The Science of Attack on Titan Writer: Rikao Tanagita Illustrations: Hajime Isayama and Maru Fujishima Translation: Ko Ransom Kodansha Comics June 2015 The ubiquitous Attack on Titan strikes again! We have the original manga, spin-off series, light novels, anime adaptations, live action movies, videogames, and now…a pop science book? Not the first thing that would…
Cats, Ninjas, Otaku, and a Company Returns from the Dead: Anime Expo 2015
While some of us gorged on barbecue and watched fireworks this past weekend, others braved the L.A. traffic to hit Anime Expo, the largest manga and anime convention in North America. A dizzying number of industry announcements were made over the span of four days but don’t worry. WWAC has got you covered! Here are…
Making the Old New Again: The Heroic Legend of Arslan
The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Volumes 1-3 Yoshiki Tanaka (original story) & Hiromu Arakawa (manga adaptation) Kodansha Comics August 2014 – May 2015
A Silent Voice Speaks Out Against Bullying: A Review
A Silent Voice vols. 1 Kodansha Comics Yoshitoki Ōima (mangaka), Ben Applegate (Editor), Steven LeCroy (Translator/Letterer) Release Date: May 26, 2015 A review copy was supplied by Kodansha.
Attack on Titan: Inspiring Post-Apocalyptic Adventure or Japanese Military Propaganda?
Unless we live in China, we just can’t escape from Attack on Titan. In the post-apocalyptic manga by Hajime Isayama, the last bastion of humanity lives within inside walls built to keep man-eating titans out. But like the zombie horde fans so often compare them to, the titans find ways to breach the barriers, decreasing…
Noragami, a Tale of a Stray God and a Cat-Tailed Girl
Noragami: Stray God volumes 1-4 Adachitoka (mangaka); Alethea Nibley & Athena Nibley (translation); Lys Blakeslee (lettering) Kodansha, September 2014-April 2015 Note: this essay contains mild spoilers; review copies provided by Kodansha. You’ve got a sassy small god who wants to be a big god. You’ve got a girl who sometimes has a catlike tail. You’ve…
Hungry for Definition: xxxHolic’s Addiction to Food
xxxHolic Omnibus editions vols. 1–5 CLAMP (mangaka studio); William Flanagan (adaptation and translation); Dana Hayward (letters) Kodansha 2014–2015 (first published 2003–2009) Note: this essay contains some light spoilers; review copies were provided by Kodansha. Watanuki Kimihiro sees spirits. Even worse, they want to eat him, and so they chase him. All the time. Big, scary,…
Making Manga is Hard—and Funny: Manga Dogs Reviewed
Manga Dogs, vols. 1–3 Ema Toyama (mangaka); William Flanagan (translation); Jennifer Skarupa (lettering); Phil Balsman (cover design) Kodansha What do you think of comics artists and writers? Okay, I can probably answer some of that: if you’re reading this, you’re probably not among the camp who thinks of them as weirdos. Or maybe you do,…
Music and a Muse: Your Lie in April
Your Lie in April Naoshi Arakawa (mangaka); Alethea and Athena Nibley (translation); Scott Brown (lettering) Cover Design by Phil Balsman Kodansha Comics April 21, 2015 There’s something fascinating about the depiction of an auditory experience in visual form. What does it look like to play music? How do those feelings manifest? Can a story about music be…
Comics You Should Definitely Pick Up On Free Comic Book Day
Diamond Comics Distributors were kind enough to send me their Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) offerings before the day in question. I read them all except the five that I didn’t receive (Fight Club/The Goon/The Strain, Doctor Who Special, 2000 AD Special, Ice Bayou Blackout and Teen Titans GO!/Scooby-Doo Team Up #6). Below are my choices for the…
Attack on Titan’s Gargantuan (Sales) Impact
Hajime Isayama’s Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人, Shingeki no Kyojin) is a force to be reckoned with. And no, I’m not talking about the monstrous, human-eating, gigantic Titans that represent chaos and xenophobia for the series’ protagonists. I’m talking about pure, cold, hard capitalism here. Numbers, numbers, numbers, money, money, money.
Sad Metal Losers: Date Night With WWAC
If I’m going to spend Valentines apart from my sweetie, there has to be a reason for it. So let’s begin to weave this alternate reality. Spring 2015: WWAC launches Patreon campaign (spoiler: this is our reality, so get your wallet ready). Late 2015: WWAC explodes into cash-richness. Early 2016: I must travel to Japan,…
