Books I've Read This Week

Well this has been a very manga week as a glut of books showed up from my library pull list.

Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 8 This is an oddly compelling book for me. Sure this is a bunch of fun ninja fighting but there is something poignant about one brother searching for a way to get his younger brother his body back. Part of the mystery of this series is you are never quite sure if that suit of armour really is animated by the soul of Alphonse animating that hunk of metal or not.

B.P.R.D. Volume 3: Plague of Frogs okay I know it isn't manga and sadly my local library doesn't have volume 2 but that's okay, I guess. This is where B.P.R.D. really starts getting going as it evolves from a bunch of one or two issue hits into a full 5 to 6 issue storyline. There is some great callbacks for folks who are also fans of Hellboy and we finally get the secret origin of Abe Sapien.

One Piece, Vol. 24 marks the end of the Baroque Works saga and the beginning of Skypiea. It's and island in the sky! Good jumping on point for new readers.

Naruto, Vol. 49 We catch up with Naruto after his traumatic battle with Pain. There is some real character development in this volume as the normally hot headed Naruto is learning that you don't always need to fight.

See you next Friday for a decidedly less manga'ish week.