Sheeply Horned Witch Romi (known in rōmaji as Youkaku no Majoromi) is the newest series by mangaka Abe Youichi, who is known in Japan for his unique art style, characterised by thick, bold lines, and for his fascinating storytelling, where he interweaves supernatural and realistic concepts to create highly eccentric settings and scenarios. It’s theContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Sheeply Horned Witch Romi”
Tag Archives: graphic novel
Manga Review: Inuyashiki (Oku Hiroya)
Inuyashiki solidifies my belief that Oku Hiroya is the Roland Emmerich of the manga world. The series is bombastic and action-packed, with many compelling ideas, but like an Emmerich movie, the exciting premise is bogged down by surface-level details, with a plot and characters that could be much more persuasive and captivating than they everContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Inuyashiki (Oku Hiroya)”
Manga Review: Chainsaw Man (Tatsuki Fujimoto)
Chainsaw Man is one of the most beloved new series to have featured in Shueisha’s famous Weekly Shounen Jump magazine, sharing the prestigious 66th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2021. Written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto, with a profusion of influences from Western horror media to the Kizumonogatari anime and Nihei Tsutomu’s esoteric Abara, it isContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Chainsaw Man (Tatsuki Fujimoto)”
Manga Review: Monster (Naoki Urasawa)
The story goes that Naoki Urasawa toyed with penning a manga set in the medical field early in his career, but met resistance from his editor. Now, almost two decades since Monster concluded, it’s clear to see it was not only – against his editor’s predictions – a landmark work for Urasawa in terms ofContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Monster (Naoki Urasawa)”
Manga Review: Kanai-kun (Matsumoto x Tanikawa)
In 2014, mangaka Taiyo Matsumoto released a 48 page picture book, exploring attitudes towards death. It was a collaboration with famed poet Shuntaro Tanikawa, and the artwork and manuscripts were also presented as an exhibition at the Parco Museum in Shibuya, Tokyo. Recent events in my own life have led me to rediscover this heartfeltContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Kanai-kun (Matsumoto x Tanikawa)”
Manga Talk: I Am a Hero
Kengo Hanazawa’s manga I Am a Hero ended just the other day, after eight years of publication. The ending has divided readers—understandably so—as it leaves many questions unanswered, but I don’t believe it’s as open as it seems. Warning! Spoilers below. After the showdown atop the Sunrise building in Tokyo, a group of survivors manageContinueContinue reading “Manga Talk: I Am a Hero”
Manga Review: Gintama (Hideaki Sorachi)
“At its heart Gintama is a science fiction human pseudo-historical comedy. The bottom line is that this is a nonsense manga. But I don’t believe in telling readers what to think, so read it any way you like.” – Hideaki Sorachi Set during the 19th century in an alternate-reality Edo that has been conquered byContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Gintama (Hideaki Sorachi)”
Manga Review: Billy Bat (Naoki Urasawa)
Billy Bat is an intricately woven mystery-thriller; it’s a manga where twists and turns are around every corner and one which you will have to invest quite a bit of time into before any kind of revelation or payoff, but my is it gripping. We begin with Kevin Yamagata; a Japanese-American cartoonist whose series BillyContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Billy Bat (Naoki Urasawa)”
Manga Review: Peace Maker (Nanae Chrono)
Nanae Chrono’s Peace Maker was released at a time where Shinsengumi fiction was confined mostly to television shows and films – in fact, the same year saw the release of Nagisa Oshima’s Gohatto – despite them being a staple of Japanese history and culture. Rurouni Kenshin and Kaze Hikaru were really the only other establishedContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Peace Maker (Nanae Chrono)”
Manga Review: Coin Laundry no Onna (Hiro Kiyohara)
Coin Laundry no Onna – otherwise known as The Laundromat Woman – is a humorous, gag-based series that follows the life and times of Maoko, a Sadako-like girl who receives much pleasure in scaring the customers of her laundromat. The manga is presented in an episodic fashion, with each chapter following Maoko and the supportingContinueContinue reading “Manga Review: Coin Laundry no Onna (Hiro Kiyohara)”
Morning, Roo 