Three quick links for your holiday weekend before I go back to reviewing manga:

1. DVDsWorthWatching.com has just gone live. This site is a sister to ComicsWorthReading.com and MangaWorthReading.com — but I think I should stop with three for a while.

2. CompuServe is dead, which makes me feel old and sad. That was the first commercial service with an outstanding comic presence, including much valuable professional participation, and the general level of discourse was very high (because you had to pay to be there, so why waste it?). Before AOL took its crown in the late 90s, the CIS Comics/Animation Forum was the best place for comic fans.

3. I love this guy’s short history of the internet (via Mike Sterling). What sums up 2009? What will be the next hot online place to be?

This volume is a definite change of pace for this series about a pet shop worker, her dog, and their friends and canine companions. I appreciate the creator tackling all phases of pet ownership, though. One thing people should consider before getting a dog, or any pet, is that they are likely to outlive their animal loved one. It’s an important lesson in understanding the cycle of life.

Inubaka: Crazy for Dogs Book 13
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Kanako had a Pomeranian named Czerny. She doted on her pet, dressing the dog up in special outfits every day and generally treating her as precious. Unfortunately, Czerny has passed away suddenly. In this book, Suguri helps Kanako come to terms with her loss.

There’s a whole gamut of reactions covered here. One shop worker needs to be educated on how significant this loss can seem to a pet owner, while others feel a lot of grief. The problem of different recovery rates — some get over their pain quickly, others need much more time — causes tension among friends. An owner, losing her closest friend, might even feel suicidal.

The others worry about Kanako. Should they let her recover at her own pace, or should they step in to help? What kind of support does she need, because every situation is different? We don’t often see much of Kentaro, one of the pet shop workers, but here, he demonstrates unusual depth and consideration. And the gang has a creative suggestion to reorient Kanako in a more positive direction when it comes to remembering her beloved pet.

The big question is whether a grieving owner should get another dog, and if so, how quickly. Things are complicated by a natural disaster, which leaves both owners and pets homeless. By the end of the story, I admit, I was tearing up, because reading about the love between people and dogs is so heart-warming.

I was surprised but pleased to see such an affecting story in what I previously thought was a much lighter series. There’s a lot of thought-provoking learning here, accompanied by lovely pictures of cute doggies (and girls!). Although rated for Older Teens, I would think this would be a good read for anyone, teen and up, wondering about how to deal with loss.

Oh, and there’s also another story to change the mood, a comedy about feuding pet owners whose dogs are friends. It involves a modeling session with outfits for the pets, so the writer works in some information about sizing and reasons for dog clothes.

The college struggles from the previous two books continue to have ramifications, adding drama to this goofy romantic comedy.

Love*Com Book 13
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A couple, friends of main pair Risa and Otani, are facing separation, since she got into college and he didn’t. The relationship of the two seems vulnerable, with all these changes, so another boy, a judo champion, is muscling in on the girl. Otani winds up promising “let’s you and him fight” in a classic sitcom situation of having to train quickly for a competition one’s completely over-matched for.

Thankfully, not a lot of time is spent on the battle and training — the important thing is being willing to fight for the one you love, a message any young romantic will appreciate. The surrounding setup is a bit over the top, which provides the funny, but the underlying emotions are still plausible to readers. The artistic focus on well-drawn faces — eyes, mouths, and eyebrows — makes it easy to keep up with what the characters are thinking and feeling.

After that comes some family conflict, with Risa’s younger brother about to start at her high school, which he’s cranky about. (He wanted to aim higher.) She and her friends try to show him around while acting particularly juvenile, which doesn’t help his impression, but at least they seem like real kids. Brother thinks Otani is the only cool one and so should break up with Risa. This, understandably, doesn’t lead to harmony between the siblings. The real conflict arises, though, when the previously unseen Grandpa decides to set Risa up with someone better suited for her (i.e., taller) while distracting Otani with a professional flirt.

I’m impressed by how Aya Nakahara keeps a very basic premise — tall girl and short boy in love — fresh by introducing different twists and characters as needed. The types may seem familiar, but that just makes it easier to get into situations quickly. At first, the conflicts keeping the two apart were created by themselves: ignorance (of their feelings), then mismatched timing. Now, to keep the story going, the conflicts are external, based on the objections of family members. It’s a movement from the self to the community, although ultimately, it all comes back to trust, an interior virtue.

(A complimentary copy for this review was provided by the publisher.)

Review by Ed Sizemore

This volume continues, and concludes, the adventures of Mao-chan and the Special Defense Corps as they attempt to fight off the aliens who want to steal all of Japan’s cultural landmarks. The two female alien spies disguised as high school students face new hardships as they run out of money and have to find jobs to pay the bills while continuing their mission. Once the alien leader appears, the final battle begins. What will become of Japan’s national treasures?

Mao-Chan Book 2
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As in volume 1, Del Rey has combined the third and fourth volumes of the Japanese edition into one book for US release.

Part of the charm of this series has been the over-the-top humor. Akamatsu continues to weave light satire into this series. He pokes fun at such diverse targets as Dominion Tank Police, Galaxy Express 999, Gon, and Tenchi Muyo. The jokes are genuinely funny; several times, I actually burst out laughing at a scene. Wait until you see what happens when a tank with artificial intelligence turns to a life of crime.

Surprisingly, the biggest target is Love Hina, with two chapters of Akmatsu making jokes at his own expense. We are introduced to Keinosuke Urashima, a student who keeps failing the entrance examine to Tokyo U, and his girlfriend Nana Nanasegawa. Together, they run a hot spring resort called Hinata Ryokan. The funniest moment in the book is when Nana and Private Mishima (both modeled after Love Hina’s Naru) meet, and everyone remarks on how they look identical.

But the series doesn’t rely solely on satire. Mao-chan is filled with appealing characters. The three young girls of the Special Defense Corps all really care about each other. Their grandfathers may try to make everything a competition, but they wisely ignore them and focus on being friends and developing teamwork. They also take seriously their role to preserve Japan’s landmarks. They’re earnestly trying their best in the face of overwhelming odds. It’s easy to find yourself drawn in by their youth and sincerely.

RAN continues to provide excellent artwork. He’s certainly an accomplished mimic. I would like to see a series where he gets a chance to develop his own style. Just a brief word of warning. There is plenty of fan service. No nudity, but lots of bikinis and towels.

Overall, Mao-chan was an enjoyable read. It was a good break from all the more serious manga I’ve been reading lately. The decision to keep Mao-chan short was wise. It prevents the humor or the characters from getting stale. I’m optimistic that Mao-chan will most appeal to anime and manga fans who like a good parody. However, the jokes are broad enough on their own that anyone can read and enjoy Mao-chan.

Hudson Phillips and Brandon Earnhart have posted two “sequential shorts“, comics based on fables told in a handful of pages.

They’re well-done, with professional-level art, and I like the extra touches: cover design and a back page that explains the genesis of the stories and tells a little bit about the creators.