What do you think?
Rate this book
[ [ [ King of RPGs, Volume 1[ KING OF RPGS, VOLUME 1 ] By Thompson, Jason ( Author )Jan-19-2010 Paperback
Jason Thompson, Level 14 Shaman/Oozemaster and author of The Complete Guide, joins forces with Victor Hao to deliver a wickedly funny send-up of manga and gamer culture. Roll up your character and get ready! THE GREATEST GAMER ON EARTH At the University of California, Escondido, no one would guess that freshman Shesh Maccabee is a hard-core gamer—and in recovery to boot, following a court order, a wireless ban, and months of therapy (all because of one little seven-day Internet café episode). His friend Mike—who personally prefers Japanese-console RPGs—is tasked with keeping Shesh far away from any computer with access to World of Warfare. Everything's going according to plan—until a Ren Faire fangirl introduces them to the campus gaming club, where they meet Theodore, a fanatical tabletop game master whose single goal in life is to run the greatest Mages & Monsters game in the world. And there just happens to be room for two more players. Soon Shesh and Mike are dragged into the dungeon of hard-core gaming—and cops, baboon men, Sri Lankan cave roaches, and Gothémon card collectors converge in the zaniest adventure that ever involved twenty-sided dice!
Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
3 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews
June 21, 2018
There were quite a few action sequences (as a TCG fan, I personally liked Shesh vs Gavin the most).
That said, the one-dimensional antagonist and side characters kind of bogged down my enjoyment of the story at times. Read this if you're into both manga and RPGs; skip this otherwise.
That said, the one-dimensional antagonist and side characters kind of bogged down my enjoyment of the story at times. Read this if you're into both manga and RPGs; skip this otherwise.
April 3, 2018
Weird to read a fantasy about guys obsessed with escaping into fantasy...
A lot of the references went over my head; I've never been a gamer in any way, but it was solid, I guess. I wouldn't recommend it, but I've read far worse.
Art was difficult to follow at times, however.
A lot of the references went over my head; I've never been a gamer in any way, but it was solid, I guess. I wouldn't recommend it, but I've read far worse.
Art was difficult to follow at times, however.
December 16, 2023
I found this charming and my god what an oddity. Really a very bizzarre mashup of Shonen-style storytelling, but clearly not that, with a social document of the mid Noughties gaming scene in U.S. coastal cities. Where will the story go?? Somewhere, there is a second volume....
October 29, 2010
I stumbled upon this purely by accident. I was looking for the latest Fables book when I saw this tucked discreetly into the bookshelf. Curious, I read a few pages... and then promptly purchased it.
The book follows Shesh, a young college student who has been banned from computer games. Why, you might ask? It all stems from two things: that Shesh slips into a semi-violent (depending on what game he's playing) personality when he *really* gets into a game & because he stayed at an internet cafe for a week under this personality. (He royally trashed the place.) Enter avid gamer Theodore, who has the goal of making the ultimate RPG experience. Unfortunately it's rumored that his eagerness put some gamers in the hospital due to his "interactive experience". (Seriously, he pulled out a snake on Shesh & his friends.)
I have to admit, I really liked this manga. If you've ever gamed or know someone who has, then you will be able to get the comedy in this book. Even if you don't game, most of the humor is visual enough to where you'll enjoy the story. (Although it really is better if you have some gaming knowledge.) I loved the artwork & I was incredibly impressed by the amount of detail that went into this book- there's tons of it. The artwork also manages to be one of those rare mangas that are "Amerimanga" but don't fall prey to some of the artwork pitfalls that tend to abound when someone in the US draws a manga. (Overly chibi-fying everything, tons of cliched art, etc)
I'm incredibly curious to see where this manga will go. It's got a decent enough storyline & let's face it- there's tons of RPG material out there to parody & poke fun at. I would like for the "villain" of the piece (a student police officer) to be a little more fleshed out, though. She seemed a little one-note, but maybe that's on purpose?
In the end, many people will note several similarities between this & Genshiken & why not? Both series deal with an obsessive fandom & the quirks of their chosen item(s) of affection. Fans of Genshiken will like this series a great deal & unless the next volume is just incredibly lame, I'll be collecting this series until it's conclusion.
The book follows Shesh, a young college student who has been banned from computer games. Why, you might ask? It all stems from two things: that Shesh slips into a semi-violent (depending on what game he's playing) personality when he *really* gets into a game & because he stayed at an internet cafe for a week under this personality. (He royally trashed the place.) Enter avid gamer Theodore, who has the goal of making the ultimate RPG experience. Unfortunately it's rumored that his eagerness put some gamers in the hospital due to his "interactive experience". (Seriously, he pulled out a snake on Shesh & his friends.)
I have to admit, I really liked this manga. If you've ever gamed or know someone who has, then you will be able to get the comedy in this book. Even if you don't game, most of the humor is visual enough to where you'll enjoy the story. (Although it really is better if you have some gaming knowledge.) I loved the artwork & I was incredibly impressed by the amount of detail that went into this book- there's tons of it. The artwork also manages to be one of those rare mangas that are "Amerimanga" but don't fall prey to some of the artwork pitfalls that tend to abound when someone in the US draws a manga. (Overly chibi-fying everything, tons of cliched art, etc)
I'm incredibly curious to see where this manga will go. It's got a decent enough storyline & let's face it- there's tons of RPG material out there to parody & poke fun at. I would like for the "villain" of the piece (a student police officer) to be a little more fleshed out, though. She seemed a little one-note, but maybe that's on purpose?
In the end, many people will note several similarities between this & Genshiken & why not? Both series deal with an obsessive fandom & the quirks of their chosen item(s) of affection. Fans of Genshiken will like this series a great deal & unless the next volume is just incredibly lame, I'll be collecting this series until it's conclusion.
June 18, 2016
I just wanted to note that I stumbled upon this book while skimming the titles for sale at my local library's SuperCon a few weeks ago. The artwork caught my attention and given the fact that I like to game, I thought it would be a fun read.
One of the best manga purchases I've ever made.
Shesh Maccabee harbors split personalities - 'Good Shesh' is a mild-mannered college freshman who just wants to play Mages and Monsters. 'Dark Shesh' is a violently crazed maniac who's insane tendencies push him over the edge and into a hulk-like character who dominates those around him in a violent manner. 'Dark Shesh' only releases when an RPG-related circumstance arises. Dark Shesh is the fully immersed character one would associate in an RPG - he is relentless and embodies the inner eccentric gamer in all of us. Unfortunately, Shesh spends days/weeks at an internet cafe and Dark Shesh the monster releases, causing chaos and turmoil to those around him. This lands Shesh in all sorts of trouble and he is told his RPG days are over.
Then he goes to college. Good Shesh is doing well with avoiding RPG-involved situations when his new friends invite him to a game session. While he is used to playing RPG games online, his friends feel it would be a good outlet for him and switch up if he got involved in tabletop RPGs instead.
Now those of you who are involved heavily in tabletop RPGs will enjoy this book more than those who are more casual (like myself), but there are plenty of laughs to go around. I hate that there are only two volumes in this series because I feel like the plot is different enough to garner the interest needed to create a fanbase for Shesh and his world.
I'll leave you with this (if you laugh, pick up this book!..if not, well, maybe you should still pick it up..) : "It's all fun and games until someone gets mistaken for an orc and killed." - or until Dark Shesh 'wakes' from his inner slumber and inspires the smallest role player in each of us !
One of the best manga purchases I've ever made.
Shesh Maccabee harbors split personalities - 'Good Shesh' is a mild-mannered college freshman who just wants to play Mages and Monsters. 'Dark Shesh' is a violently crazed maniac who's insane tendencies push him over the edge and into a hulk-like character who dominates those around him in a violent manner. 'Dark Shesh' only releases when an RPG-related circumstance arises. Dark Shesh is the fully immersed character one would associate in an RPG - he is relentless and embodies the inner eccentric gamer in all of us. Unfortunately, Shesh spends days/weeks at an internet cafe and Dark Shesh the monster releases, causing chaos and turmoil to those around him. This lands Shesh in all sorts of trouble and he is told his RPG days are over.
Then he goes to college. Good Shesh is doing well with avoiding RPG-involved situations when his new friends invite him to a game session. While he is used to playing RPG games online, his friends feel it would be a good outlet for him and switch up if he got involved in tabletop RPGs instead.
Now those of you who are involved heavily in tabletop RPGs will enjoy this book more than those who are more casual (like myself), but there are plenty of laughs to go around. I hate that there are only two volumes in this series because I feel like the plot is different enough to garner the interest needed to create a fanbase for Shesh and his world.
I'll leave you with this (if you laugh, pick up this book!..if not, well, maybe you should still pick it up..) : "It's all fun and games until someone gets mistaken for an orc and killed." - or until Dark Shesh 'wakes' from his inner slumber and inspires the smallest role player in each of us !
July 15, 2015
Shesh Maccabee has split personalities. One is Shesh, mild-mannered college freshman, then there's 'Dark Shesh', a violent, crazed, and slightly insane maniac who only comes out in RPG-related circumstances, including playing an RPG and talking about RPGs. Dark Shesh then becomes completely immersed into the role of a character in an RPG and starts role-playing that character, for example, hijacking a car and tearing down the road, even though he doesn't know how to drive. Months before he had had a bit of a 'problem' with World of Warfare, and Dark Shesh had taken over for a week straight, playing it non-stop without food or water. He then was hospitalized, spent time in therapy and in an insane asylum. When he gets into college, he's sure he has his other personality under control (with the help of A LOT of medication), until game master Theodore Dudek appears, whose extreme gaming techniques draws Dark Shesh back out again.
After this, insane and hilarious hijinks ensue. Just some things involved include the police, the Renaissance Fair, vampire role-players, lots of humor only nerds would understand, and some serious RPGing. Those of you who aren't massive nerds probably won't understand half the dialogue, but those of you who are will get a kick out of this crazy story chock-full of botched references like the Battleboat board game and its assorted praise and criticism of different kinds of games. (For example, a panel mocking Japanese RPG consoles includes a generic video game character saying "Kiss me! Kiss me like you did in our flashback!")
It's definitely worth the read, and will probably get some laughs out of you, but just remember, "It's all fun and games until someone gets mistaken for an orc and killed."
After this, insane and hilarious hijinks ensue. Just some things involved include the police, the Renaissance Fair, vampire role-players, lots of humor only nerds would understand, and some serious RPGing. Those of you who aren't massive nerds probably won't understand half the dialogue, but those of you who are will get a kick out of this crazy story chock-full of botched references like the Battleboat board game and its assorted praise and criticism of different kinds of games. (For example, a panel mocking Japanese RPG consoles includes a generic video game character saying "Kiss me! Kiss me like you did in our flashback!")
It's definitely worth the read, and will probably get some laughs out of you, but just remember, "It's all fun and games until someone gets mistaken for an orc and killed."
January 27, 2010
A disclaimer, I'm friends with the writer, but even if I wasn't, I'd give high marks to this debut graphic novel from Jason and Victor. The tabletop Mages and Monsters game early on set a high bar for loving RPG parody, but I was blown away by how Jason so deftly summed up the history of Collectible Card games with humor and heart in a later flashback. While there have been dozens of "manga inspired" graphic novels created for western audiences, King of RPGs is the first one I've read that so perfectly captures the blend of manic energy and heart found in the best shonen manga.It's not a perfectly polished volume by any means (the art, while effective for capturing the action and emotion, could stand to use some breathing room and more pinup quality character shots), but it succeeds in spades in every way that counts.
September 5, 2011
Funny graphic novel about a boy named Shesh who gets so hooked on a World of Warcraft styled game that he has to have an intervention. A while later he goes to college as a more or less normal student, but temptation is just around the corner. You see, Shesh has only repressed his gamer persona, and Moggrathka is lurking underneath the surface, waiting to be released on the mundane world.
The art style is a little too busy in some panels, and at times its too arcane-the authors are writing for the base of people familiar with geek culture, and it shows. But the characters are great, and the action is intense and funny. I especially liked Rona, the cop who is fanatically against gaming but secretly is in the closet about it. It's a fun read .
The art style is a little too busy in some panels, and at times its too arcane-the authors are writing for the base of people familiar with geek culture, and it shows. But the characters are great, and the action is intense and funny. I especially liked Rona, the cop who is fanatically against gaming but secretly is in the closet about it. It's a fun read .
April 21, 2012
Ok- here is the deal if you are a gamer who has dabbled in many forms of gaming: MMOs, dice, CCGs, tabletop, battle mini strategy games, etc. If you know what these acronyms mean... You will find this book amusing. I really dig it not only for poking fun at a million cliches of gaming and gamer lifestyle but for its inclusion of many aspects of life in the gaming and con industry. Having lived with gamers ebaying Pokemon cards and writing their own RPGs while arguing over the proper role of the GM I found it very well done. If you aren't a gamer you just won't get it and I think it won't be entertaining at all.
August 31, 2014
Great manga-style book! The artwork wavers at a few points in the book, but is very good overall. The story itself is a lot of fun and contains TONS of inside jokes. Here's the caveat for this book: if you're not familiar with various types of RPGs (and the different kinds of people that play them), this book will make very little sense to you. The book is built on the foundation of this experience. It's not a stellar introduction to a new series, but it shows a lot of promise.
August 30, 2014
Oh, anime, you so great. You make everything intense.
The King of RPGs is the story of Shesh, a young gamer whose personality is occasionally subsumed that of the character he is playing. He, of course, meets various other gamer types and participates in zany adventures with them. The first half was laugh-out-loud funny, but the second story arc dragged a bit. Looking forward the next installment!
The King of RPGs is the story of Shesh, a young gamer whose personality is occasionally subsumed that of the character he is playing. He, of course, meets various other gamer types and participates in zany adventures with them. The first half was laugh-out-loud funny, but the second story arc dragged a bit. Looking forward the next installment!
February 26, 2016
If you have any remote idea of how RPGs work and know some popular titles, you can appreciate this comic. I was smiling the whole time. It's got your typical manga elements and a comedy where even if I'm not always laughing out loud I do smile quite a bit. It's a little crazy... Ok it's super crazy, and totally ridiculous, but I enjoyed it very much. And the art is pretty good too!
May 11, 2010
Saw this in a comic book shop and couldn't fathom how there could be a manga series about playing D&D. I'm surprised by how entertaining it was, but wonder how they're going to maintain an engaging storyline.
May 25, 2011
An entertaining read, with well-done artwork, but the story is a bit over the top for my tastes. It seems designed to appeal to gamers who also like manga, and while I'm the former, I'm not as much of the latter as I once was.
January 14, 2012
This graphic novel (and series) brings home tabletop rpgs, MMOs, CCGs, board games. Everything is slightly altered in name but easily identifiable. It pokes fun in a nice way and was a quick and easy journey. It's a light snack worth eating, though I can't see rereading it.
April 29, 2013
This is a nice and often funny combination of roleplaying games and the manga medium. Maybe I'm not a big enough manga fan, but I just didn't find it interesting enough to finish. I read the first two chapters (out of three).
October 24, 2011
Amusing, but not amazing. Good artwork :)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 18 reviews