About Heroes

Minima! Vol.1
Story & Art: Machiko Sakurai
Translation: Athena Nibley
Adaptation: Alethea Nibley
Publisher: Del Rey

I can’t imagine what it would have been like to grow up without a favorite stuffed animal. My toy rabbit was my buddy when I was a kid and I would have given anything for him to come to life. Well that’s exactly what happens to Ame Oikawa. She is a shy schoolgirl that happens to be in love with the cutest guy in the school Sasaki; she also finds a stuffed animal that is already alive. Nicori is a little meerkat doll (I still think he looks like a mouse) that has a mind of his own and he lets people know exactly what is on his mind all the time. He also happens to have a short temper and a thirst for vengeance for anybody that crosses him. Nicori decides to stick around and help Ame win Sasaki’s love. There are people after Nicori and Ame gets caught in the middle and eventually gets kidnapped. It does end on a cliffhanger that kept me wondering what is going to happen next. The flaws of the book fall on the main cast; everyone just happens to be one dimensional and while the story is cute, all the characters are cookie cutter and bland. What really saves the book is the wackiness that is Nicori, so he is what is keeping me interested in the series. C+

Oh My Goddess! First End novel
Author: Yumi Tohma
Illustrations: Kosuke Fujishima & Hidenori Matsubara
Translation: Camellia Nieh
Publisher: Dark Horse

I think to say that I love Oh My Goddess! would be an understatement. When I found out there was a novel written by someone other than Fujishima, I just couldn’t imagine anyone else duplicating the magic that Fujishima created. Then I figured, heck some of the best Star Wars stories were written by someone else other than Lucas, so why would that formula not work here? Going by the events that are happening in this book, this story takes place after volume 27, but new readers should be able pick up on characters and what’s come before fairly easy with the help of the introduction. Within the first 50 pages Tohma does something that really took some nerves of steel to pull off. Keichi dies after a motorcycle accident and the goddesses receive a phone call from Peorth warning them of Yggdrasil's imminent collapse. However Urd has a backup restore point for the universe and with the help of her sisters she takes them to the last backup snapshot (the first time Keichi and Belldandy met). However, nothing is ever that easy for our cast, because as soon as the universe is rebooted there are flaws everywhere. Now it’s up to Urd (the only one who retained her memories) to catch her sisters up to speed and fix everything. I loved how Tohma retained all the magic, technology, and computer terms in the same fashion that Fujishima is notoriously known for. I am impressed with the writing of someone, who funny enough was a voice actress (Urd) for 20 years and cannot wait for her to visit the OMG! Universe again. The book is absolutely wonderful and full of great moments that will make fans reminisce of older stories. I think fans will be satisfied with the transition from manga to novel and will be excited for the new material that the novel provides. A

Shiki Tsukai
Story: To-ru Zekuu
Art: Yuna Takanagi
Translation: Mayumi Kobayashi
Publisher: Del Rey

I can’t believe I had forgotten about this title. It has been a few months since I read and reviewed the first volume and it’s not that it was a story that I forgot about, it’s just that so much has come out in between the release dates of volume 1 and volume 2. So Shiki Tsukai is the title given to the keepers of the seasons. Akira Kizuki is destined to become the greatest of these magical warriors. Akira now has to make up his mind whether to fight for the ones he loves or leaving with Shiki Tsukai. Now he is caught between the Shiki Tsuakai of summer who are in conflict with the Shiki Tsuakai of winter. Although most of the story is set up and dialogue carried panels; there are a couple of great battles and that is where Takanagi really shines. The fight scenes are so intense it will make you want to skip reading the rest of the book to get to them. And although I enjoy the story, it does get rather repetitive and dull at times. But if they put in more of Nanayo in the book they can count me in. B-

The Wallflower vol.14
Story & Art: Tomoko Haykawa
Translation: David Ury
Publisher: Del Rey
I never understood what the big deal with Wallflower was. There was a huge following in Japan and it has started to pick up steam here in the U.S. But just judging from those covers I knew this wasn’t a book for me. I’m glad I got a chance to finally reading some of these stories, because I couldn’t have been so wrong. The premise is simple, four guys in Japan have a chance to stay at this amazing western mansion rent free, but only if they can turn the landlady’s niece, Sunako into a lady. Sunako is not your typical Japanese girly girl though; she is into the dark, blood, gore, and gets nosebleeds when she sees an attractive person. The art is interesting to say the least. I love the transition between serious moments and ridiculous super deformed moments. The author bases her characters on real Japanese musicians and due to this the characters actually look Japanese and not a single character falls under the perfect looking, big eyed, shojo character that this type of work is prone to. Sure some of them are still “pretty boys”, but on the scary side. This latest volume focuses on Yuki, yet again. Although it was still a funny story, he is my least favorite character. The chapters also seem to be more and more like a collection of random comedy instead of a continuing story. Nothing wrong with that, but I don’t see this wrapping up soon. I also wish the chapters were a little less episodic, instead of just a random collection of comedic adventures. While the book sounds like it’s another run of the mill coming of age girl story, it’s so much more. A-

Yozakura Quartet
Story & Art: Suzuhito Yasuda
Translation: Satsuki Yamashita
Adaptation: Nunzio Defilippis & Christina Weir
Publisher: Del Rey

Four superheroes….okay one super heroine/alien, one psychic with cat ears, a girl that can conjure up any object, and one normal guy defend the town Sakurashin against demons. We are introduced to the three girls and Yasuda gives them their own narrative in each chapter. The first chapter introduces us to the four characters and their powers and lack of power. They seem to be fighting against demon dogs and other creatures with superpowers. Although it focuses on superpowers, it still has that manga aspect that gives it off-beat humor and quirkiness. For some reason I am reminded of Furi Kuri, but that might just be the cover playing games with me. I love the artwork, the character designs, and the story has set a pace that leaves me wanting for more. Along with the regular Del Rey extras we get some great character sketches in between chapters. I think Defilippis and Weir are the perfect team to adapt this great superhero teen book. Having experience with New Mutants and New X-men….teen angst is right up their alley. This book has a great blend of some of the best comics such as Fantastic Four, Challengers of the Unknown, Evangelion, FLCL, and for some reason I am reminded of the Harlem Globetrotters cartoon from the 70s, don't ask me why. A