Reviews (5)

The story of the Demon Zabuza and Haku
"Naruto vol. 4" continues the fierce battle begun in vol. 3, against the ninja-hunting Demon Zabuza and his deadly assistant Haku. The stage is set with Sasuke slain, Kakashi literally mystified and Sakura learning her own limitations.As everyone knows, when things look darkest for a band of heroes...it is time for a little payback.

Payback is what you get in vol. 4, but not exactly in the way expected.Naruto, full of rage over his friends death, unleashes the power of the Nine-tailed Fox demon.Kakashi shows that he is more than the Sharingan Eye, using an innovative attack to overcome the loss of vision.Sasuke lies on the ground dead, and there is lots of weeping.

The real story, however, is the love and loyalty between Zabuza and Haku.Compared to this, the trials of the four heroes are trivial.Haku sees himself as a weapon to be wielded by Zabuza, and the true test of his loyalty comes when Zabuza's feelings are made clear.Its some powerful, emotional stuff.

Along with the conclusion of this story arc, vol. 4 also sets up the next adventure for the Naruto gang. This time, they head home to face the challenge of the examinations for chunin, the next level of Ninja. Several groups of older kids come into town to face the examinations, and run foul with Naruto and friends.Cue the music and start the fights!

Insert Title for Review (haha)
When I read this one, I can't say anything surprised me at all. But that's only because I've seen the anime already. I have to say, this manga impressed me even after already seeing the anime. Sure I didn't cry my eyes out like I did in the anime but the shounen-ai scene with sasuke and naruto about sasuke 'dying'... Well lets move onto the blood. The blood was alot cooler than it was in the anime. In the anime, the blood was stupid and purple. In the manga, it was all over the place and dark. Really Dark. Just like blood is supposed to be. And it wasn't drawn out annoyingly like it was in the anime.
The best thing about the manga is you don't have to listen to the annoying music. That made this book so much more intresting, and out of the four I own, I like this one most.
The best thing about this volume is the cover art. If you've seen the cover art on other three, you'll notice SOMEONE is making a stupid face, pose or it just looks weird. The cover art for this volume is beautiful.
Only thing I can complain about is... some of the anime characters are scarey when they're first introduced. The once adorable Shikamaru is now scarey. Very scarey. He looks like evil Betty from Kung Pow. And Temari, once pretty, now ugly. I hope they fix that...

don't write it off just yet...
Ok, so maybe this was a bit of an anticlimax following the huge cliff hanger at the end of volume three.However, loads of new characters are introduced in this volume which give rise to a whole new level of story telling and character development.There are currently 22 volumes of naruto waiting to be translated into English and this volume sets the stage for what is to come.It's a really good read, and if you can't wait for the next volume, there are plently that have been scanlated available on the net, so go check it out...it's definately worth it!

doggies? get out.
Death of a friend, breaking of a seal, final confrontation...here it comes, the final showdown!!!! Dogs? Ninja Dogs? Come on. After all that build up, you give us ninja dogs? It's like listening to a joke you know that's going to be good. You are sitting there waiting for the punchline, and you are ready to clutch your stomach because it's going to be a belly laugh. Then suddenly a clown in a cheap custom jumps out from behind the curtain and starts juggling balls; while the comedian takes a break. By the time he comes back and finish telling the joke, you can't get that cheap clown out of your mind. The joke fizzles, and you felt you got robbed.
Am I going too far? Maybe. Masashi Kishimoto did an awesome job of setting up the story in Volumes 2 and 3. Volume 4 was going to be the climax, the punchline that makes you gasp for air. Enters the clown.

Contains spoilers (if you haven't read Vol. 3)
This volume is awesome.
It picks up where Vol. 3 left off, with Sasuke dead, mid-battle with Zabuza and Haku.

This whole volume is just...great. Once I started reading it I couldn't put it down. ... Read more

Book Description

Comics godfather Osamu Tezuka tells the story of Buddha's life like it's never been told before. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Inspirational saga continues
Tezuka's extended story of Buddha's life and times continues with this third volume. The emphasis here is on the stories of several monks, and the interrelationships with the growing cast of secondary characters Tezuka uses to frame the story. Siddhartha begins following Dhepa, who ran afoul of Tatta's gang in the previous book. They in turn gain another follower, a young child of surprising challenges and gifts. Siddhartha experiments with ascetism and suffering, but continues to grow in compassion and healing.

In a parallel story, we read of the early life of Devadatta, a historic character with a significant part in the Buddha story. We see the young child Devadatta's early character formed in fear, resentment and bestiality, as he is used and abused by various people. Though his story includes a stay with the monk Naradatta, who has been in all three books, he seldom gets good treatment.

Tezuka continues to tell this long and complex story in an engaging way, often with humor, and occasionally with great beauty and solemnity. Those who have followed the journey to this point will be eager for the next book. A map included to show the geographic area of the story helps with perspective. ... Read more

Book Description

Tokyo Babylon is a modern-day fantasy that follows Subaru Sumeragi, a young onmyouji (spiritual medium) on his quest to protect Tokyo from the evil spirits that have secretly taken residence in the city. Subaru is the 13th head of the Sumeragi clan, and together with his twin sister Hokuto and the mysterious veterinarian Seishirou, they risk life and limb as they hunt down the ghosts that threaten to destroy the city. Combining CLAMP's legendary storytelling and artwork, this introspective, character-driven series is a perfect dose of imaginative intrigue and mind-blowing adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Pleasant and Interesting Book
I've read and enjoyed Clamps works before, but this is one of
their best works. It follows the story of Shubaru and his twin
sister in their adventures in excerising ghosts from Tokyo. I was surprised to find out that this book was a kind of prequel
to the manga series X-1999. After I learned this it made me yearn to read the rest of the Tokyo Babylon series. In this book you there are three parts. The first follows the story of Subaru helping a ghost who has a deep grudge against Toyko find peace with herself and Tokyo. The second on is very amusing and you will have to read the book to find out why! The third part tells about subaru's past and a mysterious man he met there. This is an excellent series. The only Clamp series that rivals it would be their first RG Veda. I highly recommend this series!

Tokyopop doesn't dissapoint
I was thrilled to purchase this book. I have been a big fan of X(/1999) for about a year now, and I've heard from many people that Tokyo Babylon is a very good series. I researched a little on the series, and was intrigued by the plot and relationship between Subaru and Seishirou. I was really looking forward to reading this book, and I even counted down the days to it's release.
I had my worries, however. As with Gravitation and especially Fake, Tokyopop nearly destroyed the manga with it's inserts of slang words, such as "dude". Also, what if the translation was off or the word placing was simply horrible?
I am very pleased to say that neither of those problems are present in this book. A few color pages/poster are included in the book, as well as an introduction to the series (as there was in Saiyuki's manga). Honorifics are kept (which makes a big fan like me really happy), and sound effect translations are listed in the back of the book. I strongly believe this to be a smart move for Tokyopop and definitely a pleasing one for fans.
As far as the work done by Clamp, it's another great manga from this manga-ka quartet. The artwork, though it was from their early days (1991), is still very impressive. For those who have read X, I need to tell you that the art in this book is better than the first few volumes of it, which is saying something since X was started in 1993. Also, Seishirou and Subaru's interactions are downright hillarious and are made even more so by Hokuto's comments and urgings of Seishirou to try harder to seduce Subaru.
All around, this book is a classic for any Clamp fan or newbie to Clamp's work. I highly recommend it!

For those of you who've read it before....
Be prepared to be stunned.

Tokyopop actually did a wonderful job with the translation of this thing. I am one exceptionally happy camper! They've FAR outdone Viz; the horrible butchering of CLAMP manga that's occuring with poor, abused X is not repeating itself here.

That's right! All the perversion that makes Seishiro Seishiro is here. All the blushing, stammering, sweatdropping of Subaru in his 16-year-old wussiness and the horribly loud laughter, mile-long speeches and 'Sei-chan's of Hokuto are properly done, in their full and untarnished glory.

Those've you who've read the scantalations will be tremendously pleased.

Those've you reading this for the first time, I pray you enjoy it - this series is CLAMP at it's best. Angst, cuteness, 8 million different hats, a terribly deep trio of original characters and terrific plotline underlaying the insanity! Tokyo Babylon's a fabulous series. I'm trying my damnedest right now not to spoil it...

*jumping around* I want volume 5!!!! My favorite! And volume 7! *bawls like the angst-freak she is*

Anyway, this volume's a great intro to the fun to come.

'Bout time this work got it's due and got translated! And THANK GOD it's Tokyopop pulling all the stops and doing it justice instead of Viz.

Won't ruin the storyline. Will just say that while this one's good, it gets MUCH better. Stick with Tokyo Babylon, and you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description

Dark Horse Comics is proud to present one of the authentic landmarks in graphic fiction, Lone Wolf and Cub, to be published in its entirety for the first time in America. An epic samurai adventure of staggering proportions -- over 7000 pages -- Lone Wolf and Cub (Kozure Okami in Japan) is acknowledged worldwide for the brilliant writing of series creator Kazuo Koike and the groundbreaking cinematic visuals of the late Goseki Kojima, creating unforgettable imagery of stark beauty, kinetic fury, and visceral thematic power that influenced a generation of visual storytellers both in Japan and in the West. Don`t missthis monumental monthly release, twenty-eight volumes, with each collection approximately 300 pages! ... Read more

Reviews (31)

A great manga to read.
I'm a big fan of the Lone Wolf and Cub fan movies. They are some of the bloodiest movies I've ever seen, but they're fascinating at the same time with their interesting display of the Japanese people during the Edo period. However, I was dubious when I heard about the manga series. I assumed that the manga was based on the movie series (an incorrect guess), thought it was too small (I've had bad experience with small manga books, read my review of Gundam Wing #1 to see what I mean), and while flipping through it, wasn't immediately attracted to the artwork like I was with the Blade of the Immortal series. However, when I gave it a closer inspection, I found the artwork to actually be pretty detailed and well done if you just gave it a chance. ... So I bought it. And I most certainly don't regret it. The stories are great, the art is great, the characters are cool, the dialogue is interesting, the different challenges Ogami faces are all unique and interesting...everything about it is great. Since continuity isn't a huge issue with the series the way it is with other mangas, I don't have to sweat it if I don't buy the books in proper order. Another great thing to not just this volume but to the entire series is the Buddhist mythology, beliefs, and tradtions inserted into the story. If you want to learn about Buddhism, don't pick up a "For Dummies" book. Instead read this manga and see the role Buddhism played in people's lives, as well as learning plenty about meifumado, the six paths and four ways, and other parts of everday Buddhism.

Last to mention, one of my favorite things about this series, that has brought it near and dear to my heart, is that it's portable...it's the perfect size that I can still read it, but it fits in my pocket and I can carry it with me anywhere. This is a great manga, and you won't regret buying it (as long as tasteful nudity, rare and minimalistic sex scenes, and incredibly gory and violent action).

Warmup for Rest of Series
In the first few stories, the character of Ogami Itto is shrouded in mystery. At first his name is mentioned without any one realizing who he is. Its the last two stories that his background is fully disclosed. The first story is interesting because of the shadowly introduction of the Lone WOlf and CUb within the first couple of pages. My favorite from this volume are A FATHER KNOW'S HIS CHILD'S HEART AS A CHILD KNOWS HIS FATHER'S, BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX, SUIO RYU ZAMBATTO, AND THE last two stories. Marvelous blend of action, historical ideass, and character development. Maybe not the best but a good way to become acquinted with what I think is the best Graphic novel series of all time.

A good beginning to probable greatness
I wasn't all that moved to adoration by this first volume but overall I was entertained and interested enough to pick up the second volume. Vol. 1's artwork is much more interesting than the story therein. The second volume is where the series begins to come into its own.

Don't hestitate! Draw out your wallet!
This is by far the best manga I have ever read. I've enjoyed Koike and Kojima's work in other manga -- but these stories are incredible. I couldn't put the book down. If you're reading this review, thinking about buying the book -- just proceed to checkout. It is worth the purchase.

One reviewer commented on how the stories from the Dark Horse comics were different. The guys at my comic store set me straight: the owners of the series only allowed Dark Horse to reprint it in paperback if they did it THEIR way, by presenting the material exactly how it is sold in Japan (format, sequential order, etc.). So you're really getting an incredible work of artistry here, held up to high standards.

The translation and notes (useful!) are really quite good. I love the manner the original Japanese is handled and am in awe. This is an awesome import from Japan.

My favorite story is the 7th, Gomori-juku Hot Springs. Incredible mix of psychology and action.

sequential art classic
It doesn't really matter if you like Japanese comics or American ones, in this case... This is a book you should read reguardless. It really is a classic.

For those of you who don't really dig the whole manga thing, don't worry. There are no big eyes, cute mascots, or bouncy schoolgirls in this series. The art is gritty, and the stories are dark. Some will stick with you for years after reading them, and the two main characters are unforgettable as well.

There's a reason why this series has the reputation it does. If you have any interest in sequential art or comic books at all, and if you can stand blood, gore, and some dark themes, you should without a doubt read this series. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Book Description

It's the year 12090, a dark time for the world. After being dominated for 300 years by a race of Vampires known as "the Nobility," humanity is beginning to fight back. Yet as the humans struggle against the Vampires, they also struggle against themselves - cities lie in ruin, and nations are fragmented into small villages and fiefdoms. Every village must have a Hunter, a warrior that eradicates the Nobility and their genetically manufactured demons one vile night stalker at a time. But some of the Hunters are dangerous to more than just the Vampires. Some of them are not friends of humanity at all. Previously unavailable in the United States, Vampire Hunter D combines gripping narration and beautiful interior art by one of Japan's most renowned artists to bring forth a fright-filled futuristic thrill ride. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Funny and yet...
There was some substance to the book and yet at the same time it managed to stay funny which is a rarity if I do say so my self. I am not particularly a fan of manga art but I loved this book, story and art work and I read both volume one and volume 2 without setting them down. Now I just have to get my hands on the third one :)

Our family read it non-stop, cover to cover
Our family read this book and it's companion, Kapilavastu, cover-to-cover, just about non-stop. They were both totally engaging.
As a Buddhist, I was wondering what this treatment of the Buddha's life would be like. This is my first exposure to manga style. My only reference point is comic books. I had enjoyed another "comic book," illustrated treatment of the life of a Buddhist saint, Milarepa. That was well done. I very much wanted a book that would capture the interest of my two children, 10 and 14 years old. It did. My 14 year old read the book in two days. My 10 year old and I read it aloud together.

What is facinating is the way the author creates the historical context using a mixture of historical figures and people of his own imagination. We are given an insight to the caste system of ancient India and the stage is set for the Buddha's questions about suffering, it's origins, and his strong desire to put an end to suffering.

I'd say that this is appropriate for 9 year olds and up. For adults: my wife and I kept reading ahead. It is captivating. It has the air of an adventure story. I also enjoyed explaining and discussing the context of the story with my children.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Sweeping Vision of the Buddha's Time
I read a lot of books on Buddhism (I even write some), but, alas, very few have pictures. This elegant (if one is allowed to use such an adjective to describe a graphic novel) series from Vertical of course goes way beyond "pictures." It tells the story of the Buddha and, in effect, the society he came from, through the expansive envisioning of Tezuka, The Man of La Manga. (Sorry, couldn't resist the pun. In case you don't know, "manga" means "graphic novel" in Japanese, and Tezuka really is The Man, having pretty well created the genre). So it's not about a text with pictures, it's about telling the story of the Buddha as a *vision*, rather than as a collection of words. It works.

Seriously, volume two carries on the dual track of intriguing characters who illustrate overarching themes, bringing them to life in a way that mere text almost never does. These are not scholarly books, by any means, but they depict the cultural milieu from which the Buddha and Buddhism arose. We haven't yet gotten to where Tezuka lets the Buddha expound the dharma, but, if he follows his established pattern, he's going to get things pretty straight.

I'm really looking forward to future volumes this series and think a whole range of others will soon be waiting with me. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

He still hasn't lost his touch
One thing Ken Akamatsu is best at, is giving every character in his stories a fun and deep personality. In his earlier manga Love Hina, he had 5 girls to give a different face to each. Now he's splitting his ability between 31 female characters, a 10 year old wizard, and an whole staff of unique teachers, and he still hasn't lost his incredible ability. Like his manga's before, Negima is original, funny, displays beautiful artwork, and is fun to read. Unfortunately, he hasn't dropped his perverted side, so this manga isn't exactly for the younger generation, but this is still a great manga that I have high hopes won't sit in the shadow of Love Hina for much longer. Definetly a must-have for manga fans.

Harry Potter? NOWAY!
I have read Love Hina and A.I. Love you, included the Isattude No Santa which is a special of the same Ken Akamatsu, I started downloading this manga from the web, but finally as I made with Love Hina I decided to start buying the paper... The first sensation I got after a second rereading was that I got into Hogwarts... Harry Potter, but nep! They kinda make the same joke I did... with Quidditch... wow!
The story is fun, just like the Love Hina series, you will find the similarities on the characters, been Negi = Keitaro, Seta-san = Takahata-sensei, Naru = Asuna, and keep on going.
The story is different, the main character is a little brainy so dont worry about doing dummy stuff, eventhough he does... duh!
This is a very funny and hilarious series, I am sure we all will spend a lot of time laughing at this... I wanna see the end of it... wanna know what will happen if we go with the same kinda story of Love Hina... anyways, its one of the bests!

Not for some...But fun for others
Let's get one thing straight, Love Hina was awsome, and if your looking for another series like it...look some where else. On the other hand if you like Mr. Akamatsu's art, and are looking for some magic and off beat humor...then here is your match. Good character development, and quick pace are Akamatsu's freinds, which he uses with skill. Truly above average manga for those who arn't into much perverson or vilolence.

reply to alexander from bonnie england
If you are an insensitive creep don't get this manga, May 31, 2004
Reviewer: Alexander from Bonnie old England
Reviewer: tweedldum65 (see more about me) from Chardon, Ohio United States
This is one of the worst mangas I have ever read it is so boring. Its about kids at school want to know something amazing I go to school everyday and they dont make that into a manga. So dont read this manga it is absolutely horrible.

Ok then, this guy deserves to die.
Love hina was the best manga... ever.

And now that he's released his new work don't you think it might be... how do I put this... better?

Oh yes I have read up to book three in Japanese and I can say that if you dont like this book you have to like those to come.

For the love of god just buy the damn book or you will be missing out on something great.

I read the retarded manga and it was so horrible how can you like it, and sorry I'm not missing out on anything but a waste of my time. If you actually like this their is something terribly wrong with you. I do not deserve to die what does though is this manga.

The viewpoint from a Japanese
A lot of women's naked body is drawn on these comics.
It is describing, even if it is a scene without the necessity of exposing the female skin.
This comic price is about 4 dollars(390yen) in Japan. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

IT CAN'T BE
I have loved 'Love Hina' from the beginning. Most of the people that I've come in contact I try to get them to read it but they look at say it's just a simple comic it's for kids (which is just so wrong) or I try to explain about and they go. "oooh it's a porno comedy!" So, I had to stop! 'sigh' however, if your looking at this book do yourself a favor and get from the beginning! Trust me!!!

OH MY GAWD!!!
This Is the best of all the comics and it's so sad. A must have. So Funny. The Best i swear!!!

An awesome ending to an awesome series
PLOT SUMMARY (for those who may not have read this installment yet):
Keitaro, Naru, and the rest of the Hinata crew head home from Molmol to confront Grandma Hinata about the mysterious fax she sent for Keitaro. However, things don't go like they were supposed to (when do they ever with this bunch?) and Keitaro ends up losing his chance to finally find out the identity of his promise girl. Complicating things more are a surprise visit from a long-unseen friend with startling news for Keitaro, and Naru running headlong into her old insecurities about whether or not she's the promise girl, which cause her to break things off with Keitaro. Will the hapless couple ever reach a resolution? You'll just have to read and find out. ;-)

Wow. After all this time, it's finally over. This is an excellent final chapter to Love Hina, and although it leaves some minor character details unresolved, it wraps up all the major storylines beautifully and gives Keitaro and Naru time to really shine. The last few pages of the main story are a textbook example of a great ending, and the epilogue is both a hilarious re-working of Love Hina's beginning and a big step towards a new future for all of the characters.

Ken, wherever you are, my hat is off to you for a job VERY well done.

no its not over
for those of you who didnt know, love hina again is not over yet. the manga "love hina again" has already come out in japan.

*choke* must...hold back...tears...be a man....WAAAAAAAHH!!!
IT'S OVER! NOOOOOOO HOW CAN IT BE OVER!?! love hina was the best thing to ever happen to me....AND NOW IT'S GONE!!! GAAAAAHHHH!!!! *ahem* sorry. i just get overly emotional when these things die. i remember acting more or less the same way when sandman ended or kurt cobain commited suicide....anyways. the comic. in my eyes, things like this are proof that there is a god. we are truly blessed withh the likes of this comic. it's funny, cool, deep, and romantic. it will make you laugh, cry (okay, i didnt really cry. only on the inside), but most of all it will make you happy. whenever your faith in religion is shaken, just point to a love hina book and say, "well, that proves it." maybe i'm going a little overboard with describing how great this comic is. just buy the whole series, even if it means you must sell stuff. those back issues of nickelodeon magazine aren't doing you any good: sell em cheap at a garage sale. recycle bottles, check the change slots on payphones, even *gasp* work. just get these comics some way or another. also get some anti-depressants, because you'll be as sad as me when you realize it's over... ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wow - I was amazed!
I have been a fan of Tezuka's since I watched the Metropolis re-make a couple of years ago. I had previously tried to get into reading Atom Boy, but it just never clicked with me.

Recently, I got the manga bug and started looking around for stuff to read. Unfortunately, most of the stuff out there is for girls or teenage boys. I did, however, stumble across Tezuka's Buddha, and I'm really glad that I did.

I just finished it this morning at lunch. The artwork is impressive, and the way that Tezuka can convey so much story mainly through the use of pictures is amazing. This book is both light-hearted and dead serious at the same time. The ending is a pretty big surprise and I'm really looking forward to reading the next volume.

Well done!
Sweet without descending into schmaltzy sentimentalism, Tezuka's Buddha series is a treasure for our time. The plot weaves together the stories of many characters, just as Tezuka weaves together the old mythology with some modern philosophical concerns, the serious ancient philosophy with occasional modern jokes and gags.

The book would have been perfect for readers of all ages were it not for the occasional use of profanity (as magnifiers) and minor cartoon nudity (nothing obscene), to which some parents won't want to expose their young children. Parents should be mindful and prudent.

I hope that other religious traditions will be inspired to produce comics and graphic novels of similar quality.

Osamu Tezuka tells a spellbinding tale
As a practising buddhist as well as a manga fanatic I was thrilled to see this volume from the grand master of japanese manga, Mr Tezuka.

The book's quality is impressive and stands out from other mangas, probably due to the weighty subject matter. The 1/4 dust jacket isn't really meant to be a dust jacket, most japanese manga and cds come with it I guess to splash some contrast as the cover is black and white.

Overall all I can say about the story is that Tezuka has taken the well-publicised and documented life of the buddha and made it his own. He is, above all a story teller and relating the life of the buddha as it really happened is a task for a historian, not a comic-book artist. Like Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings, Tezuka has done his research extensively, but added his own scenes and subtracted others to fit his vision.

In my opinion it shouldn't really be used as the definitive on the Buddha's life, but rather as an artist's interpretation, and a masterful one at that. A must for any Buddhist or anyone interested in Buddhism or anyone who just wants another point of view about life in feudal India.

Our family read it non-stop, cover to cover
Our family read this book and it's companion, The Four Encounters, cover-to-cover, just about non-stop. They were both totally engaging.

As a Buddhist, I was wondering what this treatment of the Buddha's life would be like. This is my first exposure to manga style. My only reference point is comic books. I had enjoyed another "comic book," illustrated treatment of the life of a Buddhist saint, Milarepa. That was well done. I very much wanted a book that would capture the interest of my two children, 10 and 14 years old. It did. My 14 year old read the book in two days. My 10 year old and I read it aloud together.

What is facinating is the way the author creates the historical context using a mixture of historical figures and people of his own imagination. We are given an insight to the caste system of ancient India and the stage is set for the Buddha's questions about suffering, it's origins, and his strong desire to put an end to suffering.

I'd say that this is appropriate for 9 year olds and up. For adults: my wife and I kept reading ahead. It is captivating. It has the air of an adventure story. I also enjoyed explaining and discussing the context of the story with my children.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

My two cents...
PRESENTATION: Top notch, the single most gorgeous manga I currently own. I paid the same price for this that I did for Viz's release of Phoenix: Future, and this is by far a better deal. The cover is durable and is likely to last many years. The paper is heavy stock, meaning it doesn't tear easily and isn't nearly as transparent. The inks are also the darkest I've ever seen in an American manga, making it much closer to what you'd expect from Japanese manga. It's left-to-right reading order, but I don't mind. This book was obviously intended for people who are new to manga, and probably will have no interest in pursuing the genre any deeper.
The only thing that I'm less than thrilled with is the 1/4-sized dust-jacket. I mean, what the heck is that for? A way to make it look colorful on the store shelves?

WRITING: I can't say anything about the translation, as I haven't
even seen an issue of the original, much less read it. However, the writing, in terms of construction, word-choice and grammar, is superb.
Whoever this unnamed translator is, they're my new favorite, replacing Gerard Jones. The writing, as in story, character, pacing, et cetera, is superb. Although part of the plot reminds me a bit too much of Hinotori: Dawn. A few issues later are we going to have one of the character decide they want to be the best sculptor in the world? :)
Also, the story is split up into chapters (I assume linked to how they were originally published), something which was sorely missed in the Hinotori series, which made each volume one long story.
Some people are going to have trouble with the humor, and are
naturally going to assume the translator inserted them, never having read any Tezuka before. It also occurred to me that only the really great writers are the ones who even attempt to play with anachronism like this. The only other people besides Tezuka I can think of who do this sort of thing well are Shakespeare and Chaucer. (Well, aside from Disney animated features as of late).
Buddha only manages to get himself born in this volume, so the plot centers around characters whose overall relevance we have to wonder about. Some character I thought were going to be very important to the story didn't survive the first volume. (Speaking of Buddha, I thought his pre-Enlightenment name was Gautama?)

ART: The usual Tezuka mixed bag. A bizarre mixture of natural artwork which wouldn't look out of place in the Louvre, and then you have something which looks like the work out of Carl Barks or Walt Disney (though, I might point out, having a far greater "freedom of space" than any western comic artist has yet managed to achieve).
There's quite a bit of nudity, as could be expected. Combined with the "Eastern spiritualism", it's enough to give the people at Focus On The Family a heart attack. Expect to see this book burned in the Bible Belt soon.

OVERALL: I'm not lying when I say this is the best single manga I've ever read. As much as I like Hinotori, it's always a big spotty for me, since I don't think I agree with what Tezuka is ultimately trying to say. This being an historical account and not the Buddhist equivalent of the Left Behind novels, I'm more apt to accept it on its own terms. Highly recommended for everyone, even and especially those who aren't fans of manga. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

...another astounding piece of work by CLAMP
wonderful story..its nice how CLAMP relates their work together somehow with other books. If you haven't read any of their previous works, I'd reccomend reading Card Captor Sakura, since Sakura is in this book, Magic Knight Rayearth may help a bit as well. It's not necessary to understand the storyline, but its a nice when you can compare how they changed some of the characters...the paper quality could be just a LITTLE better, but nevertheless its a great start off for Del Ray. The publishing price; 10.95 is a BIT expensive, since normal manga sells for 9.99 ea. But they do add on Japanese previews, and other notes at the end...so I guess that compensates in a way...

Couldn't put it down!
I was extremely happy to read this book, and see my favorite Clamp characters back in action. I have not read all of Clamp's previous works, except for Cardcaptor Sakura and Chobits. But it isn't necessary to be familiar with all of them, the story is entertaining nontheless. Sakura and Syaoran still seem to harbor feelings for each other, but they are much more grown up now. They are different Sakura and Syaoran than from CCS, but they have the same basic personalities as before.

Too bad Sakura couldn't get more lines in this first volume. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on the next volume!

Kawaii desu!
This is very cute! Sakura and Syaoran are BACK in action! But this time, they're not the same as they were before. There idenities are TOTALLY different! Sakura is a princess and Syaoran is an arceologist! And also in this story here, Fujitaka is NOT Sakura's father but Syaoran's adoptive father (this part you'll have to wait till vol 5 or 6 I got mine in Japanese so it's faster) and in this series, Syaoran is a lot more friendlier and a lot more genki-ish like Sakura. But what I didn't like was the way too dramatic Tomoyo. But it was okay, and it's really sad how Sakura's life was turned into feathers in the snap of a finger.

1) Arts great
2) Dialoge- So, so
3) Plot interesting

So if you're still pondering why you should get this, you better just give in and get it anyways. It's really good! It's a must-have in teh CLAMP shoujo manga category!

AznPiez

Vintage CLAMP
The art's great, but the story's a little shallow, as, uh, CLAMP's stuff sometimes can be. I'm only familiar with this first volume, but it looks like CLAMP fans will get much more of a kick out of this than the average reader (the story crosses over a quivering horde of CLAMP characters from previous manga into a single, new universe). A big plus for me was that key characters from Cardcaptor Sakura are significant elements in *this* story, and I had always thought CCS could've been wrapped up in a better way; I have a vested interest in how CLAMP'll deal with Tsubasa.

Pick it up if you liked Li Syaoran from Cardcaptor Sakura (Sakura's there, too, but she's in a magical coma or something; I have a feeling she'll stay that way for a while), are already a CLAMP fan, or if you think the cover is really swell (same awesome art on the inside).

MY OPINION MOSTLY ( ONT READ IF U ONT WANT OPINION!)
i disdainfully read this manga when it first came out, which was in japanese. And my Japanese is just as rusty as my Filipino, which is pretty bad to start with. But other than that i just flipped throught the wonderful graphics of CLAMP's extremely detailed artwork and without even knowing the storyline I quickly followed the story through only with my eyes. I began to enjoy the storyline even if I did not get the whole point of the story. Which for me was an advantage and a disadvantage. But all in all this story is a true classic of CLAMP. Mixing many of their other manga characters in with this story and making new ones as well. CLAMP is one of my favorite manga temas and artists, besides from Yu Watase, Yukiru Sugisaki, Oh!Great, etc. But this manga is one of CLAMP's more confusing ones. Enjoy! ... Read more