animemiz’s scribblings..

海のトリトン by Osamu Tezuka Read more…

Since I skipped last month’s MMF with Paradise Kiss – coming back with August MMF. This time the book chosen is on Yotsuba&! from Yen Press, and other related blog posts will be hosted here.  I will be talking about a bit of Yotsuba and then going onto another title for general manga reading.

Yotsuba&! by Kiyohiko Azuma is a slice of life story about a little girl who move into a new house – and this is about her discovery, as with her interactions with her single father and three next door neighbors. This is a manga that is aimed for people of all ages… and has had a history of being translated in the United States by two publishers, the now defunct ADV Press and then picked up by Yen Press.

As a frequent patron of the New York Public Library, they have two different copies of volume 1 of this title.  It is a popular title as it should – since it was created by the mangaka for Azumanga Daioh and with its interesting release history in the United States. Yotsuba&! has won awards, so it is a very good title to recommend for young readers.

So far, I have only read volume 1 and decided to stop and drop this title. Manga reading is always dependent on taste, and Yotsuba&! is a title I didn’t want to pursue, based on a personal reason of taste. For the more plot driven adult readers there’s Bunny Drop that is a better title, which is also carried by Yen Press.

But that is not the aim of this MMF at all so with aspect of mentioning – Yotsuba&! and another child-friendly title. I will bring my pick and love for what is an all about general age graphic novel for kids young and old.

Chi’s Sweet Home, by Konami Kanata released in the United States by Vertical Press.

There are currently seven volumes out in Japan, and currently at the time of this post written – two books in English. There’s two anime seasons, I believe, maybe one or two seasons that is available on Crunchy Roll.

Did I have to mention that as a feverent feline lover – that Chi’s protagonist is a kitten? The manga is about Chi’s adventures with Yohei, her young owner – and her discovery of the world from a growing cat’s perspective. She enjoys life, gets into trouble – but is a fantastic discover of the world around her. Very natural!

This is a fantastic series that is adult friendly as well. I love this series, since I am a cat owner and can find relevance with how my cat grew up as well. Plus Chi is all about cute as can be! Kids can find relevance with Yohei… so as with all manga reading – it is an enjoyable read! The other day I read a comic strip, about Yohei and Chi facing Kuro Neko, that I though was very impressive and cute. Used it on my mom to only have her, only to have her snap back – that’s she’s not an animal, and should kick the heck out of me…cues my sister break out in laughter.

The Japanese manga is easy reading for Japanese learners – as it is a manga with nothing but hirigana, for the cat sounds that Chi makes, but in the fact that things happen to her, so this little kitty is thinking. When I say there are seven manga so far in Japanese, that’s how much I collected of the Japanese one.

This is my 100% choice for kids to know, read and fall in love with, so definitely read Chi’s Sweet Home – no matter what!

As Manga Moveble Feast is underway with this month’s selection, To Terra. Anyone can check for links to the other participants here. It is a feeling of mixed bag of nuts and bolts as I revisit the world of the Mu and the Terran. On one aspect, it has all the conflicts and rage of a serious human confrontation as one can see on X-Men or Matrix, or it can be as simple as a school yard conflict with two opposing sides. I would say a song of “Kumbaya” is probably going to be regarded with a huge wave of distaste, so I can only move on, as I try to probe into this work that is To Terra.

This manga is considered to be a classic title, and for that reason, there are fans, and appreciators. My personal feeling is one of appreciation and befuddlement. Appreciation for the nuances that the series is, and befuddlement for why couldn’t the characters in this book be resolving their issues? That is pretty similar to nearly every conflict that has ended with groups wrecking genocide on the other or vice versa. There were so much extremes in this series, that it felt quite gloomy for the most part. I can see for desperate times calls for desperate measures for some people.

Art, I do agree with other MMF’s that the drawings were an art of its times, and that I grew up thinking To Terra’s art seriously looked like the read along fairy tales that I grew up in the 80′s seeing at the Chinese bookstore.

I was very surprised that this work was written by a female. That’s probably a whack to the head, but for the most part, and my lack of knowledge that I write this, since there just isn’t enough graphic novels of this scope to be translated as of yet into English or what I have read to really justify this series as being strong in my list. Volume 2 was definitely not something I really liked, I have considered moments of dropping this series, but for the sake that I read this book before this MMF, I can say that it was a one time read, that would make it justifiable.

Some character thoughts, I was annoyed with Physis’s character, from when she released Keith in the second volume, to the ending when the Terrans mentioned on letting them hold her strange hand. I was thinking whoa… hypocrisy and iconography. I can only mention that times should change from when this book was written.

One of the relatively few scenes that stood out for me int his book, was this scene.

The concept of the earth as a marble/plaything of a higher being is pretty significant. Men in Black or The Hitchker’s Guide to the Galaxy are two movie examples. I find that the series in spit of all its mostly down point, this gave a final hope, that there should be a paradox, that what is viewed as a world, maybe someone’s play thing.

Written by Osamu Tezuka
Translation by Camellia Nieh
Published by Vertical Press
ISBN 978-1-932234-64-0
$24.95 US
Review copy provided by the publisher.

If anyone knew about the possibility of a disease to cause a human to looking like a dog, there are a couple of appropriate reactions.  Should they keep it under wraps not tell others, warn others of this danger or should they exploit it? This is a conflict in Ode to Kirihito, when there is a growing outbreak of the Monmow Disease. Doctor Kirihito Osanai was sent by his hospital’s director, Dr. Tatsugaura to explore causes at the remote village of Doggoddale. Things would not turn out good for him, and Kirihito begins his quest to return back to the hospital.

Ode to Kirihito is Osamu Tezuka’s two-volume, medical thriller. I happen to think of Tezuka as a realistic and stark writer, and in my opinion, the plot to Ode was quite good. I have yet to read the second volume at this point, but the first volume is sure to appeal new and old readers of the Japanese god of manga’s work. There are some aspects that made my eyebrow rose.

With this book being rated 16, the age rating is appropriated for an experienced reader, but questionable, since there is mention of rape and human slavery. The appropriateness of this book is an individual decision though. This book can still appeal to teen readers who could view Kirihito as a suffering and persevering character.

Another aspect is the lack of translations for the Chinese writing that was in the book. As a non-reader of kanji/Chinese characters, if it is not translated then the reader will just see it as gibberish, and have to look at the other panels for clues. Is that nitpicking? Probably, but knowing what things are being said is better than being left in the dark. Also there is usually no fault I can see with Vertical releases, so nit pick it is. Will the publisher hear the opinions of reviewers, probably.

This is also one of the first times, I have seen a story travel as much as any other manga I have read so far. Travel, meaning geographical locations mentioned. As a geography fan, I usually find it quite interesting to notice this aspect. Usually a manga can take place in one location, or set in a fantasy world, but with the mention of Japan, Taiwan or South Africa. Ode to Kirihito shows a globalizing attitude, that no matter how different the location is, human are humans, and there are similarities, so this is a good lesson to learn.

Originally published in the 1970’s, Ode to Kirihito is timeless. Tezuka is well known for his other titles of Astro Boy, Black Jack, and Buddha. Many of these works are translated in English by Vertical Press, and are critically recommended as graphic novels to be read. My review is slightly late since I am still currently on a trip, and writing this review, so hopefully this makes a late entry for what I have been reading on Twitter as Tezuka’s Month.