What Are You Reading?

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

That's precisely what I meant when I said ballsy, though. It's a total status-quo changer that affects the rest of the entire series. Aside from One Piece, I haven't read another modern shounen manga that does that, and even OP hasn't handled its successive events nearly as well as AnJ did, IMO.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Also, going by part 1, Danpei and Rikiishi were my favorite characters as well, though I did really like Joe, even with all of his character flaws, precisely because he was intentionally written that way. Throughout part 2 of the series, though, Joe and Yoko became my favorites. Yoko especially gets some excellent characterization later on down the line, and it's almost surprising how well-written of a female character she is given that this was a shounen manga from a much more misogynistic time in Japan.

[Dr. Insomniac]

Done with chapter 47, and I'm still siding with Rikishi more than Joe at this point. Rikishi knows how to keep his composure while being able to use a guy's anger against them.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

It's worth mentioning that Rikiishi was the most popular character at the time of the manga's serialization. But in Joe's defense, his outrageous personality makes perfect sense given his upbringing, or lack thereof. Having said that, while it's subtle, you should notice Joe gradually getting less and less impulsive and quick-tempered as the series progresses. His character wouldn't have become a Japanese icon if he stayed the same throughout the entire series. He especially gets some excellent development in part 2, but that's still a ways off for you, based on where you're at right now.

[Avaitor]

I keep on forgetting to check out the AnJ link you provided earlier. You should totally send that my way again.

Anyway, the local comic book shop is doing their annual Free Comic Book May deal where if you spend at least $3 each Saturday, you're able to get a free GN. I decided to spend my share yesterday on the first issue of the new Magneto book, which has the weirdest-looking Sentinel I've seen. It's a decent introduction issue too, with a unique art style, so I'm interested in keeping up with it.

I've also been recommended to try out Rat Queens from a lot of the people there. That might be my purchase next week.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I keep on forgetting to check out the AnJ link you provided earlier. You should totally send that my way again.

Here: http://www.mangahere.co/manga/ashita_no_joe/

[Avaitor]

Thanks!

I'm 7 chapters in, and despite there not being too many fight scenes, each one has been incredibly handsome. It's a nice read so far.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I like how AnJ does not start off with many fights for a long time, instead focusing on building and establishing Joe and Danpei's characters and Joe becoming motivated to learn boxing. It's a good reflection on how this manga is more character-driven than it is subject-driven. That said, starting in the prison arc there's a lot more fighting, and they get better and better from there on out, though fights are not really the appeal of AnJ to me, but you'll see what makes this manga really special the further you read into it.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I hate to sound like a broken record, but reaching the end of Part I is, IMO, where this manga goes from being good to great. If that doesn't hook you on the story, then I dont know what will.

But, yes, the Juvenile Prison arc is where the series starts to rise in quality, IMO.

[Avaitor]

Oh, I'm enjoying it thus far. Actually, I just read the next chapter, and Joe practicing some moves out in his cell is one of my favorite scenes tto date. I'm definitely going to read a couple more chapters today, so let's see how far I can go.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Yeah, I enjoyed the beginning as well. It starts out as a rather fun gag manga, and slowly evolves into a much grander story as it progresses. The pacing in this series is perfect, IMO. Joe in particular really starts to impress me with his character development, which happens gradually during the Juvenile Prison arc, and progresses even further after he leaves prison.

[LumRanmaYasha]

I wouldn't say it's really a gag manga (I think there is a difference between being a gag manga and having regular comedy) at the beginning, but there is more emphasis on the humor I guess. But indeed, the subtle but consistent growth of the characters is what makes the story more engaging as it goes on.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I wouldn't say it's really a gag manga (there is a difference between being a gag manga and having regular comedy) at the beginning, but there is more emphasis on humor. But indeed, the subtle but consistent growth of the characters is what makes the story more engaging as it goes on.

I'm perfectly aware of what a gag manga is. The beginning of AnJ fits the tropes. No central plot formulates for a good few chapters, and a lot of focus is put on Joe's shenanigans. Remember that a gag manga doesn't have to be purely just humor, but can also have some genuine moments dispersed in the mix, as long as it's mostly humor. Ever since Bakuman, everyone seems to get the idea that gag manga is nothing but silliness. Shounan Junai Gumi is also classified as a gag manga and it still has some serious points to it.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Bakuman? Dr. Slump and Bobobo are what defined what a gag-manga was to me years before I ever even read that series. 

Because of them, I always think of gag manga as pure comedies without any seriousness to them. Otherwise, I just think of a comedy-focused manga to be just that, a comedy. But I do realize most people use the gag manga label for all manga comedies in general, and I suppose I can see early AnJ as sort of a gag comedy at the beginning on that front.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Bakuman? Dr. Slump and Bobobo are what defined what a gag-manga was to me years before I ever even read that series. 

I'm talking about it's commentary on gag manga. Not that Bakuman was a gag manga itself. People see what Bakuman's commentary on a genre is and think of the genre in that way, even if there is more nuance to it than that.