MPD Psycho (MPD Detective Psycho) 多重人格探偵サイコ (Tajuujinkaku Tantei Psycho) – finally a new volume in English!

Dark Horse has finally after almost 3 years released volume 11 of MPD Psycho (MPD Detective Psycho) 多重人格探偵サイコ (Tajuujinkaku Tantei Psycho) by OTSUKA Eiji 大塚英志  and TAJIMA Sho-u 田島昭宇.  I have to admit that all the people I know except myself have stopped reading this series due to the violence and I keep wavering on it and Dark Horse with its being very behind in the series will probably make up my mind for me on whether or not to continue (although I do want to see more of what happens to minor character, Sasayama Tooru 笹山 徹 in this series – otherwise, I’d probably have given up on it too due to the violence). 

Dark Horse is at least 9 volumes behind and there are supplemental and parody volumes out that I’d like to read also.

I’m already mad that Dark Horse is at least 5 volumes behind in a favorite of mine, Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service 黒鷺死体宅配便 (Kurosagi Shitai Takuhaibin) by OTSUKA Eiji 大塚英志 and YAMAZAKI Housui 山崎峰水, also with supporting character Sasayama Tooru 笹山 徹 in it many years later peg-legged, bald and with scar on his head now and no longer with the police but working for Shinjuku municipal social welfare office.

Dark Horse should make up its mind if it’s going to continue with these series (I hope so) and if not let the readers know and if so, please get caught up with the series.

Gangsta ギャングスタ

I’m just starting a promising series (although adult and violent), Gangsta ギャングスタ by Kosuke コースケ.  It’s still ongoing in Japan as far as I can tell with 5 volumes and being published in Comic Bunch (Shinchosha) and in English in the US by VIZ Signature. 

I seem to find that most of the seinen and shonen manga I read and continue to read – like this by Kosuke コースケ, even in battle manga and other things I’m tired of or wouldn’t normally read, are written by women and often such a different spin that I find it interesting.  I wish that many of these women would be able to publish their works in josei or shojo, instead of seinen or shonen; however, josei and shojo just seem to want romance these days (not in the past), leaving great stories written by women mangakas to be published in seinen and shonen magazines that have a wider range (at least seinen mangazines) of subjects to write.

This is totally adult manga and not for the squeamish.  This takes place in an alternative reality, Ergastulum, where experimentation, mafia, gangs, police, etc. are involved in murders and turf wars.  Several secondary main characters and two main characters, Nic and Worick, who do “clean up”, kind of mercenaries – but not just for anyone (I think – only read the first volume so far so maybe they work for anyone).  Both are handicapped and been together for years – Nic is the result of experiment and deaf and Worick seems to lost his eye (and then family) to domestic violence and saved by Nic.  Since the story still seems to be setting up and I’m sure there will be new characters; however, it was interesting enough to get past the violence.

 

Shi ga Futari o Wakatsu Made Until Death Do Us Part 死がふたりを分かつまで

Shi ga Futari o Wakatsu Made

I just started to read Shi ga Futari o Wakatsu Made Until Death Do Us Part 死がふたりを分かつまで by TAKASHIGE Hiroshi たかしげ　宙 and DOUBLE-S 송　지형 and published in the US by Yen Press originally published in Japan in Young GanGan (Square Enix).  This is a seinen sf battle drama with a romantic subplot that is a fascinating read.

About a young psychic girl and a blind swordsman, with a back up group with contention within over the blind swordsman and plenty of enemies, including a small African country.  Throw in loads of yakuza and proficient police detective.  Plenty of action for those who need their action fix, and with a satisfying story for those that need a good story; plus the females in the story (although not many, are main characters) are very strong in many ways.

20 volumes and ongoing in Japan, and Yen Press is publishing as bunkobon and has 4 out so far with volume 5 due out in December.  One would like a faster release of the bunkobons since the story is riveting.