City of Darkness

 

The epic begins.

Chen Luo Jun is a member of the Baoli (literally "violence group") arguably the baddest gang in all of Hong Kong. Despite being with the gang for only a year he's quickly become the strongest member of the group and is known and feared throughout the criminal underworld. In his quest to conquer ten territories for his boss he's crushed numerous gangs, often times single-handedly. One evening when Luo Jun is returning to his hide-out he finds the members of his gang slaughtered by the dozens. More unsettling is the party responsible for the attack turns out to be The Boss. Luo Jun goes after The Boss to get answers but receives a sound-thrashing and a price on his head. Luo Jun flees Hong Kong for his life but vows to return one-day and claim his revenge. He seeks refuge in the City of Darkness (Kowloon), a place so dangerous even The Boss won't set foot there.

Welcome to Kowloon, the City of Darkness.

Written by Yu Er and drawn by Andy Seto, Situ Jian Qiao, Yuyongliang, and the Chenjing Group, "City of Darkness" is a manhua (Chinese comic) taking place in 1990s Hong Kong and largely centered on a fictional version of Kowloon Walled City (not to be confused with the bustling, economic powerhouse Kowloon). The comic is a wuxia title and it may be one of the best wuxia to use a contemporary setting. For readers who may be unaware, wuxia (martial hero) is a genre of Chinese fiction centered on the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. The heroes of wuxia tend to follow a particular code which corresponds to the virtue they most often symbolize. Wuxia heroes are typically chivalrous outcasts similar to Robin Hood or western gunslingers. Another aspect of wuxia fiction is the the code of xia; eight attributes (benevolence, justice, individualism, loyalty, courage, truthfulness, disregard for wealth and desire for glory) which tie into Confucianism. There is usually a character which represents each attribute but some characters can embody several which leads us to our protagonist Chen Luo Jun.

The path he walks does not change with the times.

Like other heroes in the genre, Luo Jun experiences tragedy and endures tribulations that make him a better martial artist and more importantly a better person. The streets of Hong Kong are a dangerous place and Luo Jun knows how to survive largely because of his immense skill in battle and charisma. However, he's not an Arrogant Kung Fu Guy trope nor is he a generic shonen hero. He's a simple man who just wants to build a better life for his mother and he's doing so the only way he knows how. He doesn't boast about his power or show off and he's not interested in being rich or famous, but he just wants a better life than what the streets have to offer. He carries himself with a sense of pride, but he's never conceited. He walks his own path and these and other qualities draw others to him and even his enemies admire him. However, he is loyal to a fault and this "flaw" becomes the impetus of the story's conflict because one character who doesn't share Luo Jun's code of ethics is his employer - THE BOSS.

THE BOSS

The most powerful crime lord in Hong Kong, indeed the only crime lord in Hong Kong, the Boss has made a name for himself for being cunning, ruthless, and absurdly powerful. He surrounds himself with the toughest fighters in the criminal underworld, but he's not the type to hide behind his men. Wielding fear and respect as a weapon, he'll disappear a guy to make a point and he has no problems getting his hands dirty if the situation calls for it or even if he's just bored. He conquered 18 districts in Hong Kong and if that wasn't badass enough he killed a guy with a durian (a fruit). Luo Jun summed up the Boss quite fittingly: "If the Boss wanted rain he got rain. If he wanted wind he got wind." Power, violence, and deceit are the virtues of the underworld and the Boss thrives in this environment. Faced with such a foe Luo Jun doesn't stand a chance so it's a good thing he meets unlikely allies who join him in his fight.

The Kliq

Luo Jun meets a number of allies who agree to fight alongside him for various reasons. Some of whom have similar goals while others start off as foes, but forge some manner of understanding or mutually beneficial relationship.

 

Twin Fates

Similar to Luo Jun, Shi Er Shao is a gang leader working under the Boss. When the Boss has one of his violent mood swings, he burns Er Shao's district to the ground and critically injures his friend Jixiang. According to the Boss this event was merely a test, but there's little doubt the Boss is trying to keep the troops in line after Luo Jun's defection. Shi Er Shao does not take kindly to having his friends killed and neighborhood destroyed just so the Boss can set an example and this betrayal strengthens the friendship between himself and Luo Jun.

 

Swim with this loan shark and get eaten.

Xin Yi is Kowloon's resident loan shark and he and Luo Jun start off as enemies. Calculating and professional, Xin Yi is a business man through-and-through and he's as violent as he needs to be, but not ruthless. He has his own code of honor and when the Boss threatens to expand his territory into Kowloon, Xin Yi rises up to protect his community.

Jason Vorhees? Not quite.

Luo Jun and AV meet during a death match and Luo Jun's trip to Kowloon is almost a short one. It's an interesting meeting for both men as Luo Jun quickly finds out the Boss is not the only monster in China while AV is impressed that anyone could survive one of his punches. I won't spoil much, but as we learn more about AV and his past I found him to be one of the most interesting characters in the comic and he quickly became my favorite. He has so much depth and backstory that he could easily be the main character in his own right.

 

This Tornado travels by Benz.

As you can see the comic is gorgeous. Manhua utilizes a very broad color palette and City of Darkness is head and shoulders above other works in this medium. Everything from tire treads and motorcycle exhaust, to dust and even litter are drawn with loving detail. The artists went to great lengths to ensure that Kowloon in the comic resembles Kowloon Walled City and this shows in the tight alleyways, open living quarters, restaurants, and what passes for parks and gardens in a city cut off from neighboring districts. Characters are drawn with extensive detail right down to the wrinkles and creases in their clothing. The raindrops, skyline, sunset, everything here has a level of polish you don't see outside Chinese comics and you all know how much I enjoy speed lines. The art is a major boon to the fight scenes which are stunning.

 

Is that... NANTO SEIKEN?!

Martial arts in wuxia stories are based on real martial arts taken to exaggerated heights. Imagine boxers punching through brick walls or practitioners of Heihuquan tearing through cars with their bare hands. It never gets that off the wall, but it has all the mainstays of wuxia such as fighters possessing superhuman strength, endurance, and agility leading to some spectacular fights. The characters have different fighting styles too. Luo Jun is a solid, all-around fighter who knows a variety of styles while AV doesn't have any particular style and is all about brute force. Jixiang and Xin Yi prefer swords, but Shi Er Shao is skilled in both swordsmanship and judo. If there are any flaws in this comic they rear their ugly heads in part two.

 

A fight you won't soon forget.

When I read City of Darkness I could tell it was an absolutely amazing title, but I worried if it could keep its level of polish and momentum forever. In my view it didn't. City of Darkness 2 continues the story a few years after the first part and this is where some of the issues pop up. Many of the characters are out of character in part two and while I do expect them to change and be different after the trials they went through, many of the characters go about their lives as though they didn't learn anything from part one. Characters who sought an escape from the criminal underworld in part one seem to be happy with their lifestyle in part two. This - predictably enough - draws them into some fierce, but unnecessary conflicts. While the colors remain vibrant and the fight scenes are jaw-dropping, characters are noticeably less detailed than they were in part one.

 

You don't cross THE BOSS.

Also, there are a lot of names and faces to remember. In part one the conflict was simple: our heroes versus the Boss. However, part two has at least three factions (our heroes and their enemies), gangs under those factions, and several coup d'etat within those gangs. Even as someone who's been with the series since chapter one, this was a lot to keep track of. I feel that part two went a little too big for its own good and this made it fall short of its predecessor's greatness.

 

If he dies, he dies.

Overall City of Darkness is a superb comic. Despite flaws that show up in part two it is easily the best Chinese comic I've ever read and one of the best wuxia I've read as well. It has a great cast of characters, unbelievable art, and mind-blowing fights. It does a fantastic job of building suspense, exploring the crime life and showing it's never what it's cracked up to be, but also tells an intensely captivating human story of people just trying to survive and find direction in a chaotic world. I highly recommend this comic especially if you're a fan of martial arts and crime drama.

Otoyomegatari (2008 - Ongoing)

Amira and Karluk

Written by famed mangaka Mori Kaoru, and published by Enterbrain in Japan and Yen Press in the United States, Otoyomegatari (A Bride's Tale) is a historical fiction/slice of life manga. Taking place during the late 19th Century and set in Turkic Central Asia, it follows the story of a young woman named Amira Hergal who is married off to a suitor named Karluk Ayhan as is the custom. Much to Amira's surprise however, her suitor is eight years younger than her. This unique irony is not lost on her or any of the other characters for that matter, but the two try to make the best of it. All is well until Amira's family shows up some months later and seek to end the arrangement with Karluk's family and marry Amira off to another tribal head who while possessing sizable land and military power, was also responsible for the deaths of his two previous wives who were also Amira's older sisters. When Amira's complete shock and utter terror isn't enough to deter her father's wishes, the breach in cultural norms turns into a full-blown tribal war.

Y'know how it is when your husband is a kid.

This might seem like something of a spoiler for a major plot point and while this conundrum becomes a focal point of the story there are events before and after the tribal war which not only focus on Amira and Karluk but other characters as well. Kaoru shows off her writing chops in building the main story and developing peripheral characters in addition to telling their stories as well.

Amira at home.

What is amazing about Kaoru's writing is that she is able to capture the beauty and significance in what might seem like the most mundane aspects of life but nothing here is trivial. She clearly did a great deal of research into the living habits and culture of 19th Century Turkish people and that comes across in nearly every panel in each chapter and is further accentuated by the characters personalities and habits across various tales. 

"All the power in the world resides in the eyes."

This is a "slice of life" manga which means that a lot of the narrative revolves around everyday things from family gatherings, to trips to the city, and hunting. This is important to note because these details also play a role in character development. We learn early on that Amira comes from a tribe of nomads and given their lifestyle hunting plays a major role in their survival. Even among her clansmen Amira is considered one of the best; excelling in tracking, archery, and horsemanship. On the other hand Karluk's tribe are pastoral in nature whose hunting techniques have been lost for at least three generations. There is a believable sense of amazement here not because Amira is a woman but because she not only knows "the old ways" but she excels at them. 

Amira is the best at what she does.

Amira is a great female lead in part because Kaoru never makes a big deal about how strong she is and how independent she is and omg look you guys she is so cool. In essence, Amira's role as a powerful female lead is a natural exploration of a nomadic woman from this time. In addition to being skilled at hunting, tracking, and horseback riding, she also knows her way around a fight and even her older brother who is an exceptional warrior acknowledges her. She isn't a superhero or the stalwart icon of anyone's particular agenda but a human character serving as a natural representation of the lifestyle and the times. At her core she's a badass normal character with personality and that is what makes her so appealing.

There will be blood.

All of the women in the manga are outspoken which in addition to being historically accurate also breaks down the western stereotype that outspoken women is somehow new. This is clearly seen in a thought-provoking and humorous exchange between the men and women of Karluk's clan when they argue about how Karluk and Amira should act towards each other, with neither of them being able to say anything. Karluk on account of not quite being a man and therefore having no say while Amira still being new to the family and not knowing quite what to say. While I'm tempted to go on about Amira for another three paragraphs (because she is cool she is badass and omg look you guys one of my favorite characters) she's not the only character explored in this title.

Prepare for trouble. Make that double.

This slice of life title doesn't just take slices out of Karluk's and Amira's life but the lives of several other characters as well. One of the side-stories involve two girls trying to find wealthy husbands so as to ease the financial strain on their family. What's funny is that the twins take off their head-coverings when they spot a man they want (because only a husband is allowed to see their wife's uncovered head) and try to use that as a ploy to force him into marriage. This never works and a fair share of the men they run into seem to pick up on the game right away. This doesn't stop them from trying it however. 

Beautiful but frail.

Another side story revolves around a young woman named Talas who is living with her mother-in-law without her husband. This detail is very telling of her compassionate nature because in this culture it is unusual for a woman to not return home after her husband has died. However, Talas's mother-in-law is very old and frail and Talas refuses to leave her on account of wanting to take care of her. This is reminiscent of Naomi and Ruth from The Bible. Some further intrigue comes into play when Henry Smith (a close friend of Karluk's family) runs into the mother and daughter on one of his trips and stays with them for awhile. Henry and Talas soon fall in love with each other much to the approval of Talas's mother-in-law who wants Talas to move on and find happiness.

Azel The Fang

Amira's older brother Azel also gets some character development as well. When the tribes are on the brink of war Azel gets a lot more panel time and we quickly learn he's a calculated and resourceful sort. While he's as fierce as the wolves his tribe is most often associated with, we also learn that in his innermost depths is a great deal of loyalty and devotion to duty. It's a character trait that is tested by fire when he must choose between his sister and his tribe. What's great about character development like Azel's is that it is reflective of the overall approach to this title and that's the emphasis on character interaction.

Azel is not impressed.

Otoyomegatari doesn't just go from one event to another but it focuses on how characters interact and associate with one another. One example includes Azel's interactions with his cousins when talking about the upcoming war and a lot is learned about Azel and his cousins based on how they discuss dealing with this problem. I also like the interaction between Henry Smith and Karluk's family. Henry has been staying with the family for months and apart from calling him Mr. Smith he is seen as a very close friend - if not another member of the family despite the fact that he's a westerner. We're not "told" the family gets along with him rather we see how the characters interact with one another at meal time and discussing everyday activities. One of the scenes I found most telling is when the patriarch is planning to purchase some things from the city and everyone including Mr. Smith starts making request with the only protest being the patriarch is buying everyone what they need and not what they want. Never is Mr. Smith excluded because he is a foreigner which is very telling of the inclusive nature of many tribes.

Just the tip of the iceberg where detail is concerned.

Kaoru isn't just a brilliant writer she's also an amazing artist as these panels have no doubt shown already. The amount of detail she puts into drawing characters eyes and even the position of their fingers in certain acitivities carries over into how she draws the environments and objects like cookware, weapons, rugs, and clothing. This manga is clearly drawn by someone who has both respect and admiration for the culture she is writing about which is outside the norm for most mangaka.

It's going down.

In addition to being a slice of life manga Otoyomegatari is also seinen. That means it has mature content but to a lesser degree than other seinen titles. There is violence but no gore to speak of and barely any blood. There is nudity but it's rare and where it is present it is done tastefully - typically when a character is bathing which makes the most sense. The mature content of the title largely comes in the form of these being characters with real problems. No one is trying to save the world or become hokage but characters are trying to live in politically and culturally turbulent times. Some aim to embrace the new ways while others prefer to stick to the old.

Thinking of home keeps Amira up at night.

With all this in mind Otoyomegatari is a fantastic read for someone looking for something different. It has great characters, a lot of touching moments, and even some humor and tragedy as well. And when the fighting does start Kaoru isn't afraid to let tensions run high, but she also has the integrity to know when to end a subplot and progress story. It's not for the culturally insensitive however as some of the practices explored here (marrying women off for x-reasons) are foreign to us but natural to the culture the manga is focused on. If you're willing to step out of your comfort zone you'll find a great story here that doesn't disappoint.

Ah! My Goddess (1988 - 2014)

25 years and counting.

Morisato Keiichi isn't who you would call the luckiest guy in the world.  In spite of his good nature, he has few friends, he isn't popular with the ladies, he always has a shortage of funds and good things generally do not happen to him. When he tries to make a call from his dorm one day, he mistakenly calls the Goddess Help Line and almost immediately, a goddess of unprecedented beauty appears before him. Her name is Belldandy and she will grant him one wish. Keiichi, thinking that this is a joke being played on him by his dorm mates, wishes for Belldandy to stay with him forever. After all, since it is just a prank there is no way she could grant his wish. Much to his dismay, Keiichi's wish is granted and so begins Keiichi’s and Belldandy’s experiences with life and love.

Normally I'm not a big fan of love stories but not only do I enjoy Ah! My Goddess it is one of my favorite manga of all-time and there are numerous reasons for this. The common fault of love stories - especially those of the magic girlfriend genre is that they rely too much on cliche, too much on fanservice, and there is too much lip-service to the idea of love which manga (and anime by extension) tries to propagate. Most series portray love in a manner that barely scratches the surface of the complexity of interpersonal relationships. So when manga and anime try to tackle such complex subject matter, it comes off as juvenile in addition to being shallow and pedantic.

K-1 about to drop the mic.

Ah! My Goddess is completely different in this regard due in part to the number of challenges facing Keiichi and Belldandy. The manga handles complex challenges with the very unorthodox approach of juggling all of them at the same-time and structuring the narrative to balance the not so serious issues with comedy while dealing with heavier issues but maintaining an overall hopeful tone even when the manga hits its dark points. Here is just one example of this juggling act. Keiichi is your average guy and Belldandy is a drop-dead gorgeous goddess so of course there are various people at Keiichi's university who are jealous for this reason or that. Toshiyuki Aoshima is the school playboy who tries to take Belldandy away from Keiichi while Sayoko Mishima is (was) the school idol who wants to take Keiichi away from Belldandy. This is played up largely for laughs as Aoshima and Mishima are always foiled but it explores complexities in human relations. Aoshima doesn't see Belldandy as someone to love but simply as an object. Mishima is similar in this manner as she had no interest in Keiichi until Keiichi lost interest in her and fell in love with Belldandy. Mishima begins to pursue Keiichi only to prove that she is superior to Belldandy but in the process - really starts to fall in love with him.

Belldandy Goddess Unlimited

Of course Ah! My Goddess explores other more serious issues as well given the very nature of the existence of our main characters. Keiichi being human and Belldandy being an immortal goddess, there are a number of complexities in their relationship including how they relate to each other and those around them. Belldandy and Keiichi don't immediately fall in love just because of Keiichi's wish. In fact, not one minute after Keiichi makes the wish, Belldandy sees if there's a way to get out of it. What's interesting is that the manga presents us with a more authentic view of love by proxy of this because Keiichi and Belldandy grow to love each not because of their similarities but because of their differences. Through the relationship of our two characters the manga raises an interesting point in loving others not always because they are the same as you but because they are different from you. The two characters put their whole selves into the relationship rather than 50/50 and they put effort to make it work. The manga also explores other facets of interpersonal relationships while throwing in a bus load of good feelings, humor, and additional characters - all superbly written as well.

Big Sis Urd

Keiichi encounters numerous characters including Belldandy's sisters Urd and Skuld. This is something of a treat as if you're at all familiar with Norse mythology you'll recognize Belldandy as a Japanese spelling of Verthandi who in Norse mythology is one of the Norns - goddesses of time and in this case the one who presides over the present. Urd is a take on Uld the goddess of the past and thus Belldandy's older sister, while Skuld is the goddess of the future thus making her the youngest of the three. Urd shows up and makes it her objective to bring Belldandy and Keichi closer together because she wants what will make Belldandy happy while Skuld tries to break the two apart because she doesn't want her sister to be with Keiichi.

Skuld - The Youngest of the Three

What makes this complicated situation humorous is that Urd and Skuld machinations tend to have an opposite effect. Interestingly enough, the two sisters grow to love Keiichi albeit differently from Belldandy but hardly any less because they develop an appreciation for who Keiichi is as a person. But Skuld and Urd aren't just here for the sake of our main characters. Rather, they have their own stories and events that happen to them within the same canon as Belldandy and Keiichi's love story. In essence they're not side-characters just because the main plot doesn't focus solely on them. They're not the only goddesses who get in the mix either.

Peorth Goddess of Eros and Lind The One-Winged Angel

The inclusion of a Peorth adds a very entertaining and believable love triangle. What's interesting is that Peorth isn't just a character dropped in to spice things up, rather she already had a long history with Belldandy towards whom she feels more than a bit of hostility. However, she sees Keiichi not as a way to get back at Belldandy but rather, Peorth believes in her heart that she is a better match for him because she understands his needs better than Belldandy does. This leads to some drama which is riveting because Peorth's presence causes our two love birds to re-evaluate how they feel about each other and ask themselves if Peorth was right all along.

Belldandy and Peorth

The love triangle works here and not in other titles like say El Hazard or Tenchi Muyo, because Keiichi has qualities which others find endearing. He's not just building a harem because he's the main character. Also, Peorth does make very valid points when she questions Belldandy on whether or not she is serious about Keiichi or leading him on. Further still, with this entire situation being new to Belldandy, she has to ask herself what Keiichi means to her.

Lind and Twin Angels

In recent years (say the last three or so) Fujishima has added Lind to the foray but her relationship with the cast is a bit different as she's largely an outsider to deities and mortals alike. Far more Spartan in her conduct and paying little heed to friendship and sorts, the relationship Lind builds with the cast is heartwarming and meaningful because we quickly see that despite outward appearances she has a great deal of depth and her character development was very captivating which says a lot in a manga which already has a well-written cast. Lind quickly became one of my favorite manga characters. Fujishima never inserts a new character for the sake of it either. Rather, everyone in this manga is placed here for a reason legitimized by the narrative canon rather than plot contrivances.

Hild - Urd's BADASS Mother

Ah! My Goddess isn't just a love story though. While the tale is mostly light-hearted, Fujishima turns up the intensity when more serious events unfold - which they do throughout the manga. The gang will find themselves in contention with ancient beasts from Norse mythology, demons, and the like, but Fujishima doesn't just drop in pointless action scenes. There is a natural and well-planned lead-up to those arcs where action and suspense play a major role. On top of that, Fujishima continually elevates these scenarios because the characters never face the same threat twice and with that said, can't rely on the same set of tactics to prevail in those ever-changing scenarios. In addition, just about every member of the main cast gets a chance to throw down and these goddesses do not play. From someone like Belldandy - who is normally pacifist - kicking demons through walls, to Lind putting her Valkyrie background to work all over Hild's face. When things get real, these ladies put boots to asses. As you may be aware, Fujishima's art is every bit as brilliant as his writing.

Amazing detail put into Eri - a side character.

Ah! My Goddess is one of the longest running manga out there - having been in serialization for 25 years as of 2013. The writer and artist Kosuke Fujishima is also known for having worked with Namco-Bandai for a good amount of that time as he also handles some of the artwork and all the character designs for the award winning Tales of... RPG series. So whether you're a fan of anime or video games you're probably somewhat familiar with the level of artistry Fujishima is known for. You can see the evolution in Fujishima's art style particularly in this series as it has been his career defining work. The characters today share only a slight resemblance to the characters in 1988 and this speaks volumes of Fujishima's art; from the characters clothing and hair to their fingers, everything is drawn with great detail. What's even more impressive is that Fujishima doesn't skip on those details even when he's bringing in a minor character. Eri (pictured above) is barely in the manga four chapters and you can see how well she's drawn.

Keiichi's Mom gives her seal of approval.

While I haven't read Ah! My Goddess for 25 years, I have read all the chapters released thus far and I've seen every episode of every anime and OVA released under its umbrella. I point this out because as jaded as I am, I find this franchise compelling. For a manga that's been around so long, it's amazing that Fujishima has managed to keep Ah! My Goddess fresh and fun by always outdoing himself, expanding on his creativity, and keeping the title focused on its own verse rather than imitate other manga. 

Although Ah! My Goddess is part of the magical girlfriend genre it doesn't try to copy other titles nor does it try to keep up with current trends. The manga has action but it's not overly violent, the manga has a bit of fanservice but what is here is not only tastefully done but is also so light you've probably seen more risque content on the Disney channel. Most importantly of all it's just fun to read. I highly recommend you start reading this manga if you haven't already.