Forum - View topicRIGHT TURN ONLY!! - Again and a Gen
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marie-antoinette
 Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
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Genshiken also didn't really appeal to me, though I did make it through all the anime. I think it was just one of those things that I can appreciate objectively without really liking all that much subjectively. Though I was reading volume 1 alone and perhaps an omnibus version would appeal more, since there's more story. Hard to tell and I don't really think I'll be picking it up.
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sepherest
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Are the Genshiken omnibus volumes oversized or the same height as the singles?
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bahamut623
 Posts: 1463 |
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I thought I'd warm up to it after reading it on SJ Alpha, but man, Nura is unreadable. The art is so horribly horribly cluttered. I have a very hard time telling things apart. And it doesn't help that the story is kind of awkwardly paced.
I read the first volume, and I've read all the Alpha chapters, and his art hasn't improved one lick since the first volume! By the time a manga has reached as many volumes as Nura, most mangaka have had their style evolve and improve. I appreciate that he's going for an ukiyo-e look, but maybe he's biting off more than he can chew. There are brief moments wear that style really works (particularly when Nura uses a power that look like he turns to ink), but mostly it just makes a mess of things. It boggles my mind that it not only got into Jump, but that it's still there! I'm a sucker for shonen, but this is quite possibly the worst Jump series I've ever read. |
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maaya
Posts: 976 |
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I read 7 or 8 volumes of Arcana and it has been indeed a huge disappointment. Every time you think "now we're getting started" it continues on the same flat and average level. But I suppose it is mostly a case of having too high and / or wrong expectations. I believe the author really doesn't want to do anything more than a love story with a little fantasy flavor. If that's what you're looking for, the series is perfect. If you want anything more than bishonen romance, you have to look elsewhere.
I can't believe this gets a higher score than Devil and her Love Song though. Hope you will continue with that one as well, because it is a lot better than Arcana, and actually improves. |
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Sewingrose
 Posts: 579 |
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Same height as singles. |
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zensunni
 Posts: 1294 |
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According to Amazon, the dimensions of the Omnibus are: 4.9 x 1.7 x 7.5 inches The dimensions for the 2005 DelRay publication of Volume 1 are: 5 x 0.6 x 7.5 inches So, yes, pretty much the same size. (Or .1" smaller if you want to get really picky...) |
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HeeroTX
Posts: 2046 Location: Austin, TX |
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If you've only read volume 1 (or part of volume 1) pick up Volume 3 (or the omnibus). I think (and I KNOW people will disagree, this is just my opinion) if you're a real ANIME/manga fan, you will NOT like Kasukabe (at least initially) because a) she's obviously NOT an "otaku" and b) she is blatantly antagonistic towards the otaku characters. If you ARE someone who empathizes with Sasahara or Madarame or one of the other members of the Genshiken (who isn't the "pretty" one) then that can be REALLY off-putting. To me, for real otaku/social misfits, the series REALLY gets going once Oguie joins and her character arc is totally worthwhile. By the end, I'm ok with Kasukabe, but I still don't really "like" her. |
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marie-antoinette
Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
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I actually like Kasukabe a fair amount. She might even be my favourite overall character, though that is based off the anime and off material that happens later in the story. I definitely see how she could get a bit grating but I personally have had more RL negative run ins with obsessive fans than with people who don't understand obsessive fans.
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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Daniel X- isn't that the one in which spoiler[all the main character's "friends" are literally figments of his imagination? I found that pretty off-putting.] The only James Patterson adaptation I still read is Maximum Ride, which is pulpy fun, but not realistic in the least, so YMMV, I guess.
I want to like Goong. I thought the concept of a modern Korean monarchy was quite original and interesting, and the art can be stunning (all the elaborate traditional Korean clothing is quite beautiful). But the plot seems to get in a really soapy, rinse-wash-repeat, will-they-or-won't-they rut as of volume 8 or so. I just looked it up and the story is complete at 27 volumes. Does anyone know if the plot picks up? |
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poonk
 Posts: 1490 Location: In the Library with Philip |
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I've actually thought about picking up Goong a number of times. I could never get into the K-drama (strangely enough I watched Goong S first--because, well, Se7en as a prince-- and that series was about 4 episodes too long as it was so I couldn't deal with such a similarly-themed show even if it's the original) but I thought maybe the manhwa would be more palatable to me. But jeez, 27 volumes?! I usually get bored with series shortly after volume 13-14 or so (notable exceptions: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Natsume's Book of Friends), which is about where I dropped The Wallflower and why I'm hoping Bride of the Water God is going to wrap it up soon (IMO it also has a very "rinse-wash-repeat" plot at this point, except with gods & magic in the mix). 27 volumes sounds almost grueling.
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Agent355
Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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I've never watched K-Dramas, but I've been wanting to watch Princess Hours (That's the direct, first adaptation of Goong, right? There have been so many copycats since the original that it gets confusing) if only for the costume designs!
There are plenty of manga, shojo included, that can pull off over a dozen volumes without getting stale, imho. I loved every one of Love*Com's hilarious 17 volumes, the action-adventure series Basara, Red River and the sci-fi Please Save My Earth are all excellent classics, and I still hope Ai Yazawa gets better and continues NANA. The problem is when manga-ka run out of ideas and keep things going because the series is popular. The Wallflower probably should have been kept under a dozen volumes (is it still ongoing?), and Goong, well, I'm not sure exactly how much the author planned out or what she's aimed to accomplish with her story, but I doubt it was 27 volumes worth. I can't remember which volume of Bride of the Water God I read last, but some negative reviews put me off picking it up (despite the gorgeous art). I'd love to know spoiler[is the heroine still in the dark about her betrothed's ability to look like a kid during the day and an adult at night?] |
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poonk
Posts: 1490 Location: In the Library with Philip |
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Anyway, if you're looking to get into K-dramas Goong comes highly recommended by lots of other folks. I just couldn't get into it for the reasons I already mentioned.
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