Reviews (1)

Sayaka's Island!?
The Legend of Kamui is a very Tradgic Story indeed, as those he loves are murdered and Kamui himself is forced to flee again. I've loved this Manga since I read the first "chapters" in the early 90's (in Swedish, of course).

Look out when you buy, though! The Perfect Collection vol. 1 and this item are the same, and P C vol. 2 contains "The Legend of Sugaru". ... Read more

Reviews (109)

Amazing!
Back in 95 I watched the poorly translated American version of Nausicaa, entitled "Warriors of the Wind" At the time I believed this to be the only version in existence and was quite happy with it. Time went by and I had entered into college, where a fellow student brought up Nausicaa. "Nausicaa?" I asked, "what's that?" And he showed me, and to my disbelief it was a 4 book series based on the anime I watched so long ago.

He let me borrow his four graphic novels, and on that day I had read them from page 1 to 1050. These books are something special. A world as multi layered, beautifully realized, and wonderfully imagined as Tolkien's Lord of the rings. I've read these books countless times, and each time the drawn images on the page breathe with life like no other comic I've ever read. There are messages here that enlighten us on Ecology, Genetic engineering, Philosophy, Religion, war, life and death. And that's only the tip of the ice berg. Miyazaki has crafted a world that seems alarming real, yet delightfully surreal, and it is here that all of his current films have drawn inspiration, a wonderful inspiration that has inspired thousands and will do so for many years to come. (Now if only they'd make this into a four part movie like LOTR, then I'd be truly happy.)

An Astonishing Work of Literature
I was no fan of manga or animation (in fact I shared the prevailing prejudice here in North America that they are for kids or pre-literate people), but when I happened to see Princess Mononoke by Miyazaki, I immediately realized that I was dealing with a work of a visionary with an extraordinary story-telling skills. I got hold of Nausicaa manga mainly to understand what his visions were, and I was not disappointed. I would not hesitate to call it a brilliant and profound work of LITERATURE (don't let your preconceived notion about the medium mislead you). Epic in scope and astonishingly rich in its depiction of the world it creates (the earth polluted and turned mostly into a sterile wasteland after the collapse of the industrial civilization, the mutant fungi forest emitting toxic fumes, the great insects that inhabit this alien, exotic, and strangely beautiful world, the declining humanity struggling to survive on the fringes of the forest, the warring kingdoms that perpetuate human foolishness, and the small and peaceful people of the valley of wind and their leader, Nausicaa), Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind unfolds a remarkable story of the heroine's quest to discover the hidden secret of her dying world, with a complex plot that will draw you in, at times exhilirating, at other times deeply moving, and in some occasions even shocking and disturbing. It has a rich cast of well-developed characters who come alive as real flesh-and-blood human beings, who are never one-dimensional (no simple distinction between friends and foes, the pure-hearted and villains), and whose at times excruciatingly difficult and morally uncertain decision-making present us with a portrayal of life as real as any life actually lived. It raises profound questions about the usual and often uncritical distinctions we tend to draw between human civilization and nature, good and evil, purity/innocence and corrpution, and will leave us deeply sympathizing with the fate and struggle of Nausicaa and her people, and asking the same questions that they ask themselves regarding the inviolabe value and sanctity of life in all its forms. If you believe Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is a classic, read Nausicaa -- you will understand what I mean.

not comic, this is art.
I am surprised that USA people watch this comic series in addition to the same title movie.

As you know, Naushika's story don't finish to the movie. The truth story start from reading this comic. Even if Japanase read them, the story is a little difficult, but there are more wondeful things than the minus point.
For instance, the drawing ways. Generally comic(Japanese MANGA) is simple drawing. But the comic is very detailed drawing. They is like art rather than comic.

And in addition to the wonderful drawing,the expression of the character's face is very excellent, for instance joy, sarrow, longing, anger... Mr. Miyazaki can write their expressions very well. There are writers that can write comics very well in the world, but there will not are writers that can write their expressions of face very well.

If there are people that was moved when watched the movie, absolutely we recommend this comis..art series.

You will not waste your money by buying this arts series.

I am sorry for my poor English.

The fantastic Princess Nausicaa
I love Nausicaa, from the moment I turned around at a Japanese shopping center and saw dozens of monitors flashing the image of the great Ohmu, I knew I had seen something that would touch me. I've always been something of a tomboy. So as a girl I found great comfort in Nausicaa; she followed her heart and therefore I could follow mine. Maybe we were both weird, but we were noble, kind and graceful.

I love the manga, but my love remains with the moving picture version of Nausicaa - I think that so much is said in the animated version that is more subtle than pen and ink. I also disagree that the manga is equivalent to a novel - there really is not that much exposition overall. The drawing is wonderful, the format of the best quality. It is a graphic novel and as such belongs in that category to be compared with other graphic novels.

My minor criticism of the graphic novel is that I had hoped to find out more about Nausicaa's companions. However, the plot remains pretty stubbornly focused in either the apocalyptic past or in the present with the princess. I would have loved to have known how Yupa came by his exceptional swordsmanship or what Rastel's life was like.

What the graphic novels do well is expand wonderfully upon the soul of Nausicaa - her determination, her compassion and her willingness to contradict herself. She is not a super hero - she cannot see what effect her actions will have. She can only act as one who feels for those around her, even those who have lost their essential humanity. She never gives up on anyone, and that is a quality that all of us should strive for.

not quite Tolkien but better than LOTR the movie
This masterpiece by Miyazaki is not quite at the level of Tolkien's mythology but then JRR never had to sit and draw what he so wonderfully visualized. That being said, Nausicaa is definitely better than the movie version of the Lord of the Rings. Another note though: the ending, astounding in itself, seemed a little tacked on. ("How can I surprise my readers who have been reading my work for the last 10-12 years?" Yes he did surprise me but...) He has ended up providing another idea for the Matrix-Wachowskis to copy. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Strong art, weak story
This tells the story of Mai, a Japanese school girl who becomes the target of vague organizations of powerful conspirators who want to use her for her psychic powers.

The art is interesting, and often quite attractive, although a bit of gratuitous soft core jailbait porn is occasionally thrown in. While the quality of the artwork is generally high, I was less impressed than some reviewers by the art in the fighting scenes, of which there are many; it was often difficult to follow what was happening. There are some elements of the art also which seem to make no sense; Mai is described as having inherited her powers through her mother, who was the latest in a line of psychics going back for centuries and linked to a particular Japanese temple and village, yet the mother, when she is shown, has entirely Caucasian features.

The story takes off a bit slowly, and the characters aren't entirely developed.

This volume is the first of three, although the other two, strangely enough, don't seem to be on Amazon yet. Unfortunately, the sequels aren't as good as this one. The characters change suddenly, Mai and her enemies acquire new powers without warning when it forwards the plot, and the ultimate evil plan of Mai's enemies, when it is revealed, is utterly unbelievable.

I would give this volume on its own a mild recommendation, but it isn't really complete on its own and I can't recommend the full set.

superb artwork
First of all, Ikegami is a master. His artwork is not only very detailed but forceful and distinctive as well. His style is instantly recognizable and his visual storytelling is fluent. His style lends a certain gravity unusual in mangas and one would prefer some diversity in his works, but they are dominated by violent pulps and (strong) eroticas. They are prurient and nutty yet the artworks do have almost narcotic beauty to them.

This one is perhaps the mildest of his works available in America (though it is still quite gory) and happens to be my personal favorite. The characters are appealing, the storytelling brisk, and the quality of the artwork mostly high. There are superb action scenes throughout the whole work but Ikegami excels at quieter moments and capturing Mai's emotional maturation as well. I would say the storytelling does leave something to be desired, however. The characters' allegiances seem to change very quickly and conveniently, and they drop in and out of the story with remarkable insouciance. But the main attraction is, no doubt, the artwork.

good read
This book is about Mai, a girl who happens to be a very powerful psychokinetic. She doesn't think her abilities are a very big deal, although she is careful to hide them from others. Still, she uses them mainly to keep boredom at bay. Unfortunately, a secret organization is after her and other psychokinetics, so that they can use her for military purposes. Her dad, a man skilled at martial arts, as other ideas, however, and does his best to keep her safe.

The artwork in this book was unexpected for me, much more realistic than anything I've seen in other manga works. However, it wasn't consistantly good artwork, and some of the characters tended to look odd, as another reviewer noted. The story itself was very riveting, and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read more about Mai, and I'm looking forward to the next volume.

excellent- all manga should be like this
I had read other manga before, but this one totally blows everything else I have ever read away. At first, the main character Mai, is a bit reluctant to accept her destiny as protectress of the earth, but when she starts using her powers to battle, it becomes very gripping and hard to put down. With the exception of some nude scenes that had no place in this manga, I found this book to be extremely entertaining and nonoffensive.

Mai oh Mai!
This book was amazing. It really got me into most anime and manga things, and it's easy to see why. Gripping storyline, beautiful art...I really felt involved. Kudo and Ikegami are much applauded. Oh by the way, mail me if you find any other comparable manga things, please. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The art was beautiful... couldn't say the same for the story
Like most people who couldn't read Japanese, I got the English translation of Crying Freeman. The first book of the series, Portrait of a Killer was promising in that the story was sort of believable. A Taste of Revenge follows up on two minor characters from the first book. Being the enemies of Freeman, both Kimie Hanada and Det. Nitta wanted revenge. How the story finally turned out was a surprise. Mixed into the revenge story was a plot of a certain cult to take over Japan. Compared to Portrait of a Killer, this story was mildly preposterous. As usual, the hero was practically invincible, and sexy. And I'll leave it at that. The artwork was beautiful as usual.

Beautifully illustlated story of violence and love
Ryoichi Ikegami, a Japanese Gekiga illustrator known his fluent and sexy paintings. Men and women he paints are beautiful, realistic and sexy. I love them! A young and promising Japanese ceramist is kidnapped by HongKong mafia and made up to be an assassin. After the long and tough training, he becomes an expert assassin and the leader of the family. Once he was seen his killing by a Japanese woman and try to kill her, but they fall in love and get married. This story is about the adventure of violence and love. Sometimes Ikegami's works go too far to the extent of losing its realism, but in this series, well maintained. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Four Girl's Stories
"Four Shojo Stories" is one of the best manga collections that I own. The collection was assembled by translator Matt Thorn, who was doing his Doctorate studies on Japanese Shojo manga, a media form he felt was unique to Japan, and missing from American comics.

Each of the stories is of the highest quality, both in writing and art. It is not often that young girls are given something with this level of maturity and respect. A far cry from Sailor Moon! And an even farther cry from She-Ra and Strawberry Shortcake!

That being said, as an adult male I was able to enjoy each of these stories for the intimacy and storytelling, as well as the universal emotions that they express. Japanese, American, or what ever country, there is something to relate to and cherish here for everyone.

A real shame that it is out of print. Definitely worth tracking down.

The best English-language manga compilation ever printed!
In his introduction to this wonderful graphic novel, translator Matt Thorn called shôjo manga: "...a unique forum in which Japanese girls and women can discuss and debate among each other (and now you) what it means to be a Japanese girl, woman, a human being in relationships with other human beings." The hallmark of all shôjo manga is its focus upon human relationships and emotions; it is the characters that drive the shôjo manga tale, not external conflict or action. This introspective, personal focus confers upon shôjo manga an amazing literary quality unique to the comic books of any culture or country.

Four Shôjo Stories is definitely the best compilation volume of this unique art form ever printed in English-translation. Each of the four short stories contained within was originally serialized in comic book form in Viz Communications extremely short-lived Viz Flower Comics imprint, and was selected for its maturity and literary quality. It shows. Unlike many examples of shôjo manga, which span multiple volumes and thousands of pages, Four Shôjo Stories contains only short tales with definite conclusions. The book is truly stand-alone, and is all the better for being so. These are not "just comic books". The stories are equal parts philosophical and poignant.

I've included brief summaries of each of the four stories, but, unfortunately, no poor words of mine will prepare the reader for the quality, sophistication, and delicate beauty that each of these tales possesses.

"Promise" by Keiko Nishi A mysterious boy swears to a little girl that they will meet again. Years later, the boy reappears, somehow unchanged, and teaches the now embittered girl how to live. Raw and emotionally charged.

"They Were 11" by Moto Hagio Ten students board a ghost ship adrift in space for fifty-four days. It is the last portion of their examination; they must learn to cooperate. However, there aren't ten students, there are eleven! Who is the imposter, and what does he want? An exhilerating classic with an important lesson by one of Japan's premier shôjo manga artists.

"The Changling" by Shio Sato In this story, humanity has seeded the universe with colonies. A young woman answers the summons of one of these "seed civilizations", only to discover utopia. But, is it utopia? And, what terrible connection does these people have with the "noble race" of their past? A delightful, emminently believable story.

"Since You've Been Gone" by Keiko Nishi The interplay between loyalty and betrayal is complex, and tragedy shows a husband whom he truly loves. Subtle and disturbing, even more so by its brevity.

Though only printed a few years ago in 1996, Four Shôjo Stories, is, for reasons that are known only to the translator and publisher, out of print. It is shameful to think that the English-speaking world may never again be exposed to manga of this quality. Nonetheless, if you can locate a copy of Four Shôjo Stories, I heartily encourage you to do so. No one, whether he be a lover of manga or great literature or both, will be disappointed. ... Read more

Book Description

Kanda, ace of Sengoku's elite Rescue team, is intrigued by Daigo but can't decide if he would be an invaluable asset or a public menace. Daigo doesn't make it easy for Kanda to decide — he can't resist trying to single-handedly stop a construction crane from falling off a high-rise building. ... Read more

Book Description

Charged with the task of getting the Gundam to Earth, the White Base and its crew of novices must try to outwit Zeon’s ace pilot. Meanwhile, Amuro Ray has discovered a second Gundam. Can he control this machine of unparalleled destructive power and help the colony’s survivors? “Gundam fans should not miss it!” — Akibado News ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Awesome beginning to an awesome variation on the OYW
For those who've seen the original Gundam 0079 TV series, the character personalities, mecha designs and plot synopses differ from it, even if it's just a little bit.Each issue of the manga probably translates into about 1 episode or so of the show, so expect to see about 40-50 issues at the rate Japan's Gundam Ace Magazine is covering it, along with Viz's great translation to English.Once you get the right-to-left reading down, you'll have no trouble understanding it.This issue especially differs from the first episode for a few key reasons, but I'll leave them up to you to notice so as not to spoil anything.I recommend this to anyone looking to get into Gundam manga, the UC timeline, or Gundam in general.

A hard story given a modern edge...
Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's mecha and artistic skills work very, very well for this re-telling of the first Gundam story. The Origin is a version of the events that's been tweaked a bit, expanded in some really cool ways (we get to see a fight between a Gundam prototype piloted by an expert, among other things) and thoroughly modernized. The mecha and people still have that 70s Disco-Afro Glow, but the artistic style of the book is much more realistic, with a lot of moody shadows, more detail on the mecha and a weight of credibility slathered over all of the mechanical elements. If you've read the story before, then you won't find much that is new, but Yas' complex, rich illustrations and the modernized mecha designs are worth the cost of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

When Laura, Hamtaro, and the Ham-Ham Gang move to a new town, they join forces to learn about their new surroundings, find new friends (hamster and human), solve all kinds of problems, and embark on countless adventures. Those adventures form the basis of the official Hamtaro card game starring the whole madcap crew. This slipcovered box set of three books is a full-color how-to on the game, covering rules, strategies, and more! ... Read more

Book Description

In book four of this popular series, Squirtle takes Almond and Hazel home to meet the family. But on their arrival, they must pass tests to see if they're worthy of Squirtle's friendship! When Almond and Bulbasaur's friendship becomes strained over a mutual interest in Peanut's handsome older brother, Pistachio, Gramps whips up a love potion so Bulbasaur can charm Pistachio. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great storyline!!!
Magical pokemon Journey (Aka Pipipi Adventure) is the best Poke-comic ever!!!

Hazel, a ditzy-lovesick kinda gal, is in love with the handsome skilled Pokemon Trainer Almond... He would actually BE skilled if Hazel would let him catch any Pokemon.
So basically Almond hates Hazel for not letting him catch any Poke's.
But then Grandpa, an old man, tells Hazel that if she catches Pokemon for him he'll prepare a Love Potion for Almond.
So Hazel tries to catch Pokemon (Although she didn't catch many) to win the Love Potion and Almond's heart! But many other characters soon appear making Hazel's quest easier/harder than ever! HILARIOUS COMIC!!!!!!!! READ IT EVERYONE!!

More Love Rivals! More Fun!!
In this volume, Almond is put through a test from Squirtle's sisters, so he can keep being friends with him. At the end, Almond has to be hospitalized, which leads us to the next story. While he's in the hospital, Hazel goes to buy flowers for him from her friend's brother's flower shop. He gets a crush on Hazel, which may lead to a lot of trouble later! And Yumi Tsukirino-sensei has a really cute picture of Almond with his hair down at the end. ^_^ Then, since Pistachio's Bulbasaur is really jealous about his crush on Hazel, she tries to get a love potion from Grandpa. And then, a Pidgeot is trying too hard to impress his crush. When will he learn what she really wants? Um... I can't really remember the other two stories... so I'll just go onto the bonus stories. ^^,

In one of them, the characters are all playing hide-and-seek, but Peanut, Pikachu, and Clefairy get lost! How will they get out, and how will they escape the monster that is going to eat them?! In the other bonus story, the Pokemon get told a scary ghost story, and relive it, sort of.

As for this volume's bonus bonuses, there's a Pokemon file, a small story with Walnut, and two very short anime crossover-thingies. One has that adorable Tracey in it. ^_^ There's also an itsy-bitsy section with Yumi Tsukirino-sensei herself in it. :)

This is a great volume in a great manga. I'm sure anyone who loves Pokemon, cute things, and lots of love triangles will love this. ^____^ ... Read more

Reviews (1)

team rocket
oh no the ship is sinking by team rocket.
ekans&weezing .v.s. yellow hypno&slowpoke .v.s. Yellow
&voltorb & eletrode .v.s. yellow
what is yellow going to do?
find out when you read this book readers ... Read more

Book Description

Koji throws a party, but in the midst of the fun, Rokusho goes on a rampage. It’s a perfect opportunity for the Rubberobo Gang to cause some trouble. Then, in the ultimate robattle showdown between Metabee and Rokusho, a mysterious medabot called the Robo-Emperor appears to stake his royal right to rule. And a strange disturbance in the Medaforce has a potentially life-threatening effect on Metabee! Medabots is a hit anime series on the Fox Kids Network. ... Read more

Book Description

In this latest illustrated adventure, based on the original Game Boy game, as Bill and Lt. Surge face their darkest hour, help unexpectedly comes from Red! Then, high above the caves of Cerise Island, Blaine and Yellow’s battle against Lance intensifies as both sides bring out the most powerful Pokemon in their arsenals. Just as victory seems within reach, Blaine’s time runs out with Mewtwo. Ultimately, it’s up to Yellow to finish the job. ... Read more

Book Description

This second entry in the Magical Pokemon Journey series introduces new characters and more wild adventures. Almond takes the Pokemon on a trip through an underground cave. Can Clefairy, Jigglypuff, and Pikachu tough it out? Hazel, Pikachu, and friends go skiing, but are they really wise to enter the territory of the icy Articuno? Hazel has a new rival for Almond’s affections, Coconut, a self-proclaimed scientific genius whose pet, Eevee, is smart too. Meanwhile, it’s Valentine’s Day — will Coconut or Hazel get the chocolate? ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Enter the Coconut! and Other Tales
In the second graphic novel of this increibly kawaii (that means cute in Japanese) manga series, Hazel meets a rival for Almond's love: Coconut! Who will end up with Almond?

One of my favorite stories in this graphic novel is "Panic at the Cherry Blossom Festival." In it, a drunk Dodrio messes up a cherry blossom festival. But Eevee (Coconut's Pokemon) and Hazel's Pokemon can't stop it - because they're also drunk! How will the story end? (Parents, don't worry for a second about the drinking, because it's not nasty or anything.)

Another cute story is the second part of the story where Ash, Misty, and Brock are trapped in Hazel's world. Misty is drawn so cutely! And the story is funny.

So, overall, don't miss this graphic novel. It's smart, it's funny, it's cute, and it's MUCH better than Toshihiro Ono's Pokemon manga (at least in my opinion). ... Read more

Book Description

In this seventh story in the popular illustrated series, Clefairy thinks it smells victory in the art contest at the fairgrounds. But when the Pokemon Smeargle upstages everyone, Clefairy’s friends have to figure out how to help the distraught Pokemon get out of its funk. Next, Almond’s trip to the Cave of Slumbers results in his being put to sleep — maybe forever! ... Read more