Serendipity and wolf-angels

[furtech]

In our travels on the Japanese Market and Book-hop, we stopped at a small manga shop called, “Book Off” (I like how rude the name sounds). This is a kind of Crown Books for manga: most titles were a buck ($1) each! While waiting for one of us to pay, okojosan reached up, almost randomly (the graceful kanji on the spine caught her eye) and pulls down a book. She flips it open to find…wolf-guys!! Amazing bit of serendipity!





I’m already hooked on this title (whatever it is). Near as I can tell, it seems like a cross between Quantum Leap and Heaven Can Wait: an angel/wolf-shifter appears to help people. I only have issues one and four, so it’s a bit hard to see a pattern.

Werewolf and wolf


In the fourth book, (as far as I can tell), the wolf-angel appears on the set of a film crew shooting a period piece with heroes and monsters. In fact, the story and characters are remarkably similar to my favorite obscure old Japanese hero show

By luck, they need another wolf-ninja because of an injury to a stuntman. Once the wolf-angel figures out what’s going on, he gets a little excited about being in a mooovie!

I’m an ACTOR now! (The other stuntman, in their fake heads, are disturbed by his realistic head and supernatural effects)



His big scene: Wolf-ninjas attack! (The stuntmen are further agitated by his exuberant acting)



His “costume” so impresses the director that he becomes the hero’s sidekick:




The series looks like enough fun (art-character-story) that I’m going to try and order it!

Comments

[shoka.livejournal.com]

Wow, looks pretty kean. Can you please scan the cover of one of them and share any info like the ISBN / copyright date / etc from the book info page in the back?

Book-Off's a used manga store, more like your local used book store than a Crown Books, except that the condition of the manga is usually much better than the average used American book. Been visiting the one in Costa Mesa semi-regularly and finding quite a few treasures.

[brerandalopex.livejournal.com]

[Alopex] Really cool! I especially like the dinner-plate-sized eyes on the wolf-masked actors. The main character may be more subtly expressive, but the others seem to have studied at the Warner Brothers School of Experssiveness. I'd like to know what sort of animatronics were used to create eyes that become that large on a mask.

Aha!

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I have some info: the author/writer/creator is "Udo Shinohara" and the name of the manga is "Facade".

Here are some links:

First, a review: http://www.bane-huntress.co.uk/reviews/Japanese-Manga-Reviews.html#FACADE

...and second, here's where to buy the series (though beware: the shipping is killer!):

http://www.animaxis.com/en/shop/index.asp?dept_id=175

Re: Aha!

[shoka.livejournal.com]

Aha! is right. I didn't quite recognize it from the scans you did, as you mostly didn't show any Bishonen. You may be able to skip the shipping and buy it direct. The Kinokuniya in Little Tokyo had a complete set at the end of last year, less the volume I bought and the one okojosan bought.

Re: Aha!

[furtech.livejournal.com]

Cool! Thanks-- I'll try the Little Tokyo Kinokuniya when I pick up my subscriptions. Yeah-- Bisho' ain't my bag...wolf-guys and kaiju, sure-- but not Bishonen.

Re: Aha!

[shoka.livejournal.com]

Some bishonen are my thing and some aren't. I just remember the volume I bought having more bishi-guys and less wolf-guys. I'll have to dig out my copy when I get home from work and refresh my memory.

[loriana.livejournal.com]

Cool.. I love seeing furry characters (especially ones so well drawn) in manga. Heheh, usually because they ARE so well drawn....well, excluding the comically deformed scenes--- but those are always good for a giggle. I have to say you have my interest peeked as well.

Hrrph! but after exhausting all my monitary resources, I have to work to recover.

[furtech.livejournal.com]

I love the range of expressions from this artist. One of my favorite panels is just before the wolf-ninjas break in to the building: the wolf-angel's look of quiet enthusiasm/excitement. He's happy!

[furtech.livejournal.com]

By the way, cool user pic!

Re: Aha!

[shoka.livejournal.com]

Yah, I only have volume one which only has wolfiness in the first few chapters, hence my remmebering it as mostly bishonen (with occassional wings).

[c-eagle.livejournal.com]

Fun fun stuff.... thanks!