When her father died, she transformed herself into a clawed crystal demon; a goddess in pursuit of revenge. Those close to her turned away in horror, claiming that she had forsaken her humanity. Being torn between her desires and her responsibilities, she would have turned into a monster anyway, even if she looked the same on the outside. So she embraced the worst of her father’s research and became the monster he always wanted. It was only later, after she’d emerged from the blood and horror, that she could look at herself and embrace what she always needed to be.
This episode: Schwartz does some ninja stuff, Master Asia conducts a police investigation using his fists, and Neo Malaysia’s Gala Garla has the haircut of the future! Plus, Allenby’s team hasn’t gotten around to fixing the evil parts of her Gundam, and Chairman Wong gets a shipment from Acme!
Sometimes it feels like she practices a new drill every day. Fire drills, earthquake drills, active shooter drills; she can tell you what each alarm means and how to respond. When the rest of her class feels panic, she gets a twinge of excitement. It’s her favorite part of the day. Her teacher explained the concept of ‘Chekhov’s Gun,’ but she already understands. The world is full of potential energy. The gun placed on the mantlepiece will someday be fired. The emergency is always waiting, in the future. And when the alarm rings, she will rise to meet her destiny.
The weather changed fast on the mountain, especially after sunset. He’d been hiking alone, in defiance of the pleas of his hosts. He was an experienced outdoorsman and wanted some privacy. The change in the weather caught him by surprise. He was blinded by the squalling snow and howling wind. When he stumbled across the cabin, it felt like a miracle. He banged on the door, hoping to find a warm fireside. The opening door let out a blast of gelid air. The smiling face with too many sharp teeth greeted him. Only then did he truly understand their warnings.
They laid siege to the city and attempted to starve them into submission. But from the start the invaders were beset by problems. Their own supply lines were disrupted. There were accidents and even rumors the camp was haunted. As the days wore on, morale among the troops continued to drop while the resolve of the enemy just became stronger. The commander ordered a thorough search of the area and the found the hidden tunnels the enemy was using to bring in supplies and cause havoc. But it was already too late. They broke the siege and went home, defeated.
The Unicorn is well known in the forest. She can be seen from a distance, guiding lost travelers to safe paths or seeking out hidden dangers. She is a blessing that radiates warmth and light to all. But the Unicorn never gets close. Legends say she is shy. They say she will only approach a virgin girl. Nobody asked the Unicorn. Unicorns are old creatures with long memories. She knows the flame that lights the way can burn you. She remembers the lsat time. So she keeps her distance, and guides the forest with love, hoping that love will spread.
When the snow fell for days, we did not think much of it. It was winter in the Far North. We bundled ourselves up and used the winter doors of our houses when the snow buried the ground floor. But as the months past, the seasons refused to turn. The Sun lay hidden behind impenetrable clouds, if it rose at all. The elders called it ‘Fimbulwinter’ and despaired the ending of the world. When the food in our cellars ran out we ate ice. We changed ourselves in defiance of the endless winter, and survived. And we became something else.
The prophet lounged on a cushioned divan in his audience chamber, practically a throne. The villagers gave him the hall when he’d arrived and predicted a disaster. It was only his quick prognostication that spared the village from the worst of the damage. A curtain at the far end of the room twitched, and he nodded almost imperceptibly to the figure hidden behind it. The villagers loved their new prophet, but found him dour, only predicting calamities. Good fortune was crowd pleasing, but tricky. Doom was easier; especially if you had a team to make sure your predictions came true.
The party found the book at the very back of the tomb, next to the sarcophagus itself. It was chained to a lectern, as though waiting for a reader in the dark. After checking it over, the thief brushed dust from the leather binding and opened to a page. It was filled with tight handwriting in a language they couldn’t decipher. As they were puzzling over the tome, the lich rose from his coffin and coughed politely. “Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night and just have to write an idea down before you forget it?”
The Drops of God Vol. 1 Written by Tadashi Agi Drawn by Shu Okimoto Translation by Vertical, Inc. Published by Kodansha Comics
The Skinny: A Martial Arts Manga about Wine Tasting.
When legendary wine critic Yutaka Kanzaki dies, he leaves only his estranged son Shizuku to inherit his estate and his priceless cellars. Due to his demanding upbringing, Shizuku has no interest in wine, and still resents that his father spent years training him. In fact, he has never even drank wine, out of resentment to his father. But shortly after his death, a second heir appears. A week before his death, Kanzaki formally adopts young, talented wine critic Issei Tomine and creates a new will. The two will have to compete in tasting a dozen different wines, as well as identify one mythical bottle, the so-called ‘Drops of God’ in a winner-take-all competition for Kanzaki’s estate and collection. Even with his latent skills developed by his father’s rigorous training, Shizuku will need help to figure out a path to gain control of his father’s estate. His only hope is apprentice sommelier Miyabi, who agrees to help him beat the unstoppable critic. With drama like a martial-arts manga, The Drops of God is a unique comic that mixes the aesthetics and over-the-top posture of manga and anime with a deep understanding of wine making and tasting. It is a more grown-up taste for fans that have grown up on One Piece and Dragonball. This risky mix that doesn’t always work, but the terroir of serious adult drama and stakes with shonen sensibility is a delightful romp. Watching our heroic couple (even if they don’t know it yet) hunt through Ginza for a hidden wine that can match a hundred-thousand dollar vintage is a delight. Meanwhile his nefarious rival completes trains by tasting row after row of wine, and pours strange, black-hued vintages down the naked back of a corporate executive who looks like the model from the cover of Duran Duran’s Rio. The characters are both archetypal and over-the-top and also grounded in a way that is interesting. The art is clear and solid, with more grown-up visual style, although cuter aesthetic touches surface here and there. The Drops of God is a mature vintage of manga for a discerning palate. It is available in print and digitally from online and other retailers.
Hugh J. O'Donnell 