Maka-Maka 1 Paperback – November 11, 2008

This was a good manga full of heart and warmth.

Amazing story. Everyone should read this.

I came across Maka-Maka by accident on a scanlation site. I downloaded and read every chapter, at first for the artwork, but after about the 3rd chapter or so, I was solely interested in the development of the two leads as characters. I wanted to know how they met, how they got to where they were in the first chapter, and where they were going to end up. I can't say that the journey was perfect, but the ride was enjoyable, and, if nothing else, the art is incredible.The story basically follows two female 'friends-with-benefits', and their sexual exploits. Some stories are hilarious, some are blush-inducing, and still others are downright depressing. Along the way, things seem to be escalating into some big, tangible payoff...but it never seems to come. The beginning left-fields you with it's content in only two pages, and the ending is almost a slap in the face, it's so abrupt. There's little to no character building, outside of seeing the two main characters fool around. I wanted to more about the pasts of the two characters, or, at least, more about their lives outside of each other.The art, though, seems to pick up the slack and redeem the entire purchase. I got the volumes(1-2)when they were much cheaper(about $15 each), mostly to support the localization of the product and just to own a physical copy of the series. The paper the book is made with is high-quality glossy stock, and is basically the same exact package as the Japanese version, even including the multi-layer cover and the poster. Kishi Torajiro is a master of the female form, and he renders it with ease, using minimal linework and focusing on color and layout to sell a scene. Some panels are practically poster-worthy in and of themselves. The book looks like screen shots of an anime laid out like a comic, and the effect is fantastic. Expressions and poses are rendered very well. Some chapters are pretty short, but for what it is, it's amazing. I just can't say enough good things about the art.One major warning, though-this is, no question, an adult comic, or 'hentai'. Although there's light censoring, it's still pretty graphic, but somehow manages to avoid being vulgar or tasteless, at least in my opinion. It's definitely adult, but Torajiro-san's artistic skill allowed him to avoid producing work that looks overly 'wet' or needlessly detailed, like so many other hentai artists. As a result, the book looks less like smut and more like...an actual story worth reading...?I can't recommend the book at it's current list price to anyone but the most avid of collectors, especially given my opinions on the story, but if you Google the book, you'll find images that prove it's worth(in regards to the art, anyway), and if you have the cash to spare, you could get worse books for your collection. Glad I got it when I did. :D

I came across Maka-Maka in a bookstore when I was looking for something fresh that I had never come across before. Maka-Maka, Vol. 1 by Kishi Torajiro was something that I found and bought on a whim--I never usually read Manga. This is one of the first I bought.The cover design itself is absolutely stunning. I really like the fact that the cover itself has several layers of complexity: In some ways there are three covers, a pull away half-cover that reveals nudity on the front and back images. Underneath the main jacket is another set of two artistically done nude shots. I had never seen so much attention to detail in the cover alone. There is even a nicely designed poster folded inside the book... It sure felt like I got a lot of stuff with the book.This is definitely an adult book, but for being such a "naughty" book, it is so stylized, exquisitely drawn that I simply found myself drawn into the "real-life" feel of the atmosphere of the book. The character interactions are so utterly believable that at times there was major suspension of disbelief--in other words, these characters felt REAL. That is good--far too many erotic books and films fail to set up "real-like" situations and characters that they fail at being erotic--Erotic stimulation is inherently triggered from believing in the situation at hand (at least I believe so).This book is a collection of 12 short stories, often based in day to day situations (which is nice), that always deal with a sexual nature of some sort. Not all of the stories actually portray explicit sex between two female friends (keep in mind that this book is all about a female/female "friends with benefits" situation), but sometimes the two simply enjoying erotic experiences and exploring each others' bodies.All of the art is absolutely breathtaking. Better yet, it's in full color and the book is full-sized (ie, at least the size of a letter-sized sheet of paper). This is an erotic piece of fiction that I will reread frequently and enjoy often. I highly recommend it to anyone who is into this genre (or even to those who are looking for a new genre, as was the case with me). I'm buying the second volume ASAP.

Sorry, but I have to say the book is over priced. The artwork and storyline are good, but not for the listed price. The art is similar to Manara but has more hot spots or highlights to make the pictures look shiny. I would have to classify this as soft porn with tease not graphic. There's other comic books out there just as good for around 1/9th the cost of this one. This being said when I saw the price of this book I just had to see what a comic book at this price looked like. It's good but not a museum piece. Find samples before buying to judge for yourself.

I had read a review of this manga in a magazine dedicated to anime and manga, and decided that when it was released I would like to read it for myself.I was pleasantly surprised after I received it. The graphics are very good, the character development is very personal, and the interaction between Jun and Nene is almost voyeuristic from a reader's standpoint.The sexual nature of some of the chapters served more to underline the closeness of the relationship between them. It is somewhat explicit without being lewd, direct without being pornographic.I just pre-ordered the second volume, and can't wait to see how much deeper they explore the relationship in that one.

So einfach lässt sich der Manga von Torajiro Kishi - für mich - umschreiben.Selten hat ein ... - hmm ja was eigentlich. Als "hentai" kann man Maka-Maka nicht bezeichnen. Auch für "ecchi" ist Maka-Maka nicht freizügig genug.Aber gerade das macht den - da ist es wieder - Charme der zwei Bände aus. Maka-Maka ist mit seinen "Fummeleien und manchmal auch etwas mehr" durchaus anregend - ja überaus anregend sogar! Doch wer explizite Details will, dem sei Maka-Maka nicht empfohlen.Zeichner und Autor Kishi hat ein wunderschönes Werk geschaffen, das romantisch, zärtlich, inhaltlich interessant, erotisch, frech und "kinky" ist.Der Manga ist durchgehend farbig, das Layout und die Optik hervorragend, die Geschichte durchaus lesenswert und kurzweilig. Ein "Feel-Good"-Lesestoff!