13.Feb.2011 Oishinbo: Vegetables by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
In this volume of Oishinbo the topic of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer is very prevalent throughout. Organic grown vegetables is the way to go. Which is all nice and everything, but I’m not sure if it’d change my grocery shopping habit. I find it hard to justify the double or triple price of organic food [...]
26.Dec.2010 Oishinbo: Japanese Cuisine by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
Oishinbo (美味しんぼ, lit. “The Gourmet”) is a long-running cooking manga published between 1983 and 2008, but only in 2009 it is published in English in thematic compilation volumes (7 volumes so far), which means they contain “best of the best” and do not follow the original manga chronological order. There are a few minor storylines [...]
21.Nov.2010 Megumi: Documentary Manga on Abductions by North Korea
Before Megumi I never knew about the existence of “Documentary Manga” so I took the book out of the Japanese Foundation Library shelf with high curiosity. As what the title says, the manga is a true account of the abductions of Japanese people by the North Korea. Revolves around Megumi Yokota (横田めぐみ) who is one [...]
18.Jul.2010 The Push Man and Other Stories by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
This must be the bleakest graphic novel/manga I have ever read. I was intrigued when I saw this copy at Sydney Japanese Foundation Library. The book is designed and edited by Adrian Tomine (whose Shortcomings I have yet to read), and includes Tomine’s introduction. Yoshihiro Tatsumi is known as “the grandfather of Japanese alternative comics”. [...]
27.Jun.2010 Talking About Manga
I don’t read manga that often anymore, only a few books a year if I’m up for it. But once upon a time, my whole life revolved around manga. Growing up in a country where translated or foreign books weren’t readily available, there was a point when I finished reading the whole kids library and [...]
31.Jan.2010 Oishinbo: Ramen & Gyōza by Tetsu Kariya and Akira Hanasaki
Oishinbo (美味しんぼ, lit. “The Gourmet”) is a long-running cooking manga published between 1983 and 2008, but only in 2009 it is published in English in thematic compilation volumes, which includes: Japanese Cuisine, Sake, Ramen & Gyôza, Fish, Sushi & Sashimi, Vegetables, The Joy of Rice, and Izakaya: Pub Food (7 volumes so far). Thematic compilation [...]