Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro by Edogawa Rampo Edogawa Rampo was the pen name of Hirai Tarou (1894-1965), who I last talked about as the author of The Fiend with Twenty Faces. That children’s book featured Akechi Kogoro as the Detective Boys’ adult mentor, but he was already an established series character… Continue reading Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro
Tag: Japan
Manga Review: The Trial of Kitaro
Manga Review: The Trial of Kitaro by Shigeru Mizuki This is the final volume in Drawn & Quarterly’s reprints of selected Gegege no Kitaro stories. The history section wraps up with Mizuki dealing with the pressures of fame by taking a long trip to Rabaul, where he had been stationed in World War Two, and… Continue reading Manga Review: The Trial of Kitaro
Manga Review: Dr. Stone
Manga Review: Dr. Stone written by Riichiro Inagaki, art by Boichi It is 2019, and young lug Taiju Ooku is finally going to confess his love to his crush, Yuzuriha Ogawa (who it’s hinted likes him back.) Taiju’s encouraged by his best buddy, science whiz Senku Ishigami, but Senku’s attention is drawn to the puzzle… Continue reading Manga Review: Dr. Stone
Manga Review: Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 1
Manga Review: Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 1 by Gege Akutami It’s been a strange day for Yuji Itadori. First, the student council threatens to close down the Occult Research club for lack of activity and members. This right after they’d acquired a mysterious object to investigate, too! It turned out that the lack of members is… Continue reading Manga Review: Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 1
Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces
Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces by Edogawa Rampo The year is 1936. Japan occupies Korea and Manchukuo, and has set its sights on the rest of China. But for most Japanese civilians, war is far away. What is exciting right now is the capers of the man known as The Fiend with Twenty… Continue reading Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces
Manga Review: Magu-chan: God of Destruction
Manga Review: Magu-chan: God of Destruction by Kei Kamiki In a sleepy seaside village in Japan lives a middle-school girl named Ruru Miyanagi. Her father passed away some years ago, and her mother is working overseas, so Ruru is taking care of herself and money is tight. When she finds an unusual crystal on the… Continue reading Manga Review: Magu-chan: God of Destruction
Manga Review: Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1
Manga Review: Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1 by Tomohito Oda Hitohito Tadano is an average boy on his first day of high school. After a truly horrific experience when he tried to stand out from the crowd in middle school, he’s turned timid, wanting to blend in and fit in so as to have the… Continue reading Manga Review: Komi Can’t Communicate Vol. 1
Manga Review: Chibi Vampire Airmail
Manga Review: Chibi Vampire Airmail by Yuna Kagesaki Karin Maaka is descended from a long line of vampires. That’s supposed to be a secret as vampires want the world (and especially the Catholic Church’s vampire hunters) to believe they were all wiped out decades ago. Her parents, the Markers, moved to Japan with most of… Continue reading Manga Review: Chibi Vampire Airmail
Movie Review: 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End
Movie Review: 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End (2008) directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi When Kenji Endo (Toshiaka Karisawa) was a teenager, he loved rock music, especially “20th Century Boy” by T. Rex. He thought rock, and in particular his own music, could change the world. But some twenty years on in the late 1990s,… Continue reading Movie Review: 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End
Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen
Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen Unknown to the vast majority of humans, they share the Earth with noroi, curses, supernatural monsters that spawn from the negative emotions of humanity. Some humans, however, can sense and use cursed energy to various degrees. Those that battle curses become jujutsu sorcerers, while those that use these powers for evil… Continue reading Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen