[Manga]Train Train Vol. #01

[sir_integra]

Review
Mania Grade: B+
Art Rating: B
Packaging Rating: B+
Text/Translation Rating: B+
Age Rating: 16 and Up
Released By: Digital Manga Publishing
MSRP: 12.95
Pages: 200
ISBN: 978-1569700969
Size: B6
Orientation: Right to Left
Review Date: August 8, 2009
Reviewed by: Patricia Beard

[Noodle]

I had a lot of laughs with this (more than I'd expected), but I gotta say, I have a really hard time placing this in a BL category, even as a "starter." Maybe I'm just in too deep already to see it. That Asahi is cute to all is a funny enough gag, but that's all it really is, aside from maybe the bi character who jokes a lot about hitting on him/stealing his virginity/gang-raping him (that last one isn't as funny a line once you've read it more than once). Hikari's the only other one who really dotes on him, but she's a chick, and all the fan-passengers are women. Even after 2 volumes (I read both together after picking up #2 just recently), I can only see this as the sort of comedy-innuendo that is ever-present in any bishie-full girls' manga: played for laughs more than anything else (even in the series that aren't serialized in Wings, haha). I mean, I don't really care, but heck, Princess Princess was more "BL" than this and even DMP pushed that as shoujo.The Doki Doki line-up, frankly, confuses a lot.

Still though, funny stuff. Agree with the comments about Pure, though he starts looking better in vol 2 (or maybe I just got used to him). I also liked the little vignettes of backstory (though most particularly those in volume 2). The gags got a liiiitle old as I moved into the 2nd half of the 2nd volume, but with such an episodic series, I think this is more the fault of reading too many chapters at once. Reading one volume at a time is probably the better idea here.

[sir_integra]

Are there more than two volumes to this? I know there is a #2, which I haven't read yet.

[sir_integra]

Originally Posted by Noodle

Doki Doki line-up, frankly, confuses a lot.

Indeed. Doki Doki is also putting out Millenium Prime Minister which seems to be the same type as Train Train.

My take on DMP and Doki Doki is that DMP is "selling" as BL lite, though perhaps "proto-BL" might be a better term. I can see where they're coming from, but your point about this not being BL, at least what we're used to, is certainly correct.

I'd like to see some BL that we're not used to, but going in the other direction.

[Noodle]

Originally Posted by sir_integra

Are there more than two volumes to this? I know there is a #2, which I haven't read yet.

It's 3 volumes and complete. (supposedly; you know how some of these episodic artists are prone to continuations later....)

[Glamrgrl104]

I love this manga it's like Ouran host club, but at a train station XD.

I hope Vol. 2&3 comes out soon.

[Noodle]

Originally Posted by Noodle

It's 3 volumes and complete. (supposedly; you know how some of these episodic artists are prone to continuations later....)

Also, I lied. The end of #3 says there is a #4. Don't know if that's the end though. :/ I dunno how I feel about that; after volume 2, I felt ok with buying 1 more to finish it, but probably wouldn't have continued if I'd known it would be more than that. It's an ok series, but something I could wait for a cheap sale on (or just quietly forget about). Oh well. :/

[sir_integra]

Originally Posted by Noodle

Also, I lied. The end of #3 says there is a #4. Don't know if that's the end though. :/ I dunno how I feel about that; after volume 2, I felt ok with buying 1 more to finish it, but probably wouldn't have continued if I'd known it would be more than that. It's an ok series, but something I could wait for a cheap sale on (or just quietly forget about). Oh well. :/

I must agree. It really didn't have much to say after #2 and #3 was just ok. It's really too aimless; things seemed to be picked up on a whim and run. Not funny enough to support that approach.