There's something satisfying about a weekly manga fix, even when all of it isn't my cup of tea, because Gutsoon! has put together a package that always provides something good. In the case of this issue, the story that shines out the most is "American Dream," a self-contained story about baseball and racism in pre-war America, which lives up to the fine tradition of "Barefoot Climber" in an earlier issue as a great one-off feature. There's also plenty to enjoy amongst the regular features, including my favorites "Slam Dunk" and "The First President of Japan." Though it's hard to imagine anyone enjoying everything in Raijin thanks to the diversity of genre, it's also hard to imagine anyone not getting their money's worth out of the book.
By far the standout of this issue is "American Dream," and I'd really love for Raijin to continue featuring these self-contained stories in every issue. Though I certainly appreciate the cliffhangers and the feel of continuing serials, there's something satisfying about getting a complete story when you buy an issue. "American Dream" has a bit of the overdramatic tendencies to be found in most manga, but it also has plenty of subtlety, with a romance story built in and a multi-layered plot that affects four different characters differently. I was impressed that Shingo was able to tell a story with some darkness and a less-than-happy ending, and even more impressed at the artwork by "City Hunter"'s Hojo Tsukasa. I'm used to his skill with action, but was impressed with his versatility in a story that called more for drama and emotion than gunplay and fighting.
Which is not to say that "City Hunter" isn't fun. There's the same mix of juvenile humor, sexual innuendo and a hard-boiled protagonist, with plenty of gunfire and action, and the overall story that began with the death of Saeba Ryo's partner continues to make the story a stronger read. Also impressing me more with each passing installment is "Slam Dunk," which is always funny thanks to the naive bordering on ignorant protagonist Sakuragi and the addition of spunky new manager Ayako.
The installments of both "The First President of Japan" and "Fist of the Blue Sky" left me a little disappointed this month, not because they were bad, but because they weren't as enjoyable as previous installments. "Fist of the Blue Sky" was all too short and a little unfocused, covering a lot of secondary characters and spending very little time on the protagonist. "The First President of Japan," on the other hand, is pushing my suspension of disbelief for how hawkish countries like China and the U.S. would act, and given the way some countries are acting in the real world right now, that takes a lot.
Slowly gaining my interest, but still not quite there, are "Baki the Grappler" and "Revenge of Mouflon." As "Baki" has moved more into the question of Baki's past and training and less into an extended martial arts tournament, I've become considerably more interested. I also quite enjoy Baki's calm, almost childlike exterior, married to impressive martial arts power. "Revenge of the Mouflon," meanwhile, seems a bit too comedic and over-the-top, especially given the subject matter, but I've become more interested in seeing how the out-of-control plane comes down, and I get the sense that we're nearing the end, making this the shortest of the stories in Raijin.
