga in its feel. The action and detail in background art gets the job done, not groundbreaking but again solid. Overall from a visual standpoint what the reader sees on the cover is what continues in the book and it is more top shelf quality, very solid, very polished with a very familiar feel. Solid is the name of the game.

Overall, again, for the price and story flow this is a great purchase. Getting readers hooked into a story with good, solid art in just three volumes is really flipping spectacular the more I think about it. Really very solid, well done Yukiko.

The Witch of Artemis vol. 1 Impression

Can a planet where magic and witches be real? Kazuki is about to find out on Artemis.

Yui Hara draws one nice looking, cookie cutter manga with The Witch of Artemis volume 1 from Tokyopop. Flipping through the pages the learned manga fan will see character designs, settings and background on par with the shoujo genre’s finest upper-middle class. While this may sound not so appealing know this; Artemis is a thing of beauty to read it’s just not awe-inspiring but then again how many manga really are. Besides solid art what else is this book about, glad you asked …

Planeto is normal and average as is Kazuki. He and his brother live a fairly normal life minus the fact they are orphans. Their father passed but not before he told Kazuki many stories of the magical planet Artemis. A planet very similar to Planeto with the fact it contains witches and magic. Tall tales according to his brother but ones Kazuki dreams about all the time. These dreams turn to reality when Kazuki’s confronted by a witch, one from Artemis who’s searching for another which who finds Kazuki, curses him and puts him on Artemis with the only hope of being cured residing with the rude little witch who started the whole line of events (whew!) Seems this witch, Maria, is the Grand Witch of Artemis. Strings are being pulled form hidden participants and Kazuki is at the center as is Maria but for what? As the two get to know each other and help others on Artemis the mystery unfolds but to what end?

Mystery is the name of the game in Artemis. There is not super engaging about Kazuki or his world. The real interest lies with Maria, who she is and what her goals are. Her temper is fiery yet hidden. She feels more central to the story than Kazuki who just feels like a piece, which his is, to a larger puzzle. The solid if not original art mentioned earlier makes a character like Maria easy to like and engage with. Great show of emotion from anger to sorrow but for what? The mystery is what drives this tale of magical worlds and journeys across the stars familiar to fans of shoujo manga.

The Witch of Artemis is well drawn but it’s real redeeming quality is it’s story which is mystery driven. This book won’t be for all manga fans but those loving a good magical girl type misery should take a look. It’s not Harry Potter and it’s not Tenchi’s Sammy but it is a mixture of both that’s fun and enjoyable.

Happy Cafe vol. 1 Impression

This is one cafe that will leave readers themselves feeling happy

Every once in a while a manga comes along that does not sport the flashy cover or eye melting art but it manages to wrap up the reader all the same with a touching story; a mixture of humor and romance that’s predictable yet so engaging. Happy Cafe volume 1 from Tokyopop is just such a manga. The tale of smallish Uru is fun and engaging, a well told tale by Kou Matsuzuki. So who is Uru and what’s she got going on, let’s take a look.

She may look like an elementary school student but Uru is only guilty of being on the short and youngish side. She lives on her own, a way to gain independence and give her mother and step-father time alone. To earn a bit of cash she takes a job as a waitress at the Happy Café run by the ever serious Shindo and the ever passing out from hunger Ichiro. Her klutziness and odd super strength make her not the ideal waitress but she tries harder than anyone else and forms a bond with her co-workers. Shindo is good looking but very abrasive and one heck of a pastry chef while Ichiro can’t stay awake without constants snacks. The three run Happy Café to decent levels of success and make new friends along the way from models to overprotective parents. No work day is quite the same in Happy Café.

Overly original story; not really. Incredible art; not quite. Worth the purchase; without a doubt … but for the right audience. First the art in Happy Café is typical shojou, solid but not spectacular with an average looking girl and tall, slender boys that are pretty and fall into the what readers know as shojou boys in look and attitude. This is what I mean by the right audience and it seems for some reason I count myself in this audience. I love a good romantic, comedic story. Not a chic-flic type story but one that makes the reader smile when those feelings are realized, recognized and reciprocated. The butterflies that adolescent love creates and can be felt in the story. Ah, the story, the strongest point of Uru’s tale. As I’ve touched on it’s fairly predictable but follows a formula that works and is well told. Boy and girl as friends in working/class relationship with rivals and other interest thrown in learning about each other’s past and learning to move from friends to more … or maybe not. This is Happy Café in a nutshell and fans of the romance genre of shojou should take a look. Happy Café can draw comparison to Maid Sama in a more lite manner with somewhat similar settings and relationships minus the detailed art and backdrop. Solid, fun and just plain fun to read, it will make you happy.

Biomega vol. 3 Impression

A Sci-fi Horror manga short on words, long on action and style

Tsutomu Nihei crafts and continues and interesting story with Biomega volume 3 from Viz but it’s not a tale for the faint of heart or lacking in concentration. The action is great but the story fairly detailed and not easy to just jump into. Start with volume 1 then head over for some volume 3 love. What does volume 3 offer up, let’s take a look.

Toa Heavy Industry agents Zoichi and Nishu continue on separate paths both heading for conflict with the Data Research Foundation. Armed with their AI enhanced bikes the two agents face off against N5S Virus created drones while peeling away the layers of a grand scheme that involves the transformation of humanity … but for what? The conflict moves to the Maximum Security Containment Facility 3 where the important Eon Green is being kept. What secrets does Eon hold and how does a talking bear, Kozlov, figure into the conflict? As a dangerous polymer is introduced into the infected drones causing them to break down the true plans of the DRF take shape but will Zoichi survive his conflicts to see the end game?

Cryptic in my explanation I am. I’ll fess up, I missed volume 2 but saying this I still got volume 3. See even in volume 1 the true plot, details, is lacking as Biomega is light on explanations so it require a few readings to get but it works and in large part thanks to the detailed, action packed art. The style is unique and reminds this reader of many a graphic novel from the 90’s that broke the perception of comics being just for kids (whose perception, a lot of people ok, who still considers anime just kids cartoons?)

Ok, forget that mini-rant, here’s the point. Biomega has a very heavy story that really requires paying attention to and filling in the gabs mentally. It’s a manga with an awesome art style that would look plain sick as an anime. Would I love to see more story; yes. Do I love what Biomega offers up in story and art; hell yes. So if you’re looking for a more mature story, futuristic with tons of action and very creative bad guys and corporations then checkout Biomega, its art is hot.

Ratman vol. 2 Impression

Humor, action and great art continue in Ratman volume 2 from Tokyopop

Shuto has an ideal view of what superheroes are all about but these views take a punch in the gut in volume 2 of Ratman from Tokyopop. This very shonen action manga pokes fun at a few established franchise and concepts and manages to take the young boy as hero concept in a new and very funny direction. The story crafted by INUI Sekihiko is brought to life by plain beautiful manga art. So what’s volume 2 all about, let’s take a look …

Shuto is settling into his role as a bad guy in Jackal while still holding out hopes of becoming a real hero, a corporate sponsored hero fighting for all that’s right. Even as he tries to play at hero he still manages to get into enough trouble to be seen as a villain. Shuto is taught how the Ratman transformation works and trains against one very funny, five person, color coded team of Jackie’s that shows just how far he has to go in being better hero or even villain. Add to this that fact his mega-cute classmate Mizushima helps run Jackal, more from a motherly aspect, and Shuto has no choice but to keep on keeping on. Things seem to start to go right as another hero driven friend, Kizaki, invites Shuto to the hero awards until a trip to the bathroom reveals a darker site (not that, gross!) of heroes. The true corporate nature, status seeking agenda, of one particular ‘hero’ is revealed and Ratman is in for the biggest encounter of his short career. Is he a hero or villain and does it matter when the lines are blurred for those dubbed heroes?

The humor of the story is hands down the best and most refreshing aspect. Jackal is full of interesting characters, best of which are the Jackie’s. The Jacky Five needs its own spinoff series, no joke. Shuto goes along with the group, no real choice, and becomes closer with Mizushima while still holding onto his dream of being a hero. Thing is it’s her normal, non-Ratman knowing friend, Kizaki, who’s relationship begins to show Shuto what some heroes are all about … fame and glory no matter the expense. Some of the story is predictable but it’s still great fun to watch (thanks Jacky Five). Love the story so far, a nice quick read since it’s hard to put down.

The art is awesome. Environments are detailed when needed while the design of each character plain rocks. The expressions, detail, shadowing and proportions of heroes, villain, Jackie’s, everyone really just rocks. Sounds odd but this manga looks pulled from animation cells with so much delicious detail and originality. Gotta hand it to INUI, it’s rock solid and up there with titles like Maid Sama! and Deadman Wonderland in my favorite art, clean art, style in manga.

Overall this second volume keeps the story going with great pacing and story while never letting the reader have an excuse to put the book down. I want volume 3 and so should any self respecting shonen manga fan.

Pokemon Black and White; stepping up in 2011

How does catching all them little Pokémon get more addictive? Take a look

With the March 6th of Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version quickly approaching not only will gamers get a new entry in the classic franchises RPG formula but they’ll get an easier way to play online with the Pokémon Global Link web site. What’s the deal, what do gamers get on the site set to launch soon after the release of Black and White?

• Gamers will sync their gameplay from the DS to PC allowing for access to customizable web-only content 
• Ability to friend additional Pokémon 
• Communicate with fellow Pokémon Trainers 
• Earn and view Worldwide Battle Ratings 
• And of course the perquisite ‘more’

Access will be gained using a Pokémon Trainer Club account. This gets the franchise closer to what’s at the heart of Pokémon, not catching but battling and doing so against real trainers. This is not limiting gamers to friends and those close enough to share a cart but rather a truly unique way to get online, get ranked and even, potentially, invited to regional, national and global tournaments. It’s a truly outstanding experience that removes so many borders from gamers looking to compete without travel.

So gamers get a new Pokémon video game and (finally) an easy way to battle online with DS data but what else? Why else should gamers get geeked for Pokémon in 2011? Ask and ye shall receive.

• New Movie; Pokémon-Zoroark: Master of Illusions – Set to premier on Cartoon Network on February 5th at 7:00 P.M 
• New Manga based on Movie from Viz 
• New TCG Expansion Black & White 
• Black & White Mall Tour 
• New merchandise and toys

So yeah, there’s a lot to get excited about and very early in the year. It’s going to be great to be a Pokémon gamer, collector and fan in 2011.

Summoner Girl vol. 1 Impression

Can this Ayakashi hunter become the next leader of Exorcists?

A cute story about an innocent girl with immense powers and a potentially impressive destiny. Hibiki is not the average fourth grader and in Summoner Girl volume 1 form Tokyopop readers will learn what it means to wield power at a young age. Hiroshi Kubota creates a tale that shows how powerful a little lady can be no matter the obstacles. What’s it all about, let’s take a look …

Hibiki may be in fourth grade but as the latest in a long line of exorcist she wields power to defeat dangerous Ayakashi. Using the powers of elemental Shikigami, who control her body, Hibiki takes on these troublesome spirits. Her grandmother has grander plans for her as she task Hibiki with finding the six magical jewels, Rikutou, that will make her the next leader of the Exorcist Underground. Hibiki is not the only one out for these jewels as a rival makes an appearance as does the bumbling somewhat spiritually talented Kenta Oda. From a troubled fox spirit to collection of spirits at a temple the troubles for Hibiki are just beginning but with such a cheery personality it’s hard to notice.

So the story is not revolutionary but it has that magic that makes readers want to follow, to see what’s next for Hibiki. She has great power but her challenges are just beginning. She’s very likeable as is those supporting characters around her, even her crazy grandmother. Each Shikigami has a unique and funny personality while Oda steals the show at times with his forgetfulness. What Hibiki shows is anything can be overcome with friends and not always with force. Sometimes observing and listening helps. I like the story for its mix of action and innocence. The art helps with it’s very magical girl look. It’s solid and well done, easy to look at and contains a great amount of detail which only enhances the solid story.

Overall Summoner Girl won’t set any new standards in manga story telling but what it delivers is a well drawn, solid story about a girl coming into her true role in life and the journey to get there. Solid and fun, a good read for the young and young at heart.

Square Enix manga online

Manga from Square Enix is a go online with this Fullmetal Alchemist, Soul Eater and more

A quick hit from around the holidays that needs to be noticed. While Viz and Tokyopop have a large share of the most popular and recognizable manga with groups like Bandai and Tor following behind a new player is now in the game. Say hello to Square Enix manga and these are some rock solid titles they’re rolling out. The digital distribution model works with solid pricing and headliner titles such as Fullmetal Alchemist and Soul Eater which fans are familiar with thanks to FUNimation’s distribution of the anime. It’s always fun when a new publisher gets rolling and Square Enix has a great history in Japan, they are more than just games. Let’s take a look at what this means for manga and gaming fans.

What’s it mean for manga fans? More manga, great titles and a solid company with solid financial backing to keep the titles rolling. When there are more players the fans win and Square Enix is rolling out just the right amount of solid titles to make the other groups mentioned take notice and possible offer specials to compete (we hope). Biggest coup is the Soul Eater manga; a beautiful and stylish book while Fullmetal Alchemist received distro from Viz in the past but getting digital is solid.

What’s it mean for gamers? With no titles related to video games (besides old PS3 FMA) the hook comes in the revenue Square Enix can generate. Digital distribution and the saturation of devices already in market means no warehousing, no extra fees to make this site possible leading to a better bottom line for the company and more funding for video games. Again this is all speculation but the reality is there if a company does well the trickle down to its various division should happen. There are print versions but the aim should be digital.

Overall the biggest win is for manga fans but gamers get a nice hit also. The titles are solid and if a book does well maybe, MAYBE, the game equivalent in Japan gets some localization love. Want this; use the online community to let Square Enix know.

The Qwaser of Stigmata vol. 1 Impression

The Holy Wars Ignite in this stylish epic

Who knew breast could have this much religious meaning? The Qwaser of Stigmata volume 1 from Tokyopop offers up an intriguing story, by Kenetsu Sato. In its most simplistic form this is a fighting, battle manga where there is a prize and a number of ‘fighters’ each with unique powers and motivations. How this story unfolds, who the players are and where they get their stamina not to mention the base beliefs it challenges, this is what makes Qwaser unique especially when combined with Hiroyuki Yoshino art style. Let’s take a look at the core tale in volume 1.

From watching out for her cousin Tomo to fighting for her life, things get very interesting for school girl Mafuyu Oribe. A promise made when her uncle passed, Oribe takes it upon herself to protect Tomo but when she comes across and helps a wounded boy named Sasha, well things get very interesting. Sasha, from Russia, is a Qwaser and as one he can control an element, in his case metal. One of many Qwaser’s, Sasha’s purpose is to protect Tomo and a hidden religious relic sought by other Qwaser, the most mysterious of which is the golden Qwaser whom Sasha seems to have a deep past. The ultimate relic is call the Theotokos of Sary Su and it represents the secrets to Christ miracles including his resurrection. Sporting a Hexed Crucifix, Sasha is a member of an order who wishes to preserve Christ secrets while he must battle those with less noble intentions. St. Mikhailov Academy is the battleground and the source of power for Qwaser is the breast. As Jesus gained life from Mary so must Qwaser gain their energy leading to some awkward situations. The battle is just beginning and more Qwaser begin to appear. Let the fight for the Theotokos of Sary Su continue.

The story in Qwaser can draw many comparisons to Fate/stay Night in that there are many powered beings (Qwaser) paired with normal humans for power fighting over a religious relic. These fighters fall into school age ranges and come from a variety of social levels and geographic regions. Gaining power from suckling on breast is both symbolic and a little naughty (to read that is). The action in Qwaser is great and the use of elements and how they interact with other elements makes the battles great but it’s the religious information that really makes this a manga worth reading and researching. The hexed crucifix, the religious artifacts; are they real? Do they have real meaning or all just part of the manga? (I’m looking to be sure.) The characters are also interesting and have much depth to still be explored. This type of story could get very complicated but does not in volume 1 as readers are eased into just about everything. Wrap this fine level of narrative in an artistic package reminiscent of such manga as Fullmetal Alchemist in detail and beauty and reader really don’t have much to complain about if anything.

Overall The Qwaser of Stigmata is a well told, well drawn manga that intrigues the mind and delights the eye with potential for some religious objections. Nothing wrong with that so if you’re of age take a gander, rock solid.