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Fresh Ink Online: Logan, Buffy, & More!

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:39:00 GMT

This week on Fresh Ink Online, Blair Butler might be out of the country, but still leaves us with reviews of Logan #3, Jonah Hex #31, Thunderbolts: Reason & Madness #1, Buffy #14, and Action Comics Annual #11. That's a whole lot of comic action for you to consider, so, without any further adieu, why not watch what Blair has to say?

Here 'tis.

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Depth of Failed: 'Speed Grapher' Anime Review

Sun, 11 May 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Writing about Speed Grapher is like writing an art history term paper...without the three page bibliography. The series is a deep, emotionally complex piece that doesn’t quite reach the level of awe and beauty it should because nobody seemed to give two Haruhis about the animation process.

Speed Grapher is the story of photojournalist Tatsumi Saiga that’s set in a world where the rich get richer and the poor are screwed. Obsessed with his work, Saiga has difficulty finding subjects that move him artistically. One night, he infiltrates a secret society and is blessed by the “Goddess” Kagura, granting him his deepest desire: the power to blow things up with a camera.

(Insert obvious Utena reference here)

Saiga decides to free Kagura, and the two go on the run from the Tennouzu group, a high-powered mafia taking over the economic world. Sin is in. Nothing is pure anymore, except for the love between Saiga and Kagura. It’s not a romantic love, but a mature and true caring for another human being.

The story tends to move slowly, but where Speed Grapher really shines is in the character development. Every character, good or bad, has imperfections and a past that helps you relate to them. It’s hard to hate the villains when you feel for them. Their depth is what makes this anime compelling.

Sadly, the animation itself prevents it from reaching the level where this piece should be at. Speed Grapher has a bit of a Cowboy Bebop style to the art. There is plenty of attention paid to the backgrounds and objects, but the character animation is so skimpy that it’s distracting. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this from Gonzo either. More attention was paid to wafting cigarette smoke than the human figure! How can a series about a photographer not be cinematic?!

And what’s up with the dub? Do you really need to add “s***” and “f***” to every other sentence? It’s not necessary. Although the line, “Yes, I’ll be needing you to get me another car immediately. Preferably one that can’t be blown up by a f***ing camera!” is pretty funny. The voice acting is far from stellar. We’ve seen better from these guys, and expected more.

Speed Grapher is for someone who demands depth, but has the patience to tolerate poor artwork. If you’re that kind of person, then this anime is definitely worth it. There’s something deep, powerful, and moving about this series...but without that cinematic beauty, it just doesn’t reach its full potential.

-- Courtney Kraft

Fresh Ink Online: All Things Iron Man!

Fri, 09 May 2008 13:51:00 GMT

This week, Fresh Ink Online goes completely Iron Man, as Blair Butler explores two new Marvel comics, Iron Man: Viva Las Vegas and The Invincible Iron Man #1. It's a short, but very sweet version of Fresh Ink, and ol' shellhead has really never looked better.

You should watch the video.

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THQ Grabs 'Marvel Super Hero Squad'

Thu, 08 May 2008 10:27:00 GMT

THQ, in addition to losing $35 million, has gained exclusive videogame rights to Marvel Super Hero Squad. The property is based on a line of 2-inch tall, stylized Marvel figures.

There is a cartoon and comic planned around the Super Hero Squad for 2009.

We can't stop thinking of Spider-Man on the Muppet Babies now.

Gamasutra: THQ Licenses “Marvel Super Hero Squad” Franchise

'Spirit' Coming For Christmas

Wed, 07 May 2008 13:47:00 GMT

Frank Miller's newest film, based on the Will Eisner comic The Spirit, will be getting an early opening at the box office, coming just in time for Christmas Day, 2008. The movie, which will star Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, has been heavily anticipated since being announced, and the studio, Lionsgate, feels like it will do well at the box office, hence the move.

In the meantime, here in Los Angeles, billboards for The Spirit have been showing up all over town. The movie is expected to be pretty effects-heavy, but the early footage looks pretty decent. Also, The Spirit is a great, beloved old comic, so people are going to be psyched to see it.

THR.com: 'Spirit' moves up release

Marvel Announces Movie Slate

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:03:00 GMT

It's been, let's face it, a banner week for Marvel Studios, so there's no time like the present to capitalize. That's why Marvel has announced their slate of projects all the way up until 2011, and there's some pretty awesome stuff in there. What stuff, you might ask? Well, beyond this year's Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, and next year's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, there will be much more.

How about Iron Man 2 on April 30th, 2010, followed by Thor on June 4th? Wait, though, because May 6th, 2011 will see the release of The First Avenger: Captain America, followed by...are you ready? The Avengers in July, 2011. That's a ton of stuff, but it's not all. Because Edgar Wright is attached to write and direct Ant-Man at some point in the future as well.

That's a lot of hot Marvel action coming your way. Get ready!

Yahoo! Finance: Marvel Reports Q1 EPS of $0.58 and Raises 2008 Financial Guidance

'Iron Man' Makes Lots of Money

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:01:00 GMT

Iron Man, unaffected by the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, cruised to a bruising box office win over the weekend, drawing over $104 million domestically, and over $96 million elsewhere to drop in at a pretty amazing $200 million. This bodes particularly well for the summer box office season, and proves once and for all that no one went to see The Heartbreak Kid the weekend that Halo 3 came out because it sucked, not because it was a conflict of audiences.

In the meantime, if you haven't seen Iron Man yet, you should, because it was really amazing. This is also the first film to be made under the Marvel Studios banner, and they must be really stoked, because it means a great big influx of money coming to them, and it's only just begun.

Variety.com: 'Iron Man' a box office marvel

'Poison Candy': Acceptable from Strangers

Sun, 04 May 2008 10:00:00 GMT

Okay, we know you’re thinking “Bloody hell, not another non-Japanese wannabe manga!” but hear us out.

Normally, we wouldn’t pick this up either; but when a friend literally put Poison Candy in our hands, who were we to refuse? We figured, what the heck, give it a shot. Frankly, we’re glad we did. It’s surprisingly good.

Poison Candy by David Hine and Hans Steinbach centers around teenage rock-legend-hopeful Sam Chance. Like everyone else in the world, Sam is infected with a virus called SKAR. In the immortal words of Douglas Adams, SKAR is “mostly harmless.” But to an unlucky few like Sam, it produces unusual abilities such as telekinesis and enhanced strength.

Oh yeah, and it kills you in about four months.

Sam’s life is turned upside-down when he is approached by Henry Raven of conglomerate Elektroactive. Raven offers to help Sam with his condition, but as expected, things aren’t always what they seem.

This manga feels like a cross between Fooly-Cooly and Akira. It has a grungy and unique look that doesn’t “try” to be manga; yet, it’s not quite western-style either. It’s well balanced between both worlds, and we would recommend it for someone who enjoys western comics and wants something to transition them into manga.

We can’t find too many flaws with Poison Candy. It has a few over-the-top moments that led to eye rolling, but those were few and far between. The characters are easy to understand, yet not archetypical. There’s just enough there to give you a little insight and depth. The story itself is also very well balanced between predictable and so-insanely-complicated-that-your-brain-hurts. Middle ground isn’t always a bad thing.

Overall, the first volume makes for a great introduction. The story will completely change in the second volume and beyond, so there is a slight twinge of doubt (thank you for that one, GunGrave); but if the second volume is as strong as the first, it has the potential for greatness.

Please...don’t...blow it.

-- Courtney Kraft

'Iron Man' Review

Sat, 03 May 2008 08:00:00 GMT

The summer movie season is upon us again, and unless you count Harold and Kumar (and let’s be honest, who does), Iron Man will be the first summer blockbuster of the year. It seems like every time May rolls around we’re inundated with adaptations of books, comics, video games, remakes, and all other kinds of mindless cash-cow ideas thought up by some studio executive. So far this century has been very big on the comic book adaptations, giving us 3 Spiderman movies, 3 X-Men movies, 2 Fantastic Four movies, a Punisher movie, and soon to be 2 Hulk and Batman movies.

But the big one coming out this weekend is of course, Iron Man. Even from the get go, this movie seems to be a bit different from it’s predecessors. From the cast to the director to the special effects team, Iron Man is overflowing with talent. So will this movie equal the sum of its parts? Or will we have another neutered franchise to wash out the name of a classic comic book superhero? Click the Read More link to check out my full, in-depth, SPOILER FREE review of Iron Man.

First, let me preface this review with my own bias. I grew up on comic books. I was a big Marvel fan when I was younger and started reading comics again a few years back, so the subject of comic book movie adaptations is very close to my heart. I have hotly anticipated past Marvel outings like Spiderman and X-Men, both of which disappointed me. I know, I know, a lot of you love those movies, and don’t get me wrong, the first one or two in the trilogies aren’t that bad. In fact, they’re kind of enjoyable, but they didn’t wow me, they didn’t give me that child-like excitement the comics always have, and the plots, characters, production design, and casting was all cut off from the knees. They’re not great movies. They made all the safe choices, making sure they didn’t get too creative or risky, just to ensure a large box office return. That, as I see it, is the inherent problem of adapting comic book characters and story arcs to films. Comics have always taken chances, challenged their readers, and done things mainstream story-telling media would never do. When you attempt to adapt that into a world that is solely based on the bottom line, you often lose the originality and whimsy of the source material.

And then there was Iron Man.

I got to see this film at a press screening on Tuesday. After waiting in line for 2 hours and the movie starting a half hour later because too many people snuck into the theater, the ride began. First of all, the movie begins with a cold open that not only is funny, enjoyable, and brilliantly executed, but it’s incredibly ballsy. If you saw the moments of this film that play out before the title screen, you would have no idea this was a superhero movie. It’s casual, real, entertaining, and finally dark and almost upsetting. These few bits of conversation and set up ground the film, and from the very start put you in the headspace that this is taking place right now in your world. Plus, you fall in love with Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark within seconds.

One of the major achievements of this film is the comedy. Most action/hero movies have jokes worked into the story to lighten the mood a bit in between the action sequences. You can usually set your watch to exactly how often and when they’ll appear in the script. Iron Man doesn’t do that at all. You will be laughing pretty much non-stop through out the entire movie and you’ll hardly realize it. The laugh lines come quickly and organically, feeling just like they were a part of the conversations you’ve been privy to. Never does a laugh feel forced or misplaced, it just so happens that Tony Stark is a pretty funny guy.

Now, of course if you’re talking about a big budget, summer blockbuster action movie there’s going to be a ton of special effects, and Iron Man is no exception. What will really blow your mind is how good they look. Director John Favereau paid very close attention to the visual effects of the film, combining practical and digital technologies. His single goal was to use both to create a seamless transition from real people on real sets to full on CGI sequences. Combined with the fact that the practical effects were done by the great Stan Winston, Industrial Light and Magic did the digital effects, and the film was lensed by Matthew Libatique, the Director of Photography from Everything is Illuminated, Inside Man, and The Fountain, you have one of the best looking movies to date. There is never a moment in the film where you’ll look up and think “That looks fake.”

Another place where Iron Man shines is in the depth of the characters. Tony Stark is played perfectly by Robert Downey Jr. In fact, one could argue that he has actually improved the character of Tony Stark from the original comics. I, personally, never read any Iron Man books, but from all the Marvel books I did/do read, he shows up fairly regularly. I always read Tony as a snooty, elitist, New York socialite who’s fairly high on himself. Now, Stark is still that way in the film, but instead of giving him the air of New York old money, they moved him to Los Angeles and gave him a slicker, snarky, more likable personality. You almost hate to love Tony Stark; with his womanizing, war profiteering, and “I bring the party” attitude he would sound unlikable, but through the body of Mr. Downey, he’s the kind of guy you really want to party with at 30,000 feet.

The supporting cast is just as note perfect. Not being a fan of Gwyneth Palthrow, I was shocked at how much I truly loved her performance as Pepper Potts. She’s strong, intelligent, competent, lovable, and the perfect companion character to Stark in the film. Jeff Bridges shows off his seasoned acting skills as Obadiah Stane, Tony’s surrogate second father and business partner in Stark Industries. Terrance Howard as Stark's best friend in the military, Jim “Rhodie” Rhodes, seems a bit out of his league in terms of acting prowess, but is something of a palette cleanser through his fun, jokey relationship with the great Mr. Stark.

Of course, no super hero movie would be complete without villains. Iron Man has no shortage of the bad guys, and the best thing about them is that they’re totally believable. No longer do we get some random character who gets super powers and decides to take over the world. We get serious, truthful characters that naturally move in a direction that is the polar opposite to our hero. You understand their mentality; you see the reasoning they follow to their evil demise.

And what would a comic book movie be without Easter Eggs and hints towards sequels? If you pay close attention, and know your Iron Man mythology, you might catch a small clue as to who the next villain will be. There’s also a great moment in reference to the possible future appearance of War Machine, Tony Stark owns a Wii, AND there’s an additional scene after the credits roll. I didn’t get to see it, as it was only added to the film as of the theatrical release date, but I know it’s there and I know what it is, and it’s worth sticking around for.

Bottom line, this movie is amazing. It’s great in every aspect. You will love it, your mom will love it, your girlfriend will love it, your little brother will love it, and you’ll want to see it again pretty much as soon as it’s over. I’m going for the second time on Sunday. It’s worth the price of admission twice over, and I can’t wait until it’s out on Bluray. Make sure Iron Man has a great opening weekend, not only so that we can guarantee a sequel, but so that we can show the film industry that a comic book movie can and SHOULD be well written, deep, challenging, and artistic as well as awesome, action packed, fast paced, and non-stop fun. Go buy your ticket. Go. Now.

Fresh Ink Online: Iron Mania!

Fri, 02 May 2008 17:01:00 GMT

Blair Butler is about two things...comics, and movies made about comics, and this week, she addresses both in the weekly Fresh Ink Online podcast. We talk Local, DC Universe, Hercules, Ultimate Humans, and Iron Fist, as well as a heapin' helpin' of spoiler-free Iron Man talk.

Please, take a look. We promise you will like it. Ok, we can't promise that, but we think so.

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'Smallville': Lex Out, Doomsday In

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:01:00 GMT

What's Superman without Lex Luthor? Well, fans of Smallville are certainly going to find out soon enough, as Michael Rosenbaum, Lex Luthor on the show, is leaving. Fear not, or fear more, however, as he will be replaced by not one, but two villains. One will be the legendary Doomsday, who plays very heavily into The Death of Superman storyline in the comics, and the other will be an unnamed female villain.

Now, we can't speculate as to who that could be, but, seriously, Lex Luthor is really the Man of Steel's only worthwhile nemesis. Yes, we like Mr. Mxyztplk as much as any other blog with an opinion about Superman's nemeses, but let's be real about it. Only Lex can generate that kind of heat, which is why the Superman movies keep going back to him. Still, time will tell.

IGN: Doom in Smallville's Future

Manga & WarCraft: Not as Good as Chocolate & Peanut Butter

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:00:00 GMT

First of all, no manga should ever start with eight pages of solid text.

Secondly, no manga should ever begin those eight pages of solid text with, “No one knows exactly how the universe began...”

Oh, for the love of Casey Schreiner!

WarCraft The Sunwell Trilogy Ultimate Edition by Richard Knaak and illustrated by Jae-Hwan Kim is a manga-style compilation of three volumes (durr) set in the WarCraft universe (again, durr). The storyline weaves a tale about Kalec, a blue dragon, who meets Anveena, a human fair damsel; and embarks on a journey that really has nothing to do with Kalec in the first place.

Kalec’s buddy Tyri saves them from a dwarf bounty hunter who sees the light, vows to be their friend, and then never shows his face for the rest of the manga. There’s an evil blood elf named...oh who cares? He wants to capture Anveena cause she’s actually the Sunwell in disguise, only no one knows it (except us. We saw it coming cause we watched season five of Buffy). Kalec & Co. make friends, and there’s some undead dude causing trouble, but doesn’t serve any purpose except to fill the second volume. There are two mildly interesting characters, a tauren and a paladin, but they too don’t seem to do anything plot-relevant. Oh yeah, and there’s some baby dragon...thing that functions as a GPS.

The above paragraph illustrates what it felt like reading this manga. It’s a typical RPG plot that’s filled with pointless action and excessive characters that only serve to pad the pages. Too much stuff and not enough substance.

As for the dialogue and writing, the Robot Devil from Futurama describes it best: “Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!”

However, there is a redeeming quality to this trilogy and that’s the artwork. It’s not Japanese manga, it’s manga-style...sort of. It has anime eyes and it’s grayscale, so that’s pretty much it. Despite the east-meets-west style, the art is very solid and pays a lot of attention to detail and proportions. We should also mention that the Ultimate Edition offers eight lovely pages of full color art at the front of the book that gives readers a little insight into the back story.

Then it assumes you’re stupid and slams you with those eight pages of solid text about the history of the universe we mentioned earlier.

Who is this manga for? This one is for the hardest of hardcore WarCraft fans. If you just can’t get enough of the universe, then try it out. Don’t expect anything moving and epic. Accept that it’s overcomplicated but well drawn, and you won’t be too disappointed.

Kinda like the Transformers movie.

-- Courtney Kraft

Fresh Ink Online: Hulk Smash!

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:57:00 GMT

This week, comic fans, Blair Butler asks the comic question, "What'cha gonna do, when Hulk-a-mania runs wild, comic book speaking, all over you?" We've got Green Hulk, Red Hulk, and She-Hulk for your pleasure this weekend, as Blair takes on Hulk and She-Hulk, but also, we have Manhunter, Abyss, and Star Wars: Dark Times.

So, what are you waiting for? Blair demands your attention. Watch, why dont'cha?

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Anime Review: 'Hellsing' at its Ultimatest

Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:05:00 GMT

There are two kinds of people in this world:

1) People who hate Hellsing.

2) People who are obsessed with Hellsing, own Hellsing merchandise, write Hellsing fanfic, display Hellsing action figures on their desk, and cosplay as Hellsing characters.

The answer to your question is: "The latter."

We could certainly ramble on for a good three pages about the different incarnations of Hellsing, but right now, let’s focus on Hellsing Ultimate the new OVAs that are coming out excruciatingly slowly. The manga has been in the making for nearly a decade, so we’re all used to it.

Very long story short: Hellsing is a British organization lead by Abraham Van Hellsing’s heir Integra that fights the forces of darkness utilizing a pair of vampires named Alucard and Seras among other riffraff. Depending on which version you’re looking at, there are also Nazis.

If you’re looking for deep characters and emotional development, just forget about it. Hellsing has always been about the story. However, the characters all manage to be compelling and unique despite their lack of multi-dimensionality.

There was a 13-episode anime in 2002 that we’ll discuss another time. Last year saw the beginning of a new animated remake consisting of 40-odd minute episodes that follow the manga very closely, but not 100%. No biggie. The animation is far more solid than the original series and truly captures the ultra-violence of Kouta Hirano’s work.

The vocal cast in this remake is nearly identical to the original anime and welcomes the legendary Maaya Sakamoto as Rip Van Winkle. The director and main actors from the English cast all returned which is a blessing seeing as how the original series has one of the best English dubs out there (save one particular cast member who shall remain nameless for the time being).

The only less-than-stellar quality to Hellsing Ultimate is the music. The original series has one of the most unique and interesting soundtracks out there. The new soundtrack is a bit expected, and sometimes falls into the Clockwork Orangesque-style of opera accompanying violence. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just...a little predictable.

Currently, there are four episodes out in Japan and three in the U.S. It will be a while before all 10 (we’re making an educated guess at 10) episodes will be out. There’s just one itsy (read: huge) problem. U.S. distributor Geneon is nearly kaput and there’s no official word on if another company will be picking up the series here in the states.

Help us Taliesin Jaffe! You’re our only hope!

People...this is how Hellsing was meant to be watched. It’s called “Ultimate” for a reason. We highly recommend that if you’re looking for some over-the-top pulp fun, pick up the first volume...or three.

-- Courtney Kraft

'Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe' Revealed

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:09:00 GMT

It looks like the next iteration of oft-disappointing Mortal Kombat series will be Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a mash-up featuring your favorite DC super-heroes figthing the likes of Noob Saibot and that blue ice guy who shoots ice (Sub Zero.)

Although there has been no official announcement, the above screen shot from MortalKombatonline.com seems legit.

If the first question that springs to mind is: "Will I finally be able to rip the spine from that little Robin fairy?" ~~The answer seems to be "No."~~ The answer is unknown.

According to a rumor on kotaku, the game ~~will be bloodless~~ and feature no fatalities.

Update: We have it on very good authority that there is blood in the game. Fatalities, we have no idea.

Other Update: Check out X-Play tonight at 8PM for the broadcast premeire of the teaser!

Expect an "official" revelation today from noob.com.

'Gears of War' Comic Announced

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 08:18:00 GMT

DC Comic and Epic Games are planning to launch a comic book series based on Gears of War.

The Date: October

The Details: Still under wraps, but expect big guns and monsters.

The Quote:. “We are thrilled to be working with DC Comics to further bring to life the Gears of War universe. A lot of our developers are huge comic fans, and have loved the personas and chronicles unique to DC Comics since childhood,” said Dr. Michael Capps, president of Epic Games.

The Analysis: You'll want to be picking up at least the first ish of this one.

GI Joe’s Scarlett Pic Revealed

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:03:00 GMT

Paramount just released the first photo of Rachel Nichols (Alias, Charlie Wilson’s War) as Scarlett O’Hara from the live-action adaptation of toy/cartoon/comic franchise GI Joe.

Red-headed Scarlett is the first female character in the GI Joe action figure line. Her specialty is counter intelligence, weapon of choice is the crossbow, and rank is Master Sergeant. Sexy, huh?

…and this would all sound really exciting if it weren’t for the fact that Van Hellsing director Stephen Sommers was at the helm….

Slashfilm.com: First Look: Rachel Nichols as Scarlett in GI Joe

More Starcraft, Warcraft Manga On The Way

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:36:00 GMT

At this week's New York Comic-Con, Tokyopop announced they have signed a three-year deal with Blizzard for hte publishing rights to twenty two more manga books based in the Warcraft and Starcraft universes. This isn't a total surprise, considering Tokypop already published The Sunwell Trilogy manga series that was based in Azeroth, and was fairly well recieved.

The first two books are set to drop in August, titled Starcraft: Frontline and Warcraft: Legends. Both books will be partially-penned by Richard A. Knaak, who wrote the previous Warcraft Sunwell Trilogy as well as some Dragonlance novels. Oh, and as an added bonus, one fo the first Starcraft stories called "Thundergod" will focus on the new Thor heavy compbat walker unit that will be appearing in Starcraft II. Nerdtastic.

Prototype Gets Comic

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:44:00 GMT

DC Comics and Sierra Entertainment have made a deal that will bring a new comic based on the upcoming videogame Prototype, to the racks sometime in August. The comic will echo the games dark and dense sensibilities and follow the same general storyline as the game.

Said Hank Kanalz, VP & General Manager of WildStorm: “PROTOTYPE’s back-story, visuals and gameplay are stunning, and we have every intention of bringing those core pillars to our book because this is a great opportunity to expand on the world they’ve created, and build something new and interesting for comic book fans.”

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Preview: New Del Rey Manga

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:30:00 GMT

Publisher Del Rey has just put out some brand-spankin’-new manga, and we’ve got your preview.

Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima: In a world full of magic, teenage wizard Lucy is looking for a guild to call home. By chance, she comes across Natsu, a boy raised by a dragon who can control fire. Natsu brings Lucy into the Fairy Tail guild where, along with Natsu’s cat-pal Happy, they take on strange jobs to earn a living and battle wicked wizards.

This manga is definitely for the Naruto crowd and would make a fairly popular anime. It has magically-inclined teens with a rag-tag cast of characters, each unique in both powers and flaws. It’s very easy to get into if you want something light and fun. The downside is the dialogue which occasionally seems disjointed. And seriously, almost every screen of Lucy could read: “Oh look, my boobs!”

Yozakura Quartet by Suzuhito Yasuda: Hime is a superheroine. Ao can read minds. Kotoha can conjure up anything with the right word. And Akina...well, he’s just a regular guy surrounded by three supergirls (and one normal girl and a demon boy, so why this is called “Quartet” is beyond us). Together, they protect the town of Sakurashin. But that’s not easy, as the town faces demon dogs and other supernatural threats!

Overall, this one is just okay, but has potential. The characters are delightful, unique, and fun, but the storyline falls a little flat. Sure, only the first volume is out so it’s hard to judge on the plot, but it’ll have to beef up a bit to really get readers hooked.

Minima! by Machiko Sakurai: What would you do if your favorite toy came to life and became your best friend? (For one, change meds.) Well, that’s just what happens to Ame Oikawa, a shy schoolgirl. Nicori is a super-cute doll with a mind of its own—and a plan to make Ame’s dreams come true! (What’s that Man-At-Arms? Kill them all?)

If you’re reading this, then Minima! is probably not for you. This is truly one for the tween girls. It’s middle school angst that’s relatable to youths without being whiny.

We gotta give Del Rey props for providing its readers with explanations of both honorifics and Japanese references. Thank you!

Next week, we promise to bring you something dark and bloody.

-- Courtney Kraft