Friday, November 21, 2008

Ghostbusters - Ghost Busted


Overall Rating: B+
Summary: An anthology of Ghostbusters stories set after the first two films written by Nathan Johnson and Matt Yamashita with art by Maximo V. Lorenzo, Hanzo Steinbach, Chrissy Delk, Michael Shelfer, and Nate Watson. If I were to categorize this book, it would be comedy/supernatural shonen.

The stories feature the Ghostbusters in six stories, with different characters taking center stage in each one. In one story, the gang is called in to help out a haunted Broadway production. Shortly thereafter, the director, stage manager, and star quit. As a result, Egon ends up replacing the star, Peter is the new director, and Ray is the stage manager. Needless to say, this leads to hilarity and hijinks. 

In another one of the stories, Ray learns that being a Ghostbuster can be pretty mundane at times. Meanwhile, Egon receives a mysterious call from his college mentor, who failed Egon after Egon began focusing on the paranormal. All of these stories build into the main plot, which involves an old enemy, and a group of anti-ghostbusters.

Apparently, this manga series leads into an upcoming videogame.


Who ya gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! I came across this in Chapel Hill Comics a few weeks back, and was confused/amused/excited about it. Yes, that's right, it's a manga version of the Ghostbusters that Tokyopop put out. I really, really didn't know what to expect with this one, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing. It felt like the Ghostbusters, and was a really fun read. The only major drawback is the number of artists. With the artist chnging almost every chapter, it was really jarring, and made it hard to get a sense of style for the characters. That being said, there were enough common elements, that it wasn't too bad.

If you were a fan of the movies, then I definitely recommend checking this one out.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Captive Heart


Overall Rating: B
Summary: Created by Matsuri Hino, this Romantic Comedy/Supernatural shōjo story follows Megumi Kuroishi, a 20-year-old university student. As the series begins, Megumi's father, Yōshimi was the head butler for the Kōgami family. However, over the years he became their confidante and friend, and when they go missing in China, their fortune is left to him.

Megumi has become used to living in the lap of luxury and hopes that the Kōgami family is never found. Unfortunately for Megumi, soon after the series begins, his father learns that the family mayhave been found and leaves for China to find them. When he returns, he brings the Kōgami's only daughter (and the sole survivor of the Kōgami family), Suzuka, back with him. At first, Megumi 's dreams of living in luxury are shattered, but when he meets Suzuka, he immediately kneels before her and calls her "princess".

Megumi soon learns that he is descended from a thief, who stole a sacred scroll from the Kōgami family. The thief and all of his descendents are cursed to serve the Kōgami family. When Megumi looks into Suzuka's eyes, he is overcome by the curse and becomes her manservant.

However, true feelings may be beginning to form, and they must figure out what is caused by the curse and what is real.

I can't get enough of the shōjo series that Matsuri Hino, the creator of Vampire Knight, Wanted, and MeruPuri, puts out. This one actually caught my eye before I realized it was her work, and I liked the concept, so I gave it a shot. It hasn't drawn me in quite as much as her previous works, but it shows promise, and I'm still enjoying it. I think that if the characters begin to develop more, and as Megumi and Suzuka's relationship begins to grow, I'll be more engaged. Oh yeah! Keep an eye on Sōgaku, Megumi's best friend. She has a secret, and even though it's not critical to the plot, it's a nice touch that helps make "Captive Heart" more interesting.