World Comic Book Review

27th March 2024

Missile Response Manga distributed in Hokkaido

Missile Response Manga distributed in Hokkaido Hokkaido Prefectural Government, October 2017 Writer: Manabu Yamamoto This year, North Korea’s regime has, notoriously, tested various types of ballistic missiles, and conducted nuclear tests. Some of those missiles have flown over the Japanese archipelago. Two have flown directly over Hokkaido, Japan’s largest northern island. With each missile launch, … Read more

Sakamoto Desu Ga? (“Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto”) (Review)

Sakamoto Desu Ga?/Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto Enterbrain/Seven Seas Entertainment, 2012-2015 Writer: Nami Sano “Sakamoto Desu Ga?” is a four-volume, “slice of life” genre manga from Japanese publisher Enterbrain. The manga ran from 2012 April to December 2015. While it did not achieve the levels of commercial success that shonen franchises otherwise tend to achieve … Read more

Hotel: Since 2079 (Review)

Hotel: Since 2079
Kodansha, 2004/2006
Author: Boichi (Mujik Park)

In 2004, South Korean Manhwa artist Mujik Park wrote and illustrated a sci-fi manhwa titled “Hotel: Since 2076” under the nom de plume “Boichi.” The manhwa told the story of an artificially intelligent tower tasked with preserving DNA samples of life on Earth, as the planet had become uninhabitable and all living things ceased to exist.

In 2006, Boichi’s “Hotel: Since 2079” was picked up by Japanese manga publisher Kodansha for its “Weekly Morning” magazine. An updated version was created as the first in a 5-chapter serial anthology under the “Hotel” brand. In addition to the updated “Hotel: Since 2079”, the serial also includes “Present”, “Subete wa Maguro no Tame data” (“It Was All for the Tuna”), “Stephanos”, and “Diadem”. Some of these stories reference events in “Hotel: Since 2079” but are not necessarily beholden to its continuity.

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One Punch Man (review)

One Punch Man Self-Published/Shueisha/Viz Media, 2009-present Author: One “One-Punch Man” originally started in 2009 as a shonen parody webcomic by an author working under the pseudonym “One.” The webcomic employs a crude amateurish art style that fits in perfectly with the tone of the story. The plot revolves around a mysterious hero named “Saitama” and … Read more