Manga Review: Samurai Harem Volume 3

Created by Yu Minamoto, Samurai Harem: Asu no Yoichi originally came out in Japan in 2006. The manga became a success and went on to garner more than ten volumes and even found itself animated a couple years later. Tokyopop got a hold of the license for release here in the States and they recently released the third installment.

True to its name Samurai Harem is basically a harem comedy. It features a nearly solitary male lead named Yoichi, who finds himself surrounded by beautiful girls everywhere he looks. Naturally awkward situations and fan-service rules apply, so if you have an affinity for dirty minded manga then by all means this is one for you. After all the book is rated Mature "Ages 18+" thanks to Moderate Sexuality, Non-Sexual Full-Body Nudity, Explicit Fanservice, and Mild Violence. In other words it's right up my alley!

In the third volume of Samurai Harem Yoichi and the girls head to an island resort for an all expenses paid vacation. This gives ample time for bikini shots, breast groping, and other awkward situations that end with Yoichi getting punched, slapped, or beaten into oblivion. It's a standard use of the humor and there's more eye-candy than story at the beginning, but it's all in good fun. There's a bit of a mystery surrounding Kagome's character and she simply doesn't want to go into the water for two reasons: she can't swim and her breasts are much larger than anyone expected.

In the second chapter of the book our heroes make their way to a hot-springs resort and find a place to relax. Unfortunately that’s short-lived as a story about a haunted cave surfaces and Ukyo and Sakon reveal themselves as masterminds of a nefarious trap. There are some rather entertaining moments here and ultimately the villain's trap blows up in their face. Ukyo's desire for Ikaruga gets the better of him and Sakon's disguise fails to fool both Yoichi and Ikaruga, though it's quite a sneaky thing to do.

After the bit that takes place in the cave it turns out that Ukyo and Sakon aren't quite done with the group. There're more traps to be sprung and a plot that involves Ryo making his way to the island to express his love for Ikaruga. Before this volume comes to a close it heads down some familiar territory with a traditional festival done in a way that only Samurai Harem could.

If you've seen Samurai Harem before then you already know what to expect in terms of both story, sense of humor, and Minamoto's art style. In so many ways the designs of this book truly stand out and both the characters and backgrounds are simply drop dead gorgeous. The expressions of the characters, the sense of action, the detail in clothing, and even the larger-than-life female forms are quite eye catching. Who would have thought that young teenage girls would be this voluptuous? Apparently Minamoto did.

From start to finish Samurai Harem: Asu no Yoichi volume three is full of laughs and plenty of action. The fan-service appeal, vibrant characters, and entertaining story stand out in many ways. If you read the first two books then this third installment should be a no-brainer. However, if you're new to the manga you'll definitely want to check out the first volume to see if it's your cup of tea. We've seen franchises like this before, and it's safe to say that they are an acquired taste.

Maki Rating:

DVD Review: Naruto Shippuden Box Set 1

In the world of anime there are just some franchises that stand out and develop more of a following than others. Shows like Dragon Ball and One Piece are prime examples of that, but when you're talking about series of that magnitude you'd be missing the buck if you didn't bring up Naruto.

In case you're unfamiliar with Naruto all you really need to know is that it's about a world of ninjas where villages set apart and use various skills to assert themselves in the ranks of their peers. Years ago a deadly Fox Demon tore apart Konoha Village, and their leader sacrificed his life to seal the demon within the body of a baby boy. Now that he's grown up Naruto has found himself shunned by those around him and he's become brash, obnoxious, and powerful all at the same time. He eventually makes several friends and is inevitably betrayed by Sasuke, who is on a quest for power and vengeance. Their rivalry is a driving force that backs the show and right up to the end it's something that defines the characters and those around them.

With over 200 episodes and several movies the first Naruto series killed the anime charts and the original manga was even more successful. After some time the show got ahead of where the manga was and kicked it into neutral with filler episodes and absolutely no development whatsoever. Thankfully Shippuden corrected that.

The sequel, Naruto Shippuden, took the franchise ahead by a couple of years. Naruto was no longer considered an immature kid, but instead he has become an immature teenager. With new abilities, an improved sense of self on the battlefield, and more resemblance to that Hokage he desires to be, Naruto was once again a force to be reckoned with. One of the most striking things about Shippuden at the beginning is just how much he has/hasn't changed since we last saw him. Not only has Naruto matured, but the world around him has grown as well. Sakura is deadlier, Rock is more of a badass, Gaara is the leader of the Sand Village, and all over the place there were several nice touches added here.
For a little while now VIZ has been releasing Naruto Shippuden with individual volumes was something of a source of frustration for fans of the franchise. After all, VIZ's treatment of the uncut version of Naruto was stellar with a colorful array of boxed sets featuring multiple episodes and three discs worth of content. Going from boxed sets such as that to single discs with four episodes felt like a massive letdown. Thankfully it was soon announced that an Original & Uncut box would be released of Shippuden and that's what we have in hands today. Like the other treatments from VIZ this set includes three discs and 13 episodes and finally gives fans a nice chunk of Naruto all at once.

The set opens up and reintroduces us back into the world of Naruto and his ninja brethren. Right off the bat Lady Tsunade wants to see how far Naruto and Sakura have come, so she pits them in a battle against Kakashi-sensei. This instance included some nice throwbacks to the first training mission the two had with Sasuke and provided ample opportunity for flashbacks to the start of their friendship.

It hasn't been that long since we saw Konoha, but it's nice to watch as the show catches viewers up to speed on what's changed in the village these past couple of years. We see a lot of these examples through Naruto's eyes as he bumps into old friends and checks out how the place has evolved. Fans will recall that he's been away training with Jiraiya so he simply hasn't been around.

Once the immersion back into the world is over and done with Gaara finds himself in a bit of hot water. It would seem that the Akatsuki (the main villains of the series) have been on the move and they've set their sights on Gaara for some reason. A couple of Akatsuki agents are sent to the Sand Village to capture him and what transpires for nearly the entirety of this installment is the rescue efforts. Old friends and foes come together to save Gaara and throughout it's revealed that the Akatsuki are seeking Naruto as well. Could this all be part of a clever ruse to get both prizes at the same time?

By the time the first set is over you'll be itching for the next. The first thirteen episodes have several cool moments and they really take us back to many highlights of the first season. With that being said there are still many extraneous pieces in each episode and things could have been much tighter. This isn't a byproduct of VIZ's transfer, but rather of the original production itself. The show is just filled with flashbacks, recaps, and recycled pieces of animation. Nestled in between is a solid experience and one that's definitely worth undertaking by fans of the original.
Naruto Shippuden lands on DVD with a 1.33:1 fullframe aspect ratio. The show looks very similar to the original in terms of technical aspects of the transfer. There's a light amount of grain, but the picture is solid all around with a great vibrancy and clarity. The lack of a widescreen presentation for this sequel is a bit disappointing, but coming from the original it's not too much of a letdown. English and Japanese 2.0 stereo are the audio options that are available on this boxed set. As far as the cast is concerned it's worth noting that most of the actors sound exactly the same and the tracks are on par with expectations. The technical quality is a little on the flat side, but it strikes up a decent balance that sounds exactly like the first series.

On the individual disc release for these episodes there were no bonus features aside from some trailers. For this boxed set though, there are actually three to take a look at. These are included on the third disc of the set and are actually more substantial than what we saw with the first series. "Voice Actor Featurette: Return of a Ninja" (14:34) is an English feature that looks at the American cast of voice actors. It's entertaining and the cast stands out as very upbeat. To say they fit their roles perfectly would be an understatement. "Relationship Chart: Team Kakashi" is a bit redundant of a feature and it's just textual information about how Kakashi, Naruto, and Sakura all relate to each other. And finally there's a production art gallery with fifteen black and white sketches to click through.

Experiencing Naruto Shippuden as a boxed set with 13 episodes was far better than taking it a handful of episodes at a time. Fans of Naruto that held off should consider this set highly recommended, but those who picked up the individual discs have a tough decision. The bonus features are a welcome addition, but hardly a deal breaker. It all comes down to how you want the show to stack up next to the original on your DVD shelf. Either way the series is very entertaining so far and holds a lot of promise, so in that sense Shippuden is a must have.

Maki Rating:

Manga Review: Fate/Stay Night Volume 6

Fate/Stay Night was one hell of a show. The series hit America a couple years ago as a Geneon licensed anime, but since then has fallen into FUNimation's hands for distribution. Thank goodness, because this is one franchise that absolutely should not fall into obscurity. While the animated line was a success, the book form has been doing well for itself too. Tokyopop has been translating and releasing the manga for a while now and recently the sixth installment hit store shelves.

In case you're unfamiliar with the series it all follows the exploits of a young man named Shiro. He unwittingly comes to posses something known as a Magic Circuit and becomes embroiled in events far greater than he ever could have imagined. Basically there is magic out there and people with this skill can summon beings known as Servants, who fight for their masters in an effort to win the battle for the Holy Grail. There's more to it than that, but part of the joy of this series is uncovering some of the basics. All you really need to know is that Shiro doesn't want anyone to fight and die. He commands his servant, Saber, to spare life whenever possible and does what he can to ensure that he is able to take care of himself. In the sixth installment what he has learned and his ideals are put to the test.

At the start of this volume Tosaka and Archer are locked in battle with Shinji and Rider. There's a big bad barrier up around the school and Shinji is up to some dark, demented things to he has to be stopped. While their battle wages on for some time, Shiro and Saber eventually step in to attempt a resolution to the fighting and make Shinji see the error of his ways. Naturally this doesn't happen. Rider and Saber battle it out while Tosaka feels betrayed by Shiro. The battle is put on the afterburner for some time when Rider and Shinji flee, but these events could have lasting ramifications on Shinji's relationship with Tosaka.

Eventually the bits of action pick back up as Shinji makes a move to a much more populated area to cause more damage. Saber and Rider go at it again in a massive fight that sees a lot of destruction, but we get the chance to see Shiro show was he's learned against Shinji. He even gets to the point where he's doing well within the fight, but a surprise attack from Rider changes the tempo a bit. The whole thing ends with a big epic attack that will leave readers wanting to see the resolution in the next installment.

Quite honestly there's not much else that happens in this volume apart from the battle between Shinji, Shiro, and their servants. Because of that it feels like there's very little development. The book also tends to be over before you know it. A few minutes with it will put you at or beyond the halfway point and that's a little disappointing. If you want to savor the book and take in more of the world you're going to have to wait because it's all action from the first page to the last. Not that there's anything wrong with that, really.

Once again the artwork provided by Dat Nishiwaki is absolutely incredible on every single page. All of the character designs pop and you truly get a sense of the action that's taking place here. The backgrounds in particular stand out and there's a great deal of detail in their destruction. The translation is also solid, though in fairness this isn't a particularly wordy installment.

Fate/Stay Night is one of my favorite anime series and the manga stands out at an equal level. Tokyopop has done a great job with the series with their English release, and I can't wait to see what comes in the following installments. With that being said this particular one is all about action and there's very little with regards to actual plot. It's a light read and it's a quick one, but fans of the series will appreciate every panel. This is yet another fine volume and if the book is anything like the anime then it only gets better from here!

Maki Rating:

Manga Review: Natsume's Book of Friends

Natsume's Book of Friends is one of VIZ's latest releases and dare I say it's one of the best manga I've read in a while. The book, which was created by Yuki Midoikawa, was released in Japan in 2005 and since then nine volumes have come out. There's been an anime too, though no American licensor has picked it up for release here quite yet. It took over four years for the manga to make its way to our shores, and I dare say that the wait was well worth it.

Taking place in modern day Japan Natsume's Book of Friends follows the life and times of Takashi Natsume. Takashi is a bit of a loner and tends to move from place to place without family (or friends for that matter). He's always been viewed as something of an odd duck and this is mostly attributed to his random freak-outs and spastic reactions to nothing. Little do most people realize that Takashi has a rare ability, the power to see spirits and demons known as Yokai. If you were to open a door and see a one-eyed monster licking its chops at you, you'd probably run the other way as well. To say that Takashi has looked upon this power as a curse would be an understatement, but he soon discovers that it's an ability that has its uses with the proper application.

While on the run from some hungry and persistent Yokai Takashi inadvertently breaks a rope (Kekkai) that was used to seal in yet another Yokai. This spirit appears as a cute porcelain cat named Nyanko Sensei, but it's merely the form it chooses to use for humans because in reality this kitty is a fearful monstrosity. It's soon revealed that Takashi smells like a woman named Reiko Natsume, who happened to be his grandmother. Since young Takashi doesn't really know his family, he's naturally struck by this and even more so when the cat spirit tells him about Reiko's incredible powers over Yokai.

The pieces slowly begin to connect under the advisement of Nyanko. Basically Reiko could not only see Yokai, but entered duals with them in an effort to get their name collected in a book. Once a name was in the book it belonged to Reiko and the spirit could no longer act by themselves or against her will. Naturally this was a fearful thing for Yokai, and since Takashi smells like Reiko they are tracking him down to get their names back or kill him, whichever is easiest. Nyanko is different though, his name is apparently not in the book, but he makes a deal with Takashi to travel with him and collect the book when he dies.

Death may come sooner than one might think considering Nyanko constantly makes comments about how weak Takashi is and how easy it would be to eat him. In one chapter Takashi wakes up from sleeping to find his head in Nyanko's mouth. It's hilarious, yet not because it forces the kid to stay on his toes at all times. This basically makes him more formidable and you can see his development throughout the course of this first installment.

The whole point of Natsume's Book of Friends is to introduce us to the various Yokai trying to get their names back. Takashi is more than happy to oblige, but it's very taxing and dangerous for him. In this book we receive four chapters, and all are quite good. The one that stands out the most involves a Dew God who is down to his last follower. There are many moments in this story that really show Takashi's maturity for someone his age.

The artwork in Natsume's Book of Friends is quite good as well. Yuki Midorikawa's designs are quite detailed and every panel is a feast for the eyes. Some of the Yokai tend to look alike, but there are a few that really stand out. The backgrounds are handled nicely and the character expressions are great. There are also some notes included throughout the book from Yuki and some reference material to some of the terminology in the back.

From the first page to the last Natsume's Book of Friends is a very entertaining read. It's original, looks great, and contains just the right balance of humor, drama, and development. I'm really looking forward to the second volume and hope the anime gets licensed. This one has the makings of a hit and VIZ's first release should be considered highly recommended.

Maki Rating:

Figure Review: Celestia (Shining Wind)

The Shining series of video games has been quite popular for some time now. While not every installment of SEGA's venerable action-RPG series has made its way to the States, the fact that titles are still being released in Japan speaks volumes. Not only that, but Kotobukiya's lineup of figures from the series is quite popular as well. I mean, just look at how many figures they've released over the years.

Primarily that line of figures is from Shining Wind, which was a 2007 title for the PlayStation 2. The latest release from Kotobukiya in this lineup is Celestia, who happens to be the elven queen of Astria - also known as "The Eternal Forest’s Chanting". Her character plays a pivotal role within the story, and it's only fitting that a queen get the royal treatment when it comes to her figure, right?

Sculpted by Shou Kojima, Celestia is made of PVC plastic and measures 1/8th scale. She retails for $59.99 and can be found on Kotobukiya's English store: http://store.kotous.com/shining-wind-celestia-anistatue.html

The Packaging:

As you can tell, Celestia comes in a window box with character artwork from Tony Taka gracing the front and back. Note the cutout of Lassi on the sides of the packaging. This package includes Celestia, Lassi, a book, and a felt stand for all three to sit on.

The Figure:

First off, I just want to mention how strikingly gorgeous this figure is. Kojima-san did one heck of a job on the details and it mirrors Taka-san's drawing in almost every detail. Being an elf queen, you'd expect Celestia to look very regal and this figure achieves just that. I found the pose to be quite appropriate and there is just something peaceful about the way she's sitting. One could almost picture her under a forest canopy reading her book with Lassi close to her.

That's the figure as it's meant to be displayed out of the box, but there are some customizable elements to her. Unfortunately the pose is not one of the things you can change, but her torso separates from her bottom half to all access to her green dress and white skirt. Both can be removed easily and hidden beneath are some white panties, should you prefer to display her that way.

No matter how you choose to display Celestia, she's going to look great on your shelf of figures. Apart from the overall appearance of the figure, some of the details that stand out are the light tattoo on her forehead, the etchings on her outfit, and the tranquil colors that were used in the design. The greens from her dress smoothly transition into the yellows of her top and golden hair. This makes the eyes contrast nicely and stand out even more.

The overall build is quite solid and there were only a couple of chips here and there (one on a strand of Celestia's hair and another on Lassi's right ear). Neither was glaring by any means and overall the quality control department at Kotobukiya gets a big thumbs up! This figure is a major bargain for the asking price and it's definitely one fans of Shining Wind simply must buy!

Maki Rating:

Figure Preview: Vanessa - King of Fighters

More figure shelf filler! This time around Yamato Toys has announced a new addition to the King of Fighters lineup with their release of Vanessa. If you're a fan of the series then you'll know that this character debuted in King of Fighters 2000 and contrasted the young roster quite nicely. While most fighting game characters have rather shall we say, eclectic, origins, Vanessa takes the cake in some regards. She's basically an older housewife who doubles as a mercenary on the side.

Yamato's new PVC figure faithfully represents the character and all her "assets". For those interested here are some preview pictures:

Vanessa stands approximately 12" tall (1/6 scale) and comes with an MSRP of $112. She's set to release around April/May of 2010 and should fit nicely in any King of Fighters fan's collection.