There are two universal truths in today’s rapidly changing comics industry. The first is that Dog Man is the defining comic of our time. Second, more people are reading manga and webtoons (aka vertically scrolling comics) than ever before. Therefore, we at Comics Beat have decided to embark on a new venture called Beat’s Bizarre Adventure. Each week, three writers recommend their favorite books and series from Japan, Korea, and other countries. This week we bring you heart-pounding stories of manga stardom, explosive webtoon action epics, and of course, castle cake.
Bakuman.
Writer: Tsugumi Ohba
Artist: Ken Obata
Translation: Tetsuichiro Miyagi
Publisher: VIZ
After the success of Death Note, Ohba and Obata have returned with a series that pokes fun at life at the Shonen Jump office from the perspective of two up-and-coming manga artists, Moritaka Mashiro and Akito Takagi. The two formed a writer-artist duo, much like Ohba and Obata themselves. The series navigated the rest of their high school lives, their hard work to develop a successful manga, and their subsequent adult lives.
I’ve never read Bakuman. For a very long time. But I loved Death Note so much that I’ve stuck with it since the beginning (and still do). Also, Mr. Obata is one of my favorite artists. This series had problems that were noticeable at the time and may feel worse now, but I still have fond memories of it. So-so ending, problems with Obata writing about women, etc.
Bakuman. has a very colorful and wide-ranging cast of characters that bring it to life. Each manga artist has their own unique style, brought to life by Obata. Obata is able to flex his muscles in ways that were not possible in previous team-ups. It’s a great show of Obata’s talent and worth the price of admission alone.
Bakuman. It gives you a glimpse behind the scenes of professional manga production, even if it’s exaggerated for the sake of entertainment. This story is sure to be an inspiration to creators looking to make a living drawing comics, even as it depicts the trials and tribulations that come with that journey.
I think “Death Note” is the stronger story created by these two working together, but “Bakuman.” It still holds a special place in my heart. As for “Platinum End,” the third manga series by this team… well, even though I was excited, I didn’t get too deep into it until I called. I might try it again sometime. — Derrick Crowe
ordeal
Story and Art: Brent Bristol
Platform: Webtoon
I would like to thank WEBTOON’s 2025 contest announcement for bringing it to my attention. The Trials, which started as a self-published series on WEBTOON CANVAS and will be released on WEBTOON ORIGINALS in August 2021, follows the story of a planet populated by superhuman humans called “Kimios” who decide to become the greatest warriors on Earth. It depicts the story of an ordinary person named Choi. (Think of the personalities in My Hero Academia or the mutants in the X-Men comics.) At first, Choi joins a fight club for the money and is trained by a Kimyo named Leo Thomas. Masu. But when Leo is murdered, Che’s adventure begins in earnest.
I have never seen such great art in a webtoon. Brent Bristol’s illustrations are highly detailed, a mix of semi-realism and manga artist Takehiko Inoue. The fight scenes are so well-paced and depicted that your jaw will drop. How much time did WEBTOON give Brent to pull this off? The detail, the shading, the post-processing effects…sometimes I forget this is a webtoon. If you’re looking to satisfy your post-My Hero Academia appetite with a series that will surprise and inspire other artists, give Ordeal a read. Season 3 will be released soon, so we recommend you catch up on one of WEBTOON’s masterpieces. — Justin Guerrero
barrier master
Writer/Artist: Yellow Tanabe
English adaptation: Shenon Garrity
Translation: Yuko Sawada
Art and lettering corrections: Stephen Dutro
Cover design and graphic layout: Amy Martin
Editor: Megan Bates
Publisher: VIZ
If you read enough boys’ manga, your eyes will start to light up the moment you read the synopsis at the back of the book. “What is this?” you say. “A teenage boy hunts ghosts on behalf of his family at school with the daughter of a rival family? How ingenious!” Guilty as charged. “Kekkaishi” is not simply a work born out of works like Shonen Jump. It also borrows from fellow Shonen Sunday star Kazuhiro Fujita’s “Ushio and Tora”. As long as you’ve been reading the manga for at least a year, you’ve probably already seen every beat this series has to offer. So why are barrier masters so good?
I would like to honor the work of Yellow Tanabe, one of the great and underrated boys’ manga artists. Her creepy monster design is already enough to distinguish Kekkaishi from her competitors. However, what sets Tanabe apart from players like Kazuhiro Fujita is his defensive range. She can portray Ghibli-style nature gods, stylish humans, and even monstrous killers like Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter. All of these beings definitely exist within the same environment, even though they live in such different areas. Variety keeps Kekkaishi fresh even when another artist (even a very talented one) may be a hit and the profits will diminish.
Tanabe is also very good at tackling brass in boy’s adventure stories. The core power of the barrier is simple, but can be applied in a variety of ways. The main characters, Yoshimori and Tokine, have a fun dynamic. And while the cool older girl, Tokine, eventually cedes the stage to the chosen boy, Yoshimori, she at least stays around longer than most Shonen Jump series dare to.
Kekkaishi’s biggest characteristic, other than his art, is his willingness to prioritize character over action. The first big arc ends not with the hero curb-stomping the villain, but with the antagonists conversing with each other as they walk across a field of pampas grass. Mr. Tanabe pulled off this trick years before Koyoharu Gotoge’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba asked the question, “What would happen if the main character was kind to monsters?” In fact, if you enjoyed “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,” I think you’ll definitely like “Kekkaishi.” Now, if only someone would license Tanabe’s other manga masterpiece, Birdmen… — Adam Wescott
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