Last week in the AnimaIowa series for manga lovers going to anime conventions, the author and artist of Otaku-No-Yen gave BellaOnline.com an interview, a look into the minds of someone who creates manga-style art. This week is a review of that art, with a review of Otaku-No-Yen Book 1: As Seen On The Intarwebs by Richard and Shannon Townsend. This book of manga-style comics collected from the first three years of the online run are partially in black and white and partially in color (switching between the two at the point when the online comic went to full color) and is an excellent example of the humorous slice-of-life genre that blends with a few made up stories inspired by the real-life concerns of the author and artist. Comedy, a little ridiculousness, half-dressed women, and lighters are a staple of this manga that was available at the artists’ table at AnimeIowa this year. This author’s particular copy is now a prized possession, considering it has been signed by both author and artist, and has an adorable on-the-fly sketch on the front page.

The main characters of the Otaku No Yen consist of characters of the author, the artists, and their friends, all cleverly (and by clever, it should be referenced as a good use of common sense, because who seriously uses their own names) re-monikered as their personal nicknames. Roku and Drazz are our main characters, a loving, amicable couple that have an unusual life as an artist and husband team. From amusing anecdotes from anime conventions they’d been to over the years, to fictional story arcs that include amassing armies of rabid man-love craving fan girls and mobs of men who come to Roku’s beck and call.

The artwork of Otaku No Yen begins in black and white, and slowly moves on to color, just as the original web comic did. Each page has commentary under the strip, a unique feature that makes the manga more entertaining. It divides the stories up and lets the reader know which is true and which is just commentary on a particular issue that the artist and author are passionate about. The art is the manga style that this page is all about, including the soft, doe-style eyes of female characters and the unique jaw lines that categorize this genre. The transition from black and white to color was a little difficult, but eventually works for the artist as she does more of them. A few of the ink lines can get a little thick, but overall, the art is well done, and continues to evolve and grow more refined and clean as the comic continued.

One of the best parts about the Otaku No Yen manga is the fact that the characters are endearing from page one. If anyone who reads this graphic novel has ever been on a road trip, to an anime convention, or just waiting at home for a video game to come out, they can connect on some level with the slice-of-life stories contained in the manga. Those who are passionate about something can also enjoy the fictional story lines that began with the passion Rich and Shannon Townsend have for censorship of manga in the United States. The violence of Nobaku, the bishi-love of Roku, and the epic obsession for Mizuho of Drazz are all things we can find in ourselves or even better, in our best friends.

Okatu-no-Yen Book 1: As Seen On The Intarwebs is a web comic that many can appreciate, especially those who are aspiring manga artists/authors, or who just love going to anime conventions. This book was a fantastic find at an anime convention, especially for anyone looking for something fresh that the other vendors won’t be carrying. Picking up this manga, with the story by Richard Townsend and the art by Shannon Townsend was a find that will keep this author going back to the website to read more, and back to the anime conventions to get more of their manga.

Check out next week’s article, AnimeIowa #4, a review of the manga Flipside, as well as the final article in the AnimeIowa series!

(Author’s Notes: I have found Otaku-no-Yen spelled several different ways in my research about the comic. Thus I have tried to represent them all. Yes, I did make up the term re-monikered. My computer did not want to recognize intarwebs as a real word.)