Megatokyo, Vol. 3 [Paperback]

Fred Gallagher (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 15, 2005 | Series: Megatokyo (Book 3)

The wildly popular American manga web comic hits its landmark third volume! Piro and Largo are still stuck in Japan, and this odd couple of an anime/manga-obsessed fanboy and a hard-core gamer, are both stirring up trouble, and stringing together awkward crushes. It's a true fantasy existence, as the insane and destructive Largo fights "zombie hordes" and Piro pursues the heart of a budding voice actress. All the while, an expanding cast of surprising and delightful characters keeps the chaos moving and the charm flowing.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. The latest in the Megatokyo series (see the Top 10 on p. 1304), this mix of romanticism and absurdity finds Piro and Largo still stuck in Japan and getting into more trouble. Piro is his usual mopey, romantic self, finding things he likes in all his new female friends, but never managing to tell any of them how he feels. His conscience, Seraphim, admonishes his lack of confidence, but seems to have troubles of her own to deal with after an old rival shows up. Meanwhile, Largo, the video-game geek, becomes a special agent for the Tokyo Police Cataclysm Division. He uses his position to fortify the MegaGamers store from demons, which he insists are on their way. Gallagher's art is a thing of beauty; partial shading adds a gentle softness to his manga style. Also included in this volume are notes and a stand-alone story featuring different characters. This book will draw an enthusiastic readership, and kids who can't wait for the next volume might want to go online, where the strip is updated weekly. Tina Coleman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (February 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593073054
• ISBN-13: 978-1593073053
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #712,033 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Obviously Too Clever for Some . . ., May 18, 2005

By 

C. S. Laird "bibliomom" (Bothell, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Megatokyo, Vol. 3 (Paperback)

Like some other reviewers, I too was pestered into reading it online. Then I had to buy it in print, re-read it and start lending it out to people.

I just have to respond to the Tanis review, which accused MT of being cliched and appealing only to ignorant, Japan obsessed otaku: um -- I think you missed the joke. MT pokes fun at these very otaku, as well as the rpg obsessed, l33t users, master hackers, and all manner of cultural stereotypes from a Tokyo that lets people visit on "Mortal Combat Visas" to the oldy-but-goody, gun toting, randomly violent American. I don't think it counts as cliche when your tongue's that firmly in your cheek.

Which is the charm of MT. I know enough gamers, geeks and anime freaks to appreciate the more extreme characters -- and know how eerily life-like some of them are. I *like* enough games, geeks and anime to appreciate the tributes and get at least some of the jokes. And I enjoy the storyline and art enough to want to keep up with it.

It's not Ghost in the Shell or Ranma 1/2. It's not Japanese. It's not pretending to be. MT has a subtle and playful charm, a very American sensibility and a style all it's own. If you don't game, don't watch anime, don't know any hackers, never been stranded in a foreign country, never heard of l33t, and never seen a ninja movie, then it probably won't resonate with you. But if you have *any* experience with any of these aspects of American culture and some level of appreciation for both the subtle and the sublimely ridiculous, MegaTokyo is a highly worthwhile read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Manga fun that isn't quite manga! Zounds!, September 4, 2005

By 

JAJapster - See all my reviews

This review is from: Megatokyo, Vol. 3 (Paperback)

Beginning its life on the internet as a web comic by Frank Gallagher and Rodney Caston, Megatokyo quickly became a hit amongst its audience as a comic that adopted much of the Japanese manga elements of story telling while maintaining its roots of video gaming goodness. Perhaps what set it so far apart from the many other web comics that share equal levels of popularity (Ctrl Alt Del, Penny Arcade, VG Cats etc.) was while many strived to only produce laughs within the restraints of the half dozen or so panels, Megatokyo's primary object seemed to tell a story, often leaving readers without a punch line at the end of a strip. And tell a story it does, a story rife with ninjas, giant robots, demons, zombies, guns, manga, otakus and more video game/anime oriented humor than you can shake a stick at. Leave all doubts aside humorists and manga enthusiasts! Megatokyo might not be written or drawn by a Japanese mangaka, but there's no reason why it can't share its level of success!

Megatokyo's story follows the lives of Piro and Largo. The former is a moping college graduate student with an obsession for video games, anime, and dating simulations, but lacks confidence and any real direction in life. Piro's friend, Largo, is a beer fueled college drop out who speaks in l337 and possesses a eccentric perspective of reality that can only be described as borderline insanity. After a failed attempt to break into E3, Piro manages to convince his completely blitzed friend to take a pilgrimage to the holy land of anime and video games -Tokyo, Japan. The only problem is, upon arriving, they quickly run out of money and find themselves stranded. That's when the craziness truly begins.

The characters introduced throughout the course of the storyline always seem original, and while not all develop at an equal rate, I had trouble finding any real flaw in the story's cast. From the Shinji-esque Piro, to the haunted voice actress Hayasaka, to the psychopathic twins of gun wielding destruction, Dom and Ed, to the ninja, Junpei, Megatokyo entertains a host of varied and wonderfully colorful characters that keep the story interesting and fresh.

The drawing is styled similar to Japanese manga. It's not overly detailed but there's something oddly cute and humorous about it that works surprisingly well. The drawings are seldom serious, but then again, neither is the story though it does have its moments. While Fred does not ink his drawings like many artists choose, I never felt like it detracted anything from the reading experience. Admittedly, in the first half of book one they look a little bland, but the level of artwork quickly jumps up to its current state where I can file no real complaints.

All in all, Megatokyo is a terrific read for anyone looking for laughs. If you're a gamer or an anime otaku like I am, you'll probably feel yourself relating to the characters. The only real flaw I felt in the comic so far was that about halfway through the comic (around strip two hundred or so) the story departs from its more light-hearted video game based humor and focuses more on story and character development. It's a mixed bag. I enjoy the story, but I miss the video game/anime based humor which started off as a cornerstone for the comic. Ah well.

Those trivial complaints aside, my parting words to describe this progressively developing comic (strip 755 to date! The three books available on Amazon only go up to 515, but a fourth is expected sometime in January) are: r0x0rz j00r b0x0rz. Enjoy!

JA_Japster's Final Score: 9/10

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for the megatokyo fan, February 20, 2007

By 

Jesse Hires - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Megatokyo, Vol. 3 (Paperback)

If you are a Megatokyo fan, then you've already read everything in here online, so support Fred and buy it in print. If you are new to Megatokyo, then I'd suggest buying this along with all of the other volumes as well. Besides, you won't understand the story if you don't start at the beginning.