Semi-Perpetual Book-Reading Blog, 2022

[Quatermass]

BOOK 158

One Piece New World 79-80-81 by Eiichiro Oda.

At last, I come to the end of the Dressrosa arc of One Piece. But how would it fare? Let’s find out…

In the desperate struggle to save the people of Dressrosa, Luffy barely manages to beat the cruel Donquixote Doflamingo, former World Noble-turned-pirate and tyrant of Dressrosa. Luffy and his allies must depart from the kingdom, though, and track down their friends. But when they come across the Mink kingdom of Zou, a country of animal people on the back of a giant elephant, they learn that not all of their crewmates are present…

Again, One Piece’s surreal nature and juvenile humour works against it. All that comes at the expense of plot. Plus, this omnibus volume is a bridge, a transition between the Dressrosa arc and the Whole Cake Island arc, so it feels like it’s laying down the groundwork for that.

Still, the Dressrosa arc ends on a decent note. What’s more, we get some more worldbuilding in the form of the Minks, as well as a startling revelation about Sanji’s past. Not only that, but we finally see one of the strongest characters in the series, Kaidou, making his debut in darkly comedic fashion.

Overall, this was a good, but not stellar end to one arc, and an intriguing beginning to another. Here’s hoping it picks up…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 159

Encyclopaedia Eorzea: The World of Final Fantasy XIV III, by Banri Oda et al.


The first couple of volumes of the Encyclopaedia Eorzea were enjoyable enough. But how would the third such volume in this tie-in to Final Fantasy XIV fare? Let’s find out…

Dark and shocking revelations abound about the past of not only Eorzea, but the cosmos at large. This volume, then, tells the tales of these truths. About the Ancients, about the Endsinger, and about the legacy they leave to this day…

I have to admit, one of the problems with these works is that the detail is not just exhaustive, but exhausting. Plus, as mentioned before, those not familiar with the Final Fantasy franchise in general, and Final Fantasy XIV in particular, will find it hard to get into. It certainly felt like too much minutiae of the worldbuilding were crammed in, and not enough of the plot.

Still, for what it’s worth, these books still showcase the sheer effort put into the worldbuilding of the game, and this volume continues that trend. It’s gorgeously-presented, and there’s plenty of interesting revelations about the backstory of the game. And it’s always a delight to see references to past games in the franchise.

This volume of the Encyclopaedia Eorzea, while pretty good, nonetheless was fatiguing to read and less interesting than the prior volumes. A shame, really…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 160

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir volume 1 by Koma Warita and Riku Tsuchida, from the cartoon series by ZAG.

I have to admit, I was curious hearing about the children’s superhero series Miraculous. So when I heard about a manga adaptation, I thought I’d give it a go. But how would it fare?

Marinette Dupain-Chang, the shy, clumsy, but good-hearted daughter of bakers. Adrien Agreste, son of a fashion mogul and teenaged model. Unbeknownst to everyone, including each other, they are the superhero duo Ladybug and Chat Noir. Together, they protect Paris from the predations of Hawk Moth, who transforms people who are going through powerful negative emotions into supervillains for his own ends…

I have to admit, this manga is clearly meant for fans of the cartoon series. Non-fans will be certainly lost at sea. There’s little worldbuilding or preamble, just straight into the action, with no real plot beyond a ‘villain of the week’ format and unresolved romantic tension between Marinette and Adrien, to say nothing of their superhero identities.

Still, for all that, the series is fun and enjoyable in spite of its formulaic tendencies. The characters are engrossing enough to grab me in this initial volume, with Marinette, Adrien, Chloe, and Adrien’s father Gabriel (and his alter-ego) all interesting. And the action is fun, and the teenaged issues, such as they are, are pertinent.

Overall, this was a decent start to the series. I just hope there’s more to it in later volumes…


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 161

One Piece: Ace’s Story 1, Formation of the Spade Pirates by Sho Hinata, from the manga by Eiichiro Oda.

Having stopped reading the One Piece manga for now, I decided to read a duology of light novels. These novels, about the past of Portgaz D Ace, adopted brother of Monkey D Luffy and Gold Roger’s son, explain more about how he rose to the position he is in the main series. But how would it fare?

Portgaz D Ace, the son of executed King of the Pirates Gold Roger, has set out on his own journey to become a famed pirate. Long after Grey Terminal, long before Whitebeard, he was an ambitious young man with quirks and a thirst to prove himself. From the desert island of Sixis where Ace not only eats his Devil Fruit, but meets his first crewmate, Masked Deuce, to a confrontation at Sabaody Archipelago, this is Ace’s early journey…

I have to admit, a problem with this book is its length, or lack thereof. It’s basically three short stories glued together, and not very substantial ones at that. Plus, some of the characters are cookie-cutter copies of more prominent characters in the series, with Isuka basically being a version of Tashigi, and Dorrow being like too many Marines in the series. It could have done with a bit more character development overall, or even an interesting overarching plot.

However, it was an entertaining book all the same. Ace’s character comes alive through Masked Deuce’s narration, and we learn the origins of how Ace got his Devil Fruit powers, as well as his unique vessel. And it’s a nice little journey, insubstantial as it is, through the world of One Piece.

Overall, while sorely lacking in anything meaty, this was a fine enough story. A shame it wasn’t more substantial…

***

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 162

Chainsaw Man volume 3 by Tatsuki Fujimoto.

After a shaky beginning with the first volume of Chainsaw Man, the second volume of this horror-action manga showed a marked improvement. But how would the third volume fare? Let’s find out…

Trapped in a hotel by the Eternity Devil, the group of Devil Hunters from Division 4 have a choice: feed it Denji’s heart, or be trapped forever. After dealing with the paranoia of most of the group, Denji opts for a suicidal strategy that pays off. But the threat of the Gun Devil and its minions remain, and as Division 4 is attacked and decimated, Denji is forced to confront a figure who has a link to his past…and like him, is a Devil Hybrid…

The grotesque nature of this series will put many people off this series. Aside from the horror, there’s more than a few squicky moments, like a scene where Himeno (an adult woman) kisses Denji (a teenager) while drunk…and it gets worse. And the plot is only just starting to move.

Yet it feels like I am warming to this series. Denji’s solution to beating the Eternity Devil, while violent and improvised, is nonetheless awe-inspiring. The first clashes against the Katana Devil and Akane work well, and we have a rather brutal rude awakening as to how dangerous this world is in a series of shocking events.

Overall, this volume of Chainsaw Man continues the upward trend the series has shown so far. Here’s hoping that continues…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 163

One Piece: Ace’s Story 2, New World by Tatsuya Hamazaki, from the manga by Eiichiro Oda.

The first volume of the One Piece: Ace’s Story light novel duology was sorely lacking, I have to say. True, it wasn’t without its good points, but it wasn’t substantial enough. But the second half of this story, written by another author, could turn out different. But would it?

In making his journey to the New World half of the Grand Line, Portgaz D Ace decides on a new mission: to surpass his father Gol D Roger in notoriety. And he decides to do so by challenging the fearsome Emperor of the Sea, Edward Newgate, aka ‘Whitebeard’. But can Ace overcome the pirate infamous as being the Strongest Man in the World?

While there’s more plot than the first volume, there’s still not much. Plus, I have to despair at Ace’s more boneheaded decisions, more worthy of his adoptive brother Luffy than someone who is theoretically smarter. And there’s some annoyingly absent details, including how Jinbei befriended Ace after their clash.

That being said, this volume is far superior to the previous one. Maybe it’s the different writer’s style, but we actually have some character development from Ace as he goes on, showing why he joined Whitebeard, as well as the beginnings of Blackbeard’s dark ambitions. It feels more polished, and more relevant to the overall lore of One Piece, as well as Ace’s character.

Overall, this novel was a surprisingly marked improvement on the first. Not brilliant, but enjoyable and satisfying…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 164

Chainsaw Man volume 4 by Tatsuki Fujimoto.

Chainsaw Man, after a rocky beginning, has been rising in my estimation as I warm to it. But how would the fourth volume of this horror-action series fare? Let’s find out…

As the Katana Hybrid Yakuza officer and his ally in the Snake Devil-commanding Akane continue their assault on Denji, it seems that Makima, somehow, survived her own ambush. Using eerie powers, she puts paid to most of the attackers, with the Katana Hybrid and Akane being forced to flee from a berserker Kobeni. As the survivors mourn, Denji must come to terms with his increasing inhumanity, even as he and Power are trained by the ruthless veteran Devil-Hunter Kishibe, whose training methods are more akin to torture…

Once again, it should be emphasized that the grotesque nature of the series would put many would-be readers off. Denji’s increasing lack of humanity is a bit of an issue with me, and Kishibe’s training methods don’t seem to be there for any reason than comedy of the darkest kind. Plus, the new Devils and Fiends are shovelled in with no kind of foreshadowing previously.

That being said, it feels like the series is growing into its own. Certainly, the volume’s subtitle could be ‘Makima is Scary-Awesome’, given her feats that foreshadow events later in the series, like using a strange ritual to kill foes from afar, as well as outmanoeuvring Yakuza during negotiations. Denji’s character evolution, even if it’s in an unwanted direction, is still welcome for its presence, and his and Power’s ‘training’ with Kishibe is dark comedy at its finest.

Overall, this volume of Chainsaw Man was the best one yet. I just hope this isn’t the peak of this series…

****½