By Robert “Rob Base” Greenwood
Comixology has supplied us with so many interesting independent comic books that sometimes I just don’t know where to begin. So, since I am a huge sucker for anime and manga, I look at what other people consider manga.
That brings me to this very different looking comic book that should be more of a spoof on anime and Asian culture than just a Gaijin knocking on the outside doors of manga. Yuki vs Panda’s cover is a little misleading in terms of what we get on the inside. The cover seems to fall flat and depend on a lot of Photoshop. Regardless, this did not deter me from reading this comic which, for a better lack of description, is a great mix of Project Ako/DragonBall/Teen Titans and Family Guy. All this makes for a fun story and something more than a knock off.
You are thrust right into a young Yuki basically tormenting a baby Panda with her ice cream. This semi-violent exchange turns into a future rivalry that will make the Chicken vs Peter Griffin feud look like a kid’s schoolyard fight.
I usually hate this cartoon-style of comic book artwork but with Yuki vs Panda, I felt like I was watching an Adult Swim future hit. And with all of this, I just can’t overlook all the non-Japanese elements in this story. They claim that Yuki is a Japanese schoolgirl but her last name is Lee (not Japanese). Her teacher/Grandfather, Master Lee, hits on a woman and says “Ni Hao you doing?” which is most certainly not Japanese at all. But other than that, I highly recommend you read this book. I give Yuki vs Panda a solid 3/5 and hope Vol. 2 is just as much fun and as well produced as Vol. 1.
Written by Graham Misiurak
Written by Nick Dunec
Art by A Jones
Comixology description:
Welcome to the twisted journey of Japanese schoolgirl Yuki and her Panda nemesis. Yuki Lee is your average everyday martial arts prodigy with mystical powers. Despite her awesome skills and fantastic strength, all she really wants to be is…well, normal. This is something her grandfather and instructor Master Lee neither understands nor condones (after all he’s trained Yuki to be a fighter all her life, not some perfumed “girly-girl.”) But as teenagers tend to do, Yuki starts a subtle rebellion against her rigid and structured life and begins to dabble into the world of shiny lip gloss and boy bands. All is not as it seems however, for an evil omen is in the air and unbeknownst to Yuki, a mysterious figure from her past is about to make his presence known… like BIG time. If you haven’t guessed by now it’s a giant panda bear named Panda. He has returned to exact sweet sweet ice-cold revenge. Volume 1 will introduce us to our many main characters and set the stage for Volume 2: THE CONFRONTATION!
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