Forum - View topicJason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Demon City Hunter
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Alucalb
Posts: 171 |
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Wish I bought these back in the day. DMP should totally pick this up.
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ptolemy18
Manga Reviewer/Creator/Taster
Posts: 357 Location: San Francisco |
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It turns out I have an extra set of Demon City Hunter (I have a *lot* of ADV Manga). I'm going to give it away in "365 Days of Manga," so please enter the contest form if you're interested! http://graphic-novels-manga.suvudu.com/ (The entry form is on the right-hand column, a little ways down the page.) |
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CCSYueh
 Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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I obviously took to Kikuchi more than you did. I really like his style. Yashakiden 2 FINALLY arrived this week, so I'll be plowing thru it Saturday, & maybe Wicked City 1 & 2.
The art was nothing to write home about, pretty standard, so I was rather shocked Kyoya in Yashakiden is described as impossibly beautiful as Dr. Mephisto which reminds me of the description of D as an impossibly beautiful boy. ADV never really got into a good translation groove. A lot of their manga seemed a bit off |
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ptolemy18
Manga Reviewer/Creator/Taster
Posts: 357 Location: San Francisco |
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Though it may not have been obvious from my review, I actually like Kikuchi, although I think of him as a pretty "pulp" author. His imagination is incredible. In some of his stories the randomness seems more meaningful and purposeful than in others. |
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CCSYueh
Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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I vaguely recall liking the Babylon Palace title best of the 3 or 4 ADV released of his stuff. Darkside Blues didn't seem much more filled out than the anime, though it did explain some points.
ADV's Taimashin seemed more interesting than what we're getting right now from DMP, but it was nowhere near long enough (can't recall if it was a cancelled title). It seemed more shonen actiony than DMP's is, but I haven't read it in awhile. I just remember wishing there was more. I have no idea if the translation is more correct, but it's like TP's Tactics vs ADV's-ADV seemed to try to be street-savy/hip/whatever. Some of ADV's manga seemed to be dumbed down? Written with 12 yr olds in mind? Or maybe that's what they licensed & TP brought the age up to more 15-16 on a lot of their stuff |
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Youkai Warrior
 Posts: 505 Location: Sarayashiki |
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I find Kikuchi to be pulp too. He's not bad, he definitely is different, but also over the top to the point that it becomes a gary stu/mary sue. At least in the Vampire Hunter D light novels. I read the first three volumes. It was okay, but didn't stick with me. There were times that I found it to be ridiculous and over the top, not to mention D can be a gary stu. You can tell Kikuchi is a fan of sci-fi and horror and it's neat that he blends the two. But I can't help wonder, after all the sci-fi and horror he saw, (600 sci-fi and horror titles!) one can't help but wonder if he did sort of "borrow" from some of the films he saw. (I mean seeing that many sci-fi and horror, it's bound to creep up in your own work.) Anyway good article as usual Jason.
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wandering-dreamer
 Posts: 1733 |
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I now really want to see someone beat up a demon with nothing but a three ring notebook, that sounds insane yet amazing.
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CCSYueh
Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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I've read over his comments in Yashakiden vol 2 relating to vampires in Japan & female fans vs male fans. He apparently really liked Chris Lee as Dracula over Lugosi & seems to feel female fans just care about the face based on his observations. (It's actually the eyes. I read several years ago women tend to focus on the eyes-I sure do- while guys do the leg/breast/rear thing.) He names John Carradine a superior Dracula to Lugosi
It's interesting. Sort of backs up my belief the Japanese don't really get vampires, that what we see as a good vampire story Japanese see as silly. But-I was wrong. I've been thinking the characters in Yashakiden were the same as Demon City Hunter, but it's Setsura in Yashakiden. I assumed when I read the first one they were the same since he was so friendly with Dr Mephisto, but I haven't read DCH in yrs. Now I wonder who was in the other one...(Palace) I do remember I wished we'd get more but then, we've been left hanging so often (3X3 Eyes. Bride of Deimos. Category Freaks.) I don't regret reading what they gave us, but one can wish they'd bring us the rest, particularly when there's only one or 2 volumes left. (Lilling Po...damn-1 volume to go) |
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LostPhrack
Posts: 40 Location: Mass. |
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I've seen random volumes of this series at Anime Boston over the years, never bothered to pick it up though and I'm kind of regretting it now.
On the upside, there's plenty of his other work coming out at the moment from several companies, so yay for that! By the by, I'm a little confused about the Demon City Shinjuku and Wicked City material..? Are they connected at all? There's a mention of Dr. Mephisto here and there's a Dr. Mephisto is Yashakiden, and the two series are both set in Shinjuku so.. uh.. yeah. |
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CCSYueh
Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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Dr Mephisto is the Demon City Physician so it's probably pretty easy for him to move between stories. He seems to be the same character & his personality is such, he'd never refer to characters from other stories unless the author cares to cross them over. His hospital makes it so he has uses in most stories.
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Orange Hollow
 Posts: 68 Location: Krasnoyarsk, Russia |
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"It's often a sign of creative bankruptcy to me when people write about superheroes whose powers involve intangible, invisible things, such as energy blasts. How many times can you draw fire blasts, cold blasts and electrical blasts and make them look interesting?"
Yeah, this is exactly the reason why Fairy Tail sucks ) |
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CCSYueh
Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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We all know they add effects to sci fi that are outside science because of human expectations, but that doesn't mean someone trying to stick with a more scientific portrayal is incorrect. Yeah, explosions ARE spectaular, but invisible is inherantly more creepy because one can't see where it came from. Anyone can follow a fire trail back to the person who sent it. Pick out the person controlling the wind that blasted something to the ground is more unhinging if the character is being made ot blend in. |
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