Cross Game, Our Wonderful Days, Red Reminiscence

Red Reminiscence 1

A manga created by Yang Shan, a former colleague of mine.  A high school lothario decides to rescue a childhood friend from an arranged marriage to a triad.  Not something that I’d normally read, but I’ll always support a friend in their artistic endeavors.  Creating any kind of art is worthy of celebration.  Awesome job, Yang!

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine

Our Wonderful Days 1

A slice of life manga about four high school girls, two of whom are developing feelings for each other.  It’s slow going, even for this kind of story.  I read the other two volumes in the store, and things don’t pick up at all.  Even the relationship between Koharu and Mafuyu is unsatisfying in its resolution.  (They admit their feelings for each other, but it’s not emotionally satisfying at all.)  Cutting.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Fine

Cross Game 1-8

I’m not sure how many times I’ve read this through.  This might only be the third time.  It doesn’t really matter, though.  This is one the most sublimely beautiful comics I’ve ever read, something I wouldn’t have imagined for something that’s ostensibly a baseball manga.  The relationships between all of the characters are perfectly balanced between LOL humor and delicate poignancy.  The baseball bits are almost filler, if not for the fact that the action is as tense and gripping as any playoff series in real life.  

Mitsuru Adachi is a genius, pure and simple.  As with Kaiji Kawaguchi, I dearly wish more of this work was legally translated in the US.  

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pure joy