R to L (Japanese Style). Every bookstore has a thousand stories to tell. Every bookstore has a thousand stories to tell.An art student finds inspiration. An archer hits a bull's-eye. A homemaker rediscovers romance. A teenager discovers his true self in the pages of a manga magazine. All this and more at Kingyo Used Books, a place that helps people find their dreams.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 10 Up—The titular bookstore, set in urban Japan, buys and sells used manga. The store has thousands of classic series and, seemingly, something for everyone. Each chapter reveals how one or more characters have been influenced by manga. Each one also makes the not-so-subtle point that manga is not just kid stuff. The artwork and the layout are traditional in style. The cover and first few pages are done in color and are eye-catching but the rest of the book is in black and white. The artist/author does a good job creating facial expressions and mood with pen and ink. Many of the stories, however, seem to jump around, leaving readers to fill in gaps in the story. This "meta-manga" does not have the level of action or conflict that most teen and tween readers expect from this genre. Only older, dedicate fans might find it compelling.—Anthony C. Doyle, Livingston High School, CA
(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Manga For Those Who Love Manga,
By Elias L. Blondeau "Atlanta Fried Otaku and Ha... (The Big ATL (Atlanta)) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
"Kingyo Used Books" is a bit of a deceptive title; this is not a slice-of-life comedy about a used book store,it is a slice-of-life comedy about a used manga store inhabited mainly by otaku. The act of loving manga is the central theme of this book, and as such, the reader's enjoyment is directly tied to just how much they adore and know about the medium of Japanese comics. There is no coherent plot, per se, as much as there is a series of vignettes centered around the titular store (think "Pet Shop of Horrors"). Each vignette presents characters who are from completely walks of life, such as a salaryman who is pondering giving up his consumption of manga, a competitive archer who needs a perfect practice spot, and a man from America who (!) dresses up like a boy detective from an obscure 1950's manga series. Speaking of obscure manga, the first volume alone of "Kingyo" drops enough references to throw off even the most seasoned manga vet. While nowhere near packed with the sheer density found in works like "Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei", you will definitely have to either go in with some prior knowledge of old-school manga, or be willing to learn as you read. If you fall into the latter category, don't despair: there's a nice little section at the back of the book which gives background info on the manga mentioned within the volume's chapters. While it may alienate non-manga junkies, ultimately "Kingyo Used Books" proves to be one of the most satisfying reads I've encountered in a while. The dialogue is well-paced, the comedy is genuinely funny, and the love put into crafting the artwork oozes from every panel. As is the case with many manga from Viz's Signature line, this is one that people who care about manga should purchase without delay.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Otakus R Us,
By fredtownward "The Analytical Mind; Have Brain... (Mocksville, North Carolina, United States) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
As another reviewer put it, this is a manga for people who love manga. Each chapter is a vignette demonstrating the importance of a particular manga in the life of a character.In Chapter 1: The Components of Memory, a salaryman who believes he's outgrown his manga collection attends a school reunion at which all of the reminiscing revolves around the manga they read. In Chapter 2: Hokusai Manga, a manga series based on the life of a famous artist inspires a young art student. In Chapter 3: Far Away, a gag manga helps an archer learn to loosen up enough not to freeze up in competition. In Chapter 4: The Boy Detective Arrives, an old detective manga from the fifties changes the life of a young man from America, though perhaps not entirely for the better! In Chapter 5: A Country Without Manga, a man who hates manga flees to a country supposedly without manga and learns that manga is universal. In Chapter 6: Fujiomi-kun, a shojo manga she used to love leads a busy housewife to rediscover the passion in her life and make a new friend. In Chapter 7: The Sedori Business, a regular character whose profession is to buy used manga cheaply and resell at a profit and her friend/rival find something worth more than making money. In Billy and Grandpa's Curious Travelogue, Episode 1, a "murder" at a cultural festival for an art school can only be solved by a manga expert. Finally, Kingyo Used Books Notebook gives details about the manga featured in the stories. Thanks to the Notebook section at the end this isn't just for manga experts; even someone who never heard of any of these manga before can follow the stories and understand the passions of the characters. The overriding theme (beyond the simple love of manga) is that there is magic in this used manga store, which leads a character to find the exact manga he or she happens to be in need of, whether it is finding something brand new or rediscovering an old friend. (In that sense it reminds me a bit of the concept of "Hitsuzen": "A naturally fore-ordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible...." expounded upon in xxxHOLiC, the early issues of which contain similar unrelated vignettes. I at least will be seeking out Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 2 and Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 3.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not bad...,
By ChibiNeko "Sooo many books, so little time!" (Whereever I go, here I am.) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Kingyo Used Books, Vol. 1 (Paperback)
I have to admit, I can't quite make up my mind as to how I feel about this manga. I like it, but I don't know if I like it as much as some of the other similar "episodic slice of life" books that are out on the market right now.The series surrounds a used book store that specializes in manga. The checkout girl is the granddaughter of the store owner & is a focus of interest for the resident manga otaku that works there. (Mostly because he knows if he marries her, he'll inherit the store.) People of all types & ages come into the store, some looking to unload manga, some looking for answers for their own problems. Either way, they'll find what they're looking for here. The artwork for this is rather cute & I like how it manages to be expressive & cute without going for the cutesy-cutesy type of look that seems to abound in most manga nowadays. It also avoids being the "ultra serious" artwork that exists on the other end of the spectrum. No, the manga artist of this work tries to be as realistic as possible without forgetting to inject some cuteness into the volume. I also liked the interaction between the shop characters. The interaction between the main characters & the non-major ones is nice, but at times it tends to be a little too stereotypical to really be anything more than a passing interest or as a way of building up the characters' mojo. This isn't a bad book by any stretch. I just recommend that if you can, that you read it in your local bookstore first. This won't appeal to all audiences out there & it isn't as broadly likable as Genshiken was. It's good, but I can guarantee that if I were to lend my copy to all of my manga loving friends, that only about half (or less) would like this book.
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