Manga Reviews: Naruto volume 47, Rin-ne volume 2

Naruto volume 47
Story and Art: Masashi Kishimoto
Rating: Teen

The climactic duel between Naruto and Pain rages on with the fate of Konoha village hanging in the balance. Despite mastering new techniques such as “sage mode”, Naruto still finds himself struggling against Pain’s formidable strength.

Later on, the fight takes a turn for the worse when Pain prepares for the final blow. As all hope seems lost, Hinata steps in to lend a hand but when she too is struck down, the seal within Naruto holding the Nine Tailed Fox crumbles, unleashing the monster once more.

With the promise of a super fight between Pain and Naruto, this volume delivers. Those looking for a continuation of the story won’t find it here. The majority of the 200 pages are filled with the two trading punches with a few devoted to showing the aftermath. While the volume does leave off on a cliff hanger, there are enough hints that this is the conclusion to the fight.

Volume 47 packs quite the emotional punch with several moving scenes that have been building since the beginning. Combine that with an unexpected appearance by a fan favorite character, and this is one of the most pivotal entries in the series.

Naruto volume 47 - A
























Rin-ne volume 2
Story and Art: Rumiko Takahashi
Rating: Older Teen

Rumiko Takahashi’s artistic genius is once again on display in this, her most recent series. Picking up the dangling plot thread from the previous volume, Rinne hurries to free a school girl from a ghostly samurai suffering from mistaken identity. After some quick thinking by his adopted accomplice Sakura, things are settled, making way for a new case involving a drowned school girl whose spirit is in danger of being corrupted.

The real meat of the story comes in the form of an old rival from Rinne’s past seeking revenge. Despite the series maintain its comedic tone; this arc pushes for a more serious take that works quite well.

Takahashi’s unique sense of humor is on full display from the design of hell down to Rinne’s style of attacks. Even the resolution to Rinne’s conflict with his rival is amusing and will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

If there’s one downside, it’s that there may be too much comedy. No matter how bleak Rinne’s situation is, it’s impossible to take it seriously due to the absurdist nature of the series and the characters that inhabit it.

Still, this is Rumiko Takahashi after all; if there is one thing she excels at, it’s crafting a story that blends humor and action, creating a supernatural tale that has something for everyone.

Rin-ne volume 2 - B

Manga Reviews: Quick Hits

What a Wonderful World! Volume 1

The most difficult part of life is living it. At least that seems to be the message conveyed by the first volume of Viz Media’s new title What a Wonderful World.

A series of nine interconnected events tells the individual stories of a group of disconnected youths aimlessly wondering the streets of Japan trying desperately to realize their place in the world. With each new story, the principle characters learn that reality is never quite what it seems as life is filled with twists and turns that can lead anyone to misery or despair.

From a college dropout struggling to make it big, to an outlaw in a bar mask, followed by the leader of a school gang, each chapter depicts the good and the bad that life has to offer while sending the message to never give up on your dreams no matter where they might take you.

Though each chapter seems random with each one taking a turn to shine the light on a different set of characters, certain themes are prevalent throughout. Animals seem to represent different aspects of life with a crow that can seemingly talk representing death and a turtle that can escape a burning building representing life. The question of why people go on living is also repeated with the answer never being clear.

The artwork displays a light touch of realism while still incorporating enough exaggerated images to give it a light-hearted feel. Expressive faces and detailed backgrounds capture the true essence of the story.

What a Wonderful World Is meant to illustrate the struggles that come from wanting to be more than you are. It relates the message that life is a constant journey of discovery. Everyone’s faith is tested at some point and whether we make it through unscathed is something we must all cope with. The stories represent the humorous and often depressing themes in life of which we can all relate.

It’s an impressive and heartfelt tale about discovering the beauty that each day has to offer and the bitter disappointments that sometimes comes with it.

What a Wonderful World Volume 1 – A+

Yu-Gi-Oh! R Volume 1

Yu-gi-oh! R is the continuation of the smash-hit Yu-gi-oh franchise, acting as both a prequel and a sequel. Volume one begins shortly after Yugi’s final victory in the battle city tournament. After earning the title of “Duel King”, life has finally returned to normal for the high school gamer. Unfortunately, Yugi’s tranquil state is disturbed when the adopted heir of an old rival arrives seeking vengeance.

One of the drawbacks to Yu-gi-oh! R is its pacing. Everything feels rushed. In the original series, the introduction of a character and their continuing growth is played out over the course of several chapters, sometimes volumes. Here, everything is condensed into single chapters giving the reader very little reason time to adjust to these new faces. Several of these characters aren’t even seen again outside of the single chapter they appear making me wonder why I should care about them in the first place.

The plot is simple enough to follow and the artwork is familiar to the original series but the lack of character development and proper pacing prevents the series from reaching the level of its predecessor. For fans of the original series hoping for something different, Yu-gi-oh! R brings nothing new to the table. For those only interested in the card battles, this should prove to be a satisfactory return to the popular franchise.

Yu-gi-oh! R Volume 1 – C

Rin-Ne Volume 1

Rumiko Takahashi is considered the queen of manga, having turned out popular titles such as Ranma ½ and Inuyasha among others. The latest work to come from the prolific author is Rin-Ne, a series that was released simultaneously in both America and Japan in an effort to allow as many people to read it as possible.

Rin-Ne is the story about a teenage girl name Sakura Mamiya, who after getting lost in the woods, acquires the ability to see and communicate ghosts. Doing her best to carry on with her normal life, she to ignore the spirits surrounding her until one day she meets a boy in her class who not only has similar abilities like hers, he can also choose not to be seen by human eyes. His name is Rin-ne Rokudo, an exorcist who helps the dead find peace to prevent them from disturbing the living.

Rin-ne is cold and appears to be indifferent to Sakura, asking for her help only when it benefits him. Sakura decides to aid her mysterious new acquaintance in his work if only to gain an understanding of her own powers.

As always, Takahashi provides wonderful character designs to match the theme of the story. Like her other works, the influence of Japanese folk-lore is present in the characters clothing, giving each one a unique look.

Considering Takahashi has been at this for so long, its hard to find any faults with her work, reflecting her true mastery of her craft. There are certain elements of her older series that shine through which should help its appeal to new fans. With a bountiful mix of humor and action, Rin-ne should prove to be another solid hit.

Rin-ne Volume 1 - A