Forum - View topicWhat are you reading right now? Why?
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Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Histore-I've been waiting a long time to read this historical epic set in ancient Greece, and I finally read the first three chapters. While I can already tell it's headed for greatness, it's hard to judge by reading a couple chapters; looks like one of those titles which reads better in volumes (doesn't help that the translation is poor). Still, creating a historical epic based not around violence (there is that in there), but the rather high concept theme of the world changing through man's ideas (rather than destiny) is very refreshing from standard historical manga. Really hoping someone picks this up.
Kilco-An interesting attempt to create a truely cinematic action manga. I'm one volume into this four book series, and so far it's put forth an entertaining mix of ultra-violence and skillful storytelling. While there really hasn't been much substance, supposidly it deepens as characters develop and actually contemplates the meaning behind violence a la Scorsese. Right now it's just action, which isn't nessisarily a bad thing, as the story is fast paced enough to be fun. |
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smoochy
 Posts: 367 Location: Texas |
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[snip - Please put reasons or descriptions next time. Two measely sentences or even a single, good one would work. -TK]
Thats just a few. I don't read scanlations, so I have to wait for the release of most of these, and the ones that have all been released over here, I'm re-reading. |
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Monumension
 Posts: 268 Location: Norway |
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I've been a fan of Blame! for a while so I tried out some of Tsutomi Nihei's backcatalogue; Biomega, Net Sphere Engineer, Noise and Digimortal(he may have other stuff I'm not familiar with). All were interesting shorts that imho worked more as backupinformation on Blame! rather than individual stories. Nihei's a master when it comes to alienating landscapes built entirely on the concept of immense architectural structures, but I'm not sure what to think of his characters. Most of them act strangely monotonously and they usually look much more interesting than the way they behave. Then again, I guess this can also bee seen as an attachment to the hopelessness and post/pre-apocalyptical atmosphere. For some reason these stories have made me think of Paolo Serpieri's works(Morbus gravis, Druuna etc.), probably because of the vast settings and the grim mutated humanoid-monsters. I doubt Nihei will make any feelgood shojo manga in the nearest future.
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coolerimmortal
Posts: 522 |
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Ah man...don't do that to yourself. I'm talking about Battle Royale. The version that's out in America...it isn't BR. It's been rewritten and it sucks. Read the real version. [snip - Same goes for you. Don't just make some extensive list of titles and recommend them. Put a description or some comments of why you would suggest these or why you like them yourself. -TK] |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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I'm just wrapping up Jiraishin. I was disapointed as hell when Mixx (Tokyopop's old name) cancelled it, and while my enthusiasm has somewhat wained, it's still a great read thanks to the main character. It's one of those series that has its ups and downs (Takahashi simply cannot write a good ending), but even the lesser volumes are carried by exellent storytelling. I'm looking forward to reading his non-crime manga. His samurai tale Sidou is exellent as well, really drawing on Blade of the Immortal. But does Futari Ecchi get any better? I read the first volume and got the impression it was just a "How to get laid" for lonely "Young Animal" readers. I was interested by the concept because it gave the manga-ka room to actually examine sexual issues in modern Japan, but I got the impression he was more interested in drawing tits. So any changes later on? |
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coolerimmortal
Posts: 522 |
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1) I'm on volume 3 of Jiraishin. I'll be reading more of it once I'm through with Finals...next Friday, probably. 2) Heh...No, Futari Ecchi doesn't improve. It's just a sex manual. I read it from time to time when I'm bored. It's funny stuff, if you're in the right mood. |
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shamelessfanboy
 Posts: 48 |
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You know, Jiraishin is one of the titles on my plate at the moment too. Some of the stories click, some don't, so my feelings on it can kinda go one way or the other depending on what volume I read last. It left enough of an impression to convince me to check out Takahashi's other stuff once I'm done with Jiraishin, anyway.
And about Historie, it's the kind of series I could see being licensed once it gets a higher number of tankos piled up (yeah, it might be a while). I'll agree that the first three chapters aren't much to speak of, but the critical acclaim it receives means that it's pretty much a given that things really pick up. And plus, I love the thought of its theme you mentioned, "the world changing through man's ideas." So, I've still got high hopes for Historie. As for what I've been up to, I just read the three translated chapters of Solanin and while I don't want to speak too soon, I think it's shaping up to be one of my favorite coming of age manga. Of course, it's hard to judge a manga by three chapters, but I really am quite taken with something about this one. With any luck this'll gain some kind of following and we'll see something else translated by this mangaka (I think he has other stuff done, anyway) |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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coolertheimmortal-Eh, too bad about FE, but you've only really started Jiraishin: the initial volumes are actually pretty weak compared with what's to come.
shamelessfanboy-If you want more Takahashi titles, I'd aviod Alive and Skyhigh but definitally look into Sidou and Blue Heaven, which is one of the better thrillers I've come across in manga. Main character is one of the more realistic sociopaths in manga as well. I'm interested in Solanin though. Anything you can compare it to? |
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godakame
 Posts: 112 Location: Disney World |
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Is it because she is unable to, or is it because she dosen't want to? The reason I ask is because I just finished reading Helter Skelter and was curious. |
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sweet gimmick
 Posts: 69 Location: Somewhere in Everyone's heart...hopefully |
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I just started reading X-day, and I totally love this manga. Mainly because sometimes at school/high school, I would just day-dream of what it would be like if my school never existed( in a sense that it was totally destroyed). And this manga covers what I feel, I mean felt...I dont have those delusions and or dreams about exploding my school.
 I'm sorry if I have offended anyone with this post....kinda Oh well life goes on...
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Back in the mid-1990's she was hit by a drunk driver and suffered long-term injuries. At the time, Helter Skelter was being serialized, and the accident forced her to abandon the project (I believe she had it roughly finished aside). A few years later, with the help of her former assistant and fellow manga-ka Moyoko Anno, she was able to release a definative edition of Helter Skelter a la Apocalypse Now, which would win basically every imaginable award. She's still suffering the complications of the accident, and at this moment it looks like Helter Skelter is her swan song. It's really a shame. Last edited by Kagemusha on Wed May 31, 2006 11:15 am; edited 1 time in total |
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milcor1
 Posts: 337 |
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Various Hiroki Endo Short Stories - Because I peed a little after reading that Dark Horse would be releasing collections of his short stories. Individually, some of them are even better than his Eden stuff.
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DaZ616
 Posts: 327 Location: Sydney, Australia |
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Update!
Im now currently reading Love Hina, Full metal panic: overload, Negima and Full Moon wo Sagashite. Waiting for the next volume of XXXHOLiC is such a pain(still waiting for it after about 3 Months!!), thats why it lead me to start reading the ones listed above! -DaZ |
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Mylene
 Posts: 2792 Location: Indiana |
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Currently, I'm working my way through NANA, .hack//Legend of the Twilight, and The World Exists for Me (originally titled The World of S & M).
NANA is a titled I picked up after seeing an episode or two of the anime that's currenly showing in Japan. I have watched another show based on the manga-ka's, Yazawa Ai, manga, and while I didn't like the show itself, I was intruigued by the detail in it. Picking up the NANA manga, I definitely have not been disappointed by the artwork, and I've been truly pulled in by the manner of story telling. With the story focusing on two young women named Nana who happen to meet on a train to Tokyo, the first 1.5 volumes (I think...can't remember if maybe only the first volumes does this) focus on the back stories of each Nana and how they came to their decision to move to Tokyo. Both women are quite human, something that I don't always see in manga. Both are flawed, but not to the point of being unable to function. Putting them together, their flaws counteract each other quite nicely, and you get to see a sort of Odd Couple match up, which at least gives me warm and fuzzy feelings. I picked up .hack//Legend of the Twlight because I'm both a .hack fan and I had heard the manga was better than the anime created from it. I despised the LOT anime, but thus far after one volume, I'm enjoying the manga. It seems to take itself a bit less seriously, and it doesn't have the creepiness factor thus far between Rena and Shugo. It's not a great manga, but it's thus far a nice addition to the collection, if only because I am a .hack fan. Finally, my current read is The World Exists for Me/The World of S & M (the reasons for changing the title should be obvious) by Saitou Chiho/Be-Papas. My main reason for picking up this particular title is that I'm a big fan of Revolutionary Girl Utena, another work by Saitou Chiho. Thus far, the artwork is definitely keeping up to my high expectations. I love the character designs, and the beauty of the background imagery. The story itself is thus far quite bizarre and I don't really know what to make of it. Time travel, dolls made from the book of the devils powers, it's all a bit odd. Plus there seem to be many obvious shout-outs to the Utena manga, spoiler[Sovieul looks like a Dios clone, Sekai looks very similar to manga-Anthy, Sekai is called both the bride, fiancee, and a witch by people who she's never met, townspeople are trying to kill her...], it's like Anthy in another world without her Utena thus far. That's not to say it's bad. Right now it's just a little confusing and I'm not entirely sure what to make of it. I am concerned by the fact that there are only two volumes and from what I've seen online, the second volume doesn't look like it's supposed to be the final volume. Which means it's incomplete, and given how long it's been since the second volume was released in Japan (2002, I believe) it doesn't look like it's going to be finished. I can hope though. Last edited by Mylene on Fri Jun 02, 2006 6:06 am; edited 1 time in total |
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godakame
Posts: 112 Location: Disney World |
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After reading Keep on Vibrating, I've wanted to check out some of Jiro Matsumoto's other works. I really liked his art work which was reminiscient of Blame! or Blade of the Immortal, and his character designs (especially the women). I read up to vol 6 of Freesia; Every single character in this manga is utterly insane, but I love that. The protagonist, Kano, has now become one of my most favorite manga characters. His mental instability and that whole chamoflage thing makes him quite the badass. My only qualm about this manga is that the author focuses a little too much on expendable side characters. I want to see more interaction between Kano and his "girlfriend", or just Kano or Mizoguchi kicking more ass. I am praying that this one gets licensed one day.
I also checked out Tropical Citron by the same author. I don't really know what to make of it yet. It seems to take place in an alternate 1960's world during the Vietnam War. A bunch of strange surrel images, brought about because of the soda pop (drugs) or whatever the hell characters are drinking. Lots of drugs and sex in this one. I am enjoying it so far. |
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