King of RPGs

Last updated
King of RPGs
Date2010
PublisherDel Rey
Creative team
Writers Jason Thompson
ArtistsVictor Hao
Original publication
LanguageEnglish
ISBN 978-0345513595

King of RPGs is an American graphic novel about roleplaying written by Jason Thompson and drawn by Victor Hao.

Contents

Development

Thompson first submitted the idea to Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga contest in 2004, and was inspired by Hikaru no Go and Knights of the Dinner Table . [1]

Hao's artistic influences are Dragon Ball , Slam Dunk , and role-playing video games from the Super NES era. [2]

Reception

Carlo Santos, writing for Anime News Network, enjoyed the writing and "passion" that Thompson brought to the work, and the diversity of the characters. [3] Melinda Beasi felt the characters, while over-the-top, were "grounded in just enough reality to ring true". [4] Joanna Draper Carlson compared the graphic novel with Penny Arcade and found the “zany adventure” plot "didn't work for [her]". Carlson felt that there was too much tone being used in the art and that the layout was confusing. [5] Michael Lorah felt that if he was a fan of RPGs, he would understand the book better, but enjoyed the "enthusiasm" of the work. He found the art confusing, especially when characters are reacting with extreme emotion. [6] Nick Smith, writing for ICv2, felt the lead character exhibited signs of "multiple personality disorder" due to his roleplaying. Smith also found it "isn't always funny" when "relatively innocent individuals" are hurt as part of the story. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Angel Sanctuary</i> Manga series by Kaori Yuki

Angel Sanctuary is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kaori Yuki. It was serialized in the shōjo manga magazine Hana to Yume from July 1994 to October 2000. It follows Setsuna Mudo, a human teenager who, as the reincarnation of a prominent angel who rebelled against Heaven, becomes entangled in political machinations between the angels and demons. The 120 chapters were collected and published in twenty bound volumes by Hakusensha from February 1995 to February 2001. Titled Coming of the Seraphim in the early stages of its development, Angel Sanctuary was inspired by the Japanese fantasy novel Nocturne and was originally slated to be only ten chapters long, which led Yuki to worry about being able to properly end the story. Angel Sanctuary made cultural references to various mythologies, including Greek and Norse, as well as to real-world people, music, literature, and places.

<i>Shaman King</i> Japanese manga series and its adaptations

Shaman King is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei. It follows the adventures of Yoh Asakura as he attempts to hone his shaman skills to become the Shaman King by winning the Shaman Fight. Takei chose shamanism as the main theme of the series because he wanted a topic that had never been attempted before in manga. The Shaman King manga was originally serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump between June 1998 and August 2004. The individual chapters were collected and released in 32 tankōbon volumes. In 2017, Kodansha acquired the rights to the series and re-launched it on 35 e-book volumes in 2018, also published in print since 2020.

<i>Fullmetal Alchemist</i> Japanese manga series and franchise

Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's shōnen manga anthology magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan between July 2001 and June 2010; the publisher later collected the individual chapters into twenty-seven tankōbon volumes. The steampunk world of Fullmetal Alchemist is primarily styled after the European Industrial Revolution. Set in the early 20th century, in a fictional universe in which alchemy is a widely practiced science, the series follows the journey of two alchemist brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are searching for the philosopher's stone to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life using alchemy.

<i>Rave Master</i> Japanese manga series

Rave Master, titled just Rave and, alternatively, The Groove Adventure Rave in Japan, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima. The series follows Haru Glory, a teenager on a quest to find the five fragments of the sacred stone of light Rave in order to bring peace to the world by defeating the criminal group Demon Card. Mashima created this series with the idea of travelling around the world and was presented with difficulties in its serialization due to its considerable length.

<i>Tokyo Mew Mew</i> Japanese manga series and its franchise

Tokyo Mew Mew is a Japanese manga series created and written by Reiko Yoshida and illustrated by Mia Ikumi. It was originally serialized in Kodansha's shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from September 2000 to February 2003, with its chapters collected in seven tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. It focuses on five girls infused with the DNA of endangered animals which gives them special powers and allows them to transform into "Mew Mews". Led by Ichigo Momomiya, the girls protect the earth from aliens who wish to "reclaim" it.

<i>Tokyo Babylon</i> Japanese manga series by Clamp

Tokyo Babylon, also known as Tokyo Babylon: A Save Tokyo City Story, is a Japanese manga series created by mangaka group Clamp. The series follows Subaru Sumeragi, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto, as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils while living with a man named Seishiro Sakurazuka. Shinshokan serialized it in South and Wingsshōjo manga magazines from 1990 to 1993, and it was collected in seven tankōbon volumes. Tokyopop first distributed the English-language version of the manga; this is now handled by Dark Horse Comics.

An original English-language manga or OEL manga is a comic book or graphic novel drawn in the style of manga and originally published in English. The term "international manga", as used by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, encompasses all foreign comics which draw inspiration from the "form of presentation and expression" found in Japanese manga. This may also apply to manga-inspired comics made in other languages.

<i>Bizenghast</i> Graphic novel series by M. Alice LeGrow

Bizenghast is a debut gothic graphic novel series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow. The first seven volumes were published by Tokyopop, with the final volume released in late April 2012. After placing in Tokyopop's Rising Stars of Manga competition with her short story "Nikolai", LeGrow successfully pitched the series to Tokyopop's editors. She worked on the series from 2004 to 2011. Set in the haunted New England town of Bizenghast, the story follows Dinah, an orphaned teenager who is tasked with returning each night to an ancient mausoleum to free the ghosts within the building.

<i>Confidential Confessions</i> Japanese manga series

Confidential Confessions is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Reiko Momochi. The individual volumes of the series were originally published by Kodansha in Japan as Memai (Dizzy), Namida (Tears), and Tobira. The three were published in 2000, 2001, and 2002, respectively. The series was published in English under the title Confidential Confessions in North America by Tokyopop; the Tokyopop version of the manga is out of print as of August 31, 2009.

<i>Kitchen Princess</i> Manga

Kitchen Princess is a shōjo cooking, romance manga series written by Miyuki Kobayashi and illustrated by Natsumi Andō. Appearing as a serial in the manga magazine Nakayoshi from the September 2004 issue to the October 2008 issue, the forty-seven chapters were compiled into ten bound volumes by Kodansha, and published from February 2005 to November 2008. It also includes recipes for each featured dish at the end of each chapter. The series marked the first time that Ando illustrated a manga that was not also written by her. Set in modern-day Japan, Kitchen Princess follows Najika Kazami, a cheerful thirteen-year-old who searches for her "flan prince," a boy who rescued her from drowning as a young girl and brought a little happiness to her life after her parents' death. In March 2008, Kodansha published a related light novel, Kitchen Princess: Search for the Angel Cake, written by Kobayashi and illustrated by Ando.

Evil Hat Productions is a company that produces role-playing games and other tabletop games. Chief among them is the free indie RPG, Fate, which has won numerous awards.

<i>Flower of Life</i> (manga) Japanese manga series

Flower of Life is a slice of life comedy manga series by Fumi Yoshinaga revolving around a group of friends in a high school. The manga is serialised in Shinshokan's Wings. It was nominated for the first annual Manga Taishō award in 2008 and one of the Young Adult Library Services Association's 2008 Great Graphic Novels. The manga is licensed in North America by Digital Manga Publishing.

<i>Lupin III</i> (manga)

Lupin III is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Monkey Punch. It follows the escapades of master thief Arsène Lupin III, the grandson of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman thief of Maurice Leblanc's series of novels.

<i>Grand Guignol Orchestra</i> Japanese manga series by Kaori Yuki

Grand Guignol Orchestra is a gothic horror shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Kaori Yuki. Appearing as a monthly serial in the Japanese manga magazine Bessatsu Hana to Yume from the August 2008 issue to the June 2010 issue, the eighteen chapters of Grand Guignol Orchestra were collected into five bound volumes by Hakusensha—together with Yuki's romantic one-shot manga "Camolet Garden", which had appeared in the April 2008 issue—and published from February 2009 to August 2010. Set in a world where a worldwide epidemic of a virus has turned part of the population into guignols, Grand Guignol Orchestra focuses on singer Lucille and his orchestra, which destroys the guignols through music.

<i>Manga: The Complete Guide</i>

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. Though Thompson is listed as the author on the cover, some titles' entries were initially written by other reviewers, which Thompson later edited.

<i>The Moon and the Sandals</i>

The Moon and the Sandals is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Fumi Yoshinaga, her debut work. Originally serialized in Hanaoto magazine, the individual chapters were collected and published in two tankōbon volumes by Houbunsha in March 1996 and February 2000, respectively. It follows the romantic relationships of high school teacher Ida, his lover, a student named Kobayashi who develops a crush on Ida and is rejected, and the fellow student whom Kobayashi comes to love afterwards.

Jason Thompson (writer) American writer and critic

Jason Bradley Thompson is an American artist, author, comics creator, critic, and editor. He is best known for his Eisner-nominated book Manga: The Complete Guide, his graphic novel interpretation of H. P. Lovecraft's DreamQuest of Unknown Kadath and Other Stories, and his Dungeons and Dragons adventure walkthrough maps published by Wizards of the Coast on their website as well in books such as Waterdeep Dragon Heist.

Dear Myself is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Eiki Eiki, with a sequel, World's End. They are licensed in North America by Digital Manga Publishing which released Dear Myself in August 2006 and World's End in October 2007. They are licensed in France by Asuka and in Germany by Egmont Manga.

<i>Ordinary Crush</i>

Ordinary Crush is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Hyouta Fujiyama. It is licensed in North America by Digital Manga Publishing, which released the first volume through its imprint, Juné, on 22 August 2007, and the second volume on 5 December 2007.

<i>Steins;Gate</i> (manga) Manga based of the popular Visual Novel (VN) Stens;Gate

Steins;Gate is a seinen manga series created by Yomi Sarachi based on 5pb. and Nitroplus' video game of the same name, and is part of the Science Adventure franchise. It was serialized by Media Factory in Monthly Comic Alive from 2009 to 2013, and was later released as three collected volumes; these were published by Udon Entertainment in North America in 2015 and 2016, and re-release in 2022 as one volume as:"Steins;Gate: The Complete Manga". The story follows Rintaro Okabe, who together with his friends use a microwave oven and a cell phone to send text messages back in time, altering the present.

References

  1. "Jason Thompson and Victor Hao Interview – Q & A with Jason Thompson and Victor Hao, Author and Artist of King of RPGS". Archived from the original on 2010-01-24. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  2. "Jason Thompson and Victor Hao Interview Page 2 – Q & A with Jason Thompson and Victor Hao, Author and Artist of King of RPGS". Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  3. "Royal Rainbow - RIGHT TURN ONLY!!". Anime News Network. 2010-01-19. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  4. "King of RPGS Volume 1 Manga Review - del Rey Manga - King of RPGS Vol. 1 by Jason Thompson and Victor Hao". Archived from the original on 2010-01-29. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  5. "King of RPGS Book 1 » Manga Worth Reading". Archived from the original on 2009-12-31. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-01-16. Retrieved 2010-02-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. "Review of 'King of RPGs' Vol. 1 (Manga)". ICv2. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2019-10-22.