![[MANGA REVIEWS]](images/section_manga.gif)
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— by Eugene Cheng
Manga creator Inoue Takehiko took the world by storm when he first published
the SLAM DUNK series. Anime fans world-wide rejoiced when the series
was finally adapted into a television series. Now that the SLAM DUNK manga
series has come to an end, Inoue Takehiko has created another basketball story
to delight young and old. And instead of bringing it to TV, he has brought it
to a new medium: the World Wide Web.
BUZZER BEATER is one of the first manga series to be published on the web.
Because the web is so much more flexible than print, Inoue has been able to
publish his newest work in vivid color. Despite the fact that it is published
only once a week, and with an average of 6 frames per issue, one will be
astonished at the amount of development that Inoue manages to slam into an
issue. Back issues are also available on the site but, unfortunately, they
do not start from the very beginning of the series. The reader will be quick
to pick up the story, however.
Part
of BUZZER BEATER is also translated into English by
MANGAJIN. The earlier issues were translated quite effectively, and are
quite understandable. In addition, the translation is placed directly into the
word balloons via computer, so the text is very readable. As of late, however,
the translations have been poor, few, and far between. It appears that
Mangajin has had to devote its manpower to other things. For those who are
worried about the "flipping of the artwork," it is unnecessary since the
original artwork and paneling has been done in the western fashion (i.e. panels
flow from upper-left to bottom-right, rather than upper-right to
bottom-left).
A
manager is searching for the best players in the world to compete in an
intergalactic tournament. The first few chapters begin with a competition
between the prospective players for the positions on the team. The centers
battle it out, as do the forwards and the guards. The shooting guard
competition is interesting in that it includes an 'android-like' veteran
who has trained himself to the point that he is as accurate as a machine,
and a young girl, the only female on the team.
However,
the most intriguing competition is the one between the point guards.
There are 4 people competing for that position: a good-looking one; another
who's tall enough to be a center; a trash-talking, beanie-wearing playmaker;
and a 15 year-old kid with a lot of potential. This teenager's name is
Hideyoshi, the apparent main protagonist. Hideyoshi learns very quickly
and gets better every second he is in the game. It has been rumored that
this young boy, at his height, can even dunk the ball. But he is also
plagued by a mysterious migraine.
Fans
of Inoue's SLAM DUNK may be disappointed that they won't see
any of their favorite players from the SLAM DUNK continuity in BUZZER BEATER.
However, there is always the chance that some characters may appear later
in the series.
The
reader may be quick to draw relationships between the plot of BUZZER
BEATER and that of the recent animation-and-live-action movie SPACE JAM.
While the basic premise seems similar, BUZZER BEATER is an entirely different
animal, with a unique and wholly intriguing set-up. But please do not take
this humble writer's opinion without checking it out. After all, it won't
cost you anything. BUZZER BEATER is
only a link away.
The
BUZZER BEATER site is updated every Monday, and one can access many
additional features there. Writing to the creator, buying the official
BUZZER BEATER T-shirt, and accessing back issues are available at the click
of a button. You may want to enable your browser to decode the Japanese
text so that the page does not appear too intimidating.
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