Zone 00 Vol. 2 & The Twelve Kingdoms - Manga/Novel Review

A cross section of Tokyo Pop's latest shows a structure across a specific diversity of structures in both prose and manga form.Zone 00 Vol. 2 This manga revolves around an almost "Twilight" elemental structure with half demons and nymphs living as if they were stuck in a 10pm drama here in the States. The elements of finding people in bed and relishing their internal thoughts which are separate from the story being told is obviously something that can only be done in print and graphic novel since it takes quite a bit to bring that kind of element to the screen. Here one of the lead characters is decidedly coming back to make sure that a mistake made 500 years ago is not repeatedly (which it inevitably will be). The aspect is lost love. The women, who can handle a gun as good as any man, need to be protected simply because the men are expendable in a larger viewpoint which is an interesting way to do it. The fights are almost done in a cross dissolve proportion which make them dreamlike is an exceptional way. Granted the story is flimsy floating between a dimension controlled by a girl's mind and the actual universe which is almost never seen. The one image sticking out in the head is a schoolgirl struck with fully black eyes after being betrayed showing that she is a cyborg bleeding oil as her legs twitch with electronics.The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread Of The Seas This short novel, which carries elements of "Lord Of The Rings", follows the chosen king of a cloud world who saved his domain from the ruin of a former dictator but now is letting his rule fall into disrepair. His servants think he is a man of loose morals and prone to lazy behavior. His edicts are self serving and he goes off on his own without telling his minders. The king is chosen by the Kirin who is the one who creates the edict of God in the choosing of its leader. A governor of one of the provinces is sick of the king not doing anything so he has one of his leiges who is a young demon child kidnap the Kirin to enforce repair of the kingdom. The Kirin, once hearing of the plight to fix levees whom without might flood and kill many citizens, tends to side with the blighted governor. Through experience he comes to realize that it is all a lie in an almost "Gladiator"-type setting that truly sets to right the aspects of the king who is able to sneak into the castle of his enemy and truly represent. It is a good story of truth and the ways of the world in an otherwise alien kingdom.