Why did I read this when I have no plans to visit Japan?

I had high hopes for Cool Japan Guide: Fun in the Land of Manga, Lucky Cats, and Ramen by Abby Denson. Some of this stemmed from the fact that this was recommended to me from a trusted source but more so from the fact that I've so enjoyed the travelogues that I've read in the past (especially Lucy Kinsey's). Sadly, this book fell far short of the mark for me. While this is 'marketed' for a young adult audience the cat character that the authors use for Japanese vocabulary lessons (a great idea in theory) was childish in the extreme. The illustrations weren't anything to write home about either but I think they were secondary to the purpose of providing helpful information to the international traveler. In this the authors definitely succeeded although their advice should be taken with a grain of salt as some information could potentially be out-of-date. All in all it was a 2/10 for me although I did have a craving for ramen right after reading it. 😉

Source: Amazon

An example of the illustrative style (and the cat). [Source: Comics Worth Reading]

What's Up Next: Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade

What I'm Currently Reading: Fair Play: A Game-Changing Solution for When You Have Too Much to Do (and More Life to Live) by Eve Rodsky

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

The search for identity

I watched a really interesting anime a few months back called Wandering Son which focuses on two main characters who are transgendered. It was such an intriguing storyline but I felt there was potential for so much more. Luckily, anime are generally based off of manga so I did a little search and Wandering Son, Vol.1 by Takako Shimura (translated by Matt Thorn) fell magically into my hands. As you can guess, there are a number of volumes in this series which consist of multiple issues. The story focuses on two fifth graders who share a secret: They both want to be the opposite gender. This is the second book that I've read which discusses gender identity but it's the first I've read with characters this young. There are the normal trials and tribulations of adolescence (puberty being one of them) as well as the added anxiety of gender identity and secrecy. It's an interesting storyline but unfortunately not a lot is covered in this volume (even less than in the anime) so I think I'm going to have to read several more before I get the more that I was craving. (I'm not sure if I'm interested enough to continue honestly.) The majority of the artwork is average but there are a few pages which really shine. I'll include examples below. :-) If you're looking for an anime/manga combination that explores a topic which you may or may not be overly familiar with then you might want to give this one a chance...as long as you understand you'll have to be committed for the long haul. 5/10 since this volume fell short of my expectations.




The first few pages are in color...the rest isn't. :-(



Shuichi Nitori




Yoshino Takatsuki



**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **



I have learned nothing.

Last week I talked about my first foray into the worlds of anime and manga with my review of Another. This time I thought I'd check out Attack on Titan 1 by Hajime Isayama mainly because I was hoping that it would answer the question that the anime posed "What are Titans?". It did not answer that question. In fact, it only covered up to about the fourth episode of the series which is probably why they've put out several volumes. (There are 19 out currently and each volume contains 4 separate chapters.) I now understand why people start with the manga and then watch the anime although in my defense I'm a newbie to both worlds. I will say that if I had known that I wouldn't learn anything new by starting with the first volume I would have skipped to where the anime ended (on a cliffhanger!) which is volume 8 (don't worry it's already on my list). The style of drawing is pretty much spot on to what was in the anime so if you enjoy that style then you'll most likely enjoy the manga (but like I said don't waste your time on the earlier volumes unless you just want to refresh your memory). Now about the story: Humans vs Titans. That's the basic gist. Humans (those remaining) have been forced behind walls to escape the terror of the Titans who are giant humanlike creatures with a taste for human flesh (and bones and pretty much all the viscera therein contained). The two issues are: What are Titans and how do the humans defeat them? If you can't stomach gore and/or violence then this one is definitely not for you. However, if you're interested in the struggle for survival against seemingly unbeatable odds then you might want to check out Attack on Titan.

Source: Amazon.com

I am incandescent with rage. Can you see why?

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **

Like a supernatural soap opera set in Japan...with gore

At the beginning of April, I decided to branch out of my comfort zone and take a look at Japanese anime. As with most things, I went in and fully immersed myself which of course means that after finishing a few of the anime I wanted to check out the manga from which they were created. (I think you can guess where this post is headed.) Today's post is all about the manga, Another, by Yukito Ayatsuji with art by Hiro Kiyohara (translation by Karen McGillicuddy). I picked up the omnibus edition which includes all volumes of the manga in one ginormous book. I definitely recommend that if a book has published all of its volumes (although it was a pain to travel with). The art was gorgeous. If you like anime and the art is one of the greatest attractions for you then you should definitely check out manga if you haven't done so already. The story is so bizarre that you can't help but be pulled in. It's a gothic horror story about a class of students who have a curse on their class (I can't get too specific because of spoilers). This is a GORY story so if you're not okay with blood and guts then this is not the book for you. (Was that a spoiler? Nah, it was a warning.) I will say that I found the process of reading the manga quite challenging at first (and I'd get confused periodically). You start at the back (which for a manga is the front) and read from right to left. As with all of the graphic novels that I've read so far, I found it to be a quick read that I was able to get through mostly in one sitting. If you're looking to branch out or you want a new manga recommendation I think this one would serve you quite well...and you should definitely check out the anime.

To show you what I meant by its size here's my hand for scale:

There are random pages throughout that are glossy and colored which were extraordinarily beautiful.

Everyone is gorgeous

Also, there's a fascination with beautiful boys that are dressed up as girls which is called Bishōnen. Here's what I'm talking about:

Remember to read right to left

**If you're interested in buying this book or any books really, you can click here or here. The first will re-direct you to AbeBooks and the second will re-direct you to The Book Depository. These are great websites for purchasing books (AbeBooks carries inexpensive used and out-of-print books and The Book Depository ships free everywhere in the world). Full disclosure: I will receive a commission on all sales made by following either of these links. I wouldn't recommend a site that I didn't use and you are under no obligation to purchase anything. :-) **