One of our dogs managed to break his toe last week. Don’t ask me how. He’s gifted. Anyway, he’s fine, just bored from the limited mobility and loopy from the pain pills. So what could I do but share his couch of pain and keep him company while reading manga?
Fortunately, last week provided quite a surplus, all of it surprising in a variety of pleasant ways.
The first volume of Nana contained chapters I’d already read in Shojo Beat, but I loved the bonus story. Ai Yazawa really has a way with funny, self-deprecating meta elements in her stories. Someone needs to get the license for Neighborhood Story.
I’m clearly guilty of a double standard. When an appealing supporting character gets offed in a DC or Marvel book, I get annoyed and cynical. When it happens in the fourth volume of Fullmetal Alchemist (or the second volume of Death Note, for that matter) I’m shocked but intrigued. Maybe it’s because this kind of twist seems like an actual plot development rather than Subsection 12 of the current marketing plan.
After the events of volume 12 of Fruits Basket, I thought Natsuki Takaya might take a digest off from ripping my heart out of my chest. No such luck, as the Kagura material is absolutely murderously sad. I’m afraid I’m becoming far too invested in this title. Every time I see someone who isn’t usually a shôjo reader testify to its excellence, I just burst with pride. This time around, it’s Brian Cronin at Comics Should Be Good.
I wasn’t quite sure how I’d handle a multi-chapter storyline in Sgt. Frog, but it ended up being a delight, as always. It feels appropriate with things working up to the big finish in the next volume, and it’s still endearingly off the wall.
The undisputed reading highlight of the weekend came courtesy of a delivery from The Beguiling. I ordered Kinderbook and The Walking Man, and the phrase “money well spent” seems like a gross understatement. I’ll probably write about these at more length later. For now, it’s clear that I’m going to have to keep an eye out for more books from Fanfare/Ponent Mon, if these two titles are any indication. I know I’ve pre-ordered Japan (As Viewed By 17 Creators). And when is La Case de Enfrente coming out? It feels like that was solicited ages ago.
On the update front, it looks like there’s some good news about the fate of Kindaichi Case Files. Check Love Manga for more, and why not enter the Advent Contest while you’re there?
Last and least, it’s Monday, so it’s Flipped day. This time out, I look at Eden and Serenity. Separately, obviously.