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Not sure if you all noticed but PW’s Comics Week recently ran an interview I conducted with mangaka duo Studio Kôsen. I got to meet the Spanish mangaka while they were in Tokyo. Aurora and Diana made the long trip to hit Japan’s hot-spots and share their work with manga makers/shakers. Somehow I was lucky enough to not only get them to squeeze some time for me in their busy schedule, but I was able to parlay the meeting into a full day of manga discussion and creation.
Immediately after the interview I was able to tag along as they went through a series of interviews and meetings with editors. We then went to dinner and drinks with one of the great “producers” of this era. Truly a great time and a testament to how far the two artists have come since they started back in 1998.
The interview itself was a hoot. The audio version is unedited and uncensored, showing a more personable side of Kôsen. They are not only talented but they are ambitious as well. They went to Japan ready to bring it and I think with a little more direction they will make their dreams come true.
We also talked about their newest series Daemonium from TOKYOPOP. I got a little bit of a bishounen Scooby Doo meets Kino’s Journey feel but I only got to experience a short sample of the series. Expect to see Daemonium this summer. In the meantime check out their newest artbook, Reflections, from Yaoi Press.
Interview with Studio Kôsen
Dates: 04/01/2008 13:00 - 23:00
Venue: Otowa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Guests:
Studio Kôsen
Aurora Garcia
Diana Fernandez
special guest translator… Mangaka Sumisu-kun
Special thanks to World Manga Inc for arranging the interview. I would also like to thank henshuu-sha Tabushi-henshuu, Ogawa-henshuu and KatsuO-henshuu for tolerating me as I tagged along trying to learn the tricks of editing from the masters.
This podcast was written and recorded by Ed Chavez for the MangaCast.
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Two from Vertical and two from Tezuka… And strangely enough I am not going with popular opinion with these two.
アポロの歌
by: 手塚 治虫
Dororo #1
by: Tezuka Osamu
Shonen Gahosha/Vertical/Shounen/Sex Ed - Romance - Rated 18+ - $19.99
The 70’s were a troubled time in Japan as they were across the globe. It was a time of revolution. Whether it was protests against the American military, organizing against Vietnam or a sexual revolution young people were struggling to get their voices heard!
One man, Chikaishi Shogo was struggling with his beliefs about love and romance. Shogo is fighting a one man battle against everything romantic. He hates it! He wants to destroy it! But as he finds himself alone and dives deep into his psyche, he realizes that without love life would be meaningless. And as someone who had a hard time with love, he might not be able to live long with others who embrace love.
どろろ 1
by: 手塚 治虫
Dororo #1
by: Tezuka Osamu
Shogakukan/Vertical/Shounen/adventure-action - Rated 13+ - $13.95
Hyakkimaru has not lived an easy life. He has no arms, no eyes, no ears, no legs, no…. But he has a heart and soul. He can feel the world around him more than the average person. And he can feel the undead as well.
Now Hyakkimaru’s deal with the undead is a personal one. His parts have been given to the gods and Hyakkimaru with his new friend Dororo are out to get what he was born with back! You have only one body and one life, you have to fight for it! Feel me?!
Click on badge to listen download the reviews (43min .mp3).
Up Next… Shoulder a Coffin, Kaze no Hana, TOTO, Honey & Clover
The Guin Saga, Book 1: The Leopard Mask
ISBN: 978-1-934287-05-7
The Guin Saga, Book 2: Warrior in the Wilderness
ISBN: 978-1-932234-81-7
Author: Kaoru Kurimoto
Price: 9.95 each
Vertical, Inc.
review may contain spoilers
Rinda and Remus, the last surviving princess and prince of Parros, ally themselves with Guin, a mysterious leopard-headed warrior, who swears to protect them from the Archduchy of Mongaul. As the three fight to stay free of Mongaul’s black knights, they eventually find themselves trapped in Stafolos Keep where Guin must find a way to keep the twins alive before the evil Black Count Vanon can consume their souls. In the second volume, Guin, the twins, a mercenary and a Sem, are being pursued by more troops from Mongaul. Crossing over into the country of Nospherus, a desert wasteland inhabited by ferocious monsters and deadly ape-men, the five manage to stay ahead of their captors. But their luck is running out, as the white and red knights grow ever closer.
At first, this high fantasy soap opera doesn’t seem that different from any other high fantasy soap opera. Tall, strong, mysterious, yet completely loyal stranger? Check. Strong of heart, weak of body prince/princess/priestess/mystic? Check. Wisecracking sidekick who may or may not be looking out for number one? Check. Forbidding landscape that is possibly more dangerous than the pursuers at our heroes backs? Check. All of the appropriate characters are in place. But the author handles them all in such a way that the characters, particularly Guin, are compelling, the action scenes are exciting, and the twins’ predicament is genuinely interesting. All this, plus a judicious use of cliffhangers, kept me reading what I was afraid was going to be a Japanese version of The Lord of the Rings.
Instead, these books have as much in common with action/adventure stories as they do with high fantasy, and the hybrid works. While the books don’t have the overhanging aura of dark foreboding that is so often found in more “serious” fantasy series, they also don’t slide into the silliness so common in lighter fantasy series like Asprin’s Myth books or Anthony’s Xanth series. The setting is developed quickly, without an intense amount of concentration placed upon world building, and the characters are clearly drawn and easy to remember. The scratchy artwork by Naoyuki Kato doesn’t give much detail as to what the characters or setting look like. Instead, the pictures help direct the mood while allowing the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest.
The translation is almost invisible, with only an occasional awkward word choice. The typeface used in volume one has a very strange letter g that is weirdly distracting, but the typeface has been changed in volume two, so should not be a problem as the series progresses. These two books are part of the “Marches Episode,” which is five volumes long and sets up a saga that is projected to last at least a hundred volumes. Book four has just been released from Vertical and book five is due out in July 2008.
Sure to appeal to teen readers, these books will also satisfy adult fantasy fans who want an epic story without too much weight or fluff.
It’s award season in Japan. Manga awards are being handed out left and right. CP has word on the Nihon Mangaka Kyokai Awards (we’ll get you covers tonight after the Giants game). Anime! Anime! covers the 2008 Tezuka Awards (images tonight…)
Latest award to be announced is the 32nd Kodansha Awards. Now quite often these publisher awards tend to often promote from within. At times it is hard to tell if they are rewarding quality or quantity. This time the KoSho is giving props to two from Kodansha (though I would picked something besides Shogo Chara!), and one from Shueisha and Shogakukan respectively.
32nd Kodansha Manga Awards
|
Best Shounen最強！都立あおい坂高校野球部 the Strongest! Shogakukan |
Best Shoujo君に届け Kimi ni Todoke Shueisha |
|
Best Children’sしゅごキャラ！ Shogo Chara! Kodansha/Del Rey |
Best Mangaもやしもん Moyashimon Kodansha |
The award winners receive a bronze statuette and a 1,000,000円. Awards will be handed out June 20th 6PM at the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka in Tokyo.
Winning Series of note:
1- Black Jack (Akita Shoten); Candy Candy
2- Seito Shokun
7- the Pumpkin Wine
8- Akira
9- Okashi na Futari
10- What’s Michael; Yuukan Club (Shueisha)
12- BeBop High School
13- Chibi Maruko-chan (Shueisha)
14- Silent Service
15- Hajime no Ippo; Kacho Shima Kosaku
17- Parasyte; Sailor Moon; 3×3 Eyes
19- Kindaichi Case Files
20- Shota no Sushi
21- Dragon Head
22- GTO; Kodomo no Omocha (Shueisha); Kaiji
23- Peach Girl; Wangan Midnight
24- Guru Guru Pon-chan; Vagabond
25- Love Hina; Fruits Basket (Hakusensha); 20th Century Boys (Shogakukan)
26- Cromartie High School; BECK; Antique Bakery; Zipang
27- Honey & Clover (Shueisha); Tramps Like Us
28- Nodame Cantabile; Basilisk
29- Sugar Sugar Rune; A Perfect Day for Love Letters
30- Kitchen Princess; Air Gear; LIFE; Mushishi
31- Sayonara Zetsubo-sensei; IS ~InterSexual~; Ookiku Furikabutte
italics = not licensed
異国色恋浪漫譚 by: やまねあやの
A Foreign Love Affair by: Ayano Yamane
Rated: 18+
Price: $15.95
801 Media - BL/Romance/Drama
Review May Contain Spoilers
Yay, it’s been a while since there’s been a new 801 Media release. Once again, we have a beautifully packaged book, with a striking dust jacket and a full color illustration featuring characters from “The Love Guide,” a bonus short included in the volume. The cover is quite lovely, with Ranmaru dressed in a provocatively disheveled kimono and fundoshi, and the dashing Al in his crisp uniform. Ah, all that eye candy.
“A Foreign Love Affair” finds our hot-tempered hero, Ranmaru, on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, newly married to Kaoru. Their’s is an arranged marriage, and neither party is especially thrilled with the nuptials. Kaoru has been forced to marry a younger man, which grinds on her nerves, and Ranmaru, the third underboss of a yakuza family, isn’t any happier with the union. The two fight during their first moments alone as man and wife, and Ranmaru finds himself thrown out of their stateroom. Bummer, dude! It’s supposed to be your honeymoon!
Into the picture steps Al, a handsome, drool worthy stranger intoxicated by all things Japanese. Before Ranmaru realizes what’s in store for him, he and Al share a passionate moment in Al’s cabin. It’s only while they are disembarking that Ranmaru learns that Al is the captain of the ship! Wow! Seems that Ranmaru received a little extra hospitality from the captain!
The characters in “A Foreign Love Affair” are fun and keep up a snappy stream of dialog. Ranmaru, with his insistence on dressing in his kimono, seems a little old-fashioned, and his attraction to another male just sets him off in a tail spin. He’s not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but that doesn’t stop Al from becoming smitten with the temperamental young man. When the two are together, fireworks explode, and when they are apart, Ranmaru always manages to get himself into one scrape after another. Good thing that Al is unflappable and able to rush to Ranmaru’s aid.
The secondary characters, Kauro and Gondoh, bring more comedic relief to the cast. Kauro is bitter about having to marry the younger Ranmaru, but nothing sets her teeth on edge quite like being referred to as “Big Sis.” To her, the words might as well be “Old Hag,” they get her that upset. She and Ranmaru have nothing in common, other than the ability to hurl insults at each other. Gondoh is Ranmaru’s rival from childhood, and he’s in love with Kaoru. Yet another battle lost to Ranmura, the lucky groom! Gondoh turned out to be a very likeable character, helping to save Ranmaru from the huge mess he’s managed to fall into.
I loved the fast pacing and the heated exchanges between Ranmaru and Al, but thought the rescue subplot was more than a little ridiculous. It did give Al a wonderful opportunity to arrive on the scene like a debonair secret agent, descending from a helicopter to save his beloved. The illustrations are gorgeous and allowed me to ignore some of the more outlandish story elements.
Also included was the much tamer “The Love Guide,” about a matchmaker and a reluctant bachelor. Takaoka, the hopeless bachelor, is a scientist more at home with his lab rats than with people. Serizawa is his earnest matchmaker, and the young man is determined to find the perfect match for his client. Does it matter if Serizawa ends up being his perfect match? Cute story with habitually escaping rats - who could resist?
Grade: B
This review was written by Julie for the MangaCast. Please drop by the Manga Maniac Cafe and check out the menu. There’s always tasty reviews on display!
Review copy provided by 801 Media
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