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.

 

Tuesdays With Ambrea: Manga Humor!

Reviewed 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, I’ve tried to give it a chance, even if it’s not usually my cup of tea.  Here are some of the funnier misadventures I’ve come across:

 

In One-Punch Man by ONE and Yusuke Murata, Saitama is a hero—for fun!

Saitama seems like an unlikely hero.  From his bald head to his lifeless expression, he’s the most average-looking guy you can imagine.  He’s just got a not-so-average problem:  he can beat every monster or villain he faces with just a single punch—and he’s bored beyond belief.  Turns out, being a hero isn’t all that fun.

There’s something about One-Punch Man that I love.  It’s humorous, it’s silly, and it’s completely over-the-top in the best way possible.  Saitama is so much fun, because he never quite realizes his strength and, more importantly, he never quite realizes he’s in dangerous situations.  It’s hilarious to see him stumble into the middle of a monster battle and walk away unscathed.

I’m always excited to see what kind of trouble Saitama can wander into…and what other quirky Hero Association groupies he can meet.

 

In Mashle:  Magic and Muscles, Mash is just an average guy.  The only problem?  He lives in a world full of mages and wizards, who don’t look kindly on non-magical people.  To keep him safe, his father trains him to become the strongest person in the world.  But can muscles really beat magic—and will he be able to survive magic school with only his brawn to save him?

Mash, like Saitama, is an unlikely hero:  he has a bland expression, a ridiculous haircut, and a poor sense of self-preservation.  He’s a bit of a dope and a weirdo—and, well, that gets him into more than his fair share of trouble.  It’s hilarious to watch Mash fight his way out of situations that anyone else would use magic.

Although I don’t like Mashle nearly as much as One-Punch Man, it’s still enjoyable to watch Mash use brawn to outmaneuver brains.

In Way of the Househusband, Tatsu was once the legendary yakuza, the “Immortal Dragon.”  These days, though, he’s content to be a stay-at-home husband.  He cooks, he cleans, he shops for bargains at the supermarket—and accidentally menaces everyone in the neighborhood.  He can’t help he has resting gangster face.

 Way of the Househusband is manga with a single gag at the center of it:  Tatsu using his experiences as a former yakuza to survive his day.  If that so happens to mean he’s racing down the street with a suspiciously large suitcase to deliver “the goods”—his wife’s lunch—then so be it.

I love the fact Tatsu is completely and entirely oblivious to how frightening he can be.  Despite his happy Shiba Inu apron, he always looks so menacing that most people mistake his intentions—well, that is, until the realize he really is just your average househusband going about his daily routine.  He’s more than happy to teach anyone to cook, or help the neighbor kid complete his latest project, but it’s going to be on his terms, capisce?

Overall, it’s silly and wholesome and downright funny, and it’s definitely worth reading.  It’s also the 2020 Eisner Award Winner for the Best Humor Publication.  I think it definitely deserves the accolades.

The Art of Nothing: 25 Years of Mutts and the Art of Patrick McDonnell

Reviewed by Jeanne

I’m a long-time fan of the Mutts strip.  It’s funny, sweet, endearing, and I am fascinated by the artwork.  I own several of the books, both the collections of strips and the picture books. I also own the predecessor to this volume, Mutts:  The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell. 

For those new to Mutts, it is a long running comic strip featuring Earl, a happy dog, and Mooch, a bewildering cat.  Earl loves his human Ozzie devotedly, and Mooch is fond of his humans, Millie and Frank.  There’s also a whole cast of characters, from Guard Dog to Shtinky to Crabby and the Fatty Snax deli man.  Along the way, the strip has evolved from a simple three panels with a gag to a sensitive, thoughtful strip that espouses kindness to all living things without being didactic. I’ll admit I have teared up at some. 

And if you are indeed new to Mutts, I would suggest you start with a collection of the strips, just to familiarize yourself with McDonnell’s style to be able to appreciate The Art of Nothing.  While strips are included, the book is more of a “behind the scenes” look at McDonnell, his influences, and how he works.  It includes sketches for strips and goes through the process of how these are turned into the strips we see in newspapers, early versions of some strips, and the artist’s commentary.  I have always particularly enjoyed the Sunday title panels, the single panel which has the strip’s name; sometimes these are dropped by an individual paper so they can’t be an integral part of that week’s strip.  Many strips just use the same panel week after week, but McDonnell uses it as a sort of tip of the hat to other artists.  Sometimes one just won’t be familiar to me.  There are a number of the panels shown in this book, explaining the attributions from N.C. Wyeth’s The Giant to Andy Warhol to a Frank Zappa album cover to The Big Lebowski. Of course, some of my favorites pay homage to classic children’s books such as The Wizard of Oz and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Interspersed with the art are comments from McDonnell himself, talking about his life, his influences, and the real life inspiration for some of his characters.  It’s no surprise to learn that Charles Schultz is one of his heroes, but it’s nice to know that the two had a very cordial relationship.  One of the early pieces in the book is a photo of a sheet from a newspaper with the first printed Mutts strip and the notation, “Good start, Sparky.”  McDonnell’s taste is art is expansive, covering a lot of eras, style, and cultures.

This is a real treat for fans and a fascinating look at the artistic process for anyone interested in comic art.