What do you think?
Rate this book
Weeaboo
" Weeaboo is a graphic novel snapshot of growing up, by turns playful and serious, and a celebration of friendship and fandom, imperfections and all." — Foreword Reviews
Perfect for fans of American Born Chinese, Peepo Choo and Sacred Heart , WEEABOO is a celebration and dissection of anime fandom, small towns, and internet culture from debut artist, Alissa M. Sallah.
It’s their senior year of high school and three friends are preparing for the big anime convention happening after graduation! Even though they’ve known each other for years, they’re finding out that reality isn’t like a cartoon, and that people grow up and sometimes apart. This is a story about appropriation, identity, and what it means to change.
Perfect for fans of American Born Chinese, Peepo Choo and Sacred Heart , WEEABOO is a celebration and dissection of anime fandom, small towns, and internet culture from debut artist, Alissa M. Sallah.
It’s their senior year of high school and three friends are preparing for the big anime convention happening after graduation! Even though they’ve known each other for years, they’re finding out that reality isn’t like a cartoon, and that people grow up and sometimes apart. This is a story about appropriation, identity, and what it means to change.
280 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2021
6 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Alissa M. Sallah
6 books6 followersALISSA SALLAH is a cartoonist (and cosplayer) from small town Ohio. She edits and contributes to the Bonfire Yearly Anthology (STRATOS, TOPIA, SILK & METAL), has been featured in the BITCH PLANET Triple Feature, the YAKUZA 6 SONG OF LIFE artbook and was the colorist on the Image comic series SLEEPLESS. Her work can be found at alissasallah.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
June 23, 2021
**Thank you to Netgalley and Oni Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**
I'm just going to be upfront: This book was garbage. It is quite possibly the most problematic graphic novel I have ever laid eyes on. I am just speechless after finishing this.
To begin with, I thought maybe the artwork was a stylized choice, but after seeing the difference in quality between the "anime" sequences versus the "real life" sequences, this maybe should have been given more time to go to publishing or been a webcomic. The artwork in the "real life" sequences is inconsistent, often very ugly. A great example of this is Danielle/Danny's hairline, which often is cut outward, which makes it look like she has a pointy forehead in many panels. Additionally, James is supposed to be biracial Japanese, but is white presenting in almost all panels. The idea that a white, blonde woman and a Japanese man would produce a white child with freckles and brown hair (which neither parent has) is biologically improbable and more could have been done to make the character present as biracial Japanese.
Artwork aside, the storyline needed a LOT of work. Sallah brings up a lot of issues within the anime fandom community and gives almost no commentary on ANY of it. She brings up the racism Black cosplayers get from non-Black cosplayers and...the character deletes the comment, the end. The biracial JAPANESE character is essentially being "taught" about this aspect of HIS culture by two non-Japanese people, which is a whole mess. The one character dresses Lolita style on a daily basis and drops random Japanese words in her language and the most she's called out for this co-opting of another culture is being called a "weeaboo" ONCE, a word which she "reclaims" as a good thing by the end of the book. She talks about "expectations" of how POC people should behave and it's never resolved. She has a homophobic grandmother. Never resolved or even discussed. The Black character consumes media that includes Blackface minstrelsy with ZERO pushback or commentary on it. The Black character has a crisis about her natural hair that isn't worked out on the page and she goes back to straightening her hair by the end of the book. Two side characters, one Japanese and one white, are, no joke, described as "short-tempered" and "[the] token white guy...Does everything Jun does, but with a tolerable attitude." The white side character is called out repeatedly for his "blaccent" and he tells the character calling him out to lighten up and that he takes things too seriously. This goes unresolved. This isn't even ALL of the problems, just the ones I can recall off the top of my head. I sat here stunned for most of the volume.
All in all, this needed to be workshopped more. I think the issues brought up are important and could have (and should have) been explored in a more comprehensive way. It's a clear case of trying to do too much and not really doing anything. I can't recommend this with a good conscience. It tried to address too many things and had little to say to address any of them.
I'm just going to be upfront: This book was garbage. It is quite possibly the most problematic graphic novel I have ever laid eyes on. I am just speechless after finishing this.
To begin with, I thought maybe the artwork was a stylized choice, but after seeing the difference in quality between the "anime" sequences versus the "real life" sequences, this maybe should have been given more time to go to publishing or been a webcomic. The artwork in the "real life" sequences is inconsistent, often very ugly. A great example of this is Danielle/Danny's hairline, which often is cut outward, which makes it look like she has a pointy forehead in many panels. Additionally, James is supposed to be biracial Japanese, but is white presenting in almost all panels. The idea that a white, blonde woman and a Japanese man would produce a white child with freckles and brown hair (which neither parent has) is biologically improbable and more could have been done to make the character present as biracial Japanese.
Artwork aside, the storyline needed a LOT of work. Sallah brings up a lot of issues within the anime fandom community and gives almost no commentary on ANY of it. She brings up the racism Black cosplayers get from non-Black cosplayers and...the character deletes the comment, the end. The biracial JAPANESE character is essentially being "taught" about this aspect of HIS culture by two non-Japanese people, which is a whole mess. The one character dresses Lolita style on a daily basis and drops random Japanese words in her language and the most she's called out for this co-opting of another culture is being called a "weeaboo" ONCE, a word which she "reclaims" as a good thing by the end of the book. She talks about "expectations" of how POC people should behave and it's never resolved. She has a homophobic grandmother. Never resolved or even discussed. The Black character consumes media that includes Blackface minstrelsy with ZERO pushback or commentary on it. The Black character has a crisis about her natural hair that isn't worked out on the page and she goes back to straightening her hair by the end of the book. Two side characters, one Japanese and one white, are, no joke, described as "short-tempered" and "[the] token white guy...Does everything Jun does, but with a tolerable attitude." The white side character is called out repeatedly for his "blaccent" and he tells the character calling him out to lighten up and that he takes things too seriously. This goes unresolved. This isn't even ALL of the problems, just the ones I can recall off the top of my head. I sat here stunned for most of the volume.
All in all, this needed to be workshopped more. I think the issues brought up are important and could have (and should have) been explored in a more comprehensive way. It's a clear case of trying to do too much and not really doing anything. I can't recommend this with a good conscience. It tried to address too many things and had little to say to address any of them.
August 27, 2021
I rather liked the art in this comic. The characters’ faces were kind of unattractive but the watercolor painting style of the coloring made up for it, I thought. I liked the classic anime art thrown into the mix too, and thought the two different styles being used to show fantasy sequences vs. “IRL” were a nice touch.
Although I have honestly only watched a few anime series (don’t ask me anything about Pokémon!) I still got all the references used in the book. Maybe that means it wasn’t quite weeaboo enough, or maybe it’s just the right level for even a low-level weeaboo to understand, which might be a good thing since it can be understood by a wider audience.
To me this comic felt authentic. Casual racism and homophobia are pervasive throughout the story, but that’s life. Today’s media tends to paint the world in rose-color, and it’s fantastic to see characters in comics or on TV or in books be themselves with total acceptance and no repercussions. But it’s not realistic. Racism and homophobia are still actual daily hurdles for many of us, and the sad fact is that often there’s nothing we can do about it. Life isn’t always fair. And sometimes you can’t fight back or stand up for yourself because that will get you killed.
I read a review for this comic that said it’s racist and homophobic and that the characters that are abused by bigots and that’s just the end for them. I don’t agree with that at all.
For example, Maya’s sexuality is implied to be lesbian. But her grandmother expresses her disgust of gay people. When you’re a teen in a homophobic household, coming out is not necessarily a safe thing to do. This story is just a glimpse into the senior year of the characters’ high school lives. It wouldn’t be realistic for her to come out and have a happy ending in the span of a single year. Just because Maya doesn’t come out to her family or try to open a dialogue with her grandmother in this comic doesn’t mean she never will. She’s still a kid. Teenage years are fleeting. I think it’s unfair to say nothing is resolved at the end of the comic because the story only takes place in a limited time frame. And though she is additionally dealing with people being racist towards her at school and online, I don’t think she was passive about it. I think it’s completely fine that she deleted the racist comment on her blog without engaging with her attacker. There’s about a 100 percent chance you cannot change a bigoted troll online by trying to converse with them, and certainly not by arguing. I think Maya’s decision to delete the comment and move on was the mature thing to do. And she told Danny she planned to do something new with her hair, and it was implied that she was going to change to a more natural, black hairstyle rather than straightening it like she felt pressured to do to fit in with a white crowd. I don’t think she just straightened her hair and conformed forever.
Danny also did not accept her situation. She’s indicated to be possibly nonbinary or transmasculine. Or maybe she’s a cis girl that simply doesn’t fancy dresses or damsel roles. Whatever her deal is, she knows what’s comfortable for her. It took her a while to decide she was going to stand up for herself and be herself, but she did it in the most public space imaginable and it worked out fantastically for her. She was able to stand up to André and let him know he was being pushy and making things between them awkward; she was able to show her co-stars, staff, and audience of the school play that she could take on a masculine role and succeed beautifully.
Finally, there’s James. He did speak up several times when others made racist comments. He’s a shy introvert so even his weak protests took a lot of courage. And he did get his close friends, at the very least, to understand his pain and they apologized and made up. Again, you can’t pick fights with bigots. Racism and homophobia are just ridiculous concepts with no legitimate foundations other than ignorance and hate, so there are times when it’s pointless to engage with people who cling tightly to those ideals. They are not rational people. Plus he was just one kid. It’s his responsibility to stay safe, it’s not his job to tackle all the racism in the world. There are adult ways he can do that later in life. What he did do for himself was take care of his immediate surroundings, letting his friends know that certain words and actions hurt him, and their relationships were strengthened once they came from a place of understanding. And by the end of the story he was so much braver, after his first experience at changing just a tiny piece of the world. I think his future is looking bright.
I really connected with each of the characters in different ways. I felt they were very realistic. And even if some of the themes were a bit dark, the comic shows how people from different walks of life can find common ground, that sharing interests can build strong bonds, and that we can all take on the world one small step at a time. I thought it was beautifully done. I’m a fan.
Although I have honestly only watched a few anime series (don’t ask me anything about Pokémon!) I still got all the references used in the book. Maybe that means it wasn’t quite weeaboo enough, or maybe it’s just the right level for even a low-level weeaboo to understand, which might be a good thing since it can be understood by a wider audience.
To me this comic felt authentic. Casual racism and homophobia are pervasive throughout the story, but that’s life. Today’s media tends to paint the world in rose-color, and it’s fantastic to see characters in comics or on TV or in books be themselves with total acceptance and no repercussions. But it’s not realistic. Racism and homophobia are still actual daily hurdles for many of us, and the sad fact is that often there’s nothing we can do about it. Life isn’t always fair. And sometimes you can’t fight back or stand up for yourself because that will get you killed.
I read a review for this comic that said it’s racist and homophobic and that the characters that are abused by bigots and that’s just the end for them. I don’t agree with that at all.
For example, Maya’s sexuality is implied to be lesbian. But her grandmother expresses her disgust of gay people. When you’re a teen in a homophobic household, coming out is not necessarily a safe thing to do. This story is just a glimpse into the senior year of the characters’ high school lives. It wouldn’t be realistic for her to come out and have a happy ending in the span of a single year. Just because Maya doesn’t come out to her family or try to open a dialogue with her grandmother in this comic doesn’t mean she never will. She’s still a kid. Teenage years are fleeting. I think it’s unfair to say nothing is resolved at the end of the comic because the story only takes place in a limited time frame. And though she is additionally dealing with people being racist towards her at school and online, I don’t think she was passive about it. I think it’s completely fine that she deleted the racist comment on her blog without engaging with her attacker. There’s about a 100 percent chance you cannot change a bigoted troll online by trying to converse with them, and certainly not by arguing. I think Maya’s decision to delete the comment and move on was the mature thing to do. And she told Danny she planned to do something new with her hair, and it was implied that she was going to change to a more natural, black hairstyle rather than straightening it like she felt pressured to do to fit in with a white crowd. I don’t think she just straightened her hair and conformed forever.
Danny also did not accept her situation. She’s indicated to be possibly nonbinary or transmasculine. Or maybe she’s a cis girl that simply doesn’t fancy dresses or damsel roles. Whatever her deal is, she knows what’s comfortable for her. It took her a while to decide she was going to stand up for herself and be herself, but she did it in the most public space imaginable and it worked out fantastically for her. She was able to stand up to André and let him know he was being pushy and making things between them awkward; she was able to show her co-stars, staff, and audience of the school play that she could take on a masculine role and succeed beautifully.
Finally, there’s James. He did speak up several times when others made racist comments. He’s a shy introvert so even his weak protests took a lot of courage. And he did get his close friends, at the very least, to understand his pain and they apologized and made up. Again, you can’t pick fights with bigots. Racism and homophobia are just ridiculous concepts with no legitimate foundations other than ignorance and hate, so there are times when it’s pointless to engage with people who cling tightly to those ideals. They are not rational people. Plus he was just one kid. It’s his responsibility to stay safe, it’s not his job to tackle all the racism in the world. There are adult ways he can do that later in life. What he did do for himself was take care of his immediate surroundings, letting his friends know that certain words and actions hurt him, and their relationships were strengthened once they came from a place of understanding. And by the end of the story he was so much braver, after his first experience at changing just a tiny piece of the world. I think his future is looking bright.
I really connected with each of the characters in different ways. I felt they were very realistic. And even if some of the themes were a bit dark, the comic shows how people from different walks of life can find common ground, that sharing interests can build strong bonds, and that we can all take on the world one small step at a time. I thought it was beautifully done. I’m a fan.
December 29, 2023
Initially gave it three stars but you know what? I really liked this. I appreciated the unique art style, which was jarring in some places (faces are occasionally weird, bad anatomy here and there that can't be hand waved away with stylization) but overall hit the spot for me, aesthetically.
The plot is messy and tangled, but that's the point: This isn't a book meant to educate the reader about the harm sexism and racism does, it's a book that depicts what life is like for people who are affected by it and how they struggle to be true to themselves despite that, especially when just coming into their adulthood like Dan, James, and Maya are.
I appreciated the depiction of how people can hurt each other along axes of marginalization, even if they're part of a marginalized community themselves, and the subtle way the issues the characters were facing were paralleled: James and Maya dealing with assumptions others made about them based on their race, James and Danny feeling the pressure of being put on a pedestal, Maya and Danny struggling with homophobia and attraction. There's no neat, tidy ending to be had for any of these issues.
Painful but sweet and endearing. I really did enjoy this.
ETA: I'm updating my review to five stars because almost two years out, I think about this comic all the time. It's such an aesthetic time capsule of late 00s nerdy teenagerdom, with all its cringe-y foibles and problematic stereotyping; the glory and the pain of fandom as an escape and a dreadful reminder of your day-to-day problems. I'm probably going to buy a copy of this for myself, because I really, really did enjoy it.
The plot is messy and tangled, but that's the point: This isn't a book meant to educate the reader about the harm sexism and racism does, it's a book that depicts what life is like for people who are affected by it and how they struggle to be true to themselves despite that, especially when just coming into their adulthood like Dan, James, and Maya are.
I appreciated the depiction of how people can hurt each other along axes of marginalization, even if they're part of a marginalized community themselves, and the subtle way the issues the characters were facing were paralleled: James and Maya dealing with assumptions others made about them based on their race, James and Danny feeling the pressure of being put on a pedestal, Maya and Danny struggling with homophobia and attraction. There's no neat, tidy ending to be had for any of these issues.
Painful but sweet and endearing. I really did enjoy this.
ETA: I'm updating my review to five stars because almost two years out, I think about this comic all the time. It's such an aesthetic time capsule of late 00s nerdy teenagerdom, with all its cringe-y foibles and problematic stereotyping; the glory and the pain of fandom as an escape and a dreadful reminder of your day-to-day problems. I'm probably going to buy a copy of this for myself, because I really, really did enjoy it.
June 25, 2021
Honestly, I thought this book was terrible. The overall concept of this novel had a lot of potential but it was executed so poorly. The story sets-up many chances for Sallah to critically dissect certain issues like racial identity, cultural appropriation, fetishization, and homophobia, however, none of these problems are addressed in an effective meaningful way. I also wasn't a big fan of the art style and the cringe dialogue.
For these reasons, I did not enjoy reading this and I would not recommend it to anyone.
For these reasons, I did not enjoy reading this and I would not recommend it to anyone.
November 26, 2021
This book is exactly what being an anime fan in a small town in 2008 was like. I feel like I’ve been waiting for a graphic novel like this to come along for years now, and this one completely delivers. Incredible artwork, love those ink washes. I’m always happy when graphic novel art bucks the standard look and gives us something unique and engaging to look at.
Anyway, just great. Picked it up on a whim bc I liked the cover and it did not disappoint. Also I’m not one for clapping at references but there’s a sasuke cosplayer being arrested in one panel and I just think that’s great.
Anyway, just great. Picked it up on a whim bc I liked the cover and it did not disappoint. Also I’m not one for clapping at references but there’s a sasuke cosplayer being arrested in one panel and I just think that’s great.
September 3, 2021
Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Weeaboo by Alissa M. Sallah is a great graphic novel about fan culture that will appeal to fans of Svetlana Chmakova's Dramacon. Weeaboo, by the way, is a normally pejorative but sometimes neutral word that refers to Americans who are obsessed with Japanese culture. The story revolves around a group of three friends who are preparing to go to a big anime convention. The heroine is Maya, a girl of color, who is an anime romance fanatic and has nicknamed herself "Hime," or "princess" in Japanese. She loves dressing up in Japanese-style frilly dresses and inserting Japanese words into her everyday speech. Her friend James is a dark and brooding loner who is often bullied by his classmates. The last member of their trio Dan is a girl, but Maya sees her with the visuals of a charming prince. The trio decide to cosplay, or in Dan's case, cross-play as the main characters in one of Maya's favorite animes. But as the day gets closer, the friends' diverging interests and personal issues cause them to grow apart...
Overall, Weeaboo is a nice, light-hearted graphic novel that touches on some dark and heavy topics, such as racism, bullying, gender nonconformity, and relationships. It will appeal to anime and manga fans everywhere. One highlight of this book is the art. If you look at the cover, you might think that the main characters are drawn pretty poorly. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the many art styles that the artist was able to emulate - from pencil manga drawings in a notebook to a fiction anime on TV with English subtitles. I should warn you that if you are not a fan of anime or manga, you will probably not enjoy this manga. There are a lot of references that you probably wouldn't understand. Nevertheless, if you are an otaku, then you will enjoy this book, and I highly recommend that you check it out when it comes out in November!
Weeaboo by Alissa M. Sallah is a great graphic novel about fan culture that will appeal to fans of Svetlana Chmakova's Dramacon. Weeaboo, by the way, is a normally pejorative but sometimes neutral word that refers to Americans who are obsessed with Japanese culture. The story revolves around a group of three friends who are preparing to go to a big anime convention. The heroine is Maya, a girl of color, who is an anime romance fanatic and has nicknamed herself "Hime," or "princess" in Japanese. She loves dressing up in Japanese-style frilly dresses and inserting Japanese words into her everyday speech. Her friend James is a dark and brooding loner who is often bullied by his classmates. The last member of their trio Dan is a girl, but Maya sees her with the visuals of a charming prince. The trio decide to cosplay, or in Dan's case, cross-play as the main characters in one of Maya's favorite animes. But as the day gets closer, the friends' diverging interests and personal issues cause them to grow apart...
Overall, Weeaboo is a nice, light-hearted graphic novel that touches on some dark and heavy topics, such as racism, bullying, gender nonconformity, and relationships. It will appeal to anime and manga fans everywhere. One highlight of this book is the art. If you look at the cover, you might think that the main characters are drawn pretty poorly. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the many art styles that the artist was able to emulate - from pencil manga drawings in a notebook to a fiction anime on TV with English subtitles. I should warn you that if you are not a fan of anime or manga, you will probably not enjoy this manga. There are a lot of references that you probably wouldn't understand. Nevertheless, if you are an otaku, then you will enjoy this book, and I highly recommend that you check it out when it comes out in November!
July 2, 2021
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, courtesy of NetGalley and Oni Press.
A rather forgettable graphic novel about three friends graduating high school and figuring out what they want to do after, all the while being fans of Anime and Manga culture.
I feel like this book had so much potential and didn’t act on it. Dan was the most interesting character out of the three, because we got the most time with them and their struggles. But even then we still don’t know their pronouns or sexuality or anything. Things are hinted at but never actually stated. It felt kind of like a cop out.
The other two characters have such little development that it’s hard to connect with them at all.
The best parts of this book was the elements of the fake anime, which were kind of confusing to follow, and the parts where they were all crafting their costumes together.
As far as the art goes it was ok, not super appealing, which I found strange since it’s obvious the artist is talented. The characters faces were just so strange compared to the bodies. Also I was really not a fan of the backgrounds in some of the scenes, they were obviously photos and some had people in it… which is concerning since they never gave their consent to be in a published work like this. I wish the backgrounds were just watercolor like the rest of the comic.
The whole friend group was kind of terrible to each other and they apologized in the end, but never really discussed it deeply so it all felt somewhat hollow.
I found this work to try too hard and end up not really achieving much of anything.
A rather forgettable graphic novel about three friends graduating high school and figuring out what they want to do after, all the while being fans of Anime and Manga culture.
I feel like this book had so much potential and didn’t act on it. Dan was the most interesting character out of the three, because we got the most time with them and their struggles. But even then we still don’t know their pronouns or sexuality or anything. Things are hinted at but never actually stated. It felt kind of like a cop out.
The other two characters have such little development that it’s hard to connect with them at all.
The best parts of this book was the elements of the fake anime, which were kind of confusing to follow, and the parts where they were all crafting their costumes together.
As far as the art goes it was ok, not super appealing, which I found strange since it’s obvious the artist is talented. The characters faces were just so strange compared to the bodies. Also I was really not a fan of the backgrounds in some of the scenes, they were obviously photos and some had people in it… which is concerning since they never gave their consent to be in a published work like this. I wish the backgrounds were just watercolor like the rest of the comic.
The whole friend group was kind of terrible to each other and they apologized in the end, but never really discussed it deeply so it all felt somewhat hollow.
I found this work to try too hard and end up not really achieving much of anything.
September 21, 2021
3.5/5
I am finding it hard to rate 'Weeaboo' because there was so much going on in it. The style changes from time to time and we go in and out of a(nother) fantasy world. It's an ambitious piece of work where I appreciate the ambition but cannot fully appreciate the execution. I didn't enjoy reading it as much as I wanted to. However, I did like how the story handled queerness, race, and obsession with a different popular culture.
I am finding it hard to rate 'Weeaboo' because there was so much going on in it. The style changes from time to time and we go in and out of a(nother) fantasy world. It's an ambitious piece of work where I appreciate the ambition but cannot fully appreciate the execution. I didn't enjoy reading it as much as I wanted to. However, I did like how the story handled queerness, race, and obsession with a different popular culture.
January 31, 2024
The art-style used for Weeaboo was one of the main things that didn’t click for me. Which is a shame, because the premise sounded interesting and like something I’d enjoy far more than I ended up doing. The art-style did look somewhat better when it goes into a more anime style for certain parts, but something about it just didn’t work for me overall.
The story follows three high-school aged friends; Maya, James and Danielle as they are preparing to attend a huge anime convention after they graduate. Weeaboo does tend to try and tackle some social issues, but falls short of the mark. For example I was a little confused by the character Danielle, nicknamed Dan/Danny. I couldn’t tell if they were supposed to be a tomboy, gender non-conforming, non-binary, trans…? It’s never actually stated. The topic of racism is skirted around too, it would have been more effective if the author had tackled some of these head-on in the story. However, I did find James to be a fully realised, well-developed character. He comes from a poor background and has a neglectful Mother.
Thank you to Netgalley/the publisher for the ARC! {Catching up with old ARCs I was sent} 🖤
The story follows three high-school aged friends; Maya, James and Danielle as they are preparing to attend a huge anime convention after they graduate. Weeaboo does tend to try and tackle some social issues, but falls short of the mark. For example I was a little confused by the character Danielle, nicknamed Dan/Danny. I couldn’t tell if they were supposed to be a tomboy, gender non-conforming, non-binary, trans…? It’s never actually stated. The topic of racism is skirted around too, it would have been more effective if the author had tackled some of these head-on in the story. However, I did find James to be a fully realised, well-developed character. He comes from a poor background and has a neglectful Mother.
Thank you to Netgalley/the publisher for the ARC! {Catching up with old ARCs I was sent} 🖤
July 10, 2021
This graphic novel was entertaining to the reader. and you could definitely read it in one sitting. This was a graphic novel where we follow a group of friends and their journey in school. All of these friends have something in common but, not all of their parents agree. I feel like the plotline was halfway thought out and the ending was left somewhat on a cliffhanger. There definitely could be a sequel published in the future but, i'm not sure I would read it. I felt like this book was decent but, there was something missing.
December 13, 2021
To see more reviews check out MI Book Reviews.
I got an ARC of this book.
So I loved this book. I loved the art, I loved the story, I loved that things weren’t neatly tied up. There was a lot going on, but not a lot of it was perfectly solved.
There were two distinct art styles happening. There was the anime/fantasy sequences that were GORGEOUS. They were the prettiest parts of the book. Which makes sense, anime is often gorgeous and filled with pretty people. The day to day art wasn’t as pretty, but I liked it more. I loved that the hair line on Dan kept changing. It gave the appearance of messy, can’t be contained hair.
I loved how Dan’s gender was explored, but not full labeled. That was not the focus on the book, but it was an aspect. Dan very well may be trans and/or non-binary, but Dan is not at the point to announce that. That felt more realistic than forcing an identity label at this point. I loved there there were a few hints of romance between Dan and a few other characters. That this was not really addressed either. It allowed for a more slice of life feel. It was not their entire lives, but one year of them starting to come into their own.
I loved how there were hints of discussions about racism. I wish that it had gone a little bit harder on that, but I also appreciated that there was not an immediate lesson for the reader. I loved that Maya just dealt with it. There is not always the emotional bandwidth to address and protect against the attacks. Instead they can crawl under your skin and live inside of you. The way that it was handled gave a more human feeling instead of a more educational feeling to that plot line. It hit really close to my heart.
James’s plots were a bit harder for me. They were more focused on dealing with anxiety and pressure from stereotypes. His parents were not loving and helpful. Instead they were possibly the biggest bullies in his life. It took me a long time before I thought I was starting to see James. The ending focusing on James was really wonderful. It felt freeing and wonderful, but I was left with the anxiety of “what happens after?”. I am used to his type of parents so I know that his life will not be magically better now.
The friendship is wonderful. It is clear that James is not as big into anime as Maya is. Maya is clearly the most into it. They all support each other in their own lives, but they have this bonding through something that means so much to Maya. It is wonderful to see that friends, even when they aren’t super into the exact same things, can be so supportive and human at the same time. This is not to say that there were no rocks in their relationship. Instead it was more about how sometimes rocks happen and there is still life after.
Overall, I loved this book. I need more by Sallah!
I got an ARC of this book.
So I loved this book. I loved the art, I loved the story, I loved that things weren’t neatly tied up. There was a lot going on, but not a lot of it was perfectly solved.
There were two distinct art styles happening. There was the anime/fantasy sequences that were GORGEOUS. They were the prettiest parts of the book. Which makes sense, anime is often gorgeous and filled with pretty people. The day to day art wasn’t as pretty, but I liked it more. I loved that the hair line on Dan kept changing. It gave the appearance of messy, can’t be contained hair.
I loved how Dan’s gender was explored, but not full labeled. That was not the focus on the book, but it was an aspect. Dan very well may be trans and/or non-binary, but Dan is not at the point to announce that. That felt more realistic than forcing an identity label at this point. I loved there there were a few hints of romance between Dan and a few other characters. That this was not really addressed either. It allowed for a more slice of life feel. It was not their entire lives, but one year of them starting to come into their own.
I loved how there were hints of discussions about racism. I wish that it had gone a little bit harder on that, but I also appreciated that there was not an immediate lesson for the reader. I loved that Maya just dealt with it. There is not always the emotional bandwidth to address and protect against the attacks. Instead they can crawl under your skin and live inside of you. The way that it was handled gave a more human feeling instead of a more educational feeling to that plot line. It hit really close to my heart.
James’s plots were a bit harder for me. They were more focused on dealing with anxiety and pressure from stereotypes. His parents were not loving and helpful. Instead they were possibly the biggest bullies in his life. It took me a long time before I thought I was starting to see James. The ending focusing on James was really wonderful. It felt freeing and wonderful, but I was left with the anxiety of “what happens after?”. I am used to his type of parents so I know that his life will not be magically better now.
The friendship is wonderful. It is clear that James is not as big into anime as Maya is. Maya is clearly the most into it. They all support each other in their own lives, but they have this bonding through something that means so much to Maya. It is wonderful to see that friends, even when they aren’t super into the exact same things, can be so supportive and human at the same time. This is not to say that there were no rocks in their relationship. Instead it was more about how sometimes rocks happen and there is still life after.
Overall, I loved this book. I need more by Sallah!
July 30, 2021
Book Title: Weeaboo
Author: Alissa M. Sallah
Genre: YA, Graphic Novel, Coming of Age
Publish Date & Publisher: 17 November 2021, Oni Press
*Note: I received an advanced copy of Weeaboo from NetGalley in return for an honest review*
Weeaboo is a graphic novel that follows three 18-year-olds (James, Maya(ko) and Dan) in their final year of highschool and their lives as they make costumes (cosplay) for the upcoming anime convention.
Firstly I will say the art style is unique and quite jarring at times. It took me a bit to get used to. Also there were a lot of embarrassing reminders of my dark past reflected in the actions of Maya which many who enjoyed anime in their teens will also be able to recoil at.
Past the cringe moments and anime references, however, are strong reflections on racism, cultural appropriation, sexism, and the effects of overbearing parents.
James' story focuses mainly on his anxieties around being unable to meet the academic expectations of his mother, and the resulting insecurity that comes with them. James faces casual racism from classmates and his own friends due to his Japanese heritage but the main focus of James' arc is him trying to find himself through cosplay while working at a sushi restaurant and trying to decide what he wants to do with his life.
I feel James has the most airtime throughout the book. I was a bit disappointed that despite cultural appropriation and anti Asian racism being highlighted throughout his arc there isn't much confrontation between it and James other than an offhand comment to Maya about her being a Weeaboo and one blow-up about not being the smart Asian stereotype. In fact the most disappointing thing about James' arc is that there was no conversation with Maya about her actions and how it affected him.
Maya's story focuses on her love of Lolita fashion and the pressure on her to conform to European beauty standards from both online haters and her own family. Maya deals with this pressure by creating an online persona of a Versailles noble lady called "Mayako" and projecting deeply into her favourite anime and imagining her and her friends as the main characters.
Maya's arc was probably my favourite. While being the least confrontational it was the most deeply personal and she handled her problems mostly by herself. By the end of the novel she begins to accept her natural beauty and slowly reject European beauty standards and the idea that Lolitas can't be black. Slowly she will become her truest self and I think that is beautiful. I must say though I was disappointed that her crush in Dan was never revealed or discussed.
Dan's (Danielle) story is a more confusing arc to interpret. I've seen people say it was an allegory on transitioning and Dan transitions at the end. I myself saw Dan's arc as the battle of a gender nonconforming woman against sexism in her acting career and relationships.
Dan desperately wants to play the main male lead in the school's play and begins to date her friend and fellow actor André, however things soon turn sour when André's actions towards her change as he attempts to 'be the gentleman to her lady' and the school, only seeing her audition for the male lead as a joke, casts André as the male lead and Dan as the female lead. Dan also feels the weight of responsibility and expectations for being put on a pedestal as both a talented actor and courageous person. The stress leads to her breaking up with André and withdrawing from her friends. Dan's resolution results in a newfound freedom and courage within herself.
Overall I enjoyed this book (once I got past the art and cringe moments) a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing the final published product in November when I will likely secure myself a hardcopy to enjoy again.
7/10
Author: Alissa M. Sallah
Genre: YA, Graphic Novel, Coming of Age
Publish Date & Publisher: 17 November 2021, Oni Press
*Note: I received an advanced copy of Weeaboo from NetGalley in return for an honest review*
Weeaboo is a graphic novel that follows three 18-year-olds (James, Maya(ko) and Dan) in their final year of highschool and their lives as they make costumes (cosplay) for the upcoming anime convention.
Firstly I will say the art style is unique and quite jarring at times. It took me a bit to get used to. Also there were a lot of embarrassing reminders of my dark past reflected in the actions of Maya which many who enjoyed anime in their teens will also be able to recoil at.
Past the cringe moments and anime references, however, are strong reflections on racism, cultural appropriation, sexism, and the effects of overbearing parents.
James' story focuses mainly on his anxieties around being unable to meet the academic expectations of his mother, and the resulting insecurity that comes with them. James faces casual racism from classmates and his own friends due to his Japanese heritage but the main focus of James' arc is him trying to find himself through cosplay while working at a sushi restaurant and trying to decide what he wants to do with his life.
I feel James has the most airtime throughout the book. I was a bit disappointed that despite cultural appropriation and anti Asian racism being highlighted throughout his arc there isn't much confrontation between it and James other than an offhand comment to Maya about her being a Weeaboo and one blow-up about not being the smart Asian stereotype. In fact the most disappointing thing about James' arc is that there was no conversation with Maya about her actions and how it affected him.
Maya's story focuses on her love of Lolita fashion and the pressure on her to conform to European beauty standards from both online haters and her own family. Maya deals with this pressure by creating an online persona of a Versailles noble lady called "Mayako" and projecting deeply into her favourite anime and imagining her and her friends as the main characters.
Maya's arc was probably my favourite. While being the least confrontational it was the most deeply personal and she handled her problems mostly by herself. By the end of the novel she begins to accept her natural beauty and slowly reject European beauty standards and the idea that Lolitas can't be black. Slowly she will become her truest self and I think that is beautiful. I must say though I was disappointed that her crush in Dan was never revealed or discussed.
Dan's (Danielle) story is a more confusing arc to interpret. I've seen people say it was an allegory on transitioning and Dan transitions at the end. I myself saw Dan's arc as the battle of a gender nonconforming woman against sexism in her acting career and relationships.
Dan desperately wants to play the main male lead in the school's play and begins to date her friend and fellow actor André, however things soon turn sour when André's actions towards her change as he attempts to 'be the gentleman to her lady' and the school, only seeing her audition for the male lead as a joke, casts André as the male lead and Dan as the female lead. Dan also feels the weight of responsibility and expectations for being put on a pedestal as both a talented actor and courageous person. The stress leads to her breaking up with André and withdrawing from her friends. Dan's resolution results in a newfound freedom and courage within herself.
Overall I enjoyed this book (once I got past the art and cringe moments) a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing the final published product in November when I will likely secure myself a hardcopy to enjoy again.
7/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2021
I'll start with the positive. The story has a great message of being true to yourself and loving everything that makes you unique. Each of the three characters is forced to face who they think they are versus who the world sees them as they approach their final year of high school and the beginning of the rest of their lives. It's a great message approached from three very different angles to give a broader perspective.
The art is in a sketchy, not-very-attractive-to-me style that I knew I disliked just from the cover, but I'd heard great things about the story so I was willing to ignore it. It gave me flashbacks to the 90s and people first discovering manga and trying to draw in that style without really knowing the basics of illustration. I recognize it as a stylistic choice, but it's just not something I enjoy.
And then we have the thing that made it so that I took forever to read this despite the title being a warning of what was in store. All three characters enjoy anime. They're giant geeks and I love them for it. But Maya is one of those geeks that drops random Japanese phrases and honorifics into her speech and I hate that. I've hated it forever and even more when I made friends with Japanese people who constantly tell me it's insulting. I had to force myself to read all the parts with her until she is very rudely insulted about it, and then I felt bad for her. It's perhaps a sign of good writing that I could see where Maya was coming from and understand her desire to immerse herself in the things that made her feel better.
Overall, I enjoyed the message of the story, just not the way it was presented. I would still recommend it for younger readers simply because I appreciate what it's trying to say.
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for the early read.
The art is in a sketchy, not-very-attractive-to-me style that I knew I disliked just from the cover, but I'd heard great things about the story so I was willing to ignore it. It gave me flashbacks to the 90s and people first discovering manga and trying to draw in that style without really knowing the basics of illustration. I recognize it as a stylistic choice, but it's just not something I enjoy.
And then we have the thing that made it so that I took forever to read this despite the title being a warning of what was in store. All three characters enjoy anime. They're giant geeks and I love them for it. But Maya is one of those geeks that drops random Japanese phrases and honorifics into her speech and I hate that. I've hated it forever and even more when I made friends with Japanese people who constantly tell me it's insulting. I had to force myself to read all the parts with her until she is very rudely insulted about it, and then I felt bad for her. It's perhaps a sign of good writing that I could see where Maya was coming from and understand her desire to immerse herself in the things that made her feel better.
Overall, I enjoyed the message of the story, just not the way it was presented. I would still recommend it for younger readers simply because I appreciate what it's trying to say.
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for the early read.
September 15, 2021
Read through a publisher preview.
There's a lot going on here, a bunch of interesting ideas, but most of them are just thrown out then not followed up on or wrapped up. That is how life works, but it doesn't always make for satisfying fiction. I think the overarching message is that you should embrace who you are and have confidence to present that face to the world, but all we get is a vague sense of confidence from each character towards the end without actually resolving the underlying issues, and that still leaves all sorts of details, plot points, and obstacles just tossed about.
The art also did not prop any of this up for me either. For a book that in the second half put a lot of focus on race and gender, the lack of distinct characteristics for people made some things more confusing than they had to be. I was not aware James was of Asian decent (biracial with white) until it became a talking point. Until the deleted blog post and the issue with her hair, I had assumed Maya had a South-Asian background. And since it was just buried in all of the talk of Dan being Maya's prince, I assumed the first reference to her as "she" was a typo.
What I will give the book props for is capturing a sense of angst and indecisiveness that can go along with high school. As a sort of impressionistic work about the feeling of high school and these three people's lives, it is successful. As a work of fiction, I could have used more character definition earlier on and more compelling arcs for each main character.
There's a lot going on here, a bunch of interesting ideas, but most of them are just thrown out then not followed up on or wrapped up. That is how life works, but it doesn't always make for satisfying fiction. I think the overarching message is that you should embrace who you are and have confidence to present that face to the world, but all we get is a vague sense of confidence from each character towards the end without actually resolving the underlying issues, and that still leaves all sorts of details, plot points, and obstacles just tossed about.
The art also did not prop any of this up for me either. For a book that in the second half put a lot of focus on race and gender, the lack of distinct characteristics for people made some things more confusing than they had to be. I was not aware James was of Asian decent (biracial with white) until it became a talking point. Until the deleted blog post and the issue with her hair, I had assumed Maya had a South-Asian background. And since it was just buried in all of the talk of Dan being Maya's prince, I assumed the first reference to her as "she" was a typo.
What I will give the book props for is capturing a sense of angst and indecisiveness that can go along with high school. As a sort of impressionistic work about the feeling of high school and these three people's lives, it is successful. As a work of fiction, I could have used more character definition earlier on and more compelling arcs for each main character.
May 11, 2023
I got lost as the first part of the book skittered around so much it even managed to make a cast list for the book confusing. But then it just settled into angsty teen friendship drama with some story-within-a-story and daydream sequences. The main hook is that a couple of the characters are weeaboo, people who are not Asian but are really obsessed with Japanese culture. The story sort of pokes around at the cultural appropriation aspects, but like the rest of the story, including some LGBTQ+ elements, it is willing to wallow in the world of muddle, never really building its way to a point.
Friends fall out and make up. Parents just don't understand. Crushes suck. Pretty standard fare, you know?
The art varies from page to page and character to character, sometimes appealing, sometimes not. I get the impression the artist draws better for the parts and characters she really, really likes.
Friends fall out and make up. Parents just don't understand. Crushes suck. Pretty standard fare, you know?
The art varies from page to page and character to character, sometimes appealing, sometimes not. I get the impression the artist draws better for the parts and characters she really, really likes.
November 27, 2021
'Weeaboo' by with story and art by Alissa M. Sallah is a graphic novel about three friends in their senior year of high school trying to find their way.
Maya, James and Dan are friends and they all have difficulties in their lives. For Maya, it's being called a weeaboo, or a kind of poser to Japanese culture. When Maya proposes they all go to an anime convention in cosplay, it seems like a simple thing but sets off things in each characters life.
The story grew on me as it went, but I had a hard time getting in to it, and I think that was because of the art choices. I did like the mix of styles and mediums, but the main style was weirdly harsh in nature.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Maya, James and Dan are friends and they all have difficulties in their lives. For Maya, it's being called a weeaboo, or a kind of poser to Japanese culture. When Maya proposes they all go to an anime convention in cosplay, it seems like a simple thing but sets off things in each characters life.
The story grew on me as it went, but I had a hard time getting in to it, and I think that was because of the art choices. I did like the mix of styles and mediums, but the main style was weirdly harsh in nature.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Oni Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
July 8, 2021
I enjoyed this book, but wasn't thrilled. It was very confusing at the beginning and I felt the character development was weak. I know many reviewers liked the artwork, but it didn't appeal to me. It seemed a bit sloppy.
The general plotline about these kids growing up and spreading their wings was sweet, but the relationships between the characters could have been fleshed out more.
I shared this with my 14-year-old son who loves all things anime and manga and he couldn't finish it. He said it did not keep his attention. I tend to agree with him.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
The general plotline about these kids growing up and spreading their wings was sweet, but the relationships between the characters could have been fleshed out more.
I shared this with my 14-year-old son who loves all things anime and manga and he couldn't finish it. He said it did not keep his attention. I tend to agree with him.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!
April 16, 2023
Very refreshing, funky art & engaging slice-of-life drama! Some surprisingly poignant moments that had me tearing up. Also, very hilarious to see Colossalcon at the end there as a fellow-highschool-Colossalcon-goer. Made me miss it! Shout out to Ohio weebs with problems.
August 27, 2024
Unique art style and three different, complex characters who might be loners if it weren't for each other. This hit me in the feels a little bit, since I'm a recovering weeb and all~ Doesn't shy away from difficult situations regarding race and cultural appreciation.
August 9, 2021
I liked the plot of this graphic novel. The artwork took a little while to grow on me though. Overall, I like this enough to recommend it but not enough to add it to my personal collection. If you are an anime/manga fan, I think this would be right up your alley.
May 4, 2022
Loved the artwork/style.
October 11, 2021
First of all thank you for netgalley in providing me with an arc.
This was a fast read and I can highly relate to all the characters. The development of each characters on how they survive their high school life and how they tackled problems in regards to friends, family and self. It was very deep in some aspect because it discuss stereotypes and racism. A black girl being a lolita is kinda not good to see, stereotyping an asian being smart and a sexually confused girl, these are some of which that is found in here.
The first pages seems to be a glance on the way someone who loves anime would think but as the story progress the sensitive topics surfaces.
I like how each characters would find themselves at the end. Teenage years can be confusing because our decisions are mostly affected by either our family or the society.
The story is not all about fun and making costumes. It is about finding ourselves and making decisions that would make us happy instead of following what we are told to do. The art style is kinda new to me because I read mostly mangas and this is the second time I read a graphic novel but overall it was a great read.
This was a fast read and I can highly relate to all the characters. The development of each characters on how they survive their high school life and how they tackled problems in regards to friends, family and self. It was very deep in some aspect because it discuss stereotypes and racism. A black girl being a lolita is kinda not good to see, stereotyping an asian being smart and a sexually confused girl, these are some of which that is found in here.
The first pages seems to be a glance on the way someone who loves anime would think but as the story progress the sensitive topics surfaces.
I like how each characters would find themselves at the end. Teenage years can be confusing because our decisions are mostly affected by either our family or the society.
The story is not all about fun and making costumes. It is about finding ourselves and making decisions that would make us happy instead of following what we are told to do. The art style is kinda new to me because I read mostly mangas and this is the second time I read a graphic novel but overall it was a great read.
December 3, 2023
The three protagonists of this story are all struggling with multiple big issues of growing up, family, and identity. They each have their own journeys in the story and it occasionally was a lot to keep track of. I liked all three of the main characters and I appreciated the end of the book even though I'm left with a lot of questions.
August 6, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
This graphic novel is one of the most strangely undeveloped books I think I have ever read. There are excellent set-ups for a real discussion about issues like racism in geek culture/otaku culture, the fetishization of Japanese people and cultures, and the negative aspects of "model minority" stereotypes but non of them are fully realized.
There is only one real comment made on each of the topics, but none of them make an impact on the characters or story. They only make one comment on Maya's fetishization of Asian culture and how she treats her Japanese friend, but by the end of the novel, they are all agreed that being a weeaboo is a beautiful thing. Nothing in these books is out of the reality of how high school weeaboos act, but having said that the story is going to strike true for people who at this point would be old enough to not act like that anymore (hopefully). It felt closer to how conventions and weebs acted when I was in high school about 10 years ago.
I did very much enjoy the art style. There were wild inconsistencies in depictions of characters that made it a little difficult to keep track of who was who, but the watercolors were gorgeous and I personally really like the kind of wild sketchy style the artist went for. The cover photos for the start of each of the chapters were particularly cool, some of them reminding me of the style of Yoshitaka Amano (old final fantasy art).
I wouldn't go as far as to say there were issues with the pacing, the pacing was good for the story that was written. It's just that the story was not great in itself. I don't think I would order this title for my library purely because I would not know who our audience for the book would be.
Edit: I just remembered the panel that had an actual photo of a convention lobby. I hope the author got permission from those people to use them in the book...
This graphic novel is one of the most strangely undeveloped books I think I have ever read. There are excellent set-ups for a real discussion about issues like racism in geek culture/otaku culture, the fetishization of Japanese people and cultures, and the negative aspects of "model minority" stereotypes but non of them are fully realized.
There is only one real comment made on each of the topics, but none of them make an impact on the characters or story. They only make one comment on Maya's fetishization of Asian culture and how she treats her Japanese friend, but by the end of the novel, they are all agreed that being a weeaboo is a beautiful thing. Nothing in these books is out of the reality of how high school weeaboos act, but having said that the story is going to strike true for people who at this point would be old enough to not act like that anymore (hopefully). It felt closer to how conventions and weebs acted when I was in high school about 10 years ago.
I did very much enjoy the art style. There were wild inconsistencies in depictions of characters that made it a little difficult to keep track of who was who, but the watercolors were gorgeous and I personally really like the kind of wild sketchy style the artist went for. The cover photos for the start of each of the chapters were particularly cool, some of them reminding me of the style of Yoshitaka Amano (old final fantasy art).
I wouldn't go as far as to say there were issues with the pacing, the pacing was good for the story that was written. It's just that the story was not great in itself. I don't think I would order this title for my library purely because I would not know who our audience for the book would be.
Edit: I just remembered the panel that had an actual photo of a convention lobby. I hope the author got permission from those people to use them in the book...
July 1, 2021
Initially, this graphic novel was very confusing and chaotic. I had no idea about any of the relationships between characters, the characters’ personalities or what was happening in general.
I think this type of graphic novel would be even more confusing for those not previously versed in anime and the anime community. The premise is very niche but as someone with background knowledge in anime I enjoyed the concept.
Some of the issues and problems faced in the novel were very implicit and not well covered. For example we never know the details of the character Dan’s gender crisis their gender queerness is only encountered in a few scenes and is never confirmed leaving me as a reader questioning how to address them. And I agree with others when they say this book can come off problematic at times.
Overall, for a debut novel it was enjoyable and I don’t regret reading it and I especially praise the art.
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for kindly providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for this review.
I think this type of graphic novel would be even more confusing for those not previously versed in anime and the anime community. The premise is very niche but as someone with background knowledge in anime I enjoyed the concept.
Some of the issues and problems faced in the novel were very implicit and not well covered. For example we never know the details of the character Dan’s gender crisis their gender queerness is only encountered in a few scenes and is never confirmed leaving me as a reader questioning how to address them. And I agree with others when they say this book can come off problematic at times.
Overall, for a debut novel it was enjoyable and I don’t regret reading it and I especially praise the art.
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for kindly providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for this review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2021
This was such a cute graphic novel that reminded me of myself what I was younger. It's a journey of three friends who have known each other for years, but when their local anime convention is in town following their graduation; it's their time to shine and not be themselves for a change. This story follows a journey of self-discovering and the strength of friendship. When graduation rolls around, they each begin to follow their own paths and the true strength of their friendship is uncovered. Life isn't like a cartoon and as you grow older, changes are made. I loved how each of the character's true personalities was uncovered as they each became comfortable in their own skin.
I love the way this graphic novel shows a sense of celebration and respect for anime fandoms, small conventions, and the internet culture that surrounds them. The way the story was told in a style of various mange, anime, and our other favorite media.
I love the way this graphic novel shows a sense of celebration and respect for anime fandoms, small conventions, and the internet culture that surrounds them. The way the story was told in a style of various mange, anime, and our other favorite media.
September 25, 2021
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book.
I desperately wanted to enjoy this as an anime-loving POC. But this graphic novel was so disappointing. There were many issues that were glossed over (such as racism, homophobia and sexual identity) and other issues that were presented as non-issues, like the main characters basically mocking the bi-racial character for not knowing much about 'Japanese culture' when the only thing they know about Japan is anime. There were many opportunities where the authors could have delved deeper into these issues, had a discussion or even shown how the characters were affected by such issues.
Additionally, the art style just wasn't for me. It just seemed messy and a bit rushed.
Now onto the enjoyable part!
It was a light and cute story with a focus on 3 highschooler's love of anime and their uncertain futures. I enjoyed the high school drama for the nostalgia.
I can't say that I'd read this again, check out a sequel or recommend it though.
I desperately wanted to enjoy this as an anime-loving POC. But this graphic novel was so disappointing. There were many issues that were glossed over (such as racism, homophobia and sexual identity) and other issues that were presented as non-issues, like the main characters basically mocking the bi-racial character for not knowing much about 'Japanese culture' when the only thing they know about Japan is anime. There were many opportunities where the authors could have delved deeper into these issues, had a discussion or even shown how the characters were affected by such issues.
Additionally, the art style just wasn't for me. It just seemed messy and a bit rushed.
Now onto the enjoyable part!
It was a light and cute story with a focus on 3 highschooler's love of anime and their uncertain futures. I enjoyed the high school drama for the nostalgia.
I can't say that I'd read this again, check out a sequel or recommend it though.
June 28, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I definitely benefited from a second read of this book. Weeaboo explores the inner workings of anime fandom through the lens of three high schoolers from different backgrounds. Although I appreciate how some topics were brought up (including, but not limited to, homophobia, racism, cultural appropriation), I wish they were explored with more depth on the page. I also wish that James, one of the three main characters who is white and Japanese, was given more attention especially since his inner conflict with racial identity was integral to the plot but also not explored much more than on a surface level.
I enjoyed Sallah's cartooning and the art was charming. It was loose, had nice shapes, and allowed for a lot of expression.
I definitely benefited from a second read of this book. Weeaboo explores the inner workings of anime fandom through the lens of three high schoolers from different backgrounds. Although I appreciate how some topics were brought up (including, but not limited to, homophobia, racism, cultural appropriation), I wish they were explored with more depth on the page. I also wish that James, one of the three main characters who is white and Japanese, was given more attention especially since his inner conflict with racial identity was integral to the plot but also not explored much more than on a surface level.
I enjoyed Sallah's cartooning and the art was charming. It was loose, had nice shapes, and allowed for a lot of expression.
July 27, 2021
This is a tough one for me to review. I think the comic has some important things to say about the thin line between otaku fandom and appropriation/low-key racism, and although it starts that conversation, it also ends up trailing off before it finishes its argument. The art swings back and forth between being quite lovely and somewhat difficult to look at, page to page and even panel to panel, to the point that I occasionally couldn't wait to get to the end so I could just stop. A good pick for school libraries where there are definitely teens who need to see other kids with hobbies and dreams like theirs, but not a book that I'll be buying for the collection at my public library.
(NetGalley provided me with an ARC of this title in return for an honest review.)
(NetGalley provided me with an ARC of this title in return for an honest review.)
June 28, 2021
3.5 rounded up to 4
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.
This graphic novel was weird. I liked it, but it was weird. Sometimes it was cringey teenage shenanigans, and at other times it was deep and emotional stuff. Some important topics that are touched upon include: economic privilege, gatekeeping (specifically in the cosplay community), racism, cultural appropriation. I liked the "messy" artstyle and thought it was pretty unique. It was a little confusing at times, however, particularly because the side-character André looks like a completely different person at times.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.
This graphic novel was weird. I liked it, but it was weird. Sometimes it was cringey teenage shenanigans, and at other times it was deep and emotional stuff. Some important topics that are touched upon include: economic privilege, gatekeeping (specifically in the cosplay community), racism, cultural appropriation. I liked the "messy" artstyle and thought it was pretty unique. It was a little confusing at times, however, particularly because the side-character André looks like a completely different person at times.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews