Holiday Review Giveaway Winner & 2022 In the Rear View Mirror

 First of all, it's time to announce this year's winner for the Holiday Review Giveaway: @WanderinDreamr, who took her opportunity to promote a Manga Plus series:

I'm gonna put in a good word for Magilumiere Co. Ltd., a series about a magical girl start-up where everyone is trying to have a good work-life balance!

Congratulations! I'll be getting in touch you shortly to sort out your prize.

So how did our 10th year of The Manga Test Drive turn out? Honestly, not that much different from the others aside from a little bit of growth from some new Patrons. Things were somewhat more busy over at our sister site Renaissance Josei, where I completed not one or two but four new Disaster Reports. It also wasn't a bad year for me as a panelist. While I was not able to attend Anime Boston as planned and one of my Otakon panels got mis-scheduled and removed, my history of stop-motion panel went over well at both this year's Anime Iowa and filled a panel room at Otakon. That's not even getting into my many appearances over at Giant Robot FM, where I got to indulge my fondness for Gundam: The Origin and the works of Yoshikazu Yasuhiko a lot.

So what does 2023 hold in store for me? Aside from Year 11 of this humble little review blog, there will likely be more Disaster Reports (along with maybe another project). There will certainly be more panels. There might be another Anime Feminist appearance. Odds are good I'll end up on more podcasts at some point. Beyond that, I can't say with certainty but I'm sure that at the very least it'll be interesting.

In the meantime, I hope that everyone out there continues to find use and enjoyment from my words, share them with others, and maybe even join my Patreon (since who knows how long promoting things on Twitter will hold out).   Hopefully your 2023 will be a happy one as well.

Holiday Review #25: YOKOHAMA KAIDASHI KIKOU

I knew from the moment I started sorting out what manga to cover this month which series I would end it with.  It had to be the series that no one ever thought would be licensed, to the point that its unlicensability had become something of an inside joke among manga readers and reviewers.  It was too old, too odd, too obscure, and generally unmarketable to your average reader.

And yet here it is, less than a year after it was first announced, like a proper Christmas miracle.

YOKOHAMA KAIDASHI KIKOU, by Hotoshi Ashinano.  First published in 1994 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Alpha the android runs her master's coffee shop while they're away.  There's not a huge demand for it in a world where most of Japan's major cities have been swallowed by the sea, but she does have a few neighbors who regularly pop for conversation and trade.  Sometimes Alpha ventures out on her trusty scooter to faraway towns, traversing the few paved roads that haven't broken down or turned into beachfront property, enjoying the sights and hoping to get a new message from her long-absent owner.

Holiday Review #24: BABY BEAR'S BAKERY

 The holidays are also a time for copious amounts of sweet things, so it's the perfect time to read something like this.

BABY BEAR'S BAKERY (Koguma no Cakeya-san), by Kamentotsu.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

This is the story of a baby bear who runs his own cake shop.  He's eager to learn about the world around him alongside the shop's waiter, all while making and sharing his many magnificent cakes with others.

Holiday Review #23: SHONEN NOTE

The holidays are a time that's full of music (whether you want it or not), so it felt like as good of a time as any to talk about this one.

SHONEN NOTE, by Yuhki Kamitani.  First published in 2010 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Yutaka Aoi loves music.  It's not just that he has a beautiful, expressive soprano singing voice, it's that good music can bring him to tears and the sounds of the everyday world are like music to him.  He overhears the choir practicing at his new junior high school and immediately wants to join.  Not every member is thrilled by this first-year upstart, but others are awed by his talent and hope that he can lead them to bigger, better things.  All the while, there's always the concern that Yutaka could lose this special talent once puberty kicks in....

Holiday Review# 22: DRIP DRIP

No shojo romance, no matter how low-key or strange it could be, could compare to what came out this year from the mind of the woman who gave us Beastars.

DRIP DRIP (Bota Bota), by Paru Itagaki.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Ever since she was a girl, Mako Higuri gets massive nosebleeds whenever she touches something dirty.  That includes literal trash, money, and in particular men.  It's extremely frustrating for her, when all she wants to do is to lose her virginity and enjoy a normal romantic relationship for once.  It doesn't help that every man she tries to seduce ends up being some sort of weirdo.  Will her luck turn around when she meets an old classmate who doesn't immediately make her nose gush?

Holiday Review #21: NO LONGER HEROINE

 This next one won't be for everyone, but I appreciate the way to tries to interject some weirdness and awfulness into the standard shojo romance formula.

NO LONGER HEROINE (Heroine Shikkaku), by Momoko Koda.  First published in 2010 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Hatori Matsuzaki is convinced that she is the heroine of her own life and she knows just who her love interest should be: her handsome playboy childhood best friend Rita.  Sure, she's never told him about her feelings, but she's certain that after breaking so many hearts, he'll figure out that she's always been there, knows everything about him, and is meant to be his true love!

...that is, until he starts dating their mousy classmate Miho Adachi and seems to be getting serious about it.

Hatori won't take this lying down, though.  She's gonna get her man, even if requires a bit of scheming, passive aggression, and maybe the odd failed group date.

Holiday Review #20: IN THE CLEAR MOONLIT DUSK

 It's so nice for once to be reviewing a Kodansha-published shojo manga and not walk away from it bored or frustrated with its gender politics for once.

IN THE CLEAR MOONLIT DUSK (Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki), by Mika Yamamori.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Yoi Takeguchi is used to being a called a prince.  After all, she's a tall girl with a more masculine look and a deep voice.  She's used to all the girls swooning over from a distance and all the boys staying away.  That's why she's so confused by Kohaku Ichimura, a new boy who's also cool and good-looking.  He thinks she's gorgeous and tries his best to sweep her off her feet.  Will Yoi ever accept the idea of someone treating her like a girl for once?

Holiday Review #19: LOOK BACK

 While everyone is talking about the Chainsaw Man anime, it's time to check out of its creator's first projects after it first wrapped up.

LOOK BACK (Rukku Bakku), by Tatsuki Fujimoto.  First published in 2021 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Fujino is inordinately proud of the simple little gag comic she publishes in the school paper, but her work can't compare to the exquisite drawings of her shut-in classmate Kyomoto.  While delivering her junior high diploma, Fujino is shocked to learn that Kyomoto is her biggest fan, and from there a friendship and manga-making partnership is born.  Alas, it is all too short-lived, thanks to the pull of the world beyond high school and an unforeseen tragedy.

Holiday Review: #18: WORLD END SOLTE

 But that's enough isekai - let's look at a fantasy story from one of the better (and deeply underrated mangaka) of our time!

WORLD END SOLTE (Saihate no Solte), by Satoshi Mizukami.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Solte is tired.  She's tired of missing her parents, who disappeared years ago on a quest to clean their world of magical pollution.  She's tired of being betrayed by the adults who are supposed to care for her.  She's tired of feeling powerless.  Instead, she's determined to travel on her own deep into the magical realm, all the way to the land of the dead.  Along the way she's joined by an immortal swordsman with a death wish, her uncle (now transformed into a human-sized mole), and a chatty fairy who swears she's met and traveled with them all before.

Holiday Review #17: HOUSEKEEPING MAGE FROM ANOTHER WORLD: MAKING YOUR ADVENTURES FEEL LIKE HOME!

 Of course, I can't talk about isekai manga without talking about J-Novel Club, who in recent years set up a new imprint just for shojo- and josei-adjacent light novels (and manga adaptations thereof).  It's about time I looked at one of those titles to see how it might serve as an antidote to the more mainstream, male-led tales out there.

HOUSEKEEPING MAGE FROM ANOTHER WORLD: MAKING YOUR ADVENTURES FEEL LIKE HOME! (Kasei Madoushi no Isekai Seikatsu: Boukenchuu no Kaseifugyou Uketamawarimasu!), based on the light novel series by You Fuguruma and character designs by Nama, with art by Akihito Ono.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Four years ago Shiori Izumi was just another overworked office lady, living alone and trying her best to get as much done as possible.  Then she fainted, only to find herself in a strange new world of magic and adventurer guilds.  Over time she learned the language, gained some low-level magic, and started using it to recreate the comforts of home for weary travelers, only to end up betrayed by her own party and left for dead.  Can Shiori learn to trust in herself and others again?

Holiday Review #16: SHUNA'S JOURNEY

 But let's take a diversion to a more highbrow sort of fantasy, created by the one anime director that literally everyone knows.

SHUNA'S JOURNEY (Shuna no Tabi), by Hayao Miyazaki.  First published in 1983 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Shuna is the prince of a far-away valley, where the people work hard to scrape what sustenance they can get from its cold, thin soil.  Shuna learns of a glorious golden grain, grown in a land far beyond his own.  Determined to gather some for his own, he sets off on his trusted yakul.  Along the way he faces off against slavers, cannibals, strange monsters, and the forces of nature itself, with only a few allies to aid him.

Holiday Review #15: THE OTHER WORLD'S BOOKS DEPEND ON THE BEAN COUNTER

 Mind you, not all the isekai fantasy manga that came out this year was dire.  Yen Press managed to find a real gem, as well as the first instance of BL isekai I've seen since Kyo Kara Maoh.

THE OTHER WORLD'S BOOKS DEPEND ON THE BEAN COUNTER (Isekai no Sata wa Shachiku Shidai), based on the light novels by Yatsuki Wakatsu and character designs by Kikka Ohashi with art by Kazuki Irodori.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Seiichiro Kondou was just another salaryman, working long hours at an accounting firm, wondering how his twenties got away from him.  Then he stumbles across a young woman getting sucked into a strange portal, and in his attempt to save her gets transported alongside her to the fantastical realm of the Romany kingdom.  It seems this young girl is the maiden destined to save them, but the prince and his counselors have no idea what to do with Kondou.  He decides to make himself useful by joining the royal accountants, but his efficiency begins to make him enemies and a bad reaction to a magic potion leads to a close encounter with the stern royal captain Aresh Indolark.

Holiday Review #14: MY [REPAIR] SKILL BECAME A VERSATILE CHEAT, SO I THINK I'LL OPEN A WEAPON SHOP

 The ongoing tsunami of fantasy light novel manga adaptations continued into 2022, although it started to take on a different quality.  Amidst the slave harems and the demon kings was a more low-key strain of stories.  These were about guys who wanted to leave the adventurer lifestyle behind, settle down, maybe start a business.

MY [REPAIR] SKILL BECAME A VERSATILE CHEAT, SO I THINK I'LL OPEN A WEAPON SHOP ("Shuufuku" Skill ga Bannou Cheat-ka shita node, Bukiya demo Hirakouka to Omoimasu), based on the light novel by Ginga Hoshikawa and character designs by Nemusuke, with art by Yukimi Enoki.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Luke has wanted to be an adventurer since he was a child, but he has no luck.  He's useless with weapons and his only magical skill is the ability to repair items.  Abandoned by his latest party and left to die, he's forced to find innovative new ways to use his skill just so he can get out.  In the process he strengthens his sword so much that he's able to slay a dragon, saving the samurai swordswoman Sakura and her companion Sylvia.  They vow to help him in return, and together they create a second-hand weapon shop where Luke can put his skill to the best possible use.

Holiday Review #13: TALES OF THE KINGDOM

 Mostly I'm just glad that this year brought us yet another beautiful and subtly queer manga from Asumiko Nakamura.

TALES OF THE KINGDOM (Okoku Monogatari), by Asumiko Nakamura.  First published in 2017 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

This collection features two stories.  The first is of two twins, Adalte and Adolte: one a prince, the other a prisoner.  The two finally meet as young men, escape and find a degree of modest happiness until insecurity forces them apart.  The second is of Shao, a servant from a far-away land.  He is a man held captive not just by his terms of service but by his undying love for his royal master.

Holiday Review #12: TO STRIP THE FLESH

Yet again, if you want trans (particularly transmasc) representation in comics, manga remains the best place to find it and this year brought another fine example.

TO STRIP THE FLESH (Toda Oto Tanpenshu Niku wo Hagu), by Oto Toda.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Chiaki has known he was trans since he was a kid, but for years he felt beholden to his late mother's wishes and his dad's misunderstandings.  The only way he and his dad can connect is through working on his dad's hunting Youtube channel, even if it's only to do the butchering while the livestream ogles his chest.  It's only when Chiaki's dad is diagnosed with cancer that Chiaki finally takes action and the two of them are forced to reflect and reconnect.

Holiday Review #11: THE TITAN'S BRIDE

BL manga also continued to thrive, and you could only imagine my surprise when THIS got licensed.

THE TITAN'S BRIDE (Kyojinzoku no Hanayome), by ITKZ.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Koichi Mizuki was just enjoying some quality time to himself in his bedroom, but without warning he found himself transported to a world of giants.  It turns out that Caius, the prince of this realm, brought him here as his prophesied bride.  Caius is charmed by Mizuki and eager at every turn to savor his body, even if Mizuki isn't entirely convinced at first.  Alas, an accidental poisoning and a dangerous journey will put their nascent relationship to the test.

Holiday Review #10: CATCH THESE HANDS!

 But if we're talking about adult ladies in manga, we have to talk about yuri.  It continued to thrive and grow as a category here, so much so that it hard to settle on just one to talk about.  Ultimately I had to go with the best yuri title (in the most literal sense of that phrase) to come out in 2022.

CATCH THESE HANDS! (Watashi no Kobushi wo Uketomete!), by murata.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Takabe was once the most fearless delinquent at her school, but years later all her old friends have settled down and Takabe is tired of bouncing from job to job and feeling left behind.  When she tries to get some new clothes, she runs into her formal rival Soramori.  Soramori couldn't be happier to be reunited with the girl she never saw as a rival but instead a crush.  Eventually Soramori issues her own challenge: if she can beat Takabe in a fight, Takabe has to go out with her!  She wins, but now they both have to figure out how this whole dating thing works...

Holiday Review #9: CAT + GAMER

 Sometimes though, you don't want bodice-ripping smut or complicated emotional masterpieces.  Sometimes you just want a simple story about an adult lady having a good time with a cute cat.  Luckily, Dark Horse Comics has you covered this year.

CAT + GAMER (Nekogurashi no Gamer-san), by Wataru Nadatani.  First published in 2018 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Riko is a no-nonsense office worker who works hard so she can leave work right at 5PM.  That allows her to focus her spare time and energy on her favorite hobby: video games.  One day she takes in a stray kitten on an impulse.  Even though Riko has no experience with pet ownership, she's determined to apply the same mindset she takes to gaming to pet ownership.

Holiday Review #8 - TALK TO MY BACK

 Others looked back to the past and towards the more alternative side of manga to find the unique voices of women who would otherwise go unnoticed in the world of American manga.

TALK TO MY BACK (Shin Kirari), by Yamada Murasaki.  First published in 1981 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

A nameless housewife ruminates on her life and identity as she struggles to raise her kids, manage the household, deal with her feckless and frequently absent husband, get a part-time job, and somewhere in between all of that find some time and space for herself.

Holiday Review #7 - I'LL NEVER BE YOUR CROWN PRINCESS!

Speaking of ladies, this year was better than average for josei manga.  Seven Seas has been dabbling in it for a little bit, but this year they went so far as to establish an entire imprint for it.  Let's take a look at one of their first books.

I'LL NEVER BE YOUR CROWN PRINCESS! (Ohtaishihi ni Nante Naritakunai), based on the light novel by Saki Tsukigami and character designs by Enn Tsutamori, with art by Natsu Kuroki.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Liddy is the beautiful daughter of a duke and royal adviser (and also secretly a reincarnated woman from modern-day Japan).  She's trying her best to dodge her father's attempts to marry her to the crown prince of their land, as royalty is allowed to engage in polygamy and she's simply not interested in that.  She thinks she has figured out a loophole: if she loses her virginity, she will no longer be eligible to marry the prince!  Too bad that the mysterious masked man she meets at a masquerade is the prince in disguise, and that he's so smitten with her that he left a magic seal upon her to mark her as his intended bride.

Holiday Review #6 - BE VERY AFRAID OF KANAKO INUKI!

Even Kodansha got in on the horror manga craze, picking up an anthology from one of Junji Ito's peers who has been somewhat neglected by English-language readers.

BE VERY AFRAID OF KANAKO INUKI! (Inuki Kanako no Daikyoufu!), by Kanako Inuki.  First published in 1997 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Six tales of terrifying young girls are contained within.  There are spectral girls ready to spoil your birthday, little girls who want to grow up too fast, a little girl wishing for a toy that her sister can't break, a girl who loves a fictional character a little too much, a princess who makes a wish she regrets, and two schoolgirls dealing with bullying and a bit of divine intervention.

Holiday Review #5 - OROCHI

Viz has been the biggest beneficiary of the Junji Ito horror manga craze, but it wasn't until this year that they were willing to capitalize on that and bring back some titles from an even older horror mangaka.

OROCHI, by Kazuo Umezz.  First published in 1969 and first published in North America in 2002.

PLOT:

Orochi is a mysterious girl with a timelessly young face and untold supernatural power.  She wanders the world, inserting herself into other people's problems and using her powers to try and solve them.  Sadly, things don't always go as planned, whether it's helping two sisters suffering from a family curse or a tormented young wife who wishes for her beloved husband to return to her.

Holiday Review #4: THE TOWN OF PIGS

 After years of struggling, American publishers have finally figured out that horror manga can be successful and that they don't have to exclusively lean upon Junji Ito for that success.

Nowhere is that more evident than with the up-and-coming publisher Star Fruit Books.  They not only established their own horror manga imprint but started licensing works by some of the horror mangaka who influenced Ito in the first place.

THE TOWN OF PIGS (Buta no Machi), by Hideshi Hino.  First published in 1983 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

A young boy is horrified when a horde of marauding demons storm into his town, destroy every building, and imprison everyone but him.  Their plan is as cruel as it is senseless: they will turn the townspeople into pigs for the sake of slave labor and food, and anyone who resists is gruesomely tortured to death.  The young boy refuses to flee, choosing instead to try to find a solution - any solution - to this dilemma, all while evading a fate worse than death.

Holiday Review #3: AYAKASHI TRIANGLE

Most shonen romances these days are looking and behaving more and more like their shojo counterparts, but at least one guy is dedicated to making his shonen romances as old-fashioned and pervy as possible.

AYAKASHI TRIANGLE (Ayakashi Torainguru), by Kentaro Yabuki.  First published in 2020 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Kazamaki Matsuri is the heir to his family's legacy as wind magic-wielding, ayakashi-banishing ninjas.   In particular, he uses his powers to protect his childhood friend Kanade Suzu, who not only can see the ayakashi but exudes a delicious life force that they crave.  This becomes a problem when she becomes fond of a fat, sassy cat that turns out to be Shirogane, king of the ayakashi.  Matsuri manages to seal Shirogane's power, but not before Shirogane turns him into a girl!  Now Suzu has to figure out a way to turn him back while Matsuri deals with her handsy friends, a rival ninja, and her own confusing feelings for her own friend.

Holiday Review #2: RECORD OF RAGNAROK

 Viz's domination of the manga market continued into this year, but that domination was pretty much entirely on the back of its Weekly Shonen Jump properties.  That's a good thing when their non-WSJ shonen titles includes manga like this.

RECORD OF RAGNAROK (Shumatsu no Warukyure), written by Shinya Umemura with script by Takumi Fukui and art by Azychika.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

The pantheon of gods have decided that humanity is beyond hope and worthy only of destruction.  Only the valkyrie Brunhilde is willing to speak up on behalf of humans.  She convinces them to participate in a series of one-on-one battles, pitting some of the greatest champions of human history against a selection of the most powerful deities.  This is the fated tournament known as Ragnarok.

Holiday Review #1: KAMEN RIDER

 For the second year in a row, I'm able to kick things off with a classic manga from Shotaro Ishinomori, and it might be the best one yet.

KAMEN RIDER (Kamen Raida), by Shotaro Ishinomori.  First published in 1971 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Hongo Takeshi was a young man with just as much talent for science as he had for motorcycling.  His life is forever changed when he is captured by a mysterious organization known as Shocker, who seek to transform him into an animal-human hybrid cyborg as part of their plot to dominate all of humanity.  Hongo escapes before the transformation is complete, but he swears to use his super-strong body, strange new powers, and souped-up motorcycle to stop Shocker from conquering all of Japan.

Holiday Review (and Giveaway) Time!

This year has been a hard one for many, but not for the manga industry.  If anything, it continues to grow like never before in size, variety of works, and even on the front of labor rights.  This might have been the hardest holiday line-up of reviews I've had to put together because there was simply SO MUCH to pick from!  Still, I managed to pick 25 books representing some of the most notable titles and trends of manga in 2022 and I'll be reviewing a new one every day from the 1st through the 25th.

It's also time for The Manga Test Drive's annual Holiday Review Giveaway!  As usual, it works like this:

    -    Leave a comment on this post or on this Twitter post telling me what was your favorite manga of             2022!  It doesn't matter whether it came out this year or not - so long as it was new to you, it counts!

    -    The contest is open from today to the end of Christmas Day

    -    Afterwards, one commenter will be chosen at random to win a $25 RightStuf gift certificate (ideally to spend on some of the better manga we reviewed).  We need to be able to reach you through email or Twitter DM to declare you a winner, so don't post anonymously!

Review: THE MEN WHO CREATED GUNDAM

There's still plenty of Gundam manga out there I could talk about (and probably will at some point), but there is only one is about the making of Gundam itself ...sort of.

THE MEN WHO CREATED GUNDAM (Gundam Sousei), by Hideki Ohwada.  First published in 2014 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

This comic retelling of the making of 1979's Mobile Suit Gundam follows Yoshiyuki Tomino as he wins over collaborators with his brilliant ideas, works around the schemes of corporations, assaults actors and staff alike, and eventually win the hearts and minds of a generation of otaku with one of anime's most iconic franchises.

Review: PLUTO

 Of course, I can't talk about robot manga without talking about this one.  While it's only tangentially connected to one of mecha's founding works, it's one of the most critically acclaimed manga in the US and it's time for me to add my own praise to that pile.

PLUTO, by Naoki Urasawa.  First published in 2003 and first published in North America in 2009.

PLOT:

Mont Blanc was considered one of the world's greatest robots, a beloved mountain guide and forester in his home land of Switzerland.  Then he was found smashed to smithereens in the remains of a forest fire.  That same day, a notable robot politician in Germany was also killed.  It's up to the android detective Gesicht to investigate these cases. As his investigation grows, he believes that these deaths are connected to a terrible conspiracy to destroy both the world's greatest robots and the humans who want to protect them, and that whomever is behind it may not be human themselves.

Review: GETTER ROBO DEVOLUTION

 Getter Robo is one of the defining works of mecha manga, but none of Ken Ishikawa's original series nor its many sequels have been released in English.  The closest thing we have is this series, but is it enough to scratch that particular itch?

GETTER ROBO DEVOLUTION: THE LAST 3 MINUTES OF THE UNIVERSE (Getta Robo DEVOLUTION: Uchu Saigo no 3-bunkan), written by Eiichi Shimizu with art by Tomohiro Shimoguichi, based on the original story by Go Nagai and Ken Ishikawa.  First published in 2015 and first published in North America in 2018.

PLOT:

Ryoma Nagare's life is one that has been haunted by tragedy.  No sooner do his parents die than his classroom (and classmates) explode in a mysterious attack.  Soon afterwards he's contacted by Dr. Saotome, along with fellow teens Jin Hayate and Musashi Tomoe.  They have been brought together because they possess the ability to manipulate a mysterious robot, which they use in turn to combat equally mysterious, massive creatures known only as the Devolved.

Review: THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE

 It's November, which means it's time once more for me to review some robot-centric manga.  While I may have exhausted all of the Evangelion and (most of the) Gundam manga out there in English, that doesn't mean that there isn't plenty of other notable mecha-related titles for me to talk about.

THE VISION OF ESCAFLOWNE (Tenkuu no Escaflowne), written by Shoji Kawamori and Hajime Yatate with art by Katsu Aki.  First published in 1994 and first published in North America in 2003.

PLOT:

Hitomi wants nothing more than for her sempai Amano to notice her.  Alas, even with her skill for divination she can't find an answer to her romantic prayers (much less for the weird dreams she's been having).  During one of her divination attempts, Hitomi is whisked away to a fantastical world where medieval-style kingdoms are locked in a fierce war fought with giant mech suits.  

Hitomi ends up tagging along with the brusque Prince Vaan, who is seeking revenge for his destroyed kingdom and to rescue his mother from the villainous Dilandau.  Vaan discovers that Hitomi herself might be the key to unlocking the full potential of his own mech, and that the two will have to work together if either of them wishes to go home again.

Review: HAPPINESS

I thought that reading a vampire manga by a more modern horror mangaka would be a good plan, but after reading this one I'm not entirely sure...

HAPPINESS (Hapinesu), by Shuzo Oshimi.  First published in 2015 and first published in North America in 2016.

PLOT:

Makoto Okazaki is just another quiet, bullied, sexually frustrated high school boy.  Then he's attacked by a strange girl who bites him, drinks his blood, and asks if he wants to die or be like her.  When he wakes up, he finds himself changed.  He's stronger than before, able to break his bully's nose in a single punch, but can't tolerate bright light.  He's can't tolerate food, but the mere whiff of blood sends his mind reeling, inadvertently bringing closer to girls than ever.  Makoto doesn't understand what's happening to him or just what he's becoming...

Review: BLOOD ALONE

 Ok, so that last one wasn't quite what I was looking for.  Maybe I could try a manga combining vampires and crime fiction?

BLOOD ALONE, by Masayuki Takano.  First published in 2005 and first published in North America in 2006.

PLOT:

Misaki seems like a sweet, polite girl.  Her partner, Kuroe, is much the same.  You'd never guess that sweet little girl was a vampire or that Kuroe is the survivor of a vampire attack.  You'd certainly never expect these two to be part-time investigators who use their connections and powers to solve the crimes that are beyond the capability of the police.

Review: CHIBI VAMPIRE

 October is a time to face one's fears, and I think this October is a good time to face one of my own: my fear of lousy vampire manga.  I've come across far too many in my decade of manga blogging.  Can today's review hope to break that curse?

CHIBI VAMPIRE (Karin), by Yuna Kagesaki.  First published in 2003 and first published in North America in 2006.

PLOT:

Karin Maaka is a little different from the rest of her family.  She's a cheerful girl who sleeps by night and attends work and school during the day.  That might not sound strange to you, but that's very strange when you come from a family of vampires like Karin does.

Honestly, aside from the fangs and a bit of discomfort every month, Karin is pretty much like any other girl (much to her family's despair).  Then Kenta Usui walks into her life and everything changes.  Her family's form of vampirism is triggered by strong human emotion, with each member triggered by one particular form.  In Karin's case it is unhappiness, and Usui has it in spades.  Her power causes her not to suck blood but spew it from her nose unless she can inject it into a human through biting.  Karin could solve her problem and allieviate her crush's troubles, but she's genuinely smitten with him and doesn't want to reveal her secret or turn him into a thrall.  What's a reverse vampire to do in a situation like this?

Review: ORESAMA TEACHER

 Look, a gang is kind of like a club, right?  It totally counts for this purpose!

ORESAMA TEACHER (Ore-sama Ticha!), by Izumi Tsubaki.  First published in 2007 and first published in North America in 2011.

PLOT:

Mafuyu was the no-nonsense leader of her gang...at least, until they got in a big fight that led to her getting expelled from school.  Her mother is fed-up with Mafuyu's nonsense, so she sends her to Midorigaoka, a school that will take anyone willing to pay.  Mafuyu is willing to try to settle down and turn her life around but ends up getting into a fight on her first night there.  Worse still, she's discovered by Taokomi Saeka, a teacher at the school who himself is a former punk and a long-lost figure from Mafuyu's childhood.  She's not willing to give up her right to fight for justice, even if she has to wear a bunny mask to do it and urges her opponents to go straight afterwards.

Review: IMADOKI! NOWADAYS

School clubs as a venue for friendship and romance are just as common in shojo manga as they are in shonen, but this one brings at least one welcome twist to the formula.

 IMADOKI! NOWADAYS (Imadoki!), by Yuu Watase.  First published in 2000 and first published in North America in 2004.

PLOT:

Tanpopo Yamazaki came all the way from Hokkaido to attend the prestigious Meio Academy in Tokyo.  On her first day there, she encounters a young boy tending to a flower as if it were a friend.  She couldn't have possibly expected that same boy to be Koki Kugyo, the heir to the school itself.  Neither did she expect the entire student body to turn on her for daring to talk to Kuyo while not being rich.  Tanpopo won't let that get her down, though.  She's determined to get to know the real Kuyo, even if she's got to strongarm him into the newly created gardening committee!

Review: HAGANAI - I DON'T HAVE MANY FRIENDS

September means back-to-school time, complete with kids joining and rejoining school clubs.  We'll be doing the same by reviewing a month's worth of manga about school clubs, although today's review is perhaps not the best example to start with.

HAGANAI: I DON'T HAVE MANY FRIENDS (Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai), based on the light novel series by Yomi Hirasaki with art by Itachi.  First published in 2010 and first published in North America in 2012.

PLOT:

Hasegawa Kodaka is a new student who finds himself ostracized due to his naturally blond hair and rough looks.  By chance he meets up with Mikazuki Yozora, who would be charming if she weren't so paranoid and obsessed with talking to her imaginary friend.  Neither of them are good at making friends, so they decide to start a school club that's all about making friends...somehow.  

They manage to rope in a couple more members, including the busty and beautiful Sena, who is the daughter of the school director.  Together they try to make friends through video games, but can Yozora and Sena stop fighting among themselves long enough to make it work?

Review: EXCEL SAGA

Older comedy manga don't always age well, but here's a rare example of one that has. 

EXCEL SAGA (Ekuseru Saga), by Rikdo Koshi.  First published in 1996 and first published in North America in 2003.

PLOT:

Deep under the streets lies the headquarters of ACROSS.  It is a secret organization with only one goal: total world domination.  To bring this about, ACROSS's leader Il Palazzo sends forth his two henchwomen Excel and Hyatt to complete his top-secret missions.  Fortunately for the world, Excel is an idiot who is prone to talking too much and Hyatt is prone to dying a lot.  There's also the matter of interfering neighbors, Excel's pet dog/emergency food ration Mince, the many part-time jobs Excel has to take to pay the bills, and the fact that Il Palazzo's plans are never terribly well-defined.

Review: BOMBA!

Let's take a look at one of the most recent retro releases from this year - a new selection from the vast library of Osamu Tezuka.

 BOMBA! (Bonba!), by Osamu Tezuka.  First published in 1970 and first published in North America in 2022.

PLOT:

Tetsu's young life is one that's full of misery thanks to his resentful, abusive parents, bullying teachers, and his own sense of self-loathing.  The only thing that gets him through the day is thoughts of his teacher, Miss Mizushima.  The deeper his obsession with her grows, the more often he begins to hear phantom horse hooves and see visions of a spectral horse.  Soon Tetsu discovers that he can control this phantom horse, and bids it to kill anyone who gets in the way between him and the woman of his dreams.

Review: REBEL SWORD

It took me a bit to recover from the excitement of Otakon, but I'm back to deliver yet another Old School Month!  Let's start with an obscure little treasure from my own personal collection.

REBEL SWORD (Kurd no Hoshi),  by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko.  First published in 1985 and first published in North America in 1994.

PLOT:

Jiro is a half-Turkish, half-Japanese boy who hasn't seen his parents in years since they disappeared somewhere in Turkey.  Out of the blue, he gets a letter from his mother urging him to come to Istanbul.  What Jiro finds is a strange man and a strung-out belly dancer claiming to be his mother, but that's the least of his worries once the military show up.

Review: MY DAD'S THE QUEEN OF ALL VTUBERS?!

Maybe I should shift my focus away from more old-school notions of otaku-dom to more modern concepts like this one.

MY DAD'S THE QUEEN OF ALL VTUBERS?! (Oyaji ga Bishojo ni Nanetta Hanashi?!), by Wataru Akashingo.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2020.

PLOT:

Of all the VTubers out there, none of them are more popular than Kisuke Yae.  To an ordinary teen boy like Takashi, she's a dream come true.  That dream is shattered when he learns that the person behid Yae is his own father.  He's quite happy in his new job, but he doesn't want his wife to learn the truth.  That's probably for the best considering that she also is a secret VTuber who is struggling to find an audience.  Can Takashi juggle both of his parents' secret lives without the other finding out?  And can he avoid falling into the VTuber lifestyle himself?

Review: MANIAC ROAD

It's not like manga that are all about glorifying otaku and Akihabara are anything new, as this manga clearly demonstrates.

MANIAC ROAD (Manii Roudo), by Shinsuke Kurihashi.  First published in 2002 and first published in North America in 2005.

PLOT:

Takeru was an otaku on his last thread when he passed out in front of the Kinushima sisters' shop.  He was originally hoping to score an ultra-rare video game collectable, but instead he finds an opportunity.  The girls inherited their father's hobby shop, but since his death it's fallen on hard time.  If they can combine the shop's merchandise with Takeru's talent for model-making and a bit of promotional cosplay, then maybe they can turn around all of their fortunes for the better.

Review: OTAKU ELF

This month I'll be attending two different anime conventions, so I figured that the blog might as well get into the same spirit by reviewing some otaku-centric manga.  That being said, maybe I should have started with something a little more original than this one.

OTAKU ELF (Edomae Elf), by Akihiko Higuichi.  First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2021.

PLOT:

For generations, Koito's family have been the keepers of the Takamimi Shrine, home of the ageless goddess.  That goddess is in truth Elda, a elf who was transported to Japan over 400 years ago.  She's a hopeless otaku who would rather stay in all day playing games, eating snacks, and chugging energy drinks than perform her "godly" duties (much to Koito's eternal annoyance).  Bit by bit, Koito tries to convince Elda to venture out into the world, if simply to enjoy some new meals and meet the adoring folks of the neighborhood.

Review: INNOCENT BIRD

Tokyopop was one of the first manga publishers to find success in BL manga, first with their release of FAKE and Gravitation and later on through their Blu imprint with like Junjo Romantica.   Sadly, nothing everything out of Blu was a winner.

INNOCENT BIRD (Na Mo Naki Tori No Tobu Yaoke), by Hirotaka Kisaragi.  First published in 2002 and first published in North America in 2007.

PLOT:

While the endless war between angels and devils rages on, Shirigasi strives to become a holy man.  Once he had been Satan's favorite concubine, but now he wants to become human.  To do this, he must not only forsake his demonic nature but must find something precious enough to trade with God himself to achieve his dream.  Along the way, he meets with Karasu.  He's an angelic investigator who finds himself increasingly charmed by Shirigasi.  As the two of them fall in love, they must fight back against the forces of both Heaven and Hell who seek to punish them for disobeying the natural order of their world.

Review: ONLY THE RING FINGER KNOWS

Central Park Media might have been the first manga publisher to tackle BL, but DMP became famous for publishing nothing but BL, starting with the very book I'll be reviewing today.

ONLY THE RING FINGERS KNOWS (Sono Yubi Dake ga Shitte Iru), based on the light novel series by Satoru Kannagi with art by Hotaru Odagiri.   First published in 2002 and first published in North America in 2004.

PLOT:

No one could be more handsome or perfect than Yuichi Kazuki.  That's what Wataru presumes, at least until he encounters Yuichi one day in the bathroom.  Yuichi is haughty and rude to him, and by accident the two exchange one another's rings.  The rings are a school trend that indicate one's relationship status, one where best friends and couples exchange identical pairs of rings, and the coincidence sets the rumor mill churning.  The more that the two interact, the more Wataru finds himself fascinated by Yuichi and the possibility that his cold demeanor hides a much stronger emotion.

Review: GOLDEN CAIN

The history of BL manga in the US begins in the early 2000s.  The first company to try their hand at it was Central Park Media, as part of their ill-fated Be Beautiful imprint, so how does its first release hold up nearly 20 years later?

GOLDEN CAIN (Kin no Cain), by You Asagiri.  First published in 2003 and first published in North America in 2004.

PLOT:

When a concert goes wrong, Shun is stunned when a handsome blonde stranger saves him from the crowd.  He turns out to be Cain, a mysterious new model with a connection to Shun's older brother Keiichi.  Shun is overwhelmed by Cain and his intense beauty, but can Cain save Shun from the overwhelming guilt he feels  and a stalker set on blackmailing them both?

Review: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE ETERNAL HEART

Once again, we're doing a month of BL manga reviews here at the Test Drive, but this year it's going to be double the reviews!  We're starting with a fairly recent book from a creator who has already made a splash with readers.

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE ETERNAL HEART (Gesshoku Kitan), by Syundei.  First published in 2015 and first published in North America in 2019.

PLOT:

Terumichi finds himself hopelessly drawn to his alluring classmate Yamada.  As the two get close, strange things start to happen.  Random boys start stabbing and attacking Yamada, but Yamada is always able to walk away.  The more he investigates, the more he realizes that Yamada's strange personality, the attacks, and Terumichi's dreams are tied to a Taisho-era author and the nine boys he seduced and killed to fuel his work.

STORY:

If you came into this book expecting something along the same lines as Go For It, Nakamura!, then you will be in for quite the shock.  Where Nakamura was sweet, awkward and sunny, Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart is dark, moody, fatalistic, and just as good as its predecessor.

If anything, this book is a testament to how good of a writer Syundei can be.   The pace is slow and methodical, carefully revealing new information about Yamada and each new vision of the past.  She does not shy away from the darker acts performed, but neither does she revel in them to excess.  Much like Terumichi himself, the reader finds themselves drawn further and further into the mystery until it's far too late to escape.

Not surprisingly for a story that involves reincarnation, the emphasis here is on cycles, be they of violence or rebirth.  What starts as seemingly just another high school crush turns into a fated meeting of murderer and victim, trapped for decades in an endless circle of bloodshed and exploitation for no reason beyond one man using literary inspiration to justify his sociopathy.  It all leads up to the point where Terumichi seemingly submits to his fate, only to turn around and push back against it all in the story's surprising finale.  It's just an amazingly crafted mystery that must be experienced for oneself.

ART:

This book also features the same vaguely Takahashi-esque character designs that I found so charming in Go For It, Nakamura!, and amazing makes them fit just as comfortably here as they did there.  I guess it's fitting they should look somewhat old-fashioned considering all the flashbacks to 1920s Japan.  That being said, Syundei really pushes them to the limit.  She gets a lot of range and nuance of emotion out them without loosing what makes them attractive, even in the midst of bloody murder or traumatizing rape.

Did I mention that there was a lot more adult content here than in Nakamura?  Again, Syundei doesn't linger on the gruesome details, keeping the focus more on the reactions of the victims, but she also makes it clear just how depraved Yamada can be.  While her panels remain fairly small and unornamented, she also employs more dramatic angles and visual symbolism than usual in them which really adds to the drama of the story.  

RATING:

Total Eclipse of the Eternal Heart is a beautiful, dark, twisted masterpiece.  So long as you are willing and able to handle the content it has to offer, you will be rewarded with a great BL manga.

Also, for fuck's sake Seven Seas, just recognize your employee union already!  Spend money on your staff and books instead of on union-busting lawyers!

This book is published by Seven Seas.  It is currently in print.

Review: THE APOTHECARY DIARIES

 As this 10th edition of the Merry Month of Manga comes to an end, it's time to cover one last oversight.  This has been one of my favorites for the last two years.  If not for the fact that its first volume came out so late in the year, it absolutely would have been in my 2020 Holiday Reviews.  Now it's time to finally give it its due.

THE APOTHECARY DIARIES (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto), based on the light novel series by Natsu Hyuga and character designs by Touko Shino, with story by Itsuki Nanao and art by Nekokurage.  First published in 2017 and first published in North America in 2020.

PLOT:

Maomao didn't ask to be kidnapped and sold to the imperial palace as a servant, but it happened anyway.  She hoped to just work off her two-year contract and return to her father's apothecary in the pleasure district.  Unfortunately her curious nature and knowledge of herbs and medicine lead to her getting elevated to food taster for one of the imperial consorts.  Now when she's not fending off the attention of the handsome court eunuch Jinshi, she's dealing with all sorts of potentially deadly palace intrigue.

Review: DI GI CHARAT: DEJIKO'S ADVENTURE

Broccoli was a short-lived anime and manga publisher in the US, but during their short time they did their best to promote their most profitable, recognizable mascot with manga like this.

DI GI CHARAT: DEJIKO'S ADVENTURE (Dejiko Ado Be n-Cha), by Yuki Kiriga, based on the characters by Koge-Donbo.  First published in 2000 and first published in North America in 2004.

PLOT:

Di Gi Charat is the cute cat-eared mascot for the Gamers! store chain.  Alongside her friends Rabi-en-Rose, Puchiko, Gema, and the store manager, Di Gi Charat tries to rebuild the store they accidentally destroyed.  To do this, they have to raise money by doing any kind of job available, be it working in a bakery, exorcising demons, or entering a beauty contest.  Along the way, they enjoy summer vacation, re-enact Journey To the West, engage in a little high-seas piracy, and a lot more.

Review: X-KAI

It's never a good sign when a manga reminds me of one of the worst anime I have ever watched.

X-KAI, by Asami Tohjoh.  First published in 1998 and first published in North America in 2006.

PLOT:

Kaito is a florist by day and an assassin by night.  He's able to infiltrate everything from hospitals to Yakuza hideouts in order to complete his missions, using only his wits, his power of observation, and his vast knowledge of plants.  He doles out justice for those who need it most, but is Kaito ready when his job leads him to a lost child and repressed memories from his own tortured past?