Spring 2012 Staff Picks

Mushi-Shi
Submitted by Marie, Production

Beautiful, haunting, ethereal, deadly – all these words and more describe “mushi,” organisms that go beyond the distinctions between plant and animal and enter somewhere into the spirit plane; each one different yet connected. Mushi-shi plays like a Grimm’s book of fairy tales turned to focus on the wonders – and horrors – of nature and Japanese spirits, and each story feels like an old brush-style painting come to life. Few anime can inarguably be classified as art, but Mushi-shi is one of them.

K-On
Submitted by Anthony, I.T.

For me, K-On has the same appeal as Friends or Big Bang Theory. The girls of the Sakuragaoka Light Music Club are an improbably witty, crazy, caring collection of pals we all wish we could join. Of the five girls, each appeals to different fans, but it’s hard to dislike any of them as they navigate the airy complexities of learning to play music, studying for exams and resolving the little differences that arise amongst even the best of friends. K-On is, indeed, “moe moe kyun!”

House of Five Leaves
Submitted by Christy, Marketing & Public Relations

Seeing Natsume Ono’s characters come to life would almost be enough to recommend the anime adaptation alone, but add that element to a story full of drama, mystery, and oft-flashing blades, and the House of Five Leaves anime becomes an instant must-watch.

A-Channel
Submitted by Anthony, I.T.

Why do I love A-Channel so much? On the surface, it seems like a typical moe series, with cute girls doing and saying cute things in cute ways. This it does well. However, it has a few interesting quirks that make it special. First, there’s the tiny Tooru whose violence is inversely proportional to her size. Then there’s the possibility that she’s madly in love with her best friend Run-chan, along with all the boys at their school. And then there’s Run-chan, so clueless that she literally has to be prevented from harming herself. But mostly it’s just a fast-paced, witty series full of good, clean fun.

Zebraman 2: Attack on Zebra City
Submitted by Alison, Marketing & Public Relations

Equal parts homage and (affectionate) parody, Director Takashi Miike’s 2004 film Zebraman took what fans love most about anime and tokusatsu shows (like Ultraman) to both thrilling and humorous extremes. If Zebraman cranked things up to “10,” Miike, writer Kankuro Kudo, and their cast, led by Show Aikawa and Riisa Naka, broke the dial with its sequel. Zebraman 2 takes aim at the pop-culture machine and the cult of personality it both manufactures and fuels... and is still action-packed, odd and genuinely entertaining.

City Hunter
Submitted by Christy, Marketing & Public Relations

Fans of the original story may not find all that much that’s familiar in this live-action Korean drama adaptation, but for those fond of action and well-choreographed fight scenes and who like a little comedy and drama mixed in with their tales of vengeance, this incarnation of City Hunter is well- worth checking out. One of the most compelling elements of the adaptation is Lee Jin-Pyo. He’s no mustache- twirling villain, but a man full of rage and conviction, whose existence adds multiple layers even to the lightest of scenes.

Oh My Goddess
Submitted by Anthony, I.T.

Unlike the heroines in other unwelcome guest stories, Belldandy has the redeeming quality of bringing more solutions than problems to Keiichi’s life as the story progresses. However, it is the chaotic misadventures that she naively rains down upon him and his consequent terror that makes her so much fun at the beginning of this venerable series. Although I later developed an even deeper affection for the clever and rebellious Skuld, it’s impossible not to join Keiichi in his gradually developing love for the utterly selfless and yet troublesome Belldandy.

No Longer Human
Submitted by Alison, Marketing & Public Relations

For his manga adaptation of No Longer Human, Usamaru Furuya cannily transplants Osamu Dazai’s classic Japanese novel to present day, utilizing the public, confessional nature of blogs and the internet as a starting point to relate one young man’s downward spiral. Furuya’s pacing is smart and his art – ranging from incredibly realistic to hallucinatory – is evocative. Combined, the effect is unflinching and matter-of-fact, and it serves to make this story, which needs no embellishment, an even more unsettling page-turner. (I need the final volume now!)

Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Submitted by Anthony, I.T.

By now, what J-culture fan isn’t familiar with the sassy girl who created her own universe and only wants to hang out with time travelers and ESPers? After all, it was the anime series that spawned a thousand dancing flash mobs. However, the manga version offers some advantages. The storytelling is tighter than the anime version, and, while it’s hard for anything to compete with the artwork in the anime series, the manga portrays the characters, especially Haruhi, with a bit more of that panache for which she’s so admired. I also like that it delves a bit deeper into the supporting characters’ stories, fleshing them out and giving them more opportunity to shine.

Kamisama Kiss
Submitted by Marie, Production

A fresh shojo story from the writer of Karakuri Odette, Kamisama Kiss is exactly what I wish more manga could be. Julietta Suzuki deftly weaves together humor, drama, character growth, and a bit of romance to create an engaging story that never rushes or feels like it’s dragging. In volume six, Nanami is starting to come into her own as a deity, expanding her new world with every step she takes, and it’s impossible not to root her on.

Chi's Sweet Home
Submitted by Judy, Production

If you’ve ever had a cat – or wondered about the joys and terrors of owning one – then give Chi’s Sweet Home a look. It’s written from the perspective of Chi, a little tabby kitten who’s slowly learning how the world works. In a way, it makes a great pet-owner’s manual; but instead of being stuffy and by-the-numbers, it involves adorable artwork and cute stories about everything from cat- proofing your house, to putting on a collar, to what must be running through your cat’s head when you turn on that giant vacuum.

xxxHOLiC
Submitted by Marie, Production

Set in a magical shop that deals in wishes and written by manga superstars CLAMP, xxxHolic is filled to the brim with beautiful illustrations, exotic atmosphere, and deep characterization that could teach a master-class lesson is “show don’t tell.” In this 19th and final volume, questions are answered, old characters return in some surprising ways, and the plot twists beyond all expectation as we find out if Watanuki has succeeded in granting his own greatest wish.

1Q84
Submitted by Alison, Marketing & Public Relations

Writer Haruki Murakami challenges readers as he entertains, his stories stick with you, and with the help of long-time translators Jay Rubin and Philip Gabriel, he makes it look easy. Like several of his previous novels, the U.S. edition 1Q84 compiles all three parts into a single volume. This is a good thing. Once you start reading, you’ll find it difficult to stop. But if you’ve read any of his previous works, you probably already knew that.

D.Gray-man Illustrations: Noche
Submitted by Marie, Production

D.Gray-man has always been known for its striking art as much as its gothic story, and there’s no better way to gain an appreciation for Katsura Hoshino’s illustrations than Noche. Filled with what feels like every piece of color artwork she made between 2005 and 2010, the illustrations included cover everything from manga covers to premium Jump cards, each clearly reproduced with every brush stroke and pencil line visible. Even the gutters are carefully accounted for on the double-page spreads to create a gorgeous book.