I have never been one to read manga or watch anime. It was always interesting looking but I just never picked any of it up. Since high school my boyfriend has been hinting that I should start as he is very into the genre, but I stubbornly resisted. That is until my most recent birthday.
Being the amazing young man he is, he gave me nine books for my birthday: 3 fantasy novels, 1 graphic novel, and... five manga. I was apprehensive at first. Would I like it? How on earth do you read this???
It has been just under a week and all five manga have been devoured and I am now not so patiently awaiting the next six I ordered to arrive in the mail any day now.
Honestly, I wish I had not been so stubborn and just started reading sooner because now I am obsessed. The stories are fun and interesting, the art is beautiful, and the platform is a nice break from some of the denser, single spaced material I consume daily for school and work. I also enjoy the episodic nature of manga. As someone that does not watch TV often I sometimes get bogged down with constantly reading massive novels. Manga is quick like a thirty minute television show but still feels like reading. A win win.
Below I am reviewing the five books I received for my birthday as well as two anime shows he got me to try out. Happy reading!
Title: Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1Author: Sui Ishida (writer), Joe Yamazaki (translator)
Page Count: 224
Rating: A++++++++++
Keywords: Ghouls, Horror, Identity, Transplant, Mystery, Bookworms
Genre: Manga
Younger Readers: Rated Older Teen, not overly sexual and has limited language, horror aspects could be considered gruesome though not overly
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Shy Ken Kaneki is thrilled to go on a date with the beautiful Rize. But it turns out that she's only interested in his body-eating it, that is. When a morally questionable rescue transforms him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid, Ken is drawn into the dark and violent world of Ghouls, which exists alongside our own.
My Review:
I will admit I was not so sure when I read that synopsis. It just sounded super weird. Then there was the opening scene. Two boys gushing over pretty girls while drinking coffee made me worry that this was going to be a light, funny series. My tastes in reading tend to lean more towards the dark and creepy fantasy stories.
Despite my worries, things quickly made a turn for the creepy. This delightful read balances comedy and horror well. Creating a fun, fast paced, and intriguing world that will quickly suck a reader in. I love this interpretation of the Ghoul. Rather than an ugly creature, rotting like a gimmicky zombie, we get more sophisticated Ghouls. They have their own society and rules, fitting in and hiding within the human world. Eating human flesh while drinking coffee is one of the many oddities I thoroughly enjoyed. The intricacies of this balance are part of what I absolutely loved while tearing through the pages.
Ken Kaneki is gullible and young, making him an endearing lead for readers to become attached to. His struggle does not become too much. My only issue was trying to remember that he is a college student. His mannerisms constantly had me thinking of him as a high school student.
At times the story seems a touch silly and this just adds to the charm rather than feeling out of place or like it is trying too hard. The world is intricate and interesting, challenging the reality of a strict divide between good and evil. Characters are fully fleshed, a mix of intriguing and lovable.
Title: Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 2Author: Sui Ishida (author), Joe Yamazaki (translator)
Page Count: 208
Rating: A++++++++++
Keywords: Ghouls, Mystery, Murder, Identity
Genre: Manga
Younger Readers: Rated Older Teen, same as first
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way--except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers. Unable to discard his humanity but equally unable to suppress his Ghoul hunger, Ken finds salvation in the kindness of friendly Ghouls who teach him how to pass as human and eat flesh humanely. But recent upheavals in Ghoul society attract the police like wolves to prey, and they don't discriminate between conscientious and monstrous Ghouls.
My Review:
Not surprisingly, I thoroughly enjoyed the second volume of this series. Rather than focusing entirely on Kaneki's struggles, the reader is exposed to a broader array of characters and gets a better feel of the word of Tokyo Ghoul as a whole.
Greater conflict in the Ghoul society was developed in this installment while deepening the reader's understanding of the world. The Doves and the moral dilemma they raise are interesting. Are Ghouls truly just creatures that can be killed? Or are they more human than anyone is willing to admit? Who is right and who is wrong? This moral challenge is not overly complex but I did enjoy watching Kaneki debate with himself on these very issues and his entire view of the world begin to shift.
Touka's character development was a welcome addition. She is not just the snobby Ghoul who works at the coffee shop giving Kaneki a hard time. She's a student, cares deeply about others, and blends into the human world. Without spoiling this installment, her actions hint at an interesting back story that I would love to see further developed in the future.
A character I look forward to seeing more of in the future is the mask creator, Uta. His oddities and brief appearances leave many questions that will hopefully be answered more fully in the future.
Title: Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 3Author: Sui Ishida (author), Joe Yamazaki (translator)
Page Count: 192
Rating: B
Keywords: Ghouls, Mystery, Loss, Identity, Morality
Genre: Manga
Younger Readers: Rated Older Teen
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way--except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers. Kaneki is still trying to get used to his new life when Commission of Counter Ghoul agents Mado and Amon start sniffing around for Hinami. Kaneki and Touka are going to have to get them off her tail and fast. No easy task now that Knaeki's got to bring humans and Ghouls to a rapid truce at the same time.
My Review:
This book did have the general interest I have come to know from the series but I also just could not bring myself to say that I truly liked this installment. It builds on the major events that occurred towards the end of volume 2. The greater focus on Hinami was not overly intriguing to me though I could see how her presence could deepen the moral dilemma that is being created earlier in the series. Overall, this installment is still worth reading. Just be prepared for a slower pace.
Title: Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 4
Page Count: 192
Rating: A
Keywords: Mystery, Ghouls, Fine Dining, Identity
Genre: Manga
Younger Readers: Rated Older Teen
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Ghouls live among us, the same as normal people in every way--except their craving for human flesh. Ken Kaneki is an ordinary college student until a violent encounter turns him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid. Trapped between two worlds, he must survive Ghoul turf wars, learn more about Ghoul society and master his new powers. Kaneki meets Shu Tsukiyama, known as The Gourmet for his interesting and sadistic tastes. And Kaneki learns more about what happened to Rize and what it means to be a One-Eyed Ghoul.
My Review:
Oh my lordy I enjoyed this installment. It brought back the mystery and creepiness that I had enjoyed earlier in the series. Twists keep the reader guessing throughout and new information hints at the remainder of the series being full of mystery and wonder.
Readers are finally exposed to the world outside of the 20th ward, even revealing a new Ghoul hangout. New characters and new locations give Tokyo Ghoul deeper roots than the previous installments.
The Gourmet is an interesting and thoroughly creepy addition that I did not expect. His actions are unexpected and engaging. My only frustration with this strong addition to the series was the cliffhanger ending. Alas, I must wait for volume 5 to arrive.
Title: Dance in the Vampire Bund Omnibus 1
Page Count: 624
Rating: A+
Keywords: Vampires, Werewolves, Murder, Mystery, Love, Loyalty
Genre: Manga
Younger Readers: Rated Older Teen, nudity, violence, language
Synopsis from Goodreads:
After millennia in hiding, Mina Tepes, the princess of the ancient covenant and ruler of all vampires, wants change. Using the vast wealth of the Tepes line, she has paid off the entire gross national debt of Japan and gained the authority to create a "special district" off the coast of Japan that will become the future haven for vampires from all over the world! Now, on the eve of the landmark press conference announcing the existence of vampires to the world, terrorists and rival factions are plotting to assassinate Mina Tepes. With her loyal werewolf bodyguard, Akira at her side, will the princess of vampires survive long enough to see her dream realized?
My Review:
I have so many emotions with this one. I did enjoy it. Having been a middle schooler during Twilight's heyday vampires are a bit of a weakness for me. But I will also fully admit this series has some weird moments that I'm not sure how to process. Though since I've ordered the next two volumes I clearly was able to look past them.
Visually, age was even more confusing in this series than in Tokyo Ghoul. Mina is child sized and at moments her mannerisms can be childlike. However, she is an adult in years and a ruler of the vampires. This can be a bit awkward if forgotten while reading. Especially her romantic moments with Akira...who is much larger and more adult looking than she is.
The world building was interesting but not as fully fleshed as in Tokyo Ghoul. There is a greater focus on action and relationships than history and development in this series. For a fast paced drama it is an enjoyable read, chugging along at a fast pace as to never bore its readers. I look forward to continuing the series.
Shows:
Title: Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
Number of Episodes: 24
Run Time: First episode 45 min, Rest about 23 min
Synopsis from IMDb:
There is a war going on between masters and servants in order to attain the Holy Grail. Each master can call up one servant each, and their task is to eradicate the other servants, either by defeating them or killing their master. When there is only one master or servant left, he or she is granted the Holy Grail, and any wish they desire will come true.
My Review:
I was bored out of my mind with the first episode but decided to continue on watching anyways. I am so glad that I did. Slowly I found myself being sucked into the story. Characters I never expected to care about had me crying by the end. The mystery was not entirely impossible to figure out, with plentiful clues sprinkled throughout the series, but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable reveal and resolution to the series.
This was an intriguing series that how wonderful world building fueled by a rich back story that leads to an abundance of twists later in the series. If you enjoy action, sassy characters, heartbreaking ends, history reimagined, satisfying conclusions, and unexpected story arcs then this is highly recommended.
Title: Death Note
Number of Episodes: 37
Run Time: 24 min
Synopsis from IMDb:
After an intelligent yet cynical high school student begins to cleanse the world from evil with the help of a magical notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written on it, international authorities call upon a mysterious detective known as "L" to thwart his efforts.
My Review:
Confession: I have not completely finished this series yet.
Despite the fact that I am still only about ten episodes in, I am thoroughly enjoying this series. Fate/Stay Night is still my favorite but this is coming in as a close second.
The concept is original, the notebook of a shinigami falls to earth and the teen boy that picks it up is able to kill anyone by writing their name in its pages (with several restrictions that are explored in the series). Obviously this series fits into my interests of peculiar, mysterious, and dark. Morality is once again a major component of this series as Light and L battle via their wits. The inclusion of comedy via the shinigami was a welcome addition that keeps the series from becoming unbearably depressing. I look forward to seeing how it all ends.
No comments:
Post a Comment