Category: Manga of the Month

Manga of the Month: Genshiken

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Genshiken (げんしけん) by Kio Shimoku

narutaki_icon_4040 Convention season always puts Genshiken back on my mind. This year though, Genshiken is officially back in the spotlight with a currently airing anime. Plus, here in the states we are slowly getting the new class’s story in manga form, and to top it off, Kodansha USA has also releasing omnibus editions of the original story.

Simply put, Genshiken is about the geeks that we all are and know, albeit a bit exaggerated. The story is centered around an otaku club in college where we encounter various personalities, relationships, struggles, hijinks, and, of course, geekery. From cosplay to doujinshi, from figures to eroge games; everything and more is referenced, discussed, argued over, and loved within the pages of Genshiken.

Genshiken truly begins when new student Sasahara joins the club as a freshman. It follows him over four years in the club as he gets to know its members, learns a lot about himself, and even becomes more of an otaku in the process. But Genshiken is truly an ensemble story that shines brightest when it is about the group dynamic of the club. Sadly (though not really), characters must graduate and move forward but that doesn’t mean Genshiken ends as new students are always knocking on the door of the club room looking for a friendly place to share their fandom.

In Genshiken, sometimes the stories are strange, sometimes the stories are very poignant, and these stories are always told with big dose of humor. The appeal of Genshiken is that you are part of the club. You may or may not see yourself as one of the characters, but you always see yourself within the context of their lives.

~ kate

Manga of the Month: Bamboo Blade

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Bamboo Blade (バンブーブレード)
by Masahiro Totsuka and Aguri Igarashi

hisui_icon_4040 Sports manga while well respected in the fan community is in general sales poison. Moe has a vocal dedicated fandom that talks with their wallets but in generally maligned by the critical fandom. But moe being this Sriracha sauce of anime can be combined with almost anything. But much like Sriracha sauce moe hardly goes with EVERYTHING despite what some advocates might tell you and adding it to some things turns some people away without question.

I don’t necessarily dismiss a series just because it adds moe elements despite not having a blanket approval for anything that incorporates it. This applies to the sports genre as well. Some manga like Saki and its derivatives positively bathe in the aesthetics and form making it an acquired taste indeed. But Bamboo Blade wisely avoids that pigeonholing and reaches out to a broader fandom.  At its heart Bamboo Blade is a manga about kendo and friendship first and foremost and a series about cute girls and their problem second. This lets the story appeal to more than a simple niche audience.

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Manga of the Month: X/1999

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X/1999 (X) by CLAMP

 The as yet unfinished masterpiece from CLAMP. Fate, tragedy, sacrifice, violence, and the rush toward the end of the world hit like waves which quickly sweep you deep into the story.

Following the death of his mother and a prophecy, Kamui returns to Tokyo seeking the means by which to change the fate of the world as armageddon is fast approaching. Two supernatural factions vie for control over the world’s destiny, both seeking the power of Kamui to reach their ultimate goals. And thus fights for power erupt all over Tokyo as Kamui is torn between friendship and the power to change the course of the Earth’s future.

A large cast makes up this epic as CLAMP interweaves the desperate battle for Earth with the relationships and personal stories of all involved. There is always someone new and interesting just around the corner, sometimes literally, in this story but be prepared to say goodbye to quite a few of them because death and destruction are present at every turn.

Everyone has their favorite CLAMP work and this is mine. I much prefer their earlier series where the art feels more tactical and less perfect.

This is a prime time to pick up X/1999 and enjoy all 18 volumes of beautiful art since VIZ has started releasing fantastic oversized omnibus editions which include color inserts.

As the years go by it becomes less and less likely that X/1999 will ever receive an ending in manga form. They should really consider doing it as a doujinshi!