Lissa Pattillo
August 16, 2011 
It’s mid-August and we’re finally getting some consistent days of sunshine here in Eastern Canada. This summer sure has been a weird one for weather, hasn’t it? Warm sunny days are perfect for going to the store to buy some comics—save on all that stress of trying to get books home in the pouring rain. I’m looking forward to it!
This week’s manga is brought to us by two of the current publishing giants, Viz Media and Yen Press. For their part, Viz Media is bringing their older audience titles out in full force. All but one of their books out this Wednesday are from their Viz Signature line which offers fantastic book quality, among a great variety of stories. Hands down the book I’m most eager for is 20th Century Boys (Vol. 16)—after the short epilogue-esque chapter at the end of volume 15, I’ll be diving atop that book as soon as it’s unpacked. A certain main character has some explaining to do amidst all the world-altering biological warfare.
On the other side of the dramatic manga spectrum is Oh!Great’s Tenjo Tenge. This is the second omnibus volume from Viz so that means over four hundred pages of breasts, butt-kicking and testosterone-laden bravado. It’s the kind of manga you read for sheer entertainment—there’s not much in the way of thought-provoking material and fan service replaces any real in-depth plot, but nothing wrong with that! Volume 1 had some rocky moments but was an overall good time. I look forward to seeing what kind of trouble Bob and Soichiro will get into next, not to mention experiencing more of the insanity the Executive Club dishes out.
• Bokurano Ours (Vol.04), ($12.99/US, $14.99/CAN)
• Dorohedoro (Vol.04), ($12.99/US, $14.99/CAN)
• Itsuwaribito (Vol.03), ($9.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• 20th Century Boys (Vol.16), ($12.99/US, $14.99/CAN)
• Tenjo Tenge: Full Contact Edition (Vol. 02),
($17.99/US, $21.99/CAN)
Yen Press’s star player this week is Haruhi Suzumiya with two different books coming out from the series. Melancholy Of Suzumiya Haruhi-Chan (Vol. 03) is a collection of cute 4-panel comics while Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya (Vol.09) continues the linear story. I never really got into the anime version but actually found myself attached to the characters and unpredictable plot lines when reading the manga edition. In this month’s volume Kyon is time traveling yet again and it’ll be up to Nagato to solve the rips in time and space (yet again… again?). Sometimes it’s easy to forget Haruhi is the titular character with such a strong supporting cast.
The new volume of Higurashi When They Cry offers up more cute schoolgirls but of a much darker vein than Haruhi. Blood splatter on the covers does a good job warning you of it each time. This is the fourteenth volume in the Higurashi series and the last in the Eye Opening Arc. There’s bound to be plenty of vengeance, sacrifices and mysteries to get through before this chapter comes to a close. Of course then the new arc starts up and the cycle begins anew!
Also ending this week is Ugly Duckling’s Love Revolution—can Hitomi keep on the track of maintaining a healthy weight? The harem aspect and one-dimensional handling of Hitomi and her overweight issue made this series a little hard to read at first, but it’s the kind of story that grows on you. It’s silly, innocent and ends at a pleasantly brief four volumes.
YEN PRESS
• Book Girl And The Captive Fool, ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• Higurashi When They Cry: Eye Opening Arc (Vol.04), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• K-ON! (Vol.03), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya (Vol.09), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• Melancholy Of Suzumiya Haruhi-Chan (Vol.03), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• Omamori Himari (Vol.04), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• Sumomomo Momomo (Vol.09), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
• Ugly Duckling’s Love Revolution (Vol.04), ($11.99/US, $12.99/CAN)
That does it for this week’s On The Shelf—what on the list are you most eager to buy? Any must-have recommendations? Share your thoughts in our handy comment area for all our readers to see!
* All dates are based on distributor listings and may not necessarily reflect exact release dates. Some books may be ship prior to or after the date listed above varying by location and availability.
