Flashlight Worthy Books List: Graphic Novels: About Women. By Women.

Earlier this month, I was asked to contribute to a graphic novel list by Flashlight Worthy, a website with lists of books recommended by bloggers and others. In recognition of Women's History Month in March, the list, "Graphic Novels: About Women. By Women," focused on graphic novels about and by women.

Unsurprisingly, many manga filled the list, including my selection, Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms. Check out the list for many other "flashlight-worthy" tomes that are worth reading "past bedtime."

MangaCast Review: King of RPGs, vol. 1

While it's been more than a month since I reviewed this book, I'm listing it here as part of some belated blog-related housekeeping.

Last month, I reviewed King of RPGs, vol. 1, for MangaCast, a blog featuring manga news and reviews. Here's an excerpt from my review:

It’s freshman year at the fictional University of California Escondido for Sessions Maccabee and, while it’s a brand-new start, he’s hiding a big secret — he was addicted to online role-playing games in high school, resulting in a serious mental breakdown, hours of therapy and now regularly taking psychoactive drugs. ... First things first, I’m no RPG gamer, online or otherwise. But, I absolutely loved this book because of all the cool references to places and things familiar to me.

To read the rest of my review, click here.

Review copy provided by the publisher.

My Heavenly Hockey Club, vol. 3

The story: Sleep- and food-loving Hana is a none-too-willing member of her high school's field hockey club, even if it is filled with gorgeous boys. This time around, Hana and one of the boys get lost in the jungle while on vacation, leading to hilarious results. Up next is the obligatory group vacation at a hot springs resort, only this isn't what the team expected. When the vacation ends and it's time to head home, Izumi finds an unexpected guest waiting for him. In trying to avoid his guest, he ends up dragging Hana into a faux relationship against her will.

Reaction: This series grew on me in this volume -- it takes all the expected shojo tropes and makes them more hilarious and satirical. While it would be so easy to give in to fan service, or let this story take a dramatic turn to develop the romantic relationships, Ai Morinaga avoids it and skewers typical storylines instead. I will freely admit that the last chapter is a little stupid, but it's too ridiculous to not be found at least a little bit funny.

Deep thoughts: In talking to a friend about this series, I realized that I was a little too hard on it initially. I often compare it to the reverse-harem comedy Ouran High School Host Club, which came out first. But, the way she looked at it was through the lens of satirical comedy and measured it on its own merits. In some ways, MHHC is a caricature of OHSHC and takes some of the situations presented there to their logical, if more extreme, conclusion. I don't know that MHHC does "it" better, but it certainly is entertaining in its own way.

Artwork: There are some great physical comedy moments throughout this volume, especially during the hot springs chapter. Overall, though, my favorite panel is probably from the first chapter where Hana shouts, "Whose dad are you!!!?" She's leaping through the air, mouth agape and ready to pounce on Takashi in anger. Meanwhile, he's turned away from her, cowering in fear. It's an unexpected interaction between the two, especially since Takashi usually plays the bully. Of course, there are also exaggerated shojo moments, like furiously blushing cheeks and perfectly timed tears. But, the "crutch" of nudity as rom-com plot device is a bit overdone by now and I'm ready for them to crack a new joke.

The verdict: If only... I know I've yet to be totally satisfied with this series, but I still enjoy it based upon its merits. With a few tweaks here and there, I could see this easily becoming more of a favorite. For now, I'll just enjoy the goofy plots and abundant laughs. My Heavenly Hockey Club is available in the U.S. from Del Rey.

Kitchen Princess, vol. 4

The story: Najika has an amazing ability -- anything she tastes she can cook from memory. When her parents died when she was younger, she found comfort in the kindness of a boy she named her "flan prince." Now at Seika Academy, she's trying to find her prince while making new friends. Unfortunately, Najika and Daichi have had a fight, and Najika doesn't know why he's upset with her. Why all is eventually forgiven, Najika is quickly distracted by a major discovery. Has she found her flan prince at last?

Reaction: There's something fishy going on here and it has nothing to do with Najika's cooking! For some reason, I don't think the big reveal of the prince is for real. Call me suspicious (and no spoilers please!). Other than that, there's another Akane-related storyline here and I find myself tiring of the character and her many personality defects. Lastly, this volume reveals a major development in our story's love "cube," and I found myself wondering how the romantic plot will resolve itself. As usual I really liked the food here, since it was very dessert focused. Thankfully, all the tasty recipes, as always, are featured at the end of the volume!

Deep thoughts: There's mention in this volume again of the rift between Sora and Daichi. Thus far, there's been no explanation for their estrangement, outside of some vague references to their mother and her death. While Najika's flan prince is the big mystery in this manga, I find myself more compelled by the brothers' relationship. What grudge does Daichi have against Sora and why doesn't Sora feel the same for his younger brother?

Artwork: The art here is really shojo-esque, more so than prior volumes. Think lots of floating flowers, blushing cheeks and toner-filled panels. It's not necessarily bad, but it's more visually distracting than usual. I also noticed some awkward anatomy, which I attribute more than anything to Natsumi Ando's angular style. Otherwise, the food still looks good!

The verdict: If only... I found this volume a little less interesting and tedious, but I was given one cliffhanger of an ending, so I'll be sticking around. Besides, by the next volume, I'll have made it halfway through this series, so I'm not stopping now! Kitchen Princess is available in the U.S. from Del Rey.

Land of the Blindfolded, vol. 8

As you may have noticed, posting has been pretty non-existent around here during the past week or so. Unfortunately, I'm experiencing some technical difficulties with the home computer I use for writing reviews. Hopefully, I'll be able to have it taken care of soon. Until then, expect fewer posts than normal. Now, on with the review!

The story: High schooler Kanade has a unique gift that allows her to sometimes see the past of people and objects. When two mysterious boys with similar abilities transfer to her school, they become her closest confidants. In this volume, the whole gang is back from their hot springs vacation and life gets back to (somewhat) normal. Namiki follows an extremely unlucky day with an incredibly lucky birthday surprise. Then, poor Kanade gets sick and puts Arou in a tough position. At one point, Eri, Kanade's best friend, learns about Arou's similar gift when a school thief strikes. By volume's end, Arou's uncle Suo can't contain his curiosity about his nephew's strong ability to see the past. Will his jealousy push him to the brink?

Reaction: There are some good self-contained stories in this volume that I really enjoyed and the last chapter raises some concerns that I hadn't really thought about before. Regardless, it was nice to see Namiki's birthday celebration, as it was to see Arou's classmates' support. While Kanade has been close to her classmates for some time, it seems that only now are Arou and Namiki beginning to experience the same. It's very heartwarming and is great evidence of the character growth the three leads have experienced, especially considering their personalities at series' start.

Deep thoughts: Maybe it's just me, but the author's notes in this series seem a bit more extensive than many others. The only other mangaka that comes to mind that pens extensive author's notes throughout volumes is Aya Nakahara of Love*Com fame. Here, I feel like I know Sakura Tsukuba better and have a real feel for what she's doing with this series. Then again, maybe it's just that I'm actually reading the periodic asides, as opposed to glancing over them as I might in other series, especially those that are more "slice of life" moments or personal asides.

Artwork: There are some really great panels in this volume, possibly the best of the entire series. I especially liked the opening page of the last chapter -- Arou, wrapped in bandages, walks towards a burst of light set against a black background. It's stark and depressing, but is set against the joy these characters are experiencing. I also liked the chapter cut pages, particularly the first one where Namiki looks like a beaten soldier. There's something world-weary about his look that juxtaposes nicely with the chapter that focuses on him.

The verdict: Highly recommended. This is an amazing series that I'm sorry I didn't get to sooner. There are some typical high school moments, but they are done so much better than most other shojo stories. This story has a lot of heart, due in large part to its heroine and the group of people she has surrounded herself with. I'll honestly be sad to see this series end in the next volume. Land of the Blindfolded is available in the U.S. from CMX (online preview available).

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).

We Were There, vol. 2

The story: Nana has a crush on popular guy Yano, but he's constantly picking on her in school. When she finally 'fesses to her feelings, all she gets is an ambiguous response in return. But, in this volume, Yano's behavior is explained with flashbacks to memories with his now-dead, ex-girlfriend. From the start of their friendship to her death in a car accident, Yano's emotions run the gamut. But, things change and he admits to his new feelings for Nana; she's understandably elated. But, can they overcome Yano's troubled romantic past, or is Nana forever doomed to live in the shadow of his ex?

Reaction: This is not your standard shojo fare. Where other high school romances run the comedic route, We Were There uncomfortably settles into bittersweet reality. There's a dark place where Yano's personality escapes to and, at times, it's painstaking to watch Nana try to help him while simultaneously being pushed away. But, there's something to be said for Nana's seemingly unending capacity and determination to love Yano; it's an optimism you have to have a certain sense of maturity to truly appreciate.

Deep thoughts: In 2006, We Were There won the 50th Shogakukan Award, which is given annually by Shogakukan Publishing. Interestingly, the award is not exclusive to the company's works. Shogakukan, which started the awards in 1957, is part of one of the largest publishing conglomerates in Japan, Hitotsobashi Group. Along with Shuiesha, also part of the Hitotsobashi Group, Shogakukan also owns Viz Media (and We Were There publisher) in the U.S.

Artwork: As I've said before, there are some visual reminders of Monkey High! in terms of character design. But, more often than not, there are blushing cheeks, mildly humorous classroom scenes and respectfully illustrated serious moments. The art is even-handed in terms of "shojoness" and never veers into the extremes of screentone addiction or ridiculously floating flowers -- it's simply not that kind of manga.

The verdict: Highly recommended. There's a certain tenderness of youth here, with an edge of cynicism. Sure, there's time to appreciate romance, but it's a double-edged sword, too -- love can bring pain. Thankfully, this series only skates on the edges of melodrama and instead reveals a compelling teenage relationship that adults can appreciate. We Were There is available in the U.S. from Viz.