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Taboo Tattoo #1
Taboo Tattoo, Vol. 1
By all accounts, middle schooler Seigi is pretty unremarkable except for his martial arts prowess and a desire to protect the weak. But when his good intentions are put to the test by saving an old homeless man from some street thugs, the mysterious man shows his gratitude by...burning a tattoo onto Seigi's palm?!
It turns out, the tattoo is a powerful secret weapon that everyone--including a formidable girl with a tattoo of her own--is after. With his life on the line and his martial arts skills alone no match against super-powered foes, will Seigi be able to unlock the latent potential of his tattoo and live to fight another day?!
It turns out, the tattoo is a powerful secret weapon that everyone--including a formidable girl with a tattoo of her own--is after. With his life on the line and his martial arts skills alone no match against super-powered foes, will Seigi be able to unlock the latent potential of his tattoo and live to fight another day?!
208 pages, Paperback
First published September 12, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
July 9, 2017
Der Zeichenstil ist nicht ganz meins und die Story hatte ihre Höhen und Tiefen. Was mich ein wenig gestört hat, waren die Ecchi mäßigen Elemente, darauf steh ich einfach nicht so und muss dann immer mit den Augen rollen. 🙄😂
March 1, 2017
This manga has some good stuff in it. It's also got a lot of pointless junk and muddle that really just kills it.
The cover is probably a good indication of this. The character design is really cool. The focus on the rune and dagger makes for a nice layout. The colors are good. The clothing reminds me of a Final Fantasy character. It looks cool... until you realize that for some reason, she's got her shirt unbuttoned (why?) and that what I first took for an extension of the shirt or as a part of her shorts is actually a skirt that's awkwardly flipped up.
That pretty much sums of the manga. Cool designs, nifty fights with magic powers, and... why is there an upskirt here? Or an awkward skirt flip here? Or far too much focus on this character's butt? Or milk duds under every female character's shirt?
Despite what people might think from my reviews, I don't normally care much about fan service. I have problems with it when it kills the look and feel of the manga. In this case, the fan service makes for strange panel layouts and perspectives (I kept thinking to myself, "why focus from behind so-and-so's butt when you could get a better shot from another angle?") and for some odd clothing physics (I have never seen a skirt move in the ways they do on Easy, and I've danced in a ton of styles over the years). There's also the issue of age. We can assume that Easy is over 18 (even if she looks like a middle schooler), but the one middle schooler we get questionable shots of really is a middle schooler. Meaning, at most, 14. Yeah...
Oh, and for those of you wondering if I'm making fun the of a character, referring to her as "Easy", no, that's her actual name. Well, her actual name is "Bluesy Fluesy" (I assume pronounced "Floozy"), but she tells everyone to call her Easy. Um, yeah...
Anyway, now that I've gotten that out of the way...
The idea for this is actually pretty neat. It's basically taking a version of the Runes from Suikoden and putting them into a more modern setting. The "Spell Crests" require some kind of trigger to activate, which can be anything (crushing a piece of chalk in your hand, for instance). The Spell Crests then give the user super strength as well as magical powers of some sort. The main character accidentally gets one, and so now he's forced to join with two Americans who are trying to protect him and his ultra-rare rune from enemies who want to use it for evil.
It sounds really cool, and the story was pretty good in bits and pieces. The fight scenes were sometimes really cool-looking, other times really awkward. The artist obviously knows what to do when skirts aren't involved, as proven with what I've dubbed the "umbrella battle" and the Bear Teddy fight, but when Easy fights, even though she's wearing shorts underneath the skirt, Shinjiro just can't seem to resist the temptation of upskirting everything. When the perspectives aren't being strange and battles aren't going on, the panel layouts get fairly lazy.
The artwork itself, other than not knowing how fabric, clothing or boobs work, is all and all decent. The character designs are pretty cool, I think, but implementation didn't always work.
So all-in-all, this is a really unpolished work that could have been something pretty good. I think if Shinjiro-sensei dumped the pointless fan service that adds nothing to the work and kills the otherwise serious atmosphere, I think he'd have something here.
The cover is probably a good indication of this. The character design is really cool. The focus on the rune and dagger makes for a nice layout. The colors are good. The clothing reminds me of a Final Fantasy character. It looks cool... until you realize that for some reason, she's got her shirt unbuttoned (why?) and that what I first took for an extension of the shirt or as a part of her shorts is actually a skirt that's awkwardly flipped up.
That pretty much sums of the manga. Cool designs, nifty fights with magic powers, and... why is there an upskirt here? Or an awkward skirt flip here? Or far too much focus on this character's butt? Or milk duds under every female character's shirt?
Despite what people might think from my reviews, I don't normally care much about fan service. I have problems with it when it kills the look and feel of the manga. In this case, the fan service makes for strange panel layouts and perspectives (I kept thinking to myself, "why focus from behind so-and-so's butt when you could get a better shot from another angle?") and for some odd clothing physics (I have never seen a skirt move in the ways they do on Easy, and I've danced in a ton of styles over the years). There's also the issue of age. We can assume that Easy is over 18 (even if she looks like a middle schooler), but the one middle schooler we get questionable shots of really is a middle schooler. Meaning, at most, 14. Yeah...
Oh, and for those of you wondering if I'm making fun the of a character, referring to her as "Easy", no, that's her actual name. Well, her actual name is "Bluesy Fluesy" (I assume pronounced "Floozy"), but she tells everyone to call her Easy. Um, yeah...
Anyway, now that I've gotten that out of the way...
The idea for this is actually pretty neat. It's basically taking a version of the Runes from Suikoden and putting them into a more modern setting. The "Spell Crests" require some kind of trigger to activate, which can be anything (crushing a piece of chalk in your hand, for instance). The Spell Crests then give the user super strength as well as magical powers of some sort. The main character accidentally gets one, and so now he's forced to join with two Americans who are trying to protect him and his ultra-rare rune from enemies who want to use it for evil.
It sounds really cool, and the story was pretty good in bits and pieces. The fight scenes were sometimes really cool-looking, other times really awkward. The artist obviously knows what to do when skirts aren't involved, as proven with what I've dubbed the "umbrella battle" and the Bear Teddy fight, but when Easy fights, even though she's wearing shorts underneath the skirt, Shinjiro just can't seem to resist the temptation of upskirting everything. When the perspectives aren't being strange and battles aren't going on, the panel layouts get fairly lazy.
The artwork itself, other than not knowing how fabric, clothing or boobs work, is all and all decent. The character designs are pretty cool, I think, but implementation didn't always work.
So all-in-all, this is a really unpolished work that could have been something pretty good. I think if Shinjiro-sensei dumped the pointless fan service that adds nothing to the work and kills the otherwise serious atmosphere, I think he'd have something here.
May 28, 2016
Eh, there was potential but vol 1 was a disappointment. I doubt I'll pick up vol 2. Also, the weird fanservicing, faux-sex scenes (in the middle of class?!), and rape talk put a solid nail in the coffin for me. And that's not to say, I mind sex in manga, this just felt completely out a place and added absolutely nothing to the story.
July 4, 2020
1.5 stars.
October 15, 2017
The idea here is interesting with the tattoos holding power and only activating with certain catalysts, but the angles here with all of the male fan service is just too much (especially since the characters are in middle school). It detracts from the plot and then when this suddenly picks up, it goes far too quick. The novel just needed one more chapter to ease you in and then it would flow a lot better.
Also, a female character named Easy...not okay even if it's a bad translation.
Also, a female character named Easy...not okay even if it's a bad translation.
October 24, 2017
Un très bon début de série ! de l'action de fou, un univers intrigant, seul le dessin ne me plaît pas toujours à 100%, et on a une scène de fan service super cheloue en plein milieu qui n'a aucun rapport avec la choucroute (mais genre, vraiment, aucun) que je n'ai pas comprise, mais à part ça c'est très bon !
March 5, 2020
There’s an attempt here to entertain the reader. That’s the best I can muster for this manga. It stumbles at the start, manages to lift itself up until halfway when it falls completely flat. The artist has talent too! But there’s a severe lack of decisiveness so the story eventually (and out of no where) devolves to boob squeezing and graphic threats of rape.
May 30, 2023
The single best word I can find to describe this manga volume is boring! Half of it reads like a technical manual; the rest jumps around so that I often don't know what's going on. The characters are uninteresting. The art doesn't help.
Incredibly, there are 13 volumes to this series. Fortunately, I only bought 4. Getting through four looks to be a real slog.
Incredibly, there are 13 volumes to this series. Fortunately, I only bought 4. Getting through four looks to be a real slog.
March 26, 2017
I like it!
Similar premise to most manta of this genre, but I'm enjoying it greatly so far! Characters are a good mix of silly and serious which will keep you well entertained as the story continues to escalate from page one.
Similar premise to most manta of this genre, but I'm enjoying it greatly so far! Characters are a good mix of silly and serious which will keep you well entertained as the story continues to escalate from page one.
June 5, 2018
I think the premise has me more interested than the actual storyline does at the moment. Continuity is a little choppy at times and has me back turning to make sure what I may have missed. Going to give the next couple a shot, but need a break for now.
April 27, 2023
A good first volume. Artwork is chaotic for most of the time but it’s fun to read. I like the protagonist and Easy, she’s a riot. I remember watching the anime and not understanding it as it was all over the place, but the manga it was based on is clearly superior.
July 9, 2017
I'm confused and disappointed
December 2, 2017
I mean, this book basically summarizes all the things wrong with Manga so at least it's educational?
April 7, 2018
I started watching the anime in the mid volume. Only then the manga appeared to be interesting. So...maybe this time anime is better than manga?!
January 20, 2019
I just couldn't figure out the story.
March 20, 2016
The premise of TABOO TATTOO is short and sweet: a middle-school kid accidentally acquires a tattoo that grants him supernatural abilities. Full stop.
Middle school is so much cooler when one has super-powered "spell crest" tattoos, overzealous military specialists, and busty childhood friends mixing things up. At least, Seigi Akatsuka certainly understands. Rail-thin but an alert and budding martial artist, Seigi is a classic do-gooder: fighting off bullies, helping out the homeless, and offering to go shopping to kill some time. Naturally, it's only a matter of time until the boy's do-gooder ways get him into a heap of trouble.
The premise of this manga is almost obnoxiously straightforward, and on occasion, it can be hard to tell if the laughs and intrigue are really worth it. In this volume alone, readers stumble upon every trope native to the kid-with-extraordinary-power genre: boy with courage; adorable girl-next-door; characters who could help but don't; older woman who is an insatiable flirt; frivolous sidekick; material villain in the form of a little girl . . . and so on.
As for whether any of these elements complement the narrative, the result is, broadly speaking, a cautious thumb's up. TABOO TATTOO doesn't take too many risks and doesn't challenge readers with anything new. The book pulls together known quantities of manga storytelling and coaxes clever, bloody action out of them. It's admittedly chuckle-worthy to see Bluesy Fluesy, a U.S. army lieutenant tasked with re-acquiring the spell crests, fumble around Japan and play phone-thief to get Seigi's attention. And admittedly, it's funny to see Bluesy play the fake transfer student and invent a relationship ship with Seigi to stay close ("Oh . . . You know how it is.").
Chuckle-worthy and funny, but ultimately unfulfilling. Fortunately, Shinjiro invests in a few clever twists: Bluesy rabbits with Seigi's phone and gets him away from a populated area, after which she engages him to test his fighting skills (and destroy a building in the process); and all that glomping at school is no doubt an act, as she drops a note into his pocket and electronically taps his book bag, so she can maintain communication.
The action is fast and a little gory; however, Shinjiro's artwork is very clean and dynamic, and most impressively, it's spacious. This is helpful considering the vast spectrum of layout and composition the artist uses. In action scenes, two-page spreads at full bleed will show off a kick to the face, an explosion, or someone getting their stomach torn apart. And yet, in more intimate moments, readers will encounter four or five inset panels, on the same page, documenting a flashback. Both examples are subject to clutter from inexperienced manga-ka, but Shinjiro seems to know what he's doing. His art, in the end, is busy, but it never gets in its own way. The art maintains a quirky pace and ensures readers don't get too bored with seeing the same tropes over and over again.
TABOO TATTOO an uncomplicated leisure read. There's plenty of room for the story to grow. And in this regard, the only significant downside resides in whether the artist chooses to remain with genre tropes, or decides to try something new, specifically when it comes to propping up Seigi's internal conflict. After all, it won't take long for the boy to openly question the motives of his new handlers.
Middle school is so much cooler when one has super-powered "spell crest" tattoos, overzealous military specialists, and busty childhood friends mixing things up. At least, Seigi Akatsuka certainly understands. Rail-thin but an alert and budding martial artist, Seigi is a classic do-gooder: fighting off bullies, helping out the homeless, and offering to go shopping to kill some time. Naturally, it's only a matter of time until the boy's do-gooder ways get him into a heap of trouble.
The premise of this manga is almost obnoxiously straightforward, and on occasion, it can be hard to tell if the laughs and intrigue are really worth it. In this volume alone, readers stumble upon every trope native to the kid-with-extraordinary-power genre: boy with courage; adorable girl-next-door; characters who could help but don't; older woman who is an insatiable flirt; frivolous sidekick; material villain in the form of a little girl . . . and so on.
As for whether any of these elements complement the narrative, the result is, broadly speaking, a cautious thumb's up. TABOO TATTOO doesn't take too many risks and doesn't challenge readers with anything new. The book pulls together known quantities of manga storytelling and coaxes clever, bloody action out of them. It's admittedly chuckle-worthy to see Bluesy Fluesy, a U.S. army lieutenant tasked with re-acquiring the spell crests, fumble around Japan and play phone-thief to get Seigi's attention. And admittedly, it's funny to see Bluesy play the fake transfer student and invent a relationship ship with Seigi to stay close ("Oh . . . You know how it is.").
Chuckle-worthy and funny, but ultimately unfulfilling. Fortunately, Shinjiro invests in a few clever twists: Bluesy rabbits with Seigi's phone and gets him away from a populated area, after which she engages him to test his fighting skills (and destroy a building in the process); and all that glomping at school is no doubt an act, as she drops a note into his pocket and electronically taps his book bag, so she can maintain communication.
The action is fast and a little gory; however, Shinjiro's artwork is very clean and dynamic, and most impressively, it's spacious. This is helpful considering the vast spectrum of layout and composition the artist uses. In action scenes, two-page spreads at full bleed will show off a kick to the face, an explosion, or someone getting their stomach torn apart. And yet, in more intimate moments, readers will encounter four or five inset panels, on the same page, documenting a flashback. Both examples are subject to clutter from inexperienced manga-ka, but Shinjiro seems to know what he's doing. His art, in the end, is busy, but it never gets in its own way. The art maintains a quirky pace and ensures readers don't get too bored with seeing the same tropes over and over again.
TABOO TATTOO an uncomplicated leisure read. There's plenty of room for the story to grow. And in this regard, the only significant downside resides in whether the artist chooses to remain with genre tropes, or decides to try something new, specifically when it comes to propping up Seigi's internal conflict. After all, it won't take long for the boy to openly question the motives of his new handlers.
May 7, 2016
Received from a Goodreads Giveaway
This one wasn't too bad. It did a decent job of explaining things, and I laughed at a few parts. Though some parts had so much illustration that I had a hard time figuring out what was happening. All in all though, it was a good read and if I find the second volume, I'll most likely pick it up.
This one wasn't too bad. It did a decent job of explaining things, and I laughed at a few parts. Though some parts had so much illustration that I had a hard time figuring out what was happening. All in all though, it was a good read and if I find the second volume, I'll most likely pick it up.
February 7, 2016
I thought this was an interesting start to a series and want to read more from it.
May 4, 2016
5/2016
May 9, 2016
I am going to read a second book to see if it gets going..first book for slow to start..but I enjoyed it and I'm interested in seeing where it leads
December 26, 2016
[4/5 stars]
April 14, 2021
Oh great, another manga, that I've forgotten everything about. Based on my notes I stopped this about 1/3 into the manga because I didn't care about this anymore.
Currently reading
February 2, 2016I think that Manga is cool
July 30, 2016
Well, this wasn't as exciting as expected. . .but it was still good.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews