Henshin no News by Natsujikei Miyazaki

Its hard reading American comic books in any proper order, they tend to be published monthly but with breaks or other stories in between. Not to mention most of them started forty-plus years ago. So to save yourself some time instead of buying single issues you go for what they call a 'trade paperback' only to find out that even those are out of order at times, too. Now manga, there is a easily collectable comic, always in order, always the same format. So much easier to consume.


Henshin no News (News of Transformations) by Natsujikei Miyazaki 

Art and story (c) Natsujikei Miyazaki 

Genre: Seinen (Some would say slice of life but is it really...?)
Length: One Volume – 9 Chapters

What is that face? WHAT? IS? IT??

           The art is unique and has a sketchy, messy quality that adds to the fluidity of the movements
and general (in)sanity of the work. At times it seems almost as if the artist didn't care to try, but in a good way, it's all professional and stuffed with detail. The eyes are watery and wandering, and the clothes are plain yet match the characters very well. The hair has the same movement, and the people are, in a weird way, very normal looking at times. Really, looking at the art is the best way of describing it. Strange, very yes, just like everything else in this manga, but also very interesting to look at.
           Another set of shorts by Miyazaki-sensei. Another mind blowing set of stories. Most involve finding love in strange places or strange love in normal places, there is a heavier lean on the tragic in this volume compared to the other one. As well, as the name implies, the idea of changing oneself.
           It got me again. I went into this thinking: “I read the first one, I won't be so surprised this time around by all the weird stuff.” And I came out thinking: “Well, wasn't I completely wrong.” So, even if you have read Boku wa Mondai Arimasen, you may just be surprised at what weird things happen. The more tragic elements add a different flavor to the mix as well. Its such a strange mix of emotions to begin with because the heart of the

Literal balls.

stories are very easily graspable, but the people and the situations are so odd that the stories tend to veer off into left field at the drop of a hat. For example, the first chapter of this manga is probably the most memorable, its strange but not overly so and its actually kind of a cute love story until the male lead's literal balls inflate and the couple float off into the sunset. I am not joking you that is what happens. I laughed and I shook my head and I laughed again; I had to get up and distance myself for a moment just to process. I almost can't understand why I like this mangaka's works so much, but, lord help me, I do. I was looking forward to this, and it did not disappoint. Unlike the first one this one is much less set in our reality, or at least that’s the feeling I got, but the way the worlds are put together is as complete as ever. I don't tend to review one-shot collections, and this has the same problem as the rest of them, its just hard to say definitively whats good and what is bad with so many short stories, but at least they all share the weird world view. Really, I can only repeat myself: try it if you're looking for something like you've never seen before just don't expect it to make any kind of sense. I think I liked this one even more than Boku wa Mondai Arimasen but it is even more out there than the first one. It still gets the same score, though.




4/5 So strange I like it even though I don't understand it. 

Saved by Nessie.