What manga are you reading now?
- Thread starter Red XIII
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Aion
Time-Traveller
Vol. 1 of .hack//G.U.+ arrived today. I read it.
Reading it reminded me of the first Gankutsuou volume. Like with the Gankutsuou manga, the .hack//G.U. story from the game was changed simply to fit it into a short manga series, and the changes didn't do anything good for it. The story is being fast-forwarded and isn't working very well without the filler additions that fleshed out the characters in the games.
Haseo comes across as pathetic rather than cool in the manga thanks to the artists cute(ish) drawing style and his lack of "Terror of Death" armour. Rather than the endless stream of ****ish verbal comebacks he had in the games, in the manga he doesn't throw those comments about that much, instead being more passive and emo. This is quite a big flaw when Haseo's anti-hero personality is what pulled most fans of the games in.
I was going to pick up the rest of the series after a comment in the book made me think the series only lasted for 3 volumes. However, it seems like a 4th is out and I don't want to pay £17(ish) to complete a sub-standard series. I think I'll focus on getting more Tsukihime volumes instead since it's a much better manga.
I've also re-read some more Death Note. I'm now done with the best part of the series (Vol. 1-4) and about to get into the less high quality Yotsuba arc. I'm in no rush to really get into Vol. 5 right now.
Reading it reminded me of the first Gankutsuou volume. Like with the Gankutsuou manga, the .hack//G.U. story from the game was changed simply to fit it into a short manga series, and the changes didn't do anything good for it. The story is being fast-forwarded and isn't working very well without the filler additions that fleshed out the characters in the games.
Haseo comes across as pathetic rather than cool in the manga thanks to the artists cute(ish) drawing style and his lack of "Terror of Death" armour. Rather than the endless stream of ****ish verbal comebacks he had in the games, in the manga he doesn't throw those comments about that much, instead being more passive and emo. This is quite a big flaw when Haseo's anti-hero personality is what pulled most fans of the games in.
I was going to pick up the rest of the series after a comment in the book made me think the series only lasted for 3 volumes. However, it seems like a 4th is out and I don't want to pay £17(ish) to complete a sub-standard series. I think I'll focus on getting more Tsukihime volumes instead since it's a much better manga.
I've also re-read some more Death Note. I'm now done with the best part of the series (Vol. 1-4) and about to get into the less high quality Yotsuba arc. I'm in no rush to really get into Vol. 5 right now.
Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Kaze no Hana volume 1
I really enjoyed this first volume and I really looking forward to reading more
I really enjoyed this first volume and I really looking forward to reading more
Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Oh My Goddess volume 7
Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Dazzle volume 1
Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Category Freaks volume 1
ilmaestro
State Alchemist
The only thing I'm currently (re-)reading is Tsubasa. Past the cool early stories in Jade (my favorite, such a great classical setting) and Outo and well into the slightly less whimsical, slightly too serious "let's get the main story moving" parts.
It's interesting, I remember virtually whole chapters of dialog from the smaller, cuter mini-arcs and mustn't have been paying as much attention as the series moved on, as it feels like every time I read the first page of a new chapter now I think "hmm, did I actually read this before?".
It's interesting, I remember virtually whole chapters of dialog from the smaller, cuter mini-arcs and mustn't have been paying as much attention as the series moved on, as it feels like every time I read the first page of a new chapter now I think "hmm, did I actually read this before?".
Aion
Time-Traveller
I re-read some more of Death Note last night. I started just before the chapter before Misa reveals to Mr. H that she's the second kira and stopped after Light smiled into L's dying eyes. No matter how many times I read/watch it, the best sections of Death Note never get old and are always exciting. The high points of Death Note truly do stand alone in terms of quality. The only negative about re-reading the chapter where L died was that I couldn't help but notice how rushed it was in comparison to the anime version.
If I can find the motivation to do so, I'll read some more later. It's always difficult to jump right into the second half of the story when, in the manga at least, the early parts aren't that great. My interest levels usually return to normal once Mikami starts doing his thing.
If I can find the motivation to do so, I'll read some more later. It's always difficult to jump right into the second half of the story when, in the manga at least, the early parts aren't that great. My interest levels usually return to normal once Mikami starts doing his thing.
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Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Wish volume 3
Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Wish volume 4
Rena Ryuugu
Oyashiro-Sama
Kaze No Hana volume 2
Aion
Time-Traveller
Genshiken: Volumes 2-5
Genshiken is a very odd series. You'd expect a series with a small amount of main characters, not a lot of variation in the backgrounds and lots of repetitive otaku fun to get boring after reading for awhile. But that isn't the case with Genshiken - whenever I open up one of the volumes, I find myself able to read the book from back to front without issue. Maybe it's because I'm into anime, manga and video games myself and, to certain extent at least, can relate to the cast? I don't know. All I know for sure is that the dialogue was very well written, the art was well drawn and the author just generally put a lot of effort into his work. As a series made for otaku by an otaku, it succeeds.
The only real negative comment I can throw at Genshiken is that a number of the characters don't come across as realistic. Some of them do, Madarame in particular coming across as very real, but I can't say the same about the best character in the story, Kasukabe, and her boyfriend Kousaka. It was a smart move by the author to attempt to link the lives of otaku to the the life of a normal, clothes loving woman because it made the story far more interesting and allowed people who aren't as crazy as the rest of the cast to connect to at least one character. However, it's hard to believe that, for a period of around 2.5 years (so far), a normal, good looking woman would hang around with a group of otaku when she doesn't even have much interest in what the rest of the group are into. And as for Kousaka, have you ever seen or heard of a real otaku that has sex appeal, doesn't wear glasses AND spends money on fashionable clothes? I rest my case. And as for his personality, he's just an airhead...or, put another way, he doesn't seem all the ticket. For a story that I assume is supposed to show the lives of realistic characters, the above two just don't fit.
I do love Kasukabe's character, though. Believable or not, she's hot and has the the sort of fiery personality usually reserved for red-heads. Her character alone made the series funny at first with her comments and general lack of understanding with regards to how obsessive anime/manga fans function. It was hard not to laugh when she had a discussion about her boyfriend deciding to switch positions during sex (doggy style, if interested) so that he could face the TV when an anime episode was on. Again, I have to question the believability since I find it hard (think anything twisted and you're a pervert) to imagine any male being able to focus on a TV screen whilst having sex with an attractive (ok, make that very ******* hot) woman...but that didn't make it any less funny. Her role has, sadly, become less important as the story has gone on and she's slowly become more accepting of the group she's, for some odd reason, spent a lot of time with for the last 2.5 years of her life... I hope she returns to prominence towards the end because the series just isn't as funny without her being in the middle of everything.
As for the rest of the cast, only Madarame, a true otaku, stands out. The rest of the characters have a quirk or two that separates them from each other but no real personality beyond those quirks. Madarame, on the other hand, comes across as a person as well as an otaku. He's had the 'camera' pointed at him a lot of time, more so than most others characters, and this has resulted in him receiving some decent development. The most interesting aspect of his character is the hidden feelings he has for Kasukabe - he hides how he feels because he knows she'll never return his feelings, which has allowed him to become more than just another otaku. One of the best chapters so far involved Madarame attempting to act normal when alone with her for the first time, with Kasukabe oblivious to the fact that he he was sweating like a pig and disn't know where to look or what to do in order to look normal. I hope the KasukabexMadarame episode from the anime I recall, where Madarame ran into Kasukabe away from the Genshiken club and got into an argument with her because he didn't speak to her due to her being with her 'normal' friends, doesn't turn out to be filler... I remember thinking it was the best episode.
...I've gone on for quite a bit, haven't I? Time to stop. To sum it up, Genshiken is one of the best manga I've read, more enjoyable to read than watching the anime adaptation, and it's well worth its high rating on MAL. Depending on the final 4 volumes, it might push its way into my top 5. I'm going to read 1 volume per day in order to allow time for the final volume to arrive, so I should finish reading the series before the weekend.
Draconian: Just for you, I've cut down on the amount of paragraphs, instead opting to extend the length of my paragraphs. I know you said you didn't like reading more than a few of my paragraphs, so...
Genshiken is a very odd series. You'd expect a series with a small amount of main characters, not a lot of variation in the backgrounds and lots of repetitive otaku fun to get boring after reading for awhile. But that isn't the case with Genshiken - whenever I open up one of the volumes, I find myself able to read the book from back to front without issue. Maybe it's because I'm into anime, manga and video games myself and, to certain extent at least, can relate to the cast? I don't know. All I know for sure is that the dialogue was very well written, the art was well drawn and the author just generally put a lot of effort into his work. As a series made for otaku by an otaku, it succeeds.
The only real negative comment I can throw at Genshiken is that a number of the characters don't come across as realistic. Some of them do, Madarame in particular coming across as very real, but I can't say the same about the best character in the story, Kasukabe, and her boyfriend Kousaka. It was a smart move by the author to attempt to link the lives of otaku to the the life of a normal, clothes loving woman because it made the story far more interesting and allowed people who aren't as crazy as the rest of the cast to connect to at least one character. However, it's hard to believe that, for a period of around 2.5 years (so far), a normal, good looking woman would hang around with a group of otaku when she doesn't even have much interest in what the rest of the group are into. And as for Kousaka, have you ever seen or heard of a real otaku that has sex appeal, doesn't wear glasses AND spends money on fashionable clothes? I rest my case. And as for his personality, he's just an airhead...or, put another way, he doesn't seem all the ticket. For a story that I assume is supposed to show the lives of realistic characters, the above two just don't fit.
I do love Kasukabe's character, though. Believable or not, she's hot and has the the sort of fiery personality usually reserved for red-heads. Her character alone made the series funny at first with her comments and general lack of understanding with regards to how obsessive anime/manga fans function. It was hard not to laugh when she had a discussion about her boyfriend deciding to switch positions during sex (doggy style, if interested) so that he could face the TV when an anime episode was on. Again, I have to question the believability since I find it hard (think anything twisted and you're a pervert) to imagine any male being able to focus on a TV screen whilst having sex with an attractive (ok, make that very ******* hot) woman...but that didn't make it any less funny. Her role has, sadly, become less important as the story has gone on and she's slowly become more accepting of the group she's, for some odd reason, spent a lot of time with for the last 2.5 years of her life... I hope she returns to prominence towards the end because the series just isn't as funny without her being in the middle of everything.
As for the rest of the cast, only Madarame, a true otaku, stands out. The rest of the characters have a quirk or two that separates them from each other but no real personality beyond those quirks. Madarame, on the other hand, comes across as a person as well as an otaku. He's had the 'camera' pointed at him a lot of time, more so than most others characters, and this has resulted in him receiving some decent development. The most interesting aspect of his character is the hidden feelings he has for Kasukabe - he hides how he feels because he knows she'll never return his feelings, which has allowed him to become more than just another otaku. One of the best chapters so far involved Madarame attempting to act normal when alone with her for the first time, with Kasukabe oblivious to the fact that he he was sweating like a pig and disn't know where to look or what to do in order to look normal. I hope the KasukabexMadarame episode from the anime I recall, where Madarame ran into Kasukabe away from the Genshiken club and got into an argument with her because he didn't speak to her due to her being with her 'normal' friends, doesn't turn out to be filler... I remember thinking it was the best episode.
...I've gone on for quite a bit, haven't I? Time to stop. To sum it up, Genshiken is one of the best manga I've read, more enjoyable to read than watching the anime adaptation, and it's well worth its high rating on MAL. Depending on the final 4 volumes, it might push its way into my top 5. I'm going to read 1 volume per day in order to allow time for the final volume to arrive, so I should finish reading the series before the weekend.
Draconian: Just for you, I've cut down on the amount of paragraphs, instead opting to extend the length of my paragraphs. I know you said you didn't like reading more than a few of my paragraphs, so...
Boys Over Flowers 29. Well it's volume 29, so the formula is rather set by now and there's not much to say. The art has definitely been creeping up in quality over the last few books and it's just as addictive and easy to read as ever. Even though the main question of the series has already been answered, the author has plenty more ideas of struggles to put the characters through and there is still a long way to go until everything wraps up. Yuki also gets a little more development which is well deserved. The Viz editions are cheaply produced with no chapter breaks and shoddy quality control, but at least they look relatively consistent and are coming out quickly. It seems that the series isn't very popular over here too so I can often find the new volumes at half price in comic shops just after release.
On Genshiken, I found that Kousaka seemed to be there to show the polar opposite way of life to Madarame's within the hobby. I don't really like Kousaka either. I can see someone like that existing though their "otaku credentials" would probably suffer compared to devotees such as Madarame through their pursuits of other interests. There are certainly some hot anime geeks around though - Nakagawa Shouko and some other idols who dabble in rather hardcore fandom hobbies are probably the most well known examples.
I don't want to spoil the later chapters but some of my favourite parts of Genshiken pop up in future volumes. The manga makes me feel a little jealous I never belonged to a lovely club like theirs despite all the arguing. It's also fun spotting traits in each character which remind me of my friends (or myself)!
R
On Genshiken, I found that Kousaka seemed to be there to show the polar opposite way of life to Madarame's within the hobby. I don't really like Kousaka either. I can see someone like that existing though their "otaku credentials" would probably suffer compared to devotees such as Madarame through their pursuits of other interests. There are certainly some hot anime geeks around though - Nakagawa Shouko and some other idols who dabble in rather hardcore fandom hobbies are probably the most well known examples.
I don't want to spoil the later chapters but some of my favourite parts of Genshiken pop up in future volumes. The manga makes me feel a little jealous I never belonged to a lovely club like theirs despite all the arguing. It's also fun spotting traits in each character which remind me of my friends (or myself)!
R