V.B. Rose, vol. 1

This is another title that I was turned on to by Danielle Leigh's Manga Before Flowers column, "10 Underrated Shojo Titles." I was intrigued enough to check this out since, so far, Danielle is yet to let me down!

The story: When Ageha finds out her perfect older sister, Hibari, is pregnant and will be marrying her "lame" boyfriend, she loses it and says some pretty hurtful things. Feeling bad about it, she becomes determined to help her sister with the wedding in order to make amends. When Ageha finds out Hibari is getting a custom-made dress from specialty store V.B. Rose, she jumps in to assist since she's pretty handy with a needle and thread. Unfortunately, the owner is a jerk and his assistant is a big flirt. Just how will Ageha survive working with the V.B. Rose staff and will she be able to make it up to her big sister?

Reaction: Perhaps appropriately, Ageha is a spoiled brat -- who else would feel betrayed by her older sister getting married? Initially it was annoying and off-putting. Thankfully, she has enough self-awareness to realize how wrong she is and does what she can to apologize. While I think she should just say she's sorry, Ageha wants to make a grand gesture, which, in some ways, shows her immaturity and lack of life experience. However, it is the thought that counts!

Deep thoughts: Having gotten married a couple of years ago, I still can't believe how much some brides are willing to spend on a dress they wear once. Since there are few repeat customers in the wedding industry, it seems like anything that's labeled "wedding" is automatically more expensive. While I think a bride or groom should be able to do whatever they want for their wedding, it amazes me that the average American wedding costs around $35,000.

Artwork: I think it goes without saying, but Banri Hidaka's character design is fairly unique. As the author of I Hate You More Than Anyone and Tears of a Lamb, both published by CMX, she's prone to lithe, effeminate men and girls with long legs and heart-shaped faces. But, Hidaka really mixes up this comic with chibis, cute fashion-oriented details and other visual embellishments, including a restrained use of screentone and the occasional flower-framed panel.

The verdict: If only... I liked the premise of this story and the unique cast of characters, but I had a hard time identifying with Ageha -- maybe it's because I'm an older sister myself, or that I'm just too old to fully appreciate her "struggle." But, I'm a sucker for arts and crafts, so this volume's shortcomings won't stop me from continuing on. If you're looking for humorous doses of teenage angst, needlework and pretty boys, you'll definitely enjoy this book. V.B. Rose is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop (online preview available).

Shinobi Life, vol. 2

The story: Beni is a rebellious teenage girl who hates her father when time-traveling ninja Kagetora drops out of the sky. Originally mistaking her for someone else, Kagetora vows to protect Beni and, in the process, the two develop feelings for one another amongst other adventures. In this volume, Kagetora and Beni are increasingly becoming closer, but Beni's stern father warns the ever-loyal ninja to "know his place" and not get close to his daughter lest he lose his job. This creates some timely tension between the pair and it only increases when Beni becomes an unwilling partner in an arranged marriage with her stoic and aloof classmate, Iwatsuru. Later, someone from the ninja bodyguard's past comes to the fore.

Reaction: I won't lie -- I'm a total sucker for this ninja romance! There's humor in this volume, with some great introductory pages, but there's also a lot of heart in the discovery of Beni's feelings for Kagetora. There are also some scarier moments, when Iwatsuru starts showing his personality. It's rather off-putting and sets him as another villain of sorts, echoing Beni's father in some ways. At volume's end, there's another cliff-hanger that left me wanting to read the next volume immediately.

Deep thoughts: When Beni ends up in an arranged marriage, it is posited as rather traditional and uncommon in the modern world. I've talked about arranged marriages here before, but I failed to mention my own personal experience. My maternal grandparents' relationship is the result of a 1950s-era arranged marriage in the Philippines. While there are can be hardships involved in making an arranged marriage work -- as Shinobi Life presents it -- they can also lead to happiness, if my grandparents' 50-year plus marriage is any indication.

Artwork: Shoko Conami's art is remarkably consistent this time around -- in the first volume, I had noticed that characters' faces sometimes appeared distorted or warped; not so here. In consideration of all the close-ups and various angles of Kagetora's and Beni's faces, Conami's hand is decidedly dependable. In fact, anatomy is well proportioned and there is a wide variety of appropriate costuming and hairstyles, giving Kagetora, Beni and others a visual personality of sorts. There's also some ninja-style action to break up the endearingly cute blushing cheeks and wide-eyed looks.

The verdict: Highly recommended. I'm so glad I took Danielle Leigh's advice and started reading this series; it's funny, entertaining and sweet without being saccharine. Beni is a character you admire for her unwavering independence, while Kagetora is nothing but a trustworthy gentleman and ninja. Shinobi Life is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop (online preview available).

Shinobi Life, vol. 1

The story: Ever since her mother died, Beni has blamed her father for her death. In fact, Beni hates her father so much that she wants to die in order to punish him. When she's kidnapped one day, Beni is rescued by a time-traveling ninja falling from the sky. Lucky for her, Kagetora mistakes Beni for someone else and continues to protect her. And even though they couldn't be more different, the two slowly fall for one another. But, can their love span the centuries of differences between them?

Reaction: I wanted to read this manga after reading about it in Danielle Leigh's "10 Underrated Shojo Titles" article on Comic Book Resources. And I was not disappointed! The characters are compelling, the situation unique and the love cute and humorous, but not without its challenges. Beni has an unexpected personality, where she's both parts adamant and vulnerable. Kagetora is interesting for his mystery, dedication to honor and sheer devotion. And he's a ninja!

Deep thoughts: From kung fu movies to uber-popular manga series like Naruto, "the way of the ninja," or shinobi, have always been a point of fascination in pop culture around the world. Ninjas, or covert mercenaries, date back to feudal Japan. As masters of weaponry and stealth, ninjas specialized in unorthodox arts of war, often using tactics like espionage, assassination or sabotage.

Artwork: There's some great action in this manga and it's illustrated well with great panel pacing, too. But, there's another manga that I immediately saw a similarity to -- Walkin' Butterfly. When characters are surprised, the irises of their eyes lose color. This is a bit of a throwback to '70s-era shojo manga, but I've only ever seen it used this regularly in Aurora's josei series.

The verdict: Highly recommended. This is a really entertaining and satisfying non-traditional romance manga. It has elements of fantasy, action and comedy, making it enjoyable on several levels. Shinobi Life is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

The Embalmer, vol. 2

The story: Shinjyurou Mamiya is an embalmer in Japan, where the profession is seen as unclean. In this volume, filled with episodic tales, he helps Azuki, his neighbor and friend, come to terms with the death of her cat. Later, Shin recalls his first love, a woman who lied as much as he did. In another vignette, Mamiya meets a woman who makes dolls of those whose bodies are too damaged to embalm and watches a family torn apart by a best friend-cum-mistress. Shin spends yet another Christmas alone and finds himself once again unable to give Azuki his present. In another showing of Mamiya's devotion to Azuki, he intentionally makes his flat messy in order to entice Azuki into cleaning it, to no avail. Lastly, Mamiya's colleague, a doctor, reveals why she's an advocate of embalming in a country dedicated to cremation.

Reaction: No tears this time around, but these stories are nonetheless touching. It's hard to watch Shinjyurou push and pull Azuki around with his affections (or, more often, lack thereof). While it's obvious she cares for him, it's not so obvious to her that he feels the same. Out of all the episodic stories, I liked those with Azuki the best, as it reveals a profound part of his relationship with her. It's a codependency of sorts, although it's uncertain what he provides her with, and it reveals a bit of the humanity Shinjyurou works so hard to hide.

Deep thoughts: In the Christmas story, it's mentioned that Shinjyurou is especially busy, as it's a popular time of year to commit suicide. While Christmas has a more romantic undertone in Japan than in the United States, people still experience loneliness when not surrounded by loved ones during this important time of year. On the heels of Christmas is the New Year's holiday, where many people head to their hometowns or visit family members in order to ring in a prosperous new year.

Artwork: Mitsukazu Mihara's artwork is still typified by lithe, long-limbed people with fantastic hair and fun fashion. After reading through several manga series, I can't help but notice that the artwork in The Embalmer reminds me of that other embalming manga, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. There's something about characters' eyes and facial expressions that are evocative of the shonen series. There are also some nearly gruesome moments featuring corpses, but, on the whole, they are few and far between.

The verdict: If only... I wasn't as moved by the chapters in this volume as I was the first. While there were momentary glimpses into Shinjyurou's motivations and history, I felt myself wanting to know still more about his background. Of course, the teases regarding his seemingly non-existent relationship with Azuki are interesting in its own curious way. The Embalmer is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

Maid Sama!, vol. 1

After hearing about this manga some time ago, I had the opportunity to read and review Maid Sama thanks to a giveaway by Sesho's Anime and Manga Reviews. If you haven't seen Sesho's site, I highly recommend it. He reviews a wide variety of anime, manga and related video games. Thanks for the free copy, Sesho!

The story: Misaki is a man-hating teenage girl who has worked her butt off to become president of her school, which was an all-boys' institution until recently. Since the girls are still outnumbered, Misaki has become their hero of sorts, all the while brow-beating any boys who stand in her way. But, Misaki's got a secret—she works at a maid cafe after school! Hating the contradictory nature of her work, she's horrified when one of the coolest boys in school, Takumi, finds out about her job. Thankfully, Takumi isn't one to gossip and instead takes to going to the cafe everyday to see Misaki. But, why is Takumi so interested in her?

Reaction: While so many manga have weak females, Misaki is tough as nails—she's physically strong, a good student and willing to do anything for her family. It's both refreshing and an interesting contrast to her job as a maid, constantly calling customers "master" and serving them despite her antipathy. Usui's a curious character, too, with his unexplained interest in Misaki along with his popularity among all the girls at school (and other schools, too, evidently). The situations that Misaki and Usui find themselves in are funny in their own right and teach Misaki some important lessons along the way.

Deep thoughts: The whole maid cafe thing is both hard and easy for me to understand—while I can understand how an otaku might get enjoyment from such a place, it's hard to believe that someone actually pays for that kind of service. Of course, it seems innocent enough, but I wouldn't want to deal with creepy customers on a regular basis. In a way, I think Misaki is perfectly suited to it because she doesn't take it too seriously (unlike her boss and co-workers) and does it for the right reasons—helping support her family.

Artwork: I don't know if it's the paper that Tokyopop used in this volume, but there's a newspaper-ish quality to the printing that seems to make the artwork look darker than intended. There's also a frenetic pace that's set up pretty quickly by Hiro Fujiwara, with lots of action and movement in the first two chapters. Otherwise, all of the main characters are appropriately good looking and there is a wide cast of side characters, from the other student council members to classmates at school to Misaki's co-workers. But, the costumes are the best part—from Misaki's various maid costumes to the outfits classmates wear during the school festival, Fujiwara does a finely detailed job.

The verdict: Highly recommended. Although it's pretty obvious at the end of the volume where this manga is going, Fujiwara has created a unique character in Misaki and put her in what is a fairly frustrating situation. Thankfully, Usui seems up to the challenge! Maid Sama is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

To learn more about Maid Sama!, check out Tokyopop's online preview below.

Mars, vol. 4

The story: After seeing Kira's painting in the local art museum, two old classmates of Rei's show up at their high school. One of them, Shuichi, is a well-meaning friend who wants to see how Rei has been doing since the untimely death of his brother, Sei. But, the other classmate is Rei's ex-girlfriend Shiori. It seems that in the two years since she last saw Rei, Shiori's never let go of her relationship with him. When she sees him again, she's determined to win Rei back, no matter what—or who—stands in her way. When Kira tries to give Rei some advice, he blows up at her and brings her to tears. With all the emotional baggage these two carry, is there any hope of their burgeoning love surviving?

Reaction: This is an emotional volume, from jealousy and anger to sadness and despair, the cast of characters experiences it all in a near-melodramatic fashion. While I initially saw the introduction of Rei's ex-girlfriend as an overused shojo trope, it actually became a catalyst for Rei to further examine his relationship with his deceased brother. While Shiori is by no means a likeable character, there's a certain amount of pity that I felt for her with her lack of closure regarding her relationship with Rei. In many ways, she treats her time with Rei like a drug—she's addicted and will do anything to get his attention.

Deep thoughts: There's a date auction in this chapter as part of a fundraiser the high school is hosting. I usually find these types of auctions awful in their own way, both as a simulation of slave trade, but also because it's kind of creepy to see how much money one person is willing to spend on another, just for the pleasure of their presence on a "date." Not only that, but the causes these auctions usually support are good ones, like fundraisers for terminal diseases or, in this case, for the high school. There's something mildly reprehensible in the idea that raising money for a cause in such a manner is somehow okay, despite the fact that it's the selling of people.

Artwork: Ah, another reminder that this manga was done in the 1990s—Rei once again appears in a Stussy sweatshirt and his best friend, Tatsuya, appears in an Adidas T-shirt. Otherwise, with all the emotion in this chapter there are a lot of tears and blushing cheeks. There are also toner-filled backgrounds, from lightning strikes to a trippy, psychedelic spread. While these can enhance the emotional effect of a storyline when used sparingly, I felt that it was a bit much at times. Outside of that, there are some moments of action and mild violence, too.

The verdict: If only... I think this volume rehashed some of the darker memories of the main characters and simply introduced new characters to create unnecessary conflict. While I still greatly enjoy the core storyline—the relationship between Kira and Rei—I'm getting a little impatient with the extraneous discord thrown in for discord's sake. These two have enough troubles in their way without throwing in crazy, jealous exes. Mars is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

Mars, vol. 3

The story: Rei is off to race in the Suzuka 8-Endurance Spirit, but Kira cannot join him. Kira does as her mother says, and works on a painting of Rei for a local art contest while listening in on the eight-hour race. While he's ultimately disqualified, Rei impresses some important people in the racing industry. Once he returns to Tokyo, Rei and Kira go the art museum where Kira's portrait of Rei, titled "Mars," is displayed and Rei witnesses how Kira truly sees him.

Reaction: There's a lot of action in this volume, due to Rei's motorcycle race in Suzuka. It was also very Rei-centric, with more interaction with Rei's friends. While I liked that it wasn't non-stop action and had quieter moments between Kira and Rei interspersed throughout, it also broke up the fast-paced rhythm being built. Earlier in the volume, there's also a nice friendship developing between Kira and Hasumi, Kira's former rival for Rei. It was nice to see the two of them getting along, especially since it seems like Kira is in need of friends.

Deep thoughts: It was interesting witnessing the creative process that Kira went through, first starting with a sketch of Rei and then progressing towards the eventual painting. She first sketches Rei shirtless, sitting on a chair. But her final painting is more visceral, as noted by Rei who says that "it also looked like the inside of a human body with cells and veins jostling each other." At the same time in the book, Rei and Kira's relationship becomes more raw and real as they discover more about each other. It's an interesting visual metaphor that Fuyumi Soryo uses to interesting effect.

Artwork: Since there's more action here, there's fewer signs of the usual shojo style. But, Soryo still seems to use screentone in unneeded ways, from use in crowd scenes during Rei's race to some weird "cat-tone" pattern in a panel that includes a confused Kira. Meanwhile, the action scenes are well detailed and are done in such a way that you can feel the rush of the crowd and hear the announcer overhead. It's an almost peculiar juxtaposition.

The verdict: If only... It isn't that I disliked this volume, so much as I wish it was simply composed differently. The back and forth of scenes between Kira and Rei, mixed with Rei's racing, broke up the flow of the story in such a way that I found myself rushing through certain scenes when I should have been reflecting instead. Mars is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

Mars, vol. 2

The story: Kira and Rei become closer emotionally when they begin to learn of each other's tragic pasts. When a classmate takes credit for Kira's artwork, Rei's history starts to unravel and his family situation is simultaneously clarified and convoluted. While naive and innocent Kira is just learning of love and physical attraction, so, too, is Rei beginning to understand love. And even though Rei seems to be emotionally unbalanced in comparison to Kira, Kira is just as prone to emotional swings of her own, oftentimes in reaction to Rei.

Reaction: You know how there's always that criticism about shojo being too heavy when it comes to drama? This volume shows why. While this second volume of Mars doesn't necessarily veer into unnecessary melodrama, it does skate along its edges. Both Kira and Rei have hard pasts to push through, but their ways of dealing with it are completely different. Where Rei comes unbound in violence, Kira retreats into herself and her art. It's an interesting contrast, especially since this seems to only draw them closer together in their complementary ways of comforting one another.

Deep thoughts: Much of this volume revolves around suicide attempts by unseen and bit characters, one of whom is a young man. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide in the U.S. disproportionately skews male and, while young adults aged 20 to 24 are most likely to commit suicide, the demographic to most likely to commit suicide are older adults, aged 65 and older. The strange thing about the suicides depicted in the book was that they're all carried out by people jumping from buildings. While this may be particular to Japanese culture, it proves to be an unpopular method here.

Artwork: The artwork here is fairly typical for shojo, with an obvious use of screentone and "beautiful people." But, the use of inappropriately patterned screentone really threw me off. Just what are little kitties doing in the background of a panel? There's no reason for it and it really throws off the overall serious tone of this manga. I also noticed an increased reliance on what I like to call "the two faces of Kira." If she's not crying with her eyes downcast, she's blushing demurely. Thankfully, Rei has a wider range of emotional reactions.

The verdict: If only... There were many touching moments in this volume, but there weren't enough to overshadow the downsides. I just hope that the inconsistencies between this volume and the first are just that and will be remedied with richer storytelling and less reliance on easy visual cues in the future. Mars is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

Mars, vol. 1

The story: Kira is a shy, artistic girl who keeps to herself. Meanwhile, Rei is an impulsive motorcycle rider who doesn't fear death and lives for the moment. One day, they cross paths and their lives become increasingly intertwined. For Rei, Kira is just another girl. But, it's something altogether different for Kira.

Reaction: My first reaction was "This looks so '90s!" I mean, Kira is wearing a Stussy shirt in the first chapter. It brought back some memories, especially since that's when I went to high school. Anyway, Kira falls hard and fast for Rei, so much so that I almost felt bad for her, especially when she was being bullied by the other girls in her class for it. Somehow, she perseveres through all of this, slowly coming to the realization that she loves Rei. Since she doesn't think much of herself, she constantly tells herself that just the tiniest bit of attention from him is "enough" for her. It's depressing in its own way -- instead of reveling in her first love, Kira simply accepts that it will never be returned.

Deep thoughts: I thought it was interesting to name this manga after the Roman god of war, Mars, similar to the Greek god of war, Ares. Originally, Mars was not considered a god of war and, instead, was worshipped for fertility and to protect farmers. It was only later, when the Roman Empire expanded that he became a god of war. In many ways, it seems that Rei is like Mars -- initially, he protects Kira, but later she looks to him for strength, much like how Mars inspired Roman soldiers. Of course, there's also the fact that Rei is confident and quick to fight.

Artwork: Fuyumi Soryo does a good job in terms of composition and character design. There's also a sparse use of screentone, which is easily overused in shojo manga, and hardly any of the "shojo sparkles." The background scenery isn't overdone, but there are vistas from time to time, especially when Rei's on his motorcycle. Lastly, the character designs for both Rei and Kira perfectly communicate who they are -- Rei's long hair and athletic frame fit him perfectly, while Kira's petite size and girlish looks emphasize her innocence.

The verdict: Highly recommended. Like other high school romance manga, this first volume seemingly cements the relationship between Kira and Rei. However, it won't be easy for the two to be together because of the pure innocence of Kira's love and how Rei doesn't "love" so much as he "likes." What I've seen so far makes me curious to see what comes of the relationship between these two. Mars is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.

The Embalmer, vol. 1

The story: The Embalmer is about an embalmer in Japan, where his work is considered "unclean" since he's working with the dead (and, culturally, is defiling a dead body). The first volume included short stories of the dead that the embalmer works with, including a ballerina who is a friend of a friend, an old man who loves clocks and a father/son story.

Reaction: I cried during the father/son snippet -- it's about a father who had tuberculosis and couldn't hug his son because of it, lest the boy become infected. In the end, the embalmer does his work, making the now-dead man's body sterile so that his son can finally hug him again. It hit a real sore spot for me, especially since my grandmother had TB in the 1950s and was isolated from my mom and aunt (who were toddlers at the time).

Deep thoughts: While the embalmer himself seems like a cold and callous type, it may be more of a defense mechanism as it's clearly outlined later in the volume that he craves a person's touch after working with the dead. He wants to "feel warm." Of course, since he's a young man, this is evidenced in the story by his sleeping around with random women (which is unsurprising, seeing as how he has green eyes and, because of that, draws the attention of women wherever he goes).

Artwork: While I liked the episodic nature of this manga's storyline, it was the art that got me hooked. Mitsukazu Mihara's lines are so stark and gothic, but show great detail in terms of both emotion -- this is about life and death -- and in setting. When the main character, an embalmer named Shin-Jyurou, is working, great care is taken with getting the tools right and creating a descriptive background. And in one panel of the first vignette, an office is prominently featured and one can almost see the scene in full color based on the paneling of the desk, the books on the shelving and the plants scattered about (think 1970-ish: orange, avocado, and tan). And, oh, does Mihara's skill ever extend to drawing the human form -- all the various characters are easy to tell apart, and emotions and other unique characteristics are nicely rendered.

The verdict: Highly recommended. So far, I'm interested in reading the rest of this mature story (only four volumes were published in English) and seeing where the story goes. While I'm not usually a fan of episodic manga -- I prefer an overarching story arc, plotline and character growth -- this really has me thinking otherwise, as I'm drawn in by the exquisite art and poignant stories. The Embalmer is available in the U.S. from Tokyopop.