Teens Speak Out

Teen Reviews of Graphic Novels

from East Lansing (Mich.) Public Library

• *****
  Ranma ½ v. 11 by Rumiko Takahashi, 182 pages
  
  Oh no! Ranma is in massive trouble (yet again). First she tries to get a hold of a waterproof soap that will keep her from changing forms. But everyone wants it too! Especially Ryoga, who’s sick of turning into a pig, and Shampoo, who no longer wants to be a cat. And next, he insults a master of evil and loses his strength! All through the book, everyone seems to want to get wise. Akane what’s up with that? Altogether a great graphic novel. Reviewed by Mad Dog Maggie [This manga favorite is up to fifteen volumes and going strong]
  
  
• ***
  The Sandman: Brief Lives by Neil Gaiman, 256 pages
  
  This book doesn’t have heroes or enemies, but instead it has a family that are sort of gods of the abstract ways. They called themselves the Endless, and, so far, they seem to consist only of siblings. The members are Dream, Desire, Delirium, Despair, Death, Destiny, and Destruction, and all sort of control the factor that they are named after. The basic story is that Destruction has left his responsibility to control the world’s destruction and had left his Endless family for 300 years. After the 300 years, Delirium convinced Dream to join in the search to find their brother, although it became risky. A great book, but a little confusing. Reviewed by Gambit
  
  
• *****
  The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot, 124 pages
  
  Wow! What a great book! The heroes of this story are Helen and her rat. Helen ran away from home because her dad was molesting her. Her rat gave her the support she needed to confront her problems. Obsessed with Beatrix Potter, Helen travels to Potter’s home in search of freedom and to escape from self-hatred. Homeless and hungry, she is taken in by a sweet couple who give her a job and a nice place to stay. Over time, she accepts her past and confronts her father about it, an action that frees her and allows her to get on with her life. Reviewed by Mad Dog Maggie
  
  
• Rising Stars and the Red Star
  
  The reason I enjoy Rising Stars and the Red Star is because of their strong storylines. Iit isn’t like X-Men or whatever where the plot is more stupid than you can imagine—they have some serious thought put in, and you don’t feel like you’re just looking at the pictures alone, it feels like you’re actually an observer of this real set of events taking place around you. Andrew, age 18

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Teen Comments

from Berkeley Public Library Teen Services

• Inu-Yasha: Good fantasy story. Recommended for ages thirteen on up. Kristen, age 14
  
  
• Ranma 1/2: Comedy on people that switch from one form to another after touching cold water (thirteen on up again). Kristen, age 14
  
  
• Card Captor Sakura: Good Magical Girl series for all ages. Kristen, age 14
  
  
• Revolutionary Girl Utena: A story about a girl who goes to a private high school in search of her “prince” all ages. Kristen, age 14
  
  
• Gundam is awesome, and the new Dragon Ball Z graphic novels are good. Matt, age 14
  
  
• I really like the Lucky Road series, Revolutionary Girl Utena,and Card Captor Sakura. Leave it to Chance was okay. Rachel, 17
  
  
• My favorites are Revolutionary Girl Utena, Inu-Yasha: A Fuedal Fairy Tale, Castle Waiting, and Nasakau of the Valley of the Wind. I enjoy Card Captor Sakura, Leave it to Chance, Clover, Oh My Goddess!, and Gundam. Dragon Ball Z is okay. I don’t like Concrete, Beanland, and the long Marvel [or D.C.] superheroes (Superman for example), or the ones that take off of books like the Hobbit. I like anime art in my graphic novels, because it presents itself (usually) as pretty. Katie, age 16

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Teen Favorites

provided by the members of the Teen Advisory Board (grades six through ten), Princeton (N.J.) Public Library

Olivia, age 15

• Nausicaa by Hayao Miyazaki
  
• Fushigi Yuugi by Watase Yu
  
• Ceres by Watase Yu
  
• Inu-Yasha by Rumiko Takahashi
  
• Battle Angel Alita
  
• Rayearth by CLAMP
  
• X-1999 by CLAMP
  
• Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi
  
• Neon Genesis Evangelion
  
• Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi
  
• Clover by CLAMP
  
• Sandman by Neil Gaiman (a little weird…)
  
• Black Jack
  
• Oh My Goddess by Kosuke Fujishima
  
• Mermaid Series by Rumiko Takahashi
  

Katie, age 15

• Sandman by Neil Gaiman (Volumes 1–10 and “The Dream Hunters”)
  
• Fushigi Yuugi by Watase Yu (Volumes 1–5)
  
• Dragonball by Akira Troiyama (Volumes 1–7)
  
• Dragonball Z by Akira Toriyama (Volumes 1…)
  
• Nausicaa by Hayao Miyazaki (Volumes 1–4)
  
• Battle Angel Alita by Yukito Kishiro (Volumes 1–9)
  
• Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi (Volumes 1–11. Super Volumes 1–4. Stars 1…)
  
• Clover by CLAMP (Volumes 1–3)
  
• Magic Knights Rayearth by CLAMP (Volumes 1–6)
  
• Card Captor Sakura by CLAMP (Volumes…)
  
• Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi (Volumes 1–19)
  
• Inu Yasha by Rumiko Takahashi (Volumes 1–9)
  
• Neon Genesis Evangelion by Yoshi Yuki Sadamoto (Volumes 1…)
  
• Maison Ikokkou by Rumiko Takahashi (Volumes1…)
  
• X/1999 by CLAMP (Volumes 1–6)
  
• Gundam Wing (Volumes 1…)
  
• Blackjack (Volumes 1…)
  
• Oh My Goddess! by Kosuke Fujshima
  
• Mermaid Series by Rumiko Takahaghi

Emily, age 17

• Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi
  
• Foxtrot by Bill Amend
  
• Sailormoon by Naoko Takeuchi
  
• Dragonball
  
• Dragon Ball Z
  
• Fushigi Yuugi
  
• Magic Knight Rayearth by CLAMP
  
• Nausicaa
  
• Neon Genesis Evangelion
  
• Maison Ikokku
  
• Oh My Goddess!
  
• X by CLAMP
  
• Gundam Wing
  
• Gundam

Fiona, age 15

• Clover
  
• Fushugi Yuugi
  
• Nausicaa
  
• Battle Angel Alita
  
• Dragon Ball
  
• Dragon Ball Z
  
• Sandman

Andrew, age 15

• Ranma 1/2
  
• Ino Yasha
  
• Dragon Ball Z
  
• Punisher
  
• Cathy
  
• Dilbert

Rachel, age 12

• Sandman and anything else by Neil Gaiman

Amanda, age 11

• Calvin and Hobbes
  
• Garfield

Anonymous

• Sluperman
  
• X-Men
  
• Calvin and Hobbes
  

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Manga (Japanese Graphic Novels) vs. American Graphic Novels

quotes provided by the members of the Teen Advisory Board (grades six through ten), Princeton (N.J.) Public Library

• “American graphic novels are ‘cooler’ than Manga. They are more realistic and the superheroes are better.”
  
  
• “We’re talking apples and oranges here. Manga and American graphic novels are so different. The American works frequently started with little strips or individual comic books that were later collected together and published as a graphic novel. Manga are more like a novel. From the beginning the author has an idea of where the plot is going and follows along.”
  
  
• “You can get Manga that hasn’t been translated into English in some comic book stores (like the Japanese book store in New York City.) I like to do that, even though I can’t read Japanese. Because of the way the stories are written, you can follow along even though you can’t read the words.”
  
  
• “Do you really get to know the characters in American graphic novels? Because you really get to know them in Japanese manga.”
  
  
• “I don’t like the style of Japanese manga. There are too many straight lines. I prefer the more lavish treatment you get in American graphic novels.”
  
  
• “It’s a cultural thing. The Japanese are more formal. The Americans are more informal. You can tell the difference when you look at the artwork in the graphic novels from each country.”
  
  
• “There are several types of manga. SHONAN is more male-oriented, like DRAGON BALL. Lots of martial arts and male protagonists. SHOUJO or SHOOJO is more female-oriented. There are works like SAILOR MOON and RAYEARTH—girl heroines with a touch of romance.”
  
  
• “Everyone knows how extraordinary Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN series is. These are works of literature in graphic novel format. The Japanese also have a literary equivalent—NAUSICAA. It has depth and darkness, like SANDMAN, and is beautifully written.”
  
  
• “Manga are the Japanese graphic novels. Anime are the Japanese animated films or movies. Frequently you can read the graphic novel and watch the movie—or vice versa. However, there are a few outstanding anime that have not yet been turned into graphic novels. These include:
  
  
  • Princess Mononoke
    
  • Grave of the Fireflies (English subtitles)
    
  • Gatchaman
  • Vampire Hunter D
    
    

  Some comic books stores carry an assortment of manga and anime. The Suncoast Video chain here in New Jersey has subtitled anime and an occasional copy of two of Japanese manga. Check you local video and bookstores and comic book stores to see if they already carry or might be willing to order manga and anime for you.”
  

• “In Japan manga are extremely popular. There are even titles written just for adults. But now the manga craze has come to this country. And I am so very glad! I love to read manga!”
  
  
• “The most exciting part about manga is that the reader gets transported to a different country and culture which ends up feeling like a different world. The pictures and the story bring that world to life, in a way that cannot be copied in a normal novel.”
  

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