Slumbering Beauty Volume 1

	Creator Yumi Unita is best-known in this country for Bunny Drop, an adorable manga about a single father that turned creepy when he decided to get involved with his adoptive daughter once she grew up. Thus, when Slumbering Beauty was announced, I was concerned about what might be part of this manga. I shouldn’t have worried. I could really get into Slumbering Beauty, because it was weird from the start. Schoolgirl Yoneko likes to sleep, and she’s really good at […]
Creator Yumi Unita is best-known in this country for Bunny Drop, an adorable manga about a single father that turned creepy when he decided to get involved with his adoptive daughter once she grew up. Thus, when Slumbering Beauty was announced, I was concerned about what might be part of this manga. I shouldn’t have worried. I could really get into Slumbering Beauty, because it was weird from the start. Schoolgirl Yoneko likes to sleep, and she’s really good at it. One day, after she’s supposed to have gotten herself up to go to school, she’s awakened by Nerimu, a “slumber spirit”, who’s surprised she can see him. His job is to “ensure mortals have a restful sleep” — which means not only going to sleep, but waking up at the right time to ensure they don’t overdo. Too many naps get in the way of a good night’s rest. Nerimu doesn’t get to sleep until all of his charges have woken up properly, which means Yoneko staying in bed is keeping him from getting the rest he needs. When he discovers she’s particularly skilled at patting kids and cats (which are cutely drawn) just right to calm them down, he enlists her to help him as a kind of intern. She’s a loner, known by her classmates only for sleeping, so he provides valuable connection for her. This is an episodic collection, with different chapters showing us a classmate who stays up all night texting and playing on her phone, another spirit who needs Yoneko’s help, some issues with her family that have driven her to bed as an escape, and a geeky student who is sacrificing sleep for studying. As a typical American adult, I’m usually feeling less than fully rested, so this kind of fantasy, about the importance of sleep, was a fun respite. Although the events are silly, the message is a good one, one I appreciated being reminded of. Plus, it’s funny, as when Nerimu is grumbling about a particularly difficult case: It’s almost morning… are that many people still awake? This is right around the time I need to help manga artists and editors sleep! I also like Unita’s art, which while distinctly manga, is a bit more simplified, with stronger lines than the usual, which gives it a slight indie feel I enjoy. The eye is often drawn to the stark black of Yoneko’s hair, which keeps her foregrounded in the panels. There is, apparently, another volume planned for end of next year. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.) Link : Slumbering Beauty Volume 1
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Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1

	Review by KC Carlson It’s been a while since I’ve watched (and reviewed) any vintage Popeye cartoons. But Warner just sent me the first new Popeye set in a long while. Plus, it’s the first restored Popeye on Blu-ray, which is a big deal! Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 contains 14 recently restored color theatrical shorts — and as far as I can tell these are the original, unedited, versions of the cartoons. I distinctly remember watching these […]
Review by KC Carlson It’s been a while since I’ve watched (and reviewed) any vintage Popeye cartoons. But Warner just sent me the first new Popeye set in a long while. Plus, it’s the first restored Popeye on Blu-ray, which is a big deal! Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1 contains 14 recently restored color theatrical shorts — and as far as I can tell these are the original, unedited, versions of the cartoons. I distinctly remember watching these original Popeye cartoons on TV whenever I had the chance growing up, and as the years went by the cartoons kept getting shorter and shorter from edits — not to mention mangled soundtracks. Censors did not like Popeye’s constant muttering under his breath! Now you can clearly hear everything what’s perturbing him (besides Bluto or Olive Oyl). Anyway, as soon as I popped the Blu-ray into the player, I was 8 or 10 years old again and mesmerized at what was happening on my TV screen. (The Blu-ray is actually light years away from what I was originally watching, since at that age all I had for better picture quality were rabbit ears antenna. When I was really young, my dad started talking about rabbit ears for the TV, and I thought he was going to bring home Bugs Bunny to sit on top of the TV. It sometimes amazes me how I survived childhood. Something else I have give Popeye credit for.) Super-Restored Shorts! All of the cartoons on this new collection were originally shown in movie theaters from November 1943 to August 1945. At this point in time, most of the cartoons revolved around the Popeye/Olive Oyl/Bluto love triangle, and most of the gags were about the ridiculous lengths that Popeye and Bluto went to pummel each other into the pavement. A pretty-much-forgotten character from this era was Shorty, another sailor who occasionally palled around with Popeye. Shorty wasn’t very bright — or as charismatic as the main players — but he was useful when it was important to ignore the Popeye/Bluto/Olive conflicts for a bit. The first cartoon he appeared in was called “Happy Birthdaze” (July 1943), where (weirdly for a cartoon of this era) he attempts suicide. The cartoon made it a mystery whether he succeeded or not… but he did show up for two subsequent cartoons. That cartoon appears on the Popeye the Sailor 1941-1943 DVD set (2008). One of the main themes for the series included helping broken-down animals (like horses) and other people. Popeye helps Shorty propose to Olive in “The Marry-Go-Round”, but Popeye is spectacularly bad at it. This one cartoon may explain the next 50-some years of Popeye cartoons… Interesting trivia about Shorty: He appeared in only three Popeye cartoons, and two of them are on this set. In “The Anvil Chorus Girl”, we see a different side of Olive Oyl, who is for some reason the village blacksmith, and for some other reason, both Popeye and Bluto find this amazingly sexy. She starts flirting with them, and the animators also help out by making her actually appear sexy for a moment or two. I’m betting that this may be one of the cartoons that wasn’t shown much (or fully intact) on children’s TV. I don’t remember it. “Spinach-Packin’ Popeye” is another weird one. Bluto and Popeye are boxers, and Olive is listening to them fight on the radio (no TV yet, remember?), and Popeye loses, and later at Olive’s he talks about his adventure in Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad (from 1936). This kind of repeated footage happened occasionally in Popeye-land, and so what — Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad is one of the best cartoons of its era, if not all-time! Who’s Hoo at the Zoo If you like nutty slapstick, “Pitching Woo at the Zoo” is for you! Popeye and Olive are at the zoo, and in one of those moments that only happens in cartoons, her neck and head starts doing gymnastics while trying to eat peanuts. Bluto is the nasty zookeeper and starts flirting with Olive. “What a feminine female!” And she likes it! I remember this cartoon well from my youth because of the ridiculous scene with Popeye and an alligator putting each other to sleep by rubbing their bellies. Plus, one of the best lines ever in the series is when Bluto comments on Popeye: “You’d only see an ugly face like his in an animated cartoon!” It’s always great to see the animators and writers having fun! In “Sea-Sick Sailors”, Olive is reading Superman comic books. She crushes on Superman big-time, so Bluto disguises himself as Supes. (He shaves his beard. He still has 5 o’clock shadow, so it really shouldn’t work, but, you know… cartoons.) Popeye can’t compete on this level, but Super-Bluto is clumsy with his secret identity, so Olive gets tied to railroad tracks, and (somehow) Super-Popeye saves her. It’s great that the people that conceive of these sets want them to be complete. In order to do so, they have to include some cartoons that they probably don’t really want to include. Like “Pop-Pie a la Mode”, which from start to finish portrays every blackface racial stereotype in the books. Popeye is a castaway on a raft who finds an island with a hotel on it. There is another castaway — a person of color drawn in all the wrong ways. (Basically, he’s a very stereotyped cannibal. His main goal of the rest of the cartoon is to eat Popeye.) And pretty much all of the rest of the characters on the island (and in the hotel) are similarly stereotyped. And most of them also want to eat Popeye. The other problem with this short is what’s so funny about that? Three Rings Is Not Enough In “Tops in the Big Top”, Bluto is the ringmaster of the circus, who loves torturing everybody else, especially Popeye (a guy who does the old “put your head in the lion’s mouth” routine) and Olive (who mostly stands around looking almost pretty in a weird pink tutu — and Bluto also looks up her very short skirt). At one point, she plays piano on the high wire. (Bet you’re already thinking, the piano will fly through the air! Good instincts!) Olive starts to fall off the high wire, but her nose (yes, I said nose) saves her. Bluto then makes sure that Popeye smells like booze — and then Bluto becomes the new trapeze artist! Popeye opens a can of spinach and saves both the day and gangly Olive, as Bluto lands in a water bottle and can’t get out. “Shape Away” is probably best known for a famous cartoon cameo. Bluto and Popeye live together on a deserted island, where women aren’t allowed. Good, you already know where this is going… A shipwrecked Olive lands on the island, and and both doofuses are smitten and proceed to shave (well, not Bluto) and clean up to court her, as well as bring her fruit and flowers. Later, she’s swimming in the lagoon (naked?), and the boys are so concentrating on staring, that they almost accidentally kiss. The competition gets tougher until a Frank Sinatra-type crooner is washed up on the island, and Olive runs off with him. Bluto and Popeye’s comments are CENSORED. Cut to black. “Mess Production” is the final cartoon on the set, which is somewhat appropriate as it sort of acts as a summing-up of much of the craziness we’ve already seen. Everybody is working in a factory, and Popeye and Bluto see Olive (a new welder) reporting for work so they start ogling her. Then they start fighting over her. Hijinks ensue. Bluto and she flirt, but then she ends up accidentally (?) injuring him. Later, gangly Olive ends up accidentally welding herself into a couple of connected pipes. There are three side pipes for her feet and head, so she can still walk around looking ridiculous. Until Bluto conks her on the head and she starts sleepwalking through the plant’s giant gears and conveyer belts. Popeye ultimately rescues her and she rewards him with a kiss — which of course makes him so dizzy that he stumbles back into the plant, while sleepwalking. There are plenty of other great Popeye cartoons on this set. I’m so glad this series is back to hopefully regular releases again. I miss classic Popeye, and Blu-ray is the best way to see them for today’s viewers. What a great Christmas present from Warner Archive and the cast and creators of Popeye! Link : Popeye the Sailor: The 1940s, Volume 1
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Everyone’s Getting Married Volume 7

	As indicated at the end of volume 6, the couple of Asuka and Ryu face an even more challenging obstacle than we’ve previously seen: Ryu is being asked to work overseas for some years. It’s a major career advancement, but how will the two cope, and will this change his objection to the idea of marriage? I won’t spoil Everyone’s Getting Married volume 7, because much of the fun of this series is seeing what happens next, but I will […]
As indicated at the end of volume 6, the couple of Asuka and Ryu face an even more challenging obstacle than we’ve previously seen: Ryu is being asked to work overseas for some years. It’s a major career advancement, but how will the two cope, and will this change his objection to the idea of marriage? I won’t spoil Everyone’s Getting Married volume 7, because much of the fun of this series is seeing what happens next, but I will say that I preferred seeing an outside situational problem for the two to struggle with. In the previous book, if I recall correctly, most of the challenges were people: a rival and her family’s opinion. An unexpected work change is more plausible, less silly, and it symbolizes to me how even a happy couple has no idea what they’ll need to overcome next. Many have struggled with the idea of or need for a long-distance relationship. The nice thing about having a deadline before being separated is that the two know to make the most of their time together, with some lovely-looking date nights. Otherwise, the art is driven by conversation, with lots of facial expression. It makes for a quick read. Asuka has also been progressing in her career, with a new team assignment. I Like best the small scenes relating to this. In one, she gets reassurance that everyone gets a little scared when reaching a new level of responsibility but she’s still capable and will wind up enjoying it. That’s a great lesson to remember. In another sequence, it’s a pleasure to see her joy in solving a work puzzle, after being reprimanded by a superior but without enough detail. Seeing the two succeed in and enjoy their work is reassuring, making this a bit more than your typical romance. Link : Everyone’s Getting Married Volume 7
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Flying Witch Volume 3

	Flying Witch volume 3 doesn’t differ appreciably from the first book in the series. That’s its strength — calm, lightweight stories about everyday life with just a soupçon of magic to make things interesting. Not too scary or different, though, just relaxing. The kids go to a witch cafe where they’re waited on by a ghost. Another patron is a fox — drawn adorably! — an encounter which helps Chinatsu’s mother write children’s books. The kids garden and eat what […]
Flying Witch volume 3 doesn’t differ appreciably from the first book in the series. That’s its strength — calm, lightweight stories about everyday life with just a soupçon of magic to make things interesting. Not too scary or different, though, just relaxing. The kids go to a witch cafe where they’re waited on by a ghost. Another patron is a fox — drawn adorably! — an encounter which helps Chinatsu’s mother write children’s books. The kids garden and eat what they grow. No knowledge of previous books is needed, although being familiar with visitors that return, such as Miss Inukai (the dog-headed woman), who tells fortunes, will provide more enjoyment. The most fantastic encounter of this volume is when they ride a flying whale! Even that ends prosaically, though, as they meet another witch and go home to make pancakes for breakfast. The most interesting things about the characters involve everyday friendship and quiet country living. The posed figures of the art vaguely remind me of flipping through vacation snapshots. The particular incidents of this volume would be well-suited to a younger reader, since everything’s so comfortable and unchallenging, particularly given the cute animal background bits. Or perhaps for family readers to enjoy together. (The publisher provided a review copy.) Link : Flying Witch Volume 3
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Astra Lost in Space Volume 1

	I had hopes for Astra Lost in Space, based on the premise, about a class trip set in the future with space travel. When an accident occurs, the group of students has to figure out how to survive and get back home. It’s a classic setup with lots of promise for character development and exciting adventures. I anticipated something that fans of classic manga science fiction like They Were 11 or Twin Spica might enjoy. Unfortunately, what I got in […]
I had hopes for Astra Lost in Space, based on the premise, about a class trip set in the future with space travel. When an accident occurs, the group of students has to figure out how to survive and get back home. It’s a classic setup with lots of promise for character development and exciting adventures. I anticipated something that fans of classic manga science fiction like They Were 11 or Twin Spica might enjoy. Unfortunately, what I got in this first volume by Kenta Shinohara was so based on stereotypes and caricatures that I had a hard time finishing it. This might be the kind of manga that’s better read in chapter installments instead of big chunks, or picked up when the reader wants some light entertainment without thinking too much. The first student we meet, Aries, is cute, outgoing, and scatter-brained, the kind of girl that exists for other people to take care of. Within the first four pages, she’s almost forgotten her passport for her trip, spilled her suitcase in front of a kindly older alumni, and had her bag stolen so a guy could rescue it for her. She’s on her way to planet camp, where a group of students are taken to another planet and dropped off for a five-day camping trip. However, with this group, a mysterious sphere transports them into deep space. Thankfully, they find an abandoned ship and start solving various problems, like figuring out where they are and how to leapfrog their way home. Beyond Aries, the other girls are a shy, bespectacled quiet girl; spoiled, rich Quitterie; and her younger sister Funicia. It doesn’t make sense for a group of high school students on their first trip alone to another planet to have a cute kid with them, so they’re given the mission of “caring for and teaching a younger child.” Plus, she has a hand puppet that says rude things, much as in The Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service. The boy students are a pushy wannabe leader who keeps having to rescue Aries; a prodigy who already has his pilot’s license; a kid with a ski cap, hair in his eyes, and a bad attitude; a knowledge-stuffed and super-handsome botanist; and a high-spirited younger boy. The characters all appear in familiar manga style, with Aries in particular looking too young for her stated age. The boys wear popped-collar jackets while the girls are in mini-dresses. (It’s like school inspired by classic Star Trek.) The spacescapes, however, are artistically impressive, as is the sequence where the kids are swallowed up by the plot gimmick. The book is best when the students are foraging on another planet, allowing for imaginative creatures. I also liked the bits of survival information, obviously extrapolated from Earth camping. Conveniently, someone always has a bit of knowledge or a special skill whenever it’s needed. There’s lots of running around and silliness, mixed with flashbacks to make everyone more sympathetic. The captain kid is trying to make up for a similar (but planet-bound) camping trip that went wrong, so he continues to flash back to life lessons. Aries is just happy she has friends, regardless of the danger they’re in. The rich girl with the ridiculous name is secretly lonely. Kids who haven’t previously seen stories and characters like this before will likely enjoy the space adventures, since plenty happens quickly, but anyone older will likely find it too familiar (and with the traditional gender division, somewhat off-putting, as seen in the brokeback pose on the cover). You can read a preview at the publisher’s website. (The publisher provided a digital review copy.) Link : Astra Lost in Space Volume 1
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SP Baby Volume 1

	I thought the short, silly SP Baby would be a fun read. After all, I liked the similar Flower in a Storm, which also combined romance with comedy violence. But SP Baby never came together for me. I should have paid attention to the creator. Maki Enjoji was also responsible for Happy Marriage?!, a silly, smutty shojo with sex about an arranged marriage with a dippy lead girl. That approach to characterization continues here. Tamaki needs to find a full-time […]
I thought the short, silly SP Baby would be a fun read. After all, I liked the similar Flower in a Storm, which also combined romance with comedy violence. But SP Baby never came together for me. I should have paid attention to the creator. Maki Enjoji was also responsible for Happy Marriage?!, a silly, smutty shojo with sex about an arranged marriage with a dippy lead girl. That approach to characterization continues here. Tamaki needs to find a full-time job, although she has no particular skills, except the ability to kick people in the face, which she does frequently and seemingly without thinking. She wants to be more responsible because she’s taking care of a younger brother and has a crush on her neighbor and childhood friend. But her tendency to react without thinking has been a hindrance… until now, when she’s hired as a bodyguard by the prime minister’s nephew. This sounds funny, but as portrayed, it’s more sad. I can see where some readers might enjoy the concept of a normal girl, nothing special about her, getting swept away by a powerful, rich man who gets what he wants, and he wants her. It doesn’t have the frothy fun of that kind of Harlequin, though. Instead, my most common reaction was head-scratching at what exactly I was supposed to be looking at (particularly during the kicking scenes) or why anyone would behave this way. Of course, there’s the hint of a secret past, where the politician knows her but she doesn’t remember him. He keeps kissing her without permission, a plot point that doesn’t read well in today’s environment, and he puts her in an impractical short skirt suit so he can see her legs. He does seem to be in actual danger at times, which makes picking an inexperienced young woman to protect him even more foolhardy, although it does force them into close contact, which is the point. I’ve read better series that don’t work so hard for that kind of teasing, though. Most of the situations and events here feel labored, with the author working too hard to get to the point. Leg fetishists might enjoy this premise, but for everyone else, it’s forgettable. The second and final volume is due out in February. (The publisher provided a review copy.) Link : SP Baby Volume 1
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My Brother the Shut-In Volume 1

	I haven’t had much chance to explore Kodansha’s digital-only manga releases, and I’m not sure why I decided to start with this one, other than that it dealt with a situation we don’t often see here. But I enjoyed the story, in part because it’s unusual, and I’d like to see more. My Brother the Shut-In is about high school student Shino, who enjoys her time with friends and her after-school job. She tells everyone she’s an only child because […]
I haven’t had much chance to explore Kodansha’s digital-only manga releases, and I’m not sure why I decided to start with this one, other than that it dealt with a situation we don’t often see here. But I enjoyed the story, in part because it’s unusual, and I’d like to see more. My Brother the Shut-In is about high school student Shino, who enjoys her time with friends and her after-school job. She tells everyone she’s an only child because she’s embarrassed by her brother, who went into his room four years ago and didn’t come out. He had issues with middle school and never went to high school, which may be a factor in their parents splitting up. Instead of her home being a sanctuary, it’s a place (with plenty of tasks) she tolerates, while she gets recharged by the things she does elsewhere. She resents him being allowed to take advantage of her hard work. Now, he’s emerging. She’s harsh to him, not wanting things to change now that she’s adapted to this unusual existence, and she’s afraid her lie will be found out. Eventually, she’ll warm somewhat to his attempts to reach out to his family, but I was surprised at how sympathetic her situation was throughout. She’d been ostracized before due to his choices, so expecting that to happen again makes a certain amount of sense. And she’s made her own choices in contrast with his, working hard and leaving home as much as possible. There’s a surprising amount of attention paid to psychology and motivations here, along with several dream sequences that reveal more of the character’s fears and challenges. Given the work Shino’s expected to do — housekeeping and making meals — I appreciated the way author Kinoko Higurashi captured the details of the home, outfits, hairstyles, and so on. There’s one section where Higurashi draws the backstory of the siblings, portraying them as puppets, which makes them both childlike and suggests being controlled by forces outside their choice. It’s odd but effective. I also liked the details of the box lunch in a chapter about making food for others and demonstrating knowledge of their likes and dislikes. I really liked how the notes were handled, too. On a page with a culture-specific reference, there’s an asterisk and a brief explanation, but the back of the book goes into more detail. So the reading isn’t interrupted as the reader moves through the story, but they can find out more afterwards. The publisher’s website has the first chapter available to sample. Link : My Brother the Shut-In Volume 1
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