October 2006

Okay, this is not only late, but it's also the feature's return after a month’s absence, mainly due to a bicycle incident that affected my right hand. Anyway, welcome back to MotM!

This time around I have had a lot of trouble picking out a series to feature in here, as I generally try to come up with series that are either lesser read or have a special reason to be featured. I decided to choose Kinnikuman Nisei, better known as ULTIMATE MUSCLE, for being a manga criminally ignored by a lot of the manga buying community, or at least one ridiculed for an animé that didn't appeal very much to those who grew up on other mainstream trash. Either way, I figured what better time than now to look at this quality manga, in my last MotM of the year!

Kinnikuman Nisei is the sequel to the smash hit comedy wrestling manga Kinnikuman, and is better known as Ultimate Muscle, the tale of Kid Muscle and his wrestling pals as they face the dreadful dMp. But the idea of fighting for justice whilst shoving comedy in at every other turn sounds done to death by now surely? Well, Nisei has a lot of factors in it's favor, including the ability to break a lot of shonen boundaries by being serialized in Weekly Playboy in Japan, something that empowers the brash humor and erection jokes that frequent the pages of the manga. Another factor in the favor of it is the emotive power hidden behind the humor. Anyone who can read the 10th volume, for example, without being upset by a surprise turn of events is truly a heartless reader. However, instead of telling you what it is, I'll just say get off your arise and buy the mangas from your nearest bookshop. Or if, like me, you live in the good ole UK, go the nearest import shop or website and buy them.

......... But still read this.

To put more detail in the plot I'm gonna require some comedic assistance. So in a new tradition (read: I'm too lazy to be boring tonight) we have guests! So it's time to change format!

Manga of the Month: hosted by Ikkaku

: Ikkaku here, and here to help explain just what Kinnikuman Nisei really is, we have a few special guests. On my right is Mantaro Muscle.
: .......
: Say hello Mantaro.
: Why do I look so serious in my picture?
: Seriously? Blame the internet. What do you care anyway? I mean, surely the girls would like you more that way. And hey, you're not real.
: HI SEXY LADYS! CAN YOU SEE ME WAVING? I'M NAKED AND EVERYTHING!
: ....... Right. And on my left is Brak, who came in despite everyone's protests.
: Hi everyone! My Dad let me out of my room real late just so I could party with you!
: Okay, so now that this plan is going down the toilet, can either one of you tell us the plot?
: Well Diane -
: -Max
: - ...... Diane, Kinnikymon Noose is the tale of some big men who go guroo grrr rawr and POW POW PAPOW! And they have to beat up the bad people who go ROAR SMASH CRASH KILL! And then I turn up and help save th-
: MANTARO! WHAT IS THE PLOT?
: Are you sure about this? I mean, they can't even see my buff body with the picture. And talk about flaws. You don't even use a picture of yourself! Me and Bonk here are out on the frontlines here, anyone could copy our identitys and steal our girls and fame! And you, you're just using a picture of a bald dude!
: - And then i use my Brak Buster to beat the shoe person, then I-
: SHUT THE HELL UP! BRAK! YOU AREN'T IN THE MANGA! YOU AREN'T EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE HERE! And Mantaro, if you insist, I'll change my icon to be myself.
: You aren't even the same size as us....
: Happy now?
: YEAH! NOW THE CHICKS'LL DEFINITELY PREFER ME!
: I don't know Manny; I have some pretty good features, like my nose!
: .................................
: Screw this, I'm going home.
: IF YOU COME BACK, BRING A BEEF BOWL!
: I think I was just too sexy for him.

End Interview




So that didn't really help at all. The plot of Kinnikuman Nisei is a lot more simple than Brak led you all to believe. Mantaro Muscle, a complete slacker and ne'er-do-well, meets the legendary Ramenman, friend of Mantaro's father Kinnikuman(King Muscle), in the mountains of Planet Muscle, and inadvertently gets trained by him in exchange for private tutoring. Whilst this is happening Earth is attacked by the evil dMp, an evil superman organization. The group overwhelm the old wrestlers, and one attacks Mantaro on Planet Muscle, awakening The Fire within him.

After this, Mantaro and various other superheroes get trained in the hercules factory, and assigned to various locations in Japan. From there many fights with the dMp ensue, leading to deaths, victories and disbanding, not to mention naked hero’s and the king game! Many other adventures occur along the way, and there is still no end in sight after 28 volumes.

But honestly, I can be strange all ya want, in the end all you really wanna know is why you should pick up ULTIMATE MUSCLE from your bookstore. And the answer cannot be simply said. It was the first Shonen Jump Advanced title for a reason, which is simply that it's on a more mature level. Well, mature as far in as penis jokes can go. The cult status of the manga-ka (Note: Yudetamago is in fact two artists under a pen name), and the unique and comical art style are reasons for the art lover, and the serious emotional moments interspersed with fighting and comedy is good for everyone else too.

Volume Cover Gallery:

Discontinued DVD line: