Category Archives: dakazu’s reading

Various manga dakazu’s read with some commentary

Maguro Shoujo

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Maguro Shoujo

A manga about a failed idol who gets sent to work on a tuna boat to payback the debt she accumulated.

This is a strange manga.

You follow the idol as she works alongside other cute girls as they go tuna fishing in treacherous oceans. There is a lot of fanservice of the girls being slimed by fish guts and other slimy stuff. Reading this manga felt like being exposed to Hideyuki Ishikawa’s eccentric fetish.

I’m not here to kink shame anyone. If this book appeals to them but since I was only interested in learning about tuna fishing, rereading Maguro Tosabune would probably be better for me.

~dakazu

Love After World Domination

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Love After World Domination

A manga about the leader of a sentai squad who secretly dates a villainess from the evil organization that’s trying to take over the world.

This is a really fun romantic comedy. The premise is not original but there are lots of good jokes about sentai shows are mixed in with a sweet romance between the hero and the villainess. The other characters among the sentai squad and evil organization are also a lot of fun. This is well written by Hiroshi Noda and really well drawn by Takahiro Wakamatsu. There’s an anime adaptation coming in 2022 which also looks great. Hopefully we’ll get an English release soon as well.

~dakazu

Donald Onsen Monogatari

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Donald Onsen Monogatari

A manga about how Donald Duck, José Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles get sent from America to Japan for an internship at a hot spring resort.

This is another strange Disney/Kodansha collaboration that’s similar to Tono-sama to Stitch. The story just follows Donald and his buddies as they learn lessons in service while working at the Japanese resort. It’s inoffensive but also nothing stands out to make it interesting. While I do really like Meru Okano‘s take on Disney characters, I’d rather see them working on a different project.

~dakazu

Silkscreen

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Silkscreen

A manga about a bittersweet romance between a lesbian and genderqueer teens.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

I’m a fan of Isaki Uta‘s work and this doujinshi is another beautifully drawn short story. The theme of seeing another through a curtain works really well with these two characters. The flashback to their teenage breakup interspersed with them chatting as adults is especially well done. Highly recommended.

Available in English from Irodori Comics Lite!

~dakazu

Sa-Dou

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Sa-Dou

A manga that introduces different ways to enjoy sauna life.

This is such an interesting manga and yet another example of how subculture booms in Japan are directly represented in media. Currently in Japan, there is a surge of focus on how great saunas are. This manga follows a few characters as they introduce different saunas and stories related to the sauna-lifestyle and its benefits. Katsuki Tanaka‘s lighthearted art style works well with conveying the heat of saunas, the chill cooling of water baths, and the relaxation you get from resting in between on lounge chairs. This is good entertainment that effectively makes you want to try out a sauna and they’ve even adapted it into a Japanese drama.

~dakazu

Ousama Ranking

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Ousama Ranking

A manga about young prince Boji who despite being born weak and deaf, wants to become a king to enter into the world ranking of kings.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

I absolutely love this manga. Sousuke Touno originally wanted to be a storybook artist and it shows. There’s such a simple design for the characters and the world that is very familiar to a fairy tale. I also love how so many characters are the exact opposite of what you would find in a fairy tale. One of the sweetest relationships is between prince Boji and his stepmother Healing. The anime will be starting fall 2021 and I’m really excited to see it!

Available in Japanese on Manga Back.

~dakazu

Welcome Back, Alice

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Welcome Back, Alice

A manga about three childhood friends who’s relationship changes when one of them suddenly leaves town and returns years later as a transperson.

Oof. Where do I even begin with this manga.

If anyone thinks this is going to be Shuzo Oshimi‘s well thought out transgender narrative I would check your expectations at the door. The entire reason we have the trans character Kei is to present them as a sexual object of desire for the other male childhood friend Yohei. Yohei is in love with the female friend Yui but when Kei comes and starts aggressively coming on to Yohei, he finds himself confused with his own desires.

Since this series is still fairly new it isn’t clear if this will lead to Yohei to question his sexuality or lead to a queer relationship between him and Kei. But just based on what Oshimi has presented so far I doubt we’ll get that. Yui ends up dating Yohei but this seems retaliatory against Kei, which makes her motivations almost seem homophobic. Also Kei is presented as almost a seductress leading Yohei away from a heterosexual relationship with Yui.

I get the feeling that Oshimi is far more interested in drawing a story about messy teenage feelings similar to The Flowers of Evil. I don’t get the feeling he’s considering how Kei represents a less than flattering portrayal of a transperson. Like I said, this series is still new and on going. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping I’m wrong.

This series will be available in English from Kodansha in Spring 2022.

~dakazu

My Broken Mariko

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My Broken Mariko

A manga about a woman who is blindsided by the death of her friend Mariko and ends up stealing her ashes to fulfill their promise of taking a trip together.

We’ve discussed this on a previous episode.

This is a powerful story about abuse, loss, friendship, and regret. Waka Hirako debut is so strong it’s almost surprising she hasn’t been discovered yet. The way she draws character expressions and emotions felt very reminiscent of Jiro Matsumoto. I really appreciated how the story didn’t moralize against Mariko’s suicide or her past actions. Everything is simply presented as such for you to experience and see. If anything, the ending is a bit dramatic and emotional but that’s barely a criticism for this series. I high recommend this if you’re looking for a serious dramatic adult story by a wonderful new manga artist. I’ll definitely be looking forward to more Waka Hirako‘s future work.

Available in English from Yen Press.

~dakazu

Isekai Yankee Hachiouji

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Isekai Yankee Hachiouji

A manga about a group of delinquents who’s vocational high school is teleported to a fantasy realm. Now they must use their construction skills to defeat the evil lord and fulfilling the prophecy of the eight legendary princes.

Here’s a fun isekai story I can get behind. I enjoy Hiromasa Okujima‘s other works like Itadaki! Nariagari Meshi and Nyuuyoku Yankees. Delinquents getting into delinquent hijinks while fighting monsters is great. I appreciate that Okujima keeps things silly and lighthearted.

~dakazu

Bakubaku! Bakuchi Gohan

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Bakubaku! Bakuchi Gohan

A manga about a new idol who secretly loves enjoying B-tier foods found at different gambling locations.

Pretty decent food manga. I like the focus on more Japanese street food you find at various gambling places. I wasn’t that interested in the main character being an idol trying to hide her identity. She felt like a cheap gimmick to attract readers. Unfortunately this series didn’t last.

~dakazu