The Starry Night (Manhwa Novella Collection vol 3) Art / Story by Kimjin
http://www.netcomics.com/comic/thestarrynight.htm
Rather than a single story, The Starry Night is a collection of 4 stories written and drawn by Kimjin. Billed as fantasy for “all ages” manwah, I have to admit I wouldnt let my younger children read this due to the proliferation of the word “bastard” – although this is the only bad word in the whole book. It would, however, suit my preteen step daughter.
As I mentioned before this is not a single story but more a collective of works comprising of 4 stories – The Starry Night; Toy Soldier; A Autumn Parting; and Shine like a Star.
The Starry Night is a lovely 2 chapter piece about a young astronomer and her struggles at school. Its very relateable for younger readers as they follow the young ladies day to day life and her love tribulations. Unfortunately, some of the writing was placed on odd backgrounds, sometimes making it very un easy to read and sometimes totally illegible. This would have been remedied by being able to zoom in or looking closer at the page, however this function was not available from the Netcomics viewer – marring my enjoyment of what was probably the best story in the book.
Toy Soldier was more complex and I had to read it through a few times before I really understood the story properly. The story is based on a young girl and her toys coming to life. This time it wasnt the disguised writing that was the problem, it was my personal grasping of the story as it shot from one “life” to the other. That said however it was spectacularly drawn and was a joy to read on the second time through.
An Autumn parting showed yet another feature of the genre – comedic tragedy. The story followed a heavenly messenger as it was to pick up a soul from earth. Some of the situations he ended up in were hilarious (he was shot by a BB gun for example) however the poignant sadness of the dying girl was not overwelmed by the comedy, making this short manwha my actual favourite in the book as a whole.
Shine like a Star – A poignant story about a young man trying to make ends meet when he is adopted by a orphan. Well drawn but hardly fantasy this short story seemed a little out of place with the others, but still interesting to read.
I would probably have prefered to actually read this in actual paperback copy – infact I am looking forward to buying this for my stepdaughter for christmas as I firmly believe she will enjoy this.
This book can be viewed chapter by chapter at the above address (Netcomics) and from Amazon UK at paperback.
I want to thank Netcomics for making this title open for me to view and enjoy
Makoto Tateno Week Kicks Off
Tateno sensei
Looking at my review shelf, I see I have a LOT of Tateno yet to cover on it, and to share some of the greatness that is Makoto Tateno, I decided to do Makoto Madness Week. I have already reviewed Happy Boys 1 and 2, How to Capture a Martini, Yellow Omnibus 1 and Angelic Runes. This week, I shall take a look at Blue Sheep Reverie 1 and 2, Steal Moon, Hate to Love You, Ka Shin Fu, Yellow Omnibus 2, Yellow Episode 2 vol 1, Hero Heel vol 1, How to Control a Sidecar, and Yokan: Premonition vol 1.
Toyama City, birthplace of Makoto Tateno
But just who is Makoto Tateno? I decided to find out. Well, it is pretty obvious she is a mangaka, But what about the rest? A quick look on the web doesn’t seem to reveal much unless you look beyond the surface of the information. Tateno sensei was born on 23rd of March in Toyama City. Toyama city is the capitol of Toyama Prefecture, which is located along the Sea of Japan on the island of Honshu. It is not an overly large city, but it is not a small one either as these things go, having a population that is quoted at 420,804 or 338.85 persons per square kilometre.
Toyama has been of strategic regional importance since ancient times as this feudal fortification demonstrates.
This is in itself interesting, given the settings she typically uses in her manga. Knowing these acts, and viewing pictures of the area she was born and raised in, explains much about the realistic feel of the locations encountered in her stories. They have a distinctly urban feel, but usually lack the urban upward and outward sprawl of say Tokyo or Osaka. This is unsurprising, as the very best writers write from what they know, weaving fact with illusion to tell a well crafted story.
Mickey and Kazyua was her first series.
In 1986, Tateno made her début with Japanese publisher Hakusensha with her shoujo one shot offering “ Yurarete Tamago Boys” followed by the series Mickey and Kazuya, which was serialised in the publisher’s Hana to Yume magazine. She continued working in the shoujo field under contract until striking out freelance on her own, with a strong desire to write BL. A look at the publication dates for her BL titles show that 2001 was her break out year in this genre, with Koyoi wa Kimi to Chi no Kiss o being picked up by publisher Shinshokan for their Dear+ magazine and now licensed to Doki Doki as the upcoming title A Bloody Kiss Tonight, scheduled for an early November street date. Also writing under the pen name of Shinjuku Tango for her doujinshi titles, she has remained a highly popular and prolific writer with over 90 titles and 30+ series under her belt.
Japanese cover for Bloody Kiss Tonight, her 2001 BL break out title now due out in early November 2010 under Digital Manga's Doki Doki imprint.
Most of here in the West are perhaps more familiar with her BL works, which have been licensed here in the West, though with Happy Boys, Angelic Runes, King of Cards, and Red Angel, we are beginning to see some of her shoujo works trickle out though they are not yet as popular with Western manga fans. While the genres may differ, the one thing they all have in common is not only Tateno’s lovely signature art, but her wit. Tateno’s dry wit is a subtle presence in all her works, lightening up heavier pieces without resorting to buffoonery or chibi panels. If the character is foolish in his decisions, she allows us to see this as part of his character and general actions, without pratfall type jokes to make it obvious. It is said that one is always heavily influenced by those whose works e most admire, so just who does she credit for this? In an interview with Graphic Novel Reporter, she cited tow major influences: Go Nagai, specifically with Cutie Honey which featured the first female protagonist in a shonen manga, and the legendary Osamu Tezuka, whose works are still finding their way into new licenses in the West ( MW, Black Jack, Swallowing the Earth). Fans of Tateno’s would do well to check these out, or else miss out on some truly fantastic classic manga that resonates with today.
Osamu Tezuka is named as one of her major manga influences. Read him and find out why.
As for the current debacle with scanlator sites, believe it or not, Graphic Novel Reporter asked her this at the 2009 Yaoi Con, which pre-dated the coming of Mangageddon:
How do you feel about fan translations of your stories being distributed via the Internet without the books having been officially licensed in America?
Buy books. Buy, buy, buy. [Smiles]
So there you have it. Makoto Tateno, her influences, some reviews past and forthcoming of her works, and her request to please buy, and not read or do scanlations. Just get yourself to a book retailer already, there is some good stuff to be read, again and again.
Having Fun at the Animal Academy- Animal Academy: Hakobune Hakusho Volume 1
Neko Fukuta ended up attending the only high school whose entrance test she passed. In fact, she barely got into this one anyway. Then she got there and they did not want to let her in after all. She was finally allowed to take one more test to decide whether to let her in or send her away. It was a very strange test, but she passes and finds out it is really a school for animals learning to act like humans. She gets to stay as long as she doesn’t let them know she is a real human. Can she do it and fit in?
It was a really good story. The drawings were done very well. I liked the detail shown and the characters were all very cute, especially in animal form. It was very funny. The expressions of Miko, who is a cat, reminded me of my own cat Mookie Moo. Lots of silly mistakes get made that even a toddler would know better than and these made me laugh.
This is a manga book. If you are new to manga you should know manga is back to front from a normal book. It is very easy to read though and after only one chapter you will find you don’t make any mistakes when reading it. The school is in Japan so you also will learn new words like sempai, which is someone ahead of you in school. It is very easy to understand and I really like it that they left these things in and did not turn the book around. It says it is for ages 10+ but I was 8 when I got this and I had no trouble reading it or understanding the story. If you are a boy or a girl who likes funny stories, this is a great manga to read.
I would like to thank the Tokyopop man who attended the 2010 February MCM Expo convention in Telford for recommending this manga for me to read. You can read a sample at the Tokyopop website before buying. I bought my copy at the MCM Expo but you can also find it at Amazon, where I had my Mummy buy me the sequels.
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Emi-chan is an 8 year old manga and anime otaku who loves all things Japanese. She is Kimi-chan’s daughter and this is her first ever review.
Bittersweet Dessert- Antique Bakery 4
Tachibana’s life just got even more complicated as a current wave of child abductions makes his childhood trauma rear its ugly head above the realm of his dreams. The children are all found murdered after having eaten high quality cakes, a facet that resonates with his own abduction experience, so much so that the now retired police detective who was in charge of his case is consulted. When the cake from the children’s stomachs is analysed, Tachibana and the guys find their shop the centre of police activity. Who is taking the children, and why feed them cake? Is it a new perpetrator with unwitting similarities, or is is the demon from Tachibana’s past making a reappearance? Tachibana is close to coming unravelled, with nightmare ridden sleep and visions of stolen and murdered children confronting his vision daily via the news.
If that is not enough of an ill wind, Kanda finds he is being sent to evening classes to learn French. He is quite put out about the academics he is being pushed into, but not for reasons one would expect. That is, until Ono gives him just the impetus he needs when the truth comes to his attention. Once Kanda goes, he finds his teacher is rather interesting. So interesting in fact, that he decides to go to France with her for a holiday, to experience her family’s small bakery. Is the little bird spreading his wings, or will he return to roost back at Antique? One thing is certain, and that is that change is afoot and life is moving ever forward for the four friends and co-workers.
Yoshinaga’s final instalment of the Antique bakery series is a psychologically driven piece, with inner turmoil and emotions playing a large part of the story arcs within. The humour is still there in part, with light deft touches here and there, but appropriately, the overall tone is more sombre. I quite liked how Yoshinaga sensei tied past plot threads in previous volumes into the current events without missing a beat. She also managed the feat of taking such a potentially disturbing plot line and not turn into gloating, in your face spectacle that demeans such events. And while the volume ends with our friends looking forward to the future with slightly troubled, yet hopeful, expressions, it does not leave us hanging, as a closure of sorts is reached so that they are literally able to move mentally and emotionally forward and not just drift along with life’s tides. It is a sentiment that one encounters again in Flower of Life, and also in Ichigenme, being a seeming trademark of Yoshinaga sensei’s. I was sad to leave the bakery behind, but hey, with hard copies available to sit on my bookshelf and the animé and live action versions available to watch, it is not like it is goodbye forever. Now if I can just find Yoshinaga’s Antique djs…
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I would like to thank Digital Manga for providing this review copy, and to point readers to more interesting reviews of Yoshinaga’s books that I have yet to read. Be sure to check out Manga Bookshelf’s coverage of Garden of Dreams and All My Darling Daughters as well as Experiments in Reading’s look at Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Volume 1 .
Additional Reading suggestions: If you like the gentle comedy and the setting found in Antique Bakery, you may also like Happy Boys and Café Kichijoji de, also from Digital Manga Publishing.
Life is a Garden- Yoshinaga Fumi’s Flower of Life
I love it when a mangaka not only meets my expectations, but exceeds it in such a manner that the bar is lifted as if to the very heavens. I’d previously read Yoshinaga’s Antique Bakery, and her treatment of the slice of life genre quite simply enchanted me with her cast of quirky, but honest portrayals of people living in a neighbourhood, all centred on a new patisserie. I then read her BL title, Ichigenme, and again, her take on the university student romance theme grabbed my attention and left a heavy impression. With Flower of Life, she simply blows most of the competition out of the water.
You think you know high school centred stories of the non BL kind? You think you know realistic slice of life type tales? Think again, as Yoshinaga doesn’t simply tell us a story about one character’s life experiences, but an entire class’ , and that of those they care about. She literally holds up a mirror, so that every small conversation we once had, or overheard, at some point of our school life, is echoed. Her portrayals go beyond likeness towards the end of almost being ghosts of reality. This is manga that is so honest, it resonates. From her conversational prose, to the incredibly expressive drawings, this is a true masterpiece.
The premise is deceptively simple. A new kid is starting high school, a month behind his peers. That in itself is unusual enough, but there is more. Haru is a year older than his peers, and begins by introducing himself to the class and explaining the reason why he is older and starting later: he has just recovered from leukaemia. The otherwise passively bored to mildly interested public faces of his classmates at once leap into life. This guy almost died from a serious illness, and now has come to join them. Bleached blonde hair, friendly smile, open personality, he has faced something that these young people thought of as unthinkable at their age. He quickly finds a close friend in the chubby kid in the class, Shota. Shota gets him in the manga club, where he discovers that Haru is quite talented. Not that this gets him any bonus points with manga club president and classmate Kai Majima, whose goal seems to to be to harass Haru given the opportunity.
On the surface, this sounds pretty by the book, but Yoshinaga’s treatment of it is anything but. All the little asides by fellow classmates are overheard, revealing the uncertainties and insecurities that reign during these years. The high hopes are there too, as Shota and Haru forge forward with their passion for drawing manga. The observation of the adults in the story is just as revealing: from Haru’s teacher whose looks are not only deceptive, but has a messy love life that spills over into the lives of the students by chance, to Haru’s sister, a hikamori who actually LONGS to go out to work, but cannot bring herself to even walk to the local shop to buy cream, and who has carried the burden of caring for her sick brother with grace. Each character is rich in flaws that reveal their inner humanity, and touch a chord within the reader. These are all traits and emotions that we have either felt, or recognise from other personal experiences. The lives intertwine, weaving a tapestry that is beautiful, rich, and varied. So not so much a traditional story, as a vignette of an era in the lives of a group of people, as they play, laugh, cry, and above all, grow.
***I would like to extend my thanks to Digital Manga Publishing for providing me with a review copy.***
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Slice of Life Pie- Yoshinagi Fumi’s Antique Bakery vol 3
Having thoroughly enjoyed the previous two volumes of Yoshinaga sensei’s Antique Bakery series, I was really looking forward to seeing what would happen next. Imagine my surprise when I opened this volume up, and instead of meeting the staff at the bakery, I was confronted with a busty female newscaster! Yes, things are about to get very busy for our boys as they get the attention of a pair of female TV reporters who do the “Bargains for Housewives Report”. Interviewing local shop owners, they happen across our favourite patisserie and encounter every girl’s dream: a shop ran by a group of hot guys who give great personal service! Unfortunately for Ono, one of the women is single, thinks his cake tastes sexy, and he discovers to his horror that his demonic charm apparently applies to women as well.
If that is not enough stress for our female phobic pastry chef, the surge in popularity from the news broadcast leads to an invitation for an event at a department store. All of the better patisseries are invited to showcase their wares in a set of miniature in-house shops for a food fair that is to be covered by the press. Having to work behind glass and with only the clumsy Chikage to help, Ono finds himself surrounded by ever more women, AND the men from the shops he worked at in the past ,who are not too happy to see him. That female newscaster is there covering the event too. Will Ono make it through without cracking? And what about Chikage? Can he not put the shop to shame without the support of the rest of the staff?
In the midst of this chaos, a mysterious blonde foreigner appears carrying roses for Ono,. It is Jean Baptiste, owner of a five star shop in Paris, and a former lover and teacher of Ono’s. He has come to reclaim Ono, and presents a very tempting wage offer as well as his body. Will Ono go? What will happen to the shop if he does, and the camaraderies that the staff have built around their working dynamic? Poor Ono is getting one shock to the system after another, and fate is not done playing tricks on him yet, as he discovers that his crush, Chikage, as a surprise in his past too. Just who is is the tall young girl who comes in, talks childishly, and sits on his lap? Ehh? She is really only how old? And she is…who’s daughter?!
Volume three certainly has stepped up on the laughs. There is a lot less painful angst this time around, and what there is has an unexpected levity to it. I particularly like the dry wit of Ono’s as he recalls his love affair with Jean Baptiste, likening it to a French film. This is very much Ono and Chikage’s volume, as we get to explore their characters past and present, inside and out, in much the same way as we did with Tachibana and Kanda in the first two volumes. It rounds things out nicely, with the additional side characters we meet carrying along the overall story arc without faltering.
As always, Yoshinaga’s art is interesting. She has a singular signature style that can take a bit of getting sued to, but it is far from ugly. What really arrests my is the way she does the eyes. Wonderfully expressive, and the way they are lidded and inset are truly unique. I dare say one could identify a drawing of hers if only the top half of a face, with eyes in full view, was shown. Her storytelling runs as smoothly as ever, with her plot threads weaving in and out as chaotically as real life but with definite cohesion. The result is a humourously wry slice of life manga that has one looking forward to the next instalment.
***I would like to thank Digital Manga Publishing for providing me with this review copy.***
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Reading suggestion: If you like Antique Bakery, you may also like Happy Boys, Makoto Tateno’s take on an all bishie ran cake and tea shop.
Angels and Demons of the Not Dan Brown Kind -Angelic Runes vol 1
The people in a fairly small and isolated village have had more than their share of bad luck, and they just know two young twins must be somehow responsible. After all, their mother died giving birth to them, and all they ever say is creepy nonsense. Confronted about the troubles, they admit they are responsible and that the only way to top it is to bury them alive. The villagers have the eight year old children in the grave, ready to begin shovelling the earth over, when a mysterious stranger appears. Aghast at what he is witnessing, he halts the proceedings. It readily becomes apparent that he is no ordinary person passing by, but a user of magic. And he too, comes to quickly realise that these are no ordinary children. For one speaks the words of an angel, and the other passes the messages of a demon. For what reason is this so, and what does this have to do with the quest for his own father? Machinations beyond human ken are afoot, with these three at the centre of the storm. Are they mere pawns in a game between heaven and hell, or is is something more at work?
I have to admit to rather liking the works of Makoto Tateno, and while her art work here is as superb as ever and her plot idea intriguing, this title still fell rather flat. The twins, Allueh and Erudite not only have rather odd names even for a high fantasy title, but seem to be made of cardboard. Admittedly, their reticence and not saying anything but the utterances of their angel or demon is probably meant to make them seem mysterious, but the lack of any text showing their own private inner thoughts just leaves them completely two dimensional, mere props for what appears to be the main character, the young traveller Sowil. Introduction of further characters tends to be abrupt, as if Tateno is in a hurry to introduce new plot threads and twists. The volume ends without resolving any major questions, merely meandering over a side adventure that gives a hint to the past of the man Sowil seeks.
one of Tateno's BL works
I felt very frustrated at this, having previously enjoyed Tateno’s storytelling prowess in volumes such as Yellow and How to Capture a Martini. Tateno’s usual skills sets the bar quite high in expectations, but if I take a step back and re-evaluate it as if it was from a nameless mangaka and from the viewpoint of the target audience (16+), I can see that my disappointment in the perceived shortcomings is perhaps a little harsh. It is perhaps pedestrian compared to her other series, but it IS just getting off the ground, and her angel/demon oracle children are a unique combination. The premise is interesting enough that I will concede that a mere 168 pages is not enough space to thoroughly set the scenario in place as the threads that re appearing seem tangled indeed, and so I shall wait and see with piqued interest how Sowil’s quest shapes up. It’s shoujo aimed at teens, so despite it being Tateno I guarantee it won’t be a less smutty version of Yamane’s Crimson Spell, but hey, a fujoshi can’t have everything. It does have more depth than the marshmallow loveliness of her Happy Boys, but we’ll just have to wait and see if the series tastes as sweet.
Alice Starts from Class 101
Every year the Mondonville Music Academy accepts only 100 new students as part of their intake. Competition is fierce to gain admission into this prestigious conservatory, so it is no surprise that the students number amongst the best in the entire country. 14 year old “Alice” Lang is a misfit and therefore a huge puzzle to the staff and students alike. Not only did the board accept him after a personal interview with performance, but they made him the 101st student for this year’s intake. Their shock over this fact is not just because of the 101st placement, but the ability he displays during class and practice. You see, he not only can’t read music, but he doesn’t know even basic chords. Nor how to play a scale. So how did he make the cut? The answer comes when Lang picks up his violin and plays a complicated piece from memory, flawlessly, and passionately. Not since the last 101st student had they seen or heard its like. THAT child was a prodigy and grew up to be famous. Not only that, but the piece Lang plays is THAT man’s signature composition. Just who is this Alice the 101st, and what secrets lay in his past that will unlock his future as he starts from the basics at Mondonville? Under the steely eyed gaze of his brusquely affectionate sempai Victor de Courteau and no nonsense tutelage of his aghast violin teacher Yannick Dalberto, he slowly begins to discover the pieces of his past that tie him to this future his dying grandfather pushed him towards. But does he have what it takes?
Printed under DMP’s Doki Doki imprint, this little piece of shoujo is a real crowd pleaser. It has the school setting so familiar to the genre, but with a nice twist that sets it apart thanks to emphasis on musical fundamentals and practice in the classroom and during private time, rather than relying on the school as a convenient back drop. The interplay between the characters revolves around not only their personalities, but their skill and passion as musicians, so actual repertoire and technique are shared, as well as discussion on musical instruments and famous makes. With the elegantly accurate drawings of Chigusa Kawai providing a visual feast, the three dimensional characters drawing us into the mystery that is Alice and his new world, this new series captures and holds the interest of the reader with ease.
This is just as well, as it is not without fault. Sadly, the fault here lies with the translation and editing. The prose itself flows faultlessly and without any odd stilting to shout out it’s non English origins. No, the fault lies entirely with how Alice’s name is rendered. The cover says his name is Alistair, and that fits, as his grandpa and others shorten it to Alice. It even fits given his last name, Lang. But the translator more than once calls him Aristide, which only with the Japanese pronunciation of “l” and its common confusion with “r” would render it shortened to “Aris” or “Alice”. So it is slightly confusing, and a bit of a disappointment that this was not caught out by proof-readers in the editing department before this went to press. Hopefully during reprints this will be remedied, and that the upcoming sequels won’t have this fault. It is only a minor irritation however, and one that I would urge fans of the shoujo genre to overlook just this once. While aimed at 16 and up, it was sophisticated enough to hold this adult women’s interest, but free enough of any personally objectionable material that I would allow my almost 9 year old daughter to read it.
***I would like to thank Digital Manga Publishing for providing me with a review copy.***
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Absolute Boyfriend vol 1- Absolutely Great
Ah, first love. Most people can identify with feelings of angst over easing one’s loneliness by searching for that special someone. It is even more bittersweet when you lack experience, and not quite sure how one goes about getting a “someone”. For 16 year old Riiko Izawa, her love troubles seem insurmountable. She is shy, a bit flat chested, and doesn’t really know how to approach a boy as evidenced by the sad fact that every single guy she has asked out has flatly rejected her! One day while out and about, she chances upon a lost mobile phone, and going through its menu, manages to locate its owner. Agreeing to meet up in order to return the phone, she is rather shocked to discover that the phone belongs to a very oddly dressed young man with a rather eccentric yet very businesslike manner. The young man’s name is Gaku Namikiri and he informs her that he would be in soooooo much trouble if he lost this phone, for he requires it for his work for a firm called Kronos Heaven. Drawing Riiko out, he discovers she wishes she had a boyfriend, and tells her that yes, yes, he knows just the thing: simply visit his company’s website! Riiko feels rather doubtful, but as her evening wears on, she grows increasingly bored and decides to look at Kronos Heaven’s website. Ohhh, it looks fun! A game where you design your ideal boyfriend…
:::face palm:::
The next morning however gives her the shock of her life. For a deliveryman arrives, with a rather large box. And inside, is the boyfriend! It seems that Kronos Heaven makes extremely human seeming androids, and this is the lover model. Even worse, he comes without accessories; he is completely naked. What to do? Awaken him of course, name him, and get him dressed, right? He’s a free boyfriend right? Maybe she can practice talking to him and find out how to get along with boys and manage to catch herself a real boyfriend, right? Not quite, as it turns out. As first of all, it turns out he was free only for 72 hours, and after that a nice big fat bill for 100,000,000 yen arrives (roughly 675, 227 GBP). It’s either pay up immediately for the doll she has named Night, or become a product tester and let her first steps into romance be laid bare. What is a girl to do?
Itadakimasu! ^_^
Volume one of a six volume series, this is a gentle sweet coming of age tale by Yuu Watase. Famous for writing sweet shojo manga featuring bishounen, this does not disappoint. It is more than mere eye candy however, as the story possesses a nicely developed plot that keeps ones interest firmly held. Having said that, the art is indeed pure eye candy. The girls are unfailingly cute, the young men stunningly beautiful, and the backgrounds well detailed only as needed but always well drawn. The characterisation is well rounded enough that one warms to them, with Riiku seeming almost familiar; I think most of us went to high school with at least one girl like Riiku. Shy and more than a bit naïve, she is honest and straightforward as well as hardworking. You really want her to get a boyfriend, and Night, well, who can’t like him? He might be an android, but he has a gentle manner about him that seems as if it might go beyond mere programming; I found myself wanting him to truly BE her boyfriend as odd as that may sound. And who knows, that nice mannered and rather cute young manager from work that lives nearby would be a rather nice catch too. A man who cooks for you? I think most women dream about this sort of guy, and it is almost a shame that Soshi Asamoto doesn’t get more notice from Riiku. It all seems to set up a future triangle, making me look forward to seeing how this story unfolds in the succeeding volumes.
This was also adapted into a live action TV drama
The writing and art are aimed at the post 16 crowd, with very mild nudity and scenes that are mildly sexual in nature. It’s practically by the book chick lit with pictures and a wryly humorous storyline. At just over 200 pages, it makes for a nice little book to dip into when you don’t want anything heavy, but you may find yourself returning to read it again as there is just that little something about it. What ever it is, if you are a fan of the genre, I can recommend this. A preview chapter may be read at Viz Media’s website.
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Bite of the Bishies: Vampire Knight vol 1
One of the first things that caught me attention (besides the truly bishonen vampires on the cover), was just how truly beautifully detailed the artwork of the mangaka was. The writing was also way above what is generally offered for this sort of genre, as Vampire Knight is a shojou manga about forbidden love and loss. Not to say that the manga overall is sappy, far from it. There is plenty of violence and sexual tension to be had along the away, not to mention the blood flows freely.
The premise is this: one snowy night five year old Yuuki finds herself out in the snow, not knowing who she was or how she got there. The snow had red everywhere, and it was then a man came out from the swirling darkness wanting to feed upon her. Out steps a handsome young man, who tells him he is a disgrace to all vampires, and without another word, thrusts his hand like a dagger through the vampires chest, piercing his heart. Young Yuuki can see the glow of blood also behind the eyes of her rescuer, who kneels down and gently asks if she is alright and offers her his bloody hand. He takes her to a human family friend, one Kaien Cross, who has the dream of ending the war between humans and vampires. To this end, he has established a private school, with two dorms who share the lecture halls.
The Sun Dorm houses Day Students, who are from the families of well to do human citizens. They use the grounds and lecture halls from junior high through university level during the day until twilight falls, when they must cross back to the Sun dorms and remain. At dusk the students of the Moon Dorm come out. They are almost impossibly beautiful, with an aura that enchants nearly all the humans who meet them unawares..This is a subtle pheromone in reality, that by nature was designed to help them captivate their ancient prey. Made up of a group of the elite of Japan’s vampires, the Night Class is nearly all made up of the Noble Class, and they are determined to help forge the peace that Chairman Cross dreams of. Mostly nobles that is, save for the one. That is the beautiful young man who brought the nobles with him to form the Night Class, so he could watch over young Yuuki, for there is a secret there that no one knows save himself, dating to that fateful night in the snow. Just who is “young” Kaname Kuran really, and what is his agenda?
Yuki's earliest memory
Prefect Zero Kiryuu is determined to find out, especially as along with Chairman Cross and the now grown Yuuki, he is the only one that knows of the Night Class’ true origins. Coming from a long line of vampire hunters he has no love lost for them, especially since that day four years ago in his own past when a vampire princess slaughtered his family and bit him, leaving him to slowly give into the blood thirsty beast waiting to emerge. Armed with his anti vampire weapon, a Colt 45 with an elongated barrel known as Crossing Bloody Rose, his anger makes the peace at the academy uneasy. Toss in several hidden agendas by the Council of Ancients, The Hunter’s Association, the vampire princess Hiuo who killed the Kiryuu family, and even Kaname Kuran, and you have story with romance, intrigue, and gothic violence galore.
The characterisations are extremely well crafted. Zero is clearly confused, full of angst, and dedicated. He is unable to allow anyone to become close to him, no doubt not only because of his loss, but because of the emerging vampire within and the beast he fears to he will become once falling into a Level E category, as all non born vampires eventually go mad unless they drink the blood of their maker. Needless to say,that princess was not so thoughtful when she bit Zero with the full intention of having him turn, having had a hidden agenda beyond the obvious. Yuuki is both innocent and dedicated, with a tendency to rush into things without thinking much wishing to help. Determined to stand by all her friends, not knowing the behind the scenes machinations and her part in the overall drama being hidden from her, she manages to muddy the waters. Kaname himself is a truly tragic figure. The softness of the artwork allows for the sorrow in his large eyes to shine through beautifully. Something is paining him, deeply, and only once the final chess piece is in place, can he relieve his deepest sorrow. Additionally, a faint aura of menace appears from time to time, though it is always with deeply felt regret that only serves to deepen his pain. The rest of the cast are also well developed, unusually, with strong personalities shining out from main members of the Night Class as well as Chairman Cross (who is quite the eccentric fellow needless to say) and later side characters.
Kaname's "first" encounter with Yuki
While the style of drawing is soft, it is not blurred, with great attention to fine detail. These details really add to the reality of the piece, helping the reader sink into the story. Each person presented in the manga has a very distinct look from the other, without the lazy habit of merely using the same face and putting different shaded eyes and hair and varying the hair styles slightly. No, faces, hair styles, and even postures are unique, showing a lot of effort being placed into character study. Likewise the backdrops are beautifully realised, as are the costumes of the characters. Being a school setting without year divisions all the way through university level (Cross’ idea seeing as the Night Class might look the same ages as the Day Class, but be MUCH, MUCH older), much of the time we see the manga convention of characters being in school uniform. This time around though they are not merely little short skirts and sailor suits, with boys in boring plain shirt and tie. No, these are beautifully tailored uniforms for the males as well as the females, with Night Class in an all white version with black trim, and the day class being in reverse.
Altogether, a finely crafted effort, start to finish.
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