Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The Lupin escapades continue with some rather interesting plot twists. In this volume we learn that Lupin is part of a world wide organization run by his father, or until his father is assissinated and Lupin is almost assissanted when someone derails the train he is riding in. The bigger problem is that King, the assassin, has Jigen with him. Jigen is still Lupin's ally but is forced to work for King. But with trust, and busty Fujiko keeping him safe he foils the plot and gets his revenge. We still have no appearence by Goemon yet there still are 12 volumes to go. I am a huge fan of the Lupin Anime, and am fast becoming a huge fan of the manga. It is dirtier, racier, more violent, filled a lot more cursing than any of the Anime. It also adds a lot to Lupin's background that you just don't get in the Anime like the stuff with his father or the level of detail in how large Lupin's international thieving operates are. The manga is also filled with Lupin pulling all sorts of bizarre and exotic thefts with Jigen and Fujiko all the while Zenigata is on his heels. Zenigata is also different in the manga, while he is a hot head and a bit of Clouseau style bumbling detective but he still retains some sembelance of being actually competant in the mangas. The art is evolving very well but it still a little rough for the average Manga fan but the story and humor should be more than enough to overcome this stumbling block.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Finally it takes 3 entire mangas to introduce Goemon, but he is here so the entire team is now together. Another solid manga but a couple of the chapters seemed out of place. One involves Fujiko as this Black Widow, she killed 999 guys and now set her eyes on Lupin. It was strange to say the least, it was like they had never met before but they have been cohorts for two entire mangas. There is a good story that involves Lupin being forced to down an airplane that Fujiko is in, it is touching. I am quiet happy now that Goemon is in the story but was it necessary to wait 28 chapters to bring him in?

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The Lupin craziness continues as the does the stealing, womanizing, and the killing of many thugs. The last three adventures of this volume begin to recall the formative years of Lupin, starting with the death of his grandfather, the famed Arsene Lupin. There still has been too little Goemon but that is a small problem that will hopefully be fixed. You really get a good feel of the 1960s from this manga, everything is just so groooooovvvvvvyyyyyyy, it is hard to like it simply based on that fact alone.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

We start out the beginning of this volume with Lupin II breaking out of prison and declaring that there is an imposter posing as his son, ie Lupin III. Well Lupin III believes that the man that is claiming to be his father is the imposter. After three issues of that we get back to the running story line of Lupin trying to steal the secret of Goemon's sword skills from his master and Geomon blocking all attempts. Another great volume especially with Lupin and Goemon going at it like a couple of alley cats. Fujiko keeps changing sides, which can get confusing at times because Monkey Punch likes to design other women to resemble Fujiko, so at times you think it is Fuji-cakes when it isn't. Hmm, many buxom lasses you like old Monkey Punch likes the jugs?

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Finally we get to see the various individuals that make up Lupin's famous team, actually working as a team in this volume. But first Lupin must navigate the moster treacherous den of cut throats and thieves imaginable, the corperate boardroom. Lupin inflitrates a oil shipping company that is plagued by explosions in this ships where bombs that have been planted. Then Lupin goes to the top by conning his boss with the help of Fujiko. Then the team finally gets together for the last episode of the volume. I like this volume a lot because they finally get all four working together for a common goal with Zenigata in pursuit. It is the most like the TV series that I have seen yet in the manga and I hope it will continue through the next 8 volumes.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

We get more Lupin/Jigen/Goemon fun, Lupin is split into good and evil versions of himself, and then we get to see the origins of the Lupin/Zenigata from their days in college. My favorite is still the Lupin/Jigen/Goemon episodes but Lupin vs Zenigata in college was very amusing. Lupin exploits in college include humiliated rich parents who have paid the dean off so their kids could get good grades and having orgies in school buildings. Sounds like the college I never went to. Now if we can only get Fujiko in more with the Lupin/Jigen/Goemon episodes instead of her being the sometimes villian it would make these issues all the better. I liked when good and evil Lupin faced off, at least they had something in common, they were both trying desperately to have sex with the good/evil versions of Fujiko, see some things transcend good and evil, the need to bang hot, hot busty women.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The boys are at it again this time up against the rival organization the Rat Clan then Lupin has a showdown with the assassin that hypnotised his victims, then finally he teams up with Zenigata in order to stop a group of renegade college students that have planted nuclear bomb inside someones body and Lupin comes up with a rather creative solution to get the picture off the island, and it involves Fujiko and Lupin's favorite past time, humping then chasing, humping then chasing. This is why I love Lupin each manga has eight to ten stories and all of them are extremely unique and always entertaining. Monkey Punch is a true master of manga. I love the part where Zenigata is escorting Jigen and Goemon to the police station and the pair are pissing Zenigata off so much he actually rising through the top of the police car. Long live Monkey Punch the manga artist with a name that sounds like a rough sex maneuver.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Sexual Hypnosis, Fujiko in Peril, Time Travelers, Zenigata, and of course Lupin. Another great series of adventures and misadventures featuring everyone favorite thief. My favorite episode in this book by far, probably one of my favorites in a couple of books involves the sexual hypnosis. I would have never thought of this and I don't think anybody else has ever before or since. This guy's secret is he gets a woman to climax and while in the state of extreme pleasure he implants the secret code via hypnosis. Well enter Lupin to break the code the only way he knows how, by seducing and bringing the women to climax so he can get the code. It is such a clever and extremely dirty idea, I love it.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Lupin has to reclaim a tiny island in order to preserve his families honor, plus the trillions of Yen hidden in a maze of caves beneath the island. First Lupin tries to obtain the map to the island from the current president of the island by hijacking the president's hot air ballon. After Miss Fujiko spoils that scheme, oh she is such a hassle but so easy on the eyes. His next scheme to retake his families loot filled island involves Lupin kidnapping Zenigata and disguising himself as Zenigata so he can gain entry to the president's suite in Tokyo and expose him for the fake he is. But Zenigata proves to be more of a handle than he expects. Finally Lupin manages to save his family's island, honor, and vast amount of loot. This was the first two part exploit in the manga, and I really liked how Inspector Zenigata was able to handle himself so well again Jigen and Goemon. It shows that he isn't just a complete buffoon, that also makes Lupin better because he isn't just fighting a buffoon but rather a capable cop. Only 4 volumes left of the first series, so far I have been nothing but impressed by them.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Lupin vs Dr Frank in some of the most bizarre adventures yet. This volume focuses primarily on Lupin's rivalry with the mysterious Dr Frank who uses hypnotism to make the dead and often times parts of the dead his servants. Of course Dr Frank is Dr Frankenstein but I like the twist that he uses hypnotism. Of course Lupin is bested by none, but like Pikal and some of the other great Lupin criminal villains he does give Lupin a solid run for his money. I really like the villains that get to star in more than just one episode. Another adventure we get two Fujikos for the price of one, talk about lucky Lupin, but one turns out to be a really clever imposter who has a big monkey tattooed on his back, which introduces the Pandora Agency, the biggest enemy of the Lupin Clan. This episode has the best joke I've seen in awhile, Lupin knows which Fujiko is the real one because in his words, the real Fujiko would be naked by the third page. I like Monkey Punch's ability to poke fun at himself, all good writers should be able to jab at themselves, which conjures up really weird images of real life shadow boxing, but nevermind I'm wandering. This volume had very little Jigen or Goemon, it didn't have much Zenigata much either, it was more Lupin Vs Dr Frank. I was kinda hoping for some more support from the supporting cast but Dr Frank made up for it.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Lupin continues down the horror path when he first faces the Man of Twenty Faces then the invisible man and then a sexy vampire minx. The funniest of the three major stories is by far Lupin vs the Vampire. I won't give away how they defeat Lupin the Vampire but it is so off the wall and obsurd that even Jigen and Goemon comment that Monkey Punch really has lost it this time. I also liked the Lupin the Vampire episode because it is upto Jigen and Goemon to save Lupin from certain doom. This entire volume featured Lupin's partners a lot more than previous volumes and they do more as well. I also like the end of the Man with Twenty Faces, after Lupin manages to drive a dagger through his face he wryly quips I have nineteen left. It is these clever and often hilarious endings to these ridiculous episodes is what makes these so entertaining.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This volume is Lupin vs Rasputin, a con man who has amassed a fortune that is nearly as much as Lupin. The pair start slugging it out trying to out con the other. After Lupin defeats Rasputin, of course he does, he is Lupin after all, we get a Goemon centered episode. A man has killed Goemon's uncle and then turned himself in so he could escape the wrath of the vengeful swordsman. Lupin helps Goemon get his revenge after a rather funny court scene. Then Lupin goes into a strange series of cave mazes trying to find a treasure that no one has ever seen. The entire series of mazes are filled with numerous booby traps that Lupin keeps stumbling over with humorus results. Like the episode of the Red Jacket (Second Series) where Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon go into the secret passage that leds to the Voodoo Temple (Curse of Jumbo JuJu or the Great Caribbean Adventure) these are so eeriely similar to the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark, maybe Spielburg was borrowing just a little from Monkey Punch? Maybe.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Well this is it the final volume of the first Lupin III manga series. In the final volume, Lupin has to break into an impregnable apartment. But Lupin can pentrate anything, anywhere, anytime. Okay enough sex references, the next adventure is Lupin vs a composer who has written the Death of Lupin III and is trying to make life imitate art. But in truth the mysterious composer is Zenigata who is trying to stop Lupin and company from hijacking a rocket, but nobody ever pulls one over on Lupin. The final adventure is Lupin giving you a guided tour of one of his hide outs before he blows it up and says ta-ta. I liked how this series ended, it wasn't a big battle to the death with Zenigata, Pycal, the Rat Clan, and every other villian in the series. It ends humorously and keeps it nice and open for the second manga series which I have got the first volume of and look forward to reading. I like Lupin because it is light, funny, and at times extremely clever. I like how the characters often get really pissed at Monkey Punch for his bizarre plot twists. The only thing I didn't like in this series was that Fujiko was almost always Lupin's opponent. I like it more when all four work together against a really devious foe. I like Fujiko almost above all the other characters and I don't like her being up against because Lupin always win. This is a great series and lots of fun to read. Give this great series a try and I'll bet you'll like it.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Lupin back after five years with the whole gang once again to face off against ruthless thugs, buxom beauties, and the indefatigable Inspector Zenigata along with a healthy dose of Monkey Punch's particular humor. But now Lupin and Zenigata have a common opponent, Detective Melon, the master of handcuffs. Now there was a Detective Melon in the anime, a busty female cop but in the manga sadly he is a male which I think kinda kills the play on words because in the anime when you translate Detective Melon from Japanese to English literally it turns into Female Detective with Big Breasts. Lupin faces off against several craft women in this volume, including a woman who has microfilm hidden somewhere on her body, and a group of sexy scuba divers who are after sunk Spanish Gold. In this series of manga Monkey Punch does a better job of including Lupin's buddies more, Goemon and Jigen both get more page time and have more to do with the plot as does Fujiko-cakes. My favorite story in this volume is definitely the scuba diving babes and the lost Spanish gold, the chicks are super hot, the plot is clever, and they poke fun at Monkey Punch. So get ready for another 14 volumes of Lupin fun.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Lupin in the massage parlor with Fujiko who is giving him a massage while a mysterious third party attempts to kill Fujiko. She enlists Lupin to help her before his hour is up in exchange for Lupin's favorite past time, which is of course sex. In the next episode Lupin is up against the Union, a group of assassins who are led by Mama at the request of Lupin's former pupil who says 'Groovy' way too much. So all Lupin has to do is take down the entire Union and his pupil, only problem he is burned to a crisp. Next Lupin goes up against an ugly beast who has captured Fujiko but she is trapped on a heavily guarded island. Of course Lupin can save her but not before we get to see some prime naked Fujiko. Then Lupin goes after Diamond Dentures, that doesn't seem so bright but then again I don't have that kind of money. Lupin goes up against Detective Melon, Zenigata's sidekick who is now sporting magic like Pikal but he is no match for Lupin. In the next episode Fujiko captures Lupin to test his abilities to see what makes him tick. The final episode is another great episode from the second series, the Land of the Steel Lizards. There is a prison in some unnamed country that has no guards and prisoners can escape easily but once they escape the prison they are hunted down and killed by steel creatures that are individually programed for each prisoner. Well guess who just broke out of prison? Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon. This is where the volume ends on a great cliffhanger, I love cliffhanges. These volumes have twice as many stories and they have gotten the principle characters fitted into their roles, Lupin, Jigen and Goeomon are always working together, Fujiko is always trying to double cross Lupin and Zenigata is chasing. I love Lupin and again I loved this manga. My favorite episode was the one where Lupin is hiding out in the country and the slow witted locals try to steal the loot he stole and they think they killed him so they hide his body in the scarecrow which allows him to escape Zenigata's pursuit. I like the longer length of the second edition mangas as compared to the first, you get more fun for your money.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

The conclusion to Lair of the Sand Lizards starts the manga off which wasn't the best of ideas in my opinion because I had to re-read the last chapter of the previous manga to remember exactly what was going on. The rest of this manga seems almost to follow a similar theme, that of robots and cyborgs. The next chapter has Zenigata visiting a famous robotics maker because he knows Lupin wants to steal this creations. The professor shows off his range of robots to Zenigata as they steal for him. It is only then Zenigata learns that one of the robots is actually the professor and Lupin again beat him to the punch. The next is again another robot story, only a hell of a lot funnier. In this one Lupin has a beautiful young woman in a mountain top cabin. Only she knows the location to the hidden cache of gold, but after trying to get the information out of her the usually Lupin way by seducing her. But after he kisses her face off he learns she is a robot and the only way to get the information out of her is by rewiring her circuits, each attempt ends with a different and comical response, from mothering mode, to S&M Mode, to Home Defense mode, to finally revealing the location of the secret gold cache mode. The next chapter I particularly liked because it doesn't focus entirely on Lupin, it is called Spagehtti Jigen and it covers Jigen duel with Stoneman, a mercenary who has a grudge against Jigen. The only problem with the fight is the country they are having the fight in is closing its borders for ten years and Lupin to motive Jigen to go faster disassembled his gun. So Jigen has to reassemble his gun and defeat Stoneman before the border closes for the love a raven haired beauty who this time isn't Fujiko. I really like that one, it was about Jigen which is always a good thing, and had lots and lots of action. The next involves Fujiko, Lupin who can blow bubblegum into the shape of women, and being Lupin his mouth is usually in a sexual place, and a woman who has a horde of jewels that can only be opened when she is sexually satisfied. Hijinx ensue in the sexual kind which is one of the best features of Lupin the manga, it is so rare to see sex so explicit in a comedic area. That chapter ties with Spaghetti Jigen for my favorite of the manga. THe next chapter is rather amusing from a strictly esoteric perspective. In this chapter Lupin is trying to steal a statue made of solid gold but he is being hounded by the head of the Arsene Lupin Historical Society who is trying to discredit Lupin as being a true heir of Arsene Lupin. It is rather amusing mainly because she is just voicing what many people have questioned in the past but the joke is it is being done in the manga. The volume finishes up with Goemon slicing a shark in half while Lupin and a banker are negociating for a treasure map at the bottom of the ocean. He of course double crosses Lupin and escapes in a small rocket, which like the shark is cut in half by Goemon. It is Lupin what else can I say.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This is a wonderful volume that gives the supporting cast more time to shine. Starting off with the wonderful Fujiko who winds up trapped in a tent during a blizzard by a pint sized Lupin and his army of killer snowmen. It is up to Fujiko to out smart the pint sized kid Lupin in order to escape before the blizzard buries her alive. I loved this chapter because it shows that Fujiko is able to be as clever and resourceful as Lupin himself and makes Lupin look really good because if he can outsmart Fujiko and she can outsmart others. The next chapter is for Jigen, Jigen is contracted to kill Lupin for another crime family, Jigen flatly refuses, he'll do a lot of things but he will not betray his best friend. That is until Jigen is confronted with the Rat Man, a man who is identical to Jigen. Now Jigen is faced with a big problem, kill Lupin or get framed for stuff he never did. So Jigen does the only thing he can do, kill Rat Man. Giving Jigen an chapter of his own is great, it gives you more insight to the mysterious man with the hat. The next chapter goes to the only character left who hasn't had a chapter to his own, that is Goemon who has been captures and is being tortured to find out Lupin's weaknesses while Lupin gets it on with the man's daughter, not exactly the best way to let him go easy on Goemon. In the end the man learns what is Lupin's greatest strength is rather than his greatest weakness. Now with the three supporting characters given their chapters it is time to let Lupin run wild. The first Lupin episode involves Lupin's attempt to shoot down a rocket that is carrying a fortune in diamonds. The way to do it is to impersonate the rocket owners tiger, now that is a good trick. Then to rely on his allies to shoot it down in a rather clever way. Then Lupin is tasked to liberate a king's daughter from his possessive grasp but she is protected by a man with invisible guns who may have stolen half the king's treasure, but how to do you defeat a man with invisible guns? Lupin always finds away. Next Zenigata finally captures Lupin and is going to take him in, even if it means blowing up the boat they are traveling in. This is another great chapter because after Jigen and Goemon manage to free Lupin, the boat has exploded and they are stuck deciding which blackened person is Lupin and which is Zenigata. They decide the only way they know how, heads or tails. The final chapter in this volume is all for Zenigata as another man reads his police files that chronicle his failures to chapter Lupin. The man thinks that he can figure out how to capture Lupin. The final confrontation is among standing stones which ends up bringing down the entire house of cards and Zenigata is left standing with a smile of satisfaction on his face, he may never capture Lupin but at least he makes it look good. This was another great volume, I love these volumes that include the other characters that are just more than help for Lupin. My favorite was definitely the first with Fujiko outsmarting the little Lupin because it is a great episode where Fujiko isn't trying to cheat Lupin out of something. Let's face it I love Fujiko and I love her even more when she is outsmarting a villain.

Story: A-
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A 

This is another, more explicite, telling of the tales of Saiyuki and if you have ever heard me talking about Saiyuki let's just say it isn't my favorite. This is a telling of Goku, the Monkey King and his quest to kill Shakai, a massive god like creature. He travels with Hakkai, a talking pig, and Sanzo, who is a bound naked nun with a gag and blindfold to contain her immense power. The story is told from the past and the future, in the past Goku tried to kill the god but failed and was bound to mountain where Sanzo came to him and freed him so he can travel to India to kill Shakai. The only problem this is it, the manga was cancel was in Japan so there is no more which kinda sucks because it was starting to get good. The artwork is amazing, it is full colour and looks really cool. My favorite character is Sanzo because of how different they set the character up in this manga as compared to the anime. This did get a little confusing at times but the fighting and killing was rather entertaining and the stunning visuals was a really a feast for the eyes. Not recommended for everyone but I did find it interesting.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Dr Kenzo Tenma is the most brilliant neurosurgeon in all of Germany, he is the toast of his local hopsital, dating the hospital chairman's daughter he is on top of the world until one night when a young boy is brought in with a severe gunshot to his head. At the same time the mayor is brought in with a stroke, the hospital chairman tells Dr Tenma to operate on the mayor because the mayor is backing a massive financial boost to the hospital's budget and politics is more important than the dying child. But Dr Tenma is more of a principled man than his higher-ups. He saves the boy but destroys his career. Shortly after his career goes up in smoke, the head of the hospital and his two toadies are both poisoned after eating candy from the boy's room leaving Dr Tenma top dog at the hospital. Ten years later the police, led by a detective from the BKA (the German FBI) Inspector Lunge, are investigating a weird series of murders of wealth couples who have no children. They get a lead but that lead rushes out in front of a moving car and gets hit. He has severe brain tramau and guess who is called in to save him? Dr Tenma. Dr Tenma saves the man who tells him an amazing story, the child he saved ten years before that nearly cost him his career is now a serial killing monster who is now gunning for the man he saved. Dr Tenma meets up with the boy now all grown up and twisted who kills the poor suspect in front of Dr Tenma's eyes. Now Dr Tenma's mission is clear, he has to find the boy and stop him once and for all. This is a really good manga, there is a lot of talking, if you like your manga full of page after page of action scenes this may not be for you but if you like taunt thrillers this is excellent. One of the biggest things I like about this series so far is that Dr Tenma wasn't made the prime suspect, this isn't some cheap knock-off of the Fugitive where the doctor is accused of the crime and the police chase him as he chases the real killer, those type of story always seem so impossible to me but this really does a good job of staying away from that trap. This an excellent thriller style manga, if you like Silence of the Lambs and that sort of thing this is a manga that will definitely appeal to you.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Dr Tenma is obessed with finding Johan, or more simply He. He is searching through each of the towns were He has murdered his foster parents and starts to zero in on the sister, the catatonic girl in the hospital. With the help of an chain smoking, fat newsreporter he finds her and finds that she is scheduled to meet someone at Heidelberg Castle on the day of her 20th birthday, the day he plans to kill someone. Dr Tenma and Nina, the girl, find that this murderous conspiracy extends into the police when the two detectives who are transporting them are in fact the killers and are taking them to someplace other than the police station. Now Inspector Lunge is tracking Dr Tenma who everybody thinks is the real killer. Now Tenma is on the run, he is armed and trained thanks to a mercenary master. Now the showdown between him and He can have only one outcome, death. This is pure Hitchcock and excellent Hitchcock. The man falsly accused whose only hope is to bring the real killer to justice to clear his name. This is an excellent manga which no peer, I can't think of another manga that reads like a perfect mystery thriller. There is Kindaichi but those are straight murder mysteries, in Monster we know who the killer is and now we just have to get one step ahead of him to stop him. This is a really great series that should be read by everyone who likes a good story.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This is an extreme manga, this is not hyperbole, this out ranks Battle Royale and Gantz in the extreme department. There is a cop, or once was a cop who had multiple personalities, one is Kobiyashi, another is Amamayi, and there is a third, an evil third. He was a cop, a good cop until a serial killer hacked his girlfriend's arms and legs off and sent her to him. His third personality awakens and wastes the killer. So he is sent to prison but when he gets out another former cop Machi gives him a job at her private investigation firm. So they solve serial killing together, and man is it fucked up. The first they solve invovles a guy planting seeds in women's exposed brains and planting them in parks for the cops to find. Adding to the mystery, all of the killers we encounter, and there are at least 3 of them not counting Amamayi's third personality and all of them have a barcode on their left eyeball, which is a mystery in itself. Is somebody Kakiharafacturing serial killers or tracking them in some strange way? I don't know either but man this is a twisted series. I liked it but I don't recommend it, it is just too hardcore for most.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

When I first saw this manga in the store my first thought oy, they're just rehashing the series in manga form now, oh well I guess I have to buy it. I picked up the first volume and flipped through it to see what it looked like and to my pleasant surprise it is totally different from the anime. The characters are still the same, Lila is still a cute Kirika style killing machine and Najica is still the jet set perfume specialist secret agent but this time she is sporting Double Ds which adds to her appeal. Najica and Lila are off on a world wind of adventure, from an underground drug fueled fight club, to a rigged casino rigged full of explosives, to a secretive Cagliostro style country that has extremely rare roses and finally a high speed chase with Najica the target of a hitman in an 18 Wheeler only be saved by Lila in a Hind with a massive cannon. I really like Najica and Lila, they have a great relationship better than the relationship between the pair in the anime. I love Lila's smiles and Najica telling her that she doesn't have to smile any more. If you like Najica this is definitely for you, even if you didn't care for Najica give this a try if you like spy stories this is for you.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

This is one of those examples of why manga is so excellent. One part of this story of international politics, the other is a tale of a Korean motorcycle gang fighting against the local Yakuza and a Korean family that is stuck in both worlds. One son is a mega-rich banker who has taken on all aspects of Japanese life including a Japanese wife and the other son runs an Akira like motorcycle gang who is basically a thug with some principles who is in love with Korean girl who use to love his brother and is now a cop. The only person the young biker punk fears is his massive dry cleaner (Korean a dry cleaner, who would have thought) father. This story takes place in the mid 90s and Iraq has once again invaded Kuwait but this time are really kicking ass. This has sucked all the oil from the world and Japan is really suffering. In the upper spheres of power the Japanese are looking for alternate sources and zero in on Indonesia, but how are they going to secure the oil resources of the islands? The settle on re-arming and invading Indonesia. This leads to protests all across Japan as the country is split between the pro-war and the anti-war. The rich banker brother is very anti-war and worries about his father who dislikes his wife and all Japanese while the biker gang brother is totally obilivous and is more concerned with busting Yakuza heads. At the end of the issue he and his gang kills a big Yakuza boss. The manga is a perfect melding of politics, social relations, an Akira style biker gang, and a family drama. The racism between the Japanese and Koreans is done very well, both sides are guilty of and it shows through the manga but doesn't get bogged down by. Hsun Tse Lee does another fabulous job of making a very serious book with some very humorus moments especially with the family and the biker gang. Think Tom Clancy meets Akira, and amazing manga that shows how good manga can be.

Story: A+
Artwork: A+
Manga Quality: A+
Overall: A+ 

Shinobu is a ninja in training who meets up with a normal girl Kaede when Shinobu is sent on a mission to gather panties for her master, a round foul mouth yellow ball with wings, Onsukaman. Shinobu and Kaede become friends and Kaede is sucked into the zany world of modern day ninjas. This of course leads to lots of insane adventures, from celebrating Christmas, yes ninjas celebrate Christmas, to battle aligators that have infested the koi pond or is it a crocodile, to beating the heat ninja style, by putting Shinobu in a sexy bikini. I like how the chapters are short funny and to the point, you get to learn a great deal about Japanese culture from all the side notes that fill the edges of the page. From Shinobu's naivity to Kaede's no-bs attitude to Onsukaman's never ending pool of lechery to Sasuke and the rest of the ninjas everybody in this manga is great.