Rating: 
Summary: The beginning was better
Review: The first book, in my opinion, is a necessity to every person who reads these types of books. But really, after Rodney Caston left, I've noticed the story's decline from the funny video game and computer jokes to a story running around Tokyo with a confusing romance-esque story. Sure, Fred wanted to go his own way, but I really felt it lost it's charm after that. Now the only thing Largo does is say "3V1L" and "L33t" in awkward places... then blows things up. Sounds cool, but really repetitive.
Rating: 
Summary: L33T
Review: This installment of Megatokyo is a big improvement from volume one. The most noticeable change is the lack of notes at the bottom of each page. Those really slowed down the first book. The other improvements are character development and story complexity. There is good news for Chobits fans. The PS2 accessory, Ping, takes on a bigger roll this time. Also Erika and Hayasaka are drawn so you can tell them apart. Unfortunately, the stick figures from the first book are present in volume two, but it's only for two pages. Volume two definitely has a high school feel to it, opposed to the PS2 feel of the first. I enjoyed seeing Largo teach English. It's good to have him doing something constructive. Although in the end, I was rooting for Piro.
Rating: 
Summary: relax, we understand j00
Review: Unlike most, my introduction to the series came with the first volume of the popular webcomic after much pestering by a coworker. Usually graphic novels and manga hardly seem worthy of my purchase, because not only am I major fan of them at the moment, but they are such quick insubstantial reads that they don't really feel worth the tradeoff in price. However, I made an exception with this series. From the first panel I became addicted, and with the first volume it was nice to have in my hands and be able to read it from start to finish. The artwork is a joy to look at, a cross between manga styles and more realistic drawing, with a pristine sort of unfinished look to them. It is devoid of the typical exaggerated manga expressions and actions ala Love Hina, and while goofy in its own right it isn't goofy to a nonsensical level. The characters are down to earth as much as they are oddball, with Piro the obsessed anime and japanese dating sim fan and Largo the more american-minded game maniac and l33t-speaker stranded in Tokyo, Japan. They attempt to garner enough money to get home while at the same time dealing with everyday life, relationships, and waxing sarcastic about games, manga, and Japanese culture. It's almost a Seinfeld set in Japan, as the characters become involved in the most mundane of situations that manage to somehow become more convoluted, problematic, and hillarious than humanly possible (i.e. Junepi the l33t ninja). There's interesting commentary, Shirt Guy Dom episodes (fill-in comics that despite what many say are a ball to read), and even exclusive artwork and a bonus short story at the end. In the end, I've always wanted an American to really attempt to apply the Japanese style to their work, and here we have what could be considered the first success. Not only is it a gimmick, either; the art perfectly complements the slightly off-kilter plot and characters. Sure I blew through it in around an hour, but it's one series that I can see myself revisiting, and it's certainly one of the more enjoyable oddities out there.
Rating:
Summary: relax, we understand j00
Review: Unlike most, my introduction to the series came with the first volume of the popular webcomic after much pestering by a coworker. Usually graphic novels and manga hardly seem worthy of my purchase, because not only am I major fan of them at the moment, but they are such quick insubstantial reads that they don't really feel worth the tradeoff in price. However, I made an exception with this series. From the first panel I became addicted, and with the first volume it was nice to have in my hands and be able to read it from start to finish. The artwork is a joy to look at, a cross between manga styles and more realistic drawing, with a pristine sort of unfinished look to them. It is devoid of the typical exaggerated manga expressions and actions ala Love Hina, and while goofy in its own right it isn't goofy to a nonsensical level. The characters are down to earth as much as they are oddball, with Piro the obsessed anime and japanese dating sim fan and Largo the more american-minded game maniac and l33t-speaker stranded in Tokyo, Japan. They attempt to garner enough money to get home while at the same time dealing with everyday life, relationships, and waxing sarcastic about games, manga, and Japanese culture. It's almost a Seinfeld set in Japan, as the characters become involved in the most mundane of situations that manage to somehow become more convoluted, problematic, and hillarious than humanly possible (i.e. Junepi the l33t ninja). There's interesting commentary, Shirt Guy Dom episodes (fill-in comics that despite what many say are a ball to read), and even exclusive artwork and a bonus short story at the end. In the end, I've always wanted an American to really attempt to apply the Japanese style to their work, and here we have what could be considered the first success. Not only is it a gimmick, either; the art perfectly complements the slightly off-kilter plot and characters. Sure I blew through it in around an hour, but it's one series that I can see myself revisiting, and it's certainly one of the more enjoyable oddities out there.
| 
