#black compat

Record of Ragnarok has recently been doing well with balancing the present fights with the characters’ backstories. However, in Volume Sixteen, Hades’s past is revealed, and I can’t help but feel like it causes the wind to be taken out of the sails of this battle manga ship. And while what’s seen in the flashback is very interesting, its inclusion here late into the fight feels a little too slapdash. In fact, it reminds me of how these flashbacks used to be more of a hindrance in early volumes of Record of Ragnarok.

That’s not to say that what is there isn’t interesting. In fact, it puts a light on how much Hades is respected by the Greek gods, in contrast to the Christian Devil and the way he’s portrayed in the faith. When the Titans invaded Mount Olympus, it was Hades who put on a brave face and took them down during the climax of the fight. He’s shown as being selfless and even cautious when it comes to the battle, especially when compared to Zeus and his cocky ways.

In Japanese culture, the term “kokuho” is used towards those who have perfected their art. How they reach the level of Living National Treasure isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be, as one must experience plenty of rough roads and speed bumps to get there. Director Lee Sang-il (Hula Girls) and scriptwriter Satoko Okudera (co-writer of Summer Wars and Wolf Children) leave no stone unturned in Kokuho, as the duo demonstrate the highs, lows, and the in-between spaces that many tread in order to reach the top. And along every step of the way, the film showcases all of this in a truly gorgeous light.

Within the kabuki world is the role of “onnagata”, as men are also expected to play the female roles. Kokuho places its focus on two actors who perform onnagata: the yakuza son, Kikuo (Ryo Yoshizawa), and Shunsuke (Ryusei Yokohama), whose father Hanai Hanjiro II (Ken Watanabe) is a renowned kabuki actor. When Kikuo’s family is murdered by a rival yakuza gang, Hanai takes him in as his apprentice, as he trains him and Shunsuke in the art of onnagata performance. As the two friends grow older, and their acting skills reach a point, it becomes clear who’s destined to be a star, and who will be left behind.

ano is no ordinary singer. First rising to infamy from her time in the idol group You’ll Melt More, the twenty-something artist has become a staple of Japanese pop culture. Variety shows, movies, dramas, YouTubing, modeling, and the occasional voice-acting role have made ano a woman of many talents. Not bad for a former high school shut-in (albeit there were good reasons for her going full hikikomori).

But music has always been her main line of work. Her 2023 debut album Nyang Nyang Oeeeee (which can be translated as “meow meow barf!”) showed that she was capable of taking on multiple genres of rock, pop, and even a bit of punk. Album number two, Bone Born Bomb (which, when written in hiragana, translates to “tumultuous nightmare”), takes what she has learned both as a solo artist and frontwoman for i’s, and crafts it into something wild and unpredictable.

Whelp…Dandadan has finally gone the Jumanji path. Considering Yukinobu Tatsu’s love for film (akin to his comrade Tatsuki Fujimoto), maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Momo and Okarun’s adventures would enter a world similar to Chris Van Allsburg’s classic book-turn-film series. But even if the premise is similar to Jumanji, Dandadannaturally walks its own path with how it presents it. And in its sixteenth volume, it dishes out a whole lot more homages and the like.

So why is there a Jumanji-like storyline here in Dandadan? Well, it all has to do with finding Okarun’s golden ball. Someone else claimed it at the local police box, and Momo and Okarun try to figure it out. After Turbo Granny failed at knowing how a computer works, it takes a certain alien to get it done properly. With his help, Momo and Okarun have a name to work with: Unji Zuma.

There are some folks who’ll say, “They don’t make shonen manga like they used to.” If you ever hear one of these old crones utter that phrase, then I’ve got some great advice. First, take the fourteenth volume of Dandadan, and hold it high above your head. Then, as hard as you can, smack the living tar out of them with it. Because — holy shit! — this is peak shonen!

For the most part of the fourteenth volume, readers will be treated to the conclusion of the gang versus the Invaders From Outer Space. The battle is amazingly detailed, with even the tiniest of building rubble looking ever-so glamorous to look at. However, the real treat is seeing Momo, Okarun, Aira, Jiji, Vamola, and even Kinta give it everything they’ve got to fight against the aliens. And honestly, I wouldn’t blame you if this whole conclusion felt like a grand finale.

Have you ever heard of the phrase, “I can fight them blindfolded”? In some cases, it’s a way to show just how confident someone is in the fight ahead. However, as the fifteenth volume of Record of Ragnarok shows, that’s not always the case. As readers will see in the fight between Hades and Qin Shi Huang, the reason our human fighter wears a blindfold is a lot more tragic than cool.

The battle between the King of Helheim and China’s first unifying Emperor is an unpredictable one. Everything Qin Shi throws at Hades is connecting, and it’s baffling even the gods watching. Perhaps the most earth-shattering technique the Emperor has involves his breath, and how it targets the chi of his opponent. Not only is it tough to figure out where and when it lands, it also is impossible to avoid.

Awhile back, I covered the premiere volume of Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!, itself an adaptation of Kanata Hoshi’s online novel series. It had some potential, with its cooking mechanics similar to that of Delicious in Dungeon. So I was excited to hear that Asahi Production (Gushing Over Magical Girls, Heaven’s Design Team) would be making an anime adaptation of this series. Alas, instead of a five-course meal worthy of three Michelin stars, Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! delivers the anime equivalent of burnt toast smeared with expired butter.

Just like the original source material, Pass the Monster Meat, Milady! follows Melphiera (Kanna Nakamura), a daughter of a Count who is looking to get married. However, despite her cuteness, Melphiera has a flaw: she loves eating monster beef. This interesting diet turns off every possible suitor, leaving Melphiera without any chance in love. That is, until the “Blood-Mad Duke” Aristide (Taito Ban) saves her from a monster attack. Instantly falling in love with her, Aristide finds himself curious about her monster meat diet, to the point where he wishes to try it for himself.

When you see the name atto attached to any project, you know you’re in for a comfy good time. His series Non Non Biyori is one of the best examples of iyashikei slice-of-life that’s both endearing and hilarious. atto has returned with an original series alongside his go-to composer Hiromi Mizutani and the gang at P.A. Works (Mayonaka Punch, Skip and Loafer). Together, they have made a delightful buffet of humor, beauty, and comfort in the form of Food for the Soul.

Food for the Soul starts out with shy college student Mako Kawai (Hana Shimano). She is always curious about special cuisines, to the point where she’s glued to her smartphone watching a mascot character eating strange food concoctions. That’s when Mako runs into her old grade school friend Shinon Ogawa (Yoshino Aoyama), who is also attending the same college as her. On top of that, she is interested in creating a club, one that — at first — has no purpose other than to give Shinon a place to laze about.