Hope you had an amazing April, VIZ fans! This month we’re returning to two series I like, including Ai Yazawa’s Neighborhood Story, and checking out the first volume of Gokurakugai, which I’ve been hearing a lot about. But first, the news!
Marvel joins VIZ Manga
Exciting news for Marvel fans: manga spin-offs of classic superhero stories, including Spider-Man: Fake Red and Deadpool: Samurai are now available on the VIZ Manga app! To celebrate, VIZ manga subscribers can also get a free month of Marvel Unlimited! Provided you are based in the US and redeem your offer before May 16. If you’ve ever wanted to check out those “cape comics” you heard so much about, this might be a good opportunity! Marvel Unlimited offers over 30,000 issues of comics to dive into, covering countless eras and characters! For $9.99 a month.
Must-have manga of April 17, according to VIZ Media
This month they’re featuring Demon Slayer: Kimetsu Academy, Vol. 2, Jujutsu Kaisen Vol. 22, and Disney Mirrorverse: Belle. Okay then! If you are already keeping up with the Demon Slayer spin-off manga or Jujutsu Kaisen, then this may be relevant information for you! The Disney Mirrorverse story seems interesting, but I am not that emotionally invested in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, or indeed, Disney at all. However, VIZ is determined to reach out to the direct market and encourage its customers to purchase manga from local comic shops, so here are some suggestions for you!
Two on Ice ends in Shonen Jump
When will I stop getting burned by series I actually like getting cancelled early, before they even get to do anything? While series I hate run for a zillion chapters, two anime shows, and three spin-off manga?! Anyway, Two on Ice was (RIP) a manga about pairs ice skating in Japan by Elck Itsumo that ran for 28 chapters before meeting its end right before the big competition. I was enjoying it, though the pacing left a lot to be desired. But I think the fear of early cancellation probably prevented the author from devoting enough time to the main characters’ development as skaters. I wish we’d got to see more of the rival pairs’ deal before the cancellation…Oh, well. It was pretty well-drawn and the main rival guy skates to “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic! at The Disco, and if you want to read the whole story, now you can.
Enough about cancelled manga and things I don’t read, it’s time to talk about…
What I’m Reading
Neighborhood Story, Vol 2
Ai Yazawa
April 2, 2024
Yay, more Neighborhood Story! I really love the additional illustrations from the promotional merch made for the series’ original run back in the 90s, it makes me wish they’d re-release some of those stickers and stationery objects now that Y2K style is in again. Tragically, Mikako’s cool best friend Risa is barely present in this volume; the focus is instead on Mariko’s changing feelings and Mikako’s relationship with her parents, especially her absent father. Also, Mikako and Tsutomu finally progress in their relationship and communicate, and it’s very cute. The fourth-wall-breaking asides got a little grating at the beginning of the volume, but I enjoyed the exploration of everyone’s deeper emotions through their creative pursuits. I also found their flea market experience very relatable, as a fellow flea market vendor. I like how Yazawa’s creative characters utilize their creativity to express themselves and how they feel about each other. And the work they make looks cool, too! Their art collective studio mascot was fun to see.
Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Vol 2
Daruma Matsuura
April 16, 2024
Yay, more Steel of the Celestial Shadows! I am still enjoying this comic, although it was very sad to see Konosuke had lost all memory of his mysterious moon wife from volume 1. Fortunately, a blind medium who can see people’s fates when she touches them happens to cross his path. Unfortunately, Konosuke’s determination to figure out what he was forgetting upsets the Onmyoji sorcerers, and they send out their servants to eliminate him! I like how lively and fun the characters are, even the unnamed side characters that appear for a sequence or two. It feels deeply steeped in lore and Edo-period history I am not very familiar with personally, but none of the lore is confusing or difficult to follow. Konosuke’s anguish over Tsuki’s disappearance and his inability to remember what he lost is palpable in Matsuura’s visceral choice of imagery and character art, and Aki’s vibrant personality and compassion come through in just the way she holds herself and moves. It’s a comic that feels like it’s already animated and moving, somehow. I would love to see an anime adaptation if it could faithfully transfer this dynamic art style.
Gokurakugai, Vol 1
Yuto Sano
April 16, 2024
This comic was fine. I didn’t hate it; I wasn’t bored by its existence despite the wildly generic premise (problem-solver monster-hunters in an urban fantasy environment). I finished it in one sitting without constantly checking how many pages I had left. I don’t think it’s anything particularly special or outstanding, but the art is very nice and detailed, and the worldbuilding of the Gokurakugai district is intriguing. I found the monster designs less interesting than Gege Akutami’s in Jujutsu Kaisen, but the characters are pretty likeable. I think it felt too… quiet? Not enough dialogue. Tao is a very stoic and silent character, which left me wanting to learn more about her. We get more out of Alma, but both of them are very mysterious. So far, it feels very episodic and not like it’s building to something bigger or more thematically interesting like Chainsaw Man. Solid start, but nothing mind-blowing to me. It’s fine! Gorgeous art, though.
That’s all I have for you this month! Tune in next time for more VIZ news and reviews!
