Like Volume 2, which I reviewed earlier, this book collects manga, manwha and short comics in the manga/manwha style from authors and writers and creators around the world.
I enjoyed all the stories in this volume, but there were some I *really* enjoyed, such as "Kitsune Tales"- When the earth is ruled not by humans, but by Giants and Liquid Ones, Kitsune must help a human village get back its children, stolen by one of the rulers who has delusions of being a gourmand and is tired of all other tastes.
"Unity Rising"- about how one man's solution to a cosmic plague turns out to be worse than the problem, and creates a new plague... himself and his followers.
"Pilot" about a young girl who trespasses in a neighbor's field, and finds a secret hangar. When she touches a column, she suddenly gets the ability to pilot a personal starship... which also becomes part of her.
"Asia Afalsi" About a young muslim woman who is feared and laughed at by her classmates, but her love for and ability to draw manga allow her to befriend and interact with her classmates.
"Ed and Ecchi"- A young man in a society ruled by cruelty and bureacracy befriends a small cat he named Ecchi. But will the cat be his salvation from the cruelty all around him?
"July Tenth"- A young woman wakes and relives a day with her beloved husband, whose birthday it is.
"As a King"- A young woman helps her cat get settled in for the day. The cat has been in a fight in town, but he has to return again that night, for he is the King.
"A Dream in a Garden"- A young woman ponders the beauty of a garden. Based on the dream of the Chinese philosopher who dreamt of being a butterfly in a garden and wondered if it was just a dream, or he was the butterfly dreaming.
"In Dreams"- A young man dreams of a beautiful woman who helps him wake, only to find that he wasn't sleeping, but in a coma.
"Last Shadows Cast"- On a dying world, a young man returns to the apartment where the woman he loved used to live to await the end. But she is there, and they await the end together, along with the dawn.
And "Moonlight"- An English-speaking man in an old-fashioned Japanese Inn is troubled by the ghost of a young man. As they watch the moonrise together, they form a bond of understanding that crosses the bounds of language, and lets the ghost finally rest.
Another wonderful volume of manga. All the stories were wonderful, and there is a wide variety of art and story, so even if you don't like some, the story is over quickly and you can move on to the next.
This book is over 400 pages, with lots of stories, most of which left me in a happy and contemplative mood. Each artist and writer is given, so that if you find one you like, you can seek them out at their website or webpage and find more of their art
This is a wonderful series, and I heartily recommend it to anyone who likes manga or enjoys graphic art and stories. It has the strengths of being short and sweet for most of the stories, but allowing you to read more if you particularly like an artist. The stories run the gamut from Yaoi, Chibi, redikomi and more, exposing manga fans to a wider variety of material than is usually published in America.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment