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larryhammerA review for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
coffeeandink, oycester, and anyone else who has lamented that Penguin Revolution and Penguin Brothers have NO ACTUAL PENGUINS, whether or not they were NOT AT ALL BITTER about it. I bring your attention to a manga not just with penguins, but has a penguin lead: Tuxedo Gin.
And Readers? It's licensed. With all volumes out.
Ginji is a socially awkward tough guy on the verge of making his pro boxing debut, whose buddy sets him up with his (the buddy's) cute cousin Minako. Just before their first date, Ginji is killed before his time, and in compensation his case-angel* gives him the opportunity to be reincarnated as an animal and, if he lives out his life without willfully killing himself, restored to his human body. Because Minako loves penguins, he chooses that form ... and is next seen hatching out of an Adele egg in the local aquarium. Six months later, he stages a breakout and manages, by using his giant coincidence field, to meet up with Minako -- who promptly adopts "Gin-chan" as a pet.** And away we go.
Is it any good? you ask. To which I say, Readers, a herd of stampeding penguins is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
Yes, you repeat, but is it any good? To which I scuff my toe on the floor.
Um. It's okay. Amusing-once sort of stuff. At the end of volume one, we've had two different bad-guys-with-resources go after ordinary schoolgirl Minako, neither for a reason that makes sense, which was amusing the first time. That Ginji has just as strong a right uppercut with a flipper as fist is amusing the first time. That Ginji's flock (who apparently just hang around in the harbor, now that they've escaped) has got his back is amusing as it is in part because it rescues him only the once. Seeing Ginji slump when he remembers he's just a penguin -- well, okay, that was amusing the first three times. In short, this has every sign of becoming, like all too many shounen series, a nearly static cycle of repeating jokes and situations until it wraps up too quickly.
It doesn't help that the art isn't the greatest -- cramped and busy. The cleanest lines are reserved for the fanservice bits -- which, however, are surprisingly brief and don't include panty-shots. Though the second time Gin-chan had his weekly bath with Minako, it was already getting tired.
So while I'm planning to track down the second volume, I'm looking for a used copy.
IOW -- yay actual penguins. And now, please, can we have a GOOD manga with 'em?
* Who looks like a Buddhist monk with a western angel's wings-and-halo.
** Because "he's such a cute pen'gin," not because she knew his name. See above about his giant coincidence field.
---L.
coffeeandink, oycester, and anyone else who has lamented that Penguin Revolution and Penguin Brothers have NO ACTUAL PENGUINS, whether or not they were NOT AT ALL BITTER about it. I bring your attention to a manga not just with penguins, but has a penguin lead: Tuxedo Gin.And Readers? It's licensed. With all volumes out.
Ginji is a socially awkward tough guy on the verge of making his pro boxing debut, whose buddy sets him up with his (the buddy's) cute cousin Minako. Just before their first date, Ginji is killed before his time, and in compensation his case-angel* gives him the opportunity to be reincarnated as an animal and, if he lives out his life without willfully killing himself, restored to his human body. Because Minako loves penguins, he chooses that form ... and is next seen hatching out of an Adele egg in the local aquarium. Six months later, he stages a breakout and manages, by using his giant coincidence field, to meet up with Minako -- who promptly adopts "Gin-chan" as a pet.** And away we go.
Is it any good? you ask. To which I say, Readers, a herd of stampeding penguins is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
Yes, you repeat, but is it any good? To which I scuff my toe on the floor.
Um. It's okay. Amusing-once sort of stuff. At the end of volume one, we've had two different bad-guys-with-resources go after ordinary schoolgirl Minako, neither for a reason that makes sense, which was amusing the first time. That Ginji has just as strong a right uppercut with a flipper as fist is amusing the first time. That Ginji's flock (who apparently just hang around in the harbor, now that they've escaped) has got his back is amusing as it is in part because it rescues him only the once. Seeing Ginji slump when he remembers he's just a penguin -- well, okay, that was amusing the first three times. In short, this has every sign of becoming, like all too many shounen series, a nearly static cycle of repeating jokes and situations until it wraps up too quickly.
It doesn't help that the art isn't the greatest -- cramped and busy. The cleanest lines are reserved for the fanservice bits -- which, however, are surprisingly brief and don't include panty-shots. Though the second time Gin-chan had his weekly bath with Minako, it was already getting tired.
So while I'm planning to track down the second volume, I'm looking for a used copy.
IOW -- yay actual penguins. And now, please, can we have a GOOD manga with 'em?
* Who looks like a Buddhist monk with a western angel's wings-and-halo.
** Because "he's such a cute pen'gin," not because she knew his name. See above about his giant coincidence field.
---L.