tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85602083580089837892024-03-13T02:02:15.044-05:00Geek Lit Etc.ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-88054569545359563912016-05-23T20:23:00.000-05:002016-05-23T20:23:07.858-05:00Manga Monday: Art projects lead to life lessons<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's fall, and there's no better time to go camping in <u>Yotsuba&! Volume 12</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>Yotsuba&! Volume 12</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review of <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">here</a>, and <u>Volume 11</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2016/04/yotsuba-11-azuma.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yotsuba is very impressed with Tora's boots. They're tall, and they tie which strings, which makes them very grown-up. Yotsuba doesn't wear shoes with strings yet, because she doesn't know how to tie them. Tora's not doing anything while she's waiting for Asagi to get home, so maybe Yotsuba can learn to tie a butterfly knot like Juralumin wears.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jumbo did an art project, and painted a table green with white socks. Doesn't it look sharp? When Yotsuba finds some paint in the house, she decides that the kitchen table should be blue. But paint is difficult, and it turns out that Yotsuba can't just wipe up her spills with a rag. Will she really be blue forever?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fall is a great time to go camping, and now it's time! Yotsuba, Daddy, Jumbo, Miura and Ena are all ready to go, when who shows up but Yanda? But even with Yanda along for the ride, Yotsuba and company can't help but have fun. Finding acorns for necklaces, cooking over a campfire and roasting marshmallows are just a few of the activities that take place during a good campout, and everything's more fun in such a beautiful location.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Yotsuba&!</u> always leaves its readers with a sense that all can be right in the world. Even when paint gets everywhere, or an unexpected person tags along on a trip, things turn out all right when people work together and have a good attitude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Halloween is even more surprising when not everyone celebrates it...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Perhaps laughter wasn't the best response from Daddy during the paint incident, although Yotsuba certainly learned her lesson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> Another quiet, wonderful manga from Kiyohiko Azuma.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2016/04/nichijou-1-arawi.html">nichijou</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-578192890179786522016-04-18T20:40:00.001-05:002016-04-18T20:40:38.752-05:00Manga Monday: Food is important<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yotsuba finds out how udon is made, and Juralumin gets into trouble in <u>Yotsuba&! Volume 11</u>.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>Yotsuba&! Volume 11</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review of <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">here</a>, and <u>Volume 10</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2014/06/yotsuba-10-azuma.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yotsuba may be a big five-year-old girl, but she certainly is still distractable. On the way to Ena's house, she decided to go exploring and wandered into an udon shop. Luckily, the shop owners don't mind her watching how udon is made. Will they be able to track down where this little green-haired sprite came from?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yotsuba learns all about pizza as well. It's not the size of an egg, like it looks in the advertisements, but it's the size of a...sink? Anyway, it's really easy to overeat on something as tasty as pizza, so maybe Yotsuba will learn another valuable lesson today.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, Yotsuba isn't the only one to learn a lesson. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juralumin</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> got too close to a dog while she was playing with Yotsuba and Miura, and now she's slimy and smells like dog! But after a bath, and a trip through the dryer, she seems to have forgotten how to speak! But Asagi is a teddy bear surgeon, so there's still hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life is full of lessons, and Azuma shows the world to us through the gentle ways of this neighborhood. Here, shopkeepers pose for pictures and answer neverending questions, puppies attack with kisses instead of teeth and the biggest disaster is some rogue bugs in the chestnuts. <u>Yotsuba&! Volume 11</u> continues to treat the reader to the life of the Koiwais and stories of growing up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> That brat Yanda and his bubbles...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Perhaps Yotsuba is doing just a bit too much wandering on her own.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>Yotsuba&! Volume 11</u> is a wonderful volume that continues to be a well-anticipated treat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> n<u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2016/04/nichijou-1-arawi.html">ichijou</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">My Neighbor Seki</a></u></span></div>
ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-44949871469862969502016-04-04T20:21:00.000-05:002016-04-04T20:21:02.777-05:00Manga Monday: Cute schoolgirls doing cute things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trends in media tend to go through phases. At first, it's the hot, new, innovative thing. Later, copycat series spring up like mushrooms after a rain, and the quality of the entire genre suffers. Eventually, a writer decides to turn the trope on its head and create a satire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The delinquent genre was satirized in <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/cromartie-high-school-1-nonaka.html">Cromartie High School</a></u>. The magical girl genre was absolutely subverted in <u>Puella Magi Madoka Magica</u>. Finally, Keiichi Arawi takes on the cute schoolgirl genre in <u>nichijou Volume 1</u>.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoLbAuoNP854w58sBorYr_FupMgf1K953al2BrZxnIQ-m6FqR27Y2Eo8A2zGnZI9Ycx9u57qB66YEreJ2KlheRzKCZ_6jii7jxWaTbAarbm2DpZKdf47wqoDni_Bof65f83NQucfSLtyN/s1600/nichijou+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEoLbAuoNP854w58sBorYr_FupMgf1K953al2BrZxnIQ-m6FqR27Y2Eo8A2zGnZI9Ycx9u57qB66YEreJ2KlheRzKCZ_6jii7jxWaTbAarbm2DpZKdf47wqoDni_Bof65f83NQucfSLtyN/s320/nichijou+1.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We certainly have all the expected characters here. There's Yuuko, the energetic girl who's nevertheless too lazy to do her homework and constantly copies off of her friends. There's Mio, who has a secret crush on a male classmate, and is constantly struggling to hide her yaoi art and manuscripts from her friends. Nano just wants everyone to believe she's a normal girl, although the windup key on her back tends to give away her robot nature, and Professor, the eight-year-old who created her. There's even Mai, who moved here recently, and is quiet with glasses.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With a group of girls like this, there's plenty of room for hijinks to ensue, and they certainly do. Whether Yuuko's daydreaming out the window lets her spy their principal wrestling a deer, or Nano's despair at Professor replacing her limbs with random items like Swiss roll cake, the gags are fast and furious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's plenty to love here, and plenty of room for the series to grow. From minor characters getting their time to shine to more explanation of Professor, hopefully Arawi can keep it fresh and interesting for years to come.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> The manga never tries to take itself more seriously tha</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n it should, which is exactly the attitude a series like this should have.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> There are hints at storylines that may continue throughout the series, but none of them get quite enough screentime for the reader to care one way or the other.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>nichijou Volume 1</u> is a fun, satirical look at the adorable schoolgirl genre.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/cromartie-high-school-1-nonaka.html">Cromartie High School</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">My Neighbor Seki</a></u>, <u>Azumanga Daioh</u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-25271702096752947612016-03-21T20:32:00.000-05:002016-03-21T20:32:08.005-05:00Manga Monday: The return of Robot Family and Thief XSeki comes closer and closer to discovery by the teacher in <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 7</u>.<div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mz8HnERmIvS8T9nrCB9y0B7e4rbK_HJYQryXMbwsZUXsk9rooV2XAe7Gdv6HiZb7Xkna6GB4Zd2AZ8TCniPi9MBpa8tzT_sWg-R4TfpXKRmQ3I_Ldvf2rAAVkJU2R4-vh8inaTJJ7-d5/s1600/myneighborseki7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mz8HnERmIvS8T9nrCB9y0B7e4rbK_HJYQryXMbwsZUXsk9rooV2XAe7Gdv6HiZb7Xkna6GB4Zd2AZ8TCniPi9MBpa8tzT_sWg-R4TfpXKRmQ3I_Ldvf2rAAVkJU2R4-vh8inaTJJ7-d5/s320/myneighborseki7.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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Note: <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 7</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review for <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">here</a>, and <u>Volume 6</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2016/02/my-neighbor-seki-6-morishige.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</div>
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Any time Robot Family comes out it puts a smile on Yokoi's face, and <u>85th Period</u> is no exception. On the way to school, Seki finds a Robot Dog, and Robot Son wants to keep him. But because Robot Family wasn't the regularly scheduled distractions for the day, Seki can only play with them during homeroom and between classes. And when Robot Dog becomes careless and injures Robot Son, will the Robot Parents let him stay?</div>
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<u>89th Period</u> is perhaps Seki's most risky distraction yet. He uses a mirror to project a target onto Maeda's back, and plays darts using cockleburrs. But...is there really a chance that Maeda won't notice? Is Seki's string of good luck over?</div>
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<u>93rd Period</u> marks the return of Thief X. In this one, Yokoi is charged with returning an art book that was left behind in a classroom, but there is no name written in the front of it. There is, however, an 'X' doodled next to 'The Fifer,' who is curiously missing his titular accessory. As she flips through the book, it looks like Thief X may have finally gotten himself into some trouble. When Seki finally appears on the last page, how will he react to Yokoi's rescue of him?</div>
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As the series progresses, it only makes sense that there will be bits of earlier adventures that make their way into later distractions, and that is perhaps one of the best parts of the series. An actual continuing story line wouldn't fit the premise very well, but the occasional callback feels like a reward for those who have read from the beginning. As Morishige allows his story to progress, perhaps he will find more ways to keep it fresh, as he has so far.</div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> I love the little bits of continuity provided from characters like Maeda.</div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> The more elaborate the distraction, like the one during gym class, the less fun the story tends to be.</div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> Still fresh, still creative, and with a growing cast of characters, <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 7</u> is perhaps the best volume yet.</div>
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<u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/11/school-live-1-nitroplus.html">School-Live!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/shiba-inuko-san-1-uzu.html">Shiba Inuko-san</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/cromartie-high-school-1-nonaka.html">Cromartie High School</a></u></div>
ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-82300340547474581722016-03-14T22:19:00.000-05:002016-03-14T22:19:37.679-05:00Manga Monday: Does love have to be unplanned?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth behind Shiro-sensei's behavior finally becomes clear to even Hina in <u>Suki: A Like Story Volume 3</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>Suki: A Like Story Volume 3</u> is the final volume in a series. For <u>Volume 1</u> click here, and for <u>Volume 2</u> click <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/01/suki-a-like-story-2-CLAMP.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the crises come to a head, and kidnapping #10 is imminent, it seems like even Hina would have to realize that her neighbor and homeroom teacher isn't exactly what he seems. Unfortunately, that just doesn't seem to be the case, and her protectiveness of her friend ends up in her being kidnapped yet again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even after returning to school, Hina is still the almost pathologically forgiving and kind girl that she's always been. No normal person would forgive Emi for organizing her kidnapping, but Hina realizes that with her father in such debt, Emi would have done whatever she must to save her family. It's a little bit much for Hina to ask Emi to remain friends with her, but it's just her nature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps the most strained relationship in Hina's life is that between herself and Shiro-sensei. Now that Shiro has failed, and in almost the exact same way he's failed before, he's ready to leave the area and put this assignment behind him. Will Hina forgive him as well, and perhaps find out about his feelings for her as well?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even in its ending, <u>Suki: A Like Story</u> is classic 1990s shojo romance. <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/search/label/CLAMP">CLAMP</a> became the foremost manga team of the era for a reason, and this is just the kind of sweet story that gave them their reputation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> There's a certain sweetness in this sort of story that more modern manga seems to be missing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> I wish that Suki's other friends had a bit more time to be fleshed out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Verdict:</u> </b>A wonderful story that isn't told all that often anymore.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/11/manga-monday-overgrown-adolescent-ends.html">Bunny Drop</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">Yotsuba&!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/06/manga-monday-early-20th-century.html">A Bride's Story</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-10457636416032196922016-03-07T21:10:00.000-06:002016-03-07T21:10:23.243-06:00Manga Monday: Time for a field trip!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even though it's usually not organized through a school club, field trips are an integral part of high school life, and the girls of Megurigaoka Academy Private High School are headed to the mall in <u>School-Live! Volume 2</u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQD2ZeaT0GcjxIhSurgTkd4KaIjDHFwxtUSURjZIbYx8zeSqs2atcjfLwZQzBGOM8QToToru56os1fe6HbxRXyj9RLrfuBPjZ1LtQB_6W61JFRtkhjCDedYHcx4AVW6v6CWAz-io7ng5A/s1600/school-live2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQD2ZeaT0GcjxIhSurgTkd4KaIjDHFwxtUSURjZIbYx8zeSqs2atcjfLwZQzBGOM8QToToru56os1fe6HbxRXyj9RLrfuBPjZ1LtQB_6W61JFRtkhjCDedYHcx4AVW6v6CWAz-io7ng5A/s320/school-live2.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note: <u>School-Live! Volume 2</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review of <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/11/school-live-1-nitroplus.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">It turns out that the School Live Club isn't the only group of people that survived the initial outbreak. There's another girl out there, in a storeroom, going through the motions of a normal school day each morning. It looks like she started out her survival with a friend, but she's gone now. And the question is: how much longer can she keep this charade up?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">The School Live Club, on the other hand, is bopping along as they always have. In fact, Yuki has a great idea! It's school trip season, and even though school groups don't usually plan their own field trips, they've got Megu-nee's permission to plan their own. Even though it's only to the shopping mall, Megu-nee's volunteered her car for the expedition, and Kurumi figures that she's driven in enough video games, so she should be able to manage the driving for the trip. So they've got their extra-big backpacks and are on their way. Who knows what they might find there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>School-Live! Volume 2</u> moves the focus of the manga away from the shtick of not realizing that there's a zombie apocalypse in the works and lets us see a bit more into the actual lives of the girls. Kurumi realizes that she is going to actually have to train if she's going to be the protector of the group, even though it brings back bad memories of the outbreak. Yuri remains the practical, mother of the group, and Yuki...is Yuki.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">As we see more of this post-outbreak world, the strangeness of The School Living Club's situation becomes more obvious, and there are more and more questions piling up. <u>School-Live! Volume 2</u> leaves the reader wondering what might be next for our girls.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Stopping by Kurumi's house on the way to the mall really drives home the loneliness that the girls are trying to avoid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Some of the more obvious questions, such as what happened to the military and the government, are still unanswered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> As the girls grow and learn, and we get to see more perspectives, the world expands.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/07/attack-on-titan-1-isayama.html">Attack on Titan</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">My Neighbor Seki</a></u>, <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/the-devil-is-a-part-timer-high-school-1-mishina.html"><u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School!</u> </a></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-8652661168325176122016-02-29T19:56:00.001-06:002016-02-29T19:56:37.211-06:00Manga Monday: A pretty calico remembers her kittenhood<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u> has come to an end, there is a distressing absence of cat manga. Thankfully, <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/search/label/Konami%20Kanata">Konami Kanata</a> has one more surprise up her sleeve with <u>FukuFuku: Kitten Tales</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here, a doting elderly owner comes across the photos she took of her cat's first year with her, and brings them out to show Fuku Fuku.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What follows is an adorable look into the first year of a kitten's life. From discovering that human food might not be quite as tasty as her kibble to the amazing warmth that is a kotatsu on a cold day, Fuku Fuku has a lot to learn, and a lot to teach her well-meaning owner as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unlike in <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u>, we're not privy to Fuku Fuku's thoughts being translated into English. Luckily, Kanata's clean, simple art style lets her expressions and thoughts come through nearly as well as if they were written out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a reader who never wanted <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u> to end (wouldn't Chi in a beret be adorable?), this is a welcome callback to the simple, lovely stories that made Chi so loveable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Watching her owner delight in Fuku Fuku learning her name, and promptly learn what it is to be ignored by her cat, is a feeling universal to cat owners.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> The odd 'Alice in Wonderland' dream sequence seems more out of place than it perhaps intended.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>FukuFuku: Kitten Tales</u> is a must-read for fans of <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u> who have a manga-kitten-sized hole in their reading lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">Chi's Sweet Home</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">Yotsuba&!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/01/milkyway-hitchhiking-sirial.html">Milkyway Hitchhiking</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-85180095299442115802016-02-22T20:34:00.001-06:002016-02-22T20:34:09.341-06:00Manga Monday: Has Yokoi completely lost her ability to focus?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's possible that Yokoi's imagination has grown as large as Seki's in <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 6</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBiC-4Giv29XEizRK9C83cZESktKj4kETv3TJVCkovUqGnwPvNb-3eNETO3_FNLY7sFVsEiGxOh8YjfcMH-4dNMQnYpateI4pXKmop4BOKyBkGkereiNtTZTjLKnh-FMRqWv0qew_l3sB/s1600/myneighborseki6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBiC-4Giv29XEizRK9C83cZESktKj4kETv3TJVCkovUqGnwPvNb-3eNETO3_FNLY7sFVsEiGxOh8YjfcMH-4dNMQnYpateI4pXKmop4BOKyBkGkereiNtTZTjLKnh-FMRqWv0qew_l3sB/s320/myneighborseki6.jpg" width="228" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 6</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review for <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">here</a>, and <u>Volume 5</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/12/my-neighbor-seki-5-morishige.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 71st Period, it finally happens: Seki-kun is absent. Yokoi has grand plans of actually being able to study during history class, but of course today is the day that she leaves her schoolbook at home. Thankfully, Seki's is in his desk, because of course why would he have brought it home to study from? But it turns out that Seki can distract poor Yokoi, even when he isn't sitting next to her.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 73rd Period, Seki practices his surgical skills on some plush mascots. The adorable Billy Bear and Mitty-chan get prompt expert care, but only at the expense of poor Miss Cow. As Seki turns into an evil Black Jack, will Yokoi be able to protect the less fortunate patients?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">79th Period brings a new twist to the schoolday. Seki's sister Jun has had her kindergarten classes cancelled, and she is too shy to stay with the babysitter. She wants to stay with her big brother Seki, and the teacher gives her permission to sit in class with him. When Seki doesn't include her in his games for the day, will she show the same craftiness as her brother and mom?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Morishige shows that his creativity knows no bounds as he comes up with ever more outlandish projects for Seki that somehow always stay grounded in reality. At this rate, we'll have stories from these characters well into grad school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Any time a chapter ties into a previous one, whether by a reappearance of the Robot Family, Seki's sister, or the perpetually confused Goto, it adds a bit of much-needed continuity to a very disjointed series.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> The table manners he used were strangely antiquated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> I still don't know how the author manages to pull it off, but the series is still just as amusing and fresh as the first volume.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/11/school-live-1-nitroplus.html">School-Live!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">Yotsuba&!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/shiba-inuko-san-1-uzu.html">Shiba Inuko-san</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-65603736720947645412016-01-18T18:57:00.000-06:002016-01-18T18:57:06.350-06:00Manga Monday: Short speculative fiction from the God of Manga<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No one represents the beginnings of the manga art form quite the way Osamu Tezuka does, and his anthology <u>Clockwork Apple</u> gives the reader a taste of the suspenseful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 'Miraculous Conception' a scientist and his domestic android are working on Saturn's moon Titan. They've lived alone together for seven years, and slowly they've fallen in love. After holding a wedding ceremony for themselves, the scientist Hiroshi is killed by escaped convicts who have decided to use his science station as a hideout. A tragedy, to be sure, but what explains the increasing waistline of the android?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The titular story 'A Clockwork Apple' shows the reader a town under siege. The roads in and out of town have been closed indefinitely for repairs, and cars are turned back by force if they try to get out. Food could be an issue, but the main employer in the area has plenty of supplies for its cafeteria, and the stores have a large stockpile of rice. Everyone seems okay with the situation and doesn't question it, except for Shirakawa, whose wife serves bread instead of rice. Even the pharmacist, who took a sample of the rice to the next town over to run a few tests, hasn't been seen in days. Is Shirakawa descending into madness, or is there a conspiracy at work?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Readers of Tezuka's <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2010/10/manga-monday-if-dr-house-didnt-even.html" style="text-decoration: underline;">Black Jack</a> will find 'Sack' eerily familiar. The narrator meets a wonderful woman named Rika. After a whirlwind romance, he travels to her home to ask her mother for Rika's hand in marriage. Strangely, her mother doesn't have a daughter named Rika. Her only daugher, Mari, is a perfect copy of Rika, though, even though she professes to have never met him before. At a later meeting, Rika begs him to prevent Mari's surgery on the 20th, but can't explain why. Is there something sinister going on?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These stories of the late 1960s and early 1970s give the reader a snapshot into the thoughts and fears of postwar Japan. Throughout the collection weaves a distrust of the government and authority, as well as an undying optimism for the future, even if there are many ways for it to be derailed. Once again, Tezuka is able to mine the depths of the human psyche, and reveal more than a traditional author ever could.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Whether a statement about the follies of war or a creepy suspense story, all of Tezuka's works leave an indelible mark on the reader.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Even with the footnotes, it's hard to be familiar enough with the era in Japan to fully follow a few of the narratives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> Best suited for a reader very familiar with manga in general, <u>Clockwork Orange</u> is a masterpiece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2010/10/manga-monday-if-dr-house-didnt-even.html">Black Jack</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/06/atomcat-tezuka.html">A*tomcat</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/06/manga-monday-early-20th-century.html">A Bride's Story</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-11938099187140843442016-01-14T16:23:00.000-06:002016-01-14T16:23:01.845-06:00A look at how childhood really is<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somehow, in the process of growing up and having responsibilities, adults forget what it's really like to be a child. They forget the leisure, of taking a book into a field in the morning and only wandering back home when hungry or it gets dark out. They forget what it's like to have people tell you what to do, with arbitrary reasons that you're not allowed to question. They forget the discomfort of knowing that a situation isn't okay, but not having enough experience to know why it's wrong, or the experience to know what to do about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Neil Gaiman never forgot. And by not forgetting, he's written the truest young characters in <u>The Ocean at the End of the Lane</u>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book starts out with the narrator coming back to where he grew up for a funeral. He's dressed in the proper clothes, says the proper things, and takes a certain comfort in knowing what he's supposed to do and say during a difficult time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As he drives from the funeral to the cemetery, he has a bit of time to himself, and finds his car pointing towards where he once lives. The fields and small homes have been replaced with housing estates, the flint-strewn country lane with tarmac. His childhood home is long gone, and the home of his adolescence isn't what has brought him back here.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As he rolls his car along, the road regresses to the lane of his childhood, and eventually to a footpath. He gets out, and walks up to a house he hasn't thought of in too long, and slides sideways into memories of his seventh year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with most Gaiman tales, to lay out the story before reading it is to take away some of the magic. It's not an easy read, because childhood isn't easy. There's monsters, and some of them are the adults he's supposed to be able to trust. There's heroes, even if they wouldn't call themselves that. There's bravery and fear, sometimes at the same time, and there's sacrifice.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's the magic that Gaiman brings to his tales, which transcends description.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> No one combines childhood, fantasy and fear like Neil Gaiman</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Sometimes being reminded of the hard parts of childhood isn't fun</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> Yet another amazing tale from one of the greatest fantasy authors</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u>Coraline</u>, <u>Trigger Warning</u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-27411784428910631682015-12-07T20:21:00.000-06:002015-12-07T20:21:03.467-06:00Manga Monday: Is fooling around genetic?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seki shows that he truly has no shame in <u>My Neighbor Seki Volulme 5</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKcgTBwDV5ReSULXrADjQ0YGqirR0-YHEcD1KdTLZTPyrhSMc1K1d6YEdHh_RbpKyEK7zh4RZRgQnWVffs7lcS5qBK0RDA-kgkuG3CIB0hCsm-zCgNC9UAOdBI-rc1qiZowtC73pdqBWa/s1600/tonarinoseki5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKcgTBwDV5ReSULXrADjQ0YGqirR0-YHEcD1KdTLZTPyrhSMc1K1d6YEdHh_RbpKyEK7zh4RZRgQnWVffs7lcS5qBK0RDA-kgkuG3CIB0hCsm-zCgNC9UAOdBI-rc1qiZowtC73pdqBWa/s320/tonarinoseki5.jpg" width="228" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 5</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review for <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">here</a>, and <u>Volume 4</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/my-neighbor-seki-4-morishige.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's one thing to fool around in a normal class, or during a field trip. But Seki takes it to a whole new level in 60th Period. Here, it's Parent Visiting Day, and the back of the classroom is lined with the mothers and fathers of the students in class. One of the ladies looks suspiciously like Seki, and has come...armed with rubber bands?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">64th Period brings a completely new type of distraction. Seki's brought polymer clay, and is fashioning...a leek? Oh, they're mascots for the town! Will Yokoi's choice win the honor of representing the town?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">66th Period brings another field trip, this time with the Robot Family! It's a multi-day trip, and Yokoi is determined to get a photo of the family enjoying their vacation. Will she succeed in her mission?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's truly amazing that Takuma Morishige hasn't run out of ideas for ways that Seki can distract himself, both inside the classroom and out. Even five volumes in, Seki can still find ways to keep both himself and Yokoi distracted in the classroom. And that takes some amazing creativity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Poor Sakurako...she just never gets it right.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> The stories tend to better as one-shots, rather than the longer connected periods of the field trip.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> If you've liked it so far, it's more of the same high-quality antics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/11/school-live-1-nitroplus.html">School Live!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">Yotsuba&!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">Shiba Inuko-san</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-59265045224606371012015-11-23T20:24:00.000-06:002015-11-23T20:24:03.536-06:00Manga Monday: There's even competition in the school lunch game <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Misunderstandings abound, and a few new characters are added to the mix as well in <u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School! Volume 2</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiqupjSal5B0bmdzJebAPSrYcSQm6DHadqm6vsuMRy_QD1-3rgM9NyKhtD6d9wjz81HgbpjI3pAY7wY8iFPLkvRY0BH1M0W1VWOZC3-K7TE821rYSCaT3gQo_m-vTzsIrK7w_6buJNigg/s1600/thedevilisaparttimerhighschool2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoiqupjSal5B0bmdzJebAPSrYcSQm6DHadqm6vsuMRy_QD1-3rgM9NyKhtD6d9wjz81HgbpjI3pAY7wY8iFPLkvRY0BH1M0W1VWOZC3-K7TE821rYSCaT3gQo_m-vTzsIrK7w_6buJNigg/s320/thedevilisaparttimerhighschool2.jpg" width="223" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School! Volume 2</u> is part of an ongoing series. For the review of <u>Volume 1</u> click <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/the-devil-is-a-part-timer-high-school-1-mishina.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Campaigning for Student Council President is hard work, especially with someone like Emi Yusa hovering and waiting for your next slip-up. Thankfully, he's impressed his boss at the school store with his ability to sell curry pudding, but even this praise has left him with the job of developing new food items for the store to sell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And selling food at the school gets even harder when a kimono-wearing girl starts selling udon from the stall across the way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But of course working two jobs while attending High School would be too easy for someone like Maou. The world has to send him yet another hurdle, this time in the form of a small girl who bursts forth from inside an apple. She's called Alas Ramus, and she's rather imprinted on Maou as her daddy and Emi as her mommy. With resources in the Devil King's household already stretched to breaking, Emi will have to swallow her pride and help Maou again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School!</u> is the same goofy chaos as the first volume, for good or ill. Characters are introduced at a rapid-fire pace, assuming that the reader is already familiar with them from the <a href="http://fantasy%2C%20kurone%20mishima%2C%20manga%2C%20satoshi%20wagahara%2C%20shonen%2C%20the%20devil%20is%20a%20part-timer%21%20high%20school%21/">light novels</a> and <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/04/devil-is-a-part-timer-manga-1-wagahara.html">manga</a>. It's a cute, popular twist on a story that's already familiar, and as long as the reader keeps that in mind, it's a fun diversion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Poor Chi-chan is trying her best to keep Maou's attention.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> This volume incorporates characters that have not been introduced to Western readers yet in the manga or light novels, which ended up being very confusing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> A fun fluff piece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/05/devil-is-a-part-timer-LN-1-wagahara.html">The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Light Novel)</a></u>, <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/04/devil-is-a-part-timer-manga-1-wagahara.html" style="text-decoration: underline;">The Devil is a Part-Timer! (manga)</a>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/manga-monday-classic-manga-author-plays.html">Rin-ne</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2011/05/amazingly-accurate-portrayal-of-strong.html">Moribito</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-35454892559377906652015-11-16T20:41:00.000-06:002015-11-16T20:41:02.895-06:00Manga Monday: A school club has never been more essential to student life<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The school club has long been an important part of the Japanese high school experience, but perhaps it's never been more important than for the girls of Megurigaoka Academy Private High School in <u>School-Live! Volume 1</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoW8XPv0vip2Ghz6_9kTyrBCAmWEixIW8uoASJkiD5lVQGGAk9sBDvNvhya0az6Ha7C42o665pe_Kn3bq5DR1SZAvI5VotCmmY-YOloazELP7cx6gbf2_c5zUAuqw7DS-9euildLe6-fW6/s1600/school-live1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoW8XPv0vip2Ghz6_9kTyrBCAmWEixIW8uoASJkiD5lVQGGAk9sBDvNvhya0az6Ha7C42o665pe_Kn3bq5DR1SZAvI5VotCmmY-YOloazELP7cx6gbf2_c5zUAuqw7DS-9euildLe6-fW6/s1600/school-live1.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The founding principles of the School Living Club are really pretty simple: to best utilize the facilities of the school, it is imperative that the members live their entire lives in the school.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not the largest of clubs; in fact, besides the faculty adviser Megumi Sakura, there's only three members right now. But they're the most earnest, devoted members a club could wish for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yuri Wakasa is the club president. She is in charge of all of the club activities, and plans the practical aspects of the club's adventures. She's also oftentimes found on the school roof, helping with the gardens that the Agriculture Club have there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Kurumi Ebisuzawa is the tough girl of the group. She's the one who plows through obstacles, and makes sure that all of Ri-san's plans turn out as expected. She's never too far away from her shovel, so perhaps she likes to help out the Agriculture Club as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which brings us to Yuki Takeya, the heart of the club. No matter what problems the School Living Club faces, from rainy days to possible ghosts, Yuki's smile is what gets her clubmates through the day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While a club based solely on the school in which it takes place might seem dull, there's always something to do in this remarkably well-provisioned and self-sufficient school. And as the girls grow closer, they've made a pact to graduate together, no matter what.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Even though the girls and their teacher each fill a very traditional role in a schoolgirl manga, even in this first volume they each have enough personality to draw the reader in immediately.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> It's still odd that a school would allow a group of students to live in a classroom though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> A very cute manga that has more depth than it seems at first glance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">My Neighbor Seki</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/the-devil-is-a-part-timer-high-school-1-mishina.html">The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/cromartie-high-school-1-nonaka.html">Cromartie High School</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-12317504396873125852015-11-09T21:47:00.000-06:002015-11-09T21:47:00.883-06:00Manga Monday: A heartfelt farewell to a longtime friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the Yamada family prepares to move to France, the question of Chi's original family needs to be addressed in <u>Chi's Sweet Home Volume 12</u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Note: <u>Chi's Sweet Home Volume 12</u> is the final volume of a series. Check out the review for <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/cute-kitten-manga-isnt-always-for-kids.html">here</a>, or the review of <u>Volume 11</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2014/09/chis-sweet-home-11-kanata.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Daddy Yamada has decided to take advantage of the offer to move to France for his job! It's going to be an exciting change for the entire family, including Chi. Documents must me filled out, veterinary appointments must be made, and the house packed up once again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But as it turns out, Chi has more than just the Yamadas who love her. She's finally reconnected with her siblings and Mommy, and she has another human who misses her enough to put up signs for her. As much as the Yamadas love her, is it fair for them to take her away from her original home forever? And how in the world could they explain this all to Youhei?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For eleven years, Konami Kanata has given us a look into the life of Chi and both her human and animal families. As the story finally comes to an end, readers are left with both a sense of closure and a look into the futures of the characters we've come to care about.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Chi finally learns what makes a family important.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> So very many heartbreaking moments in this volume.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> As sad as I am to see a friend like Chi go, I'm very happy that it got a proper ending.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u>Further Reading:</u></b> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/01/milkyway-hitchhiking-sirial.html">Milkyway Hitchhiking</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">Yotsuba&!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/10/i-am-pusheen-the-cat-belton.html">I Am Pusheen the Cat</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-68481506296839579472015-11-02T20:38:00.001-06:002015-11-02T20:38:21.451-06:00Manga Monday: A new neighbor appears<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Devil's Castle has yet another new inhabitant in <u>The Devil is a Part Timer! (manga) Volume 3</u>.<br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_lcFhAtwwYAn1v_CHWT2hrLggvIE7DQb_whQkVqUFDqAa4Qj2ahFpZiL1w5CkwL9h_7ENrvLJPCteHx-PmNpS8SDIFVjkZdryOxpHn7dOcJPBdiRzU5C1B_l4WHx6vwaCSTLly4kUt6m/s1600/devilisaparttimermanga3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN_lcFhAtwwYAn1v_CHWT2hrLggvIE7DQb_whQkVqUFDqAa4Qj2ahFpZiL1w5CkwL9h_7ENrvLJPCteHx-PmNpS8SDIFVjkZdryOxpHn7dOcJPBdiRzU5C1B_l4WHx6vwaCSTLly4kUt6m/s320/devilisaparttimermanga3.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! (manga) Volume 3</u> is part of an ongoing series. For Volume 1, click <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/04/devil-is-a-part-timer-manga-1-wagahara.html">here</a>, and for <u>Volume 2</u> click <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/07/devil-is-a-part-timer-manga-2-wagahara.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Things have been a bit of a mixed bag at the Devil's Castle of late. On the one hand, Maou's supervisor at MgRonalds has noticed his dedication to work, and has promoted him to Shift Supervisor. It's still a part-time position, but he will be in charge of the staff when Kisaki-san is out. Responsibilities include taking attendance, doing the daily books, and crushing the new Sentucky Fried Chicken opening across the street.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even as Maou is taking on more responsibilities at work, his home life is in an uproar as well. First, a new girl has moved in next door. Suzuno Kamazuki appears to be just as odd as the other residents of the apartment complex, wearing yukata and speaking extremely formally at all times. But when Ashiya falls ill with a summer cold, she steps up to help keep Maou's household running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emi and Chiho-chan haven't been sitting idly by either. Emi has received a package from Emeralda back in Ente Isla, containing what appears to be energy shots. Called Holy-Vitan β, it's a quick but temporary way for Emi to boost her magic levels. It's still experimental, though, and so should be limited to only two per day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chiho, unfortunately, has mostly been trying to figure out her feelings regarding Maou. It's hard to be a high school girl, and doubly so when you work with a crush. And then when said crush has a new girl making him lunches...it's complicated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>The Devil is a Part Timer! (manga) Volume 3</u> is very much a transitional book, setting up new characters and situations for the next long story arc. There's less action and more character development, which isn't a bad thing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> That's...that's a lot of udon there.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> If it's been a few months since the events of the last book, Maou and Chiho should probably have had this heart-to-heart quite a while ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>The Devil is a Part Timer! (manga)</u> is still probably not as good an introduction to the series as the <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/05/devil-is-a-part-timer-LN-1-wagahara.html">Light Novels</a>, but seeing the characters is fun nonetheless.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/05/devil-is-a-part-timer-LN-1-wagahara.html">The Devil is a Part Timer! (Light Novel)</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/the-devil-is-a-part-timer-high-school-1-mishina.html">The Devil is a Part Timer! High School!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2011/05/amazingly-accurate-portrayal-of-strong.html">Moribito</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/manga-monday-classic-manga-author-plays.html">Rin-ne</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-62506490930024774812015-10-19T20:38:00.000-05:002015-10-19T20:38:07.328-05:00Manga Monday: Are we finally finding out where everybody stands?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Eren realizes just how deeply humanity's been betrayed, while Mikasa and Armin worry about their next steps in <u>Attack on Titan Volume 11</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyqVRIv964XLI8WBCGTe66BAIWAY8k18rOMA5kLu4F2GVVxVenJqzphFTD0KRAsLKaOs7QaSWTfZh9qi7Ve4X8zxW1nshKp4irhMYThvO4nBUVQyHqwu7oW-nAdKWOTI0qgETs3zzuDju/s1600/attackontitan11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyqVRIv964XLI8WBCGTe66BAIWAY8k18rOMA5kLu4F2GVVxVenJqzphFTD0KRAsLKaOs7QaSWTfZh9qi7Ve4X8zxW1nshKp4irhMYThvO4nBUVQyHqwu7oW-nAdKWOTI0qgETs3zzuDju/s320/attackontitan11.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>Attack on Titan Volume 10</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review for <u>Volume 1</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/07/attack-on-titan-1-isayama.html">here</a>, and <u>Volume 10</u> <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/06/manga-monday-how-deep-does-this.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's amazing how no matter who Eren decides to trust, betrayal is the inevitable outcome. Bertolt and Reiner are beyond the point of no return, and even Ymir's motives are questionable anymore. As the Colossus Titan and the Armored Titan attack, Eren and Ymir are taken away by them into the forest, where their fates remain undecided.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After the battle, Mikasa and Armin regroup with Hannes atop the wall. Their fighting forces have been absolutely decimated, their lead fighters are gone, and Mikasa has withdrawn into her scarf again. Morale is low, but Hannes rallies the troops and refocuses them on their mission to protect humanity - and Eren.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This late in the series, one assumes that the reader would have some grasp of what's going on, but <u>Attack on Titan</u> continues to raise more questions than it answers. Hopefully some of these plot points begin to come together, before the reader becomes so lost that they give up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Hannes' speech to Armin and Mikasa was exactly what they, and the reader, needed to hear in such a time of despair.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> There's so much going on right now, and so many plots within plots, that it's becoming a job to keep them all straight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>Attack on Titan Volume 11</u> continues the story in the same grand tradition, but readers looking for answers will have to continue to wait.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading;</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/04/another-1-ayatsuji.html">Another</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/08/under-a-graveyard-sky-ringo.html">Under a Graveyard Sky</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/girl-from-the-well-chupeco.html">The Girl from the Well</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-49089494126004891002015-09-28T20:12:00.000-05:002015-09-28T20:12:20.812-05:00Manga Monday: Santa-related shenanigans for Seki<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even the holidays are inspiration for the ever-distracted Seki in <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 4</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCfGKcw7P6ffSzDD8LTcLJnFYZEZ1YR4iCEcmt-0jYlGK-IHYCwNq7gIASztoTELyfdvCa6ZhTIpO6gPcBQKxOJSvYgN8QjGGKn0otDgPJf4K9xsoi-T9XjKZfwytonxUDzplrESq8MxE/s1600/myneighborseki4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvCfGKcw7P6ffSzDD8LTcLJnFYZEZ1YR4iCEcmt-0jYlGK-IHYCwNq7gIASztoTELyfdvCa6ZhTIpO6gPcBQKxOJSvYgN8QjGGKn0otDgPJf4K9xsoi-T9XjKZfwytonxUDzplrESq8MxE/s320/myneighborseki4.jpg" width="228" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note: <u>My Neighbor Seki Volume 4</u> is part of an ongoing series. Check out the review for <u>Volume 1</u> here, and <u>Volume 3</u> here. Otherwise, read on!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">45th Period shows Seki bringing a lot more toys to class than usual. In fact, he creates an entire crane game on his desk! Yokoi ought to be able to concentrate on class during this quiet activity. But...there's her favorite character Drama Panda! Perhaps if she's the one who puts the 100¥ in the crane, when Seki wins it, it would by rights be hers?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50th Period is right before Christmas, and it only makes sense that Seki would get into the spirit of the holidays. He begins with a Christmas tree for his desk, which is actually a pretty good, cute idea. However, with the addition of too many Santas, snow, and lights, it becomes a traditional Seki disaster.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">52nd and 53rd period are connected stories that begin during their school's Kite Flying Day at the riverbank. Seki is playing ball in his normal distracted state, but the Robot Family has their kite flying well. In fact, Father Robot nearly flies away. Yokoi, feeling protective of the little family ends up taking them home to make sure no ills befell them. But seeing Seki so depressed in class after losing them makes Yokoi hatch her own elaborate plan to return them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the school year continues, it seems as though Seki has an unlimited imagination from which to create these amazing distractions from. And, unfortunately for Yokoi, it doesn't look like he's going to run out of ideas anytime soon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Anytime Goto is involved, the misunderstandings abound.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> I'm calling shenanigans on Seki's accurate New Year's dreams.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> Still just as hilarious as the first book, <u>My Neighbor Seki</u> continues to delight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/09/cromartie-high-school-1-nonaka.html">Cromartie High School</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2011/01/manga-mondaywow-your-friend-really-is.html">Yotsuba&!</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/shiba-inuko-san-1-uzu.html">Shiba Inuko-san</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-4898582484610434572015-09-24T09:00:00.000-05:002015-09-24T09:00:02.807-05:00The sympathetic side of murderous Japanese spirits<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Bookstore shelves are packed with books drawing from Western folklore. Elves, fairies, sprites, even selkies have found their way into books recently, especially ones targeting the ever-growing young adult market.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Part of writing young adult, it seems, is to not expect too much outside knowledge of the reader going in. It's assumed that readers know about European fantasy creatures, since that's what most of the fairy tales and Disney movies they've grown up on focus on. But once a piece of another culture's folklore hits the public knowledge, it's fair game.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijG0PFiESchkcdN2DECiETRb0MeQR3mNDUDSsRnI1uawCDSIxOhyBFniO0W16WKHA9M9oD6gDuqvx-IkS7klNzepRpASjHqxvpFdXtlLVb4OdQ9J5pKv6EhldetEPxXywaYxTUkzDjZKiq/s1600/thegirlfromthewell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijG0PFiESchkcdN2DECiETRb0MeQR3mNDUDSsRnI1uawCDSIxOhyBFniO0W16WKHA9M9oD6gDuqvx-IkS7klNzepRpASjHqxvpFdXtlLVb4OdQ9J5pKv6EhldetEPxXywaYxTUkzDjZKiq/s320/thegirlfromthewell.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enter Okiku, and <u>The Girl from the Well</u>. Okiku was introduced to most Western audiences in the 2002 movie 'The Ring,' but there's much more to her than popping out of old VHS tapes. In the intervening years, Okiku has moved on from haunting the well where she was killed. She's made it her passion to exact revenge on those who have hurt children, and she has left a trail of gruesome, unsolved murders in her wake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But one day, while drifting around looking for a new victim, she comes across Tarquin. Tark is, in many ways, just an ordinary 15 year old boy. He and his father have just moved, and he's having some of the normal problems fitting in to his new school. He's quiet by nature, so it's hard to get him to come out of his shell.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And, well, accidentally summoning a flock of headless birds in the cafeteria might not make him homecoming king either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The problem started when he was very young. Before his mother married his father, she was a shrine maiden who spent her days putting spirits to rest with her sister back in Japan. Later on, during a visit back to the shrine, and exorcism went terribly wrong and the only way to keep the malicious spirit from destroying the town that the shrine protects was to bind it to her young son.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The trauma and guilt from that night broke Yoko, and after a few instances of trying to kill Tark and the spirit trapped within him, she's been committed to a mental hospital.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tark's father has been doing his best, trying to balance a demanding job, a mad wife, and a son who understandably has a few issues.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And the binding left Tark with tattoo-like symbols covering his arms, hips, and chest, without a mother, and a history of bizarre, alienating events surrounding him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's no wonder Okiku notices him, and takes an interest.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also get to know Tark's cousin Callie. A teacher's aide at the school he's now attending, they were close when Tark was young, and she feels a bit of a motherly responsibility for her young family member. She knows that he's been having a hard time, especially since they've moved closer to his mother's hospital and there's been a bit more interaction with her, and she wants to do whatever she can to help Tark out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And perhaps figure out what's going on with the strange spirits that have been following him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For as he's growing up, and becoming a less 'pure' vessel, the binding symbols his mother used to shut away the evil spirit have begun to fade. The strange occurrences have become more frequent, and if that spirit escapes, it won't end well for anyone involved.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>The Girl from the Well</u> doesn't read like a traditional Stephen King horror novel. Like many Japanese novels, it's much more contemplative and slow-building than that. Most of the bad reviews on Goodreads seem to be coming from people who are expecting a different sort of book. This isn't a hack-and-slash, bloody horror novel. Rather, the creepiness builds as the story progresses and the reader becomes invested in the characters. The tone of the novel rather than graphic imagery is what will keep the reader up at night, either to finish the book or wondering what that shadow behind them in the mirror is.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> This is a great starter book for people who aren't too familiar with Japanese folklore, since <u>The Ring</u> was so popular, and can easily spark an interest in other books with Japanese settings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Once again the father is clueless - bordering on neglectful - and mostly ignored throughout the book.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> A wonderfully creepy young adult horror novel with a distinct East Asian flavor.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u>The Suffering</u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/04/another-1-ayatsuji.html">Another</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2012/04/young-mans-childhood-stories-come-alive.html">Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-89983502748137484362015-09-21T16:30:00.000-05:002015-09-21T16:30:23.792-05:00Manga Monday: How bad can a public high school really be?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's not Takashi Kamiyama's fault. It really isn't. He could have gotten into a much better high school if he wanted to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In middle school, Ichiro Yamamoto helped him stand up to the bullies who called him 'pencilneck' and stole his lunch money. So when high school exam time came around, and Yamamoto was discouraged, Kamiyama told him that a good student can learn anywhere, and that he would apply for Cromartie High School, the easiest school to get into, with him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, Yamamoto didn't even get into Cromartie, so now Kamiyama is at a very, very rough school all by himself in <u>Cromartie High School Volume 1</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-D7WQmx8c5G7gVkbHplTo00KAjk8KN936TzTxtfIE_JS67WOBm_xhiyAyYo0LljRq9YMi5oAA5d6xC60Acto_9DoD1Nn0B37kQpzWU503lxj8D2Xw1km5YVw6ifp9u1xCdFzAPRf1qrI/s1600/cromartiehighschool1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-D7WQmx8c5G7gVkbHplTo00KAjk8KN936TzTxtfIE_JS67WOBm_xhiyAyYo0LljRq9YMi5oAA5d6xC60Acto_9DoD1Nn0B37kQpzWU503lxj8D2Xw1km5YVw6ifp9u1xCdFzAPRf1qrI/s320/cromartiehighschool1.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cromartie is a rather...unique school. To begin with, it's a school for delinquents. Since no good student in their right mind would ever go to Cromartie, it's assumed that you've built up a hard reputation for yourself in middle school. This works to Yamamoto's advantage, since only a boy with the worst reputation ever could afford to seem as weak as Yamamoto does.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since delinquency is to be expected at a school like this, it takes some extremely special circumstances for Cromartie to stand out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Like the 'kid' in Class 3 with a striking resemblance to Freddy Mercury.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or the gorilla in another classroom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Or...Mechazawa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Cromartie High School</u> is a comedy spoofing the popular 'yankii' (juvenile delinquent) manga genre of the 1970s and 1980s. The randomness abounds, the laughs are constant, and by the end, perhaps your own high school experience won't seem so bad after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Motion sickness is a terrible disorder that does not need to be made light of.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> This isn't a starter manga, as a reader without a good founding in manga tropes would probably be lost.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>Cromartie High School Volume 1</u> may not be for everyone, but those with the right sense of humor will enjoy it immensely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/shiba-inuko-san-1-uzu.html">Shiba Inuko-san Volume 1</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/02/my-neighbor-seki-1-morishige.html">My Neighbor Seki Volume 1</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-81099444973728276142015-09-15T09:00:00.000-05:002015-09-15T09:00:02.045-05:00Zombie outbreak survivors are just as factionalized as before<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A world with superheroes could be a wonderful thing. With great power tends to come great responsibility, and it seems as though people with the ability to protect those in need gravitate towards such hobbies. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Los Angeles has certainly benefited from its superpowered saviors. Gorgon has a particular vendetta against the street gang calling themselves the Seventeens. Mighty Dragon has been keeping an eye on the streets as well, and Stealth seems to be keeping attacks on women in check.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And then...the virus gets loose.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakKnpbwVM985mgQEEFpk4vz_N_4R2L8_GinldD0vaIP-nQPyQN2fblN4Ut_SlSAAYNCctj0NQl41eWvNFQWSA9DgVh-8CgPFpJKET-KPR_U1qMRUZbYN_P8B77A4HF0B8ka8dPMTs6hMf/s1600/exheroes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakKnpbwVM985mgQEEFpk4vz_N_4R2L8_GinldD0vaIP-nQPyQN2fblN4Ut_SlSAAYNCctj0NQl41eWvNFQWSA9DgVh-8CgPFpJKET-KPR_U1qMRUZbYN_P8B77A4HF0B8ka8dPMTs6hMf/s320/exheroes.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <u>Ex-Heroes</u>, Peter Cline combines the very popular superhero and zombie genres to create a very interesting post-apocalyptic world. Taking place one year after the outbreak began, with flashbacks to the superheroes' experiences before the crisis, a band of superheroes has made a 'safe zone' out of the old Paramount Studios lot. They go on raids outside of the walls of the Mount for supplies, but have also converted rooftops on the lot to farming land, and are fairly self-sustaining.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They're not the only humans left in LA, however. Gorgon's old enemy, the Seventeens, also have a stronghold. Unfortunately, they're not nearly as nice to their civilians as the Heroes are.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But beyond that, there's been some strange developments amongst the ex-humans. When the Heroes captured three of the Seventeens, they each attempted to kill themselves in their holding cells. And one of the one who succeeded seemed...intelligent. Instead of launching himself at the nearest warm body, it was able to converse with the Heroes, and tell them what the Seventeens had in store for them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Peter Cline has created a fascinating world in <u>Ex-Heroes</u>, filled with flawed heroes. No one comes through an apocalypse without at least a bit of baggage, and through the flashbacks Cline shows us exactly where each character is coming from. Even the revelation of how the outbreak started is equal parts fascinating and heartbreaking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Ex-Heroes</u> leaves a huge world to explore in subsequent books, characters who have an uphill battle before them, and a satisfying conclusion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-decoration: underline;">Highs:</b> While a bit cookie-cutter to begin with, both female characters hold their own well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> While death is inevitable in a series like this, I wish a few of the characters we lost had made it through.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> An excellent genre mash-up that satisfies fans of zombies, superheroes, and both.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/08/under-a-graveyard-sky-ringo.html">Under a Graveyard Sky</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/05/world-war-z-brooks.html">World War Z</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/07/v-wars-maberry.html">V Wars</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-13379882672933591342015-08-24T20:11:00.000-05:002015-08-24T20:11:02.741-05:00Manga Monday: Devil King for Student Council!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The crowd's all here - from Maou and Emi to Mayumi Kisaki and Lucifer in <u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School! Volume 1</u>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R2PzN8L50OY6PVznc3FdMwUurfX5JOeg3u2MfNmzRbnqJPBuuk3fxaWhnnYGndMoTuPHOn9FaL58crNsWrIwuWj_aZTTKWgX-tdwZWjC7DxegmvIHFw6UHvWDU4BdcXr0RwB5mel5Q13/s1600/thedevilisaparttimerhighschool1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9R2PzN8L50OY6PVznc3FdMwUurfX5JOeg3u2MfNmzRbnqJPBuuk3fxaWhnnYGndMoTuPHOn9FaL58crNsWrIwuWj_aZTTKWgX-tdwZWjC7DxegmvIHFw6UHvWDU4BdcXr0RwB5mel5Q13/s320/thedevilisaparttimerhighschool1.jpg" width="223" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once again, Maou-sama has to find his place in this strange new world, and now there's even more drama than in the backroom of the fast food joint. He is, arguably, in a better position to take over all of Japan, and then the world now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every great leader needs a great education, you see, and what better place to start than in high school?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A high school has plenty of room for our favorite faces. Alicel is working as custodian so that he and Maou get free room and board. Emi and her friend Rika Suzuki transfer in shortly thereafter, and poor Chi-chan was here to begin with. Maou's boss from MgRonalds is now their teacher, and other characters wander in over time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The story roughly follows that of the light novel and manga, with Maou planning to take over the world using Student Council President as just the first stepping-stone. There's a challenge to sell the most curry puddings, and Emi becomes injured on a class field trip. Even though we've heard the song before, the remix still entertains.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The whole 'high school' versions of popular manga is becoming more and more common. While it's kind-of fun to see favorite characters in a completely different setting, the whole idea is just a bit bizarre. The gaps in ages are scaled down, so that Chi-chan is the same age as Maou and Emi, which changes the dynamic of their relationship a bit. And figuring out how to wedge in side characters stretches the bounds of credibility. Even so, <u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School! Volume 1</u> is a fun alternate story for big fans of the existing series.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> It's cute that even her, Alciel ends up cleaning up after everyone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> How many students can transfer into the same class in just two days?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> Only meant for real fans of the original series, <u>The Devil is a Part-Timer! High School! Volume 1</u> reads like a high school fantasy of a fanfic - in all the best ways.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/05/devil-is-a-part-timer-LN-1-wagahara.html">The Devil is a Part-Timer! (Light Novel) Volume 1</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/04/devil-is-a-part-timer-manga-1-wagahara.html">The Devil is a Part-Timer! (manga) Volume 1</a></u>, <u><a href="http://geeklitetc.blogspot.com/2010/08/manga-monday-classic-manga-author-plays.html">Rin-ne</a></u></span>ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-28543925277135811212015-08-10T09:00:00.000-05:002015-08-10T09:38:46.488-05:00Manga Monday: That's a stylish young man...with a grade school backpack...<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's hard being a
high school kid who looks 10...but it's just as hard being an
elementary school kid who looks 20 in <u>Recorder and Ran</u><u>d</u><u>sell
Volume 1</u>.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgaPOBO03qyVrH0NgnfG5JGNsHmuR9NUVdBuPMK3Vxbg8uoEi7bS1AvovjQxAVRmAsTLhWXRd0OhgCcGzmu4-SnX1z7y5cuBEhsUTxTdAWmBmxt2x9a76dnVjWbp1Z6VKx1uyzgVoEXRe/s1600/recorderandrandsell.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgaPOBO03qyVrH0NgnfG5JGNsHmuR9NUVdBuPMK3Vxbg8uoEi7bS1AvovjQxAVRmAsTLhWXRd0OhgCcGzmu4-SnX1z7y5cuBEhsUTxTdAWmBmxt2x9a76dnVjWbp1Z6VKx1uyzgVoEXRe/s320/recorderandrandsell.png" width="230" /></a></div>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Miyagawa
Atsumi is a pretty average high school girl. She worries about exams,
she has a best friend to hang out with, and she helps to take care of
her little brother Atsushi. Atsushi's pretty normal himself too. He's
got friends that love to get him in trouble, and a teacher who does
her best to watch over him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unfortunately,
neither of them look as normal as they are. Atsumi is an absolutely
tiny 4'5”, while her fifth grade brother is a rather
mature-looking 5'10". Atsumi has to shop in the children's
department, Atsushi gets hand-me-downs from their 32-year-old
neighbor. No one wants to take Atsumi seriously when she's out and
about, and everyone mistakes Atsumi hanging out with his
normal-looking girl classmate as a weirdo. It just isn't easy being a
Miyagawa kid.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Atsumi,
at least, is mature enough to use her childish appearance to her
advantage, while poor Atsushi hasn't quite gotten it down yet. <u>Volume
1</u> covers just about a year in
their lives, including the popularity problems of Valentine's Day and
White day, and the problem of Atsushi being introduced to a new
teacher who isn't accustomed to his...appearance. The other folks in
town, like the slacker neighbor who keeps giving Atsushi clothes
picked out by his ex-girlfriends and the little boys Atsushi hangs
out with who think it's super cool to be able to get away with not
having an actual adult supervise them, just
add to the fun.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u>Recorder and
Randsell Volume 1</u> is a 4-koma
comedy manga that easily captures the silliness of the assumptions
that we all make upon seeing someone. It
has some absolutely laugh-out-loud scenes, and doesn't rely on just
its premise to bring the laughs.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Highs:</b></u>
'Say something an adult would say!' '...BOOBS!'</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Lows:</b></u>
You'd think that the police in the area would eventually recognize
Atsushi and stop trying to arret him for being a creep.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Verdict:</b></u>
<u>Recorder and
Randsell Volume 1</u>
is in equal parts hilarious and adorable, and a fun change of pace
from other more serious manga.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u><b>Further
Reading:</b></u>
<u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2015/08/shiba-inuko-san-1-uzu.html">Shiba Inuko-San</a></u>, <u>Crayon Shin-Chan</u>,
<u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2010/10/manga-monday-of-course-cat-cant-be.html">Neko Ramen</a></u></div>
ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-48186481588175076882015-08-03T19:59:00.001-05:002015-08-03T19:59:59.798-05:00Manga Monday: How cute can the cute girl in class be?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;">It might not be
polite to point out a classmate's differences, but perhaps some
things might need to be cleared up in </span><u style="line-height: 100%;">Shiba Inuko-san Volume 1</u><span style="line-height: 100%;">.</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8560208358008983789" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmkI4GyleINXookcpnIeCqlmqFAn8tSydzMQLTR30XdcpHFx_RO1qn1qz_TH6FX4VwF9fXCq8vnLeMHuO_FqNraOS6NIcfWfKCTqNC3CRQAuGpQ38UsL4MIuSQ9laqP-7XkBwf3dr3O_a/s1600/shibainuko-san1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmkI4GyleINXookcpnIeCqlmqFAn8tSydzMQLTR30XdcpHFx_RO1qn1qz_TH6FX4VwF9fXCq8vnLeMHuO_FqNraOS6NIcfWfKCTqNC3CRQAuGpQ38UsL4MIuSQ9laqP-7XkBwf3dr3O_a/s320/shibainuko-san1.jpg" width="228" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's actually refreshing to see someone in Japan who is accepted for
all of her eccentricities. Students everywhere can be very
unforgiving of classmates, and in as cohesive a society as Japan,
standing out too much can sometimes be frowned upon.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chako
Ishibashi is just a normal 8<sup>th</sup>
grader at a normal school. She has a few friends in her new class,
and a little brother Yuuto who she walks to school with in the
morning. She's in a different class this year in school, which is
exciting, because it's the same class her
friend Naho was in last year, and they seened like suh a close,
friendly bunch.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But
as Naho is making introductions, Chako meets the most popular girl in
class. She's cute, and short, and…</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;">She's
Shiba Inuko-san. Everyone agrees that she's short, and adorable, and brown-haired,and has a small tail, and </span><span style="line-height: 16px;">irresistibly</span><span style="line-height: 100%;"> cuddly, but for some reason only Chako seems to have put all the pieces together that she's actually a Shiba Inu dog.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;">But what does that matter, really? Inuko-san is still adorable, and a good friend to her classmates, and participates in whatever they're doing. She might not be the best person to share notes with if you're absent with a cold, but she's sure mastered chopsticks at lunch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;">A standard 4-koma manga, <u>Shiba Inuko-san Volume 1</u> never tries for more plot than it's able to actually pull off. Each story is basically a middle-school slice of life, with some sort of dog-related twist. Surprisingly, it stays fresh much longer than one might expect. The author uzu has somehow hit upon the perfect combination of absurdity and normalcy, and it blends very well.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> Any time Shiba Inuko-san runs up against a problem based on her form, and the rest of the class - minus Chako - takes it in stride, the reader can't help but smile.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> Fans who have become bored with the abundance of slice-of-life manga recently may find some of the tropes repetitive.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>Shiba Inuko-san Volume 1</u> is exactly what it sets out to be, and does it well.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u>Azumanga Daioh</u>, <u>Cromartie High School</u></span></span></div>
ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-91776999997799227902015-08-01T08:00:00.000-05:002015-08-01T21:20:45.251-05:00How far can a friendly dragon get in the world?<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The nicest dragon in
the universe slowly wins people over with his sincerity in Rachel
Bach's <u>One Good Dragon Deserves Another</u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note:
<u>One Good Dragon Deserves Another</u>
is the second book in the Heartstrikers series. For the first book,
<u>Nice Dragon Finish Last</u>,
click <a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2014/07/nice-dragons-finish-last-aaron.html">here</a>. Otherwise, read on!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">Julius Heartstriker's had a rough few months. His mother has sealed
off access to his draconic form, for being too weak to be a dragon. He's been kicked out of the family home and dropped off in the Detroit Free Zone, where dragons are strictly forbidden. And he's been told that he needs to earn his draconic 'privileges' back, or else simply be killed for being too weak</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">Well, he survived that ordeal, and made what might be his first actual friendships. Such a foreign concept for most dragons, but it just seems to fit with someone like Julius. And it's a good thing too: he's gonna need a little help from his friends coming up here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">For you see, his mother doesn't exactly understand the idea of 'friendships.' She just sees potential influence points. And since Julius now has an 'in' with one of the Three Sisters Clan, he's finally become a useful pawn in one of his games. Because a potential mating flight between one of the Heartstrikers and a member of the Three Sisters could potentially put Bethesda in a position of consolidating clans, and perhaps expanding her power beyond even her own wildest dreams.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">But Julius has other problems on his plate as well. He's been working with Marci as something of a spirit and magical creature extermination company. In a place like Algonquin's Detroit Free Zone, there's plenty of magical critters and the like that need to be taken care of, and the magically-deprived average human hardly has the resources to take care of a tank badger squatting in their apartment. It hardly takes all of the magic that Marci, and Julius have at their disposal, and so it's certainly a way to keep the lights on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">Any magic using human in the DFZ, especially one with draonic ties, is going to end up drawing unwanted attention to herself. After a silly fight with Julius, Marci ends up on the wrong end of a curse placed on her by Algonquin's dragon hunter: bring the dragon to the appointed place by sunset, or the Sword of Damocles curse will, appropriately, sever her head from her body. Plus, her ghost 'cat' has drawn the attention of the Heartstriker's planeswalker, so there might be even more to him than anyone realizes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">And if that wasn't enough, the Heartstriker's seer is back in action. As he looks over the futures of his clanmates, their futures are simply...disappearing. That's probably not a good sign.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">So many possibilities are opened up in this book, and Aaron does a fantastic job turning from one plotline to another. Balancing an ensemble cast is a knack that few authors master, but it's done here so seamlessly that the reader doesn't realize how masterfully it's done until he looks back at it as a whole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;">And any time the craft of writing is eclipsed by the story, its a good time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Highs:</u> I love Marci's storyline, and the revelations of her spirit are spot-on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Lows:</u> There are so many open storyline threads, I can't imagine all of my favorite asides wrapping up in just one more book, if this is intended to just be a trilogy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Verdict:</u> <u>One Good Dragon Deserves Another</u> is a satisfying enough book on its own but, like all good serials, leaves the reader itching for that next piece of the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 100%;"><u style="font-weight: bold;">Further Reading:</u> <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2013/11/fortunes-pawn-bach.html">Fortune's Pawn</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2012/03/fans-of-buffy-vampire-slayer-finally.html">Princess of Wands</a></u>, <u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2014/04/alif-the-unseen-wilson.html">Alif the Unseen</a></u></span></div>
ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8560208358008983789.post-34176356807916955042015-07-30T09:00:00.000-05:002015-07-30T09:00:01.846-05:00Sometimes it takes a supervillain to defeat a supervillain<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The team goes on two
missions, while their leader fights to retain control of her project
in <u>New Suicide Squad Volume 1: Pure Insanity</u>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So
the Suicide Squad is doing its crazy thing, but apparently someone's
decided that it needs a bit more oversight than it has traditionally
had. Enter Victor Sage, a
by-the-books kind of guy, designated to lead the Suicide Squad
alongside Waller, and keep tabs on their actions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understandably,
this transition doesn't go so well, but the missions go on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Initially,
the Squad heads into Russia. Sage thinks it's an awesome idea to
cause rivalry within the team, in an effort to 'spice things up.'
Which goes about as well as can be expected. But they do end up
finding out what the Russians have been working on...by running
headfirst into it. And we are reminded once again exactly how
disposable the Squad members are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Later,
what's left of the team picks up a few replacement members and heads
off to China. While the brainwashed ninja man-bats distract the
guards at a secured facility, and Reverse Flash sets up enough bombs
to blow the place sky-high, Black Manta and Harley check out what
exactly is going on there.
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looks
like China's working on the supervillain
threat as well. With
similarly astonishing results.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's
a lot going on in this book. With the ever-revolving team members,
who by definition don't play well with authority, there's going to be
power struggles. Black Manta can only do so much as an on-site team
leader, when it's a
crapshoot whether he can get anyone to actually listen to him. Waller
understands this, but it's hard to make an outsider understand what
allowances have to be made for such an...eclectic team.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
also have to make the standard objection to how they've changed
Waller's looks. Not every important female has to be slim and pretty.
It was nice to see a woman in power who had better things to worry
about than her diet, but alas, that's once again gone to the wayside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In
all, <u>New Suicide Squad Volume 1: Pure Insanity</u>
is a pretty decent jumping-off point for new fans to the franchise.
Fans who have come to it from the Arrow TV show references have
enough touchstones with Deadshot and Deathstroke to not be too lost,
while still building towards what will probably be future storylines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Highs:</b></u>
Both the Russian and Chinese approaches to the supervillain
threat are fascinating, and I hope future stories go into these
further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Lows:</b></u>
Between pitting the two female Squad members against each other, and
Waller's 'makeover,' this isn't exactly the most feminist-friendly
book out there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Verdict:</b></u>
While
not a perfect comic by any means, <u>New
Suicide Squad Volume 1: Pure Insanity</u>
still has lots going for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u><b>Further
Reading:</b></u>
<u>Arkham Manor</u>,
<u>Gotham Academy</u>,
<u><a href="http://www.geeklitetc.com/2014/11/ms-marvel-1-wilson.html">Ms. Marvel Volume1: No Normal</a></u></span></div>
ebooksgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16809060017180892342noreply@blogger.com0