Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 2

金魚屋古書店 #2

by Seimu Yoshizaki

This manga bookstore has a thousand stories to tell.

A war story about the lives of three men--passed along by a man with the same name.
A mysterious little girl discovers the work of a children's author through manga.
A sentimental tale set in a working-class neighborhood of Osaka. Who loves the other more--the mother or the father?
Poetic manga released at the start of every summer. For women and children only?
A popular science fiction story inspires young boys to take a train ride.

Genres: Manga, Comics, Slice Of Life, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Contemporary, Books About Books

208 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2005

About the author

See also 芳崎 せいむ.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I didn't like this one as well as the first volume. Some of the stories were really confusing and didn't make much sense. I do like reading about the old classic manga but I felt the stories in the first one were more powerful. Yes, manga can do amazing things, but I didn't really feel the "amazing" in this collection.

[Estara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the meta discourse about the importance of various manga in various people lives and so many of the ones mentioned here I have never heard of, it is fascinating. I also find the characters sympathetic and the art pleasant to look at.

[Mads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a sucker for cheese-tactic stories. The sappier the plot line, the more invested I get. This series is so sugary-sweet that it'll give you cavities.
If you're a manga fan looking for older manga to read, then search no further! Each volume of Kingyo recommends both culturally important and fan-favorite manga, some even I haven't heard of before! Kingyo really is a love letter to manga, written by a fan for fans.
Each chapter is a stand-alone, aside for a few that give more character development to those who run the shop. Other than one or two chapters, they are all pretty darn cheesy and are guaranteed to give you the warm fuzzies.
The art-style is one of my favorites, other than Urasawa or CLAMP. The hairstyles and expressions in particular look great.
My only issues with this series would be some characterization and the placement of the speech bubbles. Considering how realistic some of the characters are in this book, it is sometimes surprising when they fit into cartoonish stereotypes (specifically the manager's mother and father). It felt a bit like characterization whiplash.
Kingyo is definitely worthy of the read! I have to go hunt down the first book now, since my library messed up my order, but I'll be sure to review the rest of the series too!

[Jennifer]

I obviously need to read the first volume to better understand the story. When I picked it up, it sounded like a collection of short stories, so I didn’t think there would be a problem starting from volume two. It was interesting at times, and I learned about classic manga I hadn’t heard it before. However, some of the plot lines were a little obscure - or maybe the meaning was just too deep for me to really understand. I found one or two of the short stories confusing.

[David Doel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little better than volume 1. Thee story depends upon manga series that were issued a half century ago. If you aren't familiar with them, the stories don't make a lot of sense and the background is not enough to overcome the gap. If there were a Kingyo Used books near by, you might be tempted to learn more, but there is not.

[Child960801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, these are more short story collections with just a tiny thread connecting them than anything else. Some of the stories in this volume take place in the bookstore, but in some the bookstore barely makes a cameo. Still, a love letter to books and their power to transform and touch lives.

[Bee (BacchusVines) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume still carries the love and message of manga and collecting and enjoying. I love that there're so many different kinds of manga in each chapter. 😍

[dejah_thoris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume opens with Tezuka, which made me feel a little more comfortable. I also liked the story about shojo manga not being just for girls.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Again we return to Kingyo Used Books with its staggering array of manga and unusual visitors. We see how Shiba & Okadome met and how Natsuki finds her legs as manager. This volume also shows us Natsuki's parents -- the successful publisher and his oh-so-cool wife. Natsuki can't understand their relationship. Oddly I still don't feel any closer to understanding Natsuki herself. I see her frustrations, but if you asked me what drives or motivates her, I couldn't really tell you. It's very odd to have such a cipher for a main character.

That said, I adored the story about the grown men waiting for Chichi & Sally's continuing adventures. And dear old grandfather Kingyo imparting words of wisdom wherever he goes. As someone that loves riding trains, I also enjoyed the final chapter, featuring Galaxy Express 999. How many times have I just wanted to get on a train and go far away and never look back?

[Miss Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

yeah this is really going to work for me

what do i love most in life? well apart from god, the prophet, my family, having a home...

well okay maybe not the most but pretty high up there is reading and thinking about why reading is amazing

which is basically what kingyo used books is about! with the extra bonus marks that it is about reading manga :D

that is 90% of what i read nowadays and alas, english literature has not yet jumped on the bandwagon of analyzing why comics are the best

i mean there's michael chabon's kavalier and clay, i'll give you that, but name like two other books that tell a great story where the most important underpinning theme is 'comics: why we love them and what they do for us'

yeah i thought so

in conclusion, kingyo used books is amazing, the short story format is super working for me and i will acquire volume 3 asap

4 stars

[G34R_B34R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this volume a five out of five, because two of the chapters left me fairly astounded by the conclusion. The first one and the second to last one (that involved a manly man embarrassed that he liked a shoujo). Per usual, this volume is very informative. It focuses slightly less on the staff of Kingyo Used Books, but they are present, at least in cameos. While I greatly enjoyed the first volume of this manga, I prefer this one due to the impact of certain scenes. Also, the brevity that disturbed me in the first volume felt more natural this time. The stories didn't feel like they needed to be longer, at least to me.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to be a very emotionally moving title. Tho some of these stories may seem a bit too overdone with the point of obvious heartstring pounding (not just picking), the overall "manga effects people" message is a good one. Especially when not all the characters are otaku. For those who wish to feel good at the end of a book this is for you.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are always surprising and on the verge of 5 stars. I suppose I just wish the integration of the manga could be a little more subtle, but I can't think how to actually improve on the stories.

[Bill Doughty · Rating 5 out of 5]

More stories about stories, or more to the point, the way that stories (specifically manga in this series, but it extrapolates to all storytelling easily) affect, interact, and pass through our lives.

[BCPL Youth Services Librarian]

Click to see book in BCPL's online catalog

[Korynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uses words describing the culture of manga writing and distribution that are not explained, possibly because I have not read the first volume.

[Gillian Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better volume as it starts exploring the ongoing characters and not just the wonders of manga.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

My feelings from the first volume stayed true while reading this second volume. I still found the story slow and sometimes confusing. It's unlikely that I will seek out volume 3.