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Jing: King of Bandits, Vol. 2 - Yuichi Kumakura
by ROMEHEREWECOME
Tokyopop
I am consistent at the very least "formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga and original English-language manga in German. It previously published works in English and Japanese. On April 15, 2011 the Comics Beat website announced that Tokyopop would be shutting down on May ... 31, 2011."
Yuichi Kamakura
A Japanese manga artist who is a Taurus and born in 1971, they also seem to be very into cocktails and have quite possibly been a bar worker in the past as the majority of their characters are named after alcoholic drinks in their main works King of Bandits Jing.
Characters
Our protagonist Jing may only be a teenager but he is by far the best thief in the mystical fantasy world of Yuichi Kamakura. With hair darker and sharper than Goku from Dragon ball and with fashion sense that would impress Gok Wan, Jing stands out amongst other protagonists his age from the fantasy genre. Not only is he stylish but philosophical and wise beyond his years, though he is a notorious softy and a futuristic Robin Hood.
Kir
Jing's partner in crime and organic weapon, this raven flirts with any cute young female in his sights any time he's not playing the role of Jing's gun. This team together can release a powerful energy beam that can demolish buildings and ogres alike.
Chapters
This volume carries on a story from volume one please see my review of volume one to see where this story begins.
5th Shot-The Flower of Never land- Continuing on from the last volume Jing is facing off against Master Gear and his equally deadly anime partner Sherry the Fox. In this chapter it is Jing that finds himself being rescued by the cute girl with pigtails (Mirabelle) who he rescued from execution in the last volume. So there is a bit of role reversal. Jing soon discovers that she is part of a large group of rebels who are literally hiding underground biding their time to fight back against Master Gear. These are people that the rest of society presumes to be dead whom grow flowers underground with any source of light they can find.
6th Shot-How to Steal Time- "Citizens of Adonis! Cast aside your clocks! The sun has risen again!!" With help from the rebels Jing manages to destroy and stop all means of time keeping in Adonis such as the giant clock tower and egg timer throwing Master Gear out of sorts and into a state of confusion. They do this through planting sunflower seeds in the sand of the giant egg timer. Once this has been destroyed nothing in Adonis works. The chapter ends with Jing entering the growing room with the clockwork grapes.
7th Shot-A Clockwork Grape- "Spurred on by time... the clockwork grapevine, which produces fruit made almost exclusively from mere machinery, has over time been engineered to bear only one organic fruit." Jing and Kir battle off against Master Gear and Sherry for the last time, through passive trickery instead of violence Jing manages to separate the opposing partners and thus taking away their unique powers. Offended by Master Gears lack of courage and confidence Sherry abandons Master Gear in the search for a real man who treats her like Jing treats Kir.
This isn't the end however as typical heroic battles never end that easily, Master Gear brings out a new mechanical toy out which he seems to become bonded and muted to. Without Sherry however he is no match for the Kir Royale. Adonis becomes a City of joy and freedom as a result of Jing's medalling and theft of the Clockwork grape.
8th Shot-The Most Dangerous Cargo-"Although chocolate is the animal's favourite food of choice, all traces of bitterness must be removed and milk should be added for best results." The Porvora (another suspiciously alcoholic name) are fuzzy little pink creatures with big puppy dog eyes, they look somewhat like a clefairy or jigglypuff from Pokémon but should they be exposed to stress or fire then they have more explosive power than their weight in dynamite. Jing must help escort these little creatures across a mountain range with a volcano so danger and action soon ensues when an older fiery tempered female demands to accompany the group. Oh and where are they heading May you ask? Sungria, more alcohol related locations.
9th Shot-Incandescent Memories ""Fake is fake after all...It's true. I think about my dead daughter too much. Once, my eyes and hands remembered her so well I made a life-sized clay statue of her...In the end, it sank...into the lava rapids...Melted away, just like that. I guess a cluster of gongs is still just noise after all...Empty noise...is no substitute for what's real in the world."
Further danger carries on throughout this chapter as Jing enters the belly of the volcano with the Povora and has to avoid fire snakes and demons which greatly desire to munch on the Povora.
This story in concluded in volume three so we are left on another cliff hanger, a very cunning marketing ploy to get the reader to buy the next volume, which I do have but the next volume isn't available for review on dooyoo, so you will have to find out yourself unfortunately.
I think the art improves a lot in volume as does the attention to detail and character development in that we learn that Jing has a little bit of a mother complex and that he is willing to risk his life for anyone or anything including the Porvora which makes him even more likeable than before.
Extras
There is more detail in the back about the city of thieves which was the first city featured in volume one which is very detailed. There are also some advertisements for other manga series and a preview for the next volume.
Was originally aroung £6.99 may be more now that its been out for a while, anime available also but he is depicted as a bit older and I do like the charm of the manga.
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Jing: King of Bandits, Vol. 1 - Yuichi Kumakura
by ROMEHEREWECOME
Tokyopop
I am sure everyone who regularly reads my reviews is now sick of me harping on about Tokyopop and the sad fact that despite it being one of the largest UK manga publications is going into extinction but just thought I would add this little paragraph in for those who are not aware of the ... dilemma.
Yuichi Kumakura
Born in Japan in 1971 Yuichi Kumakura is mainly known for the king of bandits Jing series and darker follow up featuring the protagonist as an older teenager. Apart from a fact that they are a Taurus little else is known about them apart from the fact that they must have a Keene interest in alcohol as most of the environments and characters are named after alcoholic beverages and cocktails.
Characters
The main protagonist of the series is a teenager called Jing, it is said that he can steal anything precious, all that glitters or even your life in the blink of an eye. He is no mere teenage delinquent however as he doesn't go after just any piece of treasure but the rarest that most think are mythical or fairy tale based. His hair is as dark and spiky as Denis the Menace or Goku from dragon ball Z but his style is that of Gok Wan with steel toed military boots and a bright orange raincoat he certainly stands out amongst the standard male protagonists. He is also very philosophical and knowledgeable for a kid his age.
His best friend and partner is a large crow with a foul and flirtatious mouth called Kir and together they can rob the most heavily armed castle or escape from the dankest darkest dungeon at the centre of the earth. As together they can use an ultimately powerful attack called the Kir Royale (also an alcoholic beverage featuring blackcurrant I believe) that can blow people and buildings away in one blast. The attack functions when Kir attaches himself to Jing's arm and a large green energy beam shoots from kir's mouth. The process is a little grotesque if you think about it as Kir metamorphoses into a large organic gun though the artwork isn't graphic or vulgar.
Chapters
1st Shot:In the city of Thieves- Jing and Kir travel to the city of thieves to find the double mermaid tear which can only be produced when a mermaid cries. Upon their travels they discover that an evil villain holds the half girl half fish creature and will actively challenge any thief to try and steal her. Though it has become apparent that despite the villain Cognac (yes another alcoholic drink) has the mermaid and treats her horribly he has not been able to gain any jewels.
Jing being a little miracle worker however takes on the challenge while also helping and elderly lady find her daughter and helping a flightless female dragon (and we are talking giant vicious Harry Potter style dragon here) to rescue her egg which would otherwise end up cognac's breakfast on the way to rescuing the mermaid in the top floor of Cognac's castle.
There are a few mother and child bonds in this chapter and Jing takes on a very Robin Hood like role in the rescue of damsels in distress even if they aren't human or not even mammal in species.
2nd Shot: Mystery of the Phantom Ship and 3rd Shot: The King of Bandits Test- Kir and Jing arrive at a haunted Port called Blue Hawaii (sounds like another cocktail right) were all the local people seem to catch are phantom skeleton piranha like fish. The head of the police department also seems to be under some form of evil spell also leaving all the responsibility of protecting the port to his daughter Rose (the variety of wine).
Together Jing Kir and Rose discover an off shore pirate ship which is running a secret illegal gambling facility powered by human greed. It is this ship which is creating all the weird side effects in Blu Hawaii. Initially the group fall into the gambling and eating the heavy rich food provided, but after a while the captain of the ship a large pig called Grappa whom takes on the appearance of a mecha piggy bank Jing is challenged to a battle. It turns out none of the gusts are as they seem they are all ghouls and demons created from greed and gold coins.
As to be expected Jing and Kir manage to get out alive but instead of stealing treasure this time he steals a kiss from Rose (or rather Rose steals a kiss from him in a moment of passion).
4th Shot-No Time For Adonis- In the city of Adonis "Any person found to be acting as the organizer of activities with an expressed or implied goal of promoting tardiness for the purpose of reforming the City's schedule, taking part in discussions concerning such practices to the end of meeting these or similar goals, or otherwise perceived as an instigator of such actions as would pertain to such goals, will be sentenced to death, and summarily executed."
Jing and Kir set out to capture the clockwork grape grown in the centre of Adonis despite the fact that any trespassers or anyone who disrupts the schedules of any of the local inhabitants will be executed. As to be expected Jing breaks the rules as usual and rescues a beautiful young girl with plated pigtails from being executed and is thus on the most wanted list, in yet another city. However the head of this city isn't so different from Jing he too has an animal partner who can fire super powerful beams, her name is Sherry, she is a fox and more dangerous than Kir in that she can even spot her foes in the dark. Her master Gear is also an older teenager who looks a bit like David Bowie from the Labyrinth with huge 80s hair and lots of skin tight spandex style black clothing. He is unforgiving and doesn't think twice about indiscriminate killing.
We don't find what happens after these two young men meet but the story is faced paced and thrilling so you are encouraged to read on and get the next volume to conclude the cliff hanger.
The World
The world is different to that of most manga in that it is fantasy horror, there are monsters, mutants, pirates, skeletons, ghosts, ogres and various other forms of fantasy beasts and humanoids constantly tearing around the backgrounds and cities which Jing explores, they are even in the bars and hot springs but this seems to be the norm for this particular world. Some of the girls are rather scantily clad also but no over exposure or giant oversized boobs like divergence Eve or High school of the dead. The main characters are ever optimistic and philosophical also. Though as I said before most of the characters are named after alcohol which I think is a little strange.
The art style and the facial expressions of the characters are really something else also and very unique too, I havnt seen art quite like it before.
There is also a little extra in the back with production sketches and advertisements of other manga.
The manga is usually £6.99 though it has been out a little while and may be hard to find. There is an anime also though this was designed with Jing being an older more handsome teenager, so it is a little different from the manga.
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Border Volume 1: Yaoi - Kazuma Kodaka
by shroud
Publisher June says: Welcome to a behind-the-scenes detective agency staffed by the most stunning men on the street...but don't mistake this smooth, stylish crew for gumshoes! They always one-up the law with the greatest of ease and nab every crook, schemer and gang lord...but can they solve the mysteries of their own confused pasts? In ... the end, which of these sleuths will be rewarded with everlasting love?
Kimi says:
Wow, what a real treat this was! I've been a fan for years of Kodaka Kazuma's work, and thought that finally getting Kizuna and Bad Teacher's equation was icing on the cake. Those two hit all the right spots as light romantic pieces with relaxed art to match, but with border, she really ratchets it up a notch. Her art is cleaner, with a more sophisticated look to it that perfectly matches the more grown up feel of this piece. Even the men sport new looks, while retaining the signature look of this mangaka. It's edgier with more danger and more explosions. What a ride!
So, no high school boys in this piece, or young college lads, this manga follows a group of young working adults. And what a career these fellows have! Yamoto retired from his special forces commando days overseas to return to Japan and reunite with the guys he grew up with, forming a very special kind of detective agency. Yamato heads the operation, while Sogo is in charge of weaponry, Kippei is their genki IT guy, and then there is Tamaki. Tamaki is a bit of a puzzle...given how careful Yamoto has been to pick his team for their skills, Tamaki doesn't really have anything to offer except his dedication, which centres mostly on the reluctant Yamato. In fact, Tamaki's main occupation is elsewhere, working as a hairdresser in a salon! So why is he included? One begins to get the idea that perhaps Yamoto has his own unadmitted personal reasons...
We get treated to watching the guys at work on their current case, and this is where it all reminds me of Yellow, as the op plays out I get a sense of deja vu, but hey, I'm not complaining! We also get flashbacks detailing Yamoto's past as a special ops commando, and his attitude towards friends and work and even love become painfully clear. Indeed, the first opening scene of the manga is a full on sex scene with Yamoto and some nameless guy. It's hot in a raw way, but in no way filled with tender passion or longing or anything. This is just a one night sorta deal, and it's obvious from the way the two are posed on the bed that that is all it is. Tamaki routinely flirts and quite honestly wears his heart on his sleeve for Yamato, but a hidden past tragedy is holding Yamoto back. In fact, the tragedy affects how he plans his ops, and it becomes quite obvious that something is going to have to give. Will Yamoto and the boys continue to have good luck on their missions, and will Tamaki and Yamoto ever iron out this thing between them? I certainly look forward to future volumes to find out.
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