This series might be one of the most challenging old-school manga to review, but who am I to back down from a challenge?
GON, by Masashi Tanaka. First published in 1991 and first published in North America in 2007.
Gon is a tiny little tyrannosaur with a big attitude. He has somehow survived the Mesozoic, and now finds himself facing off against some of the biggest, toughest predators in the modern animal world.
Let's talk about an old but beloved little one-volume wonder from the glory days of Shojo Beat.
KAMIKAZE GIRLS (Shimotsuma Monogatari), based on the light novel by Novala Takemoto with art by Yukio Kanesada. First published in 2004 and first published in North America in 2006.
PLOT:
Momoko loves lolita fashion, but it's hard for her to cultivate her wardrobe and the aloof, elegant air she desires when she's been dragged from Osaka to the middle of nowhere by her deadbeat dad. That's where she meets the biker girl Ichigo, who desperately wants to get her biker coat embroidered to honor her mentor but needs someone who knows their way around Tokyo. This simple exchange blossoms into an unlikely friendship between two lonely girls from two radically different subcultures.
It's time once more for Old-School Month here on the Manga Test Drive (even if it's a little later than usual), and we're starting with one of the most iconic manga to come out of the 1960s.
LUPIN III (Rupan Sansei), by Monkey Punch. First published in 1967 and first published in North America in 2003.
PLOT:
Lupin the Third is a legendary thief, always able to sneak his way into the most secure locations. With his right-hand man Jigen at his side, Lupin travels the world while stealing treasure and the hearts of beautiful women, all the while evading the ever-vigilant Inspector Zenigata.
I wanted to end this month on a tidy and hopeful note. I don't know if I entirely succeeded with this choice of manga, but it's probably as good as anything I was likely to find in my boxes of books to review.
MAID WAR CHRONICLE (Maid Senki), by RAN. First published in 2007 and first published in North America in 2009.
PLOT:
The kingdom of Arbansbool has been without a king for years, waiting for the crown prince Alex to come of age. On the verge of his coronation, the royal castle is attacked and young Alex must flee for his life with only a squad of royal maids to protect him. Gifted with holy weapons from a hidden shrine, they must learn how to fight like knights to protect not just themselves but the future of the kingdom itself.
We could stand to read something more pleasant after that last review...perhaps a nice, soothing food manga? With a maid?
THE FOOD DIARY OF MISS MAID (Maid-San wa Taberu Dake), by Susumu Maeya. First published in 2019 and first published in North America in 2022.
PLOT:
Suzume Tachibana was perfectly content working as a maid for her unnamed English master...at least, until his home was destroyed while she was away. It's going to take a year to rebuild, so now she's stuck in Japan for a year with nothing to do but take care of herself. There's only so many times she can tidy her tiny little apartment, so she spends most of her time wandering around and eating whatever tasty delicacies she comes across.
