Manga Review: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon 3 by Naoko Takeuchi Usagi Tsukino doesn’t look much like hero material at first glance. She’s clumsy, not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and a bit of a crybaby. But Usagi has a secret heritage, and when talking cat Luna seeks her out, Usagi becomes the bishoujo senshi (“pretty… Continue reading Manga Review: Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon 3
Tag: Tokyo
Book Review: Japan Tuttle Travel Pack
Book Review: Japan Tuttle Travel Pack by Rob Goss Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was offered or requested. Tuttle Publishing was founded by Charles Tuttle, a Vermonter who came to Japan with Douglas MacArthur’s staff after World War Two. His job was… Continue reading Book Review: Japan Tuttle Travel Pack
Manga Review: Showa 1926 1939 a History of Japan
Manga Review: Showa 1926 1939 a History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki This is the first volume of Shigeru Mizuki’s massive history of Japan during the reign of Emperor Hirohito, the “Showa Era,” It was a long reign, covering most of the Twentieth Century, from 1926-1989. In addition to the larger story of Japan, it… Continue reading Manga Review: Showa 1926 1939 a History of Japan
Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish Volume 1
Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish Volume 1 by Akiko Higashimura Amamizukan is not your average apartment building. For one thing, it’s a small, old-fashioned building of the type rarely seen these days. More importantly, all the residents are fujoshi (“rotten women”) who for one reason or another have fallen outside the society-approved get job/get husband/have kids way… Continue reading Manga Review: Princess Jellyfish Volume 1
Anime Review: Hataraki Man
Anime Review: Hataraki Man Hiroko Matsukada is an “editor” at Jidai, a weekly magazine. What this means in practice is that she researches and writes articles, as well as working with at least one outside author who submits a serialized novel for the magazine. At 28 and still single, Hiroko sometimes worries that she’s missing… Continue reading Anime Review: Hataraki Man
Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! Volume 4
Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! Volume 4 by Go Ikeyamada Quick recap: Meguru and Mitsuru Kobayashi are fraternal twins who look a lot alike. Due to a zany scheme, they switched uniforms and went to each other’s school for a week. While there, each fell in love with a student at their sibling’s school,… Continue reading Manga Review: So Cute It Hurts!! Volume 4
Anime Review: Active Raid
Anime Review: Active Raid The year is 2035 in an alternative history Japan, and the city of Tokyo is rapidly recovering from the Third Quicksand Disaster, which turned much of the metropolitan area into quagmires. Powered armor units called “Willwear” have helped the reconstruction immensely, and are spreading into other industries, but there are people… Continue reading Anime Review: Active Raid
Movie Review: Tokyo Gore School
Movie Review: Tokyo Gore School Fujiwara leads a double life. He’s the leader of a gang of high school bullies, and also the teacher-trusted student president. He’s reasonably comfortable with this, having a binary view of life. There are winners and losers, and he’s determined to be a winner. Fujiwara is baffled, however, when… Continue reading Movie Review: Tokyo Gore School
Manga Review: Sanctuary
Manga Review: Sanctuary Story by Sho Fumimura, Art by Ryoichi Ikegami In the killing fields of Cambodia in the 1970s, two sons of Japanese expatriates helped each other survive and became blood brothers. When they were brought back to Japan, the boys were disgusted by how stagnant and corrupt Japanese society had become. They came… Continue reading Manga Review: Sanctuary
Manga Review: Showa 1944 1953 a History of Japan
Manga Review: Showa 1944 1953 a History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki Shigeru Mizuki was one of the oldest (born 1922, died 2015) still-working and most respected manga creators in Japan. Though he is best known for children’s horror comics such as GeGeGe no Kitaro, Mizuki also has written extensively for adults. This is the third… Continue reading Manga Review: Showa 1944 1953 a History of Japan