Vassalord, by Nanae Chrono

[rachelmanija]

I can't improve upon Tokyopop's back cover blurb for the hilariously nutso manga: Charley, a cyborg vampire who does the Vatican's dirty work, is the thrall of the local vampire playboy Johnny Rayflo.

Chapter one, "The Confined Elagabalus," opens with a flurry of incomprehensible action concluding with this exchange:

Vampire playboy, dripping with God knows what liquid and impaled on a crucifix: "Hey, Cherry."

Cyborg vampire, also dripping with God knows what: "My name is Charley."

The panel layout and action sequences continue to be intermittently incomprehensible, but basically Charley and Johnny are vampire vampire hunters, sort of, who live in sin together in Sacramento, which in this world is apparently a suburb of Los Angeles. There's a cyborg dog, or maybe he just wears a cape. A cross falls on a vampire priest and squashes him flat. There is an evil group of demonic, blasphemous, vampire Unitarians.

This was quite fun and funny, not to mention slightly gross, moderately sexy, and totally insane, and I'm definitely reading the next volume. The omake at the end, in which the mangaka explains the inspiration, is nearly worth the price of the book. So is the lunatic plot twist toward the end.

The mangaka clearly knows exactly how ridiculous this all is, and much of the comedy is deliberate. Possibly all of it, though I have my doubts about Sacramento.

Comments

[heyoka.livejournal.com]

...wait, what?! It's being released in English?! AWESOME. I read scanlations of the first few chapters, ages ago.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Yep! http://www.amazon.com/Vassalord-1-Vasalord-Nanae-Chrono/dp/1427806144/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214283177&sr=8-1

[yhlee.livejournal.com]

I almost read "Elagabalus" (?) as "Elegba," which puts a whole different spin on things. :-D

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I think that's the same mangaka as Peacemaker. I think I regreet ignoring this one, now...

[heyoka.livejournal.com]

Definitely the same mangaka. Preeeeetty art.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Yup, though it makes me sad that she's doing a new series when Peace Maker is unfinished.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Is Peacemaker not finished in Japan yet, either? (And if not, is she doing both, or did she just switch series?)

[rilina.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, it's been on indefinite hiatus for a while now (stopped after vol. 5 of the sequel series). My understanding is that she's switched series.

[cicer.livejournal.com]

This is being released in English?? *glee* I've only read scans of the first couple chapters, and found it utterly delightful. Yes, the plot is completely incomprehensible, but I'd buy the book solely for the sexy blood-drinking scenes between Johnny and Charley. Do want.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is. http://www.amazon.com/Vassalord-1-Vasalord-Nanae-Chrono/dp/1427806144/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214283177&sr=8-1

[gwynnega]

That sounds awesome! In an insane kind of way...

[cerusee.livejournal.com]

vampire Unitarians

How can you tell? Do they stand around drinking coffee and defining their terms?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

They can be scared off with a wooden question mark. (Just kidding! You know because the author said so. Otherwise they appear to be Catholics.)

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

I love Vassalord!! It is a cyborg cosplaying doberman!! How could I not love this? Volume 2 is just as awesome. This is the manga I jumped up and down in Kinukuniya when I was there with Oyce.

[darkrosetiger.livejournal.com]

I have to find this, since I live in Sacramento. Damn, if I'd only known how close we are to LA!

[andyleggett.livejournal.com]

Yes, it makes me feel so much more insulted, as I am continually trying to differentiate myself culturaly from SoCal kids... though certain parts of LA do eerily resemble Sac...Mostly in the East, though...

[oyceter]

Bwahahaha! I've been dying to read this ever since VM told me it had a cyborg doberman that has its own kitty!

[andyleggett.livejournal.com]

What's this about Sacramento? Are we again being derided as LA and SF's ugly step-sister? *boos*