In this week’s column, we cover another volume of the Ashita no Joe hardcover release, the latest series from the mangaka of ERASED, the manga adaptation of Kunon the Sorcerer Can See, and more! Check out our reviews below and let us know what you think of these series!
The 13th Footprint (Vol. 1) • Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow (Vol. 2) • Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture (Vol. 6) • Kunon the Sorcerer Can See (Vol. 1) • Snow Angel (Vol. 1) • Steel of the Celestial Shadows (Vol. 7)
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, Manga Vol. 2
If Joe had played along, he probably could have ended up doing nothing more than a couple of months in a lax local detention center for his crime of charity fraud. But his combative streak and his pride wouldn’t allow him to do the whole bow-and-scrape routine, and now he’s serving more than a year at high-security Toko Reformatory—the hard labor lock-up for the most violent boys in Japan’s juvenile prison system. It hasn’t exactly taught him the error of his ways, but at least it has given him a goal which motivates him to exercise a little self-discipline and stay out of further trouble: getting in the ring to beat a fellow inmate and teenage boxing phenom named Toru Rikiishi. Danpei might be ecstatic that the boy is finally showing some genuine interest in boxing (however flawed the motivation), although with few opportunities to give formal training while his student is behind bars, he’s going to have to resort to some unorthodox and extreme methods to teach a few critical lessons—and fast. But regardless of the outcome of Joe and Rikiishi’s unofficial bout in the prison yard, both of them will be released sooner or later, and then Joe’s true battle will begin: the fight for his tomorrow… I’m getting a lot of Vinland Saga vibes with Ashita no Joe, or at the very least I’m seeing more than a few similarities between Yabuki Joe and Thorfinn son of Thors. Both start as deeply troubled boys who are more of a collection of character flaws than people, both get beaten down to absolute zero by the consequences of those flaws, and both have to build themselves back up from nothing into young men who can see the bigger picture and devote themselves to greater goals. I suppose that’s a fairly broad and widely used archetypical structure, but I can’t shake the feeling that Thorfinn’s journey was influenced, at least distantly, by Joe’s. On a lighter note, manga’s other legendary boxing protagonist—Makunouchi Ippo of Hajime no Ippo—is such a cinnamon roll momma’s boy that I strongly suspect he was written that way for maximum contrast with Joe’s abrasive and aggressive nature. And lastly, stepping away from the matter of historical relevance, Joe’s story remains a deeply engaging one, even more than fifty years removed and on the other side of the globe from its original release. ~ WacOtaku
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow is published by Kodansha
Read: Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow Vol. 1 Review
Kunon the Sorcerer Can See, Manga Vol. 1
What a marvelous opening volume! Kunon Gurion is a very special child—he’s born with a special mark that signifies his standing as a hero, but this magic always takes his vision away. It’s no surprise, then, that Kunon starts life timid and, despite being surrounded by supportive family and servants, is unsure of himself. However, he soon finds an incredible drive to learn magic, and that’s also the impetus that launches the entire tale forward, turning it into a really fun and warm read. Kunon is kind and incorrigible, an easy protagonist to root for, and volume one is a quick and breezy read, leading into Kunon’s schooling. I love magic school series, so I’m really looking forward to volume two. Will the series have any depth to accompany this light, fun start? Well, I expect considerable action and adventure ahead, but I can’t yet tell if the writing is strong enough to indicate if good storytelling is ahead. For now, though, I think that hardly matters—Kunon the Sorcerer Can See is shining as an encouraging and fun tale. And that’s something always worth checking out. ~ Twwk
Kunon the Sorcerer Can See is published by Yen Press.
Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture, Manga Vol. 6
After a long delay, the manga adaptation of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture arrives with its final (according to the cover) volume, at least for now (according to a couple of notes following the chapters). And if this is all we get with the manga, it’s not a bad ending to a fascinating series about folklore in Japan. Volume six is the most intimate yet in the series, diving straight into Fukamachi’s past as Professor Akira goes to the village where his student first drifted into a mystical world that resulted in him returning with a new ability (or curse, as Fukamachi has seen it). Unlike most of the material since chapter one, this one features considerable action in addition to horror elements. It’s a fun ride and ends in a way that obviously points toward more material ahead—which can be found in the excellent light novels—but which also stops at a point where we as the readers feel at least a measure of resolution in the series. I’m thankful for this unique series—one that’s among the very few in the subgenre of manga involving modern-day supernatural detectives that I’ve found compelling—and will continue with the LNs while hoping that one day (perhaps after an anime airs?), we’ll get more of the manga as well. ~ Twwk
Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture is published by Yen Press.
READ: Reviews of Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 5
Snow Angel, Manga Vol. 1
Muku’s life is far from carefree, as it was when she spent her days playing with her sister and best friends growing up. Now she feels trapped in a caregiving role where nothing she does makes her family happy or expresses thanks for all she does. When her childhood friend Yuto shows up unexpectedly, she jumps at the chance to leave and find happiness. What does her new life have in store for her? I will start by saying that I feel my review may be unfair. I don’t personally enjoy reading manga that has hard-hitting topics like this story (or at least usually, as I have exceptions like My Girlfriend’s Child), but I think this story is extremely well-written and is deeply needed. I honestly thought of an old friend of mine who was pushed into a young caregiver role, and I feel the water scenes were so on point from what she has shared in the past. In that sense, though, I am glad I read this despite how hard it was to see Muku “drown.” It made me wish I could have been there more for my friend as I didn’t realize that because of her caregiver role, she was becoming a “shell” of the person she had been just a month prior. This volume brought me an awareness that I didn’t know I was missing until I read Muku’s story. I also think this story has a really great balance; with how many people I knew said they cried reading this, I was very nervous I would be emotionally wrecked. I wasn’t thankfully, but this definitely wasn’t a happy volume to read, though I do agree with what someone told me that there is hope. Muku has such a powerful breakthrough at the end, and I very much hope that the outcome for her life and for her family will be a hopeful one as well! I do not think I’m going to pick up volume two, but I wish nothing but happiness for Muku and her journey of taking back her life and making her own decisions! ~ Laura A. Grace
Snow Angel is published by VIZ Media.
Steel of the Celestial Shadows, Manga Vol. 7
Ryudo Konosuke has beaten Tenroku’s magically rigged game and now knows Tsuki’s location, but a far greater challenge awaits him upon arrival. His wife is being guarded by a trio of Lord Haretake’s most loyal vassals, and two in particular—the Yatsugawa siblings Dosuke and Katsu—are infamous as the “Twin Snakes” of the Tsuchimikado clan. This brutally effective pair of “Gifted” warriors command fire and water as easily as if those elements were their own limbs and could quickly slaughter a novice like Konosuke if he didn’t have some powerful allies fighting alongside him. But he does have powerful allies: Aki the seeress, of course, but also Bokutake the Tengu’s apprentice. That boy might look like nothing more than a common street urchin, but he possesses a ruthless cunning which makes these so-called snakes look scarcely more crafty than doves. And Tsuki is no compliant captive either, so she’ll be perfectly happy to throw a wild card into the mix as the situation escalates beyond what anyone ever expected… It’s been a while since we’ve seen a genuine slugging match in Steel of the Celestial Shadows, but an all-out brawl erupts in this volume as Konosuke finds himself face-to-face with the sorcerer who kidnapped his wife and murdered his loyal retainer. This fight is personal, and we the readers can all feel it in every blow and every line of dialogue. For a mangaka who seems to be most comfortable in the Seinen supernatural horror/thriller arena, Daruma Matsuura has proven herself more than capable of nailing an aspect of fight scenes that many shonen battle mangakas seem to struggle with: making a fight feel genuinely tense. The battle that fills this entire volume doesn’t come across as staged choreography; it feels like two teams of heavyweights who are simply trying to put their opposition down—permanently. The closest comparison I can make is to the first Kenshin/Battosai vs Saito battle in Rurouni Kenshin or a few of the highest points of Fullmetal Alchemist. It’s really good stuff, and with two major twists at the end of the volume upending the status quo, you can bet I will be back for volume eight. ~ WacOtaku
Steel of the Celestial Shadows is published by VIZ Media.
Read reviews of Steel of the Celestial Shadows: Vol. 1 // Vol. 2 // Vol. 3 // Vol. 4 // Vol. 5 // Vol. 6
The 13th Footprint, Manga Vol. 1
A new manga from the creator of ERASED should be cause for celebration (and dread…but mostly celebration). Unfortunately, Kei Sanbe, who has always walked just on the better side of the line between “moving” and “exploitative,” crosses over to the other side with The 13th Footprint, the first volume of which is now out through Yen Press. The story opens with a tragedy—a house has burned down, and a family of three has perished. Then the manga flashes back several months to examine the family’s life—Ao, a kind, young boy who is being released from hospital care after a major illness (perhaps cancer); his mother, Haru, who it’s revealed suffered major trauma as a child; and his father, Touya, who is a school teacher. This eventual tragedy is likely connected to a series of postcards that Touya is mysteriously receiving; they predict the future and, in two incidents, lead him to save others’ lives. This is a basic Kei Sanbe setup; unfortunately, it just feels disingenuous. There’s a feeling of “been there, done that” that will hit those who’ve read ERASED or Island in a Puddle, but far worse is how creepy it frankly feels for the mangaka to try to pull at our heartstrings by presenting a bunch of sick kids to us. Sanbe-sensei is trying to create a feeling of dread by making us care, but I just thought that the material he developed is so cringe-inducing and hollow that he’s actually exploiting our feelings for sick children for his manga’s benefit. If he could write with more subtlety, maybe the story would feel truer to the subject, but he doesn’t. And I won’t be continuing with this series. ~ Twwk
The 13th Footprint is published by Yen Press.
“Reader’s Corner” is our way of embracing the wonderful world of manga, light novels, and visual novels, creative works intimately related to anime but with a magic all their own. Each week, our writers provide their thoughts on the works they’re reading—both those recently released as we keep you informed of newly published works, and those older titles that you might find as magical (or in some cases, reprehensible) as we do.
