Gintama is hilarious

Nurarihyon no Mago Review: An amazing find

I haven’t blogged much lately because I’m getting increasingly busy. To make it all up to all of you, I’m sharing with you an awesome manga I’ve stumbled upon yet again- Nurarihyon no Mago.

Aye, an amazing manga indeed. The story centres around Rikuo Nura who happens to be the grandson of one of the greatest Youkai (Japanese for Demon) ever- the Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan.

However, this guy is only one quarter Youkai blood. Yepp, you heard me. Not the everyday half-blood-something you see in books and other manga, he’s just a QUARTER blood Youkai. His Grandfather married a mortal and so did his father, which is quite cool. Thus, his true demon self can only be released for a quarter of a day, only in darkness. As can bee seen from the above, both his Youkai form and his human form looks quite cool.

Why I find this manga so impressive and attractive is due to various aspects:

1. Politics

I have been harping time and again that Kekkaishi isn’t fully utilising the politics possible from all the clans and stuff. NnM, on the other hand, makes full use of this politics, devoting chapters to how Rikuo wins the trust of the sub-clan leaders one by one under the great Nura Clan. It really is amazing. The strategies used by both the Human Rikuo and the Youkai Rikuo are distinctly different in aim and method, but both as awesome indeed.

2. Concept

The idea of a sole leader leading so many demons is not unheard of, and is actually quite common. But not when your main character is this person. Not to mention that the mangaka makes full use of the various demons in Japanese folklore to showcase their abilities and powers.

3. Artwork

By artwork I don’t mean some kind of Mona Lisa or anything. Just the sheer number of demons to be drawn is amazing. For example:

This happens to be my desktop wallpaper. One of those awesome battle scenes where Rikuo leads the Nura clan. What I liked especially about this scene is how the mangaka actually zooms in to how each demon on one side fights another instead of the common 100 v 100 clash scene.

The above three points ought to be enough to want to make you read this manga. Or I’d have failed. Somehow.

I haven’t finished all 70+ chapters yet so I can’t say if it’ll suck later. But I may assure you that I loved every page up to Chapter 48 Pg 07.

Just another post

I’ve been rather busy lately, so I’m just going to tell you which chapters are worth reading.

1. One Piece Chapter 554 [HOLY COW!!]

2. Bleach Chapter 370 [Yeah, awesome only because of… Something.]

3. Ai Kora Chapter 93 [Hilarious as usual]

4. Hajime no Ippo Chapter 864 [It’s got my blood pumping too!]

Yep, seriously, that’s all! But these good ones are really good. So go check it out! Not in any order of awesomeness, though.

The Slice of Life and Comedy Genre

Is getting to me.

I, the renowned Shounen Manga lover, am falling in love with these genres because of a couple of manga I’ve read:

1. Otaku No Musume-San

A manga about a young adult man who’s an otaku. A 9 year-old girl comes knocking on his door one day claiming to be his daughter. If you’re reading this blog you ought to know what Otaku means. If you don’t, it’s alright. I’ll be writing a post about Otakus soon.

2. K-On

Something many people have read. Now I’m one of them. The thing about manga like these is they’re really easy to read and requires no responsibility or obligation to be held by the reader to read the next chapter. But somehow, you’re just simply attracted to it. (Heck, no wonder males like reading this genre so much, if you get my drift.)

I’m now on to another manga- REC.

Hopefully it’ll be entertaining!

Manga Updates are here again~

Veritas Chapter 47

Was actually not too bad. At least it was readable. Hopefully we can see more action soon. I mean, that’s what you read Veritas for, right?

Kekkaishi Chapter 271

Wasn’t particularly impressive. I still cannot help but cringe when I see how the mangaka is still indulging and not making full use of the politics of the Urakai. Hopefully we can see some cunning and less fighting. Because let’s face it, the fighting scenes in Kekkaishi aren’t the best we’ve witnessed.

Ao no Exorcist Chapter 5

This chapter has made my day. I’ve been waiting for the next chapter to be released for weeks, and it’s finally here! Amazingly it doesn’t disappoint, making me feel it’s worth the long wait! New ideas have been introduced in Ao no Exorcist and I like how there are different “job types” for exorcists, even if it seems too Maplestory-ish. The summoning of Familiars remind me of Zero no Tsukaima, but better. Much better. Heck, this could be the Update of the Month!

Dragon Ball Chapter 45

Is still awesome. Now I know why so many people were so crazy about it back then. Consistency in style is Dragon Ball’s selling point.

 

I know there’re many more I’ve missed due to the long break on manga updates. But I’ve decided to start from today’s updates again. I’ll make updates whenever I’m free. Look forward to more reviews instead of updates.

Cheers

Your favourite manga cynic

Land Ahoy!

Finally. A blog specially for manga updates and reviews!

Check this blog for manga stuff, and my personal blog for my boring life!

I have a sneaky suspicion the contents of the other blog will spill over here.

But I’ll try to keep disciplined.

Cheers,

Your favourite manga cynic.

Ga-Rei Review: In midst of business

Manga review for today?

Your extremely stereotypical Shounen Manga, Ga-Rei!

Majority of Shounen manga cannot do without:

1. Spirits

2. Magic

3. Beast Tamers

4. An ordinary male protagonist

5. A cute girl with strong powers to lead the protagonist along

Ga-Rei is no exception!

However, how you link the above five together is the answer to whether such a manga is successful. Obviously, I find that Hajime Segawa has managed to concoct a winning formula for the demanding readers.

The main character Nimura, isn’t really your average teenage Shounen manga protagonist in terms of how he actually doesn’t possess any real “talent” to start with apart from being able to see ghosts. He only gains his powers through training and weapons bestowed upon him, which is actually quite a tedious process to narrate for the mangaka. But it is worth it, especially when you, the reader, compare Nimura at the beginning and at the end.

The “cute girl with strong powers to lead the protagonist along” this time would have to be Kagura. However, I’d have to say that there’s nothing really exceptional about her character. Her weapon, though, is something you wouldn’t want for a pet.

Behold, a killer ginormous dragon appearing from a girl’s back

So, you see, you really don’t wanna mess with her.

Anyway, these spirit beasts are summoned by exclusive people and passed down generation after generation. There are some cooler one than that big thing up there. But I figured she ought to get priority for the fact that she’s the main female lead.

So anyway, the two main characters work for a secret government organisation to kill evil spirits and the likes. Not really original, but when you see the entire organisation move out to battle the opposing evil factions, you know you chose the right manga to read.

Will do the rating later. Busy~

EDIT:

Oh, and the extremely cute Tanuki from Ga-Rei hopes you can read it

Vinland Saga Review: An indiscriminate review

I just came to know about this manga when I was bored and browsing the Onemanga “Recent Updates'” page. Chapter 56 was up and I decided to start from chapter 1.

And I’m glad I did.

Vinland Saga is about Vikings. Yeah, what the hell does a Japanese know of Vikings? There’s a review up on Stefan’s blog about Northlanders, a comic about Vikings too. And yes, that seems awesome too. I mean, what is with Vikings?!

Reeking of kick-ass, awesomeness and animal abuse.\

The storyline works in the form of flashbacks in the beginning, so I’ll spare you the whole lot of time travelling and tell you what happens in chronological order.

The protagonist of Vinland Saga is a boy named Thorfinn, son of Thors (Shit, even his name kicks ass. As if Thors is not a name cool enough, they just had to add a fish body part.) His life as a Viking is seriously cool. Thorfinn is working for the man who killed his father, Askeladd, who ambushed his father in a supposedly fair duel. So he works for Askeladd in return for duels with him, of which he has not won a single one.

I don’t mean to be really really spoiler-ish.

But bah.

My blog.

Hah.

Askeladd ends up dying so that he can groom a next person to be king. I really respect this Askeladd character. Go read Vinland Saga to find out the kind of person he is.

The most attractive thing about Vinland Saga is that freshness that it offers. Seldom do Japanese Mangaka write other non-Japanese stuff, especially when it comes to historical content. It must actually take quite a lot of confidence for Makoto Yukimura to write this manga. The artwork is quite apt, too.

I repeat. Kick ass.

There are more kick ass scenes, of course.

It’s interesting to see how the entire Viking world is portrayed and how the different factions clash. There are lots of politics involved as well. That’s what makes it so different from the normal Mafia manga or Yakuza manga where “We shall fight for our honour and kill whoever gets in our way and get ourselves killed int he end anyway.” It’s more of “We will have the shit beaten out of us if we fight them now. Let’s use underhanded means to ambush them and then run for our lives” in Vinland Saga. Which is really what people do to preserve their lives. So good job there.

Well, i could say more but I’m a lazy pig so I’ll stop here.

Plot – 24/30

Drawing – 25/30

Characters – 17/20

Feel – 16/20

Total – 82/100, really awesome.

This week’s manga reviews.

Akumetsu Chapter 117-119

I loved it. Truly and totally. “One man, one kill”. It’s amazing. These three consecutive chapters is a stroke of genius!

The very last page of chapter 119. This is to be expected, of course. But the process of it being done was fantastic.

Fairy Tail Chapter 145

BOR-ING.

One Piece Chapter 552

Now this is good stuff. Flashbacks in manga haven’t been interesting since the Turn Back the Pendulum arc of Bleach. Luffy’s brother isn’t my favourite character, but this chapter makes me like him.

Veritas Chapter 45

I hope the joker wins. Although what he did to my favourite character of Veritas is unforgivable. His skills are actually rather cliché. But still loving it.

Naruto Chapter 458

Decided to read Naruto again. Getting pretty interesting especially with the Kages coming together. Always nice to see a couple of really strong individuals in one comic frame.

 

Bleach Chapter 368

Sucked.

Detective Conan 701

I feel anxious although I know Conan will solve it at the end of the day. Nice.

Pysren Chapter 81

I’m really looking forward to the owner of Nemesis Q to say something. She looks like some kinda master.

Reborn! Chapter 252

Useless chapters like these are not worth my time.

Holyland Chapter 51

Nice work there. Just that I’m too lazy to go in depth.

 

That’s all, folks.

Oh, I realized I’ve secured a rather stable reader base for my manga updates. Happy to know that you pricks actually appreciate this. Leave a tag.

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That fake border thing I put up there is for separating my manga post from my “Life” post.

Anyway, I’m talking to Baby about going to Japan! If this works out then sorry Cal. :( But I really wanna go with Baby to Japan! I’ll go with you to some other place next time! :D

Anyway, Japan is one of the most fascinating places I’ve always wanted to visit. Plus, I’m going with…

Michael Jackson over here. (Sorry, couldn’t help cropping the photo and laughing like crazy, baby.)

Yeah, where was I before I put up that… OH YES. JAPAN.

Japan’s a good place.

Yeah.

Lazy to type anymore.

Stil have homework to complete.

So bye~

 

PS: Remember that Japan is the source of your Manga, twits. This fact alone is enough to make you wanna visit it. And you MUST.