Manga Readers/Fans

[North Star]

Been reading mainstream stuff again lately. Currently reading Fairy Tail. It's good, I like it. I didn't know how the concept of mages would play out initially, but it is pretty enjoyable. There's a ton of side mangas for FT too that I will probably read when I am fully caught up. But once FT is done, I may continue with the mainstream and read Bleach.

[North Star]

Fully caught up on Fairy Tail now. I have to say it is actually very good. There is a consistent flow of conflicts and resolutions, and things aren't too drawn out. There is a nice balance and from the feel of it, I think Mishima is working towards the ending once this Zeref story arc is done.

Acnologia is one bad ass mf'r. Whenever I read stuff like this, I always wonder how certain characters would fare fighting other characters in other manga. Acnologia is right up there with the toughest villains in all of manga IMO.

Overall, great read. Mishima sure likes to flaunt the women in this series!

[North Star]

Putting the commencement of Bleach on hold for now. I started a survival thriller called EX - Shounen Hyouryuu. It's very good so far and I am about half way through it. It's a short series with only 26 chapters or so, but very good so far. It also rated fairly high too. The story is basically about a doomsday event and follows some survivors as they get stranded on the island of Kijima.

[North Star]

Some quick updates. EX was a very good read and ended well. I enjoyed the story and it was an interesting take on an apocalypse scenario. It seemed like it could go on to another series, but I don't think it was popular enough to garner another run.

I also read and finished Otogi Matsuri (Dark Offering). That was a fantastic read! This was more of the horror genre and involved some really cool monsters/demons, villains and heroes. It also had lots of Japanese sorcery, which was really cool. I dug the use of talismans in battle, and traps and stuff. Here is a quick plot summary from wiki:

The series follows Yousuke Suruga, a high school student, whose body has been merged with the Bow of Suzaku, a legendary weapon, for breaking an ancient Shinto shrine. To save himself and his hometown he uses the Bow of Suzaku against demons.

I think the usual folks in here would enjoy this. Give it a read!

[North Star]

Just finished up what is available for Btooom!, and I have to say it was pretty good. It falls in line with similar manga as Battle Royale and Suicide Island, where people are put on an island to battle to the death in a game run by powerful en******. In the case with Btoom! it's an evil conglomerate with enough power to attempt a new world order. The series is still on going, but it has been done very well. For this story, players are nominated by family or friends to be sent to the island to participate in the "game". People that are nominated are typically outcasts or someone that has hurt or shamed their family and friends. The idea is to set a bunch of so-called "cancers of society" to battle to the death, which also ends up being a social reform for society to cleanse the bad out from the good. That is how they try to pass it off to the public so that people aren't outraged about people being killed on live television. Really good read, I was sad to catch up to the current chapters so soon. Now I got to wait for who knows how long for more chapters to be scanned and uploaded, and for the series to finish.

[North Star]

And so it begins...

I have always been into imports and street racing, so naturally I knew about Initial-D. I put off reading it for a long time because it was so far in to the series. But the time has come to read through it.

It's great, making me want to do some "spirited driving" once I get out of work. I drive a 6 speed Subaru Forester right now, but have been through my fair share of sport compacts. My first was an 97 LS Integra (that got the bite for imports and racing), then got an 03 WRX, then went to a 2006 S2000, then got into my last sports car that I deeply miss, my 04 STi. Ah, reading Initial-D is sparking that fire again. My Forester is brand new, but I will be back into a sports car soon enough. :P

[North Star]

Finished up Initial-D, it was great. I was sad that it ended. It felt like it could have gone on a lot longer and followed Takumi and Kyouske into their professional racing careers. It was a good read though and the 719 chapters flew by to quickly.

On to the next manga. I started Bleach, but only got about 6 chapters in before I stopped reading and started something else. It was good and had some funny moments, but I just wasn't in the frame of mind to continue the series. I know I will pick it up again in the future, but for now I am into a series set in a more realistic narrative.

I just started Sanctuary, and it is extremely good! It's done in a more classical sense and it's already in masterpiece territory for me, and I am only 18 chapters in. The story and artwork are superb.



Here is the summary:

Two young men vow to transform the destiny of Japan, by any means. As children, they survived the horrors of the Cambodian killing fields together. Now, can they topple the leaders of both the Japanese Parliament and the yakuza crime syndicate? Although cold and calculating when need be, Hojo and Asami exemplify the traits their colleagues lack: loyalty to friends, compassion for the downtrodden...and an irresistible way with women.

This is a series I will most likely pick up in paperback and add to my bookshelf. There is a sequel that I look forward to starting once this one is done. Add this to your list fellas, I highly recommend it!

[North Star]

Well, I binged and read all of Sanctuary. Man, what a ride! I just didn't want it to end. It had the potential to go on for much longer, but ended well. I was so captivated and absorbed by the manga that I didn't want to pull myself back out of it's world. It is a genuine masterpiece IMO. This series could easily be done by a prime cable network like HBO and stand shoulder to shoulder with other crime drama series like Boardwalk Empire, The Sopranos or The Wire. I never knew much about the politics and government process in Japan, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading Sanctuary. The series was an incredible read and will be a must have addition to my bookshelf soon!

My only problem with reading work as good as this, is getting the motivation to start something else of lesser quality. I really don't know what to start next. lol

[North Star]

Just finished up Peace Maker, which happened to be pretty good. The story follows a man name Hope Emerson, who is among the best quick draw artists around. He carries his father's gun and wants to find his brother, Cole Emerson, who happens to be the G.O.D (Guns of Domination) Dueling Champion. Where Hope is of the mind to not take lives and will instead incapacitate his foes, his brother Cole is the complete opposite and has taken so many souls with his gun, the black wing, he is the fiercest gunman in the world. This story revolves around Hope and young lady named Nicola, who also takes up the gun.

There are lots of cool duels and interesting characters. Manga-ka Minagawa Ryoji did a good job of drawing and explaining some of the techniques the gunmen use when dueling one another. It makes for some pretty cool action and if you are a fan of spaghetti westerns, you'll enjoy this series.

[North Star]

Started reading Rikudo by Toshimitsu Matsubara. It is a boxing manga, so I'm sure you guys have heard of it or read some of it. It is still fairly new and only 40 chapters in, but it's pretty good! The mangaka keeps pretty relevant as there is mention of Golovkin in the story! He was just mentioned as a him being a favorite boxer of one of fighters that were challenging for the Japan lightweight title. I was actually pretty surprised to see him mentioned. Golovkin has even transcended into a manga!

Anyway, I wanted to start this manga for a few reasons. For one, it's a boxing manga and still early in it's series. I guess I am using it as a primer for starting Hajime no Ippo, as that one is still on going and is over 1000 chapters.

In Rikudo, the story follows Riku, an orphan who had a pretty messed up childhood. He looks up to a Yakuza who is a former boxing champ, and gets himself into the world of boxing. Having never read Hajime no Ippo, I had no preconceived notions about this one and I have to say it is done very well. The artwork is nice and the fights are captured very well. I am almost done and caught up with the series, but I hope it continues for a long run.