Two Epic Zombie Mangas You Have To Read

Two Epic Zombie Mangas You Have To Read

Thursday, January 19, 2017 / No Comments

Watching Train to Busan last year seemed to ignite a zombie fanatic spark in me. From then on, I had become totally enraptured with the genre. I binged on The Walking Dead for a long while, fangirled over Daryl and then dropped it at season 7. (It really started to go downhill when Negan appeared like… That dude has no substance. Nice teeth though. The Governor was the best villain in my opinion. Anyone else agree?? Okay, I should shut up about TWD.)

Back to the point, I’m totally feeling zombies at the moment. I literally can't get enough of them. So I thought I’d share the stuff I’ve been reading, and that is worth reading, so far. Sweet dreams peeps.

I Am a Hero by Kengo Hanazawa

   

The main character is a struggling mangaka, insecure in both his work and love life. When a zombie plague breaks out, it’s up to him to become the hero of his own story.

There’s a pretty major turning point that occurs in the latter part of the story which includes a plot twist about the zombies. It starts to get extra weird and I would say that it gets even better. I don’t want to pigeonhole such a great manga, but I must admit it begins to take on a very Gantz vibe.

Keeps surprising me with its unpredictable turn of events, WTF moments (those who have read it will know what I’m talking about gosh) and intricate storytelling. I love that the zombies are humanised, there is great character development and the art is beautiful. A unique aspect is its first person perspective sequences which make you feel like you’re in a video game.

A tip for people picking this up for the first time: pay attention to side characters who don’t seem too important at the moment – they have a tendency to reappear as main roles or have unexpected relations to the main characters.

Rating: 5/5 – the best zombie manga I’ve read so far. It’ll be hard to top for sure.

Recommended soundtrack: Kokomo album and Zombie by TheCranberries (I HAD TO GUYS, just imagine an MMV to this holy cow)

Apocalypse no Toride by Kazu Inabe and Yu Kuraishi

Set in a juvenile prison full of OP good looking teenagers, Apocalypse no Toride has perfected the formula for the ultimate zombie romp – badass characters, grotesque violence and a big dose of creativity. It’s loads of fun to read when survival is at the core of the story, and this manga piles on the action with nary a wasted panel.

The characters’ backgrounds are gradually revealed in depth as flashbacks, making them more than just one-dimensional delinquents. Coupled with Hollywood worthy dialogue and seriously cool zombie designs, it entertains while also touching the heart. The only thing that held me back from giving it a full score was the obviously rushed ending, which although was still very satisfying, left a lingering sense of plot holes.

Rating: 4.5/5

Recommended soundtrack: Rock and Metal Mix (Down with the Sickness by Disturbed is absolute perfection for this)

Written by Faelan

March comes in like a Lion

March comes in like a Lion

Sunday, September 25, 2016 / No Comments

I can't believe just how some things have passed me by for a pretty long time, yet there has long been an awareness of such lingering around the back of my head. Recently, while browsing in Books Kinokuniya I came across a series of manga that will have an anime adaptation in October (essentially the Fall season). Its drawing style is honestly not something that I would be remotely intrigued by, but like what I have said about the lingering stuff it had actually triggered something in my head. So I made a mental note to sample some. Anybody here reads 3-gatsu no Lion (March comes in like a Lion)?

The series has a rather interesting line-up, with the main character being a professional shogi player since a very young age, and how his life entwines with those of the people around him, in particular a trio of sisters living nearby. The theme of shogi seems to serve as just a backdrop and not overwhelm with its technicalities which is good, because I don't have plans to learn the game anytime soon. The story is also fairly slow-paced and not desperate to go anywhere. Anyway, I should say that my curiosity had suddenly multiplied, and I found myself reading until...Chapter 32 or somewhere around there.

Yeah, so the professional shogi player is Kiriyama Rei, who was 17 at the start of the manga. Rei comes across as severely socially awkward, but we quickly realise the reasons which have shaped him the way that he is. He leads an independent life after staying and training with his shogi teacher, though at one glance it isn't difficult telling that the so-called independence is actually nondescript and worrying. But fate had Rei meet with the Kawamoto sisters, who took an instant liking to him and informally act as his family of sorts. Oh, did I mention that there are also cats in this? The cats have their own voices throughout the manga! 

Spending time over at the Kawamotos gradually opens up Rei's vulnerability and his gentle nature. His life alternates between them, shogi and high school. Apparently, his status as a professional shogi player is larger than imagined, though there are obviously stronger and better players surrounding him. Rei's key opponents in shogi are somewhat a haphazard mix. Sure, they are rivals yet it is just as evident that they also genuinely care for Rei outside of the game. One particular guy stands out: Nikaidou Harunobu. Nikaidou has no sense of shame at all when it comes to Rei. We also realise that Rei has a tough time fighting off Nikaidou's overpowering invasion of personal space and such. Does anybody think that they are friends anyway? 

Besides the anime adaptation, there is a two-part live-action film adaptation which will premiere in March and April next year. I'm more interested in the anime though. Oddly, I don't find myself the least inclined to watch live-action adaptations. It is the same for other manga titles. Hmm. Anyway, I shall attempt to follow this series regularly. There is a subtle charm working!

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪  

Hare Kon

Hare Kon

Thursday, September 22, 2016 / No Comments

Recently, I was invited to a rather peculiar wedding ceremony where three women have exchanged marital vows with the same man. In that particular town, such a phenomenon is not uncommon. Known as Hare Kon, it is where a man is permitted to marry multiple wives in an effort to save the declining birth rate. However, that same man can only take up a maximum of three wives. I can't say that I completely trust that arrangement anytime though it seems like a gradually natural affair in the eyes of the community. Then again, what could be worse?

Yeah, the utter fact that a woman has to share her husband with other women is largely unimaginable yet when she becomes confronted with a situation like such, her mind and heart can't readily agree though it is apparent that there is no other way than to embrace wholeheartedly her circumstances. Of course, she does develop feelings for her man. The idea of reciprocal however hinders that process. With three wives in the house, does that imply that the man's love for each woman is just one-third?

The outburst of varying emotions seeps through this unconventional relationship. Confusion sinks in almost all the time. The woman feels strongly against even the minute things that would have been fine with the other wives. Her 'sisters' are intolerant towards the new wife's complaints and such, as they believe that she is missing the bottom line of the situation. Once a person has entered into a new arrangement, there is no way to look back and whine about anything. 

The fine line between love and sex is easily overturned as well. I suppose that it is only natural for married couples to do the thing even if it could come across as perverse especially when the same man is tending to three different women at different times. The woman finds it nearly impossible to give in to that idea, yet over time it becomes apparent that she no longer struggles that much with exclusivity. Sure, there are more pressing issues around but the moment itself is just as important as it would define the direction of the woman's relationship with her husband and his other wives.

Drama is always present regardless of what is good or bad. So is comic relief. There are a lot of hilarious moments in their relationships with each other. Here is one that just kills without conscience: First Wife and Second Wife are in the middle of a heated debate over what sort of lingerie the Third Wife should buy so as to entice their husband at night. I didn't know that trying on lingerie so openly in the store was remotely possible in the first place. Well, that is part of life too I guess!

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪   

Watashi ga Motete Dousunda!

Watashi ga Motete Dousunda!

Saturday, September 17, 2016 / No Comments

Where to start with this manga…ah…

Firstly, understand one thing… I haven’t read the shoujo genre in a while, so picking up this series was surprising even to myself. Other than the typical reverse-harem feature in most shoujo manga it isn’t anything special in my opinion, but what caught my interest was the feature of a hardcore otaku protagonist and what’s more she’s a fujoshi (a girl that enjoys yaoi/BL) too!

 

Main Character - Kae (after losing weight)

A quick run of the storyline, Watashi ga motete dousunda (or Kiss Him, Not Me!) is about a high school girl named Serinuma Kae. She’s your typical otaku – attending conventions, in love with 2-D characters, and with the added interest of shipping guys together. At the start of the manga, she’s not any sort of looker at all, in fact she’s fat and somewhat clumsy. However, in a dramatic turn of events where her favourite manga character dies, resulting in her going on an impromptu diet, and TAH-DAH! Kae becomes not only thin but incredibly cute as well. And in usual shoujo manga fashion, Kae gets her entourage of hot guys that pine for her attention after that. 

 

Recipe no Oujisama - by Junko

At this point, I’d like to note that the mangaka, Junko, actually authors more yaoi/BL related manga titles than shoujo (I do read some of her other titles), so I guess an introduction of a fujoshi character would be something close to her heart as well. Haha~

Kae (Before losing the weight) She's so cute ><

Anyway, moving on moving on, I loved the art of the manga, everything is proportioned properly, Kae and her suitors are well drawn and look gorgeous. Kae looks cute in her chubby look and really really pretty in her slim look. The spazzing over hot guys and well paced scene cuts makes the manga a smooth read. With most of the conflicts that rise being solved within the chapter itself. You won’t see much cliffhangers here.

All is fine and dandy, but here’s where I take issue with the manga. Is that the guys! The guys were being extremely superficial at the start. Good art really saved the manga for me, if it weren’t for the well-drawn pages of art I might not have stayed to read on. Initially, all of the guys have had previous interactions with her, but all of them literally fell for Kae’s looks first. And then immediately redeemed themselves for not judging her for being an otaku. And then immediately going back to superficial when Kae suddenly gains back all the weight she’s lost. And then redeeming themselves again by suddenly discovering her inner beauty. Much wow! The insta-love is also a running trope of shoujo for sure, but the insta-declarations of love, and some of the situational setups… felt like something out of a BL manga.

 

I'll leave it to you to find out who is who~ ;)

More about the men in the manga, well, you have your stereotypical guys, the brooding one, the goofy one, the senpai – the weird one, the kouhai – the one that looks like a girl. Nothing particularly interesting, they all get their chance at character development through interactions with Kae, which is nice. And since this is shoujo, I don’t actually mind the cliché-ness of everything, sometimes a norm in a genre is comforting. And have I mentioned the art? Haha… yes this article is all about the fluffy art. Junko is obviously good when it comes to drawing guys.

Oh, and there’s also an addition of a girl Nishina Shima – a tomboy of sorts who is rich, athletic and a doujin artist, as well as a fellow fujoshi like Kae, needless to say they become best friends of course.

The poor girl...

Story development was fairly good across the chapters until recent chapters, where all of Kae’s suitors confess to her, and she doesn’t give a decisive answer (like every shoujo manga out there)… And man does this situation drag out really long. Any longer, and it would be really selfish on Kae’s part to keep them all hanging actually. I do hope she comes to a conclusion soon. But I guess when you're in love with 2-D... coming to terms with 3-D can be a bit challenging. (Nothing can be as bad as Watashi ni XX shinasai though…)

Cute, fluffy art~

TL;DR:

Watashi ga motete dousunda is a typical shoujo manga with a slightly more interesting premise. The art is to read for, and if you’re a BL fan yourself, the level of how much you’d be able to relate to this manga will go up in spades. (Frankly, if I didn't read BL as well, it might not have been as appealing.) You’d find yourself amused with some familiar BL tropes disguised as shoujo plot points and experience the same kind of slow maddening frustrations you might have had while reading other shoujo manga. Still, I think the manga is worth a try if you're looking for something light-hearted and humorous.

If you’re interested, the manga will have an anime adaptation starting this fall season, and a drama CD, which you can listen to here, has also been released. The seiyuus are stellar in the tracks. The first track of the drama CD follows the first chapter of the manga, while the second track is an original story. I might do a translation of the second track depending on my time, and if there's demand. 

Till next time nya~ :3

Written by Neko

Kanojo wa Rokurokubi

Kanojo wa Rokurokubi

Wednesday, June 22, 2016 / No Comments

I have been wondering about strange phenomena and supernatural occurrences lately, thanks to the timely touchdown of not one but two iconic ghosts in Japanese film history. I find immense pleasure from indulging in such, though it is mostly a quiet, lonely process. As mentioned before, my friends don't really dig the scary stuff. I suppose that I have long been used to that feeling, since horror is considered a tough genre to crack for many people. The idea of getting scared or scaring others is nowhere on their bucket lists.

Anyway, while thinking of something else along that stretch to write on, I was pleasantly reminded of an ancient folklore in which a woman would transform into a long-necked monster in the middle of the night, and attack unsuspecting people. Until today, I didn't know what that yokai was called. She is the Rokurokubi, classically known for her ability to stretch her neck extensively, turning and twirling at corners and such. A different variation has the head flying off instead. In any case, the Rokurokubi is a true stretch of horror, pun absolutely intended.

Then, I discovered that there is actually a modern, though slice-of-life interpretation of the monster, in the aptly titled manga series 'Kanojo wa Rokurokubi' (She is a Rokurokubi). The main character is essentially a high-school student who just happens to have a flexible neck. This peculiar aspect seems to have sat well with the people around her, as they are pretty much used to the random stretching of her neck at incredible lengths. The running gags are refreshingly hilarious, with the Rokurokubi (by the way her name is Natsuki) mostly getting victimised by her own actions, be those neck-related or not.

You see, I believe that Natsuki is also a tsundere whose awkward feelings towards her childhood friend, next-door neighbour and classmate Itsuki often emit weird vibes down her neck (there doesn't seem to be anywhere else for that matter), causing even more awkward situations which seem to take on a predictably heart-thumping romantic route, though there is still a striking difference in this get-up. Well, I wouldn't mind keeping up to see what the relationship between Natsuki and Itsuki would become.

Honestly, there are just too many things in this manga that might trigger an uncontrollable laughing fit if anybody were to read it outside or something. One of my favourites has to be the convenient, lazy demonstration of hair-washing in the sink. But that is actually rather dangerous to say the least.

One thing leads to another. I'm glad that I have managed to stumble upon something which I could kill time with on a lazy day! Currently, two tankoubon volumes have been published. Ah, before I forget...the manga artist is Nieki Zui. I can't wait to read more!

Eccentrically Yours.

Written by J.Fluffysheep ♪  

High School Life of a Fudanshi

High School Life of a Fudanshi

Saturday, June 18, 2016 / No Comments

Have you tried buying something ecchi before? The heat on your cheeks, fast heartbeat, awkward eye contact. Well, Sakaguchi knows. Except he's buying BL ヾ(o✪‿✪o)ｼ

First things first, this isn't Boys Love. Well, it focuses on the topic though. This is a humorous manga about BL! I smiled the whole time reading it. A fudanshi is not so different from being a fujoshi. I can relate! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و

The main character, Sakaguchi, looks at the world around him the way fujoshi look at manga, with BL eyes.

He has a BL sensor!

The manga also dips a little into transvestism and crossdressing (although Sakaguchi is unaware of that second one).

By the way, he and his best friend Nakamura are really close too... *wriggles eyebrows* I'm kidding, Nakamura feels straighter than a flag pole to me. Speaking of Nakamura, I really like him!

Despite having no interest in BL, he entertains Sakaguchi's BL talk for hours, and (unwillingly) acts as a shield for Nakamura to spy on people.

Nakamura's verbal vomit after mulling over the plot of a BL Sakaguchi shared.

He even sits through Sakaguchi's fantasizing.

When Nakamura asked why not go to a boy's school which would be better for *ahem* Sakaguchi's interests, Sakaguchi says he likes the forbidden feeling of BL in a mixed school! "Even with girls surrounding me, I chose a boy" kind of feeling... Sakaguchi is scary Σ(゜ロ゜;)

However, Nakamura draws the line at accompanying Sakaguchi to buy BL.

Actually, Nakamura draws the line at Twitter as well.

But before long, Sakaguchi finds a kindred spirit! A *drumroll please* fujoshi!

Illegal transactions aside, Sakaguchi bought BL doujin of Nakamura and a senpai?! (((╹д╹;)))

This is bad, how is Sakaguchi going to explain himself! Who drew the doujin! For more, please check out Fudanshi Koukou Seikatsu yourself!

Written by Nana