Men of Strategy

Not often will you come across comics of this style. Even in manga, this particular type of manga is rare. I have encountered very few of its ilk, and have greedily sought out other works which I might consider similar. The reason for my vagueness shall be made clear, for this style of manga that I am talking of is not really an existing genre. The artwork is unique, in its duplication of the real world. Not a manga of handsome heroes then. Come on, take a walk down any street. How many movie star beautiful people will you see out there?

Read more »

The Beautiful People…Beautiful people…aaaaAAA

Humans are many, and not all get to be pretty. The main protagonist of this manga looks a beggar monk. And not a handsome young man clad in a beggar monks clothes, no. An actual beggar monk. It deals with the warring states period in China’s history. A time which is fascinating to me, it was the kind of conflict that breeds a lasting Empire. And it did. The story deals with the Qin (Pronounced Shin I think) Emperor, founder of the Qin dynasty. And it deals mostly with the time he was just another king amongst many. Ruler of the state of Qin. All the kingdoms of the time were at war with each other, competing for supremacy. However Qin revolutionized the war, and conquered one kingdom after the other.

Locust style

It deals with a fictional (Or possibly derived from folk tales) clan of martial artists/scholars. I say scholars cause thats pretty much what they are, some are scientists and yet deadly assassins, Inventors are also killers and the main protagonist is deadly in all arts of war, yet looks a Buddhist monk. These deadly skills however have been accrued for one reason only. To prevent war. They are the Clan of Bokk. And they have just agreed to aid the tiny city of Ryo from an invading army of the Zhao empire. The army sets up camp across the river from the city and begins to amass. With no standing army and only peasant conscripts to rely on, the King of Ryo is left clueless. The Bokk send one man to aid the city. Kakuri the Sage of War. But what can one man do against an entire army? Can sheer intellect and the power of strategy truly turn the tides in a war already lost? Well, you will have to read it to find out.

Click and be amazed. Also gasp, spoiler!!!

The arts style is monstrous in its detailing, reminding me in some panels of early Berserk. Some pages will simply hypnotize the reader with the level of detailing, as the mangaka strives to display war in all its glory. Nothing is spared to the imagination. Blood and gore, are clear and present although never used as a crutch. The storyline is topnotch and filled with quite a few twist and turn. And the manga itself runs short enough to be completely satisfying by the time it ends.

And I mean completely satisfied.

So indeed, lovers of stratagems and the many arts of war, brothers and sisters sworn to the Red God, manga lovers from all walks, and just anyone who likes comic books. Read Bokko, its a classic manga from start to finish. It will change some of your pre set notions about manga. History buffs will have gala time, and once you have read it. You will be searching for more manga of its type. Same ugly faces, realistic yet highly detailed art. Art you can get lost in, and a storyline that is tight and complete. You wont find many like it. Cause as I said before, its not really a genre. They are mostly historical, though some like in fantasy, others in horror. You will have to do some looking.

Who knows they might make a genre out of it soon.

Blame!Blame!Blame!

BLAME!

As in, the sound effect accompanied with the thought of a gun being fired off. Not blame. Today we go for an acknowledged classic. Tsutomu Nihei’s masterwork, Blame!. Although it ties into a whole lot of side stories and even a One shot or Two, I still like to consider the series itself as stand alone. Allows the story a lot of legroom, space to breathe. Leaves a whole lot of questions unanswered. And you know what? I kinda like it that way. Blame!, or Adventure seeker Killy in the Cyber Dungeon Quest if you prefer is a story told in stark monochromes. Not just in the color scheme. Which yes, indeed is monochrome.

The protagonist wakes up somewhere in an endless dungeon known only as ‘The City’. Endless or at least so massive, so as to seem endless. A focus is granted to the story by means of a search, a quest if you may. Killy as our hero is known, is searching for someone. He has been searching for so long that perhaps he has even forgotten what it is he searches for. Yet he continues. His search is for Net Terminal Genes, a possibly extinct genetic marker that will allow humans access to the Netsphere again. In a world where most humanity has regressed to neo tribal structure his search is almost hopeless.

Read more »

This City itself is divided into compartments that are completely sealed from each other. These Megastructures house entire civilization remnants isolated from each other. The only weapon powerful enough to break through is Killy’s Gravitational Beam Emitter, or the Gravity Gun as I like to call it. It is clear that the protagonist himself is not really human, being closer in fact to the Safeguard, the defense mechanism of the City itself who endlessly hunt Killy. The story is revealed at a breathtaking pace, the reader will surely be hooked until the final page is turned. For the story is made even more intriguing by the fact that it raises more questions with each answered one. The artwork is stark, high contrast is used to dizzying effect. Some of the panels are moving in their simplicity and directness. Others can strike a chord deep within by their subtle imagery. Either way you look at it, Blame! is a trip. It spirals at breakneck speed, sometimes even out of control but winds down to an exhilarating climax. One you will have to read yourself to find out.

Oh special mention is the level of sophistication provided by the mangaka to the Sci Fi world inhabited by Killy. From the weaponry, to the uber powerful Gravity Gun, to the all encompassing, all consuming AI, to the Netsphere to the very concept of Net Terminal Genes. Also many of the minor characters Killy meets along the way are well developed enough to be called major characters of the series in their own right. A feat only someone of Tsutomou Neihei could have accomplished. The Sci Fi world created here is rich and diverse and scarily believable. It is not hard to imagine a future existing as provided for in the manga. A bleak future to be sure, but a future all the same.

Manga Madness and the Big Cats.

Woah trippy. I hope this isnt yaoi.

Far away, across mists of time and space. Perhaps in a different world or simply in a different time there exists a land of golden Savannah. It is flanked by a dense forest, but its plains are vast and glow with the warmth of the sun. Proud are the lions who call this place their home. Humans and cats alike. Welcome to the Land of Lions, home to a proud warrior race. A lion is fierce and strong and defiant till the last, few can look a lion straight in the eye and hold its predator’s gaze. Fewer still can walk away to tell the tale.

Read more »

I smell yaoi… -_-

Cassandra Jean’s delightful fantasy webocomic/webmanga series caught my eye quite a while back actually. However on finding only three chapters available I simply filed it away as interesting in my memory and moved on. I recently rediscovered this gem and was greatly pleased to find stoic progress in the storyline. The story itself is the tale of the Knight Errant retold in the artist’s own delightful mystical cloud. The lions are tall and strong, their hair golden and air proud. The Panthers who are their neighbors are dark haired with a thirst for knowledge. And surrounding these nations are other animal kingdoms. Gators and Crows, Oxes and Jackals and many more. The narrative follows Faris, First Knight of the Lions and his companions. They seek the Cup of the Gods to heal their king. Sound familiar?

Indeed good sirs and ladies it should. A tale of the round table is redrawn and reborn. However as I often say it is in the telling of tales that true magic lives. And in this telling Cassandra Jean excels. The neo tribal style and innate psychedelia of her art shines out, does wonders for the telling. Allowing for a vivid narrative with a deep flow. Although not proper manga this particular series is comic book brilliance and deserves to be recognized as such. You will be hooked, you will be wanting for more. And at the end of the day, that is what makes a true manga.

YAY no yaoi! (So far)

It is a combination of many things that make this comic worth your time. Its the tribal take on humanity’s many conflicts, it is the simple tale of a Knight Errant made rich and complex by the sheer variety in characters possible. There are even Snails in the this land, short in stature and bad at fighting yet excellent at music. Inadvertently the mangaka has given birth to vast world limited only by the reader’s imagination. For we know nothing of the Falcons or the Rhinos and the mysterious Tigers with their tattooed faces. We know nothing of the spirits that guide our heroes.

We know not what lies beyond the land of Crows? And we have yet to see the Ocean.

Oh and its not a scanlation, Land of Lions is a webcomic and is available in ebook format on Amazon.com. So those of us lacking a pirate’s black hearted soul may rest easy. A great series, highly recommended to all Otakus. Land of Lions and everything else by Cassandra Jean, find it, read it, buy it.

The death and life of Anime Con 2011

From CALF Short Films

The second animation convention organized by The Japan Foundation was held at Marwah Studios, in the heart of Film City, Noida. Of course, where this is anime aplenty and the promise of manga and much more, Comic Addicts were bound to be present in force. 

My initial taste of the Anime-Con felt bitter, for I was expecting a slightly better infrastructure to be in place. Events were even as I arrived getting delayed and pushed back. The events that were occurring seemed to be competing for an audience that was mostly disinterested. I suppose the venue being in Noida took away a chunk of the anime fans from far parts of Delhi and Gurgaon. Add to that the rainy weather and it is understandable if many of the diehards chose to stay in.

Not.

Why are they still calling themselves diehards? An anime con touches down in your city, and you miss out on it? Poor form Otaku-wannabes. Poor form indeed! Genshiken a recently founded anime appreciation club was present, nice to see. Although the much publicized Gaming Arena was a damp squib, with one console, one TV and a perpetual line coiled around it. The workshops were useful, however imparting knowledge at a festival has always put me off. I want anime and manga around me and I want it in the bucket loads. Where is the cosplay? Where are the comics? Where is everybody? My spirits by this time were sinking fast. They sunk further when the hyper expensive bento available at the Ai cafe proved to be another disappointment.

Relenting to the energy that seemed nearly palpable in the very air around us, I too was about to write off Anime Con as a badly mashed together festival sorely lacking in its target audience, all in all a poor excuse for me making the two hour trip from Gurgaon to Noida. However at that moment something caught my eye, a hoarding for the Anime Theater and an arrow pointing inwards. Without a second thought I made my way towards this ‘Theater’ expecting in my heart another disappointment. The theater was in an obscure corner right near the entrance. A door ajar led into the darkness. With the promise of sound and light and perhaps entertainment.

It was in the darkness of the theatre that my eyes finally opened. I entered this place still every inch the cynic, I came here thinking about the same clichéd movies that are screened from time to time. I came here totally not expecting a revolution. But what was this? The movie in front of me whose title unfortunately I missed was a kaleidoscope of colors and music. As abstract art and designs melded on screen in a psychedelic extravaganza. Mesmerized I promptly found myself a niche and propped myself. My mind which had been stunned into submission by the film was regaining its voice. And once more I thought this was probably a short which would be followed by a Naruto movie or something. It was ten minutes into the short ‘Hand Soap‘ that changed all that. This is not your run of the mill anime appreciation festival. This is their best and brightest, this is the future of anime. Pure experimentation given life. Believe me when I say this to you, this is a whole new dimension in animated cinema. Leave behind the simple shackles that bind our reasoning, forget the Shonen playbook. This stuff, is art. The shorts I witnessed were the creation of Kei Ōyama. And they were each unforgettable.

My delight in the theater was marred only by the annoyance at the public around me. I dont blame them for not understanding, most of this stuff was abstract. I cant understand much out of it either, but its the imagery that counts and the impact it has on our mind. And impact both conscious and subconscious. What I do mind however is how they do not even attempt to understand. They shy away from the imagery and the rich sound. Hiding behind loud jokes and nervous laughter rather than admitting to themselves that this film for some inexplicable reason was making them uncomfortable. Look at it, not away from it. All around me were people who did not want to be here. Which made me question once more, where were the people who did want to be here.

The show was over soon. And the lights came on, much to the relief of the confused audience. I rose as if from a dream and walked on out. Mixed bag of feelings rattling in my head.

I had witnessed something extraordinary in animation. Something you do not usually see, and something any fan of anime would give and arm and a leg to see. Sad part was, I had witnessed it alone. Anime Con was indeed a badly mashed together festival sorely lacking in its target audience, the film screening however was a big fat diamond in its crown. A revolution in animation and cinema that has passed us by completely unnoticed.

Mon… Err.. Tuesday Manga Madness: The Bare Neccesities III

Lets talk about Akira.

It was once upon a time (quite a while ago) when I was going through the inexhaustible information that is the internet, that I came across a particular poster. It was not something out of this world. Looked like a standard Sci-fi poster to me. But something about it caught my eye. Perhaps it was the slick looking bike that instantly attracted my vision, or perhaps it was the mysterious Capsule logo on the back of the protagonists jacket. Or maybe was it the cracked road underneath hinting possibly at an apocalypse.

The iconic poster

Either way I did what any sensible anime fan would do upon encountering such a poster – devote my meager resources to hunting down and watching the movie. Needless to say, my mind was blown.
Akira the movie dealt with such a diverse degree of emotions and actions that I had never seen before in an anime. It was, and probably still is, one of the most complex and issue-laden movies out there. But surprisingly instead of answering all those questions that had popped into my head, the movie had raised a whole bunch of new ones.
How could this be? Was I missing something in the bigger picture? Was there something more? Was there some manner of material available on Akira that I had missed? INCONCEIVABLE!

Oh shi…

Turns out there was a whole library load of stuff on Akira that I had missed! I had missed the manga.

Katsuhiro Otomo’s masterwork was the pièce de résistance to the manga genre. This manga screams “EPIC” from page one and will continue to scream so in your head long after you have put it down. Oh what a manga.
What artwork, to be crafted with such finesse and infinite attention to detail that it brings the bleak world of Akira to life. What writing, to create such a story, truly worthy of remembrance long after all of us are dust.

But beyond the art and the many pitfalls and climaxes that follow a story, beyond the shackles of stereotypes that bind so many mangaka today, beyond even the hero’s journey – Akira is a tale of transcendence. A tale of humanity’s greatest triumph and its greatest tragedy. One that tells us that we have the greatness of God within us, yet none of the divine wisdom necessary to wield such awesome power. And this beautiful tale is told so truthfully and honestly, that the manga itself transcends the boundaries it sets down. This manga inspires hope.

A hope for a brighter future. A hope for wisdom.

Counting all the heroes and villains, there are so many characters in this manga that it is impossible to touch upon them all in this space and do them justice. I will however touch on Kaneda. The heroic leader of “The Capsules”. A streetwise gang of bikers who rampage through the streets of Neo Tokyo trashing anything they choose. Kaneda makes for a very fresh kind of hero – we never see him turn into a typical super-powered manga hero. The tropes are done away with for good. There will be no training montage chapter that will lead to the unlocking of great inner power. No miracle shall occur to rescue him in the face of great adversity. No, Kaneda survives one disaster after another not because he is a super, he survives because that is his way. He is good at it, a survivor born.

And because he has something to do before he kicks it: He bears the demonic Tetsuo a grudge he cannot let go.
A grudge that takes both of them spiraling down an all too familiar path. The cold shrouded path of death. And of death there is no shortage here. But death is not an ending, and there are greater things at stake here than simply dying. There is absolution. There is enlightenment.

But hey, dont you just take my word for it. Akira is a labyrinth of story and art dripping with awesomeness. Explore it on your own time, at your own pace. Find your own favorite characters and villains, find your own nuances. But for the love of all that is holy, read this story of human power and glory at least once…before it is forgotten.

I still dream of that bike.

Monday Manga Madness: The Bare Neccesities – II

All hail the Samurai, for his sword is swift and true. Countless tales have been written about the precision of the way of the sword. Countless romantic sagas, recording the brave deeds and the ideals of the Samurai. Tales abound of Bushido, the warrior’s way. The code of conduct and chivalry by which ancient Japanese swordsmen lived, and died. But they are all tales, stories, fables…untrue.

Pick up any one of them, give it a long hard stare with a questioning eye and you will see it as a story and little more. Fitting and perhaps even grand to read, but in no way possible in the realities of life. And then there is Shigurui. Literal meaning Death throes. This aptly titled manga is truly one of the most underrated works out there. Not many know of it, even amongst those who do know of it, not many have managed to finish it. It takes a strong stomach to read through this manga. Surely not for the faint of heart.

There is despair in this manga. Despair so thick, it will cloud your senses. Despair and honor and horror aplenty. Not the supernatural horror, no, but a purer psychological horror that can only be wrought by man, glorious in all his failings. For sure, it is the more terrifying horror of the two. How far will two men go to realize their obsessions? What is a Samurai, but a tool in the hands of his master? Just as a sword is a tool in the hands of the Samurai. To what lengths does devotion run? To what limits must a man obey his master’s wishes? The way of the warrior is narrow and the darkness that surrounds him is thick. When does he know he has strayed from the path?

These are the questions that are asked by this compelling manga by Takayuki Yamaguchi. Hard questions, and not all of them are answered. Visually this manga is a treat. The artwork is beautiful and almost Hellenistic in it’s attention to proportion and details. The homoerotic nudges notwithstanding, the artist shows a remarkable eye for the human body and for all the muscles that allow us our daily activities. The story is first rate with an ending that has the power to move you to tears, if you are the sort to be moved by such things.


Shigurui is second on my list of most wanted manga that you as an avid manga reader can absolutely not do without.


It is a true Samurai story, one you can easily imagine to have occurred in the era depicted. Truly if a society existed where the art of the warrior was given such paramount importance then it would have been thus, as presented in these pages. It made a believer out of me. There is a tragic beauty to this manga. I was smitten by a sense of loss and waste, for there is no hero and no villain. Hardly any rights, and few punishable wrongs. Besides, heroes and villains belong in the world of storybooks. And whatever this manga is, it is no storybook.

Red is their favorite color

No larger size image available

Delinquint Soul Part 2

(Continued from part 1)

Beezlebub

Beezlebub is a delinquent manga with a twist. Oga, the brutishly strong student of a high school is one day trapped into making a contract with Beel. Beel being a baby demon, and the son of the King of Demons. Oga now has to look after Beel, and keep him safe until he grows up. At which point he will destroy the world.

Quite the twist isnt it?

However despite the apparently morbid tone of affairs this manga is nothing but a laugh riot. From chapter one it is clear that this is a comedy manga. And boy does it deliver. I found myself giggling nearly constantly as I read through chapter after chapter in my quest to find out for myself, what happened next to Oga on his adventures. The characters are not too deep, but then depth is not something you would want out this manga. They sure as hell are funny, newer stronger challenges are introduced to Oga who grows of course at typical shonen pace. Ranging from tough delinquents who wish to take a swipe at Oga’s growing reputation, to Demons come out from hell wishing to take down the Baby Beel before he can fully mature.

All through Oga protects his ward and finds out that there might be benefits to allying himself with the prince of demons after all. Drawing on Beel’s powers Oga can amplify his strength to even greater levels allowing him to wreak havoc and destruction to any foolish or unfortunate enough to get in his way.

A laugh riot with a magical twist. Delinquents and demons and a baby for good measure. This one is a must grab.

Further reading

Cromartie High School, a manga that essentially is a gag manga on Delinquency. It makes fun of the concept with an intensity that is hard to match. The protagonist an honor student forced to enroll in a high school famous for its delinquents adapts to life around him in a series of hilarious adventures.

Kyou Kara Ore Wa!

The title of the manga translates to “From today on, its my turn”. And that’s exactly what the manga is. Two students moving into a new town and a new school, greatly impressed by manga and stories of Banchos and Delinquents decide to become the greatest delinquents ever in their lives. From today onwards of course. Hoping to get an image that matches their heart’s desires they both head to a barber to get some badass hairstyles. And that is how the saga of Itou and Mitsuhashi of Nan High begins. They meet at the barber shop, then again at school in class. And from there their wild adventures takes them off to dizzying heights. For despite the fact that neither of them knew a thing about being delinquents they were both naturally strong fighters. So when push actually comes to shove, they find out that on teaming up they are nigh unbeatable.

An uneasy friendship develops between the honorable Itou and the devilishly evil Mitsuhashi. And the two of them carve out a reputation for themselves in the entire town. Of course not before they have their fair share of pain, heartbreaks and challenges. When I found Beezlebub I was greatly amused and thought it would be hard for a comedy manga to top this. But Kyou Kara Ore Wa! Is exactly that. A manga so good at its core that it will have you hooked from the first chapter. It is a laughter bonanza. You will be laughing so hard that your stomach will hurt. With Mitsuhashi, the Devil contributing to most of the laughs. The characterization in this manga is surprisingly rich with an elegant balance between the comedy and the drama. Of course at its heart it is a comedy manga and that should not be forgotten. The art might turn off a few people but trust me on this, the art is not this series high point. Its the story and the never-ending laughs. This is a not a manga you ought to miss.

Or Lord Mitsuhashi is gonna get you.

Further reading

Angel Densetsu, the tragic tale of Seichirou Kitano born with the scariest face imaginable but a golden heart. A comedy manga that traces Kitano’s attempts at becoming recognized by his fellow students as an equal and the hilarious ways in which they get freaked out by his every effort to approach them.

So as you can see, there is a lot of manga to be read. A lot of stories to be heard, a lot of art to be seen. So what are you still doing here?

Time’s a wasting.