Tuesdays with Ambrea: Manga Favorites

Reviews by Ambrea

Recently, I’ve been on a kick of reading (and, in some cases, re-reading) Japanese graphic novels – better known as manga.  For some reason, I’ve been devouring all kinds of manga:  action-adventure, historical, romance, intrigue, science-fiction, humor.  If it’s come across my radar in the last few weeks, I’ve tried to give it a chance, even if it’s not usually my cup of tea.  This week, I’ve been re-reading some of my favorite titles:

 

In Rurouni Kenshin by Nobuhiro Watsuki, Kenshin Himura is a wanderer – a rurouni.  With his reverse-edged sword, the sakabato, he protects those he can and fights only when he must.  When he arrives in Tokyo, he meets Kaoru Kamiya, Yahiko Miyojin, and a cast of other characters, who quickly become his friends and companions.

Rurouni Kenshin is one of my favorite manga series; in fact, I think I can credit it as the series that drew me into reading manga and watching anime in the first place.  Billed as a historical romance, it delves deep into the history and the culture of Japan during the Bakumatsu and the Meiji (roughly 1853 to 1879) – and, of course, tells the story of a swordsman who survived a horrific civil war and his quest for redemption.

It’s dramatic and it’s unrealistic, I know, but I still love it.  I love the characters and their interactions; I love the action and adventure and drama; I love the snippets of history and the imagery of an industrializing Japan.  It’s a fascinating mixture of fact and fiction, and it’s just so much fun to read.  It will forever hold a special place in my heart.

 

In Black Cat by Kentaro Yabuki, Train Heartnet – formerly known as the “Black Cat” – is an assassin turned sweeper (i.e. bounty hunter), who bags criminals, saves ladies in distress, and tries to stay ahead of the bills he and his partner seem to rack up.  When Train and his partner, Sven, team up with a thief named Rinslet to take down a weapons smuggler, he discovers he may have bitten off more than he can chew and bad luck might just be coming to the Black Cat.

Set in a fantasy world with nanotechnology and almost-magical scientific discoveries, Black Cat is a fun story with quirky characters and crazy adventures.  Granted, it’s not the best series I’ve ever read, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed re-reading it.  It’s mindless fun:  you don’t have to think about what’s happening, you can just enjoy watching Train and his buddy, Sven, dismantling criminal organizations and being awesome.

Probably my favorite part of Black Cat, though, is the characters.  I love Rinslet with her sass and her affinity for money; I love Sven for playing the straight-man and being an all-around gentleman; I love Train for his lackadaisical attitude and his commitment to living a life free of any restraints; and I love Eve for her innocence and her desire to be better than her background.

Overall, it’s a fun romp – and it’s worth reading if you want something filled with action and adventure and shoot-em-up gunfights.

 

In Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa, Edward Elric and his brother, Alphonse, are on a quest to find the Philosopher’s Stone, a powerful alchemical artifact that can help grant their dearest wishes.  After an alchemy experiment went awry, nearly killing them, Ed and Al now work as State Alchemists, searching for answers to their questions – and a way to recover Al’s lost body.

Fullmetal Alchemist is another favorite of mine.  Like Rurouni Kenshin, it’s one of the earlier series that really got me into manga and anime.  It’s also one of the series I most admire, because it’s written well, it’s beautifully illustrated, and it’s wildly imaginative.  The story has an intricate plot – and a whole lot of threads to tie up – but it’s plotted out carefully, maybe even lovingly, and it never slows down.

It’s action-packed and propulsive, constantly pushing you forward to find out the next twist, the next dark turn, the next cliffhanger.  There’s a lot of character development and a lot of history put into this manga – and it’s simply magnificent for its complexity and its ability to pull at your heartstrings.

I love this manga with every piece of my heart.