Mega Manga Challenge

Hi all!

I wanted to let everyone know that due to being super busy with work and also focusing on reading books, I'm going to discontinue the Mega Manga Challenge. It is just too much to read/review 1 manga per week for me. I'm sorry to everyone who liked reading my challenge posts!

But, I do plan to continue reading manga and reviewing it here on my blog. The challenge has really sparked an interest for me to keep going with manga, and I love reading it. So look out for my manga reviews, and hope you all enjoy them!

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Mega Manga Challenge Update

Hi Everyone! I wanted to let everyone know that I'm making a change to the Mega Manga Challenge. I find that Friday is not the best day for me to post the reviews, so I'm going to move it to Mondays. Other than that, it'll stay the same.

Hope everyone doesn't mind!

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Mega Manga Challenge (11): Spice and Wolf, vol. 1 by Isuna Hasekura and Keito Koume

Title: Spice and Wolf
Author: Isuna Hasekura (story), Keito Koume (art)
Demographic: Seinen
Series: Spice and Wolf #1
Format: Manga
Pages: 192
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure
Publication Date: April 20th, 2010
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: C

Summary:
From Goodreads: With his carthorse as his only companion, the young merchant Kraft Lawrence slowly wends his way through dusty back roads in search of profitable trade. But this monotony screeches to a halt when, one night, he encounters a harvest goddess in the guise of a beautiful young girl . . . with wolf ears and a tail! Longing for the northern lands of her birth, Holo the Wisewolf joins Lawrence as he follows the ebb and flow of trade through the countryside. And when the two come across a compelling but suspicious opportunity for profit, will Lawrence with his mercantile chops and Holo with her ancient instincts be able to separate the truth from the lies - and make some coin while they're at it?!

This manga adaptation of Isuna Hasekura's acclaimed Spice and Wolf novel series, also available from Yen Press, is an investment that promises the greatest of entertainment returns!

Why did I read this book? I had seen some episodes of the anime and was curious!

Source: Bought

My Review
This novel is the story of Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant from a vaguely familiar historical setting, who comes across Holo the Wisewolf. She's in human form that includes wolf ears, teeth and tail, and she has the ability to hear the difference between the truth and a lie. She's escaping the wheat fields where she had stayed for centuries, making sure the crops grow. Lawrence allows her to travel with him, and they have adventures together.

I enjoyed this book, I thought the story was light and fun. I like the interactions between Holo and Lawrence; Holo is definitely a wise creature and often helps Lawrence out on his work. I also liked seeing a bit of the world here, where there's a transition happening between pagan and (presumably) Christian-like religion. This is interest especially since Holo is believed to be a pagan god.

I had issues with the slow pace of the story and the lack of direction of the plot. I don't know where anything is going. Also, I found thatI'm not really the target audience for this, which is really adult males, since there's some gratuitous nudity (only on the part of Holo).

Rating: C
Overall, I don't think this book is meant for me, but I did like the writing, setting and characters. I believe this is a story meant to be told slowly so you can enjoy the light adventure stories of Holo and Lawrence. I'd only recommend it but with these reservations in mind.

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Mega Manga Challenge (10): Peach Girl, vol.2 by Miwa Ueda

Title: Peach Girl 
Author: Miwa Ueda
Demographic: Shojo
Series: Peach Girl #2
Format: Manga
Pages: 184
Genre: School Life, Romance
Publication Date: December 7th, 2004
Publisher: TokyoPop
Rating: C

Summary:
From Goodreads: The dastardly Sae has gone too far! First she sabotaged Momo's blossoming relationship with Toji, now she's trying to embarrass Momo in front of the school at the swim meet. Can anyone help Momo? Well, "Wiley" Kiley seems eager to help, but can Momo trust that he's really looking out for her best interests, and not just trying to get into her pants? And poor Toji-will he ever see through Sae's veil of lies and be able to trust Momo? The Peach Girl soap opera gets is about to get a little meaner in volume 3 of Miwa Ueda's high school drama.

Why did I read this book? For the Mega Manga Challenge!

Source: Bought

My Review
In my review of volume one I said I shouldn't like this manga like I did because of all the annoying high school drama it portrayed. In this volume, I think it annoyed me even more. Momo and her boyfriend Toji are constantly believing what other people (mainly Sae) say about each other and never just talk to each other. I guess that's part of the plot, that Sae is constantly manipulating everyone, but everyone's common sense is sacrificed in return for that drama. It came to the point of being unbelievable. In fact, I think the only one who knows what Sae is doing is Momo, but since everyone else listens to Sae, she looks like the idiot.

Rating: C
This volume had a lot more drama and a lot less of the humor that volume one had. Sae is controlling everything and it's fustrating to see how all the characters can be so influenced by her. I want Momo to just dump Toji and get on with her life if he's going to constantly listen to Sae over her, or I want Momo to just get Sae to back off. I hope these things happen in the next volumes because I don't know if I will continue reading the series if it's all silly drama like this. I would recommend this only if you seriously enjoy high school drama.

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Mega Manga Challenge (9): Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 4 by Hiromu Arakawa

Title: Fullmetal Alchemist
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Demographic: Shonen
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 4
Format: Manga
Pages: 200
Genre: Steampunk, Adventure
Publication Date: November 8th, 2005
Publisher: Viz
Rating: A

Summary:
From Goodreads: Trapped and injured in a secret alchemical laboratory, Edward Elric is at the mercy of his enemies, Lust and Envy. But they don't want him dead... they have other plans for him. As the laboratory goes up in flames, the brothers find themselves back at square one, with only an inkling of the massive scale of the Philosopher's Stone conspiracy. But then, Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes uncovers a shocking secret...

Why did I read this book? For the Mega Manga Challenge and I've been following the series.

Source: Bought

My Review
Volume 4 in this series was another great read. There's a real quality to the writing and the depth of the story. We have some pretty significant events happening in this volume that spurs the main story forward (I don't want to spoil). We also get great character development. Alphonse has a crisis when it is suggested that since he has no body that perhaps his personality and memories were all fabricated just like a human can be created from a pile of ingredients using alchemy. This leads to him and Ed having a nice encounter between each other and we also see more of how Ed struggles with his guilt for what happened to his brother.

I like where this volume leaves off: the mystery of who in the military is related to the Philosopher's stone, Ed and Al on their way to visit their teacher, and Scar finding sanctuary in an Ishbalan community.

Rating: A
Definitely a must read due to the shocking event that takes place but also for the great character development between Ed and Al. I can't wait to read more!

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Mega Manga Challenge (8): Peach Girl, vol.1 by Miwa Ueda

Title: Peach Girl
Author: Miwa Ueda
Demographic: Shojo
Series: Peach Girl #1
Format: Manga
Pages: 184
Genre: School Life, Romance
Publication Date: Januaryy 1st, 2000
Publisher: Tokyopop
Rating: C+

Summary:
From Goodreads: It's not easy being beautiful. The envy, the jealousy, the vicious rumors spread by your best friend. That's life for young Momo. While everyone thinks that Momo is a wild party girl, the reality is that she is shy and honest. Can Momo confess her love to her classmate Toji, or will her best friend Sae steal him away. It's a bittersweet drama of growing up and fitting in that will charm girls everywhere.

Why did I read this book? I found all 8 volumes on sale at my local comic book store so I snatched them up! I always wanted to read this manga.

Source: Bought

My Review
I really think I shouldn't like this manga as much as I did because it containa a lot of things I find very annoying, usually. Firstly, this manga deals with one girl's (Momo) struggle to accept herself when she's not considered traditionally beautiful. That's an okay start, but Momo is really concerned about what boys think, in particular, Toji, her crush. I wanted her to be less obsessed about what he thinks and what her schoolmates think. I also thought Momo let's Sae (her friend turned rival) control and push her around too much to the point where Momo believes everything Sae says and it really creates a lot of drama. Momo's pegged as a slut by her schoolmates because she has skin that easily tans in the sun and so she's darker than most other girls. I liked how Momo stood up for herself, saying that just because she dresses or looks a certain way it doesn't make her a slut.

I hope that in future volumes Momo learns to accept herself, but not only that, for there to be less emphasis on being or looking a certain way in order for boys to like you.

Rating: C+
Overall I was really into the story despite my many misgivings with how some of the characters act. I think the artwork is beautiful and I also thought that Momo is a good heroine to root for. She stands up for herself yet she struggles with what other people think of her a little too much. I would recommend this for people interested in a quirky school life drama, but beware you might be annoyed by some of the obsession with being liked by boys despite who you are.

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Mega Manga Challenge (7): Maximum Ride #2 by James Patterson and NaRae Lee (artist)

Title: Maximum Ride

Author: James Patterson, NaRae Lee (artist)
Series: Maximum Ride, #2
Format: Manga
Pages: 240
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: October 27th, 2009
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: C+

Summary:
From Goodreads: Having recovered Angel, Max and the flock head to New York City to pursue a lead regarding their true identities. But where the flock goes, erasers are sure to follow! Even more troubling, though, is the voice that's begun whispering in Max's head. Is it really her destiny to save the world?

Why did I read this book? Well, I read Maximum Ride #1 and while it didn't really hook me, I had already bought this next volume so I decided to give it a try.

Source: Bought

My Review
I think I liked this one better than the last volume. I had some issues with the last one and probably wouldn't have continued but for the fact that I had aready bought the 2nd, 3rd and had the 4th volume from BEA. Anyways, I think the story improved. There's definitely more developement with the plot which I liked because now I have some idea what's going on and where the story might go. I like the idea of a band of kids who have been altered genetically and are now on the run (or the fly...) from the people who created them.

I still had some issues: sometimes the dialogue felt disjointed and the some scenes didn't flow like I would like them to. I did really enjoy the art and the action scenes as they were drawn very well. Another pet peeve is the names all the kids have which really seem to jolt me out of the story because I'm wondering why they chose these names. Maybe they made more sense in the novel where an explaination could be given, but not in the manga.

Rating: C+
Overall I think this is an improvement on the last volume and it happened to grab some more of my interest. I still had issues with the writing, flow and characters, but I do think the concept is fun and has the potential to pack a big punch. I will continue with the series until I run out of issues and then see where I'll go from there.

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Mega Manga Challenge (6): Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 3 by Hiromu Arakawa

Title: Fullmetal Alchemist

Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Demographic: Shonen
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 3
Format: Manga
Pages: 192
Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Adventure
Publication Date: September 21, 2002
Publisher: Viz
Rating: A-

Summary:
From Goodreads: Accompanied by their bodyguard, Alex Louis Armstrong, our heroes seek out their closest childhood friend, mechanic Winry Rockbell, to fix their battered "auto-mail" bodyparts. Soon their quest for the Philosopher's Stone takes them to the great central library, where the Stone's formula may be hidden...if the mysterious figure named Lust doesn't get there first! But the secret of the Philosopher's Stone may be even more frightening than the beings who guard it...

Why did I read this book? I just love this series!

Source: Bought

My Review
Note: May contain spoilers from previous volumes.

I think this was a great installment in the series for a couple reasons. First, it adds a lot of depth and really propels the main plot of the manga. Ed and Al have been searching for the philosopher's stone and have come up with nadda until they found a lead through Dr. Marcoh. Apparently he knows the secret to creating a philosopher's stone and has hidden it away, that is, until Ed and Al find it.

Through their discoveries we find out how to create the stone but also how much the governement has been involved in the making of stones in the past. Of course there's a question of morality to go along with this and this is explored in the last chapter when we meet some criminals who were chosen to be experimented on since they had forfeited their lives by committing crimes. What we find out is surprising and also makes us think about the worth of people or the soul (gosh I love this series).

The other great thing about this volume is we meet some great new characters. When volume 2 ended, Ed automail and Al's body was severely damaged and so they make the trip back to their hometown to get fixed up by Pinako ('Granny') and Winry Rockbell. Pinako is an old lady who took in Winry after her parents were killed in the Ishbal war and who also took in Ed and Al when their mother died. Winry is the same age as Ed, I think, and you can see they might have a little thing for each other. Some other great characters introduced are Sheska the bookworm and soldiers Havoc and Ross.

Rating: A-
Overall I think this is a great volume, especially for those who want more of the meat of the story. What and how are philosopher stones created? How is the government involed? What happened in Ed and Al's past and where is their home? I definitely recommend it to readers of the series and even to those who are not (but start at the beginning of course!). If you don't like this volume then you probably won't like much where the story is going.

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Mega Manga Challenge (5): Arata: The Legend, vol. 1 by Yuu Watase

Title: Arata: The Legend, vol. 1

Author: Yuu Watase
Demographic: Shonen
Series: Arata: The Legend
Format: Manga
Pages: 208
Genre: Fantasy
Publication Date: January 16th, 2009
Publisher: Viz
Rating: C+



Summary:
From Goodreads: An action-packed shonen fantasy from the acclaimed author of Fushigi Yûgi! In a mythical world where humans and gods co-exist, Arata has the unfortunate honor of being the successor to the matriarchal Hime Clan. This means he has to pretend to be a girl or face death if his true gender is discovered! On the day of his inauguration, an assassination plot forces him to flee—and he somehow winds up in modern-day Japan! Meanwhile, a boy named Arata Hinohara gets sucked into the first Arata’s world and finds himself dealing with people after his life!

Why did I read this book? I saw it in the bookstore and decided to pick it up based on the fact it's by Yuu Watase!

Source: Bought

My Review
I picked this up because I read Fushigi Yuugi a long time ago, but remembered the great art and storytelling. Here Watase writes a story about a boy, two boys in fact, both named Arata. One is from another fantasy/medieval world where he's framed for murdering the princess. Upon fleeing into the woods, he is transported into our world. In exchange, Arata Hinohara, a bullied high school boy is transfered into the fantasy land. They look so alike that each other's families believe them to be the real Arata.

Of course, this idea to the story really opens it up for some laughs and intriguing plotlines. I like the idea of our world mixed with theirs and what each boy can do to effect our worlds together. Out of the two characters I really connected to Hinohara (the Arata from our world) because he is picked on at school so much that he runs through the alley wishing he could be somewhere else and he ends up in a fantasy land where he's mistaken for a suspected murderer. I found him really charming in his belief that people should be loyal and trustworthy. Arata (the one from the fantasy land) seems more mischievious and funny which plays well against Hinohara.

As for this volume, we only were really introduced to the characters and their new situation. I'm interested to see how this all plays out and what the greater consequences for the princess dying and the switch between the two Aratas.

Of course, I really loved the artwork. I think Watase's attention to detail is so thorough and this really comes out in the fantasy setting. I wish all the artwork was in full color because it would just be so vibrant.

Rating: C+
I think this was a good start to what can be a great manga. I like the idea of the two Arata boys being switched and I like the idea of contrasting worlds. Villains were identified and I can definitely see some issues popping up like: how does Hinohara deal with being mistaken for a guy who's framed for murder? What is the deal with the gods? The magic and mystical aspects of the story need to be developed more but I'm sure we discover that in the next volumes. I recommend this for peope interested in this kind of comedy fantasy and two male protagonists. As for where the story goes, we'll have to wait and see.

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Mega Manga Challenge (4): Fullmetal Alchemist, vol. 2 by Hiromu Arakawa

Title: Fullmetal Alchemist

Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Demographic: Shonen
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist vol. 2
Format: Manga
Pages: 192
Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Adventure
Publication Date: May 22nd, 2002
Publisher: Viz Media
Rating: B+



Summary:
From Goodreads: There are many types of alchemy in the world. Edward's commanding officer, "Flame Alchemist" Roy Mustang, can control fire. Shou Tucker, the "Sewing-Life Alchemist," specializes in the most difficult alchemy of all...biological transmutation, the ability to alter the tissue of living things. But no matter what their power, alchemists are still human. And when a mysterious killer begins stalking state alchemists, no one can escape his vengence...

Note: There may be spoilers for the previous volumes. I'll try to keep them light.

Why did I read this book? I'm heading the Mega Manga Challenge, that's why! Also, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is my favorite anime and that series is based on the manga. So of course, I have to collect and read every one of them!

My Review

Ed and Al's adventure continues in this volume. They are still looking for the Philospher's Stone which will give them the power to get their bodies back. After seeing the anime, I was waiting for the chapter on Nina and Alexander, which is by far my most dreaded story of the whole series. I won't say why, but this chapter really gives the series a sense of danger and consequence. There are some crazy people in this world and alchemy isn't all fun and games. I think this really set the tone for the journey that Ed and Al will go through. In this way I think the Nina and Alexander story is really valuable to the manga as a whole, but man, do I hate Shou Tucker!

Another character we're exposed to is Scar, who is hunting down State Alchemists for reasons unknown. This chapter also carries on the message that not everything done with alchemy is good or even wanted.

I loved the action drawings and of course, I think Hiromu is amazing with the comedic timing. Fullmetal Alchemist can be very serious and dark but it's balanced so well with humor.

Rating: B+
We're introduced to many characters in this volume and you really start to get a feel of the personalities of each and every one. Many are shrouded in mystery, such as Scar and Lust, but it really makes you want to read on. While this book is more dark than the first, I feel like it's a good installment and sets the tone for the story ahead. I love the dark mixed in with the steampunk-ness of the world and the lovability of the two brothers. Definitely worth the read.

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Mega Manga Challenge (3): Arisa, vol. 1 by Natsumi Ando

Title: Arisa
Author: Natsumi Ando
Series: Arisa vol. 1
Demographic: Shojo
Format: Manga
Pages: 208
Genre: School Life, Mystery
Publication Date: October 26th, 2011
Publisher: Del Rey
Rating: B+



Summary:
From Goodreads: Tsubasa thinks that her pretty and popular twin sister, Arisa, has the perfect life. Everyone at school loves Arisa—unlike the hot-tempered Tsubasa, whose nickname is “the Demon Princess.” But when Arisa attempts suicide, Tsubasa learns that her seemingly perfect sister has been keeping some dark secrets. Now Tsubasa is going undercover at school—disguised as Arisa—in search of the truth. But will Arisa’s secrets shatter Tsubasa’s life, too?

Why did I read this book? I thought the art look really good and I wanted a school life/shojo manga to read! Shojo isn't my favorite demographic but I definitely like to get a small fix. :)

My Review

I discovered this manga some time ago before the release date and locked it in my brain because I had a long time to wait until the release date. Then I remembered it a few weeks ago while I was at the bookstore and they happened to have volume 1 (bookstores never have volume 1s)! I snatched it up for my Mega Manga Challenge.

What drew me to this story is the wonderful artwork, but also the "switch" story. Tsubasa trades places with her twin sister Arisa after reuniting with her and finding out her life isn't as perfect as it seems. Arisa has everything: friends, great home life, great grades, popularity, but something is missing after Arisa tries to kill herself. We (and Tsubasa) don't know what the deal with everything is, so she goes undercover as Arisa to her school to find out. I think this concept is actually really fun and different. We have the comedy aspect of Tsubasa trying to get by as Arisa but also the mystery of what is going on at this school.

Some of the mystery is revealed in the later chapters, but I don't want to spoil that. Let's just say the story gets even more mysterious and really left me wanting to read the next volumes to find out what is going on in this high school.

Included in this volume are some great extras. At the beginning there is a article explaining Japanese honorifics (such as using -chan, -sama, etc) and I found that very helpful! I also enjoyed the writer/artist extras at the end. They were very cute and I think these are important in manga, it really allows you to get to know the artist.

Rating: B+
I really liked Arisa. I didn't expect it to be a mystery (I was thinking more just comedy and romance) but there's a certain weight to the plot when students are acting out of character and possibly trying to hurt themselves. I will definitely be reading the next volume to find out what happens. I hope anyone interested in shojo manga with good comedy and a mysterious plot will give this a try!

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Mega Manga Challenge (2): Maximum Ride: The Manga #1

Title: Maximum Ride
Author: James Patterson
Artist: NaRae Lee
Series: Maximum Ride: The Manga #1
Format: Manga
Pages: 192
Genre: Science Fiction
Publication Date: January 6th, 2009
Publisher: Yen Press
Rating: C

Summary
From Goodreads: Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride, better known as Max, knows what it's like to soar above the world. She and all the members of the "flock"--Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel--are just like ordinary kids--only they have wings and can fly. It may seem like a dream come true to some, but their lives can morph into a living nightmare at any time...like when Angel, the youngest member of the flock, is kidnapped and taken back to the "School" where she and the others were experimented on by a crew of wack jobs. Her friends brave a journey to blazing hot Death Valley, CA, to save Angel, but soon enough, they find themselves in yet another nightmare--this one involving fighting off the half-human, half-wolf "Erasers" in New York City. Whether in the treetops of Central Park or in the bowels of the Manhattan subway system, Max and her adopted family take the ride of their lives. Along the way Max discovers from her old friend and father-figure Jeb--now her betrayed and greatest enemy--that her purpose is save the world--but can she?

My Review

Why did I read this book? I had a copy from BEA 2011 and I'm trying to read more manga so I gave it a try!

What I liked: I have mixed feelings about this first volume in the Maximum Ride: The Manga series. The things I like are definitely the interesting science fiction premise: a group of kids genetically altered to have wings and fly. I like the theme of flying and it's rare to find it in books other than American style comic books. For that new perspective I was grateful. I also like the idea of a group of young people on the run from bad guys, who also have mysterious abilities, and also some group of scientists who want to study them. I don't know if the story lived up to it's potential yet, but the foundation is definitely there.

What I didn't like: This manga series is based on a novel series by James Patterson and I don't know if it's because I didn't read those books that I was a little lost in it all, but I found I was trying to come to grips with everything that was happening (or wasn't happening). We aren't revealed a lot about the characters or their past, which I assume is explored in other series, before the action of the plot takes off, so I found it hard to connect with any of them since I didn't know them yet.

I also found the transitions between serious events in the story coupled with cutesy chibi manga-style drawings were a bit odd. I'm not sure if that flowed correctly.

Thoughts on the cover: LOVE the cover. I love that it's a close-up of Max. You can really feel the intensity in her eyes.

Overall Thoughts
It's a decent read but I'm still not convinced. I have the next three issues so I'll be able to find out if my issues get resolved or not. I'm guessing this series is great for readers of the novels, but I can't really say since I haven't. I want to though after reading so much good things about them!

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Mega Manga Challenge (1): Fullmetal Alchmist vol. 1 by Hiromu Arakawa

Title: Fullmetal Alchemist

Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Demographic: Shonen
Format: Manga
Pages: 184
Genre: Steampunk, Science Fiction, Adventure
Publication Date: May 3rd, 2005
Publisher: Viz
Rating: B+



Summary: Dabbling in alchemy carries a price. When brothers Edward and Alphonse played with the mystical power to alter the natural world, they both paid dearly. One lost an arm and a leg; the other became a soul locked into a body of living iron. Now these siblings are slaves of the evil military-alchemical complex, using their unique powers for dire purposes. Fullmetal Alchemist combines powerful graphics with a strong original story line.

My Review

Why did I read this book? This is first day of my Mega Manga Challenge and I wanted to pick a book that had some signficance. You see, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (and also it's predecessor, Fullmetal Alchemist) is my favorite anime. I always wanted to read the manga but never got the chance or the right motivation. I thought it would be a good start to the challenge!

What I liked: This volume begins with Ed and Al (pictured on the cover) traveling to a small town to where they find out a prophet of the sun god Leto has some miraculous abilities, such as bringing thigns back to life. They think he might have something their looking for, the Philosopher's stone, which allows the user to bypass the alchemic laws of equivalent exchange (you can only gain something by giving something of equal value. There's a reason they're after this stone, but I won't say because it would spoil it!

Needless to say, the boys go on many adventures, being that Ed (the blond one) is a State Alchemist. That means he's strong enough in alchemy that he can work for the government. Alchemy is the 'magic' in the story, where alchemists draw a transmutation circle on the ground and use it to transform materials inside that circle into others (such as coal into gold, etc). I really love this idea and think it's pretty awesome. It's a great magic system because there are definite limits (such as equivalent exchange) but also lots of room for creativity. Another aspect I really enjoyed is the steampunk nature of the story. It takes place in what seems to be some kind of industrial era, perhaps in a European like country (can't be sure though) and is full with a bunch of steampunk goodness like automail, trains, and fun gagdets.

Finally, I love the humor. Ed is hilarious in his insecurities (such as being called 'puny') and the way Al plays off of this is great.

What I didn't like: There's not much I didn't like in this first volume.

Thoughts on the cover: Not my favorite but at least it shows the main characters.

Overall Thoughts
This is a must read for anyone interested in shonen manga or adventure stories. It's got humor, great artwork and the beginnings of a great story. We aren't revealed too much about the main plot, but we get a good introduction to some of the main characters. I will definitely be reading the second volume.
 

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Sign Up: Mega Manga Challenge!

Welcome to the Mega Manga Challenge here at starmetal oak book blog. This is a weekly challenge that will hopefully encourage people to read more manga. Anyone can join and you can participate whenever you like.

Here’s a rundown of the challenge:

• Every week on Friday I will post a review to a manga I had read that week.
• Everyone participating is invited to review their manga and post it on their blog and/or a review website.
• I will have a link list on my review and you are invited to add your review link to it!
• If you don't write reviews, you can talk about your manga in the comments.
• If you like to stick to one series for the challenge (since there is often many volumes in a series), that’s fine, or if you want to try many different series, that’s fine too! The point is to just read more!
• Challenge will kick off with my first review on Friday July 22nd and will continue for one year. Yes, if you participate every week, you will have read 52 manga in one year!
• The only rule everyone must follow is that they must read manga!

What is manga, you ask?
Manga are Japanese comics and graphic novels. They have a distinct visual style and the Japanese ones are read backwards (to us, anyways). There are non-Japanese manga published out there but as long as the style is resembles Japanese manga, I say this is okay for this challenge.

So if you are interested in joining the challenge, please add your blog to the linky below! If you don’t have a blog or online profile, just add your name.

Remember: You can join at any time and you don’t have to participate from beginning to end or every single week. Do what’s comfortable to you!

If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me at starmetaloak(at)gmail(dot)com.

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<a href="http://starmetaloak.blogspot.com/2011/07/sign-up-mega-manga-challenge.html"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQT-kFJPgC7aTXW23xS50umjZTaVWb6CZ5eOY06l2Kg9dvf-FVvEFj-TnflKPymDKjtFGySVeeHMtojdFAGa3YYZw1UESvAFCmqq6JWNwmeP5c2ZX190LO3hATe9glQMu_b8N39YTPV2Ex/s1600/mmcbutton.png" /></a>

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