Sunday 30 September 2018

Manga | Seraph of the End, Vol. 1:

Author: Takaya Kagami
Illustrator: Yamato Yamamoto
Volume Number: Volume One 
Volume Title: Vampire Reign 
Rating: 5* 
Publisher: VIZ Media 
Pages: 200 pages 
Published: 3rd June 2014 
Format: Physical
Bought/ARC: Bought via Waterstones 

After trumpets of the apocalypse proclaim the fall of humanity, vampires arise from the shadows to rule the earth. Yuichiro wants just one thing—to get revenge by killing each and every vampire.
Yuichiro’s dream is near-impossible, given that vampires are seven times stronger than humans, and the only way to kill them is by mastering Cursed Gear, advanced demon-possessed weaponry. Not to mention that humanity’s most elite Vampire Extermination Unit, the Moon Demon Company, wants nothing to do with Yuichiro unless he can prove he’s willing to work in a team—which is the last thing he wants!

I loved this Manga. I was recommended it by Alisha @ Reality's a Bore. I literally one day thought, I wonder what manga is like? And I knew exactly the right person to ask! So I sifted through the probably 15 recommendations I got from Alisha and chose three. Seraph of the End, Mermaid Boys and Servamp. (Reviews on those soon!)

When I went to the Isle of Man on 1st of August I took a few manage with me and the first one I read was Seraph of the End, and it pretty much only took me the ferry journey pretty much to read this. It is a 3 hour ferry, give me some credit! I started with a Vamp Manga because you really can't go wrong with Vampires, the good, the bag and the ugly. They're all such good reads. 

Seraph is based on the premise that humanity has fallen fate to a plague that has only affected everyone aged 13 and over thus leaving the kids to fend for themselves. Until the vampires turn up and take over the world. Forcing all the children underground to become their own person food supply. Yuichiro is the one, the bad ass, no thinking, hot headed 11 year old who has high hopes and dreams for taking down the vampires, single handed. One day, when Yuichiro's friend, Mikaela shows Yuichiro a map that he's stolen from a Higher Vampire that outlines a way out, Yuichiro is the first to get everyone together and plot their escape. In a shocking twist, only Yuichiro manages to escape and get to the surface. Which, he discovers, not ll the adults have actually been wiped out, it's just something the children have been lead to believe to keep them below ground. Where Yuichiro's real journey begins. A single player lifestyle, Yuichiro learns the true meaning of family and the importance of working in a team to succeed in life. 

I really loved this manga, it's quite fun and fast paced and really sets up the series in a really good way. I really loved the twists and turns and dynamics which are there right from the the beginning of the book. There were a few characters to get to know form the first page, which at first was a litteld difficult to follow but it didn't take me a while to catch up. There was a certain scene around about the middle of the book that was very 'omg he's not what we thought' which I really loved. And without giving away too much, I wont say anymore. 

All I will say is that I will really recommend this book. it was just awesome, vampires, family, friends and a little bit of attitude. BRILLIANT! It really has given me the Manga Bug and I've read a couple more since. 

Sunday 9 September 2018

Manga | Tokyo Ghoul

Author: Sui Ishida
Illustrator: Sui Ishida
Volume Number: Volume One 
Volume Title: NA 
Rating: 5* 
Publisher: VIZ Media 
Pages: 224 pages 
Published: 17th March 2015 
Format: Physical
Bought/ARC: Bought via Waterstones 
Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | The Book Depository | Waterstones 

Shy Ken Kaneki is thrilled to go on a date with the beautiful Rize. But it turns out that she’s only interested in his body—eating it, that is. When a morally questionable rescue transforms him into the first half-human half-Ghoul hybrid, Ken is drawn into the dark and violent world of Ghouls, which exists alongside our own.

Okay, so my second manage read of 2018, and my entire manage read collection. Ha. Literally though, OMG, have I just got really lucky or I love Vampires. One or the other. Because this manga guys, I LOVED IT. It was heartwarming, in a weird way, funny, charismatic, enticing, fast-paced and ultimately so ugh brilliant. 

So, Tokyp Ghoul follows Ken Kaneki, a cute, slightly geeky bookworm who has his head constantly in the pages of books. Not paying much notice to the attention of girls. Until one day, when he's having food with a friend and he catches the eye of the attractive Rize Kamishiro. With similar interests and the same favouriteauthor it's obvious they will hit it right off. I mean, c'mon same favourite author! The world that Kaneki lives in is filled with Ghouls, those who fee doff living humans to survive. And in a fun little plot twist Rize is a Ghoul. On the all home, Rize attacks Kaneki and he finds out what she really is the hard way, luckily for Kaneki he survives thanks to a superior doctor who takes a big risk in order to allow Kaneki to live. When Kaneki comes round, and wakes in a hospital he starts to feel different, think different, and ear different. 

This book is pretty funny too to be fair. Even with a more serious storyline there are a few little quips that really add to the storyline and give it that extra dimension you really want in a Manga. I really enjoy Horror, in any way shape or form. my favourite movies, books, comics are all horror nearly. I just love the way someone can catch your fears and trepidations and put it into a work of art. Something to keep you guessing, make you jump and a little bit of gore here and there is always a bonus. Tokyo Ghoul really delivered on the promise of the horror genre, and I wasn't expecting too much as I hadn't read a Horror manga before so id din't know how it'd work. I loved the idea of 'Ghouls' beings that appear to look 100% normal and human with an incessant need for human flesh. 

Especially with illutrastions, but it worked so well. The artwork is incredible too,t he way they captured emotions such as fear and horror was just insane. There are brilliant scenes of dark alleyways and constructions ties, the exact places you would expect beings like ghouls to hunt at night. 

I really thought Tokyo Ghoulg was a really good set up book. The perfect start to what is quite a lengthy series, I haven't den reading Manga long so yes 14 books in a series is a lot to me! But I have high hopes for what this series is gong to bring and where Kaneki is going to go with his new life. The horror elements are strong so far and I really hope that this continues throughout the series. There's also a spin of series too Tokyo Ghoul: re.