Manga Review: Blue Exorcist by Kaue Kato

This month, we're reviewing Blue Exorcist Vol. 1by Kazue Kato, which can be described as a combination of Fullmetal Alchemist, King of Hell, and Mu Shi Shi. It features brotherhood, a dark supernatural element, and plenty of battle scenes.

Rin Okumura was raised by a famous exorcist, but he is actually the son of Satan. Rin, determined to become an exorcist despite his demonic background, enrolls in True Cross Academy. His reserved, studious twin brother Yukio is also attending the school. Yukio is not just the top student, he's an accomplished exorcist. Hot-headed, underachieving Rin has a long way to go to prove himself. Luckily, he has a demonic sword to help him out…

The first volume of Blue Exorcist is fast-paced, with two chapters setting up the story (Rin's demonic nature, starting at True Cross) and a third where they exorcise a demon together. The premise and setting are very cool--demons! boarding school! swords!--but the first volume only provides a taste of the world building. A fan of the series assured us that there is a strong story arc in later volumes that does the awesome premise justice.

Blue Exorcist is also an anime that is rumored to be just as good as the manga, if not better. Either way, fans of action-packed anime will want to give Blue Exorcist a try!

A Bride's Story by Kaoru Mori

Because I watch a lot of Doctor Who, I’ve often wondered when and where I’d choose to go if I had access to a spaceship that could travel through time and space. Ancient Egypt? Florence during the height of the Italian Renaissance? Victorian England? 1920s Paris? Nineteenth-century central Asia, however, is a time and place I had not really considered.

Luckily for me, manga artist Kaoru Mori has been fascinated with the Silk Road since childhood. Her manga A Bride’s Story takes place in a nineteenth-century provincial town on the Caspian Sea, most likely in either Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan on modern maps. Her striking, incredibly detailed artwork and the compelling story make this unusual manga an absolute delight to read.

20-year-old Amir, who grew up in a nomadic tribe, gets a bit of a shock when she marries into a settled provincial family: the groom, Karluk, is only 12! The manga mostly focuses on her day-to-day life in her new home and she develops relationships with her young spouse, his extended family, and the English anthropologist, Mr. Smith, who lives with them. Although her new life is fairly comfortable, politics from Amir’s old life have followed her and may now threaten Karluk’s family as well.

Part slice-of-life manga, part historical fiction, A Bride’s Story is mostly a bunch of familiar anecdotes that illustrate everyday life in Amir’s time and place. Readers learn how a house it built, how bread is baked, and how clothes are made, and they see what it’s like to sleep in a yurt or bathe in a bath house. These details never feel forced or didactic, partly because they’re viewed through the eyes of children or outsiders. A hint of tension in Vol. 1 escalates to violence in Vol. 2. More battles and intrigue are clearly on the horizon for Vol. 3.

A Bride’s Story’s greatest strength is the artwork. The clothing, architecture, and landscape are exquisitely drawn. Mori takes great care with the details of embroidery and carved wood. The slow pace and quiet tone, however, might not draw in fans of action-heavy shonen or funny, romantic shojo. This is a manga for anyone who appreciates beautiful art or enjoys learning about often-overlooked places and time periods. I love it and hope you’ll give it a try, too!

Review: Mangaman by Barry Lyga

East meets West in Mangaman by Barry Lyga, a graphic novel about a teenage boy named Ryoko from a manga comic who falls through a rift and ends up in the "real" world of a Western comic. With his long hair, girlish good looks, and manga style, Ryoko stands out in his new high school. Marissa Montaigne, however, thinks Ryoko is fascinating. But Ryoko doesn't belong in the "real" world, and as tensions between Ryoko and the other Western characters rise, he has to choose between his love for Marissa and the possibility of returning to his own world.

This story is probably not the best story for readers who have never read manga before. Manga fans, however, will love the way the Western characters react to Ryoko's sweat-drops of nervousness, heart-shaped eyes, motion lines, and kung fu battles. There are also tons of jokes about the art of comics themselves. Ryoko sometimes gets confused and walks through panels from right to left, the direction manga is read in Japan. The characters also realize they're in a comic and start jumping around and through panels.

The story packs a lot of plot into just one short volume, so it might feel rushed to readers who prefer a more leisurely pace. But if you're looking for a commentary on the differences between Eastern and Western comics, this story is for you!

Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Vol. 1

What can be said about Sailor Moon that hasn't been said before? Yes there are sailor outfits, romantic drama, hidden identities, and an obsession with bedazzled weapons that double as fashion accessories. Yes, some of the catch phrases are a bit cheesy and ridiculous, "I punish you in the name of the moon!" Yes, it stars a clumsy, not-too-smart school girl who transforms into a mystic superhero (with the help of classmates and her talking cat from the moon).

But you know what? It is fun for the same reasons that make it absurd. Sailor Moon speaks to the desire to be more than we think we are. To be more than normal, especially when you feel that you'll never live up to all the expectations that people have for you. It might seem exaggerated and over the top, but it's a wish fulfillment fantasy. And if you're going to dream why not dream big?

This is one of the original star-crossed lover mangas. In the 90s, Sailor Moon was most American kids' introduction to anime and it showed girls that there was an animated program just for them. The newly released Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is a re-release of the original manga from the 90s, originally titled Sailor Moon. The new version has made some changes. Bunny, the main character, is now Usagi, which is Japanese for rabbit. It retains the right-to-left reading style of the original Japanese version, while the first printing in America was left-to-right, flipping the art so the book could be read like conventional western comics. The biggest change though, is that the original American printing came in 18 volumes, while the new release will tell the same story in 12. No material is lost, but the story breaks in different places.

If you have read Sailor Moon before, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon is your chance to finally own the story. The original release went out of print quickly. For new readers this is a great way to discover the classic series for the first time.

Sita's Ramayana

While most Westerners are familiar with Greek epics such as Homer's The Odyssey and The Iliad, the epic traditions of other countries are unfamiliar territory for many American readers. Written by an Indian author known for her retellings of Indian myths and illustrated by a traditional Indian folk artist, this unusual graphic novel introduces the Hindu epic The Ramayana to a new audience in a bold new format unlike anything else in the world of comics today

Part magical adventure, part treatise on war and gender equality, Sita's Ramayana tells the ancient tale of Prince Rama's journey into exile and eventual triumph over the demon king Ravana. Rather than retelling the story from Rama's perspective, this version draws on little-known variants of the tale to show the story from the perspective of Sita, Rama's wife. Fans of the epic will love this new take on the familiar tale, but prior knowledge is not necessary. New readers will be able to dive in and enjoy the story as it unfolds. There's also a family tree at the beginning to help readers keep track of the many characters and their relationships to each other.

The most interesting part of Sita's Ramayana is the artwork. Based on the Patua folk art tradition of India, the illustrations are done in the traditional Patua style and text is arranged non-traditionally on the page, which reflects the oral tradition (in which a storyteller points to images on the scroll as s/he tells the story aloud). The bright colors and bold brushstrokes create lively illustrations that depict the emotional and cultural landscape of this important piece of Indian culture.

Barratt and Lauren Review...Otomen, Vol. 1

High school student Asuka Masumune is a martial arts expert (nationally ranked in kendo, judo, and karate) with a slightly embarrassing secret: he's an "otomen," or a guy who likes girly things like cooking, sewing, and shojo manga. His life changes, however, when he befriends Juta, a womanizing classmate, and falls in love with Ryo, a girl whose own "womanly" skills leave much to be desired. Before he can confess his love, however, Asuka must come to terms with his dueling masculine and feminine natures.

Both Asuka's mother and Ryo's father have complicated ideas about gender that conflict with their children's. Asuka's fears about being seen as feminine and weak aren't just internal; the adults in the series respond negatively to his otomen interests as well. Juta and Ryo are much more accepting of his adorable bento lunches. While the premise seems silly, Asuka's worries about being accepted are genuine and relatable.

Another great element of Otomen is the way that it parodies shojo manga. One of Asuka's classmates is secretly the author of Love Chick, a popular shojo manga series, and has based his main female character almost entirely on Asuka. The fictional manga-ka is suffering writer's block, however, and tries to find inspiration by recreating manga plots in Asuka's real life. It's both a fun read and a subtle commentary on shojo manga itself.

Fans of shojo manga, especially Ouran High School Host Club, will enjoy Otomen's humor, satire, and sparkle.

Barratt and Lauren Review: Recommended Reads

Since it's summer and we've had time to do a little more reading than normal, Lauren and I thought we'd recommend some of the great books we've been reading lately. We'll tell you a little bit about what the book is like, why we think you should read it, and where at Urbana you can find it.

Lauren’s Recommendations

Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba (Y/MANGA/OBA)
The creators of Death Note return with this manga about becoming a manga artist. Can an enthusiastic writer and a reluctant artist make it in a tough industry? This series is wildly popular with the Urbana Otaku Manga Club and may even be part of a giveaway at the Anime Mini-Convention this month!

(5 volumes, ongoing)


Divergent by Veronica Roth (Y/Roth)
In a future dystopian Chicago, society has been divided into five factions. 16-year-old Beatrice must choose which faction to join—and decide whether to remain loyal to her family or true to herself. This is the first volume in a trilogy by a 22-year-old author and has been getting great reviews!



Plain Kate by Erin Bow (Y/Bow)
Kate Carver sells her shadow to a witch to save her life, but soon realizes that her act may bring danger to others. With her talking cat and a group of nomads, Kate must follow the witch and stop him before her shadow disappears completely. A gorgeous eastern European-inspired fantasy. (Barratt also loved this one.)

Barratt’s Recommendations

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde (SF/Fforde)
In an alternate 1985, Literary Dectective Thursday Next investigates crimes against fiction. When a mysterious villain steals the original manuscript of Jane Eyre and begins wreaking havoc at Thornfield, Thursday must follow him into the book and try to set things right. Timetravel, vampires, and genetically reengineered dodos also feature in this teen-friendly English novel.

(Sequels: Lost in a Good Book, The Well of Lost Plots, Something Rotten, First Among Sequels, One of Our Thursdays is Missing)


Fruits Basket by Natstuki Takaya (Y/MANGA/TAK)
High school student Tohru Honda is living in a tent after her mother’s death when a popular classmate offers her a place to live. But his family is under a terrible curse: they are possessed by spirits of the zodiac and turn into animals when hugged by a member of the opposite sex. As Tohru finds herself being drawn into the family, she becomes determined to break the curse.

(23 volumes, complete)


Real Live Boyfriends by E. Lockhart (Y/Lockhart)
Seattle high school student Ruby Oliver is entering her senior year. She’s still having panic attacks, her friend Nora still isn’t speaking to her, and she’s still making lists. But a huge fight with her mom and some strange behavior from her boyfriend might make this the worst school year ever (and, after the debacles of sophomore year, that is really saying something).

(Earlier books in the series: The Boyfriend List, The Boy Books, The Treasure Map of Boys)

Happy summer reading!

Graphic Novel Review: Kill Shakespeare

Lauren and I are back with another graphic novel review. This month's title is Kill Shakespeare Vol. 1, which is (not surprisingly) a comic about a fictional world in which all of Shakespeare's characters exist simultaneously. The heroes revere their creator as a god, but the villains have recruited the hapless Hamlet to kill the evil wizard once and for all.

Since this is a new take on the Bard, Lauren and I thought it would be fun to, once again, write two sets of reviews: one for the fans and one for the non-fans.

10 Reasons a Shakespeare Fan Should Read Kill Shakespeare

1. Shakespearean Villains vs. Heroes
2. The Villains want to kill Shakespeare and take his powers and the Heroes think he is a mystical god-like figure that will save them from all evil.
3. Hamlet is the main hero, destined to find and awaken the wizard Shakespeare and his magic pen. If he can ever stop dithering over whether he should be trying to find the wizard.
4. Falstaff gets Hamlet to dress up as a woman of loose morals to escape capture.
5. Lady Macbeth and Richard III both think they can out manipulate the other and the Three Witches just might be pulling their strings.
6. Romeo might be dead and Juliet is a female Robin Hood (or Joan of Arc) with Othello as her Little John.
7. Iago is playing both sides (You're shocked I know).
8. The dialogue is still Shakespearean.
9. Characters stay true to their personalities in the plays.
10. It is as bloody and emotional as a Shakespearean tragedy, but feels more action packed than angsty.

10 Reasons Why a Shakespeare Non-Fan Should Read Kill Shakespeare

1. You don’t have to know Shakespeare to follow the story. It’s a heroic quest in the midst of a good vs. evil battle, just populated by characters that were written by someone else first. (Kind of like superhero comics!)
2. It gives you all sorts of insider knowledge about Shakespeare, without having to read the plays. I’ve never read Hamlet, but now I know who Rosencranz and Guildenstern are. Woo!
3. If you hate Shakespeare, that’s okay! So do Richard III and Lady MacBeth. And there’s a chance he might get killed off, which I know some non-fans have wished for sincerely in freshman English.
4. Even though dialogue uses Elizabethan English, it’s easy to follow, partly because it’s in the familiar format of speech bubbles and partly because you get visual context from the illustrations.
5. Bloody battles worthy of any action comic.
6. Intrigue! Scandal! Secrets! Everyone is manipulating everyone else and threats of betrayal are everywhere.
7. Juicy romantic entanglements. For starters, Juliet doesn’t seem to be in love with Romeo any more...
8. There are also ghosts!
9. And promises of revenge.
10. Basically, it’s a great story that takes Shakespearean drama and transforms it into something new and innovative.

Basically, we think everyone should read it post-haste!