×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
RIGHT TURN ONLY!! - RTOHolic


Goto page 1, 2  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Dargonxtc



Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 4463
Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:11 pm Reply with quote
Excellent review of xxxHolic.


I have a question. The world manga doesn't have a rating. Is there a reason?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime My Manga
Kagemusha



Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 2783
Location: Boston
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 12:24 pm Reply with quote
I gave up on xxxholic a while ago since there are better episodic series out there, but maybe I should give it a shot again. I suppose it couldn't hurt.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15279
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:17 pm Reply with quote
BTW, I get the following when I click the link.
Quote:
Sorry, the page animenewsnetwork.com/columns/rightturnonly.php exists but the resource you tried to access within it couldn't be found. (id '32' does not exist) Are you sure you typed the URL in properly?
I had to access it through the "Columns" section.

Quote:
Towards the end of the volume, he finally learns that he's not quite invincible, but it also triggers a sudden onset of clichés. A mysterious man from his past! A rumor of an evil twin! Random references to the Bible for added exoticism! Gosh, and the story was doing so well...


That's why I could only rank it a B.

Quote:
But what on this post-apocalyptic Earth is going on? Like other Broccoli franchises (Aquarian Age, Galaxy Angel, Di Gi Charat), this manga seems more like an excuse to sell related merchandise than actually tell an engaging story.


It might be true, but ouch.

Quote:
The sinister mood of the story loses its sharpness this time around, going for some saccharine "Touched By a Surgeon" tales instead of the hard-hitting plot that propelled the first two volumes.


It feels a lot like The Fugitive, too.

Quote:
By now, the cautionary tales and sinister morals of Yûko's wish-granting business are getting really old. Be careful what you wish for; everything has its price; an eye for an eye... shallow, old-time sayings like this define the series' philosophy, and it's annoying when it tries to sound deeper than it really is.


That's why I got bored with Pet Shop of Horrors.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Jamee



Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 79
Location: North Carolina
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 3:28 pm Reply with quote
I really liked the direction XXXholic went in with this volume. It finally gave us an overarching story line instead of just the usual short morality tales. Don't get me wrong, I love those short morality tales, but it's a nice change of pace to end on a cliffhanger. I'm really curious to see what happens with the price Watanuki paid.

I enjoyed volume 2 of School Rumble. I'm really starting to like Eri. Her character designs are so cute!

As for Amazing Agent Luna volume 3, I read the first volume and wasn't impressed. But I have to give the author/artist props for having one of the few Amerimangas that actually comes out fairly regurlarly (are you listening Peach Fuzz?).

Quick question for the column author: that picture you use-is it Ichigo from Bleach or Seji from Midori Days?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Ztarr



Joined: 15 Mar 2005
Posts: 44
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:02 pm Reply with quote
Is it just me or is the main complaint in the "Cons" of manga reviews usually about manga stereotypes. Whenever I read these manga review columns, very rarely is there never a complaint about a certain genre's stereotype.

I don't think it's always a bad thing.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
The Xenos



Joined: 29 Mar 2004
Posts: 1519
Location: Boston
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 5:53 pm Reply with quote
Jamee wrote:
As for Amazing Agent Luna volume 3, I read the first volume and wasn't impressed. But I have to give the author/artist props for having one of the few Amerimangas that actually comes out fairly regurlarly (are you listening Peach Fuzz?).


Maybe that's because the darn thing is written by comic book creators. Yes, I said it, the dirty C-word. Comic book. I'm pointing out the 60 ton gorilla in the room. This book is a comic book. It's not a manga or a 'world manga' it's a comic book. They've worked for Oni and Marvel comics. I've got their very cool Skinwalker mini-series from Oni Press. I must admit I do not know where the artist is from.

I have to wonder why stuff like Peach Fuzz is late, as are many of Tokyopop's books it seems. You have amateur comic artists and writers being managed by a company that isn't used to producing comics. All Tokyopop knew how to do was translate and reprint forign material. Hell, many of those series already had fans. Now they're trying to act like a comic book company and print new orginal material. It's a whole different game. NO ONE is pointing this out!

No wonder Tokyopop insists on call these American books manga or 'global manga'. They don't want people to realize that they're relatively unprepared for such a venture.

Now, I'm not saying they're gonna fail. They already have tons of funds and market support from their manga imports. They're like Microsoft with their X-Box. They can afford losses in their 'global manga' division of original comics. I'm just pointing out what's really going on here behind the buzz words. Like many original comics publishers

In contrast, a sidenote, I'd also compare and contrast Viz and Darkhorse. Tokyopop started importing manga and started making comics as a side project. Darkhorse started as a comics publisher and also started importing manga as a side project. Viz only imports manga.

Of course, my argument is that Tokyopop shouldn't be trying to on people into thinking these books are manga. Comic book should not be a dirty word. Of cours, graphic novel would be more apropiate here. Instead they insist on using the term manga for everything in a vain attempt to control the market from themselves and not give room to any other American comic and graphic novel publisher.

Of course, funny or sad, many of Tokyopop's American and world artists and writers have books from these publishers which are getting ignored in favor of Tokyopop's product. One instance that made me laugh and slightly upset was when Becky Cloonan was called an Eisner award nominated arists on the back of her wonderful Tokyopop book East Coast Rising. The Eisners are awards for comics and graphic novels, her wonderful comic book series Demo was nominated, but those terms were nowhere on the back of the Tokyopop book.

Please, wake up to this little shellgame, people.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Zac
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 6:57 pm Reply with quote
The Xenos wrote:

All Tokyopop knew how to do was translate and reprint forign material.


You're making this up. You have absolutely nothing to base this on. Is that "all they did"? Technically no. They've printed original in-house novels and magazines.

Quote:

NO ONE is pointing this out!


...that's because it's a stupid argument, no offense.

Quote:

They don't want people to realize that they're relatively unprepared for such a venture.


Shortly before they launched this whole thing they hired a bunch of people from the comics industry to oversee the operation. They hired people who knew what they were doing. Any company not run by a complete moron does this when they're venturing in to new territory.

Quote:

I'm just pointing out what's really going on here behind the buzz words.


No, you're presenting your opinion as fact. Tokyopop wants everyone to call it "global manga" because they have a trademark on the phrase. They also want to blur the lines between American and Japanese manga to discourage the prejudice American fans have against manga created in the States. It'll help sales tremendously. They don't want people to see any sort of qualitative difference between "Peach Fuzz" and "Fruits Basket" aside from the storyline, characters etc.


You're very opinionated and that's fine but you persist in presenting your opinion - most of which, I hate to say, is very much wrong - as fact, telling us all to "wake up", and you're the "only person pointing it out". Except, as evidenced by this post, you don't really know what you're talking about.

I wouldn't be nearly as hard on you if you would just put "I think" in front of some of these sentences and show us that you are aware what you're presenting is pure speculation.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime
subaru



Joined: 26 Sep 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:28 pm Reply with quote
is it just me or... the relationship between watanuki & doumekiis so similar to teh one between subaru and seishiro in Tokyo Babylon!

In later volumes, spoiler[watanuki lost one eye to the spider demon, and doumeki sacrifice half of the eye sight of one of his eyes to watanuki]

Its time for clamp to come up with something new. Yes, the new generation of fans would think this is all wonderful, but what about us old fans who have been reading their stuff since debut Evil or Very Mad
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 8:52 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
BTW, I get the following when I click the link.
Quote:

Sorry, the page animenewsnetwork.com/columns/rightturnonly.php exists but the resource you tried to access within it couldn't be found. (id '32' does not exist) Are you sure you typed the URL in properly?

I had to access it through the "Columns" section.

Same for me. Is anyone else having this problem?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PantsGoblin
Subscriber
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 27 Jun 2005
Posts: 2969
Location: L.A.
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:59 pm Reply with quote
Wolverine Princess wrote:
Same for me. Is anyone else having this problem?


Only happens when you click on the image. If you click on the text it works fine. This problem has happened before I think...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
Ataru



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
Posts: 2304
Location: Missouri (Strikeman)
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:06 pm Reply with quote
PantsGoblin wrote:
Wolverine Princess wrote:
Same for me. Is anyone else having this problem?


Only happens when you click on the image. If you click on the text it works fine. This problem has happened before I think...
Becasue the pic is linked to article 32 which, I'm guessing, isn't out yet. While the text is linked to article 31.

Seeing the sad Jardess makes me sad as well.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail MSN Messenger My Anime My Manga
Patachu
Past ANN Contributor


Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 1325
Location: San Diego
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:23 pm Reply with quote
subaru wrote:
is it just me or... the relationship between watanuki & doumekiis so similar to teh one between subaru and seishiro in Tokyo Babylon!

In later volumes, spoiler[watanuki lost one eye to the spider demon, and doumeki sacrifice half of the eye sight of one of his eyes to watanuki]

Its time for clamp to come up with something new. Yes, the new generation of fans would think this is all wonderful, but what about us old fans who have been reading their stuff since debut Evil or Very Mad


Yeah ... I noticed the Holic/TB parallelism right away. Laughing

For some reason, I like it because of this. Speaking as a CLAMP fan, I see it as a subtle wink and nod to those who are familiar with their previous series. And besides, spoiler[one-eyed guys are cool.]

But, speaking as a manga critic, I agree, it's pretty cheap to reuse the same plot device, even if they are 15 years apart.

Ztarr wrote:
Is it just me or is the main complaint in the "Cons" of manga reviews usually about manga stereotypes. Whenever I read these manga review columns, very rarely is there never a complaint about a certain genre's stereotype.

I don't think it's always a bad thing.


But most times it IS a bad thing. So it ends up in the Cons section a lot, especially with manga typically being mass-market genre fiction anyway. If a story uses a stereotype to its advantage -- pulling a unique twist or breaking out in pure joy -- then it goes into the Pros. That doesn't happen a lot, though.

Now, if I spent all my time reviewing fringe, wacked-out, experimental work, you'd see the complaint less. But also, I'd have very little to review.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15279
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:25 pm Reply with quote
Zac:
Quote:
Shortly before they launched this whole thing they hired a bunch of people from the comics industry to oversee the operation.They hired people who knew what they were doing.


If people in the comics industry knew what they were doing, then American comics would still outsell their Japanese counterparts, and CMX would be bigger than Viz. Rolling Eyes

Quote:
They also want to blur the lines between American and Japanese manga to discourage the prejudice American fans have against manga created in the States.


If you want to discourage American fans from hating manga, remind them how stupid it is to polybag the hell out of some gimmick story where a popular character dies, only to come back a few weeks later. If they still don't listen, tell them to stop buying comics with chicks in tight leather when you can get the same thing for free on the internet. (You can tell I hate Gen 13.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Zac
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:40 pm Reply with quote
GATSU wrote:

If people in the comics industry knew what they were doing, then American comics would still outsell their Japanese counterparts, and CMX would be bigger than Viz. Rolling Eyes


You can put together the perfect storm, hire away every successful person who ever had a hit in the comics industry and still have trouble making money.

This isn't baseball. You can't buy a dream team.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website My Anime
hagakure|returns



Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 407
PostPosted: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:45 pm Reply with quote
The Xenos wrote:

All Tokyopop knew how to do was translate and reprint forign material.


Are you sure you know Tokyopop at all. Before they even did manga, I think they were in the "import car/model scene" and were semi-successful. I remember checking out a lot of the model they had on their old page after following an ad link. Anybody else remember this? This was also even before they started releasing their Street Fury DVD. If you just know TP from their manga and their "street fury" on G4, they go way back. TP also does live-actioon and is a cult following for these japanese film. But the point is that TP is always looking for new type of business to get into.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page 1, 2  Next
Page 1 of 2

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group