Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18

Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18 by Rumiko Takahashi Note: This review contains SPOILERS for the first 15 volumes, so you might want to go back to earlier entries if you’ve missed one or more. Quick recap: Nanoka is a 21st century girl who was cursed by the cat ayakashi Byoki. She discovered that a certain… Continue reading Manga Review: Mao Volumes 16-18

Manga Review: Shonen Jump Weekly 2024

Manga Review: Shonen Jump Weekly 2024 by various creators It’s the twelfth anniversary of my blog, so time once again to look at Japan’s best-selling manga magazine, or at least the online version of it. 2024 has been another turbulent year for Jump, with both My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen ending. (I did a… Continue reading Manga Review: Shonen Jump Weekly 2024

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 8

Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 8 by Naoki Urasawa Note: There will be SPOILERS for earlier volumes of this series. If you don’t want to be spoiled, read those earlier volumes before reading this review. Quick recap: Asa Asada was kidnapped as a child, but a typhoon and a mysterious monster forced her and her kidnapper,… Continue reading Manga Review: Asadora! Volume 8

Manga Review: Tomorrow the Birds

Manga Review: Tomorrow the Birds by Osamu Tezuka Once upon a time, birds did not rule the Earth. That role was taken by the ape-creatures who called themselves “humans.” The humans enslaved birds, killed them for sport, even ate them! But then one day benevolent aliens saw our plight, and arranged to redress this injustice… Continue reading Manga Review: Tomorrow the Birds

Manga Review: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Volume 1

Manga Review: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Volume 1 Story by Hideyuki Furuhashi, Art by Betten Court. The world changed a few generations ago, when human beings started being born with mutations called “Quirks.” Quirks can be just about anything, from minor stuff like “has tail” to massive powers like “shoot out blasts of fire and… Continue reading Manga Review: My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Volume 1

Movie Review: The Living Skeleton

Non-living skeletons

Movie Review: The Living Skeleton (1968) directed by Hiroki Matsuno (Japanese title: Kyûketsu dokuro-sen (“Blood-sucking Skull Ship”) Three years ago, the freighter Dragon King was lost at sea, with no survivors. Among those who apparently perished were ship’s doctor Nishizato (Ko Nishimura) and his recent bride Yoriko (Kikko Matsuoka). Yoriko’s twin sister Saeko (Kikko Matsuoka) still mourns them,… Continue reading Movie Review: The Living Skeleton

Manga Review: Kitaro’s Yokai Battles

Manga Review: Kitaro’s Yokai Battles by Shigeru Mizuki Oh hey, I was missing one of the volumes of the Drawn & Quarterly Kitaro reprints! This one has an introduction that covers from 1966 to 1971. While the Hakaba no Kitaro series seemed like a good choice for animated adaptation, network executives thought it was too… Continue reading Manga Review: Kitaro’s Yokai Battles

Book Review: The Best of Analog

Cover art by Alex Schomburg.

Book Review: The Best of Analog edited by Ben Bova After the death of long-time editor John W. Campbell in 1971, Analog Science Fiction and Fact needed a new person at the helm. The winner of the selection process was Ben Bova (1932-2020), who intended to stay only a few years, those years winding up… Continue reading Book Review: The Best of Analog

Manga Review: Space Battleship Yamato the Classic Collection

Manga Review: Space Battleship Yamato the Classic Collection by Leiji Matsumoto It is the year 2199, and the Earth is dying. For a change, it’s not directly the fault of the Earthling humans. Invaders from the planet Gamilas have been bombarding Earth with radioactive bombs, poisoning the atmosphere. A message from a far off world,… Continue reading Manga Review: Space Battleship Yamato the Classic Collection

Manga Review: Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. #3

Manga Review: Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. #3 story by Sekka Iwata, art by Yu Aoki On an alternate Earth where magic was discovered/rediscovered fifteen years ago, magical monsters called Kaii menace the public. Combating these monsters are magical girls, young women with magitech brooms to fly on and wands that cast spells to bind and… Continue reading Manga Review: Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. #3