It is time for a very special...


What's so special about this edition? Look at the date of release on this baby. The 29th of November, a mysterious date that has thwarted all. And part of the mystery is contained in this very column. Part of the mystery IS this column!

This is also special for being the last Flip the Page of the year. But on the plus side it means i shall be bringing some full fledged Christmas reviews of completed series, such as Beauty is the Beast, or Rurouni Kenshin. So enjoy this column, and see you in January!

BOOMSHAKALAKA!

Getbackers vol. 16

Why Flip the Page?: To put it simply, I do not have a particular fondness for anything tokyopop touches with their grubby mitts. But Getbackers is a very special exception to that rule. Getbackers has a brilliant art style and a captivating storyline, and both of those rarely go hand in hand with TP releases (there are more exceptions, but as a percentage of licenses it's something around 10%), so I’m honestly happy with this series. Back on track, Getbackers is basically the tale of a retriever team made up of Lightning Lord Ginji Amano and Magical-eyed strong-gripping Ban Mido. The stories are split into arcs, which in turn are split into chapters, which is all very convenient for the lazier reader who just wants specific storylines. This volume continues the battle for the cards, with some extra aid being supplied by boy genius/evil git MakubeX. As a volume to start from, it isn't a good idea. But if you already own either the earlier 15 volumes, or indeed just the earlier parts of this arc, then it is entirely worth it.

Why Slam the Book Down?:Getbackers may well be a brilliant series, but as always, any series has a massive downside. Getbackers has major issues in ditching plot elements and being lazy with the art for the more detailed moves (Taking Shido's declined effect of his animal forms as an example), and these can really give you a distaste for the series the further in you get. And if you consider that this is volume 16 out of a current 30+, that is saying something about this volume. And if you take into account my usual moan about how later volumes can alienate people, this is rather flawed. Although the Act system makes it more accessible.

FTP Rating: 78%


Beauty is the Beast vol. 5

Why Flip the Page?: Beauty is the Beast has managed to grab me by the heart strings multiple times since i first bought a volume........ well, what feels like a long itme ago, and is perhaps the best shojo manga ever to not be noticed. OR even if i stretch it a bit, the best shojo manga of recent years! This is the conclusive part to the series, and someone shut me up if i can't mean it when i say it only gets more emotional with each page! With further trekking into Wanichin's past, combined with more emotional pain from Simone (not to mention the frequent cluelessness of Eimi), this volume packs all the staples in for the emotionally draining finale! Miss out on this and you truly, truly, can't call yourself a fan of shojo.

Why Slam the Book Down?: You might just not like Shojo. Or perhaps the earlier volumes put you off. But the main reason to avoid this is that being the conclusive volume leaves a lot of information stored away in those earlier books. Other than that, it can't really be bashed too much.

FTP rating: 95%


Black Cat vol. 5

Why Flip the Page?: Black Cat is a very bipolar franchise: The manga is legendary (enough so to be one of those rare series that Viz Media gave a fancy cover), whilst the anime is complete and utter dog's bum. Which would explain why I'm ecstatic to review the manga! The fifth volume continues to introduce more characters, and a healthy dose of plot development too. Unlike other mangas that fall into the 'bounty-hunter' category, Black Cat manages to stay that nice step away from cliché, and manages to avoid boring plots, or character's that have ABSOLUTELY NO DEVELOPMENT. Rather than that, Black Cat provides a singular plot point, that is almost pranced around to ensure perfect speed and side plot, whilst also fitting room for each and every character to be explored or developed into something interesting. It truly pulls these off without a hitch, making me proud to purchase it as hastily as i can.

Why Slam the Book Down?: Um... Good question. This is getting what i call 'Buso Renkin Syndrome', wherein that it has debilitating flaws without many of them being noticable. Train can often swamp over the far more likeable Sven, which can bug me often, with the approaches to any situation being too similar, mainly due to poor input from Sven. This often gets corrected, but at the moments he does little it just makes it seem like less of a partnership, and more like Train is the leader.

FTP Rating: 89%


D. Gray-Man vol. 3

Why Flip the Page?: D. Gray-Man isn't perhaps the staple example of how good the shonen genre is, but what it does it does to the best of the manga-ka's ability. The art can often lapse or change, but if you take into consideration the manga-ka's frequent injury leave it is something to be expected. The plot can feel rough or disjointed in places, as well as rushed in recent chapters, but volume is a great example of how pacing used to be used perfectly in the series. This volume follows Allen and Linali into a town where the same day repeats itself over and over, and it all appears to connect to a woman called Miranda, and a grandfather clock in her possession. The humor created by unfortunate Miranda and her meeting with Allen pans out well, and all builds up to meeting one of the Noahs, a race of humans who align themselves with the Millennium Earl. For an early part of a series, this is easily one of the better available, despite the oncoming decline in future volumes.

Why Slam the Book Down?: As i mentioned, to read D. Gray-Man now is to ignore the impending decline in overall quality in future volumes (around the volume 6/7 mark), and it can really annoy those who are enjoying moments like those in this volume. The art style can often feel generic for shonen manga, but to a bearable degree. Overall there are quite a few flaws to this series, and this release, but it can still be enjoyed all the same.

FTP Rating: 87%


Death Note vol. 8

Why Flip the Page?: If you have any ability to be aware of your surroundings, then you'd realize that Death Note is EVERYWHERE! The manga is licensed for release in pretty much every country, the brand new animé is already licensed for release in the US, mere weeks into it's Japanese release, and the Two live action movies have and still are rocking the box office. You can't deny it now Mr. Skeptic and Ms. Cynic; Death Note is bigger than toast. REALLY MASSIVE TOAST! WARM BUTTERY TOAST! I want toast. *ahem* Anyway, Death Note undeniably needs little in the way of promotion, So all i can say is that the art is Obata's best yet (that's saying something), and the plot is more complex than a badger with a twisted colon in a psychiatrist's with severe mental issues after having been subjected to badger rape whilst in an optometrists. But with more plot twists.

Why Slam the Book Down?: Death Note is now officially overrated. It is one of the best mangas of all time, and always will be, but now people are shouting it's praises a little too high from the rooftops. And that can easily ruin people enjoying it. Aside from that, this is volume 8, in one of the most complex series to ever grace Viz Media. So if you're over 16 and stupid, steer well clear. And on that note, it's not for the young uns.

FTP Rating: 91%


I"S vol. 10

Why Flip the Page?: I've sung so much about I"S qualities. I'm not sure what i can say. As a volume, #10 is amazing, gut-wrenching, cringe-worthy, painful, funny, emotional, comfortable, and just plain genius work from Masakazu Katsura, my hero and idol. If you haven't picked up I"S after reading my columns, then you truly are a pile of arse.

Why Slam the Book Down?: It isn't everyone's cup of tea, can gross out when unnecessary, and often supplies moments where you just wanna step in and kill everyone, or throw the book away and feel miserable or guilty or some similar emotion. I"S affects people. How so depends on person and moment in the story.

FTP Rating: 92%


Ultimate Muscle vol. 15

Why Flip the Page?: Ultimate Muscle is a series originally published in Weekly Playboy in Japan. Stop sniggering in the back. Now i've stated that, i'm hoping that those who remember the brilliant anime have purged their minds of the kiddyness in the anime, as the manga is a lot more rude and abrasive. IN A GOOD WAY! Following Kid Kinniku (Kid muscle to those who buy the mangas of course) in his constantly comedic chapters of crazy crap-filled crying. And now that alliteration is outta the way, I can point out that this is a wrestling manga with comedic twists and powerful moments throughout, and an art style that only the two manga machines known as Yudetamago could produce. This specific volume continues the wacky superhuman Olympics, with twists in events that would make anyone laugh till they die. But they are handled so brilliantly that it doesn't matter. You can enjoy them in the afterlife too.

Why Slam the Book Down?: It's rude, full of clothed erections, sex references, ugly wrestling aliens, and some things you really don't wanna see. It's also volume 15. You WILL have trouble jumping in here without earlier volumes. Ultimate muscle is also a problem series due to those who loathed the anime being dissuaded from going near it (i was one of them till November 2005). Although i loved the anime, i couldn't bring myself as an older teen to go near it. My how it surprised me!

FTP Rating: 91%


And that's it for Flip The Page this year. Next year will bring more import reviews, more classic reviews, and more poor quality opinions on some series.

SEEYA IN JANUARY!