It's been a while since I've reviewed an issue of Raijin Comics, although I have been reading faithfully. My enthusiasm for the first issue has paled a little as they've introduced a couple of new segments that don't really click with me, but on the whole I still find this to be a great package of manga. The mix of genres is impressive, ranging from crime to politics to sports to magic to martial arts, and while not every story is to my taste, there's only one feature that I outright don't like. To be honest, I'd read this for "First President of Japan" and "Slam Dunk" alone, but Raijin has plenty to offer no matter what your favorite genre of manga is.
This issue is a status quo issue in many ways, continuing eight sagas already begun without introducing any new ones or featuring any "done in one" stories like the excellent "Barefoot Climber" of last issue. By far the standout, at least for me, is "The First President of Japan," which is reminiscent of the political focus of Eagle but with a more tension-filled plot about global war and political change serving as the backbone. Like Eagle, I sometimes find the over-enthusiasm of everyone a bit much, and wish for some subtlety in what is a pretty subtle profession, but I like the cast of characters that Ryuji & Yoshiki have come up with, and I'm learning quite a bit about the politics of Japan and Eastern Asia as well as the Japanese mindset toward America in the stories.
Continuing to impress as well is "Slam Dunk," the beloved basketball manga that is as much about high school romance and social strata as it is about the game. Takehiko has a love for the game and an ability to convey the fast-paced action in a way that is impressive, but his best skill is probably his sense of humor. Though "Slam Dunk" takes the seriousness of Hanamichi's crush on Haruko or his arrogance into account, there's a light touch and obvious appreciation of the ridiculousness of some of the story elements that makes it a lot of fun to read, even as you're cheering Hanamichi on and hoping for him to become the basketball star that Haruko already thinks he is.
Rounding out the stories that I really like are "City Hunter," where I continue to find the protagonist a little too lecherous but the action is too good to ignore. Tsukasa's artwork and choreography are terrific, and I like that while each episode is a standalone to some extent, he has built in some subplots and some rather surprising change to the supporting cast of the story. In addition, "Fist of the Blue Sky" has a mix of melodrama, martial arts action and twisted plotting that continues to draw me in, with Tetsuo's artwork standing out as some of the best in the book as well.
Then there are the stories that are finding a foothold in my interest a little harder to grasp. "Baki the Grappler" boasts fantastic anatomy and detailed martial arts moves, but the characters haven't really grabbed my attention yet, and I'm not involved enough in the stories surrounding a martial arts tournament to care overmuch what the end results are yet. "Guardian Angel Getten" is a feature which seems remarkably close in tone and approach to Oh My Goddess, a genre and approach that lies mostly outside my interest, although I will admit that Shao Lin's naivete about the ways of the world as well as Tasuke's uncontrollable crush on Lin does sometimes cause me to laugh despite myself, and I find myself slowly being drawn into the relationships of the feature.
"Revenge of Mouflon" is the opposite of "Guardian Angel" for me, as it has a premise and a genre that I like, but the approach does nothing for me. The metaphor, which might work if played a little more subtly, just comes across as somewhat silly when the characters are actually vocalizing that they're going to become "wild sheep," and it all comes across as just a bit too goofy for such a serious subject. Meanwhile, "Bomber Girl" stands out as the only feature that is just not for me, and every time I read it, I simply confirm that opinion. However, two misses and a pair of stories that I'm mostly just lukewarm on, along with four that I really enjoy, is a great ratio for an anthology, and Raijin continues to provide plenty of value with its stuffed manga format.
