Aug

23

How about a Manga Canon!?

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Two weeks ago, I attended this particular lecture on the canon of Western Literature. According to the lecturer, the Western Literature Canon is a way for writers and readers to read intelligible books that reflect the progress of humanity. It is a list of books that, you may say, have changed the world. Wow. They are chosen not because they are the most popular but rather because these are the books that, as I mentioned in that discussion, if humanity gets wiped out and most likely not a human was left and our only legacy to visiting aliens is a treasure box containing the books that best represent humanity, then the canon would best represent humanity. Before I even venture (which I really shouldn’t, unless I’m in front of my Philosophy teacher) into how these books represent humanity and their transcendence, what really struck my head was the idea of a canon for manga. Could we come up a list of mangas that would best represent humanity and the manga genre? Another interesting question would be… what good would a manga canon bring? Does the world of manga need one?

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Aug

23

Spoiled by Burger, Fries, and Pluto

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Oh don’t worry. Bloggy as it sounds, it’s still related to manga! I think. Well, a couple of my friends invited me to go to this Japanese Burger place tonight. They came in really late. Thank god the store had manga magazines! So what did I do… I read ‘em like any rabid manga snob would do. (????????????) ????????

The Japanese burger place, Sango, is found near COOP, near Makati Cinema Square. From MCS Mcdonalds, turn to the white building and just follow the road along those buildings. You will see the giant Sango sign, and you’ll be fine (I got rhyme!)! Not that it concerns the web, but a Filipino might chance upon this entry and check it out! Just helping a fellow foodie! BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME! IT’S ABOUT THE MAGAZINES!! If you actually want to catch the latest issues of lovely magazines such as Big Comic Original, Big Comic Spirits, Young Jump, Morning, Business Jump (I didn’t even read this!! It scares me) and a volume of Zipang, then head on to Sango! While you’re at it, order some burger and fries. It’s yumtastic!

Yes. Since there were magazines, and since I was on the waiting game, I actually had the luxury to read! And naturally I read Pluto under Big Comic Original, Addicted to Curry and Gantz under Young Jump. There was another thing I read, but I can’t seem to put myself to remember what it is. It was probably due to my focus on reading Pluto. I was spoiled silly. The last chapter I read was 26. The magazines has Chapters 30 and 31.

And what have I learned?

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Aug

22

Some Jump History

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Strangerataru posted at Weekly Jump a really interesting site that shows the history of Shounen Jump. Having been a jump reader (although not entirely faithfully, I don’t get the weeklies like others do. I just get the weeklies of series I read.), I can’t help but be curious about Jump’s history. And oh dear, looking at the website has made me reminisce some of the best stories I’ve ever read in manga history.

Shounen Jump’s probably one of the strongest magazines out there. That’s the very reason why it even runs in English now. And you can’t help it, Jump’s got some of the best stories told in manga. All the way back, it has mastered the formula of shounen manga. According to Frederick Schodt, there are three key elements in a shounen manga: friendship, perseverance, and victory. Throughout the decades, you can just see how they’ve done this. From Barefoot Gen to One Piece, they’ve basically shown boys of all ages how to live a dream. I guess that’s why readership of Shounen Jump doesn’t exactly fall within the bracket of young boys, but really all ages.

Honestly, looking at all those titles makes me sigh just thinking about all of the fun mangas I’ve read under Jump. Well, I’m looking forward to your 40th anniversary in the next few years. Hopefully, you guys can keep on making crafting some of the best shounen stories ever told.

On a side note, I used to think that Shounen Jump was the best ever until I do notice the wear and tear on some of their series. Sometimes, they hold on to much to the formula that they lose grasp of the story. Or maybe this is just my little tired mind speaking after finishing some papers last night. (?????????) But essentially, as I noticed through their history, there seems to be a reuse of formula that somehow wears the audiences thin. Like, if I ever see another martial arts/ninjutsu/butsu/whatever series, my head will definitely explode.

Aug

22

#01 - Happy by Naoki Urasawa

Filed Under Comedy, Reviews, Seinen | 3 Comments

Happy by Naoki Urasawa
Published by: Shougakukan
Serialized in: Big Comic Spirits

If there’s something happy about Happy, it’s the fact that it’s not quite the happy tale that you expected. Miyuki Umino may look happy in this cover, however, the unfortunate turn of events in her life isn’t really something to rejoice about. You’ve got an idiot brother who owes 250 million yen to some yakuza loan sharks. You’ve got 2 brothers and a younger sister to feed. You barely have enough cash for a lavish meal hence you’ve got curry for three days again. Might I add that the loan sharks want to pimp you in some bath parlor? Swamped with bad luck, Miyuki tries to make ends meet by trying her chance with her dream, becoming a professional tennis player.

Still fresh from his Yawara escapade, Naoki Urasawa gives us a refreshing, slightly tragic, nonethless perservering heroine under Miyuki. He may have given up Judo, but on this end, it’s all about who becomes the princess of tennis! That may sound cheesy, but it really is the tale of two women who have different paths to victory. As Urasawa exposes these two women, he asks us, which one of them will be truly happy?

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Aug

21

Welcome to the Project!

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So, we begin our project!! Nothing grand here of course. Just a project to keep track of all the things I’ve read and watch. I’m suffering from forgetfulness, hence when friends ask me how’s this thing like, I just say its cool and I can’t remember why. So here’s a project, a little plan to remember the champloo of mangas and animes that have made this otaku. It’ll be outright fun since I’d be reading some of my favorite stuff again — and others that I really don’t give a damn about. Well, it’s all for documentation, as well as some extra learning on the side!Well, let’s begin!