Bootleg: X-Plus Super Majin Buu (13 inch)

New, a round of applause to anyone who can drop 3 digits on a figure without having that immense feeling of regret. You win. You have everything. But, to all my fellow poor people. I know you all are busy splitting your last bake bean under an overpass. I just want to let you know, "your important too." 

So, I bought this X-Plus Super Majin Buu PVC figure from Aliexpress. Not bad I must say. Not bad at all. I spent maybe about $40 when it retails at 80-100. The paint job looks great. Not really much you could goof. A few years ago though, buying a bootleg figure seemed to be something I was most afraid. Research for an online retailer would take weeks. Screening reviews and cross referencing them from different sites was a must. Checking out message boards and youtube video. Interrogating and waterboarding sketchy eBay sellers. I did it all (except for the last thing, kinda). But I don't even know what to say at this point. Like, bootlegs really aren't that bad when it comes to an alternative to buy a costly figures. And when I say figure, I'm talking mainly PVC. Don't worry you sweet little head over bootlegs figures with articulation, best leave that shit to a legit purchase.

Dragon Ball X KINTOU

I know its been a while since the last time I posted but I made a few Dragon Ball designs to get printed for my personal collection. I'm doing most of this through Zazzle.com but I might try and find a site that silk screens. Zazzle prints on cloths but they haven't let me down yet. I think so far they look pretty neat. Sucks I can't sell this loot to the public due to copyright issues but at least I can wear it myself. I'm kind of a Dragon Ball fan if you didn't know *wink* *wink*(this is when I give you the link to my DBZ blog: Kintou)  

For though, I really wanted to vent my frustration about the clothing line Billionaire Boys Club and their recent announcement of a Dragon Ball shirt collection (plz click the link). Yo! I have never liked BBC. Like, since they got on the scene I thought their stuff was dated and their designs were simple sketches traced in Adobe Illustrator without using the advance setting. Not to say they don't have a few dope pieces here and there. I found a decent look black crew neck sweatshirt at the thrift from them. But come on! This lukeware shit is what they come out with. You find some crispy looking DBZ shirt from a con or eBay for a much cheaper price then what their going to drop it for. Cuz really! Their going to tax the hell out of it for name sake alone. But I digress...

I've been trying to get more creative recently. Idk. I use to do more design work for fun when I was making $8.50 an hour as a temp for a chemical company. But now, my just fighting for time just to get some sleep. I know my wife feels the same way. Hopefully I'll have something else posted soon.

Top 15 Itou Junji Stories

I wrote up a list of my top 10 favorite horror manga a few months back. But nowhere in that post did I mention any of Itou Junji stories. So, to make amends. I decided to kiss little ass in this post. 

Mangaka Itou Junji is a master of horror. With a career spanning over two decade, he has a great assortment of stories that can really leave an impression on you. Like, some real cognitive shit that you might need to suppress like a horrifying trauma. Stores of helplessness and plight. Most of which are worth a read.

Great stuff from Glyceride

All of the stores on this list have well planed setups with very surprising pay offs. I had to cut a few here and there. Omitting stores with continuing plots, reoccurring characters, and convoluted or bland narratives. So no Tomie, and Souichi Tsujii. None the less, here are a list my 15 favorite Itou Junji Stories.

15. The Window Next Door

The Window Next Door, is about a boy who moves into a cheap new house with his mother and father. Nothing seems too abnormal. Except for his rather creepy next door neighbor.

This is a great appetizers to start you off with. Short and sweet.

14. Face Burglar

Face Burglar, is about a girl by the name of Yumi Machida who transfers to a new school. Through the course of the first day, she is followed by a strange girl, Kamei. Who just so happens to be the carbon copy of another student in class.

This one is a strange read. Its still an appetizer, but more like the free bread sticks at Olive Garden (not like Red Lobster cheese bread or anything).

13. Fashion Model

The story, Fashion Model, is about guy named Iwasaki, who gets up one morning with a feeling of utter dread. As if, misfortune well befall him any minute. While contemplating his uneasiness in a cafe, he picks up a magazine that features a very frighting model. Now Iwasaki can't stop thinking about this very unsightly woman. 

12. Hallucinations

Hallucinations, is about a boy named Oshikiri, who killed his best friend and buried the body in his backyard. Contemplating his actions. He soon starts to hallucinate. Distorting his perception of reality...

11. Gravetown

Gravetown, is about girl named Kaoru, who received a letter from an old friend, inviting to come visite her town. Kaoru is accompanied by her brother, who agrees to drop her off. But along the way, they accidentally hit a young girl in the middle of the road with their.

This one is about 60 pages long. Not too long, right?

10. Second-hand Record

Second-hand Record, is about a girl name Nakayama who hears a strange record at her friends house. There's something very alluring about the music. Just something that seems a but supernatural.

This one is for all you hipsters, buying obscure experimental indie music. You have been forewarned. 

9. Ice Cream Bus

Ice Cream Bus, is about a mysterious man who visits an apartment complex once a week. He gives the local children ice cream. Topped off, with a joyride around the neighborhood in his ice cream bus. Seems pretty legit.

8. The Conversation Room

The Conversation Room is about a woman named Hashimoto who wakes up in the hospital after a serious car accident. Bedridden, she is roomed together with the proprietor of the other vehicle, Sugie. Along with four strange woman, who seem to share... some communal habits.

7. Splatter Film

Splatter Film, is about a guy named Sugio who is catching up with his old friend Ogi. Ogi shows him a jar he brought back from a trip in the jungle. This jar contains some of the must rare and delicious honey on the face of the earth. But theirs a stern warning the comes with eating it.

6. Village of the Sirens

Village of Sirens, is about a boy named Kyoichi, who's going back home after receiving a letter from his mother. Simultaneously, hundreds of infants have been abducted throughout all of Japan. I would be pretty strange if both stories converged somehow. Just saying...   

5. The Town Without Streets

The Town Without Streets, is about a girl named Saiko, who's been dreaming about a guy from her class. She's never talked to him or even noticed him. But he shows up every night in her sleep. Her friend suggest that the guy has been sneaking into her room at night and whispering in her ear, but could that "reeeeally" be the case (side note: that is the case).

This story seems like a combination of two different narratives. Like, Itou had two different stories that really didn't work as stand alone pieces. So he glued them together or some dookie. Oh well. Its a bit of a read. 70 pages. But it good, trust me!

4. Den of the Sleep Demon 

Den of the Sleep Demon, is about a man named Yuji, and he has a problem. Yuji's problem is that he can't sleep. For if he sleeps, the other him will wake up and pull him through to another world. Trading places.

This story is like one of those old Lindsay Lohan Disney movies. Where people are trading places and shit. But this story involves a demon on another plane of existence. Sooo....

3. My Dear Ancestors

My Dear Ancestors, is about a girl named Risa who has come down with a sudden case of amnesia. It is suggested that it was brought on by traumatic experience. None the less, she is aided by her friend Miakita... and there something about a caterpillar or something.

2. Long Dream

Long Dream, is about.... Dreams. Hell, I'm phoning it in at this point. Just read it.

1. Hanging Balloons

Hanging Balloons, is by far my favorite story by Itou Junji. Just read this one. I don't want to ruin it for you. Its pretty good.

Top 10 Horror Manga

10. Fuan No Tane

(completed, sequel in Fuan No Tane Plue)

Written and Illustrated by Nakayama Masaaki, "Fuan No Tane" is a collection of short horror stories. And when I say short, I mean microscopic. Each story ranges from 10 to 3 pages, with some of the plots following a simple algorithm. 

A + B = C

A - a mundane activity (e.g. walking home, waking up).

B - a strange anomaly (e.g. power outage, creepy old lady).

C - the money shot. (Boooo!)

These plots are like a fucken gas station robbery. Get in, get out. That simple, and it works like charm! Even with a pretty basic blue print, most of these stories are spooky as hell; abruptly ending and not giving the audience much time to let things linger. Leaving people unease and very satisfied. Some stories seem a bit rehashed, but their still enjoyable. You could probably skim through the whole thing in one night.

9. Terra Formars

(ongoing series)

Written by Sagusa Yu and illustrated by Tachibana Kenichi, "Terra Formars" is set in a future where scientists have successfully terraformed the planet Mars. This was accomplished by sending large amounts of mold and, uhm... Cockroaches (just hear me out) to cultivate the planet and make it habitable. The mold is in place to absorb sunlight while the roaches are there to eat the mold. In turn, the dead roaches feed the mold, blah blah, the circle of life. 500 years have passed, and the roaches have evolved. So, a rage-tag team of misfit (kind of) are sent off to Mars, with the mission to exterminate every living cockroach. But things don't go as planed. *plays loud ominous music*

Terra Formars, is by no means top tier manga material. Its a b-list sic-fi horror, and Sagusa Yu and Tachibana Kenichi know that. So to compensate for things like well developed characters, they escalating thing rather quickly. Pacing the manga at a brisk jog, giving the story a constant flow of death a misery, and it works in it's favor. Plus, they have some of the creepiest fucking roaches I have ever seen. It's not the best, but its enjoyable.

8. Hakaijuu

(ongoing series)

Written and illustrated by Honda Shingo, "Hakaijuu" is about 2nd year high school basketball player, Takashiro Akira, who just became a starter on the team. He envies his friend and teammate Kudou Eiji, and is madly in love with his childhood friend Aizawa Miku (Eiji also likes Miku, but fuck that guy) who moved to another city. His life is pretty placid, until he goes into the gym storage room during an earthquake and is then knocked unconscious. Upon waking, he finds that most of the school is dead and a strange creature roaming the halls.

Hakaijuu is a good read with some very interesting monsters and a ever present feeling of helplessness. The only drawback with this series is that it's only 6 chapters deep, with chapter 7 hopefully coming out before the 2nd coming of christ. For what its worth, read it. Then bookmark it.

7. Apocalypse no Toride

(ongoing series)

Written by Kuraishi Yuu and illustrated by Inabe Kazu, "Apocalypse no Toride" is about 16 year old Yoshiaki Maeda, who is wrongly accused of murder and thus sent off to prison. While incarcerated, the prison soon comes under attack by zombies and Maeda, along with a few other inmates have to fight to survive.

Apocalypse no Toride is by no means your basic zombie horror. There are supernatural elements at play, that adds a very need kick to the story. Granted its a manga about zombies. But there are so many roads that have yet to be explored with the genre. The manga dose have its fair share of problems, but their minor at best.

6. Battle Royale
(complete series)
Written by Koushun Takami and illustrated by Taguchi Masayuki, "Battle Royale" follows the story of a japanese middle school class that is forced to fight to the death on an island by a totality government for 3 days. Each student it fitted with a fancy neck collar, that is rigged in explode if a students disobey orders, goes to a restricted area during the course of the game (the areas change daily), or after the game has reached its 72 hour mark (only one person can be left standing). Also, each student if given a bag with basic necessities like food, a map, a compass, etc. Along with one weapon. Kill or be killed.

Like most people who have read the manga, I watched the movie first. That being said, the manga can be seen as a good extension on the feature film. In depth back stories. Character development for nameless faces. Plus, there are some really intense moments that could not of been translated well on film (I ain't playin either).

There are some discrepancies with Tokoypop's translation of the manga. So if possible, read the fan translation.

5. Kiseijuu (Parasyte)
(complete series)
Written and illustrated by Hitoshi Iwaaki, "Kiseijuu" is about a race of alien parasites that appear on earth one night searching for an adequate host. Once these parasites enter the body of the host, they travel directly to the brain; taking control over the body and killing them. While they do appear human, they tend to show no emotions. They can transform their limbs into deadly weapons and they have a hunger for human flesh.

Kiseijuu reminds me of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, with an elements of Terminator 2. It's a solid story with some solid characters. This was one of the first manga I've ever read, so I want other people to like this shit too. So read it!

4. Gantz
(complete series)
Written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku, "Gantz" follows the story of Kei Kurono who dies in a train accident along side an old acquaintance, Masaru Kato. Both Kurono and Kato are transported to a small room with several other people who have meet the same fate as them. In the center of the room is a large black ball that tells them, "you are all dead." This ball also tells them about a game they must partake, in which they need to hunt aliens. Oooooooooooo!

Gantz, in its self, is a character driving manga. Assembling a cast with different personalities, occupations, and on occasion, nationalities. Pitting them against unbelievable and horrifying odds, while making them question reality. Empathy, moral decency and constant fear of death strains them mentally. As a result, their outlook on the world around them changes, giving them depth and complexity. Gantz blends elements of science fiction, horror, and a bit of some japanese mythos into a great story that's laced with mystery. READ IT!

3. Homunculus
(complete series)
Written and illustrated by Yamamoto Hideo, "Homunculus" is about Susumu Nakoshi, a man who is living out of his car near of a park. He is approached Manabu Ito, who offers him 700,000 yen ($7210.00) to preform a medical procedure on him. The procedure is called Trepanation, where a hole is drilled into a person's the skull, which allows a them to use their 6th sense, see ghosts, use ESP and move things with their mind. Nakoshi agrees, thus changing his perception of the world around him.

Yamamoto Hideo, of Ichi the Killer fame, has delivered some of the most cerebral shit I've ever read with his magnum opus (in my opinion) Homunculus. The manga itself, is about the "gooey center" of what makes a person who they are. And that "goo,"(just listen) is personified into a visual form. A visual hyperboles, so to speak, that could take the shape of a horrifying being or a simple spoon. It's all about the subtext, and how it relates to that person.... fuck, just read the damn thing! Yamamoto Hideo made a very intriguing story; complimented with great artwork, complex psychological elements, and some very interesting three dimensional characters.

I alway had a wired feeling in the pit of my stomach when I read it... You should feel it too.

2. Berserk
(ongoing series)
Written and illustrated by Kentaro Miura, "Berserk" is about a man named Guts (Gattsu, or Gats in some fan translations), the Black Swordsman. Clad in all black, and wielding a metal prosthetic arm (that seconds as a cannon) along with a large sword that can be mistaken for a slab of iron. Branded with a demonic mark on his neck, Guts must fights hordes of demons, ghosts, and the undead. While seeking out the one who branded him.

Action! Monsters! Blood! Revenge! Love! It has it all! Kentaro Miura has made a world so large in scale, that it feel genuinely organic! Characters that grow and change over the course of the story's spain! Horrifying monsters with blood lust!  If you want a reason to live, read this shit! If you feel dead inside, read this shit! Its amazing! The Iliad be damn!

Berserk is currently on chapter 333, so take your time and enjoy it. Its great.

1. I am a Hero
(ongoing series)
Written and illustrated by Kengo Hanazawa, "I am a Hero" is about Hideo Suzuki, an out of luck mangaka who suffers from severe hallucinations. He has vivid conversations with an imaginary friend named Yajima, and is under the impression that he must fight off evil spirits. Add in the fact that he's having problems with is girlfriend, Tekko, Hideo Suzuki is a broken man. But things soon change, as the city is under attack from a strange new virus. *plays loud ominous music*

I am a Hero, is a very tightly written story. Paced to perfection, Kengo Hanazawa dose an amazing job unfolding events. Starting the plot off pretty slow and then hitting you with everything all at once, and beautifully sequencing panel after panel. Hideo Suzuki, as a character, is one strange cookie... but very likable. Which I guess is a common trait from most of Hanazawa's manga. Try and read this one.

Me and the Devil Blues - Manga Recommendation

For most of this year, my mind has been so enamored with reading mangas, that it feels like I've lost touch with reality. A normal day ends with me getting off the phone with my girlfriend, Rachel, at 1am and reading till sun rise on my iPad. Not once faltering to sleep. I wake up and read in the bathroom for several hours, so as to cramp the holy hell out of my legs and thighs. In my pastime, I read on the floor at the airport, near baggage claim, allowing complete stranger to gaze at my elated face; while commenting to their friends and family about my good looks (hubba hubba, wink wink). And in the after noon, I sit in my car at a local gas station, mindlessly reading until its time to pick up Rachel from work. And thus the cycle of perpetual motion continues.

Mind you, I'm not inferring some under lying problem about my obsession. I just wanted to elaborate on my passion for the medium, and in turn, you will take what I have to say, in this post, as some really legit shit... so here I go:

Three days ago, I started reading "Me and the Devil Blues"(aka: Ore to Akuma no Blues). A seinen title, written and illustrated by Akira Hiramoto(of Kangoku Gakuen fame).

Synopsis: The story is loosely based on the life of Robert Johnson(RJ), a famous African American blue musician in the rascally divided, 1920-1930 era Mississippi. RJ, a good for nothing degenerate, who rejects the idea of getting a job to support his pregnant wife and unborn child, sells his soul to the Devil for the chance to play the blues. And in typical monkey paw fashion, inheritance misfortune for his selfish act. Losing six month of his life, during which his wife and child dies. RJ, becoming a vagabond, leaves home with his mysterious friend Ike(hint hint, nudge nudge), while he's put through mental and physical trials along the way.

 (Psst! This was the trials I was referring to!)

I only found myself reading this manga because of Hiramoto's current series, Kangoku Gakuen. Which has impressed me with its art, lowbrow humor, and excessive sexual pandering to male readers (Kind of strange that Kangoku Gakuen is not licensed here in the states yet). But with that said, Me and the Devil Blues, is a far-cry for most of Akira Hiramoto notable works(the basic ecchi/comedy trope). Sticking with a motif as serious as cancer. 1920-1930 America is accurately illustrated. Addressing issues like prohibition and unbridled racism that widely dominated this era in the deep south. 

The narrative and the art for the story is pretty decent for the first few chapter, but the quality really picks up after the protagonist decides to hit the road. And the story is shown from the perspective of RJ and.. eh.. another character (I rather not ruin the historical in accuracy for you) that appears later on.

(said the man with no soul)

But By far, the most impressive thing about this manga is... The black protagonist. Yeah, I said it! A black guy! Mmhmm... 

With modern day manga, being around 80 or 90 years old, black character are few and far between. And in most respects, their played off as a minor antagonists, without character development and relaying heavily on stereotypes. 

Common examples:

- Young street tough ready to fight or sexually assault.

- Exchange student, who is the secret weapon for an opposing sports team. (sports manga trope)

- Culturally oblivious Rapper

- Flamboyantly homosexual, muscle bound black guy.

(not to mention, that black women are almost not existent) 

Usually, blacks are treated as things. Put in a story as a "challenge" or "brick wall" for the main character to over come. Not like an enemy with logic to motivate them... Their just there. Not that all mangas with black characters are like this, just most of them are.

Any who, Me and the Devil Blues ain't that bad. Check it out.

**The scanlators responsible for translating Me and the Devil Blues, hasn't done so in two or three years... so you only get 3 volumes worth of story.

Manga loot

Last weekend, I went to an anime convention and came back with a very depressing amount of pirate swag. I'm usually pretty good at stocking up on final sales of manga, figures, games and DVDs... but fuck it.

Manga List:
-Black Jack vol. 1 & 2
-Eden vol. 1
-Walkin' Butterfly vol. 1
-Banya vol. 1 (the only Manhwa in the bunch)

GANTZ

I must say, this is a perfect example of an allegory. 340 chapters deep and GANTZ is basically near its end. With the story-line split into 3 parts/phases, GANTZ is currently on its finale phase (which started in chapter 304).

It was around 2005 or 2006 when I first picked up the manga and instantly became smitten by it. Amazing character development, well thought out pacing, interesting design(mainly the aliens and the weaponry), and a cool ass sci-fi concept. I was hooked like a crack fiend.

When flipping through older volumes, you start to notice a decades worth of changes. Its very prevalent in the art.

Gantz: The Movie

Putting aside the source material, the movie was just... okay. The dubbing was hurriedness and character development was kind of lacking in some areas. The CGI and the movie props were handled very nicely.

Adapting a very extensive manga like Gantz into a two part feature film, changes are to be expected. So some of the backlash that the film is getting for not following the manga should be a bit more mellowed. But taking into consideration some of the changes they did make, the film could have been better.

Biggest changes made (In my opinion):

-Number of participance in each mission were decreased.

-The Tanaka aliens mission only had one Tanaka alien.

-Kurono is currently job hunting while attending a University.

-Masaru went to juvy for killing his father and his compassion for life is downplayed.

-No brain bombs.

-Kurono's awesome-ness, was no where to be found!

a good 6 out of 10

Berserk on my mind

I've been reread berserk and Its kinda bad. I love the manga and the engaging story but it only took me a whole weekend to fly through it to chapter 304.

The manga itself is 20 years old and I didnt really take the time to really absorb it all. Kentaro Miura's drawing style has improved from the late 80's and the story has so many dramatic turns and twist that I really don't know what to expect in any up coming chapters.

Fighting boredom

(FUN THINGY)

My brain is super fried and I feel like I'm having a dry spell =__=

In the mean time, I have to beat the hell out of boredom.

Homeless DAY

Above Underground Atlanta (7:33 a.m.)

Today was pretty moist.

Some homeless man was yelling at me this morning after I snapped the above picture. He was yelling: "THAT'S NOT YOUR CAR! GET FROM THERE!" (WTF homeless man!)

SIDE NOTE: I can run pretty fast o__o

Barnes and Noble (1:30 p.m.)

I had an interesting conversation with some random dude at Barnes and Noble. I left some book on a table and ran to the bathroom but when I got back some guy was looking through my books. I kinda just stood there waiting for him to notice me (THE WAIT: 22.6 sec).

He was a pretty cool guy who knew a thing or two about graphic novels. After about a 20 minutes or so he said he had to head back to THE SHELTER...

*shocked* ( ' O')

Before he left, he told me that he's homeless and stays at a shelter some where near the store. And being that he doesn't have much to do, he reads at Barnes and Noble.

uhm...

THE END

Me likey Manga

I have the habit of throwing away all forms of productivity and responsibility just so I get into a new manga. Its just something about putting your life on hold to read about the most random of subjects.  

   

I just finished chapter 264 Vagabond. Not much I can say about it... just wish I had more Musashi :)

Vagabond is an adaptation of a novel based on the life of Miyamoto Musashi, so its a historical piece. That being so, it doesn't have generic plot twist like some manga and lame story arcs that have nothing to do with the story.

VAGABOND

created by: Takehiko Inoue 

READ IT AT: ONEMANGA