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I like horror manga; I generally always do. So it should come as no surprise that I avidly read works by Itou Junji and Kazuo Umezu (the latter of which I will be focusing on), two well-known masters at the horror genre. Works such as Orochi (by Kazuo Umezu) may have an “out-there” kind of premise but the way it seems so natural and tangibly believable is what really scares us. I mean, if the characters act in a similar way we would in a situation (and things go horribly wrong) then we can’t help but feel vulnerable to that fact. The reality of the ... horror genre is this: generally, the more realistic it can be, the scarier. The Drifting Classroom (aka. Hyouryuu Kyoushitsu) is often Well does this necessarily make it a “masterpiece”? That certainly depends.

What is The Drifting Classroom? Other than being called the manga version of Lord Of The Flies (which I can wholeheartedly agree with) it’s an older manga created in 1972, was awarded the 20th General Shogakukan Award, and was serialized for two years before coming to a fairly unsatisfying end. It chronicles the life and adventures of an entire school that has been transported into the far, far future; a future where there is no vegetation, nor water...just sand. One student in particular, Sho Takamatsu, is who the manga focuses on, and the entire story is presented through his point of view. He is a sixth grade student and a fairly unreliable narrator (seeing as he rapidly changes personas; mature leader to a crying boy), and thus, this means this manga is presented through the eyes of a flawed child. Other characters in this manga include Saki, the “wife” of Sho (confusing, I understand, but I don’t know how to phrase this better; you will see what I mean later on in the manga) who is very conservative in her role, but is also a very strong girl, and Yuu, who is Sho’s adoptive “child” who has almost nothing to do with the main plot other than inconvenience Sho. There are several other minor characters (such as Otomo and Nishi), and there are many that opposes “Ralph’s” (Lord Of The Flies, again) or Sho’s authority, but events like that come and go for plot convince with different characters at different times. Overall, characterization was flimsy, for the most part (like most horror mangas), but I was surprisingly impressed with Saki’s character as a 6th grade mother figure in rough times. Setting, on the other hand, has an original premise with endless possibilities. What you don’t expect to happen in a barren world of sand DOES happen without much consequence because of the lack of things other than the school.

It’s said that The Drifting Classroom is a collection of things that scared Kazuo Umezu as a child. Whether or not this is actually true, I can agree with the statement that, yes, (because it is a shounen) it is filled with things that make boys scared. Giant centipedes, bleak darkness, aliens and mummies. If I was a kid I know I’d be scared shitless. But I’m not a kid, which then brings me to my next point: the story doesn't necessarily work well as a horror. Bottom line: it’s not realistic. Rather, it’s quite absurd and has zero logic concerning the nature of the setting and such. I’m not even sure to classify this as a “horror” even though there is blood and gore. It’s simply not that scary (and I’m really easy to scare!). I think a better classification of this manga should be adventure, thriller, and gore maybe because, although the horror genre has those within them generally, this manga does not instill terror or fear in the reader.

But that certainly doesn't mean it’s no good. In fact, I had so much fun reading this manga. Every so often when something different happened I turned my laptop screen around and showed my dad (who thought it was rather amusing I was reading something like this) the giant centipede or whatever new problem that arose. It takes a bit to get into, but sooner than you can even realize you’ll be on the last volume in no time. Yes it’s absurd, yes there is no logic in it, but it’s very creative and very unexpected. I mean, someone has to have a really special kind of thinking to make all of these plot twists interesting (keep in mind there’s only an elementary school and an unlimited amount of sand!). This is the 1970’s: it’s where all tropes and cliches are so raw and original because they haven’t been done before. Just turn off your brain for a bit because lots of things don’t make sense, but it’s OK because it’s fun either way.

Despite whatever criticisms I had with the unreasonable nature, it is good. Because it is told through the eyes of a child, it has the right to be irrational and a bit over the top. The elements in this story is the fears of child, and because of this, Sho and the rest of the students are able to survive and cope with this situation because of their imagination. But the manga’s final fault lies in the initial premise: how did the school get transported into the future, and why? How far into the future are they? Well the subways still work so that could give us a rough estimate I suppose. But what happened to make the Earth so sandy without vegetation? And why are there no humans in the future; what disaster happened to make it that way? None of these questions will be answered in the manga (and to top it all off you’ll get the most unsatisfying conclusion) so if you’re solely interested in the answers to those questions then I don’t think you should even start. Would I recommend it? Sure, I guess, if you’re looking for something interesting that I just described in the last three paragraphs. But otherwise, I’d tuck the title in the back of your head for some other night because this definitely shouldn't be at the top of your ‘plan to read’ list. It’s good, yes, but that’s just it. There are plenty of other great titles out there for you to enjoy. The Drifting Classroom gets a 7/10 from me.

(Oh yeah. And the art screams 70’s. That is all.)

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

During the Vietnam War in 1973, an American solider goes insane and starts gunning down his allies and friends. After killing off a majority, we see that he has gained a form of dementia, and keeps repeating one line, over and over: “banana fish”. This manga was created by Akimi Yoshida (who also made Kisshō Tennyo) back in 1985, and it's the most manly shoujo to date. In fact, Frederik Schodt, popular translator (whose works include Phoenix, and Rose Of Versailles) remarks that it's “...one of the few girls' manga [a]...male adult could admit to reading without blushing.” The series, Banana Fish –which ran until ... 1994 with a total of 19 tankobon volumes– now remains one of 50 best classic manga of all time.

It's very hard to say how the plot, narration, and pacing came about in Banana Fish. Even as you begin the manga, the overwhelming intensity is just there, even if any characters haven't been fully introduced. It is certainly not a straight-forward series: there is no “beginning”, no “rising action”, no “climax”. As it chronicles and documents the lives of NY gangs (and gang warfare), it does so extremely realistically. It can fluxuate between something that can only be described as “tension, strain, bombs, and anxiety” and a calm, relief-filled respite. This is easily the best part of Banana Fish: there is no filler, and the way it goes about presenting the story is invigorating and interesting. The plot is air-tight.

As a result of such an amazing plot line, we are also given the characters, along with the development that comes along. There is no “real” main character in this, as there are several ones that are heavily expanded on. But that's not the amazing part about it. All major main characters are introduced extremely early on (and no, there isn't a problem about memorizing names here!). There is no character in this introduced for the sake of plot. There is no Person XYZ who can offer a solution to the problems they face. Oh no. All major characters are given three dimensional personalities (along with some sort of backstory that is frequently talked about and expanded on) and they all have inner, realistic struggles which can apply to most of us. In short: yes, they're pretty great.

Ash Lynx, as an example, is the head of his gang. Blunt, rude, and often recognized as juvenile, we are led to believe that's all we should expect. But that's not so. Although he has killed, he is no heartless thug. It's important to note that, although he's got years of trauma under his belt, he is still the softest gang leader out there. The tough cynicism he takes on conceals a wish to be treated as a normal human being, for he has never wanted the life that Dino Golzine has given him. In contrast to him, we're introduced to Eiji Okumura (who is equally as interesting): a fresh-out-of-highschool althete who has travelled to New York to be a photographer's assistant. But that kind of description doesn't do him justice.

Although I won't say that every single one of the characters are memorable, but a great amount of the complex ones are.

The atmosphere and the setting in Banana Fish is spectacular. I, myself, haven't lived in NY, but the amount of time and research that went into understanding the city as a whole is great. It wasn't just some label stuck on the city to make it feel pretentious or whatnot, I mean, I'm sure some of us have read a manga that use NY as a foreign city to make it seem 'cooler', but this was not the case. Banana Fish made me feel like I knew NY (and I probably really don't, so that is just a testament to the incredible, “slummy” atmosphere Banana Fish created). It was the little things: actual street signs, large neighbourhoods, or building complexes in relation to certain areas. And it wasn't just NY that was researched, there was also the nature of drugs, which is a key plot point. The planning and effort were used to their fullest during the creation of this manga –brilliantly.

Despite how many times I've said how good this is, what really stands out is the fact that it was made for girls (as it was serialized in Betsucomi). Although Banana Fish can be easily treated as a seinen (or a mature shounen/josei) it is probably best read as shoujo. This manga is proof that, although most modern shoujo are bad, classics (or “hidden gems”) of shoujos still hold promise. Reading this can drastically change one's opinion on shoujo for the better, which is amazing on it's own. Not only that, but this manga holds tons of historical value to the 80's and 90's, as it was extremely popular in Japan. Back in 1998, the japanese magazine Comic Link hosted a poll for the "50 Best Manga", and unsurprisingly, Banana Fish ranked #1.

That kind of respect and praise definitely holds merit in the manga world today.

To be completely honest, there were some minor nitpicks I had when reading this, but by the time the final few volumes came around, the mangaka, an experienced professional, had not only noticed them, but also fixed/rectified them. And they weren't even “problems” per se; the criticisms I had were just some minor things I thought would give the manga that extra edge. And it did.

Certainly, there should be no disagreement. Banana Fish is a gritty, detail-oriented masterpiece, as well as a big milestone. Lines such as “Know how to use a M-16?” to “He's got a grenade launcher!” will not be found in shoujo today, which makes Banana Fish just that much better. There is a little something for every kind of manga reader to enjoy in this (and yes, I may be specifically looking at you fujoshis). So without a doubt, it gets a full 10.0/10.0 from me. Definitely, definitely check this title out; I really don't know what else could be said.

And finally: I will put a warning on this manga, as there is harsh rape and paedophilia portrayed; so caution to younger readers.

★★★★★★★★★★
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

I had originally planned to review this manga once it was over (which would’ve been in a a couple of volumes), but I re-decided because of the relatively small fan-base Gakuen Alice has conjured up in the past few years. I feel as if I should step in and give this manga some recognition it deserves. But first (before I get into the details), imagine that you’re a kid again. Except that in this new childhood, you’re given super powers (called "alices"), money, toys, and guess what? You never have to see your parents. It does sound enticing, let’s be honest, and even more so ... to our adult selves, but you really can’t help but see the possible effects this spoilt environment could have on a child, right? This is Gakuen Alice (lit. Alice Academy), and though I won’t say it’s the darkest long-running shoujo I’ve ever seen, I will say that it is the darkest long-running shoujo that I’m still following.

Mikan Sakura (the protagonist) is a Mary-Sue, without a doubt. She’s cheerful, cute, optimistic and energetic, and in the words of the mangaka, Higuchi Tachibana, she “forgets her worries quickly, and is very dependent on others”. (Even her name sounds like something out of a moe-generator!). Anyways, we first meet her on a quest to get in contact with her best friend, Hotaru, and after following her own life’s philosophy (“never give up!”) she manages to track her down in Tokyo. Mikan (a 10-year-old girl) then travels from her little village all the way to the city in hopes of reuniting with her friend.

And she does. She arrives at the gates of a place called Alice Academy. Then almost by “coincidence” (and I say this in hyphens for a very good reason), she meets a ill-tempered boy, Natsume, and gets enrolled into the academy through a series of coincidental events. In the beginning, Gakuen Alice begins as a very sweet and childish comedy, introducing Mikan Sakura to the world of alices. She plays dodge ball, she goes shopping, she laughs, and, of course, Mikan is occasionally homesick, and she cries.

If not for the occasional dark undertones so early on, we may believe that’s all G.A. has to offer (a heartwarming slice-of-life story about a simple girl). But starting as early as chapter 10, it becomes clear that “alices” play a much bigger part in the world (as well as Mikan’s ultimate destiny). The story then takes on a dark tone-shift every other arc until halfway through the manga; it is then when it stops becoming a sweet “feel-good” manga, and something more horrific for a ten-year-old to experience.

And that is Gakuen Alice.

The characters are good --they’re loveable, but ultimately, a bit flawed. Lots of the main characters are actually built on top of high school tropes (cold girl, bad boy, nice guy, etc. etc), and though they begin quite cliche, the mangaka, Higuchi Tachibana, provides a great back-story for them. The dark nature in some of them seem unconvincing for their age, but I don't imagine the story working any other way. Not only that, reasons for the character's motivations are established quite later on, which may provide a greater re-read value for the beginning. On the other hand, the side characters are completely original. Mikan's new friends aren't just some faceless girls (or guys) who chatter about games and love. Every single one of them have an interesting and fresh personality, and even though they are absolutely charming, they never outshine the flawed main characters.

(But seriously, it's a story about a bunch of 10-year-olds. Don't expect to find the meaning of life within them. This is a manga that was originally meant for kids/pre-teens, but as the years past, the Gakuen Alice fan base grew up, and Higuchi Tachibana slowly made the story more mature with each passing year. I would seriously not recommend this manga for a child to read. There are some really, really brutal parts in here.)

The plot of Gakuen Alice is hard to describe: it is mostly about Mikan's life in the academy, but it constantly switches between slice-of-life drama, and straight-up action. The shift between these two sub-genres isn't overpowering because, unlike most shoujos, Gakuen Alice actually has definable arcs. And as someone who has helped contribute to the official Gakuen Alice timeline, I have to say, the plot is pretty air-tight. There are few things that aren't explained clearly, and even then, they are negligible. As a result of that, the answer to some very important questions posed within the manga are weak, but not entirely implausible, and since this manga is fantasy, it's acceptable. And most surprisingly: lots of effort actually went into the creation of this manga. Some things are purposefully put into the beginning of G.A. just so that the mangaka could bring it back up 100 chapters later.

Oh, and I must say... the art. I don't personally rate on art, but I do feel that it needs to be talked about. At first, it starts out as a more childish version of the standard “shoujo-art style”. During the course of the series, however, it evolves into something a tad more unique, that is, up until the last 50 chapters or so. The art style seems to be devolving recently, and often looks lazily drawn. There seems to be no reason as to why it looks the way it does, so I suppose I can't say much more: it honestly looks like a typical shoujo.

Despite that criticism, Gakuen Alice is a very thrilling experience even to the most refined shoujo readers. It contains a lot of sub-genres within, ranging from young love to extreme turmoil. Furthermore, it does it within one completely static setting: the Academy. It manages to take a twist on a beloved shoujo set-up, and because of that, I'll be rounding it's 7.0 up to an 7.5 (good), with my overall rating as an 8.0. Go into Gakuen Alice expecting the best, and you'll come out mildly disturbed by the worst.

Gakuen Alice is certainly no overwhelming masterpiece, but it really does deserve all the praise it gets.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

“In my first time listening...it struck me in the depths of my heart. And it instantly, completely, captured my soul.”

I’m sitting here, writing a review for this manga I just so happened to stumble upon (and actually surprised by the quality of it too). Piano No Mori, aka. The Perfect World Of Kai, is like a painting; beautifully raw, and yet, framed by some crude, seriously harsh reality. Looking back on the story, I don’t think it could be explained any other way.

The story is set in a rural town somewhere in the late 90’s. We’ve got this one boy who is, maybe not “rich”, ... but extremely well off. He looks like the everyday honour student (even though he’s pretty average) probably because he wears such formal clothes to school. Initially bullied and introverted when moving from Tokyo to the country, he is Amamiya Syuhei. He lives in the shadow of his father, a famous pianist in America.

And yet, there’s another boy in this story, Ichinose Kai. And this is where this story shines.

Born at the edge of a forest in the red-light district, Kai is the son of a prostitute. He is beautiful, androgynous, uninhabited, (and as Shuuhei says:) blessed by the god of piano. Kai has a particular style of music. It gives people feelings and emotions, but it’s just not meant for performances. And it's not cantabile style like Nodame (in Nodame Cantabile), rather, it's extremely rustic, earthy, and unrefined. It's clear why his music is raw: it was self-learned from an old piano, abandoned in the middle of a forest. What I find surprising in this manga is how that piano is portrayed in such a supernatural/magical light. It’s almost as if Kai's piano, the Piano of the Forest (lit. “Piano No Mori”) is the personification of the god of piano itself (it refuses to be played by anyone other than Kai), although, it goes on to symbolize Kai’s growth as a piano player. And yet, another surprising factor is how Kai rarely uses the piano to escape from his unfortunate life. He uses it as a tool for his self-expression.

The story continues with it's character-driven plot. The main genre has got to be slice-of-life comedy (a little into the manga, there is a girl known as the “Bathroom Toilet Princess”) but as I mentioned before, the story itself is framed by hopelessness. There are the ideals of both boys, who are young and passionate, but yet, there is the truth of reality which goes on to contrast against it. There's this one part just a few chapters into the manga, where Kai is about to be raped. Of course, his mother (a prostitute) comes in to stop it, but do you know what she says? “Kai is not going to be 'done' by anyone. Kai will be the one 'doing' other people”.

In contrast with the magical, supernatural air the piano brings to this story, there is the actuality of Kai's situation. He is the son of a prostitute, and because of his upbringing, he, too, is expected to become a prostitute too. That is, if he wasn't so blessed by the Piano of the Forest. Contrary to the title, Kai's world is far from perfect, but yet, he still remains so optimistic and happy about who he is and what he has.

But still, it's pretty fun and light-hearted. Syuhei has a one-sided rivalry towards Kai, and his inferiority towards such magical playing is both reasonable and understandable. And I've probably talked about Kai too much in this review but, really, everyone falls in love with him. His personality is so compelling even through the pages. And while I won't say it's the most original story (since we've seen most of this already done in Nodame Cantabile or Sakamichi No Apollon) the story-telling itself centered around Kai and the Piano of the Forest is both mesmerizing and enchanting.

I have nothing bad to say about this series, except for (maybe) the art. The characters are drawn extremely plainly, and yet, things like nature, or the Piano of the Forest is drawn with sketches. I suppose this art-style may show that there is a big contrast between nature and technology, rustic/terrestial and refined (just as Kai's piano playing is contrasting to Syuhei's), but I don't see any necessary point in this. And I never judge a manga based on it's art, but I think I should caution some (younger) readers. There is some nudity in this.

Piano No Mori (The Perfect World Of Kai) was amazing. Rarely do I see a series which, not only does it capture me emotionally, but also has a touching, inspirational story to go along with it. I would love to give it a 9.0, but since there is only 13 volumes out of 22 volumes currently translated, I don't think it would be fair, because I still haven't seen a good amount of the story to come. So instead, I'll give it a 8.5 / 10.0 (and my overall score will just be a 9.0). I must say, the quality of this manga is certainly unexpected. And it's a seinen, so don't expect a lot of conventional cliches found in shoujos or shounens. Rather,don't expect anything, and just read it... just feel.

I, myself, haven't been reading this manga for a long time, but already, I'm completely in love.

★★★★★★★★★☆
RECOMMENDED.

Nearly 40 years ago, the manga industry changed when a bunch of women known as the Forty-Niners (or the Year 24 Group) practically revolutionized shoujo manga. The works of these women incorporated many different sub-genres (including the first BL) and are now considered epic classics. The most famous of them was Hagio Moto, who is one of the most adored and admired mangaka of all time.

They Were 11 was created in 1975, and is Hagio's longer one-shots. It's technically labeled 'shoujo', but this manga shows how much they really revolutionized the genre, and why the Year 24 Group is well-known for creating those classics. They ... Were 11 can really make -anyone- love classic shoujos. And I'll tell you why.

It's extremely consistent. It blends the genre between shoujo and shounen, all while having an equal action/character driven plot. Sci-fi, action, fantasy, mystery, and a little spice of romance? It's all in there. They Were 11 is extremely well-rounded; I've read very few mangas as well-rounded as this.

But what's it about?

Well, it's about a lot of things. After many tests and interviews, a group of 10 people have been chosen to par-take in a final exam. In order for these 10 people to be accepted into the Cosmo Academy (for aerospace piloting), they need to survive on an abandoned space-craft for 53 days without any contact to the outside world. Quite literally the title: They Were 11 even though there was supposed to be 10... There's an impostor on board, and they have no contact to the out-side world. Of course, anxiety does entail and people start to freak out, which only makes more problems come. And that's pretty much the premise of it.

There are many characters in this manga, each with a creative, expressive personality. There isn't a lot of development in this manga (since it's only a one-shot), but revelations occur as they search for the 11th person, and we keep learning more and more about the different people. And when these revelations occur, they all stay true to their human-like personality, even if some of them aren't necessarily 'human'. You really can't help but love some of them.

And Hagio is pretty brilliant when it comes to the pacing, narration and atmosphere. It can be nail-biting tense, and yet, still have these sweet, soft, romantic moments. As I've said before, it's very consistent too; it manages to fit so much dialogue and text into a single page. And for it's time, They Were 11 does a much better job with it's narration compared to other sci-fi's from the 70's (aka: Terra E... by Takemiya Keiko, another Forty-Niner). The art, too, is obviousy old, but it's made around Hagio's prime. Rather than using a contrast between hard/soft lines to envoke feeling in the reader (a very 70's thing, aka. Terra E...), it rather uses it's plot effectively, and she just draws as she does. Compared to other art around that time, it's very unique.

Bottom line, this is the manga that can make any shoujo-hater (or anyone who hates the oldies) adore. In fact, anyone can come to love it because (as I've said before) it appeals to every genre. You need to read this ASAP. Without a doubt, it's a 9.0 / 10.0. The only reason why it's not rated higher was because I felt at some points that it may be better as a short series, rather than a one-shot. However, at other times, the tension was perfect, and I couldn't see it working any other way. Regardless, this is a must read for anyone.

(As a side note, this series can never be found by it's title alone. In most cases, it's found as the second one-shot in the manga anthology “Four Shoujo Stories”, which is on most sites. There, it is read in a left-to-right style.)

★★★★★★★★★☆
RECOMMENDED.

Wana is a normal girl, with a normal job, who has a fairly normal (but bland) love life. In fact, her love life consists of a mere crush who comes to her work every so often to order a hamburger with no onions. It isn’t until she’s hit by a truck that she’s able to talk with him. Suddenly, the blank tarot card she drew the week before makes sense; there is “no future”. She’s almost dead on impact.

Then Wana wakes up.

Vampire Girl (aka. Omae Ga Sekai O Kowashitai Nara, aka. If You Wanna Break This World, but henceforth known as Vampire Girl) is often ... a hit-or-miss with people. Either you’d hate the seemingly pointless and immensely flawed story and narration because they are, well, flawed, or you’d understand why the meaning of Vampire Girl needed to be presented in that sort of way. The latter, you’d be pleased to find, was my perspective on this story. This is probably one of the most brilliant works of thought-provoking manga that I’ve read to date, ranking among popular others such as Omoide Emanon or Music Of Marie.

The initial view of this manga may appear sloppy and unrefined, but if you read slowly enough, and take all the symbolism into account, you’d see that every little thing was tied into the story to add to the overall message. Vampire Girl is a manga which deals with God, morality, and humanity, but all while doing it in a particular view, which is not reminiscent of Christianity (or any other form of religion). I suppose that the main theme of it would address the nature of humanity, and why such flawed (yet beautiful) creatures exist. (And no, I’m not talking about the child-deity the manga presents to us). If humans are flawed, then wouldn’t that mean that whatever created us (be is evolution or creation) is flawed too? And since we weren’t the only creation made by who-knows-what, wouldn’t that mean that everything else created in this world flawed? The story of Vampire Girl deals with a heavy idea that everything in this universe is flawed in some way; if you’re looking for a light, vampire manga like Karin, then look elsewhere. This can get brutal.

The narration and story of this manga is something many people have problems stomaching. Many people find it utterly confusing and immensely flawed. Oh, did I just say flawed? Yes I did. The ideas of this manga are fascinating, but Fujiwara Kaoru really excels at using the plot, story, characters, and narration as a medium for the ‘flawed’ nature to shine. Looking at the plot and characters subjectively, it appears much like a never-ending paradox, and pointless. Flimsy, poor execution, complex and fragmented: the list of problems go on, and on. And suddenly, you may realize that it, too, is flawed (and far from perfect). It seems that the only thing humanity has going for it is the beauty of complexity...and then you see the art.

I would love to go on about the necessary symbolism and the meaning that I derived, but I’ll lead that to the potential reader. Vampire Girl was an outstanding series that every thoughtful reader should really check out. It’s definitely a 9.0/10.0. All I have to say is read really slow, drink up the symbolism presented with the reincarnation and the boy with the ball, and try to piece together the message and theme. Use the story, plot, and characters as a tool! Don’t try to find their good points, because there are none; just feel through it.

(Also a warning to some readers: things such as rape or paedophilia are portrayed in a realistic light, so caution yourselves.)

★★★★★★★★★☆
RECOMMENDED.

Sakamichi No Apollon (also known as Kids On The Slope) is a josei manga which can get some catchy jazz song in your head, and manage to keep it there all day. At first, you'd catch yourself tapping your fingers or toes to some melody, and after some time, you just can't stop. The musical style of jazz is off-beat, nonrhythmic, and often improvises the melodies. It's very different, but often in a good way.

That definition also best describes Sakamichi No Apollon.

As the winner of the 57th Shogakukan Manga Award for General Manga, I don't think you could really expect anything sub-par. Kaoru, a stotic, ... young, freshman in highschool during the 60's, began living at his aunt's house as a result of his father's excessive moving. He has no means of making friends or memories, since he has always been transferred out of the class before any true friendship could blossom. And yet, the two people he meets on the first day of school, Ritsuko and Sentarou, eventually manage to change his way of thinking, and his way of life.

The characters and the development in this series is excellent. The world of jazz manages to pull the unexpected three together into a friendship for life. And get this –it isn't sappy. The feelings, the conflicts, the misunderstandings, and the (very) young love is realistic and sensible. Their relationships were the best part about it; a whirlwind of fast-paced feelings that are similar to the nature of jazz. Many of the characters are based off of high school tropes (ie: the quiet boy with glasses), but there are little flaws and characteristics built into each one in order to make them unique. This story is mainly character-driven, and as you could probably tell from my total rating, they are done extremely well.

Though Sakamichi No Apollon is a slice-of-life that focuses it's plot on the different, social situations, it never falls into generic high-school tropes. And despite the fact that the slice-of-life genre can be the longest, and cover the most in a character's life, this manga downplays it quite a bit. Sakamichi No Apollon is focused on the experience and little changes in Kaoru's life. And it only takes 9 volumes to do so. He's a piano player who changes his style from strictly classical to jazzy 'swing'. He falls in love; something he probably thought he could never do. He changes from an outcast to a pretty social guy. Sakamichi No Apollon chronicles the little things in life. One may say that there isn't a true plot to this manga, but I beg to differ. This manga covers Kaoru's life during the early years in high school. I mean, it's high school in the 60's, for crying out loud; it's the time of his life!

I don't really have much to say about the pacing or the narration, other than the fact it's superb. The ending was a bit rushed, but the concept of it was still meaningful. The atmosphere and the setting too: I don't think I could give a accurate description of it, except that when everything is over and done, you'll be left with a soft, fuzzy image of two boys running down a hill, living for every moment in their youthful lives.

Sakamichi No Apollon (aka. Kids On The Slope) was magnificent. The effort, the creativity, and the teens who are ever-so naive – all of it is packed within a story which parallels the world of jazz. It's a fairly simple story, but then there are the characters, who, being teenagers, are always so complex. And it's something surprising for a josei; it doesn't primarily focus on romance. So because it allows the reader to slip into the lives of the characters during the 60's with realistic ease, it deserves a 9.0 / 10.0.

(To add a side note, I'm sure we've all read a manga before with music involved. They usually tell you the lyrics and the title, and that's as far as the musical impact goes, right? Sakamichi No Apollon really, really lets the reader get involved with jazz. Even now, the melodies of My Favourite Things, Someday My Prince Will Come, and, of course, Moanin', are memorized. So definitely read this, and you'll get to experience 60's jazz.)

★★★★★★★★★☆
RECOMMENDED.

Seyoung is easy on the eyes, but she isn’t a knockout. She’s logical, but she doesn’t always get the best grades. And she’s skilled, but not overly talented. Seyoung is a person, to say so in the least, but throughout the series it becomes clear that she never wants the word “normal” in front of it. If there is a future that cannot be known, how could you say an individual is “normal”? If there are endless amounts of possibilities and futures in this world, then how do you know you wouldn’t be “different”? In the eyes of Seyoung, an existentialism-angsty teenager, she faces the ... the world with two, contradicting philosophies: free-will and fate. Is the tangible world (or intangible relationships) governed by our choices, or coincidence alone? And where does Seyoung fit into the bigger picture?

“Like this, I am in the middle of life, where there is no beginning or end. Identical days, yesterday is like today, today is like tomorrow. Everything will somehow keep on going. But sometimes, there will be things that end. I’ll soon end my 17th year and turn 18. Soon.”

Narration Of Love At 17 is something very peculiar. At first glance, it is a very poor story consisted of no definite plot, however, it’s deep undertones live up to the title. There will be a day where you ponder the meaning of life and existence, and for Seyoung, it is when she is 17. It is one of first manhwas Kang Kyung Ok has ever written, but looking at her other titles, you can see that she has taken a big step outside of her comfort zone. This is a philosophical/slice-of-life manhwa, and unlike her others, it does not rely on an elaborate story to pull the plot along. It is an incredibly honest portrayal of an ordinary person who just so happens to be 17.

Firstly, I would like to say that Seyoung is one of Kang Kyung Ok’s finest characters: a person so normal suffering from the “I Just Want To Be Special” trope. Her persona as a ‘normal teenager’ is portrayed so accurately through many characteristics that are true to her age: insecurity, passion, immaturity, indecisiveness, and (most importantly) naivety. She has a one sided love, a best friend, a rival --and yet Seyoung’s relations always feel genuine and non-cliche. And she, just like any other teenager, is quick to make new social groups (which is where the story begins). Seyoung has no real character development, seeing as there is no obstacle in this story she must overcome, but she is a very solid character just by existing. Through her, Kang Kyung Ok expresses so many human sentiments. The supporting characters, however, are very bland, and aren't as fleshed out as Seyoung is.

The pacing in this was incredibly slow, somewhat sombre and dull. As I said, there is no real meaty-plot to this manga, but it just chronicles Seyoung’s 17th year. It began as something awkward and tedious that screamed ‘teenager’, but it slowly transforms (no, not works up) into a prose-heavy coming-of-age story. The narration, too, was wonderful, cutting into the prose with heavy realism (something that makes it even more pragmatic and thought-provoking!). There were some flaws concerning the narration in some lighter scenes, but it truly shines Seyoung is self-reflecting.

The atmosphere is never really clearly set; it goes from seriously dull, to invigorating, to melodramatic, and then to mystic. This might relate to how Seyoung is inconsistent with her moods, but they sometimes feel out of place. I also found that the setting wasn’t effectively used to it’s full potential, as there weren’t many panels with a full landscape. When the atmosphere and setting were used simultaneously and to their entire ability, it was prime. But when it wasn’t, the manhwa felt clumsy and lazy.

And I don’t rate on art, but it is something I must discuss. It was a manhwa made in 1991 --I wouldn’t expect a super-conventional art style. In fact, Kang Kyung Ok had such fondness for 70’s shoujo, her artwork and style is similar to Hagio Moto/Takemiya Keiko’s. Kang, however, doesn’t have the experience/refinement the two shoujo pioneers did, and her art can look extremely androgynous and even unappealing. The characters bodies can also look gawky and unskilled sometimes. It can hinder the reading experience, depending on how much importance you place on artwork.

So Narration Of Love At 17 was good, and in the end, it stayed true to it’s title (a narration being a message that tells the particular course of events). I would have loved to say that it was 'great', but there were obvious flaws concerning the atmosphere and setting. Seyoung, however, was incredible at being an accurate portrayal of a teenager, and her relations were realistic. Kang Kyung Ok's unique way of story-telling is refreshing, and different from other shoujos concerning a teenage girl. But because of the amount of noticeable flaws, I’m only going to give it a 7.5 / 10.0. If you feel up to reading a different shoujo, then look no more.

“But I am only 17 years old. And yet...”

(I also recommend either buying this online, or in paper-back copy because the bad, public translation can really hurt the reading experience.)

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

“The history of mankind has been one of wars. Race, religion, philosophy --the causes are untold. The combatants have their own justifications, but on occasion, some create a volatile situation that threatens to destroy the world. Ultimate Blue. An organization shrouded in complete secrecy. Also known as ‘the other United Nations’. Nobody knows where it was created. Nobody knows where it is based. The blue of the seas. The blue of the skies. The blue of the Earth. The last line of defense against chaos.”

Oh yes, Musashi #9. One of the few reverse gender-role mangas actually done right. Yes, it is indeed a shoujo --despite ... how shounen it can be-- but it’s far more reminiscent of older spy movies. Musashi #9 isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly a very rare gem to read, especially when compared to the newer mangas. And in my honest opinion, far superior to them too.

(For the sake of this review, I’m not going to touch on the first volume, or the majority of the second, which is a series of one-shots involving the female lead. The real story begins in chapter 7, which is in volume two. Believe it or not, you could -probably- just start there if you wanted to, since none of those side characters of vol. 1 or 2 come back).

From the summary, we’re introduced to #9 (codename Musashi, aka. Shinozuka Kou). She’s cold, calculating, and cruel when she needs to be. And she definitely won’t be like all other strong, female protagonists. Whether or not she’s involved with a guy will never interrupt her missions. Her missions -always- come first.

And then in the second volume, we meet a pretty boy (not a god-like bishounen with sparkles and fluff, but he is supposed to be attractive) named Tachibana Shingo, who is heavily mourning over the death of his best-friend, and is being harassed to the point where he simply gets dozens of threats per day. No one understands what he’s going through, and recently, he’s begun to feel so out of place in his all-boys school. Musashi #9 almost immediately transfers in (of course, for a mission involving Shingo, a typical shoujo set-up), which probably changes the sour boy’s life forever. The manga then chronicles both of their lives for the next 5 years or so from their mid teens to early twenties, and, of course, lots of development happens. The two, although completely opposite and raised in different worlds, are completely stuck on one another as they face tragedies and hardships head on. Even their speech patterns are characterized (Shingo using a lot of slang and slurs, while Kou using very formal speech and big words), which only goes to show that the character’s personalities are so detailed oriented. Both leads, Shinozuka Kou and Tachibana Shingo are great, simply because they are very fleshed-out individuals.

But it’s not always about them. Despite the little arcs, it’s mostly episodic; following Kou around on her missions. Shingo does make appearances here and there, but he is hardly ever in the limelight (which then goes back to the action>romance I mentioned before). The narration is something that needs getting used to: they purposefully hold back information as to the reason why most of the missions are...well, missions. Sometimes, it makes you feel as if you missed something very important. Depending on how long some of the episodes/arcs are, then that feeling can drag on. It’s not a pleasant feeling, but keep in mind that it’s supposed to be suspenseful as it holds back useful info.

And this is a manga that actually uses it’s setting correctly. It’s not overpowering to the point where it takes away from the reading experience, but you -always- know where characters are situated in a room. It never fails to forget to inform the reader what is happening in the setting, compared to the characters in it. It’s not like CLAMP’s style where it’s gorgeous and artistic, but it’s more technical and practical (which is kinda what the story of Musashi #9 is about). And just like it’s characters, it’s very detail-oriented.

This manga is not thought-provoking or beautiful, but it has a very solid story (that sadly, occasionally pulls a deus ex machina). Though it can be sometimes repetitive, this is probably the shounen portion of it: we know that good will always beat evil, and yet, we keep on reading just to find out -how- they will defeat the bad guys. It is above average. If there are cliches, then they will be done just like the role-reversal subgenre: exceptionally well. There are also some small plot holes and some discrepancies in here, which most likely won’t be noticed until the second time around. The flaws actually do have a considerable weight on my scoring, which then brings it to a 8.0 / 10.0.

Musashi #9 is a very good, fast-paced episodic story, with a nice setting, a badass, genderbending heroine and a mismatched couple. Though it does feature a girl, it will (as Shingo says) remind you of a “Jane” Bond.

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Note: At the time of my initial review, there was about 11 chapters released. I understand that MUCH has changed within that time, and I have made necessary adjustments. I hope that this review is much more faithful and reflects what Ran To Haiiro No Sekai has become.

--

Ran To Haiiro No Sekai is hands down probably the best manga in a long, long time. If that's all you needed to hear, then close MAL and go read it.

I think this is a little redundant to say (as the title translates to Ran and the Ashen World), but this is a story about Ran. It is ... about the many adventures of this very charming little girl who kinda just wants to grow up. And although it does have the fantasy tag, it is not a fantasy story. It also has the supernatural tag, but I can guarantee it's not that kind of story either.

This manga is about Ran, and this is a story of her growing up.

First and foremost: this manga just FEELS good. It's refreshing, magical, and just gives you a good feeling. After chapter one, I can guarantee that it will just feel remarkable -- I promise. The mangaka is very maticulate, keeping a keen eye on the level of intensity, it's atmosphere, the emotions... always making sure that it feels intangible and whimsical. It's very nicely planned, leaving some things unexplained for a while only to increase shock value, or maybe letting the readers know something that the characters do not, and sometimes he just prioritizes the order of events just to give us readers the best experience.

But despite how intangible and airy this manga may seem at first, it's pretty smart at being effective and memorable. Many things are hinted at (so that you understand something) without actually facing any topics head on. For example, in the beginning, it was immediately understood that Sango had a crush on Ran's brother (and not only does that develop, but it has become very important). This is something rarely done in manga, and I believe only the best mangaka are able to pull this off.

I mean, you always get the FEELING you understand what's going on, even though there's never a formal introduction.

The characters, too, are superb, and within the last 40 chapters or so, they all have been expanded greatly on. At first, it may seem like there are an abundant amount of stock characters, however, that idea pulls a whole 180 and begins to develop even the one’s we've seen little of. There are even some scenes just put in there for the sake of the character development. Extremely impressive, and even more so once you factor in the part where there’s currently only five or so volumes.

And the art is something I must touch upon, although I usually do not consider this part of my scoring. Just like the pacing and narration, it feels just so, so different. It's beautiful, but, it too feels whimsical and airy and magical. I don't want to touch too much on this (I mean, how many different ways can you try and describe someone else's art?) but there is no way to dislike it.

In my original review, I said it was a "great manga, with even greater potential". I still stand by this, but I am so glad I called that early on. It has become so popular in such a small amount of time -- for sure it has become the "next best thing". And like I said in my earlier review, Ran often gets herself in some undesirable situations for her age, but the mangaka has already recognized these problems and fixed it (how cool is that?). I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that it is a well-rounded, top tier manga, and because of the combined efforts of storytelling, characterization, enjoyment, and art, it will be wholly deserving of 9.0 / 10.0. I beg you to just try it out.

You see, Ran To Haiiro No Sekai is a breath of FRESH AIR.
Put down your battle Shounen Jump and pick this up.

★★★★★★★★★☆
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.