KUIS-ENG30114 discussion

1) You need to write a review of one of the manga books you have read so far. While writing this book review you need to include 10 vocabulary words from what we have studied so far. The ten words need to be used in a correct sense. It is due before midnight on 11/7.

2) You need to comment on at least one other person’s review.

InuYasha: Lost and Alone
I read Vol.4 of Inuyasha. This volume is separated by 2 parts. First part has mostly accounted for battle part. Those battle scenes are written in foreground by different perspectives. Eye level View is the most, because it is good for expressing realistic sensation. Worm’s Eye View and Bird’s Eye View are also frequent, because the author wants us to see the battle from our overview perspective. Moreover, many speed lines are in background.
Second part focuses on Kagome who is heroine of this story. From this chapter, she starts to move as a heroine like self-sacrificial and humane behavior. I thought that this is revelation for Kagome in whole story.

DEAD Tube ~デッドチューブ~ 1
This manga is so sadistic, crazy and madness. I think this manga is not mainstream just like a Niche. Theme of this is that people do whatever to earn money. This manga has protagonists, but they are such as antagonists. This is not included by archetype of manga. In this manga, people will live in the chaos, there is no order. The protagonist, Tomohiro meets Mai who is another protagonist. This manga's story starts from when Mai asks Tomohiro to take a movie herself whenever she is wherever on 2 days and not to stop taking a movie even if what happened. This manga has little humane person but sometimes bad people will change to be like a good person however, they get atonement for their guilty or karma so there is no happiness in this manga. If you wanna read this manga, you should be careful there is no happiness and there are many madness, sadistic, grotesque and adult scenes.

Yuya wrote: "Attack on Titan, Vol. 1I think the theme of this manga is “freedom”. As the main character, Eren said, people who live in the wall are not free and he always thinks that the human r..."

I have not read this manga but I have watched anime so it is interesting. I think so this manga is theme of freedom.

This review is about Bakuman, vol.5. In this volume, the environment changed dramatically for Mashiro and Takagi. There have good news and bad news. Good news is that they could get their series. Bad news is that their editor was changed from Hattori to Miura. I was shocked to know about this!!!
When you viewed this story as a whole, I think this volume represented “Skill Grows” in the Hero’s Journey. In the vol.1, Takagi called Mashiro to create a manga together, so this is “Call to adventure” part. Then, after Mashiro decided to make a manga, they addressed many kinds of challenge. For example, Mashiro had a problem with his family,
especially with his mother. This part is “Trials and Failure” part. After that, they went to Shueisha to show their manga. They met their ex-editor, Hattori at that time. He taught Mashiro and Takagi many things about creating manga, so he is a mentor for them.
In vol.5, there have many highs and lows for many characters, so they use more speed lines not only to show their movements but also their emotion. It is interesting that they used knurling dialogue balloons with speed lines to emphasize how the characters are feeling. From this idea, I could learn that speed line can use to show sentiment.
It is very strange that they didn’t put splash page in each chapter because this manga is a shounen manga, a mainstream manga for boys!!! In this volume, they put only one!!! In my opinion, they only use splash page when they want to tell the readers that the story will changed. For example, in this volume, when they started to tell Miho’s story, there was a splash page in the chapter. If they use splash page and spread together, it may stand out in the reader’s memory. The most used perspective is “Eye level view” like others mangas. They used this perspective to the readers felt that they are creating manga with the main characters. By doing this, the readers can feel the same feeling. That’s why I enjoy reading this manga.

Yuya wrote: "Attack on Titan, Vol. 1I think the theme of this manga is “freedom”. As the main character, Eren said, people who live in the wall are not free and he always thinks that the human r..."
I was interested in “Attack on Titan”, but I was afraid to read it because of the scary picture. However, I became curious about how the writer use dialogue balloons and speed lines. I have a image that “Attack on Titan” is a battle manga with a giant of a man, so I worried about how could he show readers the strenuous movements when they battle.

I have read "Ookiku furikabutte". This is the hero's journey manga of baseball. Mihashi of the protagonist became an ace by favor for the junior high school era, and he never gave up the mound for three years. Therefore Mihashi is disliked very much by the teammate of the junior high school. And Mihashi enters the high school with guilt. In fact, He has a talent of a pitcher, but his personality has problem that his communication is so bad, he is a crybaby and he don't has self-confidence. So he was not able to be familiar with even the baseball club of the high school with a teammate. Then, his manager said to him, "If you don't change your personality, I won't take part the game", and call to adventure. Mihashi though that I should change my personality and tried something, but he can't change the personality, and the game will start as it was. He trials and failure. Then, mentor appeared. Abe of catcher said to Mihashi, "I like you without as a pitcher, because you always do your best! We'll win!" Mihashi was accepted him, and he gain self-confidence and he trust Abe very much. He could demonstrate his real ability. His skills grow. Although he was saw through habit of pitches by the opponent, and he was hit the homerun. He shocked but his teammate encouraged him, so he got over unfortunate situation. This is a death and rebirth. And Mihashi got the revelation, he noticed that he should tell that he thought to a partner, so they improved teamwork by talking with the person of the circumference.
He won against former teammate and he apologized to their for his guild so far, and also former teammate apologized to him for they didn't accept him so far. This is an atonement. Finally, Mihashi became a real ace of the team of high school and he was able to be familiar with them. "Ookiku furikabutte" is a shounen, it is published on "monthly afternoon" from koudansha. The circulation of this manga exceed part 10 million. I recommend you to read this manga!

I am reading ONE PIECE vol.3. This volume focus on Usopp who is a liar young man. He always says “The pairates are coming! “ in his village. The villager feels inconvenience it but they feel also peaceful because it’s Usopp’s habit and Usopp comes and say at same time. They know the day comes when Usopp comes to village.
One day, the real pirates comes to village. Usopp realized that and tried to tell them that but they didn’t listen to Usopp’s story because they thought it’s lie as usual.
In this volume, protagonist is Usopp and theme is how he lives! What is Usop’s treasure? You can know it is. Actually, Usopp is humane. He is so kind although his reputation is bad in his village. He tried to defect his village and friends from the pirates. He is very weak and timid, but he is a brave person absolutely. So, he is also self-sacrificial.
By the way, Usopp is not a protagonist in this whole story but the scene which he appears is exactly call-to-adventure because the village is the place of Luffy’s next landing. It make me feel something to happen.
In addition, scene which Usopp ran away from the pirates and called out the villagers to run over from the pirates are trials and failure. Because his action was not succeed. After that, Luffy and his followers helped him.
As you know, ONE PIECE is a mainstream in the Shonen manga and much sarculation because it’s popular! Especially, I think that ONE PIECE’s how to describe the story and character’s personality attract people.
For example, the scene is very powerful so as to being used many speedline and perspective. I think this manga’s its components are much than other manga.
Because this manga is a story full of energy! Its effect show how stories are carried speedy and magnificent.
Furthermore, there is many protagonist in this manga...
So, I love this manga.All you have to do is read this manga! Right now!

I read Vol 1 of BAKUMAN. The theme I think about BAKUMAN is Dream because there are two main characters who are Moritaka Mashiro and Akihito Takagi. Their dream is to be a manga artist in Shounen Jack which is like JUMP in real so they are pursuing it and writing a lot of mangas. By the way, a mentor who is an uncle of Mashiro Moritaka appears on the first page. In the next pages 2-3, there is a spread. A spread is written from a worm’s eye view and fisheye. From these views, I felt the spread has solidity. By using these perspectives in a manga, manga can bring out a lot of expressions and readers can receive some feelings which some characters have. Moreover, there are more panels in BAKUMAN than other mangas. Accordingly, there are more gutters than other mangas. And also, I found an important thing. When gutters are painted by black color, this scene is a past thing. By using black gutters, we can read with ease that this page is in the past. It is a just finding. Apart from that, the author uses some speed lines and symbols. Readers can receive realities. Finally, I love BAKUMAN. I recommend all of the people.

Karina wrote: "This review is about Bakuman, vol.5. In this volume, the environment changed dramatically for Mashiro and Takagi. There have good news and bad news. Good news is that they could get their series. B..."

I read your comment and I realized that Bakuman doesn’t have splash page! It’s rare... I see, it’s for people’s memorization...!

Mizuho wrote: "I have read "Ookiku furikabutte". This is the hero's journey manga of baseball. Mihashi of the protagonist became an ace by favor for the junior high school era, and he never gave up the mound for ..."

I watched the manga. However, I have not read it so I wanna read it after reading BAKUMAN. I like sports so I am interested in reading sports manga. Finally, your review is so easy to understand contents.

Takuma wrote: "DEAD Tube ~デッドチューブ~ 1
This manga is so sadistic, crazy and madness. I think this manga is not mainstream just like a Niche. Theme of this is that people do whatever to earn money. T..."

I didn't know this manga, but I have read this response and I became want to read it, because recently I'm reading the manga of happy story, So I want to strong spices. This manga seem to be strong in stimulation.

I’ve read volume 5 of Hikaru no Go. In this volume, there is a part of Hero’s journey. Hikaru experiences trials and failure many times. And he has a good mentor, Sai. So he grows more and more. For example, in this volume he beats Tsutsui and Mitani at the same time. Before Hikaru couldn’t win even one to one. The growth of Hikaru is one of the most interesting point of this manga. And at final of this volume, there is a call to adventure. It’s the Insei exam and it’s a cliffhanger, too. It makes me want to read next one soon.
And there is one more interesting thing in this volume. That’s the expression of match of Go. Hikaru plays Go against Toya on the Internet. And the author expresses that scene like they are in the universe or darkness. For example, the author uses a picture of the universe as a background. And he uses many kind of perspective not only eye level view but also worm’s eye view and bird’s eye view. I think the author wants to express that Toya and Sai’s level of Go is very higher than the protagonist, Hikaru. And the author uses speed lines to express how high level is.
This manga is becoming interesting more and more. If you like, please read it.

Takuma wrote: "DEAD Tube ~デッドチューブ~ 1
This manga is so sadistic, crazy and madness. I think this manga is not mainstream just like a Niche. Theme of this is that people do whatever to earn money. T..."

Honestly, I like sadistic manga, but I’ve never heard that, so I will check it later.

I read volume 2 of NANA. This manga is classified as a shoujo manga. This manga genre is mainly love, friendship however it is very complicated story, I think. Currently it has been published to 21 volumes, but the story progress only one year. This story's main character is Nana Osaki and Nana Komatsu. It is a story of two girls of the same age and same name but completely different personalities. There are two heroines, so there are two mentors. Nana Osaki's mentor is Yasu. And Nana Komatsu's mentor is Junko.The feature of this manga is the amount of conversation between the two main characters Nana. So this manga has many panel/frame, eye level view and speed line. I think it is also characteristic of writer. And splash page is very cute, complex, and beautiful. Page of spread is only one at the first page of the chapter. I love this comic background too. The details of the rooms and shops are written politely. It is so very popular that book about the setting of the room where they live and the shop where they work is published. It is also a feature that Bird's eye view and Worm's eye view are very few compared to eye level view. This is probably, the writer often writes the face of two heroines. It is difficult to read because there are many conversation scenes, but I recommend it because the story is easy to understand and interesting.

Misato wrote: "I am reading ONE PIECE vol.3. This volume focus on Usopp who is a liar young man. He always says “The pairates are coming! “ in his village. The villager feels inconvenience it but they feel also p..."

I’m interested in reading shounen manga but I can’t choose good one because it is so many manga. So this review is helpful for me.

I read vol.1 of “Your Name”. This story is so famous as a movie. In fact I haven’t watched a movie and there are many panels in a page, so it was a little difficult to understand the theme. I have known an arts of “Your Name” is so beautiful and amazing, and I understand it’s same in manga. Splash page is so colorful, so I was excited. Sometimes there are spreads in this volume, they attract our interest.
Mitsuha’s mind and Taki’s mind are switched, It’s a Call to Adventure. In addition to a symbol and speed lines is useful for showing character’s feelings and actions. Moreover a perspective is important in this manga. When Mitsuha(but a body is Taki) went to Tokyo for the first time, Worm’s eye view is used in order to be easy to understand a size of Tokyo and her feeling. However, eye level view is used many times to make feel like reader lives in this manga.

Takuma wrote: "DEAD Tube ~デッドチューブ~ 1
This manga is so sadistic, crazy and madness. I think this manga is not mainstream just like a Niche. Theme of this is that people do whatever to earn money. T..."

I have not read this manga, but I like this genre and feel interesting. I will read it.

I read Banana Fish vol. 1. Banana Fish was written in 1980’s to 1990’s but this has been very popular. This genre is crime action and this looks shounen maga but actually this is shoujo manga. The themes are friendship, love and justice. A main of Vol. 1 is call to adventure. Main character Ash investigate about Banana Fish for long time. Ash is 17 years old boy and he is smart and beautiful boy. One day, he find a man who knows it but a man died after he passed small bottle to Ash. Ash doesn’t know what or who is Banana Fish and you cannot know it, too. I was excited what is Banana Fish. In the middle, Ash meets Eiji who is Japanese college students. Then Eiji kidnapped so Ash went to help him even they’re not friend. Actually, Ash was a male prostitute and he killed many people to live. In general, he is not good person. However, helping Eiji is self-sacrificial. It is interesting. Plus, there is one of my favorite. Panel in this Vol. It is that Eiji is flying with long pipe to go out. Eiji was a great pole vault player. In this panel, there is no dialogue balloon, symbol and speed line and it is worm’s eye view. Just he is flying. It is so cool. Most characters are criminal or mafia or street kids so they say slangs. Slangs are difficult for me but it is perfect for call to adventure.

I read vol.2 of Kanata no Astra. This is a shounen manga of shounen jump+, a web comic magazine. Theme of this manga is “through hardships to the stars”. Main characters of this story are 8 high school students and 1 younger sister of the student, the members of group for school trip to another planet. In this world, high school students go to another planet for camping without teachers as a study, so to go to another planet is not unusual thing. It means arriving to another planet is still in an “order”. When they started an exploration of the planet, a strange glowing sphere has appeared and swallowed them. Suddenly, they were in the universe and they got lost in far away in the space which is the call to adventure. From this point they are in a “chaos”. It was impossible for them to go straight back to their planet with their few foods, so they started to go back to their planet via several planets. However, they found out that one of the member is actually not humane and tried to kill everyone with the strange sphere. But they noticed that they need as many people as possible to survive and go back to their planet, so they did not spy on someone and tried to be friends. In vol.2 they arrived at one planet where some super tall trees are exist but no carnivorous animals at all. Then they face to a death and rebirth because the ecosystem of planets are not always same as their planet. They suffered from poisonous mushrooms which they thought were super tall trees. Most of the members were about to die, but the captain was self-sacrificial person, and he saved them. Because this manga has many surprising facts for the characters, they uses a lot of jagged dialogue balloons to show their astonishment. And through those surprising facts not only protagonist but everyone do self-discovery. I am now reading vol.2 in English, but I already read this whole story in Japanese a lot and it is really interesting and I can recommend this with confidence.

Meu wrote: "I read Banana Fish vol. 1. Banana Fish was written in 1980’s to 1990’s but this has been very popular. This genre is crime action and this looks shounen maga but actually this is shoujo manga. The ..."
I have heard the name of your manga, but I have not yet tried reading it. But because of your comment I got interested, so if you don’t mind I want to borrow one.

Yu wrote: "Misato wrote: "I am reading ONE PIECE vol.3. This volume focus on Usopp who is a liar young man. He always says “The pairates are coming! “ in his village. The villager feels inconvenience it but t..."

I like “Your name”. I watched it but I never read that manga. In the movie, pictures are beautiful so I can imagine beautiful panels. I think finding this story’s theme is difficult, too. Probably, I will feel different image movie and manga so I really want to read it.

Vagabond, Volume 1I review “Vagabond” which is kind of samurai story in the Edo period.
Before reviewing, I would like to introduce an author of this manga. The author is Takehiko Inoue. He is well known fable as a manga artist because of “ SLAM DUNK” which is the most popular basketball manga in Japan. Furthermore , he has drawn many mangas such as “ Real”. It goes without saying, he is the greatest manga artist.
As previously stated, I want to review “Vagabond”. This manga is definitely hero’s journey but there’s no obvious mentor like Ziraiya in “NARUTO”, so Takezo who is the protagonist in this manga continues to trip of self-discovery and tries to be an invincible sword master. Also a moment of death and rebirth of the hero is attractive and exciting. From that moment, I have gotten engrossed in this manga. Perspective is a little bit different from other Seinen or shounen mangas. Bird’s eye view often appear to give the reader an overall view of battle, village, castle and so on. In this manga, we can find that spread and speed line are used a lot. I think they have a clearly purpose like that they give the reader realistic sensations.
At the beginning of reading, I felt a little bit bored but now I really enjoy reading “Vagabond” so I want to keep reading this book until it ends up.

Takuma wrote: "InuYasha: Lost and Alone
I read Vol.4 of Inuyasha. This volume is separated by 2 parts. First part has mostly accounted for battle part. Those battle scenes are written in foreground ..."

I really agree with thinking that eye level is the most used.

This manga is written by Eiichiro Oda about Monkey D. Luffy’s hero journey. This volume 1 is about Luffy's childhood and beginning of pirates. Luffy is a protagonist of this story and try to save his crews from antagonists. I thought this character is original because he is stupid, gluttonous and positive. When you look at pictures you can see that they use many speed Line to show the action and emotion. I liked a picture of bird's eye view because it’s rare and can see the situation around of the Luffy. Also I liked spread page which is written Redhaired Shanks, his crews and Luffy.
I recommend this manga for Shounen mainstream becaus can know why Luffy became rubber and about his hat.

Takuma wrote: "InuYasha: Lost and Alone
I read Vol.4 of Inuyasha. This volume is separated by 2 parts. First part has mostly accounted for battle part. Those battle scenes are written in foreground ..."

I think so too because ONE PIECE uses many speed lines on the background!

Karina wrote: "This review is about Bakuman, vol.5. In this volume, the environment changed dramatically for Mashiro and Takagi. There have good news and bad news. Good news is that they could get their series. B..."

That was so interesting to read! I think you are right! That artist doesn't use splash pages all that much! I never noticed it until you said so.

Misato wrote: "I am reading ONE PIECE vol.3. This volume focus on Usopp who is a liar young man. He always says “The pairates are coming! “ in his village. The villager feels inconvenience it but they feel also p..."

I can feel your passion about this story! Someday I want to read it in Japanese.

Kai wrote: "I read Vol 1 of BAKUMAN. The theme I think about BAKUMAN is Dream because there are two main characters who are Moritaka Mashiro and Akihito Takagi. Their dream is to be a manga artist in Shounen J..."

Good noticing! Yes. Usually if the gutter is black then the manga is talking about the past.

Masatooooo wrote: "I’ve read volume 5 of Hikaru no Go. In this volume, there is a part of Hero’s journey. Hikaru experiences trials and failure many times. And he has a good mentor, Sai. So he grows more and more. Fo..."
That's a good point, he does use the universe as a background to show the genius level of play. i never noticed that. Good job!

Yu wrote: "I read volume 2 of NANA. This manga is classified as a shoujo manga. This manga genre is mainly love, friendship however it is very complicated story, I think. Currently it has been published to 21..."

I didn't realize that there had been a book published just about their rooms!

Moe wrote: "I read vol.2 of Kanata no Astra. This is a shounen manga of shounen jump+, a web comic magazine. Theme of this manga is “through hardships to the stars”. Main characters of this story are 8 high sc..."

This sounds super interesting! I want to read it.

xxxHolic, Vol. 1

I love the series of this manga of CLAMP. All of CLAMP’s manga has very beautiful splash pages at every captures. This manga, xxxHOLiC is a Shounen manga, but Niche manga. In this manga has 2 main characters, named Kimihiro Watanuki who is a high school student, and Yuko Ichihara who is a owner of a shop. Watanuki can see ayakashi that likes ghosts. Yuko is a mysterious woman and owner of the shop where can get prayers of customers. Watanuki works in her shop to get prayer that makes ayakashi invisible. So this manga’s theme is not archetype, and almost each capture is a standalone story. Main plot of this manga is that Yuko help people who have any problems by magic power or her own technique, but not just help them. That often show human sinfulness, and this is one of the main attention of this manga.

Kota wrote: "Vagabond, Volume 1I review “Vagabond” which is kind of samurai story in the Edo period.
Before reviewing, I would like to introduce an author of this manga. The author is Takehiko In..."
I haven’t heard this manga’s name, so I’m surprised to hear that the author wrote “SLAM DUNK”. I thought I want to read this manga :)