Review: Oremio - Vol. 4

One of my favorite manga’s returns this week and I have to admit I was still a bit nervous going into this volume. On the last volume I noted that the tone and translation of the series had better fit the first volume compared to the second volume. As much as I enjoy this series, the translation for the second volume was pretty bad. It begged the question, which volume will number four take after. Thankfully, it’s very similar to the third volume which made for a great read. There’s a great overlap in this issue from the cliffhanger in the last. Kirino and gang have bumped in to her friend Ayase. The catch of course is that Ayase doesn’t know about Kirino’s Otaku lifestyle or about her friends. She shoots Kyousuke a look to help her out of the situation, but he fails at saving her. The results of the scene are that her new friends pretend not to know her and are subsequently mad at her, and her relationship with Ayase is damaged due to her lies and hobby.

The rest of the issue is spent with Kyousuke trying to help repair Kirino and Ayase’s relationship. While it’s interesting and fun to read, there isn’t much else to say about it. It’s more interesting to discover what Kyousuke comes up with to get them back together than anything else.

The story is fine and while you’re reading it, it doesn’t drag or feel daunting to read. The thing is I doubt I would re-read the volume again. It doesn’t have any cutesy moments or over the top comedy that would be worth experiencing a second time. It basically spends most of the story revealing and clarifying some people’s stance on Otakus. It’s interesting in that regard, but not so much that I would want to read Ayase’s lopsided view-point again. Her character is at least interesting as she won’t except Kirino’s hobby and has a better reason than just, “it’s weird” or “I don’t get it.”

The translation as I said in the beginning is more in line with the third/first volume of the series. There is swearing, but it doesn’t hit you over the head with it like the second volume. We’re three for four so unless the next volume changes it up again I doubt I’ll need to mention this again. I felt it was worth pointing out since there really was some doubt in my mind about how it would turn out this time around.

The art continues to be fantastic. I really love the style of this series and the over the top cute nature of the female characters. The range of emotions for the characters in this volume is wide. There is something just wonderful about the art style. Sure most manga are structure the same way and I could even compare the structure of this series to that of Blood+C which is a completely different genre. The thing is that the style and format have been locked down to the point of perfection and you really can’t argue with that.

I dug this volume and I hope that Dark Horse locks down the rights for future volumes and that they continue to roll them out whenever they’re ready. Obviously the burden of the project is on the Japanese creators, but I think with the popularity of this series the future looks pretty bright. Since I don’t have another volume to read I guess I’ll just have to go watch the second series of the anime.

Score: 3/5

Story: Tsukasa Fushimi Artist: Sakura Ikeda Translation: Michael Gombos Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $10.99

Review: Blood Blockade Battlefront Vol. 4

This volume actually came out last week, but I didn’t have time to get to it. It’s a shame because I really enjoyed it as it took a break from the heavier story elements and developed the characters and structure of the world more. My one and only gripe is that I wish Leo’s character was given more kick ass moments like in the first two volumes, but I’m hopeful that it’s coming soon. What I really enjoy about this series is the fluctuating structure of the story. Sometimes the first story can last almost the entire issue while other times it can be over and done with rather quickly. It’s a great mix up. Instead of having a feeling for where and when the story is going to end, it will often times continue. This is honestly refreshing when you read as many comic as I do. American comic books stick tightly to their formulas and it can often time make reading an average issue very dull as the reveals almost always hit on the same page.

The bulk of the story is spent with the first story which is about Zap being kidnapped. He calls Klaus to come save him which is a rare thing for Klaus to do. He asks Leo to escort him to the location, but upon arriving they discover that Zap is being held at an underground fighting arena. Klaus is forced to fight in order to save him and gets into the heat of things very quickly. I’m going to leave the rest for you to read since this is the bulk of the issue and it’s basically just kick ass fights.

The second story was actually very interesting as it revealed a lot about Klaus’ past. He’s apparently royalty or something and his butler is also his body-guard. When his butler is injured a stand-in is sent in his place. The new butler is young and arrogant and has plenty to prove, but even more to learn. It’s kind of a sad story in some ways, but it all works out in the end while setting the stage for more tales to come and really a bigger world outside of Jerusalem’s Lot.

I like this issue because it hit the brakes on the series and didn’t focus on Vampires and crazy monsters looking to destroy Jerusalem’s Lot and take over the world. Instead it was like, “hey remember how cool and kick ass these characters are? Let’s spend some time with a few of them.” It was just a good change of pace, but one that didn’t come across as filler. That would be bad. Instead the issue really does come across as Klaus’ issue as we learn about his past which only serves to make him more interesting. The writing is strong and the dialogue is very sharp.

The art is of course fantastic. Nightow’s style and structure is different from most manga. In my review for the fourth volume of Oreimo, I pointed out that the structure to most manga is the same regardless of the genre. That’s not true here, but I think the amount of detail is what plays into Nightow’s unique structure. It really comes across as there not being enough room on the page for him to show you what he wants. Just imagine that; he has complete control over the layout and visuals and yet there isn’t enough space for him to give you everything he sees. It’s fantastic to look at and yet he reins himself in to make sure that the art doesn’t over power the story.

This series was strange at first, but it’s quickly become one of my favorite manga’s of all time. The characters and world are so unique that I can’t help but enjoy every page, but then more impressively is the gorgeous art that’s ridiculously detailed. If you’re a fan of manga or even just fantasy stories, then check out Blood Blockade Battlefront.

Score: 4/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Yasuhiro Nightow Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $12.99 Release Date: 9/4/13

Review: Oreimo – Vol. 3

While the first two volumes of this series were actually parts of the story that I had already experienced from watching the Anime, this third volume contains new scenes to enjoy for the first time. I can see why this chapter was mostly cut from the Anime because there is another volume/episode later on that’s very similar, but I still think it’s an entertaining issue that adds to the character development of the series. Also I wanted to start by addressing the translation of this volume. In the last volume the characters swore so much that it was a harsh shift from the first volume and felt very out of place within the context of the story. It was literally distracting at times because it stood out so much. In this volume the swearing is next to zero and while I’m not against some, the reading experience was much better because of it. I don’t doubt that there’s swearing in the series, but I think that the structure of the two languages doesn’t lend itself to the inclusion of the swearing in the English version. Hopefully, the series will stay on this track and not bounce back to the way the second volume read. I started with this because I was excited by the fact that it was so improved from the last volume.

The story for this volume actually focuses on Kyosuke and Manami which I doubt I’m alone when I say, is a very enjoyable part of the overall story. After Manami invites Kyosuke over after school, Kyosuke’s class friend Akagi asks him about his and Manami’s relationship. Because of how close they are and the fact that everyone but Kyosuke can see Manami’s feelings for him, Akagi asks if they’re together and what Kyosuke would do if she did go with another guy.

After school the story introduces us to Manami’s family including her grandfather and grandmother and her younger brother. Parts of this scene are actually used later in the Anime, but fit better here in the Manga. They are nothing like Kyosuke’s very serious family and each one of them is quite a character. The interesting thing about this entire scene is that Kyosuke is actually quite flirty with Manami even if he’s apparently unaware of it. After they’re done Manami walks Kyosuke out and they bump in to one of his sister’s friends. There’s a bit of awkwardness after the girl leaves and Manami begins to avoid Kyosuke at school. Eventually he must go to Kirino for advice on how to make up with Manami.

It’s kind of a simple volume, but as I said there’s a lot of character development for Kyosuke and especially Manami who was a very hollow character in the Anime. The rest of the issue is spent at the comic convention which if you’re familiar with the Anime, you can look at it as an expansion on that scene. It’s definitely different and I have to say I enjoyed the Manga version more.

The volume’s pacing is spot one with this volume and makes for a story that you can’t put down once you start. The other great thing about the story for this issue is the fact that if you’ve only experienced the Anime, you actually have new material to read that adds to the enjoyment.

The art is great in this issue, but I did feel as if there were a lot of wide open panels. I know that’s a style of the genre in Manga, but at times it seemed as if it would have been better just to have a full page splash and dialog running over it from top to bottom rather than several empty panels. The quality of the art was still fantastic and scenes between Kyosuke and Manami can only be described as cute. Manami is billed at “the plain character” and yet everything she does is adorable and makes her shine above all the other female characters in the series.

This is a great break from the overall story of help Kirino become an Otaku while repairing our bond as siblings. While that story is great and very different from a lot of other stories out there, it’s nice to have these other issues that take a break from that and show the world how it’s normally function as rather than the extreme that the series usually functions at for the sake of drama. Overall, this was a nice adaptation and has me looking forward yet again to the next chapter.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Tsukasa Fushimi

Artist: Sakura Ikeda

Translation: Michael Gombos

Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Price: $10.99

Release Date: 6/26/13

Review: Blood-C – Vol. 2

After the first volume of this series I was really looking forward to this volume and while it didn’t disappoint, it did confuse the hell out of me. I think it was supposed to confuse the hell out of me, but even still I think it did too good of a job. In the last issue we were left with a hell of a cliff hanger as Nene was about to be attacked by one of the ancient ones. Saya saves her in the nick of time, but they’re not out of the clear yet. Elsewhere, Nono feels that there is something wrong. Frankly, I found it a bit suspicious that the inseparable twins were suddenly apart. Back at the battle Saya is doing her best to get Nene out of danger and get to her sword, but the ancient one is messing her up pretty good. Here’s where it gets confusing and you’ll have to excuse the spoilers because it’s going to be hard to talk about anything without them.

Saya gets stabbed in the back and that’s when things get sketchy. Eventually she makes it to the sword and as she reassures Nene the ancient one picks her up and kills her. Saya freaks out and begins attacking it, but then suddenly we follow her father as he comes into the room and finds Saya passed out and the ancient one dead. Saya regains consciousness for a second and sees the strange-looking dog from before starring at her. She wakes up in her bed and the café owner comes to feed her, she heads back to bed and dreams of Nene. The next time she takes off to school, her father has her take her sword with her which is strange. She heads to school and finds out that Nene and Nono are both missing and that school is cancelled in the meantime.

On the way home she runs into the weird-looking dog that begins to talk to her. She’s not too surprised, but the conversation is cut short when Nono appears. As Saya calls her Nono she jumps at her and asks how she knew it was her when she’s wearing her hair like Nene. She asks why she couldn’t save Nene, which is information that she really shouldn’t have. They struggle and Saya’s sword falls out and suddenly Nono has a power of her own. She attacks and engulfs two nearby women with a black shadow looking aura that’s pouring from her. Saya attacks Nono, but the question soon becomes: Is Saya just a killer and has she killed two of her closest friends?

What’s confusing about this volume is that it’s not 100% clear that everything that’s happening is real. Because Saya continues to pass out, I was left with the impression that nothing was real. After all, Nene and Nono were introduced as supporting characters and it seems really strange to kill them off so quickly. Also there are other fatalities in the issue and if this all sticks then the entire first volume is out the window already. I liked that there was a mystery, but I’m just not sure what is real and not real at this point. Perhaps that’s the point though since Saya is going through the same feelings, but the reader should get a bit more substance in an instance like this.

With that said, I couldn’t put this book down. One of the things I said about the first volume was that I read it incredibly fast due to the format. I’m pretty sure that I read this issue even faster. Also, since I was confused if there was a dream sequence or not, I really pushed through making sure to read every detail before moving on. There’s a chance I missed something, but I doubt it since what’s on the page is pretty straight forward. All in all the writing is very good and the flow of the story perfect. I’ve never read a manga faster nor have I been so emerged in the world at the same time.

The art is still gorgeous, but the scenes that Saya passes out are (broken record here) confusing. It didn’t hurt the quality of the art, but rather made the visual harder to stand on its own. The art style is terrific though and the black and white style is very strong. The action doesn’t flow as well in this issue and I think that’s mainly due to page restraints, but it was still better than most US comics. Saya’s character design is still cute as hell… which is really a duh statement, but whatever.

Even though I’m a bit lost on this series at the moment I would still recommend picking it up, you may not have the same reading experience or you might just benefit from my own experience. I’m looking forward to the next volume more than I was looking forward to this one and might even cheat and watch the Anime to get ahead and see what to expect. If you like monster hunting manga’s starring a cute yet strong female lead then definitely check out this series, but start with the first volume.

Score: 4/5

Story/Adaptation and Artist: Ranmaru Kotone

Translated: Philip R. Simon

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $12.99

Release Date: 6/5/13

Review: The Immortal - Demon in the Blood #3

You will read this book for the last seven pages and love it and hate it for where it ends. Regrettably, that makes for a really short review. I feel that you should probably already be reading this series at this point and if you’re not then you can start any time digitally. This translated piece of work has been handled with care by Dark Horse and it’s worth it for any fan of period pieces set in Japan. We open with Houshou giving a beautiful tattoo to a beautiful woman. It’s their last session and she’s being rather ostentatious with him as she offers her body freely to him; as beautiful as she is he declines telling her that his life, much like hers in not his own to do with. Meanwhile, his adopted sister Natsu is having tea with the man who killed Houshou’s sister, he’s also suspected to be the Yokohama Lady-Killer be this is all unbeknownst to her. He makes a crude joke suggesting to Natsu that he is the killer which turns the conversation on to a strange path. Finally though, Houshou and Natsu are reunited as he visits her at school. After her conversation with the supposed Lady-Killer she confronts Houshou about being in her life anymore. She confesses her love to him and how that love has turned to hate and despise.

The second issue wasn’t the strongest issue for sure, but the third is much better. Since this story was originally published as one complete work and is now being broken into four pieces, it leaves part of the story reliant upon content that isn’t there. You literally could not pick this book up and get a full experience from just one issue. It would make sense and the translation includes enough of a recap that it would leave you scratching your head, but you really need the full experience to appreciate the story.

The art and writing are still very strong and frankly there isn’t much you can say after reviewing two other issues. Again, because it was originally one volume, the art doesn’t change or vary the way it typically would in a monthly series. Rather it’s a very consistent product that’s easy on the eyes and full of rich detail. If you missed the start of the series just buy them digitally or track them down in the back issue bin, it’s worth it.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Fumi Nakamura Script: Ian Edginton Pencils: Vicenc Villagrasa Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 2/29/12

Review: The Immortal - Demon in the Blood #2

It’s nearly twenty-five years after our first issue and yet Amane has still yet to age. Times have changed and yet Amane is still living in the same place doing the same profession. He’s just finished with a client as a young woman approaches him drenched from the rain. She asks him his name, but he claims to be Enma Houshou. He sends the woman off, but she calls to him through his door about her father. He’s the man who once threatened Amane’s life if he ever saw him again. Taking pity on the girl he invites her into his home, but still pretends not to be who he actually is. The girl explains that her father has been arrested based on some trumped-up charges. It looks like Amane’s side won the war after all and now his once friend is looked down upon. Amane agrees to help her father and the two head down to the police station he’s being held at. It's little help as the officers on duty are corrupt with power and refuse to release her father. Amane calls upon a favor from a man he helped with his own Oni tattoo and sure enough they get the girl’s father released.

This issue is a double-sided sword; on one hand it’s very good, but totally relies upon you having read the first issue. This is more than likely due to the fact that it’s being cut into four issues from its original graphic novel format. Even still I really enjoyed this issue and especially the steam punk technology that they added subtlety throughout the issue. Even though it’s a period piece, that little element makes it stand out. Better still is the fact that no one acknowledges the technology or tries to explain the how’s and why’s behind it.

There’s not much to say about this issue other than the fact that it was very good, very enjoyable and has gotten its hooks even deeper into me. I truly enjoy the setting and the plot device driving the story. The next issue especially looks promising as the stage is set for even more tragedy. Also it’s worth noting that each chapter seems to take on a different genre, which makes the next issue even more interesting. If you enjoyed the first issue then you’ll like this one just as much, but if you missed it you’ll need to pick it up digitally to know what you’re missing.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Ian Edginton Artist: Vincenc Villagrasa Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 1/25/12

Review: The Immortal - Demon in the Blood #1

I’ll basically say that I’m a sucker for the samurai genre. I’ll give anything a shot, but I’m very picky about what I like and don’t like; there are no free passes. That being said I’m also a sucker for Highlander and this book raised all the hairs on the back of my neck when it combined the two of them together! That’s essentially the genre gist of the book, but not the story. The story opens with a samurai defending himself against three men he’s calling brother, they on the other hand are calling him a traitor and spy. The man, Amane finds himself mortally wounded from the battle and crashed in front of a tattoo artist’s home. The tattoo artist comes out and informs the man that he’s on death’s door, but the man begs him to save him. Two days later the man wakes up and wonders how he’s still alive. The tattoo artist explains that he tattooed an Oni demon into the man that gives him near invincibility/immortality.

The man freaks out not knowing what to do about the demon inside of him. The tattoo artist informs him that the authorities are looking for him and asks him to stay on as his apprentice. Years pass and the tattoo artist becomes very ill. He reveals that he had another apprentice once that became overwhelmed by his Oni soon became a murderer. He says that the old apprentice would cut the hearts out of his victims and consume the heart. This sounds suspiciously like the way that Amane’s sister died which plunged his life into chaos to begin with.

I really feel like I didn’t do this story justice in my review, but I will say that this is a very good book with a strong concept and great pacing. You spend enough time with the characters that these gaps in their past or missing chunks of their story really don’t matter. There are a lot of books adapted for the US market from Japan and frankly a lot of them suck. Sure there are those long running series that everyone seems to get into, but gems like this tend to slip through the cracks.

Thankfully Dark Horse adapted this from the novel Ura-Enma by Fumi Nakamura and did a fantastic job of making it work in the US format. The translation is smooth and makes sense from beginning to end. Really at the end of the day its Highlander set in Japan with a Batman/Joker (you created me, I created you) element to it that makes it interesting and a fun read.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Ian Edginton Artist: Vincenc Villagrasa Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Release Date: 12/21/11

Review: Brody's Ghost - The Midnight Train and Other Tales

Brody’s Ghost is the story of a man who basically has nothing to live for and ends up being deeply connected to the spirit world. He knows this because the ghost of a dead girl finds him one day and asks for his help in solving a series of murders. Her goal is to get into heaven by helping solve the case. Brody is reluctant at first, but something about him or the situation pushes him to go ahead with it and help this dead girl with her goal. The Midnight Train and Other Tales is basically short stories staring Brody and his supporting cast that in actuality adds a lot of depth to the world and characters. The first story finds a beautiful girl riding the subway alone until a group of thugs get on. They steal her purse with hardly a word and empty its contents on the floor of the train. Brody happens to be sleeping on the train when all of this goes down. He’s basically waiting for a fight and finally one has come to him. He beats the shit out of the thugs and picks up the contents of the bag for the woman who runs from the train at the very next stop.

The next tale has Brody and Talia visiting the crime scene for one of the Penny Murderer’s victims to get some psychic residue. Brody picks up some images just as a man comes by to visit the site himself. They get into a fight that Brody ultimately gains the upper hand in. Then the psychic flash is even more powerful as he can see that this man is the husband of the victim. Brody lets the man go and promises that he’s going to find his wife’s murderer.

There are two more stories that are equally entertaining and as I said add a level of depth that I think was missing from the first volume of Brody’s Ghost. Writer/Artist Mark Crilley continues to improve upon his manga inspired series with this issue. Really this is a solid issue that does a lot right. Sure they’re just short stories that are only connected by the characters, but they really do a great job of adding to the world and reminding people like me why they’re interested in the series. If you’re curious about the series and want a low risk book, then this is the issue to pick up. From there you can pick up volume one and two if this wets your whistle.

Score: 4/5

Writer/Artist/ Creator: Mark Crilley Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Release Date: 12/21/11

Review: Blade of the Immortal – Vol. 24 – Massacre

Blade of the Immortal is one of the few long running Manga’s that I’ve followed. I was heart-broken when Dark Horse stopped publishing the series monthly and opted for the collected trade paper backs, but I understand that the alternative would more than likely have been its cancellation. Because of this though I miss its releases quite often since most comic fans don’t understand just how awesome Blade of the Immortal is; due to that fact I was very excited when I received a copy of volume 24 “Massacre” from Dark Horse comics. Admittedly I sat on reading it for a while until I knew I’d have enough time to read it uninterrupted and I’m glad that I did.

One of the strongest elements of Blade of the Immortal is that it’s like a long running soap opera.There is several characters always in play in the story and due to thee extremely detailed art the story moves slower than an average comic. This gives new readers the chance to kind of jump on at any volume and frankly I found the story recaps in this volume to be very detailed considering how far along in the series it is. It recapped Manji and the Itto-Ryu, but in a way that was interesting. It also hinted at previous story lines but in a way that made you want to read them rather than have them explained at detail.

This volume is basically all about the Itto-Ryu storming the Edo castle. The group lead by its leader Anotsu storm the castle with just four total Itto-Ryu. It’s unclear at first what their goal is as they begin cutting down wave after wave of men. The crazy part is that this is the gate under the heaviest guard. What follows is a display of the Itto-Ryu’s true strength as they literally massacre everything in their way to get to the main floor of the castle. Along the way they meet what I can only describe as special guards on duty at the castle and they two are taken down like lowly dogs. There are also several scenes outside of the massacre that play to the overall story developing in the series and one particularly messed up scene with a character named Shira. It is one of the most messed up things I’ve read in the series thus far and that’s saying a lot.

The story and art are always amazing in Blade of the Immortal. Creator, writer and artist Hiroaki Samura is a rare talent as each page is filled with story, history and extremely detailed art. Hiroaki’s art is some of the most detailed in all of comics. Everything is in black and white which is really the only way you can present his detailed art style. You really need to read Blade of the Immortal to get the full experience of his art and see the detail on each character, each facial expression and even more surprisingly the backgrounds and architecture on every single page. There is never a doubt that the Itto-Ruy are storming a castle because the setting is so detailed and historically accurate that it takes you there and makes you a believe it.

I think it’s worth mentioning that Blade of the Immortal is a very mature title; meaning that if you’re thinking about picking it up for a kid you should probably read it first. That doesn’t stop it from being one of the best comic series ever. I know that’s pretty bold, but once you read it for yourself you’ll see why this book has won five awards in the industry and is critically acclaimed. If you’ve ever read Blade of the Immortal then picking up this volume is a no-brainer and if you’ve never read the series before you can either start at the beginning or just dive in and follow it from here on out.

 

Score: 5/5 (It’s aclassic so it doesn’t really need a score so don’t expect future volumes to get one)

Review: 365 Samurai and a Few Bowls of Rice

The samurai genre is probably one of the most under-appreciated, most misunderstood story genres in comics and movies. Thankfully writer/artist J.P. Kalonji understands the genre and its power completely. The story is about a samurai named Ningen who is on a journey to kill 365 samurai, then and only then will he have completed his travels and be able to attain his vengeance for the murder of his master and school. Along the way Ningen’s legend grows and so do his feats. Each season he finds love and companionship, but throws it away to continue his quest of vengeance. 365 Samurai is actually not about anything that I just described. I have lied to you and told you what happens in the story and not what the story is actually about. The simple fact is that I can’t tell you what the story is about just that it is a spiritual journey for Ningen and that every battle and every drop of blood has a higher meaning.

What I love about the book is that it literally takes a half an hour to read. It’s not due to lack of content, it’s just the format and the way that the story is told that makes for a fast read. Each page is one panel, meaning that this 379 page beast is actually just 379 panels of a comic. Traditional comics are laid out in a 3 by 3 grid which means there are 9 panels on a page, but a lot of times those panels lack detail and quality. With 365, each page has meaning and value within the story. Each page is a work of art all on its own and Kalonji manages to make the story flow seamlessly from page to page. Literally I was reading the book fast enough that at times it was like holding an animation in my hands. With action in comics a lot of it can be lost in the still frames of the page, but 365 finds that balance so that the action is as intense as it would be if you were watching a movie.

The other strong point of the book is that Kalonji nails the samurai journey. He really understands that samurai stories don’t need a lot of dialog with the exception of a few scenes here and there. For the most part the swords and the facial expressions do the talking and can really tell the story without a single word. A particularly great scene has Ningen facing off against an army of bandits on a snow covered mountain and as they’re descending upon him you can see the serious attitude on his face. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for that army because you knew from his attitude and the few words he said that he was going to do everything in his power to kill them all.

My biggest regret with this book is that I didn’t read it sooner and you’ll bet your ass that I won’t miss the next book from Kalonji and Dark Horse. If you’re a fan of samurai and let’s be honest practically everyone that reads comics has a soft spot in their heart for them; do yourself a favor and get this book. It’s a fast read, but in the way that makes you want to read the book again upon completion and the only other reading experience I can equate it to is Scott Pilgrim. That’s the only other book I’ve read as fast and enjoyed as much, but this one has swords and awesome Samurai battles from beginning to end which puts it on a different level altogether.

Score: 5/5