Category Archives: dakazu’s reading

Various manga dakazu’s read with some commentary

Petshop of Horrors

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Petshop of Horrors

A manga about a mysterious pet shop hidden in Chinatown run by Count D that deals in legendary and fantasy creatures.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

This is a really great! I really enjoyed Matsuri Akino‘s Colorful Crow so I was looking forward to reading this. What I didn’t expect was for Akino to present the fantasy creatures in human forms. It adds an extra beautiful and creepy aspect to these episodic morality plays about the human buyers who often mishandle their creatures. This usually ends in tragedy which reveals the actual animal forms of each creature. Akino’s art is deliciously steeped in 80’s/90’s shoujo. You have to enjoy that style if you want to enjoy this book. Unfortunately the English editions are now out of print. Someone please bring it back for me and Morgana!

~dakazu

Abyss

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Abyss

A manga about a humans teleported to a strange world filled with monsters. They fight back by using trigger switches that unlock psychic abilities such as telekinesis and pyromancy.

Pretty good horror manga and debut work. The story is a little rote with the main character having amnesia. It later ties into a time travel which is also pretty standard for stories in science fiction horror genre. The standout here is Ryuhaku Nagata‘s monster designs. They’re very monstrous and decently horrifying. Nagata will focus on these monsters to make his next series Satsujin Ryoudan – MADMEN –. It’s just a shame that his art sometimes doesn’t push the horror elements further.

~dakazu

Gajuu

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Gajuu

A manga about people who are trapped in a subway tunnel filled with horrific animals who are hunting them.

This is a decent horror manga but nothing unique. It follows a lot of horror troupes such as individuals who betray the group, individuals who lose their sanity, and individuals who sacrifice themselves to save others. I enjoyed these troupes in Nokuto Koike‘s previous work 6000 a lot more. Horror is obviously a strong point for Koike but this work feels a little flat for me.

Available to read online in Japanese on Comic Days.

~dakazu

Neko wo Hirotta Hanashi

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Neko wo Hirotta Hanashi

A manga about a man who saves a cat-like creature that is probably a monster but he loves it anyway.

We’ve discussed this on a recent episode.

If ever there was a manga made for Morgana, this is it. The creature is both extremely cute and disturbing with it’s one eye, three legs, tentacle mouth, and sneezing tail. On top of all of that it’s the size of a bear. Despite all of that the creature loves its human owner and it’s just so sweet and wholesome.

This manga is horror, comedy, and iyashikei all at once and so very good. Atarou Terada has found a winning combination with this book. I love it.

Available to read online in Japanese on Comic Days.

~dakazu

Sawanabe Zombie

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Sawanabe Zombie

A manga about a man who becomes a zombie but retains his consciousness.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

This is a great short story. The zombie genre is overplayed but Kakio Tsurukawa kept things entertaining with some really hilarious moments. Tsurukawa does not shy away from the violence so just be prepared for a good amount of gore.

Available in English digitally from Star Fruit Books.

~dakazu

BIBLIOMANIA

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BIBLIOMANIA

A manga about a young girl named Alice who awakens in a strange mansion and is told to stay in place by a strange being called Snake. As she traverses through the mansion looking for an escape, she encounters strange worlds created from the desires of the residents of each room.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

This is just an absolutely stunning book. Some ideas here are not totally original but the execution is what brings everything together. The art by MACCHIRO is so well crafted and fascinating to look at and the unique worlds ORVAL created on the desires of various room residents are so interesting to read. A mix of science fiction storytelling and horrific visuals. I would compare this work to Tsutomu Nihei’s BLAME! as far as visual eye candy.

Available to read online in Japanese on KAI-YOU.

~dakazu

Shonen no Abyss

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Shonen no Abyss

A manga about a high school boy who lives a miserable existence in a small rural town he will never be able to leave. He recognizes the new employee at the convivence store is a idol he loves and she suggests they end their lives together.

This manga is dark and depressing! I suppose I should’ve expected that since this is Ryo Minenami‘s current series, and they don’t shy away from dreary themes. Minenami’s art and storytelling here is extremely effective and making you uncomfortable. It doesn’t help that almost every character presented is an awful human being. The awfulness of everyone actually separates it as fiction. It is so overly dramatic that it circles around from being humorous back to being miserable again. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who sensitive about suicide, mental health, or domestic and sexual abuse.

Available to read online in Japanese on Tonari no Young Jump.

~dakazu

Ya Boy Kongming!

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Ya Boy Kongming!

A manga about how famed strategist of the Three Kingdoms, Kongming, is reborn and sent from ancient China to modern day Japan where he helps a young singer become successful.

This is one of those collaboration ideas for manga that you get in a lot of the commercial manga from Kodansha but I’m all for this one. I love the Three Kingdoms and taking Kongming into modern Japan hilarious, dumb, and fun. There’s actually a really nice platonic relationship between Kongming and the struggling young singer Eiko. Watching Kongming reutilized his genius strategies to help Eiko succeed is just ridiculous enough to be entertaining.

Also huge props to whoever came up with the English title. Perfectly captures the mood of the Japanese title Paripi Koumei!

Available in English from Kodansha.

~dakazu

Gekikara Kachou

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Gekikara Kachou

A manga about a section manager who pretends to enjoy spicy to appeal to his hot food loving subordinate.

This is a decent food manga with a humorous premise. Watching the section manager sweat buckets while the subordinate smiles sadistically is the main gimmick of this series. I personally have no tolerance for spicy foods so the information about all the actual spicy dishes served at real restaurants around Japan is wasted on me. Also I don’t live in Japan.

Available to read online in Japanese on Pocket Magazine.

~dakazu

Funso Deshitara Hatta made

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Funso Deshitara Hatta made

A manga that follows geopolitical risk consultant Yuri Hatta as she travel around the world solving problems.

This is an interesting manga but I have some issues with it. Mostly that I’m too “smooth brained” to both understand the world issues Hatta solves and also to know if it’s real or bullshit Motohiro Den is making up. While I think it’s unique to make a manga about solving modern geopolitics but it’s a slippery slope if you’re misrepresenting current on-going issues. Unfortunately my limitations on Japanese vocabulary mean I can’t understand what’s going on most of the time. I wish there was an English version and that I could let Seamus read it for me. The opening chapter even has Hatta defeating a North Ireland white supremist as she worries about the results of Brexit.

Available to read online in Japanese on Comic Days.

~dakazu