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Makato Shinkai’s The Voices of a Distant Star is one of the most unusual manga I’ve read. First, it was originally a short anime. (Many manga go the opposite way, appearing in print first before being adapted to film. This story was adapted into comic format by Mizu Sahara.) Second, it’s complete in one volume. Mostly, it takes some standard elements and uses them to tell a completely unusual story.

The Voices of a Distant Star

It’s about unrealized young love that can never be, and the hope that shines in the face of impossibility. In the future, the world has joined together to fight the alien Tarsians. Mikako is a student selected to pilot a fighter robot. (I said it used standard elements.) Noboru, her classmate and good friend, is the one left behind to face boring normal life. The two were starting to include each other in their plans, trying to get into the same high school, and now, due to faster-than-light travel, they aren’t even aging at the same rate.

Like many girls of her generation, Mikako is used to communicating with anyone instantly via cellphone text message. She keeps sending her messages, but as she travels further into space, they take longer and longer to arrive. The boy she left behind has little to tell her, as they forcibly grow apart due to circumstance and the laws of physics. There’s a lot left unsaid, conveyed by mood and image as one reads between the lines.

The contrast of an immediate communication method, normally used for the most sudden and surface of thoughts, being asked to carry what might always be her last message… it’s disconcerting. At first, she keeps chattering. “How’s the weather? Good luck on exams!” As they lose the ability to interact, due to the lag, their messages change from talking to someone else to revealing their innermost thoughts. As receipt becomes delayed by years, their only audience is themselves, and they become more truthful in their messages.

The art is denser than in many manga, with toned backgrounds anchoring the drawn world. Faces are often in shadow, suggesting separation and loss. Wordless flashbacks capture everyday moments, such as kids taking shelter from a sudden shower. There’s nothing particularly special about those incidents; their significance is only in their absence, something never to be shared again and remembered more powerfully for that.

Voices of a Distant Star

I found it pleasantly unusual that Mikako is a natural high achiever, praised for her skills but not defined by them. She’s part of something much bigger than herself, sacrificing her individuality to attempt to save the world. (It’s not at all clear that these efforts are actually helping, but they’re the best anyone can think to do.) Their lives are part of such a big effort that the smallest symbols becomes immensely important.

I also don’t usually see a male portrayed as the one left behind to wonder and wait and put his life on hold. While others forget her as soon as she’s out of sight, he errs too far in the other direction and can’t focus in her absence. He spends his time waiting, until one day he can’t any more. It’s like dealing with the grief of a death, only worse, because she’s alive but completely unreachable. She left her world behind, but as they age and she doesn’t, she feels that she’s the one left behind. The grass is always greener.

The comic medium is perfect for this story, as the reader can pause as the significance of events overwhelms, or to remember similar incidents or feelings in their lives. The world is shown in broad-stroke detail; the settings and happenings are quickly recognizable, but the selection of small events provides a realistic feel. The goal of the work is to create a contemplative, elegiac mood, and it works well. The story envelopes the reader, not to be easily shaken off or forgotten.

The Undying Butterflies is the latest volume, the seventeenth, in the recommended Kindaichi Case Files mystery manga series. It opens with a day at the beach for Kindaichi, Miyuki, and Reika, a young singer who’s previously appeared in the volumes Death TV and Playing the Fool. The sleuth finds himself juggling time alone with the two young women in a sequence that could have appeared in an Archie comic, in which the authors do a good job combining tenderness and comedy.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 17
The Undying Butterflies

That’s just a prologue for the main story, though. And Reika’s not the only returning character: the mystery starts when a magazine photo reveals someone who resembles the suspect from The Legend of Lake Hiren, previously thought dead. He’s associated with a butterfly collector, a family patriarch who’s rediscovered an extinct, luminescent species. The father has three lovely daughters who resent him for unknown reasons and a wife with striking mismatched eyes.

The story starts slowly, with much emphasis on sketching the characters in quick yet understandable ways. The air of subtle creepiness, that something terrible is going to happen but we don’t yet know what, builds masterfully. The art captures the symbolism of change and transformation, but also of the soul and the fragility of life, in the butterfly flights shown.

This volume is less of a mystery and more of a thriller than others in the series. There isn’t so much a puzzle to solve as a slow wait for the killer to either reveal itself or make enough mistakes that Kindaichi can identify the person behind the murders. It’s a substantial read that builds an inexorable feeling of menace. As with most volumes in this series, the eventual motive winds up being an example of how past actions, thought long forgotten, will cause trouble in the present day.

Love is often confused with possession and revenge in these books, providing festering motives for murder. I was pleased to see the other side of love, of its potential for a fresh start, portrayed as well.

I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed a good mystery read until I tried this series. Each book is a stand-alone “fair play” case in which the reader can match wits with the detectives. The series is reminiscent of a grown-up Encyclopedia Brown with an older cast, more serious crimes, greater emotional motivation, and spooky overtones.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 1
The Opera House Murders
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Hajime Kindaichi is an under-achieving troublemaker with a gift for deduction and a grandfather who’s a famous detective. His best friend, Miyuki Nanase, is the only one who defends him, even when people directly ask her “why are you wasting time with that loser?”

A model student, Miyuki is also involved with the school drama club, a connection that creates the setting for the first book’s mystery, The Opera House Murders. The club members are going to a camp to prepare for a national drama competition, and Kindaichi tags along to help with sound effects. Some nice character bits on the way there introduce all the participants and their temperaments. The group’s on edge because of an earlier death, the mysterious suicide of one of the student actresses.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 2
The Mummy’s Curse
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The club is staging The Phantom of the Opera, and the camp location, a resort hotel on an isolated island, doesn’t help settle their emotions. One of the other guests turns out to be a police detective, a helpful coincidence when someone starts murdering the drama club members. Of course, a growing storm prevents outside contact or help.

The book’s chapter breaks start with recaps of the story so far and the characters involved. Even if the reader doesn’t get caught up in trying to figure out who’s behind the killings, the characterization propels them through the story. There’s a good range of student types, and the slow revelation of the circumstances behind the original death is gripping, illustrating the horrible consequences of unthinking teenage pranks.

As the story progresses, the chapters get shorter, building the reader’s anticipation. The book includes the traditional map of the location (for those playing along) and the scene where the cast is gathered together so Kindaichi can reveal his deductive logic and thus the murderer. A crossword puzzle provides an additional clue to solving the mystery.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 3
Death TV
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There’s a strong undercurrent of the possibility of the supernatural. When confronted with a locked-room murder, some of the characters seem to seriously consider whether a ghost is involved. That coordinates nicely with the other cultural contrasts. Since Japanese readers may not be familiar with the story of the Phantom, the events of the play are recapped for the reader. It’s fascinating to see how elements from a foreign (to the original manga reader) culture are turned into mystery themes.

A similar imported element drives the second book, The Mummy’s Curse. Miyuki’s schoolmate Wakaba has been sent back to her village to an arranged marriage. Strangely, the village is anchored by six mansions arranged in the shape of a Star of David around a burned-out church. While horsing around, Kindaichi and Miyuki find a hidden chamber containing a headless mummy. The mansion owners have been hiding the village’s terrible secret, and now they’re paying the price, as someone begins killing them one by one.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 4
Smoke and Mirrors
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A belief in a curse, marked by mummies as symbols of the crime, has shaped these families for decades. That impedes the investigation, as fatalism takes over. The family members are convinced that they’re deserving of whatever happens, since history shapes their lives more than the possibility of the future. That’s set up almost from the beginning, with Wakaba quietly submitting to a marriage her parents determined for her years ago.

After the revelation of the murderer, three succeeding chapters explore the ramifications of the discovery, wrapping up not just the mystery but the emotions surrounding it. A continuing theme in the stories is the redemptive power of pure love and the need for atonement. That’s not surprising, since the mysteries deal with emotion strong enough to inspire murder.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 5
Treasure Isle
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Death TV is the third book, in which Kindaichi is working for a reality show that tries to shock celebrities. The show is filming at the villa of a reclusive painter in an area with legends of a snow demon. Due to strange geographical quirks, a snowstorm, and the desire to prank a know-it-all actress, the crew winds up watching her get murdered on video.

The TV element is really just set-dressing for the real themes. Once again, history can’t be forgotten, with effects of a ten-year-old plane crash providing a motive, and there’s another example of parents shaping their children in ways they could never predict.

Miyuki doesn’t come along on this trip; in her place, Detective Kenmochi (the police officer from the first book) plays second fiddle. The detective’s young, show-off boss gets on everyone’s nerves with his constant refrain of “when I worked in Los Angeles” and his refusal to believe a kid could solve a mystery, providing another example of generational conflict.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 6
The Legend of Lake Hiren
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The fourth book, Smoke and Mirrors, foregrounds the relationship between Kindaichi and Miyuki after an attractive upperclassmen hits on him to join her mystery club. It seems that their school has seven mysteries associated with it, and rumor says that anyone who knows them all will be killed. The two must solve those past crimes as well as determine who’s using them to scare others in the present.

Kindaichi sets out to win a treasure-hunting contest in Treasure Isle, the fifth book. When he and the other contestants arrive at the island, they discover that their host has been murdered and there’s one more person in the group than was invited. Plus, there are legends of a mythical monster protecting the island’s treasure. In a variation on a well-known mystery structure, the hunters have to find and stop the killer before the next boat returns for them a week later.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 7
The Santa Slayings
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The Legend of Lake Hiren, the sixth book, sends Kindaichi and Miyuki to a camping resort where the lake turns red. Things are complicated by an axe murderer on the loose who calls himself “Jason”. Miyuki has a crush on one of the other guests, making Kindaichi jealous. Two of the other attendees are a bloodthirsty writer and a mentally disturbed, corpse-obsessed artist, in a possible joking allusion to the book’s creators. The story wraps up by raising the question of a perplexing moral dilemma.

The seventh book, The Santa Slayings, returns to a theatrical setting, similar to the first book. Only this time, it’s during Christmas (a popular but mostly secular holiday in Japan), and a “Mystery Night” game is being held at an old hotel. A theater group acts out a mystery so that the attendees can try to figure out who the killer is.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 8
No Noose Is Good Noose
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Detective Kenmochi has invited Kindaichi and Miyuki along because threats have been received by the event organizers. The situation is complicated by the presence of Kenmochi’s boss, a female supervisor who has little patience for amateurs, an aging actress diva, and another student who fancies himself a videographer. Someone calling himself “The Red-Bearded Santa Claus” is trashing rooms and leaving unpleasant gifts for the cast members.

It’s impressive how efficiently the characters, setting, and situation are introduced, allowing the story to quickly proceed into the mystery. We know enough about the victims to consider possible motives, but we don’t get so involved with them as people that we lose track of the puzzle through overwhelming emotional impact. The art, especially character expression, is clear and direct as always.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 9
The Headless Samurai
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No Noose Is Good Noose, the eighth book, follows Kindaichi and Miyuki to a prep school as they attempt to improve their grades. The administrator has been the target of a prank involving blood-spattered test papers, and she’s heard of Kindaichi’s reputation for solving problems.

The school has a history of its inhabitants attempting to hang themselves, due to stress. One student succeeded in committing suicide last year after being bullied, and rumors have spread of a ghost driving others to attempt the same thing. The two students must discover what’s really going on.

The ninth book, The Headless Samurai, begins with Detective Kenmochi receiving a letter from an old friend whose husband has passed away. She’s been receiving threatening letters, so the detective takes Kindaichi and Miyuki with him to her village to investigate. She was the husband’s second wife, and his first family became very jealous when his estate was left to her, so there are plenty of motives for foul play.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 10
Kindaichi the Killer (Part 1)

Their village has a legend of a headless samurai, and when a guest is beheaded inside a vault-like closet, Kindaichi has to solve a classic “locked room” murder. Like many of the other mysteries, long-hidden secrets set the bloody events in motion. No one ever kills anyone for as simple a reason as greed. Motives are mixtures of fear and twisted love, often complicated by secret vows.

The writer Itsuki, previously seen in book six, brings Kindaichi a new mystery in the tenth book, Kindaichi the Killer (Part 1). A famous author has declared that the first company to break his code will get his new book, bound to be a best seller. Kindaichi is asked by Itsuki’s publisher to solve the puzzle, so he and Miyuki head out to the author’s country house, along with a number of other publishers and celebrity chasers.

Earlier, Kindaichi had dreamed of a video-crazy murdered student from earlier books, so he starts off feeling haunted. As the title suggests, bigger problems soon appear. The author is found dead with a dazed Kindaichi standing over him holding the murder weapon. He has to solve the case to prevent an innocent — himself — from being blamed.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 11
Kindaichi the Killer (Part 2)

The book then becomes a kind of scavenger hunt based on the departed author’s clues. Kindaichi chases from suspect to suspect, continually pursued by the police and one step behind the real killer. While the mystery isn’t as intellectually challenging as in some of the other books, the stakes are higher and the emotional impact more important to the story.

The story’s conclusion in book eleven feels even more like a TV thriller, with plenty of action. There’s a betrayal, secret meetings, dramatic tricks to fool onlookers, a showdown with a mysterious masked figure, surprise revelations, and life-saving action to protect a cute kid. Supporting characters are impressed by Kindaichi’s heroism even while he’s being hunted, and Miyuki provides the emotional notes of worry and relief.

After a slight delay, the series resumes with book twelve, Playing the Fool, and it was worth the wait. It’s about twice as thick as previous volumes, returning to the pattern of each book standing alone.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 12
Playing the Fool

We’re reminded at the beginning that, for all his skills and insight, Kindaichi is still a teenage boy, dreaming of making out with an attractive young woman. Reika, a singer who met him during Death TV, has invited him to join her at her father’s ski resort. She needs his help, but she won’t say why.

Kindaichi and Miyuki arrive to find her father trying to send everyone, including two entertainment reporters, away. Also visiting are Reika’s manager, the president of her studio, and an obsessed fan. The group misses the last gondola down the mountain, necessitating them staying the night at the Tarot Lodge, named after a set of rare antique tarot cards.

One of the reporters, a real sleazebag, riles things up by telling stories of gruesome past cases. The next morning, the reporter is found murdered in a way connected to one of the cards, and the gondola system has been wrecked. Meanwhile, Reika and Miyuki are jealously fighting over Kindaichi. With the group trapped with a killer, Kindaichi works to solve the various mysteries.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 13
House of Wax

House of Wax, the thirteenth book, is another tale of revenge. Kindaichi and Miyuki are attending a weekend murder mystery contest at a German-style castle peopled with wax figures. Their invitation is a kind of rematch, courtesy of a detective Kindaichi previously outsmarted, and the winner gets the castle, all that’s left of a defunct theme park.

Other guests include a mystery novelist, a book critic, head of a detective agency, and an American teen named Edward Columbo. The creators have nicely captured some of the original’s Columbo’s tics, including his habit of stories that reveal secrets. That method of crime-solving contrasts well with Kindaichi’s observations, the writer’s imagination, and the detective’s reliance on codes and laws.

The creepy, Frankenstein-monster-looking butler locks them all in and a “murder” quickly occurs. The characters keeping one-upping each other with deductions until the game turns deadly. Typical for the series, it all turns on the events of a twenty-year-old crime whose results stretch to the present day.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 14
The Gentleman Thief

The Gentleman Thief steals famous works of art in book fourteen. He’s so arrogant that he even warns his targets ahead of time; this time it’s a famous painter whose recently discovered daughter is a former classmate of Kindaichi’s. Kindaichi and the thief face off in a classic mystery-styled battle of wits, with intermittent jabs at the police getting help from a teenager.

The thief not only takes paintings, he also alters their subjects so they can’t be recreated. That leads to fear of something happening to the daughter, the subject of the artist’s award-winning portrait. Her presence is already disruptive, since there are some questions about her identity and a jealous former heir. She’s not the only one with a secret background, of course; everyone’s got some sort of hidden history and motives to kill, including the artist, charged with plagiarism.

Book fifteen takes place on The Graveyard Isle, a vacation getaway billed as a restful campsite. Kindaichi and Miyuki, along with several of their classmates, hope for a peaceful, flirtatious trip, but they wind up discovering WWII wreckage and skeletons. Once they encounter a group of college kids playing war games, things turn deadly.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 15
The Graveyard Isle

Not only are the participants freaked once they discover that they’re trapped on an island with danger on every side, there’s conflict between the freer, more emotional kids and the students playing at army discipline. One in particular is a gun nut, a particularly scary type for the Japanese, where many weapons are illegal to own.

The next book, number sixteen, involves a different kind of travel: a train trip. First, the teen detective is invited to police headquarters to receive an official thank-you, a visit he cuts short by embarrassing himself in public. But that doesn’t stop a detective for asking for his help in opening a magic box, a package that turns out to contain a disturbing puppet and a threat to a scheduled train.

The kids and detective board the train for a trip to a famous magic festival. Turns out that there is also a troupe of professional illusionists traveling with them, entertaining the passengers. The misdirection complicates the situation when a mysterious voice, the “puppetmaster”, calls in a bomb threat.

The Kindaichi Case Files Book 16
The Magical Express

A body is found, it disappears, then returns in gruesome fashion. The troupe of magicians are torn apart by business disputes and personality conflicts. The whole time, the puppetmaster is taunting Kindaichi with cellphone calls about how he remains one step ahead. Like many of the books in this series, the themes of family inheritance and murderous revenge for a past sin are prominent. The magical trappings are highly entertaining, and the different tricks and magic gimmicks allow for attractive designs and images.

Throughout the series, classically cartoony art plays up emotion expressively but doesn’t over-exaggerate it, with distinct faces that add to the character development. It’s clear and professional, with plenty of detail so the reader gets a needed sense of setting. Lots of dialogue deepens both plot and characterization.

Since almost every book is a complete mystery, they can be read in any order. There aren’t enough mystery comics out there, let alone good ones — this series fills that niche admirably, especially since the characters and their motivations are as important as the plot.

Jill Thompson brings together Sandman characters and shôjo manga in this original graphic novel. Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine are two British schoolboys who happen to be ghosts and who love investigating mysteries. They’re asked for help by Annika, a student at a prestigious Chicago boarding school, when her roommate goes missing.

The Dead Boy Detectives

There’s a ton of entertainment in this packed original graphic novel, with jokes, character work, clues, and atmospheric illustration. Thompson does a terrific job capturing elements of the genre, from beautiful men to cartoonish exaggeration. Although ghosts, the boys are still young enough in attitude to naturally have a wide-eyed sense of discovery, especially when it comes to the many young women they wind up hanging around with.

The boys visit the girls’ school, leading to moments of farce, fashion, flashback, danger (every school has bullies), soul-sharing, and even investigation. The solution to the mystery explains everything, although it relies on a previously non-introduced element to tie it all together, but it’s a wonderful book and thrilling read with lots of crossover potential. I can just see an older Sandman reader and her younger manga-loving sister enjoying it together.

These two volumes contain major changes for the series. To keep any possible spoilers to a minimum, I won’t give a summary. I’ve previously reviewed two other volumes of this series if you’d like to learn more.

Tail of the Moon Book 12

It’s getting harder for me to find new ways of praising this manga. Ueda continues to impress me as a writer. A lot happens in these two volumes, but you never feel overwhelmed by the events or that the story is being rushed. The core of the series is the trio Usagi, Hanzo, and Mamezo. Ueda is careful to keep the narrative tightly focused on these three characters. This keeps the reader emotionally connected regardless of the whirlwind of events happening in the book. This tight focus also allows each episode the proper space needed to tell that section of the storyline before we move on to the next event.

One of the pleasures of this series is watching Usagi continue to mature and grow as a woman. She goes through a lot in these two volumes. At first, she falters in her handling a tragedy that befalls her, but through the guidance of an old friend, she’s able to get back on the road to a healthy recovery. We see her become much more self-reliant without losing the emotional warmth that is so central to her personality. Ueda has created a wonderful female heroine that is appealing to both genders. Just because it’s labeled shojo doesn’t mean that boys can’t enjoy this series too.

I must confess I know little about Japanese history. The author’s comment at the end of volume twelve had me doing a little digging on the internet for historical context. The events of the series all take place in the last half of the sixteenth century. In fact, the main event of volume twelve is very famous and can be pinpointed to an exact year. (I’ll leave the event unnamed so as not to spoil the book.) Ueda was ambiguous about including this event but did so to help keep the series historically grounded. This impressed me because it shows how thoughtfully crafted this series is. It also shows a real commitment to maintaining consistency throughout the manga. At the start of the series, Ueda set up certain narrative rules and is remaining true to these parameters, even when she’s forced to make tough choices. She could have broken her own rules, but she knew that would radically alter the manga. Ueda’s artistic integrity shows real maturity and exceptional craftsmanship as a writer.

Tail of the Moon Book 13

Toward the end of volume twelve, we have a new main character, Yuki. He is a herbalist from Usagi’s clan who was sent to Europe to study medicine. He returns decked out in full Elizabethan garb, complete with a ruff. (That’s the large pleated collar you see in portraits from that period.) He has blond hair and delicate features. In fact, at one point in volume thirteen he’s mistaken for a woman. Yuki is a interesting character who provides emotional support for Usagi and helps her overcome a tragedy she was unwilling to face. He serves as a great contrast to the rest of the male characters because he is not physically strong or skilled in ninjutsu. I like how he’s a model of quiet masculinity based on intelligence and professional skills instead of muscle and warcraft.

The artwork is consistent with the previous volumes. It’s average for a shojo manga. There are a few times in these two books when the art becomes more detailed and takes on greater weight. At the most sober moments, Ueda reflects the intensified emotions through the art.

I did enjoy some of the character design changes in these volumes. In volume twelve, there is a one-year leap in the narrative. Ueda reflects this advance in the appearance of the characters. Usagi loses the baby fat that made her look like a teen and now looks like a young woman. Mamezo also matures in his looks. He’s taller and his features are less rounded. He goes from looking like a preschooler to looking like a young boy.

Overall, I continue to highly recommend this series. I’m now committed to going back and reading the series from the beginning. Ueda is a master storyteller with great characters and intriguing plots. The series ends with volume fifteen, and I’m already dreading its conclusion. I hope Viz has licensed whatever series the author is currently working on and will have the first volume ready when this series ends. For those looking to sample shojo manga, this series would be an excellent starting point.

Usagi is a female ninja in training. She is undercover in Kyoto when her true identity is discovered. Her finance and fellow ninja, Hanzo, rescues her and takes her to his safe house in the city. Ranmaru, a retainer for the local lord, is scouring the city to find the ninja spies and restore his honor. Usagi must stay hidden in the house while Hanzo continues their information-gathering mission. She stays busy trying to create a medicine that will help improve the failing eyesight of Mitsuhide, a newfound ally.

Tail of the Moon Book 9

I was surprisingly impressed with the writing in this manga. First, even though this is volume nine of the series, the book was accessible to a new reader like myself. You can tell that you’re coming into a story already in progress, but you never feel lost because of what you’ve missed. Any information needed from the previous volumes is introduced within the narrative flow. Of course, this also works well for faithful readers of the series. You don’t have to worry about memorizing every detail of the story in order to understand each new volume. (A couple of American comic companies could take lessons from this writer.)

Second, there is a lot of back story revealed in this book, but you never feel overwhelmed by what you’re learning. In fact, I didn’t realize how much had been communicated until I thought back over the book for this review. Suddenly, I found out I knew a lot about Usagi, her relationship with Hanzo, and even her relationship with an old friend who shows up at the end of the book. The author, Ueda, does a wonderful job of delivering little bits of information throughout the narrative, instead of flooding the reader with pages of back story all at once. (Did I mention, some superhero comic writers might want to use this book as a study guide?)

Third, Ueda has created a great cast of characters. They’re all likable people, and you quickly empathize with them. Hanzo is a serious, slightly older man who has mastered the ninjutsu disciplines. He’s focused on their mission but makes sure to spent time with Usagi. His maturity helps him to properly balance the competing responsibilities he has. Usagi constantly learns from the example he unconsciously sets.

Usagi is the perfect shojo heroine. She is a teen girl deeply in love with Hanzo who finds her emotions occasionally get the better of her. Sometimes she is so happy to be reunited with Hanzo that she forgets the seriousness of the situation they’re now in. She struggles with self-doubt and is still discovering new things about herself. She’s full of energy and throws herself whole-hearted into her work. She keeps the mood positive throughout the book.

The artwork is the only slight disappointment I have. It’s generic shojo art. The characters and backgrounds are well drawn, but there’s nothing distinctive about Ueda’s artwork. Of the ‘house’ styles, I tend to like shojo the most, so the art being average didn’t bother me greatly.

Another nice feature in this book is the extras at the beginning of most chapters. Japanese readers have written in requesting to see various characters dressed up in different costumes or clothing styles. There is a marvelous sense of humor to the art. I love the way it shows how Ueda and her characters really connect with the readers. There is also usually a piece of trivia on the chapter title page. These are useless bits of random information that are nonetheless fun to read. I enjoy this book so much I’ve put the series on my ‘things to read next’ list. (A list that is slowly becoming its own book in length.) Ueda has captured my imagination and I’m interested to see what I’ve missed and what’s coming up next. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a good historical romance with generous doses of adventure and political intrigue.

This volume opens with Usagi and Hanzo, her fiance, enjoying some time together at a hot spring. However, their bliss is interrupted when they’re attacked by an enemy ninja. Hanzo is hit with a poisoned throwing star and collapses. Usagi administers first aid but needs stronger medicine to counteract the poison. She has to sneak back into town (where her ninja identity has been compromised) to make the needed antidote. At the same time, Mitsuhide (a friend in the shogunate government) needs Usagi to make more medicine for his ailing eyes. Finally, just when everything looks to be settling down, Mamezo’s biological grandfather sees him in the city and takes the boy back to his house to reunite Mamezo with the rest of his family.

Tail of the Moon Book 11

As with the previous volume I reviewed, I found this book to be accessible to new readers and a delight to read. My favorite part of book eleven is watching Usagi step up and take charge in a crisis situation. We really get to see what she’s capable of when she focuses on her skills as an herbalist. It was exhilarating to see her come alive and live up to her full potential. I loved how she was able to put aside all her emotions and worries and concentrate on making the various medicines needed. The antidote especially required strict precision.

Hanzo and Usagi are both archetypal characters. Hanzo is meant to be the ideal boyfriend/husband. He’s tall, well-built, and handsome. He’s a good cook and isn’t scared to do house work. Hanzo’s completely devoted to Usagi alone. He’s mature and able to handle most situations. He’s the one that’s level-headed enough to hear the approaching ninja even in the throes of passion. He instantly goes from love-making to a fighting mindset with any hesitancy. However, he’s still human and has his vulnerabilities.

Usagi is meant to be the typical teen girl. She’s cute, intelligent, and in good shape. She has her self-doubts but is able to work through them. She’s completely devoted to Hanzo alone. She has her own abilities and skills that contribute to their relationship. She can let her emotions get the best of her at times, but when there’s a crisis, she’s able to get serious and do what’s necessary to ensure the safety and happiness of those she loves.

One interesting aspect of this volume is the author’s, Ueda, condemnation of feudal Japanese family court life. Mamezo’s biological family is a member of the imperial court. Through Mamezo, we discover that family life among the ruling class is dictated by the rules of etiquette and not by the bonds of affection. Family members don’t hold hands, even in private. They respond to each other according to proper decorum. When Mamezo falls in the mud, no one, not even a servant, wants to touch him for fear of getting their clothes soiled. In that moment, Usagi’s simple gesture of picking him up and holding him condemns such rigid and sterile family life. She isn’t worried about her clothes, social status, or proper decorum. Mamezo is someone she loves, and he needs comfort. Her affection dictates her actions. The grandfather is wise enough to learn from Usagi’s example that genuine love trumps all other considerations in guiding our behavior. Ueda rips apart the elegant facade of the imperial court life to expose its emotional emptiness. It’s a powerful critique that is subtly delivered.

There’s no real change in the art since book nine. It’s still generic shojo, but it’s effective to communicate the complex emotions of the characters. Again, I must mention the wonderful extras that come in between each chapter. Ueda is a great sport and dresses her characters up in any costumes the readers suggest. It’s done with humor and playfulness, and I laughed at each illustration.

The strength of this series is Ueda’s ability to make the family relationship between Usagi, Hanzo, and Mamezo the core of each volume. I’ve now moved Tail of the Moon up several places on my ‘things to read next’ list. I suspect the next volume I read will dissolve any remaining hesitancy and make this a must-read for me. I continue to highly recommend this series.

Suki, contrary to first guess, isn’t the name of the young girl on the cover; she’s Hina. Instead, it’s from the phrase “Suki, Dakara Suki” (”I like you, that’s why I like you”). That kind of simple acceptance is a hallmark of Hina’s naiveté.

Suki Book 1

Hina lives alone with only two teddy bears for company. One snowy night, her new substitute teacher moves into the empty house next door. She’s thrilled to have a neighbor who shares her likes — childlike things such as eating pancakes, holding hands, walking in the snow — but her friends try to protect her from inappropriate behavior. No one wants to force her to grow up for fear of damaging her innocence, but she doesn’t know enough to protect herself from gossip or other dangers.

Suki Book 2

Hina may be in high school, but she’s still a kid mentally. While her friends are giggling over how cute their new teacher is, she doesn’t understand why her too-familiar comments or actions might be misinterpreted. She isn’t yet mature enough to worry, so her friends do that for her, while the neighbor tries to reinforce their roles by insisting she call him “sensei” (”teacher”) instead of using his name.

Hina’s innocence is well portrayed without becoming stupid or cloying. She likes to talk to her bears and sing her own little made-up songs of charming nonsense. Her favorite stories are picture books about bears, and their author becomes a supporting character in later volumes. These books are included in the text, and they often serve as analogies for what’s going on in her life.

Suki Book 3

Hina is drawn in several different styles, as appropriate: a tousled-haired gamine, unaware of her attractiveness; a simplified cartoon with button eyes, to emphasize her emotional youth; or with added ears and tail, as though someone scribbled on her picture, when she’s acting puppy-dog-ish. She loves being patted on the head, for instance, and she doesn’t mind being called a monkey because she thinks they’re cute.

The three books in this series trace her growth from liking to love, as she explores the emotion her neighbor raises in her. We also learn why she lives alone and how her neighbor is more than he seems. Her childlike innocence protects her from the very real dangers she faces, and her joy of living inspires those around her. Suki is a modern fairy tale, but it’s affecting all the same. If only more people could be so honest and open with themselves and others.

The setup for this comedy is simple: Fuyuki and his sister Natsumi accidentally capture a frog-like alien. He was sent as part of an advance invasion force, but due to his incompetence, he quickly loses his weapon and is abandoned by his planet. The kids want to make friends with the alien, and he agrees to play along so that he can scheme uninterrupted.

Sgt. Frog Book 1

They treat him as a pet, one that’s able to help with housework. They assume that, if handled with kindness, the frog will show his good character, but he’s essentially selfish. That’s mitigated only by his inability to successfully accomplish anything. The human characters are the usual manga stereotypes — the geeky boy with special knowledge and his schoolgirl sister, convenient for panty shots. Mom’s a manga editor who talks about the importance of character and makes in-jokes while the camera pans over her extremely lush figure.

Sgt. Frog Book 2

The humor works because of Sgt. Keroro’s self-delusion. He clings to his military training as a security blanket, but his cuteness, as a walking talking frog, undercuts everything he tries. No one takes him seriously. And how can you blame them, when he washes dishes by splashing around in the sink with them?

There’s also the bipolar Momoka, a fellow student who has a crush on Fuyuki. She’s found Private Tamama, another member of the invasion force who, like his rescuer, flips from aggression to meekness in an instant. The private and the sergeant have an oddly affectionate relationship, when they’re not looking for the other members of their team.

Sgt. Frog Book 3

The second book introduces another army frog, the devilishly red Corporal Giroro. His violence temporarily disrupts the household, but soon he’s been adopted as well. When the three frogs work together, they manage to both build a secret headquarters and complete a sparkling New Year’s housecleaning. Their military plans don’t go as well, so they set out to find their intelligence officer, First Sergeant Kururu, a talented inventor who’s more interested in being a DJ.

Sgt. Frog Book 4

In book three, the four frogs continue plotting, whether it’s to take over the radio airwaves or create a human-killing plague or to de-age Mom so she is mistaken for her son (!). Another favorite ploy is to manipulate the characters so the girls somehow end up in swimsuits or later, as magical goblin girls in tiger-striped bikinis. Angol Moa, a Lord of Terror princess who’s also somehow Keroro’s niece, shows up, and she and Tamama compete for Keroro’s love. She’s more cute naive girl window dressing, although she also contains unimaginable power.

Sgt. Frog Book 5

Book four continues the mayhem with drunken parties, snowball fights, cavity wars (yes, in teeth), and body-switching. Japanese cultural events like sports festivals and hot springs relaxation are visited in book five, as are the more universal targets of birthdays and reality TV.

In book six, the tables turn when the frogs get a message from headquarters promoting Tamama to commanding officer. The frogs also invade school when the swimming pool opens, where their behavior is particularly cute. It resembles synchronized swimming, only not in the pool. Other summer activities include a beach trip and a temple festival. The book wraps up with an odd little tale that can be described as “what if the kids never found Keroro?”

Sgt. Frog Book 6

Book seven introduces Koyuki, a transfer student who challenges Natsumi, previously the most physically accomplished in the class, and the fifth frog, Dororo. He’s been acting as a kind of ninja superhero, exposing other types of aliens hiding on earth, and his love of his adopted planet puts him at odds with his former squad.

After Koyuki moves in next door, in one of those sitcom-like conveniences that provides more story opportunities, she develops a crush on Natsumi that annoys Giroro, who has his own crush. Later, the frogs try to help a Cosmic Detective (and childhood friend) find a job during the recession in a story that winds up parodying action television shows.

Sgt. Frog Book 7

By book eight, the character chart at the beginning of the book resembles a particularly complicated spiderweb. The color insert, featuring a close-up of the very well-endowed mother in a bikini, similarly gives warning of the kind of material within. Although it’s not a focus, there’s a good bit of underwear flashing and bathtub scenes and excuses to put the girls in swimsuits, never so much as when neighbor Momoka decides she wants to work on being sexier.

Sgt. Frog Book 8

Other chapters feature a superhero slugman who parodies Ultraman; demonstrate how the characters handle losing electricity on a hot day; show the frogs encountering a group of manga writers; send the frogs out to turn other animals into soldiers; and have the group outwit student reporters seeking evidence of aliens.

Book nine opens with another hot springs vacation, only first there’s a girl/girl fight over who’s going to accompany the family. Momoka wants to flirt with Fuyuki and has lots of money for gadgets; Koyuki’s a ninja that’s in love with Natsumi. Together, they provide plenty of fan service.

Sgt. Frog Book 9

Following stories are even sillier, with Fuyuki made younger and riding a flying carp; Dance Man using his magic powers to give people Afros; Tamama teaching a young boy to play better soccer in the rain; and the frogs creating vending machines.

The pranks of a vengeful ghost, upset at being forgotten about, open book ten, followed by a parable of helpfulness and the frogs playing soccer. Then begins the lengthy story of a replacement platoon getting serious about invading the earth. Just when the final confrontation appears, the book ends with a “to be continued”.

Sgt. Frog Book 10

Book eleven has the aliens and humans facing off for control of Earth. (Fuyuki is dressed as typical Japanese schoolboy in shirt and tie, while his sister Natsumi has wound up in a swimsuit, of course.) After the threat is turned away, there’s a flashback showing how the ninja neighbor met her alien frog companion, and then a story focusing on Keroro’s love of building models. Two frog schoolkids show up to see more of the legend they’ve heard about, and it’s up to Mom to save the day — kids are kids in any race, apparently.

Sgt. Frog Book 11

In book twelve, things are back to normal after the near-destruction of the earth. There’s slapstick violence after weapons are banned, then frogs and humans bathe together. A series of seasonal stories feature watermelons, storm season, Halloween, and New Year’s.

I had thought that the series ends with book twelve, but it turns out that it’s scheduled to run for several more volumes. That wasn’t exactly happy news for me, because I’ve lost the excitement I found in the earlier books.

Sgt. Frog Book 12

It’s hard for an absurdist comedy series to keep its freshness, and I’ve grown a little weary of the title repeating the same kinds of things that originally drew me to the book. Sgt. Frog, at this point, has a sprawling cast, many of which (especially the frogs) can be difficult to keep straight. That’s why I haven’t yet reviewed book thirteen or book fourteen.

At its best, though, exaggerated slapstick made for imaginative fun. The books are filled with allusions to other bits of geek culture, like Keroro’s hobby of building Gundam models or reading comics. Typical manga plots are twisted, such as having the characters visit a beach island, encounter ghosts, create age-changing machines, or tell horror stories.

Once the situation’s been established, individual chapters resemble sitcom episodes. The frogs mostly act like toddlers, fiendish kids who happen to have very cool technological toys. The concept and characters are flexible enough to do almost anything, from parody to nostalgia.