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Manga Review of Cells at Work!

/ Dani Hoots Author / Leave a comment

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Series: Cells at Work

US Publisher: Kodansha Comics

Mangaka: Akane Shimizu

Genre: Comedy/Science/Slice of Life/Action

Rating: 5/5

CLICK HERE TO BUY

Description:

Strep throat! Hay fever! Influenza! The world is a dangerous place for a red blood cell just trying to get her deliveries finished. Fortunately, she’s not alone … She’s got a whole human body’s worth of cells ready to help out! The mysterious white blood cell, the buff and brash killer T cell, the nerdy neuron, even the cute little platelets—everyone’s got to come together if they want to keep you healthy!

To be honest, this manga saved me in Disease Processes class last year. Each week I would look up the sections we were supposed to read of the textbook, then read the manga chapter that related, and it all made so much more sense. From what I know, a lot of biology and anatomy professors are loving this series as it is another way students can learn about the body. I told my anatomy professor about this series, although I’m not sure if she ever watched it. She was interested though and from the couple of minutes I sent her, she said it was pretty accurate.

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In looking at just the manga and not the anime, which follows pretty closely, the characters are funny, adorable, and they really explain how cells grow up in your body and what jobs they each have. I really like white blood cell as he is trying to learn more about the body, although it isn’t his job.

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I am pretty excited about the spin offs that they have. I didn’t realize they had been translated and are available as e-books. I definitely will be downloading them and helping support the medical knowledge I gained in the past couple of years.

To conclude, if you want a cute series that will definitely help you in anatomy, disease processes, or just want to learn more about how your body works, I recommend this. Even if you don’t care for science, it is a great series. Check it out and let me know what you think!

~Dani

Comic Review of Grimoire Noir

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Series: Grimoire Noir

Written by: Vera Greentea

Illustrated by: Yana Bogatch

Published by: First Second

Rating: 4/5

Get a copy here

Description:

Bucky Orson is a bit gloomy, but who isn’t at fifteen?

His best friend left him to hang out with way cooler friends, his dad is the town sheriff, and wait for it—he lives in Blackwell, a town where all the girls are witches. But when his little sister is kidnapped because of her extraordinary power, Bucky has to get out of his own head and go on a strange journey to investigate the small town that gives him so much grief. And in the process he uncovers the town’s painful history and a conspiracy that will change it forever.

The art for this series really caught my eye and is why I ordered it through my comic book store. I also really like any story with witches and like to see what kind of magic an author decides to use. In this story, all the girls in town are witches and have their own different types of power—some can use fire, some can fly, some can turn invisible, and so on. No one can leave the town either, that way the witches would be confined to the area and protected from the outside world.

But who wants to be confined, am I right?

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There is a lot going on in this story and I felt some parts weren’t completely flushed out and lot was left open. I don’t mind some parts to be left open for sequels and such, but I felt like it ended a little abruptly and there were still a lot of unanswered questions. Most of it was the chase and everything, but then in the last few pages it just kind of all happened and was resolved. There needed to be a little more clues and things to be revealed before how it ended. I enjoyed it a lot though and definitely recommend it.

I felt for the character Chamomile and how she was written. I probably cared about her more than the main guy, and I’m still not sure about their past and what had happened between them. It didn’t seem like something that would end a friendship like they had and I wished we learned a little more. All in all, the art was beautiful and there was enough of the story that it kept me reading until I finished it, as I wanted to know what happened next.

Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!

~Dani

Anime Review of RobiHachi

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Series: RobiHachi

English Producing Company: Funimation

Stream on: Funimation/Hulu

Genre: Sci-fi/Comedy/Action&Adventure

Review by: Dani Hoots

Rating: 5/5

Description:

Down-on-his-luck Robby Yarge is about to go from deep trouble to deep space! After a second encounter with Hatchi Kita ends with him on the run, Robby decides to make for Isekandar, a planet that promises happiness. But when he finds Hatchi stowed away on his ship, the two will make the journey across the stars together! Can these total opposites survive a trek through space?

I picked up this anime because I like watching comedies while working and because it was also sci-fi. It’s sometimes hard to find a comical sci-fi series that has a pretty cool plot at the same time. This series, I found out, is loosely based on the story Tōkaidōchū Hizakurigewhich is written in the early 1800s. I thought it was really cool to have a sci-fi series based on an old story, like Treasure Planet. It inspires me to take an old fairy tale and make it futuristic, but I’m not sure which one I would want to write about…

In this series, my favorite character is Robby. He is gambler and keeps losing money, but when he can’t pay back Yang, he decides to try his luck with Isekandar. He learns many lessons on the way, as any good character should. Yang is after him the entire way and I love how Yang is so obsessed with Robby. In the English dub, the way he says “Robby” is priceless. I keep trying to practice it but haven’t quite got it down. But the entire story is all the pit stops they take before getting to Isekandar. All the planets are unique and interesting, and I liked how they included a little nod to another anime, but I won’t spoil which one it is.

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Hachi is also a great character who evolves throughout the story. We find out more and more about him and I think he had pretty good development. At first I didn’t care for him but by the end I liked him a lot.  The stupid stuff the two of them get into, and how each one reacts to it, is pretty entertaining.

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So all in all, I recommend this anime if you are a fan of silly but great sci-fi, especially anything based on historic tales. If you watch it, let me know what you think in the comments!

~Dani

 

Anime Review ~ Karneval

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Karneval

(watched dubbed in English)

*Note: I just started the manga after watching the anime*

Nai–a young man who travels in search of another by the name of Karoku, a lone bracelet his only lead. Gareki–a willful young man who earns his daily bread by thieving and picking pockets. Thrown together at an eerie mansion, where they are entrapped and framed, Nai and Gareki are soon hunted down as criminals by national security forces. As they are driven into a corner, before them appears the most powerful defense agency in the country, “Circus”–!!

This story is full of mystery and adventure, keeping you on the edge of your seat, binge watching it all in one seating (as I did…). The art is beautiful, the characters engaging and interesting, and the story moves along at a good pace. It is definitely a show I would be willing to watch again.

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My favorite character was Yogi, as he is one of the head people in Circus, yet he is just a nice guy wanting to get through the world. Although when his allergy patch comes off, he does seem like a different person…

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The world that Karneval takes place in is quite believable, quite spectacular, and between this and Sailor Moon, it makes me want to join the Circus even more. I just wished we got to see more performances that they do in the Circus for each town, but I presume the manga will show a little more.

The anime has definitely been cut short, only 13 episodes, but the manga is being released in the United States so don’t fear! We shall know what happens next, at least I hope! It doesn’t leave off on a complete cliff hanger, but there are definitely some questions left unanswered.

I give this anime a 5/5 as the art is wonderful, it contains everything I want (circus theme, action, mystery, and a believable world). So if you are like me and love animes with circus themes, definitely check this one out! I will be reviewing the manga later, so don’t worry!

Dani