Harlem Beat #01 [Paperback]

Nuriko Nishiyama (Author), Yuriko Nishiyama (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1892213044
• ISBN-13: 978-1892213044
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,681,585 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Ever, March 3, 2005

By 

Artful Dodger - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harlem Beat #01 (Paperback)

I was always interested in viewing Harlem Beat, but I never got around to it being young and a new emerging anime fan through the Sailor Moon genre, I spent all of my money or Rayearth and Ranma. Now...7 years later, I must say, manga on a much more realistic level, such as this, is like a breath of fresh air. I got interested in Harlem Beat through reading Rebound in my local library. Since I had already gone so far into Rebound, I decided that I wanted to get back at it's roots and look into Harlem Beat, and I must say, this series keeps me smiling. We know in real life that there's not always a happy ending and the guy doesn't always get the girl or vice versa. The very reason for me why romantic comics get quite boring after a while and feel like a waste of money. Harlem Beat seems to parallel life on a lot of aspects. Me and my sister find Harlem Beat quite inspriring to the point where we quote it. I think it's one of the best series to look into, unless your preference is more towards super powers and romance. In addition to being funny, and having a variety of well developed characters, it can teach you some good lessons to apply to life.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nothing great, but it's fun, March 18, 2001

By 

Mark Twain (Alton, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harlem Beat #01 (Paperback)

For the most part, Harlem Beat's your average manga. It features Nate Torres, a semi-nerdy kid with a heart of gold,not exactly original, but it puts a smile on your face. Anyway, Nate sucks at hoops, but thanks to some motivation from his old friend Miz, and determination, he doesn't quit like all the other hobbies he's given up immediately. The one real problem with this book is the dialogue. In several parts, it's not believable, which rips you out of the story. Still, it's an enjoyable book, and the story gets better with the next few volumes. Plus it's the cheapest manga you'll find, so why not give it a try?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good fun, February 17, 2000

By 

brella (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harlem Beat #01 (Paperback)

I may be female, sports-deprived, and perhaps 'too old for comics', but I'm enjoying this series. As cheesy and overly-earnest as it can be, Beat's sports-driven storyline is both hilarious and intense as long as one is willing (like any seasoned manga reader) to suspend one's disbelief. Nishiyama's art is exceptional: confident, and with a great sense of movement, it shows a good eye for a game I never had much interest in (basketball, for the clueless). You can ACTUALLY tell characters apart by facial and body types. Similarly, the characters themselves are distinct in personality--not due to the portrayal of common manga stereotypes but through genuinely unique and realistic individual traits. Female characters are strong, though few. And the storyline isn't bad: sports loser sets out to become a winner, learns many lessons, meets many friends/opponents, perfects innate abilities, etc etc. Okay, it sounds unoriginal, but it's ably and entertainingly done. There are many slips in the translation and flopping, but nothing serious. All in all, Harlem Beat is diverting and makes you laugh; what more could one ask?