Gimmick! (manga)
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese manga
written by Yōzaburō Kanari
and illustrated by Kuroko Yabuguchi. The manga was serialised in Kodansha
's Young Magazine
and collected in nine tankōbon
volumes by Shueisha
, released between September 16, 2005 and May 18, 2007. The series is licensed in North America by Viz Media
with nine tankōbon volumes released between June 10, 2008 and October 13, 2009. The manga is also licensed in Taiwan by Ever Glory Publishing
.
and illustrated by Kuroko Yabuguchi. The manga was serialised in Kodansha
's Young Magazine
and collected in nine tankōbon
by Shueisha
, released between September 16, 2005 and May 18, 2007. The series is licensed in North America by Viz Media
, with nine tankōbon volumes released between June 10, 2008 and October 13, 2009. The manga is also licensed in Taiwan by Ever Glory Publishing
.
". Manga Life's Barb Lien-Cooper criticises the manga for using movie special effects that "don't translate onto paper". About.com
's Deb Aoki commends the manga for featuring "a high-spirited, smart and likeable hero with an unusual profession" but she also criticises the manga for minimal character development and "one-dimensional villains". Comics Worth Reading's Johanna Draper Carlson comments that "the transformation process is a chance for dramatic art. It's treated intensely, as though it were life-saving surgery, but with the elements and techniques explained to the reader, providing a mini-course in movie makeup". A later review by Carlson comments that "many of Kohei's effects serve no purpose in the bigger story beyond entertaining the reader". ActiveAnime's Davey C. Jones comments that the manga "keeps the action hoppin' and the mysteries boppin'!" Coolstreak Comics' Leroy Douresseaux comments that the "action can get pretty intense at times, but never more than anything one would find in a PG-13-rated movie". Douresseaux compares Gimmick! to Case Closed
and MacGyver
. A later review by Douresseaux comments on "the stories [which] are full of tidbits on special makeup effects and animatronics, the kind of technical details that give stories realism and also intrigue readers". Jason Thompson
's appendix to Manga: The Complete Guide
commends the manga for its "basic shonen story structure with the mysterious mentor and the 'ambitious, hardworking person who is ridiculously good at some skill/job/ability'". He also comments on the manga's "cinematic leanings are so distinctly Hollywood-focused, which is questionable in one sense (it'd be nice to know more about the history of Japanese special effects), but on the other sense, makes it easy for a Western reader to follow". Manga Life's Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane appreciated the "real-world references" in the manga "primarily to director Sam Raimi
's work".
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
written by Yōzaburō Kanari
Yōzaburō Kanari
is a Japanese manga story writer, best known for creating the Kindaichi Case Files series.He made his debut in 1991 with manga Chōzunō Silver Wolf .- Works :...
and illustrated by Kuroko Yabuguchi. The manga was serialised in Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
's Young Magazine
Young Magazine
is a Japanese manga magazine published weekly by Kodansha. The magazine was started on June 23, 1980 and is targeted at adult males . It is also known as Young or YM. It goes on sale Monday every week...
and collected in nine tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
, released between September 16, 2005 and May 18, 2007. The series is licensed in North America by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
with nine tankōbon volumes released between June 10, 2008 and October 13, 2009. The manga is also licensed in Taiwan by Ever Glory Publishing
Ever Glory Publishing
is a Taiwanese publisher of manga. It was founded in June 1991. In October 1992, the company obtained the Chinese license for Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion...
.
Manga
Gimmick! is written by Yōzaburō KanariYōzaburō Kanari
is a Japanese manga story writer, best known for creating the Kindaichi Case Files series.He made his debut in 1991 with manga Chōzunō Silver Wolf .- Works :...
and illustrated by Kuroko Yabuguchi. The manga was serialised in Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
's Young Magazine
Young Magazine
is a Japanese manga magazine published weekly by Kodansha. The magazine was started on June 23, 1980 and is targeted at adult males . It is also known as Young or YM. It goes on sale Monday every week...
and collected in nine tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
by Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
, released between September 16, 2005 and May 18, 2007. The series is licensed in North America by Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
, with nine tankōbon volumes released between June 10, 2008 and October 13, 2009. The manga is also licensed in Taiwan by Ever Glory Publishing
Ever Glory Publishing
is a Taiwanese publisher of manga. It was founded in June 1991. In October 1992, the company obtained the Chinese license for Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion...
.
Synopsis
Kohei Nagase is an prodigy special effects artist. His friend Shingo Kannazuki form a special effects company called 'Studio Gimmick'. They do freelance work for various Japanese studios. Often Kohei's makeup skills and Shingo's fighting strength are called in to fight crime. For example, in their first story, the pair help rescue a struggling actress from her manipulative, abusive manager.Chapter list
The chapters are called "scene"s.Reception
Pop Culture Shock commends the illustrator for capturing the protagonist's "childlike enthusiasm for old monster movies perfectly with lots of full-page panels." Phil Guie from Pop Culture Shock comments that "the creative team also seems to understand that a hero is only as good as his nemesis". Sam Kusek from Pop Culture Shock commends the manga for making "a very nice reference to The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
". Manga Life's Barb Lien-Cooper criticises the manga for using movie special effects that "don't translate onto paper". About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
's Deb Aoki commends the manga for featuring "a high-spirited, smart and likeable hero with an unusual profession" but she also criticises the manga for minimal character development and "one-dimensional villains". Comics Worth Reading's Johanna Draper Carlson comments that "the transformation process is a chance for dramatic art. It's treated intensely, as though it were life-saving surgery, but with the elements and techniques explained to the reader, providing a mini-course in movie makeup". A later review by Carlson comments that "many of Kohei's effects serve no purpose in the bigger story beyond entertaining the reader". ActiveAnime's Davey C. Jones comments that the manga "keeps the action hoppin' and the mysteries boppin'!" Coolstreak Comics' Leroy Douresseaux comments that the "action can get pretty intense at times, but never more than anything one would find in a PG-13-rated movie". Douresseaux compares Gimmick! to Case Closed
Case Closed
Case Closed, known as in Japan, is a Japanese detective manga series written and illustrated by Gosho Aoyama. The series is serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday since February 2, 1994, and has been collected in 73 tankōbon volumes as of September 2011...
and MacGyver
MacGyver
MacGyver is an American action-adventure television series created by Lee David Zlotoff. Henry Winkler and John Rich were the executive producers. The show ran for seven seasons on ABC in the United States and various other networks abroad from 1985 to 1992. The series was filmed in Los Angeles...
. A later review by Douresseaux comments on "the stories [which] are full of tidbits on special makeup effects and animatronics, the kind of technical details that give stories realism and also intrigue readers". Jason Thompson
Jason Thompson (writer)
Jason Thompson is a manga critic, journalist, writer and comics artist.-Life and career:...
's appendix to Manga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide is a 2007 encyclopedia written by Jason Thompson and published by Del Rey which provides basic details and short reviews of over 1000 Japanese manga titles that have been translated and released in English in North America...
commends the manga for its "basic shonen story structure with the mysterious mentor and the 'ambitious, hardworking person who is ridiculously good at some skill/job/ability'". He also comments on the manga's "cinematic leanings are so distinctly Hollywood-focused, which is questionable in one sense (it'd be nice to know more about the history of Japanese special effects), but on the other sense, makes it easy for a Western reader to follow". Manga Life's Ysabet Reinhardt MacFarlane appreciated the "real-world references" in the manga "primarily to director Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi
Samuel Marshall "Sam" Raimi is an American film director, producer, actor and writer. He is best known for directing cult horror films like the Evil Dead series, Darkman and Drag Me to Hell, as well as the blockbuster Spider-Man films and the producer of the successful TV series Hercules: The...
's work".