“The Winged Hawk” To my way of thinking, there’s absolutely no doubt that Otoyomegatari is the most beautiful manga currently in production. In terms of art, I don’t think there’s another mangaka who can hold a candle to Mori Kaoru – from her backgrounds to her natural landscapes to living […] Read more
“Just Trade With Us” It’s interesting to speculate on just how the pacing of Mix might compare to Adachi Mitsuru’s previous epic baseball works, including the series it’s based on, Touch. A monthly manga tries the patience in a way a weekly doesn’t, but as of right now the master […] Read more
“Future Diary” After a brief detour last month, Hourou Musuko’s focus returns squarely onto Nitorin in the new chapter – and any way you slice it, it’s a heartbreaking one. I feel no closer to knowing how this series might end or even where it might be headed in the […] Read more
Animemiz is featuring Hikaru no Go in the “Manga Movable Feast” this month, a venture to which I’ve been privileged to contribute an article. If you love HnG like I do – or need a good reason to read a great manga – it’s well worth checking out. Read more
“State of Mind” Sorry Takako-sensei, but these 20-page chapters after waiting a month just aren’t cutting it. I’m sure this can’t be the first, but I can’t recall another chapter where Nitorin didn’t appear in the flesh (he does show up briefly in Takatsuiki’s daydream). While the depth of the […] Read more
“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