From: currmann@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Curtis Hoffmann)
Subject: Re: Miscellaneous Stuff
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Reply-To: doi@jrd.dec.com
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Japan, R&D center
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Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1992 21:54:50 GMT
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axolotl@socs.uts.edu.au (Iain Sinclair) writes:
>currmann@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Curtis Hoffmann) writes:
>>There are three new titles advertised as running in V Jump:
>>   By the author of Bastard!:
>>      _Bakuen Campus_
>>
>>   From Akira Toriyama (creator of Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball Z):
>>      _Dabu and Peter One_
>>
>>   And, from the creator of Video Girl Ai:
>>      _Shadow Lady_
>
>Virtual Jump, eh?  Sounds like another one for me to get addicted to
>(YJ, YJ 30, BJ, Super J, even SJ - less so now that Taruruuto is gone).
>I hope that you (or someone else in Japan) can manage a review for the
>net when it comes out.

   Ok, I finally came across a copy of Virtual Jump when I was in Nagoya
this weekend.  I'd been wanting to buy a copy, based on the above three
stories, but when I actually held the thing in my hands, I decided that
it wasn't worth the money.
   VJ is bound sort of like a glossy soft cover novel/magazine, similar
to the Epic versions of Akira in the binding.  Most of the articles are
about video games, and the making of some anime.  The color repro isn't
that bad, but seems a little 'soft,' and cheap.  There are only 5 or 6
manga.  The first few pages of each are in color, which invariably looks
washed out -- the same complaint other people have with the Viz versions
of Lum and Ranma.
   _Dabu and Peter One_ is very disappointing.  I have greater
expectaions from Toriyama than this.  Basically, we have two kids that
build a super-fast car (this is Peter's work,) and drive it around a
little (this is Dabu's contribution.)  There are some visual gags, but
the story and artwork is a let-down.
   _Shadow Lady_ is also disappointing.  The artwork isn't all that
great, and the story doesn't go very far -- a plainly-dressed young
woman stumbles across a chest in her basement.  Inside is a make-up kit
that possesses her, and turns her into a Marvel super hero -- like Cat
woman, in a simple costume.  EVERYTHING screams "Marvel Comics rip-off."
   I'm not sure which one _Bakuen Campus_ was. Either way, none of the
manga in VJ was worth much attention.
   Recommendation -- Don't spend money on Virtual Jump if you can read
it for free.  Otherwise, don't sweat it -- you're not missing out on
anything.

>I saw your review of the Shonen Ashibe anime on r.a.a.  Sounds pretty
>much like I expected.  For me, the main appeal of Shonen Ashibe is seeing
>Goma-chan abused and maltreated (that sounds terrible, but you have to
>see the manga, really :-)

   This is also why I find the series funny...

>(BTW, you've been over there quite a while now.. don't you want to come
>home? :-)

   Hmmm....
   I'm still thinking about that part.  I have 6 weeks left on my visa,
and I still haven't found a job that will sponsor me for a working visa.
At the current rate, I may be back home by Christmas.  There definitely
are a few things that I miss from the States, but, we'll see.

                                          -- Curtis H. Hoffmann
                                             Nov. 15, 1992

Newsgroups: rec.arts.manga,soc.culture.japan