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Small Bodied Manga is our digest form look at a number of series who've been running for a bit, typically something we've covered in more detail early on in its run but would rather look at briefly when it comes to the later volumes. The digest reviews here are also crossposted to the full review section so that there's information to be found there as well but this weekly column will keep you up informed about how various series are shaping up as they get deeper into it.
After School Nightmare Vol. #4
Go! Comi
Story & Art by: Setona Mizushiro
Translation by: Christine Schilling
Adaptation by: Mallory Reaves
$10.99 | 190pp | 978-1-933617-33-6 | B6 | Right to Left | 7/2007
Content: A Art: B Packaging: A Text/SFX: A-
Shinbashi catches a glimpse of Sou and Ichijo's stolen kiss and right away all of Ichijo's relationships are in peril. Ichijo's confusion mounts as Sou relentlessly pursues him, and Ichijo finds himself scarcely able to turn him away. Shinbashi, too, is torn, as these indiscretions between Sou and Ichijo that he happens upon put him in a sensitive position between his best friend, and his best friend's girlfriend that he, too, is in love with.
Not all of the tension that has been built up over these past two volumes gets released, but, when the hammer does drop in this volume, it hits hard. That's not to say that there isn't a lot that still needs to get resolved here. One of the best virtues of this series is its tension, and the adroit psychodrama that lets what little action that actually occurs in these volumes seem potent and with significant consequence. This book in particular does a fantastic job of driving home the fundamental conflicts that move this story along. The revved up tension, which touched the melodramatic before, has served to bring the series to a new height this time around. The protests and capitulations that Ichijo experiences and puts himself through potently reek of authenticity, of the struggles of a burgeoning sexual being whose lack of fundamental identity is literally ripping him apart.
After School Nightmare gets better with each passing volume. It is hard to describe the quality of something that relies so heavily on subtlety and nuance, so you should really read it for yourself. This is an intense character drama, and those are far scarcer than they should be. This series certainly has its roots: a very shoujo advancement of emotion, rather than plot, and a horror-style escalation of suspense. However, this series is proving time and again that it is a unique beast that takes only the wheat and eschews the chaff.
Reviewed By Gary Thompson
This review was originally posted on 12/19/07
Crying Freeman Vol. #4
Dark Horse
Story by: Koike Kazou & Art by: Ikegami Ryoichi
Translation & Adaptation by: Kumar Sivasubramanian
$14.95 | 404pg | 1-59307-498-0 | B6 | Right to Left | 01/2007 | 18+
Content: A Art: A Packaging: B Text/SFX: B+
Volume 4 finishes what had to be the most ridiculous arcs in this series ? the bear-god worshipers. A group of Japanese cult members want to take over the country by kidnapping Freeman and installing an impersonator in his stead. The faux-Freeman would then hand over the reigns of the 108 Dragons to the cult and the underworld would then respect this cult as they�fd be the most powerful criminal organization around. Sounded like a good idea, but their plan was pretty shallow. Basically most of the training the imposters would undergo would be sexual. One woman after another would try to get him erect and those who were skilled enough could never have him climax. Without that sexual prowess no impersonator could trick Freeman�fs many lovers and thus their plan would fail. Drugs, torture, hypnotism, nothing worked on Freeman�fs member. But his charms were enough to help him out of that mess. The mafia world tour then lands in an unnamed island run by Vietnam veterans. This time Freeman�fs going to have to fight his way off the island or die trying. After three volumes this is starting to be second nature for Freeman. He has a tendency to get caught and then break the circle from the inside but this time he has to deal with an entire army of trained experienced killers. Thugs and guerillas might have the mindset but they lack the killing instinct of a warrior. And after you have faced combat, no amount of rehabilitation can take away the memories - the sounds of gunfire, the sight of tracers in the dark, the heat from an explosion, the fear of an ambush... None of that can be replicated. So Freeman is now up against an army without fear or identity. They have nothing to lose!
If you ever had doubts about Crying Freeman, then you haven't read volume four of this series. This volume should solidify this manga's place in sequential art history. Visually this is a stunning book. Volume four is filled with detailed realistic nude scenes presented in every set of context imaginable for a seinen title. Nude wrestling, nude swimming, nude boxing, nude paintings, nude 3D sex training simulators, nude psychological torture, nude sex... Koike and Ikegami basically write a porno with a plot and men (and women) eat it up! And that would have made this A+ material as is but don't forget there is a story as well. Yeah by this point the plot is razor thin. Nevertheless, Koike being the master of scenarios that he is, turns the series into a gang of the month title and proceeds to unleash the wildest sex scene in non-ero ero manga - Freeman defeats two women by not getting an erection! Enough said...
Crying Freeman as a manga you are every man's fantasy. Just the thought of all the violence, politics and sex bring tears to my eyes. You are Koike's best and even at the age of 21 you are still a must read for every mature manga reader.
Reviewed By Ed Chavez
This review was originally posted on 12/19/07
Hanami: International Love Story Vol. #2
Dark Horse
Story & Art by: Plus, Sung-Jae Park
Translation by: Taesoon Kang, Derek Kirk Kim, Riko Frohnmayer (Japanese)
$9.95 | 208pp |1593077389| B6 | Left to Right | October 2007 | 13+
Content: B+ Art: B Packaging: B+ Text/SFX: B+
The second volume of Hanami: International Love Story continues to give us the teenage male's dating fantasies - but with a difference.
Joonho's rapture and indecisiveness about Hanami and her kiss, sets him up in the usual predicament - Sae-un is his girl, but what does Hanami mean by that kiss? On one hand, he's hoping it's just Japanese greeting, but part of him hopes it's otherwise. But he really wants to get closer to Sae-un, the girl on whom he has always had a crush, and to do so agrees with Sae-un that they should exchange cell phone numbers - Joonho will be the only boy to have Sae-un's number and Sae-un will be the only girl with Joonho's number. There's only one problem - Joonho doesn't have a cell phone.
This one small situation, which happens to trigger a large change in Joonho's life, illustrates the cultural differences that occur in this manhwa's take on the harem manga.
Joonho not only does not have a cell phone, almost unthinkable for a modern manga character, he has to ask his father's permission to get one. Korean manhwa very often has parental presence - very strict, conservative parental presence, one that is bound to culture and duty, unlike Japanese manga, where characters either live on their own or have charmed lives without interference. Family inclusion and incursions are a hallmark of the comedic manhwa.
Joonho does get permission to get a phone, but not without a long diatribe from dad (and some sarcasm from granny). However, he has to get a part-time job to pay for it. Joonho's problems are about to get even more complicated when he gets a part time job at the fast food restaurant, Lotteria, where the staff is paid by their looks. (Joonho gets close to the lowest wage.) And, of course, he gets to work with three very lovely girls, who will, of course, cause him grief.
While Hanami doesn't figure prominently in this volume, she does initiate a scenario that I have only seen in manhwa - the attempt to make jokes about bodily functions gone awry. In this case, Hanami has made a cake to celebrate Joonho's new job, but she uses salt instead of sugar and expired whipping cream. ("I have not talent of cooking...") Joonho eats the cake so as not to offend Hanami. What results is a diarrhea joke that joins the vomit joke and the bad breath from rotten teeth joke that I've seen in other manhwa. I laughed, but it was mostly from the surprise rather than any inhere
