Manga Review: Sanctuary

Manga Review: Sanctuary Story by Sho Fumimura, Art by Ryoichi Ikegami In the killing fields of Cambodia in the 1970s, two sons of Japanese expatriates helped each other survive and became blood brothers.  When they were brought back to Japan, the boys were disgusted by how stagnant and corrupt Japanese society had become.  They came… Continue reading Manga Review: Sanctuary

Anime for Speculative Fiction Fans (2015)

Once again this year I participated in the “Anime and Manga for Speculative Fiction Fans” panel at Minicon.  As promised at the panel, here’s a list of the items mentioned–I make no representations regarding the quality of the ones I have not seen. .hack:  A series of interlocking video games, anime, manga and light novels… Continue reading Anime for Speculative Fiction Fans (2015)

Manga Review: Master Keaton, Volume 1

Manga Review: Master Keaton, Volume 1 art by Naoki Urasawa, story by Hokusei Katsushika & Takashi Nagasaki Taichi Hiraga Keaton is a mild-looking fellow with a bumbling exterior personality.  You’d never guess that he’s a brilliant archaeologist, ex-SAS soldier and freelance insurance investigator.  He often takes leave of his day job as a poorly paid… Continue reading Manga Review: Master Keaton, Volume 1

Manga Review: Vinland Saga, Book Five

Manga Review: Vinland Saga, Book Five by Makoto Yukimura Warning: This review contains spoilers for the first four volumes of this series, so you may want to read the reviews for those if you are new to Vinland Saga. It has been a few years since the end of Thorfinn’s quest for vengeance on the man who… Continue reading Manga Review: Vinland Saga, Book Five

Manga Review: Bokurano (Ours)

Manga Review: Bokurano (Ours) by Mohiro Kitoh Fifteen middle-schoolers are at summer camp when they discover a seaside cave and decide to investigate.  Inside, they find a man called Kokopelli, who is surrounded by electronic gear.  He claims to be developing a new game where you pilot a giant robot to defend the Earth against… Continue reading Manga Review: Bokurano (Ours)

Manga Review: Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit

Manga Review: Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit by Motoro Mase In an alternate-history Japan, the government immunizes all children as they enter first grade.  But one in every thousand injection also contains a nanocapsule that lodges in the child’s heart.  and somewhere between age 18 and 24, will activate and stop that heart.  There’s a triple-blind… Continue reading Manga Review: Ikigami: The Ultimate Limit

Anime Review: Elfen Lied

Anime Review: Elfen Lied There is a secret laboratory off the coast of Kamakura, Japan.  There a naked woman wearing an eyeless helmet, codenamed “Lucy”, is undergoing experimentation.   When the helmet is damaged, allowing Lucy to see, she sets about freeing herself, slaughtering many of the lab’s personnel in the process.  Yes, even the… Continue reading Anime Review: Elfen Lied

Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book One

Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book One by Makoto Yukimura It is the Eleventh Century C.E., and Europe trembles in fear of the raiders from the north, who we would call Vikings.  This is the story of one such Viking, the youth Thorfinn Thorssen. This thick volume opens with a battle in the Frankish Kingdoms (later… Continue reading Manga Review: Vinland Saga Book One

Manga Review: The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

Manga Review: The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service by Eiji Otsuka & Housui Yamazaki. Five students at a Buddhist college discover that each of them has a talent or skill relating to death.  The corpse that brings about this revelation is restless, and they help it find peace.  In exchange it wills them just enough money… Continue reading Manga Review: The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service

Manga Review: Anesthesiologist Hana

Manga Review: Anesthesiologist Hana by Hakua Nakao and Kappei Matsumoto One of the manga genres that doesn’t get a lot of press in the US is “work manga”.  These are more realistic looks at an unusual career, showing the day-to-day life and challenges, as well as what it takes to get and keep the job.… Continue reading Manga Review: Anesthesiologist Hana