Bizenghast
Encyclopedia
Bizenghast is an ongoing original English-language (OEL) manga
series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow
. It is currently being published in North America by Tokyopop
, which has released seven volumes as of July 2010, and is expected to conclude with the eighth book. After placing in Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga
competition, LeGrow won an opportunity to have a manga series published by Tokyopop; Bizenghast is her debut series. Set in the haunted New England town of Bizenghast, the story follows an orphaned teenage girl who is tasked with returning each night to an ancient mausoleum
to free the ghosts within the building.
Several adaptations of Bizenghast have been released, including a novel by Shawn Thorgersen, animated episodes, and a tabletop roleplaying game. Critics praised Bizenghast for the gothic atmosphere and art, but noted the traditional elements and varying quality of the series.
and later a boarding school
; however her aunt and doctor believe that she suffers from schizophrenia
. One day, she and her only friend, Vincent Monroe, sneak out of her aunt's house to search for materials for his garden. They stumble across an ancient mausoleum
and after Dinah reads aloud from a plaque, she discovers that her name is written on a contract which binds her to return to the mausoleum every night to free the ghosts. If she succeeds, she will win her freedom and a reward. If she fails, she will die and stay in the mausoleum as a corpse.
For every ten ghosts appeased, Dinah and Vincent get a tower guard to help with their task; over the course of the series, they meet two of the guards: Edaniel, a grinning cat-like creature, and his brother Edrear, who secretly likes Dinah. Vincent dies while in one of the vaults, causing Dinah to become depressed
. Later, the hooded angel, which normally guards the entrance to the mausoleum, appears as two stones that talk to Dinah and help her overcome the depression which resulted from Vincent's death. Dinah continues searching the vaults and discovers that Edaniel and Edrear's sister, Eniri, is missing, and that the seed of the mausoleum—its link to the Host in the afterlife—has been stolen. Additionally, Edaniel and Edrear's other sister, Elala, is found dead. After Edaniel and Edrear lock down the mausoleum, they send Dinah home and she discovers that Maphohetka, a girl hanged for witchcraft and who now as a ghost can controls minds in the real world, is manipulating Eniri and the townspeople. Unsuccessful in her attempt to stop her, Dinah flees to the mausoleum and receives a special outfit melted from the gold tolls that she and Vincent paid to gain access to the mausoleum. Returning, she confronts Maphohetka, who then orders Edaniel to kill her.
competition from a friend at the 2003 Otakon
, an anime convention
in Baltimore, Maryland; the stort story LeGrow submitted won a runner-up place in the competition and was published in the 2003 Rising Stars of Manga anthology. As part of her prize, she had the chance to propose a manga series to the Tokyopop editors. They liked her series, Bizenghast, and LeGrow became the second Rising Stars of Manga winner to have a manga series published by Tokyopop.
LeGrow began Bizenghast when, for an art class assignment, she drew an open door and added the hooded angel statue in another class. In her initial designs, Dinah had simple features and short black hair, and Vincent was one of Dinah's friends. LeGrow later removed the other friends from the story. She later lengthened Dinah's hair and depicted her dressed in Lolita fashion
—frilly and modest clothing influenced by the Rococo
and Victorian era
s. Other changes included Dinah's hair being altered from straight to curly and the addition of an exoskeleton
-like armour to Edrear. Tired of thin female characters in comics, LeGrow designed Edaniel's girlfriend, Nareesha as "super full-figured".
When deciding on names for her protagonist
, LeGrow considered Molly, Charlotte, Moira, Sally, and Diana before choosing Dinah—a reference to the pet cat of the protagonist of Lewis Carroll
's novel Alice in Wonderland; the 1984 comedy film Johnny Dangerously
inspired her last name, Wherever. Vincent Monroe takes his name from Vincent Price
and the actress Marilyn Monroe
. Jane, Dinah's aunt, shares her name with LeGrow's sister. Edaniel takes his name from the name Daniel in a middle school yearbook which LeGrow picked at random; she noted that the editors let her keep him in the story although he appeared a risky character to them. Edrear was initially named Mordred after the character from Arthurian myths
. The name of his sister Elala comes from the character Lala Orange of Rainbow Brite
, an animated television series. The minor character Prince Ironbound takes his name from the city Ironbound, New Jersey, while Lalibela
, a holy town in northern Ethiopia, inspired Bali Lali's. Another minor character, Dr. Morstan, takes his name from Mary Morstan, Dr. Watson’s wife. "марионетка", the Russian word for marionette, inspired the name of the antagonist
Maphohetka.
LeGrow comments that the series "is about life, death and fabulous outfits (not in that order)" and notes that there are "a lot of religious themes" present. The town of Bizenghast "represents a world cut off from that sort of constant access [of technology]." The series was initially written to span about fourteen volumes and be divided into three seasons: the first seven volumes would make up the first story arc
; the second season, volumes eight through eleven, would center on the mausoleum's relationship with the other guilds; and season three would focus on the afterlife and consist of the last three volumes. LeGrow also considered writing a spin-off
based on Bizenghast with a guest artist, after she finished the first story arc of Bizenghast. The spin-off would contain chapters not present in the original series, and after her other series was completed, she would continue Bizenghast. However, LeGrow now expects to conclude Bizenghast with eight books instead of seven.
LeGrow called it "worded in a way that I felt was offensive to me and to cosplayers" and noted that "none of it reflects my opinions." Fan reaction to learning that the statement was inaccurate was generally relief since "they felt it didn't mesh with [her] personality." She stated:
. As of July 2010, seven volumes have been released. The first was released on August 9, 2005; the most recent was published July 1, 2010. However, Tokyopop's North American branch stopped publishing on May 31, 2011; because of it, LeGrow is currently considering releasing the final volume as a digital release. The series is also distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Madman Entertainment
, in Hungary by Mangattack, in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in Finland by Pauna Media Group, and in Russia by Comix-art
.
art book, Bizenghast: Falling into Fear (ISBN 978-1-59816-748-1), which included stickers and pinup pages.
Running Press
published a coloring book based on the series, Color Me Manga: Bizenghast (ISBN 978-0762431311) on November 12, 2007. On August 13, 2008, Tokyopop published a novel adaption, Bizenghast: The Novel (ISBN 978-1-4278-1030-4), written by Shawn Thorgersen and with illustrations by LeGrow.
and Kissing Violet, and premiered on My Space in summer 2007. Overall, LeGrow praised the adaption. She liked the "kooky" background effects and Edaniel's voice actor, but disliked Dinah's "high-pitched" voice which she had imagined as "deeper...with a slight edge to it. Sort of like Mandy from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, but without the sarcasm." The episodes were also available on Verizon's V CAST. The television network iaTV acquired the seventeen two to three minute-long episodes as part of a "program acquisition deal and strategic ad sales partnership with Tokyopop."
A tabletop roleplaying game based on the series was created by Clint Krause. Other merchandise included posters, scarves, playing cards, a plushie, postcards, a signed puzzle kit, and T-shirts. Additionally, a two-and-a-half-hour DVD commentary about the first Bizenghast volume, with Tokyopop editor interviews and bonus material, was planned to be released in mid-August 2010.
Bizenghast received positive reviews from critics. The September 2005 issue of Teen People listed Bizenghast as the Hot Book of the Month. Sheena McNeil of Sequential Tart praised the first volume as "a highly enjoyable read". Coolstreak Cartoons's Leroy Douresseaux described the series as "belong[ing] to a fantasy sub-genre sometimes referred to as 'pop Gothic'" and relying on atmosphere and looks. Critics praised the art of Bizenghast as detailed, but did not see it as manga-styled. Anime Jump' s Chad Clayton called the series "heavily steeped in the gothic tradition" and commented that the series "successfully develops an inventive visual style all its own. It seems to owe more to classical art, gothic comics, and even artists like Edward Gorey
than it does to manga." Johanna Draper Carlson, a longtime reviewer for Publishers Weekly
, found the art reminiscent "of classic fantasy indy comics" and noted "stock elements" in the story. Reviewers found Dinah's character design "striking" and with the potential to appeal to fans of the Gothic Lolita fashion. Criticism focused on the writing, "uneven pacing", flat characters, and the varying quality of the art. Anime News Network
's Zac Bertschy heavily criticized Bizenghast for the "slightly modified generic monster-of-the-week
cliché" plot, one-dimensional characters, and art. David Welsh compared Bizenghast to "a cosplay
of a horror manga", stating: "It’s got a handle on the cosmetics, but central elements of story and character are vague and underdeveloped."
In his review of the novel adaption, Mania Entertainment's Greg Hackmann disliked the large amount of description, the "inconsistent" narration, and felt that the novel was more of a "novelization in the most literal sense of the word, reading much less like an adaptation in the spirit of LeGrow's work than a 1-to-1 copy of the source material." Conversely, Sabrina Fritz wrote that the novel adaption was "well-written, [and] engaging" and called it "one of the best light novel
s on the market". Another reviewer for Mania Entertainment, Danielle Van Gorder, enjoyed "[t]he detail and perspective in the architectural drawings" and "incredibly detailed costumes" of the art book Falling into Fear.
Original English-language manga
Original English-language manga or OEL manga is the term commonly used to describe comic books or graphic novels in the "international manga" genre of comics whose language of original publication is English...
series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow
M. Alice LeGrow
Mary Alice LeGrow , better known by her pen name M. Alice LeGrow, is an American manga-influenced alternate comic book artist best known for her original English-language manga series Bizenghast...
. It is currently being published in North America by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
, which has released seven volumes as of July 2010, and is expected to conclude with the eighth book. After placing in Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga
Rising Stars of Manga
Rising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
competition, LeGrow won an opportunity to have a manga series published by Tokyopop; Bizenghast is her debut series. Set in the haunted New England town of Bizenghast, the story follows an orphaned teenage girl who is tasked with returning each night to an ancient mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
to free the ghosts within the building.
Several adaptations of Bizenghast have been released, including a novel by Shawn Thorgersen, animated episodes, and a tabletop roleplaying game. Critics praised Bizenghast for the gothic atmosphere and art, but noted the traditional elements and varying quality of the series.
Plot
Set in the fictional New England town of the same name, Bizenghast focuses on fifteen-year-old Dinah Wherever. Her parents' car crash leaves her orphaned at a young age and as a result, she moves in with her aunt. Dinah can see the ghosts which haunt her aunt's house, which was a hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
and later a boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
; however her aunt and doctor believe that she suffers from schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
. One day, she and her only friend, Vincent Monroe, sneak out of her aunt's house to search for materials for his garden. They stumble across an ancient mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
and after Dinah reads aloud from a plaque, she discovers that her name is written on a contract which binds her to return to the mausoleum every night to free the ghosts. If she succeeds, she will win her freedom and a reward. If she fails, she will die and stay in the mausoleum as a corpse.
For every ten ghosts appeased, Dinah and Vincent get a tower guard to help with their task; over the course of the series, they meet two of the guards: Edaniel, a grinning cat-like creature, and his brother Edrear, who secretly likes Dinah. Vincent dies while in one of the vaults, causing Dinah to become depressed
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
. Later, the hooded angel, which normally guards the entrance to the mausoleum, appears as two stones that talk to Dinah and help her overcome the depression which resulted from Vincent's death. Dinah continues searching the vaults and discovers that Edaniel and Edrear's sister, Eniri, is missing, and that the seed of the mausoleum—its link to the Host in the afterlife—has been stolen. Additionally, Edaniel and Edrear's other sister, Elala, is found dead. After Edaniel and Edrear lock down the mausoleum, they send Dinah home and she discovers that Maphohetka, a girl hanged for witchcraft and who now as a ghost can controls minds in the real world, is manipulating Eniri and the townspeople. Unsuccessful in her attempt to stop her, Dinah flees to the mausoleum and receives a special outfit melted from the gold tolls that she and Vincent paid to gain access to the mausoleum. Returning, she confronts Maphohetka, who then orders Edaniel to kill her.
Development
As a young girl, Mary Alice LeGrow was not interested in comics since she grew up in Weisbaden, Germany where comics were not readily available. In her freshman year of high school, she discovered comics and anime. She heard about Tokyopop's Rising Stars of MangaRising Stars of Manga
Rising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
competition from a friend at the 2003 Otakon
Otakon
Otakon is a fan convention in the United States focusing on East Asian popular culture and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku...
, an anime convention
Anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels...
in Baltimore, Maryland; the stort story LeGrow submitted won a runner-up place in the competition and was published in the 2003 Rising Stars of Manga anthology. As part of her prize, she had the chance to propose a manga series to the Tokyopop editors. They liked her series, Bizenghast, and LeGrow became the second Rising Stars of Manga winner to have a manga series published by Tokyopop.
LeGrow began Bizenghast when, for an art class assignment, she drew an open door and added the hooded angel statue in another class. In her initial designs, Dinah had simple features and short black hair, and Vincent was one of Dinah's friends. LeGrow later removed the other friends from the story. She later lengthened Dinah's hair and depicted her dressed in Lolita fashion
Lolita fashion
is a fashion subculture originating in Japan that is based on Victorian-era clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo period, but the style has expanded greatly beyond these two. The Lolita look began primarily as one of modesty with a focus on quality in both material and manufacture of garments...
—frilly and modest clothing influenced by the Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
and Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
s. Other changes included Dinah's hair being altered from straight to curly and the addition of an exoskeleton
Exoskeleton
An exoskeleton is the external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to the internal skeleton of, for example, a human. In popular usage, some of the larger kinds of exoskeletons are known as "shells". Examples of exoskeleton animals include insects such as grasshoppers...
-like armour to Edrear. Tired of thin female characters in comics, LeGrow designed Edaniel's girlfriend, Nareesha as "super full-figured".
When deciding on names for her protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, LeGrow considered Molly, Charlotte, Moira, Sally, and Diana before choosing Dinah—a reference to the pet cat of the protagonist of Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
's novel Alice in Wonderland; the 1984 comedy film Johnny Dangerously
Johnny Dangerously
Johnny Dangerously is a 1984 comedy spoof of 1930s' crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling; its four screenwriters included Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris, both of whom previously created the hit TV series Diff'rent Strokes...
inspired her last name, Wherever. Vincent Monroe takes his name from Vincent Price
Vincent Price
Vincent Leonard Price, Jr. was an American actor, well known for his distinctive voice and serio-comic attitude in a series of horror films made in the latter part of his career.-Early life and career:Price was born in St...
and the actress Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
. Jane, Dinah's aunt, shares her name with LeGrow's sister. Edaniel takes his name from the name Daniel in a middle school yearbook which LeGrow picked at random; she noted that the editors let her keep him in the story although he appeared a risky character to them. Edrear was initially named Mordred after the character from Arthurian myths
Mordred
Mordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
. The name of his sister Elala comes from the character Lala Orange of Rainbow Brite
Rainbow Brite
Rainbow Brite was a character franchise introduced by Hallmark Cards in 1983, with the animated television series starting the following year....
, an animated television series. The minor character Prince Ironbound takes his name from the city Ironbound, New Jersey, while Lalibela
Lalibela
Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia, known for its monolithic churches. Lalibela is one of Ethiopia's holiest cities, second only to Aksum, and is a center of pilgrimage for much of the country. Unlike Aksum, the population of Lalibela is almost completely Ethiopian Orthodox Christian...
, a holy town in northern Ethiopia, inspired Bali Lali's. Another minor character, Dr. Morstan, takes his name from Mary Morstan, Dr. Watson’s wife. "марионетка", the Russian word for marionette, inspired the name of the antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
Maphohetka.
LeGrow comments that the series "is about life, death and fabulous outfits (not in that order)" and notes that there are "a lot of religious themes" present. The town of Bizenghast "represents a world cut off from that sort of constant access [of technology]." The series was initially written to span about fourteen volumes and be divided into three seasons: the first seven volumes would make up the first story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
; the second season, volumes eight through eleven, would center on the mausoleum's relationship with the other guilds; and season three would focus on the afterlife and consist of the last three volumes. LeGrow also considered writing a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
based on Bizenghast with a guest artist, after she finished the first story arc of Bizenghast. The spin-off would contain chapters not present in the original series, and after her other series was completed, she would continue Bizenghast. However, LeGrow now expects to conclude Bizenghast with eight books instead of seven.
Minor controversy
A minor controversy occurred over a statement published in the July 2007 issue of the Tokyopop publication Takuhai and in the back of the first Bizenghast volume written by a former Tokyopop editor and not authorized by LeGrow. It read:LeGrow called it "worded in a way that I felt was offensive to me and to cosplayers" and noted that "none of it reflects my opinions." Fan reaction to learning that the statement was inaccurate was generally relief since "they felt it didn't mesh with [her] personality." She stated:
OEL manga
Written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow, Bizenghast is published in North America by TokyopopTokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
. As of July 2010, seven volumes have been released. The first was released on August 9, 2005; the most recent was published July 1, 2010. However, Tokyopop's North American branch stopped publishing on May 31, 2011; because of it, LeGrow is currently considering releasing the final volume as a digital release. The series is also distributed in New Zealand and Australia by Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment
Madman Entertainment is an Australian company that distributes international films as well as Japanese anime and manga in Australia and New Zealand. The company is owned by Funtastic Limited and is one of the major entertainment companies in Australia. It employs 130 people and has an annual...
, in Hungary by Mangattack, in Germany by Tokyopop Germany, in Finland by Pauna Media Group, and in Russia by Comix-art
Comix-ART
Comix-ART is a comics imprint of russian book publisher Domino It serves as a translator and the licensor of graphic novels, manga, manhwa and Original English-language manga. Comix-ART, founded in 2008 with headquarter in Saint Petersburg, releases its titles in collaboration with Eksmo, another...
.
Books
Three books based on Bizenghast have been released. On February 13, 2007, Tokyopop also released a 72-page limited-editionLimited edition books
A limited edition book is a description of a book which is released in a limited print run quantity, usually much smaller than publishing industry standards, and connotes a level of scarcity or exclusivity...
art book, Bizenghast: Falling into Fear (ISBN 978-1-59816-748-1), which included stickers and pinup pages.
Running Press
Running Press
The Running Press is a member of the Perseus Books Group, the imprint is the publisher of fiction, non-fiction, cooking, humor, and kit books. The publisher's offices are located in Philadelphia, but many of the corporate functions take place in New York City....
published a coloring book based on the series, Color Me Manga: Bizenghast (ISBN 978-0762431311) on November 12, 2007. On August 13, 2008, Tokyopop published a novel adaption, Bizenghast: The Novel (ISBN 978-1-4278-1030-4), written by Shawn Thorgersen and with illustrations by LeGrow.
Other
Menfond Electronic Art adapted Bizenghast into animated short episodes or "iManga". The iManga episodes featured music by Divine MadnessThe Divine Madness (band)
The Divine Madness is an American Gothic rock band. Formed in 2005, the band is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Victoria Mazze.The band has a unique and eclectic sound described as "a mixture of classical music, 80’s New Wave, and even some influences from film composers – such as Danny...
and Kissing Violet, and premiered on My Space in summer 2007. Overall, LeGrow praised the adaption. She liked the "kooky" background effects and Edaniel's voice actor, but disliked Dinah's "high-pitched" voice which she had imagined as "deeper...with a slight edge to it. Sort of like Mandy from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy, but without the sarcasm." The episodes were also available on Verizon's V CAST. The television network iaTV acquired the seventeen two to three minute-long episodes as part of a "program acquisition deal and strategic ad sales partnership with Tokyopop."
A tabletop roleplaying game based on the series was created by Clint Krause. Other merchandise included posters, scarves, playing cards, a plushie, postcards, a signed puzzle kit, and T-shirts. Additionally, a two-and-a-half-hour DVD commentary about the first Bizenghast volume, with Tokyopop editor interviews and bonus material, was planned to be released in mid-August 2010.
Reception
Bizenghast was well-received by English-language readers. The first volume debuted at the 79th spot on a list of the top 100 best-selling graphic novels of August 2005 with an estimated 1,434 copies sold. Daily Variety named Bizenghast one of Tokyopop's top ten biggest titles. In June 2010, the seventh volume sold 425 copies, ranking 294th on the list of the top 300 best-selling graphic novels.Bizenghast received positive reviews from critics. The September 2005 issue of Teen People listed Bizenghast as the Hot Book of the Month. Sheena McNeil of Sequential Tart praised the first volume as "a highly enjoyable read". Coolstreak Cartoons's Leroy Douresseaux described the series as "belong[ing] to a fantasy sub-genre sometimes referred to as 'pop Gothic'" and relying on atmosphere and looks. Critics praised the art of Bizenghast as detailed, but did not see it as manga-styled. Anime Jump
Edward Gorey
Edward St. John Gorey was an American writer and artist noted for his macabre illustrated books.-Early life:...
than it does to manga." Johanna Draper Carlson, a longtime reviewer for Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
, found the art reminiscent "of classic fantasy indy comics" and noted "stock elements" in the story. Reviewers found Dinah's character design "striking" and with the potential to appeal to fans of the Gothic Lolita fashion. Criticism focused on the writing, "uneven pacing", flat characters, and the varying quality of the art. Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
's Zac Bertschy heavily criticized Bizenghast for the "slightly modified generic monster-of-the-week
Villain of the week
"Villain of the week" is a term that describes the nature of one-use antagonists in episodic fiction, especially ongoing American genre-based television series...
cliché" plot, one-dimensional characters, and art. David Welsh compared Bizenghast to "a cosplay
Cosplay
, short for "costume play", is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, but recent trends have included American cartoons and science fiction...
of a horror manga", stating: "It’s got a handle on the cosmetics, but central elements of story and character are vague and underdeveloped."
In his review of the novel adaption, Mania Entertainment's Greg Hackmann disliked the large amount of description, the "inconsistent" narration, and felt that the novel was more of a "novelization in the most literal sense of the word, reading much less like an adaptation in the spirit of LeGrow's work than a 1-to-1 copy of the source material." Conversely, Sabrina Fritz wrote that the novel adaption was "well-written, [and] engaging" and called it "one of the best light novel
Light novel
A is a style of Japanese novel primarily targeting junior high and high school students . The term "light novel" is a wasei-eigo, or a Japanese term formed from words in the English language. Light novels are often called or for short...
s on the market". Another reviewer for Mania Entertainment, Danielle Van Gorder, enjoyed "[t]he detail and perspective in the architectural drawings" and "incredibly detailed costumes" of the art book Falling into Fear.
External links
- Bizenghast at Tokyopop's website
- Bizenghast iManga #1: Little Girl Lost at YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....