Lenka-Penka9

Introduction:
A manga that deserves attention, truly. Sure the art is 90's style, but as with most of those hidden gems, you need to get past that hurdle. And honest, you get to a point where you start to like the style but thats just me. From my experience, this is the first manga of its kind, to have business/capitalism as a focal point in driving the story. Being someone who is constantly exposed to business in real life it was a definite treat, and I can only persist to say it will get better.

Story:10
From everything I have watched and read, this is the first to tackle business and capitalism in such a simple and entertaining way. First of all, it works. By that I mean, the capitalist backdrop is a perfect foil in exploring the human condition. It allows room for degeneration and also dramatic growth because of the inherent element of competition embedded in a capitalist system, which is perfectly designed to stimulate the excessive human desires. To have Ken (protagonist) and his sister removed from a position of wealth, status and authority, to the status of a slave-- exploited and controlled-- was a just representation of the capitalist system at its worst.

The reason I have given 10 stars for this is not because of the story, but the way the characters in Zenikko and their banalities, are to a certain degree relatable.

Art:7
You can't really downgrade this because of the art. Yes, aesthetics are a key part to manga, but as long as the authors are capable of conveying emotion, one should not use this aspect as an excuse to drop this manga, or any for that instance. By now, I've come to like this retro style, one because I bear in mind that this sort of style used to be considered the best of its kind in the manga industry. We should allow a revival for this style.

Character:9
I am a strong advocate of the idea that characterisation is more important than the story. Imagine: a fantastic story with bad characterisation is tiring and yet, a story with good characters and a bad story is pretty non existent because good characters make boring situations interesting. In Zenikko, characterisation is explored in 2 ways: 1. Hard-work and 2. The overarching theme of opportunism. Ken and his sister were taken advantage of by the opportunists, who lawfully used the capitalist system to their advantage. In the start, Ken was both naive to hard work and opportunism. during the chapters I have read, he comes comes face to face with the realities of hard work and opportunism and the way in which they can be used.

Well, the reason I have given it 9 is because the characters are sometimes too reactive. Yes, people are usually reactive, and it is probably the intention of the author to provide such a depraved representation of human vice and desire. Yet, these actions of depravity are never expressed in rational argument. There is only the theme of greed which runs the side characters to commit their crimes. It would be nicer to have a multifaceted view of their criminal activities but this does not detract from the characterisation of the main character as it only results in failure to show the reason why people in general do what they do.

Enjoyment:9
The enjoyment comes from seeing someone who has been stripped from everything, come back to power to take back what was rightfully his. No, I am not talking about money, it is power. Zenikko makes it clear that information is power, and Ken comes both close to be destroyed from a lack of information, and succession with a surplus of it. Yet, one point keeps recurring, information is a double edged sword. Once again the reason for giving it a 9 is purely because I am being overly critical. After some time the lack of expression in reason for why the side characters interact the way they do with the main characters, builds a sort of void. But this does not take away from the overall score because it is a simple explanation of capitalism.

Overall:10
The reason for giving it 10 is because Zenikko flawlessly shows the importance of human relations. How capitalism, such a greed oriented system, is at the end of the day run by humans no smarter than you. You have to put in the hard work and find the right opportunities in order to reach your goals. Thus, it sheds a positive light on capitalism, that whilst it oppresses the poor, it is to a certain degree under your own volition that accepts your predicament of poverty. There are many themes that can be explored but I do not want to spoil anything so dig right in. Also, it teaches the art of business, quite a few quotes from Warren Buffet too but thats probably because I heard it first from him.

Don't miss out on this novelty!!!

This is my first review, I hope you feel informed and more inclined to read it now. Thanks!

Anjin-san is the second manga from Georges Akiyama I've read and the second one published in France and it's a pleasant surprise compared to Sunzuku no Teiou (which I already reviewed). While Georges Akiyama is mostly known for his heavily provocative manga depicting violent characters without any moral whatsoever, some of his later works take a more philosophical approach, dealing with Buddhism, spiritual enlightenment or learning how to enjoy simple things. Anjin-san belongs to this category and allows to get an idea of Akiyama's talent in this genre. As the series was commissioned by one of the managing editor from Big Comic a week before its serialization to fill in the gap because another mangaka called in sick, Anjin-san is not really thought up meaning there are some inconsistencies and the direction changes on a few occasions throughout its runtime which I'll try to detail here.

Walking alone in the countryside and surrounded by the chirping of cicadas is Anjin Onodera, an ordinary man as he likes to call himself. He's not really that ordinary as it seems he is free from any worldly desire and full of wisdom; with his calm demeanor and his shaven head, he could be mistaken as a monk.
The stories of Anjin-san aren't that innovative in themselves as they consist of Anjin-san wandering around and helping the people he encounters during his travels. It's not really a problem though because, at least in the beginning, it's compensated by a precise linework and shading that gives an impressive sense of liveliness to the wildlife as well as to the characters, the lighthearted comedy works and you can definitely feel the connection forming between Anjin-san and the people he meets, the moral that comes out at the end manages to be subtle and not pretentious religious sermons.

At some point there are 3 consecutive chapters involving supernatural elements: Anjin is suddenly able to fly around umbrella in hand like Mary Poppins, has telepathic powers and he mentions he's the descendant of Shakyamuni, it also gets him involved with Yokai. These chapters make him lose a lot of his ambiguity and the tone of these stories is completely off and denote severely with the rest who actually always left room for doubt as to who Anjin is. They're clearly a mistake but it only lasts for these 3 chapters and the fact that he is a reincarnation of Buddha is ignored afterward. It's better to straight up ignore those, some stories coming out after this play on legends and superstitions but remain vague on whether they're true or not which works much better in context.

One of my other gripes is with the of character of Kirihito who is shown as a sex maniac which also kills some of the light hearted nature of the work. In the first chapter where he appears, he's obsessively lusting after a high school girl he meets in a train, trying to look at her panties and asking her if she'd like to have sex with him and there's another where he's shown peeping in the shower and then saying that he needs to rub one out. It makes the last part of the book feel disingenuous, as it's trying to fit in a romance between him and a geisha while trying at the same time to make Kirihito a timid and candid character that is afraid of admitting his feelings. It's really weird because in most of it, he's more on the innocent side and his appearance similar to a human version of Smiley Bone makes him seem sympathetic.

The shift of focus from Anjin-san to some side characters in the later part of the book was also a letdown in my opinion, it lost some of the relaxing atmosphere it had in the beginning to go back to some of Akiyama's typical voyeuristic trademark, a lot of the pannels where Hinagiku the geisha appears is an occasion to have a close up on her ass or on her slender legs, and even though one of the theme is to learn to get past her appearance in order to learn of a more sensible and poetic part of her personality, it still felt off and brought too haphazardly to really matter.

Anjin-san is riddled with flaws and is overall quite messy most likely due to the rush of the time restriction and just like Sunzuku no Teiou, I doubt it's the best gateway to showcase the talent of Georges Akiyama. I didn't have a bad time reading this but it would have worked better if it had just kept its first idea but at least I can say the good stories are actually good and some of the full page illustrations are enough to know that Georges Akiyama has something unique to give out to the medium.

Since nobody's written a review for it yet, I suppose I'll take it upon myself.

It's an absolutely fine manga. The premise is fun, and the story is lighthearted.

You shouldn't expect some grand adventure or anything of the sort, however, I believe for 4 volumes it was a fun read. Mainly the art style is very nice, and the characters are all likeable. There's a bit too much unnecessary fanservice, and especially the ending is very unsatisfying, but for what it is I still enjoyed it.

I'm sure there's better out there, but feel free to check it out if you're just looking for a light read and you're a fan of the whole fantasy-meets-real-life shtick!

Since there is no review for this manga (and unlikely to ever be), I shall share my quick thoughts. This story is a sort of sequel to "Natsu no Zenjitsu", but it's not required to read that in order to read this; honestly it's mostly its own thing but with some returning characters. My rating of 5 just means "average" rather than mal's typical "5=trash", and I won't include spoilers since I assume people who are here have not read such an obscure manga and just want to know if it's worth a read.

Firstly the most important thing to say is that this is a very character driven manga, with a focus on romantic relationships. If you expect a plot of some kind, well it never really bothers with one. Technically there is some movement and change, but really it could just as well not be there and not much would change. This is a manga showing a group of characters interacting and cross interacting with each other mostly; usually in the form of romantic dates and relationship building. Nothing unique and yet nothing overly boring either.

Now the one easily identifiable negative thing here is that the art isn't very good, If you don't mind that then this isn't really such a bad read. Normally I expect a 6~ on mal to be awful, but this is not the case here. There are a few genuine heart warming moments, and there are worthwhile jokes that gave me a chuckle or two. Since the length is so short, the few moments of entertainment are all it really needs to prevent boredom.

So is this worth a read? Well if you actually managed to find this page, you are probably someone who is scrapping the bottom of the manga barrel, so for you it probably is. You can count on this manga not being an absolute chore to read, hell you may even love it if it's your thing. If you still have "classics" and other better recommendations to read, then I would focus on those instead.

The storyline is lacking but the artwork is awesome. It's very artistic to the point that each page should be framed. However, I've read all the way to chapter 3 and its only for 4 in all and not mention of his lost sister. Just a short snippet of the main characters pass and ordeal. The only going for this manga is its artwork, high marks for that.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS.

Elhanburg no Tenshi is a prime example of a manga with potential that wasted it along the way. We've got a medieval setting with a king, Madeth, and his loyal knight Lalvan. There is a mysterious angel that is said to be able to bless the king with fortune and loyal people. Sounds promising right? So where did it go wrong?

Storywise, we enter at a point where the two main characters seem to know each other for a long time and the retainer sees an angel floating above the king. From the synopsis, it is clear that only some people can see the angel of the castle. If the king is able to see him, he is usually blessed with fortune and a rich empire. However, only his retainer Lalvan can see the angel. So whenever he is alone with him, he asks why he chose the king, rather than him, even though he is smarter, better at swordplay, yet still feels inferior and jealous of the king. But because the angel doesn't speak, it feels more like complaining. This complaining and bickering with the king over his possible spouse leave him distraught. And eventually, he leaves the castle to live in some rundown village, days away from his liege. There is a little more to it, but this is the basic outline. The king also has some disagreements with his now wife, not wanting to admit that he wants what Lalvan has.
Then there are about three timeskips, completely unannounced and one might miss them when reading too quickly. Ths king has a son who looks just like him, he can see the angel too and he wants Lalvan to come back to the castle, but he refuses. Years later, when the son has become the king, there is a civil war. This seems like a good moment for Lalvan to attack the castle to see the king, but he actually walks right in. Madeth and Lalvan have a disagreement and yet he becomes the new ruler. Since then, he could not see the angel anymore.

When I was reading this manga, I was seriously wondering what the angel has to do with any of this. It is supposed to be the main plot device, but he hardly had screentime and didn't speak a word. It wasn't even exactly his fault that Lalvan and Madeth broke up, because they were jealous of each other before. He was probably the final straw that breaks the camel's back. Even so, his relevance to the story is so minor, he might as well have been replaced by an object and the result would be the same.

The artwork seems pretty promising from the cover and the chapter pages, but the rest pales in comparison to the attention to detail there. The angel looks drawn with sketch lines, giving a vibe of loose feathers and it's hard to tell if it's a male or female. Lalvan doesn't look older despite the timeskips, the son of the king and the king himself look so much alike that it was hard to tell who was on the horse after the first timeskip. And the biggest flaw in my opinion is the flower arrangement on the pages. This is customary for shoujo and some josei manga, but it feels so out of place in a serious setting here. The entire tension during a quarrel is ruined by placing some glitters and flowers over the page. Seriously? What was the author trying to achieve with this? It would be easier to draw backgrounds or extra panels.

The worldbuilding is also pretty much non-existent. We only hear some of the people's thoughts when Lalvan lives with them, but there is no clear depiction of the general world, no drawing of the castle the king lives in. Not even a note of a village anywhere. For a one-shot, this could be acceptable, but in multiple chapters, it feels like a lack of attention from the author. Or perhaps she wanted to focus on the characters. In that case, a second volume would have been better to improve on both of these points.

Conclusion: a promising cover that couldn't live up to its own expectations. This manga might have been better off as a one-shot, so the author wouldn't have had to drag out some discussions between characters. The angel is almost irrelevant to the story, so why make him the theme of the manga? And the serious tone of the discussions is lost from the floral theme over the pages. It feels so out of place that it raises questions why the author bothered to draw them. Such wasted potential.

I really enjoyed reading this manga! The story is really cute, didn't have unnecessary episodes, and fun to read. The art is perfect for this kind of story.
The MC who is a girl is loveable and not annoying. The author succeeded in making me empathize with the MC and heck I'm still sad and happy while writing this review.
Overall I'll give this manga a 9.8. I'm not strict with my rating.
Anyway, the only thing that makes me sad is they only made 19 chapters. I'm sure they can make it longer but at the same time, I'm scared that it will end up like other long-running manga that I ended up hating.

Ahh, the Milky Way. You'll only be so lucky to see it if it's on a clear night, away from city lights. However, some people might not know that, according to legend, the Milky Way separates two lovers from meeting. They can only meet on one day of the year. So, what happens if the one person you've been very close to since, well, forever, moves away and (Spoiler alert: cuts off all means of contacts with you?) People go in and out of our lives for a reason, but sometimes, is it really for the best? This review is based entirely on MY opinion, so I'm sorry if it isn't what you were thinking when you read it. I also apologize if this review was off-putting.

Story - 8
I have to tell you beforehand. The story is what usually what I take in the most account for when I review. Also, to be honest, if I can't really relate much to the story, then I'll most likely not enjoy it as much as I want to. Anyways, I thought the story was very short and sweet. Childhood friends, one of them falls in love with the other and secretly doesn't say anything. The other childhood friend's feelings can be up to your interpretation. It got right to the point.

Art - 7
The art was pretty good. I didn't pay too much attention to it. It was just good. There were lots of dark shades, which is not what I normally see in the manga that I usually read.

Character - 7
WOW. Well, for starters, the main heroine (Sayo) didn't piss me off too much like those cliche and helpless characters you typically see in shoujo manga. Though, I gotta tell you, there was some crying there, and it was not me with the waterworks. The guy character seemed (Nao) to have that older brother complex at the start of the story. But, towards the end, well, you can figure that out. In the beginning, I didn't understand why Nao (Spoiler alert: cut off all means of contacts with Sayo.) But, I soon understood, and, I couldn't really blame him.

Enjoyment - 8
This is based on my enjoyment at the time that I read this manga. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Why? I'm usually a sucker for one shots or shorter series. I prefer less chapters because I like to finish what I read, and I don't have time to read a lot of chapters (though I would really LOVE to read longer series). The story was straight to the point, the art was decent as well as the characters, so I enjoyed the manga.

Overall - 8
Good job to the mangaka! *claps* I liked it. If you have a little bit of spare time, consider reading this short series. It's not like a HUGE and really great manga or anything, but it was cute and will probably give you a nice feeling inside your heart. Unless I'm overly emotional. Then I apologize. Enjoy! ^^

Manga Dogs

Pretty boys doing pretty stupid things.

Read the sentence above again. Now, do you want to waste your time on pretty boys doing stupid things?

Most of the comedy part only comes after the 1st volume. So you have to endure 1 volume of pretty boys doing pretty stupid things.

I appreciate the depiction of the manga industry, how mangakas suffer each night, struggles of being an author whilst being a student. But please, remove the stupid pretty boys doing pretty stupid things.

Would I recommend you to read this? No, unless you like to see pretty boys doing pretty stupid things.

If you ever read or watched any Ganbatte type of anime or manga, this fills all the tropes while bringing only a bit new on the table. I usually like this kind of anime, despite every sports anime is most of the time told in the same way they always have unexpected turns or work in general. Main characters can lose a battle and its always exciting to know more about a different type of sport. Robot x Laserbeam had certainly some flaws but it had a good premise to offer.

It stats off that the main character Robato is basically an autist who is constantly in dialogue not understanding what other people mean. This isnt really bad , but it had some potential with character building. In the end robato certainly becomes a little more down to earth and seem more "normal" but there isnt much done with the aspect that he is completely different from everyone. Yeah his skills in golf reflect his personality, but the main character doesnt really have any friends, is good at school and so on. It doesnt really make sense that he doesnt get bullied by other people and end up getting respected trough his gold. Everyone ridicules him yes but not in a very mean way per se.

There are other characters, but most of them arent really worth mentioning. There is a recurring enemy that serves like a obstacle to overcome to get to his true rival, a golf pro player he met. But the enemy itself seem rather to be too strong since he is a direct rival of the golf pro player. There arent really many matches inbetween. In the end since the manga got just dropped, there isnt any endfight with the pro player and the story just ends.

To the story itself, the premise, really starts off well. In itself i wont spoil too much because the beginning is really worth reading. Its a real good way to set up a rival that is just way too strong for the main character. They play a match and in the end both of them are not satisfied. Robato wants to play again against him, but the pro player says he only wants to play again but only in a pro tournament . Robato then joins basically the golf club. He trains a lot but the whole training arc is completely skipped and suddenly the tournament arc starts. That really hit me off and almost made me drop it. But what kept me going was how exciting it was to read the matches. They were pretty fun and unexpected most of the time.

In the end i recommend Robot x Laserbeam only to sports anime fans who are interested in the golf setting. Sadly that the story doesnt end into anything but the premise, character building and the matches were just enjoyable to read.