Sunday, August 16, 2009
Not The Brightest Blogger on the Block
I can't believe it took me this long to notice, but if you line up the first four volumes of the the VIZBIG edition of Vagabond on your bookshelf, the spines align to form a wonderful image of the central characters in the series:
In my defense, I never had any two volumes anywhere near each other before this weekend, as my manga are scattered throughout the house in various locations. Wait, that's not much of a defense, is it?
I'm assuming this is a new illustration for the VIZBIG editions? Heck, even if it's just a montage of previous published material, it's still beautifully done and makes the already attractive (and bargain-priced) books an even better value. Kudos once again to Viz's design team for their outstanding production values.
My only gripe: Shouldn't the books line up in reverse order since the material all reads right-to-left? That's how I'd been arranging all of my other unflopped manga on the bookshelf, at least.
I can't believe it took me this long to notice, but if you line up the first four volumes of the the VIZBIG edition of Vagabond on your bookshelf, the spines align to form a wonderful image of the central characters in the series:
In my defense, I never had any two volumes anywhere near each other before this weekend, as my manga are scattered throughout the house in various locations. Wait, that's not much of a defense, is it?
I'm assuming this is a new illustration for the VIZBIG editions? Heck, even if it's just a montage of previous published material, it's still beautifully done and makes the already attractive (and bargain-priced) books an even better value. Kudos once again to Viz's design team for their outstanding production values.
My only gripe: Shouldn't the books line up in reverse order since the material all reads right-to-left? That's how I'd been arranging all of my other unflopped manga on the bookshelf, at least.
Labels: Manga, Omnibus Editions, Takehiko Inoue, Vagabond, Viz
10:54 PM | |
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Hanamichi SMASH!!!
I was re-reading Slam Dunk volumes two through four when it suddenly struck me: Hanamichi is a lot like the Hulk in several respects. In general, both have explosive tempers and get stronger the madder they get, but here are some other similarities that struck me:
Both have the superhuman ability to leap great heights.
The Hulk is able to control his leaps to travel great distances.
Hanamichi has difficulty controlling his leaps, frequently crashing into backboards, teammates, or opponents.
Both characters are fond of boasting about their prowess.
For the Hulk, it's always about how he's "the strongest one there is!"
For Hanamichi, he's always bragging about being "a natural" at basketball.
Both give others nicknames based on defining attributes.
The Hulk referred to Dr. Strange as "Magician" and Nighthawk as "Bird-Nose."
Hanamichi's nicknames include "Judo-Man," "Monkey Boss," and "Four Eyes."
Both join teams even though they're not really team players, and their presence on the team is maintained through subtle subterfuge.
The Hulk was a member of the "non-team" team The Defenders for several years, but he frequently fought with teammates and abruptly quit the team when upset.
Hanamichi joins the basketball team even though he hates sports, and he frequently clashes with teammates. He has threatened to quit several times and often must be flattered in order to remain.
For both, Beauty tames the Beast.
The Hulk always calmed down for Betty Ross.
Hanamichi's mood does a complete 180 whenever Haruko is around.
I could go on (for example, what is it about both Hanamichi and the Hulk that attracts adoring adolescent boys willing to overlook their every flaw in order to idolize their strength and arrogance?), but I'll leave it to others to draw additional parallels between the two brawny brutes. And of course, there are important differences, too. For example, the Hulk is primarily associated with the color green ("Jade Jaws," "Greenskin," etc.) while Hanamichi is identified with his striking red hair. Wait a second... you don't think Hanamichi could be this guy, do you?
I was re-reading Slam Dunk volumes two through four when it suddenly struck me: Hanamichi is a lot like the Hulk in several respects. In general, both have explosive tempers and get stronger the madder they get, but here are some other similarities that struck me:
Both have the superhuman ability to leap great heights.
The Hulk is able to control his leaps to travel great distances.
Hanamichi has difficulty controlling his leaps, frequently crashing into backboards, teammates, or opponents.
Both characters are fond of boasting about their prowess.
For the Hulk, it's always about how he's "the strongest one there is!"
For Hanamichi, he's always bragging about being "a natural" at basketball.
Both give others nicknames based on defining attributes.
The Hulk referred to Dr. Strange as "Magician" and Nighthawk as "Bird-Nose."
Hanamichi's nicknames include "Judo-Man," "Monkey Boss," and "Four Eyes."
Both join teams even though they're not really team players, and their presence on the team is maintained through subtle subterfuge.
The Hulk was a member of the "non-team" team The Defenders for several years, but he frequently fought with teammates and abruptly quit the team when upset.
Hanamichi joins the basketball team even though he hates sports, and he frequently clashes with teammates. He has threatened to quit several times and often must be flattered in order to remain.
For both, Beauty tames the Beast.
The Hulk always calmed down for Betty Ross.
Hanamichi's mood does a complete 180 whenever Haruko is around.
Both shred their clothes whenever they "Hulk out."
'Nuff said.
'Nuff said.
I could go on (for example, what is it about both Hanamichi and the Hulk that attracts adoring adolescent boys willing to overlook their every flaw in order to idolize their strength and arrogance?), but I'll leave it to others to draw additional parallels between the two brawny brutes. And of course, there are important differences, too. For example, the Hulk is primarily associated with the color green ("Jade Jaws," "Greenskin," etc.) while Hanamichi is identified with his striking red hair. Wait a second... you don't think Hanamichi could be this guy, do you?
Labels: Hulk, Manga/Superhero Parallels, Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue
3:26 PM | |
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Cool Things To Look At If You're Tired Of Hearing About SDCC
Like Brigid Alverson, I'm stuck at home while everyone else in the blogosphere is at SDCC. Unlike Brigid, however, I'm not even enjoying myself by reading lots and lots of manga; instead, I'm stuck working on a project that won't end.* But in between testing various reports, I'm still checking my feed reader and I noticed this post from the VIZBlog showcasing the VIZ headquarters, which is located in an old movie theater. Pretty neat! Check out the post for more pictures of what looks like a very cool work environment.
And in other VIZ news, it turns out there's a dedicated Takehiko Inoue subsite which at the moment is focused on Real and includes a 25-page preview of the first chapter. Check it out and marvel at Inoue's breathtaking artwork!!!
But if you do feel like reading some of the news out of SDCC, here's an announcement that's pretty exciting. Heck, the future of manga is starting to look positively rosy these days!
UPDATE: Viz is also making the first episode of Death Note available for free on iTunes with coupon code 9XTXXEXKLPHL through 12/31/2008.
* I know, I know: What a lousy way to celebrate Bleach Day. If anyone attending SDCC is reading this, could you do me a big favor? If you happen to see Tite Kubo, could you give him a big hug from me and tell him I'm sorry I couldn't be there tostalk meet him in person? Thanks!!
Like Brigid Alverson, I'm stuck at home while everyone else in the blogosphere is at SDCC. Unlike Brigid, however, I'm not even enjoying myself by reading lots and lots of manga; instead, I'm stuck working on a project that won't end.* But in between testing various reports, I'm still checking my feed reader and I noticed this post from the VIZBlog showcasing the VIZ headquarters, which is located in an old movie theater. Pretty neat! Check out the post for more pictures of what looks like a very cool work environment.
And in other VIZ news, it turns out there's a dedicated Takehiko Inoue subsite which at the moment is focused on Real and includes a 25-page preview of the first chapter. Check it out and marvel at Inoue's breathtaking artwork!!!
But if you do feel like reading some of the news out of SDCC, here's an announcement that's pretty exciting. Heck, the future of manga is starting to look positively rosy these days!
UPDATE: Viz is also making the first episode of Death Note available for free on iTunes with coupon code 9XTXXEXKLPHL through 12/31/2008.
* I know, I know: What a lousy way to celebrate Bleach Day. If anyone attending SDCC is reading this, could you do me a big favor? If you happen to see Tite Kubo, could you give him a big hug from me and tell him I'm sorry I couldn't be there to
Labels: Bleach, Happy Bleach Day, Manga, SDCC, Takehiko Inoue, Tite Kubo, Viz, Why Do All The Other Bloggers Get To Have All The Fun?
2:34 PM | |
Thursday, July 24, 2008
My Most Memorable Midyear Manga
Jinx! Cross-site blogging telepathy!! I was just thinking this weekend that this year has been a good one for manga so far (despite all the gloom and doom) and was toying with the idea of doing a half-year in review feature. Of course, like most of my ideas, I never got around to following through on it, but then the fine reviewing cast over at Manga Recon put out their midterm manga report card looking at notable manga from the first half of the year, and it inspired me to share my Five Favorite Manga From 2008 (so far):
Jinx! Cross-site blogging telepathy!! I was just thinking this weekend that this year has been a good one for manga so far (despite all the gloom and doom) and was toying with the idea of doing a half-year in review feature. Of course, like most of my ideas, I never got around to following through on it, but then the fine reviewing cast over at Manga Recon put out their midterm manga report card looking at notable manga from the first half of the year, and it inspired me to share my Five Favorite Manga From 2008 (so far):
- Real by Takehiko Inoue - Once again Inoue shows that he is the master of crafting lovable louts. As with both Hanamichi Sakuragi (Slam Dunk) and Miyamoto Musashi (Vagabond), I'm not sure I'd want to hang out with Real's lead Tomomi Nomiya, whose antics in this volume include stripping naked and taking a dump on the steps of his former high school, but I sure love to read about him. I really enjoyed seeing the core cast of characters come together in this volume. They're not all likable, but they're distinctive and interesting. And as can be expected with any manga by Inoue, the art is simply gorgeous, but here it really shines thanks to the better quality paper used, which showcases the soft greys and delicate textures used in the toning work.
- Cat Eyed Boy by Kazuo Umezu - This two-volume set is an interesting, imperfect work. Many of the stories give the impression of something created without much of a game plan (which might not be that far from the truth, given the nature of manga serialization) but they all remain captivating nonetheless. Even the weakest of the tales is satisfying on some level, be it a promising suggestion of some larger theme, a general sense of nightmarish dream logic, or Umezu's unsettling creature designs. In many ways Cat Eyed Boy reminds me of early Marvel comics: Reading them now, the stories can seem dated, even crude, but there is still the glipse of genius buried somewhere within. And like many of Marvel's misunderstood heroes, Umezu's title character is hounded by the very people he defends. In fact, Cat Eyed Boy has it even worse, for he is despised by both humans and monsters. (Cat Eyed Boy is probably most reminiscent of early Namor in terms of appearance (those pointed ears!), attitude (although Cat Eyed Boy generally helps humans, he can also turn on them when he tires of their cruelty; in one story, he disupts several trains as payback for a train destroying the shack he was living in), and origin (like Namor, Cat Eyed Boy is the offspring of two races but the citizen of neither).)
- Emma 7 by Kaoru Mori - Mori's gripping Victorian romance comes to a close in a satisfyingly open-ended manner. Rather than ending on the promise of "happily ever after," Mori shows that William and Emma will continue to face significant obstacles if they choose to remain together. Even more interesting, Mori shows us the impact William and Emma's decision has on those around them, especially William's family. Although we of course want William and Emma to end up together, it's interesting that Mori takes the time to show us that their actions have definite consequences. It's also interesting that Mori's presentation results in William's father coming across as sympathetic and understandable. Usually in these types of dramas the parents blocking the cross-class arrangement are caricatured as heartlessly evil, but Mori adds complexity to the father's motivations (and background), and the result is a much more layered and nuanced work.
- Shirley by Kaoru Mori - Another wonderful maid manga by Mori, this single-volume work focuses on the relationship between a young unmarried female bar owner and her thirteen year old maid. The stories are quiet and simple, and leave a surprising amount unsaid. (I'd assumed this form of elliptical storytelling was intentional, but in the wonderfully amusing and informative afterward, Mori suggests that in many of these stories she'd simply dropped the ball, forgetting to resolve or return to various plot points.) The art in these stories is simply beautiful, with Mori employing a softer line than she used in Emma, and I was surprised to learn that these stories predated Emma. In fact, in the omake at the end, Mori is very critical of her early artwork, pointing out the many flaws she sees. I suppose early work is always embarrassing to artists (especially ones with a perfectionist bent), but I thought the stories and artwork were both quite strong.
- Cowa! by Akira Toriyama - A fun done-in-one diversion, Cowa tells the tale of Paifu, a half-vampire, half-werekoala monster child and his mischievous friends. It's an extremely light book, but it's done in Toriyama's delightfully charming style, with plenty of amusing details to make the read a pleasantly satisfying one. (I especially liked Paifu's transformation into a full-fledged werekoala and what it took to calm him back down again; I laughed every time Toriyama used that gag.) I suppose the biggest compliment I can give this book is I was extremely disappointed to learn that there were no additional volumes forthcoming. I really wanted to read more about Paifu and his gang of friends.
Labels: CMX, Kaoru Mori, Kazuo Umezu, Manga, Takehiko Inoue, The Year in Partial Review, Viz
9:55 AM | |
Monday, June 23, 2008
Your One-Stop Takehiko Inoue Shop
Just a reminder that a wealth of Takehiko Inoue material is coming out over the next few months, and Tower.com has the best prices I can find on all of them. But if you're interested and want the best discounts, act soon! Tower's discounts tend to decrease once the book has been released. Here are the current prices as of 6/23:
Just a reminder that a wealth of Takehiko Inoue material is coming out over the next few months, and Tower.com has the best prices I can find on all of them. But if you're interested and want the best discounts, act soon! Tower's discounts tend to decrease once the book has been released. Here are the current prices as of 6/23:
- Real 1 - $8.58 (34% off)
- Slam Dunk 1 - $5.62 (30%)
- Vagabond 1 VIZBIG Edition - $12.73 (37%)
- Sumi: Vagabond Illustration Collection - $22.01 (38%)
- Water: Vagabond Illustration Collection - $22.01 (38%)
Labels: Manga, Shopping, Takehiko Inoue, Viz
11:15 PM | |
Friday, March 28, 2008
"You let yourselves get spanked by a freshman!"
As a follow-up to an earlier post, here are some specific examples of how Viz's translation for Slam Dunk differs from Gutsoon's. [Viz's version appears on the left while Gutsoon's is on the right; click for larger, more legible images]
Comparison #1: In the above scene, our hero Hanamichi Sakuragi has just met Haruko Akagi, the girl of his dreams, who assumes he's an athlete due to his physique. Earlier that day, Hanamichi was rejected (for the 50th time) by a girl who had a crush on a basketball player, which led Hanamichi to react violently whenever someone mentioned (or whenever he thought someone mentioned) basketball.
I prefer the Gutsoon version of this scene for several reasons:
Comparison #2: The setup for this scene is that Haruko has just asked Hanamichi if he knows what a "dunk" is. Gutsoon's translation does a better job of finding English words that (1) sound somewhat like "dunk" and (2) match Hanamichi's attempts at charades in the panels. (Carpentry? How would anyone confuse "dunk" for "carpentry"?) Also, Haruko's statement that dunks can be so powerful "that the backboard seems like it might shatter" is odd. Isn't it more impressive to tell Hanamichi that slam dunks occasionally do shatter the backboard, as she does in Gutsoon's version?
Comparison #3: The first difference of interest in this scene is that Viz has translated sound effects in the artwork whereas Gutsoon left them untranslated. As someone completely unversed in Japanese, I have to admit that the scenes with the translated SFX do have more impact for me, if for no other reason that the "BAM!" and the "POW!" bring to mind memories of the old Batman TV show. And while I find the line "You let yourselves get spanked by a freshman!" unintentionally amusing, I wonder if it's something a tough-guy 12th-grader would really say. "You let a freshman make a fool out of you!" sounds more natural.
Comparison #4: Finally, here's another example of translated vs. untranslated SFX. I found this one interesting because whoever did the touch-ups did a good job of making the English "CRASH" sound fit the space where the original Japanese SFX was. I did think it was amusing that the one horizontal line was left in so the SFX becomes "CRA-SH" -- I'm guessing the letterer didn't want to remove that line and then have to go back in and redraw the cords of the basketball net.
Again, as I sad before, both translations are perfectly readable: They both convey the same basic information, and there's nothing really clunky or awkward about either translation. And I should point out that I have no idea which translation is more literal or faithful to the original Japanese. So for me the comparison between the two different versions of Slam Dunk highlights how even subtle word choices can impact the overall appeal of a translation. Manga translators around the world, I salute you for your efforts! (I'm now becoming much more conscious of good translations. Last night I read School Rumble Vol.1 from Del Rey and was impressed by the effort the translator put in to remain faithful to the original Japanese while still matching up jokes and references to equivalent English phrasings. Of course, I didn't realize any of that when I was reading the story, but Del Rey's endnotes are very through and informative!)
As a follow-up to an earlier post, here are some specific examples of how Viz's translation for Slam Dunk differs from Gutsoon's. [Viz's version appears on the left while Gutsoon's is on the right; click for larger, more legible images]
 |  |
Comparison #1: In the above scene, our hero Hanamichi Sakuragi has just met Haruko Akagi, the girl of his dreams, who assumes he's an athlete due to his physique. Earlier that day, Hanamichi was rejected (for the 50th time) by a girl who had a crush on a basketball player, which led Hanamichi to react violently whenever someone mentioned (or whenever he thought someone mentioned) basketball.
I prefer the Gutsoon version of this scene for several reasons:
- Having Haruko say "I think athletic guys are cool" sounds less creepy than "I just love athletes."
- The line "All of us athletes do!" is funnier and more over-the-top than Viz's line; it makes it seem like Hanamichi envisions some grand brotherhood of athletes and already views himself as a lifelong member.
- "He's recovered!" strikes me as funnier than "He's over it!" plus it also has evokes more sports connotations ("He's recovered the fumble!"; "He's recovering well from his injury!"; "The team is recovering well from their losing streak of 50 straight defeats!")
 |  |
Comparison #2: The setup for this scene is that Haruko has just asked Hanamichi if he knows what a "dunk" is. Gutsoon's translation does a better job of finding English words that (1) sound somewhat like "dunk" and (2) match Hanamichi's attempts at charades in the panels. (Carpentry? How would anyone confuse "dunk" for "carpentry"?) Also, Haruko's statement that dunks can be so powerful "that the backboard seems like it might shatter" is odd. Isn't it more impressive to tell Hanamichi that slam dunks occasionally do shatter the backboard, as she does in Gutsoon's version?
 |  |
Comparison #3: The first difference of interest in this scene is that Viz has translated sound effects in the artwork whereas Gutsoon left them untranslated. As someone completely unversed in Japanese, I have to admit that the scenes with the translated SFX do have more impact for me, if for no other reason that the "BAM!" and the "POW!" bring to mind memories of the old Batman TV show. And while I find the line "You let yourselves get spanked by a freshman!" unintentionally amusing, I wonder if it's something a tough-guy 12th-grader would really say. "You let a freshman make a fool out of you!" sounds more natural.
 |  |
Comparison #4: Finally, here's another example of translated vs. untranslated SFX. I found this one interesting because whoever did the touch-ups did a good job of making the English "CRASH" sound fit the space where the original Japanese SFX was. I did think it was amusing that the one horizontal line was left in so the SFX becomes "CRA-SH" -- I'm guessing the letterer didn't want to remove that line and then have to go back in and redraw the cords of the basketball net.
Again, as I sad before, both translations are perfectly readable: They both convey the same basic information, and there's nothing really clunky or awkward about either translation. And I should point out that I have no idea which translation is more literal or faithful to the original Japanese. So for me the comparison between the two different versions of Slam Dunk highlights how even subtle word choices can impact the overall appeal of a translation. Manga translators around the world, I salute you for your efforts! (I'm now becoming much more conscious of good translations. Last night I read School Rumble Vol.1 from Del Rey and was impressed by the effort the translator put in to remain faithful to the original Japanese while still matching up jokes and references to equivalent English phrasings. Of course, I didn't realize any of that when I was reading the story, but Del Rey's endnotes are very through and informative!)
Labels: Manga, Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue, The Art of Translation, Viz
9:20 AM | |
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
If You Read Only One Online Preview This Month, Make This The One!
Viz has put up a 32-page preview of the first chapter of Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk. The preview features a limited color palate, mainly striking splashes of red spot color here and there. I remember Gutsoon also did this when they ran the chapter in the Raijin Comics weekly but it didn't carry over to the collections. Did Viz print the preview chapter in color when it previewed Slam Dunk in the December 2007 issue of Shonen Jump? [EDIT: Yes, according to Viz's own press release, the preview was in color in SJ.]
Rukia and Ichigo Haruko and Hanamichi check out the gym.
It was interesting to read this first chapter and compare how Viz's translation differs from Gutsoon's. Both translations are perfectly readable, but there were some spots where I preferred Gutsoon's phrasing over Viz's. Still, even Gutsoon tweaked its translation between serialization in its weekly anthology and the eventual collection, so for me it just highlights how tricky translating can be.
Viz has put up a 32-page preview of the first chapter of Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk. The preview features a limited color palate, mainly striking splashes of red spot color here and there. I remember Gutsoon also did this when they ran the chapter in the Raijin Comics weekly but it didn't carry over to the collections. Did Viz print the preview chapter in color when it previewed Slam Dunk in the December 2007 issue of Shonen Jump? [EDIT: Yes, according to Viz's own press release, the preview was in color in SJ.]
It was interesting to read this first chapter and compare how Viz's translation differs from Gutsoon's. Both translations are perfectly readable, but there were some spots where I preferred Gutsoon's phrasing over Viz's. Still, even Gutsoon tweaked its translation between serialization in its weekly anthology and the eventual collection, so for me it just highlights how tricky translating can be.
Labels: Manga, Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue, The Art of Translation, Viz
10:07 PM | |
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
In Basketball, This Is Known As "A Foul Against Humanity"
And now, Takehiko Inoue's Out-of-Context Theatre presents:
How many times has this happened to you? You wake up on the floor of the school's basketball court, and the very first thing you see is the shiny naked ass of a huge upperclassmen staring you in the face! Talk about awkward!! And then you look around and notice... the entire student body is sitting in the bleachers, watching everything! Talk about traumatic!!!
Witness Sakuragi and Akagi's private horror and public humiliation, along with numerous other humorous situations, in Slam Dunk Volume 1, due out in September.
And now, Takehiko Inoue's Out-of-Context Theatre presents:
Embarrassing Moments in Sports, Part Seventeen:
The Gorilla Moon
The Gorilla Moon
How many times has this happened to you? You wake up on the floor of the school's basketball court, and the very first thing you see is the shiny naked ass of a huge upperclassmen staring you in the face! Talk about awkward!! And then you look around and notice... the entire student body is sitting in the bleachers, watching everything! Talk about traumatic!!!
Witness Sakuragi and Akagi's private horror and public humiliation, along with numerous other humorous situations, in Slam Dunk Volume 1, due out in September.
Labels: Manga, Out-of-Context Comedy, Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue, Viz
9:29 AM | |
Monday, March 10, 2008
September's Gonna Be Slammin'!
It's going to be a long wait until September 2, which is when Viz will finally be releasing the first volume of their reissue of Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk. I originally started reading this series when it was first released in the U.S. by Gutsoon in the pages of their ill-fated weekly anthology Raijin Comics and immediately fell in love. Even after I stopped getting the magazine, I continued to read Slam Dunk in collected form. I can't believe I've been waiting four years for this series to return! I was reading through volume three again last night and now I can't remember what happens next in the scrimmage between Ryonan and Shohoku. (Gutsoon published five volumes of Slam Dunk, but I can only manage to find the third volume in my mess of an office. I know I gave away a couple volumes to try to entice friends to follow the series, but I have no idea what happened to the other books.) Depending on how quickly Viz releases new volumes, I may have to wait until 2010 to see the outcome of the matchup between Akagi and Uozumi! Or I could always subscribe to Shonen Jump and read the monthly serialization. Man, Bleach and Slam Dunk together in one magazine... It's like Viz is slowly putting together a manga magazine designed just for me. (If they add Club 9 I'll be powerless to resist getting a subscription.)
And in other exciting Takehiko Inoue news, September will also see the release of the first installment of the VIZBIG edition of Vagabond as well as the two Vagabond hardcover artbooks, Water and Sumi. (All three are listed as due out Sept. 16.)
Plus, Inoue's other basketball manga, Real, debuts in July, with the second volume out in October. It's definitely a good time to be a Takehiko Inoue fan!
* Viz, feel free to use this post's totally awesome title in your upcoming ad campaign for Slam Dunk. No thanks are necessary, but if you want to send me complimentary copies of Slam Dunk (or anything else by Inoue), feel free!
It's going to be a long wait until September 2, which is when Viz will finally be releasing the first volume of their reissue of Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk. I originally started reading this series when it was first released in the U.S. by Gutsoon in the pages of their ill-fated weekly anthology Raijin Comics and immediately fell in love. Even after I stopped getting the magazine, I continued to read Slam Dunk in collected form. I can't believe I've been waiting four years for this series to return! I was reading through volume three again last night and now I can't remember what happens next in the scrimmage between Ryonan and Shohoku. (Gutsoon published five volumes of Slam Dunk, but I can only manage to find the third volume in my mess of an office. I know I gave away a couple volumes to try to entice friends to follow the series, but I have no idea what happened to the other books.) Depending on how quickly Viz releases new volumes, I may have to wait until 2010 to see the outcome of the matchup between Akagi and Uozumi! Or I could always subscribe to Shonen Jump and read the monthly serialization. Man, Bleach and Slam Dunk together in one magazine... It's like Viz is slowly putting together a manga magazine designed just for me. (If they add Club 9 I'll be powerless to resist getting a subscription.)
And in other exciting Takehiko Inoue news, September will also see the release of the first installment of the VIZBIG edition of Vagabond as well as the two Vagabond hardcover artbooks, Water and Sumi. (All three are listed as due out Sept. 16.)
Plus, Inoue's other basketball manga, Real, debuts in July, with the second volume out in October. It's definitely a good time to be a Takehiko Inoue fan!
* Viz, feel free to use this post's totally awesome title in your upcoming ad campaign for Slam Dunk. No thanks are necessary, but if you want to send me complimentary copies of Slam Dunk (or anything else by Inoue), feel free!
Labels: Manga, Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue, Viz
11:40 AM | |
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Waiting For The Omnibus
Forget waiting for the trade: The truly discriminating comics fan will wait years, even decades, for thick omnibus collections of their favorite series. Personally, I no longer settle for any collection under 300 pages, and even that might be too lenient.
So I'm very excited to read Christopher Butcher casually break the news that Viz will be releasing 3-in-1 omnibus editions of Takehiko Inoue's Vagabond! I own a couple of the older volumes, but I've mainly been reading it through the library because there are so many published books to catch up on. But this is definitely a series that I'd like to have on my bookshelf, so this is great news.
(Chris' post also reminded me about another project I need to keep my eye out for: the Chip Kidd-designed Bat-Manga: The Secret History of Batman in Japan.)
And I hope Chris doesn't mind, but I totally had to steal this pic of Otsū peering around the corner. What a wonderful concept, perfectly executed! It totally fits her character. [Swoon] Man, Inoue really is amazing, isn't he?
Forget waiting for the trade: The truly discriminating comics fan will wait years, even decades, for thick omnibus collections of their favorite series. Personally, I no longer settle for any collection under 300 pages, and even that might be too lenient.
So I'm very excited to read Christopher Butcher casually break the news that Viz will be releasing 3-in-1 omnibus editions of Takehiko Inoue's Vagabond! I own a couple of the older volumes, but I've mainly been reading it through the library because there are so many published books to catch up on. But this is definitely a series that I'd like to have on my bookshelf, so this is great news.
(Chris' post also reminded me about another project I need to keep my eye out for: the Chip Kidd-designed Bat-Manga: The Secret History of Batman in Japan.)
And I hope Chris doesn't mind, but I totally had to steal this pic of Otsū peering around the corner. What a wonderful concept, perfectly executed! It totally fits her character. [Swoon] Man, Inoue really is amazing, isn't he?
Labels: Manga, Omnibus Editions, Takehiko Inoue, Viz
10:40 AM | |
