Happy holidays ya nerds! Here’s what I read from VIZ for the last half of November through December and January. Sorry this is so late! Life juiced lemons into my eyeballs for a few weeks and here we are.
VIZWATCH: An Introduction to Current Manga!
Hello! It’s another PUBWATCH column! I’m Mackenzie, and this is my first article—ever! For anything! Every month you’ll be hearing from me about the latest VIZ Media, with some added commentary. This article is a hodgepodge of what came out from VIZ in October and the first half of November; there’s a lot to read!…
Women in Men’s World: The Feminism of Basara
Stories about gender and women have always fascinated me. Seek me out as a kid and you’d find me watching Mulan with a copy of Bruce Coville’s The Dragonslayers clutched to my chest. Discovering a relatively obscure series called Basara during my college years was just an extension of that. Basara follows the journey of…
Previously On Comics: Manga News from Anime Expo
Hello readers! It’s a holiday weekend for many people but regardless of whether that is the case for you, I hope the past few days have been treating you well. While you’re gearing up for the week ahead, why don’t we catch up on some headlines from the world of comics? This past weekend was…
Previously On Comics: Attack on Titan Hollywood Live Action Adaptation
Hello readers! It’s been a week, hasn’t it? From current political events in the United States to people arguing about punching Nazis (correct answer: always okay), headlines have not been dull. When the titan is a nazi, an Attack on Titan is always okay. Early last week, Deadline reported that Warner Brothers was negotiating for the…
Previously On Comics: A Political Figure Becomes a Supervillain
Happy Monday! It’s the start of a new week. New beginnings, new possibilities, new hope. I can only wish that the next few days are better all-around for everyone. Fingers crossed. Speaking of current events, 2016 is shaping up to be one of the most contentious election years in United States history. I’m sure my…
Diamonds in the Rough: Our Problematic Faves, Who Coincidentally, Are Women
WOMEN. We hate’em. Well, a lot of people hate’em. Us. Hate us. Okay, we don’t hate women. We are women. We love women! We love woman characters … whom other people hate. And we’ll defend them. Okay? Just listen.
BABIES! They’re Cute. But Which Are the Cutest? Here’s a List
Hey now, it’s spring! That means things are hatching. Chicks, rabbits, tulips, etc. And babies! Babies are born all year round (and so are comics published), but lets celebrate the sweet fresh shoots of character while cherries begin to blossom and the air begins to warm. It’s BABIES! The cutest in comics. What age is a…
Short & Sweet, All-Manga Edition: Barakamon, My Hero Academia, and More!
Barakamon, Volume #5 Satsuki Yoshino (mangaka); Krista Shipley & Karie Shipley (translation); Lys Blakeslee (lettering) Yen Press, June 2015 Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by Yen Press. Volume 5 of Barakamon is just as full of childhood hijinks and warm feelings as earlier volumes. City calligrapher Seishuu Handa has by now more-or-less fully adapted…
Manga to (Yo-Kai) Watch Out For
Whether you’re a fan of video games, television, or comics, odds are you’ve heard buzz surrounding Yo-Kai Watch, the latest Japanese franchise to take off around the globe. At the very least, you’ve probably seen some clickbait-y links hailing it as “the next Pokémon.” Curious about the next generation of mon adventures? Desensitized to the…
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to [My] Past
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Shotaro Ishinomori (mangaka); Dan Owsen (translation); Yukiko Whitley (cover & interior design) VIZ Media, May 2015 Disclaimer: this review is based upon a review copy provided by the publisher and contains light spoilers. So there’s this boy with blonde hair, pointy ears, and a green outfit….
Sex, Drugs, and Being Whole : Welcome to the World of Gangsta
It’s hard being an older fan of manga and anime. Think about the most popular titles: Naruto, Attack on Titan, and Noragami. Do you notice a pattern? About their protagonists maybe? That’s right. They’re teenagers. Even up-and-coming Tokyo Ghoul features young college students. That’s nice and all, but what about those of us who are…