MIA Cynic

Today is a good day! (Not)

It's a review on one manga!

Yepp! You guessed it! (Noob)

I'll be doing a review on the Onemanga website itself!

As many of you manga fans know, Onemanga is THE website to read manga scans. We live for Onemanga.

And recently, our good old friend decided to showcase their beta version and a mobile version to kinda keep up with the times.

First, the beta version. Nothing much has changed from the original, but more features have been added to make the process of manga reading more enjoyable. The one thing which I like the most is the My Manga function. Which allows you to register the manga you read into your account. The site will then take note of whether you have read the latest update on the manga you have registered and which chapter you last stopped at. It's really useful, if you're hyped up enough to register all those manga you've read before one by one.

Second, the mobile version. People with unlimited data plans thank your heavens for this. The mobile version is truly a godsend to all of us blackberry/iphone users. The manga pages are cut to size so that it fits the blackberry screen perfectly. Previously, if you accessed the onemanga full site, you'd have a lot of scrolling and clicking to do, so much so that the sacred act of reading manga turns you off. Not anymore!

That's all for now!

If you're reading this, you must really be a fan.

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

This is getting awkward.

It appears that I haven't blogged for a month. I honestly think apologising makes me look too much of a dork.

But I will anyway.

SORRY! My college makes my life so busy I leave home at 5.30 every morning and reach home at 10.

I can't even find the time to read manga anymore. I catch up on a whole week's worth of manga every saturday. And obviously that's not very good for a manga blogger. :X

I'm currently watching Code Geass but I have no idea how long it'd take before I finish the remaining few episodes, hopefully soon.

Then I'll do a review. (Finally)

But for now, bear with the emptiness of this space.

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

ZOMG

I forgot I had a blog going here!

Anyway, today's review is on History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi. From today onwards I'd be having to take a 1.5 hour bus ride to my school. So don't worry about there not being reviews.

The History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi, to put it shortly, is about a wimpy kid who gets trained in a dojo with super masters of different martial arts. And by "super" I mean "walk-on-water super". Soon, he is challenged by evil organisations and strong opponents. The story goes on...

RIGHT. So everything seems cool. So cool it's boring. Thank goodness that Kenichi, after being trained in fighting is STILL a wimp. Many of the comedic moments in the manga come from his cowardice and unwillingness to fight and train, despite his masters forcing inhumane training on him.

The fighting is also surprisingly interesting. Almost believable until the later parts of the manga. This manga has given me many laughs and its comedy is deserving of my laughter.

I want to write more, but the way the bus jerks is making my head spin as I type it on my BB. So that ought to be all for now.


Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

Glass Mask: It’s All About Passion

I would suppose my previous post was a little… Hyped up there. You do not want to know how many times I tried asking Onemanga to upload Glass Mask.

As far as Shoujo manga go, Glass Mask is of the oldest kind and quality. It’s evident from its artwork. This doesn’t seem to be right, does it? Me? Liking an ancient Shoujo manga? When did I become a wuss? Real men don’t wear pink. They read Glass Mask.

This manga is about a girl named Maya from a poor single parent family. Acting is her absolute passion but she hadn’t had a chance to act at all, not even aware that she possesses superior talent. Somehow, she meets the right kind of people who recognize the talent she has, nurturing her to be the ultimate actor.

There are a couple of things which makes Glass Mask so awesome;

Firstly, the structure of the manga is rather unique, even if you don’t see it. Maya is an honest character who knows nothing of thinking deep or thinking far. She just wants to act. However, in doing so, the people around her are affected in one way or another. Some get envious, some are happy for her, some fall in love with her and so on. It’s amazing to see how so many people are affected by this one girl from a simple background with an amazing talent.

Secondly, the depiction of the rehearsals and performances are  incredibly true. You know how many a times, mangaka exaggerate live events or occupations to the extent that it seems awesome but unbelievable? Glass Mask isn’t like this- trust me, I’d know. Glass Mask stays true to its theatrical roots despite also being able to make it emotional.

Thirdly, I know this is personal, but many events in the manga are easy for me to relate to. I’ve been in a couple of productions (in fact, I’m in the middle of one right now) and the points of view from both director and actor shown in Glass Mask brings Déjà Vu. Maybe this is related to the second point, but two points seemed too little so I kinda expanded it to make it three. *embarrassed smile*

I’m in the middle of rereading Glass Mask, so I shan’t say more here. As Nike says it, Just Read It. (Nike, please don’t sue me)

OMFG OMFG YOU DON’T KNOW HOW EXCITED I AM

FREAKING GLASS MASK IS ON FREAKING ONEMANGA. IT’S THE ABSOLUTE BEST MANGA EVERRRRRRRR. I READ IT 2 YEARS AGO AND I KEPT SENDING EMAILS TO ONEMANGA TO REQUEST THAT THEY UPLOAD IT AND THEY FINALLY HAVE! THIS IS FREAKING AWESOME. HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP. YES YES. I DON’T FREAKING CARE I’M TYPING IN CAPS. GLASS MASK OWNNNSSSSSSS.

Wolf Guy- Wolfen Crest: …Make a Man Go *Whistles*…

No, don’t be mistaken. The main character of Wolf Guy does not have nice legs. If you don’t get the reference, stuff your head up your ass please.

Now now. Wolf Guy is about a main character Inugami, who happens to be, you guessed it- A werewolf. It’s a story with lots of violence and sex, just the way some people like it.

Inugami is anew student in his school, and immediately offends the school punks. By “punks”, I do not refer to school bullies who take your lunch money. I refer to the group of people who beats you half to death, whom everyone fears, the school staff dare not do a shit about and are related to the yakuza.

Naturally, he is beaten up real bad. But he’s a werewolf, right? He’s gonna claw their faces left right up down upside down inside out, right? Wrong. This one chooses not to. His wounds heal faster than I can say (RAH)² (AH)³ + [ROMA (1+MA)] + (GA)² + (OOH)(LA)², so he takes a passive approach and lets the punks beat the shit out of him FOC.

But apparently, the once cowardly student council is inspired by his “courage” and stands up against these bunch of pricks. Somehow they get the media’s attention and these guys stand down.

But these punks are constantly trying to outmaneuver the rest of the student body and well, shit happens.

What is interesting to read in this manga isn’t so much the blood and gore, but the crowd psychology that the students possess. If this were a real event, it would make an excellent case study for psychology students. (And of course scientific researchers seeking to prove the werewolf is real, but you know I’m not going to go there.)

I doubt this manga has matured much yet and hasn’t stabilized in plot, but if it does, I’ll be looking forward to see how the story unfolds. You should too.

Garouden Review: A Hell Load of Hell

I’ve been reading and watching a lot of violent manga and anime recently- Hajime no Ippo, Gamaran, Baki the Grappler, Wolf Guy etc etc. And Garouden’s just another one to add to the list.

End of review.

Yepp, that’s all I can say about Garouden. It’s just another manga you add to that proud list of “Violent Manga I’ve Read”. The manga has a skimpy storyline with a main character who, in all honesty, isn’t really there.

Garouden speaks of a fighter who doesn’t belong to any one style of martial art challenging dojos and martial art gyms all over Japan in search a greater opponent. However, the manga frequently takes us back to the past to show us how the more established fighters in the manga… got more established.

Little page time is given to the main character himself, much preferring to focus on the fighters around him. This seems to give the readers the impression that the manga lacks perspective- it jumps all over the place wherever it likes, whenever it likes.

I don’t even know whether there will be fans for this manga! It’s no longer even a question of “Is this manga capable of forming a cult following?” but more of “Who the hell will love this sort of manga?” My, even Twilight has a storyline.

The only feature which attempts to redeem this manga is the exposure to the various martial arts it gives the readers. But even in that aspect, it just isn’t impressive enough. Holyland gives much, much more insight on the different fighting styles and how it would fare on the streets.

SO, I conclude Garouden is a manga which you’ll like if you love looking at men in underwear slapping each other.

And if you fit the description as given above, please don’t come back to this blog. Kthxbye.