Recorder and Randsell Volume 1

Presenting Recorder and Randsell Volume 1 by Meme Higashiya.

Here is the summary of the book:

Miyagawa Atsumi and her younger brother Atsushi are your typical siblings - she's a high school sophomore dealing with exams, he's a 5th grader who only wants to run off and play with his friends. School's hard enough as it is, but things are even tougher for these two: Atsumi is so tiny she's still mistaken for a little kid, while Atsushi is so tall people assume he's a full-grown man!

Yonkoma. This is 4 cell manga styled quite different from your regular manga reaing of back-front and right to left. But read in the order of top to bottom. The story looks to siblings Atsumi and Atsushi. Older sister Atsumi is a sophomore in High School and younger brother Atsushi is a fifth grader. Although she is older, she has the body of a kid and he the 5th grader, that of a full grown man is often mistaken to be an adult.

This leads to loads of hilarious misunderstandings regarding Atsushi that ends him in prison mistaken for a pedophile walking with his sister or his peers because they are tinier than he is ..... And there you go that is the point to this volume and we get many repeat performances of it. It is quite hilarious at first but then after sometime becomes monotonous and doesn't really bring us to laughter much.

I lost interest after sometime and leaved through till the final cell ...... Its name is actually Recorder & Satchel (which makes more sense) and I don't see what the need was for changing the name to Recorder and Randsell.

"Hilarious misunderstandings"

Genre :     Graphic Novel, Manga

Publisher: Takeshobo 

Release Date: 15th September, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             2/5 (It was Ok)

Buy:         Amazon

Manga Classics: Emma

Presenting Manga Classics: Emma by Jane Austen, Stacy King, Crystal Chan, Po Tse.

Here is the summary of the book:

Just in time for the 200th Anniversary, Manga Classics: Emma brings Jane Austen's classic tale of youthful folly and romantic exuberance to a modern audience with this beautiful, new manga adaptation. The impulsive match-making of Emma Woodhouse delivers both humor and heartache through the gorgeous artwork of manga-ka Po Tse (Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice). - Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions. Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.

Another classic that gets the manga treatment. Following in the series after Les Miz, Pride & Prejudice, The Scarlet Letter & Great Expectations comes Emma. Read in the usual format of back to front, Right to left and anticlockwise, this one like all the others in this series sports gorgeous artwork and illustration. 'Emma' coincidentally happens to be one classic that is quite easy to get into as well and her attempts at matchmaking have always been hilarious to say the least.

So it was a bit disconcerting at first to see the characters sporting such outrageously hilarious expressions but I got used to it quickly and enjoyed reading Emma's escapades throughout the story. Another great offering to all readers alike looking to re-discover something in this timeless Jane Austen classic. Great job by Stacy King, Po Tse and Crystal Chan translating Miss Austen's manuscript into this fun and intricately detailed and gorgeous adaptation.

"A gorgeous and funny manga adaptation"

Genre :      Graphic Novel, Manga, Classic

Publisher: Udon Entertainment

Release Date: 12th May, 2015

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Books in the series (review links):
            Manga Classics: Les Misérables
                  Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice
                  Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter

Buy:           Amazon

Let's Eat Raven and other Doujinshi Short Stories

Presenting Let's Eat Raven and other Doujinshi Short Stories by Nagumo, Aji-Ichi.

Here is the summary of the book:

Doujinshi, otherwise known as independent manga in Japan, is rarely published in English. In fact, it's considered underground and quite exclusive in its home country of Japan as well. Let's Eat Ramen and Other Doujinshi Short Stories finally gives western readers an exclusive look at the elusive world of contemporary Japanese doujinshi manga. Let's East Ramen is a three-part tale of Saeki, a girl who loves ramen noodles. At last, she thinks that she has finally found the perfect ramen shop, but the problem is the shop is completely full of old regulars and she can't get in. Will the timid Saeki ever summon the willpower to reach out and get the ramen that she desperately wants?

A manga about eating Ramen. Yes you heard it this manga is basically about eating Ramen as the title suggests. While I love reading manga, but I have only had the chance to read some of them till now and they are mostly the ones whose anime i had seen. That being said "Doujinshi" is a relatively new field for me. The term basically alludes to what you would call indie-manga and much more exclusive to Japan.

'Let's Eat Ramen and other Doujinshi short stories' consists of 4 stories. The titular story is a 3 part part of a girl, Saeki who fantasizes about eating Ramen at this famous joint but can't gather the courage to enter because the customers there are all men. So she gets a male classmate of her's to go with and eventually on succeeding tasting outings as well. Really these stories are more of a modern contemporary teen romance ...... and so subtitle too.

The other three are all lesbian teen stories about a girl wooing another when the result reveals her true self, another heartbroken about her girlfriend leaving her for a boy and the last about a girl intimidated but another girl because she read books without pictures *wink*. Nothing too graphic, all the stories put their points across in the most common approach.

The art and the plots of Nagumo and Aji-Ichi are not exclusive but more simple and very very subtle and quite literally very innocent. Reads like the regular manga in right to left and counter-clockwise fashion. Not a must read but is more deserving of a once look-through.

"Light manga for light reading"

Genre :     Manga, Graphic Novel

Publisher: Gen Manga Entertainment

Release Date: 18th August, 2015

My Copy: publisher & netgalley

Rate:             4/5 (Really Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon 

Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter

Presenting Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Stacy King, Crystal Chan, SunNeko Lee.

Here is the summary of the book:

A powerful tale of forbidden love, shame, and revenge comes to life in Manga Classics: The Scarlet Letter. Faithfully adapted by Crystal Chan from the original novel, this new edition features stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee (Manga Classics: Les Miserables) which will give old and new readers alike a fresh insight into the Nathaniel Hawthorne's tragic saga of Puritan America.

Manga Classics editions feature classic stories, faithfully adapted and illustrated in manga style, and available in both hardcover and softcover editions.

Proudly presented by UDON Entertainment and Morpheus Publishing.

After 'Les Miz' and 'Pride & Prejudice', the 'Manga Classics' line serves us yet another illustrious classic, Nathaniel Hawthrone's The Scarlet Letter. It is always a pleasure rediscovering old classics in a variety of formats. Although here it would be discovering the tale .... I haven't read the source material yet, so I can't compare after my opinion of only this manga version.

Reads just like every other manga out there. Back-to-front. Right-to-left. Anticlockwise. As the goodreads synopsis says stunning artwork by SunNeko Lee (Les Miz). The Scarlet Letter showcases this epic tragedy of the 15th Century Puritan America, of a forbidden romance, shame and bitter revenge. Where the 'Les Miz' manga fails to illustrate the desperate French era (liked the manga version of Pride & Prejudice though), 'The Scarlet Letter' produces stark details to Hawthorne's classic of literal breakdown of religion in a society based by such due to the greatest sin a woman of that era could commit 'adultery', extra marital affairs/relations of Hester Prynne.

Of course the religion in question is Christianity but since I do not belong to that ethnicity so I can't really elaborate on their edicts. But its not just Christianity but others too and its been happening since the dawn of time to this contemporary era too. The hypocrisy of religion. Hester Prynne is condemned and humiliated in the name of God and forced to wear the letter 'A' as punishment.

Of course, the despoiler is never named until the end and her own husband never publically accepts her for mysterious reasons. But what stood out most was Hester's struggle bearing the letter with an uncommon confidence, raising her daughter Pearl helping and aiding where needed .... little-by-little by vigor, she is able to change the perception of her badge of shame to the 'A' for an 'Angel'. It shows that those same people who condemned her then start to start to see her worth. Of course, a few things are unclear but there is no question to be asked, this is a gorgeous adaptation.

"A gorgeous adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter"

Genre :      Graphic Novel, Manga, Classic

Publisher: Udon Entertainment

Release Date: 10th March, 2015

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Books in the series (review links):
               Manga Classics: Les Misérables
                     Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice

Buy:           Amazon

Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice

Presenting Manga Classics: Pride & Prejudice by Stacy King, Po Tse, Jane Austen.

Here is the summary of the book:

Beloved by millions the world over, Pride & Prejudice is delightfully transformed in this bold, new manga adaptation. All of the joy, heartache, and romance of Jane Austen's original, perfectly illuminated by the sumptuous art of manga-ka Po Tse, and faithfully adapted by Stacy E. King.

Pride & Prejudice definitely a favorite of mine. I have read the book, seen the Keira Knightly movie and the Hindi version, the Aishwariya Rai Bachchan one 'Bride & Prejudice' and this manga version is just so GORGEOUS.  And just like I said for the manga adaptation of Les Miz, this too is a feast for the eyes and again eye-catching enough to attract the modern readers towards the classics.

Of course written and to be read in the typical manga fashion - right to left. I would definitely prefer the adaptation of Pride & Prejudice over Les Miz. As everyone of the characters and their graphic representations just brought a new integrity to the tale ad I loved every bit of it.

"A gorgeous manga adaptation of Pride & Prejudice"

Genre :      Graphic Novel, Manga, Classic 

Publisher: Udon Entertainment

Release Date: 11th August, 2014

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon 

Manga Classics: Les Misérables

Presenting Manga Classics: Les Misérables by Stacy King, TszMei Lee, Victor Hugo.

Here is the summary of the book:

Adapted for stage and screen, loved by millions, Victor Hugo's classic novel of love and tragedy during the French Revolution is reborn in this manga edition!

I have not yet had the chance to read the huge tome,i.e., Les Miserables but I have seen the 1998 (Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman) and the 2012 (Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway) movies. So, I knew what I was getting into. And turning it into Manga was a pretty brilliant move. Guaranteed to draw the attentions of modern and those of the reluctant ones who have no patients with the classics. Of course Graphic Novels or Manga lovers too would find this a new gem.

Manga caters more towards the graphical representation with to the point words so as a result its actually quite impossible to adapt every word for word from a huge tome like Les Miz but Stacy King and TszMei Lee have done a pretty good job of it. Thus, you get a beautiful graphic representation to this beautiful classic with all the key moments featured. While the graphics are successful in portraying the French Revolution era, the true hardship and despair faced by the characters gets lost in translation. But on the whole the author and illustrator did a great job with this, making it pleasing to the eyes.

"A brilliant manga adaptation to the Victor Hugo classic, Les Misérables"

Genre :      Graphic Novel, Manga, Classic 

Publisher: Udon Entertainment

Release Date: 12th August, 2014

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon