#akemi wegmuller

[kamreadsandrecs]

Title: Ooku: The Inner Chambers, Vols. 1-19 Author: Yoshinaga Fumi (mangaka), Akemi Wegmuller (translator) Genre/s: historical, alternate history Content/Trigger Warning/s: rape, attempted rape, incest, murder, poisoning, physical and emotional abuse, natural disasters, starvation, fatal illness, parental death, death of children, miscarriage, killing of pet animals Summary (from publisher's website): In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the Redface Pox has begun to prey on the country’s men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen by 75 percent. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected. And the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the shogun’s Inner Chamber… Buy Here: https://www.viz.com/ooku-the-inner-chambers Spoiler-Free Review: It's been years since I read the first three volumes of this series, but then I found out that the first season of the animated version was on N*tfl*x so I decided to give that a shot, as well as find the rest of the series. Took me a while to get all the volumes, but once I had them all it was easy to do a speedrun, so to speak, and finish it. One of the first things I need to say about this series is that it is bittersweet. Tragedy abounds in this series, as does heartbreak, and all manner of desires and goals remain unrequited and unfulfilled. That being said, I still thought this was a great read. I can understand why some people would choose not to pick it up because of the potential triggering content, or just because they don't want to read something that'll put them through the emotional wringer (as it were), but I found that I liked how tragic this whole story was - not for tragedy's sake, but because of the characters. They're a complex lot, and not all of them are good people, but I enjoyed reading about how the choices and decisions they made affected not just themselves and those around them, but the characters who came after them - a plot that's allowed by the long scope of the manga's story (from the reign of the third Tokugawa shogun, all the way to the dawn of the Meiji period some two hundred years later). if there is any other media I could compare this to, at least on the surface, I'd say it comes pretty close to Game of Thrones - up until Season 5, since the show infamously loses the plot after that point. Fortunately this manga has a much more coherent storyline, even as it features many of the same beats such as forbidden romance and court intrigue. The alternate history aspect, wherein Japan is ruled by women instead of men, is interesting not because it drastically changes the way the world works, but because it showcases how so many things actually remain the same. Women are still people, after all, and power is still power, and people in power do things in similar ways regardless of their sex or gender, with similar outcomes both for good and for ill. Overall, this was a pretty good read, even if it was heartbreaking in a lot of places, and even if there's plenty of content that made me flinch, and which will very likely trigger other readers. If there's one thing that I found a bit off-putting about this, and which other readers might find off-putting if the trigger warnings don't, was the use of Shakespearean-style English, especially in the first half of the series. I suspect it was an attempt by the translator to mimic the more old-fashioned Japanese in use during the 1600s-1700s, but it can be rather jarring in certain scenes. One gets used to it after a while, but it can take one out of the moment sometimes. Rating: four kimono and one uchikake (4.5)

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Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #04 Manga Review

Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #04 Manga Review

Time goes on, and Shogun’s come and go, but will Japan’s male population ever rebound? Will men be destined to live their lives as stud horses? Creative Staff Writer/Artist: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation: Akemi Wegmuller What They Say Despite Iemitsu and Arikoto’s best efforts, there is no mal...

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Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #02 Manga Review

Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #02 Manga Review

How would you treat a harem tasked with fulfilling all your desires? Creative Staff Writer/Artist:Fumi Yoshinaga Translation:Akemi Wegmuller What They Say Curious about why female lords must take on male names, the Shogun Yoshimune seeks out the ancient scribe Murase and his archives of the last...

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Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #09 Manga Review

Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #09 Manga Review

The colorful character and renaissance (wo)man Gennai, enters the story and for the first time, sheds light on where the redface pox disease originated and potentially a way to slow the spread of the disease. Creative Staff Story and Art: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation/Adaptation: Akemi...

Check out the full article by Matthew Alexander on The Fandom Post!

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Honey and Clover Vol. #01 Manga Review

Honey and Clover Vol. #01 Manga Review

Sometimes, you just need manga like these to remind you why you’re in this hobby in the first place. Creative Staff: Writer/Artist: Chica Umino Translated by: Akemi Wegmuller Adapted by: Akemi Wegmuller What They Say Takemoto, a sophomore art student in Tokyo, thinks his greatest worries...

Check out the full article by Greg Hackmann on The Fandom Post!

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20th Century Boys Vol. #10 Manga Review

20th Century Boys Vol. #10 Manga Review

Paging Mr. Hitchcock, paging Mr. Hooper; your influence has been shown in a flattering and non-demeaning way!

Creative Staff Writer/Artist: Naoki Urasawa Translation: Akemi Wegmuller Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say It appears that Kanna’s ambitious gamble has paid off as the leaders of the local Thai and Chinese mafias agree to both call a truce and offer to back her up. This doesn’t sit too well with Yukiji, though, who is furious that Kanna would risk her life in such a brazen way. But one thing seems certain: when it comes to fighting the Friends, there’s no limit to how far Kanna will go.

Meanwhile, Koizumi Kyoko begins following Kanna in an attempt to tell her about everything she learned while at Friend Land. Her behavior, however, does not go unnoticed by the Friends, and a menacing dream navigator suddenly appears to inform Kyoko that she will need to go to Friend World for further reeducation. Luckily for Kyoko, there are no immediate spaces available, but will she have enough time to get help from Kanna and Yoshitsune before her number is called?

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): The cop with the mole is dead, Otcho has appeared before Kanna, the “Holy Mother” will appear soon, and the Chinese and Thai Mafias are on the brink of a truce. Volume 9 had so much packed into its 11 chapters that it is time for a change of pace. A pace that needs to tie up some affairs and delve deeper into the mythology of 20th Century Boys, with Volume 10 that is just what we get.

The volume starts off by concluding the meeting at Shinjuku church. After the events at the end of the last volume, the attendees of the meeting decide to make a hasty retreat from the police and the possible danger that still lingers. However, not one to let business go unfinished, Kanna speaks to the mafia leaders in a final attempt to earn their trust and aid for the coming events.

One thing interesting about Kanna, especially in the last couple of volumes, is the amount of charisma and power of persuasion she possesses. It almost seems unbelievable, superhuman almost, but because no one, including the readers, really understands why these powers are so strong in her these events add some perplexity to everything. We understand Kanna’s background, we understand her emotions involving the Friends and the events of Bloody New Year’s Eve, but we don’t understand why both Kanna and the Friend have such a strong power over people and fate. In a standard comic we might be lead to believe some supernatural force or alien power is involved, but with 20th Century Boys everything is strongly grounded in reality. Everything that occurs is feasible in our world but fantastical because of how different it is from our own. I am very curious as to how the reasons behind these powers are explained but slightly fearful that they could be absolutely preposterous and break the suspense this series has been building towards. I have faith however.

The story then switches focus back to Koizumi who has recovered from her traumatic experience at Friend Land and is trying to readjust to “normal” life. She is constantly plagued by nightmares from her experience in the bonus stage but can’t remember what she saw and why it was so terrifying. Then the moment I was personally waiting for occurs, Koizumi meets Kanna. It isn’t a very good first meeting but very fitting based on their established personalities, this scene adds a bit of humor and frustration on the readers behalf, “Just tell her for crying out loud!!” Koizumi then spends some time spying on Kanna trying to figure her out and decide on the best way to approach her about the situation. Things get a feeling of dread added when Dream Navigator Takasu appears literally out of nowhere and informs Koizumi that she has been selected to go to Friend World for being a “very bad girl.” Thankfully for Koizumi she has to be put on a waiting list, unfortunately for her, that wait is about 48 hours max!

The next day a new English Teacher begins work at school and the mere sight of his face sends Koizumi into shock, is he the Friend?, will we finally find out the identity of the enemy??

After awakening at the nurse’s office and officially meeting Kanna, Koizumi explains what she saw in the bonus stage and who the Friend truly is, the new English Teacher! The full page panel where the Friend is shown without his mask is pretty humorous when I think about it; but honestly, if I saw such a sight in real life with all the tension and fear that accompanies these characters I would be scared out of my mind as well. The image of the Friend from the bonus stage is so simple and plain, yet so grotesque and disturbing that you realize how lucky Koizumi was in surviving Friend Land and why other applicants died so violently.

The teacher is then identified as Sadakiyo. This development is interesting because Sadakiyo was Kenji and the gang’s first choice as to who the friend was because of the mask he always wore as a child. But if I remember correctly Sadakiyo was cleared of suspicion due to various circumstances, why is he appearing for the first time to us under these conditions? Sadakiyo then offers to give Koizumi a ride home because a storm is coming and she reluctantly accepts the offer. This scene is very strange because, as an American reader, we know she knows better and obviously should turn the other way and run like hell; why then does she accept his offer? There are three reasons I can think of for this, 1)She is so scared she can’t turn and run, 2)It is necessary to move the plot forward, or 3)The Japanese culture of having great respect for ones elders prevents her from doing the right thing because that is how she has been raised from birth. Whatever the reason, next begins the most engrossing and terrifying section of the book and maybe of the entire series up to this point.

Think of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, or Tobe Hooper’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, remember how frighteningly normal everything seemed, how the “family” of the murderers played such a role in their behavior, how you never knew what the killer was going to do or how it was going to happen, and remember the mask, how it covered Leatherface’s identity thus giving a truly ominous feel where anything could happen and you were sure none of it was going to be good. Now combine all these elements and you have a good 4 or 5 chapters of twists and turns that simultaneously raise the blood pressure and intrigue the intellect. Urasawa created something truly frightening with these scenes because we are given all the information that our characters have, there is no level of omnipotence placed upon us, and we can only take the information given and draw conclusions based on that information. With the exception of the original events of Bloody New Year’s Eve (Volume 4/5), there has never been suspense like this, suspense so thick you could cut the air. The suspense is always present but the intellect is mainly affected, here the suspense reaches above the intellect to strike our core.

After the events between Koizumi and Sadakiyo settle down, to the relief of both the characters and the audience, we return to Kanna for the final chapter which takes place simultaneously with the events between Koizumi and Sadakiyo. This chapter is the only part of this book that I felt was out of place, we already know what is going on with Koizumi, and Kanna is in no peril despite being desperate to save Koizumi. This chapter was very relaxed and helped move the story without compromising the suspense we felt earlier. However, I do not think this was a good place to end the volume as the stunning revelation revealed in the final pages is something we have known for volumes now. Sure this is a new revelation to Kanna but an additional chapter that deals with how Kanna processes this information and how it affects her current demeanor and plans would have been much more effective. Similar to the ending of the sixth Harry Potter book, that extra chapter where Harry makes his decision based on the revelations and events proceeding made the ending a satisfying one. Here we get the revelation but no follow through; here’s hoping the follow through is how Volume 11 opens up.

In Summary: Another excellent continuation to Urasawa’s ongoing saga that lives up to every precedent set before it. I found it really interesting how Urasawa combined influences from classic horror/suspense movies and truly made it his own. You know how Tarantino pays blatant and obvious homage to his influences?; Urasawa instead goes the Scorsese route and mixes his influences into something new, original, and totally his own. Seeing how the story will play out continues to become more unbearable as we have to continue to wait 3 months for each new volume. This isn’t so much true for this volume because of the disappointing nature of the final chapter, but the wait continues to be tough because I need to know that Urasawa doesn’t disappoint in regards to Kanna’s revelation, my faith is there but curiosity does kill the cat.

Content Grade: A- Art Grade: A Packaging Grade: B+ Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: 17+ Released By: Viz Media Release Date: August 17th, 2010 MSRP: $12.99

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20th Century Boys Vol. #09 Manga Review

20th Century Boys Vol. #09 Manga Review

When Kanna’s plan to save the world lies in a high stakes game, the bluff is just as big as the gamble.

Creative Staff Writer/Artist: Naoki Urasawa Translation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say The year is 2014, and Neo Tokyo is completely under the control of the Friend. Kanna has decided to stand up and avenge Kenji–will she be able to muster up enough support for her cause? Kanna makes her way to a mafia-operated casino and quickly finds herself at a high stakes table. Is she lucky (and smart) enough to turn the odds in her favor at the bizarre and fast-paced game of Rabbit Nabokov?

While Kanna marshals her forces, Koizumi Kyoko experiences true horror at the reeducation camp known as Friend Land. Going back in time in their “Virtual World,” she meets Kenji and his pals as boys in 1971 and sees something that is strictly taboo: the Friend’s childhood face! Will she live to report back on the Friend’s identity?

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): After the nerve clenching cliffhanger of Vol. 8, Vol. 9 joins us again with Koizumi as she continues to navigate the Friend Land virtual “bonus stage.” Urasawa really knows how to keep tensions high as we begin to undersand why some entrants of the bonus stage die violently during the stage and as Yoshitsune races to prevent this fate from happening to Koizumi. While any sort emotional attachment to Koizumi hasn’t fully generated yet, the anticipation about what she has discovered is enough for us to hope that she makes it out okay. If she doesn’t no one will be able to learn from her experience and this terribly nail-biting “filler” story will only upset everyone involved! Thankfully, Urasawa knows better than that but still never kowtows to the “Hollywood” ending.

After more questions get raised about the Friend’s true identity, we at least know what event has to be remembered, the story shifts back to Kanna. Kanna starts putting into motion a plan to save the pope by following some inspiring words from Kenji, “Play for real!” The introduction of this flashback is something I really enjoy in particular. The heavy inclusion of music as a focal point, which lends to greater philosophical leanings, is something I can really identify with. Kenji’s life revolved around music and has directly influenced Kanna with his own interpretation of music. This ideology is something many people are familiar with because “true” music has the ability to speak to the mind AND the soul. This lead to Kenji’s decisions and is playing a large part in Kanna’s decision making.

The first phase of Kanna’s plan involves taking a single casino token and winning big! After winning a bit of money on slots, Kanna learns of a high stakes game called Rabbit Nabokov, where you either win big or you lose big. I haven’t read any straight up gambling manga, but I sure hope they are like these chapters. Much like Casino Royale, we understand the stakes of the game and all we do is simply watch the game. However, the feeling of fret and worry about how things will turn out, how the tables will turn, and the events that will come afterward is what keeps us captivated and on the edge of our seat. A surprising turn of events at the climax of the game sets Kanna’s second phase into motion. She instructs all present to meet at the Shinjuku church for a reason she does not specify.

Why did she go through all the trouble of winning the money just to use it the way she did? It all seems kind of perplexing at first but we know the light will be shown soon enough. But first!, a flashback to Yukiji and Mon-chan in 2002. Here we learn that another book has been discovered! However this book was not written by Kenji and the gang and is plainly titled “The New Book of Prophecy.” In this book we are shown everything that is recorded at the time, giving an ominous feel as we already know what the book is talking about and it deals with the second phase of Kanna’s plan.

The rest of the book deals with Kanna’s church meeting and the various gang members that have assembled. We remember that number 13 is out to make an assassination, we know what the “New” book states, we know that Otcho is on his way to meet with Kanna, and we know that Urasawa never sugar coats his stories. The ultimate climax of this volume is so mysterious that nothing gets answered but the big question only gets bigger, “What does it all mean in the end?”

In Summary: Naoki Urasawa never stops amazing me in how he can take a story that can simply be told rather quickly, and in turn creates something so complex and moving that I wish it would never end. In this volume so many themes are focused on, that we become helpless and can only sit back and watch as it all unfolds. The character depth and growth with each volume has managed to emotionally attach me to everyone in the story. Especially since Kanna really starts to shine here and we don’t just learn more about her but we learn what she is capable of doing and the interesting manner in which she does it. This volume doesn’t end on a crazy cliffhanger like others have, which is good; it allows me to take a breather and soak everything in, instead of clamoring for the next volume until I explode with anticipation! But don’t buy that lie for a second; I still cannot wait to continue reading!

Content Grade: A Art Grade: A- Packaging Grade: B+ Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: 13+ Released By: Viz Media Release Date: June 15th, 2010 MSRP: $12.99

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Ooku Vol. #11 Manga Review

Ooku Vol. #11 Manga Review

Our hero’s of the redface pox have run afoul of the current Shogun. Will they brave death in order to advance the potential cure for the pox? Creative Staff Story and Art: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller What They Say In Edo period Japan, a strange new disease called the R...

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Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #09 Manga Review

Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #09 Manga Review

The colorful character and renaissance (wo)man Gennai, enters the story and for the first time, sheds light on where the redface pox disease originated and potentially a way to slow the spread of the disease.

Creative Staff Story and Art: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say Yoshimune brought many changes to the Inner Chambers in her time as Shogun, and now even after death she brings another: the men of the Inner Chambers must study Western learning and discovers cure for the Redface Pox. For if Japan can’t increase the male population, it’s only a matter of time before a foreign power discovers their secret and invades!

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): A Shogun retires into old age and another eldest daughter becomes the new Shogun. The cycle of life continues in this historical retelling, but for the first time the characters set out on the path to beating back the scourge of the redface pox.

The new Shogun, Ieharu, is both beautiful and open-minded. Her first act of business is to appoint a common-born woman as her Senior Councilor. Next, she tasks that Senior Councilor with bringing a western medicine scholar into the Inner Chambers and beseeching the men to take lessons in the hopes of better combating the redface pox. To this end, a young man of Japanese mother and Dutch father who has trained as a Dutch translator, enters the Inner Chamber as Scribe. Upon entering the Inner Chambers, he is given the name Aonuma.

Aonuma may be very learned in Chinese and Western medicine, and fluent in Japanese and Dutch, but he is also unusually tall with blonde hair and blue eyes. Those marks act against him and keep the other men from attending his lectures. Even the few people he gifted bars of soap with the explanation of hand washing before meals is slighted to the point that everyone throws the soap away. From this point, the author does a great job of slowly building the acceptance of Aonuma’s medical knowledge among the men of the Inner Chambers. He does this by starting with the lowest ranking; the house boys.

It takes a few years, but Aonuma eventually endears himself to both the Shogun and her Senior Consort. Luckily, Aonuma isn’t alone as the Senior Councilor has also enlisted the help of Hiraga Gennai. In this story Gennai is a woman, but still an intelligent author, painter, and physician. This Gennai is also a brash womanizer who steals every scene she finds herself in. Personality wise, Gennai and Aonuma couldn’t be more different from each other, which makes for entertaining interactions between them.

If you love the political intrigue and workings of this series, then don’t worry, not everyone loves the Shogun’s acceptance of Dutch influence. The Senior Councilor is even less liked, so machinations against them and Gennai in particular are afoot.

In Summary I very much enjoyed this volume as it both introduced the female Gennai, a rascal of a historical character, and avoided the common focus on politics and the Shogun. Instead, this volume focused on the early steps of potentially beginning to win the fight against the redface pox. The Scribe Aonuma is also a likeable character and his interactions with Gennai are humorous and memorable.

As always, highly recommended series.

Content Grade: A+ Art Grade: A Packaging Grade: A Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: Mature Released By: Viz Media Release Date: January 21st, 2014 MSRP: $12.99

Check out the full article by Matthew Alexander at http://www.fandompost.com/2015/01/20/ooku-the-inner-chambers-vol-09-manga-review/

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Ooku Vol. #08 Manga Review

Ooku Vol. #08 Manga Review

Ooku Volume 8

With the fate of Japan relying on the Shogun choosing the next ruler among her daughters, will she reject the laws she has so strictly followed to name her more capable second eldest daughter instead of her embarrassing oldest daughter?

Creative Staff Story and Art: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say Yoshimune has secured her place in history as a…

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I'll Give It My All... Tomorrow Vol. #05 Manga Review

I'll Give It My All... Tomorrow Vol. #05 Manga Review

I’ll Give It My All Tomorrow Volume 5[/caption]The final volume of this touching slice-of-life story comes to a quiet conclusion. Creative Staff Story and Art: Shunju Aono Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller What They Say Suzuko… Shiro… Miyata… Unami…...

Check out the full article by Mark Thomas at http://www.fandompost.com/2013/12/19/ill-give-it-my-all-tomorrow-vol-05-manga-review/

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20th Century Boys Vol. #22 Manga Review

20th Century Boys Vol. #22 Manga Review

20th Century Boys Volume 22 The saga is over but the story is still yet to come. Creative Staff Story: Naoki Urasawa Art: Naoki Urasawa Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller What They Say The time has come. The Friend reveals all about his conspiracy and declares that he shall destroy the...

Check out the full article by Chris Kirby at http://www.fandompost.com/2013/02/19/20th-century-boys-vol-22-manga-review/

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Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #07 Manga Review

Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #07 Manga Review

Political intrigue and poison; becoming the next shogun never is pretty.

Creative Staff Story and Art: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say Ienobu’s heir is still just a child, and with the few official functions to perform, the men of the Inner Chamber find themselves with much time on their hands. Some find ways to make the most of their rare trips outside the palace, while others turn their minds to blood intrigue…

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): In the last volume, I discussed my interest in the unbending devotion of a servant for their lord after reading how devoted Shogun Ienobu’s senior retainer was to her. It makes sense that such a high level of devotion could occur when a person’s entire life revolves around being the task manager for someone and the two are together every day. The mirror image of that devotion is seen again in this volume, but from the male point of view with the Senior Chamberlain, Gekko-In, and his retainer, Ejima.

Since the death of Shogun Ienobu, she has been replaced by her young daughter. Unfortunately, her daughter is sickly and the various power factions in the capital are split on who should become the next Shogun after the presumed short life of the current Shogun. Within the Inner Chambers, the men are split into two factions, those behind Senior Chamberlain Gekko-In, who supports the current Shogun since he is her father, and those behind the old fox Ten’ei-In, the dowager consort. The two men have nearly equal power within the Inner Chambers, but technically Gekko-In is the Senior Chamberlain. Nevertheless, Ten’ei-In is bent on backing a young Baron as the next Shogun, which would obviously give him a more powerful position if this Baron would succeed.

The old fox puts multiple machinations into action to get what he wants. It works perfectly and as the reader, I didn’t see it coming until it was too late. I won’t spoil it for anyone, but ultimately, Ejima upholds his devotion to Gekko-In, much to his own downfall. But, Gekko-In reverses the roles and does something incredibly magnanimous for Ejima. I very much enjoyed this aspect of volume seven.

Time pushes on with this series, and the second half of the volume follows the next Shogun, Yoshimune. She is young, beautiful, and very intelligent. In researching Japan’s past with the assistance of the official chronicler, she learns that society used to be completely different before the pox, and men ruled as women do today. She decides that it is important for men to regain their manliness because other countries have not suffered the pox and could easily take over Japan through invasion. Men have become soft after many generations of coddling. Mostly, men are stud horses that father children and do less laborious work, like accounting. Shogun Yoshimune declares that the sons of aristocracy must learn and practice martial arts just like the men of the Inner Chambers. She also decrees that men should work the fire brigades to protect large cities. This makes the Shogun very popular as many men are bored with their lives of lounging.

Shogun Yoshimune is quite successful at bearing children. She births three healthy daughters, presumably assuring her lineage’s success as the Shogun to replace her. But, political jockeying amongst nobility is never without casualties, so will one of her own children actually succeed her? If so, will it be the oldest, or will her children be manipulated by their attendants and be pitted against each other when their mother succumbs to old age?

In Summary An aspect of this series that keeps the story fresh is the constant cycling of characters. I have enjoyed reading how differently each shogun has ruled; whether she be keen on sleeping with as many men as she has time or picking a favorite, or allowing her court to be frivolous with the royal coffers or clamped down an all extraneous expenditures. Throw in good artwork, plenty of political intrigue and the view of what a female-dominated society might be like and it is easy to see why the author has won three writing awards for this series. Add to this Viz’s wonderful packaging for these books and this series should be a must buy for any manga lover looking for more than just silly fun along the line of shonen action and romantic comedies.

As always, highly recommended series.

Content Grade: B+ Art Grade: A Packaging Grade: A Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: Mature Released By: Viz Media Release Date: July 10th, 2012 MSRP: $12.99

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Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #07 Manga Review

Ooku: The Inner Chambers Vol. #07 Manga Review

Political intrigue and poison; becoming the next shogun never is pretty.

Creative Staff Story and Art: Fumi Yoshinaga Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say Ienobu’s heir is still just a child, and with the few official functions to perform, the men of the Inner Chamber find themselves with much time on their hands. Some find ways to make the most of their rare trips outside the palace, while others turn their minds to blood intrigue…

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): In the last volume, I discussed my interest in the unbending devotion of a servant for their lord after reading how devoted Shogun Ienobu’s senior retainer was to her. It makes sense that such a high level of devotion could occur when a person’s entire life revolves around being the task manager for someone and the two are together every day. The mirror image of that devotion is seen again in this volume, but from the male point of view with the Senior Chamberlain, Gekko-In, and his retainer, Ejima.

Since the death of Shogun Ienobu, she has been replaced by her young daughter. Unfortunately, her daughter is sickly and the various power factions in the capital are split on who should become the next Shogun after the presumed short life of the current Shogun. Within the Inner Chambers, the men are split into two factions, those behind Senior Chamberlain Gekko-In, who supports the current Shogun since he is her father, and those behind the old fox Ten’ei-In, the dowager consort. The two men have nearly equal power within the Inner Chambers, but technically Gekko-In is the Senior Chamberlain. Nevertheless, Ten’ei-In is bent on backing a young Baron as the next Shogun, which would obviously give him a more powerful position if this Baron would succeed.

The old fox puts multiple machinations into action to get what he wants. It works perfectly and as the reader, I didn’t see it coming until it was too late. I won’t spoil it for anyone, but ultimately, Ejima upholds his devotion to Gekko-In, much to his own downfall. But, Gekko-In reverses the roles and does something incredibly magnanimous for Ejima. I very much enjoyed this aspect of volume seven.

Time pushes on with this series, and the second half of the volume follows the next Shogun, Yoshimune. She is young, beautiful, and very intelligent. In researching Japan’s past with the assistance of the official chronicler, she learns that society used to be completely different before the pox, and men ruled as women do today. She decides that it is important for men to regain their manliness because other countries have not suffered the pox and could easily take over Japan through invasion. Men have become soft after many generations of coddling. Mostly, men are stud horses that father children and do less laborious work, like accounting. Shogun Yoshimune declares that the sons of aristocracy must learn and practice martial arts just like the men of the Inner Chambers. She also decrees that men should work the fire brigades to protect large cities. This makes the Shogun very popular as many men are bored with their lives of lounging.

Shogun Yoshimune is quite successful at bearing children. She births three healthy daughters, presumably assuring her lineage’s success as the Shogun to replace her. But, political jockeying amongst nobility is never without casualties, so will one of her own children actually succeed her? If so, will it be the oldest, or will her children be manipulated by their attendants and be pitted against each other when their mother succumbs to old age?

In Summary An aspect of this series that keeps the story fresh is the constant cycling of characters. I have enjoyed reading how differently each shogun has ruled; whether she be keen on sleeping with as many men as she has time or picking a favorite, or allowing her court to be frivolous with the royal coffers or clamped down an all extraneous expenditures. Throw in good artwork, plenty of political intrigue and the view of what a female-dominated society might be like and it is easy to see why the author has won three writing awards for this series. Add to this Viz’s wonderful packaging for these books and this series should be a must buy for any manga lover looking for more than just silly fun along the line of shonen action and romantic comedies.

As always, highly recommended series.

Content Grade: B+ Art Grade: A Packaging Grade: A Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: Mature Released By: Viz Media Release Date: July 10th, 2012 MSRP: $12.99

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20th Century Boys Vol. #18 Manga Review

Amidst the mystery and tension of the Friend Era, Urasawa takes the time to move us emotionally and maintain our sharpest attention.

Creative Staff Story: Naoki Urasawa Art: Naoki Urasawa Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmuller

What They Say Far, far from Tokyo, a man approaches the checkpoint at the Northern Border... Everyone north of the gate is dead, but here he comes on a motorbike with a guitar strapped to his back. Who is this man who calls himself Joe Yabuki, and why does he break out in song? Is he a Messiah here to save the people, or is he just a deluded nut?

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): Volume 18 of 20th Century Boys moves mostly between the two current main storylines: Officer Chono and the mysterious “alien”, and Otcho’s search for Kanna. However, the central linking theme through these storylines, and what ultimately brings the emotional core of the volume, is a song. People all across Japan have a song stuck in their heads. It’s a song that fills them with hope, a shining light in their dark lives during the Friend Era.

It is revealed that this song is one of Kenji’s that only Kanna has a cassette copy of; but the song is different. At the end of the song there are added lyrics; nonsensical as they are, it is these lyrics that change the song to be the hope people are finding in themselves. The mysterious man who has arrived at the outpost Officer Chono has been assigned to is thought by the police to be an alien. While this man’s true identity has yet to be revealed, we the readers have a strong suspicion of who he is. When confronted by the police, this man begins to sing this song; he sings it with pure conviction, a conviction that causes the police to hesitate when ordered to shoot him. A conviction that has made the local residents join in the singing and cause an uprising where they ravage the bosses personal food storage. The song has given them strength. As soon as a mob of hippies break into the outpost to see this man’s concert, he leaves for another town to spread his song.

Meanwhile, Otcho finally finds Kanna, the Ice Queen, in Tokyo. He attempts to convince her to call off the uprising she has set for August 20th; his words do not reach her. Kanna believes she must follow through with her plans despite the fact that the Friends know about it and everyone will likely die. She states that her followers have this one thing to hope for, it’s all they have left. In a desperate attempt, Otcho tells Kanna about Kenji’s song that is being played on a renegade radio station, and how the lyrics are different. As Kanna ignores his warnings and pleas, Otcho finds a radio and is able to have Kanna witness the song herself. Does this mean that Kenji is still alive? Whether he is or not, the song fills Kanna with renewed hope that there can be a better way; she calls off the uprising.

During this time with Otcho and Kanna, we hear Kanna tell a story of how she was inoculated with the vaccine for the virus that is still killing people across the world. This recollection is extremely heartbreaking and has the ability to move the readers emotionally as everything circles back around one thing: hope. The loss of hope, the hopelessness of the world’s situation, and the hope that it can be fixed in the end. This is some of the most powerful storytelling in the series because of how it pulls the readers into the world. We are given more than just the investment in the characters to find roots in the story, we are given the desperation of the people as a whole. Initial feelings about the world ending a second time were skeptical at best. The series essentially got rebooted again and we were already looking for resolution. Did the second reboot just offer a way to extend the series and drag out the events even further? It’s still possible, but what this volume draws into the forefront is that we needed the world to end a second time; we needed the situation to become even direr so that we could empathize. Previously, we were saddened by the death of Kenji and the numerous civilians that died during Bloody New Year's, but the world was still intact. It was functional, if not slightly distorted, due to the Friend's influence. This time it’s different.

I believe it is not small coincidence that the mysterious man’s groupies call themselves hippies or that the renegade radio jockey is a dyed in the wool reincarnate of Woodstock. This imagery is intended wholeheartedly to invoke the memories and empathy of the late 60’s, the Vietnam Era. That was a time when everything seemed to be at its bleakest. Granted it was mostly an American view that saw the most villainy from this era, what with all the protests and mayhem that was going on. So while it is strange that a Japanese manga is invoking these feelings it is no coincidence that the series has revolved around American rock music from that era. This is how we are supposed to feel, and this is what Urasawa is crafting so flawlessly, but he keeps reminding us: there’s hope.

The volume finishes out with Haru Namio and Haruo discovering some hidden secrets about Manjome, secrets that could help them understand the Friend and what is really happening with the world. There is also Otcho and Kanna being arrested and taken directly to Manjome himself where he requests that they kill the Friend and even starts to reveal a bit of the hidden history. The way these two final plot threads interweave has become standard in the series at this point. Urasawa understands perfectly when and where to cut back and forth to where the two tales are finishing each other’s sentences all the while building upon the mystery and creating a thick layer of suspense. It is also an amazing way to maintain the trademark “end of volume cliffhanger” that’s guaranteed to keep us coming back.

In Summary Another dynamite volume of 20th Century Boys! It’s moments like these where I completely forget that we are 18 volumes into the series, where I stop caring that my questions aren’t getting answered fast enough, where I just lean back and soak up the atmosphere being created and allow the story and its strong characters to pull me and render no mercy on my soul. I won’t lie, I teared up at least twice during this book, its message is that powerful and the conviction is so strong that I couldn’t help but be swept up in everything presented before me. If you’ve been wavering in your faith in the story because of its length and felt it was starting to become meandering, this volume will instill into you what it instills into its world: hope.

Content Grade: A Art Grade: A- Packaging Grade: A- Text/Translation Grade: A

Age Rating: 16+ Released By: Viz Media Release Date: December 13th, 2011 MSRP: $12.99

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20th Century Boys Vol. #17 Manga Review

Moving to the next big part of the story takes a little time, perfectly written and executed time, but time nonetheless.

Creative Staff Story: Naoki Urasawa Art: Naoki Urasawa Translation/Adaptation: Akemi Wegmüller

What They Say It is the third year of the Friendship Era. Darkness covers the earth, and the world is under the control of evil. The Friend has become President of the World, and he reigns from within the enclosed walls of Tokyo City. Most people believe in the Friend, but hidden below the surface is a small ray of hope. Someone known as the Ice Queen is calling for the people to rise up, and she has deemed August 20 the day to take up arms... But can anyone really stop this nightmare?

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers): After throwing us head first in the 3rd Year of the Friend Era, we got a very good glimpse at to just how dystopian the world had become. We began our journey by meeting up with Otcho and following through his travels after he meets a young girl and boy and hears a secret transmission from the mysterious Ice Queen. While volume 16 was an overall good volume I was slightly disappointed with how the big questions and reveal from volume 15 were ignored. How the new storyline didn’t really have a proper lead in like the second arc did and how the book didn’t really accomplish anything (aside from simple being a good book with an excellently executed story).

Volume 17 continues where 16 left off, but meanders as the book progresses. The main story told in this volume involves completing Otcho’s quest to meet the Kabuki-cho priest and the Ice Queen. With Kami-sama leading the way, the group discovers that the pathway underground to get to Shinjuku is impassable for Otcho (he is a full grown man unlike Kami-sama, a little on the short side, and the children). So Otcho decides to have the kids go on ahead and contact the priest. On their way they come across an old subway line and train. In the train they meet a wounded man who claims to be a member of the Genji Faction. Their meeting is cut short by the arrival of the Global Defense force and the man instructs the kids to meet with the Ice Queen and tell her that the Aug. 20th attack has been compromised by spies and will fail. After seeing the man murdered in cold blood by the GDF, the girl, Sanae, orders her brother to continue to Shinjuku while she finds the Ice Queen.

Their journeys to their respective destinations are gracefully abbreviated and written with a certain flare that doesn’t make the reader feel left out. This is one of the aspects of Urasawa’s writing that I have constantly loved and admired; he knows when and how to tell a story regardless of it length (long or short). The boy, Katsuo, finds the priest and brings him to the bowling alley where Otcho and Kami-sama are waiting. This ends the progressive story for Otcho in this volume as they are seen leaving with the priest to an undisclosed location. A horrible plot thread cliffhanger, yes, but that is what continues to draw readers back. We are never too frustrated and always left wanting, besides...that is not even halfway through the book!

Switching back to Sanae, she locates the Ice Queen’s hideout and low and behold the Ice Queen is Kanna, just as we suspected. Kanna is presented as a totally different person however and the way she exhibits herself is a basic and fundamental growth in character that doesn’t especially require an explained history. Kanna is much more world-weary here, she seems beaten to the ground by everything she has faced but still maintains hope, she is still fighting for justice. Even when informed of treachery, she very calmly confronts the suspected spy, blows his cover, and then lets him leave without any punishment or revenge. This is not the hot-headed girl from the previous arc and shows just how important she feels compassion is in this new world.

The rest of the book is where it starts to meander. There are basically two stories told in the remainder of the volume: a flashback to some of Otcho’s experiences ‘outside the wall’, and a very pleasant reunion with Officer Chono. These chapters seem to serve dual purposes, both of which stagnant the plot but also open up the world to the readers. In Otcho’s flashbacks, we are shown the goodness of humanity in times of despair and simultaneously the wretchedness of peoples’ hearts. We get to see how severely the world as a whole has been affected by the virus and the Friend’s regime; what happens to good people in face of the end and how we can move past this despair. The storylines in Otcho’s flashbacks don’t exactly end on any sort of promising note but we learn what Otcho’s spiritual Master taught him decades before (before the beginning of 20th Century Boys): There is no way to overcome despair, you just start walking. I think that this advice works not just in the context of the characters and story but is also a little bit of personal philosophizing on part of Urasawa. It’s a good lesson and one that I feel can do us good as well as something that leads to the character development in the story.

The other storyline, which closes out the volume, reunites the readers with Officer Chono. I always felt as if Chono was underused in the previous arc, he seems to be the type of character that is not just supporting but can figure into the grand scheme of things and really shape the story. When we see him, he is working as a watchtower guard at the border of the Northern Checkpoint. The purpose of his post is to watch out for alien invaders. Don’t worry, Chono is just as perplexed by this notion as we, the readers, are. We simply follow him through two chapters of what his life has become. He works for a cruel boss that terrorizes the local people for the ‘sake of the Friend’ and just wants to still be the good guy. These chapters also inter-cut some scenes with Koizumi. The pages with her are simply a good excuse for us to know that she’s still alive, she still matters to the story, and to let us know that Maruo and Haru Namio are also still alive.

This is what I meant when I said the book starts to meander. Urasawa takes a break from the ongoing narrative to get us caught up with the gang, as it will. We are shown characters that shouldn’t be forgotten, we are shown developments (although very briefly and mostly implied) from the last three years that all seem to be setting the stage for something. The volume ends with basically the exact same cliffhanger that ended volume 15, a cliffhanger that NEEDS to be followed through on. It is so much of a tease, something that could make or break this narrative that we cannot simply be left in the dark too long. With everything that happens in this volume to catch us up with a larger portion of the cast, it seems that the time is near for the setting stage to play out.

In Summary This volume is essentially a throw away book. Nothing really happens outside of the developments with Kanna, that for the first time ever in this series I felt floating in the Ether. Nothing propelling the story forward, no super crazy cliffhangers and what-ifs to fuel my brain and make me hunger for the next volume, and nothing substantial to praise the heavens with. This book is fluff. Extremely well written fluff that re-introduces us to more major players in the story and builds upon the new world we were thrust into, but fluff nonetheless. The detailing of the stories are perfect, it’s played out for maximum impact, in hindsight I don’t feel or think that it could’ve been shorter for the sake of plot progression; it is as intended and flawless in those regards. However, in the realm of relativity, this transitional volume that builds up to something huge and what we have been waiting for...is a low point in this fantastic series of extreme highs.

Content Grade: B- Art Grade: A- Packaging Grade: A- Text/Translation Grade: A

Readers Rating: [ratings]

Age Rating: 17 Released By: Viz Media Release Date: October 11th, 2011 MSRP: $12.99

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