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The Omega-3 Is Strong In This One - CRIMSONS: The Manga About Salmon
Many manga readers know that manga covers all types of subjects, so why not a story about a group of fish. A very unusual manga series called “CRIMSONS: The Red Navigators” is getting a great deal of attention in Japan. This tale of “hot-blooded ocean drama”, written by Takanori Kanno and published in Shonen Sunday Super, covers Shintaro, a young salmon, and his adventures with his friends. Another key note about CRIMSONS is that it’s under the supervision of Bunya Okuyama, an ichthyology professor at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.
So, now we have a manga about salmon. What makes salmon special compared to the life of a trout/tilapia/halibut/red snapper/tuna fish? Can we really learn anything about the mental aspects of a fish from reading a manga like CRIMSONS? Salmon though are known to be seductively lush. They also have delicate texture. Finally, the meat is pink. Salmon pink is known be to quite an a flirtatious color. Is Kanno trying to say that salmon are the most passionate of all the fish alive then?
You can read the manga at Shogakugan’s special website for the comic. If anything else, CRIMSONS has both fish AND human fanservice!
Look out, moeblobs. Sexy salmon are coming to get ya.
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Tite Kubo - The Best Poet in Manga? The Poetry of BLEACH
With much of the hoopla surrounding the final arc of the BLEACH manga, I want to take a look at a feature of BLEACH that doesn’t get enough attention: the poems. Every volume of the manga has a poem centered around the character featured on its respective cover. A majority of these poems are very enlightening and one has to wonder about Kubo’s intentions in inserting them into the manga.
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ZETMAN PV Trailer: Two Tales of Justice
One of my favorite seinen manga series, Masakazu Katsura’s ZETMAN, comes to life this April! This is probably the only anime I’m looking forward to in the Spring 2012 anime season.
I’ve heard some crazy things about the series ripping off of Tiger & Bunny. It’s actually the other way around. Though I do feel that the ZETMAN anime may have never been green-lighted if it weren’t for the success of Tiger & Bunny. Also, Katsura worked on the character designs for T&B.
What you will enjoy from this series is its gritty look at justice. I would say ZETMAN is a mix of Batman, The Guyver (John of AnimeNation hints on the series possibly being the Guyver for the current generation), and Watchmen.
If you’re interested, I wrote an entry back when I started my blog on one of the main protagonists of ZETMAN, Kouga Amagi. He’s sort of the “Bunny” in the series.
Katsura has amazed me since he’s able to go from doing romantic comedy series (Video Girl Ai, I”S, and DNA²) to something extremely dark. I hope you fans are ready for a frightful world of heroes, monsters, and emotional conflict.
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20 Things To Anticipate For The Next/Final Arc of BLEACH →
I normally do not reblog, but this is too good to pass up.
To see much, much more just check out the Repeat and Reboot posts for everything, since this is just pick of some of what is to come!
- The new arc kicks off immediately after the Lost Agent arc and will take place in an ‘Ice Palace’ located underground.
- Grimmjow and Neliel (possibly…
Basically, everything will come full-circle? And we’ll know the full motivations of the whole cast? I do wonder about how “oppressive” the Soul King is. Does he treat souls as just parts that provide some sort of sustenance? Will he be a fancier version of Kyubey (from Puella Magi Madoka Magica)?
Here’s a teaser shot of an interview conducted with Tite Kubo about he final arc:
If the Seireitei is going to be destroyed in a huge way, I wonder how everyone will band together. Big moments of catastrophe often lead to huge changes in character for many people. Certain individuals begin to take initiative for the better. What minor character will begin to shine?
Even though Kubo could still be trolling with the story, the only thing that’s definite is that the psychology of his characters will be even MORE interesting to explore going forward.
Oh, Kubo, WHY CAN’T I QUIT YOU?
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4Chan Makes Its Impact On Japanese Manga
When I hear things like this, it comes to show you that 4Chan can be SERIOUS BUSINESS. Just recently, Volume 1 of a manga series known as “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Not Popular”, by Nico Tanigawa, had a promotional line on the cover that said ““海外の2ちゃん的な掲示板で大人気!!”. This line can be translated as “An international sensation on the overseas version of 2Chan!”
This title is currently translated by a fan on the /a/ board of 4Chan and has also been approved by the publisher. Apparently, the title is a smash-hit because it relates to the users of 4chan as the main character, Kuroki Tomoko, is very introverted and depressed.
This is an interesting case study for Japanese manga publishers on how the Internet isn’t that scary and completely filled with piracy. If you ask me, they don’t focus enough on the idea of a strong community. Also, 4Chan is not ALL that bad. The thing is that anonymity does provide relief for everyone. If others know literally everything about you, your life will not be sane. That’s why I worry about regular people (that aren’t famous) who decide to join literally every social media site in existence. Is it just me or do those people feel insecure about themselves at times?
Back to the manga, you can read the fan translation here and buy Volume 1 here. I have to say that the Tomoko does make me think about people like her. It’s funny because I was once really shy and nerdy when I started high school. I wanted to be popular with the girls, so I began to watch more shows and read stories that were about dating. Whenever I made friends with a girl, I’ll be like “YES!” in my own head and have crazy thoughts. I have said some crazy things to girls back then (I still do though, but usually to troll). I guess you can say that I was a bit like Tomoko. Does anyone want to share any interesting moments of social anxiety you had back in the day?
I guess we can say, score another one for the Internet!
Image Source: Akiba Blog
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Has The Internet Changed The Way You Think About Manga?
Here’s a scenario that I want everyone to imagine with me. Ready?
Think back to a time where computers didn’t exist yet. Think back to when it was very difficult to find information about anything you wanted. Think back to when sharing one’s interests over a huge communication channel was almost impossible without going to a big-name media outlet. Now, hold those thoughts and ask yourself if the Internet has the changed the way you think about manga. Regarding manga, the Internet has truly made it global, but with a price. I sometimes wonder if the Internet is both the creator and destroyer of manga fandom.
Before the Internet became popular, the only way I found out about manga news was through the defunct WIZARD Magazine. I remember the first manga I heard about from WIZARD was Masamune Shirow’s Ghost In The Shell. After reading about the controversy surrounding Ghost in the Shell (i.e. the cybersex scene), the whole idea of manga began to appeal to me. I was watching Chinese dubs of Dragon Ball Z at the time and my interest in Japanese media continued to grow. When I found out Dragon Ball was originally a manga, I browsed text summaries of the original manga series online back in 1999. You don’t know how obsessed I was with looking for information on DBZ at the time. Thankfully, VIZ Media released the Dragon Ball Z manga in America and I bought all the volumes. The same thing also happened when I followed Rurouni Kenshin in the early 2000s’. I was reading text summaries of chapters online, visiting fansites to satisfy my cravings, and later bought all the volumes because of my love for the samurai epic.
Fast forward to the proliferation of scanlations. I decided to follow BLEACH (during college around 2005) after hearing some of my friends watching the anime. I bought the first few volumes from VIZ and was hooked. What happened next was I began using the Internet to find out more information about the characters. I found out about what was currently going on in the BLEACH manga from a fansite at the time, which was Sosuke Aizen being revealed as the main villain. That just piqued my curiosity even more and I wanted to know what happens next. As a result, the world of scanlations entered my life. I was pretty ecstatic to know that I can keep up with what’s happening with BLEACH. I also discovered many other series through scanlations as well. I was still buying manga and didn’t really think about how scanlations affected the manga-publishing industry.
And now here we are with the manga industry in a huge state of flux. What does that tell me? The Internet (the power of the creator) is great for manga since it exposes everyone to a wide variety of series and creates passionate fan communities, but the Internet (the power of the destructor) gives off this illusion to certain people that manga easily grows on a tree and everything’s dandy, when things really aren’t fine.
I don’t know about you, but there is one thing that bugs me about scanlations. Scanlators and aggregator sites often put up a disclaimer message telling everyone to buy and support a manga series if it’s available in their region. But, what if the manga is not available in their region and possibly never will be? What if the reader is an 8-year old? Also, I know a few people who work full-time that read scanlations and are not even interested in buying physical copies of manga. Do scanlators even understand their intended audiences and their consequences as a whole?
The Internet has made me believe that manga will be an online-only interest globally and will stay that way (though it seems like it already is). Outside of Japan, manga is still very niche to a majority of people. Combine that with free scanlations and you have a recipe for “fun interest that appeals mostly to Internet folks”. Though part of me believes the Internet is perfect for manga because most people like to read things online these days and they LOVE images on the Internet.
Another thing was that before the Internet, I thought every manga title out there was godly. Since the increased popularity of the ‘Net, I realized that there’s a lot of “junk” to sort through before you even get to the good stuff. Sometimes, I wonder how certain titles became published in the first place. Such is the harshness of reality.
One question does plague me: should the manga community accept those that read scanlations of a certain series and don’t really buy any form of merchandise related to the series (yet are extremely passionate about it) as members of the community? Would someone care to enlighten me on how those fans should be viewed?
With these inner thoughts in mind, I continue to research the crazy world of manga online and offline (I still buy volumes of manga) as many series have worked their charm upon my visage. Oh Internet, you’re as tempting as a bishojo girl nagging her “big brother” to spend time with her and leaving him with a colorful array of conflicted feelings.
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Total Request: Your Characters + Manga Therapy = WIN.
Hey guys, to thank everyone for reading my blog so far, I want to start doing some reader requests on what anime/manga characters you want me to take a look at psychologically.
Granted, there are a lot of series and characters that are very interesting. But, I know you guys have some REALLY great characters that you find fascinating. If you want me to take a look at a specific plot twist/climax/moment, I’m up for that as well.
You will definitely be credited for your suggestions as well. There might be a small chance that I might already working on an entry for a character that you request. For example, I am planning to write an entry on the lovable swordsman, Roronoa Zoro, of One Piece.
Post your suggestions on the comments section below or you can e-mail me at tonyyao82 (at) gmail (dot) com. As of right now, I’m thinking of fulfilling a fan request once a week or every two weeks. Feel free to provide a vivid explanation on why your character should be covered.
Looking forward to reading your character requests!
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Do Girls Really Like Vegeta?
Yes, this is a man who oozes sexiness every time he walks into the room.
Like a fine wine that continues to age well, Dragon Ball is still continuing to be relevant in every anime/manga fan’s lives. Just recently, the ever-rageful Prince of the Saiyans, Vegeta, became a target both positively and negatively. Our anti-hero was voted #2 on a list of top 9 anime/manga boys that women wish were real. Gintama also made fun of his entire character in Episode 242 (Volume 42, Chapter 364 in the manga), where the girls of Gintama discuss Vegeta and question his appeal to women in front of a female Vegeta fan. As Gintama’s episode title proclaims, “Girls Like Vegeta”. Is the bad boy appeal of Vegeta extremely powerful for women to resist?
Here’s one girl’s thought about Vegeta:
“He’s always strong, but his loving tsundere-ness towards his family really gets me.” (A quote about Vegeta from the list conducted by Girl Sugoren)
After hearing that quote, it makes me wonder about Vegeta’s popularity after the Freeza arc. Most of us know that he cried during the arc and begged Goku to beat Freeza. Was that the moment made girls go “Awwww”? Vegeta’s character slowly changed afterwards, as he started to settle down a little with a family while still being the prideful Prince of Saiyans that he is. The guy was literally a complete a-hole who didn’t care about anything, except defeating Goku in battle. Vegeta did show some signs of love to his family, as he went berserk when his son, Trunks (whose future version was also VERY POPULAR among girls) was killed by Cell and risked his life to save everyone from Majin Buu. Of course, there’s that confident smirk, evil laugh, and arm fold he does that seems to draw a lot of attention.
With those characteristics that Vegeta has, why are girls drawn to them? Do we blame Hollywood? Do we blame the media? Or do we blame human nature? It could be girls’ inherent preference of “good genes”. “Good genes” in men tend to be a high level of masculinity and symmetry. Women at a younger age seem to enjoy seeing acts of bravery and risk-taking (which bad boys tend to do). There’s also the belief that girls secretly harbor the fantasy of turning the bad boy into a loving man who is committed to them.
Do Vegeta fangirls see hope that it’s possible for a bad boy to become a nice guy and still remain tough? Or do they appreciate the fact that Vegeta is a “bad boy” character that lives up to whatever perceived fantasies they have of him? It was interesting to see Bulma being attracted to Vegeta, but it somehow makes sense for her. Vegeta’s confidence in wanting to be stronger than Goku probably attracted her in the first place, since he was very determined to reach his goal at all costs. Also, as Trunks once stated, both his parents were lonely and that’s why they got together. A combination of strength and love can create interesting opportunities, don’t you think?
I do like to point out that the group of women who voted Vegeta on the Sugoren list were women in their 20s’. What happens when they get older? Will their opinions about “bad boys” change? Will they like Vegeta less? As women get older, their appreciation of certain types of men evolve.
Vegeta seems like the perfect guy to many girls. He is still a “bad boy” at heart, but he also fights with some sense of altruism. I think this is the secret to his popularity among women. The fact he’s an somewhat altruistic, tough guy. Both younger and older women can find him to be a character that satisfies their criteria for a great male character. Vegeta has been able to activate so many emotions in people’s (especially women’s) hearts, that you can’t help but react (and women tend to focus on emotions). Look at all the things he has said and done over his history in Dragon Ball.
Even though I’m not a girl, I love Vegeta. He’s played a big part in how my personality is shaped. I don’t know about this perceived notion that guys don’t like him, but like Piccolo (as Gintama hints). All I can say is that guys might feel a bit inspired to develop some sense of pride to keep themselves strong. To the female Vegeta fans out there, is his pride a strong factor in why you love the beloved Saiyan Prince and do you perhaps enjoy that quality in a man?
Power, brash confidence, and a good heart - when it comes to the ideal man, isn’t fiction just grand?
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Smells Like School Spirit - Kyoya Hibari (Katekyo Hitman REBORN!)
“I’ll bite you to death!”
Do you remember a time back in your school days when you met someone who showed complete loyalty to your school to a huge degree? I don’t know about you guys, but reading about Kyoya Hibari, of Akira Amano’s Katekyo Hitman REBORN!, makes me wonder about young teenagers who are exuberant about the schools they attend. Hibari is a character who loves his school so much that he uses his love to achieve a position of power at his school and to justify his actions upon others with that power.
Hibari is a student of Namimori Middle School, where he is the leader of the Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee. Anyone he deems to be a rule-breaker at Namimori is subject to his wrath. Hibari loves his school to the point where he has his school’s anthem as his cellphone ringtone. His pet bird, Hibird, sings the ringtone to Hibari’s delight. He has an infamous catchphrase where he proclaims “I’ll bite you to death!” to anyone he feels is disrespecting his school. Hibari is also an individual who prefers to be alone and will beat up anyone that bothers him. He is one of the most popular male characters in anime/manga today and is loved by Japanese female anime/manga fans, as they have voted him #1 as the anime/manga husband they wish to have back in a 2009 “top anime husbands” poll. Women have also voted Hibari #5 in a 2011 poll focusing on anime characters women wanted to marry.
What drives students to be deeply loyal to their schools? One factor could be the uniforms that schools require their students to wear. When you wear a uniform, you might feel a sense of loyalty because everyone else will be wearing the same uniform as you. Also, wearing a uniform can teach students discipline, as they are usually required to wear one to school. They have to make sure that they follow the rules. (For more pros (and cons) of school uniforms, you can read this article on school uniforms here.) Other factors are the school’s facilities, its history, the mission of the school, and the vision that the school has.
Not much is known about Namimori Middle School, except for its anthem. Usually, a school’s anthem resonates with its core values. One has to wonder if Hibari loves his school because its matches his personal view of “discipline”. Does Hibari see himself as “vigorous and gallant” as the anthem states in its lyrics? Another thing to note is that Hibari is somewhat of a juvenile delinquent. Perhaps he owes the school his life. Teenagers tend to be juvenile delinquents mostly due to a lack of parental supervision and discipline. They try to make sense of the world and struggle to build an identity for themselves.
Perhaps Hibari’s character is a good example of how schools can cure juvenile delinquency. Develop an extracurricular activity that benefits the individual, allows him/her to be themselves, and also implicitly teaches them a variety of positive traits. If Hibari never became the leader of the Disciplinary Committee, he would have never met Tsunayoshi Sawada, Reborn, and the rest of the main characters. He also would have never taken on the huge responsibility of being the Cloud Guardian of the Vongola Family. Hibari learns to be a bit more friendly from being around the Vongola. In a sense, he has a positive way to channel whatever violent urges he may have with those he considers to be his rivals (Mukuro Rokudo, Dino, Reborn, and Tsuna). While Hibari is still a bit wacky when it comes to enforcing school rules (he does this outside of Namimori Middle School), the character does become a better person as fans can see with regards to his future self in the Future Arc.
Reborn fans, what do you think of Hibari as a character? Some have argued that he’s too perfect (the main cast considers him the Vongola’s strongest Guardian) and has little character development. His past hasn’t been focused on, but it will be interesting to see how Hibari has become the person he is today. The only thing I can say for certain is that school still serves a purpose in saving delinquents to a certain degree and Hibari is a good example of that.
With regards to Hibari’s motif as the Cloud Guardian, even clouds need to be guided properly with the aid of the vast sky.
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The Great Power of the Fujoshi
“Out of the otaku population, female otaku have the most spending power, which is one of the reasons why you see an increase of boy love publications and anime featuring good looking guys.” - Danny Choo on CNN GeekOut
Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that things were changing in the anime/manga world. There were more and more titles that seem to have attractive male characters. Even though “moe” series targeted towards males are still running rampant, the anime/manga world has been filled with titles (such as Blue Exorcist, Naruto, BLEACH, Gintama, Black Butler, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Bakuman, Axis Powers Hetalia, and Tiger & Bunny) that have a variety of male characters for female fans to swoon over. Especially females who are into yaoi and boys’ love. This has led to the rise of the fujoshi, a community of fangirls that has the power to shift the gender balance for the better. Some male otaku have felt threatened and intimidated by the fujoshi, but this is just another example of how strong the purchasing power of women is despite the state of the global economy.
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