Detectives These Days Are Good & Crazy! 7:36 AM (14 hours ago)
Since the 1990s manga has been well populated by skillful teen detectives. Brilliant young investigators appear in Detective Conan, Puppet Master Sakon, The Case Files of Young Kindaichi, Detective Agency Q, The Detective is Already Dead, Pretty Boy Detective Club, CLAMP School Detectives, Detective Opera Milky Holmes, and many more manga titles. The one thing all of these stories have in common is their focus on teen detectives at the height of their youth and the prime of their sleuthing lives. So creator Masakuni Igarashi’s manga series Detectives These Days Are Crazy! (Mattaku Saikin no Tantei to Kitara) sets itself apart from the pack by focusing its setting on the years after the protagonist’s prime. Detectives These Days Are Crazy! depicts an over-the-hill teen sleuth who’s stuck in the past, clinging to former glory while struggling to make ends meet in the modern era. But while the scenario sounds dire, the manga is anything but. Instead, Detectives These Days Are Crazy! is a crazy, absurdist, slapstick romp that parodies the standards of teen detective stories as well as Japanese pop culture. One Peace Books will launch the official English translation of the long-running gag manga on April 28.
Detectives These Days Are Crazy! revolves around former celebrity detective Keiichiro Nagumo. As a teenager, Nagumo’s brilliant insight and athleticism allowed him to easily solve opaque cases and difficult mysteries. But twenty years later, his body is a collection of aches and pains, his most brilliant insightfulness has diminished, modern technology has left him behind, and he struggles to make ends meet as a down-on-his-luck gumshoe with no clients. The abrupt arrival of a high school girl determined to support him for her own hidden reasons turns Nagumo’s life upside down in the most unconventional, unexpected, and unpredictable ways. Nagumo is a self-pitying and clumsy sad sack who’s come to accept and even embrace his loser lifestyle. Mashiro is a crazy hybrid of Hitagi Senjogahara (from NISIOISIN’s Monogatari series) and Kenshiro (from Fist of the North Star). This offbeat odd-couple balance out each other and end up making an unconventional yet effective team that resolves mysteries and odd-jobs of any order.
Despite ostensibly being a mystery manga, Detectives These Days Are Crazy! is far more slapstick comedy than thriller. The tone of the manga’s humor draws from the shounen styles of City Hunter and, to a slightly lesser degree, Gintama or Hinamatsuri, with just a little bit of Makoto Kobayashi’s What’s Michael stirred into the mix. As the story develops, Nagumo slightly evolves from being clumsy pratfall into functioning as a straight man for Mashiro’s exaggerated antics. The comedy also escalates rapidly from reasonably grounded to absurd, although the humor never goes so far over-the-top as to be totally left-field. The humor also makes some deep-cut in-joke references that will sail past all but the most hardcore aficionados, including references to Furuhata Ninzaburo, Joe Odagiri, Green Leaves’ “Yatta!,” and Fujiya’s Peko-chan. The manga also drops in Japanese cultural slang including “gyaru,” “JK,” and “gokudo,” that readers are expected to understand or interpret from context.
Masakuni Igarashi’s illustration style is crisp, detailed, and highly cinematic. The manga extensively utilizes screen tones, sound effects, and dynamic camera angles to give the visual aesthetic a very dense, busy appearance. At a glance, the magna may even look intimidating, but, in fact, the manga’s layout is very fluid and surprisingly easy to read. Considering the popularity of the story and the visual depth of the illustration, it’s little surprise that the manga is getting a 2025 anime television series adaptation.
The 168-page first volume of Detectives These Days Are Crazy! manga from One Peace Books contains the series’ first five chapters, 4-koma omake for each chapter, a short bonus chapter, an author’s afterword, and three bonus illustrations. One Japanese reference within the story is translated in a footnote. Other references within the story are left up to the reader to intuit. The English translation contains one very minor typo, a single instance of a single letter omitted from a character’s name. The translation also contains six instances of swearing in the dialogue. The book contains no sex or nudity, although it does include some mildly risqué jokes. Violence is hyperbolic and cartoonish, like Looney Toons. Japanese text and visual sound effects are retained except in one instance in which visual translation was necessary for communicating the story.
Detectives These Days Are Crazy! is a very fun slapstick parody of manga’s teen detective trope. Despite how entertaining the story is, though, Detectives These Days Are Crazy! doesn’t come across as a good entry-level manga for manga novices. Detectives These Days Are Crazy! heavily references commonplace manga tropes and parodies the fundamental characteristics of manga itself. So readers who are used to manga’s storytelling format will likely get the jokes and effortlessly follow the manga’s rapidly changing visual styles and tones that are all part of the book’s humor. Readers that are totally unused to manga will likely find Detectives These Days Are Crazy! rather disorienting and confusingly wacky. With its deadpan humor akin to Hinamatsuri, and falling in-between the absurdism scale of City Hunter to Excel Saga, Detectives These Days Are Crazy! is a fun ride for veteran manga readers and especially fans of manga teen detectives like Edogawa Conan and Hajime Kindaichi.
April 2025 Anime Items Show & Tell 5 Apr 8:26 AM (15 days ago)
John unboxes over a half-dozen orders from Mandarake & Suruga-ya, including doujinshi, zasshi, tapestries, figures, and more anime oddities.
A Little Talk About “You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already!” 30 Mar 10:34 AM (21 days ago)
Although numerous manga stories revolving around disabled characters exist, such stories make up only a small minority of the total number of published manga. So manga about disabled characters seem somewhat rare. Moreover, manga about disabled characters typically fall into two categories: emotionally hammering stories and stories which treat a disability as a personality characteristic. The playful and amusing manga series You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already! (Kimi wa Yakamashi Tojite yo Kuchi o) falls squarely into the later category. One Peace Books has recently released an official English language translation of the first of four volumes of Shunpei Morita & Aldehyde’s lighthearted dramedy manga ideal for slice-of-life readers seeking a little twist on the ordinary.
You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already! stars Tsukino Hiiragi, a deaf girl who transfers into a new school. She’s seated next to outgoing boy Taiyo Enomoto who insists on constantly speaking to her even though she can’t hear his voice. In fact, even for a deaf girl, Taiyo’s persistent yammering feels a bit confusing and annoying. Tsukino is further put off-balance by the very fact that Taiyo treats her exactly as he does everyone else, regardless of her disability. Much humor arises from Taiyo’s simplistic and kindhearted belief that passion and desire alone will allow him to comprehend Tsukino’s Japanese sign language. Roughly half-way through the first book, the story elevates classmate Sakura as a third major character. The sly and mischievous girl Sakura serves as a sort of tsukkomi opposite to Taiyo’s role as a laughable boke fool.
The manga script by Shunpei Morita concentrates on cheerful comedy including sitcom misunderstandings and bizarre personality quirks, more from Taiyo and Sakura than from disabled protagonist Tsukino. However, the first volume does occasionally drop hints of Tsukino having lived a traumatic past, suggesting that the future volumes may include a more serious examination of the complications arisen from Tsukino’s condition in her past. Illustrator Aldehyde’s graphic art is consistently refined, detailed, and attractive with one noticeable exception. Character rendering is manga-esque but very precise. Aldehyde is obviously a master of using few lines to express dynamic expression and emotion.
But whether due to the author’s original description or the illustrator’s interpretation, Aldehyde routinely depicts Taiyo Enomoto with such a long face that the young boy frequently looks nearly dipropionate. He often seems to have too much vertical distance between his eyes and his mouth, making his head seem egg-shaped instead of round. Most of the first manga volume is set indoors, which limits the need for extensive background art. On the few occasions that the story does venture outdoors, Aldehyde’s art is just as consistently strong, depicting outdoor scenery backgrounds in vivid detail. Both creators appear to be at least moderately familiar with formal sign language because the story periodically takes pains to accurately depict Japanese signing, typically as a means to make a joke over a linguistic misunderstanding.
The official English translation by Jordan Taylor exhibits no errors in grammar but is slightly uneven. Whether due to the translator’s efforts or the nature of the original Japanese script, the first few chapters of the book give the two primary characters slight verbal quirks. A slightly stilted British tone permeates the translation early on through phrases including, “What is he on about?” “I don’t know what he’s on about, but oh my goodness does he talk,” and, “I will not fold to your taunts.” But the script becomes more fluid and uniform in the second half of the volume. In parallel, while Japanese sound effects are retained throughout and translated in-panel, Japanese text in-panel is translated into English until about half-way through the volume when it begins being left in native Japanese. One Peace Books’ presentation contains the story’s first ten chapters, a short bonus chapter, and afterword messages from the creators. The manga’s original one-shot chapter is not included. The story is all-ages friendly, containing nothing offensive in script, story, or illustration.
Manga revolving around disabled people, including Yoshitoki Oima’s Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) and Keiko Tobe’s Hikari to Tomo ni… (With the Light) tend to be pathos-fueled emotional wringers. On the opposite side of the scale, manga including Sousuke Toka’s Ousama Ranking (Ranking of Kings) and Morishita Suu’s Yubisaki no Renren (A Sign of Affection) star disabled characters but don’t get heavily absorbed into the pathos of their character’s conditions. Shunpei Morita & Aldehyde’s manga You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already! is one of the later style of manga. While the protagonist has a physical disability, it’s mostly treated like a personality trait such as being short, introverted, or brainy. The first book uses Tsukino’s deafness as a source of humor without making Tsukino herself a victim or the butt of jokes. In fact, most of the manga’s humor comes from Taiyo’s tendency to entirely ignore Tsukino’s disability. At least the first manga volume is innocuous, enjoyable but ordinary despite its distinctive protagonist. Readers who are curious about You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already! absolutely should try out the series. Potential readers who approach the story completely blind can do so without any reason for trepidation. You Talk Too Much, So Just Shut It Already! is a pleasant, lightweight sitcom manga that stars a deaf girl but doesn’t get weighed down in angst and pathos over its protagonist’s disability.
Ask John: Should Anime Burn Out or Fade Away? 2 Mar 10:29 AM (last month)
Question:
Do you believe an anime should fade into obscurity, or live on as a joke?
Answer:
To reference the oft quoted line, “It’s better to burn out than to fade away,” originated by musician Jeff Blackburn and famously repeated by Neil Young, Def Leppard, the Kurgen, and Kurt Cobain, I believe that a chaotic, dumpster-fire spectacle of an anime is still preferable to obscurity. In certain cases, epic failures have given rise to new varieties of entertainment. Knack Productions’ 1974 television series Chargeman Ken was a relative failure in its era and quickly receded into obscurity. The show’s modest 2007 Japanese DVD release brought the show out of mothballs and brought the low-budget disaster new viewers with a fresh perspective. The 2000’s opinion that the show was “so bad it’s good,” went viral, resulting in the forgotten 70’s show getting multiple Japanese television network re-broadcasts, two stage musical adaptations, a remastered Blu-ray release, a tribute CD, and countless fan-created memes and videos. Similarly, although not quite as successfully, Lupin III creator Monkey Punch and first-time series director Yuki Kinoshita’s 2006 television series Musashi Gun-doh was such an underfunded, poorly edited, and ineptly produced commercial broadcast that the show immediately earned acclaim for being “so bad it’s good.”
Commercially produced and distributed anime are always the result of team effort. Only because I so dearly love the anime medium, I believe that the effort and work of animators should be acknowledged, if not respected. Moreover, acknowledging and remembering failures keeps us, anime fans, humble by serving as a reminder that anime isn’t a wonder medium. Sturgeon’s law, the adage that “ninety percent of everything is crap,” is a vast exaggeration, especially when applied to anime. Yet both viewers and producers should remember that truly flawed, bad anime do exist. Productions including Engage Planet Kissdum, particularly it’s original 2007 broadcast, the original theatrical release of Gundress, and the final two broadcast episodes of Wizard Barristers: Benmashi Cecil function as landmark points in anime history and serve as cautionary reminders for anime producers.
Production studio Satelight’s sixth production was conceived as an original sci-fi work by Crest of the Stars director Yasuchika Nagaoka. Moreover, the series was deliberately promoted to the Japanese public as a robot anime featuring mecha design by Macross creator Shoji Kawamori. However, the advance publicity was deliberately misleading because series director Nagaoka wanted the show to surprise viewers. As a result of time-crunch, Nagaoka turned over the hands-on directing duties to Hidekazu Sato. However, Nagaoka hadn’t written full episode scripts, so Hidekazu Sato was forced to scrape together an alternate series story based on Nagaoka’s original ideas and input. The production chaos was so bad that the series didn’t even get an original opening credits animation sequence until its 17th episode. After the series’ catastrophic initial broadcast, the show was extensively re-worked and re-broadcast in a new edit titled “Kissdum R.”
A Kite creator and Galilei Donna director Yasuomi Umezu took on the personal responsibilities for script, character design, and direction for the 2014 television series Wizard Barristers: Benmashi Cecil. (Ultimately the series was co-scripted by Gen’ei o Kakeru Taiyou writer Michiko Itou.) Due to the heavy workload, Umezu’s production fell far behind schedule. As a result, the series’ final two episodes were broadcast in a heavily incomplete form missing animation and even background art. The series’ animation was completed in time for its re-broadcast and later home video release.
Similarly, distributor Nikkatsu insisted that Studio Junio’s feature film Gundress meet its March 20, 1999, theatrical release date even though the animation production was far behind schedule. To quote Anime News Network’s Justin Sevakis, “When it finally arrived in theaters, customers were greeted with an apology note from the producers (“This film isn’t finished at all”)… The screened version had many incomplete scenes, including some that were literally still pencil tests.”
Within an anime production industry that’s generally reliable, outlier disasters are an interesting novelty. From a society that aspires for perfection, works that fall so far short are a unique phenomenon. In my opinion, particularly terrible anime including Roots Search: Shokushin Buttai X (1986), Shin Karate Jigoku-hen (1990), Riki-Oh 2: Horobi no Ko (1990), Koi Koi 7 (2005), and Naikaku Kenryoku Hanzai Kyosei Torishimarikan Zaizen Jotaro (2006) deserve their own sort of ironic acclaim rather than being forgotten into obscurity.
A Revenge You Can Root For 18 Jan 6:25 AM (3 months ago)
Every living person invariably lives by moving forward in time while looking back at the past. Every person faces uncertainty and regrets, plagued by the constant question, “What if I had done this or that differently?” Moreover, every person has a youthful first love, often an unrequited crush that never develops into a reciprocal romance. The 2022 romantic slice-of-life manga series The Revenge of My Youth: Re Life with an Angelic Girl turns those universal truths on their head by answering those persistent questions. “What if I could re-live my life? Would making better choices change my future?” English speaking readers will be able to see the outcome of that drama when One Peace Books releases the first official English translation of The Revenge of My Youth manga on January 23rd.
The Revenge of My Youth story centers on Niihama, a 30-year-old salaryman overworked as a dead-end corporate slave and filled with regrets over the unambitious choices of his youth that led him to a lifetime of mediocrity and despair. Niihama literally works himself to an untimely death, but in this case “untimely” is an especially apt description because instead of traveling to the afterlife, Niihama resurrects 14 years earlier in his own life. Suddenly reborn as his 16-year-old self with 30 years of knowledge and life experience, Niihama decides to not waste his precious opportunity. By being more assertive, more diligent, and more outgoing he may be able to improve the future prospects of his life and, more importantly, save not just his relationship with his first love but also literally save her life.
Based on Yuuji Keino’s 2020 web novel series Inkya na Jinsei wo Koukaishinagara Shinda Black Kigyou Kinmu no Ore (30) ga Koukou Jidai kara Yarinaoshi! Shachiku Chikara de Seishun Revenge shite Tenshi Sugiru Ano Ko ni Kondo koso Suki dato Tsugeru!, illustrator Ise Ebi Boil’s manga adaptation is immediately striking as a good-looking comic. Characters are drawn in distinctive manga style with an anime influence. Backgrounds and scenario props are thorough and detailed. Line-work is sharp and crisp. And the manga amply uses screentones to add depth and texture. The graphic art alone does a great job of visually expressing action and emotion the way effective comic art should. Original Japanese visual sound effects are left intact and translated innocuously in-text. Yuuji Keino’s original script, however, lacks nuance and any degree of subtlety. The story is rather heavy-handed exposition, often repeating the same ideas multiple times to express plot developments and motivations with sledgehammer finesse. Fully half of the first manga covers slightly more than one day in-story, so readers don’t get much opportunity to feel variety in the characters’ personalities. Readers see the characters’ actions, and the story dictates to readers how characters should be interpreted, but the first half of the manga leaves little opportunity for readers to make up their own minds, and minimal opportunity for readers to naturally empathize with the characters.
The manga story includes scenes of school bullying and references to suicide. While these themes are handled tastefully and are necessary for the story development, sensitive readers may wish to at least know in advance that the book contains such content. As a juvenile slice-of-life story, the first manga does not contain any offensive language, nudity or sex, or any significant depictions of violence.
The official English language translation from One Peace Books is functional but occasionally feels slightly stiff. A word balloon on page two seems to be missing the preposition “of,” which creates the sensation of the translation being a bit turgid right from the outset. Moreover, frequently the translation seems to struggle to fit within the pre-existing panels and word balloons, sometimes forcing single words to be split into two or even three lines. The English translation deliberately uses different fonts to distinguish different speakers, internal dialogue, spoken dialogue, and the protagonist’s running narration, changes in emotional intensity, and dialogue from the past versus the present. The alternating font choice is intentional but not well-executed. The very first font used within the book is jarringly stiff, and at first the changes in font seem practically arbitrary. Even within the same conversation, a single character’s speech can use two different fonts. Visually the rapid alternation in fonts makes the translation look like an experimental fan translation rather than an elegant professional production.
Tonally and conceptually The Revenge of My Youth falls in-between authors Ichigo Takano & Yui Tokiumi’s Orange and Kei Sanbe’s “Erased” (Boku dake ga Inai Machi) although The Revenge of My Youth is, at least initially, blunter and more straightforward than its predecessors. The scenario within the first manga volume is highly accessible because it deals with universal sentiments and a universal idealization of first love. Niihama, the story’s protagonist, is a good person who was dealt a bad hand in life. Karma has given him an exclusive redo, so kind-hearted Niihama dives into the opportunity to turn around not only his own future but the lives of his mother, younger sister, and the angelic first girl he fell for in high school. Readers who are curious about The Revenge of My Youth: Re Life with an Angelic Girl should have no reason to hesitate approaching the title. Readers who are new to Japanese romantic and dramatic manga may find that The Revenge of My Youth is an excellent primer for the genres, a good introduction to the differences between typical American comics and young adult fiction to the tropes and themes of typical Japanese manga storytelling. Experienced manga readers seeking a multi-layered, nuanced story may find that the first volume of The Revenge of My Youth doesn’t quite provide the depth and breadth of characterization that they’re longing for.
John’s Picks for 2024’s Best TV Anime 1 Jan 1:46 PM (3 months ago)
Since at least 2001 I’ve deliberately tried to sample as many of the new anime TV and web titles released in Japan each year as I could access. I like knowing about anime. And I find that first-hand experience is useful because occasionally new series surprise me by being vastly different from my expectations. A case in point is 2024’s Duel Masters Lost: Tsuioku no Suishou, a show that exhibits almost no similarity at all to the prior 22 years’ worth of Duel Masters anime. I consider “new” anime titles ones with literal title changes or new seasons that re-start their official episode numbering from one. By those criteria, I counted 228 “new” anime and web series that premiered in 2024. Doubtlessly my count misses a few obscure titles. My count also excludes non-Japanese productions aired on Japanese television during 2024 including Hyakuyoufu (Bai Yao Pu), Rekka Gyoushuu (Liehuo Jiao Chou), and Shita no Kai ni wa Mio ga Iru (Aishang Ta de Liyou), to name a few. Of those 228 “new” titles, I was able to sample at least one episode each of 225 of them during 2024 (plus about three hours into 2025). The three “new” 2024 shows that I didn’t watch any of were Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Aruiwa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen season 2, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha 20th Anniversary Selection, and Sylvanian Families: Flare no Piece of Secret.
In my observation, 2024 was an anime year comparable to 2016 through 2018 and 2023, years with a lot of new titles yet few brilliant breakthroughs. Across the web, many critics have acclaimed Kusuriya no Hitorigoto and Sousou no Frieren among the best anime series of 2024. Both titles are excellent, but neither of them premiered in 2024.
I’m fond of spotlighting new anime that were unique, creative, and exceptional. Natsume Yuujincho was great in 2024, but it was also the seventh season of a show that’s been consistently great. Hibike Euphonium may have been beautiful in 2024, but it’s also the third season of a show that’s always been gorgeous, so it’s hardly unique. Using my subjective standards, four new 2024 series deserve mention, along with two runners-up.
Dandadan from acclaimed, eclectic production studio Science Saru, falls just short of being a home run due to its frustrating cliffhanger non-ending. (A second season is coming.) Dandadan manages to be wildly stylized yet simultaneously grounded. The characters are clearly scripted, artificial creations yet still feel like fully rounded, dynamic humans. The show is zany and ultra-kinetic nearly to a fault, yet it also has a heart, an emotional and affecting undercurrent that’s predictable yet still effective at hitting viewers’ heartstrings. From characterization to story development to action to animation quality Dandadan delivers everything that viewers instinctively expect from the wild and crazy foreign art form known as anime.
Jiisan Baasan Wakagaeru seems to be one of 2024’s overlooked little gems. This heartfelt and charming modern folktale is rooted in the traditional Japanese Momotaro myth and is steeped in modern Japanese culture and social philosophy. A show that could have very easily been a redundant one-trick pony is uplifting and rewarding, consistently delivering a sense of loving joy and respectful nostalgia for family loyalty, loving devotion, the rewards of hard work, and living life to the fullest.
NegaPosi Angler takes a vastly different modernist approach to similar themes. The series uses fishing as a symbol for whatever singular passion gets us through the stresses and anxieties of our daily lives. When all looks bleak, there’s still something to live for, no matter how simple, mundane, or personal that rationale is. And the show serves as an illustration that even though every human is broken or inadequate in some way, we all have a support system that’s willing to pick us up off the ground, even if that support system is total strangers or (in the case of NegaPosi Angler, literal) ships passing in the night. At a more technical level, NegaPosi Angler is populated by a great, dynamic cast of characters, beautiful art design, and a strong sense that series director Yutaka Uemura is personally an avid fisherman.
I’m personally very fond of anime that enlighten niche aspects of Japanese culture. Japan has previously produced anime starring VTubers such as Virtual-san wa Miteiru, Stars*Collection, and Holo no Graffiti, and at least one series about a VTuber-in-training, Kizuna no Allele, but 2024’s VTuber Nanda ga Haishin Kiri Wasuretara Densetsu ni Natteta is unique in anime history for providing such an incisive look inside the sub-culture of Japanese VTuber fandom. While the show is filled with anime references and in-jokes, the show is equally rife with examples and instances of exclusive VTuber fandom slang, perspective, and personality. The show gives “normie” anime viewers a window into a niche culture within an already niche fandom. Moreover, the VTuber Legend anime was clearly a labor of love for its production staff. The show exhibits unusually strong animation quality and art design, and even each episode’s ending credits scenes and music are entirely exclusive.
The first of two 2024 anime series that didn’t quite reach the pinnacle of my selection but still warrant mention is Yubisaki to Renren. Although not especially common, anime about handicapped characters aren’t especially rare. Most of them, like Hurdle, 5-tou ni Naritai, and Momoko, Kaeru no Uta ga Kikoeru yo, are formal educational anime productions. The beloved feature film Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice) and the two Ousama Ranking television series are examples of better-known, more mainstream productions. Yubisaki to Renren takes the traditional approach of shoujo romance anime like Kimi ni Todoke and Ao Haru Ride and applies it to college students, adding the unique twist that the protagonist is deaf. The 2004 Makasete Iruka! OVA was heavily touted for featuring authentic sign language, but the use of sign in the OVA was actually minor and sidelined. Signing is a prominent, central conceit of A Sign of Affection, making the show somewhat unique. But like so many shoujo romance anime, Yubisaki to Renren develops its story so slowly that it feels non-committal even when it does depict concrete relationship developments.
Shoushimin Series capably treads a fine line between pretentious and satirical. The show, and particularly its two primary characters, seem terribly self-serious, yet they also know that they’re being conceited. The series is ostensibly about solving mysteries, yet the mysteries are almost always trivial or insignificant. The characters challenge each other and themselves to unravel mysteries as a form of friendly teasing and an idiosyncratic, peevish way of amusing themselves. In addition, the show has a lovely, vivid art design featuring highly cinematic editing. And once again demonstrating the show’s own pretentious bias, the show isn’t shy about making its editing over-obvious. In effect, the show is a dry, witty, and cynical joke, one that puts a wry smile on the viewers’ face when the viewer understands the fundamental absurdity and silliness of the show’s concept.
2024’s New Anime Series:
0 Saiju Start Dash Monogatari
2.5-jigen no Ririsa
30-sai made Doutei da to Mahou Tsukai ni Narerurashii
Acro Trip
Ageo to Time
Akuyaku Reijou Level 99 ~Watashi wa Ura-Boss desu ga Maou dewa Arimasen~
Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi
Ao no Exorcist Shimane Illuminati-hen
Ao no Exorcist: Yuki no Hate-hen
Ao no Hako
Ao no Miburo
Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou 3rd Season
Asatir 2: Mirai no Mukashi Banashi
Astro Note
Atashin’chi Next
Ateuma Chara no Kuse shite, Super Darling Ouji ni Chouai sareteimasu.
ATRI-My Dear Moments-
Bananya: Around the World
Bartender: Kami no Glass
Blue Archive the Animation
Boku no Tsuma wa Kanjou ga Nai
Boukyaku Battery
BUCCHIGIRI?!
Bye Bye, Earth
CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD Divinez
Chi. -Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite-
Chibi Godzilla no Gyakushuu 2nd Season
Chiyu Mahou no Machigatta Tsukaikata
Chou Futsuu Ken Chiba Densetsu
Dandadan
Date-a-Live V
Dekisokonai to Yobareta Motoeiyuu wa Jikka kara Tsuihou sareta node Sukikatte ni Ikiru Koto ni Shita
Delico’s Nursery
Dosanko Gal wa Namara Menkoi
Dragon Ball Daima
Duel Masters LOST: Tsuioku no Suishou
Dungeon Meshi
Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka V: Houjou no Megami-hen
Dungeon no Naka no Hito
Egumi Legacy
Elf-san wa Yaserarenai.
Enter the Garden [web anime]
FAIRY TAIL: 100 Years Quest
Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf [Netflix anime]
Gekai Elise
Gekkan Mousou Kagaku
Gendai Goyaku
Giji Harem
Gimai Seikatsu
Girls Band Cry
Goukon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi
Grendizer U
Grimm Kumikyoku [Netflix anime]
Haigakura
Hamidashi Creative
Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai
Hari Maware! Koinu
Hazurewaku no “Joutai Ijou Skill” de Saikyou ni Natta Ore ga Subete wo Juurin suru made
Henjin no Salad Bowl
Hibike! Euphonium 3
HIGHSPEED Etoile
Hime-sama “Goumon” no Jikan desu
Himitsu no Aipli
Hitoribocchi no Isekai Kouryaku
Hoshifuru Oukoku no Nina
Housou-Shitsu no Chaku-Gurumi garu [web anime]
Idolmaster Shiny Colors 2nd season
Isekai de Mofumofu Nadenade suru Tame ni Ganbattemasu.
Isekai Shikkaku
Isekai Yururi Kikou ~Kosodateshinagara Boukensha Shimasu~
Ishura
Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun 2nd STAGE
Jantama Kan!!
Jiisan Baasan Wakagaeru
Kabushikigaisha Magi-Lumière
Kagaku × Bouken Survival!
Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi
Kaiju 8-gou
Kami no Tou 2nd season
Kami wa Game ni Ueteiru.
Kankin Kuiki Level X
Karasu wa Aruji wo Erabanai
Katsute Mahou Shoujo to Aku wa Tekitai shiteita.
Kekkon suru tte, Hontou desu ka
Kekkon Yubiwa Monogatari
Kenka Dokugaku
Kidou Senshi Gundam: Fukushuu no Requiem [Netflix anime]
Kimi to Boku no Saigo no Senjou, Aruiwa Sekai ga Hajimaru Seisen season 2
Kimi wa Maid-sama.
Kingdom 5th season
Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin-hen
Kinoko Inu
Koi wa Futago de Warikirenai
Koneko no Chii: Ponponra Natsuyasumi [Netflix anime]
Kono Sekai wa Fukanzen Sugiru
Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 3
Kumaba
Kumarba season 2
Kuromi’s Pretty Journey: Escape from the Multiverse! [web anime]
Kuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-hen
Kyuujitsu no Warumono-san
Loop 7-kaime no Akuyaku Reijou wa, Moto Tekikoku de Jiyuu Kimama na Hanayome Seikatsu wo Mankitsu suru
Love Live Superstar 3rd Season
Lv2 kara Cheat datta Motoyuusha Kouho no Mattari Isekai Life
Maarui Kanojo to Zannen na Kareshi
Madougushi Dahliya wa Utsumukanai: Kyou kara Jiyuu na Shokunin Life
Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha 20th Anniversary Selection
Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete
Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei 3rd season
Mahoutsukai ni Narenakatta Onnanoko no Hanashi
Majo to Yajuu
Make Heroine ga Oosugiru!
Maou 2099
Maou no Ore ga Dorei Elf wo Yome ni Shitanda ga, Dou Medereba Ii?
Maougun Saikyou no Majutsushi wa Ningen datta
Maou-sama, Retry! R
Mato Seihei no Slave
Mayonaka Punch
Mecha-Ude
Meiji Gekken: 1874
Meitou “Isekai no Yu” Kaitaku-ki ~Arafou Onsen Mania no Tensei Saki wa, Nonbiri Onsen Tengoku Deshita~
Metallic Rouge
Mirai no Kuromakukei Akuyaku Reijou Moriarty no Isekai Kanzen Hanzai Hakusho
Mob kara Hajimaru Tansaku Eiyuutan
Modaete yo, Adam-kun
Momochi-san Chi no Ayakashi Ouji
Monogatari Series Off & Monster Season
Murai no Koi
Murder Mystery of the Dead
Nageki no Bourei wa Intai shitai
na-nare hana-nare
Natsume Yuujinchou Shichi
Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?
NegaPosi Angler
Neko ni Tensei shita Ojisan
Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi
Nijiyon Animation 2
Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha
Nyaaaanvy [web anime]
Oi! Tonbo
Okaimono Panda!
One Room, Hiatari Futsuu, Tenshi-tsuki.
Ookami to Koushinryou: merchant meets the wise wolf
Ore dake Level Up na Ken
Ore wa Subete wo “Parry” suru: Gyaku Kanchigai no Sekai Saikyou wa Boukensha ni Naritai
Oroka na Tenshi wa Akuma to Odoru
Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi, Jitsu wa Saikyou ni Tsuki
Pochars
Pon no Michi
Puniru wa Kawaii Slime
Punirunes 2
Raise wa Tanin ga Ii
Ramen Akaneko
Ranma 1/2
Re:Monster
Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 3rd Season [continues numbering]
Rekishi ni Nokoru Akujo ni Naru zo
Rick and Morty: The Anime
Rinkai!
Rising Impact [Netflix anime]
Roly Poly Peoples
Saijaku Tamer wa Gomi Hiroi no Tabi wo Hajimemashita.
Sai-Kyo-Oh! Zukan: The Ultimate Battles
Saikyou no Shienshoku “Wajutsushi” de Aru Ore wa Sekai Saikyou Clan wo Shitagaeru
Saikyou Tank no Meikyuu Kouryaku ~Tairyoku 9999 no Rare Skill-mochi Tank, Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareru~
Sand Land: The Series
Sasaki to Pii-chan
Sasayaku You ni Koi wo Utau
Sayonara Ryuusei, Konnichiwa Jinsei
Seirei Gensouki 2
Seiyuu Radio no Uraomote
Sengoku Youko
Senpai wa Otokonoko
Sentai Daishikkaku
SHAMAN KING FLOWERS
SHIBUYA?HACHI
Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan
Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shimashita 2nd
Shin Tennis no Ouji-sama: U-17 WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL
Shinkalion: Change the World
Shinmai Ossan Boukensha, Saikyou Party ni Shinu hodo Kitaerarete Muteki ni Naru.
Short Anime Daisakusen
Shoushimin Series
Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku?
Snack Basue
Sokushi Cheat ga Saikyou Sugite, Isekai no Yatsura ga Marude Aite ni Naranaindesu ga.
Suicide Squad Isekai
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II
Sylvanian Families: Flare no Piece of Secret
Tadaima, Okaeri
Taishou Itsuwari Bridal: Migawari Hanayome to Gunpuku no Mouai
Tasogare Out Focus
Tasuketsu
Tensei Kizoku, Kantei Skill de Nariagaru
Tensei Shitara Dainana Ouji Datta node, Kimama ni Majutsu wo Kiwamemasu
Tensui no Sakuna-hime
Terminator Zero [Netflix anime]
The Fable
The iDOLM@STER Shiny Colors
THE NEW GATE
Togane! Omatsuri-bu
Tohai – Ura Rate Mahjong Tohai Roku
Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san
Tonari no Youkai-san
Tono to Inu
Tougane! Chronicle
Touken Ranbu Kai: Kyoden Moyuru Honnouji
Trillion Game
Tsue to Tsurugi no Wistoria
Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu 2nd Season
Tsuma, Shougakusei ni Naru.
Uji ni wa Monogatari ga Aru [web anime]
Unnamed Memory
Vampire Dormitory
VTuber Nanda ga Haishin Kiri Wasuretara Densetsu ni Natteta
WIND BREAKER
Wonderful Precure
Yami Shibai season 12
Yami Shibai season 13
Yarinaoshi Reijou wa Ryuutei Heika wo Kouryakuchuu
Yoasobi Gurashi
Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai
Youkai Gakkou no Sensei Hajimemashita!
Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e 3rd season
Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen
Yubisaki to Renren
YuruCamp season 3
Yuuki Bakuhatsu Bang Bravern
John’s End of 2024 Imports Unboxing 28 Dec 2024 5:55 AM (3 months ago)
I show & tell five recent small orders received from Mandarake & Suruga-ya.
A Lost Dirty Pair Discovered 15 Dec 2024 9:49 AM (4 months ago)
The Lovely Angels, a pair of “trouble consultants” employed by the WWWA (World Welfare Works Association) are Kei & Yuri. They’re experts at their job, yet accidents, collateral damage, and disaster seem to coincidentally occur wherever they take action, leading to the girls earning the dreaded nickname “The Dirty Pair.” Author Haruka Takachiho seminal girls with guns series premiered as an illustrated prose story in the February 1979 issue of S-F Magazine. In March 1983 an anime feature film adaptation of Crusher Joe, another of Takachiho’s sci-fi novel series, hit Japanese movie theaters. In the ’83 Crusher Joe movie, the Joe team watch a drive-in movie. That movie features “The Dirty Pair,” marking Kei & Yuri’s first animated appearance. Two years after studio Nippon Sunrise animated Crusher Joe, the studio launched the 26-episode (24 broadcast episodes plus 2 OVA episodes) Dirty Pair anime television series in July 1985. The series was voted best anime production of 1985 by Animage Magazine readers, thus winning the year’s Animage Anime Grand Prix award, placing Dirty Pair in the company of other annual Anime Grand Prix award winners including Mobile Suit Gundam, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, My Neighbor Totoro, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Select episodes of the TV anime were adapted into manga form by Kazunari Ikeda and published in Monthly Shonen Magazine from June through November 1985.
The success of the ’85 Dirty Pair television anime rolled into the December 1985 release of the hour-long “Affair of Nolandia” OVA, a production more closely aligned to the tone and style of Takachiho’s original novels than the comical and satirical television series. The style of the television series anime resurrected in the November 1986 Dirty Pair Movie, widely known by its unofficial nickname “Dirty Pair: Project Eden.”
After a year hiatus, the Dirty Pair returned in a 10-episode OVA series that released from December 1987 through April 1988. After another short break, the pair returned to anime form again in January 1990 with the hour-long Flight 005 Conspiracy OVA.
Canadian translator Toren V. Smith’s translation firm Studio Proteus acquired rights to adapt The Dirty Pair. Smith on scripting and Adam Warren on illustration duty published their first original American Dirty Pair comic book in December 1988. The moderately successful series ultimately lasted 28 issues spread across six mini-series, an 8-page story originally published in the 1994 San Diego Comic Con Comics issue 3, and the “Start the Violence” story originally serialized in Dark Horse Comics Presents issues 132-134.
Although Haruka Takachiho continued to regularly publish Dirty Pair chapters that would be compiled into novels, the Lovely Angels in other media went dormant for four years before returning in the revamped reboot Dirty Pair Flash. The “Flash” redesign was a bit controversial among fans but ultimately proved successful enough to spawn three OVA series totaling 16 episodes, a single-volume manga adaptation by Hisato Makihara, and a single-volume “Dirty Pair Flash DX” manga story by Takemaru Ohno.
A 26-episode weekly streaming internet radio drama titled “Lovely Angel: Kei & Yuri” broadcast from October 1, 2006 until April 1, 2007. Reportedly the FM Osaka radio network’s “Itokubo Party Road” program included a weekly 10-minute Dirty Pair radio drama; however, I’ve been unable to pin down the year this series broadcast nor any other specific details about it.
FM Osaka also broadcast the “Dirty Pair 91: Kunoichi” radio drama on October 15, 2007. The two-hour broadcast consisted of two six-chapter stories written by Haruka Takachiho that reimagined Kei & Yuri as 18-year-old ninja in 1791 Japan. The broadcast was re-broadcast in April 2009.
The Dirty Pair resurrected in manga form once again in the “Great Adventure of Dirty Pair” manga by Hisao Tamaki published in Monthly Comic Ryu from May 2010 through July 2011.
The most recent official iteration of The Dirty Pair appeared from November 29 to December 26, 2022 in the form of the Alice Gear Aegis & Dirty Pair Collaboration “Glory to the Galactic Partners (Pairs)! ~A Lovely Maiden and a Captain Are in Action!!~.” 1985 television series character designer Tsukasa Dokite drew the new character designs for the smartphone game cross-over.
The Discovery
By random chance I stumbled across the existence of another practically lost iteration of The Dirty Pair, the short-lived “Dirty Pair Peace Maker” manga by Tokiichi Ouma. The November 2001 first issue of publisher Fujimi Shobo’s manga magazine Dragon HG contained a 9-page preview of Tokiichi Ouma’s cyberpunk action manga story. Dragon HG issues 2 & 3 contained the first and second chapters of the manga. Dragon HG issue 4 contains a single-page apology illustration by Ouma explaining that he didn’t finish the month’s chapter in time for publication. Issue 5 contains Dirty Pair Peace Maker chapter 3, which ends with the promise that the story will continue in the next issue, but Dragon HG Magazine ceased publication after only five issues.
Dirty Pair Peace Maker seems to be practically entirely forgotten. The Japanese-language Wikipedia page for Dirty Pair contains no mention of it. A Yahoo Japan search for “Dirty Pair Peace Maker” in katakana brings up no significant matches or images. For Dirty Pair fans, the existence of Dirty Pair Peace Maker may be another novel footnote yet little more. The story appears to be a rather humorless straightforward sci-fi action story in which the Lovely Angels foil a villain attempting some sort of heist using a mecha tank. But in stopping the rampaging robot, cryogenic capsules containing three young girls get broken open. In a nod to Akira, the three girls are espers with monstrous, uncontrollable psychic power which they use against soldiers in a bloody massacre. The Dirty Pair have to clean up their mess by subduing and capturing the rogue girls. Kei & Yuri do succeed in beating up and apprehending the trio but seem frustrated over the way the children had been mistreated in the first place.
In Dirty Pair Peace Maker, Kei & Yuri are redesigned although Kei still has short hair while Yuri has long, straight hair. Kei relies on laser pistols while Yuri’s weapon of choice appears to be a long baton or sword that doubles as a whip. The girls also distinctly cover up, ditching their classic bikini uniforms. Both agents appear to be skilled hand-to-hand martial arts. Their WWWA supervisor in this iteration is female. The stylistic tone of the manga story feels indebted to the distinctive tone of late 90s and early 2000s sci-fi action anime including AD Police, DT Eightron, Generator Gawl, and Chouja Reideen that all featured spindly character designs and narrow, thin lines in their art design.
As far as I can tell, like Kazunari Ikeda’s original 1985 manga, Tokiichi Ouma’s Dirty Pair Peace Maker has never been reprinted and, in the 23 years since its publication, has become even more obscure than Ikeda’s 1985 manga. However, given its execution and short length, Dirty Pair Peace Maker seems more like a trivial novelty for hardcore Dirty Pair fans to seek out than a lost treasure to be rediscovered and re-evaluated.
On a side-note, Dragon HG issue 1 also contains the first and only manga appearance of Kenichi Sonoda’s very short-lived Wrestloid Baby project. The 8-page “Wrestloid Baby Prologue” manga story first published in Dragon HG issue 1 was later reprinted in the Sonoda Kenichi Shoki-tan manga anthology.
The Value of the “Sold Dirt Cheap” Manga 26 Sep 2024 1:27 PM (6 months ago)
The secret of the success of the “isekai” fantasy genre in Japanese comics and animation is the flexibility of the concept. Being teleported to or reincarnated into an alternate world allows for infinite possibilities. The alternate world may be primitive or futuristic, barbaric or paradisical, peaceful or war-ravaged. The person or people transported could be anyone and may become anyone or anything in their new world. So the isekai sub-genre also allows for crossing genres, for example, the horror western, the superhero romance, or mecha in a fantasy environment. Author Ryoma’s 2020 light novel series Class Saiyasune de Urareta Ore wa, Jitsu wa Saikyou Parameter falls into the same sub-genre camp as Magic Knight Rayearth, Aura Battler Dunbine, Vision of Escaflowne, Knight’s & Magic, and Break Blade, to name a few: medieval worlds that have giant battling robots. Ryoma’s light novels have been popular enough to spin-off a manga adaptation. One Peace Books will be officially translating that manga, I Was Sold Dirt Cheap, But My Power Level Is Off the Charts!, for English-speaking readers. The first volume will be available on October 8.
Yuta, along with his classmates and teacher, are magically kidnapped to be sold as exclusive state-treasure-level slaves in the alternate world of Falva. Supposedly few natives of Falva possess enough “Ludea” magic to operate the world’s giant mechanical armor suits, but Earthlings frequently possess enough latent magic to pilot “magic suits.” Every member of Yuta’s class is separated and sold to a highest bidder except for Yuta, who is deemed to have so little “Ludea” that he’s discarded as expendable slave labor. Taking a page from the Am I Actually the Strongest? light novel series, the reality is that Yuta’s latent potential only looks small because his power level is so high that it can’t be accurately measured. His true potential emerges when he’s forced by circumstances to pilot a rare magic suit that no one else can use.
Artist Cambria Bakuhatsu Tarou’s manga adaptation of “I Was Sold Dirt Cheap” is a mixed bag, although not entirely due to the artist’s fault. At first glance, the manga is sharp and attractive looking. The line-work is crisp and precise, owing more inspiration to anime than typical manga. Backgrounds are frequently elaborate and highly detailed. However, Tarou periodically draws characters with odd or wonky body perspectives, and periodically a character’s facial expression doesn’t match the character’s emotion or dialogue. Tarou compensates for these periodic minor mistakes by distracting the reader’s attention with frequent use of dynamic, cinematic panels and shot angles.
The source narrative also introduces some flaws in logic and consistency. Once free of his indentured servitude, Yuta is unable to find a job because his Ludea rate is so low. But all the Falvan natives around him also have low Ludea rates, yet they’re able to secure normal jobs and thrive. This discrepancy is one that’s never addressed or explained because the reader isn’t supposed to notice this logical loophole in the original story. Supposedly natives of Flava who have enough magic capacity to pilot magic suits are scarce, yet in the story they seem to be actually quite commonplace. Minor inconsistencies also appear in specific instances. For example, a magic suit pilot refers to Yuta’s magic suit as “some antique garbage,” but according to the story, all of the magic suits on the planet of Flava are antiques. A brief scene in which Yuta pushes a circular lever is illustrated in such a way that in reality would not actually be possible.
A bigger possible weakness is the juvenile simplicity of the storytelling. When Yuta’s class is transported to the world of Falva, none of the students express any fear or anxiety even when they’re told that they’ll be sold as slaves. When Yuta is lumped in with poor, working-class slaves, the story cuts away from depicting what sort of work the slaves are tasked with. Fellow slave Nanami shows exceptional consideration and trust toward Yuta the very first time she lays eyes on him, with no reason given to explain her exceptional trusting kindness. Similarly, Yuta and his companions fall into complete trust with a total stranger because the plot needs to advance. When Yuta and Nanami become runaway slaves, there’s no pursuit and no consequence for their escape. Frequently and extensively the storytelling feels superficial and almost comically simplified although the manga doesn’t seem to be targeted at child readers.
One Peace Books’ localization is commendable. The English-language translation by Jamie Taber is organic and fluid. The first manga volume comes with its first four pages printed in glossy color, matching the original Japanese publication. The 200-page book contains the manga’s first five chapters. The first volume contains a few pages of non-graphic nudity and one scene of lightly bloody violence, making the manga volume suitable for most readers of any age.
The first manga volume of I Was Sold Dirt Cheap, But My Power Level Is Off the Charts! gets off to a bit of a slow start but eventually suggests hints of more complex and dramatic plot turns to come. Fantasy mecha titles aren’t especially common, so fans of the genre may want to check out this presentation. Likewise, devoted fans of the isekai sub-genre will find all their favorite familiar tropes represented within this story. The technical execution of the manga version of I Was Sold Dirt Cheap, But My Power Level Is Off the Charts! is more good than bad since the narrative does a good job of minimizing and distracting from its flaws and weaknesses. At least the first manga volume of “I Was Sold Dirt Cheap” isn’t the best or strongest isekai fantasy manga available; however, it gets enough right to likely satisfy most readers curious to plunge into its universe.
Welcome Home Nukozuke! 15 Sep 2024 5:30 AM (7 months ago)
Since the earliest days of civilization, humans have adored the cuteness and inscrutability of cats. Humans have welcomed cats into their homes as furry, four-legged members of the family. Yet throughout all of that time cat lovers have struggled to understand what cats are thinking, struggled to comprehend cat psychology. From the Egyptian cat god Bastet to the concept of the “cat burglar” to modern manga’s fascination with cat girls, humans have always wished for a breed of cat that was more human-like, which could communicate its thoughts in words that people could understand. Manga artist Iro Yugi used that inspiration to create his charming, easygoing slice-of-life manga series Nukozuke! One Peace Books will officially translate the manga for English-speaking cat lovers beginning September 24th.
The Nukozuke! story begins when perpetual part-time job-hopping Yuya Amane finds two stray cats on his way home from work. Except these two cats turn out to be nuko, a new species of “neko” (“cat”) that have evolved to adopt human-like characteristics. Yuya agrees to adopt the two evolved cats, and from there the peaceful lives of the new pet owner and the two house-cats becomes warmer, happier, and more fulfilling than ever before.
Young man Yuya lacks ambition but not talent. He’s friendly and well-liked, a good cook, a responsible dad to his two new pets, and also a bit of an irresponsible layabout, prone to sleeping in and frequent naps at wherever the impulse finds him at. So his new pet cats, the female black kitten Sasame easily mistaken for a boy, and the feminine-looking adult male calico nuko Kei, find that they have to take care of their owner just as much as he has to watch over them. Yuya gets just enough characterization to function as an endearing protagonist. The manga’s focus sits squarely where it should on the innocent and naïve Sasame and the cynical & short-tempered tsundere Kei. The majority of the first manga volume focuses entirely on the routines of Yuya and his new family members becoming more familiar with each other. Yuya learns the various ways in which nukos are cat-like and also human-like while the nukos themselves learn what life is like with a caring, considerate owner providing for them. The first manga volume doesn’t even begin to expand its cast until near the end of the book when Yuya’s next-door neighbor Yamato Kishimoto is introduced in chapter 19.
To be expected of a cute comedy manga, Iro Yugi’s illustration emphasizes cuteness within the artist’s loose, quick-sketch illustration style. Backgrounds are effectively drawn when necessary but sparingly used. The manga does a good job of keeping the eye engaged by employing extensive screen-tone and simple background effects that give the panels a sense of fullness and activity. One Peace Books’ localization retains Japanese visual sound effects with in-panel translations. The translation by Laura Egan is fluid and natural while still retaining some of its original Japanese flavor in the form of references to Japanese culture including dekopons, tsukimi, hina-matsuri, nekojita, and the rabbit in the moon, and occasional unique phrasings such as, “Alarm of cuteness blast!” The translation includes two instances of the word, “assh*le!” but is otherwise entirely all-ages friendly. The 168-page book contains the manga’s first 24 short 8-page chapters, the additional 2-page story printed on the covers of the tankouban release, a bonus 10-page chapter of one-page strips, an author’s afterword, and a 2-page glossary of Japanese terms and references that appear within the book.
Readers who enjoy gentle, whimsical, slice-of-life comedy will settle into Nukozuke! instantly. Tonally readers that have enjoyed titles including Magical Nyan Nyan Taruto, My Roommate Is a Cat, Miss Shachiku and the Little Baby Ghost, and Poco’s Udon World will find similar pleasure in Nukozuke!
Classless Yet Not Hopeless 29 Aug 2024 5:38 PM (7 months ago)
The sword & sorcery tale has achieved prolific and prolonged popularity in Japan thanks to the genre constantly redefining itself with minor alterations. The protagonist’s nature and motivations routinely change. The protagonist might be a child or an elderly person; a swordsman, magic user, martial artist, merchant, or politician; a human, a zombie, a vampire, or any other variety of animal or monster. The protagonist may seek fame or fortune or popularity or vengeance or self-fulfillment. Into this menagerie falls author Shichio Kuzu’s 2017-2020 light novel series “Mushoku no Eiyuu: Betsu ni Skill Nanka Iranakattan Daga,” “Hero Without a Class: Who Even Needs Skills?!” The series’ popularity spun off a manga adaptation, coming soon to English language readers from One Peace Books, and even an anime television series. One Peace Books will release the first officially English translated volume of the Hero Without a Class: Who Even Needs Skills?! manga on September 10.
The Scenario:
Young boy Arel grows up in a world where a goddess grants every human a skill or talent upon turning ten-years-old. The world’s human society respects these god-given talents as a sign of status and respect. Those who engage their assigned talent contribute to society. Those with rare talents are revered as elites. Arel, however, believes that hard work and diligent practice build the best skills. And his belief is put to the test when he’s revealed to have received no divine gift. Arel sets off to become a top-class adventurer in a world that already believes him powerless and worthless.
The Manga:
Akio Nanae began adapting Shichio Kuzu’s light novel series into manga form in late 2018. The art design suggests that Nanae’s talent lies in character illustration. Characters are consistently distinctive and physically expressive. Background art is serviceable but not especially common. The manga relies on screentone backgrounds and speed lines to keep its focus frontlined. The first manga volume contains several swordplay action scenes. These scenes do a fine job of orienting the reader to what’s going on; however, the battle scenes are frequently brief and lack some visual detail. The first manga volume contains the story’s first six chapters, two pages of 4-koma omake, an eight-page prose bonus story by original author Shichio Kuzu, and an afterword by manga artist Akio Nanae. The manga is generally suitable for readers of all ages as it doesn’t contain any graphic sex, nudity, or gratuitous violence. The manga’s initial three pages that were originally published in color in Japan are reprinted here in monochrome. But the presentation is rich enough in tone and resolution that the average reader won’t notice the absent color.
The Translation:
I was provided an advance digital copy of the book for review. I was led to believe that the copy I reviewed was identical to the forthcoming retail release.
One Peace Books typically strives to publish respectable, professional quality translations of Japanese literature. The presentation of this first volume of the “Hero Without a Class” manga unfortunately seems a bit sloppy. The translation is mostly fluid and faithful. but occasionally lines are slightly awkward, such as, “Will you show me them, Mom?” rather than a more natural, “Will you show them to me, Mom?” and a questionable use of “onto” instead of “on to.” The book also contains one minor typo, an instance of “and” instead of “an.” But other discrepancies in the translation are more prominent and distracting. Throughout chapter two, multiple characters refer to Reiner as a male, yet, without explanation, in chapter 3 Arel abruptly switches to referring to Reiner as female then switches back to referring to her as a male.
Visual sound effects are retained in original Japanese; however, the in-panel English translations are odd gibberish including “i sbbshi G,” “stvnfi,” and “vs woenfi.”
Font selection and use throughout the book is inconsistent and sadly looks a bit cheap. In some instances, changes in font are used to express differences in tone or expression. However, occasionally word balloons include distracting changes in fonts for seemingly no reason. Even the prose bonus story alternates between different font sizes for no reason.
Summation:
The first manga volume of Hero Without a Class: Who Even Needs Skills?! is a fine story for fans of the sword & sorcery sub-genre. The story is fairly briskly paced, and characters exhibit distinct personalities and quirks that I’m sure will grow more prominent and important as the story develops. The story itself presents a simple yet satisfying theme of hard work and self-confidence overcoming cheaply acquired skills. The manga’s art design varies in quality slightly but always maintains a passable professionalism. Unfortunately, in this instance, One Peace Book’s official English localization comes across a bit closer to an amateur fan translation effort due to a few careless inconsistencies and some small yet distracting flaws in the translation. The presentation means well but would have benefited from another round of editing.
Suruga-ya’s “Non-Genre” Grab Bag 6 Aug 2024 8:44 PM (8 months ago)
I discover what kind of stuff comes in one of Suruga-ya’s “non-genre” mystery boxes.
Was it worth it? In terms of quantity, yes. To satisfy my curiosity, yes. In terms of contributing to my collection, not really. For $55 you get literally hundreds of items, but how many of those items are relevant or significant to you is highly “mileage may vary.”
Suruga-ya’s Doujinshi Grab Bags 31 Jul 2024 5:28 PM (8 months ago)
Japanese second-hand goods retailer Suruga-ya is currently offering “lucky bags” (random lots) of 100+ Japanese doujinshi for about $20, often with free international shipping.
I have no affiliation with Suruga-ya. I just think these grab bag lots are neat.
June 2024 Mandarake & Surugaya Order Unboxing 29 Jun 2024 6:53 AM (9 months ago)
John’s show and tell of his latest purchases from Mandarake & Suruga-ya.
Ask John: Which Anime Have Opinions Reversed On? 22 Jun 2024 1:40 PM (10 months ago)
Question:
With the passage of time and changing circumstances, do you believe certain disliked anime have been vindicated?
Answer:
Less than two generations ago anime was such an unknown and unheard of medium in the United States that fans who were aware of it called it “Japanimation,” as a means of straightforwardly defining what it was. Since the foundation of US Renditions in early 1987 and AnimeEigo in 1988, American viewers have been exposed to a steadily and rapidly increasing amount of Japanese animation, resulting in the perspectives and tastes of American fans evolving and maturing with experience. I don’t think I can say that any anime title has ever undergone a complete reversal of reputation among American otaku. But in a few cases, opinions do seem to have come around.
In 2005 AD Vision was charged with the production of an English-friendly release of Studio Pierrot’s 2000 anime series Gakko no Kaidan, known in English as “Ghost Stories.” According to English dub producer Steven Foster, ADV Films made the “business decision,” “It’s a little show from a studio, kinda didn’t do very well, what if we just give it to Steven and say ‘knock yourself out, just go crazy.’” So, “We made it up as we went along and it was so wonderful; it was great that we got Best Dub of the Year from Anime Insider.” Despite the fact that the 2000 Gakko no Kaiden anime was part of longer and larger franchise of novels, live-action movies, and video games all based on the same traditional Japanese mythology that underpinned anime including High School Mystery Gakuen Nanafushigi, Haunted Junction, and various iterations of Toile no Hanako-san, the anime wasn’t respected enough to be considered deserving of a faithful dub translation. Granted, licensor Fuji TV reportedly gave ADV few restrictions on its translation and allowed the studio to “go wild with it.” However, in January 2024 the liberal English dub of Gakko no Kaiden became one of the primary illustrations (in addition to Kobayashi’s Maid Dragon) in a fan backlash against loose and “Americanized” script translations. Granted, interest in the Gakko no Kaiden anime series among American viewers hasn’t increased, and the perception of the original show hasn’t changed much. But the show, which was once considered so insignificant that it didn’t even merit serious treatment, has become a rallying point for the respectful and diligent treatment of imported art.
If my memory is accurate, at least one of the English voice actors behind AD Vision’s translation of 1998’s Nankai Kio Neoranga stated publicly that the show sucked. Furthermore, reportedly the official subtitle translation is inaccurate and periodically omits lines of the Japanese dialogue. As a result, throughout the early 2000s Neoranga had a poor reputation, primarily among Americans who hadn’t actually watched the show and instead mindlessly parroted the common criticism. However, in more recent years the American fan community has seemingly forgotten its old disregard for the show, resulting in more viewers watching the series with fresh eyes and discovering that the show is flawed yet ambitious and admirable for its rich characterizations, complex mythology, complicated storyline, and tendency to alternate between cheerful, playful comedy and dark, brutal, unpredictable drama. After all, the series was created by Sho Aikawa, the screenwriter behind Nadesico, Rahxephon, Oh! Edo Rocket, Un-Go, and Eureka Seven, among other titles.
For probably twenty years the 1986 OVA Souheiki M.D. Geist was a punching bag for American otaku. And thanks to John O’Donnell affectionately making the titular character the mascot of the Central Park Media licensing company, most of the anime licensed and distributed by CPM gained a reputation as third-rate productions. But in the years following the shuttering of CPM in 2009, absence has seemingly made the heart grow fonder, and the American fan community has re-evaluated M.D. Geist as a sort of “so bad it’s good” treasure.
Similarly, despite initially airing on Japanese television in 1974, Knack Production’s sci-fi action series Chargeman Ken went mostly overlooked and forgotten, even in Japan, until being rediscovered by Japanese otaku when the series hit Japanese DVD in 2007. The show was re-aired on Japanese television in 2008 and again in 2011. The ironic fame and infamy of the cheap, flawed, carelessly produced Japanese show became a viral sensation and meme among otaku in Japan, eventually bringing the show to the attention of Americans and leading to an American home video release in 2017. Chargeman Ken can only be called “good” in the sense of “so bad that it’s good,” so saying that the American attitude toward the show has evolved isn’t precisely correct. Rather, the show went from completely unknown and unheard of even among the most hardcore of American anime fans to getting an American DVD then Blu-ray release strictly inspired by the viral popularity of the show as a goofy meme.
While the selection of all of these titles is my own subjectivity, I’ll conclude by escalating my personal sentiment. AN Entertainment licensed, localized, and distributed the 2000 television series Miami Guns because I pushed for the acquisition. No one else at AnimeNation had ever heard of the title. I shared my “raw” VHS copies of the 13 episodes and emphasized the serendipity of being a Florida-based company distributing an anime set in a fictional Miami. While some proponents including Anime News Network (ANN) critic Bamboo Dong and Glass City Con organizer Chris Zasada expressed positivity and praise for the show upon its American release, other critics including ANN’s Mike Toole severely criticized it. Twenty years after the American DVD release, I now feel gratified to see the show earning a respectable 6.9 IMDB score, a reddit thread titled “Miami Guns: The best cop show parody you’ve never heard of!” and viewer reactions including, “I have to defend this anime after a lot of people were telling me how crappy it was… Miami Guns manages to hit far more than it misses.”