Doujinshi are magical. There's a breadth of things that can happen in the span of however many pages in a book, and the nature of being self-published means that an author can just let their mind soar. Isaki Uta's Leaper is a one-shot story that premiered ten years ago in Monthly Afternoon Magazine, jump-starting their career as a professional mangaka after winning an honorable mention. Previously, I was fortunate enough to cover Uta-sensei's Mine-kun is Asexual, and Mermaid in the Bottle--both being much more recent works that display their refined sense of storyboarding and art. Going back to any artist's roots means being able to notice details and purposeful actions or habits that turn into quirks and hallmarks of their style. I'm happy to report that plenty of things I really appreciated from Uta-sensei's other work is also present in their first published work!
Isaki Uta and Freedom of Expression
Today, I'm very proud to bring to you my thoughts and impressions on not just one, but two doujinshi created by Isaki Uta, thanks to Irodori Comics!
Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 1 Review
Based on the works of: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Storyboards by: Ryosuke Takeuchi Art by: Hikaru Miyoshi Translation: (´・∀・`)サア? Touch-Up Art and Lettering: Annaliese "Ace" Christman Design: Joy Zhang Editor: Marlene First Among the many things I read, there are some genres I dip my toes less and less into, over time. One of them … Continue reading Moriarty the Patriot, Vol. 1 Review
Slayers Volume 1 Review
Author: Hajime Kanzaka Illustrator: Rui Araizumi Translator: Elizabeth Ellis Editor: Megan Denton A cursory Google search can tell you that it's been roughly 50 years since the advent of tabletop role-playing games. Originally an offshoot of war-games and strategy games like chess, they gradually evolved to become storytelling devices, with character writing, elaborate settings, … Continue reading Slayers Volume 1 Review
Haikyu has Ended. I will love this series for the rest of my life.
As of yesterday, July 19th--Monday the 20th in Japan--Haikyu's final chapter was finally published. I love Haikyu so much so, that it was really hard to put into words what this series meant to me up until this point.
My thoughts on J-Novel Heart’s current series lineup
It's been a bit over half a year since the announcement of J-Novel Club's new imprint, J-Novel Heart, back at AnimeNYC 2019. I've bought and read most of the titles that have since been released under that label, and figured it's time to collect my thoughts in a blog post rather than just scattered tweets … Continue reading My thoughts on J-Novel Heart’s current series lineup
Bleach: Can’t Fear Your Own World (Light Novel) Vol. 1
Ryohgo Narita, the original author of Baccano and DURARARA!!, goes out of his way to craft an entertaining, intriguing, and emotionally affecting tale that takes place in the world of Bleach after the manga's final arc, with Hisagi himself in the eye of the storm.
Ascendance of a Bookworm, Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden Vol. 2 Review
Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 2: Apprentice Shrine Maiden Volume 2 has to have been the most satisfying entry I've read of this series thus far. There is a level of emotional catharsis drawn from multiple events in the story that up to this point we've only gotten maybe glimpses of beneath the surface. Spoilers ahead for folks who have yet to read this volume or have only watched the anime.
One Piece: Stampede Review (Spoiler Free)
I just got home from watching One Piece: Stampede in theaters with a ton of other One Piece fans here in New York. It was exhilarating. I believe this movie was pitched and advertised as a celebration of the 20th anniversary for the anime, and watching it, it plays off that very strongly! There are … Continue reading One Piece: Stampede Review (Spoiler Free)
“So I’m a Spider, So What?” Volume 5 Review
Volume 5 of The Awesome Adventures of Kumoko cap us off at a very neat point in the story--it very much feels like the end of the first "saga" of the story. I'm hesitant to say first "part," because that could very well have been the moment when our protagonist finally exits the Great Elroe … Continue reading “So I’m a Spider, So What?” Volume 5 Review