Cross Game Graphic Novel Vol. 7 by Mitsuru Adachi (a J!-ENT Manga Review)

April 10, 2012 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

Mitsuru Adachi’s highly-praised manga “Cross Game” vol. 7 returns to the baseball action as many members of Seishu Gakuin High School compete in their final high school baseball tournament and their last shot for Koshien. “Cross Game” is in my opinion of the better manga series released in America and if you are looking for something more realistic, heartwarming and enjoyable, this manga series is highly recommended!

MANGA TITLE: Cross Game Graphic Novel Vol. 7 (クロスゲーム)

BY: Mitsuru Adachi (あだち充)

FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Shonen Sunday

PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media

RATED: T for Older Teen

RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2012

With his final summer in high school approaching, Ko and the rest of the team are right in the thick of the regionals to qualify for Koshien. They manage a win in their first game, but the next round pits them against Kurokoma, led by none other than Seishu’s infamous former coach, Daimon.

Seishu is cautious because they know Daimon would really hate to lose to the “Portables” twice. And as the team battles its way toward Koshien, Akane Takigawa is dealt a blow to her health and is hospitalized.

For Kyo and friends, this is their senior year in high school and their final tournament.

Kyo made a promise to Wakaba way back when he was a young boy, he would make it into Koshien (the finals in the baseball tournament) and for each baseball player of Seishu Gakuin Senior High School, they know they have what it takes to make it to the finals and now it’s time to prove it.

“Cross Game” graphic novel Vol. 7 features Seishu taking on various teams in order to get to the finals, but as Seishu is on the roll, how would Kyo react when he finds out that Akane will need emergency surgery for her health condition. Having lost Wakaba and Akane being the spitting image of an older Wakaba, will he still be ready to compete during the tournament? Find out in the latest volume of “Cross game”!

What is “Cross Game”?

The manga series by Mitsuru Adachi, one of the most highly respected mangaka in Japan.

He is also known for his manga that revolves around baseball and high school/grade school crushes. But Adachi’s most famous work is “Touch”, a baseball/romantic comedy and a winner of the 1983 Shogakukan Manga Award (his second consecutive award a year after his highly successful high school romantic comedy manga “Miyuki”).

The manga series for “Touch” was award-winning, the anime series is one of the highest-rated television anime series of all time and it was a story that literally made audiences cry as it featured a story of friendship, tragedy, loss, inspiration and hope.

Adachi would go on to feature other stories that revolved around other sports but one wondered if he would return to baseball (which is a very popular sport in Japan) and in 1992, Adachi would write a baseball-related manga series titled “H2″.

Over 13 years later, fans continued to clamor for another baseball-themed anime series and Adachi would return with the manga series “Cross Game”, similar to “Touch” would feature a romantic comedy that would feature friendship, tragedy, loss, inspiration and hope.

And with Adachi’s first baseball manga series “Nine” along with “Touch”, “H3″ and “Cross Game”, the goal of the baseball players and characters are to make it to “Koshien” which translates to “tournament” and in Japan there are the “National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament” held in the Spring and “National High School Baseball Championship” in the Summer.

In Japan, the final 17th volume of the manga series was released in Japan and now, “Cross Game” will be released in the US in graphic novel format (compiling several of volumes into one release). “Cross Game Graphic Novel Vol. 5″ compiles the manga volumes ten and eleven.

Cross Game Summary

“Cross Game” is a manga series that showcases the development of a Ko Kitamura, the son of a family that owns Kitamura Sports, during the time he is a 5th grader, a junior high school student preparing for high school and then later on in high school.

The story introduces us to a young Ko Kitamura, a passionate kid who loves baseball and his best friend Wakaba Tsukushima. Both were born on the same day, at the same hospital and share a unique bond with each other.

For Ko, he’s not so ambitious and for now, he takes turns delivering sporting goods to the Wakaba’s father who owns Cafe Clover and the Tsukishima Batting Center. With each delivery, Mr. Tsukishima gives Ko a chance to go batting at the batting center, something he has done since a very young age.

Living with Wakaba and her father is Wakaba’s older sister Ichiyo (who is the main cook of Cafe Clover), her very young sister Momiji and her sister Aoba (who is one year younger than her). Aoba is a tomboy who loves baseball, she has been practicing her pitching as a young girl and actually is quite talented as a pitcher. She also has a disdain towards Ko because he doesn’t respect the game as much as she does.

One day during the summer, Wakaba visits Ko and she tells him that she has created a birthday gift list, so he knows what to buy her all the way up to her 20h birthday (which she wrote down that when she turns 20-years-old, she wants an engagement ring from Ko). Also, she hopes to go to a festival with him after she arrives back from swim camp.

The night before Wakaba is to go to swim camp, she spends her time with Ko and reminds him about how she wants to go to the festival when she comes back and kisses him. A few days later, as Ko goes to visit the Tsukishima’s restaurant and batting center, he notices that its closed. Which was unusual.

When he goes home, he turns on a baseball game and a news update comes up. He hears that an 11-year-old died at the swimming camp at Minagawa Valley and her name was Wakaba Tsukishima. She died while trying to rescue a third grader who ventured out in the deep water.

For Ko, he has lost his best friend and for Aoba, she has lost her sister. And as the years have passed, these two individuals have an interesting friendship. For one, they share the passion of baseball and she wants Ko to be better. For Ko, he knows that Aoba is an excellent pitcher and baseball player, but because of her gender, she can never take part in an official high school game.

And as these two practice with each other, Aoba’s family and even their friends notice that these two are almost exactly alike. While deep inside, they do care for each other, it’s because of Ko’s past with Wakaba that Aoba never tries to get closer to him. And as for Ko, he looks at Aoba as a good friend but also a girl that constantly nags and picks on him. But he does respect her passion for playing baseball and her dedication to be good at it, despite not having the opportunity to compete in a high school game.

As Ko has made sure to fulfill Wakaba’s birthday gift, the one thing he needs to do next is make it to the Koshien tournament and win it.

In the last volume, a soba shop is opening next door to the Kitamura Sporting Goods store and Ko and friends are shocked to see the daughter of the family that owns the new soba shop. Her name is Akane Takigawa and she is the spitting image of Wakaba, as if she was older.

Everyone including Akaishi wonder if they are looking at a ghost, even Aoba and her family are shocked by the resemblance of Akane to Wakaba, as if she would be the grown up version of her. But for Yuhei, who has always saw a strong connection between Kyo and Aoba, he realizes that with Akane in the picture and the fact that she looks like Wakaba, will this mean that Ko will go for Akane?

As the guys know this is their final year to make it to Koshien, they try to make the best of it by training. Meanwhile, Akane and Ko seem to be getting closer and Akaishi does all he can to make sure it happens, for in his mind, Akane is like the return of Wakaba.

But Yuhei tries to figure out Aoba’s feelings. Does she care if Ko and Akane are getting closer? Does Ko care about Aoba at all? And it’s evident that as much as Ko admires Aoba for helping him at baseball, her attitude towards him has always been critical, so he puts his attention towards Akane.

And because of this, Yuhei decides to pursue Aoba.

Meanwhile, Akane wants to get a job (as her parents don’t pay her for working at the family soba shop), so she comes to work at Clover Cafe. How will the Tsukashima family feel about someone who looks like Wakaba working at the restaurant?

And as there is a lot of discussion of who will make it to Koshien, Junpei Azuma tries to propose to Ichiyo Tsukishima once again. But instead of saying “no”, she tells him that she will if Seishun makes it to Koshien and because of that, Junpei (a former star high school baseball player) will do all he can to ensure the team gets to Koshien.

And now, Seishu Gakuin Senior High School must take on various teams to get to Koshien. Vol. 7 focuses on those matchups.

With vol. 6 taking a breather from the baseball tournaments, we know that the national tournament would be coming and this time, with vol. 7 of “Cross game”, it’s the final try for Kyo Kitamura and his team to make it into Koshien.

While the majority of the pages focuses on baseball, we get to see the camaraderie of Kyo and his teammates but also to see how much they have gotten better this year. And for Kyo, it’s one thing to make it a goal to get into Koshien and win the tournament but also, the goal of him throwing a 100mph fastball doesn’t seem so far off, now that he is throwing over 95mph.

But while the majority of the pages focus on baseball, there is also an emotional underlying storyline as Kyo, Akaishi and others discover Akane’s health condition.

Having lost Wakaba a long time ago, we learn that Kyo may have hidden his emotions from everyone but for Aoba and everyone, they know that he has hurt after all these years. And with Akane, the girl with the spitting image of Wakaba now suffering from a medical condition that requires surgery, Kyo must do all he can to keep positive and a few of his friends mind on the actual game. But knowing deep inside, he’s hurting and knowing he doesn’t want someone he cares about to die on him. We learn that Kyo is a tough kid but people know that he tries to be strong in front of everyone and wants the team to be successful.

Overall, I am so happy that “Cross Game” has been released in the US and one can hope that with the success of the manga series, perhaps Viz Media will continue to release more of Adachi’s works outside of Japan. It’s definitely one of my favorite manga series at this moment.

“Cross Game” is an enjoyable, touching, inspirational manga series that I hope many give it a chance, even if it does touch upon sports, specifically baseball, Adachi makes the story quite enjoyable and easily accessible for non-baseball fans as well.

If you want an innocent, fun, dramatic and highly entertaining manga series that is not dark, doesn’t deal with supernatural elements, magical powers or big robots, “Cross Game” is a wonderful manga series worth reading and in my opinion, one of the best manga series being released today!

“Cross Game” vol. 7 is highly recommended!

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 20 (a J!-ENT Manga Review)

April 9, 2012 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

Naoki Urasawa’s manga masterpiece…”20th Century Boys” just gets better and better. With vol. 20, the stage is set as it is leading viewers with what may be the final battle. There are a few twists and turns and a few surprises but fans will definitely enjoy what they read in this latest volume. Another wonderful volume of “20th Century Boys” worth owning!

MANGA TITLE: 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 20

STORY AND ART BY: Naoki Urasawa (浦沢直樹)

FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Shogakukan, Inc.

PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC

RATED: T for Older Teen

Available on April 10, 2012

There once was a hero who stood against evil. He sacrificed himself to save the world, and everyone believed he died on Bloody New Year’s Eve. But eighteen years later, when the entire world is under the control of the enigmatic figure known as the Friend, the hero comes back!

Kenji is back and is heading for Tokyo, where the Friend is preparing his next horrific plan. Meanwhile, Kanna and the rest of Kenji’s group make their move toward the final battle! Could it finally be time for justice to rise once again?

Last volume, we saw the return of Kenji. But while Kenji Endo is making his return to Tokyo to finish what he started, his niece Kanna and his friends, who all think that Kenji is dead, have made their decision that they must kill the Friend ASAP and will literally be their final stand.

But still, questions have remained in Naoki Urasawa’s “20th Century Boys”. Who has now replaced the Friend? And what happened to Kenji’s sister (and Kanna’s mother) Kiriko, who was working on an antidote to fight the Friend’s virus?

One of these questions are answered in vol. 20 of “20th Century Boys”!

“20th Century Boys” is simply the masterpiece manga series created by Naoki Urasawa. Having created excellent titles such as “Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl”, “Pineapple ARMY”, “Master Keaton” and “Monster”, his manga series “20th CENTURY BOYS” was the winner of the 2001 Kodansha Manga Award, Winner of the 2003 Shogakukan Manga Award and Urasawa was the recipient of the “Excellence Price at the 2002 Japan Media Arts Festival”.

The manga has been made into a live film, with the first film having been released as a part of a trilogy with a budget of 6 billion yen and will feature a cast of 300 people, it’s natural to say that the manga series “20th CENTURY BOYS” will definitely be a manga classic. And now the the seventh volume of the popular manga series has been released by Viz Media.

Naoki Urasawa’s “20th CENTURY BOYS” follows a group of friends when they were as children and the present time as adults. When these friends were children, they played a group of super heroes who would take down evildoers. But first, they needed to come up with their own storyline and scenarios of the bad things the evil side would do and how they, as superheroes would have to conquer the evil bad guys.

This plot of what the evil group would do was written down in a little guide which they called “The Prophecy”. As for the group, they devised a symbol of their group. But now many years later, this symbol has re-emerged as the symbol of a religious cult who may be behind terrorist activities.

Kenji and friends tried their best to stop the Friends but something happened on December 31, 2000 and fourteen years later, Kenji and friends are seen as the terrorists and the Friends have now further permeated into society worldwide.

What we know of December 31, 2000… Many lives were lost and although Kenji and his friends did what they can to stop the Friend’s giant robot from killing people in the city. They were blamed for it and since then have been reviled as the terrorists who massacred innocent people (when it was actually “the Friends” who were responsible).

And over 15 years later, the Friends have used the massacre to grow their cult and to take control of society, politics, law enforcement and have their foot in the door worldwide.

But for friends of Kenji who survived that fatal day, they will continue to do what they can to defeat their friends in the honor of their friend Kenji and save the world. The last volume featured Kanna, who is now a teenager who will never forget her uncle and is investigating any details or leads to her uncle Kenji but also her mother and possible father.

In volume 20, as Kanna and Otcho have pretty much decided that they are going to go to war and try to kill the Friend, they reunite with their old friends. Who will fight with them and who won’t? Meanwhile, Maruo goes to visit one of the gang’s old friends and in the process, to find out if Kiriko Endo is alive and what she has been doing all this time.

Meanwhile, there appears to be a shift of allegiance in the FDP and Manjome, Takasu, Yanbo & Mabo are up to something devious and much more worse than what took place on Dec 31, 2000.

“20th CENTURY BOYS” features the following characters:

Kanna Endo: The daughter of Kenji’s missing sister. She is now a 17-year-old teenager who tries to keep her missing uncle Kenji in her memories. In the Friend Era, she is known as the “White Queen”.

Chono Shohei – A freshman detective following his grandfather’s footsteps of being a great detective and to have the name “Cho-san”. In the Friend Era, he has abandoned his job to join forces with Kenji Endo and now is a wanted man.

Kamisama - The homeless man who had visions of what Kenji should be doing and would relay it to him but 14 years later, he has become millionaire and now tries to keep some of Kenji’s friends safe through his bowling building.

Kyoko Koizumi - A high school student who has helped the Kenji faction and is now working for a music company searching for talent during the Friend Era.

Otcho – One of Kenji’s friends who escaped from prison to reunite and help Kanna. He and Kanna want to stop the Friend immediately.

Yukiji – The only female member from the original Kenji faction, Yukiji raised Kanna after Kenji disappeared and looks at Kanna like her own daughter and will do all she can to protect her, as she had promised to Kenji.

Yoshitsune – The young and shy Yoshitsune has grown up to become the leader of the underground dissident organization.

Maruo – A friend of Kenji who now works at a music company and has used his position to help the Kenji faction.

It’s a race against time as Kanna and Otcho feel they can’t wait any longer. The two with the help of Yukiji are determined to kill the Friend, meanwhile Yoshitsune wishes Kanna would wait until she talks to her mother, details which Maruo has found out some new details about her and is investigating it on his own.

Meanwhile, the FDP seem to have their own agenda, that maybe even the Friend knows nothing about…considering the original Friend was killed.

Who is this new Friend? What are the FDP up to? And what will happen to Kanna, Otcho and Yukiji as they have decided to make their assassination attempt against the Friend?

And that’s all I can say about vol. 20 of “20th Century Boys” because there are a lot of twists and turns, including some surprises. Fans and longtime readers will enjoy this volume when they see the final panel of the chapter but knowing that things are going to get crazy from this point on.

Naoki Urasawa’s “20th Century Boys” just gets better and better and as we now are nearing the final stretch of the series, one can only wonder what Naoki Urasawa has planned. And I’m guessing that we are going to see a lot of deaths and possible demise of several main characters. So far, “20th Century Boys” has been edgy and hasn’t pulled any punches so far. So, anything can happen right now in this manga series!

Featuring wonderful illustration and awesome storytelling, which Naoki Ursawa is known for, “Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys Vol. 20″ is another solid volume for the series and an important storyline as it definitely sets things up for these last final volumes of the series.

As always, Naoki Urasawa knows how to grab the attention of the reader. His artwork and how he is able to capture the sense of action and emotion through the pages is magnificent and so far, this series has been engrossing and highly enjoyable thus far.

If you have been following this series this long, you’re probably as addicted as I am and with this latest volume, “Naoki Urasawa’s 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 20″ is a no-brainer, it’s a must buy volume and quite simply, “20th Century Boys” is a must buy series!

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

VIZ MEDIA BECOMES MASTER LICENSOR FOR BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC FEATURE FILM TRILOGY

April 9, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment

Arms and Armor Action Clash In Three Visceral Anime Films About A Young Medieval Mercenary

San Francisco, CA, April 9, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has acquired the North American theatrical, TV, home entertainment, digital and merchandising rights for the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC animated movie trilogy. The company made the licensing announcement during its panel held at Sakura Con 2012 this past weekend.

BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy was produced in Japan by Studio 4ºC and is based on the bestselling medieval dark fantasy manga (graphic novel) series created by Kentaro Miura. VIZ Media plans to release the first film of the trilogy, BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING, in the Fall of 2012.

Combining a foreboding medieval European-insired setting with fantasy and exquisitely detailed swordsmanship, BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC I – THE EGG OF THE KING follows lone mercenary Guts as he travels the land where a hundred-year-old war is taking place. His ferocity and ability to take down enemies attracts the attention of Griffith, leader of the mercenary group “The Band of the Hawk,” and Guts is recruited to the unit. Thanks to their continued victories on the battlefield, the bond between Guts and Griffith deepens, but despite all their success, Guts begins to question his reasons for fighting for Griffith’s dream. Unknown to Guts, this unyielding dream is about to bestow a horrible fate on them both.

“Thrilling action and a tense plot are at the center of these gripping films that depict how the young mercenary protagonist, Guts, becomes a legendary swordsman,” says Lyn Johnson, Senior Animation Marketing Manager. “We’re very excited to add these films to the VIZ Media anime library. BERSERK combines a foreboding medieval European-inspired setting with fantasy and horror elements to make for an amazing adventure that no action fan will want to miss, and we look forward to announcing more information on the release of the first film in the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC trilogy very soon!”

The BERSERK manga series, by Kentaro Miura, debuted in Japan in 1989 and quickly drew a devoted following, going on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide. The series, still ongoing in Japan, has been published in North America and the UK, as well as in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Russia, and Latin America. The BERSERK manga has also inspired a popular anime television series and has spawned a variety of related video games, collectable figures and toys, and music soundtracks, as well as the current BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy.

For more information on the BERSERK: THE GOLDEN AGE ARC film trilogy, please visit the official Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/BerserkFilm.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular digital manga anthology WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP ALPHA and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, BLEACH and INUYASHA, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Filed Under: Anime Related News

Naoki Urasawa’s 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 19 (a J!-ENT Manga Review)

April 6, 2012 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

Naoki Urasawa’s manga masterpiece…”20th Century Boys” is simply awesome!!! With volume 19, the long asked question of what happened to Kenji Endo is finally answered! Fans of the manga series will not want to miss this latest volume! Highly recommended!

MANGA TITLE: 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 19

STORY AND ART BY: Naoki Urasawa (浦沢直樹)

FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: Shogakukan, Inc.

PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC

RATED: T for Older Teen

Available on February 14, 2012

The man with the guitar heads for Tokyo and arrives at a rough-and-tumble border town with an ominous-looking checkpoint. Only those who have a pass may go through, and those who try to get by without one are summarily shot. Many have tried, and many are buried nearby. Who can change this horrific situation and get through the checkpoint? And who or what could be waiting on the other side?

Kenji Endo, the leader of the team that was to stop the “Friend” and the robot/poison attack in Tokyo had been missing and considered dead for nearly two decades.

His body never found, there are those such as his niece, Kanna, who hoped that her uncle was alive. But with the Friend in complete power and that reach of power extending to other nations, the fight against the Friend seemed hopeless.

But whenever she felt down, Kanna would listen to her Uncle Kenji’s music tapes and listen to a song that he would perform on the streets over and over. And she would share it with the people she knew.

And for these other people who became familiar with Kenji’s music, somehow they would hear that song elsewhere. Modified just a bit but the song was a glimmer of hope that perhaps Kenji Endo is still alive.

When a man with a guitar arrives in Japan and is going by the name Yabuki Joe, could this man be… Kenji Endo?

All is answered in volume 19 of Naoki Urasawa’s award-winning manga series “20th Century Boys”!

And over 15 years later, the Friends have used the massacre to grow their cult and to take control of society, politics, law enforcement and have their foot in the door worldwide.

In volume 18, we are learning that many people have heard of Kenji’s old song…but this time, a new revision with the words, “Gutarara Sudarara”. It was thought that Kanna was the only person who had access to Kenji’s music via cassettes, but how is it that people in Japan have heard of Kenji’s music today?

In this issue, Kanna’s police officer friend Chono decides to join with Yabuki Joe but as they head towards Tokyo, security only allows people into Tokyo with a permit. Anyone who submits a fake permit will be killed immediately.

Meanwhile, a mysterious man has been carefully watching Yabuki Joe’s return to Tokyo. Who can it be?

“20th CENTURY BOYS” features the following characters:

Chono Shohei – A freshman detective following his grandfather’s footsteps of being a great detective and to have the name “Cho-san”. In the Friend Era, he is stationed to work and watch over farmers.

Kamisama - The homeless man who had visions of what Kenji should be doing and would relay it to him but 14 years later, he has become millionaire.

Kyoko Koizumi - A high school student who has helped the Kenji faction and is now working for a music company searching for talent during the Friend Era.

Otcho – One of Kenji’s friends who escaped from prison to reunite and help Kanna. Now on the run during the Friend Era and was able to make it through the wall.

Maruo – A friend of Kenji who now works at a music company and has used his position to help the Kenji faction.

It was a given that our main protagonist of the series would make his return. It was all about when? For so many issues, we have seen the past and the present, but more importantly how the people who joined with Kenji Endo to put a stop to the Friend’s evil plans had done in their lives after that fateful day.

No one knew if Kenji was a live or dead, but the fact that nothing has been heard of him for over 15 years, needless to say, anything pointing to him being alive seemed non-existent until now.

While mentioning anything about what happened to Kenji after all these years would be a spoiler, for the last three volumes, there have been hints that this Yabuki Joe character with a guitar and sings Kenji Endo songs is in fact Kenji. But typically any pages dealing with Yabuki Joe were small and we were given little hints that he may be alive. With volume 19, everything is confirmed and what happened to him after all this time has now been answered.

But while Kenji Endo now making his return, what will happen to Kanna Endo and team as they feel they must mount their attack against the Friend. Also, there is another mysterious question of who the true identity of the Friend truly is since Fukube was killed. Who is now donning the Friend’s mask?

Featuring wonderful illustration and awesome storytelling, which Naoki Ursawa is known for, “Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys Vol. 19″ is spectacular! And I emphasize that this manga series is absolutely awesome. Every chapter in this volume just builds and builds to the final shot and you can’t help but be surprised or just excited for the next upcoming issue.

If you have been following this series this long, you’re probably as addicted as I am and with this latest volume, “Naoki Urasawa’s 20th CENTURY BOYS vol. 19″ is highly recommended and should not be missed!

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

VIZ MEDIA ENCOURAGES FANS TO ACCELERATE THEIR BRAINS WITH THE SIMULCAST PREMIERE OF NEW ANIME SERIES ACCEL WORLD

April 6, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment

Debuting Today on VIZAnime.com, A Bullied Teen Finds New Powers & Strength In A Virtual Reality Video Game

San Francisco, CA, April 6, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, adds another hot new title to its anime arsenal with the announcement of the subtitled, simulcast premiere of ACCEL WORLD. The new sci-fi fantasy series (rated TV-14,) launches today, the same day it debuts in Japan on VIZAnime.com, the company’s own website for free anime, as well on the free, ad-supported Hulu service and the Hulu Plus subscription service (www.Hulu.com). Brand new installments of the 24-episode series are scheduled to premiere on the outlets every Friday.

The year is 2046. Haruyuki Arita is a young boy who finds himself on the lowest social rungs of his school. Ashamed of his miserable life, Haruyuki can only cope by indulging in virtual games. But that all changes when Kuroyukihime, the most popular girl in school, introduces him to a mysterious program called Brain Burst and a virtual reality called the Accel World.

“In this edgy new series launching on VIZAnime.com, Haruyuki must fight and defeat other Brain Burst users in a virtual massive multiplayer online game and learn the true purpose of the Brain Burst technology,” says Lyn Johnson, Senior Marketing Manager, Animation. “Fans have been anticipating the launch of this inventive series, and we’re very excited to simulcast it to North America the day it debuts in Japan! Don’t miss this exciting story that is destined to become a favorite among U.S. fans.”

ACCEL WORLD is based on a series of popular light novels written by Reki Kawahara and animated by the famed studio Sunrise (TIGER & BUNNY, Mobile Suit Gundam, Code Geass, Cowboy Bebop, KEKKAISHI). Kawahara entered the first novel in the series into ASCII Media Works’ 15th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2008 and won the Grand Prize. ACCEL WORLD has also inspired a popular manga (graphic novel) series and several video games.

For more information on VIZ Media anime properties, please visit:
www.viz.com/anime.

Filed Under: Anime Related News

VIZ MEDIA RECEIVES MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2012 EISNER AWARDS

April 4, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20TH CENTURY BOYS and
SATURN APARTMENTS Are Nominated For Annual Comics Industry Publishing Award

San Francisco, CA, April 4, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced that two of its critically acclaimed manga (graphic novel) series have been nominated for the 2012 Will Eisner Comics Industry Awards, as announced by Comic-Con International on April 4, 2012.

The nominations include NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS, by Naoki Urasawa, for Best Continuing Series, and SATURN APARTMENTS, Vols. 3-4, by Hisae Iwaoka, for Best U.S. Edition of International Material. Both titles are published by VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint.

Named for pioneering writer and comic artist Will Eisner, the awards recognize exemplary comics, graphic novels and other pop writings, and are given each year as part of the annual Comic-Con International convention, at which VIZ Media will be a major exhibitor and participant in the programs offered. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony on the evening of Friday, July 13th during Comic-Con. In 2011, NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS won an Eisner Award in the category of Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia.

“It’s a tremendous honor to have NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS nominated again, and we’re equally excited to see Hisae Iwaoka’s SATURN APARTMENTS recognized with a nomination,” says Leyla Aker, Vice President of Publishing at VIZ Media. “Both of these series showcase the dynamic character development and strong storylines that manga is capable of delivering. We are thrilled to be considered again this year among such a diverse group of nominees.”

NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens) is the story of a group of boys who try to save the world. Humanity, having faced extinction at the end of the 20th century, would not have entered the new millennium if it weren’t for them. In 1969, during their youth, they created a symbol. In 1997, as the coming disaster slowly starts to unfold, that symbol returns.

Naoki Urasawa’s career as a manga artist spans more than twenty years and has firmly established him as one of the true manga masters of Japan. Born in Tokyo in 1960, Urasawa debuted with BETA! in 1983 and hasn’t stopped his impressive output since. Well-versed in a variety of genres, Urasawa’s oeuvre encompasses a multitude of different subjects, such as a romantic comedy (Yawara! A Fashionable Judo Girl), a suspenseful human drama about a former mercenary (Pineapple ARMY; story by Kazuya Kudo), a captivating psychological suspense story (Monster), a sci-fi adventure manga (20th Century Boys), and a modern reinterpretation of the work of the God of Manga, Osamu Tezuka (Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka; co-authored with Takashi Nagasaki, supervised by Macoto Tezka, and with the cooperation of Tezuka Productions). Many of his books have spawned popular animated and live-action TV programs and films, and 2008 saw the theatrical release of the first of three live-action Japanese films based on 20th Century Boys.

No stranger to accolades and awards, Urasawa received the 2011 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia, and is a three-time recipient of the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award, a two-time recipient of the Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prize, and also received the Kodansha Manga Award. Urasawa has also become involved in the world of academia, and in 2008 accepted a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University, where he teaches courses in, of course, manga.

SATURN APARTMENTS (rated ‘T’ for Teens) is set far in the future, when humankind has evacuated the earth in order to preserve it. Humans now reside in a gigantic structure that forms a ring around the earth, thirty-five kilometers up in the sky. The society of the Ring is highly stratified: the higher the floor, the greater the status. Mitsu, the lowly son of a window washer, has just graduated junior high. When his father disappears and is assumed dead, Mitsu must take on his father’s occupation. As he struggles with the transition to working life, Mitsu’s job treats him to an outsider’s view into the living-room dioramas of the Saturn Apartments.

Hisae Iwaoka is the creator of several one-shot manga, including Hana Boro (Flower Cookies) and Shiroi Kumo (White Clouds), both of which were serialized in IKKI magazine. A noted artist and illustrator, her installations have been displayed internationally in the group show “Tokyo Girls Bravo,” curated by artist Takashi Murakami. SATURN APARTMENTS is her most recent manga series

For more information on NAOKI URASAWA’S 20th CENTURY BOYS, SATURN APARTMENTS and other VIZ Media manga titles, please visit www.viz.com/manga.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and website at www.VIZ.com.

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

VIZ MEDIA RELEASES POKÉMON THE MOVIE: BLACK AND POKÉMON THE MOVIE: WHITE

April 3, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment

Two Full Length POKÉMON Films Packaged as a Special 2-Disc DVD Set!

San Francisco, CA, April 3, 2012 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, has announced the release today of a special POKÉMON movie double feature set, including the latest POKÉMON films, POKÉMON THE MOVIE: BLACK—VICTINI AND RESHIRAM and POKÉMON THE MOVIE: WHITE—VICTINI AND ZEKROM. The 2-Disc DVD set is now available under the company’s VIZ KIDS imprint and carries an MSRP of $19.97 U.S. / $19.98 CAN. Both movies are rated ‘A’ for All Ages.

When Ash and his friends enter a battle competition in Eindoak Town, they meet the Mythical Pokémon Victini, who becomes their newest friend. But disaster strikes when the misguided wanderer Damon seizes Victini for his own plans! Can Ash prove himself a hero and earn the help of the Legendary Reshiram – or Zekrom – to rescue Victini and save Eindoak Town? Two legends and two versions of the story!

“This special release includes the latest POKÉMON feature films that will thrill fans with exciting new adventures from the Pokémon Black & White story arc,” says Lyn Johnson, Senior Animation Marketing Manager. “We look forward to fans of all ages enjoying twice the POKÉMON adventure in this fun new release from our VIZ Kids imprint!”
POKÉMON is one of the most successful international kids’ brands. The Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version video games for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS family of systems launched in 2011 and have sold more than 13 million copies worldwide. POKÉMON animated series are licensed for broadcast in more than 160 countries and 30 languages. The newest season of the POKÉMON animated series – Pokémon: BW Rival Destinies – recently debuted in the United States on Cartoon Network.

For more information on VIZ Media’s POKÉMON manga and anime titles, please visit www.VIZ.com/Pokemon/.

About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, California, VIZ Media distributes, markets and licenses the best anime and manga titles direct from Japan. Owned by three of Japan’s largest manga and animation companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media has the most extensive library of anime and manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland and South Africa. With its popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine and blockbuster properties like Naruto, Bleach and InuYasha, VIZ Media offers cutting-edge action, romance and family friendly properties for anime, manga, science fiction and fantasy fans of all ages. VIZ Media properties are available as graphic novels, DVDs, animated television series, feature films, downloadable and streaming video and a variety of consumer products. Learn more about VIZ Media, anime and manga at www.VIZ.com.

Filed Under: Anime Related News

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES 6 NEW MANGA SERIES ON VIZMANGA.COM & VIZ MANGA APP

March 20, 2012 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES 6 NEW MANGA SERIES ON VIZMANGA.COM AND THE VIZ MANGA APP FOR iPAD, iPHONE AND iPOD TOUCH

BUSO RENKIN, THE EARL AND THE FAIRY, HIKARU NO GO, PSYREN, TEGAMI BACHI and YU-GI-OH! GX Join The
Extensive VIZ Manga Digital Library This Month!

VIZ Media delivers more digital manga (graphic novel) excitement to fans this month with the announcement of the launch of 7 new series are now available on VIZManga.com and for digital download on the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch. The new series include BUSO RENKIN, THE EARL AND THE FAIRY, HIKARU NO GO, PSYREN, TEGAMI BACHI, and YU GI OH! GX.

The VIZ MANGA APP is available for free through the iTunes Store and all manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application for $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) per volume. More than 45 series and 500+ volumes are currently available for download.

BUSO RENKIN Vol. 1 · by Nobuhiro Watsuki · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens
BUSO RENKIN is the story of teenager Kazuki Muto, who dies trying to save a girl who was being attacked by an eerie monster. The next morning, however, Kazuki is left wondering whether it was all a dream. Lo and behold, the girl, the monster, and his death are all real! The girl, Tokiko Tsumura, was actually trying to slay the homunculus (a beast that can take the form of humans, and whose main source of food is people), but Kazuki got in her way. To revive Kazuki, Tokiko replaces his heart with a “kakugane,” an alchemic device that allows him to summon a lance with which to fight the monsters. It turns out that Tokiko is a member of the Alchemist Warriors, an organization sworn to protect the world from the diabolical creatures. Soon, Kazuki joins Tokiko in her quest to terminate the sinister being that creates and controls the homunculus.

THE EARL AND THE FAIRY Vol. 1 · original concept by Tani Mizue, story & art by Ayuko · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens
Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor, one of the few people with the ability to see the magical creatures who share our world. During one of her rare trips to London to visit her father, Lydia’s quiet life is suddenly transformed when she is rescued from kidnappers by a mysterious young man! Edgar Ashenbert claims to be descended from the human ruler of the fairy kingdom, and he urgently needs Lydia’s help to find and claim his birthright, the legendary sword of the Blue Knight Earl. Things will never be the same for Lydia as she is pulled into a dangerous quest against dark forces!

HIKARU NO GO Vol. 1 · story by Yumi Hotta, art by Takeshi Obata · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages
After stumbling across a haunted go board, Hikaru Shindo discovers that the spirit of a master player named Fujiwara-no-Sai has taken up residence in his consciousness. Sai awakens in Hikaru an untapped genius for the game, and soon the schoolboy is chasing his own dream – defeating the famed go prodigy Akira Toya!

PSYREN Vol. 1 · by Toshiaki Iwashiro · Rated ‘T’ for Teens
Ageha Yoshina just got transported to a warped alternate dimension where you’ve got to fight your way back to our world – or die trying. “Save me!” Those were Sakurako Amamiya’s last words to her friend Ageha Yoshina before she mysteriously went missing. Now Ageha’s on a quest to find her. He’s convinced that the mythical Psyren Secret Society has something to do with the recent rash of disappearances. And now he seems to be caught up as a player in their very deadly game…

TEGAMI BACHI Vol. 1 · by Hiroyuki Asada · Rated ‘T’ for Teens
Amberground is locked in darkness. A man-made star casts only a dim light over the land. The pitch-black wilderness is infested with Gaichuu – colossal insects with metal exoskeletons. The Gaichuu make travel between the cities of Amberground extremely dangerous. But thankfully the Letter Bees, a brave corps of messengers, risk their lives in order to keep the hearts of Amberground connected.

YU-GI-OH! GX Vol. 1 · original concept by Kazuki Takahashi, story and art by Naoyuki Kageyama · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages
Years after Yugi’s legendary battles, the game is so popular that schools dedicated to the art of Dueling have sprung up all over the world. Join Jaden Yuki and his pals at the Academy for the adventures of the next generation of YU-GI-OH!

VIZ Media’s multiple digital manga platforms allow for universal access to read manga from an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and now, on VIZManga.com for desktop/laptop PC-enabled computers as well as Android-powered devices with built-in web browsers. With one account, registered users may access their purchases across even more devices than ever.

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top app for reading manga and features a rapidly growing library of the most popular manga series in the world. Over 45 series and 500+ volumes are currently available, with new additions and free Chapter 1 previews added weekly.

For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

Bleach Vol. 39 – Story & Art by Tite Kubo (a J!-ENT Manga Review)

March 16, 2012 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

It’s an all action volume of “Bleach” as a major Soul Reaper character’s life is hanging by the thread. With the tides turning against the Soul Reapers, desperate times call for desperate measures and First Division will need to step in! Action-packed from beginning to end, “Bleach” fans will definitely enjoy this 39th volume!

MANGA TITLE: Bleach Vol. 39

STORY AND ART BY: Tite Kubo (久保宣章)

FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.

PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shonen Jump Manga

RATED: T for Older Teen

RELEASE DATE: April 3, 2012

The battle between the Soul Reapers and Aizen over the fate of Karakura Town continues with more warriors joining the fight. But when Captain-General Yamamoto enters the battlefield, can he put a quick end to Aizen’s minions?

The battle between the Soul Reapers and Arrancars continues in vol. 39 of Tite Kubo’s hit manga series “Bleach” and this time around, things are not exactly looking good for the Soul Reapers.

For those who are not so familiar with “Bleach”, “Bleach” has a strong fan following and since its run began back in 2001, series creator, writer and illustrator Noriaki “Tite” Kubo has been hard at work, continuing to crank chapter after chapter for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan and with the success of the series extending out to films, OVA’s, feature films and video games and other merchandise.

Because of its airing on the Cartoon Network and it being featured on Shonen Jump magazine, “Bleach” has gone on to become a fan favorite in America but also fans all over the world.

A Brief History of what “Bleach” is about

“Bleach” is a story about a guy named Ichigo Kurasaki who has a gift in which he can see spirits. One day, he saw a Soul Reaper (one who can govern the flow of souls between the human world and the afterlife) named Rukia Kukichiki who has come to find a Hollow (a lost soul). She ends up being wounded in battle when she tried to defend Ichigo and so she illegally transfers her reiatsu (spiritual pressure) to him, so that he can defeat the Hollow. But during the process, he nearly takes all of her energy and becomes a Soul Reaper himself and defeats the Hollow quite easily. So, the first storyline arc features Rukia now powerless stranded in the human world until she has the time to recover her true powers, while Ichigo fills in and battles Hollows in her place. And with each fight, Rukia starts to notice something special about Ichigo’s abilities.

The second storyline arc of “Bleach” features the Soul Society wanting to sentence Rukia to death for transferring her powers to Ichigo. His friends also begin to develop special abilities. His childhood friend, Orihime Inoue, is given special abilities courtesy of her loving brother who has turned into a Hollow. Yasutora “Chad” Sato is Ichigo’s tall friend (who is half Japanese/half Mexican) who suddenly becomes aware of spirits and develops an ability to have a special armored right arm that has special abilities. And Ichigo’s rival/friend, Uryu Ishida, who is a desendant of a hollow hunting group known as the Quincy and are enemies of the Soul Reapers.

Through various chapters, the Soul Reapers learn that one of their own, Sosuke Aizen, is a traitor. It was learned that Aizen has been creating Visoreds, Soul Reapers who have obtained hollow powers (Hollowfication) and are known for their hollow masks (which look like skulls on a human’s face) and Arrancars, a stronger form of hollow which has acquired human form.

It is learned that Ichigo has a Visored that is manifesting within him that has great power. During a fight, this visored tries to take over Ichigo’s body but Ichigo is trying his best to control it and using this power wisely.

Together, Ichigo and his friends continue to increase and enhance their abilities overtime and to take on tough enemies which leads us to the Visored/Arrancar arc.

The Current Storyline

Ichigo and friends are now on a mission to stop the traitorous soul reaper, Sosuke Aizen who along with his army of Arrancars are preparing their plan to destroy the Soul Society and wiping out Karakura Town. Meanwhile, in order to protect Ichigo and her friends, Orihime willingly stays with Aizen’s group but Ichigo and friends will do all they can to save her. Meanwhile, the Thirteen Court Guard Companies head to Karakura.

With volume 38, the battles continue with the Soul Reapers proving to be victorious in the earlier matches, this time Second Division’s Sui-Feng and Marechiyo Omeda take on Fraccion Ggio Vega. Meanwhile, Tenth Division’s Rangiku and Fifth Division’s Momo Hinamori must take on Fraccion’s Cyan Sung-Sun, Franceska Mila Rose and Emilou Apacci. And Eighth Division’s Shunsui Kyoraku takes on the Espada Coyote Starrk.

But as these battles continue, the Espada’s are known for their resurrection technique and can continue to respawn. With the tides turning against the Soul Reapers, it’s time for Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto of First Division to engage in battle!

With this latest volume, similar to volume 38, it’s still an all out war focusing on the Soul Reapers vs. the Fracciones.

While the last two volumes focused on the Soul Reapers kicking some major butt, this time around, the roles are reversed when a significant character is pretty much devastated from a sever attack and may beclose to death. It was definitely a shocker to see the Soul Reapers in dire situations but it does amp the storyline a bit and showing that the Fracciones can be deadly and are not going to all lose against the Soul Reapers.

Needless to say, desperate times calls for desperate measures and the answer is to unleash the elder leader of the First Division, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamato. We have only see a little of Genryusai’s power but we have not really seen him go all the way out. So, this volume, we get to see that.

And yes, finally Ichigo makes his return…although a short return for a few pages, it does build up to the next volume in which Ichigo will probably be back in the pages of the manga series for vol. 40.

As always, the artwork by Tite Kubo is fantastic but for those who prefer more story versus all-action, especially for those who want to see Ichigo and friends may be disappointed as Ichigo and others are not featured (Ichigo is featured but very briefly towards the end of the volume).

Like the last two volumes, this latest volume 39 is all about the fighting, the battles and is purely all action-driven. No deep storyline, just all-out battles and obviously a favorite Soul Reaper among Bleach fans gets damaged quite severely in this volume. So, it’s quite interesting to see how everyone tries to defend this character in order for her to be evacuated and get medical attention, while everyone fights this new Fracciones behemoth.

For those who are familiar with “Bleach”, especially the anime series with episodes that focus solely on action, will find this latest volume quite appealing. Personally, I enjoyed the fact that Tite Kubo focuses on other characters and explores their development and their powers with this latest volume. Some of these characters have been rather idle, and while we have seen them fight, we have never seen some of these soul reapers put everything on the line as they battle to the death.

So, for fans of the soul reapers, especially for those who want to see more of Sui-Feng, Marechiyo Omaeda, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Momo Hinamori, Shunsui Kyoraku and Rangiku Matsumoto in action, these characters are the main focus of vol. 39.

Overall, all-action, less story may not be to everyone’s taste, especially if a manga volume can be read too quickly, but for those who have invested this much time into the “Bleach” series and love the action, then I have no doubt in my mind that you will enjoy “Bleach” Vol. 39.

Recommended!

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

Slam Dunk Vol. 21 by Takehiko Inoue (a J!-ENT Manga Review)

March 16, 2012 by Dennis Amith · Leave a Comment

One of Japan’s top selling manga series of all time, “Slam Dunk” vol. 21 features the final two minutes between Shohoku and Ryonan High School. Winner advances to the national tournament. Who wins? Basketball and “Slam Dunk” fans will definitely enjoy this latest volume!

MANGA TITLE: Slam Dunk Vol. 21

STORY AND ART BY: Takehiko Inoue (井上雄彦)

FIRST PUBLISHED IN JAPAN: SHUEISHA, Inc.

PUBLISHED IN USA BY: VIZ Media, LLC/Shonen Jump Manga

RATED: T for Older Teen

RELEASE DATE: April 3, 2011

It’s do or die for the Shohoku High School Basketball Team! If they want a spot in the Nationals, they need to win this game. As the second half winds down, Shohoku hangs on to a one-point lead over Ryonan despite Mitsui’s collapse. Ryonan keeps the pressure on with their best players, Uozumi, Fukuda and Sendoh, giving it all they’ve got. Sakuragi steps up defensively, and now he’s Shohoku’s last hope of staying alive in the tournament – but is he up to the challenge?

It all comes down to the final two minutes between Shohoku High School vs. Ryonan High School. Winner of this match gets an entry in the National tournament. And what a nail-biter this volume turned out to be in vol. 21 of Takehiko Inoue’s “Slam Dunk”!

I can easily remember the popularity of “Slam Dunk” during the early ’90s. Despite being here in America, I would venture to the local Tower Records or travel to Japan Town and head to the Japanese bookstore to pick up the latest Shonen Jump magazine and watching the anime series.

Granted, I came into “Slam Dunk” several years late but I recognized how popular the manga and anime series was, especially the music and sure enough “Slam Dunk” was one of the first anime soundtracks (on cassette) that I had purchased. For me, it was quite intriguing because the sports that I have watched from Japan and manga and anime being based from those sports are typically baseball, soccer or tennis. You just don’t think about basketball but sure enough, “Slam Dunk” captured the essence of high school basketball and the excitement of team dynamics, offense/defense and squaring off against a rival team.

But this is what Takehiko Inoue is known for. A mangaka who is a basketball fan, his manga series is considered iconic in the fact that many kids in Japan played basketball and became interested in the sport because of “Slam Dunk”. In fact, the series was not just popular in Japan but also throughout Asia. The manga sold over 100 million copies in Japan between 1990-1996, earning a Shogakukan Manga Award in 2005 and in 2007, the series received the distinction as “Japan’s Favorite Manga”.

Inoue would eventually follow up with “Buzzer Beater” in 1997 (which he collaborated with ESPN) which was a more farfetched story about basketball ala intergalactic competition. Followed by a samurai manga story titled “Vagabond” in 1998 and back to a basketball manga with “Real” in 2001 (based on people with disabilities in wheelchairs who compete in basketball), so Inoue has a pretty strong following for his works.

And his hits series “Slam Dunk” has been released ala manga in America courtesy of Viz Media.

“Slam Dunk” revolves around a cocky and rough street punk named Hanamichi Sakuragi who is a first-year student at Shohoku High School. He has fallen for Haruko Akagi, the younger sister of Takenori Akagi, the captain of Shohoku High’s basketball team. But for Haruko, she likes Kaeda Rukawa, the first-year basketball star that all the female students love.

So, to prove his worth in front of Haruko, Hanamichi joins the Shohoku basketball team which includes Kiyota, Maki, Hisashi Mitsui, Ryota Miyagi and their team manager, Ayako.

In Volume 21 of “Slam Dunk”, it’s the final two minutes and Ryonan has cut the large lead of Shohoku down to one.

With Mitsui falling hard and taken out of the game for exhaustion, Shohoku’s bespectacled athlete Kogure comes into the game. We learn how Kogure and Akagi joined the basketball team together and although Akagi is the one who is known for his basketball skills, both teenager had one dream and that was to make it to Nationals. Now that they are seniors, this is the only chance they have to make it to Nationals.

Which leads us to the main game…who will win between Shohoku vs. Ryonan?

Also, we get to see members of other teams who made it into Nationals and players having to make difficult decisions, including Kaeda Rukawa.

As for the losers of this final match-up, this may be the final competitive basketball game for the senior students. How difficult will it be to say goodbye to the sport you love?

If you love basketball, you will love “Slam Dunk”!

Volume 21 similar to the last eight volumes captures the thrill of competitive high school basketball through its pages with an attention of detail by Takehiko Inoue on basketball from player fatigue, foul’s, strategy, you name it… you will find it in this latest volume.

The last volume showed how a team can mount a comeback and the strategy that was needed to make that comeback. Volume 21 shows us how the unknown players from the bench can easily disrupt the game by surprising players not familiar of them. In this case, first-year student and Shohoku hothead (prone to making many mistakes) Hanamichi Sakuragi and the usually on the bench, Kiminobu Kogure.

This volume also shows us the agony of defeat as some of the players are seniors and what happens when it all comes to an end. This final volume also begins to prep the readers to some of the other teams and their team members who advanced to the finals.

With that being said, reading this volume will go quickly because the illustration do take up a big part of the pages versus dialogue but if you appreciate basketball and Takehiko Inoue’s work, you know that this style works and the efficacy of competition of competitive high school basketball is captured amazingly well.

As for the manga series, Takehiko Inoue’s illustrations have always been a highlight for me and I was always amazed of how he captured movements, the offensive and defensive stances to how the players penetrate the perimeter and score. He also doesn’t step back when it comes to capturing the players during competition. He fully includes detail of profuse sweating and the fatigue a player goes through from start to finish.

Overall, “Slam Dunk” is an enjoyable manga series and if you are a basketball fan, “Slam Dunk” is definitely recommended!

Filed Under: Manga News and Reviews

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