Review: Blood + and Bleach

Blood +- episodes 18-20 (DUBBED)

20 episodes in and we finally find out Saya is a chiropteran, the creature she has been assigned to kill. Other than this “shocking” news, these episodes play out much like the rest of the series. Saya is confronted by a chiropteran, she loses blood, her buddy/stalker is stabbed in the chest, she lies unconscious in the snow, and somehow in the next episode they both survive with no wounds whatsoever. But it appears that they’ll finally introduce a storyline involving the “chevaliers” which have been name dropped a few times before.

The only thing Blood + has going for it right now is the current theme song “Season’s Call” performed by Hyde, the vocalist for L’arc~en~ciel. The show is extremely repetitive with it’s stand-alone style episodes. This is what every episode of Blood + is about, Saya disappears to fight a chiropteran while her adopted brother Kai and Riku search all over for her. For now I’ll let the DVR record more episodes for the chevalier arc but once school starts I’ll probably forget all about this series.

2/5

Bleach- episodes 42-44 (DUBBED)

After volume 17 of the manga I was underwhelmed and stopped reading this series. However since Shonen Jump plans to serialize the manga post-Soul Society arc I decided I should try to catch up and what a great point to restart watching this series. These three episodes focus on one of my favorite characters, Uryu Ishida the quincy. Uryu encounters the captain of 12th squad, Mayuri Kurotshuchi, a Joker looking character, after being recognized as an intruder. What ensues is your typical shonen style fight. Uryu tries to protect his honor as a quincy for his deceased grandfather and Mayuri’s slave while being brutally beaten by the enemy. Of course Uryu taps into latent power and overcomes said bad guy who just barely escapes by turning himself into a liquid.

3.5/5

Review: Trinity Blood

Over the course of the summer, dozens of anime episodes have been accumulating on my DVR.  In the hopes of going through them all before fall semester starts,  I will be posting mini-reviews of each series.  They do not pertain to the series as a whole but to the said episode numbers.  Follow up reviews may or may not occur.

Trinity Blood- episodes 9-11 (dubbed)

Overcount I. The Belfry of Downfall & Overcount II. Lucifer’s Choice. In an unexpected turn of events, Trinity Blood airs episodes that actually advances the plot. In the previous episode Father Abel and Sister Noelle investigate rumors in Barcelona. Noelle tells Abel that she’s always loved him, Abel tells Noelle he has feelings for her. How sweet, romance in the Vatican! And then Noelle dies from invisible sound waves emitted from a cathedral bell. Abel spends this two part episode wondering around with a vacant look on his face. In the meantime, Lady Caterina finds the secret plans that Noelle uncovered in the cathedral at Barcelona for the destructive sound wave device. Having checked all the cathedral bells in Rome, there is only one left, the bell Caterina’s uncle, the Archbishop brought into the Vatican himself. Punished for even questioning the allegiances of her uncle, Caterina is sent into confinement where her uncle reveals his plan to destroy Rome as revenge for not being elected for papacy 5 years ago. Luckily our heroes stop the Archbishop before any more of Rome is destroyed no thanks to Abel who just stands there refusing to kill the enemy for he has sworn never to kill again. Spare me the Rurouni Kenshin philosophy and grow some balls you vampire scum.

From the Empire. Now we return to our regular scheduled stand alone episodes, and here I thought we were making progress. Abel teams up with another agent of the empire, Astharoshe, to hunt down another vampire mass murderer. Astharoshe hates Terrans, what we call humans or muggles, and is still under the impression Abel belongs to that category. To skip a lot of crap, they defeat the vampire who was trying to assassinate his Holyness and Astharoshe discovers she has feelings for Abel. How sweet, romance in the Vatican! Is anyone noticing a pattern here? I’ll continue to watch the show because I want to see how terrible the ending is like everyone says.

2.5/5

Review: Shonen Jump September 2007

On the cover: Naruto strikes a pose for the third month in a row. Remember when I used to complain when Yu-Gi-Oh! was on the cover every other month? I wouldn’t mind so much if they used a secondary character from the series such as Sasuke or even Sakura (*gasp* a girl!). On the back cover, SJ finally gave in and placed an ad for Ball Park Hot Dogs. The previous 56 issues always used the same cover on the back as the front but with altered text in places.

Naruto: 5 chapters!  After denying the title of 5th Hokage, Jiraiya sets out to find the 3rd “great ninja of Konoha legend” (Tsunade if you’re keeping up with the anime on Cartoon Network).  Jiraiya asks if Naruto could accompany him on his travels.  Meanwhile in town, the infamous Uchiha Itachi returns.  Kakashi and fellow ninja academy instructors hold Itachi and his companion at bay but Kakashi is badly wounded from Itachi’s nightmare realm technique.  Kakashi realizes that Itachi has not come back for his brother Sasuke but the 9 tailed fox in Naruto.  Having seen the anime episodes for this a couple months ago, nothing here surprised me.  I was disappointed in the nightmare realm technique which only lasted for a full two pages.  In the anime the technique took up at least five minutes where Kakashi was brutally stabbed by numerous Itachi clones while nailed on a cross in a black and white world.                                  3/5

Bobobo-bo bo-bobo:  Every time I turn the page to see the latest chapter of Bobobo “wiggin out every month” I want to stab my eyes out.  I couldn’t even tell you what this series is about, it makes no sense whatsoever.  However, I will now try to explain this month’s adventure.  Bobobo and company are hanging over a vat of lava, or something, tied to ropes battling other people tied to ropes.  The author tries to imput a “joke” into just about every panel but none of it works at all.  Most embarrassing is Bobobo’s latest ally, Emoboy, a boy with a paperbag for a head who threatens to cut the rope holding him from certain death literally every other page.  The only thing keeping him from killing himself is the word “cookies” to which Emoboy enthusiastically runs to Bobobo.     0/5

Yu Yu Hakusho:  Yusuke and company have just been informed by Genkai about the  latest gateway between the human world and the demon plane.  In time, the gateway will expand large enough so that S Class demons can invade which will lead the Earth to certain doom.  Employing the help of a physic (who has received his special power from the gateway along with many other humans), Yusuke and company finally find the man behind this mess, one who is even more powerful than Toguro.  They have three more weeks until the demon gateway reaches full capacity, Genkai advises them to take that time to train themselves for this greater evil.              4/5

Hikaru no Go:  Always a favorite of mine, Hikaru is battling in the last couple of matches for the Pro test.  Competing against a close friend and fellow insei, Waya, Hikaru gives his all under pressure.  This is the 3rd time Waya is competing in the Pro test and is determined to make it his last.  With Hikaru’s stones surrounded, Waya believes that his time has finally come.  At times HnG is difficult to understand through the Go terminology but ultimately is the most fast paced and readable series in the magazine.              4/5

One Piece: Drum Island! Nami is cured by the old-bat doctor but these three chapters focus mainly on the doc’s helper, Tony Tony Chopper. Chopper is a blue nosed reindeer who has eaten of the devil fruit and can now walk and talk like a normal human being. However, Chopper was never accepted in society by his reindeer peers or the humans. There was only one man who he trusted but even he had to leave Chopper. These events left a hole in his heart which even the witch doctor can’t cure. However, once Luffy finds out about the Chopper’s medical skills he immediately asks him to join his pirate crew. Can Chopper put his trust in another human? 3/5

Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium World: I’m surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed this part of the series so far. Yugi and company travel into the pharaoh’s memories of Egypt to discover his “other self’s” true name. Only when he knows this name can he pass safely to the afterlife. Having found it a couple of issues ago, Yugi can now let him rest in peace but first he needs to battle his other self in a duel! Most importantly Yugi must beat his other self, Atem, it’s his last mission as the person who has put the millennium puzzle together. 4/5

Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: Worthless series added last winter to fill in the gap for the other Yu-Gi-Oh! series which will wrap up in the November issue. For all I know, the GX series is an exact adaptation of the anime on TV. In this issue the headmaster of Obelisk Blue makes Jaden battle close friend Syrus. If Jaden loses, he loses his beloved deck of cards. If Syrus loses, he is expelled from the academy. In this chapter we receive pictures of at least two dozen cards from the game. This is not a manga, this is an advertisement with no heart. 0/5

Closing thoughts: Being the 3rd month of SJ Evolution, I’ve never been so disappointed in this magazine. A year ago I would’ve never thought that there would be not just 1 but 2 manga in the magazine that I absolutely hate. The full chapter previews that were present in the magazine for years for their straight to graphic novel line-up have all disappeared. They love to advertise them and even place pictures of them on the cover but the most we ever get are a one page write up of Kurohime in the back of the magazine which I could’ve easily found on wikipedia. At this point, I’m only reading to keep up with Hikaru no Go, Yu Yu Hakusho and the end of Millennium World. Hopefully with the inclusion of Bleach later this year, the magazine will be re energized, let not the death of Shaman King be in vein!

Panic! at the Kwik-e-mart (part 1)

As most of you know, a handful of 7-11 convenience stores in America have been given the Kwik-e-mart treatment as promotion for The Simpsons movie. The select few have been decked out in Kwik-e attire with Simpsons movie paraphernalia and cutouts surrounding the store. The merchandise, which is available in most 7-11 stores, includes Krusty-O’s cereal, squishees, Buzz Cola, a Radioactive Man comic book, and the authentic movie donut among others. This past weekend we decided to head out to the Chicago-land location. Following are some pics my brother took of the store. Later in the week I’ll post some pics of the merchandise I bought. For a store locater click here.

A cloth covering with the Kwik-e-Mart logo is draped over the original 7-11 sign.

Yes, there was a line to get into the store.  If you would’ve asked me a year ago if I’d ever see myself waiting outside to get into a convenience store I would’ve said no.  Luckily we were the first in line when we got there so we didn’t have to wait long, the line eventually grew longer.

Close-up of Milhouse and Bart enjoying their Buzz Cola and Squishee.

All the merchandise was literally in the front of the store facing the window next to the line.  A good place for shoplifters.  Most of the above merchandise could be found at your local mall- talking pens, chess set, beer openers, bobble heads, pencils.  On the bottom was the quickly selling out Krusty-O’s cereal which I bought (glorified fruit loops by the way).

The Slurpee machine was renamed “Squishee” just like in the show.  They’re selling special edition 20oz (?) Squishee cups with various Simpsons characters on them.

I have no idea who that kid is.  I made a special effort to not post any pics with me in it. Behind him are the movie donuts, the frosting tastes like strawberry milkshake.

Homer enjoying a Big Bite.

Apu advertising Krusty-O’s behind a counter of cigarettes.  Good role model for the kiddies.

This seems like a nice pic to end this entry in.

Disney’s Kilala Princess volume 1

Title: Kilala Princess volume 1

Art: Nao Kodaka

Story: Rika Tanaka

Publisher: Tokyopop 

Growing up, I remember my mother bought a pair of “Disney Princesses” dresses for my sister from the Disney Store to wear on Sundays and/or other “special” occasions.  There’s still a picture of her as “Snow White” hanging in the living room.  While I was browsing the shelfs at the local library a week ago I came across this graphic novel, Kilala Princess, a story much like Kingdom Hearts where random anime looking characters go on an adventure and bump into several Disney characters along the way.

Kilala, just like my sister (who vehemently rejected this comic when I handed it to her), grew up watching and admiring all the Disney Princesses.  Her cute and adorable best friend Erica is in the running to win the school’s prized Princess Contest whose winner gets to wear the beloved tiara on display.  Yes, Kilala wants the tiara but she is not jealous, she only worries that her best friend will not have the time for her anymore.  What follows is a very romantic looking glare between the two but hold up! this is a Disney comic! can’t have any lesbian characters!

Kilala returns home only to find a mythical looking boy lying on her front lawn.  He wakes up in her bed only to find her wearing the mystical looking tiara he brought with him! The boy, Rei, and his friend Valdou has come to find the 7th princess, the true owner of the tiara who can save their world from destruction!  Kilala just knows that they’re talking about Erica and so they run to her school to the Princess Contest in the auditorium.  Just as Kilala expected, her best friend won but they can’t find her.  She hears a scream and runs to the back of the school only to find men in black dragging Erica into a car.  Apparently, Kilala isn’t the only one to suspect Erica a princess!

They follow the car into the forest where they encounter a gate that Kilala has seen before.  She places the tiara on her head and it opens for her.  What’s the first thing that she sees? The 1st Disney Princess, Snow White! Although Kilala and company have been transformed into dwarves, she is thrilled to meet her idol.  Not wanting to waste anytime, Rei and Kilala remember their mission and decide the “magic mirror” in the Snow White castle will tell them where to find Erica.  Will the mirror tell them where the fairest of all was taken or will they too be captured?

Unlike the movies that inspired this story, Kilala Princess is no masterpiece.  However it does have that Disney charm not to mention Disney characters themselves.  It succeeds where other Disney manga like Kingdom Hearts fails.  The shoujo style characters give an emotional depth to the characters that you wouldn’t expect.  Considering the title of this series, I think it’s safe to say that Kilala is the true 7th Princess our journeyers are searching for but you never know.  Maybe just like my sister, Kilala is pretending to be the princesses that she admires.  In either cases, Kilala isn’t in this to find the princess of the magical kingdom, she just wants to see her friend safe and at home.

Rating: 3/5

Read a preview here.

Train Man (novel)

Title: Train Man

Author: Hitori Nakano

Publisher: Del Rey

Sorry. I may end up betraying you guys. Little did he know that soon after he’d post these words on a famous message board, his life and the lives of fellow geeks would soon change forever. Train Man’s story is deceptively simple, geek meets girl, falls in love, and then back to the internet to ask for “advice.” Train Man’s story is told in it’s online format, similar to how it would look if you pulled out a random message board thread out of a google search.

One day, the man soon to be named Train noticed an old drunk harassing a group of women on you guessed it…a train. Culling up all his energy, the young man confronted said drunk. Soon after, Train and the ladies file police reports and claim Train a hero. Thinking nothing of this event other than wasting the lovely girls time at the station, he went home. Soon after he receives a package in the mail from one of the girls. In it is a set of two tea cups. After reporting the day’s events on the message board he soon finds out these cups, the Hermes brand, are very expensive. Not knowing what to do he asks his netizens what exactly does this mean. Is “Hermes” interested in him? Surely she wouldn’t waste so much money on him if not! After gathering words of wisdom from the board, he finally decides to break his years of silence and call a girl.  Train returns later to inform the board that he has indeed arranged a meeting with “Lady Miss Hermes.”

Originally planning only to thank Hermes for the cups, Train develops feelings for her and consults the board on everything from how to wear his hair and what clothes are fashionable.  Train receives a next date by asking to be her “dinner buddy” to try out new and different restaurants in downtown Tokyo after her other friend moved on.  Soon enough, Hermes and Train email each other constantly and Train is beginning to wonder if she has feelings for him as well.  Amidst all this drama, the geeks on the forum encourage Train on although they know that he may be leaving their ranks soon.  They have seen Train transform from a reluctant recluse who’s afraid to leave his computer to a strong young man with a Hermes by his side.

Train Man is based off a real story that has spawned a movie, several manga, and a TV series.  Outside of the TV series, this novel is the last of the property to hit America.  The message board that Train posts on is called 2 channel, where users can post anonymously. These anonymous posts often drag the story down since we can’t attribute the “advice” to anyone.  This in effect only allows Train and Hermes any spotlight.  This novel is an abridgment of the original threads as can be seen by the headlines of the posts left intact.  This has made the story rather one sided as we only see the ones helping and encouraging Train.  There are some disbelievers but all the posts are positive.  There are mentions of “bombings” but we generally have no idea what these people are referring to other than “When’s Train entering the thread?  I have a feeling he’s going to drop a bomb on us!”  I have a tough time believing that someone can just enter a forum and be loved by everyone.

Del Rey opted to use the British translation for this release which will leave many Americans confused.  The famous word otaku is left as the British word “anorak,” a term used for a _____ geek (Star Wars anorak, anime anorak, etc.).  Another thing that amused me is that although this is based off real events, Del Rey for some reason included the “Train Man is a work of fiction” disclaimer at the beginning of the novel. The content for the most part is readable however there is still some slang I still don’t understand after googling (wtf benwah?)

Although not as exciting as watching these events play out in real time on your computer, Train Man offers a lot to everyone.  It’s the classic story of the geek who is able to get the girl through hard work and dedication.  The format although hard to understand for internet illiterates, is a welcome change for the rest of us.  This is truly a breeze to read.  I also marvel at all the smilies and symbol figures that these people have come up with (most can’t be typed by a QWERTY keyboard) ranging from cat faces to bomb shelters to various other cartoon characters.  Train Man is truly a story for the internet-generation.

Rating: 4/5 

300 X BECK

I recently found this AMV whilst browsing youtube.  It takes the trailer from 300 and mashes it with scenes from BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad.  Now I’m aware, which anime haven’t they done it for?  Anyway I was amused and amazed that this is only this guys first video (so he says).

new review tomorrow!

After School Nightmare volume 1

Title: After School Nightmare volume 1

Author: Setona Mizushiro

Publisher: Go! Comi 

Imagine yourself as a freshman in high school, all the girls are falling for your mysterious looks.  You can’t walk down the hallway without groups of cuties chatting about you in anxious whispers.  You can have any one of these girls except one morning you’re taking a shower and have your first…period.  Such is the life of Ichijo Mashiro, the first hermaphaditic manga character I’ve ever been introduced to.

Mashiro goes to a very special school.  He/she realizes that someone mysteriously vanishes every so often and that no one notices until much after the fact.  One day  after school Mashiro is approached by the school nurse who explains that all students must complete a “special” course in order to graduate.  Not having a choice, Mashiro follows the lady to the basement infirmary, unaware the school even had a basement.  Here he encounters a room with draped beds on both sides and is instructed to sit.  Here he encounters his first after school nightmare…

After his first class, he is informed he must come once a week after school to experience his worst nightmare.  He and several of his classmates are to meet in this nightmare and look for the “key.”  This key is the way out of the nightmare and graduation.  Students are instructed to do whatever necessary to find this key, even killing.  Each student wears a necklace with three beads.  Every time the person receives emotional or physical damage, a bead breaks.  Once all three beads break, the nightmare is over and you are to come back the following week to experience it all over again.  In this nightmare, the person does not assume their true form but what their soul looks like.  Mashiro, unaware whether he is a boy or girl appears in his normal school attire but with a skirt on the lower half of his body.

After his first nightmare, Mashiro meets Kureha, the girl from the dream who stabbed him to death with an umbrella.  He soon finds out her traumatic past that has led her to mistrust all men and that memory which she is forced to endure every class.  Kureha however figured out that Mashiro is indeed half-woman so she feels comfortable around him and soon they are the most gossiped couple in school.  Mashiro also bumps into Sou, a man with a heart of steel who sleeps with fellow classmates for fun in the nursing room.  Sou is rumored to be the black night in the after school nightmare and figures not all is right down there in Mashiro’s pants.  After being paired for after school duties, Sou decides to make a move on Mashiro.

After School Nightmare presents an unsettling mix of yaoi and yuri. Mashiro, who is half man, half female on the bottom is in the middle of a future love triangle with Kureha and Sou.  Kureha and Mashiro of course being part/all female and Sou and Mashiro being part/all male.  Being the straight male that I am, yaoi pretty much freaks me out and when I see Sou leaning over for the kill I can’t help but cringe.  I can’t even take comfort in “lesbian” relationship between Mashiro and Kureha because Mashiro is half male and that’s just not hot.

However, the strength of After School Nightmare is not in the yaoi or yuri? battle but in the artwork.  I was previously introduced to Setona Mizushiro with the now out of print manga X-Day from Tokyopop. X-Day is a shojo style series regarding three children and a teacher who meet in an online forum and decide to blow up the school.  After School Nightmare retains the same shojo style characters in a nightmarish world.  One of the most intriguing characters in the “nightmare” world is the girl with a hole in her face.  Mashiro soon learns her true identity and the face that the girl lost after realizing she spent her whole life living up to other’s expectations.  She now has no idea who she is once free from entrance exam pressures.

 After School Nightmare is definitely one of the more unique manga series I’ve bumped into.  If I didn’t find out this was from the same author as X-Day or recommended it, I doubt that I would’ve ever picked up this series from the shelf.  Not that I read any yaoi or doujinshi, but I highly doubt anyone has released a story starring a hermaphrodite in the states at least.  The yaoi scenes do disturb me and this may impair me in new volumes in the future.  I have already decided to check out volume 2 but if the yaoi scenes become stronger I will have to axe this series.  Currently I am excited to see how Mashiro exits this nightmare world.

Rating: 4/5 

 

Earthlight volume 1

Title: Earthlight volume 1 

Written by: Stuart Moore

Illustrated by: Christopher Schons  

Publisher: Tokyopop 

Normally on a space colony when one wishes to ask a girl out they would say “would you like to take a walk in the solar park?” or “want to play around in zero gravity?” What does 15 year-old Damon Cole say?  “Do you cut your arms?” That’s right, step into the world of Earthlight, a space colony with the same cliched and terribly executed drama that you’d find on your daytime soaps on Earth.

Damon has just moved to the space colony Earthlight so that his African American father and British mother could move out of the repression of Earth and have a better life.  Damon’s mother happens to be Earthlight’s education instructor which causes him to be the butt of the punk student’s jokes and abuse.  He soon meets a “mysterious” girl who just so happens to be on the receiving end of her punk boyfriend’s hand.  Will Damon convince Lise to leave her boyfriend to go out with him?

Damon’s father who is the newly appointed chief administrator of Earthlight tells Damon that he must work out his problems by himself.  Xan, the abusive boyfriend dares Damon to climb the observatory before the sunlight reaches the colony.  To do so would be extremely dangerous and if caught, Damon and his family may be forced off the colony and abdicate the positions they fought so hard for.  Nevertheless, Damon accepts the dare and climbs to the top hoping that Xan will get off his back if he completes the task.  In the end Xan plans to pummel Damon after Lise leaves him however is met with an unfortunate fate when they lose track of what time it is.  Having to leave the colony for medical reasons, Xan is officially out of their lives.

The first volume ends with Damon missing the school field trip to the power satellites due to a cold.  During the trip Damon’s mother does something very out of character that will effect the future of manned space exploration.  It’s hard to say whether I actually liked this first volume.  Christopher Schon’s artwork is beautifully detailed, anything that reminds me of Planetes is a plus.  However, the story meanders too much and is quite predictable until the last chapter.  On the other hand it’s standard fare to include terrorism in any manga influenced sci-fi novel.  As Damon’s father says, if Earthlight doesn’t improve in the next volume, “they can kiss my black ass!”

 Rating: 2/5
read a preview here.

Free Comic Book Day

Every year on the first Saturday of May I make my yearly trip to the comic book store for Free Comic Book Day. My brother and I hit up two stores after seeing the new Spider-man movie, the one he always goes to and the one that’s on my way to work that I never actually visited, also the one where someone apparently got shot. The first one was rather busy but the second only a few people. It was a little creepy how only half the store was lit. All in all I picked up six comics for absolutely nothing.

The Amazing Spider-Man

It’s been weeks since Peter Parker has had the opportunity to don the spidey suit. With new heroes springing up, there seems to be no need for the spidey vigilante. Ready to surprise Aunt May with a birthday cake, Peter willingly partakes in a high speed car chase to end his post-hero blues. Spider-Man captures our short-term villain, a huge Spider-Man fan with spidey bobble heads on his dash, and leaves him to the cops. A short sweet one-shot that was conveniently used to promote Spider-Man 3. 3.5/5

Marvel Adventures: Iron Man & Hulk

Iron Man: A short one shot story of the Invincible Iron Man, Stark International’s head of security. An employee, who is trying to sell his new rejected innovation breaks into headquarters to steal supplies only to be thwarted by Iron Man! 2.5/5

Hulk: On a contruction site, a large spider attacks a little girl. Bruce can feel the Hulk breaking free, “no one can hold Hulk!” What ensues is an eight page battle which culminates in Hulk finally squashing the spider. Haha I’ve never actually read any Hulk comics but this was absolutely ridiculous. “Oh no big spider! I am Hulk! Arghh!!!” So simple but effective. 3/5

Transformers Movie Prequel

Gawww my eyes. Who knew that reading this comic book would be worse than looking at the character designs for the upcoming movie? Nothing much happens in this short prequel to the prequel. It briefly tells of the start of the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. Every couple pages they’ll have a complete panel or panels completely in black and white. I don’t know if they just didn’t have time to finish painting it or if this is some new form of retro art. 2/5

Devil’s Due Publishing: Flipbook

Family Guy: This is a short preview from the recent graphic novel release “Book of crap.” Peter tells what being a good parent is while introducing his kids to internet porn and assigning a fat Mexican to “fill-in” for him at work. 3/5
Hack/Slash: DDP’s second FCBD offering. The introduction to a brutal horror story of a young girl whose mother, the lunch lady, kills all her daughter’s bullies in the kitchen. Rather disgusting and has very foul language. 1.5/5

It’s Sonic!! It’s amazing how many issues this series has under its belt and yet I’ve never felt the need to pick up a copy. Now’s as good a time as any! Eggman has implanted an electronic device in Sonic so that he destroys his friends and allies. Tails and the gang sets out to literally knock the bug off of Sonic. Predictably the day is saved and Eggman retreats with his tail in between his legs. 2/5

Tokyopop: Choose Your Weapon Sampler

First off, it’s important to note that this sampler contains no manga whatsoever. 3 of the series contained are manwha (Korean) and the other 2 American, the whole sampler is read left to right. That being said I don’t understand how this this is called “Choose your weapon” where the only weapon used in 4/5 of the stories is a sword! That being said lets move on:
Archlord: Having read the first volume already at the library, I have concluded this is the best series in this sampler. In this preview, our hero meets an elegant Lady after preparing his freshly butchered pig for dinner. 4/5

Gyakushu: Our American manga stars a nameless man who is bandaged from head to toe. This man takes up his sword to protect a villager in danger in this high action paced preview 3.5/5

Phantom: spends most of its preview in character introduction. K is a mech pilot for the city police whose technology is not up to the par to the terroists that they chase. In the end K is called to pilot his mech whose character designs are almost as terrible and confusing as Gundam Seed Destiny’s 2.5/5

Utopia’s Avenger: “Nonstop martial arts action!” Hong Gil-Dong has created an Utopian land but then disappears. Years later he returns to fight the invaders who has left the land in ruins. Our hero fights a large demonic monster in a rather confusing albeit entertaining battle sequence. 3/5

Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy: From the manwha artist of King of Hell and Richard A. Knaak, New York Times best selling author. With such stars behind this I expected to find something more…understandable. Then again I know next to nothing about Warcraft in itself. For the second preview in a row we get our heroes battling some huge king of mythic beast. Artwise the best in this sampler. 2.5/5

Overall another excellent Free Comic Book Day. Even if the comics weren’t all up to par who cares, it was free! Can’t wait till next year. Hopefully more manga publishers will step into the game.