Are you afraid of the dark? Trese's got you covered.

I think it was back in 2010 or 2011 when I first saw Trese: Murder on Balete Drive at this boutique in Los Banos (101 boutique). The cover intrigued me, I thought it was some kind of an art book or maybe a little novel. But as I read the synopsis at the back, intrigue became desire, and I immediately bought the book (along with the 2nd book, Unreported murders) and sped off to our house just so I can finally read about the "underworld".

Before Trese, I tried to research about different "komiks" being made in the Philippines. Alas, I'm always busy during the annual Komikon hence I was not that updated with the local comics scene. Opening the pages of Murder on Balete drive opened my eyes to a lot of things, and the fact that there are many ways to write a comic book without resorting to the usual overly powerful looking people (you know rippling biceps, 8pack abs, pecs that can move mountains and all). And never would I have believed that there is a nice way to talk about Philippine Mythology.

I dunno, I've been into paranormal stuff (especially those in the Philippines) for as long as I remember and never have I seen a story represent Philippine lower mythology like this. Majority of the stuff that featured creatures of mythology were usually in the ancient times or usually they're from the provinces or something but the creators of Trese (goodness bless them for this work of theirs) were able to incorporate the ghosts and spooks to modern day Philippines. I want to go into detail but I have no plans of spoiling anyone.

Trese is made by the incredible tandem of Mr. Budjette Tan and Mr. Kajo Baldissimo. Mr. Budjette handles the story while Mr. Kajo is in charge of the art. Though I think they also provide suggestions to each other. As explained in one of the books. The story and the art go hand in hand, complementing and supplementing each other. This is why Trese works so well. As such, I don't think I would want to see a Trese novel. It just wouldn't be the same and it wouldn't feel like I'm reading a Trese material.

Anyway, here's my review:

Art style: Everything is in black and white. People would say "ermergerd it's like Japanese manga" but NO. I will tell it to you now, black and white really works well with Trese. The smart use of black and white give everything a far more sinister look and feel. It had a noir feel. The characters are well designed too. It's not too heavy on the eyes, and it's not too flashy like Japanese manga or american comic books. Of course, there was a noticeable change with the art style when it reached book 2 or book three, but the change was for the better. The text used was good too. Not too big and not too small.

Story: Do I have to say more? Right from the 1st story I was already hooked. After I finished the 2nd book I went back to the shop to get the 3rd one. It was that incredible. My copies are already in bad condition as I continued to read and re-read the books every week. It makes me want to discover what kind of secrets the writers placed within the panels and pages of Trese. Looking and hoping for some clue as to what might happen next. It's also interesting to note that you don't have to buy book 1 to appreciate book 2 or book 3. Almost every chapter is a stand alone, almost like a filler but there will always be something connecting them all. The characters are pretty much well written, almost each one of them having a backstory that is not YET ventured into. But that's not much of a con since that means there are more chances for more TRESE stories. The mysteries are pretty good and the plot twists usually makes me go "WHY DIDN'T I SEE THAT EARLIER?".

Price: I really can't remember the price But I am very sure that the 1st 3 books didn't reach 300 pesos when I bought it. And for the quality of work, I would have been willing to pay more than 300 pesos. That's how good it is for me. Plus I have this weird feeling that in the future, these comic books will be a collectible.

Overall and final verdict: 10/10. Get this book especially if you dig x-files, supernatural, etc. etc. sir Budjette and sir Kajo really come up with better and better stories wit each book. Anyone, even children can appreciate this. It's like a superhero comic, but it's not exactly a superhero comic. It's very pinoy and it is currently one of my favorite pinoy komiks.

Side note: There are 5 Trese books already available in the Market: Murder on Balete Drive, Unreported Murders, Mass Murders, Last Seen after midnight, and Midnight Tribunal. But there are Trese short stories in other publications as well (which ones they are, I will research into). For now I wait for book 6.

Another side note: There's a secret when you combine the Trese books. :) You can check out more info about Trese through this page: http://tresekomix.blogspot.com

My Trese Books 1-5 (couldn't get it right side up. oddly enough)

Anyway, that's that! Will probably edit this post when I get book 6. :)

The Enthusiast Reviews: Toriko

Author's note: The following review was originally submitted to the facebook group named Anizone. As such I wrote this with anizone members in mind. :)

Food, one of the things that can start and end disputes and wars. A handful of soldiers can win a war against a battalion of soldiers in the desert if they can control the water source as shown in Jim Belushi’s TV movie entitled “Sahara”.

Now, I’m not sure if there are a lot of popular anime that used food in its plot. And today I am here to review the anime Toriko.

Toriko is an on-going anime that started airing April of 2011. It chronicles the adventures of Toriko, the bishokuya (Gourmet Hunter) and Komatsu, a young and aspiring chef from a 5 star hotel, as they travel their fictional world in search of the best, rarest, foods to be part of Toriko’s full course meal.

Before the review, let’s define some terms found in this review (also found in the show)
1. Bishokuya/Gourmet hunter – individuals whose specialty is to capture/acquire rare ingredients/foods.
2. IGO – stands for International Gourmet Organization, a global organization that maintains order in the gourmet age. The IGO can be thought of as the government for the show. According to one of the characters, the IGO’s main objectives are as follows: discovery of new ingredients, research and development of the said ingredients, and circulation of food and the public order
3. Bishokukai – criminal organization that aims to steal very rare ingredients for their own benefit with the goal of controlling the world. They are in constant conflict with the IGO.
4. GT Robo – also known as Gourmet Telexistence Robo, is a specialized robo used to investigate areas that are considered inaccessible to normal humans. It allows the user to get ingredients without going in harm’s way (a la Surrogates), but the robot transmits back the senses to the operator(sight, smell, and even taste). In the anime, the bishokukai are commonly seen utilizing the GT Robo.
5. Gourmet cells – special cells discovered and harvested from the “phantom jellyfish” by the bishokuya god. The cells have regenerative and strength enhancing properties. And when they are transferred or implanted to the cells of another organism, the recipient will have improved qualities.
6. Capture level – rating that the IGO gives to ingredients/animals/creatures that show the difficulty of acquisition. Capture level is based on several factors: fighting strength, rarity, guardians(for ingredients), and environment to name a few.

Now, on to the review!

Plot: Toriko is first and foremost, under the action/adventure genre combined with food and monster hunting. And just like most shows under this genre, you can expect it to have a lot of fights. The fights may be part of the ingredient acquisition, or part of the conflict with the bishokukai. It also features a lot of food and a lot of eating. So be ready to feel hungry when you watch this show. Toriko also makes use of technical and scientific ideas (i.e. genetic engineering, use of pheromones etc. etc.) but it is used in such a way that younger audiences can understand it. As of writing, the anime has reached the 61st episode and has just entered the 10th arc. The show is very straightforward and there are only several filler episodes, two of which are special crossover episodes with the anime One Piece. The show has a good balance of humor, action, food, and dialogue.

Graphics: Art-wise, Toriko is a drawn in your typical shounen manner. Majority of the important characters (With the exception of Komatsu) are drawn like they were the demigods while the villains have a variety of designs, from the weird to the grotesque looking. But though the art style follows the trend, it does not mean that the characters are not memorable. The effects used for Toriko’s attacks are well made too, like when Toriko makes use of his intimidation skill.

Another incredible part in the art of Toriko is the audience-submitted monsters/ingredients. The animation staff has done a good job of getting audience participation in the production process. Fans of the show send their designs of creatures and ingredients and the staff chooses the really nice ones and incorporates them into the show. The good part is, the staff is able to turn an 8 year old child’s artwork into something incredible and tasty.

As mentioned earlier, the character designs of Toriko is rather generic (spiky hair, big physique), so what makes Toriko different? Well, what sets Toriko apart from other shows is the ability of the show to let the audience taste a certain ingredient/dish. Using a combination of narratives and character reactions to food, the audience is able to have an idea of how a certain food tastes. If cooking master boy used angels and crying old men to show that the taste is heaven-sent, Toriko uses funny facial expressions and strong narratives to show how tasty a dish is.

Music: So far, there is only one OP theme for the show, “Guts guts” sung by the incredible Akira Kushida, while there are 6 ED theme songs sung by different artists. The ED theme songs along with their respective artists are as follows: Satisfaction (FT Island), Deli delicious (Sea☆A), Sabrina (Ieiri Leo), Love chase (Tomohisa Yamashita), Samba de Toriko(Hyadain), and Sono na wa toriko(Kondo Takashi). As for the bgm, most of the music used gave off an epic feel.

Characters: There are several important characters in the show. I will be doing a quick description of 2 characters. 1st of course, is Toriko, our title character. HE is one of the four heavenly kings(shitennou) of the Bishokuya. He has the important traits of a shounen hero, insane levels of strength, a sense of adventure, and a never-say-die mindset. He has several weapons on his arsenal, namely:

• Fork and Knife: Right hand positioned like a claw, while his left hand is positioned in a chop.
• Intimidation: used to scare away creatures.
• Kugi punch/Nail punch – toriko focuses his strength on his right hand so he can create a punch strong enough to destroy things or knock monsters out.
  
  

Up next is Komatsu, a 5 star chef who works in Gourmet hotel. He is a timid but enthusiastic chef who accompanies Toriko during his hunts. He is mostly afraid of the things he comes across during his travels with Toriko (since most of the monsters he encounters can kill him). Despite that fact, he has gone to places no normal human can go to and come out of alive. Komatsu may not be a fighter but he is a highly skilled cook. He knows which ingredients can go well together and he is a highly skilled chef. He is also very observant of his environment and always on the lookout for new potential ingredients. While the show is focused on Toriko’s quests, most of the development can be expected of Komatsu, since he is a newbie to the world (and perils) of the Bishokuya.

All in all, Toriko is worth watching. It successfully combines several themes, action, adventure, food, and monster hunting to come up with a unique show. The art style, although it is not the best quality of the show, works well with the plot and theme of the show. Having crossover episodes with One Piece is also a nice touch, along with the audience participation.

I think the weak point of this show is the humor. Since the show is aimed at a younger demographic, some of the jokes used might not pass as funny to more mature viewers. So if you’re someone who’s looking for a show with a complex plot and a dark theme, then this is not for you. But if you’re someone who likes food and battles and monster hunting, then this show is for you.