About Heroes

Andromeda Stories vol.1-3
Story: Ryu Mitsuse
Art: Keiko Takemiya
Translation: Magnolia Steele
Publisher: Vertical

While we are taking a break from the podcast…don’t worry we are coming back soon, I have found myself reading so many more comics. I had never heard of Andromeda Stories until the kind folks at Vertical sent us a package containing this series in it. I may have mentioned before how huge of a fan of They Were 11 and Galaxy Express I am; so when I looked at the cover I knew I was going to be in for a treat. The story introduces us to the inhabitants of planet Astria where Prince Ithaca is to take throne and marry Princess Lilia. Not only will this make him monarch, but a Holy King of a new kingdom. This is a peaceful planet; so when mechanical soldiers make their move and take over Ithaca’s land the people of this world will have to fight back. It is a fairy tale mixed with machine wars and some alien invasions thrown in.

When confronted with the new menace from space the planet of Astria must unite and set all differences apart. I have to say that the series moved really fast and so much of the main story happens at once. The pacing is so fast that at times the plot gets a little confusing. There is also the fact that there are a lot of characters to keep track of, and most aren’t given much background to anchor them in the main story. I truly enjoyed the tense atmosphere of the story, and thought that the character designs of the invaders were really creepy. Takemiya really knows how to tell a story with her vibrant art. She brings out the subtlest of emotions and dramatic moments. Her way with landscapes really put you in the story. Although some may consider her type of art an old style, it really is amazing to look at some of these panels and get lost in them. Though confusing at times, the story really does fly by and in the end the beautiful artwork and the strong character developments really outshine the weakness of the pacing. There’s a little bit for everyone here, whether its sci-fi or a mix of action and psychic powers like Star Wars meets Scanners. I recommend this book to any fan of the sci-fi genre and fans of fantasy novels. A-

Burst Angel vol.1
Story: GONZO
Art: GONZO & Minoru Murao
Translation: Jeremiah Bourque
Adaptation: Jamie S. Rich
Publisher: Tokyopop

I have been a huge fan of GONZO since Blue Sub 6. Something about the eyes and fluid motion of their characters that gets me hooked. Not to mention the well done placement of CG effects makes for some nice visuals. The basic premise of the original Burst Angel show is a simple one: Really Hot pseudo-mercenary agents in the near future taking down bad guys. Jo and Meg are every man’s fantasy come true; hot chicks with really big guns with enough sexual tension between them that keeps everyone at the edge of their feet. The manga keeps the same upbeat flow of the show. Plenty of things happen in just one volume; a kidnapping, recovering stolen property, and eventually helping a boy with personal problems. However, as much as happens in this volume, not much changes within the characters. They all seem one dimensional stereotypes that never seem to get out of their shell. I’m also not sure how I feel about the art because the characters look a lot younger than they are supposed to and the panels seem off during action sequences. While it’s not as classic as Gunsmith Cats or interesting as Gunslinger Girl, it was still a fun read for any fans of the show and fans that just enjoy hot chicks with guns. B-

Faust vol.1
Creators: Various
Translations: Various
Publisher: Del Rey

While Omar was too busy reading Buddha, he handed me this manga three weeks ago. Well, what I assumed was a manga, but turned out to be more of a work of collected fiction. I was a little overwhelmed by the size of this book and had no clue what any of these stories were about. I recognized CLAMP but that was the only name in this huge group of creators. It’s not only a book, but it also collects manga, interviews, columns, and other bonus stuff any fan of the genre would enjoy. It’s 430 plus pages of pure literary journal that ranges from bizarre to the kick ass. Don’t let the 400 pages intimidate you; most of the stories are written in the light novel style(which means fast reading and stories that will have you hooked from the beginning). There is a xxxHolic tie-in story written by NisioisiN. Kouhei Kadono of Boogiepop fame wrote a story called Outlandos d’Amour; probably the least interesting of the stories. While the story is simple; a guy that can see when other people are in danger, the narration just seems to be everywhere. Not sure if this is more to do with the translation or the actual way the story was told. I have to say that by far I was taken by surprise by the story called Drill Hole in My Brain by Otaro Maiijo. It’s a unique story about a kid named Hideaki Kato who gets a screwdriver driven into his head by his mom’s lover. Somehow this leads him into the head of his alter ego, who happens to be a superhero with a hole in his head. Reminded me of Being John Malkovich, FLCL, and Black and White. Sure it’s kind of messed up, but it’s the good kind of messed up. Now, if manga is more of your thing, worry not. There is some in the back of the book and the color pages in take should be enough to make you buy this buy. They are completely breath taking. I was pleasantly surprised by this little bundle of collected works and can’t wait for the second volume. A

Princess Ai Encounters
Created by: D.J. Milky & Courtney Love
Stories: Various
Publisher: Tokyopop

I was never a big fan of the original Princess Ai series. While the artwork was completely gorgeous, the story always felt lacking. But when you throw in as many creators that this book had; the stories range from bad to great. Princess Ai was the story of an alien girl that couldn’t remember anything about her past. She for some reason decides to become a rock star at Club Cupid, where she falls in love with Kent. Encounter is the perfect title for this book, because the Princess Ai characters do encounter other OEL Tokyopop characters. There are eight stories included in this book and a nice little preview of Princess Ai: The Prism of Midnight Dawn. While some of the stories really didn’t add anything to the already established series, there are some wonderful new moments. Sang-Sun Park adds the Princess and her boyfriend to his own manga The Tarot Café, a manga I really enjoyed reading. A Midnight Opera Thanatos by Hanzo Steinbach was such a great read. It was nice to see the team up to stop Armageddon. The art by Hanzo is simply amazing and really easy to follow. My cat Loki Roadtrip by Bettina Kurkoski was a really nice change of pace. It mixes comedy and the music style of the original series quiet well. I have to say that I really enjoyed this series so much more than the original book. While I haven’t read some of these OEL books, it really makes me want to see what else Tokyopop has to offer. Fans of Ai will already be picking this book up, but I recommend it for fans of anthology collections made by some of the top creators of OEL manga. A-