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Happy Birthday To Our “Superman” Sociopath, Sosuke Aizen!
May 29 marks the birthday of one of the more notable sociopaths in anime and manga today, BLEACH’s Sosuke Aizen. The plot twist involving his true intentions during the Soul Society Rescue storyline remains one of the more epic plot twists in recent memory.
His character is a great reminder that even good people around you can be extremely deceiving and you might not even know it until it is too late.
Who remembers the time when Aizen was first revealed as the central antagonist of BLEACH and what memories do you have of him?
Here’s probably the one thing I will always remember about him.
Even though this scene still makes me laugh, who said Aizen lacked empathy? Everyone knew he was in love with Ichigo Kurosaki the moment he heard about him. I always thought that Aizen didn’t want Ichigo to go through the “dirty politics” of Soul Society, albeit that his methods were misguided. Did Aizen see himself in Ichigo to a certain degree? We probably won’t know until he appears once more in the series.
Though honestly, if he was a good guy, Aizen would make a great hypnotherapist with Kyoka Suigetsu. That voice of his in the anime is also calming.
Let’s celebrate his wickedness (no matter how convoluted it gets) and let’s also forget the fact that he became a Pokemon in the end, ok?
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HOT! BLOODED! - The Rock Lee Story (Naruto)
“I want to show I can be a splendid ninja even if I don’t have ninjutsu or genjutsu. I want to prove it to the whole world!”
For those who believe that they have do not have the talents to achieve certain types of success, let me tell you an insightful tale. A tale where one enthusiastic young man must conquer multiple odds to reach his goal. It was a goal which required certain talents the young man did not possess. Despite his lack of talent, the young man presses on with nothing but unbridled enthusiasm and a passion to crush it. This is story of Naruto’s Rock Lee, a ninja who relies on his strong spirit to fight and more importantly, a stern reminder about keeping your passion going even through tough times.
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Another Issue For VIZ Media - What Can Replace Naruto and BLEACH?
Pop Quiz: What will happen when two of these iconic characters are eventually gone from the spotlight?
Wow, VIZ Media. They’ve been getting a lot of attention lately, huh? After reading Zach Logan’s editorial “The War On Manga”, I decided to browse the many comments on the entry. One excerpt from a comment stood out to me, especially given with how sales in the U.S. manga industry haven’t been looking so grand for quite some time. This is the excerpt:
Viz is now jointly owned by Shueisha, so the real strings are being pulled straight from the top. Naruto and Bleach will be ending within 2 years tops. What is their business plan when 2 of the Big 3 are no longer propping up house?
Given the fact that Naruto and BLEACH are ranked as the top 2 manga properties in the U.S. at the moment, are both appearing to finish up in the future, and have EXTREMELY huge fan communities, is Shueisha really doing anything to make sure that there will be a new holy trinity alongside One Piece? Yes, scanlations are a big issue, but another key issue is how to get a new generation of fans (and potential buyers) in the West to be interested in reading manga going forward, given that Shonen Jump material is still the starting point for a majority of new fans.
Once Naruto and BLEACH are done, what can VIZ turn to as their main titles (besides One Piece) for promoting Shonen Jump Alpha when it really takes off? The other Shonen Jump Alpha titles they have (Bakuman, Toriko, and Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan) look to be hitting it off with fans, but are they as special as those two titles? Do these titles really relate to teenagers and young adults as well as Naruto and BLEACH have? The closest popular title that can take a spot in the trinity is Hunter x Hunter, but the title is published irregularly and that just won’t do when it comes to generating sales.
As of right now, it feels like Shueisha will just keep on riding One Piece’s popularity going forward since it’s become a cultural symbol in Japan. That doesn’t seem to help VIZ at all, as One Piece isn’t super-popular in North America when compared to Japan. Perhaps a Shonen Jump Advanced online magazine featuring Blue Exorcist, Rosario + Vampire, and D.Gray Man could be in the makings.
I’m sure there has to be some aspiring artists who will rise and be inspired by the likes of Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto, and Tite Kubo, like how Akira Toriyama was an inspiration to them. Though as Bakuman has hinted with the low birth rate these days in Japan (which decreases the chances of a super-popular mainstream manga), the hopes of that happening are dim.
Manga in the U.S. isn’t going to die immediately if Naruto and BLEACH end. However, it feels that there has to be some simple Shonen Jump battle manga (no disrespect to One Piece) that appeals to teenagers/young adults to get the ball rolling and spark interest in the wide world of manga itself. While some fans may find them boring, the success of extremely popular titles (i.e. “typical Shonen Jump” titles) helps to give non-popular titles a chance to breathe life. Back when I was a teen, Dragon Ball Z, one of the most popular Jump series of all-time, was the reason why I got into manga. I started buying many manga volumes and developed a taste for other series that have better stories as I got older. The U.S. manga industry NEEDS popular, teen-friendly Shonen Jump titles to sell, no matter how cliche or overrated they may be, in order to stay afloat since Shonen Jump is still the top manga imprint in America. For now, Blue Exorcist appears to be a good successor to Naruto/BLEACH for VIZ, even though it’s a JUMP Square title.
Then again, I wonder if Japanese publishers truly care about the West at all when it comes to promoting manga internationally. Here’s a tweet for thought.
Such is the life of one being involved with manga in the U.S. or west of Asia, is it not?
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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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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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Kim Jong-Un Is Secretly Android No.19
“Do not try to escape. Yes, it is useless. Until I have your energy, I will never let you go!” - Android No. 19
I hope the energy that Mr. Jong-Un wants isn’t carbohydrates. How much more does this man need to lead his somewhat-warped country to prosperity? Then again, judging from the U.S. deciding to resume food aid to North Korea, that might be the case.
Courtesy of Alafista, this lovely picture showcases the new North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un, as the infamous Android No.19 from Dragon Ball Z. For what it’s worth, you gotta give props to Android No.19. I mean, he defeated Goku in Super Saiyan form (albeit Goku already being weakened by a heart defect).
What’s more interesting is that Kim Jong-Un is supposedly a huge manga fan. Maybe he will be looking for “energy” of the ecchi kind. If Jong-Un tries to go after Japan’s mangakas (his father, Kim Jong-Il, kidnapped a movie director once), will Japan pulverize him while making him look like a pansy in the process (a la Super Saiyan Vegeta)?
Though I obviously doubt our young hero has time to deal with manga. He has to deal with a country of citizens who were quite enamored with his tyrannical father.
Jong-Il was probably similar to Android No.20 (Dr. Gero). One wonders if Jong-Un will be similar to someone like Androids No.16, 17, or 18 instead, contrary to his No.19 appearance. What are your takes on this, fellow anime/manga and current event followers?
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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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One Treasure Worth Hunting For - The One Piece Gold Edition PS3
From the Sony booth at JUMP Festa 2012 at Makuhari Messe.
Words cannot explain how amazing this system looks. I expect the PS3 to completely dominate video game sales next year because of Luffy and company. Also, here’s the trailer for the upcoming One Piece Pirate Musou game.
Nice to see the Zoro fangirls react to seeing their precious swordsman. After all, he’s the 2nd choice for anime male characters they want to marry. I do admit that I find it a little disappointing that the game will be hack-and-slash (a la Dynasty Warriors) like BLEACH: Soul Resurrecion. Though there’s a possibility this game will be 10 times more epic than the BLEACH game, given the nature of the One Piece story.
That reminds me: I want to take a look at a One Piece character. Either Roronoa Zoro or Nico Robin. Those two stand out to me the most out of the Straw Hat Pirates. Which character do you guys want to see an analysis of?
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A Case of Mental Sadism: Changing Bonds with Shukuro Tsukishima (BLEACH)
一緒に数えてくれるかい
Let’s count together for me
君についた
The bite marks
僕の歯形を
That I left on you
- BLEACH Volume 52: End of Bond
It has been quite an interesting time for Tite Kubo’s BLEACH. The current “Lost Agent” (Volumes 49-current) arc has gotten some attention for seemingly rebooting the series and not hitting it off with some fans. The arc introduced even more new characters, including one whose power is extremely frightening when used for the wrong purpose: Shukuro Tsukishima. He is arguably a character that is on the same level as the previous antagonist of BLEACH, Sosuke Aizen, in terms of causing mental trauma towards anyone he targets. Tsukishima looks to be the perfect fighter that knows (and enjoys) the best way to destroy a person: by breaking them emotionally to the point of despair.
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Love of Manga = Being a Mangaka? Not So Fast.
A couple of years ago, I had a conversation with an old friend about what our favorite manga series were. After a great deal of discussion, she realized that I loved manga to a huge degree and said that I should be a mangaka. When I told her I couldn’t draw, she said “Write your own manga!”
Question: how many of you have been told to take on the profession of those that fuel your passion? As in “You love manga so much! Why don’t you be a mangaka?”
I don’t know about you, but I just don’t like the idea that certain people assume that that if you want to work in a certain industry, you have to take on the top job (which usually involves something creative) in the industry. If you don’t do that, you are considered a failure. Why is it that such thinking occurs?
I asked geek career counselor, Steven Savage, about this dilemma and he told me there are two things that create what he calls, the “must-do” job myth.
1) The fact that the larger culture assumes that you have to take the obvious job for your career path.
2) An assumption that people into geeky things think alike.
I want to say that all mangaka do need help in getting their works recognized. Where would they be without assistants, sponsors, editors, marketers, etc.? I wonder if people are saying that you have to be at the pinnacle because it’s not a “typical daily job”. Do they believe that the daily grind is not as fun as when you’re the one creating the content?
(Our lovable heroes of Bakuman needed help along the way to get to where they were at.)
Also, geeks are people just like everyone else. Hell, I think everyone is a geek in some way, shape, or form. Stereotypical myths are formed because a large amount of people want to believe they are true. Given that the world can be crazy at times, people want to make sense out of it and won’t accept anything that is different.
It’s hard to make something work without a variety of intertwined parts. There’s too much focus on individualism and not the group effort. Even mangaka have appreciated the help of their editors and assistants.
For those that want to be in the manga industry without being a mangaka, take the time to educate yourself about the various job departments involved in the process of publishing manga and figure out how you can contribute.
Mixing your passion with the right education leads to a state of welcomed power where you can truly shape and embrace your destiny the way you want to envision it.
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