Selah's Manga Mania: Laid-Back Camp Vol. 1

Laid-Back Camp Vol. 1
March 27, 2018
Written by Afro
Genre: Adventure, Iyashikei*, Slice of life, Sports Manga, Teen & Young Adult

Seinen

Publisher: Yen Press
Volumes 11 (List of volumes)
Setting up a tent, starting a fire, and eating noodles with Mt. Fuji in view...Rin and Nadeshiko absolutely love to camp! Enjoy their zest for travel and maybe even pick up a tip or two about roughing it in the great outdoors. You might just want to go camping yourself!

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*genre specific to Japanese works, primarily manga and anime. It is a sub-genre of slice of life, portraying characters living out peaceful lives in calming environments, and is intended to have a healing effect on the audience. The word iyashikei means "healing" in Japanese. - Wikipedia

Sometimes you just need something relaxing with low stakes. Sometimes you want to read about characters enjoying themselves, having friendships, and eating good food. Thankfully, for as many manga titles that focus on adventure and drama, there’s also plenty that focuses on really low-stakes situations and relaxing environments.

Beautiful people, you need Laid Back Camp in your life. No, really.

Nadeshiko is a peppy, energetic girl who meets Rin, who is quieter and likes to camp by herself after being given a lot of supplies by her aging grandfather. They develop a friendship, and intrigued by Rin’s hobby, Nadeshiko seeks out the Outdoor Activities Club at her school, widening their friend circle. The girls plot out possible trips, save for camping gear, plan menus, and have quirky adventures while camping. This is balanced by Rin going off on her own and slowly being drawn into the group. Initially an outsider, she slowly relaxes and develops a friendship with Nadeshiko and the others. Conversely, Nadeshiko slowly comes into her own and tries to take more responsibility and do more on her own as she can.

The good: It’s cute. The art is cute, the stories are fun, there’s a lot of detail about locations, food, and Japanese culture in general. It’s a great introductory series because while not episodic per se, there’s no giant arc where you need to know every single detail. The author is pretty good about referring back to past storylines to avoid confusion. The pacing isn’t slow, but it takes its time. Because this is more about relationships, personal growth, and camping, it just feels super relaxing compared to the tensions in everyday life. All the girls have their own personalities. They meet different people during their trips, slowly widening their social circles and drawing them into different experiences on their own. I identify a lot with Rin but also appreciate that they give her a roommate and that she’s not some tragic lonely figure. All of the girls have stable family relationships in what I’ve read so far. Although problems arise, they’re mostly because of poor planning or other outside circumstances. What’s cool is that the plots come from them having to actively think on their feet to solve these dilemmas, and seeing young women do that in real-world situations is really empowering.

Yes, there’s also a lot involving yummy food. Please, this is me; I’m going to find a good food manga even if it’s buried in a snowstorm and I have to fight a Yeti for it.

As I get ever into my dotage, high school titles get harder to read, not necessarily because I can’t remember and empathize (I’m not that decrepit yet), but because they’re often romance based and really over the top plots. I just find it hard to invest a lot of time reading that. This, though, is fun, sweet, and has become a title I curl up with if I’ve got a lot on my mind. I love how the girls are presented. They’re goofy, sure, but not stupid. The challenges are believable, and they rely on and help each other and others. It’s a sweet, positive title. There’s enough comedy to keep you laughing and enough warmth to get you out of a bad mood.

The bad: If you want something with a ton of adventure or drama or romance, this ain’t it. Not a con, but know what you’re getting into here—otherwise, nothing.

The weird: Really, nothing. Some of the situations are a smidge unrealistic but still believable in this world.

If you need a mental holiday, definitely curl up in a sleeping bag, make some ramen, and check out a volume of this.

4 sheep

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania: Hakumei & Mikochi, Vol. 1 by Takuto Kashiki

Hakumei & Mikochi, Vol. 1
by Takuto Kashiki (Author, Artist)
July 24, 2018
192 pages
Genre: manga, young adult, fantasy
Seinen
Book 1 of 7 in the Minuscule Series
Deep within a lush, green forest live Hakumei and Mikochi. Making their home in trees, using leaves for umbrellas, and riding bugs for transportation is just part of everyday life for these tiny spirit pals!

These days, sometimes we just need a break from drama. It's magic when I find a slow, soothing title I really like, and this series is adorable.

Hakumei and Mikochi are two tiny forest spirits that westerners would probably equate to fairies. They live in the woods and their adventures consist of finding fabric at the market or making yummy food or fixing things. Occasionally there will be a bigger drama like needing their house repaired or mediating between groups of talking animals or competing at a singing competition.

Overall, the pace is leisurely, the drawings are detailed and beautiful, and it harkens back to simple pleasures we tend to forget about.

The good: I love that both leads are ladies and they have different skillsets and tastes. The cast is rounded out with other sprites and talking animals, and the day-to-day approach means there's a ton of possible material, especially centering around how characters relate to each other and work together. The market and town scenes are bustling with loads to look at and the forest scenes are lovely and lush. New inhabitants are added with each volume, so while the pair of friends is the main focus, there is a whole little world being built here. There are some bigger adventures, but they're pretty much solved within a chapter.

Altogether, this is a charming series that makes me feel like I'm reading picture books but for a higher reading level. This is definitely all-ages appropriate (there is some drinking, so keep that in mind for little kids depending on your preferences) and a beautiful series.

The bad: Nothing. If you don't enjoy it, it's probably because you prefer more action-oriented stories, and that's totally fine.

The ick: Nothing.

This would be a great starter series because you pretty much can pick up anywhere and not feel like you're missing anything. It's a great read to curl up with after a long day and feel cozy and secure.

Five forest-dwelling sheep

About the Reviewer

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition) by Junji Ito

Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition): Includes vols. 1, 2 & 3
by Junji Ito
October 16, 2018
Volumes: 3
648 pages
English publisher: NA Viz Media
Seinen horror manga
Genres: Visual novel, Simulation Video Game, Dark fantasy, Horror fiction, Occult Fiction
Appearing as a serial in the weekly manga magazine Big Comic Spirits from 1998 to 1999. 
Kurouzu-cho, a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan, is cursed. According to Shuichi Saito, the withdrawn boyfriend of teenager Kirie Goshima, their town is haunted not by a person or being but a pattern: UZUMAKI, the spiral—the hypnotic secret shape of the world. The bizarre masterpiece horror manga is now available all in a single volume. Fall into a whirlpool of terror!

It's time to think about stories that freak us out, and Japanese horror has a certain something that just pushes things over the edge and down a cliff. Today, we're looking at one of the greatest authors in the genre and one of his most infamous titles. Today, we're looking at Uzumaki by Junji Ito.

We follow teenager Kirie and her boyfriend Shuichi as they slowly realize something is very wrong with their town and the people in it. It all begins with Shuichi's father's fascination with spirals that becomes an obsession, and then something otherworldly.

The good: This is a freaky series and I really like that the omnibus version collects it all in one place. While this is more surreal than other Ito titles which are more classic horror, the scare factor is definitely there. As the spiral obsession and paranoia jumps from person to person and then starts to physically affect the structure of the town and people's bodies in inhuman ways, the reading experience becomes really disturbing. My stomach dropped at scenes like Shuichi's mom puncturing her ear because she realized there was a spiral in the bones in it. The debate as people turned into snail creatures as to whether they could be used for food or if they were still human is intense. How villagers take shelter in the bunkhouses lets you know you've passed the point of no return.

Ito portrays the line between rational and madness very well, both in his pacing and art. You can physically see the moment where characters fall over the edge or give up, adding to the feeling over impending doom that builds through the story. As the town changes, you realize that this is way bigger than a few peoples' obsessions. I'd call it cosmic horror with patterns instead of monsters, honestly. And the ending took the breath out of me because it's quieter than I expected, but it really capped things well.

Ito's art is exceptional, and the vast amount of ways he incorporates spirals into body horror, architecture, and natural landscapes are impressive. It feels like he's really in his element.

The bad: if you want definite logic as to why things are happening, this will likely frustrate you. There is a reason, but it's vague. I would say the story is more about the effect the spirals have on people and the futility of their fight and just how wrong the decision to stay in town is. This is more surreal vs outright horror compared to something like Tomie, but it still has that Ito feel.

Some of the characters are a little one-dimensional, but in this case, it all pushes the plot forward and showcases the insane vignettes and variations on the spiral theme. He's taking you on a tour via these scenes, and it's your job to see how you feel about them. It won't be everyone's cuppa.

The ick: While a lot of the dramatic violence is off-screen, this is Ito, which means body horror. Contorted anatomy, mutations beyond the realm of physics, melty bodies, and characters in agony - it's kinda his thing. If looking at this isn't something you want to see, this title isn't for you.

Overall, while I would have liked a little more characterization and at times the pace can feel a little meandery, I felt the story super-fascinating and the art insane. I read it all in one night if that tells you anything. If you're looking for a story to get under your skin and never want to see spirals innocently again, this is for you.

5 spiralized sheep

About the Reviewer

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Review: In This Corner of the World by Fumiyo Kouno

In This Corner of the World

by Fumiyo Kouno
October 31, 2017

Genre: Seinen, YA, historical fiction, manga

Original run 2007 – 2009

Paperback: 450 pages

Volumes 3

THE MANGA THAT INSPIRED THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FILM--NOW ON NETFLIX!

1940’s Hiroshima Prefecture. Suzu, a young woman from the countryside, joins her new husband and his family in the shipbuilding city of Kure. As her beautiful home collapses around her, Suzu must confront the challenges of a new life while coming to grips with a world in turmoil. Unwilling to give up hope, Suzu struggles against the horrors of war to create her own happiness.

One of the great things about any art form is to look at something from a different culture or lens. Today, we're going to look at a title that takes us through the late part of WWII from a Japanese perspective. Unlike my usual, I'm going to refrain from flippant remarks and not break it down in terms of pros/cons/squicky stuff because not only is this a serious and heartfelt title, but it deals with a time in history that I think many westerners have a limited point of view on.

Let's take a look at In This Corner of the World.

Suzu is a young woman who lives in the countryside of Hiroshima with her family. She helps with their seaweed business, has an ogre of a brother, and loves to draw. We see her travel to her grandmother's, escape a goblin (the only real nod to the paranormal in this), and generally live her day to day life until her marriage is arranged. She soon joins her husband and his family in Kure, a shipbuilding city. Her sister-in-law is unimpressed with her scatterbrained ways and she struggles to fit in with her new family and get to know her husband. She deals with tensions when an old school friend she had feelings for shows up, and struggles to deal with the fact that a friend she has made is also likely a sex worker that her husband used to visit.

Through it all, there is the war. Rations, neighborhood initiatives, hard times that only get harder, her sister-in-law struggling with sending her own children away, air raids and bombings, and difficult living conditions are a way of life.

Throughout the actual story are asides about different methods of extending food or what different programs were in Japan. Suzu struggles to adapt and keep up her optimism, both in her new environment and with everything else. And then a bombing changes everything for her and her relations with her in-laws. And then she gets word of what happened in Hiroshima to her own family.

This isn't as heavy as it sounds since there is a lot of day to day life scattered throughout, but it does deal with serious subjects, both in Suzu's personal life and with the historical aspect. It's incredibly well-researched and sourced, and I felt like I learned a ton while my emotions were being shredded. I wish the footnotes and some of the main text weren't so tiny because it does take a little effort to catch everything.

It's also as much historical information as it is an actual story, so if you're looking for a fast-paced drama, be aware that you'd probably prefer the movie version. There is a lot of story, but things often pause for explanations, which could seem a little disjointed, but overall I think it works very well. It's impressive that for not being a biography, the story seems very possible.

Emotionally, I felt for all the characters. Suzu grows considerably, and by the end fourth, some of what she deals with is gut-wrenching. Her emotional reactions aren't overlooked or rushed through, which I think is important.

The art is nice and accessible, things can get a little cramped and at times the size and scale of the story felt overwhelming. Still, this is one I absolutely recommend. I think we don't really talk about Hiroshima much except for textbook entries, and on the whole, don't like to stop and think about how it affected people. It's so easy to paint people as the enemy from a past time, but these characters are living their lives the same as anyone else. There's also a wealth of information here, so it has importance both as an educational tool and as an empathy-building one.

This would probably be easier for high school age on up, just for the size of it and some of the themes. I could see it complementing any history course, but it definitely is great as regular reading, too. It will move your heart and give you a ton to think about.

Five sheep

About the Author:
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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Review: Chi's Sweet Home Vol. 1 by Konami Kanata

Chi's Sweet Home Vol. 1

by Konami Kanata (Author, Illustrator)

December 8, 2015

168 pages
12 book series

Genre: Comedy

Manga

Demographic: Seinen

Original run November 22, 2004 – June 23, 2015

Chi is a mischievous newborn kitten who, while on a leisurely stroll with her family, finds herself lost. Separated from the warmth and protection of her mother, feels distraught. Overcome with loneliness she breaks into tears in a large urban park meadow. when she is suddenly rescued by a young boy named Yohei and his mother. The kitty is then quickly and quietly whisked away into the warm and inviting Yamada family apartment...where pets are strictly not permitted.

amazon link to series

We’ve established my love of cats, so you pretty much know how this review is going to go. After reading Fukufuku, I happened upon the blurb for Chi’s Sweet Home in the back and…yeah.

Guys. There are FOUR. GIANT. VOLUMES. OF. THIS. FOUR VOLUMES OF KITTY MANGA!!! FOUR VOLUMES OF UNADULTERED CUTENESS!

Actually, there may be more. I may need to yell at my library or get buying.

I know I have a problem. I don’t care. I will fight you if you try to take cats away from me. Let me just have this thing.

Chi is a kitten who often gets into trouble, which leads to her getting separated from her mom. She ends up at a park, distraught, where she’s rescued by a little boy named Yohei and his parents. Problem is, there are no pets allowed at their apartment complex. DUN DUN DUUUUUNNN.

The first volume centers around Chi acclimating to her new home, and the humans trying to decide if they can keep her. I also love the character of Blackie, this round bearish cat who saunters around causing trouble but eventually becomes a friend and mentor to Chi. Volume 2 sees the family moving to a pet-friendly place, and things evolve from there.

The Good: Just everything. Every page, every line, ever little particle. Okay, seriously, Konami Konata has obviously had cats because a lot of this rings very true to life. The mannerisms, the reactions, the adventures – part of what makes it so cute and funny is that it’s just really realistic. I like that in this story, the cat's meows are interpreted into actual commentary, so that vs what the humans interpret the meows as leads to some fun moments.

Chi is indoor/outdoor so you gain a cast of animal characters that make for great sidekicks. Every little thing is a potential adventure, and because the chapters are so short, it’s easy to keep flipping. I was also really surprised at how heartfelt some of this is. Chi never quite forgets her mom and siblings, and there are multiple instances where she gets lost or gets into trouble that had me worried for her because I am a sap like that. The stakes are higher than Fukufuku, but not terribly higher, so it’s a lovely balance. The art is friendly and engaging, and Chi is just adorable in all her moods and mannerisms.

The volumes I’ve read from are a really nice, thick size, too. As an adult, I can get through them pretty fast, but a younger reader will have a lot of time to engage with the story. Plus, it’s cute and simple enough that you can keep going back to it for multiple reads if you need a pick-me-up.

The bad: Not a thing and I will fight anyone who says there is.

The ick: nah, this is geared towards kids and families.

5 trillion adorable kitty sheep-

Okay, fiiiiiine, five sheep. But it deserves 5 trillion.

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Review: My Neighbor Seki, 1 by Takuma Morishige

My Neighbor Seki, 1

by Takuma Morishige
January 4, 2014
Volumes: 10 (List of volumes)
English publisher: NA Vertical
Genre: Comedy
Demographic: Seinen
Toshinari Seki takes goofing off to new heights. Every day, on or around his school desk, he masterfully creates his own little worlds of wonder, often hidden to most of his classmates. Unfortunately for Rumi Yokoi, his neighbor at the back of their homeroom, his many games, dioramas, and projects are often way too interesting to ignore; even when they are hurting her grades.

Sometimes, you just want something light and fun with no huge stakes. Something ridiculous with an overall good narrative. I picked up volume one of My Neighbor Seki on a whim, and while it didn’t grab me by the throat, it’s a lot of fun.

Rumi Yokoi sits next to Toshinari Seki in school. Seki takes goofing off to the extreme, and she inevitably gets sucked into his antics…and of course ends up taking the blame half the time when they draw attention. Adventures range from massive domino displays to polishing a desk to mirror-worthy shine, to leading chess pieces into giant battle adventures, to robots tagging along for an emergency drill. So, how was this volume for me? Let’s break it down.

The good: Every class session gets more and more ridiculous, and that’s where this manga really shines. Yokoi gets so flustered and affronted and Seki’s antics grow more and more ridiculous, that it really is fun to see what on earth he’ll try to pull next. Both kids are really likeable, and it’s fun to see the emotions keep ramping up with each passing chapter. The art is fairly typical and expressive, and there are some fun things done with typical, everyday objects.

The bad: Not necessarily bad, but that’s basically all there is to the premise. There’s very limited engagement between Seki and Yokoi, so the character interaction and potential conflicts are very internalized and limited. It’s a one-note gag played to the extreme. It’s funny and cute, but I hope that if this moves into other volumes, we get more of an actual story.

The ick: Nothing. These are middle-grade kids in school, doing kids in school things. 

If you want something to kick back with and give you a giggle, definitely look for this one. If you’re looking for more of a broader story, be aware this isn’t a title that’s setting itself up for that so far.

3 sheep 

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.

Selah's Manga Mania Reviews: Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1 by Sui Ishida

Tokyo Ghoul, Vol. 1

by Sui Ishida

March 17, 2015

224 pages

Demographic: Seinen

Original run September 8, 2011 – September 18, 2014

Volumes: 14

Genres: Manga, Horror fiction

Shy Ken Kaneki is thrilled to go on a date with the beautiful Rize. But it turns out that she’s only interested in his body—eating it, that is. When a morally questionable rescue transforms him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid, Ken is drawn into the dark and violent world of Ghouls, which exists alongside our own.

I’m way late to the party on this, but I have to give it a shout out because it’s one of those series that I’m reading right now, and it’s just so good. I fought reading it for a while because I’d given my time to a few long series, but man, Tokyo Ghoul is definitely one I’m glad I started reading.

In a world where ghouls masquerade as humans to eat them, Ken Kaneki goes out with Rize, and finds out too late that she’s only interested in him as actual dinner. When a car accident leaves her organs in his body, he becomes half human, half ghoul – something the world hasn’t seen so far. The story takes the reader on Kaneki’s journey as he fights his urges, struggles to learn the inner workings of ghoul life, and tries not to get caught by the agency stalking the ghouls.

 The good: It’s a really well-developed world and story. It’s easy to empathize with Kaneki, from his shyness to his wanting to do the moral thing, to just sympathizing with how hard the situation is for him. I also really like the stance this takes that he isn’t alone because he’s not one thing or the other – he’s got power because he is both. While there are the standard feelings of isolation subplot, it really works to show that there are people around him, ghoul and human (even if the humans don’t know what’s going on). Those that help him at the café he ends up working at (which is a front for the ghoul community in their area) are really nicely developed characters and so far don’t seem to be there just to fill the roles of “girl” and “mentor,” etc. The agents in the group that’s hunting them also have diverse personalities and obsessions, as well. Everything is more or less a shade of grey, which I love. The ghoul physiology is interesting, and the way it’s integrated into the “real” world works for me. I have to admit, I’m impressed.

The bad: Nothing that leaps out at me, but I’m only three volumes in. The set-up happens fast so you pretty much know going in what’s going to kick start things, but that’s not really a negative for me. I expect a story like this to meander as it introduces new characters and challenges, but so far it’s not wandered too far from the core story, but used everything to enhance it. So really, I can’t think of anything overtly bad that I’ve seen.

 

The Ick: I’ve not seen anything hugely graphic so far, but if cannibalism gets to you, there are a few panels. It’s not anything beyond typical zombie fare, and there are some gory fights and deaths along the way. Presuming you’re picking this up because you’re into horror, though, it’s likely not going to be a deal-breaker.

5 half-ghoul sheep

About the Author:

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Selah Janel is a writer who is trying to start doing that again instead of reading manga all the time.