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Book Club - by Suhaili

Flame of Recca manga review

August 7th 2009 07:40
Flame of Recca is a manga created by Nobuyuki Anzai. This manga is also adapted into anime by Fuji TV and Studio Pierrot.

Flame of Recca, manga, cover


Genres: action, adventure, comedy, fantasy

Age Rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)


Synopsis: Recca is a ninja. At least in his own mind. When he one day meets and saves the young girl Yanagi he pledges to be her ninja, defending her with his life. She shows him that she has the power of healing and in return he shows her his secret power of creating fire with his hands. But soon evil powers start reaching for them. Some wanting Recca’s ability to use fire and others wanting eternal life through experiments with Yanagi’s body, something that Recca and his friends definitely can’t allow.

Source: Anime News Network

Comment:

Yes, I have to admit that Flame of Recca is an old manga but this is the first manga by Nobuyuki Anzai that I've read besides his other famous manga such as MAR (I shall write this review sooner or later). Well then, let's move on with the review.

The storyline is rather easy to understand but as usual, there are always mysteries such as Recca and Kurei's past, who is Kagerou and the reason behind the fights they're involved. However, the mysteries will be solved as the story progressed, so at the mean time just follow the flow of the storyline. The manga itself is similar like Rave where people who used to be Recca's enemies (Fuko, Domon and Mikagami) will fight alongside Recca. I'm not against with this kind of pattern but I have a feeling that the reason behind this is because Anzai-sensei may not want to make Recca and Yanagi the only main attraction. Otherwise, this manga will become shoujo manga. At first, the storyline focused more on Recca's stepbrother, Kurei but later, the story is shifted to Kurei's stepfather. But, for me, I find that the storyline is a lot more intense when both of them (Recca and Kurei) are fighting Kurei's father to get Yanagi back. In case you're wondering the intensity of the storyline, the storyline has become really serious yet intense when they started fighting Kurei.


As we can see here, this kind of manga will definitely have lots of fighting. I'm not against violence but I find that the battle scene is very violent. But still, blood spilling everywhere is somehow better than what you've seen in Kurozuka (watch out for my anime review tomorrow about Kurozuka). Watching Kurozuka makes me feel like seeing this kind of scene in Flame of Recca looks very normal to me. Oh, and if you're looking for something that will freshen your eyes, there is a little bit of nudity here and of course it's blending nicely with humor. This is something new in any other manga I've read because the nudity isn't as visible as the one in Flame of Recca. So yeah, you have a little bit of porn and action rolled into one XD.

Now, you already know the storyline and what to expect in the storyline, let's take a look at the artwork. Anzai-sensei artwork may not be the best artwork especially if you have read his other manga such as MAR but I find that the artwork is considerably okay. Well, it's the typical shonen manga artwork so I find it okay. You can take a look at yourself here:

Flame of Recca, manga, scan


Overall, this is an interesting manga to read especially if you really love a manga related with ninja stuff. This manga can be a bit violent for some people but the violence is a bit tolerable, trust me, folks~

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Groove Adventure Rave manga review

July 31st 2009 12:47
Groove Adventure Rave is a manga created by Hiro Mashima. This anime is also adapted into anime by Studio DEEN.

Groove Adventure Rave, Rave Master, manga, cover


Genres: action, adventure, comedy, fantasy, romance

Themes: Journeys, Magic Artifacts, Sword Fighting

Age rating: Older Children (May contain mild bad language, bloodless violence)

Synopsis: Haru is a teenage boy. After catching an odd, dog-looking... thing... while fishing, he finds out about the power of the Rave Stone, and receives a sword called the ten commandments. He leaves his older sister, and begins his journey to find the other rave stones. Along the way, he meets Elie, a rather hyper girl with no memory of anything beyond a year.

Source: Anime News Network

Comment:

Let me just be honest with you about Rave (since Groove Adventure Rave seems very long to me, let's stick with Rave). If you're planning to watch the anime, screw it. It's not because the anime quality is crappy. It's just that the anime just ends in the middle of the manga storyline. Obviously when you watched the last episode, you might expect there's a second season which is sadly to say that there's no second season for Rave. This is my main reason I've submitted myself to read the manga instead because I may have tell you (or may not) that I'm curious by nature. So yeah, go and get yourself the manga instead of watching the anime.

Okay, I'll stop with my anime rant and let's move on with the storyline. As far as it's concerned, the storyline is nicely explain even though there are a lot of mysteries involved with the stone called Rave. This is truly typical for any manga that has magic stone as the main plot. Well, combined with Elie's reaction when something triggered her memory, the story is getting interesting. Unfortunately, great storyline comes with compensations. Love it or hate it, there are quite a few deaths involved here. The deaths can be in any form whether that person was defeated by Haru or that person was just sacrificing for Haru or Elie's sake. Of course I won't tell you who died in this manga so if you don't like the idea of switching from happy moment to sad moment, then honestly ditch this manga. No offense to those who love this manga but if you don't like the idea, I'm seriously asking you to ditch the manga. Surprisingly enough, I could actually guess it right for who is really Elie. Kudos to me since I never thought that I could guess correctly for shonen manga. I think this is the only shonen manga where I could predict the storyline correctly.

As you read through, you will notice that the bad people who used to fight Haru will end up allying with him instead of fighting against him. Yeah, it sounds really funny even the most strongest and cruelest person, Lucia wasn't really that evil. Of course, evil people supposed to remain evil but it feels like the evil people chose to repent at the end in Rave's case.

As for the artwork, I don't get it why people got easily confused Rave or Fairytale with Eichiro Oda's (One Piece mangaka) artwork. Yes, I'm also familiar with Eichiro Oda's artwork style but at first glance it's obviously different. I know it's funny but I can't helped it that people got easily confused with his art style. Speaking of art style, the drawing style improved as the story continued. This is a good thing since the early style looks odd to me. Kudos to Hiro Mashima for dramatically improved his artwork. Take a look at the difference here:

Before

Groove Adventure Rave, Rave Master, manga, scan


After

Groove Adventure Rave, Rave Master, manga, scan


Overall, this manga has a good art with great storyline but there are always sad moments. If you really want manga fulls with happy moment and without deaths involved this manga is not for you. Give this manga a try since this is an early manga by Hiro Mashima.
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Monster Blood Tattoo: Lamplighter

September 26th 2008 23:23
Lamplighter


I'd like to preface this review with a disclaimer/acknowledgement of sorts... I've been away from orble for well over 6 months. My intention was to review every book I read this year but time collapsed around me and sooner or later I found myself participating all too much in the meat world (that curious thing outside of cyberspace). Nevertheless, here I am today, finally contributing another review to this blog. I must admit that my hand was forced a litte, I recieved several reviewers copies of books by mail, and so I feel obligated to write some reviews - so hopefully more reviews will follow shortly (fear not Emmett James, you are next!)

Today's review, if you hadn't gathered from the handily provided picture above, is of Monster Blood Tattoo: Lamplighter, the second volume of the strikingly original teen fantasy series by Australian writer and illustrator D. M Cornish. Anyone who has read my review of the first book in this series, Foundling, should be aware of how much a fan I am of this emerging author's work. I'd like to start off this review by saying that I was very happy to find Lamplighter even more entertaining and fantastic than the first book. This bodes well for Volume 3! But let's not get too ahead of ourselves...

Picking up almost immediately from the last novel, we find our diminutive and strangely-named hero, Rossamund, settling into his new career as an apprentice lamplighter. The job of the lamplighter is to keep the lamps along the many roads and highways on the Half-Continent well lit. This is a lot more dangerous than it sounds. Often, the lamplighters find themselves in remote locales and all too frequently at the mercy of bizarre and deadly monsters. It's not a popular job either, and they seem to receive little support from anyone, so from the outset it's pretty clear that Rossamund is going to have his work cut out for him.

Cornish takes the opportunity here to explore the institution set up around the fictitious trade of lamplighting. More than half the novel is set in the labyrinthine school where these young boys are all too briefly trained in this thankless trade and, with the hindsight provided by this Interview with the author, it's clear that the Gormenghast books work their influence here more strongly than ever. We are introduced to a myriad of new and sometimes grotesque characters, each one uniquely sketched (both literally and descriptively) and equally memorable - my favourite would have to be the damaged but well-meaning Numps. We also get to re-meet some of the more interesting characters from the previous book (the much-anticipated return of the Branden Rose is very welcome in particular). And, of course, what would this book be without monsters? Cornish brings forth a whole new slew of fascinating and original creatures, aided by both his wonderful drawings and magnificently evocative easy-to-read prose.

I don't want to go into too much detail for fear of spoiling it for anyone interested in reading the series, but the author also builds on the themes of morality hinted at in the previous book and we also get to learn more of Rossamund's curious origins. I'm not being over the top when I say that this book is outstanding and that it more than exceeded my already high expectations, and all I can say is that I hope I don't have to wait too long for the third and assumedly final installment of the Monster Blood Tattoo series! This book was an absolute pleasure to read.



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The Wandering Fire

February 15th 2008 22:41


'The Wandering Fire' is the second and shortest novel in Guy Gavriel Kay's Fionavar Tapestry, and is the fifth book I've read this year. This review will most likely be fairly short (but who can tell these things) as a lot of what I have to say about Kay's writing I've probably already said in my review of the first book in the trilogy, The Summer Tree. Mild spoilers ahead.

Picking up where the first novel left off, our five intrepid Earth heroes are back in Canada and unable to return to Fionavar. The book jumps right in regards to Jennifer's fate after her traumatic ordeal in The Summer Tree's last chapters and allows for some exciting developments early on. Obviously, our heroes don't remain on Earth for too long as this would be a fairly dull book if they did, and with the help of the group's seer, Kim, they travel to England and use the ancient power of Stonehenge to transport back to Fionavar. But not before Kim reawakens a hero from Earth's own past to bring back to fight the terrible war that is shaping up between the forces of light and dark.

It's hard to write a summation of the second book of a series for two reasons... 1) you don't really want to give anything away to anyone who hasn't read the first book but it's hard to say anything interesting without doing so (hence the mild spoilers warning - I've tried to avoid anything that really spoils it), and 2) it sounds crap and uninspiring because it requires a working knowledge of what has gone on before it in the first book. Hmmm... maybe that's just one big reason. Anyway, I'm unenthusiastic about this review and that's why. So from here on in I'll just kinda list what this entry in the trilogy seems to be about...

As the novel progresses it starts to become clear that this is more about each of the five Earth heroes finding their place in this new world they have been thrust upon. The previous novel tied up the fates of Kim as a seer and Paul as some kind of Jesus-like walking legend, whereas this novel delves more into the other three and what part they will play in the fate of the war, as well as their own fate and fate as a general idea in itself. Frequently we'll hear about what is meant to happen and then we'll see events scrambling forth in an attempt to adhere to some kind of structure of destiny, but it never really pans out the way it's foretold. Which is just as well, as it would be a boring book otherwise. The only major thing that seems to grate with me is how important all five of our heroes have become... perhaps some kind of prophecy at the beginning of the first book might have prepared me for this, but having five barely-capable students become God-shagging titans of myth seems to stretch credibility a bit. Yes, even in a fantasy novel. Another minor gripe is that Kay kills off a character at the book's climax only to drammatically bring him back to life. This would have been fine if he hadn't already done the same trick in the first book.

On the up side, 'The Wandering Fire' opens out the world of Fionavar a bit more. We learn further details of Cathal, a middle eastern-like garden kingdom to the south, and more is revealed of the twilight world of the various Gods who walk amongst the people of Fionavar - powerful beings who are (mostly) unable to interact with events. The only major group still left unexplored is the kingdom of Eridu in the far north, which I'm hoping will feature in the third novel. Kay also manages to keep things cracking along at a fair pace and things are never predictable, though the climactic battle between the forces of light and dark comes across as an almost unforgiveable pastiche of the two major battles from The Lord of the Rings... Kay rips off the dramatic arrival of the elves at Helm's Deep and the calling of the spirits from big battle in 'The Return of the King'. I just needed to say that as it was unbearably obvious to me when I read it.

Anyhow, this book was a nice read but I have to admit that I'm starting to tire of Fionavar a little. I'm about to wade into the third and final novel tomorrow so a review of that and the series as a whole should be soon pending.
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The Summer Tree

February 1st 2008 06:49


Book 3 of my almighty slog of 2008 is 'The Summer Tree', the first in a trilogy of fantasy novels by Guy Gavriel Kay, published in the 1980s, and collectively referred to as 'The Fionavar Tapestry'. Gavriel Kay (or just Kay - why do some people insist on having three names? It makes it hard to refer to them correctly in reviews like this and it makes it equally annoying if you have to arrange their books alongside other books in alphabetical order. Be damned!) is probably best known for this trilogy, but his enduring legacy will be his editorial work on J. R. R. Tolkein's 'The Silmarillion', which he helped Christopher Tolkein put together. Gavriel Kay originally trained as a lawyer before turning to writing, and is based in Canada. He can be largely viewed as carrying on Tolkein's legacy, and is amongst the first to tap into the second wave of interest that Lord of the Rings generated (mostly amongst university students in the 1970s - check your dad's bookcase for proof


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The Eyre Affair

April 12th 2007 05:40


'The Eyre Affair' was first published in 2001, and yielded an exciting new path into speculative fiction. Part comedy, part crime novel, part fantasy and part love note to classical literature, Jasper Fforde's debut novel couldn't have been more original or readable. It undoubtably left a few bookstores scratching their heads... I've seen it placed in the literature section almost as much as in the fantasy/sci-fi section. 'The Eyre Affair' is the first book in Fforde's Thursday Next series. A fifth novel in this series is due for release later this year


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Prince Caspian - the Movie

March 14th 2007 05:50
Ben Barnes Prince Caspian
Ben Barnes is Prince Caspian


Well, I just finished watching the new(ish) film version of 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe' (but that's another blog), and it got me thinking about whether they're being serious about this franchise or not


[ Click here to read more ]
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Assassin's Quest

March 13th 2007 05:19
Assassin's Quest


Reviews of the previous two books in this trilogy can be accessed by clicking these links


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Ptolemy's Gate

February 23rd 2007 08:24
Ptolemy's Gate


'Ptolemy's Gate' is the last book in the increasingly popular 'Bartimaeus trilogy' by Jonathan Stroud, detailing the rise of a young magician named Nathanial in a right-wing Magician-run alternative version of Great Britain. Along with Nathanial (against his will) is the enslaved djinni Bartimaeus - a wry, sarcastic and powerful entity who's attitude towards the current status quo goes beyond words like 'jaded', 'disaffected' and 'bitter'. This book takes place another three years after the previous novel, ']The Golem's Eye', with Nathanial well and truly establshed within the British Government. As the final entry in a much-loved trilogy, it has some big expectations to meet - wrapping up a story set across the timespan of a decade that involves many opposing characters. And it's kudos to the author, Jonathan Stroud, as he manages it masterfully


[ Click here to read more ]
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Monster Blood Tattoo 2

January 29th 2007 08:55


Not too distantly in the past I read and reviewed a chidlren's fantasy book called 'Monster Blood Tattoo: Foundling'. It was a brilliantly original and atmospheric start to what will hopefully be a very memorable series, written by an Australian author, the multi-skilled D. M. Cornish (the books are awash with his wonderful illustrations as well


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The Spook's Secret

January 12th 2007 10:32


'The Spook's Secret' is the third book in Joseph DeLaney's excellent and horrifying series, 'The Wardstone Chronicles'. Like the previous two books, ''The Spook's Curse' and 'The Spook's Apprentice' (click for reviews), 'The Spook's Secret' lays the atmosphere on thick and wastes no time in launching straight into the action. It also continues to draw on various facets of British folklore, obscure and otherwise, to great effect


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The Spook's Curse

December 21st 2006 10:54


'The Spook's Curse' is the second book in the Wardstone Chronicles series by Joseph Delaney, a series that is slowly gaining popularity via word-of-mouth and has recently been connected to film rumours. The first book, 'The Spook's Apprentice' (click for review), was a creepy and more than slightly disturbing 'childrens' book that made imaginative and extensive use of English folklore. 'The Spook's Curse' continues to bring the chills and spills, building substantially on Delaney's portrayal of a 18-19th century English countryside landscape at the mercy of ancient dark powers


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Across the Dark Metropolis

December 13th 2006 04:54


'Across the Dark Metropolis' is the third and final book in the Borribles trilogy by Michael de Larrabeiti. If you've been following this blog at all, you might be familiar with my less than stellar reaction to this series. The first book was fairly clumsy and it's 'cult' status seemed fairly unwarranted. The second book picked up the game a bit and seemed to display a wiser sense of plot construction and grasp of language. So what's the verdict after reading the third book? It was - as they say - pretty 'how's it going', IE. Supremely average


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The Borribles Go For Broke

November 30th 2006 08:16


This is the second book in 'The Borribles' trilogy, published in 1981 - three years after the first Borrible adventure, and set almost immediately after the last book. You may remember my previous review of the first Borrible book from a few days ago... well, I'm quite happy to say that this book is a definate improvement on the rather awkward and juvenile first installment, and I read it a lot quicker as a result


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