“It’s a First-Class Pitch” Lest anyone think we weren’t going to get around to one, Adachi-sensei delivers an all-baseball (with just a little service) chapter this month. With the Tokyo tournament starting, it seems an open question whether the Tachibana Brothers would be rooting for a win that would allow […] Read more
“Suki Tokimeki to Kisu” I’m not sure what’s more impressive – the fact that Hourou Musuko has run for ten years, or the fact that it still feels so fresh and creatively alive after all that time. It’s not unfair to say that I tend to have a soft spot […] Read more
“They’re So Noisy” No question about it, an Adachi baseball manga in a monthly magazine is a bit of a torture. Mix, as best I can describe it, continues apace. It’s excellent – vintage Adachi, and he’s clearly invigorated being back on his most familiar ground. But we’re no closer […] Read more
“The Feast – Part III” As always, the wedding is for the family, not the brides and grooms. But there’s something of the discrete, at least, in the fact that the ceremony itself takes place behind closed doors with only the close family present. Much to the disappointment, I might […] Read more
“Love Me Gently” If Shin Sekai Yori is the anime that always seems to end after five minutes, Hourou Musuko is the manga that always seems to end after a few panels. How I wish this was a weekly – 20 pages after waiting a month just doesn’t cut it. […] Read more
“Level-Headed Mako” One thing I can say for sure – 24 pages a month of Hourou Musuko just doesn’t cut it. The degree to which I’m invested in the characters in this series is really remarkable, considering it’s a monthly manga. What really impressed me in the singularity of everyone […] Read more
“The Feast – Part II” AKA “Young Grooms’ Tale” Or, “Saahm and Sahmi are screwed”. Seriously, you can’t help but feel for these poor kids – they’re going to have a trying married life trying to keep up with Laila and Leyli. The twins are cute and all, but a […] Read more
“Mako’s Adventure” It’s hard not to have sympathy for Makoto. Nitorin and Takatsuki get most of the attention, but in many ways he’s in a worse pinch than any of them. Not only is he living a secret and frustrated life, but he’s denied the outlets that are available to […] Read more