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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A fangirl's thoughts on RSOM #2,
By Liz (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Rising Stars of Manga, Book 2 (Paperback)
What? Only one review so far? Okay, here's my two cents. I think this volume was much better than the first one. I think that now that more people know about the contest, there was a wider variety to choose from. Though there were only two stories that I liked so much that I want to see more of them, it's all a matter of preference. The grand prize winner is called "Peach Fuzz," which is a childish, silly, lighthearted story about a young girl and her pet ferret. It's cute... a little too cute for my tastes, but it's okay. The second prize entry is called "Unmasked." I'm a little baffled by Tokyopop's obsession with making fun of manga cliches. The last second prize winner has such a similar theme to this one! Sure, it's funny, but not really as much as Van Von Hunter... I don't really get the ending. The next one on the list is "Possessions." It's not a "typical" manga, and for an older audience. The characters are Americanized and kind of dry and boring. Also, there's a lot of action, yet it doesn't seem to be moving. However, the ending is very haunting, and it portrays authority negatively, which is cool. The Calling Grounds. The art in this looks so professional! Everything seems to be moving, as if I'm watching anime! Even though it's in pencil, it still looks good, though with ink it would be amazing. It involves spirits, monsters, powers, and a bunch of little girls in Love Hina- style. Another one that's a little too cute for my tastes, though. Lovesketch. If you like shoujo, you might like this, but romance happens to be my least favorite genre. The screentoning looks professional, but the art looks like it's copied right out of I.N.V.U. by Kim Kang Won! This is one of the few times I've seen art that looked EXACTLY the same as someone else's, and I've seen a lot of similar manga out there. The characters are also very American. Fowl Play. I was laughing my head off over this! It's very simple in art style, but it's likable because of the main character- a little boy who imagines the cooked Thanksgiving turkey is alive and after him! Dogby Walks Alone. Oh man, this is wierd. Funny, different, wierd. It's like a detective story, and takes place at an amusement park with the main character dressed in a dog suit. It's pretty funny. The art reminds me of American cartoons, and it seems to move around a lot. Nikolai. This one is my favorite!!! It's a kind of gothic tale about a girl's mother who died, then befriends a ghost boy and learns to accept death. The story is profound, and the art is unique and very detailed (there are hidden messages in it!!). The author is planning to publish another comic called "Bizenghast" this November, which rocks! Whisper. Second favorite! First off, the artwork in this is so freakin' awesome. It's so realistic, aesthetic, and beautiful, both female and male characters! It flows very nicely, though in some places there are too many words to read. There are also slight shounen-ai undertones, which I like! Axis Lumen. First thought: another elf story...? Well, they're not elves, but they look like it. There's a lot of cliches in it, and it is very wordy in some places. It's a fantasy and romance sort of thing. The artwork is pretty good though, especially the screentone. But the story was sort of difficult to comprehend. All in all, I was satisfied with most of the book, but not all. As I said before, it's a matter of preference, so things I criticized might be things others compliment. All the artists definitely have potential. I just hope I win RSOM someday... ;_;
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mostly Great,
By
This review is from: Rising Stars of Manga, Book 2 (Paperback)
This is a collection of the winners' art from the second Rising Stars of Manga contest over in the USA. Consequently, there are many different genres represented here, which means that everyone will probably find something they really like and one piece they really really hate. Overall, I enjoyed these brief insights into the potential future of western manga and I recommend this to anyone who is interesting in something a little bit different within the manga 'classification'.
I'll break it down, story by story, and summarise and review each one, which will hopefully help you form your own opinion of whether or not you'll want to buy this product. Peach Fuzz: This is a very cutesy story about a girl and her unwilling pet ferret, told from the point of view of both characters. While I personally don't think this should have won, it was very sweet and fun to read. Unmasked: I loved the idea behind this one. Taking a girl in a very typical manga setting (adoring fangirls, cat-girl, giant robots), and having her snap out at the bizarrity of her surroundings, was sufficiently different to attract and hold my attention throughout. Though I wasn't so fond of the ending, I loved most of it and particularly liked the style of the artwork. Possessions: Very Akira-like, this one shows how everyone has different priorities in the underworld of a slightly futuristic setting. The artwork is very good and the plot is intriguing throughout - this is definitely one of the best. The Calling Grounds: A little bit too clichéd fantasy for my liking. In a class of potential summoners, the one boy (boys don't become summoners, but this one is special) struggles to prove his worth. Mediocre, though the artwork is very pretty. Lovesketch: Awful. This is the one I truly hated. An utterly clichéd story about how a high school girl angsts that none of the guys like her (yawn) and hopes that a field trip will bring her and one of them together (predictable ending). I could barely finish this one, but I guess this kind of thing appeals to some people. Fowl Play: This one is hilarious. A little boy fears that the Thanksgiving turkey will eat him, but none of the adults believe him - so he takes matters into his own hands! This one had me grinning the whole way through. Dogby Walks Alone: Classic. I enjoyed this one so much I've just ordered the series version of this that Wes Abbott (the manga-ka) has just started. The main character is Dogby, a guy who works at a theme park - he's the guy in the dog suit. But when he suspects a shady plot, things get far more serious. I loved how many of the characters act within their themepark roles. It's such an unusual setting for manga that it had me hooked straight away. It'll appeal to fans of the more typical 'American' action-hero comics. Nikolai: M. Alice LeGrow makes her stunning debut with a short story of how an orphaned young girl finds a ghost in her new house and must help him rest in peace. With gorgeous, intricate backgrounds and outfits, packed with her unique style of design and storytelling, this is a must-read. If you enjoy this, check out her series, 'Bizenghast'. Volumes 1 and 2 are out now and they're fantastic. Whisper: An interesting fantasy piece about blood ties and deception. Not outstanding, but worth a read, and the artwork is particularly graceful and beautiful. I'd definitely read a longer series version of this if the manga-ka does one. Axis Lumen: Another decent fantasy piece, though it feels like it needs to be something much longer. I'm not too keen on the 'saviour'/'special' idea, but it shows decent potential and I'd probably read a longer series. As I said, this is a varied collection of different styles and genres, so you're bound to find enough that appeals. <u>In my opinion, it's worth getting for Nikolai, Dogby Walks Alone, Fowl Play, Unmasked, Possessions and Peach Fuzz - the enjoyment of those ones justified the average quality of the rest</u> (and the dire awfulness of Lovesketch, which should be burnt, trampled and then weed on by a smelly rat). Hope that helps!
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