Category: Reviews

Manga of the Month: Penguin Revolution

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Penguin Revolution (ペンギン 革命) by Sakura Tsukaba

It is quite possible that everything, ever, by Sakura Tsukaba will eventually land here on Manga of the Month. Her heroines are a delight and I can’t say enough about her ability to meld romance and comedy with a little supernatural.

In Penguin Revolution, we meet Yukari a peppy, hard-working girl with an odd ability to see others’ potential to be a star which manifests as a pair of wings on their back. One day she runs into beautiful Ryouko whose wings shine brightly one moment but then become small sprouts. Their meeting quickly gets complicated when Yukari realizes Ryouko is actually Ryou, a guy dressed as a girl. Ryou is employed by famous talent agency Peacock which requires its members to disguise themselves so when Yukari discovers his identity he offers her a job as his manager (which actually requires her to dress as a man). Thus begins their journey through the entrainment world, friendships and rivalries, romance, and family drama.

The series is clearly over the top but the emotions resonate as do the characters. Yukari has a positive and infectious optimism, this is balanced out by Ryou who has great potential but is still a fledgling especially compared to many other members of the agency. Their’s is a slow building bond that begins with odd circumstances but becomes a trusting and true romance. This is a tame, fun, and sweet series with plenty of heart that can’t help but leave you with a smile.

Otakon 2011: The Guidebook App

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Anyone who has seen my pre-con schedule, then my con report, will note that my preliminary schedule is filled with nothing but dirty lies and broken promises. That is because I always change my plans at the con. Panel times change, events are canceled, I notice new things, an empty stomach calls, or sexy cosplay ladies need to converse with me (that last one has never happened, and probably never will, but it theoretically could happen). So I usually sit in any room of a con looking over the schedule trying to decide what to do next. This year since I recently obtained an iPod Touch, a new door was opened. I was able to enter the digital age with the Otakon Guidebook App. There was a decent amount of talk about the quality of this new app but the real question is did it live up to the buzz?

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Otakon 2011: Makoto Shinkai and Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below

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As far as directors go, Makoto Shinkai is one of my top choices to hear talk about his work. So imagine my delight when Otakon announced his first U.S. appearance would be right there in Baltimore. Despite being relatively young in the business, nine years, he has produced memorable and beautiful films. To top off his interactions with his fans, we were privileged to see the English-language premiere of his latest movie Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below.

There was one Japanese guest that everyone was looking forward to (unless you are a major Hetalia: Axis Powers fan) and that man was Makoto Shinkai. He is known for his mostly solitary work on Voices of a Distant Star, his longer work on The Place Promised in Our Early Days, and his stellar work on 5 Centimeters per Second. His distinct visual style and reoccurring motifs make him stand out in people’s minds. So when he came to the U.S. to promote his latest movie, Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below, even people outside of the normal mega geek blogging circles took notice. Narutaki was able to attend the premiere and a panel while I had a chance to hear him speak at the press conference.

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