Anime Review: Muromi-san

Anime Review: Muromi-san Takurou “Takkun” Mukoujima is a quiet lad who enjoys fishing off a lonely pier.  (Apparently the fishing is normally terrible, since we never see any other fishermen there.)  One day he catches a green-haired mermaid named Muromi.  She quickly takes a liking to Takkun, though he’s not as impressed with her, and… Continue reading Anime Review: Muromi-san

Manga Review: Triage X

Manga Review: Triage X by Shouji Sato This is an entry in the ever popular “vigilante justice” sub-genre.  Mochizuki General Hospital is the secret headquarters of Black Label, a small group of assassins that target “seats of disease” that spread the cancer of crime.  All but one of the field agents are well-endowed young women,… Continue reading Manga Review: Triage X

Book Review: The 47 Ronin

The 47 Ronin by A.B. Mitford This is an abridged and dolled-up reprint of A.B. Mitford’s Tales of Old Japan with lots of color illustrations.  Tales was originally published in 1871, as Algernon Bertram Freeman-Mitford, a member of the British legation in Tokyo, witnessed the rapid modernization of Japan.  He decided to set down some traditional stories… Continue reading Book Review: The 47 Ronin

Comic Book Review: Bully Eater

Comic Book Review: Bully Eater by Raymond Brown Disclosure:  I received this book from a Goodreads Giveaway on the premise that I would review it. Isao Akio has been bullied most of his life.  Deciding enough was enough, he went out and got himself some martial arts training.  This helped until he transferred to Longwei… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Bully Eater

Manga Review: Ayako

Manga Review: Ayako by Osamu Tezuka Osamu Tezuka is best known in the United States for his early children’s manga and their subsequent animated adaptations like “Astro Boy” and “Kimba the White Lion.”  But later in his prolific career, he also produced quite a few works for more mature readers, such as “MW” and “Ode… Continue reading Manga Review: Ayako

Manga Review: A*Tomcat

Manga Review: A*Tomcat by Osamu Tezuka A perennial comic book idea is animal versions of previously created superheroes, such as Hoppy, the Marvel Bunny for Captain Marvel.  It turns out that manga creators can do it too.  Back in the 1950s, Osamu Tezuka created Tetsuwan Atom (“Mighty Atom”), the story of a super-powered robot that looked… Continue reading Manga Review: A*Tomcat

Manga Review: Vagabond Volume 1

Manga Review: Vagabond Volume 1 by Takehiko Inoue Miyamoto Musashi, author of A Book of Five Rings, was one of the greatest swordsmen of his time (the 1600s) and something of a warrior-philosopher.  He’s become a legendary figure, and there have been many fictional accounts of his life in Japanese media.  The most influential of these… Continue reading Manga Review: Vagabond Volume 1

Movie Review: Hissatsu (Sure Death)

Movie Review: Hissatsu (Sure Death) A group of seemingly ordinary Edo citizens, mostly of the merchant class, are in fact a loose team of assassins.  But fear not, they’re good guy assassins who only take money to kill people who really deserve it.  Problem!  There’s a new assassin in town, who’s exclusively targeting the local… Continue reading Movie Review: Hissatsu (Sure Death)