So yesterday i picked up a copy of Code Name Sailor V, I got that one instead of Sailormoon since I haven't read all of Sailor V previously. Now the Sailormoon volumes actually have the same cover art as the newly released special editions released in Japan the past year. Which are very lovely. Sailor V takes place prior to the events in Sailormoon following the adventures of Aino Minako, who we all know is Sailor Veunus in Sailormoon. She is a glutonous, lazy, yet athletic girl who loves games. One day she decided to confess to her sempai but this mysterious white talking cat keeps getting in her way. He tells her that she has been chosen to be Sailor V and fight evil.
Kodansha does a fairly good job. The translation is nice. The cover and the color pages are nice. The paper quality inside after the color pages isn't really that great. But besids that i'm happy with the book. I'm glad that this series was finally brought to the US.
Sailormoon was the first anime I saw that i saaw as being an anime. Considering I was a kid in the 80's watching things like Voltron, Transformers, and GI Joe, which of course are anime but I didn't realize it until much much later. There were so many types of animation on afternoon and saturday cartoon spots that those story types seemed normal to me. But Sailor moon is vastly differnt from those titles. For one thing it's a magic girl shoujo. Sure you still have heros fighting evil but the story telling is extremely differnt form the shonen titles I saw in the 80's. Shoujo has a differnt feel and look. I'll admit I saw the anime for sailormoon totally out of order. The series started on tv when i was in high school in a time slot where I was in class. There was no way for me to watch it unless I was home sick or had a holiday. So I saw an episode here and there. My impression was that it was a bizarre show but facisnating in a way. When at college I was able to see quite a bit more. It was shown on USA for a while and then on Toonami. Though I still missed because of classes and never really saw the episodes in order ever. My friend Clare introduced me to manga. She had the Japanese release of sailormoon and lent it to me to look at, since at the time i couldn't read Japanese, and i found it to be beautiful. Then i found the Mixx comix release of Sailor moon. I had some on the single chapter relases and a few of the volumes. The graphic novel release was on better paper, but the pages were cut off on the edges in the dialouge bubbles in places. I ended up giving my sailormoon manga to a big sailormoon fan since i thought they would appreciate it. Though I think i'll be buying Kodanshas rerelease when i'm able to. The manga is much better then the anime. And very beautiful.
But Sailormoon and Sailor V, might not be the best shoujo manga out there, but its definetly a fun read. Silliness and seriousness mixed together with charming art.
You made me smile Crystal! Sailor Moon was the first anime I ever saw--well, except for that time in first grade when I was home sick with the chicken pocks and they showed Akira on tv. Channel 30 (Fox Family Channel--although, I can't remember if it was Fox family back then, or just the Family Channel). Anyhow, you know, the station that had all the cartoons and stuff?
ReplyDeleteWell, they showed Akira during the 11 or noon to 3pm slot. It was epic! I was only in first grade. It was 1993. But, even with the little warning sign, and the traumatic effects, I was hooked! Anime was a must!
Sailor moon was my first series. I guess it says something when a boy likes Sailor Moon better than DBZ. I always got a kick out of that. So often everyone in Grade School, JH, HS, etc. were into DBZ. I remember in 1995 when Sailor Moon showed its first episode on TV. God! That was so long ago! I feel positively ancient! 15 years! Can you imagine? Aren't we ancient!?
Anyhow, I know there is a big difference between the comics and the anime. Heck, there is a MASSIVE difference between what was made into the anime and what was cut and released in the US. Honestly, we are prudes, but what can one do?
NO PEOPLE! THOSE Scouts AREN'T SISTERS! ;) And little ms. Pink Hair needs to get away from her dad NOW! :)
Anyhow, thanks for the Sailor Moon update. It sucks, though, that the manga had text cut off. So often you hear about shitty print. I wonder if there will come a time and place when people will be able to appreciate the cultural contribution globally of being into anime and manga.
What's wrong with graphics novels, comics, etc.? I mean, at least here in Portland Zines and the like are acceptable.
Hey! Did you know that the comic publisher of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is based right here in Portland in the Pearl District?! It's awesome! Even though the artist is Canadian, the comic publisher is Portland based. That says a lot to me.
The founder of Stash/Tazo/and his new tea company (Smith's Tea) are based here in Portland too. We have REAL coffee houses here. Seattle gets all the fame for Starbucks, but the best micro brew, the real wealth, and the best afternoon hangouts are all in Portland. It's kinda funny, now that I think about it.
Maybe, with the advent of digital print, we will finally reach a time when people will be able to publish online and soon anime and manga will actually come to the US en mass! In excellent translations! That would be wonderful!
ReplyDeleteBut, I won't hold my breath. It will take someone actively making an effort to do something epic, taking the media and really doing something revolutionary with it. Maybe, our time will come? Yo. :)
heh starbucks is overrated and i like oregon chai pver tazo. heh. plus Gypsy tea blends are better then tazo too. heh i don't drink coffee but i love tea. =)
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